The Role of Ornamental Gardens of Rural Settlements in Landscape Architecture

This chapter deals with the status of rural ornamental gardens in the Czech Republic throughout history. In this chapter, the individual styles and typical elements of garden architecture from the oldest medieval gardens around the castles and monasteries, through the Renaissance and Baroque ornamental gardens around thy typical Renaissance villas and chateaus to the landscape parks of classicism and romanticism and modern gardening, will be described. For each of the key periods, a few typical representatives of ornamental gardens from the countryside of the South Bohemian region will be described, including their original and contemporary composition, composition of wood and plants and the buildings and furniture in the garden locality

The Role of Public Spaces in Small Municipality

Public spaces are a subspace of municipality space: they are its physical type, closely linked to permanent settlements, especially to cities. There are both social communication and movement of people, things and goods. These are classic, usually architecturally designed spaces between buildings: squares, agora, streets and parks. Public spaces in small municipalities have been crucial to the functioning of the community, their social, historically, and also economic life. In various types of rural municipalities, the function and formation of public spaces have changed over the course of history, often in relation to the geographical location of the municipality in terms of location or local conditions and customs. Nowadays, the tourist attraction of the place is also an important driving element in the form of public spaces. This chapter should show how public spaces have changed over time using examples of different types of municipalities and show examples of good and somewhat worse care for them

Cheating Customers in Grocery Stores: A Field Study on Dishonesty

The study measures how often customers are cheated in real-world transactions. In a pre-registered field study in Prague, Czech Republic, hired confederates posed as foreigners unfamiliar with local currency. While buying snacks in grocery stores (N = 259) either in the morning or in the evening, they provided cashiers with an opportunity to steal money from them by keeping more change than they were supposed to. The customers were cheated in 21% of stores, the median overcharge was 54% of the value of an average purchase, and overcharging occurred more often in the stores with on-line reviews mentioning dishonesty of employees. Although males cheated and were cheated slightly more often than females, gender differences were not significant. In contrast with predictions of the Morning Morality Effect, dishonest behavior occurs slightly more often in the morning than in the evening. The results show that cheating of customers in grocery stores is relatively widespread and it is especially prevalent in the central city district where the odds of being cheated are more than three times higher in comparison with the rest of the city

ERCP and intraoperative laparoscopic cholangiography in the management of bile ducts stones - is there an alternative in the face of MRCP

Background: It is controversial whether selective endoscopic sphincterotomy or routine laparoscopic bileduct exploration is the optimal treatment for choledocholithiasis. Magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) is a safe and accurate imaging modality; this study evaluated its use in a clinical algorithm for the man agement of suspected choledocholithiasis.Patients and methods: Consecutive patients presenting with suspected common bile duct (CBD) stones were managed according to an algorithm involving the selective use of MRCP to identify patients who required endoscopic sphincterotomy and bile ductclear ance. Follow ingra diological demonstration оf a clear CBD, all patients were considered for cholecystectomy.Results: From 157 consecutive patients, 68 proceeded straight to endoscopic sphincterotomy, which was therapeutic in 59. Of 3 who underwent MRCP, choledocholithiasis or tumor obstruction was demonstrated; subsequent endoscopic sphincterotomy was therapeutic. Seventy-four patients subsequently underwent cholecystectomy, with a conversion rate of 9% and a median postoperative stay of 2 day. There were no instances of post-sphincterotomy pancreatitis or haemorrhage requiring transfusion.Conclusion: An algorithm involving selective MRCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy is a safe, effective means of managing suspected choledocholithiasis, particularly where the expertise, equipment or theatre time for laparoscopic bile duct exploration is not routinely available MRCP may become a new additional alternative to ERCP and intraoperative cholangiography.Scripta Scientifica Medica 2009; 41(2): 163-167

Engineered Fragments of the PSMA-Specific 5D3 Antibody and Their Functional Characterization

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) is an established biomarker for the imaging and experimental therapy of prostate cancer (PCa), as it is strongly upregulated in high-grade primary, androgen-independent, and metastatic lesions. Here, we report on the development and functional characterization of recombinant single-chain Fv (scFv) and Fab fragments derived from the 5D3 PSMA-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb). These fragments were engineered, heterologously expressed in insect S2 cells, and purified to homogeneity with yields up to 20 mg/L. In vitro assays including ELISA, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, revealed that the fragments retain the nanomolar affinity and single target specificity of the parent 5D3 antibody. Importantly, using a murine xenograft model of PCa, we verified the suitability of fluorescently labeled fragments for in vivo imaging of PSMA-positive tumors and compared their pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution to the parent mAb. Collectively, our data provide an experimental basis for the further development of 5D3 recombinant fragments for future clinical use

Microbial Contamination of Photographic and Cinematographic Materials in Archival Funds in the Czech Republic

In this study we investigated the microbial contamination of 126 samples of photographic and cinematographic materials from 10 archival funds in the Czech Republic. Microorganisms were isolated from the light-sensitive layer by swabbing it with a polyurethane sponge. Microbial isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF MS (bacteria) or by phenotype testing and microscopy (fungi). Bacterial contamination was more abundant and more diverse than fungal contamination, and both were significantly associated with archives. The most frequently isolated fungal genera were Cladosporium, Eurotium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Alternaria. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Gram-positive genera such as Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Kocuria, Streptococcus and Bacillus. This bacterial and fungal diversity suggests that air is the main vehicle of contamination. We also analysed the impact of the type of material used for the carrier (paper, baryta paper, cellulose acetate and nitrate or glass) or the light-sensitive layer (albumen, gelatine, collodion and other) on the level and diversity of microbial contamination. Carriers such as polyester and cellulose nitrate may have a negative impact on bacterial contamination, while paper and baryta paper may have a partially positive impact on both fungal and bacterial contamination

Synthesis of New Biscoumarin Derivatives, In Vitro Cholinesterase Inhibition, Molecular Modelling and Antiproliferative Effect in A549 Human Lung Carcinoma Cells

A series of novel C4-C7-tethered biscoumarin derivatives (12a–e) linked through piperazine moiety was designed, synthesized, and evaluated biological/therapeutic potential. Biscoumarin 12d was found to be the most effective inhibitor of both acetylcholinesterase (AChE, IC50 = 6.30 µM) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, IC50 = 49 µM). Detailed molecular modelling studies compared the accommodation of ensaculin (well-established coumarin derivative tested in phase I of clinical trials) and 12d in the human recombinant AChE (hAChE) active site. The ability of novel compounds to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was predicted with a positive outcome for compound 12e. The antiproliferative effects of newly synthesized biscoumarin derivatives were tested in vitro on human lung carcinoma cell line (A549) and normal colon fibroblast cell line (CCD-18Co). The effect of derivatives on cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay, quantification of cell numbers and viability, colony-forming assay, analysis of cell cycle distribution and mitotic activity. Intracellular localization of used derivatives in A549 cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Derivatives 12d and 12e showed significant antiproliferative activity in A549 cancer cells without a significant effect on normal CCD-18Co cells. The inhibition of hAChE/human recombinant BChE (hBChE), the antiproliferative activity on cancer cells, and the ability to cross the BBB suggest the high potential of biscoumarin derivatives. Beside the treatment of cancer, 12e might be applicable against disorders such as schizophrenia, and 12d could serve future development as therapeutic agents in the prevention and/or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease