Processing speed is associated with differences in IQ and cognitive profiles between patients with schizophrenia and their healthy siblings

Background: Processing speed turns out to be the central area of research on cognition in schizophrenia. So far the relationship between this dimension and the IQ level of patients and their healthy siblings has not been investigated.

Aim: To investigate the differences in cognitive speed in patients with schizophrenia and their healthy siblings, and to determine whether cognitive speed as a covariate affects differences in IQ and cognitive profiles between groups.

Methods: Forty-seven inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV (SCH) and their 36 healthy siblings (HSB) were tested with cognitive speed tasks according to Bartzokis et al. method and Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Additional control for the possible impact of antipsychotic drugs and selected demographic variables on the cognitive performance was taken into account.

Results: The siblings scored significantly higher in the cognitive speed task (p?F(10, 770)?=?2.798, p?=?0.002. Similarly, the Performance and Full Scale IQs were significantly different, at p?p?=?0.459.

Conclusions: Significant differences in cognitive speed between patients and their healthy siblings generate the differences in the cognitive profile assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Some problems of cognitive speed diagnosis and further research on the cognitive schizophrenia endophenotype were discussed.     

Pregnancy-triggered maternal pemphigus vulgaris with persistent gingival lesions

Pregnancy as a triggering factor of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) seems to be quite a rare phenomenon. According to a recent review, only 38 reports describing 49 pregnant women with PV have been published in English language literature. A 34-year-old woman is described with pregnancy-triggered PV showing persistent gingival erosions. In addition, a shift from mucocutaneous to mucosal-dominant clinical variant of the disease in the mother, suggested by clinical features, was confirmed at the molecular level by determination of anti-desmoglein (DSG) 1 and anti-DSG 3 circulating IgG autoantibodies with ELISA. The case presented shows that PV in pregnancy requires care by a gynecologist, dermatologist and neonatologist. They all should be aware of the peculiarities of PV in pregnancy and be willing to cooperate with each other. Noteworhily, in contrast to cutaneous lesions, gingival lesions seen in the mother in the mucosal-dominant stage of her PV after delivery were unresponsive to intravenous and oral corticosteroid/oral cyclophosphamide treatment scheme.     

Plasma Modification of Carbon Coating Produced by RF CVD on Oxidized NiTi Shape Memory Alloy under Glow-Discharge Conditions

Our previous work has shown that for cardiac applications, combining low-temperature plasma oxidation with an amorphous carbon coating (a-C:N:H type) constitutes a prospective solution. In this study, a short-term modification by low-temperature oxygen plasma is proposed as an example and a method for shaping the topography and surface energy of the outer amorphous carbon coating, produced via the Radio-Frequency Chemical Vapour Deposition (RFCVD) method on NiTi alloy oxidized under glow-discharge conditions. This treatment alters the chemical composition of the outer zone of the surface layer. A slight increase is also noted in the surface roughness at the nanoscale. The contact angles were shown to increase by about 20% for water and 30% for diiodomethane, while the surface free energy decreased by ca. 11%. The obtained results indicate that even short-term contact with low-temperature plasma can shape the surface properties of the carbon coating, an outcome which shows potential in terms of its use in medical applications.     

Mucosal-dominant pemphigus vulgaris in a captopril-taking woman with angioedema

We describe a 39-year-old woman with an apparent captopril-induced, contact mucosal-dominant pemphigus vulgaris and angioedema, who took captopril during a bout of arterial hypertension. This exposure suggests that captopril and pathophysiology of angioedema stimulated the development of pemphigus vulgaris, which was diagnosed using the novel, indirect immunofluorescence BIOCHIP mosaic, with the modification to detect serum IgG4 autoantibodies. We discuss the patient, who experienced a chain of events leading to the active stage of pemphigus vulgaris, and review concepts of pemphigus vulgaris inducible by drugs and pathological immunity.     

The content of Ca, Mg, Fe and Cu in selected species of herbs and herb infusions

The aim of the study was the recognition of the contents and distributions of calcium, magnesium, iron and copper in 6 herb species (matricaria chamomila, tilia cordata, equisetum arvense, melissa officinalis, mentha piperita, hypericum perforatum) and in the herb infusions. The samples were digested using a microwave oven, and the elements concentration was determined by AAS method. The following levels of Ca, Mg, Mg and Cu in the herbs were determined: 6872-19802 mg/kg Ca, 4630-8530 mg/kg Mg, 149.9-415.6 mg/kg Fe and 15.15-24.64 mg/kg Cu. The values of extractions in the infusions of herb were as follows: 16.1-73.8% Ca, 14.4-37.3% Mg, 5.1-9.7% Fe, 13.1-21.8% Cu. This indicates, that a very small part of the iron can be potentially treated as a bioavailable fraction for persons, using plant drugs as infusions. One glass of infusion (250 cm3) contain elements in quantities corresponding to: 0.78-2.61% average daily dietary intake (ADDIs) of Ca, 0.76-1.36% ADDIs of Mg, 0.26-0.38% ADDIs of Cu and only 0.15-0.33% ADDIs of Fe.     

Mercury in three species of Suillus mushroom from some sites in Poland

Total mercury content have been determined in fruiting bodies of Variegated Bolete (Suillus variegates), European Cow Bolete (S. bovinus) and Slippery Jack (S. luteus) and in underlying to mushroom's surface layer of soil substrate collected from several spatially distant one from another sites in Poland. All three Suillus mushroom species independent of the site characterized were by small mercury content. The arithmetic mean values of mercury concentration in caps and stipes, respectively, were: 0.17 +/- 0.07-0.22 +/- 0.12 and 0.047 +/- 0.015-0.071 +/- 0.035 microg/g dry weight for Variegated Bolete; 0.28 +/- 0.11-0.79 +/- 0.40 and 0.17 +/- 0.07- 0.51 +/- 0.22 microg/g dw for European Cow Bolete, and 0.095 +/- 0.082-0.17 +/- 0.05 and 0.045 +/- 0.026- 0.070 +/- 0.026 microg/g dw for Slippery Jack. All three species of Suillus mushrooms bio-concentrated mercury (BCF > 1). European Cow Bolete bioconcentrated mercury relatively more efficiently when compared to two other species, and means of BCF value of this element in its caps ranged from 18 +/- 10 to 45 +/- 20, and in stipes from 9.4 +/- 7.5 to 29 +/- 11. A level of surface soil pollution with mercury was low and averaged from 0.017 +/- 0.003 do 0.029 +/- 0.020 microg/g dw.     

Hypercalcemia and 13-cis-retinoic acid in post-consolidation therapy of neuroblastoma

We report 19 episodes of hypercalcemia in three children treated with 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) as a post-consolidation therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. There was no concomitant overload in 13-cis-RA blood levels. Blood calcium fell after arrest of 13-cis-RA intake. Half dosage retinoid treatment resumption did not prevent the recurrence of hypercalcemia. Concomitant biological values showed massive bone resorption. Hence, hypercalcemia seemed not secondary to 13-cis-RA overload but rather to inter-individual variability in its interaction with bone metabolism. Current guidelines in case of hypercalcemia are to reduce 13-cis-RA dosage. Instead we propose to maintain the therapeutic dosage, but to shorten the duration of courses.     

BETA‐2 score is an early predictor of graft decline and loss of insulin independence after pancreatic islet allotransplantation

This study aimed to evaluate whether the BETA‐2 score is a reliable early predictor of graft decline and loss of insulin independence after islet allotransplantation. Islet transplant procedures were stratified into 3 groups according to clinical outcome: long‐term insulin independence without islet graft decline (group 1, N = 9), initial insulin independence with subsequent islet graft decline and loss of insulin independence (group 2, N = 13), and no insulin independence (group 3, N = 13). BETA‐2 was calculated on day 75 and multiple times afterwards for up to 145 months posttransplantation. A BETA‐2 score cut‐off of 17.4 on day 75 posttransplantation was discerned between group 1 and groups 2 and 3 (area under the receiver operating characteristic 0.769, P = .005) with a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 100%. Additionally, BETA‐2 ≥ 17.4 at any timepoint during follow‐up reflected islet function required for long‐term insulin independence. While BETA‐2 did not decline below 17.4 for each of the 9 cases from group 1, the score decreased below 17.4 for all transplants from group 2 with subsequent loss of insulin independence. The reduction of BETA‐2 below 17.4 predicted 9 (1.5‐21) months in advance subsequent islet graft decline and loss of insulin independence (P = .03). This finding has important implications for posttransplant monitoring and patient care.