O modelu administracyjnoprawnego nadzoru nad pewnymi szczególnymi kategoriami zgromadzeń z perspektywy zasady decentralizacji

Autor dokonuje charakterystyki modelu administracyjnoprawnego w Polsce, dotyczącego nadzoru nad pewnymi szczególnymi kategoriami zgromadzeń z perspektywy zasady decentralizacji. Zauważa, iż wśród tych niektórych kategorii zgromadzeń pojawia się tendencja do centralizacji

Pursuing colloidal diamond

The endeavor to selectively fabricate cubic diamond is challenging due to the formation of competing phases such as its hexagonal polymorph or others possessing similar free energy. The necessity to achieve that is of paramount importance, since the cubic diamond is the only polymorph exhibiting a complete photonic bandgap making it a promising candidate in view of photonic applications. Herein, we demonstrate that due to the presence of external field and delicate manipulation of its strength we can attain the selectivity in the formation of cubic diamond in a one-component system comprised of designer tetrahedral patchy particles. The driving force of such phenomena is the structure of the first adlayer which is commensurate with (110) face of the cubic diamond. Moreover, after a successful nucleation event, once the external field is turned off, the structure remains stable, paving an avenue for a further post-synthetic treatment

Results of surgical treatment of perforated peptic ulcer Wyniki operacyjnego leczenia przedziurawionego wrzodu trawiennego

Abstract Introduction: Effective treatment with H 2 -blockers and proton pump inhibitors almost removed the necessity of elective surgical treatment of refractory peptic ulcer disease. Life-threatening complications of peptic ulcer still occur and patients with perforated peptic ulcer almost always need surgical treatment. Material and methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients aged 16-91 years (31 women and 44 men) operated on because of perforated peptic ulcer in our department between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2009 were studied retrospectively. Results: The mean age was 51.5 ±20.5 years. Of the 75 patients, 34 (45.3%) had co-morbid disease, 14 (18.6%) presented with a delay of more than 24 h, 16 (21.3%) were older than 70 years and 25 (33.3%) were assessed as ASA grade 3 or more. Postoperative complications occurred in 19 patients (25.9%). Cardio-pulmonary failure (5 patients) and wound infection (4 patients) were the most common. The mean hospital stay of recovered patients was 7.7 days (3-38). Eleven (14.6%) patients died. Age above 70 years, presence of comorbid illness, presence of abdominal postoperative complications, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade 3 or more, presence of shock on admission and gastric localisation of ulcer were identified as factors increasing risk of mortality. Conclusions: The incidence of perforated peptic ulcer among elderly patients, females in particular, is increasing. The number of patients with perforated peptic ulcer as the first symptom of peptic ulcer is increasing. Perforated peptic ulcer still involves high postoperative mortality

Long-term effects of COVID-19 on the endocrine system – a pilot case-control study

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has permanently changed the world. Despite having been a pandemic for nearly 3 years, the mid- and long-term complications of this disease, including endocrine disorders, remain unclear. Our study aimed to evaluate the lasting effects of COVID-19 on the endocrine system 6 months after initial infection.MethodsWe compared patients who underwent COVID-19 to age- and sex-matched subjects from a population-based study conducted before the pandemic. We evaluated differences in multiple parameters related to metabolism and the endocrine system including fasting glucose, insulin, lipids, body composition, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), anti-thyroglobulin (aTG) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (aTPO) antibodies, prolactin, cortisol, testosterone, and estradiol.ResultsWe found significantly lower levels of fT3 and fT4, accompanied by higher levels of TSH and aTPO antibodies, in COVID-19 survivors. Moreover, we found that patients who underwent SARS-CoV2 infection had higher levels of prolactin and lower levels of testosterone than controls. Interestingly, differences in testosterone levels were observed only in male subjects. We did not detect significant differences in body composition or metabolic and glycemic parameters between cases and controls, except for significantly higher values of the HOMA2-B index in COVID-19 survivors.ConclusionOur study indicates that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection might have long-term consequences on the endocrine system, including the suppressed function of the thyroid gland, prolactin, and male sex hormone secretion. Moreover, we showed that in a 6-month follow-up, COVID-19 had no consequences on glycemic parameters, lipid profiles, liver function, body composition, cortisol levels, and estradiol levels

Retinoic Acid and Its Derivatives in Skin

The retinoids are a group of compounds including vitamin A and its active metabolite all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). Retinoids regulate a variety of physiological functions in multiple organ systems, are essential for normal immune competence, and are involved in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Vitamin A derivatives have held promise in cancer treatment and ATRA is used in differentiation therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). ATRA and other retinoids have also been successfully applied in a variety of dermatological conditions such as skin cancer, psoriasis, acne, and ichthyosis. Moreover, modulation of retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X (or rexinoid) receptors function may affect dermal cells. The studies using complex genetic models with various combinations of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X (or rexinoid) receptors (RXRs) indicate that retinoic acid and its derivatives have therapeutic potential for a variety of serious dermatological disorders including some malignant conditions. Here, we provide a synopsis of the main advances in understanding the role of ATRA and its receptors in dermatology

High-density surface electromyography maps after computer-aided training in individual with congenital transverse deficiency: a case study

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether computer-aided training (CAT) of motor tasks would increase muscle activity and change its spatial distribution in a patient with a bilateral upper-limb congenital transverse deficiency. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it demonstrates the usefulness of CAT in promoting the neuromuscular adaptation in people with congenital limb deficiencies and altered body image. Case presentation: The patient with bilateral upper-limb congenital transverse deficiency and the healthy control subject performed 12 weeks of the CAT. The subject’s task was to imagine reaching and grasping a book with the hand. Subjects were provided a visual animation of that movement and sensory feedback to facilitate the mental engagement to accomplish the task. High-density electromyography (HD-EMG; 64-electrode) were collected from the trapezius muscle during a shrug isometric contraction before and after 4, 8, 12 weeks of the training. After training, we observed in our patient changes in the spatial distribution of the activation, and the increased average intensity of the EMG maps and maximal force. Conclusions: These results, although from only one patient, suggest that mental training supported by computer-generated visual and sensory stimuli leads to beneficial changes in muscle strength and activity. The increased muscle activation and changed spatial distribution of the EMG activity after mental training may indicate the training-induced functional plasticity of the motor activation strategy within the trapezius muscle in individual with bilateral upper-limb congenital transverse deficiency. Marked changes in spatial distribution during the submaximal contraction in the patient after training could be associated with changes of the neural drive to the muscle, which corresponds with specific (unfamiliar for patient) motor task. These findings are relevant to neuromuscular functional rehabilitation in patients with a bilateral upper-limb congenital transverse deficiency especially before and after upper limb transplantation and to development of the EMG based prostheses