Kolageni elastin u jetri štakora otrovanih živinim kloridom

Intoxication of rats with mercuric chloride (0.5 mg Hg/kg of body weight, daily for 10 weeks) increased the hepatic contents of soluble and insoluble collagen and elastin. The increase was associated with elevated serum aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and decreased total protein level in serum. Inflammatory changes were found in the liver. An increase in the fibrous protein content suggests that inflammatory reaction to mercuric chloride can result in hepatic fibrosis.Trovanje štakora živinim kloridom (0,5 mg Hg/kg tjelesne težine na dan tijekom deset tjedana) imalo je za rezultat povećan sadržaj topljivog i netopljivog kolagena i elastina u jetri. Povećanje je dovedeno u vezu s povišenim aktivnostima aminotransferaze i alkalne fosfataze u serumu, i sa smanjenim nivoom ukupnog proteina u serumu. U jetri su zamijećene upalne promjene. Povišen sadržaj vlaknastog proteina upućuje na to da upalna reakcija na živin klorid može dovesti do fibroze jetre

Propolis Induces Chondroitin/Dermatan Sulphate and Hyaluronic Acid Accumulation in the Skin of Burned Wound

Changes in extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans during the wound repair allowed us to apply the burn model in which therapeutic efficacy of propolis and silver sulfadiazine was compared. Burns were inflicted on four pigs. Glycosaminoglycans isolated from healthy and burned skin were quantified using a hexuronic acid assay, electrophoretic fractionation, and densitometric analyses. Using the reverse-phase HPLC the profile of sulfated disaccharides released by chondroitinase ABC from chondroitin/dermatan sulfates was estimated. Chondroitin/dermatan sulfates and hyaluronic acid were found in all samples. Propolis stimulated significant changes in the content of particular glycosaminoglycan types during burn healing. Glycosaminoglycans alterations after silver sulfadiazine application were less expressed. Propolis maintained high contribution of 4-O-sulfated disaccharides to chondroitin/dermatan sulfates structure and low level of 6-O-sulfated ones throughout the observed period of healing. Propolis led to preservation of significant contribution of disulfated disaccharides especially 2,4-O-disulfated ones to chondroitin sulfates/dermatan sulfates structure throughout the observed period of healing. Our findings demonstrate that propolis accelerates the burned tissue repair by stimulation of the wound bed glycosaminoglycan accumulation needed for granulation, tissue growth, and wound closure. Moreover, propolis accelerates chondroitin/dermatan sulfates structure modification responsible for binding growth factors playing the crucial role in the tissue repair

Relationship of circulating hyaluronic Acid levels to disease control in asthma and asthmatic pregnancy.

Uncontrolled asthma is a risk factor for pregnancy-related complications. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a potential peripheral blood marker of tissue fibrosis in various diseases, promotes eosinophil survival and plays a role in asthmatic airway inflammation as well as in physiological processes necessary to maintain normal pregnancy; however the level of circulating HA in asthma and asthmatic pregnancy is unknown. We investigated HA levels in asthmatic patients (N = 52; asthmatic pregnant (AP) N = 16; asthmatic non-pregnant (ANP) N = 36) and tested their relationship to asthma control. Serum HA level was lower in AP than in ANP patients (27 [24.7-31.55] vs. 37.4 [30.1-66.55] ng/mL, p = 0.006); the difference attenuated to a trend after its adjustment for patients' age (p = 0.056). HA levels and airway resistance were positively (r = 0.467, p = 0.004), HA levels and Asthma Control Test (ACT) total score inversely (r = -0.437, p = 0.01) associated in ANP patients; these relationships remained significant even after their adjustments for age. The potential value of HA in the determination of asthma control was analyzed using ROC analysis which revealed that HA values discriminate patients with ACT total score >/=20 (controlled patients) and <20 (uncontrolled patients) with a 0.826 efficacy (AUC, 95% CI: 0.69-0.97, p = 0.001) when 37.4 ng/mL is used as cut-off value in ANP group, and with 0.78 efficacy (AUC, 95% CI: 0.65-0.92, p = 0.0009) in the whole asthmatic cohort. In conclusion circulating HA might be a marker of asthma control, as it correlates with airway resistance and has good sensitivity in the detection of impaired asthma control. Decrease of HA level in pregnancy may be the consequence of pregnancy induced immune tolerance

Selenium toxicity but not deficient or super-nutritional selenium status vastly alters the transcriptome in rodents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein and mRNA levels for several selenoproteins, such as glutathione peroxidase-1 (Gpx1), are down-regulated dramatically by selenium (Se) deficiency. These levels in rats increase sigmoidally with increasing dietary Se and reach defined plateaus at the Se requirement, making them sensitive biomarkers for Se deficiency. These levels, however, do not further increase with super-nutritional or toxic Se status, making them ineffective for detection of high Se status. Biomarkers for high Se status are needed as super-nutritional Se intakes are associated with beneficial as well as adverse health outcomes. To characterize Se regulation of the transcriptome, we conducted 3 microarray experiments in weanling mice and rats fed Se-deficient diets supplemented with up to 5 μg Se/g diet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no effect of Se status on growth of mice fed 0 to 0.2 μg Se/g diet or rats fed 0 to 2 μg Se/g diet, but rats fed 5 μg Se/g diet showed a 23% decrease in growth and elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase activity, indicating Se toxicity. Rats fed 5 μg Se/g diet had significantly altered expression of 1193 liver transcripts, whereas mice or rats fed ≤ 2 μg Se/g diet had < 10 transcripts significantly altered relative to Se-adequate animals within an experiment. Functional analysis of genes altered by Se toxicity showed enrichment in cell movement/morphogenesis, extracellular matrix, and development/angiogenesis processes. Genes up-regulated by Se deficiency were targets of the stress response transcription factor, Nrf2. Multiple regression analysis of transcripts significantly altered by 2 μg Se/g and Se-deficient diets identified an 11-transcript biomarker panel that accounted for 99% of the variation in liver Se concentration over the full range from 0 to 5 μg Se/g diet.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that Se toxicity (5 μg Se/g diet) in rats vastly alters the liver transcriptome whereas Se-deficiency or high but non-toxic Se intake elicits relatively few changes. This is the first evidence that a vastly expanded number of transcriptional changes itself can be a biomarker of Se toxicity, and that identified transcripts can be used to develop molecular biomarker panels that accurately predict super-nutritional and toxic Se status.</p

Associations between depressive symptoms and disease progression in older patients with chronic kidney disease: results of the EQUAL study

Background Depressive symptoms are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, few small studies have examined this association in patients with earlier phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We studied associations between baseline depressive symptoms and clinical outcomes in older patients with advanced CKD and examined whether these associations differed depending on sex. Methods CKD patients (&gt;= 65 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt;= 20 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) were included from a European multicentre prospective cohort between 2012 and 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured by the five-item Mental Health Inventory (cut-off &lt;= 70; 0-100 scale). Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to study associations between depressive symptoms and time to dialysis initiation, all-cause mortality and these outcomes combined. A joint model was used to study the association between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time. Analyses were adjusted for potential baseline confounders. Results Overall kidney function decline in 1326 patients was -0.12 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/month. A total of 515 patients showed depressive symptoms. No significant association was found between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time (P = 0.08). Unlike women, men with depressive symptoms had an increased mortality rate compared with those without symptoms [adjusted hazard ratio 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.93)]. Depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with a higher hazard of dialysis initiation, or with the combined outcome (i.e. dialysis initiation and all-cause mortality). Conclusions There was no significant association between depressive symptoms at baseline and decline in kidney function over time in older patients with advanced CKD. Depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with a higher mortality rate in men

The rules of developing tactile maps for blind and visually impaired

W artykule przedstawiono podstawowe zasady redagowania barwnych map dotykowych, tzw. tyflomap, na podstawie wybranych najciekawszych – zdaniem autora – publikacji, jakie ukazały się w Polsce. Punktem wyjścia analizy są mapy, których autorzy wskazali kierunek rozwoju polskiej tyflokartografii i sformułowali pierwsze reguły opracowania grafik wypukłych. Chronologiczne zestawienie kolejnych map i atlasów z wykazem ważniejszych zasad redakcyjnych pozwoliło autorowi podsumować dotychczasowy dorobek tyflokartografii i zaprezentować główne wytyczne, jakimi powinni posługiwać się kartografowie opracowujący mapy wypukłe. To już ponad ćwierć wieku poszukiwań, doświadczeń i dostosowania się do nowych technologii. Ale jedna reguła jest niezmienna: nie można opracować czytelnej mapy dotykowej bez ścisłej współpracy kartografów z tyflopedagogami oraz osobami niewidomymi i słabowidzącymi.The author presents the basic guidelines of editing colour tactile maps, so called typhlomaps, based on chosen examples of the most interesting – according to the author- publications that have appeared in Poland. The starting point of the analysis are the maps, that authors indicated the direction of polish typhlography development and introduced the first rules of developing convex graphic. The chronological list of maps and atlases with the record of the more important editorial rules allowed the author to sum up the current achievements of typhlocartography and present the main guidelines that cartographers should use while developing tactile maps. It has been over a quarter of century of search, experiences and adjusting to new technologies. But one rule is permanent: the tactile map cannot be developed without the close cooperation of cartographers with typhlopedagogues and blind and visually impaired

Analiza emisji liczbowej cząstek stałych z silników z zapłonem iskrowym i bezpośrednim wtryskiem benzyny w świetle nowych przepisów prawnych

The main advantages of using direct injection in an SI engine, such as lower fuel consumption and higher thermal efficiency, implicate a new problem concerning gasoline engines: the emission of particulate matter. The observed issue has been a significant direction of development of the contemporary DISI engine over the last decade. This paper contains an overview of the results of PN emission, which were obtained from experiments conducted at BOSMAL and from the literature. Current and future legal regulations regarding PN emissions were collated to the test results.Główne korzyści z zastosowania bezpośredniego wtrysku benzyny w silnikach ZI, takie jak mniejsze zużycie paliwa czy większa sprawność termiczna silnika, wiążą się także z problemem niespotykanym dotąd w silnikach ZI, tj. z emisją cząstek stałych. Przez ostatnią dekadę zjawisko to wyznaczyło kierunek rozwoju współczesnych silników benzynowych z bezpośrednim wtryskiem. Artykuł ten zawiera przegląd wyników badań emisji liczby cząstek stałych w trakcie różnych projektów badawczych zrealizowanych w Instytucie BOSMAL, a także przedstawionych w literaturze. Wyniki odniesiono do obecnych i przyszłych wymogów prawnych dotyczących emisji cząstek stałych

Właściwości i sposoby zagospodarowania odpadów z produkcji mas włóknistych i papieru

A considerable amount of waste biomass is generated in the pulp and paper industry which, in the case of landfilling poses a serious burden to the environment. The waste can be utilized as raw material in the production of various products and fuels including combustion with recovery of energy. The physical and chemical properties of various streams of biomass waste in the production of fibrous pulp and paper were examined. It was documented that most of the dry waste display quality parameters close to those of lignite or even coal. A high content of water, which is to be removed to attain a high calorific value, is a drawback of the unprocessed waste. This disadvantage can be excluded by elaboration of energy recovery systems as an alternative to traditional incineration. Such systems used in the utilization of other waste streams are presently being adapted to the waste of the pulp and paper industry. Apart from the physical-chemical identification of the waste, a review was made of commercialized and potential methods to recover energy or substance.W przemyśle celulozowo-papierniczym powstają znaczne ilości odpadów biomasowych, które w przypadku ich usuwania na składowisko stanowią duże obciążenie dla środowiska. Odpady te mogą znaleźć zastosowanie jako surowiec w produkcji różnego rodzaju paliw i produktów, a także jako paliwo z biomasy w procesach bezpośredniego spalania z odzyskiem energii. Przeprowadzono badania właściwości fizycznych i chemicznych różnych strumieni odpadów biomasowych z produkcji mas włóknistych i papieru, które Badania te wykazały, że w większości przypadków parametry suchych odpadów nie odbiegają od właściwości węgla brunatnego, a nawet kamiennego. W stanie nieprzetworzonym wadą tego typu paliw jest duża zawartość w nich wody, którą dla uzyskania pełnej wartości opałowej paliwa należy usunąć. Wada ta może zostać jednak wyeliminowana po dopracowaniu alternatywnych do dla spopielania technik odzysku energii. Techniki te dostępne dla innych rodzajów odpadów są obecnie w fazie dostosowania do potrzeb przetwarzania odpadów papierniczych. W ramach badań, obok wykonania oznaczeń właściwości fizykochemicznych odpadów, wykonano identyfikację metod odzysku energii lub substancji - stosowanych obecnie i stwarzających potencjalne możliwości zastosowania w niedalekiej przyszłości

Propolis Modifies Collagen Types I and III Accumulation in the Matrix of Burnt Tissue

Wound healing represents an interactive process which requires highly organized activity of various cells, synthesizing cytokines, growth factors, and collagen. Collagen types I and III, serving as structural and regulatory molecules, play pivotal roles during wound healing. The aim of this study was to compare the propolis and silver sulfadiazine therapeutic efficacy throughout the quantitative and qualitative assessment of collagen types I and III accumulation in the matrix of burnt tissues. Burn wounds were inflicted on pigs, chosen for the evaluation of wound repair because of many similarities between pig and human skin. Isolated collagen types I and III were estimated by the surface plasmon resonance method with a subsequent collagenous quantification using electrophoretic and densitometric analyses. Propolis burn treatment led to enhanced collagens and its components expression, especially during the initial stage of the study. Less expressed changes were observed after silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) application. AgSD and, with a smaller intensity, propolis stimulated accumulation of collagenous degradation products. The assessed propolis therapeutic efficacy, throughout quantitatively and qualitatively analyses of collagen types I and III expression and degradation in wounds matrix, may indicate that apitherapeutic agent can generate favorable biochemical environment supporting reepithelization