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The authors have dispensarized for more than ten years HBsAg carriers at the Second Medical Clinic of the Olomouc Faculty Hospital when antigenaemia was detected during blood donorship. Since 1990 the authors dispensarize also women where HBs antigenaemia was revealed during pregnancy. In the presented paper the authors analyze this group of women. In 1990-1991 the authors examined blood samples for HBsAg from 12,042 symptom-free pregnant women. HBsAg positivity was proved in 34 women (0.28%). Eleven women (32.3%) are regularly followed up since delivery. The authors know nothing about the fate of 10 women (29.4%), as they did not respond to repeated invitations to the surgery. It must be however mentioned that 6 of them are Vietnamese and probably left Czechoslovakia. Four women (11.7%) did not attend the clinic for examination but the authors know that they were delivered of their babies elsewhere. In the remainder, i.e. 8 women the delivery was normal, usually in term. The neonates were passively as well as actively immunized at the appropriate dates. Their umbilical blood (if collected) was HBsAg positive, while the venous blood was in all instances negative. All 20 women who attended examination were throughly examined (ultrasound, HBeAg, HBeAb etc.) and the clinical picture is that of a "healthy" HBsAg carrier (not verified by histological examination).

The expression of blood group antigens A, B, H, T-antigen and CEA was determined in tissue samples of polyps of the rectosigmoideum removed by endoscopic polypectomy. On average 39 months later, during colonoscopic examination bioptic samples were removed at the site of previous polypectomy and the expression of the same tumour markers as previously was determined. In contrast to literary data, the cellular expression of blood group antigens was demonstrated only in one case out of seven adenomas of the rectosigmoideum. On the other hand, cellular expression of blood group antigen B was found in 6 cases at the site of previous polypectomy and in 6 cases, this antigen was incompatible. Interpretation of these results is difficult at this time.

The study evaluates the clinical picture and the course of affection by the Crohn's disease in a set of 144 patients, who have been observed at the Second Clinic of Internal Medicine in Olomouc since 1956. The results are similar to the analogous foreign studies in many cases. The fact that 72% of patients were at least once operated is interesting, and it only confirms the fact that the conservative treatment is not very successful, but on the other hand neither the surgical treatment can entirely solve this problem. The difficulties with diagnosis in spite of the latest examinational methods are also mentioned.

The group of 156 patients undergoing upper endoscopy at the Department of Central Endoscopy, University Hospital in Olomouc was followed up for determination of HP status by means of the methods of culture, microscopic examination and determination of specific IgG antibodies by ELISA method. Prevalence of HP was determined in individual groups of the series under study (peptic gastroduodenal lesion, antral gastritis of type B, duodenitis) and in subjects with normal endoscopic finding. The most frequent HP positivity was established by the method of specific antibodies determination by ELISA, then microscopic evidence of HP and finally culture. In the whole series under study HP positivity was found in 59.6% (bacteriology) and 79.8% (ELISA method). The highest HP bacteriological positivity was recorded in antral gastritis of type B (87.1%), or 100% (ELISA method). Individuals with normal endoscopic finding were HP positive in 24.2%, by serology in 38.8%. The group of 25 dialyzed patients with chronic renal insufficiency was HP positive in 28%, by serology in 53.3%.

The number of Paneth cells in patients suffering from coeliac disease was compared with the control group (without gastrointestinal trouble) in this study. Samples of the intestinal mucosa from the jejunum were obtained with a bioptic capsule. Semithin sections (0.5-1 microns) were stained with toluidine blue and photographed and 100 crypts of Lieberkühn were photographed in every section. Every crypt had to contain one Paneth cell at least. The Paneth cells were counted on an enlarger. Acidophil secretory granules in the apical parts of the cells were significant for their identification. The material consisted of 10 patients suffering from coeliac disease and 1 patient with dermatitis herpetiformis. The control group consisted of 5 persons. The results revealed a statistically significant increase in the number of Paneth cells for the patients suffering from coeliac disease and for the one with dermatitis herpetiformis.

In semithin toluidine blue stained sections, investigated under the light microscope, the size and the shape of the Paneth cells, their nuclei and their granules was studied. The group of 10 patients suffering from the coeliac disease was compared with the control group (5 persons without gastrointestinal trouble). The results revealed a statistically significant increase in the size and shape alterations of the Paneth cells and increase in the number and size of their granules in the group of patients with the coeliac disease. This morphological findings prove higher functional activity of the Paneth cells in the coeliac disease. We can conclude that changes in the number, size and shape of the Paneth cells can be regarded as a non-specific defense reaction to this disease.

Data of 417 patients with advanced chronic aortic valve disease were retrospectively analyzed using a life table and Cox regression analysis. Aortic valve replacement was recommended to all patients based on clinical and hemodynamic findings. While most patients underwent prosthetic aortic valve replacement (n = 349), a minority of patients was treated medically (n = 68). Prognosis was better (p less than 0.01 in the Cox model) in surgically treated as compared to medically treated patients with aortic stenosis (4-year survival rate 82 versus 44%). In patients with aortic insufficiency no significant difference of long-term prognosis was found between surgically and medically treated patients.

Portions of the superior sagittal sinus and lacunae laterales containing arachnoid villi and granulations from 8 full-term newborn babies were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Arachnoid proliferations from 3 subjects were distended and fixed in vitro by applying a differential pressure of 8 cm H2O to the subarachnoid aspect of the tissues. The remaining cases were fixed in a collapsed state. Distended arachnoid proliferations showed morphologic characteristics associated with similar functional structures in experimental animals: shortened and enlarged interendothelial spaces; micropinocytotic activity and a system of endothelial-lined tubules. All this is taken as evidence that arachnoid proliferations in newborn babies could already be engaged in cerebrospinal fluid absorption., (Copyright © 1983. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)