Public Attitude towards Implementing DNAR and a Stance on Pediatric DNAR in Poland-A Prospective Survey Study.

Do not attempt resuscitation (DNAR) is a document signed by a patient, which states that they do not want to be resuscitated. In Poland, DNAR is not regulated by law. We aimed to assess people's perceptions on DNAR and pediatric DNAR in Poland.

Breath analysis of hydrogen peroxide as a diagnostic tool.

The potential diagnostic significance of exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in pulmonary and systemic disorders has received considerable interest over the last few decades. Despite large physiologic variability and low specificity, airway H(2)O(2) generation has been found to be consistently increased by inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, the level of exhaled H(2)O(2) has been associated with efficacy of treatment in various pulmonary diseases.

Serum antioxidant capacity is preserved in peritoneal dialysis contrary to its robust depletion after hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration sessions.

Renal replacement therapy (RRT) may differentially affect systemic generation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of antioxidant pools of low molecular weight molecules and proteins. This study was designed to assess the magnitude of the impairment of serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in relation to different RRT modalities. The study included patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD, N = 21), hemodialysis (HD, N = 21), hemodiafiltration (HDF, N = 20), and healthy controls (N = 33).

Increased H2O2 level in exhaled breath condensate in primary breast cancer patients.

Purpose: This study was designed to assess exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), blood serum antioxidant capacity, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) in primary breast cancer (PBC).

Methods: The study included 34 consecutive, non-smoking PBC patients (aged 62.5 +/- 13.

Serum metalloproteinases MMP-2, MMP-9 and metalloproteinase tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in patients on hemodialysis.

Background: We assessed the effect of hemodialysis (HD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and metalloproteinase tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2.

Methods: 18 patients on regular HD treatment with low-flux, cuprophane membrane, 15 non-dialyzed patients with CKD and 15 healthy controls were sampled. The serum MMP and TIMP concentrations were determined by ELISA assays.

Nephroprotective and clinical potential of statins in dialyzed patients.

Background: The combination of increased cardiovascular mortality and vascular complications due to dyslipidaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has focused attention onto the potential beneficial effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA) inhibitors (statins) on the course of CKD.

Objective: To examine the use of statins in CKD.

Methods: A review of relevant literature.

Serum matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 and metalloproteinase tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in diabetic nephropathy.

Background: The regulation of mesangial extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover engages a number of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). High glucose concentration affects ECM degradation and the activities of MMPs and TIMPs. ECM accumulation is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

Increased whole blood chemiluminescence in patients with chronic renal failure independent of hemodialysis treatment.

Introduction: The luminol-enhanced whole blood chemiluminescence (LBCL) assay is a rapid assay for the measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by circulating phagocytes. This study's aim was to determine if patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and non-dialyzed patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) have altered LBCL and if dialysis itself affects ROS production in the blood.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-six HD patients, 11 non-dialyzed patients with CRF, and 20 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were studied.

Increased levels of soluble TNF-alpha receptors and cellular adhesion molecules in patients undergoing bioincompatible hemodialysis.

Background: The study aimed to differentiate the effects of hemodialysis (HD) and chronic renal failure (CRF) on the levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF-alpha receptors p55 and p75, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (sE-selectin) and sP-selectin in 18 patients on regular HD treatment with cuprophane membrane in relation to 15 non-dialyzed CRF patients and 15 healthy controls.

Methods: The serum concentrations were determined with standard ELISA assays.

Results: Blood serum p75 and p55 were approximately tenfold increased in CRF (36.

Increased hydrogen peroxide concentration in the exhaled breath condensate of stable COPD patients after nebulized N-acetylcysteine.

Background: The oxidative burden in the airways is a hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Aims: This prospective, cross-over, placebo (PL)-controlled study was designed to investigate the effect of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) on hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), nitrites and nitrates (NO(2)(-)+NO(3)(-)), and thiol (RSH) concentrations in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in stable COPD patients (n=19, aged 52.6+/-15.

TNF-alpha priming effect on polymorphonuclear leukocyte reactive oxygen species generation and adhesion molecule expression in hemodialyzed patients.

Introduction: The study aimed to assess reactive oxygen species generation and the expressions of some surface antigens on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in patients on regular hemodialysis (HD) treatment.

Materials And Methods: The respiratory burst of PMNs was determined with luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) in resting cells and following N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), or opsonized zymosan (OZ) stimulation and expressed in arbitrary CL units times assay-time (aU x min). The expressions of CD11b/CD18, CD10, and CD13 receptors were determined with flow cytometry.

Blood serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Cytokines are essential mediators of immune response and inflammatory reactions. Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) commonly present with abnormalities of immune function related with impaired kidney function and the accumulation of uremic toxins in addition to bioincompatibility of dialyzer membranes. During a hemodialysis (HD) session, cytokines are released mainly by monocytes activated by endotoxin-type compounds in dialyzer fluid, complement factors and direct contact with dialyzer membrane.

Anti-oxidant activity of spermine and spermidine re-evaluated with oxidizing systems involving iron and copper ions.

This study was designed to investigate the direction of redox reactions of spermine and spermidine in the presence of iron and copper. The redox activity of spermine and spermidine was assessed using a variety of methods, including their ability to: (1) reduce Fe(3+) to Fe(2+) ions; (2) protect deoxyribose from oxidation by Fe(2+)-ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid, Fe(3+)-ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid systems with and without H(2)O(2); (3) protect DNA from damage caused by Cu(2+)-H(2)O(2), and Fe(2+)-H(2)O(2) with and without ascorbic acid; (4) inhibit H(2)O(2)-peroxidase-induced luminol dependent chemiluminescence; (5) scavenge diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl radical. Spermine and spermidine at concentration 1mM reduced 1.

Robust infectivity and replication of Delta-24 adenovirus induce cell death in human medulloblastoma.

The diverse advanced treatment modalities currently available to children with medulloblastoma, including surgery and radiotherapy, are associated with deleterious side effects and often with an unfavorable prognosis. A mutant adenovirus, Delta-24, which has a 24-base pair deletion in the Rb-binding region of the E1A gene, demonstrates selective replication and oncolysis in various malignant phenotypes. Here we report the ability of Delta-24 to kill medulloblastoma cells.

N-acetylcysteine effect on the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence pattern of reactive oxygen species generation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The evidence of the effect of N-acetylcysteine on reactive oxygen species produced by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) is often contradictory, as thiol compounds may react with not only reactive oxygen and nitrogen species but also they may influence intracellular glutathione levels. The effect of 20, 100 and 200 microM N-aceylcysteine (NAC) on luminol dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) of human PMNs (10(6) cells/ml phospate buffered saline (PBS)) and whole blood to N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) was studied. Further, the ability of NAC to increase PMNs intracellular thiols and affect subsequent PMNs, stimulation was assessed.