Mental health and health-related quality of life among adult Latino primary care patients living in the United States with previous exposure to political violence

Context  Although political violence continues in parts of Central America, South America, and Mexico, little is known about its relationship to the health of Latino immigrants living in the United States. Objective  To determine (1) rates of exposure to political violence among Latino adult primary care patients who have immigrated to the United States from Central America, South America, and Mexico and its impact on mental health and health-related quality of life and (2) frequency of disclosure of political violence to primary care clinicians. Design, Setting, and Participants  Two-stage cluster design survey of a systematic sample of Latino immigrant adults in 3 community-based primary care clinics in Los Angeles, conducted from July 2001 to February 2002. Main Outcome Measures  Reports of exposure to political violence in home country before immigrating to the United States and communication with clinicians about political violence; self-reported measures of health-related quality of life using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36); symptoms of depression, anxiety, and alcohol disorders using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD); and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using the PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version (PCL-C). Results  A total of 638 (69%) of 919 eligible patients participated. The nonresponse rates did not differ by age, sex, recruitment sites, or clinic sessions. In weighted analyses, 54% of participants reported political violence experiences in their home countries, including 8% who reported torture. Of those exposed to political violence, 36% had symptoms of depression and 18% had symptoms of PTSD vs 20% and 8%, respectively, among those not exposed to political violence. Controlling for age, sex, country, years lived in the United States, acculturation, income, health insurance status, and recruitment site in a subsample of 512 participants (56%), those who reported political violence exposure were more likely to meet symptom criteria for PTSD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-8.4) and to have symptoms of depression (AOR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.4) and symptoms of panic disorder (AOR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.6-14.4) than participants not reporting political violence. Those exposed to political violence reported more chronic pain and role limitations due to physical problems, as well as worse physical functioning and lower perceptions of general health than those who were not exposed to political violence. Only 3% of the 267 patients who had experienced political violence reported ever telling a clinician about it after immigrating; none reported their current physician asking about political violence. Conclusion  Latino immigrants in primary care in Los Angeles have a high prevalence of exposure to political violence before immigrating to the United States and associated impairments in mental health and health-related quality of life.      

Penis size: Survey of female perceptionsof sexual satisfaction

Background

Does the size of the male penis, in terms of length or width, make a difference in female sexual satisfaction?

Method

To study the effect of penis width vs. length on female sexual satisfaction, 50 sexually active female undergraduate students were asked which felt better, i. e., was penis width or length more important for their sexual satisfaction.

Results

None reported they did not know, or that width and length were equally satisfying. A large majority, 45 of 50, reported width was more important (p < .001).

Conclusion

Implications are discussed, including the fact that the data seem to contradict Masters and Johnson about penis size having no physiological effect on female sexual satisfaction.     

Prolonged QT interval and cardiac arrhythmias in two neonates: sudden infant death syndrome in one case

Two neonates with arrhythmias and the long QT syndrome are described. The arrhythmias were detected in utero and both infants were apparently well after birth. The first infant, although well, had a bradycardia for the first 9 days of life. A normal heart rate was documented at 10 days but a prolonged QT interval was not appreciated on the ECG. He was discharged from hospital but died suddenly and unexpectedly 3 days later. A post-mortem examination failed to find a cause for his death which therefore fell into the category of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A retrospective analysis of the perinatal electrocardiogram showed a probable junctional rhythm with 2:1 conduction to the ventricle; the QT interval was prolonged at 0.52 seconds (QTC = 0.63). The second infant had a QT interval of 0.52 seconds (QTC = 0.54) and frequent ventricular premature beats on a 24-hour electrocardiogram. She was treated with propranolol and remains well 2 years later. Sudden infant death has often been described in the siblings of children with the long QT syndrome and one other report described a case of SIDS which was said to have had a prolonged QT interval on the perinatal ECG. This report, however, provides unquestionable evidence, in one case, of an association between the long QT syndrome and SIDS.     

Comparison of Phaconit Rollable IOL with Acrylic Foldable IOL

Background

Phaconit or ultra micro incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery involves phacoemulsification through a 0.9 millimetre sleeveless phaco tip and irrigating chopper followed by implantation of a rollable intraocular lens. The procedure leads to negligible astigmatism and faster visual recovery as compared to phacoemulsification with a foldable intraocular lens.

Methods

This prospective study analysed 80 cases of sub millimetre phaconit surgery with implantation of rollable intraocular lenses(IOL) in 40 cases and acrylic foldable IOL in the remaining 40 cases. Evaluation of efficacy and adaptability of procedure, equipment settings, operative constraints, postoperative complications, keratometric and topographic evaluation of induced astigmatism with visual outcome and patient''s rehabilitation were studied.

Results

The intraoperative complications were surge/ chamber collapse in 16 (20%), iris chaffing in one and corneal burns in two cases. All cases had an induced astigmatism of less than or equal to ± 0.25 D in four to six weeks after rollable IOL and ± 0.5 D to ± 0.75 D after acrylic IOL implantation. All patients had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/6 by third post operative day.

Conclusion

Phaconit with rollable IOL is a perfect blend of surgical skill, application of technology and ultra thin IOL.Key Words: Phaconit, Ultra micro phaco, Submillimetre incision, Rollable IOL implantation     

Pseudomonal breast infection

Breast infection and breast sepsis secondary to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is uncommon. We report two cases of pseudomonal breast infection leading to septic shock and abscess formation in women with non-responding breast infection. The management of breast infection is broad-spectrum antibiotics and ultrasound with aspiration of any collection. To treat breast infection effectively, the causative organism must be isolated to enable appropriate antibiotic therapy.     

Tumor vascular signals in renal masses: detection with Doppler US

The vascularity of 49 renal masses (26 malignant and 23 benign lesions) was investigated with duplex Doppler ultrasound. Doppler signals obtained at the margins of renal masses were defined as "tumor signals" when the Doppler-shifted frequency of the lesion exceeded the frequency shift in the ipsilateral main renal artery. These exceeded 2.5 kHz with a 3-MHz insonating frequency. Among the 26 renal masses that subsequently proved to be malignant, tumor signals were obtained in 15 of 18 (83%) untreated renal cell carcinomas, in three of four Wilms tumors, and in two patients with metastases to the kidney, but not in the one patient with lymphoma. None of the 23 benign renal masses demonstrated tumor signals. Tumor vascularity in malignant lesions gives rise to abnormal, high-velocity, Doppler-shifted signals that can help in the differential diagnosis of renal masses.     

Comparison of digital systems and conventional dental film for the detection of approximal enamel caries

Objectives

The aims of this study were (1) to compare the accuracy of the detection of approximal enamel caries lesions using three intraoral storage phosphor plate digital systems and one conventional film-based radiographic system; and (2) to determine whether there is a correlation between the histological and radiographic measurements of enamel caries.

Methods

160 approximal surfaces were radiographed under standardized conditions using three storage phosphor stimulable systems (DenOptix and Digora FMX with white and blue plates), and one film system (Insight film). 17 observers scored the images for the presence and depth of caries using a 4-point scale. The presence of caries was validated histologically (gold standard). Two-way analysis of variance was used to test the differences in sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy (TP + TN). The data from the radiographic and histological measurements were statistically analysed by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.

Results

Two-way analysis of variance and the post hoc t-test demonstrated that Digora (white plate) had higher specificity and overall accuracy values than DenOptix (P = 0.021); there was no statistically significant difference among the other imaging modalities (P > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the histological depth measurements and the radiographic measurements from Digora (blue plate) (P = 0.43), Digora (white plate) (P = 0.15), DenOptix (P = 0.17) and Insight film (P = 0.06).

Conclusions

The results suggest that (1) the performance of the three storage phosphor image plate systems was similar to that of the Insight film for detection of approximal enamel caries, and (2) the increase in histological depth of enamel caries was not significantly correlated with radiographic measurements.     

An analysis of eccentric photo refraction

The optics of eccentric photo refraction are analysed. The variation of photo refractive lunula area with refractive error, pupil size, flash eccentricity and camera aperture were calculated using a model eye. Measurements from photographs of paraxial (eccentric) photo refraction of model eyes show that a good agreement exists between theory and experiment over a range of refractive errors from — 10 D to +10 D. Calculations were also made for a standard reduced eye. The optimal set-up for measuring refractive error accurately over a wide range of refractive states is discussed, as are the problems which arise from non-central fixation.