Molecular structure and spectroscopic studies on novel complexes of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid with Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II) ions based on density functional theory.

Novel Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II) complexes of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (HCCA) were studied at experimental and theoretical levels. The complexes were characterised by elemental analyses, FT-IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and by magnetic susceptibility measurements. The binding modes of the ligand and the spin states of the metal complexes were established by means of molecular modelling of the complexes studied and calculation of their IR, NMR and absorption spectra at DFT(TDDFT)/B3LYP level. The experimental and calculated data verified high spin Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) complexes and a bidentate binding through the carboxylic oxygen atoms (CCA2). The model calculations predicted pseudo octahedral trans-[M(CCA2)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] structures for the Zn(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes and a binuclear [Mn(2)(CCA2)(4)(H(2)O)(2)] structure. Experimental and calculated (1)H, (13)C NMR, IR and UV-Vis data were used to distinguish the two possible bidentate binding modes (CCA1 and CCA2) as well as mononuclear and binuclear structures of the metal complexes.

SILS (single incision laparoscopic surgery) - new surgical approach to peritoneal cavity.

PURPOSE: The objective of the modern surgery is not only to perform surgical procedures aiming to improve the health condition of the patient, but whenever possible to use minimally invasive approach and to ensure the satisfying cosmetic result. During the last years we can observe an intense development of surgical technique minimizing the access to peritoneal cavity to just one small incision, most frequently localized in the umbilicus. MATERIAL/METHODS: Between October 2009 and May 2010 an overall number of 34 laparoscopic procedures through a single abdominal wall incision were performed at the 2nd Department of Surgery, Jagiellonian University, Medical College in Krakow. There were 28 women and 6 men in the study group ranging in age from 19 - 76 years. Among indications for surgery there were: symptomatic gallbladder stones (21 patients), adrenal gland tumours (8 patients), ITP - Immune Thromocytopenic Purpura (2 patients), appendicitis (2 patients) and splenic cyst (one patient). RESULTS: There were 31 out of 34 procedures completed with pure Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) technique as intended preoperatively without any intraoperative complications. In 3 patients additional trocars were needed for safe continuation of the procedure. There were no intraoperative complications. The mean operating time was 82 minutes ranging from 25 minutes (appendectomy) to 180 minutes (right adrenalectomy). Mean intraoperative blood loss was 0 - 30 ccm. CONCLUSIONS: SILS surgical procedures constitute the next step in the development of minimally invasive surgery. In the hands of experienced surgeon this particular technique may constitute a safe alternative for classical laparoscopy.

Acute biliary pancreatitis in the era of minimally invasive surgery.

PURPOSE: Opinions about early endoscopic sphincterotomy and time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute biliary pancreatitis are still controversial. Some authors reserved this procedure only for cases in which the stones were visualized during ERCP or patients had clinical symptoms of acute cholangitis. The aim was the assessment of the dynamic of changes of proinflammatory cytokines and white blood cells in time in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis after performed endoscopic sphincterotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We enrolled 43 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed mild forms of acute biliary pancreatitis. All were treated by early endoscopic sphincterotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed during the first 48 hours after admission. The course of the disease was monitored by measurement of the level of proinflammatory cytokines. RESULTS: Marked decrease of the level of proinflammatory interleukins within 24 hours after endoscopic sphincterotomy was observed. Mean values of IL-6 and IL-8 were statistically lower immidiately after this procedure (p < 0.001). Subsequent decrease was achieved after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The mean values of TNF-alpha and IL-12p40 were relatively constant throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: All patients suffering from mild acute biliary pancreatitis should be treated by using minimally invasive procedures. However, such a only treatment should be reserved for experienced centers.

Early endoscopic sphincterotomy and early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of severe acute biliary pancreatitis--a preliminary report.

PURPOSE: The proper timing of endoscopic sphincterotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute biliary pancreatitis is still a subject of controversies. The following rapid report presents preliminary data concerning treatment of patients with severe form of necrotizing biliary pancreatitis (SNBP) with the sequence of minimal invasive procedures (endoscopic sphincterotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy) performed in the first 48 hours after admission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve patients with SNBP were included in the study. The described above procedures were performed in all of the patients within 48 hours. We evaluated clinical outcome, complications, time of stay in hospital and also some morphological (white blood cells) and liver parameters (AST, ALT, bilirubin, ALP and GGT) of these patients in the course of the disease. RESULTS: Two patients died. Two other ones has local complications. We did not observe major complications after ERCP with ES and after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Additionally, the lavage of the abdominal cavity was performed and drainage was established during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conversion in our group occurred in 1 person. Later complications in the course of the disease were caused by the its progression and not related to the performed procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The results are very incurable, however, performing these types of procedures in the experienced centers deserves to be taken into account.

Long-term results of pancreatic cancer surgery.

Despite of growing incidence of pancreatic cancer and dynamic development of modern diagnostic methods, long-term treatment results are still unsatisfying. The aim of the study is the assessment of long-term outcome of pancreatic cancer surgery. Group of 621 patients hospitalized between 1972-1999 was analyzed. Pancreatic resection was performed in 34.1% (n = 212) patients, and in 65.9% (n = 409) cases a palliative bypass procedure was carried out. Increased number of resective procedures (from 6.2% to 40.1%) in the recent years was observed with lower perioperative mortality rates (from 20% to below 5%). The analysis of the long-term results of surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer showed significant improvement of the overall 5-year survival from 4.2% to 17.1% in the recent years. Based on the carried out analysis the authors conclude, that pancreatic cancer surgery performed by the experienced surgeon improves long-term results lowering to minimum the rates of complications.

An immunohistochemical study of the expression of bcl-2 and p53 oncoproteins in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia and pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The bcl-2 and p53 gene deregulation is frequently involved in several types of malignancies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of bcl-2 and p53 genes in various types of pancreatic intraepithelial proliferation and in pancreatic cancer and to answer the question of whether they interact in the process of intraductal epithelial proliferation. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for p53 and bcl-2 was performed on paraffin embedded sections from 56 patients operated on for pancreatic carcinoma, chronic pancreatitis, and other conditions. RESULTS: Pancreatic cancer in 100% of cases showed p53 expression and in 27.7% bcl-2 expression. The p53 gene was expressed already in pancreatic intraductal neoplasia and its frequency was significantly rising with an increasing degree of hyperplasia. Normal epithelium of pancreatic ducts and ductules showed a high expression of bcl-2, which was decreasing in the process of intraductal proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a high expression of p53 and a low expression of bcl-2. In pancreatic cancers and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, there is an inverse relationship between the expression of bcl-2 and p53. Malignant behavior of pancreatic cancer may be associated with the phenotype bcl-2-/p53+.

Evaluation of circulating tumour cells expressing CD44 variants in the blood of gastric cancer patients by flow cytometry.

The occurrence of circulating tumour cells in the blood of 51 patients with gastric cancer (stages I-IV) was studied using flow cytometry, cell sorting, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The lysed whole blood samples were stained with monoclonal antibodies against common leukocyte antigen (CD45), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), tumour associated glycoprotein 72kD (TAG72), CD44 variants (v5 and v6) and analysed by flow cytometry within ungated or CD45-gated populations. The frequency of detection of TAG72+, CD44v5+ and v6+ cells within CD45- gate was considerably increased in comparison to the ungated population. Furthermore, the presence of tumour cells was directly demonstrated by immunostaining for cytokeratin 18 of sorted CD45- population. The presence of CD44v5+, v6- cells and CD44v-mRNA in the blood was compared to their expression in the primary tumour. The occurrence of circulating CD44v+ cells was associated with their presence in the primary tumour and CD44v-mRNA in the blood. The method described may provide a sensitive tumour marker-independent tool for detection of circulating tumour cells in cancer patients.

Infiltrating carcinoma arising in intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor of the pancreas.

A case of an infiltrating carcinoma arising in an intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas was reported in a 60-yr-old man. Preoperative diagnosis of the carcinoma was established on the basis of fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Efficacy of ebrotidine and ranitidine combined with amoxicillin and metronidazole in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer.

This double-blind, randomized, phase III clinical trial was carried out in two parallel groups to assess the efficacy of ebrotidine (N-[(E)-[[2-[[[2-[(diaminomethylene) amino]-4-thiazolyl]methyl]thio]ethyl]amino] methylene]-4-bromo-benzenesulfonamide, CAS 100981-43-9, FI-3542) 400 mg and ranitidine 300 mg given in single evening dose, combined with amoxicillin 750 mg and metronidazole 500 mg three times daily for 14 days, in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer. Thirty patients were included, divided into two groups of 15, to whom one of the study therapies was administered based on a randomization code. Clinical and endoscopic controls were performed 4, 6 and 8 weeks after the onset of the treatment. No differences were seen between the two treatment groups with regard to demographic parameters and clinical histories. They were both perfectly homogeneous. There were no differences between the eradication of both therapies in both the antrum and gastric body samples (over 80% eradication), allowing the results to be classified as satisfactory. Moreover, perfect control was achieved through the study of clinical symptoms, which even disappeared in some cases. There were no differences in the healing rate of the duodenal ulcer after four weeks, 86.7% being achieved for both groups.

Long-term results of highly selective vagotomy in the treatment of duodenal ulcer patients using the intra-operative endoscopic congo red test to identify the parietal cell antrum-corpus borderline.

A total of 151 patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcers were treated with highly selective vagotomy. The patients were subsequently observed prospectively for a period of 3-17 years. The recurrence rate for the whole group reached 4.6%. The parietal cell antrum-corpus borderline for denervation was marked using the intra-operative endoscopic Congo Red Test. The test was useful for the classification of patients into the group (own method) and for the identification of patients with "acid antrum". Between 1974-1980, Highly selective vagotomy was performed in 93 patients in some of whom single clusters of parietal cells were diagnosed in the prepyloric region (acid antrum, type A). The recurrence rate in this group reached 7.5%. In a group of 58 patients operated on after 1980 from which "acid antrum" cases were eliminated, no recurrences have so far been observed. Additionally, the results of early and late complications and the results of patient self-estimation using to Visick's scale are discussed.

Endoscopic sphincterotomy as a therapeutic measure in cholangitis and as prophylaxis against recurrent biliary tract stones.

Our purpose was to analyse the results of endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with advanced cholangitis, and to assess the potential of this method in the prevention of recurrent biliary tract stones. Advanced cholangitis certainly predisposes to microlith formation, and we believe that the increased biliary drainage produced by sphincterotomy counteracts this process. Our grading of cholangitis was an intraoperative cholangioscopic assessment corresponding to Nishimura grades III and IV (erosions in the duct walls, patchy stone ulceration, biliary gravel, fibro-purulent plaques densely adherent to the biliary walls etc. 62 patients with grades III and IV cholangitis (as defined at choledochoscopy) underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy (GP-A). This group underwent a controlled prospective study with review at: one year, between 2 and 3 years, 5 years following surgery. The control group (GP-B) constituted 20 patients with comparable cholangitis who did not undergo sphincterotomy. Group A had no recurrent lithiasis, 4.8% revealed persistent cholangitis. In control group (GP-B) 6 patients (30%) revealed recurrent lithiasis, on average 4.6 years following initial surgery. In addition, 35% of this group had clinical symptoms of cholangitis. These results indicate that endoscopic sphincterotomy is a worthwhile method in the treatment of cholangitis and prophylaxis against recurrent biliary tract stones.