Hemoglobin determination with paired emitter detector diode

Two ordinary green light-emitting diodes used as light emitter and detector coupled with simple voltmeter form a complete, cost-effective prototype of a photometric hemoglobinometer. The device has been optimized for cuvette assays of total hemoglobin (Hb) in diluted blood using three different chemical methods recommended for the needs of clinical analysis (namely Drabkin, lauryl sulfate, and dithionite methods). The utility of developed device for real analytics has been validated by the assays of total Hb content in human blood. The results of analysis are fully compatible with those obtained using clinically recommended method and clinical analyzer

Systematic Evaluation of Factors Influencing ChIP-Seq Fidelity

We performed a systematic evaluation of how variations in sequencing depth and other parameters influence interpretation of Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) experiments. Using Drosophila S2 cells, we generated ChIP-seq datasets for a site-specific transcription factor (Suppressor of Hairy-wing) and a histone modification (H3K36me3). We detected a chromatin state bias, open chromatin regions yielded higher coverage, which led to false positives if not corrected and had a greater effect on detection specificity than any base-composition bias. Paired-end sequencing revealed that single-end data underestimated ChIP library complexity at high coverage. The removal of reads originating at the same base reduced false-positives while having little effect on detection sensitivity. Even at a depth of ~1 read/bp coverage of mappable genome, ~1% of the narrow peaks detected on a tiling array were missed by ChIP-seq. Evaluation of widely-used ChIP-seq analysis tools suggests that adjustments or algorithm improvements are required to handle datasets with deep coverage

Scaling slowly rotating asteroids with stellar occultations

Context. As evidenced by recent survey results, the majority of asteroids are slow rotators (spin periods longer than 12 h), but lack spin and shape models because of selection bias. This bias is skewing our overall understanding of the spins, shapes, and sizes of asteroids, as well as of their other properties. Also, diameter determinations for large (>60 km) and medium-sized asteroids (between 30 and 60 km) often vary by over 30% for multiple reasons. Aims. Our long-term project is focused on a few tens of slow rotators with periods of up to 60 h. We aim to obtain their full light curves and reconstruct their spins and shapes. We also precisely scale the models, typically with an accuracy of a few percent. Methods. We used wide sets of dense light curves for spin and shape reconstructions via light-curve inversion. Precisely scaling them with thermal data was not possible here because of poor infrared datasets: large bodies tend to saturate in WISE mission detectors. Therefore, we recently also launched a special campaign among stellar occultation observers, both in order to scale these models and to verify the shape solutions, often allowing us to break the mirror pole ambiguity. Results. The presented scheme resulted in shape models for 16 slow rotators, most of them for the first time. Fitting them to chords from stellar occultation timings resolved previous inconsistencies in size determinations. For around half of the targets, this fitting also allowed us to identify a clearly preferred pole solution from the pair of two mirror pole solutions, thus removing the ambiguity inherent to light-curve inversion. We also address the influence of the uncertainty of the shape models on the derived diameters. Conclusions. Overall, our project has already provided reliable models for around 50 slow rotators. Such well-determined and scaled asteroid shapes will, for example, constitute a solid basis for precise density determinations when coupled with mass information. Spin and shape models in general continue to fill the gaps caused by various biases

Factors that determine the acceptance of illness in women who are treated for lesions of the cervix

Cel pracy. Ocena stopnia akceptacji choroby u kobiet leczonych z powodu zmian patologicznych szyjki macicy oraz ustalenie, czy istnieje związek zmiennych socjodemograficznych z poziomem akceptacji. Materiał i metody. Do badania włączono 50 kobiet, które były hospitalizowane w Wojewódzkim Szpitalu Zespolonym w Toruniu i przebywały w Oddziale Klinicznym Położnictwa, Chorób Kobiecych i Ginekologii Onkologicznej. Badanie przeprowadzono za pomocą sondażu diagnostycznego; wykorzystane narzędzia badawcze to: kwestionariusz ankiety własnej konstrukcji, analiza dokumentacji medycznej oraz Skala Akceptacji Choroby (AIS – Acceptance of Illness Scale), której autorami są B.J Felton, T.A. Revenson i G.A. Hinrichsen, w adaptacji polskiej Z. Juczyńskiego. Ogólny wynik skali AIS mieści się w obszarze od 8 do 40 punktów. Im wynik jest wyższy, tym większa akceptacja swojego stanu i mniej negatywnych emocji związanych z chorobą. Za niski wynik uważa się wartości poniżej 20 punktów, wartości powyżej 30 punktów oznaczają wysoki poziom akceptacji własnego stanu chorobowego, zaś za średni wynik uważa się zakres od 20 do 30 punktów. Wyniki. Wyniki, według skali AIS, wśród badanej próby kobiet wyniosły 28,76 punktów, co świadczyło o średnim poziomie akceptacji choroby. Nie stwierdzono istotnej statystycznie różnicy między średnimi skali AIS a zmiennymi socjodemograficznymi takimi jak: wiek, wykształcenie, stan cywilny, miejsce zamieszkania i aktywność zawodowa. Wnioski. Kobiety z rozpoznaną zmianą patologiczną szyjki macicy prezentowały średni poziom akceptacji choroby, według skali AIS. Zmienne socjodemograficzne: wiek, wykształcenie, stan cywilny, miejsce zamieszkania i aktywność zawodowa nie różnicowały poziomu akceptacji choroby w badanej próbie kobiet.The aim of the work. Assessment of the acceptance level of the illness in women who are treated for lesions of the cervix and determining if there is a relation between sociodemographic factors and the level. Method and material. 50 women, who were hospitalized in the Regional Hospital in Toruń in Department of Obstetrics, Female Diseases and Oncological Gynecology, took part in the study. The study was conducted with the use of a diagnostic survey. Diagnostic tools were comprised of a self-constructed questionnaire an analysis of medical documentation, and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), whose authors are B.J. Felton, T.A. Revenson, and G.A. Hinrichsen. The general result in AIS scale is between 8 and 40 points. The higher the result, the higher the acceptance of one’s condition is, and there are less negative emotions. Results of 20 points and less are considered to be low, whereas getting more than 30 points indicates a high level of acceptance of one’s own condition. A result between 20 and 30 points is considered to be average. Results. The level of acceptance of an illness in the mentioned group, according to AIS scale, was 28.76 points, which indicated an average level of acceptance. No statistically significant difference was found between the average result in AIS scale and sociodemographic variables, such as age, education, marital status, place of residence, and professional activity. Conclusions. Women who are diagnosed with lesions of the cervix presented an average level of acceptance of an illness, according to AIS scale. Sociodemographic variables such as age, education, marital status, place of residence, and professional activity did not influence the level of acceptance in women who took part in the study

Factors that determine the acceptance of illness in women who are treated for lesions of the cervix

Cel pracy. Ocena stopnia akceptacji choroby u kobiet leczonych z powodu zmian patologicznych szyjki macicy oraz ustalenie, czy istnieje związek zmiennych socjodemograficznych z poziomem akceptacji. Materiał i metody. Do badania włączono 50 kobiet, które były hospitalizowane w Wojewódzkim Szpitalu Zespolonym w Toruniu i przebywały w Oddziale Klinicznym Położnictwa, Chorób Kobiecych i Ginekologii Onkologicznej. Badanie przeprowadzono za pomocą sondażu diagnostycznego; wykorzystane narzędzia badawcze to: kwestionariusz ankiety własnej konstrukcji, analiza dokumentacji medycznej oraz Skala Akceptacji Choroby (AIS – Acceptance of Illness Scale), której autorami są B.J Felton, T.A. Revenson i G.A. Hinrichsen, w adaptacji polskiej Z. Juczyńskiego. Ogólny wynik skali AIS mieści się w obszarze od 8 do 40 punktów. Im wynik jest wyższy, tym większa akceptacja swojego stanu i mniej negatywnych emocji związanych z chorobą. Za niski wynik uważa się wartości poniżej 20 punktów, wartości powyżej 30 punktów oznaczają wysoki poziom akceptacji własnego stanu chorobowego, zaś za średni wynik uważa się zakres od 20 do 30 punktów. Wyniki. Wyniki, według skali AIS, wśród badanej próby kobiet wyniosły 28,76 punktów, co świadczyło o średnim poziomie akceptacji choroby. Nie stwierdzono istotnej statystycznie różnicy między średnimi skali AIS a zmiennymi socjodemograficznymi takimi jak: wiek, wykształcenie, stan cywilny, miejsce zamieszkania i aktywność zawodowa. Wnioski. Kobiety z rozpoznaną zmianą patologiczną szyjki macicy prezentowały średni poziom akceptacji choroby, według skali AIS. Zmienne socjodemograficzne: wiek, wykształcenie, stan cywilny, miejsce zamieszkania i aktywność zawodowa nie różnicowały poziomu akceptacji choroby w badanej próbie kobiet.The aim of the work. Assessment of the acceptance level of the illness in women who are treated for lesions of the cervix and determining if there is a relation between sociodemographic factors and the level. Method and material. 50 women, who were hospitalized in the Regional Hospital in Toruń in Department of Obstetrics, Female Diseases and Oncological Gynecology, took part in the study. The study was conducted with the use of a diagnostic survey. Diagnostic tools were comprised of a self-constructed questionnaire an analysis of medical documentation, and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), whose authors are B.J. Felton, T.A. Revenson, and G.A. Hinrichsen. The general result in AIS scale is between 8 and 40 points. The higher the result, the higher the acceptance of one’s condition is, and there are less negative emotions. Results of 20 points and less are considered to be low, whereas getting more than 30 points indicates a high level of acceptance of one’s own condition. A result between 20 and 30 points is considered to be average. Results. The level of acceptance of an illness in the mentioned group, according to AIS scale, was 28.76 points, which indicated an average level of acceptance. No statistically significant difference was found between the average result in AIS scale and sociodemographic variables, such as age, education, marital status, place of residence, and professional activity. Conclusions. Women who are diagnosed with lesions of the cervix presented an average level of acceptance of an illness, according to AIS scale. Sociodemographic variables such as age, education, marital status, place of residence, and professional activity did not influence the level of acceptance in women who took part in the study

Obesity and osteoporosis

Obesity and osteoporosis are major global health problems with an increasing prevalence and high impact on mortality and morbidity. Even though previous several data indicate that high body weight and BMI are protective factors against osteoporosis, an increasing number of evidence show confl icting results regarding this issue, suggesting that obesity might actually interfere with bone health. Thus, a specifi c and careful characterization of skeletal metabolism and further studies evaluating skeleton modifi cations might be useful in obese subjects