Analysis of Patient-Dependent and Trauma-Dependent Risk Factors for Persistent Brachial Plexus Injury after Shoulder Dislocation.

Brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) caused by shoulder dislocation usually have a transient character and tend to resolve spontaneously. However, in some patients the symptoms can persist and require operative intervention. This work aims to determine the risk factors for persistent BPIs resulting from shoulder dislocation.

Chitosan and its composites: Properties for use in bone substitution.

For many years, research has been carried out on finding an ideal bone substitute. Chitosan (CTS) is a naturally occurring polysaccharide, obtained mainly from, inter alia, the shells of crustaceans. It is characterized by its high level of biocompatibility, biodegradability and antimicrobial properties as well as its support in the healing of wounds.

Results and biomechanical consideration of treatment of congenital lower limb shortening and deformity using the Ilizarov method.

One of the applications of the Ilizarov apparatus is the correction of congenital shortening and deformities. Ilizarov external fixator produces biomechanical structure with surrounding tissue, which is the reason why very important is correct stability of fixator. Large distraction in the case of high value of lengthening, and large deformity corection result in shear stresses that occur additionally in the regenerate, which can potentially lead to damage of the regenerating nutritive microcirculation of bone tissue and bone fragment displacements.

[New opportunities of renal diseases diagnostics using gas chromatography].

During the last decade the amount of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased. The physicians' efforts are focused on early CKD diagnosis and reduction of the end-stage renal diseases incidence. The breath test seems to be a promising diagnostic device offering early noninvasive diseases detection.

Antioxidant activity of beta-carboline derivatives.

The investigated beta-carboline derivatives were synthesized to elucidate their activity as 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor ligands. Compounds containing a carboline ring system belong to a large family of biological active indoles, which are very important for the function of the central nervous system. The research was carried out to determine antioxidative or oxidative properties of these derivatives.

[Obesity and its' influence on reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the blood of patients with varicose veins of the lower limbs].

Introduction: Oxidative stress is considered as a probable mechanism in the pathogenesis and development of many diseases, including chronic venous disease (CVD). Local increased production of reactive oxygen species is taken into account as a mediator in vessel wall changes leading to damage of the endothelium and may be the mechanism leading to its' decreased blood flow and venous stasis. Obesity is a known clinical factor influencing venous blood flow from the lower limbs.

Correlation of endothelin 1 plasma levels with plasma antioxidant capacity in elderly patients treated for hypertension.

Unlabelled: Experimental studies confirmed that reactive oxygen species increase endothelin-1 (ET-1) synthesis, and modulate ET-1 signaling pathway resulting in vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma ET-1 concentration and antioxidant status in patients with essential hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: 78 hypertensive patients, 53.

Restrictive left ventricular filling pattern and its effect on the clinical course of systolic heart failure in patients receiving carvedilol.

Background: To analyze differences in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels depending on mitral flow pattern (MFP) and to assess the effects of carvedilol on changes in MFP, left ventricular function and exercise capacity.

Methods And Results: The study population consisted of 73 patients with symptomatic heart failure in NYHA classes II and III and LVEF < 40% without prior beta-blockade. In all patients at baseline, before carvedilol, and then at 3 and 12 months after initiation of treatment, the following parameters were assessed: HR(s), serum BNP, echocardiographic parameters, and exercise capacity with gas monitoring during cardiopulmonary stress test.

Use of thermography to monitor the bone regenerate during limb lengthening--preliminary communication.

Background: Bone regenerate is routinely assessed on X-ray images obtained every 7 to 14 days in the distraction period and every 14 to 28 days during the stabilisation period. Tissue reconstruction during new bone formation and increased metabolism in the tissues being lengthened are associated with an increase in the temperature of the limb. The aim of this study was to establish a correlation between the bone regenerate, assessed on the basis of X-ray evidence, and thermographic images of the limb registered in a non-invasive manner with a thermographic camera.

Concentration of BNP, endothelin 1, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6) and exercise capacity in patients with heart failure treated with carvedilol.

Background: Recent studies on the pathophysiology of heart failure indicate the role of neurohormones and immune and inflammatory processes as potential mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and clinical course of chronic heart failure (CHF).

Aim: To analyse the relationship between concentrations of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), endothelin-1 (ET-1), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6) and cardiopulmonary stress test parameters, and to evaluate their changes during carvedilol treatment.

Methods: The study included 86 patients (81 men and 5 women) aged from 35 to 70 years (56.

The results of treatment of bone defects and non-union within the femoral shaft with shortening of femur using Ilizarov method.

Background: The non-union within the femur with shortening of the limb as a consequence of trauma is an indication to choose external stabilisation as a method of treatment for that reason, that healing of the bone and surrounded soft tissues is disordered.

Materials And Methods: Authors discuss the results of treatment of 16 patients with post-traumatic bone defect and pseudarthroses with femur shortening. The injury was located in femur shaft in 8 cases, distal epiphysis in 5 cases and proximal epiphysis in 3 cases.

Preliminary evaluation of antioxidant activity of some 1-(phenoxyethyl)-piperazine derivatives.

The antioxidant properties of appropriate 1-(phenoxyethyl)-piperazine derivatives possessing significant hypotensive activity in normotensive rats were measured in human venous blood samples, in vitro. Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) was measured in plasma, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were determined in red blood cell hemolysates. Antioxidant profile of 1-(phenoxyethyl)-piperazine derivatives was compared to Trolox and Resveratrol.

[Evaluation of saliva antioxidant activity for determining the state of dentition and oral hygiene in a group of young athletes].

At a basis of many pathologic reactions lie disturbances in balance between production of free radicals and antioxidant organism capability. In our study we evaluate antioxidant capability of saliva, as a Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP). 74 pupils selected from active swimmer class (age 11.

Effect of Vita Glucan on some antioxidant parameters of the human blood. In vitro study.

Recently, beta-glucan has been postulated to modulate antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase-SOD) as well as to inhibit lipid peroxidation in studies concerning rats or rabbits. There are very few reports on antioxidant effect of beta-glucan in the human blood. The study was aimed to estimate influence of Vita Glucan (VG) on SOD and catalase (CAT) activities as well as on total antioxidant power measured as ferric reducing activity and ascorbate concentration (FRASC) in the human blood in vitro.

Prolonged quercetin administration diminishes the etoposide-induced DNA damage in bone marrow cells of rats.

The DNA damage in bone marrow cells induced by etoposide (E) injected intraperitoneally to rats (100 mg/kg b.w.) decreased to the control level when quercetin (Q) was administered subcutaneously for 10 consecutive days (40 mg/kg b.

Micronutrients and macronutrients and parameters of antioxidative ability in saliva of women: inhabitants of Krakow (Poland) in the course of uncomplicated singleton pregnancy.

There were two aims of the present study: (1) to evaluate changes of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidative status measured as the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) concentration in saliva of pregnant women during the first, second, and third trimesters of singleton uncomplicated pregnancy and (2) to assess possible relations among SOD, FRAP, and intake of macronutrients and micronutrients in daily nutritional rations (DNRs) during pregnancy. Forty pregnant women aged 27.1+/-5.

The usefulness of artificial neural networks in the evaluation of pulmonary efficiency and antioxidant capacity of welders.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine if artificial neural networks (ANNs) may be useful to analyse a complex and large set of data derived from smoking welders for the purpose of finding relationships between parameters describing respiratory system efficiency and antioxidant defence.

Methods: A group of 94 welders employed in a big metallurgic enterprise in Krakow, Poland (men only, aged 29-57 years, all active smokers) occupationally exposed to O(3) and NO(x), were the subjects of this study. They underwent biochemical measurements including total antioxidant status (TAS) and the anti-oxidative defence enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CT); biominerals: Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg in blood serum and in hair; the concentrations of albumin, bilirubin, uric acid in blood.

Antioxidative protection in hypertensive patients treated with diuretics.

Background: Recently results of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) showed that a thiazide diuretic was unsurpassed by any other drug class studied in achieving the level of cardiovascular protection, a finding reflected in the recent Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure (JNC7) recommendations. Oxidative stress has been found to be one of the key players in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease at large. The objective of this study was to check the hypothesis that diuretics may favorably affect the oxidative status of plasma, which could account in part for the results of recent trials.

Is magnesium deficit in lymphocytes a part of the mitral valve prolapse syndrome?

Magnesium deficiency has been proposed to be related to the mitral valve prolapse syndrome. However determinations of magnesium concentration in blood serum and hemolysates of red blood cells in this disease revealed divergent results. We investigated 49 patients with the mitral valve prolapse syndrome and 30 healthy individuals, matched by age and gender.

Pattern recognition methods in evaluation of the structure of the laboratory data biominerals, antioxidant enzymes, selected biochemical parameters, and pulmonary function of welders.

A wide set of biochemical and spirometrical parameters was applied to a group of 41 welders. The obtained parameters were analyzed by the pattern recognition method: principal-components analysis (PCA) and mutual contribution analysis (MCA). The aim of the investigation was to find out which of 23 parameters had an influence on the pulmonological indices of COPD.