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Trafficsensnet project is concerned with measuring levels of air pollution and noiserelated to road-based transport. New compact “master” sensor unit for measurements of CO, NO2, SO2, VOC, dust particles (PM 2.5 , PM 10 ) and noise levels has been developed. Currently, 20 such units are being installed within the Spořilov district in Prague. Another unit has also been developed which may be used for gathering other measurements with low power requirements. In Spořilov, these “slave” units are currently used as weather stations to gather measurements of dispersion conditions which are important for predicting spreading patterns of pollution.

A benign- appearing osteolytic lesion surrounded by a sclerotic rim was found in the upper fibula of a 25-year-old man. Based on histological features the definitive diagnosis of osteofibrous dysplasia-differentiated adamantinoma was made. The correct histological diagnosis of differentiated adamantinoma depends on factors such as the uniform predominance of an osteofibrous dysplasia-like pattern, and scattered epithelial elements positive for cytokeratin and vimentin. In this case the scattered epithelial cells had abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and resembled rhabdoid elements, but immunohistochemistry proved their epithelial origin.

Our study compares the histological and immunohistochemical cellular composition of two different chondrocyte-seeded biomaterials and the results of their transplantation. Our study cohort included 21 patients, comprising 19 men and two women with a mean age of 32 years, who were affected by single chondral lesions of the femoral condyles. These patients were enrolled in our study and treated with arthroscopic implantation of the tissue Hyalograft C and/or Brno culture. Brno culture bioengineered with a fibrin-based scaffold contains round cells showing features of differentiated chondrocytes expressing S-100 protein and α-smooth muscle actin. In contrast, in the case of Hyalograft C, the scaffold was made up of a fibrillar network composed of biomaterial fibres of the esters of hyaluronic acid and cells resembling fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and expressing only α-smooth muscle actin. The average size of the defects was 2.5 cm2. Patients were evaluated using the standardized guidelines of the International Knee Documentation Committee. During the comparison of bioptic samples obtained from both patient cohorts, we did not observe any important differences in the histological makeup of the newly formed cartilage. The histological analysis of these two groups of homogeneous patients shows that this bioengineered approach, under proper indications, may offer favourable and stable clinical results over time, in spite of the different matrix and cellular composition of the two transplants used.

Macroscopic homogeneity of metal fibre composites, namely those used for building structures, characterized by constant volume fraction of randomly oriented fibre particles, as well as their isotropy, or, alternatively, prescribed orientation of fibres, determines their mechanical, thermal, etc. properties, consequently their long-time behaviour, reliability and range of user applications. Destructive tests are available under laboratory conditions, but frequently impossible in situ, thus the development of reliable nondestructive approaches is required. This paper presents the physical and mathematical background of two classes of such tests, based i) on the planar radiographic images, analyzed with help of the fast Fourier transform, ii) on the magnetic properties of materials, using the Hall effect and properties of solutions of the Laplace equation. Practical results with fibre concrete samples from Brno University of Technology demonstrate the advantages and drawbacks of both approaches and sketch th...

A summary of recent knowledge of the correlation between mediolateral episiotomy and anal sphincter injury.Review.Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Charles University and University Hospital Pilsen.The methodology of most studies is not well managed. Four problematical points were identified: definition of the mediolateral episiotomy, practical execution of the mediolateral episiotomy, diagnostics of perineal trauma and classification of the perineal trauma. Mediolateral episiotomy is often deficiently defined. Definitions differ depending on individual textbooks or departments. The majority of studies gives no definition and no description of the practical execution of an episiotomy or describes it inadequately. To the current knowledge there is no international consensual definition, which is used universally. Until 2003, there was no study evaluating adequate implementation of the mediolateral episiotomy. It appears that most of executed mediolateral episiotomies are not truly mediolateral. The angle of inclination between 40-60 degrees was suggested. According to the latest study, the lower limit of the mediolateral episiotomy definition (40 degrees) appears to be insufficient. At the present time, the correlation between mediolateral episiotomy and perineal trauma cannot be precisely evaluated. Before analyzing the benefits and risks of mediolateral episiotomy, an international consensus must be found, that would establish an exact definition of mediolateral episiotomy.

Various osteogenic tumours and bone producing tumour-like lesions of bone were examined for S-100 protein using the immunostaining methods. The positive reaction for S-100 protein of some bone cells was detected not only in osteoblastic osteosarcomas and osteoblastomas, but also in osteoplastic reactive lesions, fibrous dysplasia, Paget's disease and in the tissue of the bony callus. The positive reaction for osteocalcin in these cells showed, that they may be of osteoblastic and osteocytic lineage. The S-100 protein positive bone cells have to be differentiated from chondrocytes persisting in new-formed bone trabecullae. On the one hand S-100 protein positive osteocytes and osteoblasts may represent transient form of osteocytes histogenetically related to chondrocytes, but we were not able to prove such suggestion. Therefore, S-100 protein positivity can be caused by polyclonal character of the used antibody, that is a mixture of three antibodies, S-100 A1, A6 and anti B2. The specificity of these three components differs depending on the histogenesis of cells and their functional status. Such explanation is supported by the results of our study, because we also observed intense positivity of bone cells in the reaction with monoclonal antibody against S-100A6. In contrast, no staining of bone cells was detected with monoclonal antibodies against S-100 A1 and B2.

Trephination of the skull is an old surgical procedure practised in both the Old and New Worlds from the Neolithic period 7,000 years ago up to the present. Four methods (scratching, cutting, drilling and circling) were used for therapeutic or ritual (magical) reasons, predominantly in older males. The survival rate was between approximately 25% and 75%, the drilling and especially cutting being most dangerous. Macroscopic, CT and histopathological examination of three trephined skulls from the collection of Hrdlicka's Museum of Man, Charles University, revealed two types of bone defect. In the first type the margin of the defects was covered by the cortical bone of identical structure as the cortical bone on the inner and outer surface of the surrounding skull bones. These cases probably represent defects that healed in living persons for a long time, and consequently new cortical bone developed (skull No. 1). However, congenital origin of defects of this type cannot be excluded. The second type of defects, without cortical bone cover at the hole margin, could be caused by trauma in the post mortem period or may have been performed during the people's lifetimes--if they died shortly after their skull damage, so the healing period was too short for the formation of new cortical bone (skull No. 2 and 3).

Applying thermovision monitoring, spatial distribution of gas-phase fluorescence in the wavelength region 2–5.4/um induced by CO 2 laser radiation is displayed. Experimental results demonstrate that the spatial distribution of the fluorescence is effected not only by the convection in a reaction cell but it also depends on V-T energy transfer relaxation time. Relatively slow relaxation compared to fast convection can cause that dominant portion of excited molecules is quenched on the cell walls. The used thermovision technique allows to determine both the threshold and the steady-state of convection generated by cw CO 2 laser beam absorption.

To analyze the impact of the infrared radiation emitted or absorbed on the quantum transport, the rectangular potential barrier is considered as a model of a nanostructure. The analysis is limited to the first quantization level in which only the electron is considered as a quantum particle but the electromagnetic field is classical and described by the vector potential. This model is used if the interaction of infrared radiation with semiconductor structures is studied and it is acceptable even for large electromagnetic fields present in lasers. The solution of the time dependent Schroedinger equation with the time-periodical electrostatic potential is carried out using the Floquet theorem. The coupling of electromagnetic radiation with free electron gas is included in the single electron Hamiltonian by the vector potential. The Kramers-Henneberger unitary transformation enables include the coupling as a time-dependent dressing term in the electrostatic potential. In the high frequency limit it is sufficient to consider only the time-averaged potential. The transmittance of the potential barrier is found using both methods and the results are compared; the effect of the electromagnetic field dressing is observable.© (2006) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Retrospective study of gastroscopic investigations in children under 3 years of age.Since 1.1.2002 till 31.10.2004 we performed 119 endoscopic investigations in children of this age. 21 patients were excluded because of missed documentation. The average weight of our children was 11.8 kg. (min. 2.8, max 20 kg). In 55 cases suspicion for the oesophageal or gastric corrosion was the reason of investigations. in 24 cases swallowed alien bodies, in 10 patients we performed dilatation of oesophageal stenosis in repeated sessions in 1-6 moths periods. In 4 children we introduced percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), in 3 children ERCP was performed because of cystic dilatation of the bile duct. In I child the supposed hematemesis was the reason of gastroscopy (negative) and in one patient oesophageal varicula were assumed (negative).Oesophageal or gastric corrosions were assured in 12 cases (Grade 1.-2.:20.2%). 5 alien bodies couldn't be removed because of peristalsis, 1 object because of its dimensions (25% failures). Our dilations were performed in oesophageal stenosis with bougies or balloon dilator. 9 children were first operated for oesophageal atresia (Vogt IIIb), 1 child was after an operation for oesophageal corrosion with perforation.

Just for over 100 years, adamantinoma has been recognized as a primary enigmatic bone tumour with epithelial characteristics and predominantly involving the tibia. Several similarities between osteofibrous dysplasia has been recognised, differentiated adamantinoma and classic adamantinoma. The purpose of this study was to compare these lesions and to define their histogenesis and mutual relations.Comparison of the clinical, radiologic, histological, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings was carried out on 6 cases of classic adamantinoma, 2 cases of differentiated adamantinoma and 2 cases of osteofibrous dysplasia. This study confirmed the epithelial nature of long bone classical and differentiated adamantinomas irrespective of their wide-ranging morphologic pattern that can mimic tumours of various origins. Both types of adamantinoma were positive for cytokeratins in coexpression with vimentin. The epithelial component of the differentiated adamantinoma was much smaller than in classic adamantinoma and was present in scattered islands or single cells distributed within fibrovascular stoma. In one case the scattered epithelial cells had abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and they resembled rhabdoid elements. On the basis of distinct histological pattern, a new variant of differentiated adamantinoma was described--a rhabdoid variant. In our cases of osteofibrous dysplasia occurring in two children with deformity of the tibia no epithelial cells were identified by the immunohistochemical methods. The lesions were composed of variably shaped spicules of woven and lamellar bone separated by a fibrovascular stroma. The woven bone spicules were surrounded by a uniform rim of plump osteoblasts. The lesion exhibited a zonal phenomenon with maturation of woven bone to bone with a lamellar configuration at the periphery of the lesion. The similar zonal phenomenon was also observed in the cases of differentiated adamantinoma.On the basis of the clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and electron-microscopical studies, a common histogenesis for classic adamantinoma, differentiated adamantinoma and osteofibrous dysplasia seems likely. The epithelial cell components of these lesions exhibit similar cytokeratin immunoprofiles and ultrastructural features. However, the prognosis for classic adamantinoma is much less favorable than that for cases of osteofibrous dysplasia and differentiated adamantinoma.

Ligand-gated ionic channels are integral membrane proteins that enable rapid and selective ion fluxes across biological membranes. In excitable cells, their role is crucial for generation and propagation of electrical signals. This survey describes recent results from studies performed in the Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology ASCR, aimed at exploring the conformational dynamics of the acetylcholine, glutamate and vanilloid receptors during their activation, inactivation and desensitization. Distinct families of ion channels were selected to illustrate a rich complexity of the functional states and conformational transitions these proteins undergo. Particular attention is focused on structure-function studies and allosteric modulation of their activity. Comprehension of the fundamental principles of mechanisms involved in the operation of ligand-gated ion channels at the cellular and molecular level is an essential prerequisite for gaining an insight into the pathogenesis of many psychiatric and neurological disorders and for efficient development of novel specifically targeted drugs.

Venous access by cannulation of the central vein is a necessary prerequisite of the oncological treatment. Within the period 1998-2001 there 395 CVCs (Central Venous Catheters) were introduced using a subcutaneous tunnel in 335 hospitalised patients at the Clinic of the Child Surgery, Orthopaedics and Traumatology FN Brno. In 310 patients Hickman CVC was used and in 25 Groshong CVC. Using the vena subclavia 1. dx., 131 CVCs were introduced, via the vena subclavia 1. sin. 264 CVCs. The average period of CVCs introduction was 3 months. In 78 introduced CVCs infectious complication developed. A local infection was noticed only 8 times, general infection at 70 cases. In 13 patients CVCs had to be removed. The authors present their experience with the introduction of tunneled CVCs in oncological patients and the options for solving the infectious complications when using CVCs.

Anorectal sphincteromyectomy (SME) is a simple operation: after accurate localization of the inner anal sphincter from the latter a longitudinal strip 3-4 cm long and 2-4 mm wide is resected, depending on the child s age. In the submitted paper the author describes the surgical method which is used less frequently although it gives comparable results, it is simple and the number of complications is minimal.

Background Mice homozygous for the juvenile alopecia mutation (jal) display patches of hair loss that appear as soon as hair develops in the neonatal period and persist throughout life. Although a report initially describing this mouse variant suggested that jal maps to mouse Chromosome 13, our preliminary mapping analysis did not support that claim. Results To map jal to a particular mouse chromosome, we produced a 103-member intraspecific backcross panel that segregated for jal, and typed it for 93 PCR-scorable, microsatellite markers that are located throughout the mouse genome. Only markers from the centromeric tip of Chromosome 2 failed to segregate independently from jal, suggesting that jal resides in that region. To more precisely define jal’s location, we characterized a second, 374-member backcross panel for the inheritance of five microsatellite markers from proximal Chromosome 2. This analysis restricted jal’s position between D2Mit359 and D2Mit80, an interval that includes Il2ra (for interleukin 2 receptor, alpha chain), a gene that is known to be associated with alopecia areata in humans. Complementation testing with an engineered null allele of Il2ra, however, showed that jal is a mutation in a distinct gene. To further refine the location of jal, the 374-member panel was typed for a set of four single-nucleotide markers located between D2Mit359 and D2Mit80, identifying a 0.55 Mb interval where jal must lie. This span includes ten genes—only one of which, Gata3 (for GATA binding protein 3)—is known to be expressed in skin. Complementation testing between jal and a Gata3 null allele produced doubly heterozygous, phenotypically mutant offspring. Conclusions The results presented indicate that the jal mutation is a mutant allele of the Gata3 gene on mouse Chromosome 2. We therefore recommend that the jal designation be changed to Gata3 jal , and suggest that this mouse variant may provide an animal model for at least some forms of focal alopecia that have their primary defect in the hair follicle and lack an inflammatory component.

Arylazohydroxynaphthoic acids of general formula were subjected to thermal analysis. The decomposition temperatures of the compounds were found to be determined by the resonance and inductive interaction of substituent R with the benzene ring and the azo group of the arylazohydroxynaphthoic acid molecule. The results of DTG analysis correspond with the Hammetσ H constants. The mechanism of thermal splitting is briefly discussed.

Experimental study of the (OH)-stretching bands observed in solutions of phenol in mixtures of nonpolar solvents provides evidence for the existence of weak complexes of phenol with nonpolar solvents referred to as collision complexes. For 2,6-di-tert·butyl-4-methyl phenol in which the OH group is effectively screened from the surrounding medium such collision complexes are formed even with strongly polar solvents. It is found that provided orientation effects are unimportant the (OH)-stretching frequencies of the collision complexes follow the B uckingham relation in a wide range of solvent properties.