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Background Arterial fenestration and duplication is brain vascular developmental anomaly. Typically it is found in ACom, VA-BA, MCA segments. It may be accompanied by an aneurysm as a result of anatomy and factors forming vessel wall stress resistance. Such malformation is very rare in ICA locations, and almost no cases are described involving PCom. Presented case of double PCom with aneurysm puts an insight on possible fetal development of that ICA branch. Case presentation We present a case of a patient diagnosed with ICA and double PCom origin affected by an aneurysm. Patient was diagnosed due to history of migraine. DSA confirmed an aneurysm located on ventral side of C6ICA with accompanying two ICA branches that formed vascular structure, PCom with double origin. The patient underwent microvascular clipping with good results. Intraoperatively two vessels originating independently from ICA were recognized that merged on their further course and later formed PCom running to interpeduncular fossa. Similar, very rare lesions are recognized as ICA fenestration. They are formed due to failure to fuse in its developmental plexiform stage. In case of PCom development, much less detail is described in the literature. Paget stage one also shows stage with primitive flexiform PCom. It might stay multichannel after congenital period and be observed in the form of this malformation. Blood flow is changed in affected artery in two ways: by decreased vessel cross-sectional area and by increased wall stress in narrowed vessels. This stress load and increased blood flow speed may be additionally affected by unfavorable vessel angle. In result aneurysm formation in fenestrations, duplications can be observed. Conclusions ICA/PCom fenestration aneurysms can be treated effectively by microsurgical and endovascular methods. Because of changed vascular wall stress, patients diagnosed with arterial fenestrations might benefit from follow-up for aneurysm formation even if not detected initially.

This Polish multicenter study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Flow Direction Endoluminal Device (FRED) in treating selected unruptured intracranial aneurysms. The FRED Poland Study was an observational, multicenter, prospective study conducted in 8 Polish investigational sites. Imaging results were independently assessed by a Corelab and adverse events were adjudicated by a Clinical Events Committee (CEC). Clinical results up to 24 months and anatomical results at 6-, 12- and 24-months post-treatment were reported. A total of 86 patients with 89 target aneurysms were enrolled between January 2016 and September 2017. Most aneurysms were located on the anterior circulation (93.2%, 83/89 aneurysms) with the majority (64.0%, 57/89) being small (< 10 mm) in size. Treatment was successfully performed in 86 out of 89 cases (96.6%). The permanent neurological morbidity rate was 3.6%, and the neurological mortality rate was 2.4%. Imaging follow-up at 6 months showed complete occlusion of the aneurysm in 64.9% of cases, increasing to 79.5% at 12 months and 85.5% at 24 months. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the flow diversion treatment approach, demonstrating that the FRED device is effective and safe for use in intracranial aneurysm treatment. These results align with existing literature, reaffirming the device reliability and suitability for clinical use.

Brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) is a rare pathology diagnosed mostly in young adults. However, due to its hemorrhagic complications, it constitutes an important clinical problem. Treatment modalities available include endovascular, surgery and radiosurgery. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment of BAVM with Onyx® by reporting one-center experience. Between 2006 and 2013, 54 patients with BAVM were embolized with Onyx. The group consisted of 24 males and 30 females, aged 10 to 65 years (mean 42.6±15.4). Clinical manifestations of BAVMs were: hemorrhage in 27 (50.0%), headaches in 12 (22.2%), seizures in 7 (13.0%) and focal neurologic deficits in 2 (3.7%) patients. Six (11.1%) patients were asymptomatic. A majority of BAVMs were of II and III grade in Spetzler-Martin scale (19 and 22 cases respectively). A total number of 108 endovascular procedures were performed (mean 2.00±0.98 sessions/patient). Complete obliteration of malformation was achieved in 25 (46.3%) patients, mostly with grade II and III BAVMs. In 29 (53.7%) patients, embolization led to a decrease in size of BAVM that made it feasible for other treatment modality. Morbidity and mortality rates were 5.6% and 1.8% respectively. The rate of hemorrhagic complications was 9.3%. Embolization of BAVM with Onyx® is an effective and safe method of treatment. However, regarding type and consequences of complications, the technique needs further improvement.

The multidimensional etiology of pain may explain the beneficial effects of regular physical activity, as evidenced by increased pain tolerance. Physically active people find it easier to exert themselves, which enables them to increase their physical activity, which in turn leads to a reduction in pain. However, no study investigated the physical activity and exercise tests as modulators of pain sensitivity in pregnant women. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the changes in pain perception in pregnant women during pregnancy, with a particular interest in the effects of maximal progressive exercise test (CPET) and self-performed physical activity (PA). Thirty-one women with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy (aged 23–41 years; M = 31.29, SD = 4.18) were invited to participate in pain sensitivity measurements before and after CPET twice during pregnancy (with an 8-week break). We found that pregnant women had a significantly lower pain threshold after a maximal exercise test than before, regardless of whether the test was performed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. This effect was most pronounced in women with low levels of physical activity. Second, women with high physical activity had higher pain tolerance than women with moderate and low physical activity. In addition, physical activity levels predicted changes in pain tolerance over the course of pregnancy, with negative changes in women with low physical activity and positive changes in women with moderate physical activity. Finally, these associations were not reflected in differences in the subjective pain experience.

Although IR thermography is widely used in medical diagnostics, there are no reports that describe the use of IR thermography in the evaluation of post-plastic-surgery regeneration processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential of thermography as a method which, among others, allows us to determine the location and extent of the inflammatory process, supporting the clinical evaluation of the patient’s convalescence after a facelift surgery using the SMAS technique. During the study and in order to monitor the convalescence process, the patient had a series of face thermograms performed before surgery and up to the 6th week after it. The healing process after surgery was multidirectional for the contralateral areas of the face, leading to thermal asymmetry lasting up to the 3rd week of convalescence. The lowest Tmean values for ROIs were recorded in week 3 of the study and then they gradually increased, in week 6 after surgery, to the following values: chin = 33.1 ± 0.72 °C; cheek left = 33.0 ± 0.26 °C; cheek right = 33.2 ± 0.51 °C; ZFL = 33.8 ± 0.45 °C; ZFR = 33.6 ± 0.74 °C; ZLL = 32.6 ±0.55 °C; ZLR = 32.3 ± 0.32 °C. The temperatures of these areas were still lower than the baseline values obtained before surgery by 0.5–1.4 °C. The usefulness of thermography in the evaluation of post-operative convalescence in facial plastic surgery procedures shows potential in the context of diagnostic assessment of the dynamics of changes in the healing process.

Exposure to low temperatures can be considered a stressor, which when applied for a specific time can lead to adaptive reactions. In our study we hypothesized that cold, when applied to the entire body, may be a factor that positively modifies the aging process of bones by improving the mechanisms related to the body’s mineral balance. Taking the above into account, the aim of the study was to determine the concentration of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P) in bones, and to examine bone density and concentrations of the key hormones for bone metabolism, namely parathyroid hormone (PTH), somatotropin (GH), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 17-β estradiol, testosterone (T) in plasma, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the bone of aging rats subjected to physical training in cold water. The animals in the experiment were subjected to a series of swimming sessions for nine weeks. Study group animals (male and female respectively) performed swimming training in cold water at 5 ± 2 °C and in water with thermal comfort temperature (36 ± 2 °C). Control animals were kept in a sedentary condition. Immersion in cold water affects bone mineral metabolism in aging rats by changing the concentration of Ca, Mg, and P in the bone, altering bone mineral density and the concentration of key hormones involved in the regulation of bone mineral metabolism. The effect of cold-water immersion may be gender-dependent. In females, it decreases Ca and Mg content in bones while increasing bone density and 17-β estradiol and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels, and with a longer perspective in aging animals may be positive not only for bone health but also other estrogen-dependent tissues. In males, cold water swimming decreased PTH and PGE2 which resulted in a decrease in phosphorus content in bones (with no effect on bone density), an increase in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and increase in T and GH, and may have positive consequences especially in bones and muscle tissue for the prevention of elderly sarcopenia.

The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics and factors related to pain perception in pregnant women, such as optimism, personality traits, and fear of developing COVID-19 consequences. Sixty-six pregnant women aged 23 to 42 years participated in the study, and the comparison group consisted of n = 59 non-pregnant female students aged 19 to 23 years. Pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance were measured with an algometer. To assess psychological characteristics, the Life-Orientation Test-Revised was used to assess optimism, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess COVID-19 anxiety, and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory was applied to assess personality traits in a five-factor model. The main results of the study showed that pain tolerance was significantly lower in both dominant and non-dominant hand pregnant women than in the comparison group. The studied pregnant women had higher scores for conscientiousness, fear of COVID-19, and optimism compared with the non-pregnant women. Regression analysis showed that the variability in pain perception among pregnant women could not be explained by individual differences in personality traits, optimism, and fear of COVID-19.

Appropriate gestational weight gain (GWG) favors fewer complications related to pregnancy, delivery, puerperium, and the condition of the fetus and newborn baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate weight gain in women during and after pregnancy, including both women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Materials and methods: The study involved 42 singleton pregnant women diagnosed with GDM between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. The control group consisted of 28 nondiabetic women with a singleton pregnancy. The pre-pregnancy BMI, intra-pregnancy weight gain, and postpartum body weight were assessed in the participants. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the values of intra-pregnancy weight gain. Only diabetic women who were also overweight or obese had a significantly higher percentage of weight gain during pregnancy. The analysis of the percentage of weight gain during the entire pregnancy showed differences only in the group of women with pre-pregnancy BMI over 30. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in total pregnancy or mid-pregnancy weight gain between women with and without GDM. Most of the women had too high or too low total-pregnancy and mid-pregnancy weight gain. Therefore it is necessary to control GWG and educate pregnant women about it.

The TP-84 bacteriophage, which infects Geobacillus stearothermophilus strain 10 (G. stearothermophilus), has a genome size of 47.7 kilobase pairs (kbps) and contains 81 predicted protein-coding ORFs. One of these, TP84_26 encodes a putative tail fiber protein possessing capsule depolymerase activity. In this study, we cloned the TP84_26 gene into a high-expression Escherichia coli (E. coli) system, modified its N-terminus with His-tag, expressed both the wild type gene and His-tagged variant, purified the recombinant depolymerase variants, and further evaluated their properties. We developed a direct enzymatic assay for the depolymerase activity toward G. stearothermophilus capsules. The recombinant TP84_26 protein variants effectively degraded the existing bacterial capsules and inhibited the formation of new ones. Our results provide insights into the novel TP84_26 depolymerase with specific activity against thermostable G. stearothermophilus and its role in the TP-84 life cycle. The identification and characterization of novel depolymerases, such as TP84_26, hold promise for innovative strategies to combat bacterial infections and improve various industrial processes.

Each year approximately 1 million total hip replacements are performed worldwide. The most common indications to choose this procedure are rest pain and pain after activity as well as functional limitations influencing daily activities. Experimental pain is highly variable by individuals, which is partly due to genetics. The aim of the study was to investigate a possible association of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and μ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) genotypes with pain perception in patients undergoing total hip replacement and total knee replacement taking into account aspects such as age, sex and diabetes. The study included 207 patients (119 females, 88 males, median age 65 years, range 33–77) that qualified for surgical treatment (total hip replacement and knee arthroplasty) due to osteoarthritis. Pain sensitivity measurement was performed using a standard algometer. The genomic DNA was extracted from the buccal cells.. Single locus analysis was conducted using a general linear model. In the study group, we did not find statistically significant genetic associations between variants of COMT and OPRM1 and pain thresholds/pain tolerance. The analysis of subjective pain perception using the visual analog scale did not show any relationship between the OPRM1 rs1799971A>G variant and COMT rs4680, rs4633, rs4818 and rs6269.