Monkeypox in humans – the review

Monkeypox is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus with a presentation similar to smallpox. Being previously endemic to Africa, now the disease is spreading across the world, causing fear of a potential next pandemic. Smallpox vaccine, previously providing cross-immunity to monkeypox virus, due to cessation of vaccinations, caused the decline in immunity against these viruses. Defined ways of transmission are animal-to-human through consumption or attack by an affected animal, human-to-human through close contact, or via respiratory droplets. Currently, there are no specific antiviral drugs and vaccine specific to monkeypox, and for symptomatic care, there are no determined guidelines

Primary Membranous Nephropathy - what do we know today?

Introduction: Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, characterized by the deposition of immune complexes in the glomerular basement membrane. Aim of this study: evaluate the features of PMN such as incidence, pathology, clinical features and assess the effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapy. Materials and Methods: The review was based on articles found in PubMed database, using keyword „primary membranous nephropathy” with appropriate sufixes. Results: PMN is a challenging disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management. Laboratory tests, including assessment of autoantibodies and complement levels, are essential for the diagnosis of PMN. Immunosuppressive therapy can be effective in inducing remission in a significant proportion of patients. Conclusions: Further research is needed to optimize the duration and intensity of immunosuppressive therapy, and to evaluate the role of newer therapies such as rituximab and belimumab

New Opportunities and Challenges for Health Professionals in the era of Artificial Intelligence – Review

Introduction and purpose: Modern medical knowledge has grown to a vastness incomprehensible for a single health professional to learn and accommodate. The usage of modern information technologies comes to help, one of them being artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science aimed at developing solutions to perform tasks similar to the human brain, but more efficient and complex, without actual human intervention.  The goal of this review is to provide reader with the knowledge how artificial intelligence is applied in various branches of medicine. Brief description of the state of knowledge: In the fields of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 diagnostics, radiology, dermatology and surgery, works lean toward the statement, which suspect application of AI is beneficial for medical practitioners. Programs help to develop statistical models for virus spreading and the creation of antiviral solutions. The radiological application involves the analysis of images to aid radiologists in diagnosing certain features, similarly to dermatology, where eg. AI can identify malignancy of skin nevi. In the department of surgery, predictive algorithms can help in choosing operation methods and improve outcomes. Conclusions: Usage of AI assistance in the medical field has proven to be successful, but it is yet to be commonly encountered in everyday work. Programs need to be further developed and made more approachable to users without expertise in the IT field. AI may also prove useful in the process of education of health professionals

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

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

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

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

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

RSV Disease Threat and Innovative Prevention Methods in Health Protection: A Review

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes infections of the lower respiratory tract. A group particularly vulnerable to severe infection are young children under 2 years of age and the elderly. The infection can cause the entire spectrum of respiratory symptoms from upper respiratory tract infections to severe courses requiring assisted breathing. Until recently, the only form of protection against infection was passive immunization, i.e. administration of immunoglobulins. Chief among these are palivizumab and nirsevimab. In May u June 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for use 2 vaccines against RSV are Arexvy and Abrysvo. In this study, we focus on presenting and describing the clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of these immunization methods