O przemieniającym życie mroku postaci

On the darkness of the character that transforms lifeThe author analyses the relationship between the actor>s life and the character they create on stage. He points to the interdependencies between the actor and their role. He determines the conditions in which the role should be constructed and also discusses the on- and off-stage circumstances that determine the value of a particular role. This analysis is supported by the authors own experience as a theatre director.On the darkness of the character that transforms lifeThe author analyses the relationship between the actor>s life and the character they create on stage. He points to the interdependencies between the actor and their role. He determines the conditions in which the role should be constructed and also discusses the on- and off-stage circumstances that determine the value of a particular role. This analysis is supported by the authors own experience as a theatre director

Risk of lymph node metastases in multifocal papillary thyroid cancer associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of lymph nodes metastases (LNM) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and coexisting Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with PTC and HT who had undergone total thyroidectomy (TT) with central neck dissection (CND) over an 11-year period (between 2002 and 2012). Pathological reports of all eligible patients were reviewed. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify risk factors of LNM. RESULTS: During the study period, PTC was diagnosed in 130 patients with HT who had undergone TT with CND (F/M ratio = 110:20; median age, 52.4 ± 12.7 years). Multifocal lesions were observed in 28 (21.5 %) patients. LNM were identified in 25 of 28 (89.3 %) patients with multifocal PTC and HT versus 69 of 102 (67.5 %) patients with a solitary focus of PTC and HT (p = 0.023). In multivariable analysis, multifocal disease was identified as an independent risk factor for LNM (odds ratio, 3.99; 95 % confidence interval, 1.12 to 14.15; p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Multifocal PTC in patients with HT is associated with an increased risk of LNM. Nevertheless, the clinical importance of this finding needs to be validated in well-designed prospective studies

Coexistence of papillary thyroid cancer with Hashimoto thyroiditis

AIMS: Conflicting data have been reported with regard to Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and risk of malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate coexistence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with HT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study in which HT was diagnosed in 452 (F/M ratio = 405:47, median age 53.5 ± 12.1 years) of 7,545 patients qualified for thyroidectomy throughout the years 2002 to 2010. Pathological reports were reviewed to identify prevalence of PTC in HT vs. non-HT patients. RESULTS: PTC was diagnosed in 106 of 452 (23.5 %) HT patients vs. 530 of 7,093 (7.5 %) non-HT patients (p < 0.001). Metastases to level VI lymph nodes were observed in 81 of 106 (76.4 %) patients with PTC in HT vs. 121 of 530 (22.8 %) patients with PTC in non-HT disease (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HT was associated with a threefold increase of PTC prevalence as compared to other non-HT thyroid diseases, and the spread of PTC to level VI lymph nodes was four times more frequent in HT than in non-HT patients

Mięśniak komórkowy w więzadle szerokim macicy – opis sytuacji klinicznej i przegląd piśmiennictwa

Myomas are most often benign tumours of the female genital tract. Uterine fibroids are the most common myomas, while uterine cervix and intraligamentary ones are statistically less frequent. The most common histopathological form is the leiomyoma and the least common is the cellular leiomyoma (Mięśniaki są najczęstszymi łagodnymi guzami żeńskich narządów rozrodczych. Mięśniaki macicy rozpoznawalne są najczęściej podczas gdy mięśniaki szyjkowe i międzywięzadłowe występują statystycznie rzadziej. Najczęstszą formą histologiczną mięśniaków jest mięśniak gładkokomórkowy a najrzadziej rozpoznawalną

Pegylation – in search of balance and enhanced bioavailability

In the process of finding better therapeutics, thousands of new molecules are synthesised every day. Many of these can be poorly soluble in water, leading to a potentially promising drug being rejected during testing due to its poor solubility. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has become known as an excellent modification to remedy this and was initially used to increase circulation time and reduce the immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins. Thus significantly increasing their safety and range of use. Another group of compounds in which significant benefits of pegylation have been seen are photosensitisers. Used in photodynamic therapy, they are often characterised by very high hydrophobicity. Pegylation of their structure significantly increases their affinity for cancer cells and facilitates their penetration through cell membranes. Classical small-molecule drugs can benefit from temporary combinations hydrolysed in the body or very short PEG chains. This approach allows a significant increase in the bioavailability of the drug while avoiding the disadvantages of small molecule pegylation. However, the most common motive for pegylation recently is the creation of drug carriers. Liposomes and nanoparticles make it possible to exploit the advantages of PEG to stabilise their structure and increase circulation time while not modifying the structure of the active compound. Unfortunately, PEGs also have their drawbacks. The first is their high molecular weight range, especially for longer chains, which poses difficulties in purification. Another is the emergence of antibodies directed against PEG. Nevertheless, pegylation is still an up-and-coming method for modifying pharmaceutically active molecules

Opis przypadku mi´saka prà˝kowanokomórkowego pleomorficznego trzonu macicy

Abstract Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus is a rare malignant tumor. It is connected with postmenopausal abnormal vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain. We report a case of a 66-year-old postmenopausal woman diagnosed with abnormal vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain. Vaginal ultrasonography showed enlarged uterus, 82mm x 64mm in size. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with postoperative chemotherapy due to pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus. The patient died 2,5 years after the surgery as a result of a rapid spread of the neoplastic process. The case of rhabdomyosarcoma, together with the review of the literature, is presented in the following work. We find that the rarity of this histological entity makes it particularly worthy of publication.Mięsak pleomorficzny, prążkowanokomórkowy jest rzadkim nienabłonkowym nowotworem złośliwym mięśnia macicy, występującym u pomenopauzalnych pacjentek, które zgłaszają w wywiadzie nieprawidłowe krwawienia maciczne i dolegliwości bólowe podbrzusza. W opisywanej sytuacji klinicznej 66 letnia wieloródka była hospitalizowana z powodu nieprawidłowego krwawienia z dróg rodnych oraz bólu podbrzusza. W badaniu USG uwidoczniono powiększony trzon macicy o wymiarach 82x64 mm. Przeprowadzono zabieg usunięcia macicy z przydatkami w sposób typowy. W badaniu histopatologicznym, potwierdzonym immunohistochemiczne, stwierdzono postać pleomorficzną mięsaka trzonu macicy. Po operacji pacjentka przeszła chemioterapię. Z powodu przerzutów pacjentka zmarła po około 2,5 roku od leczenia chirurgicznego. Z powodu bardzo rzadkiego występowania postaci pleomorficznej mięsaka prążkowanokomórkowego macicy, ten opis przypadku, łącznie z przeglądem literatury, wart jest opublikowania

Role of heat accumulation in the multi-shot damage of silicon irradiated with femtosecond XUV pulses at a 1 MHz repetition rate

The role played by heat accumulation in multi-shot damage of silicon was studied. Bulk silicon samples were exposed to intense XUV monochromatic radiation of a 13.5 nm wavelength in a series of 400 femtosecond pulses, repeated with a 1 MHz rate (pulse trains) at the FLASH facility in Hamburg. The observed surface morphological and structural modifications are formed as a result of sample surface melting. Modifications are threshold dependent on the mean fluence of the incident pulse train, with all threshold values in the range of approximately 36-40 mJ/cm². Experimental data is supported by a theoretical model described by the heat diffusion equation. The threshold for reaching the melting temperature (45 mJ/cm²) and liquid state (54 mJ/cm²), estimated from this model, is in accordance with experimental values within measurement error. The model indicates a significant role of heat accumulation in surface modification processes