Intravascular lymphoma mimicking multiple sclerosis

Diagnosis of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis requires demonstration disseminated symptoms in time and space on the basis of neurological assessment or magnetic resonance imaging findings. In addition, the diagnosis is conditioned by ruling out other conditions that may explain the clinical symptoms. We describe the patient presenting in the initial stage of the disease neurological symptoms and magnetic resonance imaging lesions, that met criteria for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The patient was administered immunomodulatory treatment. However, the subsequent course of the disease tended to verify the diagnosis. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with intravascular B-cell lymphoma. Intravascular lymphoma is a rare form of lymphoma characterized by the development of cancerous cells in the lumen of small and medium-sized blood vessels. Due to the lack of characteristic biomarkers in laboratory tests and neuroimaging, the diagnosis is based on histopathological examination of the sample of the affected organ taken by biopsy. It should be consider in all cases of central nervous system damage of unknown, undiagnosed etiology

Differential Levels of Stress Proteins (HSPs) in Male and Female Daphnia magna in Response to Thermal Stress: A Consequence of Sex-Related Behavioral Differences?

In two independent experiments, we compared: (1) water depth selection (and accompanying temperature selection) by male and female Daphnia magna under different kinds of environmental stress, including the presence of filamentous cyanobacteria, the risk of predation from fish, and the presence of toxic compounds; and (2) sex-dependent production of heat shock proteins (HSP60, 70, and 90) in response to a sudden change in temperature. Male D. magna selected deep water strata, which offer a relatively stable environment, and thereby avoided the threat of predation and the presence of toxic compounds in surface waters. Correlated with this behavior, males reduce their molecular defenses against stress, such as the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), and do not maintain the physiological machinery that triggers an increase in HSP levels in response to stress. In contrast, female D. magna actively select habitats that offer optimal conditions for growth and production of offspring. Consequently, females are exposed to variable environmental conditions that may be associated with increased stress. To permit survival in these different habitats, D. magna females require molecular mechanisms to protect their cells from rapid changes in stress levels. Thus, they maintain high constitutive levels of the heat shock proteins from HSP 60, 70, and 90 families, and they have the potential to further enhance the production of the majority of these proteins under stress conditions. The results of this study indicate that the separate habitats selected by male and female D. magna result in different patterns of HSP production, leading us to hypothesize that that male and female Daphnia magna adopt different strategies to maximize the fitness of the species

Samotność idei? : społeczeństwo obywatelskie we współczesnym świecie

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed publicationCelem niniejszej pracy jest próba przedstawienia kształtu obecnych relacji i stosunków między społeczeństwem obywatelskim a wspomnianymi ideami czy procesami społecznymi.Książka, którą oddajemy do rąk Czytelników jest zbiorem prac studialnych o zróżnicowanym poziomie analizy. Dla części autorów jest to próba pierwszej, samodzielnej pracy naukowo-badawczej, dla innych - kolejna okazja do podzielenia się przemyśleniami, ugruntowanymi wieloletnim doświadczeniem badawczym i studiami.Wszystkich połączyło i skłoniło do współpracy zainteresowanie tym samym - losem społeczeństwa obywatelskiego w zderzeniu z problemami współczesności

Comparison of Free and Commercial Software in the Processing of Data Obtained from Non-Metric Cameras

The main goal of the work was an attempt to compare the free and commercial photogrammetry software for processing the pictures taken with a camera drone, a traditional digital camera and a smartphone. Due to a wide range of programs on the market, four were selected for comparison (Agisoft Metashape, DroneDeploy, VisualSfM, COLMAP). Their brief description was presented, and then the photos were processed in each of them. Three sets of photographs were used for the processing (part of a residential area, photos of a building, and photos of a tree trunk). As a result, the capabilities of the selected applications were presented on the basis of various input data. Not every program was able to deliver all the desired products. Moreover, they differ depending on the software. The commercial applications have more functionalities. On the other hand, the open-source solutions allow for the development of algorithms. Working in any environment had its own characteristics. The selected applications were compared on the basis of the processing and the results obtained. Due to many aspects of their evaluation, it turned out that the research topic was very extensive. Moreover, it was found that it is very difficult to make an objective statement of the tested programs, because the same program can be scored differently, depending on the user’s needs, capabilities and knowledge

The Role of Vitamin D in COVID-19 and the Impact of Pandemic Restrictions on Vitamin D Blood Content

International audienceVitamin D is a hormone regulating the immune system and playing a pivotal role in responses to microbial infections. It regulates inflammatory processes by influencing the transcription of immune-response genes in macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells. The proven role of vitamin D in many infectious diseases of the respiratory tract indicated that vitamin D should also play a role in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vitamin D inhibits cytokine storm by switching the pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 to the anti-inflammatory Th2 and Treg response. Vitamin D is therefore expected to play a role in preventing, relieving symptoms, or treating SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms, including severe pneumonia. There are several possible mechanisms by which vitamin D may reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, such as induction of the transcription of cathelicidin and defensin. Also a nongenomic antiviral action of vitamin D and lumisterol, the molecule closely related to vitamin D, was reported. Despite this enormous progress, currently, there is still insufficient scientific evidence to support the claim that vitamin D supplementation may help treat COVID-19 infection. The pandemic restrictions were also shown to impact vitamin D uptake by limiting exposure to sunlight

CDC6 controls dynamics of the first embryonic M-phase entry and progression via CDK1 inhibition

International audienceCDC6 is essential for S-phase to initiate DNA replication. It also regulates M-phase exit by inhibiting the activity of the major M-phase protein kinase CDK1. Here we show that addition of recombinant CDC6 to Xenopus embryo cycling extract delays the M-phase entry and inhibits CDK1 during the whole M-phase. Down regulation of endogenous CDC6 accelerates the M-phase entry, abolishes the initial slow and progressive phase of histone H1 kinase activation and increases the level of CDK1 activity during the M-phase. All these effects are fully rescued by the addition of recombinant CDC6 to the extracts. Diminution of CDC6 level in mouse zygotes by two different methods results in accelerated entry into the first cell division showing physiological relevance of CDC6 in intact cells. Thus, CDC6 behaves as CDK1 inhibitor regulating not only the M-phase exit, but also the M-phase entry and progression via limiting the level of CDK1 activity. We propose a novel mechanism of M-phase entry controlled by CDC6 and counterbalancing cyclin B-mediated CDK1 activation. Thus, CDK1 activation proceeds with concomitant inhibition by CDC6, which tunes the timing of the M-phase entry during the embryonic cell cycle