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Rafał Patryn, Anna Zagaja, Mariola Drozd Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, PolandCorrespondence: Mariola Drozd, Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 1, Raclawickie str 20-059, Lublin, Poland, Tel +48 448 68 50, Email marioladrozd@umlub.plAbstract: The introduction and development of genetic testing has caused the emergence of numerous dilemmas, which pertain to the performed tests, their results, and the influence they have on an individual person. To minimize potential doubts, it is crucial to ensure compliance with established procedures and to fulfill all test-associated formalities. In 2018, a report of the Polish Supreme Audit’s Office (a governmental control agency) on the quality of genetic tests revealed that there is much to be done in the field of laboratory diagnostics in Poland. The inspection of six selected laboratories performing genetic tests identified shortcomings in terms of formalities accompanying the process of performing laboratory tests, keeping patient documentation and personal data protection. Although the observed shortcomings pertained to legal aspects of genetic tests, and not the quality of the tests themselves, the aforementioned may be detrimental to the individual person and the society (eg, lack of consent undermines the concept of biological material ownership), may cause legal liability to the laboratory personnel and even undermine public trust in genetic testing.Keywords: safety, laboratory tests, genetics, consent, quality

Rafał Patryn, Anna Zagaja, Mariola Drozd Chair and Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, PolandCorrespondence: Anna ZagajaChair and Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, Medical University of Lublin,, Poland ul. Codźki, Lublin, 720-093, PolandTel +48 81448 6850Email anna.zagaja@o2.plIntroduction: In the European Union, the process of controlling currently used medical devices is carried out and determined by legal provisions. The law stipulates that each entity responsible for using medical equipment must confirm its safety with an appropriate certificate issued by a notifying body. In Poland, the entity responsible for keeping records as to the withdrawn and suspended certificates, is the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products (URPL). Certification is required for all medical devices prior to their introduction onto the market and during their use.Purpose: The article presents data concerning the number of medical devices that failed to meet the certification criteria.Methods: The research method is an analysis of available subject literature and a report on withdrawn and suspended certificates of medical devices in Poland.Results: In the years 2014– 2020, the notified bodies withdrew and suspended 13,354 certificates for medical devices, of which 9792 certificates were withdrawn, 2852 suspended and one falsified.Conclusion: The suspension or withdrawal of a certificate for medical devices due to the inefficiency, obsolescence, imprecision, or safety of the devices is an action that improves the safety of patients. Such action reduces the number of medical damages and the obligation to pay compensation to those injured.Keywords: safety, medical equipment, certification, law, damage, patient

Angela Lupattelli,1 Michael J Twigg,2 Ksenia Zagorodnikova,3 Myla E Moretti,4 Mariola Drozd,5 Alice Panchaud,6,7 Andre Rieutord,8 Romana Gjergja Juraski,9 Marina Odalovic,10 Debra Kennedy,11,12 Gorazd Rudolf,13 Herbert Juch,14 Hedvig Nordeng1,15 1PharmacoEpidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, School of Pharmacy and PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; 2School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK; 3Northwest Medical Center for Drug Safety in Pregnancy and Lactation, Northwest State Medical University named after I. I. Mechnikov, St. Petersburg, Russia; 4Clinical Trials Unit, Ontario Child Health Support Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; 6School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva and Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland; 7Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Swiss Teratogen Information Service, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; 8Pharmacy Service, Hospital Antoine-Béclère, GH HUPS, APHP, Clamart France and Européenne de Formation pour les Pharmaciens, Clamart, France; 9Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak, Medical School of Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University, Osijek, Croatia; 10Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Beograd, Serbia; 11MotherSafe, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 12School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 13Clinical Institute of Medical Genetics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 14Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria; 15Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Purpose: This study aimed at exploring the prevalence of self-reported antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms by severity across multiple countries and the association between antidepressant treatment in pregnancy and postnatal symptom severity. Materials and methods: This was a multinational web-based study conducted across 12 European countries (n=8069). Uniform data collection was ensured via an electronic questionnaire. Pregnant women at any gestational week and mothers of children with

For the first time, the influence of the xanthene-type rhodamine dyes, Rhodamine 6G (RG) or Rhodamine B (RB), on the thermal resistance of two different sorts of polyurethane resins (PUR) has been elucidated. The PURs were prepared either by direct reaction of the toluene diisocyanate and poly-oxypropylene glycol prepolymer hardened by trimethylol propane (PU), or by a radical photo-polymerization reaction of oligourethane acrylate with benzoin isobutyl ether (PUA). A correlation between the chemical structure of the polymers and their thermal properties was established using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, 400–4000 cm–1), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, 30–800 °C), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC analysis shows that neither PU nor PUA display any phase transitions or melting points over the temperature interval of –100–300 °С, which is characteristic of amorphous polymers. The TGA study indicates that the PUA polymer is more thermal-resistant than the PU due to increased number of crosslinking points between the hard and soft segments. Сompared to nondoped polymers, the dye-doped PU-RB shows clearly improved thermal stability. It is found that a small presence of the RB dye improves the PU thermal stability, on account of the formed covalent and hydrogen-bonded network structures, while the effect is much smaller for the RG dye due to the presence of bulky CH3 groups and carboxyl group absence hampering the bonding formation. PUA samples prepared by radical photopolymerization are almost not sensitive to the presence of the dye molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, conformational polymorphism in 4-methylphenol has been studied using a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The first time we have received the FTIR spectra of the stable and two metastable phases of 4-methylphenol and their temperature dependencies at temperatures from 300 to 12 K in the spectral region of the methyl group (CH3) deformation vibrations. Analysis of the FTIR spectra showed that there are significant differences in the position and shape of the bands related to the deformation bending β(CH3) and rocking ω(CH3) vibrations when passing from one polymorph to another. A particular feature of the methyl group in the 4-methylphenol molecule is that it does not take part in hydrogen bonding interaction. This made it possible to relate the observed changes in the FTIR spectra with changes in the geometrical parameters of the 4-methylphenol molecule. This in turn allowed us to conclude that the polymorphs under study consist of different conformers of 4-methylphenol molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal stability and the kinetics of thermal decomposition of the thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) treated by a pulsed high-frequency discharge in a hydrogen atmosphere have been studied. The modified Hummers method was used for obtaining the initial graphite oxide from graphite powder. Thermal exfoliation of the graphene oxide powder has been done in vacuum conditions with a heating rate of 5–7 degrees per minute to a temperature of 300 °С. TRGO has been treated by pulsed high-frequency discharge in a hydrogen atmosphere for partial graphene hydrogenation (chemical addition of atomic hydrogen) that leads to structural changes in the carbon planes and formation of C–H sp3 bonds. The thermogravimetry analysis measurements of the mass loss have been carried from room temperature to 1000 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere with a nitrogen flow rate of 20 mL/min and different heating rates: 50, 75 100, 125, 150, and 200 K/min, respectively. Kissinger's multiple heating rate method has been used to determine the activation energy for decomposing substances. Activation energies Ea1, Ea2, and Ea3 equal 28, 50, and 148 kJ/mol, respectively, have been compared with the energies of the activation of thermal defunctionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The activation energy Ea3 = 148 kJ/mol is close to that of the thermal decomposition of anhydride functional groups in MWCNT. The value of Ea2 = 50 kJ/mol indicates the presence of the keto and hydroxy acid's function groups on TRGO. Activation energy Ea1 = 28 kJ/mol related with all other groups including the lighter C–H bonds that destructed due to dehydrogenation of the TRGO. Obtained experimental results are useful for further proposing the kinetic model of the mechanism of the most probable reaction of TRGO decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) aims to restore intestinal microbiota balance with the objective of normalising its composition and achieve therapeutic benefits. The procedure involves the administration of fresh or frozen faecal microbes from a healthy donor into the recipient’s gastrointestinal tract with the intent to restore the proper structure and functionality of the recipient’s intestinal microbial community. Evidence showing the positive effects of FMT is abundant, however, less attention has been devoted to FMT-associated adverse events, especially in relation to liver diseases. Based on literature review, studies and reports regarding FMT-associated adverse events since the beginning of FMT use, have been analysed. The review covering the period 2010-2022 was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

Possible changes in the temperature dependence of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the hydroxyapatite (HA) composite with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with small amounts of MWCNTs additives (0.5 wt%) were analyzed in comparison with the dependence of HA matrix without additives. It was found that MWCNTs can contribute to the increase of the thermal conductivity coefficient. The magnitude of the effect of increasing thermal conductivity varies from relatively small values (about 1%) to a significant increase up to ∼ 20 times that depending on the interaction at the HA–MWCNTs interface and the degree of homogeneity of the MWCNTs distribution in the HA matrix. It was found that long-term high-temperature annealing can lead to changes in the anisotropy, structure, and properties of MWCNTs due to oxidation effects, which can influence the resulting composite properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]