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Clinical Trial 2012; 33(5): 552-558 PubMed PMID: 23090275 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Attitude, Autistic Disorder:psychology, Female, Humans, Male, Music:psychology, Psychometrics:standards, Severity of Illness Index, Surveys and Questionnaires:standards, Videotape Recording, Young Adult,.   

BACKGROUND: There is accumulating evidence that people with autism have a particular affinity with music.

METHODS: This study developed the "Playing-in-Touch" (PiT) questionnaire as an objective measure of musical intouchness - defined as the degree of engagement in creative exchange while playing ensemble music pieces - in persons with low-functioning autism.

RESULTS: A 3-facet Rasch model supported the content and construct validity of the PiT scale. The items verified a one-dimensional hierarchical model.

CONCLUSIONS: The PiT questionnaire is a convenient complement to other research methodologies exploring the attitudes of people with low-functioning autism in terms of active music making....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(5): 546-551 PubMed PMID: 23090274 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Biological Transport:genetics, Bipolar Disorder:genetics, COS Cells, Cercopithecus aethiops, Humans, In Vitro Techniques, Isomerism, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Schizophrenia:genetics, Serotonin:metabolism, Trans.   

OBJECTIVES: Although single nucleotide polymorphisms of the human vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (hVMAT1) gene SLC18A1 have been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, there is limited information on the function of naturally occurring hVMAT1 variant proteins. This study evaluated transport activity of full length hVMAT1 isoform-a (NP_003044.1) with a threonine (Thr) or isoleucine (Ile) at amino acid 136 and hVMAT1 isoform-b (NP_00135796.1) with a 136-Thr and deletion of 32 amino acids in the central region of the protein. Genetic studies have previously linked the 136-Thr to bipolar disorder.

METHODS: Expression vectors with hVMAT1 DNA coding for isoform variants were transfected into COS-1 cells. Expression of immunoreactive proteins was assessed by Western blotting, and function was assayed by ATP-dependent transport of radiolabeled serotonin and concentration-dependent inhibition by reserpine.

RESULTS: Immunoreactive isoform-a proteins were observed as a major doublet (68-71 Kd) and a minor 39 Kd protein. The major isoform-b protein was 47 Kd with minor 57 and 115 Kd proteins. Isoform-b had no detectable transport activity, despite a large amount of immunoreactive protein. Transport activity of isoform-a with 136-Thr was 20-50% lower than with 136-Ile in time course studies (2.5-5 min) and in additional 5 min assays repeated with 5-6 transfections per variant. Kinetic analyses indicated a lower transport Vmax of isoform-a with 136-Thr but no significant differences in the transport Km or reserpine IC50.

CONCLUSIONS: Deletion of amino acids 307-338 in hVMAT1 isoform-b abolishes transport activity, and a 136-Thr partially reduces activity of isoform-a....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(5): 536-545 PubMed PMID: 23090273 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Mass Index, Carcinoembryonic Antigen:blood, Female, Humans, Life Style, Lipid Peroxidation:physiology, Logistic Models, Middle Aged, Neoplasms:metabolism, Obesity:metabolism, Oxidative Stress:physiology, Risk Factors, .   

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) constitute leading cause of morbidity, disability and premature mortality. Oxidative processes are involved in the pathogenesis of NCDs.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between lipid peroxidation (LPO), an index of oxidative damage to membrane lipids, or carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a tumor marker, and potential risk factors for NCDs in women at midlife and beyond.

METHODS: Data on lifestyle, such as dietary habits, smoking, physical activity, etc. and medical history, were assessed by a questionnaire in 323 female outpatients of the Regional Centre of Menopause and Osteoporosis - Outpatient Department of Endocrinology, Lodz (Poland), at midlife and beyond. Blood serum LPO and CEA levels, as well as anthropometric measurements were evaluated.

RESULTS: Positive correlations between LPO level and body mass or body mass index or hip circumference were found. LPO level was increased in women who did not declare regular menstrual cycles. CEA level was increased in women who smoked (and positively correlated with duration of smoking), who consumed pickled food every day and over-consumed animal fats, who had not breastfed in the past, as well as in women with malignancy in anamnesis. Logistic regression analysis has revealed that LPO constitutes the independent positive determinant, whereas CEA constitutes the independent negative determinant, of obesity. Moreover, CEA was independently associated with malignancy in anamnesis, cigarette smoking and animal fat over-consumption.

CONCLUSION: Both LPO and CEA are independently associated with certain modifiable risk factors for NCDs....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(5): 530-535 PubMed PMID: 23090272 Citation  Keywords:  Age Factors, Animals, Animals, Newborn, Antioxidants:pharmacology, Ascorbic Acid:pharmacology, Cerebral Cortex:drug effects, Epilepsy:drug therapy, Evoked Potentials:drug effects, Female, Hypoxia, Brain:drug therapy, Male, Oxidative Stress:drug effects, P.   

OBJECTIVES: The effects of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol pre-treatment on hypoxia induced changes in brain cortex excitability were tested in immature rats exposed chronically to simulated altitude of 7 000 m.

METHODS: Rat pups were kept together with their mothers for 8 hours a day in hypobaric chamber since the day of the birth till the postnatal day 11 or 17. Each day immediately before placing to hypobaric chamber pups were pretreated intraperitoneally either with ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) or α-tocopherol (1 500 mg/kg). Cortical afterdischarges were elicited by repeated stimulation of the right sensorimotor cortex. The duration of evoked cortical afterdischarges was analyzed.

RESULTS: Duration of cortical afterdischarges progressively declines with age. Hypoxia prolonged the duration of afterdischarges in 12-, 18- and 25-day-old animals. Pretratment with ascorbic acid or α-tocopherol shorted afterdischarges duration in youngest experimental group when compared with animals exposed to hypoxia only.

CONCLUSION: Hypoxia significantly affects the brain cortex excitability by prolonging afterdischarges duration. This effect differs with age. Antioxidant pre-treatment brought about shorter duration of cortical afterdischarges only in the youngest experimental group. The antioxidant effect is therefore age dependent....

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Comparative Study 2012; 33(5): 525-529 PubMed PMID: 23090271 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Estradiol:blood, Female, Humans, Loneliness, Male, Psychology, Adolescent, Saliva:metabolism, Sex Characteristics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Testosterone:blood,.   

OBJECTIVE: Loneliness is one of the psychological characteristics in adolescence, during which sex hormones are elevated. The elevation of sex steroid hormones is known to sculpture and remodel neuronal circuits, which cause behavioral characteristics in adolescence. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between loneliness and sex steroid hormones, testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E2).

METHODS: Fifty-eight adolescents (28 boys and 30 girls) participated in this study. The salivary levels of T and E2 were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Loneliness was assessed by the UCLA loneliness scale, which is widely used as a self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS: The results showed that Salivary E2 levels had positive relevance to loneliness in females, whereas there was no relationship in males. Salivary T level was not shown to be relevant with loneliness in either sex group.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that E2 has gender specific effects on loneliness in adolescent females....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(5): 517-524 PubMed PMID: 23090270 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Animals, Newborn, Female, Hypothyroidism:blood, Iodine:toxicity, Lactation, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects:blood, Random Allocation, Sheep, Thyroid Gland:drug effects, Thyrotropin:blood, Thyroxine:blood, Trace Elements:toxicity, Tri.   

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the metabolic risk of excessive dietary iodine intake in ewes and neonatal lambs.

DESIGN: Pregnant Šumava ewes received an experimental diet containing 3.1 mg iodine per kg of dietary dry matter in Group A (control, n=13, 6 ewes and 7 lambs) and 5.1 mg iodine per kg of dietary dry matter in Group B (experimental, n=12, 6 ewes, 6 lambs) for eight months. Iodine was administered to ewes as calcium iodate. TSH in blood serum; TT3, TT4, fT3, and fT4 in blood plasma were examined in both groups of ewes and lambs to assess the risks of iodine intake above the permitted limit, as it applies to thyroid gland activity.

RESULTS: Group B ewes showed a significant increase in TSH and TT4 only on day 1 after parturition. The highest values of TT4, TT3, and fT3 in lambs were recorded on day 1 after birth. The lowest values of fT3 and fT4 in lambs were measured on day 60 after birth with no differences observed between the groups. In lambs of Group B the lower concentration of TSH until day 3 after birth was followed by a significant increase from day 10 after birth.

CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a risk of postnatal hypothyroidism among lambs from pregnant and lactating ewes having a high iodine intake....

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Journal Article 2012; 33(5): 511-516 PubMed PMID: 23090269 Citation  Keywords:  Adenocarcinoma, Follicular:epidemiology, Adult, Aged, Biopsy, Fine-Needle:statistics & numerical data, Carcinoma, Medullary:epidemiology, Carcinoma, Papillary:epidemiology, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell:epidemiology, Female, Humans, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin:epide.   

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnosis of pathologic lesions.

METHODS: Data from 1 078 consecutive patients (female : male ratio, 9:1) who underwent thyroidectomy were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had preoperative thyroid FNAB. Unilateral and bilateral FNAB were performed in 872 and 206 patients, respectively, resulting in 1 284 cytologic aspirates, which were compared to postoperative histology. Risk factors for malignancy (age, sex, single nodule, or nodule in multinodular goiter) were evaluated.

RESULTS: 203 (15.81%) aspirates were non-diagnostic. 768 (59.81%) were benign; 112 (8.72%) were atypical; 170 (13.24%) were follicular neoplasms, 5 (0.4%) had suspicion of malignancy; and 26 (2.02%) were malignant tumors on FNAB. The calculated risk of malignancy in each group was: 1.97%, 1.84%, 7.15%, 12.35%, 60%, and 100%. There were 2.02% false negative and 0.15% false positive results. Diagnostic discrepancies occurred in the follicular neoplasm group, of 86 biopsies (0.15%).

CONCLUSION: FNAB is the primary method of preoperative diagnostics of thyroid tumors, as it allows many patients to avoid thyroidectomy. In addition, it helps the operating surgeon to decide the extent of surgical resection....

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Comparative Study 2012; 33(5): 505-510 PubMed PMID: 23090268 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Cerebral Cortex:drug effects, Estradiol:pharmacology, Estrogen Receptor Modulators:pharmacology, Estrogens:pharmacology, Female, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein:metabolism, Hippocampus:drug effects, Neurodegenerative Diseases:prevention & control.   

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effect exerted by oral tibolone or intramuscular 17β-estradiol administration on the expression of ZO-1, occludin, GFAP and c-fos levels in the brain cortex and hippocampus of ovariectomized rats.

RESULTS: Immunostaining for ZO-1 and occludin revealed similar staining patterns between controls and tibolone rats and between controls and E2 rats. When staining in tibolone and E2 rats were compared both for ZO-1 and occludin, staining patterns were again identical. Positive staining for the GFAP was detected in the controls, tibolone rats and E2 rats. Staining was more intense in the tibolone rats than controls and in the E2 rats than controls. In sections from the controls, tibolone rats and E2 rats, number of reactive cells for c-fos were 1.75±0.25, 3.75±0.36 and 4.50±0.50, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the three groups (p=0.0001). Comparison of tibolone and E2 rats revealed no statistically significant difference (p=0.246).

CONCLUSIONS: It is well known that natural hormones like E2 regulate brain development and function. Our results provide further information on the mechanism of action of tibolone in the brain cortex and hippocampus. These results will allow us to continue with further studies with different post-ovariectomy intervals, because tibolone can be proposed as an attractive alternative for hormone replacement therapy, acting as a neuroprotective agent for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases in menopausal women....

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