Increased GABAergic transmission aggravates nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesion-induced behavioral deficits

Quisqualic acid NBM lesions had no effect on water maze performance, but slightly impaired passive avoidance acquisition. GammavinylGABA treatment alone had no effect on the passive avoidance and water maze performance, but aggravated acquisition deficit in rats subjected to NBM lesioning. However, gammavinylGABA-treated NBM-lesioned rats reached control level of performance.     

Cemented THR in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures with coexisting osteoarthritis. The report of two cases]

The aim of the study was clinical and X-ray evaluation of two patients treated because of fractures of shaft of femur with coexisting hip joint osteoarthritis with cemented THR. Both patients were treated just after the injury. Reduction of fractures were made to both patients. Stabilization of fracture in one patient was made with metal plate and cables, stabilization with only cables was made to second patient. Exeter THR with standard stem was implanted to first patient, and with long stem to the second one. Both patients have good clinical results - 90 and 92 pts. in Harris Hip Score after 36 and 48 months accordingly. The fracture healed in the first patient. The evidence of fracture healing of the second patient was impossible to examine because of lack of X-ray. Conclusions. 1) The use of THR in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures with coexisting osteoarthritis gives a chance of simultaneous fracture treatment and joint replacement. 2) Fracture stabilization requires the use of metal plates and cables.     

Immunofluorescent evidence for exocytosis and internalization of secretory granule membrane in isolated chromaffin cells

Cultured bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were stimulated with the secretogogues Ba2+ or carbamyl choline plus Ca2+ in the presence of a monospecific rabbit IgG fraction directed against bovine dopamine beta-hydroxylase. The anti-dopamine beta-hydroxylase was labeled either with fluorescent protein A or with a fluorescent second antibody to rabbit IgG. Stimulation produced a patchy cell surface distribution of fluorescence. There was no noticeable internalization of the fluorescence for up to 2 h. In similar experiments using fluorescent monovalent fragments (Fab) of the same monospecificidopamine-beta-hydroxylase IgG, a more uniform distribution of the fluorescence was observed. A few min after a 5 min period of stimulation with Ba2+, the fluorescence appeared to be on or near the cell surface; however, after 20 min or more it was distributed throughout the cytoplasm except that the cell nuclei were not labeled. Thus, dopamine beta-hydroxylase which appeared on the cell surface as a consequence of exocytosis was internalized in the presence of monovalent antibody fragments, but not in the presence of the divalent (polyclonal) antibody, presumably because endocytosis of dopamine beta-hydroxylase was inhibited by crosslinking of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase molecules. The internalized anti-dopamine beta-hydroxylase Fab fragments were found to reappear on the cell surface during a second secretory response. It is concluded that the interior of the chromaffin granule membrane, for which dopamine beta-hydroxylase is a marker, becomes exposed on the surface of the cell during secretion and that the membrane is then retrieved back into the cell where it can be re-used in a further secretory cycle.     

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Selected Lifestyle Elements among Young Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Northeast Poland: A Case-Control COVID-19 Survey

An appropriate balanced diet and dietary patterns are important at every stage of life, but in the case of young patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), it is especially crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess health and nutritional behaviors, mainly adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland among women with T1DM, and to compare them with a healthy population. This survey (based on a questionnaire) was conducted in December 2020 and included 219 young women, healthy (n = 106) and with T1DM (n = 113), from northeast Poland. Over 30% of the study group admitted that they did not engage in any physical activity. A large proportion declared that their screen time was 5–7 h a day (48% in control and 40% in T1DM group). High intakes of sweet-beverages, sweets and red meat, but also low intakes of olive oil, fish and nuts were observed. The vast majority of participants (60% vs. 71%) were moderately adherent to the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The study demonstrated that despite the similarity between the behaviors of healthy people and those with T1DM, negative health and nutritional practices, such as low physical activity, long screen time, medium and high levels of stress and inappropriate eating habits were observed.     

Dried Wild-Grown Mushrooms Can Be Considered a Source of Selected Minerals

Dried mushrooms might be a source of mineral components, which are indispensable for human health. The aim of this study was to determine the contents of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and selenium (Se) in dried wild-grown mushrooms (Boletus edulis and Xerocomus badius) available for sale, and to evaluate these mushrooms’ contribution to the daily reference intake of the studied bioelements. The concentrations of mineral components in the mushroom samples were determined by the flame method (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) and the electrothermal (Se) atomic absorption spectrometry method. The mean Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn (in mg/kg), and Se concentrations (in µg/kg) in B. edulis were 82.1, 964.1, 233.4, 97.9, 25.3, 22.1, and 6501.6, respectively, whereas in X. badius: 67.5, 1060.2, 87.8, 197.2, 33.9, 19.8, and 282.4, respectively. We have shown that dried B. edulis can be considered a source of Se. In the case of the other microelements, the tested mushrooms may serve only as additional supplements. Therefore, the studied species of mushrooms cannot be regarded as potential nutritional sources of the macroelements in question. Consumers should be properly informed about this, which should be guaranteed by appropriate legal regulations.     

Correlation of Bone Material Model Using Voxel Mesh and Parametric Optimization

The authors present an algorithm for determining the stiffness of the bone tissue for individual ranges of bone density. The paper begins with the preparation and appropriate mechanical processing of samples from the bovine femur and their imaging using computed tomography and then processing DICOM files in the MIMICS system. During the processing of DICOM files, particular emphasis was placed on defining basic planes along the sides of the samples, which improved the representation of sample geometry in the models. The MIMICS system transformed DICOM images into voxel models from which the whole bone FE model was built in the next step. A single voxel represents the averaged density of the real sample in a very small finite volume. In the numerical model, it is represented by the HEX8 element, which is a cube. All voxels were divided into groups that were assigned average equivalent densities. Then, the previously prepared samples were loaded to failure in a three-point bending test. The force waveforms as a function of the deflection of samples were obtained, based on which the global stiffness of the entire sample was determined. To determine the stiffness of each averaged voxel density value, the authors used advanced optimization analyses, during which numerical analyses were carried out simultaneously, independently mapping six experimental tests. Ultimately, the use of genetic algorithms made it possible to select a set of stiffness parameters for which the error of mapping the global stiffness for all samples was the smallest. The discrepancies obtained were less than 5%, which the authors considered satisfactory by the authors for such a heterogeneous medium and for samples collected from different parts of the bone. Finally, the determined data were validated for the sample that was not involved in the correlation of material parameters. The stiffness was 7% lower than in the experimental test.     

Perinatal care needs and expectations of women with low vision or total blindness in Warsaw,Poland

Background

As estimated from the number of published studies, in Poland the research into the perinatal care experiences of women with low vision or total blindness remains limited.

Detection of mink astrovirus in Poland and further phylogenetic comparison with other European and Canadian astroviruses

Virus Genes - Mink astrovirus infection remains a poorly understood disease entity, and the aetiological agent itself causes disease with a heterogeneous course, including gastrointestinal and...     

Radiological and functional assessment of indications for operative treatment in patients with long bone metastases

Background. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the risk of fractures in long bones with metastases based on intact cortical bone index (ICBI) and functional assessment.
Material and methods. We evaluate radiograms of 36 (25 fractures) and 86 patients (56 fractures) with the upper and lower extremity metastases, respectively. We measured on radiograms intact cortical bone index (ICBI) using the schedule K-G/K-J x100%, where is K-shaft diameter, G-size of destruction, J-bone marrow diameter above or below the metastases. We asses the extremity function by the ability to elevate and abduct it straight.
Results. We found that fracture occurs if the ICBI is lower than 46% and 40% in upper and lower extremity, respectively. 7 (5,7%) patients develop fracture despite higher ICBI. If the metastases are located in upper part of the femur and humerus and he/she can not elevate or abduct the extremity the fracture inevitably occurs.
Conclusions. Counting the ICBI and simple functional assessment allows to predict fracture in 94,3% of patients with long bone metastases.