Migration and maternity in the age of superdiversity.

The UK has entered an era of superdiversity with our communities being more diverse than ever before. Migration has contributed to rising birth rates, and poor birth outcomes have been increasingly associated with ethnicity, often in areas with high concentrations of migrants. This article sets out the findings of a study looking at the maternity needs and experiences of migrant women and professionals living in the West Midlands.

Changes in vascular dynamics of the adult rat testis leading to transient accumulation of seminiferous tubule fluid after administration of a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonist.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible mechanisms of testicular toxicity of GR40370X, a follow-up 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor agonist. Administration to adult male rats of a single (toxic) dose of 750 mg/kg GR40370X induced marked distension of seminiferous tubules and an associated increase in testis weight at 12-24 h with a gradual recovery to normal by 96 h. Seminiferous tubule distension was due to expansion of the lumen, which occurred at all stages of the spermatogenic cycle and was accompanied by vacuolation of the cytoplasm of elongating spermatids.

Abdominal wall muscle activity in irritable bowel syndrome with bloating.

Objective: Recurrent episodes of bloating and visible abdominal distension are common and distressing in irritable bowel syndrome, but the mechanisms are unknown. Patients often note that the distension is most pronounced in the upright posture, suggesting that the bloating may be the result of a decrease or absence of the normal rise in electromyograph activity in the abdominal wall muscles when standing. There are no reports of noninvasive electromyograph recordings of abdominal wall muscles in irritable bowel syndrome.