Analysis of the impact of harmful factors in the workplace on functioning of the respiratory system of firefighters.

Introduction And Objective: Firefighters are considered a healthy and fit group of individuals, well-prepared for taking action in disaster situations. While working, they suffer from exposure to certain toxic agents, especially combustion products generated when a fire takes place. Among them, the most frequent and the most toxic are: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and those resulting from PVC combustion - hydrochloride, phosgene and chloride.

Carvedilol Inhibits Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Activation in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis: Possibilities of Cardioprotective Application.

Aims: Acute myocarditis is a potentially lethal inflammatory heart disease that frequently precedes the development of dilated cardiomyopathy and subsequent heart failure. At present, there is no effective standardized therapy for acute myocarditis, besides the optimal care of heart failure and arrhythmias in accordance with evidence-based guidelines and specific etiology-driven therapy for infectious myocarditis. Carvedilol has been shown to be cardioprotective by reducing cardiac pro-inflammatory cytokines present in oxidative stress in certain heart diseases.

Prognostic factors in oral and oropharyngeal cancer based on ultrastructural analysis and DNA methylation of the tumor and surgical margin.

Oral and oropharyngeal cancers are characterized by relatively low 5- year survival rates due to many factors, including local recurrence. The identification of new molecular markers may serve for the estimation of prognosis and thus augment treatment decisions and affect therapy outcome. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological characteristics and the DNA methylation status of the CDKN2A,CDH1, ATM, FHIT and RAR- genes in the central and peripheral part of the tumor and the surgical margin and evaluate their prognostic significance.

Effects of L-arginine and NG-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on ischemia/reperfusion injury of skeletal muscle, small and large intestines.

This study analyzed the effects of L-arginine and non-specific nitric oxide (NO) synthase blocker (L-NAME) on structural and metabolic changes in experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat. Histopathological evaluation of rat tissues after reperfusion was also performed. The animals were divided into four groups: [1] nonischemic control, [2] ischemia 4 hrs/repefusion 30, 60, 120 min, [3] ischemia/reperfusion after L-arginine administration, [4] ischemia/reperfusion, after L-arginine, and L-NAME.

Histological alterations of gallbladder mucosa and selected clinical data in young patients with symptomatic gallstones.

Histological lesions of gallbladder were described mainly in older patients with cholelithiasis (CH). The aim of the study was to analyse morphological alterations in gallbladder mucosa and selected clinical data of young patients with CH. The studies were conducted on 57 patients with CH, subjected to cholecystectomy in the years of 2003-2007.

Morphological and mechanical changes in juxtarenal aortic segment and aneurysm before and after open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective: The aim of study was to assess how the ultrastructure of the wall of aortic aneurysms, sac and neck influences aortic wall distensibility and proximal dilatation 2 years after open repair.

Methods: Biopsies for electron microscopy were taken from aneurysmal sac and neck of 30 patients. Patients were assessed by computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound for aneurysm diameter and distensibility (M-mode ultrasonography).

p21/Wafl/Cipl cellular expression in chronic long-lasting hepatitis C: correlation with HCV proteins (C, NS3, NS5A), other cell-cycle related proteins and selected clinical data.

Studies indicate that proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) disturb expression of cell-cycle-related proteins. A disturbed cell-cycle control is a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk factor in patients with HCV-related liver damage. The present study aimed to analyse the cellular expression of p21/Wafl/Cipl (p21) in long-lasting chronic hepatitis C (CH-C), its correlation with the key oncogenic HCV proteins (C, NS3, NS5A), other cell-cycle-related proteins (PCNA, Ki-67, cyclin D1, p53) and selected clinical data.

p53 immunocytochemistry and TP53 gene mutations in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is regarded as a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mostly in patients with liver cirrhosis. Present study aimed at evaluation of cellular expression of p53 protein, genetic TP53 changes in liver samples and anti-p53 in serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The expression of p53 protein were analysed by immunocytochemistry in liver biopsies from adult patients with chronic, long-lasting hepatitis C.

Correlation between the stage of cystic fibrosis and the level of morphological changes in adult patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the stage of cystic fibrosis and the intensity of accompanying morphological changes--including transmission electron microscopy--within bronchial mucosa. The stage of the disease was assessed on the basis of clinical status and radiological and endoscopic examination. We focused on morphological changes in epithelial cells, the presence of metaplasia and/or dysplasia, the type of inflammatory infiltrate, and the presence of epithelial ulcerations, thickening of epithelial basement membrane and collagenization of lamina propria.

[Changes in tracheal ciliated epithelium of rats exposed to environmental tobacco smoke--experimental studies].

It has been already proved in many experimental studies that tobacco smoke has multiple toxic effects on respiratory tract cells. Alterations in ciliary epithelium of rats trachea after short exposition to high tobacco smoke concentrations in inhaled air were been determinate in current study. Morphological evaluation revealed in lining epithelium voluminous exudate located between epithelium and lamina propria cells with evidently larger number of mast cells.

[The role of immunohistochemical staining (protein p53, cyclin D1) in the prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma salivary gland tumors].

Introduction: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands (carcinoma adenoides cysticum) is malignant epithelial tumor of rare occurrence. Tumor of this kind has among salivary glands tumors uncertain prognosis and unpredictable course. The aim of the study was to characterize the patient population and the immunohistochemical analyses (p53 protein, cyclin D1).

Myopathy as the first symptom of hypokalemic periodic paralysis--case report of a girl from a Polish family with CACNA1S (R1239G) mutation.

Purpose: Presenting the case of unusual onset hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) where myopathy had developed two years before paralysis occurred.

Material And Methods: A Polish three-generation family with HypoPP and mutation in CACNA1S (R1239G) has been investigated. Clinical presentation with unusual onset of the disease, biopsy results and genetic research in one family member were described.

Intracellular expression of the proliferative marker Ki-67 and viral proteins (NS3, NS5A and C) in chronic, long lasting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to represent the main causative agent of the hepatitis, which leads to chronic transformation of the process in 60-80% individuals. It remains unclear how far cellular expression of HCV proteins in vivo may represent an index of progression of the disease and of proliferative activity in the liver in chronic hepatitis C. Aim of the studies included detection and subcellular localization of three HCV proteins (NS3, NS5A and C) in liver biopsies from adults (n=19) with chronic, long lasting hepatitis C as related to hepatocyte proliferative activity.

[Antiplatelet therapy can unmask an inherited bleeding disorder. Aspirin-like defect of platelets does not protect against atherosclerosis].

Some inherited platelet disorders may be revealed late, as in the presented case of a 68-year-old-man. Recurrent epistaxis following peri-interventional antiplatelet therapy (after three elective percutaneous coronary interventions) and an episode of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage required aspirin withdrawal and less frequent clopidogrel use. Platelet studies showed an aspirin-like defect resulting in a lack of arachidonate-induced platelet aggregation.

Selected markers (chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, synaptophysin, protein gene product 9.5) in diagnosis and prognosis of neuroendocrine pulmonary tumours.

Neuroendocrine tumours of lungs represent a subgroup of pulmonary tumours with typical morphofunctional traits. In light microscopy, the four principal types of the tumours (typical and atypical carcinoids, small cell lung cancer, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma) demonstrate typical arrangement of cells (organoid nesting, palisading, a trabecular pattern, and rosette-like structures), variable number of mitoses, presence or absence of necrosis. In ultrastructure, neuroendocrine tumours manifest groups of cells with cytoplasmic granules (and the so called dense-core neurosecretory granules in particular).

Morphological and molecular diagnosis of a fatal form of EBV infectious mononucleosis in a child.

Mortal cases of acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in the form of mononucleosis have been seldom described and used to be related to complications of the disease. In this report, the case of a 3-year-old girl is described, with severe form of infectious mononucleosis, deceased in the course of respiratory-circulatory insufficiency with a sudden cessation of heart action. Particular attention was given to histological lesions, phenotype of inflammatory cells and to expression of proteins and EBV RNAs (EBERs) in tissues, examined using immunocytochemical techniques and in situ hybridization.

Does loss of heterozygosity in critical genome regions predict a local relapse in patients after laryngectomy?

Background: Patients, who had an upper aerodigestive tract malignancy, have a high incidence of succeeding tumor development. This has been attributed to the role of "field cancerization" in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was analysis of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the regions frequently lost during the course of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), especially at early stages, which could answer the clinicians' question, if LOH analysis has any "predictive" value in relation to tumor occurrence.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) expression in livers of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

The studies performed till now have pointed to an increased serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present study was aimed at examining intrahepatic expression of IL-2 in children (n=15) and in adults (n=11) with chronic hepatitis C as well as its correlations with histological lesions and selected clinical data. The immunocytochemical techniques and in situ hybridization method were applied at light and electron microscopy level.

Long-term consequences of total gastrectomy: quality of life, nutritional status, bacterial overgrowth and adaptive changes in esophagojejunostomic mucosa.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate long-term quality of life and adaptive changes in the mucosa of the proximal section of the small intestine used for esophagojejunostomy reconstruction in stomach cancer patients after total gastrectomy.

Material And Methods: Thirty-one patients who had undergone stomach cancer-related total gastrectomy were included in the study, which spanned a period of 48 to 127 months (79.6 months on the average) after the surgery.

Intracellular localization of NS3 and C proteins in chronic hepatitis C.

Aims And Methods: The cellular localization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins in chronic hepatitis C remains a debatable issue. Aim of the studies included cellular and subcellular localization of two HCV proteins, NS3 and C protein, in liver biopsies from 20 children with chronic hepatitis C employing commercially available monoclonal antibodies and a semiquantitative technique of the proteins expression. In the studies advantage was taken of (Strept)avidin-biotin peroxidase complex and ImmunoMax technique.

Intracellular expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1alpha, TNF-alpha, and IL-6) in chronic hepatitis C.

The study aimed at localizing TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha, IL-6 at light and electron microscope levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C, using the immunocytochemical techniques in biopsy material from patients with chronic hepatitis C and at comparing the expression of the cytokines with histopathological changes. Our studies demonstrated an augmented expression of all cytokines in liver biopsies in chronic hepatitis C, in comparison with respective values, obtained in control biopsy material. The highest expression of the cytokines was observed in hepatocytes.

[Secondary retinal detachment accompanying intraocular tumors].

Purpose: Aim of the study--the attempt to answer, what is the present incidence mechanism of arising, and what parameters can influence the development of secondary retinal detachment (s. r. d.

Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome arm 13q in larynx cancer patients: analysis of tumor, margin and clinically unchanged mucosa.

Background: Loss of heterozygosity, frequently observed during the development of many tumor types, also occurs in larynx cancer. This disease has a very complex genetic background, with numerous alterations involving oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The upper parts of the respiratory-digestive tract are exposed to many carcinogens, which can result in the appearance of multiple tumors or primary tumor relapses.

[Ultrastructural examination of the placenta in pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus].

Background: Causes of fetal hypoxia in diabetic pregnancy are still unknown. Investigation of placental vascular network seems of great importance in this research area. Abnormalities in the structure of capillaries in the vasculo-epithelial membranes and role of perivascular space may be an essential factor in explanation for fetal hypoxia in diabetic pregnant women.