Quality of life assessment after minimally invasive operative treatment in children with pectus excavatum: A single-center study and literature review.

Background: Most patients with chest wall deformities have a negative body image, which affects their self-esteem and quality of life (QoL).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in patients' QoL after minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE).

Material And Methods: A prospective, single-center study was conducted between 2019 and 2023.

Hypersensitivity to Lanolin: An Old-New Problem.

Lanolin is a fatty substance derived from sheep's fleece. The ancient Greeks used the moisturizing and skin-protective properties of this substance. The technique of industrial production of lanolin was developed in Germany in the 19th century.

A 30-Min Exposure on Permethrin and Deltamethrin Modifies Ion Transport Pathways in the Skin.

Pyrethroids are pesticides used in agriculture, the textile industry, wood processing, and human and animal medicine. Pyrethroids inhibit voltage-sensitive sodium channels (VSSCs) in insects and mammals. It results in the premature opening and/or delayed closing of the channels, causing a prolonged influx of Na ions into the cell.

Behind the scenes of EQA-characteristics, capabilities, benefits and assets of external quality assessment (EQA).

The main stakeholders in external quality assessment (EQA) programs are the participants, in whose interests these challenges are ultimately organised. EQA schemes in the medical field contribute to improving the quality of patient care by evaluating the analytical and diagnostic quality of laboratory and point-of-care tests (POCT) by independent third parties and, if necessary, pointing out erroneous measurement results and analytical or diagnostic improvement potential. Other benefits include the option of using EQA samples for other important laboratory procedures, such as the verification or validation of diagnostic medical devices (IVD-MDs), a contribution to the estimation of measurement uncertainty, a means of training and educating laboratory staff through educational EQA programmes or samples, or even for independent and documented monitoring of staff competence, such as on samples with unusual or even exceptional characteristics.

Quantification of Difference in Nonselectivity Between In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices.

Correct measurement results from in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices (MD) are crucial for optimal patient care. The performance of IVD-MDs is often assessed through method comparison studies. Such studies can be compromised by the influence of various factors.

Establishing, evaluating and monitoring analytical quality in the traceability era.

Poor analytical quality may be the bane of medical use of laboratory tests, and the fight against excessive analytical variability presents a daily struggle. Laboratories should prioritize the perspectives and needs of their customers (the patients and healthcare personnel). Among them, comparability of results from the same patient sample when measured by different laboratories using different diagnostic (IVD) medical devices is a logical priority to avoid result misinterpretation and potential patient harm.

The Use of Gel Electrophoresis to Separate Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplicons Allows for the Easy Identification and Assessment of the Spread of Toxigenic Strains.

is a common etiological factor of hospital infections, which, in extreme cases, can lead to the death of patients. Most strains belonging to this bacterium species synthesize very dangerous toxins: toxin A (TcdA) and B (TcdB) and binary toxin (CDT). The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of agarose gel electrophoresis separation of multiplex PCR amplicons to investigate the toxinogenic potential of strains.

Nerve-sparing techniques in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy - anatomical approach.

Introduction: Nerve-sparing (NS) techniques in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) are foundational to preserving sexual function and urinary continence in prostate cancer (PCa) patients.

Areas Covered: This article aims to classify nerve-sparing (NS) techniques in RARP based on an anatomical approach to the prostate. We have identified three main NS approaches in RARP: anterior, lateral, and posterior.

Higher Preoperative Serum Neuropeptide Y Concentration May Be Associated with a Better Prognosis After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer.

Background: The early identification of patients at risk of peri-procedural complications and poor prognosis is particularly important. We conducted our study to determine whether serum orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) concentration is associated with nutritional status and prognosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Materials And Methods: A cohort study with a 3-month follow-up was conducted with 84 consecutive inpatients who underwent elective surgery in one center between 2016 and 2019 for primary CRC.

Antioxidant Potential of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Scabies Infestation.

Oxidative stress, characterized by an overproduction of reactive oxygen species that overwhelm the body's physiological defense mechanisms, is a key factor in the progression of parasitic diseases in both humans and animals. Scabies, a highly contagious dermatological condition caused by the mite var. , affects millions globally, particularly in developing regions.

High-Resolution Melting PCR as a Fast and Simple Molecular Biology-Based Method for the Identification of Hypervirulent Strains Directly in Stool Samples.

became one of the main causes of nosocomial infections in all clinical settings worldwide, especially among patients undergoing antibiotic therapy. The incidence and severity of infections, from mild diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis, correlate with the spread of the hypervirulent binary toxin (CDT)-producing strains. The use of the real-time HRM-PCR method enables the identification of hypervirulent strains directly in the diarrheal stool samples of patients suspected of being infected with this bacterium.

Selected Trace Elements and Their Impact on Redox Homeostasis in Eye Health.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various ocular degenerative diseases, leading to structural and functional changes in eye tissues. This imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants significantly contributes to conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. Both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants are vital for maintaining ocular health by neutralizing ROS and restoring cellular redox balance.

Editorial to the Special Issue "Molecular Mechanisms and Regulation in Allergy and Immune Diseases, Immunodeficiencies".

Allergies and other immunity disorders are a current and deepening problem of the modern world, closely related to the progress of civilization [...

Not all biases are created equal: how to deal with bias on laboratory measurements.

Although the concept of bias appears consolidated in laboratory science, some important changes in its definition and management have occurred since the introduction of metrological traceability theory in laboratory medicine. In the traceability era, medical laboratories should rely on manufacturers who must ensure traceability of their diagnostic medical devices (IVD-MD) to the highest available references, providing bias correction during the trueness transfer process to calibrators before they are marketed. However, sometimes some bias can be observed arising from an insufficient correction during the traceability implementation.

Neuroanatomical mapping of spexin and nesfatin-1-expressing neurons in the human brainstem.

Neuropeptides are involved in numerous brain activities being able to control a wide spectrum of physiological functions. In recent years, a number of novel pleiotropic regulatory peptides have been discovered in animal brain structures. The purpose of this descriptive neurochemical investigation was to detect the possible expression of the novel multifunctional neuropeptides spexin (SPX) and nesfatin-1 within the human brainstem.

Polymorphic Variants in the Vitamin D Receptor and Clinical Parameters of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Undergoing Anti-TNF Treatment.

Vitamin D levels have been related to the severity and progression of various autoimmune disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of genetic variability in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene on disease susceptibility and progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. The study comprises 121 RA patients subjected to anti-TNF therapy genotyped for four VDR polymorphic variants: rs1544410 (I), rs2228570 (I), rs731236 (I), and rs7975232 (I).

Salivary microbiome signatures of Poles and Serbians and its potential for prediction of biogeographic ancestry.

Biogeographical ancestry analysis is valuable in forensic investigations, especially in missing person cases or crimes without eyewitnesses, as it helps to infer geographic origins from genetic markers. This approach enhances forensic efforts by providing essential clues for identifying individuals with limited direct evidence. Slavic-speaking populations are poorly distinguishable based on human genome variability.

The Frozen Elephant Trunk Procedure-8 Years of Experience from Poland.

The frozen elephant trunk method combines the implantation of a Dacron prosthesis with a self-expanding stent graft, which allows for complex repairs of the aortic arch and thoracic aorta in one procedure. Despite the advantages of hybrid treatment for aortic arch aneurysms, in Poland, only a few such surgeries are performed annually compared to in Western countries. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the 8-year outcomes of treatment at the center where the Aortic Team operates, which is one of the centers in Poland with the most extensive experience in hybrid FET treatment.

Aortic Stent Graft Treatment in a Medium-Size Aortic Center Performed by a Cardiac Surgeon Only-The 9 Years Experience in Poland.

: The incidence of thoracic aortic aneurysms is estimated at 3.0-8.3/100,000 persons per year.

The extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (50 Hz) can establish a new "set-point" for the activity of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic (LC-NA) system in rat.

Exposure of organisms to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF; 50 Hz) has been increasing in recent decades, which is connected with dynamic technological development. ELF-EMF is considered a stress factor and its effects on organisms are still being investigated. We aimed to determine its impact on the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic (LC-NA) system enabling adaptation to stressful conditions.

Digital image analysis of vertebral body L4 and its ossification center in the human fetus.

Using a Siemens-Biograph 128 mCT camera the morphometric analysis of the L4 vertebral body and its ossification center were done in 55human fetuses aged 17 to 30weeks. No sex differences were found. The mean height, transverse and sagittal diameters of L4 vertebral body followed the logarithmic functions: y = -11.

Quantitative anatomy of the infraspinatus muscle in the human fetus.

Background: The study presents one of the six scapulohumeral muscles, which occupies most of the osteofibrous infraspinatus compartment. Along with the supraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis muscles, the infraspinatus muscle contributes to the rotator cuff. It protects the posterior aspect of the articular capsule of the shoulder joint, adducts and externally rotates the arm.