Serum omentin levels in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa and obesity.

It is believed that omentin is secreted by stromal cells of adipose tissue and modulates insulin sensitivity. Data from a few studies have shown lower serum omentin in obese children and higher in anorexia nervosa. However, to date, there is lack of research on serum omentin concentrations in adolescent patients in a wide range of body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance. In this cross-sectional study omentin-1 serum concentrations were evaluated using commercially available ELISA kit in 47 Polish girls with restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN), 50 with simple obesity (OB) and 39 healthy controls (C). The mean serum omentin-1 concentration in girls with AN was statistically significantly higher than that of C and OB girls. Statistically significant (P<0.0001) negative correlations between the serum concentrations of omentin-1 and body weight (r=-0.73), BMI (r=-0.75), standard deviation score for body mass index (BMI-SDS) (r=-0.75), insulin (r=-0.81) and HOMA-IR index (r=-0.82) were seen in the entire examined population. We conclude, that omentin-1 is the nutritional marker reflecting body weight and insulin resistance. Our findings support the hypothesized role of omentin in maintenance of body weight and regulation of appetite and suggest the adaptation of its secretion to body weight and glucose metabolism.

[Anxiety and depression in bronchial asthma]. / Lek i depresja u chorych na astme oskrzelowa.

The aim of the study was to establish the frequency and follow the clinical course of depression and anxiety in patients with bronchial asthma. 57 patients (37 atopic and 20 nonatopic) with mild and moderate bronchial asthma and 53 subjects matched for age and sex as control groups were included in the study. The following questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to evaluate anxiety and mood state. The level and prevalence of anxiety and depression were significantly higher in both groups of asthmatics in comparison to healthy subjects. Symptoms were mild and moderate. Nonatopic patients were more depressed and anxious than atopics.

[Evaluation of selected immunological parameters in alcohol dependence syndrome]. / Ocena wybranych parametrów immunologicznych u pacjentów z zespolem zaleznosci alkoholowej.

In 28 patients with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) the study of selected immunological parameters (percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+; lymphocyte transformation without and with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM); chemiluminescence of peripheral blood granulocytes stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)) and Instytut Mérieux' skin tests (Multitest CMI) were performed. The results of immunological parameters were connected with activity of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (ASP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). The differences of reactivity of immune system in the tested groups of patients were observed.

Immunological parameters in patients suffering from alcohol-dependence syndrome.

Alcohol abuse is a major cause of abnormal liver development and activity. In addition to enzymatic malfunction, alcohol and its metabolites induce changes in the levels of some liver antigens, resulting in immunological disturbance. The purpose of the present study is to correlate the severity of liver function impairment with the length of alcohol abuse, in order to be able to use such tests as indicative of the severity of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. Thirty-one alcohol abusers were allocated to three groups on the basis of the levels of their liver enzymes, and were tested for a variety of immunological parameters and skin reactions. The data indicate that even though not all immunological values measured differed significantly from the control values, in those that did (granulocytes, lymphocytes, CD4/CD8 ratio, C3, IgG, IgM and some skin positive reactions), the biggest difference was between the healthy volunteers and the group with the longest abuse period. It is suggested that changes in selected immunological parameters in alcohol abusers may indicate the severity of their liver dysfunction.

[Estimation of a sense of coherence in patients with alcoholic dependence syndrome--introductory report]. / Ocena poczucia koherencji u pacjentów z zespolem zaleznosci alkoholowej--doniesienie wstepne.

The aim of this study was an estimation of the sense of coherence in the group of patients suffering from alcohol dependence syndrom. The examined group consisted of 21 patients at the age from 21 to 53 years, treated in The II Department of Psychiatry in Tarnowskie Góry. The control group contained 24 healthy persons at the age from 21 to 44 years. The SOC-29 scale by Antonowsky was used in order to estimate the sense of coherence. SOC level was significantly lower in the group of patients drinking alcohol in comparison with healthy people but only in the group of men.

[Evaluation of selected immunological and biochemical parameters of blood in alcohol dependency]. / Ocena wybranych parametrów immunologicznych i biochemicznych krwi w zespole zalenosci alkoholowej.

The aim of this study was evaluation of selected immune humoral indicators in connection with biochemical parameters of blood in 28 alcohol dependent men. Increased activity of liver enzymes: AspAT in 53,6% of patients, A1AT in 46,4%, GGTP in 25% were found. Macrocytosis in 29% of patients was observed. There were also abnormal changes of immune proteins concentration: IgM, IgG, IgA, C3, C4 respectively in 60,7%, 46,4%, 21,4%, 42,9%, 10,7% of patients. In the group of patients with normal values of AspAT, GGTP, MCV; abnormal levels of humoral indicators concentration were observed. The correlation between immune proteins concentration and biochemical parameters was not found. The authors conclude that changes of determined immunological parameters may be used as prognostic indicators in disturbances in the alcoholics' immunity system.

CD4+ human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes derived from the peripheral blood cells of an HIV-1-infected individual.

Virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are frequently of the CD8+ surface phenotype, although CTL of the CD4+ surface phenotype have also been described. Published reports of CTL derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have described primarily cells of the CD8+ surface phenotype. However, CD4+ HIV-1 envelope-specific CTL have been reported after in vitro stimulation with HIV-1 envelope protein of peripheral blood cells obtained from HIV-1-seronegative donors, in peripheral blood cells after vaccination of HIV-1-seronegative persons with HIV-1 envelope proteins, and in cerebrospinal fluid cells of HIV-1-infected individuals. Recently, CD4+ HIV-1 gag-specific CTL were also reported. We now report a patient from whom we derived HIV-1 envelope-specific CTL cell lines of the CD4+ surface phenotype. Our cell culture technique did not employ exogenous viral antigenic stimulation, and may therefore yield cells that more closely reflect those in the underlying populations from which they were derived. These CTL did not appear to have the clear human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II restriction pattern typically seen in CD4-expressing cells and were not functionally inhibited by anti-CD3 antibody. Further work will be required to define the role of CD4+ CTL in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 disease.

Susceptibility testing by polymerase chain reaction DNA quantitation: a method to measure drug resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA quantitation (PDQ) susceptibility testing rapidly and directly measures nucleoside sensitivity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates. PCR is used to quantitate the amount of HIV-1 DNA synthesized after in vitro infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The relative amounts of HIV-1 DNA in cell lysates from cultures maintained at different drug concentrations reflect drug inhibition of virus replication. The results of PDQ susceptibility testing of 2- or 3-day cultures are supported by assays measuring HIV-1 p24 antigen production in supernatants of 7- or 10-day cultures. DNA sequence analyses to identify mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene that cause resistance to 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine also support the PDQ results. With the PDQ method, both infectivity titration and susceptibility testing can be performed on supernatants from primary cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. PDQ susceptibility testing should facilitate epidemiologic studies of the clinical significance of drug-resistant HIV-1 isolates.

The pharmacologic activity of complexes and mixtures with copper and salicylates or aminopyrine following oral dosing in rats.

Cu(II) complexes with salicylates or aminopyrine were administered to rats with local inflammation (acute paw oedema elicited with carrageenan) to determine their anti-inflammatory activity and ulcerogenic effects following oral administration. The complexes were more effective than the parent ligands or appropriate mixtures of these ligands with Cu(II) as anti-inflammatory agents. All complexes indicated low ulcerogenity. The differences in pharmacologic activity between the complexes and mixtures in question are discussed.

N-nitrosomorpholine and N-nitrosobutylamine-stimulated DNA synthesis in BHK-21/C13 cells.

Non-semiconservative DNA synthesis was examined in BHK-21/C13 cells after treatment with the aliphatic N-nitrosobutylamine (NB) and the heterocyclic N-nitrosomorpholine (NM). The extent of repair synthesis after alkylation was compared quentitatively and calculations were made of the amount of DNA damage per cell and number of bases inserted per damaged site. Of the chromosome aberrations caused by NM the most predominant were dicentrics. Other aberrations included fragments, gaps, breaks and exchanges of both the chromatid and chromosome type. Unlike NM, NB elicted a higher frequency of chromatid breaks.