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Editorial 2004; 25(3): 159-163 PubMed PMID: 15349077 Citation  Keywords:  Decision Making, Freedom, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Play and Playthings,.   

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(1-2): 141-147 PubMed PMID: 15159698 Citation  Keywords:  Brain Ischemia:cerebrospinal fluid, Humans, Interleukin-1:cerebrospinal fluid, Interleukin-6:cerebrospinal fluid, Intracranial Aneurysm:cerebrospinal fluid, Rupture, Spontaneous, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage:cerebrospinal fluid, Time Factors, Vasospasm, Intrac.   

: Cytokines play a key role in mutual influence of the immunological, endocrine and CNS systems. It has been proven that proinflammatory ILs may intensify the cascade of biochemical changes in ischemic brain damage. Vasospasm, which may accompany SAH and often coexists with symptoms of DINDs, is the cause of ischemic changes in the brain. It is thought that immunological mechanisms may be one of the causes of degenerative-productive changes in vessel walls, in delayed vasospasm following SAH, which lead to substantial vasospasm and in consequence too cerebral ischemia. In the randomly selected group of patients, who underwent surgical treatment after aneurysmal SAH, we determined the concentration of IL-1 beta and IL-6 in CSF in the periods between Days 0 to 3; 4 to 7; and 8 to 15 after the occurrence of SAH. The presence and dynamics of development of vasospasm were assessed on the basis of increasing DINDs as well as CT and cerebral angiography. We examined the concentrations of ILs in CSF using radioimmunological methods, applying commercially available tests for their assessment. We found that in the period between 8 and 15 days after SAH, in increasing delayed vasospasm and DINDs, here is a statistically significant increase concentration of IL-1 beta in CSF (105.4 +/- 46.9 pg x ml-1; p<0.005), and no significant changes in patients without vasospasm and neurological deficits. On the other hand, we noted a statistically significant increase concentration of IL-6 in CSF (4802 +/- 1170 ng x ml-1; p<0.05) only in the acute phase after SAH (Days 0-3) in patients in poor clinical condition, in whom delayed vasospasm and cerebral ischemia developed later. This increase of ILs level in CSF is probably related to the intensity of the SAH, and secondarily aggravates the vasospasm and ischemic changes in the brain....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(1-2): 135-140 PubMed PMID: 15159697 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Analysis of Variance, Antipsychotic Agents:pharmacology, Benzodiazepines:pharmacology, Dibenzothiazepines:pharmacology, Gonadal Steroid Hormones:blood, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:drug effects, Indoles:pharmacology, Isoindoles, Male, Pit.   

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of a switch from typical to atypical antipsychotic drugs (olanzapine, n=8; perospirone, n=9; or quetiapine, n=13) on quality of life and hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones.r />r /> METHODS: The subjects were 30 male chronic schizophrenia inpatients. The assessment was done before and after the switch.r />r /> RESULTS: After the switch, (i) scores of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total and three factors (anxiety-depression, anergia, and thought disturbance) decreased, (ii) the overall severity score of the Drug Induced Extra-Pyramidal Symptoms Scale tended to decrease, (iii) prolactin decreased but gonadal hormones remained unchanged, and (iv) scores on all three subscales (psychosocial, motivation/energy, and symptoms/side effects) in the Japanese version of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (JSQLS) decreased. However, there were no significant group effects, or time-by-group interactions. In addition, score changes from baseline in psychosocial and motivation/energy subscales in the JSQLS were correlated with those in psychotic symptoms, particularly in the anxiety-depression factor. Moreover, responders had been taking lower doses of typical antipsychotic drugs, and had higher serum estradiol concentrations than non-responders before the switch.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that the switch to atypical antipsychotic drugs was effective in reducing elevated prolactin without affecting the gonadal hormones and in improving quality of life patients who had been treated with typical antipsychotic drugs....

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Journal Article 2004; 25(1-2): 127-134 PubMed PMID: 15159696 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Female, Organelles:ultrastructure, Photoreceptor Cells:growth & development, Pineal Gland:cytology, Sexual Maturation:physiology, Sheep:anatomy & histology,.   

OBJECTIVE: The study was performed to analyze the ultrastructure of ovine pinealocytes during the period of postnatal development.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: The pineals of newborn, 10-week and one-year old females of the domestic sheep were prepared for ultrastructural investigations. The point count analysis was used in quantitative studies of the pinealocyte substructures.r />r /> RESULTS: The prominent feature of pinealocytes in the newborns was the presence of well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and numerous polysomes. The pinealocyte cytoplasm contained also smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, dense core vesicles, multivesicular bodies and lipid droplets. Pinealocytes of the 10-week and 1-year old sheep were characterized by the occurrence of numerous vesicles and short cisterns of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, abundant microtubules and lipid droplets. Pinealocytes of the adult sheep were distinguished by well developed Golgi apparatus, numerous dense core vesicles and multivesicular bodies. The relative volume of rough endoplasmic reticulum in pinealocytes was significantly higher in the newborn sheep than in two other groups. The relative volume of mitochondria was significantly higher in pinealocytes of the 10-week old sheep than the newborns and one-year old animals. The relative volume of Golgi apparatus was significantly higher in the one-year old animals than in two other groups. No differences concern lysosomes. The relative volume of lipid droplets as well as the numerical density of dense core vesicles and multivesicular bodies increased significantly with age.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The ultrastructure of ovine pinealocytes undergoes the marked changes during postnatal development. The changes concern mainly substructures involved in secretory activity....

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Comparative Study 2004; 25(1-2): 119-126 PubMed PMID: 15159695 Citation  Keywords:  Adipose Tissue:physiology, Adrenal Glands:physiology, Adrenalectomy, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus:drug effects, Body Composition:physiology, Corticosterone:blood, Eating:physiology, Female, .   

UNLABELLED: It is known that rats treated, at neonatal age, with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) develop neuroendocrine and metabolic abnormalities, resulting in a phenotype of hypothalamic obesity, characterized by increased adiposity, corticosteronemia and leptinemia.r />r /> OBJECTIVE: We explored whether adrenal manipulations could result in the reversion of this phenotype of hypothalamic obesity.r />r /> EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS: Newborn male rats, treated with MSG or vehicle (CTR), were submitted to sham operation, bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX) or bilateral adrenal enucleation (AE) on day 120 of age. Animals were examined 21 days after ADX, combined or not with corticosterone (B) substitution (ADX+B), and on days 21 and 35 after AE. Food intake, body weight and body fat mass were monitored; additionally circulating levels of insulin, leptin, ACTH and B were measured.r />r /> RESULTS: Our data indicate that: a) normalization of basal B circulating levels in, 21 day-ADX and -AE, MSG rats fully reversed hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia and significantly decreased body fat mass; and b) recovery of hypercorticosteronemia in, 35 day-AE, MSG rats fully restored this phenotype of hypothalamic obesity.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Our study strongly supports that high glucocorticoid production is the main factor responsible for the development of enhanced adiposity in MSG rats and, importantly, that this abnormality could be reversed by an appropriate therapy....

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Comparative Study 2004; 25(1-2): 115-118 PubMed PMID: 15159694 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Atrophy:prevention & control, Male, Melatonin:physiology, Organ Size, Pineal Gland:physiology, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Thymus Gland:pathology,.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pinealectomy and pinealectomy plus melatonin administration on thymus weight and histology in adult Wistar-albino rats.r />r /> METHODS: The animals were divided into three groups. Group I and Group II were designated as control (sham-pinealectomized) and pinealectomized rats, respectively. They received 10% ethanol (0.1 ml per day s.c.) alone. The rats in Group III were pinealectomized and daily injected with melatonin (3 mg/kg/0.1 ml 10% ethanol per day s.c.) commencing on the day seven after surgical operation. Injections were applied for two months.r />r /> RESULTS: The thymus atrophied and its weight decreased after pinealectomy (p<0.001). The cortico-medullary boundary could not be distinguished and in the thymus induced a loss of lymphoid elements, increased number of phagocytic macrophages and enlarged blood vessels. Melatonin prevented the thymic involution.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pinealectomy decreases thymus weight and that long-term administration of melatonin restores thymus weight to normal levels....

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Clinical Trial 2004; 25(1-2): 109-114 PubMed PMID: 15159693 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Body Fluids:metabolism, Choroid Neoplasms:drug therapy, Female, Fovea Centralis:drug effects, Hemangioma:drug therapy, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Photochemotherapy:adverse effects, Photosensitizing Agents:adverse effects, Porphyrins:adverse e.   

PURPOSE: To determine if optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements of retinal thickness at the fixation point (RTFP) can be used to confirm the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in the treatment of symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH).r />r /> METHODS: Nine eyes of nine patients with subretinal fluid under foveal centre were treated by PDT with a dose of 6 mg/m2 of intravenous verteporfin administered 5 minutes before a laser irradiation at 689 nm. Visual outcomes, initial, and final findings were evaluated using biomicroscopy, OCT, ultrasound, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography.r />r /> RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 8 months (range, 3-18 months) OCT showed absorption of subretinal fluid in all cases (100%). Maximal decrease of RTFP was seen within first month after treatment. Average RTFP decreased from 378 microm (range, 221 microm-849 microm) preoperatively to 190 microm (range, 118 microm-321 microm) postoperatively (p=0.017, paired t-test). Mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 4/16 (range, 4/5-1/20) preoperatively to 4/8 (range, 4/3-1/15) postoperatively (p=0.0046, paired t-test). An improvement in BCVA was observed in all cases (100%, one to seven lines on Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts). BCVA returned to 4/5 or better in six patients (67%). Mean tumor height decreased from 3.2 mm (range, 1.5 mm-4.0 mm) preoperatively to 0.9 mm (range, 0 mm-2.4 mm) postoperatively (p=0.00003, paired t-test). There was no measurable tumor height in four cases (44%), there were marked reduction in the other five cases (56%) on ultrasound.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: OCT appears to be useful method for evaluation of subretinal fluid absorption after the treatment of CCH by PDT with verteporfin. RTFP value can be used for quantification of subretinal fluid under the foveal centre. Functional results of PDT with verteporfin in CCH are limited in pre-existing retinal alterations. Randomised trial with single versus repeated sessions of PDT with verteporfin is needed....

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Comparative Study 2004; 25(1-2): 102-108 PubMed PMID: 15159692 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Circadian Rhythm:radiation effects, Darkness, Light, Male, Photoperiod, Photoreceptor Cells:radiation effects, Pineal Gland:radiation effects, Rats, Rats, Wistar,.   

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to examine the pineal gland of rats exposed to constant light and darkness at light and electron microscopic level.r />r /> DESIGN: For this purpose 18 male Wistar rats were used. Animals were divided into three groups. Rats in group I (Control) were kept under 12 hrs light: 12 hrs dark conditions. Rats in group II were exposed to constant darkness, while rats in group III were exposed to constant light for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, all animals were killed by decapitation. The pineal glands of rats were removed, then processed for light and electron microscopy.r />r /> RESULTS: In our study, extensive number of pinealocytes was observed in the structure of pineal gland of rats exposed to constant darkness and some of the observed pinealocytes were determined to contain double nucleoli. Furthermore, mitochondria and lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of pinealocytes were increased and rough endoplasmic reticulum sacs were enlarged in this group. Whereas, in rats those exposed to the constant light, a decrease in pinealocyte intensity was associated with increase in the connective tissue between parenchymal cells. Additionally, mitochondria and lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of cells were decreased.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the pinealocyte cell activity of rats exposed to constant darkness was increased but decreased in rats exposed to constant light....

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