Biomedical subjects

M Walczak

Publications and source records attributed to M Walczak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension in high-risk ambulatory elders.

1. Orthostatic hypotension may be a serious threat, especially among the elderly. It may be characterized as a change in diastolic or systolic blood pressure, a narrowing of pulse pressure, or tachycardia. 2. Physiological changes of aging super-imposed on illness or the use of medications appear to contribute to the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension and its symptoms. It is the combination of known risk factors of debility, medications, and common geriatric illnesses, such as diabetes, that notably create the symptoms. 3. Nurses can do much to reduce the associated symptoms and threat of synergistic effects on blood pressure. Careful measurements of blood pressure and pulse in various positions should be incorporated into routine nursing practice. Management of patients with orthostatic hypotension necessitates that nursing interventions be aimed at preventing injuries from associated falls.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

Activity of B-cell lineage system in the cord blood of newborns.

To evaluate the B cell lineage system in newborns we estimated IL-4 (BCGF/BSF-1) production by lymphocytes isolated from the cord blood and its influence on antibody synthesis. Undertaken experiments were performed in two groups of newborns: stressed newborns mainly with perinatal infection and full-term healthy neonates, comparing to peripheral blood of adults as control. Results revealed 1) the significantly higher percentage of mature B cells (B1) in cord blood of stressed newborns, 2) the significantly higher IL-4 production comparing to full-term neonates, 3) diminished IgG and IgA synthesis in vitro by allogenic activated B cell blasts in the presence of supernatants from cultures of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes isolated from cord blood of stressed newborns. Induction of IgM synthesis by these active supernatants was significantly higher in stressed newborns than in the other examined groups. We suggest that immunoregulatory mechanisms, which control the production of IL-6 (BCDF/BSF-2) are still not completely mature at birth.

B-Lymphocytes↗

PubMed1991

The influence of D-Ala1-peptide T amide, an analogue of HIV glycoprotein 120 fragment, on the CD4--anti CD4 lymphocyte interaction.

D-Ala1-peptide T amide (DAPTA), synthetic analogue of the HIV glycoprotein 120 sequence, was used to study its binding to specific cellular receptor of HIV, CD4. The analogue contains eight aminoacid residues including 4 threonine residues; its molecular weight being 992. We have shown the temperature- and dose-dependent inhibitory effect of peptide T on the CD4 - anti CD4 binding. The strongest effect was noted at 37 degrees C with the peptide dose of 150 nM: 62% inhibition of binding. Other means of possible blocking of HIV attachment to the host cellular receptor are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

[Prematurity and intrauterine hypotrophy in the light of selected medical and socioeconomic factors among children's population in Szczecin].

During the period of two-year-long studies (15.03.1985-14.03.1987) as many as 11.2% of newborn infants were born in Szczecin with low body mass. The studies covered 498 out of 659 infants born, at that period, with low body mass at two Clinics of Obstetrics--Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics--PMA in Szczecin. Of 498 studied infants born with low body mass: 327 (65.7%) were born prematurely, therein 65 (13.1%) prematurely with a feature of intra-uterine hypotrophy, and 171 (34.3%) were delivered with hypotrophy at term or delayed deliveries. For determining the incidence rate of symmetric and asymmetric forms of hypotrophy 94 infants born with body mass 2500 g, and meeting the criteria of this syndrome, were added to the group of 171 infants with hypotrophy, who were born at term or post-term with low body mass. On the basis of the weight index (WI) in 53 (20%) out of 265 children with hypotrophy born at term or post-term the established diagnosis revealed symmetric form of hypotrophy, while in 212 (80%) asymmetric one of this syndrome. The control group was made up of 337 eutrophic infants, delivered at term and selected in a lottery-target manner. In order to define the causes of prematurity and intra-uterine hypotrophy the mothers of the studied infants were subjected to retrospective studies by questionnaires. The results provided by the studies were elaborated by using electronic computing technique. In the majority of cases it was disclosed that there was a multifunctional base for the low body mass, whereas both prematurity and hypotrophy were essentially associated with cigarette smoking, the work done by mothers under conditions being harmful to their health, elementary education of the parents and little body mass increase during pregnancy. Besides the share of the mentioned factors, prematurity prevalently occurred in women, who experienced miscarriages, immature and premature deliveries, as well as in women with body mass deficit. However, the intra-uterine hypotrophy involved evidently more frequently women with arterial hypertension during the pregnancy, previously bearing children with intra-uterine hypotrophy, and whose physical conditions were unfavourable.

Abortion, Threatened↗

PubMed1989

Poisson regression modeling of temporal variation in incidence of childhood insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and Wielkopolska, Poland, 1970-1985.

Contradictory observations have accumulated regarding a secular trend and/or an epidemic pattern in the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus incidence below age 15 years was examined in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and in Wielkopolska, Poland, two areas diverse in terms of their geography and average risk for this disease. Numerator data were extracted from individual patient records, and annual denominator data were available for the years 1970-1985. Poisson regression models were used to disentangle the contributions of country, race, sex, age, period, and cohort effects to the observed variation in incidence. Poles and Allegheny County nonwhites were at greatly and moderately reduced risk, respectively, relative to Allegheny County whites. An increase in risk with age was significant and proportional in all three groups. There was significant time variability in Wielkopolska, where an epidemic began in 1982 and continued through 1985. This was a period rather than a cohort phenomenon and was a result of a recent outbreak of the disease rather than a long-term trend. In Allegheny County, changes in risk over the 16-year period were insignificant, although incidence doubled among whites aged 0-9 years during 1982-1983. The Poisson regression modeling provided a quantification and formal comparison of determinants of the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Anti-thyroid autoantibodies in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

The study was aimed at the assessment of frequency of occurrence of thyroid antimicrosomal and antithyreoglobuln autoantibodies in children with insulin-dependent diabetes and healthy control children. The occurrence of thyroid autoantibodies was analyzed with respect to the age and sex of children and the duration of the disease. The studied group was composed of 199 children of age between 2 and 17 years with insulin-dependent diabetes. Control group included 100 healthy children. Thyroid autoantibodies were determined by using a solid phase radioimmunoassay. Antimicrosomal antibodies were detected in 35% of diabetic children, but only in 1% of healthy children. Neither in diabetic nor in control children the occurrence of antithyreoglobulin antibodies was significant. The frequency of occurrence of antimicrosomal antibodies was not related to age of children or the duration of diabetes. The occurrence of these antibodies was significantly more frequent in girls (in 70% of cases) than in boys (30% of cases).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Apparent epidemic of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Midwestern Poland.

There is no information concerning the risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in eastern Europe. An IDDM registry has been developed in Midwest Poland for 1970-1984. The risk of developing IDDM in Polish children was determined through utilization of the registry. The incidence of IDDM in Polish children was very low compared with other Caucasian populations. There was a major increase in risk beginning in 1982; the incidence almost doubled from 3.5/100,000 in 1970-1981 to 6.6/100,000 in 1982-1984. The pattern of IDDM in the high-risk period was different from that in the low-risk period, with an altered seasonal pattern and unusual increased incidence in younger children. The rapid increase in incidence as well as altered epidemiologic patterns during this period suggest that major alterations of environmental factors were responsible for the change in risk.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985