Focal laryngeal dystonia: diagnostics, therapeutics and novelties in neurophysiologic research

Aim of study: To present and discuss diagnostic procedures, therapeutic options and novelties in neurophysiological research of laryngeal dystonia (LD), a rare movement disorder with an unknown cause affecting the intrinsic muscles of the larynx. Material and methods: 1) Literature overview of the on the standard guidelines in the diagnostics and treatment of LD; 2) The use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the neurophysiologic research of LD by investigation of cortical silent period (cSP) reflecting the intracortical inhibitory process mediated by GABAA and GABAB receptors; 3) The use of navigated TMS in mapping the laryngeal motor cortex by investigating the duration of cortical silent period in two LD cases, abductor and adductor LD type. Results: The study presents standard diagnostic, treatment of LD disorder, and results of investigation by groups from School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA and School of Medicine, University of Split, Croatia on the duration of cSP in vocal and cricothyroid muscles in LD patients and healthy control subjects. The research groups presented norms for cSP duration in vocal and cricothyroid muscle in healthy subjects and pointed to the altered (shortened) duration of the cSP in LD patients (adductor type). Conclusion: The cSP measure might be useful neurophysiologic biomarker for understanding the LD disorder. In LD, the cortical activation during phonation may not be efficiently or effectively associated with inhibitory processes, leading to muscular dysfunction. Promising techniques such as TMS might bring new light to the diagnosis and treatment of LD disorder

Low-energy excitations in NaV2O5

In the (ab) polarized Raman scattering spectra of NaV2O5 single crystals, measured with 647.1 nm laser line at T < Tc, we found two modes at 86, and 126 cm-1 not previously reported. These two modes, together with 66, and 106 cm-1 modes, make an array of four low-energy equidistant modes below the energy onset of the continuum at about 132 cm-1. All four modes are strongly suppressed by increasing Na deficiency, indicating their nonvibrational origin and the existence of a quantum phase transition at critical Na deficiency between 3 and 4%. These results question current understanding of NaV2O5 as quasi one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Correlation between the Quality of Attention and Cognitive Competence with Motor Action in Stroke Patients

It is considered that cognitive function and attention could affect walking, motion control, and proper conduct during the walk. To determine whether there is a difference in the quality of attention and cognitive ability in stroke patients and patients without neurological damage of similar age and education and to determine whether the connection of attention and cognition affects motor skills, the sample consisted of 50 stroke patients tested with hemiparesis, involved in the process of rehabilitation, and 50 persons, randomly chosen, without neurological damage. The survey used the following tests: Trail Making (TMT A B) test for assessing the flexibility of attention; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive status; Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) test to assess the functional status and parameters of walk: speed, frequency, and length of stride; STEP test for assessing the precision of movement and balance. With stroke patients, relationship between age and performance on the MMSE test was marginally significant. The ratio of performance to TMT A B test and years does not indicate statistical significance, while statistical significance between the MMSE test performance and education exists. In stroke patients, performance on MMSE test is correlated with the frequency and length of stride walk. The quality of cognitive function and attention is associated with motor skills but differs in stroke patients and people without neurological damage of similar age. The significance of this correlation can supplement research in neurorehabilitation, improve the quality of medical rehabilitation, and contribute to efficient recovery of these patients

Thermopower in the strongly overdoped region of single-layer Bi2Sr2CuO6+d superconductor

The evolution of the thermoelectric power S(T) with doping, p, of single-layer Bi2Sr2CuO6+d ceramics in the strongly overdoped region is studied in detail. Analysis in term of drag and diffusion contributions indicates a departure of the diffusion from the T-linear metallic behavior. This effect is increased in the strongly overdoped range (p~0.2-0.28) and should reflect the proximity of some topological change.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The role of estrogen receptors isoforms in breast cancer

Background: Estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status is an accepted predictive marker in breast cancer. It is well known that breast tumors, which are ER(+) are more likely to respond to endocrine therapy. However, certain percentage of ER(+)/PR(+) tumors do not respond to endocrine therapy. Identification of the second estrogen receptor, named estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), as well as the existence of numerous isoforms/splice variants of both ERα and ERβ, suggests that complex regulation of estrogen action exists. In this study, we analyze does the expression of two ERβ isoforms correlates with ERα/PR status. Methods: Sixty samples of primary operable breast carcinomas were analyzed for ERα and PR protein levels and for mRNA expression of two ERβ isoforms (ERβ1 and ERβΔ5). ERα and PR proteins were measured by classical biochemical techniques, and ERβ mRNAs were measured by real-time RT-PCR. Results: Tumors are divided in three groups according to relative level of mRNA for ERβ1 and ERβΔ5. We found that there is no correlation of ERβ1 mRNA expression with ERα and PR protein levels. We confirmed the existence of inverse correlation of ERβΔ5 with PR and of ERβΔ5 with ERα in the group of postmenopausal patients. In the subsets of tumors defined by ERα/PR status, we found that percentage of tumors, which concomitantly expressed high levels of both transcripts, are parallel with those that do not response to tamoxifen treatment. Conclusion: Inverse correlation of ERα with ERβΔ5 and PR with ERβΔ5isoform suggests that ERβΔ5 may have inhibitory effect on ERα activity in postmenopausal patients. In addition, we point out that determination of expression profiles of ERα and ERβ isoforms in the defined groups of patient are necessary for elucidating its involvement in endocrine resistance.nul

Particle growing mechanisms in Ag-ZrO2 and Au-ZrO2 granular films obtained by pulsed laser deposition

Thin films consisting of Ag and Au nanoparticles embedded in amorphous ZrO2 matrix were grown by pulsed laser deposition in a wide range of metal volume concentrations in the dielectric regime (0.08<x(Ag)<0.28 and 0.08<x(Au)<0.52). High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed regular distribution of spherical Au and Ag nanoparticles having very sharp interfaces with the amorphous matrix. Mean particle size determined from X-ray diffraction agreed with direct TEM observation. The silver mean diameter increases more abruptly with metal volume content than that corresponding to gold particles prepared under the same conditions. Two mechanisms of particle growing are observed: nucleation and particle coalescence, their relative significance being different in both granular systems, which yields very different values of the percolation threshold (xc(Ag)~0.28 and xc(Au)~0.52).Comment: 6 figure

Lattice vibrations of alpha'-NaV_2O_5 in the low-temperature phase. Magnetic bound states?

We report high resolution polarized infrared studies of the quarter-filled spin ladder compound alpha'-NaV_2O_5 as a function of temperature (5K <= T <= 300K). Numerous new modes were detected below the temperature T_c=34K of the phase transition into a charge ordered nonmagnetic state accompanied by a lattice dimerization. We analyse the Brillouin zone (BZ) folding due to lattice dimerization at T_c and show that some peculiarities of the low-temperature vibrational spectrum come from quadruplets folded from the BZ point (1/2, 1/2, 1/4). We discuss an earlier interpretation of the 70, 107, and 133cm-1 modes as magnetic bound states and propose the alternative interpretation as folded phonon modes strongly interacting with charge and spin excitations.Comment: 15 pages, 13 Postscript figure

Продукција антибиотика помоћу Streptomyces hygroscopicus CH-7 у хранљивим подлогама са комплексима шифових базa

Influence of a modified media on Hexaene H-85 and Azalomycine B production by Streptomyces hygroscopicus CH-7 was investigated. The amino acid L-tryptophan, as a nitrogen source, was replaced with isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone and its complexes with some divalent metal ions. Isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone was synthesized in crude glycerol obtained as a byproduct in biodiesel production from sunflower oil. The complexes were charac-terized by elemental microanalysis and magnetic susceptibility, as well as, by Atomic absorption(AA), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Ultraviolet–visible (UV/VIS) spectro-scopic methods. The spectral studies indicated an octahedral geometry for the Mn(II), Fe(II) and Ni(II) complexes and a tetrahedral one for the Zn(II) complex. Comparing to the basal medium, isatin-3-thiosemicarbazone (ITC) and its metal complexes in the concentration of 0.5 g dm-3 showed better results in the antibiotics production. Use of medium supple-mented with the Fe(II) complex resulted in the maximum Hexaene H-85 and Azalomycine B concentrations of 306 μg cm-3 and 127 μg cm-3, respectively. Addition of ITC and its complexes changed the morphology of S. hygroscopicus CH-7 from filaments to pellets as a dominant shape in media resulting in higher antibiotic production.У раду је испитиван утицај модификованих хранљивих подлога на производњу антибиотика Hexaene H-85 и Azalomycine B помоћу Streptomyces hygroscopicus CH-7. Аминокиселина L-триптофан, као извор азота, замењена је изатин-3-тиосемикарбазоном (синтетисаним у сировом глицеролу који се добија као нуспродукт у производњи биодизела из сунцокретовог уља) и његовим комплексима са неким двоалентним металним јонима. Комплекси су карактерисани елементарном микроанализом, магнетном сусцептибилнош-ћу, атомском аспорпцијом (A), инфрацрвеним (IR) и ултравиолетним (UV/VIS) спектроскопским методама. Спектралне анализе показале су октахедралну геометрију комплекса Мn(II), Fе(II) и Ni(II) и тетраедарску за комплекс Zn(II). Изатин-3-тиосемикарбазон и његови комплекси са металима (0,5 g dm-3) утичу на повећање продукције антибиотика у поређењу са основном подлогом. Највеће концентрације антибиотика Hexaene H-85 и Azalomycine B су остварене у хранљивој подлози са Fe(II) комплексом (306 и 127 μg cm-3, редом). Комплекси ИТС и изатин 3-тиосемикарбазон утичу и на морфологију тестираног соја. Streptomyces hygroscopicus CH-7 растe у облику филамената и пелета, у подлогама у којима је остварена највећа продукција антибиотика

Superoxide dismutases and p53 protein levels in blood cells of breast cancer patients

Purpose: Radiation treatment of breast cancer (BC) often results in post-therapy complications. The undesired sequelae could be avoided by the diagnostic screening of biomarkers for prediction of ionizing radiation (IR)-linked injury of healthy tissues. Patients and methods: The expression of antioxidative defence enzymes CuZn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD, MnSOD) and tumor suppressor protein p53 was measured in blood cells of 19 women with BC (age groups 30-45 and 46-60 years) and of the respective controls. The proteins were detected by specific immunostaining and quantified by laser-scanning densitometry. Results: Constitutive expression of CuZnSOD was significantly elevated in the group of BC patients (up to 254 arbitrary units, AU/mL) relative to the control group (105-130 AU/mL). The constitutive expression of MnSOD was elevated (up to 94 AU/mL) in the group of BC patients relative to the controls (53-56 AU/mL). p53 was also constitutively more expressed in BC patients (35-42 AU/mL) than in controls (32-33 AU/mL). Both MnSOD and p53 were inducible by 60Co gamma-ray IR (up to 170 AU/mL and 51 AU/mL, respectively) in the BC patient group. The levels of IR-induced p53 correlated inversely with MnSOD levels. Conclusion: The constitutive expression of all 3 proteins could be a useful biomarker for the presence of BC, but only MnSOD overexpression may be the predictive biomarker for selection of BC patients that would be less susceptible to IR-linked complications. © 2004 Zerbinis Medical Publications