Koutnik D, Stara A, Zuskova E, Kouba A, Velisek J. The effect of subchronic metribuzin exposure to signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus Dana 1852). Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(Suppl 2): 51-56
Havelkova B, Kovacova V, Bednarova I, Pikula J, Beklova M. Impact of platinum group elements on the soil invertebrate Enchytraeus crypticus. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(Suppl 2): 43-50
Bednarova I, Mikulaskova H, Havelkova B, Strakova L, Beklova M, Sochor J, Hynek D, Adam V, Kizek R. Study of the influence of platinum, palladium and rhodium on duckweed (Lemna minor). Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(Suppl 2): 35-42
OBJECTIVES: This study presents the concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Hg, Zn and Pb) in the water, sediment, and muscle of two fish species from the middle and lower reaches of the Dyje river basin (Dyje, Jihlava, Svratka, Svitava and Trkmanka rivers), in the Czech Rebublic.
METHODS: Samples of water, sediment (Tab. 1.) and fish muscle were obtained during the seasons of 2012-2013. As the reference species were chosen chub (Squalius cephalus) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) due to their occurrence in all of the evaluated fishing grounds.
RESULTS: The potential ecological risk analysis of heavy metal concentrations in the sediments indicated that nine sites in the middle and lower reaches posed moderate or considerable ecological risk. The health risk analysis of individual heavy metals in fish muscle indicated safe levels for the general population, but there was a possible risk in terms of the total target hazard quotients. The contents of the analysed metals in fish muscles were low at seven sites and did not exceed the values of limits admissible in the Czech Republic.
CONCLUSIONS: The increased values of heavy metals in the fish muscle from the Svratka and Svitava rivers may be mainly derived from metal processing, electroplating industries, industrial wastewater and domestic sewage....
Dvořák P, Andreji J, Dvořáková-Líšková Z, Vejsada P. Assessment of selected heavy metals pollution in water, sediments and fish in the basin Dyje, Czech Republic. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(Suppl 2): 26-34
OBJECTIVE: Adherence to treatment of mental disorders is one of the key factors influencing its success and, secondarily, the patients' quality of life and social adaptation. The cross-sectional study of 90 outpatients diagnosed with psychotic disorders aimed at determining if there was a relationship between discontinuation of psychoactive drugs in the past, current adherence to treatment and self-stigma.
METHODS: The assessment was made with the objective and subjective Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale, Drug Attitude Inventory, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale and demographic data. The questionnaires were filled out by 79 patients, of whom 5 handed in incomplete questionnaires. Complete sets of data were obtained from 74 patients.
RESULTS: The data analysis showed that the levels of self-stigma as assessed by the total ISMI scores was not statistically significantly correlated with most of the demographic factors (age, age of illness onset, gender, education, marital status, employment, duration of the illness, number of hospitalizations and antipsychotic dosage). However, there was a significant negative correlation with current adherence to treatment....
Vrbová K, Kamarádová D, Látalová K, Ocisková M, Praško J, Mainerová B, Cinculová A, Kubínek R, Ticháčková A. Self-stigma and adherence to medication in patients with psychotic disorders--cross-sectional study. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(7): 645-652
OBJECTIVE: Hypogonadism has major effects on the urogenital system, in addition to other systems, the cardiovascular system in particular. There have been few studies conducted on markers of atherosclerosis, such as flow mediated dilatation (% FMD), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and adipocytokine levels in idiopatic hypogonadotropic hypogonadal (IHH) males mostly in adult patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between androgens and adipocytokines and parameters of vascular functions in hypogonadal men.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 11 treatment naive IHH patients (group 1) and 15 age-matched healthy control males (group 2). A fasting blood sample was obtained for leptin, adiponectin and resistin. The endothelial functions were evaluated by studying % FMD and CIMT by high resolution B-mode ultrasound.
RESULTS: No significant differences in age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded between the two groups. The leptin level was significantly higher in group 1, whereas adiponectin and resistin levels were same between two groups. There was a negative correlation between total testosterone and carotid intima-media thickness (r=-0.656, p=0.008), and a negative correlation between total testosterone and leptin level (r=-0.794, p<0.001). No correlation was found between leptin and CIMT (p=0.184).
CONCLUSION: Testosterone deficiency in hypogonadal men is associated with vascular parameters of atherosclerosis. The findings may establish indications for testosterone replacement therapy in hypogonadal men....
Tuna M, Doğan B, Karakılıç E, Arduç A, Işık S, Yılmaz F, Topçuoğlu C, Berker D, Güler S. Evaluation of adipocytokine levels and vascular functions in young aged to middle aged men with idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(7): 640-644
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of increasing load on changes in the muscle activity ratio and onset of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL) and biceps femoris (BF) during load-carrying walking.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen strength-trained men performed an isometric test for knee flexion/extension using a dynamometer followed by walking with progressively increasing loads of up to 75% of their body mass (BM). During the isometric tests and load-carrying walking, electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the VM, VL and BF in both legs together with 3D kinematics.
RESULTS: Significant changes in the activity ratio were found for the VM/VL (F3,93=5.92, p=0.0001) and VL onset (F3,81=6.8, p=0.0004). Other parameters showed no significant differences. VM/VL was significantly reduced between the 50BM (mean±SD: 0.89±0.4) and the 75BM condition (0.81±0.3). VL onset was significantly accelerated between the BM (26.11±8) compare and the 25% BM (19.47±9), 50% BM (21.21±10) and 75% BM (15.45±6) conditions.
CONCLUSION: Load-carrying walking is an exercise and movement activity that increases the activity of VL more than the activity of VM and accelerates the VL action together with the increased load, which can negatively influence knee stability. The VM/VL ratio and onset is equal when walking under weight-bearing conditions. The inter-muscular coordination is changed due to the increased load in complex movements even in individuals with high level of neuromuscular adaptation....
Stastny P, Lehnert M, Zaatar A, Svoboda Z, Xaverova Z, Jelen K. Knee joint muscles neuromuscular activity during load-carrying walking. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(7): 633-639
OBJECTIVE: Self-stigma in psychiatric patients is an issue deserving both research and therapeutic attention. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Czech version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale assessing the levels of self-stigma in individuals with mental disorders.
METHODS: It consists of 29 items classified into 5 subscales, namely alienation, stereotype endorsement, perceived discrimination, social withdrawal and stigma resistance. The study group comprised 369 patients with a mean age of 41.5±13.3 years, of whom 210 (56.6%) were females.
RESULTS: The most frequent diagnosis was neurotic disorders (46.1%), followed by affective disorders (18.4%), substance use disorders (13.3%), psychotic disorders (10.8%), personality disorders (9.5%) and organic disorders (1.6%). Reliability of the scale was evaluated by internal consistency analysis (α=0.91), the split-half method (Spearman-Brown coefficient: 0.93) and test-retest at 3 weeks from the first measurement (N=17; r=0.90, p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Exploratory factor analysis of the scale was performed, its validity was verified and norms were established that were based on T-scores and sten scores for the entire scale and individual subscales. The Czech translation of the ISMI has adequate psychometric properties....
Ocisková M, Praško J, Kamarádová D, Látalová K, Kurfürst P, Dostálová L, Cinculová A, Kubínek R, Mainerová B, Vrbová K, Ticháčková A. Self-stigma in psychiatric patients--standardization of the ISMI scale. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2014 Jan; 35(7): 624-632