Psychosoziale Aspekte bei Infertilität

The last few years have brought huge advances in the consideration of psychosocial aspects of infertility. This review begins with a presentation of the important demographic and medical preconditions involved. This is followed by an overview of psychosocial features typical of infertile couples and a discussion of the connections between distress and infertility. The psychological effects of reproductive medical treatment are described, and the long-term impact of involuntary childlessness is outlined. The basic principles, aims, and effects of counselling and psychotherapy with infertile couples are set out in detail, together with urgent requirements for the future.     

Vergleichende psychologische Aspekte von Juckreiz und Schmerz

Itching is a major symptom of chronic skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and leads to considerable psychological strain. Chronic itching lowers patient??s quality of life similar to chronic pain and influences the medical treatment. The frequently resulting scratching behavior (short-term avoidance of itch) leads to continuation and exacerbation of the disease, just as with specific pain behavior. For the development of itching and pain psychosocial factors have been identified in addition to somatic ones. However, recent data suggest that there is a complex interaction between pain and itching and comparable mechanisms of neuronal sensitization. In contrast to traditional biomedical one-dimensional models which focus mainly on physical and not psychological factors of a disease, recent data support a biopsychosocial model of development and maintenance for itching and pain. Biopsychosocial understanding of a disease should consequently be taken as the basis for treatment and the importance of interdisciplinary treatment is emphasized. This article will focus on chronic itching and pain with particular consideration of psychological factors.     

In vitro activity of fosfomycin against Haemophilus influenzae,Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria species

Summary The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of fosfomycin were determined by an agar dilution technique for 100 strains each ofHaemophilus influenzae andStreptococcus pneumoniae, and for 40 strains ofNeisseria species andBranhamella catarrhalis. The median MIC ofH. influenzae was 0.13 mg/l (range 0.008–64 mg/l), ofS. pneumoniae 13.3 mg/l (range 8–128 mg/l), and ofNeisseria includingB. catarrhalis 27.0 mg/l (range 16–128 mg/l). The MBCs were very close to the MICs.

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In-vitro-Aktivität von Fosfomycin gegen Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae und Neisseriaspecies

Zusammenfassung Die minimalen Hemmkonzentrationen (MHK) und minimalen bakteriziden Konzentrationen (MBK) von Fosfomycin wurden mittels einer Agardilutionstechnik für je 100 Stämme vonHaemophilus influenzae undStreptococcus pneumoniae und 40 Stämme vonNeisseria species undBranhamella catarrhalis bestimmt. Die mittlere MHK vonH. influenzae war 0,13 mg/l (Bereich 0,008–64 mg/l), vonS. pneumoniae 13,3 mg/l (Bereich 8–128 mg/l) und vonNeisseria einschließlichB. catarrhalis 27,0 mg/l (Bereich 16–128 mg/l). Die MBKs lagen sehr nahe an den MHKs.

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This paper is dedicated to Professor Walter Marget in honour of his 60th birthday.     

Childhood Loss in Alcoholics and Narcotic Addicts

Parental loss in childhood is more common in alcoholics and narcotic addicts than normal controls. These differences are not confounded by demographic variables or depression. The loss is by separation from parents rather than by parental death. The type of separation usually implicated is the result of family or marital disturbance. In the case of alcoholics, separations from mother or both parents are important but separation from father alone is not. In narcotic addicts the above pattern was also observed but in addition, paternal separations due to marital dysharmony may be involved. These results are discussed in the light of family related theories of drug dependence.