Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) tightly couple maintenance of the bone marrow (BM) reservoir, including undifferentiated long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs), with intensive daily production of mature leukocytes and blood replenishment. We found two daily peaks of BM HSPC activity that are initiated by onset of light and darkness providing this coupling. Both peaks follow transient elevation of BM norepinephrine and TNF secretion, which temporarily increase HSPC reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Light-induced norepinephrine and TNF secretion augments HSPC differentiation and increases vascular permeability to replenish the blood. In contrast, darkness-induced TNF increases melatonin secretion to drive renewal of HSPCs and LT-HSC potential through modulating surface CD150 and c-Kit expression, increasing COX-2/αSMA macrophages, diminishing vascular permeability, and reducing HSPC ROS levels. These findings reveal that light- and darkness-induced daily bursts of norepinephrine, TNF, and melatonin within the BM are essential for synchronized mature blood cell production and HSPC pool repopulation.

Intoxications with nitrous oxide have been, and still are, a rarity in forensic medicine. Apart from accidental overdose during hospital procedures, intoxication with this gas is the result of voluntary inhalation. We report the fatal case of a 32-year-old male who died during inhalation of nitrous oxide from whipped dairy cream cans and hint on the role of the internet in creating new behaviors among drug addicts. We rely on the autopsy report from the Department of Forensic Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, on laboratory tests, and court files. Neither the autopsy nor the toxicologic and histopathologic tests disclosed the exact cause of death. However, circumstances in which the body was discovered were indicative that death resulted from cardiorespiratory failure. The present case is interesting with regard to its rarity, diagnostic difficulties and potential harm from nitrous oxide used by the food industry.

This study presents the fatal case of a young man who was admitted to the ICAU due to sudden cardiac arrest. An interview revealed that the patient had taken some unspecified crystals. From the moment of admission, his condition deteriorated dramatically as a result of increasing circulatory insufficiency. After a few hours, sudden cardiac arrest occurred again and the patient was pronounced dead. In the course of a medicolegal autopsy, samples of biological material were preserved for toxicology tests and histopathological examination. The analysis of samples using the LC-MS/MS technique revealed the presence of α-PVP in the following concentrations: blood-174 ng/mL, urine-401 ng/mL, brain-292 ng/g, liver-190 ng/g, kidney-122 ng/g, gastric contents-606 ng/g. The study also presents findings from the parallel histopathological examination. Based on these findings, cardiac arrest secondary to intoxication with alpha-PVP was determined as the direct cause of the patient's death.

STRESZCZENIEWstęp: W wielu badaniach wykazano, że nienasycone kwasy tłuszczowe typu trans są najbardziej szkodliwym rodzajem kwasów tłuszczowych, a ich spożywanie może prowadzić do nasilenia stresu oksydacyjnego, niekorzystnych zmian stężenia frakcji cholesterolu LDL oraz zaburzać metabolizm kwasów tłuszczo-wych z rodziny omega -6 i omega -3.Celem pracy było określenie tego, jak kształtują się stęże-nia kwasu elaidynowego i wakcenowego w osoczu krwi kobiet w okresie okołoporodowym, osoczu krwi pobranej z żyły pępo-winowej oraz ustalenie, czy istnieją zależności pomiędzy stę-żeniami nienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych typu trans we krwi matek i ich dzieci, co mogłoby wskazywać na istnienie przezłożyskowego transportu tych kwasów. Określono także korelacje pomiędzy stężeniami nienasyconych kwasów tłusz-czowych typu trans we krwi matek i krwi żyły pępowinowej a masą i długością ciała noworodków. Materiał i metody: Badaniami objęto 53 kobiety w wieku 18-39 lat, pacjentki bloku operacyjno -porodowego Kliniki Położnictwa i Perinatologii Pomorskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Szczecinie oraz ich noworodki. W osoczu krwi ciężarnych i krwi pępowinowej oznaczono zawartość kwasu elaidynowego i wakcenowego. Estry metylowe kwasów tłuszczowych nastrzykiwano na kolumnę kapilarną chromatografu gazowego 6890M Agilent wyposażonego w autosampler. Izomery geometryczne i pozycyjne kwasów tłuszczowych były identyfikowane na podstawie porówna-nia czasów retencji z wzorcami kwasów tłuszczowych firmy Sigma -Aldrich. Zawartość poszczególnych kwasów tłuszczo-wych odczytywano na podstawie krzywych wzorcowych i wyrażono w mg/mL. Wyniki: Najniższe stężenie obydwu kwasów tłuszczowych zaobserwowano w osoczu krwi pępowinowej. Stężenie kwasu elaidynowego kształtowało się na poziomie 0,0019 mg/mL ±0,0013 mg/mL, natomiast kwasu wakcenowego: 0,0007 mg/mL ±0,0011 mg/mL. Zaobserwowano istotną statystycznie ujemną korelacje pomiędzy stężeniem kwasu wakcenowego w osoczu matki i osoczu krwi pępowinowej. SUMMARY Introduction:The studies suggest that trans fatty acids are the most harmful type of fatty acids, and their ingestion leads to an increase in oxidative stress, changes in the plasma levels of LDL cholesterol, and a reduction in n -6 and n -3 fatty acids utilization.The objective of this study was to determine the concentration profiles of elaidic and vaccenic acids in maternal blood plasma in the perinatal period, and in the plasma of blood collected from the umbilical vein. The article deals with the issue of the correlation between the levels of trans -unsaturated fatty acids in maternal and neonatal blood, which could suggest the transplacental transport of these acids. The potential correlations between the levels of trans -unsaturated fatty acids in maternal and umbilical blood and birth weight and body length in neonates was also verified. Material and methods:The study group comprised 53 pregnant patients of the Clinic of Obstetrics and Perinatology of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, aged 18-39 years, together with their newbor...

The etiology of drug addiction, a central nervous system (CNS) disease, is not fully known. This complex problem is believed to be connected with concurrently affecting genetic, psychological and environmental factors. The development of addiction is connected with CNS reinforcement system and dopaminergic neurotransmission. Molecular processes are postulated to be of universal character and allow to presume a similar mechanism of dependence for both ethanol and other substances. Therefore, elements of dopaminergic transmission become excellent candidates for the examination of genetic influence on the development of addiction. A relationship between alcoholic disease and the presence of TaqIA1 and DRD2 alleles permits to initiate another investigation of gene-coding DRD2 dopamine receptor. The latest results indicate the importance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the regulation of dopaminergic route. The purpose of this research was to reveal the relationship between the Val66Met BDNF gene polymorphism and dependence of psychoactive agent. The examinations were performed with the Local Research Ethics Committee approval and patient's consent. The study group consisted of 100 patients (88 men and 12 women) aged 18-52 years, qualified for research program according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) requirements, medical examination and detailed questionnaire.