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Karasek M. LAUDATIO: to Professor Marek Pawlikowski, outstanding endocrinologist and great humanist, on his 70th birthday and 50th anniversary of scientific and didactic activity. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 390-391
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Fedor-Freybergh P. Bridging the gap. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 386-388
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Halberg F, Cornélissen G, Stoynev A, Ikonomov O, Katinas G, Sampson M, Wang Z, Wan C, Singh R, Otsuka K, Sothern R, Sothern S, Sothern M, Syutkina E, Masalov A, Perfetto F, Tarquini R, Maggioni C, Kumagai Y, Siegelova J, Fiser B, Homolka P, Dusek J, Uezono K, Watanabe Y, Wu J, Prikryl P, Blank M, Blank O, Sonkowsky R, Schwartzkopff O, Hellbrügge T, Spector N, Baciu I, Hriscu M, Bakken E. Season's appreciations 2002 and 2003. Imaging in time: the transyear (longer-than-the-calendar year) and the half-year. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 479-498
OBJECTIVES: Curcumin (CUR), the active chemical of the Asian spice turmeric, has strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. CUR inhibits proliferation and growth of several cell types, e.g. cancer cells. While CUR inhibitory effects on microglial cells are demonstrated, little is known of its effects on neuroglia, astrocytes (AST) and oligodendrocytes (OLG). Our work focuses on CUR's effects on neuroglial proliferation and growth in vitro, utilizing C-6 rat glioma 2B-clone cells, a mixed colony of both neuroglial cells, in 6 day trials.
METHODS: The doses studied included 4, 5, 10, 15, and 20 microM - concentrations slightly smaller than those shown to stimulate protein expression in ASTs. Automated particle counter was used to determine proliferation, and marker enzyme assays were used to determine AST and OLG activity.
RESULTS: CUR inhibited neuroglial proliferation, with the degree of inhibition correlated directly with the CUR concentration. Proliferative inhibition was observed after a concentration as low as 5 microM by day 6, while inhibition of 20 microM doses occurred by day 2 of culture. Proliferative inhibition is associated with morphological changes, e.g. cell elongation and neurite prolongation, and increased activity of a marker enzyme corresponding to differentiation of OLG and with a reduced activity of the marker enzyme for AST.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests CUR acts continuously over a period of time, with low doses being as effective as higher doses given a longer period of treatment. It has been suggested that CUR's anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actions may be useful in the prevention-treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases. Given neuroglial involvement in these diseases, and CUR's observed actions on neuroglia, the data presented here may provide further explanations of CUR's preventative-therapeutic role in these diseases....
Ambegaokar S, Wu L, Alamshahi K, Lau J, Jazayeri L, Chan S, Khanna P, Hsieh E, Timiras P. Curcumin inhibits dose-dependently and time-dependently neuroglial cell proliferation and growth. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 469-473
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Namazi M. The cellular immunodeficiency associated with post-traumatic stress disorder may be the result of sympathetic overactivity and be correctable by beta-2-blockers. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 469-473
OBJECTIVES: Decreased libido and a decline in morning serum testosterone levels were reported in men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Our study aimed to evaluate the pituitary-gonadal axis in middle age men with OSA before and after treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Measurement of the nocturnal serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels and sleep recordings before and after nine months of CPAP treatment in five men with OSA aged 49.5+/-5.2 years. Patients were evaluated during nocturnal sleep at base line and during CPAP treatment. Serum LH and testosterone levels were determined at 20 minutes interval between 1900h and 0700h with concomitant determination of sleep quality, respiration and oxygen saturation.
RESULTS: At base line, patients had higher RDI and PaO2<90%, lower mean and integrated (AUC) values of LH and testosterone. During CPAP treatment, RDI and PaO2<90% were normal. Mean and AUC values of testosterone and LH increased.
CONCLUSIONS: OSA in men is associated with dysfunction of the pituitary-gonadal axis. The central suppression of nocturnal testosterone in these patients is partially corrected during chronic CPAP treatment....
Luboshitzky R, Lavie L, Shen-Orr Z, Lavie P. Pituitary-gonadal function in men with obstructive sleep apnea. The effect of continuous positive airways pressure treatment. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 463-467
OBJECTIVES: Approximately 20% of BALB/cCF mice are born with partial or total absence of the corpus callosum. Here, we analyzed testosterone and free thyroxin blood levels in adult male mice of this strain in order to see if these hormones are related to the incidence of callosal defects.
METHODS: Blood collected from the axillary blood vessels of 12 normal and 10 acallosal deeply anesthetized adult male mice was used in order to determine testosterone and free thyroxin levels through chemiluminescence (IMMULITE, Diagnostics Products Corporation, USA).
RESULTS: No significant difference (one-way ANOVA: F = 0.11, df = 1, p > 0.10) was found between normal ((-)X= 1.95, SD = 0.62) and acallosal ((-)X= 1.86, SD = 0.62) mice for free thyroxin level. On the other hand, in those mice that had detectable testosterone levels (above 0.2 ng/ml), a significant difference was found (t = 2.8, df = 6.06, p = 0.03): normal mice (n = 7, (-)X= 8.73, SD = 7.64) had a higher level than acallosal mice (n = 4, (-)X= 0.62, SD = 0.41).
CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that the incidence of callosal agenesis is not related to free thyroxin levels in the blood of adult BALB/cCF mice. On the other hand, in spite of the fact that low testosterone levels seems to be frequent in male mice of this strain, acallosal mice tend to have lower levels of this hormone than normal mice....
Mourão C, Schmidt S, Manhães A. Testosterone and free thyroxin blood in congenitally acallosal male BALB/cCF mice. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 459-462
PURPOSE: To evaluate the function of the blood aqueous barrier(BAB) in the eyes with silicone oil emulsification (SOE).
METHODS: Protein concentrations, expressed in albumin equivalents,were determined in aqueous humor of the eyes with SOE in 11 consecutive patients by means of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. Correlations with various clinical factors were studied.
RESULTS: Normal function of the BAB (albumin equivalents 1mg/ml and less was found in 8 eyes (73%) independently on underlying disease, early postoperative reaction after pars plana vitrectomy with SO implantation, degree of SOE and late postoperative complications. Increased permeability of the BAB (albumin equivalents equal 2, 3 and 6.5 mg/ml) was found in 3 eyes (27%) with recent acute complication (retinal detachment after SO removal in 2 eyes, and secondary angle closure glaucoma in 1 eye).
CONCLUSION: SOE in vivo was associated with increased permeability of the BAB in the minority of the eyes. Other factors should be studied to explain the variability of SOE. 1H NMR spectroscopy might be a valuable method for the study of SOE....
Soucek P, Havlícek J, Tkadlecová M, Karel I, Volka K, Cihelková I. The function of the blood aqueous barrier in eyes with emulsified silicone oil. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Dec; 24(6): 454-458