Zofia Drzazga

Thermography study of skin response due to whole‐body cryotherapy

Purpose: Thermography and contact thermometry were used to study the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the lowering of skin temperature caused by whole‐body cryotherapy.

Monitoring of whole body cryotherapy effects by thermal imaging: preliminary report

In whole body cryotherapy the whole human body is exposed to low temperature below -100 degrees C in a special room called cryogenic chamber for a very short period of time (2-3 minutes). The impact of cold can cause many different biochemical and physiological reactions of the organism. The skin temperature response due to whole body cryotherapy was studied by means of infrared measurements. The thermograms of chosen body parts of patients suffering from low back pain were performed before and after whole body cooling on the 1(st), 5(th) and the last (10(th)) day of medical treatment. Infrared imaging performed after cold impact owing to the enhancement of the skin temperature profile may reveal a slight decrease of the inflammatory states as a result of the 10 sessions of cryotherapy.

May thermal imaging be useful in cyclist endurance tests

Thermovision is a completely non-invasive and easy-to-perform method of imaging, and it is becoming useful not only in different modalities of clinical medicine, but also in sports medicine. However, it seems that thermal imaging may also find some use in training. That is why the aim of these studies is to compare temperature parameters with data obtained from specialist equipment, which uses monitoring to choose organism parameters during the endurance test and also to determine the efficiency level. In this study, we also try to estimate body metabolism, using a modified formula of Kleiber’s law. We describe how metabolism changes during efficiency tests and compare these changes with parameters checked by an ergospirometer. All studies were performed by thermovision camera (Flir Systems E60). Results of the study showed that thermal imaging may be useful in sports medicine as a helpful method in efficiency evaluation. We obtained a high correlation between the standard parameters used in efficiency tests and the parameters derived from thermal imaging, which may suggest the possibility of using thermovision as an additional method in the planning of training cycles, and its effects.

Does the temperature gradient correlate with the photodynamic diagnosis parameter numerical colour value (NCV)

BACKGROUND Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) as well as thermovision belong to the category of non-invasive optical diagnosis techniques. Among many different skin cancer diseases, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequently occurring one (almost 95% of all skin tumours). In contrast, seborrhoeic keratosis represents almost 70% of benign skin tumours. In this paper we present infrared thermography as an additional method, combined with PDD, to show the differentiation between these two skin mutations. METHODS The photodynamic diagnosis studies were performed by using the autofluorescence diagnosis system Xillix Onco. As an additional non-invasive diagnosis technique, thermovision studies were performed. Thermal imaging was done by using a Thermovision Camera A40M with a sensitivity of 0.07K. The thermograms of the chosen areas were performed in a special room with a temperature of 22.5±1°C. All patients were treated in the Chair and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Angiology and Physical Medicine in Bytom. Thirteen skin lesions were studied: 9 diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma and 4 as seborrhoeic keratosis. All skin lesions were confirmed in histopathological examinations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The results of the studies revealed significant differences in skin thermal mapping between patients suffering from basal cell carcinoma and seborrhoeic keratosis. It appears that benign skin lesions are characterised by a lower mean temperature than the surrounding healthy skin. To the contrary, cancerous skin mutations appeared on the thermal map at a higher mean temperature. Thermal images for the chosen skin lesions and temperature parameters derived from the thermograms are contiguous with the photodynamic diagnosis results and may give some additional diagnostic information.

The rod-shaped conformation of Starmaker

Fish otoliths are calcium carbonate biominerals responsible for gravity sensing and the perception of sound. The otoliths formation is controlled by Starmaker (Stm), a protein which belongs to a class of intrinsically disordered proteins. Here, we utilized analytical ultracentrifugation along with Fergusons analysis of the electrophoretic data to demonstrate that Stm exists in solution as a monomer. The Stm frictional ratio has an unusually high value ranging from 2.6 to 3.1 depending on the method used to analyse the data obtained from analytical ultracentrifugation or gel filtration experiments. These unusually high values of frictional ratio indicate that monomeric Stm has a significantly extended rod-shaped conformation. Calcium ions, which are putative ligands of Stm, induce compaction of the extended conformation of Stm. In particular, increasing the calcium ion concentration from 1 mM to 50 mM lowered the Stokes radius by about 9.5 A. Gel filtration experiments done under denaturing conditions showed only small changes in the dimensions of Stm, which suggests the presence of residual ordered structures. These structures were estimated to be 23% of the Stm structure by detailed analysis of the data obtained by differential scanning microcalorimetry. The elongation of Stm polypeptide chain may facilitate its simultaneous interaction with other components of the composed calcium carbonate crystals which build up otoliths.

Effect of UVC radiation on conformational restructuring of human serum albumin

The study of the influence of UVC-254 nm radiation on spectroscopic and calorimetric properties of human serum albumin in aqueous solutions was conducted. This radiation did not only accelerate aging of albumin solutions but also caused the other qualitative changes. The dose dependent effect on conformational restructuring and thermal stability of albumin for exposure periods from 10 to 60 min was shown. The differences in response to UVC-irradiation between non-defatted and fatty acid-free albumins were found.

A study of magnetic anisotropy of blood cells

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study of the magnetic anisotropy of blood cells in magnetic field up to 1.8 T and in temperature range of 75 – 295 K by means of torque method. Magnetic field can induce a marked uniaxial anisotropy. The effective anisotropy constant K 1eff does not depend on temperature. Magnetic-induced anisotropy of investigated samples cannot be explained by diamagnetic shape anisotropy of individual blood cells. A tendency to aggregate into chains and small groups of hemoglobin particles and conversion into methemoglobin with high spin Fe 3+ -ion is considered.

Regional ADC measurements during normal brain aging in the clinical range of b values: a DWI study

The aim of our work was to evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of normal brain over a wide age range and in different cerebral structures, including the white and grey matter. A population of 89 subjects (39 male, 50 female, age range: 3-69 years) was divided into age groups designated as 1-7 as follows: 3-9; 10-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69 years old. All subjects underwent a head MRI using a 1,5 T GE system with diffusion-weighted imaging using spin echo echo planar imaging (EPI) for b=0, 500, 1000, and 1200 s/mm(2). The ADC values of the following 10 regions of interest were analysed: head of the caudate nucleus (L=left and R=right side), thalamus (L and R side), centrum semiovale (L and R side), pons, respectively, as well as in cerebellum (L and R side) and vermis of the cerebellum. The ADC values of the studied brain structures showed a polynomial dependence on age indicating a logarithmic decline in children, some stabilisation during adulthood and a small trend of increasing diffusivity for subjects over the age of 50 years old. Significant interhemispheric differences in the ADC values were mainly found for thalamus, especially in older age groups. Moreover, the best differentiation of the examined structures was found in the mature brain. The knowledge of age-dependent diffusion changes in the human brain can be helpful in the proper interpretation of diffusion-weighted images in clinical practice.

Role of trace elements (Zn, Sr, Fe) in bone development: Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence study of rat bone and tooth tissue

Osteoporosis is one of the most common debilitating disease around the world and it is more and more established among young people. There are well known recommendations for nutrition of newborns and children concerning adequate calcium and vitamin D intake in order to maintain proper bone density. Nevertheless, important role in structure and function of a healthy bone tissue is played by an integration between all constituents including elements other than Ca, like trace elements, which control vital processes in bone tissue. It is important from scientific point of view as well as prevention of bone diseases, to monitor the mineralization process considering changes of the concentration of minerals during first stage of bone formation. This work presents studies of trace element (zinc, strontium, and iron) concentration in bones and teeth of Wistar rats at the age of 7, 14, and 28 days. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to examine mandibles, skulls, femurs, tibiae, and incisors. The quantitative analysis was performed using fundamental parameters method (FP). Zn and Sr concentrations were highest for the youngest individuals and decreased with age of rats, while Fe content was stable in bone matrix for most studied bones. Our results reveal the necessity of monitoring concentration of not only major, but also minor elements, because the trace elements play special role in the first period of bone development.

Can Whole-Body Cryotherapy with Subsequent Kinesiotherapy Procedures in Closed Type Cryogenic Chamber Improve BASDAI, BASFI, and Some Spine Mobility Parameters and Decrease Pain Intensity in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis?

The present study investigated whether whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) procedures could potentially have more beneficial effects on index of BASDAI and BASFI, pain intensity, and spine mobility parameters: Ott test, modified Schober test, chest expansion in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, than kinesiotherapy procedures used separately. AS patients were exposed to a cycle of WBC procedures lasting 3 minutes a day, with a subsequent 60 minutes of kinesiotherapy or 60 minutes of kinesiotherapy only, for 10 consecutive days excluding weekend. After the completion of the cycle of WBC procedures with subsequent kinesiotherapy in the AS patients, BASDAI index decreased about 40% in comparison with the input value, whereas in the group of patients who received only kinesiotherapy it decreased only about 15% in comparison with the input value. After the completion of the treatment in the WBC group, BASFI index decreased about 30% in comparison with the input value, whereas in the kinesiotherapy group it only decreased about 16% in comparison with the input value. The important conclusion was that, in WBC group with subsequent kinesiotherapy, we observed on average about twice better results than in the group treated only by kinesiotherapy.