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The one-neutron transfer 2H(9Li, p)10Li reaction has been investigated at 29 A MeV incident energy at the ACCULINNA-2 facility (Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research). The setup has been used in order to detect the recoil protons at backward angles in coincidences with the outgoing 9Li and neutrons from the 10Li decay at forward angles. This setup allows to study the 10Li emitted in the crucial region at forward angles in the center of mass. The preliminary results in the part of the analysis of double proton–9Li coincidence are reported.

Investigation of the 7H-system in the experiment conducted at the fragment separator ACCULINNA-2 in the 8He(2H,3He)7H reaction requires to detect the recoil 3He ions with energy down to 6 MeV. For this purpose two $$\Delta E{\text{—}}E$$ particle telescopes are used, with each telescope having in front a thin (20-μm) Si strip detector ($$\Delta E{\text{—}}SSD$$). The maps of thickness heterogeneity of the thin detectors were determined by measuring the energy losses of the 226Ra α-particles. The adopted thickness normalization method provides a good identification of the 3He nuclei being recorded in the presence of a high 4He background. Two approaches were used for calculating the energy losses of the identified 3He and 4He reaction ejectiles and reconstructing their energy values available at the exit from the deuterium target. The developed techniques were applied for the 7H missing-mass reconstruction.

A new way of measuring the excitation function for reactions with neutron emission is presented. A trial experiment is performed using a DC-60 heavy ion accelerator at the Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Complex in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The excitation function of the 13C(α, n) reaction is measured at 180° c.m. in the Ec.m. = 1.7–2.6 MeV range of energies. The results are compared to data from other works, and the prospects of the new approach are discussed.

The start of operation of a new separator ACCULINNA-2 makes an important upgrade for the Radioactive-Ion Beam (RIB) research done at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR, JINR). Test results indicate that the separator meets the project specifications. Intensities obtained for the 6,8He, 9,11Li, 12Be RIBs are 15 times higher in comparison with the results achieved at the old separator ACCULINNA. An overview of the design, construction and commissioning studies of the ACCULINNA-2 separator is presented. The separator will be equipped with some key facilities: a cryogenic tritium target, zero degree spectrometer following the physical target bombarded by the RIBs, and with a neutron detector array, and the Time Projection Chamber (TPC). This opens a wide range of experimental possibilities. Overview is presented on the two first experiments devoted to the study of d + 6He elastic scattering and search for a 7H low-lying resonance state populated in the 2H(8He,3He)7H reaction.

Characteristics of a new separator of radioactive ion beams (RIBs) are described. It was recently commissioned at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (FLNR JINR) and is in operation at the primary beam line of the U-400M heavy ion cyclotron providing RIBs in energy range of 10–50 MeV/nucleon. Preliminary results obtained in the first experiments performed with this separator in 2018 are presented. A medium-term program of scientific research is discussed.

The commissioning of the new fragment separator ACCULINNA-2 at FLNR JINR is accomplished. The separator is destined to expand the possibilities in studies of dripline nuclei performed with the exotic secondary radioactive ion beams (RIBs) at energies of (5 – 50) AMeV. The projected high transmission and purification level were confirmed experimentally for a number of RIBs in the last two years. The ACCULINNA-2 setup will become a backbone facility at FLNR for the research in the field of light exotic nuclei. This report shows the current status of the separator, describes the obtained RIBs parameters and first experiments as well, provides the overview of the developing detection, monitoring and control subsystems.

The paper presents an extension of the Thick Target Inverse Kinematic method to study resonances decaying by neutrons.

The H7 system was populated in the H2(He8,He3)H7 reaction with a 26 AMeV He8 beam. The H7 missing mass energy spectrum, the H3 energy and angular distributions in the H7 decay frame were reconstructed. The H7 missing mass spectrum shows a peak, which can be interpreted either as unresolved 5/2+ and 3/2+ doublet or one of these states at 6.5(5) MeV. The data also provide indications of the 1/2+ ground state of H7 located at 1.8(5) MeV with quite a low population cross section of ∼25 μb/sr within angular range θc.m.≃(17°-27°).

The ^{7}H system was populated in the ^{2}H(^{8}He,^{3}He)^{7}H reaction with a 26 AMeV ^{8}He beam. The ^{7}H missing mass energy spectrum, the ^{3}H energy and angular distributions in the ^{7}H decay frame were reconstructed. The ^{7}H missing mass spectrum shows a peak, which can be interpreted either as unresolved 5/2^{+} and 3/2^{+} doublet or one of these states at 6.5(5) MeV. The data also provide indications of the 1/2^{+} ground state of ^{7}H located at 1.8(5) MeV with quite a low population cross section of ∼25 μb/sr within angular range θ_{c.m.}≃(17°-27°).

Delayed emission of protons following β decay of neutron deficient nuclei P26 and S27 was investigated at the ACCULINNA separator in the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at Dubna. Ions of interest, identified in flight, were implanted into the active volume of the gaseous optical time projection chamber, which allowed us to record tracks of charged particles emitted in the decay. Total branching ratios for β-delayed proton emission and for β-delayed two-proton emission were determined. In addition, energy spectra for delayed protons below 2 MeV were established. Our findings for P26 agree with results of previous experiments. In the case of S27, however, the observed probability of delayed proton emission is an order of magnitude larger than reported in literature. Two new strong proton transitions were identified representing decays of the first two excited states of P27 to the ground state of Si26. The probability ratio of γ-to-proton emission from these states is discussed.

Angular distribution of the [Formula: see text] elastic scattering was measured at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]MeV. Experimental data showed a significant increase in differential cross-sections at backward angles. The optical model with phenomenological potentials reproduces well the experimental cross-sections in the region of the angles of the forward hemisphere, but is not able to explain the increase in cross-sections at large angles. The distorted wave Born approximation method was used to reproduce the experimental data at large angles [Formula: see text] by taking into consideration a deuteron transfer. Spectroscopic amplitude has been extracted for the configuration [Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]B + [Formula: see text] from the analysis.

Diversity of P53 impact on tumor angiogenesis is due to the fact that wild-type P53 decreases expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but mutant P53 upregulates it. Therefore, we aimed at uncovering relations between preoperative serum levels of VEGF and P53 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Preoperative blood samples of 125 CRC patients and 16 control healthy volunteers were examined with an ELISA-kit for serum P53 levels and VEGF. P53 did not correlate with VEGF in the whole group of CRC patients. However, P53 associated with VEGF in case of colorectal cancer patients, whose serum values of VEGF were higher than in controls (VEGF{H}5.9333 pg/ml) (r=0.274, p0.009). We revealed a positive correlation between P53 and VEGF{H} in subsets of poorly differentiated (G3) cancers (p0.02), lymph node positive (p0.007), pT3 or pT4 patients (p0.004) without analogous relation in moderately differentiated (G2) tumors, node negative patients or pT1 or pT2 patients. P53 and IGF-I negatively correlated in all CRC patients (p0.04) and VEGF{H} individuals of pT3 or pT4 (p0.05) without any significant linkage in tumors of pT1 or pT2. The positive correlation between serum P53 and VEGF points at mutation of P53 and is a highly probable sign of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. For now it can not be excluded that the binary analysis of serum P53 and VEGF could help select CRC patients endangered by rapid growth and lymph node metastases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of CD44v10 in colorectal tumour cells and in lymphocytes infiltrating the tumour (CD45+). Samples of tumour tissue (TT), as well as of healthy tissue (HT) and of tumour adjacent tissue (TAT), were obtained from 20 patients. An evaluation of CD44v10 expression was performed in a flow cytometer. The mean value of the percentage of CD45+ with co-expression of CD44v10 was significantly higher in the lower stage of the tumour (pT). The mean value of the percentage of epithelial cells with CD44v10 co-expression was significantly higher in pN2 than in pN1 stage. Only in TAT the mean value of the percentage of epithelial cells and CD45+ with tCD44v10 co-expression was significantly lower in the higher degree of histological malignancy. It is supposed that CD44v10 takes part in local cancer progression.

The aim of the study was to assess the expression of adhesion molecules, CD134 and CD137, in the peripheral blood in correlation with clinical advancement, the histological grade, the size and type of tumour growth, tissue infiltration, and lymph node and metastases to lymph nodes and liver. The study involved 28 patients with primary colorectal cancer. The expression of both molecules was investigated on the day of the surgery, before the procedure and ten days after the operation by means of flow cytometry. The expression of CD134 was markedly higher, compared to CD137, both on the day of the surgery and ten days after the operation. A significant increase was observed in CD134 expression ten days after the surgery. CD137 expression increased with the higher stage of clinical advancement, but decreased with the enhancement of colon wall infiltration. CD134 showed a similar expression for all the stages of tumour clinical advancement.

The aim of this study was to check if the expression of CD44v4 in epithelial cells of the colorectal cancer correlates with the pTN stage and the histopathological grade of malignancy--G. Samples of tumour tissue (TT), as well as those of healthy tissue (HT) and of tumour adjacent tissue (TAT) were obtained from 25 patients. An evaluation of the expression of CD44v4 was performed in a flow cytometer. The mean value of the percentage of epithelial cells with co-expression of CD44v4 was lower in pT2 stage than that in pT3 only in HT. The expression of CD44v4 in epithelial cells was higher in cases without lymph node metastases only in TAT. The expression of CD44v4 in epithelial cells was higher in G2 than in G3 degree only in TAT as well. According to the obtained results, it is difficult to state if CD44v4 can influence the progress of colorectal cancer.

Tumours from 45 patients with advanced gastric cancer were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Tissue sections were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde solution, embedded in paraffin and stained immunohistochemically with anti-human Ki-67 and PCNA antibodies. No correlation was found between Ki-67, PCNA protein expression, the age of patients and the localization of tumour. A significant, positive association was observed between the expression of Ki-67, PCNA and tumour differentiation and Lauren's classification. Also a strong correlation was found between lymph node involvement and the expression of Ki-67 protein. These data suggest that the expression of Ki-67, PCNA proteins were closely connected with the high grade of tumour malignancy.

Our aim was to assess plasma VEGF-A and its soluble receptor R1 (sVEGF-R1) in patients with colorectal cancer, in comparison with apparently healthy subjects.Samples of plasma were collected from 26 patients with colorectal cancer before surgery and on post-operative day 3 and 10, frozen and eventually assessed, using ELISA kits.We found an increase in VEGF-A in colorectal cancer patients and a strong positive correlation between metastatic spread and postoperative VEGF-A, which also correlated with CA19.9. Soluble VEGF-R1 showed a positive correlation with lymph node involvement.Our findings may suggest that the patients with high postoperative VEGF-A should be scanned for metastases. In view of our finding that sVEGFR-1 correlates with lymph node involvement, precautions must be taken in studies of sVEGFR-1 as a potential therapeutic agent.

Although it has been suggested that tumour budding at the invasive edge of colorectal cancer is an important prognostic factor its biological significance for tumour progression is still to be evaluated. The aim of the study was to correlate tumour budding intensity with cathepsin D expression and some other clinicopathological variables of presumed or established prognostic value. 48 patients with colorectal cancer at pT3 stage, G2 grade of histological differentiation and tumour budding at the invasive edge were evaluated. Colorectal tumours were investigated for cathepsin D expression by immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissues. There was no statistically significant relationships between tumour budding intensity grade and primary tumour cathepsin D expression, stromal cell cathepsin D expression and histochemical immunostaining of cathepsin D in rumour budding at its invasive edge. The tumour budding intensity was not associated with lymph node status, tumour site, peritumoral inflammatory response as well as the patient's age and sex. The results of this study suggest that intensity of tumour budds formation at the invasive margin of colorectal cancer is not associated with presumed or established prognostic factors such as lymph node metastases, and peritumoural inflammatory reaction as well as cathepsin D expression.

Free radicals participate in the development of cancer. When the antioxidant defence system is not longer capable to destroy free radicals they may cause lipid and protein oxidation. Lipid peroxidation products also modify proteins. In such a situation the proteolytic-antiproteolytic balance existing in the blood may be changed. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the correlation between antioxidant status and activity of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors in cases of colorectal cancer. This study included 55 patients with colorectal cancer. The blood was taken before surgery and plasma was collected. Total antioxidant status, the levels of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal) and activity of cathepsin G, elastase and their inhibitors (alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin) were determined in plasma. It was shown that during the development of cancer total antioxidant status was signficantly decreased while lipid peroxidation products were increased. Activity of alpha-2-macroglobulin was decreased and activity of determined enzymes was not significantly changed. The observed changes indicate a shift in proteolytic-antiproteolytic balance which may enhance carcinogenesis.

Cancer procoagulant activity in the blood serum of patients with oesophagal, gastric and colorectal cancer was evaluated before and after the tumour removal. Cancer procoagulant activity was significantly higher before the operation in comparison to the control group and was reduced after a total operative procedure, whereas it was kept on a high level after a non-radical procedure or in cases of metastases. Examination results point to the possibility of using the evaluation of cancer procoagulant activity in monitoring the course of treatment of patients with oesophagal, gastric and colorectal cancer.

CD44 is a cell adhesion molecule involved in tumour growth and progression. This study was undertaken to evaluate the expression of CD44 standard protein in a series of 54 colorectal adenocarcinomas in correlation with cathepsin D immunoreactivity and some other clinicopathological variables. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues were investigated with anti-CD44 standard protein and anti-cathepsin D antibody. Immunolocalisation of CD44 protein and cathepsin D was performed using LSAB method. 13 (41.9%) out of 31 carcinomas without lymph-node metastases had positive CD44 expression, whereas only 6 (26.1%) out of 23 carcinomas with lymph-node metastases were found positive for CD44 expression. CD44 expression in carcinomas was positively correlated with tumour cells cathepsin D (p0.01) immunostaining. statistically significant correlation was found between the expression of CD44 standard protein and the tumour site, age and sex of the patients. These results suggest that the standard-type CD44 protein lymph-node metastases, probably with cooperation of cathepsin D.

Cathepsin D is one of the main proteolytic enzymes involved in the neoplastic process. The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of cathepsin D in 36 colorectal adenocarcinomas (of the colon and rectum) at stage pT3 of clinical advancement and histological grade G2. The correlation of cathepsin D activity with the stage of anatomo-clinical advancement and the presence of chosen anatomo-clinical properties of the tumour was also analysed. The activity of cathepsin D was found to be statistically significantly higher both in the neoplastic tissue cytosol and homogenate, compared to the cytosol and homogenate of adjacent healthy tissue. No correlation was noted between the activity of cathepsin D in neoplastic cells and other parameters analysed.

The cancer procoagulant activity has been evaluated in homogenates of esophagal, stomach and colorectal cancer tissues and in the blood serum of patients with these neoplasms's. Activity of CP was significantly higher in examined material than in control. The correlation between CP activity and progression degree as well as histological type was affirmed. The higher activity of CP in homogenates as well as in serum was observed in cases with higher degree of clinical progression and smaller activity of this enzyme corresponded with lower degree of the cancer progression. The highest activity of CP was observed in the cases of adenocarcinoma whereas the lowest in cases of squamous cell carcinoma. Higher activity of CP in homogenates of examined tissues correlated with higher activity of this enzyme in the serum. Activity of CP depended on the tissue localisation of the cancer and the highest was in the cases of stomach cancers whereas the lowest was in the cases of esophagal cancer.

From September 1993 tol May 1997 360 laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been performed in patients aged 17-74: 318 women (88.3%) and 42 men (11.7%). 19 of them (5.3%) required a conversion to open surgery. In 13 cases (13.6%) conversion was caused by technical difficulties. In the other 6 (1.7%) was caused by intraoperative complications. While converted 15 simple cholecystectomies were performed, 2 with T-tube drainage of bile ducts, 1 with anastomosis choledochoduodenalis and 1 with partial stomach resection (Rydygier method). In all cases adhesions were divided. None of the patients died. Authors believe that LCh can be performed safely on most of the patients with chronic and acute cholecystitis.

On the basis of biochemical and morphological research, the authors decided to attempt to determine the degree of lithogenicity of the bile among patients suffering from cholecystolithiasis (100 patients) and those not suffering from this disease (31 patients). Having analyzed the obtained data, it can be concluded that the degree of lithogenicity of bile is influenced by the concentration of cholesterol, bile acids and phospholipids as well as the damage of the liver and of the wall of the gallbladder as well as its kinetics. Lithogenic bile was noticed in 84% of the patients of group I and in 54% in group II. However, the degree of lithogenicity was significantly higher in patients suffering from cholecystolithiasis. According to the authors, the degree of lithogenicity is the deciding factor in the creation of bile stones.

The purpose of the study was evaluation of laparoscopy in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. The studied material comprised 197 cases of cholestasis in which for diagnostic-prognostic purposes laparoscopy was done. During visual observation of the abdominal cavity in 81 cases cirrhosis and in 25 chronic hepatitis was diagnosed. The reliability of the laparoscopic diagnosis was verified by the microscopic verification of the material obtained by guided biopsy of the liver or during operation. Among 81 cases of cirrhosis diagnosed during laparoscopy histological confirmation was obtained in 68 cases (83.9%). In the group of 25 cases with laparoscopic diagnosis of chronic hepatitis the diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 21 (84%) cases. The authors believe that laparoscopy extends the diagnostic possibilities in liver diseases. However reliable diagnosis can be obtained by microscopic examination of liver fragments obtained by guided biopsy or operation.