Human keratinocyte stem cells survive for months in sodium chloride and can be successfully transplanted.

Human skin fragments can be preserved in anhydric sodium chloride at room temperature for periods of weeks or months and successfully transplanted, retaining normal morphological structure. Skin fragments of 10 x 10 x 6 mm were harvested during elective vascular and orthopedic surgery of lower limbs, dried of blood, and placed in anhydric sodium chloride powder in tightly sealed containers. Prior to transplantation to scid mice, the specimens were desalinated and rehydrated. Specimens preserved for 1-6 months and harvested 3-4 weeks after transplantation revealed intensive incorporation of bromdeoxyuridine (BdUR) into basal keratinocytes (stem cells). They expressed p63 and CD29 (stem cells and transient cells antigens), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cytokeratin 16 specific for proliferating keratinocytes. We conclude that human epidermal stem cells can survive in a dehydrated state in sodium chloride for months and after transplantation give rise to keratinocyte progenies. Skin fibroblasts and some resident immune cells can also survive.

The effect of cyclosporine and tacrolimus on indigenous bacterial flora in human skin grafts.

Allogeneic skin transplants require intensive immunosuppressive therapy. Treatment protocols used for parenchymal organ grafts are not satisfactory to prevent skin graft rejection. Another factor responsible for the destruction of allogeneic skin transplants is bacterial inflammation. Temporary ischemia and the allogeneic reaction in transplanted skin cause increased permeability of the epidermis and the dermal capillaries, making skin grafts vulnerable to bacterial penetration. Moreover, immunosuppressive therapy compromises the host immune response. The present study assessed the effects of immunosuppression by cyclosporine (CsA) or tacrolimus (Tac) on the indigenous bacterial flora of transplanted human skin. We found that a 6-day course of treatment with CsA or Tac was followed by an increased prevalence of bacterial isolates, mostly evidenced by a change in the spectrum of graft bacterial flora from Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci toward more pathogenic strains such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, micrococcus, and pseudomonas. The mouse skin adjacent to the graft remained sterile, precluding the possibility of graft contamination with mouse flora.

[Prognostic factors in treatment of neoplasms as the dissipative structures]. / Czynniki rokownicze w leczeniu nowotworów zlosliwych jako struktur dysypatywnych.

The aim of the study is to define the systemic prognostic factors in the neoplasm according to thermodynamic theory of cancer a the self-organising dissipative structure. As the local, so called "specific" factors seem to be not adequate one should look for more general ones. It is shown, that such general factors as hormonal state of women' organism, preterm births, lactation, infertility treatment are important.

Skin allografts--lymph veiled (dendritic) cells are responsible for initiation of rejection in canine skin/SCID mouse chimera model.

Skin allografts are acutely rejected despite of intensive immunosuppressive therapy. Resistance of skin dendritic cells to immunosuppressive drugs and irradiation may be responsible for this phenomenon. Skin allograft is a site of interaction between the dendritic cells and lymphocytes of the donor and host origin and "direct" and "indirect" pathway of antigen presentation. Increasing evidence supports the significant role for the "indirect" allorecognition in graft rejection. To investigate a critical role of skin dendritic cells in the "indirect" allorecognition and graft destruction we have used a canine skin to severe-combined-immunodeficient (SCID)-mice transplantation model. At the time the skin grafts were deprived of own dendritic (Langerhans) cells, SCID mice were reconstituted with allogeneic canine whole lymph leukocytes, lymph lymphocytes, lymph veiled (dendritic) cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and an early phase of skin rejection was evaluated in histopathological studies. We demonstrated that circulating canine allogeneic veiled cells facilitate recruitment of T lymphocytes into skin graft and promote an extensive graft destruction, compared to the less expressed effect of allogeneic peripheral lymph lymphocytes or blood mononuclear cells. These drug and radiation-resistant dendritic cells may be responsible for initiation of the difficult to control rejection process.

[Evaluation of hormone therapy in women during postmenopause with the help of Kliogest]. / Ocena hormonoterapii u kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym przy pomocy preparatu Kliogest.

Seventeen women were observed during a six-month lasting period of replacement hormonotherapy. In all women there appeared decrease in subjective symptoms, as well as decrease in the blood level of FSH and LH and increase in the blood level of estradiol were observed.

[Evaluation of "the ever changing" educational program]. / Ocena programu edukacyjnego "Czas przemian".

The educational program "The Always Changing Program" was performed in 1500 primary schools in 21 major towns in different voievodships and concerned 200 thousands children from 5 and 6 classes. The studies aimed at the evaluation of its usefulness for health education in primary schools as well as of feedback reaction from pupils. 1406 schools and 1425 school children who completed this program participated in the study. The results showed that both schools and coordinators from the Sanitary Epidemiological Stations are well prepared to introduce this program. The approaches applied by schools were in accordance with the intentions of the program. The program was positively evaluated by school authorities as far as its contents and additional tools in which it was equipped are concerned. The need for the continuation of this program was expressed together with the proposals concerning its extension including films. The opinions expressed by school children allow to conclude that the program is useful and that this kind of education is expected to be continued in schools. It was found different feedback reaction depending on sex and social status. This creates the need for more specific approaches for defined groups of children. The evaluation of the influence of this program on specific knowledge and behavioral patterns in children are planned.

[Competence of families for providing sex education of children]. / Kompetencje rodziny do wychowania seksualnego dzieci.

This investigation explores the conditions under which children's sex education in families takes place. In particular, types of parents activities are examined, the parents attitude toward sexual concerns of children is assessed, as well as, moderating social ties are identified. The study population includes 1239 primary school students of the 7th grade, randomly selected from Warsaw primary schools. The findings show insufficient proficiency of families in sex education of their children. Although parents are the most desired source of sex related information, the range of their info-educational activities is found to be limited. This is particularly true when sons are considered; more attention is being paid to daughters. The results also indicates that mothers are more engaged in sex education than fathers. The findings show positive correlation between proficiency of parents in this field and their social status. This competence is also higher in families with better communication between members and families in which child freedom is not essentially limited.

Experimental investigations on the possibility of transplantation of venous grafts stored at low temperatures.

At the Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Institute of Haematology in Warsaw 13 dogs received homografts of venous patches stored at low temperatures to fill defects in the wall of the lower caval vein. Venous patches were prepared from segments of femoral veins and were placed in 1.41 M DSMO and stored at the temperature of liquid nitrogen. The authors describe the methods of obtaining venous patches, the technique of freezing and defreezing of grafts, and details of operations. Full healing in of grafts took about 15 days. The results of histological examinations of grafts obtained during planned autopsies between 12 and 29 days after application of the graft are discussed.

Oxygen consumption by hepatic tissue after transfusion of a stroma-free haemoglobin solution.

The ability of stroma-free haemoglobin solutions to transport oxygen was investigated by determining the oxygen consumption by the liver using Warburg's microrespirator. 50 ml of blood were removed from the rabbit under general anaesthesia and replaced by an identical volume of a non-oxygenated or oxygenated haemoglobin solution. The control rabbits received no transfusions. It was found that arterial hypotension produced by blood-letting caused a significant rise in oxygen consumption by the hepatic tissue. The rise was increased even more when the rabbits received no transfusions. Transfusion of non-oxygenated haemoglobin solutions caused likewise a rise in oxygen consumption immediately after transfusion. This rise was, however, not so significant as in the control group. On the other hand, transfusion of oxygenated haemoglobin solutions produced no rise in the oxygen consumption by the liver as compared to its value after blood-letting.

Differences in the composition of leucoyctes in the splenic artery and vein in rabbits, and dogs.

Differences in the composition of leucocytes in the splenic artery and vein in rabbits, and dogs. Acta Physiol. Pol. 1975, 26 (1): 33-39. Blood samples were taken from the splenic artery and splenic vein of 14 rabbits and 9 dogs under general anaesthesia (with hexobarbital sodium in rabbits and Eunarcon in dogs) to compare the quantitative and qualitative composition of white blood cells. It was found that the rabbit spleen releases into the circulation mononuclear cells which do not differ in their size from cells of the blood flowing into the spleen, and that it can retain or release granulocytes, probably due to their intravascular margination. The dog spleen can retain or release granulocytes and mononuclears simultaneously or separately, probably due to the mechanism which includes spontaneous contraction of the spleen.

[Role of spleen in leukocyte kinetics in dog]. / Rola sledziony psa w kinetyce krwinek bialych

In 9 dogs blood samples were obtained from the splenic vein and artery under general anaesthesia with Eunarcon, the quantitative and qualitative composition of white blood cells was compared and it was found that canine spleen can release or retain granulocytes and mononuclear cells simultaneously or any of these cells separately.