Neuro endocrinology letters最新文献

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) plays a crucial role in regulating the human endocrine system. Synthesized primarily in the hypothalamus, GnRH manages the balance of reproductive hormones. This review highlights GnRH's various functions, particularly its impact on fertility, sexual development, and overall reproductive health through the regulation of gonadal development and function. Beyond its direct role in reproductive processes, GnRH also influences neuroprotection, cognition, and mood regulation, as shown by its activity in different regions of the nervous system. Research into GnRH and its analogs has revealed promising therapeutic potential for treating neurological disorders, indicating its broader impact beyond reproduction. Understanding GnRH's diverse roles not only emphasizes its importance in reproductive physiology but also highlights its involvement in neurological functions. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms behind GnRH's actions opens new avenues for research and therapeutic interventions, promising advancements in both reproductive medicine and neurological health.

Objective: The article presents the results of a research study on a patient after an ischemic cerebral stroke, as presented in a case study. The aim of the research was to determine the impact of combined therapy, utilizing long-term and intensive special pedagogical care, occupational therapy and psychology, on the development of the patient's motor and communication abilities. The contribution deals with the possibilities of development and support for individuals in childhood after experiencing the illness, with the potential correction of identified deficits from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Case report: The case study highlights a patient at the age of 7.2 years, following an ischemic cerebral stroke during the post-hospitalization period. Based on the analysis of medical documentation, we have developed a therapy proposal that reflects the individual needs of the patient from the perspective of special pedagogy, occupational therapy and psychology, taking into account the patients of school age.

Conclusion: The results of the research study indicate that when working with a patient after an ischemic cerebral stroke, regular collaboration of a multidisciplinary team, along with effective integration of the various components of comprehensive rehabilitation, is necessary. Furthermore, this case study serves as a poignant example of the efficacy of such integrated therapy approaches in addressing the complex needs of pediatric stroke survivors. It not only highlights the potential for substantial functional recovery but also emphasizes the essential role of ongoing collaboration among diverse healthcare professionals.

The purpose of supervision is to ensure that clients' needs are met and to monitor the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and the therapeutic relationship. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) supervision is the systematic cooperation of the supervisee with the supervisor, which aims at increasing the therapists' competencies when working with specific clients. The advantage of supervision is the possibility to shape and develop the therapist's practical skills through specific techniques. This paper aims to review currently available CBT supervision strategies that boost the development of therapists' skills and provide possible examples. Various techniques are discussed, including behavioural, cognitive, imagery and psychodrama methods that facilitate supervisors in enhancing therapists' skills. In addition, complementary approaches are discussed, such as role-playing, modelling, chaining, or imitation to present at a particular moment of the therapy, increase the insight into the client's perspective or the treatment itself, and search for an alternative approach to improve the therapeutic outcomes for the client. Overall, the article describes the supervisor's need to have a flexible variety of skills and know which learning methods might be most effective for boosting the supervisee's skill level and needs with a particular client.

Objectives: Lung ultrasound reduces the number of chest X-rays after thoracic surgery and thus the radiation. COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated research in lung ultrasound artifacts detection using artificial intelligence. This study evaluates the accuracy of artificial intelligence in A-lines detection in thoracic surgery patients using a novel hybrid solution that combines convolutional neural networks and analytical approach and compares it with a radiology resident and radiology experts' results.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Material and methods: Single-center study evaluates the accuracy of artificial intelligence and a radiology resident in A-line detection on lung ultrasound footages compared with the consensual opinion of two expert radiologists as the reference. After resident's first reading, the artificial intelligence results were presented to the resident and he was asked to revise the results based on artificial intelligence.

Results: 82 consecutive patients underwent 82 ultrasound examinations. 328 ultrasound recordings were evaluated. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of artificial inelligence in A-line detection were 0.866, 0.928, 0.834, 0.741 and 0.958 respectively. The resident's values were 0.558, 0.973, 0.346, 0.432 and 0.962 respectively. The resident's values after correction based on artificial intelligence results were 0.854, 0.991, 0.783, 0.701 and 0.994 respectively.

Conclusion: Artificial intelligence showed high accuracy in A-line detection in thoracic surgery patients and was more accurate compared to a resident. Artificial intelligence could play important role in lung ultrasound artifact detection in thoracic surgery patients and in residents' education.

Background: The swine Sertoli cells (SCs) are more vulnerable to the environmental insults than other species. We observed that zearalenone (ZEA), a prevalent food contaminant, caused SCs oxidative damage and inhibits their proliferation. Therefore, a naturally occurring antioxidant, i.e., the deer blood phospholipids (DBP) has been selected to test its potentially protective effects on SCs.

Methods: Collect fresh samples of swine testicles, isolated, cultured and identified primary swine SCs. The ROS levels in SCs 24 h induced by different concentrations of ZEA were detected, and the oxidative damage model was established. After DBP was added to the SCs 24 h after the damage, the oxidative and antioxidant indexes were detected by ELISA kit. Finally, the protective mechanism of DBP was explained by RNA-seq.

Results: The results showed that DBP effectively protected against the reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA. The protective effects of DBP were mainly mediated by its potent antioxidative capacity. DBP upregulated the activities of the endogenous antioxidant enzymes including CAT and GSH-PX and reduced intracellular ROS level and MDA. In addition, DBP also promoted the SCs proliferation. The transcriptome sequencing combined with DEGs, GO and KEGG analyses suggested that DBP treatment enriched various signaling pathways of potentially biological significance including MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Both pathways also promote the cell proliferation. EdU assay further confirmed the beneficial effects of DBP on SCs proliferation.

Objective: To compare the impact of a commercial "sleep lotion" versus a placebo control lotion on salivary melatonin and sleep quality.

Methods: The presence of melatonin in the lotion was confirmed and quantitated with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). In this randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover trial, undergraduate student participants applied lotions on two separate nights and we quantitated melatonin in saliva samples with enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. We also assessed sleep quality with a modified Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Clinicaltrials: gov ID NCT06053385.

Results: Sixty-three participants (age 20.5 ± 1.2 years; 81% female) enrolled in the study and provided at least one saliva sample. The sleep lotion contained 0.24 ± 0.01% melatonin (g/100 g lotion) which dramatically impacted salivary melatonin levels, increasing them up to ~1000 fold compared to the placebo lotion (n = 36 participants with all six timepoints). The lotion improved sleep quality in a subsample of the poor sleepers (n = 18). However, the sleep quality in the overall sample was not significantly different on the active versus placebo lotion nights.

Conclusion: In a small undergraduate student sample, a commercial melatonin-containing lotion improved sleep in those with poor sleep quality. Caution should be taken by consumers using over-the-counter melatonin lotions because the undisclosed dosage can be high and well absorbed by the skin.

Objectives: To create a Czech version of the Labor Coping Scale (LCS) evaluation tool intended for midwives when caring for a woman with labor pain, to evaluate its psychometric properties and to find out the opinion on it in clinical practice.

Materials and methods: Are use a combination of methods. By using repeated back translation, the Czech version of the LCS tool was created. It included an assessment of the tool's content validity index and a questionnaire survey determining the midwives' approach to labor pain (N = 419), supplemented by a focus group method (N = 16 midwives).

Results: A new evaluation tool for the management of labor pain was created - the Pain Coping Scale, which assesses the management of labor pain, not intensity, like previous evaluation scales. It is a tool that maps 5 areas on a scale of 0-10.

Conclusion: As part of her work, a midwife should be able to adequately assess a woman's management of labor pain, using a suitable tool, to reveal the factors that influence the development and experience of labor pain, and then choose an appropriate strategy in the care of a woman with labor pain. A new LCS labor pain assessment tool could help with this in the Czech environment.

Introduction: The relationship between a poorly functioning thyroid gland and erectile dysfunction (hereinafter, "ED") has been demonstrated in many studies. If a man has thyroid problems, it can negatively affect his ability to achieve or maintain an erection. The thyroid gland produces hormones that affect metabolism and overall body function, including blood circulation. If the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, it can lead to blood circulation disorders, which can affect erectile function. There are also symptoms of thyroid disorders that can contribute to ED. Some of these symptoms include fatigue, depression, and anxiety, which can negatively affect a man's psychological side and affect his sexual performance.

Objectives and methods: In our article, we present a series of patients with ED who were treated in our department and found to have some form of thyroid dysfunction.

Results: After treatment for thyroid dysfunction and treatment with 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitors were implemented, erectile function improved in all patients ((Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test; Z = -4.55; p (2-tailed) < 0.001; n = 27) to the level of mild or no ED. Improvement occurred in men with hyper- and hypothyroidism. After one year of treatment, there was no difference between the two groups (t-test; t = 0.75; df = 0.25; p < 0.46).

Conclusion: This study shows that screening for thyroid dysfunction should be performed in all men with ED and that treating thyroid dysfunction may be an effective way to improve erectile function in men with these health problems.

This review discusses the topic of synthetic neuroactive steroids. A brief introduction to the mode of action of neuroactive steroids is followed by a short overview of the best-known synthetic neuroactive steroids used in clinical practice and the reasons for their withdrawal from the market. The paper examines various aspects of 6 specific synthetic neuroactive steroids which either have been approved for treatment or are currently in advanced phases of clinical trials, and lists their indications, current experience, and undesirable adverse effects. The authors conclude that the therapeutic potential of neuroactive steroids is still not made full use of. It is to be hoped that this particular class of drugs will find more widespread use also in the management and treatment neurological and psychiatric disorders other than those discussed in this article.

Introduction: The parallel process is a psychosocial phenomenon where the relationship dynamics between the therapist and the client are repeated in the supervisory relationship between the therapist and the supervisor. The concept of the parallel process can be a useful tool for understanding and solving problems in therapy. However, it can induce supervision drift or block the supervision process.

Objective: This article aims to familiarize the reader with parallel processes in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and schema therapy supervision and discuss how to manage this phenomenon in supervision.

Method: This article is a narrative review with illustrations of supervision interviews in which the parallel process unfolds. The text provides an overview of theoretical constructions and empirical studies related to the parallel process. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for relevant resources using the keywords "parallel process," "cognitive behavioural therapy," "schema therapy," "transference," and "countertransference." Case vignettes were collected from trainees, training leaders and supervisors to provide real-life examples of how self-reflection and self-experience can enhance CBT and schema therapy training, practice, and supervision.