Possibilities of the utilization of char from the pyrolysis of tetrapak.

Since the cellulose used in the production of tetrapak is of very high quality, the char generated during pyrolysis should be influenced mainly by the pyrolysis temperature. This article aims to determine the chemical composition of biochar prepared at the temperatures of 400, 500, 600 and 700 °C and its environmental properties determined by the presence of organic compounds with toxicity and relatively high mobility in the environment. The analytical pyrolysis of char was used to identify the following groups of organic compounds: alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, cycloalkenes, alkynes, alkadiens, ethers, alcohols, nitrogen compounds, nitrils, ketones and aldehydes, compounds containing phenols, furans, benzofurans, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), carboxylic acids, compounds containing benzenes and markers indicative of the presence of synthetic polymers (polyethylene layers, a part of dyes, antioxidants, stabilizers), and fragments of cellulose. Concerning the use of char as a soil conditioner, its ecotoxicity was monitored (Folsomia candida) by monitoring its addition to the artificial soil (char addition: 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 50 and 100%). The lowest reproduction inhibition of Folsomia candida is caused by biochar prepared at the temperature of 400 °C and 700 °C, but it is not suitable for the agricultural application, the concentration of PAHs is three times higher than the EBC limit. Low-density polyethylene which is present in the aseptic box in concentration of 6%, can degrade biochar so that it cannot be used as a soil amendment. The results of the char analyses show that the pyrolysis temperature is a decisive factor in the applicability of biochar.

[Heart transplantation and infection]. / Transplantace srdce a infekce.

Heart transplantation (HTx) is a method of treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure with severe symptoms despite complex therapy. Post-transplant difficulties include acute rejection and infectious complications, which are the most common reason of morbidity and mortality in the first year after heart transplant. It requires the patient to remain on immunosuppressive medication to avoid the possibility of graft rejection. Therefore the range of infection is much larger. The diagnosis and treatment of viral, bacterial and fungal infections is often difficult.Key words: heart transplantation - immunosuppression - infection.

Neurosurgical treatment of cerebrovascular complications of heart surgeries and interventions.

AIM: Intracerebral haematoma and brain ischaemia are rare life-threatening complications of cardiovascular surgery. The aim of this study is to present the experience with the neurosurgical treatment of patients with cerebrovascular complications of heart surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with brain ischaemia or intracerebral haematoma in the acute phase after heart surgery or invasive intervention operated on between 2002 and 2011 were reviewed. There were 3 patients with middle cerebral artery infarction requiring decompressive craniectomy (2 males, 1 female; mean age 54.3 years) and 5 patients with intracerebral haematoma (3 males, 2 females; mean age 55 years). The type of surgery for intracerebral haematoma was selected individually preferring minimally invasive techniques: stereotactic aspiration (2 patients), neuroendoscopy (1 patient), stereotactic craniotomy (1 patient) or classical craniotomy (1 patient). RESULTS: The results of decompressive craniectomy were unsatisfactory: GOS 1, 3 and 4 in 1 patient each. The results of surgery for intracerebral haematoma were GOS 5 in 1 patient, GOS 4 in 2 patients, and lethal in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive neurosurgery techniques appear to be beneficial for selected patients with intracerebral haematoma after heart surgeries even when considering the limited number of patients. Decompressive craniectomy should be considered strictly individually.

[Surgical therapy of myocardial infarction]. / Místo chirurgické revaskularizace v lécbe akutního infarktu myokardu.

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been replaced by percutaneous coronary interventions in the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) nowadays. The surgical repair is the only option for mechanical complications of MI. The aim of our study was to assess the results of surgical treatment of MI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2012 one thousand nine hundred fifty nine patients were operated on at Centre of cardiovascular surgery and transplantations in Brno for coronary artery disease, 103 (5.3 %) of them suffered from acute MI. The interval between MI and operations was longer than 24 hours in more than half of the patients. Nineteen patients underwent PCI before operation, 32 were in cardiogenic shock with intraaortic balloon pump in 12, twelve patients were after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 18 were on ventilation. RESULTS: CABG alone was performed in 78 patients, in 25 patients mechanical complication of MI occurred; rupture of papillary muscle with mitral regurgitation in 8, rupture of interventricular septum in 11, rupture of free wall of left ventricle in 1 and evolving aneurysm of left ventricle in 5 patients. Several serious complications occurred in the postoperative period; disturbances of heart rhythm, syndrome of low cardiac output and pulmonary complications with the necessity of prolonged ventilation being the most frequent. Fourteen patients died during hospital stay (mortality 13.4 %). CONCLUSIONS: Patients after acute MI create the highest-risk group for surgical treatment. The reasons comprise serious preoperative status, delayed re-perfusion of ischemic area and serious hemodynamic effect of mechanical complications of MI. A lot of complications may occur during postoperative course and mortality is high. In the survivals the long term follow-up is promising.

Culture-negative infective endocarditis caused by Aerococcus urinae.

Aerococcus urinae is a rarely reported pathogen that often causes mild urinary tract infection (UTI), although serious complications such as endocarditis and septicemia have also been described. The organism may easily be missed or misidentified when using commercial detection systems. A. urinae is resistant to sulfonamides and, therefore, a typical treatment for UTI may be inappropriate. To date, 14 cases of A. urinae infective endocarditis (IE) have been reported, most of which were elderly males with predisposing conditions to UTI. Of these patients, eight died and 50% of survivors had severe neurological problems. The case is reported of blood culture-negative IE in a 69-year-old male. The patient recovered fully after undergoing aortic valve replacement and receiving a nine-day course of intravenous ceftriaxone, followed by peroral cefuroxime for the next 11 weeks. The causative agent was identified from the excised valve by bacterial broad-range PCR and direct sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.