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According to Barker’s hypothesis, intrauterine malnutrition results in abnormal metabolism of a foetus and a tendency to develop atherosclerotic disease in the future life. Aim of the research: Assessment of atherosclerosis risk factors in prepubertal children, depending on their birth weight and duration of pregnancy. Material and methods: 113 children aged 7–9 were divided into groups: born prematurely, with low body weight (group I – 37 people), born on time, with low body weight (group II – 36 people) and born on time, with normal body weight (group K – 40 people) and groups of children born with body weight

The occurrence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents can be associated with increased incidence of hypertension in this population. Aim of the study: Assessment of the relationship between 24-hour blood pressure parameters in hospitalised teenagers with primary hypertension and their nutrition status at the stage of diagnosis. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 112 patients aged 11–17 years (42 girls and 70 boys) with diagnosed primary hypertension. Nutrition indicators were taken into account. The study group was divided into group I – persons with normal nutrition status (40 patients) and group II – persons with overweight/obesity (72 patients). The groups were compared using the t-test with a separate variance estimation or with the Mann–Whitney U test. The relationship between blood pressure parameters and nutrition status indicators was assessed based on Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: The study groups were significantly different in terms of the nutrition status indicators, but no significant differences were observed in the evaluated blood pressure parameters. The nutrition status indicators in group I were not significantly correlated with the blood pressure parameters. Significant correlations were found in group II. Positive correlation with the nutrition indicators were observed for nocturnal systolic blood pressure load and average nighttime value of this load. Body mass index exhibited a negative correlation with nocturnal systolic load decline. Conclusions: 1) 24-hour blood pressure parameters in hospitalised adolescents with primary hypertension that correlated with the nutrition status include nighttime systolic blood pressure parameters (nocturnal load, mean measure, nocturnal fall). 2) The relationship of these parameters with the nutrition status was observed only in patients with overweight/obesity.

Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the most specific and reliable method for determination of mRNA gene expression. Crucial point for its accurate normalization is the choice of appropriate internal control genes (ICGs). In the present work we determined and compare the expression of eight commonly used ICGs in lymphocytes from 26 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 30 control subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) before and after immortalization by EBV transfection (lymphoblast cell lines-LCLs) were used for qPCR analysis. LCLs were studied before and after liquid nitrogen cryopreservation and culturing (groups LCL1 and LCL2, respectively). qPCR data of 8 ICGs expression was analyzed by BestKeeper, NormFinder and geNorm methods. All studied genes (18SRNA, ACTB, B2M, GUSB,GAPDH, HPRT1, MT-ATP6 and RPS17) were expressed in PBMCs, whereas only first four in LCLs. LCLs cryopreservation had no effect on ICGs expression. Comprehensive ranking indicated RPS17 with MT-ATP6 as the best ICGs for qPCR in PBMCs of control and ALS subjects, and RPS17 with 18RNA or MT-ATP6 in LCLs from ALS. In PBMCs 18RNA shouldn't be used as ICG.

Purpose. To evaluate the clinical outcomes after uncomplicated cataract surgery with implantation of an aspheric toric intraocular lens (IOL) during a 6-month follow-up. Methods. Prospective study including 27 consecutive eyes of 18 patients (mean age: 66.1±11.4 years) with a visually significant cataract and corneal astigmatism ≥ 0.75 D and undergoing uncomplicated cataract surgery with implantation of the Tecnis ZCT toric IOL (Abbott Medical Optics). Visual, refractive, and keratometric outcomes as well as IOL rotation were evaluated during a 6-month follow-up. At the end of the follow-up, patient satisfaction and perception of optical/visual disturbances were also evaluated using a subjective questionnaire. Results. At 6 months after surgery, mean LogMAR uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) were 0.19±0.12 and 0.14±0.10, respectively. Postoperative UDVA of 20/40 or better was achieved in 92.6% of eyes. Mean refractive cylinder decreased significantly from −3.73±1.96 to −1.42±0.88 D (p

Abstract??The work is a continuation of studies on tau expression and alternative splicing in the central nervous system of transgenic mice harboring human SOD1 with G93A amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated mutation. Since age is an important risk factor for ALS, we expanded the studies into younger animals (age 5 and 25?days). We also included cerebellum, a structure not studied in the context of neurodegeneration in ALS.We found decreased total tau-mRNA expression in hippocampus but not in cortex and spinal cord of young transgenics, and a lack of exon 10 in 5-day-old mice. In cerebellum, the total tau-mRNA expression was increased in transgenic animals during the whole period of life, however at the symptomatic stage of ALS (age 120?days) the level of protein was decreased.It can be concluded that the SOD1 G93A mutation causes early alterations of tau expression in cns, which are not exclusively restricted to the upper and lower motor neuron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tau is a protein involved in regulation of microtubule stability, axonal differentiation and transport. Alteration of retrograde transport may lead to motor neuron degeneration. Thus alternative mRNA splicing and expression of tau isoforms were studied in a transgenic mouse model harboring the human SOD1 G93A mutation. The studies were performed on cortex, hippocampus and spinal cord of 64- and 120-day-old animals (presymptomatic and symptomatic stage) and wild type controls. Exon 10 was found in all studied tissues. The 2N isoform containing exons 2 and 3 (+2+3) and the 1N (+2−3) predominated over the 0N (−2−3) in brain regions of the studied mice. The 2N expression was significantly lower in cortex and hippocampus of symptomatic animals compared to analogue control tissues. The decrease in 2N expression resulted in lower levels of total tau mRNA and tau protein. No changes in tau expression were observed in spinal cord of studied animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression of glutathione S-transferase pi (GST pi), an enzyme responsible for inactivation of a large variety of toxic compounds was studied in spinal cord, motor and sensory brain cortex obtained from patients who died in the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The studies were performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and freshly frozen tissues. The method of RNA isolation from FFPE was modified. A significant decrease of GST pi-mRNA expression was found in cervical spinal cord and motor brain cortex of ALS subjects comparing to analogue control tissues (P<0.01), as well as in motor cortex of ALS subjects comparing to their sensory cortex (P < 0.05). In spinal cords the decrease in GST pi-mRNA expression was accompanied by a decrease of GST pi protein level. Results indicated lowered GST pi expression on both mRNA and protein levels in the regions of nervous system affected by ALS. The non-properly inactivated by GST toxic electrophiles and organic peroxides may thus contribute to motor neurons damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]