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A framework of postulates is formulated to define the existence, nature, and function of a coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium in biological systems as an essential condition for the existence of life. This state is excited and sustained by energy supply. Mitochondria producing small packets of energy in the form of adenosine and guanosine triphosphate and strong static electric field around them form boundary elements between biochemical-genetic and physical processes. The transformation mechanism of chemical energy into useful work for biological needs and the excitation of the coherent state far from thermodynamic equilibrium are fundamental problems. The exceptional electrical polarity of biological objects and long-range interactions suggest a basic role of the endogenous electromagnetic field generated by living cells. The formulated postulates encompass generation, properties and function of the electromagnetic field connected with biological activity and its pathological deviations. Excited longitudinal polar oscillations in microtubules in eukaryotic cells generate the endogenous electromagnetic field. The metabolic activity of mitochondria connected with water ordering forms conditions for excitation. The electrodynamic field plays an important role in the establishment of coherence, directional transport, organization of morphological structures, interactions, information transfer, and brain activity. An overview of experimental results and physical models supporting the postulates is included. The existence of the endogenous biological electromagnetic field, its generation by microtubules and supporting effects produced by mitochondria have a reasonable experimental foundation. Cancer transformation is a pathological reduction of the coherent energy state far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Malignancy, i.e. local invasion and metastasis, is a direct consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction, disturbed microtubule polar oscillations and the generated electromagnetic field.

The increased level of phenylalanine (Phe) in maternal blood--hyperphenylalaninemia (mHPA) has a detrimental effect on the early development of healthy foetus (1965). The toxic effect causes spontaneous abortion or retards intrauterine growth, skeletal malformation, cardiac anomalies can appear. However the most frequent are microcephaly, mental retardation and hypotrophy.Simultaneously with the introduction of obligatory "Newborn Screening Program" in CR also the facultative screening for mHPA was introduced ("Maternal Hyperphenylalaninemia Preventive Screening Program"). Since 1975 till now 222,990 healthy pregnant women (16-47 yrs) from city Prague and its area (cca 2 mil. inh.) have been screened for increased Phe in blood by Efron's chromatographic screening test (1964); Phe cut off value: 240 micromol/l. Nonfasting venous blood has been taken in 2nd-3rd month of pregnancy during the first antenatal visit. All positive cases have been verified with quantitative Phe estimation on amino acid analyzer incl. pterines analysis in urine. For differentiation of detected mHPAs the Güttler's scheme (1980) has been used. Mutations for Phe-hydroxylase gene analyzed by restriction enzyme digestion after Guldberg (1994).The average incidence of mHPA detected at the beginning of pregnancy was found 1:8675. The major part (65.3%) of all detected mHPA belongs to mild or moderate form of phenylketonuria (PKU) with most frequent PAH gene mutations R408W, Y414C, IVS11 nt8g-a, R158Q, IVS12ntlg-a and R261Q. 19.2% corresponds to atypical or classical PKU with prevailing mutation R408W. Only in 15.3% were detected non-PKU (persistent HPA) with mutations R408W, Y414C, IVS12ntlg-a, IV11nt8g-a and A403V. 28 offsprings born from pregnancies on low-phenylalanine diet (LPD) introduced at least 2 months before the conception and during the whole pregnancy show normal psychomotoric development. In 7 offsprings without LPD or after delayed introducing or on PLD or badly monitored showed malformations (microcephaly, hypotrophy, skeletal malformations) or died.Relatively high incidence of mHPA detected in healthy population of pregnant women of Prague area differs from findings of Buist (1989) or Levy (1994) from American pregnant women screened for mHPA from umbilical blood. We consider that screening performed at the beginning of pregnancy from nonfasting venous blood is more effective compared to umbilical blood from two reasons: the Phe level in maternal blood is increased during first trimester of pregnancy due to succing effect of placenta in comparison to decreased Phe level at the end of labour. Umbilical blood for screening of mHPA is not quite suitable to detect the atypical or mild forms of Phe disturbances which prevailed in our Slavonic population of pregnant women. (Tab. 5, Fig. 7, Ref. 16.)