The comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), is
a sensitive, rapid, relatively simple and inexpensive method for
detecting DNA strand breaks in individual cells. It is used in
a broad variety of applications and as a tool to investigate DNA
damage and repair. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay
are greatly enhanced if the DNA incubated with an enzyme,
which recognizes a specific kind of DNA damage. This damage
induced by oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in many diseases
and in aging. This article is a critical review of the possible
application of the comet assay in some pathological states in
clinical practice. Most of the studies relate to evaluating the
response of an organism to chemotherapy or radiotherapy with
statistically significant evidence of DNA damage in patients. Other
useful applications have been demonstrated for patients with
heart or neurodegenerative diseases. Only a few studies have
been published on the use of this method in critically ill patients,
although its use would be appropriate. There are also other
scenarios where the comet assay could prove to be very useful in
the future, such as in predicting the likelihood of certain
pathological conditions.
The article ‘Comments on the approach to human dignity in case law’ deals with some approaches to the interpretation of human dignity by international and constitutional courts including Czech Constitutional Court. It is the wide-ranging and extensive use of human dignity that certainly is a success of the post-war concept of human dignity as a basis for the protection of rights. On the other hand, the universal applicability of human dignity and it being ambivalently used is criticised for leading to vagueness and relativisation of the basic concept of dignity. However, given that the post-war conception is based on human dignity being the grounds for the human rights granted to all people, the universality of human dignity and its extensive use are the typical attributes thereof. The article describes fields of judicial interpretation of human dignity expressing diverse worlds of constitutional values., Helena Hofmannová., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Decrease of arterial wall shear stress (WSS) is associated with higher probability of atherosclerotic plaque development in many disease conditions. End-stage renal diseases (ESRD) patients suffer from vascular disease frequently, but its nature differs from general population. This study was aimed at proving an association between common carotid wall shear stress and the presence of carotid bifurcation plaques in a group of ESRD patients. ESRD subjects, planned for the creation of a dialysis access and therapy were included. Wall shear rate (WSR) was used as a surrogate of WSS and was analyzed in the common carotid arteries by duplex ultrasonography. Intima media thickness (IMT) was measured at the same site. The presence/absence of carotid bifurcation plaques was recorded. The endothelial function was estimated by the levels of von Willebrand factor (vWf). 35 ESRD patients were included (19 females, 17 diabetics). Atherosclerotic plaque was present in 53 % of bifurcations. Wall shear rate was lower in arteries with plaques (349±148 vs. 506±206 s-1, p=0.005) and was directly related to the height of IMT and inversely to the activity of vWf (r= –0.65, p=0.016). Lower wall shear rate in the common carotid arteries is linked to the endothelial dysfunction and to the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid bifurcations in ESRD subjects. Faster arterial dilatation may facilitate this process in ESRD subjects., J. Malík ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury