Heart Rate Variability and Cerebral Autoregulation in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury with Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity Syndrome.

Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to transient changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning and development of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) syndrome. Clinical manifestation of ANS disorders may be obscured by therapeutic interventions in TBI. This study aims to analyze ANS metrics and cerebral autoregulation in patients with PSH syndrome to determine their significance in early prognostication.

Systematic review on effects of bioenergy from edible versus inedible feedstocks on food security.

Achieving food security is a critical challenge of the Anthropocene that may conflict with environmental and societal goals such as increased energy access. The "fuel versus food" debate coupled with climate mitigation efforts has given rise to next-generation biofuels. Findings of this systematic review indicate just over half of the studies (56% of 224 publications) reported a negative impact of bioenergy production on food security.

Brain-Specific Biomarkers as Mortality Predictors after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) is a serious condition with a high mortality and high permanent disability rate for those who survive the initial haemorrhage. The purpose of this study was to investigate markers specific to the central nervous system as potential in-hospital mortality predictors after aSAH. In patients with an external ventricular drain, enolase, S100B, and GFAP levels were measured in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on days 1, 2, and 3 after aSAH.

Biomarkers of Neurological Outcome After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage as Early Predictors at Discharge from an Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Subarachnoid bleeding is associated with brain injuries and ranges from almost negligible to acute and life threatening. The main objectives were to study changes in brain-specific biomarker levels in patients after an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in relation to early clinical findings, severity scores, and intensive care unit (ICU) outcome. Analysis was done to identify specific biomarkers as predictors of a bad outcome in the acute treatment phase.

Biomarkers of antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in elderly patients with hypertension.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to examine selected parameters of the blood redox system in elderly patients with hypertension.examine selected parameters of the blood redox system in elderly patients with hypertension.

Methods: We analyzed differences in redox-associated molecules and enzymes among elderly hypertensive subjects (age above 65 years, n = 49) and two groups of normotensive subjects (<65 years old - Control group I; n = 27, and >65 - Control group II; n = 30).

Changes in the level of cardiac troponine and disorders in pulmonary gas exchange as predictors of short- and long-term outcomes of patients with aneurysm subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Subject: Cardiopulmonary abnormalities are common after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). However, the relationship between short- and long-term outcome is poorly understood. In this paper, we present how cardiac troponine elevations (cTnI) and pulmonary disorders are associated with short- and long-term outcomes assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE).

The effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention on biomarkers of oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of elderly male patients.

Objectives: Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and elective coronary angiography (EC) on erythrocytic antioxidant defense in elderly male patients.

Methods: Twenty-three stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients undergoing PTCA and 18 patients with ischemic symptoms scheduled to undergo diagnostic EC were included in the study.

Role of glutathione metabolism and glutathione-related antioxidant defense systems in hypertension.

The risk of developing chronic hypertension increases with age. Among others factors, increased oxidative stress is a well-recognized etiological factor for the development of hypertension. The co-occurrence of oxidative stress and hypertension may occur as a consequence of a decrease in antioxidant defense system activity or elevated reactive oxygen species generation.

Decreased expression of heme oxygenase is associated with depressive symptoms and may contribute to depressive and hypertensive comorbidity.

Background: There is strong evidence that hypertension and depression are comorbid and oxidative stress is implicated in both pathologies. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between biochemical markers of the antioxidant-pro-oxidant equilibrium and depression in hypertension.

Methods: Blood was collected from patients diagnosed with depression, hypertension, or comorbid depression and hypertension and healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

The links between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbid depressive symptoms: role of IL-2 and IFN-γ.

Depression is highly prevalent in COPD patients, and both diseases are believed to be associated with inflammation. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of the immune system alterations in pathogenesis of depression in COPD patients. Blood was collected from patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbid depressive symptoms [COPD + DS, (N = 13)], from individuals with either COPD (N = 16) or recurrent depressive disorder (rDD) alone (N = 15), and from healthy controls (N = 19).

Psychosocial and legal aspects of oncological treatment in patients with cognitive impairment.

With society getting older and affected by many diseases, more and more people suffer from severe cognitive disorders. As practice shows, the legal situations of such people is often problematic. This is due to a number of factors, such as short time since the deterioration of patient's condition, initial symptoms ignored, social prejudice towards the idea of incapacitation or taking decisions for a patient, complicated procedures and, sometimes, insufficient knowledge of legal regulations.

Antioxidant effect of immediate- versus sustained-release melatonin in type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy controls.

Oxidative damage has been suggested as the primary cause of aging and age-associated diseases including type 2-dependent diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and therefore there is a growing interest in exploring therapeutic potential of antioxidant agents including melatonin. In the present study, we analyzed red blood cell antioxidants and lipid peroxidation after 5 mg/daily immediate-release melatonin treatment of elderly T2DM patients and healthy elderly subjects in comparison with 2 mg/daily sustained-release melatonin treatment of elderly T2DM patients and healthy elderly subjects, to determine the antioxidant effect of different doses and formulations of melatonin in these groups. Our study revealed that there was no significant difference in antioxidant status of red blood cells measured by glutathione concentration and activities of GPx-1, CAT, GR, SOD-1 and MDA levels, after supplementation with 2 mg-sustained release melatonin or with 5 mg-immediate release melatonin, either in T2DM or in healthy elderly subjects.

Markers of oxidative stress and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity in older men and women with differing physical activity.

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between markers of oxidative stress and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity and physical activity in older men and women. The present study included 481 participants (233 men and 248 women) in the age group 65-69 years (127 men and 125 women) and in the age group 90 years and over (106 men and 123 women). The classification of respondents by physical activity was based on answers to the question if, in the past 12 months, they engaged in any pastimes which require physical activity.

Interplay between the pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems and proinflammatory cytokine levels, in relation to iron metabolism and the erythron in depression.

As there is strong evidence for inflammation and oxidative stress in depression, the aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between oxidative imbalance and cellular immune response and to ask whether these processes are linked with iron metabolism in depressed patients. Blood was collected from patients diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorder (n=15) and from healthy controls (n=19). Whole-blood reduced glutathione (GSH), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), glutathione peroxidase (GPx-1), glutathione reductase, malondialdehyde (MDA), and methemoglobin (MetHb) and plasma H₂O₂ were assayed spectrophotometrically.

Melatonin reduces oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of multiple sclerosis patients with secondary progressive clinical course.

Oxidative stress plays a major role in multiple sclerosis (MS). Melatonin is a potent neuroprotectant. The aims of this study were to determine the actions of melatonin in the reduction of oxidative stress in MS.

[The effects of whole-body cryotherapy and melatonin supplementation on total antioxidative status and some antioxidative enzymes in multiple sclerosis patients].

Unlabelled: Oxidative stress is an important factor which contribute to the pathogenesis of lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS). Whole body cryotherapy (WBCT) is often used in treatment neurological and orthopedic diseases.

The Aim, Material And Methods: The aim of this study was to determinate the level of total antioxidative status (TAS) in plasma and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes of MS patients (n = 28) before and after 10 exposures of WBCT (-120 degrees C/3 minutes/day).

Age-related changes in an antioxidant defense system in elderly patients with essential hypertension compared with healthy controls.

Background And Aims: Oxidative stress has been reported to increase with aging. Oxidative stress is also associated with hypertension, and antioxidant treatment has been shown to enhance antioxidant defense system. We therefore aimed to analyze the relationship between aging and some markers of oxidative stress in elderly patients with essential hypertension compared with healthy controls.

End-of-life attitudes of intensive care physicians in Poland: results of a national survey.

Purpose: This study was designed to assess the ethical attitudes and practices of intensive care physicians regarding life-sustaining treatment in intensive care units (ICUs) in Poland.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to intensive care physicians taking part in a national medical congress. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous.

[Vitamins E, A and C as antioxidatives].

It has been found during last years that vitamins A, C, E and carotenoids, besides previously recognized functions of preventing particular lipido- and avitaminosis, significantly participate in the protection of the human body against oxidation stress that is characterized by balance disturbance between speed of free radical creation and reactive oxygen forms with pace of their neutralization by enzymes and antioxidants. The antioxidative system creates special protective barrier which includes numerous chemical form with antiperoxidative proprieties and vitamins are the most important part of it. The aim of this work was the profile of occurrence and antioxidative action of the vitamins A, C and E.

[Practical applications of recombinant alpha-1-antitrypsin in medicine].

Alpha-1-antytripsin deficiency, human plasma protein belonging to serine proteinase inhibitor, is the underlying reason for causing such diseases as liver cirrhosis or pulmonary emphysema. It has been proven that alpha-1-antytripsin deficiency can be treated with replacement therapy of this protein. Because of the risks associated with the administration to patients with deficiency of alpha-1-antytrypsyny protein fractionated from human plasma, the methods of gaining recombinant alpha-1-antytripsin are still being developed.

Glutathione-related antioxidant defense system in elderly patients treated for hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to analyze glutathione antioxidant defense system in elderly patients treated for hypertension. Studies were carried out in the blood collected from 18 hypertensive and 15 age- and sex-matched controls, all subjects age over 60. Hypertensives were on their usual antihypertensive treatment at the time of blood collection.

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy on a total antioxidative status and activities of antioxidative enzymes in blood of depressive multiple sclerosis patients.

Objectives: Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS patients depression is often observed. Cryotherapy might have an effect on OS.