LifeData Portal

Description: Study compares the effects of three types of perioperative analgesia on the number of circulating tumor cells following radical colorectal cancer surgery. Correlations with other perioperative factors and clinical/pathological disease characteristics were assessed.Study contains three arms: morphine-based perioperative analgesia, piritramid-based perioperative analgesia and perioperative epidural analgesia containing an opioid.Baseline number of circulating tumor cells was recorded prior to surgery in a venous blood sample. Number of circulating tumor cells was measured 2 - 4 weeks after surgery in a venous blood sample. These two values were compared. Pain intensity was assessed using Numerical Rating Scale (0-10)

Description: Study compares the effects of perioperative analgesia on the number of circulating tumor cells following radical colorectal cancer surgery. Correlations with other perioperative factors and clinical/pathological disease characteristics were assessed.Study contains two arms: morphine-based perioperative analgesia and piritramid-based perioperative analgesia.Baseline number of circulating tumor cells was recorded prior to surgery in a venous blood sample. Number of circulating tumor cells was measured 2 - 4 weeks after surgery in a venous blood sample. These two values were compared. Pain intensity was assessed using Numerical Rating Scale (0-10)

Description: This study will determine reference genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic profiles in Czech population. Initially, there will be 1000 healthy volunteers, with the planned expansion to 10.000 participants (healthy volunteers and patients with different types of disease). Formation of the reference database of healthy volunteers and their parameters will allow a correct interpretation of the potential pathological findings in patients. It is very important to obtain healthy controls from the region of the Czech Republic, Central Europe respectively; since it is not possible to reliably compere ethnically and geographically diverse populations, which have generated in a different context and where the diseases manifest with other etiology ad phenotype. Although, in the limited measure, the similar molecular data exist in foreign databases, these are not compiled from the inhabitants of the Czech Republic, Central Europe not even from Slavic population. Study participants may volunteer for archiving of remaining biological materials for future studies. MethAge, an epigenetic age prediction model was developed, tested and validated. The chronological age was predicted, and samples with high error were used for searching for markers of accelerated/decelerated ageing. The expression levels of the aging-associated biomarkers p16 and p21 were quantified to evaluate their correlation with the chronological age of the studied individuals. Sensitive massively parallel sequencing of 38 genes for assessing clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) in blood samples was done. CHIP somatic variants have been connected to normal aging, blood cancer development, and chronic inflammatory conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases. Raman spectra of 2 microliters of dried plasma sample, deposited on CaF_2 substrate were measured. The excitation laser had a wavelength of 532 nm, the laser power on the sample was set to 1 mW, and the exposure time was set to 1s. Each spectrum is an average of 28 measurements. The present dataset contains RAW spectral data without any pre-processing or data smoothing.
Additional Info: This study will determine reference genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic profiles in Czech population and will evaluate its correlation with the disease phenotype.

Description: Different cytostatic substances were tested on patient biological material undergoing surgery, biopsis or other procedure for cancer diagnostics and treatment. MTT test was used to assess viability and proliferation of the cells exposed to the cytotoxic effect of various cytostatic agents. The results of the cytostatic agents with the best cytotoxic effect were reported to the treating oncologist of the patients in order to achieve the best possible treatment for the patient. Examinated biological material included at least one of the following: tissue (primary tumor/metastasis), blood, bone marrow, ascitic fluid, pleural effusion, lymph node.

Description: The primary target parameter of the study is the estimation of the cumulative prevalence of persons who have already encountered the SARS-CoV-2 virus or have experienced the disease of COVID-19 with manifest production of antibodies, i.e. the prevalence of individuals with a past infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, including persons with a subclinical course of the disease. Preferably venous blood was sampled and blood serum was tested using the WANTAI SARS-CoV-2 AB Rapid test for qualitative determination of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Participants with positive WANTAI test result provided sample of a nasopharyngeal swab. The presence of viral RNA was demonstrated by the method of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Frozen blood serum from the venous blood sampling was tested using vendor1 Anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA test, which provided semi-quantitative in-vitro determination of human antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus in classes IgA and IgG. Further testing with vendor1 SARS-CoV-2 NCP ELISA test was done, which provided semi-quantitative in-vitro determination of human antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus in classes IgM and IgG. Also testing with vendor2 ELISA tests was done providing semi-quantitative in-vitro determination of human antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 virus in classes IgG, IgM and IgA. Also, the presence of other coronaviruses was checked. Addressed study participants answered questions about their weight, height, smoking, household size, and occupation. They also provided information on whether they were at work, were in quarantine from 1. March. 2020 or if they stayed abroad, if they had symptoms of a respiratory disease since 1. January. 2020. Interpretation of results: Vendor1: value < 0.8 negative, value ≥ 0.8 < 1.1 borderline, value ≥1.1positive Vendor2:< 185 negative, value 185 to 210 borderline, value >210 positive

Description: The trial should determine acceptability of the self-sampling followed by HPV DNA test by Czech women and therefore usability of the self-sampling device to increase cervical cancer screening attendance among under-screened women. Three different approaches will be tested: women will receive a self-sampling device by mail (Arm A); receive a self-sampling device by gynecologist (Arm B); receive a self-sampling device by general practitioner (Arm C). Comparisons of the screening attendance among the arms will be made. To address also potential effects on inequities, the analyses will include comparisons by sociodemographic characteristics. Women from the database of commercial vendor will be included to the Arm A regardless of whether or not they participate in cervical cancer screening program. Women who do not participate in cytology-based cervical cancer screening program for at least three years will be included through their gynecologist (Arm B) or general practitioner (Arm C) database. The second focus of the trial is the evaluation of high-risk human papillomavirus prevalence in screening population of Czech women (attenders and non-attenders of cervical cancer screening) since there are no relevant data for the Czech Republic. Study participants may volunteer for archiving of remaining biological materials for future studies.

Description: <p><strong>Endometrial receptivity (ER)</strong>, critical for embryo implantation, is currently assessed only through invasive methods.</p> <p>Traditional studies use morphological and "omics" analyses of endometrial tissue and uterine secretions. Because effective diagnostics require biopsy, less invasive approaches are needed.</p> <p><strong>Cervical mucus</strong>, originating from the endocervix, reflects hormonal and pathological changes and is easily collected.</p> <p>During IVF/ICSI/ET cycles, where biopsy is relatively contraindicated, cervical mucus sampling offers a minimally invasive alternative.</p> <p>Our project uniquely investigates cervical mucus for <strong>proteomic biomarkers</strong> of ER, a research direction not yet explored.</p>
Additional Info: <p><strong>Endometrial receptivity (ER)</strong> is crucial for successful embryo implantation but currently requires invasive biopsy for assessment.</p> <p>Our project explores <strong>cervical mucus</strong> as a minimally invasive source of proteomic biomarkers for ER, a novel approach not yet addressed in existing research.</p>

Description: The project aims to validate newly identified biomarkers of lung cancer in breath condensate for the diagnosis and triage of lung nodules (malignant versus benign), further set the mechanisms of the functioning of the lung cancer screening center, validate the quality indicators of LDCT screening for the Czech Republic and stratify the cohort of individuals so that optimized output of screening activities. Patients aged 55-74 years with a heavy smoking load (more than 20, preferably more than 30 pack/years) will be divided into risk groups according to biomarkers in exhaled air, clinical/anamnesis data and the degree of obstructive ventilation disorder according to spirometry and subsequently there will be effective stratification of the risk of lung carcinoma. The group with the highest risk of developing lung cancer will then be diagnosed with early lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography of the chest. This will lead to early diagnosis and subsequently to a reduction in the mortality rate of the monitored active group compared to the historical cohort. The primary outcome will be the validation of the multiplex protein signature in exhaled air, the effectiveness of the screening procedure to reduce lung cancer mortality and overall mortality in the group with FEV1 (forced expiratory volume at 1 second) pre-bronchodilation 60-75% with the entire group of examinees. The secondary outcome will then be the total time of diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule in positively screened patients for whom only observation is not a sufficient procedure. Another secondary outcome will be the costs of screening procedures for individual groups and the percentage of success of the anti-smoking intervention for the enrolled individuals. The number of newly captured interstitial lung processes will also be evaluated. Patients will be evaluated for 5 years at annual visits or earlier based on their LDCT result.

Description: Despite proteotoxic stress and heat shock being implicated in diverse pathologies, currently no methodology to inflict defined, subcellular thermal damage exists. Here, we present such a single-cell method compatible with laser-scanning microscopes, adopting the plasmon resonance principle. Dose-defined heat causes protein damage in subcellular compartments, rapid heat-shock chaperone recruitment, and ensuing engagement of the ubiquitin–proteasome system, providing unprecedented insights into the spatiotemporal response to thermal damage relevant for degenerative diseases, with broad applicability in biomedicine. Using this versatile method, we discover that HSP70 chaperone and its interactors are recruited to sites of thermally damaged proteins within seconds, and we report here mechanistically important determinants of such HSP70 recruitment. Finally, we demonstrate a so-far unsuspected involvement of p97(VCP) translocase in the processing of heat-damaged proteins. Overall, we report an approach to inflict targeted thermal protein damage and its application to elucidate cellular stress-response pathways that are emerging as promising therapeutic targets.

Description: Two datasets of digital phase-contrast images of U2OS cells treated compounds at three concentrations. One dataset consists of cells treated with the compounds from LOPAC-1280, and the other from JUMP Target.

Description: This project aims to compare oral sampling methods, oral rinse/gargle lavage (ORG) and oropharyngeal swabs (OPS), for oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) detection in oropharyngeal cancer patients (OPC) in the Czech Republic. OPC patients were enrolled irrespective of age or gender during diagnosis or after completion of treatment and follow-up visits. Results obtained from pre-treatment samples were used for the evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Concordance for any-HPV, high-risk HPV and 9-valent HPV detection was estimated based on all paired ORG and OPS samples collected during the study. The secondary outcome of this study is the evaluation of current high-risk HPV prevalence in the Czech OPC cohort.