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OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the cognitive functioning of children and youth with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 68 children with type 1 diabetes, aged 6-17 years, divided into 3 groups according to the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c): group 1: HbA1c ≤ 6.0-7.5%; group 2: HbA1c 7.6-8.5%; group 3: HbA1c over 8.6%. Wechsler's intelligence scale (WISC-R), the Trail of 10 words and Brickenkamp's and Zillmer's d2 Test of Attention were used to assess cognitive functioning. RESULTS: The research demonstrated a significant influence of low, medium or high glycaemic control on lowering the general level of functioning in verbal intelligence, and in WISC-R subtests: information, vocabulary, comprehension, number sequencing and block design. CONCLUSIONS: Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus can experience difficulties in cognitive functioning, as a consequence of high HbA1c. Additional research, involving a larger group of patients and a wider age range when the disease was diagnosed, will enable further findings on the occurrence of cognitive impairment in T1DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to analyze and compare executive function performance in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 28 patients with CF, 30 patients with IBD and 30 healthy participants took part in the study (all in the age range of 7-17). All participants were in the intellectual norm. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was applied to assess executive functions. RESULTS: The CF group received significantly (p < 0.05) poorer scores than the control and IBD groups in the following WCST indicators: Number of trials administered, Total number of errors, Perseverative errors, Non-perseverative errors, Percent of conceptual level responses, Trials to complete the first category. The IBD group was not significantly different from the control group in any of the WCST indicators. CONCLUSIONS: To our best knowledge, results of this study are the first report of the presence of executive function deficits among pediatric patients with CF. It is also the first study that describes the performance of the executive function in IBD pediatric patients, and the first that compares cognitive functioning between CF and IBD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the chemical composition and anti-coccal properties of essential oils and methanolic extracts of six different Humulus lupulus L. varieties from Poland: Iunga, Marynka, Sybilla, Magnum, Tradition and Chinook. The activity of an α-acid-enriched fraction of methanolic extracts was also studied. The chemical composition of essential oils and extracts was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) techniques. The compounds characteristic to H. lupulus extracts include xanthohumol, α-acids, β-acids, and prenylated flavonoids. Essential oil compositions showed a high prevalence of monoterpene hydrocarbon, myrcene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, α-humulene and β-caryophyllene. The antimicrobial activity was investigated against eight human cocci pathogenic strains: Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (ATCC 43300), S. aureus MRSA (29213), S. aureus MSSA (ATCC 29213), S. epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), E. faecalis VRE (ATCC 51299), E. faecium (ATCC 19434) and Micrococcus luteus (ATCC 10240). The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were obtained for extracts and essential oils from Iunga hop samples. Extracts were significantly more active than essential oils. The most susceptible strain to both essential oils and extracts was M. luteus , whilst the least susceptible was E. faecium . The antimicrobial activity correlated with a high concentration of xanthohumol of active extracts rather than with the content of α-acids. Xanthohumol showed considerable activity against MRSA with an MIC value of 3.9 µg/mL. The activity of the α-acid-enriched fraction was mediocre compared to the results of all extracts.

Helicobacter pylori infections are highly common amongst the global population. Such infections have been shown to be the cause of gastric ulcers and stomach carcinoma and, unfortunately, most cases are asymptomatic. Standard treatment requires antibiotics such as metronidazole or azithromycin to which many strains are now resistant. Mentha species have been used as a natural treatment for gastrointestinal diseases throughout history and essential oils (EOs) derived from these plants show promising results as potential antimicrobial agents. In this study, EOs obtained from the leaves and flowers of five cultivars of Mentha × piperita and M. spicata were examined by GC-MS. The investigated mints are representatives of four chemotypes: the menthol chemotype ( M. × piperita 'Multimentha' and M. × piperita 'Swiss'), the piperitenone oxide chemotype ( M. × piperita 'Almira'), the linalool chemotype ( M. × piperita 'Granada'), and the carvone chemotype ( M. spicata 'Moroccan'). The chemical composition of EOs from mint flowers and leaves was comparable with the exception of the Swiss cultivar. Menthol was the most abundant component in the leaves while menthone was highest in flowers. The H. pylori ATCC 43504 reference strain and 10 other H. pylori clinical strains were examined for their sensitivity to the EOs in addition to their major monoterpenoid components (menthol, menthone, carvone, dihydrocarvone, linalool, 1,8-cineole, and limonene). All tested mint EOs showed inhibitory activity against both the reference H. pylori ATCC 43504 strain (MIC 15.6-31.3 mg/L) and clinical H. pylori strains (MIC 50/90 31.3-250 mg/L/62.5-500 mg/L). Among the reference monoterpenes, menthol (MIC 50/90 7.8/31.3 mg/L) and carvone (MIC 50/90 31.3/62.5 mg/L) had the highest anti- H. pylori activity, which also correlated with a higher activity of EOs containing these compounds ( M. × piperita 'Swiss' and M. spicata 'Moroccan'). A synergistic and additive interaction between the most active EOs/compounds and antibiotics possibly points to a new plant-based anti- H. pylori treatment.

Essential oils (EOs) with established and well-known activities against human pathogens might become new therapeutics in multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, including respiratory tract infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of EOs obtained from several samples of Origanum vulgare , O. syriacum, and O. majorana cultivated in Poland. EOs were analyzed by GC-MS and tested against four bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Haemophilus influenzae , Haemophilus parainfluenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Chemical analyses showed that the Eos were characterized by a high diversity in composition. Based on the chemical data, four chemotypes of Origanum EOs were confirmed. These were carvacrol, terpineol/sabinene hydrate, caryophyllene oxide, and thymol chemotypes. Thin-layer chromatography-bioautography confirmed the presence of biologically active antibacterial components in all tested EOs. The highest number of active spots were found among EOs with cis -sabinene hydrate as the major compound. On the other hand, the largest spots of inhibition were characteristic to EOs of the carvacrol chemotype. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were evaluated for the most active EOs: O. vulgare 'Hirtum', O. vulgare 'Margarita', O. vulgare 'Hot & Spicy', O. majorana , and O. syriacum (I) and (II); it was shown that both Haemophilus strains were the most sensitive with an MIC value of 0.15 mg/mL for all EOs. O. majorana EO was also the most active in the MIC assay and had the highest inhibitory rate in the anti-biofilm assay against all strains. The most characteristic components present in this EO were the trans -sabinene hydrate and terpinen-4-ol. The strain with the least sensitivity was the MRSA with an MIC of 0.6 mg/mL for all EOs except for O. majorana, where the MIC value reached 0.3 mg/mL. Scanning electron microscopy performed on the Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus parainfluenzae biofilms showed a visible decrease in the appearance of bacterial clusters under the influence of O. majorana EO.

Many of the essential oils obtained from medicinal plants possess proven antimicrobial activity and are suitable for medicinal purposes and applications in the food industry. The aim of the present work was the chemical analysis of 19 essential oils (EOs) from seven different Cymbopogon species ( C. nardus , C. citratus , C winterianus , C. flexuosus , C. schoenanthus , C. martinii , C. giganteus ). Five different chemotypes were established by GC/MS and TLC assay. The EOs, as well as some reference compounds, i.e., citronellol, geraniol and citral (neral + geranial), were also tested for their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by the microdilution method and direct bioautography. The toxicity of EOs was evaluated by Danio rerio 'Zebrafish' model assay. All examined EOs showed moderate to high activity against MRSA, with the highest activity noted for C. flexuosus -lemongrass essential oil, both in microdilution and direct autobiography method. Significant difference in the toxicity of the examined EOs was also detected.

The main aim of the study was to analyze and compare attention and memory performance in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in healthy controls. 28 patients with CF, 30 patients with IBD and 30 healthy subjects took part in the study (all in age range of 7-17). All subjects were in intellectual norm. To analyze the functioning of attention, the d2 Test of Attention by Brickenkamp (d2 test) was applied. Memory performance was assessed using the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) and the Trial of 10 words. The CF and IBD groups committed significantly more errors in the d2 test than the healthy controls. The CF group also had significantly higher fluctuation rates and received significantly lower scores in overall concentration performance than the control group. Patients with CF made more mistakes and had fewer correct memory projections in BVRT than the healthy controls. Patients with IBD committed significantly more errors in BVRT than the control group. Patients with CF and IBD also got significantly lower scores in the Trial of 10 words than the control group. Pediatric patients with CF and IBD performed more poorly than the healthy controls on attention and memory tests. More distinct cognitive impairments were observed in the CF group. Further research is needed to find the underlying mechanisms and clinical and/or functional significance of observed cognitive deficits., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© American Federation for Medical Research (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Unlabelled: Risks and benefits of simeprevir plus sofosbuvir (SIM+SOF) in patients with advanced cirrhosis are unknown. We assessed the safety and sustained virological responses (SVR) of SIM+SOF with and without ribavirin (RBV) in patients with Child-Pugh (CP)-B/C versus CP-A cirrhosis and compared to matched untreated controls. This study was of a multicenter cohort of adults with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and cirrhosis treated with SIM+SOF with/without RBV for 12 weeks. Controls were matched on treatment center, age, CP class, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Of 160 patients treated with SIM+SOF with/without RBV, 35% had CP-B/C and 64% had CP-A, with median baseline MELD 9 (interquartile range, 8-11). Sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) was achieved by 73% of CP-B/C versus 91% of CP-A (P < 0.01). CP-B/C versus CP-A had more early treatment discontinuations (11% vs. 1%), adverse events (AEs) requiring hospitalization (22% vs. 2%), infections requiring antibiotics (20% vs. 1%), and hepatic decompensating events (20% vs. 3%; all P < 0.01). There were 2 deaths: 1 CP-B/C (liver related) and 1 CP-A (not liver related). In multivariate analysis, CP-B/C independently predicted lack of SVR12 (odds ratio, 0.27; 95% confidence interval: 0.08-0.92). In comparing SIM+SOF-treated patients versus matched untreated controls, AEs requiring hospitalization (9% vs. 13%; P = 0.55), infections (8% vs. 6%; P = 0.47), and events of decompensation (9% vs. 10%; P = 0.78) occurred at similar frequency., Conclusions: SIM+SOF with/without RBV has lower efficacy and higher rates of AEs in patients with CP-B/C cirrhosis, compared to CP-A. Frequency of adverse safety outcomes were similar to matched untreated controls, suggesting that safety events reflect the natural history of cirrhosis and are not related to treatment., (© 2015 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Aim: Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most severe chronic diseases. In many cases it leads to disability and results in a decreased quality of life and increased levels of anxiety and depression. The problem that needs to be addressed is the following: which mental processes lead to increased levels of depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?, Methods: 210 patients with rheumatoid arthritis hospitalized in rheumatology wards took part in the research. They filled in illness perception questionnaires (IPQ-R) and questionnaires for testing strategies of handling stress (Mini-COPE) and the level of depression (CES-D)., Results: The observed correlation coefficients indicate that several elements of the perception of one's disease moderately contribute to a high level of depression. Moreover, frequent use of dysfunctional coping strategies contributed to high levels of depression. Dysfunctional coping was moderately linked to depression., Conclusion: The conducted analyses confirmed the links between the beliefs about the disease and levels of depression and showed that the use of dysfunctional coping strategies mediates the relationship between the following elements of the representation of the disease: illness coherence, emotional representation, psychological attribution, risk factors, and the level of depression.

Endothelial cells are known to bind to laminin, and two peptides derived from the laminin A (CTFALRGDNP) and B1 (CDPGYIGSR) chains block the capillary-like tube formation on a laminin-rich basement membrane matrix, Matrigel. In the present study, we have used various in vitro and in vivo assays to investigate the angiogenic-biologic effects of a third active site in the laminin A chain, CSRARKQAASIKVAVSADR (designated PA22-2) on endothelial cells. The SIKVAV-containing peptide was as active as the YIGSR-containing peptide for endothelial cell attachment but was less active than either the RGD-containing peptide or intact laminin. Endothelial cells seeded on this peptide appeared fibroblastic with many extended processes, unlike the normal cobblestone morphology observed on tissue culture plastic. In addition, in contrast to normal tube formation on Matrigel, short irregular structures formed, some of which penetrated the matrix and sprouting was more apparent. Analysis of endothelial cell conditioned media of cells cultured in the presence of this peptide indicated degradation of the Matrigel and zymograms demonstrated active collagenase IV (gelatinase) at 68 and 62 Kd. A murine in vivo angiogenesis assay and the chick yolk sac/chorioallantoic membrane assays with the peptide demonstrated increased endothelial cell mobilization, capillary branching, and vessel formation. These data suggest that the -SIKVAV-site may play an important role in initiating branching and formation of new capillaries from the parent vessels, a behavior that is observed in vivo in response to tumor growth or in the normal vascular response to injury.