Colour duplex Doppler ultrasonography evaluation of non‐vasculogenic male erectile dysfunction: An Indian perspective

We present the study of colour duplex Doppler ultrasonography on Indian patients with non‐vasculogenic erectile dysfunction. Patients with a history suggestive of psychogenic impotence along with a normal clinical response to intracavernosal papaverine were presumed to have non‐vasculogenic erectile dysfunction. In our patients, the incidence of psychogenic impotence was much higher and the mean age of patients presenting with erectile dysfunction was lower as compared to patients from developed countries reported in research. The Doppler flowmetry showed much higher mean peak systolic velocities (PSVs) with a negative correlation between age and PSV. End diastolic velocity, resistive index and acceleration time values conformed to the literature.     

A Comment on the Need for Father-Infant Postpartal Interaction

Paternal participation in postpartal activities may enhance the formation of affectional bonds between the father and the newborn. The father's expression of love, warmth, and compassion for his infant have often been inhibited by a heretofore limited definition of the paternal role by certain socioeconomic events and by gaps in our implementation of family-centered maternity care. Research is needed to investigate paternal needs postpartally and to identify alternatives that nursing can provide to best fulfill these needs. The focus of family-centered maternity care must be broadened in order to more directly reject the needs of the father.     

Mutations in <Emphasis Type="Italic">APC</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">CTNNB1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">K-ras</Emphasis> genes and expression of hMLH1 in sporadic colorectal carcinomas from the Netherlands Cohort Study

Background  

The early to intermediate stages of the majority of colorectal tumours are thought to be driven by aberrations in the Wnt (APC, CTNNB1) and Ras (K-ras) pathways. A smaller proportion of cancers shows mismatch repair deficiency. The aim of this study was to analyse the co-occurrence of these genetic alterations in relation to tumour and patient characteristics.     

Low content of the natural ocular anti-angiogenic agent pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in aqueous humor predicts progression of diabetic retinopathy

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes. Our aim was to address the predictive value of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic markers for progression of retinopathy. METHODS: Aqueous humor was collected at cataract surgery from 32 diabetic patients who had no or very mild retinopathy (ETDRS stage 47B). This subgroup showed lower pigment epithelium-derived factor content when compared to non-progressors and control subjects. Migratory activity in samples of patients from the control group and in diabetic patients without progression was generally inhibitory due to pigment epithelium-derived factor. Inhibition was blocked by neutralizing antibodies to pigment epithelium-derived factor. In diabetic patients initial angiogenic activity was higher in those who later developed retinopathy (vs. controls p=0.00005; vs. no progressors p=0.0003). Both pigment epithelium-derived factor and migratory response predicted progression. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Pigment epithelium-derived factor is an important negative regulator of angiogenic activity of aqueous humor. Its content in the aqueous humor of diabetic patients strongly predicts who among them will develop progression of retinopathy.     

Outcome in congenital stridor (laryngomalacia)

Twenty-one children who had been diagnosed as having laryngomalacia by direct laryngoscopy in infancy were reviewed 7 to 12 years later. The natural history of the disease is documented. A wide variation in the time of onset and duration of the stridor was found and there was a high incidence of feeding difficulties. A previously reported association with mental retardation or cerebral palsy is not confirmed. 4 out of the 21 children had early speech problems.     

Precise intraoperative location of gastrointestinal bleeding with a hand-held counter. Work in progress

The nuclear medicine bleeding scan is frequently insufficient to locate sites of bleeding precisely, in spite of its great sensitivity. A small, hand-held Geiger-Müller counter, placed directly on exposed intestine in the operating room, enables precise location of the probable bleeding site. In three patients, the technique allowed a minimal amount of intestine to be resected, distinguished between large- and small-intestinal hemorrhage, and eliminated other foci as sites of bleeding.     

Interactions between hyperthermia and irradiation in two human lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines in vitro

Thermal radiosensitization was studied in two human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines (JM and MOLT3) with regard to heat-irradiation sequence and heating duration. In MOLT3 thermal radiosensitization was maximal when 43.5 degrees C hyperthermia immediately preceded or followed irradiation; at 41.5 degrees C, radiosensitization was maximal with hyperthermia immediately before or up to 3 h after irradiation. In JM, enhancement of radiation killing was unexpectedly maximal when 41.5 or 43.5 degrees C hyperthermia preceded irradiation by 2 to 4 h. Thermal radiosensitization increased exponentially with increasing duration of heating at 41.5 degrees C for at least 3 h in MOLT3. In contrast, in JM, radiosensitization increased exponentially for 1.6 h but additional heating (up to 3 h net heating) had no appreciable further effect on radiation killing. For JM, repair of single and double stranded DNA breaks was investigated using alkaline and neutral elution techniques to determine whether the unusual results regarding heat-irradiation sequencing were related to effects of heat on repair of DNA damage. These studies were unable to detect significant differences in repair of single or double stranded DNA breaks between unheated control cells and cells heated at 41.5 degrees C for 1 h ending 4 h before irradiation. The direct cytotoxicity of hyperthermia was also studied in both cell lines.     

Exploring assistive technology and post-school outcomes for students with severe disabilities

Purpose: This study sought to understand the extent to which students with severe disabilities receive assistive technology in school and out-of-school, and the relationship between receipt of assistive technology in school and post-school outcomes for these students. Method: This study was a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) from the USA. To analyze the data in this correlational study, researchers conducted frequency distributions, Chi Square Tests of Associations, significance tests and logistic regressions. Results: The main results suggest (a) receipt of assistive technology in school varied greatly by disability identification; (b) receipt of assistive technology post-school also varied by disability identification, but receipt was generally lower; and (c) few statistically significant post-school outcome differences existed between students who received assistive technology and those who did not. Conclusion: An under-utilization of assistive technology exists in practice in the USA for students with severe disabilities.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• An under-utilization of assistive technology for secondary students and adults with severe disabilities likely exists.

• A need exists for improved collaboration between professionals in rehabilitation and professionals in schools to ensure continuation of needed services or aids, such as assistive technology.

• Additional research is needed to better understand the adult life (or post-school) outcomes of individuals with severe disabilities, factors from PK-12 schooling or post-school services that positively and negative impact those outcomes.