The role of microRNAs in pathophysiology and diagnostics of metabolic complications in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders, which is characterized by recurrent apneas and/or hypopneas occurring during sleep due to upper airway obstruction. Among a variety of health consequences, OSA patients are particularly susceptible to developing metabolic complications, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus type 2. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as epigenetic modulators are promising particles in both understanding the pathophysiology of OSA and the prediction of OSA complications. This review describes the role of miRNAs in the development of OSA-associated metabolic complications. Moreover, it summarizes the usefulness of miRNAs as biomarkers in predicting the aforementioned OSA complications

Being Outside the Decision-Loop: The Impact of Deep Brain Stimulation and Brain-Computer Interfaces on Autonomy

Recent advancements in new neural technologies raise bioethical concerns over personal autonomy, which they potentially threaten to diminish or entirely eliminate. Although caution in the application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is explicitly urged in almost every study, the debate features a definitional void as to what notion of autonomy is actually adopted by the authors. The focus on autonomy has dominated the debate to such an extent that other essential values seem to be disappearing from the bioethical horizon, becoming less valued, less important, and less visible. This paper examines the autonomy-problem by probing whether DBS and BCIs indeed threaten personal autonomy. The impact of DBS and BCIs is studied on the examples of several illnesses, whereby the well-being of a person and the importance of informed consent are taken into account to assess the influence of these novel medical technologies on autonomy

Powłoki antybakteryjne jako obiecująca strategia profilaktyczna zakażeń implantów o etiologii Staphylococcus aureus

Technological progress in the development of various types of implants is one of the greatest achievements of contemporary surgery. Such devices can replace or restore the function of damaged tissues, significantly improving people’s quality of life and its longevity. Unfortunately, infections are the main reason for removing implants from patients who usually then need expensive and challenging treatment. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent pathogen detected in such complications. Therefore, prevention methods become more attractive. Antimicrobial coatings are the most important techniques to prevent implant infections. They give the biomaterials from which medical devices are obtained antiadhesive and antibacterial properties. In this paper, we review promising methods of creating such coatings. The majority of concepts are about covering implants with germicidal substances like antibiotics or silver nanoparticles. Interestingly, even changes in the surface topography may be necessary to prevent Staphylococcus aureus adhesion effectivelyPostęp technologiczny w tworzeniu różnego typu implantów jest jednym z największych osiągnięć współczesnej chirurgii. Takie urządzenia mogą zastąpić lub przywrócić funkcję uszkodzonych tkanek, co znacząco poprawia jakość i długość życia pacjentów. Niestety infekcje są głównym powodem usuwania implantów. Pacjenci wymagają też zazwyczaj trudnego i kosztownego leczenia. Gronkowiec złocisty jest najczęściej wykrywanym patogenem w tego typu powikłaniach. Powoduje to, że metody profilaktyczne zyskują na atrakcyjności. Najważniejszymi technikami umożliwiającymi zapobieganie infekcjom implantów są pokrycia przeciwdrobnoustrojowe. Dzięki nim biomateriały, z których otrzymywane są urządzenia medyczne mogą uzyskać właściwości antyadhezyjne i bakteriobójcze. W niniejszej pracy dokonujemy przeglądu obiecujących metod tworzenia takich pokryć. Większość koncepcji dotyczy pokrywania implantów substancjami bakteriobójczymi, takimi jak antybiotyki czy nanocząsteczki srebra. Co ciekawe, nawet zmiany w topografii powierzchni mogą być konieczne, aby skutecznie zapobiec adhezji gronkowca złocistego

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Circadian Clock Disruption, and Metabolic Consequences

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of apnea and hypopnea during sleep. It is associated with various cardiovascular and metabolic complications, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Many pathways can be responsible for T2DM development in OSA patients, e.g., those related to HIF-1 and SIRT1 expression. Moreover, epigenetic mechanisms, such as miRNA181a or miRNA199, are postulated to play a pivotal role in this link. It has been proven that OSA increases the occurrence of circadian clock disruption, which is also a risk factor for metabolic disease development. Circadian clock disruption impairs the metabolism of glucose, lipids, and the secretion of bile acids. Therefore, OSA-induced circadian clock disruption may be a potential, complex, underlying pathway involved in developing and exacerbating metabolic diseases among OSA patients. The current paper summarizes the available information pertaining to the relationship between OSA and circadian clock disruption in the context of potential mechanisms leading to metabolic disorders

The Anterior Inferior Cerebral Artery Variability in the Context of Neurovascular Compression Syndromes: A Narrative Review

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is situated within the posterior cranial fossa and typically arises from the basilar artery, usually at the pontomedullary junction. AICA is implicated in various clinical conditions, encompassing the development of aneurysms, thrombus formation, and the manifestation of lateral pontine syndrome. Furthermore, owing to its close proximity to cranial nerves within the middle cerebellopontine angle, AICA’s pulsatile compression at the root entry/exit zone of cranial nerves may give rise to specific neurovascular compression syndromes (NVCs), including hemifacial spasm (HFS) and geniculate neuralgia concurrent with HFS. In this narrative review, we undertake an examination of the influence of anatomical variations in AICA on the occurrence of NVCs. Significant methodological disparities between cadaveric and radiological studies (CTA, MRA, and DSA) were found, particularly in diagnosing AICA’s absence, which was more common in radiological studies (up to 36.1%) compared to cadaver studies (less than 5%). Other observed variations included atypical origins from the vertebral artery and basilar-vertebral junction, as well as the AICA-and-PICA common trunk. Single cases of arterial triplication or fenestration have also been documented. Specifically, in relation to HFS, AICA variants that compress the facial nerve at its root entry/exit zone include parabola-shaped loops, dominant segments proximal to the REZ, and anchor-shaped bifurcations impacting the nerve’s cisternal portion