Vagal influence on duodenal motor activity

The extrinsic and intrinsic vagal influences on duodenal motor activity in the anesthetized dog were investigated. The following conclusions were derived: (1) Electrical vagal stimulation elicits gastroduodenal contractions. (2) Poststimulatory contractions, or off responses, occur on the antrum and duodenum after termination of the stimulus. (3) Denervation of the extrinsic vagal nerves to the duodenum does not eliminate the above responses. (4) Denervation of the extrinsic nerves to the duodenum and transection of the gastroduodenal junction eliminates stimulated duodenal motility and the occurrence of off responses on the duodenum. Antral responses remain unaffected. (5) The motor innervation to the duodenum is composed of extrinsic vagal fibers and intrinsic vagal nerves which appear to first enter the antrum and then cross the gastroduodenal junction to innervate the duodenum.     

A Novel Extract of Fenugreek Husk (FenuSMART™) Alleviates Postmenopausal Symptoms and Helps to Establish the Hormonal Balance: A Randomized,Double‐Blind,Placebo‐Controlled Study

Despite the widespread use of hormone replacement therapy, various reports on its side effects have generated an increasing interest in the development of safe natural agents for the management of postmenopausal discomforts. The present randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study investigated the effect of 90‐day supplementation of a standardized extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum) (FenuSMART?), at a dose of 1000 mg/day, on plasma estrogens and postmenopausal discomforts. Eighty‐eight women having moderate to severe postmenopausal discomforts and poor quality of life (as evidenced from the scores of Greene Climacteric Scale, short form SF‐36® and structured medical interview) were randomized either to extract‐treated (n = 44) or placebo (n = 44) groups. There was a significant (p < 0.01) increase in plasma estradiol (120%) and improvements on various postmenopausal discomforts and quality of life of the participants in the extract‐treated group, as compared with the baseline and placebo. While 32% of the subjects in the extract group reported no hot flashes after supplementation, the others had a reduction to one to two times per day from the baseline stages of three to five times a day. Further analysis of haematological and biochemical parameters revealed the safety of the extract and its plausible role in the management of lipid profile among menopausal women. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Factor analysis of Greene's Climacteric Scale for Indian women

OBJECTIVE: Do a factor analysis of the Greene Climacteric Scale for a population of Indian perimenopausal women and establish normative values. METHODS: Five hundred and eighteen women, in the age range 45-55 years, were selected and asked to fill out the Greene Climacteric Scale. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 48.03+/-3.40 years. A factor analysis of the data using an oblique rotation yielded three distinct factors with loadings more than 0.4. The breakup of the psychological factor into an anxiety and a depression factor which has been hypothesized earlier could only be verified using varimax rotation. The last item, "Loss of sexual interest" is shown to be part of the vasomotor factor. The means of the scores on the three factors are: psychological: 8.28+/-5.87, somatic: 4.64+/-3.73 and vasomotor: 2.39+/-2.10. These are much lower than the values given by Greene, but are in consonance with values published in two earlier studies for different populations.     

中文版标准Greene更年期量表的信度和效度评价

目的 初步评价标准Greene更年期量表中文版的信度和效度。 方法 采取方便取样法,选取230例就诊的40~60岁女性为研究对象,以标准Greene更年期量表(GCS)和更年期量表(MRS)为工具,由受试者进行GCS和MRS自我测评,分析GCS内部一致性及与MRS的相关性。1周后随机抽取其中104例受试者进行GCS重测,检验GCS的信度。采用探索性因素分析方法,对GCS各维度进行结构效度分析。 结果 GCS量表的Cronbach′s α系数为0.95,重测信度为0.94,P<0.01。全部条目的平均内容效度为0.90。中文版GCS与MRS各因子的Pearson相关系数为0.35~0.77,P<0.01。 结论 标准Greene更年期量表信度和效度良好,可作为早期更年期症状的筛查工具。     

MRS评分系统评价围绝经期及绝经后妇女相关症状有效性的对比研究

目的通过与改良Kupperman评分和Greene评分系统比较,探讨MRS评分系统评价围绝经期及绝经后妇女相关症状的严重程度及对生活质量影响的有效性。方法选择2005年3月至2005年9月北京大学第一医院妇科门诊43～58岁围绝经期及绝经后妇女共157例。采用改良Kupperman评分、Greene评分及MRS评分系统分别对其围绝经期及绝经后症状进行评分。结果改良Kupperman评分与MRS评分之间呈正相关(r=0.785,P0.01),MRS评分与Greene评分之间呈正相关(r=0.864,P0.01)。结论 MRS评分是评价围绝经期及绝经后妇女相关症状及其对生活质量影响的有效工具。