Platelet-rich plasma - a revolutionary therapeutic option in multi-disciplinary indications

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was originally described as a small volume of plasma that contains higher concentrations of platelets, compared to peripheral blood. Although currently the use of PRP in most indications is off-label, it is not prohibited. Initially, PRP was used for wound healing and tissue regeneration in fields such as orthopaedics, dermatology, maxillofacial surgery and dentistry. Aim of the study: The aim of this article was to present and summarise the modern production methods, the mechanism of action at the molecular and biochemical level and the most important uses and indications of PRP in present-day medicine. Material and methods: A cross-sectional search of relevant literature was performed in databases using accepted wording. Publications from 2003-2023 were included. The entire process has been supplemented with additional procedures to increase the reliability of this publication. Results: Orthopaedics has gained many minimally invasive therapeutic solutions thanks to PRP. Its effects on ligament and tendon tissues have been studied, where promising data have been proven. Also in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, many treatment strategies have been developed using PRP, mainly for the treatment of acne, androgenic alopecia and delaying tissue ageing as much as possible. Conclusion: Platelet-rich plasma has found application in the treatment of many conditions in orthopaedics, dermatology, aesthetic medicine and dentistry. It is characterised by good therapeutic efficacy, with relatively low risk. However, high-quality studies are still lacking to provide more reliable data

Reviewing the current treatment approaches for vitiligo – analysis of literature

Introduction: Vitiligo is a relatively common systemic, idiopathic disease within the spectrum of pigmentary disorders. Clinically, it presents as depigmented patches on the skin, resulting from the loss or dysfunction of melanocytes. Despite not impacting life expectancy, vitiligo should not be perceived merely as a cosmetic defect, given its potential to burden daily life and the frequent experiences of stigmatization by patients. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to summarize the existing knowledge regarding the treatment of vitiligo. The current treatments in practice, alongside potential new methods, were summarized and described. Materials and methods: The literature available in the PubMed database was reviewed using the following keywords: “Vitiligo”, “Vitiligo treatment”, “Vitiligo new treatment methods”, “Targeted therapies for vitiligo”. Conclusions: Vitiligo is a multifactorial and still inadequately understood disorder, leading to a lack of fully safe and effective treatment. As in the management of other diseases, there should be a push for highly personalized treatments for patients. This approach takes into account the differences among patients and ensures a better chance of a positive clinical response. To achieve this goal, it's necessary to explore new treatment methods and expand ongoing research efforts. Also, raising awareness of vitiligo is key to increasing acceptance, support and understanding for those affected by the disease

Cone-beam computed tomography in implant dentistry - guidelines, current concepts and limitations for practice

This article issues scientific background of Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and the importance of taking x-rays before and after implant placement in daily practice as a common care. The review will introduce cone-beam computed tomography guidelines, restrictions and intraoperartive issues for instance nerve damage and bleeding incidents. Modern CBCT technology enables specialists to avoid making a wrong diagnosis, which translates into a higher percentage of people with a positive treatment outcome. Diagnostic radiology is a crucial element of every dental treatment planning. CBCT market is expanding gradually since two decades, there are more than 85 distinct CBCT tools available. CBCT is a three-dimensional (3D) imaging used nowadays in dentistry with increased frequency and offers volumetric data on jaw bones and teeth with relatively low radiation doses and costs. Currently, the greatest advantage of CBCT examinations over radiographs is the fact that the image obtained is presented in a 3D projection and not, as is the case, in 2D. It has the ability to help a wider range of patients, but the use of CBCT also has negative consequences. Routine or excessive use has resulted in increased radiation doses accumulating in the patient's body, which translates into an increased risk of adverse effects. The risk varies according to the age of the patient under study and is directly proportional to it, that is, it is highest for young people and lower for older people. The potential risk is also slightly higher in the female population. For this reason, creating awareness of the mandatory patient safety management of CT scans is a key process by which X-ray exposures can be optimised

Reviewing the current treatment approaches for vitiligo – analysis of literature

Introduction: Vitiligo is a relatively common systemic, idiopathic disease within the spectrum of pigmentary disorders. Clinically, it presents as depigmented patches on the skin, resulting from the loss or dysfunction of melanocytes. Despite not impacting life expectancy, vitiligo should not be perceived merely as a cosmetic defect, given its potential to burden daily life and the frequent experiences of stigmatization by patients. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to summarize the existing knowledge regarding the treatment of vitiligo. The current treatments in practice, alongside potential new methods, were summarized and described. Materials and methods: The literature available in the PubMed database was reviewed using the following keywords: “Vitiligo”, “Vitiligo treatment”, “Vitiligo new treatment methods”, “Targeted therapies for vitiligo”. Conclusions: Vitiligo is a multifactorial and still inadequately understood disorder, leading to a lack of fully safe and effective treatment. As in the management of other diseases, there should be a push for highly personalized treatments for patients. This approach takes into account the differences among patients and ensures a better chance of a positive clinical response. To achieve this goal, it's necessary to explore new treatment methods and expand ongoing research efforts. Also, raising awareness of vitiligo is key to increasing acceptance, support and understanding for those affected by the disease

Psychofzjologiczne korelaty świadomości i uwagi. Wpływ wskazówki na zadanie z identyfikacją oraz oceny widoczności bodźca.

Mimo, iż jest mało prawdopodobne, aby wszystkie typy uwagi były powiązane ze świadomością dokładnie w ten sam sposób, dość powszechną praktyką jest pomijanie tego faktu w badaniach nad zależnością uwagi i świadomości. Uwaga jest zjawiskiem bardzo zróżnicowanym, stąd stosowne badanie świadomości zgłębiające rolę uwagi powinno koncentrować się na roli określonego typu uwagi. Zatem, zamierzeniem niniejszej pracy pracy było określenie, czy sieć uwagowa alerting oraz sieć uwagowa orienting mogą wpływać na poziom świadomego doświadczenia. W tym celu przeprowadzono eksperyment wykorzystujący klasyczny paradygmat Posnera oraz pomiar EEG. Wykorzystano analizę potencjału wywołanego (ERP) P300 wraz z pomiarem behawioralnym, aby wywnioskować, jaki jest wpływ wskazówek na poziom wykonania zadania na identyfikację oraz na oceny widoczności bodźców. Zgromadzone dane sugerują, że najsilniejsze efekty uwagowe występują w przypadku najniższych ocen widoczności, czyli wtedy, gdy badani twierdzą, że nie dostrzegają żadnych bodźców. Obie sieci uwagowe wydawały się wywierać podobny wpływ na świadomość, przyczyniając się do zwiększenia średnich ocen widoczności bodźców. Ze względu na wysoce nieistotne efekty uzyskane w analizach niemożliwe było wyciągnięcie jakichkolwiek wniosków na temat wpływu zastosowanej manipulacji na komponent P300.Although it is unlikely that all of the different forms of attention bear exactly the same connection with consciousness, it is a rather common practice to overlook that fact in attention-consciousness studies. Attention is a widely diverse concept, hence a proper consciousness study exploring the role of attention should be focused on the manipulation of specific types of attention. Therefore, the present thesis was designed to examine whether the orienting and alerting attentional networks might influence the level of conscious experience. To achieve this goal, an experiment utilising the classical Posner cueing paradigm was conducted with the use of the EEG measurement. The analysis of P300 event-related brain potential (ERP), along with behavioural measures, were employed to infer about what is the influence of cueing on the performance in identification task and participants’ visibility judgments. The gathered data suggest that the strongest attentional effects occur on the lowest visibility judgments, that is when subjects claim not to perceive any stimuli. Both attentional networks seemed to exert similar influence on awareness, causing an increase in mean visibility ratings. It was impossible to draw any conclusions about the applied manipulation influence on the P3 component due to highly non-significant effects obtained in analyses

Struktura kwalifikacji zawodu optometrysty jako postępowy model kształcenia specjalistów

Zakres działalności optometrystów jako specjalistów ochrony wzroku jest szeroki i wielowymiarowy. Praca w tym zawodzie pozwala na rozwój w wielu różnych kierunkach, od najbardziej powszechnych badań refrakcji, przez dobór soczewek kontaktowych, aż po specjalizowanie się w zakresie postępowania w zaburzeniach widzenia obuocznego czy też prowadzenia terapii widzenia. Należy także zwrócić uwagę na fakt, iż pomocy ze strony optometrysty potrzebuje pacjent w każdym przedziale wiekowym. Na dzień dzisiejszy nie funkcjonuje żaden podział specjalizacyjny, który umożliwiałby udzielanie pomocy w określonych grupach wiekowych, jak chociażby optometrysta pediatryczny czy optometrysta geriatryczny, a przecież pacjenci z obu tych grup wiekowych zwykle zmagają się z zupełnie odrębnymi od siebie problemami wzrokowymi i wymagają kompleksowego podejścia specjalisty, który będzie dysponował odpowiednią do tego wiedzą i umiejętnościami. Co więcej, aktualnie istnieje bardzo niewielka grupa specjalistów współpracujących z osobami słabowidzącymi. Jednym z głównych powodów dla powyżej wspomnianych kwestii jest fakt, że zawód optometrysty wciąż nie został prawnie uregulowany, co tworzy swoiste błędne koło, i często skutkuje „nierzetelnością zawodową”

SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Vaccines in People with Excessive Body Mass—A Narrative Review

In the face of a growing number of overweight people and two widely known viral diseases, SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, it is crucial to be aware of the impact of excess body weight on immunisation against these diseases. The aim of this review is to show the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccines in overweight and obese patients. Excessive adipose tissue releases cytokines and maintains local hypoxia, which causes persistent low-grade inflammation. These factors make excess body mass patients’ immune systems weaker. Under such conditions, the humoral response becomes less efficient, leading to a weakened ability to fight against infection and an increased risk of developing lower antibody titres. Vaccines help to reduce morbidity both in normal-weight and excess body mass people, although most studies show that patients with higher BMI tend to lose the antibodies produced more quickly. It is shown that the most effective vaccines (in terms of preventing the infection and potential post-illness complications) are the BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and the inactivated influenza vaccine against influenza among both obese and non-obese subjects