Pitch syntax violations are linked to greater skin conductance changes, relative to timbral violations : the predictive role of the reward system in perspective of cortico-subcortical loops

According to contemporary opinion emotional reactions to syntactic violations are due to surprise as a result of the general mechanism of prediction. The classic view is that, the processing of musical syntax can be explained by activity of the cerebral cortex. However, some recent studies have indicated that subcortical brain structures, including those related to the processing of emotions, are also important during the processing of syntax. In order to check whether emotional reactions play a role in the processing of pitch syntax or are only the result of the general mechanism of prediction, the comparison of skin conductance levels reacting to three types of melodies were recorded. In this study, 28 subjects listened to three types of short melodies prepared in Musical Instrument Digital Interface Standard files (MIDI) - tonally correct, tonally violated (with one out-of-key - i.e., of high information content), and tonally correct but with one note played in a different timbre. The BioSemi ActiveTwo with two passive Nihon Kohden electrodes was used. Skin conductance levels were positively correlated with the presented stimuli (timbral changes and tonal violations). Although changes in skin conductance levels were also observed in response to the change in timbre, the reactions to tonal violations were significantly stronger. Therefore, despite the fact that timbral change is at least as equally unexpected as an out-of-key note, the processing of pitch syntax mainly generates increased activation of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system. These results suggest that the cortico–subcortical loops (especially the anterior cingulate - limbic loop) may play an important role in the processing of musical syntax

Oculomotor disturbances in HIV-positive individuals treated with methadone

Methadone substitution is claimed to be the most effective way of pharmacological management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients addicted to opioids. Possible and clinically the most relevant drug interactions are those between methadone and antiretroviral agents [13,18,25,32]. HIV causes cognitive impairment by infiltrating the central nervous system (CNS) in the initial phase of infection. The consequence of this is damage to the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and basal ganglia [2,26].Eighty-six patients from the substitution program group were examined. The trial was conducted twice: before and about 1.5 hours after the administration of a therapeutic dose of methadone. The antisaccades task (AT) and latency task (LT) were performed using a saccadometer diagnostic system.The statistical analysis showed that the mean duration of latency measured by AT in HIV(-) and HIV(+) subjects after the administration of a therapeutic dose of methadone was significantly increased (p=0.03 HIV(-); p=0.04 HIV(+)). There was a statistically significant increase in the mean latency after the administration of methadone in HIV(+) subjects when compared to the control group measured by LT (p=0.03).The statistical analysis confirms the change in the saccadic refixation parameters in patients addicted to opioids. Methadone influences saccadic dynamic parameters less in HIV(+) than in HIV(-) drug users. Oculomotor disturbances are probably related to the neurotropic effects of HIV leading to damage of the striatum, which plays an important role in psychomotor functions

Porównanie przydatności 3D angio-TK z innymi metodami oceny morfologii tętniaka aorty brzusznej przed planowanym zabiegiem przezskórnej implantacji stent-graftu

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of diagnostic methods in the preoperative evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm before endovascular treatment. Material/Methods: During the period of January 2002-December 2004, 67 patients with AAA (42 diagnosed in the Department of Radiology of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration and 25 patients diagnosed the in the Department of Radiology of Medical Academy in Bialystok) underwent ultrasonography, spiral CT with 3D reconstructions (3D CTA), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) following treatment of aortoiliac aneurysms with endoluminal stentgrafts in 36 and 12 patients, respectively. Results/Conclusions: Our experience suggests that spiral computerized tomographic angiography with three-dimensional reconstruction (3D CTA) is a reliable, relatively noninvasive technique to assess the feasibility of endovascular aneurysm repair. DSA allows verification of the measurements from spiral computed scans, but it is a more invasive method than CTA. However, CTA with 3D reconstruction shows a diagnostic effectiveness similar to that of DSA. Thus it may be sufficient as a preoperative imaging technique when evaluating a patient for an endovascular graft procedure

Interleukin-6 is not essential for bone turnover in hypothyroid mice.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of several bone diseases characterized by an imbalance between bone resorption and formation. The aim of the study was to estimate serum markers of bone turnover: osteoclast-derived tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase form 5a (TRACP 5b) and osteocalcin in IL-6-deficient mice to assess the role of IL-6 in bone metabolism in hypothyroidism in mice. C57BL/6J (wild-type; WT) and C57BL/6J(IL6-/-Kopf) (IL-6 knock-out; IL6KO) mice randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 in each one: 1/ WT mice in hypothyroidism (WT-ht), 2/ WT controls, 3/ IL6KO mice with hypothyroidism (IL6KO-ht) and 4/ IL6KO controls. Experimental model of hypothyroidism was induced by intraperitoneal injection of propylthiouracyl. The serum levels of TRACP 5b and osteocalcin were determined by ELISA. Serum concentrations of TRACP 5b (median and interquartile ranges) were significantly decreased in both groups of mice with hypothyroidism: WT (3.2 (2.5-4.7) U/l) and IL6KO (2.6 (1.8-3.5) U/l) as compared to the respective controls. Similarly, serum osteocalcin levels were significantly reduced in both groups of mice in experimental hypothyroidism: WT (25.8 (23.0-28.2) ng/ml) and IL6KO (21.5(19.0-24.6) ng/ml) in comparison to the respective controls. There were no significant differences in bone turnover markers between IL6KO and WT mice both in hypothyroid and control animals. The results of the present study suggest that IL-6 does not play an important role in bone turnover in both euthyroid and hypothyroid mice

Przydatność badania perfuzyjnego TK (p-TK) w ocenie przepływu mózgowego i autoregulacji u pacjentów ze zwężeniem tętnicy szyjnej wewnętrznej przed i po zabiegu operacyjnym lub stentowaniem : doniesienie wstępne

Background: Improvement of brain perfusion and disappearance o f neurological symptoms are the objective indicators of successful treatment of carotid stenosis. The perfusion CT technique is a component of a comprehensive evaluation o f blood flow in cerebropetal arteries and brain perfusion. Material/Methods: In the period of 2002-2004, perfusion CT exams were performed in 40 symptomatic patients being treated at our Surgery or Radiology Departments because o f one-sided internal carotid stenosis (more than 70%). The exams were performed before and after the surgical procedure (23 patients) or stenting (17 patients). rCBV, rCBF, MTT, and TTP were evaluated. Results: In a subgroup of 16 patients with carotid stenosis (less then 90%), a significant prolongation of MTT and a decrease in rCBF were observed in preoperative perfusion CT. In another subgroup of 24 patients with tight stenosis (more than 90%), changes in perfusion parameters ipsilateral to the stenosis were observed in every patient; MTT prolongation (by 35%) was the most profound change. In 14 patients in the critical stenosis subgroup which presented clinical symptoms (for at least 5 years), exams were performed after acetazolamide (Diamox) provocation to assess vascular autoregulation. The additional parameter of cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CRC) was introduced. In the evaluated group, 5 of the 14 patients presented complications, of which intracranial hemorrhage was the most severe. Mild symptoms of reperfusion syndrome in the subgroup of moderate stenosis occurred in one case only. Analysis of preoperative perfusion parameters revealed statistically significant increases in CBV and CBF as well as shortening of MTT and TTP ipsilaterally to the carotid stenosis. Conclusions: Perfusion CT is of significant importance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of procedures to restore carotid patency. Perfusion evaluation by means of autoregulation test (test with acetazolamide) enables prognosis of the course of the postoperative period in patients at risk of reperfusion syndrome