Ultrasonographic and scintigraphic studies of "hot" autonomic thyroid nodules

Scintigraphic and gammagraphic (gamma-camera) techniques have been applied in diagnosing "hot" non-TSH dependent thyroid nodules. On the basis of frequent uneven accumulation of isotopic tracer observed in scintigraphic studies it was concluded that the structure of these nodules is heterogeneous. In some cases paradoxical patterns have been obtained following the dynamic tests of suppression and stimulation of the thyroid: after the administration of thyroid preparations paranodular thyroid tissue appears, while TSH administration causes an increase in the iodine uptake by the nodule. Ultrasonographic and gamma-camera studies have been carried out in 50 cases of "hot" autonomic thyroid nodules previously diagnosed by scintigraphy. Ultrasonographic studies revealed a weaker echogenicity in some cases and an intensified echo in the other. Sometimes by using this technique it was possible to demonstrate the occurrence of heterogeneous structures suggesting a cystic degeneration of the nodule. Paranodular thyroid tissue, invisible in scintigraphic scanning, could usually be observed by applying gamma-camera. It was concluded that both gamma camera and ultrasonographic studies confirm heterogeneous structure of intranodular tissue producing paradoxical patterns in scintigraphic scanning, with the latter technique usually aiding the detection of paranodular thyroid tissue without the necessity of application of the TSH test.     

Anaerobic bacteria detected in inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract

In this study a participation of anaerobic bacteria in respiratory tract diseases is presented. Bronchial washings collected by ++fibrobronchoscope constituted material for the study. Immediately after collection the material was plated onto two media for aerobic bacteria (hemomedium) and anaerobic bacteria (anaeromedium). Then, the samples were centrifuged and a sediment was plated on solid media suitable for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Bacterial anaerobic isolates were identified by using API 20E and their sensitivity to antibiotics was tested. From the material described above the most frequently isolated anaerobic bacteria were such as: Streptococcus intermedius, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, Veilonella sp. Among aerobic bacteria the most frequently isolated were Gram-negative rods, Streptococcus faecalis, Branhamella catarrhalis. It is worth to underline that in about 25% of cases anaerobic bacteria were the only isolates.     

Biological role of endoreplication in the process of spermatogenesis inChara vulgaris L.

Summary During cell division in antheridial filaments ofChara vulgaris an increase in DNA content occurs in both shield cells and manubria within an antheridium, reaching 16C–64C and 8C–32C levels, respectively. Endoreplication ceases prior to the formation of spermatids and initiation of spermiogenesis, probably as a result of symplasmic isolation of the antheridium from the thallus. As the DNA content of the nuclei increases, the shield cells³H-leucine incorporation increases, and they grow intensively in the tangential plane. Translation decreases considerably after termination of shield cell growth. DNA content of mature manubria is half of that in shield cells, although their size is 10 times that of manubria. Translational activity of manubria also increases as DNA content rises and cells grow. However, during spermiogenesis, this activity remains at its maximum, which is associated with the secretory function of the manubria. Spermiogenesis is also accompanied by far-reaching ultrastructural changes within the manubrial cytoplasm.The level of endopolyploidy in both shield cells and manubria of antheridia formed in the spring is higher by one replication cycle, than in autumnal antheridia. AMO-1618, at a concentration of 10^–5M reduces the DNA content in the autumnal manubria. The higher the manubrial level of endopolyploidy in spermiogenesis, the greater their size, and the higher the translational activity and number of joined spermatids. The number of spermatozoids in the antheridium is also positively correlated with the internal volume of an antheridium, which is itself dependent on the endopolyploidy level of shield cells.The results obtained confirm the assumption that endoreplication favours the higher growth dynamics and potential translational activity, which occurs in the dynamic growth phase only in shield cells, while in manubria, i.e. cells producing substances necessary to spermatozoids development, it remains high until the end of spermiogenesis.     

Prognostic usefulness of certain defined indicators for achieving complete remission and survival of ANLL in adults: proposal of a prognostic scale

Retrospective analysis has included 323 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia. The comparable patient groups were treated since 1981, according to protocols used by the Polish Acute Leukaemia Group. The prognostic value for achieving complete remission and survival of 67 pre-treatment factors (42 quantitative and 25 qualitative) was evaluated. The most important 9 parameters were scored according to their prognostic value as follows: age, percent of blasts in bone marrow, peripheral blood blast count, morphological subtype, percent of granulocytes in bone marrow, percent of blasts with CD-15 antigen, thrombocyte count, spleen/liver enlargement, CSF protein levels. Proposed scoring system enables classification of ANLL patients to a standard and high risk groups.     

Certain aspects of so-called post cholecystectomy syndrome

The study involved 126 patients with cholelithiasis. Set of biochemical, radiological, endoscopic, and ultrasound examinations was carried out in these patients. Potential coincidence of clinical symptoms and causes of so-called postcholecystectomy syndrome was the purpose of a 1-year follow-up studies. The significance of the results are discussed.     

Effect of using nifedipine by patients with chronic congestive heart failure treated with digoxin and furosemide

Nifedipine was administrated to 25 patients with chronic congestive heart failure treated with digoxin and furosemide++, nifedipine (NF) in a daily dose of 30-80 mg for 14 days. Before and after the treatment with nifedipine chest X-ray, blood biochemical investigations, echocardiographic evaluation of the left ventricular function and submaximal exercise test were performed. Nifedipine induced significant decreases in the left ventricular systolic dimension, heart volume, blood serum potassium and uric acid concentrations and hematocrit . Resting and exertional heart rate, blood pressure, exercise power and duration, watt-pulse, myocardial oxygen demand index, ejection fraction, cardiac output, body weight, 24-hour urinary output, blood serum concentrations of urea, creatinine, sodium and chloride changed insignificantly following nifedipine administration. The obtained results suggest that long-term nifedipine treatment of patients who were already given digoxin and furosemide neither improve nor worsen their clinical status.     

Monotherapy with acebutolol in hypertensive diabetic patients

Monotherapy of hypertension with acebutolol in diabetics in daily dose of 200-400 mg for 6 weeks induced only non-significant and practically not acceptable hypotensive effect in groups of patients with hypertension and diabetes type I or type II without nephropathy. No therapeutical effect was observed in hypertension in diabetics type I with nephropathy. Administration of acebutolol to hypertensive diabetic patients with nephropathy resulted in tendency to increase in albuminuria. Values of creatinine clearance did not change at the same time. Also no effect of acebutolol on glycemic or lipid indices was observed. The lack of clear hypotensive effect under studied conditions of acebutolol in diabetic patients contrasted with its significant action in comparative group of hypertensive non-diabetic subjects.     

Efficacy of lomustine, teniposide, doxorubicin, bleomycin and prednisone (LTABP) or adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) in the treatment of malignant lymphogranulomatosis resistant to MOPP]

LTABP regimen was applied to 18 patients in IIB and IV stage of malignant lymphogranulomatosis resistant to MOPP. The obtained results were compared with historical control group of 18 patients with similar stage of the disease treated according to ABVD regimen. In both regimens courses were repeated every 28 days or more rarely, when leucopenia and thrombocytopenia prolonged. Only patients who had received at least 3 courses were analysed. In the LTABP group the complete remission was obtained in 10 cases (55%) while partial remission in 6 (33%). In the group treated with ABVD complete remission was obtained in 4 cases (22%) and partial in 9 cases (50%). In the LTABP group 11 patients are still alive and remain in complete remission, while in ABVD group--4 patients. The most frequent side effects in both groups included leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and symptoms of gastrointestinal intolerance. The LTABP regiment allows to obtain higher percentage of the complete remission than ABVD.     

Conservative and surgical treatment of pericarditis--our experience

Methods and results of both conservative and invasive therapy of pericarditis were analysed in the group of 30 patients. An emphasis was on successful treatment of mild (idiopathic) pericarditis and efficiency of the early started, combined pharmacotherapy (tuberculostatics + corticosteroids) of pericarditis of tuberculous etiology. A stress is on marked immediate efficacy of surgery in case of cardiac tamponade, independent on its etiology, with simultaneous recommendation of ultrasound-guided pericardial sac paracentesis. Survival rate in patients with malignant pericarditis is relatively low.     

Unusual organization of the tropharium in the telotrophic ovarioles of an insect, Saldula saltatoria

The tropharium of the common shorebug Saldula saltatoria consists of 2 zones: the apical mitotic region and the distal one comprising numerous mononucleate nurse cells. Each individual nurse cell is connected to the centrally located trophic core by a thin cytoplasmic projection referred to as a trophic process. The accumulations of a dense material interpreted as the remnants of intercellular bridge rim are observed associated with the trophic process membrane. In the light of these results the establishment of telotrophic ovarioles in hemipterans is discussed.