Can procalcitonin be useful for medullary thyroid cancer?

Wstęp: Kalcytonina jest najbardziej znanym i bardzo czułym markerem raka rdzeniastego tarczycy (MTC, medullary thyroid cancer), niemniej, jej oznaczanie nie należy do najłatwiejszych co jest wadą dla niewyspecjalizowanych laboratoriów. Prokalcytonina, prekursor kalcytoniny jest łatwiejsza w oznaczeniu. Celem pracy było porównanie stężeń kalcytoniny i prokalcytoniny u pacjentów z MTC wykazujących aktywną postać choroby lub będących w remisji oraz u pacjentów z wolem guzowatym nietoksycznym (NTNG, non-toxic nodular goiter). Materiał i metody: Czterdzieści trzy próbki surowicy pobrano od 40 pacjentów (6 z aktywną postacią MTC, 23 z MTC w stadium remisji i 11 z NTNG) i zmierzono stężenia obu markerów. U 2 chorych z aktywnym MTC badania wykonano przed i po zabiegu operacyjnym. Jeden z nich był reoperowany z powodu wznowy na szyi, drugi miał przerzuty do wątroby. Wyniki: Stężenia prokalcytoniny i kalcytoniny były znacznie podwyższone u wszystkich chorych z aktywną postacią MTC. U dwóch reoperowanych chorych stężenia obu markerów obniżyły się po operacji, ale utrzymywały się nadal powyżej normy. W grupie pacjentów w stadium remisji MTC 18 miało stężenie obu markerów w granicach normy, u 2 stwierdzono nieznacznie podwyższone stężenie kalcytoniny, a u 3 nieznacznie podwyższone stężenie obu markerów. W grupie chorych z NTNG, wszyscy chorzy z wyjątkiem jednego mieli normalne stężenia prokalcytoniny i kalcytoniny. Analiza statystyczna wykazała znamienną korelację stężeń prokalcytoniny i kalcytoniny (r = 0,7383; p < 0,0001). Wnioski: Prokalcytonina ma podobny rozkład stężeń, co kalcytonina i obserwuje się znamienną korelację stężeń obu markerów. Może być ona wykorzystana do oceny chorych z MTC w sytuacjach kiedy stężenie CT jest niemożliwe do oznaczenia. (Endokrynol Pol 2010; 61 (5): 430-436)Introduction: Calcitonin, the best known marker for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), has several laboratory limitations which limit its use in the routines of non-specialized laboratories. Procalcitonin, the precursor of calcitonin, is free from these drawbacks. The aim of this study was to compare calcitonin and procalcitonin levels in MTC patients with active disease or in remission, and in patients with non-toxic nodular goiter (NTNG). Material and methods: Forty-three serum samples, obtained from 40 patients (6 MTC active disease patients, 23 MTC patients in remission, and 11 NTNG patients), were tested for calcitonin and procalcitonin levels. The levels of both markers were measured in 2 MTC patients with active disease before and after surgery. One was re-operated due to neck relapse, the other one due to liver metastases. Results: Both procalcitonin and calcitonin levels were considerably higher in all MTC patients with the active disease. In two re-operated patients, the levels of both markers decreased after surgery but remained above the reference range. In the remission group of MTC patients, 18 had both markers within the reference range, 2 had slightly elevated calcitonin, and 3 patients exhibited both markers slightly increased. In the NTNG group, all but one patient had normal procalcitonin and calcitonin levels. Analysis revealed a significant correlation between procalcitonin and calcitonin levels (r = 0.7383; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Procalcitonin has a similar distribution of values as calcitonin and may be used for evaluation of MTC status in some situations when accurate CT estimation is not achievable. (Pol J Endocrinol 2010; 61 (5): 430-436

Avalanche dynamics : dynamics of rapid flows of dense granular avalanches : recenzja

Recenzja książki: Pudasaini S.P. & Hutter K., 2007, Avalanche dynamics: Dynamics of rapid flows of dense granular avalanches Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Science & Business Media Hardcover, 614 s., ISBN: 13 978-3-540-32686-

Pashas and nobles : Paweł Benoe and Ottoman-Polish encounters in the eighteenth century

Defence date: 16 April 2019Examining Board: Prof. Jorge Flores, European University Institute (Supervisor); Prof. Giancarlo Casale, European University Institute; Prof. Dariusz Kołodziejczyk, University of Warsaw; Prof. E. Natalie Rothman, University of TorontoThis dissertation explores Ottoman-Polish encounters in the eighteenth century through an actor-based, microhistorical perspective. It discusses in topical chapters seven case studies: of border management, cross-border networking, border making, diplomatic travel, sociability, multilingualism, and gift-giving. The read-thread binding it together is Paweł Benoe aka Paul Benoît (ca. 1685-1745), an information master and diplomat. A half-French, half-Polish diplomat, Benoe mastered Turkish, married a Greek Phanariot woman, made a career in Poland-Lithuania as an expert in things Ottoman, and left behind an extensive, previously unexplored archive. Beginning with the provocative placing of southern Poland-Lithuania within the Ottoman Mediterranean, this dissertation provides evidence for the integration of Polish nobles into the Ottoman cultural world. Divided into two parts of four chapters each, part one examines the borderland and part two Istanbul. This dissertation rethinks the relations between center and periphery in Eastern Europe and Ottoman Europe to draw a complex image of interdependencies between the borderlands and elite centers in Warsaw and Istanbul. In a bottom-up initiative, Ottoman and Polish borderland actors created a joint court of justice to settle minor conflicts. This was possible thanks to Ottoman-Polish-Moldavian cross-border networks that flourished in the eighteenth century. Borders were far from fixed after the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699) and necessitated a long process of mediation and territorial claiming to change zonal frontiers into linear borders. Ottoman and Polish travelers crossing the border produced travelogues that were copied, disseminated, stored, and used by future travelers. Their travels created an Ottoman-Polish sociability in Istanbul, facilitated by multilingual dragomans and diplomats. Finally, Ottoman pashas and Polish nobles influenced each other’s material cultures and tastes through the regular exchange of gifts. With topical chapters addressing these issues, this dissertation provides a completely new understanding of Christian-Muslim relation in eighteenth century Europe

The new features of landslide relief discovered using LiDAR – case study from Babia Góra massif, Western Carpathian Mountains

Basing on LiDAR data, the re-interpretation of the limit and distribution of the selected landslide forms in 9 test areas were carried out. The forms are located at the slopes of the monoclinal ridge of Babia Góra Mt. (1,725 m a.s.l.) in the flysch Western Carpathians. The earlier knowledge on these landforms is shown in the unpublished map at the scale of 1:5,000 which was prepared basing on geomorphological mapping. Basing on the newest information source, subtle geomorphic signatures of landslides were found, the dynamics of these forms and directions of their further development were determined. Local differentiation of deep-seated landslides was indicated according to the relation between the sandstone layer dip and slope inclination, slope length, and altitude of the location of headwaters. An attention was paid to polycyclic relief of the highest located landslide forms, which contain the elements of glacial and nival morphology, and some are modelled by debris flows

The Pyramid - the highest research station in the world

The Himalayas have always focused the interest of scientists and the fascination of travellers. Up until the 20th century the political and logistic context presented obstacles to doing research in the Himalayas. Even the mapping of that vast mountain range was carried out remotely. The measurement of the highest peak in the world, known at that time as Peak XV, during the Great Trigonometric Survey of India took almost two years. The measurement carried out from a distance of 240 km was surprisingly precise (8840 m a.s.l.). The highest peak in the Himalayas was named in honour of the Welsh geographer and cartographer Sir George Everest who was one of the first surveyors working in the subcontinent of India in the first half of the 19th century

Badanie metodą jednostopniowej amplifikacji kwasu nukleinowego węzłów chłonnych w raku brodawkowatym tarczycy — porównanie z badaniem histopatologicznym i badaniem PCR w czasie rzeczywistym

Introduction: The significance of lymph node metastases and the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy remain matters of controversy in papillary thyroid cancer. This study was designed to assess the feasibility and reliability of OSNA and real-time PCR for CK19 and TG mRNA in papillary thyroid cancer lymph nodes evaluation compared to standard histopathology.Material and methods: Each of 92 randomised lymph nodes from 32 papillary thyroid cancer patients were divided into representative parts and assessed using the three studied methods.Results: Eighteen (19.6%) lymph nodes from ten (31.3%) patients were positive according to histopathology. When the cut-off value distinguishing metastatic from non-metastatic lymph nodes in the OSNA assay was set at 250 copies per microlitre, the results were positive in 16 (17.4%) lymph nodes from 11 (34.4%) patients. Twenty three (25%) lymph nodes were tested positive in real-time PCR for TG mRNA. Real-time PCR for CK19 mRNA was positive in 18 (19.6%) lymph nodes from 13 (40.6%) patients. No statistically significant differences were noted between the diagnostic accuracy of either molecular method compared to the histopathological examination (p = 0.81). Overall, 20 positive molecular biology results were noted in patients with negative histopathology results. Conversely, in 18 lymph nodes, despite a metastasis finding in histopathology, at least one molecular test yielded a negative result.Conclusions: It was revealed that OSNA is a reliable technique for the evaluation of lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid cancer. This method was shown to have equivalent accuracy to histopathology and real-time PCR. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 422–430)Wstęp: Znaczenie przerzutów do węzłów chłonnych oraz optymalny zakres limfadenektomii w raku brodawkowatym tarczycy pozostaje przedmiotem kontrowersji. Celem pracy była ocena wykonalności oraz zgodności wyników jednostopniowej amplifikacji kwasu nukleinowego oraz PCR w czasie rzeczywistym dla CK19 i TG mRNA w badaniu węzłów chłonnych w raku brodawkowatym tarczycy w porównaniu z rutynowym badaniem histopatologicznym.Materiał i metody: Każdy z 92 węzłów chłonnych pochodzących od 32 pacjentów z rakiem brodawkowatym tarczycy został podzielony na reprezentatywne części i zbadany trzema metodami.Wyniki: Osiemnaście (19,6%) węzłów chłonnych od 10 (31,3%) pacjentów miało dodatni wynik badania histopatologicznego. Przyjmując wartość odcięcia 250 kopii w mikrolitrze, różnicującej węzły chłonne zmienione przerzutowo od niezmienionych, w badaniu jednoetapowej amplifikacji kwasu nukleinowego, stwierdzono dodatni wynik badania w 16 (17,4%) węzłach chłonnych od 11 (34,4%) pacjentów. Uzyskano dodatni wynik badania PCR w czasie rzeczywistym dla TG mRNA w 23(25%) węzłach chłonnych, natomiast dla CK19 mRNA w 18 (19,6%) od 13 (40,6%) pacjentów. Nie stwierdzono istotnej statystycznie różnicy pomiędzy zgodnością wyników obu metod molekularnych z wynikiem badania histopatologicznego (p = 0,81). Ogólnie stwierdzono 20 dodatnich wyników badania molekularnego z węzłów chłonnych, przy ujemnym wyniku badania histopatologicznego. Natomiast w 18 węzłach, pomimo znalezienia przerzutów w badaniu histopatologicznym, uzyskano ujemny wynik w przynajmniej jednym badaniu molekularnym.Wnioski: Badanie jednostopniową amplifikacją kwasu nukleinowego jest właściwą metodą oceny obecności przerzutów w węzłach chłonnych w raku brodawkowatym tarczycy. Technika ta ma zbliżona wiarygodność do badania histopatologicznego i badania PCR w czasie rzeczywistym. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 422–430

Hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging ventilation defects in asthma: relationship to airway mechanics

In patients with asthma, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides direct measurements of regional ventilation heterogeneity, the etiology of which is not well-understood, nor is the relationship of ventilation abnormalities with lung mechanics. In addition, respiratory resistance and reactance are often abnormal in asthmatics and the frequency dependence of respiratory resistance is thought to reflect ventilation heterogeneity. We acquiredMRIventilation defect maps, forced expiratory volume in one-second (FEV1), and airways resistance (Raw) measurements, and used a computational airway model to explore the relationship of ventilation defect percent (VDP) with simulated measurements of respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs).MRIventilation defect maps were experimentally acquired in 25 asthmatics before, during, and after methacholine challenge and these were nonrigidly coregistered to the airway tree model. Using the model coregistered to ventilation defect maps, we narrowed proximal (9th) and distal (14th) generation airways that were spatially related to theMRIventilation defects. The relationships forVDPwith Raw measured using plethysmography (r = 0.79), and model predictions of Rrs\u3e14(r = 0.91,P \u3c 0.0001) and Rrs\u3e9(r = 0.88,P \u3c 0.0001) were significantly stronger (P = 0.005;P = 0.03, respectively) than withFEV1(r = -0.68,P = 0.0001). The slopes for the relationship ofVDPwith simulated lung mechanics measurements were different (P \u3c 0.0001); among these, the slope for theVDP-Xrs0.2relationship was largest, suggesting thatVDPwas dominated by peripheral airway heterogeneity in these patients. In conclusion, as a first step toward understanding potential links between lung mechanics and ventilation defects, impedance predictions were made using a computational airway tree model with simulated constriction of airways related to ventilation defects measured in mild-moderate asthmatics

A definition and standardised terminology for Blue Intensity from Conifers

RW acknowledges funding from NSF/NERC project (NE/W007223/1) – Understanding Trans-Hemispheric Modes of Climate Variability: A Novel Tree-Ring Data Transect spanning the Himalaya to the Southern Ocean. KS and JB were supported by the Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas (grant no. 2019-01482) and the Stiftelsen Margit Althins stipendiefond (GS2021-0023).The published literature of the past 20 years expresses inconsistent terminology for the Blue Intensity (BI) method that could lead to confusion in analysis and interpretation. In this technical note we propose a standard terminology based around the prevalent use of BI for the variant that is positively correlated with wood density derived from X-ray and equivalent wood anatomical techniques. We highlight significant practical advantages of this standard terminology for data analysis, scientific interpretations as well as archiving, and provide some cautionary examples that could occur if not adhering to this terminology. In future studies using BI, we recommend to explicitly clarify that the standard terminology is used with the following phrase: The BI data produced in this study is consistent with the ‘2024 BI standard terminology’.Peer reviewe