Vitamin D is known to have immunomodulatory properties and its deficiency is identified as an environmental risk factor for the development of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess whether low-dose vitamin D supplementation could normalize the 25(OH)D serum levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 75 nmol/L), and whether it may impact serum levels of selected cytokines. Among 44 patients (mean age 38.4 ± 10.1 years, 33 women and 11 men), after 12 months of low-dose vitamin D supplementation, serum levels of 25(OH)D normalized in 34 (77.3%) of the patients. Together with vitamin D increase, median levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL10, TGF-β) and regulatory IFN-γ increased, while proinflammatory IL-17 remained unchanged. Moreover, an increase of inorganic phosphorus levels and decrease of PTH levels were observed, but without changes in total calcium concentration. These results may indicate that long-term supplementation with low doses of vitamin D is sufficient to compensate its deficiency in patients with RRMS and may help to maintain beneficial anti-inflammatory cytokine profile.

Over the last twenty years, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) has evolved into a safe, well-tolerated and efficient surgical treatment option for aortic valve disease. It has been shown to reduce postoperative morbidity, providing faster recovery and rehabilitation, shorter hospital stay and better cosmetic results compared with conventional surgery. A variety of minimally invasive accesses have been developed and utilized to date. This concise review demonstrates and discusses surgical techniques used in contemporary approaches to MIAVR and presents the most important results of MIAVR procedures.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting around 2.8 million people worldwide. Patients’ knowledge about COVID-19 infection, and their proper protective actions, may reduce the risk of infection. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of patients with MS about SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 illness, the relationship between MS and COVID-19, willingness to be vaccinated, and the impact of the pandemic on MS care. An original, anonymous, 35-items, self-reported questionnaire was used in both web-based and on-site survey formats. Two-hundred and forty-eight questionnaires were analyzed (mean age 40.8 ± 10.6 years, 77.8% women). Participants reported the use of multiple sources of information, and the most common were websites (77.8%) and television (59.3%). The majority of participants knew the correct symptoms of COVID-19 or transmission routes (94.4%), and accepted the pandemic’s restrictions (96.8%). A total of 93.2% considered SARS-CoV-2 as highly infectious, and 69% thought they were at higher risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, mainly because of immunodeficiency (82.7%). Although most of them were afraid of COVID-19 (69.0%), only two-thirds wanted to be vaccinated. Patients who were afraid of COVID-19 had a 3.5-times higher chance to declare willingness for vaccination. A total of 29.8% patients claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic limited access to the healthcare system. This study shows that Polish patients with MS represent a good level of knowledge about COVID-19 disease, and acceptance for public rules, but their willingness for vaccinations is not sufficient. Country-wide educational campaigns should be conducted, particularly on the internet and TV. Restrictions in healthcare facilities should be balanced to secure access for patients with MS.

Second-order thermodynamic derivative properties, such as isobaric thermal molar expansions, isothermal and adiabatic molar compressibilities, and isochoric molar heat capacities of (ethanol, decan-1-ol, 2-methyl-2-butanol) + heptane mixtures at pressures up to 100 MPa and in the temperature range from 293.15 K to 318.15 K were derived from experimental speed-of-sound u(T, p), density ρ(T, p = 0.1 MPa), and isobaric heat-capacity C p (T, p = 0.1 MPa) data using appropriate thermodynamic relations. Excess values for the given properties were calculated according to the criterion of thermodynamic ideality of a mixture (Douhéret et al., Chem. Phys. Chem. 2, 148 (2001)), i.e., assuming that the chemical potential of component i in the ideal liquid mixture is equal to the chemical potential of component i in the mixture of perfect gases. The deviations from ideality for the mixtures under test have been explained in terms of the self-association of alcohols in solution which produces a strong departure from random mixing, the change in the non-specific interactions during mixing, and the packing effects.