Search NEL Online

Comparative Study 2012; 33(4): 412-418 PubMed PMID: 22936258 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Age Factors, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Ghrelin:blood, Growth Disorders:blood, Human Growth Hormone:deficiency, Humans, Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3:blood, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:metabolism, Male,.   

OBJECTIVES: In children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and neurosecretory dysfunction (NSD) ghrelin concentrations are significantly higher than in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS), however the correlation between serum ghrelin and growth hormone (GH) is not observed. The aim of the study was to compare ghrelin concentrations with IGF-I/IGFBP3 molar ratio in children with short stature due to different etiology.r />r /> MATERIAL: Analysis comprised 136 children (58 girls and 78 boys), aged 3.86-16.82 years with short stature (below -2.0 SD); in 21 of them GHD was diagnosed, in 23 - NSD and 92 - ISS. In each child, fasting ghrelin, insulin-like growth factor type I (IGF-I) and its binding protein type 3 (IGFBP-3) concentrations were measured. The results were analysed separately in younger and in older children. Depending on IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratio, children were divided into two (2) groups: with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 and with higher IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio value.r />r /> RESULTS: Both in younger and in the older age groups, ghrelin concentration was significantly higher in children with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio than in children with higher IGF-I/IGFBP-3 value (1937.3±1232.4 vs 1365.3±632.1 pg/ml in younger children and 1205.4±548.8 vs 867.4±282.9 pg/ml in older children). The negative correlation between ghrelin and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio was observed in both age groups. Not only children with GHD and NSD, but also as much as 39% out of all children with ISS were qualified into the subgroups with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Ghrelin secretion is elevated in children with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio. It seems that lower bioactivity of IGF-I is stimulating factor for ghrelin synthesis....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(4): 406-411 PubMed PMID: 22936257 Citation  Keywords:  Cells, Cultured, Female, Humans, Metalloproteases:classification, Placenta:enzymology, Pre-Eclampsia:enzymology, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, Third:metabolism, RNA, Messenger:analysis, Trophoblasts:enzymology,.   

OBJECTIVES: Preeclampsia is a specific pregnancy disorder which could be due, at least in part, to impaired invasion of trophoblastic cells. Since matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the predominant proteases involved in trophoblastic invasion, we investigated and compared expression of MMP-1, 2, 7, 9 and 12 of cytotrophoblastic cells (CTB) purified from preeclamptic (PE) placentas to control CTB.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to evaluate invasive properties of cells, purified CTB were seeded on collagen-coated insert following boyden chamber principle and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression was evaluated by qPCR.r />r /> RESULTS: Our results showed that PE CTB are less invasive than control CTB in vitro. In parallel, expression of MMPs, except for MMP-2, tends to be decreased in PE CTB compared to control CTB.r />r /> CONCLUSION: At the exception of MMP-2, this study confirms the importance of MMPs in development of PE....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(4): 453-461 PubMed PMID: 22936256 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Body Mass Index, Case-Control Studies, DNA Damage:physiology, Deoxyguanine Nucleotides:metabolism, Female, Humans, Lipid Peroxidation:physiology, Male, Malondialdehyde:blood, Membrane Lipids:metabolism, Middle Aged, Obesity:metabolism, Overwe.   

BACKGROUND: Obesity constitutes a common modifiable risk factor for certain non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated with enhanced oxidative stress.r />r /> OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The aim of the study was to examine serum concentrations of malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA+4-HDA), as an index of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) concentration in peripheral blood lymphocytes, as an index of nuclear DNA damage, in overweight and obese adult patients. LPO and 8-oxodG, as well as clinical and laboratory parameters, which are frequently affected by obesity, were evaluated in 58 overweight and obese adult patients, and in 20 healthy volunteers.r />r /> RESULTS: Both LPO and 8-oxodG levels were increased in overweight and obese patients, with further increase observed with the increasing body mass index (BMI). LPO correlated positively with body mass, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist:hip ratio, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, glucose, C-reactive protein and ferritin concentrations. 8-oxodG correlated positively with body mass, BMI, hip circumference and triglyceride concentration, whereas it correlated negatively with iron concentration. Expectedly, positive correlation between LPO and 8-oxodG was also found.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: BMI constituted the only independent determinant (predictor) of LPO in overweight and obese patients. Consistently, LPO did constitute the only independent determinant of obesity. Overweight and obesity in adults are directly associated with increased oxidative damage to macromolecules....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Historical Article 2012; 33(4): 357-360 PubMed PMID: 22936255 Citation  Keywords:  Chronobiology Discipline:history, Chronobiology Disorders, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Humans, Terminology as Topic,.   

: Chronomedicine may be conceptualized as dealing with the prevention, causation, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in humans with a particular focus on the role "time" [Greek: chrónos] plays in our physiology, endocrinology, metabolism and behavior at many organizational levels. While it has been used as a term and somewhat pursued as a discipline for decades, it appears that chronomedicine has captured a broader interest as a promising specialty only more recently. This commentary addresses roots of chronomedicine in the 1900s and perspectives for chronomedicine in the 21st century. Classical terms of chronobiology, e.g., Zeitgeber, melatonin and circadian, may be traced back to Aschoff, Lerner, and Halberg, respectively, but who actually coined the term "chronomedicine" and used it first in a publication remains unclear. Importantly, it could be(come) rather straightforward to transfer abundant insights gained from chronobiology to strategies in chronomedicine as animal models have been increasingly developed to understand human health and disease. Perspectively, chronomedicine should comprise "clinical chronomedicine" (individual-based) and "preventive chronomedicine" (population-based). Overall, due to the "maturing" of chronomedicine as a field, the near future might bring a section dedicated to chronomedicine in existing journals, or even a "Journal of Chronomedicine" as vectors of ideas and research....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(4): 462-468 PubMed PMID: 22936254 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Physiological, Automobile Driving, Biomechanical Phenomena, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Pregnancy:physiology, Reference Values, Spine:physiology, Stress, Physiological:physiology, Vibration, Weight-Bearing:physiology,.   

OBJECTIVES: During a longer car drive there are changes in rheological properties of driver's or passenger's connective tissues taking place as a consequence of monotonous and vibration load. These changes show more among the pregnant drivers, whose motion system is under heavier demands due to pregnancy. To asses these changes we have used the TVS (transfer vibration through the spine) method.r />r /> METHODS: The TVS is based on application of γ excitation pulses with half-length 5 ms and then harmonic excitation continuously periodically changing from 5 Hz to 160 Hz on C7 and L5 vertebrae. This wave is transferred along the axial system and the acceleration of all the spinous tips of the vertebrae, along which the waves spread between C7 and S1, is detected by accelerometric sensors. The measurement was carried out on three drivers before and after a 4-hours driving. The same measurements of wave transfer along the spine with just one pregnant woman were carried out in th 16th, 26th and 32nd week of pregnancy. Consequently we constructed a simplified model of the spine in order to analyze gathered data by discovering elementary properties of the measured system.r />r /> RESULTS: After both vibration and physical load there is a more significant dampening of the spinal tissues apparent, i.e. lower acceleration amplitude and the tissues resonance frequency also shifts towards the lower frequencies. On the other hand after long lasting relaxation on a bed an opposite tendency showed, the acceleration amplitude was higher, tissues were relaxed and dampening was lower. The same tendency manifested among the pregnant women. The influence of progressing pregnancy on the spinal segment transfer function showed through a shifting of peaks above 20Hz. Their size also changes monotonously. An absorption area moves towards higher frequencies, rigidity of axial system connections grows.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The results say that drivers, including pregnant women, show changes in mechanical properties of examined tissues before and after vibration or other type of load. Or conversely before and after relaxation on a bed. Results of this work will be further analyzed, verified and evaluation procedures will be improved. We expect to find dependencies between excitation and resonance frequencies during the transfer via the axial system, the rheological properties of the axial system components and the physical nature of the load of the axial system. They are then going to be applicable for the prevention of injuries of the axial system, physiotherapy practices in the rehabilitation of post-operative conditions, the dosage of training loads of athletes, in determining the effects of job stress regimes and their prevention....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(4): 446-452 PubMed PMID: 22936253 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Arachidonic Acids:pharmacology, Behavior, Animal:drug effects, Central Nervous System Sensitization:drug effects, Dopamine Agents:pharmacology, Drug Administration Schedule, Drug Interactions, Male, Mesencephalon:drug effects, Methamphetamine:pha.   

OBJECTIVES: In our previous studies we found that both acute administration of CB1 receptor agonist methanandamide and repeated methanandamide pre-treatment prior to methamphetamine challenge dose elicited increase in the CB1 receptor mRNA expression in the mouse mesencephalon. As a reciprocal cross-talk is reported between the cannabinoid CB1 and dopamine receptors, that are highly co-localized on brain neurones, we targeted possible changes in relative expression of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor mRNA in mesencephalon in mice sensitized by repeated treatments to methamphetamine stimulatory effects and cross-sensitized to methamphetamine by cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist methanandamide pre-treatment.r />r /> METHODS: To confirm development of behavioural sensitization or cross-sensitization, respectively, we observed changes in locomotion using the open field test. Mice were treated repeatedly with either methamphetamine or methamphetamine after repeated pre-treatment with methanandamide. After each measurement of locomotion one third of animals were sacrificed and the brain was stored. RNA was isolated from the midbrain and used for reverse transcription and subsequent real-time PCR.r />r /> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As in many of our earlier studies with the same dosage regimen we found in the behavioural part both development of sensitization to methamphetamine stimulatory effects after repeated treatment and cross-sensitization to them by pre-treatment with cannabinoid receptor CB1 agonist methanandamide. Real-time PCR analyses showed an increase in D1 receptor mRNA expression after the first dose of methamphetamine (that persisted also after the last dose of methamphetamine) and after the first dose of methanandamide (which also persisted after the methamphetamine challenge dose). In opposite a significant decrease in D2 receptor mRNA expression both after the first dose of methamphetamine and methanandamide (that persisted also after the methamphetamine challenge doses) was registered. Thus, our results suggest that both methamphetmine and methanandamide treatment can provoke changes in dopamine receptor density in mouse mesenpcephalon, the increase in D1 and decrease in D2 receptor subtypes....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Comparative Study 2012; 33(4): 425-430 PubMed PMID: 22936252 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Analysis of Variance, Biomarkers:metabolism, Computer Simulation, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone:metabolism, Male, Maze Learning, Reaction Time, Reference Values, Saliva:metabolism, Self-Assessment, Sex Factors, Spatial Behavior, Stress, Psychologi.   

OBJECTIVES: Spatial learning is shown to be influenced by acute stress in both human and other animals. However, the intricacies of this relationship are unclear. Based on prior findings we hypothesized that compared to a control condition, a social stress condition would not affect spatial learning performance despite elevated biochemical markers of stress.r />r /> METHODS: The present study tested the effects of social stress in human males and females on a subsequent spatial learning task. Social stress induction consisted of evaluative stress (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) compared to a placebo social stress.r />r /> RESULTS: Compared to the placebo condition, the TSST resulted in significantly elevated cortisol and alpha amylase levels at multiple time points following stress induction. In accord, cognitive appraisal measures also showed that participants in the TSST group experienced greater perceived stress compared to the placebo group. However, there were no group differences in performance on a spatial learning task.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that unlike physiological stress, social stress does not result in alterations in spatial learning in humans. It is possible that moderate social evaluative stress in humans works to prevent acute stress-mediated alterations in hippocampal learning processes.....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2012; 33(3): 347-355 PubMed PMID: 22635096 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Age of Onset, Cognition:physiology, Cognition Disorders:diagnosis, Communication Disorders:diagnosis, Executive Function:physiology, Female, Humans, Language Disorders:diagnosis, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Phonetics, Schizophrenia:physiop.   

OBJECTIVE: Although formal thought disorder and cognitive impairment are key features of schizophrenia, only a few studies evaluated both in adolescent population.r />r /> METHOD: 32 inpatients with early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and 32 matched healthy controls were studied with Thought, Language and Communication Scale and battery of neurocognitive tests and SSD subjects were also assessed with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Clinical Global Impression Scale.r />r /> RESULTS: Patients presented impairment in both cognitive functioning and formal thought processes. Communication disturbances correlated with executive and verbal fluency dysfunction.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Communication disturbances in adolescent SSD patients may have both dysexecutive and dyssemantic origin....

Read abstract  Full text PDF