Effect of light intensity in the nest site on eggshell pigmentation in a hole-nesting passerine.

Daylight is an important factor necessary for the proper embryonic development of birds, which raises the question, what happens when birds nest in relatively dim sites? The study experimentally tested whether there is a relationship between light conditions at the nesting site and the protoporphyrin-based pigmentation in the eggshell of the Great Tit (Parus major). We hypothesised that at lower light levels, eggs are less pigmented to increase the amount of light reaching the embryo. Our study system consisted of two types of nest boxes: "dark", in which the only source of light was the entrance hole, and "bright", which had two additional side windows.

and Expression Levels as a Potential Biomarker of Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Head and Neck Cancers.

Inflammation is an etiological factor of various chronic diseases contributing to more than 50% of worldwide deaths. In this study, we focus on the immunosuppressive role of the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligand (PD-L1) in inflammatory-related diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis and head and neck cancers. The study included 304 participants.

PD-1 and PDL-1 gene expression in nasal polyp tissue from patients with asthma exacerbated by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs correlates with the severity of the disease.

Introduction: The clinical syndrome that includes asthma, nasal polyps and hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is referred to as airway disease exacerbated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Patients usually have the most severe form of nasal polyps. Asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps share a common inflammatory profile, involving type 2 helper T lymphocytes.

Group-based shame, guilt, and regret across cultures.

To date, there has been no systematic examination of cross-cultural differences in group-based shame, guilt, and regret following wrongdoing. Using a community sample ( = 1358), we examined people's reported experiences of shame, guilt, and regret following transgressions by themselves and by different identity groups (i.e.

Serum IL-5, POSTN and IL-33 levels in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis correlate with clinical severity.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by epithelial inflammation and tissue eosinophilic infiltration. IL-5, POSTN, and IL-33 are important factors that act as chemoattractants for eosinophils, and a tissue-remodeling protein positively correlated with eosinophils in blood and mediators of eosinophilic infiltration. The aim of the study was to determine the expression of IL-5, POSTN and IL-33, at the gene and protein levels, in eosinophilic CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), and to correlate this expression with clinical severity.

and Studies on (L.) R. Br. Root Extract against Cancer Cells.

Background: Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.

Bioaccumulation of Macronutrients in Edible Mushrooms in Various Habitat Conditions of NW Poland-Role in the Human Diet.

Recently, the interest in mushroom consumption has been growing, since their taste and low calorific value are appreciated, but also due to their nutritional value. In determining the usefulness of mushrooms in the human diet, it is important to consider the conditions of their occurrence to perform the assessment of bioaccumulation of minerals. The aim of the study was: (a) to determine the content of selected macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) in fruiting bodies of , , and the soils, (b) to determine their bioaccumulation potential taking into account the habitat conditions, and (c) an attempt to estimate their role in covering the requirement for macronutrients of the human organism.

Expression of Programmed Death Receptor 1 (PD-1) Gene and Its Ligand (PD-L1) in Patients with Laryngeal Cancer.

(1) Background: The interaction of the programmed death receptor (PD-1) with its ligand 1 (PD-L1) allows cancer cells to escape from the control of the immune system. Research evaluating the expression of immune checkpoint genes in the tissues of laryngeal tumors may contribute to the introduction of new effective immunotherapeutic methods in this group of neoplasms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of the gene for the programmed death receptor (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) in laryngeal tumors (T1, T2, T3) in patients without lymph node involvement and distant metastases.

Correlational nutritional relationships and interactions between expansive holoparasite Orobanche laxissima and woody hosts on metal-rich soils.

Plant parasitism by other plants, combined with abiotic environmental stress, offers a unique opportunity to study correlational nutritional relationships in terms of parasite-host interactions and their functional roles in nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Our study analysed the transfer of selected mineral elements, including heavy metals, from soil to different organs in hosts (Punica granatum and Fraxinus angustifolia) and from hosts to the expansive holoparasite (Orobanche laxissima) in cinnamonic soil habitats in Georgia (Caucasus). We also identified other correlated trophic and bioactive effects in the parasite-host relationship.

Threatened Masculinity: Gender-Related Collective Narcissism Predicts Prejudice Toward Gay and Lesbian People among Heterosexual Men in Poland.

We examined the relationships between different types of in-group positivity and prejudice toward gay and lesbian people among heterosexual men. We assumed that prejudice toward gay and lesbian people among heterosexual men should be predicted by gender-related collective narcissism (i.e.

An Experiencer, An Animal or An Object? Erection Salience Decreases Men's Perceived Agency.

Three experiments investigated the influence of penile erection on ascriptions of mental capabilities to men. Drawing on sexual objectification literature and the distinction between agency and experience in mind perception, three competing predictions were formulated. The mind redistribution hypothesis assumed that penile erection would lower agency and heighten experience attributions, the animalistic dehumanization hypothesis predicted the decrease in agency, but not experience, and the literal objectification hypothesis implied the simultaneous decrease in both agency and experience.

Antioxidative assessment of new trans-palladium (II) complexes in head and neck cancer.

Background: Head and neck neoplasms stand for 6% of all malignant neoplasms worldwide. Chemotherapy has limited use due to the biological properties of the tumor (in the majority of cases moderately and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma). The fundamental molecule used in treatment is cisplatin and its derivates, that can be associated with fluorouracil.

A Summary of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Evaluating the Impact of E-Cigarette Exposure on Living Organisms and the Environment.

Worldwide use of electronic cigarettes has been rapidly expanding over recent years, but the long-term effect of e-cigarette vapor exposure on human health and environment is not well established; however, its mechanism of action entails the production of reactive oxygen species and trace metals, and the exacerbation of inflammation, which are associated with potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The present study examines the effects of selected liquid chemicals used in e-cigarettes, such as propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, nicotine and flavorings, on living organisms; the data collected indicates that exposure to e-cigarette liquid has potentially detrimental effects on cells in vitro, and on animals and humans in vivo. While e-liquid exposure can adversely influence the physiology of living organisms, vaping is recommended as an alternative for tobacco smoking.

Plant Extracts and Reactive Oxygen Species as Two Counteracting Agents with Anti- and Pro-Obesity Properties.

Obesity is a complex disease of great public health significance worldwide: It entails several complications including diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular dysfunction and hypertension, and its prevalence is increasing around the world. The pathogenesis of obesity is closely related to reactive oxygen species. The role of reactive oxygen species as regulatory factors in mitochondrial activity in obese subjects, molecules taking part in inflammation processes linked to excessive size and number of adipocytes, and as agents governing the energy balance in hypothalamus neurons has been examined.

Practical Aspects of Hyaluronic Acid Application in Biolevox HA Preparations - Report on Research.

HA preparations in intraarticular injections have been applied in medicine since 1986 and became widely used in Poland at the beginning of the 90s of the twentieth century. Since then, numerous cases of successful application of intra-articular injections (the so called viscosupplementation) have been described in Polish and foreign literature. Changes in the molecular mass of hyaluronic acid and the related specific spatial structure result in different metabolic and immunological properties.

The relationship between chest pain and level of perioperative anxiety in patients with lung cancer.

Introduction: Chest pain is one of the symptoms of lung cancer.Chest pain disrupts patient's functioning in somatic and psychic area.

Purpose: Whether the existence of chest pain affects the level of perioperative anxiety in lung cancer patients.

Neuropathy - Damage to Peripheral Nerves in Diseases and Injuries of the Musculoskeletal System.

The musculoskeletal diseases and injuries affect not only the musculoskeletal system itself, but also the closely related structures, such as blood vessels and nerves (both within the central and the peripheral nervous system). If these relationships are neglected or the directed neuroprotective and neuro-regeneration therapy is delayed, the final effect of the treatment is compromised. The aim if this paper is describing the important medical and social problem of peripheral neuropathies from the point of view of epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, imaging diagnostics and complex medical procedures using modern approaches and techniques, based on the available literature.

Metal Ion Complexes with Pyrazoles, Aziridines and Diaziridines - Synthesis and Biological Activity.

Heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen ions, like pyrazoles, aziridines, diaziridines and their metal ion complexes with Cu(II), Zn(II) and Ru(III) and others exhibit a wide range of biological activity, including mainly anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. Biological significance of these molecules and thus their potential use in medicine has driven growing interest into their coordination chemistry. A knowledge of the relationship between the structure of chemical compounds and their activity is needed for the synthesis of the preparations possessing the most beneficial features.

Polymorphism of MSH2 Gly322Asp and MLH1 -93G>A in non-familial colon cancer - a case-controlled study.

Introduction: Our aim was to determine the effect of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) -93G>A of the MLH1 gene (rs1800734) and Gly322Asp of the MSH2 gene (rs4987188) on the risk of colon cancer (CC) and identify any relationship with clinical factors.

Material And Methods: The study included 144 unrelated patients with sporadic CC (71 males; mean age: 61.7 ±11 years) and 151 control patients (74 males; mean age: 63 ±11 years).

Effect of copper(II) the activity of glutathione peroxidase in patients with head and neck cancer.

Introduction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for about 6% of all malignant cancers. In the epidemiology of oral cavity neoplasm, important risk factors include: tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, bad oral hygiene, papilloma virus infection, riboflavin and iron deficiency.

Objective: The objective of the investigation was a synthesis of Cu(II) complex and the evaluation of antioxidative enzymatic barrier in red blood cells of patients with head and neck tumor as well as in the control group.

Distribution of antimicrobial resistance determinants, virulence-associated factors and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats loci in isolates of Enterococcus faecalis from various settings and genetic lineages.

Enterococcus faecalis represents an important factor of hospital-associated infections (HAIs). The knowledge on its evolution from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen is still limited; thus, we performed a study to characterise distribution of factors that may contribute to this adaptation. Using a collection obtained from various settings (hospitalised patients, community carriers, animals, fresh food, sewage, water), we investigated differences in antimicrobial susceptibility, distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence-associated determinants and phenotypes, and CRISPR loci in the context of the clonal relatedness of isolates.

Endometrial mRNA expression of prostaglandin synthase enzymes PTGS 2, PTGFS and mPTGES 1 in repeat-breeding cows with cytologically determined endometritis.

Little is known about the inflammatory response of the endometrium in repeat-breeding cows with subclinical endometritis (SE). The objective of this study was to evaluate the mRNA expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS 2), prostaglandin F2 synthase (PTGFS) and prostaglandin E2 microsomal synthase 1 (mPTGES 1) in the endometrium of repeat-breeding cows with and without SE. SE was diagnosed cytologically using the cytobrush method, with the threshold being set at 5% polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

TC2 C776G polymorphism studies in patients with oral cancer in the Polish population.

The first signs of oral cancer may resemble developing infections in the mucous membranes, with throat cancer symptoms being similar to those of upper respiratory tract infections. This greatly hinders rapid diagnosis and treatment. Better knowledge of the changes occurring in the metabolism of folic acid can help in understanding the carcinogenesis affecting DNA methylation and genome stability.

Self-reported quality of sleep is associated with physical strength among community-dwelling young-old adults.

Aim: The present study examined the association between self-reported quality of sleep (QOS) and physical function in community-dwelling young-old adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 737 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and older (498 women, 239 men); age 68.3 ± 5.