BACKGROUND: Early life socioeconomic disadvantage and adverse experiences may lead to overeating, which is in turn associated with increased body mass index (BMI). However, recent evidence indicated that the association between childhood BMI and overeating might be bidirectional. This bidirectionality prompts the need for further investigation of early life predictors of BMI in childhood. OBJECTIVES: To longitudinally assess the directionality of the association between childhood BMI and perceived overeating and to investigate their antecedent early life predictors. METHODS: The sample included data from 5151 children from the ELSPAC study, collected between 18 months and 11 years of child age. The outcomes were child BMI and mother-reported overeating, assessed at the age of 3, 5, 7 and 11 years. Predictors included maternal BMI, maternal education, single parenthood, financial difficulties and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) reported by parents and paediatricians. The random intercept cross-lagged panel model was applied. RESULTS: The mean child's BMI at age 3 was 15.59 kg/m2 and increased to 17.86 kg/m2 at age 11. The percentage of parent-reported overeating increased in the following period, from about 12% at age 3 to 17% at age 11. The results showed temporal stability in perceived overeating and BMI, with a bidirectional relationship strengthening over time. The child's BMI was associated with maternal BMI. Maternal BMI was positively associated with child-perceived overeating, but a stronger effect was found for ACEs. ACEs mediated the impact of maternal education, financial difficulties and single parenthood on overeating. CONCLUSIONS: We observed stable bidirectional associations between BMI and perceived overeating. The results indicated two main pathways: one linked to maternal BMI and early childhood BMI increase followed by perceived overeating and the second associated with ACEs mediating the effect of early childhood social factors on perceived overeating, leading to gradual BMI gain.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Hyperphagia * psychology epidemiology MeSH
- Body Mass Index * MeSH
- Infant MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Mothers psychology statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Adverse Childhood Experiences * statistics & numerical data psychology MeSH
- Pediatric Obesity * epidemiology psychology MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Socioeconomic Factors MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Infant MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Amyloid precursor protein (APP) undergoes striking changes following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Considering its role in the control of gene expression, we investigated whether APP regulates transcription and translation following TBI. METHODS: We assessed brain morphology (n = 4-9 mice/group), transcriptome (n = 3 mice/group), proteome (n = 3 mice/group), and behavior (n = 17-27 mice/group) of wild-type (WT) and APP knock-out (KO) mice either untreated or 10-weeks following TBI. RESULTS: After TBI, WT mice displayed transcriptional programs consistent with late stages of brain repair, hub genes were predicted to impact translation and brain proteome showed subtle changes. APP KO mice largely replicated this transcriptional repertoire, but showed no transcriptional nor translational response to TBI. DISCUSSION: The similarities between WT mice following TBI and APP KO mice suggest that developmental APP deficiency induces a condition reminiscent of late stages of brain repair, hampering the control of gene expression in response to injury. HIGHLIGHTS: 10-weeks after TBI, brains exhibit transcriptional profiles consistent with late stage of brain repair. Developmental APP deficiency maintains brains perpetually in an immature state akin to late stages of brain repair. APP responds to TBI by changes in gene expression at a transcriptional and translational level. APP deficiency precludes molecular brain changes in response to TBI.
- MeSH
- Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor * genetics MeSH
- Disease Models, Animal MeSH
- Brain * metabolism pathology MeSH
- Mice, Inbred C57BL MeSH
- Mice, Knockout MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Brain Injuries * metabolism genetics pathology MeSH
- Proteome * metabolism MeSH
- Proteomics MeSH
- Transcriptome * MeSH
- Brain Injuries, Traumatic * metabolism genetics pathology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Cyanobacterial harmful blooms (CyanoHABs) pose a global ecological problem, and their lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are among the bioactive compounds they release. Previous studies on CyanoHAB-LPS from single cyanobacterial species have shown varying bioactivities in different in vitro cell models. In this study, we isolated LPS from 19 CyanoHAB samples collected at 18 water bodies in the Czech Republic over two consecutive seasons. The proportions of cyanobacteria, Gram-negative bacteria (G-), and other bacteria in the biomass were determined by qPCR, while the cyanobacterial genera were identified using light microscopy. In vitro models of keratinocytes (HaCaT), the intestinal epithelium (co-culture of differentiated Caco-2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells - PBMC), and PBMC alone were treated with isolated LPS at concentrations of 50, 100, and 1 μg/ml, respectively. The endotoxin activities of these concentrations were within the range measured in the aquatic environment. Approximately 85-90% of the samples displayed biological activity. However, the potency of individual LPS effects and response patterns varied across the different in vitro models. Furthermore, the observed activities did not exhibit a clear correlation with the taxonomic composition of the phytoplankton community, the relative share of microbial groups in the biomass, endotoxin activity of the LPS, or LPS migration and staining pattern in SDS-PAGE. These findings suggest that the effects of CyanoHAB-LPS depend on the specific composition and abundance of various LPS structures within the complex environmental sample and their interactions with cellular receptors.
- MeSH
- Biomass MeSH
- Caco-2 Cells MeSH
- Leukocytes, Mononuclear MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lipopolysaccharides * toxicity MeSH
- Cyanobacteria * MeSH
- Harmful Algal Bloom MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Patients with burn injury and inhalation injury are highly susceptible to infectious complications, including opportunistic pathogens, due to the loss of skin cover and mucosal damage of respiratory tract as well as the disruption of homeostasis. This case report, a 34-year-old man suffered critical burns, provides the first literature description of triple-impact immunoparalysis (critical burns, inhalation injury, and SARS-CoV-2 infection), leading to a lethal multifocal infection caused by several fungi including very rare environmental representatives Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Wickerhamomyces anomalus. The co-infection by these common environmental yeasts in a human is unique and has not yet been described in the literature. Importantly, our patient developed refractory septic shock and died despite targeted antifungal therapy including the most potent current antifungal agent-isavuconazole. It can be assumed that besides immunoparalysis, effectiveness of therapy by isavuconazole was impaired by the large distribution volume in this case. As this is a common situation in intensive care patients, routine monitoring of plasmatic concentration of isavuconazole can be helpful in personalization of the treatment and dose optimization. Whatmore, many fungal species often remain underdiagnosed during infectious complications, which could be prevented by implementation of new methods, such as next-generation sequencing, into clinical practice.
- MeSH
- Antifungal Agents * therapeutic use MeSH
- COVID-19 * immunology complications MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Fatal Outcome MeSH
- Coinfection microbiology drug therapy immunology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mycoses drug therapy microbiology immunology diagnosis MeSH
- Nitriles therapeutic use MeSH
- Burns complications microbiology MeSH
- Pyridines therapeutic use MeSH
- Saccharomycetales genetics drug effects immunology MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 immunology MeSH
- Sepsis drug therapy microbiology immunology MeSH
- Triazoles therapeutic use MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
AIM: Widely used second-generation antipsychotics are associated with adverse metabolic effects, contributing to increased cardiovascular mortality. To develop strategies to prevent or treat adverse metabolic effects, preclinical models have a clear role in uncovering underlying molecular mechanisms. However, with few exceptions, preclinical studies have been performed in healthy animals, neglecting the contribution of dysmetabolic features inherent to psychotic disorders. METHODS: In this study, methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) was prenatally administered to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats at gestational day 17 to induce a well-validated neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia mimicking its assumed pathogenesis with persistent phenotype. Against this background, the dysmetabolic effects of acute treatment with olanzapine and haloperidol were examined in female rats. RESULTS: Prenatally MAM-exposed animals exhibited several metabolic features, including lipid disturbances. Half of the MAM rats exposed to olanzapine had pronounced serum lipid profile alteration compared to non-MAM controls, interpreted as a reflection of a delicate MAM-induced metabolic balance disrupted by olanzapine. In accordance with the drugs' clinical metabolic profiles, olanzapine-associated dysmetabolic effects were more pronounced than haloperidol-associated dysmetabolic effects in non-MAM rats and rats exposed to MAM. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate metabolic vulnerability in female prenatally MAM-exposed rats, indicating that findings from healthy animals likely provide an underestimated impression of metabolic dysfunction associated with antipsychotics. In the context of metabolic disturbances, neurodevelopmental models possess a relevant background, and the search for adequate animal models should receive more attention within the field of experimental psychopharmacology.
- MeSH
- Antipsychotic Agents * therapeutic use MeSH
- Haloperidol * toxicity MeSH
- Rats MeSH
- Lipids MeSH
- Methylazoxymethanol Acetate toxicity analogs & derivatives MeSH
- Disease Models, Animal MeSH
- Olanzapine toxicity MeSH
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Rats MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles (BTs) are high-production volume chemicals as well as widely distributed emerging pollutants with potential health risk. However, information about human exposure to BTs and associated health outcomes is limited. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterise exposure to BTs among Czech men, including possible occupational exposure among firefighters, its predictors, and its associations with liver function, serum lipids and oxidative stress. METHODS: 165 participants (including 110 firefighters) provided urine and blood samples that were used to quantify the urinary levels of 8 BTs (high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), and 4 liver enzymes, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine. Linear regression was used to assess associations with population characteristics and biomarkers of liver function, serum lipids and oxidative stress. Regression models were adjusted for potential confounding variables and false discovery rate procedure was applied to account for multiplicity. RESULTS: The BTs ranged from undetected up to 46.8 ng/mL. 2-hydroxy-benzothiazole was the most predominant compound (detection frequency 83%; median 1.95 ng/mL). 1-methyl-benzotriazole (1M-BTR) was measured in human samples for the first time, with a detection frequency 77% and median 1.75 ng/mL. Professional firefighters had lower urinary 1M-BTR compared to non-firefighters. Urinary 1M-BTR was associated with levels of γ-glutamyl transferase (β = - 17.54%; 95% CI: - 26.127, - 7.962). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to investigate BT exposure in Central Europe, including potentially exposed firefighters. The findings showed a high prevalence of BTs in the study population, the relevance of 1M-BTR as a new biomarker of exposure, and an urgent need for further research into associated adverse health outcomes.
- MeSH
- 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine urine blood MeSH
- Benzothiazoles * MeSH
- Biomarkers * blood urine MeSH
- Cholesterol blood MeSH
- Deoxyguanosine analogs & derivatives urine blood MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Firefighters MeSH
- Liver drug effects MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lipids blood MeSH
- Oxidative Stress * drug effects MeSH
- Occupational Exposure * analysis MeSH
- Triazoles * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Antarctica provides a unique environment for studying human adaptability, characterized by controlled conditions, limited sensory stimulation, and significant challenges in logistics and communication. This longitudinal study investigates the relationship between stress indicators, with a specific focus on mean sleep heart rate, during a COVID-19 quarantine and subsequent 83 days long summer Antarctic expedition at the J. G. Mendel Czech Antarctic Station. Our novel approach includes daily recordings of sleep heart rate and weekly assessments of emotions, stress, and sleep quality. Associations between variables were analyzed using the generalized least squares method, providing unique insights into nuances of adaptation. The results support previous findings by providing empirical evidence on the stress reducing effect of Antarctic summer expedition and highlight the importance of previous experience and positive emotions, with the novel contribution of utilizing physiological data in addition to psychological measures. High-frequency sampling and combination of psychological and physiological data addresses a crucial gap in the research of stress. This study contributes valuable knowledge to the field of psychophysiology and has implications for expedition planners, research organizations, teams in action settings, pandemic prevention protocols, global crises, and long-duration spaceflight missions. Comprehensive insights promote the well-being and success of individuals in extreme conditions.
- MeSH
- Expeditions * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Psychophysiology MeSH
- Sleep MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Antarctic Regions MeSH
BACKGROUND: The inverse association between education and obesity was previously found in numerous studies. This study aims to assess several possible mediators in the educational disparities in adiposity. We hypothesize the potential mediating role of lifestyle, socioeconomic, and mental health factors in the association between education and adiposity. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based sample from Czechia included 2,154 25-64 years old subjects (54.6% women). Education was classified as high, middle, and low. Adiposity was assessed as a latent variable based on body fat percentage, BMI, waist circumference, and visceral fat. The mediation potential of unhealthy dietary behavior, alcohol intake, smoking, sedentary behaviors, income, stress, depression, and quality of life was assessed in age-adjusted sex-specific multiple mediation models. RESULTS: The negative direct effect of education on adiposity was statistically significant at 5% level of significance in both sexes. For men, the indirect effect was statistically significant via sedentary behavior (β = 0.041; 95% CI [0.025-0.062]) with a mediation ratio of 23.7%. In women, the indirect effect was statistically significant via dietary risk (β = -0.023, 95% CI [-0.037, -0.013]), alcohol intake (β = -0.006; 95% CI [-0.014, -0.001]), sedentary behavior (β = 0.012, 95% CI [0.004,0.023]), income (β = -0.022; 95% CI [-0.041, -0.004]), and mental health (β = -0.007; 95% CI [-0.019, -0.001]). The total mediation ratio in women was 30.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Sedentary behaviors had mediating role in the association between education and adiposity in both sexes, with more important role in men. In addition, unhealthy diet and lower income partially mediated the educational gradient in adiposity in women.
- MeSH
- Adiposity * MeSH
- Mediation Analysis MeSH
- Health Status Disparities MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Mental Health * MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Obesity epidemiology psychology MeSH
- Cross-Sectional Studies MeSH
- Sedentary Behavior MeSH
- Socioeconomic Factors * MeSH
- Educational Status * MeSH
- Life Style * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
OBJECTIVE: Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of hospitalization and death among children. Compared to environmental factors, less attention in injury preventive efforts has been paid to how individual characteristics relate to the risk of injury. Using a large prospective cohort, the current study assessed the longitudinal impact of early-life temperament on the cumulative number of injuries until mid-adolescence. METHODS: The data came from the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC-CZ). Temperament was evaluated by mothers when children were 3 years old (N = 3,545). The main outcome was the pediatrician-reported sum of child's injuries from age 3 to 15 (seven timepoints). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to determine classes based on temperamental dimensions and then extended to a mixture model with a distal count outcome. The covariates included maternal conflict and attachment, sex, family structure, and maternal education. RESULTS: The LPA determined the existence of three classes: shy children (8.1% of the sample; lowest activity/highest shyness), outgoing children (50.8%; highest activity/lowest shyness), and average: children (41.1%; middle values). Results from a mixture model showed that the outgoing temperament was associated with the highest longitudinal risk for injuries, as both average children (IRR = 0.89 [0.80, 0.99]), and the shy children (IRR = 0.80 [0.68, 0.95]) had lower risk. CONCLUSIONS: Early childhood temperamental differences can have long-term effects on injury risk. Highly active children showed the highest risk for future injuries, suggesting that these characteristics make them more likely to be involved in novel and potentially dangerous situations.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Mothers * MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Temperament * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Child, Preschool MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The consumption of hazardous antineoplastic drugs (ADs) used in anticancer chemotherapies is steadily increasing representing thus risks to both human health and the environment. Hospitals may serve as a contamination source, and pharmacists preparing the antineoplastic drugs (ADs) as well as nurses administering chemotherapy and caring for oncology patients are among the healthcare professionals being highly exposed. Here, we present the results of systematic monitoring (2018-2020) of surface contamination by 13 ADs in the pharmacies and hospitals in the Czech Republic (CZ; large-scale monitoring, 20 workplaces) and Slovak Republic (SK; pilot study at 4 workplaces). The study evaluated contamination by three commonly monitored ADs, i.e., 5-fluorouracil (FU), cyclophosphamide (CP), and platinum (total Pt representing cis-, carbo-, and oxaliplatin) together with ten less explored ADs, i.e., gemcitabine (GEM), ifosfamide (IF), paclitaxel (PX), irinotecan (IRI), docetaxel (DOC), methotrexate (MET), etoposide (ETOP), capecitabine (CAP), imatinib (IMAT), and doxorubicin (DOX). Floors and desktop surfaces in hospitals (chemotherapy application rooms, nurse working areas) were found to be more contaminated, namely with CP and Pt, in both countries when compared to pharmacies. Comparison between the countries showed that hospital surfaces in SK are generally more contaminated (e.g., CP median was 20 times higher in SK), while some pharmacy areas in the CZ were more contamined in comparison with SK. The newly studied ADs were detected at lower concentrations in comparison to FU, CP, and Pt, but some markers (GEM, IF, PX, and IRI) were frequently observed, and adding these compounds to routine monitoring is recommended.
- MeSH
- Cyclophosphamide analysis MeSH
- Fluorouracil analysis MeSH
- Ifosfamide analysis MeSH
- Equipment Contamination MeSH
- Pharmacies * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring methods MeSH
- Hospitals MeSH
- Pilot Projects MeSH
- Occupational Exposure * analysis MeSH
- Antineoplastic Agents * analysis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
- Slovakia MeSH