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Journal Article 2001; 22(1): 53-73 PubMed PMID: 11393163 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Glands:physiology, Animals, Biological Clocks, Blood Pressure:physiology, Chronobiology Disorders:physiopathology, Chronobiology Phenomena, Chronotherapy, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Drug Administration Schedule, Genomics, Homeostasis, Humans, Pi.   

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Journal Article 2013; 34(8): 780-786 PubMed PMID: 24522026 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Blood Proteins:metabolism, Cognition Disorders:metabolism, Depressive Disorder:metabolism, Female, Humans, Male, Memory:physiology, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxidative Stress:physiology, Recurrence, Severity of Illness Index, Stroop Te.   

BACKGROUND: Depressive disorders are multifactorial diseases in which cognitive impairments are one of typical features. Thiol protein groups (TPGs) are elements of chemical structure of compounds having antioxidative properties (glutathione peroxidase, metallothioneins) and their oxidation reflects the lost of compensatory capacity of antioxidative mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of TPGs in patients with recurrent depressive disorder (rDD) and to define relationship between plasma levels of TPGs and the cognitive performance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised 76 subjects: patients with rDD (n=43) and healthy subjects (comparison group, CG - n=33). Cognitive function assessment was based on the following 4 tests: the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Stroop Test, Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT).

RESULTS: The level of TPGs was higher in patients with rDD. In rDD group, the elevated concentration of TPGs in plasma was associated with a decrease in efficiency of declarative-memory, working memory and verbal fluency. The higher was the concentration of plasma TPGs, the greater was the severity of depressive symptoms measured by 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), before and after pharmacotherapy. In CG group, the elevated TPGs levels were associated with worse cognitive test performance (AVLT and VFT tests).

CONCLUSIONS: 1) Our study confirms previous results showing increased TPGs level in depression. 2) Our data suggest relation between increased plasma TPGs level in depression and cognitive impairment. 3) The elevated levels of plasma TPGs are related to impairment of the short-term and delayed declarative memory, verbal fluency and working memory....

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Journal Article 2013; 34(8): 756-762 PubMed PMID: 24522025 Citation  Keywords:  Female, Fertility:physiology, Humans, Infertility, Female:drug therapy, Infertility, Male:drug therapy, Male, Pregnancy, Vitamin D:physiology, Vitamin D Deficiency:drug therapy,.   

: Vitamin D is currently in the scope of research in many fields of medicine. Despite that its influence on health remains uncertain. This paper presents the review of the publications concerning the role of calciferol in reproduction processes and its significance in infertility therapy covering topics of polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis infertility, myoma infertility, male infertility, premature ovary failure and in vitro fertilization techniques. The results of latest research articles in those fields has been discussed and summarized. The deficiency of vitamin defined as the concentration of 25-hydroxycalciferol <20 ng/ml is frequently noted in patients of fertility clinics. Serum vitamin D concentration in healthy women is higher comparing to PCOS patients. The supplementation with vitamin D should be applied in the schemes of PCOS treatment both due to an improved insulin resistance and the results of infertility treatment. The explanation of vitamin D activity mechanism in patients with PCOS requires further research. Vitamin D have direct effect on AMH production, and thus increase longer maintenance of ovarian reserve in the patients with its higher concentration. The occurrence of uterine myomas in the group with vitamin D deficiency was evaluated as much higher comparing to controls. On the other hand it is supposed that high concentration of calciferol may be related to an impaired elimination of endometrial cells passing to peritoneal cavity via ovarian reflux causing endometriosis. In male infertility both low (<20 ng/ml) and high (>50 ng/ml) concentration of vitamin D in serum negatively affects spermatozoa number per ml of semen, their progressive movement and morphology. Significant differences as a response on ovulation stimulation, number and quality of embryos depending on vitamin D concentration were not observed in none of the analyzed papers concerning the role of vitamin D in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Better results in patients without calciferol insufficiency are explained by reports about high concentration of vitamin D and its metabolites in human in decidua collected in the 1st trimester of pregnancy which suggests its contribution in proper implantation and local immunological preference of the embryo. It is accepted that the treatment requires vitamin D concentration below 20 ng/ml (up to 50 nmol/l), especially in obese women, these with insulin resistance and small ovarian reserve and in men with oligo- and asthenozoospermia....

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Journal Article 2013; 34(7): 708-716 PubMed PMID: 24464011 Citation  Keywords:  Acceleration:adverse effects, Adult, Awareness:physiology, Biomechanical Phenomena, Deceleration:adverse effects, Electromyography, Female, Frontal Bone:physiology, Head Movements:physiology, Humans, Male, Neck Muscles:physiology, Psychomotor Performance:.   

OBJECTIVE: For the evaluation of neck injury the relative distance was observed between a marker placed on the forehead and a marker placed on the shoulder and also by change of the angle. To compare the severity of head injury a value of maximum head acceleration was used, HIC and a 3 ms criterion. All criteria were related to the activity of musculus sternocleidomastoideus and musculus trapezius in a situation of expected or unexpected impact.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The situation was recorded using a Qualisys system, head acceleration of probands in three axes was recorded using the accelerometer, activity of neck muscles was monitored by a mobile EMG.

RESULTS: Maximum head acceleration was 12.1 g for non-visual and 8.2 g for visual. HIC36 was 5.7 non visual and 4.0 for visual. 3-ms criterion was 11.5 g for non-visual and 7.8 g for visual. The average time of muscle activation of the observed group without visual perception is 0.027 s after hitting an obstacle, with visual perception 0.127 s before the crash.

CONCLUSIONS: Kinematic values indicate more favourable parameters for neck injuries for visual. Head injury criteria show an average decrease of about 30% for visual. We can conclude that the visual perception means a significant increase in pre-activation of the observed muscle group of almost 400% and lower activation in both following phases of approximately 40%....

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Journal Article 2013; 34(7): 618-623 PubMed PMID: 24464008 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Animals, Newborn, Behavior, Animal:physiology, Breeding, Cerebellar Diseases:genetics, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Fertility:physiology, Male, Maternal Behavior:physiology, Mice, Mice, Neurologic Mutants, Reproduction:physiology,.   

OBJECTIVE: One of the common, but less studied deficiencies in mouse models of cerebellar disorders is impaired breeding capacity. Nevertheless, there is no extensive study in Lurcher (Grid2Lc) mice, a model of olivocerebellar degeneration. The aim of this work was to analyze a breeding capacity of these mutants.

METHODS: Lurcher females mated with healthy wild type males were compared with two control groups: wild type females mated with wild type males and wild type females mated with Lurcher males. The breeding capacity of Lurcher mice was analyzed using a fertility rate, mating capability and pups survival rate through three consecutive litters.

RESULTS: Lurcher dams did not show significantly reduced fertility and mating capability. Nevertheless, their breeding capacity was affected by reduced litter size, maternal infanticide and higher pup mortality during the maternal care period.

CONCLUSION: Lurcher mice are fertile and mating capable cerebellar mutants, but their breeding capacity is reduced due to the postpartum behavioral abnormalities. With regard to hyper-reactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis followed by behavioral disinhibition during stressful events in Lurcher mutants, we hypothesize that the lower breeding capacity is associated with these endocrine and behavioral abnormalities....

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Journal Article 2013; 34(7): 675-680 PubMed PMID: 24464006 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Cadherins:genetics, Carcinogenesis:genetics, DNA Methylation:genetics, Endometrial Neoplasms:epidemiology, Endometrium:physiology, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Glutathione S-Transferase pi:genetics, Humans, Hyperplasia:epid.   

OBJECTIVES: Endometrial cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women. The prevention has failed so far to develop an effective screening program and its incidence is rising in proportion to the incidence of cervical cancer. In recent years the investigation of malignancy genomics (genetic and epigenetic changes) has become the main focus of scientists because of its high sensitivity and specificity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study at the Dpt. of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin from 2010 to 2012, in collaboration with the Institute of Pathology of the University Hospital in Martin. We analysed paraffin blocks of endometrial tissue from 123 women with endometrial cancer, hyperplasia and normal endometrial findings. By the use of bisulphidic modification technique and nested methylation-specific PCR (MSP), we analysed the methylation patterns of three genes: GSTP1, E-cad, RASSF1.

RESULTS: We found a statistically significant increase of methylation of the RASSF1 gene in endometrial cancer compared to simplex hyperplasia and intact endometrial tissue (p<0.001). GSTP1 and E-cad did not show any relevant methylation pattern in various endometrial lesions.

CONCLUSION: According to the results of our study, RASSF1 gene methylation could serve as a prognostic factor of endometrial carcinogenesis and could help to predict the behaviour of endometrial hyperplasia....

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Comparative Study 2013; 34(7): 669-674 PubMed PMID: 24464003 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Adult, Affective Symptoms:metabolism, Anxiety:metabolism, Body Mass Index, Body Weight:physiology, Depression:metabolism, Female, Ghrelin:blood, Gonadal Steroid Hormones:blood, Hormones:blood, Humans, Obesity:metabolism,.   

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders found in women of reproductive age. Differences in hormonal and metabolic profiles are observed in groups of patients with normal and elevated BMI. Cause of disturbances observed in the two groups of patients with PCOS is analyzed. The aim of the study is to assess whether psychological parameters of lean and obese patients with PCOS are comparably significantly different and whether there is a correlation between these characteristics and the concentration of various hormones.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURES: The study consisted of 20 patients with diagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome and 20 healthy women of similar age. Both groups were stratified according to BMI. Specific psychological parameters and hormones were estimated in all patients.

RESULTS: In our study, we found that patients with BMI <25 represented personality traits associated with lower resistance to stress. We also observed significantly higher ACTH levels in the same group as compared to patients with BMI >25. A correlation between plasma ghrelin and the severity of anxiety experienced by test subjects was also observed.

CONCLUSION: The type of personality and emotional disorders in lean PCOS patients may lead to the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and disturbences in hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary (HPO) axis. The results suggest participation of primary hypothalamic dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PCOS in patients with specific fenotype. Ghrelin is a hormone that may affect the symptoms of PCOS in lean patients. Psychological therapy should be considered as a permanent element in the therapeutic plan provided to PCOS patients....

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Journal Article 2013; 34(7): 615-617 PubMed PMID: 24463997 Citation  Keywords:  Decision Making, Entropy, Humans, Models, Psychological, Psychophysics, Uncertainty,.   

: Connections between information theory and decision under uncertainty have been attracting attention in econophysics, neuroeconomics and quantum decision theory. This paper proposes a psychophysical theory of Shannon entropy based on a mathematical equivalence of delay and uncertainty in decision-making, and psychophysics of the perception of waiting time in probabilistic choices. Furthermore, it is shown that the well-known Shannon entropy is a special case of the general psychophysical entropy. Future directions in the application of the present theory to studies in econophysics and neuroeconomics are discussed....

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