Ragweed in the Czech Republic

During the last years, a well documented expansion ofragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Ambrosia trifida L.) over the Mediterranean andtemperate Europe has been in progress. The currentdistribution of ragweed plants in the Czech Republicis summarized and the ragweed pollen concentration asmonitored by 12 pollen stations in the country isdiscussed. The present situation in the ragweed pollensensitization among children and adults with pollenallergy in Brno is described. So far no dangerousexpansion of ragweed plants in our country has beenobserved. Ragweed pollen concentration is occasionallysignificant in the Brno station only, other pollenstations are reporting insignificant amounts ofragweed pollen during August-September periods,although there has been a steady increase in ragweedpollen concentration in the Prague area over the lastfive years. Skin prick tests and/or specific IgEmeasurements with ragweed allergen were performed on94 children with pollen allergy in the Brno region in1995 and on 206, 210 and 229 adult allergic patientsin 1995, 1996 and 1997, respectively. Positive skinreaction or positive specific IgE to ragweed was foundin 22% children and in 25% (1995), 19% (1996) and 25% (1997) adults with pollen allergy. It isconcluded that ragweed does not seem to represent anyimminent major threat to the allergic population inthe Czech Republic until now, however, it remains apotentially very dangerous allergen.     

Y-chromosomal variation in the Czech Republic

To analyze the contribution of the Czech population to the Y-chromosome diversity landscape of Europe and to reconstruct past demographic events, we typed 257 males from five locations for 21 UEPs. Moreover, 141 carriers of the three most common haplogroups were typed for 10 microsatellites and coalescent analyses applied. Sixteen Hg's characterized by derived alleles were identified, the most common being R1a-SRY(10831) and P-DYS257*(xR1a). The pool of haplogroups within I-M170 represented the third most common clade. Overall, the degree of population structure was low. The ages for Hg I-M170, P-DYS257*(xR1a), and R1a-SRY(10831) ap peared to be comparable and compatible with their presence during or soon after the LGM. A signal of population growth beginning in the first millennium B.C. was detected. Its similarity among the three most common Hg's indicated that growth was characteristic for a gene pool that already contained all of them. The Czech population appears to be influenced, to a very moderate extent, by genetic inputs from outside Europe in the post-Neolithic and historical times. Population growth postdated the archaeologically documented introduction of Neolithic technology and the estimated central value coincides with a period of repeated changes driven by the development of metal technologies and the associated social and trade organization.     

Cervical cancer screening in the Czech Republic

Cytological diagnosis of atypical cells of cervix uteri by the Papanicolaou method was introduced in the Czech Republic (CR) very early - in 1947. The first data on the incidence of cervical cancer in CR are available from 1960 when the rate was 32.3 cases/10(5) women. In 1966 the Czech National Health Law was passed that guaranteed women a yearly preventive examination by a gynaecologist including screening for cervical carcinoma that would be covered by the compulsory health insurance. Notwithstanding high frequency of screening visits and the fact that all women are eligible, the incidence of CC has not changed in the last 34 years. The reasons for this include the coverage of Czech women, which is estimated to be low (50% at the most), and that none of the cytology laboratories are accredited for screening, there are no national registries for any aspect of screening and there are no mechanisms for evaluation of the screening process. As a result, it is likely that the majority of cervical screening activity that is undertaken is ineffective and the implementation of an organised and quality controlled screening programme, in compliance with the recommendations of many European Institutions, is urgently required to ensure that Czech women are properly protected against this disease and that scarce healthcare resources are used in the most cost-effective manner.     

Monitoring of mycotoxin biomarkers in the Czech Republic

AFM₁ was determined in 72 (72%) samples of human urine, range 19-6064 pg/g creatinine, mean 367 pg/g creatinine, median 158 pg/g creatinine and 90% percentile 755 pg/g creatinine in 1997. AFM₁ was determined in 46 (43.8%) samples of human urine, range 21-19219 pg/g creatinine, mean 414 pg/g creatinine, median 96 pg/g creatinine and 90% percentile 415 pg/g creatinine in 1998. OTA was determined in 2077 (94.2%) samples of human serum, range 0.1–13.7 μg/L, mean 0.28 μg/L, median 0.2 μg/L and 90% percentile 0.5 μg/L in 1994–2002. OTA was determined in 12 (40%) samples of human kidneys, range 0.1–0.2 μg/kg, mean 0.07 μg/kg, and median 0.05 μg/kg in 2001. Presented at the 26^th Mykotoxin-Workshop in Herrsching, Germany, May 17–19, 2004.     

Incidence of cervical carcinoma in the Czech Republic

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence of cervical cancer in the Czech Republic. STUDY DESIGN: Investigation of the cause of the unfavorable level of cervical cancer through incidence and laboratory performance. RESULTS: Repeatedly modified screening program measures did not lower the incidence significantly. The incidence in various regions of the Czech Republic differed without fully correlating with patients' life situations. There has been an important shift in incidence toward teenagers and the elderly. Analysis of laboratory work showed that it is necessary to educate smear takers/clinicians and ensure their cooperation with cytology laboratories. CONCLUSION: The various types of screening programs did not lower the cervical carcinoma incidence. It is essential to provide adequate cytologic smears and sufficient laboratory personnel for their proper evaluation.     

Predictive modeling of the potential natural vegetation pattern in the Podyjí National Park, Czech Republic

The relationships between 10 types of potential natural vegetation and several environmental factors derived from a topographical map (altitude, slope inclination, curvature, potential direct solar irradiation, sky view factor), a geological map and a spring phenological map, were modeled for the Podyjí National Park (Czech Republic). Different vegetation pattern models were made using spatial predictive modeling together with the Bayes formula. Compared with the field-based vegetation map, the model which included geology as a factor and all the factors derived from the topographic map, yielded an overall correspondence (i.e. percentage of grid cells in which vegetation types in the field-based map and in the model matched) of 56.8%. This measure of correspondence, however, is not dependable in areas, such as the Podyjí National Park, where one vegetation type prevails. Therefore, correspondence within vegetation types, i.e. the average of correspondences calculated for each vegetation type separately, was used, thus yielding a value of 39.4%. The most important factors in this model were the sky view factor, representing the differences between the valleys and the gently undulating uplands, and altitude, as a surrogate for the macroclimatic gradient. By replacing altitude and irradiation variables related to the macroclimate and mesoclimate respectively, with the spring phenological map, overall correspondence with the original map was increased to 62.6% and correspondence within vegetation types to 50.5%. This result shows that phenological maps, which are relatively easy to create and provide a surrogate for unavailable local climatic maps, might be a powerful tool for predicting vegetation pattern on landscape scale.     

Bird schistosomes in planorbid snails in the Czech Republic

Bird schistosomes have been in focus as causative agents of cercarial dermatitis of humans in the last years; however, our knowledge of their species spectrum and intermediate host specificity is still insufficient. Our study focused on bird schistosomes developing in planorbid snails that have been less studied so far. From 2001 to 2010, cercariae of bird schistosomes were found in four snail species (Gyraulus albus, Segmentina nitida, Anisus vortex and Planorbis planorbis) from seven localities in the Czech Republic. Based on morphology and results of molecular analysis, the isolates found belong to at least six species. Five of them are probably undescribed species, and one species appears to be identical with Gigantobilharzia vittensis Reimer, 1963 (syn. G. suebica Dönges, 1964). The finding from S. nitida represents the first report of a bird schistosome from this snail.     

Radiocesium in mushrooms from selected locations in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic

In this paper, activity concentrations of radiocesium in mushrooms from various locations in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic in the years 2000–2004 are presented. Summary reports of Czech regulatory bodies have judged the average activity concentrations in mushrooms to be remarkably below the maximum permissible level of contamination. However, there are certain regions where radiocesium activities have approached the maximum permissible level for contamination of basic foodstuff. For example, the highest activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs measured by gamma-spectrometry was 2,263 Bq kg⁻¹ (on a dry mass basis), in Xerocomus badius from Staré Ransko (a locality in the Czech-Moravian Highlands, Czech Republic). The highest activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs measured in Slovakia was 966 Bq kg⁻¹ (on a dry mass basis), for Suillus luteus from Senica. For comparison, the corresponding activity concentration in a sample taken within the 30 km zone around Chernobyl was measured to be 6,000 Bq kg⁻¹ (on a dry mass basis). Our results have also demonstrated remarkably lower activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in Slovakia compared to those in the Czech Republic.     

Aegilops conservation and collection evaluation in the Czech Republic

Aegilops distribution was revised on localities in the territory of the Czech Republic and the former Czechoslovakia, based on herbarium data, literature and floristic databases. The only surviving species Ae. cylindrica forms the northern limit of distribution in the Danube basin, other sites are secondary. In situ conservation was proposed for two Czech sites where Aegilops have been naturalized. An ex situ gene bank collection has been maintained in the Gene Bank Prague since 1985. The collection includes 21 species and 1099 accessions. The whole collection was evaluated for breeding-valuable characters: resistance to leaf diseases, cereal aphids, viral diseases, and qualitative parameters. Recently, the collection was retested for the present races of leaf and stem rust including new introductions from Kazakhstan. Six different leaf rust races and five different stem rust races collected from the Czech Republic were applied in the older tests, and three races from each rust species in the recent tests. The highest number of accessions resistant both to wheat leaf rust and wheat stem rust and powdery mildew was found in Ae. speltoides (90%). Different reactions of individual accessions of the tested species to the three different pathotypes of each rust species indicates that several diverse genes for specific resistance are present in the accessions of the tested species.     

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been estimated to range from 60 to 95% in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate H. pylori infection prevalence in a representative sample of the Czech population. The second objective was to describe difference of H. pylori prevalence between different social groups of children and adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2509 persons aged 5-100 years, randomly selected out of 30,012 persons of the general population, took part in the study. H. pylori infection was investigated by means of 13C-urea breath test. Breath samples were analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Social and demographic characteristics were based on data from self-completed questionnaires. RESULTS: Using the total Czech population as a standard, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of H. pylori in males aged 5+ years at 41.9% (95% CI 39.0%, 44.8%) and in females aged 5+ years at 41.4% (95% CI 38.6%, 44.3%) in 2001. Prevalence of H. pylori increased with age but was not related to gender. Children of mothers with basic or lower education, living in crowded accommodations, without access to running warm water, and residing in smaller towns appear to be at the highest risk. Low education and heavy smoking are most strongly associated with prevalence of H. pylori positivity in adults and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: This is a unique study based on a representative sample of the general population in a Central European country. The overall prevalence of H. pylori is lower than previously assumed and could partly reflect a substantial recent decrease in H. pylori prevalence in the Czech Republic. Consistent with earlier studies, H. pylori infection is strongly influenced by socioeconomic conditions and childhood poverty.     

Diversity of fungal communities in saline and acidic soils in the Soos National Natural Reserve,Czech Republic

During 2003–2005, the diversity of culturable filamentous soil microfungi in saline and acidic soils of the Soos National Natural Reserve (Czech Republic) was studied. Altogether, 28 soil samples were collected from four sampling sites and were processed by various approaches. In total, 92 fungal taxa were identified using classical and molecular markers. Several detected species were known from similar substrata worldwide; however, the overall fungal spectrum was distinct, as shown by comparison to similar studies. All methodological approaches increased the observed fungal diversity. The different fungal communities observed on the four sampling sites were influenced by the complex effects of environmental factors. The growth response of selected strains to different salinities and pH values was determined. The results of the growth tests showed high adaptability of all tested species to the extreme conditions of the studied substrate. Two acidophilic species (Acidomyces acidophilus, Sporothrix sp.) were isolated.     

The development of microalgal biotechnology in the Czech Republic

Microscopic algae and cyanobacteria are excellent sources of numerous compounds, from raw biomass rich in proteins, oils, and antioxidants to valuable secondary metabolites with potential medical use. In the former Czechoslovakia, microalgal biotechnology developed rapidly in the 1960s with the main aim of providing industrial, high-yield sources of algal biomass. Unique cultivation techniques that are still in use were successfully developed and tested. Gradually, the focus changed from bulk production to more sophisticated use of microalgae, including production of bioactive compounds. Along the way, better understanding of the physiology and cell biology of productive microalgal strains was achieved. Currently, microalgae are in the focus again, mostly as possible sources of bioactive compounds and next-generation biofuels for the 21st century.     

Antibodies to selected viral disease agents in wild boars from the Czech Republic

Blood samples were collected from wild boar (Sus scrofa) shot during the hunting season from 1999 to 2005 in the Czech Republic. Sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of antibodies against classical swine fever virus (CSFV), swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV), Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV), and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Indirect fluorescence antibody test was used for detection of antibodies against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). Antibodies against ADV, BVDV, PCV-2, and TGEV were detected in 30% (101 of 338), 1% (2 of 352), 43% (57 of 134), and 1% (1 of 134) of wild boars, respectively. Sera of 6,471 and 362 tested wild boars were negative for the presence of antibodies against CSFV and SVDV, respectively. This is the first survey of TGEV antibodies in wild boars and the first serologic survey of viral diseases in wild boars in the Czech Republic. Wild boars in the Czech Republic may act as a potential reservoir of ADV and thus have a role in the epidemiology of this disease.