Are Gait and Balance Problems in Neurological Patients Interdependent? Enhanced Analysis Using Gait Indices,Cyclograms, Balance Parameters and Entropy

Background: Balance and locomotion are two main complex functions, which require intact and efficient neuromuscular and sensory systems, and their proper integration. In many studies the assumption of their dependence is present, and some rehabilitation approaches are based on it. Other papers undermine this assumption. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the possible dependence between gait and balance in patients with neurological or sensory integration problems, which affected their balance. Methods: 75 patients (52 with neurological diseases, 23 with sensory integration problems) participated in the study. They underwent balance assessment on Kistler force plate in two conditions, six tests on a Balance Biodex System and instrumented gait analysis with VICON. The gait and balances parameters and indices, together with entropy and cyclograms were used for the analysis. Spearman correlation, multiple regression, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis were used as analytical tools. Results: The analysis divided patients into 2 groups with 100% correctly classified cases. Some balance and gait measures are better in the first group, but some others in the second. Conclusions: This finding confirms the hypothesis that there is no direct link between gait and balance deficits.     

Degradation of the Giant Magnetoresistance in Fe/Cr Multilayers Due to Ar-Ion Beam Mixing

The influence of 200 keV Ar-ion irradiation on the interlayer coupling in the Fe/Cr multilayer system exhibiting the giant magnetoresistance effect (GMR) is studied by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS), VSM hysteresis loops, magnetoresistivity and electric resistivity measurements and supplemented by the small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD). The increase of Ar ion dose causes an increase of interface roughness, as evidenced by the increase of the Fe step-sites detected by CEMS as a result of which the GMR gradually decreases and vanishes at doses exceeding 1×10¹⁴ Ar/cm². A degradation of GMR with increasing Ar-ion dose is related to the formation of pinholes between Fe layers and the decrease of the antiferromagnetically coupled fraction.

     

α‐Amino Acid‐Isosteric α‐Amino Tetrazoles

The synthesis of all 20 common natural proteinogenic and 4 otherα‐amino acid‐isosteric α‐amino tetrazoles has been accomplished, whereby the carboxyl group is replaced by the isosteric 5‐tetrazolyl group. The short process involves the use of the key Ugi tetrazole reaction followed by deprotection chemistries. The tetrazole group is bioisosteric to the carboxylic acid and is widely used in medicinal chemistry and drug design. Surprisingly, several of the common α‐amino acid‐isosteric α‐amino tetrazoles are unknown up to now. Therefore a rapid synthetic access to this compound class and non‐natural derivatives is of high interest to advance the field.     

A new calcium 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate: Synthesis,characterization and antioxidant studies and stress mediated cytotoxity in MCF-7 cells

The structure and composition of the calcium 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (calcium gentisate) were studied by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that the compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn. The Ca(II) cation is coordinated in a monodentate fashion by two symmetry-related gentisate anions and five water molecules. The metal ion and one of the water molecules are located on a 2-fold rotation axis. The adjacent monomeric units are assembled into a 3-D supramolecular framework via O–H…O hydrogen bonds. Comparison of the experimental powder pattern with that simulated from single-crystal X-ray data confirmed the purity and homogeneity of the sample. The FT-IR, UV/VIS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the calcium 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid were registered and analysed. Moreover the effect of calcium complex and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid on basic oxidative stress parameters, such as thiol group content and lipid peroxidation in the human breast cancer cells MCF-7 was studied. The antiradical and ferric reducing power of these compounds was measured by DPPH, CUPRAC and FRAP methods. The chemical reactivity parameters (e.g. HOMO and LUMO orbitals, ionization potential, electron affinity) for Ca 2,5-dHB and 2,5-dHB were calculated at B3LYP/6-311++G7 level of theory and discussed in relation to their antioxidant properties.     

Soft Magnetic Nanostructure in Fe81−x Ni x Zr7B12 (x=10–40) Alloys

Hyperfine Interactions - Novel soft magnetic amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe81?x Ni x Zr7B12 (x=10–40) alloys with low magnetic anisotropy were prepared by melt quenching technique and...