Intestinal colic in newborn babies: incidence and methods of proceeding applied by parents

Introduction: Intestinal colic is one of the more frequent complaints that a general practitioner and paediatrician deal with in their work. 10-40% of babies formula fed and 10-20% breast fed are stricken by this complaint. A colic attack appears suddenly and very quickly causes energetic, squeaky cry or even scream. Colic attacks last for a few minutes and appear every 2-3 hours usually in the evenings. Specialist literature provides numerous definitions of intestinal colic. The concept was introduced for the first time to paediatric textbooks over 250 years ago. One of the most accurate definitions describe colic as recurring attacks of intensive cry and anxiety lasting for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week within 3 weeks. Care of a baby suffering from an intestinal colic causes numerous problems and anxiety among parents, therefore knowledge of effective methods to combat this complaint is a challenge for contemporary neonatology and paediatrics.The aim of the study is to estimate the incidence of intestinal colic in newborn babies formula and breast fed as well as to assess methods of proceeding applied by parents and analyze their effectiveness.Material and methods: The research involved 100 newborn babies breast fed and 100 formula fed, and their parents. The research method applied in the study was a diagnostic survey conducted by use of a questionnaire method.Results: Among examined newborn babies that were breast fed, 43% have experienced intestinal colic, while among those formula fed 30% have suffered from it. The study involved 44% new born female babies and 56% male babies. 52% of mothers were 30-34 years old, 30% 35-59 years old, and 17% 25-59 years old. When it comes to families, the most numerous was a group in good financial situation (60%). The second numerous group was that in average financial situation (40%). All the respondents claimed that they had the knowledge on intestinal colic and the main source of knowledge was Internet (83.6%). The most frequent methods applied by the parents to combat colic are: carrying the baby (78%), belly massage (72%), and bath (63%).Conclusions: The most frequent methods to combat intestinal colic are behavioural methods and pharmacotherapy that have proved to be equally effective. According to mothers who breast feed their babies, diet was the least effective method to combat the colic

Fetal adenocarcinoma — a rare variant of lung adenocarcinoma with good prognosis

Fetal adenocarcinoma (FA) is a rare variant of lung adenocarcinoma with a good prognosis which represents approximately 0.5% of all primary lung neoplasms. The tumour has nonciliated tubules with morules in the lumen resembling fetal lung at 10 to 16 weeks of gestation. FA typically occurs in young patients 75–80% of whom are tobacco smokers. FA occurs in low- and high-grade forms. Surgical procedure is usually necessary to obtain final diagnosis and a complete surgical resection is the standard treatment. The 5-year survival rate for FA is about 75–80%. We report a case of 32-year-old male, a smoker, who had an incomplete regression of parenchymal consolidations after antibiotic treatment, which led to further diagnostics. An intravenous tumour in one of the pulmonary veins with concomitant development of collateral circulation and pulmonary venous infarction were additional diagnostic problems. Based on the intraoperative microscopic examination, fetal adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. An upper right bilobectomy with intrapericardial ligation of the right superior pulmonary vein was performed as radical treatment. At the 9-month follow-up stage, there has been no evidence of disease recurrence.

Factors affecting self-esteem and disease acceptance in patients from infertile couples

IntroductionInfertility has been diagnosed in millions of people around the world and is described as a complex medical, mental, and social problem that affects many aspects of life. The aim of the study was to extract the determining factors and the level of self-esteem and the degree of acceptance of the disease in infertile patients and to find differences between women and men in this aspect.MethodsA total 456 patients (235 women and 221 men) from infertile couples participated in a cross-sectional study. To collect data a Personal Information Form (PIF), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) were used.ResultsThe overall self-esteem score for the whole sample was 30.50 (15 ± 30) points and for acceptance of the disease 32.4 (8 ± 40) points. In the study group, men obtained a slightly higher level of self-esteem than women (31.00 vs. 30.04 points). Additionally, men had a higher level of acceptance of the disease (33.12 vs. 31.80) than women. Socio-demographic factors such as age and level of education had impact on scores SES and AIS. Clinical factors did not determine the results of SES and AIS, both in the overall sample and in the female and male groups.ConclusionSelf-esteem in patients from infertile couples increases with age and level of education. There are also significant differences between women and men, i.e., positive correlations between the level of education and self-esteem in men and the degree of acceptance of the disease in women

Elderly patients' satisfaction with community-based care provided within Primary Health Care

While providing care to families within the scope of their competencies, community nurses also deal with the elderly. The community care services the latter receive involve hygienic, diagnostic and therapeutic activities as well as those related to health education and promotion. From the patient’s perspective, what is important is not only the scope of care, but also his or her satisfaction with its quality. The aim of the study was the assessment of elderly patients' satisfaction with community-based care provided within Primary Health Care. The study covered 100 patients over 60 years of age and using community care services provided by nurses. The method employed was a diagnostic survey using a questionnaire that the authors designed themselves for the purposes of this research. More than 90% of patients assessed the community-based care as being of a high quality and almost 85% of them were satisfied with its scope. The study reported a relationship between the quality of the community-based care and patient satisfaction. No significant correlation between the frequency of use of the care and the satisfaction was observed. The patients' health status (p = 0.001), age (p = 0.001) and level of education (p = 0.03) had a significant impact on the level of satisfaction with the received care

Rak gruczołowy płodowy — rzadki wariant raka gruczołowego płuca o dobrym rokowaniu

Gruczolakorak płodowy płuca jest rzadkim, zwykle dobrze rokującym wariantem raka gruczołowego. Stanowi zaledwie 0,5% wszystkich pierwotnych nowotworów płuc. Utkanie zawiera cewki, a w ich świetle tak zwane morule, przypominające struktury płuca płodu w 10–16 tygodniu ciąży. Chorują zwykle ludzie młodzi, 75–80% z nich to palacze papierosów. Wyodrębnia się postać o niskim i wysokim stopniu złośliwości. Do ostatecznego ustalenia rozpoznania zwykle niezbędnym jest zabieg operacyjny, stanowiący metodę z wyboru w leczeniu gruczolakoraka płodowego. Rokowanie jest dobre, a 5-letnie przeżycie wynosi 75–80%. Przedstawiono przypadek 32-letniego palącego papierosy mężczyzny, u którego niezadowalająca regresja zmian miąższowych po antybiotykoterapii przy­czyniła się do pogłębienia diagnostyki. Lokalizacja zmian w świetle żył płucnych, rozwinięcie krążenia obocznego oraz obecność powikłań w postaci zawału płuca powodowały dodatkowe trudności diagnostyczne. Śródoperacyjne badanie mikroskopowe pozwoliło na rozpoznanie gruczolakoraka płodowego płuca. Wykonanie bilobektomii górnej prawej ze śródosierdziowym zaopatrzeniem żyły płucnej górnej prawej pozwoliły na radykalną resekcję nowotworu. W 9-miesięcznej obserwacji nie stwierdzono cech wznowy

Elevated serum NSE level in locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC predispose to better response to chemotherapy but worse survival

The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive and prognostic values of elevated serum levels of selected cancer markers (NSE, Cyfra 21-1, CEA, ferritin, free beta-hCG, LDH) in patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated a group of 79 patients (49 men and 30 women) with NSCLC. Multivariate regression analysis showed response in patients with NSE > 12.5 ng/ml (p = 0.002), good performance status (p = 0.007) and elderly patients (p = 0.005). However, elevated NSE adversely affected the prognosis. Median survival in patients with NSE < 12.5 ng/ml, 12.5-20.0 ng/ml and > 20.0 ng/ml was 13.3, 11.3 and 6.7 months, respectively (p = 0.004). The negative effect of elevated NSE was independent of the response category. Univariate regression analysis showed that the following factors had a significantly negative effect on the prognosis: performance status, stage IIIB or IV, weight loss of > 10%, NSE > 20 ng/ml, Cyfra 21-1 > 10 ng/ml, CEA > 3 ng/ml, ferritin ratio > 1 and LDH > 480 IU/l. Multivariate analysis showed an independent adverse prognostic effect of stage IIIB or IV and elevated ferritin.Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena wartości predykcyjnej i rokowniczej podwyższonych surowiczych stężeń wybranych markerów nowotworowych (NSE, Cyfra 21-1, CEA, ferytyny, wolnej podjednostki beta HCG - free beta HCG, LDH) u chorych na nieoperacyjnego niedrobnokomórkowego raka płuca (NDRP). Materiał stanowiła grupa 79 chorych (30 kobiet, 49 mężczyzn) na NDRP. W analizie regresji wieloczynnikowej wykazano korzystną odpowiedź na leczenie u chorych z NSE > 12,5 ng/ml (p = 0,002), dobrym stanem sprawności (p = 0,007) oraz w starszym wieku (p = 0,005). Podwyższone stężenie NSE miało jednak negatywne znaczenie rokownicze. Mediany czasu przeżycia chorych ze stężeniami NSE < 12,5 ng/ml, 12,5-20 ng/ml i > 20 ng/ml wynosiły odpowiednio 13,3 miesiąca, 11,3 i 6,7 miesiąca (p = 0,004). Negatywny wpływ podwyższonych stężeń NSE nie zależał od rodzaju odpowiedzi na leczenie. Istotnie niekorzystny wpływ na rokowanie w analizie regresji jednoczynnikowej miały: stan sprawności, stopień zaawansowania IIIB i IV, ubytek masy ciała > 10%, NSE > 20 ng/ml, Cyfra 21-1 > 10 ng/ml, CEA > 3 ng/ml, współczynnik ferrytyny > 1 i LDH > 480 j./l. W analizie wieloczynnikowej wykazano niezależny negatywny wpływ na rokowanie stopnia zaawansowania IIIB i IV oraz podwyższonego stężenia ferrytyny

The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey. I. Gas Fraction Scaling Relations of Massive Galaxies and First Data Release

We introduce the GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS), an on-going large program that is gathering high quality HI-line spectra using the Arecibo radio telescope for an unbiased sample of ~1000 galaxies with stellar masses greater than 10^10 Msun and redshifts 0.025<z<0.05, selected from the SDSS spectroscopic and GALEX imaging surveys. The galaxies are observed until detected or until a low gas mass fraction limit (1.5-5%) is reached. This paper presents the first Data Release, consisting of ~20% of the final GASS sample. We use this data set to explore the main scaling relations of HI gas fraction with galaxy structure and NUV-r colour. A large fraction (~60%) of the galaxies in our sample are detected in HI. We find that the atomic gas fraction decreases strongly with stellar mass, stellar surface mass density and NUV-r colour, but is only weakly correlated with galaxy bulge-to-disk ratio (as measured by the concentration index of the r-band light). We also find that the fraction of galaxies with significant (more than a few percent) HI decreases sharply above a characteristic stellar surface mass density of 10^8.5 Msun kpc^-2. The fraction of gas-rich galaxies decreases much more smoothly with stellar mass. One of the key goals of GASS is to identify and quantify the incidence of galaxies that are transitioning between the blue, star-forming cloud and the red sequence of passively-evolving galaxies. Likely transition candidates can be identified as outliers from the mean scaling relations between gas fraction and other galaxy properties. [abridged]Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Version with high resolution figures available at http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/GASS/pubs.ph

The GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey II: The Star Formation Efficiency of Massive Galaxies

We use measurements of the HI content, stellar mass and star formation rates in ~190 massive galaxies with stellar masses greater than 10^10 Msun, obtained from the Galex Arecibo SDSS Survey (GASS) described in Paper I (Catinella et al. 2010) to explore the global scaling relations associated with the bin-averaged ratio of the star formation rate over the HI mass, which we call the HI-based star formation efficiency (SFE). Unlike the mean specific star formation rate, which decreases with stellar mass and stellar mass surface density, the star formation efficiency remains relatively constant across the sample with a value close to SFE = 10^-9.5 yr^-1 (or an equivalent gas consumption timescale of ~3 Gyr). Specifically, we find little variation in SFE with stellar mass, stellar mass surface density, NUV-r color and concentration. We interpret these results as an indication that external processes or feedback mechanisms that control the gas supply are important for regulating star formation in massive galaxies. An investigation into the detailed distribution of SFEs reveals that approximately 5% of the sample shows high efficiencies with SFE > 10^-9 yr^-1, and we suggest that this is very likely due to a deficiency of cold gas rather than an excess star formation rate. Conversely, we also find a similar fraction of galaxies that appear to be gas-rich for their given specific star-formation rate, although these galaxies show both a higher than average gas fraction and lower than average specific star formation rate. Both of these populations are plausible candidates for "transition" galaxies, showing potential for a change (either decrease or increase) in their specific star formation rate in the near future. We also find that 36+/-5% of the total HI mass density and 47+/-5% of the total SFR density is found in galaxies with stellar mass greater than 10^10 Msun. [abridged]Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. GASS publications and released data can be found at http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/GASS/index.ph

Polimorfizm w genie N-acetylotransferazy 2 u chorych na raka płuca. Doniesienie wstępne

Introduction: Individual&#8217;s risk of developing lung cancer depends not only on exposure to tobacco smoke, but also on the activity of enzymes involved in the activation or deactivation of carcinogens. Arylamine N-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5) is an enzyme involved in biotransformation of xenobiotics, mainly aromatic and heterocyclic amines and hydrazines. The different acetylation phenotypes within a population are derived from mutations in the NAT 2 gene. These mutations influence the activity (specifically resulting in high or low activity) of the NAT enzyme. Some authors have demonstrated lung cancer predisposing role of slow acetylator phenotype, whereas other reported increased lung cancer risk for fast acetylators or neutral effect of the NAT2 polymorphism. The aim of this preliminary report was to determine the NAT2 gene polymorphism in patients with lung cancer. Material and methods: 39 patients with inoperable lung cancer (29 &#8212; NSCLC and 10 &#8212; SCLC), median age 59 years (42&#8211; &#8211;72) entered the study. Acetylation genotype was determined in the genomic DNA using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. We investigated four genetic mutations, C481T, G590A, A803G i G857A, of the gene NAT2. Results: There were 10 different NAT2 genotypes among the 39 patients. Fourteen patients with a NAT2*2 4/4, *4/5, *4/6 and *4/7 were classified as fast acetylators; and 25 patients with a NAT2*5/5, *5/6, *5/7, *6/6, *6/7 or *7/7 genotype were classified as slow acetylators. Among the 10 patients with SCLC &#8212; 4 were fast acetylators, and among 29 patients with NSCLC dominated slow acetylation type found in 19 patients (genotypes NAT2 *5/5 and NAT2 *5/6). Conclusions: Among patients with small cell lung cancer, there was no predominance of genotype of acetylation, whereas among patients with non-small cell lung cancer predominated NAT2*5/5 and NAT2*5/6 genotypes (slow acetylators).Wstęp: Indywidualne ryzyko zachorowania na raka płuca zależy nie tylko od ekspozycji na dym tytoniowy, ale również od aktywności enzymów biorących udział w aktywacji lub deaktywacji substancji rakotwórczych. Arylamino N-acetylotransferazy (EC 2.3.1.5) są enzymami biorącymi udział w biotransformacji ksenobiotyków, amin aromatycznych i heterocyklicznych oraz hydrazyn. Zaobserwowane różnice w aktywności enzymu i szybkości metabolizowania substancji zależnych od N-acetylotransferazy 2 (NAT2) powiązano z polimorfizmem genu kodującego ten enzym. Niektórzy autorzy wskazują na wolny typ acetylacji, jako predysponujący do wystąpienia raka płuca, podczas gdy inni wykazują brak wpływu polimorfizmu NAT2 lub większe ryzyko raka płuca wśród szybkich acetylatorów. Celem pilotażowego badania była ocena polimorfizmu genu NAT2 umożliwiającego określenie typu acetylacji u chorych na raka płuca. Materiały i metody: Badaną grupę stanowiło 39 chorych na nieoperacyjnego raka płuca (29 &#8212; rak niedrobnokomórkowy, 10 &#8212; rak drobnokomórkowy), mediana wieku wynosiła 59 lat (42&#8211;72 lata). Do badania pobierano 5 ml krwi. Genotyp NAT2 został określony na podstawie identyfikacji czterech mutacji, C481T, G590A, A803G i G857A. Wyniki: W przebadanej grupie 39 chorych zidentyfikowano występowanie 10 różnych genotypów NAT2. Czternastu chorych z genotypami NAT2 *4/4, *4/5, *4/6 i *4/7 zostało sklasyfikowanych jako szybcy acetylatorzy a 25 z genotypami NAT2 *5/ 5, *5/6, *5/7, *6/6, *6/7 lub *7/7 jako wolni acetylatorzy. Wśród 10 chorych na DRP &#8212; 4 chorych to szybcy acetylatorzy, zaś wśród 29 chorych na NDRP dominował wolny typ acetylacji stwierdzony u 19 chorych (genotypy NAT2*5/5 i NAT2*5/6). Wnioski: Wśród chorych na drobnokomórkowego raka płuca nie stwierdzono dominacji określonego genotypu acetylacji, natomiast wśród chorych na niedrobnokomórkowego raka płuca przeważali pacjenci z genotypami NAT2*5/5 i NAT2*5/6 (wolni acetylatorzy)

Organizing pneumonia - analysis of 18 own cases

Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a rarely diagnosed disease, however the incidence ratio was estimated as 6-7 /100 000. Disease can occur in cryptogenic form or as a secondary reaction to various noxious agents, drugs, and ionising radiation, as a concomitant disease to infections, lympho- and myeloproliferative disorders, and connective tissue diseases. Symptoms of OP are non-specific therefore lung biopsy and histological examination are necessary for diagnosis. Eighteen cases of OP, 15 women and 3 men, aged 40 to 76 years, are presented with analysis of clinicopathological characteristic and therapeutic problems. In all cases diagnosis was confirmedby open lung biopsy. In one case radiotherapy and in one transtuzumab treatment was the cause of OP. In further 3 women atybodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae and in one -against Mycoplasma pneumoniae were found in serum. Probably Hashimoto disease was the cause of one case. In 12 patients the OP was idiopathic. Majority of patients were treated by prednisone (0.5mg/kg). In one patient regression without any treatment was noticed and in other one - after cessation of transtuzumab. Five women were treated by clarithromycine. In 3 of them regression was observed but in other 2 corticotherapy was necessary. The observation period ranged from 1 month to 9 years, mean 34 months