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The natural history of small renal masses (SRM) is still not well understood and they are frequently incidentally diagnosed in elderly patients. Therefore, there is a need for less invasive options sparing the patient from the side-effects related to conventional surgical treatment. PubMed and Medline database search was performed to look for new findings on active surveillance and focal therapy for SRM. Sixty-one articles published between 2002 and 2018 were selected for the purpose of the review. There is growing evidence confirming the safety of active surveillance in patients at surgical risk and there appears to be a satisfactory intermediate-term outcome of focal treatment of SRM. In the group of elderly patients with a decreased life expectancy active surveillance appears to be the most appropriate approach. The future of minimally invasive therapy appears bright, especially with the improvement of new imaging modalities.

The article describes a case of surgical treatment of a patient with congenital aniridia, progressive cataract and nystagmus. The patient underwent several stages of treatment, concluded with an artificial iris implantation in both eyes. The presence of significant nystagmus caused the appearance of postoperative complications in one eye, which is why changes in the method of further treatment were introduced.

We demonstrate the impact of Lobelia dortmanna on the abundance and morphological structure and function of the bacterial biocoenosis occurring in the rhizosphere sediments. The metabolic activity of microorganisms, the intensity of respiration, the efficiency of respiratory chain and membrane integrity was evaluated. The significant influence of L. dortmanna on microbiological processes in the sediments was confirmed. Clearly the high amount, biomass and metabolic and physiological activity of bacteria in the rhizosphere sediments confirmed the stimulating effect of isoetids on sediment bacteria. The rhizosphere is inhabited by microorganisms which are very active in physiological and metabolic terms. This phenomenon is called the rhizosphere effect. The amount of carbon dioxide released in particular sediment zones was predominantly determined by the number of metabolically active cells and not by the respiration rate per single cell. The high respiration rate of bacteria in the rhizosphere was predominantly determined by high DOC concentration, as evidenced by the correlations between the parameters. The development of positive redox potential in the rhizosphere sediments by L. dortmanna was of considerable importance for the intensity of respiratory processes, which confirms the relationship between redox potential and CO2 concentration in the sediments. The specific system of functional relationships occurring between the roots of L. dortmanna and microorganisms present in bottom sediments is one of the important mechanisms enabling the well-functioning of this macrophyte in the littoral zone of soft-water oligotrophic lakes.

Research treats about producing activated carbons for CO2 capture from hazelnut shells (HN), walnut shells (WN) and peanut shells (PN). Saturated solution of KOH was used as an activating agent in ratio 1:1. Samples were carbonized in the furnace in the range of temperatures 600°C–900°C. Properties of carbons were tested by N2 adsorption method, using BET equation, DFT method and volumetric CO2 adsorption method. With the increase of carbonization temperature specific surface area of studied samples increased. The largest surface area was calculated for samples carbonized at 900°C and the highest values of CO2 adsorption had samples: PN900 at 0°C (5.5 mmol/g) and WN900 at 25°C (4.34 mmol/g). All of the samples had a well-developed microporous structure.

Changes in bacterioplankton in relation to the temperature and water chemistry in Lake Trzesiecko were studied from 2008 to 2013. The lake was highly eutrophic until 2005 when measures were begun to precipitate phosphate, to increase oxygen concentrations by re-aeration and to reduce algal crops through biomanipulation of the fish community. Some improvements were also made to reduce phosphorus levels in the inflows. Conductivity increased, redox potential remained largely unchanged, and pH decreased during the period. The abundance, biomass, and morphological structure of the bacterioplankton suggest Lake Trzesiecko remains eutrophic but bacterial numbers and biomass have declined since 2008. The decline was significantly related to decreases in concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. The bacterial community comprised mostly small cells ( 3 ), with a lower proportion of cells >0.1 μm 3 . Most were cocci. A negative correlation between conductivity and bacterial numbers and biomass suggests that mineral salts from the phosphorus coagulant inhibited the bacterioplankton. Key nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and DOC were positively related to bacterial biomass and numbers.

> In most western countries homosexuality is gaining growing support as an alternative lifestyle and, being a part of sex education in schools, is presented to children as a positive image. The first section of the paper summarises the current political and social aspirations of the gay and lesbian movement and examines the underlying values and assumptions in this position as well as its educational implications. The second section considers evidence of the extent to which the gay and lesbian aspirations are receiving a sympathetic hearing from liberals, sex education specialists, Christians, members of other world religions and the population at large. The third section develops a Muslim perspective on (male) homosexuality, based mainly on Islamic teaching but also referring where appropriate to practices in Muslim countries. Muslims oppose the teaching of homosexuality not only because Islam proclaims homosexual practices to be an ‘abomination’, but also because the notion of homosexuality as a...

The aim of this study was to evaluate central corneal thickness in patients from Podbeskidzie area and to determine percentage of patients requiring correction of the intraocular pressure measured with Goldmann applanation tonometer.We analyzed results of measurements of the central corneal thickness in 365 patients (242 females, 123 males). The study population was divided by gender and by age into 3 groups of people under 40, between 40 and 60 and over 60 years of age. The measurements of central corneal thickness were performed with ultrasonic pachymeter.Mean corneal thickness in examined eyes was 563.0 +/- 38.1 microm. There was no statistically significant difference in central corneal thickness between men and women (F = 0.10; p = 0.71) but there was significant difference between group of age (F = 28.4; p =0.001) and was interaction between gender and group of age under 40, between 40 and 60 and over 60 years of age (F = 4.60; p0.05). There was statistically significant difference between women and men in the group 40-60 years of age (p0.01). Among women there were statistically significant differences in corneal thickness among all age groups (p0.01), among men between group of age over 60 and under 40 and between 40-60 years of age (p0.001).1. Measurement of central corneal thickness is necessary in order to obtain correct values of intraocular pressure measured with Goldmann applanation tonometer in 80% of patients. 2. In people over 60 year of age, especially in women, are expectet to have thinner corneas than younger individuals and it is useful to repeat measurement of central corneal thickness.

Fifty-two strains of the genus Saccharomyces, including 50 yeasts of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex (sensu Vaughan Martini 1989 [A. Vaughan Martini, Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 12:119-122, 1989]), were analyzed for nine isozyme loci with starch gel electrophoresis. The genetic analysis of isozyme data provided further evidence that the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex is a genetically heterogeneous group. Twenty-two different electrophoretic types were identified and could be grouped into four clusters. However, no correlation between these clusters and the currently defined species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces pastorianus, and Saccharomyces paradoxus was detected. Several strains could not be assigned to their putative cluster.

Mechanisms that connect immunoinflammatory disturbances with enhanced bone resorption in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and potential methods of prevention and management of bone involvement in these patients are reviewed.

The concepts of ‘European identity’ and ‘European citizenship’ are prominent in the aims, commitments and policies of the European Union, and more specifically in its aims, commitments and policies in relation to education.

Twenty-seven trypanosomatidae stocks isolated from various hosts in French Guiana have been surveyed by Multilocus Enzyme Electrophoresis on cellulose acetate plates. The variability observed at 22 different enzyme systems was considerable, since 21 different enzyme profiles (zymodemes) could be distinguished. Clustering analysis and comparison with four laboratory reference stocks showed clearly that three stocks were distantly related from the rest and most probably cannot be included in the species Trypanosoma cruzi. All the other stocks were more related to the formerly described zymodeme I than to the formerly described zymodemes II and III. Genotype variability in this T. cruzi sylvatic population was notably higher than in domestic populations of the same parasite. This could suggest more frequent genetic exchange occurring in sylvatic cycles. Nevertheless, a population genetic analysis of the data showed a considerable linkage disequilibrium, which rather favors the hypothesis that T. cruzi has a basically clonal population structure in this ecosystem too.