Heightened autonomic reactivity to negative affective stimuli among active duty soldiers with PTSD and opioid-treated chronic pain.

Within military populations, chronic pain conditions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur, however, little research has examined the psychophysiological correlates of this comorbidity among active-duty soldiers. The current study examined physiological reactivity to negative affective stimuli among 30 active duty soldiers with chronic pain conditions treated with long-term opioid therapy. Participants completed a diagnostic interview and self-report measures.

Pelvic Floor Sensations After the First Vaginal Delivery: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: Current validated instruments to screen for pelvic organ prolapse and its sequelae address bulge symptoms, bowel and bladder changes, and sexual intimacy. However, sensitivity is lower in younger women, and there is no instrument specifically designed to screen in postpartum, primiparous women for early changes, that is, changes that may be noticed before the symptom of a bulge or signs of pelvic organ prolapse occur. Our goal was to elucidate early sensations of pelvic floor support changes in primiparous women after their first vaginal delivery.

Hypertension in the geriatric population: a patient-centered approach.

Hypertension contributes greatly to adverse cardiovascular outcomes; the magnitude of this contribution increases with age. The most recent guideline has proposed raising the goal systolic blood pressure to less than 150 mm Hg among those over age 60; however, this recommendation is not endorsed by other organizations. There are multiple contributors to hypertension in the older individual, including increased vascular stiffness, salt sensitivity, and decreased baroreceptor responsiveness.

Avoidance of cellular blood product transfusions in LVAD recipients does not prevent HLA allosensitization.

Background: Transfusion of cellular blood products during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation has been associated with HLA allosensitization, resulting in the need for a negative prospective cross-match and prolonged transplant waiting times. In order to prevent this risk, we developed a protocol to avoid transfusion of cellular blood products.

Methods: The protocol included preoperative patient stabilization, perioperative recombinant erythropoietin and blood conservation strategies, and postoperative monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation (SVO2) to assure adequate peripheral oxygen delivery.

'Leave me alone' lesions of the petrous apex.

Purpose: When troublesome MR imaging findings are noted in the petrous apex, the radiologist must determine if the area in question needs surgical therapy. Two nonsurgical entities, asymmetric fatty marrow and fluid-filled petrous air cells (trapped fluid), can be noted on conventional brain MR images and confused with pathologic lesions. Our observation that radiologists do not always confidently define the nonsurgical petrous apex lesions precipitated this investigation.

Induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor by IL-1 beta.

Extensive tissue remodeling occurs in survivors of acute lung injury, leading to nearly normal histology and physiology in the majority of individuals, whereas others suffer significant impairment due to the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Alveolar epithelial cells play a central role in the repair process. They are strategically located to directly participate in the solubilization of intraalveolar fibrin deposits, and have the capacity to promote fibrinolysis.

Superoxide mediates the toxicity of paraquat for cultured mammalian cells.

To establish some of the necessary steps in the toxic action of paraquat for cultured mammalian cells, we isolated paraquat-resistant HeLa cells after lethal increments in concentration of paraquat in the medium. The paraquat-resistant cells had increased the cellular content of both the Mn-containing and the CuZn-containing superoxide dismutases. The effect of paraquat on the consumption of oxygen by the wild-type and the resistance cells was similar; in both cases exposure to paraquat for 24 or more hours produced similar proportions of cyanide-resistant consumption of oxygen, suggesting that paraquat entered both cells, underwent reduction, and donated electrons to molecular oxygen.

AM and PM measurement of gastric potential difference and prostacyclin production in humans: effects of ranitidine.

It has been previously documented that aspirin induced gastric injury of healthy male volunteers was greater in the morning than in the evening. We have also reported that fasting gastric acid secretion rates and gastric retention times for solids were lower in the morning hours of the circadian cycle. We hypothesized, therefore, that defensive factors in the human stomach may exhibit circadian rhythmicity with greater vulnerability to noxious agents during the morning hours.