Unveiling the nanotoxicological aspects of Se nanomaterials differing in size and morphology.

Although the general concept of nanotechnology relies on exploitation of size-dependent properties of nanoscaled materials, the relation between the size/morphology of nanoparticles with their biological activity remains not well understood. Therefore, we aimed at investigating the biological activity of Se nanoparticles, one of the most promising candidates of nanomaterials for biomedicine, possessing the same crystal structure, but differing in morphology (nanorods spherical particles) and aspect ratios (AR, 11.5 22.

The Anti-Proliferative Activity of Coordination Compound-Based ZnO Nanoparticles as a Promising Agent Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Purpose: The present study deals with the in vitro evaluation of the potential use of coordination compound-based zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer cells (TNBrCa). As BrCa is one of the most prevalent cancer types and TNBrCa treatment is difficult due to poor prognosis and a high metastasis rate, finding a more reliable treatment option should be of the utmost interest.

Methods: Prepared by reacting zinc carboxylates (formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate) and hexamethylenetetramine, 4 distinct coordination compounds were further subjected to two modes of conversion into ZnO NPs - ultrasonication with oleic acid or heating of pure precursors in an air atmosphere.

The Uniform Data Set, Czech Version: Normative Data in Older Adults from an International Perspective.

Background: Outside of the United States, international perspectives on normative data for neuropsychological test performance, within diverse populations, have been scarce. The neuropsychological test battery from the Uniform Data Set (UDS) of the Alzheimer's Disease Centers (ADC) program of the United States National Institute on Aging (NIA) is one of the most sensitive batteries for the evaluation of both normal cognitive aging and pathological cognitive decline.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the feasibility of the Czech Neuropsychological Test Battery from the Uniform Data Set (UDS-Cz 2.

Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Cognitively Healthy Older Adults and Their Relationship to Cognitive Performance and Depressive Symptoms.

Background: Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) may be an early marker of prodromal Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: Using a 10-item yes/no SCCs questionnaire (Le Questionnaire de Plainte Cognitive [QPC]), we evaluated the prevalence and distribution of SCCs in cognitively healthy Czech older adults and examined total score and specific QPC items in relation to depressive symptomology and cognitive performance.

Methods: A sample of 340 cognitively healthy older community-dwelling volunteers aged 60 or older from the third wave of the longitudinal project National Normative Study of Cognitive Determinants of Healthy Aging, who underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and completed the QPC and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15).

Semantic verbal fluency impairment is detectable in patients with subjective cognitive decline.

Patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are at higher risk for conversion to dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Semantic verbal fluency (SVF) seems to be impaired in the early stages of AD. The goal of the present study was to identify the discriminative potential of verbal fluency (VF) in patients with SCD to show if very early signs of cognitive decline may be detected in SCD.

Clinimetric validity of the Trail Making Test Czech version in Parkinson's disease and normative data for older adults.

Objective: The influence of demographic variables on the Trail Making Test (TMT) performance in older individuals and empirical findings on clinical validity in predementia states, such as Parkinson's disease mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), are limited. The principal aim of this study was to add normative data for the Czech population of older adults and explore the clinimetric properties between PD-MCI and PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC).

Method: The study included 125 PD patients classified as 77 PD-MCI and 48 PD-NC and 528 older individuals (60-74 years, further subdivided for normative tables into 60-64, 65-69 and 70-74 age groups) and very old individuals (aged 75-96, further subdivided into 75-79, 80-84, 85-96) cognitively intact Czech adults.

A parsimonious scoring and normative calculator for the Parkinson's disease mild cognitive impairment battery.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to provide a regression-based calculator that takes premorbid functioning into account to detect subtle cognitive decline, as is often present in pre-dementia states, especially mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI).

Method: We used demographic adjustments based on sex, age, and education of 699 normative participants that fulfilled exclusion criteria for ascertaining the diagnostic accuracy of the Movement Disorders Society PD-MCI battery at Level II. We examined the clinical validity of the battery on 36 PD patients.

Propositional Density in Spoken and Written Language of Czech-Speaking Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Purpose: Propositional density (PD) is a measure of content richness in language production that declines in normal aging and more profoundly in dementia. The present study aimed to develop a PD scoring system for Czech and use it to compare PD in language productions of older people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and control participants matched on age, gender, and education.

Method: Groups of patients with aMCI and cognitively healthy control participants (N = 20 each) provided short spoken and written language samples.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination reliable change indices in healthy older adults.

Objective: Cognitive tests are used repeatedly to assess the treatment response or progression of cognitive disorders. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a valid screening test for mild cognitive impairment. The aim of our study was to establish 90% reliable change indices (RCI) for the MoCA together with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in cognitively healthy older adults.

Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA): Normative data for old and very old Czech adults.

The principal aim of our study was to present norms for old and very old Czech adults on the Czech version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and investigate the influence of social and demographic factors on MoCA performance. We analyzed 540 adults aged ≥ 60 years (5-year age categories; nationally representative sample in terms of sex and educational level), who met strict inclusion criteria for the absence of neurodegenerative disorders and performed within normal range in neuropsychological assessment. Using multiple regression model, we found that MoCA performance was affected by age and education (both p < .

The Reliability of Clock Drawing Test Scoring Systems Modeled on the Normative Data in Healthy Aging and Nonamnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a commonly used tool in clinical practice and research for cognitive screening among older adults. The main goal of the present study was to analyze the interrater reliability of three different CDT scoring systems (by Shulman et al., Babins et al.

The Prague Stroop Test: Normative standards in older Czech adults and discriminative validity for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide normative data for older and very old Czech adults on the Prague Stroop Test (PST) and to test its discriminative validity in individuals with Parkinson's disease mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI).

Method: The construction of the PST was modeled after the Victoria Stroop Test. We examined 539 participants aged 60-96 that met strict inclusion criteria.

Toward the processing speed theory of activities of daily living in healthy aging: normative data of the Functional Activities Questionnaire.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe an instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) measure: Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), which is often used in clinical settings as a self- or informant-based measure of IADL. However, the FAQ's relationship with age or education in healthy aging has not been investigated.

Methods: FAQ and a neuropsychological battery were administered to old and very old Czech adults (n = 540).

Development, validity, and normative data study for the 12-word Philadelphia Verbal Learning Test [czP(r)VLT-12] among older and very old Czech adults.

The aim of the present study was to assess the validity of a 12-word Czech version of the Philadelphia (repeatable) Verbal Learning Test [czP(r)VLT-12]. The construction of the czP(r)VLT-12 was modeled after the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and the nine-word Philadelphia (repeatable) Verbal Learning Test [P(r)VLT]. The czP(r)VLT-12 was constructed from a large corpus of old (60-74) and very old (75-96) Czech adults (n = 540).

Age-related differences in NMDA receptor subunits of prenatally methamphetamine-exposed male rats.

There is accumulating evidence that methamphetamine (MA) is a widely abused drug popular among pregnant women. MA exposure is associated with changes in the function of neurotransmitter systems, namely the dopaminergic, serotonergic and glutamatergic systems. Since N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA) are affected by MA-induced glutamate release, we assessed the expression of NMDAR subunits (NR1, NR2A, and NR2B) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), which is connected with NMDAR.

Czech version of Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test: normative data.

The present study provides normative data stratified by age for the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test Czech version (RAVLT) derived from a sample of 306 cognitively normal subjects (20-85 years). Participants met strict inclusion criteria (absence of any active or past neurological or psychiatric disorder) and performed within normal limits on other neuropsychological measures. Our analyses revealed significant relationships between most RAVLT indices and age and education.

The malleability of working memory and visuospatial skills: a randomized controlled study in older adults.

There is accumulating evidence that training on working memory (WM) generalizes to other nontrained domains, and there are reports of transfer effects extending as far as to measures of fluid intelligence. Although there have been several demonstrations of such transfer effects in young adults and children, they have been difficult to demonstrate in older adults. In this study, we investigated the generalizing effects of an adaptive WM intervention on nontrained measures of WM and visuospatial skills.

Cognitive deficits in the euthymic phase of unipolar depression.

Although neuropsychological deficits have been reported in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) during an acute episode, relatively little is known about the persistence of these deficits in remission. This study investigated the performance of attention, executive function and verbal memory during remission from unipolar depressive episodes. We tested the hypothesis that outpatients do not differ in cognitive variables from controls.

The temperament and character inventory-revised (TCI-R): a psychometric characteristics of the Czech version.

We explore psychometric characteristics of a modified version of the Cloninger's personality questionnaire, the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R) in a 200-subject sample. This sample was stratified in accordance with the Czech population. We performed principal component analyses and explored the factorial structure of the questionnaire, to establish internal consistency of each dimension.