Effects of a holistic health program on women''s physical activity and mental and spiritual health

Intervention studies aimed at promoting increased physical activity have been trialled in many different settings including primary care, worksites and the community. Churches are also potential settings for physical activity promotion. However, little is known about the effectiveness of this setting for promoting physical activity, particularly in Australia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mind, body and spiritually based health promotion program in increasing physical activity and promoting mental and spiritual health. Nineteen women completed the 8-week intervention, and 30 women in a non-health related 8-week program at the same church comprised a comparison group. Pre- and post-program surveys assessed outcome measures. Between-group differences over time were examined using one-way MANOVA's. Physical activity was higher in the intervention group than the comparison group. In contrast to the comparison group, both mental health (depression symptoms) and spiritual health improved significantly more among intervention participants. The data highlight the potential for a church-based setting and holistic approach to health promotion as a successful means of increasing physical activity and promoting mental and spiritual health among Australian women.     

COMPARISON OF REFLEX MODIFICATION PROCEDURES AND AUDITORY BRAINSTEM RESPONSE IN HIGH-RISK NEONATES

This study compared the results of reflex modification (RM)--an objective technique for assessing brainstem sensorineural processing--with those of auditory brainstem response (ABR) for a group of high-risk infants at comparable postconceptional ages. For the RM procedure, an eyeblink-eliciting tap to the glabella was presented either alone or accompanied by a brief 90dB SPL tone. 37 high-risk infants were tested with both RM and ABR at a mean postconceptional age of 37.3 weeks. Seven had an increased brainstem conduction time ('failed ABR') and eight did not exhibit significant reflex augmentation ('failed RM'), seven of whom also failed the ABR. These data provide evidence that sensory stimuli which affect the neural mechanisms responsible for the organization of the startle response and auditory processing share essential neural components.     

Alcohol consumption of patients attending two accident and emergency departments in north-west England.

The impact of alcohol use on the workload of two accident & emergency departments in north-west England was assessed by blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measurement, inspection of clinical records and interview of all patients aged 16 and over attending throughout a two-week period. The frequency of intoxication was similar to the previous reported rate in Scotland: 13.2% of all patients had a positive BAC. Inebriated injured patients arrived at all times of the day--varying in frequency from 2.5% of midday attenders to 78% of those presenting after midnight. The incidence of alcohol-related industrial accidents was low, but 60% of all assaulted patients were inebriated, many having sustained head injuries. Of patients attending within 2 hours of an accident at home, 19% also had a positive BAC, but 92% of those with ankle sprains were sober. Patients in lower social classes reported higher rates of alcohol consumption. The popularity of beer in comparison to wines and spirits was inversely related to age and unrelated to social class. Alcohol abuse is commonly associated with injuries sustained at home and with assaults occurring in public places. Prevention campaigns directed at the reduction of these types of incidents should be as concerned with the inebriation of the patient as with the architectural, environmental and legal framework within which the 'accident' occurs.     

Predictors of residual mass histologyafter chemotherapy for advanced testis cancer

The records of 15 patients with Stage B3 or B2/C germ cell testis tumors who underwent full surgical debulking of a residual mass after completion of chemotherapy were reviewed retrospectively to look for predictors of residual mass histology. The density, character, and change in volume of the retroperitoneal mass on computerized tomography before and after chemotherapy were compared with the histology in the primary tumor and in the residual mass. One of 6 patients without teratoma in the primary tumor had a 97 percent reduction in the mass which contained residual teratoma. Two patients with residual seminoma had a 50 percent decrease in tumor volume, and both patients died of tumor progression despite salvage chemotherapy. Two patients with pure seminomas had only residual fibrosis in masses that decreased in volume by 77 and 75 percent, respectively. One of these masses was discrete and the other was diffuse. Seven of 9 patients (78%) with teratoma in the primary tumor had either teratoma (4 of 9, 44%) or carcinoma (3 of 9, 33%) in the residual mass, and the change in mass volume ranged from a 93 percent decrease to a 540 percent increase in size. All 7 patients with residual teratoma and/or carcinoma remain free of disease after observation or further chemotherapy. For the entire series, the mass density and character did not correlate consistently with the primary tumor or residual mass histology. Residual fibrosis alone or teratoma and/or carcinoma were seen with least (0 to 50%) and greatest (more than 90%) decreases in mass volume.     

Maternal stress increases fetal brain and neonatal cerebral cortex 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis in rats: a possible mechanism by which stress influences brain development.

Previous studies have shown that maternal stress modifies 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor binding in several brain regions of the adult offspring and alters the intensity of the behavioral responses to 5-HT receptor agonists. We now report that the same stress, crowding combined with daily saline injections during the final week of pregnancy, elevates maternal plasma free tryptophan level without significantly affecting total tryptophan. The increased maternal plasma tryptophan was associated with significantly increased fetal brain levels of tryptophan, 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. These increases were maintained after birth until at least postnatal day 10. Since 5-HT is recognised as having a role in the control of neuron development during the perinatal period, we suggest that the stress-induced increase in fetal brain 5-HT synthesis may play a part in the mechanisms by which prenatal stress alters adult behavior.     

A randomized controlled trial of antibiotics on symptom resolution in patients presenting to their general practitioner with a sore throat.

BACKGROUND: Sore throat is a common symptom presented to general practitioners (GPs), and there remains controversy about the appropriate use of antibiotics. AIM: To compare, in a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of penicillin, cefixime and placebo on symptom resolution in patients presenting with a sore throat in general practice. METHOD: Twenty-two GPs in Avon recruited 154 patients, aged 16-60 years, presenting to their GP with a sore throat, and for whom the GP would normally prescribe an antibiotic. Patients were randomized to one of three groups: penicillin V 250 mg four times a day; cefixime 200 mg daily; and placebo. Each was prescribed for five days. The main outcome measures were a diary of symptom resolution over seven days and eradication of group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus (GABHS). RESULTS: Of the 103 (67%) patients who completed symptom diaries, 40 were allocated to receive penicillin, 29 cefixime and 34 placebo. In the analysis including all patients, symptom resolution was greater by day 3 in the cefixime group than in the placebo group. Penicillin did not improve symptom resolution by day 3 compared with placebo, and cefixime was not statistically significantly different from penicillin. There were significant differences in the proportion of patients using analgesia at day 3, with the proportion being lowest in the cefixime group. The results for the subgroup of patients without GABHS were similar to those for all patients; in particular, the only statistically significant difference was between cefixime and placebo. Although numbers were too small for statistical significance, among patients with GABHS the effects of penicillin and cefixime were similarly raised in relation to placebo. CONCLUSION: Compared with placebo, cefixime can improve the rate of resolution of symptoms in patients with a sore throat who are selected for antibiotic treatment by their GP. The unexpected finding that cefixime was of benefit compared with placebo for patients without GABHS suggests that bacteria other than GABHS may be important in the pathogenesis of sore throat.