Reproduction of auditory and visual standards in monochannel cochlear implant users

The temporal reproduction of standard durations ranging from 1 to 9 seconds was investigated in monochannel cochlear implant (CI) users and in normally hearing subjects for the auditory and visual modality. The results showed that the pattern of performance in patients depended on their level of auditory comprehension. Results for CI users, who displayed relatively good auditory comprehension, did not differ from that of normally hearing subjects for both modalities. Patients with poor auditory comprehension significantly overestimated shorter auditory standards (1, 1.5 and 2.5 s), compared to both patients with good comprehension and controls. For the visual modality the between-group comparisons were not significant. These deficits in the reproduction of auditory standards were explained in accordance with both the attentional-gate model and the role of working memory in prospective time judgment. The impairments described above can influence the functioning of the temporal integration mechanism that is crucial for auditory speech comprehension on the level of words and phrases. We postulate that the deficits in time reproduction of short standards may be one of the possible reasons for poor speech understanding in monochannel CI users.     

Risk factors for asthma in children in Lódź region

The incidence of asthma and other allergic diseases continues to increase. In addition to genetic factors, environmental influences are thought to play an important role. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence and drive the atopic march from atopic sensitization to asthma in children from Lód?. METHODS: 800 atopic children, aged 5-18 years, were included to our study. Parents filled in questionnaires and gave interviews about their children's diseases. 405 (43%) children have diagnosis of asthma. RESULTS: A significant association was observed between asthma and male sex, parents' history of atopy, parental highest school grade, maternal smoking during pregnancy, maternal chronic disease (especially chronic renal diseases), maternal allergen-sensitizing diet during breast-feeding, increased exposure to indoor humidity and moulds. Similar effect was seen for episodes of wheeze occurring in the first 3 years of life as followed: wheezing during an airway infection, wheezing not connected with respiratory tract infection, wheezing not related with physical exercise. Child's daycare attendance (nursery school) was associated with decreased risk of asthma.     

The variability of clinical presentation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with hereditary alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Four patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin (alpha-1 AT) deficiency are presented: one woman with severe (phenotype PiZ) and 3 men with moderate (phenotype PiMZ) deficiency of alpha-1 AT. The variability of clinical presentation of hereditary emphysema is described. In all patients tobacco smoking history, spirometric and 6-minutes walking tests as well as HRCT of the lung were performed and compared. The influence of smoking on the functional status is underlined.     

Memory for object and object-location after lesions to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in humans

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of small unilateral lesions to the ventromedial portion of the prefrontal cortex on two memory functions: memory for objects and memory for object locations. Patients, who had undergone surgery of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm, and normal control subjects, participated in the study. The patients were subdivided into two groups: with and without unilateral resection of the gyrus rectus. Subjects were presented with two memory tests, that required remembering either simultaneously presented visual stimuli (object memory test; OMT) or locations of the stimuli (location memory test; LMT). In the OMT, patients with resection of the gyrus rectus were impaired in comparison to patients without resection and normal control subjects. In the LMT, the three groups did not differ from each other. Our results suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is specifically involved in memory for objects.     

Potentiation by Acetylsalicylic Acid of Skin Weal Response to Compound 48/80 in ASA-Sensitive Asthmatics

The influence of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on skin response to intradermal injection of compound 48/80 and histamine was studied in order to determine whether ASA elicits any abnormalities also in the skin of asthmatics reacting with bronchoconstriction to ingestion of this drug.
The applied ASA dose (mean dose 150 mg) elicited bronchoconstriction in all 16 patients with asthma and ASA sensitivity (mean fall of FEV₁ 34%) and increased the weal response to compound 48/80 to about 51% (P>0.05) as compared with the response before the ASA-challenge, In asthmatic persons without ASA sensitivity a 150 mg ASA dose did not influence the skin response to any of the reagents. On the other hand, a 600 mg dose decreased skin response to histamine and compound 48/80 in persons without ASA intolerance, although the decrease was statistically significant only in the flare after compound 48/80 (P>0.05).
The authors believe that additional local defect is needed to reveal sensitivity to ASA in the skill of ASA-sensitive asthmatics, just as bronchial hyperreactivity is indispensible for revealing the action of ASA in the bronchi.     

Comparison of leukocyte populations from bronchoalveolar lavage and induced sputum in the evaluation of cellular composition and nitric oxide production in patients with bronchial asthma

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or induced sputum (IS) techniques may provide leukocytes for the evaluation of airway inflammatory response in bronchial asthma. The aim of the present study was to compare features of leukocyte populations obtained by the two different methods regarding the cell types and their activity in patients with bronchial asthma. The nitric oxide (NO) level released from the cells was measured as a marker of their activity. Pulmonary leukocytes were obtained from the BAL and IS of 11 asthmatic patients in stable condition at the time of the study. The BAL and IS leukocyte populations varied in cell count and NO production. Macrophages were the predominant leukocyte population in BAL (median (Me) = 83.0%, range 67.9-88.4%), whereas sputum sediments were found to consist mainly of neutrophils (Me = 55.7%, range 29.0-64.9%). The IS leukocytes released much more NO (p = 0.0022) than the BAL leukocytes. In spite of these quantitative differences, a similar pattern of NO production was observed in BAL and in IS cells. Both BAL and IS leukocyte populations produced almost the same amounts of NO before and after lipopolysaccharide stimulation (p = 0.9063, p = 0.4801, respectively). Furthermore, a slight positive correlation Spearman's rank (RS) = 0.5578, p = 0.0594) was noticed between the neutrophil percentages and NO levels produced by BAL cells, whereas in IS a statistically significant correlation between the percentage of neutrophils and the levels of NO (RS = 0.6643, p = 0.0184) was observed. In conclusion, the BAL and IS leukocyte populations are different in cell type, their size and activity. Depending on the asthma severity and the type of cells needed in a study, either BAL or IS specimens may be chosen as a source of pulmonary leukocytes. The use of IS as a noninvasive technique is supposed to be potential value particularly in the study of the airway inflammatory response mediated mainly by neutrophils, i.e. during and/or after exacerbation of the disease. Based on our results, a possible contribution of neutrophils in the production of NO in the airways of asthmatic patients can be proposed apart from other cells such as macrophages.     

Dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline changes in the striatum of C57BL mice following myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55 and complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) administration.

Many data suggest involvement of inflammation in neurodegeneration. However, the exact mechanisms of this cooperation are poorly understood. We have previously shown that induction of inflammatory reaction, both before and after injury of the striatum, affects regeneration of dopaminergic neurons. In the present research we studied the role of inflammatory reaction in non-injured striatum. We used myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55 in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) to elicit experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice model. As determined by HPLC, striatal dopamine (DA) and serotonin levels in mice treated with either MOG 35-55 in CFA or CFA alone were significantly higher compared to vehicle-treated controls on 13th day after induction. The ratio of homovanilic acid/dopamine (HVA/DA) and 3, 4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine (DOPAC/DA) were significantly lower in the MOG and CFA groups on 13th day, indicating decreased DA metabolism. Noradrenaline (NA) concentration did not differ between groups. Moreover, the striatal mRNA IL-1beta and TNF-alpha levels were elevated during induction phase of EAE in both groups, as determined by RT-PCR. Our data indicate regulatory connection between dopaminergic and immune systems.     

Does Drinking Coffee and Tea Affect Bone Metabolism in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases?

Patients suffering from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are at higher risk of osteoporosis due to lower bone mineral density. Risk factors of osteoporosis are divided into unmodifiable, namely, age, gender, genetic factors, as well as modifiable, including diet, level of physical activity, and the use of stimulants. Coffee and tea contain numerous compounds affecting bone metabolism. Certain substances such as antioxidants may protect bones; other substances may increase bone resorption. Nevertheless, the influence of coffee and tea on the development and course of inflammatory bowel diseases is contradictory.     

A Vicious Cycle of Osteosarcopenia in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—Aetiology,Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Perspectives

Sarcopenia is a disorder characterized by a loss of muscle mass which leads to the reduction of muscle strength and a decrease in the quality and quantity of muscle. It was previously thought that sarcopenia was specific to ageing. However, sarcopenia may affect patients suffering from chronic diseases throughout their entire lives. A decreased mass of muscle and bone is common among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since sarcopenia and osteoporosis are closely linked, they should be diagnosed as mutual consequences of IBD. Additionally, multidirectional treatment of sarcopenia and osteoporosis including nutrition, physical activity, and pharmacotherapy should include both disorders, referred to as osteosarcopenia.     

What Role Does the Endocannabinoid System Play in the Pathogenesis of Obesity?

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an endogenous signaling system formed by specific receptors (cannabinoid type 1 and type 2 (CB₁ and CB₂)), their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids), and enzymes involved in their synthesis and degradation. The ECS, centrally and peripherally, is involved in various physiological processes, including regulation of energy balance, promotion of metabolic process, food intake, weight gain, promotion of fat accumulation in adipocytes, and regulation of body homeostasis; thus, its overactivity may be related to obesity. In this review, we try to explain the role of the ECS and the impact of genetic factors on endocannabinoid system modulation in the pathogenesis of obesity, which is a global and civilizational problem affecting the entire world population regardless of age. We also emphasize that the search for potential new targets for health assessment, treatment, and the development of possible therapies in obesity is of great importance.