Surgical treatment of neuronal-glial tumors of mesial-basal part of temporal lobe: Long term outcome and control of epilepsy in pediatric patients

Background Neuronal-glial tumors (ganglioglioma and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor) are a frequent cause of focal, drug-resistant and epilepsy in children and young adults, that is amenable for surgical treatment. Aim of paper Assessment of late outcome of surgical treatment and degree of seizure control, as well as prognostic significance of selected clinical factors. Material and method 52 Pediatric patients presenting with epilepsy, lesion of mesio-basal temporal lobe and histologically verified neuronal-glial tumor treated at our facility since 2000–2011. Results After the mean follow-up of 2.94 years, satisfactory treatment outcome (Engel classes I and II) was obtained in 92% of the patients (n=48). Poor outcome (Engel class III) was seen in 8% of patients (n=4). New neurological deficits appeared in 28% of the patients (n=20) but in most of them resolved over time. Conclusions In patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and a lesion of mesial-basal part of temporal lobe suggestive of a glial-neuronal tumor, surgical treatment is strongly recommended, aiming at excision of tumor and elimination of seizures. Histological verification of the lesion is a pre-requisite for optimal treatment planning. In most patients, both treatment goals may be reached. Short duration of epilepsy prior to surgery and young age are favorable prognostic factors. Histological diagnosis of GG, co-existence of cortical dysplasia and location of tumor extending beyond mesial-basal temporal structures are associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications. These may out-weight expected benefits of surgery

The potential of acetylsalicylic acid and vitamin E in modulating inflammatory cascades in chickens under lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation

International audienceAbstractDistinct enzymes, including cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX-1 and COX-2), lipoxygenase (LOXs), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP450), produce different stress mediators and mediate inflammation in birds. Bioactive agents such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and vitamin E (vE) may affect enzyme activities and could be used in poultry production to control the magnitude of acute phase inflammation. Here, we characterized COX, LOX, and CYP450 mRNA expression levels in chicken immune tissues in response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge and investigated whether ASA and vE could alter gene expression. Additionally, for the first time in chickens, we evaluated oxygen consumption by platelet mitochondria as a biomarker of mitochondria function in response to ASA- and vE. LPS challenge compromised bird growth rates, but neither dietary ASA nor vE significantly ameliorated this effect; however, gradually increasing dietary vE levels were more effective than basal levels. ASA regulated arachidonic acid metabolism, providing an eicosanoid synthesis substrate, whereas gradually increasing vE levels evoked aspirin resistance during challenge. Gene expression in immune tissues was highly variable, indicating a complex regulatory network controlling inflammatory pathways. However, unlike COX-1, COX-2 and CYP450 exhibited increased mRNA expression in some cases, suggesting an initiation of novel anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving signals during challenge. Measuring oxygen consumption rate, we revealed that neither the ASA nor vE levels applied here exerted toxic effects on platelet mitochondria

Emotion-related personality traits in hypertensive patients — pilot study

Wstęp Istnieją ważne przesłanki empiryczne przemawiająceza związkiem cech osobowości z doświadczanym stresem oraz stresu z nadciśnieniemtętniczym. Sugeruje się, że skłonność do częstego doświadczanianegatywnych emocji może być czynnikiempośredniczącym pomiędzy cechami osobowościa rozwojem nadciśnienia tętniczego. Celem badaniabyła ocena wybranych cech osobowości związanychz emocjami u mężczyzn z nadciśnieniem tętniczym.Materiał i metody Porównano wyniki grupy 31 pacjentów z nadciśnieniem tętniczym na Oddziale Chorób Wewnętrznych Marynarki Wojennejw Gdańsku z 32 mężczyznami z grupy kontrolnej.Grupy nie różniły się pod względem płci, wieku, wykształcenia i miejsca zamieszkania. Cechy osobowościzwiązane z emocjami mierzono za pomocą następujących narzędzi psychometrycznych: Kwestionariusza Temperamentu EAS Bussa i Plomina, Kwestionariusza Kontroli Emocjonalnej Brzezińskiego oraz Skali Typu A — Framingham.Wyniki Zgodnie z oczekiwaniami porównanie obugrup pacjentów wykazało istotne różnice w zakresiedwóch cech temperamentu: niezadowolenia (10,42± 3,09 v. 8,45 ± 2,47, p < 0,01) i złości (11,94 ± 3,29v. 9,88 ± 3,48, p <0,05). Spośród wymiarów kontroliemocjonalnej jedynie pod względem kontroli sytuacjiosoby z nadciśnieniem uzyskały wyższe wyniki odmężczyzn z grupy kontrolnej (22,48 ± 3,13 v. 20,75± 3,52, p < 0,05). W odniesieniu do cech osobowościtypu A istotne różnice odnotowano w zakresiekomponentu rywalizacji (0,59 ± 0,3 v. 0,40 ± 0,22,p < 0,05). Wielkość efektu dla wszystkich zaobserwowanych różnic była co najmniej średnia (d > 0,50).Wnioski Uzyskane wyniki tworzą spójny obraz emocjonalnego funkcjonowania mężczyzny z nadciśnieniem tętniczym jako osoby z wysoką skłonnością doreagowania niezadowoleniem i złością, dążącego doutrzymywania kontroli w sytuacjach emotogennych,zwłaszcza unikającego porażek, a także cechującego się tendencją do rywalizacji i wrogości.Background There is strong empirical evidence confirmingthe association of personality traits to the experiencedstress and the stress to hypertension. It is suggested thatthe tendency to experience negative emotions is a factormediating between personality traits and the developmentof hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess selectedemotion-related personality traits in men with hypertension.Material and methods A group of 31 patients with hypertensionfrom the Internal Medicine Ward of the Navy Hospitalin Gdansk was compared with 32 men in the controlgroup. The groups did not differ in sex, age, education andplace of residence. Emotion-related personality traits weremeasured using the following psychometric tools: EASTemperament Questionnaire of Buss and Plomin, BrzezińskiEmotional Control Questionnaire and Scale TypeA — Framingham.Results As expected, the results of the comparison betweenthe group of patients from the Cardiology Wardand the control group showed significant differences inthe two temperamental traits: distress (10.42 ± 3.09 v. 8.45± 2.47, p < 0.01) and anger (11, 94 ± 3.29 v. 9.88 ± 3.48,p < 0.05). As far as the dimensions of emotional controlare concerned, persons with hypertension obtained higherscores than men in the control group only in the situationcontrol (22.48 ± 3.13 v. 20.75 ± 3.52, p <0.05). With regardto the type A personality traits significant differenceswere noted in the competitive component (0.59 ± 0.3v. 0.40 ± 0.22, p < 0.05).Conclusions The results conform with the coherent pictureof the emotional functioning of a man with hypertensionas a person with a high predisposition to react with distressand anger, to maintain control in emotion-related situations,especially avoiding failures, and also characterizedby a tendency to competitiveness and hostility

VIII edycja ogólnopolskiego konkursu „Wybudujemy wieżę” Warszawa 2018

W VIII edycji Ogólnopolskiego Konkursu „Wybudujemy wieżę” 2018 z ramienia SKN „Żuraw” wystartowały trzy drużyny. Spośród nich największy sukces odniósł zespół „Ja nie przeniosę?” w składzie (kapitan: Aneta Białkowska, Adrian Ochendalski, Dawid Muskała), zajmując 2 miejsce. Pozostałe 2 ekipy, czyli „Żurawie” (kapitan: Bartłomiej Lewandowski, Wiktor Flis, Paweł Łachut) oraz „Piąte klepki” (kapitan: Paulina Owczarek, Kamil Dróżdż, Marcin Grzyb) uplasowali się odpowiednio na 10-tej i 12-tej pozycji. Najwyższy stopień podium zapewniła sobie drużyna z Politechniki Śląskiej. Łącznie batalię toczyło trzynaście drużyn po trzy osoby. Każdy student wykazał się umiejętnościami projektowania i wykonywania wieży z drewna balsowego, które wymaga specjalistycznego podejścia. Konkurs odbywał się na terenie Centrum Wodnego SGGW w Warszawie i trwał dwa dni.In VIII of the National Competition "We will build a tower 2018” from SKN Żuraw three teams took part. Out of them team “Ja nie przeniosę? (I will not transfer)?" (Captain: Aneta Białkowska, Marcin Dziechciarek, Adrian Ochendalski) achieved the best success and got 2nd place. The two remaining teams that is “Żurawie (The crane)" (captain: Bartłomiej Lewandowski, Wiktor Flis, Paweł Łachut) and “Piąte klepki (The fifth woodblocks)” (captain: Paulina Owczarek, Kamil Dróżdż, Marcin Grzyb) they took 10th and 12th place. The team which won the competition came from Politechnika Śląska. 13 teams participated in competition. In every team was 3 people. Each student has demonstrated the ability to design and manufacture a balsa tower which requires a special approach. The entire competition lasted two days at the WULS-SGGW in Centrum Wodne.Serdeczne podziękowania kierujemy do Działu Promocji PŁ za wparcie wszystkich drużyn jednakowymi bluzami z logotypem Politechniki Łódzkiej oraz do Władz Wydziału Budownictwa, Architektury i Inżynierii Środowiska za wparcie finansowe uczestnictwa w konkursie.Many thanks to the TUL promotion department for supporting all teams with the same blouses with the logotype of the Lodz University of Technology and the Faculty of Construction, Architecture and Environmental Engineering for financial support for participation in the competition

Small intestinal development in suckling rats after enteral obestatin administration

This study investigated the effect of enteral administration of obestatin on the development of small intestine, as well as oxidative stress markers and trancriptomic profile of gastrointestinal genes. Suckling rats were assigned to 3 groups treated with: C-saline solution; OL-obestatin (125 nmol/kg BW); OH-obestatin (250 nmol/kg BW) administered twice daily, from the 14th to the 21st day of life. Enteral administration of obestatin in both studied doses had no effect neither on the body weight of animals nor the BMI calculated in the day of euthanasia. Compared to the control group (C), treatment with obestatin resulted in significant changes in the histometry of the small intestinal wall as well as intestinal epithelial cell remodeling. The observed changes and their possible implications for intestinal development were dependent on the dosage of peptide. The enteral administration of high dose (OH) of obestatin significantly decreased its expression in the stomach and increased markers of oxidative stress. The gene profile revealed MAPK3 (mitogen-activated protein kinase-3) as the key regulator gene for obestatin action in the gastrointestinal track. In conclusion, we have showed that enteral administration of obestatin influences the gut mucosa remodeling. It is also suggested that the administration of high dose (OH) has inhibitory effect on the intestinal maturation of suckling rats

Analyses of the Polymorphisms in E. coli Strains Associated with Heat-Shock Proteins Hsp 55 Isolated from Bird Feathers

The bird feathers are often colonized by pathogenic microorganisms including mainly bacteria of the E. coli species. There is a grooving evidence that due to colonization of the pathogenic bacteria after slaughter material may lead to different zoonosis diseases that endanger human health. Poultry diseases are a very important issue both economically and epidemiologically in each country. Currently, in practice, EU postmortem monitoring programs are often used to eliminate breeding poultry infected with different pathogenic microorganisms, e.g., E. coli by introducing mandatory bird vaccination. The article describes the combination of genetic and genomic methods that were used in the analysis of species specificity of strains and their genomes, including specific pathogenic bacteria in bird feathers. The aim of the study was (i) to investigate DNA polymorphisms of the obtained bacterial strains isolated from avian feathers (ii) obtaining recombinant Hsp55 protein and defining its role as a potential component of vaccines used in poultry diseases. For the detection and analysis of DNA polymorphisms, we have optimized a new innovative method based on the deficiencies of three molecular techniques, AFLP, PCR-MP, and PCR MP. This new method can be a useful tool used in the genotyping of bacterial E. coli serotypes present on avian feathers after the slaughter process. It also allows to effectively identify a number of early stages of infectious diseases from heterogeneous avian research material. Amplification of polymorphic regions was achieved by using a lower denaturation temperature of the primers and a reduction in the number of cycles in the classical PCR, which simplifies the procedure, preserving the quality and reproducibility of the obtained results. Research of recombinant Hsp55 protein has allowed us to determine the optimal conditions for its production by the classical methods used in proteomic analysis

Endometrioza i mięsakorak – hipotetyczny związek czy udowodniona wspólna ścieżka patogenetyczna? Opis przypadku mięsakoraka jelita grubego wychodzącego z ogniska endometriozy

We present the first case of a patient with a synchronic occurrence of three neoplasms: non-small cell lung cancer, serous cancer of the ovary, and carcinosarcoma of the colon. Moreover, the possible origin of the carcinosarcoma is an endometriotic focus, which is an extremely rare occurrence, especially in women with no history of endometriotic treatment. Immunohistochemical staining of the carcinosarcoma was positive for CD10, estrogen receptors and desmin – typical markers for endometriotic foci. The growth of endometriosis depends on estrogen, which is produced at reduced levels after menopause. However, in some cases endometriosis could be diagnosed de novo in postmenopausal women. On the basis of the reported patient we discuss possible correlations between endometriosis and carcinosarcoma, as well as treatment methods of carcinosarcoma.Prezentujemy pierwszy na świecie przypadek pacjentki, u której rozpoznano synchroniczne występowanie trzech nowotworów: niedrobnokomórkowego raka płuc, raka surowiczego jajnika oraz mięsakoraka jelita grubego. Co więcej, najbardziej prawdopodobnym punktem wyjścia mięsakoraka jelita grubego jest ognisko endometriozy. Niesłychanie rzadko opisuje się karcynogenezę związaną z endometriozą u pacjentek, które wcześniej nie leczyły się z powodu endometriozy. Badanie immunohistochemiczne mięsakoraka ujawniło ekspresję CD10, desminy oraz receptorów dla estrogenów – typowych markerów endometriozy. Aktualnie uznaje się, że endometrioza – mająca podłoże estrogenne, może być diagnozowana de novo nawet po menopauzie. Na podstawie przedstawionego opisu przypadku przedyskutowaliśmy możliwy związek endometriozy i mięsakoraka oraz dostępne opcje terapeutyczne mięsakoraków

Excited electronic states of Sr2_2: ab initio predictions and experimental observation of the 21Σu+2^1\Sigma^{+}_{u} state

Despite its apparently simple nature with four valence electrons, the strontium dimer constitutes a challenge for modern electronic structure theory. Here we focus on excited electronic states of Sr$_2$, which we investigate theoretically up to 25000 cm$^{-1}$ above the ground state, to guide and explain new spectroscopic measurements. In particular, we focus on potential energy curves for the $1^1\Sigma^{+}_{u}$, $2^1\Sigma^{+}_{u}$, $1^1\Pi_{u}$, $2^1\Pi_{u}$, and $1^1\Delta_{u}$ states computed using several variants of advanced \textit{ab initio} methods to benchmark them. In addition, a new experimental study of the excited $2^1\Sigma^{+}_{u}$ state using polarisation labelling spectroscopy is presented, which extends knowledge of this state to high vibrational levels, where perturbation by higher electronic states is observed. The available experimental observations are compared with the theoretical predictions and help to assess the accuracy and limitations of employed theoretical models. The present results pave the way for future more accurate theoretical and experimental spectroscopic studies.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Ruthenium(IV) complexes as potential inhibitors of bacterial biofilm formation

With increasing antimicrobial resistance there is an urgent need for new strategies to control harmful biofilms. In this study, we have investigated the possibility of utilizing ruthenium(IV) complexes (H3O)2(HL1)2[RuCl6]·2Cl·2EtOH (1) and [RuCl4(CH3CN)2](L32)·H2O (2) (where L1-2-hydroxymethylbenzimadazole, L32-1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2,3-dione) as effective inhibitors for biofilms formation. The biological activities of the compounds were explored using E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa PAO1, and P. aeruginosa LES B58. The new chloride ruthenium complexes were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, Hirshfeld surface analysis, FT-IR, UV-Vis, magnetic and electrochemical (CV, DPV) measurements, and solution conductivity. In the obtained complexes, the ruthenium(IV) ions possess an octahedral environment. The intermolecular classical and rare weak hydrogen bonds, and π···π stacking interactions significantly contribute to structure stabilization, leading to the formation of a supramolecular assembly. The microbiological tests have shown complex 1 exhibited a slightly higher anti-biofilm activity than that of compound 2. Interestingly, electrochemical studies have allowed us to determine the relationship between the oxidizing properties of complexes and their biological activity. Probably the mechanism of action of 1 and 2 is associated with generating a cellular response similar to oxidative stress in bacterial cells

Multi-criteria certification of buildings in Poland

The certification of green buildings has become more and more popular as a tool used for comparison and evaluation of newly built structures. The authors of this article analyse various certification systems of green buildings in Poland with particular interest paid to newly built multi- and one-family residential buildings. The reason there is such little interest in green building certification processes is also considered. Additionally, the major constraints behind introducing green building certificates for newly built structures is also presented. The Article also presents an analysis of benefits resulting from green building certification for investors, contractors and final users of a particular building