Encrustation of intraprostatic stents--a comparative study.

Metallic stents have been used in the management of prostatic disease in patients unfit for surgery. A variety of stents have become available but the optimum design and metal of construction has not yet been defined. This study examined one of the potential complications of stent insertion by demonstrating that they are susceptible to encrustation. Using an in vitro model it compares the ability of the different materials used in their construction to resist this encrustation. Titanium appears less able to resist deposition than the other metals examined. The long-term complication of encrustation may inhibit the use of some of these stents.     

Influence of a brief aerobic training program on heart rate and subjective response to a psychologic stressor

An experiment was conducted to determine whether a brief program of aerobic exercise would reduce the heart rate and subjective responses of high- and low-fit subjects to a psychologic stressor. Thirty-four high-fit and 34 low-fit subjects were exposed to a moderate stressor (recall of digits backwards test) while their heart rates and subjective responses were monitored. Approximately half of the high- and low-fit subjects then participated in a 13-week aerobic exercise training program, whereas the other subjects did not. After the 13-week period, the subjects were again exposed to the stressor. Results indicated that a) in the pretest the low-fit subjects showed a greater heart rate response to the stressor than the high-fit subjects, b) the training program was effective for increasing subjects' levels of aerobic fitness, and c) the training program was effective for reducing the heart rate response to the stressor of low-fit subjects. These findings provide support for the relationship between fitness and the response to psychologic stressors and they suggest that aerobic training may be an effective way of helping low-fit persons deal with psychologic stressors.     

Mechanisms and treatment issues for neuropathic pain

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie -     

Influence of aerobic exercise training and relaxation training on physical and psychologic health following stressful life events

An experiment was conducted to determine whether aerobic exercise training or relaxation training would be effective for reducing the deleterious effects of life stress on physical and psychologic health. Over 1000 college students were surveyed, and 55 of those who reported experiencing a high number of negative life events over the preceding year were assigned to an aerobic exercise training condition, a relaxation training condition, or a no-treatment control condition. Physical and psychologic health were assessed with self-report measures before, halfway through, immediately following, and 8 weeks after the 11-week training (and control) period. Heart rate data collected during a treadmill test indicated that the aerobic exercise training was effective for improving cardiovascular fitness. Psychologic measures indicated that the exercise training condition was more effective than the other two conditions for reducing depression during the first 5 weeks of training. No differences were found among the conditions on self-report measures of physical health. These findings suggest that aerobic exercise training may be useful for reducing the severity and duration of depressive reactions following stressful life change.     

Men’s pathways to risky sexual behavior: Role of co-occurring childhood sexual abuse,posttraumatic stress disorder,and depression histories

Recent reports of sexually transmitted infection-rate increases among men indicate the need for renewed study of male sexual risk behavior to aid development of updated and novel risk reduction interventions. Men who have childhood sexual abuse (CSA) histories consistently report frequent sexual risk behavior. The objective of this sturdy is to explore whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are moderators and/or mediators of the association between CSA and sexual risk in adult men. A cross-sectional survey study employing random digit dial recruitment was administered to men aged 18–49 years from Philadelphia County. Two bundred ninety eight men were recruited and screened for CSA history, administered items from the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression (CES-D), and asked to estimate their number of lifetime sexual partners (LSPs). Effects of sociodemographic characteristics, CSA, PTSD, and depression on the number of LSPs were modeled using Poisson regression. Results show that 197 (66%) men participated; 43 (22%) had CSA histories. CSA was significantly associated with PTSD/depression (P=.03). Four sociodemographic variables (age, race, sexual identity, and education), CSA (incidence rate ratio, IRR=1.47, P<.001), PTSD (IRR=1.19, P=.04), depression (IRR=1.29, P=.001), all 2-way interactions, and the 3-way CSA/PTSD/depression interaction (IRR=11.00, P<.001) were associated with the number of LSPs (R²=0.27). In conclusion, sexual partnership patterns unique to men with CSA histories and comorbid PTSD/depression appear to lead to substantially higher numbers of LSPs. Estimates of this relationship may have been biased toward the null by underreporting that can occur with phone surveys. Cross-sectional studies do not support causal inferences; however, the identification of a moderating and mediating influence of PTSD/depression on the relationship between CSA and sexual risk behavior is important and suggests the need for future studies with larger samples that examine trajectories for CSA, psychiatric illness, and sexual partnerships.     

Comparison of stress transmission in the IMZ implant system with polyoxymethylene or titanium intramobile element: a finite element stress analysis.

Using the finite element method, this study modeled a 4.0 x 13.0-mm IMZ implant, restored with a cast gold crown, to examine the influence of the polyoxymethylene (POM) intramobile element (IME) on the transmission of vertical and oblique forces. Stress concentrations in the bone and in components of the implant system were much greater under a 30-degree load than under an equal vertical load. Stress transmission to bone occurred chiefly in the crestal region, and these stresses were not reduced when the IME was modeled in POM rather than in titanium. Maximum stress concentrations occurred in the fastening screw.