Polish language adaptation and validation of the Fonseca Anamnestic Index for individuals with temporomandibular disorders.

Background: Given the notable prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in the Polish population, there is a clear need for the use of simple, reliable questionnaires as screening tools to facilitate the referral of patients to TMD specialists.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to translate and adapt the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) into Polish and assess its reliability and validity in identifying TMD symptoms.

Material And Methods: The Polish adaptation of the FAI (FAI-PL) was developed in accordance with the international guidelines, including the translation and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire.

Selected aspects of the sexual functioning of women - preliminary studies.

Introduction: Sexology is a field of study to which too little attention has been paid over the years. It is still regarded as relatively new and is constantly expanding. Undoubtedly, sexual health affects a person's overall heath, influencing not only the development of a person's personality, but also their social communication skills and ability to love.

Barbed sutures versus conventional sutures for wound closure in spine surgeries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Suturing techniques for wound closure in spine surgeries play a critical role in patient outcomes, including wound healing, reintervention, and risk of complications. Barbed sutures, characterized by their self-anchoring properties, have emerged as a potential alternative to conventional sutures in various surgical disciplines. While previous studies have underscored their efficacy and safety in spine surgeries, no meta-analysis has been conducted.

Long-term outcomes of DCB and DES for the treatment of in-stent restenosis in relation to the vessel size.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-coated balloons (DCB) or drug-eluting stents (DES) are well-established treatments for in-stent restenosis, however little is known about the impact of vessel size on the outcomes. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of DCB versus DES in DES in-stent restenosis depending on the vessel size.

Methods: Consecutive patients with DES in-stent restenosis who underwent PCI between January 2010 and February 2018 entered the registry with a long-term follow-up.

Position statement of Polish Cardiac Society experts on cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies (CMs) are a very broad group of diseases, including genetically determined and acquired, and their classification is based on phenotypic characteristics. There is always a need to search for the etiology (often also to try to identify the genetic cause), which may determine the appropriate choice of clinical management. The geographical distribution of genetic variants varies as does the prevalence across populations, ethnic groups, regions, and countries.

Comparative study of quality of life after aortic valve replacement through partial upper ministernotomy versus full median sternotomy.

Background: Upper ministernotomy for sutureless aortic prosthesis implantation provides an attractive opportunity compared to conventional access. Although in the last decade, the former has gained popularity, data comparing quality of life (QoL) following these procedures are scarce.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the patient's QoL after aortic valve replacement (AVR) using a ministernotomy approach compared to a full sternotomy.

Non-peripheral octasubstituted zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing pyridinepropoxy substituents - Antibacterial, anticancer photodynamic and sonodynamic activity.

The novel non-peripheral octa-substituted zinc(II) phthalocyanines with 3- and 4-pyridinepropoxy substituents were synthesized via cyclization of substituted phthalonitriles and further characterized. Their photodynamic and sonodynamic activity were then assessed toward bacteria and cancer cells. Additionally, inhibition activity against common human enzymes was evaluated.

The circulating methylome in childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease.

The genetic contribution to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompassing both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), accounts for around 20% of disease variance, highlighting the need to characterise environmental and epigenetic influences. Recently considerable progress has been made in characterising the adult methylome, in epigenome-wide association studies. We report detailed analysis of the circulating methylome in 86 patients with childhood-onset CD,UC and 30 controls using the Illumina Infinium Human MethylationEPIC platform.

Comparison of ustekinumab, infliximab and combination therapy in moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis - a study protocol of a randomized, multicenter, head-to-head COMBO-UC trial.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with a complex etiology that affects the large intestine. Characterized by chronic, bloody diarrhea, UC can lead to severe complications, including an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Despite advancements in conservative treatment, including biologics like anti-TNF agents and ustekinumab (UST), many patients do not achieve full remission.

Strategies in Taxol development. A review.

Taxol is a compound with a rigid, tetracyclic structure of diterpene, which is characterized by significant antitumor properties. Firstly, Taxol has been isolated by extraction from the bark of the yew tree. However, the low level of availability obligated the researchers' world to uncover alternative techniques of Taxol obtainment.

Association between beliefs in medical conspiracy theories and health behaviors among medical and healthcare students. Implications for professional practice.

Background: While conspiracy theories cover many different themes, medical conspiracy theories (MCTs) have become particularly prevalent in modern societies. As beliefs in MCTs can become a source of "infodemics", influence individual health behaviors and cause distrust in medical institutions and personnel, healthcare workers must find ways to overturn patients' conspiracy thinking. However, as the medical world is not free of these beliefs, in this study, we investigated beliefs in MCTs among medical and health science students and their association with reported health behaviors.

Like a Rolling Stone? A Review on Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) without the need for medical intervention, known as spontaneous clearance (SC), occurs at a significantly lower rate than in the case of hepatitis B virus infection and only in selected individuals, such as reportedly in Keith Richards, a guitarist of The Rolling Stones. The present paper provides an updated narrative review of the research devoted to the phenomenon in order to identify and discuss the demographic, lifestyle-related, clinical, viral genotype-related, and host genetic factors underpinning the SC occurrence. The body of evidence indicates that the likelihood of SC is decreased in older individuals, men, Black people, HIV-coinfected subjects, and intravenous drug and alcohol users.

Acetylation of Oleanolic Acid Dimers as a Method of Synthesis of Powerful Cytotoxic Agents.

Oleanolic acid, a naturally occurring triterpenoid compound, has garnered significant attention in the scientific community due to its diverse pharmacological properties. Continuing our previous work on the synthesis of oleanolic acid dimers (OADs), a simple, economical, and safe acetylation reaction was performed. The newly obtained derivatives (AcOADs, -) were purified using two methods.

The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Its Crosstalk: A Chemopreventive Target of Naturally Occurring and Modified Phytochemicals.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an environmentally sensitive transcription factor (TF) historically associated with carcinogenesis initiation via the activation of numerous carcinogens. Nowadays, the AhR has been attributed to multiple endogenous functions to maintain cellular homeostasis. Moreover, crosstalk, often reciprocal, has been found between the AhR and several other TFs, particularly estrogen receptors (ERs) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2).

Comparative Efficacy of Animal Depression Models and Antidepressant Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Animal models are critical tools in the study of psychiatric disorders; however, none of the current models fully reflect human stress-related disorders, even though most of the knowledge about the mechanisms of depression comes from animal studies. Animal studies are useful in pharmacological research, whereby we can obtain results that translate into patient treatment by controlling environmental factors, especially in behavioural research. The authors systematically reviewed this issue since medical databases provide access to many primary studies.

Collagen and Its Derivatives Serving Biomedical Purposes: A Review.

Biomaterials have been the subject of extensive research, and their applications in medicine and pharmacy are expanding rapidly. Collagen and its derivatives stand out as valuable biomaterials due to their high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and lack of toxicity and immunogenicity. This review comprehensively examines collagen from various sources, its extraction and processing methods, and its structural and functional properties.