Development of the IFJ single ion hit facility for cell irradiation.

In recent years, a single ion hit facility has been constructed at the IFJ ion microprobe. The setup is used for the precise irradiations of living cells by a controlled number of ions. Investigations of such type have two very important requirements: (1) cells must be examined in their natural state and environment (i.e. without previously being killed, preferentially neither fixed nor stained) and (2) the possibility of automatic irradiation of large number of cells (including computer recognition of cells positions) must be provided. This work presents some of the crucial features of the off-line and on-line optical systems, including self-developed software responsible for automatic cell recognition.

The effect of chitosan on stiffness and glycolytic activity of human bladder cells.

The cell's cytoskeleton together with the cell membrane and numerous accessory proteins determines the mechanical properties of cell. Any factors influencing cell organization and structure can cause alterations in mechanical properties of cell (its ability for deformation and adhesion). The determination of the local elastic properties of cells in their culture conditions has opened the possibility for the measurement of the influence of different factors on the mechanical properties of the living cells. The effect of the chitosan on the stiffness of the non-malignant transitional epithelial cells of ureter (HCV 29) and the transitional cell cancer of urine bladder (T24) was determined using scanning force microscopy. The investigations were performed in the culture medium (RPMI 1640) containing 10% fetal calf serum in the presence of the microcrystalline chitosan of the three different deacetylation degrees. In parallel, the effect of chitosan on production of lactate and ATP level was determined. The results showed the strong correlation between the decrease of the energy production and the increase in Young's modulus values obtained for the cancer cells treated with chitosan.

Neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid of patients after severe head trauma.

We studied head-injured patients assessed after admission to the hospital according to the Glasgow coma scale (3-8 points). All of them underwent surgical procedure after neuroradiological examination. Due to therapeutic problems, some of these patients had lumbar puncture on the fourth day following surgery. The control group consisted of patients with lumbosacral discopathy in whom lumbar puncture was performed during radiculography. The level of neuropeptide Y (NPY) was examined in 5 ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The concentration of NPY in CSF was assayed radioimmunologically. Taking into account our results and the clinical course of disease we suggest that high concentration of NPY in lumbar fluid in severe head-injured patients may contribute to poor clinical outcome.

Concentration of enkephalins in cerebrospinal fluid of patients after severe head injury.

We studied head-injured patients treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Silesian University School of Medicine, Katowice. The patients underwent lumbar puncture on days 1, 4 and 7 for diagnostic reasons. The levels of leu-enkephalin (LENK) and met-enkephalin (MENK) were examined in 4.5 ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The control group included patients with lumbar discopathy from whom CSF fluid was collected during myelography. Enkephalins were extracted by column chromatography and their levels were assayed radioimmunologically. The results indicate that enkephalins may play a certain role in the pathophysiological response of nervous tissue to traumatic injury. Constantly elevated MENK levels together with decreasing LENK levels in patients with a Glasgow coma scale score < or = 8 may be useful as a poor prognostic factor. It is also suggested that LENK and MENK play different pathophysiological roles.

Scanning force microscopy of biological samples.

The SFM setup has been used to image the three-dimensional surface structures of various biological specimens in air and in liquid cell. The samples like red blood cell (RBC), lymphocytes, aggregates of pronase, and surface of bone measured in air, and macrophage surface measured in PBS solution are presented.

[Neuropsychological changes in cerebral ischemia after treatment by the microneurosurgical method. Preliminary report]. / Dynamika zmian neuropsychologicznych w zespolach niedokrwiennych mózgu w nastepstwie leczenia metoda mikroneurochirurgiczna.

The results of neuropsychological examinations are reported in 35 patients with ischaemic cerebral syndromes subjected to microneurosurgical treatment with creation of anastomoses between extracranial and intracranial arteries. A great number of psychic function disturbances were found in them occurring characteristically in lesions of the frontal and temporal lobes. In the groups of patients with transient ischaemic attacks and prolonged reversible ischaemic attacks these disturbances regressed mostly after the operation, parallelly with sings of focal lesion. In the group of patients with completed stroke in most cases an improvement was observed in the psychic functions despite lack of neurological improvement. The results of neuropsychological examination in cases of ischaemic cerebral syndromes indicate thus the necessity of extending indications to microneurosurgical treatment in patients with evidence of completed stroke.

[Spontaneous intracranial epidural accumulation of air in a patient with excessive skull pneumatization]. / Samoistna nadtwardówkowa odma wewnatrzczaszkowa u pacjenta z nadmierna pneumatyzacja czaszki.

We report a rare case of spontaneous epidural accumulation of air in the occipital region resulting from an unusual hyperpneumatization of the cranium in a 37-year-old miner. For suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage the patient was admitted to neurological department. Performed computed tomography (CT) revealed extensive hyperpneumatization of the cranium, involving also the upper part of the cervical vertebral column, and epidural pneumocephalus. To the authors knowledge, so much pneumatization of the cranium seems to be very rare and when present, however, can cause spontaneous pneumocephalus. Based on the two years follow-up of this patient, conservative therapy showed to be sufficient for him, despite this, we have suggested him periodically perform CT of the head.

[Selected problems of neurofibromatosis with presentation of a case of multiple intracranial and intramedullary tumors]. / Przypadek nerwiakowlókniakowatosci typu II z mnogimi guzami wewnatrzczaszkowymi i sródrdzeniowymi.

A case of neurofibromatosis type II in a 19-year-old man is described with clinical and neuroimaging (MRI) findings. The diagnostic criteria of neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) and type II (NF2) and the optimal management options are still controversial. The authors suggest that this patient fulfills criteria of neurofibromatosis type II as well as partially neurofibromatosis type I. At present, without molecular analysis of DNA, this assumption can not be verified.

[The effect of astrocytoma cells on secretion of cytokines by autologous lymphocytes]. / Wplyw komórek gwiazdziaka na wydzielanie cytokin przez limfocyty autologiczne.

Immunotherapy is one of the experimental methods used in the treatment of brain tumours. The development of astrocytomas is accompanied by decreased activity of lymphocytes, namely inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation and decreased cytokine secretion, which is an adverse event in the course of disease. In the present study, astrocytoma cells obtained from human tumours and cocultured with autologous lymphocytes inhibited cytokine secretion by those lymphocytes.

Isotope shift in the dielectronic recombination of three-electron ANd57+.

Isotope shifts in dielectronic recombination spectra were studied for Li-like (A)Nd(57+) ions with A=142 and A=150. From the displacement of resonance positions energy shifts deltaE(142 150)(2s-2p(1/2))=40.2(3)(6) meV [(stat)(sys)] and deltaE(142 150)(2s-2p(3/2))=42.3(12)(20) meV of 2s-2p(j) transitions were deduced. An evaluation of these values within a full QED treatment yields a change in the mean-square charge radius of (142 150)deltar(2)=-1.36(1)(3) fm(2). The approach is conceptually new and combines the advantage of a simple atomic structure with high sensitivity to nuclear size.

Effect of haloperidol treatment on immunoreactive neuropeptide Y secretion into lateral cerebral ventricle of rats.

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of acute and 14-day haloperidol treatment (2 mg/kg ip) on release of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) in non-anesthetized, freely moving rats by means of push-pull perfusion of the lateral cerebral ventricle. Twenty four hours after a single haloperidol injection NPY-LI release decreased by 15% (p < 0.05). No alterations were detected after 14-day haloperidol treatment. The study has confirmed that haloperidol alters the activity of neuropeptide Y system in the rat brain and suggested that acute haloperidol treatment inhibits the activity of the neuropeptide Y system at least in some brain structures surrounding the cerebral ventricles. The presented results have been discussed in view of our previous findings describing the haloperidol-induced changes in NPY-LI and NPY mRNA levels in the rat brain.

Pharmacological interaction between neuropeptides and pethidine or fentanyl in rat spinal cord.

Male Wistar rats were treated with pethidine (PT) or fentanyl (FN) subcutaneously (sc) followed by intrathecal (ith) non analgesic doses of methionine- (MENK) or leucine-enkephalin (LENK), neurotensin, (NT), substance P (SP) or cholecystokinin octapeptide 26-33 (CCK-8). Then the antinociceptive effect was measured during 1 h using tail-immersion test. LENK potentiated strongly PT and FN analgesia. MENK antagonized PT analgesia only transiently 30 min after administration and transiently potentiated FN analgesia. SP and CCK-8 potentiated significantly PT analgesia, whereas NT acted biphasically: increasing and then decreasing PT analgesia. SP, CCK-8 and NT augmented FN analgesia. Naloxone inhibited analgesia elicited by the studied opioids and neuropeptides. These data show that LENK affects similarly the analgesic effects of both studied opioids, whereas MENK acted differently on PT and FN analgesia. This may suggest that individual enkephalins have different pharmacological features when interacting with different analgesics. Also NT interacted differently with pethidine and fentanyl.

Pharmacological interaction between neuropeptides and morphine or pentazocine in rat spinal cord.

Male Wistar rats were treated with morphine or pentazocine subcutaneously (sc) and then intrathecally (it) by methionine- or leucine-enkephalin, neurotensin, substance P or cholecystokinin octapeptide 26-33. Then antinociceptive effect was measured during 1 h using tail-immersion test. Leucine-enkephalin potentiated and methionine-enkephalin antagonized morphine or pentazocine analgesia. Neurotensin, substance P and cholecystokinin acted biphasically on morphine induced antinociception. After short elevation, the diminution of antinociceptive effect was seen. Neurotensin diminished but substance P and cholecystokinin elevated analgesic effect elicited by pentazocine. Experimental model employed by us may be useful for preliminary screening of pharmacological interactions between neuropeptides and opioid analgesics on the spinal level. Our data confirm the results of other authors that individual enkephalins have different pharmacological features.

Spinal effects of alpha-endorphin in mice.

In male R-3 mice alpha-endorphin (alpha-E) was injected intracerebroventricularly (icv, 10 ng) or intrathecally (ith, 1 or 10 ng). The antinociceptive activity (tail immersion test) and the locomotor activity (photocell actometers) were measured. alpha-E administered icv or ith induced an evident antinociceptive effect which was prevented by the previous naloxone injection. Locomotor activity was inhibited by icv but not ith administration of alpha-E. This effect was not changed by naloxone. The results show that exogenous alpha-E elicits different effects when applied icv or ith, and induces antinociceptive effect at the spinal level through opioid receptors.

The influence of the kappa agonist-spiradoline (U62066E) on the analgesic activity of some opioids at the spinal level.

Male Wistar rats were treated with morphine (MP) or pentazocine (PT) subcutaneously (sc) and then intrathecally (it) with a specific kappa receptor agonist spiradoline (U62066E). In another series of experiments methionine-(MENK) or leucine-enkephalin (LENK) were injected it with U62066E simultaneously. Then antinociceptive effect on thermal stimulus was measured 1 h using the tail immersion test. MP or LENK induced analgesia was enhanced by U62066E during the first 30 min of observation. MENK analgesic activity was potentiated by kappa receptor agonist only up to 5 min. U62066E acted biphasically on PT antinociceptive effect. These results suggest that kappa opioid receptors may participate in antinociceptive action of MP and LENK and in small degree for analgesic effect of PT and MENK at the spinal level.

Antinociceptive effects of puromycin and bacitracin.

The aim of this paper was to examine if puromycin (PUR) and bacitracin (BAC) which delay the degradation of enkephalins (ENK) in vitro by the inhibition of aminopeptidases activity, may induce antinociceptive effects. Male Wistar rats were used. PUR in a dose of 100, 200 or 400 micrograms or BAC in a dose of 10, 25, 50 micrograms were administered intracerebroventricularly in conscious animals. As an antagonist of ENK, naloxone (NAL) was used in doses of 1, 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg ip. Antinociceptive effect was measured by the method of hot-plate. The level of ENK in the striatum was examined by biological method using mice vas deferens. PUR induced the dose-related analgesic effect abolished by NAL and increased the level of ENK in the striatum. BAC also elicited the dose-related antinociceptive effect and the increase of striatal concentration of ENK. But antinociceptive effect of BAC was not antagonized but potentiated by NAL. Moreover BAC evoked abnormal behavior of rats, namely the episodes of catalepsy and of barrel rotation. It is concluded that: PUR, but not BAC, is a useful pharmacological tool for the aminopeptidase inhibition and for activation of enkephalinergic neurons; aminopeptidases are concerned with activities of opioid peptides.

Tuftsin and D-Arg3-tuftsin possess analgesic action.

Tuftsin has marked analgesic activity but is less potent than D-Arg3-tuftsin. The absence of an antagonistic effect of naloxone on tuftsin and its analogue suggests that these substances do not act on opiate receptors. Tuftsin and its analogues may represent a new class of substances of interest in the search for new analgesics.