BACKGROUND: Retinol concentrations in serum are significantly higher in patients on hemodialysis (HD) compared to healthy controls. Its lower concentrations have been reported to be an independent predictor of mortality. ATRA - all-trans retinoic acid - is an important compound related to retinol. The objective was to determine ATRA concentrations in serum and to find their association with the prognosis of patients on long-term HD. METHODS: ATRA was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography in a group of 247 HD patients (follow-up five years) and 54 healthy controls. RESULTS: Although serum retinol concentrations were higher in the studied cohort of HD patients, ATRA was lower - median 1.13 (interquartile range 0.90-1.60) ng/mL in HD patients versus 1.42 (1.08-1.63) ng/mL in healthy controls, p = 0.02. Lower ATRA was significantly related to overall mortality of HD patients (HR (95%CI) 0.63 (0.47-0.85) per interquartile range, p = 0.003). The best prognosis was observed in patients with concentrations of both ATRA and retinol above the median (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: We detected decreased retinoic acid levels in HD patients compared to healthy controls. Lower concentrations of ATRA represent a significant predictor of mortality and provide additional information to retinol.

• MeSH
• dialýza ledvin MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• tretinoin * MeSH
• vitamin A * MeSH
• vysokoúčinná kapalinová chromatografie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Receptor for advanced glycation end products and glyoxalase I metabolizing advanced glycation end product precursors may play important role in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. Potential relation between soluble forms of receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), receptor for advanced glycation end products, glyoxalase I polymorphisms, and long-term outcome (median follow-up of 10.3 years) was studied in 116 patients with breast cancer. Gly82Ser and 2184 A/G RAGE polymorphisms were related to the mortality due to the breast cancer and -419 A/C glyoxalase I polymorphism was related to the overall mortality of the patients suggesting their role not only in the risk of breast cancer but also in the outcome of patients with breast cancer.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus MeSH
• Kaplanův-Meierův odhad MeSH
• laktoylglutathionlyasa genetika   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory prsu genetika   mortalita   patologie   MeSH
• receptor pro konečné produkty pokročilé glykace genetika   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is associated with adverse outcome of long-term hemodialysis patients (HD). The aim of the study was to test whether its homolog pregnancy-associated plasma protein A2 (PAPP-A2) can be detected in serum of HD patients and to define its significance. METHODS: The studied group consisted of 102 long-term HD patients and 25 healthy controls. HD patients were prospectively followed up for five years (2009-2014). PAPP-A2 was measured by surface plasmon resonance biosensor, PAPP-A by time resolved amplified cryptate emission. RESULTS: PAPP-A2, similarly as PAPP-A, was significantly increased in HD patients (median (interquartile range)) PAPP-A2: 6.2 (2.6-10.8) ng/mL, vs. 3.0 (0.7-5.9) ng/mL, p=0.006; PAPP-A: 18.9 (14.3-23.4) mIU/L, vs. 9.5 (8.4-10.5) mIU/L, p<0.001). In HD patients, PAPP-A2 correlated weakly but significantly with PAPP-A (τ=0.193, p=0.004). Unlike PAPP-A, PAPP-A2 was not significant for prognosis of HD patients when tested alone. There was a significant interaction between PAPP-A and PAPP-A2 on the mortality due to infection of HD patients (p=0.008). If PAPP-A was below median, mortality due to infection was significantly higher for patients with PAPP-A2 values above median than for patients with low PAPP-A2 levels (p=0.011). CONCLUSION: PAPP-A2 is increased in HD patients and interacts with PAPP-A on patients ́ prognosis.

• MeSH
• biologické markery krev   MeSH
• chronické selhání ledvin krev   diagnóza   MeSH
• dialýza ledvin MeSH
• infekce mortalita   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• těhotenský plazmatický protein A analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Isolation of genomic DNA is a key step in genetic analysis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the suitability of isolation of DNA from peripheral blood with manual salting-out procedure and automated MagNA system under specific conditions. The impact of storage conditions, type of material (whole blood or blood cells), and method used for DNA extraction were evaluated in terms of DNA yield, its purity, and integrity. Fresh material, and material stored at 2-8°C for 1-4 weeks and frozen at -80°C were tested. For fresh samples, salting-out method gives higher yield than MagNA, irrespectively, on material used. Neither the yield of salting-out method nor its purity decreases during the storage of the samples in the fridge (2-8°C) during 4 weeks. Concerning MagNA, storage of blood cells in the fridge decreases the yield of DNA as well as its purity. For frozen samples, for whole blood, MagNA gives better results while for blood cells, salting-out method seems to be better. For fresh samples, salting-out method is the preferred one, and both whole blood and blood cells can be used. For frozen samples, the preferred method depends on the material.

• MeSH
• chemická frakcionace metody   MeSH
• DNA krev   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• konzervace krve MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• soli chemie   MeSH
• zmrazování MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH

People construe reality by using words as basic units of meaningful categorization. The present theory-driven study applied the method of a free association task to explore how people express the concepts of the world and the self in words. The respondents were asked to recall any five words relating with the word world. Afterward they were asked to recall any five words relating with the word self. The method of free association provided the respondents with absolute freedom to choose any words they wanted. Such free recall task is suggested as being a relatively direct approach to the respondents' self- and world-related conceptual categories, without enormous rational processing. The results provide us, first, with associative ranges for constructs of the world and the self, where some associative dimensions are defined by semantic polarities in the meanings of peripheral categories (e.g., Nature vs. Culture). Second, our analysis showed that some groups of verbal categories that were associated with the words world and self are central, while others are peripheral with respect to the central position. Third, the analysis of category networks revealed that some categories play the role of a transmitter, mediating the pathway between other categories in the network.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Soils in polluted regions are generally regarded as a delayed, long-lasting source for Pb contamination of aquatic systems. Lead deposited on topsoil is slowly transported downward with particulate and colloidal organic matter, driven by infiltrating precipitation. Then, Pb is tightly retained in mineral soil. Lead export from catchments is extremely low and decoupled from the atmospheric input. We tested this hypothesis in 11 small catchments, differing in pollution levels. Input/ouput Pb fluxes were monitored for 14-15 years in an era of decreasing industrial Pb emission rates. Between 1996/1997 and 2010, Pb deposition fluxes decreased significantly, on average by 80%. At the beginning of the monitoring, Pb export constituted 2 to 58% of Pb input. At the end of the monitoring, Pb export constituted 2 to 95% of Pb input. Highly polluted sites in the northeast exported significantly more Pb than less polluted sites further south. The (206)Pb/(207)Pb isotope ratios of runoff (1.16) were identical to those of topsoil and present-day deposition, and different from mineral soil and bedrock. Lead isotope systematics and between-site flux comparisons indicated that a portion of the incoming Pb had a relatively short residence time in the catchments, on the order of decades.

• MeSH
• atmosféra chemie   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• izotopy analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• olovo analýza   MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• znečištění životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

OBJECTIVES: PAPP-A is an independent mortality predictor of long term hemodialysis patients and a prognostic marker of acute coronary syndrome in general population. Cys327Cys PAPP-A polymorphism (SNP) (rs12375498) was found to be of significance in preeclampsia and the C allele of the PAPP-A C/G SNP (rs13290387) was defined as an independent risk factor for acute myocardial infarction. The aim of the study was to test the role of these PAPP-A SNPs in long term hemodialysis patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: The studied group consisted of 464 subjects - 319 long term hemodialysis patients (183 men, 136 women, 62±14years) and 145 controls (65 men, 80 women, 49±14years). A subgroup of 211 hemodialysis patients (118 men, 93 women, 63±13years) was prospectively followed up for 4.5years. During the follow up, 111 patients died, 51 of them due to cardiovascular events. PAPP-A SNPs were analyzed by DNA sequencing and serum PAPP-A was measured by TRACE. RESULTS: Both SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Allelic and genotype frequencies did not differ between patients and controls and were not related to serum PAPP-A concentrations. Cys327Cys SNP was significant for patients' survival (HR (95% CI): 1.616 (1.110-2.353), nominal p=0.012, corrected p=0.036) while C/G SNP was not. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows for the first time the significance of Cys327Cys PAPP-A SNP (rs12375498) for overall mortality of long term hemodialysis patients. Although it does not influence the concentration of PAPP-A it still could affect the correct function of this enzyme which has to be clarified in further studies.

• MeSH
• akutní koronární syndrom genetika   terapie   MeSH
• dialýza ledvin mortalita   MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický genetika   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• těhotenský plazmatický protein A genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

OBJECTIVES: EN-RAGE is extracellular newly identified receptor for advanced glycation end-products binding protein playing a role in inflammation. The aim was to test the relationship of EN-RAGE to prognosis of long-term hemodialysis patients (HD). DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a prospective observational cohort study in 261 HD patients followed up for five years. Laboratory parameters were measured at the beginning of the study. RESULTS: EN-RAGE was slightly but unsignificantly increased in HD patients compared with healthy controls and correlated significantly with inflammatory markers. Univariate Cox analysis demonstrated EN-RAGE as a significant predictor for mortality due to infection (HR (95%CI): 1.305 (1.063-1.602), per standard deviation, p=0.01), but this significance disappeared in multivariate Cox analysis when CRP was included into the model. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates EN-RAGE as an inflammatory biomarker. It is related to mortality of HD patients due to infection, but in our study, it did not provide additional information to CRP.

• MeSH
• biologické markery krev   MeSH
• C-reaktivní protein analýza   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• dialýza ledvin mortalita   MeSH
• infekce metabolismus   mortalita   MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci metabolismus   mortalita   MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• multivariační analýza MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• proporcionální rizikové modely MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• proteiny S100 krev   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Olfactory abilities show a high degree of inter-individual variability and this could be partly related to personality differences. Here, in two studies, we tested a potential link between personality dimensions and olfactory perception. Sixty-eight (study 1) and a hundred and fifty-six (study 2) young adults completed the Big Five questionnaire and performed the Sniffin' Sticks test for assessing odour threshold, identification, and (in study 2) discrimination. In neither study did we find a significant link between personality dimensions and olfactory identification scores. However, in study 1, we found a significant positive correlation between the neuroticism dimension and olfactory sensitivity. This was mainly due to the anxiety and self-consciousness subscales, which load onto the neuroticism dimension. In a follow-up study, we again found a significant association between anxiety and odour perception, specifically in odour discrimination. Our results indicate that variability in anxiety could partly explain the high inter-individual variation in olfactory perception.

• MeSH
• čich * MeSH
• diskriminace (psychologie) MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• individualita * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• odoranty MeSH
• osobnostní dotazník statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• psychometrie MeSH
• senzorické prahy MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• úzkost psychologie   MeSH
• úzkostné poruchy MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Prognosis of patients with pancreas cancer is very poor. The aim of the study was to test the significance of laboratory parameters in the prognosis of patients with pancreas cancer. The studied group included 57 patients (31 men, 26 women, mean age 65 ± 9 years). Blood was collected at the time of diagnosis of pancreas cancer and basic laboratory parameters, including nutritional and inflammatory markers and tumour markers were measured. Patients were followed up until death (median survival 147 days). Ferritin, iron, albumin, prealbumin, cholinesterase, haemoglobin, C-reactive protein, alkaline phosphatase and carcinoembryonic antigen were significant for patients' prognosis in univariate analysis while CA 19-9, bilirubin, liver, pancreas and kidney tests and lipids were not. Multivariate Cox regression demonstrated ferritin, iron and albumin as independent mortality predictors (RR (95%CI), per standard deviation: ferritin 1.497(1.215-2.241), p = 0.002; albumin, 0.716(0.521-0.977), p = 0.035; iron, 0.678(0.504-0.915), p = 0.010). Iron correlated significantly with albumin (r = 0.397, p = 0.002) but neither iron nor albumin correlated with ferritin. Patients who survived 100 days had significantly lower ferritin (median 239 μg/l vs. non-survivors 435 μg/l, p = 0.014), significantly higher albumin but the difference in serum iron was not quite significant. ROC analysis for ferritin revealed AUC for 100 days survival of 0.710, p = 0.007 (and 0.725, p = 0.004 for 200 days survival). AUC for albumin for 100 days survival was not significant (p = 0.073). This study points out ferritin as an independent mortality predictor in patients with pancreas cancer. High serum levels of ferritin at the time of diagnosis of pancreas cancer indicate bad prognosis of the patient.

• MeSH
• ferritin krev   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádorové biomarkery krev   MeSH
• nádory slinivky břišní krev   mortalita   patologie   MeSH
• pilotní projekty MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• ROC křivka MeSH
• staging nádorů MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH