Risk of latent tuberculosis in the cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Slovakia.

AIM: This study aims to determine the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who receive conventional and anti-cytokine therapy, to identify possible risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) and to evaluate the prophylactic treatment in positively screened patients. PATIENT AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, retrospective study in patients with RA, who underwent LTBI screening (chest X-ray, tuberculin skin test and interferon gamma release assay test - IGRA test). RESULTS: Out of 124 patients included, 7.25% of patients were diagnosed with LTBI during the treatment with conventional synthetic anti-rheumatic drugs in combination with glucocorticoids before initiation of anti-cytokine therapy. Another 21.77% were diagnosed during treatment with biologics or Janus kinase inhibitors. We confirmed the highest incidence of LTBI in TNF-treated group (66.66% LTBI positive patients), but also found positive screening in patients treated with other modalities. The mean LTBI detection time since the initiation of anti-cytokine therapy was 39.5 months (12-134 months). Active TB with clinical manifestation has occurred in one patient. Statistical analysis did not show an association between risk of LTBI and age, sex or treatment modality. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the necessity of LTBI screening and long-term monitoring in RA patients treated with any kind of anti-cytokine therapy. The currently used national recommendations are sufficiently sensitive to identify TB in these patients. There remains a question of screening and prophylactic antituberculosis therapy in patients treated with conventional synthetic anti-rheumatic drugs in combination with glucocorticoids.

Cognitive performance and lifetime cannabis use in patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment is among the core features of schizophrenia. In a healthy population, the cognitive deficit is often linked with cannabis abuse, and although the same would be expected in patients with schizophrenia, research has presented contradictory results. METHODS: Participants were patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) spectrum disorder who had been lifetime cannabis users (N = 30), FES non-users (N = 53) as well as healthy controls (HC) also divided into cannabis users (N = 20) and non-users (N = 49). All participants underwent an extensive neurocognitive assessment and filled in a cannabis questionnaire, which allowed for a comparison of the four groups on cognitive functioning. RESULTS: FES patients using cannabis showed less impaired cognitive functioning with the most prominent difference in visual memory compared to FES non-users. However, they differed neither in the clinical assessment of general psychopathology, positive and negative symptoms, nor in medication from the patient's non-users. A comparison of the HC who used cannabis, and those who did not, revealed no sizeable differences in cognitive performance between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results delivered supporting evidence for the trend of superior neurocognitive performance in FES patients with a lifetime history of cannabis use compared to non-using patients.

Specialities of assessment of endurance capabilities in sport active children.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) belongs to most important functional parameters of physical fitness testing and consideration of endurance capabilities. The value of VO2 max depends on age, gender, genetic disposition, body dimensions and physical fitness. Spiroergometric examination was done on cycle ergometer (ramp 25-35 W per minute) at vita maxima. One hundred and seventy children (129 boys and 41 girls) at the age of 8 to 17 were examined. The obtained results showed that absolute values of maximal oxygen uptake progressively rise during the course of childhood and gender differences between boys and girls started at the age 12-13 years.

[Somatic and functional profiles of members of the Slovak karate team]. / Somatický a funkcný profil reprezentantov SR v karate.

The exercise load in karate is prevailingly of anaerobic character, the fact of which is evident by the increase in heart frequency and the levels of blood lactate. During competition, the heart frequency achieved the values of 180-199 beats per minute and the level of blood lactate following the competition was 4.5-6.5 mmol/l. The values of lactate were substantially higher during the training unit (at the time of chronometric measurement) when exercise was more intensive 5.8-12.5 mmo/l at the heart frequency of 180-200 or even more beats per minute, than during competition. The aim of this work was to find out the basic morphologic and functional profiles in the representatives of the National Karate Team on the basis of laboratory methods.

Association of (3H) DNA with fowl spermatozoa and their in vitro fertilisation of hamster ova.

1. Fowl spermatozoa incubated with DNA were used for the fertilisation of zona-free hamster oocytes. 2. Two categories of spermatozoa were detected: those which were not labelled and those which showed a very high degree of labelling (19 +/- 2% of the whole population). 3. In the hamster oocytes exposed to treated spermatozoa the labelled sperm heads were identified.

Parthenogenetic activation of mouse tubal oocytes by a single pulse of direct current.

Tubal cumulus-free oocytes recovered from C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice 16 to 24 h after hCG injection were parthenogenetically activated by a single DC-pulse of different voltage. The efficiency of activation was assessed 2, 4 and 24 h after electric stimulation according to the proportion of oocytes with second polar bodies, presence of pronuclei and development of parthenogenetic 2-cell embryos. The best results, 99% and 100% of oocytes with second polar body (2 h) or with second polar body and one pronucleus (4 h), were recorded when oocytes of both strains were activated by a single 60 V DC-pulse (30 microseconds) 20 h after hCG injection. Aging of oocytes or higher voltage of DC-pulse (120 V and 240 V) resulted in both strains in an increase of abnormal oocytes and oocytes with two pronuclei. While a large proportion of activated C57BL/6J oocytes were totally fragmented within 24 h and only 23% reached 2-cell stage, 78% of the activated BALB/c oocytes developed to parthenogenetic 2-cell embryos. It was shown that pronuclear oocytes and parthenogenetic 2-cell embryos for preparation of different types of cytoplasts could be effectively prepared by electric stimulation of tubal oocytes.

Diploidization of bovine oocytes matured in vitro and parthenogenetically activated by electric shock.

Bovine in vitro matured oocytes were parthenogenetically activated by a single pulse of direct current. Suppression of second polar body extrusion by 60 V DC-pulse followed by cytochalasin B treatment or 240 V DC-pulse were used to diploidize parthenogenones. Analysis of the cytological events 20 h postactivation clearly documented high efficiency of both diploidization techniques. All oocytes exposed to a single 60 V DC-pulse and then to cytochalasin B for 3 to 6 h were activated and 70% to 88% possessed two pronuclei. Exposure to 240-V DC-pulse for 10 and 20 microseconds activated all oocytes, 72% and 62% formed two pronuclei, but a high incidence (22% and 30%) of degenerated oocytes was observed. Prolonged in vitro culture of oocytes after parthenogenetic activation and diploidization treatment showed that formed pronuclei were able to fuse and single prometaphase to telophase mitotic cleavage figures developed in all oocytes fixed 28 h after activation, except one cytochalasin B-treated oocyte with two prometaphase sets of chromosomes.

[Present trends in sports medicine]. / Súcasné trendy v telovýchovnom lekárstve.

Knowledge on the response and adaptation of the human organism to motor activity in dependence on age and sex is presented. In organizing substitute motor activities for the population, two lines have to be differentiated, i.e. programs of exercises for the maintenance of health and training for increasing physical fitness. Recent methods of functional diagnosis of aerobic and anaerobic abilities in the laboratory and in sports premises are described. Echocardiographic examination presents a contribution as it enables to study dynamically the adaptation of the heart to different motor activities. The authors formulate their standpoint concerning selection of locomotively talented youth as well as some specific health problems of top performance sports (immunological resistance, doping).

Parthenogenetic activation of cattle oocytes by a single pulse of direct current.

Bovine follicular oocytes cultured in vitro for 26-27 h were exposed to AC/DC cycle. Mature and immature oocytes were effectively parthenogenetically activated by a single DC-pulse of a different voltage. Application of AC/DC cycle with 60 V DC-pulse (30 microseconds) resulted in 96% of activated mature and 94% of activated immature oocytes. The high activation rate was also recorded when oocytes were treated with higher voltage. The exposure of oocytes to 120 V and 240 V pulses increased the number of degenerated oocytes (6% to 46%) and incidence of oocytes with two pronuclei. The resumption of meioses was observed in 92% of mature and 88% of immature oocytes 1 h after DC-pulse and pronuclei formation was recorded in 72% of mature and 40% of immature oocytes after 6 h of IVC. Two-cell stage parthenogenones were obtained after prolonged IVC (22%) or after transfer into mouse oviducts for 44 h (61%). Possible use of parthenogenetic pronuclear oocytes and 2-cell parthenogenones in pronuclear/nuclear microinjection and nuclear transplantation experiments is outlined.

Detection of mycoplasmas in cell cultures, using L6M, containing 6-methylpurine deoxyriboside.

Methods for the detection of mycoplasmas in cell cultures with 6MPDR are rapid and inexpensive and do not require special skill in the mycoplasma culturing. Properties of L6M, a dry, lyophilised, sterilised, and thermostabile reagent containing 6MPDR, are described. Its diagnostic value is comparable to that of the liquid, 6MPDR containing reagent MycoTect requiring storage at -70 degrees C.

[Detection of antibodies to mycoplasmas using an immunoenzyme method]. / Detekce protilátek proti mykoplazmatum enzymoimunologickou metodou.

Detection of the antibodies to the species Mycoplasma bovis in the serum and milk of dairy cows coming from a mastitis-infected herd is a good example of utilization of the ELISA immunoenzymologic method in the mycoplasmology. Examining the samples from 75 dairy cows and applying the indirect hemagglutination test, good correlation of the results of the two tests was determined. The antibodies to the species Ureaplasma diversum were demonstrated by the ELISA method both in the bovine serum and in the milk of dairy cows infected slightly with mastitis. We chosen that strain which detected the maximum titres in the selected samples of the sera out of four antigens prepared from various strains of U. diversum. Rabbit sera hyperimmune to 26 strains of the mycoplasmas of various species were used to identify two antigens (after removing the antibodies to the components of the media). Specific reaction was obtained with the antisera to M. hyorhinis and M. arginini.

[Incidence of mycoplasma mastitis in Czechoslovakia]. / Výskyt mykoplazmových mastitid v Ceskoslovensku.

By the mycoplasmic examination of 143 dairy cows exhibiting clinical signs of mastitis, Mycoplasma californicum and M. bovigenitalium were detected as the causal agents of the disease at two localities. The occurrence of specific antibodies in milk, and/or blood serum, was characteristic of the course of the disease, as documented by the results of the examination of more than 300 samples. In some milk samples taken from cows suffering from mastitis of obscure etiology and obtained from State Veterinary Institutes, antibodies to some of the five species of bovine Mycoplasma involved in the disease were found at 22 localities. The antibodies were detected by means of the indirect haemagglutination test and ELISA method. Both these tests are suitable for such an examination, as indicated by the comparison of the results.

[The course of mastitides in cows infected into the mammary gland with strains of Mycoplasma bovigenitalium and M. bovis]. / Prubeh mastitid u krav infikovaných do mlécné zlázy kmeny Mycoplasma bovigenitalium a M. bovis.

Six cows were inoculated into the mammary gland with eight mycoplasma strains isolated from the genital tract of bulls and two type strains. The milk of cows infected with Mycoplasma bovigenitalium strains isolated from the genital tracts of bulls showed a change in the appearance and contained large quantities of mycoplasmas and specific antibodies. The mastitis was most intense in about 9 days and began to subside in 17 days infection. The type strain of M. bovigenitalium PG11 failed to produce mastitis. On the other hand, the type strain of M. bovis PG45 produced severe mastitis after a 14-day latency period, with the infection spreading to the uninoculated quarters, causing atrophy of the mammary gland, and persisting till slaughter. The sera of all cows that developed mastitis after experimental infection contained high titres of specific antibodies. The two infecting mycoplasma species were recovered from the inner organs and mammary glands of these cows after slaughter.