Comparison of the craniometric parameters of wild and farm American mink (Mustela vison).

Skulls of 65 American minks from the West Pomeranian Province were examined (farm: n = 33, male: n = 16, female: n = 17; wild: n = 32, male: n = 20, female: n = 12). Craniometric parameters in the number of 24 were determined and measured on each skull. Results were averaged and compared, maintaining the division into sex groups. Males were found to have statistically significant differences between wild and farm animals in 20 parameters; measurements showing no statistically significant differences were: nasal length, postorbital constriction, brain case height and greatest height of the mandibular body. Females were found to have statistically significant differences between wild and farm animals in 6 parameters: condylobasal length, tooth row length, greatest length of the mandible, brain case basis length, postorbital length and palatal length. The percentage conversion of measurements into the greatest length of the skull showed differences in its proportions. Among male skulls, the parameters for which the ratio of differences was more than 2% were palatal length, zygomatic breadth and brain case height. For female skulls, no craniometric parameters showed differences in the skull proportions being greater than 2%. The occurrence of measurable changes in the craniometric parameters between domestic and farm mink populations may indicate that the domestication process is still ongoing and allows distinguishing the population affiliation of an individual specimen.

[Mast cells in chronic gastritis of children]. / Komórki tuczne w przewleklym zapaleniu blony sluzowej zoladka u dzieci.

Mast cell involvement in chronic gastritis in children was analyzed. 25 children with normal mucosa (controls), 20 children with chronic gastritis and 28 children with chronic gastritis and infected Helicobacter pylori were included to the study. Bioptic material from antrum and corpus of the stomach were stained with toluidine blue and anti-human mast cell tryptase to evaluate mast cell density. Changes in mast cells number were also estimated in 7 children before and after successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. Mast cell density was significantly greater in children with chronic gastritis with or without Helicobacter pylori infection when compared to the controls. Mast cell degranulation was demonstrated by electron microscopy in children with chronic gastritis and infected Helicobacter pylori. Mast cell through it's numerous mediators may play a key role in chronic gastritis especially when Helicobacter pylori infection is present.

Study of p53 protein expression in prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was the immunohistochemical evaluation of p53 protein expression in localized prostate cancer (Pca) following radical prostatectomy and analysis of its relationship to chosen anatomo-clinical and morphological parameters of the tumours. The present investigation included material from 28 randomly selected patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. Tissue sections were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde solution, embedded in paraffin and stained immunohistochemically with the anti-human p53 protein monoclonal antibody. The immunolocalization of p53 protein was performed using the Labelled Streptavidyn Biotin (LSAB) method. The p53 protein expression was semiquantitatively assessed in neoplastic cells and the reaction present in more then 25% of tumour cells was accepted as the threshold of positivity. No correlation was found between p53 protein expression and Gleason score, pT stage, lymph node metastases, seminal vesicles invasion, positive or negative surgical resection margins, age of patients. However, p53 protein expression and capsular penetration was found statistically significantly correlated.

p53 gene mutation and protein expression in operable non-small cell lung cancer in Poland.

We investigated the association of p53 abnormalities (gene mutations by DNA sequencing and protein over-expression by immunostaining) with clinical data and prognosis in 74 patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DNA analysis of exons 5-8 of the p53 gene showed 34 mutations in 74 resected primary NSCLC (45.9%). Immunohistochemical study of the p53 protein revealed that 41 of 74 (55.4%) samples had positive staining. We found strong agreement between the results of the p53 protein expression test (p53-PE) and the p53 gene mutation test (p53-M) (Cohen's kappa = 0.65, 95% CI 0.48-0.82). Joint distribution of the results (analysed using the bivariate Dale model) was mainly influenced by, histological type of tumour. A positive result for the p53-PE test significantly increased (estimated odds ratio 84.5; 95% CI 8.89-803.03) the odds of observing a positive result in the p53-M test. In the univariate analysis (log rank test), positive results in the p53-M test and the p53-PE test were significantly associated with overall survival (P < 0.001 and P = 0.005, respectively). In the multivariate analysis (Cox's proportional hazard model), a positive result for the p53-M test significantly increased relative risk for overall survival (RR 9.56; 95% CI 2.62-34.87; P < 0.001). When the result of the p53-M test was accounted for, a positive result for the p53-PE test did not offer any additional prognostic information due to the strong dependence of results of the tests. However, when the result of the p53-M test was removed from the model, a positive result for the p53-PE test became a significant unfavourable prognostic factor (P = 0.009). We conclude that p53 gene mutation and protein expression analyses are in a strong agreement. Joint distribution of the results depends mainly on histological type of tumour. When considered separately, both tests are unfavourable prognostic factors in NSCLC. When the result of the p53-M test is taken into account, the p53-PE test does not offer any additional prognostic information.

[The results of treatment of chronic prostatitis on the background of anaerobic bacterial and fungal infections]. / Wyniki leczenia prostatitis chronica na tle zakazen bakteriami beztlenowymi i grzybami.

More than 25% of patients who declare indisposition of the urinary tract suffer from prostate infection. Progress in the medical treatment of this type of infection has been achieved largely due to the introduction of new sorts of antibiotics and development of modern diagnostic methods. The aim of the study is to determine the causes of prostate infections. A bacteriological examination of the prostate secretion in 28 patients after "per rectum" massage were conducted in the Urology Clinic of the Central Clinical Hospital of Military Academy in Warsaw from March 1995 to September 1997. All the patients had previously undergone medical treatment and long-term pharmacotherapy. A high percentage of fungal infections as well as the increased occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis have been observed.

The gastrointestinal mast cell in health and disease.

Mast cells are metachromatic cells found widely throughout the body. In gastrointestinal tract they reside particularly in mucosa having close contact with external environment. Their certain role in health and disease remains unclear. Mast cells seem to be involved in lots of allergenic and non-allergenic inflammatory events taking place throughout the gastrointestinal tract including IgE-dependent hypersensitivity reaction, gastritis with or without Helicobacter pylori infection, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome. Mast cell involvement in certain inflammatory processes in gastrointestinal tract were reviewed.

Histological diagnosis of gastritis based on Sydney System.

The review of literature concerning gastritis, especially the chronic form has been carried out. Based on published data and own authors experience an application of the Sydney System in differential diagnosis of gastritis was presented.

Overexpression of the nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in the thyroid follicular tumours. Comparison of the cytological and histopathological examinations.

The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of the expression of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region proteins (AgNORs) as a marker of malignancy degree in thyroid follicular tumours. The study used the postoperative material of thyroid glands and cytologic material obtained with fine needle aspiration biopsy. Follicular adenoma, carcinoma and struma nodosa hyperplastica-type changes were analysed. The comparison of the AgNOR parameters examined revealed statistically significant differences between the groups of follicular carcinoma and follicular adenoma, follicular carcinoma and nodular goitre, and between adenoma and nodular goitre. However, the "overlapping" of value ranges was observed between the groups of follicular carcinoma and adenoma, as well as follicular adenoma and nodular goitre. This referred particularly to atypical adenoma parameters found within a non-diagnostic range. No differences were observed in the counts of AgNOR dots between histologic and cytologic material obtained with fine needle aspiration biopsy.

Fetotoxic effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in rats.

The fetotoxic effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was investigated. Histological and histochemical changes in the liver of newborn, jung and adult rats exposed to the herbicide from the prenatal period to the end of an experiment were evaluated. The experiment used 90 male and female, Wistar, aged to 10 weeks rats, divided into two groups: I-control-30 and II-60 animals which received the water solution of 2,4-D acid sodium salt in a daily dose of 250 mg/kg b.w. It was given with drinking water every day. The animals were sacrificed after 24 hours, 4, 6, and 10 weeks of the experiment. The results obtained showed that the administration of 2,4-D acid to rats in the prenatal and postnatal period, in a dose inducing subacute intoxication leads to histological and histochemical changes in the liver. The observed changes indicate disorders in energetic processes in hepatocytes and are morphological exponents of detoxicative processes there. They are most intensified with newborn rats. It suggest also, the pregnants ought not to work with 2,4-D and should avoid any contact with herbicides belongs to the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid group.

Ultrastructural changes in rat hepatocytes in acute intoxication with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D).

The hepatotoxic effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was investigated. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated in transmission electron microscope. The experiment used 60 male Wistar rats divided into two groups: I--control-18 animals and II--42 animals which received chemically pure 2,4-D acid by gastric gavage in a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. The animals were sacrificed after 12, 24, 48 hours and 4, 10 and 30 days of the experiment. The results obtained indicate that the administration of 2,4-D acid to rats in a dose inducing acute intoxication leads to ultrastructural changes in the liver, which suggest nonspecific reversible adaptative-type damage to parenchymal cells. The changes observed indicate disorders in energetic processes in hepatocytes and are morphological exponents of detoxicative processes there.

Morphological changes in mitochondria and lysosomes of hepatocytes in acute intoxication with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D).

The hepatotoxic effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was investigated. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated under a transmission electron microscope. Certain histoenzymatic reactions were examined (to acid phosphatase according to Gomori (AP) and to succinic dehydrogenase (SD) according to Nachlas) in parenchymal cells of the rat liver in acute intoxication induced by this herbicide. The experiment used 60 male Wistar rats divided into two groups: I-control--18 animals and II--42 animals which received chemically pure 2,4-D acid by gastric gavage in a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. The animals were sacrificed after 12, 24, 48 hours and 4, 10 and 30 days of the experiment. The results indicate that the administration of 2,4-D acid to rats in a dose inducing acute intoxication leads to histoenzymatic and ultrastructural changes in the liver, which suggest nonspecific reversible adaptive-type damage to parenchymal cells. The changes observed indicate disorders in energetic processes in hepatocytes and are morphological exponents of intense detoxicative processes.

[Hyperplasia of pharyngeal lymphoid tissue in children]. / Przerost ukladu chlonnego gardla u dzieci.

40 children, aged 4-12, hospitalised in the III State Hospital of Children's Diseases and suffering from recurrent complaints of respiratory system with accompanying breathing disorders were subjected to clinical examination. In the analysed group 55% of children suffered from recurrent upper respiratory tract inflammations, 12.5% from recurrent otitis, 12.5%--increased neck nodules, 12.5% from hearing disorders, and 42.5% of children breathed by mouth. On the basis of allergic and immunological examinations, in 90.5% allergy was confirmed as the main cause of the complaints. In 7.5% of cases, above complaints were conditioned by accompanying infection. Increased total IgE level in serum was confirmed only in 37.5%. 17.5% of children showed peripheral blood eosinophilia. Some children were qualified for adenotomy and removed adenoid was examined histopatologically. Significant features of acute, subacute, and chronic inflammatory process leading to hypertrophy of the organ and causing obstruction in breathing were observed on the examination. Periodical dietetic treatment (the influence of nutritional allergy) and pharmacological treatment were recommended.

Primary intracranial malignant fibrous histiocytoma--ultrastructural study.

Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults with the majority of cases that occur in patients between 50-70 years and 64% of cases occurs in male. Most commonly it arises in extremities (lower 49% and upper 19%), less often in the abdomen (16%) and very rare in head localization (3%) [5]. Typically macroscopically it is a multilobulated, gray-white, fleshy mass between 5-20 cm of diameter. In light microscopy this tumour has a highly variable morphologic pattern and manifests a broad range of histological appearance. It has been classified into the following subtypes: storiform-pleomorphic, myxoid, giant cell, inflammatory and angiomatoid. The first two subtypes are more frequent than others. The aim of this report is to present the electronmicroscopic features of giant cell type of MFH localized in head.

Cyclophosphamide in diffuse lung damage.

Some cyclophosphamide toxic effects on lung tissue are presented. Cyclophosphamide metabolism, pathogenesis of lung damage and morphological lung tissue changes caused by that agent were characterized. Attention was focused on BAL evaluation as a useful method in the monitoring of lung tissue damage degree.

Cyclophosphamide-induced changes of serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and pulmonary microvessels ultrastructure.

The effect of cyclophosphamide (CP) on the ultrastructure of the lung tissue and the activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in serum was evaluated in rats. The animals were given cyclophosphamide (CP) in a single intraperitoneal dose of 150 mg/kg b.w. ACE activity was evaluated in the blood serum collected from the left ventricle of the heart using the spectrophometric method. In all time subgroups, the CP-receiving animals showed a decrease in ACE activity. Ultrastructural examinations of CP-treated animals revealed increased adhesion of neutrophiles and monocytes to the damage endothelium of the alveolar septa vessels and focally accumulation of the platelets.

Effects of pentoxifylline on some peripheral blood parameters and haemostasis in acute pulmonary tissue injury after cyclophosphamide.

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is one of the widely used cytostatic drugs, with a strong toxic influence on pulmonary tissue. Experimental works have shown that a single high dose of CP causes injury to all elements of the interalveolar septum, especially to the alveolar endothelial and epithelial cells. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of pentoxifylline (PTXF) (30 mg/kg b.w.) on the ultrastructure of lungs capillaries and blood cell count as well as plasma fibrinogen levels in Wistar rats after intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/b.w. CP. We established that in the doses applied PTXF had no statistically significant influence on the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes determined in the left ventricular blood of rats receiving CP, while the number of white cells from animals given PTXF only was higher than in controls. There was a smaller decrease in the number of platelets (p < 0.05) and smaller reduction in fibrinogen level (p < 0.01) in the serum of PTXF-CP animals than in the CP group. The results obtained suggest a protective effect of PTXF on CP induced changes, which have been evidenced in some of the parameters examined. Ultrastructural examinations found the lungs to be the organ of extramedullary thrombocytopoiesis in CP-treated animals and revealed that platelet accumulation in the system of lung capillaries was a potential cause of the decrease observed in the number of blood platelets following CP administration.

Pathological changes in rats hepatocytes on acute lindane poisoning.

Histological, histochemical and ultrastructural examinations of the liver were carried out on rats. The animals were given crystalline lindane intragastrically, in a dose evoking acute intoxication, (1/3 LD50). Then the rats were decapited after 1, 3, 10, 20 and 36 days following pesticide administration. The obtained results indicate, that acute lindane intoxication produces morphological changes in the rat liver, which evidence a disturbance inenergetic processes of hepatocytes and they are reversible and adaptative.

Changes of myocardial capillary density in progression of experimental lung emphysema.

A morphometrical analysis of changes in the heart of rats with experimental lung emphysema due to single intratracheal administration of papain solution has been done. Special attention has been paid to quantitative changes of capillaries and to the cardiomyocyte diameter in respective regions of the myocardium after one, three and six months following the administration of papain. A histological and morphometrical analysis of changes in the lungs has also been carried out and partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood of the examined animals have been marked. It has been found that a single administration of papain caused emphysematous changes in the lungs, growing more intense until the third month of the experiment. The progression of these changes corresponded to a capillary density increase in the right ventricle, interventricular septum and in the subendocardial layer of the left ventricle. The increase in the number of capillaries was interpreted as the first adaptive stage of cor pulmonale development and explained by the occurrence of angiogenesis. The changes co-existed with a decrease in partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood. After six months of the experiment, a reduction in capillary density in the heart regions mentioned above and a simultaneous increase in the cardiomycyte transversal diameter were observed, being the exponents of evident myocardial hypertrophy. Development of ultrastructural changes in the hearts of rats has been analysed too. Simultaneous development of changes in the right ventricle muscle and in the subendocardial layer of the heart left ventricle myocardium was observed. The role of hypoxia as a one of essential factors responsible for the observed morphologic changes has been discussed.

The effect of a herbicide--sodium salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on guerin carcinoma.

The effect of sodium salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, being an active component of herbicide "PIELIK", upon the development of Guerin carcinoma implanted in male Wistar rats, was studied. 192 animals were divided in to 6 equal groups: I-animals which obtained physiological salt solution; II-rats exposed to the herbicide in postlactational period; III-animals with Guerin carcinoma, non exposed to the herbicide; IV- rats exposed to the herbicide in postlactational period+Guerin carcinoma; V-animals exposed to the herbicide from prenatal period to the end of an experiment, without Guerin carcinoma; VI-the same as in V group, but with Guerin carcinoma. The effect of the herbicide on tumor growth dynamism (diameters and mass), degree of tumour malignancy (metastases to lymph nodes), animals survival time and morfological changes in the primary tumour and in metastases was evaluated. Basing of the results obtained, it was stated that this herbicide accelerates the development of Guerin carcinoma and reduces the survival time in the rats exposed to it in the prenatal and postnatal period. However, it does not significantly influence the growth of the carcinoma in the rats exposed only in the postlactational period.

The effect of activated alveolar macrophages on experimental lung emphysema development. II. The study of fibroblast and alveolar macrophage co-culture.

The cell-cell interaction between fibroblasts and alveolar macrophages was examined using a co-culture system. Alveolar macrophages (AM) were harvested from the bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) of rats with papain induced lung emphysema. The BCG-vaccine was applied as a macrophage mobilizing and activating agent. The morphological examinations carried out in scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as the evaluation of the uptake of 3H-thymidine did not show any significant differences between respective co-cultures of fibroblasts and AM isolated both from the lungs of control and experimental animals (treated with BCG or papain, and BCG+papain). However, significant growth were noted in 3H-thymidine uptake between fibroblast cultures done with or without cells isolated from the lungs. The results obtained suggest that AM can promote fibroblast proliferation during the progression of experimental lung emphysema.