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The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) at neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is estimated as 6-24%. Traditional AKI markers i.e. serum creatinine (SCr) concentration, fractional sodium exertion, urine sodium concentration and renal failure index--are low sensitivity and low specificity markers but beside remain very late ones. Serum creatinine concentration arises 48 hours after renal tissue damage. The paper presents contemporary knowledge concerning concentration reference ranges of some early AKI biomarkers (NGAL, hKIM1, OPN, IL18)--either in term or preterm newborns. The most current reports about chosen AKI biomarkers in newborns with uncomplicated clinical course and in children with AKI within the course of sepsis or after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery--were discussed. Disposing of the reliable clinical data referring to early AKI biomarkers constitutes a valuable aid for clinicians who having got to know about the actual risk possess the time for proper clinical interventions.

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation is very important for evaluation of kidney function. Its calculation is based upon a 24 hour urine collection and serum creatinine concentration values or on the basis of developed for this purpose numerous formulas with special attention dedicated to the abbreviated MDRD formula and Cockcroft-Gault formulas for adults and Schwartz et al. and Counahan et al. formulas for children. Future expectations are related to GFR estimation based on serum cystatin C concentration and formulas specially developed for this cause. The aim of the study was the comparative analysis of GFR results based on Filler's and Lapage's, Grubb's et al. and Schwartz's et al. formulas and reference values obtained in 93 patients after measuring iohexol concentration after its single injection. Significant differences between the results obtained from employed formulas for high, as well as for low values of GFR were shown, respectively. Serial calculations were performed allowing to finding out a new prescription for GFR calculation. A new formula for GFR calculation based on cystatin C concentration: GFR = -7.28+82.29 x C(-1) was proposed.

A comparison of accuracy between electrical bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and body mass index (BMI) for fat mass evaluation in children was the aim of the study. One-hundred and ninety three healthy children (90 females, 103 males) were enrolled. The mean age of the studied population was 11.8 years (+/- 2.2), mean weight equalled to 42.6 (+/- 12.8) kg and mean height-151.1 (+/- 13.5) cm. BIA measurments were performed by multifrequency (1; 5; 50; 100 kHz) BIA 2000M analyzer using BIANOSTIC electrods. Calculations of free fat mass and fat mass were performed using Nutri 4 Data Input Software (Germany). The LMS method for percentile charts of FFM and FM acording to height has been applied and results for boys and girls were drawn separatelly. Percentile charts of FM and BMI were compared. Different shape of curves of FM content and BMI for boys during puberty was noticed. BIA allows for precise fat mass content evaluation in children and its use should be disseminated.

Large number of data shows beneficial effects of implementing daily hemodialysis (DH) upon the outcome in patients dialysed previously in 3 times a week hemodialysis (3H) schedule. The mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon are still unclear, despite the time of low-flux DH sessions is shortened almost by half. Evaluation of the effect of doubling the number of hemodialyses per week upon so called cellular clearance (intercompartmental diffusion coefficient, Kc) computed in 2 pool-model was main aim of this study. 6 chronically dialysed patients (previously 3x per week) were subjected to DH. Based upon output data from UKM and weekly KT/V, the time for each DH session was computed, with no change in Kd (dialyser clearance). Kc was estimated from double-pool volume variable model equations and rebound. By the use of almost similar dialyser clearances in 16 conventional and 29 DH modeling sessions, estimated Kc values had been found non significantly higher in DH: (323.16; S.D. 187.86 vs. 268.80; S.D. 104.09 ml/min; p=0,68). Mean ultrafiltration/pre-dialysis body weight ratio (UFR/BW1) was 4,97 (S.D. 2.27)% in conventional hemodialysis and 3.66 (S.D. 1.46)% in DH. Mean dialysis index Kt/V values had decreased in DH (0.79; S.D. 0.17, vs. 1,34 (S.D. 0.26). Mean UFR/W1 ratio correlated negatively with Kc either in conventional or in DH (r=-0.653; p = 0.006 and r=-0.552; p=0.0036, respectively). Statistically significant negative correlation between Kt/V and Kc was found only in DH subjects (r=-0.466, p =0.010). The authors concluded, that increased Kc observed in patients subjected to DH may be responsible for better dialysis efficacy in patients switched into this treatment modality.

Biological samples can be investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) in either of two imaging modes: contact mode or tapping mode. Applications of fluid tapping mode AFM in biology and medical sciences are constantly growing and the data obtained with this technique are improving, especially in terms of resolution. Even dynamic processes can be observed almost as they would occur in vivo. AFM is a proven imaging technique that has recently gained attention in biomaterials due to its ability to analyze surface properties, non-destructively at nanometer-level resolution in ambient air or in fluid environments.