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The study assessed selected parameters of redox status in the plasma of patients suffering from high myopia (HM). Thirty-five children with mean age 13.7 ± 2.7 years with HM and 40 healthy children were included. Plasma redox status parameters were determined using colorimetric kits. The levels of retinol, α-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10 were determined with a high-performance liquid chromatograph. Negative correlations were observed between the concentrations of retinol and the axial length of the eye (r = − 0.514 p < 0.001). Increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (p < 0.018), and decreased concentrations of retinol (p < 0.001) and α-tocopherol (p < 0.023) in patients with HM and the axial length of the eye > 26 mm compared to controls were established. Significantly lower retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations were found in patients with the axial length of the eye > 26 mm compared to those with the axial length of the eye ≤ 26 mm (p < 0.001, p < 0.021, respectively). Increased MPO activity in advanced stages of HM may confirm an inflammatory process in HM patients. Reduced retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations and their link to disease progression indicate a need for monitoring their levels and supplementation in children with HM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following paper presents a study of water dispersion obtained by emulsion co-polymerization of acrylic, methacrylic and vinyl monomers with the use of surfactants. Water dispersions of copolymers used in the production of paints intended for painting surfaces of steel metals and aluminum and its alloys were selected. They were synthesized by ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, acrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid amide, 2-hydroxyethylacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, vinyl acetate and 1-ethyl-1-ethylpropylcarbamate (VeoVa 10). The investigated dispersion properties were considered in three groups. It turned out that the dispersions in which the copolymer had the lowest crystallinity temperature and were built of units having hydroxyl, carboxyl or amide groups were characterized by the most favorable properties. The hardness and weight of the membranes changed the least in the case of copolymers consisting of many units with functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical condition characterized by progressive renal function deterioration. CKD diagnosis is based on glomerular filtration rate, but its reliability is limited, especially at the early stages. New potential biomarkers (citrulline (CIT), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), n-butyrylcarnitine (nC4), cis-4-decenoylcarnitine, sphingosine-1-phosphate and bilirubin) in addition to creatinine (CNN) have been proposed for early diagnosis. To verify the clinical value of these biomarkers we performed a comprehensive targeted metabolomics study on a representative cohort of CKD and healthy pediatric patients. Sixty-seven children with CKD and forty-five healthy children have been enrolled in the study. Targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry has been used for serum and plasma samples analysis. Univariate data analysis showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the concentration of CNN, CIT, SDMA, and nC4 among healthy and CKD pediatric patients. The predictive ability of the proposed biomarkers was also confirmed through specificity and sensitivity expressed in Receiver Operating Characteristic curves (AUC = 0.909). In the group of early CKD pediatric patients, AUC of 0.831 was obtained, improving the diagnostic reliability of CNN alone. Moreover, the models built on combined CIT, nC4, SDMA, and CNN allowed to distinguish CKD patients from healthy control regardless of blood matrix type (serum or plasma). Our data demonstrate potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of early CKD stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrosative stress promotes protein glycoxidation, and both processes can occur during an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess selected nitrosative stress parameters and protein glycoxidation products in COVID-19 patients and convalescents relative to healthy subjects, including in reference to the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. The diagnostic utility of nitrosative stress and protein glycoxidation biomarkers was also evaluated in COVID-19 patients. The study involved 218 patients with COVID-19, 69 convalescents, and 48 healthy subjects. Nitrosative stress parameters (NO, S-nitrosothiols, nitrotyrosine) and protein glycoxidation products (tryptophan, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, dityrosine, AGEs) were measured in the blood plasma or serum with the use of colorimetric/fluorometric methods. The levels of NO (p = 0.0480), S-nitrosothiols (p = 0.0004), nitrotyrosine (p = 0.0175), kynurenine (p < 0.0001), N-formylkynurenine (p < 0.0001), dityrosine (p < 0.0001), and AGEs (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher, whereas tryptophan fluorescence was significantly (p < 0.0001) lower in COVID-19 patients than in the control group. Significant differences in the analyzed parameters were observed in different stages of COVID-19. In turn, the concentrations of kynurenine (p < 0.0001), N-formylkynurenine (p < 0.0001), dityrosine (p < 0.0001), and AGEs (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher, whereas tryptophan levels were significantly (p < 0.0001) lower in convalescents than in healthy controls. The ROC analysis revealed that protein glycoxidation products can be useful for diagnosing infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus because they differentiate COVID-19 patients (KN: sensitivity—91.20%, specificity—92.00%; NFK: sensitivity—92.37%, specificity—92.00%; AGEs: sensitivity—99,02%, specificity—100%) and convalescents (KN: sensitivity—82.22%, specificity—84.00%; NFK: sensitivity—82,86%, specificity—86,00%; DT: sensitivity—100%, specificity—100%; AGE: sensitivity—100%, specificity—100%) from healthy subjects with high sensitivity and specificity. Nitrosative stress and protein glycoxidation are intensified both during and after an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The levels of redox biomarkers fluctuate in different stages of the disease. Circulating biomarkers of nitrosative stress/protein glycoxidation have potential diagnostic utility in both COVID-19 patients and convalescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the deposition of β-amyloid in the brain. AD accounts for over 50% of cases of dementia which results from disturbances in redox homeostasis. Indeed, increased intensity of protein oxidation and nitration as well as lipid peroxidation is observed in brain areas with considerable amounts of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. However, little is known about the oxidoreductive balance of salivary glands in AD patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant barrier and oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers in stimulated saliva and blood of AD patients. The study was participated by 25 AD patients and 25 non-demented controls without neurological diseases or cognitive impairment, matched by age and gender to the study group. The number of patients was determined based on a previous pilot study (test power = 0.9). We found a significant decrease in the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), increased activity of catalase (CAT) and reduced concentration of plasma non-enzymatic antioxidants (uric acid, UA and reduced glutathione, GSH). In contrast, in the stimulated saliva of AD patients we observed significantly decreased activity of all antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx) as well as concentration of GSH compared to the control group. The content of lipid (malondialdehyde, MDA) and protein (advanced oxidation protein products, AOPP; advanced glycation end-products, AGE) oxidation products as well as biomarkers of nitrosative stress (peroxynitrite, nitrotyrosine) was significantly higher in both saliva and plasma of AD patients compared to the controls. In AD patients, we also observed a considerable decrease in stimulated saliva secretion and salivary total protein content, and an increase in salivary β-amyloid concentration. In conclusion, AD results in redox imbalance towards oxidative reactions, both at the level of the oral cavity and the entire body. General redox balance disturbances do not coincide with salivary redox balance disturbances. Reduction in stimulated saliva secretion in AD patients reflects secretory dysfunction of the parotid glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation plays a crucial role in stroke pathogenesis. Thus, it is not surprising that cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors have been advocated in stroke diagnostics. Our study is the first to evaluate the salivary cytokine profile in patients with ischemic stroke. Twenty-five patients with subacute ischemic stroke and an age-, sex-, and oral hygiene status-matched control group were enrolled in the study. The number of patients was set a priori based on our previous experiment (α = 0.05, test power = 0.9). Salivary concentrations of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 10 (IL-10) were assessed using an ELISA method. We showed that salivary TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly higher, whereas IL-10 content was statistically lower in both non-stimulated (NWS) and stimulated (SWS) whole saliva of ischemic stroke patients. However, evaluation of cytokines in NWS rather than in SWS may be of greater diagnostic value. Of particular note is salivary TNF-α, which may indicate cognitive/physical impairment in post-stroke individuals. This parameter distinguishes stroke patients from healthy controls and correlates with cognitive decline and severity of functional impairment. It also differentiates (with high sensitivity and specificity) stroke patients with normal cognition from mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Saliva may be an alternative to blood for assessing cytokines in stroke patients, although further studies on a larger patient population are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this person-oriented study 722 adolescents and adults filled out formal characteristics of behaviour-temperament inventory, satisfaction with life scale and positive and negative affect schedule. Using k-means clustering we assigned them to four subjective well-being (SWB) types: (1) achievers-high satisfaction, positive affective balance; (2) aspirers-low satisfaction, positive affective balance; (3) resigners-high satisfaction, negative affective balance; (4) frustrated-low satisfaction, negative affective balance; and to four temperament types denoting patterns of stimulation control (1) sanguine: high stimulation processing capacity (SPC) and high stimulation supply (StS); (2) melancholic: low SPC, low StS; (3) phlegmatic: high SPC, low StS; (4) choleric: low SPC, high StS. We compared stimulation control dimensions between SWB types and compared counts of SWB types across four profiles of temperament. SPC and StS were highest among achievers and lowest among the Frustrated, with aspirers and resigners in between. We found a clear correspondence between well-being structures and temperament types (a) the most common temperament among achievers was the sanguine, suggesting that this is the 'happy temperament', (b) among the Frustrated it was the melancholic (the 'unhappy temperament'), (c) among resigners it was the choleric, suggesting that this 'overstimulated temperament' results in high satisfaction at the cost of lower affective balance, (d) among aspirers it was the Phlegmatic, suggesting that 'understimulated temperament', results in a good affective balance but lower satisfaction. Configurations of temperament dimensions within individuals affect the whole structure of SWB and can explain incongruence between cognitive and affective components of SWB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the annual and of the long-term performance of personal pension funds relative to their Primary Prospectus Benchmarks (PPBs) and T-bills. The study covers 9659 personal pension funds from across all 30 ABI investment sectors that operated in the UK in the 1980-2009 period. Of these, 4531 pension funds are compared against their PPBs. The performance measured by ordinary excess returns over the UK T-bills and over PPBs, as well as the Sharpe ratio, Sharpe ratio adjusted for skewness and kurtosis, Sortino ratio in relation to the UK T-bills and PPBs, and the Modigliani-Modigliani measure are calculated for arithmetic, geometric and log returns. We find convincing evidence that pension funds lack challenging long-term performance targets. We argue that the existing PPBs are easy to outperform given that funds are allowed to diversify in assets not included in their PPBs. We discuss policy implications of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to understand aspects of life that men and women associate with happiness and to explore the connections between these associations and well-being (measured as positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction) in different periods of life. Participants were 785 people who were asked to list associations that came to mind on hearing the word 'happiness'. The moderating roles of gender and period of life (adolescence/adulthood, transition/no transition) were analysed. Participants associated happiness mostly with health and relationships. Other categories included knowledge, work, material goods and freedom. Those who associated happiness with work had higher levels of positive affect. Associating happiness with relationships predicted greater life satisfaction, whereas associating it with material goods predicted lower satisfaction. Gender moderated the relationship between associations and positive affect: associating happiness with material goods decreased positive affect among men but no such effect was observed among women; associating happiness with relationships was beneficial for women but unbeneficial for men. Additionally, associations with material goods predicted lower positive affect, especially in times of transition. Associating happiness with knowledge decreased positive affect in adolescents and increased it in adults. Some ways of understanding happiness improved life satisfaction but none were related to negative affect. The relationship between concepts of happiness and positive affect is complex; some concepts are unbeneficial only for some people and during certain periods of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological resources such as hope have been suggested to positively influence quality of life (QoL) in chronic disorders. Here, we determined hope levels of psoriasis vulgaris in-patients and analyzed their relation to QoL. A total of 60 (29 male) patients were assessed for their QoL with a generic tool (WHOQOL-BREF) and a skin disease-specific instrument, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Hope levels were determined by use of the Basic Hope Inventory. We found a positive correlation between hope and all domains of WHOQOL-BREF (physical: r = 0.446, p = 0.000; psychological r = 0.464, p = 0.000; social r = 0.302, p = 0.019; environmental r = 0.480, p = 0000; and global r = 0.501, p = 0.000) and a negative correlation with DLQI ( r = −0.281, p = 0.030) indicating higher QoL in patients with high hope. Hope was not correlated with disease severity or duration. Hope may play a substantial role in preventing QoL impairment in psoriasis. Psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at strengthening hope could improve QoL in this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to evaluate the sensitivity of skin mast cells from urticaria pigmentosa (UP) patients to substance P (SP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and anti-IgE, and to compare the sensitivity of these cells with that of skin mast cells from healthy human donors. Mast cells for in vitro functional studies were obtained using an enzymatic dispersion technique from skin biopsies (from 11 patients with UP and 11 healthy donors), and the reactivity of these cells was estimated on the basis of histamine release. Our observations indicated that UP skin mast cells and healthy skin mast cells had similar sensitivities to challenge with TNF-α at a concentration 10 –7 M (16.4% vs 15.2%) and with anti-IgE at a dilution 1:100 (41.0% vs 37.0%). However, UP mast cells showed considerably higher sensitivity to challenge with SP at a concentration 10 –4 M than healthy skin mast cells (20.0% vs 6.8%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). UP skin mast cells also demonstrated significantly higher spontaneous histamine release than healthy skin mast cells (32.1% vs 12.4%, P < 0.001). Our findings indicating UP skin mast cell sensitivity to SP might suggest that mechanisms involving neurogenic inflammation could contribute to the course of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]