Polimorfizm – 1562 C/T genu MMP-9 w chorobach naczyniowych mózgu w populacji polskiej

Background and purpose Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is an endopeptidase degrading extracellular matrix. There is growing evidence that changes in extracellular matrix play an important role in vascular pathology, especially in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that MMP-9 activity is controlled by –1562 C/T polymorphism. Genotypes with T allele (CT, TT) have higher enzymatic activity. Thus, this polymorphism could be responsible for the higher risk for cerebrovascular disease and death. The aim of this study was to assess the significance of MMP-9 polymorphism as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease in a Polish population. Material and methods A total of 775 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease (ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage) admitted to the Stroke Unit, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland between 2000 and 2004 were studied and compared with 766 matched controls. The polymorphism was studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restricted enzyme digestion. Results Among 418 patients with ischaemic stroke of various aetiologies and among 146 patients with primary intracerebral haemorrhage and 211 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage due to ruptured intracranial aneurysm, statistical analysis did not show a significant difference between occurrence of CC, CT, TT genotypes or C and T alleles in patients with stroke of various aetiology compared with controls. Conclusions We found no association between the –1562 C/T MMP-9 polymorphism and ischaemic stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage or spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage in the studied Polish population.Wstęp i cel pracy Metaloproteinaza 9 (MMP-9) jest endo-peptydazą degradującą macierz zewnątrzkomórkową. Istnieje coraz więcej dowodów naukowych potwierdzających ważną rolę zmian w macierzy zewnątrzkomórkowej w chorobach naczyniowych, a szczególnie w chorobach serca i naczyń mózgowych. Badania dowiodły, że aktywność MMP-9 jest zależna od polimorfizmu –1562 C/T. Genotypy z allelem T (CT, TT) wykazują większą aktywność enzymatyczną, co może przyczyniać się do znaczenia tego polimorfizmu jako czynnika ryzyka chorób naczyniowych mózgu i śmierci. Celem tego badania była analiza związku wariantów polimorficznych genu MMP-9 z chorobami naczyniowymi mózgu w badanej populacji polskiej. Materiał i metody Badano łącznie 775 pacjentów przyjętych na Oddział Udarowy Kliniki Neurologii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w latach 2000–2004 z rozpoznaniem choroby naczyń mózgowych (tj. udaru niedokrwiennego, krwotoku śródmózgowego lub krwotoku podpajęczynówkowego) oraz 766 osób z grupy kontrolnej. Polimorfizm genu MMP-9 badano za pomocą techniki PCR i trawienia przy użyciu enzymu restrykcyjnego. Wyniki Analiza statystyczna nie wykazała istotnych różnic w występowaniu genotypów CC, CT i TT ani alleli C i T u 418 chorych na udar niedokrwienny o różnej etiologii, 146 osób z pierwotnym krwotokiem śródmózgowym ani u 211 chorych z krwotokiem podpajęczynówkowym z pękniętego tętniaka wewnątrzczaszkowego w porównaniu z osobami z grupy kontrolnej. Wnioski Nie odnaleziono związku polimorfizmu –1562 C/T genu MMP-9 z występowaniem udaru niedokrwiennego o różnej etiologii, krwotoku podpajęczynówkowego i pierwotnego krwotoku śródmózgowego w badanej populacji polskiej

Polimorfizm –1562 C/T genu MMP-9 w chorobach naczyniowych mózgu w populacji polskiej

Background and purpose Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is an endopeptidase degrading extracellular matrix. There is growing evidence that changes in extracellular matrix play an important role in vascular pathology, especially in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that MMP-9 activity is controlled by –1562 C/T polymorphism. Genotypes with T allele (CT, TT) have higher enzymatic activity. Thus, this polymorphism could be responsible for the higher risk for cerebrovascular disease and death. The aim of this study was to assess the significance of MMP-9 polymorphism as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease in a Polish population. Material and methods A total of 775 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease (ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage) admitted to the Stroke Unit, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland between 2000 and 2004 were studied and compared with 766 matched controls. The polymorphism was studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restricted enzyme digestion. Results Among 418 patients with ischaemic stroke of various aetiologies and among 146 patients with primary intracerebral haemorrhage and 211 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage due to ruptured intracranial aneurysm, statistical analysis did not show a significant difference between occurrence of CC, CT, TT genotypes or C and T alleles in patients with stroke of various aetiology compared with controls. Conclusions We found no association between the –1562 C/T MMP-9 polymorphism and ischaemic stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage or spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage in the studied Polish population

Subtypes of interictal depressive disorders according to ICD-10 in patients with epilepsy

Background and purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of interictal depressive symptoms and different subtypes of depressive disorders according to 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria in patients with epilepsy and its association with the type of epilepsy. Material and methods: 289 outpatients with epilepsy (169 females, 120 males) aged 18-82 years completed Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Subjects who scored >11 in BDI were further evaluated by the psychiatrist according to the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Results: 41.9% (121) of the 289 participants scored >11 in BDI. 104 (85.9%) patients who scored >11 in BDI had comorbid mental disorders according to ICD-10 criteria. The most common were organic mood disorders (F06.3 – 31.4%), depressive episode (F32 – 22.3%) and dysthymia (F34.1 – 9.1%) There were no differences in the prevalence of depression and subtypes of depression in patients with certain epilepsy types. Depression was diagnosed before entering the study in only one third of patients with final diagnosis of depression. Conclusions: Our results confirm the prevailing view that interictal depression is common in epilepsy patients. Depression remains underrecognized and undertreated in patients with epileps

A case report of patient with cerebellar variant of stiff person syndrome

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder with antibodies against antigens involved in neurotransmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). About 10% of patients with SPS may develop ataxia. This cerebellar variant is a distinct subset of SPS with more severe and complex clinical phenotype. We report the clinical, neuropsychological and neuroradiological findings in a 39-year-old female with cerebellar variant of SPS

The United Kingdom

The aim of this chapter is to analyse how the UK actors cooperate with their Chinese counterparts at the regional and local level. Due to the United Kingdom’s constitutional and administrative structure, consisting of the four nations (countries), i.e. England, Wales, Scotland (collectively known as the Great Britain) and Northern Ireland, and a highly developed (yet asymmetrical) model of decentralisation of executive and legislative powers (known as devolution) within those four nations, in the UK’s case Sino-British local cooperation refers either to the nations themselves (e.g. Scotland), to various metropolitan projects in England (e.g. the Northern Powerhouse) or to individual cities. This chapter undertakes to answer the following questions: Do local authorities in the UK follow the central government’s policy on China? What are the British local governments’ main goals and areas of cooperation with their Chinese partners? What is the model of the UK’s paradiplomacy? The chapter consists of two main parts. The first one is devoted to the central level: the description of the UK government’s policy towards China, the state of play of UK-China relations, and the UK’s perception of China, including China’s “soft” presence in Britain (tourists, students, Confucius Institutes, etc.). The second part is focused on the local and regional level. It starts with an explanation of the legal framework of British local and regional level cooperation, then it sets forth the survey results, concluding with the presentation of two case studies: Liverpool – a city in England; and Scotland – one of the UK’s nations and EU regionsPublication financed by the National Science Centre, Poland. (Project number: 2015/19/B/HS5/02534 entitled “Rola regionów w polityce Unii Europejskiej wobec Chin/ The Role of Regions in the European Union Policy towards China”

Subtypes of interictal depressive disorders according to ICD-10 in patients with epilepsy

Background and purpose The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of interictal depressive symptoms and different subtypes of depressive disorders according to 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria in patients with epilepsy and its association with the type of epilepsy. Material and methods 289 outpatients with epilepsy (169 females, 120 males) aged 18–82 years completed Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Subjects who scored >11 in BDI were further evaluated by the psychiatrist according to the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Results 41.9% (121) of the 289 participants scored >11 in BDI. 104 (85.9%) patients who scored >11 in BDI had comorbid mental disorders according to ICD-10 criteria. The most common were organic mood disorders (F06.3 – 31.4%), depressive episode (F32 – 22.3%) and dysthymia (F34.1 – 9.1%) There were no differences in the prevalence of depression and subtypes of depression in patients with certain epilepsy types. Depression was diagnosed before entering the study in only one third of patients with final diagnosis of depression. Conclusions Our results confirm the prevailing view that interictal depression is common in epilepsy patients. Depression remains underrecognized and undertreated in patients with epilepsy

Eye movements in essential tremor patients with parkinsonian and cerebellar signs

Apart from intention tremor essential tremor (ET) patients may display other cerebellar signs, like dysmetria or tandem gait disturbances as well as parkinsonian signs like resting tremor, cogwheel sign, subtle bradykinesia. Previous reports claimed the occurrence of the eye movement abnormalities characteristic for dysfunction of cerebellar dorsal vermis in ET patients with concomitant cerebellar signs. There are no previous reports evaluating the eye movement abnormalities in ET patients with concomitant parkinsonian signs. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the occurrence of parkinsonian and cerebellar signs and the oculomotor abnormalities in ET patients. Method Fifty ET patients including 6 (12.0%) patients with concomitant parkinsonian signs (ET-P), 20 (40.0%) patients with cerebellar signs (ET-C), 7 (14.0%) with mixed parkinsonian and cerebellar signs (ET-M), 17 (34.0%) patients with the only tremor (ET-T) together with 42 healthy controls were included to the study. Reflexive, pace-induced and cued saccades were recorded using Saccadometer Advanced. Smooth pursuit and fixation were tested using EOG. Results Latency of pace-induced saccades was significantly longer in ET-C and ET-M patients compared to ET-T and ET-P patients. Latency of cued saccades was significantly longer in ET-M patients compared to ET-T. There were no significant differences of the eye movement parameters between ET-P patients compared to ET-T patients. Conclusion In ET patient with concomitant cerebellar signs prolonged volitional saccades latency was detected. There are no particular differences in the eye movements in ET patients with concomitant parkinsonian signs compared to ET patients without concomitant signs