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Effect of stress on corticosteroid metabolism in peripheral tissues
Makal, Jakub ; Pácha, Jiří (advisor) ; Vybíral, Stanislav (referee)
Stressor influence can lead to homeostatic disruption. To eliminate this threat, mechanism which compensates negative effects of stressor was evolved by organisms. It's called stress response. One of two major systems that moderate stress response of organism is hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Effectors of the HPA axis are glucocorticoids, steroid hormones secreted from adrenal glands. Enzymes which metabolize glucocorticoids are located in target tissues for these hormones. They convert active glucocorticoids into their inactive forms, or vice versa. Untill now, two such enzymes have been described - 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases type 1 and type 2. It was proved that expression and activity of these enzymes can change under the influence of stressor. These changes are tissue-specific and dependent on type of applied stressor.
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Obesity its causes and cosequences
Ondráčková, Anna ; Vybíral, Stanislav (advisor) ; Kuda, Ondřej (referee)
Obesity is one of the most common health problems in the Word. Over 500 million adults and over 40 million children are obese. The aim of this work is to summarize findings of causes and consequences of this health problem. Even though in some cases only genetic mutations are responsible for obesity for example mutation in ob gene or Prader-Willi syndrome most cases are caused by lifestyle of people -excessive food intake and insufficient physical activity. There are many health problems accompanying obesity. The most serious problems are metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The consequences of obesity are, however, not confined only to health. We can also observe the economic consequences. Financial cost of treatment of obesity and related diseases are estimated in billions of dollars. Pharmacological treatment has so far proved to be ineffective. If drugs are effective, the side effects are so severe that their use is not possible. So far, the adipose tissue hormones that regulate food intake provide the best hope.
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Microclimatic characteristics of natural and synanthropic roosts of dendrophilous and crevice-dwelling bats.
Nodžáková, Kateřina ; Vybíral, Stanislav (advisor) ; Benda, Petr (referee)
This study has tested microclimatic characteristics of natural and synanthropic roosts in the Trebonsko Biosphere Reserve - an important area in South Bohemia. Using a data logger, we measured the temperature in cavities used and unused by bats and compared them with temperature in artificial roost - window shutter and limekiln. Our results provide direct evidence that limekiln and cavities are occupied by different species of bats in comparison with window shutter and we contend that selecting microclimatic conditions of roosts are species-specific. Using limekiln may be more advantageous to bats than tree cavities, especially during pregnancy and lactation, since it provides suitable microclimate for roosting. This may be one of the factors associated with aggregation of maternity colonies during gestation period. Further we measured metabolic rate (oxygen consumption) in various temperatures of surroundings. Following species were taken into experiments: Eptesicus serotinus and Nyctalus noctula. The temperature interval was 26 - 43 řC. Our results confirmed different demands on microclimatic conditions in both species. We hypothesize that high roost temperatures within the thermal neutral zone enables bats to maintain body temperature passively thereby minimize energetic costs.
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Effect of stress on expression of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in rat brain
Kuželová, Andrea ; Pácha, Jiří (advisor) ; Vybíral, Stanislav (referee)
This thesis examines the influence of stress on the activity of hippocampal CA1 area. The main task was to determine whether the stress load affects the changes of the local metabolism of glucocorticoids, and whether the levels of corticosteroid receptors in the CA1 hippocampus are modulated in response to stress. In order to answer these questions, the experiments were carried out using three different rat strains - Fisher, Lewis and Wistar which differ in their activities of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Our results demonstrate that stress has no effect on expression of MR mRNA. Conversely, stress reduces the levels of GR mRNA in CA1 area of the dorsal hippocampus. Moreover, we confirmed that the Lewis and Wistar rats didn't change metabolism of glucocorticoids after stress response. By the Fisher rats increased levels of 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression and therefore increased the metabolism of corticosterone.
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Peptide hormones affecting the food intake and their analogs as potential drugs for treatment of obesity
Nagelová, Veronika ; Maletínská, Lenka (advisor) ; Vybíral, Stanislav (referee)
Obesity is nowadays a major global health problem. Every year amount of obese (BMI > 30 kg . m-2 ) and overweight (BMI > 25 kg . m-2 ) people increases. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem, but it leads to many serious health complications, particularly cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases etc. We can define obesity as an excessive amount of body fat. The development of obesity is often influenced by energy intake, which overrides the energy expenditure. Many studies are currently describe the influence of various substances that could potentially act as antiobesity drugs. Peptide hormones, which are engaged in this work, can be divided to the long-term (leptin, insulin, ghrelin) and short-term (e.g. cholecystokinin, glucagon like peptide 1, peptide YY, CART peptides, melanocortin system, neuropeptide Y and melanin concentrating hormone) acting. Peptides can be also divided according to their effect on food intake to the anorexigenic and orexigenic. Anorexigenic peptides reduce food intake, orexigenic do the reverse.
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