Gender differences in body experience - a comparison of people with and without tattoos

Tattooing is a body modification practice that an increasing number of people, regardless of age, education or gender, are opting for. Previous quantitative research on the population of people with tattoos has mainly focused on differences in various personal characteristics, but has not focused on the bodily experience of people with tattoos. The aim of the present study was to examine differences in body image, body schema and body sense in people with and without tattoos. Two hundred and eleven people participated in the study, 108 of whom had at least one tattoo. Respondents completed a set of questionnaires: The Battery of Tests of The Body Self Representations and a demographic questionnaire. Our study showed that there were no significant differences in terms of mental body representations in people with and without tattoos. The main differences in terms of mental body representations were between men and women without tattoos. The present study suggests the need for a deeper understanding of the importance of tattoo for bodily experience

Melatonin – a verified remedy for jet lag? Current state of knowledge

Jet lag is a circadian rhythm disorder, affecting plane passengers travelling across multiple time zones. The severity of symptoms is strictly connected with the number of zones crossed. Common symptoms include: insomnia, difficulty concentrating attention, memory loss, anxiety, diarrhea, confusion, dizziness, headache, as well as malaise. Melatonin is a neurohormone, produced by the pineal gland. The hormone is released into the bloodstream and acts on MT1 and MT2 receptors, having the ability to induce sleep. Melatonin is therefore responsible for regulating the human biological clock and, consequently, the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Synthetic forms of melatonin have become a potential medication for various circadian rhythm disorders, including jet lag syndrome. Ten scientific reports were analyzed. The characteristics of the subjects, directions of the trips taken, the doses of melatonin, as well as the patterns of its administration, differed among studies. According to most of the reviewed trials, melatonin may have a beneficial effect on alleviating jet lag symptoms. The timing of intake plays a significant role – it has proven most effective when taken days before travel. However, several studies have not confirmed its effectiveness, compared to placebo. Further research seems to be inevitable to objectively reassess the effectiveness of melatonin preparations. Unambiguous determination of the melatonin dosage, the timing of its administration, the time of initiation, and the duration of the treatment would also be advisable. Nevertheless, all of the mentioned trials confirmed that the use of oral melatonin preparations, especially at low doses, turned out to be free of serious side effects

Macrophage activation syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus - a case report

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening condition that results from the immune system hyperactivation. The primary form of HLH appears mainly in children and is caused by a genetically determined failure of NK and T cells. Secondary (acquired) HLH usually occurs due to insufficiency of these cells caused by other disease entities or drugs. Potential factors that may be responsible for the appearance of this rare condition include: malignancies (especially lymphomas), infections (EBV, CMV, HIV), autoimmune diseases (SLE, Still’s disease). The clinical appearance of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is dominated by persistent fever, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, pallor of the skin, signs of hemorrhagic diathesis, lymph node enlargement. Characteristic abnormalities in laboratory tests include: hypertriglyceridemia, cytopenia, hyperferritinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia and hypertransaminasemia. One subtype of the secondary form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which is associated with rheumatic diseases, is called the macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The following describes a case of a 26-year-old woman with exacerbated systemic lupus erythematosus, who was admitted to a Rheumatology Unit in severe general condition. Clinical presentation of the patient included primarily: long-lasting fever, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Various test were performed during her hospitalization, including laboratory test and a bone marrow biopsy. Finally, the woman was diagnosed with the macrophage activation syndrome. She was successfully treated with ciclosporin and methylprednisolone

Multipotential properties of eugenol in pharmacology - comprehensive review of current state of knowledge

Introduction and purpose: Eugenol is a well-known phenolic chemical substance that can be found in clove oil. Due to its multi-potential properties, it arouse more and more interest from scientists. The possibility of using it as a therapeutic substance in many diseases is being sought. The aim of this review is to summarize the latest information on eugenol, explanation its mechanisms of action and to demonstrate the expanding therapeutic potential.Materials and methods: The literature available on PubMed, Google Scholar was reviewed using the words: “eugenol”; “antibacterial”; “antifungal” ;“antiinflammatory” Description of the state of knowledge: Eugenol demonstrates many pharmacological properties, of which the most essential is the ability to inhibit the growth and eradication of many human pathogens. Its wide spectrum of action covers Gram-negative bacteria as well as some Gram-positive bacteria. Eugenol also represents fungicidal properties, and the mechanism of its action is seen in its ability to deform and disrupt the cell membrane of pathogens. After eugenol penetrates  through the cell membrane excessive amounts ROS are formed and next fatty acids that build the cell membrane are modified, which ultimately leads to the lysis of the pathogen cell. Research on eugenol also proves its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties by blocking cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. The effectiveness of eugenol is comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  Summary: Based on the promising results of recent research on the properties of eugenol, it can be expected that in the future it will be used in the production of new therapeutic agents. However, it seems reasonable to conduct more large clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of eugenol before it is introduced as a therapeutic agent

Anxiety disorders - a common problem about which we still don’t know enough

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders. Up to one-third of the population suffers from them during their lifetime. An important problem is also the lack of awareness of patients about their disease. Only half of the anxiety disorders are diagnosed. Only a fifth of people suffering from anxiety disorders sought help from a specialist doctor. Only a third of patients are offered pharmacological treatment. The main symptom of this disease is an increased and intense feeling of anxiety. It is also associated with many other physical symptoms. It is correlative with a reduced quality of life and functioning in society. Diagnosis of anxiety disorders is very difficult due to the lack of specific imaging and laboratory tests that may be helpful in making or suggest a diagnosis. There is also a correlation between these disorders and the occurrence of depressive disorders, which is why the problem is complex and requires increased diagnostic sensitivity. Worldwide, anxiety disorders are underdiagnosed and undertreated, that's why it's so important to be aware of this disease entity. Prompt intervention by a physician is very important due to the increased frequency of suicides. The basic treatment is medication therapy with drugs from the SSRI and SNRI group combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Quick diagnosis and implementation of treatment contributes to a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients

Gender differences in body experience - a comparison of people with and without tattoos

Tattooing is a body modification practice that an increasing number of people, regardless of age, education or gender, are opting for. Previous quantitative research on the population of people with tattoos has mainly focused on differences in various personal characteristics, but has not focused on the bodily experience of people with tattoos. The aim of the present study was to examine differences in body image, body schema and body sense in people with and without tattoos. Two hundred and eleven people participated in the study, 108 of whom had at least one tattoo. Respondents completed a set of questionnaires: The Battery of Tests of The Body Self Representations and a demographic questionnaire. Our study showed that there were no significant differences in terms of mental body representations in people with and without tattoos. The main differences in terms of mental body representations were between men and women without tattoos. The present study suggests the need for a deeper understanding of the importance of tattoo for bodily experience

An Overview of the Importance of Transition-Metal Nanoparticles in Cancer Research

Several authorities have implied that nanotechnology has a significant future in the development of advanced cancer therapies. Nanotechnology makes it possible to simultaneously administer drug combinations and engage the immune system to fight cancer. Nanoparticles can locate metastases in different organs and deliver medications to them. Using them allows for the effective reduction of tumors with minimal toxicity to healthy tissue. Transition-metal nanoparticles, through Fenton-type or Haber–Weiss-type reactions, generate reactive oxygen species. Through oxidative stress, the particles induce cell death via different pathways. The main limitation of the particles is their toxicity. Certain factors can control toxicity, such as route of administration, size, aggregation state, surface functionalization, or oxidation state. In this review, we attempt to discuss the effects and toxicity of transition-metal nanoparticles

Biosynthesized Gold, Silver, Palladium, Platinum, Copper, and Other Transition Metal Nanoparticles

Nanomedicine is a potential provider of novel therapeutic and diagnostic routes of treatment. Considering the development of multidrug resistance in pathogenic bacteria and the commonness of cancer, novel approaches are being sought for the safe and efficient synthesis of new nanoparticles, which have multifaceted applications in medicine. Unfortunately, the chemical synthesis of nanoparticles raises justified environmental concerns. A significant problem in their widespread use is also the toxicity of compounds that maintain nanoparticle stability, which significantly limits their clinical use. An opportunity for their more extensive application is the utilization of plants, fungi, and bacteria for nanoparticle biosynthesis. Extracts from natural sources can reduce metal ions in nanoparticles and stabilize them with non-toxic extract components

Mucin 1 as a Molecular Target of a Novel Diisoquinoline Derivative Combined with Anti-MUC1 Antibody in AGS Gastric Cancer Cells

Background: The aim of the study was to examine the molecular mechanism of the anticancer action of a monoclonal antibody against MUC1 and a diisoquinoline derivative (OM-86II) in human gastric cancer cells. Methods: The cell viability was measured by the MTT assay. The disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and activity of caspase-8 and caspase-9 was performed by flow cytometry. Fluorescent microscopy was used to confirm the proapoptotic effect of compounds. LC3A, LC3B and Beclin-1 concentrations were analyzed to check the influence of the compounds on induction of autophagy. ELISA assessments were performed to measure the concentration of mTOR, sICAM1, MMP-2, MMP-9 and pro-apoptotic Bax. Results: The anti-MUC1 antibody with the diisoquinoline derivative (OM-86II) significantly reduced gastric cancer cells’ viability. This was accompanied by an increase in caspase-8 and caspase-9 activity as well as high concentrations of pro-apoptotic Bax. We also proved that the anti-MUC1 antibody with OM-86II decreased the concentrations of MMP-9, sICAM1 and mTOR in gastric cancer cells. After 48 h of incubation with such a combination, we observed higher levels of the crucial component of autophagosomes (LC3) and Beclin-1. Conclusions: Our study proved that the anti-MUC1 antibody sensitizes human gastric cancer cells to the novel diisoquinoline derivative (OM-86II) via induction of apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibition of selected proteins such as mTOR, sICAM1 and MMP-9

4-Thiazolidinone-Bearing Hybrid Molecules in Anticancer Drug Design

Oncological diseases have currently reached an epidemic scale, especially in industrialized countries. Such a situation has prompted complex studies in medicinal chemistry focused on the research and development of novel effective anticancer drugs. In this review, the data concerning new 4-thiazolidinone-bearing hybrid molecules with potential anticancer activity reported during the period from the years 2017–2022 are summarized. The main emphasis is on the application of molecular hybridization methodologies and strategies in the design of small molecules as anticancer agents. Based on the analyzed data, it was observed that the main directions in this field are the hybridization of scaffolds, the hybrid-pharmacophore approach, and the analogue-based drug design of 4-thiazolidinone cores with early approved drugs, natural compounds, and privileged heterocyclic scaffolds. The mentioned design approaches are effective tools/sources for the generation of hit/lead compounds with anticancer activity and will be relevant to future studies