Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a disorder of liver function, commonly occurring in the third trimester but sometimes also as soon as the end of the second trimester of pregnancy. Symptoms of this disorder include pruritus, plus abnormal values of bile acids and hepatic transaminases. After birth, symptoms disappear and liver function returns to normal. Though ICP is relatively non-complicated and often symptomatically mild from the point-of-view of the mother, it presents a serious risk to the fetus, making this disease the subject of great interest. The etiology and pathogenesis of ICP is multifactorial and as yet not fully elucidated. Hormonal factors likely play a significant role, along with genetic as well as exogenous factors. Here we summarize the knowledge of changes in steroid hormones and their role in the development of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. In addition, we consider the role of exogenous factors as possible triggers of steroid hormone changes, the relationship between metabolic steroids and bile acids, as well as the combination of these factors in the development of ICP in predisposed pregnant women., A. Pařízek, M. Dušková, L. Vítek, M. Šrámková, M. Hill, K. Adamcová, P. Šimják, A. Černý, Z. Kordová, H. Vráblíková, B. Boudová, M. Koucký, K. Malíčková, L. Stárka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Dental management behavior problems are thought to be both multifactorial and multidimensional, consisting of physiological, behavioral and cognitive components. The stress response to pain or even the anticipation of distress initiates activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and causes an increase of cortisol and catecholamines. The literature on the role of hormones in dental management behavior problems comprises about one hundred papers, which have mainly been focused on this activation of the HPA axis in various situations in dental care. They have generally used salivary cortisol as a marker of the activity of the HPA axis, sometimes combined with salivary alpha amylase. Here we summarize the literature data on the role of stress hormones in dental management behavior problems., M. Dušková, J. Vašáková, J. Dušková, J. Kaiferová, Z. Broukal, L. Stárka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In the following paper, authors describe glycans present on cell membranes as they affect the folding, the spatial arrangement, the behavior and the interaction with the substrate of some membrane proteins. Authors describe the synthesis and assembly of a glycan on a protein, the formation of N-glycans, the maturation of an N-glycan in different cellular compartments, the structure of the glycocalyx and how it interacts with any pathogens. The study of the E-cadherin and the potassium channel to demonstrate how glycans affect the spatial arrangement, the stability and activity of the glycoproteins on the membranes. Subsequently, authors analyze the correlation between disorder glycosylation and human health. Authors define glycosylation disorders as a genetic defect that alter the structure or biosynthesis of glycans (sugar chains) in one or more biosynthetic pathways. Human glycosylation disorders reflect the disruption of early steps in the pathways of glycan biosynthesis. More in details, authors analyze the role of glycoprotein in tumor cell adhesion, in particular, in cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 on zeolite scaffold. In the same time, the role of metalloproteinase is described in the mobilization of cancer cells and in metastasis., P. Sprovieri, G. Martino., and Seznam literatury
The tissue factor (TF) is one of the most important regulators of arterial thrombosis. Because arterial thrombosis is the pathophysiologic background of acute coronary syndrome, the possible impact of blocking the arterial thrombosis on its onset is a challenging problem. The investigations of TF brought a new concept of “cell-based coagulation model” which highlighted the question of blood-borne TF as a source of TF in circulating blood. In this review we summarize essential information on the pathophysiology, molecular structure, expression and distribution of TF and we propose a novel concept of blood-borne TF, suggesting the possibilities of inhibition of the coagulation cascade with newly synthetized drugs., M. A. Malý, P. Tomašov, P. Hájek, P. Blaško, I. Hrachovinová, P. Salaj, J. Veselka., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The aim of this study was to explore changes in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in aged patients who undergone transcatheter aortic valve implantation or balloon angioplasty for the treatment of aortic stenosis. Plasma VEGF was measured in subjects with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM) (n=21, age 79.2±1.6 years) and in non-diabetic subjects (non-DM) (n=23, age 84.4±0.7 years), using an ELISA kit. Before the procedure plasma levels of VEGF were significantly lower in DM than in non-DM patients (P<0.05). Plasma VEGF significantly increased in both groups (DM and non-DM) 24 h (387±64 vs. 440±30 pg/ml, P<0.05) and 72 h (323±69 vs. 489±47 pg/ml, P<0.05) after the endovascular procedure. However, the VEGF in DM patients was significantly lower compared to non-DM subjects up to one month after the endovascular procedure (283±47 vs. 386±38 pg/ml, P<0.05). We conclude that increased plasma VEGF in aged patients associates with atherosclerotic aortic valve stenosis. In spite of that plasma VEGF in DM was constantly significantly lower than in non diabetic patients, both before and after the endovascular procedure, possibly reflecting a disturbance of angiogenic/antiangiogenic balance in diabetes., V. Bláha, J. Šťásek, J. Bis, J. Fortunato, C. Andrýs, V. Pavlík, P. Polanský, M. Brtko, L. Sobotka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
a1_Sarcopenia is defined as an age-associated loss of skeletal muscle function and muscle mass and is common in older adults. Sarcopenia as a disease is currently of interest not only to orthopedists and surgeons but also to internists, endocrinologists, rheumatologists, cardiologists, diabetologists, gynaecologists, geriatricians and paediatricians. In cooperation with the 5th Internal Medicine Clinic, we, as a unit of clinical research, aimed to describe a sarcopenic specific miRNA expression profile for disease diagnostics and classification of the severity of muscle performance deterioration. This study included a total of 80 patients (age 55-86 years) hospitalized at the V. Internal medicine clinic of LFUK and UNB with different severity of muscle performance deterioration. The study participants were evaluated and classified according to short physical performance battery score (SPPB). In this study, we investigated the role of circulating miRNAs in sarcopenia in the elderly. We hypothesized that sarcopenia effects the expression of muscle tissue-specific miRNAs (MyomiRNAs), which could be potentially reflected in the blood plasma miRNA expression profile. The expression of specific circulating miRNAs in patients with different muscle performances was analyzed. Patients’ blood plasma was evaluated for the expression of myomiRNAs: miRNA-29a, miRNA-29b, miRNA-1, miRNA-133a, miRNA-133b, miRNA-206, miRNA-208b and miRNA-499, and the data were correlated with diagnostic indicators of the disease. We showed a specific sarcopenia miRNA profile that could be considered a possible biomarker for the disease. Patients with low muscle performance showed increased miRNA-1, miRNA-29a and miRNA-29b expression and decreased for the miRNA-206, miRNA-133a, miRNA-133b, miRNA-208b and miRNA-499 expression., a2_ We show that the severity of muscle performance deterioration in sarcopenia correlates with specific miRNA expression. We also propose the profile of miRNAs expression in blood plasma as a specific biomarker for sarcopenia diagnostics. Future clinical studies will be necessary to eventually naturally have to elucidate the underlined molecular mechanism responsible for specific miRNAs expression in sarcopenia pathology and progression of the disease., Simona Valášková, Andrea Gažová, Petra Vrbová, Tomáš Koller, Barbara Šalingova, Adriana Adamičková, Nikola Chomaničová, Nikoleta Hulajová, Juraj Payer, Ján Kyselovič., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The relationship between baroreflex sensitivity expressed in ms/mm Hg (BRS) or in Hz/mm Hg (BRSf) in hypertensives with stroke in comparison with a group of stroke-free patients was evaluated. Twenty-six patients (aged 66±10 years, 11 females/ 15 males) with a history of the first ever ischemic stroke (6 months and more after stroke onset), which was neuroradiologically confirmed, were studied. These were compared to 30 hypertensive patients without history of any cardiovascular event, being of similar age and sex. BRS and BRSf were determined by the sequence and spectral methods (fiveminute non-invasive beat-to-beat recording of blood pressure and inter-beat interval, controlled breathing at a frequency of 0.1 Hz). A significant negative correlation between spontaneous BRS and blood pressure (BP) represented by the grade of hypertension was present (r = -0.52, p<0.001). Differences between hypertensives with and without stroke were detected in BRS obtained by the spectral method (BRS spect p=0.0237, BRSf spect p=0.0285) or BRS obtained by sequence method (BRS seq p=0.0532, BRSf seq p=0.0273). The greatest decline in BRS values was in hypertensive stroke patients with metabolic syndrome, who had BRS values below 3 ms/mm Hg. We found out that BRS and BRSf were more impaired in stroke patients with essential hypertension even 6 months and more after stroke onset than in stroke-free hypertensive patients. This finding was independent of age-dependent decrease of BRS. Examination of baroreflex sensitivity as a marker of autonomic dysfunction along with global cardiovascular risk stratification of individuals seems to be a method for identifying patients at high residual cardiovascular risk., D. Čelovská ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The skin matrix metalloproteinase 3, tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and collagen III content changes in type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance treated with insulin a nd metformin were studied. Healthy adult male Wistar rats were obtained from experimental animal house, Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical University in Bialystok. The rats were divided randomly into five groups of 8 rats each. Control rats were injected intraperitoneally by NaCl. Type IDDM was induced by a single injection of Streptozocin. Insulin resistance was induced by a high -fat diet. The chosen groups of rats were also treated with insulin or metformin. ELISA K its (USCN Life Science, China) were used to measure content of matrix metallo - proteinase 3 (ELISA Kit for Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 - MMP3), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (ELISA Kit for Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinase 2 - TIMP2) and content of collagen type 3 (ELISA Kit for Collagen Type III - COL3). The results were reported as a median. The statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. Type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance have significantly reduced the quality of the skin, shown by the increase in cont ent of matrix metalloproteinase 3 and the decrease in content of tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase 2. Type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance have reduced the quality of the skin expressed by type III collagen content decrease but for future studies it is recommend to determine rat interstitial collagenase, MMP -13, as well. Insulin and metformin treatment improved the quality of the diabetic skin, demonstrated by the type III collagen content increase., M. Knaś, K. Wołosik, A. Zalewska, A. Mikucka-Niczyporuk, I. Kasacka, M. Niczyporuk., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The mood and behavior of individuals result from an orchestra of many factors. Among them steroids play an important role; however, only several common hormones have been investigated in this respect. It has been demonstrated that some steroid metabolites long considered merely the products of steroid hormone metabolism in fact possess considerable activity in the CNS. For this reason we studied the steroid metabolome including 50 analytes in 20 men with depression, 20 men with anxiety and 30 healthy controls. Significant differences were found not only between controls and men with either depression or anxiety, but also between men with depression and anxiety. Particularly striking were those steroids until now not generally associated with depression or anxiety, namely conjugated steroid forms, especially sulfates., M. Dušková, M. hill, M. Bičíková, M. Šrámková, D. Řípová, P. Mohr, L. Stárka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Addiction to tobacco results in an imbalance of endocrine homeostasis in both sexes. This can also have impacts on fertility problems. The male reproductive system is less susceptible than that of females, with a worsening spermiogram in smokers, the most cited effect in the literature. However, the literature is inconsistent as to the effects of smoking on steroid hormone levels in men, and there is very little data on the effects of quitting smoking in men. In this study we followed 76 men before quitting smoking, and then after 6, 12, and 24 weeks and 1 year of abstinence. We measured basic anthropomorphic data and steroid hormone levels along with steroid neuroactive metabolites using GC-MS. We demonstrate lower androgen levels in men who smoke, and these changes worsened after quitting smoking. There was a drop in SHBG already in the first week of non-smoking, and levels continued to remain low. Male smokers have lower androgen levels compared to non-smokers. The lower the initial level of androgen, the lower the likelihood of success in quitting smoking. Changes in steroid hormones proved to be a promising marker for the prediction of success in quitting smoking., H. Jandikova, M. Duskova, K. Simunkova, B. Racz, M. Hill, E. Kralikova, K. Vondra, L. Starka., and Obsahuje bibliografii