Use of paced respiration to alleviate intractable hiccups (Singultus): a case report.

Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback is an emerging treatment for many health conditions involving dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system including hypertension, gastric pain, anxiety, and depression. Hiccups are frequently considered an annoyance. However, when intractable (lasting over 1 month), they can become debilitating, with some patients resorting to invasive treatments that often involve the phrenic nerve.

The influence of impression management scales on the Personality Assessment Inventory in the epilepsy monitoring unit.

The Somatic Complaints scale (SOM) and Conversion subscale (SOM-C) of the Personality Assessment Inventory perform best in classifying psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) from epileptic seizures (ES); however, the impact of positive impression management (PIM) and negative impression management (NIM) scales on SOM and SOM-C classification has not been examined. We studied 187 patients from an epilepsy monitoring unit with confirmed PNES or ES. On SOM, the best cut score was 72.

Prenatal care initiation in Low-income Hispanic women: risk and protective factors.

Objectives: To examine the psychosocial risk (distress, stress, unintended pregnancy) and protective factors (social support, mastery, familism) associated with entry into prenatal care among low-income Hispanic women.

Methods: Between April and September 2005, 483 postpartum Medicaid-eligible Hispanic women completed a survey at the hospital.

Results: Only 69.

Genetic techniques for control of sexuality in fish farming.

Recent developments in Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) laboratories in the genetic control of sexuality in fish are briefly reviewed. Techniques include the development of a range of spawning times, the control of sex-ratio and the elimination of sexual maturity by induced polyploidy.