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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 341-346 PubMed PMID: 18580851 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Adult, Biomarkers, Body Mass Index, Cohort Studies, Female, Glycopeptides:analysis, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Hypothalamus:metabolism, Male, Middle Aged, Sex Characteristics, Stress, Psychological:metabolism, Vasopre.   

BACKGROUND: During stress, vasopressin is a potent synergistic factor of CRH as a hypothalamic stimulator of the HPA axis. The measurements of CRH and vasopressin levels are cumbersome because of their instability and short half-life. Copeptin is a more stable peptide stoichiometrically released from the same precursor molecule. The aim of our study was to compare copeptin and cortisol levels in different stress situations.r />r /> METHODS: Three groups of patients with increasing stress levels were investigated: a) healthy controls without apparent stress (n=20), b) hospitalized medical patients with moderate stress (n=25) and c) surgical patients 30 minutes after extubation, with maximal stress (n=29). In all patients we assessed cortisol and copeptin levels. Copeptin levels were measured with a new sandwich immunoassay.r />r /> RESULTS: Cortisol levels in controls were (median, IQ range, 486 [397-588] nmol/L), not significantly different as compared to medical patients (438 [371-612] nmol/L, p=0.69). Cortisol levels in surgical patients after extubation were higher (744 [645-1062] nmol/L p<0.01 vs controls and medical patients). Copeptin levels in controls were 4.3 [3.2-5.5] pmol/L, which was lower as compared to medical patients (17.5 [6.4-24.1], p<0.001) and surgical patients after extubation (67.5 [37.8-110.0] pmol/L, p<0.001). The correlation between copeptin levels and cortisol was r=0.46, p<0.001.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Copeptin is a novel marker of the individual stress level. It more subtly mirrors moderate stress as compared to cortisol values....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 334-340 PubMed PMID: 18580850 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Alleles, Antigens, CD:genetics, Autoimmune Diseases:epidemiology, CTLA-4 Antigen, Celiac Disease:epidemiology, Child, Cohort Studies, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1:epidemiology, Endocrine System Diseases:epidemiology, Female, Genetic Markers, Geno.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the association of two CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms (CT60, +49 A/G) with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and celiac disease (CD) as well as with the occurrence of multi-organ involvement by autoimmunity in children.r />r /> METHODS: Genotyping was done by RFLP analysis in Slovak children with HT (n=63) and CD (n=120) and both Slovak and Slovene children with T1DM (n=320) and healthy controls (n=231).r />r /> RESULTS: We found a significant association of the G allele of the CT60 polymorphism with HT (p<0,0005) in the Slovak population and T1DM in both Slovak (p<0.01) and Slovene populations (p<0.005). The G allele of the +49A/G polymorphism was significantly, though less strongly, associated with T1DM (p<0.05) and HT (p<0.05). Distribution of genotypes of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms in CD patients did not differ significantly from controls. None of the polymorphisms was associated with multi-organ involvement by autoimmunity.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The G allele of both examined CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms predisposes to HT and T1DM, but not to CD. No association with multi-organ involvement was found. The GG genotype of the CT60 polymorphism may identify CD patients at an increased risk for concomitant T1DM and HT. Further studies to assess the predictive value of CTLA-4 polymorphisms for the co-occurrence of HT and T1DM in CD patients are needed....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 351-358 PubMed PMID: 18580849 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Choice Behavior:physiology, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Depressive Disorder:psychology, Economics, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior:psychology, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Reward, Ser.   

OBJECTIVES: Depression has been associated with impaired neural processing of reward and punishment. However, to date, little is known regarding the relationship between depression and intertemporal choice (delay discounting) for gain and loss. This examination is potentially important for advances in neuroeconomics of intertemporal choice, because depression is associated with reduced serotonergic activities in the brain.r />r /> DESIGN AND SETTING: We compared impulsivity and inconsistency in intertemporal choice for monetary gain and loss between depressive patients and healthy control subjects.r />r /> METHODS: We conducted delay discounting tasks for gain and loss in depressed and healthy control subjects. We then quantified impulsivity and inconsistency in the delay discounting with parameters in the q-exponential discount function based on Tsallis' statistics.r />r /> RESULTS: We observed that depressive patients were more impulsive and time-inconsistent in intertemporal choice action for gain and loss, in comparison to healthy controls.r />r /> MAIN FINDINGS: Depressed patients were more irrational in temporal discounting.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The usefulness of the q-exponential discount function for assessing the impaired decision-making by depressive patients was demonstrated. Furthermore, biophysical mechanisms underlying the altered intertemporal choice by depressive patients are discussed in relation to impaired serotonergic neural systems....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 366-372 PubMed PMID: 18580848 Citation  Keywords:  Acetyltransferases:metabolism, Animals, Blotting, Western, Dihydroalprenolol:pharmacology, Drugs, Chinese Herbal:pharmacology, Male, Melatonin:biosynthesis, Pineal Gland:drug effects, Plant Extracts:pharmacology, RNA, Messenger:biosynthesis, Radioimmunoas.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate if the aqueous extract of the Chinese medicine Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) can increase the plasma level of melatonin and enhance the function of the pineal gland of naturally aged rats.r />r /> METHODS: The rats were treated with DSS at doses of 3ml or same volume of distilled water by oral administration at 11 p.m. for three weeks. The plasma level of melatonin were measured by radioimmunoassay. The function of pineal gland were measured through three parameters: pineal beta adrenergic receptor binding investigated by [3H]DHA binding; pineal expression of NAT mRNA detected by real-time RT-PCR; phosphorylation of CREB (P-CREB) and total level of CREB (T-CREB) measured by western blot analysis.r />r /> RESULTS: DSS significantly increased melatonin level at night after oral administration for 3 weeks. By measurement of pineal [3H]DHA binding, it was found DSS improved the beta-adrenergic receptors binding in pineals. The stimulatory effect of DSS on the expression of NAT mRNA in the old rat pineal gland has been demonstrated in this study. Western blot analysis showed that DSS significantly increased phosphorylation of CREB.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a downstream pathway for DSS induction of melatonin synthesis in the rat pineal gland acts via cyclic AMP-dependent cascade and transcription mechanism....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 385-390 PubMed PMID: 18580847 Citation  Keywords:  5-Hydroxytryptophan, Adolescent, Analysis of Variance, Autistic Disorder:blood, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate:blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Serotonin:blood, Single-Blind Method,.   

BACKGROUND: Autism is accompanied by peripheral and central disorders in the metabolism of serotonin (5-HT). The present study examines plasma dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S) and the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio following administration of L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the direct precursor of 5-HT, to autistic patients.r />r /> METHODS: Plasma DHEA-S levels were determined both before and after administration of 5-HTP or placebo, on two consecutive days in a single blind order in 18 male autistic patients and 22 matched healthy controls.r />r /> RESULTS: The 5-HTP-induced DHEA-S responses were significantly higher in autistic patients than in controls. In baseline conditions, the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio was significantly higher in autistic patients than in controls.r />r /> DISCUSSION: The results suggest that autism is accompanied by a major disequilibrium in the serotonergic system. The increased Cortisol (neurotoxic) versus DHEA-S (neuroprotective) ratio suggests that an increased neurotoxic potential occurs in autism.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that a disequilibrium in the peripheral and central turnover of serotonin and an increased neurotoxic capacity by glucocorticoids are important pathways in autism....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 359-365 PubMed PMID: 18580846 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Cortex Hormones:metabolism, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Animals, Cell Proliferation:drug effects, Cells, Cultured, Corticosterone:blood, Immunity, Cellular:physiology, Indicators and Reagents, Injections, Intraventricular, Leukocytes:drug e.   

OBJECTIVE: Cocaine-amphetamine regulated transcript peptides (CART) belong to a neuropeptide family expressed in the central nervous system, especially in the hypothalamus, and also in peripheral tissues. The physiological functions of CART include modulation of pituitary hormone release, regulation of body weight, and the control of feeding behavior and metabolic activity. The reciprocal relationships between CART and immune system function have to be established. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to investigate the influence of CART, administered intracerebroventricularly (icv), on selected immune parameters and pituitary-adrenal axis hormone secretion in the rat.r />r /> RESEARCH METHODS: In rats submitted to icv infusion of CART or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF, control) selected immune parameters: splenocyte proliferation (spontaneous and mitogen-stimulated) and peritoneal leukocyte (PTL) activity (spontaneous and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated) were examined 60 and 120 min after treatment. The direct effect of CART on splenocytes in culture in vitro was also examined. Concentration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone was also measured in serum of control and CART infused rats.r />r /> RESULTS: Splenocytes isolated 60 min after CART infusion exhibited a decreased, albeit non-significant, ability to proliferate spontaneously and were unable to answering to the mitogenic stimulation. This effect was not seen 120 min after CART treatment, which restored splenocyte proliferation decreased by aCSF infusion. CART addition in vitro did not influence proliferation of splenocytes from control rats. Spontaneous activity of peritoneal leukocytes was not modified by CART infusion. PMA-stimulated PTL activity was significantly decreased in aCSF-infused rats 120 min after treatment and CART infusion antagonized this effect. Non-significant increase in serum cortisol after 60 min followed by a significant decrease after 120 min with no change in ACTH concentration was found.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The immunomodulatory activity of icv-infused CART appears to consist in the creation of a short-lasting immunosuppressive internal milieu, followed by the immunostimulatory one. This first effect was most probably due to the activation of the HPA axis and/or other immunosuppressive peptides, but not through the direct action of CART on immune cells. Thus, CART appears to be short-lasting and indirect modulator of immunity....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 379-384 PubMed PMID: 18580845 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aggression:physiology, Alpha Rhythm, Analysis of Variance, Crime:psychology, Czech Republic, Electroencephalography, Event-Related Potentials, P300:physiology, Heart Rate:physiology, Humans, Impulsive Behavior:physiopathology, Male, Middle Aged, Ne.   

: Event-Related potentials are a simple non-invasive neurophysiological method enabling to comprehend certain aspects of the cognitive processing of information in humans. The best-known component of Event-Related Potentials is the so-called P3 wave. Alterations in the parameters of P300 wave have been discovered in certain personality disorders and in persons with impulsively aggressive behaviour. The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes of these parameters, especially an amplitude and latency in the place of Pz electrode. We examined 15 persons with the impulsive aggressive behaviour and compared them to a population comparable of normal age, gender and approximate degree of education. We used P300 auditory and a neuropsychological Eysenck IVE battery. The results showed that significantly lower amplitudes had been found in the aggressive impulsive subjects as compared to the control group. No statistically significant differences have been discovered in the latency. These results seem to confirm previous studies....

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Journal Article 2008; 29(3): 292-294 PubMed PMID: 18580844 Citation  Keywords:  Abnormalities, Multiple:surgery, Adult, Amoxicillin:therapeutic use, Anti-Bacterial Agents:therapeutic use, Cesarean Section, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Premature, Ischium:abnormalities, Kidney Function Tests, Laparotomy, Male, Pelvis:abnorm.   

: We present a case of a pregnancy in a 24 year old woman who was born with ectopia vesicae, split pelvis and hypoplasia of ischial bones. From childhood to adulthood she had undergone reconstructive surgeries of the abdomen and perineum, as well as urine diversion surgery. During pregnancy she experienced recurrent urinary tract infections which were treated with antibiotics. In spite of tocolysis, she delivered by cesarean section a premature baby boy at 35th week of gestation due to premature uterine contractions. The postoperative period was uneventful and they were discharged from the hospital in a good general condition....

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