Whole-body cryostimulation as an effective method of reducing oxidative stress in healthy men

Background. Whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) is the therapeutic exposure of the total human body (without underwear) to a very low temperature (below –100°C) for 120–180 s. Currently, WBC is used more frequently not only in the treatment of patients suffering from various diseases, but also by healthy people as a wellness method. Objectives. The aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of WBC procedures on oxidative stress parameters in healthy men. Material and Methods. The study involved 32 healthy male subjects who were randomly divided into 2 groups: 16 men exposed to WBC procedures with subsequent kinesiotherapy (WBC group) and 16 men exposed only to kinesiotherapy procedures (KT group). Depending on the group, the subjects were exposed to 10 daily WBC procedures lasting 3 min, with a subsequent 60-min of kinesiotherapy, or exclusively to kinesiotherapy. In subjects from both groups, a day before the beginning of a cycle of treatment and a day after its completion, the level of selected indicators of oxidative stress and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes in serum, plasma and erythrocyte lysates were determined. Results. In the WBC group subjects, we recorded a statistically significant decrease in the concentrations of most of the parameters of oxidative stress with an accompanying increase in plasma concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants (total antioxidant status and uric acid). We recorded no significant changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (plasma total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and its isoenzymes SOD-Mn and SOD-ZnCu, erythrocyte catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase). Conclusions. The results we obtained confirmed that WBC decreases oxidative stress in healthy men (Adv Clin Exp Med 2016, 25, 6, 1281–1291)

Precompetitional Weight Reduction Modifies Prooxidative-Antioxidative Status in Judokas

The main aim of the study was an assessment of the influence of rapid weight loss on oxidative stress parameters in judokas differing in weight reduction value. Materials and Methods. The study included 30 judokas with an age range of 18-30 years (mean age: 22 4 ± 3 40 years). Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidative markers, lipid peroxidation markers, and total oxidative stress were assessed three times: one week before a competition (the first stage), after gaining the desired weight (the second stage), and one week after the competition (the third stage). Results. Between the first and the second stage, the concentration of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH) decreased significantly. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), ceruloplasmin (CER), malondialdehyde (MDA), LPH, and total oxidative stress (TOS) concentrations were the lowest one week after the competition. Linear regression indicated that the emphases on increased weight reduction increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and protein sulfhydryl (PSH) between the first and the second stage of the study. Moderate weight reduction (2-5%) resulted in elevated levels of SOD, Mn-SOD, LPH, MDA, and TOS in comparison to low and high reductions. An opposite relation was observed in PSH. In judokas, the precompetitional weight reduction range was 0.44-6.10% (mean: 2 93% ± 1 76%) of the initial body weight. Concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD; p < 01), manganesedependent superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD; p < 001), and ceruloplasmin (CER; p < 05) decreased between the first and the third stage of the study as well between the second and third one. Before competitions, a decrease in lipid hydroperoxide (LPH; p < 01) concentration was observed. A reduction of malondialdehyde (MDA; p < 05), LPH (p < 01), and total oxidative stress (TOS; p < 05) levels between the first and the final stage occurred. The increase in weight reduction was linearly correlated with the rise of glutathione peroxidase (GPx; p < 05), glutathione reductase (GR; p < 05), glutathione Stransferase (GST; p < 05), and protein sulfhydryl (PSH; p < 05) concentrations between the first and the second stage of the study. Moderate weight reduction (2-5%) resulted in elevated levels of SOD (p < 05), Mn-SOD (p < 05), LPH (p < 05), MDA (p < 05), and TOS (p < 05) in comparison to low and high reductions. An opposite relation was observed in PSH (p < 005). Conclusions. The effect of weight reduction in judo athletes on prooxidative-antioxidative system diversity depends on the weight reduction value

Ischaemic colitis in the course of aortic aneurysm

Przewlekła i nawracająca biegunka jest jedną z najczęstszych dolegliwości ze strony przewodu pokarmowego występujących zwłaszcza u osób w podeszłym wieku. Autorzy przedstawiają przypadek 73-letniej kobiety, u której jedną z przyczyn niedokrwiennego zapalenia jelit powodującego biegunkę okazał się tętniak aorty. Autorzy chcą zwrócić uwagę, że schorzenie to, w wielu przypadkach zagrażające życiu, może się okazać przyczyną, banalnych na pierwszy rzut oka, dolegliwości ze strony przewodu pokarmowego.Chronic and relapsing diarrhoea is a common complaint which occurs in elderly people with particular frequency. In the case presented, we describe the history of a 73-year-old woman with an aortic aneurysm as a cause of ischaemic enteritis. We would like to show that particular note should be taken of such patients because banal chronic diarrhoea can be the first symptom of a life-threatening disease, such as aortic aneurysm

The Immunological and Allergen Profiles of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis or Psoriasis

Background and objectives: Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (PS) are systemic inflammatory diseases with complex and distinct immune mechanisms. That the same factors may aggravate both diseases cannot be ruled out. The aim of this study was to assess the potential differences between a sensitization to inhaled allergens and the immunological profiles of patients diagnosed with AD and PS in comparison with healthy controls. Materials and methods: A total of 139 patients with AD, 115 with PS, and 142 controls were included in the prospective study. Patients were eligible if they were diagnosed with mild to severe AD or PS and between 18 and 65 years of age. In all the participants, the serum concentrations of specific IgE (sIgE) for common inhaled allergens were measured. In all the subjects, the cytokine serum blood profiles for TNF-&alpha;, IFN-&gamma;, Il-2, Il-4, Il-5, Il-6, Il-8, Il-12, Il-17, Il-18, Il-22, and Il-24 were measured via an ELISA. Results: The patients with AD had positive sIgE results more frequently than the patients with PS and the controls (113 vs. 36 vs. 21, respectively). A sensitization to mites was dominant in the patients with AD (p &lt; 0.05), and a sensitization to Aspergillus was dominant in the patients with PS (p &lt; 0.05). The patients with multiple allergies to inhaled allergens had a lower risk of developing PS (OR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.43&ndash;0.86) but a greater risk of severe AD (OR = 3.77; 95% CI: 3.25&ndash;3.96). The mean concentrations of the most tested cytokines were comparable in the patients with AD and PS. However, high serum concentrations of Il-4, Il-5, and Il-6 were only dominant in the AD group. There were no relationships between the increased serum concentrations of individual cytokines and allergies to the individually examined allergens. Conclusion: Inhalation-dependent IgE sensitizations were prevalent in the AD patients but were also possible in the PS patients; they were often without clinical manifestations in the latter group. The investigated cytokine profiles indicated their high convergence in the studied patients and confirmed the active inflammatory nature of AD and PS

Photodynamic Therapy of Breast Cancer in Animal Models and Their Potential Use in Clinical Trials—Role of the Photosensitizers: A Review

In this article, we reviewed the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for breast cancer (BC) in animal models. These in vivo models imitate the cancer disease progression, aid diagnosis, as well as create opportunities to assess treatment during the approval process for the new drug. BC ranks first among women’s cancers. Nowadays, there are many diagnostic methods and therapy options for BC but the majority of them have severe side effects. This article discusses the advantages and some disadvantages of the use of small and large animals used for BC models. A literature review showed that the majority of studies have used large animal models, and recently there has been more interest in developing BC in small animal models. BC cell lines such as MCF-7, BT-474, MDA-MB-231, and 4T1 are commercially available for two-dimensional and three-dimensional in vitro cell cultures and subcutaneous models. The purpose of this article is to discuss the performance of PDT in animal models and its further clinical implications. PDT is known to be a non-invasive therapy, which uses monochromatic light and energy to excite photosensitizers (PSs) for the generation of reactive oxygen species as the required factors. Herein, we discuss the use of five photosensitizers in BC models such as chlorin e6 (Ce6), methylene blue, indocyanine green, 5-aminolevulinic acid, and meta-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin. The database PubMed and Scopus were searched for keywords: ‘photodynamic therapy’, ‘breast cancer’, ‘animal model’, ‘clinical studies’, and ‘photosensitizer(s)’. The PDT search results in animal experiments and its effect on a living organism indicate the possibility of its application in clinical trials on women with local and disseminated BC. The availability and accessibility of small and large BC animal models enable the progress and trial of cancer drugs for innovative technologies and new diagnostics and treatments

Rak jelita grubego – nowe strategie leczenia

Colon cancer is one of the most frequent causes of death in the world. Despite the easily accessible diagnostic tools, the disease is still diagnosed at its advanced stage, when radical treatment is no longer possible and only palliative therapy can be provided. Cancer recurrence, which worsens the patient’s prognosis, is a separate problem. Currently, scientists are seeking modern, multidirectional treatment methods, which would enable the inhibition of neoplasia, elongation of patients’ lives and improvement in their quality. Immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy seem to be promising as they provide good results, also at advanced stages of cancer. Due to its cytotoxic and immunomodulating effect, photodynamic therapy exhibits an antineoplastic effect. Using monoclonal antibodies in the targeted therapy of colon cancer is a new, promising concept, which requires further studies.Rak jelita grubego jest jedną z najczęstszych przyczyn zgonów na świecie. Pomimo łatwo dostępnych narzędzi diagnostycznych nadal często rozpoznawany jest w stadium zaawansowanym, kiedy niejednokrotnie nie ma już możliwości leczenia radykalnego i pozostaje jedynie terapia paliatywna. Odrębnym problemem jest wznowa nowotworu, pogarszająca rokowanie pacjenta. Współcześnie poszukuje się nowoczesnych, wielokierunkowych metod leczniczych, które pozwoliłyby zahamować proces nowotworzenia, wydłużyć życie chorych i poprawić jego jakość. Obiecującym kierunkiem badań okazują się immunoterapia oraz terapia fotodynamiczna, które dają pomyślne wyniki również w zaawansowanych stadiach raka. Terapia fotodynamiczna wykazuje działanie przeciwnowotworowe poprzez efekt cytotoksyczny oraz immunomodulujący. Zastosowanie przeciwciał monoklonalnych w celowanej terapii raka jelita grubego jest nową, dobrze rokującą koncepcją wymagającą dalszych badań

Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of periodontitis – literature survey

Celem pracy jest przedstawienie dostępnych informacji o zastosowaniu i skuteczności terapii fotodynamicznej w leczeniu zapalenia przyzębia. W literaturze przedmiotu opisano korzystny wpływ włączenia terapii fotodynamicznej (PDT) do leczenia zapalenia przyzębia. Szczególnie dużą skuteczność PDT zaobserwowano, w aspekcie zmniejszania liczebności typowych patogenów, bez konieczności stosowania antybiotykoterapii, w próbkach z jamy ustnej pobranych po przeprowadzeniu terapii fotodynamicznej oraz w badaniach przeprowadzonych w warunkach in vitro. Najczęściej obserwowanym efektem było zmniejszenie krwawienia z dziąseł, będące jednym z elementów oceny nasilenia stanu zapalnego. W badaniach na szczurach wykazano ograniczenie zaniku kostnego. Efekty tych badań zachęcają do dalszego zgłębiania możliwości zastosowania terapii fotodynamicznej w leczeniu zapalenia przyzębia.The aim of the study is to present the available information on the use and effectiveness of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of periodontitis. In the literature beneficial effects of including photodynamic therapy in treatment of periodontitis, are described. A particularly high efficiency of PDT was observed in terms of reducing the number of common pathogens without the use of antibiotics in samples taken from the oral cavity after photodynamic therapy, and in studies carried out in vitro. The most commonly observed effect was a reduction in bleeding gums, which is one of the criteria for assessing the severity of inflammation. Tests on rats shows reduction of bone loss. The results of these tests are encouraging to explore the possibilities of application of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of periodontitis

An Analysis of the Effects of In Vitro Photodynamic Therapy on Prostate Cancer Tissue by Histopathological Examination and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Prostate cancer can significantly shorten the lifetime of a patient, even if he is diagnosed at an early stage. The development of minimally-invasive focal therapies such as photodynamic therapy to reduce the number of neoplastic cells while sparing delicate structures is extremely advantageous for treating prostate cancer. This study investigates the effect of photodynamic therapy performed in prostate tissue samples in vitro, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological analysis. Prostate tissue samples were treated with oxygenated solutions of Rose Bengal (RB) or protoporphyrin IX disodium salt (PpIX), illuminated with visible light, and then analyzed for changes in morphology by microscopy and by measurement of spin&ndash;lattice and spin&ndash;spin relaxation times at 1.5 Tesla. In the treated prostate tissue samples, histopathological images revealed chromatin condensation and swelling of the stroma, and in some cases, thrombotic necrosis and swelling of the stroma accompanied by pyknotic nuclei occurred. Several samples had protein fragments in the stroma. Magnetic resonance imaging of the treated prostate tissue samples revealed differences in the spin&ndash;lattice and spin&ndash;spin relaxation times prior to and post photodynamic action

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) as a new biomarker for personalized treatment of colorectal cancer?

Rak jelita grubego jest drugą przyczyną zgonów w populacji pacjentów onkologicznych. Pomimo ciągłego rozwoju metod diagnostycznych, wprowadzania programów badań przesiewowych, systematycznej kontroli pacjentów będących już po interwencji chirurgicznej lub chemioterapii, osiągane finalne efekty przeżycia chorych z rakiem jelita grubego nie są zadowalające. Przyczyną tak niesatysfakcjonujących wyników jest częste wykrywanie choroby już w zaawansowanym stadium, gdyż u co trzeciego chorego w momencie rozpoznania raka jelita grubego potwierdzone są przerzuty. Powszechnie stosowane, celem detekcji zmian nowotworowych i późniejszej kontroli nawrotu choroby, markery CEA i CA 19-9 nie są wystarczające. Z tego powodu konieczne są dalsze poszukiwania znaczników, które w połączeniu z dotychczas stosowanymi elementami diagnostycznymi, umożliwią z wysoką czułością i swoistością wykrycie raka, wznowy i progresji choroby oraz pozwolą przewidzieć przebieg, a także prawdopodobną odpowiedź na standardowe leczenie. Oparcie podejmowanych decyzji na takich danych i kwalifikowanie pacjenta do niestandardowego schematu leczniczego umożliwi w większym stopniu wdrożenie zindywidualizowanej terapii, która powinna odgrywać podstawową rolę w leczeniu.The colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second cause of death in the entire population of oncological patients. Despite of the development of diagnostic methods, screening programs, monitoring of patients after surgery or chemotherapy, results of survival rates are not satisfactory. The reason is that frequently the detection of the disease takes place already at the advanced stage, as every third patient at the time of diagnosis of CRC has already metastases. CEA and CA 19-9 markers are commonly used to detect cancer and to monitor the disease recurrence, are not sufficient. For this reason it becomes necessary to introduce new additional markers that will enable a higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting cancer, it’s recurrence and progression and will be helpful to predict the course of disease and response to standard therapy. Basing on an advanced diagnosis, an individualized therapy implementation will be possible. This approach should play a key role in the proper treatment

Photodynamic Therapy-Adjunctive Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

The alarming increase in the number of advanced-stage prostate cancer cases with poor prognosis has led to a search for innovative methods of treatment. In response to the need for implementation of new and innovative methods of cancer tissue therapy, we studied photodynamic action in excised prostate tissue in vitro as a model for photodynamic therapy. To ascertain the effects of photodynamic action in prostate tissue, Rose Bengal (0.01 to 0.05 mM) was used as a photosensitizer in the presence of oxygen and light to generate singlet oxygen in tissues in vitro. Five preset concentrations of Rose Bengal were chosen and injected into prostate tissue samples (60 samples with 12 replications for each RB concentration) that were subsequently exposed to 532 nm light. The effects of irradiation of the Rose Bengal infused tissue samples were determined by histopathological analysis. Histopathological examination of prostate samples subjected to photodynamic action revealed numerous changes in the morphology of the neoplastic cells and the surrounding tissues. We conclude that the morphological changes observed in the prostate cancer tissues were a result of the photogeneration of cytotoxic singlet oxygen. The tissue damage observed post photodynamic action offers an incentive for continued in vitro investigations and future in vivo clinical trials