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Biomedical subjects

A Brodziak

Publications and source records attributed to A Brodziak.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Dynamics of circadian fluctuations in serum concentration of cortisol and TNF-alpha soluble receptors in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

The objective of the study was to investigate the dynamic changes of cortisol and soluble TNF-alpha p-55 and p-75 receptors in serum of advanced cancer patients during 24 h. The examined group consisted of 42 patients suffering from advanced gastrointestinal neoplasms (colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer). Serum levels of cortisol, TNF-alpha and both receptors in cancer patients were measured using ELISA type kits 6 times a day (8.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 6.00 p.m., 10.00 p.m., 2.00 a.m. and again 8.00 a.m.) as well as in healthy controls. The levels of cortisol, TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors were substantially increased in examined group and displayed statistically significant circadian fluctuations. Cortisol peak was found typically at 8.08 a.m., the minimum value appeared at 6 p.m. The presence of circadian rhythm of the cytokine was proved (acrophase -00.36 a.m.), however no diurnal rhythm of soluble TNF receptors was observed. The concentration of p-55 receptor was distinctly lower then p-75. The peak p-55 value appeared at 10.00 p. m. while the p-75 reached its minimum level at the same time. Although there was no statistical correlation between the receptor concentrations the shapes of both curves remained in inversely proportional manner to each other. The present results may suggest the presence of complex self-regulation mechanisms in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients. There was no correlation observed between cortisol and TNF-alpha soluble receptor concentration.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dynamics of diurnal changes in serum concentration of TNF-alpha soluble receptors in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

The objective of the study was to investigate the dynamic changes in soluble TNFalpha p-55 and p-75 receptors in serum of advanced cancer patients during 24 hours. The group examined consisted of 42 patients suffering from advanced gastrointestinal neoplasms (colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer). Serum levels of the cytokine and both receptors in cancer patients were measured using ELISA type kits 6 times a day (8.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 6.00 p.m., 10.00 p.m., 2.00 a.m. and again 8.00 a.m.) as well as in healthy controls. The levels of TNFalpha and its soluble receptors were substantially increased in the examined group and displayed statistically significant circadian fluctuations. The presence of circadian rhythm of the cytokine was proved (acrophase - 00.36 a.m.), however no diurnal rhythm of soluble TNF receptors was observed. The concentration of p-55 receptor was distinctly lower then p-75. The peak p-55 value appeared at 10.00 p.m. while the p-75 reached its minimum level at the same time. Although there was no statistical correlation between the receptor concentrations the shapes of both curves remained inversely proportional. The present results may suggest the presence of complex self-regulation mechanisms in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurophysiology of the mental image.

Apart from perceptions, mental images are the most frequent experiences of the conscious mind. Mentation can be understood as a process which consists in the manipulation of recalled or imagined mental images. The scientific literature related to this process is relatively scant. This article reviews the relevant original and recent neurophysiological data in such a way as to enable the presentation of a synthetic theory of the neuronal mechanisms that form mental images. Recurrent axons and some reproductive efferent connections constitute the neural circuitry essential for imagery. These connections enable the reverberating, circular arousal of the upper levels of the hierarchical structure active during previous perceptions. The recalling of a mental image evokes an accompanying electromagnetic field. The investigation of its functional role is a challenge for contemporary neural scientists.

Axons↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Disturbances of mental image processing in post-stroke patients with left and right hemisphere damage.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this article is to point out significant differences in how mental images are processed by post-stroke patients with left and right hemisphere damage. The issues involved are of theoretical importance because of the light shed on the modularity of cerebral functions, especially the imagination, and of clinical importance due to the better understanding of the underlying pathomechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research involved 82 right-handed patients with a lesion in the left hemisphere (Group L), 82 right-handed patients with a lesion in the right hemisphere (Group R), and, as a control group, 82 patients with musculo-skeletal disorders not affecting the central nervous system (Group C), matched by age and sex. Image processing of complex notions was examined by using selected items from the Simple Neurolinguistic Test. RESULTS: In the control group, the majority of the patients responded to most of the prompts with polymodal associations of various types. In Group L, responses were dominated by isolated elements of the complex situation, while in Group R the associations were mostly verbal (lexical) and highly restricted in scope. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the loss of LH functions interferes with the ability to assemble pieces of polymodal image information into sensible strings, while the loss of RH functions leaves strings to which little information is attached.

Brain↗
PubMedDate not supplied

On the holistic approach in cancer biology: tumor necrosis factor, colon cancer cells, chaos theory and complexity.

TNFalpha plays a role in the pathogenesis of septic shock, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, graft rejection reaction, acute, and chronic respiratory inefficiency among others. Its activity depends on the type of target cells and different regulating factors, but the effect of biological activity is conditioned by specific receptors such as p55 (type I, TNF R55) and p75 (type II, TNF R75). The aim of the study was to answer the following questions: 1) Is it possible to apply elements of non-linear dynamics to assess the level of expression of TNF, TNFRI, TNFRII genes in tumor cells, pathologically unchanged tissue and metastatically changed lymph nodes? 2) Is theoretically anticipated variability of cytokine and its receptors in colorectal carcinoma cells and the immediate vicinity justified in the developed mathematical model? The research material--specimens taken from tumor, unchanged tissue and metastatic lymph nodes--were histopathologically and molecularly analysed. Results of the molecular research were used to develop a mathematical model using the basic studies on the theory of chaos and biological system modelling.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The influence of early childhood experiences on depression among medical students. Preliminary study].

The aim of this study was an attempt to estimate depression prevalence in medical students. Simultaneously we tried to asses the impact of early negative experiences on the level of depression in that population. We examined 92 third year medical students of the Silesian Academy of Medicine (54 women and 38 men) at the age from 20 to 24. Frequency and intensification of depression were assessed by using Beck Depression Inventory. Early experiences including negative and positive ones were estimated with the use of a self prepared repertory test called "biographical path", based on Personal Construct Theory of George Kelly. The obtained results indicated that 25% of examined students had depression symptoms. These students were exposed more frequently to early negative experiences than students without depression. In childhood depressive students were under pressure of their environment to score successes. If they did not realise these expectations they were exposed to discontent and frustration of their parents. Depressive students came less frequently into contact with other people and acquired independence later than non depressive students.

Adult↗