Publications by authors named "Anna Nowak"

Background: COVID-19 measures in Germany varied during the pandemic, and it seems natural that in addition to factors such as incidence, health system capacity, etc., these interventions and their social and economic consequences had an impact on the evolution of the population's well-being. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a suspicion that the health burden would fall mainly on population groups with a lower socio-economic status, and that COVID-19, including the policy measures, could therefore contribute to increasing social inequalities in health.

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Assessing the expected level of cancer risk associated with occupational exposure to chemical substances is extremely important, as it forms the basis for the proper and safe organization of work in a company. It allows the translation of scientific research findings into legal regulations, enabling the implementation of appropriate preventive measures and optimizing the protection of workers' health. This article discusses various methods for estimating the risk associated with the occurrence of cancer due to exposure to carcinogenic substances in workplaces.

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Background: Honey has been successfully used in wound care and cosmetics because of its effective biological properties, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Polyphenols, particularly phenolic acids, are key honey components responsible for these beneficial effects. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for natural, ecologically friendly, and biodegradable products in the modern cosmetics and wound care market.

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This study aimed to determine the phytochemical profile (flavonoids, phenolic acids, caffeine, vitamin C, and acetic acid), antioxidant potential (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP method), total polyphenol (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) content, as well as pH of eight commercial green tea-based kombuchas. The beverages were enriched with lemongrass; lavender; liquorice and mint; turmeric and lemon; mango; reishi and chaga; mint, rose, and pomegranate. The highest tested properties were found for kombucha with reishi and chaga (FRAP), with mint, rose, and pomegranate (ABTS), as well as with turmeric and lemon (DPPH, TPC, TFC).

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Ginseng has multi-directional pharmacological properties. Some data suggest that ginseng can enhance physical endurance, which, in turn, leads to protection of the cardiovascular system. However, not all experiments are conclusive.

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Purpose: Informal caregivers of people with high grade glioma (HGG) often have high levels of unmet support needs. Routine screening for unmet needs can facilitate appropriate and timely access to supportive care. We aimed to develop a brief screening tool for HGG caregiver unmet needs, based on the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Partners & Caregivers (SCNS-P&C).

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Combination immune checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab and ipilimumab) are currently a first-line treatment for mesothelioma; however, not all patients respond. The efficacy of treatment is influenced by the tumor microenvironment. Murine mesothelioma tumors were irritated with various radiotherapy doses.

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Background/aim: Tumors exhibit impaired blood flow and hypoxic areas, which can reduce the effectiveness of treatments. Characterizing these tumor features can inform treatment decisions, including the use of vasculature modulation therapies. Imaging provides insight into these characteristics, with techniques varying between clinical and preclinical settings.

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Platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibodies has shown promising results in mesothelioma. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying its efficacy are not well understood and there are no predictive biomarkers to guide treatment decisions. Here, we combine time course RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pre-treatment tumor transcriptome data from the single-arm, phase 2 DREAM trial (N = 54).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explores the therapeutic potential of a succulent plant species known for its historical use in medicine, focusing on its antioxidant properties and effects on skin health.
  • The ethanol extracts of the plant were analyzed for their active compounds and showed strong antioxidant activity similar to ascorbic acid, alongside significant anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects.
  • The results suggest that a topical hydrogel containing these extracts is safe for human skin and could serve as a novel option for dermatological and cosmetic applications.
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Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2, SLC5A2) is a promising target for a new class of drug primarily established as kidney-targeting as well as emerging class of glucose-lowering drugs in diabetes. Studies showed that SGLT2 inhibitors also have a systemic impact via indirectly targeting the heart and kidneys which exerts broad cardio- and nephroprotective effects. Additionally, as cancer cells tightly require glucose supply, studies also questioned how SGLT2 inhibitors impact molecular pathology and cellular metabolism in cancer hallmarks.

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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for pain relief and inflammation management, but there are challenges related to poor solubility and bioavailability. We explored modifications of ibuprofen (IBU) by forming ionic pairs using amino acid alkyl esters to enhance solubility without compromising the ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2). We comprehensively evaluated the pharmacological properties of the IBU derivatives, focusing on antioxidant activity (based on the ability to scavenge DPPH and ABTS), biocompatibility (using human dermal fibroblasts), and COX inhibitory potential.

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Article Synopsis
  • Further research on identified regions could enhance our understanding of genetic risks for glioma.
  • The study indicates that sex might influence genetic susceptibility to glioma.
  • It emphasizes the need for future glioma studies to consider sex-specific factors in their analyses.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Accurate grading of IDH-mutant gliomas is crucial for predicting patient outcomes and selecting treatment strategies, yet histological grading remains difficult, with limited molecular markers available.
  • Researchers performed RNA-sequencing on 138 IDH-mutant astrocytomas from the CATNON trial and analyzed multi-omics data to create a Continuous Grading Coefficient (CGC), which proved to be a better survival predictor than current grading systems.
  • The study identified four distinct transcriptional clusters linked to various gene expression patterns, revealing that higher-grade IDH-mutant astrocytomas exhibit DNA-methylation signatures correlated with increased cell cycling, tumor de-differentiation, and changes in the extracellular matrix.
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Article Synopsis
  • Antibodies targeting immune checkpoints like CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 are used to treat various cancers, often combined with chemotherapy, but the role of other checkpoints like LAG-3 is less understood.
  • * Recent studies showed that chemotherapy increases the presence of specific T cells (both CD4 and CD8) expressing LAG-3 in tumors, suggesting a broader effect on immune response.
  • * Combining anti-LAG-3 and anti-PD-1 therapies with chemotherapy led to significantly better tumor control than using any of the treatments alone, indicating the importance of how chemotherapy changes immune checkpoint expression in treatment strategies.*
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In the study, the modification of naproxen (NAP) with esters of four amino acids (AAs): glycine (GlyOiPr), L-proline (ProOiPr), L-leucine (LeuOiPr), and L-serine (SerOiPr) isopropyl ester was performed to improve water solubility and enhance the permeation of the drug through the skin in comparison to the parent NAP. The NAP derivatives were prepared using the equimolar ratio of the components. In-depth NMR and FTIR analysis revealed that the salts formed with the proton transfer from the carboxylic group of NAP to the amine group of the appropriate AA ester.

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Introduction: L. is classified as a medicinal plant and used in traditional medicine. The root of this plant is mainly used as a medicinal raw material, but the above-ground parts are also a valuable source of health-promoting biologically active compounds.

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Background: Carers play an important role in supporting patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma (HGG). However, this experience is frequently distressing and many carers require support.

Objectives: To describe unmet needs of highly distressed carers of people with HGG and recommendations and referrals made by a nurse to support them within the Care-IS trial.

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Being an unexpected, undesired and life-threatening situation, preterm birth (PTB) is a stress-, anxiety- and depression-generating factor for women delivering prematurely. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between self-efficacy, coping strategies and perceived stress in mothers who experienced preterm birth and full-term birth, to determine the needs for personalized emotional support. The study was conducted among 251 women divided into the preterm birth group (PBG) and the full-term birth group (FBG).

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Background/aim: The aim of this study was to analyze rs2234693 and rs9340799 polymorphisms of the ESR1 gene in the context of breast cancer risk in Polish patients.

Materials And Methods: The study involved a group of 117 patients with breast cancer and 106 controls. The analyses were carried out using the polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragments length polymorphism technique.

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Background: Armed conflict and war are public health disasters. Public health action has a crucial role in conflict-related emergencies and rehabilitation but also in war prevention and peace promotion. Translating this into public health training and competencies has just started to emerge, especially in Europe.

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Introduction: The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer developed a global multicenter database to propose evidence-based revisions for the ninth edition of the TNM classification of pleural mesothelioma (PM). This study analyzes the M category to validate eighth edition M category recommendations.

Methods: Cases were submitted electronically or by transfer of existing institutional databases for patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed PM.

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<b>Introduction:</b> The prevalence of preoperative anemia is the highest in the group of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and may reach over 75%. The prevalence of anemia in CRC patients increases even further following surgery. Approximately 75-80% of anemic CRC patients present with absolute or functional iron deficiency (ID).

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