Magnetized plasma implosion in a snail target driven by a moderate-intensity laser pulse.

Optical generation of compact magnetized plasma structures is studied in the moderate intensity domain. A sub-ns laser beam irradiated snail-shaped targets with the intensity of about 10 W/cm. With a neat optical diagnostics, a sub-megagauss magnetized plasmoid is traced inside the target.

Synchronizing single-shot high-energy iodine photodissociation laser PALS and high-repetition-rate femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser system.

A system of precise pulse synchronization between a single-shot large-scale laser exploiting an acousto-optical modulator and a femtosecond high repetition rate laser is reported in this article. This opto-electronical system has been developed for synchronization of the sub-nanosecond kJ-class iodine photodissociation laser system (Prague Asterix Laser System-PALS) with the femtosecond 25-TW Ti:sapphire (Ti:Sa) laser operating at a repetition rate 1 kHz or 10 Hz depending on the required energy level of output pulses. At 1 kHz synchronization regime, a single femtosecond pulse of duration about 45 fs and a small energy less than 1 mJ are exploited as a probe beam for irradiation of a three-frame interferometer, while at 10 Hz repetition rate a single femtosecond pulse with higher energy about 7-10 mJ is exploited as a probe beam for irradiation of a two-channel polaro-interferometer.

Population age structure and the cost of municipal waste collection. A case study from the Czech Republic.

Waste management is a common public service whose provision is the responsibility of local governments. As is usual with public services, the question of its efficiency naturally arises. The majority of studies focus on such efficiency from the perspective of the provider.

Serum leptin in the development of insulin resistance and other disorders in the metabolic syndrome.

The metabolic syndrome mostly represented by obesity and hyperinsulinaemia connected with insulin resistance, presents the main mechanism in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the interrelations between several metabolic variables (including leptin) and factors related to insulin resistance in groups of both normal and non-diabetic hyperlipemic postmenopausal women and men of appropriate age, and to attempt to elucidate the gender differences. Two groups of patients (20 men, 20 women) with hypertriglyceridemia were compared with 30 individuals (10 men, 20 women) with normal serum triacylglycerols.

TNF-alpha in the development of insulin resistance and other disorders in metabolic syndrome.

Insulin resistance and obesity are very frequent disorders and are described as the dominant risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the interrelations between several metabolic variables (including TNF-alpha) and factors related to insulin resistance in groups of both normal and hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women and men of appropriate age, and to attempt to elucidate the gender differences. The study was carried out on 70 out-patients of the Metabolic Center.

[Tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNFalpha) and insulin resistance].

Obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2 belong among the most frequent illnesses and are categorized among the dominant risk factors for cardiovascular disease in all developed countries. There is a causal relation between insulin resistance and the origin of these risk factors of the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Numerous studies have attemted to identify the mechanisms linking obesity with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

[PPARs: the role in glucose and lipid homeostasis, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis].

This review deals with general mechanisms of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) functions, describes the mode of action of various PPAR subtypes in different tissues and their participation in transcription of genes governing lipid and glucose homeostasis. The hypothetic role of free fatty acids in mediating metabolic effects of PPARs, their role in insulin resistance and genetic studies highlighting the ligand-independent activation and post-translational modification of PPARgamma are disscussed in details. A possible role for PPARs in atherosclerosis, especially in connection with macrophage function in this process, is also explained.

Gender differences in tumor necrosis factor alpha and leptin secretion from subcutaneous and visceral fat tissue.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and leptin concentrations were determined in the abdominal subcutaneous and visceral (omental) adipose tissue of patients undergoing elective open-abdominal surgery and compared with their body mass index. The concentration of leptin did not differ significantly between women and men, being high in subcutaneous fat tissue and low in visceral fat tissue. TNFalpha concentration in subcutaneous fat tissue was approximately the same in both genders, but it was significantly lower in visceral fat tissue of women and unchanged in visceral fat tissue of men.

Gender differences in factors influencing insulin resistance in elderly hyperlipemic non-diabetic subjects.

Background: The increase in the prevalence of insulin resistance-related metabolic syndrome, a disorder that greatly increases the risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke, is alarming. One of the most frequent and early symptoms of metabolic syndrome is hypertriglyceridemia. We examined the gender differences between various metabolic factors related to insulin resistance in elderly non-diabetic men and postmenopausal women of comparable age suffering from hypertriglyceridemia, and compared them with healthy subjects of equal age.

Detection of insulin resistance by simple quantitative insulin sensitivity check index QUICKI for epidemiological assessment and prevention.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the recently defined simple insulin sensitivity check index QUICKI (Katz et al. 2000) for insulin resistance diagnostics in common clinical and epidemiological practice. Both the QUICKI (1/log insulin + log glycemia in mg/dL) and HOMA (insulin * glycemia in micromol/L/22.

Serum leptin and leptin receptors in healthy prepubertal children: relations to insulin resistance and lipid parameters, body mass index (BMI), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), heart fatty acid binding protein (hFABP), and IgG anticardiolipin (ACL-IgG).

In a group of randomly selected 29 healthy prepubertal children (16 boys, mean age 9.56 +/- 0.7 years, 13 girls, mean age 9.

[Leptin in persons with simple obesity].

Obesity is a disease with distinct genetic determination and its phenotype is defined by the still unknown number of genes whose expression can be influenced by environmental factors. Several years ago, "obesity gene" was isolated in animals. This gene, coding protein which consists of 165 amino acids, is called leptin.

[Personal experience in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy in metabolic disorders with risk of crystallization in patients with recurrent urolithiasis].

A ten-year experience with diagnosis and therapy of metabolic abnormalities and crystallization risks in patients with recurrent urolithiasis is presented. Since 1985, more than 900 persons with recurrent urolithiasis have been examined at the Metabolic Centre of the Hospital in Sternberk. The patients were examined routinely at ambulance or during hospitalization; the examination consisted of repeated urine and blood collections after the diet with various content of calcium and salt.

[Use of etofyllinclofibrate (Duolip Forte) in combined hyperlipidemia].

Background: Duolip forte (ethophyllinclofibrate) is a lipid lowering drug, the effect of which was not yet adequately verified in our conditions, namely from the point of its effect on various types of hyperlipoproteinaemias.

Method And Results: The therapy was applied on 45 patients with combined hyperlipidaemia, 25 men and 20 women, mean age 53.8 years (age range 41-65).

Serum lipoprotein fatty acid patterns in various types of familiar combined hyperlipidemia.

The relative content of various fatty acids in serum lipoproteins was determined in patients with type IIa (38), IIb (49) and IV (77) of hyperlipoproteinemia and compared with 52 controls. Significant changes were found in hyperlipoproteinemia associated with hypertriglyceridemia (type IV) but not in "pure" hypercholesterolemia (type IIa). In all lipoprotein fractions (VLDL, LDL, HDL) in type IV of hyperlipoproteinemia the increased oleic and linolenic acid proportions were found, while proportions of linoleic, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids were decreased.

Unsaturated fatty acids incorporated in HDL in hypo- and hyperalphalipoproteinemia--relation to the HDL-cholesterol level.

Proportions of unsaturated fatty acids of high density lipoprotein (HDL) lipids and their relationships to the HDL-cholesterol level were compared in hypo- and hyperalphalipoproteinemic subjects. Both groups did not differ in the level of serum cholesterol. However, hypoalphalipoproteinemia was associated with hypertriglyceridemia, higher HDL-triacylglycerol level, and higher proportion of HDL-18:1 (oleic acid) and lower proportions of HDL-18:2 (linoleic acid) and 20:4 (arachidonic acid) than hyperalphalipoproteinemia.

Fatty acids in lipids of nasoethmoidal polyps.

In 29 samples of recurrent nasoethmoidal polyps removed from 11 patients, the relative fatty acids composition was established by means of gas chromatography. Four samples of nasal mucosa of patients without polyps were subjected to the same procedure. A significant increase in the content of linoleic acid (18:2, n-6) as well as in the index "linoleic acid/oleic acid" was found.