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Background. The lack of extensive research with regard to personnel management of local government units (LGUs) prompted the authors to undertake analyses, the purpose of which was to give the voice to the respondents, according to the assumptions of the constructivist paradigm. Research aims. The purpose of the study was to identify the main management problems from the perspective of LGU employees. Methodology. The basis of the conducted analyses were the essays of LGU employees concerning the management problems they noticed at their workplaces. The qualitative methodology has been used (the content analysis combined with the elements of grounded theory). Key findings. The motivation system model applied in LGUs was reconstructed, from the perspective of the respondents, and factors were distinguished, which - in the opinion of the employees - cause the functioning system as not motivating in the intended scope. On the basis of a comparison of the existing legal regulations and the respondents' narratives, a list of recommendations was prepared, with regard to design and functioning of the employee motivation systems at LGUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neurotrophins play an important role in the development of the nervous system. These trophic factors affect the cells through the neurotrophin receptors Trk and p75NTR. Trk (tyrosine kinase receptor) mediated signaling promotes survival and growth, while p75NTR-mediated signaling promotes cell death. The structure of p75NTR and its role in the regulation of survival, growth and induction of apoptosis are discussed. p75NTR can interact with the aggregated form of Ab peptides and by influencing protein tau hyperphosphorylation plays an important role in etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolactin-induced protein (PIP) is a small secreted glycoprotein carrying several N-linked carbohydrate chains. The expression of PIP is generally restricted to cells with apocrine properties. It was found in apocrine glands of the axilla, vulva, eyelid, ear canal, and seminal vesicle. Being a secretory protein, PIP is present in seminal plasma, saliva, lacrimal fluid, tears, sweat gland secretion. Little is known about the biological role of PIP. It binds to numerous proteins, however, in most cases the biological role of such interactions is poorly understood. A notable exception is its binding to CD4 receptors present on the surface of T lymphocytes, macrophages, and spermatozoa. The available data suggest that PIP can have immunomodulatory functions and plays an important role in cell-mediate adoptive immunity. PIP binds to bacteria from several genera, which suggests that this glycoprotein may participate also in innate immunity and protection of hosts against microbial infections. Increased levels of PIP were found in several types of human cancer (prostate, sweat and salivary gland cancers). It is especially common in breast cancer, however, data on the expression of PIP in normal and cancerous breast cancer tissues are to some degree conflicting. In early studies, it was shown that PIP is absent or its expression is very low in normal breast epithelium, whereas in breast cancers PIP is frequently expressed and present in large amounts. On the other hand, later study showed that expression of PIP is lower in advanced apocrine carcinomas and invasive carcinomas than in, respectively, in situ carcinomas and adjacent normal tissue. The most recent study revealed that PIP gene expression decreased gradually along with higher stage and grade of breast cancer. In agreement with these data, it was shown that that low levels or the lack of PIP expression are associated with a worse response of breast cancer cells to chemotherapy. It was proposed that PIP plays important role in the development and progression of breast cancer. However, its role in these processes is both unclear and controversial. In this review, the role of PIP in both physiological processes and carcinogenesis is discussed., Competing Interests: None.

Introduction: The spreading of bacterial antibiotic resistance among clinical strains of pathogenic bacteria has made investigators to search for other active antibacterial agents which could provide a valuable complement to the existing therapies., Aim: To determine the antibacterial activity of clary sage oil (Salvia sclarea L.) against Staphylococcus clinical strains which were isolated from patients with wound infections., Material and Methods: A comprehensive evaluation of Staphylococcus clinical strain resistance to antibiotics was performed. The constituents of clary sage oil were assayed by GC-FID-MS analysis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested essential oil against staphylococci by the micro-dilution broth method was determined., Results: The clary sage oil was active against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and S. xylosus with MIC values ranging from 3.75 to 7.00 µl/ml., Conclusions: The results of the in vitro tests encourage to use formulations containing sage oil as the active natural antimicrobial agent. Because of its antimicrobial properties clary sage oil may be applied to treat wounds and skin infections.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to determine the antibacterial activity of cinnamon bark oil against Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates belonging to Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Enterobacter and Acinetobacter genera come from different clinical specimens., Methods: The microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration--MIC for cinnamon bark oil. Susceptibility testing to antibiotics was carried out using disc-diffusion method., Results: Our investigations showed that the tested cinnamon bark oil was inhibiting activity against all isolates. The MIC for Gram-positive bacteria were between 01.25 and 1.5 μl/ml and for Gram-negative between 1.0 and 1.75 μl/ml. The tested bacteria come from Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Enterobacter and Acinetobacter genera were susceptible to essential oil obtained from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Ness in low concentrations, despite the fact that the bacteria characterized the high resistance to recommended antibiotics. No correlation was found between the antibiotic resistance of the bacterial strains and their sensitivity to essential oil., Conclusions: The cinnamon bark oil due to the strong activity can be used as alternative antibacterial agents in cosmetics, toiletries and disinfectants applied in hospital environment.

At present, the only reasonable action which reduces the case fatality rate at patients with severe sepsis and septic shock is the early diagnosis of infection which allows to introduce effective therapy. Although sepsis is a typical clinical syndrome recognized in connection with infection, it should be remembered that infection does not reveal itself in each case. Also bacteriological blood culture does not confirm it in most cases. In view of few characteristic, especially in the initial phase of sepsis, clinical symptoms, laboratory investigations describing the present state of immune response of organism find a huge application. In our work we made an attempt to bring closer the latest markers of inflammatory reaction and infection such as acute phase proteins procalcytonin (PCT), proANP and lipopolisacharyde binding protein (LBP).

The aim of the study was to evaluate dynamics of selected acute phase proteins in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in children with viral meningitis and to assess diagnostic power of protein determination for detection and treatment monitoring. 51 children with viral meningitis caused by ECHO 30 virus were included in the study group. Concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AAG), alpha2-haptoglobin (HPT) and C3 complement fragment were determined in serum and CSF at entry and at day 14 after admittance to hospital. Control group for serum determination consisted in 30 healthy children (Group K1) and control group for CSF determination consisted in 19 hospitalized children in whom the diagnosis of meningitis was not confirmed (group K2). The greatest rise of acute phase proteins concentration was observed in children in case of HPT, AAG and C3 complement when determined in serum. Meningitis in children that was caused by ECHO 30 virus produces slight acute phase reaction that is more evident in serum than in CSF. It is confirmed by remarkable increase of AAG, HPT, C3 complement in serum and HPT in CSF either at entry or at the day 14. The determination of AAG, HPT and C3 complement in serum have diagnostic power that is strong enough to meningitis diagnostics and monitoring of treatment.