Evidence of semantic disorganisation using semantic priming in individuals with high schizotypy.

Semantic processing deficits are present in schizophrenia and are particularly evident on semantic priming tasks. Using high schizotypes (psychosis-prone individuals) can overcome some confounds involved in studying actively symptomatic schizophrenics. In the current study, 26 high and 32 low scorers on the O-LIFE schizotypy scale (from a sample of 251 students) were selected for testing. All subjects were administered a lexical-decision semantic priming task where half the stimuli had a short 200 ms stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA, length of time from onset of prime to onset of target) and half the stimuli had a long 750 ms SOA. In addition, half the words were of high frequency and half of a low frequency. There were no group differences in priming for words of different frequencies. Low schizotypes showed greater priming at the 200 ms SOA than at the 750 ms SOA, whilst individuals with high schizotypy showed the opposite pattern. The pattern shown by the low schizotypes replicates earlier work by the authors using other normal control samples; establishing that there is greater priming under conditions of automatic spreading of activation. Furthermore, the data shows there is not an increase in automatic spreading of activation in individuals with high schizotypy. There has been controversy in the schizophrenia literature over whether there is increased priming under automatic conditions. The current study suggests that, when confounds are controlled for, schizophrenia-like symptoms are not related to an increase in automatic spreading of activation.

Halving of body weight: a case of an ovarian mucinous cystadenoma.

Benign, mucinous cystadenomatas account for 15% all ovarian neoplasms and of these, giant variants occur rarely. Ovarian masses, particularly mucinous cystadenomas, are among the largest tumours known. Surgery is the treatment of choice for a large mucinous cystadenoma. In this report we present an interesting case of an ovarian mucinous cystadenoma weighing 40 kg. Surgical treatment was successful and the patient adjusted well to her postoperative body image.

Peptide Binding for Bio-Based Nanomaterials.

Peptide-based strategies represent transformative approaches to fabricate functional inorganic materials under sustainable conditions by modeling the methods exploited in biology. In general, peptides with inorganic affinity and specificity have been isolated from organisms and through biocombinatorial selection techniques (ie, phage and cell surface display). These peptides recognize and bind the inorganic surface through a series of noncovalent interactions, driven by both enthalpic and entropic contributions, wherein the biomolecules wrap the metallic nanoparticle structure. Through these interactions, modification of the inorganic surface can be accessed to drive the incorporation of significantly disordered surface metal atoms, which have been found to be highly catalytically active for a variety of chemical transformations. We have employed synthetic, site-directed mutagenesis studies to reveal localized binding effects of the peptide at the metallic nanoparticle structure to begin to identify the biological basis of control over biomimetic nanoparticle catalytic activity. The protocols described herein were used to fabricate and characterize peptide-capped nanoparticles in atomic resolution to identify peptide sequence effects on the surface structure of the materials, which can then be directly correlated to the catalytic activity to identify structure/function relationships.

Informed consent: what do patients want to know?

AIM: To determine which aspects of informed consent are important to patients and surgeons and to determine where there is disparity and similarity. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed from the Disability Commissioner's Regulations (1996) and was administered to 256 patients and 37 doctors at Christchurch Hospital. RESULTS: According to patients the five most important aspects of informed consent were: (1) the major risks, (2) quality of life, (3) outcome, (4) consequences of not undergoing the procedure and (5) quantity of life. The five most important aspects to the doctors were (1) the general nature of the procedure, (2) major risks, (3) consequences of not undergoing the procedure, (4) alternative options and (5) consequences of the procedure in regard to management. The aspects of informed consent of greatest divergence (power of divergence, p < 0.05) between patient and doctor were (1) the importance of technical details of the procedure, (2) cost to the country, (3) qualifications of the doctor, (4) experimental and non-conventional treatment options and (5) whether the doctor would have the procedure if they were in the position of the patient. CONCLUSIONS: This study has identified aspects of informed consent that patients and doctors consider important, as well as aspects where there are significant differences. Both patients and doctors consider the explanations of risks and complications important, especially if the complication is serious and risk is greater than 1 in 1000. Patients consider aspects of outcome (quantity and quality of life) important, while doctors are concerned about "process" including the general nature of the procedure and consequences of the procedure for the patient's management. This study gives direction to medical practitioners concerning what it is that patient's are wanting to know during informed consent about a procedure.