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Biomedical subjects

K Martínek

Publications and source records attributed to K Martínek.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Some trace elements in coal of the Czech Republic, environment and health protection implications.

Mining for coal and its utilization have various impacts on the surrounding environment. Huge volumes of waste materials which are by-products of both the underground and open cast coal mining, pose one of the major environmental hazards in addition to air pollution caused by coal burning in power plants in the Czech Republic. Some of these risks could be reduced when having accurate and comprehensive data on coal quality. Statistical data processing of almost 35,000 coal samples from Late Paleozoic and Tertiary coal basins of the Czech Republic provided a unique information on the quality of lignite, sub-bituminous and bituminous coals and anthracites including the content of toxic trace elements (As, Be, Hg, Pb and Se). In this context related environment and health risks and protection implications are discussed.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Echinococcus multilocularis in European wolves (Canis lupus).

Nested PCR was used as a diagnostic tool to investigate the presence of Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm in protected species of carnivores in Slovakia. Twenty-three faecal samples from wolves, four samples from bears and three samples from lynx from the Muránska Planina mountains and eight samples from wolves from the Bukovské Vrchy mountains were examined. E. multilocularis DNA was detected in two samples of wolves' faeces from the Muránska Planina mountains and one sample from the Bukovské Vrchy mountains. Examination of bears' and lynx faecal samples gave negative results. The detection of E. multilocularis in wolves has extended the range of its known definitive hosts in Europe.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Echinococcus multilocularis in carnivores from the Klatovy district of the Czech Republic.

A unique human case of alveolar echinococcosis was described in 1979 from the Klatovy district of the Czech Republic. However, there were no previous epidemiological studies in this area focusing on detection of the source of infection--Echinococcus multilocularis adults producing eggs. During the period June 1997 to April 1999, 29 out of a total of 46 (63.3%) red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Klatovy district and one of four foxes (25.0%) in the Pilsen South district were found to be infected with adult worms of E. multilocularis. No E. multilocularis adults were found in other animals from the Klatovy district (i.e. three specimens of Martes martes, two Martes foina, one Mustela erminea, two Meles meles and one Felis catus f. domestica). An examination of faecal samples from 55 dogs (Canis familiaris) from the Klatovy district resulted in the detection of E. multilocularis DNA in one (1.8%) sample. The present results support the possibility that human alveolar echinococcosis previously described in the Czech Republic had the character of an autochthonous infection. There are also indications of a potential risk of infection to humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[The clinical picture and development of aortic aneurysms in older persons].

The authors discuss 11 patients with aortal aneurysms (AA) which they diagnosed in the course of 1983-1988. In seven instances the abdominal aorta was affected; once the ascending part and once the arch; twice the descending part and once the whole aorta. In four patients the aneurysm had a dissecting character. Patients of advanced age were involved (73.9 +/- 9.7 years) with multiple morbidity and frequently also general advanced atherosclerosis which was the main cause of development of aneurysms. The authors analyze the clinical picture and course of AA in different patients and draw attention to their great variability. In the discussion they deal with the position of diagnostic methods, analyze critically the causes, course and prognosis of AA incl. interpretation of their own group of patients. In view of the frequent (and rising) incidence of AA in old age, the authors consider it important to pay attention to this problem also from the aspect of clinical gerontology.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[A prospective prognostic study of liver cirrhosis].

The authors conducted a prospective, longitudinal, multicentre study in patients with liver cirrhosis; a total of 192 patients were on follow-up, of this number 125 died during the study. Mean age, 56 years, was markedly more advanced in the dead; men prevailed among the patients. Duration of complaints and the interval since the diagnosis had been established was shorter in the dead than in those alive; a positive HBs antigen was likewise more often present in the former. Clinical and laboratory parameters in this group were assessed with a view to the differences between the dead and those alive and with a view to the time course of changes in these differences. Multifactorial discriminative analysis of these data for various intervals before death was also performed. The most pronounced differences were noted in clinical manifestations and laboratory signs of hepatic insufficiency, especially in the presence and degree of ascites, jaundice, encephalopathy, and in the values of bilirubin, Quick' test and blood albumin levels; thus the degree of liver insufficiency appears to be the most important prognostic marker in patients with liver cirrhosis. Moreover, a significant increase in urea and leucocyte levels was found in the terminal stages of the disease. Ascites, encephalopathy and a progressive increase in serum bilirubin levels seem to be the best markers for discriminative analysis of prognosis for the last six months of life. Results of this study, while confirming some findings by other authors, offer also new insights into the whole issue.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[Hyperinsulinemia in cirrhosis--increased secretion or impaired liver extraction?].

The authors applied the oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) in 21 patients with bioptically confirmed cirrhosis without clinical or laboratory signs of manifest diabetes. At the same time they used the oGTT in 11 healthy controls. During the test they assessed the venous glycaemia, insulin and C-peptide and from these values they calculated relative indexes. In cirrhotic patients they recorded during the oGTT higher blood sugar levels, and higher insulin and C-peptide in the majority of time intervals [blood sugar during the 90th minute p greater than 0.01 and 120th minute p greater than 0.05; immunoreactive insulin (IRI) in the 90th minute p greater than 0.05 and in the 120th minute p greater than 0.01), i.e. typical hyperinsulinaemia with a retarded secretory maximum during the 90th minute. The calculation of the molar ratio C-peptide: IRI is considered useful by the authors. In cirrhotic patients it was markedly reduced on fasting, during the 60th, 90th and 120th minute (p greater than 0.01). In the discussion the authors analyze the problem of enhanced insular secretion, impaired hepatic extraction and insulin resistance in relation to disorders of glucose tolerance in cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[The somatotropic hormone and liver diseases].

The authors examined in 1980-1988 a total of 114 patients aged 18-87 years suffering from chronic liver disease. In all these patients they examined in addition to RIA assay of somatotropic hormone (STH) bilirubin and basic liver enzymes, using common methods. They recorded a significant increase of STH in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. In the other diagnostic groups the STH levels were within the reference zone or at its upper borderline. The authors analyzed also STH levels in relation to diabetes and drew attention to its frequent occurrence (type II) in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. The authors analyze also STH variations in the course of ageing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen and various biochemical tests in patients with tumorous and inflammatory liver diseases.

Over the period of the past 9 years (1980-1988), 320 patients (mean age 60.9 +/- 13.2 years) suffering from various liver diseases have been examined. There were three main groups of patients: (1)--24 patients with primary liver cancer (PLC), 19 of them with hepato- and 5 with cholangiocellular carcinoma, (2)--153 patients with metastatic liver tumors (MLT), and (3)--143 patients with inflammatory liver diseases (ILD). The results of examination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GMT) in these patients have been analyzed with the aim to evaluate their contribution to the differential diagnostics of tumorous and inflammatory liver processes. For the diagnostics of malignant hepatoma AFP appeared to the most specific test. The significance of other tests for diagnostics of malignant hepatic diseases is obviously limited. These tests are recommended to be considered (in the case of their increase) in close connection with the clinical image and additional examinations. The importance of correlation between cirrhosis and malignant hepatoma is also to be noticed. In spite of all this, we believe that in the case of positivity of the above tests the patients have to be carefully examined and followed up, and that the clinical course and the dynamic of the mentioned tests has to be thoroughly observed. Because of the specificity of values of the AFP-test with malignant hepatoma, we find it useful to perform this test in all patients with chronic liver diseases.

Adolescent↗