Innate immunity based cancer immunotherapy: B16-F10 murine melanoma model.

Background: Using killed microorganisms or their parts to stimulate immunity for cancer treatment dates back to the end of 19 century. Since then, it undergone considerable development. Our novel approach binds ligands to the tumor cell surface, which stimulates tumor phagocytosis.

Pheochromocytoma: The First Metabolic Endocrine Cancer.

Dysregulated metabolism is one of the key characteristics of cancer cells. The most prominent alterations are present during regulation of cell respiration, which leads to a switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. This metabolic shift results in activation of numerous signaling and metabolic pathways supporting cell proliferation and survival.

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2α Mutation-Related Paragangliomas Classify as Discrete Pseudohypoxic Subcluster.

Recently, activating mutations of the hypoxia-inducible factor 2α gene (HIF2A/EPAS1) have been recognized to predispose to multiple paragangliomas (PGLs) and duodenal somatostatinomas associated with polycythemia, and ocular abnormalities. Previously, mutations in the SDHA/B/C/D, SDHAF2, VHL, FH, PHD1, and PHD2 genes have been associated with HIF activation and the development of pseudohypoxic (cluster-1) PGLs. These tumors overlap in terms of tumor location, syndromic presentation, and noradrenergic phenotype to a certain extent.

The effect of alfacalcidiol and metformin on phenotype manifestations in women with polycystic ovary syndrome - a preliminary study.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation in obese, insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient PCOS women on biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism and menstrual irregularity in comparison to effect of metformin or combined metformin plus vitamin D therapy. Thirty nine PCOS women were randomized into three groups and treated with alfacalcidiol (Group 1), combined alfacalcidiol and metformin therapy (Group 2) and metformin (Group 3) for 6 months. Serum TST, fTST, DHEAS, LH and LH/FSH were measured before and after six months of treatment.

The European Narcolepsy Network (EU-NN) database.

Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a rare disease with an estimated prevalence of 0.02% in European populations. Narcolepsy shares many features of rare disorders, in particular the lack of awareness of the disease with serious consequences for healthcare supply.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Slovak women with polycystic ovary syndrome and its relation to metabolic and reproductive abnormalities.

Objective: To investigate prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its relation to clinical, anthropometrical, and biochemical findings in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls.

Design: Case-control prospective observational study.

Settings: Department of Internal medicine, L.

The effect of coenzyme Q10 on morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure: results from Q-SYMBIO: a randomized double-blind trial.

Objectives: This randomized controlled multicenter trial evaluated coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as adjunctive treatment in chronic heart failure (HF).

Background: CoQ10 is an essential cofactor for energy production and is also a powerful antioxidant. A low level of myocardial CoQ10 is related to the severity of HF.

PPARGC1A and PPARG genotyping: beginner's guide to genotyping with unlabeled probes.

Amplicon melting and genotyping with unlabeled probes has become wide spread technique for SNP genotyping. In both methods PCR is performed with new generation of double-strand DNA binding dyes. Nucleic acid melting generates distinct melting curves that can be used to identify the presence of sequence variation within the amplicon.

Ovarian failure and polycystic ovary syndrome.

The human ovary is commonly the target of an autoimmune attack leading to the ovarian dysfunction which can be manifested as premature ovarian failure (POF), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), unexplained infertility as well as endometriosis. In case of POF, the evidence for an autoimmune etiology is based on the presence of lymphocytic oophoritis, autoantibodies to ovarian antigens and association with other autoimmune disorders, which was clearly documented in many studies. The search for antiovarian antibodies has been undertaken in numerous studies, especially in patients with POF, however their results are still conflicting particularly due to difference in laboratory methods as well as many ovarian components being potential antigens.

Relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Introduction: Hypercortisolism often leads to impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, changes in the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis become a matter of debate in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus/metabolic syndrome.

Patients, Materials, And Methods: Authors assessed the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and subclinical Cushing's syndrome occurrence in 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in comparison to 25 sex-, age-, and BMI-matched control nondiabetic subjects.

Nephrology and Doctors Honoris Causa at P. J. Safárik University in Kosice in the years 1993-2006 (Slovak Republic).

The authors present a brief history of the activities of 7 important and well-known foreign nephrologists in Kosice and in the region of Eastern Slovakia who were awarded the honorary title Doctor Honoris Causa by P. J. Safárik University in Kosice.

Quality of life and psychological well-being in patients with various pacing modes.

Aim: of the study was to assess the influence of different pacing modes on the quality of life (QOL), anxiety and depression.

Methods: QOL was assessed in 101 patients (58 men, mean age 69.39 +/- 14.

Dynamic changes of P-wave duration and P-wave axis during head-up tilt test in patients with vasovagal syncope.

Background: The exact role of venous pooling in the pathogenesis of vasovagal syncope (VVS) is not fully elucidated. P-wave duration on an electrocardiogram can serve as a measure of atrial volume.

Methods: Sixty-six patients (15 men, 51 women, mean age 32 years) with unexplained syncope were enrolled in the study.

Present possibilities of Q fever therapy.

The first-line therapy for acute Q fever is 14 to 21 days of doxycycline, or fluoroquinolones such as ofloxacin or pefloxacin. Clarithromycin is a potential effective alternative. Chronic Q fever, especially endocarditis, requires treatment for at least 18 months, with the preferred combination of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine.

The disease of Franz Kafka.

On June 3, 2004, 80 years have passed since the death of one of the greatest and the most important world writers of 20th century, the Prague German writer Franz Kafka. On November 5, 2004 we reminded that remarkable anniversary, which was also the 3rd anniversary of revelation of the monument of Franz Kafka in Tatranské Matliare, the High Tatras. Franz Kafka suffered from lung tuberculosis from 1917 until his death 1924.

A pilot study testing the genetic polymorphism of N-acetyltransferase 2 as a risk factor in lung cancer.

NAT2 as phase II enzyme is involved in the detoxification/activation of various drugs, environmental substances and carcinogenic compounds. A genotyping approach has been used to investigate NAT2 genotype with putative relevance in lung cancer in population of 110 Slovak-Caucasians patients and 167 non-malignant individuals from the same region. Slow acetylation was not observed to be a significant risk factor of lung cancer development (OR=1.

Q fever prevention and vaccination.

The simpliest way how to avoid the development and spreading of any infection, including Q fever in extenso, is prevention. The main principles of prevention are: educate the public on sources of infection, appropriately dispose of placenta, birth products, fetal membranes, and aborted fetuses at facilities housing sheep and goats, restrict access to barns and laboratories used in housing potentially infected animals, use only pasteurized milk and milk products, use appropriate procedures for bagging, autoclaving, and washing of laboratory clothing, quarantine imported animals, periodical monitoring of seroprevalence in cattle, sheeps and goats, vaccination of the risk groups etc. Four different basic types of Q fever vaccines have been developed: 1) live attenuated vaccines were derived from the Coxiella burnetii strain Grita in phase I of a highly reduced virulence but preserved immunogenicity, 2) highly purified corpuscular formalin-inactivated vaccine derived from the C.

105th birth anniversary of professor Frantisek Pór, M.D.

Professor Frantisek Pór, M.D., was one of the most remarkable physicians in Czechoslovakia.

Combined analysis of polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase M1 and microsomal epoxide hydrolase in lung cancer patients.

Many genes involved in the metabolism of carcinogens have been found to be polymorphic in the human population, and specific alleles are associated with increased risk of cancer at various sites. The etiology of most commonly occurring cancers cannot be explained by allelic variability at a single locus. A combined analysis of two polymorphic enzymes, glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1)) and their implication as lung cancer risk factors was performed in a case- control study of non small cell lung cancer.

Increased intracranial arterial resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: The majority of the studies investigating risk factors for stroke have focused on the atherosclerosis of extracranial carotid arteries. Risk factors for the involvement of intracranial arteries in patients with stroke have not been widely investigated so far. The pulsatility index reflects the vascular resistance of intracranial arteries and could therefore be used as an estimate of the severity of vascular damage.