Consequences of high incarceration rate and high obesity prevalence on the prison system.

Incarceration and obesity rates have both increased in the United States. An implication is that there will be more obese inmates, which likely will raise the prevalence of obesity-related diseases, affecting the cost and performance of correctional health care. Other issues include increased costs of transport, restraint, and housing.

US obstetrician-gynaecologist's prevention and management of obesity in pregnancy.

A survey regarding management of obesity in pregnancy was mailed to 787 practising members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); 433 responded of whom 353 practised obstetrics. Most (79.2%) had read ACOG Committee Opinion, 'Obesity in Pregnancy,' and rated it helpful (68.

Obstetrician-gynecologists' practices and perceived knowledge regarding immunization.

Background: Obstetrician-gynecologists can play a key role in providing appropriate vaccinations to women of childbearing age.

Purpose: This study investigated immunization knowledge and practices, and opinions concerning potential barriers to immunization, among obstetrician-gynecologists.

Methods: In 2007, surveys were sent to Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network members, a representative sample of practicing Fellows of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 394 responded (51.

Oral health during pregnancy.

Objectives: To assess how obstetrician-gynecologists address oral health during pregnancy.

Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to obstetrician-gynecologists in March 2008.

Results: The response rate was 41%, with 351 respondents included in the final analysis.

Chronically elevated corticosterone in the dorsolateral bed nuclei of stria terminalis increases anxiety-like behavior.

We previously discovered that corticosterone administration into the amygdala increases anxiety-like behaviors in rats tested on an elevated plus maze. However the behavioral effects of elevated corticosterone in a functionally related structure, the bed nuclei of stria terminalis (BNST) are unknown. The current study examined the effects of corticosterone administration into the dorsolateral BNST on exploratory behavior on an elevated plus maze.

The care of adolescents by obstetrician-gynecologists: a first look.

Study Objective: To determine whether obstetrician-gynecologists who typically care for adolescent patients, what this care entails, and the adequacy of training opportunities in adolescent health care.

Design: A questionnaire designed to elicit information regarding practice patterns of obstetrician-gynecologists mailed to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Collaborative Ambulatory Practice Network.

Participants: Obstetrician-gynecologists whose patient populations included girls under the age of 18.

Different fusiform activity to stranger and personally familiar faces in shy and social adults.

Although shyness is associated with deficits in different aspects of face processing including face recognition and facial emotions, we know relatively little about the neural correlates of face processing among individuals who are shy. Here we show reduced activation to stranger faces among shy adults in a key brain area involved in face processing. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired on 12 shy and 12 social young adults during the rapid presentation of stranger and personally familiar neutral faces.

Screening for Down syndrome: changing practice of obstetricians.

Objective: We sought to assess the impact of American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines on the practices and knowledge of obstetricians regarding screening for Down syndrome 1 year later.

Study Design: A questionnaire on Down syndrome screening was mailed to 968 ACOG Fellows and Junior Fellows.

Results: The response rate was 53%.

Attitudes and practices regarding use of progesterone to prevent preterm births.

We sought to describe current attitudes and practices of obstetrician-gynecologists regarding use of progesterone and prevention of preterm birth. A self-administered survey was mailed to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Fellows and Junior Fellows in Practice in March to May 2007. The survey consisted of 36 questions, including respondents' demographic characteristics, preterm birth risk factor knowledge and screening practices, and use of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth.

Adversity before conception will affect adult progeny in rats.

The authors investigated whether adversity in a female, before she conceives, will influence the affective and social behavior of her progeny. Virgin female rats were either undisturbed (controls) or exposed to varied, unpredictable, stressors for 7 days (preconceptual stress [PCS]) and then either mated immediately after the end of the stress (PCS0) or 2 weeks after the stress ended (PCS2). Their offspring were raised undisturbed until tested in adulthood.

The impact of maternal obesity on maternal and fetal health.

The increasing rate of maternal obesity provides a major challenge to obstetric practice. Maternal obesity can result in negative outcomes for both women and fetuses. The maternal risks during pregnancy include gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

Attitudes of obstetrician-gynecologists toward the evidence from the Women's Health Initiative hormone therapy trials remain generally skeptical.

Objective: To examine the opinions of obstetrician-gynecologists regarding hormone therapy (HT) and the results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Methods: Separate surveys were sent to two groups of practicing obstetrician-gynecologists: (1) respondents to a 2004-2005 survey (follow-up 1) and (2) members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (follow-up 2 CARN). These studies complete a longitudinal study investigating obstetrician-gynecologists' opinions of the evidence from WHI.

Rising cesarean delivery rates: the impact of cesarean delivery on maternal request.

Primary and repeat cesarean delivery rates have reached their highest levels both nationally and internationally, with 30.3% of live births in the United States being cesarean deliveries. Some cite the increase in cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) as a contributing factor, although data have yet to confirm this.

Glucocorticoid inhibition in the treatment of depression: can we think outside the endocrine hypothalamus?

Background: Major depressive disorder affects a substantial percentage of the U.S. population, and can be highly debilitating.

Social attachment and aversion in human moral cognition.

Modern neuroscience is beginning to substantiate Darwin's notion that the roots of human morality lie in social instincts, present in several species. The role of primitive motivational-emotional systems in human morality still remains under-recognized, however. Based on recent experimental evidence and classic neuroanatomical data, we here portray a view of how "ancient" limbic-neurohumoral systems of social attachment and aversion are crucially involved in human moral behaviors, including altruism, empathic concern and aggression.

A review of patient safety in women's healthcare: why has our progress been so slow?

The rate of improvement in patient safety is slow. The goal of this review is to address the results of a survey of Ob-Gyn physicians regarding important patient safety issues. A sample of 600 obstetricians and gynecologists were sent a survey asking them about their beliefs, activities, problems, and source of information regarding patient safety with a response rate of 53.

Obstetrician-gynecologists' opinions about patient safety: costs and liability remain problems; are mandated reports a solution?

Background: To elucidate the patient safety practices of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs), the perceived barriers to patient safety improvements in obstetrics and gynecology, and OB/GYN's beliefs about mandated reporting.

Methods: A sample of 600 OB/GYNs was sent a survey from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists about their beliefs and practice regarding patient safety.

Results: The response rate was 53.

A comparison of patient perceptions and physician practice patterns related to HIV testing.

In the past 25 years, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have become leading causes of illness and death in the United States. Over 1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in this country, yet there continue to be many individuals who are unaware of their HIV status. Efforts have been made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase awareness by recommending universal testing in healthcare setting for all individuals ages 13-64, for both public health and personal health reasons.

Effects of corticosterone on corticotrophin-releasing hormone and gastrin-releasing peptide release in response to an aversive stimulus in two regions of the forebrain (central nucleus of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex).

Previous research has shown that chronic corticosterone treatment increases the expression of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA at the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Like CRH, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) appears to be involved in mediation of the stress response and is released at the CeA during exposure to an acute stressor. Using in-vivo microdialysis, this study examined the effects of corticosterone treatment on the release of CRH and GRP in response to an airpuff challenge at two forebrain regions, the CeA and medial prefrontal cortex.

Salivary cortisol levels and infant temperament shape developmental trajectories in boys at risk for behavioral maladjustment.

Behavioral problems in young children can take on a variety of forms, which are linked to distinct antecedents and co-occurring markers. Internalizing difficulties in young children, for example, have been linked to individual differences in infant temperament and cortisol levels. In addition, there is growing evidence that these biobehavioral mechanisms are also shaped by gender.

Chronic corticosterone administration does not potentiate unconditioned freezing to the predator odor, trimethylthiazoline.

Chronic high levels of corticosterone (CORT) are known to facilitate learning and memory of aversive events. Whether this effect of chronic CORT also generalizes to unconditioned or unlearned fear behavior is not known. The present study investigated whether high levels of chronic CORT enhance unconditioned fear to a predator odor, trimethylthiazoline (TMT), an innate fear stimulus to rodents.

United States obstetrician-gynecologists' accuracy in the simulation of diagnosing anxiety disorders and depression during pregnancy.

The objective of this study was to examine obstetrician-gynecologists' diagnostic accuracy for mental health issues during pregnancy through utilization of clinical vignettes describing depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as to explore factors associated with increased diagnostic accuracy and related practice patterns. Questionnaires were mailed to 1193 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Fellows and Junior Fellows. The response rate was 44% after three mailings.

Obstetrician-gynecologists' screening and management of preterm birth.

Objective: To define obstetrician-gynecologists' screening for potential preterm birth risk factors and interventions they use when indicators suggest the patient may be at increased risk.

Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to 1,193 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists members.

Results: The response rate was 59%.

Patient perceptions of obstetrician-gynecologists' practices related to HIV testing.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the percentage of obstetrician-gynecologists' patients who have been tested for HIV; (2) examine patient attitudes about HIV testing and patients' knowledge about their own risk status; (3) determine primary reasons patients decline an HIV test; and (4) learn patient recall of how their obstetrician-gynecologists approach the topic of HIV testing.

Method: Survey packets were mailed to each of 687 obstetrician-gynecologists who are members of the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (CARN) to distribute to their patients. Data are reported from 851 patient respondents (297 pregnant and 554 non-pregnant), and were analyzed utilizing independent samples t-tests, chi2 analysis, and linear regression.