Improvement bioavailability of silymarin ameliorates severe dyslipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome.

1. To compare the effectiveness of different drug forms of silymarin: standardized extract of silymarin (SS), micronized silymarin (MS) and silymarin in the form of phytosome (PS) on dyslipidemia and liver fat accumulation in a model of metabolic syndrome, in non-obese hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats. The second aim of this study was to slightly uncover the silymarin action on enzymes and proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism and excretion.

Mitochondrial changes in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

The aim of our study was to analyse the mitochondrial ultrastructure in primary ductal adenocarcinomas of the pancreas and to compare it with normal pancreatic cells. 52 samples of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas obtained by surgical resection or by endosonographic biopsy were examined. Compared to normal mitochondrial ultrastructure in non-tumorous cells, the mitochondria in cancer cells had a dense matrix and condensed configuration or with lucent-swelling matrix associated with disarrangement and distortion of cristae and partial or total cristolysis.

Endosonography versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in diagnosing extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Objective: Endosonography (EUS) performed prior to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or surgery in patients with a low to moderate probability of choledocholithiasis can reduce morbidity, mortality and costs.

Aims: This study aimed at evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of EUS and transabdominal ultrasonography (TUS) compared to ERCP in a cohort of 100 patients diagnosed with extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Methods: There were four working groups.