[Multiple primary neoplasms--etiopathogenic aspects].
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Alcohol Drinking↗
Biomedical subjects
J Nowak
Publications and source records attributed to J Nowak.
Measuring the spin polarization of a metal with a superconducting point contact
A superconducting point contact is used to determine the spin polarization at the Fermi energy of several metals. Because the process of supercurrent conversion at a superconductor-metal interface (Andreev reflection) is limited by the minority spin population near the Fermi surface, the differential conductance of the point contact can reveal the spin polarization of the metal. This technique has been applied to a variety of metals where the spin polarization ranges from 35 to 90 percent: Ni0.8Fe0.2, Ni, Co, Fe, NiMnSb, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, and CrO2.
Journal Article↗
Telomerase activity and expression of its RNA component in cervical lesions.
BACKGROUND: The authors investigated telomerase enzyme activity and expression of its RNA component (hTR) during the multistage pathogenesis of cervical carcinomas, and correlated activation with histopathologic findings and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. METHODS: The authors analyzed 180 cervical specimens for enzyme activity, and analyzed hTR expression in an additional 55 samples from archival carcinoma cases. Polymerase chain reaction-based assays were used to determine telomerase enzyme activity and HPV infection, whereas a radioactive in situ assay was used for hTR expression. RESULTS: Telomerase enzyme activity was present in some samples of histologically normal epithelium (18 of 138; 13%) and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) (7 of 21; 33%), and in most high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) (13 of 21; 62%). The relative levels of telomerase activity were low in all preinvasive specimens except for three samples of HSIL with high activity. Although 21% of the brush samples had evidence of HPV infection, there was no obvious correlation between telomerase activity and HPV status. hTR expression was low in normal squamous/glandular epithelium and LSIL lesions, in which it was limited to the basal cells. In squamous and glandular in situ and invasive carcinomas, increased and dysregulated hTR expression was observed, although heterogeneity was noted. Intense focal up-regulation of hTR expression occurred in a subset of in situ lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Increased frequency and dysregulation of telomerase activation is correlated with increasing severity of histopathologic changes, but not with HPV infection. Whether dysregulated activity is a prognostic marker for development of invasive carcinoma remains to be determined.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Immunogene therapy of human melanoma. Phase I/II clinical trial.
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Antigens, CD↗
Opposite effects of adrenaline on plasma ammonia and blood lactate levels in humans.
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Adolescent↗
Regulators of proliferation and apoptosis in carcinoma of the larynx.
Expression of interrelated gene products regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis may be disordered in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx compared with normal squamous mucosa. Certain of these abnormalities, alone or in combination, may be of prognostic significance in low-stage carcinomas of the larynx. A retrospective study of archival material was made. Expression of the Bcl-2 family of apoptosis-related genes (bcl-2, bcl-X, mcl-1, and bax) and the proliferation- and apoptosis-related genes p53 and cyclin D-1 were determined in 40 low-T-stage laryngeal carcinomas and in uvular epithelium from patients without SCC. Among the antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family, Bcl-X and Mcl-1 showed more intense and widespread staining than Bcl-2 itself in both normal squamous mucosa and SCC. The well-ordered expression patterns of Bcl-2-related proteins found in normal epithelium were lost in SCC, and patterns of expression varied widely among individual tumors. Also, mean expression levels for Bax and cyclin D-1 were significantly lower than in normal epithelium (P = .036 and P = .009, respectively), whereas expression of p53 was higher in tumors (P = .034). Expression of Bcl-X and Mcl-1 was greater in poorly differentiated than in well-differentiated tumors (P = .014 and P = .031, respectively). No associations were seen between marker expression patterns and clinical outcome in this group of patients. Bcl-x and Mcl-1 appear to be the most abundantly expressed antiapoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family in both normal squamous mucosa and SCC of the larynx. Multiple genes regulating proliferation and apoptosis are expressed abnormally in laryngeal SCC compared with normal epithelium. In particular, loss or measurable decrease in expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax in tumors may contribute to the deranged growth control of SCC. Further study is needed to evaluate the prognostic significance of particular patterns of disordered expression of proteins regulating proliferation and apoptosis in SCC of different head and neck sites.
Adult↗
Potential of carotid ultrasonography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: a comparison with exercise test and variance ECG.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid artery atherosclerosis has been shown to correlate with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study evaluates the capacity of duplex ultrasonography of the carotid arteries as a tool in the diagnosis of CAD in comparison with exercise stress test and variance ECG. METHODS: Carotid ultrasonography, exercise stress test, and variance ECG were performed in 184 symptomatic patients evaluated with coronary angiography. The diagnostic capacity of the studied noninvasive methods was assessed by use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves constructed by successive consideration of several cut points, such as (1) the presence of unilateral/bilateral plaques and (2) cross-sectional common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media (IM) area from 10 to 30 mm2 for ultrasonography; (1) ST depression > or =0.1 mV and > or =0.2 mV with and (2) without chest pain for exercise test; and electrical variability index from 50 to 100 for variance ECG. RESULTS: Coronary angiography revealed the presence of CAD (> or =50% luminal stenosis in 1 or more major epicardial arteries) in 147 patients (80%). Identification of carotid plaques on one or both sides and calculation of the left-sided (but not right-sided) CCA IM area provided a significant discrimination (P<.001 and P<.01, respectively) of patients with CAD. The discriminating capacity of the ultrasound procedures was equal to that of variance ECG and exercise test with ST depression criterion only but somewhat lower than that of exercise test with the combined chest pain and ST depression criterion (P<.05). However, at the chosen cut points, carotid plaque identification offered higher sensitivity than exercise test with either criterion (P<.01 and P<.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Carotid ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic method that is comparable to exercise test and variance ECG for detection of CAD in a high-prevalence population.
Adult↗
[Carbohydrate antigens CA 19-9, CA 242, CA 50 in liver diseases].
UNLABELLED: Serum concentrations of CA 19-9, CA 242, and CA 50 were determined in patients with hepatitis and liver cirrhosis without cholestasis. The study included 63 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (group A), chronic active hepatitis (group B), and liver cirrhosis (group C). The control group (K) consisted of 82 patients with: peptic ulcer, colorectal polypi or diverticulosis of the colon. CA 19-9 level normal in the majority of patients with liver diseases, however, it was found to be increased in 4 (23%) of patients with liver cirrhosis. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of increased level of CA 19-9 between liver diseases and the control group. The rate of elevated serum level of CA 242 in patients with liver diseases and in control group was similar respectively 12%; 8.5%). The elevated CA 50 levels were most frequently found in patients with liver pathology (50% in liver cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis; 36% in chronic persistent hepatitis). CONCLUSION: The elevation of CA 50 serum level occurs very often in liver diseases, even when they are going without cholestasis. Thus, the antigen is not useful for differentiating between benign and cancer diseases of gastrointestinal tract. Antigen CA 50 is to be taken into account only after exclusion of the pathology of liver, especially cirrhosis. Other investigated antigens: CA 19-9 and CA 242 are influenced by liver diseases to a minor and neglectable extent. Antigen CA 19-9 is the marker of choice in gastrointestinal cancers.
Adult↗
Gamma/delta T cell receptor genes rearrangement in the blood and brain of multiple sclerosis patients. A preliminary study.
The characterization of TCR gamma/delta gene diversity in peripheral blood lymphocytes and in cerebral white matter of MS patients was performed. In overwhelming majority of MS cases the V delta-J delta junctional repertoire was restricted as evidenced by oligoclonal rearrangements concerning V delta 1-J delta 1, V delta 2-J delta 1, V delta 3-J delta 1, V delta 5-J delta 1. The obtained results indicate, that the restricted pattern of TCR gene rearrangement may suggest oligoclonal expansion of certain clones of gamma/delta T cells that may be involved in recognition of putative autoantigen, significant in the etiopathogenesis of MS. The very striking positive correlation between monoclonal pattern of V delta-J delta rearrangement in peripheral blood and cerebral white matter of MS patients indicate that the gamma/delta T lymphocytes play significant role in MS pathogenesis.
Adult↗
A comparative study of fixation techniques in the open Bankart operation using either a cannulated screw or suture-anchors.
The purpose of this study was to compare fixation using either Mitek suture-anchors or a cannulated screw technique, both applied extracapsularly, for an open Bankart reconstruction. Fifty-five consecutive patients with recurrent anterior dislocation of the shoulder were operated in two consecutive series. The same surgical technique was applied regardless of group, except for the reattachment method of the capsulolabral complex to the glenoid rim. Patients operated with suture-anchor fixation had better anterior stability, external rotation and functional outcome after a 24-month minimum follow-up. There were no differences between the groups regarding redislocation or subluxation rate.
Adult↗
Hepatitis B and C virus infection in Polish children with malignancies.
UNLABELLED: Infections by hepatotropic viruses belong to the most common complications of chemotherapy in children suffering from neoplastic diseases. The rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the effectiveness of passive immunization against HBV were studied in 285 children; 148/285 with lymphoproliferative diseases and 137/285 with solid tumours. HBV infection was observed in 10.2% children receiving hepatitis B immune globulin as compared to 36.8% without passive immunization against HBV. Anti-HCV antibodies were similar in both groups amounting 38.7% and 32.6% respectively. CONCLUSION: The results show that hepatitis B immune globulin administration is effective and that HCV might become the main cause of hepatitis among immunosuppressed patients in the future.
Adolescent↗
Flow cytometric analysis of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the immunophenotype of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) isolated from patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to analyse the correlations between the quantity of analysed cell subsets and the progression of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PBL and TIL samples were obtained from 23 patients with RCC at different stages of disease. The immunophenotype of PBL and TIL was measured, and the TNM stage, tumour size, cellular type, histological grade, lymphocytic infiltration and performance status assessed. RESULTS: The predominant mononuclear cells infiltrating the tumour, in all patients, were T lymphocytes (CD3+ median 66.9%, CD8+ median 34.6%, CD4+ median 26.7%). The cells possessing gamma/delta type T cell receptor accounted for a small fraction of the T cells in PBL and TIL (median 5.6% and 3.7%). Tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes had a significantly higher percentage of cells expressing human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DR (median 30.9%) and CD25 (median 6.2%) antigens than the equivalent populations in peripheral blood from the same patient group (P < 0.001). The degree of T cell activation appeared to negatively correlate with the tumour stage (K = -0.3, P = 0.04). The percentage of natural killer (NK) cells among TIL (median 15.4%) did not reflect the value in PBL. The percentage of B cells in TIL was slightly lower than in PBL and accounted for 5.0% of cells. There was no relationship between the degree of lymphocytic infiltration and either tumour stage or grade but there appeared to be a positive correlation between the intensity of lymphocytic infiltration and the percentage of CD4+ cells in TIL (K = 0.5, P = 0.001). Moreover, the composition of TIL depended on tumour grade, which positively correlated with the percentage of CD8+ cells (K = 0.4, P = 0.005) and negatively with the percentage of NK cells (K = -0.5, P = 0.005). There was an inverse correlation with the percentage of gamma/delta T cells in PBL and the TIL concentration (K = -0.3, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The TIL immunophenotype is different from PBL and is influenced by the histological grade of the tumour. The activation of TIL and its relationship with tumour progression suggests that they might be sensitized and activated by tumour cells.
Aged↗
Low doses of low molecular weight heparin in vivo do not inhibit delayed-type hypersensitivity.
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Analysis of Variance↗
[Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac structures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
Since heart lesions were found at autopsy in 55-60% of rheumatoid arthritis patients, we decided to assess echocardiographically their clinical significance. The study comprised 100 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (77 females and 23 males) of the mean age 55.7 +/- 12.5 yrs (range 18-83 yrs) and the disease duration of 8.3 +/- 8.0 yrs (range 1-35 yrs). The control group consisted of 100 consecutive age and sex matched patients admitted to university hospital. All the patients underwent echocardiographic examinations in apical and parasternal projections. The activity of the rheumatoid process, the severity of articular lesions, the presence of extraarticular sings as well as HLA DR and DQ antigens were determined clinically and with laboratory tests. Twenty six patients with rheumatoid arthritis had pericardial effusion, 10 revealed the sings of chronic pericarditis, in the control group 4 and 0 respectively (p = 0.001 and p = 0.025). No difference was shown in the wall contractions disturbances, size of the cardiac cavity, or thicknesses of the interventricular septum or posterior wall. In 3 rheumatoid arthritis patients, a valvular heart disease was diagnosed, this number was not significantly different from that in the control group (2 patients). There was no correlation between the lesions observed in the heart and the rheumatoid process activity estimated with clinical and laboratory indices.
Adult↗
[Total gastrectomy using Longmire's and Roux method. Evaluation of the invagination technique for esophageal-jejunal anastomosis].
582 patients were gastrectomized between 1976 and 1996 in the Department for Gastrointestinal Surgery in Katowice/Poland for gastric cancer. Before 1985 esophago-jejunal anastomosis have been accomplished using a simple end-to-end or special end-to-side (Schreiber-Eichfuss) method with jejunoplication. Thereafter we used an end-to-end invagination method with 4-5 cm deep intussusception of the first raw of sutures into jejunum. Comparison of the occurrence of short and long term complications at the site of esophago-jejunal anastomosis showed that invagination technique is safer that the previous one. It is associated with the lower rate of short and long term complications (dehiscence, stenosis, oesophagitis). Details of the surgical procedure facilitating the accomplishment of the tight and safe anastomosis are presented.
Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y↗
Beat-to-beat QRS amplitude variability after acute myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting.
Ischemic myocardial injury has been demonstrated to be associated with increased beat-to-beat electrical variability of the depolarization phase. This can be quantified by electrocardiographic (ECG) signal variance analysis, a technique that has proven its diagnostic value in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study evaluates QRS amplitude variability during a 6-month follow-up period in 73 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in 56 patients subjected to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The beat-to-beat QRS amplitude variability was quantified with variance electrocardiography. The equipment allows computerized time domain analysis of high-fidelity ECG signals from 24 leads, and the detected electrical heterogeneity is then expressed as a nondimensional index ranging from 0 to 150, with values >90 being indicative of ischemic myocardial involvement. One week after AMI 55% of the patients presented with an abnormal QRS variability index >90. A significant (p <0.01) increase in the index values occurred during the follow-up period, but only in the patients with an initial index <70. In the CABG group 44% of the patients had a preoperative QRS variability index >90. The values increased (p <0.05) in all patients after surgery; the increase was transient in patients with an initial index <70 (p <0.01). The results demonstrate that the myocardial injury in patients with CAD is often associated with increased electrical variability of myocardial depolarization. The QRS amplitude variability index can be used as a marker of such an injury, and analysis of its changes in the course of ischemic cardiac events may provide new insights into the dynamics of ischemic heart disease and the myocardial healing process.
Aged↗
Activated gamma/delta T lymphocytes infiltrating renal cell carcinoma.
Gamma/delta (gamma delta) T lymphocytes have been postulated to play a role in a surveillance mechanism that eliminates transformed or otherwise damaged cells. In this study, we examined by flow cytometry the frequency and phenotype of gamma delta T cells in the tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and peripheral blood (PBL) from renal cell carcinoma patients. The TCR gamma delta + cells comprised an average of 3.8% of the CD3+ TIL and 5.2% of circulating T cells. Analysis of surface immunophenotype revealed that activation markers of T lymphocytes: CD25 and HLA DR were highly expressed on the tumour infiltrating gamma delta + T lymphocytes (median 27.6% for CD25 and 52.0% for HLA DR). More importantly, percentage of activated gamma delta T cells was found to be much higher than compared to all activated CD3+ cells. Furthermore, an unusually high proportion of gamma delta positive TILs express CD4 or CD8 molecules (17.2 and 36.8%, respectively), indicating that they might recognise antigen presented within MHC II or I context. These results suggest that gamma delta T lymphocytes may play a certain role in immune response against tumour cells.
CD3 Complex↗
Effect of nicotine infusion in humans on platelet aggregation and urinary excretion of a major thromboxane metabolite.
The objective of this study was to evaluate further a possible role of nicotine as a stimulator of platelet aggregability and platelet arachidonic acid metabolism in vivo. In six healthy, non-smoking males, platelet aggregability was assessed by filtragometry and impedance aggregometry before, during and after an intravenous infusion of nicotine at two different doses (0.25 and 0.5 microgram kg-1 min-1) for 30 min. The aggregatory response was also measured after the addition of nicotine at final concentrations ranging from 10(-11) mol L-1 directly to the aggregating blood. The synthesis of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in platelets was estimated by quantitating the urinary excretion of 2.3-dinor-thromboxane B2 (Tx-M). Despite the plasma concentrations of nicotine, cotinine and catecholamines in the range of those occurring during acute cigarette exposure, the excretion of Tx-M (204 +/- 36 pg mg-1 creatinine) remained unaltered during nicotine infusion. Similarly, platelet aggregatory response to collagen was not influenced by nicotine when infused or added in vitro. However, an enhanced aggregability was detected by filtragometry during the infusion of nicotine at the higher dose employed. The results indicate that nicotine, infused at moderate doses, produces a weak platelet stimulation that is not accompanied by significant release of thromboxane A2, as monitored by urinary excretion of Tx-M. Although a direct action of nicotine on platelets cannot be excluded, it appears more likely that the enhancement of platelet function is mediated by other, secondary mechanisms.
Adult↗