Polymeric carriers for delivery systems in biomedical applications—In memory of Professor Andrzej Dworak

© 2023 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081810Published onlin

Serum soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Esophageal carcinomas have been shown to express Fas ligand (FasL) and down-regulate Fas to escape from host immune surveillance. Circulating soluble FasL (sFasL) has been suggested to provide protection from Fas-mediated apoptosis. The aim of this study was to assess serum sFasL levels in esophageal cancer. The pretreatment levels of sFasL in the serum of 100 patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer and 41 healthy volunteers were determined by ELISA. Probability of survival was calculated according to the method of Kaplan-Meier. The prognostic influence of high and low level of sFasL was analyzed with the log-rank test. The mean serum level of sFasL in patients with esophageal cancer was significantly higher than that in healthy donors (1.567+/-1.786 vs 0.261+/-0.435,

Short- and long-term outcomes of continuous-flow left ventricular assist device therapy in 79 patients with end-stage heart failure

Introduction An increasing number of patients with end‑stage heart failure, along with a shortage of heart donors, necessitates the use of mechanical circulatory support. Objecti ves This single‑center retrospective study evaluated short- and long‑term outcomes of continuous‑flow left ventricular assist device (CF‑LVAD) therapy in patients with end‑stage heart failure. Patient s and methods We collected and assessed data of 79 patients (77 men, 2 women; mean age, 50.3 years; mean INTERMACS profile, 3.1) implanted with a CF‑LVAD between 2009 and 2017 (HeartMate 3 in 19 patients [24%]; HeartMate 2 in 9 [11.4%]; and HeartWare in 51 [64.6%]). Result s The mean time on CF‑LVAD support was 604 days (range, 1–1758 days). There were 2 device exchanges due to pump thrombosis and 1 explantation due to heart regeneration; 9 patients (11.4%) underwent heart transplant. Stroke (nondisabling, 48%) occurred in 27.8% of patients (ischemic in 9 patients; hemorrhagic, in 14; both types, in 1) despite the standardized anticoagulation regimen. Major gastrointestinal bleeding and pump thrombosis were reported in 13 patients (16.5%), while 18 patients (22.8%) developed driveline infections (recurrent in 15 patients [19%]). Hemorrhagic stroke and bacteremia had a negative impact on survival. Hemorrhagic stroke was the main cause of death. Survival probability was 0.9 at 1 month and 0.81, 0.71, 0.61, and 0.53 at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively. Conclusions Although CF‑LVAD support is associated with substantial adverse events, they do not significantly affect mortality (except hemorrhagic stroke and bacteremia). Novel devices seem to overcome these limitations, but larger studies are needed to support these findings

Mechanical circulatory support restores eligibility for heart transplant in patients with significant pulmonary hypertension

Background: An increasing number of patients with end‑stage heart failure implies a wider use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Irreversible pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a predictor of unfavorable prognosis and a contraindication to orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous‑flow LVAD (CF‑LVAD) support on pulmonary pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) as well as the impact of pre‑LVAD hemodynamic parameters on survival during LVAD support. Methods: Data collected from 106 patients who underwent CF‑LVAD implantation in the years 2009 to 2018 (men, 95.3%; mean [SD] age, 51.8 [12] years; mean [SD] INTERMACS profile, 2.9 [1.6]; mean [SD] LVAD support time, 661 [520] days; follow‑up until May 2019) were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Right heart catheterization was performed before LVAD implantation in 94 patients (88.7%), after implantation—in 31 (29.2%), and before and after implantation—in 28 (26.4%). We observed mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) > 25 mm Hg in 65 patients (61.3%) and PVR > 2.5 Wood units in 33 patients (31.1%) before LVAD implantation. A significant improvement after CF‑LVAD implantation was noted in mPAP, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, transpulmonary gradient, PVR, cardiac output (P < 0.001 for all parameters), and cardiac index (P = 0.003). All patients with initially irreversible PH became eligible for OHT during LVAD support. Survival during LVAD support did not depend on initial mPAP and PVR. Conclusions: In patients with end‑stage heart failure, CF‑LVAD support leads to a significant reduction of pre‑ and postcapillary PH. Survival on CF‑LVAD support is independent of elevated mPAP and PVR before implantation, which suggests that LVADs decrease the risk associated with PH

Nanolayers of Poly(N,N’-Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate) with a Star Topology and Their Antibacterial Activity

In this paper, we focus on the synthesis and characterization of novel stable nanolayers made of star methacrylate polymers. The e ect of nanolayer modification on its antibacterial properties was also studied. A covalent immobilization of star poly(N,N0-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) to benzophenone functionalized glass or silicon supports was carried out via a “grafting to” approach using UV irradiation. To date, star polymer UV immobilization has never been used for this purpose. The thickness of the resulting nanolayers increased from 30 to 120 nm with the molar mass of the immobilized stars. The successful bonding of star PDMAEMA to the supports was confirmed by surface sensitive quantitative spectroscopic methods. Next, amino groups in the polymer layer were quaternized with bromoethane, and the influence of this modification on the antibacterial properties of the obtained materials was analyzed using a selected reference strain of bacteria. The resulting star nanolayer surfaces exhibited higher antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 compared to that of the linear PDMAEMA analogues grafted onto a support. These promising results and the knowledge about the influence of the topology and modification of PDMAEMA layers on their properties may help in searching for new materials for antimicrobial applications in medicine

Historia książki na terenach pogranicza i jej rola w kształtowaniu społeczeństw wielokulturowych : materiały z polsko-niemieckiej konferencji bibliotekarzy, Zielona Góra, 21-22 kwietnia 2005 = Zur Geschichte des Buches in der Grenzregion und dessen Rolle in der Bildung der multikulturellen Gesellschaften : Materialien aus der deutsch-polnischen Konferenz der Bibliothekaren und Bibliothekarinnen, Zielona Góra, den 21-22 April 2005

Zrealizowano przy pomocy finansowej Unii Europejskiej

Validation of selected molecular methods for the mutations determination in codons 12 and 13 of K-RAS gene in five Polish oncological research centers

Chorzy na raka jelita grubego z przerzutami mogą osiągnąć korzyść z leczenia panitumumabem jedynie, jeśli w guzie nie stwierdzono mutacji w genie K-RAS. W związku z tym konieczne jest zbadanie statusu tego genu w celu wyłonienia chorych, którzy mogą być poddani takiemu leczeniu. Celem pracy było opracowanie standardowej procedury oznaczania statusu genu K-RAS w materiale izolowanym z bloczków parafinowych. Kolejnym celem była walidacja wybranych technik molekularnych oznaczania mutacji w pięciu ośrodkach w Polsce, w których odbywa się leczenie chorych na raka jelita grubego. Ocenie poddano cztery różne techniki oznaczania mutacji: SSCP, DHPLC, RFLP/PCR i bezpośrednie sekwencjonowanie. Stwierdzono, że wszystkie jednostki uczestniczące w procesie walidacji są odpowiednio przygotowane do podjęcia działalności diagnostycznej w zakresie oznaczania statusu genu K-RAS. Przyjęto następujące zalecenia dla laboratoriów diagnostycznych: 1. Materiał do izolacji DNA powinien zawierać przynajmniej 70% utkania nowotworowego; 2. Ujednolicenie procedury izolacji DNA ze skrawków parafinowych wymaga stosowania gotowego zestawu do izolacji DNA; 3. W przypadku braku jednoznacznego wyniku konieczne jest stosowanie dwóch metod oznaczania mutacji, przy czym jedną z nich powinno być sekwencjonowanie bezpośrednie.Metastatic colorectal cancer patients will benefit from treatment with panitumumab only when they don't have mutation in K-RAS gene. Therefore, estimation of mutational status of K-RAS is necessary for the selection of patients, who should be treated with panitumumab. The aim of this study was to evolve a standard method of estimation of K-RAS mutational status in the material isolated from paraffin blocs. The second aim was the validation of selected molecular methods of K-RAS mutation evaluation in five Polish oncological centers where mCRC patients are treated. Four methods were evaluated: SSCP, DHPLC, RFLP/PCR and direct sequencing. We found that all groups in five selected oncological centers, who took part in the validation process, were well prepared for molecular diagnosis of K-RAS mutational status. The following recommendations for diagnostic laboratories were approved: 1. At least 70% of cancer cells should be present in a tissue for DNA isolation; 2. The method of DNA isolation should be standardized, the most appropriate is usage of DNA isolation kits; 3. In case of equivocal results two independent molecular methods should be employed, one of them should be direct sequencing

Sposób elektrooporowego badania utworów geologicznych opis patentowy nr 60768 /

Tyt. z ekranu tyt.Zgłoszono 1 czerwca 1968 r.Opublikowano 31 października 1970 r.Nr zgłoszenia P 127298Dostępny także w wersji drukowanej.Tryb dostępu: Internet