Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricle adaptation to endurance training in young rowers - speckle tracking echocardiography.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the degree of cardiorespiratory fitness and the function of the right ventricle (RV). 117 rowers, age 17.5±1.5 years. All subjects underwent cardiopulmonary exercise. Standard echocardiography and 2D speckle tracking echocardiography with evaluation of longitudinal strain in each segment of the RV (basal - RVLS-B; mid - RVLS-M, apical - RVLS-A) and global RV free-wall strain (RVLS-G) were performed. RVLS-B values were lower compared to the RVLS-M (-25.8±4.4 vs -29.3±3.5; p<0.001) and RVLS-A values (-25.8±4.4 vs -26.2±3.4; p=0.85). Correlations between VO2max and RVLS were observed in men: RVLS-G strain (r = 0.43; p <0.001); RVLS-B (r = 0.30; p = 0.02); RVLS-M (r = 0.38; p = 0.02). A similar relationship was not observed in the group of women. The strongest predictors corresponding to a change in global and basal strain were VO2max and training time: RVLS-G (VO2max: ß = 0.18, p = 0.003; training time: ß = -0.39; p = 0.02) and RVLS-B (VO2max: ß = 0.23; p = 0.0001 training time: ß = -1.16; p = 0.0001). The global and regional reduction of RV systolic function positively correlates with the level of fitness, and this relationship is observed already in young athletes. The character of the relationship between RV deformation parameters and the variables that determine the physical performance depend on gender. The dependencies apply to the proximal fragment of the RV inflow tract, which may be a response to the type of flow during exercise in endurance athletes.

Alternations in genes expression of pathway signaling in esophageal tissue with atresia: results of expression microarray profiling.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital defect of the esophagus involving the interruption of the esophagus with or without connection to the trachea (tracheoesophageal fistula [TEF]). EA/TEF may occur as an isolated anomaly, may be part of a complex of congenital defects (syndromic), or may develop within the context of a known syndrome or association. The molecular mechanisms underlying the development of EA are poorly understood. It is supposed that a combination of multigenic factors and epigenetic modification of genes play a role in its etiology. The aim of our work was to assess the human gene expression microarray study in esophageal tissue samples. Total RNA was extracted from 26 lower pouches of esophageal tissue collected during thoracoscopic EA repair in neonates with the isolated (IEA) and the syndromic form (SEA). We identified 787 downregulated and 841 upregulated transcripts between SEA and controls, and about 817 downregulated and 765 upregulated probes between IEA and controls. Fifty percent of these genes showed differential expression specific for either IEA or SEA. Functional pathway analysis revealed substantial enrichment for Wnt and Sonic hedgehog, as well as cytokine and chemokine signaling pathways. Moreover, we performed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction study in a group of SHH and Wnt pathways genes with differential expression in microarray profiling to confirm the microarray expression results. We verified the altered expression in SFRP2 gene from the Wnt pathway as well as SHH, GLI1, GLI2, and GLI3 from the Sonic hedgehog pathway. The results suggest an important role of these pathways and genes for EA/TEF etiology.

[Analysis of the course of pregnancies and labor in girls under 18 years of age]. / Analiza przebiegu ciazy i porodu u pacjentek przed 18 rokiem zycia.

Authors analysed the course of pregnancy and labor at 141 under 18 aged girls, between 1981-1990. The rise of number of labors at teen-agers was observed in the last 5 years. This tendency should pay our attention on this group of patients.

PIP: During 1981-90, there were 141 births to women under the age of 18 from among 22,037 deliveries at the II Department of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Clinic of the Academy of Medicine in Warsaw. The control group consisted of 141 consecutive primiparas aged 19-30. Among the 22,037 births, the underage women accounted for 0.64%. 10 women were under 16 years of age, and two patients each were 13 and 14 years of age, respectively, while 23 were aged 16, and 108 were aged 17. The percentage of pregnant adolescents increased from 0.13% in 1982 to 0.84% in 1986 and to 1.24% in 1990. There were 47 (33.67%) pregnancy complications among adolescents and 55 (39%) among adults. The threat of premature birth occurred in 11 adolescents (7.0%) vs. 13 adults (9.22%); premature discharge of amniotic fluid in 21 adolescents (14.89%) and 25 adults (17.73%); EPH gestosis in 4 adolescents (2.84%) and 5 adults (3.55%); infection of the urinary tract in 7 adolescents (4.96%) and 10 adults (7.10%). Normal delivery occurred in 124 (87.94%) adolescents and in 112 (79.4%) adults. Cesarean sections were performed in 11 (7.8%) adolescents and 24 (17.1%) adult primiparas. There were 26 (18.4%) instances of delivery complications in adolescents and 66 (46.7%) in adults. Incomplete delivery occurred in 21 (14.9%) adolescents vs. 23 (16.3%) adults. Significantly more (39) cases of rupture of the uterine cervix occurred in adults (27.6%) than in adolescents (4 instances or 2.8%). The duration of labor ranged from 2 hours to 12.5 hours in the group of adolescents with an average of 7.1 hours compared to from 2 hours to 25 hours with an average of 7.9 hours in the control group. The average values in the first minute of life amounted to 8.85 marks on the Apgar score in the case group compared to 9.36 scores in controls. The average birth weight of neonates was 3190 g in the case group compared to 3284 g in the control group.

[Analysis of liver function in patients with Turner syndrome (TS) and in patients with secondary hypogonadism with estrogen and estrogen- progestagens replacement therapy: a preliminary report]. / Ocena czynnosci watroby u chorych z zespolem Turnera oraz u pacjentek z wtórna niedoczynnoscia gonad leczonych estrogenami i preparatami estro-progestagenowymi--doniesienie wstepne.

OBJECTIVES: Abnormalities of liver function tests were been reported in adults with TS and in patients with oestrogen replacement therapy. DESIGN: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of liver disease in patients before or with oestrogen therapy. MATERIALS: 79 patients, aged 13(2/12) to 60(4/12), for oestrogen replacement therapy: 13--with secondary hypogonadism (group I), 29--with TS (group II), 19--with menopause (group IV) and 18--with TS, aged 2 to 16(11/12), before oestrogen therapy (group III). METHODS: All patients were tested for liver function tests (ALAT, GGTP, total bilirubin), and patients I-III groups for serum markers of HBV and HCV infection. RESULTS: The frequency of HBV/HCV infection was 38.3% in group I, 13.7%--in group II, 16.7%--in group III. In 13.7% patients of group II and in 16.7% patients of group III the liver disease had been classified as cryptogenic. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HBV/HCV infection in patients with hypogonadism and the prevalence of cryptogenic liver disease in patients with TS, seems to be relatively high. In TS liver function test should be investigated as well before oestrogen therapy and should be turned during the follow up.

[The evaluation of subjective quality of life in patients with schizophrenia or depression]. / Próba analizy subiektywnej oceny jakosci zycia pacjentów z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii lub depresji.

Subjective evaluation of the quality of life was studied in 53 schizophrenics (hospitalized, from the day-hospital, and from the rehabilitation unit) and in 12 depressed patients before and after pharmacological treatment or rehabilitation. The self-evaluation questionnaire SF-36 was used. The subjective quality of life of depressive patients at baseline was low in comparison to the schizophrenics. The best improvement of subjective quality of life after the treatment was found in hospitalized schizophrenic patients. Evaluation of the quality of life both before and after treatment/rehabilitation did not correlate with doctors' estimation of the severity of their illness. Depressive patients expressed more negative opinion regarding their physical condition and social activity than did the schizophrenics. The positive opinion on patients' health status correlated positively with good evaluation of patients' physical condition and good performance at home or work.