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Hepatorenal syndrome is relatively common and potentially fatal complication of advanced cirrhosis. Identification of patients at risk is key as there are effective but costly, means of prevention and treatment. Serum sodium is an accessible, reliable and cheap test that could, in conjunction with liver function, provide very important information on the hepatorenal syndrome.

This study provides new information on the antimicrobial effects of selected natural substances against clinical isolates of Mycoplasma hominis about which very little is known. To date, only the inhibitory effects of three substances - oleuropein, hydroxythyrosol and tea tree oil against Mycoplasma hominis strains have been published. The results of this study indicate that for example cinnamon bark oil, carvacrol and eugenol might be considered as promising antimicrobial agents for the therapeutic treatment of mycoplasmal infection.

A review of the the literature has revealed the presence of a field with genetically altered cells that appear to be induced by tobacco (smoking/smokeless form). A large number of premalignant cells in the fields, may increase cancer risk.

This is a review of the physicochemical characteristics of SPIO particles. It includes animal and clinical studies and discusses the potential of SPIO particles for imaging cardiac inflammation and cardiac graft rejection.

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt may impair cardiac function and haemodynamics. Serum post-procedural GPBB concentration were increased and significantly correlated with baseline systemic vascular resistence and cardiac index.

This study analyzed the role of inferior alveolar neurovascular bundles in osteogenesis and vascularization of tissue-engineered bone. In particular, the model was established by separating inferior alveolar neurovascular bundles, which has rarely been reported. The findings are of great significance to future studies on the repair of large maxillary defects using tissue-engineered bones.

Innovative application of rheohaemapheresis technology and its effects on antioxidant capacity were studied in patients with age related macular degeneration. The character of the treatment raised the suspicion that there is decrease not only in cholesterol but also antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin A. Twenty-three patients with the progressive dry form of age-related macular degeneration treated with 8 procedures of rheohaemapheresis were studied. The results showed that rheohaemapheresis did not result in a negative antioxidant balance; Rrheohaemapheresis might have had favourable additive anti-atherogenic effects due to the relative increase in content of vitamin E in the lipoprotein fraction, in addition to causing a significant reduction in content of the atherogenic LDL.

It is the largest study on autoimmunity in PCOS patients with the widest spectrum of non organ specific autoantibodies to be examined to date. The authors found that the prevalence of non organ-specific autoantibodies in PCOS women was very low and similar or even lower than in healthy controls. They also found a slightly higher prevalence of thyroid autoimmuinity in PCOS women but this finding may have been related to the metabolic syndrome rather than to PCOS alone.

There is large body of evidence of metabolic syndrome development as a consequence of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenic patients. However, recently the schizophrenic phenotype per se was proven to contribute to the metabolic distortions. Similarly, this connection has been reported in depressed patients. This review maps inflammatory pathology as a common underlying cause of metabolic syndrome and psychiatric comorbidities. The paper also assesses possible gender differences.

Intermittent claudication in patients with long occlusion of the femoropopliteal segment is mainly treated conservatively but if this fails, a form of revascularization is indicated. The revascularization is currently achieved using two basic methods : surgical bypass or mini invasively by endovascular procedures. The authors compare the two approaches in order to to answer the question whether surgical bypass is still the best method of choice in an era of endovascular techniques.

This was an autopsy study carried out over two years, to determine the exact incidence of lung cancer, pulmonary emphysema and pleural effusion. The results showed that the above conditions occurred in more cases than are officially reported.

Background: In prostate cancer, early detection and appropriate treatment remain key approaches. But given the constantly increasing incidence, prostate cancer ethiopathogenetic determinants are a current focus of attention. Although the development of this cancer is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors which are as yet illdefined, genetic studies have revealed gene abnormalities which may be specifically associated with the risk of prostate cancer: changes in genes for the androgen receptor, RNAseL, ELAC2, MSR1, BRCA 1 and 2, HPCX, KLF6, HPC20 and fusion genes, e.g. TMPRSS2-ERG). Despite differing research results from molecular biological studies, these techniques can assist in earlier diagnosis enabling timely initiation of treatment. Methods: Methods and literature: MEDLINE search was performed to collect both original and review articles addressing prostate cancer and genetic risk factors using key words genetics, prostate cancer and risk. Conclusions: A number of potential genetic risk factors/markers has been identified which may in near future contribute to earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer so that earlier treatment can be started. Despite many promising data we have found differing results and therefore we suppose further research should be conducted to achieve more precise conclusion. This review focuses on current knowledge of the genetic factors affecting the development of prostate cancer.

Aims: A review of recent knowledge on heredital syndromes related to renal cell carcinoma. Methods: Aim of this review was to summarize the recent knowledge of genetic syndromes associated with renal cell carcinoma. Results: Summary of incidence and factors modulating risk of hereditary renal cell carcinoma development. Conclusions: Hereditary forms of RCC are relatively rare. Their study is beneficial in many ways. In individuals at a higher risk of a hereditary syndrome, the knowledge of hereditary forms may help to significantly decrease the impact of the hereditary disease. In the general population, knowledge acquired by the study of hereditary forms of RCC may in the future contribute to both diagnosis and treatment of sporadic tumours.

Background: Cholinesterases are a group of serine hydrolases that split the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) and terminate its action. Of the two types, butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), AChE plays the key role in ending cholinergic neurotransmission. Cholinesterase inhibitors are substances, either natural or man-made that interfere with the break-down of ACh and prolong its action. Hence their relevance to toxicology and pharmacology. Methods and Results: The present review summarizes current knowledge of the cholinesterases and their inhibition. Particular attention is paid to the toxicology and pharmacology of cholinesterase-related inhibitors such as nerve agents (e.g. sarin, soman, tabun, VX), pesticides (e.g. paraoxon, parathion, malathion, malaoxon, carbofuran), selected plants and fungal secondary metabolites (e.g. aflatoxins), drugs for Alzheimer's disease (e.g. huperzine, metrifonate, tacrine, donepezil) and Myasthenia gravis (e.g. pyridostigmine) treatment and other compounds (propidium, ethidium, decamethonium). Conclusions: The crucial role of the cholinesterases in neural transmission makes them a primary target of a large number of cholinesterase-inhibiting drugs and toxins. In pharmacology, this has relevance to the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

By combining both the enumeration of AgNORs and their size, good distinction can be made between normal, dysplastic and infiltrating squamous cell carcinomas. This could help in the early diagnosis and prognosis of dysplastic mucosal lesions and their malignant transformation.

Diabetes self-management is the cornerstone of effective diabetes care. A better understanding of variables pertinent to self-care behaviour in people with diabetes may provide valuable insight for diabetes educators regarding the multifaceted impact of this complex disease. The study investigated differences in self-care behaviours, treatment satisfaction, and quality of life in people on insulin treatment according to the structured educational programme in spe.

Apropos the major methanol poisoning outbreak that occurred in the Czech Republic recently, though there is no evidence that fomepizole is a more efficient antidote than ethanol, the study showed the rate of mortality in the most severely poisoned patients treated with fomepizole was no higher than the total hospital mortality rate at the time. The benefits of fomepizole were the indirect : no need to thoroughly monitor serum ethanol levels during hemodialysis in severely poisoned patients and less working overload on ICU doctors treating several poisoned patients simultaneously. This allowed for managing the most severely poisoned patients through the most critical phases, including the dialysis sessions where ethanol dosing is especially difficult. The authorsfound no adverse effects attributable to fomepizole but the possibility of delirium tremens in patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse has to be considered. The prevalence of visual and CNS sequelae of methanol poisonings can be underestimated due to the absence of follow-up prospective studies in patients who survive acute poisoning.

A simple method of pleural effusion volume quantification based on a single planar measurement on CT scan is devised. The described method is widely applicable in adult patients with free pleural effusion, easy to perform and appropriately accurate.

This article covers key information on the use of amino acids including how much in the context of nutritional support for ICU patients. It is a summary of the vital role of nutritional support. The research shows that inappropriate composition of amino acids and/or insufficient amounts contributes to malnutrition which may cause increased risk of morbidity and mortality in ICU settings.

In patients with proven unilateral overproduction of aldosterone, adrenalectomy can cure the hyperaldosteronism with a high probability and a positive effect on hypertension. The main aim of this retrospective study was to determine the effects of unilateral adrenalectomy on blood pressure and laboratory parameters in a cohort of 51 patients. Unilateral adrenalectomy had a positive effect in 82% of the patients and led to either blood pressure normalization or reduction of the antihypertensive medication. This study demonstrated a better effect of surgery on blood pressure in younger patiens.

The role of zinc-finger transcription factor Crz1 in hypoxic adaptation and cell wall integrity is described in the human pathogenic strictly aerobic basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. Whereas the role of various Crz1 homologues in cell wall integrity is well- known in other fungal species, this is the first time that its role in hypoxic adaptation has been documented, indicating a tight link between cell wall integrity, hypoxia and cell cycle slowdown/arrest in G2.

Hematopoietic stem cells in combination with portal vein embolization provides new insight into the solution of primary unresectable colorectal liver metastases. The authors present a case report describing successful use of a novel method.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a urologic malignancy with a steady rise in incidence and high mortality rate. Between 60 to 70% of patients with renal cell carcinoma can only be cured with surgery but despite advances in early diagnostis, in around 20-30% of cases there is metastasis. For these patients, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are ineffective and hence the prognosis is poor. Retinoids are biologically active compounds of either natural or synthetic origin that are involved in complex physiological and developmental processes in many tissues including cell proliferation and activation of tumour suppression genes. This article reviews the role of retinoids and their cognate nuclear retinoid/rexinoid receptors in relation to renal cell carcinoma. Methods: A literature search using ScienceDirect and Medline with a focus on the relationship between renal cell carcinoma and nuclear retinoid/rexinoid receptors. Results: Use of retinoids/rexinoids in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic RCC significantly prolongs median time of tumour progression and overall survival of patients. Combination therapy with other preparations has greater efficacy than treatment with retinoids alone. Patient survival can be predicted on the basis of the expression of different all-trans retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and 9-cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR) subtypes. Conclusions: Since nuclear retinoid receptors play a crucial role as ligand-activated, DNA binding, trans-acting, transcription-modulating proteins involved in a general molecular mechanism responsible for transcriptional responses in target genes, retinoids might be an alternative approach for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

The article deals with peripartum cardiomyopathy, a relatively rare disease, which is very likely in our region underdiagnosed. Increased awareness of the disease should contribute to its detection. The authors describe their own experience with the diverse clinical course of the disease. When properly diagnosed and treated it has a very good prognosis, and vice versa unrecognized or improperly treated can have fatal consequences.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial strains that are oxacillin and methicillin-resistant, historically termed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are resistant to all β-lactam agents, including cephalosporins and carbapenems. MRSA are pathogenic and have a number of virulence factors that enable them to result in disease. They are transmissible and important causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. An MRSA outbreak can occur when one strain is transmitted to other patients or through close contacts of infected persons in the community. Hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) isolates are also frequent causes of healthcare-associated bloodstream and catheter-related infections. Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) isolates are often only resistant to beta-lactam agents and erythromycin but they are an emerging cause of community-associated infections, ecpecially skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) and necrotizing pneumonia. METHODS: Current possibilities for detecting MRSA strains in the laboratory are reviewed and discussed in the context of the recent literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The active surveillance and prevention of MRSA occurence and spreading in hospitals are discussed in the context of recent literature.

A unique clinical study investigating the effects of preferential COX-2 in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration. The results suggest a possible neuroprotective effect of COX-2

Iterative reconstruction of cerebral CT examinations enables reduction of both effective and organ eye lens dose by one third compared to the standard filtered back projection, without signficant loss of image quality.

The technique of iterative CT image reconstruction is capable of a substantial reduction in both breast radiation dose and effective dose in pulmonary CT angiography. When compared to the standard filtered back projection, the lower radiation dose achieved with iterative image reconstruction was also associated with a significantly better objective and subjective image quality.

This is the first study to describe the high prevalence of isolated exercise-only induced heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) reaching 58% in a cohort of 81 post-heart transplant patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction. This finding explains their low exercise tolerance due to exertional dyspnea and/or fatigue. Of the noninvasive parameters obtained at rest, multivariate regression analysis identified left ventricular mass index adjusted for allograft age to be an independent predictor of exercise-induced HFNEF.

This is a review of recent data on the most widely-spread chromosomal rearrangements in human prostate carcinomas with focus on on the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications of the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion.