Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Distress, Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Life Satisfaction in Colombian Women.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a major global public health and human rights issue, with significant consequences for women's health and well-being. This study aimed to determine the relevance of IPV on women's mental distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms and life satisfaction, and to examine whether age, education, socioeconomic status, social support and self-esteem are associated with mental health and well-being. The sample consisted of 255 women aged 18 to 71 living in Colombia who were assessed using six self-reported questionnaires.

Discrete and Continuum Models for the Salt in Crowded Environments of Suspended Charged Particles.

Electrostatic forces greatly affect the overall dynamics and diffusional activities of suspended charged particles in crowded environments. Accordingly, the concentration of counter- or co-ions in a fluid-''the salt"-determines the range, strength, and order of electrostatic interactions between particles. This environment fosters engineering routes for controlling directed assembly of particles at both the micro- and nanoscale.

10 plus-years follow-up after patch angioplasty of the left main coronary artery.

In ostial or proximal left main coronary artery (LMCA) obstruction, re-establishment of normal antegrade flow via the main trunk may be preferable to distal bypass grafting. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of patch plasty of the left main (LM) trunk of the coronary artery for more than 10 years. Direct widening of the LMCA was recommended to patients with ostial, proximal, or midpoint stenosis of the main trunk.

Reoperations after failed transaxillary first rib resection to treat Paget-Schroetter syndrome patients.

Background: A series of 15 patients previously treated for Paget-Schroetter syndrome with a transaxillary first rib resection (TARR) were seen with recurrent thrombosis.

Methods: Ten were reoperated using an anterior subclavicular approach. The time of reoperation ranged from 5 months to 7 years (mean, 23.

Long-term follow-up of permanent transvenous pacing systems preserved during tricuspid valve replacement.

Patients undergoing tricuspid valve replacement who already have a transvenous pacemaker system in the right ventricle are often recommended to have the ventricular lead removed and an epicardial system implanted. However, as a rule, the reliability of endocardial transvenous pacemaker leads has been superior to epicardial systems. Therefore, if the pacemaker lead in the ventricle is still performing well, it may be preferable to leave it in place.

Comparison between exclusively school teacher-based and mixed school teacher and healthcare provider-based programme on basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation for secondary schools.

Objective: To compare two teaching methodologies for PROCES (a basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (b-CPR) programme for secondary school students): one exclusively performed by school teachers (study group) and another by a mixed team of school teachers and healthcare providers (control group).

Methods: According to their preferences, teachers chose either method and students were consequently assigned to the control or study group. All participants took a 10 multiple-choice question exam regarding b-CPR skills twice: immediately after PROCES and one year later.

Results achieved by emergency physicians in teaching basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation to secondary school students.

Objective: We investigated the results obtained with a basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (b-CPR) program (PROCES) specifically designed for secondary school students (14-16 years old) and taught by emergency physicians.

Methods: We used a multiple-choice test with 20 questions (10 on theory and 10 on skills) answered before and immediately after and 1 year after receiving the b-CPR course. Satisfactory learning was considered when at least 8 out of 10 skill questions were correctly answered.

Custodiol versus Plegisol: A phase 3 multicentre myocardial protection study.

Background: While considered simple and effective, crystalloid antegrade cardioplegia solutions have had few prospective multicentre comparison trials.

Methods: A commercial intracellular-type histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) cardioplegia solution (Custodiol HTK; Köhler Chemie GmbH, Germany) designed for 4 h of protection after a single administration was compared with a standard extracellular multidose product (Plegisol [PL]; Hospira Inc, USA) in an open-label, randomized, prospective seven-institution trial. A total of 136 isolated coronary bypass patients were randomly assigned into two groups and stratified by ejection fraction into categories of 40% or greater (n=118) and 20% to 39% (n=18).

The vascular component in neurogenic-arterial thoracic outlet syndrome.

The incidence of arterial compression in patients diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome is not accurately known. In a consecutive series of 148 patients diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, a standard objective method of Doppler ultrasound examination was implemented, with standard manoeuvres for the arm involved. These standards for assessing the incidence of true subclavian artery compression were previously reported.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome treated with thrombolytics and immediate surgery.

Introduction: Reviewed are the results of the emergent treatment of effort thrombosis of the subclavian vein. The protocol calls for immediate thrombolysis, followed by surgery at the time of the acute event. The one-stage procedure includes decompression of the thoracic inlet by subclavicular removal of the first rib, subclavius muscle, scalenectomy, and vein patch plasty of the stenotic segment of the vein.

Treatment of postoperative sternal dehiscence with mediastinitis: twenty-four-year use of a single method.

Objective: Postoperative deep sternal wound infection with dehiscence carries a high mortality rate, a high morbidity rate, and a poor cure rate. We developed a standard protocol of care to treat this complication, achieving primary closure and cure of the infection.

Methods: From January 1, 1981, through May 31, 2005 (24 years 5 months), we treated 114 patients with dehiscence and mediastinitis.

Intrinsic FAK activity and Y925 phosphorylation facilitate an angiogenic switch in tumors.

Elevated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression occurs in advanced cancers, yet a signaling role for FAK in tumor progression remains undefined. Here, we suppressed FAK activity in 4T1 breast carcinoma cells resulting in reduced FAK Y925 phosphorylation, Grb2 adaptor protein binding to FAK, and signaling to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK). Loss of a FAK-Grb2-MAPK linkage did not affect 4T1 cell proliferation or survival in culture, yet FAK inhibition reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and resulted in small avascular tumors in mice.

Rupturing ascending aorta missed in the emergency room. Failure to properly evaluate chest pain in patients who subsequently die.

This article reports on 4 patients who were not properly evaluated in the emergency room when they presented with acute chest pain. All were discharged and eventually died from a ruptured ascending aorta. It calls attention to a serious problem that when mishandled can lead to a fatal outcome.

Evaluation and operative technique to repair isolated sternal fractures.

A series of 12 patients with traumatic sternal fractures without internal organ injury are reported to have had their fractures repaired with a standard operative technique that has proved to be effective up to 17 years of follow-up. Although sternal fractures are often seen in emergency departments of trauma centers, rarely are they recommended for correction. Often patients experience physical deformity, chronic pain, and abnormal physical habits.

Occlusion of subclavian-innominate veins: the increasing problem of receiving improper care.

Acute upper vein obstruction necessitates emergency treatment and always requires surgery. However, it is not treated appropriately most of the time. Leaving this condition untreated, or treating it incorrectly, can result in permanent disability of the patient, as well as malpractice and negligence lawsuits against the treating physicians.

Coronary bypass before simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants for type 1 diabetics in renal failure.

Our study examined the results of coronary artery bypass (CAB) before simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant in type 1 diabetics in renal failure. Of 588 pancreas transplant patients from 1992 to 2002, 77 (24 females, 53 males) were candidates for SPK transplant. All 77 had coronary evaluation and were referred for pretransplant CAB.

An epicardial subxiphoid implantable defibrillator lead: superior effectiveness after failure of standard implants.

A single epicardial implantable lead using the subxiphoid approach is described in this article. It consists of a single halo-shaped coil that is implanted under the inferior surface of the heart, including the right and left inferior ventricular surfaces. It has been implanted in four patients who could not be defibrillated with a transvenous system, even with the adjunct use of subcutaneous leads or left chest wall patch.

Surgical options for endocardial lead placement when upper veins are obstructed or nonusable.

In 35 patients (24 adults, 11 children), two techniques were used to implant endocardial pacemaker or defibrillator leads in the presence of complete occlusion or nonusability of upper veins. The obstructed veins were the subclavian, innominate, and superior vena cava (SVC). Most of the obstructions occurred secondary to previous implant of multiple leads.

Postoperative sternal dehiscence in obese patients: incidence and prevention.

Background: Obesity has been identified as the single most important risk factor for postoperative sternal infection in coronary bypass surgery patients. It is also a major risk factor for sternal dehiscence, with or without infection, for any type of cardiac operation. We assessed whether prophylactic measures could prevent this complication.

Enlargement of the aortic annulus using a double-patch technique: a safe and effective method.

We have tested a new method to enlarge the aortic annulus using a double-patch technique after the Manouguian principle. Our study included 14 patients who had no operative mortality and no complications; long-term follow-up was 13 years. The method prevented mitral insufficiency and operative bleeding at the aortic root.