Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to W Rokicki.
Recurring pneumothorax associated with menstruation was named catamenial pneumothorax. Proposed causes for catamenial pneumothorax include allows air to enter the peritoneal cavity via the genital tract, prostaglandins, diaphragmatic fenestrations and systemic endometriosis. In this article, we review the literature experience with this entity and critically assess treatment options based on pathophysiology mechanism.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Spontaneous perforation of the esophagus (Boerhaave's syndrome) is an emergency that requires early diagnosis if death or serious prolonged illness is to be averted. The literature is reviewed and the causes of delay in diagnosis are analyzed.
In 34 children suffering from so called cutaneous forms of scleroderma and in 30 healthy subjects echocardiographic cardiac assessment as well as doppler analysis of mitral valve function was performed. It was found that sclerodermic children suffered more frequently from cardiac valves regurgitation (especially insufficiency of mitral valve). However, these insufficiencies were usually negligible or corresponding to Io. Other changes detected in these children were as follows: significantly higher values of left ventricle shortening fraction, increased left ventricle mass index, and changes of mitral flow which may reflect impaired diasystolic function of left ventricle and, perhaps, impaired left atrium contraction. It is suggested that such changes could be corresponding to the beginning of cardiomyopathy.
Sixty-seven children (40 girls and 27 boys) suffering from primary mitral valve prolapse (MVP) were studied. The age of these subjects was 5 to 18 years with the mean 12.8 +/- 3.3 years. MVP was diagnosed on the basis of physical and echocardiographic examination. In every case following studies were performed: routine and 24-hours ECG (according to Holter method), echocardiography, and physical performance test (according to Bruce protocol). The cause of referring the child to cardiologist were: cardiac murmur with/or midsystolic click in 85%, chest pain in 31%, feeling of cardiac palpitations in 40%, loss of consciousness in 40%, increased fatigability in 22%, feeling of dyspnoea in 10.5% (there were often more than one symptom in the same subject). Familial inheritance of MVP was suggested in over 20% of our patients. Asthenic constitution with orthopedic disorders (e.g. important scoliosis, pectus excavatum etc.) was found in about 20% of studied children. In 15% so called silent MVP was recognized. In 19% of subjects mitral valve leaflets inspection indicated their thickening and redundancy. In 67% routine ECG showed abnormalities of cardiac rhythm, conduction or repolarization. During Holter monitoring rhythm disturbances were detected in 22% of patients. Physical performance test results were normal in every case.
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The authors determined the magnesium content in the blood and hair by atomic mass absorption. The studied material included preschool children from a kindergarten situated in the center of Katowice (n = 60) and their older teenage brothers and sisters (n = 10). The control group was made up to 24 preschool children from Rabka (a health resort in the mountains). It was found that the majority (over 60%) of preschool children in Katowice had a magnesium deficit. The magnesium content in teenagers was significantly higher than in their preschool siblings. Children from Rabka had much more favorable results.
Thirty-four children suffering from so-called cutaneous forms of scleroderma were studied (physical examination, routine and 24-hour ECG, and physical performance test). Physical development was significantly impaired in 5 cases. Congenital heart malformations with left-to-right shunt were detected in 3 children. These children underwent surgery with good results. Heart murmur was found during physical examination in 14 cases. In 30 subjects routine ECG was described as abnormal or doubtful. Abnormal Holter monitoring results were found in 13 children. The authors were not able to detect inferior physical performance test results in the studied children as compared to the control group (when the children suffering from congenital heart malformations and resting tachycardia were excluded from the study). It is suggested that children suffering from so-called cutaneous forms of scleroderma should remain under constant cardiological care.
HPLC determination of histamine, serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the brain tissue of rats with portocaval anastomoses (PCA) has revealed a selective increase in histamine concentration. In the posterior hypothalamus, the steady-state level of the amine metabolites showed an inverse pattern; N-tele-methylhistamine (t-MeHA), as estimated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was not changed significantly by portocaval shunting, whereas 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid were more than doubled. Interestingly, the net increase in t-MeHA concentration in response to pargyline (80 mg/kg i.p.) was almost the same for PCA and sham-operated rats. This implies that the great enhancement of the histamine level in this area might be a consequence of the persistent stimulation of its synthesis and the unchanged activity of histaminergic neurons. In the rest of the brain, on the other hand, the steady-state level of t-MeHA was higher after PCA (3.8-fold), as were the levels of 5-HIAA and homovanillic acid. Surprisingly, t-MeHA remained unchanged after monoamine oxidase blockade. Of the pargyline-induced alterations in the concentrations of indoles and catechols, the most pronounced were those in the serotonin level; serotonin was elevated more than twofold in hypothalamus and more than 12-fold in the rest of the brain, with a concomitant 80% decrease in 5-HIAA. The dopamine and, to a much smaller extent, noradrenaline levels were also increased, and the levels of homovanillic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid fell below the detection limit. The study suggests that at least two different mechanisms operate in the brains of PCA rats to counteract the excessive synthesis of neuromediators, e.g., increased deposition and increased metabolism.
In accordance to contemporary views on the pathology of biochemical changes in the fibrotic process at pulmonary hypertension, the authors took a trial to investigate the convection of excessive blood flow through lungs and changes of collagen metabolism in lungs. The possibility of following the metabolism of collagen through naming its metabolites (hydroxyproline-Hp) made us to connect the intended surveys with practical trail of its use, and diagnostic methods at children with congenital shunt cardiac defects. The survey was taken up in three groups of children with different levels of pulmonary advancement hypertension process: 39 children with dynamic elevation of pulmonary artery pressure (I st and II nd group age range: 12 months to 2 years), and 17 children with marks of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease. III rd group age range: 12 months to 6 years. It was stated, that between children from the first and second group before operational treatment, clear growth of Hp contents in serum and in urine returned to its correct value within the 1 to 6 months observation period since the cardiac defect has been corrected. In the third group, in spite of surgical treatment, the increased Hp content remained in the post operative period, therefore testifying the non-retreated fibrotic changes. It was stated, that Hp content control in serum and excretion in urine can possess clinical usage as an auxiliary exam estimating the advancement of pulmonary hypertension before surgical treatment and at the post-operative monitoring of the lungs.
The role of portal blood influx in liver regeneration was studied in rats. Partial hepatectomy with removal of 45% of the liver mass was performed after end-to-side portacaval shunt (PCS) leading to complete diversion of portal blood from the liver, or after side-to-side PCS causing partial portal blood deprivation. Liver resection was limited to 45% to avoid the high mortality rate in rats with vascular anastomoses and 70% hepatectomy, but it did not change the pattern of liver regeneration. The total RNA and DNA content, the rate of DNA synthesis and the number of hepatocyte mitoses in regenerating liver were measured in comparison to sham-operated controls. Complete occlusion of the portal blood influx did not block hepatoproliferative response, but caused a significant decrease and delay of regeneration. Partial preservation of portal flow in rats with side-to-side PCS markedly improved liver regeneration in comparison to end-to-side PCS, but the process was slower than in the control group.
Total cortisol as well as percentage and absolute free cortisol values were determined in 75 full-term, 88 premature and 38 small-for-age (born at term) infants in the first 3 months of life. Equilibrium dialysis and radioimmunoassay were used to estimate the percentage value of the unbound fraction and the value of total cortisol from which absolute free cortisol level was calculated, respectively. A systematic decrease in the free cortisol value was observed in all the three groups of infants during the study period (in full-term infants from 32.3 to 19%, in prematures from 36.6 to 20.8%, and in small-for-age infants from 32.3 to 19.2%). A comparison between the percentage values of free cortisol in the groups studied revealed only slight differences which were not significant. The absolute free cortisol values in full-term infants were highest immediately after birth (4.05 micrograms/dl), then they fell to the lowest level of 0.67 micrograms/dl observed between the third and fifth days of life, and increased afterwards reaching the level of 1.89 micrograms/dl in the third month. The absolute free cortisol values in premature newborns at 3-5 days of life exceeded the values observed in full-term subjects. The pattern of free cortisol in the prematures seems to be 'delayed' as compared with that in full-term newborns. The absolute free cortisol values in small-for-age infants were much more similar to those found in the full-term subjects, than to those in premature babies.
The study evaluated the effect of portacaval anastomosis on the regeneration ability of the liver after partial hepatectomy in rat. The regeneration of liver was evaluated using the following tests: deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, the activity of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and the concentration of DNA and RNA in subcellular fractions of liver obtained by differential centrifugation. The results indicate the harmful effect of the portacaval shunting on the liver proliferation, which was near 50% decreased and the peak of the regeneration was delayed for about 12 hours. The most significant changes were observed in the nuclear and cytoplasmic fraction. In addition, high mortality ratio was found in the animals with portacaval anastomosis followed by partial hepatectomy.
The aim of the work was to search for the correlation between the environmental pollution and the ratio of congenital malformations found in the population of 54,493 newborn infants of three Silesian towns: Bielsko-Biała (situated in the mountains, close to a recreation part of the country), Bytom (situated in the center of an old industrial district, where industry is responsible for very high environmental pollution), and Tarnowskie Góry (situated close to vast woodlands, where very high environmental concentration of heavy metals is caused by an outdated, big zinc plant). In spite of big differences of environmental pollution indices between the three towns, the percentage of major congenital malformations diagnosed within the first three days of extrauterine life was almost identical (1.12% in Bielsko-Biała, 1.3% in Bytom, and 1.1% in Tarnowskie Góry).
Rats with portacaval shunt (PCS) were used as a model of hepatic encephalopathy and compared to sham operated controls. Neurochemical studies in rats have demonstrated increased activity of MAO in brain cortex and cerebellum at 20, 40, and 60 days after surgery. The greatest increase of MAO activity was seen 60 days after PCS.
Postnatal aldosterone levels have been studied in 13 newborns from birth to the end of the 3rd day of life. The examinations were performed in children in whom blood samples were collected frequently for the clinical reasons (mostly because of suspected serologic incompatibility). Aldosterone level was measured by radioimmunoassay in the mixed cord blood and then at 2, 6, 12, 48, 72 hours after birth. Aldosterone concentration in the cord blood was 0.35 ng/dl and rapidly increased to 0.79 ng/dl during the first two hours after birth. The same value was obtained at the 6th hour of life. The mean aldosterone concentrations were 0.85 ng/dl at the 12th hour, 0.89 ng/dl at the 24th and 48th and 0.85 at the 72nd hour of life. Postnatal variation of aldosterone levels differs from previously investigated variations of glucocorticoids levels.