Breast cancer screening in the Czech Republic: time trends in performance indicators during the first seven years of the organised programme.

Background: The Czech Breast Cancer Screening Programme (CBCSP) was initiated in September 2002 by establishing a network of accredited centres. The aim of this article is to describe progress in the programme quality over time after the inception of the organised programme.

Methods: The CBCSP is monitored using an information system consisting of three principal components: 1) the national cancer registry, 2) a screening registry collecting data on all screening examinations, further assessments and final diagnoses at accredited programme centres, and 3) administrative databases of healthcare payers.

Superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles from solid-state synthesis - their functionalization towards peroral MRI contrast agent and magnetic carrier for trypsin immobilization.

Nearly monodispersed superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles (15-20nm) were prepared by a one-step thermal decomposition of iron(II) acetate in air at 400 degrees C. The presented synthetic route is simple, cost effective and allows to prepare the high-quality superparamagnetic particles in a large scale. The as-prepared particles were exploited for the development of magnetic nanocomposites with the possible applicability in medicine and biochemistry.