[20th anniversary of Association Doctors of Hope. Experience resulting from the cooperation with Polish medical communities in the Polish Borderlands (Kresy)].

20th Anniversary of Association Doctors of Hope (ADH) is an opportunity for presentation of the conclusions resulting from the realization of our tasks, especially those related to the Polish medical communities in the Borderlands. Maintaining the contacts with the Polish minorities in Lithuania, Latria, Byelorussia, Ukraine, Romania, Moldavia and Georgia are the priority tasks of ADH. Those communities differ in the extent of their needs and the relations with the local authorities in the context of the aid provided by our Association and the cooperation with us.

[Principles of optimal preparation of material from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)for cytoimmunologic examinations in interstitial lung diseases ].

In this paper we considered the value of correctly performed bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases and in assessment of the activity of pathological process. We indicated the conditions of exact interpretation of the results of BAL cytoimmunological examination, i.e.

[Cytoimmunologic changes in material obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in asymptomatic individuals chronically exposed to silica dust].

The aim of this study was to determine and to evaluate silica induced lung cell reactivity--if any--in bronchoalveolar space, before clinical changes develop. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was carried out in 15 nonsmoking individuals with chronic professional silica exposure, free of lung signs and symptoms. Controls were healthy nonsmokers.

The use of nuclear morphometry for the prediction of survival in patients with advanced cancer of the larynx.

We examined retrospectively whether the quantitative morphometric analysis of nuclear shapes in patients with advanced cancer of the larynx could be used as a prognostic factor. In all, specimens were taken from 90 patients treated by surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland, between 1987 and 1988. The follow-up period was no shorter than 5 years.

[Mast cell: it's significance in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytologic diagnosis of bronchial asthma and interstitial lung disease].

The analysis of mast cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is rarely performed in routine diagnostic protocol. The BAL mast cells are rather difficult to be identified due to their paucity and technical problems with fixation and staining methods. The present study was carried out in order to characterize quantitatively and morphologically of mast cells obtained in bronchoalveolar lavage from 38 patients with several lung disorders.

Influence of cadmium intoxication on thromboresistance of vascular endothelium in rabbits.

Here, using our original technique for measuring of thrombogenesis on the surface of rabbit aorta endothelium superfused with whole blood, we demonstrate that the thrombogenic property of endothelium is potentiated in the course of 3 months cadmium intoxication. The loss of endothelial thromboresistance is accompanied by suppressed generation of endogenous prostacyclin, leukopenia, increased platelet aggregability and by the presence of quasi-atherosclerotic, focal proliferative, glassy-protein lesions formed in aortic endothelium. We hypothesize that the final loss of vessel thromboresistance with all sequence of events that accompany cadmium intoxication, may result from the cadmium-induced inhibition of the generation of endothelial prostacyclin.

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in proliferative lesions of the thyroid gland.

Objective: To analyze various argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) parameters in proliferative lesions of the thyroid gland and to determine to what extent these parameters are influenced by the type of lesion or malignancy.

Study Design: AgNORs were studied by light microscopy with the help of a semiautomated image analysis system in the normal thyroid gland (n = 6), nodular hyperplasia (n = 12), thyroid hyperfunction (n = 6); follicular adenoma (n = 21), oxyphilic adenoma (n = 10), follicular carcinoma (n = 10), oxyphilic carcinoma (n = 9), papillary adenocarcinoma (n = 14), and giant (n = 6) and small cell anaplastic carcinoma (n = 4). The investigated parameters included the number and area of AgNOR dots, the number of separate AgNOR locations, the ratio of the AgNOR dot area to the nuclear area and the area of single AgNOR dots.

Silver-binding nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in tumors of colon.

In the present study various AgNOR parameters were assessed in the computer-aided image analysis and involved the normal epithelium of colon both superficial and epithelium of crypts, adenomas and carcinomas of colon in humans. It indicated that the number and area of AgNOR dots was highest in carcinomas and decreased stepwise from carcinomas through adenomas and the epithelium of crypts to the superficial epithelium. Other parameters such as: the ratio of AgNOR dot area to nuclear area and the size of single dots were different only in the superficial epithelium.

Effect of compound 48/80 on mast cells and biogenic amine levels in brain structures and on corticosterone secretion.

The effect of compound 48/80, given intracerebroventricularly, on mast cells (MC) and histamine, serotonin and noradrenaline levels in the hypothalamus, thalamus and hippocampus as well as on corticosterone secretion was investigated in rats. A relatively high amount of mast cells was found in the thalamus, a very low in the hypothalamus and almost none in the hippocampus. Compound 48/80 (1 and 5 micrograms) induced MC degranulation, a significant increase in corticosterone secretion and diminution of the thalamic histamine level.

Silver-binding nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in bronchial tumors.

Various AgNOR parameters were measured using the computer-aided image analysis in the normal bronchial epithelium (n = 13), in squamous cell carcinoma (n = 25) and in small-cell carcinoma (n = 11). The number and area of AgNOR dots were the highest in squamous cell carcinoma. In small cell carcinoma and in the normal epithelium the values were significantly lower.

Effect of compound 48/80 on the thalamic mast cells, serotonin level and corticosterone secretion in rats.

The effect of thalamic mast cells (MCs) degranulation and serotonin liberation by compound 48/80 on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity, measured indirectly through corticosterone secretion, was investigated in conscious rats. All drugs were given intracerebroventricularly (icv), the serotonin antagonists 15 min prior to compound 48/80. One hour after administration, compound 48/80 (1 and 5 micrograms) caused a significant increase in degranulated MC number in the thalamus, from control value of 20% up to 58%, and a considerable rise in the serum corticosterone level, but only minor diminution of the thalamic serotonin content.

Effect of isolation stress on brain mast cells and brain histamine levels in rats.

The effects of the chronic social stress of isolation on changes in brain mast cells (MC), the hypothalamic histamine content and the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis were investigated in rats. Social stress of isolation markedly reduced the total number of brain mast cells, most significantly by 90% in the first day. The extent of MC degranulation, 36-67%, in stressed rats did not significantly differ from that in control animals, 45-58%.

Morphometric measurements of the nuclear area in proliferative thyroid lesions.

The aim of this study was to establish the diagnostic value of nuclear area in proliferative lesions of thyroid gland. This study included 98 histological preparations of thyroid and 57 cytological preparations (touch imprints). Morphometric analysis was performed using light microscopy, B/W CCD camera connected to the frame grabber card, computer PC AT 386/3 and morphometric software Vist and Morpho.

Silver-binding nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in the normal epithelium of different parts of the digestive tract in rats.

The present study of AgNORs was carried out by computer-aided semiautomatic image analysis and involved epithelium, both surface and glandular, from various parts of the digestive tract in rats. It indicated that the number of AgNOR dots, their area and sometimes even the ratio of AgNOR area to nuclear area or the number of AgNOR clusters varied in epithelium from different parts of the digestive tract. The number and area of AgNORs correlated with the proliferative activity of cells in a given epithelium and they showed some typical features associated with the location.

Computer-aided analysis of the nuclear area in proliferative lesions of the colonic and bronchial epithelium.

The aim of this study was to establish the diagnostical value of nuclear area in proliferative lesions of colonic and bronchial epithelium. The study included 11 adenomas and 9 adenocarcinomas of colon, 11 control samples of normal colonic epithelium as well as 5 cases of bronchial squamous cell metaplasia, 25 squamous cell carcinomas, 9 small cell carcinomas and 3 adenocarcinomas of bronchi and 13 control samples of normal bronchial epithelium. All tissue samples were formalin fixed, paraffin embedded and silver stained.

Fine needle aspiration cytology combined with argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms.

NORs are the loops of DNA that contain the sites of ribosomal genes around which the nucleolus is formed during telophase of mitosis. In light microscopy they can be visualized by simple silver staining technique as small dark dots within the nucleus. It has been recognized that in many neoplasms, especially malignant AgNORs are more numerous and often atypical when compared with benign tumors and normal tissue.

[Activity of bronchoalveolar cell population as an indicator of air pollution].

The aim of this study was the evaluation of cytological, immunocytological and cytochemical tests efficiency in describing the pulmonary alveoli cells activity in people chronically exposed to the polluted air. The detailed analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) obtained by rinsing of pulmonary alveoli in 36 cases of prolonged exposure to silica and asbestos dust, divided into non-smokers and smokers, was performed. The control were the patients free of any pathological pulmonary symptoms, in this number the inhabitants of Cracow.

Reactivity of bronchoalveolar space cells in lung asbestosis.

Preliminary studies to evaluate lymphocyte subsets bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and blood were carried out in a group of patients with lung asbestosis. The assessments were made by an indirect immunofluorescent method using monoclonal antibodies as a marker. The results were recorded on a flow cytofluorometer FASC-can.

Effect of brain mast cells degranulation on the corticosterone response to stimulation of central opioid receptors in rats.

The influence of brain mast cells degranulation, exerted by compound 48/80 given intracerebroventricularly, on the opioid-induced stimulation of the pituitary-adrenal axis, measured indirectly through corticosterone secretion, was investigated in conscious rats. The mu- and delta-opioid receptor agonists Leu-enkephalinamide, morphine and beta-endorphin, given intracerebroventricularly, dose-dependently increased the serum corticosterone levels. The effect of Leu-enkephalinamide was not changed by pretreatment with the histamine H1- and H2-receptor antagonists mepyramine and cimetidine.

The intracerebroventricularly administered mast cells degranulator compound 48/80 increases the pituitary-adrenocortical activity in rats.

The effect of brain mast cells degranulation by compound 48/80 on the pituitary-adrenocortical activity, measured indirectly through corticosterone secretion, and the involvement of a histaminergic mechanism in that stimulation was investigated in conscious rats. All the drugs were given intracerebroventricularly (icv), histamine antagonists 15 min prior to compound 48/80. Compound 48/80 induced a significant dose- and time-related increase in the serum corticosterone levels.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in the cells of normal mucosa and tumors of human colon.

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the differences in the number Ag-NORs dots in the selected cases of carcinomas and adenomas of the large intestine as well as in the stromal cells, surface epithelium and epithelium of crypts of the large intestine. Ag-NORs dots are consider to be argyrophilic proteins associated with so called nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). The increase in their number is regarded as a marker of metabolic and proliferative changes in the cells.