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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 354-362 PubMed PMID: 26454491 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Age Factors, Age of Onset, Antidepressive Agents:therapeutic use, Anxiety:psychology, Cognitive Therapy, Combined Modality Therapy, Depressive Disorder, Major:psychology, Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant:psychology, Female, Humans, Male, Mi.   

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of major depressive disorder can be affected by a broad range of factors. In our study, we focused on the relationships of demographic, psychological, clinical and social factors to the course of treatment of depression.

METHOD: The study included 151 patients (finally 140 patients were evaluated) hospitalized for major depressive disorder. They were assessed for demographic characteristics, the rates of depression and anxiety, quality of life, the rates of dissociation and insomnia, and subjective and objective disease severity at different times during treatment. Patients were treated with standard doses of antidepressants or other psychiatric medication. They also completed a 6-week long daily cognitive-behavioural therapy. Data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: There were significant decreases in the overall severity of the disorder, anxiety level and depression rate during treatment. Improvement measured by objective Clinical Global Impression (oCGI-I) at the end of treatment was not significantly correlated with any of the measured parameters (age of patient, onset of illness, duration of disease, doses of medication etc.). It only significantly positively correlated with the initial evaluation of the patient by oCGI. However, the improvement in subjective assessment (using sCGI-I) correlated with many parameters (increased age, later onset of the disease, greater disease severity at baseline in both overall and subjective evaluation of the severity, anxiety and depressive symptomatology). Furthermore, it was negatively correlated with most quality of life parameters, such as H (Home), F (Feelings), L (Leisure), Sr (Social relations) and G (General).

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that individual variables, such as the degree of psychopathology, particularly depression and anxiety, most quality of life parameters, higher patient age and age of disorder onset may be associated with poorer subjective response to complex treatment of patients with major depressive disorder....

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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 348-353 PubMed PMID: 26454490 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Body Height:drug effects, Child, Dwarfism:drug therapy, Female, Growth Hormone:administration & dosage, Human Growth Hormone:deficiency, Humans, Male, Neural Networks (Computer), Outcome Assessment (Health Care):methods, Recombinant Proteins,.   

INTRODUCTION: The leading method for prediction of growth hormone (GH) therapy effectiveness are multiple linear regression (MLR) models. Best of our knowledge, we are the first to apply artificial neural networks (ANN) to solve this problem. For ANN there is no necessity to assume the functions linking independent and dependent variables. The aim of study is to compare ANN and MLR models of GH therapy effectiveness.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis comprised the data of 245 GH-deficient children (170 boys) treated with GH up to final height (FH). Independent variables included: patients' height, pre-treatment height velocity, chronological age, bone age, gender, pubertal status, parental heights, GH peak in 2 stimulation tests, IGF-I concentration. The output variable was FH.

RESULTS: For testing dataset, MLR model predicted FH SDS with average error (RMSE) 0.64 SD, explaining 34.3% of its variability; ANN model derived on the same pre-processed data predicted FH SDS with RMSE 0.60 SD, explaining 42.0% of its variability; ANN model derived on raw data predicted FH with RMSE 3.9 cm (0.63 SD), explaining 78.7% of its variability.

CONCLUSION: ANN seem to be valuable tool in prediction of GH treatment effectiveness, especially since they can be applied to raw clinical data....

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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 337-347 PubMed PMID: 26454489 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Biological Availability, Carnitine:pharmacokinetics, Chromium:pharmacokinetics, Dietary Supplements:standards, Female, Folic Acid:pharmacokinetics, Healthy Volunteers, Humans, Iron:pharmacokinetics, Male, Middle Aged, Trace Elements:blood, Ubiquino.   

BACKGROUND: Many Vitamins and minerals for dietary supplements lack a standard scientific and regulatory definition that accurately reflects the bioavailabilities in humans. Especially the bioavailability of natural compounds in complex mixtures, where the different ingredients may interfere with each other, is unknown.

METHODS: To learn more about the bioavailability of the ingredients in the complex compound LaVita® we examined blood levels of subjects, who ingested the multivitamin and trace element composition for 6 month continuously. Blood samples for the analysis of the ingredients were taken before, during, and after administration.

RESULTS:&nbsp;Our data indicated a significant increase of most ingredients after 3 month, and additional three months, except for Vitamin (B9 Folic acid). The semivitamins Q10 and carnitine increased in the first 3 month (both p<0.001). While carnitine dropped during the second term, Q10 levels increased further slowly. After three months a significant increase was observed for iron (serum p=0.039; blood cells p=0.025), Selenium (serum p=0.048; cells p=0.006), and chromium (serum p=0.029). Zinc - known to interfere with the iron resorption - increased slowly in the first term of 3 months, but was raised significantly after 6 months (serum and blood cells, each p<0.001). The Copper/Zink ratio dropped accordingly (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION:&nbsp;We conclude that resorption interference between specific ingredients, and after resorption redistribution of specific ingredients to various tissue compartments precludes a linear increase of the respective serum parameters. We observed no deleterious resorption competitions for individual compounds. No parameter reached critical levels. We conclude that the test substance (LaVita®) is a sufficiently safe composite for long term consumption....

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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 330-336 PubMed PMID: 26454488 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Embryo Transfer:veterinary, Embryonic Development:physiology, Estrus Synchronization:methods, Female, Insemination, Artificial:veterinary, Laparoscopy, Pregnancy, Seasons, Sheep, Domestic:physiology, Superovulation:physiology,.   

OBJECTIVE:&nbsp;The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of seasonal changes on the superovulation in Black Suffolk ewes, particularly the ovulation rate and embryo quality.

DESIGN:&nbsp;Black Suffolk ewes were superovulated either in May (n=22) or in September (n=21), 2013. After estrus synchronization with CIDR, the donor ewes were superovulated with PMSG and seven decreasing doses of FSH (twice daily at 07:00 and 19:00 for four consecutive days. Then, they were subjected to laparoscopic intrauterine artificial insemination. The viable morula and blastocysts were recovered and immediately transferred to recipients.

RESULTS:&nbsp;Ewes that were superovulated in May had a much higher ovulation rate than those were superovulated in September (16.8 ± 3.23vs. 10.2 ± 2.94, p<0.01); however, the viability rate of the embryo was lower than that of September (56.0 ± 1.92% vs. 92.5 ± 3.26%, p<0.01). There was no significant difference in the survival rate of the transferred viable embryos (33.9 ± 1.00% vs. 36.7 ± 1.64%, p>0.05) and the number of offspring per donor ewe (3.1 ± 0.54 vs. 2.9 ± 0.72, p>0.05) between May and September. In contrast, the offspring/ova ratio of the donor ewes superovulated in May was lower than that of September (18.5 ± 1.64% vs. 32.8 ± 2.14%, p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:&nbsp;The superovulation of Black Suffolk ewes may be affected by the seasonal changes. Generallly, The ewe's ovulation rate was higher in May, whereas the viability rate of embryo was higher in September....

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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 320-329 PubMed PMID: 26454487 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Biomarkers:blood, Cluster Analysis, Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic:blood, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pattern Recognition, Automated, Validation Studies as Topic,.   

BACKGROUND:&nbsp;Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is characterized by neuro-psychiatric (e.g. depression, irritability, sleep disorders, autonomic symptoms and neurocognitive defects) and physio-somatic (fatigue, a flu-like malaise, hyperalgesia, irritable bowel, muscle pain and tension) symptoms. New ME/CFS case definitions based on consensus criteria among experts are largely inadequate, e.g. those of the US Institute of Medicine .

OBJECTIVES:&nbsp;The aim of the present study was to delineate a new case definition of ME/CFS based on pattern recognition methods and using neuro-immune, inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative stress (neuro-IO&NS) biomarkers as external validating criteria.

METHODS:&nbsp;We measured the 12-item Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating (FF) Scale in 196 subjects with CFS (CDC criteria) and 83 with chronic fatigue. The "Neuro-IO&NS" biomarkers were: IgM / IgA responses against LPS of gut commensal bacteria (leaky gut), IgM responses to O&NS modified neoepitopes, autoimmunity to serotonin, plasma interleukin-1 (IL-1) and serum neopterin.

RESULTS:&nbsp;Cluster analysis showed the presence of two well-separated clusters with highly significant differences in symptoms and biomarkers. The cluster with higher scores on all FF items was externally validated against all IO&NS biomarkers and therefore this diagnostic group was labeled "Neuro-IO&NS Fatigue" or "Neuro-Inflammatory and Oxidative Fatigue" (NIOF). An algorithm was constructed which defined NIOF as chronic fatigue and 4 or more of the following 6 symptoms: muscle tension, memory disturbances, sleep disorders, irritable bowel, headache or a flu-like malaise. There was a significant overlap between NIOF and CFS although NIOF criteria were much more restrictive. Factor analysis showed two factors, the first a fatigue-hyperalgesia (fibromyalgic complaints) and the second a fatigue-depression factor....

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Journal Article 2015; 36(4): 316-319 PubMed PMID: 26454486 Citation  Keywords:  Chorionic Gonadotropin:physiology, Female, Humans, Male, Pregnancy, Testicular Neoplasms:diagnosis, Trophoblastic Neoplasms:diagnosis, Uterine Neoplasms:diagnosis,.   

:&nbsp;Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a polypeptide hormone studied as far as 1912, but researchers has no complete knowledge concerning its biological function. Since 1970' it is known that hCG can be found not only in the urine and serum of pregnant, but in choriocarcinoma and testicular cancer patients. Up-to-date one can distinguish four subtypes of hCG differing in secondary carbohydrate chains configuration as well as it regular and glycosylated forms, but non trophoblastic sources of this hormone, such as pituitary are still not widely known. The article gives an overlook on hCG studies in order to help clinicians in taking wise, evidence based decisions in asymptomatic patients with elevated hCG....

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Case Reports 2015; 36(4): 311-315 PubMed PMID: 26454485 Citation  Keywords:  Heavy Metal Poisoning, Nervous System:complications, Humans, Male, Metals, Heavy:poisoning, Poisoning:complications, Self-Injurious Behavior:complications, Thallium:poisoning, Young Adult,.   

:&nbsp;We report a rare case of serious voluntary intoxication by laboratory thallium monobromate combined with alcohol intake by a 24-years old man. The diagnosis of thallium intoxication was based on history, nonspecific but typical clinical symptoms including gastrointestinal complaints, painful polyneuropathy, alopecia, and confirmed by the finding of increased thallium concentration in the urine. The treatment, performed at the due time, consisted of decontamination of the stomach by irrigation, administration of active charcoal and Prussian blue, correction of water and mineral dysbalance, symptomatic treatment, and led to complete recovery....

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Case Reports 2015; 36(4): 306-310 PubMed PMID: 26454484 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Hyponatremia:drug therapy, Male, Sodium:blood, Tuberculosis, Meningeal:complications,.   

:&nbsp;Cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS) is characterized by severe natriuresis and volume depletion in the presence of cerebral pathology. In literature, there are few reports about tuberculous meningitis and cerebral CSWS. In this article, we report two tuberculous meningitis cases with CSWS and present a review of the literature on this topic. Cerebral salt wasting diagnosis was based on hyponatraemia associated with high urinary sodium excretion and inappropriately high urine output in the presence of dehydration. Treatment was made with sodium-fluid replacement plus fludrocortisone therapy in both cases. In agreement with the literature we argue that cerebral salt wasting syndrome might be more common than the syndromes of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) in cerebral disorders. Differentiating the cerebral salt wasting syndrome from the SIADH is very important because unrecognized cerebral salt wasting syndrome can lead to inadequate management and result in unnecessary hyponatremia-related morbidity. The electrolyte and hydration status of patients should be monitored closely in patients with tuberculous meningitis....

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