Psychoemotional features of a doubtful disorder: functional dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the psychological profile of individuals prone to FD-like symptoms (FDLS). METHOD: A triple questionnaire of 614 items (including psychological and medical ones) was given to 10192 respondents, the results were analyzed by means of Cronbach alpha, and Chi square test, together with an ad-hoc designed method that implied ranking and outliers detecting. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: FDLS appears to be an accompanying feature of many (if not most) human emotions and are more frequent in anxious, timid, pessimistic, discontent, irascible, tense, success-doubting, unexpected-dreading individuals, bothered by persistent thoughts and tormented by the professional requirements and the lack of time. A higher degree of specificity might have: chiefly fear of failure, susceptibility, and tension, secondarily emotivity, fear of unpredictable events, sense of insufficient time, preoccupation with authority factors, and tendency to endure unacceptable situations, and also faulty patience and lack of punctuality. Rumination appears to be the psychological tendency most strongly associated with FD. Nocturnal epigastric pain seems to indicate a submissive nature but a rather responsibilities-free childhood, while early satiety is associated with inclination to work and responsibility and preoccupation with self-image. The superposition of FD symptoms with biliary and esophageal symptoms cast a doubt over the distinctness and even the materiality of the various functional digestive disorders.

Psychoemotional features in irritable bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the psychological profile of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHOD: A triple questionnaire of 614 items (including psychological and medical ones) was given to 10192 respondents and the results were analyzed by means of Cronbach alpha and Chi square test, together with an ad-hoc designed method that implied ranking and outliers detecting. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression are general psychological tendencies unspecifcally linked with IBS. Among the features with a relatively more specific correlation with IBS, tension has the strongest association, followed by the inclination to endure unacceptable situations, preoccupation for health, and susceptibility, and then by fear of failure and sense of demanding profession. IBS individuals readily accept a subordinate position, which may be connected to their history of tyrannical parents, and also to their preoccupation for authority factors. The sense of being treated unfairly by the authority persons during the school years nuances this last feature. Some features that bring some nuances to this psychological portrait are: contemplative nature and analyzing tendency, preoccupation with health issues, a reserved, unsociable, and precautious nature, clinging to known circumstances.

Questionnaire about psychology/disease correlation-I.

RATIONALE: The existing personality inventories are exploring too general psychological features so that the possible psychology/disease associations might be leveled out. OBJECTIVE: We attempt to build a tool to explore the possible correlation between certain psychological features and the most common internal disorders. METHOD: We have used two questionnaires containing many pairs of synonymous items (necessary for assessing the consistency of the answers). The items are divided into four main domains: preoccupation for the basal conditions of existence (health/ disease/ death, fear, money, lodging); interaction with other people; action, will/ volition, self-assertion; and preoccupation with the exterior. In this first article we are presenting the correlations between items of the first domain, based on the answers from our first 3138 respondents. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The concern about health is best reflected by general formulations. The desire for security is best expressed by items combining the worry about money and dwelling, and worst by items reflecting the eagerness to gain, keep or judiciously spend money. Among the various fears, those of future, darkness, and loneliness are better indicators of security concern. In assessing the anxiety about safety/ security, specific worries are more revelatory than the general ones. Precaution and inclination for order are the best indicators for the aspiration to stability. Poorer ones are the desire for cleanliness and the tendency to attachment. Health and security concerns seem to be consistently linked. The consistency evaluating system will be based upon pairs of synonymous items correlated with a10(-200) or less error probability.

Questionnaire about psychology/disease correlation - II.

OBJECTIVE: To further evaluate the adequacy of the items in our questionnaire aimed at unraveling the possible correlations between psychological features and internal disorders. This paper is dedicated to the items exploring the individual's interaction with other people. METHOD: The items are divided into several subdomains. For each subdomain, we have calculated the correlations between the items of the respective subdomain (inner associations) and with the items in other subdomains (outer associations) by means of chi square test or Fisher exact test as dictated by statistical reasons. We examined the answers from our first 10192 respondents. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Many inter-item correlations are the consequence of higher or lesser degrees of synonymy. Those within a given subdomain confirm the adequate allocation of items. Those bridging different subdomains may point either to incorrect assignments, or to semantic inclusion relations. Other results are not explicable by semantic similarity, and probably reveal psychological subtleties, such as: most individuals have a sense of undeservedness when badly treated by other people; those easily hurt by insults and humiliations have a propensity to timidity and/or emotivity; the subjects who shun conflicts are more prone to persistent thoughts, brooding people are more sensitive and more prone to conflicts, injustice-indignant people frequently get into conflict although they declare to be bothered by dissent etc. But at the heart of all the PFs in the Interaction-with-other-people domain there seems to be the sense of being undervalued, which should probably be the key issue to be addressed by any therapeutic interventions for diseases psychoemotionally determined by disturbed interpersonal relationships.

[Foreign bodies in the urogenital tract--between iatrogeny and autoerotism]. / Corpi straini la nivelul aparatului uro-genital--între iatrogenie si autoerotism.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to evaluate the cause, diagnosis and management of foreign bodies in the urogenital tract reviewing a 7 years experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2000 to 2007, 12 patients were treated in our department because of foreign bodies localized in the urogenital tract. We retrospectively analyzed the data regarding presentation, diagnosis and management. RESULTS: The foreign bodies from the urogenital tract included: mascara, spray cap, wires, candle, swabs, plastic tube, remnants from JJ ureteral stent and nefrostomy tube. Diagnostic investigations varied from case to case and consisted of: KUB (kidney, ureter and bladder), abdominal ultrasound, urography, computer tomography, and also cystoscopy. The management was endoscopic in 4 (33%) cases, but in the great majority of them--8 (67.6%) it was necessary a classical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Foreign bodies localized in the urogenital tract, represents a relative rare pathology and in many situations those cases have legal implications. Investigations must include radiologic investigations in order to identify their exact location and size. In many cases the management can not be endoscopic and it is necessary a classic intervention.

Alcohol consumption and risk of coronary heart disease among men with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between alcohol intake and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among men with type 2 diabetes. BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of CHD. Emerging evidence suggests that moderate alcohol intake is associated with an important reduction in risk of CHD in individuals with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We studied 2,419 men who reported a diagnosis of diabetes at age 30 or older in the Health Professionals' Follow-up study (HPFS). During 11,411 person-years of follow-up after diagnosis, we documented 150 new cases of CHD (81 nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI] and 69 fatal CHD). Relative risks (RR) were estimated from pooled logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Alcohol use was inversely associated with risk of CHD in men with type 2 diabetes. The age-adjusted RRs corresponding to intakes of < or =0.5 drinks/day, 0.5 to 2 drinks/day and >2 drinks/day were 0.76 (95% confidence interval: [CI]: 0.52 to 1.12), 0.64 (95% CI: 0.40 to 1.02) and 0.59 (95% CI: 0.32 to 1.09), respectively, as compared with nondrinkers (p for trend = 0.06). When we controlled for body mass index, smoking, family history of MI, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, duration of diabetes, physical activity level, vitamin E supplements and intake of trans fat, polyunsaturated fat, fiber and folate, RRs were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.52 to 1.15), 0.62 (95% CI: 0.40 to 1.00) and 0.48 (95% CI: 0.25 to 0.94) (p for trend = 0.03). The benefits of moderate consumption did not statistically differ by beverage type. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower risk of CHD in men with type 2 diabetes.

Alcohol consumption and risk of coronary heart disease among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

The epidemiologic evidence on the association between moderate alcohol intake and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), biological mechanisms for this association, and potential hazards of alcohol intake in individuals with type 2 diabetes is reviewed here. Three prospective cohort studies have examined the association between alcohol consumption and risk of CHD among diabetics. The results indicated significant risk reductions, ranging from 34% to 79%, associated with light to moderate alcohol intake. Potential mechanisms include increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, decreased coagulation, and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Alcohol intake is also associated with certain risks among diabetics. However, for moderate alcohol consumption, the benefits would likely outweigh the risks.

Biobehavioral factors are associated with obesity in Puerto Rican children.

The purpose of this case-control study was to identify predictors of obesity among Puerto Rican children from Hartford, CT. The study included 53 prepubertal children, 31 girls and 22 boys, between 7 and 10 y of age. Children were classified as obese [n = 29, body mass index (BMI) >/= 85th percentile] or controls (n = 24, BMI < 85th percentile). Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that frequency of fruit juice consumption [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI); 4.02, 1.48-10.95], hours of daily TV viewing (1.86, 1.02-3.42), maternal BMI (1.39, 1.10-1.77) and lower dairy product intake (0.41, 0.19-0.93) were associated with obesity. Television viewing was correlated (P < 0.05) with lower physical activity in girls, and with higher snacking frequency and sweets consumption in boys. Obese children were more likely than controls to have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures and to have experienced more ear infections and diarrhea during the previous year. Results provide evidence of the multifactorial nature of childhood obesity in this community.

A comparison of the nutritional status and food security of drug-using and non-drug-using Hispanic women in Hartford, Connecticut.

This study compared food insecurity, nutritional status (as measured through anthropometry and dietary intake), and food preparation patterns of low-income Puerto Rican female out-of-treatment drug users with that of low-income Puerto Rican women who reported no drug use. A convenience sample of 41 drug users was compared with 41 age-matched non-drug-users from inner-city Hartford, Connecticut. A culturally appropriate food frequency questionnaire was administered and anthropometric measurements were taken. The findings suggest a high degree of poverty among all study participants, but in particular among drug users. Drug users were more likely than the controls to be food insecure (P < 0.05) and to be exposed to increasingly severe food sufficiency problems. The daily frequency of consumption of vegetables was lower (P = 0.03) for drug users than non-drug-users. Conversely, the frequency of consumption for sweets/desserts was significantly higher for drug users than the controls (P = 0.0001). Drug users, who were classified as food insecure were less likely to consume vegetables (P = 0.004) and fish (P = 0.03) than were controls who were food insecure. When comparing drug users with controls, the former group reported consuming fewer meals during a usual week than the latter group (P < 0.0001). Drug users were more likely to fry foods (P = 0.02) while the controls were more likely to bake (P = 0.005), boil (P = 0.02), and steam (P = 0.002) foods. All anthropometric measurements, except for height, were significantly lower for drug users. The results show that drug users generally maintain poorer nutritional status than non-drug-users. Nutrition interventions as part of drug treatment are needed.

Contributions to the complex study of some lichens-Usnea genus. Pharmacological studies on Usnea barbata and Usnea hirta species.

The pharmacological researches have been performed for Usnea barbata and Usnea hirta species using hydroalcoholic extracts. The acute toxicity has been determined and the following LD50 have been obtained: i. p. Usnea barbata 22.53g vegetal material/kg b. w.; Usnea hirta 21.02g vegetal material/kg b. w.; i. v. Usnea barbata 7.43 vegetal material/kg b. w.; Usnea hirta 4.52g vegetal material/kg b. w.; per os up to 32g vegetal material/kg b. w. no mortality has been recorded. It has been demonstrated that the antiinflammatory activity was comparable, sometimes superior to the phenylbutazone and hydrocortisone hemisuccinate; the analgesic activity was close to the noraminophenazone; the antipyretic activity was equal, sometimes superior to the aminophenazone. In Romania, Usnea barbata was mentioned in 1929 among the plants known by Romanian people with popular names: "Bear's beard", "Trees' dandruff", "Woman's long hair" (1). "Farmacia naturii" (2) and "Flora medicinala a Romaniei" (3) have mentioned that Usnea barbata (L) Mott contains usnic acid-substance with broad antibiotic spectrum. Lichens have made the subject of the multiple studies because of their old medical use (4). Besides the antibiotic properties noticed at lichens products (4) there have been discovered the following pharmacological actions: antiinflammatory (5), antitumoural, immunostimulatory (6, 7, 8, 9). The results of the researches made on lichens family within Romania's spontaneous flora (10) have determined us to study the two species: Usnea barbata (L) Mott and Usnea hirta (L) Wigg.