Vítězslav Kříha

Serum S100A12 (EN-RAGE) Levels in Patients with Decreased Renal Function and Subclinical Chronic Inflammatory Disease

Background: The calcium-binding protein S100A12 (EN-RAGE) causes inflammation through interaction with the multiligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). The aim of the study was to determine S100A12 levels and describe their relationship to inflammatory markers in patients with decreased renal function. Methods: The studied group consisted of 46 patients with various degrees of chronic renal insufficiency (CHRI), 31 long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients and 24 healthy controls. S100A12 and soluble RAGE were assessed immunochemically (ELISA), and routine biochemical parameters were measured. Results: S100A12 levels were not different in CHRI (166 ± 140 ng/ml) and HD patients (127 ± 101 ng/ml) compared to controls (126 ± 106 ng/ml; p = 0.20, n.s.). In CHRI patients, S100A12 correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, orosomucoid, and inversely with α2-macroglobulin. In HD patients, S100A12 correlated with age, CRP, orosomucoid, fibrinogen and leukocyte levels. In multivariate regression analysis after adjustment for age, S100A12 levels remained correlated with: orosomucoid in CHRI patients; CRP, leukocytes, fibrinogen and negatively with sRAGE in HD patients; and leukocytes in controls. Conclusions: Although S100A12 levels were not elevated in patients with decreased kidney function, a relation to markers of inflammation was found. Further studies are required to demonstrate the significance of S100A12 in patients with decreased renal function.

Ozone generation in gas flow enhanced hollow needle to plate electrical discharge in air

The results of studies of ozone production for DC electrical discharge in air at atmospheric pressure with a single hollow needle to plate electrode configuration enhanced by the flow of air through the needle for both polarities of the needle, different airflow rates and currents are given in this paper.

Associations of serum levels of advanced glycation end products with nutrition markers and anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Advanced glycation end product (AGE) levels are elevated in patients with decreased renal function and may contribute to the excessive cardiovascular disease in this population. However, their relation to nutrition, anemia, and micro inflammation is not well characterized. The aim of this study is to determine their relationship in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: The studied group consisted of 203 subjects: 159 patients with CKD 1–5 and 44 healthy control subjects. AGE levels were assessed by spectrofluorimetry, and routine biochemical parameters were measured using standard methods. Results: AGE levels were significantly increased in CKD patients compared with controls (3.9 ± 1.7 × 105 AU in CKD 1–5 patients vs. 3.2 ± 0.48 × 105 AU in controls, p < 0.0001). AGE levels increased from CKD 3. AGE levels were positively associated with age, albumin, prealbumin, and orosomucoid, and were negatively associated with hemoglobin and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In multiple regression analysis, after adjustment to age and glomerular filtration rate, AGE levels remained independently correlated with albumin and prealbumin and negatively correlated with hemoglobin. Conclusions: This study is the demonstration that nutrition markers, albumin and prealbumin, are the positive determinants and hemoglobin is the negative determinant of serum AGE levels in patients with CKD.

Inactivation of dermatophyte infection by nonthermal plasma on animal model

Abstract Superficial fungal infections are a major epidemiological issue with increasing prevalence and are a common global problem. This article describes experimental therapy of superficial fungal skin infection using low‐temperature plasma. Groups of guinea pigs were artificially infected with Trichophyton mentagrophytes SK 3286 dermatophyte and treated with plasma produced by a DC cometary discharge with an inserted grid. The course of infection was a week shorter and milder in animals treated by plasma than that in nontreated animals, the significant lowering of dermatophytic germs also occurred in the treated group. The exposure to plasma causes no harm to experimental animals. The results allow for the development of a new dermatophytoses therapy by low temperature plasma treatment.

Corona discharge light emission and electric field intensity comparison

Results of experimental investigation of corona light emission for different point-to-plane electrode configurations are presented in this contribution. Corona discharge was burning in the air at atmospheric pressure. Results indicate that single point corona radiation may be correlated with the emission of point light source shaped as the truncated cone with smaller base placed in the vieinity of the point electrodes spike. Emitted light intensity distributions for combinations of two and three electrodes predicate that their light emission in dependence on the individual electrodes spacing resembles to that of more point sources combination. With decreasing inter-electrode spacing electric fields relevant to individual electrodes seem to interact. For three electrodes configuration this interaction may result in suppresion of the middle electrodes electric field, and hence its light emission, too. We are also calculated electric field distribution for the same electrode configuration. The paper presents comparison of measured and calculated data.

Study of electron density profile in the castor tokamak using a lithium beam produced by diagnostic impulse arc source

A diagnostic impulse arc source of a beam of lithium atoms was used for the measurement of electron density profile in front of the lower hybrid grill on the CASTOR tokamak. It was shown that this profile is modified significantly during lower hybrid wave application if the regime with improved particle confinement is achieved.

Inactivation of Candida albicans by Corona Discharge: The Increase of Inhibition Zones Area After Far Subsequent Exposition

The cold atmospheric pressure plasma generated by the negative corona discharge has inhibition effect on the microorganism growth. This effect is well-known and it can be demonstrated on the surface of cultivation agar plates by the formation of inhibition zones. We exposed the cultures of Candida albicans to the negative corona discharge plasma in a special arrangement in this study: The equal doses of plasma were applied subsequently twice or four times on the same culture on one Petri dish, while the distance between exposed points was variable. Only small differences were observed in decontaminated zone areas for twice exposed agar at the shortest distance between exposed points (1.5 cm). In case of the four times exposed agars, we observed significant differences in inhibition zone areas, dependent not only on the exposition site distances, but also on the exposition order. The largest inhibition zone size was observed for the first exposition decreasing to the fourth one. To check relevancy of these dependencies, we presume to conduct further set of experiments with lower yeast concentration. In conclusion, significant difference in partial inhibition zone sizes appeared only when four expositions on one Petri dish were carried out, whereas no significant difference was observed for two subsequent expositions. The explanation of this effect may be the subject of subsequent remote exposition(s), when minute amounts of scattered active particles act on the previously exposed areas; the influence of diffused ozone may also take place.

Czech Society News

Nephrology has a long tradition in the Czech Republic. The first acute dialysis was performed in 1955, a chronic dialysis programme started in the early 60ies, and a transplantation programme in 1966. This was reflected by many important international meetings held in Prague: The 2nd Congress of the International Society of Nephrology (1963), 17th Congress of the European Dialysis and Transplantation Association (1980) and the 15th Congress of the European Society of Artificial Organs (1988). More recently, the 17th and 25th meetings of the International Society of Blood Purification (1999 and 2007), 11th ANCA and Vasculitis Workshop (2003), 7th European Peritoneal Dialysis Meeting (2005), 13th Congress of the European Society of Organ Transplantation (2007) and finally, this year, the 48th Congress of ERA-EDTA.