Lower urinary tract symptoms and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a group of RNA viruses involved in several human diseases affecting respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurological systems. COVID-19 was identified in 2020 and was named SARS-CoV-2. To limit worldwide contagion, many countries instituted a lockdown, which conducted to disruption of routine life. In fact, pandemic was associated with several stresses among population, such as loss of employment, deaths of family members, friends, or colleagues, financial insecurity, and isolation. This led to long-lasting psychosocial effects as anxiety and depression, increasing the prevalence of stress and traumarelated disorders in the population. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between lower urinary tracts symptoms (LUTS) and stress/depressive symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: An anonymous cross-sectional webbased survey (comprehending anthropometric data, education level, occupation status, smoking and alcohol habits, current therapies, quarantine and COVID-19 infection status) was conducted from March to May 2020 in Italy. LUTS were examined through National Institute of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and Genitourinary Pain Index (GUPI). Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was utilized to evaluate depressive and anxiety symptoms. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H Test was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 356 out of 461 subjects fully completed the survey, with a response rate of 77.2%. Data showed that subjects involved in economic difficulties, quarantine measures or with increased HDRS reported a significative statistic worsened urinary symptoms (H(3) = 11.731, p = 0.008), quality of life, (H(3) = 10.301, p = 0.016), total NIH-CPSI/GUPI score (H(3) = 42.150, p = 0.000), and quality of life (H(3) = 48.638, p = 0.000). Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic provoked several alterations in everyday life. Although general lockdown, quarantine and social distancing have been necessary to prevent virus spreading, this had long term effects on all population in terms of mental and physical health. NIH-CPSI and GUPI scores increased linearly with stress and anxiety levels measured at HDRS, confirming worse LUTS in subjects who suffered anxiety and stress from COVID-19 pandemic

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI

Spectral Analysis of Pendular Waveforms in Congenital Nystagmus

We analyzed quantitatively electronystagmographic recordings of pendular waveforms via spectral analysis methods. We found (1) symmetrical pendular oscillations in orbital positions spanning a range as wide as 40°, with frequencies between 2 and 8 Hz; (2) stable and small pendular oscillations in patients without a null zone and unstable and large pendular oscillations in patients with a neutral zone; (3) a non-decreasing relationship between the amplitude and the frequency of the eye oscillations, and (4) pendular components in orbital positions at the two sides of a neutral zone. It is argued that pendular nystagmus can be generated independently of normal (jerk) nystagmus in the same orbital position

Quantitative photoacoustic spectroscopy of cataractous human lenses

Quantitativephotoacoustic spectra of the nuclei of cataractoushumanlenses with various degrees of colouration and opacification were measured in the spectral range 250 – 600 nm. The lens nuclei were obtained from 20 cataractous patients through extracapsular cataract extraction. These measurements yield the light loss per unit path length in the nucleus of cataractouslenses

Frequency distribution of the time interval between quick phase nystagmic eye movements

We measured the frequency distribution of the time interval between quick phases of nystagmic eye movements in 8 patients with congenital nystagmus. For each patient we recorded a 3- to 4-second long electro-oculographic (EOG) signal, repeating each session 22 times. The period of the nystagmic cycles was computed for each record, by evaluating the peak frequency of the nystagmic oscillations via spectral analysis of the EOGs. This period is a measure of the time interval between quick phases. Its distribution ranged between 100 and 600 ms and peaked at about 240 +/- 50 ms, with a gaussian shape for values less than about 300 ms. Our measurements were considered as providing the distribution of intersaccadic latencies in normal humans

Amount of Surgery in Congenital Nystagmus

By analyzing the clinical data on the amount of surgery on the extraocular muscles and resulting angular shift of the null zone in 24 patients with congenital nystagmus, a linear dependence was found to exist between these two variables. Hence, the amount of surgery can be confidently established in advance of treatment in order to obtain the shift of the null zone. Many cases of partial surgical successes are discussed and explained a posteriori by a lack of a proper amount of surgical rotation

Spectral-analysis of Dual Jerk Wave-forms In Congenital Nystagmus

Congenital nystagmus (CN) is a disorder of the ocular motility characterized by oscillatory eye movements preventing the correct fixation of a target. Many typical waveforms of eye position recordings have been recognized and classified in the literature: in jerk CN a slow phase eye movement is followed by a fast phase, giving rise to a typical saw-tooth waveform, while in pendular CN the eyes exhibit a periodic motion, giving rise to an approximately sinusoidal waveform. Dual jerk waveforms seemed to show small, rapid oscillations superimposed on a jerk-like waveform, thus being originary classified as a mixture of jerk and pendular CN. On the contrary, a theoretical model of CN has appeared recently, which suggests a possible interpretation of the small amplitude oscillations in dual jerk waveforms as consecutive pieces of growing and decaying exponentials. By spectral analysis of dual jerk waveforms in a number of patients with CN, we show that the oscillations are truly sinusoidal in nature, thus suggesting the possibility of a different explanation of dual jerk waveforms in CN

Electro-oculographic measurement of the time constant of slow phase eye movements in congenital nystagmus

A recent model of the defective oculomotor system producing congenital nystagmus emphasizes that the time constant of the slow-phase eye movements of jerk nystagmus represents a useful parameter in the quantification of the effects of the surgical therapy, since it is directly related to the patient's potential for good visual acuity. The authors analyzed preoperative and postoperative electrooculographic records from five patients with congenital nystagmus and estimated the average time constant of the slow-phase eye movements over seven gaze angles for each patient. This model's parameter was shown experimentally to be a valid tool in monitoring the surgical effects, validating the theoretical indication