The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is highly expressed in psoriasis skin lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate serum concentrations of AhR, cytochromes P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1B1 in patients with exacerbated psoriasis vulgaris treated with combined therapy of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and crude coal tar. The analyses were performed by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Before the treatment, the patients had significantly higher serum levels of AhR and CYP1A1 than healthy controls. AhR median noticeably decreased after the therapy; nevertheless, it remained significantly higher compared to the controls. CYP1A1 levels measured before and after the therapy did not differ significantly. Serum CYP1A1 positively correlated with AhR values before and after the treatment. The serum values of CYP1B1 were very low and we did not see any differences between the study group and the control group. The study demonstrated that serum levels of AhR and CYP1A1 could indicate their immunopathological and metabolic roles in exacerbated psoriasis. and Corresponding author: Martin Beránek
Spexin (SPX) and kisspeptin (KISS) are novel peptides relevant in the context of regulation of metabolism, food intake, puberty and reproduction. Here, we studied changes of serum SPX and KISS levels in female non-obese volunteers (BMI<25 kg/m2) and obese patients (BMI>35 kg/m2). Correlations between SPX or KISS with BMI, McAuley index, QUICKI, HOMA IR, serum levels of insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin, orexin-A, obestatin, ghrelin and GLP-1 were assessed. Obese patients had lower SPX and KISS levels as compared to non-obese volunteers (SPX: 4.48±0.19 ng/ml vs. 6.63±0.29 ng/ml; p<0.001, KISS: 1.357±0.15 nmol/l vs. 2.165±0.174 nmol/l; p<0.01). SPX negatively correlated with BMI, HOMA-IR, insulin, glucagon, active ghrelin and leptin. Positive correlations were found between SPX and QUICKI index, McAuley index, serum levels of obestatin, GLP-1 and adiponectin and orexin-A Serum KISS negatively correlated with BMI, HOMA-IR, serum levels of insulin, glucagon, active ghrelin and leptin. KISS positively correlated with QUICKI index, McAuley index and adiponectin. In summary, SPX and KISS show negative correlations with obesity, insulin resistance indices, and hormones known to affect insulin sensitivity in females. Both, SPX and KISS could be therefore relevant in the pathophysiology of obesity and insulin resistance., P. A. Kołodziejski, E. Pruszyńska-Oszmałek, E. Korek, M. Sassek, D. Szczepankiewicz, P. Kaczmarek, L. Nogowski, P. Maćkowiak, K. W. Nowak, H. Krauss, M. Z. Strowski., and Seznam literatury
The aimof this study was to compare the levels of nesfatin-1 in healthy subjects with those in prediabetic and diabetic patients who have different glucose tolerance levels. Overall, 100 subjects were divided into
5 groups healthy control (C), impaired fasting glycemia (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), metabolic syndrome (MS) an type 2 diabetes mellitus, (Type2 DM).Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) assessed the glycemic
control. Homeostasis modelassessment of insulin resistance (HOMA
-IR) was determined using computer analyses. Nesfatin-1 levels were
measured using ELISA method. IFG and IGT (prediabetic groups)from MS and Type 2 DM (diabetic groups) differed significantly in HOMA-IR. The nesfatin-1 levels were lower, although not statistically significant, in IFG
(0.937±0.03 ng/ml, p=0.07) andIGT (1.039±0.06 ng/ml, p=0.5) groups compared to healthysubjects (1.094±0.07 ng/ml). However, the nesfatin-1 levelswere lower in patients with Type 2 DM (0.867±0.02 ng/ml, p=0.007) and MS (0.885±0.01ng/ml, p=0.01) compared to healthy subjects. Nesfatin-1 levels were significantly lower in diabetic patients compared to healthy
subjects. This studysupports the role of insulin resistance in decreased nesfatin-1 levels in patients with Type 2 DM and MS.
Beneficial effects of sesame lignans, especially antioxidative
effects, have been widely reported; however, its potential effects
on autonomic nerves have not yet been investigated. Therefore,
the current study aimed to investigate the effect of sesame
lignans on the autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic nerve
activity in rat skeletal muscle was measured using
electrophysiological approaches, with blood flow determined
using the laser Doppler method. Sesame lignans were
administered intragastrically at 2 and 20 mg/kg, and after
60 min, the sympathetic nerve activity was observed to increase
by 45.2 % and 66.1 %, respectively. A significant increase in
blood flow (39.6 %) was also observed for the 20-mg/kg dose
when measured at 55 min after administration. These
sympathomimetic effects were completely prevented by
subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, and the increase in blood flow was
eliminated in the presence of the β2-adrenergic receptor inhibitor
butoxamine. Thus, it is proposed that sesame lignans can
increase the blood flow of skeletal muscle, possibly by exciting
sympathetic nerve activity through the afferent vagal nerve.
The text describes the history of the first Czech village in Bulgaria – Sesek. It is the first attempt to present systematically all known information about this village scattered in publications, unpublished materials and archives. One of the main purposes of the study is to prove that “Sesek” was de iure as well as de facto standard village inhabited by (primarily though not exclusively) Czech families – migrants from the Czech village Svatá Helena in Rumanian Banat, not just a “place” these went through on their way to later founded Vojvodovo (usually presumed to be the only Bulgarian Czech village).