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Biomedical subjects

J Masek

Publications and source records attributed to J Masek.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Adhesion molecules and cytokines in vasculitides].

Renal vasculitis syndromes include particular characteristic changes in concentrations of some cytokines in plasma or urine. Preliminary results suggest that the systemic lupus erythematodes with affliction of the kidneys is specifically concomitted by the increase in IL-8, both in plasma and urine. ANCA-positive renal vasculitis syndromes appear to coincide with a typical increase in the synthesis of interleukin-6 in the kidneys. We suggest that the monitoring of individual cytokine levels in plasma and urine will enable to study in greater detail the immunopathogenesis of renal vasculitis syndromes and the extent of local production of cytokines which may cause further progression of renal lesions. (Fig. 4, Tab. 1, Ref. 10.).

Cell Adhesion Molecules↗
PubMed1994

[Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in controlled hypotension during spinal surgery].

BACKGROUND: Controlled hypotension is an advantage during spondylosurgical operations: the objective is to achieve a mean arteriae pressure of 8 kPa (60 mm Hg). The most frequently used 0.01% solution of sodium nitroprusside must be increased in some patients to amounts which involve the risk of intoxication. This applies to patients with an increased sympathoadrenal activity and ready mobilization of the renin-angiotensin system. The objective of the present investigation was to test the inhibitor of the angiotensin converting enzyme in hypotension controlled by nitroprusside. METHODS AND RESULTS: To twenty patients before a spondylosurgical operation as premedication angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE)--captopril--was administered, 25 mg by the oral route. The control group was formed by 20 patients with spondylosurgery under controlled hypotension with nitroprusside administration. The effect of captopril was manifested by a reduced amount of nitroprusside needed to maintain the median pressure of 8 kPa; in the captopril group 1.073 +/- 0.52 microgram.kg-1.min-1 was used, as compared with 1.786 +/- 1.04 micrograms.min-1 in the control group (p < 0.01). Concurrently monitored values of plasma renin activity were higher in the patients given captopril: 7.352 +/- 5.75 nmol.l-1, as compared with 5.583 +/- 3.73 nmol.l-1 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Premedication with ACE inhibitor (captopril), even when administered in small doses via p. o., reduced the sodium nitroprusside consumption by as much as 60%. The elevated plasma renin values were objective evidence of the effect of captopril.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Experimental chronic phenylmercuric chloride poisoning in pigs].

Four gilts, sisters from one litter, aged 70 days and weighing 20-24 kg, were used for a trial. Two experimental gilts (P) were administered an experimental feed mixture containing phenylmercury chloride (40 mg/kg). Two control gilts (K) were fed the same mixture but without phenylmercury chloride. P gilts began to lag behind in their growth from day 60 of the experiment, they manifested nonphysiological postures (dog's sitting posture), paresis of hind limbs and uncoordinated movements. P gilts had cloudy, orange-brown urine from day 70 and from day 75 they began to suffer from diarrhoea. Mercury (Hg) contents in urine and blood serum of P gilts were irregularly variable: urine 0.58-2.15 mg/l, blood serum 0.02-0.37 mg/l. Hg content in excrements of P gilts fluctuated from 23 to 26 mg/kg. Vitamin A concentrations in blood serum and liver decreased in P gilts. Phenylmercury chloride feeding caused mutagenic changes in peripheral lymphocytes of P gilts (an increase in the number of aberrant cells from 2-3% to 8-9%) and reduced IgA, IgM and IgG immunoglobulin levels in blood serum. Pathological lesions were observed in the colon, kidneys and liver. None of the above-mentioned changes were observed in K gilts. Increased resistance to the negative effects of Hg was found in one experimental gilt. In comparison with K gilts, Hg concentrations in P gilts after 130 days of the experiment increased as follows: 427 times in kidneys, 333 times in liver, 106 times in guts, 71 times in pancreas, 53 times in ovaries, 50 times in muscles, 47 times in bristles and 16 times in the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Ecotoxicologic relations on a large pig-fattening farm located in a lignite mining area and near and solid-fuel electical power plant].

Major contaminants identified in 1983-1984 on a pig fattening farm with an output of 60,000 pigs per annum, located in a lignite mining area and near a solid fuel power plant, were mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium and aflatoxin B1 (Tab. I, II, III, IV). Feed samples were collected from througs to assess the contamination load at feed uptake. Permissible concentrations of mercury, chromium, cadmium, aflatoxin B1, lead and atrazin in the feed were exceeded in 56, 50, 31, 19, 6 and 6% samples, respectively (Tab. I). Stable dust deposits, in which the contaminants concentrate, (Tab. I) proved to be a suitable material for assessing the type and level of environmental contamination. Permissible concentrations of mercury, cadmium and lead in porcine muscles were exceeded in 65, 51 and 24% samples, respectively (Tab. III). Corresponding values of mercury, cadmium, lead and aflatoxin B1 in the liver were 27, 27, 16 and 3%, respectively (Tab. III) and those of mercury, lead and chromium in kidneys 24, 22 and 5%, respectively (Tab. III). Rather surprisingly, elevated pancreatic concentrations of aflatoxin B1 were found (Tab. IV). Pigs fattened in the contaminated environment (i.e. fed contaminated feed mixtures, inspiring contaminated dust and absorbing percutaneously contaminants form dust deposits on the body surface) showed: 1) Impairment of the genetic apparatus (percentage of aberrant peripheral leucocytes elevated to 6.2%); 2) a certain degree of immunosuppression (concentrations of IgG, IgM and IgA reduced by 16.9, 45.1 and 45.0%, respectively); 3) higher feed consumption per 1 kg weight gain (4 kg) and lower average daily weight gain (0.57 kg); 4) increased incidence of health disorders (dermatitis in 25%, pancreatopathy in 13%, liver dystrophy in 8% and femoral fracture in 6% of the pigs). Unfortunately, the authors were not allowed to analyse ash and solid emissions from the power plant. Therefore the share of the emissions in the overall environmental contamination on the fattening farm could not be quantified. The personnel, working in the contaminated environment for a prolonged period, is endangered most of all by stable dust, being exposed to its mechanical, chemical, allergic and infectious effects (Tab. I). In addition to the chemical contaminants, 21 mould genera and species, six mite species and numerous saprophytic and some pathogenic bacteria were demonstrated in stable dust samples in our earlier experiments. Consumption of meat and organs from pigs fattened in a contaminated environment is associated with the risk of an increased uptake of various contaminants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1990

[Reoperation for recurrent carcinoma of the large intestine and rectum].

Based on their own experience with reoperations of relapses of colorectal carcinoma the authors draw attention to the very poor results of these operations; even in case of early detection of a relapse of the tumour in the majority only a palliative operation could be performed and only in 10% patients a radical operation. Therefore the authors emphasize prevention of relapses.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

[Monitoring chromosome mutations in large-scale breeding operations].

The frequency of chromosomal aberrations and exchanges of sister chromatids (SCEs) in peripheral lymphocytes was studied in 65 pigs from five large breeding herds. Four groups comprised fattened pigs and the fifth group consisted of sows from a large multiplier breeding herd. During the investigation, the dust from the sites was analyzed for the presence of zinc, lead, cadmium, mercury, aflatoxin B1, PCB, DDT, and lindane. The average frequency of aberrant cells (AB.B) in the pigs of group I was 3.85 +/- 1.60%, in group II 2.10 +/- 1.52%, in group III 5.01 +/- 2.1%, in group IV 3.50 +/- 1.58%, and in group V 6.20 +/- 3.21%. The cytogenetic finding corresponded to the differences in the amount of foreign substances found in the dust on the premises where the animals of all groups were kept. The average frequency of the SCEs was 7.00 +/- 1.10 (I), 6.51 +/- 0.89 (II), 6.92 +/- 0.72 (III), 7.10 +/- 0.85 (IV) and 7.06 +/- 1.47 (V) per one cell. Statistically significant differences in the numbers of AB.B. were recorded between groups II and I, II and IV, I and III, IV and V (p less than 0.05) and between groups II and III, II and V (p less than 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of SCEs. The determination of the frequency of chromosomal aberrations can be used for the hygienic control of the degree of exposure of pigs to mutagens.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

[Foreign substances in the meat and organs of bulls and pigs fed with pastes made from household and food industry waste in addition to pastes made from poultry droppings].

The residues of antimicrobial substances, some chlorinated and organophosphate pesticides and chemical elements were studied in the meat and organs of a group of bulls fed food-waste paste for 240 days and a group of bulls fed the same paste with an addition of poultry waste. These residues were also studied in the tissues of pigs fed the food-waste paste for 135 and 151 days until slaughter. The feed ingredients were also examined during the feeding trials. Although some of the residues under study were found in the tissues of the test animals at increased amounts, their concentrations were diluted in the tissues in the majority of cases when the feed pastes were administered. All residue contents recorded in the tissues remained below the permissible limits as given in valid instructions and directives so that the products, i. e. meat and organs, could be deemed digestible on the basis of hygienic evaluation. Hence, from the point of view of the occurrence of residues of foreign substances in edible tissues, the administration of food-waste pastes to farm animals can be considered as admissible.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1983

Human nutrition and internal medicine.

An abbreviation review explaining partly the role of human nutrition science in medicine shows that this very branch of medicine is not fully covered by dietetics, food hygiene or so-called metabolism as such. It forms on the contrary a special interdisciplinary part of it (such as e. g. clinical pharmacology) with its own methodology and field of research. Its large extent--from e. g. inborn errors of metabolism and their correction to illnesses caused by some substrate deficiency (malnutrition, hypovitaminosis, lack of minerals or microelements) or secondarily induced deficits of some enzymes etc.--can lead to regulatory, structural or functional disturbances in humans' organism. On the other side there is a lot of serious health impairments induced indirectly from overfeeding with energy or some imbalance food pattern as shown in the case of over doses of fat. Many other combinations of different factors (e. g. imbalance of fat and lack of some micronutrient, overdoses of vitamins or minerals) can enter into pathophysiology and should be subjects of further studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Incidence of foreign substances in raw and pasteurized milk].

In 1980 to 1982, the occurrence of inhibiting substances, herbicides and chemical elements contaminating raw farm and bulk milk and pasteurized milk in different stages of technological processing was studied in the input regions of 19 dairies of the Lacrum Brno concern corporation. Residues of inhibiting substances were demonstrated by the thin-layer microbiological diffusion disk method using the testing strain of B. stearothermophilus var. calidolactis, to be present in raw milk (9.1% out of 143 samples) as well as in pasteurized milk (2.0% out of 151 samples). Chromatographic method (sensitivity 0.01-0.05 mg.kg-1 milk) was used for examining 135 raw milk samples for the occurrence of herbicides based on diazines and triazines. Herbicides were demonstrated to get into milk; residues were found in 45 samples (33.3%). Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for examining 143 raw milk samples for the contents of zinc, copper, iron and manganese. As to zinc content, 100% of the samples met the standard, as to iron content 99%, and as to the content of copper, 89% (Ministry of Health Directives, No. 50, 1978). The content of manganese remained within the range up to 0.1 mg.kg-1 milk in 60% of the samples. Out of the 135 milk samples (101 raw, 34 pasteurized milk ones) examined for the content of lead, four samples (3%) failed to meet the limit of the highest admissible level.

Animals↗