Stress-related temporary hearing loss--evaluation of bio-humoral parameters: forensic and criminological applications

The body-alarm reaction results from the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which can lead to physio-psychological phenomena such as an exclusion/occlusion of the sense of hearing. One hypothesis to explain this alteration consists in a hydromechanical dysfunction of the internal ear attributable to antidiuretic hormone. In this study, we evaluated the perception of acoustic stimuli administered in stressful conditions in 14 phobic patients and in 20 healthy subjects, in order to assess the influence of stress on perceiving capabilities. We also measured the concentration of salivary cortisol and IL-1β and neurovegetative parameters to objectivise and quantify the physiological reactions. Our results show a worse perception of the frequencies of the human voice under stress; these findings could have a dual value: in the legal field, concerning criminal liability, and on the operative context, regarding the efficiency of verbal communication among law enforcement officers in situations inducing intense emotional stress.     

芪红通络颗粒对大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤保护作用及其机制研究

目的 观察芪红通络颗粒对大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用,并初步探讨其作用机制.方法 将SD大鼠随机分为假手术组,模型组,尼莫地平组,芪红通络颗粒高、中、低剂量(10.8、5.4、2.7 g/kg)组,采用线栓法建立大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤模型.各组大鼠术前连续3d、术后连续2d灌胃给药,每日1次.术后72 h采用Longa法进行神经功能缺损评分,TTC染色法测定脑梗死体积,HE染色观察脑组织病理学改变,比色法测定脑组织丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA)含量和超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathion peroxidase,GSH-Px)活力,Western blot法测定脑组织核因子E2相关因子2(nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2,Nrf2)和血红素氧合酶-1(heme oxygenase 1,HO-1)蛋白表达水平.结果 与模型组比较,芪红通络颗粒高、中、低剂量组脑梗死体积显著缩小(P<0.05);高、中剂量组神经行为学障碍症状明显减轻(P<0.05),脑组织病理改变明显减轻;高、中、低剂量组脑组织中MDA含量明显降低,SOD和GSH-Px活力明显增加(P<0.05);高、中剂量组脑组织中Nrf2和HO-1蛋白表达水平明显升高(P<0.05).结论 芪红通络颗粒对大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤具有较好的保护作用,其机制可能与其激活Nrf2/HO-1信号通路,抑制氧化应激反应,从而产生抗氧化作用有关.     

苓桂术甘汤含药血清对过氧化氢诱导的乳鼠原代心肌细胞氧化应激损伤及细胞凋亡的影响

目的 观察苓桂术甘汤含药血清对H2O2诱导的心肌细胞氧化应激损伤及细胞凋亡的影响。方法 建立H2O2诱导的心肌细胞氧化应激损伤模型,将心肌细胞随机分为正常对照组、H2O2模型组、空白大鼠血清（20%）组、苓桂术甘汤含药血清（5%、10%、20%）组,用苓桂术甘汤含药血清（5%、10%、20%）,分别预处理心肌细胞12 h后,加入100 μmol/L H2O2继续培养6 h,用MTT法测定心肌细胞存活率,比色法检测乳酸脱氢酶（lactate dehydrogenase,LDH）、超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶（glutathione peroxidase ,GSH- Px）活性及丙二醛（malonic dialdehyde,MDA）水平,用荧光核染色法观察细胞凋亡形态学变化,流式细胞术（Annexin Ⅴ- FITC/PI）检测细胞凋亡率,荧光探针法测定氧自由基水平。结果 与正常组比较,模型组心肌细胞活力明显降低（P<0.05）,氧自由基、LDH活性及MDA水平均显著升高（P<0.05）,SOD及GSH- Px活性均显著降低（P<0.05）,细胞核浓染数目增加,细胞凋亡率明显升高（P<0.05）;与模型组比较,苓桂术甘汤含药血清组心肌细胞活力明显升高（P<0.05）,GSH- Px、SOD活性均显著升高（P<0.05）,LDH活性,氧自由基、MDA水平均显著降低（P<0.05）,心肌细胞核浓染减少,细胞凋亡率明显降低（P<0.05）。结论 苓桂术甘汤能够清除细胞内氧自由基,抑制心肌细胞凋亡,增强细胞活性,对心肌细胞氧化应激损伤具有保护作用。     

Research on the Dynamic Effect of China’s Financial Stress and the Macro-economy in the New Era

With regard to China’s economic and financial characteristics in new era, this paper constructs the China’s Financial Stress Index with financial market leading indicators to measure China’s financial risk during January 2002 and June 2016. Besides, this paper utilizes SVAR model to study the dynamic effect between financial stress and macro-economy. The results show that China is in the phase of high financial risk now, and it is likely to face higher long-term financial stress. The financial risk itself is inertial and has a significant negative influence on the confidence of economic players and the real estate market. The confidence of economic players and the fluctuation in the real estate market obviously reflect the financial stress. Such reflection will last for a long time and the influence of financial stress goes stronger with the lapse of time and has an obvious lagged effect.     

温针灸联合Kegel盆底康复训练对产后压力性尿失禁的临床研究

目的 观察温针灸联合Kegel盆底康复训练对产后压力性尿失禁的疗效。方法 将66例产后压力性尿失禁患者按随机数字表法分为治疗组与对照组,每组33例。对照组予以Kegel盆底康复训练,观察组予以温针灸联合Kegel盆底康复训练,观察两组患者治疗前后的漏尿量、尿失禁程度评分、盆底肌力、生活质量评分及临床疗效。结果 两组患者治疗后漏尿量、尿失禁程度评分、盆底肌力、生活质量评分与治疗前比较,差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）;观察组漏尿量、尿失禁程度评分降低程度大于对照组（P＜0.05）,生活质量评分增加程度大于对照组（P＜0.05）。观察组临床疗效优于对照组（P<0.05）。结论 温针灸联合Kegel盆底康复训练治疗压力性尿失禁比单一Kegel盆底康复训练的疗效更好。     

Gender Differences in Posttraumatic Stress and Related Symptoms Among Inner-City Minority Youth Exposed to Community Violence

This study examined gender differences in levels of violence exposure, and in levels of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and related symptomatology in a sample of inner-city predominantly African American youth. Because such youth are at risk for exposure to chronic community violence, they are likely to experience considerable distress and clinical or subclinical levels of posttraumatic stress and related symptoms. Previous research has found that although boys are exposed to violence more frequently than are girls, girls are more likely to express posttraumatic stress and related symptoms as a result of violence exposure. Thus, we examined gender as a moderator of the relation between violence exposure and symptoms. A stronger positive association of anxiety and depression symptoms with extent of community violence exposure for girls than boys was found. It was also found that while girls do not appear to differ in their responses to witnessing violence versus being a victim of violence, boys appear to be more distressed by being a victim of violence than by witnessing violence.     

Direct and Indirect Effects of Childhood Adversity on Depressive Symptoms in Young Adults

While researchers have provided evidence that recent stressors in adulthood and single traumatic events in childhood predict psychological disorder, few have examined the cumulative impact of childhood adversity on later well-being. Using a sample of 649 college students from New England, this research examines whether cumulative trauma in childhood and adolescence is related to depressive symptoms in young adults, and explores the mediating factors that operate in this association. Results indicate clear differences in cumulative trauma by sociodemographic characteristics, with males, nonwhites, and those with less than college-educated parents, reporting significantly greater levels of adversity. We also find that higher trauma is associated with both early onset of depressive disorder and later depressive symptoms. Path analyses reveal that, while some of the association between childhood adversity and depression in young adults is direct, most is explained by the mediating effects of later stress, low self-esteem, and early onset of disorder.     

Structural analysis of human rib fracture and implications for forensic interpretation

Patterns of rib fractures are of significant clinical and forensic interest. Linking patterns of rib fracture with specific physical events provides a foundation for understanding the nature of traumatic events that are associated with rib fracture in forensic contexts. In this study, isolated human ribs (n = 8) were end-loaded to failure to investigate: (i) local deformations (bone strain) prior to and during structural failure, (ii) location of ultimate failure, and (iii) fracture mode. Structural properties of ribs were used to calculate theoretical stresses to determine whether such calculations could be used to predict site of fracture. Ribs fractured on the sternal side of midshaft in all experiments, but mode of failure varied with transverse, buckle, spiral, and "butterfly" fractures observed. Comparison of calculated stress with observed strain values suggest that experimental, rather than theoretical, approaches will be most productive in furthering understanding rib fracture in forensic contexts.     

Police officers' perceptual distortions during lethal force situations: Informing the reasonableness standard*

Research Summary In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court held that determinations about the constitutional appropriateness of police force usage—deadly or not—must be “judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight.” Although the Court's ruling established a clear standard for judging officers' actions (i.e., the perspective of a reasonable police officer on the scene), we know little about the sorts of factors that might frame the perspective of reasonable police officers during situations in which they apply force. This article presents the results of a study that examined 80 police officers' detailed accounts of how they perceived what transpired during 113 incidents in which they shot citizens. Respondents reported experiencing a wide range of sensory distortions, with the vast majority of officers reporting two or more distinct sorts. This study takes these findings as a point of departure to expand our understanding of what constitutes a reasonable officer's perspective during the tense, uncertain moments during which he or she makes the decision to employ deadly force. Policy Implications Given that officers are likely to experience multiple distortions during shootings, the findings have implications for civilian and police oversight policies. In particular, those responsible for reviewing police shooting incidents should take into consideration that officers' behavior will not always be based on the objective reality of what is occurring at the time they decide to pull the trigger, but rather an altered conception of it. Such an understanding is crucial to improving the image of police in certain communities and positively impacting citizen trust of, and satisfaction with, the police.