Two consecutive cases of renal oncocytomatosis in a single-center experience.

Renal oncocytoma is a rare finding and represents the small percentage of all kidney tumors. This kind of tumor is benign and diagnosed accidentally (on autopsy or during nephrectomy performed for other reasons). On rare occasions, truly multiple tumors are seen, affecting the entire renal parenchyma; this condition is called oncocytosis or oncocytomatosis. Here we present two cases of this condition, diagnosed consecutively in a single internal medicine department.

[Hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic renal failure]. / Hiperhomocysteinemia w przewleklej niewydolnosci nerek.

Cardiovascular disease constitute the main cause of death in chronic renal failure patients on maintenance dialysis. During the last years one of the suspected cause promoting atherosclerotic lesions in this group of patients has been increased plasma homocystein level. The following article presents selected causes of hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic renal failure patients, mechanism of their toxic effect on cardiovascular system and methods of treatment of these disturbances.

[Metastasis of kidney clear cell carcinoma to the thyroid cell in patients on renal replacement therapy]. / Przerzuty raka jasnokomórkowego nerki do tarczycy u chorych leczonych nerkozastepczo.

The paper presents 2 cases of metastases of clear cell carcinoma of kidney into thyroid gland in patients on renal replacement therapy. In one patient after bilateral nephrectomy due to renal clear cell carcinoma (in 15 years time interval) and in second patient after left-side nephrectomy performed 16 years earlier and terminal right kidney insufficiency due to nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome for a year. In diagnosis essentials were: physical signs--palpable single node within the thyroid gland, earlier neoplastic anamnesis, cold node in scintigraphy, hypoechogenic node in ultrasonography of the thyroid gland, particularly with a rich vascular net within the node in power-doppler examination and, at last cytology of material from ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of the node. The diagnosis had been confirmed in intraoperative histopathological examination before the total thyroidectomy was performed.

[Selected renal complications during the course of multiple myeloma]. / Wybrane powiklania nerkowe w przebiegu szpiczaka mnogiego.

Multiple myeloma is the most frequent dysproteinemia leading to nephropathy. The aim of the study was to analyse this complication in patients treated in nephrological departments. The study was performed in 83 patients (45 M, 38 F) aged 47-82 years in whom a diagnosis of multiple myeloma was based on clinical manifestation (weakness, subfebrile states, bone aches, loss of body weight, recurrent infections of urinary and respiratory tracts), increased number of plasmocytes in bone-marrow, presence of monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine and lesions in bone system. In a significant number of the studied patients the disease was revealed while diagnosing proteinuria as well as searching for a reason of elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or proteinogram abnormalities. The obtained results indicate that signs of nephropathy in the course of multiple myeloma may be the first visible symptoms of the disease. Proteinuria was observed in 79.5% of the studied patients. Bence-Jones protein was found in 41% of individuals and features of renal failure in different stages of development in 67%. Dialysis therapy was started in 3 patients with acute and 7 patients with chronic renal failure.

Talin and vinculin play distinct roles in filopodial motility in the neuronal growth cone.

Filopodial motility is critical for many biological processes, particularly for axon guidance. This motility is based on altering the F-actin-based cytoskeleton, but the mechanisms of how this occurs and the actin-associated proteins that function in this process remain unclear. We investigated two of these proteins found in filopodia, talin and vinculin, by inactivating them in subregions of chick dorsal root ganglia neuronal growth cones and by observing subsequent behavior by video-enhanced microscopy and quantitative morphometry. Microscale chromophore-assisted laser inactivation of talin resulted in the temporary cessation of filopodial extension and retraction. Inactivation of vinculin caused an increased incidence of filopodial bending and buckling within the laser spot but had no effect on extension or retraction. These findings show that talin acts in filopodial motility and may couple both extension and retraction to actin dynamics. They also suggest that vinculin is not required for filopodial extension and retraction but plays a role in the structural integrity of filopodia.

[Prevalence of malignant neoplasms in the Tarnów region in the years 1976-1992]. / Wystepowanie nowotworów zlosliwych w województwie tarnowskim w latach 1976-1992.

In the paper the prevalence and kinds of neoplasms in Tarnów region in the years 1976-1992 was presented. An increase in mortality, particularly in men, probably connected with the influence of carcinogenic environmental factors, especially smoking cigarettes, was observed. The most frequent malignant neoplasm in men was lung cancer whereas in women-breast cancer. An assessment of occurrence of malignant neoplasms in various part of Tarnów region was performed. In comparison with all Polish population as well as a majority of other regions' population, the Tarnów region is characterised by a little lower incidence of malignant neoplasms.

[Methanol poisoning in the Tarnów region in the years 1982-1992]. / Zatrucia alkoholem metylowym w Tarnowie i województwie tarnowskim w latach 1982-1992.

In the paper five cases of methanol poisoning in Tarnów region treated with hemodialysis are presented and discussed. Despite a high dose of ingested alcohol and high levels of blood methanol concentrations and severe metabolic acidosis all treated patients survived and fully recovered.

[Acute ethylene glycol poisoning in the Tarnów region in the years 1982-1993]. / Ostre zatrucia glikolem etylenowym w województwie tarnowskim w latach 1982-1993.

The paper presents 15 causes of severe ethylene glycol poisoning in Tarnów region in the years 1982-1993. In the treatment haemodialyses as well as acidosis balancing and aethanol administration as an antidotum were preferred. Acute renal failure was observed in 73% of poisoned patients and mortality rate was 53%. The causes of treatment failure were: high ingested poison dose, too long time between poisoning and administration to hospital (and introduction of an appropriate treatment), critical clinical condition and severe metabolic acidosis.

[Late complications after ethylene glycol poisoning--case history]. / Pózne powiklania po zatruciu glikolem etylenowym--opis przypadku.

Late complications after ethylene glycol intoxication in a 39 years old patient were presented. Irreversible severe renal failure and persistent symptoms of peripheral nerve system damage dominated in the clinical manifestation.

Asymmetric retraction of growth cone filopodia following focal inactivation of calcineurin.

The neuronal growth cone is thought to be the site of decision making in nerve growth and guidance. One likely mechanism of how the growth cone translates various extracellular cues into directed motility involves rises in intracellular calcium. A variety of physiological cues, such as adhesion molecules and neurotransmitters, increases intracellular calcium, and artificial manipulations of growth cone calcium levels affect growth cone morphology and neurite outgrowth. The molecular events downstream of calcium fluxes are incompletely understood. Here we show that calcineurin, a protein phosphatase enriched in growth cones that is dependent on calcium ions and calmodulin, functions in neurite outgrowth and directed filopodial motility in cultured chick dorsal root ganglia neurons. Cyclosporin A and FK506, inhibitors of calcineurin, delayed neuritogenesis and inhibited neurite extension. Chromophore-assisted laser inactivation of calcineurin in regions of growth cones causes localized filopodial and lamellipodial retraction and influences the direction of subsequent outgrowth. We suggest that a spatial distribution of calcineurin activity within the growth cone can regulate motility and direct outgrowth.

[Results of the treatment of acute renal failure in 3 selected dialysis units in southern Poland 1981-1990]. / Wyniki leczenia ostrej niewydolnosci nerek w 3 wybranych osrodkach dializ Polski poludniowej w latach 1981-1990.

The results of the treatment of patients with acute renal failure (ARF) in dialysis units of Kraków, Nowy Sacz and Tarnów were estimated on the basis of prepared questionnaire. The increased number of patients treated because of ARF was demonstrated in the successive years of the study. The mortality rate in the tested group of patients remained about 27%. It depended on the cause of ARF and equalled to 26.7% in medical, 36.7% in surgical, 8% in obstetrical and 6.7 in urological patients, respectively.

[Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on the bone marrow picture in patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis]. / Wplyw rekombinowanej ludzkiej erytropoetyny na obraz szpiku kostnego u chorych z przewlekla niewydolnoscia nerek leczonych hemodializami.

The influence of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) on anaemia and bone marrow cells was investigated in 7 patients with terminal renal failure on maintenance haemodialysis. The examination was performed immediately prior to rHu-EPO treatment (mean hematocrit 20.3%) and after increase of hematocrit to 33%. An increased number of cells from the erythroblastic series and rejuvenation of this population were observed during the treatment. There was no significant influence of the treatment on the myeloblastic cells series. An increase in megakaryocyte activity was observed in 2 studied patients.

[Activity of selected neutrophil enzymes of patients maintained on hemodialysis and treated with erythropoietin (rHu EPO)]. / Aktywnosc wybranych enzymów neutrofilów chorych przewlekle dializowanych leczonych erytropoetyna (rHu EPO).

The peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity was assessed using a semiquantitative cytochemical methods in peripheral blood neutrophils from 10 maintenance haemodialysed patients treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu EPO) due to severe anaemia. The examination was performed immediately prior to rHu EPO treatment, after 10 weeks and 32 weeks of therapy. A statistically significant increase in the beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity was observed after 10 weeks, while all the enzymes studied except peroxidase showed a significant elevation of their activity after 32 weeks of the treatment as compared with the values obtained prior to therapy.

[The effect of hemodialysis on neutrophil enzyme activity in patients with uremia]. / Vliianie gemodializa na aktivnost' fermentnov neitrofilov u bol'nykh uremiei.

Basing on measurements of the activities of 7 lysosomal enzymes, the authors have assessed the enzymic activities of neutrophils in 22 patients with protracted renal insufficiency treated by hemodialysis. Induction of some examined enzymes was observed, which remained virtually unchanged after hemoperfusion.