Triple versus double antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation: a meta‑analysis of randomized trials.

Background: Appropriate double (DT) and triple (TT) antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation is unclear.

Aim: The aim of the study was to perform a meta‑analysis of studies comparing DT and TT in patients with atrial fibrillation and stent implantation.

Methods: Of the 450 reports, 5 randomized trials were included in the meta‑analysis: WOEST, ISAR‑REACT, PIONEER AF‑PCI, RE‑DUAL PCI, and AUGUSTUS, with a total of 9931 patients.

Organellar Calcium Handling in the Cellular Reticular Network.

Ca is an important intracellular messenger affecting diverse cellular processes. In eukaryotic cells, Ca is handled by a myriad of Ca-binding proteins found in organelles that are organized into the cellular reticular network (CRN). The network is comprised of the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, membranous components of the endocytic and exocytic pathways, peroxisomes, and the nuclear envelope.

Beyond the boundaries of cardiology: Still untapped anticancer properties of the cardiovascular system-related drugs.

Cardiovascular disorders and cancer are the most common chronic diseases, frequently coexistent and interdependent. Based on their common etiology and molecular background, the hypothesis on the potential anti-cancer activity of cardiological drugs appeared, mainly in response to the necessity of increasing the efficacy of existing oncological treatment schemes. In fact, cancer is known to induce the profound malfunction of typical cardiovascular-regulating systems, including the renin-angiotensin system, sympathetic nervous system and coagulation cascade.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Oils from the Seeds of Five Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Cultivars.

Oils from five cultivars of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in Poland were analysed for characteristics of chemical and biological activity. The extracted oils had an average iodine value (g of I/100 g of oil) of 99.

Plasma lncRNA expression profile as a prognostic tool in mutant metastatic melanoma patients treated with BRAF inhibitor.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are dysregulated in many cancer types. Abnormal baseline levels of these lncRNAs display diagnostic and prognostic potential in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of plasma lncRNAs in -mutant advanced melanoma patients treated with a BRAF inhibitor.

Echocardiographic assessment of tricuspid regurgitation and pericardial effusion after cardiac device implantation.

Background: The frequency of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantations is constantly increasing. Pericardial effusion (PE) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may occur after CIED implantation. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for new occurrences or progression of TR and PE early after CIED implantation.

Patterning Cu nanostructures tailored for CO reduction to electrooxidizable fuels and oxygen reduction in alkaline media.

Due to the limited availability of noble metal catalysts, such as platinum, palladium, or gold, their substitution by more abundant elements is highly advisable. Considerably challenging is the controlled and reproducible synthesis of stable non-noble metallic nanostructures with accessible active sites. Here, we report a method of preparation of bare (ligand-free) Cu nanostructures from polycrystalline metal in a controlled manner.

Endoplasmic reticulum and the microRNA environment in the cardiovascular system .

Stress responses are important to human physiology and pathology, and the inability to adapt to cellular stress leads to cell death. To mitigate cellular stress and re-establish homeostasis, cells, including those in the cardiovascular system, activate stress coping response mechanisms. The endoplasmic reticulum, a component of the cellular reticular network in cardiac cells, mobilizes so-called endoplasmic reticulum stress coping responses, such as the unfolded protein response.

Two pools of IRE1α in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a central role in cellular stress responses mobilization of ER stress coping responses, such as the unfolded protein response (UPR). The inositol-requiring 1α (IRE1α) is an ER stress sensor and component of the UPR. Muscle cells also have a well-developed and highly subspecialized membrane network of smooth ER called the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) surrounding myofibrils and specialized for Ca storage, release, and uptake to control muscle excitation-contraction coupling.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid attenuates cyclosporine-induced renal fibrogenesis in the mouse model.

Chronic exposure to cyclosporine causes nephrotoxicity and organ damage. Here we show that cyclosporine nephrotoxicity in vivo is associated with the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway to initiate tissue fibrosis. We demonstrate that cyclosporine therapy activated the IRE1α branch of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and stimulated the TGFβ1 signaling pathway in the kidneys of male mice.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) TaqI polymorphism, vitamin D and bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: A common feature in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and osteoporosis is a complex genetic background. Moreover, it has been shown that some of the susceptibility loci overlap for both diseases. One of the genes that may be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD as well as decreased bone mass is the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene.

Analysis of risk factors and outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection.

Introduction: Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a Gram-positive, anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria, widely spread in the human environment. In the last decade, the frequency and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) have been increasing, making this particular disease one of the most significant nosocomial infections.

As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined: a survey of student attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration supported with the curricula analysis.

Pharmaceutical care was legally introduced as an interprofessional service in Poland in 2009. However, a collaboration between physicians and pharmacists remains incidental. Proper education at the undergraduate level is necessary to shape the attitudes of students toward establishing interprofessional relations.

Design-functionality relationships for adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins.

Glycan-lectin recognition is assumed to elicit its broad range of (patho)physiological functions via a combination of specific contact formation with generation of complexes of distinct signal-triggering topology on biomembranes. Faced with the challenge to understand why evolution has led to three particular modes of modular architecture for adhesion/growth-regulatory galectins in vertebrates, here we introduce protein engineering to enable design switches. The impact of changes is measured in assays on cell growth and on bridging fully synthetic nanovesicles (glycodendrimersomes) with a chemically programmable surface.

Equine assisted activities and therapies in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and a meta-analysis.

Introduction: The multifactorial nature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the reason why complementary and alternative methods of treatment are sought in order to support the classic approach.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) in ASD patients based on a review of the literature.

Methods: A review of the literature and a meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Detection of malignancy-associated phosphoproteome changes in human colorectal cancer induced by cell surface binding of growth-inhibitory galectin-4.

Emerging evidence on efficient tumor growth regulation by endogenous lectins directs interest to determine on a proof-of-principle level the range of information on alterations provided by full-scale analysis using phosphoproteomics. In our pilot study, we tested galectin-4 (gal-4) that is a growth inhibitor for colon cancer cells (CRC), here working with the LS 180 line. In order to cover monitoring of short- and long-term effects stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture-based quantitative phosphoproteomic analyses were conducted on LS 180 cell preparations collected 1 and 72 h after adding gal-4 to the culture medium.

Stress Coping Strategies in the Heart: An Integrated View.

The heart is made up of an ordered amalgam of cardiac cell types that work together to coordinate four major processes, namely energy production, electrical conductance, mechanical work, and tissue remodeling. Over the last decade, a large body of information has been amassed regarding how different cardiac cell types respond to cellular stress that affect the functionality of their elaborate intracellular membrane networks, the cellular reticular network. In the context of the heart, the manifestations of stress coping strategies likely differ depending on the coping strategy outcomes of the different cardiac cell types, and thus may underlie the development of distinct cardiac disorders.

Endoplasmic reticulum calcium dictates the distribution of intracellular unesterified cholesterol.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) luminal Ca influences many functions of this organelle, notably the synthesis and quality control of proteins and lipids. Cholesterol is an essential component of biological membranes and a precursor for many biologically important signaling molecules. The sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are key regulators of lipid metabolism.

Cyclosporine A binding to COX-2 reveals a novel signaling pathway that activates the IRE1α unfolded protein response sensor.

Cyclosporine, a widely used immunosuppressant in organ transplantation and in treatment of various autoimmune diseases, activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), an ER stress coping response. In this study we discovered a new and unanticipated cyclosporine-dependent signaling pathway, with cyclosporine triggering direct activation of the UPR. COX-2 binds to and activates IRE1α, leading to IRE1α splicing of XBP1 mRNA.

Endovascular extraction of entrapped long-term central feeding catheter: Case series.

Long-term tunneled central venous catheters are widely used in several clinical indications, that is, hemodialysis, chemotherapy, and total parenteral nutrition. However, central venous catheters are associated with a number of complications, including catheter occlusion and sepsis, which may necessitate earlier catheter removal. In most cases manual traction is sufficient to remove the catheter.

Implantation of the Micra transcatheter pacing system: Single Polish center experience with the real costs of hospitalization analysis.

Background: The Micra transcatheter pacing system (TPS) is a miniaturized, single-chamber pacemaker system. Study reported herein is an initial experience with implantation of the Micra TPS.

Methods: The leadless pacemaker was implanted in 10 patients with standard indications for a permanent pacemaker implantation.

Clostridium difficile infection in young people - 2 case reports.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains one of the most important healthcare-associated infections of the last two decades. The pathogen is a Gram-positive, toxin-producing, anaerobic, rod-shaped and sporeforming bacterium; it is ubiquitous in the human environment. Transmission occurs by the fecal-oral route.

Prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in a population of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases from the Wielkopolska Region.

Introduction The incidence of osteoporosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) varies across different populations. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis in Polish patients with IBD, as well as the effect of the body mass index (BMI), disease duration, the number of hospital stays, and the use of glucocorticoids on bone mineral density (BMD). Patients and methods BMD of 208 patients with IBD (103 with Crohn disease [CD] and 105 with ulcerative colitis [UC]) and 41 healthy controls was measured using dual‑energy X‑ray absorptiometry.

Comparative Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A And E Viruses in Blood Donors from Wielkopolska Region, West-Central Poland.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of HAV and HEV in Polish blood donors (BDs). One hundred and ten randomly selected healthy BDs, living in Wielkopolska Region were tested for anti-HAV IgG and anti-HEV IgG with commercial assays. The seroprevalence of anti-HAV was 11.