Characteristics of sensory trick-like manoeuvres in jaw-opening dystonia.

We evaluated the effect of different manipulations on the performance of a standardized counting task in 7 patients with idiopathic jaw-opening dystonia. Patients used a small stick as sensory stimulus. Following conditions were examined: stick placed between teeth and cheek (CHEEK), biting on stick (TEETH), voluntary jaw occlusion without stick (OCCLUSION). Articulation was rated by patients and experimenters and surface electromyographic activity (EMG) was recorded. Patient-rating (CHEEK - 36.6%, TEETH - 48.1%) and EMG (-18.1%; -17.3%) were significantly improved for conditions using the stick, whereas experimenter-rating showed a trend for TEETH (-16.2%). Although jaw occlusion during speaking deteriorates articulation in healthy subjects, there was no further deterioration in patients and EMG was even significantly reduced (-18.6%). Comparable results were obtained in 1 patient using a special dental device. We conclude that sensory tricks significantly improve subjective and objective parameters. Besides tactile stimulation, altered proprioceptive feedback and antagonist activation may modulate hyperactive dystonic networks.     

Safety of virus inactivated antithrombin III concentrate ANTITHROMBIN III IMMUNO (AT III)

In a prospective clinical trial the risk of infection after application of virus inactivated antithrombin III concentrate ANTITHROMBIN III IMMUNO (AT III) was investigated in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. The study was conducted according to the recommendations of the International Committee on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ICTH), with the exception that most patients required additional blood products as well as AT III.

Twenty-seven patients were eligible to test for the risk of acquiring hepatitis B. Twenty-six patients could be evaluated in terms of hepatitis NANB transmission considering ALT-levels whereas 20 patients could be tested for anti-HCV one year after surgery. Samples from 78 patients could be monitored for anti-HIV-1. None of these patients showed any signs of infection. AT III IMMUNO seems to be an antithrombin III concentrate with low or absent infectivity.     

Cyto- and genotoxic effects of coordination complexes of platinum,palladium and rhodium in vitro

The growing industrial use of platinum group elements as catalysts, especially in automobile exhaust detoxification (trimetal catalytic converters), is causing increasing occupational and environmental pollution. The cytotoxic and mutagenic properties of industrially used coordination complexes of platinum, palladium and rhodium were investigated using the neutral red cytotoxicity assay on two established cell lines and theSalmonella typhimurium/microsome test system (Ames test). Cytotoxic effects of the platinum complexes, measured as ED₅₀, occurred at test concentrations of 0.2 mM. The analogous palladium salts tested were 3 times less toxic with ED₅₀ being 0.6 mM, while the rhodium salts proved to be 30 times less toxic (ED₅₀=6 mM). Levels of toxicity of the different complexes of a particular metal did not differ significantly from each other, which indicates that the metal itself is responsible for the toxic effects. In the Ames test, the spontaneous mutation rates increased by factors of 3 to 20 when the four tester strains were exposed to the platinum complexes. The analogous rhodium compounds proved to be considerably less mutagenic, and palladium demonstrated no mutagenic potential. As all of the four tester strains contain different mutations, the mutagenic potential of platinum and rhodium complexes appears to be based on a variety of mechanisms that damage DNA. From these in vitro experiments, it can be concluded that water-soluble complex salts of rhodium are less toxic and have a smaller mutagenic potential than the analogous platinum complexes. For palladium there is no evidence of any mutagenic property. From this point of view, the development of a catalytic converter containing predominantly palladium may be a possible means of minimizing potential health risks from this exhaust detoxification technique.     

Erratum: Sodium channel gene (SCN5A) mutations in 44 index patients with brugada syndrome: Different incidences in familial and sporadic disease

In supplementation of previously published cardiac sodium channel (SCN5A) gene mutations that were cited in the text, in Table 2 and in Figure 2 we here apply an updated gene mutation nomenclature (Human Genome Variation Society, 2005) to facilitate mutation annotation comparison (SCN5A cDNA reference: NM_198056.1 or GI: 37622906; amino acid reference sequence: SWISS‐PROT entry Q14524, long splice variant, 2,016 amino acids): Mutation: c.2602delC Amino acid change: p.Glu868X Mutation: c.2581_2582delTT Amino acid change: p.Phe861Trp fsX90 Mutation: c.4477_4479delAAG Amino acid change: p.Lys1493del Mutation: c.5425C>A Amino acid change: p.Ser1812X     

Stimulation of DNA repair synthesis of rat thymocytes by novobiocin and nalidixic acid in vitro without detectable DNA damage

Scheduled (SDS) and unscheduled (UDS) DNA synthesis as well as nucleoid sedimentation was investigated in vitro under the influence of novobiocin (NB) and nalidixic acid (NA) using intact thymic (T-cells) and splenic (S-cells) rat cells and cells which were exposed to X-rays, UV irradiation, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and DNA polymerase inhibitors. At concentrations of 56.25 (S-cells) and 225 g/ml (T-cells), respectively, NB inhibited SDS in a dose-dependent manner. Within a concentration range of 225–900 g NB/ml, UDS of S-cells decreased to values far below the tracer ([³H-methyl]-thymidine) incorporation of control cells, whereas UDS of T-cells increased by at least 200%. Within a concentration range of 450–1800 g/ml, NA enhanced SDS and UDS by about 30% in S-cells and by 100% in T-cells. The stimulating activity of NB and/or NA could be eliminated specifically by the DNA polymerase inhibitor 2',3'-dideoxythymidine. Enhanced nucleoid sedimentation was observed at NB concentrations 750 g/ml; S-cells revealed a higher sedimentation rate than T-cells. It is suggested that NB (and NA) influence DNA topology in a rather cell specific manner, stimulating UDS of T-cells by a DNA polymerase — dependent repair-like mechanism.