Methodology and evaluation of the renal arterial system.

Introduction: The broad range of medical images and image processing technologies are applied in urology. The aim was to propose methodology to assess three-dimensional (3D) arrangement of renal arterial tree and to build a statistical model for analyzing the layout of arteries in the sections of the kidney.

Methods: The series of kidney CT slices are analyzed using image processing procedures and further the 3D model of arterial systems is converted to a graph tree which includes information about features of the renal arterial system.

Percutaneous suprapubic endoscopy for treatment of bladder tamponade.

Suprapubic catheterisation is generally considered a safe procedure. It can, however, be associated with complications including haematuria. It is usually self-limiting and easily treated with non-surgical measures but at times formal treatment in the operating room may be required.

Impact of the shift to neonatal noninvasive ventilation in Poland: a population study.

Objective: This study was undertaken to document the real impact of a directed shift in the standard of neonatal practice to a pervasive use of noninvasive respiratory support.

Design: Before-after observational study.

Setting: All 18 neonatal ICUs in the capital region of Poland.

Structural role of exon-coded fragment of polypeptide chains in selected enzymes.

This paper discusses the structural role of fragments encoded by individual exons in proteins. Selected enzymes (hydrolases, transferases, ligases) reveal the presence of at least one exon fragment whose contribution to the protein's hydrophobic core is in line with theoretical expectations. This phenomenon is confirmed by quantitative analysis of the hydrophobicity density distribution in protein molecules.

Hydrophobic core formation in protein complex of cathepsin.

The "fuzzy oil drop" model assumes that the idealized hydrophobic core in a protein body can be described by a 3D Gauss function. The structure of the 1ICF protein (cathepsin), which participates in the proteolysis process and has cysteine-type peptidase activity, has been analyzed on the basis of the "fuzzy oil drop" model. The authors have determined the contribution of individual exon fragments to the creation of a common hydrophobic core and assessed the involvement of each chain in this process, depending on the number of complexed chains.

Denosumab compared with ibandronate in postmenopausal women previously treated with bisphosphonate therapy: a randomized open-label trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of denosumab to ibandronate in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD) previously treated with a bisphosphonate.

Methods: In a randomized, open-label study, postmenopausal women received 60 mg denosumab subcutaneously every 6 months (n=417) or 150 mg ibandronate orally every month (n=416) for 12 months. End points included percentage change from baseline in total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine BMD at month 12 and percentage change from baseline in serum C-telopeptide at months 1 and 6 in a substudy.

Prevention of early infective complications after laparoscopic splenectomy with the Garamycin sponge.

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) appear to be more frequent in splenectomized patients than might be expected and its incidence can be explained neither by the extent of surgery nor by the risk of bacterial contamination of the operating field.

Aim: Evaluation the local antibiotic prophylaxis using a gentamicin surgical implant in order to reduce SSI, particularly subphrenic abscesses.

Material And Methods: WE CONDUCTED A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED STUDY OF TWO GROUPS OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING LAPAROSCOPIC SPLENECTOMY WHO WERE CONSIDERED AT HIGH RISK OF INFECTIVE COMPLICATIONS: patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) pre-treated chronically with systemic steroids and patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Evaluation of magnetic scope navigation in screening endoscopic examination of colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in Europe. Early diagnosis and treatment gives the patient a chance for complete recovery. Screening colonoscopies in the symptom-free patients are currently performed on a wide scale.

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of a Number of α1 -Adrenoceptor Antagonists and Antiarrhythmic Agents.

Arylpiperazines represent one of the most studied classes of α1 -adrenoceptor (α1 -AR) antagonists. Currently, α1 -AR antagonists are useful in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms or cardiac arrhythmia. The activity of various derivatives of 1-[3-(4-arylpiperazin-1-yl)propyl]pyrrolidin-2-one as α1 -adrenergic receptor antagonists and antiarrhythmic (AA) agents was described using the qualitative inverse Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) model.

Pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction in men.

The increase of life intensity and its stressful impact, a great number of various risk factors of ED - erectile dysfunction and aging men population lead to a high prevalence and incidence of ED worldwide. It is well known that ED in men is a condition of heterogenous aetiology, which determines ED substantial diagnostic and therapeutic clinical problem. However, in most cases, ED may be managed quite well by the primary care physician who has proper understanding of the pathophysiology of ED.

A724A polymorphism of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2 (SERCA2) in hypertensive patients.

Background: Impaired function of calcium ion transporter sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase2 (SERCA2), encoded by ATP2A2 gene, was observed in hypertension. The aim of this study was to screen for mutations in the ATP2A2 gene, in hypertensive patients compared to healthy controls.

Methods: The frequency of a novel mutation in exon 15 of ATP2A2, coding SERCA2, was studied in 107 hypertensive patients and a control group of 50 healthy volunteers.

Estimation of phospholipophilicity of 1-[3-(arylpiperazin-1-yl)-propyl]-pyrrolidin-2-one derivatives on immobilized artificial membrane stationary phase and its correlation with biological data.

A molecule library containing 42 1-[3-(arylpiperazin-1-yl)-propyl]-pyrrolidin-2-one derivatives has been designed and synthesized. The phospholipophilicity of the obtained compounds has been determined using immobilized artificial membrane high-performance liquid chromatography (IAM-HPLC). The performed analysis allowed the calculation of log k(we) values for each of the tested compounds.

The usefulness of artificial neural networks in the evaluation of pulmonary efficiency and antioxidant capacity of welders.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine if artificial neural networks (ANNs) may be useful to analyse a complex and large set of data derived from smoking welders for the purpose of finding relationships between parameters describing respiratory system efficiency and antioxidant defence.

Methods: A group of 94 welders employed in a big metallurgic enterprise in Krakow, Poland (men only, aged 29-57 years, all active smokers) occupationally exposed to O(3) and NO(x), were the subjects of this study. They underwent biochemical measurements including total antioxidant status (TAS) and the anti-oxidative defence enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CT); biominerals: Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg in blood serum and in hair; the concentrations of albumin, bilirubin, uric acid in blood.

Rilmenidine--its antihypertensive efficacy, safety and impact on quality of life in perimenopausal women with mild to moderate essential hypertension.

Objectives: A prospective, open-labeled study to assess the antihypertensive effect of monotherapy with rilmenidine and its impact on quality of life (QoL), as well as on biochemical parameters in perimenopausal women with essential hypertension.

Design And Methods: Fifty-five perimenopausal women with mild to moderate essential hypertension (mean age 51.4+/-2.

Twenty years of Polish experience with three consecutive protocols for treatment of childhood acute myelogenous leukemia.

Until 1983, results of treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in Poland with different regimens were very poor. In 1983, the Polish Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group introduced a unified treatment protocol--a modified version of BFM-83 protocol. This led to an increase in the curability of AML from 15% to approximately 32%.

The selected pathophysiological aspects of PPARs activation.

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) belong to a subfamily of transcription nuclear factors. Three isoforms of PPARs have been identified: alpha, beta/delta and gamma, encoded by different genes and distributed in various tissues. They play important roles in metabolic processes like regulation of glucose and lipid redistribution.

Evaluation of regional cerebral perfusion using 99mTc-HmPAO single photon emission tomography (SPET) in carbon monoxide acutely poisoned patients.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning continues to be a significant health problem. An early assessment of organs injury due to carbon monoxide poisoning is even more difficult than confirming the diagnosis of CO poisoning. Numerous neuroimaging techniques have been used to evaluate CO intoxication.

Screening for prostate cancer in a population of South Poland--studies 2000.

According to the frequency of appearance, prostatic carcinoma is said to be the fourth new growth tumour in men in Poland. Course of prostatic cancer in early period is symptomless therefore the number of death because of the prostatic cancer is still being increased. The improvement of this situation in our country might be done by introducing the mass, screening studies.

Pentoxyfylline in and prevention and treatment of chronic lung disease.

The anti-inflammatory effects of pentoxfylline are associated with a number of clinical benefits. These include reduction in mortality in patients who have undergone bone marrow transplants or suffer peritonitis. In infants with sepsis, a reduction in mortality has also been associated with pentoxyfylline administration.