Increase in the incidence of parotid gland tumors in the years 2005-2014

Introduction: Salivary gland tumours account for 3-6% of tumours of the head and neck. About 80% of salivary gland tumors occur in parotid glands, 10-17% of which are malignant The aim of the study was to assess whether there is an upward trend in cancer incidence within the parotid glands, with particular emphasis on cancers. Materials and methods: 322 patients underwent surgery and 328 parotid gland tumours were removed in the years 2005-2014 at the Department of Laryngology and Laryngological Oncology of the Upper Silesian Medical Centre in Katowice-Ochojec. Clinical, histopathological and statistical analyses of the removed parotid gland tumours were performed. Results and discussion: A significant increase in the incidence of benign tumours, especially mixed and Warthin tumours, was demonstrated. There was no significant increase in the number of malignant tumours over the analysed period of time

Bacteriological analysis of isolated chronic sinusitis without polyps

Introduction: Chronic sinusitis (CRS) is phenotypically divided into inflammation with polyps (CRSwNP) or without polyps (CRSsNP). Aim: To try to explain the reasons for isolated sinusitis by analysing medical history as well as anatomical and bacteriological data. Material and methods: In 2016, endoscopic surgery was performed in 103 patients with CRSsNP within 6 months. The authors evaluated 28 patients with lesions in one sinus. Results: The patients did not report any previous facial trauma, dental procedures, there were no odontogenic causes of the disease. They had not been treated with antibiotics within 30 days prior to admission to hospital. Ninety-seven bacterial strains were grown, of which 32 in patients with isolated nasal sinusitis. Statistical analysis has shown that there is a trend toward a statistically significant (p = 0.0868) relationship between the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and the type of inflammation. Conclusions: There is an indication that the presence of Staphylococcus aureus is associated with isolated sinusitis, especially in women

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio in PM1 and size segregated aerosol particles over the Baltic Sea

We analysed delta C-13 of total carbon (TC) and PN of total nitrogen (TN) in submicron (PM1) and size segregated aerosol particles ( PM0.056-2.5) collected during a cruise in the Baltic Sea from 9 to 17 November 2012. PM1 were characterized by the highest delta C-13 (-26.4 parts per thousand) and lowest delta N-15 (-0.2 and 0.8 parts per thousand) values when air masses arrived from the southwest direction (Poland). The obtained delta C-13 values indicated that combined emissions of coal and diesel/gasoline combustion were the most likely sources of TC. The depleted delta N-15 values indicated that TN originated mainly from liquid fuel combustion (road traffic, shipping) during this period. The lowest PC and highest delta N-15 values were determined in PM1 samples during the western airflow when the air masses had no recent contact with land. The highest delta N-15 values were probably associated with chemical aging of nitrogenous species during long-range transport, the lowest delta C-13 values could be related to emissions from diesel/gasoline combustion, potentially from ship traffic. The delta C-13 analysis of size-segregated aerosol particles PM0.056-2.5 revealed that the lowest delta C-13 values were observed in the size range from 0.056 to 0.18 mu m and gradual C-13 enrichment occurred in the size range from 0.18 to 2.5 mu m due to different sources or formation mechanisms of the aerosols

Automated Global Feature Analyzer - A Driver for Tier-Scalable Reconnaissance

For the purposes of space flight, reconnaissance field geologists have trained to become astronauts. However, the initial forays to Mars and other planetary bodies have been done by purely robotic craft. Therefore, training and equipping a robotic craft with the sensory and cognitive capabilities of a field geologist to form a science craft is a necessary prerequisite. Numerous steps are necessary in order for a science craft to be able to map, analyze, and characterize a geologic field site, as well as effectively formulate working hypotheses. We report on the continued development of the integrated software system AGFA: automated global feature analyzerreg, originated by Fink at Caltech and his collaborators in 2001. AGFA is an automatic and feature-driven target characterization system that operates in an imaged operational area, such as a geologic field site on a remote planetary surface. AGFA performs automated target identification and detection through segmentation, providing for feature extraction, classification, and prioritization within mapped or imaged operational areas at different length scales and resolutions, depending on the vantage point (e.g., spaceborne, airborne, or ground). AGFA extracts features such as target size, color, albedo, vesicularity, and angularity. Based on the extracted features, AGFA summarizes the mapped operational area numerically and flags targets of "interest", i.e., targets that exhibit sufficient anomaly within the feature space. AGFA enables automated science analysis aboard robotic spacecraft, and, embedded in tier-scalable reconnaissance mission architectures, is a driver of future intelligent and autonomous robotic planetary exploration

Giant fronto-ethmoidal osteoma - selection of an optimal surgical procedure

Osteomas of the paranasal sinuses are benign bone tumours that produce clinical signs depending on their size and location. In most reported cases large tumours are excised by an external approach or in conjunction with an endoscopic technique. Endoscopic treatment of such tumours is a huge challenge for the operator. Objective: Determine the optimal surgical approach by analysing giant osteomas of the frontal and ethmoidal sinuses in the literature. Methods: Group of 37 osteomas obtained from the literature review. A group of osteomas removed only by endoscopy was compared with a group in which an external approach (lateral rhynotomy or craniotomy) or combined external and endoscopic approach was applied. Results: The authors, based on the statistical analysis of the literature data, have found that the average size of osteomas excised endoscopically and those removed by external approaches does not differ statistically, when the osteomas are located in the ethmoidal cells (p = 0.2691) and the frontal sinuses (p = 0.5891). Conclusion: The choice of surgical method appears to be independent of the osteoma size and the decision is likely to be taken based on the experience of the surgeon, available equipment and knowledge of different surgical techniques

Allergies, asthma or hypersensitivity to NSAIDs - are they an equally important risk factor for the development of a specific CRS phenotype?

Introduction: CRS is a complex systemic disease affecting more than 10% of the population. There are two main types of CRS phenotypes: CRSwNP and CRSsNP. In the Caucasian population, the prevalence of inflammation markers typical of the Th1 profile is observed in CRSsNP, whereas Th2 and Th17 in CRSwNP. Th2 inflammation is observed in the CRSwNP phenotype with concomitant allergies, asthma or hypersensitivity to NSAIDs. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate, based on the authors’ own material, whether allergies, asthma or hypersensitivity to NSAIDs were a risk factor for the development of a specific CRS phenotype. An attempt was also made to investigate the influence of comorbidities on the extent of sinus endoscopic procedures, which depended on the severity of inflammation. Methods: In the years 2006–2015, ESS was performed on 2217 patients with different CRS phenotypes. Patients with an allergy, bronchial asthma and hypersensitivity to NSAIDs were subjected to analysis. Results: Based on logistic regression, it was found that among the mentioned comorbidities, only asthma (P < 0.0001) and hypersensitivity to NSAIDs (P = 0.0007) significantly affect the occurrence of the phenotype with polyps, whereas the impact of allergies is statistically insignificant (P = 0.1909). The relationship between the type of ESS and CRS phenotypes is statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Bronchial asthma and hypersensitivity to NSAIDs have a statistically significant effect on the occurrence of the CRSwNP phenotype. This effect was not observed in allergies. The impact of allergies, asthma and hypersensitivity on the phenotype was observed in the group of patients subjected to the most extensive surgery (ESS 4)

Beta-blockers to prevent gastroesophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Nonselective beta-adrenergic blockers decrease portal pressure and prevent variceal hemorrhage. Their effectiveness in preventing varices is unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned 213 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension (minimal hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG] of 6 mm Hg) to receive timolol, a nonselective beta-blocker (108 patients), or placebo (105 patients). The primary end point was the development of gastroesophageal varices or variceal hemorrhage. Endoscopy and HVPG measurements were repeated yearly. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 54.9 months, the rate of the primary end point did not differ significantly between the timolol group and the placebo group (39 percent and 40 percent, respectively; P=0.89), nor were there significant differences in the rates of ascites, encephalopathy, liver transplantation, or death. Serious adverse events were more common among patients in the timolol group than among those in the placebo group (18 percent vs. 6 percent, P=0.006). Varices developed less frequently among patients with a baseline HVPG of less than 10 mm Hg and among those in whom the HVPG decreased by more than 10 percent at one year and more frequently among those in whom the HVPG increased by more than 10 percent at one year. CONCLUSIONS: Nonselective beta-blockers are ineffective in preventing varices in unselected patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension and are associated with an increased number of adverse events. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00006398.

Head and neck lymphomas - a retrospective ten-year observation

Aim of the study: Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of tumours of lymphoid tissue in which there is an abnormal proliferation of cells of the lymphatic system. The literature notes a gradual increase in the incidence of this type of cancer in the whole population. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the above tendency occurs in the head and neck area. Material and methods: In the years 2005-2014, at the Otolaryngology and Laryngological Oncology Department of the Upper Silesian Medical Centre in Katowice, 77 cases of lymphoma were recorded, 58 of which were analysed in terms of location, histological type, age and sex of the patient, and the presence of risk factors. Results: The vast majority of them were non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) - 67.53%. Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) accounted for only a small fraction of diagnoses (7.79%). In terms of histopathological types, in most cases of NHL, there occurred diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) - 51.92%. The most common location was the lymph nodes, representing the location of the primary lesion in more than half of the cases. As regards the extranodal location, the Waldeyer ring dominated (54.54%) along with the palatal tonsil (40.90%). There has been a significant upward trend, especially in the incidence of NHL

Scattering series in mobility problem for suspensions

The mobility problem for suspension of spherical particles immersed in an arbitrary flow of a viscous, incompressible fluid is considered in the regime of low Reynolds numbers. The scattering series which appears in the mobility problem is simplified. The simplification relies on the reduction of the number of types of single-particle scattering operators appearing in the scattering series. In our formulation there is only one type of single-particle scattering operator.Comment: 11 page

Evoluci\uf3n de la calidad de semillas de cebolla almacenadas en condiciones no controladas

The objective of the study was to determine the evolution of onion ( Allium cepa L.) seed quality during storage under uncontrolled conditions. Samples of seed lots from UcoValley (33\ub0 lat. S., 69\ub0 long. W), Mendoza, Argentina, harvested in three years (1993, 1994 and 1995) were maintained for five years in a depot, and every twelve months moisture content (H), germination at 6 days (Pg6), percentage of germination (Pg), 1,000 seed weight (P), and abnormal seedling percentage were determined. The analysis of variables was performed using a nested design, correlation and regression analysis grouping lots of the same year. The analysis of the variables Pg6 and Pg were compared with those calculated with a viability equation. The Pg6 and Pg decreased quadratically (P &lt; 0.05) with storage time, although the reduction rate was different between years, the greatest reduction was in 1993, the most rainy year; the values predicted through the viability equation were lower than the observed values. P was notably different between lots, but this was not modified by storage time (P &lt; 0.05). H did not differ between lots of the same year nor during conservation (P &lt; 0.05) and the means were 8.54, 8.55 and 8.47% in 1993, 1994 and 1995, respectively. Seed lots produced during normal rainy years may be stored up to 24 months without important changes in quality.El objetivo del ensayo fue determinar la evoluci\uf3n de la calidad de semillas de cebolla ( Allium cepa L.) durante el almacenamiento en condiciones no controladas. Muestras de lotes de semillas provenientes del Valle de Uco (33\ub0 lat. Sur y 69\ub0 long. Oeste), Mendoza, Argentina, cosechadas en tres temporadas (1993, 1994 y 1995) se mantuvieron durante cinco a\uf1os en dep\uf3sito y cada doce meses se evalu\uf3 el contenido de humedad (H), el peso de 1000 semillas (P), el porcentaje de germinaci\uf3n (Pg), el porcentaje de pl\ue1ntulas normales germinadas a los 6 d\uedas (Pg6) y el porcentaje de pl\ue1ntulas anormales. El an\ue1lisis de las variables se realiz\uf3 con dise\uf1os anidados, regresiones y correlaciones, agrupando lotes del mismo a\uf1o. Los ajustes de los valores observados de Pg6 y Pg se compararon con los calculados mediante una ecuaci\uf3n de viabilidad. El Pg6 y Pg disminuyeron cuadr\ue1ticamente con el tiempo de almacenamiento (P &lt; 0,05), aunque la tasa de disminuci\uf3n fue diferente entre los a\uf1os, la mayor correspondi\uf3 a 1993 que fue el a\uf1o m\ue1s lluvioso; el modelo de viabilidad aplicado subestim\uf3 estos valores. El P tuvo diferencias notables entre lotes, aunque no se modific\uf3 durante el tiempo de almacenamiento (P &lt; 0,05). El H no se diferenci\uf3 entre los lotes del mismo a\uf1o ni durante la conservaci\uf3n (P &lt; 0,05) y las medias fueron 8,54; 8,55 y 8,47%, en 1993, 1994 y 1995, respectivamente. Los lotes producidos en a\uf1os con precipitaciones normales se pueden conservar hasta 24 meses sin cambios importantes en la calidad