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Comparative Study 2004; 25(1-2): 78-82 PubMed PMID: 15159688 Citation  Keywords:  Adenosine Triphosphatases:genetics, Animals, Cation Transport Proteins:genetics, Copper:deficiency, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Male, Median Eminence:diagnostic imaging, Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome:genetics, Mice, Mice, Mutant Strains, Mutation, Recomb.   

OBJECTIVES: The mosaic mutation (Atp7a(mo-ms)) linked to X-chromosome is caused by changes in the Atp7a gene encoding CPx-type protein responsible for the ATP-dependent copper transport across cell membranes. Mosaic mutant males represent an animal model for Menkes disease in humans. Starting from the eighth day of life the mosaic males exhibit a progressive decrease in body weight with poor viability and progressive paresis of the hind limbs. In order to examine whether hypothalamic somatostatin metabolism may be different in normal and copper deficient mice, somatostatin accumulation at the level of median eminence in 14 days old normal and mosaic mutant males was compared.

METHODS: An electron microscopic immunocytochemical study on ultrathin brain slices was performed according to post-embedding immunogold procedure.

RESULTS: In non-mutant animals somatostatin has been detected in many synapses within median eminence. Gold particles moderately decorated synaptic vesicles and mitochondria. In mosaic mutant animals somatostatin expression within the median eminence was very low and only a few gold particles represented somatostatin. Particles were sporadically associated with synaptic vesicles, mitochondria or cytoskeleton elements. Moreover, pre- and post- synaptic parts of synapses were very often swollen.

CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrating that copper deficiency leads to the pathological changes within the median eminence ultrastructure and severe impairment of somatostatin expression suggest that this trace metal is an important element necessary for normal neurohormonal brain development....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(1-2): 75-77 PubMed PMID: 15159687 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Physiological, Adolescent, Adult, Altitude, Atmospheric Pressure, Fasting:blood, Humans, Jordan, Luteinizing Hormone:blood, Male, Reference Values, Religion, Testosterone:blood,.   

OBJECTIVES: To study a possible effect of Ramadan fasting on luteinizing hormone and testosterone in people of the Jordan Valley.

METHODS: A comparative study (n=40) of serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) between people living in the Jordan Valley (JV), n=20, 360 meters below sea level, and those living in Ramtha City (RC), n=20, 600 meters above sea level, was conducted in December, 1998. A similar study (n=40) was also done during January 1999 in fasting people during the month of Ramadan.

RESULTS: Serum levels of LH in non-fasting people of the JV were statistically similar to those in people of RC. There was also no difference in serum levels of T between non-fasting people of the JV and those in RC. Serum levels of LH in fasting people of the JV were statistically indifferent from those fasting in RC. Serum T levels in fasting people of the JV, on the other hand, were higher than those in fasting people of RC (76+/-18.3 ng/ml compared to 62.7+/-24.2 ng/ml).

CONCLUSIONS: It is probably the environmental factors such as the higher barometric pressure of the JV compared to that at above sea level that play a role in higher serum levels of T in people of the JV. Other factors, such as genetic background and/or the cultural and nutritional characteristics of the people of the JV, may also contribute to this difference in serum T levels....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(1-2): 62-69 PubMed PMID: 15159685 Citation  Keywords:  Acute Disease, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Blood Glucose:analysis, C-Reactive Protein:analysis, Cholesterol, HDL:blood, Cholesterol, LDL:blood, Fractures, Bone:blood, Humans, Lipoproteins:blood, Middle Aged, Pain:blood, Pain Measurement:methods,.   

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to evaluate whether some biochemical parameters in the blood serum can establish and discriminate pain intensity of different etiology.

METHODS: Three groups of patients hospitalised at the Department of Surgery have been investigated: 1) the patients without pain but with the indicated surgical treatment, 2) the patients with acute pancreatitis, which represents severe pain of the visceral type, and 3) the patients with fractures of upper or lower extremities, which represented acute somatic pain. Whole serum proteins, albumin, C-reactive protein, glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triacylglyceroles (triglycerides), apolipoprotein-B and electrophoretic levels of alpha-lipoprotein, beta-lipoprotein and pre-beta-lipoprotein were analysed immediately after the first clinical inspection in the hospital and then 30 days after treatment.

RESULTS: The intensity of pain estimated by the visual analogue scale (VAS) was higher in patients with acute pancreatitis than in patients with fractures. In both diagnoses during persisting pain, the products of lipid metabolism such as triacylglyceroles and HDL-cholesterol were enhanced together with glucose levels. Electrophoretic measurements, revealed higher levels of beta-lipoproteins in fractures, and increased values of pre-beta-lipoproteins and alpha-lipoproteins in both groups of patients suffering from pain. After 30 days of treatment some indicators decreased, but when compared with normal values, they were still higher, especially in patients with pancreatitis (HDL-cholesterol, triacylglyceroles, pre-beta-lipoprotein). In control patients without pain symptoms, an increase of LDL cholesterol, triacylglyceroles and beta-lipoprotein were observed during their stay in hospital, which may be considered to be due to hospitalisation stress per se. Acute stress generally influences glucose levels so that their increase cannot be considered as a specific marker of pain intensity.

CONCLUSIONS: It may be concluded from our investigation, that the biochemical composition of the blood serum is changing during painful states, although the question still remains open to what extent these changes reflect the pain intensity and to what extent they may modulate the perception of pain....

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Evaluation Studies 2004; 25(1-2): 52-56 PubMed PMID: 15159683 Citation  Keywords:  Algorithms, Biomechanical Phenomena:methods, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted:methods, Imaging, Three-Dimensional:methods, Models, Anatomic, Moire Topography:methods, Pregnancy,.   

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Methods of automatic and semiautomatic picture determination, evaluation of Moiré contourgraph applied to pregnant women

TYPE OF THE STUDY: Development of algorithm, experimental biomechanical study of the dynamics of pregnant women's axial system.

METHOD: Achieving the correct data for 3D picture analysis derived from 2D pictures requires further precision making. In general, it requires algorithmization and elaboration of software plug-in, which make processing of enormous number of picture data significantly faster. The following corrections, adjustments and calculations had to be done to be used for Moiré contourgraph: correction of the radial distortion of the lens--automatically, aligning the histogram--automatically, picture detection of the defined object shape and determining its centre of gravity with sub-pixel precision--automatically, centre of gravity of the picture of the cross-section of pseudo-contour line of the Moiré contourgraph--semi-automatically, correction of radial shifts in 2D-data orthonormalization--semi-automatically, determining the distance of a projected point in 2D from the net as z-coordinate in 3D--semi-automatically, a) points projected in 2D picture on the pseudo-contour line, b) points not projected in 2D picture on the pseudo-contour line.

RESULTS: Algorithmization of each approach leading to semi-automatic and automatic processing of data obtained from Moiré contourgraphs. Main distortions, errors and inaccuracy of picture data are eliminated. The resulting position of the detected point in 3D derived from the 2D picture is determined with sub-pixel precision of primary picture coordinates.

CONCLUSION: Precision given to coordinates of reference points obtained from original picture data allows for eliminating limiting inaccuracy in determining real coordinates of a 3D object from 2D Moiré contourgraph. Coordinates of a virtual model of a real object corresponding to its real values are determined. This makes the base for non-invasive recording and reconstruction of data on the human body's shape including the details in 3D. The presented file of methods will be used to assess dynamics of the women's axial system during their pregnancy and one year after giving birth....

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Case Reports 2004; 25(1-2): 40-44 PubMed PMID: 15159680 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Dronabinol:therapeutic use, Epilepsy:complications, Feeding and Eating Disorders:drug therapy, Female, Humans, Male, Muscle Spasticity:drug therapy, Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses:complications, Paraplegia:complication.   

: An initial report on the therapeutic application of delta 9-THC (THC) (Dronabinol, Marinol) in 8 children resp. adolescents suffering from the following conditions, is given: neurodegenerative disease, mitochondriopathy, posthypoxic state, epilepsy, posttraumatic reaction. THC effected reduced spasticity, improved dystonia, increased initiative (with low dose), increased interest in the surroundings, and anticonvulsive action. The doses ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 mg/kg body weight a day. The medication was given as an oily solution orally in 7 patients, via percutaneous gastroenterostomy tube in one patient. At higher doses disinhibition and increased restlessness were observed. In several cases treatment was discontinued and in none of them discontinuing resulted in any problems. The possibility that THC-induced effects on ion channels and transmitters may explain its therapeutic activity seen in epileptic patients is discussed....

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Journal Article 2004; 25(1-2): 24-30 PubMed PMID: 15159678 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Animals, Arachidonic Acids:physiology, Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators:physiology, Central Nervous System:embryology, Child, Child, Preschool, Endocannabinoids, Feeding Behavior:physiology, Humans, Mice, Neuroprotective Agents:metabolism, Poly.   

: Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) and their cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, are present from the early stages of gestation and play a number of vital roles for the developing organism. Although most of these data are collected from animal studies, a role for cannabinoid receptors in the developing human brain has been suggested, based on the detection of "atypically" distributed CB1 receptors in several neural pathways of the fetal brain. In addition, a role for the endocannabinoid system for the human infant is likely, since the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol has been detected in human milk. Animal research indicates that the Endocannabinoid-CB1 Receptor ('ECBR') system fulfills a number of roles in the developing organism: 1. embryonal implantation (requires a temporary and localized reduction in anandamide); 2. in neural development (by the transient presence of CB1 receptors in white matter areas of the nervous system); 3. as a neuroprotectant (anandamide protects the developing brain from trauma-induced neuronal loss); 4. in the initiation of suckling in the newborn (where activation of the CB1 receptors in the neonatal brain is critical for survival). 5. In addition, subtle but definite deficiencies have been described in memory, motor and addictive behaviors and in higher cognitive ('executive') function in the human offspring as result of prenatal exposure to marihuana. Therefore, the endocanabinoid-CB1 receptor system may play a role in the development of structures which control these functions, including the nigrostriatal pathway and the prefrontal cortex. From the multitude of roles of the endocannabinoids and their receptors in the developing organism, there are two distinct stages of development, during which proper functioning of the endocannabinoid system seems to be critical for survival: embryonal implantation and neonatal milk sucking. We propose that a dysfunctional Endocannabinoid-CB1 Receptor system in infants with growth failure resulting from an inability to ingest food, may resolve the enigma of "non-organic failure-to-thrive" (NOFTT). Developmental observations suggest further that CB1 receptors develop only gradually during the postnatal period, which correlates with an insensitivity to the psychoactive effects of cannabinoid treatment in the young organism. Therefore, it is suggested that children may respond positively to medicinal applications of cannabinoids without undesirable central effects. Excellent clinical results have previously been reported in pediatric oncology and in case studies of children with severe neurological disease or brain trauma. We suggest cannabinoid treatment for children or young adults with cystic fibrosis in order to achieve an improvement of their health condition including improved food intake and reduced inflammatory exacerbations....

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Editorial 2004; 25(1-2): 11-12 PubMed PMID: 15159675 Citation  Keywords:  Arachidonic Acids:pharmacology, Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators:pharmacology, Cannabinoids:pharmacology, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Endocannabinoids, Humans, Neuroprotective Agents:pharmacology, Polyunsaturated Alkamides,.   

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Letter 2003; 24(6): 469-473 PubMed PMID: 15073578 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenergic beta-Antagonists:therapeutic use, Autonomic Nervous System Diseases:drug therapy, Humans, Immunity, Cellular:drug effects, Immunocompromised Host:drug effects, Stress Disorders, Traumatic:complications,.   

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