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IntroductionMotor evoked potentials (MEPs) are currently considered as a more useful method for neurophysi-ological intraoperative monitoring than somatosensory evoked potentials in cases of surgery applied to patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The non-invasive approach is preferred to modify MEP recordings, criticizing, in many cases, the fundamentalism for neurophysiological monitoring based only on needle recordings. The aim of the review is to provide our own experience and prac-tical guidelines with reference to neuromonitoring innovations.Material and MethodsRecordings of MEPs with surface electrodes instead of needle electrodes including nerve instead of muscle combinations during neurophysiological monitoring associated with surgical interventions to the spine have become more relevant for pediatric purposes, avoiding the anesthesiology-related influences. Observations on 280 patients with Lenke A–C types of spine curvature are presented before and after the surgical correction.ResultsThe MEPs recorded from nerves do not undergo fluctuations at different stages of scoliosis correc-tions and the anesthesia effect more than MEPs recorded from muscles. The use of non-invasive surface electrodes during neuromonitoring for MEP recordings shortens the total time of the surgical procedure without diminishing the precision of the neural transmission evaluation. The quality of MEP recordings during intraoperative neuromonitoring from muscles can be significantly influ-enced by the depth of anesthesia or administration of muscle relaxants but not those recorded from nerves.ConclusionsThe proposed definition of “real-time” neuromonitoring comprises the immediate warning from a neurophysiologist about the changes in a patient’s neurological status during scoliosis surgery (es-pecially during pedicle screws’ implantation, corrective rods’ implantation, correction, distraction and derotation of the spine curvature) exactly during the successive steps of corrective procedures. This is possible due to the simultaneous observation of MEP recordings and a camera image of the surgical field. This procedure clearly increases safety and limits financial claims resulting from possible complications.

Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie (THL) zostało powołane do życia w 1854 r. w miejsce powstałego w 1832 r. Towarzystwa Literackiego. Te dwa towarzystwa mogły zaistnieć dzięki inicjatywie wybitnych Polaków należących do Wielkiej Emigracji 1831 r., a także dzięki Francuzom i obywatelom innych krajów, którzy okazali się niezłomnymi przyjaciółmi Polski. Natomiast Biblioteka Polska w Paryżu (BPP) która powstała w 1938 r., nie miała i do dziś nie posiada osobowości prawnej, będąc własnością najpierw Towarzystwa Literackiego a następnie Towarzystwa Historyczno-Literackiego. W 1893 r. aktywność Towarzystwa Historyczno-‑Literackiego wyraźnie osłabła, a liczba jego członków zmalała. W tej sytuacji Towarzystwo postanowiło powierzyć Bibliotekę krakowskiej Akademii Umiejętności, oddając także pod jej opiekę gmach przy 6 quai d’Orléans, w którym mieściły się zbiory. Akademia była polską instytucją, która po odzyskaniu przez Polskę niepodległości w 1918 r. przyjęła nazwę Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności (PAU). Wspomnieć tutaj trzeba przede wszystkim o wielkiej, pełnej ofiarności roli odegranej na miejscu, w Paryżu, przez dwóch kolejnych dyrektorów Biblioteki Polskiej – Władysława Mickiewicza (1898–1926), najstarszego syna Adama oraz Franciszka Pułaskiego (1926–1956), których zasługi dla BPP są ogromne. Biblioteka działała wówczas sprawnie, zbiory zgromadzone w budynku przy 6 quai d’Orléans wzbogacały się, a program kulturalny organizowany w jej siedzibie był dynamiczny i zróżnicowany. Niestety w 1940 r. nazistowskie Niemcy zajęły gmach Biblioteki Polskiej w Paryżu. Dokonawszy dewastacji budynku wywieźli pozostałe w nim zbiory. Zaraz po wyzwoleniu Francji w 1946 r. Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie zostało reaktywowane w Paryżu przez polskich patriotów i ich francuskich przyjaciół. Wspomnieć należy nazwiska tych, którzy w tym trudnym okresie walnie przyczynili się do odnowy tej placówki. Byli to Polacy – Franciszek Pułaski, Zygmunt Lubicz-Zaleski, Kajetan Morawski, jak również obywatele francuscy – Henri de Montfort, Léon i Henri Mazeaud, Françoise Granier, posłanka na Sejm francuski, pierwszy po wojnie prezes Camille Gronkowski, a później książę André Poniatowski, kolejny prezes THL przez następne 28 lat oraz dyrektor BPP przez lat 11. Wszyscy oni kierowali się tymi samymi ideami, co ich poprzednicy, dziewiętnastowieczni twórcy Biblioteki, to znaczy pragnęli dochować wierności historii i bronić wolności polskiej kultury pozostając w służbie Polski wolnej i niepodległej. W tej nowej sytuacji rząd francuski uznał reaktywowane Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie za kontynuatora Towarzystwa utworzonego w wieku XIX, któremu dekret Napoleona III z 1866 r. przyznawał przywilej użyteczności publicznej. Biorąc pod uwagę, że w roku 1946 nie pozostawał przy życiu żaden członek Towarzystwa z XIX wieku, francuski Trybunał Apelacyjny biorący udział w procesie między Polską Akademią Nauk (PAN) a Towarzystwem Historyczno-Literackim orzekł, że nie może ustalić właściciela Biblioteki ze względu na to, iż PAN (Académie Polonaise des Sciences) nie może być uważana za prawowitego sukcesora i spadkobiercę PAU (Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności). W wyniku działań sądowych administracja francuska powierzyła w końcu Bibliotekę Towarzystwu Historyczno-Literackiemu i zawarła z nim umowę dzierżawną do 2030 r. z nominalnym czynszem. Można więc uznać, że od 1946 r. do dnia dzisiejszego Towarzystwo Historyczno-Literackie ma nieprzerwanie w swojej gestii istnienie, funkcjonowanie i zarządzanie Biblioteką. Trwa to już od 72 lat, w tym 58 lat bez udziału Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności i dopiero przez ostatnich 14 lat ze znacznym jej udziałem, kiedy to PAU postanowiła wypełnić w ten sposób własne zobowiązania (otwarcie BPP dla publicz­ności) zawarte w umowie warunkowej określającej akt przekazania Biblioteki Akademii Umiejętności z roku 1893. Towarzystwo zapewniało więc nie tylko funkcjonowanie BPP, zarządzało gmachem i odzyskanymi po drugiej wojnie światowej zbiorami, lecz w dodatku wzbogaciło je pozyskując nowe materiały źródłowe i obiekty sztuki. Prowadziło ono ponadto szeroko zakrojoną działalność naukową, kulturalną, polityczną w trudnych warunkach materialnych, bez udziału ani pomocy ówczesnych władz polskich, z którymi nie utrzymywało żadnych stosunków aż do 1990 r. W ten sposób BPP, dzięki THL, jego członkom działającym społecznie, jego oddanym pracownikom oraz jego francuskim przyjaciołom, stała się w tych trudnych dla Polski latach, najważniejszym ośrodkiem kulturalnym na obczyźnie. Problematyka tego artykułu poświęcona jest historii BPP i THL od początku aż do dzisiaj, z uwzględnieniem ogromnego udziału aktorów życia kulturalnego i naukowego Francji przed pierwszą wojną światową, w okresie międzywojennym, a także i po odzyskaniu przez Polskę niepodległości w 1989 r.

Research background: There are two main directions for the research of the national innovation system (NIS): the international comparison of macro data from national statistic offices or specific micro research restricted mostly to analysing selected issues. There is a lack of empirical studies regarding the national innovation system as a whole based on micro raw data and using statistical models. Purpose of the article: To identify and evaluate the impact of the triple helix (an input and output approach) on the NIS in Poland, including internal interactions between industry, science and government. Methods: A questionnaire surveys were conducted by the authors over the past five years in 6,284 manufacturing enterprises. The multifactor stepwise logistics regression forward was used to evaluate what, where and how effectively the NIS institutions in catching-up and medium-sized countries such as Poland are working. Findings & value added: The NIS of Poland is a complicated and non-mature system. Some parts of the network are effective, while others are not. It is noted that cooperation between enterprises stimulates innovation to a greater extent than cooperation with scientific institutions and public administration. The vertical supply chain is the main driver of NIS in Poland. Domestic scientific institutions have an impact that is often short-term, fragmented, and non-continuous, though it can be strong from time to time. Strangely, organizations with low knowledge potential support industry innovation activity more efficiently and in a more organised way than science institutes, excluding foreign ones. For catching-up countries, this is an important bridging of the knowledge gap - it turns out that the quantity and quality of domestic knowledge in the national innovation system is inefficient. Scientific institutions need to achieve sufficient critical mass to stimulate innovative activity. The value of the conclusions is underlined by the fact that the analyses were based on micro data, which allowed to capture the relationships between the different elements of the triple helix.

Modern techniques such as virtual-reality (VR) tasks might offer a unique method for eliciting state-variable fluctuations in body satisfaction and associated behaviors. The study aim was to develop the application of biometric avatars in VR as a useful tool to investigate changes within body representation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). All the avatars were created on the basis of 3D scans of bodies of real female patients with thoracic scoliosis, of 12–18 years of age, consecutively selected for brace treatment or posterior correction and fusion. A 3D, white-light LED scanner was used. The models were rigged using 3DS Max software, to enable the possibility of human-type interaction and animation. The “Avatar Scoliosis 3D” is an innovative 3D, interactive-XR application, loosely based on the virtual-mirror concept, and contains a number of predefined avatars, each with a different Cobb angle. It is possible to change a selected avatar to one with a different Cobb angle (lower or higher), should the patient decide the visualization of the original is incompatible with their own perception. In conclusion, the possible application of biometric avatars in VR as a useful tool to investigate changes within body image in AIS was proposed.

Wraz z rozwojem gospodarczym rośnie znaczenie wspolpracy miedzy podmiotami ze sfery biznesu i nauki. Jednak obecnie na terenie Polski nie wystepuje ona zbyt czesto. Sytuacja taka jest spowodowana przez wiele uwarunkowan, wśrod ktorych mozna wymienic m.in. niedostrzeganie przez cześc przedsiebiorcow korzyści z jej wystepowania. W tym kontekście celem artykulu jest identyfikacja teoretycznych korzyści wspolpracy miedzy podmiotami ze sfery nauki i biznesu dokonaną na podstawie studiow literaturowych. Konsekwencją tak sformulowanego celu badawczego jest przyjeta metodyka badawcza bazująca na analizie problemu w literaturze przedmiotu. Studiując literature przedmiotu, mozna spotkac sie z opiniami, ze korzyści z wystepowania wspolpracy miedzy omawianymi sferami byly dostrzegane przede wszystkim przez duze przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe. Wspolpraca ta przyczyniala sie do wdrazania innowacji usprawniających, a nie pionierskich. Jednak najcześciej dostrzeganymi korzyściami byly te związane z obnizką kosztow związanych ze wspolnie realizowaną dzialalnością B+R oraz związane z rozlozeniem ryzyka związanego z tymi pracami.

In this article, corruption is treated as an expression of human entrepreneurship, which does not fully fit in the commonly accepted moral and legal standards. Despite being negatively perceived, it is persistently present in the public, economic and political life of every country as evidenced by a number of press releases on corruption.Research literature analysis reveals the existence of two conflicting opinions with regard to the way in which corruption affects innovative activity of companies and economic growth. The more morally correct theory, which can be dubbed the sand-the-wheels theory, assumes that corruption negatively influences innovative activity and economic growth. Whereas, the grease-the-wheels theory, which is inconsistent with the principles of social responsibility of business, argues for the positive influence of corruption on innovative activity of companies and economic growth. This article is a voice in that discussion.

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), also termed veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver, is a well-known complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) both in children and adults. In the medical literature there are occasional reports of SOS in patients receiving conventional chemotherapy. In children with solid tumours this entity occurs during treatment of nephroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and medulloblastoma. In the late 1990s SOS was quite often observed as the complication of oral 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), who received 6-TG throughout maintenance. In current protocols, the syndrome has become uncommon because treatment with 6-TG is limited to two weeks of oral therapy. Here, we report a case of a nine-year-old boy with ALL, who developed sinusoidal obstruction syndrome shortly after completing the reinduction block of chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, thioguanine) according to the ALL Intercontinental Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster 2009 (ALL IC BFM 2009) treatment protocol.

Studiując literature przedmiotu, mozna spotkac sie z dyskusją na temat znaczenia przestrzennego zakresu sprzedazy przedsiebiorstwa dla jego dzialalności innowacyjnej. Celem niniejszego artykulu jest określenie, czy w mazowieckim systemie przemyslowym aktywnośc innowacyjna jest konsekwencją lokalnych i regionalnych interakcji, czy uwarunkowan o zasiegu krajowym i miedzynarodowym? Hipotezą badawczą stalo sie twierdzenie, ze na obecnym poziomie rozwoju wojewodztwa związki miedzy zasiegiem sprzedazy a dzialalnością innowacyjną są odmienne od tych obserwowanych w bardziej rozwinietych krajach. Warstwa empiryczna badania powstawala w latach 2006–2008 i 2012–2014 w wyniku systematycznego gromadzenia ankiet wypelnianych przez przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe. Za lata 2006–2008 zebrano 674 kwestionariusze, natomiast za lata 2012–2014 juz 951. Cześc metodyczna analiz zostala oparta na rachunku prawdopodobienstwa bazującym na modelowaniu probitowym. W wyniku przeprowadzonych badan mozna powiedziec, ze zblizenie przestrzenne (środowisko lokalne i regionalne) nie sprzyja pobudzaniu aktywności innowacyjnej, ale juz zasieg krajowy jest warunkiem wystarczającym, choc najwyzszą intensywnośc mozna zaobserwowac dopiero, gdy przedsiebiorstwa dzialają na rynku miedzynarodowym.

Analizując wspolprace w zakresie innowacji, w ktorej jedną stroną są przedsiebiorstwa przemyslowe, trzeba podkreślic, ze interesujące wydaje sie zbadanie, z jakimi grupami podmiotow wspolpracują przedsiebiorstwa w zalezności od ich dzialu PKD. W tym kontekście celem niniejszego artykulu bylo ustalenie, w ramach jakich dzialow PKD wystepuje wspolpraca sektorowa i z jakimi dzialami PKD wspolpracują takie podmioty ze sfery nauki, jak jednostki PAN, szkoly wyzsze, krajowe jednostki naukowo-badawcze i zagraniczne jednostki naukowo-badawcze. Badanie bazowalo na kwestionariuszach ankietowych wyslanych do przedsiebiorstw przemyslowych z wojewodztw zachodniopomorskiego, lubuskiego i dolnośląskiego w latach 2012–2014. Metodyczne aspekty badania bazują na wieloczynnikowej analizie logitowej.

Vus de Pologne, les pays éloignés sont perçus à travers de multiples clichés. Cependant, contrairement à ce qu’on pourrait attendre, le voisinage proche, les affinités politiques, la distance géographique réduite ne préservent pas des stéréotypes. Littérature de voyage, reportage, exploration — les récits dont je me propose de parler relèvent bien de ces trois catégories. Mariusz Szczygieł est un journaliste et un écrivain polonais né en 1966. Son livre Gottland (2006 ) raconte l’histoire de la Bohême ; le suivant, Zrób sobie raj [Chacun son paradis, 2010], parle de la place de la religion en Tchéquie et se penche sur l’histoire récente de ce pays. Krzysztof Varga, moitié polonais, moitié hongrois, né en 1968, est l’auteur d’une bonne dizaine de livres dont Gulasz z turula [Goulash de tourul, 2008] et Czardasz z mangalicą [Czardas avec un porc mangalitza, 2014], deux livres consacrés à la Hongrie. Comme l’auteur le dit lui-même, ces deux ouvrages lui ont surtout permis de prendre un peu de distance à l’égard de la polonité. Les deux écrivains, tous deux journalistes à Gazeta Wyborcza, tous les deux publiés par même maison d’édition (Czarne), poursuivent un projet similaire. Mariusz Szczygieł se présente comme un tchécophile malpropre et Varga se demande d’où vient le sentiment d’amitié que les Polonais vouent aux Hongrois. Leurs livres sont-ils des reportages ou des voyages à l’intérieur de soi ? Seen from Poland, faraway countries are perceived through mutiple clichés. Yet, contraty to what we could expect, nexdoor neighbours with political affinites and geographical proximity are not exempt from these stereotypes. Travel literature, press reporting and exploration are three categories to which the narrative I intend to deal with belong. Mariusz Szczygieł is a Polish journalist and writer, born in 1966. His book Gottland [2006 ] tells the history of Bohemia, and the following one, Zrób sobie raj [To each one his Paradise, 2010], speaks of the importance of religion in the Czech republic and focuses on the recent history of the country. Krzysztof Varga, half-Polish and half-Hungarian, born in 1968, is the author of a over ten books including Gulasz z turula [Goulash de tourul, 2008] and Czardasz z mangalicą [Czardas with a pig mangalitza, 2014], two books devoted to Hungary. As the author himself puts it, these two works mainly allowed him to distance himself from Polishness. Both writers are journalists for Gazeta Wyborcza, both are published by the same publishing house (Czarne) and are engaged in a similar pursuit. Mariusz Szczygieł appears as an unclean Czechophile and Varga wonders about the origin of the friendly feelings that the Poles have for the Hungarians. Are their books reporting of self-exploring travels?

Introduction and objective Caffeine is a natural methylxanthine widespread throughout the food industry. Many research studies have shown that caffeine readily crosses the placenta causing teratogenic and embryotoxic effects. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of caffeine, administered at 10°C, on the development of a rat's bone tissue, with particular reference to elemental bone composition using an X-ray microprobe. Materials and methods The research was conducted on white rats of the Wistar strain. The fertilized females were divided into two groups: an Experimental Group (Group E) and a Control Group (Group C). The females in Group E were given caffeine orally (at 10°C) in 30 mg/day doses from the 8(th) - 21(st) day of pregnancy. The females in Group C were given water at the same temperature. The foetuses were used to assess the growth and mineralization of the skeleton. Qualitative analysis of the morphology and mineralization of bones was conducted using the alcian-alizarin method. For calcium and potassium analysis, an X-ray microprobe was used. Results By staining the skeleton using the alcian-alizarin method, changes in 47 Group E foetuses were observed. The frequency of the development variants in the Group E rats was statistically higher, compared with Group C. Conclusions On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that caffeine in high doses disturbs the development of bone tissue. An additional factor which enhances the adverse effects of this substance on bone tissue is the temperature of the administered solution (10(o)C). In the Experimental Group, a significant decrease in the calcium level, as well as an increase in the potassium level, was observed. The X-ray microprobe can be a perfect complement to the methods which enable determination of the mineralization of osseous tissue.

Almost 90 per cent of total electric energy produced in Poland derived from burning coal. Minimizing negative environmental impact is especially important when using lignite energy production. The paper presents ecological benefits of modern energy production methods. The evaluation of environmental benefits has been conducted in consistency with norms ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, with the assistance of assessments methods included in the SimaPro 7 software. The calculations were based on the assessment procedure of Ecoindicator 99. The method allows for estimating the environmental impact of each stage of the energy production process, especially when it comes to the impact category of fossil fuels. This aspect is particularly important for the study of the environmental impact of electricity production in Polish coal-fired power plants. The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) has been carried out to examine the impact of electric energy production of one of the biggest power plants in Poland. The results show that modernization of energy blocks as well as the greenhouse gas reducing installations would significantly reduce the negative impact of the electric energy production.

An easy access to products containing caffeine makes it widely consumed to excess by the general population, including pregnant women. Beverages containing caffeine are consumed at different temperatures (iced, hot, room temperature). Caffeine easily passes through biological membranes, including the blood-brain barrier, the placental barrier, and can also enter the amniotic fluid, breast milk and semen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between caffeine’s developmental toxicity, and the solution’s temperature (both low and high) administered to pregnant female rats. Fertilized females were randomly divided into two main groups: an experimental (E) and a control group (C). The experimental groups received caffeine (30mg/day) in 10 (E 1 ), 25 (E 2 ) and 45 o C (E 3 ). The females in the control group were given water at the same temperature (C 1 , C 2 and C 3 ). On the day 21 of pregnancy, the pregnant females were killed by decapitation, using a specially prepared laboratory guillotine, after which the mothers’ internal organs were weighed. Additionally, the offspring were examined using standard teratological methods. The study found that caffeine administered to pregnant females at a dose of 30mg/day and at the temperatures of 10°C, 25°C or 45°C did not produce any teratogenic effects. The only sign of its adverse effect was the appearance of developmental abnormalities in the form of haematomas and saturated bleeding in the internal organs. These changes most frequently occurred in foetuses of females which received caffeine at 10°C or 45°C.

Dizziness is a symptom of many diseases. Patients very frequently come with such ailment to the hospital emergency department. It is a state which may last a few seconds or minutes and increase or recede with time. Therefore, the admitted patients frequently cannot assess their own illness in a precise and objective way. The dizziness definition is also quite ambiguous. Dizziness is defined as the sensation of one own’s body movement or spinning and movement of the surrounding. It is very important to record the patient’s medical history since the diagnostic procedure may depend on the symptoms’ character. Dizziness may be a symptom of a serious disease, although it is not easy to find its cause. It appears not only in case of the labyrinth and nervous system disorders, but also in the systemic and functional diseases. Dizziness and balance disorder are the direct cause of admitting one in every thirty patients. The symptom indicated the directly life-threatening disease only within the 3-8.5% of patients (cerebral circulation insufficiency - 6%, cardiac dysrhythmia - 1.5%, brain tumour < 1%). Analyzing the data concerning the problem of dizziness occurrence within the general population, it has been noticed that this symptom has been reported two or three times more frequent by women than by men. Dizzinesses are classified pathogenetically and clinically into labyrinthine and non-labyrinthine, paroxysmal and permanent, acute and chronic. Dizziness is hard to diagnose because the symptoms reported by patients are only their own subjective sensations. The data presented in the article implicate the increasing number of patients with such disorders. Apart from dizziness, the patients complain also about the hearing disorders and nausea, which make their proper functioning impossible. It is inappropriate to start the treatment without knowing the cause. Establishing, on the basis of patient’s medical history and physical examination, whether the dizziness is of peripheral or central origin, is essential for the further diagnosis. After establishing the main diagnosis, the casual and symptomatic treatment is implemented, in some cases - there is a vestibular rehabilitation or even a surgical treatment.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology and varied picture and clinical course. The intensity and the outcome of LCH treatment depend on the amount and type of the affected organs, their dysfunction and age of the patient. In this paper we present the diagnostic difficulties in a 19-month-old girl with multisystem LCH, manifesting mainly by persistent fever, deep anemia, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, coexisting with EBV infection and urinary tract infection. On diagnosis, LCH was suspected once the bone lesions were detected on CT scans, which, however, were not confirmed in the bone scintigraphy. Histopathological diagnosis of LCH was based on the histopathological examination of the cervical lymph node, in which CD1a expression was detected. Myelogram morphologically was assessed as normal; however, bone marrow smears were respectively found to express CD1a. The patient received aggressive and long-lasting treatment according to the protocol LCH in 2009, yielding a complete clinical remission of LCH.

The ability of fast response in case of increasing health problems of a child which lead directly to life-threatening situations is a necessary condition for creating opportunity of child’s survival until it will be transported to intensive care unit, where it will be provided with care by a specialist. In case of healthy children the most common cause of acute respiratory failure is obstruction of upper respiratory tract. There is an enormous variety of causes of upper airway obstruction, but the most important are the result of congenital defects, acute inflammation, anaphylactic reactions, foreign body aspiration and injuries. Consequence of the hypoventilation resulting from significant impediment of airflow through the obstructed airways is impaired gas exchange in the lungs. This leads to the increasing hypoxemia (PaO 2 45 mmHg). This condition is called the total respiratory failure. The persistence of hypoventilation leads to hypoxia of vital organs (heart muscle, brain), increased anaerobic metabolism, acidosis, and inevitably to cardiac arrest as a result of homeostasis disorders. Respiratory failure is defined as acute when developing suddenly and is potentially reversible. We can find such a situation in the fast-increasing stenosis of the larynx. Symptoms of severe dyspnoea occur in a short time, but can be interrupted by an effective airway patency. Acute respiratory failure is a state of direct threat to life, which is why it is crucial to give a prompt aid to the sick child. The aim of this paper is to discuss the signs and symptoms, knowledge of which is essential for rapid identification and initial differentiation of the causes of acute upper airway obstruction in children. The principles of first-aid for children with acute respiratory failure and above all the description of life-saving procedures will be presented.

The publication of Cinnamon Shops precedes by just one year the Nobel Prize in medicine given to Hans Sperman, who a few years later, in 1938, proposed a crucial experiment of removing from an unfertilized egg cell its nucleus and replacing it with the nucleus of a cell of an embryo. From our present point of view it is hard not to notice a prophetic bent of Schulz’s fiction even if Jacob’s experimental assumption does not quite correspond to the process of cloning as we know it. Also Father’s ornithological experiment is a key component of the narrative structure of the Cinnamon Shops as a kind of frame that consolidates particular stories. The mystical student of the matter does not renounce the discourse of science even though the order which he creates becomes more and more fantastic, while he suffers from the metaphysical and anthropological anxiety about the alien handicapped creatures.

Aim The aim of the study was to analyse the reason of elevated hemoglobin concentration in childhood. Background Elevated hemoglobin concentration is a rare abnormality during childhood. There are disorders of hereditary or acquired hyperproliferations of red cells or pseudo high hemoglobin conditions. Materials and methods We present 3 asymptomatic children in whom high hemoglobin concentration was diagnosed by a family doctor. Results Given that the iron concentration was elevated, genetic testing for HFE mutation was carried out. Conclusion Patients presented with HFE mutation might have an increased hemoglobin production.

Background: Caffeine is one of the most frequently ingested (at various temperatures) xenobiotics by people. A number of studies have confirmed the negative effect of high doses of caffeine ingested during pregnancy both for the mother and the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between caffeine’s toxicity on development and the administered solution’stemperature. Materials and methods: The research was conducted on rats. The fertilised females were randomly divided into two main groups: an experimental (E) and a control group (C). The experimental groups received caffeine (30 mg/day) in10 (E1), 25 (E2) and 45°C (E3). The females in the control group were given water at the same temperature (C1, C2 and C3). On the 21st day of pregnancy, the pregnant females were killed by decapitation using a specially prepared laboratory guillotine and were assessed morphometric parameters of foetuses. Results and Conclusions: Based on this work showed that: the embryotoxic effect of caffeine was only confined to a reduction in the number of offspring; the greatest changes in the morphometric parameters occurred in foetuses whose mothers received caffeine at 10°C; in the control groups, the greatest changes were observed in foetuses whose mothers were given water at 10°C during pregnancy.

Caffeine (120 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically to pregnant rats daily on gestational days 8-21. An increase in serum concentration of glucose and total protein was found in animals, which were given caffeine. The protein content proved to be highly significant in the experimental group of animals. The control group showed a negative interdependence between body weight gain and glucose concentration. No correlation was found between body weight gain and total protein concentration, yet the glucose concentration significantly influenced the total protein concentration in this group of animals. Among animals which received caffeine, correlations between total protein and glucose concentrations were observed. The analysis did not show that the glucose or total protein concentration significantly influenced the body weight gain of pregnant female rats in the experimental group. The research conducted suggests the possibility of modulating effects of caffeine on adaptive processes during pregnancy.

Bruno Schulz’s peculiar fascination with myth is striking. Applying the principle of “the mythifi cation of reality”, he develops a theory which focuses on the whole meaning of the word. Certain essays published in the same collection, for instance “The Mythifi cation of Reality”, do not refer to a particular text, but constitute a synthesis, a sort of artistic credo. The author of the article tries to find the role of the myth creator in literature, which is the dominant theme in Schulz’s oeuvre.

Disorders in the functioning of the human body balance system exist in 20-30 % of adults and in 8-18% of children. The main causes of these aberrations are: benign positional vertigoes, migraine, anxiety disorders and depression, cerebrovascular diseases, brain traumas, labyrinthitis, toxic impairment of labyrinth, vestibular neuronitis, Meniere disease, brain tumours. Among the minor causes of these disorders are: internal ear disorders, inner ear circulation disorders, sclerosis multiplex (SM), epilepsy, arterial hypertension, postural hypertension, heart rhythm disorders, sclerosis, hypoglycaemia and involutional alternations (see: prezbiastazja). Human body balance disorders increase the risk of falls, which may threaten health and life. Frequency of these disorders raises with age, which is the cause of progressing degeneration of all the anatomical and functional systems, the efficiency of which affects the stability of the human body. Determination of the factors, which are related to a worse functioning of the body balance system of young people, who do not experience any clinical symptoms caused by this system is vital, especially in preventing falls and complications attributed to them. It allows to implement possibly early the preventive actions substantial for people encumbered by the risk factors. The aforesaid actions may consist in the alternation of a given factor (diet, sleep, physical activity). In case of the factors, which are not subject to modifications (i.e. heterogeneous form of the functional lateralization), it is essential to prevent potential diseases that disturb the functioning of the body balance system, which is already impaired. This study aimed to acquaint with the findings concerning the evaluation of the functional lateralization enriched with a new diagnostic tool – a computerized dynamic posturography. The computerized dynamic posturography (CPD) is a state-of-the-art and faultless evaluation tool of the functional lateralization. It provides a comprehensive knowledge, which concerns not only the preferences of the body, but also constitutes an objective and quantitative diagnostic method for the disorders in the functioning of the body balance system. CPD differentiates a few clinical protocols: the Sensory Organization Test (SOT); the Motor Control Test (MCT); the Adaptation Test (ADT). SOT evaluates the control of the body balance in different conditions (eyes closed/eyes opened; environment moves/ground moves) of the sensory systems stimulation. MCT assesses the postural reactions (body postures) in response to an unexpected changes in the location of the feet prop surface. ADT assesses the efficiency of the adaptation mechanisms in the body balance control.

BACKGROUND The purpose of our study was to analyze the frequency of focal fatty replacement (FR) of the heart, as well as the distribution and detailed morphology of FR in a large group of patients referred to multi-slice computed tomography with ECG-gating examinations (ECG-MSCT) for various clinical reasons. MATERIAL AND METHODS The ECG-MSCT examinations of 1830 consecutive patients were analyzed. The examinations were performed using 8-row (1015 patients) and 64-row (815 patients) MSCT, in pre- and post-contrast scanning. We analyzed the morphology of FR, the dimensions and densities of changes, as well as the morphology and localization of FR with regard to clinical diagnosis. RESULTS 204 subjects (11.1%) had FR within the heart (113 men; 91 women; mean age 57.8 years); 66% of fatty foci were seen only in the native scanning. The distribution of the fat was: right ventricle (RV) 31.9%, left ventricle (LV) 21.5%, biventricular 39.7%, interventricular or atrial septum 5.9%, and atria 1%. In the RV, fat was localized mainly in the papillary muscles, while in the LV fat was mainly subendocardial (p

Central venous access consists in inserting a vascular catheter to the vena cava and placing its tip in the vicinity of the opening to the right atrium. In the patients of the Clinic of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology at the Academic Clinical Centre of the Medical University in Gdansk, such implantation procedures are conducted 40-50 times in a year using Broviac/Hickman catheters that are placed in the subclavian vein. In the Ultrasound and Biopsy Laboratory at the clinic mentioned above, approximately 200-250 examinations have been conducted since 2005 to assess the central venous access. Implantation of a catheter considerably increases the comfort of patients who require a long-term venous access. Nevertheless, it is an invasive procedure, burdened with a risk of numerous, early and late complications. The late complications are associated with implanted catheters and include catheter-related thrombosis. The aim of this paper was to present three patients of the Clinic of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology at the Academic Clinical Centre of the Medical University in Gdansk, in whom thrombotic complications occurred as a result of long-term central venous catheters. The paper also discusses the possibilities of using sonography in the assessment of such complications. In the presented patients, it was possible to determine the size and localization of a thrombus which enabled effective treatment in two cases. The pathomechanism of catheter-related thrombosis was explained and the risk factors of such complications were discussed. The attention was paid to the necessity of conducting ultrasound examinations in pediatric patients with inserted catheters as soon as the first symptoms of thrombosis appear. Based on own observations and despite the lack of validation of ultrasound imaging in the assessment of central catheters, we believe that this method is highly promising and can be recommended for the assessment of thrombotic complications in pediatric patients with central venous catheters.

Analysing the literature dealing with coopetition on both national and international levels, one cannot help but notice that this notion has recently become increasingly more popular. The same cannot be said however, of the notion of coopetition from a practical point of view. The empirical results obtained using the probit model. Analysing the influence of customer sectors for the researched companies it can be noticed that having customers in transportation and trade sectors stimulates the establishing of coopetition. Analysing the influence of relations maintained with the supply network participants it should be pointed out that only having close relations with competitors can positively influence entering into coopetition. Other kinds of relations maintained with competitors influence coopetition negatively. Coopetition is also positively influenced by maintaining only the necessary relations with customers by the industrial companies from South-East Poland. Lack of closer relations with customers forces the industrial companies to look out for other enterprises that can aid in further development of the company. Maintaining only the necessary relations with suppliers influences coopetition negatively. Considering the distance between the participants of supply network, having suppliers and customers located outside Poland influences coopetition negatively.

Reviewing the literature, both domestic and foreign can be seen that the issue of coopetition has become increasingly popular in recent times. The same cannot be said about coopetition in terms of economic practice. Reluctance or concerns about coopetition result from caution and distrust of Polish entrepreneurs in relation to other players on the market, whose strategy has proved successful in the previous socio-political conditions. However, the current situation forces small and medium-sized enterprises to draw attention to the strategy of "sleeping with the enemy." In this context, the objective of the study was to answer the question of what factors influence establishing coopetition in western Poland in a simulative or detrimental way.

Objective Diagnosis of fibular hemimelia is based on the identification of absence or shortening of the fibula in relation to the tibia. Despite the existence of different classifications of this congenital deficiency, certain morphological forms defy proper classification. One such form is absence of foot rays with leg shortening in the presence of an entire fibula. In these cases, foot morphology suggests that central foot rays, not lateral ones, are affected by the deficiency; thus justifying the hypothesis concerning the existence of a separate type of hypoplasia, which may be named “intermediate ray deficiency” (IRD). Materials and methods Nine patients with IRD, with an average age of 9.4 years at diagnosis (2.9–15), were analyzed. Clinical and radiographic parameters of the leg and foot were recorded according to the Stanitski classification of fibular hemimelia. The position of the lateral and medial malleoli was assessed. Axial alignment was analyzed according to the Paley method. Results The number of foot rays in eight cases was 4, while in one case, it was 3. Talocalcaneal synostosis was observed in seven cases. The shape of the ankle joint was spherical in six cases, horizontal in two cases and valgus in one case. The position of the lateral malleolus was slightly higher compared to normal. An average functional leg length discrepancy was 4.4 cm. The average percentage of fibular shortening was 9.5 %, tibial shortening 8.7 % and femoral shortening 3.3 %. In all of the cases, slight knee valgus was observed on the femoral level (average 3.3°) and tibial level (average 2.0°). As a result, criteria for IRD diagnosis were proposed. Conclusion “Intermediate ray deficiency” might be defined as a separate type of lower limb hypoplasia.

Koniunktura gospodarcza jest istotnym czynnikiem wpływającym na decyzje o podejmowaniu działalności innowacyjnej przez przedsiębiorstwa nie tylko w Polsce, lecz również w bardziej rozwiniętych krajach. Zachodzi zatem potrzeba uwzględnienia aktualnych warunków rynkowych w programowaniu oddziaływania na procesy innowacyjne w kraju. (abstrakt oryginalny)

SELF-WRITING, THAT IS THE SPEAKING I OBJECTIFIED Kazimierz Brandys experiments in his prose by applying many genres, such as the crypto-biography, metafiction, epistolary novel, radio interview, reportage, note to the editor, screenplay, etc. What is also outstanding in his writings are elements characteristic of the essay, the aesthetics of the fragmentary and the montage of pieces of other texts. From the mid-1970s Kazimierz Brandys also tries to combine fiction with elements of the documentary and autobiography. The article offers an interpretation of his Przygody Robinsona [Robinson’s Adventures] (1999), which appears to a certain extent as a return to literary fiction. PISANIE O SOBIE (SOBĄ), CZYLI PODMIOT MOWIĄCY UPRZEDMIOTOWIONY Proza Kazimierza Brandysa ujawnia liczne eksperymenty narracyjne. Przybiera ona formy gatunkowe takie jak kryptobiografia, metapowieśc, powieśc epistolarna, wywiad radiowy, reportaz, nota do wydawcy, scenariusz filmowy itp. Charakterystyczna jest dla niej takze eseizacja narracji, estetyka fragmentu, montaz utworu z kawalkow innych tekstow. Mniej wiecej od polowy lat 70. autor Nierzeczywistości i Ronda probuje systematycznie lączyc formule wypowiedzi powieściowej z dokumentaryzmem i autobiografią. Artykul zawiera interpretacje utworu Przygody Robinsona (1999), ktory jawi sie jako cześciowy powrot do literackiej fikcji.

The presence of a pathologic mass in the right ventricle (RV) may lead to hemodynamic consequences and to a life-threatening incident of pulmonary embolism. The diagnosis of an unstable thrombus in the right heart chamber usually necessitates intensive treatment to dissolve or remove the pathology. We present a report of an unusual complication of severe ketoacidosis: thrombus in the right ventricle, removed from the tricuspid valve (TV) apparatus. A four-year-old boy was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) type I de novo. During hospitalization, a 13.9 × 8.4 mm tumor in the RV was found in a routine cardiac ultrasound. The patient was referred for surgical removal of the floating lesion from the RV. The procedure was performed via midline sternotomy with extracorporeal circulation (ECC) and mild hypothermia. Control echocardiography showed complete tumor excision with normal atrioventricular valves and heart function. Surgical removal of the thrombus from the tricuspid valve apparatus was effective, safe, and a definitive therapy for thromboembolic complication of pediatric severe ketoacidosis.

The human body balance system is a complex system of organs and mechanisms, which generate postural reactions to counter the displacement from the equilibrium position of the body centre of gravity, and which control eye movement in order to maintain a stable image of the environment. Computerised Dynamic Posturography (CDP) allows for a quantitative and objective assessment of the sen- sory and motor components of the body balance control system as well as of the integration and adaptive mechanisms in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine the differences, when maintaining body balance, based on the gender of young, healthy people using CDP. The study was carried out on a group of 43 healthy subjects by comparing the effectiveness of the balance system in 22 women and 21 men aged between 20 and 26 years, between 171 and 177 cm in height, and without any clinical symptoms of balance disorders. The men and women were selected such that they did not differ significantly in height and BMI. Using the Equitest posturograph manufactured by NeuroCom International Inc. the following tests were performed: Sensory Organisation Test (SOT), Motor Control Test (MCT) and the Adaptation Test (ADT). The gender of young healthy individuals without any clinical symptoms of balance disorders also does not affect the effectiveness of the sensory system and the use of this signal in maintaining body balance.

The human body's posture control is a complex system of organs and mechanisms which controls the body's centre of gravity (COG) over its base of support (BOS). Computerised Dynamic Posturography (CDP) allows for the quantitative and objective assessment of the sensory and motor components of the body's posture control system as well as of the integration and adaptation mechanisms in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between the body's height and BMI on CDP results in a group of young healthy women without any clinical symptoms of balance disorders. It was found that the MS depended significantly on the height and BMI of the subjects as well as on the SOT conditions. As the height and BMI increased the MS value decreased. The postural response latency (LC) in the MCT statistically significantly depended only on height and showed a positive correlation. The postural response latency increased with height. The postural response amplitude for both right and left lower limbs significantly depended on height and BMI, but only for the backward movement of the platform. The response amplitude for all platform translations under all MCT conditions increased with height and BMI. The body's resultant imbalance caused by the platform perturbations in the ADT was greater in shorter people and those with a lower BMI.

Thirty-seven feet in 25 children (12 girls, 13 boys) treated surgically with medial cuneiform opening wedge osteotomy to correct forefoot adduction were assessed. Thirteen patients had unilateral deformity. Primary diagnoses were congenital clubfoot (33 feet), congenital forefoot adduction (3 feet), and skewfoot (1 foot). All children underwent operation before age 4 years. The age at operation ranged from 21 to 47 months (mean 35). In 18 feet, allografts were used. In 5 feet, autograft was used. In 14 feet, ceramic material was inserted as opening wedge. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 8 years (mean 4). In four feet, the ossification center of the medial cuneiform was invisible. The correction of the deformity was assessed clinically and radiographically. The first ray angle and talo-first metatarsal angle were evaluated on anteroposterior radiographs, the latter was evaluated on lateral radiographs, also. In 26 feet, normal position of the forefoot was achieved. In five feet, overgrowth of the medial cuneiform in comparison with the normal side was observed. Forefoot adduction persisted in six feet. The ossification center was often divided into two parts by bone graft, and subsequent independent growth of both parts was observed. This technique is safe and useful for correction of forefoot adduction in young children. It can be performed even in cartilaginous bone. The osteotomy causes overgrowth of the medial cuneiform and the medial ray.

[b]introduction and objective[/b]. Caffeine is one of the world’s most commonly ingested alkaloids which easily permeates the placenta. The teratogenic and embryotoxic influence of large doses of caffeine has been established in many experimental studies on animals. The objective of this work was to assess the influence of caffeine, administered at 45 °C, on the development of the bone tissue of rats, with particular reference to elemental bone composition using an X-ray microprobe. [b]materials and methods[/b]. The research was conducted on white rats of the Wistar strain. The fertilized females were divided into two groups: an Experimental Group (Group E) and a Control Group (Group C). The females in Group E were given caffeine orally (at 45 °C) in 30 mg/day doses from the 8 [sup]th [/sup] to the 21 [sup]st[/sup] day of pregnancy. The females in Group C were given water at the same temperature. The fetuses were used to assess the growth and mineralization of the skeleton. A qualitative analysis of the morphology and mineralization of bones was conducted using the alcian-alizarin method. For calcium and potassium analysis, an X-ray microprobe was used. [b]results.[/b] By staining the skeleton using the alcian-alizarin method, changes in 52 of Group E fetuses were observed. The frequency of the development variants in the Group E rats was statistically higher, compared with Group C. [b]conclusions[/b]. Receiving caffeine at a higher temperature may result in different pharmacodynamics and significantly change tolerance to it. In Group E, a significant decrease in the calcium level, as well as an increase in the potassium level, was observed. The X-ray microprobe can be a perfect complement to the methods which enable determination of the mineralization of osseous tissue.

introduction and objective. Environmental lead (Pb) is a serious public health problem. At high levels, Pb is devastating to almost all organs. On the other hand, it is difficult to determine a safe level of exposure to Pb. More than 90% of the Pb in the adult human body and 70% in a child’s body is stored in the bones. In the presented study, the effects of lead exposure on bones were studied for rats treated orally with Pb acetate in drinking water for 14 days. The hypothesis was tested that lead exposure negatively affects bone structure. materials and methods. Femur strength was measured in a three-point bending test, whereas infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to measure molecular structural changes. results. Lead significantly decreased the ratio of area of two types of vibrational transitions, which are highly specific to mineral to matrix ratio. The results of the biomechanical study show that femurs of rats treated by Pb-acetate appeared to be weaker than bones of the control group, and may produce a condition for the development of higher risk of fractures. Additionally, a great difference in body mass was observed between control and the Pb acetate-treated groups. conclusions. The lower bone mineral content and the weaker mechanical properties of bones from Pb-treated rats are associated with the pathologic state dependent of the exposure of lead.

Background: The purpose of our study was to analyse the relationship between fatty foci within the heart and the accompanying changes in the coronary arteries supplying the relevant heart chambers in a large group of patients referred to multi-slice computed tomography with electrocardiogram-gating examinations (ECG-MSCT) for various clinical reasons. Materials and methods: The ECG-MSCT examinations of 1,830 consecutive patients were analysed. The examinations were performed using 8-row (1,015 patients) and 64-row (815 patients) MSCT, in pre- and postcontrast scanning. In the group of patients with fatty foci within the heart the concomitant changes in the coronary arteries were assessed. It was analysed: the type of changes in the arteries; the relationship between the locations of the fatty deposits and the occurrence and type of changes in the coronary arteries. Results: In 200 (10.9%) subjects fatty foci within the heart (112 men; 88 women; mean age 57.8) were detected. The distribution of the fat was as follows: right ventricle (RV) — 32.5%, left ventricle (LV) — 22.0%, biventricular — 45.5%. One hundred and seventy-two patients had concomitant changes in the coronary arteries. In patients with normal coronary arteries, significantly more often fatty deposits were localised within RV. Fat was primarily located subendocardially in the LV in patients with atherosclerosis in the left anterior descending artery (p < 0.001), in the right coronary artery (RCA) (p = 0.003), and in the left circumflex artery (LCX) (p < 0.001). Subpericardial locations of fatty deposits in RV significantly correlated with RCA bridging (p < 0.02); the subpericardial location of fat in LV significantly correlated with LCX bridging (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Fatty replacement of the myocardium is common, occurring in up to 10% of diagnosed patients and the majority of this group had concomitant changes in the coronary arteries. However, in the group of patients without changes in the coronary arteries, the fatty deposits locate themselves significantly more frequently within the RV.

Idiopathic scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the growing spine, affecting 2%–3% of adolescents. Although benign in the majority of patients, the natural course of the disease may result in significant disturbance of body morphology, reduced thoracic volume, impaired respiration, increased rates of back pain, and serious esthetic concerns. Risk of deterioration is highest during the pubertal growth spurt and increases the risk of pathologic spinal curvature, increasing angular value, trunk imbalance, and thoracic deformity. Early clinical detection of scoliosis relies on careful examination of trunk shape and is subject to screening programs in some regions. Treatment options are physiotherapy, corrective bracing, or surgery for mild, moderate, or severe scoliosis, respectively, with both the actual degree of deformity and prognosis being taken into account. Physiotherapy used in mild idiopathic scoliosis comprises general training of the trunk musculature and physical capacity, while specific physiotherapeutic techniques aim to address the spinal curvature itself, attempting to achieve self-correction with active trunk movements developed in a three-dimensional space by an instructed adolescent under visual and proprioceptive control. Moderate but progressive idiopathic scoliosis in skeletally immature adolescents can be successfully halted using a corrective brace which has to be worn full time for several months or until skeletal maturity, and is able to prevent more severe deformity and avoid the need for surgical treatment. Surgery is the treatment of choice for severe idiopathic scoliosis which is rapidly progressive, with early onset, late diagnosis, and neglected or failed conservative treatment. The psychologic impact of idiopathic scoliosis, a chronic disease occurring in the psychologically fragile period of adolescence, is important because of its body distorting character and the onerous treatment required, either conservative or surgical. Optimal management of idiopathic scoliosis requires cooperation within a professional team which includes the entire therapeutic spectrum, extending from simple watchful observation of nonprogressive mild deformities through to early surgery for rapidly deteriorating curvature. Probably most demanding is adequate management with regard to the individual course of the disease in a given patient, while avoiding overtreatment or undertreatment., Video abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to detect and assess the estrogen receptor (ESR) coactivator PELP1 expression within human paraspinal skeletal muscles in patients suffering from idiopathic scoliosis. Methods During surgical correction of scoliosis the muscle biopsies harvested in 29 females. Presence of PELP1, ESR1 and ESR2 genes transcripts was studied using RT-qPCR technique while immunohistochemistry and western blot methods were used to detect the PEPL1 protein presence. Results PELP1 expression in deep paraspinal muscles revealed higher than in superficial back muscles (p = 0.005). Positive immunohistochemical staining for PELP1 was observed in the nuclei of the paraspinal muscle cells. Western blot revealed PELP1 protein in all samples. No significant difference in PELP1 expression between the convex and the concave scoliosis side (p>0.05) was found. In deep paraspinal back muscles, a significant correlation between the PELP1 expression level on the concave side and the Cobb angle (r = 0.4; p

Caffeine is a methylxanthine which permeates the placenta. In studies on animals, it has been shown to produce teratogenic and embryotoxic effects in large doses. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of caffeine on the development of bone tissue, with particular reference to elemental bone composition using an X-ray microprobe. The research was conducted on rats. The fertilized females were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group was given caffeine orally in 30 mg/day doses from the 8th to the 21st day of pregnancy, while the control group was given water. The fetuses were used to assess the growth and mineralization of the skeleton. On the basis of double dyeing, a qualitative analysis of the bone morphology and mineralization was conducted. For calcium and potassium analysis, an X-ray microprobe was used. In 67 fetuses from the experimental group, changes in skeleton staining with the alcian-alizarin method were noticed. The frequency of the development of variants in the experimental group was statistically higher. In the experimental group,a significant decrease in the calcium level, as well as an increase in the potassium level, was observed. The X-ray microprobe's undoubted advantage is that is offers a quick qualitative and quantitative analysis of the elemental composition of the examined samples. Employing this new technique may furnish us with new capabilities when investigating the essence of the pathology process.

Summary Background Lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum (LHIS) is a benign disorder characterized by fat accumulation in the interatrial septum (IAS). The purpose of the study was to analyze the incidental detection of LHIS in patients with various clinical conditions, referred to ECG-gated multislice computed tomography (ECG-MSCT) examinations of the heart. Material/Methods The ECG-MSCT examinations of 5786 patients (2839 women; 2947 men), were analyzed. The examinations were performed using 8-row (1015 patients) and 64-row (4771 patients) MSCT, in pre- and postcontrast scanning. We analyzed the shape of the IAS, density and maximal thickness of IAS, the thickness of the epicardial adipose tissue, and the degree of contact of IAS with the ascending aorta and superior vena cava. We also determined body mass index (BMI) in patients with LHIS. Results LHIS was detected in 56 (0.96%) patients, with an average age of 61.5±9.8 years. The mean BMI in the analyzed group was 30.1±4.86. During the end-diastolic phase the thickness of IAS was significantly higher (p

The influence of pregnancy on bone tissue metabolism is not completely understood. Caffeine also has a potentially negative influence on bones. The aim of this study was the evaluation of changes in the bones of pregnant rats under the influence of caffeine. The experiment was carried out on Wistar rats. The evaluation of rats’ bone tissue quality was performed based on bone density measurements and resistance examinations. It analyzed the impact of caffeine on the degree of bone tissue mineralization and the composition of the bones. The mean value of pelvises ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ densities in a group of pregnant rats with caffeine intake was lower compared to the control group. The deformation in maximal load point of the femur shaft in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group. In the experimental group, the percentage of water in the bones was significantly higher, while the content of inorganic phase was significantly lower compared to the control group. The changes of biomechanical parameters in the group of pregnant rats with caffeine intake indicate its negative influence on the bone. Our results show higher plasticization of the bone shafts of the animals under the influence of caffeine. Higher deformation of bone shafts may have an effect on the statics of the skeleton. The administration of caffeine significantly affected the quantitative composition of the bone. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 504–511)

The purpose of this study is to present the current approach to and an evaluation of the results of treatment of neurogenic deformities of the hip joints in children with myelomeningocoele (MMC).The study population consisted of 210 patients with MMC admitted to the Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Poznań in the years 1970-2008. The study involved 131 hips (85 patients). The duration of follow-up was 1 to 38 years (mean 17.3 years). The clinical status of patients and treatment results were evaluated with regard to the assignment of the patient to one of 6 groups according to the modified Sharrard and Parsch classification. Radiographic evaluation included the femoral neck angle, anteversion angle, acetabular index, head-acetabular coefficient, centre-edge angle, focusing angle, and Labaziewicz distance angle. The operative treatment in Groups I-II consisted of correction of contractures. In Group III, we performed open reduction of the dislocation or subluxation, Mustard iliopsoas transfer, intertrochanteric femoral osteotomy and Dega's transiliac osteotomy, or shelf procedure. In Group IV patients, we corrected subluxations or dislocations.Surgery in patients from Groups I-II was associated with a high rate of recurrence. In Group III patients, we achieved good joint stability. The transferred iliopsoas muscle was active in 70% of the patients and 65% of the patients in this group became ambulant. More beneficial functional effects were observed after operative treatment in patients from Group IV.In Groups I-II recurrence of the deformity was often observed. In patients from Groups III-IV, good functional outcomes were noted after comprehensive surgical treatment.

Qui aurait pu trouver une meilleure idée que celle qui a été réalisée par les professeurs Danuta Knysz-Tomaszewska et Grzegorz Bąbiak et dont la sagacité consiste à offrir au vaste public de lecteurs un magnifique aperçu du travail et du talent de l’un des plus grands polonisants français, Paul Cazin (1881-1963) ? Cet éminent traducteur et propagateur de la culture polonaise en France avait en effet jadis nourri l’espoir de faire paraître un jour son journal intime englobant une grande partie...

Nuclear DNA preparations isolated from the embryo and endosperm of mature wheat grain were digested with various restriction endonucleases and, after electrophoresis and blotting, probed with cloned fragments of wheat embryo nuclear DNA. The hybridization patterns were, in most cases, essentially the same for both embryo and endosperm DNAs. One of the probes used, a 5-kilobase (kb) long Bam HI fragment, hybridized, however, to the embryo DNA only. These observations are interpreted to mean that there is a DNA sequence which occurs in still differentiating wheat embryo cells, but is absent from the terminally differentiated endosperm cells. Thus, a deletional gene rearrangement may be assumed to accompany cell differentiation in developing wheat grains.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of systemic glucocorticosteroids administration on mechanical properties of animal tendons. Twenty female Wistar rats were divided into two groups and those that formed experimental group were subjected activity of hydrocortisone given to the peritoneum. Mechanical tests were performed. Hydrocortisone administration caused reduction of force value and the increase of strain, also the value of elasticity module was significantly smaller comparing to the control group. The results of biomechanical tests suggested that glucocorticoids produce less stiffness tendon, which fails in maximum point of load. This study revealed that systemic hydrocortisone administration changes significantly mechanical properties of tendons, which may cause frequent failure of the tendon.