Meniscus suture provides better clinical and biomechanical results at 1-year follow-up than meniscectomy

BACKGROUND: Surgery of meniscus tear results in limitation of function. The aim of study was functional assessment of knee 1 year after surgery with two techniques in cases of the medial meniscus tear followed by the same supervised rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients with good KOSS scores constituted two equal groups after partial meniscectomy or meniscus suture. Measurements of knee extensors and flexors muscles peak torques were performed with angular velocities 60, 180, 240 and 300 s(−1) using Biodex IV system. One-leg-hop and one-leg-rising tests ascertained the function of operated knee. Results of examinations were compared with reference to healthy volunteers. Results of biomechanical and clinical studies were correlated to create complex and objective method evaluating treatment. RESULTS: Extensors peak torque values at 60 s(−1) angular velocity and H/Q coefficient were decreased after meniscectomy more than meniscus suture in comparison to healthy volunteers (P ≤ 0.001; P ≤ 0.05). Analysis of functional tests revealed that patients after meniscectomy showed difference between operated and non-operated knee (P ≤ 0.01) while patients with meniscus suture differed the least to controls (P ≤ 0.05). Extensors peak torque values at 60 s(−1) angular velocity correlated with results of one-leg-rising test. CONCLUSION: Results suggest worse functional effects when meniscectomy is applied which implies modification of the rehabilitative methods in a postoperative period

Staying warm or moist? Operative temperature and thermal preferences of common frogs (Rana temporaria), and effects on locomotion

Ambient temperature largely determines the body temperature of amphibians, and thus their hydration state and physiological performance. Microhabitat conditions chosen by terrestrial amphibians may represent a trade-off between high ambient temperatures, which maximize performance but cause high rates of water loss, and low temperatures, which, in turn, slow desiccation, but potentially hinder performance. We determined the operative temperature of common frogs (Rana temporaria) by placing 3% agar models in different microhabitats and measuring their temperature and water loss. Temperature measurements derived from the models accurately matched the body temperature of live frogs placed in the same microhabitat. Operative temperatures were lower than ambient temperatures on a warm day, probably because of evaporative water loss, but they were similar to or even slightly higher than ambient temperatures on a cool day, possibly because of warmth from the substrate. Frogs in the field selected moist and cool habitats, and their body temperatures ranged from 15 to 21 °C. In a temperature gradient in the laboratory, captive frogs chose significantly higher temperatures (19.4±1.7 °C) when the gradient floor was covered entirely with wet sand than when sand was wet in the cool end, but dry in the warm end (17.6±2.5 °C). The relevance of the preferred temperature was assessed through jumping performance experiments, using frogs with different body temperatures. Jump length was lower at low body temperature (6 °C) than at higher body temperatures, and peaked at 15 °C. Our results suggest that the frogs select favourable microhabitats of intermediate temperature, which could result in reduced water loss and peak physiological and behavioural performance.Prof. Sue W. Nicolson and the National Research Foundation, South Africa, are thanked for funding A.K.’s journey to Poland. C.R.T. was supported by a grant from the Australian Research Council (DP0879851).http://www.thebhs.org/pubs_journal.htmlab201

Pessary w leczeniu dolegliwości uroginekologicznych

Do najczęstszych schorzeń kobiecych na całym świecie zalicza się dolegliwości uroginekologiczne, w tym nie- trzymanie moczu i wypadania narządu płciowego. Leczenie wprowadza się stopniowo zaczynając od leczenia zachowawczego, a w dalszej kolejności zabiegowego. Pessary dopochwowe są jednym z najczęściej stosowanych sposobów w leczeniu zachowawczym, dające znaczną poprawę dolegliwości. W pracy przedstawiono zalety i wady stosowania terapii zachowawczej w postaci pessarów oraz tamponów dopochwowych, ze szczególnym uwzględnie- niem rodzajów pessarów, wskazań do stosowania, korzyści ze stosowania, jakości życia i satysfakcji pacjentek oraz potencjalnych powikłań. Analiza piśmiennictwa dostarcza dowodów, że pessary dopochwowe stanowią efektywną, niezabiegową alternatywę dla leczenia dolegliwości uroginekologicznych. Wskaźnik satysfakcji ze stosowania pessarów jest wysoki a powikłania zdarzają się rzadko, jeśli w ogóle. Badania dowodzą, iż pessaroterapia dopo- chwowa pozwala na kontrolę nietrzymania moczu oraz zapobiega wypadaniu narządu płciowego, jeśli są prawidło- wo dopasowane do pacjentki i podlegają regularnym badaniom kontrolnym. Powinno się rozważyć ich stosowanie jako leczenie pierwszego rzutu dolegliwości uroginekologicznych [1].

Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Common Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis—Pathomechanism and Treatment

The accumulation of amyloid plaques, or misfolded fragments of proteins, leads to the development of a condition known as amyloidosis, which is clinically recognized as a systemic disease. Amyloidosis plays a special role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The occurrence of amyloidosis correlates with the aging process of the organism, and since nowadays, old age is determined by the comfort of functioning and the elimination of unpleasant disease symptoms in the elderly, exposure to this subject is justified. In Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid plaques negatively affect glutaminergic and cholinergic transmission and loss of sympathetic protein, while in RA, amyloids stimulated by the activity of the immune system affect the degradation of the osteoarticular bond. The following monograph draws attention to the over-reactivity of the immune system in AD and RA, describes the functionality of the blood–brain barrier as an intermediary medium between RA and AD, and indicates the direction of research to date, focusing on determining the relationship and the cause–effect link between these disorders. The paper presents possible directions for the treatment of amyloidosis, with particular emphasis on innovative therapies

Role of the Intestinal Microbiome, Intestinal Barrier and Psychobiotics in Depression

The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathophysiology of depression. As determined, the microbiota influences the shaping and modulation of the functioning of the gut–brain axis. The intestinal microbiota has a significant impact on processes related to neurotransmitter synthesis, the myelination of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, and is also involved in the development of the amygdala and hippocampus. Intestinal bacteria are also a source of vitamins, the deficiency of which is believed to be related to the response to antidepressant therapy and may lead to exacerbation of depressive symptoms. Additionally, it is known that, in periods of excessive activation of stress reactions, the immune system also plays an important role, negatively affecting the tightness of the intestinal barrier and intestinal microflora. In this review, we have summarized the role of the gut microbiota, its metabolites, and diet in susceptibility to depression. We also describe abnormalities in the functioning of the intestinal barrier caused by increased activity of the immune system in response to stressors. Moreover, the presented study discusses the role of psychobiotics in the prevention and treatment of depression through their influence on the intestinal barrier, immune processes, and functioning of the nervous system

Motivators Influencing the Efficiency and Commitment of Employees of Agile Teams

The production of new IT products and services in today&rsquo;s dynamic world of business and ever-evolving technology requires specific enterprise policies geared toward supporting innovation. Striving to provide the customer with the required value that meets the customer&rsquo;s current requirements is becoming quite a challenge for IT enterprises at this time. Moreover, innovative ideas are not created in &ldquo;rigid&rdquo; authoritarian-managed teams, but in an open culture based on the principles of self-organization and self-discipline, a characteristic of agile teams. One of the key determinants of a company&rsquo;s competitive advantage is employee effectiveness and commitment. Moreover, there are few publications covering research on employee effectiveness in agile teams. Therefore, the overarching goal of this article is to identify the motivators influencing the commitment and effectiveness of agile teams. In order to achieve the desired goal, an analysis of the research on the effectiveness and commitment of employees of a selected Polish IT company within the industry was conducted. As a result of the analysis of the obtained research results, seven determinants were developed, which have the greatest importance for agile teams and their motivation and effectiveness. Moreover, as the concluded research results show, the use of agile team models and open innovation positively affects the efficiency and commitment of employees

Motivators influencing the efficiency and commitment of employees of agile teams

The production of new IT products and services in today's dynamic world of business and ever-evolving technology requires specific enterprise policies geared toward supporting innovation. Striving to provide the customer with the required value that meets the customer's current requirements is becoming quite a challenge for IT enterprises at this time. Moreover, innovative ideas are not created in "rigid" authoritarian-managed teams, but in an open culture based on the principles of self-organization and self-discipline, a characteristic of agile teams. One of the key determinants of a company's competitive advantage is employee effectiveness and commitment. Moreover, there are few publications covering research on employee effectiveness in agile teams. Therefore, the overarching goal of this article is to identify the motivators influencing the commitment and effectiveness of agile teams. In order to achieve the desired goal, an analysis of the research on the effectiveness and commitment of employees of a selected Polish IT company within the industry was conducted. As a result of the analysis of the obtained research results, seven determinants were developed, which have the greatest importance for agile teams and their motivation and effectiveness. Moreover, as the concluded research results show, the use of agile team models and open innovation positively affects the efficiency and commitment of employees

Integration of mitogenomic and morphological data disentangles the systematics of Pollenia and establishes a revised phylogenetic hypothesis for the Polleniidae

The Polleniidae (Diptera) are a family of flies best known for species of the genus Pollenia, which overwinter inside human dwellings. Previously divided across the Calliphoridae, Tachinidae and Rhinophoridae, the polleniid genera have only recently been united. Several studies have utilized molecular data to analyse polleniid phylogenetic relationships, although all have suffered from low taxon sampling or insufficient phylogenetic signal in molecular markers. To alleviate these problems, we utilized two automated organellar genome extraction software, GetOrganelle and MitoFinder, to assemble mitogenomes from genome skimming data from 22 representatives of the polleniid genera: Dexopollenia, Melanodexia, Morinia, Pollenia and Xanthotryxus. From these analyses, we provide 14 new mitogenomes for the Polleniidae and perform phylogenetic analyses of 13 protein-coding mitochondrial genes using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Subfamilial phylogenetic relationships within the Polleniidae are interrogated and Pollenia is found to form a monophyletic clade sister to Melanodexia, Morinia and Dexopollenia, providing no evidence for the synonymisation of any of these genera. Our topology conflicts with previous morphology-based cladistic interpretations, with the amentaria, griseotomentosa, semicinerea and viatica species-groups resolving as non-monophyletic. We provide support for our topology through analysis of adult morphology and male and female terminalia, while identifying new diagnostic characters for some of the clades of the Pollenia. To test the validity of the current diagnostic morphology in the Polleniidae, newly assembled cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) data are combined with a polleniid COI barcode reference library and analysed using the species delimitation software ASAP. COI barcodes support the current morphologically defined species within the Pollenia

Somatic Mutations in miRNA Genes in Lung Cancer—Potential Functional Consequences of Non-Coding Sequence Variants

A growing body of evidence indicates that miRNAs may either drive or suppress oncogenesis. However, little is known about somatic mutations in miRNA genes. To determine the frequency and potential consequences of miRNA gene mutations, we analyzed whole exome sequencing datasets of 569 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and 597 lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) samples generated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. Altogether, we identified 1091 somatic sequence variants affecting 522 different miRNA genes and showed that half of all cancers had at least one such somatic variant/mutation. These sequence variants occurred in most crucial parts of miRNA precursors, including mature miRNA and seed sequences. Due to our findings, we hypothesize that seed mutations may affect miRNA:target interactions, drastically changing the pool of predicted targets. Mutations may also affect miRNA biogenesis by changing the structure of miRNA precursors, DROSHA and DICER cleavage sites, and regulatory sequence/structure motifs. We identified 10 significantly overmutated hotspot miRNA genes, including the miR-379 gene in LUAD enriched in mutations in the mature miRNA and regulatory sequences. The occurrence of mutations in the hotspot miRNA genes was also shown experimentally. We present a comprehensive analysis of somatic variants in miRNA genes and show that some of these genes are mutational hotspots, suggesting their potential role in cancer