Medicine is a rapidly-evolving discipline, with progress picking up pace with each passing decade. This constant evolution results in the introduction of new tools and methods, which in turn occasionally leads to paradigm shifts across the affected medical fields. The following review attempts to showcase how 3D printing has begun to reshape and improve processes across various medical specialties and where it has the potential to make a significant impact. The current state-of-the-art, as well as real-life clinical applications of 3D printing, are reflected in the perspectives of specialists practicing in the selected disciplines, with a focus on pre-procedural planning, simulation (rehearsal) of non-routine procedures, and on medical education and training. A review of the latest multidisciplinary literature on the subject offers a general summary of the advances enabled by 3D printing. Numerous advantages and applications were found, such as gaining better insight into patient-specific anatomy, better pre-operative planning, mock simulated surgeries, simulation-based training and education, development of surgical guides and other tools, patient-specific implants, bioprinted organs or structures, and counseling of patients. It was evident that pre-procedural planning and rehearsing of unusual or difficult procedures and training of medical professionals in these procedures are extremely useful and transformative.

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Background. The use of new imaging techniques has contributed significantly to earlier diagnosis and treatment of cardiac tumors.Objectives. The aim of the study was to analyze data from children with cardiac tumors in terms of clinical presentation, the role of noninvasive diagnostic procedures and the long-term outcome.Material and methods. The data analyzed retrospectively concerned 30 children in whom cardiac tumors were diagnosed from January 1995 to July 2015. The cardiac evaluation included a review of the subjects' medical records and medical history, a physical examination, standard 12-lead electrocardiography, echocardiography and 24-h Holter ECG monitoring at the time of diagnosis and at 6-12 month intervals during the follow-up at the authors' outpatient clinic.Results. Most of the children did not need cardiac surgery; surgical tumor excision was necessary in 3 cases only. There was 1 death in the follow-up period. Rhabdomyoma was diagnosed in 22 cases, and in 16 of them tuberous sclerosis was confirmed during the follow-up period. In the remaining 8 cases, fibroma was the most likely diagnosis.Conclusions. The symptomatology of cardiac tumors in children can vary greatly, from the absence of any symptoms up to heart failure and respiratory distress indicating the need for surgical intervention. The diagnosis of cardiac tumors relies almost exclusively on noninvasive imaging techniques. The observations in this study confirm the fact that the most common cardiac tumor in children is rhabdomyoma, which may disappear spontaneously. Most patients with cardiac tumors do not require treatment.

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The presence of the pyrrolidonyl peptidase activity in many tissues of pig, cow, rabbit, guinea-pig, rat, mouse, pigeon, hen and carp has been demonstrated. It was also found in some human tissues and in plants. The enzyme from the pigeon liver was partially purified and some of its properties were studied. By means of gel filtration of the pigeon and rabbit liver homogenates two enzyme fractions were separated and their molecular weight was estimated. The enzyme activity was inhibited by some ions, by -SH-blocking reagents, by pyrrolidone carboxylic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Its specifity seemed t.0 be connected only with pyrrolidonecarboxylyl group, present in the substrate molecule.The presence of N-terminal pyrrolidonecarboxylyl group in some peptides and proteins has already been described by many mthors [l-4]. This group is synthesized enzymatically by cyclization of glutaminyl-tRNA to produce pyrrolidonecarboxylyltRNA and then transferred to the newly forming peptide chain [5].It is known that pyrrolidonecarboxylyl peptide bond is not hydrolysed by classical peptidyl hydrolases and therefore it is interesting to find a specific enzyme catalysing this reaction. Recently, the presence of this enzyme named pyrrolidonyl peptidase (and also known as pyrrolidonecarboxylyl peptidase [9]) has been described in Pseudomoms fluorescem [i], in Bacillus subtilis [6] and in many strains of Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Arizona, Neisseria, Streptococcus and Stuphylococcus [7].I n this communication the presence of pyrrolidonyl peptidase in mammalian, bird, fish, plant and human tissues has been described. Some properties of the peptidase from rabbit and pigeon liver have been studied and also partial purification of it presented.A part of results contained in this communication was presented a t the 6th FEBS Meeting in Madrid, 1969 [S].