Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a rather common disease with a prevalence reaching up to 10 or 20% in the western world. The most specific symptoms which point to the diagnosis of GERD are feelings of heartburn and the regurgitation of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. However, a certain number of patients do not respond to standard therapy, and in these cases, it is necessary to resort to other treatment methods, such as laparoscopic fundoplication or electrostimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The aim of our work was to design and manufacture a miniature, battery-less stimulator to provide electric stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which could be implanted deep into the submucosa of the distal esophagus. The main goal was to provide a battery-less system as opposed to traditional battery neurostimulators to reduce the size and weight of the device. An electronic prototype of a wirelessly powered implantable device was developed. We used animal models for the experiments. The device is designed to treat GERD via electrical stimulation of the muscularis propria. It is implanted into the submucosal pocket by the lower esophageal sphincter with an endoscope. This method of implantation is superior to esophageal stimulators used today because of very low invasiveness of the surgery. Bipolar neurostimulation via two gold-plated leads is provided. The device does not have any source of energy; it is powered wirelessly which reduces the risk of potential battery leakage and reduces the overall dimensions.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

For biodegradable porous scaffolds to have a potential application in cartilage regeneration, they should enable cell growth and differentiation and should have adequate mechanical properties. In this study, our aim was to prepare biocompatible scaffolds with improved biomechanical properties. To this end, we have developed foam scaffolds from poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) with incorporated chitosan microparticles. The scaffolds were prepared by a salt leaching technique from either 10 or 15 wt% PCL solutions containing 0, 10 and 20 wt% chitosan microparticles, where the same amount and size of NaCl was used as a porogen in all the cases. PCL scaffolds without and with low amounts of chitosan (0 and 10 wt% chitosan) showed higher DNA content than scaffolds with high amounts of chitosan during a 22-day experiment. 10 wt% PCL with 10 and 20 wt% chitosan showed significantly increased viscoelastic properties compared to 15 wt% PCL scaffolds with 0 and 10 wt% chitosan. Thus, 10 wt% PCL scaffolds with 0 wt% and 10 wt% chitosan are potential scaffolds for cartilage regeneration.

• MeSH
• biokompatibilní materiály aplikace a dávkování   chemie   MeSH
• chrupavka cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrosféry * MeSH
• polyestery aplikace a dávkování   chemie   MeSH
• proliferace buněk účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• řízená tkáňová regenerace metody   MeSH
• tkáňové podpůrné struktury * MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biokompatibilní materiály MeSH
• polycaprolactone MeSH Prohlížeč
• polyestery MeSH

The Czech Republic reported one of the highest incidence rate in cutaneous melanoma (CM) in Europe and because this incidence has been increasing, mainly among young people, the main goal of our study was to establish sun exposure behavior risk factors for CM formation and to evaluate whether the young generation of Czechs is exposed to a higher risk of CM than the older generation. A questionnaire-based case-control study was conducted. We obtained 978 completed questionnaires: 216 from patients with CM and 762 from healthy respondents. The healthy individuals were further divided to adolescents (n = 460) and older respondents (n = 302). Three logistic regression models were developed: 1. patients with CM vs. healthy older respondents, 2. adolescents vs. healthy older respondents, and 3. patients with CM vs. adolescents. The main risk factors for all three models were the number of sunburn episodes and the use of the sunscreen in the childhood. The most alarming results for adolescents included: all day sun exposure, including times of maximum risk (11 AM to 3 PM), inadequate use of sunscreen in adulthood, and frequent mountain holidays. Our results show that sun-safety in the young generation is satisfactory, when the responsibility for sun exposure behavior is in the hands of their parents; however, when children become adolescents, they become immune to sun-safety and risk prevention campaigns and their behavior becomes much more risky. Our results further suggest the sun-safety campaigns need to be modified in such a way as to have greater impact and influence on adolescent sun-risk behaviors.

• MeSH
• chování mladistvých MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• melanom epidemiologie   etiologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nádory kůže epidemiologie   etiologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• přípravky chránící proti slunci terapeutické užití   MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• sluneční spáleniny komplikace   epidemiologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• sluneční záření škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• přípravky chránící proti slunci MeSH

Lymphocytes from former uranium miners who finished work underground one or more decades ago were analysed with respect to possibly persisting genetic damage induced by their radiation exposure. A modified micronucleus-centromere test was used which determined the frequency of micronucleus-containing binucleate cells after cytochalasin B treatment and the percentage of centromere-free micronuclei, assessed with the help of immunofluorescence labeling of centromere protein B. Whereas the overall frequency of micronucleus-containing cells was not significantly elevated above the level found in a control group, former miners showed a greater percentage of centromere-free micronuclei, i.e. micronuclei containing only acentric fragments. Our results are in excellent agreement with those of an earlier uranium miner study and lend support to the assumption that genetic damage from alpha radiation can persist for many years after exposure, possibly due to genomic instability. The frequency of micronucleus-containing cells, but not the percentage of centromere-free micronuclei, significantly increased with time since last exposure in the mines. This can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that miners who have finished working underground longer ago tend to be older, and there is an increase of the frequency of micronucleus-containing cells with age.

• MeSH
• alfa částice škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfocyty účinky záření   MeSH
• mikrojaderné testy MeSH
• mikrojádra chromozomálně defektní účinky záření   MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nestabilita genomu účinky záření   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• uran škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• uran MeSH

The paper explores the quantities and units used in radiation protection with special emphasis on their applications in occupational exposure control. An overview of the current situation reveals that there seem to be too many different quantities associated with the same unit. Some of these quantities are defined in a quite complicated manner and, therefore, may cause some confusion in their interpretation and practical use in the field. Some suggestions towards the simplification of the present system are also proposed.

• MeSH
• dávka záření MeSH
• interpretace statistických dat MeSH
• ionizující záření MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování radiace metody   normy   MeSH
• pracovní expozice prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• radiační ochrana metody   normy   MeSH
• radiometrie metody   normy   MeSH
• rozvoj plánování MeSH
• stochastické procesy MeSH
• systémová analýza MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Our study was aimed to characterize the phenotype and functional endpoints of local microwave hyperthermia (LHT, 42 degrees C) on tumor infiltrating and spleen leukocytes. The effectiveness of LHT applied into the tumor of B16F10 melanoma-bearing C57/BL6 mice was compared with anesthetized and non-treated animals. Subpopulations of leukocytes were analyzed using the flow cytometry, and the cytotoxic activity of splenocytes against syngeneic B16F10 melanoma and NK-sensitive YAC-1 tumor cell lines was evaluated in (51)Cr-release assay. Similarly, the in vitro modification of the heat treatment was performed using healthy and melanoma-bearing splenocytes. We found a 40 % increase of activated monocytes (CD11b+CD69+) infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. In the spleen of experimental animals, the numbers of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs-CD3+CD8+) and NK cell (CD49b+NK1.1+) raised by 22 % and 14 %, respectively, while the NK1.1+ monocytes decreases by 37 %. This was accompanied by an enhancement of cytotoxic effector function against B16F10 and YAC-1 targets in both in vivo and in vitro conditions. These results demonstrate that LHT induces better killing of syngeneic melanoma targets. Furthermore, LHT evokes the homing of activated monocytes into the tumor microenvironment and increases the counts of NK cells and CTL in the spleen.

• MeSH
• buňky NK imunologie   MeSH
• CD antigeny analýza   MeSH
• cytotoxicita imunologická * MeSH
• cytotoxické T-lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• diatermie * MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• imunofenotypizace MeSH
• melanom experimentální imunologie   terapie   MeSH
• mikrovlny terapeutické užití   MeSH
• monocyty imunologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• pohyb buněk MeSH
• průtoková cytometrie MeSH
• slezina imunologie   MeSH
• tumor infiltrující lymfocyty imunologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• CD antigeny MeSH

Whole blood surface tension of 15 healthy subjects recorded by the ring method was investigated in the temperature range from 20 to 40 degrees C. The surface tension omega as a function of temperature t ( degrees C) is described by an equation of linear regression as omega(t) = (-0.473 t + 70.105) x 10(-3) N/m. Blood serum surface tension in the range from 20 to 40 degrees C is described by linear regression equation omega(t) = (-0.368 t + 66.072) x 10(-3) N/m and linear regression function of blood sediment surface tension is omega(t) = (-0.423 t + 67.223) x10(-3) N/m.

• MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• krev - fyziologické jevy * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lineární modely MeSH
• povrchové napětí MeSH
• referenční hodnoty MeSH
• teplota * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Agroclavine is a natural, clavine type of ergot alkaloid with D1 dopamine and a-adrenoceptor agonistic properties. We showed previously that in vitro agroclavine enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, increases interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma production and prolongs the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. The aim of this study was 1) to test the effect of agroclavine on NK activity in vivo, and 2) to assess the potential toxicity of high doses of agroclavine on cardiac and liver functions using creatine kinase MB (CKMB) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as biochemical markers in normal and stressed animals. The effect of stress was studied because we examined promising anticancer properties of agroclavine and malignant diseases are supposed to be a potent stressful event for patients. In our experiments 3-month-old male rats of the Wistar-Kyoto strain were used. Agroclavine was injected intraperitoneally (0.5 mg/kg or 0.05 mg/kg) 30 min before stress (four hours' restraint and immersion in 23 degrees C water). The animals were killed 30 min after stress, blood was collected and the spleen was removed. Non-stressed animals treated with agroclavine were killed 5 h after the drug administration. The results confirmed our previous in vitro results and showed that also in vivo agroclavine increases NK cell activity under non-stress conditions. Agroclavine only slightly increased CKMB and had no influence on ALT in non-stressed animals. These promising results are limited by the fact that agroclavine (0.5 mg/kg) diminished NK cell activity and significantly increased ALT and CKMB under stress conditions.

• MeSH
• alanintransaminasa krev   MeSH
• buňky NK účinky léků   imunologie   MeSH
• ergoliny aplikace a dávkování   farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• fyzické omezení MeSH
• fyziologický stres * etiologie   MeSH
• injekce intraperitoneální MeSH
• kreatinkinasa krev   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• lékové postižení jater MeSH
• nemoci jater diagnóza   MeSH
• nemoci srdce chemicky indukované   diagnóza   MeSH
• ponoření MeSH
• potkani inbrední WKY MeSH
• protinádorová antibiotika aplikace a dávkování   farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• agroclavine MeSH Prohlížeč
• alanintransaminasa MeSH
• ergoliny MeSH
• kreatinkinasa MeSH
• protinádorová antibiotika MeSH

The analgesic effects of intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered dynorphin A(1-13) and its analog dynorphin A(1-10)amide using the hot plate test were studied in mice. Both dynorphins applied i.c.v. by the freehand method had an analgesic effect but no effect was seen when applied i.c.v. through an implanted cannula. Moreover, freehand i.c.v. injection of saline increased the time of immobility in the forced swimming test and glycaemia levels compared with intact mice. In contrast to the freehand injection, saline administration through an implanted cannula did not influence the immobility of animals in forced swimming test when compared with the intact controls. These results suggest that 1) the freehand method is very stressful procedure of administration which could influence the effects of dynorphins in the hot plate test and 2) dynorphins exert an analgesic effect in the hot plate test only when combined with a stressor (freehand i.c.v. injection).

• MeSH
• dynorfin aplikace a dávkování   farmakologie   MeSH
• fyziologický stres patofyziologie   MeSH
• imobilizace MeSH
• injekce intraventrikulární MeSH
• myši inbrední ICR MeSH
• myši MeSH
• opioidní analgetika farmakologie   MeSH
• peptidové fragmenty aplikace a dávkování   farmakologie   MeSH
• plavání MeSH
• práh bolesti MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dynorfin MeSH
• dynorphin (1-13) MeSH Prohlížeč
• dynorphin amide (1-10) MeSH Prohlížeč
• opioidní analgetika MeSH
• peptidové fragmenty MeSH

The surface tension of blood assessed in a group of 71 healthy subjects (24 men and 47 women) by the drop method at a temperature of 22 degrees C was 55.89 x 10(-3) N x m(-1), S.D.=3.57 x 10(-3) N x m(-1). It did not correlate with age or sex of the examined subjects nor with any of the following variables: red cell sedimentation rate, blood haemoglobin levels, number of erythrocytes, total serum cholesterol, total serum triacylglycerols, creatinine blood levels, ALT and AST activity. The surface tension of blood and other body fluids can play an important part not only in the genesis and development of decompression sickness but also in other processes in the organism.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• krev * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• povrchové napětí * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH