BackgroundThe views of one’s self-stigma and quality of life (QoL) in patients with schizophrenia and depressive disorders are significant subjective notions, both being proven to affect patient’s functioning in life. The objective of this study was to investigate the QoL and self-stigma in connection with demographic factors and compare the two groups of patients in terms of those variables.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, the outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and depressive disorders completed the Quality of Life Satisfaction and Enjoyment Questionnaire, the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, and a demographic questionnaire during a routine psychiatric control. Furthermore, both patients and their psychiatrists evaluated the severity of the disorder by Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale.ResultsThe QoL of patients with depressive disorders or schizophrenia spectrum disorders did not significantly differ between the two groups. In both groups, unemployment was perceived to be a significant factor decreasing the QoL. Self-stigma was detected to be higher in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders than in patients with depressive disorders. A strong correlation was found between the two scales, meaning that those with higher levels of self-stigmatization were less prone to see their life as fulfilling and joyful.ConclusionThis study shows that the degree of the internalized stigma can be an important aspect linked to the QoL irrespective of the diagnostic category.

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Although different in their concepts, the traditional and modern approaches based on mathematical models can be seen as complementary giving, in principle, the same information about the acid-base status of plasma.

As has been known for over a century, oxygen binding onto hemoglobin is influenced by the activity of hydrogen ions (H⁺), as well as the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂). As is also known, the binding of both CO₂and H⁺ on terminal valine-1 residues is competitive. One-parametric situations of these hemoglobin equilibria at specific levels of H⁺, O₂or CO₂are also well described. However, we think interpolating or extrapolating this knowledge into an 'empirical' function of three independent variables has not yet been completely satisfactory. We present a model that integrates three orthogonal views of hemoglobin oxygenation, titration, and carbamination at different temperatures. The model is based only on chemical principles, Adair's oxygenation steps and Van't Hoff equation of temperature dependences. Our model fits the measurements of the Haldane coefficient and CO₂hemoglobin saturation. It also fits the oxygen dissociation curve influenced by simultaneous changes in H⁺, CO₂and O₂, which makes it a strong candidate for integration into more complex models of blood acid-base with gas transport, where any combination of mentioned substances can appear.

Abstract:The Atlas of Physiology and Pathophysiology designed as a multimedia-teaching tool, which helps to explain the function of individual physiological systems, causes and symptoms of their disorders in a visual way through the Internet is one of the projects in which we want to utilize new opportunities of multimedia and simulation models. Development of the Atlas requires cooperation of many professionals: Starting from experienced teachers whose design provides the foundation of quality educational applications, system analysts responsible for creating simulation models for educational simulation games in cooperation with professionals in their field, artists creating the visuals, and finally up to programmers who "knit" together the whole application to achieve its final form. For the interdisciplinary collective creation to be successful, specific development tools with sufficient technical support must be used in each phase of creation; such tools allow for component-based creation of simulation models, creation of interactive multimedia and their final interconnection into a compact unit based on the given design. The Atlas of Physiology and Pathophysiology is a freely available application.