A study of the effect of X-ray irradiation on the structure of Narafilcon A biopolymer soft contact lenses.

Background: The effects of external factors such as X-ray irradiation on the structure and physical properties of contact lenses are very important for both the patients using contact lenses and medical personnel.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of X-rays on the structure of Narafilcon A silicone-hydrogel contact lenses.

Material And Methods: In order to study the structural changes caused by X-rays in Narafilcon A polymer contact lenses, the following spectroscopy methods were used: positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), Fourier transform middle infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy (RS).

[Study of the structure of contact lenses using PALS, MIR and Raman spectroscopy in the regard of safety of persons exposed to ionizing radiation].

Among patients and health professionals who are exposed to ionizing radiation during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, refractive errors are common and soft contact lenses are widely used to correct them. Changes in the inner structure of contact lens may influence the safety of its usage through modification of its water content or oxygen accessibility to cornea. Therefore, analysis of impact of external factors, therein ionizing radiation used in medicine, on contact lenses parameters is necessary, particularly to compare the presence of free volume gaps in the structure of the polymer soft contact lenses.

Use of Multimedia Technology in the Doctor-Patient Relationship for Obtaining Patient Informed Consent.

Patient informed consent for surgery or for high-risk methods of treatment or diagnosis means that unlawful breach of the patient's personal interests is avoided and the patient accepts the risk of surgery and takes the brunt of it. Patient awareness - their knowledge of the condition and circumstances of continued therapeutic procedure, including offered and available methods of treatment and their possible complications - constitutes a particular aspect of the informed-consent process. The rapid development of technologies and methods of treatment may cause communication problems between the doctor and the patient regarding the scope and method of patient education prior to surgery.

Comparison of Occurrence of Free Volumes for Rigid Gas Permeable and Soft Contact Lenses.

Background: The polymeric materials: hydrogel, silicone--hydrogel and methacrylic acid are used in ophthalmology for the manufacture of contact lenses. It is important to research the structure of these materials, mainly the prevalence of free volumes.

Objectives: The study has been conducted in order to comparison the presence of free volume gaps in the structure of the polymer soft contact lenses: Etafilcon A (hydrogel), Narafilcon A (silicone-hydrogel) and the polymer rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens (Fluor-Silicon-Methacrylat-Copolymer).

Characteristics of dental pulp in human upper first premolar teeth based on immunohistochemical and morphometric examinations.

Teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons are commonly considered as healthy. Therefore, it is possible to examine structure of the dental pulp can be fully recognized and how it is affected by malocclusion. The aim of the study was to evaluate by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and morphometry dental pulp in human upper first premolar teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons.

[Condition of the visual system and school achievements in 6 to 10 years old children from Wielkopolska region as detected by visual screening and questionnaire studies].

Purpose: The study aimed at comparing results of the visual screening with school achievements and results of questionnaire studies.

Material And Methods: Basic optometric tests, including visual acuity, phoria, stereo near vision, colour vision, near point of convergence and plus lens test were examined in 1138 children, 6 to 10 years of age, 88 pupils were examined in their glasses. Also questionnaire studies were conducted among parents and teachers, related to visual condition of studied children.

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.

[Screening of selected parameters of visual system in children at the age of 6 to 10 in Great Poland area].

Purpose: The goal of the work was to analyze parameters of visual system in children from Great Poland territory. Research covered: visual acuity and phoria at distance, stereo near vision, colour vision, near point of convergence, plus lens test.

Material And Methods: 1138 children at the age of 6-10 years were examined, including 88 students in their spectacles.

[Screening of selected parameters of visual system in children at the age of 6 to 10 in Great Poland area].

Purpose: The goal of the work was to analyze parameters of visual system in children from Great Poland territory. Research covered: visual acuity and phoria at distance, stereo near vision, colour vision, near point of convergence, plus lens test.

Material And Methods: 1138 children at the age of 6-10 years were examined, including 88 students in their spectacles.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C - a potent risk factor in children diagnosed with stadium 4 neuroblastoma.

To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of VEGF-C, CD34 and VEGFR-2 in cancer tissue of children diagnosed with stadium 4 neuroblastoma (NB) and correlate their presence with the survival rate of children diagnosed with that stage of the disease. Eighteen children assigned to stadium 4 composed the study group. Fourteen patients (allocated to stadium 3) formed a control group.

In vitro substance P-dependent induction of bone marrow cells in common (CD10) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The aim of the present research was to investigate the possible in vitro stimulatory effect of substance P (SP) on blasts induction in childhood common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Bone marrow aspirates were incubated with SP receptor agonist or antagonist (spantide) and subsequently assayed for the presence of human interleukin (IL)-1b using ELISA kit. Blast cells incubated with SP receptor agonist were found to result in a significant increase of IL-1b concentration while incubated with spantide resulted in control levels of IL-1b.

The significance of VEGF-C/VEGFR-2 interaction in the neovascularization and prognosis of nephroblastoma (Wilms' tumour).

Aim: To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGFR-2 in nephroblastoma tissue and correlate their presence with the survival rate of children diagnosed with stage III Wilms' tumour.

Methods And Results: The material included nephroblastoma tissue obtained from 25 children hospitalized in the Department of Paediatric Oncology, Haematology and Transplantology between 1997 and 2003. VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical assay.

The significance of substance P in physiological and malignant haematopoiesis.

The role of substance P (SP) in physiological haematopoiesis is well established. However, it also seems to be important in the neoplastic transformation of bone marrow, leading to the development of acute leukaemia in children, and also metastases to bone marrow of solid tumours (particularly neuroblastoma and breast cancer) in early stages of these diseases. This review summarises the available data on SP involvement in both processes.

The predicting role of substance P in the neoplastic transformation of the hypoplastic bone marrow.

Aims: To estimate the expression of substance P in the haematopoietic cells of hypoplastic bone marrow and define its relationship with the course of bone marrow hypoplasia.

Methods: Bone marrow specimens were obtained from 42 children with bone marrow hypoplasia who were hospitalised in the Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland, between 1996 and 2003. Substance P and Ki-67 expression were evaluated using immunochemical and hybridocytochemical assays.

[Wilms tumor as a novel model of angiogenesis in childood nephropathies].

Wilms tumor has a unique possibility of recapitulation within its substance different stages of renal development. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) are regarded to play the crucial role in the process of simultaneous development of tubules and glomeruli in animal kidney. Neoangiogenesis, secondary to rearrangement of epithelial elements in Wilms tumor, may therefore follow the lack of glomeruli in this neoplasm.

Vascular endothelial growth factor C--a potent risk factor in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: an immunocytochemical approach.

Aims: To investigate the immunocytochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and its receptors (VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) blasts and to determine the possible role of this complex in the pathogenesis and prognosis of ALL.

Methods And Results: Bone marrow samples were taken from 120 children diagnosed with ALL. An indirect immunocytochemical procedure was performed with the use of monoclonal mouse anti-human antibodies against VEGF-C, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 (diluted 1 : 100).

Prognostic significance of Ki67-negative blast cell clone in the high risk group of children treated for acute myeloid leukaemia.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the value of immunocytochemical staining of Ki67 antigen expression in blast cells of children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to evaluate its correlation with treatment failure. The material included bone marrow specimens obtained during induction treatment from 46 children treated for AML between 1998-2003. Immunocytochemical staining for Ki67 was based on the ABC technique.

Prognostic value of stage IV neuroblastoma metastatic immunophenotype in the bone marrow: preliminary report.

Aim: To correlate the immunophenotype of metastatic cells in the bone marrow of patients with neuroblastoma with early treatment failure.

Methods: The studies were performed on bone marrow material obtained from children treated in the department of paediatric oncology, haematology, and transplantology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland from 1996 to 2003. Immunocytochemical analysis of nervous tissue markers (using the immunomax technique) was performed on 108 bone marrow preparations obtained from 36 children diagnosed with neuroblastoma (stage IV with bone marrow metastases).

Immunohistochemical studies on brain nitric oxide synthase (bNOS) in the male genital accessory glands of the rat during postnatal development.

The aim of the study was to investigate the presence, localisation and function of brain nitric oxide synthase (bNOS) in the male genital accessory glands of rats in the course of their postnatal development. Localisation of the bNOS was immunocytochemically investigated in the epididymis, seminal vesicle and ventral prostate of male Wistar strain rats at 1, 5, 10, 20, 28, 35, 45 and 59 days of age. The method employed involved mouse monoclonal antibodies against rat bNOS in combination with tyramide signal amplification (CSA).

Pneumadin in the ventral prostate of rats during postnatal development: a radioimmunological and immunocytochemical study.

We have recently demonstrated that the ventral prostate of adult rats contains high levels of pneumadin (PNM), a decapeptide originally isolated from mammalian lung, and that testosterone is needed for the maintenance of a normal level of the peptide in the prostate. Hence, we have investigated, by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and light ultrastructural immunocytochemistry (ICC), PNM concentration and localization in the rat ventral prostate during postnatal development. RIA showed that PNM content increased steadily from day 20 to day 90 of postnatal life, parallel to the increase in the prostate weight.

Pneumadin in the rat ventral prostate and its hormonal regulation.

Pneumadin (PNM) is a decapeptide originally isolated from mammalian lungs, and exerts a potent antidiuretic action by stimulating arginine-vasopressin release. We have recently developed a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for rat PNM and detected high concentrations of PNM--not only in the rat lungs, but also in the prostate. Hence, we investigated whether prostate PNM content is regulated by sex hormones.

Immunocytochemical study on endothelial integrity of saphenous vein grafts harvested by minimally invasive surgery with the use of vascular mayo stripers. A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the endothelial integrity of saphenous vein grafts harvested by minimally invasive surgery and veins harvested conventionally for coronary artery bypass surgery in 200 participants who were assigned to interventions by using random allocation.

Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods.

Pneumadin in the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles of estradiol-treated rats: RIA and immunocytochemical studies.

Pneumadin (PNM) is a decapeptide (the rat peptide: Tyr-Gly-Glu-Pro-Lys-Leu-Asp-Ala-Gly-Val-NH2) isolated from mammalian lungs. Human and rat PNM differ only by substitution of one amino acid--Tyr/Ala. PNM evokes an antidiuretic effect via a potent stimulation of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) release.

Digital image analysis in dental research applied for treatment of fissures on occlusal surfaces of premolars.

The aim of this paper was to quantitatively assess caries changes of teeth by using digital image analysis. Digital images of stained sections of crowns of teeth were acquired with a computer-assisted light microscope. In each image, spots representing the main and total demineralization of enamel were segmented to determine their area.