Witt rings of infinite algebraic extensions of global fields

In this paper we discuss the problem to carry over the well-known Minkowski-Hasse local-global principle to the context of an infinite algebraic extension of the rationals or the rational function fields Wq(x) over finite fields. Applying this result we give a new proof of the elementary type conjecture for Witt rings of infinite algebraic extensions of global fields. This generalizes a result of I. Efrat [Ef] who proved, using Galois cohomology methods, a similar fact for algebraic extensions of the rationals

Play it again – redundancy, literature and language games

The problem under consideration has its origin in the phenomenon of gameplay, which intersperses the rules and possible freedom of execution. The tensions between habit and surprise, regularity and irregularity created in this way expose the potential that lies in the grammatical conditions of the language use. The phenomenon of redundancy, considered in the context of a language game, can be presented in at least three ways: 1. redundancy as a non-game, 2. redundancy as a game – a struggle, 3. redundancy as a game – cooperation. In the latter approach, the recipient is invited to search for ambiguity, to take pleasure in activating non-obvious orders of literary expression. The article presents two very different examples of how redundancy functions in literary texts - a poem by Krystyna Miłobędzka and a short story by Janusz Rudnicki.The problem under consideration has its origin in the phenomenon of gameplay, which intersperses the rules and possible freedom of execution. The tensions between habit and surprise, regularity and irregularity created in this way expose the potential that lies in the grammatical conditions of the language use. The phenomenon of redundancy, considered in the context of a language game, can be presented in at least three ways: 1. redundancy as a non-game, 2. redundancy as a game – a struggle, 3. redundancy as a game – cooperation. In the latter approach, the recipient is invited to search for ambiguity, to take pleasure in activating non-obvious orders of literary expression. The article presents two very different examples of how redundancy functions in literary texts - a poem by Krystyna Miłobędzka and a short story by Janusz Rudnicki

Hipogonadyzm późny u mężczyzn

Late onset hypogonadism (LOH) is clinical and biochemical syndrome associated with advancing age and characterized by symptoms and a deficiency in serum testosterone levels and/or action. Its pathogenesis and incidence has not been known up till now. Controversies have grown upon a lack of clear diagnostic criteria, especially non-specific symptoms and not established lower reference limit of testosterone serum level. Because of these diagnosis of LOH was variously determined. Nevertheless, substitution with testosterone in older men was recommended. European Male Aging Study (EMAS), the biggest prospective clinical study, indicated that physical and psychical LOH symptoms, considered yet as certain, do not show relation with fluctuations of testosterone levels dependent on the age. Moreover, it appears that decrease of testosterone with advancing age is lower than was suspected. Between 40 and 79 year of age it comes to –0.4%/ /year for total testosterone and –1.3%/year for free testosterone. It was found also that these changes depend mainly on modified risk factors for health but not specifically on aging. A contemporary definition of LOH is that it is occurrence of three sexual symptoms and decline of serum testosterone level below 11 nmol/L. These symptoms are: absence of morning erections, erectile dysfunction and disappearance of sexual fantasies. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (education supplement II) 15–19)Hipogonadyzm późny (LOH) to zespół objawów klinicznych i biochemicznych spowodowanych zmniejszonym wydzielaniem lub/i działaniem testosteronu. Występuje u starzejących się mężczyzn. Do niedawna nie znano jego patogenezy i częstości występowania. Zastrzeżenia budził także brak jasnych kryteriów diagnostycznych, przede wszystkim niespecyficzność objawów klinicznych, a także brak ustalonej dolnej granicy normy dla stężenia testosteronu we krwi. W związku z tym występowanie LOH było różnie oceniane. Mimo tego od lat zalecano terapię substytucyjną preparatami testosteronu u starszych mężczyzn. W najobszerniejszych jak do tej pory prospektywnych badaniach klinicznych European Male Aging Study (EMAS) wykazano, że uważane dotychczas za pewne objawy fizyczne i psychiczne nie są związane z zależnymi od wieku zmianami stężenia testosteronu. Okazało się również, że zależne od wieku obniżenie stężenia testosteronu jest mniejsze niż podejrzewano. W przedziale od 40. do 79. roku życia wynosi ono –0,4%/rok dla testosteronu całkowitego i –1,3%/rok dla testosteronu wolnego. Ponadto zmiany te zależą głównie od modyfikowalnych czynników ryzyka dla zdrowia, a nie od starzenia jako takiego. Współczesna definicja LOH to występowanie 3 objawów seksualnych wraz z obniżeniem stężenia testosteronu we krwi poniżej 11 nmol/L. Objawami tymi są brak porannych erekcji, zaburzenia erekcji i zanik fantazji seksualnych. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (zeszyt edukacyjny II) 15–19

Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of estrogen in men

A b s t r a c t Although in men with an inherited mutation of gene encoding ERα (estrogen resistance) the occurrence of premature coronary artery disease was documented, and in men with inherited lack of aromatase (estrogen deficiency) an unfavorable lipid milieu was reported, the predominant number of both epidemiological and interventional studies suggests that in men estrogens may either not influence or may promote the develpoment of coronary artery disease. It is possible therefore the beneficial effect of estrogen administration on the lipid milieu in patients with estrogen deficiency is limited only to this unique situation. There may exist a sex-specific difference in the response to estrogen action. In contrast to women where estrogens generate nitric oxide (NO) production in the vascular endothelium, they do not do so in men. NO is responsible for vascular dilation and inhibits lipoprotein oxydation and monocyte adhesion to the endothelium. There may exist also a difference between short-term, non-genomic effect of estrogen and the effects of a long-term exposition to the hormone. Several reports are available indicating that estrogen administartion may have an unfavourable effect not only on blood lipid profile but also on venous thromboembolism in both sexes. In this context the role of estrogens in the regulation of the cardiovascular system gains a special importance and needs further studies. K Ke ey y w wo or rd ds s: : estardiol, coronary artery disease, human male

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak at the clivus

We present a case report of a 60-year-old woman with a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak at the clivus, obesity and no history of trauma. Follow-up imaging scans confirmed enlargement of the defect within the posterior clival framework to the size of 16 × 9 × 4 mm with a suspected meningocerebral hernia. The surgeons used the “two nostrils – four hands” endoscopic operating technique. The patient reported a history of cerebrospinal fluid leaks lasting for 3 years, with increasingly shorter leak-free periods and an increasing incidence of inflammatory complications. The patient recovered without complications, and she was discharged 14 days after the surgery. Good local outcome and improved patient condition were achieved postoperatively

Physiological significance of estrogens in men - breakthrough in endocrinology

Estradiol (E2) jest tradycyjnie uznanym żeńskim hormonem płciowym. Przez 40 lat wierzono, że u mężczyzn E2 nie wywiera żadnego wpływu lub wywołuje uszkodzenie czynności gonady. Głównym źródłem E2 u mężczyzn jest tkanka tłuszczowa i mózg. E2 jest również wytwarzany w nadnerczach, wątrobie, gruczołach sutkowych i włosach oraz w gonadzie męskiej. Dzienne wytwarzanie i stężenie E2 we krwi u mężczyzn są wyższe niż u kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym. W końcu lat 80. wykazaliśmy po raz pierwszy, że w okresie dojrzewania płciowego E2 jest istotnym sygnałem hormonalnym dla zapoczątkowania spermatogenezy. Tradycyjny pogląd o braku lub hamującej roli E2 u płci męskiej został ostatecznie obalony dzięki odkryciu receptorów estrogenowych u samców zwierząt. W latach 90. wytworzono też samce myszy transgenicznych pozbawione receptora estrogenowego (ER), a także genu kodującego enzym aromatazę, umożliwiającego konwersję testosteronu do E2. Obserwacje dorosłych mężczyzn z wrodzonymi mutacjami tych genów, znacznie poszerzyły naszą wiedzę na temat roli E2 u mężczyzn przy tworzeniu zrębu kości, hamowaniu ich wzrostu, metabolizmie lipidów i dojrzewaniu płciowym, efektom przypisywanym dotychczas działaniu testosteronu. Nowe dane wskazują także na ważną rolę estrogenów i ER w czynności układu sercowo-naczyniowego i w przeciwdziałaniu chorobie wieńcowej u mężczyzn.Estradiol (E2) is traditionally recognised as the female sex hormone. It has been believed for 40 years, that E2 didn’t exert any influence or caused impairment of the gonadal function in men. The main source of E2 in men is adipose tissue and the brain. E2 is also produced in adrenals, liver, mammary glands, hair and in male gonad. Daily production and the level of E2 in the blood in men are higher than those in postmenopausal women. At the end of the 80-ties we were first reporting that during sexual maturation E2 can be the important hormonal signal for the initiation of spermatogenesis. The traditional view about unimportant or inhibitory role of E2 in male physiology was finally refuted thanks to discovering estrogen receptors in males. In the 90-ties, transgenic mice with the lack of estrogen receptor (ER) or gene encoding enzyme aromatase, that enable the conversion of testosterone into E2, were also produced. Observations of men with inherited mutations of these genes, considerably extended our knowledge about E2 in men in stroma bones formation, inhibition of their growing, lipids metabolism and sexual maturation, the effects that were attributed to testosterone action until today. New data also points at important role of estrogens and ER in the function of the cardio-vascular system and in counteracting coronary disease in men

Administration of testosterone inhibits initiation of seminal tubule growth and decreases Sertoli cell number in the earliest period of rat's postnatal development.

Sertoli cell (SC) number determines testes size and their capacity to produce spermatozoa. In the rat SC proliferate until 15th postnatal day (PND). Their proliferation is stimulated by FSH and inhibited by estradiol, but the role for androgens is uncertain. In this study we analyzed the effects of testosterone administration on testes growth and SC number in relation to timing of the treatment. Male rats were injected with 2.5 mg of testosterone propionate (TP) from birth until 5th PND and autopsied either on 6th PND [TP1-5(6)] or on 16th PND [TP1-5(16)] (transient administration). Other rats received TP from birth until 15th PND [TP1-15] or between 5th and 15th PND [TP5-15] continuously and were autopsied on day 16th. Control groups (C) received vehicle. In the Cs serum level of estradiol was 20-fold higher (

During seminiferous tubule maturation testosterone and synergistic action of FSH with estradiol support germ cell survival while estradiol alone has pro-apoptotic effect.

During establishment of spermatogenesis at the prepubertal age, an early germ cells apoptotic wave occurs likely aimed to remove abnormal germ cells and to maintain a proper cell number ratio between maturating germ cells and Sertoli cells. Here we assessed Sertoli and germ cell apoptosis in relation to morphological parameters of Sertoli cell maturation in neonatal rats under the influence of testosterone, estradiol and FSH given alone or in combinations. From postnatal day (PND) 5th to 15th male rats were daily injected with: 1) 2.5 mg of testosterone propionate (TP), or 2) 12.5 microg of 17beta-estradiol benzoate (EB), or 3) TP+EB, or 4) 7.5 IU of human purified FSH (hFSH), or 5) hFSH+EB or solvents (control-C). Autopsy was performed on PND 16th. Sertoli cell nuclei area and incidence of seminiferous tubule lumen formation (LF) were taken as markers of Sertoli cell maturation. Sertoli and germ cell apoptosis was assessed using TUNEL method. In comparison with C, the area of Sertoli cell nuclei was significantly reduced after EB (25.7+/-2.0 vs. 30.9+/-1.6 microm2 for C,

IgG4-related inflammatory orbital pseudotumors : a retrospective case series

Orbital diseases may be divided into congenital defects of the orbit, infectious and inflammatory diseases, orbital tumors (including malignant and benign tumors) and injuries. Idiopathic inflammatory syndromes are often encountered within the orbit and are usually classified as orbital pseudotumors. The etiology of pseudotumors of the vision organ is unknown. Infectious agents, autoimmune disorders and improper healing are taken into consideration in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Thanks to detailed studies conducted in recent years, a new disease syndrome was identified in 2001. It is known as IgG4-related disease, and its differentiation is based on the analysis of IgG4 levels in the affected tissues. Orbital locations of the disease were first reported in Japan as late as at the end of 2009. This finding triggered the European studies on this subject. To date, no such studies have been conducted in Poland. The starting study population consisted of 167 patients with isolated infiltrative tumor diseases within the orbital region treated at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of the Medical College Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Detailed analysis and diagnostic screening for IgG4-related disease was performed in a total of 17 patients diagnosed with orbital pseudotumor

Opracowanie innowacyjnej i efektywnej kosztowo technologii redukcji emisji rtęci do atmosfery z procesów spalania węgla

Artykuł pochodzi z X Konferencji "Szanse i możliwości branży chemicznej w UE