Adrenergic, nitrergic and peptidergic innervation of the urethral muscle in the boar.

In this study, the innervation of the urethral muscle in adult male pigs was investigated using combined NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and immunocytochemistry. Nerve fibres supplying the urethral muscle were found to show NADPH-d activity and they also expressed immunoreactivity to catecholamine synthesising enzymes including tyrosine hydoxylase (TH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) as well as to: vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Different subpopulations of the nerve fibres (NADPH-d positive, TH-, DbetaH-, VIP- and NPY-immunoreactive (IR), but also NADPH-d/VIP- and NADPH-d/NPY-IR) were disclosed. These nerve fibres were observed not only to run among muscle fibres of the urethral muscle, but also within extrinsic nerve trunks. Moreover, in the organ studied, numerous ganglia were found. The intramural ganglia, composed of a few to 30 neurons were located in the proximal, middle and distal regions of the pelvic urethra. In the vicinity of the urethral muscle, there were mainly small ganglia containing two to several neurons, but also larger ganglia consisting of up to tens neurons were encountered in the connective tissue surrounding the pelvic urethra. In the ganglia observed in the neighbourhood of the urethral muscle, different subpopulations of nerve cells were found, namely: catecholaminergic, nitrergic, VIP-IR, NPY-IR and also NADPH-d/DbetaH-, NADPH-d/VIP- and NADPH-d/NPY-positive. Possible sources of the innervation for this muscle were also discussed

The influence of inflammation on the expression of neuropeptides in the ileum-projecting primary sensory neurones in the pig

In the present study the ELISA test was used to investigate the influence of chemically-induced ileitis on the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons in the pig. The preliminary retrograde fluorescent tracing study revealed that ileum-projecting sensory neurones (IPN) are located in the thoracic ganglia (Th; Th8-Th13). The ileum wall in experimental (E) pigs was subjected to multiple injection with 4% paraformaldehyde to induce inflammation, while in the control (C) animals the organ was injected with 0.1 M phosphate buffer. Three days later the DRGs (Th8-Th13) collected from all the animals were evaluated for VIP, SP, CGRP, NPY, GAL and SOM content with an ELISA test. It was found that the inflammation increased clearly the tissue level of SP, GAL and SOM

Impairment of microcirculation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis - studies by nailfold videocapillaroscopy and correlation with serum levels of sICAM and VEGF.

Impairment of vascular endothelium plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that structural abnormalities of the smallest blood vessels (capillaries) might exist and reflect endothelial dysfunction in children with JIA. Microcirculation was studied, by means of nailfold videocapillaroscopy with computer-associated image analysis, in 43 patients with JIA and compared with 20 healthy children. Moreover, capillaroscopic findings were correlated with the activity of the disease and the levels of serum biomarkers of endothelial injury, namely soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We found that in JIA patients capillaries were significantly wider and longer than in healthy controls. Moreover, irregular capillaries and dilated subpapillary venous plexus were found significantly more frequently in JIA in comparison with the control group. Serum levels of sICAM and VEGF were significantly higher in JIA patients with capillary abnormalities than in JIA patients with normal capillaroscopy. Our study indicates that there are structural changes in the microcirculation of patients with JIA and that these changes might reflect endothelial injury. Whether capillaroscopy might have a role in early identification of JIA patients being at higher risk of atherosclerosis requires further studies

Morphology and immunohistochemical characteristics of the otic ganglion in the chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger Molina)

Introduction. The available literature provides relatively little information on the morphology of the autonomic head ganglia in rodents including their neurochemical codding. Material and methods. Morphological investigations of the otic ganglion of the chinchilla were performed using the modified acetylcholinesterase method. The cellular structure was investigated with histological techniques and neurochemical properties were studied with the double-labelling immunofluorescence method. Results. Macromorphological investigations allowed the otic ganglion to be identified as a compact, oval agglomeration of neurons and nerve fibers. Multidimensional cross-sections revealed densely arranged neuronal perikarya and two populations of nerve cells differing in size were distinguished. The large cells (40–50 µm) accounted for about 80% of the neurons in the cross-sections. Moreover, a small number of intraganglionic nerve fibers was observed. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that over 85% of the neuronal cell bodies in the otic ganglion contained immunoreactivity to VAChT or ChAT. VIP-immunoreactive perikarya comprised approximately 10% of the ganglionic cells. Double staining revealed the presence of VAChT+ and NOS+ neurons which amounted to about 45% of the nerve cells in the otic ganglion. NOS+ only perikarya comprised approx. 15% of all the neurons. Immunoreactivity to enkephalins, substance P, somatostatin, and galanin was expressed in single nerve cell bodies and nerve fibers except numerous substance P+ intraganglionic nerve fibers. Some of them were stained also for CGRP. Single neurons stained for tyroxine hydroxylase. Conclusions. Our results, compared with findings in other rodent species suggest the existence of interspecies differences in the morphology, cellular structure, and immunohistochemical properties of the head autonomic ganglia in mammals

Leiomyosarcoma in adrenal gland

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Bezpieczeństwo: wymiar współczesny i perspektywy badań

Praca recenzowana / peer-reviewed paperPrezentowane wydawnictwo stanowi efekt obrad międzynarodowej konferencji naukowej zorganizowanej w dniach 12–13 października 2008 roku przez Katedrę Zarządzania Informacją, działającą w ramach Wydziału Ekonomii i Zarządzania, oraz, jak już wspomniano, przez Międzynarodowe Stowarzyszenie „Edukacja dla Obronności i Bezpieczeństwa”. Ambicją organizatorów konferencji było włączenie w tok dyskusji licznych przedstawicieli organów administracji państwa i samorządu, praktyki gospodarczej, nauki, mediów oraz studentów, zarówno z kraju, jak i z zagranicy

Hemoglobina glikowana w diagnostyce cukrzycy w populacji polskiej po 45. roku życia – badanie wieloośrodkowe

Introduction: American Diabetes Association introduced in 2010 a new criterion for the diagnosis of diabetes - HbA1c level of ≥ 6,5%. Polish Society of Diabetology (PTD) up to now has not accepted this criterion. This study aimed to assess a concordance of this criterion with advised by the PTD glycemic criteria in the polish population. Methods: The study was performed in the frames of the screening action „Diabetes – let’s win together!” in 10 Polish cities in subjects older than 45 years, with no previously diagnosed diabetes but with existing diabetes risk factors. The assessment of HbA1c was performed using point of care device A1cNow+ (Bayer HealthCare). In subjects with HbA1c levels of >5,6%, according to the protocol fasting plasma glucose was estimated and oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Results: The analysis comprised 1889 subjects in whom HbA1c was estimated. The group with HbA1c ≤ 5.6% comprised 1156 subjects (it has been assumed that no one from this group suffered from diabetes), group with HbA1c 5.7-6.4% - 609 subjects, and the group with HbA1c ≥ 6.5% - 124 subjects, However in only 168 and 89 from those subjects, respectively, the diagnosis of diabetes could be confirmed or excluded according to the glycemic criteria. Sensitivity, specifity, positive and negative predictive values for HbA1c=6.5% were 0.827; 0.982; 0.753 i 0.989, respectively, whereas for HbA1c=7.5% the respective values were 0.370; 0.997; 0.882 i 0.960. Conclusions: taking to the account only a criterion of concordance of the diagnosis (and not a criterion of possibility of development of diabetes complications) it seems that in the polish population the HbA1c threshold for the diagnosis of diabetes should be equal 7.5% rather than 6.5%Wstęp: Amerykańskie Towarzystwo Diabetologiczne wprowadziło w roku 2010 nowe kryterium rozpoznania cukrzycy – wartość HbA1c ≥ 6,5%. Polskie Towarzystwo Diabetologiczne (PTD) jak do tej pory nie wprowadziło tego kryterium. Celem niniejszego badania było określenie jego zgodności z zalecanymi przez PTD kryteriami „glikemicznymi” w populacji polskiej. Metody: Badanie przeprowadzono w ramach akcji „Cukrzyca – wygrajmy razem!”, prowadzonej m.in. w 10 miastach Polski, u osób po 45 roku życia, bez rozpoznanej cukrzycy, ale ze współistniejącymi czynnikami ryzyka jej rozwoju. Oznaczenia hemoglobiny glikowanej wykonywano na miejscu przy pomocy aparatu A1cNow+ (Bayer HealthCare). U osób z wartościami HbA1c>5,6% według protokołu badania wykonywano oznaczenie glikemii na czczo i doustny test tolerancji glukozy. Wyniki: Przeanalizowano łącznie 1889 osób u których oznaczono wartość HbA1c. Grupa z wartościami HbA1c ≤ 5,6% liczyła 1156 osób (założono, że żadna z tych osób nie miała cukrzycy), grupa z wartościami HbA1c 5,7-6,4% - 609 osób, a grupa z wartościami HbA1c ≥ 6,5% - 124, ale tylko odpowiednio u 168 i 89 z nich udało się ustalić rozpoznanie (lub wykluczenie) cukrzycy na podstawie kryteriów glikemicznych. Czułość, swoistość, dodatnia i ujemna wartość predykcyjna oznaczenia HbA1c w diagnostyce cukrzycy wynosiły dla wartości HbA1c=6,5% odpowiednio 0,827; 0,982; 0,753 i 0,989. Dla wartości HbA1c=7,5% natomiast 0,370; 0,997; 0,882 i 0,960. Wnioski: Biorąc pod uwagę jedynie kryterium zgodności rozpoznań, a nie kryterium możliwego rozwoju powikłań cukrzycy, wydaje się, że w populacji polskiej próg rozpoznania tej choroby dla wartości HbA1c powinien wynosić raczej 7,5%, niż 6,5%

Mechanical thrombectomy in acute stroke – Five years of experience in Poland

Objectives Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is not reimbursed by the Polish public health system. We present a description of 5 years of experience with MT in acute stroke in Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs) in Poland. Methods and results We retrospectively analyzed the results of a structured questionnaire from 23 out of 25 identified CSCs and 22 data sets that include 61 clinical, radiological and outcome measures. Results Most of the CSCs (74%) were founded at University Hospitals and most (65.2%) work round the clock. In 78.3% of them, the working teams are composed of neurologists and neuro-radiologists. All CSCs perform CT and angio-CT before MT. In total 586 patients were subjected to MT and data from 531 of them were analyzed. Mean time laps from stroke onset to groin puncture was 250±99min. 90.3% of the studied patients had MT within 6h from stroke onset; 59.3% of them were treated with IV rt-PA prior to MT; 15.1% had IA rt-PA during MT and 4.7% – emergent stenting of a large vessel. M1 of MCA was occluded in 47.8% of cases. The Solitaire device was used in 53% of cases. Successful recanalization (TICI2b–TICI3) was achieved in 64.6% of cases and 53.4% of patients did not experience hemorrhagic transformation. Clinical improvement on discharge was noticed in 53.7% of cases, futile recanalization – in 30.7%, mRS of 0–2 – in 31.4% and mRS of 6 in 22% of cases. Conclusion Our results can help harmonize standards for MT in Poland according to international guidelines