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E Dabrowska

Publications and source records attributed to E Dabrowska.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Submicron emulsions as drug carriers. Studies on destabilization potential of various drugs.

Few drugs have been successfully formulated as submicron emulsions. The physicochemical stability of submicron emulsions on admixture of drugs is the main factor limiting a wider use of this type of vehicle for parenteral or other routes of administration. In a short-term stability studies we have investigated 35 drugs with regard to their compatibility with 20 or 5% parenteral fat emulsions. The study has shown that interaction of drugs with submicron emulsions is complex in nature. Taking into consideration the physicochemical properties of a drug e.g. lipophilicity or ionization, it is difficult to predict changes in the physical stability of the system. If destabilization occurs it is maximal at saturated concentrations and the presence of even significant amounts of the solid phase formed by undissolved drug does not influence the short-term stability of the system. Due to the increased ratio of emulgator to oil, emulsions containing 5% of oily phase are less susceptible to destabilization than 20% emulsions.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed2001

Learning a morphological system without a default: the Polish genitive.

The acquisition of the English past tense inflection is the paradigm example of rule learning in the child language literature and has become something of a test case for theories of language development. This is unfortunate, as the idiosyncratic properties of the English system of marking tense make it a rather unrepresentative example of morphological development. In this paper, I contrast this familiar inflection with a much more complex morphological subsystem, the Polish genitive. The genitive case has three different markers, each restricted to a different subset of nouns, in both the singular and the plural. Analysis of the spontaneous speech of three children between the ages of 1;4 and 4;11 showed that they generalized, and overgeneralized, all three singular endings. However, error rates were extremely low and there is no evidence that they treated any one ending as the 'default'. The genitive plural, on the other hand, showed a strikingly different pattern of acquisition, similar to that seen in English-speaking children learning the past tense. It is argued that in the latter two cases, the default-like character of one of the affixes is attributable to the properties of the relevant inflectional subsystems, not to the predispositions that children bring to the language-learning task.

Child Language↗
PubMed2001

Histochemical and ultrastructural study of the effect of natrium fluoride on glycogen content in rat hepatocytes.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of natrium fluoride (NaF) on glycogen content in hepatocytes of the offspring rats receiving fluoridated water, basing on histochemical (PAS reaction) and ultrastructural examinations. The experiment used 90 rats obtained from 30 mothers. The animals were given fluoridated water in two different concentrations: 10.6 mg NaF/l and 32.0 mg NaF/l. Material for analysis consisted of liver specimens collected on day 4, 14, 30, 60, 90 and 120 of rats' life. The rats were exposed to fluoride from the intrauterine life, during lactation, till full maturity. The experiment revealed the effect of super-optimal concentrations of natrium fluoride on carbohydrate metabolism of the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Porphyria cutanea tarda, hepatitis C virus and selected symptoms of cholestasis.

BACKGROUND: The influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the development of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) was recently detected, but the status of trace elements in etiology of the diseases is relatively poorly recognized. Individually observed symptoms of cholestasis do not seem to be related to the above conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 22 PCT patients (37-73 years old, mean 54.9 years), including 10 cases (45.5%) of serum HCV-RNA positive, as evaluated by automatic Cobas AmplicorTM Hepatitis C ver. 2.0 assay (Roche Diagnostics), was assessed. None of the patients have recently abused alcohol. Serum levels of copper and bilirubin, activity of gammaglutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured in all patients. RESULTS: We have found statistically significant differences between both mean serum activity of GGTP (145.9 U/l vs. 58.3 U/l, p = 0.004) and mean serum copper levels (131.9 mg/dl vs. 79 mg/dl, p = 0.003) in patients infected with HCV compared to the other PCT patients, respectively. Mean serum ALP activity was also higher, but the difference was not of statistical importance (106.9 U/l vs. 90.9 U/l, p = 0.24); mean serum bilirubin concentration was significantly lower in HCV-infected patients (0.55 mg/dl vs. 0.85 mg/dl, respectively, p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: In our group of PCT patients we have noticed a higher serum copper level and higher activity of both GGTP and alkaline phosphatase, but lower level of serum bilirubin in patients infected with HCV as compared with those not infected. This observation does not confirm suggestions concerning the role of HCV in promotion of cholestatic liver disease in PCT patients. The influence of HCV infection on the metabolism of copper and GGTP activity is connected rather with the inflammatory lesions in the liver of PCT patients infected with HCV. Bilirubin metabolism in PCT patients requires further studies for its elucidation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on porphyrin and iron metabolism in porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) patients.

BACKGROUND: Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (PCT) is the most common form of porphyria. It is characterised by lowered activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase. It seems possible that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection triggers the symptoms of PCT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 29 PCT patients (33-73 years old, mean 54 years) was evaluated. In these patients the serum HCV-RNA (by mean of automatic Cobas AmplicorTM Hepatitis C ver. 2.0 assay, Roche Diagnostics), activity of transaminases (ALT, AST), serum protein fractions, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, and urinary porphyrins excretion were assessed. RESULTS: The presence of HCV-RNA was detected in 12 cases (41.4%). Statistically important differences between currently HCV infected patients and other PCT patients concerned the following parameters: mean body mass (68.5 vs. 78.0 kg, p = 0.02), mean body mass index (22.4 vs. 26.8 kg/m2, p = 0.007), mean serum activities of ALT (112.6 vs. 65.4 U/l, p = 0.02) and AST (85.0 vs. 56.5 U/l, p = 0.038), total serum protein concentration (78.0 vs. 71.6 g/l, p = 0.016) and serum alpha-2 protein concentration (7.2 vs. 5.5 g/l, p = 0.009), respectively. Some other not significant differences were also found: mean serum iron level 182 vs. 169 micrograms/dl, transferrin concentration 2.77 vs. 2.56 g/l, transferrin saturation 43 vs. 45%, serum TIBC 445 vs. 397 mg/dl and ferritin concentration 394 vs. 400 micrograms/l, respectively. The mean urinary uroporphyrin concentrations were 643 micrograms/l vs. 366 micrograms/l (p = 0.16) and those of coproporphyrins were 190 micrograms/l vs. 136 micrograms/l (p = 0.37), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the group of PCT patients investigated no significant relationship between current HCV infection and iron or porphyrin metabolism was noted. Nevertheless, HCV infection significantly influences the symptoms of liver damage and seems to influence other metabolic parameters in PCT patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Acute haemolytic syndrome and liver failure as the first manifestations of Wilson's disease.

Acute liver failure and haemolytic syndrome appeared quite suddenly as the first manifestations of Wilson disease (WD) in five of our patients previously regarded as healthy persons (although an interview showed that 2-4 weeks prior to the illness the patients complained of several non-specific symptoms, such as abdominal pain, headaches, fever, weakness or behavioural changes). All the patients were young women (17-23 years), none of them had any history of liver disease. They were admitted with icterus, nausea, vomiting and symptoms of increasing haemolysis. The diagnosis of WD was given as disturbed copper metabolism. After a short period of observation ascites and anasarca occurred, haemorrhagic diathesis and other symptoms of liver failure increased. Levels of clotting factors decreased rapidly. Despite treatment with D-penicillamine, plasmapheresis, and symptomatic drugs, three of the women died in irreversible liver coma, due to the unavailability of liver transplantation. The fourth woman was carried to the Transplantation Centre, due to aggravation of the symptoms of liver failure, where liver transplantation was performed. Histopathologically micronodular cirrhosis was shown in all these cases. The fifth patient survived having undergone the above treatment without liver transplantation. The main differences between the patient who survived and those who died or underwent transplantation were relatively higher activity of alkaline phosphatase (26 U/l vs. 10-20 U/l), slightly higher levels of clotting factors and prothrombin time, which never fall below 68% of the control (versus 14-44% in other patients). Only in the surviving patient was the Kayser-Fleischer ring present. In four of our patients we found family members who were carriers of WD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Effect of high fiber vegetable-fruit diet on the activity of liver damage and serum iron level in porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT).

BACKGROUND: During the treatment of coronary heart disease with a vegetable-fruit diet, we have observed the positive effect of the treatment on PCT patients. Therefore, we have now examined the short-term results of the diet on the selected PCT activity parameters. The study was approved by our Review Board. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 13 male PCT patients (mean age 52 years) was evaluated. We assessed the body mass index (BMI), serum iron level, activity of transaminases (ALT, AST), severity of skin symptoms, and urinary prophyrins excretions, before and after a three-week period of vegetable-fruit diet. The diet was of natural vegetable/fruit products, and its daily caloric content was ca. 500 kcal/day. RESULTS: The mean BMI before and after the diet period were 26.8 +/- 4.7 vs. 25.8 +/- 4.3 (p = 0.001), the serum activities of ALT 122.0 +/- 60.7 U/l vs. 75.6 +/- 31.8 U/l, and of AST 91.8 +/- 56.0 U/l vs. 55.2 +/- 14.2 U/l (p = 0.001), respectively. The mean serum iron levels were 188.6 +/- 75.7 mg/dl vs. 140.2 +/- 56.4 mg/dl, serum ferritin concentrations 574 +/- 351 vs. 499 +/- 340 ng/ml (p = 0.04), respectively. Severity of skin lesions and urinary coproporphyrins excretion were significantly diminished during the diet; urinary uroporphyrins excretion was also lowered, but not to a statistically significant level. CONCLUSION: In our group of PCT patients, we noticed the beneficial effect of the vegetable-fruit diet on selected disease parameters. The diet may be useful in the treatment of PCT and diseases associated with PCT.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Increased partitioning of pilocarpine to the oily phase of submicron emulsion does not result in improved ocular bioavailability.

Submicron emulsions containing pilocarpine as ion-pair with mono-dodecylphosphoric acid were prepared. Physical stability of these preparations was confirmed during 4 months of storage at 4 degrees C. Approximately 50% of the drug was found in the aqueous phase of emulsion separated using an ultrafiltration technique, while the rest was present in the oily phase and interphase. The miotic effect observed in rabbits after application of the ion-pair in aqueous solution or in submicron emulsion was the same; indicating that the drug distribution into the oily phase of the colloidal vehicle does not improve ocular bioavailability.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Discriminatory power of MRI for differentiation of adrenal non-adenomas vs adenomas evaluated by means of ROC analysis: can biopsy be obviated?

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the discriminatory power of MRI in high-field magnet (1.5 T) for differentiation of adrenal non-adenomas vs adenomas assessing the following parameters separately and in combination: mean diameter of adrenal mass; previously described and new ratios as well as index calculated from signal intensity (SI) on SE T2-weighted images, chemical shift imaging (CSI), and Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic studies. One hundred eight adrenal masses (36 non-hyperfunctioning adenomas, 27 pheochromocytomas, 23 aldosterone-secreting adenomas, 20 malignant masses and 2 cortisol-secreting adenomas) in 95 patients were evaluated with SE sequences, CSI and Gd-DTPA dynamic studies. Indices and ratios of SI for all examined MRI methods were calculated and examined retrospectively for significance of differences between the groups with calculation of sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis of calculated parameters in combination was performed. The multifactorial analysis of all four parameters, including size of the tumor, T2(liver) index, CSI ratio reflecting lipid content in the tumor and Wo(max/last) ratio reflecting maximal washout of contrast agent from the tumor had 100 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity in characterization of adrenal non-adenoma. The best performance of combination of mean tumor diameter with single MRI SI parameter was achieved in combination with T2(liver) index for all adrenal masses (area under ROC 0.987) and CSI ratio for non-hyperfunctioning adrenal masses (area under ROC 0.991). Magnetic resonance imaging enables sensitive and specific diagnosis of adrenal non-adenoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2000

[Liver transplantation in a patient with hemolytic syndrome in the course of fulminant Wilson's disease].

The case report of a 20 year old woman with fulminant liver failure and hemolytic syndrome was described. Huge amounts of copper excreted in the urine (3555 mg/12 h without, and 5180 mg/12 h after d-penicillamine provocation, respectively) confirmed the diagnosis of fulminant Wilson's disease. Because the patient's general condition worsened rapidly (hemolysis, diathesis hemorrhagic, ascites, encephalopathy increased during 3 days of clinical observation) orthotopic liver transplantation was performed. After the transplantation, ischemic type biliary lesion (ITBL) II stage was diagnosed. The woman is still being treated with Prograf and Urso-Falk. The patient returned to her normal life, continues to work and was married. Two years after OLT she gave birth to a healthy boy. The liver function tests are normal with the exception of GGTP and FALK activities elevation. Copper and ceruloplasmin level, as well as copper excretion in the urine are within the normal values.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Low zinc levels in metabolic X syndrome (mzX) patients measured by hair zinc composition analysis].

The hair zinc content in 16 patients with metabolic X syndrome (mzX) was measured by means of atomic absorption spectrometry method. The mean concentration (125.13 mg/kg) was lower than in the majority of other published studies. The differences among groups of patients with different sex or diseases (e.g. coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus) were not significant. It seems to be probably that deficiency of zinc plays a role in pathogenesis of mzX or that it is a consequence of mzX.

Aged↗