Atherosclerosis as a problem in postmenopausal women

Introduction: Atherosclerosis is defined as a disease in which plaque, consisting of fat, cholesterol and other substances found in blood, builds up in arteries. This leads to stiffness and narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in limiting the flow of the blood rich in oxygen to tissues. The negative effect of atherosclerosis among women can be opposed by the female hormones. The aim of the article is to review clinical approach to atherosclerosis in post-menopausal women. Material and methods: Articles in the Google Scholar, Pub Med database have been analysed using keywords: atherosclerosis, plaque, cardiovascular diseases, menopause, postmenopausal women, female hormones, estrogens, older people. Results: Atherosclerosis process in the arterial walls is based on accumulation of lipids accompanied by inflammatory factors. One of the most important risk factors of this disease are quantitative and qualitative changes of the plasma lipoprotein, especially increasement of LDL cholesterol after menopause, which can be evaluated during lab tests. The diagnosis of atherosclerosis and its progress can be performed by using different methods, including physical examination and medical imaging. Development of atherosclerosis leads to peripheral artery disease connected with cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke or heart attack, which be life-threatening and should be immediately treated. Conclusions: This risk of the negative effects of atherosclerosis can be decreased by both lifestyle change and pharmacological treatment. The usage of estrogen-based hormone replacement therapy combined with statins in postmenopausal women presents benefits by the decreasement of LDL cholesterol and the increasement of HDL cholesterol and reduction of calcification of coronary vessels, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the time of the start of hormone replacement therapy is crucial – performed too late can result in additional development of atherosclerotic plaque and increasement of the inflammatory processes in the arteries with advanced atherosclerotic changes

The influence of various endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system

Various stimulants (VS) are chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system — endocrine homeostasis of the reproductive system — which also known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These substances are found in the human body, in both the blood and urine, amniotic fluid, or, among others, the adipose tissue. This article presents the current state of knowledge of the effect of EDCs and additional factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and cannabis on the gonads. The article is an overview of the impact of EDCs and their mechanism of action, with particular emphasis on gonads, based on databases such as PubMed, EMBASE and Google Scholar, and Web of Science available until May 2022. The impact of human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is not fully understood, but it has been shown that phthalates show a negative correlation in anti-androgenic activity in the case of men and women for the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). Smoking cigarettes and passive exposure to tobacco have a huge impact on the effects of endocrine disorders in both women and men, especially during the reproductive time. Also, the use of large amounts of cannabinoids during the reproductive years can lead to similar disorders. It has been documented that excessive alcohol consumption leads to disturbed function of the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal axis (HPG). Excess caffeine consumption may adversely affect male reproductive function, although this is not fully proven. Therefore, the following publication presents various stimulants (BPA, phthalates, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis) that disrupt the function of the endocrine system and, in particular, affect the function of the gonads

Sacral architecture in contemporary Finnish residential environment

Tematem artykułu jest fenomen powstawania nowych obiektów sakralnych Kościoła luterańskiego w Finlandii, pomimo stale laicyzującego się społeczeństwa. Celem przedstawionych badań jest poznanie przyczyn analizowanego zagadnienia poprzez pryzmat funkcji i roli jaką te obiekty pełnią dla lokalnych społeczności. Do analizy wybranych przykładów świątyń zastosowano narracyjną metodę badawczą. Zastosowana metoda pozwoliła na ujęcie pragmatycznych aspektów architektury, jakimi są struktura obiektu i forma w kontekście kulturowym osadzonym w przynależnym miejscu i czasie. Zagadnienie ujęto na tle religijno-społecznym, przedstawiając przyczyny i sposoby dostosowywania obiektów sakralnych do współczesnych, różnorodnych potrzeb wspólnoty. Kontynuacja tradycji tworzenia wysokiej jakości architektury połączonej z wernakularną tradycją budowania jest obecna we współczesnych obiektach sakralnych, które w swojej funkcji i skali dostosowywane są do celu, jakiemu mają służyć nie tylko we wspólnocie, ale i często w całej dzielnicy jako miejsca spotkań i integracji mieszkańców.The subject of the article is the phenomenon of creating new sacral buildings of the Lutheran Church in Finland, despite the increasing secularization of the society. The goal was to understand the reasons of the issue through the prism of the function and role these architecture play for local communities. The narrative research method was used to analyse selected examples of sacral architecture. The method allowed to capture the pragmatic aspects of architecture, such as the structure of the object and the form in the cultural context embedded in the appropriate place and time. The issue is presented in a religious and social context, discovering the causes and ways of adjusting sacral objects to the contemporary, diverse needs of the community. Continuation of the tradition of creating high-quality architecture combined with the vernacular building tradition is present in contemporary sacral architecture. Their function and scale are adjusted to the purpose they are to serve not only in the community, but often in the entire district as meeting places for residents

The Influence of Chitosan Cross-linking on the Properties of Alginate Microparticles with Metformin Hydrochloride—In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

Sodium alginate is a polymer with unique ability to gel with different cross-linking agents in result of ionic and electrostatic interactions. Chitosan cross-linked alginate provides improvement of swelling and mucoadhesive properties and might be used to design sustained release dosage forms. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop and evaluate possibility of preparing chitosan cross-linked alginate microparticles containing metformin hydrochloride by the spray-drying method. In addition, influence of cross-linking agent on the properties of microparticles was evaluated. Formulation of microparticles prepared by the spray drying of 2% alginate solution cross-linked by 0.1% chitosan was characterized by good mucoadhesive properties, high drug loading and prolonged metformin hydrochloride release. It was shown that designed microparticles reduced rat glucose blood level, delayed absorption of metformin hydrochloride and provided stable plasma drug concentration. Additionally, histopathological studies of pancreas, liver and kidneys indicated that all prepared microparticles improved degenerative changes in organs of diabetic rats. Moreover, no toxicity effect and no changes in rats behavior after oral administration of chitosan cross-linked alginate microparticles were noted

The influence of graphene oxide on the microstructure and properties of ultrafine-grained copper processed by high-pressure torsion

New metal matrix nanocomposites with enhanced thermal stability were produced in a three step process consisting of mechanical milling, spark plasma sintering and High-Pressure Torsion (HPT). The nanocomposites consisted of a copper matrix and the addition of 1 wt% Graphene Oxide (GO) as a reinforcement. A nanocrystalline microstructure, enhanced hardness and improved thermal stability were achieved. The grain size of the nanocomposites was ∼55 nm which is almost four time smaller than for Cu HPT at 210 nm. Hardnes and ultimate tensile strength of the nanocomposites reach 250 Hv and 700 MPa, respectively, which was more than three times higher than for the initial material. The most important result is that the nanocomposites remained ultrafine-grained up to 500 ⁰C whereas the Cu HPT fully recrystalized after annealing at 300 ⁰C The report also includes an investigation of the electrical conductivity of the copper-based composite which was slightly better than for copper after HPT together with the wear behaviour of this material. This is one of the first reports on copper reinforced with graphene oxide composites produced by HPT and it gives information on its thermal stability, electrical conductivity and wear behaviour together with the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties

Distinct characteristics of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children in Poland

International audienceAbstract During the winter months of 2020/2021 a wave of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) emerged in Poland. We present the results of a nationwide register aiming to capture and characterise MIS-C with a focus on severity determinants. The first MIS-C wave in Poland was notably high, hence our analysis involved 274 children. The group was 62.8% boys, with a median age of 8.8 years. Besides one Asian, all were White. Overall, the disease course was not as severe as in previous reports, however. Pediatric intensive care treatment was required for merely 23 (8.4%) of children, who were older and exhibited a distinguished clinical picture at hospital admission. We have also identified sex-dependent differences; teenage boys more often had cardiac involvement (decreased ejection fraction in 25.9% vs. 14.7%) and fulfilled macrophage activation syndrome definition (31.0% vs. 15.2%). Among all boys, those hospitalized in pediatric intensive care unit were significantly older (median 11.2 vs. 9.1 years). Henceforth, while ethnicity and sex may affect MIS-C phenotype, management protocols might be not universally applicable, and should rather be adjusted to the specific population