[Cognitive impairments and microvascular endothelial dysfunction in unilateral occlusion of the carotid artery]. / Kognitivnye narusheniia i disfunktsiia éndoteliia mikrososudov pri unilateral'noi okkliuzii sonnoi arterii.

OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed at determining cognitive impairments, vascular endothelial dysfunction and morphofunctional alterations of neurons in brain structures (neocortex and hippocampus) in unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery in albino rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out on Wistar albino rats. The animals were divided into two groups: group 1 - the control group composed of sham-operated rats and group 2 - the study group consisting of rats with cerebral ischaemia. The model of cerebral ischaemia was reproduced by occlusion of the left common carotid artery. Cognitive functions in rats were assessed by means of the object recognition test and conditioned passive avoidance response (CPAR). The degree of vascular endothelial dysfunction was evaluated by the number of circulating endotheliocytes and concentration of end products of nitric oxide - nitrites in blood plasma. Pathomorphological studies of the brain and morphometric analysis of the number of damaged neurons after ischaemic exposure were carried out by means of light microscopy. RESULTS: It was determined that unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery in rats resulted in memory impairment revealed by the object recognition test and CPAR (p≤0.05). Cerebral ischaemia induced an elevated level of circulating endotheliocytes and a decrease in end products of nitric oxide - nitrates as compared with the controls (p≤0.05). Morphological study demonstrated signs of vasoconstrictive reactions, microvascular endothelial oedema, as well as an increase in the proportion of damaged neurons localized in the fronto-bregmatic region of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres and hippocampus on the ipsilateral side (p≤0.05). CONCLUSION: Unilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery in albino rats resulted in cognitive impairments, damage of neurons in the most vulnerable areas of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres and hippocampus predominantly on the ipsilateral side. Cognitive impairments and ischaemic lesions of the brain structures are induced by endothelial dysfunction, enhanced desquamation of endotheliocytes and prevalence of vasoconstrictive reactions resulting from decreased production of the major vasorelaxing factor - nitric oxide.

[Atypical maxillofacial shot wound]. / Atypické strelné poranenie maxilofaciálnej oblasti.

Maxillofacial shot wounds belong to the relatively less frequent injuries. The soft tissues might be affected in particular, however the most of injuries are combined with infliction of hard tissues. Shot wounds by the bow or crossbow are very rare. They might result as a consequence of either accident or suicide. In the literature some cases of a suicidal experiments had been published, all of these cases were due to arrow from the crossbow. There was no injury being documented due to arrow from the bow. The authors present a case of maxillofacial injury done by shoot of arrow from the bow in the course of a child's play.

[Scintigraphic detection of osteoblast activity after implantation of BAS-0 bioactive glass-ceramic material into long bone defects]. / Scintigrafické vysetrení osteoblastické aktivity po implantaci bioaktivního sklokeramického materiálu BAS-0 do defektu dlouhých kostí.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to demonstrate, by three-phase bone scintigraphy, radionuclide uptake at the site of defects in long bones filled with the non-resorbable bioactive glass-ceramic material BAS-0 at a long follow-up. MATERIAL: Twenty patients, 14 men and 6 women, operated on between 1990 and 2000 for benign bone tumors or tumor-like lesions localized in the femur, tibia or humerus were comprised in the study. Their average age at the time of operation was 14 years (range, 8 to 24). The diagnoses based on histological examination included juvenile bone cysts in 11, aneurysmal bone cyst in five, non-ossifying fibroma in two, and fibrous dysplasia in two patients. The lesions were localized in the femur, humerus and tibia in 11, five and four patients, respectively. The metaphysis was affected in eight and the diaphysis in 12 patients. METHODS: Clinical, radiological and scintigraphic examinations were carried out at 2 to 12 years (7 years on average) after surgery. The clinical evaluation included subjective complaints and objective findings. Radiographs were made in standard projections and the osteo-integration of glass-ceramic material was investigated. Three-phase bone scans were made and the healthy and the affected limbs in each patient were compared by means of an index. Radionuclide uptake was considered normal when the index value was equal to 1.0, mildly increased at an index value of 1.2, moderately increased at 1.2-1.5 and markedly increased at an index value higher than 1.5. RESULTS: The clinical evaluation showed that, in the patients with glass-ceramic filling of metaphyses, six had no subjective complaints and two reported transient pain. In the patients with implants in diaphyses, subjective complaints were recorded in nine and no complaints in three patients. No inflammatory changes in soft tissues were found. No restriction in weightbearing of the limb treated was reported by any of the patients. On radiography, 18 patients were free from any disease residue or recurrence. Two patients had a residual defect. The bioactive glass-ceramic material BAS-0 was completely incorporated in all patients. On three-phase bone scans, radionuclide distribution on the flow phase and soft tissue phase was symmetrical in both limbs of all patients. For the metaphyseal location of implants, the delayed images demonstrated physiological radionuclide distribution in one patient, mildly increased distribution (index up to 1.2) in four, increased uptake (index up to 1.5) in two patients, and highly increased uptake (index above 1.5) in one patient. For the diaphyseal location of implants, the delayed scans demonstrated slightly increased radionuclide distribution in two, markedly increased in two and highly increased uptake in eight patients. DISCUSSION: The tissue during incorporation of a non-resorbable synthetic material is influenced by stress-shielding. This changes local mechanical signals, which has a negative effect on the adjacent bone tissue. Stress accumulating at the interface of a rigid implant and bone tissue may result in pain, and is detected by scintigraphy as an increased nucleotide uptake, particularly in diaphyseal grafts. CONCLUSIONS: This paper presents problems associated with implantation of the non-resorbable bioactive glass-ceramic material BAS-0 in the treatment of diaphyseal defects of long bones. The results show that, for filling of the defects described herein, non-resorbable glass-ceramic materials are not suitable.

Selective medium for primary isolation of members of the tribe Proteeae.

A selective Proteeae medium (SPM) for isolation and preliminary detection of species of genera Proteus, Morganella, and Providencia was evaluated. The SPM contains tryptose phosphate agar with phenolphthalein monophosphate (as substrate for phosphatase activity), bile salts and polymyxin B (as inhibitors). The selectivity of the SPM was tested by the ecometric method of quality assurance of culture media. Fourteen reference cultures of enterobacteria and fifty-four strains of Proteeae were tested for their absolute growth index (AGI). Ninety-five percent of tested Proteeae strains display an AGI above 2.5. The detected phosphatase activity proved to be able to discriminate colonies of members of the tribe Proteeae. The ability of SPM for primary isolation of members of Proteeae was tested on food and clinical material and 94 strains were isolated. In addition, the SPM was employed in routine practice of clinical microbiology. From 1016 clinical samples (stool, urine, vaginal and urethral swabs), 57 strains of Proteeae were detected by the SPM in contrast to 35 strains by the routine procedure. The difference amounts to nearly 40%.

[Monitoring the incorporation of bioactive glass ceramics in the area of the acetabulum after surgical revision of the hip joint arthroplasty by scintigraphy.]. / Sledování postupu vhojování bioaktivní sklokeramiky v okolí acetabula po revizní operaci endoprotézy kycle pomocí scintigrafie.

The authors investigated changes of osteoblastic activity at the site of a reconstructed defect of the acetabulum after aseptic loosening of a total endoprosthesis of the hip joint by administration of an osteotropic radiopharmaceutical preparation, methylendiphosphonate, labelled with 99mTc. The defect of the acetabulum was filled with bioactive glass ceramic material BAS-0 (Lasak Co., Prague) in the shape of dense granules 4-8 mm in size and a metal antiprotrusion basket. Into the reconstructed acetabulum a new polyethylene socket of the endoprosthesis was implanted. Examination by the two-head camera Helix of Elscint Co. was performed within two weeks after operation. Healing in the described group of ten patients was without complications, after three months the patients burdened the operated joint partly, after six months they burdened it by half their weight and after another three months by their whole weight. Immediately after operation the metabolic acitivity in the vicinity of the defect exceded the reference activity of normal bone by 50% The authors discuss possibilities and advantages of the mentioned examination in investigations of the incorporation and function of glass ceramic prostheses of osseous tissue. Key words: bioactive glass ceramics, scintigraphy, osteotropic radiopharmaceutical preparation, 99mTc methylendiphosphonate, reconstruction of acetabular defect.

[Cysts and pseudocysts of the spleen in children]. / Cysty a pseudocysty sleziny u detí.

A cyst in the upper pole of the spleen was diagnosed in three children. In all the pole of the spleen was resected -in two instances it contained a cyst, in one a pseudocyst. The postoperative course was without complications. All patients had scintigraphic check-up examinations, in all three instances functional lienal tissue was found which did not differ much as to its size from that of a normal spleen. In cysts situated in the splenic pole the authors consider partial resection of the affected portion of the spleen as the optimal surgical method. In cysts of other portions of the spleen it would be better to select a different surgical procedure, e.g. enucleation of the cysts, partial decapsulation of the cyst or percutaneous puncture of the cyst combined, if necessary, with sclerotization.

[Identification of Citrobacter species and their occurrence in raw products and foods]. / Identifikace druhu rodu Citrobacter a jejich výskyt v surovinách a potravinách.

Fifty-nine strains of bacteria were tested in study that were isolated from raw materials and foods (raw milk, farm milking parlors, sausage meat, raw potatoes, cheese, frozen oven-ready foods, confectionery products, cold dishes), and they were included in the genus Citrobacter using a commercial diagnostic kit ENTEROtest 16 (Lachema a.s., Brno), numeric identification program TNW (Czech Collection of Microorganisms, Faculty of Science of Masaryk University at Brno) and identification key (O'Hara et al., 1995). The results of the ENTEROtest itself, including OXI and ONPtests, did not provide satisfactory discrimination of detected strains to the level of species since 64.4% were identified by the genus by TNW program or designated as intermediary strains. Correct species identification was obtained in 33.9% only (Tab. I). Five next conventional tests (dulcitol, alpha-methyl-glucoside, raffinose, melibiose, arginine dihydrolase) were used and their results successfully specified 94.9% tested strains to the species level (Tab. I). A dichotomic identification key (O'Hara et al., 1995) enabled to classify the strains on the basis of the results of ENTEROtest 16 and two conventional tests (dulcitol, melibiosis) relatively easily, and it can be recommended for routine identification of typical Citrobacters from foods. Only ten strains were classified in a wrong way (16.9%) due to false results in ENTEROtest (Tab. II). Tab. III shows the strains classified wrongly by both identifications systems. The tested set contained Citrobacter braakii in a majority of cases (30 strains), followed by C. freundii (17 strains), C. youngae (6 strains), 2 strains of genomospecies 10 and one strain of C. koseri, C. amalonaticus and C farmeri. Tab. IV shows the presence of Citrobacter species in the particular raw materials and foods. The most frequently present species in raw materials: C. braakii (26 strains, 68.4%), C. freundii (3 strains, 7.9%) and C. youngae (3 strains, 7.9%). Foods contained these three species only: C. freundii (14 strains, 66.7%), C. braakii (4 strains, 19.0%) and C. youngae (3 strains, 14.3%). The percentage of the three most frequently present species in raw materials is substantially different from their percentage in foods (Fig. 1). The higher percentage of C. freundii presence in foods can be ascribed to secondary contamination.

[The NEFERM test in the identification of psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from milk and dairy products]. / Uplatnení NEFERM-testu v identifikaci psychrotrofních bakterií izolovaných z mléka a mlécných výrobku.

Sanitary and nutriti on quality of foods from animal sources, that means also of milk and dairy products, are significantly influenced by the presence of psychrotrophic bacteria, the lipolytic and proteolytic activity of which contributes to their nutritive and sensory changes. This applies particularly to psychrotrophic bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Alcaligenes and Flavobacterium (Muir and Phillips, 1984; Piton and Richard, 1985; Craven and Macauley, 1990). These bacteria cause raw and pasteurized milk to turn bitter and gelatinize, and/or technological problems during processing. In the present paper the possible use of NEFERM-test and numerical identification system TNW was verified for identification psychrotrophic, nonfermentative bacteria isolated from milk and dairy products. This research is a continuation of our preceding work (Urbanová and Pácová, 1995) dealing with identification of these bacteria in poultry. The test comprised 35 psychrotrophic, gram-negative, oxidase-positive nonfermentative bacteria isolated from raw milk (30 strains) and hard cheeses (5 strains). A commercial diagnostic kit NEFERM-test (Lachema a.s., Brno) and respective conventional methods were parallelly used for identification: the conventional methods were complemented by assays of oxidase (OXI) and beta-galactosidase (ONPG) using of commercial strips Lachema a.s. Additional tests were as follows: gelatin and Tween 80 hydrolysis, fluorescein production. The readings of yellow or orange pigment production were also applied. A numerical identification system TNW was used to process the results (Czech Collection of Microorganisms, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno). Correct identification of bacteria by means of commercial diagnostic kits depends particularly upon the high goodness of fit of the results obtained by conventional tests in relation to those obtained by commercial kits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The NEFERM-Test for identification of psychrotrophic bacteria in food]. / Uplatnení NEFERM-testu v identifikaci psychrotrofních bakterií izolovaných z potravin.

Identification of gramnegative nonfermentative bacteria by traditional methods requires much labor and time consumption. Therefore in this study we tested the use of an available commercial diagnostic kit and processing of its results by computerized numerical identification systems. Identification involved 83 gramnegative, psychotrophic, nonfermentative, oxidase-positive bacteria isolated from just slaughtered and deep-frozen chickens. The strains were isolated from primary cultures in Psedomonas F and Endo agar, Violet Red Bile agar (IMUNA, OXOID) and King B agar (King et al., 1954), under two cultivation regimes (room temperature for three days and 7 degrees C for 10 days). A commercial kit for diagnostics of nonfermentative bacteria in clinical microbiology under the name NEFERM-test (Lachema a.s., Brno) containing 12 biochemical assays was used for strain identification: GLU, AGR, IND, ESL, SCI, PHS, URE, MAN, XYL, MLT, LAC, NIT. All these assays were conducted parallelly by traditional methods. Additional tests involved the use of OXI and ONPG commercial strips (Lachema a.s., Brno), gelatin and Tween 80 hydrolysis (Pácová and Kocur, 1984) and fluorescein production (King et al., 1954). These identification systems were used to process the results of tests; index and differentiation table (Lachema a.s., Brno) and numerical computerized systems TNW (Czech Collection (Z. Svoboda, Jihlava). Various shortened procedures, identification keys and systems are used to speed up identification of gramnegative nonfermentative bacteria. Available commercial identification kits (API NE20) in form of microassay have been developed particularly for diagnostics of bacteria from clinica materials, which applies to NEFERM-test of the Czech make.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Blunt injury of the kidney--personal experience and present views on its therapy]. / Tupá poranení ledvin--vlastní zkusenosti a soucasné názory na jejich lécbu.

Between 1972 to 1994 there were admitted 105 patients with blunt trauma of the kidney, 89 men and 16 women with median age 32 years. In 53 patients the left kidney was affected and in 52 of them the right side was injured. According to the grade of trauma we evaluated in 77 patients a contusion (73.3%), by 16 patients a laceration (15.2%), in 11 patients a rupture of the kidney with fragmentation of the parenchyma and in one the renal artery was injured. The mechanism leading to the blunt trauma of the kidney was following: traffic accident in 52 patients (49.5%), during sport in 20 patients (19.5%). 16 patients were injured in own home (9.5%) and 7 patients in work (6.7%). In 28 patients the trauma of the kidney was serious, by 5 of them we have done nephrectomy (17.8%), in two suture of the parenchyma (7.1%) and in further two patients heminephrectomy. After considering clinical status, grade of hypovolemic shock and finding on CT scan we prefer lately conservative steps in the treatment serious trauma of the kidney.

[A computerized numerical identification system for the diagnosis of bacteria isolated from raw animal food products]. / Pocítacové numerické identifikacní systémy v diagnostice baktérií izolovaných z zivocisných surovin.

Acceleration of bacteria identification and certain standardization of results in clinical, and also veterinary and food microbiology is enabled by use of commercial diagnostic sets and computer processing of their results. In the present paper, 80 bacterial strains isolated from animal sources in the department of food hygiene were used for assessment of two numerical identification systems (TNW and IDENTI). They were isolated from primary cultures on End's, meat-peptone and blood agar (Imuna, HI-Media) under different culture regimes (37 degrees C/24 h, laboratory temperature/3 days, 7 degrees C/10 days). A commercial diagnostic set ENTEROtest 1 and 2 (Lachema a.s., Brno, Czech Republic) was used for the purposes of diagnostics of gram-negative fermenting, oxidase-negative bacteria. Testing was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions by the culture of isolated strain. The test results were read continually after 6-hour (sugars) and 24-hour cultivation. Each strain was tested three times. Additional tests--oxidase, catalase, yellow pigment production. These commercial numerical identification systems were compared: IDENTI (supplied by Z. Svoboda, Jihlava; Lachema a.s., Brno) TNW (supplied by the Czech Collection of Microorganisms, Brno) Out of the total number of 80 isolated gram-negative bacteria 77 (96.25%) strains were, classified into the genera by both numerical systems. This result is in agreement with the percentage of identified strains by means of foreign commercial sets and numerical systems, which ranges from 93 to 99% in bacteria isolated from foods (Cox and Mercuri, 1979).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Identification of reference strains of intestinal bacteria using the TNW, IDENTI and NIS 86 numeric identification systems]. / Identifikace referencních kmenu strevních baktérií numerickými identifikacními systémy TNW, IDENTI a NIS 86.

A total of 176 reference strains including 63 species of Enterobacteriaceae mainly of clinical origin were tested by commercial diagnostic kits ENTEROtest 1 & 2. The identification efficacy in both systems TNW and IDENTI was nearly in agreement 144 (81.8%), 142 (80.7%) respectively correctly identified strains. The NIS 86 system identified only 54 (30.7%) strains correctly.

[A rapid method of detecting psychrotrophic bacteria in raw milk]. / Zrychlená metoda stanovení psychrotrofních baktérií v syrovém mléce.

Determination of the counts of psychrotrophic bacteria offers an important indicator of the technological quality of purchased raw milk, and also an indicator of the hygienic level of its production in agricultural primary production, particularly with respect to the sanitation of milking machines. The applied and published methods of determination of the counts of psychrotrophic microbial contaminants have revealed large differences, multiplied by insufficient legislation in this country, by vague and even wrong definition of the given group of bacteria, and/or by the misuse of the concepts psychrotrophic and psychrophil bacteria. Since the level of the microbial quality of raw milk should be increased, we investigated and developed convenient methods of determination of psychrotrophic bacterium counts in the last years (Urbanová et al., 1988; Urbanová, in print): these methods should facilitate the reasonable control applying an expeditious procedure. A long incubation time of standard procedure is a disadvantage complicating the practical use of the previous procedure (10 days at a temperature of 7 degrees C). An accelerated procedure of psychotrophic bacterium cultivation to determine their counts in raw milk is described in this paper. After thorough stirring, a raw milk sample is diluted with sterile physiological solution (pH 7.2) pursuant to the standard CSN 57 0101. The dilutions 10(-2), 10(-3), 10(-4) were the most convenient for inoculation when the counts of psychrotrophic contaminants were determined in raw milk. The dilutions 10(-3), 10(-4), 10(-5) were inoculated if higher milk contaminations were expected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Hexakis, (t-butylisonitryl/technetium, 99mTc-TBI), a cold-focal cardiac radiopharmaceutic agent and its distribution in the body]. / Studenoloziskové srdecní radiofarmakon Hexakis (t-Butylisonitryl/Technetium (99mTc-TBI) a jeho distribuce v organismu.

The distribution of coldfocal cardiopharmacological substance 99mTc-TBI has been studied on a total of 14 dogs in relation to the healthy heart tissue. The quality heart scan resulted from the use of 99mTc-TBI. It may be performed 30 min after the administration of mentioned substance, when its blood activity is smaller than 10% activity of myocardium From the other organs, the myocardium scan may be influenced negatively with only liver which achieves 200% activity of left heart ventricle what is evidently consequential in worse imaging of "lower" ischemic lesions. These results justify us to conclude that the 99mTc-TBI is a substance suitable for scintigraphical imaging of myocardium.

[Scintigraphic imaging of the heart in dogs damaged by irradiation]. / Scintigrafické zobrazení srdce psu poskozeného zárením.

The paper verified literature data assuming that the heart damage caused by irradiation of thorax may be scintigraphically detected by means of 99mTc-pyrophosphate. Three dogs underwent a single irradiation of thorax with a gamma cobalt source by the Dose 40 Gy. The myocardium scan was performed 24 hours, 20 days, 50 days, 80 days and 93 days after the irradiation. The scintigraphic examination proved to be negative at all the intervals observed. A comparison of the scan with morphological findings and with radioactivity of tissue samples after the dogs were sacrificed 93 days after the irradiation proved that the negativity of the pyrophosphate scintigraphy was caused by a minimum damage of the myocardium and not by an inability of 99mTc-pyrophosphate to be incorporated into radiation lesions. The data in literature on myocardium damage by irradiation appear to be considerably exaggerated.

[The pathophysiologic basis for the incorporation of 99mTc-pyrophosphate into myocardial infarct]. / Príspevek k patofyziologické podstate inkorporace 99mTc-pyrofosfátu do srdecního infarktu.

The investigation studied the relation of 99mTc-pyrophosphate incorporation (99mTc-PYP) into experimental, 48-hours old myocardial infarction in dogs to tissue vascular supply and to the extent of necrotic tissue. The experimental myocardial infarction was induced in five animals during an operation by the ligation RIVA. The myocardial blood supply was measured in tissue samples, taken from transverse sections of the infarction by means of 86Rb captation. The extent of myocytolysis was measured by depletion of tissue creatine kinase (CK). In the subendocardial layer of the infarction it became obvious that 99mTc-PYP incorporation was proportional to the decrease of tissue blood supply. No relation between the extent of necrosis and the incorporation of the radioactive chemical was demonstrated. The accumulation of 99mTc-PYP requires the necrosis to be present, but its extent apparently does not influence the intensity of incorporation. In the subepicardial infarction layer there was neither a relation of the radioactive chemical cumulation to the blood flow, nor to the extent of the necrosis proved.

Effect of different oxygen concentrations in the gas phase on biochemical activities of goat mammary tissue in organ culture.

Non-secretory mammary explants from virgin goats showed higher RNA and protein synthesis in a low O2 gas phase (air) than in high O2 (95% O2). Lipid and casein synthesis was not affected significantly by the concentration of O2 in the atmosphere during culture. On the other hand, the more developed mammary tissue from primigravid goats showed higher lipid, casein and protein synthesis in 95% O2. The relative response of mammary tissue to hormones was not substantially different when cultured in the presence of a low or high O2 gas phase. As Hepes-buffered medium was found not to need a supply of CO2 to maintain the correct pH and as Hepes did not interfere with biochemical activities of cells, it is recommended to use it for cultures in a low O2 gas phase.

99mTc-aminohexylidendiphosphonate and 99mTc-pyrophosphate in the scintigraphic diagnosis of experimental myocardial infarction in dogs.

99mTc-aminohexylidendiphosphonate (99mTc-AHDP) is a new Czechoslovak pharmaceutical of the phosphonate line which contains the amino group NH2 in its molecule. This substance was tested in 5 dogs with experimentally provoked 48-h old myocardial infarction. The in-vivo scan and the radioactivity of tissue samples demonstrated that 99mTc-AHDP is as suitable for imaging acute myocardial infarction as is the commonly used 99mTc-pyrophosphate.