Assessment of the midwives preparation to take care of patients with cervical cancer

INTRODUCTION: The success of the cervical cancer treatment depends not the only on the early diagnosis, but also on the immediate initiation of the appropriate treatment and proper nursing care, which should be adequate with the present knowledge. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the research was the assessment of the theoretical preparation of nurses taking care of patients with cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 50 nurses, working in the departments of gynecological diseases, have been interviewed. All the nurses graduated from College of Nursing, 3 of them additionally studied in the Pedagogical Graduate School. 60% of the nurses had 10-20 years of professional experience. We used special questionnaire made of 3 parts: describing the objective of the research/test, characteristics of the patient, specific questions. There were 18 questions: 5-closed, 1-open, 12-semiopen. They were checking the knowledge about the diagnostics, preparation of the patient to the operation using Wertheim-Meigs-Valle method, postoperative care until the discharge from the hospital and then oncological care. RESULTS: Almost all of them (88%-92%) have known the sequence of the diagnosis and treatment of the cervical cancer. 90% of them have been knowledgeable what kind of diagnostic and nursing procedures were required before the surgery using Wertheim-Meigs-Valle method. Almost all of the tested nurses (96%-100%) have known the procedure of postoperative care. They had a practical knowledge how to assess the patient condition and components of care that the patients require during the first few days after the surgery. According to the tested nurses, 90% of the patients operated because of cervical cancer, should follow up in oncological centers. CONCLUSION: 1. The nurses' preparation to take care of patients with cervical cancer is sufficient and it affects the effectiveness of the treatment. 2. The nurses have knowledge about pre- and postoperative procedures that the patients require, as well as assessment of general condition and patients' care, which are so important in the first few days after the surgery.     

Complex management of osteoporotic vertebral fracture

Background. Compression fractures of the thoraco-lumbar spine are the most common form of damage to the skeletal system caused by osteoporosis. These fractures are stable and do not produce neurological deficits. The intensity of the clinical symptoms depends on the degree of kyphotic distortion of the spine and the number of fractured vertebrae. Among the most serious consequences of such injuries are chronic pain, habituated poor body posture (deeper thoracic kyphosis with compensatory hyperlordosis in the lumbar spine), motor and functional limitations, reduced quality of life, and heightened risk of subsequent spinal fractures.
Material and methods. We analyzed a group of 26 patients treated for spinal fractures associated with osteoporosis, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment methods applied.
Conclusions. Our results indicate that the best outcomes are obtained when the period of immobility is reduced to a minimum and rehabilitation is commenced as early as possible.     

The cellular composition and macrophage phenotype in induced sputum in smokers and ex-smokers with COPD

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The relationship between smoking and COPD has been well-documented. We investigated the impact of cigarette smoking on airway inflammation in COPD patients. DESIGN: Changes in cell profiles in induced sputum (IS) samples from smokers with COPD and patients who ceased smoking were compared. SETTING: Department of pneumonology in a university hospital. PATIENTS: IS samples were collected from 17 smokers and 17 ex-smokers with COPD. INTERVENTIONS: We examined IS samples for differential cell counts and macrophage phenotypes determined by immunocytochemistry with monoclonal antibodies anti-CD11b, anti-CD14, anti-CD54, and anti-CD71. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The median IS volume was greater and the total cell count was higher in smokers than in ex-smokers. The difference, however, was not significant. We did not find any significant differences in the proportions of cells and in the phenotypes of macrophages between the two groups, with the proportion of eosinophils being slightly higher in the group of smokers. We found, however, a significant positive correlation between the decrease in pulmonary function parameters and the number of pack-years smoked, an inverse correlation of pulmonary function test results with the number of lymphocytes in IS, and a correlation between some changes in the expression of macrophage surface markers and smoking history. There was no correlation between the time from smoking cessation and any cellular component found in IS samples. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of IS samples in patients with COPD revealed no significant differences in cell count and macrophage phenotypes between active smokers and ex-smokers.     

Release studies of undecylenoyl phenylalanine from topical formulations

The aim of this study was to characterize the stability of new vehicles for the undecylenoyl phenylalanine that is used as skin-lightening agent in the melasma treatment. The purpose of this research was also to analyse the release kinetics of phenylalanine derivative from topical preparations through different synthetic membranes. Topical formulations such as two different macroemulsions, hydrogels (based on carbomer and hydroxyethylcellulose) and microemulsions were characterized in terms of stability by laser diffraction method. Additionally, multiple light scattering assessed the stability of macroemulsions. The release rates of active substance through different membranes (such as Cuprophan, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate and Strat-M) were determined using enhancer cell. In order to explain the mechanism of release process the results were fitted with different kinetic models. New stable vehicles for Ude-Phe were successfully obtained. The results proved that the membrane structure had the influence on the release rate of undecylenoyl phenylalanine. The slowest release rate of Ude-Phe was observed when Strat-M membrane was applied. The highest amount of active substance was released from the hydrogel based on carbomer. The release of undecylenoyl phenylalanine from both macroemulsions and hydrogel based on hydroxyethylcellulose followed the Higuchi model. Whereas the release results of Ude-Phe from both microemulsion-based hydrogels and carbomer hydrogel can be described by using Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Hydrogels and microemulsion-based hydrogels could be recommended as proper vehicles for the derivative of phenylalanine.     

Enhanced P53 and BAX gene expression and apoptosis in A549 cells by cis-Pt(II) complex of 3-aminoflavone in comparison with cis-DDP

Lung cancer remains one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Approximately 80% is histologically non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and in about 70% of patients it is an unresectable type. Clinical studies indicated that application of platinum derivatives caused good results and combinations of platinum with other agents could improve median survivals. In view of the central problem of sufficient efficiency of drugs in chemotherapy, efforts have focused on the development of alternative platinum-based analogues that can be more effective in cancer treatment. cis-bis(3-aminoflavone)dichloroplatinum(II) (cis-Pt(II) complex of 3-aminoflavone) represents a novel class of platinum-based potential antitumour agents. In order to evaluate the degree of apoptosis, acridine orange/ethidium bromide and Hoechst 33258/propidum iodide double staining as well as RT-PCR (P53 and BAX expression evaluation) were used in lung cancer cell line A549 after treatment with this compound in comparison with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP). Apoptotic cells at early and late stages and also necrotic ones were observed after usage of cis-Pt(II) complex of 3-aminoflavone and the percentage of these cells outnumbered the values obtained after cis-DDP application. The former compound induced a higher percentage of P53 and BAX expression in A549 cells in comparison with the latter one. Results indicate the beneficial properties of cis-Pt(II) complex of 3-aminoflavone as a potential antitumor drug.     

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors as a New Therapy for Ischemic Stroke and other Neurologic Diseases: Is there any Hope for a Better Outcome?

The relevance of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the treatment of malignancies has been already defined. Aberrant activation of tyrosine kinase signaling pathways has been causally linked not only to cancers but also to other non-oncological diseases. This review concentrates on the novel plausible usage of this group of drugs in neurological disorders, such as ischemic brain stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis. The drugs considered here are representatives of both receptor and non-receptor TKIs. Among them imatinib and masitinib have the broadest spectrum of therapeutic usage. Both drugs are effective in ischemic brain stroke and multiple sclerosis, but only imatinib produces a therapeutic effect in subarachnoid hemorrhage. Masitinib and dasatinib reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In the case of multiple sclerosis several TKIs are useful, including apart from imatinib and masitinib, also sunitinib, sorafenib, lestaurtinib. Furthermore, the possible molecular targets for the drugs are described in connection with the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in the diseases in question. The most frequent target for the TKIs is PDGFR which plays a pivotal role particularly in ischemic brain stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The collected data indicates that TKIs are very promising candidates for new therapeutic interventions in neurological diseases.     

In vitro investigations of the potential health benefits of Australian-grown faba beans (Vicia faba L.): chemopreventative capacity and inhibitory effects on the angiotensin-converting enzyme, α-glucosidase and lipase

The functional properties, including antioxidant and chemopreventative capacities as well as the inhibitory effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase, of three Australian-grown faba bean genotypes (Nura, Rossa and TF(Ic*As)*483/13) were investigated using an array of in vitro assays. Chromatograms of on-line post column derivatisation assay coupled with HPLC revealed the existence of active phenolics (hump) in the coloured genotypes, which was lacking in the white-coloured breeding line, TF(Ic*As)*483/13. Roasting reduced the phenolic content, and diminished antioxidant activity by 10-40?% as measured by the reagent-based assays (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity) in all genotypes. Cell culture-based antioxidant activity assay (cellular antioxidant activity) showed an increase of activity in the coloured genotypes after roasting. Faba bean extracts demonstrated cellular protection ability against H2O2-induced DNA damage (assessed using RAW264.7 cells), and inhibited the proliferation of all human cancer cell lines (BL13, AGS, Hep G2 and HT-29) evaluated. However, the effect of faba bean extracts on the non-transformed human cells (CCD-18Co) was negligible. Flow cytometric analyses showed that faba bean extracts successfully induced apoptosis of HL-60 (acute promyelocytic leukaemia) cells. The faba bean extracts also exhibited ACE, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities. Overall, extracts from Nura (buff-coloured) and Rossa (red-coloured) were comparable, while TF(Ic*As)*483/13 (white-coloured) contained the lowest phenolic content and exhibited the least antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities. These results are important to promote the utilisation of faba beans in human diets for various health benefits.     

Active compounds release from semisolid dosage forms

The aim of this paper is to review all the aspects of the in vitro release testing (IVRT) from semisolid dosage forms. Although none of the official dissolution methods has been specified for use with semisolid dosage forms, their utility for assessing release rates of drugs from semisolid dosage forms has become a topic of considerable interest. One can expect to overcome such complexity in the future, when the official “Topical and Transdermal Drug Products—Product Performance Tests” will be published in an issue of the Pharmacopeial Forum. Many factors such as type of the dissolution medium, membrane, temperature, and speed have an influence on the mechanism and kinetics of the release testing from gels, creams, and ointments; therefore, those parameters have been widely discussed.