Rehabilitation treatment in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (Latin: sclerosis multiplex, SM) it is a chronic demyelinating disease, which requires a comprehensive and continuous physiotherapy By improving the complexity of therapy, the lifespan of patients with multiple sclerosis has been equal to the average life expectancy of a healthy individual. Rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis must be a process in which there is collaboration between a physician, a nurse, and a physiotherapist and a psychologist. You should plan your treatment and prepare your treatment plan accordingly, taking into account your goals closer and further. In addition to pharmacotherapy (eg interferon treatment), many physical exercises and physical methods are employed that seek the patient's independence. Significant influence on the effectiveness of therapy is also its systematic and involvement of relatives

Identification and analysis of mutations in the katG gene in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates

WSTĘP: Główną rolę w kształtowaniu oporności prątków gruźlicy (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) na izoniazyd (INH) przypisuje się mutacjom w genie katG kodującym białko katalazy/peroksydazy, enzym niezbędny do otrzymania aktywnej farmakologicznie formy leku. Analiza występowania mutacji w genie katG w szczepach M. tuberculosis może być podstawą dla opracowania wiarygodnych i szybkich testów wykrywania INH-oporności. Celem pracy jest dentyfikacja i charakterystyka mutacji w genie katG w szczepach klinicznych M. tuberculosis o wielolekooporności typu MDR.MATERIAŁ I METODY: Badanie objęło 46 szczepów wyizolowanych od chorych na gruźlicę MDR w Polsce w 2004 roku. Mutacje wykrywano, analizując sekwencje genu katG (2 223 pz) w porównaniu z sekwencją genu katG w szczepie M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Wyniki sekwencjonowania interpretowano w kontekście miana oporności na INH oraz aktywności katalazowej badanych szczepów.WYNIKI: Mutacje w genie katG wykryto w 43 (93%) szczepach. Najczęściej obserwowaną była mutacja w kodonie 315, którą stwierdzono w 34 (74%) szczepach. Mutacje w innych kodonach występowały znacznie rzadziej; w 4 szczepach wykryto zmianę w kodonie 463, w 2 — w kodonie 131, a w innych 2 — w kodonie 234. Mutacje w kodonach 68, 91, 101, 126, 128 i 194 dotyczyły pojedynczych szczepów. W 2 szczepach wykryto pojedyncze mutacje typu nonsens, które, wprowadzając przedwczesne kodony terminacji translacji, powodowały powstanie skróconego, niefunkcjonalnego białka katalazy. Szczepy te charakteryzowały się najwyższym mianem oporności na INH (MIC = 80 i 100 μg/ml) oraz całkowitą utratą aktywności katalazy. Dla pozostałych 41 szczepów niosących mutacje w genie katG, wartości MIC INH mieściły się w zakresie 0.2–10 μg/ml. Trzydzieści sześć (88%) spośród tych szczepów miało dodatni odczyn katalazy.WNIOSKI: Rodzaj mutacji w kodonie 315 genu katG może służyć jako czynnik predykcyjny oporności na INH. Mutacje typu missens nie wpływają na aktywność katalazy oraz miano oporności na INH. Mutacje typu nonsens skutkują wysokim mianem INH-oporności oraz utratą aktywności katalazy.INTRODUCTION: A major role in the development of resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to isoniazid (INH) is attributed to mutations in the katG gene coding for the catalase/peroxidase, an enzyme required for obtaining a pharmacologically active form of the drug. Analysis of mutations in the katG gene in M. tuberculosis strains may contribute to the development of reliable and rapid tests for detection of INH resistance. The aim of the study was to identify and characterize mutations in the katG gene in multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 46 strains of M. tuberculosis, recovered from MDR-TB patients in Poland in 2004. Mutations in the katG gene were detected by comparing DNA sequences with the corresponding sequence of a wild-type reference laboratory strain (M. tuberculosis H37Rv). The obtained results were interpreted in the context of MIC values of INH and catalase activity of the strains tested.RESULTS: A total of 43 (93%) strains contained mutations in the katG gene. The most frequently observed were mutations at codon 315, found in 34 (74%) strains. Mutations at other codons were rare: 4 strains contained mutations at codon 463, 2 at codon 131 and another 2 at codon 234. Mutations at codons 68, 91, 101, 126, 128 and 194 were found in single strains only. Two strains, for which no mutations at codon 315 of the katG gene were identified, had a unique translation termination mutation, which would invariably result in polypeptide truncation leading to the generation of dysfunctional catalase polypeptides. Both these strains presented the highest MIC values for INH (80 and 100 μg/mL) and showed a complete loss of catalase activity. For the remaining 41 strains with katG mutations, the MICs of INH were within the range 0.2–10 μg/mL. Thirty-six (88%) of those strains retained their catalase activity.CONCLUSIONS: Mutations at codon 315 within the katG gene, depending on their type might be useful for the prediction of INH resistance. Whereas the missense mutations do not affect the catalase activity or the level of INH resistance, the nonsense mutations result in high-level resistance to INH and a total loss of catalase activity

Time- and Dose-Dependent Induction of HSP70 in Lemna minor Exposed to Different Environmental Stressors

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of different stressors, including cadmium (heavy metal), anthracene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon—PAH) and chloridazon (herbicide), on population growth and biosynthesis of cytoplasmic HSP70 in Lemna minor (duckweed) in short (4 h)- and long (7 days)-term tests. A heat shock response was confirmed in Lemna exposed to high temperature: 35, 37.5, 40, or 42.5°C in short-term (4 h) treatments. The chemicals tested stimulated the biosynthesis of the cytoplasmic HSP70 protein in a concentration-dependent way (0.5–5 μM), higher in fronds exposed to lower doses of stressors. Additionally, production of HSP70 was greater after 4 h of incubation than after 7 days. The results suggest that HSP70 could be applied as a non-specific and sensitive detector of stress induced by different chemicals at concentrations below those that produce the type of response observed in classical cytotoxicity tests, such as growth inhibition

3-Bromopyruvate as an Alternative Option for the Treatment of Protothecosis

Protothecosis is an unusual infection of both humans and animals caused by opportunistically pathogenic microalgae of the genus Prototheca. Until now, no standardized treatment protocols exist for the protothecal disease, boosted by a remarkable resistance of Prototheca spp. to a wide array of antimicrobial agents currently available in clinical use. Consequently, there is an urgent need for new effective drugs against Prototheca algae. In this study, the anti-Prototheca activity of 3-bromopyruvate (3BP), either alone or in combination with amphotericin B (AMB) was assessed in vitro, as well as the cytotoxicity of 3BP toward the bovine mammary epithelial cells and murine skin fibroblasts. The mean minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum algaecidal concentrations (MAC) were 0.85 ± 0.21 and 2.25 ± 0.54 mM for Prototheca wickerhamii, 1.25 ± 0.47 and 4.8 ± 1.03 mM for Prototheca blaschkeae, and 1.55 ± 0.69 and 5.6 ± 1.3 mM for Prototheca zopfii gen. 2, respectively. For all Prototheca strains tested, a synergistic interaction between 3BP and AMB was observed, resulting in about 4-fold reduction of their individual MICs, when used together. The elevated content of intracellular glutathione (GSH) was associated with a decreased susceptibility to 3BP. Both epithelial and fibroblast cells retained high viability upon treatment with 3BP at concentrations equivalent to the highest MIC recorded (3 mM) and 10-fold higher (30 mM), with the mean cell viability exceeding 80%, essentially the same as for the untreated cells. The results from these in vitro studies emphasize the high activity of 3BP against the Prototheca algae, its synergistic effect when used in combination with AMB, and the safety of the drug toward the tested mammalian cells. Along with the advantageous physico-chemical and pharmacokinetic properties, 3BP may be considered an effective and safe novel agent against the protothecal disease