Female urinary incontinence and the construction of nineteenth-century stigmatized womanhood

Before the 20th century, female urinary incontinence was a problematic disease because it presented a medical challenge (it was difficult to treat before the advent of surgical techniques) and prevented women from fulfilling their roles as spouses and caretakers. The latter was particularly troublesome during the 19th century when Western women (ie, white, middle/upper class, Protestant women) were expected to follow rigid, socially constructed gender roles, especially within the private microcosm of the family unit. Incontinent women of childbearing age had no place in the hierarchy of Euro-American society and were thus constructed as impure, polluted, and sexually undesirable. This stigmatization of the incontinent body not only marginalized the medical needs of the suffering woman but also characterized her as an unfeminine, contaminated, and repulsive object to be ostracized and excluded from the social rituals that defined selfhood.     

Levels of oxidative stress parameters and the protective effects of melatonin in psychosis model rat testis

Aim： To evaluate the effects of melatonin on antioxidant enzyme levels and histopathologic changes in dizocilpine （MK-801）-induced psychosis model rat testis. Methods： A total of 24 adult male Wistar-Albino rats were divided into three groups with 8 in each. Group I was used as control. Rats in Group II were injected with MK-801 （0.5 mg/kg body weight i.p. for 5 days）. In addition to MK-801, melatonin （50 mg/kg body weight i.p. once a day for 5 days） was injected into the rats in Group Ⅲ. The testes were harvested bilaterally for biochemical and histopathological examinations. Antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and nitric oxide （NO） levels in testicular tissues were analyzed using spectrophotometric analysis methods. Histopathological examinations of the testes were also performed. Results： MK-801 induced testicular damage, which resulted in significant oxidative stress （OS） by increasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes. The malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl and NO levels were increased in testicular tissues of rats. Treatment with melatonin led to significant decrease in oxidative injury. Administration of melatonin also reduced the detrimental histopathologic effects caused by MK-801. Conclusion： The results of the present study showed that MK-801 cause OS in testicular tissues of rats and treatment with melatonin can reduce the harmful effects＇of MK-801. （Asian JAndro12008 Mar; 10： 259-265）     

B-type natriuretic peptide levels in patients with COPD and normal right ventricular function

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that elevated plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are found in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and right ventricular dysfunction. We examined the effects of exercise on plasma BNP levels in patients with COPD who have normal right ventricular function METHODS: Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of COPD and normal right ventricular function demonstrated by radionuclide ventriculography, and 17 age-and sex-matched healthy subjects underwent a treadmill exercise test. Plasma BNP levels were measured sequentially before, immediately after, and 1 hour after the exercise test RESULTS: The mean plasma BNP+/-standard deviation levels of the COPD and control groups before exercise were 21.3+/-16 pg/ml and 13.4+/-11 pg/ml, respectively (P>0.05). Mean plasma BNP level measured immediately after exercise was 37.9+/-31 pg/ml in the COPD group, reflecting a statistically significant increase when compared with the initial value (P<0.05). The control group did not show any significant change in plasma BNP levels after the exercise test CONCLUSIONS: Exercise induces an increase in plasma BNP levels in patients with COPD who do not have right ventricular dysfunction at rest. Measurement of exercise-induced BNP levels may be a useful alternative to pulmonary artery catheterisation in identifying the patients who are likely to benefit from long-term oxygen therapy.     

Efficacy of isokinetic exercise on joint position sense and muscle strength in patellofemoral pain syndrome

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the impairment of knee joint position sense in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome and investigate the effects of isokinetic exercise on knee joint position sense and muscle strength. DESIGN: A total of 24 male patients complaining of anterior knee pain caused by overexertion and 24 male healthy individuals without symptoms were included for this investigation. Isokinetic exercise protocol was carried out at angular velocities of 60 degrees/sec and 180 degrees/sec. These sessions were repeated three times per week and lasted for 6 wks. At the beginning and after 6 wks of knee passive joint position sense, quadriceps and hamstring muscle strength and pain assessments were performed. RESULTS: After the isokinetic exercise, flexion peak torque (P < 0.05), extension peak torque (P < 0.01), flexion total work (P < 0.001), extension total work (P < 0.001), passive reproduction of knee joint position sense for 40 degrees of flexion (P < 0.05) and 50 degrees of extension (P < 0.01), and pain score (P < 0.001) improved significantly in the patellofemoral pain syndrome group. CONCLUSION: Isokinetic exercises have positive effects on passive position sense of knee joints, increasing the muscular strength and work capacity. These findings show that using the present isokinetic exercise in rehabilitation protocols of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome not only improves the knee joint stabilization but also the proprioceptive acuity.     

An unusual case of osteoid osteoma clinically mimicking sacroiliitis

Osteoid osteoma is one of the unusual causes of musculosceletal pain. A case of a 21-year-old man who had low back and hip pain radiating to the posterior thigh for 3 years is presented. Pain was worse at night but reduced with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Straight leg raising test was negative. Patrick–Fabere and sacroiliac compression tests were positive on the right. Neurological examination was normal. Lumbar spinal and pelvic radiographs were normal except for sclerosis at the inferior half of the iliac bone adjacent to the right sacroiliac joint. Sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and whole blood counts were normal. Bone scan showed nonspecific increased uptake. Computed tomography revealed the presence of diffuse sclerosis at inferior half of the right iliac bone extending to medial border of sacroiliac joint with subcortical osteolytic region and centrally hyperdense sclerotic nidus inside.     

Intraobserver and interobserver agreements of leg circumference measurements by tape measure based on 3 reference points

The objective of this study was to evaluate the intraobserver and interobserver agreements in tape measurements of the ankle and calf circumference with due emphasis on the 3 main reference points, the patella, the tibial tuberosity, and the medial malleolus. The leg circumference at 2 locations was measured in 66 patients in the mornings of 2 consecutive days by 6 observers. Finally, a blinded couple measured leg circumferences at a line created on calves with a ballpoint pen of 68 outpatients to calculate interobserver agreement for lined regions. Leg circumference measurement was accepted as correct when the difference was less than 0.6 cm in 2 occasions. Intraobserver and interobserver agreements were calculated as the percentage of correct measurements. Chi-square test was used to compare intraobserver and interobserver agreements for each reference point. At the calf region, intraobserver and interobserver agreements based on the tibial tuberosity (88% and 81%) were better than those of the patella (65% and 57%) and the medial malleolus (73% and 65%). On the other hand, at above the ankle region, the agreements (79% and 62%) were also better than those of the patella (60% and 43%) and nearly the same as those of the medial malleolus (86% and 65%). Finally, interobserver agreement of the measurements at the created line with ballpoint pen (96%) was better when compared to those of the tibial tuberosity (81%), the patella (57%), and medial malleolus (65%) (p = 0.005, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). The results of this study suggest that the tibial tuberosity as a reference point for leg circumference measurement has better intraobserver and interobserver agreements than those of the patella and the medial malleoli.     

Pulmonary hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis

Using Doppler echocardiography (DE), we measured pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients without coexisting cardiopulmonary diseases. Accepting the normal upper limit of PASP as 30 mmHg, we found elevated PASP in 11 out of 40 (27.5%) RA patients, values being mostly 30-40 mmHg, indicating mild pulmonary hypertension (PHT). Although estimation of PASP by DE is not as reliable as cardiac catheterisation, it is possible that mild elevations in PASP may contribute to the high incidence of cardiovascular events not explained by traditional cardiac risk factors in patients with RA. Long-term follow-up will be obviously necessary to ascertain the impact of mild PHT on the prognosis and mortality rate of RA patients.     

血管闭合器应用的现况与展望

股动脉径路是冠状动脉及外周血管介入诊疗的主要途径。然而,股动脉径路穿刺的围术期血管并发症仍是每个介入医生时常面对的问题。研究显示,与压迫止血比较,血管闭合器可减少围术期血管并发症,缩短患者制动时间,增加患者舒适度。现就相关内容及最新进展进行简要综述。