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Abstract Objective Atrial cardiomyopathy is closely associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), and some patients exhibit no dysfunction at rest but demonstrate evident changes in left atrial (LA) function and LA volume during exercise. This study aimed to identify distinguishing signs during exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) among patients in sinus rhythm (SR), with and without history of paroxysmal/persistent AF (PAF). Methods A prospective cohort of 1055 patients in SR was enrolled across 12 centers. The main study cohort was divided into two groups: the modeling group (n = 513) and the verification group (n = 542). All patients underwent ESE, which included B-lines, LA volume index (LAVi), and LA strain of the reservoir phase (LASr). Results Age, resting and stress LAVi and LASr, and B-lines were identified as a combination of detectors for PAF in both groups. In the entire cohort, aside from resting and stress LAVi and LASr, additional parameters differentiating PAF and non-PAF patients were the presence of systemic hypertension, exercise E/e’ > 7, worse right ventricle (RV) contraction during exercise (∆ tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion 4 as the best sensitivity (79%) and specificity (65%). Conclusion ESE can complement rest echocardiography in the identification of previous PAF in patients with SR through the evaluation of LA functional reservoir and volume reserve, LV chronotropic, diastolic, and systolic reserve, and RV contractile reserve. Graphical Abstract A scoring system predicting the probability of PAF. The score was computed using the cutoff values as in the illustration. The score >4 demonstrated a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 65% of PAF.

Abstract Biological applications of sumanene buckybowl molecule have been widely discussed over the years yet remain still unexplored experimentally. On the other hand, creating cyclodextrin-containing supramolecular assemblies was demonstrated to be a powerful tool in terms of designing effective systems for medicinal chemistry purposes. Here, we show that sumanene molecule exclusively forms 1:1 host-guest complexes with γ-cyclodextrin (γCD) or (2-hydroxypropyl)-γ-cyclodextrin (HP-γCD), as revealed by extensive spectroscopic studies supported with density functional theory (DFT) computations. Based on our preliminary biological studies, we discovered that the formation of such complexes resulted in the improvement of anticancer properties of sumanene, expressed by high cell viabilities in vitro of healthy human mammary fibroblasts (HMF) together with low viabilities of human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MDA-MB-231). Improved pharmacokinetic (ADME-Tox) properties for sumanene@γCD and sumanene@HP-γCD complexes in comparison to native sumanene were also supported by in sillico modeling studies. This work provides the method how to focus the cytotoxic action of sumanene toward cancer cells using supramolecular assembly strategy, paving the way to the further exploration of biological properties of sumanene-containing supramolecular systems with bioactive features and applications of this buckybowl in general.

Background: A chronic disease occurring in a person’s life is a stressor, disrupting every aspect of their life. Objectives: This study aims to assess the relationship between functioning in chronic illness and quality of life with the prevalence of symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with high cardiovascular risk. Material and methods: This study included 200 patients (aged 18–80 years) under the care of a primary care physician, diagnosed with hypertension and/or hypercholesterolemia, and/or diabetes between 6 and 24 months before the enrollment. The presented analysis assessed the symptoms of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular disease using the Heart Quality of Life (HeartQoL) questionnaire and functioning in chronic illness using the Functioning in Chronic Illness Scale (FCIS). Results: The HADS scores amounted to 4.34 ± 3.414 points for the HADS-Anxiety subscale and 3.20 ± 2.979 points for the HADS-Depression subscale. The score indicative of functioning in chronic illness assessed with the FCIS was 98.32 ± 13.89 points. The independent predictors of HADS-anxiety were HeartQoL Emotional and FCIS Global, while HeartQoL Global and FCIS Global were the independent predictors for HADS-depression. Better functioning in chronic illness (FCIS Global) was associated with less frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression based on the HADS: HADS-Anxiety (R Spearmann = −0.3969; p < 0.0001) and HADS-Depression (R Spearmann = −0.5884; p < 0.0001). Higher HeartQoL scores, both globally, as well as in emotional and physical dimensions, were associated with a lower severity of anxiety and depression assessed with the HADS: HADS-Anxiety (R Spearmann = −0.2909; p = 0.0001) and HADS-Depression (R Spearmann = −0.2583; p = 0.0002). Conclusions: The quality of life and functioning in chronic illness are connected with symptoms of depression and anxiety. When assessing the severity of the depression symptoms in relation to the individual aspects of functioning in chronic illness, the areas requiring supportive-educational intervention can be identified. The assessment of both functioning in a chronic disease and the severity of the depression symptoms should be included in a standard nursing diagnosis and further supportive and educational intervention.

Introduction and Objective: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and anxiety, as well as depressive disorders, can coexist. Depression may affect IBD symptoms and vice versa. The aim of our study is to determine the impact of different classes of antidepressant medications in the treatment of IBD with comorbid depressive episodes, to summarize the most commonly used therapies, and to identify the most effective practices in treating inflammatory diseases with coexisting depressive episodes. Materials and Methods: A review of the available literature was conducted by searching the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using the following keywords: inflammatory bowel diseases, depression, antidepressants, in both English and Polish, up until July 19, 2024. To ensure the high quality of the narrative review, the SANRA scale (a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles) was used. Results: Studies indicate that depressive symptoms occur in approximately 25-27.5% of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Treatment of depression in IBD patients often includes the use of antidepressant medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which not only reduce depression but also exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. SSRIs may also be effective in improving patients' quality of life; however, they may cause side effects such as diarrhea and an increased risk of bleeding. In addition to SSRIs, other antidepressants, such as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and atypical antipsychotics, are also used and may have a beneficial impact on the course of the disease. Conclusions: In patients with IBD and comorbid depression, SSRIs are most commonly used, followed by TLPDs, SNRIs, and atypical antipsychotics. Drugs from these groups may have a beneficial effect on depressive symptoms, but also affect the course of IBD. Further clinical studies are needed to establish precise guidelines for the use of these drugs in patients with IBD.

Invasive alien species are currently a major ecological problem. One such species is stone moroko, Pseudorasbora parva (Gobionidae), which has only been found to date in natural or agricultural water bodies (lakes, rivers and streams, carp ponds). Therefore, the current study is the first description of stone moroko in urban green areas (Warsaw, Poland). The fish were caught with a hydrobiological net. Four catches were conducted in ponds located in Morskie Oko Park (pond 1) and the Saxon Garden (pond 2) – two in fall and two in the spring, while two spring catches were conducted in Dolinka Służewska Park (stream). The population in pond 2 apparently survived the winter, and the fish caught in June displayed visible signs of sexual dimorphism and were significantly larger (average body mass: 1648 ± 1123 mg; range: 460–6090 mg) than those caught in the pond in the two fall samplings (404 ± 122 mg; 154–729 mg). After recording substantial numbers of specimens in the fall, no fish were caught in pond 1 during either of the spring catches, while only a few moroko were caught in the stream in April (1212 ± 869 mg; 454–2901 mg) and none were caught in June. Throughout the study, 59 specimens were caught in pond 1, 74 in pond 2, and 7 in the stream.

Abstract Background Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) represents a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer utilizing the heating capabilities of magnetic nanoparticles when exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF). Because the efficacy and safety of MFH treatments depends on numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors, therefore, the proper MFH setups should focus on thermal energy dosed into the cancer cells. Methods In this study, we performed MFH experiments using human lung cancer A549 cells (in vitro) and NUDE Balb/c mice bearing human lung (A549) cancer (in vivo). In these two experimental models, the heat was induced by magnesium-doped iron(III) oxide nanoparticles coated with mPEG-silane (Mg0.1-γ-Fe2O3(mPEG-silane)0.5) when exposed to an AMF. Results We observed that the lung cancer cells treated with Mg0.1-γ-Fe2O3(mPEG-silane)0.5 (0.25 mg·mL−1) and magnetized for 30 min at 14.4 kA·m−1 yielded a satisfactory outcome in reducing the cell viability up to ca. 21% (in vitro). The activation energy calculated for this field strength was estimated for 349 kJ·mol−1. Both volumetric measurements and tumor mass assessments confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a superior thermal effect in mice bearing human lung cancer injected intratumorally with Mg0.1-γ-Fe2O3(mPEG-silane)0.5 nanoparticles (3 mg·mL−1) and subjected to an AMF (18.3 kA·m−1) for 30 min four times at weekly intervals. Research demonstrated that mice undergoing MFH exhibited a marked suppression of tumor growth (V = 169 ± 94 mm3; p

&Lstrok;ukasz Pietrzykowski,1,&ast; Agata Kosobucka-Ozdoba,1,&ast; Piotr Michalski,1 Micha&lstrok; Kasprzak,2 Jakub Ratajczak,1 Alicja Rzepka-Cholasi&nacute;ska,1 Joanna Siódmiak,3 Klaudyna Grzelakowska,2 Aldona Kubica1 1Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Health Promotion, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru&nacute;, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland; 2Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru&nacute;, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland; 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru&nacute;, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: &Lstrok;ukasz Pietrzykowski, Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Health Promotion, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru&nacute;, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Ul. M. Sk&lstrok;odowskiej Curie 9, Bydgoszcz, 85-094, Poland, Tel +48525855835, Email lukasz.pietrzykowski@cm.umk.plBackground: Anxiety and depression by affecting lifestyle interfere with preventive actions aimed at eliminating or reducing modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD).Purpose: The objective of the study was to assess the impact of anxiety and depression on the achievement of therapeutic goals regarding CVD risk factors in patients without a history of atherosclerotic CVD.Patients and Methods: The study included 200 patients (median age 52.0 [IQR 43.0– 60.5] years). Control of the basic risk factors was assessed: blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, physical activity, smoking status, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose. The data analysis included a comparison of the number of controlled risk factors and the percentage of subjects who achieved the therapeutic goal for each of the cardiovascular risk factors. The risk of CVD was assessed with SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). On both subscales (HADS Anxiety and HADS Depression), subjects could achieve normal, borderline, and abnormal scores.Results: The median number of controlled CVD risk factors was 4.0 (IQR 3.0– 5.0), and the median CVD risk assessed with SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP was 3.0% (IQR 1.5– 7.0%). Median scores for HADS Anxiety were 3.0 (IQR 2.0– 6.0) and for HADS Depression 3.0 (1.0– 5.0). Patients with symptoms of anxiety and depression had significantly fewer controlled risk factors (HADS Anxiety p=0.0014; HADS Depression p=0.0304). Among subjects with anxiety and depression, there was a significantly lower percentage of those with a normal waist circumference (HADS Anxiety p=0.0464; HADS Depression p=0.0200) and regular physical activity (HADS Anxiety p=0.0431; HADS Depression p=0.0055). Among subjects with anxiety, there was a significantly lower percentage of those with a normal BMI (p=0.0218) and normal triglyceride concentrations (p=0.0278).Conclusion: The presence of anxiety and depression may affect the control of CVD risk factors in individuals without a history of atherosclerotic CVD. Assessment of anxiety and depression symptoms should be part of a comprehensive examination of patients with high CVD risk.Keywords: anxiety, depression, cardiovascular diseases, risk factors

In the paper a problem of assignment of tasks to machines is formulated and solved, where a criterion of data replication is used and a large size of data imposes additional constraints. This problem is met in practice when dealing with large genomic files or other types of vast data. The necessity of comparing all pairs of files within a big set of DNA sequencing results, which we collected, maintained, and analyzed within a national genomic project, brought us to the proposed results. This problem resembles that of generating a particular Steiner system, and a mechanism observed there is employed in one of our algorithms. Based on the problem complexity, we propose two heuristic algorithms, which work very well even for instances with tight constraints and a heterogeneous environment defined. In addition, we propose a simplified method, nevertheless capable of finding very good solutions and surpassing the algorithms in some special cases. The methods are validated in tests on a wide set of instances, where values of parameters reflect our real-world application and where their usefulness is proven.

Objectives The treatment of rare tumors often necessitates the involvement of highly specialized teams, typically based in larger medical centers or university hospitals, which are often lacking in rural areas. The German TARGET (the Trans-sectoral Personalized Care Concept for Patients with Rare Cancers) project aims to improve the network between outpatient oncology practices and more centralized expert teams via telemedicine. Methods The primary work involved conceptualizing the implementation of project requirements based on feedback from various TARGET project teams, and ultimately, the method of implementation using the software CentraXX. Key requirements included the utilization of an electronic health record (EHR), incorporating appropriate access mediums such as smartphones, and utilizing user-specific certificates to ensure secure and tailored access. The implementation considered technical aspects, data protection regulations, and the need for user-friendly interfaces, particularly for older patients with cancer with limited technological proficiency. Results The results detail the successful implementation of the project requirements using CentraXX, which facilitated the implementation of an EHR, access mediums (patient app), and browser access for outpatient doctors, addressing the project's technical, security, and usability needs. Conclusion This article presents an overview of the requirements associated with the TARGET project and outlines how they were met in terms of the IT infrastructure. By focusing on the IT implementation rather than the medical trial results, this work aims to provide valuable insights and guidance for similar projects seeking to improve telemedicine networks and digital information exchange in the context of rare cancer treatment.

Austriacki patrolog i filolog Lukas Julius Dorfbauer w zbiorach biblioteki katedralnej w Kolonii w kodeksie 17 (K: Köln, Erzbischofl. Diozesan- und Dombibl. 17, s. IX1/4) odkrył anonimowy komentarz do Ewangelii Mateusza. Dorfbauer wykazał, że odnaleziony komentarz, datowany na początek IV wieku to zaginiony przez ponad 1600 lat Fortunatianus Aquileiensis Commentarii in evangelia. W 2013 Dorfbauer ogłosił swe odkrycie oraz rozpoczął prace nad edycją krytyczną tekstu, którą wydał w 2017 r. w CSEL 103. Komentarz Fortunacjana stanowił prawdopodobnie pomoc egzegetyczną dla duchowieństwa Akwilei na początku IV wieku. Bp Akwilei pisząc go opierał się na (obecnie zaginionym) komentarzu do ewangelii opracowanym pod koniec III wieku przez Wiktoryna z Poetovium (250–304). Wspomniane komentarze są dowodem udanej recepcji egzegezy alegorycznej Orygenesa w Kościele Zachodnim na przełomie III i IV wieku.

In the area of research on neurodegenerative diseases, the current challenge is to search for appropriate research methods that would detect these diseases at the earliest possible stage, but also new active structures that would reduce the rate of the disease progression and minimize the intensity of their symptoms experienced by the patient. The chalcones are considered in the context of candidates for new drugs dedicated to the fight against neurodegenerative diseases. The synthesis of bis-chalcone derivatives (3a-3d), as aim molecules was performed. Their structures were established by applying 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS, FT-IR and UV–Vis spectra. All bis-chalcones were synthesized from terephthalaldehyde and appropriate aromatic ketone as substrates in the Claisen-Schmidt condensation method and evaluated in the biological tests and in silico analysis. Compounds exerted antioxidant activity using the HORAC method (3a-3d) and decreased the activities of GPx, COX-2 (3b-3d), GR (3a-3c) and CAT (3a,3b). The high anti-neurodegenerative potential of all four bis-chalcones was observed by inhibition of acetyl- (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and a positive effect on the mouse hippocampal neuronal HT-22 cell line (LDH release and PGC-1α, PPARγ and GAPDH protein expression). TD-DFT method (computing a number of descriptors associated with HOMO–LUMO electron transition: electronegativity, chemical hardness and potential, first ionization potential, electron affinity) was employed to study the spectroscopic properties. This method showed that the first excited state of compounds was consistent with their maximum absorption in the computed UV–Vis spectra, which showed good agreement with the experimental spectrum using PBE1PBE functional. Using in silico approach, interactions of bis-chalcones with selected targets (aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) PAS-A Domain, ligand binding domain of human PPAR-γ, soman-aged human BChE-butyrylthiocholine complex, Torpedo californica AChE:N-piperidinopropyl-galanthamine complex and the COX-2-celecoxib complex) were characterized. Results obtained in in silico models were consistent with in vitro experiments.

Abstract The best choice today for a realistic method of increasing the energy density of a metal-ion battery is to find novel, effective electrode materials. In this paper, we present a theoretical investigation of the properties of hitherto unreported two-dimensional B $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 and N $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 bilayer systems as potential anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The simulation results show that N $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 bilayer is not suitable for anode material due to its thermal instability. On the other hand B $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 is stable, has good electrical conductivity, and is intrinsically metallic before and after lithium intercalation. The low diffusion barrier (0.27 eV) of Li atoms shows a good charge and discharge rate for B $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 bilayer. Moreover, the high theoretical specific capacity (579.57 mAh/g) connected with moderate volume expansion effect during charge/discharge processes indicates that B $$_3$$ 3 C $$_5$$ 5 is a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries.

Hypophosphatemic rickets encompasses a group of rare metabolic diseases that cause lower limb bowing and growth impairment. The mainstay of its management rests in frequent dosages of oral phosphate salts and active vitamin D derivatives. Recent developments in therapy reduced severe pathology progression. However, there remains a substantial number of patients suffering from persisting or recurring deformities. Treatment of those resistant to conventional therapy is the domain of orthopedic surgery. Although multiple recommended approaches exist, no single method has been proven superior to others. In this article, the authors review the effectiveness of several surgical techniques, with a focus on the Ilizarov frame. The method allows for a noninvasive and accurate correction but is technically demanding and imposes a prolonged treatment period. Modern alterations of both the procedure and the original construct aim to improve patient compliance while maintaining the same healing index. Nevertheless, research carried out on small groups of patients and the utilization of different assessment tools for each technique hinders the determination of standardized guidelines. The choice of a given method boils down to an individual approach and strongly depends on the surgeon’s experience and preferences.

Abstract Introduction The validated 40-gene expression profile (40-GEP) test independently stratifies risk of regional or distant metastasis for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) tumors with high-risk clinicopathologic features. This study evaluated the stratification of risk by the 40-GEP test in a large cohort of tumors with one or more high-risk factors and in clinically relevant subgroups, including tumors within National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) high- and very-high-risk groups, lower-stage BWH T1 and T2a tumors, and patients > 65 years old. Methods This multicenter (n = 58) performance study of the 40-GEP included 897 patients. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to assess risk stratification profiles for 40-GEP Class 1 (low), Class 2A (higher) and Class 2B (highest) risk groups, while nested Cox regression models were used to compare risk prediction of clinicopathologic risk classification systems versus risk classification systems in combination with 40-GEP. Results Patients classified as 40-GEP Class 1, Class 2A, or Class 2B had significantly different metastatic risk profiles (p