Effect of the Neurofeedback-EEG Training During Physical Exercise on the Range of Mental Work Performance and Individual Physiological Parameters in Swimmers.

The aim of the study was to demonstrate the effects of the Neurofeedback-EEG training during physical exercise on the improvements in mental work performance and physiological parameters. The study examined seven swimmers based on the following anthropometric measurements: body height, body mass and body composition. The Kraepelin's work curve test, EEG and EMG during physical exercise were also performed. The athletes followed 20 Neurofeedback-EEG training sessions on the swimming ergometer for 4 months. Most mean indices of partial measures of the work curve were significantly modified (p < 0.05) following the Neurofeedback-EEG training. Mean level of maximal oxygen uptake in study participants was over 55 ml/kg/min, with statistically significant differences documented between the first and the second measurements. No significant differences were found in the fatigue rate between the measurements 1 and 2. The improved mental work performance following the Neurofeedback-EEG training facilitates optimization of psychomotor activities.

The impact of medium dose UVA1 phototherapy on pruritus, DLQI and SCORAD index in patients with atopic dermatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is featured by pruritus, which causes diminished quality of life. Little clinical data exists concerning the use, efficacy and side effects of UVA1 phototherapy in AD patients. AIM: To determine the effectiveness of medium-dose UVA1 phototherapy in AD treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients with AD were irradiated with medium-dose UVA1 (45 J/cm2) as monotherapy for 4 weeks for a total of 20 sessions (daily irradiations during weekdays only). Clinical status was evaluated with the visual analogue scale for pruritus, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) for evaluating general well-being and the SCORAD index. All parameters were measured twice: before and after phototherapy. RESULTS: UVA1 phototherapy resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in pruritus, improvement in DLQI (p < 0.001) and SCORAD (p < 0.001). Before phototherapy, the intensity of pruritus and SCORAD index correlated with DLQI (r = 0.34, p < 0.05 and r = 0.61, p < 0.05, respectively). Similarly, after irradiation, pruritus correlated with DLQI, and SCORAD index correlated with DLQI (r = 0.51, p < 0.05 and r = 0.55, p < 0.05, respectively). No severe adverse effects were noted during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Phototherapy with medium-dose UVA1 irradiation exerts a significant antipruritic effect, decreases the severity of the disease and improves the quality of life of AD patients. This technique can therefore be used as a safe and effective treatment method.

Medium dose ultraviolet A1 phototherapy and mRNA expression of interleukin 8, interferon γ, and chemokine receptor 4 in acute skin lesions in atopic dermatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Mechanisms responsible for UVA1 efficacy in atopic dermatitis (AD) are not fully elucidated. AIM: To investigate IL-8, CCR-4, and IFN-γ mRNA expression in AD before and after UVA1, to identify correlations among them, and to determine whether and to what degree mRNA expression is influenced by UVA1. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with AD underwent medium dose UVA1-phototherapy at daily dosages of 10, 20, 30, 45, and then continuing 45 J/cm(2) up to 20 days, from Monday to Friday for 4 weeks. Before and after UVA1, biopsies from acute skin lesions were studied using reverse-transcription and RT-PCR. RESULTS: The levels of CCR-4 mRNA correlated with those of IFN-γ, both before and after UVA1 phototherapy (p < 0.05). A significant correlation was found after UVA1 between mRNA levels of IL-8 and IFN-γ (p < 0.05). After UVA1 an increase in IL-8 mRNA expression in comparison to the baseline assessment (p = 0.02) was found, while no significant difference was revealed in the expression of CCR-4 and IFN-γ mRNA. UVA1 improved both SCORAD and severity of AD (p < 0.001). SCORAD and the severity of AD did not correlate with the degree of expression of measured cytokine mRNA, neither before nor after UVA1. CONCLUSIONS: CCR-4 is expressed in parallel with IFN-γ in acute skin lesions of patients with AD both before and after UVA1 phototherapy. UVA1 significantly improves SCORAD index, lessens the severity of AD and increases the expression of IL-8, with no direct effects on other studied molecules.

Medium-dose ultraviolet A1 phototherapy improves SCORAD index and increases mRNA expression of interleukin-4 without direct effect on human ß defensin-1, interleukin-10, and interleukin-31.

BACKGROUND: Effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV)A1 in flares of atopic dermatitis (AD) is thought to influence the expression of cytokines involved in its pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to investigate whether mRNA expression of human ß defensin-1 (hßD-1) correlates with that of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and IL-31 in skin lesions in AD before and after UVA1 phototherapy, to determine whether UVA1 decreases the expression of the aforementioned mediators, and to confirm whether changes in mRNA expression correspond with the clinical efficacy of UVA1. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with AD underwent medium-dose UVA1 phototherapy. Before and after UVA1, biopsies from acute skin lesions were studied using reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Levels of mRNA hßD-1 correlated with those of IL-10 and IL-31, levels of IL-4 mRNA correlated with those of IL-10 and IL-31, and IL-10 expression correlated with that of IL-31, both before and after UVA1. Phototherapy with UVA1 improved SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) values, decreased pruritus, and increased expression of IL-4. After UVA1, no difference was found in the mRNA expression of other molecules. The SCORAD index did not correlate with the expression of any examined mRNA either before or after UVA1. CONCLUSIONS: hßD-1, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-31 are expressed in acute skin lesions in AD, and their levels correlate with each other. UVA1 improves SCORAD and pruritus and increases the expression of IL-4 without direct effect on other molecules.

Medium-dose ultraviolet A1 phototherapy and mRNA expression of TSLP, TARC, IL-5, and IL-13 in acute skin lesions in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms responsible for the efficacy of ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) are not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate mRNA expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and IL-13 in AD before and after UVA1 therapy, to determine correlations among them, and to examine whether UVA1 influences their expression and whether it is associated with UVA1 efficacy. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with AD underwent medium-dose UVA1 phototherapy. Before and after UVA1, biopsies from acute skin lesions were studied using reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Levels of mRNA TSLP correlated with those of TARC, IL-5, and IL-13, and levels of TARC correlated with those of IL-5 and IL-13, both before and after UVA1. Expression of IL-5 correlated with that of IL-13 only before UVA1. SCORAD (SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis) indices correlated with levels of TARC and IL-5 before irradiation. After UVA1, no mRNA level correlated with the SCORAD index. Phototherapy with UVA1 improved SCORAD values (P < 0.001) and increased expression of TARC (P < 0.05) but did not affect mRNA expression of TSLP, IL-5, or IL-13. CONCLUSIONS: Expression levels of the mediators TSLP, TARC, IL-5, and IL-13 in AD are interrelated. Phototherapy with UVA1 improves SCORAD indices and increases expression of TARC but has no direct effects on the expression of other molecules. It is likely that UVA1 also interferes with or acts via intermediators on the link between IL-5 and IL-13.

Ligand exchange in quaternary alloyed nanocrystals--a spectroscopic study.

Exchange of initial, predominantly stearate ligands for pyridine in the first step and butylamine (BA) or 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) in the second one was studied for alloyed quaternary Cu-In-Zn-S nanocrystals. The NMR results enabled us to demonstrate, for the first time, direct binding of the pyridine labile ligand to the nanocrystal surface as evidenced by paramagnetic shifts of the three signals attributed to its protons to 7.58, 7.95 and 8.75 ppm. XPS investigations indicated, in turn, a significant change in the composition of the nanocrystal surface upon the exchange of initial ligands for pyridine, which being enriched in indium in the 'as prepared' form became enriched in zinc after pyridine binding. This finding indicated that the first step of ligand exchange had to involve the removal of the surface layer enriched in indium with simultaneous exposure of a new, zinc-enriched layer. In the second ligand exchange step (replacement of pyridine with BA or MUA) the changes in the nanocrystal surface compositions were much less significant. The presence of zinc in the nanocrystal surface layer turned out necessary for effective binding of pyridine as shown by a comparative study of ligand exchange in Cu-In-Zn-S, Ag-In-Zn-S and CuInS2, carried out by complementary XPS and NMR investigations.