Badanie elektrofizjologiczne gałki ocznej – Wzrokowe Potencjały Wywołane (WPW)

Wzrokowe Potencjały Wywołane (WPW) stanowią odpowiedź całej drogi wzrokowej na zadziałanie bodźca na siatkówkę. Droga wzrokowa stanowi swojego rodzaju autostradę, po której wywołany przez bodziec sygnał biegnie aż do płata potylicznego w mózgu, gdzie w polu 17 zlokalizowane są ośrodki odpowiedzialne za proces widzenia (Rys. 1a, 1b). Sygnał świetlny zamieniany jest w siatkówce na sygnał elektryczny, który daje informacje, w jakim stopniu „działa” przewodnictwo w obrębie drogi wzrokowej. Wzrokowe Potencjały Wywołane stanowią ważny element diagnostyki okulistycznej, gdyż pozwalają na diagnozowanie i monitorowanie wielu procesów związanych nie tylko z okulistyką, ale i neurologicznymi schorzeniami, takimi jak np. stwardnienie rozsiane (SM) [1, 5]

Pseudoporphyria secondary to renal failure

Introduction . Pseudoporphyria is a rare disease associated with chronic renal failure. Symptoms of pseudoporphyria may develop in response to UV exposure and medications. The literature reports cases of pseudoporphyria in patients infected with hepatis C virus, HIV and undergoing dialysis therapy. Objective . Presentation of the case of a patient with pseudoporphyria and uraemic pruritus, and overview of therapeutic management. Case report . A 64-year-old male patient, who had been on dialysis for chronic renal failure secondary to type 2 diabetes for the past 11 years, presented with tense bullae located on sun-exposed skin which had persisted for the previous 5 months. The patient was diagnosed with pseudoporphyria, and treatment was prescribed including N-acetylcysteine, chloroquine, paroxetine and mianserin. An improvement in the patient’s clinical condition and a regression of pruritus were achieved. Conclusions . Patients with renal failure may develop symptoms of pseudoporphyria requiring differentiation from porphyria cutanea tarda

Review article Psychological aspects of heart failure – beyond depression, anxiety and quality of life

The progression of heart failure (HF), similarly to other chronic and/or terminal diseases, affects the psychological status of the patients, with consequences for general well-being. The changes in psychological features can be measured and quantified using numerous psychological questionnaires, which do not establish any diagnosis of pathology, although they may be important for the effectiveness of applied treatment of patients with HF. In this paper, we summarize and discuss available evidence on psychological phenomena occurring in the course of HF, such as: ‘Type D’ personality, anxiety, psychological distress, coping strategies, sense of coherence, affectivity, sense of self-efficacy, sense of control and health perception, along with the presentation of available and validated measures of psychological features

Copper Does Not Induce Tenogenic Differentiation but Promotes Migration and Increases Lysyl Oxidase Activity in Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Background. Copper belongs to the essential trace metals that play a key role in the course of cellular processes maintaining the whole body’s homeostasis. As there is a growing interest in transplanting mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) into the site of injury to improve the regeneration of damaged tendons, the purpose of the study was to verify whether copper supplementation may have a positive effect on the properties of human adipose tissue-derived MSCs (hASCs) which potentially can contribute to improvement of tendon healing. Results. Cellular respiration of hASCs decreased with increasing cupric sulfate concentrations after 5 days of incubation. The treatment with CuSO4 did not positively affect the expression of genes associated with tenogenesis (COL1α1, COL3α1, MKX, and SCX). However, the level of COL1α1 protein, whose transcript was decreased in comparison to a control, was elevated after a 5-day exposition to 25 μM CuSO4. The content of the MKX and SCX protein in hASCs exposed to cupric sulfate was reduced compared to that of untreated control cells, and the level of the COL3α1 protein remained unchanged. The addition of cupric sulfate to hASCs’ medium increased the activity of lysyl oxidase which was positively correlated with concentration of CuSO4. Moreover, a high level of CuSO4 stimulated the action of intracellular superoxide dysmutase. The hASC secretion profile after a 5-day exposure to 50 μM cupric sulfate differed from that of untreated cells and was similar to the secretion profile of human tenocytes. Additionally, cupric sulfate increased secretion of CXCL12 in hASCs. Furthermore, the exposition to the CuSO4 significantly increased directed migration of human ASCs in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion. Copper sulfate supplementation can have a beneficial effect on tendon regeneration not by inducing tenogenic differentiation, but by improving the recruitment of MSCs to the site of injury, where they can secrete growth factors, cytokines and chemokines, and prevent the effects of oxidative stress at the site of inflammation, as well as improve the stabilization of collagen fibers, thereby accelerating the process of tendon healing

Low-frequency electromagnetic fi elds in chosen school rooms of Katowice area

INTRODUCTION There are various magnetic field sources of unknown induction levels installed in schools. The aim of this research, is to evaluate level of magnetic induction in classrooms and workrooms of chosen schools in Katowice area. MATERIAL AND METHODS Magnetic induction measurements were taken in 10 primary schools, 12 middle schools and 4 secondary schools in Katowice area. Magnetic induction was measured in at least two classrooms i.e. in a computer science classroom and in a humanities subject classroom. Induction level was inspected by means of spot measurement. RESULTS In most schools, which were evaluated, magnetic induction level did not exceed 50 nT. Measurements taken in middle schools and secondary schools showed higher magnetic induction values in computer science classrooms in comparison to humanities subject classrooms. Mainly of year production and technical condition of installed computer equipment infl uenced magnetic induction level measured in computer science classrooms. Older computers generated higher levels of magnetic induction, in comparison to new equipment. In a part of one primary school, which was 120 years old, in humanities subject classrooms, measured magnetic induction was higher then 150 nT. In another primary school localized in highly industrialized area near coal mine, magnetic induction inspected in computer science classrooms was higher, then 400 nT, whereas induction level in humanities subject classrooms of this school oscillated around 100 nT. The highest levels of magnetic induction were measured in two schools, in which transformers were installed. The measured level of magnetic induction in one of the above mentioned schools was 200 nT. CONCLUSIONS Because diff erent magnetic induction levels are strictly related to the computer equipment type, the level of exposure of children and youth to magnetic induction should be evaluated, after installing the equipment.WSTĘP W budynkach szkolnych instalowane są różnego rodzaju źródła pól magnetycznych o nieznanych poziomach indukcji. Celem podjętych badań jest ocena poziomu indukcji magnetycznej w klasach i pracowniach szkolnych wybranych placówek oświatowych z terenu Katowic. MATERIAŁ I METODY Pomiary indukcji magnetycznej wykonano w 10 szkołach podstawowych, 12 gimnazjach i 4 liceach z terenu Katowic. Indukcja magnetyczna mierzona była w każdej szkole w co najmniej dwóch salach, tj. w pracowni informatycznej i pracowni do przedmiotów humanistycznych. WYNIKI W większości szkół poziom indukcji magnetycznej nie przekraczał 50 nT. Ujawniono wyższe wartości indukcji magnetycznej w pracowniach informatycznych w porównaniu do sal, w których odbywały się zajęcia z przedmiotów humanistycznych. Na poziom indukcji magnetycznej zmierzonej w pracowniach informatycznych miał wpływ stan techniczny zainstalowanego w nich sprzętu komputerowego, a także ich rok produkcji. Starsze komputery generowały wyższe poziomy indukcji magnetycznej w porównaniu do sprzętu nowego. W jednej ze szkół podstawowych w części budynku, którego wiek wynosił około 120 lat, w salach humanistycznych, zmierzona indukcja magnetyczna przekraczała 150 nT. W innej szkole podstawowej zlokalizowanej w silnie zindustrializowanym terenie przykopalnianym zmierzona w pracowniach informatycznych indukcja magnetyczna przekraczała 400 nT, a w salach humanistycznych tej szkoły, osiągała poziom 100 nT. Najwyższe poziomy indukcji magnetycznej zmierzono w dwóch szkołach, w których zainstalowane były transformatory, indukcja w salach lekcyjnych jednej z tych szkół osiągała wartość 200 nT. WNIOSKI Zróżnicowane poziomy indukcji magnetycznej wiążą się z rodzajem sprzętu komputerowego znajdującego się na wyposażeniu w pracowniach informatycznych, dlatego po ich zainstalowaniu należy ocenić poziom ekspozycji dzieci i młodzieży na pole magnetyczne

The relationship between the premenstrual syndrome and resting cardiac vagal tone in young healthy females: Role of hormonal contraception

Evolutionary-based predictions imply that the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects women who failed to conceive while in biosocial conditions that allow immediate reproduction. We investigated how the PMS is related to the heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of general fitness and well-being. The HRV indices (SDNN and rMSSD) were calculated using resting ECGs of 113 physiologically fertile women and 64 women using hormonal contraception (HC users, HCu). The intensity of PMS symptoms was self-assessed (Shortened Premenstrual Assessment Form). Analyses were conducted using parametric and nonparametric tests and general linear modelling (GLM). In HC non-users (HCnu), a greater intensity of PMS symptoms was significantly associated with higher values of HRV. Similar relations were not present in HCu. Post-hoc GLM confirmed that the relation between the PMS intensity and HRV indices varies as a function of the HCu status. A positive association between the PMS intensity and high HRV indices in women who did not use HC may confirm that the PMS affects fertile women who did not conceive, despite being in conditions favorable to pregnancy. The absence of a similar link in HCu women implies that synthetic steroids may disturb the link between the PMS and functioning of the autonomic nervous system

Mediators of Mast Cells in Bullous Pemphigoid and Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) are skin diseases associated with inflammation. However, few findings exist concerning the role of mast cells in autoimmune blistering disease. Skin biopsies were taken from 27 BP and 14 DH patients, as well as 20 healthy individuals. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify the localization and mast cell expression of TNFα and MMP9 in skin lesions and perilesional skin. The serum concentrations of TNFα, MMP9, chymase, tryptase, PAF, and IL-4 were measured by immunoassay. TNFα and MMP9 expression in the epidermis and in inflammatory influxed cells in the dermis was detected in skin biopsies from patients. Although these mediators were found to be expressed in the perilesional skin of all patients, the level was much lower than that in lesional skin. Increased serum PAF levels were observed in BP patients. Mast cells may play an essential role in activating inflammation, which ultimately contributes to the tissue damage observed in BP and DH. Our findings suggest that differences in the pattern of cytokine expression directly contribute to variations in cellular infiltration in DH and BP