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In December 2019 in Wuhan, China the first cases of previously unknown, coronaviral infection-induced pneumonia have been reported. The new virus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) was named after SARS-CoV due to their similarities and the disease caused by the pathogen is COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). On 11 March 2020 WHO (World Health Organization) defined the rapidly increasing number of incidents of COVID-19 as a pandemic. In this review we will present recent information about the SARS-CoV-2 focusing on the origin, clinical picture, diagnostic methods, structure, replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and potential pharmaceutical measures against COVID-19.

Berberine (BRB) is a compound belonging to the group of isoquinoline alkaloids of plant origin that has long been used in traditional chinese medicine (TMC). Due to, among others anti-inflammatory properties BRB is a potential therapeutic in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (OZT). In a study in the mouse model of L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis, we showed that BRB administered by the intravenous route at 0.1 and 0.5 mg / kg body weight significantly reduces the level of myeloperoxidase activity (an indicator of inflammation) in the pancreas and lungs. Promising results point to the need for larger, randomized studies to assess the long-term efficacy and side effects of BRB therapy.

E-cigarette (EC) was designed to provide less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes. Along with growing popularity of ECs around the world, more products have appeared on the market. There are limited safety studies and data relating to potential toxicity of EC use. Therefore, there is strong need to gain thorough information about a composition of generated aerosol from ECs. Due to the fact that ECs settings and puffing regimes influence vapor and toxins generation, we decided to identify parameters that have the greatest impact on the aerosol yield., Material and Methods: We took into account three puffing parameters: puff volume, puff duration and interpuff interval. The study was divided into two stages. In a first stage puffing regimes were achieved in testing volunteers (14 men and 11 women). In a second one found parameters (volume, puffs durations, intervals between puffs) were used to mimic ECs use in laboratory settings to examine influence of different puffing regimes on aerosol yields. Smoking machine was used to generate aerosol (6 times for each set of parameters). Aerosol yield was represented as amount of e-liquid trapped on Cambridge filter., Results: The results of puffing regimes study among ECs users are presented as mean ± SD: puff volume [mL] 65 ± 49, puff duration [s] 2.8 ± 2.7 and intervals between puffs [s] 16 ± 40. Aerosol yields varied depending on the set puffing regimes., Conclusions: Our results indicate that the most important puffing parameters, which determine aerosol yield, are puffs duration and interpuff intervals. Puffs volume (between 41- 76 mL) has no influence on aerosol yield.

Autophagy is a process necessary for maintaining cell homeostasis in physiological conditions, as well as during certain stresses like nutrients or oxygen deprivation. Autophagy also plays an essential role in tumorigenesis. It prevents cell transformation, but on the other hand, autophagy enables existing cancer cells to adapt to harmful conditions and increased glucose demand, supports maintaining of cellular metabolism and accelerates tumor growth. Among others, it refers to Ras-transformed cells. Recent research unveiled BNIP3 protein as one of the key players involved in autophagy. Although BNIP3 is classified as proapoptotic member of BH3-only subfamily, its proapoptotic activity is questionable. However, BNIP3 demonstrates ability to induce or stimulate autophagy and its specific variant--mitophagy. This paper aims to summarize the existing body of knowledge related to the role of BNIP3 in autophagy, as well as the importance of this process in tumorigenesis. In particular, we emphasize the relation between autophagy and BNIP3 expression induced by Ras oncogene.

Alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking affect plasma lipid levels and are both independent risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Alcohol and nicotine addictions are more common among man than women in Poland. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in plasma lipid levels after cessation of heavy drinking in smoking and nonsmoking Polish male adults. Subjects were recruited from individuals who participated in an inpatient addiction program following alcohol detoxification. We recruited 119 male adults: 48 non-smokers in age between 31 and 60 years (mean 48.7 +/- 8.8) and 71 smokers in age between 30 and 60 years (mean 46.1 +/- 7.8). Each subjects provided three blood samples: at baseline, after 3 weeks, and after 6 weeks of treatment. Plasma samples were analyzed for lipids by manual precipitation and automatic enzymatic methods. Changes in plasma lipid concentrations were analyzed using two-way analysis of variances with repeated measures with smoking status as between subjects factor and time post alcohol cessation as within-subject factors. All analyses were adjusted for age, and BMI. We found that plasma levels of HDL decreased in smoking and nonsmoking subjects by 30% and 24%, respectively (p < 0.001). In smoking subjects, plasma levels of triglycerides and LDL increased significantly after 6 weeks post cessation of heavy drinking cessation by 17% and 16%, respectively (p = 0.001). We also found that total cholesterol levels remained high in smoking subjects, but decreased significantly by 7% (p = 0.022) in nonsmoking subjects after 6 weeks post cessation of heavy drinking. We concluded that cigarette smoking increased LDL and inhibited the decline in plasma cholesterol among subjects addicted to alcohol following cessation of heavy drinking. Alcohol addiction therapy should be complemented with smoking cessation to prevent increase in cardiovascular risk.

Cigarette smoking is common among persons addicted to alcohol. Both tobacco smoking and alcohol binge drinking are risk factors of many cardiovascular conditions. The risk of cardiovascular events decreases after alcohol cessation. However little is known about the effect of continues smoking on biomarkers of adverse cardiovascular events among patients treated from alcohol addiction. The aim of the study was to assess fibrinogen changes after alcohol drinking cessation among cigarette smokers and non-smokers. Total of 239 patients treated from alcohol addiction in Addiction Treatment Center (OTU) Parzymiechy, Poland were included in the study. There were total of 39 women: 11 non-smoking women, in the age range of between 31 and 59 years (mean age 47 +/- 9 years) and 28 smoking women in the age range of 31-60 years (mean age 43 +/- 8 years). Among 200 men, there were 150 smokers in the age range of between 30 and 60 years (mean age 44 +/- 8 years) and 50 non-smokers in the age range of 31 and 60 years (mean age 49 +/- 9 years). We found that among non-smoking patients fibrinogen levels remained unchanged three weeks post alcohol cessation (3.42 vs. 3.49 g/l) but after six weeks significantly decreased to the level of 3.09 g/l (p=0.00085). Among smoking patients fibrinogen levels increased after three weeks post alcohol cessation by 7.9% (z 3.41 do 3.68 g/l) and went back to a baseline level of 3.50 g/l. However those changes were not statistically significant. We found that alcohol cessation leads to decrease of fibrinogen levels only among non-smoking patients post alcohol cessation. A risk of cardiovascular diseases seemed to remain elevated among smokers treated from alcohol addiction. There is need for concomitant treatment of tobacco addiction among smoking alcoholics.

The aim of this paper was to summarize up-to-date data on the new emerging nicotine containing product 'electronic cigarette', commonly referred as e-cigarette. We presented data on prevalence and popularity of various brands and models on domestic markets. Development of the new products with technical and chemical modifications was also described. We reviewed studies on chemical composition and efficacy of nicotine delivery from e-cigarettes and discussed its potential use as nicotine replacement for tobacco cigarettes. Regulatory policies on e-cigarette sale as nicotine containing product were also discussed. We concluded that e-cigarette might be an effective harm reduction tool but little is known about its safety, especially when used for a long time. Despite many positive findings from surveys among e-cigarettes users, there is need for comprehensive state-of-the-at clinical trials to show efficacy of e-cigarette as smoking cessation tool.

BNIP3 is classified as a member of the Bcl-2 protein family that regulates programmed cell death and of the BH3-only protein subfamily as it only contains one BH domain. However, the transmembrane domain of BNIP3 is involved in at least some of its pro-apoptotic functions. Although there are some similarities between BNIP3 and other BH3-only proteins, for example the ability to interact with anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins and to induce cytochrome c release from mitochondria, BNIP3 is undoubtedly distinct in regard to its activity and regulatory mechanisms. Not only can BNIP3 activate apoptosis, but also, or perhaps first of all, it can activate necrosis-like cell death due to its direct interaction with the mitochondrial membrane. BNIP3 is also involved is autophagy, but its role in this process is not yet clearly understood. It is possible that the induction or stimulation of autophagy by this protein can simultaneously inhibit apoptosis, for example in cardiac myocytes. In some cells, BNIP3 is sequestered in the nucleus, where it also acts as an anti-apoptotic factor, namely as a repressor of AIF transcription. This activity may enable tumor cells to achieve resistance to chemotherapeutics. Understanding BNIP3 functions and regulatory mechanisms can point to new molecular targets in the treatment of cancer and ischemic heart or brain diseases.

BNIP3 belongs to the Bcl-2 protein family that regulates programmed cell death. It is the only known pro-apoptotic protein expressed during hypoxia and this effect is determined by the HIF-1 responsive element in the bnip3 promoter. However, there is evidence that hypoxia is not a sufficient factor to activate BNIP3; possible cell death dependent on this protein occurs as a result of secondary effects of oxygen deprivation, such as acidosis. BNIP3 expression is also regulated by other factors, such as E2F-1, NF-kappaB, and Rb during hypoxia and nitrogen oxide during normoxia. Posttranslational modifications also seem to be essential for BNIP3 activity, but their actual significance is still unclear. Phosphorylation of BNIP3 by PKC promotes its accumulation under hypoxic conditions, but phosphorylation by CK2 can accelerate its degradation. In turn, glycosylation and interactions with anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins suppress BNIP3 activity. Our knowledge about the role of BNIP3 protein in tumor progression is incomplete. It seems to be dependent on the stage of tumor progression. Tumor cells evolved multiple mechanisms of silencing BNIP3 expression or activity and promoter methylation is one of the most frequently observed among them

The first paper concerning hair nicotine determination was published in 1983 by Ishiyama et al. Since then, examining hair nicotine content has become a valuable tool facilitating assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke in various groups of people (active and passive smokers or even neonates and fetus). The present article describes briefly recent research studies on the use of hair nicotine as a biomarker. Furthermore, the paper describes various determination techniques related to nicotine in hair, as well as advantages and disadvantages of hair nicotine as a biomarker.

Estrogens can promote the development, proliferation, migration, and survival of target cells. Estrogen mediates its biological effects through its association with estrogen receptors (ERs). ERs act via the regulation of transcriptional processes, involving nuclear translocation and binding to specific response elements, leading to the regulation of gene expression. However, estrogens can also act without direct binding to DNA. This effect is called "non-genomic" and does not depend on gene transcription or protein synthesis. Through non-transcriptional (non-genomic) mechanisms, estrogens can modulate regulatory cascades such as MAPK, PI3K, and tyrosine kinases, and also membrane-associated molecules such as ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors. Important targets of estrogen action are mitochondria, within which ERs have been identified, thus implicating their role in the regulation of mitochondrial genome transcription. Estrogens may also regulate mitochondrial respiratory physiology at the post-translational level. They can inhibit mitochondrial respiratory complexes I, II, III, and IV, and can then also induce various isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) plays an important role in the development of the nervous system as well as in mediating the survival of neurons in the adult nervous system. NT-3 functions by preferential binding to the cell surface receptor TrkC as well as by binding TrkA, TrkB, and p75(NTR), with lower affinity. Various isoforms of TrkC are generated by alternative splicing. This constitutes, together with ectodomain shedding, an extensive means of regulating TrkC signaling pathways to modulate the effects of NT-3 on target cells during the differentiation of neural cells.

Members of the FKBP family play various functions within the cell. For T cell biology essential is their involvement in the regulation of cytokine genes transcription, mainly at the level of nucleocytoplasmic transport of transcription factors. FKBP12 is the mediator of immunosuppressive action of FK506. When complexed with the drug, FKBP12 blocks nuclear import of NFAT and formation of AP-1 heterodimer, due to inhibition of calcium-dependent phosphatase calcineurin and JNK/p38 pathways. Suppression of these two, and possibly some other signaling pathways leads to prevention of IL-2 expression and T cell activation. FKBP51 and FKBP52 are natural components of glucocorticoid receptor complex and direct regulators of its activity. Upon ligand binding FKBP51, maintaining receptor in the cytoplasm, is exchanged by FKBP52, which allows translocation of the complex to the nucleus. Thereby FKBPs take a part in the regulation of immune response by glucocorticoids.

The aim of the paper is presentation of the issue of increase in number of the elderly in Lublin province and in Poland in the next 30 years. There were analysed demographic prognoses concerning age structure of the population of Lublin province and Poland until the year 2030, elaborated by the Main Statistical Office (GUS). There were taken under account age groups over 65 years of age, men and women. It was concluded that the percentage of the elderly in the studied populations will increase considerably, which is especially evident in females--in 2030 almost every fourth women in Poland will be aged 65 or more. The increase in number of the elderly citizens will change structure of employment and will force adequate modifications in social and health policy in Poland in order to meet the requirements of this age group and allow its due status in the society.

The aim of the work was to study the influence of pregnancy induced arterial hypertension (PIH) on hermetic aspects of the blood-brain barrier. Neurological consultation was followed by cranial computed tomography which revealed changes within structures of central nervous system. The observations were performed in 6 pregnant women, assigned to control group--C, and study group--G. All women had caesarean section performed in conductive anaesthesia. The method included collection of 15 ml venous blood and 4 ml cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) serum concentrations, micro-albumin and IgG CSF concentrations, and permeability indexes for albumin and IgG--Qalb and QIqG, were estimated. In contrast to group C, increased Qalb and QIgG indexes proved lack of integrity of blood-brain barrier in the group G. Control cranial CT scans revealed partial subsidence of changes after 3-5 days, and complete subsidence after 9-14 days.