Stilettos, schizophrenia and sexuality

Objective. In the collective imaginarium there is a close relationship between high heel shoes and sexuality but it is not clear whether or not this statement is based on scientific evidence or it comes from the common idea that all women that dress up can look sexy. Certainly in the collective imaginarium heeled footwear are not related to schizophrenia, although a medical hypothesis suggested this kind of relationship, alarming generation of women who usually wear heeled footwear, self-sentenced to complain of this severe mental disorder. On the other hand sexual functioning has received little attention as an important aspect of patient care for those suffering from schizophrenia. We tried to define possible relationships between stilettos, schizophrenia and female sexuality. Materials and methods. We performed a review of published in scientific journals and literature using as key words \u201csexuality\u201d, \u201cschizophrenia\u201d, \u201cfootwear\u201d and similar words. We widened our search using also articles not retrieved by our search, but quoted by retrieved papers. Results. With a multiple keyword search we found only a letter concerning this intrigating issue. Only the already mentioned paper took into account a possible relationship between schizophrenia and heeled footwear. Several studies aimed at investigating female sexuality and sexual dysfunction in women with and without mental disorders such as schizophrenia. An increasing interest in female sexuality emerged and women are trying to recover their own sexual independence becoming from sexual subject to object, striving to conquer the equality in sex matter, respecting partners expectation as well. Conclusions. Sexual wellbeing is one of the most complex parts of women life, being dynamic and multidimensional, and including biologic, psychological, socioeconomic, and spiritual components. In this holistic view, also little changes in initial parameters concerning apparently anatomically distant areas might lead to considerable and unexpected events, thus explaining possible relationship between foot, schizophrenia, and sexuality

Transobturator versus retropubic synthetic slings:comparative efficacy and safety

Purpose of review: To review the reported effectiveness and safety of transobturator (TransOburator route, TOR) versus retropubic (retropubic tape) synthetic mid-urethral slings discussing the controversy existing on which of these procedures is best.Recent findings: From August 2009 to January 2011 three meta-analyses of the pertinent topic were identified. They concluded that TOR was less favourable than the retropubic tape in objective cure rates without any significant difference in subjective cure rates. Moreover TOR showed a shorter operating time and less serious perioperative complications than retropubic tape, also when using a standardized complications grading system. The most recent RCTs confirmed these results.Summary: TOR showed similar short and mid-term subjective cure rates compared to retropubic tape; with a shorter operating time and a lower risk of perioperative complications. Subjective cure rates and patient satisfaction are crucial, thus, patient-report outcomes should be used as the primary outcome measure for all trials of incontinence treatments. The absence of standard methods for assessment of anti-incontinence procedures and the use of different methods to evaluate safety and effectiveness led to reporting of different rates of success and complications for the same procedure, making it difficult to compare data, to draw conclusions or make recommendations

Neurophysiology of micturition and pharmacotherapy of lower urinary tract dysfunction

Both humans and animals, growing up, learn to voluntarily control micturition, in order to void only under suitable social and hygienic conditions. The physiological succession of storage and voiding phases is assured by a baseline neurological mechanism that interacts with a complex neuro-anatomic system, through both related and associated activities pattern, modifiable from environmental, social and behavioural factors. Micturition, as a final product of this complex mechanism entails a careful neurological control involving both central and peripheral (somatic and autonomic) nervous system. Aging, pelvic floor disorders, hypersensitivity disorders, morphologic bladder changes, neurological diseases, local inflammations, infections, and tumours, and bladder outlet obstruction may alter the normal voluntary micturition control, leading to urinary incontinence. The main aim of pharmacotherapy is to restore the normal micturition control inhibiting the emerging pathological involuntary reflex mechanism

Aspetti neuroendocrini del carcinoma della prostata.

Sintesi del ruolo rella cromogranina A come marcatore del tumore neuroendocrino della prostat