Search

The Fontan operation has become the primary palliative treatment for patients with a functionally univentricular heart. The population of patients with Fontan circulation is constantly growing and aging. As the number of Fontan patients surviving into adulthood increases, there is a clear need for research on how best to follow these patients and manage their complications. Monitoring blood biomarkers is a promising method for the non-invasive assessment of the Fontan circulation. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence on this topic. The following biomarkers were included: natriuretic peptides, red blood cell distribution width (RDW), cystatin C, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, von Willebrand factor, carbohydrate antigen 125, lipoproteins, hepatocyte growth factor, troponins, ST2 protein, galectin-3, adrenomedullin, endothelin-1, components of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, norepinephrine, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, and uric acid. We did not find strong enough data to propose evidence-based recommendations. Nevertheless, significantly elevated levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)/N-terminal prohormone of BNP (NT-proBNP) are most likely associated with the failure of the Fontan circulation. The use of the RDW is also promising. Several biomarkers appear to be useful in certain clinical presentations. Certainly, robust longitudinal, preferably multicenter, prospective studies are needed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, evidence-based cut-off values and overall predictive value of different biomarkers in monitoring Fontan physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this exploratory article is to examine the specifics and networks within and between conservative organizations at the local, regional, and national levels in Poland. By investigating these connections in 2016 using social network analysis and interviews, we contribute to a better understanding of the growth and structure of these groups, which created the base for right-wing organizations as well as led to the success of right-wing parties in Poland and vice versa. We expect to find that the majority of far-right organization networks is vertically structured, linking those organizations at the local level with national organizations; those at the top sustain them financially and offer popularity, access to politics, and other opportunities. However, although right-wing organizations care more about the linkages with their national counterparts, we expect to find that those few local organizations that form links with like-minded local organizations emphasize grassroots activities unrelated to participation in political party activities and are less radical and more civil in their behavior and attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The simultaneous occurrence of cancer and acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) presents a complex clinical challenge. This study clarifies variances in diagnostic parameters among ACS patients with and without concurrent cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 320 individuals diagnosed with ACS, stratified equally into two cohorts—one with cancer and the other cancer-free. We evaluated risk factors, symptom profiles, coronary angiography results, echocardiographic evaluations, and laboratory diagnostics. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test, the Mann–Whitney U test, and the chi-square test. Results: Cancer patients were older (mean age 71.03 vs. 65.13 years, p < 0.001) and had a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (33.1% vs. 15.0%, p < 0.001) but a lower prevalence of hyperlipidemia (59.7% vs. 82.5%, p < 0.001). Chest pain was less frequent in cancer patients (72.5% vs. 90%, p < 0.001), while hypotension was more common (41.9% vs. 28.8%, p = 0.022). NSTEMI was more common in cancer patients (41.9% vs. 30.6%, p = 0.048), while STEMI was less common (20.6% vs. 45.3%, p < 0.001). RCA and LAD involvement were less frequent in cancer patients (RCA: 18.1% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.018; LAD: 18.8% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.026). Conclusions: This study demonstrates differences in the clinical presentation of ACS between patients with and without cancer. Cancer patients were less likely to present with chest pain and more likely to experience hypotension. Additionally, they had a higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease and they were less likely to have hyperlipidemia. These findings highlight the need for a careful approach to diagnosing ACS in oncology patients, considering their distinct symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regime change in 1989 transformed nearly all elements of life in Poland, and the anarchist movement was not an exception. This article focuses on the Peoples' Liberation Front, the first post-war Polish anarchist group to use violence as its modus operandi. Their actions were rejected en masse by the rest of the Polish anarchist movement, and in particular by the Anarchist Federation, which was establishing itself as the dominant organisation within the Polish anarchist movement. The functioning of the Peoples' Liberation Front was and still is submerged in controversy. One allegation is that it was a false flag operation sponsored by the newly established civil counterintelligence service. Another view is that it was defined by a series of actions undertaken by youth fascinated by violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radical right is on the rise all over Europe and beyond, either in terms of electoral success or activities outside the institutional arena, especially after the 2015 refugee crisis. Central and Eastern European countries are no exception, although not yet closely studied for radical right social movements and protest. In this article we investigate the degree and characteristics of the mobilisation of different types of radical right organisations (political parties and social movements alike) in Central and Eastern Europe to capture a broader picture of the current developments in radical right politics beyond elections and electoral campaign periods. By focusing on four countries (Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia), and combining qualitative and quantitative data derived from a protest event analysis reported in newspaper articles between 2008 and 2016 (for a total of 1587 events coded), we analyse the radical right mobilisation (i.e. intensity and degree of radicalism), linking it to the political opportunities and the organisational features of the groups mobilising. We argue that the radical right is using a very broad repertoire of action, beyond violence and the electoral arena, including expressive and symbolic strategies, as well as the use of new technologies like the Internet. We also stress that for the radical right, as for the leftwing social movements, the analytical framework of political opportunities and a resource mobilisation approach can help in explaining their mobilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients treated with radiotherapy to the chest region are at risk of cardiac sequelae, however, identification of those with greatest risk of complications remains difficult. Here, we sought to determine whether shortterm changes in circulating miRNA expression are related to measures of cardiac dysfunction in follow-up. Materials and methods: Two parallel patient cohorts were enrolled and followed up for 3 years after completion of RT to treat left-sided breast cancer. In the primary group (N=28) we used a a panel of 752 miRNAs to identify miRNAs associated with radiation and cardiac indices at follow up. In the second, independent cohort (N=56) we validated those candidate miRNAs with a targeted qPCR panel. In both cohorts. serum samples were collected before RT, 24h after the last dose and 1 month after RT; cardiac echocardiography was performed 2.5-3 year after RT. Results: Seven miRNAs in the primary group showed marked changes in serum miRNAs immediately after RT compared to baseline and associations with cardiopulmonary dose-volume histogram metrics. Among those miRNAs: miR-15b-5p, miR-22-3p, miR-424-5p and miR-451a were confirmed to show significant decrease of expression 24 hours post-RT in the validation cohort. Moreover, miR-29c, miR-451 and miR-424 were correlated with the enddiastolic diameter of the left ventricle, which was also confirmed in multivariable analysis adjusting for RT-associated factors. Conclusion: We identified a subset of circulating miRNAs predictive for cardiac function impairment in patients treated for left-sided breast cancer, although longer clinical observation could determine if these can be used to predict major clinical endpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and cancer are among the leading causes of death worldwide. In recent years, increasing evidence has suggested an interplay between these 2 conditions. This article reviews the pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and treatment options for ACS and cancer. The interplay between these conditions may be due to environmental, genetic, and metabolic factors. For example, smoking, hypertension, and obesity are risk factors for both ACS and cancer. Diagnosis of ACS and cancer can be challenging because the symptoms of these conditions often overlap. For example, chest pain can be a symptom of both ACS and a neoplasms. Treatment options for ACS and cancer are varied and depend on the type of disease, stage of disease, and individual patient factors. Treatment for ACS may include angioplasty, stenting, or medication therapy. Treatment for cancer may include surgical removal of the tumour, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late 2020 witnessed one of the biggest cycles of protests in contemporary Poland that were sparked by the decision of the Constitutional Tribunal further restricting the abortion law. This cycle of contention was somewhat similar to of the protests organized in 2016 and later but stood out in terms of scale and geographic distribution. The 2016 protests were surprising as they also emerged in Polish small and provincial towns. The scale of 2020's protests in small towns belies the common assumption about the string conservatism of Poland and in particular Polish small towns and rural areas. Besides the scale, there are other surprising elements in these protests, one of them being the harsher and more direct language used during the protests and the generational composition of the protesting crowds. Our hypothesis is that these protests mark the emergence of a new generation of feminist activists, while the whole cycle of protests marks deeper changes in Polish society. The inclusion of the Roman Catholic Church as one of the targets of the protests' claims can be linked to the increasing secularization of the Polish society; the growing and observed intersectionality during women's protests (i.e. inclusion of social claims, support for LGBT+ community, antifascism) points out to the changing nature of feminist activism in Poland; and finally the new language used during protests suggests a significant change in defining the protest arena s and a shift of scale from locality to the translocal reality of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Our study aimed to look at the clinical characteristics, treatment and short-term outcomes of patients hospitalized due to heart failure with coexisting cancer. (2) Methods: Seventy one cancer (Ca) patients and a randomly selected 70 patients without Ca, hospitalized due to heart failure exacerbation in the same time period constituted the study group (Ca patient group) and controls (non-Ca group), respectively. Data on clinical characteristics were collected retrospectively for both groups. (3) Results: Cancer patients presented with a less advanced NYHA class, had more frequent HFpEF, a higher peak troponin T level, and smaller left atrium size, as compared with controls. The in-hospital deaths of Ca patients were associated with: a higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, lower HgB level, worse renal function, higher K and AST levels, presence of diabetes mellitus, and HFpEF. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, impaired renal function was the only independent predictor of in-hospital death in Ca patients (OR-1.15; CI 1.05; 1.27); p = 0.017). The following covariates entered the regression: NYHA class, HgB, GFR, K+, AST, diabetes mellitus t.2, and HFpEF. (4) Conclusions: The clinical picture and the course of heart failure in patients with and without cancer are different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: To assess the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias caused by high doses of levothyroxine in patients with thyroid cancer with subclinical hyperthyroidism. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 98 women divided into three groups according to plasma thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration: <0.1 μU/mL, 0.1-0.39 μU/mL, or 0.4-4.0 μU/mL (control group). All participants underwent laboratory tests and an electrocardiography (ECG) Holter test to assess their heart rate and the occurrence of arrhythmias. Statistical analysis assessed differences between groups in all clinical parameters and factors influencing the occurrence of arrhythmias. Results: There were no differences between groups in the maximum, average, or minimum heart rate or in the incidence of the studied cardiac arrhythmias. Heart rate in women with a TSH concentration of <0.1 μU/mL depended on age and the presence of arterial hypertension, and heart rate in women with a TSH concentration of 0.4-4.0 μU/mL depended on free triiodothyronine concentration and the presence of arterial hypertension; no relationship was identified for women with a TSH concentration of 0.1-0.39 μU/mL. One-way logistic regression analysis did not identify any factors influencing the occurrence of arrhythmias. Conclusions: While maintaining normal free triiodothyronine levels, the use of suppressive doses of levothyroxine after thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer does not induce clinically significant arrhythmias or affect average heart rate. None of the studied clinical parameters influenced the risk of arrhythmia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Film Quarterly / Kwartalnik Filmowy is the property of Kwartalnik Filmowy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Miscellanea Anthropologica et Sociologica is the property of University of Gdansk / Uniwersytet Gdanskim and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pain Research / Ból is the property of Index Copernicus International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Black Monday and the National Women's Strike in 2016 caused a new wave of feminist/women's activists to appear. One of the main determinants of the success of these protests was their geographical distribution: most of the demonstrations took place in small towns and cities. The main aim of this article is to present the civic practices of activists - organizers of the above-mentioned protests - from small towns and cities. On the basis of 24 in-depth interviews the authors intend to present the characteristics of civic practices in provincial Polish cities. The proposed article will present a look at civic practices from a completely new perspective, using the dividing lines so far ignored in research on social movements, especially pro-women's movements in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pianist and accompanist Hélène Casella (1876-1952) was one of the most popular figures of the Parisian music scene in the 1920s and 30s. Engaged in the activities of the Société Musicale Indépendante and La Revue Musicale, she met Karol Szymanowski in 1922 and soon became not only a great admirer of his music but also a personal friend. She promoted his work in Paris and supported artists who were close to him, for instance Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, who would later express his appreciation for her emotional and intellectual depth. Based on archival research Piotrowski portrays Casella and her contributions to Polish culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships - life and professional - with Poland, Germany and France, and aesthetic contexts and artistic communities of the places where she worked, shaped Anna Prucnal's film acting as a phenomenon in which the readable sources of local and national elements are obscured by the irreducible Other-Different. Thanks to that Prucnal in films be Fellini, Makavejev, Deville, Wajda, Vadim or Amalric functions on the one hand as the fascinating, disturbing Other, and on the other hand by transcending the local, she might be easily assimilated by international cinema (which paradoxically turned against the actress, when after 1989, she tried to return to the local, that is Polish cinema). The authors describe the means of expression in Prucnal's roles, they analyse her characteristic, “excessive” presence on the screen. They ponder to what extend is she a “foreign body” and to what extend is she a unique, transgressive, dissonant, confusing “added value”. The aim of the article is the definition of “Prucnal's acting syndrome” and the interpretation of the forces that shaped it (by reference to opera, the aesthetics of Brecht and Felsenstein, Student Satirical Theatre, Avignon avant-garde theatre, counter-culture and camp, and left wing views), above all from the perspective of the strategy of reinterpretation of symbols of national cultures and tensions between what is local, transnational and international. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of cation-π interactions on the electrochemical properties of copper(II) complexes with synthesized pentapeptide C-terminal fragment of Atrial Natriuretic Factor (ANF) hormone was studied in this work. Molecular modeling performed for Cu(II)-NSFRY-NH2 complex indicated that the cation-π interactions between Tyr and Cu(II), and also between Phe-Arg led to specific conformation defined as peptide box, in which the metal cation is isolated from the solvent by peptide ligand. Voltammetry experiments enabled to compare the redox properties and stability of copper(II) complexes with NSFRY-NH2 and its analogues (namely: NSFRA-NH2, NSFRF-NH2, NSAAY-NH2, NSAAA-NH2, AAAAA-NH2) as well as to evaluate the contribution of individual amino acid residues to these properties. The obtained results led to the conclusion, that cation-π interactions play a crucial role in the effective stabilization of copper(II) complexes with the fragments of ANF peptide hormone and therefore could control the redox processes in other metalloproteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two Polish cities, Warsaw and Poznań, are studied in the article to examine how external structures are handled and used by squatters in these two settings. The aim is to analyze opportunity structures that condition the emergence and development of squatting and how squatters respond to and utilize these opportunities. Our ambition is to understand why squatting has developed differently in the two cities by emphasizing the duration and cohesion of the squatting scene as pivotal for the different trajectories of squatting. It is argued in the article that the durability of the squatting environment abates tendencies to open the squatting scene to external coalitions and establish more institutionalized forms of political struggle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squatting, or the use of property without the owners’ permission, and tenants’ activism are under-researched areas, in particular, in the post-socialist context. Poland is pointed out as extraordinary on the map of squatting in post-socialist Europe and a considerable number of tenants’ organizations are active in the country. What is most interesting is that squatters and tenants’ activists are forming alliances, despite obvious differences in their organizational models, social composition, along with the specific motives and goals of their activism. The objective of this paper is to examine the relations between the tenants’ and squatting movements in Poland by studying two cities where both movements are established and cooperating closely. In particular, we are interested in the transformative power of such cooperation, assuming that cooperation between social movements results in negotiations and transformations of the involved social movement actors. The empirical foundations for this paper are 50 interviews, of which 30 were conducted in Warsaw with squatters and tenants’ movement activists and the remaining 20 with activists in Poznań. Warsaw and Poznań are, moreover, two Polish cities where the squatting movement is most vibrant and where squatters and tenants have achieved some considerable successes in their activities. The paper argues against previous studies emphasizing access to abundant resources and identity alignment as crucial for the mobilization of collective and collaborative action. Instead, it argues that the lack of resources might equally be driving social movements towards cooperation, as a kind of compensation. Further, our cases demonstrate that ideology and identity alignment in social movements create stagnation in regard to openness towards new allies. We therefore argue that a high degree of identity alignment and ideological consistency might discourage the formation of new alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Squatting, or the use of property without the owners' permission, and tenants' activism are under-researched areas, in particular, in the post-socialist context. Poland is pointed out as extraordinary on the map of squatting in post-socialist Europe and a considerable number of tenants' organizations are active in the country. What is most interesting is that squatters and tenants' activists are forming alliances, despite obvious differences in their organizational models, social composition, along with the specific motives and goals of their activism. The objective of this paper is to examine the relations between the tenants' and squatting movements in Poland by studying two cities where both movements are established and cooperating closely. In particular, we are interested in the transformative power of such cooperation, assuming that cooperation between social movements results in negotiations and transformations of the involved social movement actors. The empirical foundations for this paper are 50 interviews, of which 30 were conducted in Warsaw with squatters and tenants' movement activists and the remaining 20 with activists in Poznań. Warsaw and Poznań are, moreover, two Polish cities where the squatting movement is most vibrant and where squatters and tenants have achieved some considerable successes in their activities. The paper argues against previous studies emphasizing access to abundant resources and identity alignment as crucial for the mobilization of collective and collaborative action. Instead, it argues that the lack of resources might equally be driving social movements towards cooperation, as a kind of compensation. Further, our cases demonstrate that ideology and identity alignment in social movements create stagnation in regard to openness towards new allies. We therefore argue that a high degree of identity alignment and ideological consistency might discourage the formation of new alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the research on the alterglobalist, also known as the global justice, movement has focused on Western Europe and North America, with occasional research on other parts of the world. There has been little research done on this movement in the postsocialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This paper attempts to fill this gap by exploring the key events of the movement as well as the genealogy of grassroots social activism in the region. It offers insight into a movement that developed in a region that, due to its history, has been rather hostile to leftist ideologies and groups. This paper examines the development of the alterglobalist movement in the region and traces its inspirations and path dependencies. It also poses questions about the nature of the movement and ways to analyse it - whether as a politicized social movement or a subculture and lifestyle choice. The close connections of Central and Eastern European grassroots social movements to subcultures and counterculture might suggest a new and fresh perspective for studying social movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, reversibility, and severity of LV perfusion abnormalities in patients with isolated myocardial bridges using a gated myocardial perfusion SPECT study (GSPECT). Methods: A retrospective study involved 42 patients without history of myocardial infarction, with isolated myocardial bridges detected in coronary angiography and no substantial evidence of atherosclerotic changes in coronary arteries. In all patients a gated SPECT study was performed at both rest and stress, after intravenous administration of Tc MIBI. Reconstructed slices were analyzed using a 20-segment model of the left ventricle. Results: Incidence and severity of stress-induced ischemia were related to degree of artery constriction ( P = .002 and .00014, respectively). Perfusion abnormalities were detected only in patients with critical narrowing (≥50%) of artery (in 12 out of 28, i.e., 43% of patients). Summed stress scores (SSS) ranged from 4 to 11 (mean 7), indicating slight or moderate defect intensity. Only 1 patient presented with a SSS value of 31 (severe defect). Perfusion defects were stress induced in 70 out of 72 (97%) segments with abnormal perfusion. Conclusion: Perfusion abnormalities were observed in ab. 40% of patients with critical (≥50%) narrowing of artery affected by bridging and were mild, stress induced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jarocin in Poland is usually associated with one of the biggest rock festivals behind the Iron Curtain. It was not only a birthplace of many music groups in the 1980s, but also an enclave of freedom in communist Poland. It was a place where young people could manifest their music and fashion tastes, listen to their favorite bands and enjoy few days of relative freedom. This article highlights the main events in the history of the festival and also tries to assess its significance for the broader political and cultural life of Poland in the 1980s. It also looks at the role the festival played in the creation of youth subcultures and in catalyzing political changes in 'late socialist' Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to show the development and the origins of identity-based youth groups in Central and Eastern Europe. The rise of these groups, closely related to subcultures, should be perceived not only as one of the ways of fighting the communist regimes in the region, but also as a criticism of pro-democratic dissidents. The opposition's shift towards neoliberal positions, as well as the elitism of the intellectuals forming the movement, left many people-including the young-aside. The cleavage can be seen not only on the discursive level, but also when speaking of tactics used during protest events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraoxonases (PONs) may exert anti-atherogenic action by reducing lipid peroxidation. We evaluated the influence of 2 polymorphisms within PON1 (192 Gln/ Arg) and PON2 (311 Ser/Cys) genes in 407 young Poles: 273 patients who experienced a first myocardial infarction (MI) under the age of 45 (study group) and 134 healthy volunteers (control group) with a HEART Score ≤2 (low risk). Paraoxonase 1 polymorphism 192Gln/Arg influenced the risk of premature MI (P = .0054). A positive family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) was associated with the 192Arg allele (P = .0107). The association between PON1 genotype (192 Gln/Arg) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (P = .036) levels was also observed. However, we did not find any relationship between polymorphism 311Ser/Cys and CAD risk (P = .418). PON1 polymorphism 192Gln/Arg influenced the risk of premature MI. The association between PON1 genotype (192 Gln/Arg) and serum LDL-C levels may be explained by PON participation in reverse cholesterol transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a potent vasodilator. Several polymorphisms in the eNOS gene have been described, some of them being linked with the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and coronary spasm. Methods and Results: We studied 3 polymorphisms within the gene of eNOS (-786T/C, G10T, and 894 G/T) in patients with their first myocardial infarction (MI) younger than 45 years and in healthy volunteers. We found the relation between the occurrence of eNOS 894G allele and the Gensini score, which describes the severity of CHD (P ¼ .020). Conclusions: The fact that first clinical manifestation of MI occurred in G carriers when the atherosclerotic plaque was much more advanced than in T carriers may suggest that wild-type genotype provided a better compensatory mechanisms due to NO synthesis and/or release. The polymorphisms within eNOS gene G10T, 894G/T, and -786T/C were not associated with the increased risk of MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]