Longitudinal assessment of renal size and function in extremely low birth weight children at 7 and 11 years of age

BACKGROUND: There are a lack of studies describing a longitudinal association between preterm delivery and renal complications later in life. We assessed renal size and function in preterm infants born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) during 4 years of follow-up, comparing these parameters to age-matched children born full term (term controls). METHODS: The results of selected renal laboratory tests [levels of cystatin C, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN)] and of renal ultrasound evaluations were compared between the ELBW group and the term control group at age 7 and 11 years. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 64 children born with ELBW (ELBW children) who had been recruited at birth and 36 children born at term (term children) who took part in both follow-up assessments. Renal ultrasound examination revealed a significantly smaller renal volume in the 7- and 11-year-old ELBW children compared to the term controls [right kidney volume: 50.8 vs. 61.2 ml/m(2), respectively, at 7 years (p <0.01) and 51.4 vs. 58.2 ml/m(2), respectively, at 11 years (p <0.01); left kidney volume: 51.4 vs. 60.3 ml/m(2), respectively, at 7 years (p <0.01) and 55.2 vs. 60.7 ml/m(2), respectively, at 11 years (p = 0.02)]. Renal function in ELBW children was also affected. Serum cystatin C levels were significantly higher in ELBW children than in the controls at 7 years of age, and this difference remained statistically significant at 11 years of age [0.63 vs. 0.59 mg/l, respectively, at 7 years (p = 0.02) and 0.72 vs. 0.61 mg/l, respectively, at 11 years (p = 0.01)]. Six ELBW children also had elevated cystatin C levels (0.97–1.11 mg/l) at 11 years of age. Cystatin C levels were within normal range in the ELBW children at age 7 years and in term children in both follow-up studies. BUN levels were higher in ELBW children at the age of 11 years (4.49 vs. 4.15 mmol/l; p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Continued follow-up of these patients will reveal whether the observed worsening in renal function will persist into adulthood

Microbiological treatment of post-industrial water: Example of efficient bioremediation of the heavily polluted Kalina pond, Poland

The Kalina pond has been well known as a severely degraded area in the Silesia region, Poland. The environmental deterioration results from high contamination of water and bottom sediments with recalcitrant and toxic organic compounds, mainly phenol. The study was aimed at developing a bioremediation-based approach suitable for this type of polluted areas, involving microbiological treatment of water as a key and integral part of other necessary actions: mechanical interventions and the use of physical methods. During the initial biological treatment stage, autochthonous microorganisms were isolated from contaminated samples of water, soil and sediment, then subjected to strong selective pressure by incubation with the pollutants, and finally, cultivated to form a specialised microbial consortium consisting of five extremophilic bacterial strains. Consortium propagation and its biodegradation activity were optimised under variant conditions enabling bacteria to proliferate and to obtain high biomass density at large volumes allowing for the in situ application. After installing aeration systems in the pond, the consortium was surface-sprinkled to launch bioremediation and then both bacterial frequency and the contaminant level was systematically monitored. The complex remediation strategy proved efficient and was implemented on an industrial scale enabling successful remedial of the affected site. Treatment with the specifically targeted and adapted microbial consortium allowed for removal of most organic pollutants within a four-month season of 2022: the chemical oxygen demand (COD) value decreased by 72%, polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) level by 97%, while the content of total phenols and other monoaromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) dropped below the detection thresholds

Compliance with gestational weight gain recommendations in a cross-sectional study of term pregnancies — how far reality falls from the standard?

Objectives: During pregnancy, two aspects are critical in the context of adverse perinatal outcomes (APO): preconception obesity and gestational weight gain. This study aimed to assess compliance with the 2009 IOM guidelines, compare GWG with and without correcting for gestation duration, and observe the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG and neonatal birth weight. Material and methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted from 2015-2018 at the St. Sophia's Specialist Hospital in Warsaw, Poland. Self-reported pre-pregnancy and predelivery weight were collected. Results: The presented data set amounts to 7820 records. Analysis of weight gain compliance with IOM recommendations showed that only 41–44% (depending on the calculation method) of women had weight gain in accordance with IOM guidelines (22–23% — below; 33–37% — above). Overweight and obese women with diabetes are more likely to comply with IOM than women without diabetes. In contrast, women with normal-weight and underweight with diabetes are less likely to achieve IOM weight gain in pregnancy than women without diabetes. Women who have GWG below recommendations significantly more often gave birth to SGA neonates, and women who exceeded GWG standards significantly more often gave birth to LGA neonates. Conclusions: Less than half of women had GWG within the recommended norms. Statistically significant differences were found in methods of calculation of GWG, but it was not found clinically significant. Correction for pregnancy duration when calculating GWG reclassifies two percent of patients. We underestimate the risk of crossing the line between overweight and obesity during pregnancy

Book series "Naokoło Świata" (1956-1994)

Seria wydawnicza „Naokoło świata” to jedna z najpopularniejszych serii okresu PRL–u, kontynuowana również dziś. Celem niniejszej pracy jest charakterystyka i analiza pierwszego okresu istnienia serii w latach 1956-1994. W latach tych seria wydawana była przez Państwowe Wydawnictwo „Iskry”. Publikowali w niej znani polscy i zagraniczni reportażyści. Jej tematyka koncentrowała się wokół podróży. W pracy wykorzystano dwie metody badawcze: analizy i krytyki piśmiennictwa oraz bibliograficzną. Analiza i krytyka piśmiennictwa posłużyła zarysowaniu tła historycznego oraz sytuacji politycznej PRL-u, która miała znaczący wpływ na rynek wydawniczy tego okresu. Metoda bibliograficzna pozwoliła na stworzenie kompletnej bibliografii serii oraz dokonanie różnorodnych zestawień statystycznych. Zestawienia te pozwoliły w przejrzysty sposób ukazać strukturę serii. Analizie poddano autorstwo, język oraz tematykę poszczególnych tytułów. Wynikiem pracy jest uporządkowanie informacji na temat serii „Naokoło Świata” oraz ukazanie jej fenomenu i popularności wśród czytelników.Book series „Naokoło Świata” is one of the most popular series of comunist period in Poland. Series is also continued today. The aim of this study is characteristic and analysis of the first period of existence series in the years 1956-1994. In those years series “Naokoło Świata” was published by the State Publishing House "Iskry". Series included texts of Polish and foreign reporters. The main topic of series book focused on travel. The study used two research methods: analysis and critique literature and bibliography. The analysis and critique of the literature outlining the historical background and political situation of comunist period. This situation had a significant impact on the publishing market. Bibliographic method made it possible to create a complete bibliography of series and make a variety of statistics. These lists allowed in a transparent manner to show the structure of series. The study analyzed the authorship, language and themes of individual titles.The result of work is to organize information on the series "Naokoło Świata" and showing the phenomenon and its popularity among readers

Glycemic variability in continuous glucose monitoring negatively correlates with gestational age in very low birth weight infants

Introduction: High glycemic variability is commonly observed in intensive care patients, both in pediatrics and adults. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between gestational age and glycemic variability in cohort of very low birth infants. Patients and methods: A prospective, single-center, open cohort study enrolled 74 very low birth weight infants with a mean birth weight of 1066 g. Continuous glucose monitoring system (Guardian Real-Time CGM®, Medtronic, Northridge, CA, USA) was used to measure glucose levels. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated for glycemic variability indices and gestational age. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the adjusted effect of multiple glycemic variability variables. Results: The correlations between all calculated glycemic variability indices and gestational age were negative. In multiple regression analysis, all glycemic variability indices negatively correlated with gestational age and positively correlated with mean interstitial fluid glucose concentration. Conclusions: Glycemic variability in very low birth weight infants correlates with gestational age and mean glucose concentrations.</p