Skin tissue responses to transient heating with memory-dependent derivative.

In this work, the new concept of "memory dependent derivative" in the Pennes' bio-heat transfer process of skin tissues is employed to investigate the one-dimensional problem of a skin tissue under sinusoidal heat flux conditions. Laplace transform technique is utilized to solve the problem. We investigate, numerically, the bio-heat transfer equation with memory-dependent derivative to find the effect on the tissue temperature of the kernel function and the time-delay parameter which are characteristic of memory dependent derivative heat transfer. Correlations are made with the results obtained in the case of the absence of memory-dependent derivative parameters. The effects of the time-delay on the temperature distribution in skin tissue for different forms of kernel functions are examined.

Inferior hypogastric plexus blockade versus acupuncture for the management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: To compare the clinical efficacies of inferior hypogastric plexus blockade and acupuncture in the management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain (CPP). METHODS: The study included 117 patients with CPP. Group 1 included 62 patients who underwent inferior hypogastric plexus blockade and group 2 included 55 patients who underwent acupuncture. Pain level was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The preprocedure VAS score was 7.6 ± 0.15 in group 1 and 7.7 ± 0.24 in group 2 (p > 0.05). Pelvic pain decreased significantly in both groups after treatment, with pretreatment and posttreatment scores of 7.6 ± 0.15 and 2.2 ± 0.88, respectively, in group 1 (p < 0.0001) and 7.7 ± 0.24 and 4.7 ± 0.11, respectively, in group 2 (p < 0.0001). However, the decrease in pain scores throughout the clinical follow-up was significantly more in group 1 than in group 2 (p< 0.0001). Complete disappearance of symptoms was achieved in 72.6% of patients in group 1 compared to 54.5% of patients in group 2 (p = 0.3737). Patients who did not benefit from the treatment were significantly more in group 2 than in group 1 (25.5% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.0294). No complications were reported in both groups. CONCLUSION: The study results showed that inferior hypogastric blockade had a 72.6% success rate and showed a significantly higher effect on reducing pain intensity in a short period of time in the management of CPP, compared to acupuncture.

Reproductive performance after conservative surgical treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of bilateral internal iliac artery ligation (BIL), bilateral uterine artery ligation (BUAL), step-wise uterine devascularization (SWUD), and B-Lynch on infertility, ovarian reserve, and pregnancy outcome. METHODS: The study included 168 infertile or pregnant patients-recruited at outpatient clinics in Egypt-who had previously undergone uterine-sparing surgery (BIL [group I], n=59; SWUD [group II], n=65); BUAL [group III], n=2; and B-Lynch [group IV], n=42). One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the prevalence of infertility, the status of ovarian reserve, and the prevalence and type of relevant maternal and/or fetal obstetric complications between the groups. RESULTS: Groups II and IV had the highest prevalences of infertility. The ovarian reserve was significantly lower in group II. Unexplained infertility was the predominant cause of infertility in group I, anovulation and premature ovarian failure in group II, and endometriosis and intrauterine adhesions in group IV. The frequency of obstetric complications, particularly placenta previa and preterm labor, was high in group IV. CONCLUSION: Of the 4 procedures, BIL had the least deleterious effect on reproductive performance; SWUD increased the risk of premature ovarian failure, and B-Lynch increased the risks of endometriosis, intrauterine adhesions, placenta previa, and preterm labor.

Lower urinary tract symptoms following female genital mutilation.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) following female genital mutilation (FGM). METHODS: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2009, through January 1, 2012, at the urogynecology clinic of Sohag University Hospital. The participants were 251 women who had undergone different forms of FGM. RESULTS: A total of 251 women agreed to participate. All had the clitoris amputated, 7.1% had some form of mutilation to the labia majora, 33.8% had adhesions of the labia minora, 19.2% had clitoral retention cysts, and 38.8% reported at least 1 LUTS. Nocturia (38.6%) was the most prevalent LUTS, intermittency (23.5%) was the most prevalent voiding LUTS, and incomplete voiding (22.7%) was the most common post-micturition LUTS. All 3 types of LUTS were reported by 11.6% of the women. Those with Type II and Type III FGM had a significantly higher risk of having all 3 LUTS than those with Type I. CONCLUSION: Women with FGM are significantly more likely to have LUTS than women without FGM, and LUTS seem to be more burdensome in those with more extensive FGM.

Correlation between seminal lead and cadmium and seminal parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermic males.

INTRODUCTION: The exact causes of the decline in semen quality are not yet known, environmental factors have been considered to play an important role. Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) are two of the well-known reproductive toxicants to which humans are exposed occupationally and environmentally and can lead to negative effects on the testicular functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma of men with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia in comparison to fertile healthy controls and to correlate these levels with conventional semen parameters, sperm hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) percentage, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage, and semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty infertile male patients with idiopathic oligo and/or asthenozoospermia and thirty healthy fertile men, which was the control group, were included in the study. Lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma, semen parameters, sperm HOS, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS assay were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in seminal lead and cadmium levels among infertile males in comparison to controls. There were significant negative correlations between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and certain semen parameters especially progressive sperm motility and vitality (HOS). Importantly, significant positive correlations were noted between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS level in infertile men and controls on the other hand. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, men with idiopathic male infertility had higher levels of lead and cadmium in their semen which correlated with impairment of sperm motility and vitality percentages and more importantly with higher sperm DNA fragmentation% and semen ROS level.