Journals of Rzeszow University - Open Journal System
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Clinical outcomes of an integrated wound care protocol for diabetic foot ulcers ‒ a prospective study
Full text linkIntroduction and aim. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are serious complications of diabetes, often leading to infection and amputation. This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of an integrated wound care protocol in patients with DFUs.
Material and methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted among 225 patients with type 2 diabetes and Wagner grade 1–3 DFUs at PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital, Indonesia, between February and September 2024. All patients received a standardized integrated wound care protocol, including wound bed preparation, debridement, infection control, moisture balance, nutritional counseling, patient education, and ulcer offloading. The primary outcome was complete wound healing at 12 weeks; secondary outcomes were wound area reduction, BWAT score improvement, pain reduction, and infection control.
Results. By week 12, 157 patients (69.8%) achieved complete healing. Mean wound area decreased from 6.8±3.2 cm² to 1.2±1.5 cm² (p<0.001), BWAT scores improved from 28.4±4.1 to 13.6±3.8 (p<0.001), and pain scores declined from 5.8±1.6 to 2.1±1.1 (p<0.001). Infection prevalence dropped from 45.3% to 12.4% (p<0.001). Healing was highest in Wagner grade 1 (83.1%), compared with grade 2 (69.7%) and grade 3 (47.1%).
Conclusion. The integrated wound care protocol significantly improved healing, reduced wound size and pain, and controlled infection in DFU patients. These findings support its incorporation into routine multidisciplinary DFU management
Histochemical evaluation of ethanol extracts of Senecio biafrae leaves in mercury chloride-induced hepatic injury in adult male Wistar rats
Full text linkIntroduction and aim. Mercury chloride is a potent hepatotoxin that disrupts liver architecture, glucose metabolism, and nuclear integrity. To our knowledge, no previous study has evaluated the histochemical effects of the ethanol extract of Senecio biafrae leaves (EESBL) on mercury chloride-induced hepatic injury. This study presents new evidence for the glycogen stabilizing and genoprotective properties of its compounds.
Material and methods. Forty-nine adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to seven groups (n=7 per group). Except for the control, all received 4 mg/kg mercury chloride orally for 21 days. Group II rats were sacrificed immediately after exposure, while group III underwent a 21-day recovery. Group IV received 2 mg/kg silymarin, and also Groups V–VII received 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg EESBL, respectively, for 21 days. Liver tissues were harvested for histochemical evaluation using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Feulgen staining.
Results. Mercury chloride significantly depleted liver glycogen stores (PAS-positive area: control 75.00±0.56% vs toxic 20.00±1.09%). EESBL restored glycogen storage in a dose-dependent manner (200 mg/kg: 52.02±0.56%; 400 mg/kg: 60.00±0.57%; 600 mg/kg: 72.06±0.57%), approaching silymarin (68.00±0.57%). Nuclear DNA integrity was markedly affected by HgCl2 (Feulgen-positive area: control 16.20±0.19% vs toxic 9.00±0.33%). EESBL improved nuclear morphology and DNA intensity (200 mg/kg: 11.11±0.12%; 400 mg/kg: 13.20±0.44%; 600 mg/kg: 14.06±0.33%), comparable to silymarin (14.00±0.25%) (all p<0.001).
Conclusion. EESBL demonstrated protective effects against mercury chloride-induced hepatotoxicity by stabilizing hepatic glycogen metabolism and nuclear structure, underscoring its therapeutic potential in mitigating heavy metal-induced liver injury
Correlation of thyroid hormones with levels of iron and selenium in women with hypothyroidism in Basrah, Iraq
Full text linkIntroduction and aim. Trace elements play a critical role in thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism; however, data on their combined alterations in hypothyroid women from the Middle East remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum selenium (Se) and iron (Fe) levels and thyroid function in women with overt and subclinical hypothyroidism compared with euthyroid controls.
Material and methods. In this case-control study, 312 women were enrolled, including 194 patients with hypothyroidism and 118 age- and body mass index-matched euthyroid controls recruited in Basra, Iraq. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), iron (Fe), and Se were measured using standardized automated assays.
Results. Hypothyroid women had significantly higher median thyroid-stimulating hormone levels than controls (4.51 [1.9–7.5] vs. 1.45 [0.98–2.1] mU/L; p<0.0001) and lower median free thyroxine concentrations (12.48 [9.0–16.47] vs. 16.73 [14.16–20.59] pmol/L; p<0.0001). Serum iron levels were significantly reduced in hypothyroid patients (11.52 [7.79–15.83] vs. 15.90 [10.47–19.42] µmol/L; p<0.0001), as were selenium levels (0.81 [0.55–1.12] vs. 1.45 [1.18–1.92] µmol/L; p<0.0001). Age correlated positively with thyroid-stimulating hormone (Spearman’s ρ=0.449, p<0.001) and negatively with free thyroxine (ρ=-0.301, p=0.007), while no significant correlations were observed for iron or selenium.
Conclusion. Women with hypothyroidism exhibited combined selenium and iron deficiencies alongside marked hormonal disturbances. To our knowledge, this is one of the first large case-control studies in women from southern Iraq to simultaneously assess selenium and iron status in relation to thyroid function. These findings support the potential clinical relevance of routine micronutrient assessment in hypothyroid patients, particularly in regions with known dietary deficiencies
Wooden Wagons in the Kurgans of the Northwestern Pontic Region (Catalogue)
No full textWooden wagons held a special place in the funerary rites of the ancient populations of Eurasia. The tradition of placing wooden wagons in burials began in the 4th–3rd millennia BC. The most well-known examples from this period are the wagons of the Âmna [Yamna] culture. Their distribution is uneven across its territory, with the highest concentration observed in the North-western Black Sea region, within the Budžak/Âmna [Budzhak/Yamna] cultural area. Burials containvarious wooden wagons components and differing numbers of wheels. The individuals buried with wooden wagons or with their parts held a high status in the society of the Budžak/Âmna culture. This article presents a catalogue of burials with wooden wagons discovered in the North-western Black Sea region.Wooden wagons held a special place in the funerary rites of the ancient populations of Eurasia. The tradition of placing wooden wagons in burials began in the 4th–3rd millennia BC. The most well-known examples from this period are the wagons of the Âmna [Yamna] culture. Their distribution is uneven across its territory, with the highest concentration observed in the North-western Black Sea region, within the Budžak/Âmna [Budzhak/Yamna] cultural area. Burials containvarious wooden wagons components and differing numbers of wheels. The individuals buried with wooden wagons or with their parts held a high status in the society of the Budžak/Âmna culture. This article presents a catalogue of burials with wooden wagons discovered in the North-western Black Sea region
Serial high-sensitivity troponin I monitoring as a prognostic marker in acute ischemic stroke
No full textIntroduction and aim. Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a complex disease with multifactorial etiologies, often masking underlying cardiovascular morbidities that contribute to clinical outcomes. This study explored the role of serial high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-TnI) monitoring in AIS patients as a prognostic marker of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The results offer substantial information on the relationship between hs-TnI elevations and clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), echocardiographic (ECHO), and angiographic parameters in patients with AIS.
Material and methods. A prospective observational study was conducted on 60 patients with AIS in a tertiary care center, Tamil Nadu. Hs-TnI levels were measured at the time of admission and after 48 h together with ECG, ECHO. Angiographic evaluations were done in patients with elevated hs-TnI at 48 h after admission.
Results. Among the study population, hs-TnI levels increased significantly from 11.7% at admission to 20% after 48 h (p=0.02).Logistic regression showed hs-TnI at 48 h predicted mortality (odds ratio [OR]=28.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.9‒137.1, p<0.001) and coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR=48.2, 95% CI: 9.8‒236.5, p<0.001).
Conclusion. Serial monitoring of hs-TnI in AIS patients revealed its potential role in the identification of culprit lesions on coronary angiogram, which is correlated with the presence of CAD and mortality
Identification of hepatotoxicity of untreated and UV-irradiated GdYVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles
No full textIntroduction and aim. Gadolinium–yttrium orthovanadate GdYVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles (NPs) display dual redox activity, acting as pro-oxidants or antioxidants depending on the surrounding environment, concentration, and pretreatment conditions, a property that can be harnessed for potential oncological therapies. This study aims to evaluate the effect of untreated and UV-irradiated NPs administered orally on blood biochemical parameters, liver tissue, and histological condition of liver tissue in an experiment on laboratory rats.
Material and methods. Male rats of the WAG population received oral colloidal NPs solutions (in untreated and UV-irradiated forms) at different doses: (50, 100, 200) μg/kg of body weight for 14 days. The content of medium-weight molecules, alanine aminotransferase activity, direct and indirect bilirubin content, and von Willebrand factor content were determined in blood serum. The content of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, diene conjugates, and TBK-active products was determined in liver homogenates. Liver tissue samples were examined using morphological and morphometric methods.
Results. The formation of oxidative stress, intoxication, damage to endothelial cells, impaired membrane permeability, destruction of hepatocytes, and destruction of sinusoidal endothelial cells were detected.
Conclusion. It has been established that the introduction of GdYVO4: Eu3+ NP, both in untreated and UV-irradiated forms, induces dose-dependent effects, including oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, intoxication, damage to hepatocyte membranes, functional and histological damage to the liver, with more pronounced effects observed for UV-irradiated NPs
Toward a non-invasive diagnostic tool for Helicobacter pylori ‒ insights from ELISA-based biomarker profiling
No full textIntroduction and aim. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a novel ELISA-based panel of virulence-associated antibodies (anti-CagA, anti-UreB, and anti-HpNAP IgG) for early detection of Helicobacter pylori infection.
Material and methods. In this cross-sectional study of 40 dyspeptic patients, ELISA results were compared with histopathology and stool antigen testing as reference standards. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and predictors were evaluated through logistic regression.
Results. Anti-CagA IgG achieved the highest diagnostic performance (AUC=0.95; sensitivity=90.9%; specificity=94.4%), followed by anti-UreB (AUC=0.92) and anti-HpNAP (AUC=0.89). The combined biomarker model reached an AUC of 0.97, demonstrating strong correlation with both infection status and symptom severity. Agreement between stool antigen testing and histopathology was high (κ=0.80).
Conclusion. This study provides the first regional validation of a standardized three-marker ELISA panel that demonstrated high accuracy as a non-invasive diagnostic approach for early H. pylori detection, offering a cost-effective tool for use in resource-limited settings
(review) Dmytro Kiosak. Modelling the Rhythm of Neolithisation Between the Carpathians and the Dnieper River (= Antichistica 41). Venezia 2024: Edizioni Ca’ Foscari, 270 pages, 68 figures.
No full textOn Two Newly Discovered “Scythian” Arrowheads from the Sandomierz Upland
No full textDuring the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, the Sandomierz Upland was inhabited by communities of the so-called Tarnobrzeg Lusatian culture, which incorporated a range of cultural traits inspired by the Scythians which can be discerned in their ornaments, ceramics, and weaponry. Until recently, evidence of these eastern influences had been scarce and largely incidental. The recent discovery of two arrowheads – from Zawichost and Wyszmontów – clearly associated with the Scythian cultural sphere, significantly expands the available evidence for such contacts in the region. This paper offers a formal and typological analysis of these artefacts and considers the possible routes by which they may have reached the Sandomierz Upland.During the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, the Sandomierz Upland was inhabited by communities of the so-called Tarnobrzeg Lusatian culture, which incorporated a range of cultural traits inspired by the Scythians which can be discerned in their ornaments, ceramics, and weaponry. Until recently, evidence of these eastern influences had been scarce and largely incidental. The recent discovery of two arrowheads – from Zawichost and Wyszmontów – clearly associated with the Scythian cultural sphere, significantly expands the available evidence for such contacts in the region. This paper offers a formal and typological analysis of these artefacts and considers the possible routes by which they may have reached the Sandomierz Upland
Association of the GPX1 rs1050450 single nucleotide variant and identification of the novel variant rs771425412 in patients with primary osteoporosis from Baghdad, Iraq
No full textIntroduction and aim. Osteoporosis is a multifactorial bone disorder driven by genetic and environmental factors, with oxidative stress implicated in its pathogenesis. Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), a key antioxidant enzyme, modulates bone homeostasis by regulating reactive oxygen species. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the rs771425412 variant of the GPX1 gene in association with primary osteoporosis. This study investigated the association between the single nucleotide variant (rs1050450 C>T and rs771425412 C>A) and the risk of primary osteoporosis in Iraqi patients.
Material and methods. A case-control study was conducted involving 105 patients with primary osteoporosis and 105 age-/sex-matched healthy controls recruited from Baghdad Hospital. Peripheral blood genomic DNA was genotyped by PCR and direct sequencing.
Results. The rs1050450-T allele was significantly more frequent in patients than in controls (25.7% vs. 10.95%; OR=2.68, 95% CI: 1.58–4.55, p<0.001), with the CT genotype increasing the risk (dominant model: OR=3.77, 95% CI: 2.08–6.86). Similarly, the rs771425412-A allele was enriched in patients compared to controls (17.1% vs. 2.9%; OR=7.03, 95% CI: 2.93–16.92, p<0.001), and the CA genotype increased risk (OR=8.61, 95% CI: 3.47–21.3). Haplotype analysis revealed a protective C-C haplotype (OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.19–0.51), while the T-A (OR=23.2, 95% CI: 3.09–174.3) and C-A (OR=3.15, 95% CI=1.12–8.8) haplotypes were associated with increased susceptibility.
Conclusion. The CT genotype of rs1050450 and the CA genotype of rs771425412 in the GPX1 gene are significantly associated with an increased susceptibility to primary osteoporosis in the Iraqi population, likely through mechanisms involving impaired oxidative stress regulation