Search

Considering the nutritional values, breadstuff plays a big part in covering human nourishment needs and constitutes a base of all day diet. Moreover, bread is an excellent source of numerous vitamins and minerals the abundance of which depends on the degree of grinding. Thus, it seems to be very important to know the composition and level of bio-elements. That is why the main target of this study was to evaluate the concentration of selected trace elements: chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in wheat grain, wheat bran, different wheat and rye flour types and variety of breadstuff also with addition of grains and seeds from different bakeries and mills. Another task was to analyze if the technological process has an influence on secondary despoil of bread goods with heavy metal elements. The analyzed trace elements were measured with a precise and accurate atomic absorption spectrophotometric method (AAS) and the results were expressed in mg/kg of selected sample. Obtained results show that bread and grain products are a good source of trace elements like chromium, nickel, iron and manganese. However, the higher levels of chromium and nickel in bread goods could rather be an effect of impurity caused by a technological process in mill and bakeries.

The aim of the study was to assess plasma concentration of catecholamines and asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels and a possible relationship to predict the mortality rates among hemodialysis patients. The study population comprised 27 subjects, aged 65-70 years. Each patient underwent dialysis thrice a week. Furthermore, the median duration of hemodialysis was 3.5 years. Based on the conducted research, it can be concluded that the concentrations of adrenaline and the level of asymmetric dimethylarginine have predictive value of mortality among hemodialysis patients. Of note, lowering plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration may represent therapeutic target for prevention of progressive renal damage.

High purity quartz glass is an important material in high-tech industries like semiconductors and photovoltaics due to, among other properties, its good mechanical performance at high temperatures. Small amounts of Al in silica glass (in the range between 20 ppm and 100 ppm) have previously been shown to increase the viscosity of the SiO 2 glass. The underlying mechanism for this increase is, however, not well understood. In this paper we report on the local structural and electronic effects of the presence of Al in the SiO 2 structure by density functional theory (DFT). Comparing the quartz and cristobalite polymorphs, we found that the driving force for Al substitution is larger in the denser quartz structure compared to cristobalite, and that oxygen vacancy (Vo) formation is most stabilized in the nearest neighbour position relative to Al in both polymorphs. Al was not found to inherently strengthen the SiO 2 network in the two crystalline polymorphs considered. However, our results suggest that Al preferentially substitutes Si in denser ring configurations, which combined with local Vo formation could lead to locally favourable SiO 2 network reconstructions in SiO 2 glasses (likely towards 6-membered rings), which could propagate causing an increase in the viscosity. Furthermore, we show that the presence of Al can lower the stability of OH groups due to increased electrostatic interactions between the substitutional Al and H 2 O which may also be a contributing factor in the increased viscosity of Al doped SiO 2 glass. The modelling results are in line with the experimental fluorescence and FT-IR spectroscopy data confirming that the presence of Al in the glass causes formation of oxygen vacancies and correlates with a lower fictive temperature which typically corresponds to a larger average Si-O-Si angle in the glass structure. Our results suggest that Al's contribution to high glass viscosity is not solely due to the substitution of Si atoms by Al atoms in the glass structure but rather due to structural changes of the silica network the substitution causes.

Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), now known as disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs), such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Functional Dyspepsia (FD), significantly impact global health, reducing quality of life and burdening healthcare systems. This study addresses the epidemiological gap in Poland, focusing on the West Pomeranian Voivodeship., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2070 Caucasian patients (58.2% female, mean age 57.5 ± 15.1 years) undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic examinations at Pomeranian Medical University from 2021 to 2023. Data were collected using Rome IV diagnostic questionnaires and correlated with gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy findings. Exclusion criteria were age under 18, pregnancy, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, severe comorbidities, cancer, immunosuppressive therapy, ileostomy/colostomy, incomplete questionnaires, or lack of consent., Results: Using Rome IV criteria, IBS was diagnosed in 436 participants (21.1%) and FD in 248 participants (12.0%). Post-endoscopic evaluation revised FD diagnoses to 184 individuals (8.9%). Females had a higher prevalence of IBS and FD (OR 1.64 and 1.61, respectively). No significant association was found between higher BMI and increased risk of IBS and FD. Hypertension and diabetes prevalence were 35.1% and 13.0%, respectively. Individuals with a history of COVID-19 had a higher risk of developing IBS (OR 1.47, P = 0.050)., Conclusions: Our study provides crucial epidemiological data on IBS and FD in Poland, emphasizing the importance of endoscopic evaluations. Our findings highlight the need for regional studies to understand local DGBI prevalence, aiding targeted healthcare strategies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (resolution no KB-0012/197/19) and all participants gave written informed consent to participate. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Cholelithiasis is one of the more common complications following bariatric surgery. This may be related to the rapid weight loss during this period, although the exact mechanism of gallstone formation after bariatric surgery has not been fully elucidated., Methods: The present literature review focuses on risk factors, prevention options and the impact of the gut microbiota on the development of gallbladder stones after bariatric surgery., Results: A potential risk factor for the development of cholelithiasis after bariatric surgery may be changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota and bile acids. One of the bile acids-ursodeoxycholic acid-is considered to reduce the concentration of mucin proteins and thus contribute to reducing the formation of cholesterol crystals in patients with cholelithiasis. Additionally, it reduces the risk of both asymptomatic and symptomatic gallstones after bariatric surgery. Patients who developed gallstones after bariatric surgery had a higher abundance of Ruminococcus gnavus and those who did not develop cholelithiasis had a higher abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae ., Conclusion: The exact mechanism of gallstone formation after bariatric surgery has not yet been clarified. Research suggests that the intestinal microbiota and bile acids may have an important role in this.

Currently, pharmacotherapy provides successful seizure control in around 70% of patients with epilepsy; however, around 30% of cases are still resistant to available treatment. Therefore, effective anti-epileptic therapy still remains a challenge. In our study, we utilized two mouse lines selected for low (LA) and high (HA) endogenous opioid system activity to investigate the relationship between down- or upregulation of the opioid system and susceptibility to seizures. Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) is a compound commonly used for kindling of generalized tonic-clonic convulsions in animal models. Our experiments revealed that in the LA mice, PTZ produced seizures of greater intensity and shorter latency than in HA mice. This observation suggests that proper opioid system tone is crucial for preventing the onset of generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Moreover, a combination of an opioid receptor antagonist-naloxone-and a GABA receptor agonist-diazepam (DZP)-facilitates a significant DZP-sparing effect. This is particularly important for the pharmacotherapy of neurological patients, since benzodiazepines display high addiction risk. In conclusion, our study shows a meaningful, protective role of the endogenous opioid system in the prevention of epileptic seizures and that disturbances in that balance may facilitate seizure occurrence.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by a chronic course with periods of aggravations and remissions. Among patients, 25-55% present with ulcerative proctitis (UP) at the time of diagnosis. UP is well-treated disease associated with a good prognosis. UP is characterized by a less aggressive course than the left-sided form of UC and pancolitis, with a good response to topical treatment. Moreover, UP is associated with a lower risk of severe aggravations and systemic and local complications and lower need for colectomy, hospitalization and glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, in comparison with more extensive forms of the disease. Thus, the key issue is to prognose the natural course of the disease in order to identify high-risk patients and apply biological or immunosuppressive treatment early to prevent the development of complications. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the natural course of UP and discuss risks and protective factors related to disease progression and current treatment concepts.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: microRNA (miRNA) belongs to the non-coding RNAs family responsible for the regulation of gene expression. Renalase is a protein composed of 342 amino acids, secreted by the kidneys and possibly plays an important role in the regulation of sympathetic tone and blood pressure. The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma renalase concentration, and explore the relationship between miRNA-146a-5p expression and plasma renalase levels in hemodialyzed patients., Methods: The study population comprised 55 subjects who succumbed to various cardiac events, 27 women and 28 men, aged 65-70 years. The total RNA including miRNA fraction was isolated using QiagenmiRNEasy Serum/Plasma kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. The isolated miRNAs were analyzed using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) technique. The plasma renalase levels were measured using a commercial ELISA kit., Results: In the group of patients with high levels of renalase, higher miRNA-146a expression was found, compared with those with low concentration of renalase. Patients with simultaneous low miRNA-146a expression and high level of renalase were confirmed to deliver a significantly longer survival time compared with other patients., Conclusions: miRNA-146a and plasma renalase levels were estimated as independent prognostic factors of hemodialyzed patients' survival time. Patients with low miRNA-146a expression demonstrated a significantly longer survival time in contrast to the patients with a high expression level of miRNA-146a. Moreover, a significantly longer survival time was found in patients with high renalase activity compared with patients with low activity of the enzyme.

Novel polyelectrolytes were obtained by grafting N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) on the ι-carrageenan (CAR) chain. Two polymers with different grafting degrees were synthesized. The polymers were found to show the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) close to that of PNIPAM. The LCST values were dependent on the concentration of salt and cationic surfactant. The interactions of CAR-graft-PNIPAM with a model cationic surfactant-dodecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (DTAC) in water and 0.15M NaCl were studied. It was found that both ι-carrageenan and CAR-graft-PNIPAM polymers interact with DTAC. The presence of CAR-graft-PNIPAM in the solution of DTAC induces formation of surfactant aggregates at the critical aggregation concentration much lower than the cmc of the surfactant. Cac increased with ionic strength. The values of cac for CAR-graft-PNIPAM - DTAC system and standard free enthalpy changes attributed to the complexation process were determined. The results obtained for CAR-graft-PNIPAM were compared with these for the non-modified ι-carrageenan. The surfactant interactions with non-modified and grafted polymers were found to be different in nature., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background. We investigated the efficacy of intra - articular bupivacaine with morphine administration after knee joint arthroscopy., Material and methods. The present study compared intra- arthicular bupivacaine with intra-arthricular morphine for postoperative analgesia in 56 patients (21 women, 35 men) (age 20-70, mean 39.8) undergoing knee joint arthroscopy., Intraoperatively, the patients received anaesthesia spinaly (0.5 % Marcaine spinal ASTRA) and immediately following surgery received 10 ml intra-arthricular injection consisting either of 0.5 % bupivacaine (group I), 5 mg morphine + 0.9 % saline (group II).Postoperative analgesia was supporeted by intravenous doses of proefferalgan., In all patients the visual analogue pain score (VAS), PaO2, systolic blood preassure (SABP), diastolic blood preassure (DABP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (f), supplemented analgesia and possible side effects were monitored postoperatively., Results. Intra-arthricular administration of each solution was well toleratede and non side effects were noted., There was non significant difference among the two groups in monitored parameters. The mean time of postoperative analgesia was 185,7 +/- 25.3 min for bupivacaine group and 390.3 +/- 35,4 min for morphine group., Total amount proefferalgan supplamentation was the highest in group I., Conclusions. Postoperative intra- arthricular injections of bupivacaine and morphine for patients undergoing knee joint arthroscopy can provide a safe and effective analgesia and therefore shound be recommended and widely implamented into the clinical use as a standard procedure.

Background. We investigated the efficacy of combined spinal epidural anaesthesia (CSEB) that combines the main spinal and the supporting epidural anaesthesia for pain treatment after total knee replacement (TKR). Material and methods. Fifty-eight patients scheduled for elective TKR surgery were randomly allocated into two groups: Group I (intraoperative Combined Spinal - Epidural Block) and Group II (intraoperative spinal anaesthesia). Postoperative analgesia was provided with continuous epidural infusion (CEI) of 0.25% bupivacaine + fentanyl solution in Group II and intravenous doses of paracetamol and/or tramadol on patient request in Group I. Results and Discussion. There were no significant changes in intraoperative readings of hemodynamic parameters, respiratory rate and SaO2 in both groups. However systolic arterial blood pressure (SABP), diastolic arterial blood pressure (DABP) and respiratory rate were decreased postoperatively in Group II, while an increase of these parameters in Group I was observed. CEI was well tolerated by all patients and the only reported side effect (skin itching) was of minor clinical concern. We conclude that CSEB provides better pain relief for patients having knee joint replacement what consequently leads to faster knee rehabilitation and therefore eventually decreases the risk of postoperative cardiogenic complications, embolia and phlebothrombosis.