Trait anger,anger expression,stress, and health status of American and Turkish midlife women

In a cross‐cultural study, we investigated the relationships of trait anger, anger expression modes, and stress to physical and mental health in Turkish and American midlife women. Zero‐order correlations and multiple regression analyses indicated that regardless of cultural origin, stress was a strong predictor of health status. Stress was negatively related to physical health and positively related to depression. Trait anger, the angry temperament dimension of trait anger, and anger‐out were positively related to depression in both American and Turkish women. The negative relationship between somatic mode of anger expression and health was also consistent for both groups. However, anger‐in was positively correlated with depression only in American women; suppression of anger was unrelated to health status in Turkish women. Cross‐cultural comparisons indicated that Turkish midlife women were higher in trait anger, somatic anger symptoms, perceived stress, and depression than American women. American women, on the other hand, had higher scores on physical health status. These findings are discussed with regard to theory, previous research, and sociocultural context.     

Environmental and health monitoring study in dry cleaning departments

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the potential exposures to perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning departments in a group of seven first‐class Egyptian hotels; conditions which contribute to excessive levels and possible health effects in the exposed workers. Environmental monitoring of the workplaces was done through air samples, being collected from the breathing zones in the dry cleaning departments, carried out in different stages during washing process: close to press machine, flat iron, mannequin, spotting table and while charging the cleaning machine with the solvent. Atmospheric samples were analyzed by gas chromatography technique. The environmental study showed that the PCE levels were much exceeded in many workplaces, compared to the recommended TLV‐TWA. A group of 53 dry cleaners are included in the present work, in addition to 30 unexposed office workers, served as a control group. Both groups were thoroughly interviewed and examined clinically stressing on the condition of their CNS and PNS. Blood samples were collected and analyzed (spectrophotometrically) for the measurement of liver and renal function tests. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for the determination of the urinary trichloroacetic acid. Headache, nervousness, dizziness and vertigo were the most prevalent symptoms elicited in the exposed workers, followed by symptoms of respiratory and gastrointestinal irritation and skin and mucous membranes’ reactions. Gloves and stokings’ hypoaesthesia affected about l/4th of the exposed workers, followed by tremors (22.64%), first cranial nerve affection (11.32%), and disturbed reflexes (5.66%). Other signs elicited in the exposed workers were in the form of skin manifestations (16.98%), pallor (7.55%), and jaundice (2 cases). Insignificant systolic and diastolic high blood pressures were elicited in the exposed workers compared to the controls. Higher values of blood urea, serum creatinine, SGOT, total proteins, and urinary trichloroacetic acid were elicited in the exposed workers compared to the controls, whereas, lower figures of albumin were elicited in the exposed workers than in the controls. However, in spite of such differences, there was no statistical significance for those differences except for the urinary trichloroacetic acid (t = 3.6, ρ < 0.05). Duration of exposure proved to have no significant effect on most of the bioindicators, being examined in the present study. The study recommended a pre employment medical examination for the subjects recommended to work in dry cleaning, as well as a periodic medical examination to elicit the early manifestations due exposure to PCE. Various engineering control measures must be taken into consideration, when we try to improve the workplaces being studied. Personal protective measures could be considered the last effective line of defense against the various health hazards being faced by the working population in such an important economic activity.     

Cannabis abuse and vulnerability to psychosis: targeting preventive services

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance in the world and due to the high levels of use observed among young people with psychosis, most research has focused on the causal relationship between cannabis use and mental health problems. Despite a large interest in developing intervention models to target this group, there are as yet no established and effective methods of prevention and intervention focusing on cannabis use. In this paper we present the available evidence for the effectiveness of substance use treatments in patients with co-morbid severe mental illness, as well as exploring the prevention and early intervention initiatives for substance use in the general population.     

The location of photodegradable nitric oxide store in the mouse stomach fundus

The aim of this study was to investigate the location of photodegradable nitric oxide (NO) store using a pharmacological approach in mouse gastric fundus. The ultraviolet light irradiation (UV; 360 nm, 60 s), electrical field stimulation (EFS; 4 Hz, 25 V, 1 ms, 15s-train), exogenous nitric oxide (NO; 10 microM), nitroglycerin (100 microM) and isoproterenol (5 nM) induced relaxation in mouse gastric fundus preparations in the absence or presence of an intact mucosa. The NO scavenger, haemoglobin (20 microM), significantly inhibited the relaxation of intact and denuded mucosa stomach fundus to UV light irradiation, EFS and NO, but not to nitroglycerin and isoproterenol. The superoxide anion generator, pyrogallol (50 microM), inhibited relaxation of intact and denuded mucosa stomach fundus induced by UV light irradiation, EFS, NO, but not to nitroglycerin and isoproterenol. The inhibition observed with pyrogallol was prevented by exogenous Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD; 100 U/ml), a membrane impermeable antioxidant. The Cu/Zn SOD inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DETCA; 8 mM), inhibited the relaxation of intact and denuded mucosa stomach fundus to UV light irradiation, EFS, NO and nitroglycerin but not those to isoproterenol. Exogenous SOD (100 U/ml) partially prevented the inhibitory effect of DETCA on relaxation to UV light irradiation, EFS, NO but not to nitroglycerin. DETCA-induced inhibition of the nitroglycerin-induced relaxation was partially prevented by the cell-permeable polyethylene-glycol-superoxide dismutase (100 U/ml). These results indicate that photodegradable NO store is, at least in part, unlikely to be within smooth muscle cells, and furthermore, that UV light-induced relaxation is not dependent on gastric mucosal layer.     

Increased serum sialic acid levels in primary osteoarthritis and inactive rheumatoid arthritis

Accumulation of oxidized proteins and impaired antioxidant system have been shown to be associated with arthritis. Serum sialic acid (SA) is known as a parameter of inflammation. In the present study, to explore the potential role of SA in arthritis, we measured serum SA levels, plasma protein oxidation, and antioxidant status in patients with primary osteoarthritis (POA) and inactive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inactive RA (iRA) was defined upon the American College of Rheumatology criteria for clinical remission of RA. A total of 40 patients (20 POA patients, including 4 male subjects, and 20 iRA female patients) and 20 healthy female subjects were included in this study. SA, antioxidants, and protein oxidation levels were determined spectrophotometrically in serum or plasma samples. Serum SA levels were significantly increased in POA (3.34 +/- 0.37 mM, p < 0.0001) and iRA (3.11 +/- 0.47 mM, p < 0.05), compared with healthy controls (2.41 +/- 0.16 mM). Plasma total antioxidant activity, plasma superoxide dismutase activity and serum reduced glutathione levels were significantly decreased in patients with POA and those with iRA, whereas plasma carbonyl content and serum total protein were increased in those patients. Moreover, plasma total thiol levels were significantly increased in iRA and decreased in POA. Thus, increased SA and protein oxidation levels are associated with the decreased antioxidant levels in POA and iRA patients. These results suggest that SA may be considered as a potent defense molecule against oxidative damage in arthritis. Antioxidant therapy may halt or ameliorate the progression of arthritis.     

Analgesic efficacy of laparoscopic-guided transverse abdominis plane block using liposomal bupivacaine in bariatric surgery

Background

Postoperative pain management is a major contributor to recovery and discharge in bariatric surgery. Local anesthetic agents are of particular interest: they're non-sedating and may reduce postoperative pain and hospital length of stay (LOS).

Importancia de la laparoscopia en la practica hospitalaria

Acta Endoscopica - Pues, creemos que estamos en un periodo de rehabilitacion de la laparoscopia en el que todavia no hemos llegado sino a la fase diagnostica, esperando que la mejora de nuestra...