Associations between the Big Five personality traits, testosterone, and cortisol in adolescent male athletes.

Testosterone (T) has been conceptualized as a biomarker of individual differences, yet T associations with the Big Five personality traits are inconsistent. Athletes provide a suitable model for evaluation here, as T co-expresses traits related to male-to-male competition and fitness with cortisol (C) playing a moderating role. This study investigated associations between the Big Five traits, T, and C in adolescent male athletes.

Utility of Novel Hypochromia and Microcythemia Markers in Classifying Hematological and Iron Status in Male Athletes.

In athletes, no reliable indices exist for an unambiguous evaluation of hematological and iron status. Therefore, the utility of some new red blood cell (RBC) parameters was explored in 931 elite male athletes aged 13-35 years. To diagnose iron status, the values of ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and basic blood morphology were determined in blood.

Interrelationships between changes in erythropoietin, plasma volume, haemoglobin concentration, and total haemoglobin mass in endurance athletes.

Interrelationships between physiological changes (Δ) in erythropoietin (EPO), plasma volume (PV), haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), and total haemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) were examined in cyclists who trained in different altitudes. Regardless of differences in pattern of changes observed in three training locations, ΔEPO was correlated positively with ΔPV, negatively with Δ[Hb], and trivially with ΔtHb-mass. Δ[Hb] was negatively correlated with ΔPV.

Reticulocyte and erythrocyte hypochromia markers in detection of iron deficiency in adolescent female athletes.

The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of new haematology parameters related to reticulocytes and mature red blood cells to differentiate pre latent and latent iron deficiency. The study included 219 female athletes (aged 15-20 years) representing volleyball, handball, cycling, canoeing, cross-country skiing, swimming and judo. To assess iron status the concentration of ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were determined in serum.

Total bilirubin in athletes, determination of reference range.

The purpose of this study was to determine a typical reference range for the population of athletes. Results of blood tests of 339 athletes (82 women and 257 men, aged 18-37 years) were retrospectively analysed. The subjects were representatives of different sports disciplines.

THE COMBINATION OF α-LIPOIC ACID INTAKE WITH ECCENTRIC EXERCISE MODULATES ERYTHROPOIETIN RELEASE.

The generation of reactive nitrogen/oxygen species (RN/OS) represents an important mechanism in erythropoietin (EPO) expression and skeletal muscle adaptation to physical and metabolic stress. RN/OS generation can be modulated by intense exercise and nutrition supplements such as α-lipoic acid, which demonstrates both anti- and pro-oxidative action. The study was designed to show the changes in the haematological response through the combination of α-lipoic acid intake with running eccentric exercise.

[Immune response and diagnostic aspects during Toxoplasma gondii infection].

Toxoplasmosis is a common and generally benign disease in immunocompetent persons caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which is an intestinal coccidian parasite of felines. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is mainly based on the results of serological tests detecting anti-T. gondii specific antibodies, but T lymphocytes and cytokines they produce play a crucial role in determining the outcome of parasitic infection in terms of both protective immunity and immunopathology.

The effects of radioiodine therapy on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with Graves' disease. Preliminary report.

Background: Treatment of Graves' disease patients with radioactive iodide ((131)I) is becoming the standard therapy in an increasing group of cases but can induce alterations in immune response, like increasing levels of thyroid autoantibodies, and, in part, exacerbation of ophthalmopathy. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in peripheral blood (PB) lymphocyte subpopulations after (131)I treatment of patients with Graves' disease.

Material And Methods: The study was carried out in a group of 30 patients with Graves' disease (23 f; 7 m) 49.

[Cord blood reticulocytes and reticulocyte subtypes in normal and complicated pregnancy].

Reticulocyte analysis using flow cytometry increases the precision of reticulocyte enumeration and can evaluate the maturation of reticulocytes. Reticulocytes count and their subtypes may reflect function of hematopoesis, especially during hypoxia. This study was aimed to establish reticulocyte count and reticulocyte maturation profile in cord blood during normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by chronic intrauterine hypoxia.

Expression of very late antigen-4 and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 on peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with graves disease.

The aim of the study was to estimate the expression of beta1 integrin CD49d (very late antigen-4), beta2 integrin CD11a (lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 alpha), L-selectin (CD62L), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1 (CD54)] on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with Graves disease (GD) (n = 45, mean age 15.9 +/- 5.9 y), in patients with nontoxic nodular goiter (NTNG) (n = 25, mean age 15.

[Hematologic parameters in the cord blood labor complicated by meconium-stained amniotic fluid].

The aim of our study was to compare hematological values of the cord blood in the presence and absence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). MSAF was associated with decreased total platelet count, increased values of platelet distribution width and red blood cell distribution width. The mean nucleated red blood cells was significantly higher in meconium group.

[New reticulocyte indices and their utility in hematologic diagnosis].

Reticulocyte count in manual method has been the assay traditionally used to evaluate the status of erythropoiesis in haematological disorders with disturbances in erythropoietic activity. But it is a qualitative rather than a quantitative test due to the high variability in manual microscopic method. Automated reticulocyte counting based on flow cytometry has provided much objective and exactly measure of percentage and absolute number of reticulocytes than microscopic method.

[Automatic analysis of reticulocytes--new diagnostic possibilities in hematology].

This review describes a new method of reticulocyte analysis based on flow cytometry, better than manual reticulocyte counting. Reticulocyte percentage, absolute number, indices of maturity (RMI--reticulocyte maturity index, IRF--immature reticulocyte fraction) and others qualitative parameters express the erythropoietic activity of kidneys and bone marrow. The new proposed parameters can improve the diagnosis of anemias and others haematological disorders like leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome.

Peripheral blood reticulocytes and their reference range values for percentage, absolute count, and immature fraction in children, measured with flow cytometry.

Reticulocyte count by manual method has been the assay traditionally used to evaluate the status of erythropoiesis in hematological disorders with disturbances in erythropoietic activity. However, due to its variability, it is rather a semiquantitative method. Automated reticulocyte counting based on flow cytometry has provided more objective and exact measure of reticulocytes.

Analysis of recently activated, memory and naive lymphocyte T subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

It has been recently suggested that the expression of two different isofoms of tyrosine phosphatase antigen (CD45RA and CD45RO) could differentiate T cells into autoreactive and immunoregulatory subsets, which play a crucial role in the autoimmunity process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the differences between the distribution of memory, naive and recently activated T cells (co-expressing both CD45RA and CD45RO antigens) in the peripheral blood of patients with newly diagnosed Graves' disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in comparison to healthy controls. The study was carried out in 3 groups: 18 patients with Graves' disease, 16 subjects with a recent onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus and 16 healthy, age and sex matched volunteers.

Gammadelta T-cells alterations in the peripheral blood of high risk diabetes type 1 subjects with subclinical pancreatic B-cells impairment.

There is increasing evidence that CD3 + cells bearing gammadelta T-cell receptor (represent the minor subpopulation of the T-cells in the peripheral blood in humans) are involved in autoimmunity development. Gammadelta T-cell receptor (TCR)+ /CD8+ T-cells have been recently found to play a critical role in the pathogenesis and prevention of autoimmune diabetes in the animal model. The aim of the present study was the estimation the gammadelta T-cell subpopulation levels in the peripheral blood of subjects with preclinical and overt type 1 diabetes and their possible associations with the humoral immunity, metabolic parameters and pancreatic B-cells function.

[Participation of neutrophils in pathophysiology of unstable angina pectoris].

A role of neutrophils in pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease is described to show some destructive actions and eventual clinical complications. Immunobiochemical reactions are presented to describe mechanisms of inflammation and ischemia.

[Activation of the antibacterial properties and neutrophil myeloperoxidase and acid phosphatase in patients with unstable angina pectoris].

Neutrophils are very important in pathogenesis of ischemic disease. They take part in the biomorphology of thrombus and also in the damage of myocardium ischemia in a course of unstable angina pectoris. We evaluated the functional status of neutrophils in peripheral blood, by measurement of bactericidal activity and activity of granulocyte's enzymes: myeloperoxidase (MPO) and acid phosphatase in the patients with unstable angina pectoris.

Rhizobium leguminosarum CFN42 genetic regions encoding lipopolysaccharide structures essential for complete nodule development on bean plants.

Eight symbiotic mutants defective in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis were isolated from Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli CFN42. These eight strains elicited small white nodules lacking infected cells when inoculated onto bean plants. The mutants had undetectable or greatly diminished amounts of the complete LPS (LPS I), whereas amounts of an LPS lacking the O antigen (LPS II) greatly increased.

Alteration of bacterial DNA structure, gene expression, and plasmid encoded antibiotic resistance following exposure to enoxacin.

Enoxacin inhibits growth of Escherichia coli K12 strains primarily by binding to the GyrA subunit of DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II); strains with gyrA, but not gyrB, mutations are less susceptible to the bactericidal effects of this agent. In sensitive strains, enoxacin completely inhibits DNA synthesis within 5 min and produces drug-gyrase-DNA complexes at numerous sites throughout the E. coli chromosome, as shown by the formation of linear DNA molecules after detergent treatment.

Characterization of the lipopolysaccharide from a Rhizobium phaseoli mutant that is defective in infection thread development.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from a Rhizobium phaseoli mutant, CE109, was isolated and compared with that of its wild-type parent, CE3. A previous report has shown that the mutant is defective in infection thread development, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that it has an altered LPS (K. D.