Anthropogenic environmental pollutants affect many physiological, biochemical, and endocrine actions as reproduction, metabolism, immunity, behavior and as such can interfere with any aspect of hormone action. Microbiota and their genes, microbiome, a large body of microorganisms, first of all bacteria and co-existing in the host´s gut, are now believed to be autonomous endocrine organ, participating at overall endocrine, neuroendocrine and immunoendocrine regulations. While an extensive literature is available on the physiological and pathological aspects of both players, information about their mutual relationships is scarce. In the review we attempted to show various examples where both, endocrine disruptors and microbiota are meeting and can act cooperatively or in opposition and to show the mechanism, if known, staying behind these actions., Richard Hampl, Luboslav Stárka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
As environmental and genetic components contribute to the PCOS expression, we compared levels of endocrine disruptors, steroid hormones, cytokines, and metabolic parameters in twenty healthy, nine normal-weight PCOS women, and ten obese PCOS women. Steroid hormones, bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF, BPAF) and parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, benzyl-parabens) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Differences between the groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for the individual parameters relationship. Significantly higher levels of BPA, anti-Müllerain hormone, lutropine, lutropine/folitropine ratio, testosterone, androstenedione, 7β-OH-epiandrosterone, and cytokines (IL-6, VEGF, PDGF-bb), were found in normal-weight PCOS women compared to controls. Between normal-weight and obese PCOS women, there were no differences in hormonal, but in metabolic parameters. Obese PCOS women had significantly higher insulin resistance, fattyliver index, triglycerides, cytokines (IL-2, IL-13, IFN-γ). In healthy, but not in PCOS, women, there was a positive correlation of BPA with testosterone, SHBG with lutropine, and folitropine, while testosterone negatively correlated with SHBG. In obese women with PCOS, insulin resistance negatively correlated with SHBG and estradiol. No differences were observed in the paraben exposure. Levels of BPA were higher in PCOS women, indicating its role in the etiology. Obesity significantly worsens the symptoms., Markéta Šimková, Jana Vítků, Lucie Kolátorová, Jana Vrbíková, Michala Vosátková, Josef Včelák, Michaela Dušková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Aged people are the most susceptible group to COVID-19 infection. Immunosenescence characterized by impairment of immune function with inflamm-aging contributes to pathophysiological alterations, among which endocrine and metabolic diseases are not exception. Diabetes, obesity along with impairment of disorders of thyroid functions are the most frequent ones, the common feature of which is failure of immune system including autoimmune processes. In the minireview we discussed how COVID-19 and aging impact innate and adaptive immunity, diabetes and selected neuroendocrine processes. Mentioned is also beneficial effect of vitamin D for attenuation of these diseases and related epigenetic issues. Particular attention is devoted to the role of ACE2 protein in the light of its intimate link with renin-angiotensin regulating system.
Cats are important hosts for different zoonotic parasites that can be hazardous to human health. To date, few studies have attempted to identify the factors affecting parasitic infections in shelter animals. This study aims to analyse the presence of endoparasites in shelter cats in Tartu, Estonia, and identify factors affecting endoparasite prevalence and intensity. The risk factors considered were age, location (urban vs rural cats) and time spent in shelter. In total, 290 faecal samples were collected from cats at an animal shelter in 2015-2016 and investigated for endoparasites using the concentration flotation technique. In total, 138 shelter cats (47.6%) were infected with endoparasites and their overall prevalence was: Toxocara cati (36.6%), Cystoisospora spp. (12.4%), Taeniidae gen. sp. (4.1%), Toxoplasma gondii/Hammondia hammondi (3.4%), Eucoleus aerophilus (2.1%), Cryptosporidium spp. (2.1%), Ancylostoma sp. (0.7%) and Giardia sp. (0.7%). Coinfections occurred in 38 cats (13.1%) most frequently of T. cati and Cystoisospora spp. (4.5%), Cystoisospora spp. and T. gondii/H. hammondi (2.1%). Where species identification of cestode and nematode samples was not possible according to morphology, genetic analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene was carried out. DNA was successfully analysed for 6 out of 13 samples that required genetic identification, revealing Ancylostoma tubaeforme in one nematode sample and Hydatigera taeniaeformis in five cestode samples. Cats from rural areas had significantly higher endoparasite prevalence than cats from urban areas. Helminth prevalence decreased to some extent due to anthelmintic treatment in cats available for adoption (held ≥15 days in the shelter), whereas the prevalence of infection with protists increased significantly in these animals. It is important to note that the analysis revealed lower infection intensity for quarantine cats (held 1-14 days in the shelter) compared with cats available for adoption. The relatively high prevalence of endoparasites (including zoonotic) in shelter cats ready for adoption suggests that current anthelminthic procedures require improvements.
Heart remodeling occurs as a compensation mechanism for the massive loss of tissue during initial heart failure and the consequent inflammation process. During heart remodeling fibroblasts differentiate to myofibroblasts activate their secretion functions and produce elevated amounts, of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, mostly collagen, that form scar tissue and alter the normal degradation of ECM. Scar formation does replace the damaged tissue structurally; however, it impedes the normal contractive function of cardiomyocytes (CMs) and results in longlasting effects after heart failure. Besides CMs and cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells (ECs) and circulating endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs) contribute to heart repair. This review summarizes the current knowledge of EC-CM crosstalk in cardiac fibrosis (CF), the role of cEPCs in heart regeneration and the contribution of Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT)., Barbara Šalingová, Zdenko Červenák, Andriana Adamičková, Nikola Chromanicová, Simona Valášková, Andrea Gažová, Ján Kyselovič., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Three Gorges Reservoir region suffers from severe soil erosion that leads to serious soil degradation and eutrophication. Interrill erosion models are commonly used in developing soil erosion control measures. Laboratory simulation experiments were conducted to investigate the relationship between interrill erosion rate and three commonly hydraulic parameters (flow velocity V, shear stress τ and stream power W). The slope gradients ranged from 17.6% to 36.4%, and the rainfall intensities varied from 0.6 to 2.54 mm·min–1. The results showed that surface runoff volume and soil loss rates varied greatly with the change of slope and rainfall intensity. Surface runoff accounted for 67.2–85.4% of the precipitation on average. Soil loss rates increased with increases of rainfall intensity and slope gradient, Regression analysis showed that interrill erosion rate could be calculated by a linear function of V and W. Predictions based on V (R2 = 0.843, ME = 0.843) and W (R2 = 0.862, ME = 0.862) were powerful. τ (R2 = 0.721, ME = 0.721) did not seem to be a good predictor for interrill erosion rates. Five ordinarily interrill erosion models were analyzed, the accuracy of the models in predicting soil loss rate was: Model 3 (ME = 0.977) > Model 4 (ME = 0.966) > Model 5 (ME = 0.963) > Model 2 (ME = 0.923) > Model 1 (ME = 0.852). The interrill erodibility used in the model 3 (WEPP) was calculated as 0.332×106 kg·s·m–4. The results can improve the precision of interrill erosion estimation on purple soil slopes in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.
As stated by Korpáš and Tomori (1979), cough is the most
important airway protective reflex which provides airway
defensive responses to nociceptive stimuli. They recognized that
active expiratory efforts, due to the activation of caudal ventral
respiratory group (cVRG) expiratory premotoneurons, are the
prominent component of coughs. Here, we discuss data
suggesting that neurons located in the cVRG have an essential
role in the generation of both the inspiratory and expiratory
components of the cough reflex. Some lines of evidence indicate
that cVRG expiratory neurons, when strongly activated, may
subserve the alternation of inspiratory and expiratory cough
bursts, possibly owing to the presence of axon collaterals. Of
note, experimental findings such as blockade or impairment of
glutamatergic transmission to the cVRG neurons lead to the view
that neurons located in the cVRG are crucial for the production of
the complete cough motor pattern. The involvement of
bulbospinal expiratory neurons seems unlikely since their
activation affects differentially expiratory and inspiratory muscles,
while their blockade does not affect baseline inspiratory activity.
Thus, other types of cVRG neurons with their medullary
projections should have a role and possibly contribute to the fine
tuning of the intensity of inspiratory and expiratory efforts.