Voxel-based magnetic resonance imaging investigation of poor and preserved clinical insight in people with schizophrenia

AIM To define regional grey-matter abnormalities in schizophrenia patients with poor insight(Insight-),relative to patients with preserved clinical insight(Insight+),and healthy controls.METHODS Forty stable schizophrenia outpatients(20 Insight-and 20 Insight+) and 20 healthy controls underwent whole brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).Insight in all patients was assessed using the Birchwood Insight Scale(BIS;a self-report measure).The two patient groups were preselected to match on most clinical and demographic parameters but,by design,they had markedly distinct BIS scores.Voxel-based morphometry employed in SPM8 was used to examine group differences in grey matter volumes across the whole brain.RESULTS The three participant groups were comparable in age [F(2,57) = 0.34,P = 0.71] and the patient groups did not differ in age at illness onset [t(38) = 0.87,P = 0.39].Insight-and Insight+ patient groups also did not differ in symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndromes scale(PANSS):Positive symptoms [t(38) = 0.58,P = 0.57],negative symptoms [t(38) = 0.61,P = 0.55],general psychopathology [t(38) = 1.30,P = 0.20] and total PANSS scores [t(38) = 0.21,P = 0.84].The two patient groups,as expected,varied significantly in the level of BIS-assessed insight [t(38) = 12.11,P < 0.001].MRI results revealed lower fronto-temporal,parahippocampal,occipital and cerebellar grey matter volumes in Insightpatients,relative to Insight+ patients and healthy controls(for all clusters,family-wise error corrected P < 0.05).Insight+ patient and healthy controls did not differ significantly(P > 0.20) from each other.CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate a clear association between poor clinical insight and smaller fronto-temporal,occipital and cerebellar grey matter volumes in stable long-term schizophrenia patients.

Corrosion of Snails (Gastropods) in Acidic Environment and Their Protection

Snails’ protection is essential because this species is to maintain a balanced ecology of water sources. They occur in rivers as well as ponds and balance the pH level of water. But these sources of water are contaminated by effluents, pollutants, acid rain, particulates, biological wastes etc. They can change the pH of water. Water is absorber of carbon dioxide and it converts carbon dioxide into carbonic. Other above mentioned wastes also increase the concentration of H+ ions in water. They produce hostile environment for snails. The outer part of snails is made of CaCO3. It produces chemical reaction in acidic medium and corrosion reaction is accelerated, and thus deterioration starts on the surface of snails. This medium makes their survival become miserable. For this work, corrosion of the snails’ study in the pH values of water is 6.5 in H2CO3 environment. The corrosion rates of snails were calculated by gravimetric methods and potentiostat technique. Aloe Vera was used for corrosion protection in acidic medium. The surface adsorption phenomenon was studied by Langmuir isotherm. Aloe Vera formed thin surface film on the interface of snails which adhered with chemical bonding. It was confirmed by activation energy, heat of adsorption, free energy, enthalpy and entropy. The results of surface coverage area and inhibitors efficiency indicated that Aloe Vera developed a strong protective barrier in the acidic medium.