Physiological Problems (physiological + problem)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Epilepsy and Recreational Scuba Diving: An Absolute Contraindication or Can There Be Exceptions?

EPILEPSIA, Issue 5 2007
A Call for Discussion
Summary:, Recreational scuba diving is a popular sport, and people with epilepsy often ask physicians whether they may engage in diving. Scuba diving is not, however, without risk for anyone; apart from the risk of drowning, the main physiological problems, caused by exposure to gases at depth, are decompression illness, oxygen toxicity, and nitrogen narcosis. In the United Kingdom, the Sport Diving Medical Committee advises that, to dive, someone with epilepsy must be seizure free and off medication for at least 5 years. The reasons for this are largely theoretical. We review the available evidence in the medical literature and diving websites. The risk of seizures recurring decreases with increasing time in remission, but the risk is never completely abolished. We suggest that people with epilepsy who wish to engage in diving, and the physicians who certify fitness to dive, should be provided with all the available evidence. Those who have been entirely seizure-free on stable antiepileptic drug therapy for at least 4 years, who are not taking sedative antiepileptic drugs and who are able to understand the risks, should then be able to consider diving to shallow depths, provided both they and their diving buddy have fully understood the risks. [source]


Effectiveness of the PLISSIT model for solving the sexual problems of patients with stoma

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 1 2009
Sultan Ayaz
Aims and objectives., This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of the PLISSIT model in solving sexual problems of individuals with stoma. Background., Creating a stoma due to intestinal cancer may prolong the life expectancy of individuals. However, the problems resulting from stoma may cause significant changes in an individual's life and adversely affect relations with family members and social and sexual life. Design., Experimental. Methods., The study consisted of individuals with stoma, living in Ankara. The sample consisted of 60 patients. The case group consisted of 30 patients living in Ankara; and the control group consisted of 30 patients living outside Ankara. In data collection, a questionnaire form, the PLISSIT model intervention plan and Golombok,Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) were used. The individuals in the case group were paid eight home visits. During these visits, sexual problems of individuals with stoma were assessed and solutions sought under the guidance of the PLISSIT model intervention plan. Results., Increase of mean scores of Golombok,Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction and subgroups before evaluating the sexual problems by the PLISSIT model and the sixth week scores which the sexual activity is anticipated to start have been observed, but after evaluating the sexual problems by using the model, the mean scores decreased. It was determined that negative effects of concerns related to sexual life; some physical and emotional features and physiological problems have been observed and difference between the groups is significant (p < 0·05). Conclusions., As a result, it can be claimed that decreasing sexual problems can be accomplished by using the PLISSIT model. Relevance to clinical practice., People with stoma can meet sexual problems. However, nurses experience some difficulties while handling sexual problems. It is thought that an intervention plan prepared within the framework of the PLISSIT model will guide nurses in solving sexual problems of individuals with stoma and providing integrated care and help individuals to express their sexual problems. [source]


Natural intramolecular isotope measurements in physiology: elements of the case for an effort toward high-precision position-specific isotope analysis,

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 15 2001
J. T. Brenna
Chemical information available in organisms can be categorized into three major domains, macromolecular, small molecules, and isotope ratios. Information about physiological state is commonly obtained by qualitative and quantitative analysis in the macromolecular and small molecule domains. Genomics and proteomics are emerging approaches to analysis of macromolecules, and both areas yield definitive information on present physiological state. There is relatively little record of past physiological states of the individual available in these domains. Natural isotopic variability, particularly on an intramolecular level, is likely to retain more physiological history. Because of ubiquitous isotopic fractionation, every stereochemically unique position in every molecule has an isotope ratio that reflects the processes of synthesis and degradation. This fact highlights a vast amount of organismal chemical information that is essentially unstudied. Isotope measurements can be classified according to the chemical complexity of the analyte into bulk, compound-specific, and position-specific or intramolecular levels. Recent advances in analysis of isotope ratios are transforming natural science, and particularly answering questions about ecosystems using bulk methods; however, they have had relatively little impact on physiology. This may be because the vast complexities of physiological questions demand very selective information available in position-specific isotope analysis (PSIA). The relatively few high-precision PSIA studies, based on isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), have revealed intramolecular isotope ratio differences in pivotal physiological compounds including amino acids, glucose, glycerol, acetate, fatty acids, and purines. The majority of these analyses have been accomplished by laborious offline methods; however, recent advances in instrumentation presage rapid PSIA that will be necessary to attack real physiological problems. Gas-phase pyrolysis has been shown to be an effective method to determine 13C/12C at high precision for molecular fragments, and technologies to extend C-based PSIA to N and other organic elements are emerging. Two related efforts are warranted, (a) development of rapid, convenient, and sensitive methods for high-precision PSIA, a necessary precursor to (b) a concerted investigation into the relationship of metabolic state to intramolecular isotope ratio. Inherent in this latter goal is the need to identify long-lived molecules in long-lived cells that retain a record of early isotopic conditions, as has been shown for post-mortem human neuronal DNA. Using known metabolic precursor-product relationships between intramolecular positions, future studies of physiological isotope fractionation should reveal the relationship of diet and environment to observed isotope ratio. This science of isotope physiology, or simply isotopics, should add an important tool for elucidation of early factors that effect later health, probably the most difficult class of biomedical issues. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Acid,base balance in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) in relation to water oxygen concentration

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 12 2003
S Cecchini
Abstract The influence of water oxygen concentration on the acid,base balance of sea bass was evaluated. Fish weighing 200,250 g were cultured under different dissolved oxygen concentrations of 64%, 97%, 150% and 250% saturation (92.7, 140.5, 217.5 and 362.7 mmHg respectively) under mild hypoxia, normoxia, mild hyperoxia and high hyperoxia conditions. The results showed that high hyperoxia and mild hypoxia conditions modified some blood parameters significantly when compared with fish held under the normoxia condition, while no differences were shown with respect to the acid,base balance of fish cultured under normoxia and mild hyperoxia conditions. This testifies that the mild hyperoxia condition does not produce physiological disturbances in the acid,base status of sea bass and it could be considered a favourable condition in sea bass land-based farming, mainly in comparison with the mild hypoxia condition, responsible for other physiological problems. [source]