Effect of Beer Consumption on Methylation and Redox Metabolism.

To investigate the influence of beer consumption on levels of homocysteine (HCY), vitamin B6, B12, folic acid (FA), dimethylglycine (DMG), betaine (BET) and other selected markers. One hundred and sixteen male volunteers were enrolled in the study. A one-month period of alcohol abstinence was followed by a one month when participants drank 830 mL of alcoholic beer every day. After that phase, one month of alcohol abstinence followed. At the beginning and after every phase blood samples were taken and analysed. Ninety-three participants completed the study. After the phase of alcohol consumption, uric acid (UA) (p<0.0001), antioxidative capacity (AOC) (p=0.02), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (0.025), glutathione reductase (GRH) (0.0001), total cholesterol (p<0.0001), HDL-cholesterol (p<0.0001), Apolipoprotein-AI (ApoAI) (p<0.0001), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.039) and Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) (p<0.009) increased, while vitamin B12 (p=0.0001) and fibrinogen (p<0.0001) decreased. Other tested parameters (DMG, BET, vitamin B6 and FA) did not show any significant changes. UA changes and changes in AOC were statistically significantly correlated (r=0.52, p<0.0001). HCY, DMG and BET levels did not show any statistically significant changes after beer consumption, whereas some markers of redox metabolism increased (UA, AOC, SOD and GRH). A statistically significant correlation denotes the dependence of UA and AOC changes in connection with beer consumption.

The Ti-Mn system revisited: experimental investigation and thermodynamic modelling.

As the Ti-Mn phase diagram is part of numerous ternary and higher order systems of technological importance, the present paper defines phase relations which have been experimentally established throughout this work from 800 °C to the melting range based on Differential Thermal Analyses (DTA), X-ray powder diffraction, metallography and Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) techniques on ∼50 alloys, which were prepared by arc melting or high frequency melting under high purity argon starting from freshly cleaned metal ingots. Novel compounds were identified and reaction isotherms were redefined accordingly. In the Ti-rich region a novel compound TiMn was detected, sandwiched between the known phases: TiMn1-x (∼45 at% Mn) and TiMn1+x (∼55 at% Mn). In the Mn-rich region the hitherto unknown crystal structure of TiMn∼3 was solved from X-ray single crystal diffraction data and found to be of a unique structure type Ti6(Ti1-xMnx)6Mn25 (x = 0.462; space group Pbam (#55); a = 0.79081(3) nm, b = 2.58557(9) nm, c = 0.47931(2) nm), which consists of two consecutive layers of the hexagonal MgZn2-type Laves phase (TiMn2) and a combined layer of alternate structure blocks of MgZn2 type and Zr4Al3 type. Whereas TiMn can be considered as a line compound (solubility range <∼1 at%), the homogeneity regions of the Ti-Mn compounds are significant (determined by EPMA): TiMn1-x (44.0 to 46.6 at% Mn), TiMn1+x (54.6 to 56.3 at% Mn), Ti1+xMn2-x (MgZn2-type, 59 to 69 at% Mn at 1000 °C: -0.08 < x < 0.23), TiMn∼3 (unique type; 74 to 76.5 at% Mn) and TiMn∼4 (R-phase: Ti8(TixMn1-x)6Mn39, 80 to 84 at% Ti). Supported by ab initio calculations of the ground state energy for the Laves phase, the new experimental results enabled thermodynamic modelling of the entire Ti-Mn phase diagram providing a complete and novel set of thermodynamic data thus providing a sound basis for future thermodynamic predictions of higher order Ti-Mn-X-Y systems.

Ba-filled Ni-Sb-Sn based skutterudites with anomalously high lattice thermal conductivity.

Novel filled skutterudites BayNi4Sb12-xSnx (ymax = 0.93) have been prepared by arc melting followed by annealing at 250, 350 and 450 °C up to 30 days in vacuum-sealed quartz vials. Extension of the homogeneity region, solidus temperatures and structural investigations were performed for the skutterudite phase in the ternary Ni-Sn-Sb and in the quaternary Ba-Ni-Sb-Sn systems. Phase equilibria in the Ni-Sn-Sb system at 450 °C were established by means of Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XPD). With rather small cages Ni4(Sb,Sn)12, the Ba-Ni-Sn-Sb skutterudite system is perfectly suited to study the influence of filler atoms on the phonon thermal conductivity. Single-phase samples with the composition Ni4Sb8.2Sn3.8, Ba0.42Ni4Sb8.2Sn3.8 and Ba0.92Ni4Sb6.7Sn5.3 were used to measure their physical properties, i.e. temperature dependent electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity. The resistivity data demonstrate a crossover from metallic to semiconducting behaviour. The corresponding gap width was extracted from the maxima in the Seebeck coefficient data as a function of temperature. Single crystal X-ray structure analyses at 100, 200 and 300 K revealed the thermal expansion coefficients as well as Einstein and Debye temperatures for Ba0.73Ni4Sb8.1Sn3.9 and Ba0.95Ni4Sb6.1Sn5.9. These data were in accordance with the Debye temperatures obtained from the specific heat (4.4 K < T < 140 K) and Mössbauer spectroscopy (10 K < T < 290 K). Rather small atom displacement parameters for the Ba filler atoms indicate a severe reduction in the "rattling behaviour" consistent with the high levels of lattice thermal conductivity. The elastic moduli, collected from Resonant Ultrasonic Spectroscopy ranged from 100 GPa for Ni4Sb8.2Sn3.8 to 116 GPa for Ba0.92Ni4Sb6.7Sn5.3. The thermal expansion coefficients were 11.8 × 10(-6) K(-1) for Ni4Sb8.2Sn3.8 and 13.8 × 10(-6) K(-1) for Ba0.92Ni4Sb6.7Sn5.3. The room temperature Vickers hardness values vary within the range from 2.6 GPa to 4.7 GPa. Severe plastic deformation via high-pressure torsion was used to introduce nanostructuring; however, the physical properties before and after HPT showed no significant effect on the materials thermoelectric behaviour.

Two cases of spuriously elevated cerebrospinal glucose concentration.

We present two cases of spuriously high cerebrospinal fluid glucose concentration with approximately normal blood glucose concentrations. The cause of these abnormal findings was the use of inappropriate collection tubes during the pre-analytical phase. Whilst no patient harm was identified following this error, significant time and effort were expended by both laboratory and clinical staff to explain the cause of these findings.

[Methods of skin microcirculation assessment]. / Metody vysetrování mikrocirkulace kuze.

Microcirculation plays an important role in pathophysiology of a number of severe diseases. At present there exist many techniques that enable evaluation of microvascular perfusion. Some of them found their scientific and clinical use even in the Czech Republic. In last decade, articles referring about individual methods can be found even on the pages of Vnitrní lékarství journal. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive overview of methods that have been used for examination of the microcirculation to date. After a short review of the anatomy and physiology of the microcirculation, the article provides synopsis of the theoretical and practical use of individual methods including their advantages and disadvantages.

Caspase-1 activity affects AIM2 speck formation/stability through a negative feedback loop.

The inflammasome is an innate immune signaling platform leading to caspase-1 activation, maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cell death. Recognition of DNA within the host cytosol induces the formation of a large complex composed of the AIM2 receptor, the ASC adaptor and the caspase-1 effector. Francisella tularensis, the agent of tularemia, replicates within the host cytosol. The macrophage cytosolic surveillance system detects Francisella through the AIM2 inflammasome. Upon Francisella novicida infection, we observed a faster kinetics of AIM2 speck formation in ASC(KO) and Casp1(KO) as compared to WT macrophages. This observation was validated by a biochemical approach thus demonstrating for the first time the existence of a negative feedback loop controlled by ASC/caspase-1 that regulates AIM2 complex formation/stability. This regulatory mechanism acted before pyroptosis and required caspase-1 catalytic activity. Our data suggest that sublytic caspase-1 activity could delay the formation of stable AIM2 speck, an inflammasome complex associated with cell death.

Nonirritant intradermal skin test concentrations of ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, and rifampicin.

BACKGROUND: Intradermal skin testing of the clinically important antibiotics ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, and rifampicin in the case of suspected allergies to antibiotics is poorly standardized. For clinical practice, standardized procedures and protocols are desired. METHODS: Fifteen healthy volunteers were tested with different concentrations of the antibiotics as well as with appropriate controls. Test readings included wheal area measured by digital image analysis and blood flow increase measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). To reduce interpersonal variability, test results were normalized with the individual controls using a novel protocol. RESULTS: Nonirritating concentrations of the three antibiotics (ciprofloxacin ~0.0067 mg/ml, clarithromycin ~0.05 mg/ml, rifampicin ~0.002 mg/ml) could be defined for healthy volunteers. Laser Doppler flowmetry generates comparable results to wheal area measurement. Normalization of the test results is necessary and can be applied in a practical algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized skin testing to detect sensitization to broadly used nonbetalactam antibiotics was presented and should be applied in truly sensitized patients. This approach should help to minimize the inter- and intraindividual differences in reactivity.

[Glycated haemoglobin--is it its exclusive position in diabetology under threat?]. / Glykovaný hemoglobin. Je ohrozeno jeho výsostné postavení v diabetologii?

Hyperglycaemia is the common characteristic for diabetes patients. Prolonged hyperglycaemia due to absolute or relative lack of insulin is the cause of microangiopathy. Glucose reacts with both blood vessel wall proteins and plasmatic proteins and erythrocyte haemoglobin. This characteristic of glucose is used to monitor the level of diabetes compensation. The level of glycated haemoglobin reflects glycaemia for the last 2 to 3 months. It began to be used in diabetology in the 1980's. This outline paper deals with some of the pitfalls with which glycated haemoglobin has been recently associated. The first part is dedicated to factors influencing haemoglobin glycation. The second, methodological part focuses on factors influencing its assessment and interpretation. The third part concentrates on the options for the substitution ofglycated haemoglobin by other diabetes compensation markers.

The type III secretion system tip complex and translocon.

The type III secretion machinery of Gram-negative bacteria, also known as the injectisome or needle complex, is composed of a basal body spanning both bacterial membranes and the periplasm, and an external needle protruding from the bacterial surface. A set of three proteins, two hydrophobic and one hydrophilic, are required to allow translocation of proteins from the bacterium to the host cell cytoplasm. These proteins are involved in the formation of a translocation pore, the translocon, in the host cell membrane. Exciting progress has recently been made on the interaction between the translocators and the injectisome needle and the assembly of the translocon in the host cell membrane. As expected, the two hydrophobic translocators insert into the target cell membrane. Unexpectedly, the third, hydrophilic translocator, forms a complex on the distal end of the injectisome needle, the tip complex, and serves as an assembly platform for the two hydrophobic translocators.

[Successful gamma globulin therapy in a patient with anti-IgA antibodies]. / Uspesná gamaglobulinová lécba u nemocného s anti-IgA protilátkami.

A case report of a patient suffering from common variable immunodeficiency with anti-IgA antibodies is described. These antibodies were probably the cause of repeated anaphylactic reactions during substitution gammaglobulin treatment, and lead to discontinuation the therapy lasting 4 years. The reintroduction the therapy was enabled by the therapy with low-IgA contents intravenous immunoglobulin (Endobulin, Immuno Vienna).