Maternal stress during pregnancy and shortly thereafter is associated with altered offspring brain development that may increase risk of mood and anxiety disorders. Cortical gyrification is established during the prenatal period and the first 2 years of life and is altered in psychiatric disorders. Here, we sought to characterize the effects of perinatal stress exposure on offspring gyrification patterns and mood dysregulation in young adulthood. Participants included 85 young adults (56.5% women; 23-24 years) from the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) with perinatal stress data across four distinct timepoints and structural MRI data from young adulthood. Perinatal stress exposure was measured as maternal stress during first and second half of pregnancy, first 6 months, and 6-18 months after birth. Cortical gyrification and mood dysregulation were quantified using local gyrification index (LGI), computed with Freesurfer, and the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, respectively. Perinatal stress predicted cortical gyrification in young adulthood, and its timing influenced location, direction, and sex-specificity of effects. In particular, whereas early prenatal stress was associated with sex-dependent medium-to-large effects in large temporal, parietal, and occipital regions (f2 = 0.19-0.38, p < .001), later perinatal stress was associated with sex-independent small-to-medium effects in smaller, more anterior regions (f2 = 0.10-0.19, p < .003). Moreover, in females, early prenatal stress predicted higher LGI in a large temporal region, which was further associated with mood disturbance in adulthood (r = 0.399, p = .006). These findings point out the long-term implications of perinatal stress exposure for cortical morphology and mood dysregulation.

• MeSH
• afektivní symptomy * diagnostické zobrazování   etiologie   patologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• emoční regulace fyziologie   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mozková kůra * diagnostické zobrazování   patologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• poporodní období MeSH
• psychický stres komplikace   MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• zpožděný efekt prenatální expozice * diagnostické zobrazování   etiologie   patologie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND: Prenatal stress influences brain development and mood disorder vulnerability. Brain structural covariance network (SCN) properties based on inter-regional volumetric correlations may reflect developmentally-mediated shared plasticity among regions. Childhood trauma is associated with amygdala-centric SCN reorganization patterns, however, the impact of prenatal stress on SCN properties remains unknown. METHODS: The study included participants from the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) with archival prenatal stress data and structural MRI acquired in young adulthood (age 23-24). SCNs were constructed based on Freesurfer-extracted volumes of 7 subcortical and 34 cortical regions. We compared amygdala degree centrality, a measure of hubness, between those exposed to high vs. low (median split) prenatal stress, defined by maternal reports of stressful life events during the first (n = 93, 57% female) and second (n = 125, 54% female) half of pregnancy. Group differences were tested across network density thresholds (5-40%) using 10,000 permutations, with sex and intracranial volume as covariates, followed by sex-specific analyses. Finally, we sought to replicate our results in an independent all-male sample (n = 450, age 18-20) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). RESULTS: The high-stress during the first half of pregnancy ELSPAC group showed lower amygdala degree particularly in men, who demonstrated this difference at 10 consecutive thresholds, with no significant differences in global network properties. At the lowest significant density threshold, amygdala volume was positively correlated with hippocampus, putamen, rostral anterior and posterior cingulate, transverse temporal, and pericalcarine cortex in the low-stress (p(FDR) < 0.027), but not the high-stress (p(FDR) > 0.882) group. Although amygdala degree was nominally lower across thresholds in the high-stress ALSPAC group, these results were not significant. CONCLUSION: Unlike childhood trauma, prenatal stress may shift SCN towards a less amygdala-centric SCN pattern, particularly in men. These findings did not replicate in an all-male ALSPAC sample, possibly due to the sample's younger age and lower prenatal stress exposure.

• MeSH
• amygdala * diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hipokampus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie * MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mozek MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

BACKGROUND: Hosts repeatedly bitten by sand flies develop antibodies against sand fly saliva and screening of these immunoglobulins can be employed to estimate the risk of Leishmania transmission, to indicate the feeding preferences of sand flies, or to evaluate the effectiveness of vector control campaigns. Previously, antibodies to sand fly saliva were detected using whole salivary gland homogenate (SGH) or recombinant proteins, both of which also have their disadvantages. This is the first study on sand flies where short peptides designed based on salivary antigens were successfully utilized for antibody screening. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Specific IgG was studied in hosts naturally exposed to Phlebotomus orientalis, the main vector of Leishmania donovani in East Africa. Four peptides were designed by the commercial program EpiQuest-B, based on the sequences of the two most promising salivary antigens, yellow-related protein and ParSP25-like protein. Short amino acid peptides were synthesised and modified for ELISA experiments. Specific anti-P. orientalis IgG was detected in sera of dogs, goats, and sheep from Ethiopia. The peptide OR24 P2 was shown to be suitable for antibody screening; it correlated positively with SGH and its specificity and sensitivity were comparable or even better than that of previously published recombinant proteins. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: OR24 P2, the peptide based on salivary antigen of P. orientalis, was shown to be a valuable tool for antibody screening of domestic animals naturally exposed to P. orientalis. We suggest the application of this promising methodology using species-specific short peptides to other sand fly-host combinations.

• MeSH
• ELISA metody   MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• kozy MeSH
• ovce MeSH
• peptidy imunologie   MeSH
• Phlebotomus imunologie   MeSH
• plošný screening metody   MeSH
• protilátky krev   MeSH
• psi MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• slinné proteiny a peptidy imunologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• psi MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Etiopie MeSH

Flagellates of the Leishmania donovani complex are causative agents of human cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. The complex is comprised of L. donovani, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania archibaldi, although the latter is not now considered to be a valid species. Morphological distinction of Leishmania species is impractical, so biochemical, immunological and DNA-based criteria were introduced. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) is the present gold standard. We have sequenced the genes encoding five metabolic enzymes used for MLEE, both to resolve the DNA diversity underlying isoenzyme mobility differences and to explore the potential of these targets for higher resolution PCR-based multilocus sequence typing. The genes sequenced were isocitrate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, mannose phosphate isomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and fumarate hydratase, for 17 strains of L. infantum, seven strains of L. donovani, and three strains of L. archibaldi. Protein mobilities predicted from amino acid sequences did not always accord precisely with reported MLEE profiles. A high number of heterozygous sites was detected. Heterozygosity was particularly frequent in some strains and indirectly supported the presence of genetic exchange in Leishmania. Phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated alignment based on a total of 263 kb protein-coding sequences showed strong correlation of genotype with geographical origin. Europe and Africa appear to represent independent evolutionary centres.

• MeSH
• financování organizované MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genetické markery MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• Leishmania enzymologie   genetika   klasifikace   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• protozoální DNA analýza   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH

• MeSH
• antracykliny škodlivé účinky   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• doxorubicin aplikace a dávkování   škodlivé účinky   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• histologické techniky využití   MeSH
• kardiomyopatie diagnóza   etiologie   MeSH
• kardiovaskulární systém účinky léků   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• liposomy aplikace a dávkování   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• nádory prsu farmakoterapie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• kazuistiky MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The ability of motivational structure and other variables to predict alcohol consumption was assessed in university students (N = 370; 244 women) in the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Norway and the United States. METHOD: Motivational structure was assessed with the Motivational Structure Questionnaire (MSQ), which inquires about respondents' individual personal concerns in various areas of life and dimensions of their goal strivings related to the resolution of concerns. Alcohol-related problems were measured with the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. RESULTS: Factor analysis of MSQ indices yielded a two-factor solution, one factor of which reflects an adaptive motivational structure marked by elements necessary for attaining psychologically satisfying resolutions of personal concerns. The other factor reflects a more maladaptive motivational structure marked by feelings of indifference about the achievement of personal goals. As hypothesized, MSQ Factor I was a significant inverse predictor of the amount of alcohol that students drank, but only among those who experienced alcohol-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: The similarity in results across culturally varied samples suggests the robustness of the relationships for understanding the motivational bases for alcohol use.

• MeSH
• alkoholismus epidemiologie   psychologie   MeSH
• cíle MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• etnicita psychologie   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• motivace * MeSH
• osobnostní dotazník MeSH
• pití alkoholu epidemiologie   psychologie   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• srovnání kultur * MeSH
• studenti psychologie   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• stupeň vzdělání MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Nizozemsko MeSH
• Norsko MeSH
• Spojené státy americké MeSH

The saliva of blood-feeding parasites is a rich source of peptidase inhibitors that help to overcome the host's defence during host-parasite interactions. Using proteomic analysis, the cystatin OmC2 was demonstrated in the saliva of the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata, an important disease vector transmitting African swine fever virus and the spirochaete Borrelia duttoni. A structural, biochemical and biological characterization of this peptidase inhibitor was undertaken in the present study. Recombinant OmC2 was screened against a panel of physiologically relevant peptidases and was found to be an effective broad-specificity inhibitor of cysteine cathepsins, including endopeptidases (cathepsins L and S) and exopeptidases (cathepsins B, C and H). The crystal structure of OmC2 was determined at a resolution of 2.45 A (1 A=0.1 nm) and was used to describe the structure-inhibitory activity relationship. The biological impact of OmC2 was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. OmC2 affected the function of antigen-presenting mouse dendritic cells by reducing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-12, and proliferation of antigen-specific CD4+ T-cells. This suggests that OmC2 may suppress the host's adaptive immune response. Immunization of mice with OmC2 significantly suppressed the survival of O. moubata in infestation experiments. We conclude that OmC2 is a promising target for the development of a novel anti-tick vaccine to control O. moubata populations and combat the spread of associated diseases.

• MeSH
• imunologické faktory chemie   fyziologie   MeSH
• krystalizace MeSH
• krystalografie rentgenová MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• myši inbrední C3H MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši transgenní MeSH
• myši MeSH
• Ornithodoros chemie   imunologie   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• slinné cystatiny chemie   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH

• MeSH
• asociální osobnost MeSH
• kriminální psychologie MeSH
• poruchy osobnosti MeSH
• poruchy sociálního chování MeSH
• psychopatologie MeSH
• vražda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• monografie MeSH

• Konspekt
• Psychopatologie
• NLK Obory
• psychologie, klinická psychologie
• patologie

Lidská duše je rozlehlá a pestrobarevná krajina, která vytváří jemné, ale i velmi hrubé rozdíly mezi všemi lidmi a činí každého zcela jedinečným. Po úspěšné knize „Psychologie sériových vrahů“ se PhDr. Andrej Drbohlav opět vydává k temným hranicím duše a představuje další podobu mnohonásobného vraha.

• Klíčová slova
• Psychologie odborná, Psychologie odborná,
• MeSH
• asociální osobnost MeSH
• kriminální psychologie MeSH
• poruchy osobnosti MeSH
• poruchy sociálního chování MeSH
• psychopatologie MeSH
• vražda MeSH

• NLK Obory
• psychologie, klinická psychologie
• patologie

Primární příčina Alzheimerovy nemoci není ještě známá. V poslední době se však pozornost soustøedí na výzkum intracelulární aku mulace peptidù amyloidu beta, která by mohla spouštìt celou patologickou kaskádu vedoucí k neurodegeneraci. Pøedpokládá se, že k dysfu nkci neuro- nálních mitochondrií, která byla u pacientù s Alzheimerovou nemocí pozorována, dochází napø. interakcí intracelulárních peptidù amyloidu beta s nìkterými mitochondriálními enzymy. Touto interakcí je aktivita enzymù snížena. Chronická aplikace azidu sodného, selektivníh o inhibitoru mitochondriální oxidázy cytochromu c, vyvolává u zvíøat deficity v testech uèení/pamìti a biochemické zmìny v mozku, které se p odobají někte- rým odchylkám mozku lidí s Alzheimerovou nemocí. Azid sodný je proto používaný pøi animálním modelování tohoto neurodegenerativ ního onemocnìní. Protože však mitochondriální defekty ovlivòují vedle mozku i svalstvo, pøi testování validity tohoto farmakologické ho modelu by mìla být použita jak systémová (napø. subkutánní), tak i intracerebroventrikulární aplikace mladým i starým zvíøatùm. Tato prác e udává pøehled zmìn vyvolaných azidem sodným v pøípadì jeho subkutánní aplikace (22,5 – 45,0 mg/kg/den bìhem jednoho mìsíce) mladým samcùm pot kana kmene Long Evans. Behaviorální testy a následná biochemická analýza mozku byla provedena také na mladých zvíøatech.

A primary cause of Alzheimer disease is not known yet. However, a new research is foccused especially on an intracellular accum ulation of amyloid beta peptides that could mediate a pathological cascade leading to neurodegeneration. It is suggested that dysfunction of neural mi- tochondria observed in patients with Alzheimer disease could be associated e.g. with an interaction of intracellular amyloid be ta peptides and mitochondrial enzymes. Following the interaction, enzyme activities are decreased. Chronic application of sodium azide, a selec tive inhibitor of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, evokes deficits in learning/memory tasks and some biochemical changes in animal brains s imilar to those observed in people with Alzheimer disease. Therefore, sodium azide is used in animal models of this neurodegenerative dis order. However, mitochondrial defects affect both brain and mucle tissues and systemic (e.g. subcutaneous) as well as intracerebroventricular a pplications of sodium azide to young or old animals should be used to evaluate correctly validity of the model. The study shows a short summar y of alterations mediated by sodium azide in the case of its subcutaneous application (22.5 – 45.0 mg/kg/day for one month) to young adult male Long Evans rats. Behavioral tests and subsequent biochemical brain analysis were performed also on young animals.

• Klíčová slova
• animální model, behaviorální testy, neurochemická analýza,
• MeSH
• Alzheimerova nemoc * diagnóza   etiologie   patologie   MeSH
• amyloidní beta-protein biosyntéza   MeSH
• azid sodný aplikace a dávkování   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• biologické markery analýza   MeSH
• deficit cytochrom-c-oxidázy patofyziologie   MeSH
• hipokampus abnormality   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oxid dusnatý chemická syntéza   MeSH
• potkani Long-Evans růst a vývoj   MeSH
• potkani Wistar MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH