Gender differences in cognitive interference with sexual arousal

It is well documented that cognitive interference detrimentally influences sexuality, but little is known about the content of that interference. This study compared the self-reports of 220 college men and 337 college women on two types of cognitive interference during sex, performance-oriented and appearance-oriented. Also assessed via use of the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory and the Sexual History Form were: sexual satisfaction, psychological distress, sexual knowledge, sexual experiences, sexual attitudes, sexual fantasy, body image, affect, and sexual functioning, all areas thought to be related to sexual functioning. As predicted, findings indicated that women were more concerned with their own appearance during sexual activity than were men. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, men and women did not differ significantly in self-reported performance-interference. Data also suggested that certain constructs were gender-specific predictors of the two types of interference, as psychological distress was predictive for women and sexual attitudes were predictive for men only. Most constructs were non gender-specific, as sexual satisfaction, body image and our covariate, length of relationship, were predictive in both men and women. Implications are discussed, as results point to the need for gender-specific treatments for sexual dysfunction

Remembering the pain: Psychosocial factors related to endometriotic pain and its recall

Endometriosis is a chronic and debilitating disease, affecting women of childbearing years in a variety of ways, including infertility, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and chronic pelvic pain. Diagnosis and treatment planning are guided primarily by retrospective pain recall, regardless of the fact that (1) there is only a tenuous relationship between pain reports and physical pathology and (2) the accuracy of pain recall has never been assessed in this population. The current study investigated the accuracy of endometriotic pain recall over a 30-day period, as well as potential psychological mediators to pain recall accuracy, including general psychological wellbeing, distress specific to infertility, passive and active coping, and pain present at time of recall. Contrary to expectations, findings indicated that women were relatively accurate in their recall of pain. Only passive coping and pain present at recall were predictive of accuracy, with greater passive coping and lower pain at recall predictive of higher recalled than recorded pain. Study implications are discussed, including: (1) report of pain over a 30-day duration appears credible for the majority of endometriotic patients and (2) women exhibiting greater passive coping may benefit from psychological treatment in addition to medical intervention

Withdrawal of treatment after devastating brain injury: post-cardiac arrest pathways lead in best practice.

Every year in England, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted on about 30,000 people suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) [1]. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is achieved in approximately 25%, and 7–8% of those in whom resuscitation is attempted will leave hospital alive. This figure is below the survival rates achieved in other countries, but, if it could be increased to 10–11%, a further 1000 lives a year could be saved in England [2]. The OHCA steering group aims to achieve this by addressing all aspects of the chain of survival pathway for victims of OHCA, and to this end has published its national framework ‘Resuscitation to Recovery’ in March 2017 [1]. This single consensus document outlines a pathway based on best scientific evidence, national and international guidance, and expert opinion [3, 4]. Key elements of the framework are: to increase the number of patients who receive bystander CPR to more than the current 30–40% of all OHCA, by increasing recognition of cardiac arrest; increasing the number of people trained in resuscitation; increasing the availability and use of public access defibrillators; transfer of patients who have achieved ROSC to recognised centres of care that provide immediate access to echocardiography, CT scanning, a cardiac catheterisation laboratory and advanced circulatory support techniques; management of post-resuscitation care in a general or cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU); and addressing the shortage of appropriate facilities for neurological and physical rehabilitation

Bacterial and fungal microflora in surgically removed lung cancer samples

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Clinical and experimental data suggest an association between the presence of bacterial and/or fungal infection and the development of different types of cancer, independently of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. This has also been postulated for the development of lung cancer, however the prevalence and the exact species of the bacteria and fungi implicated, have not yet been described.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To determine the presence of bacterial and fungal microflora in surgically extracted samples of patients with lung cancer.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>In this single-center prospective, observational study, tissue samples were surgically extracted from 32 consecutive patients with lung cancer, and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to identify the presence of bacteria and fungi strains.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The analysis of the electrophoresis data pointed out diversity between the samples and the strains that were identified. Mycoplasma strains were identified in all samples. Strains that appeared more often were Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis and Bacillus strains, followed in descending frequency by Chlamydia, Candida, Listeria, and Haemophilus influenza. In individual patients Legionella pneumophila and Candida tropicalis were detected.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A diversity of pathogens could be identified in surgically extracted tissue samples of patients with lung cancer, with mycoplasma strains being present in all samples. These results point to an etiologic role for chronic infection in lung carcinogenesis. Confirmation of these observations and additional studies are needed to further characterize the etiologic role of inflammation in lung carcinogenesis.</p

Plasma protein C levels in immunocompromised septic patients are significantly lower than immunocompetent septic patients: a prospective cohort study

Introduction: Activated Protein C [APC] improves outcome in immunocompetent patients with severe sepsis particularly in those who are perceived to have high mortality risk. Before embarking on a trial of APC administration in immunocompromised septic patients, a preliminary study on plasma levels of protein C in this cohort is essential

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Gene Encoding Transcription Factor Prep1 Is Associated with HIV-1-Associated Dementia

BACKGROUND: Infection with HIV-1 may result in severe cognitive and motor impairment, referred to as HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD). While its prevalence has dropped significantly in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy, milder neurocognitive disorders persist with a high prevalence. To identify additional therapeutic targets for treating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, several candidate gene polymorphisms have been evaluated, but few have been replicated across multiple studies. METHODS: We here tested 7 candidate gene polymorphisms for association with HAD in a case-control study consisting of 86 HAD cases and 246 non-HAD AIDS patients as controls. Since infected monocytes and macrophages are thought to play an important role in the infection of the brain, 5 recently identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affecting HIV-1 replication in macrophages in vitro were also tested. RESULTS: The CCR5 wt/Δ32 genotype was only associated with HAD in individuals who developed AIDS prior to 1991, in agreement with the observed fading effect of this genotype on viral load set point. A significant difference in genotype distribution among all cases and controls irrespective of year of AIDS diagnosis was found only for a SNP in candidate gene PREP1 (p = 1.2 × 10(-5)). Prep1 has recently been identified as a transcription factor preferentially binding the -2,518 G allele in the promoter of the gene encoding MCP-1, a protein with a well established role in the etiology of HAD. CONCLUSION: These results support previous findings suggesting an important role for MCP-1 in the onset of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders