Temporomandibular Disorder and Cerebellopontine Angle Meningioma: Perspectives from Three Medical Specialists

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the complexity of the differential diagnosis of Kosten's syndrome and meningioma in the area of the cerebellar bridge angle of the brain, as well as the severe suffering of patientsThe purpose of our study: development of an algorithm for the approach to the differential diagnosis of meningioma of the cerebellar angle and Kosten's syndrome.Materials and methods. To accomplish the set tasks, we examined 22 patients who complained of headache, hearing impairment, sensation of tinnitus, pain and crepitus in the temporomandibular joint during movements of the lower jaw, paresthesia of the oral and nasal mucosa. All patients were assigned studies: cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the TMJ according to indications.Results. Since complaints can lead patients to see doctors of various specialties, it is necessary to be able to differentiate between Costen's syndrome and a tumor of the cerebral pons-cerebral angle. In Costen's syndrome, the pain most often has an aching character, in contrast to the volumetric formations of the brain, in which the pain is burning, spreading along the branches of the facial or trigeminal nerve. One of the main methods of excluding a brain tumor is magnetic resonance imaging.Conclusions. The most significant modern method for diagnosing Costen's syndrome and meningioma of the cerebellopontine angle is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the TMJ and the brain. Differential signs of Costen's syndrome are distal displacement of the head of the lower jaw, diagnosed by CBCT and MRI, as well as displacement of the articular disc (determined by MRI). A meningioma of the cerebellopontine angle is indicated by the burning nature of pain in half of the face, as well as confirmation of the diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain

Functional characterization and biological significance of Yersinia pestis lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes

The Gram negative bacterium Yersinia pestis is the etiological agent of flea transmitted fulminant systemic rodent zoonosis and the reason of the three devastating pandemics of plague Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is an impor tant factor of pathogenicity of Gram negative bacteria. The full LPS molecule (S form LPS) consists of three well defined domains: i) lipid A composed of sugars, fatty acids, and phosphate; it represents the endotoxic princi ple of the LPS and anchors it in the outer membrane; ii) a core oligosaccharide containing charged groups; and iii) an O specific polysaccharide (O antigen), which carries ISSN 0006 2979, Biochemistry (Moscow), 2011, Vol. 76, No. 7, pp. 808 822. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011. Published in Russian in Biokhimiya, 2011, Vol. 76, No. 7, pp. 989 1005 Abstract-In silico analysis of available bacterial genomes revealed the phylogenetic proximity levels of enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, to homologous proteins of closely relat ed Yersinia spp. and some other bacteria (Serratia proteamaculans, Erwinia carotovora, Burkholderia dolosa, Photorhabdus luminescens and others). Isogenic Y. pestis mutants with single or double mutations in 14 genes of LPS biosynthetic path ways were constructed by site directed mutagenesis on the base of the virulent strain 231 and its attenuated derivative. Using high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, the full LPS structures were elucidated in each mutant, and the sequence of monosaccharide transfers in the assembly of the LPS core was inferred. Truncation of the core decreased sig nificantly the resistance of bacteria to normal human serum and polymyxin B, the latter probably as a result of a less effi cient incorporation of 4 amino 4 deoxyarabinose into lipid A. Impairing of LPS biosynthesis resulted also in reduction of LPS dependent enzymatic activities of plasminogen activator and elevation of LD 50 and average survival time in mice and guinea pigs infected with experimental plague. Unraveling correlations between biological properties of bacteria and partic ular LPS structures may help a better understanding of pathogenesis of plague and implication of appropriate genes as potential molecular targets for treatment of plague

Developmental perspectives on interpersonal affective touch

In the last decade, philosophy, neuroscience and psychology alike have paid increasing attention to the study of interpersonal affective touch, which refers to the emotional and motivational facets of tactile sensation. Some aspects of affective touch have been linked to a neurophysiologically specialised system, namely the C tactile (CT) system. While the role of this sys-tem for affiliation, social bonding and communication of emotions have been widely investigated, only recently researchers have started to focus on the potential role of interpersonal affective touch in acquiring awareness of the body as our own, i.e. as belonging to our psychological ‘self’. We review and discuss recent developmental and adult findings, pointing to the central role of interpersonal affective touch in body awareness and social cognition in health and disorders. We propose that interpersonal affective touch, as an interoceptive modality invested of a social nature, can uniquely contribute to the ongoing debate in philosophy about the primacy of the relational nature of the minimal self

EDUCATION OF PATIENTS WITH STAGE I CHOLELITHIASIS AT THE HEALTH SCHOOL

The education of patients at the health school with the objective to improve the effectiveness of treatment of cholelithiasis and to prevent the gallstone formation was organized.Material and methods. 210 patients with cholelithiasis, stage I, were examined: 123 patients (the follow up group) received therapy due to medical and economic standards and were educated in the health school; 87 patients (the comparison group) received only standard therapy. The examined groups of patients were balanced by gender and age. In verification of the diagnosis, in addition to general clinical data, the results of ultrasound examination of the gallbladder were used. The study of psycho-emotional state, health literacy and medical activity dynamics was performed during treatment. The criteria for evaluating of the effectiveness of education at health school were the results of responses to tests and questionnaires.Results. All patients had abdominal pain and dyspeptic syndromes. The study of psychoemotional status revealed significant increasing of state and trait anxiety and the level of depression. The inclusion of health education in the treatment regimen contributed to a distinct decrease of anxiety, that indicates the normalization of the psycho-emotional status, and leads to the more significant positive dynamics of clinical signs. Gaining additional knowledge about cholelithiasis and its prevention contributed to the  increase of patient’s motivation to follow the recommended procedures, diet and rational physical activity.Conclusion. The use of the developed structured program of active education of patients with the cholelithiasis, stage I, as part of complex therapy contributes to the improvement of the therapeutic effect, i.e. the earlier decrease of pain and dyspeptic syndrome, and restoring of psycho-emotional balance. After educational classes, the increase of health literacy, medical activity, motivation to maintain health-preserving behavior was revealed, which lasted for 1 year. Thus, the therapeutic education of patients at the early stage of cholelithiasis in health school is clinically confirmed and promising for the prevention of this disease

Evidence that WapB Is a 1,2-Glucosyltransferase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Involved in Lipopolysaccharide Outer Core Biosynthesis▿†

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen infecting debilitated individuals. One of the major virulence factors expressed by P. aeruginosa is lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is composed of lipid A, core oligosaccharide (OS), and O-antigen polysaccharide. The core OS is divided into inner and outer regions. Although the structure of the outer core OS has been elucidated, the functions and mechanisms of the glycosyltransferases involved in core OS biogenesis are currently unknown. Here, we show that a previously uncharacterized gene, pa1014, is involved in outer core biosynthesis, and we propose to rename this gene wapB. We constructed a chromosomal mutant, wapB::Gm, in a PAO1 (O5 serotype) strain background. Characterization of the LPS from the mutant by Western immunoblotting showed a lack of reactivity to PAO1 outer core-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) 5c-101. The chemical structure of the core OS of the wapB mutant was elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques and revealed that the core OS of the wapB mutant lacked the terminal β-1,2-linked-d-glucose residue. Complementation of the mutant with wapB in trans restored the core structure to one that is identical to that of the wild type. Eleven of the 20 P. aeruginosa International Antigenic Typing Scheme (IATS) serotypes produce LPSs that lack the terminal d-glucose residue (GlcIV). Interestingly, expressing wapB in each of these 11 serotypes modifies each of their outer core OS structures, which became reactive to MAb 5c-101 in Western immunoblotting, suggesting the presence of a terminal d-glucose in these core OS structures. Our results strongly suggested that wapB encodes a 1,2-glucosyltransferase