OBJECTIVES: To investigate the associations between antibody responses to herpesviruses and the development of thalamic, total deep gray matter, cortical and central atrophy in high-risk clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) after the first demyelinating event. METHODS: We analyzed volumetric brain outcomes in 193 CIS patients enrolled in a multi-center study of high-risk CIS. All patients had 2 or more MRI brain lesions and two or more oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid. Serum samples obtained at the screening visit prior to any treatment were analyzed for IgG antibodies against cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen (VCA). All patients were treated with interferon-beta. Clinical and MRI assessments were obtained at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: Anti-EBV VCA highest quartile status was associated with regional atrophy measures for percent decrease in thalamus. Anti-CMV positivity was associated with greater total deep gray matter atrophy and whole brain atrophy. Anti-EBV VCA highest quartile status was associated as trends with greater whole brain, gray matter atrophy and central atrophy. The associations of anti-EBV VCA antibodies with thalamic atrophy were mediated by its associations with T2 lesions whereas the associations of anti-CMV positivity with deep gray matter atrophy were relatively independent of T2 lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Antibody responses to EBV and CMV are associated with global and regional brain atrophy in CIS patients treated with interferon-beta.

• Klíčová slova
• Cytomegalovirus, Deep gray matter atrophy, Environmental factors, Epstein–Barr virus,
• MeSH
• antigeny virové imunologie   MeSH
• antivirové látky terapeutické užití   MeSH
• atrofie farmakoterapie   etiologie   virologie   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• demyelinizační nemoci komplikace   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Herpesviridae imunologie   MeSH
• interferon beta terapeutické užití   MeSH
• leukoencefalopatie etiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• neurodegenerativní nemoci etiologie   MeSH
• pozorování MeSH
• protilátky virové krev   MeSH
• thalamus patologie   MeSH
• virové plášťové proteiny imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny virové MeSH
• antivirové látky MeSH
• Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen MeSH Prohlížeč
• interferon beta MeSH
• protilátky virové MeSH
• virové plášťové proteiny MeSH

Escape enables prey to avoid an approaching predator. The escape decision-making process has traditionally been interpreted using theoretical models that consider ultimate explanations based on the cost/benefit paradigm. Ultimate approaches, however, suffer from inseparable extra-assumptions due to an inability to accurately parameterize the model's variables and their interactive relationships. In this study, we propose a mathematical model that uses intensity of predator-mediated visual stimuli as a basic cue for the escape response. We consider looming stimuli (i.e. expanding retinal image of the moving predator) as a cue to flight initiation distance (FID; distance at which escape begins) of incubating Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We then examine the relationship between FID, vegetation cover and directness of predator trajectory, and fit the resultant model to experimental data. As predicted by the model, vegetation concealment and directness of predator trajectory interact, with FID decreasing with increased concealment during a direct approach toward prey, but not during a tangential approach. Thus, we show that a simple proximate expectation, which involves only visual processing of a moving predator, may explain interactive effects of environmental and predator-induced variables on an escape response. We assume that our proximate approach, which offers a plausible and parsimonious explanation for variation in FID, may serve as an evolutionary background for traditional, ultimate explanations and should be incorporated into interpretation of escape behavior.

• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• kachny fyziologie   MeSH
• podněty MeSH
• pozorování MeSH
• predátorské chování fyziologie   MeSH
• prostorové chování fyziologie   MeSH
• rozhodování fyziologie   MeSH
• teoretické modely * MeSH
• úniková reakce fyziologie   MeSH
• životní prostředí MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

OBJECTIVE: Constipation is a common adverse event of treatment with opioids for chronic non-malignant pain and may result in a considerable reduction in health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Bowel Function Index (BFI) in european patients suffering from constipation secondary to opioid analgesic treatment for chronic, non-malignant pain. METHODS: This was a multinational study conducted at 15 clinical sites in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Patients suffering from constipation secondary to opioid analgesic treatment for chronic, non-malignant pain were recruited to complete a series of questionnaires including a socio-demographic form, the BFI, the Patient Assessment of Constipation - Symptoms (PAC-SYM), a global frequency item, and a clinical form. RESULTS: A total of 131 patients were included in this study. Inter-item correlations of the BFI were statistically significant in the moderate to large range and the analysis indicated a strong degree of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). All correlations between the BFI and the global item were statistically significant in the moderate to high range (r = 0.59 to 0.69; p < 0.0001). Correlations between the BFI and the PAC-SYM were moderate and statistically significant (p < 0.01 to 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Although this study was limited by the relatively small sample size, it is a part of an extensive validation program. This study suggests that the BFI is a reliable and valid measure of constipation-related symptomatology in chronic pain patients. This measure may be a valuable indicator of patients' experience of symptoms of opioid treatment of chronic pain in future trials.

• MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• diagnostické techniky gastrointestinální * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• opioidní analgetika škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• pozorování MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• střeva fyziologie   MeSH
• stupeň závažnosti nemoci MeSH
• ukazatele zdravotního stavu * MeSH
• zácpa chemicky indukované   diagnóza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• validační studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Evropa MeSH
• Itálie MeSH
• Spojené království MeSH
• Názvy látek
• opioidní analgetika MeSH

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational and longitudinal. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between pain intensity, plasma lipids and severity of spinal cord injuries in patients with paraplegia (n = 11), tetraplegia (n = 16) and polytrauma (n = 15). We concentrated on the hospitalization period immediately following injury. METHODS: Pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale immediately after patients were transported to hospital, again 14 days after injury and before discharge from hospital. Blood samples were also obtained at these same times. We measured following biochemical parameters: total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, and C-reactive protein. Data were analyzed with respect to type of injury, state of unconsciousness immediately after injury, hemorrhage, measure of liability (self-inflicted injuries vs casualties), cause of the accident and pre-injury cholesterol levels. RESULTS: On the day of injury, pain intensity correlated positively with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.48, P = 0.04); on the day of discharge from hospital, pain intensity correlated positively with blood glucose levels (r = 0.67, P = 0.0002). Diagnostic subgroups did not differ either in pain intensity or in pain dynamics during hospitalization. Total cholesterol level was lowest in patients with polytrauma. In all patients, the lowest total cholesterol level was observed immediately after injury. HDL cholesterol was highest after injury. CONCLUSION: After spinal cord injury, lower total cholesterol levels reflected more serious trauma intensity and HDL cholesterol predicted more intensive pain. Subjects responsible for their own injuries suffered less intensive pain than those who were not responsible for their injuries.

• MeSH
• bolest krev   etiologie   MeSH
• C-reaktivní protein metabolismus   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• krevní proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipidy krev   MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• měření bolesti MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nádory míchy krev   komplikace   MeSH
• paralýza krev   komplikace   MeSH
• pozorování MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• sérový albumin metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• C-reaktivní protein MeSH
• krevní proteiny MeSH
• lipidy MeSH
• sérový albumin MeSH

In an experiment investigating the impact of preweaning social experience on later social behavior in pigs, we were interested in the mutual spatial positions of pigs during paired social interactions. To obtain these data, we applied a different colored mark to the head and back of each of 2 pigs per group and videotaped the pigs' interactions. We used the EthoVision tracking system to provide x,y coordinates of the four colored marks every 0.2 sec. This paper describes the structure and functioning of a FoxPro program designed to clean the raw data and use it to identify the mutual body positions of the 2 animals at 0.2-sec intervals. Cleaning the data was achieved by identifying invalid data points and replacing them by interpolations. An algorithm was then applied to extract three variables from the coordinates: (1) whether the two pigs were in body contact; (2) the mutual orientation (parallel, antiparallel, or perpendicular) of the two pigs; and (3) whether the pig in the "active" position made snout contact in front of, or behind, the ear base of the other pig. Using these variables, we were able to identify five interaction types: Pig A attacks, Pig B attacks, undecided head-to-head position, "clinch" resting position, or no contact. To assess the reliability of the automatic system, a randomly chosen 5-min videotaped interaction was scored for mutual positions both visually (by 2 independent observers) and automatically. Good agreement was found between the data from the 2 observers and between each observer's data and the data from the automated system, as assessed using Cohen's kappa coefficients.

• MeSH
• chování zvířat * MeSH
• odchylka pozorovatele MeSH
• počítačové metodologie * MeSH
• pozorování metody   MeSH
• prasata MeSH
• prostorové chování * MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• sociální chování * MeSH
• software MeSH
• videozáznam MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH