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Journal Article 2007; 28(6): 895-900 PubMed PMID: 18063924 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Autistic Disorder:classification, Child, Child, Preschool, Diagnostic Errors:statistics & numerical data, Early Diagnosis, Early Intervention (Education):standards, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Parents, Quality of Health C.   

: The primary aim of the research was to find the delay between the first symptoms of an autistic disorder being recognized by parents and diagnosis in our centre. A secondary objective was to evaluate the number of contacts with professionals (physicians, teachers, and speech therapists) in which parents pointed out special manifestations seen in children and, in spite of that, the children were not referred to a specialist. A retrospective study assessed 204 children (59 girls, 145 boys) in total; 126 children (39 girls, 87 boys) with childhood autism (CHA), 57 (17 girls, 40 boys) with atypical autism (AA), and 21 (3 girls, 18 boys) with Asperger's syndrome (AS). The mean age at appearance of the first signs was 29.7 months (range 0-70, median 30+/-17.0) in N=201, and the average age at diagnosis was 81.5 months (range 13-276, median 69.5+/-45.2) in N=204. The mean delay in making a diagnosis was 51.3 months (range 0-246, median 39+/-40.9) in N=201. The delay in diagnosis is shortest in patients with AA (a mean period of 44.4 months = 3 years and 8 months), longer in CHA patients (49.5 months = 4 years and 2 months), and longest in patients with AS (80.8 months = 6 years and 9 months). A statistically significant difference in the period to diagnosis was found between CHA and AS patients (p=0.023) and between AA and AS patients (p=0.019). The mean number of visits to physicians and other specialists before referring to a specialized centre for diagnosis in N=133 was 2.4 (range 1-5, median 2+/-0.9). The diagnosis of autism is made late and early educational and behavioural interventions cannot be initiated....

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Comparative Study 2007; 28(Suppl 3): 28-29 PubMed PMID: 18030273 Citation  Keywords:  Age Factors, Community-Acquired Infections:mortality, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Malnutrition:complications, Meningitis, Bacterial:ethnology, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), Risk Factors, Roma:statistics & numerical data, Slovakia:epidemiology, Statistics.   

: Etiology and risk factors such as malnutrition, diabetes, otitis/sinusitis, alcohol abuse, tuberculosis, low birth weigh as well as mortality and neurologic sequellea in Roma ethnic minority with community acquired bacterial meningitis (CBM) was assessed and compared to all CBM cases....

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Comparative Study 2007; 28(Suppl 3): 7-9 PubMed PMID: 18030263 Citation  Keywords:  Community-Acquired Infections:complications, Cross Infection:complications, Humans, Meningitis, Bacterial:etiology, Neurosurgical Procedures:adverse effects, Postoperative Complications:microbiology, Risk Factors, Slovakia:epidemiology, Statistics, Nonpar.   

: The aim of this study was to assess if differences in etiology and risk factors among 372 cases of bacterial meningitis acquired after surgery (PM) or in community (CBM) have impact on outcome of infected patients. Among 372 cases of bacterial meningitis within last 17 years from 10 major Slovak hospitals, 171 were PM and 201 CBM. Etiology, risk factors such as underlying disease, cancer, diabetes alcoholism, surgery, VLBW, ENT infections, trauma, sepsis were recorded and mortality, survival with sequellae, therapy failure were compared in both groups. Significant differences in etiology and risk factors between both groups were reported. Those after neurosurgery had more frequently Coagulase negative staphylococci (p<0.001), Enterobacteriaceae (p=0.01) and Acinetobacter baumannii (p=0.0008) isolated from CSF and vice versa Streptococcus pneumoniae (p<0.001), Neisseria meningitis (p<0.001) and Haemophillus influenza (p=0.0009) were more commonly isolated from CSF in CBM. Neurosurgery (p<0.001), sepsis (p=0.006), VLBW neonates (p=0.00002) and cancer (p=0.0007) were more common in PM and alcohol abuse (p<0.001) as well as otitis/sinusitis (p<0.001) and Roma ethnic group (p=0.001) in CAM. Initial treatment success was significantly more frequently observed among CAM (p<0.001) but cure after modification was more common in PM (p=0.002). Therefore outcome in both groups was similar (14.6% vs. 12.4%, p=NS)....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 639-642 PubMed PMID: 17984948 Citation  Keywords:  Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Depressive Disorder:blood, Dissociative Disorders:blood, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System:physiopathology, Male, Middle Aged, Pituitary-Adrenal System:physiopathology, Prolactin:blood, Statistics, Nonparamet.   

OBJECTIVES: Usual neuroendocrinological manifestation of traumatic stress and dissociation is dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of the present study is to perform examination of HPA axis as indexed by basal serum prolactin and test its relationship to dissociative symptoms and symptoms of traumatic stress.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 25 inpatients treated at the university hospital with diagnosis of unipolar depression mean age 41.23 (SD=11.53) were assessed using psychometric measures of dissociation (DES) and traumatic symptoms (TSC-40), and using standard biochemical analytical methods basal serum prolactin levels were investigated.

RESULTS: Data show that prolactin manifests significant relationship to dissociative symptoms (r=0.52, p=0.004). Significant correlation was not found between prolactin and traumatic symptoms measured by TSC-40 (r=0.31, p=0.07).

CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that serum prolactin levels in unipolar depressive patients are related to dissociative symptoms that is likely caused by passive coping mechanisms leading to dissociation....

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Journal Article 2007; 28(5): 675-680 PubMed PMID: 17984945 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Copper:blood, Exercise:physiology, Humans, Male, Oxygen Consumption:physiology, Physical Exertion:physiology, Reference Values, Statistics, Nonparametric, Zinc:blood,.   

: This study was carried out in order to determine the effect of acute maximal aerobic exercise on the copper and zinc levels in blood. The study was participated by 16 healthy male university students with an average age of 19.44+/-1.63. There were 5 cc blood samples taken from the participants before and after they had been subjected to aerobic loading process (20 m shuttle run). The copper and zinc levels in the blood samples were determined by the use of Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) technique. The data obtained were evaluated by simple t test and SPSS software. The results revealed the fact that the blood Zn levels of the participants increased and Cu levels decreased with statistical significant extent (p<0.01) after maximal aerobic loading. There found no correlation between the maximal aerobic power levels (Max VO2) of the participants and their resting copper and zinc blood levels. However blood zinc and Max VO2 levels of the participants were positively correlated after maximal aerobic loading. The participants were fed on a zinc and copper free diet six week prior to the program. They were also asked not to use copper and zinc containing vitamins during this period....

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Clinical Trial 2007; 28(5): 708-712 PubMed PMID: 17984925 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Dietary Supplements, Exercise:physiology, Humans, Magnesium:administration & dosage, Martial Arts:physiology, Physical Exertion:physiology, Reference Values, Rest:physiology, Statistics, Nonparametric, Thyroid Horm.   

: The effect of magnesium on thyroid hormones of sedentars and sportsperson in Tae-Kwon-Do, has been investigated in a 4-weeks training program. Group 1 consisted of sedentars receiving 10 mg/kg/day Mg for 4 weeks. Group 2 consisted of subjects receiving magnesium (Mg) supplement and practicing Tae-Kwon-Do for 90-120 min/day, for five days a week. Group 3 consisted of subjects practicing Tae-Kwon-Do but receiving Mg supplements. TSH levels increased with training and Mg supplementation (p<0.05). Mg increased FT3 values. (p<0.05). TT3 values of groups reduced in all groups (p<005). After supplementation, group 1 had higher TT4 values than groups 1 and 3 and the group 2 had higher TT4 values than the third group (p<005). Results of this research show that training until exhaustion causes reduction in thyroid hormone activity in sedentars and sportsperson. It has been established that Mg supplementation however, prevents reduction in thyroid hormone activity in sedentars and sportsperson....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 711-718 PubMed PMID: 17187017 Citation  Keywords:  Biological Evolution, Choice Behavior, Dominance-Subordination, Female, Homosexuality:psychology, Humans, Internet, Male, Masochism:psychology, Power (Psychology), Psychological Theory, Sadism:psychology, Statistics, Nonparametric,.   

OBJECTIVES: Dominance and submissiveness represent strong sexual arousal stimuli for a considerable part of population. In contrast to men's sexual dominance and women's sexual submissiveness, the opposite preferences represent an evolutionary enigma. Here, we studied prevalence and strength of particular preferences in general population by Internet-trap-method.

DESIGN: The subjects who clicked the banner displayed in the web interface of e-mail boxes were allowed to choose icons with homosexual or heterosexual partner of different hierarchical position.

RESULTS: Dominant partner was chosen by 13.8% men and 20.5% women, and submissive partner by 36.6% men and 19.8% women. Homosexual partners were chosen by 7.3% men and 12.2% women. The response times for the submissive and dominant stimuli did not differ while for the equal-status stimuli were significantly longer, suggesting that part of subjects with equal-status preferences probably intentionally mask their natural interests.

CONCLUSIONS: Large number of people who chose unequal sexual partner suggests that hierarchical status plays important role in human mating system....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 719-723 PubMed PMID: 17187003 Citation  Keywords:  Case-Control Studies, Docosahexaenoic Acids:blood, Fatty Acids, Omega-3:blood, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated:blood, Humans, Male, Pedophilia:blood, Reference Values, Serotonin:metabolism, Statistics, Nonparametric,.   

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that abnormalities in plasma phospholipid fatty acids may play a role in aggressive behavior. Recently, it was suggested that a dysfunctional serotonergic turnover in the brain may be involved in the etiopathology of pedophilia. Depletion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may cause alterations in the serotonergic system that may be related to pedophilia and aggression.

METHODS: This study examines the serum phospholipid n-3 and n-6 PUFA fractions in pedophilia. Twenty-seven pedophilic men and eighteen healthy volunteers participated in this study.

RESULTS: In pedophilia there was a significant depletion of the C22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), total n-3 fractions and an increase in the total n-6/n-3 and C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 (arachidonic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid) ratios. Using the NEO Personality Inventory, lower DHA in pedophiles is related to more impulsiveness and lower agreeableness (trust, altruism, straightforwardness, compliance) and conscientiousness (self-discipline).

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that a depletion of the serum phospholipid n-3 higher unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) and, in particular, of DHA may take part in the pathophysiology of pedophilia. One hypothesis is that a depletion of n-3 HUFAs and DHA may cause alterations in the serotonergic turnover, which are related to impulse discontrol and aggression-hostility, behaviors which are associated with pedophilia....

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