The Effectiveness of Psychological Workshops for Coaches on Well-Being and Psychomotor Performance of Children Practicing Football and Gymnastics.

Coach workshops based on seven principles (inspiration, explanation, expectation, support, reward, appreciation, growth and winning) enhance the sport experience of adult athletes. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of such workshops with coaches of child athletes. Study participants were coaches of 57 9- to 12-year old girls (practicing gymnastics) and boys (practicing football). Three coaches of 28 children attended three workshops over 12 weeks, while a control group of 5 coaches of 29 children attended no workshops. Measures of well-being and psychomotor performance were taken on the children before and after the intervention; differences in mean changes between intervention and control groups were adjusted for baseline, standardized, and assessed with a conservative magnitude-based decision method. There were clear substantial effects of the workshop on motivation averaged across several dimensions (girls, large, most likely beneficial), on a decision test (boys, small-moderate, very likely beneficial), on state anxiety self-reflection (girls, moderate, likely harmful), and on reaction time (boys, small, possibly harmful). The beneficial effects of the workshop in this pilot study are encouraging, but the unclear and potentially harmful effects and the roles of presenter- and coach-specific effects need to be investigated further with a representative sample of coaches and more children before the workshop is recommended for implementation.

[Can diabetes be treated as an indirectly work-related disease?] / Czy cukrzyce mozna traktowac jako chorobe posrednio zwiazana z praca?

In this article the authors attempted to analyze the arguments for considering diabetes as a work-related disease. An overview of literature has been done out of articles published in the years 1980-2016, with the use of combination of key words referring to employment, workplace, and diabetes. The PubMed database was the source of data. The authors indicate that the following arguments are in favor of diabetes being recognized as a work-related disease: diabetes is not an occupational disease, it is not directly related to the work environment or the way the work is performed, but there are observed adverse effects of occupational work-related nuisances, such as night shift work, long work hours, job strain or workplace standing time, which influence its development and course. The number of publications on diabetes, including the problem of occupational work is comparable to the number of analogous publications concerning work-related diseases such as hypertension or ischemic heart disease. Moreover, some aspects of professional activity and diabetes were also included in clinical recommendations for the workplace, which is uncommon in the case of other diseases, even those generally recognized as work-related. Data from medical references, indicating the effectiveness of workplace interventions aimed at preventing diabetes development and/or worsening of its course should be considered as an argument for the inclusion of diabetes into the group of work-related diseases. This should also support the need for further research and practical actions aimed at preventing diabetes at the workplace. Med Pr 2017;68(5):667-675.

[Sense of humour in schizophrenia--ability of humour reception and possibilities of its application in therapeutic interventions]. / Poczucie humoru w schizofrenii--zdolnosc do odbioru komizmu i mozliwosci jego wykorzystania w oddzialywaniach terapeutycznych.

The existing research on sense of humour in schizophrenia is focused on two main areas, mainly, assessment of patients' abilities to understand and appreciate humour and denoting the possibilities of its application in therapeutic programs concentrating on the improvement of patients' functionality and preventing illness relapses. The vast majority of the conclusions from the above mentioned research corroborate the opinion on the usefulness of developing and reinforcing sense of humour in schizophrenia, emphasizing its beneficial effect on the patients' quality of life, above all, in terms of reducing aggression, anxiety and depression as well as improving general life satisfaction and social functioning. At the same time numerous research indicate low reception of humour in schizophrenia which can negatively influence its effective usage in therapeutic interventions. Further constraint with regard to the therapy can constitute an intensified fear for being laughed at, which has been confirmed in numerous empirical reports. Therefore, it seems that addressing humorous therapeutic interventions to the above mentioned group of patients requires especially careful planning taking into consideration its cognitive and affective limitations in the perception of humour and intensified fear for being laughed at.

[Sense of humour in patients with depression--review]. / Poczucie humoru u pacjentów z depresja--przeglad badan.

In recent years there has been increasingly emphasised the importance of developing a sense of humour in patients with depression, which is considered an important competence promoting recovery processes and preventing relapse. Research on the sense of humour in depression focuses on two main areas. The first one concerns the answer to the question whether depressed patients are able to make use of their sense of humour. Results of current studies in this field lead to ambiguous conclusions. Some of them point to the deficits held by these patients in terms of perception, understanding and appreciation of humour, while others demonstrate the presence of the general susceptibility to humorous stimuli and the readiness to use the sense of humour. The second area of research focuses on the effectiveness of therapeutic programmes aimed at developing a sense of humour in depression. The results showed that they have limited efficacy--short-term, observed only in some aspects or determined to a greater extent by pharmacological treatment than by implemented programmes. The reasons for their limited effectiveness seem to be largely due to an excessively wide range of impacts, not focused on the most desirable styles of humour, as well as specific needs, preferences and attitudes for patients with depression.

SARS-CoV-2 Variant-Specific Infectivity and Immune Profiles Are Detectable in a Humanized Lung Mouse Model.

Small animal models that accurately model pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 variants are required for ongoing research efforts. We modified our human immune system mouse model to support replication of SARS-CoV-2 by implantation of human lung tissue into the mice to create TKO-BLT-Lung (L) mice and compared infection with two different variants in a humanized lung model. Infection of TKO-BLT-L mice with SARS-CoV-2 recapitulated the higher infectivity of the B.1.1.7 variant with more animals becoming infected and higher sustained viral loads compared to mice challenged with an early B lineage (614D) virus. Viral lesions were observed in lung organoids but no differences were detected between the viral variants as expected. Partially overlapping but distinct immune profiles were also observed between the variants with a greater Th1 profile in VIDO-01 and greater Th2 profile in B.1.1.7 infection. Overall, the TKO-BLT-L mouse supported SARS-CoV-2 infection, recapitulated key known similarities and differences in infectivity and pathogenesis as well as revealing previously unreported differences in immune responses between the two viral variants. Thus, the TKO-BLT-L model may serve as a useful animal model to study the immunopathobiology of newly emerging variants in the context of genuine human lung tissue and immune cells.

A retrospective study on incidence, diagnosis, and clinical outcome of gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma in a single institution.

BACKGROUND: Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma is rare but the most common subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma not associated with human papillomavirus. It is more aggressive with a shorter five-year survival rate compared to human papillomavirus-associated usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma. The objectives of our study were to determine the incidence and clinical-pathological characteristics of Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma in a single institution. METHODS: Twenty four cases of invasive cervical adenocarcinoma were identified between January 2000 and December 2015, from the Saskatoon Health Region pathology database using International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification to retrospectively classify endocervical adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies for Gastric mucin-6 (MUC-6), p16INK4a, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16), p53 protein (p53), estrogen and progesterone receptors. Clinical and pathological data was retrieved from pathology reports and charts. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-Square test. RESULTS: Using the International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification criteria, 19 cases (79.2%) were classified as human papillomavirus-associated usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma, and five cases (20.8%) as Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma. In our study 40% of Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma cases presented at stage III compared to none of the usual type endocervical carcinoma cases. All the Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma cases were positive for MUC-6, and negative for p16. 60% Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma cases demonstrated mutant type p53 staining. In contrast, 84.2% of human papillomavirus-associated usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma cases showed block like nuclear and cytoplasmic positivity with p16 antibodies. The Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma group had significantly shorter median survival time than human papillomavirus-associated usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma group, Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma is 22 months compared to human papillomavirus-associated usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma at 118 months (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma accounted for 20.8% of all cervical adenocarcinoma with higher stage at presentation and shorter overall survival. Criteria proposed by International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification (IECC) are simple and reproducible in differentiating between, HPV- associated (HPVA) and non HPV associated (NHPVA) endocervical adenocarcinoma. Although none of the IHC assays is specific for GAS, but p16, MUC-6, ER, PR and p53 may further aid in confirming GAS and to differentiate it from benign and malignant mimics.

Habitually inactive physically - a proposed procedure of counteracting cognitive decline in women with diminished insulin sensitivity through a high-intensity circuit training program.

This study verified the impact of five weeks of high-intensity circuit training (HICT) on changes in concentration of exerkines in relation to cognitive functions. Sedentary women (n = 33; age=39±13 years) were randomly assigned into the HICT (n = 21) group or the control group (n = 12). The HICT group performed 15 training sessions; meanwhile, the control group performed the HICT twice, only at baseline and at the end of the experiment. Blood samples were collected before, 1 h and 24 h after the first and last HICT, to evaluate the concentration of exerkines: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), irisin, fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cathepsin B (CATB) using enzyme immunoassay method. Cognitive functions and quality of life were assessed using the Vienna Test System and the Short Form Health Survey. HICT induced improvement of cognitive function and quality of life, and these changes were accompanied by an increase of BDNF and shifts in CATB concentration. HICT program caused a decrease in FGF-21 concentration, which was modified by age and insulin sensitivity. The improvement of cognitive functions was more pronounced in females, who experienced a drop in FGF-21. In summary, HICT program, that can be performed during pandemic, enhanced cognitive functions and this response was related to changes in exerkines.

Determinants of overweight in the population of parents of school-age children

Objectives: The pathological increase in the amount of fat in the body is the cause of many diseases. The review of literature and the still current topic suggests the need to continue research on the relationship of obesity in adults with socio-demographic factors, the place of residence, the environment and health behaviors. The aim of the study was to identify factors conducive to the occurrence or coexistence of overweight or normal body weight among Gdansk residents having school-age children. Material and Methods: The primary research tool was a survey questionnaire to be filled in individually, concerning such issues as neighborhood, health behaviors, physical activity and the factors that affect these behaviors, and the risk of obesity. To examine the relationship between neighborhood, health behaviors and overweight, the logistic regression method was applied to determine the odds ratios (OR), showing the extent to which the probability of overweight or obesity increases/decreases. Results: A higher level of education as well as a higher income per family member were associated with more correct values of the body mass index (BMI). A statistically significant relationship between the selected health behaviors in non-obese and overweight/obese groups was found. The significance of these was related to such variables as the duration of sleep, eating fast food products, drinking sweetened soft drinks, and eating canned and fried foods. The number of hours of sleep turned out to be significant. There was no significant relationship between the weight status and neighborhood. Conclusions: The identification of the risk factors for overweight and obesity among parents of school-age children allows for the implementation of educational activities in this area to interdisciplinary procedures for the health of Tri-City residents. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(5):677­93

Evaluation of the effectiveness of relaxation in lowering the level of anxiety in young adults - a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is a negative emotion that acts as a mediator between stress stimuli and emotional (physiological) reaction patterns. The myofascial system is particularly sensitive to stress. The aim of this study was to determine which of the 2 popular methods used to reduce psychophysical tension, i.e., soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation, is more effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted at Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sports in the sports psychology laboratory and the manual therapy room. After performing specialist consultations and interviews to exclude potential participants with contraindications to any of the interventions, the final sample included 90 people who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. In group I, soft tissue techniques were applied, including the techniques of post-isometric muscle relaxation, elements of myofascial relaxation of tissues, and elastic tissue deformation using the Swedish massage limited to the cervicothoracic complex. In group II, Jacobson's progressive relaxation was performed. The training consisted of tightening and relaxing specific muscle groups. The experiment was conducted under an ambulatory condition, consisting of a single physiotherapeutic session (group I) or a single progressive relaxation session using the Jacobson method (group II). The level of anxiety was assessed twice, i.e., immediately before and after the therapy. RESULTS: According to a repeated-measures ANOVA, each therapeutic impact was effective in reducing the level of perceived anxiety. Furthermore, the level of perceived anxiety in group I decreased significantly more than that in group II. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, both the soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation techniques were efficient methods of minimizing the negative effects of stress. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(6):817-24.

The beneficial effects of 15 units of high-intensity circuit training in women is modified by age, baseline insulin resistance and physical capacity.

AIM: To investigate the effect of a single and 15 units of high-intensity circuit training (HICT) programme on glucose metabolism, myokines' response and selected genes' expression in women. METHODS: Thirty-three, non-active women (mean age: 38 ±â€¯12) were split into a HICT (n = 20) or a control group (CON, n = 13). The training protocol included three circuits of nine exercises with own body weight as a workload performed 3 times a week for five weeks. The CON group performed HICT twice. Blood samples were taken before, 1 h and 24 h after the first and last unit to determine IGF-1, myostatin, irisin, decorin, HSP27, interleukin-15 concentrations using the ELISA immunoenzymatic method. To evaluate HSPB1, TNF-α and DCN mRNA, real-time PCR was used. Pre- and post-intervention, the oral glucose test and body composition assessment were completed. RESULTS: The following parameters tended to decrease after the 5-week HICT program: insulin and HOMA-IR Training diminished insulin/IGF-1 ratio (51% CI: -63% to -34%) and induced the drop of myostatin concentration but significantly only among middle-aged women and at baseline insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: Obtained data revealed that HICT improved an insulin sensitivity and diminished myostatin concentration among older, insulin-resistant women with lower baseline physical capacity.

Vitamin D Supplementation and Nordic Walking Training Decreases Serum Homocysteine and Ferritin in Elderly Women.

The aim of the study was to verify if coupling 12 weeks of vitamin D supplementation and Nordic walking training favoured lowering the homocysteine (Hcy) level. Ninety-four elderly women were divided into three groups: Nordic walking (NW), supplemented (SG) and control (CG). The NW and SG groups received a weekly dose of 28,000 IU of vitamin D3. A blood analysis was performed at baseline, 1h after the first training session and at the end of the experiment. The amino acid profile (methionine and cysteine) and homocysteine concentration were determined. Additionally, the concentration of myokine was assessed. The first session of NW training reduced serum homocysteine, particularly among women with baseline homocysteine above 10 µmol·L-1: 12.37 ± 2.75 vs. 10.95 ± 3.94 µmol·L-1 (p = 0.05). These changes were accompanied by shifts in the cysteine (p = 0.09) and methionine (p = 0.01) concentration, regardless of the Hcy concentration. Twelve weeks of training significantly decreased the homocysteine (9.91 ± 2.78, vs. 8.90 ± 3.14 µmol·L-1, p = 0.05) and ferritin (94.23 ± 62.49 vs. 73.15 ± 47.04 ng·mL-1, p = 0.05) concentrations in whole NW group. Also, in the NW group, ferritin correlated with the glucose level (r = 0.51, p = 0.00). No changes in the myokine levels were observed after the intervention. Only the brain-derived neurotrophic factor dropped in the NW (42.74 ± 19.92 vs. 31.93 ± 15.91 ng·mL-1, p = 0.01) and SG (37.75 ± 8.08 vs. 16.94 ± 12.78 ng·mL-1, p = 0.00) groups. This study presents a parallel decrease of homocysteine and ferritin in response to regular training supported by vitamin D supplementation.

Intelligent bioprocessing for haemotopoietic cell cultures using monitoring and design of experiments.

The need for successful ex-vivo expansion and directed differentiation of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for therapeutic applications has increased over the past decade. Haematopoietic cell cultures are complex and full characterisation of the process environment has yet to be achieved. The complexity and transient nature of HSC cultures make the identification, maintenance and control of optimal operating conditions challenging. Application of real-time, on-line monitoring techniques and process control strategies enhances the ability to operate bioprocesses of desired reproducibility and high product quality. In this review, we discussed the methods by which in vitro culture information necessary for bioprocess control may be obtained, including process considerations, monitoring and analytical tools, and design of experiments (DOE). The successful application of these tools may result in time- and cost-effective cultures for directed differentiation and expansion of haematopoietic components intended for clinical use.

The Nanopharmacology and Nanotoxicology of Nanomaterials: New Opportunities and Challenges.

The very dynamic growth of nanotechnology, nanomaterials (sized 1-100 nm) and their medical applications over the past 10 years has promised to add a new impetus to the diagnostics and therapeutics of a wide range of human pathologies, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the central nervous system. This growth in nanomedicine also fuels advances in bioengineering, regenerative medicine and the development of medical devices. However, as with all new pharmaceuticals and medical devices, new opportunities are inherently accompanied by new challenges due to the ability of nanomaterials to interact with the body on the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels. This article reviews some of the most compelling problems related to the nanopharmacology and nanotoxicology of nanomaterials. The overview focuses on opportunities emerging from the development of multifunctional nanomaterials and nanotheranostics for the diagnostics and therapy of both major and rare diseases. Challenges related to the hemocompatibility of nanomaterials are also discussed.

Determination of dialysate creatinine by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography with UV absorbance detection has been applied for fast and selective determination of creatinine in samples of postdialysate fluid. Optimization of the method was performed, with the best results being obtained using a 30 mM borate-100 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate background electrolyte, pH 9, with the detector set at 235 nm and an applied voltage of 17 kV across a fused-silica capillary of 67 cm/75 micro m I.D. The linear range of the technique was over 2 orders of magnitude (5-1000 micro M). The developed analytical procedure is useful for the monitoring of clinical hemodialysis treatment, because creatinine levels in real undiluted samples of postdialysate range from 80 to 350 micro M. The separation system allows the analysis of about six to seven samples of spent dialysate per hour in almost real time. The determinations are not influenced by other components of dialysate fluid nor by other surrogates extracted from patient blood. The results of analysis using the developed procedure and the kinetic spectrophotometric Jaffe method conventionally used in clinical settings for creatinine determination are fully comparable. Successful clinical evaluation of the analytical system was performed. The developed system is useful for bloodless estimation of bioanalytical parameters of hemodialysis sessions such as creatinine-time profiles and total creatinine removal. Both these parameters are important in clinical models of hemodialysis therapy.

Antioxidant properties of captopril in vitro.

This paper reports on the effect of captopril on the stability of unsaturated fatty acids in the evening primrose oil. The experiment was performed for captopril at concentrations of 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2% in the samples of evening primrose oil at temperatures of 20 degrees, 40 degrees and 60 degrees C. The determination was performed on the 10th day of incubation. The results were compared to those obtained for analogous samples with octyl gallate, an antioxidant commonly used in oil systems, taken at the same concentrations and at the same temperatures. The changes in concentrations of the substances studied with time were monitored by gas chromatography. The results have shown captopril to be a stronger antioxidant than octyl gallate at all concentrations and temperatures used.

Targeted delivery of transferrin-conjugated liposomes to an orthotopic model of lung cancer in nude rats.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Pulmonary anticancer therapy might offer several advantages over systemic delivery, leading to an increased exposure of the lung tumor to the drug, while minimizing side effects, due to regional containment. Here, we studied if a combination of inhalation therapy and drug targeting holds potential as an even more efficient lung cancer therapy. METHODS: Transferrin (Tf )-conjugated PEG liposomes loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) were administered using an intracorporeal nebulizing catheter to an orthotopic lung cancer model established in athymic Rowett nude rats. Different DOX formulations and doses (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) were tested and the influence on tumor progression and life span of rats was evaluated in comparison with the i.v. administration of Tf-PEG-liposomes loaded with DOX at a therapeutic dose of 2 mg/kg. RESULTS: Rats in the untreated control group showed significant weight loss 2 weeks after tumor induction and died between days 19 and 29. Lungs of these animals showed multiple foci of neoplastic deposits, ranging up to 20 mm replacing the entire lobe. Empty Tf-liposomes showed a significant effect on survival time. This might be caused by the secondary cytotoxicity via stimulation of pulmonary macrophages. All animal treated intravenously also perished before the end of the study. No significant (p<0.05) improvement in survival was observed between the groups treated with aerosols of free drug, DOX encapsulated in plain and in Tf-modified liposomes. However, more animals survived in the Tf-liposome groups than in the other treatment regimes, and their lung tissue generally had fewer and smaller tumors. Nevertheless, the size of the groups, and the duration of the trial render it impossible to come to a definite conclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Drug targeting demonstrated potential for improving the aerosol treatment of lung cancer.

Biocompatible ion selective electrode for monitoring metabolic activity during the growth and cultivation of human cells.

Ammonia is the main nitrogenous waste product of cellular metabolism and if accumulated in culture media may limit cell growth and affect the quality of cultured cell lines. Therefore, it is crucial to control levels of this metabolite during the in vitro expansion of human cells. This paper describes the successful application of ion selective electrodes (ISE) to continuously monitor ammonium concentrations in a perfused cell bioreactor. The polymeric membranes of the ISE were cast from carboxylated poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-COOH) and doped with highly hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The PEG was incorporated into the surface of the sensors in order to reduce the effect of biofouling without impairing their analytical characteristics. The electrodes developed enabled fast and selective measurements of ammonia in the range 0.5-5mM, corresponding well with the concentration determined off-line. Additionally, the UV sterilised sensors were small and flexible enough to be readily inserted into the limited space of the bioreactor. Long-term analytical performance of PEG-modified ISE during continuous measurements in mammalian cell cultures was investigated. The sensors remained stable for the duration of the bioprocess, 7 days.

Relation between anatomical courses of the intramural portions of the uterine tubes and pelvic endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis may originate from implants of endometrium due to retrograde flow of menstrual blood. The flow may be stimulated by anatomical anomalies of uterine tubes or uterus. The aim of the study was to find links between anatomical courses of the intramural portions of the uterine tubes and endometriosis. DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study. SETTING: Academic hospital. PATIENT(S): Women (n = 227) operated on because of various gynecological indications. INTERVENTION(S): Total or subtotal abdominal hysterectomies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pathological reports correlated with courses of the intramural parts of uterine tubes. To evaluate the intramural courses of uterine tubes, specimens were injected with barium sulfate and x-rayed. RESULT(S): The intramural portions were categorized into three patterns: straight, curved, or tortuous. Logistic regression identified the course of the intramural portion of the uterine tubes and the parity to be associated with endometriosis. Endometriosis was more frequent in women with straight courses and was infrequent in women with tortuous ones. CONCLUSION(S): We suggest that a tortuous course of the intramural portion of the uterine tubes constitutes a normal anatomical finding. It controls the retrograde flow of blood during menstruation and limits the possibility of developing endometriosis. Straight or curved intramural portions represent an anatomical abnormality that may predispose women to endometriosis.

Creatinine biosensor based on ammonium ion selective electrode and its application in flow-injection analysis.

A new, highly sensitive, fast responding and stable potentiometric biosensor for creatinine determination is developed. The biosensor is based on an ammonium ion-selective electrode. Creatinine deiminase (EC 3.5.4.21) is chemically immobilized on the surface of the polymeric ion-sensitive membrane in the form of monomolecular layer using a simple, one-step carbodiimide covalent attachment method. The resulting enzyme electrodes are useful for measurement under flow injection analysis (FIA) conditions. The biosensors exhibit excellent operational and storage stability. The enzyme electrodes retain over 70% of initial sensitivity after ten weeks of work under FIA conditions. The storage stability at 4 degrees C is longer than half a year without loss of sensitivity. Under optimized conditions near 30 samples per hour can be analyzed and the determination range (0.02-20.0mmoll(-1)) fully covers creatinine concentrations important from clinical and biomedical point of view. The simple biosensor/FIA system has been successfully used for determination of creatinine in urine, serum and posthemodialysate samples.