Cardiovascular diseases are the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the civilized world. Stenosis or occlusion of blood vessels leads not only to events that are directly life-threatening, such as myocardial infarction or stroke, but also to a significant reduction in quality of life, for example in lower limb ischemia as a consequence of metabolic diseases. The first synthetic polymeric vascular replacements were used clinically in the early 1950s. However, they proved to be suitable only for larger-diameter vessels, where the blood flow prevents the attachment of platelets, pro-inflammatory cells and smooth muscle cells on their inner surface, whereas in smaller-diameter grafts (6 mm or less), these phenomena lead to stenosis and failure of the graft. Moreover, these polymeric vascular replacements, like biological grafts (decellularized or devitalized), are cell-free, i.e. there are no reconstructed physiological layers of the blood vessel wall, i.e. an inner layer of endothelial cells to prevent thrombosis, a middle layer of smooth muscle cells to perform the contractile function, and an outer layer to provide innervation and vascularization of the vessel wall. Vascular substitutes with these cellular components can be constructed by tissue engineering methods. However, it has to be admitted that even about 70 years after the first polymeric vascular prostheses were implanted into human patients, there are still no functional small-diameter vascular grafts on the market. The damage to small-diameter blood vessels has to be addressed by endovascular approaches or by autologous vascular substitutes, which leads to some skepticism about the potential of tissue engineering. However, new possibilities of this approach lie in the use of modern technologies such as 3D bioprinting and/or electrospinning in combination with stem cells and pre-vascularization of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. In this endeavor, sex-related differences in the removal of degradable biomaterials by the cells and in the behavior of stem cells and pre-differentiated vascular cells need to be taken into account. Key words: Blood vessel prosthesis, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Footprint-free iPSCs, sr-RNA, Dynamic bioreactor, Sex-related differences.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Seven selected parabens (4 allowed, 3 banned in cosmetics) were tested in order to confirm and expand historical data on their toxicological properties and safety. The aim was to apply novel in vitro methods, which have been sufficiently technically and scientifically validated for the purposes of toxicological testing of chemicals. The study included several toxicological endpoints such as skin/eye irritation, skin sensitization, endocrine disruption and genotoxicity. The battery of selected methods comprised regulatory accepted EpiDerm™ skin model (OECD TG 439); EpiOcular™ corneal model (OECD TG 492) and scientifically valid test method HET-CAM (DB-ALM Protocol No. 47); in chemico test DPRA (OECD TG 442C); in vitro test LuSens (OECD TG 442D) and in vitro test h-CLAT (OECD TG 442E); Ames MPF™ (Xenometrix) and XenoScreen YES/YAS (Xenometrix). Overall, none of the 4 allowed parabens exhibited skin/eye irritation or genotoxicity. However, all allowed parabens in cosmetics were predicted as samples with potentially sensitizing properties in the LuSens and h-CLAT test methods, but not confirmed by DPRA. Endocrine disruption was recorded only at high concentrations, whereas methyl paraben and ethyl paraben exhibited the lowest activity. This study confirmed the safety of use of the allowed parabens in the highest recommended concentrations in cosmetics or pharmaceuticals.

• Klíčová slova
• Endocrine disruption, Genotoxicity, In vitro toxicology, Parabens, Phototoxicity, Sensitization, Skin and eye irritation,
• MeSH
• alternativy testů na zvířatech * metody   MeSH
• kosmetické přípravky * toxicita   MeSH
• kůže MeSH
• parabeny toxicita   MeSH
• techniky in vitro MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kosmetické přípravky * MeSH
• parabeny MeSH

Growing worldwide efforts to replace (reduce) animal testing and to improve alternative in vitro tests which may be more efficient in terms of both time, cost and scientific validity include also genotoxicity/mutagenicity endpoints. The aim of the review article was to summarize currently available in vitro testing approaches in this field, their regulatory acceptance and recommended combinations for classification of chemicals. A study using the combination of Comet Assay performed on two cell lines and the Chromosomal Aberration test on human peripheral lymphocytes was performed with the aim to predict the genotoxic potential of selected paraben esters, serving as a model chemical group. Parabens are widely used in consumer products as preservatives and have been reported to exhibit inconclusive results in numerous genotoxicity studies. The Comet Assay identified Ethylparaben and Benzylparaben as potentially genotoxic. The Chromosomal Aberration test revealed weak genotoxic potential in case of Ethylparaben and positive genotoxicity in case of Butylparaben, Propylparaben and Isopropylparaben. The main reasons for variability seem to be limited water solubility of parabens, determining their bioavailability at the cellular level, and absence of metabolic activation in the Comet Assay. The results confirmed that the Comet Assay should serve as a screening test and should not be used as a stand-alone method for classification of genotoxicity. The weight of evidence approach in risk assessment should be supported with data generated with the use of human relevant in vitro methods based on cells / tissues of human origin.

• MeSH
• alternativy testů na zvířatech * MeSH
• buněčné linie keratinocytů HaCaT MeSH
• chromozomální aberace chemicky indukované   MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• kometový test MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfocyty účinky léků   patologie   MeSH
• mikrojaderné testy MeSH
• mikrojádra chromozomálně defektní chemicky indukované   MeSH
• mutageneze účinky léků   MeSH
• parabeny toxicita   MeSH
• poškození DNA * MeSH
• testy genotoxicity * MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• parabeny MeSH

Despite widespread and prolonged use of adult novelties, their health safety is not regularly tested or legally regulated. In the EU, adult novelties are subjected to the General Product Safety Directive, placing the burden of proof regarding safe products onto the manufacturers. The aim of our pilot study was to expand knowledge on potential application of in vitro methods for hazard prediction of extracts from final products. We subjected extracts of 20 adult novelties, purchased on the Czech market to toxicological tests including NRU cytotoxicity assay, sensitization tests DPRA and LuSens and the YES/YAS endocrine assay. Four samples produced cytotoxicity. Sensitization potential was recorded by DPRA (three samples) while the LuSens reported ten samples. Regarding endocrine disruption, three samples produced antiestrogen and antiandrogen effects. Six samples exhibited androgenic potential and one sample showed estrogenic potential. Positive results with possible health effects were recorded repeatedly for samples made of ABS, PVC and latex. The study has confirmed promising usefulness of our test methods combination with regard to safety testing of this type of consumer products. The results should be evaluated with care, however, the data bring added-value to the limited knowledge of mixture toxicology and are indicative for further testing.

• Klíčová slova
• Chemical mixtures safety, Cytotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, In vitro toxicology, Public health, Risk assessment, Sex toy industry, Skin sensitization,
• MeSH
• buňky BALB 3T3 MeSH
• endokrinní disruptory toxicita   MeSH
• fibroblasty účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• hra a hračky * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• pilotní projekty MeSH
• plastické hmoty toxicita   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• sexuální chování účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• spotřebitelská bezpečnost produktů normy   MeSH
• techniky in vitro metody   MeSH
• testy akutní toxicity metody   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• endokrinní disruptory MeSH
• plastické hmoty MeSH

Nanofiber scaffolds provide numerous advantages over common carriers engineered for microorganisms. The most important advantage is an increased speed of primary surface colonization (up to four times faster), which shortens the time required for the areal biofilm formation and optimum performance of attached microorganisms (higher efficiency of biological activity of up to twice as fast). Image analysis predicts early formation of biofilm even in beginning stages; analysis of biofilm reveals the different structures of bacterial colonies on both scaffolds (higher porosity, size, and number of bacterial colonies on nanofiber's surface). The image analysis correlates well with determinations of dry matter (linear correlation of 0.96) and proteins (linear correlation of 0.89).

• MeSH
• biofilmy * MeSH
• kultivační média * MeSH
• nanovlákna * MeSH
• polyurethany MeSH
• poréznost MeSH
• Rhodococcus MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kultivační média * MeSH
• polyurethany MeSH

Detection of serum galactomannan (GM) and (1,3)-β-d-glucan (BG) is considered useful for non-culture diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in neutropenic patients. Only few studies evaluated these seromarkers in non-neutropenic patients suspected of having IPA. The aim of this study was to evaluate both tests together with the Aspergillus fumigatus-specific serum IgG and IgA (IgAG) test for serological IPA diagnosis in non-neutropenic patients. Sera from 87 patients suspected of having IPA were retrospectively analysed. Patients were categorised into groups of proven IPA (n = 10), putative IPA (n = 31) and non-IPA colonisation (n = 46). When the GM, BG and IgAG assays were used for patients included in the study, the sensitivity/specificity/positive predictive value (PPV)/negative predictive value (NPV) were 48.8%/91.3%/83.3%/66.7%, 82.9%/73.9%/73.9%/82.9% and 75.6%/95.7%/93.9%/81.5%, respectively. Thus, the highest specificity and PPV were confirmed for the IgAG assay. Improvements in the sensitivity and NPV were achieved by "at least one positive" analysis with the GM and BG assays, with the sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV values being 85.0%/69.6%/71.4%/84.2%. Nevertheless, the highest sensitivity and NPV were achieved by the "at least one positive" analysis combining the GM, BG and IgAG tests (97.6% and 96.8%, respectively). The involvement of the IgAG assay could improve IPA diagnosis in non-neutropenic patients by increasing the sensitivity and NPV when combined with the GM or BG assays. Furthermore, improvement was achieved by combining the GM, BG and IgAG assays using the "at least one positive test" strategy, especially if doubt exists.

• Klíčová slova
• (1,3)-β-d-glucan, A. fumigatus-specific IgA, IgG, galactomannan, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, non-neutropenic patients,
• MeSH
• Aspergillus fumigatus chemie   imunologie   MeSH
• beta-glukany krev   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• galaktosa analogy a deriváty   MeSH
• imunoglobulin A krev   MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• invazivní plicní aspergilóza diagnóza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mannany krev   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• prediktivní hodnota testů MeSH
• proteoglykany MeSH
• protilátky fungální krev   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• sérum chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• beta-glukany MeSH
• galactomannan MeSH Prohlížeč
• galaktosa MeSH
• imunoglobulin A MeSH
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• mannany MeSH
• polysaccharide-K MeSH Prohlížeč
• proteoglykany MeSH
• protilátky fungální MeSH

UNLABELLED: Background: Candidemia is a severe and often life-threatening infection frequently occurring in critically ill patients. During the last decade, new therapeutic and prophylactic strategies influenced (at least in some patient subgroups) the epidemiological situation and the spectrum of causative Candida strains. The present multicentre study aimed to assess the current epidemiological situation of Candida strains causing invasive candidiasis (IC) in patients of tertiary care hospitals in the Czech Republic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical and microbiological data on patients with bloodstream yeast isolates collected in 11 tertiary care hospitals in the Czech Republic between 2012 and 2015 were analysed. The incidence of cases and species distribution were assessed by study year, age, and specialty. Moreover, an association with the Candida colonization and presence of toxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile in stool prior to blood culture positivity was analysed. For some of the strains, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of systemic antifungals were determined using standard methods. RESULTS: A total of 886 episodes of candidemia (921 yeast strains) were identified during the study period. The overall incidence per 1000 admissions was 0.40 (range 0.21-1.22 depending on the hospital). Almost half of the isolates belonged to the species Candida albicans (49.7 %), followed by Candida glabrata (15.3 %) and Candida parapsilosis (11.2 %). Non-albicans species of Candida significantly predominated in oncology wards (71.6 %) as compared to surgery (40.4 %) or internal medicine (52.0 %) departments. More than 70.0 % of patients stayed in intensive care units at the time of positive culture; in 65.0 % of patients, colonization with the same yeast species preceded blood culture positivity. In only 5.1 % of all patients, the previous presence of toxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile in stool was found. Fifty-six of the 921 yeast strains were tested for antifungal susceptibility, with an increase in MICs to azoles being observed for C. glabrata. CONCLUSION: The incidence of candidemia in the Czech Republic did not vary significantly between 2012 and 2015, and C. glabrata was the second most common yeast species after C. albicans isolated from blood.

• Klíčová slova
• epidemiology - candidemia - incidence - antifungal susceptibility testing.,
• MeSH
• antifungální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Candida účinky léků   MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• infekce spojené se zdravotní péčí * epidemiologie   MeSH
• kandidemie * epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antifungální látky MeSH

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of C. pelliculosa, C. utilis, and C. fabianii in clinical samples collected from patients hospitalized in the Olomouc University Hospital and compare their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs ) to nine systemic antifungals with respect to yeast species, patient age, gender, and site of infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Identification was performed biochemically and using mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). MICs were determined by the broth dilution method. RESULTS: Of a total of 163 clinical isolates, 119 were biochemically identified as C. pelliculosa and 44 as C. utilis. Using MALDI-TOF MS, 152 isolates were identified as C. fabianii, six as C. pelliculosa, three as C. utilis, and one as Ogataea polymorpha. The highest mean MICs were found in C. fabianii and in yeasts isolated from blood cultures and central venous catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The MALDI-TOF MS found C. fabianii to be most prevalent in clinical samples as compared with the other studied species. The probable cause of discordant results between the two methods was the absence of C. fabianii in the database of the biochemical test kit which led to misidentification of this species. Higher MIC values in C. fabianii demonstrate the importance of the precise identification of this species.

• Klíčová slova
• Candida fabianii - epidemiology - identification - MALDI-TOF - antifungals.,
• MeSH
• antifungální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Candida účinky léků   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• epidemiologické studie MeSH
• kandidóza epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• nemocnice univerzitní MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antifungální látky MeSH

Clinical yeast isolates belonging to Candida pelliculosa, Candida utilis and Candida fabianii are difficult to distinguish in a routine mycology laboratory using common biochemical tests. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of C. pelliculosa, C. utilis and C. fabianii in clinical samples and to compare their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to systemic antifungals. Two hundred and forty-eight clinical yeast isolates obtained from eight large hospitals in the Czech Republic were included in this study. Identification was performed biochemically using ID 32C kit and by MALDI-TOF MS. MICs were determined using colorimetric broth dilution Sensititre YeastOne panels. From a total number of 248 isolates, 175 were identified as C. pelliculosa and 73 as C. utilis using the biochemical kit. In contrast, MALDI-TOF MS identified 222 isolates as C. fabianii, 20 as C. pelliculosa and 6 as C. utilis. The highest mean MICs were found in C. fabianii and, regardless of the studied species, in isolates from blood cultures and central venous catheters. MALDI-TOF MS revealed C. fabianii to be most prevalent in clinical samples as compared with the other studied species. Higher MIC values in C. fabianii support the importance of correct identification of this species.

• Klíčová slova
• Candida fabianii, MALDI-TOF MS, antifungal susceptibility testing, biochemical identification,
• MeSH
• antifungální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Candida klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kandidóza epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mykologické určovací techniky MeSH
• nemocnice MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antifungální látky MeSH

Tuberculosis is a general infectious inflammatory disease caused by the bacillus (mycobacterium) tuberculosis. The disease originated when the bacillus was transmitted from affected cattle herds to humans. Genetic methods proved the existence of tuberculosis in mummies of the ancient Egypt. In the 19th and 20th century socio-economic conditions enabled pandemics of tuberculosis. The essential element for spreading of tuberculosis is the tuberculous patient. The disease develops in 10% of those who were infected. Tuberculosis manifests by long-lasting coughing, night sweating, tiredness, growing slim, febriles and loss of appetite. Diagnosis can be established on the basis of thoracic sciagram, confirmed by microscopic and cultivation examination of sputum. In the Czech Republic, an effective surveillance of tuberculosis was established with resulting good epidemiological situation.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• plicní tuberkulóza * diagnóza   prevence a kontrola   terapie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH