Drug delivery systems improving chemical and physical properties of anticancer drugs currently investigated for treatment of solid tumors.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Conventional cancer treatment like chemotherapy do not fulfil the expectations of both patients and physicians and there is a pressing need for a new kind of therapies that will increase drug delivery to the tumor mass. Standard chemotherapy does not show either specific tumor-targeting, or selective mode of action for cancer cells. Moreover, tumor microenvironments additionally disturb drug perfusion and diffusion. Currently approved anticancer drugs have many limitations and therefore special delivery systems improving their chemical and physical properties are beneficial. In the present review paper we discuss various drug delivery systems for solid tumors that are actually at various stages of pre-clinical tests or approved for therapy.

Connection types between portal vein and portal sinus during foetal life.

We examined 27 resin casts of foetal liver veins and found three types of connection between portal vein and portal sinus. The most frequent connection was endo-lateral (66.7%), when the end of the portal vein joins with the lateral wall of the portal sinus. The next type was latero-lateral (14.8%). In this type, the lateral walls of the portal sinus and the portal vein join together. The last type was latero-lateral through short vessel (18.5%), which resembles the previous one, but there is short vessel between the lateral walls of the portal vein and sinus.

Occlusion of radicular arteries - reasons, consequences and anastomotic substitution pathways.

AIM OF STUDY: To investigate the cause of radicular artery occlusion. METHOD: Fifty specimens of spinal cords were taken at postmortem from individuals in whom no symptoms of spinal cord and spine injuries were present in life. The spinal cord arterial system was filled with colour contrast material and then each radicular antery was studied individually at 5 - 25 operative microscope magnification. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty two anterior radicular arteries joining the anterior spinal artery and 525 posterior radicular arteries joining the posterior spinal arteries were examined. There were five obstructed vessels: four were anterior radicular arteries including the artery of Adamkiewicz and one of the initial branches of the spinal artery originating from the vertebral artery. CONCLUSIONS: As the presented examples show, the formation of a fully efficient collateral circulation is possible.

Middle superficial cerebral vein.

The microanatomical study present the anatomy of the middle cerebral vein. On the basis of the anatomical data we distinguished concentric and nonconcentric types of tributaries of the middle superficial cerebral vein. The nonconcentric type prevails.

[Contribution to the microanatomy of the proximal part of the arteria centralis longa (Heubner's artery)]. / Przyczynek do mikroanatomii poczatkowego odcinka tetnicy srodkowej dlugiej ("Heubner'a").

The anterior communicating artery complex is one of the most frequent intracranial aneurysm sites. Pterional craniotomy is the usual way to expose this region. While exposing of the aneurysmal dome, the posterior part of the gyrus rectus is frequently resected. In this stage of the procedure and later during clipping of the aneurysm, the surgeon's manipulation is closely related to the proximal part of the Heubner's artery. This vessel feeds important structures in the region of the basal ganglia. The anatomy of the Heubner's artery was described by many authors. However the intraoperative identification of this artery is still not clear. Therefore we performed detailed microanatomical investigation of the proximal part of the Heubner's artery in 40 brain hemispheres. It was found that during resection of the posterior part of the gyrus rectus two arteries are exposed. The recurrent Heubner's artery runs posteriorly to the gyrus rectus. The second artery runs on the medial and inferior surface of gyrus rectus supplying cerebral cortex. This artery frequently originates from the A1/A2 junction or the proximal part of the A2 segment of the anterior cerebral artery. Because of it, this cortical artery is difficult to distinguish from the recurrent Heubner's artery. This artery can branch out from the recurrent Heubner's artery or the frontopolar artery. In conclusion, the greatest probability of the injury to the recurrent Heubner's artery may occur during resection of the posterior part of the gyrus rectus.

Is P-glycoprotein a sufficient marker for multidrug resistance in vivo? Immunohistochemical staining for P-glycoprotein in children and adult leukemia: correlation with clinical outcome.

Seventy-eight patients: 45 children, 33 adults and 27 normal healthy donors were enrolled in the study. Expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was evaluated with three monoclonal antibodies (MAb's) directed to intra-(C219, JSB-1) and extra-cellular (MRK-16) epitopes of P-gp and immunocytochemical (IC) APAAP staining method. Twenty-seven healthy donors peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were investigated by means of IC and FACScan analysis. Positive staining for P-gp was detected in 31% children's and 33% adults' leukemia samples. No reactivity of three MAb's was observed with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by means of IC. Flow cytometry analysis with C219 MAb revealed staining for P-gp present on sub-population of lymphocytes and monocytes. P-gp (+) as well as P-gp (-) cases were compared in respect to clinical outcome, FAB classification and blood group. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 12/14 (85%) children's and 9/11 (81%) adults' P-gp (+) leukemia cases. Within the P-gp (-) leukemia cases CR was observed in 24/29 (82%) and 18/22 (81%), respectively. Partial remission, relapse, resistance and death were noticed in 14% children's and 18% adults' P-gp (+) samples. In P-gp (-) cases these parameters were observed in 17% and 18%, respectively. These results raise the question whether the expression of P-gp can be used as single prognostic marker to detect multidrug resistance (MDR phenomenon) in vivo?

The morphological aspects of the innervation of the external urethral striated sphincter.

Innervation of the sphincter urethrae externus muscle was studied in 30 human fetuses with the aid of operation microscope. The investigated muscle receives direct branch from anterior roots of S2, S3, or S4, or from the trunk of the pudendal nerve. The branch to the muscle divides into 2 or 3 rami before it enters the muscle, or it divides into 2 or 3 terminal rami, and gives off the dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris.

The analysis of lead, cadmium, zinc, copper and nickel content in human bones from the upper Silesian industrial district.

The concentration of lead, cadmium, zinc, copper and nickel in autopsy samples of bones from adults living in the Upper Silesian industrial district (Poland)--an ecological disaster region--was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (flame and flameless GF AAS). Lead concentrations ranged from 20 micrograms/g to 200 micrograms/g bone wet weight, cadmium from 0.4 microgram/g to 1.5 micrograms/g bone wet weight. About one-fourth of the bones examined from Silesia, contained lead in the range from 100 micrograms/g to 200 micrograms/g. The were no significant differences in zinc, copper and nickel concentration between the control groups. The samples were mineralized in a microwave digestion system. To avoid anomalous results caused by the influence of the matrix Ca3 (PO4)2--the procedure of lead determination was carried out at a temperature of 2000 degrees C, the cadmium determination at a temperature of about 1200 degrees C.

[Vascular regions of the spinal cord]. / Obszary naczyniowe rdzenia kregowego.

In a material of 50 spinal cord specimens obtained from adults the radicular-anastomotic arteries were studied. After an analysis of the situation, diameter and connections of these arteries seven vascular regions were discerned in the cord: upper cervical region C1-C3, middle cervical region C4-C5, cervical intumescence region C6-C8, upper thoracic region Th1-Th3, middle thoracic region Th4-Th7, thoracolumbar intumescence region Th8-L4, and lumbosacral region L5-Co. Arterial systems found in these regions are described.

Myocardial structures over the coronary arteries and their branches.

Myocardial bridges over coronary arteries have been investigated in 30 pig's hearts. Such bridges were found in 26 hearts. Such structures were in form of myocardial loops, bridges or tunnels. The bridges were found most often over the posterior interventricular branch.

Variations of topography of the parathyroid glands. Clinical aspects.

In 120 cadavers four parathyroid glands were found in 56.7% of cases. In most investigated specimens (above 90%) the superior parathyroid glands are localized posteriorly to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, whereas inferior parathyroid glands lie anteriorly to the nerve. The parathyroid glands are localized within a radius of 2 cm from the crossing of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the inferior thyroid artery.

Branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerves in the vicinity of the inferior thyroid arteries.

Analysis of divisions of 70 human recurrent laryngeal nerves into splanchnic twigs was made. Especially, the rami were studied in relation to sex and side of the neck.