Validity and ethics of penile circumference measures of sexual arousal: A reply to McConaghy

McConaghy (1989) argued that the validity of penile circumference responses (PCRs) is at best unestablished and that penile volume responses (PVRs) have been demonstrated to be clearly superior indices of sexual arousal and orientation. In his critique, McConaghy stated that (i) penile erection has been incorrectly identified with sexual arousal, (ii) that PCRs have not been shown to accurately discriminate between divergent patterns of sexual arousal (including paraphilias), (iii) that the methodologies used to compare the two types of transducers are inappropriate, and (iv) that PCRs should not be used for diagnostic and treatment decisions. In this paper, McConaghy's criticisms are reviewed in the context of the existing literature on the subject. Although PCRs and PVRs involve different methodologies, they generally yield results that bear more similarities than differences. Furthermore, there is an extensive and growing literature on the use of PCR measures with various paraphilias. Several of McConaghy's arguments should be considered tentative while others are clearly unsubstantiated. Most of McConaghy's concerns over the validity and uses of PCR measures are empirical questions. Suggestions for future research are offered.     

Corpectomy for multi-level cervical spondylosis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament

The choice of a surgical approach for multi-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is still a controversial issue. While most of the surgeons are still performing decompression by laminectomy some are doing multi-level anterior decompression. Few neurosurgeons are performing decompression by corpectomy. We have treated 26 patients by median cervical corpectomy during the last 4 years. These patients were followed up for a mean period of 25 months. Twenty one (80%) patients had a good outcome, 2 patients remained unchanged and 3 expired. Review of the literature and our experience indicates that patients with CSM and OPLL should be operated by median cervical corpectomy (anterior approach).     

Challenging the Presumption of Diminished Capacity to Parent: Does Divorce Really Change Parenting Practices?*

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to determine whether divorced parents exhibit a diminished capacity to parent in the period following divorce. Using 2 waves of data from a national survey of Canadian children, the current study prospectively follows 5,004 children living in 2–biological parent households at initial interview and compares changes in parenting practices between households that subsequently divorce and those that remain intact. Results show that divorce is unrelated to changes in parenting behavior, suggesting that there are more similarities than differences in parenting among recently divorced and continuously married parents.     

低浓度5-Fu24-小时持续化疗对BEL-7402肝癌细胞株的细胞周期的影响

目的研究低浓度5-Fu 24-小时持续化疗和高浓度5-Fu短时间化疗对BEL-7402肝癌细胞株的细胞周期的影响：方法用低浓度(1000．0μg/L)的5．Fu对BEL-7402肝癌细胞株进行持续24小时的培养(A组)，用高浓度(50000．0μg/L)的5-Fu对BEL-1 7402肝癌细胞株进行2小时培养(B组)，在培养后的不同时间点用流式细胞技术检测细胞周期的变化。结果A组结果显示：0h、4h、8h、12h、16h、20h和24h的S期细胞的百分数分别为25.23％、32．35％、39．28％、41．05％、46．02％、47．00％及47．14％。B组结果显示：0h、4h、8h、12h、16h、20h和24h的S期细胞的百分数分别为24．68％、68．43％、46．67％、43．67％、35．42％、33．22％及32．96％。结论5-Fu引起的S期细胞周期阻滞不但和浓度相关，也和作用时间相关。低浓度(1000．0μg/L)的5-Fu持续化疗较高浓度(50000．0μg/L)的5-Fu短时间(2小时)化疗更容易引起BEL-7402肝癌细胞株S期阻滞。     

The Effect of Cuts in Medicare Reimbursement on Hospital Mortality

Objective. To determine if patients treated at hospitals under different levels of financial strain from the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 had differential changes in 30-day mortality, and whether vulnerable patient populations such as the uninsured were disproportionately affected.
Data Source. Hospital discharge data from all general acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2001.
Study Design. A multivariate regression analysis was performed retrospectively on 30-day mortality rates, using hospital discharge data, hospital financial data, and death certificate information from Pennsylvania.
Data Collection. We used 370,017 hospital episodes with one of four conditions identified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as inpatient quality indicators were extracted.
Principal Findings. The average magnitude of Medicare payment reduction on overall net revenues was estimated at 1.8 percent for hospitals with low BBA impact and 3.6 percent for hospitals with a high impact in 1998, worsening to 2 and 4.8 percent, respectively, by 2001. Operating margins decreased significantly over the time period for all hospitals ( p <.05). While unadjusted mortality rates demonstrated a disproportionate rise in mortality for patients from high impact hospitals from 1997 to 2000, adjusted analyses show no consistent, significant difference in the rate of change in mortality between high-impact and low-impact hospitals ( p =.04–.94). Similarly, uninsured patients did not experience greater increases in mortality in high-impact hospitals relative to low-impact hospitals.
Conclusions. An analysis of hospitalizations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did not find an adverse impact of increased financial strain from the BBA on patient mortality either among all patients or among the uninsured.     

绿脓杆菌MSHA菌毛株菌苗与白血病免疫应答反应

绿脓杆菌(MSHA)菌苗是一种具有广谱抗感染效果的免疫调节剂。我们观察了20例白血病患者多次疫苗主动免疫的免疫应答反应,14例病人血中广谱抗体效价升高,临床上有很好的治疗反应,6例抗体效价无变化,而临床症状加重,最后均死于败血症。上述结果提示白血病病人对疫苗的免疫应答反应,在白血病缓解中起着重要作用,对临床早期准确判断白血病患者的预后很有意义。     

Age-related changes in oxygen saturation over the first year of life: A longitudinal study

Stability of oxygen saturation depends on maturation and function of individual components of the respiratory system. The aim of this study was to record and analyse comprehensive oxygen saturation data in a longitudinal study over the first year of life. Detailed sleep studies were performed on 15 normal infants eight times in the first year of life. The accrued oxygen saturation data were analysed on a computerized oximetry data analysis system. Results show the mean sleep saturation levels trending upwards and stabilizing by 185 days. There was an inverse curvilinear relationship between mean age and median desaturation time and the median number of desaturations at ≥95, ≥92 and ≥90% saturation. The mean cumulative desaturation time ≥90% in the first 4 months was 11.08 min (range 2.5–36.57 min). This study demonstrates monotonic patterns of increasing saturation and decreasing number and time of desaturations ≥95% and ≥90% but a random pattern of desaturations ≥85% occurs across the first 6 months of life. Cumulative desaturation times over the first 4 months of life were high and could be important to the development of maturity of the respiratory system. After 6 months, all indices of saturation and desaturation point to a stable and mature respiratory system.     

青天葵抗甲、乙型流感病毒作用研究

目的研究青天葵在体外抗甲、乙型流感病毒株作用。方法选用狗肾细胞培养法考察青天葵不同极性部位对甲型(FM1)、乙型(昆40B)流感病毒的作用。结果青天葵水溶性部位对甲型流感病毒FM1有抑制作用。结论青天葵具有体外抗甲型流感病毒作用。     

牵张力作用下培养的人牙周膜成纤维细胞生成NO的实验研究

目的：观察在机械牵张力作用下牙周膜成纤维细胞NO的生成情况以及iNOS的表达情况。方法：用自行研制的细胞加载系统，对培养至第4代的人牙周膜成纤维细胞施以频率为每分钟6个周期（5s拉伸，5s松弛）、拉伸率为12％的牵张力，分别于加载后3，10，20，40，60min取上清液进行NO含量检测；以及于加载24，48，96h后固定细胞，进行iNOS免疫组化反应。结果：NO含量在所研究时间范围内逐渐增加；iNOS免疫组化结果显示iNOS的染色强度随着作用时间延长而增强。结论：牙周膜成纤维细胞在机械牵张力作用下合成NO增多，它可能通过合成和释放NO这一途径，在应力作用下的牙周组织改建过程中起作用。