Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Stankiewicz

Publications and source records attributed to A Stankiewicz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Green tea as a potent antioxidant in alcohol intoxication.

Ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde and next to acetate is accompanied by free radical generation. Free radicals can affect cell integrity when antioxidant mechanisms are no longer able to cope with the free radical generation observed in ethanol intoxication. Natural antioxidants are particularly useful in such a situation. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of green tea as a source of water-soluble antioxidants (catechins) on the liver and blood serum antioxidative potential of rats chronically (28 days) intoxicated with ethanol. Alcohol caused a decrease in liver superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities and an increase in activity of glutathione reductase. Moreover, a decrease in the level of reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid, vitamins A and E and beta-carotene were observed. The activity of serum glutathione peroxidase decreased while glutathione reductase activity increased. The level of serum non-enzymatic antioxidants was also decreased in the liver. Alcohol administration caused an increase in the liver and serum lipid peroxidation products, measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. However, green tea prevents the changes observed after ethanol intoxication. Green tea also protects membrane phospholipids from enhanced peroxidation. These results indicate a beneficial effect of green tea in alcohol intoxication.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed2001

Antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in colorectal cancer.

Colon carcinogenesis is a multistep process where oxygen radicals were found to enhance carcinogenesis at all stages: initiation, promotion, and progression. Since insufficient capacity of protective antioxidant system can result in cancer, the aim of this study was to examine the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) and the levels of reduced glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The lipid peroxidation products were also determined by measuring malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal levels in colorectal cancer tissue collected from 55 patients. In these cases the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase was significantly increased while the activity of catalase was significantly decreased in cancer tissue. However, the level of nonenzymatic antioxidant parameters (glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E) was significantly decreased in cancer tissue. Further lipid peroxidation was enhanced during cancer development, manifested by a significant increase in malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal levels. The obtained results indicate significant changes in antioxidant capacity of colorectal cancer tissues, which lead to enhanced action of oxygen radicals, resulting in lipid peroxidation.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2001

Antioxidant status and proteolytic-antiproteolytic balance in colorectal cancer.

Free radicals participate in the development of cancer. When the antioxidant defence system is not longer capable to destroy free radicals they may cause lipid and protein oxidation. Lipid peroxidation products also modify proteins. In such a situation the proteolytic-antiproteolytic balance existing in the blood may be changed. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the correlation between antioxidant status and activity of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors in cases of colorectal cancer. This study included 55 patients with colorectal cancer. The blood was taken before surgery and plasma was collected. Total antioxidant status, the levels of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal) and activity of cathepsin G, elastase and their inhibitors (alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin) were determined in plasma. It was shown that during the development of cancer total antioxidant status was signficantly decreased while lipid peroxidation products were increased. Activity of alpha-2-macroglobulin was decreased and activity of determined enzymes was not significantly changed. The observed changes indicate a shift in proteolytic-antiproteolytic balance which may enhance carcinogenesis.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2001

[Thyroid cancer morbidity in the Olsztyn region in 1993-1999].

Olsztyn region (in the north of Poland) was classified as an iodine deficiency area with moderate endemic goiter prevalence. Following Chernobyl accident, the population had one of the highest radiation doses affecting thyroid. Aims of the study were to estimate the incidence of thyroid cancer and to determine its histopathological type. The register was carried out in Olsztyn region population including each newly diagnosed case of thyroid cancer in the calendar year. The personal data of patients were collected and processed on in computer. The incidence rate was calculated as the number of newly diagnosed cases in the calendar year per 100,000 inhabitants dependent on sex and age. The results were statistically evaluated. 242 newly diagnosed cases of thyroid cancer were registered including 8 young patients (up to 18 years of age) and 234 adults. The increase in the number of cancer cases was observed year by year. The predominant type of thyroid cancer was papillary carcinoma--66.8%. Follicular carcinoma constituted 17% of cases. A statistically significant increase of incidence rate was observed in women--from 2.8/100,000 to 11.1/100,000.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMed2000

[Application of numeric integration in waveform morphology of visual evoked potentials in optic nerve diseases. Numeric integration method].

PURPOSE: Presentation of new waveform analysis of pattern and flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in patients with optic neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 48 patients with acute optic neuritis (2nd group), 60 patients with demyelinating (3rd group), 32 patients with compressive (4th group), 24 patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (5th group) and 32 healthy subjects (1st group). Using computer system UTAS E-1000 (pattern and flash stimulation) the VEPs tests were performed. Amplitude, latency of 8 VEP components, 4 gradients, mean waveform and 16 areas of numeric integrals were calculated. Results were analysed with the use of AN-STAT software. RESULTS: Statistical difference recorded under pattern stimulation was obtained in latency of 3rd, 4th, 5th components of VEP in comparing 3th and 4th groups, as well as amplitude of 3rd waveform, second gradient, areas of integrals between cursors number 2 and 4 in comparing 3rd and 5th groups (p < 0.001). Statistical difference recorded under flash stimulation was obtained in latency of 4th component in comparing 2nd and 5th groups, in amplitude of 7th waveform, areas of integrals covering 160 and 224, 224 and 256 ms, between cursors number 2 and 4 in comparing 4th and 5th groups, as well as in a range of areas of integrals covering 160 and 192 ms in comparing 4th and 5th groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Results prove clinical potency of the presented new comprehensive method in analysis of VEP in optic nerve diseases.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

[Evaluation of some clinical parameters in patients with retinitis pigmentosa in relationship to the type of inheritance].

PURPOSE: Analysis of selected clinical parameters in patients with various types of retinitis pigmentosa. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined 51 patients aged 8-67 suffering from different genetic forms of RP identified on the ground of pedigree analysis. We analyzed onset of nyctalopia, degree of retinal degeneration, degree of visual field loss, dark adapted electroretinographic testing flicker (ERG) and presence of posterior subcapsular cataract. CONCLUSIONS: XLRP is one of the most severe RP forms. In the groups with ADRP and sRP, the patients have varied expression of disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Sub-retinal fluid interleukin-10 (Il-10) and interleukin-13 (Il-13) concentration in patients with retinal detachment].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the presence of IL-10 and IL-13 in subretinal fluid of patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The studies comprised 14 patients on with retinal detachment operated. The presence of cytokines was evaluated using immunoenzymatic assay. RESULTS: IL-10 and IL-13 were found in all subretinal fluid samples. Our results suggest that the presence of IL-10 and IL-13 has the influence on suppression of inflammatory agent release and activity during retinal detachment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Content of certain sugars and polyols in cataractous nucleus in non-diabetics and diabetic patients with type II diabetes].

PURPOSE: Sugars and polyols content assessment in cataractous nucleus in diabetics and non-diabetics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cataractous nucleus was obtained during extracapsular cataract extraction derived from 52 diabetic and 58 non-diabetic patients. The content of glucose, fructose, sorbitol and mioinositol in examined material was determined using iquid gas chromatography. RESULTS: Average contents of sorbitol, glucose and fructose in cataractous nucleus diabetic patients (ZSC) are significantly higher than in non-diabetics (ZS). No changes were observed in mioinositol content in both studied groups. CONCLUSION: The role of the polyol pathway in the development of diabetic cataract is considerable.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[Color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosis of post-traumatic optic neuropathy].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the parameters of blood flow in orbital arteries of patients with traumatic optic neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Colour Doppler imaging of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and posterior ciliary arteries was carried out in 13 patients with traumatic injury of the optic nerve. The peak-systolic, end-diastolic flow velocities and resistance index were measured. RESULTS: In 4 patients, whose vision was intact immediately after the injury and later deteriorated, the parameters of blood flow in the central retinal artery (CRA) were normal. Also in 3 patients with loss of vision to 1/50-3/50 after the injury the parameters of blood flow in the CRA were in the normal limit. In 3 other patients, who had only light perception after injury, there was decreased peak systolic blood flow and only trace or no flow was demonstrated in the CRA during the diastolic phase. In the remaining 3 patients, who displayed no light perception after the injury, no flow was observed in the CRA with Colour Doppler method. CONCLUSION: Colour Doppler ultrasonography is a useful supplementary method in diagnostics of traumatic optic neuropathy. The Colour Doppler findings seem to correlate well with clinical pathologies of the optic nerve after its traumatic injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[The role of apoptosis in physiology and pathology of the retina].

Apoptosis is a genetically regulated form of cell death. Specific morphological and biochemical changes characterize apoptosis, including nuclear chromatin condensation, cytoplasmatic condensation, membrane blebbing and, on the molecular level, internucleosomal fragmentation of nuclear DNA. Cell death by apoptosis is essential for normal development and tissue homeostasis, and it is involved also in a variety of pathologic processes. Apoptosis is the final common pathway of photoreceptor cell death in retinal dystrophies and degeneration, retinal detachment, vitreoretinal proliferation, retinoblastoma and retinal injury. The authors present a brief literature review concerning studies on the role of apoptosis in pathogenesis on retinal diseases.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1999

[Cathepsin A activity in the aqueous humor in patients with cataract, absolute glaucoma and intraocular tumors].

PURPOSE: To evaluate cathepsin A activity in the aqueous humor of patients with cataract, absolute glaucoma and intraocular tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The studies were performed on human aqueous humor taken from anterior chamber of eye balls of patients operated because of cataract, absolute glaucoma and intraocular tumors. Cathepsin A activity was determined by the ninhydrin method with synthetic substrate (N-Cbz-Phe-Ala) at its optimum pH 5.0. RESULTS: In the human aqueous humor of the eye with cataract cathepsin A activity was more than three times higher than in the eye with choroid tumors and absolute glaucoma. No differences of enzyme activity in aqueous humor between patients with glaucoma and intraocular tumors were found. CONCLUSION: The increasing proteolytic activity of cathepsin A in aqueous humor of patients with cataract suggests its importance in cataract pathogenesis. This implies that cathepsin A is involved in development of lens opacity and is found in the aqueous humor due to diffusion from cataractous lens in which the proteolytic process prevails.

Aqueous Humor↗
PubMed1999

[Cathepsin A activity in the vitreous body of patients with absolute glaucoma and intraocular tumors].

PURPOSE: To evaluate cathepsin A activity in the vitreous body of patients with absolute glaucoma and intraocular tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The studies were performed on human vitreous body taken from eye balls which were enucleated because of absolute glaucoma (18 eyes) and intraocular tumors (14 eyes). Cathepsin A activity was determined by the ninhydrin method with synthetic substrate (N-Cbz-Phe-Ala) at its optimum pH 5.0. RESULTS: Cathepsin A activity in the human vitreous body in absolute glaucoma was twice as high as in intraocular tumors. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that cathepsin A may participate in the pathogenesis of absolute glaucoma and that proteolysis may play a significant role in local destruction of the retina and the optic nerve.

Cathepsins↗
PubMed1999

[Late manifestations of the optic nerve damage after closed head trauma].

PURPOSE: A follow-up assessment of the visual system in patients who had undergone close head injury and in whom simple atrophy of the optic nerve occurred several months after the trauma. PATIENTS: Among patients treated in Department of Ophthalmology in Białystok in the years 1984-1995 there were 2 women and 3 men, aged 19-61 years, who suffered from advancing simple atrophy of the optic nerve and who had undergone severe closed head trauma 3-5 months earlier. In one case the time interval between trauma and the visual sequelae amounted to 11 years. METHODS: The patients underwent a follow-up examination at 3 to 11 years after their initial treatment in the Department of Ophthalmology. Besides a conventional ophthalmologic examination, a static perimetry was performed as well as ultrasonography in projection B and Colour-Coded Doppler sonography (TCCD) of the orbital vessels. RESULTS: When compared to the findings at discharge, in 2 patients visual acuity improved to 5/12, in the remaining 3 no improvement was noted. In all patients the optic discs were white, while other structures of the globe appeared within normal limits. Blood flow in the central retinal artery, ophthalmic artery and in the long posterior cilliary arteries remained undisturbed, as assessed with TCCD. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Lack of visual disturbances immediately after head injury does not preclude their development in the protracted period after the trauma. 2. The reason of the late development of visual sequelae after head trauma is not clear. Normal flow, found in the major vessels of the globe, might indirectly suggest disturbances of microcirculation within the optic nerve with a consequent optic atrophy.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Blood flow parameters in ocular vessels of patients with glaucoma].

PURPOSE: To determine Doppler flow parameters in ocular vessels of glaucomatous patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 38 glaucomatous patients, aged 64 +/- 16, and 57 healthy volunteers were examined with 7.5 MHz linear-array probe. Consistently identified arterial structures included ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and short posterior ciliary arteries. The peak systolic, end-diastolic and mean velocities were measured from Doppler spectra. Resistance and pulsatility indices were also determined. RESULTS: End-diastolic and mean velocities in central retinal artery of glaucomatous eyes were: 1.5 +/- 1.9 cm/s, 4.0 +/- 2.0 cm/s, whereas in healthy eyes they were significantly higher: 3.5 +/- 1.0 cm/s, 5.4 +/- 1.5 cm/s, respectively. These velocities in short posterior ciliary arteries in glaucomatous patients were significantly lower: 2.4 +/- 2.3 cm/s, 5.6 +/- 2.2 cm/s, comparing to healthy subjects: 4.8 +/- 1.7 cm/s, 7.3 +/- 2.2 cm/s. Resistance and pulsatility indices in central retinal artery and short posterior ciliary arteries were significantly higher in the group of patients: RI = 0.85 +/- 0.18, PI = 2.11 +/- 0.92--in central retinal artery and RI = 0.81 +/- 0.18, PI = 1.96 +/- 0.91--in short posterior ciliary arteries, comparing to healthy subjects: RI = 0.61 +/- 0.08, PI = 1.20 +/- 0.17--in central retinal artery, RI = 0.61 +/- 0.09, PI = 1.13 +/- 0.18--in short posterior ciliary arteries. Impedance indices were increasing progressively with intraocular pressure elevation. There were no significant differences of Doppler blood flow parameters in ophthalmic artery between patients and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Blood flow velocities in central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries are lower, and resistance and pulsatility indices are higher in glaucomatous eyes in comparison to healthy subjects, whereas in ophthalmic artery doppler parameters are similar in both groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[The results of surgery on squint with pathological muscle attachment].

UNLABELLED: The aim of our study was to evaluate the results of the operation on squint with pathological attachment of lateral rectus revealed during surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 22 children (12 girls and 10 boys) out of 320 children operated on for squint in the years 1993-1996, who had pathological attachment of lateral rectus. Alternating convergent squint was found in 12 children, unilateral in 10. Muscle exposure showed dislocation of lateral rectus attachment--upwards by c. 1.5 mm in 11 children, downwards and obliquely by c. 2 mm in 10 children, in 1 child the upper part of the attachment was shifted forward by 1 mm. During the surgery, in addition to the reduction of squint angle, physiological attachment of the rectus was reconstructed. RESULTS: The operation restored parallel position of the eyes in 22 children, very good vision was obtained in 12 (54%) with alternating convergent squint, significant improvement in 5 (22%) with unilateral convergent squint, and only slight improvement in the remaining 5 (22.7%) with high initial amblyopia and squint angle from +15 degrees to +30 degrees.

Child↗
PubMed1998

[Visual evoked potentials and static perimetry in functional visual deficits].

The author presents application of visual evoked potentials and static perimetry in hysterical amblyopia, psychical blindness, malingerers, amblyopia, cortical blindness and visual acuity assessment in infants. The author emphasizes the influence of multiple factors on the results and interpretation of the examination.

Evoked Potentials, Visual↗
PubMed1998

[Physiology and pathology of tear film in the course of dry eye syndrome].

Due to the grow-up of number of patients suffering from signs of dry-eye syndrome we are obligated to investigate physiology and pathology of tear film. Data obtained from patients with Sjögren Syndrome and other types of lacrimal dysfunction shows that the expectations for break-up in dry-eye treatment strategy are very high. In our review we are presenting contemporary views concerning tear film production and tear deficiency with special look at the treatment possibilities.

Dry Eye Syndromes↗