Investigating Retrospective and Prospective Metamemory Judgments During Episodic Memory in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders.

It is clear evidence that individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) lack confidence in their memory and have low metamemory performance (judgment and accuracy). However, it is still unclear whether low metamemory performance is specific to first, domain general or domain specific, and second, to stimulus domain. To address these issues, we compared individuals diagnosed with OCD and healthy controls (HCs) on recognition, retrospective (judgments of learning [JOL]) and prospective (feeling of knowing [FOK]) metamemory judgments and under three different episodic memory tasks, which consisted of symptom-free, familiar and unfamiliar stimuli (word, scene, and face photo). OCD patients showed lower recognition performance, JOL and FOK judgments, and accuracy in all tasks than HCs. Also, OCD patients were slower than HCs during all cognitive performances. In both groups, metamemory performances were lower in familiar items than unfamiliar items. However, recognition performances were not affected by stimulus type. Our results support the idea of general episodic memory and a metamemory deficit in OCD. Moreover, metamemory deficits in OCD are domain general.

Evaluation of serum sCD40L and homocysteine levels with subclinical atherosclerosis indicators in patients with psoriasis: a pilot study.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory process associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular risk factors. sCD40L has been suggested to have a possible role in the pathogenesis, of psoriasis and is known to be associated with inflammation, atherogenesis and cardiovascular events. This study investigated cardiovascular risk factors (sCD40L and homocysteine) as well as subclinical atherosclerosis indicators in psoriatic patients and control subjects. The study included 56 consecutive patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis and 53 age and gender matched healthy controls admitted to a university hospital. Serum sCD40L and homocysteine levels were measured by ELISA. Carotid artery intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow mediated dilatation (FMD) measurements were determined ultrasonographically. Subjects who had a history of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors and receiving any systemic treatment were excluded from the study. Plasma sCD40L levels were significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared with healthy controls (1.33±0.72 vs. 0.98±0.70 ng/ml P=0.012), whereas plasma homocysteine levels did not differ significantly between the two groups. FMD was significantly reduced in the psoriasis group compared to the controls (3.83±5.03 vs. 8.45±7.27% P=0.0001). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated a significant association between psoriasis, sCD40L, and FMD. Psoriatic patients had higher sCD40L levels than healthy controls, which may lead to an increase in cardiovascular diseases. sCD40L may be a more reliable and early predictive marker of cardiovascular events in psoriatic patients. New treatmentoptions that will be developed over sCD40L will benefit in prevention of psoriasis and its cardiovascular comorbidities.

The effects of the diabetes related soft tissue hand lesions and the reduced hand strength on functional disability of hand in type 2 diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of diabetes related soft tissue hand lesions such as Dupuytren's disease, trigger finger and limited joint mobility (LJM) and the reduced hand strength on the functional disability of the hand in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Forty-four type 2 diabetic patients and 60 age and sex matched controls were included in the study. Subjects were examined for the presence of Dupuytren's disease, trigger finger and LJM. Grip strength was tested first with Jamar dynamometer followed by pinch strength measurements using by a manual pinchmeter. Electrophysiological studies were performed in both groups. Duruöz Hand Index (DHI) was used to assess the functional hand disability. RESULTS: The mean DHI score of the diabetics was significantly higher than controls (p<0.0001). Dupuytren's disease, trigger finger or LJM was not correlated with DHI in diabetic patients (p>0.05). The grip and pinch strengths were significantly lower in diabetic patients than the non-diabetic controls (p<0.05) and the grip and pinch strengths were negatively correlated with DHI in type 2 diabetic patients (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Dupuytren's disease, trigger finger and LJM did not cause to functional disability of hand but low hand strength was found to cause functional disability of hand in our type 2 diabetic patients.

Breast arterial calcifications associated with diabetes and hypertension.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between breast arterial calcifications (BACs) and systemic hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Mammograms and patient records of 2406 women who were screened for breast cancer or had undergone diagnostic mammography were reviewed retrospectively. Mammograms were evaluated for the presence of arterial calcification and results were coded. Patients who had been using insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents were included in the diabetic group; patients who had been using antihypertensive agents were included in the hypertensive group. Diabetes was defined as use of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin and hypertension was defined as use of antihypertensive agents. RESULTS: The prevalence of BACs among diabetics (25.4) was higher than among hypertensives (17.6%). The prevalence in the nondiabetic, nonhypertensive (NDNH) group was lowest (7.3%). The prevalence increased with age. BAC was seen almost four times more in diabetic patients and three times more in hypertensive patients than in NDNH controls. CONCLUSION: BACs are associated with diabetes and hypertension. BAC on a mammogram may indicate unsuspected diabetes or hypertension, especially after 59 years of age.

The effects of methidathion on lipid peroxidation and some liver enzymes: role of vitamins E and C.

Methidathion (MD) [ O, O-dimethyl S-(2,3-dihydro-5-methoxy-2-oxo-1,3,4-thiadiazol-3-ylmethyl) phosphorodithioate] is one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides (OPIs) in agriculture and public health programmes. We have, therefore, examined the in vivo and in vitro effects of MD on the serum activities of cholinesterase (ChE), enzymes concerning liver damage and lipid peroxidation (LPO; only in vivo), and have evaluated the ameliorating effects of a combination of vitamins E and C against MD toxicity. The in vivo experimental groups were: control group, MD-treated group (MD), and a group treated with MD plus vitamin E plus vitamin C (MD+Vit). The MD and MD+Vit groups were treated orally with a single dose of 8 mg MD/kg body weight at 0 h. Vitamin E and vitamin C were injected at doses of 150 mg/kg body weight i.m. and 200 mg/kg body weight i.p., respectively, 30 min after the treatment with MD in the MD+Vit group. Blood samples were taken 24 h after the MD administration. For in vitro study, venous blood samples were obtained from volunteers, and serum recovered. The activities of serum enzymes were determined in each sample and these served as 0 h values. Each sample was divided into four portions, each of which served as one of the experimental groups, as follows: control group, vitamin E plus vitamin C group (Vit), MD-treated group (MD) and MD plus vitamin E plus vitamin C group (MD+Vit). Vitamin E and vitamin C were added at doses of 7.5 and 10 micro g/ml, respectively, into the Vit and MD+Vit groups. MD was added at doses of 0.4 mg/ml into the MD and MD+Vit groups. The activities of serum enzymes were determined in each sample at 24 h. The results of the in vivo experiment demonstrated that thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were increased in the MD group compared with the control group, and decreased in the MD+Vit group compared with MD group. ChE activity was decreased in both MD and MD+Vit groups compared with controls and increased in the MD+Vit group compared with the MD group. The activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were increased in both the MD and MD+Vit groups compared with the control group. AST activity was decreased in MD+Vit group compared with the MD group. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was decreased in both the MD and MD+Vit groups compared with control group. The results of in vitro experiment showed that all enzyme activities remained unchanged in both the control and Vit groups compared with values at 0 h. The activities of ChE, ALT and LDH were decreased in both the MD and MD+Vit groups compared with 0 h values. There was no significant difference between the MD and MD+Vit groups. The activities of AST, ALP and GGT remained unchanged in all groups. From these results, it can be concluded that MD caused liver damage, and LPO may be one of the molecular mechanisms involved in MD-induced toxicity. Single-dose treatment with a combination of vitamins E and C after the administration of MD can reduce LPO caused by MD.