Search

Further isolation may arise through site-specific co-evolution between the mussels and hosts; Douda et al. ([7]) demonstrated that there are often differences in the suite of fish hosts used by I U. crassus i , even across genetically and geographically close populations. Keywords: conservation; glochidia; host specificity; parasitism; reproduction EN conservation glochidia host specificity parasitism reproduction 1 5 5 05/03/23 20230501 NES 230501 Understanding the life-history characteristics of endangered species is crucial to their conservation, management, and predicting their responses to environmental change (Stark et al., [16]). Fishing for hosts: Larval spurting by the endangered thick-shelled river mussel, Uniocrassus Host specificity can increase vulnerability of mussels as survival is intrinsically linked to that of their hosts. [Extracted from the article]

As predation by grass snakes was the most common cause of mortality in this study, the inference to be drawn is that the yellow-bellied toad's aposematic coloration is not sufficient defense against these snakes. Telemetric research reveals predation on the poisonous yellow-bellied toad Bombina variegata The most common predator of adult yellow-bellied toads turned out to be the grass snake I Natrix natrix i (Figure 1c), which devoured toads with transmitters attached to them. The reason for the extremely limited data on the predation of adult yellow-bellied toads may lie in the difficulties of actually observing predation in the wild. [Extracted from the article]

Since the start of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on 24.02.2022, millions of people (mostly women and children) have fled Ukraine. Majority of them fled to Poland and providing adequate medical care for the massive influx of refugees is a considerable challenge for the Polish healthcare system, already burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic and staff shortages. The purpose of this study was to identify: the potential health problems of the incoming population, the legal and ethical aspects of the refugee crisis and its implications on public health. Combining the current data with previous research on refugee crises reveals a set of issues that need to be addressed. Ensuring continuity of chronic disease treatment, mental health, the risk of spreading vaccinable preventable diseases, high rates of tuberculosis, HIV and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are among the main concerns. In the near future, answers will have to be found to the emerging ethical questions of equal, safe access to care, implications of the language barrier, immunisation coverage, medical staff shortages, and existing legal and ethical regulations. As the emergency responses are addressed, the hosting countries need to prepare long-term resolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pain Research / Ból is the property of Index Copernicus International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The disappearance and deterioration of amphibian breeding habitats is a major cause of their global extinction. In Europe, this problem affects the yellow‐bellied toad Bombina variegata, which inhabits small ponds in the early stages of succession, where no predatory invertebrate species normally occur. Nonetheless, as habitats, small temporary ponds are highly endangered, a situation that is intensifying with urban spread.A system of 13 pairs of artificial ponds was constructed in 2012 for the breeding of B. variegata with the aim of reconnecting disjunct populations. During the 2 years of the study, one of the twin ponds was regularly cleared of emergent vegetation and invertebrates. The survival rates of the tadpoles released in the cleared and uncleared ponds were analysed.The survival rate of the tadpoles released into the cleared ponds was higher than of those introduced into the uncleared ones. Tadpole survival rates were also higher in new, single ponds, constructed in 2013.The lower survival rates of the introduced tadpoles are best explained by the presence of predatory aquatic invertebrates, particularly the large diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis. Experimentally obtained consumption rates indicate that one Dytiscus larva is capable of destroying a typical clutch of B. variegata tadpoles within a few hours, much faster than any of the other insect predators tested.The impact of freshwater invertebrates on tadpoles is frequently studied but rarely quantified. For conservation measures to be effective, quantitative standards need to be applied that describe the impact of predation in a predictable manner.Construction of artificial small ponds is broadly accepted as an important conservation measure compensating for the disappearance of natural amphibian breeding sites. This function of artificial ponds may be substantially enhanced by the periodic removal of invertebrate predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The naiads, large freshwater mussels (Unionida), have very long life spans, are large-bodied, and produce thousands to millions of larvae (glochidia) which typically must attach to host fish tissues to metamorphose into a juvenile mussel. Glochidia develop within a female's marsupial gill demibranch, thus their number is restricted by female size. However, larger mussels acquire more energy, which could be invested in either larger-sized glochidia, in a more glochidia, or a combination of both. The high level of host specialization seen in many naiads may constrain glochidial size and shape around a narrow optimum, while naiads that use a wide range of host fishes may be predicted to possess greater plasticity in glochidial morphology. In this paper, we investigated the relationship between maternal body size and progeny body size and shape, aided by modern digital microscopy. We analyzed the between- and within- species variation of glochidia size and shape relative to female size in four widespread species of European naiads: Anodonta anatina, Anodonta cygnea, Unio crassus and Unio tumidus. Whereas the total reproductive output is collinear with female body size, substantial differences between species in glochidia size were found within genus Anodonta, but not genus Unio where glochidial size is remarkably consistent. The glochidial shape, however, differed within both Unio and Anodonta. We interpret this constant within-species glochidial size in Unio as reflecting a constraint imposed by the likelihood of successful transmission onto and off from a narrow range of hosts, whereas their shape seems to be less constrained. The Anodonta species, inhabiting a wide spectrum of habitats and using more than twice the number of fish hosts than Unio spp., have larger glochidia with greater variation in size and shape. Our results suggest that measures of glochidial variability may also serve as an indicator of host specificity in other naiads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the study was to assess the risk of falls, and physical fitness in the group of women aged 60 to 65 years of age suffering from an identified osteoporosis in comparison to a similar group of healthy women. The main question was: What is the level of physical fitness and risk of fall among women with osteoporosis compared to healthy women? The research included 262 women aged 60 to 65 of age: 135 with osteoporosis and 127 healthy ones, living in the Małopolskie and the Świętokrzyskie Provinces of Poland. To assess the level of physical fitness, the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) was used, while the Tinetti POMA (Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment) and Timed Up&Go test (TUG) were used to asses the risk of fall. Significant statistical differences in average results of physical fitness assessment were noticed as regards the following aspects: flexibility of the lower body part p < 0.001; flexibility of the upper body part p < 0.001. Essential differences were demonstrated in assessing the risk of falling with p < 0.01. Women with osteoporosis are marked by a lower physical fitness than healthy women. A higher percentage of great and serious risk of fall was demonstrated among women with osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial gastropods are keenly sensitive to changes in vegetation structure owing to their dependence on moisture. For this reason, low survivorship and recolonisation are to be expected after a fire. The fire described in this paper probably started as a result of the deliberate spring burning of vegetation that got out of control. Analysis of the data collected immediately after the fire does not reveal significant differences in the numbers of snails between habitats. This suggests that there are no refugia for this population: no vegetation-related refugium was confirmed. After the fire, snail numbers were found to have crashed, but the slight increase during the season could have been an indication of incipient recovery. Because the population of this species was consistently small, no differences in survivorship between habitats, regardless of their type, were discernible. The effects of the fire on this population in the River Nida Inland Delta were devastating: while it did survive the fire, its numbers fell sharply, by as much as two orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life cycle of unionids is characterized by a obligatory period of larval parasitism on a fish host, any disturbance of which might cause a large-scale decline in the mussel population. Because the probability of fish infestation is so important, we modelled what would happen to a population (in terms of population growth and probability of extinction), if the same number of glochidia were released in one or more separate spawning events, by a hypothetical mussel population living in conditions differing in the probability of fish infestation (a "neutral" scenario, a "good" one and three variants of a "bad" one). The single brood strategy was the best in the "good" scenario. However, when the frequency of unfavourable stochastic events increased ("bad" scenarios), all strategies led to population decline, the single brood strategy being the worst. In "good" and moderately "bad" conditions the double brood strategy performed better than the other multiple brood strategies, but as infestation conditions deteriorated, a greater number of spawning events ensured a slower population decline and longer persistence. Our model can facilitate a better understanding of this problem and set up a framework for further tests in other unionid species and their environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the welfare effects of international monetary policy spillovers at the zero lower bound, focusing on the effects of forward guidance in a large economy ("foreign") on its smaller trading partner ("home") in scenarios motivated by the global financial crisis. We find that foreign forward guidance has an overall prosper‐thy‐neighbor effect on the home economy as long as it increases foreign welfare. This finding holds under alternative assumptions about exchange rate pass‐through or the degree of international financial integration. However, foreign forward guidance may worsen the trade‐off between the stabilization objectives of home monetary policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a large‐scale die‐off of approximately one‐third of the unionid mussels inhabiting a shallow, naturally eutrophic, floodplain lake (Zalew Pińczowski), which took place within the space of just a few days.Mortality was the highest in Pseudanodonta complanata (81%), followed by Unio pictorum (58%), Anodonta cygnea (26%), Unio tumidus (15%), and Anodonta anatina (5%). It was significantly related to mussel size (age) only in A. cygnea, with the mortality rate higher in smaller (young) mussels.Pseudanodonta complanata was already the rarest species in the lake, and the number of survivors decreased to such an extent as to trigger a possible Allee effect.The most likely cause of the die‐off was a motor‐boating incident that had directly preceded the die‐off. Analysis of the water samples collected just after the die‐off revealed an extremely high concentration of phosphate (up to 0.5 mg dm−3) and nitrite (up to 0.06 mg dm−3). We suggest that the boat movements must have disturbed the lake sediments, thereby disrupting the mussels' physiology and causing mass mortality.The high sensitivity of P. complanata to environmental stress suggests that it may be an effective umbrella species for the protection of co‐occurring mussel species in eutrophic lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of fiscal devaluations in a model of a monetary union characterized by national fiscal policies and supranational monetary policy. We show that a revenue-neutral permanent tax shift in one country, which raises its consumption tax to finance a cut to labor taxes, increases welfare of the monetary union in the long run. The distribution of gains among countries depends on their degree of financial integration. We also document that price rigidities result in short-run welfare costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the influence of phenology‐related intraseasonal asynchrony on metapopulation dynamics and stability. As the part played by intraseasonal asynchrony is as yet unclear and poorly described, greater account of it should be taken in both metapopulation research and conservation practice. The subpopulations of the Parnassius mnemosyne metapopulation studied here are strongly isolated because of the phenological shift between them, despite the relatively small physical distances between them. This isolation is the result of a significant temporal shift in the species' flight periods in the main metapopulation centers: in some seasons its flight times in the different subpopulations did not overlap at all. The predicted results of such strong intraseasonal asynchrony are not altogether clear. On the one hand, they reduce the vulnerability of the entire metapopulation to the effects of short‐term random disasters. On the other, the ever‐greater isolation of subpopulations may cause the metapopulation to become a nonequilibrium one, which will have a serious impact on its long‐term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Increased values of emerging fat indices are correlated with increased cardiovascular risk. Aim: To examine the novel non-invasive predictors of coronary disease, namely the carotid extra-media thickness (EMT), PATIMA, and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), in a group of patients with morbid obesity. Material and methods: We examined a group of 40 morbidly obese (OB) patients and a control group (CG). All patients were subjected to anthropometric measurements, as well as laboratory and ultrasound examinations. Results: EATmean and EMTmean differed significantly between groups (OB vs. CG): 5.09 vs. 3.50 and 808.50 vs. 737.00, p < 0.0001, respectively. Conclusions: Strong correlations were found between novel non-invasive predictors of coronary disease, namely the carotid extra-media thickness, PATIMA, and epicardial adipose tissue. The above-mentioned fat indices were not found to correlate significantly with BMI or other body weight-related parameters used to assess the adipose tissue content. Further studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups of animals. Translocation is a common conservation measure for protecting them, but the success of this procedure varies widely, and the reasons for failure are frequently unknown.The dispersal and mortality of freshwater mussels was studied using a novel method: the radio tracking of Unio crassus translocated to new sites during a reintroduction project for this threatened species in the River Biała (Poland).Individual mussels were equipped with radio transmitters (10 mussels at each of four sites during low water in autumn, and 10 mussels at each of 11 sites during the spring flood). After being released into the water, the mussels generally moved away from the bank, and then performed erratic movements, dispersing over a larger area on flat parts of the riverbed, finally congregating on steep parts of the river bed in shallow water (0.20 m) near the bank.Mussel mortality was surprisingly low: all survived the autumn trial, and 80% of the radio‐tracked adults survived the spring flood. Some of them were displaced quite far within the channel (>100 m), apparently suffering no harm. The confirmed cases of mortality were a few individuals that had become stranded on gravel bars formed during the flood that were now drying out.Long‐distance displacement was more frequent in lotic or regulated parts of the channel and in the parts where the channel morphology was unstable during the flood.Radiotelemetry should be used to test the suitability of receptor sites before translocation, in order to find places where mussels will choose to stay, and to standardize mussel detectability when monitoring relocation success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgroundand Aim: Patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) associated with hemodynamic instability, i.e. high-risk APE (HR-APE), are at risk for early mortality and require urgent reperfusion therapy with thrombolysis or embolectomy. However, a considerable proportion of HR-APE subjects is not reperfused but only anticoagulated due to high bleeding risk. The aim of the present study was to assess the management of HR-APE in a single large-volume referral center. Methods: A single-center retrospective study of 32 HR-APE subjects identified among 823 consecutive patients hospitalized for symptomatic APE. Results: Out of 32 subjects with HR-APE (19 women, age 69 ± 19 years), 20 patients were unstable at admission and 12 subsequently deteriorated despite on-going anticoagulation. Th rombolysis was applied in 20 (62.5%) of HR-APE subjects, limited mainly by classical contraindications in the remainder. Percutaneous pulmonary embolectomy was performed in 4 patients. In-hospital PE-related mortality tended to be higher, albeit insignificantly, in the patients who developed hemodynamic collapse during the hospital course compared to those unstable at admission (67% vs. 40%, p = 0.14). Also, survival was slightly better in 22 patients treated with thrombolysis or percutaneous embolectomy in comparison to 10 subjects who received only anticoagulation (54% vs. 40%, p = 0.2). Major non-fatal bleedings occurred in 7 of 20 patients receiving thrombolysis (35%) and in 2 (17%) of the remaining non-thrombolysed 12 HR-APE subjects. Conclusions: Hemodynamically instability, corresponding to the definition of HR-APE, aff ects about 4% of patients with APE, developing during the hospital course in approximately one-third of HR-APE subjects. As almost 40% of patients with HR-APE do not receive thrombolytic therapy for fear of bleeding, urgent percutaneous catheter-assisted embolectomy may increase the percentage of patients with HR-APE undergoing reperfusion therapy. Further studies are warranted for a proper identification of initially stable intermediate-risk APE subjects at risk of hemodynamic collapse despite appropriate anticoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Freshwater mussels (Unionoida) are globally threatened. The key to the development of effective conservation strategies for this group is to unravel their complicated life cycle, including the obligatory larva, which parasitizes the external tissues of fish. Artificial infestation was conducted for three fish species – Barbus barbus, Chondrostoma nasus, and Squalius cephalus – in order to study the prevalence, site, and intensity of infestation, in relation to the fish species and their individual body size. Fish gut contents were also examined, in order to analyse the possibility of glochidia consumption. Glochidia of Unio crassus are considered parasites of fish gills; however, this study revealed that U. crassus glochidia were attached to the fins of all the host species tested. The number of glochidia attached to C. nasus fins was four times higher than the number of glochidia attached to gills. The prevalence of fin infestation was higher for C. nasus and S. cephalus than for B. barbus. Infestation intensity was highest for C. nasus and lowest for B. barbus, and was also dependent on fin type. The number of glochidia attached to fins demonstrated a nonlinear (log10) relationship with fish body length. Inspection of dissected fish guts showed that all of the fish species tested foraged on glochidia: S. cephalus and B. barbus more frequently than C. nasus. Using predatory fish host species with non‐predatory species in mixed assemblages for artificial rearing of mussels led to increased mortality of fish and decreased infestation intensity. The best conservation practices for freshwater mussels should therefore be based on single fish species that are easy to infest and that do not prey on glochidia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cells adapt to hypoxia by transcriptional induction of genes that participate in regulation of angiogenesis, glucose metabolism and cell proliferation. The primary factors mediating cell response to low oxygen tension are hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs), oxygen-dependent transcription activators. The stability and activity of the α subunits of HIFs are controlled by hydroxylation reactions that require ascorbate as a cofactor. Therefore, deficiency of intracellular vitamin C could contribute to HIFs overactivation. In this study, we investigated whether vitamin C content of human thyroid lesions is associated with HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein levels. Methods: Expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α as well as vitamin C content was analyzed in thyroid lesions and cultured thyroid carcinoma cell lines (FTC-133 and 8305c) treated with hypoxia-mimetic agent (cobalt chloride) and ascorbic acid. The expression of HIFs and hypoxia–induced glucose transporters were determined by Western blots while quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect HIFs mRNA levels. Ascorbate and dehydroascorbate levels were measured by HPLC method. Results: We found an inverse correlation between vitamin C level and HIF-1α but not HIF-2α expression in thyroid lesions. These results agree with our in vitro study showing that vitamin C induced a dose - dependent decrease of HIF-1α but not HIF-2α protein level in thyroid cancer cells FTC-133 and 8305C. The decreased HIF-1α expression was correlated with reduced expression of hypoxia-related glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) in thyroid cancer cells. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that HIF-1α activation is associated with vitamin C content in thyroid lesions. Our study suggests that high tumor tissue ascorbate level could limit the expression of HIF-1α and its targets in thyroid lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large freshwater mussels (Unionoida) are declining throughout the world. The European bitterling Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782) female spawns its eggs inside the unionids' shells, where fertilisation and further embryonic development take place; thus its reproduction depends fully on the presence of large freshwater mussels. Unio crassus, previously regarded as one of the most numerous unionids in Europe, is now listed in the IUCN Red Data List as being globally endangered. Despite its previous prevalence, it was never reported as a host for the bitterling. A large population of U. crassus was studied in small river at the Świętokrzyskie Mts (Poland), where also electrofishing was conducted. In each bitterling territory located on the study plots, we found individuals of U. crassus, with the bitterling eggs or larvae developing on mussel's gills. That proves that this species can be also used by the bitterling for reproduction. We suggest that this relationship has not been reported to date due to the mussels' rarity and ongoing decline. However, it is also possible that the endangered mussel is a novel host for the bitterling, which is expanding its range throughout Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced glucose requirement of cancer cells is associated with an increased glucose transport across plasma membrane that is mediated by a family of facilitated glucose transporter proteins, named GLUTs. GLUT1 is the main transporter in thyroid cancer cells. Glucose is the principal physiological substrate of GLUT1; however, it is also capable of transporting of oxidized form of vitamin C [i.e., dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) which inside the cells is reduced to ascorbic acid (AA)]. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of normo-, hypo-, and hyperglycemia conditions on GLUT1-dependent intracellular ascorbate accumulation and viability of thyroid cancer cells. GLUT1 seems to be the main DHAA transporter in thyroid cancer cells because its knockdown by RNAi reduced DHAA accumulation by more than 80%. The results showed that in thyroid cancer cells high glucose inhibits both transport of AA and DHAA. Inhibition of vitamin C transport by glucose had a cytotoxic effect on the cells. However, stabilization of vitamin C in one of 2 forms (i.e., AA or DHAA) abolished this effect. These results suggest that cytotoxic effect is rather associated with extracellular accumulation of vitamin C and changes of its oxidation state than with intracellular level of ascorbate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model of a two-sector small open economy to analyze how the Maastricht criteria modify a fully credible optimal monetary policy in the Economic and Monetary Union accession countries. We show that if the country is not constrained by the criteria, optimal policy should stabilize fluctuations in PPI inflation, in the aggregate output gap, and in the domestic and international terms of trade. The optimal policy constrained permanently by the Maastricht criteria is characterized by reduced variability of the nominal exchange rate, CPI inflation, and the nominal interest rate and by lower optimal targets for CPI inflation and nominal interest rate. This policy results in higher variability and nonzero means for both PPI inflation and output gap, thus leading to additional, but small, welfare costs compared with the unconstrained policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY In this paper we analyze the propagation of shocks originating in sectors that are not present in a baseline dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model. Specifically, we proxy the missing sector through a small set of factors that feed into the structural shocks of the DSGE model to create correlated disturbances. We estimate the factor structure by either matching impulse responses of the augmented DSGE model to those generated by an auxiliary model or by using Bayesian techniques. We apply this methodology to track the effects of oil shocks and housing demand shocks in models without energy or housing sectors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early identification of high-risk individuals is key for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to assess the potential impact of a family history of metabolic syndrome (fhMetS) on the risk of metabolic disorders (abnormal body mass, lipid profile, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and blood pressure) in healthy young individuals. Methods: We studied CVD risk factors in 90 healthy volunteers, aged 27-39 years; of these, 78 had fhMetS and 12 were without fhMetS (control group). Fasting serum lipids, glucose, and insulin levels were assayed, and anthropometric parameters and blood pressure using, an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring system, were measured. Nutritional and physical activity habits were assessed. Results: Despite similar nutritional and physical activity habits, abnormal body mass was found in 53.2% of the fhMetS participants and 46.1% of the control participants (p = 0.54). The occurrence of obesity was 19.4% and 0%, respectively (p = 0.69). Compared to the control participants, fhMetS was associated with significantly higher total cholesterol ( 5.46 mmol/L vs. 4.69 mmol/L, p < 0.030), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( 3.28 mmol/L vs. 2.90 mmol/L, p < 0.032), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( 3.74 mmol/L vs. 3.25 mmol/L, p < 0.016) levels, in addition to lower fasting glucose levels ( 4.51 mmol/L vs. 4.81 mmol/L, p < 0.042). A positive correlation between fasting glucose and insulin levels (r = 0.28; p < 0.015) was detected in the fhMetS participants. Higher mean daytime systolic blood pressure ( 121.5 mmHg vs. 113.3 mmHg, p < 0.035), mean daytime diastolic blood pressure (79.0 mmHg vs. 74.5 mmHg, p < 0.045), and mean nighttime diastolic blood pressure ( 64.0 mmHg vs. 59.5 mmHg, p < 0.019) were observed in the fhMetS group. Conclusions: More than 50% of the fhMetS participants had excess weight or a lipid disorder, which may indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and the need for regular ambulatory assessment of serum lipid concentrations in young people with a family history of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advances in Hygiene & Experimental Medicine / Postepy Higieny i Medycyny Doswiadczalnej is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Main purpose of an article is diagnosing of meaning of internal communication in functioning enterprises in Poland. Article consists of two parts. The first part describes the place of internal communication in business communication system structure characterizing the two planes of communication activities: internal and external. This section presents the steps of the communication audit properly. The second part of the article presents the results of studies on the subject of internal communication in Polish enterprises. Included 119 surveyed companies varied in terms of: number of employees and sector in which the enterprise operates. The aim of this study was to obtain answers to questions concerning the identification of problems related to internal communication, the importance of communication in organizations, an indication of the implemented and planned solutions and tools for internal communication. The authors of this article basing on the results of empirical studies carried out by market research company named GFMP Management Consultants, there were realized in November 2010 in polish enterprises. The analysis of the studies carried out clearly demonstrates the increasing role of communication in an organization. More and more company managers look for sources that allow building their competitive advantage basing on the organizational culture and people. Persons responsible for communication processes in an organization have an important role - to strengthen such awareness continuously. The main task of activities taken in the area of communication is to support the implementation of company's strategy. Such activities should be coordinated under a strategy of communication, which is still absent in many companies, and linked with the company's strategy. The condition for developing an effective strategy is to make a right diagnosis of the initial situation and measure the effects of the implementation of this strategy. Showing the managing staff the valuable data, which prove the correctness of the activities taken, contributes actually to increasing the importance of communication in an organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serine/threonine protein kinase Akt is a key molecule in the phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase pathway that is often overactivated in human cancers. Three Akt isoforms (Akt1, Akt2, Akt3) have been identified in human cells and they show different distribution and have non-redundant functions. The aim of this study was to determine whether the expression, phosphorylation, and localization of Akt1 isoform in human thyroid malignant lesions are different from those in benign lesions. Nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions were isolated from tissue samples and Western blot method was used to detect Akt1 presence in both cellular fractions. Akt1 expression was also assessed by ELISA method. To estimate Akt1 phosphorylation, kinase was immunoprecipitated from cell lysates and tested with anti-phospho-Akt antibodies. The Akt1 expression in majority of thyroid cancer samples was significantly higher than in benign lesions ( p < 0.05). Akt1 both in differentiated cancers (follicular and papillary) and benign lesions was localized mainly in cytoplasmic fraction. In two of three anaplastic cancer samples Akt1 was predominantly localized in nucleus. The ratio of phosphorylated Akt1 to total Akt1 was lower in cancers than in non-neoplastic lesions and adenomas. Thus, although Akt1 seems to be overexpressed in thyroid neoplasms, its high phosphorylation is not characteristic for thyroid cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how the preferences of a large economy's central bank affect the trade-off between output and inflation volatility faced by the central bank of a small open economy by analyzing the impact of a global cost-push shock. We demonstrate that under the assumption of producer currency pricing, the trade-off faced by the small open economy is likely to worsen as the foreign central bank becomes more focused on output stabilization relative to inflation stabilization; but the opposite is true in the case of local currency pricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Surgery / Chirurgia Polska is the property of VM Medica-VM Group (Via Medica) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Polish Journal of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery / Kardiochirurgia i Torakochirurgia Polska is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The lungs are a common site of metastases from malignant tumors. Their removal with a minimal but safe tissue margin is essential for the long-term survival of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a 1940 nm thulium-doped fiber laser (TDFL) and a 1470 nm diode laser (DL) in a pig model of lung surgery that involved the incision and excision of lung tissue. Histopathological analysis was performed on days 0 and 7 after surgery. Neither TDFL nor DL caused significant perioperative or postoperative bleeding. Histological analysis revealed the presence of carbonized necrotic tissue, mixed fibrin–cellular exudate in the superficial zone of thermal damage and bands of deeper thermal changes. The mean total width of thermal damage on day 0 was 499.46 ± 61.44 and 937.39 ± 109.65 µm for TDFL and DL, respectively. On day 7, cell activation and repair processes were visible. The total width of thermal damage was 2615.74 ± 487.17 µm for TDFL vs. 6500.34 ±1118.02 µm for DL. The superficial zone of thermal damage was narrower for TDFL on both days 0 and 7. The results confirm the effectiveness of both types of laser in cutting and providing hemostasis in the lungs. TDFL caused less thermal damage to the lung parenchyma than DL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-histone protein fraction NHCP1 of micrococcal nuclease-sensitive and nuclease-resistant chromatin from Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma and hamster liver was studied by two-dimensional electrophoresis followed by Coomassie and silver staining and by microcomplement fixation technique in the presence of antibodies elicited against NHCP1 of both tissues. Apart from many common spots several tissue specific components associated with either nuclease-sensitive or nuclease-resistant chromatin were found. The presence of tissue specific components among NHCP1 from hepatoma and liver was confirmed by immunological analysis. It was stated that these components are exclusively localized in nuclease-resistant part of chromatin from neoplastic and normal tissues thus suggesting their structural function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop and assess a polyvinyl alcohol-cellulose derivatives-based film with incorporated povidone-iodine (PVP-I) predicted for applications in the treatment of periodontitis. Films were fabricated by solvent-casting, and their physical characteristics, such as their surface and structure morphology, mechanical properties, and disintegrating time, were evaluated. For in vitro iodine release studies and evaluation, the antimicrobial activity was tested using a modified disc diffusion method against five microbial strains. For further use, we selected the film with polyvinyl alcohol-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (PVA/HPMC_B) based on acceptable physicochemical properties. To assess the subacute toxicity of the film composition, the tissue regeneration process was tested in rats and compared to a conventional dressing commonly used in wound healing (Spongostan). Seven days after implantation, dorsal skin sections and blood samples (n = 10, in total n = 30) were examined. The wound area, epithelium, and dermis were evaluated microscopically, while the blood collected from the rats underwent biochemical analysis. The blood biochemistry results were comparable in all three groups. No significant histological differences between the Spongostan and the placebo film developed after subcutaneous implantation were observed. In contrast, the inflammation stage was reduced and the "scar" in the dermis was smaller when PVP-I and PVA/HPMC_B films were used. A smaller local inflammatory response inflicted less tissue damage, leading to the activation of subsequent regeneration phases and restoration of the area to its original state. The results obtained confirmed that PVP-I incorporated into PVA-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose film is a promising drug carrier, working faster and more effectively than the other two dressing materials evaluated. These developments provide a promising alternative in tissue regeneration and the wound healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]