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Skala i charakter współczesnych zagrożeń wykluczają możliwość ich całkowitej eliminacji, dlatego uzasadnione są działania edukacyjne ukierunkowane na rozwijanie wiedzy i umiejętności w zakresie radzenia sobie w sytuacjach trudnych, promowanie wartości oraz przeciwdziałanie zagrożeniom. Konstatacja ta stała się impulsem do podjęcia badań dotyczących edukacji dla bezpieczeństwa będącej istotnym elementem systemu edukacyjnego większości państw. W artykule omówiono działania podejmowane w tym zakresie w Republice Federalnej Niemiec, Królestwie Hiszpanii, Federacji Rosyjskiej, Zjednoczonym Królestwie Wielkiej Brytanii i Irlandii Północnej. Rozwiązania tam przyjęte uznano za potencjalnie interesujące z uwagi na bogactwo występujących typów szkół oraz rozwiązań strukturalnych. W badaniu dostępnych dokumentów skupiono się na: charakterystyce form edukacji dla bezpieczeństwa, identyfikacji kluczowych obszarów działań (edukacja formalna i pozaformalna) oraz wskazaniu możliwości implementacji rozwiązań do rodzimej edukacji. Powyższe pozwoliło na zaprezentowanie konkluzji, iż działania w zakresie edukacji dla bezpieczeństwa koncentrują się głównie na doskonaleniu sposobów udzielania pierwszej pomocy. Czerpiąc z pozakrajowych sposobów realizacji edukacji dla bezpieczeństwa zasadne jest zwrócenie uwagi na rozległość i interdyscyplinarność bezpieczeństwa, promowanie kultury bezpieczeństwa oraz współpracę szkół i organizacji w ramach edukacji pozaformalnej., Rocznik Bezpieczeństwa Międzynarodowego, Tom 17 Nr 1 (2023)

Keloids arise most often as a result of abnormal wound healing. The lesion characterizes inflammation and fibroproliferation. Fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP-α) is one of enzymes engaged in keloid formation. It is serine protease that facilitates cells invasion and growth. FAP-α possess also non-enzymatic activity and plays role in activation of cell signaling. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of culture conditions on the proliferation of keloid fibroblasts and the expression of FAP-α. Analysis of utility of 3D models of keloid in in vitro study of pathogenesis of keloids was also made.NHDF and KEL FIB cells were cultured in vitro in 2D cultures and 3D Matrigel models. The viability of cells was assayed spectrophotometrically with WST-1 test. FAP-α protein amount in cell cultures and 3D models was evaluated with the use of ELISA test.KEL FIB fibroblasts exhibited higher viability than NHDF fibroblasts in all three models of keloid. The expression of FAP-α is different in normal and keloid fibroblasts. In vitro conditions influence the expression of FAP-α in NHDF cells but not in KEL FIB cells.This preliminary study has shown that the expression of FAP-α, similarly to other enzymes engaged in keloid formation, is different in keloids in vivo and in in vitro models. FAP-α expression is modulated by in vitro conditions in normal fibroblasts but not in keloid fibroblasts.

The aim of this study is to compare the results of laparoscopic prostatectomy in terms of management with Dorsal Venosus Complex (DVC)/Santorini’s plexus as it is still an open question in the field of urology. For this purpose, 457 patients after prostatectomy derived from two high volume centers were compared. In one center, patients underwent DVC ligation in all cases, whereas in the second center, this step was omitted. Subsequently, the histological and functional results were compared. Results showed that DVC management has an impact on blood loss and the duration of the surgery. In addition, omitting DVC ligation is demonstrated to reduce positive margin rate within the apex if the cancer was localized in this region. The continence and erectile function were similar in the 12-month follow up.

The induction of apoptosis is one of the main goals of the designed anti-cancer therapies. In recent years, increased attention has been paid to the physical factors such as magnetic fields and to the natural bioactive compounds and the possibilities using them in medicine. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of caffeic or chlorogenic acid in combination with a moderate-strength static magnetic field on C32 melanoma cells by assessing the effect of both factors on the apoptotic process. The apoptosis of the C32 cells was evaluated using a flow cytometry analysis. The expression of the apoptosis-associated genes was determined using the RT-qPCR technique. The caspase activity and the concentration of the oxidative damage markers were also measured. It was found that phenolic acids and a static magnetic field trigger the apoptosis of the C32 cells and also affect the expression of the genes encoding the apoptosis regulatory proteins. In conclusion, our study indicated that both of the phenolic acids and a static magnetic field can be used supportively in the treatment of melanoma and that caffeic acid is more pro-apoptotic than chlorogenic acid.

Betulin and its derivatives, 28-propyne derivative EB5 and 29-diethyl phosphonate analog ECH147, are promising compounds in anti-tumor activity studies. However, their effect on kidney cells has not yet been studied. The study aimed to determine whether betulin and its derivatives—EB5 and ECH147—influence the viability and oxidative status of human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTECs). The total antioxidant capacity of cells (TEAC), lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GPX) were evaluated. Additionally, the mRNA level of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes was assessed. Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil were used as reference substances. Betulin and its derivatives affected the viability and antioxidant systems of RPTECs. Betulin strongly reduced TEAC in a concentration-dependent manner. All tested compounds caused an increase in MDA levels. The activity of SOD, CAT, and GPX, and the mRNA profiles of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes depended on the tested compound and its concentration. Betulin showed an cisplatin-like effect, indicating its nephrotoxic potential. Betulin derivatives EB5 and ECH147 showed different impacts on the antioxidant system, which gives hope that these compounds will not cause severe consequences for the kidneys in vivo.

Prostate cancer is being detected in increasingly younger men. These patients expect to preserve their current quality of life and quickly recover after treatment. Medical technology and surgical techniques are advancing along with the growing expectations of patients. In addition, the universal method of assessing the quality of outcomes after operations is constantly being researched. As of today, biochemical remission alone, after radical prostatectomy, is insufficient for the patient. Therefore, multi-parametric evaluation methods are being developed, such as trifecta, which assesses biochemical remission, continence, and erectile function. The improvement over the trifecta is the pentafecta, which additionally evaluates postoperative complications and infiltration of surgical margins. Our study was conducted within a group of patients who were surgically treated for prostate cancer in 2017 at the Clinic of Urology and Urological Oncology of the Pomeranian Medical University. We recruited 237 men for the study. From that group, 131 men met the criteria to be included in the analysis. Maintaining continence (87.78%) is the easiest pentafecta parameter to obtain and will have the greatest impact on quality of life in the future. Maintaining biochemical remission (82.44%) is the second most important aspect for the patient. Retaining erectile function is the most difficult pentafecta parameter to obtain (29.01%) while having little impact on the quality of life. Negative surgical margins (66.41%) showed a negligible impact on the quality of life. The occurrence of complications (32.07%) has a negative impact on the quality of life of patients, but only during the treatment of complications.

Mobbing staje się coraz powszechniejszym zjawiskiem, o destrukcyjnym charakterze dla ofiary, przedsiębiorstwa i całego otoczenia, które pojawia się w wielu miejscach pracy. W niniejszej pracy szczególną uwagę poświęcono na zaprezentowanie tematu dotyczącego skali zjawiska mobbingu w jednym z oddziałów firmy handlowej funkcjonującej w Nowym Sączu. Istotnym jest także fakt, że istnieją regulacje prawne definiujące postępowanie w przypadku pojawienia się mobbingu w miejscu pracy, a także występują instytucje wspierające ofiary dotknięte zjawiskiem mobbingu. W artykule zarysowane są odwołania poruszające istotę omawianego pojęcia, charakterystykę mobbingu, jego przyczyny oraz skutki. Nawiązano też do opisu roli ofiary oraz prześladowcy, praw pracownika oraz obowiązków leżących po stronie pracodawcy. Ważną częścią opracowania jest kwestia metod oraz pomocy mobbingowanym pracownikom. Ponadto, w opracowaniu zaprezentowano projekt badawczy na przykładzie jednego z oddziałów firmy handlowej, analizujący pierwotną kondycję firmy, pod kątem występowania w jej strukturach zjawiska mobbingu w celu wskazania możliwych do wdrożenia rozwiązań mających za zadanie niwelować mobbing. Zjawisko przeanalizowano w oparciu o badanie ilościowe przeprowadzone przy użyciu kwestionariusza ankiety skierowanego do pracowników omawianej firmy, dzięki czemu możliwe stało się otrzymanie wiarygodnych wyników badań. Zaproponowane rozwiązania mogą być jedynie alternatywnymi propozycjami, jakie dyrekcja oddziału może wprowadzić w firmie w ramach przeciwdziałaniu zjawisku mobbingu. Mobbing is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon. It occurs in many workplaces and is destructive for the victim, the company and the work environment. In this paper, particular attention was paid to presenting the topic in relation to the scale of mobbing in one of the branches of a trading company operating in Nowy Sącz. It is important to note that there are legal regulations, which define the procedures in the event of workplace mobbing, as well as institutions for supporting victims affected by mobbing. The article outlines references to the essence of the concept, the effects, causes and the characteristics of mobbing. The description of the victims’ and persecutors roles was also referenced, including the rights of the employee and the obligations of the employer. One important aspect of the study, is the issue of methods and the help provided for mobbed employees. Additionally, the study presents a research project based on one of the branches of a commercial company, analyzing the original condition of the company in terms of the presence of mobbing in its structures. This is in order to indicate possible solutions to eliminate mobbing. The phenomenon was analyzed on the basis of a quantitative study, conducted with the use of a questionnaire addressed to the employees of the company in question. Thanks to this, it was possible to obtain reliable research results. The proposed solutions, however, may only be used as alternative proposals; which the branch may introduce as part of mobbing prevention.

Background Baicalin and baicalein have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and anti-cancer properties. However, it is not known how a static magnetic field will modify these properties. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the simultaneous exposure of melanoma cells to flavones and the static magnetic fields that are generated by permanent magnets on the gene expression and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes that are associated with the antioxidant defense system. Methods and results Melanoma cells that had been treated with baicalin or baicalein were subjected to a static magnetic fields with a moderate induction. The static magnetic field was emitted by permanent magnets and the cell cultures were carried out in special test chambers. The research included determining the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) as well as the gene expression profile. The addition of the flavones to the cell cultures at a concentration of 50 µmol/L resulted increase in the expression of the SOD1, SOD2 and GPX1 genes compared to the nontreated cell cultures. Simultaneous exposure of the melanoma cells to static magnetic field and baicalin or baicalein reduced their mRNA levels compared to the cultures to which only baicalin or baicalein had been added. The change in gene expression was accompanied by changes at the protein level associated with an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion We showed that baicalin or baicalein have anticancer properties by disturbing the redox homeostasis in melanoma cells and also increases the antioxidant system gene expression. There was also an antagonistic interaction between the studied flavones and the static magnetic field, which cause a decrease in the anticancer effects of baicalin or baicalein.

Background: The combined effect of exposure to a static magnetic field (SMF) and potentially toxic agents is a crucial research area, mainly due to occupational and environmental exposure to these ...

Background: Pre-ablation identification of left atrial (LA) low voltage areas (LVA) among long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) population remains challenging. Aims: The aim of the study was to analyze the potential of selected scores originally developed to assess arrhythmia recurrences, thromboembolic complications, or progression from paroxysmal to persistent AF to predict the presence of LA-LVA in LSPAF patients. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation followed by high-density-high-resolution LA voltage mapping. AF risk scores, such as APPLE, ATLAS, CAAP-AF, DR-FLASH, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HATCH were retrospectively calculated. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the ability of the scores to predict LVA. Results: Low voltage areas were detected in 52% of the patients. 28% of the patients with LVA presented severe global LVA burden, whereas 56% of the patients showed a disseminated pattern of remodeling. CAAP-AF ≥7, DR-FLASH ≥4, and CHA2DS2-VASc ≥3 predicted the presence of LVA, whereas ATLAS ≤7 indicated the absence of LVA. ATLAS ≤8, CAAP-AF ≤9, DR-FLASH ≤4, and CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3 predicted the absence of severe LVA. APPLE ≤3 and CHA2DS2-VASc ≤2 predicted the absence of a LVA disseminated pattern. Among predictive scores, ATLAS (AUC, 0.633, 95% CI, 0.543–0.723, P = 0.004), DR-FLASH (AUC, 0.696; 95% CI, 0.594–0.81; P

One of the molecular pathways that can be modified in cells that are under the influence of fluoride exposure is the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway. It has also been shown that the effect of static magnetic field on the cellular processes is linked to the activation of many important signal cascades. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether the SMF changes the expression profile of TGFβ family genes in NaF-treated human cells. The expression of the genes linked with TGFβ were analyzed using the oligonucleotide microarrays technique and the expression of the TGFβ isoforms was determined using the RT-qPCR and ELISA techniques. Our research showed that SMF modified the activity of the TGFβ-related genes and that their levels are altered by fluoride. This offers hope for planning future therapeutic strategies for the diseases that are associated with changes in the TGFβ signaling.