Selected new developments in asbestos immunotoxicity.

Research over the past three decades has shown that the mammalian immune system can be altered by the occupational exposure of asbestos. Early clinical studies generally focused on systemic observations of immune alteration such as the number and function of peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes. More recently as the regulatory influence of local immunity in health and disease becomes more defined, immunologic changes occurring in the lung, the primary target organ of asbestos, have been significant areas of investigation. This review will focus on recent studies that examine the influence of asbestos on pulmonary immunity as well as the role of host immune competence in asbestos-related disease

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT HAEMATOLOGICAL DISEASES

Different psychological and social problems deteriorating patients' quality of life appear together with the prolongation of the duration of life. The aim of this study was their investigation and systematization. An inquiry proposed by the authors was used. It consisted of 5 groups of questions, referring to the type of behaviour at the time of information about the diagnosis as well as to patient's everyday functioning. Lack of realistic "internal picture of the disease change in the hierarchy of values with loss of some and appearance of other new values, condensing the life events were found out. A change in the balance model before and after the disease towards increasing the interest for the body and the cares for it, as well as reduction of contacts outside the family were observed. A deterioration of social status was found out in 90 % of the patients. Important ways for overcoming the psychological and social problems in the patients with onco-haematological diseases were discussed

Comparison of Diet, Metformin and Insulin in the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) treated with metformin versus those with insulin, or diet alone. Material and methods: The study included 24 GDM women treated with metformin, 21 treated with insulin, and 17 women only on diet. All patients were from Outpatient Department of Endocrinology in the period from May, 2008 to October, 2010. Results: The three groups were comparable with respect to age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain during pregnancy, gestational week at enrolment, smoking cigarettes and positive family history for diabetes. Mean glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at 37 gestation week was lower in diet and metformin groups than insulin group (4,5±0,9, 5,3±0,7, and 6,1± 1,3 %, respectively, p< 0,01). Postprandial glycaemia (PPG) statistically significant differed in diet from metformin group (6,2±2,1 v.s. 7,5±1,1 mmol/L, p< 0,05) and in diet as to insulin group (6,2±2,1 v.s. 8,3±2,3 mmol/L, p< 0,01). There were statistically significant difference in mean gestational age at delivery, between the three (diet, metformin and insulin) groups (39,1±2,2; 38,7±1,6 and 37,3±2,4 gestation week, respectively, p< 0,05). The incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia was higher in the insulin group (52,4%) than in the metformin (33,3%) and diet group (17,6%), but there was statistically difference between insulin and diet group (p=0,04). No differences between the groups were observed in mode of delivery, birth weight, and incidence for large or small for gestational age. Conclusion: Metformin is effective, easy and safe in controlling GDM. Author Keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus, metformin, insulin, glycaemia

Refraction dynamics in children up to age 3

Въведение: Състоянието на рефракцията при деца в ранна възраст е важно да бъде изследвано с оглед превенция на редица очни заболявания (амблиопия, страбизъм, хордеолоза, блефарит и др.). В литературата съществуват достатъчно данни относно динамиката в сферичната рефракция. Относно промяната в асферичната рефракция информацията е значително по-оскъдна. Цел: Целта на настоящото проучване е да се определи и проследи във времето динамиката в рефракцията при деца до 3 години. Материал и методи: Проучването обхваща 324 деца (648 очи) на възраст между 6 и 12 месеца при първото им посещение и изследване на рефракцията. Децата са разпределени в четири възрастови групи и са разделени по пол. От тях 159 са момичета (318 очи) и 165 момчета (330 очи). Пациентите са проследени минимум еднократно (до трикратно) във възрастовия период между една и три години. Използваните методи са: фотоавторефрактометрия с PlusoptiX S04; по преценка: циклоплегия, скиаскопия и оптична корекция при необходимост; статистически методи за обработка на данните. Резултати: 1. Хиперметропията е най-често срещаната рефракция сред изследваните деца; 2. Миопията е рядко очно състояние при деца до 3 години; 3. Астигматизмът намалява с възрастта; 4. Астигматизмът се променя в най-голяма степен във възрастта между 18 и 24 месеца; 5. Не съществува статистически значима разлика в рефракцията между двата пола. Заключение: Фотоавторефрактометрията с Plusoptix S04 е метод, който дава възможност за прецизно установяване и проследяване на динамиката в рефракцията при деца от 6- месечна възраст в хода на диагностично-лечебния процес. Благодарение на него можем да изкажем категорично становище, че астигматизмът намалява с възрастта.Introduction: The state of refraction in young children is important to be examined with regard to preventing various eye diseases (amblyopia, strabismus, hordeolosis, blepharitis etc.). There is enough literature data about the dynamic changes of the spherical refraction during childhood. Regarding the dynamics of the aspheric refraction the information is much more poor. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine and follow-up refraction in children up to age 3. Material and methods: The study covers 324 children (648 eyes) aged between 6 and 12 months at their first visit and refraction examination. 159 of them are girls (318 eyes) and 165- boys (330 eyes) .The children are grouped in four age groups and are divided by gender. They are followed up one to three times later. The methods used are: photoautorefractometry with PlusoptiX S04; cycloplegia, retinoscopy and optical correction if needed; statistics. Results: 1. Hypermetropic refraction remains the most prevalent among the studied children; 2. Myopia is a rare eye condition in children up to age 3; 3. Astigmatism changes with age (towards reducing); 4. Diopters of astigmatism are most decreased in age between 12 and 18 months; 5. There is no statistically significant difference in refraction between genders. Conclusions: The PlusoptiX S04 photoautorefractometer is operational for children aged at least 6 months. This method can be used to define and follow-up the refraction dynamics in children in the course of the diagnostics and the treatment process. It allows us to state that astigmatism reduces with age

Probabilistic seismic hazard map for Bulgaria as a basis for a new building code

A seismic hazard map proposed as part of a new building code for Bulgaria is presented here on basis of the recommendations in EUROCODE 8. <P> Seismic source zones within an area of about 200 km around Bulgaria were constructed considering seismicity, neotectonic and geological development. The most time consuming work was to establish a homogeneous earthquake catalogue out of different catalogues. <P> The probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in terms of intensities is performed following Cornell (1968) with the program EQRISK (see McGuire, 1976), modified by us for use of intensities. To cope with the irregular isoseismals of the Vrancea intermediate depth earthquakes a special attenuation factor is introduced (Ardeleanu et al., 2005), using detailed macroseismic maps of three major earthquakes. <P> The final seismic hazard is the combination of both contributions, of zones with crustal earthquakes and of the Vrancea intermediate depth earthquakes zone. Calculations are done for recurrence periods of 95, 475 and 10 000 years

Chronic Intestinal Failure in Children: An International Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism database for chronic intestinal failure (CIF) was analyzed to investigate factors associated with nutritional status and the intravenous supplementation (IVS) dependency in children. Methods: Data collected: demographics, CIF mechanism, home parenteral nutrition program, z-scores of weight-for-age (WFA), length or height-for-age (LFA/HFA), and body mass index-for-age (BMI-FA). IVS dependency was calculated as the ratio of daily total IVS energy over estimated resting energy expenditure (%IVSE/REE). Results: Five hundred and fifty-eight patients were included, 57.2% of whom were male. CIF mechanisms at age 1–4 and 14–18 years, respectively: SBS 63.3%, 37.9%; dysmotility or mucosal disease: 36.7%, 62.1%. One-third had WFA and/or LFA/HFA z-scores &lt; −2. One-third had %IVSE/REE &gt; 125%. Multivariate analysis showed that mechanism of CIF was associated with WFA and/or LFA/HFA z-scores (negatively with mucosal disease) and %IVSE/REE (higher for dysmotility and lower in SBS with colon in continuity), while z-scores were negatively associated with %IVSE/REE. Conclusions: The main mechanism of CIF at young age was short bowel syndrome (SBS), whereas most patients facing adulthood had intestinal dysmotility or mucosal disease. One-third were underweight or stunted and had high IVS dependency. Considering that IVS dependency was associated with both CIF mechanisms and nutritional status, IVS dependency is suggested as a potential marker for CIF severity in children

Nifedipin ublažava djelovanje kokaina na enzimsku aktivnost u mozgu i jetri te smanjuje njegovo izlučivanje putem mokraće

The aim of this study was to see how nifedipine counters the effects of cocaine on hepatic and brain enzymatic activity in rats and whether it affects urinary excretion of cocaine. Male Wistar rats were divided in four groups of six: control, nifedipine group (5 mg kg-1 i.p. a day for five days); cocaine group (15 mg kg-1 i.p. a day for five days), and the nifedipine+cocaine group. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, we measured neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity in the brain and cytochrome P450 quantity, ethylmorphine-N-demethylase, and anilinehydroxylase activity in the liver. Urine samples were collected 24 h after the last cocaine and cocaine+nifedipine administration. Urinary cocaine concentration was determined using the GC/MS method. Cocaine administration increased brain nNOS activity by 55 % (p<0.05) in respect to control, which indicates the development of tolerance and dependence. In the combination group, nifedipine decreased the nNOS activity in respect to the cocaine-only group. In the liver, cocaine significantly decreased and nifedipine significantly increased cytochrome P450, ethylmorphine-N-demethylase, and anilinehydroxylase in respect to control. In combination, nifedipine successfully countered cocaine effects on these enzymes. Urine cocaine excretion in the cocaine+nifedipine group significantly dropped (by 35 %) compared to the cocaine-only group. Our results have confirmed the effects of nifedipine against cocaine tolerance and development of dependence, most likely due to metabolic interactions between them.Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bio utvrditi kako nifedipin ublažava djelovanje kokaina na enzimsku aktivnost u mozgu i jetri Wistar štakora te utječe li na njegovo izlučivanje putem mokraće. Mužjaci su podijeljeni u četiri skupine po šest jedinki: kontrolnu skupinu, nifedipinsku skupinu koja je pet dana intraperitonealno primala nifedipin u dozi od 5 mg kg-1; skupinu koja je pet dana primala kokain u dozi od 15 mg kg-1 na dan te skupinu koja je zajedno primala nifedipin i kokain u odgovarajućim dozama. Dvadeset i četiri sata nakon posljednje doze izmjerena je enzimska aktivnost sintaze dušičnoga oksida (nNOS) u mozgu, razina citokroma P450 te aktivnosti enzima etilmorfi n-N-demetilaze i anilinhidroksilaze u jetri štakora. Uzorci mokraće prikupljeni su 24 sata nakon posljednje doze kokaina odnosno kombinacije nifedipina i kokaina. Koncentracija kokaina u mokraći izmjerena je s pomoću vezanog sustava plinske kromatografi je i spektrometrije masa. Kokain je povećao aktivnost nNOS-a u mozgu za 55 % (p<0,05) u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu, što upućuje na stvaranje tolerancije i ovisnosti. U kombiniranoj skupini nifedipin je značajno smanjio aktivnost nNOS-a u odnosu na skupinu koja je primila samo kokain. Kokain je značajno snizio, a nifedipin značajno povisio razinu citokroma P450 u jetri te aktivnost etilmorfi n-N-demetilaze i anilinhidroksilaze u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu. U kombiniranoj skupini nifedipin je uspješno ublažio djelovanje kokaina na aktivnost spomenutih enzima. Izlučivanje kokaina putem mokraće u kombiniranoj skupini bilo je značajno manje (35 %) nego u skupini koja je primala samo kokain. Ovi rezultati potvrđuju da nifedipin štiti od djelovanja kokaina i stvaranja ovisnosti, najvjerojatnije zbog interakcija u metabolizmu dvaju spojeva

Fuzzy Tandem Repeats Containing p53 Response Elements May Define Species-Specific p53 Target Genes

Evolutionary forces that shape regulatory networks remain poorly understood. In mammals, the Rb pathway is a classic example of species-specific gene regulation, as a germline mutation in one Rb allele promotes retinoblastoma in humans, but not in mice. Here we show that p53 transactivates the Retinoblastoma-like 2 (Rbl2) gene to produce p130 in murine, but not human, cells. We found intronic fuzzy tandem repeats containing perfect p53 response elements to be important for this regulation. We next identified two other murine genes regulated by p53 via fuzzy tandem repeats: Ncoa1 and Klhl26. The repeats are poorly conserved in evolution, and the p53-dependent regulation of the murine genes is lost in humans. Our results indicate a role for the rapid evolution of tandem repeats in shaping differences in p53 regulatory networks between mammalian species

The MiniArc sling for female stress urinary incontinence: clinical results after 1-year follow-up

Development and application of statistical models for medical scientific researc