Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) pentosidine has previously been demonstrated in different tissues and body fluids. It was suggested as a novel marker for evaluating the pathologic activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we analyzed the relation between pentosidine and markers of inflammation, cartilage turnover, immune response, and disease status of RA. Using HPLC, we analyzed pentosidine in serum and synovial fluid from 39 patients with RA and in serum from 38 healthy controls. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and antibodies to CCP (anti-CCP) were measured by ELISA. Clinical disease status was assessed by Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28) and functional status by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). We demonstrated significantly higher serum levels of pentosidine in RA patients in comparison with controls. Pentosidine in serum significantly correlated with pentosidine in synovial fluid. Serum pentosidine levels were associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.03) but not with CRP, COMP, anti-CCP antibodies, DAS 28, or HAQ. In contrast to previous studies, we could not show any correlation of pentosidine levels with inflammatory status, clinical disease activity, markers of immune response, or cartilage breakdown. However, AGEs can be suggested as important players participating in joint destruction rather than markers of disease activity., L. Šenolt, M. Braun, J. Vencovský, L. Šedová, K. Pavelka., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
A matrix $A\in M_n(R)$ is $e$-clean provided there exists an idempotent $E\in M_n(R)$ such that $A-E\in \mathop{\rm GL}_n(R)$ and $\det E=e$. We get a general criterion of $e$-cleanness for the matrix $[[a_1,a_2,\cdots ,a_{n+1}]]$. Under the $n$-stable range condition, it is shown that $[[a_1,a_2,\cdots ,a_{n+1}]]$ is $0$-clean iff $(a_1,a_2,\cdots ,a_{n+1})=1$. As an application, we prove that the $0$-cleanness and unit-regularity for such $n\times n$ matrix over a Dedekind domain coincide for all $n\geq 3$. The analogous for $(s,2)$ property is also obtained.
A development of new materials is a base for a growth of all human activity branches. Polymers and materials on their base are probably the most used and the most developing group. Mainly polymeric composite materials have become industrial products used in a huge number of human activity areas these days. The polymeric particles composites are one of the part which this paper deals with. The subject of carried out experiments was the polymeric particle composite with its continuous phase in a form of two-component epoxy adhesive and non-continuous phase (a hardening particle) in a form of corundum - Al2O3. The influence of a different volume portion of hardening particles on mechanical quantities and an abrasive wear was mechanically found out with the aim to improve material properties and to increase their usage in various application fields. and Vývoj nových materiálů je základem růstu všech odvětví lidské činnosti. Pravděpodobně nejvíce používanou a rozvíjející se skupinou jsou polymery a materiály na jejich bázi. Zejména polymerní kompozitní materiály se staly v dnešní době průmyslovými produkty používanými v nespočtu oblastech lidské činnosti. Jednou z dílčích složek, kterými se níže uvedený článek zabývá, jsou polymerní částicové kompozity. Předmětem provedených experimentů byl částicový polymerní kompozit, jehož spojitá fáze byla ve formě dvousložkového epoxidového lepidla a nespojitou fází (zpevňující částice) byl korund - Al2O3. Experimentálně byl zjišťován vliv různého objemového podílu zpevňujících částic na mechanické veličiny a abrazivní opotřebení s cílem zlepšit materiálové vlastnosti a zvýšit uplatnitelnost v různých aplikačních oblastech.