Structural and dynamical properties of guest molecules confined in mesoporous silica materials revealed by NMR.

In the last fifteen years several novel porous silica materials, which are periodically structured on the mesoscopic length scale, have been synthesized. They are of broad interest for fundamental studies of surface-substrate interactions, for studies of the dynamics of guest molecules in confinement and for studies of the effect of confinement on the structural and thermophysical properties of fluids. Examples of such confinement effects include the change of the freezing and melting points or glass transitions of the confined liquids.

[Hallucinogenic fungi (psilocybe). Part II. Identification of Psilocybe semilanceata by PCR].

Psilocybe semilanceata belongs to the genus of Psilocybe; it is a hallucinogenic fungus, frequently found in regions with high rainfall, in the grass and moss. There are estimated to be as many as eight Psilocybe hallucinogenic species containing psychoactive alkaloids, such as psilocybin and psilocin, which may cause visual, auditory and other hallucinations, as well as profound changes in the perception of time and space. Since identification of P semilanceata in a form different than a fresh mushroom is almost impossible, the authors made an attempt at developing a method of fungi identification based on the PCR technique, which could be helpful in a fight against dangerous consumption of these hallucinogens by the youth.

Bromodeoxyuridine labeling index as an indicator of early tumor response to preoperative radiotherapy in patients with rectal cancer.

Purpose: Assessment of tumor proliferation rate using Bromodeoxyuridine labeling index (BrdUrdLI) as a possible predictor of rectal cancer response to preoperative radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Material: Ninety-two patients were qualified either to short RT (5 Gy/fraction/5 days) and surgery about 1 week after RT (schedule I), or to short RT and 4-5 weeks interval before surgery (schedule II). Tumor samples were taken twice from each patient: before RT and at the time of surgery.

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex II affects dopamine metabolism and decreases its uptake into striatal synaptosomes.

The mitochondrial toxin, 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), is a specific inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, complex II in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between inhibition of mitochondrial complex II and dopamine (DA) metabolism and its transport into rat striatal synaptosomes after exposure to 3-NP. The study was carried out using spectrophotometric, radiochemical and HPLC methods.

Alpha-synuclein potentiates Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.

Alpha-synuclein localized in synaptic terminals plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The central domain of the protein, the nonamyloid component, is probably responsible for alpha-synuclein toxicity. Here, we report that alpha-synuclein and its nonamyloid component induced Ca2+ influx in rat synaptoneurosomes.

Age and bromodeoxyuridine labelling index as prognostic factors in high-grade gliomas treated with surgery and radiotherapy.

Aims: To determine the prognostic value of proliferative potential and DNA ploidy in 72 brain tumours (36 grade III and 36 grade IV astrocytomas) using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) incorporation and flow cytometry.

Material And Methods: All 72 patients underwent excision, mostly incomplete of the tumour. After surgery, eight patients received conventionally fractionated radiotherapy, 11 patients received accelerated radiotherapy, and 53 patients received hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Phosphatidylinositol transfer protein expression altered by aging and Parkinson disease.

1. Phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PI-TP) are responsible for the transport of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and other phospholipids from endoplasmic reticulum to the other membranes and indirectly for lipid mediated signaling. Till now little is known about PI-TPs in brain aging and neurodegeneration.

Mechanism of nuclear spin initiated para-H2 to ortho-H2 conversion.

In this paper a quantitative explanation for a diamagnetic ortho/para H2 conversion is given. The description is based on the quantum-mechanical density matrix formalism originally developed by Alexander and Binsch for studies of exchange processes in NMR spectra. Only the nuclear spin system is treated quantum-mechanically.

Alpha-synuclein and its neurotoxic fragment inhibit dopamine uptake into rat striatal synaptosomes. Relationship to nitric oxide.

Alpha-synuclein (ASN), a 140-amino acid protein, is richly expressed in presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system, where it plays a role in synaptic vesicle function. However, if it is altered and accumulated it is involved in neurodegeneration as Parkinson's disease (PD). ASN contained 35-amino acid domain known as non-amyloid beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC) that is probably responsible for its aggregation and toxicity.

Thyroid volume and hormone response in the early kidney transplants.

Background: Thyroid hormones could affect renal function, and conversely renal function disturbances may affect thyroid function. Disturbances of the thyroid hormone concentration are often connected with thyroid gland enlargement. The aim of study was to estimate the function and morphology of the thyroid and kidney graft after kidney transplantation.

Effect of aging and oxidative/genotoxic stress on poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 activity in rat brain.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1, EC 2.4.2.

Alzheimer's disease related peptides affected cholinergic receptor mediated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity in the hippocampus.

Our previous studies indicated that Alzheimer's disease (AD) related amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) significantly altered muscarinic cholinergic receptor (mChR) signaling on the level of G protein regulated phospholipase C (PLC) leading to the lower formation of inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). Recent studies indicated that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a new nuclear target in signal transduction pathway in the brain. In this study the effect of Abeta 25-35 (25 microM) and non-Abeta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC, 10 microM) on mChR-dependent signaling to PARP-1 was determined.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 is a novel nuclear target for cholinergic receptor signaling in the hippocampus.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear enzyme involved in DNA repair and transcription regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PARP-1 in muscarinic cholinergic receptor signaling. Our data indicate that activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors by carbachol (1mM) in the presence of GTP gamma S evoked a significant enhancement of PARP activity in the adult rat hippocampus.

Non A beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid and amyloid beta peptides evoked poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-dependent release of apoptosis-inducing factor from rat brain mitochondria.

Amyloid beta peptide (A beta) and non-A beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC) are involved in pathomechanism of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and are deposited in the AD brain in the form of senile plaques. However, the mechanism of their neurotoxicity is not fully understood. In this study the sequence of events involved in NAC and A beta peptides evoked toxicity was investigated in brain slices, synaptosomes and in subcellular fractions.

Expression of alpha-synuclein in different brain parts of adult and aged rats.

The synucleins are a family of presynaptic proteins that are abundant in neurons and include alpha-, beta, and gamma-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein (ASN) is involved in several neurodegenerative age-related disorders but its relevance in physiological aging is unknown. In the present study we investigated the expression of ASN mRNA and protein in the different brain parts of the adult (4-month-old) and aged (24-month-old) rats by using RT-PCR technique and Western blot, respectively.

Are stromal fibroblasts from cervical tumors suitable to predict normal tissue radiation reaction?

We examined the effect of gamma-irradiation (4 Gy) alone or combined with estrogen (17beta-estradiol 15 microM) treatment on the radiation response of stromal fibroblasts from cervical tumors. The fibroblasts were derived from tumors of 9 younger (<50 years) and 9 older (>50 years) cervical cancer patients. A normal fibroblast GSH+/+ cell strain was used as a reference cell.

Prognostic significance of intratumour microvessel density and haemoglobin level in carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

The prognostic significance of intratumour microvessel density (IMD) and haemoglobin (Hb) level was studied in 152 (FIGO stage IB-IIIB) cervical cancer patients before radiotherapy. Patients' age and tumour stage, grade and degree of keratinization were also studied. IMD measurement expressed as the mean vessel count per 1 mm2 was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour biopsies stained with anti-factor VIII antibody (DAKO Ltd.

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy and proliferation rate in human astrocytic gliomas.

DNA ploidy and the proliferative potential in 75 gliomas were investigated using bromodeoxyuridine labelling index (BrdUrd LI), S-phase fraction (SPF) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) technique. There were 53 highly malignant (AIII-AIV), and 22 low-grade (AI-AII) gliomas. One fragment of the tumour was fixed in Carnoy's solution for AgNOR test, while the other fragments were used for flow cytometric determination of the labelling index, SPF and DNA ploidy.

[Monitoring of bone metastases].

Current knowledge about an incidence of bone metastases, use of bisphosphonates and assessment of response to the treatment are surveyed. The bone metastases are quite frequent in patients with breast and prostate cancers. High doses of intravenous pamidronate are particularly useful in the treatment of these patients.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in different Polish woodlands.

In 1996-1998, a total of 2285 Ixodes ricinus ticks (1063 nymphs, 637 males, 585 females) were collected from vegetation from 25 different localities in the 8 Polish provinces throughout the country. Ticks inhabited all 25 collection sites. The average number of ticks per collection site was 91.

Measurement of Automotive Catalyst Washcoat Loading Parameters by Microscopy Techniques.

: Washcoat loading on automotive exhaust catalysts is normally determined, in production, by a weight gain procedure, which gives an accurate measure of washcoat weight present on an individual catalyst but does not address such parameters as uniformity of washcoat loading and geometric surface area within the monolith. Both issues are important factors that affect the catalytic activity (especially during catalyst lightoff) and catalyst cost (due to a thick, less functional washcoat) in an automotive exhaust system. Washcoat loading also plays a role in post-use analysis to determine possible reasons for changes (i.

[Level of glycosylated hemoglobin in children with newly diagnosed diabetes during their hospitalization].

Percent of HbA1 was determined in 60 children with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus at the beginning and end of their first hospitalization. High levels of HbA1 (over 15%) were found in the majority of children at the admittance which means late diagnosis. A decrease in HbA1 by 0.

[Analysis of changes in concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin and fructosamine during the first three weeks of treatment of children with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes].

Blood serum fructosamine and blood glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) concentrations were determined in 47 children with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes during their first stay in the hospital. Three determinations at week's intervals were carried out in each patient. The mean values of concentration decrement after the first, second and third week of treatment were 0.

[Evaluation of the results of the treatment of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus fully or partially trained in self care].

The study was aimed at assessing the results of diabetes mellitus therapy in 162 children, who underwent 1) the full programme of diabetes education (114 children) and 2) only the part of it (48 children). The first group was under care of Cracow Medical School Pediatrics Institute since the disease and had 2 weeks of formal diabetes mellitus teaching. The second group was treated in a less unified way in different hospitals and did not have the chance of regular teaching programme.

The relation between the results of determination of fructosamine and glycosylated proteins of blood serum.

Fructosamine concentration (measured by NBT reduction method) and the concentration of glycosylated proteins (measured by a direct UV spectrophotometry upon separation from nonglycosylated proteins by means of affinity chromatography, have been determined simultaneously in 52 samples of blood serum obtained from 42 children with diabetes mellitus and 10 children without metabolic disorders. A highly significant positive correlation (r = 0.96, p < 0.