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Understanding predator–prey relationships is critical in ecology, but relatively challenging when investigating elusive marine megafauna. In this study, we document the presence of shark-inflicted injuries on coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mesoamerican Reef System using photo-identification methods. We analyzed data from a total of 533 photo-identified bottlenose dolphins in Mexico (Ascención Bay, Espíritu Santo Bay, and Chetumal Bay), Belize (Turneffe Atoll, Drowned Cayes, Barrier Reef, and Placencia), and Honduras (Utila). We identified 16 individuals with shark-inflicted injury scars consistent with attacks by large sharks of the Family Carcharhinidae. Additionally, two bottlenose dolphins were encountered with round-shaped crater wounds, likely inflicted by a cookiecutter shark (Isistius spp.). The prevalence of shark-inflicted wounds in bottlenose dolphins varied markedly between sites, with the highest prevalence in Placencia and Ascención Bay (Mexico), and lowest in Turneffe Atoll and Drowned Cayes (Belize). Further research is required to evaluate how predation risk shapes the ecology of bottlenose dolphins in the Mesoamerican Reef region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Microbial infection plays an important role in exacerbation of chronic otitis media. The aim of this study was to analyse the microbiota in chronic otitis media in the context of local treatment. Method: In this prospective study, samples for microbiological examination were taken from 119 patients who underwent operation because of chronic otitis media. Results: The results were compared between groups depending on the type of operation (none, tympanoplasty or radical), the presence of cholesteatoma or granulomatous tissue or discharge from the ear as a symptom of exacerbation. Antibiotic susceptibility of germs was analysed to define the strategy of treatment. A total of 209 samples were collected from 119 patients with chronic otitis media. Conclusion: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were pathogens most frequently identified from the ear in the course of chronic otitis media. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was concerned with major pathology of the middle ear (radical surgery, cholesteatoma or granulomatous tissue, persisting discharge after treatment), whereas Staphylococcus aureus was obtained in dry perforations without other pathology in the middle-ear cavity. Ciprofloxacin was effective against Staphylococcus aureus, but Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were ciprofloxacin resistant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When working in a contaminated area while wearing individual protective equipment, there is a high risk of overheating and dehydration. In accordance with the valid documents of the Army of the Czech Republic, a person using protective equipment has to be provided with an adequate fluid intake. To perform the work, it is necessary to equip the soldier with a hydration device that is resistant to chemical warfare agents and is structured in a way that allows its use when means of personal protection or other equipment is used. The aim of the experimental work was to verify resistance of the construction materials of hydration devices and to compare them. For this purpose, devices designed to provide resistance to chemical warfare agents and those that did not provide it were tested. To determine breakthrough times of selected materials, the MIKROTEST and the MINITEST methods were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable carbon ( δ13C) and nitrogen ( δ15N) isotopic values and total mercury (Hg) concentrations were analysed in muscle and liver of mothers and embryos of two aplacental shark species, Squalus megalops and Centrophorus moluccensis. Embryos of the two species had similar or lower isotopic values than their respective mothers, the only exception being for δ13C, which was higher in the liver of C. moluccensis embryos than in their mothers. Hg concentrations were systematically lower in embryos compared with their mothers suggesting a low transfer of this element in muscle and liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to describe the usefulness of the caloric directional preponderance in diagnosis of the peripheral and central vestibular disturbances. The examination was performed in 150 cases of the peripheral dysfunctions (labyrinth lesions in chronic otitis media, vestibular neuritis, Meniere's disease, temporal bone fracture) and the group of central vestibular disturbances (central nervous system tumors, multiple sclerosis, vestibular brainsteam insufficiency, epilepsy, arteriosclerosis). Vestistibular -- oculomotor reflexes were registered in electronytagmography and videonystagmography. Directional preponderance was done using Jongkees proposals. Directional preponderance was observed in 45.9 patients with peripheral lesions and in 51.5% of 'central cases'. Directional preponderance alone was present in 29.1% in peripheral and 43.2% in the central dysfunctions. The coexistence of directional preponderance and spontaneous or/and positional nystagmus was observed in 29.1% of peripheral cases and in 20.3% with central lesions. In the majority of cases directional preponderance, spontaneous and positional nystagmus directions were the same. The results of the study suggest the usefulness of directional preponderance in the evaluation of vestibular compensation, the directional preponderance is in accord with the direction of spontaneous and positional nystagmus in the peripheral lesions in the most cases, but opposite in central dysfunctions. But one must take into consideration that directional preponderance is present in peripheral and central vestibular disturbances -- it is the essential limitation of this phenomenon for determination of the vestibular dysfunction level. The directional preponderance mechanism is still unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate tinnitus as a complaint among patients suffering from hypertension. There were two groups in this project. The first one consisted of 104 individuals with primary hypertension, almost the same number of men and women with average of age 56, the median time of illness 19 years and mean value of blood pressure 138/91 mm Hg. The second group consisted of 21 healthy persons with average blood pressure above z 120/80 mm Hg. 'The single sided tinnitus was present predominantly. About 67.3% of patients suffering from cochlear hearing loss presented tinnitus while only 10.6% of patients suffering from central origin of hearing loss suffered from this symptom. There was no connection between level of vestibular of disorder and tinnitus. Diabetes and hyperlipemia are well known factors as a reason of tinnitus. The hypertension is less known. Some authors are saying that this symptom among hypertension patients is connected with different kind of medicaments. In this work authors tried to find out if there is any connection between hypertension, hearing and vestibular disorders and tinnitus alone. We found that tinnitus among hypertension patients is connected with cochlear origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abiraterone acetate (ABI) and Enzalutamide (ENZA) are second-generation hormone drugs that show breakthrough activity in post-chemotherapy, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The leading oncological and urological guidelines indicate both drugs with the same strong recommendation. There is a lack of randomized trials which compare the efficacy of ABI and ENZA. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the drugs with an analysis of prognostic factors related to those drugs., Patients and Methods: The study included 420 patients with docetaxel (DXL) pretreated mCRPC from seven Polish cancer centers. Patients were treated according to inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Polish national drug program (1000 mg ABI and 10 mg prednisone, n =76.2%; ENZA, 160 mg; n =23.8%). The study retrospectively analyzed the overall survival (OS), time to treatment failure (TTF), PSA 50% decline rate (PSA 50%) and selected clinic-pathological data., Results: In the study group, the median OS was 17 months (95% CI: 15.6-18.3). The median OS (26.1 vs. 15.7 mo.; p <0.001), TTF (14.2 vs. 7.6 mo.; p <0.001) and PSA 50% (87.5 vs. 56%; p <0.001) were higher in ENZA than in ABI treatment. Multivariate analysis shows that ENZA treatment and PSA nadir <17.35 ng/mL during or after DXL treatment were related to longer TTF. ENZA treatment, DXL dose ≥750 mg, PSA nadir <17.35 ng/mL during or after DXL treatment was related to longer OS., Conclusions: ENZA treatment may be related to more favorable oncological outcomes than ABI treatment in the studied Polish population of patients. A 50% decline in PSA is an indicator of longer TTF and OS. Due to the non-randomized and retrospective nature of the analysis, the current results require prospective validation., Competing Interests: DS and KK received honoraria for lectures from Astellas and Janssen. MW received travel grants from Pfizer, Novartis and Bayer, and honoraria for lectures from Pfizer. KC received travel grants from Janssen. IS received grants/research support, honoraria or consultation fees from Astellas, Janssen. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Sigorski, Wilk, Gawlik-Urban, Sałek-Zań, Kiszka, Malik, Czerko, Kuć, Szczylik, Kubiatowski, Cybulska-Stopa, Filipczyk-Cisarż, Bodnar and Skoneczna.)

Introduction: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) showed efficacy in migraine prevention. The aim of this study was to check if baseline clinical parameters and cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by transcranial Doppler (TCD) may help predict mAbs efficacy., Methods: Electronic charts of migraineurs treated with erenumab or fremanezumab, with baseline TCD evaluations were collected, including data on migraine type, pain localization, monthly migraine days (MMD), medication overuse headache (MOH), mean blood flow velocity (Vm), and pulsatility index (PI) in cerebral arteries., Results: A total of 123 patients were enrolled, mean age 38, 75 years, 87 with chronic migraine, 61 with MOH, 72 were good responders (GR), and reported ≥50% reduction in MMD, 43 ≥75% reduction in MMD. Baseline Vm values in MCAs were significantly lower in GR as compared with non-responders. MAbs responsiveness ≥50% was positively associated with unilateral pain localization (OR: 6.53, 95% CI: 2.01-23.93; p = 0.003) and HIT-6 score (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01-1.30; p = 0.036) whereas negatively associated with Vm in right MCA (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99; p = 0.012), and having no relatives with migraine (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.16-0.95; p = 0.040)., Conclusions: Baseline Vm in MCA is lower in mAbs GR as compared with non-responders which may reflect increased secretion of CGRP with further vasodilation in GR. Simple clinical features and baseline CBF in anterior circulation might help to predict the patient's responsiveness., Competing Interests: MN and MS have received lecture honoraria from Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o. and Teva Pharmaceuticals Polska Sp. z o.o. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Nowaczewska, Straburzyński, Waliszewska-Prosół, Meder, Janiak-Kiszka and Kaźmierczak.)

Objective: There is a need for regular surveillance of the hearing of children, no matter what their age. Screening of the hearing of school children can be done quickly and cheaply using teleaudiology. The primary aim of this study was to identify children who showed a suspected hearing impairment from rural areas of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region and refer them for further audiological testing. A secondary aim was to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss in those children., Methods: There were 4754 children, made up of 1840 children aged 6-7 years old and 2914 children aged 12-13 years old. Pure-tone air conduction thresholds were obtained at 0.5-8 kHz. Audiometric test was supplemented by results of a brief questionnaire filled in by parents., Results: Of the 4754 children, 618 (13%) failed screening and were referred for detailed audiological diagnostics. The prevalence of hearing loss was estimated to be 7% and was significantly higher (OR = 2.12) in the group aged 6-7 y/o (10.1%) than in the group aged 12-13 y/o (5.0%). In our study the estimated prevalence of HL was twice as high in children aged 6-7 y/o (10.1%) than in children 12-13 y/o (5.0%). This difference was also evident in another study of Polish children from rural areas, where the prevalence of HL was 11.4% in younger children (6-9 y/o) and 5.5% in older children (12-13 y/o)., Conclusion: Large numbers of school-age children in rural areas have hearing problems. It is recommended that a hearing screening program in primary schools based on e-health solutions should be adopted.