Prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction in long-term survivors of marrow transplantation

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of sexual difficulties in men and women after marrow transplantation (MT), and to define medical, demographic, sexual, and psychologic predictors of sexual dysfunction 3 years after MT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred seven adult MT patients were assessed pretransplantation. Survivors repeated measures of psychologic and sexual functioning at 1 and 3 years posttransplantation. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 102 event-free 3-year survivors who defined themselves as sexually active. Men and women did not differ in sexual satisfaction pretransplantation. At 1 and 3 years posttransplantation, women reported significantly more sexual dysfunction than men. Eighty percent of women and 29% of men reported at least one sexual problem by 3 years after MT. No pretransplantation variables were significant predictors of 3-year sexual satisfaction for women. For men, pretransplantation variables of older age, poorer psychologic function, not being married, and lower sexual satisfaction predicted sexual dissatisfaction at 3 years (R2=.28; P < .001). Women who were more dissatisfied 3 years after MT did not receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at 1 -year posttransplantation and were less satisfied at 1 year, but not pretransplantation (R2=.35; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Sexual problems are significant in the lives of MT survivors, particularly for women. Although HRT before 1 year posttransplantation improves sexual function, it does not ensure sexual quality of life. Intervention for women is needed to apply hormonal, mechanical, and behavioral methods to prevent sexual difficulties as early after transplantation as possible.     

Changes in fetal plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone during androstenedione-induced labor in the rhesus monkey: lack of an effect on the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis

Androstenedione infusion to pregnant monkeys leads to premature labor and live delivery. Androstenedione-induced labor also increased placental CRH messenger RNA and peptide to concentrations observed at term in pregnant monkeys. Placental CRH may modulate fetal pituitary-adrenal function during pregnancy in primates. This study tested the hypothesis that androstenedione-induced premature delivery in pregnant monkeys results from androstenedione-induced increases in placental CRH, which stimulate premature activation of the fetal pituitary-adrenal axis. The hypothesis was tested by comparing fetal umbilical vein (FUV) plasma CRH, ACTH, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cortisol concentrations at cesarean section in fetuses from mothers undergoing spontaneous, term labor (group I), with those in fetuses from mothers undergoing androstenedione-induced, premature labor (group II) and with those from mothers not in labor (group III). In addition, gestation-related changes in maternal plasma CRH concentrations were investigated, and CRH immunoactivity was characterized by Sephadex G50 chromatography in pooled maternal plasma extracts. FUV CRH concentrations were similarly elevated in group I and group II fetuses, compared with group III fetuses. Despite similar FUV blood gases in all fetuses, FUV ACTH and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations were higher in group I fetuses than in group II or group III fetuses. The majority of CRH immunoactivity coeluted with synthetic human CRH. Maternal plasma CRH concentrations showed a modest increase with gestation in the rhesus monkey. These data: 1) demonstrate that androstenedione treatment of pregnant monkeys at 0.8 of gestation elevates fetal plasma CRH to similar concentrations measured at term; 2) do not support the hypothesis that androstenedione-induced delivery in the monkey results from premature activation of the fetal pituitary-adrenal axis by placental CRH; but 3) do support a role for activation of the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in association with spontaneous term labor in the monkey; and 4) demonstrate important interprimate species differences in maternal CRH physiology.     

The Maine Scale of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia: Reliability and validity.

Examined the Maine Scale (MS) in 3 studies (131 18–60 yr old hospitalized psychiatric patients) in which adequate test–retest and independent interrater reliabilities were obtained. In an examination of construct validity, high scores on the Nonparanoid subscale were associated with external locus of control; poor performance on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Vocabulary, the Expanded Similarities Test, and the Embedded Figures Test; conceptual overinclusion; slow RT; deviant word associations; and poor recall of word associations. In an examination of concurrent validity, the MS Paranoid and Nonparanoid subscales correlated significantly with the corresponding subscales of the Symptom Rating Scale and the Symptom-Sign Inventory. The MS subscales also correlated significantly with the Weighted Symptom-Sign Inventory and the New Haven Schizophrenia Index but were better able to discriminate between paranoid and schizophrenic categories than any of the other scales. Factor analyses showed a schizophrenic and paranoid factor in both studies. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The measurement of urethral resistance and mural tension using simple programmable modules

The theory of urethral resistance and the derivation or mural tension have been discussed. A method for the continuous calculation and presentation of these parameters has been described. Urethral resistance and mural tensions are altered by the presence of bladder outflow obstruction and have been shown to return to normality after the obstruction is removed.     

The generalized spherical homeomorphism theorem for digital images

The spherical homeomorphism conjecture, proposed by Shattuck and Leahy in 2001, serves as the backbone of their algorithm to correct the topology of magnetic resonance images of the human cerebral cortex. Using a canonical image-thickening technique and the authors' previously proven "spherical homeomorphism theorem for surfaces," we formulate and prove a spherical homeomorphism theorem which is valid for all digital images when utilizing the (26,6)-connectivity rule.     

Thermosiphon-based PCR reactor: experiment and modeling

A self-actuated, flow-cycling polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reactor that takes advantage of buoyancy forces to continuously circulate reagents in a closed loop through various thermal zones has been constructed, tested, and modeled. The heating required for the PCR is advantageously used to induce fluid motion without the need for a pump. Flow velocities on the order of millimeters per second are readily attainable. In our preliminary prototype, we measured a cross-sectionally averaged velocity of 2.5 mm/s and a cycle time of 104 s. The flow velocity is nearly independent of the loop's length, making the device readily scalable. Successful amplifications of 700- and 305-bp fragments of Bacillus cereus genomic DNA have been demonstrated. Since the device does not require any moving parts, it is particularly suitable for miniature systems.     

The NBS Network Measurement System

The NBS Network Measurement System reipresents the implementation of an approach to the measurement of interactive computer networks, teleprocessing systems, and network series which focuses on the service delivered to users rather than on the internal operating efficiency of the system. The information obtained aids users in the quantitative evaluation of such systems and services. The Network Measurement System consists of a data acquisition System and a separate set of data analysis programs. This paper describes the approach to network measurement taken by this system, the models of user-system dialogue employed, and technical summary of, the implementation of the data acquisition system and the data analysis programs.     

The effect of difference oriented communication on the subjective validity of an in-group norm: Doc can treat the group.

The subjective group dynamics model predicts that in-group deviants who violate in-group norms that differentiate between the in-group and the out-group threaten the in-group's public image and its sense of validity. Previous research has shown that, to reduce this threat, group members attempt to symbolically marginalize in-group deviants through negative evaluation. In the current study (N = 107), the effect of another form of symbolic marginalization (difference oriented communication) is investigated. The findings support the subjective group dynamics model by showing that group members whose communications to deviants highlighted differences experienced a subsequent increase in subjective validity of in-group norms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)