White matter impairment in the speech network of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Impairments in language and communication are core features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and a substantial percentage of children with ASD do not develop speech. ASD is often characterized as a disorder of brain connectivity, and a number of studies have identified white matter impairments in affected individuals. The current study investigated white matter integrity in the speech network of high-functioning adults with ASD. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans were collected from 18 participants with ASD and 18 neurotypical participants. Probabilistic tractography was used to estimate the connection strength between ventral premotor cortex (vPMC), a cortical region responsible for speech motor planning, and five other cortical regions in the network of areas involved in speech production. We found a weaker connection between the left vPMC and the supplementary motor area in the ASD group. This pathway has been hypothesized to underlie the initiation of speech motor programs. Our results indicate that a key pathway in the speech production network is impaired in ASD, and that this impairment can occur even in the presence of normal language abilities. Therapies that result in normalization of this pathway may hold particular promise for improving speech output in ASD.

Presence of caries with different levels of oral hygiene.

The objective of this abstract is to examine the presence of caries in the adult population with different levels of oral hygiene; to examine the concentration of Streptococcus Mutans in saliva of patients with different levels of oral hygiene; to examine the correlation among Streptococcus Mutans, caries and level of oral hygiene. This examination was made on 50 (fifty) patients, both male and female, at the age of 20 to 65. The examinees were split into 5 groups. The examinations and sampling were done randomly at the Department of Cariology and Endodontics at the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Skopje. The microbiological researches were made at the Institute of Microbiology and parasitology at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje. The examination of all patients was made according to a unique methodology. The results obtained indicate that the Plaque index level and the number of Streptococcus Mutans in saliva (CFU) are correlated to the number of carious teeth in all age groups except for Group V (61-65) where the Plaque index level and the level of Streptococcus Mutans in saliva were much higher compared to the number of carious teeth (51-99 and >100 CFU), particularly for examinees with prosthesis. Initial enamel caries was dominant in patients up to the age of 50, and for those older than 50 surface root caries was dominant. Initial caries was present in 28.62% of Group I and was 5.66% in Group V, unlike the root surface caries in Group 1, with 1.14%, and Group 5 with 28.30%.

[A case of severe HELLP syndrome associated with multiple organ insufficiency]. / Multiorganna insufitsientsiia pri tezhka forma na HELLP sd. s prinos na edin sluchai.

A case of severe HELLP sd. Was associated with cerebral oedema, anuria, retinal ablation, ascites and hydrothorax. The mother survived after intensive care and therapy, including 10 times haemodialysis. The acute fatty liver of pregnancy (M. Sheehan II) with a much poorer prognosis should be excluded. A diagnostical corticosteroids and prompt delivery is pointed out.

Fluence rate effects on photodynamic therapy of B16 pigmented melanoma.

In vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of fluence rate on the efficiency of Zn(II)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (ZnNc) photosensitization of B16 pigmented melanoma subcutaneously transplanted in C57B1/6 mice. The tumour was irradiated with 774 nm light at 24 h after an injection of liposome--which incorporated ZnNc (0.5 mg kg-1 b.w.). A total light dose of 360 J cm-2 was delivered at fluence rates of 260, 320, 380, 440 and 500 mW cm-2. Separate groups of mice utilized to monitor tumour temperature changes during irradiation without or after anaesthesia. Tumour response was determined by measuring the mean tumour diameter of the treated towards the untreated animals for a period of 21 days following PDT, as well as the percentage of cured animals. The most promising result (40% complete tumour response) was obtained with anaesthetized mice following 380 mW cm-2. Higher dose rates (440 and 500 mW cm-2) led to less promising results for both anaesthetized and non anaesthetized mice. These results outline the potential of PDT with longer wavelengths for the treatment of highly pigmented tumour tissues. The optimal fluence rate for tumour treatment should be chosen in order to avoid inflammatory effects (tissue swelling) and oxygen suppression with sublethal injury to the tumour cells.

Studies on the photodynamic effect of haematoporphyrin derivative.

A case-control photodynamic therapy (PDT) was studied on adenocarcinoma (AC755) in BDF1 mice. Haematoporphyrin derivative (HPD; Porphyrin Products, U.S.A.) and a Bulgarian HPD were used as photosensitizers at doses of 10 mg kg-1. An argon dye laser system with lambda em=630 nm (400 mW cm-2) was used for PDT with a total light dose of 400 J cm-2. The therapeutic effect was assessed by the changes in tumour dimensions, the size of photonecrosis and the mean survival time of the animals. Histologic and ultrastructural studies were carried out. No significant difference was recorded between the antitumour effects of the two photosensitizers. Best results were obtained in small tumours (less than 10 mm) with incision of covering skin. Results are discussed in an attempt to advocate an optimal regimen for PDT in experimental tumours.