A new generator of two successive shock waves focused to a common focal point has been developed. Cylindrical pressure waves created by multichannel electrical discharges on two cylindrical composite anodes are focused by a metallic parabolic reflector - cathode, and near the focus they are transformed to strong shock waves. Schlieren photos of the focal region have demonstrated that mutual interaction of the two waves results in generation of a large number of secondary short-wavelength shocks. Interaction of the focused shockwaves with liver tissues and cancer cell suspensions was investigated. Localized injury of rabbit liver induced by the shock waves was demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging. Histological analysis of liver samples taken from the injured region revealed that the transition between the injured and the healthy tissues is sharp. Suspension of melanoma B16 cells was exposed and the number of the surviving cells rapidly decreased with increasing number of shocks and only 8 % of cells survived 350 shocks. Photographs of cells demonstrate that even small number of shocks results in perforation of cell membranes., J. Beneš, P. Šunka, J. Králová, J. Kašpar, P. Poučková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Duponchelia fovealis Zeller is a polyphagous insect that has been recently reported attacking strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne). Despite its economic importance there are few studies on this pest because it is difficult to rear it in the laboratory. With a constant supply of insects, studies on alternative methods of pest control can be conducted. This study aimed at developing an artificial diet for rearing D. fovealis with biological characteristics similar to those reared on their natural diet. This study was carried out in a climate-controlled room (25°C ± 2°C, RH 70% ± 10%, and 14L : 10D). The natural diet consisted of 'San Andreas' strawberry leaves (D1), while the artificial diet (D2) was developed in which beans, casein, soy protein, yeast and wheat germ are used as sources of protein. Five instars were identified. D. fovealis completed its life cycle in 38 and 40 days when fed D1 and D2, respectively. Survival was highest for the larvae fed the artificial diet. Females fed D1 lay a mean of 300.2 ± 62.3 eggs, while those fed D2, 220.3 ± 41.8 eggs. The artificial diet is suitable for the continuous rearing of D. fovealis in the laboratory., Maria A. C. Zawadneak, Rodrimar B. Gonçalves, Alex S. Poltronieri, Bráulio Santos, Adélia M. Bischoff, Aline M. Borba, Ida C. Pimentel., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Předmětem této práce je objektivně posoudit dostupná výzkumná data týkající se bezpečnosti biologické terapie v těhotenství a kojení pacientek s idiopatickými střevními záněty. Biologická léčba se zdá být v graviditě bezpečná bez zvýšeného rizika vrozených malformací. Dostupné klinické údaje naznačují, že účinnost infliximabu a adalimumabu v dosažení klinické odpovědi a udržení remise těhotných pacientek převažuje teoretické riziko ohrožení plodu těmito léky. Terapie anti-TNFα preparáty by měla být, pokud je to možné, ukončena na konci 2. trimestru pro transplacentární přestup a z toho vyplývající riziko pro plod. Užití infliximabu a adalimumabu je pravděpodobně slučitelné s kojením. Klíčová slova: adalimumab – idiopatické střevní záněty – infliximab – kojení – těhotenství, The aim of this article is to objective review available research data regarding the safety of biological therapies during pregnancy and breastfeeding in women with inflammatory bowel disease. Biological therapies appear to be safe in pregnancy, as no increased risk of malformations has been demonstrated. Available clinical results suggest that the efficacy of infliximab and adalimumab in achieving clinical response and maintaining remission in pregnant patients might outweigh the theoretical risks of drug exposure to the fetus. If possible, anti-TNF therapy should be stopped by the end of the second trimester due to transplacental transfer and potential risk for the fetus. The use of infliximab and adalimumab is probably compatible with breastfeeding. Key words: adalimumab – breastfeeding – inflammatory bowel disease – infliximab – pregnancy, and Jana Koželuhová, Karel Balihar, Eva Janská, Lucie Fremundová, Martin Matějovič
Předmětem této práce je objektivně posoudit dostupná výzkumná data týkající se bezpečnosti biologické terapie v těhotenství a kojení pacientek s idiopatickými střevními záněty. Biologická léčba se zdá být v graviditě bezpečná bez zvýšeného rizika vrozených malformací. Dostupné klinické údaje naznačují, že účinnost infliximabu a adalimumabu v dosažení klinické odpovědi a udržení remise těhotných pacientek převažuje teoretické riziko ohrožení plodu těmito léky. Terapie anti-TNFα preparáty by měla být, pokud je to možné, ukončena na konci 2. trimestru pro transplacentární přestup a z toho vyplývající riziko pro plod. Užití infliximabu a adalimumabu je pravděpodobně slučitelné s kojením., The aim of this article is to objective review available research data regarding the safety of biological therapies during pregnancy and breastfeeding in women with inflammatory bowel disease. Biological therapies appear to be safe in pregnancy, as no increased risk of malformations has been demonstrated. Available clinical results suggest that the efficacy of infliximab and adalimumab in achieving clinical response and maintaining remission in pregnant patients might outweigh the theoretical risks of drug exposure to the fetus. If possible, anti-TNF therapy should be stopped by the end of the second trimester due to transplacental transfer and potential risk for the fetus. The use of infliximab and adalimumab is probably compatible with breastfeeding., and Jana Koželuhová, Karel Balihar, Eva Janská, Lucie Fremundová, Martin Matějovič
Obesity is a strong cardiometabolic (CM) risk factor in children. We tested potential CM risk in obese/overweight children and the effect of an intensive lifestyle intervention using newer CM markers: atherogenic index of plasma AIP [Log(TG/HDL-C)], apoB/apoAI ratio and a marker of insulin resistance HOMA-IR. The participants (194 girls, 115 boys, average age 13) were enrolled in an intensive, one-month, inpatient weight reduction program. The program consisted of individualised dietary changes and the exercise program comprised aerobic and resistance training. Anthropometrical and biochemical parameters in plasma and CM risk biomarkers - (AIP, apoB/apoAI ratio and HOMA-IR) were examined before and after the intervention. AIP and HOMA-IR significantly correlated with BMI while apoB/apoAI ratio did not. Only AIP and HOMA-IR showed systematic increases according to the level of obesity by BMI quartiles. Lifestyle intervention significantly improved anthropometrical and biochemical values and the biomarkers too. The response of lipid parameters to the intervention was considerably higher in boys than in girls. The children were stratified into three risk categories according to AIP, where 13.8 % of boys and 5.3 % of girls fell into high risk category. The monitored biomarkers may complement each other in the prognosis of CM risk. AIP was strongly related to obesity and to lipid and glycid metabolism, while the relationship of the apoB/apoAI ratio to obesity and glycid metabolism was not significant. The obese children benefited from the intensive lifestyle intervention which improved the anthropometrical and biochemical parameters and CM risk biomarkers., M. Vrablík, M. Dobiášová, L. Zlatohlávek, Z. Urbanová, R. Češka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a life-threatening complication among heart transplant recipients and a major cause of early mortality. Although the pathogenesis of PGD is still unclear, ischemia/reperfusion injury has been identified as a predominant factor. Both necrosis and apoptosis contribute to the loss of cardiomyocytes during ischemia/reperfusion injury, and this loss of cells can ultimately lead to PGD. The aim of our prospective study was to find out whether cell death, necrosis and apoptosis markers present in the donor myocardium can predict PGD. The prospective study involved 64 consecutive patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation at our institute between September 2010 and January 2013. High-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) as a marker of minor myocardial necrosis was detected from arterial blood samples before the donor’s pericardium was opened. Apoptosis (caspase-3, active + pro-caspase-3, bcl-2, TUNEL) was assessed from bioptic samples taken from the right ventricle prior graft harvesting. In our study, 14 % of transplant recipients developed PGD classified according to the standardized definition proposed by the ISHLT Working Group. We did not find differences between the groups in regard to hs-cTnT serum levels. The mean hs-cTnT value for the PGD group was 57.4±22.9 ng/l, compared to 68.4±10.8 ng/l in the group without PGD. The presence and severity of apoptosis in grafted hearts did not differ between grafts without PGD and hearts that subsequently developed PGD. In conclusion, our findings did not demonstrate any association between measured myocardial cell death, necrosis or apoptosis markers in donor myocardium and PGD in allograft recipients. More detailed investigations of cell death signaling pathways in transplanted hearts are required., O. Szarszoi, J. Besik, M. Smetana, J. Maly, M. Urban, J. Maluskova, A. Lodererova, L. Hoskova, Z. Tucanova, J. Pirk, I. Netuka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Pneumatic tourniquets are widely used in pediatric extremity surgery to provide a bloodless field and facilitate dissection. This prospective study was carried out to examine possible effect of different anesthesia techniques on oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction connected with ischemia-reperfusion injury during extremity operations at children's age. Patients were randomized into three groups of 15 patients each: general inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane (group S), total intravenous anesthesia with propofol (group T) and regional anesthesia (group R). Venous blood samples for determination of the malondialdehyde in plasma and erythrocytes, protein carbonyl groups concentration as well as plasma nitrites and nitrates level and xanthine oxidase activity were obtained at four time points: be fore peripheral nerve block and induction of general anesthesia (baseline), 1 min before tourniquet release, 5 and 20 min after tourniquet release. This study demonstrates that total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and regional anesthesia techniques provide better antioxidant defense and reduce endothelial dysfunct ion than general inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane during tourniquet application in pediatric extremity surgery., I. Budic ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Roztroušená skleróza je chronické onemocnění centrálního nervového systému neznámé etiologie s projevy autoimunitního zánětu a neurodegenerace. Onemocnění je heterogenní s nepředvídatelnou prognózou. Průběh choroby lze monitorovat klinickými parametry a sledováním vývoje patologických změn na magnetické rezonanci. I když máme znalosti o efektu nově zaváděných léků na základě klinických studií, není možné předvídat jejich účinnost u konkrétního pacienta. Proto se v posledních letech prosazuje snaha najít takové laboratorní markery, které by co možná nejspolehlivěji odpověděly na otázky spojené se subklinickou aktivitou onemocnění, jeho progresí a usnadnily terapeutické rozhodnutí na základě personifikované medicíny., Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system of unknown etiology with manifestations of autoimmune inflammation and neurodegeneration. The disease is heterogeneous with an unpredictable outcome. The course of the disease can be monitored with clinical parameters as well as pathological changes on magnetic resonance imaging. Even though the effects of newly introduced drugs are known from clinical trials, it is not possible to predict their efficacy in a specific patient. Therefore, efforts have intensified over the recent years to identify laboratory markers that would as reliably as possible answer questions on subclinical disease activity, its progression and would facilitate therapeutic decisions based personalized medicine. Key words. multiple sclerosis – therapy – biomarkers The author declare he has no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers., and J. Piťha
The present article introduces a novel method of characterizing the macromechanical cartilage properties based on dynamic testing. The proposed approach of instrumented impact testing shows the possibility of more detailed investigation of the acting dynamic forces and corresponding deformations within the wide range of strain rates and loads, including the unloading part of stress-strain curves and hysteresis loops. The presented results of the unconfined compression testing of both the native joint cartilage tissues and potential substitute materials outlined the opportunity to measure the dissipation energy and thus to identify the initial mechanical deterioration symptoms and to introduce a better definition of material damage. Based on the analysis of measured specimen deformation, the intact and pathologically changed cartilage tissue can be distinguished and the differences revealed., F. Varga, M. Držík, M. Handl, J. Chlpík, P. Kos, E. Filová, M. Rampichová, A. Nečas, T. Trč, E. Amler., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Článek vychází ze zkušeností autora, který se po dlouhé praxi ve výuce mechaniky a výzkumu v oboru fyziky polymerů nyní převážně zabývá biomechanikou. Impresionistickou metodou se snaží na několika příkladech ukázat, jak vidí úlohu mechaniky a především mechaniky kontinua a reologie v biomechanice. Zabývá se i otázkou vzájemných vztahů různých profesí v multidisciplinárním oboru. Úlohu mechaniky v biomechanice vidí především v co nejhlubším pochopení fyzikální podstaty biologických dějů a jejich co nejadekvátnějším vyjádřením v rámci fyziky, kterou je však často nutno užívat ve formě podstatně složitější, než je fyzika středoškolská., This article is based on the author's experiences as both a university lecturer of mechanics and a researcher in polymer physics working now in biomechanics. The impression of the role of mechanics in biomechanics is shown on several examples taken mainly from the author's experience. The interrelations of different processes engaged in the multidisciplinary biomechanics are also discussed. The role of mechanics in biomechanics is seen in deep physical understanding of the solved problem and in adequate physical interpretation of the gained results. As the biomechanical problems are often very difficult to solve, the more general physics that is that taught at grammar schools must be used. The physician's knowledge of the human body functions are so deep that only the main features of the knowledge may be expressed in physical terms even if very advanced theories are used., Antonín Havránek., and Obsahuje bibliografii