Poznan University of Medical Sciences (Polish: Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu) is a prominent Polish medical university, located in the city of Poznań in western Poland. It traces its beginnings to the foundation of Poznań University in 1919, and was formed as a separate institution in 1950. It gained the status of uniwersytet in 2007.
Researchers have been attentive in modifying the inherent properties of biopolymers by incorporating nanocarrier schemes, involving metal nanoparticles into the matrix to achieve higher potentials. Herein, fabricated in situ generation of silver nanocomposites (AgNC) NC1, NC3, and NC5 using different concentrations of AgNPs using vegetal carboxy methyl chitosan (CMCs) and Curcuma longa debranched starch, which facilitated the formation of AgNC films. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed surface plasmon resonance peaks at 413, 404, and 403 nm for NC1, NC3, and NC5, respectively, confirming the formation of AgNPs. XRD analysis demonstrated characteristic silver peaks at 2θ = 31.94°, 37.82°, and 45.92°, indexed to the (101), (111), and (200) planes, respectively and showed the plane of face-centered cubic Ag. AFM revealed that the average roughness (Ra) increased from 3.29 nm in NC0 to 42.33 nm in NC5. SEM-EDX revealed a rough surface and successful incorporation of Ag (up to 3.14 wt
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles secreted by various cells. They play a vital role in intercellular communication due to their diverse molecular cargo. Recent advancements in biomedical research have enabled a more detailed characterization of exosomes and their significant role in cancer biology, particularly in understanding mechanisms that contribute to chemoresistance. This review focuses on the current understanding of exosomes in ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest gynecological malignancies, known for its high recurrence and treatment failure rates. Chemoresistance in ovarian cancer stems from several factors, including altered drug efflux, enhanced DNA repair mechanisms, changes in the tumor microenvironment, and modifications in signaling pathways. Emerging evidence suggests that exosomes facilitate these processes by transferring regulatory molecules such as proteins, microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) between cells, which in turn modulate drug response and tumor progression. For instance, exosomal proteins such as DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and circular forkhead box P1 (circFoxp1), along with miRNAs like miR-21-3p, miR-1246, and miR-6836, have been associated with promoting resistance to platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapies. Conversely, some exosomal miRNAs, including miR-30a-5p, may enhance drug sensitivity. Furthermore, circRNAs transported by exosomes, such as hsa_circ_0010467, circ-PIP5K1A, and circ_0025033, play a role in regulating key oncogenic pathways associated with chemoresistance. Overall, these findings highlight the multifaceted role of exosomes in ovarian cancer biology and underscore their potential as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets. A deeper understanding of how exosomes mediate molecular mechanisms may lead to novel strategies for overcoming chemoresistance and improving treatment outcomes for ovarian cancer patients.
Background: The process and dynamics of post-stroke recovery can vary considerably across patient subgroups. However, few studies have explored long-term functional recovery profiles (an essential outcome indicator), particularly in relation to patients' quality of life, and caregiver burden. This study aimed to identify distinct 12-month trajectories of functional recovery among stroke survivors, and to examine their associations with sociodemographic and clinical factors, as well as patient-reported outcomes. Methods: The study involved 225 patients with acute ischemic stroke, assessed at admission (T0), discharge (T1), and at 3 (T2) and 12 months (T3) post-discharge. Informal caregivers participated at T2 (n = 126) and T3 (n = 118). Functional status was measured using the modified Barthel Index, quality of life using the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life scale, and caregiver burden with the Caregiver Burden Scale. Latent growth mixture modelling (LGMM) was applied to identify recovery trajectories. Associations with sociodemographic and clinical variables, quality of life, and caregiver burden were analysed using ANOVA and χ2 tests. Results: Three recovery trajectory classes were identified: Class 1 (moderate upward, 20.4%), Class 2 (low-stable, 4.9%), and Class 3 (high-functioning stable, 74.7%). Class 3 patients were younger, less impaired at baseline, and more frequently diagnosed with lacunar strokes. Class 2 comprised older, more impaired individuals and had the lowest proportion of males. Class 1 represented intermediate baseline profiles with gradual functional improvement over time. Patient-reported outcomes differed significantly between classes (p < 0.001): Class 3 had the highest quality of life and lowest caregiver burden whilst Class 2 consistently reported the poorest quality of life. Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant heterogeneity in post-stroke functional recovery and its associations with clinical, sociodemographic, and patient-reported outcomes. Identifying recovery trajectories may support more personalised stroke care and rehabilitation planning.
Background/Objectives: This study analyzed demographic, clinical, laboratory, and outcome data from patients hospitalized with Coronavirus disease 2019 in eastern Poland between March 2020 and December 2024. This study aimed to assess sex-related differences in clinical features, treatments, and outcomes, and to identify predictors of mortality and mechanical ventilation in hospitalized patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 2811 adults hospitalized across four infectious disease centers was examined. Data included demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, laboratory findings, treatments, and clinical outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of mortality and mechanical ventilation. Results: The cohort comprised 1398 females and 1413 males. Women were older (median 67.5 vs. 63 years, p < 0.0001) and had a higher burden of comorbidities, while men presented with more severe baseline respiratory status and higher inflammatory markers. Oxygen therapy was required more frequently in men (60% vs. 49.9%, p < 0.0001). Overall mortality was 8.9% and did not differ significantly by sex, although men aged 60-79 years had higher mortality than women (11.2% vs. 7.7%, p = 0.0422). Independent predictors of mortality (OR, 95%CI) included age ≥ 80 years (3.78, 2.66-5.39), procalcitonin > 1 ng/mL (OR 4.07, 2.54-6.52), interleukin-6 (IL-6) > 100 pg/mL (OR 2.24, 1.53-3.27), and oxygen therapy at admission (OR 9.41, 5.22-16.97). Predictors of mechanical ventilation were age ≥ 80 years (7.14, 1.75-33.33), procalcitonin > 1 ng/mL (OR 2.09, 1.2-3.63), IL-6 > 100 pg/mL (OR 2.3, 1.4-3.78), and CRP at admission (OR 1.82, 1.15-2.88). Conclusions: Sex-related disparities in clinical presentation, laboratory profiles, and treatment strategies were evident, but mortality differences were driven primarily by age and inflammatory burden rather than sex alone. Elevated procalcitonin, high IL-6, and early oxygen requirement emerged as robust predictors of poor outcomes.
Bridging computational phenomenology with phenomenological psychopathology requires methods that preserve the lived, contextual texture of clinical narratives while still enabling statistical inference. The Supervised Semantic Differential (SSD) supports this goal by measuring and explaining how speakers construe target concepts from language, aggregating pretrained word embeddings from local contexts around lexically anchored concept references to derive interpretable semantic directions. Here, we adapt SSD for cross-group comparison by combining permutation-based inference with centroid-contrast interpretation of personal concept vectors. We apply the method to Polish life-story clinical interviews from in-patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and a non-clinical control group ($N=62$), focusing on the concepts of self and time. Self-concept representations show robust omnibus and pairwise separations across all groups, indicating broad cross-diagnostic differences in narrative self-construal. In contrast, time-concept differences are driven primarily by BPD-related contrasts, with no reliable separation between NPD and controls, suggesting BPD-specific disruption of lived temporality. Qualitative cluster interpretation indicates that BPD narratives organize experience through relationally contextualized affective episodes and potentially crisis-linked temporal scaffolding (explicit dates, durations, and waiting), whereas NPD self-construal is comparatively decontextualized and self-referential, emphasizing regulation, stability/variability talk, and low-arousal negative affect. We relate these findings to existing phenomenological accounts of disturbed self-experience and temporality in personality disorders.
