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Background: Gaze following difficulties are considered an early marker of autism, thought likely to cumulatively impact the development of social cognition, language and social skills. Subtle differences in gaze following abilities may contribute to the diverse range social and communicative autistic characteristics observed across people with genetic syndromes, such as Cornelia de Lange (CdLS) and fragile X (FXS) syndromes., Aims: To compare profiles of 1) visual attention to the eye region at critical points of the attention direction process, 2) whether children follow the gaze cue to the object, and 3) participant looking time to the target object following the gaze cue between groups and conditions., Materials and Methods: Children with CdLS (N = 11) and FXS (N = 8) and autistic (N = 22) and neurotypical (N = 15) children took part in a passive viewing paradigm adapted from Senju and Csibra (2008), in which videos of a central cue (ball/cartoon face/human face) directed attention towards one of two objects. Visual attention patterns were recorded via eye tracking technology., Results: Neurotypical children were used as a reference group against which the autistic, CdLS and FXS groups were compared. Although autistic children looked at the eye region for significantly less time, they looked at the target object as frequently and for a similar duration as neurotypical children. Children with FXS looked at the target as frequently as neurotypical children but looked at it for comparatively less time. Both neurotypical children and children with CdLS frequently looked at the eye region, but children with CdLS were less likely to look at the target than neurotypical children., Conclusions: Findings provide preliminary evidence of unique patterns of visual attention and gaze following strategies in children with CdLS, children with FXS and autistic children. These unique gaze following patterns may underpin the distinct profiles of social and communication autistic traits observed between these groups., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction : Health technology assessment (HTA) in Poland supports reimbursement decisions via the Polish HTA Agency (AOTMiT), whose guidelines were updated in 2016. Methods : We identified key changes introduced by the update and, before guideline publication, analysed discrepancies between AOTMiT assessments and the submitting marketing authorisation holders (MAHs) to elucidate the context of the update. We compared the clarity and detail of the new guidelines versus those of the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Results : The update specified more precise requirements for items such as indirect comparison or input data for economic modelling. Agency-MAH discrepancies relating to the subjects of the HTA update were found in 14.6% of published documents. The new Polish HTA guidelines were as clear and detailed as NICE's on topics such as assessing quality of evidence and economic modelling, but were less informative when describing (for example) pairwise meta-analysis. Conclusions : The Polish HTA guidelines update demonstrates lessons learned from internal and external experiences. The new guidelines adhere more closely to UK HTA standards, being clearer and more informative. While the update is expected to reduce Agency-MAH discrepancies, there remain areas for development, such as providing templates to aid HTA submissions.

Rhythm and conductivity disturbances in heart muscle, change in autonomic system function and raised arterial blood pressure have been described in workers exposed to lead. They may be accompanied by changes in echocardiography test and accordingly we undertook this investigation. The study population included employees of zinc and lead steelworks in the south of Poland that were divided into 2 groups: exposed to lead compounds (n=88) and the reference group - administration workers (n=55) with normal levels of lead concentration in blood (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin in blood. Left ventricular enddiastolic dimension (LVDd), interventricular septal and posterior wall thickness, right ventricular diastolic, left atrium diameter, aortic diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) in echocardiograms were performed. Left ventricular mass LVM (g) and left ventricular mass index LVMI (g/m(2)) was calculated. In the group exposed to lead, EF decreased by 3 %, increased LVDd by 6 %, and raised LVM by 11 % and LVMI by 10 %. There was a positive relation between PbB and LVDd (R=0.18) and between PbB and LVM (R=0.14). Decreased EF, enlargement of the left ventricle and raised left ventricle mass in research undertaken, may be a result of raised arterial blood tension.

The aim of this study was to estimate the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in erythrocytes in healthy male employees of zinc and lead steelworks who were occupationally exposed to lead over a long period of time (about 15 yr). Workers were divided into two subgroups: the first included employees with low exposure to lead (LL) (n=75) with blood lead level PbB=25-40 microg/dL and the second with high exposure to lead (HL) (n=62) with PbB over 40 microg/dL. Administration workers (n=35) with normal levels of PbB and zinc protoporphyrin in blood (ZPP) in blood were the control group. The activity of GPx significantly increased in LL when compared to the control group (p<0.001) and decreased when compared to the HL group (p=0.036). There were no significant changes in activity of GR in the study population. MDA erythrocyte concentration significantly increased in the HL group compared to the control (p=0.014) and to the LL group (p=0.024). For the people with low exposure to lead (PbB=25-40 microg/dL), the increase of activity of GPx by about 79% in erythrocytes prevented lipid peroxidation and it appears to be the adaptive mechanism against the toxic effect of lead. People with high exposure to lead (with PbB over 40 microg/dL) have shown an increase in MDA concentration in erythrocytes by about 91%, which seems to have resulted from reduced activity of GPx and the lack of increase in activity of GR in blood red cells.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to specify influence of lead and cadmium on semen parameters., Material and Methods: Concentrations of both elements were determined in semen samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometry of 57 men with teratozoospermic, astenozoospermic and oligozoospermic (studied group) and 39 normozoospermic group (control group). Semen morphology was conducted in accordance with WHO regulations., Results and Conclusions: We did not find any difference in concentration of these elements in both groups. We found a positive correlation between lead and cadmium in seminal plasma.

Blood lead level, urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid level, blood pressure, age, time of exposure, BMI were measured in zinc and lead foundry workers (n = 249) occupationally exposed to lead. Arterial hypertension was defined as the blood pressure over 140/90 and/or early diagnosed hypertension. Logistic regression analysis and correlation show that there is a relationship between ALA concentration and arterial hypertension (R = 0.12, p < 0.05). Workers were divided into a study group (ALA > or = 4 mg/l) and a control group (ALA < 4 mg/l). Both groups did not differ in age (mean 44.0 years in study group vs 45.3 in control group), time of exposure to lead (mean 21.1 years vs 21.7 years) and BMI (26.5 kg/m2 vs 26.7 kg/m2). Blood lead level was statistically significantly higher in the study group (23.5 micrograms/dl vs 16.8 micrograms/dl, p < 0.001) as well as urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid level (5.35 mg/l vs 2.79 mg/l < 0.001). In the study group there was a two fold increase in higher blood pressure in comparison with control group (OR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.09-3.32). Exposure to lead even in small doses may increase arterial blood pressure and it seems to be associated with prooxidant effects of delta-aminolevulinic acid.

The advisability of examination of compressive bandages is discussed. The manner of the therapeutic action in changed leg venous system is given. The methods for examination of the elastic stockings and elastic bandages are presented.