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The absence of non-invasive methods for assessing bone material and structural changes is a significant diagnostic challenge. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) testing is the gold standard for osteoporosis diagnosis. BMD and the trabecular bone score (TBS) have facilitated targeted osteoporosis prevention and treatment in clinical settings. The findings from this study indicate that BMD modulation in young women is influenced by various hormones, potentially compromising the diagnostic precision of BMD for subclinical bone demineralization. A total of 205 women aged 19 to 37 underwent anthropometric measurements and hormonal tests. BMD was determined using DXA, and TBS values were computed from the lumbar spine L1–L4 segment. The multivariate analysis findings suggest that BMD might not be determined by hormones. The relationship between TBS and TSH was statistically significant in the univariate analysis, which indicates the efficacy of further studies to determine the link between TBS and specific hormones. Analyzing the strength of the correlation between TBS and hormones in the univariate analysis shows which factors are worth considering in further analyses. This makes it possible to create better techniques that will help identify young women who are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and is usually treated surgically. Mastectomy has a great influence on the mental and physical condition of women. Breast reconstruction offers them a chance to improve their quality of life (QOL) and self-image. The main aim of the study was to gain knowledge about the impact of breast reconstruction on the QOL of women following mastectomy, and an analysis of the QOL after breast reconstruction, in the context of prosthesis effect assessment. Materials and methods: The study comprised 100 women following breast reconstructive surgery involved in 1 of the 7 "Amazon Clubs" (post-mastectomy women's associations) in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwest Poland. The study was based on the author's questionnaire, and a shortened standardized version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Statistical calculations were performed with StatSoft Statistica v10 software, adopting a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The women who decided to have breast reconstruction surgery, noticed improved well-being (67%) and experienced an increase in self-confidence (61%). The vast majority of the patients surveyed (93%) were satisfied with the effect of the prosthesis. Statistically significant differences in QOL were observed in the following spheres: rest and sleep, work capacity, negative feelings, and financial resources (p < 0.05) in relation to the evaluation of the prosthesis effect. Conclusions: 1. Breast reconstruction has a positive influence on improvements in well-being, increasing self-esteem, and the assessment of a more attractive appearance in women of all ages. 2. Breast reconstruction surgery has a positive impact on QOL and health in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains, especially in the women who are satisfied with the effects of the surgery. 3. A negative assessment of the breast reconstruction effect has an adverse influence on QOL. Identifying the factors affecting dissatisfaction with the post-operative outcome is crucial for a complete understanding of the subject, and for implementing measures aimed at improving the QOL of these women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Nursing / Pielegniarstwo Polskie is the property of Poznan University of Medical Sciences Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Early sexual initiation, the phenomenon of promiscuity, and voluntary childlessness are some reasons behind contraception use by women. Health-related behaviors determine the state of human health and are closely related to quality of life. The aim of the study was to analyze the manifestations of pro-health behaviors and to examine their impact on the quality of life in a group of fertile women using any form of contraception. Materials and methods: Research material was collected from August 2017 to January 2018 in the West Pomeranian Voivodship, from 183 women of childbearing age who had been using contraception. The questionnaire consisted of a author's part and the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Statistical analysis used descriptive and analytical methods, such as the Shapiro--Wilk test and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. A structure index containing a percentage was used. The results obtained were statistically analyzed using χ² test for independent samples. The probability value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among pro-health behaviors, 80.9% of the women declared that they performed some physical activity at least once a week, 76% stated that their eating habits were correct, 47% went to a gynecologist once a year, 83.6% claimed they regularly performed preventive examinations. The better the subjective assessment of health, the higher the quality of life in the psychological domain (p < 0.001). The better the nutritional habits were assessed, the better the quality of life in the environment domain (p < 0.05). Not using stimulants had a positive impact on the quality of life in the physical health domain (p < 0.05). A rise in the frequency of follow-up visits to a gynecologist led to a rise in the quality of life in social relationships and physical health domains (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The manifestation of pro-health behaviors in women of childbearing age who use contraception has a positive influence on the quality of their lives in almost all the domains. The overriding purpose of pro-health education is to strengthen the actions of women who display healthy behaviors and, in the case of those exposed to a reduced quality of life due to unhealthy practices, conduct intervention and preventive actions while respecting the woman's individual biopsychosocial needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Nursing / Pielegniarstwo Polskie is the property of Poznan University of Medical Sciences Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Polish Nursing / Pielegniarstwo Polskie is the property of Poznan University of Medical Sciences Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Positive results of experimental stem cell therapies have given hope for effective treatments in various areas of medicine. The most valuable and widely used are cells taken from umbilical cord blood, which have an advantage over cells originating from other sources due to their greater abilities to regenerate. However, the level of knowledge on stem cells among those who can be their direct source remains unknown. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to investigate women's knowledge regarding stem cells and umbilical cord blood banking. Materials and methods: 180 patients from the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Independent Public Clinical Hospital no. 2 of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (Poland) in the period from June to November 2015 were involved to the study. The author's own questionnaire was used, consisting of 20 questions. Statistical analysis was performed with StatSoft Statistica 10 software, using Shapiro--Wilk test, Mann--Whitney U test, Pearson's χ² test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient. The value p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results: Out of the surveyed women 83.89% knew about possibility of taking stem cells from cord blood. 65.56% of women were aware of the possibility of applying them in the future. 88.1% of women who decided to store their umbilical cord blood took into account the possibility of using the stem cells in the future. Those who refused (49.44%) cited financial problems as the reason behind their decision. Higher level of knowledge about stem cell banking was observed among women living in urban areas, married, university graduates or those with a better financial situation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: 1. The level of women's general knowledge on stem cells was satisfactory. 2. Women's opinion on collecting and using stem cells from cord blood depended on the place of living, marital status, level of education and financial situation. 3. High costs of collecting and storing cord blood adversely affected the decision on banking cord blood stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Nursing / Pielegniarstwo Polskie is the property of Poznan University of Medical Sciences Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Polish Nursing / Pielegniarstwo Polskie is the property of Poznan University of Medical Sciences Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is crucial to find new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. A total of 80 patients were enrolled in the study. The study group consisted of 37 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, and the control group consisted of 43 patients with benign ovarian cystic lesions. Three proteins involved in the immune response were studied: PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4. The study material was serum and peritoneal fluid. The ROC curve was plotted, and the area under the curve was calculated to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of the studied parameters. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed simultaneously using the Cox regression model. The cut-off level of CTLA-4 was 0.595 pg/mL, with the sensitivity and specificity of 70.3% and 90.7% (p = 0.000004). Unfavorable prognostic factors determined in serum were: PD-L1 (for PFS: HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11–1.21, p = 0.016; for OS: HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.14–1.19, p = 0.048) and PD-1 (for PFS: HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.91–1.06, p = 0.035). Unfavorable prognostic factors determined in peritoneal fluid were: PD-L1 (for PFS: HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.11, p = 0.049; for OS: HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.10–1.17, p = 0.045) and PD-1 (for PFS: HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.19–1.26, p = 0.044). We conclude that CTLA-4 should be considered as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. PD-L1 and PD-1 concentrations are unfavorable prognostic factors for ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]