Zastosowanie sieci neuronowych w diagnostyce patologii endometrium

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to construct neuron networks utilizing selected risk factors and ultrasonographic (USG) examination parameters in a two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) presentation in relation to endometrial pathologies. Materials and methods: The following risk factors were statistically analyzed: age and menopausal status, parity, using hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), BMI, 2D USG of the endometrium (thickness, uterine artery blood flow indices) and 3D USG (volume, vascularization indices) in relation to the result of histopathological examination of the endometrial tissue in 421 women, aged 22-87 years, with abnormal bleeding from the uterus. The changes of the sensitivity and specificity in the applied models corresponding to changes of the limit value, were presented in the form of receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) and the comparison of the values of the area under the curve (AUC). The threshold value for the obtained models was established and models of artificial neuron networks (ANN) were constructed on the basis of the ROC. Conclusion: Application of artificial neural networks in medicine has been developing rapidly. They have been applied in pre-surgical differentiation of ovarian tumors and other neoplasms. In case of endometrial carcinoma the degree of clinical usage of artificial neural networks has been limited, despite the fact that, from the mathematical point of view, the differentiation using neural networks would be much more precise than the one that could be obtained by chance.Streszczenie Cel pracy: Celem pracy było skonstruowanie sztucznych sieci neuronowych wykorzystujących wybrane czynniki ryzyka oraz parametry oceny ultrasonograficznej (USG) w prezentacji dwuwymiarowej (2D) i trójwymiarowej (3D) w odniesieniu do patologii endometrium. Materiał i metody: Analizie statystycznej poddano czynniki ryzyka: wiek oraz status menopauzalny, rodność, stosowanie hormonalnej terapii zastępczej, BMI, 2D USG endometrium (grubość, indeksy przepływu krwi w t. macicznej) i 3D (objętość, wskaźniki naczyniowe) w odniesieniu do wyniku badania histopatologicznego z endometrium u 421 kobiet z nieprawidłowym krwawieniem z macicy w wieku 22-87 lat. Zmiany czułości i specyficzności przy przesuwaniu wartości granicznej, dla zastosowanych modeli przedstawiono w formie krzywych ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves) oraz porównania wartości pola pod badanymi krzywymi AUC (Area Under the Curve). Na podstawie krzywych ROC stwierdzono wartość progową dla uzyskanych modeli oraz skonstruowano modele sztucznych sieci neuronowych (ANN). Wnioski: Wykorzystanie sztucznych sieci neuronowych w medycynie rozwija się dynamicznie. Znalazły one zastosowanie w przedoperacyjnym różnicowaniu guzów jajnika oraz innych nowotworów. W odniesieniu do raka endometrium pomimo tego, że z punktu widzenia matematycznego różnicowanie jest znacznie lepsze niż można by otrzymać przez przypadek, to jednak z punktu widzenia klinicznego w chwili obecnej zastosowanie ich jest ograniczone

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

Ocena stężenia IL-10 i TGF-beta oraz mieloidalnych i limfoidalnych komórek dendrytycznych u pacjentek chorych na raka jajnika

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate IL-10 and TGF-beta levels in the peritoneal fluid (PF) and plasma of patients with ovarian cancer (n=104), serous cyst (n=32) or normal controls (n=20). IL-10 and TGF-beta levels were correlated to myeloid (M) and lymphoid (L) dendritic cells (DC). Material and Methods: IL-10 and TGF-beta concentrations were evaluated using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The percentage of DC in mononuclear cells was quantified by using flow cytometry. Results: The PF and plasma IL-10 concentrations were significantly higher in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients when compared to the women with serous cyst (the reference group). Plasma levels of IL-10 were elevated in EOC patients in comparison with the reference and control groups. There were significant differences in the PF and plasma IL-10 levels with respect to tumor stage, grade and histology. Significant negative correlations were found between the plasma IL-10 levels, MDC and LDC in the peripheral blood. TGF-beta levels were detected in PF of all EOC patients and were significantly lower when compared with plasma. Plasma levels of TGF-beta were elevated in EOC patients compared with the control group. No significant differences in the PF and plasma TGF-beta levels were noted between EOC patients and the reference group. The authors did not find a correlation between the plasma and PF TGF-beta levels and the percentage of MDC and LDC. Conclusions: IL-10 production in EOC patients depends on the tumor stage, grade and histological type of the tumor cells. IL-10 may have impact on the percentage of dendritic cells in EOC patients.Streszczenie Cel: Ocena stężenia interleukiny (IL)-10 i transformującego czynnika wzrostu beta (TGF-β) w osoczu i płynie otrzewnowym (PO) chorych na raka jajnika oraz ustalenie czy istnieje zależność pomiędzy ich stężeniem a odsetkiem mieloidalnych (M) i limfoidalnych (L) komórek dendrytycznych (DC). Materiał i metody: Stężenie IL-10 i TGF-β oceniono u chorych na raka jajnika (n=104), z torbielą surowiczą jajnika (grupa referencyjna , n=32) oraz w grupie kontrolnej (n=20) metodą immunoenzymatyczną ELISA. Odsetek MDC i LDC oceniano metodą cytometrii przepływowej. Wyniki: Stężenie IL-10 w PO chorych na raka jajnika było istotnie wyższe niż w grupie referencyjnej. Ponadto stężenie IL-10 w osoczu chorych na raka jajnika było wyższe niż w grupie referencyjnej i kontrolnej. Odnotowano istotne statystycznie różnice stężeń IL-10 w osoczu i PO chorych na raka jajnika w zależności od stopnia zaawansowania nowotworu wg FIGO, stopnia zróżnicowania histologicznego oraz typu histologicznego nowotworu. Stężenie IL-10 w osoczu chorych na raka jajnika istotnie ujemnie korelowało z odsetkiem MDC oraz LDC krwi obwodowej. Stężenie TGF-β w osoczu i PO chorych na raka jajnika nie różniło się istotnie od odnotowanego w grupie referencyjnej. Stężenie TGF-β w osoczu chorych na raka jajnika jak i grupie referencyjnej było wyższe niż w grupie kontrolnej. Nie wykazano istotnej korelacji pomiędzy stężeniem TGF-β w osoczu i PO a odsetkiem MDC i LDC u chorych na raka jajnika. Wnioski: Zaobserwowana w badaniach istotna ujemna korelacja pomiędzy stężeniem IL-10 w osoczu chorych na raka jajnika a MDC oraz LDC krwi obwodowej może sugerować wpływ IL-10 na odsetek Komorek dendrytycznych

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

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

Determinanty samooceny sprawności fizycznej osób w wieku 45-89 lat

Background. Scientific studies on ageing have repeatedly shown positive correlations between physical activity and physical fitness and health. The following study shows that people who were involved in different forms of physical activity had higher self-assessment of own fitness, also in the long term. The aim of the study was to investigate the determinants of the self-assessment of physical fitness in people aged 45-89 years. Material and methods. The study involved 300 persons aged 45-89 years, who were diagnosed with a diagnostic survey using the following research techniques: a questionnaire, interview and observation. The qualitative and quantitative analyses were based on the frequency of traits, chi-square independence tests, and multivariate correspondence analyses. Results. Self-assessment of physical fitness depended on age, family roles and employment status. Higher levels of fitness were reported by (I) respondents engaged in recreational exercise and (II) former professional athletes. Going on holidays in the previous year, travelling in the past and at present were also correlated with higher self-assessment of physical fitness. Conclusions. Self-assessment of physical fitness seems to be a good indicator of the physical activity in the elderly. Positive self-assessment helps address the challenges of old age and seems to be crucial for successful ageing. Hence, there is a need to create programmes with a broader spectrum of influence to activate the elderly.Wprowadzenie. W badaniach naukowych, dotyczących procesu starzenia się, wielokrotnie wykazywano pozytywne związki aktywności fizycznej ze sprawnością fizyczną i zdrowiem. Osoby podejmujące różne formy aktywności fizycznej cechowała wyższa samoocena sprawności fizycznej, także w perspektywie długoterminowej. Celem pracy było poznanie uwarunkowań samooceny sprawności fizycznej osób w wieku 45-89 lat. Materiał i metoda. Badaniami objęto 300 osób w wieku 45-89 lat. Zastosowano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego, z wykorzystaniem technik badawczych: kwestionariusza ankiety, wywiadu i obserwacji. W analizach jakościowych i ilościowych użyto: frekwencję cech, test niezależności chi-kwadrat oraz wielowymiarową analizę korespondencji. Wyniki. Samoocena sprawności fizycznej badanych uwarunkowana była ich wiekiem, pełnieniem ról rodzinnych oraz aktywnością zawodową. Wyższą samooceną sprawności fizycznej cechowały się osoby, które obecnie podejmowały rekreacyjnie wysiłek fizyczny, a w przeszłości uprawiały sport wyczynowy. Respondenci wyjeżdżający na wczasy w ostatnim roku, odbywający podróże w przeszłości i obecnie mieli wyższe samooceny sprawności fizycznej. Wnioski. Samoocena sprawności fizycznej wydaje się być dobrym wskaźnikiem zróżnicowanej aktywności fizycznej osób starszych. Pozytywna samoocena sprawności fizycznej wpływa na możliwości podejmowania nowych wyzwań, które mają istotne znaczenie w przebiegu procesu pomyślnego starzenia się. Istnieje zatem potrzeba tworzenia programów aktywizacji seniorów o szerokim spektrum

Selected Healthy Behaviors and Quality of Life in People Who Practice Combat Sports and Martial Arts

Background: The quality of life of a society is conditioned by many factors, and depends, among other things, on preferred behavior patterns. Combat sports (CS) and martial arts (MA) have a special educational potential in the area of shaping positive behavior patterns and transmitting moral values which could help reduce aggression in society. The aim of the work was to determine the relationship between health behaviors and the quality of life of people who practice combat sports and martial arts (CS and MA) recreationally, in addition to practicing other sports, and as competitors at the master level. Methods: The research embraced 543 people who practice combat sports and martial arts. Three groups were selected: recreational (n = 362), people who reconciled practicing various sports (n = 115), and competitors who practiced combat sports or martial arts at the master level (n = 66). The average age of the respondents was 24.49 ± 7.82. The standardized WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and another questionnaire for a lifestyle survey were applied. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare several independent samples. In the case of determining statistical significance of differences the Mann-Whitney test was employed, and for the qualitative data analyses the trait frequency and the independence chi-square test were used. The effect size was calculated for each test ( E R 2 , rg, Cramér’s V). The value of p ≤ 0.05 was assumed to be statistically significant. Results: The highest quality of life (in the physical, psychological and environmental domains) was characteristic of the competitors, who practiced only combat sports and martial arts. They also displayed the most health-oriented behaviors. The surprising results were: lower quality of life in the assessment of nondrinkers and nonsmokers, and higher among people who were overweight. Conclusions: We have found positive correlations between practicing CS and MA, health behaviours and higher scores in quality of life self-evaluation, particularly where practitioners are exclusively focused on CS and MA and practice these at a competitive level. Our findings thus support the growing evidence that competitive level CS and MA are an effective means of improving people’s quality of life. Future research needs to clarify whether CS and MA can also be recommended to recreational and non-competitive practitioners as a means to improve their subjective quality of life

Self-Assessment of Physical Fitness and Health versus Motivational Value of Physical Activity Goals in People Practicing Fitness, Football, Martial Arts and Wheelchair Rugby

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between self-assessment of physical fitness and health, and the motivational role of physical activity goals in people, depending on their sports discipline. The study included 470 men and 218 women, aged 18–45, from western and southern Poland. The respondents practiced sports recreationally (fitness—F), competitively (football—FB, martial arts—MA), and for rehabilitation and sports purposes (wheelchair rugby—R). The standardized questionnaire for the motivational role of physical activity goals (Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives, IPAO) by Lipowski and Zaleski and the authors’ questionnaire on lifestyle were used. In the statistical analyses, non-parametric statistics were used. Individuals with very high and high self-assessment of their physical fitness and very good self-assessment of health achieved higher scores on the motivational value scale, time management, motivational conflict and multidimensionality of physical activity goals (p < 0.05). Respondents who assessed their health as very good achieved lower results on the perseverance scale, compared to those who assessed their health as good or poor. Self-assessment of physical fitness had a positive, high and moderate correlation with the self-assessment of health in people practicing wheelchair rugby, fitness, football and martial arts (r = 0.61; r = 0.52; r = 0.41; r = 0.40, respectively). Correlations were found between the motivational role and time management in people practicing fitness (r = 0.81), football (r = 0.66) and martial arts (r = 0.45), and multidimensionality of goals in those practicing fitness (r = 0.65) and martial arts (r = 0.42) Wheelchair rugby players scored the highest on all KCAF scales (except for motivational conflict). Self-assessment of physical fitness of wheelchair rugby players and fitness practitioners was negatively correlated with time management (r = −0.68; r = −0.49), multidimensionality of goals (r = −0.51; r = −0.49) and motivational values (r = −0.43; r = −0.43). The demonstrated relationships indicated that there was a need to strengthen the self-esteem and motivation for physical activity, promoting perseverance, the ability to focus on the implementation of one’s goals and prioritizing the goals among people practicing various sports disciplines