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Abstract Delivery of active protein especially enzyme is one of the major therapeutic challenge. Replacing or substituted invalid/improper acting protein offer fast and effective treatment of disease. Herein, we describe the synthesis and properties of biotinylated peptidomimetics consisting of oxoacid—modified 2,3, l-diaminopropionic acid residues with guanidine groups on its side chains. Electrophoretic analysis showed that the obtained compounds interact with FITC-labeled streptavidin or a streptavidin-β-galactosidase hybrid in an efficient manner. Complexes formed by the abovementioned molecules are able to cross the cell membranes of cancer or healthy cells and show promising compatibility with live cells. Analysis of β-galactosidase activity inside the cells revealed surprisingly high levels of active enzyme in complex-treated cells compared to controls. This observation was confirmed by immunochemical studies in which the presence of β-galactosidase was detected in the membrane and vesicles of the cells.

Niniejszy tekst, oparty na case studies, jest próbą analizy potencjału eksplanacyjnego pojęcia „tożsamości transkulturowej”, wpisanej w szersze ramy takich terminów jak „transkulturowość” i „transkulturacja”. Autorka, nawiązując do przeprowadzonych 10 lat temu badań obcokrajowców tańczących flamenco w Sewilli, wraca do trójki swoich respondentek, by poznać ich późniejsze transkulturowe kroki. Nowe, pogłębione wywiady konfrontuje z badaniami wcześniejszymi i analizuje je przez pryzmat tożsamości transkulturowej, poszerzonej o koncepcję kapitału transkulturowego.

The primary aim of health professional regulations is to improve the quality of health services, as well as to increase the level of patient safety. So far, the professions regulated by professional laws were the professions of doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife, physiotherapist, pharmacist, paramedic, laboratory diagnostician and feldsher. The Act on Certain Medical Professions introduces huge changes in the performance of fifteen medical professions that have not been regulated in Polish law so far. Another novelty is the inclusion of so many professions in one legal act. The primary goal of the new act is to increase the level of patient safety by preventing patients from the provision of healthcare and other services by people who do not have appropriate qualifications. Therefore, its content includes specific guidelines regarding the necessary education, improving one's qualifications and the need for continuous professional development. A crucial part of each act regulating medical professions is the one concerning the scope of liability in the event of improper performance of the profession. This allows to bear responsibility for violations of regulations by practitioners of medical professions, regardless of civil or criminal liability. The provisions of the Act also covered pharmacy technicians. According to the Act on Certain Medical Professions, apart from appropriate education, a pharmacy technician will also have to fulfil a number of other requirements. A new duty for pharmacy technicians will be the need to enter the Central Register of Persons Authorized to Practice a Medical Profession. The aim of this article is to present the most important changes taking place in the profession of a pharmacy technician due to the entry into force of the Act on Certain Medical Professions. It is worth remembering that statutory regulation of a profession does not only mean that the legislator imposes new obligations on people practicing it. It also provides legal protection for the professional title of a pharmacy technician.

ABSTRACTThe work deals characteristics of new flax Hera variety in terms of fiber quality with regard to agronomic assessment and seeds quality. The results of the analyzes were related to the reference varieties Nike, Sara and Modran grown in Poland in 2022 season. The study included evaluation of agrotechnical experiment, flax straw and fiber evaluation taking into account the morphology and surface as well cross section of flax fiber. Moreover, seeds quality assessment were conducted. Hera variety was characterized by the highest total (6.27 t/ha, 0.627 kg/m2) and straw yield (5.16 t/ha, 0.516 kg/m2). Straw of Hera variety was characterized by the best average total (78.5 cm) as well as average technical (66.5 cm) length and average diameter (1.43 mm). In addition, it has fiber to raw straw content (16.42%) at a level comparable to the reference varieties. The metrological analysis of the fiber showed that the Hera variety fiber can be a good raw material for production of yarns.

The influence of emotions on memory is a significant topic in the psychology of eyewitness testimony. However, conflicting results have arisen, possibly due to varying approaches and methodologies across studies. These discrepancies might also arise from inadequate consideration of individual differences in emotionality. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the moderating effect of healthy emotionality on the relationship between emotion and memory of criminal events. The results of our laboratory experiment (N = 150) conducted with VR technology indicate that eyewitnesses of crimes, unlike observers of neutral events, recall details concerning the perpetrators’ actions immediately preceding the crime act better. Notably, individuals with lower scores on a scale measuring healthy emotionality (ESQ) demonstrate enhanced recollection for these details. At the same time, emotionality plays no significant role in recollection in repeated measurement, as well as in remembering the neutral event. The emotions experienced during crime observation appear to hinder the recollection of perpetrator appearance and behavior unrelated to the crime. These findings are discussed in light of the adaptive role of negative emotions in detecting danger and preparing for unpleasant stimuli.

Systemic sclerosis is a systemic connective tissue disease whose main pathophysiological mechanism is a progressive fibrosis of internal organs and skin leading to thickening and induration. Blood vessels may also be involved. However, systemic scleroderma is not the only disease causing cutaneous sclerosis. There is a group of diseases that mimic scleroderma in their clinical presentation - these are scleroderma-like syndromes. A distinction can be made between syndromes of inflammatory/autoimmune, genetic, metabolic, toxic, drug-induced, occupational, paraneoplastic and syndromes caused by deposition disorders. In the following paper, we have reviewed the literature on scleroderma-like syndromes. We have outlined the factors predisposing to the development of each disease, its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic and treatment process and the differences between each syndrome and systemic scleroderma.

The article discusses twelve productions based on The Tempest shown in Polish theatres in the years 2012-21, a decade whose challenges included escalation of the migration crisis, increasing climate change, social and political unrest around much of the globe, and the covid pandemic, but which was also marked by important Shakespearean anniversaries. In order to inspect the play’s significance for contemporary Polish audiences the productions are scrutinised in relation to four categories of interrelated issues: modification of characters, depiction of suspended reality connected with sleep, dreaming, memory and recollection, references to current social and political challenges, and employment of the play’s meta-artistic potential. The productions’ interpretative tendencies reveal a number of common denominators which are analysed with an aim of explaining why, in today’s Poland, the possibility of reconciliation and return to some form of re-established order that the playwright contemplates is seen as very difficult, if not impossible.

Abstract Replacing chemical fertilizers with non-toxic waste that meet all fertilizing purposes, including ash from plant biomass and their management is becoming the important goal of sustainable agriculture concerning energy plants production in a closed system. This study aims to explore a novel strategy for utilizing natural sorghum ash together with digestate and ecological compounds, to replace synthetic fertilizers, for the energy plant development improvement and thus reduction of the environment pollution. Sorghum, as an energy plant, cultivated in low quality sandy and podzolic soils, in Central and North Poland climate, was fertilized with different doses of YaraMila Complex, a synthetic fertilizer (0, 150, 300 kg ha−1 Each dose was supplemented with different amounts of sorghum ash (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 t ha−1), used alone or with addition of APOL-HUMUS (soil improver; 10 L ha−1), biogas plant digestate (30 m3 ha−1) and Stymjod (nano-organic leaf fertilizer; 5 L ha−1). Added to each YaraMila Complex dose, the applied ash amounts (optimally 2–4 t ha−1), increased growth of plants, crop biomass, index of chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, content of intercellular CO2, activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase, RNase and dehydrogenase and energy properties. Sorghum ash used with the lesser YaraMila Complex doses of 0 or 150 kg ha−1 caused the enhanced growth of plants more than the doubled YaraMila Complex amounts applied alone (150 or 300 kg ha−1, correspondingly). Additionally, applied biogas plant digestate, APOL-HUMUS and Stymjod further increased the plant growth. This indicates that the application of natural sorghum ash accelerates energy plant development, can reduce by half the recommended synthetic fertilizer doses on poor and marginal soil and enables the cultivation of sorghum in a closed production cycle.

Abstract Considering the main objectives of a circular economy, Lemnaceae plants have great potential for different types of techniques to valorize their biomass for use in biofuel production. For this reason, scientific interest in this group of plants has increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of salt stress on the growth and development of S. polyrrhiza and the valorization of biomass for biofuel and energy production in a circular economy. Plants were grown in a variety of culture media, including standard 'Z' medium, tap water, 1% digestate from a biogas plant in Piaszczyna (54° 01′ 21″ N, 17° 10′ 19″ E), Poland) and supplemented with different concentrations of NaCl (from 25 to 100 mM). Plants were cultured under phytotron conditions at 24 °C. After 10 days of culture, plant growth, fresh and dry biomass, as well as physio-chemical parameters such as chlorophyll content index, gas exchange parameters (net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 concentration), chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were analyzed. After 10 days of the experiment, the percentage starch content of Spirodela shoot segments was determined. S. polyrrhiza was shown to have a high starch storage capacity under certain unfavorable growth conditions, such as salt stress and nutrient deficiency. In the W2 (50 mM NaCl) series, compared to the control (Control2), starch levels were 76% higher in shoots and 30% lower in roots. The analysis of the individual growth and development parameters of S. polyrrhiza plants in the experiment carried out indicates new possibilities for the use of this group of plants in biofuel and bioethanol production.

Background: The causes of functional constipation (FC) in adults are unclear, but changes in the gut microbiome may play an important role. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between urinary metabolites of dopamine and serotonin and some dysbiosis indicators in patients with FC. The study included 40 healthy women and 40 women with FC aged 21–46 years. Methods: Urinary levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydoxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (PhAc), and 3-indoxyl sulfate, as final metabolites of dopamine, serotonin, and indole pathway, respectively, were determined using the LC-Ms/Ms method. However, hydrogen–methane and ammonia breath tests were performed. The GA-map Dysbiosis Test was used to identify and characterize the dysbiosis index (DI). Results: In patients with FC, the DI was significantly higher than in the control group: 4.05 ± 0.53 vs. 1.52 ± 0.81 points (p < 0.001), but the number of many types of bacteria varied among individuals. The levels of HVA were higher, while 5-HIAA levels were lower in patients. Moreover, the HVA/5-HIAA ratio had a positive correlation with DI as well as with the severity of symptoms. Conclusions: In patients with functional constipation, the balance in dopamine and serotonin secretion is disturbed, which is associated with changes in the gut microbiome.

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, with no standardized treatment for advanced disease. Based on preliminary bioinformatical analyses DTYMK and PARP1 were selected as potential therapeutic targets. High levels of both proteins were detected in uveal melanoma cells and correlated with increased tumor growth and poor prognosis. In vitro tests on MP41 (BAP1 positive) and MP46 (BAP1 negative) cancer cell lines using inhibitors pamiparib (PARP1) and Ymu1 (DTYMK) demonstrated significant cytotoxic effects. Combined treatment had synergistic effects in MP41 and additive in MP46 cell lines, reducing cell proliferation and inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, the applied inhibitors in combination decreased cell motility and migration speed, especially for BAP1-negative cell lines. Our hypothesis of the double hit into tumoral DNA metabolism as a possible therapeutic option in uveal melanoma was confirmed since combined targeting of DTYMK and PARP1 affected all tested cytophysiological parameters with the highest efficiency. Our in vitro findings provide insights into novel therapeutic avenues for managing uveal melanoma, warranting further exploration in preclinical and clinical settings.

Rhodiola rosea, a long-lived herbaceous plant from the Crassulaceae group, contains the active compound salidroside, recognized as an adaptogen with significant therapeutic potential for bone metabolism. Salidroside promotes osteoblast proliferation and differentiation by activating critical signaling pathways, including bone morphogenetic protein-2 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, essential for bone formation and growth. It enhances osteogenic activity by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization markers, while upregulating key regulatory proteins including runt-related transcription factor 2 and osterix. Additionally, salidroside facilitates angiogenesis via the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor pathway, crucial for coupling bone development with vascular support. Its antioxidant properties offer protection against bone loss by reducing oxidative stress and promoting osteogenic differentiation through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway. Salidroside has the capability to counteract the negative effects of glucocorticoids on bone cells and prevents steroid-induced osteonecrosis. Additionally, it exhibits multifaceted anti-inflammatory actions, notably through the inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 expression, while enhancing the expression of interleukin-10. This publication presents a comprehensive review of the literature on the impact of salidroside on various aspects of bone tissue metabolism, emphasizing its potential role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and other diseases affecting bone physiology.

Anna Felis-Giemza,1 Magdalena Massalska,2 Leszek Roszkowski,3 Katarzyna Romanowska-Próchnicka,4 Marzena Ciechomska2 1Biologic Therapy Center, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology, and Rehabilitation (NIGRiR), Warsaw, Poland; 2Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology, and Rehabilitation (NIGRiR), Warsaw, Poland; 3Department of Outpatient Clinics, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology, and Rehabilitation (NIGRiR), Warsaw, Poland; 4Department of Biophysics, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, PolandCorrespondence: Magdalena Massalska, Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology, and Rehabilitation, Spartanska 1, Warsaw, 02-637, Poland, Tel +48226709564, Email magdalena.massalska@spartanska.plAbstract: It is well known that fatigue is a highly disabling symptom commonly observed in inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs). Fatigue is strongly associated with a poor quality of life and seems to be an independent predictor of job loss and disability in patients with different rheumatic diseases. Although the pathogenesis of fatigue remains unclear, indirect data suggest the cooperation of the immune system, the central and autonomic nervous system, and the neuroendocrine system in the induction and sustainment of fatigue in chronic diseases. Fatigue does not correspond with disease activity and its mechanism in IRDs. It is suggested that it may change over time and vary between individuals. Abnormal production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferons (IFNs), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), TNF, IL-15, IL-17 play a role in both IRDs and subsequent fatigue development. Some of these cytokines such as IL-6, IFNs, GM-CSF, and common gamma-chain cytokines (IL-15, IL-2, and IL-7) activate the Janus Kinases (JAKs) family of intracellular tyrosine kinases. Therapy blocking JAKs (JAK inhibitors – JAKi) has been recently proven to be an effective approach for IRDs treatment, more efficient in pain reduction than anti-TNF. Therefore, the administration of JAKi to IRDs patients experiencing fatigue may find rational implications as a therapeutic modulator not only of disease inflammatory symptoms but also fatigue with its components like pain and neuropsychiatric features as well. In this review, we demonstrate the latest information on the mechanisms of fatigue in rheumatic diseases and the potential effect of JAKi on fatigue reduction.Plain Language Summary: JAKi block pro-inflammatory cytokines, decrease activation of IDO, diminish the effects of genetic polymorphism (particularly mediated by IL-6 and IL-1β) as well as sickness behavior also connected with IL-1β expression, which result in fatigue and pain inhibition.In patients treated with JAKi, it was observed that there was significantly greater improvement compared to placebo and MTX in fatigue and pain reduction measured using PROs.Administration of JAKi (BARI+UPA) benefits over TNFi treatment in pain and fatigue reduction assessed by PtGA in RA patients.The effectiveness of fatigue reduction in PROs under recently approved JAKi still needs to be proven in clinical practice, especially in selective and nonselective groups of JAKi.Keywords: fatigue, JAK inhibitors, patient-reported outcomes, tofacitinib, baricitinib, upadacitinib

Abstract Maintaining life (respiration), cell death (apoptosis), oxygen transport and immunity are main biological functions of heme containing proteins. These functions are controlled by the axial ligands and the redox status of the iron ion (oscillations between Fe2+ and Fe3+) in the heme group. This paper aims to evaluate the current state of knowledge on oxidation and oxygenation effects in heme proteins. We determined the redox status of the iron ion in whole blood (without and with anticoagulant), hemoglobin in erythrocytes, in isolated cytochrome c and cytochrome c in mitochondria of the human lung cancer cells using UV–VIS electronic absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging. Here we discussed the mechanism responsible for the Q electronic absorption band spectral behavior, i.e., its splitting, and its change in extinction coefficient, as well as vibrational modifications upon oxygenation and oxidation. We compared the redox status of heme in hemoglobin of human erythrocytes and cytochrome c in mitochondria of human lung cancer cells. Presented results allow simultaneous identification of oxy- and deoxy-Hb, where 1547 and 1604 cm−1 vibrations correspond to deoxygenated hemoglobin, while 1585 and 1638 cm−1 correspond to oxyhemoglobin, respectively. Our results extend knowledge of oxidation and oxygenation effects in heme proteins. We demonstrated experimentally the mechanism of electronic-vibrational coupling for the Q band splitting. Presented results extend knowledge on oxidation and oxygenation effects in heme proteins and provide evidence that both processes are strongly coupled. We showed that retinoic acid affects the redox state of heme in cytochrome c in mitochondria. The change of the redox status of cytochrome c in mitochondria from the oxidized form to the reduced form has very serious consequences in dysfunction of mitochondria resulting in inhibition of respiration, apoptosis and cytokine induction.

Abstract Introduction Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a common cause of blindness and visual morbidity. In the majority of cases, it is related to thrombotic embolism. Nevertheless, the role of inherited or acquired thrombophilic risk factors in CRAO pathogenesis has not been comprehensively studied. Methods In 126 CRAO patients (66 [52.4%] men, median age 55 [range: 18–80] years) and 107 matched controls (56 [52.3%] men, median age 53 [range: 34–78] years) we evaluated classical atherosclerotic risk factors, including serum lipid profile and glucose level, analyzed intima-media complex thickness (IMT) of external carotid arteries, and performed transthoracic echocardiography. Furthermore, we established the prevalence of inherited and acquired thrombophilic risk factors, such as factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin 20210 G/A genetic variants, plasma activity of factor (F) VIII, protein C and antithrombin activity, and free protein S levels. We also assessed the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) and evaluated blood homocysteine in all enrolled subjects. Additionally, we estimated the occurrence of Val34Leu polymorphism of the A subunit of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII-A) in both groups as a potential thrombosis-protecting factor. Results Among traditional atherosclerotic risk components, obesity/overweight and hypercholesterolemia were the most common in the CRAO group and occurred in 103 (81.7%) and 85 (67.5%) patients, respectively. CRAO patients also had elevated IMT and altered echocardiographic parameters, indicating diastolic cardiac dysfunction. In thrombophilia investigations, at least one laboratory risk factor occurred in 72.2% (n = 91) of CRAO patients, with APLA as the most frequent, detected in 38.1% (n = 48) of them (almost seven times more frequent than in controls, p

Abstract Background DNA methylation (DNAm) is robustly associated with chronological age in children and adults, and gestational age (GA) in newborns. This property has enabled the development of several epigenetic clocks that can accurately predict chronological age and GA. However, the lack of overlap in predictive CpGs across different epigenetic clocks remains elusive. Our main aim was therefore to identify and characterize CpGs that are stably predictive of GA. Results We applied a statistical approach called ‘stability selection’ to DNAm data from 2138 newborns in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort study. Stability selection combines subsampling with variable selection to restrict the number of false discoveries in the set of selected variables. Twenty-four CpGs were identified as being stably predictive of GA. Intriguingly, only up to 10% of the CpGs in previous GA clocks were found to be stably selected. Based on these results, we used generalized additive model regression to develop a new GA clock consisting of only five CpGs, which showed a similar predictive performance as previous GA clocks (R 2 = 0.674, median absolute deviation = 4.4 days). These CpGs were in or near genes and regulatory regions involved in immune responses, metabolism, and developmental processes. Furthermore, accounting for nonlinear associations improved prediction performance in preterm newborns. Conclusion We present a methodological framework for feature selection that is broadly applicable to any trait that can be predicted from DNAm data. We demonstrate its utility by identifying CpGs that are highly predictive of GA and present a new and highly performant GA clock based on only five CpGs that is more amenable to a clinical setting.

Radiotherapy (RT) may have a cardiotoxic effect on the heart and cardiovascular system. Postulated mechanisms mediating these complications include vascular endothelium damage and myocardial fibrosis. The aim of our study was to assess endothelial damage and myocardial fibrosis in the early period after RT on the basis of cardiac biomarkers and in relation to the radiation dose applied to individual heart structures in patients treated for non-small-cell lung cancer. This single-center prospective study included consecutive patients with lung cancer (LC) who were referred for treatment with radiochemotherapy (study group) or chemotherapy (control group). The study protocol included performing an echocardiographic examination, a standard ECG examination, and collecting blood samples for laboratory tests before starting treatment for lung cancer in the first week after completing RT (after four cycles of chemotherapy in the control group) and after 12 weeks from the end of treatment. The study included 23 patients in the study group and 20 patients in the control group. Compared to the baseline values, there was a significant increase in total cholesterol concentration in the study group immediately after the end of RT, which persisted for three months after the end of therapy. After taking into account the use of statins in the analysis, it was found that an increase in total cholesterol concentration after oncological treatment was observed only among patients who did not use statins. Taking into account the assessment of myocardial fibrosis markers, there were no significant changes in the concentration of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) in the study group. In patients treated with radiochemotherapy, there was a significant increase in the concentration of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) immediately after RT, when compared to the baseline. After taking into account the use of statins, an increase in ICAM-1 concentration immediately after RT was observed only in patients who did not use statins. There was also a significant correlation between the radiation dose received by the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and left circumferential coronary artery, and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) concentration measured at three months after the end of RT. Immediately after completion of radiotherapy, a significant increase in the level of ICAM-1 is observed indicating endothelial damage. The radiation dose to coronary arteries should be minimized, as it correlates with the concentration of VCAM-1. The use of statins may prevent the increase in total cholesterol and ICAM-1 concentration after irradiation for lung cancer; however, further studies designed for this specific purpose are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of statins in this area.

Background: Anticancer treatment is associated with many side effects, including those involving the cardiovascular system. While many studies are available on the effects of radiotherapy (RT) on the left ventricle (LV), studies are lacking on the early effects of RT on the structure and function of the right ventricle (RV). Our study aims to assess, using modern echocardiographic techniques, the effect of irradiation on RV systolic function in the mid-term follow-up of patients undergoing RT for lung cancer (LC). Methods: This single-center, prospective study included consecutive patients with LC who were referred for treatment with definite radiotherapy and chemotherapy (study group) or chemotherapy only (control group). Results: The study included 43 patients with a mean age of 64.9 ± 8.1 years. Cancer treatment-related RV toxicity (CTR-RVT) was found in 17 patients (40%). Early reductions in TAPSE values were observed among patients in the study group (20.3 mm vs. 22.1 mm, p = 0.021). Compared to baseline, there was a significant reduction in RV global longitudinal strain (RV GLS) in the study group immediately after the treatment (−21.1% vs. −18.4%, p = 0.02) and also at 3 months after RT (−21.1% vs. −19.1%, p = 0.021). A significant reduction in the RV FWLS value was also observed at 3 months after the end of the treatment (−23.8% vs. −21.8, p = 0.046). There were no significant changes in the three-dimensional right ventricular ejection fraction (3DRVEF) during the follow-up. We found a correlation (p = 0.003) between the mean dose of radiation to the RV and 3DRVEF when assessed immediately after RT. The mean dose of radiation to the heart correlated with RV free-wall longitudinal strain (RV FWLS) immediately after RT (p = 0.03). Conclusions: RV cardiotoxicity occurs in nearly half of patients treated for lung cancer. TAPSE is an important marker of deterioration of RV function under LC treatment. Compared to 3DRVEF, speckle tracking echocardiography is more useful in revealing deterioration of RV systolic function after radiotherapy.

(1) Background: to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the characteristics and management of uveal melanoma (UM) in the National Referral Center in Poland. (2) Materials and Methods: the retrospective analysis of 1336 patients who were newly diagnosed with UM at the Department of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Oncology, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum Krakow, Poland between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021. The demographic and clinical data were compiled, including localization, size, and treatment methods of tumors. (3) Results: In total, 728 patients with UM were included before the COVID-19 pandemic, in the years 2018–2019, and 608 were included during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the years 2020–2021. Fixed-base dynamics indicators for the incidence of uveal melanoma (base year 2018) in the National Referral Center in Poland were 80.22% and 86.81% in the years 2020 and 2021, respectively. UMs were statistically significantly larger and more frequently localized anterior to the equator of the eye globe in the year 2021 than in the year 2018 (Chi-square Pearson test p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0077, respectively). The rate of patients treated with enucleation increased from 15.94% in the year 2018 to 26.90% in the year 2021 (Chi-square Pearson test p = 0.0005). (4) Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were found in the management of uveal melanoma in the National Referral Center in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic with tumors being larger, more frequently localized anterior to the equator of the eye globe, and more often enucleated.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that affects more than 2 million people worldwide. It manifests through vasculopathy, an abnormal immunological response, and fibrosis leading to dysfunction of the multiple organs. The disease is categorized into two subtypes: limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc. Scleroderma can affect vital organs with respiratory, cardiac, renal, ocular, and dermatological complications. The ocular manifestations of the disease can occur in the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Changes in the anterior segment related to the disease include eyelid skin remodeling, dry eye syndrome, and conjunctival abnormalities. The disease’s impact on the posterior segment of the eye mostly causes pathologies in the retinal microcirculatory system and abnormalities in the optic nerve. This review provides detailed insights into ocular complications associated with scleroderma.

Background and Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of central vision loss among elderly patients, and its dry form accounts for the majority of cases. Although several causes and mechanisms for the development and progression of AMD have previously been identified, the pathogenesis of this complex disease is still not entirely understood. As inflammation and immune system involvement are strongly suggested to play a central role in promoting the degenerative process and stimulating the onset of complications, we aimed to analyze the frequency of serum anti-retinal (ARAs) and anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) in patients with dry AMD and to determine their relationship with the clinical features of the disease, notably the area of geographic atrophy (GA). Materials and Methods: This study included 41 patients with advanced-stage dry AMD and 50 healthy controls without AMD, matched for gender and age. ARAs were detected by indirect immunofluorescence using monkey retina as an antigen substrate, and the presence of AECAs was determined using cultivated human umbilical vein endothelial cells and primate skeletal muscle. Results: ARAs were detected in 36 (87.8%) AMD patients (titers ranged from 1:20 to 1:320) and in 16 (39.0%) (titers ranged from 1:10 to 1:40) controls (p = 0.0000). Twenty of the forty-one patients (48.8%) were positive for AECAs, while in the control group, AECAs were present only in five sera (10.0%). The titers of AECAs in AMD patients ranged from 1:100 to 1:1000, and in the control group, the AECA titers were 1:100 (p = 0.0001). There were no significant correlations between the presence of AECAs and disease activity. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a higher prevalence of circulating AECAs in patients with dry AMD; however, no correlation was found between the serum levels of these autoantibodies and the area of GA.

“Managing Undernutrition in Pediatric Oncology” is a collaborative consensus statement of the Polish Society for Clinical Nutrition of Children and the Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology. The early identification and accurate management of malnutrition in children receiving anticancer treatment are crucial components to integrate into comprehensive medical care. Given the scarcity of high-quality literature on this topic, a consensus statement process was chosen over other approaches, such as guidelines, to provide comprehensive recommendations. Nevertheless, an extensive literature review using the PubMed database was conducted. The following terms, namely pediatric, childhood, cancer, pediatric oncology, malnutrition, undernutrition, refeeding syndrome, nutritional support, and nutrition, were used. The consensus was reached through the Delphi method. Comprehensive recommendations aim to identify malnutrition early in children with cancer and optimize nutritional interventions in this group. The statement underscores the importance of baseline and ongoing assessments of nutritional status and the identification of the risk factors for malnutrition development, and it presents tools that can be used to achieve these goals. This consensus statement establishes a standardized approach to nutritional support, aiming to optimize outcomes in pediatric cancer patients.

This study continues the research in which we determined the concentration of aluminum in children receiving long-term parenteral nutrition (LPN). Since our results were interesting, we decided to assay arsenic (As) and cobalt (Co) in the collected material, which, like aluminum, constitute contamination in the mixtures used in parenteral nutrition. Excesses of these trace elements in the human body are highly toxic, and deficiencies, particularly in the case of Co, can lead to various complications. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of LPN in children on their serum levels of As and Co, as well as the excretion of these elements in urine, and to compare them with a control group of healthy children. The study group consisted of 83 children receiving home parenteral nutrition from two Polish centers, while the control group included 121 healthy children. In both groups, the levels of As and Co in serum and urine were measured. The elemental compositions of the samples were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It was demonstrated that the children receiving LPN did not have increased As exposure compared to the controls. Greater exposure compared to the control group was shown for Co. In conclusion, children receiving LPN are not exposed to As, and even though the concentrations of Co in serum and urine were higher in the LPN group than in the healthy controls, neither trace element poses a health threat to children requiring LPN.