Vowel perception in multilingual speakers: ERP evidence from Polish, English and Norwegian

IntroductionResearch on Mismatch Negativity (MMN) in monolingual and bilingual speakers has shown significant differences in L1 versus L2 phonemic perception. In this study, we examined whether the MMN response is sensitive to the differences between L1, L2 and L3/Ln.MethodsWe compared bioelectrical brain activity in response to changes in pairs of vowels produced in three different languages. Specifically, multilingual participants listened to selected vowel contrasts in their L1 Polish, L2 English and L3/Ln Norwegian presented within the passive-oddball paradigm.ResultsResults revealed that the MMN was modulated by language: we observed significant differences between L2 English and L3/Ln Norwegian as well as between L1 Polish and L3/Ln Norwegian. For L3/Ln Norwegian, the MMN response had a lower amplitude when compared with L2 English and L1 Polish.DiscussionSuch findings suggest that foreign language status (i.e., L2 vs. L3/Ln) modulates early auditory processing

Czy zespół ciasnoty śródnerkowej może powodować ostre odrzucanie nerki przeszczepionej?

Zespół ciasnoty śródnerkowej jest wynikiem ucisku miąższu nerki, czego konsekwencją jest niedokrwienie narządu. W pracy przedyskutowano problem etiologii oraz skutków tego zjawiska u pacjentów po przeszczepieniu nerki. Wydaje się, że może to być niedoceniana, a przez to często nierozpoznawana, przyczyna niezadowalającej funkcji przeszczepu bądź też nagłego jej pogorszenia

Pacjent przewlekle dializowany z podejrzeniem zespołu Wiskotta-Aldricha — opis przypadku

Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) is a rare,X-linked recessive disorder. This genetic diseaseconcernschanges in a specific cytoplasmicprotein (WASp) mainly expressed inhematopoieticstem cells. The missense mutationsin the WASp gene lead to severeimmunodeficiencyand trombocytopenia. The case presentsa young patient with suspicion ofWAS.The clinical course was complicated and fatalin prognosis as the patient developedrecurrentinfections, trombocytopenia, renal insufficiencyand dissection of aorta. Wehighlight the importancefor seeking potential underlying causes incase of unexplainedtrombocytopenia coexistingwith renal insufficiency.Zespół Wiskotta-Aldricha (WAS) jest rzadką chorobądziedziczoną recesywnie, sprzężoną z chromosomemX. Zaburzenie dotyczy genu dla białka o tej samej nazwie(WASp), którego ekspresja ujawnia się w komórkachkrwiotwórczych. Efektem są zaburzenia odpornościz towarzyszącą trombocytopenią. Zaprezentowanoopis przypadku pacjenta, u którego podejrzewano WAS.U opisywanego chorego już w dzieciństwie występowałynawracające infekcje bakteryjne, postępująca małopłytkowośći niewydolność nerek. Na ostateczny niekorzystnyprzebieg choroby i zgon chorego wpłynęłopowikłanie w postaci tętniaka rozwarstwiającego aorty.Autorzy zwracają uwagę na konieczność poszukiwaniaprzyczyn niewyjaśnionej małopłytkowości u pacjentówz przewlekłą chorobą nerek

Tolerancja immunologiczna u pacjenta z autosomalnym dominującym zwyrodnieniem wielotorbielowatym nerek po transplantacji nerki

Mimo dużego postępu w zakresie leczenia immunosupresyjnego pacjentów po transplantacji narządów unaczynionych i zmniejszeniu odsetka epizodów ostrego odrzucania nie uzyskano poprawy odległych wyników przeżycia przeszczepionego narządu ani jego biorcy. W poszukiwaniu nowych rozwiązań terapeutycznych podejmuje się próby wywołania w organizmie biorcy stanu tolerancji wybiórczej dla antygenów narządu przeszczepionego. W niniejszej pracy opisano przypadek pacjenta z autosomalnie dominującą postacią zwyrodnienia wielotorbielowatego nerek (ADPKD, autosomal dominant polycystic disease), u którego z powodu ciężkich powikłań septycznych, które wystąpiły krótko po transplantacji, odstawiono leczenie immunosupresyjne i nie zaobserwowano ostrego odrzucania przeszczepionej nerki. Zanalizowano możliwe mechanizmy wywołania tolerancji immunologicznej w opisywanym przypadku. Forum Nefrologiczne 2010, tom 3, nr 3, 174-17

Minimal-Change Disease Secondary to Borrelia burgdorferi Infection

Lyme borreliosis is a chronic illness caused by tick-transmitted spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Borreliosis can be extremely threatening if it is not diagnosed and treated in early stages. Kidneys are not typically involved in the disease. However, in infected dogs, Lyme nephritis is present in 5–10% of cases. It is associated with rapidly progressing renal failure. Histopathological examination shows mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with diffuse tubular necrosis, (Dambach et al. (1997)). In available literature, there were reports of human's glomerulonephritis associated with Borrelia burgdorferi infection. These cases refer to membranous and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (Kirmizis and Chatzidimitriou (2010), Zachäus (2008), and Kirmizis et al. (2004)). In this paper, we present the case of minimal-change disease (MCD) as a result of Borrelia burgdorferi infection

Urobiome: In Sickness and in Health

The human microbiome has been proven to contribute to the human condition, both in health and in disease. The metagenomic approach based on next-generation sequencing has challenged the dogma of urine sterility. The human urobiome consists of bacteria and eukaryotic viruses as well as bacteriophages, which potentially represent the key factor. There have been several significant findings with respect to the urobiome in the context of urological disorders. Still, the research on the urobiome in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation remains underrepresented, as does research on the role of the virome in the urinary microbiota. In this review, we present recent findings on the urobiome with a particular emphasis on chronic kidney disease and post-kidney transplantation status. Challenges and opportunities arising from the research on the human urobiome will also be discussed

The Effects of Long-Term Immunosuppressive Therapies on the Structure of the Rat Prostate

Background: Little is known about the overall impact of immunosuppressive drugs on the prostate. The study aimed to determine the impact of different protocols of immunosuppressive treatment on the structure of the rat ventral prostate. Methods: For 6 months, 48 male Wistar rats received immunosuppressive drugs: cyclosporin A, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, rapamycin, and prednisone, according to three-drug protocols. Light and transmission electron microscopic studies, and quantitative evaluation of immunohistochemical expression of selected intermediate filaments, CD117+ mast cells, and CD138+ plasma cells were performed in the rat ventral prostate. Results: In all experimental groups, acini focal hyperplasia, changes to the ultrastructure of the glandular epithelium, changes in the expression of cytokeratins and desmin, and numerous mast and plasma cells in the prostate stroma were found. In cyclosporine-A-based groups, atrophy and numerous intracellular vacuoles were observed. In groups where a three-drug treatment was replaced with rapamycin, morphological alterations were less severe compared to those without conversion. Conclusions: In the rat ventral prostate, (1) immunosuppressive protocols affect the morphology and immunohistochemical expression of intermediate filaments, (2) morphological alterations, expression, and localization of selected proteins are not connected with adenocarcinoma development, and (3) conversion of the treatment to rapamycin may prevent hyperplastic abnormalities

The long-term effects of rapamycin-based immunosuppressive protocols on the expression of renal aquaporins 1, 2, 3 and 4 water channels in rats

Background. To this day, the effect of multidrug immunosuppressive protocols on renal expression of AQPs is unknown. This study aimed to determine the influence of rapamycin-based multi-drug immunosuppressive regimens on the expression of aquaporins (AQPs) 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the rat kidney. Methods. For 6 months, 24 male Wistar rats were administered immunosuppressants, according to the three-drug protocols used in patients after organ transplantation. The rats were divided into four groups: the control group, the TRP group (tacrolimus, rapamycin, prednisone), the CRP group (cyclosporine A, rapamycin, prednisone), and the MRP group (mycophenolate mofetil, rapamycin, prednisone). Selected red cell indices and total calcium were measured in the blood of rats and quantitative analysis of AQP1, AQP2, AQP3 and AQP4 immunoexpression in the kidneys were performed. Results. In the TRP and CRP groups, a mild increase of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and total calcium were observed. Moreover, decreased expression of AQP1-4 was found in all experimental groups, with the highest decrease in the CRP group. Conclusions. The long-term immunosuppressive treatment using multi-drug protocols decreased AQP1-4 expressions in renal tubules, possibly leading to impaired urine-concentrating ability in ra