Prevalence of malnutrition risk among institutionalized elderly from North Bohemia is higher than among those in the Capital City of Prague, Czech Republic.

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the risk of malnutrition among institutionalized elderly individuals in North Bohemia and compare it to the risk of malnutrition in the capital city of Prague, Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, very few studies have been conducted with the goal of describing and evaluating the nutritional status of the institutionalized elderly.

Methods: In this study, data was collected from 254 elderly individuals (aged ≥ 65) residing in retirement homes in North Bohemia and then compared with similar data for the elderly living in retirement homes in Prague (the data from Prague were previously published in 2013).

Alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein plasma level decrease correlates with age in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Backgound: It has been indicated in plasma proteomic studies on different myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cohorts that alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein could be a promising MDS biomarker candidate.

Objective: The goal of this work was to estimate alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) plasma levels and its biomarker value in the low- and high-risk subgroups of MDS patients.

Methods: The level of AHSG was estimated for 115 plasma samples using ELISA.

Estimating the Baseline Incidence of a Seasonal Disease Independently of Epidemic Outbreaks.

In epidemiology, it is very important to estimate the baseline incidence of infectious diseases, but the available data are often subject to outliers due to epidemic outbreaks. Consequently, the estimate of the baseline incidence is biased and so is the predicted epidemic threshold which is a crucial reference indicator used to suspect and detect an epidemic outbreak. Another problem is that the "usual" incidence varies in a season dependent manner, i.

Comparison of the miRNA profiles in HPV-positive and HPV-negative tonsillar tumors and a model system of human keratinocyte clones.

Background: Better insights into the molecular changes involved in virus-associated and -independent head and neck cancer may advance our knowledge of HNC carcinogenesis and identify critical disease biomarkers. Here we aimed to characterize the expression profiles in a matched set of well-characterized HPV-dependent and HPV-independent tonsillar tumors and equivalent immortalized keratinocyte clones to define potential and clinically relevant biomarkers of HNC of different etiology.

Methods: Fresh frozen tonsillar cancer tissues were analyzed together with non-malignant tonsillar tissues and compared with cervical tumors and normal cervical tissues.

MeltMan: Optimization, Evaluation, and Universal Application of a qPCR System Integrating the TaqMan qPCR and Melting Analysis into a Single Assay.

In the present work, we optimised and evaluated a qPCR system integrating 6-FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein)-labelled TaqMan probes and melting analysis using the SYTO 82 (S82) DNA binding dye in a single reaction. We investigated the influence of the S82 on various TaqMan and melting analysis parameters and defined its optimal concentration. In the next step, the method was evaluated in 36 different TaqMan assays with a total of 729 paired reactions using various DNA and RNA templates, including field specimens.

Estimating the Baseline and Threshold for the Incidence of Diseases with Seasonal and Long-Term Trends.

In epidemiology, it is very important to estimate the baseline incidence of infectious diseases. From this baseline, the epidemic threshold can be derived as a clue to recognize an excess incidence, i.e.

Early MRD response as a prognostic factor in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic power of minimal residual disease (MRD) monitored by polymerase chain reaction at defined time points during early treatment in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Methods: Seventy-one patients were treated according to the GMALL 07/2003 protocol and evaluated for MRD in bone marrow by specific clonal rearrangements of Ig/TCR in BCR-ABL negative ALL or fusion gene transcript in BCR-ABL positive ALL.

Results: Three-year overall survival (OS) was 94% in patients with BCR-ABL negative ALL reaching complete molecular response (CMR) after the first course of chemotherapy (vs.

The effect of different doses and different routes of acetylsalicylic acid administration on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers and ischemic stroke patients.

The purpose was to assess the effect of different doses and different routes of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) administration on platelet aggregation and the comparison between platelet aggregation after the single and the repetitive administration of ASA in healthy individuals and in patients after ischemic stroke. The study group consists of 22 healthy individuals and 30 patients with documented ischemic stroke. Platelet aggregation was measured in healthy individuals: (a) twice before ASA and (b) 2 h after different single doses and different routes of ASA administration-(b1) 500 mg orally, (b2) 500 mg intravenously, and (b3) 100 mg orally.

[Effect of the liquid milk nutritional supplement with enhanced content of whey protein on the nutritional status of the elderly].

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term administration of liquid nutritional supplement with increased amounts of whey protein and reduced amounts of lactose, produced in accordance with a new recipe "Nutrisen" on the elderly living in institutionalized care.

Methods: The study was carried out from May to July, 2013, on 47 retirement home residents, living in Prague, all of which were 65 years or older. Supplemented group (n = 23) consumed (200 ml) milk drinks with three different flavours on a daily basis for eight weeks.

Non-invasive evaluation of proximal vertebral artery stenosis using color Doppler sonography and CT angiography.

Background And Purpose: A reliable and safe diagnostic procedure for vertebral artery (VA) stenosis is needed, but none is generally accepted yet. In our study, we evaluated symptomatic VA stenoses using color Doppler sonography (CDS). CT angiography (CTA) has been employed as a non-invasive reference method.

Transportation to primary percutaneous coronary intervention, compared with on-site fibrinolysis, is a strong independent predictor of functional status after myocardial infarction: 5-year follow-up of the PRAGUE-2 trial.

Aims: Subjective symptoms represent significant criteria of a patient's health condition; therefore, we focused on the long-term prevalence of heart failure symptoms and angina pectoris after myocardial infarction between two groups of patients in which two different therapeutic strategies were used during the acute phase of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: The PRAGUE-2 study enrolled 850 patients with STEMI. The patients were randomized into two groups - transport to a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centre (n=429) vs.

Nutritional status assessment of institutionalized elderly in Prague, Czech Republic.

Background: There are few studies in the Czech Republic describing and evaluating the nutritional status of institutionalized elderly.

Methods: Data were collected from 659 women and 156 men aged 65 years and older and living in retirement homes in and around Prague. Data included: a Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA questionnaire), anthropometric measurements and biochemical evaluations.

Alcohol consumption and marijuana use in young adult Czechs.

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to explore associations between alcohol consumption and marijuana use in young adults and to discuss the opportunities for brief intervention.

Methods: Face to face structured interviews were carried out with 2,221 young adult Czechs (mean age 29.9, sd.

Ulnar nerve at the elbow - normative nerve conduction study.

Introduction: A goal of our work was to perform nerve conduction studies (NCSs) of the ulnar nerve focused on the nerve conduction across the elbow on a sufficiently large cohort of healthy subjects in order to generate reliable reference data.

Methods: We examined the ulnar nerve in a position with the elbow flexion of 90o from horizontal. Motor response was recorded from the abductor digiti minimi muscle (ADM) and the first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI).

Trace elements in the blood of institutionalized elderly in the Czech Republic.

Whole blood selenium, copper, zinc and manganese concentrations of 197 institutionalized senior citizens (46 males, 151 females) aged 61-100 years (mean age 83.6 years) were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry from two localities in the Czech Republic (Prague and Teplice) from 2009 through 2011. Geometric means (GM) of whole blood selenium (B-Se), copper (B-Cu), zinc (B-Zn) and manganese (B-Mn) levels were 74.

HPV involvement in tonsillar cancer: prognostic significance and clinically relevant markers.

The association of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR HPVs) with tonsillar cancer (TC) has been documented. Because patients with HPV-associated tumors show better survival rates, modification of their treatment regimen is being considered. It is therefore crucial to find markers for the identification of patients whose tumors are linked to viral infection.

Clonal distribution of invasive pneumococci, Czech Republic, 1996-2003.

We conducted surveillance on invasive pneumococci isolated from adults in the Czech Republic during 1996-2003. The 7 most prevalent serotypes were characterized. Coverage with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was low.

Acute bacterial meningitis in adults: predictors of outcome.

Case fatality ratio and permanent sequelae of acute bacterial meningitis remain high in recent decades. A prospective longitudinal study of adult patients admitted with community acquired acute bacterial meningitis at a tertiary infectious diseases unit aimed to identify predictors of unfavourable outcome - death and sequelae. Anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data and clinical outcome were recorded.

Health behaviors, nutritional status, and anthropometric parameters of Roma and non-Roma mothers and their infants in the Czech Republic.

Objective: To compare maternal health behaviors, maternal nutritional status, and infant size at birth of Romas and non-Romas in the Czech Republic.

Design: Maternal interviews and food frequency questionnaire, maternal blood samples, physical measurements of mothers and infants.

Setting: Hospital, maternal/child care center; 2-4 days postpartum.

Exposure of Prague's homeless population to lead and cadmium, compared to Prague's general population.

Homelessness is a growing problem in the Czech Republic where homeless people represent a specific minority group beset by many problems linked to their divergent lifestyle. It was therefore expected that the homeless population would be at greater risk of exposure to environmental pollutants than the general population. The aim of our study was to compare blood lead (B-Pb) and blood cadmium (B-Cd) levels in the homeless population (HP) with those obtained from the Human Biomonitoring Project (CZ-HBM), which used blood donors considered representative of the general population (GP).

Smoking attributable hospital treatment, treatment costs and smoking attributable mortality in the Czech Republic in 2002.

Objectives: The main objective of this work is to quantify the number of hospitalizations caused by smoking, estimate the costs of hospital treatment and to estimate contribution of smoking to mortality in the Czech Republic (CR) in 2002.

Methods: The estimate of the proportion by which smoking contributed to hospitalizations and to mortality in the CR was computed using the method of smoking-attributable fractions (SAF). The SAF was computed from relative risks established in the American study Cancer Prevention Study II and from estimates of the prevalence of smoking in the CR from a nationwide study conducted in 2002.

Cortisol levels in cerebrospinal fluid correlate with severity and bacterial origin of meningitis.

Introduction: Outcomes following bacterial meningitis are significantly improved by adjunctive treatment with corticosteroids. However, little is known about the levels and significance of intrathecal endogenous cortisol. The aim of this study was to assess cortisol as a biological and diagnostic marker in patients with bacterial meningitis.

Prevalence of GBV-C/HGV (HGV) in HIV-infected patients and potential influence of co-infection on the course of the disease.

Aim Of The Study: Assessment of prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection in HIV-infected patients and evaluating of a possible influence of GBV-C/HGV on the course of HIV infection by assessment of immunological and virological markers of progression of HIV infection.

Materials And Methods: We have investigated serum samples of 273 HIV- infected patients from AIDS Center of the University Hospital Na Bulovce Prague during 2002-2003. Our target was to assess the presence of markers of GBV-C/HGV infection by semiquantitative HGV RNA evaluation and anti-E2 antibodies by ELISA testing.

Disturbances of anticoagulation and fibrinolytic systems in monoclonal gammopathies-another mechanism of M-protein interference with hemostasis.

Monoclonal gammopathies (MG) may be associated with unique monoclonal immunoglobulin (MIg)-induced disturbances of either primary hemostasis or plasma coagulation. We have investigated the possible interference of MIg with antithrombotic systems in 49 patients with MG. Although an increase of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity was the most frequent abnormality in our group, defect of anticoagulation factors was found in 26.