Quest for breathing: proliferation of alveolar type 1 cells.

There is much evidence that the vertebrate lung originated from a progenitor structure which was present in bony fish. However, critical basic elements for the evolution of breathing in tetrapods, such as the central rhythm generator sensitive to CO/pH and the pulmonary surfactant, were present in the lungless primitive vertebrate. This suggests that the evolution of air breathing in all vertebrates may have evolved through exaptations.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) blood levels in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning - a preliminary observations.

Background: Neurotrophins are the family of proteins which stimulate and regulate the process of neurogenesis. Several factors belong to the family, mainly nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT 3), and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5). Acute poisoning with carbon monoxide (CO), which usually is accompanied by neurologic symptoms, can potentially change the secretion profile of neurotrophins.

Proteins as biomarkers of carbon monoxide neurotoxicity.

Context: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common form of accidental lethal poisoning and is associated with a risk of brain damage in survivors.

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine whether Tau protein or S100B protein may be used as a biomarker for acute brain dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: The determination of Tau and S100B proteins was performed in serum samples collected from 27 CO-poisoned patients and 12 healthy volunteers.

Primary angioplasty in patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the setting of intentional carbon monoxide poisoning.

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to coronary artery occlusion in the setting of acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a very rare presentation.

Objective: Our aim was to report on the use of primary angioplasty in a patient with STEMI in the setting of CO poisoning.

Case Report: A 36-year-old man with retrosternal chest pain was admitted after exposure to CO.

Acute CO poisoning is associated with impaired fibrinolysis and increased thrombin generation.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in many countries. In ex vivo studies, CO released from carbon monoxide-releasing molecules has been shown to attenuate fibrinolysis via increased alpha-2-antiplasmin activity. Hypofibrinolysis is associated with coronary ischaemia, which is also commonly observed in CO poisoning.

[Drug-induced erythrodermia complicated by multiorgan failure--case report].

Generalized erythroderma or exfoliative dermatitis, is a disease characterized by the appearance of erythematous and scaling skin changes, which often cover greater than 90% of the body's surface. The resulting failure of the skin can coexist with other organ failure and is potentially life threatening. We present a case of a young woman admitted with symptoms of erythrodermia complicated lung and liver failure.

[Acute clozapine poisonings in years 2007 - 2010 in material of Clinic of Toxicology in Kraków].

18 patients with acute clozapine poisoning, 6 female and 12 male, were analyzed. The mean age was 42.8 years.

[Estimation of carbon monoxide poisonings frequency, based on carboxyhemoglobin determinations performed in Toxicology Laboratory in Krakow in years 2002-2010].

Carboxyhemoglobin is a specific biomarker of carbon monoxide (CO) exposition. The source of CO indoors are most often gas, oil or carbon furnaces and stoves or bathroom gas heaters. CO intoxication during fire or exposition to car fumes are sporadic.

[Structure of psychoactive substances determined in medical toxicology laboratory].

Laboratory of Analytical Toxicology and Drug Monitoring, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków performs analysis for patients from Kraków and south-east Poland. The determinations are made for intoxicated patients treated in the Toxicology Ward, for addicted patients treated in Detoxification Unit and other hospitals. The most often determined compounds are psychoactive substances (ethanol, drugs of abuse, psychotropic medicines).

[Quantitative analysis of heart scintigraphy (99mTc-MIBI GSPECT) with regional myocardial wall motion and systolic thickening of left ventricle assessment for detecting myocardial damage in ethanol withdrawal patients].

Severe ethanol withdrawal syndrome, with psychosomatic symptoms, is life-threatening condition and if not treated can be fatal (in approximately 15% of cases). The purpose of this investigation was to assess cardiac muscle function using 99mTc-MIBI GSPECT in acute alcohol withdrawal. The group examined consisted of 10 males aged from 33 to 45 (45.

[Amphetamine and its analogues determination in urine from patients hospitalized in the Department of Toxicology Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow].

Unlabelled: The most popular stimulant drugs in Poland are amphetamine and its analogues: ecstasy (MDMA) and methamphetamine (MA). The substances are usually determined by immunoassays (EMIT, FPIA, Rapid Tests) in medical, toxicological laboratories. The methods are not useful for identification of the substances.

[Medical treatment during fish envenomation].

Expositions to fish venoms should be treated as a separate group of intoxications because of their different diagnostic procedure. Until now, there are over 220 venomous fish species described, but skin excretions are potentially toxic for humans. Cases of fish envenomations (37), consulted by Poison Information Centres in Poland, as well as described in literature and contained in Micromedex database were analyzed.

[Stinging catfish spine envenamation].

The stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) has become a popular aquarium fish in Poland and is available in almost every pet shop. The toxicological centers in Cracow, Gdansk and Warsaw have recorded twelve cases of envenomations caused by stinging catfish in the years 1994-2008. In most cases the injury was accompanied by oedema, erythema, intense pain, numbness of the site and dizziness.

Catfish stings and the venom apparatus of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822), and stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794).

The ability of catfish to inflict extremely painful wounds with their pectoral and dorsal stings has been well known for many decades. The venom apparatus of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822), and stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) is constituted by a single, sharp and stout sting immediately in front of the soft-rayed portion of the pectoral fins. The sting has well developed articulations, making it possible for it to become erect and locked.

[The clinical experience with MARS and Prometheus procedures].

Based on the hypothesis, that extracorporeal removal of endo- and egzogenic substances should be beneficial to the clinical course of the patient in liver failure or poisoned, treatment systems were evaluatedbased on the two concepts: (1) blood dialysis against albumin dialysate--Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS), Single Pass Albumin Dialysis (SPAD), Continuous Veno-Venous Haemodiafiltration (CWHDF); (2) selective albumin filtration and adsorption combined with haemodialysis--Fractioned Plasma Separation and Adsorption-Prometheus. We present our own experiences with MARS and Prometheus procedures between 2003-2006 years.

[Carbamazepine hepatoxicity--a case report].

An acute liver damage with jaun. dice and biochemical abnormalities developed in 16-year-old adolescent, affected by chronic hepatitis B, after 3 years of carbamazepine therapy. The maximum bilirubin concentration in the blood was 445 micromol/L and the highest activity of AST, ALT, PA, GTP were noted, 648 U/L, 1497 U/L, 312 U/L, 85 U/L respectively.

[Withdrawal syndrome complicated with heart left ventricle dysfunction in young woman addicted to alcohol].

A case of 23-years old woman, addicted to alcohol and affected by depression, with functional heart disturbances is described. The heart left ventricle dysfunction developed after alcohol withdrawal. In ECG leads (V2-V6, I, II, aVL) symmetrical, negative T waves were present.

[Evaluation of regional cerebral blood flow using 99mTc-ECD SPECT in ethanol dependent patients: pilot study].

Unlabelled: The depressant actions of ethanol in the brain is known. SPECT is non invasive method to measure the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and to evaluate indirectly the brain metabolism. The aim of the study is to evaluate morphologic and functional status of CNS using 99mTc-ECD SPECT in chronic alcoholics.

[Quantitative analysis of heart scintigraphy (99mTc-MIBI GSPECT) with regional myocardial wall motion and thickening assessment for detecting myocardial injury in patients after acute paracetamol poisoning].

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to evaluate the myocardium function in acute paracetamol poisoning using 19mTc-MIBI GSPECT.

Material And Methods: Under examination there were 25 acutely paracetamol poisoned patients (age: 24.5 +/- 6 years) treated at the Ward of Toxicology and Environmental Diseases.

[Liver albumin dialysis (MARS)--treatment of choice in Amanita phalloides poisoning?].

Unlabelled: Amanita phalloides is a direct life-threatening poisoning because of acute multiorgan failure. Urgent liver transplantation (LTx) is the last chance to save patient's life in severe cases. In many cases of mushroom poisoning the patient dies because of unavailability of a liver graft.

B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentration in acutely poisoned patients.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is synthesized in the cardiac ventricles upon ventricular myocyte stretch. BNP plasma concentration is useful in cardiology especially for identifying patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), as a prognostic marker of acute coronary syndromes and independent predictor of sudden cardiac death. Its value in clinical toxicology is unclear.

[Acute poisoning with lithium carbonate in a young woman--case report].

In the clinical practice there are three types of lithium intoxication: acute poisoning in patients not previously treated with lithium, acute on chronic poisoning, i.e., an acute overdose in patients who are under lithium treatment and chronic poisoning that occurs in patients who are under lithium treatment.

[Acetaldehyde concentration in acute ethanol-intoxicated patients addicted to alcohol].

Ethanol is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and this is the main way of alcohol oxidizing in social drinkers. Microsomal Ethanol Oxidizing System (MEOS) is induced in ethanol addicted individuals and plays the main role in ethanol oxidation in this group. The aldehyde dehydrogenase (AIDH), enzyme oxidizing acetaldehyde to acetic acid, activity is not induced and does not get changed.