Hormones and Seizures Ovarian steroid hormones alter excitability of neurons of the central nervous system. Estrogen reduces inhibition at the gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA-A) receptor, enhances excitation at the glutamate receptor, and increases the number of excitatory neuronal synapses. Progesterone enhances GABAmediated inhibition, increases GABA synthesis, and increases the number of GABA-A...

Cellulitis Cellulitis is a painful, erythematous infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues that is characterized by warmth, edema, and advancing borders (Table 1). Cellulitis commonly occurs near breaks in the skin, such as surgical wounds, trauma, tinea infections (Figure 1), or ulcerations, but occasionally B acterial skin infections are the 28th most common diagnosis in hospitalized p...

OBJECTIVE To explore the nature of professional stress and the strategies used by family physicians to deal with this stress. DESIGN Qualitative study. SETTING Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. PARTICIPANTS Ten key-informant family physicians. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with key informants. A total of 40 key informants were identified, based on selected criteria; 24 provided cons...

BACKGROUND The percentage of family physicians delivering babies decreased from 46% in 1978 to 32% in 1992. Some family practice leaders predicted that, by the turn of the century, training for family practice obstetrics would focus primarily on those planning to work in remote or rural settings. A 1993 study found three primary factors associated with an increased incidence of future maternity...

1 Physician. Professional MSc in Family Health, UNINOVAFAPI. Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. 2 Dentist, Doctor. Professional MSc in Family Health, UNINOVAFAPI. Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. 3 Nutritionist, Doctor. Professional MSc in Family Health, UNINOVAFAPI. Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. 4 Nurse, Doctor. Postgraduate Program in Nursing. Federal University of Piauí, UFPI. Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. 5 Physician,...

See page 2131 for definitions of strength-ofrecommendation labels. V aginitis is among the most common conditions for which women seek medical care, with vaginal discharge accounting for approximately 10 million office visits each year.1 Although vaginitis can have a variety of causes (Table 1), it most often is associated with infection or atrophic changes. Common infectious forms of vaginitis...

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) include over 250 diverse disorders. The current study assessed management of PID by family practice physicians. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Primary Immunodeficiency Committee and the Immune Deficiency Foundation conducted an incentivized mail survey of family practice physician members of the American Medical Association and t...

Optics, Refraction and Refractive Error Refraction is the bending of light rays as they pass from one transparent medium to another medium of a different density; it is measured in diopters. The refractive power of a lens is the reciprocal of its focal length measured in meters (e.g., a one-diopter lens has a focal point of 1 m; a two-diopter lens has a focal length of 0.5 m). The cornea and th...

BACKGROUND The medical review officer is a position established by federal statute in 1988. The role of the medical review officer is to interpret positive urine drug tests in view of the donor's medical history. With more than 4 million workers affected by the Department of Transportation guidelines for workplace drug testing, and many private employers having urine drug screening programs, th...