[Lumbar hernia]. / Przepuklina Iedzwiowa.

Lumbar region constitutes one of the least common localizations for hernia formation. There are only slightly more than 300 cases found in English literature till the end of the 20th century, while there are only 8 cases presented in Polish literature. Exceptionally rare incidence together with diagnostic dilemma related to it made us to present cases of 2 patients operated on in the 2nd Chair of Surgery of Jagiellonian University Medical College due to lumbar hernia.

[Actinomycosis in persistent urachus]. / Promienica w przetrwalym moczowniku.

A 70 -year old woman with tumor of urachus confirmed in USG and CT us described in this article. In this tumor we have found during histopathology Gram-positive Actinomyceces. The location of Actinomyces in urachus is very rare.

Molecular origin of plasma membrane citrate transporter in human prostate epithelial cells.

The prostate is a highly specialized mammalian organ that produces and releases large amounts of citrate. However, the citrate release mechanism is not known. Here, we present the results of molecular cloning of a citrate transporter from human normal prostate epithelial PNT2-C2 cells shown previously to express such a mechanism. By using rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR, we determined that the prostatic carrier is an isoform of the mitochondrial transporter SLC25A1 with a different first exon. We confirmed the functionality of the clone by expressing it in human embryonic kidney cells and performing radiotracer experiments and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. By using short interfering RNAs targeting different parts of the sequence, we confirmed that the cloned protein is the main prostatic transporter responsible for citrate release. We also produced a specific antibody and localized the cloned transporter protein to the plasma membrane of the cells. By using the same antibody, we have shown that the cloned transporter is expressed in non-malignant human tissues.

[Incidence and risk factors of rebleeding from gastric and duodenal ulcers]. / Czynniki ryzyka i czstosc nawrotu krwawienia z wrzodów zoladka i dwunastnicy w materiale wlasnym.

We present the analysis of risk factors of recurrence of bleeding in patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers. The group consisted of 178 patients hospitalized between 1998-2002. Among them there were 76 patients with gastric ulcers and 102 patients with duodenal ulcers. The recurrence of bleeding was observed in 24.3% patients with gastric ulcer and 21.8% of patients with duodenal ulcer. The most important risk factors were: localization of ulcers, intensity of bleeding according to Forrest scale, presence of concomitant diseases, shock on admission and H. pylori infection. 26.3% of patient with gastric ulcer and 36.4% with duodenal ulcer needed emergency operation. The mortality rate among patients with gastric ulcer was 15.6% and with duodenal ulcer 13.6%.

[Type 1 carcinoids and ECL-cell hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa]. / Rakowiaki typu 1 i rozrosty z komórek ECL blony sluzowej zoladka.

Carcinoids develop from neuroendocrine cells. These cells share the same origin from ancestor stem cells in the regenerative zone of the gut. There are a few types of neuroendocrine cells in the stomach, mainly: G cells (antrum), D cells (corpus and antrum), ECL cells (corpus and fundus), D1 cells, EC cells, P cells and X cells. Each type of the endocrine cell is able to a tumor formation, but the gastric carcinoids are most likely to derive from ECL cells. The dominant type of cells of the corpus and fundus mucosa are the ECL cells. They constitute up to 30-40% of the neuroendocrine cells of the stomach and release histamine which is responsible for parietal cells stimulation. Hypergastrinemia predisposes ECL cells to proliferation. There is a continuity of changes ranging from simple hyperplasia to ECL cells carcinoids (often multiple). Among three types of gastric carcinoids, type three is aggressive and highly malignant, while type one is the most common but of low malignant potential. This publication presents 7 patients with extensive ECL cells hyperplasia and type 1 gastric carcinoids. The endocrine cells and carcinoids were visualized with the immunohistochemical reaction to chromogranin A. Prolonged, lasting several years observations of some of the patients under study confirm the indolent character of the disease. Individual, type-adapted, conservative treatment is sufficient.