Search

La1−xAgxFeO3 (x = 0.05–0.25) perovskites deposited on a honeycomb-shaped monolithic metallic support were used as catalysts for the total oxidation of hydrocarbons. Monolithic catalysts were prepared by washcoating honeycomb substrates with lanthanum-stabilized γ-Al2O3, on which La1−xAgxFeO3 was deposited. Catalysts with La1−xAgxFeO3 perovskites show higher activity for methane oxidation at x ≥ 0.05 and hexane oxidation at x ≥ 0.1 than LaFeO3 catalyst. The perovskite catalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, TPR-H2, O2-TPD and BET specific surface area measurement. Ag forms solid solutions with the La1−xAgxFeO3 perovskite lattice for x = 0.05–0.1. In La1−xAgxFeO3 perovskites (x ≥ 0.1), Ag0 particles with average crystallite sizes from 31 to 41 nm were also identified. When Ag is introduced into the LaFeO3 perovskite, both the changes occurring after some Ag is incorporated into its structure and the presence of large crystallites of metallic silver contribute to the catalysts' activity increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary Zn-Ni-Mo alloy coatings were deposited from a citrate-sulphate bath at pH 5.7 containing different amounts of sodium molybdate. The content of molybdenum in the coatings (from 0.3 to 5.2 at.-%) can be easily controlled by increasing sodium molybdate concentration in the plating bath from 0.0025 to 0.05 mol dm− 3, which results also in deposition of smoother deposits. An increase in molybdate concentration leads to the shift of reduction potentials towards more negative values and to the decrease in current efficiency of deposition process. XRD analyses and anodic linear sweep voltammetry (ALSV) measurements demonstrated that at least two phases are formed in the Zn-Ni-Mo alloy: a hexagonal zinc phase or solid solution of nickel in zinc and Ni5Zn21 intermetallic compound. Furthermore, the XRD analyses revealed a third phase, which could be assigned to the oxidised species of molybdenum or other alloying metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-P\nano-ZrO2 composite coatings were obtained on the AISI 304 steel substrate by the electroless method from a bath containing dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). This cationic surfactant prevents ZrO2 agglomeration in the bath and affects the ZrO2 content in the coating, hence it alters functional properties of the coatings. It has been found in this study that corrosion resistance of the composite coatings depends on the surfactant concentration in the bath.The estimation of corrosion resistance was carried out by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The degree of the sample surface coverage with corrosion products was determined by the machine vision method.The coating obtained from the 0.88 g/dm3 DTAB solution showed the best protective properties. The machine vision method was shown to be an effective complementary tool to evaluate protective properties of the coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Electroless nickel-phosphorous plating is a technique often employed in preparation of protective, decorative, and functional coatings. Several feasible mechanisms are discussed in the literature. The influence of process parameters on metal coating deposition is analyzed and described. Nevertheless, some basics of the process and the fundamental aspects of plating still not explained. A number of research groups make an effort to provide a description of the process with a physical model. The aim is to design a theoretical model that could be valid under operating conditions on a practical scale. This work gives a short review of the published data on the mechanism and kinetics of the electroless Ni-P deposition process. The review also touches a novel approach-proposition to analyze data using artificial intelligence tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-P matrix, ternary Ni-W-P and Ni-P-ZrO2 coatings, and quaternary Ni-W-P-ZrO2 coatings were deposited using electroless method from a glycine bath. Their corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for various immersion times in a 3.5% NaCl solution. From among the investigated coatings, the ternary Ni-W-P coatings show the highest resistance to corrosion in the first hour of exposure to the 3.5% NaCl medium. An addition of ZrO2 adversely affects the performance of both the Ni-P coatings and the Ni-W-P coatings. For all the coatings, including the ones containing tungsten, a marked decrease in pore resistance (Rpor) over time is observed. This means that their corrosion resistance and capacity to protect the substrate decline. On the other hand, after 24 h immersion in the 3.5% NaCl solution the Ni-W-P coating shows the highest low-frequency impedance modulus (| Z|f = 0.01 Hz). As regards corrosion resistance, the Ni-P coatings and the Ni-W-P coatings perform best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One-, three- and five-layer SiO2–Al2O3 coatings were deposited on a FeCrAl alloy basis by the sol–gel method. Sols in which the molar ratio of tetraethoxysilan to aluminium tri-sec-butoxide was 1:1 and 1:3 were used. As the samples were being soaked at T =1200°C for t =700h the mass of the samples increased. Thermal shock (T =1200°C, 10,000 cycles) causes greater degradation of the surface than soaking at a constant temperature. The XPS and EDS results show that the composition of the top layer of the coatings changes during high temperature oxidation and thermal shock. The outward movement of aluminium cations results in surface enrichment with aluminium, particularly for the single-layer coatings. The measured energies of bonds Si 2p and Al 2p in the multilayer coatings indicate that a structure of aluminosilicates with a composition between that of mullite and that of sillimanite forms during sintering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The motion of ions in an electric field for solutions containing Cu2+ ions in the presence of 2-phosphonobutane- 1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC), N-trismethylenephosphonic acid (NTMP) and N-(phosphonomethyl) imino-diacetic acid (PMIDA) was investigated using a capillary electrophoresis analyzer. Satisfactory agreement between the cation isotachophoretic determination results and the results calculated from the protonation constants of the relevant ligand species and the stability constants of copper complexes was obtained. The research results can be useful for the electrokinetic method of removing copper from soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni–W–P alloy coatings were deposited from a bath containing, nickel sulphate (VI), sodium tungstate (VI), sodium hypophosphite, sodium formate, and a complexing agent. The complexing agents were formic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, aminoacetic acid and triethanoloamine. It is shown that Ni–W–P coatings are deposited the slowest when complexing agents with the highest stability constants are used. As the deposition rate increases, i.e. in the presence of less stable complexing compounds, the amount of tungsten in the coating decreases. When aminoacetic acid and citric acid were used, the tungsten content in the coating amounted to ∼2 wt-%, depending on the complexing agent concentration and the pH of the bath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results of a research on the corrosion resistance of composite Ni/Al2O3 coatings electrochemically deposited from Watts baths containing different amounts (0, 20, 100 g dm-3) of Al2O3 particles. Potentiodynamic tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were carried out in a 3% solution of NaCl. The coatings with about 6 wt-% of corundum, deposited from a bath with 100 g dm-3 of a powder, showed the best protective properties. The rate of corrosion of such coatings after 7 days of exposure in the NaCl solution was over two times slower than that of coatings containing 2 wt-% of Al2O3 and six times slower than that of a standard nickel coating. Two equivalent circuits: one consisting of two RC circuits and the other one made up of three RC circuits were used for the analysis of the impedance spectra. Regardless of the presence and amount of the Al2O3 particles in the nickel coating, during first day of exposure in the NaCl solution a layer of nickel oxides and hydroxides forms on the surface of the coatings increasing their corrosion resistance. In the case of coatings with 6 wt-% of Al2O3, the passive layer is least vulnerable to the aggressive action of Cl- ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of under-air n-hexane oxidation over monolithic catalysts made of heat-resistant foil, containing Pt, Pd or Pt-Pd, was compared. Pt and Pd precursors, either containing chlorine or devoid of chlorine, were used to prepare the catalysts. The chlorine- containing Pt (H2PtCl6) and Pd (PdCl2) precursors were found to lower the activity of the catalysts in hexane oxidation. Studies of the effect of 0.15% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst (using H2PtCl6 as the precursor) calcination conditions on catalyst activity showed the catalyst calcined in static air at 500°C to be the most active. Airflow calcination of the catalyst does not change its catalytic properties. In comparison with the 0.5% Pd/Al2O3 catalyst obtained from Pd(NO3)2, the use of a bimetallic 0.5% Pd/0.1% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst, in which the precursors were Pd(NO3)2 and Pt(NO3)4, resulted in the lowering of 10% and 50% n-hexane temperature by 15°C and 10°C.

The influence of organic additives on the process of surface electropolishing of AISI 304 type steel was determined. Additives were selected in initial potentiodynamic tests pursuant to the plateau analysis on the current/potential curves. The assessment of the operational effectiveness of additives consisted in determining the relationship between surface gloss after electropolishing and the mass loss of the sample and in determining surface roughness. The applied electropolishing bath consisted of a mixture of concentrated acids: H3PO4 and H2SO4, and the following organic additives were used: triethylamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether and glycerol. The best electropolishing result, i.e. low roughness and high gloss of stainless steel surface with a relatively low mass loss of the sample at the same time were obtained for baths containing triethanolamine.

To date, the effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) discontinued before 4 weeks has not been analysed in routine clinical practice. The study aimed to determine whether such a short therapy will enable achieving a sustained virological response under real-world experience. The study population of 97 patients who discontinued DAA therapy and had data enabling analysis of patient and disease characteristics, and assessment of treatment effectiveness was selected from 16,815 patients registered in the EpiTer-2 database. The most common reason for discontinuation was hepatic decompensation (20.6%) or the patient's personal decision (18.6%). Patients who discontinued treatment were significantly older, more frequently therapy-experienced, more likely to have cirrhosis, a history of decompensation and a Child-Pugh B or C classification than those who completed treatment. SVR was achieved by 93.5% of patients who discontinued treatment after 4 weeks, 60.9% if discontinued at 3 or 4 week and 33.3% at Week 1 or 2. Patients receiving pangenotypic but not genotype-specific treatment who discontinued after 4 weeks were as likely to achieve SVR as those who completed therapy. Patients who responded to treatment that lasted no longer than 2 weeks had a low baseline viral load (<400,000 IU/mL). Despite discontinuation of therapy after Week 4, the chances of SVR are high. Very early discontinuation does not preclude therapeutic success, especially in patients with low baseline viral load., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is a goal set by the World Health Organization. This has become possible with the introduction of highly effective and safe direct-acting antivirals (DAA) but limitations remain due to undiagnosed HCV infections and loss of patients from the cascade of care at various stages, including those lost to follow-up (LTFU) before the assessment of the effectiveness of the therapy. The aim of our study was to determine the extent of this loss and to establish the characteristics of patients experiencing it., Methods: Patients with chronic HCV infection from the Polish retrospective multicenter EpiTer-2 database who were treated with DAA therapies between 2015 and 2023 were included in the study., Results: In the study population of 18,968 patients, 106 had died by the end of the 12-week post-treatment follow-up period, and 509 patients did not report for evaluation of therapy effectiveness while alive and were considered LTFU. Among patients with available assessment of sustained virological response (SVR), the effectiveness of therapy was 97.5%. A significantly higher percentage of men (p<0.0001) and a lower median age (p=0.0001) were documented in LTFU compared to the group with available SVR assessment. In LTFU patients, comorbidities such as alcohol (p<0.0001) and drug addiction (p=0.0005), depression (p=0.0449) or other mental disorders (p<0.0001), and co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (p<0.0001) were significantly more common as compared to those with SVR assessment. They were also significantly more often infected with genotype (GT) 3, less likely to be treatment-experienced and more likely to discontinue DAA therapy., Conclusions: In a real-world population of nearly 19,000 HCV-infected patients, we documented a 2.7% loss to follow-up rate. Independent predictors of this phenomenon were male gender, GT3 infection, HIV co-infection, alcohol addiction, mental illnesses, lack of prior antiviral treatment and discontinuation of DAA therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Long COVID (LC) is characterized by persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, with various mechanisms offered to explain its pathogenesis. This study explored whether adaptive humoral anti-SARS-CoV-2 responses differ in LC. Unvaccinated COVID-19 convalescents (n = 200) were enrolled, with 21.5% (n = 43) presenting LC three months post-infection. LC diagnosis was based on persistent symptom(s) and alterations in biochemical/clinical markers; three phenotypes were distinguished: cardiological, pulmonary, and psychiatric LC. All three phenotypes were characterized by significantly decreased seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against nucleocapsid (anti-NP). LC was associated with decreased odds of testing positive for anti-NP (OR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.16-0.78, p = 0.001). Seropositive LC patients had lower anti-S1 and anti-S2 levels than individuals without LC, and those with pulmonary and psychological phenotypes also revealed decreased anti-RBD concentrations. The results indicate that LC can be characterized by diminished humoral response to SARS-CoV-2. The potential implication of this phenomenon in post-acute viral sequelae is discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Actinomycosis is a very rare, infectious disease, which is especially difficult to diagnose due to non-specific symptoms and the ability to emulate neoplasms or inflammatory changes. Due to those facts, it is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late to be successfully treated. This article presents the case of 31-year-old Caucasian female with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and tonsillitis as the potential risk factors of actinomycosis. Upon examination of material collected through the course of tonsillectomy, the patient was diagnosed with actinomycosis of the left palatine tonsil. Despite the introduction of antibiotic therapy, initial progression was noted with the appearance of numerous, hypodense changes in the liver and the spleen, which regressed during further antibiotic treatment. According to our team's knowledge, this is the first described case of a patient with actinomycosis occurring simultaneously in the cervico-facial and abdominal area. The unusual localization and potential dissemination of actinomycosis should be considered in clinical practice.

Background : Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is part of the innate immune system and acute-phase protein. Current data state that acute COVID-19 patients have higher levels of serum NGAL (sNGAL), but it is not known if higher protein levels are maintained in the convalescents. As post-COVID complications are currently the most important aspect of the disease, further research into metabolic and immunological consequences of the disease is needed. Methods : We aimed to determine the levels of sNGAL in a patient population 3 months after the acute phase of the disease and to identify the factors that may be related to the elevation of sNGAL levels in the mentioned cohort. The study included 146 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in different stages of the disease. Three months after COVID-19 diagnosis, patients' sera were sampled and tested. Results : We demonstrate an association between the severity of the disease in the acute phase and elevated sNGAL levels three months after recovery, with the exception of the most severe hospitalized patients, who received early treatment. Moreover, we establish that sNGAL levels could be associated with prolonged dyspnea and the regulation of hunger and satiety in COVID-19 convalescents. Conclusions : These observations support the view that the introduction of antiviral treatment, steroids, and intense oxygen therapy reduces post-COVID immune-associated complications.

&lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Introduction:&lt;/b&gt; Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Distant metastases are usually located in the liver and are present in 50% of patients.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; The aim of this study is to evaluate changes in body composition and phase angle before and after surgical treatment of CRC liver metastases, as well as survival time and treatment costs.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; The study included 134 patients who received 174 surgeries for CRC liver metastases. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was performed using an AKERN BIA 101 analyzer.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; BIA was performed before and after surgery. The results of tests (total body water content [TBW], body cell mass [BCM], and phase angle) showed a reduction in BCM by 2.21 kg and a statistically significant decrease in phase angle values after surgery (from 5.06 to 4.25 in women and from 5.34 to 4.76 in men). These values are below the reference range for both sexes. There was a correlation between phase angle values and muscle mass, both before (R = 0.528, p&lt;0001) and after surgery (R = 0.634, p&lt;000.1). Preoperative levels of the tumor marker CEA were elevated in more than half of the patients. The median survival time after resection of liver metastases was 37.6 months.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Discussion:&lt;/b&gt; A significant factor that increases complications, mortality, and treatment costs of cancer patients is malnutrition, which could be the earliest symptom of malignant disease.&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; Successful treatment of CRC requires the patients to participate in follow-up examinations and to be aware of early signs associated with recurrence (e.g., blood in the stool or weight loss). The patients' nutritional status should be monitored and recorded in a DILO card.&lt;/br&gt.

Aim of the Study: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) causes the most aggressive and rapidly progressive form of viral hepatitis. However, detailed data about epidemiology and risk factors in Polish population are still lacking. Thus, the aim of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence of HDV infection among a Silesian population of patients infected with HBV., Material and Methods: 177 patients with confirmed hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were examined for HDV infection. The diagnostic methods used in this study were measurement of HDV antibodies and HDV antigen levels. A telephone follow-up of patients who tested positive indicating HDV infection was conducted, in which they were asked about their current health status, the course of HDV infection and possible risk factors., Results: The prevalence of HDV infection was 3.4%. Four of six patients already had an advanced level of liver fibrosis (F3 or higher) before starting treatment, one of them having undergone liver transplantation. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in HDV patients were above normal in half of the cases. Except for two cases, no risk factors were identified that may favor HDV infection., Conclusions: Hepatitis D is a serious disease that requires more attention. Due to the limitations of our study, larger-scale studies answering the question of the prevalence of HDV in Poland are needed., Competing Interests: This research received no external funding. Institutional review board statement: Not applicable. The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Clinical and Experimental Hepatology.)

Background: It is estimated that 58 million people worldwide are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patients with severe psychiatric disorders could not be treated with previously available interferon-based therapies due to their unfavorable side effect profile. This has changed with the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAA), although their real-life tolerance and effectiveness in patients with different psychiatric disorders remain to be demonstrated., Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of DAA in patients with various mental illnesses., Methods: This was a retrospective observational study encompassing 14272 patients treated with DAA for chronic hepatitis C in 22 Polish hepatology centers, including 942 individuals diagnosed with a mental disorder (anxiety disorder, bipolar affective disorder, depression, anxiety-depressive disorder, personality disorder, schizophrenia, sleep disorder, substance abuse disorder, and mental illness without a specific diagnosis). The safety and effectiveness of DAA in this group were compared to those in a group without psychiatric illness ( n = 13330). Antiviral therapy was considered successful if serum ribonucleic acid (RNA) of HCV was undetectable 12 wk after its completion [sustained virologic response (SVR)]. Safety data, including the incidence of adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs), and deaths, and the frequency of treatment modification and discontinuation, were collected during therapy and up to 12 wk after treatment completion. The entire study population was included in the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Per-protocol (PP) analysis concerned patients who underwent HCV RNA evaluation 12 wk after completing treatment., Results: Among patients with mental illness, there was a significantly higher percentage of men, treatment-naive patients, obese, human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus-coinfected, patients with cirrhosis, and those infected with genotype 3 (GT3) while infection with GT1b was more frequent in the population without psychiatric disorders. The cure rate calculated PP was not significantly different in the two groups analyzed, with a SVR of 96.9% and 97.7%, respectively. Although patients with bipolar disorder achieved a significantly lower SVR, the multivariate analysis excluded it as an independent predictor of treatment non-response. Male sex, GT3 infection, cirrhosis, and failure of previous therapy were identified as independent negative predictors. The percentage of patients who completed the planned therapy did not differ between groups with and without mental disorders. In six patients, symptoms of mental illness (depression, schizophrenia) worsened, of which two discontinued treatments for this reason. New episodes of sleep disorders occurred significantly more often in patients with mental disorders. Patients with mental illness were more frequently lost to follow-up (4.2% vs 2.5%)., Conclusion: DAA treatment is safe and effective in HCV-infected patients with mental disorders. No specific psychiatric diagnosis lowered the chance of successful antiviral treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nearly 290000 patients with chronic hepatitis C die annually from the most severe complications of the disease. One of them is liver cirrhosis, which occurs in about 20% of patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which replaced interferon (IFN)-based regimens, significantly improved the prognosis of this group of patients, increasing HCV eradication rates and tolerability of therapy. Our study is the first to assess changes in patient profile, effectiveness, and safety in the HCV-infected cirrhotic population in the IFN-free era., Aim: To document changes in patient characteristics and treatment regimens along with their effectiveness and safety profile over the years., Methods: The studied patients were selected from 14801 chronically HCV-infected individuals who started IFN-free therapy between July 2015 and December 2021 in 22 Polish hepatology centers. The retrospective analysis was conducted in real-world clinical practice based on the EpiTer-2 multicenter database. The measure of treatment effectiveness was the percentage of sustained virologic response (SVR) calculated after excluding patients lost to follow-up. Safety data collected during therapy and the 12-wk post-treatment period included information on adverse events, including serious ones, deaths, and treatment course., Results: The studied population ( n = 3577) was balanced in terms of gender in 2015-2017, while the following years showed the dominance of men. The decline in the median age from 60 in 2015-2016 to 57 years in 2021 was accompanied by a decrease in the percentage of patients with comorbidities and comedications. Treatment-experienced patients dominated in 2015-2016, while treatment-naive individuals gained an advantage in 2017 and reached 93.2% in 2021. Genotype (GT)-specific options were more prevalent in treatment in 2015-2018 and were supplanted by pangenotypic combinations in subsequent years. The effectiveness of the therapy was comparable regardless of the period analyzed, and patients achieved an overall response rate of 95%, with an SVR range of 72.9%-100% for the different therapeutic regimens. Male gender, GT3 infection, and prior treatment failure were identified as independent negative predictors of therapeutic success., Conclusion: We have documented changes in the profile of HCV-infected cirrhotic patients over the years of accessibility to changing DAA regimens, confirming the high effectiveness of IFN-free therapy in all analyzed periods., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Results of the low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) in patients with pneumonia due to COVID-19 has been presented., Methods: Fifteen patients received a single-fraction radiation dose of 1 Gy to the bilateral lungs due to pre-ARDS pneumonia in the course of COVID-19. Follow-up was performed on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 after LDRT., Results: Eleven patients (73%) were released up until day 28. Median hospitalization was 20 days; 28-day mortality was 13%. Median O 2 saturation improved within 24 h after LDRT in 14/15, with median SpO 2 values of 84.5% vs. 87.5% p = 0.016, respectively. At day 14 of hospitalization, 46% did not require oxygen supplementation. Significant decline in CRP and IL-6 was observed within 24 h post LDRT. No organ toxicities were noted., Conclusion: LDRT is feasible, well tolerated and may translate to early clinical recovery in patients with severe pneumonia. Further studies are needed to determine optimal candidate, time and dose of LDRT for COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

The new monograph concerning the dietetics in oncological diseases was discussed.

Introduction: Due to the extent of the pandemic, high prevalence and severity of complications in the early post‑recovery period are expected., Objectives: This study aimed to compare the scope of early post-COVID‑19 complications in patients who had the disease and were or were not hospitalized., Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, observational, registry‑based cohort study conducted at a tertiary cardiovascular hospital in Silesia, Poland. Interdisciplinary diagnostics, including cardiovascular, pneumatological, respiratory, neurological, and psychiatric tests, was performed during the study visit. All patients completed the study. Two‑hundred unselected, adult, white men and women with the symptoms of acute COVID‑19 were included, of which 86 patients had the disease but did not require hospitalization., Results: The median (interquartile range) time from symptom onset to the study visit was 107 (87-117) and 105 (79-127) days in nonhospitalized and hospitalized patients, respectively. Lung lesions on high‑resolution computed tomography were found in 10 (8.8%) and 33 (39.3%) of nonhospitalized and hospitalized patients, respectively (P <0.01); no lesions were visualized on chest X‑ray images. Elevated platelet distribution width was found in more than 70% of the patients in both groups. More than half of the patients had insomnia, regardless of the hospitalization status., Conclusions: The abnormal platelet parameters, functional and radiological findings in the lungs, and insomnia were the most frequent short‑term COVID‑19 complications in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. Considering the number of patients who have had COVID‑19 worldwide, a high burden of the post-COVID‑19 complications might be expected.

The emergence of a highly transmissible and a more pathogenic B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2 has brought concern over COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and the increased risk of severe breakthrough infections. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency and the clinical characteristics of severe breakthrough COVID-19 cases recorded in 10 Polish healthcare units between 1 June and 31 December 2021, a period during which a rapid surge in the share of B.1.617.2 infections was seen, while a significant number of populations were already fully vaccinated. Overall, 723 individuals who completed the initial vaccination regime (fully vaccinated group) and an additional 18 who received a booster dose were identified—together, they represented 20.8% of all the COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the same period in the same healthcare institutions (0.5% in the case of a group that received a booster dose). Although laboratory and clinical parameters did not differ between both groups, patients who received a booster tended to have lower CRP, IL-6, PCT, and d-dimer levels and they required oxygen therapy less frequently. The most common early COVID-19 symptoms in the studied group were fatigue, cough, fever (>38 °C), and dyspnea. Individuals with no detectable anti-spike IgG antibodies constituted 13%; the odds of being a humoral non-responder to the vaccine were increased in patients aged >70 years. Fully vaccinated patients hospitalized after more than 180 days from the last vaccine dose were significantly older and they were predominantly represented by individuals over 70 years and with comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular disease. Contrary to mRNA vaccines, most patients vaccinated with adenoviral vector vaccines were infected within six months. A total of 102 fatal cases (14% of all deaths among vaccinated individuals; 0.7% in the case of a group that received a booster dose) were recorded, representing 17.6% of all the COVID-19 fatalities recorded in June−December 2021 in the considered healthcare units. The odds of death were significantly increased in men, individuals aged >70 years, patients with comorbidities, and those identified as humoral non-responders to vaccination; in fully vaccinated patients the odds were also increased when the second vaccine dose was given >180 days before the first COVID-19 symptoms. The mortality rate in immunocompromised subjects was 19%. The results indicate that compared to vaccinated individuals, severe COVID-19 and deaths in the unvaccinated group were significantly more prevalent during the B.1.617.2-dominated wave in Poland; and, it highlight the protective role of a booster dose, particularly for more vulnerable individuals.

Background: COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV 2 has rapidly developed into pandemic. This infectious disease affecting mainly respiratory system may cause multiple systemic disorders. With increasing number of new infected patients there are more and more cases with neurological complications secondary to COVID-19., Case Presentation: Here we present a case of 67-years old Polish male with previously no comorbidities, who has developed bilateral paralysis of peroneal nerve after SARS-CoV 2 infection. Prior to the hospitalization he presented cough and fever and weakness. RT-PCR was reported positive for COVID-19 infection. Then he developed pneumonia and respiratory failure with bilateral lung consolidations on radiological examination. Laboratory findings revealed elevated levels of D-dimer, CRP, AspAT, GGTP, PCT and serum glucose. After discharge from hospital he was diagnosed with thrombophlebitis and prediabetes on follow-up visits. Due to problems with walking, numbness of toes and involuntary muscle spasms in hands, the patient went to the Neurological Outpatient Clinic. After neurological examination bilateral paralysis of peroneal nerve was revealed., Conclusions: In this report we want to highlight one of the unexpected presentations of SARS-CoV 2 infection and emphasize the importance of neurological examination in COVID-19 patients., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

There is still limited data available from real-world experience studies on the pangenotypic regimens in patients with genotype (GT) 3 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and liver cirrhosis. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pangenotypic regimens in this difficult-to-treat population. A total of 236 patients with mean age 52.3 ± 11.3 years and male predominance (72%) selected from EpiTer-2 database were included in the analysis; 72% of them were treatment-naïve. The majority of patients (55%) received the combination of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), 71 without and 58 with ribavirin (RBV), whereas the remaining 107 individuals were assigned to glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB). The effectiveness of the treatment following GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL regimens (96% and 93%) was higher compared to SOF/VEL + RBV option (79%). The univariate analysis demonstrated the significantly lower sustained virologic response in males, in patients with baseline HCV RNA ≥ 1,000,000 IU/mL, and among those who failed previous DAA-based therapy. The multivariate logistic regression analysis recognized only the male gender and presence of ascites at baseline as the independent factors of non-response to treatment. It should be emphasized that despite the availability of pangenotypic, strong therapeutic options, GT3 infected patients with cirrhosis still remain difficult-to-treat, especially those with hepatic impairment and DAA-experienced.

Background and Aims: The revolution of the antiviral treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection resulting in higher effectiveness came with the introduction of direct-acting antivirals with pangenotypic regimens as a final touch. Among them, the combination of glecaprevir (GLE) and pibrentasvir (PIB) provides the opportunity for shortening therapy to 8 weeks in the majority of patients. Because of still insufficient evaluation of this regimen in the real-world experience, our study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of 8-week GLE/PIB in chronic hepatitis C patients depending on liver fibrosis and genotype (GT)., Methods: The analysis included patients who received GLE/PIB for 8 weeks selected from the EpiTer-2 database, large retrospective national real-world study evaluating antiviral treatment in 12 584 individuals in 22 Polish hepatology centers., Results: A total of 1034 patients with female predominance (52%) were enrolled in the analysis. The majority of them were treatment naïve (94%), presented liver fibrosis (F) of F0-F3 (92%), with the most common GT1b, followed by GT3. The overall sustained virologic response after exclusion of nonvirologic failures was achieved in 95.8% and 98%, respectively (P = 0.19). In multivariate logistic regression HCV GT-3 (beta = 0.07, P = 0.02) and HIV infection (beta = -0.14, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of nonresponse., Conclusions: We demonstrated high effectiveness of 8-week GLE/PIB treatment in a non-GT3 population irrespective of liver fibrosis stage. Comparable efficacy was achieved in non-cirrhotic patients regardless of the genotype, including GT3 HCV., (© 2020 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

In the DECODE project, data were collected from 3,114 surveys filled by symptomatic patients RT-qPCR tested for SARS-CoV-2 in a single university centre in March-September 2020. The population demonstrated balanced sex and age with 759 SARS-CoV-2( +) patients. The most discriminative symptoms in SARS-CoV-2( +) patients at early infection stage were loss of taste/smell (OR = 3.33, p < 0.0001), body temperature above 38℃ (OR = 1.67, p < 0.0001), muscle aches (OR = 1.30, p = 0.0242), headache (OR = 1.27, p = 0.0405), cough (OR = 1.26, p = 0.0477). Dyspnea was more often reported among SARS-CoV-2(-) (OR = 0.55, p < 0.0001). Cough and dyspnea were 3.5 times more frequent among SARS-CoV-2(-) (OR = 0.28, p < 0.0001). Co-occurrence of cough, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste/smell (OR = 4.72, p = 0.0015) appeared significant, although co-occurrence of two symptoms only, cough and loss of smell or taste, means OR = 2.49 (p < 0.0001). Temperature > 38℃ with cough was most frequent in men (20%), while loss of taste/smell with cough in women (17%). For younger people, taste/smell impairment is sufficient to characterise infection, whereas in older patients co-occurrence of fever and cough is necessary. The presented study objectifies the single symptoms and interactions significance in COVID-19 diagnoses and demonstrates diverse symptomatology in patient groups.

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are "green" competitors for some conventional plating baths and electrolytes used for surface modification. Their use allows a material to be obtained with a structure different from that observed in conventional plating or finishing technologies. In this work the titanium anodizing process was investigated in a bath based on a choline dihydrogencitrate salt and oxalic acid (1 : 1 molar ratio) green solvent. Titanium anodized at the lowest voltage applied (10 V) was a deep yellow color, which turned to deep blue at 30 V. The surface morphology and topography of titanium, both anodized and untreated, were monitored by optical, scanning electron (SEM and HR-SEM) and atomic force (AFM) microscopy. Anodizing at 10 V produced a fine granular morphology of the oxide layer, while anodizing at 30 V led to the formation of a probably thicker and quite uneven oxide layer, characterized by a distinct and coarse granular morphology. The average size of the micro-nodules was higher than those at 10 V and porous structures have been also identified. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) the stoichiometric TiO 2 , regardless of the applied voltage during anodizing, was practically the only component of the oxide layer produced on titanium in the DES bath. At 10 V, the oxide layer was thicker (>10 nm) than the natural Ti passive layer (approx. 2.2 nm), which, apart from TiO 2 , also contained oxides of titanium at lower oxidation states, i.e. +2 and +3. Moreover, the XPS technique was supported by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), especially in the context of the structure of the oxide layer and its interaction with a corrosive environment. The corrosion resistance of anodized titanium was assessed in 0.05 mol dm -3 solution of NaCl by the linear polarization resistance (LPR) technique and polarization curves. During interpretation of the impedance spectra, the layers produced by the anodizing process were described using the two-layer model. It was assumed that the inner layer formed directly on the surface of metallic titanium was responsible for the barrier properties (resistance of 2.8 MΩ cm 2 ). The porous outer layer formed on it has a much lower corrosion resistance, i.e. 800-1300 Ω cm 2 ., Competing Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

At the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic began, which at the time of writing continues to be a serious problem for many areas of medicine, including neurology. Since patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often exhibit motor disability and receive disease-modifying therapy (DMT), which has an immunosuppressive effect, it is plausible that this will affect the susceptibility of MS patients to COVID-19, as well as the course of this disease. However, current data indicate that the use of DMT does not cause negative prognosis in COVID-19 sufferers, but the motor disability progression associated with MS does. In this study, we present the case reports of 4 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, who developed COVID-19, and despite the use of DMT the course of the disease was mild. Two patients were treated with dimethyl fumarate, one with Interferon β1b and one with glatiramer acetate. One of the patients using dimethyl fumarate had lymphopenia. All patients had symptoms of COVID-19 from the nervous system, the most frequent being headache, which occurred in all patients. The aim of this article is to present a case series of four patients with MS and COVID-19, and to discuss the available literature on COVID-19 in patients with MS, with particular consideration of the impact of DMT., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)