Search

Although hearing impaired people represent a significant group of handicapped people, only a few studies examine their physical activities. This study was performed in the Spring of 2019 in Debrecen, Hungary by recruiting 86 hearing impaired people. Here the frequency and type of their physical activity as well as their motivation was examined. Average age of the subjects was 42.0±16.9 years, 41.9% of them performs regular physical activity. Out of them 54.1% excercises twice a week, the rest even more often. Soccer, jogging, and cycling were the most preferred sports. Percentage of hearing impaired people performing regular physical activity was about the same as it was for people with normal hearing. Reason for motivation – it makes them happy and they feel better due to the physical activity – or staying at home – their health condition limits them and they have little free time – was also similar in both groups. However, 80% of the people with impaired hearing preferred to do physicial activity together other hearing impaired.

Objectives: ChatGPT is an advanced chatbot based on Large Language Model that has the ability to answer questions. Undoubtedly, ChatGPT is capable of transforming communication, education, and customer support; however, can it play the role of a doctor? In Poland, prior to obtaining a medical diploma, candidates must successfully pass the Medical Final Examination. Methods: The purpose of this research was to determine how well ChatGPT performed on the Polish Medical Final Examination, which passing is required to become a doctor in Poland (an exam is considered passed if at least 56% of the tasks are answered correctly). A total of 2138 categorized Medical Final Examination questions (from 11 examination sessions held between 2013–2015 and 2021–2023) were presented to ChatGPT-3.5 from 19 to 26 May 2023. For further analysis, the questions were divided into quintiles based on difficulty and duration, as well as question types (simple A-type or complex K-type). The answers provided by ChatGPT were compared to the official answer key, reviewed for any changes resulting from the advancement of medical knowledge. Results: ChatGPT correctly answered 53.4%–64.9% of questions. In 8 out of 11 exam sessions, ChatGPT achieved the scores required to successfully pass the examination (60%). The correlation between the efficacy of artificial intelligence and the level of complexity, difficulty, and length of a question was found to be negative. AI outperformed humans in one category: psychiatry (77.18% vs. 70.25%, p = 0.081). Conclusions: The performance of artificial intelligence is deemed satisfactory; however, it is observed to be markedly inferior to that of human graduates in the majority of instances. Despite its potential utility in many medical areas, ChatGPT is constrained by its inherent limitations that prevent it from entirely supplanting human expertise and knowledge.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the functioning of societies and entities in the Baltic Sea Region. The aim of the article is to analyze the changes caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic in interregional cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region. It was carried out on the basis of three Baltic organizations, i.e. the Council of the Baltic Sea States, (CBSS), Union of the Baltic Cities, (UBC), Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation, (BSSSC), as well as cooperation on the European Union Strategy for the Region The Baltic Sea (UESBSR). The study considered whether and how Baltic regional cooperation took place during the pandemic, and whether the dynamics of interregional cooperation had changed. The following hypothesis was put forward: Interregional cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used the analysis of existing data,mainly source documents, records of webinars and online meetings, as well as websites and social media of individual organizations. The conducted analysis showed permanent and temporary changes in the Baltic cooperation that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new software HMSE has been developed to facilitate external coupling between two well-known programs for subsurface flow modeling: MODFLOW-2005 (saturated zone flow) and HYDRUS-1D (unsaturated zone flow). Two coupling schemes have been implemented. In the first case the groundwater recharge flux is calculated by HYDRUS-1D assuming a fixed water table position and then passed to MODFLOW input files. In the second case the water table position in HYDRUS-1D is updated periodically using the solution from MODFLOW. HMSE can be deployed in 3 modes: local, Docker and Kubernetes cluster. A web-based interface is provided to configure and run the simulation in all three cases. The software is applied to simulate groundwater table fluctuations observed in a shallow aquifer during three years.

Abstract Training in psychiatry varies greatly from country to country in Europe - there are differences in the duration of training, the content of training, etc. Different perspectives on training will be presented, especially as far as common features are concerned. We will also present proposals and directions leading to a common European curriculum in psychiatry.Further work is needed in the direction of developing a European curriculum and organizing a European exam in psychiatry. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is diagnosed in 10-30% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and the frequency of MDD among individuals with BPD reaches over 80%. The comorbidity of MDD and BPD is associated with more severe depressive symptoms and functional impairment, higher risk of treatment resistance and increased suicidality. The effectiveness of ketamine usage in treatment resistant depression (TRD) has been demonstrated in numerous studies. In most of these studies, individuals with BPD were not excluded, thus given the high co-occurrence of these disorders, it is possible that the beneficial effects of ketamine also extend to the subpopulation with comorbid TRD and BPD. However, no protocols were developed that would account for comorbidity. Moreover, psychotherapeutic interventions, which may be crucial for achieving a lasting therapeutic effect in TRD and BPD comorbidity, were not included. In the article, we discuss the results of a small number of existing studies and case reports on the use of ketamine in depressive disorders with comorbid BPD. We elucidate how, at the molecular and brain network levels, ketamine can impact the neurobiology and symptoms of BPD. Furthermore, we explore whether ketamine-induced neuroplasticity, augmented by psychotherapy, could be of use in alleviating core BPD-related symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, self-identity disturbances and self-harming behaviors. We also discuss the potential of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in BPD treatment. As there is no standard approach to the application of ketamine or KAP in individuals with comorbid TRD and BPD, we consider further research in the field as imperative. The priorities should include development of dedicated protocols, distinguishing subpopulations that may benefit most from such treatment and investigating factors that may influence its effectiveness and safety.

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer is one of the most frequent and deadly gynaecological cancers, often resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy, the current standard of care. Halophilic microorganisms have been shown to produce a large variety of metabolites, some of which show toxicity to various cancer cell lines. However, none have yet been shown to be active against ovarian cancer cells. Here, we examined the effects of metabolites secreted by the halophilic archaea Halorhabdus rudnickae and Natrinema salaciae on various cancer cell lines, including ovarian cancer cell lines. Results 1H NMR analyses of Hrd. rudnickae and Nnm. salaciae culture supernatants contain a complex mixture of metabolites that differ between species, and even between two different strains of the same species, such as Hrd. rudnickae strains 64T and 66. By using the MTT and the xCELLigence RTCA assays, we found that the secreted metabolites of all three halophilic strains expressed cytotoxicity to the ovarian cancer cell lines, especially A2780, as well as its cisplatin-resistant derivative A2780cis, in a dose-dependent manner. The other tested cell lines A549, HepG2, SK-OV-3 and HeLa were only minimally, or not at all affected by the archaeal metabolites, and this was only seen with the MTT assay. Conclusions The halophilic archaea Hrd. rudnickae and Nnm. salaciae, isolated from a Polish salt mine and Lake Medee in the Mediterranean Sea, respectively, secrete metabolites that are active against ovarian cancer cells, including those that are resistant to cisplatin. This opens potential new possibilities for the treatment of these frequent and deadly gynaecological cancers.

This article presents results from research whose purpose is to determine the impact of two main factors on the operational efficiency of a double-entry centrifugal pump. The first factor is the design methods, and the second is changes in the geometric parameters for the volute casing. The results of the numerical simulation were experimentally validated on a test stand. Within this study, volute casings were designed according to the constant velocity method and method of conservation of angular momentum of the flow. The geometric parameters were selected according to the recommendation of A. Stepanoff and A. Lomakin. Next, the following geometric parameters were changed: inlet diameter, inlet width, cross-sectional area, shape of the volute casing’s cross-section (trapezoidal vs. round) and the opening angle of the volute casing’s walls. A comparison of the two methods showed that the biggest difference between them is the influence on the shape of the pump characteristic curve. Altering the geometric parameters in trapezoidal or round volute casing cross-sections had minimal impact on the pump head and efficiency.

Heat storage is an emerging field of research, and, therefore, new materials with enhanced properties are being developed. Examples of phase change materials that provide high heat storage are inorganic salts and salt mixtures. They are commonly used for industrial applications due to their high operational temperature and latent heat. These parameters can be modified by combining different types of salts. This paper presents the experimental study of the impact of the composition of binary salts on their thermophysical properties. Unlike the literature data, this article provides a detailed analysis of the phase change process in both directions: solid–liquid and liquid–solid. The results indicate that the highest latent heat was observed for a 70% NaNO3 content in the NaNO3–KNO3 mixture. Therefore, when this salt is used for heat storage, the most favorable choice is a 70:30 ratio, which provides the highest heat storage density and the lowest phase transition temperature. In the case of the NaNO3–NaNO2 mixture, the highest value of latent heat occurs for a ratio of 80:20, resulting in phase transition temperatures of 267.0 °C for the solid–liquid transition, and 253.5 °C for the liquid–solid transition. For heat storage applications, it is recommended to use pure NaNO2 salt instead of the NaNO3–NaNO2 mixture.

The origin of the transition from asymptotically reversible to asymptotically irreversible response in amorphous solids subject to oscillatory shear is still unknown. It is known that the plastic events that result from shearing always involve localized particle rearrangements, but it is unclear why some are reversible while others are not. Here, we show, using simulations and models, that overlaps between particle rearrangements caused by straining the solid in alternating directions can cause the response to become irreversible when they occur frequently. As the forcing amplitude increases, plastic events become more frequent, the number of such overlaps increases, and the probability of the system returning to previous states diminishes.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) comprise a group of 12 metabolic disorders where defects in specific enzyme activities lead to the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) within lysosomes. This classification expands to 13 when considering MPS IIIE. This type of MPS, associated with pathogenic variants in the ARSG gene, has thus far been described only in the context of animal models. However, pathogenic variants in this gene also occur in humans, but are linked to a different disorder, Usher syndrome (USH) type IV, which is sparking increasing debate. This paper gathers, discusses, and summarizes arguments both for and against classifying dysfunctions of arylsulfatase G (due to pathogenic variants in the ARSG gene) in humans as another subtype of MPS, called MPS IIIE. Specific difficulties in diagnostics and the classification of some inherited metabolic diseases are also highlighted and discussed.

Introduction: Cannabis sativa L. (CSL) extract has pain-relieving potential due to its cannabinoid content, so the effects of two CSL extracts on alleviating neuropathic pain were investigated in vivo. Methods and groups: Male Wistar rats (n = 130) were divided into groups and received vincristine (0.1 mg/kg) and gabapentin (60 mg/kg) to induce and relieve neuropathic pain or CSL extracts (D and B). The mRNA and protein expression of the cannabinoid receptors type 1 and 2 (CB1R, CB2R) were evaluated in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and lymphocytes. Behavioural tests (Tail-Flick and von Frey) were performed on all animals. Results: VK-induced neuropathic pain was accompanied by decreased CB1R protein level and CB2R mRNA expression in the cortex. Gabapentin relieved pain and increased CB1R protein levels in the hippocampus compared to the vincristine group. Hippocampus CB1R protein expression increased with the administration of extract D (10 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg) and extract B (7.5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) compared to VK group. In the cerebral cortex CSL decreased CB1R protein expression (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg of extract B) and mRNA level (5 mg/kg, 7.5 mg/kg of extract B; 20 mg/kg of extract D) compared to the VK-group.CB2R protein expression increased in the hippocampus after treatment with extract B (7.5 mg/kg) compared to the VK-group. In the cerebral cortex extract B (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg) increased CB2R protein expression compared to VK-group. Conclusion: Alterations in cannabinoid receptor expression do not fully account for the observed behavioural changes in rats. Therefore, additional signalling pathways may contribute to the initiation and transmission of neuropathic pain. The Cannabis extracts tested demonstrated antinociceptive effects comparable to gabapentin, highlighting the antinociceptive properties of Cannabis extracts for human use.

Since smallpox vaccination was discontinued in 1980, there has been a resurgence of poxvirus infections, particularly the monkeypox virus. Without a global recommendation to use the smallpox vaccine, the population is not immune, posing a severe threat to public health. Given these circumstances, it is crucial to understand the relationship between poxviruses and their hosts. Therefore, this study focuses on the ectromelia virus, the causative agent of mousepox, which serves as an excellent model for studying poxvirus pathogenesis. Additionally, we investigated the role of mitochondria in innate antiviral immunity during ECTV infection, focusing specifically on mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein. The study used a Moscow strain of ECTV and L929 mouse fibroblasts. Cells were treated with ECTV and chemical modulators of mitochondrial network: Mdivi-1 and CCCP. Our investigation revealed that an elongated mitochondrial network attenuates the suppression of MAVS-dependent immunity by ECTV and reduces ECTV replication in L929 fibroblasts compared to cells with an unaltered mitochondrial network. Conversely, a fragmented mitochondrial network reduces the number of progeny virions while increasing the inhibition of the virus-induced immune response during infection. In conclusion, our study showed that modifications of mitochondrial network morphology alter MAVS-dependent immunity in ECTV-infected mouse L929 fibroblasts.

Quercetin, a bioactive plant flavonoid, is an antioxidant, and as such it exhibits numerous beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antibacterial and antiviral activity. It occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables such as apples, blueberries, cranberries, lettuce, and is present in plant waste such as onion peel or grape pomace which constitute good sources of quercetin for technological or pharmaceutical purposes. The presented study focuses on the role of quercetin in prevention and treatment of dermatological diseases analyzing its effect at a molecular level, its signal transduction and metabolism. Presented aspects of quercetin potential for skin treatment include protection against aging and UV radiation, stimulation of wound healing, reduction in melanogenesis, and prevention of skin oxidation. The article discusses quercetin sources (plant waste products included), methods of its medical administration, and perspectives for its further use in dermatology and diet therapy.

The use of artificial fertilizers follows the intensification of agricultural production as a consequence of population growth, which leads to soil depletion, loss of organic matter, and pollution of the environment and production. This can be overcome by increasing the use of organic fertilizers in agriculture. In the present study, we investigated the effect of using vermicompost, biochar, mineral fertilizer, a combination of vermicompost and mineral fertilizer, and an untreated control on alluvial-meadow soil on the development of fodder winter barley Hordeum vulgare L., Zemela cultivar. We used a randomized complete block design of four replications per treatment. Barley grain yield, number of plants, and soil and microbiological parameters were studied. We found statistically proven highest grain yield and grain protein values when applying vermicompost alone, followed by the combined treatment and mineral fertilizer. The total organic carbon was increased by 70.2% in the case of vermicompost and by 44% in the case of combined treatment, both compared to the control. Thus, soil microbiome activity and enzyme activities were higher in vermicompost treatment, where the activity of β-glucosidase was 29.4% higher in respect to the control, 37.5% to the mineral fertilizer, and 24.5% to the combined treatments. In conclusion, our study found the best overall performance of vermicompost compared to the rest of the soil amendments.

This study delves into the transformative effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) cannabis extracts and prebiotic substances (dextran, inulin, trehalose) on gut bacteria, coupled with a focus on neuroprotection. Extracts derived from the Białobrzeska variety of Cannabis sativa, utilising supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), resulted in notable cannabinoid concentrations (cannabidiol (CBD): 6.675 ± 0.166; tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): 0.180 ± 0.006; cannabigerol (CBG): 0.434 ± 0.014; cannabichromene (CBC): 0.490 ± 0.017; cannabinol (CBN): 1.696 ± 0.047 mg/gD). The assessment encompassed antioxidant activity via four in vitro assays and neuroprotective effects against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The extract boasting the highest cannabinoid content exhibited remarkable antioxidant potential and significant inhibitory activity against both enzymes. Further investigation into prebiotic deliveries revealed their proficiency in fostering the growth of beneficial gut bacteria while maintaining antioxidant and neuroprotective functionalities. This study sheds light on the active compounds present in the Białobrzeska variety, showcasing their therapeutic potential within prebiotic systems. Notably, the antioxidant, neuroprotective, and prebiotic properties observed underscore the promising therapeutic applications of these extracts. The results offer valuable insights for potential interventions in antioxidant, neuroprotective, and prebiotic domains. In addition, subsequent analyses of cannabinoid concentrations post-cultivation revealed nuanced changes, emphasising the need for further exploration into the dynamic interactions between cannabinoids and the gut microbiota.

Solute carriers are increasingly recognized as participating in a plethora of pathologies, including cancer. We describe here the involvement of the orphan solute carrier MFSD1 in the regulation of tumor cell migration. Loss of MFSD1 enabled higher levels of metastasis in a mouse model. We identified an increased migratory potential in MFSD1 -/- tumor cells which was mediated by increased focal adhesion turn-over, reduced stability of mature inactive β1 integrin, and the resulting increased integrin activation index. We show that MFSD1 promoted recycling to the cell surface of endocytosed inactive β1 integrin and thereby protected β1 integrin from proteolytic degradation; this led to dampening of the integrin activation index. Furthermore, down-regulation of MFSD1 expression was observed during early steps of tumorigenesis and higher MFSD1 expression levels correlate with a better cancer patient prognosis. In sum, we describe a requirement for endolysosomal MFSD1 in efficient β1 integrin recycling to suppress tumor spread.

Abstract Background Thrombosis is a common cause of vascular prosthesis failure. Antibody coating of prostheses to capture circulating endothelial progenitor cells to aid endothelialization on the device surface appears a promising solution to prevent thrombus formation. Compared with random antibody immobilization, oriented antibody coating (OAC) increases antibody-antigen binding capacity and reduces antibody immunogenicity in vivo. Currently, few OAC methods have been documented, with none possessing clinical application potential. Results Dopamine and the linker amino-PEG8-hydrazide-t-boc were successfully deposited on the surface of cobalt chromium (CC) discs, CC stents and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts under a slightly basic condition. CD34 antibodies were immobilized through the reaction between aldehydes in the Fc region created by oxidation and hydrazides in the linker after t-boc removal. CD34 antibody-coated surfaces were integral and smooth as shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), had significantly reduced or no substrate-specific signals as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were hospitable for HUVEC growth as demonstrated by cell proliferation assay, and specifically bound CD34 + cells as shown by cell binding testing. CD34 antibody coating turned hydrophobic property of ePTFE grafts to hydrophilic. In a porcine carotid artery interposition model, a confluent monolayer of cobblestone-shaped CD31 + endothelial cells on the luminal surface of the CD34 antibody coated ePTFE graft were observed. In contrast, thrombi and fibrin fibers on the bare graft, and sporadic cells on the graft coated by chemicals without antibodies were seen. Conclusion A universal, OAC method was developed. Our in vitro and in vivo data suggest that the method can be potentially translated into clinical application, e.g., modifying ePTFE grafts to mitigate their thrombotic propensity and possibly provide for improved long-term patency for small-diameter grafts.

Background: In 2020, Polish experts recommended the use of the guidelines of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist and the American College of Endocrinology (AACE/ACE) in the diagnosis of obesity instead of the 1998 WHO criteria. Thus, obesity can be also diagnosed in patients with BMI 25.0-29.9 if there are complications related to the excess body weight including infertility and hypogonadism, asthma, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, stress urinary incontinence, osteoarthritis and depression. Material and methods: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of obesity diagnosed according to the new criteria in the group of Polish social media users. Results: Among the respondents, 9.7% had a BMI below 18.5 kg/m2, 63.9% declared normal BMI, and 18.8% had BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m2. The value of BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, equivalent to the diagnosis of obesity according to WHO, was found in 7.6% of the respondents. For comparison, the prevalence of obesity according to the AACE/ACE criteria was more than twice as high (17.2%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Concluding, according to the new criteria, more respondents were diagnosed with obesity compared to WHO criteria. The results of the study indicate that the application of the new diagnostic criteria may enable earlier diagnosis and thus earlier treatment of obesity.

Laos wydaje się być nadal państwem pomijanym i niezauważanym przez zachodnie media i opinię publiczną. Pozostaje w cieniu swoich większych sąsiadów, Wietnamu i Tajlandii, które są wpływowymi państwami ASEAN, podczas gdy Laotańska Republika Ludowo-Demokratyczna znalazła się na uboczu regionalnej i światowej polityki. Taki stan rzeczy odnosi się również do rozpoznania przez zachodnich obserwatorów problemów społecznych, z którymi boryka się to państwo. Niniejszy artykuł koncentruje się na przybliżeniu specyfiki i zdefiniowaniu problemów społecznych, z którymi Laos mierzył się w ostatnich trzech dekadach. Przedstawiona została charakterystyka Laosu, z uwzględnieniem analizy rankingu HDI, by na tym tle odpowiedzieć na pytania dotyczące wyzwań społecznych stojących przed LRLD. Autorzy artykułu wskazują, że problemy te wynikają z faktu, iż jest to kraj średnio rozwinięty i zróżnicowany etnicznie. Do przeprowadzenia badań posłużyła metoda monograficzna, oparta na analizie zgromadzonych publikacji naukowych, danych statystycznych oraz źródeł internetowych. W wyniku badań udało się potwierdzić następującą hipotezę: nękające Laotańską Republikę Ludowo-Demokratyczną problemy o charakterze społecznym mają swoje źródło przede wszystkim w złej sytuacji materialnej większości obywateli, braku infrastruktury oraz zróżnicowaniu etnicznym społeczeństwa. Z powyższymi problemami rząd w Wientian wyraźnie sobie nie radzi. Patrząc jednak na ogólną tendencję rozwojową Laosu, skala opisanych w pracy problemów powinna się sukcesywnie zmniejszać.

"En el sentido común hegemónico y en muchas políticas públicas frecuentemente se piensa a les niñes como receptores del cuidado que realizan personas adultas emparentadas o agentes institucionales. En este artículo, nos proponemos problematizar algunos presupuestos estereotipados sobre la infancia, las relaciones intergeneracionales y la agencia infantil, a partir de una aproximación etnográfica a las prácticas sociales concretas de niños y niñas de un barrio popular en una agrolocalidad media de la pampa húmeda argentina, que cuidan activamente de sí, de otres niñes y de personas adultas. El trabajo evidencia el rol protagónico de las niñas y cómo construyen redes de apoyo, estrategias colectivas y múltiples conocimientos, revelando su capacidad de agencia social, aún en las difíciles condiciones en que viven. Apuntamos así a revisar los desfasajes que existen entre el ideal normativo de infancia y las experiencias de les niñes de carne y hueso en contextos concretos."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty and unemployment rates obstruct economic growth in Indonesia. Therefore, this study examines the threshold levels of poverty and unemployment rates on economic growth for 34 provinces in Indonesia in 2020 and 2021. Cross-section threshold regression is employed. Besides, the robustness check sets a non-linear cross-section regression. The findings reveal that threshold poverty rates in 2020 and 2021 were about 13.97% and 6.38%, respectively. At the same time, threshold unemployment rates were about 3.09% and 4.71%, respectively. Poverty and unemployment rates contributed significantly under U-shape in 2021 and 2020, respectively. The local government can emphasize lower poverty and unemployment rates to enhance economic growth in the long-term.