Peritonitis caused by a giant trichobezoar ventriculi--a case report

Bezoars are the most common foreign bodies of gastrointestinal tract. They contain swallowed hair, different fibres, seeds, nut shells, sweets or drugs. Clinical manifestations vary, depending on the location and size of bezoar, from "no symptoms" to "acute abdomen" syndrome. In this case report, the authors describe a giant trichobezoar from the stomach of an 18-year-old girl, who had been admitted to the gynecological department with syndromes suggesting an ovarian cyst torsion. The preoperative diagnosis was not confirmed and a giant trichobezoar was found and removed during the surgery.     

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in pregnancy. A case report

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, accompanied by microvascular thrombosis that causes variable degrees of tissue ischemia and infarction. About 10-20% of TTP cases are associated with the pregnancy. Preterm delivery and intrauterine fetal death are frequent pregnancy complications of TTP. The following paper presents the case of a 32-year-old woman with TTP relapse at 10 weeks of her second pregnancy. Despite regular fresh frozen plasma transfusions, intrauterine fetal death occurred at 21 weeks of gestation. Current views on TTP management during pregnancy have been presented in the article as well.     

CO Oxidation over Pd Catalyst Supported on Porous TiO2 Prepared by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) of a Ti Metallic Carrier

A porous TiO₂ layer was prepared with the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of Ti. In a further step, Pd was deposited on the TiO₂ surface layer using the adsorption method. The activity of the Pd/TiO₂/Ti catalyst was investigated during the oxidation of CO to CO₂ in a mixture of air with 5% CO. The structure of the catalytic active layer was studied using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PEO process provided a porous TiO₂ layer with a uniform thickness in the range of 5–10 µm, which is desirable for the production of Pd-supported catalysts. A TOF-SIMS analysis showed the formation of Pd nanoparticles after the adsorption treatment. The conversion of CO to CO₂ in all samples was achieved at 150–280 °C, depending on the concentration of Pd. The composition of Pd/ TiO₂/Ti was determined using ICP-MS. The optimum concentration of Pd on the surface of the catalyst was approximately 0.14% wt. This concentration was obtained when a 0.4% PdCl₂ solution was used in the adsorption process. Increasing the concentration of PdCl₂ did not lead to a further improvement in the activity of Pd/ TiO₂/Ti.     

Retroperitoneal fibrosis,a rare entity with urorenal and vascular subtypes – preliminary data

IntroductionRetroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease associated with the formation of hard inflammatory and fibrous tissue in the retroperitoneum. Taking into consideration the fact that RPF is a rare disease with different subtypes, we compared the basal clinical and biochemical characteristics of the vascular and urorenal subtypes.Patients and methodsFrom January 2005 until December 2021, 27 patients were identified as vascular subtype (18 males) and 11 as urorenal subtype (9 males).ResultsPatients with a primary urorenal origin had significantly worse kidney function as reflected by serum creatinine and eGFR (both p < 0.001); they also had higher serum cholesterol (p < 0.01). Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and nicotinism were significantly more prevalent in vascular subtype (all p < 0.001).ConclusionVascular subtype is more prevalent in our study with more cardiovascular risk factor present. Due to the diversity of symptoms, diagnosis of RPF becomes a challenge for specialists as well as therapy.     

Stereoselective Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of 2,6-Disubstituted trans-3-Methylidenetetrahydropyran-4-ones

In this report, we present efficient and stereoselective syntheses of 2,6-disubstituted trans-3-methylidenetetrahydropyran-4-ones and 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-methylidenetetrahydropyran-4-one that significantly broaden the spectrum of the available methylidenetetrahydropyran-4-ones with various substitution patterns. Target compounds were obtained using Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons methodology for the introduction of methylidene group onto the pyranone ring. 3-Diethoxyphosphoryltetrahydropyran-4-ones, which were key intermediates in this synthesis, were prepared by fully or highly stereoselective addition of Gilman or Grignard reagents to 3-diethoxyphosphoryldihydropyran-4-ones. Addition occurred preferentially by axial attack of the Michael donors on the dihydropyranone ring. Relative configurations and conformations of the obtained adducts were assigned using a detailed analysis of the NMR spectra. The obtained methylidenepyran-4-ones were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against two cancer cell lines (HL-60 and MCF-7). 2,6-Disubstituted 3-methylidenetetrahydropyran-4-ones with isopropyl and phenyl substituents in position 2 were more cytotoxic than analogs with n-butyl substituent. Two of the most cytotoxic analogs were then selected for further investigation on the HL-60 cell line. Both analogs induced morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis in cancer cells, significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death. Both compounds also generated DNA damage, and one of the analogs arrested the cell cycle of HL-60 cells in the G2/M phase. In addition, both analogs were able to inhibit the activity of topoisomerase IIα. Based on these findings, the investigated analogs may be further optimized for the development of new and effective topoisomerase II inhibitors.     

The effect of hydrological connectivity on water beetles fauna in water bodies within the floodplain of a lowland river (Neman river, Belarus)

The middle course of the Neman River is the habitat of 120 water beetle species. Water beetles were most abundant in the Neman River, its major tributaries and oxbow lakes. They consisted of four synecological groups: rheobiontic and rheophilic organisms, type ??a?? and ??b?? stagnobionts. The diverse types of aquatic environments constitute faunal centers which, in addition to the specific and dominant Coleopteran populations, also feature migrational elements. The presence of close relations between the fauna of different environments indicates that they form a single, faunistically integrated hydrological system.     

How lonely they are? A degree of isolation among macrozoobenthos species in the Marine Protected Area, the Bay of Puck, the Southern Baltic

Extensive sampling (450 grabs) was performed all over the inner part of Puck Bay (105 km² area) in summers of 2007–2009. The GIS-based analysis of samples was performed to assess in detail the distribution of 32 benthic species. The minimum area of occurrence was less than 1 km² for Lekanosphaera rugicauda and the maximum was 83 km² for Cerastoderma glaucum. The material reveals that species with the pelagic larval stage were most widespread, with the least distance between individuals and the highest average density (e.g. Cerastoderma glaucum, Hydrobia ventrosa). The most isolated and the least dense species within the studied area were discretely mobile, non-larval crustaceans (e.g. Gammarus oceanicus and Lekanosphaera rugicauda), present at single sites with the largest distance from each other. We conclude that analysis of species distribution helps in understanding the threats to populations of marine invertebrates and marine spatial planning, through locating the isolated species and populations.     

Water thermal regimes in selected antropogenic resorvoirs in Western Pomerania

Lake Szmaragdowe and Czarnog?owy Reservoir are both characterized by atypical origin as both were formed when quarries were flooded. The geological substrates of the two basins are unique, and they are both highly valued as recreational and tourist destinations. These two basins are among the most interesting in northwestern Poland. Studies of their thermal regimes confirmed that water mass mixing in Lake Szmaragdowe is bradymictic. The waters in the Czarnog?owy Reservoir mix entirely to a depth of 20 m, and this layer is also characterized by bradymixia. Deeper waters do not mix. This indicates that mixing in this basin is of the meromictic type.