[Transthoracic needle biopsy under USG control]. / Transtorakalna biopsja iglowa pod kontrola USG.

In 114 patients with peripheral lung lesions transthoracic needle biopsy was performed under USG control. This method enabled to achieve positive results in more than 90% of cases. Transthoracic needle biopsy is a simple diagnostic method which allows without serious complications to establish histo-pathological diagnosis of thoracic peripheral tumors.

The influence of Ambroxol on peroxidative processes in lung and plasma in dogs after pulmonectomy.

The purpose of the studies was to determine the effect of Ambroxol on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and on the glutathione level as well as the intensity of the peroxidative processes in the lung tissue, alveolar macrophages and plasma in dogs after unilateral pulmonectomy. On the 2nd and 6th day after the surgery the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the glutathione level were studied in the remaining lung. The levels of the lipid peroxidation products were determined in the analogous system. In both examined groups the increase in the antioxidant enzyme activity and the lipid peroxidation product levels was observed in the remaining lung after the surgery. In Ambroxol-treated animals the statistically significant increase in the antioxidant enzyme activity was noted while the intensity of peroxidative processes was found to be lower. This fact may suggest that Ambroxol stimulates the resistance of the lung tissue to the free radical activity and inhibits the lung peroxidative processes in dogs after pulmonectomy.

[Phospholipids and fatty acids in pulmonary surfactant of patients with lung cancer]. / Fosfolipidy i kwasy tluszczowe surfaktantu plucnego u chorych na raka pluc.

The authors present the results of a study on composition of pulmonary surfactant phospholipids and fatty acids in 87 lung cancer patients. The comparison was made between smoking and non-smoking patients, related to ageing, and different histopathological structures of the tumors. Smoking lowered phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol increasing sphingomyelin. Increased levels of lysophosphatidylcholine were seen in smoking patients and ageing of the organism. Active phospholipid levels decreased with age. No correlation could be demonstrated between histopathological type of tumor and lipid composition of the surfactant.

[Lipids of the liver and aorta of rabbits fed with cholesterol before and after surgical exclusion of the terminal segment of the ileum]. / Lipidy watroby i aorty królików zywionych cholesterolem przed i po operacyjnym wylaczeniu koncowego odcinka jelita kretego.

The experiments were carried out on 15 rabbits od common breed in 3 groups, K--control, 1--unoperated and 2--operated. The weight of the animals before operation oscillated from 3.8-4 kg. Group 1 was fed with standard food with an addition of 4 g cristal cholesterol and 4 g of pork lard for 21 days. The animals in group 2 were fed similarly. This group was operated with 1/3 bypass of the caudal part of the small intestine. After 3 weeks the rabbits of both groups were killed. For biophysical and pathohistological investigations, sections of the right liver lobe, abdominal aorta and the small intestine were taken. Lipids of the liver and aorta wall were analysed chromatodensitographically. The results were statistically analysed and tabulated. In group 1, three times more lipids were found in the liver and about 2 times more in the aorta wall, than in group K. In group 2, the level of total lipids in the liver and in aorta wall was slightly higher than in the control. It was caused by TG and UF in the liver and by CE and UF in the aorta wall. Microscopic observations in group 1 showed diffused, vast multifocal undegenerative steatosis of the liver and considerable lipids infiltration without atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta wall. In group 2, steatosis of the liver was slight and it did not occur in the aorta wall. Normalization of the composition and distribution of lipids was observed in the liver lobules and aorta wall. Partial by-pass of the small intestine was in atrophy because of inactivity in the presence of a relative multiplication of mucocells.

[Effect of surgical exclusion of the terminal segment of the jejunum on plasma lipid level in rabbits after administration of a cholesterol-fat diet]. / Wplyw operacyjnego wylaczenia koncowego odcinka jelita kretego na stezenie lipidów osocza krwi po zastosowaniu die ty cholesterolowo-tluszczowej u królików.

The examinations have been performed on 10 native albino rabbits in two experimental groups. Before the experiment the content of a total, free and esterified cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids lipoproteids was determined in heparinised blood plasma. The obtained values served as a control. One group of animals was fed for 21 days a standard food enriched with 4.0 g of cholesterol/day and 4.0 g of lard/day, in the second group of animals a surgical disengagement of a 1/3 distal portion of ileum acc. to the method of Buchwald was performed. After 8 days convalescence the animals were fed for 21 days the same diet as group one. After feeding of atherogenic diet the content of lipid constituents analogical to those in control examinations was determined in blood plasma, and the results were analyzed statistically. It was found that: three weeks overburdening of normal rabbits with cholesterol-fat diet causes a remarkable hiperlipidaemia and an increase of the numerical value of LDL:HDL; operative disengagement of a 1/3 distal portion of ileum before overburdening alimentation enables to maintain normolipidaemia and the numerical value of LDL:HDL ratio on the level approximate to that in controls.

[Effect of betamethasone on the lipid composition of pulmonary surfactant, ependymal cells and lung tissue after surgical procedures on the thorax of dogs]. / Wplyw betamewtazonu na sklad lipidowy surfaktantu plucnego, komórek wyscielajacych i tkanki plucnej po zabiegach chirurgicznych na klatce piersiowej u psów.

The lipid composition of pulmonary surfactant, ependymal cells and pulmonary tissue after surgery on the thorax in dogs was determined. 24 hrs after removal of one lung, in the other one there occurred changes in the quantity of respective classes of phospholipids of the pulmonary surfactant, manifesting themselves by a considerable drop in the amount of phosphatidylcholine (by 25%), phosphatidylethylamine (by 47%), phosphatidylglycerol (by 98%) and phosphatidylcholine: sphingomyelin ratio (by 63%), as well as by a rise in the amount of lysophosphatidylcholine (by 83%), phosphatidylserine (by 54%) and sphingomyelin (by 25%). In dogs receiving betamethasone in the post-operative period the changes were less intense: the amount of phosphatidylcholine decreased by 15%, phosphatidylethanolamine by 29%, phosphatidylglycerol by 94% and phosphatidylcholine: sphingomyelin ratio by 63%. The amount of lysophosphatidylcholine increased by 26.7%, phosphatidylserine by 29.1% and sphingomyelin by 22.2%. Similar changes were observed in the phospholipids of lining cells, while changes in the composition of phospholipids of pulmonary tissue in most cases appeared insignificant. Insignificant, too, were changes in the composition of neutral lipids of the tissular fractions examined. The described changes in dogs not receiving betamethasone correspond to those found in man in the course of acute respiratory insufficiency syndrome. Betamethasone was found to exert a protective effect on the phospholipids of pulmonary surfactant, soothing the biochemical changes brought about by surgical removal of one lung.