Post-transplant Metabolic Syndrome (PTMS) after Liver Transplantation –Review of the Literature

Liver transplant provides a definitive therapeutic measure for patients with chronic and acute liver diseases. Apart from the improvement of overall health, an organ transplant entails several metabolic complications. They are multi-agent and depend, among others, on the function of organ being transplanted, adverse effects of immunosuppression being applied, organ complications induced by failure of the organ being transplanted, current treatment, concomitant diseases and consequences of the acute and chronic rejection processes. Improvements in surgical techniques, peritransplant intensive care, and immunosuppressive regimens have resulted in significant improvements in short-term survival. Focus has now shifted to address long-term outcomes of liver transplantation. Therefore, this paper presents the current review of literature referring to specificity of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its complications in patients after liver transplantation

Evaluation of the Curvature of the Longitudinal Foot Arch in Children aged 7 and 8 – A Pilot Study

The foot is an essential part of the human body, and a key factor enabling mobility. The proper functioning of the foot depends on its morphological structure and on the proper shape of its arches – transversal and longitudinal. Having in mind that flat feet develop as a succession of different stages, it is important to systematically monitor the development of feet at various phases of a child’s growth. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate longitudinal foot arch curvature in children aged 7 and 8. The study involved 122 children (77 girls and 45 boys) aged 7 and 8 – students of a primary school in Bezrzecze near the city of Szczecin. Body height and weight, and the length and width of the feet were measured. A podoscope was used to determine the curvature of the longitudinal foot arch, which was then expressed on a scale compatible with the Szriter-Gudanow “KY” foot arch curvature index. This non-invasive method enables preventive measures to be taken at critical stages of a child's life. The results for the tested groups of children revealed statistically significant relationships for body height and weight, and the length of the feet between the 7 and 8 year olds. Furthermore, it was observed that the vast majority of the tested children has normal curvature of the longitudinal arch of both the right and left foot

Physical Activity and Lifestyle of the Elderly

Systematic physical activity leads to some physical and psychological benefits for the body, and therefore, it is considered to be best practice in the prevention of public health. This statement is particularly important in the case of the elderly, as regular, individually-designed exercises, give way to an active lifestyle, which is important in the light of the increasing number of the elderly in Poland. The study aimed to evaluate physical activity of University of the Third Age students. The research material consisted of 73 people aged 60–74. Utilized in the study was a diagnostic survey method, with a specially-designed survey questionnaire constituted of 20 questions referring to pro-health lifestyle and physical activity of the subjected group. Based on the results analysis, it was concluded that the subjected elderly lead a healthy lifestyle and systematically undertake physical activity, which seems to be a very positive tendency

Quality of Life and Physical Activity after Liver Transplantation. Literature Review.

Liver transplantation has become one of the most effective treatments for end-stage renal disease. For patients, however, the decision to have orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is often made in an effort to improve their quality of life and to reduce their risk of mortality and morbidity. Quality of life is an important aspect of therapy for transplant patients because this category reflects the subjective evaluation of one's own life in the physical, psychological and social dimensions. One of the means to achieve a better quality of life is not only good health, but also physical activity. Physical activity has been demonstrated to be of significance not only in the assessment of fitness levels but also could be of importance in long term recovery process after major surgical operations. The aim of this study was a review of literature showing the improved quality of life in patients after liver transplantation as well as the influence of physical activity on their physical health, mental health and quality of life after transplantation. Longitudinal data showed remarkable improvement of common domains of QOL comparing pre- and post-transplant items. Gender, occupation and regular physical activity have an influence on the quality of life after liver transplantation

Antidepressant-like activity of magnesium in the olfactory bulbectomy model is associated with the AMPA/BDNF pathway

Rationale. Numerous studies suggest agents that act on glutamatergic transmission as potential antidepressants. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that magnesium, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor blocker, may be useful in the treatment of depression. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of magnesium on behavior; protein levels of GluN2A, GluN2B [N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunits], GluA1 [α-amino-3-hydroxy-5 methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) subunit], phospho-Ser-831-GluA1 (P-S831), phospho-Ser-845-GluA1 (P-S845), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of GluN2A and GluN2B in different brain areas in the olfactory bulbectomy (OB) model of depression in rats. Methods. Magnesium was administered once daily for 14 days at three doses (10, 15, and 20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) to sham and OB rats. Following treatment, open field and passive avoidance tests were performed in the sham and OB rats. After 24 h, the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex (PFC), and the amygdala of rats treated with the most active dose (15 mg/kg) were harvested, and the protein and mRNA levels were determined. Results. Chronic administration of magnesium (15 and 20 mg/kg) reduced the number of trials required to learn passive avoidance and reduced the OB-induced hyperactivity. OB increased the P-S845 level in the hippocampus, which was reduced by magnesium treatment. Magnesium significantly increased the levels of BDNF, GluN2B, P-S831, and P-S845 protein (and mRNA) primarily in the PFC and the hippocampus in OB rats. Conclusion. For the first time, the present results demonstrate the antidepressant-like activity of magnesium in the OB animal model of depression and indicate the potential involvement of the AMPA/BDNF pathway in this activity

Physical Activity, Health and Physical Fitness of Students, Their Parents and Grandparents

The aim of the work was to compare physical activity, taking care of one’s health and self-evaluations of physical fitness and health of subjects from three successive generations. Research conducted between 2013–2017 embraced 1,580 subjects, including 400 students engaged in physical culture and health promotion, their 496 parents and 684 grandparents. The diagnostic survey method was used, applying a questionnaire, interview and observation. Standard statistical methods were applied: trait frequency, χ2 test and multiple correspondence analysis. It was found that physical activity, caring for one’s health and self-evaluation of health and physical fitness were more similar within one generation (male student vs. female student, mother vs. father, grandmother vs. grandfather) than between adjacent generations (students vs. parents, parents vs. grandparents). The behavior and self-evaluation of female students, analyzed within the same sex, were similar to those of their mothers and grandmothers; the behavior and self-evaluation of male students were similar to those of their fathers and grandfathers. Physical activity, caring for health and self-evaluation of physical fitness and health were determined by age, sex, marital status, place of residence and education. The continuation of research in this field is of major importance in the health prevention of Polish society

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms among Young Adults in Szczecin

Depressive disorders have become one of the greatest health problems of the modern society, with about 350 million people suffering from depression around the world (WHO). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of depressed mood and symptoms indicating the possibility of depression or its progression among young people living in the city of Szczecin, Poland. Data from 150 students (107 women and 43 men) from one of the local universities constituted the material for this anonymous study which was based on the Beck Depression Inventory – 21 questions assessing the severity of depressive symptoms. Our results showed that 78% of women and 89% of men did not show symptoms of depression (Fig. 1). The incidence of mild depressive episodes was revealed in 15% of women and 7% of men, moderate episodes in 3% of women and 2% of men, and severe depression in 4% of women and 2% of men