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E Kowalski

Publications and source records attributed to E Kowalski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[The application of biodegradable anastomosis ring Valtrac for intestinal anastomosis].

UNLABELLED: In 1985 a biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) Valtrac was introduced for intestinal anastomoses. From August 1994 trough March 1998, 49 intestinal anastomoses were performed in 44 patients: there were 28 jejunoileostomies, 8 colocolostomies and 3 gastrojejunostomies. In 5 patients after total gastrectomy, two anastomoses with the use of Valtrac ring were made during the same operation. The patient group consisted of 26 women and 18 men, aged 14 to 81 years (mean age: 54 years); there were 13 emergency and 31 elective procedures. The reasons for the operations were: cancer--35 cases, pancreatic cyst drainage--4 cases and reconstructive procedures in the digestive tract--5 cases. First intestinal gas passage and defecation were monitored in all patients; control X-ray was performed on the 10th postoperative day. No mortality nor serious complications were observed in the postoperative period. In an 81-year old patient, an inconsiderable leakage was found at the anastomotic site. This was successfully managed in the second operation. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Valtrac is an alternative method for intestinal anastomoses. 2. The anastomotic technique is atraumatic and easy even for an unexperienced surgeon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Prevalence of hypertension in a hemodialysis population.

BACKGROUND: Accurate information on prevalence and status of blood pressure (BP) control in hemodialysis patients is lacking. Our Hemodialysis Quality Improvement Program, sought to determine: 1) The extent and control of hypertension (HTN), 2) whether Erythropoietin (EPO) dose or intradialytic fluid loss had any effect on BP and 3) a means to follow the severity of HTN. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The pre/post mid-week dialysis BP readings of 190 patients (64+/-14.1 years, 53% males, 77% whites) were evaluated over a 3 month period. HTN was defined as BP >150/90. Hypertension was further characterized according to whether the patients had normal or elevated pre-dialysis systolic, pre-dialysis diastolic, post-dialysis systolic or post-diastolic BP readings on more than 6 of the possible 13 recordings. The average EPO dose and weight loss during dialysis was correlated with BP. To better understand the extent of HTN, systolic and diastolic pressures were separately graded from 0 to 3 and a number designated as hypertension sensitivity index (HSI) was assigned to each patient. RESULTS: Of the 190 patients, 146 (76.8%) were hypertensive. 117 out of 146 hypertensive patients (80.1%) had persistent elevation of BP despite being on one or more antihypertensive medications. Most patients were on calcium channel blockers (39%) with 27% being on beta-blockers and 14% on Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. There was no correlation between the number of medications used and the control of HTN. The dose of EPO also had no effect on the degree of HTN. 69.8% of all HTN was systolic. Of this, 64.7% was pre-dialysis and 35.3% post-dialysis. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation with loss of weight during dialysis and lowering of systolic BP (r = 0.33, p = 0.0001). The mean HSI for this population was 2.3+/-1.8. CONCLUSION: HTN was a frequent finding in our hemodialysis population and it was controlled in only 19.9% of hypertensive patients. Most of this HTN was pre-dialysis systolic. There was a significant correlation between fluid loss during dialysis and lowering of blood pressure. The use of the HSI has proven to be helpful in differentiating type and severity of HTN.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Pressure effects on the stability of lipoxygenase: Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and enzyme activity studies.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) studies of lipoxygenase at pressures of up to 1.2 GPa have shown changes in the amide I' band which correlate to structural changes of the enzyme. The shift of the frequency maximum of the amide I' band at about 600 MPa suggests a cooperative change in the secondary structure of the protein. Studies of the changes in band width have shown the structural changes at 600 MPa to be irreversible. This has been confirmed by studies of enzyme activity after pressure treatment: exposure to 600 MPa for 30 min (40 degrees C) clearly reduced the activity of lipoxygenase. Anodic gel electrophoresis under non-denaturating conditions revealed a decrease in native protein parallel to the activity loss. A pressure-temperature-phase diagram for soybean lipoxygenase was established.

Enzyme Stability↗
PubMed1987

Persistent rotavirus infection in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency.

Rotaviruses are important pathogens of human infants and the infants of many animal species. The disease produced by these viruses can be described as an acute, self-limiting diarrheal disease, with virus replication localized to the differentiated epithelial enterocytes of the small intestine. Immunologically normal infants shed virus for approximately 5 to 12 days after the onset of infection. Recently, it has been shown that rotavirus can produce a chronic infection in severely immunocompromised children, with virus shedding and intermittent diarrhea lasting from 6 weeks to 2 years (G. A. Losonsky, J. P. Johnson, J. A. Winkelstein, and R. H. Yolken, J. Clin. Invest. 76:2362-2367, 1985; F. T. Saulsbury, J. A. Winkelstein, and R. H. Yolken, J. Pediatr. 97:61-65, 1980). These findings point to an important role for the immune system in recovery from the disease. The study described here examined the outcome of murine rotavirus infection in mice with severe combined B- and T-cell immunodeficiency (SCID) and in immunologically normal seronegative BALB/c mice. Persistent rotavirus infection was established in all mice with SCID which had been inoculated orally as pups. Low levels of virus replication and constant fecal virus shedding characterized the chronic infection. This is the first report of a persistent rotavirus infection in an animal model.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect of age and malnutrition on rotavirus infection in mice.

Litters of malnourished and normally nourished suckling mice of various ages were fed mouse rotavirus (10(5) ID50). Infection was monitored by immunofluorescent staining of isolated epithelial enterocytes 24, 28, and 72 h after virus ingestion; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of daily fecal samples; and determining the severity of diarrhea by noting the color and consistency of the feces and the presence or absence of staining. In malnourished mice 5 to 9 days old, all the parameters of infection were significantly greater than in their normally nourished counterparts. However, in mice 10 to 14 days old the differences in extent and severity of infection in malnourished and normally nourished animals was not significant. After 15 days of age there were low levels of virus shedding and antigen-positive enterocytes in both malnourished and normally nourished animals, but there was no diarrhea in either group. Therefore it appears that nutritional manipulation, resulting in malnutrition, does not alter the state of refractoriness to symptomatic rotavirus infection in mice greater than 15 days old.

Age Factors↗