The aim of our study was to evaluate antibodies against thyroglobulin (anti-TG) and thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) – markers of autoimmune thyroiditis – in several groups of adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). We were particularly interested whether the presence of thyroid antibodies is related to the positivity of glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (anti-GAD). We found elevated anti-GAD in 46 % (97/210) patients with type 1 DM. All patients with type 2 diabetes were anti-GAD-negative. At least one thyroid antibody (anti-TG and/or anti-TPO) was found in 30 % (62/210) patients with type 1 DM and 27 % (22/83) type 2 diabetes patients. The patients with type 1 DM were further grouped according to their anti-GAD status. The anti-GAD-positive patients had a higher prevalence of anti-TG antibodies than the anti-GAD-negative patients (25 % vs. 12 %, p=0.03) as well as anti-TPO antibodies (32 % vs. 12 %, p<0.001). At least one thyroid antibody was detected in 39 % (38/97) of anti-GAD-positive but only in 21 % (24/113) of anti-GAD-negative patients with type 1 DM (p=0.006). No significant difference in the frequency of thyroid antibodies was found between anti-GAD-negative patients with type 1 and type 2 DM (21 % vs. 27 %, p=0.4). The groups with or without thyroid antibodies in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients did not differ in actual age, the age at diabetes onset, duration of diabetes, body mass index or HbA1c level. Patients with elevated thyroid antibodies had significantly higher levels of TSH than those without thyroid antibodies (1.86 vs. 3.22 mIU/l, p=0.04 in type 1 DM; 2.06 vs. 4.89 mIU/l, p=0.003 in type 2 DM). We conclude that there is a higher frequency of thyroid-specific antibodies in anti-GAD-positive adult patients with type 1 DM than in anti-GAD-negative patients or in patients with type 2 DM. Patients with or without thyroid antibodies do not differ in age, DM onset and duration, BMI or HbA1c. Thyroid antibodies-positive patients have higher levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
Autoimmune thyropathies are frequently linked to many infections, such as Helicobacter pylori, which are also supposed to play a role in their pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between thyroid and gastric autoimmunity and H. pylori infection on a large sample of Czech population (n=1621) by monitoring the autoantibodies against thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and gastric parietal cell (anti-GPC, representing thyrogastric syndrome) in correlation with antibodies against Helicobacter pylori (anti-H. pylori) of classes IgG and IgA. The interrelation between autoantibodies and H. pylori antibodies was assessed by H. pylori seropositivity. In H. pylori seropositive persons as compared to seronegative irrespective of age and sex, a higher occurrence of anti-TPO (10.4 % vs. 5.8 %, p=0.001) and anti-GPC (6.1 % vs. 1.7 %, p<0.001) was found. Differences in anti-TPO occurrence were significant in both men (7.0 % vs. 3.3 %, p=0.03) and women (12.7 % vs. 8.0 %, p=0.02), differences in anti-GPC occurrence were significant only in women (7.2 % vs. 1.7 %, p<0.001). Results of this study support the idea of a connection between infection of H. pylori and the occurrence of anti-TPO autoantibodies representing thyroid autoimmunity and gastric parietal cells autoantibodies representing the thyrogastric syndrome., I. Šterzl, P. Hrdá, P. Matucha, J. Čeřovská, V. Zamrazil., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Cíl práce: Flavonoidy, obsažené v preparátu Comfort-G, působí nejen jako antioxidanty, ale mají také protizánětlivý účinek. Comfort-G inhibuje nejen cyklooxygenázu-2 (COX-2), ale také 5-lipoxygenázu (5-LO), a to tím, že snižuje tvorbu prostaglandinů, tromboxanů a leukotrienů, pocházejících z metabolismu kyseliny arachidonové (AA). Naším úkolem bylo potvrdit toto tvrzení analýzou molárního zastoupení AA v synoviální tekutině a v séru pacientů, léčených pro synovialitidu kolenního kloubu. Typ studie: Intervenční studie. Název a sídlo pracoviště: IV. interní klinika, Univerzita Karlova v Praze, 1. lékařská fakulta a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze Materiál a metody: Comfort-G byl podáván skupině deseti pacientů (4 muži/6 žen) ve věku 27–79 let v předepsané dávce (odpovídající 250 mg extraktu flavonoidů užívaných dvakrát denně) po dobu jednoho měsíce. Odběr synoviální tekutiny a séra se uskutečnil jednak v den 0, tj. před podáním první dávky preparátu a v den 31., jeden den po poslední dávce. Volné radikály byly stanoveny přímou spektrofotometrickou metodou založenou na chlorofylinové reakci. Molární poměr mastných kyselin včetně arachidonové kyseliny byl stanoven plynovou chromatografií. Účastníci studie podstoupili klinické vyšetření a poskytli subjektivní hodnocení pomocí dotazníku, které se týkalo stavu kolenního kloubu. Statistická analýza byla uskutečněna softwarem STATISTICA pro Windows, verze 4.0. Výsledky: Výsledky, ukazující statisticky významný pokles koncentrace volných radikálů, a to jak v synoviální tekutině, tak v séru, jsme prezentovali a diskutovali v předchozí studii, stejně jako zlepšení stavu pacientů. V této práci přinášíme výsledky měření obsahu kyseliny arachidonové v synoviální tekutině a séru ve stejné skupině pacientů. Po ukončení studie jsme zjistili zvýšené zastoupení AA jak v synoviální tekutině (4,54 ± 0,39 vs 6,73 ± 0,83 mol%, p = 0,005), tak v séru (4,78 ± 0,90 vs 6,57 ± 0,98 mol%, p = 0,01) ve sledované skupině pacientů. Závěr: Naše výsledky potvrdily, že flavonoidy, obsažené v přípravku Comfort-G, jsou schopny snižovat množství volných radikálů a zvyšovat zastoupení kyseliny arachidonové, a to zejména v synoviální tekutině, ale i v séru pacientů. Toto zjištění souhlasí s tvrzením, že následující enzymatické reakce AA, které produkují prozánětlivé sloučeniny, jsou zřejmě zablokovány. Další souvislosti, týkající se jiných částí organismu, a význam našich výsledků pro jiná další onemocnění jsou předmětem diskuse, Objective: Flavonoids from preparation Comfort-G have, beside of antioxidant effects, the anti-inflammatory effect, too. Comfort-G inhibits both COX-1 (cyclooxygenase-1)/COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) and 5-LO (5-lipoxygenase) enzymatic activity thereby decreasing the transformation of arachidonic acid (AA) to prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. Our goal was to confirm this finding by the analysis of the content of AA in synovial fluid and serum of patients suffering by synovialitis of knee joint. Design: Interventional study. Settings: IV Department of Internal Medicine, Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine and General Teaching Hospital in Prague. Material and Methods: Comfort-G was given to the group of ten patients (4M/6F) aged 27–79 years in prescribed dose (equal to 250 mg of flavonoid extract twice a day) for one month. Synovial fluid and serum were drawn before first application of the preparation (day 0) and one day after the last application (day 31). Free radicals (FR) were determined by direct spectrophotometric method based on chlorophyllin reaction with FR; composition of fatty acids, including arachidonic acid, was measured by gas chromatography. The probands were also asked to respond to a questionnaire (subjective evaluation) and they were also examined by the physician. Following changes of knee joint were evaluated: swelling and degree of motion-angle. Statistical analysis was performed with the help of software STATISTICA for Windows, version 4.0. Results: The results showing the statistically significant decrease of free radical concentration in both synovial fluid and serum were presented and discussed in previously presented paper as well as the observed amelioration of patient stage. After the trial period, we found increased content of AA in both synovial fluid (4.54 ± 0.39 vs. 6.73 ± 0.82 mol%, p = 0.005) and serum (4.78 ± 0.90 vs. 6.57 ± 0.98 mol%, p = 0.01) in the same group of patients. Conclusion: Our results confirm that flavonoids from Comfort-G are able to decrease the amount of FR and increase the concentration of AA especially in synovial fluid, but also in serum of patients. This finding corresponds with the suggestion that the enzymatic transformations of AA resulting in production of pro-inflammatory compounds are blocked. The next consequences concerning other parts of organism and impact of our results in case of other diseases are discussed., Marek Vecka, Libor Prokeš, Eva Tvrzická, Karel Karpaš, A. Pernický, R. Pfleger, Miloš Votruba, and Lit.: 18
N‑metyl‑D‑aspartát receptorová (NMDAR) encefalitida je nedávno definované autoimunitní postižení centrálního nervového systému (CNS). Podstatou neurologických potíží je porucha synaptického přenosu v důsledku internalizace NMDA receptorů po navázání autoprotilátek. V následujícím sdělení přinášíme nejnovější informace o onemocnění a jeho diagnostice. Současně dokládáme klinický průběh, strategii léčby a sledování našich pěti pacientek., N-methyl-D-aspartate encephalitis is a recently defined autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. Neurological symptoms are associated with antibody-dependent internalization of NMDA receptors that leads to synapse disruption. Information about the disease, therapy and diagnosis are followed by clinical experience with our group of five patients., and Z. Libá, J. Hanzalová, V. Sebroňová, V. Komárek
Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) exert beneficial effects on health and they could help to prevent development of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. In our previous studies in mice fed high-fat (cHF; ~60 % calories as fat) diet and maintained at 20 °C, dietary LC n-3 PUFA could counteract accretion of body fat, without inducing mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in adipose tissue, suggesting that the anti-obesity effect was not linked to adaptive (UCP1- mediated) thermogenesis. To exclude a possible dependence of the anti-obesity effect on any mechanism inducible by cold, experiments were repeated in mice maintained at thermoneutrality (30 °C). Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either cHF diet, or cHF diet supplemented with LC n-3 PUFA, or standard diet for 7 months. Similarly as at 20 °C, the LC n-3 PUFA supplementation reduced accumulation of body fat, preserved lipid and glucose homeostasis, and induced fatty acid re-esterification in epididymal white adipose tissue. Food consumption was not affected by LC n-3 PUFA intake. Our results demonstrated anti-obesity metabolic effect of LC n-3 PUFA, independent of cold-induced thermogenesis and they suggested that induction of fatty acid re-esterification creating a substrate cycle in white fat, which results in energy expenditure, could contribute to the anti-obesity effect., P. Janovská, ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Michal Bauer, Jana Cahlíková, Dagmara Celik Katreniak, Julie Chytilová, Lubomír Cingl, and Tomáš Želinský., Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy, and České a anglické resumé
The contribution deals with the possibilities of legal protection from an undesirable phenomenon
called spam or, more precisely, spamming, pursuant to the Czech and European laws. In particular, the legal forms of protection of personal data, privacy, and personal rights are described in detail along with unfair competition and the law of obligations in tort. Attention is also paid to effective means that fall outside direct legal regulation, in particular, the technological and Community forms of protection against spam and other issues relating to this phenomenon. The author thoroughly deals not only with the terminological problems but also, for example, with the issue of identification and proving of related legal facts, including the issue of governing law.
Associative memory (AM) is a very important part of the theory of neural networks. Although the Hebbian learning rule is always used to model the associative memory, it easily leads to spurious state because of the linear outer product method. In this work, nonlinear function constitution and dynamic synapses, against a spurious state for associative memory neural network are proposed. The model of the dynamic connection weight and the updating scheme of the states of neurons are presented. Nonlinear function constitution improves the conventional Hebbian learning rule to be a nonlinear outer product method. The simulation results show that both nonlinear function constitution and dynamic synapses can effectively enlarge the attractive basin. Comparing to the existing memory models, associative memory of neural network with nonlinear function constitution can both enlarge the attractive basin and increase the storage capacity. Owing to dynamic synapses, the attractive basin of the stored patterns is further enlarged, at the same time the attractive basin of the spurious state is diminished. But the storage capacity is decreased by using the dynamic synapses.
Anti-suit injunctions are rather unknown in the civil law legal system of the Czech Repbulic. The policy reasons for the rejection of anti-suit injunctions in the Czech Republic are rooted in the constitutional right of every person to assert, through the legally prescribed procedure, their rights before an independent and impartial court or, in specified cases, before another body. In other words, every person may commence proceedings before a competent court, or respectively before any court or another body (e.g. like an arbitral tribunal, etc.), which is then exclusively empowered to rule on its jurisdiction. Therefore, there is also no distinction between anti-suit injunctions in domestic and international litigation. Czech law does not have any alternative procedural or substantive devices that may have similar functions as anti-suit injunctions related to arbitration. It means that it is not possible to obtain a court order against a respondent prohibiting the respondent from commencing or continuing court proceedings in another forum in violation of an arbitration agreement., Alexander J. Bělohlávek., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in the inflammatory process. In the skin, it contributes to immune containment of tick-transmitted pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi. In the saliva of some tick species, active compounds are present that inhibit detection of TNF in specific ELISA. We compared the presence of anti-TNF activity in saliva or salivary gland extract from 11 tick species from the family Ixodidae and demonstrated it in genera Ixodes Latreille, 1795 and Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844. Analysis of anti-TNF activity in Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) saliva during the feeding period showed that it is present in the late, rapid phase of engorgement. Significance of anti-TNF activity for tick feeding and transmission of tick-borne pathogens is discussed., Markéta Rezková, Jan Kopecký., and Obsahuje bibliografii