Expression and prognostic value of the Ki-67 in Wilms’ tumor: experience with 48 cases

Purpose  

Ki-67, tumor proliferation marker, is an important prognostic factor in a variety of cancers. In the present study, we investigated the expression and the prognostic value of Ki-67 in nephroblastoma.     

Extract of green tea leaves partially attenuates streptozotocin-induced changes in antioxidant status and gastrointestinal functioning in rats

Rats with severe streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes were subjected to dietary green tea extract supplementation at 2 doses (0.01% and 0.2%; GTL and GTH groups, respectively) to evaluate their effects on antioxidant, gastrointestinal, and renal parameters of experimental animals. The lower dietary supplementation reflects daily consumption of 3 cups of green tea for an average adult weighing 70 kg. Supplementation of a diet with green tea extract had no influence on elevated food intake, body weight loss, increased glucose concentration, or declined antioxidant capacity of water-soluble substances in plasma in the diabetic rats. In cases of intestinal maltase activity, attenuation of liver and kidney hypertrophy, triacylglycerol concentration, and aspartate aminotransferase activity in the serum, both dietary treatments normalized metabolic disorders caused by STZ injection to a similar extent. Unlike the GTL group, the GTH treatment significantly ameliorated development of diabetes-induced abnormal values for small intestinal saccharase and lactase activities, renal microalbuminuria, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance content in kidney tissue, as well as total antioxidant status in the serum of rats. The GTH group was also characterized by higher antioxidant capacity of lipid-soluble substances in plasma and superoxide dismutase activity in the serum. Although the higher dose of green tea extract did not completely protect against STZ-induced hyperglycemia and oxidative stress in experimental rats, this study suggests that green tea extract ingested at high amounts may prove to be a useful therapeutic option in the reversal of diabetic dysfunction.     

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy associated with giant cell arteritis. Case report

Giant cell arteritis is a systemic vasculitis that affects large- and medium sized arteries. The most common ophthalmic manifestation of this disease is anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, leading to acute, painless visual loss in one or both eyes. It is caused by ischemia of the optic nerve head, which is mainly supplied by the short posterior ciliary arteries. Early diagnosis is the key to correct management and prevention of visual loss in the second eye. The treatment of choice for arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy is high dose of systemic corticosteroids. Only such treatment may prevent blindness. The authors presented a case of a 62 years man with anterior ischemic neuropathy in one eye, which was diagnosed as arteritic form caused by giant cell arteritis. The correct diagnosis was based on typical clinical signs of ischemic changes in the optic nerve head and diagnostic criteria for giant cell arteritis, advocated by American College of Rheumatologists.     

Assessment of blood flow in the ocular circulation in type 2 diabetes patients with Color Doppler imaging

PURPOSE: Color Doppler assessment of blood flow in ocular circulation in type 2 diabetes patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Total of 56 patients were included in the study and divided into 3 groups: group I--control group, group II--type 2 diabetes patients without diabetic retinopathy, group III--type 2 diabetes patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. USG Color Doppler method was used in all patients to assess peak systolic blood velocity (PSV), end-diastolic blood velocity (ESV) and resistivity index (RI) in the following arteries: ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), short posterior ciliary artery (SPCA). In addition several clinical parameters including age, diabetes duration, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and blood glucose level with empty stomach were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Peak systolic blood velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic blood velocity (ESV) in ophthalmic artery (OA) in diabetic patients were significantly lower in comparison to the control group. Peak systolic blood velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic blood velocity (ESV) in central retinal artery (CRA) were significantly lower only in patients with diabetic retinopathy. In short posterior ciliary arteries (SPCA) only peak systolic blood velocity (PSV) was decreased in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Average age of patients was significantly higher in the group with diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes duration was significantly longer in group III in comparison to group II. CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler imaging method is useful for assessing blood flow in ocular circulation. Blood flow in ophthalmic artery is decreased in patients with diabetes. Reduction of blood flow in central retinal artery and short posterior ciliary arteries can be significant in the development of diabetic retinopathy.     

Activity of lysosomal exoglycosidases in human gliomas

There is a lot of data suggesting that modifications of cell glycoconjugates may be important in progression of cancer. In the present work we studied activities of lysosomal exoglycosidases: β-hexosaminidase and its isoenzymes A and B, β-galactosidase and α-mannosidase, in human gliomas. Enzyme activity was determined spectrophotometrically based on the release of p-nitrophenol from p-nitrophenyl-derivative of appropriate sugars. The activities of the exoglycosidases tested were significantly higher in malignant glial tumors than in control tissue (normal brain tissue) and non-glial tumors. The highest activities of exoglycosidases were observed in high-grade gliomas, and a positive correlation of enzyme activities and degree of malignancy was noted. Our results suggest that lysosomal exoglycosidases may participate in the progression and dynamical development of glial tumors.     

Effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy on platelet secretory activity in patients with grass-pollen allergy

Platelet may become activated following antigen challenge to participate then actively in the immune-inflammatory response. Moreover, some evidence proves that specific immunotherapy induces changes in the platelet function. The objective of this study was to determine circulating platelet activity during the early phase of allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) in patients with grass pollen-sensitive allergic rhinitis. Twelve grass-pollen allergic patients (seven men and five women) with intermittent allergic rhinitis were treated with specific subcutaneous allergoid preparation. SIT was received by six weekly injections, the vaccine dose increasing until the maintenance level was reached. Blood was sampled at four different time points: before and directly before SIT, 30 min and 24 h after the maximum dose injection of the vaccine. Plasma level of beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), marker of platelet activation in vivo was measured using ELISA method. Baseline beta-TG level did not differ significantly among the patients and healthy subjects. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in the degree of platelet activity between the different times of this study in the patients group. We failed to detect any significant changes in circulating platelet activity, the measure of plasma level of beta-TG, in patients with grass-pollen induced intermittent rhinitis during the course of the dose increase phase of grass pollen SIT. In particular, it seems that both early (after 30 min) and late (after 24 h) changes in plasma level of this marker do not occur following the maximum dose administration of the allergen vaccine during the early SIT phase.     

Morphological parameters of the optic disc in patients with primary open angle glaucoma and low myopia

PURPOSE: To compare the morphological parameters of the optic disc in patients with low myopia and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and in patients with glaucoma without refractive errors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 53 patients, aged 33-88 (56.2 +/- 11.9) with POAG were qualified for our study. The group was divided into two: first group consisted of 14 patients--11 women and 3 men, aged 41-83 (58.2 +/- 10.9) comprising 28 eye balls with low myopia (-0.5 Dsph to -3.5 Dsph) and POAG. The second group consisted of 38 patients: 24 women and 14 men, aged 33-80 (51.0 +/- 13.4) comprising 71 eye balls including 43 emetropic eyes, 26 eyes with hyperopia (+0.5 Dsph to +3.0 Dsph) and 2 eyes with astigmatism. All patients demonstrated early changes in visual field 1-2 stage due to the Aulhom classification. The measurements of the morphological parameters of the optic disc were made with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy using Heidelberg Retina Tomograph--HRT II with glaucoma software. We analyzed the following parameters: optic disc area, cup area, rim area, cup/disc ratio, linear c/d ratio, mean cup depth, maximum cup depth. The statistical analysis was made using Kolomogarow-Smirnow test. RESULTS: All analyzed parameters were higher in patients with low myopia and POAG than in patients with only POAG. The results in both groups were different but still no statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Low myopia has an influence on the optic disc morphology in patients with POAG.