Evaluation of the coexistence of cognitive disorders, leukoaraiosis and other risk factors in patients with stroke

Background. Stroke is a common cause of mortality and disability. There are many risk factors for stroke amongwhich leukoaraiosis (LA) is mentioned. Historically, LA was a radiological term, however, today it is classified asCerebral Small Vessel Disease (CSVD) which clinical presentation depends on the affected brain area. Higher prevalenceof LA is found not only in stroke patients, but also in patients with hypertension and other cerebrovascular riskfactors. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the present LA, selected laboratorytests, the carotid ultrasound markers and cognitive tests results in patients with stroke. Material and methods. The study included 102 patients (W: 56, M: 46) at the age of 70.9 ± 11.5 hospitalized dueto stroke in the Stroke Unit of the Department of Neurology. The clinical assessment included NIHSS score, MMSEtesting, laboratory blood tests, carotid duplex USG and CT scan of the brain. Patients were dichotomized based onthe presence of LA in the CT scan. Results. LA was present in 25 (24.5%) patients. It was more frequently found in older patients (> 72 years old;p < 0.001). In the LA group, higher levels of LDL cholesterol (p = 0.002), lower hemoglobin concentration(p = 0.03) and higher platelets count (p = 0.04) were observed. The carotid ultrasound showed higher intimamediacomplexes in the LA group (p = 0.02). The functional test showed lower scores on the clock test in patientswith LA (p = 0.04). The presence of LA was three times less likely to be present in patients administered withbeta1-adrenolytics (p = 0.03). Conclusions. The occurrence of leukoaraiosis in patients with acute stroke is associated with clustering of othervascular risk factors cognitive impairment, and may be related to ongoing cardiovascular therapy

Optimal entanglement witnesses from generalized reduction and Robertson maps

We provide a generalization of the reduction and Robertson positive maps in matrix algebras. They give rise to a new class of optimal entanglement witnesses. Their structural physical approximation is analyzed. As a byproduct we provide a new examples of PPT (Positive Partial Transpose) entangled states.Comment: 14 page

New tools for investigating positive maps in matrix algebras

We provide a novel tool which may be used to construct new examples of positive maps in matrix algebras (or, equivalently, entanglement witnesses). It turns out that this can be used to prove positivity of several well known maps (such as reduction map, generalized reduction, Robertson map, and many others). Furthermore, we use it to construct a new family of linear maps and prove that they are positive, indecomposable and (nd)optimal.Comment: 10 page

Działania opiekuńcze w profilaktyce i terapii

Praca recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperOpieka jest potrzebna wszystkim, zarówno dzieciom, jak i dorosłym, a w sposób szczególny osobom starszym, w tym terminalnie chorym. Prezentowane w niniejszej monografi i teksty uwzględniają właśnie tę wieloczynnikową aktywność opiekuńczą. Autorami poszczególnych rozdziałów są pracownicy naukowi zaangażowani w proces edukacyjny w zakresie nauk o zdrowiu, pracujący w Krakowskiej Akademii im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego, ale także studenci PWSZ w Tarnowie. W różnorodnym zakresie przedstawili i omówili oni główne tezy monografii

A variety of processes in decisions making and management

PURPOSE: The main goal of the article is to emphasize the role of process diversity in decision making and management. Additionally, the contribution of the random factor in the behavior of processes and the related management factor of such processes was analyzed.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Due to their complexity, multivariate and multivariate random processes are difficult to research, so they are more mysterious to put them into mathematical forms. The methodology of recognizing such processes used in the work (article) combines two fields of science, information theory and stochastic processes (Markov chains).FINDINGS: The methodological approach adopted by the authors to the set goal of the study, i.e., to study the diversity of Nature's processes, allowed to formulate a conclusion: one can compare the behaviors of different processes, compare their behavioral diversity in the entropy dimension, regardless of the number of their conservation states.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results (conclusions) obtained from the research allow for their application in practice, and in a wide range. Because you can compare the indeterminacy (entropy) of two (or several) qualitatively different random processes. So, basically to predict a more stable behavior in relation to another given random process, or less stable.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The novelty of the content of the article is, as already mentioned above, the combination of sciences and their research methods in relation to the formulated goal of the article.peer-reviewe

Are Hair Cortisol Levels of Humans, Cats, and Dogs from the Same Household Correlated?

Human–animal interactions and the emotional relationship of the owner with the pet are the subjects of many scientific studies and the constant interest of not only scientists but also pet owners. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the hair cortisol levels of dogs, cats, and their owners living in the same household. The owners were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning the frequency of their interactions with pets and emotional relationship with each of their cats and each of their dogs. The study involved 25 women who owned at least one dog and at least one cat. In total, 45 dogs and 55 cats from 25 households participated in the study. The average level of hair cortisol of the owners was 4.62 ng/mL, of the dogs 0.26 ng/mL, and in the hair of cats 0.45 ng/mL. There was no significant correlation between the hair cortisol level of the owner and dog or the owner and the cat and between dogs and cats living together. A significant positive correlation was observed between the hair cortisol level in the owner and the pet, for dogs in which the owner performs grooming treatments once a week and for cats which are never kissed. Although our study did not find many significant correlations, studies using other stress markers might have yielded different results

Feasibility of Preparing Nesting Box and Luring Large Solitary Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa Valga

Xylocopa valga, commonly called the carpenter bee and the largest bee with metallicviolet hair cover, is extremely rarely observed in Poland. We hypothesize that a stable and possibly long-term population of X. valga can be maintained in Poland through the creation of suitable nesting conditions. X. valga has been observed since the spring of 2014 in Wisznice (south-eastern Poland). A nesting box made out of 25 wooden blocks with drilled holes was hung about 2.5 meters above the ground. X. valga were interested in the blocks made of willow wood but did not nest in the beech, alder and pine. The carpenter bees chose holes made with drill bits of 10, 15, 20 mm in diameter and a length of 10, 15 and 20 cm. X. valga flying in the same direction most often visited the flora taxa: Aquilegia vulgaris, Ballota nigra, Consolida ajacis, Delphinium consolida, Deutzia scabra, Catalpa spp., Wisteria spp., Robinia ambigua, Stachys spp. and Trifolium pretense. X. valga is a solitary bee, but unlike most other solitary bees it demonstrates aspects of social behavior. It was observed to display cohabitative behavior involving the use of a single hole by more than one female. The females showed aggressive defensive behavior and if approached too closely started buzzing loudly. The information obtained during the long-term observation shows that X. valga can be maintained in partly artificial conditions to increase and stabilize the bee population

Structures of Substrate Complexes of Foamy Viral Protease-Reverse Transcriptase

Reverse transcriptases (RTs) use their DNA polymerase and RNase H activities to catalyze the conversion of single-stranded RNA to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), a crucial process for the replication of retroviruses. Foamy viruses (FVs) possess a unique RT, which is a fusion with the protease (PR) domain. The mechanism of substrate binding by this enzyme has been unknown. Here, we report a crystal structure of monomeric full-length marmoset FV (MFV) PR-RT in complex with an RNA/DNA hybrid substrate. We also describe a structure of MFV PR-RT with an RNase H deletion in complex with a dsDNA substrate in which the enzyme forms an asymmetric homodimer. Cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the full-length MFV PR-RT–dsDNA complex confirmed the dimeric architecture. These findings represent the first structural description of nucleic acid binding by a foamy viral RT and demonstrate its ability to change its oligomeric state depending on the type of bound nucleic acid.Reverse transcriptases (RTs) are intriguing enzymes converting single-stranded RNA to dsDNA. Their activity is essential for retroviruses, which are divided into two subfamilies differing significantly in their life cycles: Orthoretrovirinae and Spumaretrovirinae. The latter family is much more ancient and comprises five genera. A unique feature of foamy viral RTs is that they contain N-terminal protease (PR) domains, which are not present in orthoretroviral enzymes. So far, no structural information for full-length foamy viral PR-RT interacting with nucleic substrates has been reported. Here, we present crystal and cryo-electron microscopy structures of marmoset foamy virus (MFV) PR-RT. These structures revealed the mode of binding of RNA/DNA and dsDNA substrates. Moreover, unexpectedly, the structures and biochemical data showed that foamy viral PR-RT can adopt both a monomeric configuration, which is observed in our structures in the presence of an RNA/DNA hybrid, and an asymmetric dimer arrangement, which we observed in the presence of dsDNA