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Justyna Zi&nacute;czuk,1 Konrad Zar&eogon;ba,2 Joanna Kami&nacute;ska,1 Olga Martyna Koper-Lenkiewicz,1 Violetta Dymicka-Piekarska,1 Anna Pryczynicz,3 Katarzyna Guzi&nacute;ska-Ustymowicz,3 Bogu&lstrok;aw K&eogon;dra,2 Joanna Matowicka-Karna,1 Ma&lstrok;gorzata &Zdot;endzian-Piotrowska,4 Anna Zalewska,5 Mateusz Maciejczyk4 1Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-269, Poland; 2 2nd Clinical Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-276, Poland; 3Department of General Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-269, Poland; 4Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-222, Poland; 5Independent Laboratory of Experimental Dentistry, Medical University of Bialystok, Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-276, PolandCorrespondence: Justyna Zi&nacute;czukDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona 15a St., Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-269, PolandTel +48 85 8 31 87 16Email justyna.zinczuk@umb.edu.plMateusz MaciejczykDepartment of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2c St., Bia&lstrok;ystok, 15-222, PolandTel +48 85 748 55 85Email mat.maciejczyk@gmail.comPurpose: In this study, we evaluated the total antioxidant capacity, nitrosative stress, and protein/DNA oxidation and glycoxidation products in patients with colorectal cancer regarding histopathological parameters associated with the tumour microenvironment, such as inflammatory infiltration and tumour budding and compare all determined parameters between tumours located in the right and left side of the colon and normal mucosa.Patients and Methods: Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitrosative stress (myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitrogen oxide (NO), peroxynitrite, and nitrotyrosine), protein oxidation products (protein carbonyls (PC), total thiols, and ischemia modified albumin (IMA)), protein glycooxidation products (tryptophan, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, dityrosine, Amadori product, advanced glycation end products (AGE)) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured in homogenates from normal and cancerous tissue of 30 patients with colorectal cancer.Results: Levels of FRAP (p=0.0009), IMA (p=0.0002), kynurenine (p< 0.0001), N-formylkynurenine (p< 0.0001), dityrosine (p< 0.0001), Amadori products (p=0.0024), AGE (p< 0.0001), MPO (p< 0.0001), NO (p< 0.0001) and nitrotyrosine (p=0.0011) were increased, whereas PC (p=0.0004), tryptophan (p< 0.0001), 8-OHdG (p< 0.0001) and peroxynitrite (p=0.0003) were decreased in the left-side tumour compared to the right-side tumour and normal mucosa.Conclusion: Our results showed that colorectal cancer is related with disturbances in antioxidant defense and increased oxidative and nitrosative damages to proteins and DNA. These parameters may be useful for evaluation the progression and differentiation of the tumour location. We also demonstrated that redox indicators may depend on the histological type of the tumour and may influence tumour invasion depth, presence of lymph node and distant metastasis, vascular and neural invasion, inflammatory infiltration, and tumour budding, which are part of the tumour microenvironment.Keywords: oxidative stress, nitrosative stress, redox biomarkers, colorectal cancer

This study is the first to assess redox balance, glutathione metabolism, and oxidative damage to RNA/DNA, proteins, and lipids in the plasma/serum and urine of patients with adrenal masses. The study included 70 patients with adrenal tumors divided into three subgroups: incidentaloma ( n = 30 ), pheochromocytoma ( n = 20 ), and Cushing’s/Conn’s adenoma ( n = 20 ), as well as 60 healthy controls. Blood and urine samples were collected before elective endoscopic adrenalectomy. Antioxidant defense capacity was significantly decreased (serum/plasma: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH), uric acid (UA); urine: SOD, GSH, UA) in patients with adrenal masses. The oxidative damage to proteins (advanced glycation end products (AGE), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP)) and lipids (lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) was higher in the plasma and urine of these patients. Plasma MDA and DNA/RNA oxidation products, with high sensitivity and specificity, can help to diagnose pheochromocytoma. This biomarker differentiates patients with pheochromocytoma from Cushing’s/Conn’s adenoma as well as from heathy controls. Plasma RNA/DNA oxidation was also positively correlated with urine metanephrine. Oxidative stress can play a crucial role in adrenal tumors. However, further studies are required to clarify the role of redox signaling in adrenal masses.

Cerebral stroke is a serious worldwide health problem, as can be seen by the global epidemic of the disease. In this disorder, when the blood flow is compromised by ruptures or blocked arteries, sudden death of neurons is observed as a result of a lack of oxygen and nutrients. Numerous severe problems and frequent complications also exist in stroke patients; therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic methods for the disease. At present, the diagnosis of stroke is based on a neurological examination, medical history, and neuroimaging, due to the fact that rapid and noninvasive diagnostic tests are unavailable. Nevertheless, oxidative stress and inflammation are considered key factors in stroke pathogenesis. Oxygen free radicals are responsible for oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA/RNA, which in turn contributes to oxidative damage of the brain. Toxic products of the oxidation reactions act cytostatically on the cell by damaging cell membranes and leading to neuronal death by apoptosis or necrosis. Thus, it seems that redox/inflammatory biomarkers might be used in the diagnosis of the disease. Nowadays, saliva is of increasing interest in clinical laboratory medicine. Redox biomarkers could be obtained easily, noninvasively, cheaply, and stress-free from saliva. This minireview is aimed at presenting the current knowledge concerning the use of salivary biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in the diagnosis and prognosis of stroke.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory condition of the skin. It can coexist with other atopy-related disorders, e.g. bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis or food allergy. Beacuse of its chronic course and concomitance of pruritus, atopic dermatitis considerably decreases the quality of life of patients and their family members. Management of atopic dermatitis mainly involves appropriate skin care and daily application of emollients, combined with topical anti-inflammatory treatment. It is essential to initiate systemic immunosuppressive therapy in moderate or severe atopic dermatitis. The aim of the study is to present current therapeutic options for atopic dermatitis in adults, with particular consideration given to the approved biological treatment. Dupilumab was included in the management algorithm as the first-line treatment in moderate or severe atopic dermatitis, unresponsive to topical therapy and in cases in which systemic treatment is contraindicated.

BackgroundNumerous literature data evaluating quality of life in dermatological patients demonstrate this parameter to be considerably decreased. Psoriasis is among most studied dermatological disorders, demonstrating decreased quality of life in all examined dimensions. However, there are inconsistent data on disease influence, health related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction in psoriatic patients. The aims of the study were the following: a) to determine the level of general life satisfaction and HRQoL in psoriasis patients; b) to differenti-ate factors combined with life satisfaction and HRQoL assessment and determine whether the same variables are connected with life satisfaction and HRQoL. The general life satisfaction and HRQoL are response varia-bles. Age and sex of the patients, educational status, disease severity, expressed as Psoriasis Area and Severi-ty Index (PASI), marital status, pruritus severity, disease duration, and family history of psoriasis (explanatory variables) were taken into consideration too.Participants and procedureThe study comprised 97 psoriasis inpatients. The Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (FLZ) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were used.ResultsPsoriatic patients demonstrated decreased life satisfaction and HRQoL in all domains. Psoriasis patients who had partners evaluated life satisfaction in Health, Financial situation, Myself, Accommodation and Sex domains as much better than singles. Total life satisfaction and HRQoL decreased with age. The study has shown that life satisfaction is different from HRQoL.ConclusionsThe observation that total life satisfaction is not strongly determined only by medical/somatic factors could be regarded as a valuable insight for further research to determine why the majority of dermatological patients are not fully compliant.

Pro/antioxidant imbalance has been reported in schizophrenia (SZ). However, the results of studies are inconsistent and usually do not include other factors that are highly affected by oxidative stress (OS).This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the serum levels of OS markers and their potential connection with schizophrenia. The total sample comprised 147: 98 individuals with SZ −47 first-episode (FS) and 49 chronic patients (CS)—and 49 healthy individuals (HC) as a control group. The examination included clinical variables and serum levels of antioxidants and oxidative damage products. The significant changes were observed in concentrations of all examined markers, without any specific direction of the pro/antioxidant balance shift between SZ and HC. In the regression model adjusted for cofounders, catalase: OR = 0.81 (95%CI: 0.74–0.88); glutathione peroxidase: OR = 1.06 (95%CI: 1.02–1.10); total antioxidant capacity: OR = 0.85 (95%CI: 0.75–0.98); oxidative stress index: OR = 1.25 (95%CI: 1.03–1.52); ferric reducing ability of plasma: OR = 0.79 (95%CI: 0.69–0.89); advanced glycation end products: OR = 1.03 (95%CI: 1.01–1.04); and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP): OR = 1.05 (95%CI: 1.03–1.07) turned out to be significant predictors of schizophrenia. In the multiple stepwise regression model, pro/antioxidant status and their interaction with the duration of illness-related factors affected schizophrenia symptoms: positive symptoms (FRAPxKYN), negative (DITYR, FRAP, CAT), general (KYN), and over-all psychopathology (KYNxNFK). The results confirm differences in serum levels of oxidative biomarkers between SZ patients and healthy individuals. The pro/antioxidant status could be considered a predictor of schizophrenia and the factor affects patients' symptom severity.

Introduction: The diagnosis and treatment of dementia is one of the greatest challenges in contemporary health care. The widespread use of dementia biomarkers would improve the quality of life of patients and reduce the economic costs of the disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of proteins related to the Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis—amyloid beta isoform (Aβ) and total tau protein (t-tau), as well as the quite recently discovered marker YKL-40 in the most common types of dementia.Methods: 60 dementia (AD—Alzheimer's disease, VaD—vascular dementia, MxD—mixed dementia) and 20 cognitively normal subjects over 60 years old were examined. Subjects with dementia of etiology different than AD or VaD and with neoplastic or chronic inflammatory diseases were excluded. Concentrations of Aβ40, Aβ42, t-tau, and YKL-40 were measured in serum using ELISA kits on admission and after 4 weeks of inpatient treatment. ANOVA and Tukey's test or Dunn's test were used to perform comparison tests between groups. Correlations were measured using Pearson's coefficient. Biomarker diagnostic utility was assessed with ROC analysis.Results: YKL-40 differentiates between cognitively normal and mild dementia patients with 85% sensitivity and specificity and t-tau with 72% sensitivity and 70% specificity. YKL-40 and t-tau concentrations correlate with each other and with the severity of clinically observed cognitive decline.Conclusions: YKL-40 is a sensitive and specific biomarker of early dementia and, to a lesser extent, of dementia progression, however, many comorbidities may influence its levels. In such conditions, less specific but still reliable t-tau may serve as an alternative marker. Obtained results did not confirm the diagnostic utility of amyloid biomarkers.

Barbara Choroma&nacute;ska,1 Piotr My&sacute;liwiec,1 Tomasz Koz&lstrok;owski,1 Magdalena &Lstrok;uba,1 Piotr Wojskowicz,1 Jacek Dadan,1 Hanna My&sacute;liwiec,2 Katarzyna Choroma&nacute;ska,3 Katarzyna Makarewicz,4 Anna Zalewska,5 Mateusz Maciejczyk6 1 1st Department of General and Endocrine Surgery, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 2Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 3Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland; 4Regional Centre for Transfusion Medicine in Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 5Experimental Dentistry Laboratory, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland; 6Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, PolandCorrespondence: Mateusz Maciejczyk Email mat.maciejczyk@gmail.comBackground: Adrenal masses are the most common of all human tumors. The role of nitrosative stress and inflammation in cancer development has already been demonstrated. However, it is not known whether they are involved in the pathogenesis of adrenal tumors. The aim of the study was to investigate a cross-talk between nitrosative stress, inflammation and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) in 75 patients with different types of adrenal masses (non-functional incidentaloma, pheochromocytoma and Cushing’s/Conn’s adenoma).Methods: The plasma concentrations of total nitric oxide (NO), S-nitrosothiols, peroxynitrite nitrotyrosine and the activity of serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured spectrophotometrically, whereas concentrations of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) were measured using commercial ELISA kits. The control group consisted of 50 healthy people matched by age and sex to the study group. The number of subjects was determined a priori based on our previous experiment (power of the test = 0.9; α = 0.05).Results: We found significantly higher nitrosative stress (↑nitric oxide, ↑peroxynitrite, ↑S-nitrosothiols and ↑nitrotyrosine) in the plasma of patients with adrenal tumors, which was accompanied by increased inflammatory (↑myeloperoxidase, ↑interleukin 1 beta and ↑tumor necrosis factor α) and hypoxia (HIF-1α) biomarkers. Peroxynitrite and nitrotyrosine were positively correlated with aldosterone level. Nitrosative stress was also associated with inflammation and HIF-1α. Interestingly, plasma nitrotyrosine and serum MPO differentiated patients with adrenal tumor from healthy individuals with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, using multivariate regression analysis, we showed that ONOO− and IL-1β depended on cortisol level, while ONOO−, nitrotyrosine and HIF-1α were associated with aldosterone. Unfortunately, none of the assessed biomarkers differentiated between tumor types studied, suggesting that the severity of nitrosative damage and inflammation are similar in patients with incidentaloma, pheochromocytoma, and Cushing’s or Conn’s adenoma.Conclusion: Adrenal tumors are associated with increased protein nitration/S-nitrosylation and inflammation.Keywords: adrenal tumors, nitrosative stress, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, S-nitrosothiols, nitrotyrosine, myeloperoxidase, interleukin 1 beta, tumor necrosis factor, α hypoxia-inducible factor

To allow better diagnosis and management of psychiatric illnesses, the use of easily accessible biomarkers are proposed. Therefore, recognition of some diseases by a set of related pathogenesis biomarkers is a promising approach. The study aims to assess the usefulness of examining oxidative stress (OS) in schizophrenia as a potential biomarker of illness using the commonly used data mining decision tree method. The study group was comprised of 147 participants: 98 patients with schizophrenia (SZ group), and the control group (n = 49; HC). The patients with schizophrenia were divided into two groups: first-episode schizophrenia (n = 49; FS) and chronic schizophrenia (n = 49; CS). The assessment included the following biomarkers in sera of patients: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1), glutathione reductase (GR), reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), dityrosine (DITYR), kynurenine (KYN), N-formylkynurenine (NFK), tryptophan (TRY), total oxidant status (TOS), nitric oxide (NO) and total protein. Maximum accuracy (89.36%) for distinguishing SZ from HC was attained with TOS and GPx (cut-off points: 392.70 and 15.33). For differentiating between FS and CS, the most promising were KYN, AOPP, TAC and NO (100%; cut-off points: 721.20, 0.55, 64.76 and 2.59). To distinguish FS from HC, maximum accuracy was found for GSH and TOS (100%; cut-off points: 859.96 and 0.31), and in order to distinguish CS from HC, the most promising were GSH and TOS (100%; cut-off points: 0.26 and 343.28). Using redox biomarkers would be the most promising approach for discriminating patients with schizophrenia from healthy individuals and, in the future, could be used as an add-on marker to diagnose and/or respond to treatment.

Objectives: The aim of the survey was to assess the level of depression correlated with physical activity and internet addiction among physiotherapy students of Polish universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The survey was carried out via the internet among Polish physiotherapy students (141 respondents). The level of depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in Polish and the level of internet addiction by the Kimberly Young Questionnaire. Results: It was found that 31% of those surveyed stated that they suffered from moderate or severe depression. The overwhelming majority of the respondents (92%) considered the level of their internet addiction as low. More physical activity had a positive effect on mental health. The overuse of the internet exacerbated depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression observed in students is mainly related to distant learning systems. Therefore, regular physical activity is recommended as it is associated with a lower level of depression. It is also advisable to provide students with necessary psychological care. Excessive use of social media is not recommended to elevate mood as it makes depression symptoms worse.

Total antioxidant capacity better characterizes the redox status of the biological system than the determination of individual antioxidants separately. This study is the first to assess the total antioxidant/oxidant status in the plasma and urine of patients with adrenal tumors. The study group consisted of 60 patients (31 women and 29 men) with adrenal masses, classified into three subgroups: non-functional incidentaloma, pheochromocytoma and Cushing’s/Conn’s adenoma. The number of patients was set a priori based on our previous experiment (α = 0.05, test power = 0.9) Plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was increased in incidentaloma patients, whereas in pheochromocytoma group was decreased. Plasma and urine total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) were significantly higher in patients with adrenal tumors. Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) was decreased in plasma and urine, while DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) antiradical activity only in plasma of patients with adrenal masses. In pheochromocytoma patients, plasma and urine TAC, as well as plasma DPPH and FRAP correlated positively with methanephrine and normethanephrine. Reduced levels of TAC, DPPH and FRAP clearly indicate a reduced ability to scavenge free radicals and thus a lack of effective protection against oxidative stress in patients with adrenal tumors. Therefore, those patients are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress and oxidative damage, which can lead to impaired cellular metabolism. Both plasma and urine redox biomarkers can be used to assess systemic antioxidant status in adrenal tumor patients.

Obesity is a chronic disease of complex etiology. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is caused by inflammation of adipose tissue leading to metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is the first study to evaluated the effects of age and gender on redox homeostasis, glutathione metabolism, and oxidative damage to plasma/serum lipids and proteins in morbidly obese patients. The study included 120 (60 men and 60 women) morbidly obese patients with class 3 obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m2), classified into three groups depending on age: 20–39 years (n = 20), 40–59 years (n = 20) and 60 years or older (n = 20). The number of patients was calculated a priori based on our previous experiment. We observed a reduction in serum activity of antioxidant enzymes (↓SOD) and plasma concentration of non-enzymatic antioxidants (↓GSH) in obese patients compared to the lean controls, which further decreased with age. Redox status (↑TAC, ↑TOS and ↓OSI) in morbidly obese men and women was shifted towards oxidation. Moreover, lipid (↑MDA and ↑LOOH) and protein (↑AOPP, ↑AGE and ↑Amadori products) damage products of oxidation and nitrosylation/nitration (↑total NO, ↑S-nitrosothiols, ↑peroxynitrite and ↑nitrotyrosine) were elevated in both genders of morbidly obese patients and were higher in the elderly. Interestingly, the concentrations of oxidative and nitrosative stress markers were generally higher in obese men compared to obese women at the same age. Summarizing, we showed that the total antioxidant/oxidant potential of obese patients is significantly increased and shifted towards oxidation. Obese patients have increased lipid and protein oxidation, glycation and nitration as compared to the lean controls. Disturbances in redox homeostasis increase with age in obese patients. Oxidative and nitrosative stress are more intense in men than in women at the same age.

Psoriasis is a prevalent skin disease that impairs multiple domains of quality of life (QoL). Pruritus, a common symptom in patients with psoriasis, may directly affect sleep, but studies investigating this are limited. We investigated the relationships between pruritus and sleep in 104 in-patients with psoriasis, who underwent dermatological assessment and completed questionnaires to determine psoriasis severity, pruritus intensity, sleep quality, QoL (skin disease-specific and generic), depressive mood and anxiety. In total, 80% of patients reported pruritus, and 39% had sleep disturbances, most commonly awakenings during sleep (33%) and sleepiness during the daytime (30%). Sleep impairment was more frequent in patients with pruritus, who had more difficulty falling asleep (P = 0.031). Overall, 14% of all patients and 34% of the patients who reported sleep disturbances reported that their sleep problems were caused by pruritus. Patients who reported sleep disturbances had lower generic QoL. Pruritus in patients with psoriasis was frequent and relevant, as evidenced by the higher rate of sleep problems in this patient group, and it was linked to a lower QoL.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the salivary gland dysfunction in insulin resistance; however, the cause of increased free radical formation in these conditions is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of high-fat diet (HFD) on the mitochondrial respiratory system, prooxidant enzymes, ROS production, and nitrosative/oxidative stress in the submandibular and parotid glands of rats. The experiment was performed on male Wistar rats divided into two groups (n=10): control and HFD. The 8-week feeding of HFD affects glucose metabolism observed as significant increase in plasma glucose and insulin as well as HOMA-IR as compared to the control rats. The activity of mitochondrial Complex I and Complex II+III was significantly decreased in the parotid and submandibular glands of HFD rats. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity and the hydrogen peroxide level were significantly increased in the parotid and submandibular glands of the HFD group as compared to those of the controls. HFD rats also showed significantly lower reduced glutathione (GSH) and reduced : oxidized glutathione (GSH : GSSG) ratio, as well as a higher GSSG level in the parotid glands of HFD rats. The activity of NADPH oxidase, xanthine oxidase, and levels of oxidative/nitrosative stress (malonaldehyde, nitric oxide, nitrotyrosine, and peroxynitrite) and inflammation/apoptosis (interleukin-1βand caspase-3) biomarkers were statistically elevated in the HFD group in comparison to the controls. HFD impairs mitochondrial function in both types of salivary glands by enhancing ROS production, as well as stimulating inflammation and apoptosis. However, free radical production, protein nitration, and lipid peroxidation were more pronounced in the parotid glands of HFD rats.

Introduction Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is recently a leading method in surgical treatment of morbid obesity. The metabolic outcome of intervention may be a result of many factors such as age, gender, preoperative weight loss and dietary restrictions. Aim To evaluate gender-related differences in the results of LSG in 6-month follow-up. Material and methods The study included 101 patients who underwent LSG at the University Clinical Hospital of Bialystok. Patients were divided and analyzed in 2 groups: males (n = 48) and females (n = 53). The primary analysis included the influence of gender on postoperative weight loss calculated using the percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) and excess BMI loss (%EBMIL). For secondary outcomes the levels of glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides and C-reactive protein were analyzed. Results A significant influence of patients' gender was proved for both %EWL (p = 0.026) and %EBMIL (p = 0.001). Females had significantly higher %EWL in 6-month follow-up than males (p = 0.0034). The analysis also showed significantly higher %EBMIL for women at 3 and 6 months observation (p = 0.022 and p < 0.001 respectively). Conclusions Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is an effective method of obesity treatment especially in terms of postoperative weight loss. Females seem to benefit more from the procedure when analyzing the parameters of body mass reduction. However, further research is needed to provide strong evidence of an association between gender and the results of LSG.

A growing interest in the usability of saliva has been observed recently. Using saliva as a diagnostic material is possible because it contains a varied range of composites, organic and inorganic like proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, which are secreted into saliva. Moreover, this applies to drugs and their metabolites. Saliva collection is noninvasive, and self-collection is possible. There is a lack of risk of injuries related to injection with needle, and it is generally safe. Human saliva has been successfully used, for example, in the diagnosis of many systemic diseases like cancers, autoimmunological diseases, infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis, and malaria), and endocrinological diseases, as well as diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, it is used in toxicological diagnostics, drug monitoring, and forensic medicine. The usefulness of saliva as a biological marker has also been extended to psychiatry. The specificity of mental illness and patients limits or prevents cooperation and diagnosis. In many cases, the use of saliva as a marker seems to be the most sensible choice.

Objectives Imbalanced diets (e.g., excessive protein, fat, and carbohydrates) may contribute to numerous disorders, such as steatosis. However, previous studies in the pancreas are scarce and limited to the evaluation of sphingolipid metabolism in the islets of Langerhans that constitute only ∼5% of the organ mass. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of high-fat, high-protein, and high-carbohydrate diets on the development of pancreatic steatosis in conjunction with sphingolipid profile in the organ. Methods The experiments were conducted on 40 male Wistar rats (initial age 8 wk) randomly allocated to experimental groups. After 8 wk, plasma and tissue sphingolipid levels were measured by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Blood glucose levels were measured with a glucometer, whereas insulin concentration was determined using chemiluminescence. Results We demonstrated that a chronic feeding with three different types of improper diets exerts multifarious effects on sphingolipid metabolism in the pancreas. The most important finding of the present study was that all three diets predisposed toward the onset and development of pancreatic steatosis, as evidenced by an excessive ceramide accumulation. Conclusions As it has been established that pancreatic steatosis is a disease with growing prevalence and possible serious complications, further investigations of the topic are warranted. The complete and precise comprehension of pancreatic steatosis pathogenesis could contribute to the invention of novel therapies for the disease.

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 dysfunction and severity of functional impairment. It also differentiates (with high sensitivity and specificity) stroke patients with normal cognition from mild to moderate dementia patients. Saliva may be an alternative to blood for assessing cytokines in stroke patients, although further studies on a larger patient population are needed.

The study’s aim was a clinical observation concerning the influence of oral health on functional status in stroke patients undergoing neurorehabilitation. This pilot cross-sectional clinical study was performed in 60 subacute phase stroke patients during 12 weeks of treatment. The program was patient-specific and consisted of neurodevelopmental treatment by a comprehensive rehabilitation team. The functional assessment was performed using the Barthel index (BI), Berg balance scale (BBS), functional independence measure (FIM), and Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination III (ACE III) scales. Oral health was assessed according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and it was presented using DMFT, DMFS, gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PlI). Significant improvement in many functional scales was noticed. However, important differences in most dental parameters without relevant changes in GI and PlI after the study were not observed. Reverse interdependence (p < 0.05) was shown between physical functioning (BI, FIM, or BBS) with GI and PlI results, and most dental parameters correlated with ACE III. Using multivariate regression analysis, we showed that ACE III and BI are predictive variables for DMFT, just as FIM is for DS (p < 0.05). The present research revealed that poor oral health status in patients after stroke might be associated with inpatient rehabilitation results.

Chronic heart failure (HF) is an important clinical, social, and economic problem. A key role in HF progression is played by oxidative stress. Free oxygen radicals, formed under the conditions of hypoxia and reperfusion, participate in myocardial stunning and other forms of post-reperfusion damage. HF patients also suffer from disorders connected with saliva secretion. However, still little is known about the mechanisms that impair the secretory function of salivary glands in these patients. In the presented study, we were the first to compare the antioxidant barrier, protein glycoxidation, and nitrosative/nitrative stress in non-stimulated (non-stimulated whole saliva (NWS)) and stimulated (SWS) saliva of HF patients. The study included 50 HF patients with normal saliva (NS) secretion (n = 27) and hyposalivation (HS) (n = 23), as well as an age- and gender-matched control group (n = 50). We demonstrated that, in NWS of HF patients with HS, the concentration of low-molecular-weight non-enzymatic antioxidants decreased (&darr, total polyphenols, &darr, ascorbic acid, &darr, reduced glutathione, &darr, albumin) compared to HF patients with normal saliva (NS) secretion, as well as the control group (except albumin). We also observed increased content of protein glycoxidation products (&uarr, dityrosine, &uarr, kynurenine, &uarr, glycophore) in NWS and SWS of HF patients with HS compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, the content of dityrosine, N-formylkynurenine, and glycophore in NWS was also significantly higher in HF patients with HS compared to those with NS secretion. The concentration of NO was considerably lower, while the levels of peroxynitrite and nitrotyrosine were significantly higher in NWS and SWS of HF subjects with HS compared to the controls. Salivary gland dysfunction occurs in patients with chronic HF with the submandibular salivary glands being the least efficient. Oxidative/nitrosative stress may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the impairment of salivary gland secretory function in HF patients.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition of impaired tissue response to insulin. Although there are many methods to diagnose IR, new biomarkers are still being sought for early and noninvasive diagnosis of the disease. Of particular interest in laboratory diagnostics is saliva collected in a stress-free, noninvasive, and straightforward manner. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of salivary redox biomarkers in preclinical studies in an animal model. The study was conducted on 20 male Wistar rats divided into two equal groups: a standard diet and a high-fat diet (HFD). In all rats fed the HFD, IR was confirmed by an elevated homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) index. We have shown that IR is responsible for the depletion of the enzymatic (↓superoxide dismutase) and nonenzymatic (↓ascorbic acid, ↓reduced glutathione (GSH)) antioxidant barrier at both the central (serum/plasma) and salivary gland (saliva) levels. In IR rats, we also demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of protein/lipid oxidation (↑protein carbonyls, ↑4-hydroxynoneal (4-HNE)), glycation (↑advanced glycation end products), and nitration (↑3-nitrotyrosine) products in both saliva and blood plasma. Salivary nonenzymatic antioxidants and oxidative stress products generally correlate with their blood levels, while GSH and 4-HNE have the highest correlation coefficient. Salivary GSH and 4-HNE correlate with body weight and BMI and indices of carbohydrate metabolism (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR) and proinflammatory adipokines (leptin, resistin, TNF-α). These biomarkers differentiate IR from healthy controls with very high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%). The high diagnostic utility of salivary GSH and 4-HNE is also confirmed by multivariate regression analysis. Summarizing, saliva can be used to assess the systemic antioxidant status and the intensity of systemic oxidative stress. Salivary GSH and 4-HNE may be potential biomarkers of IR progression. There is a need for human clinical trials to evaluate the diagnostic utility of salivary redox biomarkers in IR conditions.

Background For older adults, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms are related to quality of life. In this group of society, life satisfaction is particularly associated with the emotional area. The notion of life satisfaction is related to many factors, such as personality traits, moods and various life events, and poses challenges in various aspects of everyday life. Given that mental health is one of the determinants of the quality of life of older adults, it is reasonable to conduct research among this growing group of the population. The aim of this study was to assess life satisfaction and depressive symptoms in mentally active older adults in Poland. Methods The study covered 125 attendees at the University of Healthy Senior (UHS) and 125 auditing students at the University of Psychogeriatric Prophylaxis (UPP), organised by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Bialystok, of whom 78.3% were female and 21.7% male. The study was conducted using four standardised scales: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Beck Depression Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results Seniors who participated in the study were satisfied with their lives; the average SWLS score was 23 points. Men rated their level of satisfaction higher than women: the median score on the SWLS was 26 points for men and 23 points for women. Life satisfaction and mental disorders did not differ on the basis of sex, age, or education (the type of place of education attended). As the level of depression increased, life satisfaction decreased. Statistically significant correlations of average strength were found between the point values of the four measures of depression under consideration and were evenly distributed from 0.57 to 0.69. Conclusions The high level of life satisfaction and a low level of mental disorders should be maintained in this population, and additional educational activities should be organised among seniors on a large scale. There were no differences in the distribution of psychometric measure scores among the three compared age groups of respondents in this study. Each of the questionnaires used measured of different aspects of depressive conditions, and it is worth using them in parallel rather than interchangeably.

Valsartan belongs to angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blockers (ARB) used in cardiovascular diseases like heart failure and hypertension. Except for its AT1-antagonism, another mechanism of drug action has been suggested in recent research. One of the supposed actions refers to the positive impact on redox balance and reducing protein glycation. Our study is aimed at assessing the antiglycooxidant properties of valsartan in an in vitro model of oxidized bovine serum albumin (BSA). Glucose, fructose, ribose, glyoxal (GO), methylglyoxal (MGO), and chloramine T were used as glycation or oxidation agents. Protein oxidation products (total thiols, protein carbonyls (PC), and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP)), glycooxidation products (tryptophan, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, and dityrosine), glycation products (amyloid-β structure, fructosamine, and advanced glycation end products (AGE)), and albumin antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity (TAC), DPPH assay, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)) were measured in each sample. In the presence of valsartan, concentrations of protein oxidation and glycation products were significantly lower comparing to control. Moreover, albumin antioxidant activity was significantly higher in those samples. The drug’s action was comparable to renowned antiglycation agents and antioxidants, e.g., aminoguanidine, metformin, Trolox, N-acetylcysteine, or alpha-lipoic acid. The conducted experiment proves that valsartan can ameliorate protein glycation and oxidation in vitro in various conditions. Available animal and clinical studies uphold this statement, but further research is needed to confirm it, as reduction of protein oxidation and glycation may prevent cardiovascular disease development.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most commonly occurring diseases within western dietary patterns. Usually untreated, it may lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), steatohepatitis (NASH), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Besides its severe aftermath, up to now, there is no known therapeutic approach to this disease in everyday clinical practice. Most NAFLD patients are encouraged to do physical activities or diet change and remain without pharmacological treatment. In this study, we present phloroglucinol (PHG) as a novel and promising compound in NAFLD treatment. PHG significantly increased the level of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants both in palmitate and hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress models. Strengthened antioxidative defense reduced the oxidative/nitrosative damage to cell proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Furthermore, PHG treatment reduced hepatic steatosis; lowered inflammatory markers, such as NF-κB or HIF-1α; and inhibited cell apoptosis. Moreover, PHG had a more comprehensive effect than other commonly used antioxidants: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and α-lipoic acid (ALA), suggesting its clinical usability. Therefore, our paper supports the benefits of natural compounds as a therapeutical approach to NAFLD.

Oxidative stress (OS) is a redox homeostasis disorder that results in oxidation of cell components and thus disturbs cell metabolism. OS is induced by numerous internal as well as external factors. According to recent studies, dental treatment may also be one of them. The aim of our work was to assess the effect of dental treatment on the redox balance of the oral cavity. We reviewed literature available in PubMed, Medline, and Scopus databases, including the results from 2010 to 2020. Publications were searched according to the keywords: oxidative stress and dental monomers; oxidative stress and amalgam; oxidative stress and periodontitis, oxidative stress and braces, oxidative stress and titanium; oxidative stress and dental implants, oxidative stress and endodontics treatment, oxidative stress and dental treatment; and oxidative stress and dental composite. It was found that dental treatment with the use of composites, amalgams, glass-ionomers, materials for root canal filling/rinsing, orthodontic braces (made of various metal alloys), titanium implants, or whitening agents can disturb oral redox homeostasis by affecting the antioxidant barrier and increasing oxidative damage to salivary proteins, lipids, and DNA. Abnormal saliva secretion/composition was also observed in dental patients in the course of OS. It is suggested that the addition of antioxidants to dental materials or antioxidant therapy applied during dental treatment could protect the patient against harmful effects of OS in the oral cavity.

Previous studies based on animal models demonstrated that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prevents oxidative stress and improves salivary gland function when the NAC supplementation starts simultaneously with insulin resistance (IR) induction. This study is the first to evaluate the effect of a 4-week NAC supply on the antioxidant barrier and oxidative stress in Wistar rats after six weeks of high-fat diet (HFD) intake. Redox biomarkers were evaluated in the parotid (PG) and submandibular (SMG) salivary glands and stimulated whole saliva (SWS), as well as in the plasma and serum. We demonstrated that the activity of salivary peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in PG, SMG, and SWS of IR rats treated with NAC. It appears that in PG and SMG of rats fed an HFD, N-acetylcysteine supplementation abolishes oxidative modifications to proteins (evidenced by decreased content of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and advanced glycation end products (AGE)). Simultaneously, it does not reverse oxidative modifications of lipids (as seen in increased concentration of 8-isoprostanes and 4-hydroxynonenal vs. the control), although it reduces the peroxidation of salivary lipids in relation to the group fed a high-fat diet alone. NAC administration increased protein levels in PG and SMG but did not affect saliva secretion, which was significantly lower compared to the controls. To sum up, the inclusion of NAC supplementation after six weeks of HFD feeding was effective in improving the general and salivary gland antioxidant status. Nevertheless, NAC did not eliminate salivary oxidative stress and only partially prevented salivary gland dysfunction.