Hemangiom je nejčastější primární benigní nádor páteře typu hamartomu, který nikdy nemalignizuje. V drtivé většině případů se jedná o asymptomatické solitární léze hrudní páteře jakožto náhodné nálezy radiografických vyšetření. Pouze v 1 % případů se hemangiom obratle projeví klinicky a agresivita této benigní léze pak spočívá v expanzivním chování nádorové tkáně či v důsledku patologické fraktury obratle. Klinickými příznaky potom jsou především dorzalgie, v pokročilých případech pak známky kořenové nebo míšní komprese. Radiodiagnostika je poměrně snadná, protože hemangiom obratle vykazuje zcela typické grafické příznaky, pro potvrzení diagnózy agresivního hemangiomu obratle jsou stanovena grafická kritéria. Spektrum léčebných modalit je velmi široké od konzervativní léčby přes hodně využívanou vertebroplastiku po radikální chirurgickou léčbu. Komplementárně jsou často využívány embolizační výkony, alkoholová sklerotizace a lokální radioterapie. Agresivní hemangiom obratle je poměrně velmi vzácná diagnóza. Proto zatím neexistují velké soubory či klinické studie, podle kterých by bylo možné stanovit optimální terapeutický postup., Hemangioma is the most common primary benign hamartoma type spine tumor. Malignant degeneration has never been reported. In the majority of cases, this is an asymptomatic solitary lesion of the thoracic spine found incidentally during a radiographic examination. Only 1% of cases manifests clinically and this benign lesion is considered aggressive because of the expansive nature of the tumor and because it may cause pathological fracture of the vertebrae. Clinical symptoms then include dorsalgia and either root or spinal neurological symptoms. Radiological diagnosis is relatively easy because vertebral hemangioma is associated with quite typical graphic signs; graphic criteria to confirm the diagnosis of aggressive vertebral hemangioma have been clearly defined. The range of treatment options is very wide, from conservative treatment through frequently used vertebroplasty to radical surgical treatment. Embolization procedures, alcohol sclerotherapy and local radiotherapy are often used as complementary procedures. Aggressive vertebral hemangioma is a relatively rare diagnosis, so far there are no large cohorts or clinical studies from which it would be possible to determine an optimal therapeutic approach. Key words: hemangioma – vertebroplasty – angiogenesis inhibitors – angiomatosis – propranolol The authors declare they have 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 R. Kostyšyn, Z. Pleskačová, V. Málek
One of the most important services provided by biodiversity is thought to be the biological control of pests in agricultural landscapes, including aphids on cereals. The food webs potentially contributing to biological control of aphids primarily consist of polyphagous predators, parasitoids and pathogens. The problems of aphid pests have increased greatly since the 1970-ies, possibly as an effect of agricultural intensification, which is thought to have reduced diversity and abundance of these predators and parasites and consequently their biocontrol potential. The main objective of this study was to test this by measuring this potential for biological control of aphids, and relate it to agricultural intensification and predator abundance. We selected 30 farms distributed along agricultural intensification gradients, based on the amount of fertilizers applied per hectare. Estimates of ground-living predator density were obtained using pitfall trapping over a one-week period. Traps were placed inside the cereal fields, 10 m from the margin, in 2 replicates per field. Predation risk due to ground-living predators (biocontrol potential) was estimated by monitoring removal of aphids glued to labels. This was done in the same fields, in the immediate vicinity of the traps, over a period of 2 days. The proportion of aphids eaten per unit time was the response variable. We present the correlations between intensity of agricultural exploitation, predator abundance and biocontrol potential. The outcomes are not straightforward in that intensification begets a reduction in predator density and biocontrol potential. We discuss the potential confounding issues that might have affected our results.