Background:  Epidemiological studies and surveillance systems of pregnant women often rely on collection of physical activity through self‐report. This systematic review identified and summarised self‐reported physical activity assessments with evidence for validity and reliability among pregnant women. Methods:  Peer‐reviewed articles published through 2011 were included if they assessed validity and/or reliability of an interviewer‐ or self‐administered physical activity questionnaire or diary among pregnant women. Results:  We identified 15 studies, including 12 studies that assessed questionnaires and 4 studies that assessed diaries, conducted in Australia, Finland, Norway, the UK, the US and Vietnam. For questionnaires, 92% (11/12) assessed mode, all assessed frequency and/or duration and 58% (7/12) collected information on perceived intensity. All but one study (92%) assessed validity of the questionnaires. Questionnaires compared with objective measures (accelerometers, pedometers) ranged from slight to fair agreement, while comparison with other self‐reported measures ranged from substantial to almost perfect agreement. Five studies (42%) assessed test–retest reliability of the questionnaires, ranging from substantial to almost perfect agreement. The four studies on diaries were all assessed for validity against objective measures, ranging from slight to substantial agreement. Conclusions:  Selection of valid and reliable physical activity measures that collect information on dose (type, frequency, duration, intensity) is recommended to increase precision and accuracy in detecting associations of physical activity with maternal and fetal outcomes.

Physical activity during pregnancy has been associated with significant health benefits, however most women in the United States do not meet current guidelines. This systematic review evaluates evidence for interventions to improve physical activity during pregnancy in order to identify best practices and inform future research. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SportDISCUS, Embase, ERIC, Psych Info and ISI Web of Science) were searched in July 2011 for peer-reviewed journal articles. Studies were included if they were English-language randomized control trials that measured the efficacy of an intervention targeted to pregnant women and designed to change physical activity as a primary or secondary outcome. Out of 777 studies identified through the systematic search, nine interventions were identified for inclusion by multiple reviewers. Data was abstracted using an abstraction form modeled after the “Guide to Community Preventive Services.” Of the nine interventions included in the review, three reported statistically significant positive results for physical activity. While interventions included a variety of strategies and techniques, none were uniquely associated with positive outcomes. Overall this review suggests that little is known about the efficacy of interventions for physical activity during pregnancy. We provide several recommendations for future research and intervention design.

Pain relief for women undergoing oocyte retrieval for assisted reproduction.

No abstract

Introduction: Distal ureteric calculi remain a widely debated topic without clear consensus on expectant management. This systematic review aims to assess the placebo arms of RCTs to extrapolate data on the natural history of distal ureteral stones and ascertain the success rate of expectant management. Methods: A literature search was performed, and 3 reviewers used a predefined inclusion criterion to independently select articles for inclusion. A cumulative analysis was undertaken, and risk of bias assessed using the Cochrane tool. Results: Stone expulsion was recorded in 1,823/2,447 (74.5%) patients overall. The expulsion rate of study participants receiving placebo varied widely from 35.2 to 88.9%. The overall expulsion rate of stones ≤5 mm was 486/561 (87%) as opposed to 814/1,093 (75%) in stones >5 mm in size. Time to stone expulsion varied from 8.54 to 24.5 days. A re rate of 2% was reported. Conclusions: Spontaneous passage of distal ureteric calculi is dependent on stone size and location within the ureter. Provided a patient does not portray symptoms of uncontrollable pain, infection, obstruction, or declining renal function, it is reasonable to trial a period of expectant management. Follow-up should be arranged to ensure symptom resolution, and alternative treatment can be offered if required.

No abstract

A 10-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat presented for a suspected tracheal mass. Radiographs confirmed an intraluminal tracheal mass. Tracheal resection and anastomosis of 5 tracheal rings was performed with minimal, mild intraoperative complications and no postoperative complications. Histopathology of the tracheal mass revealed a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with incomplete margins both cranially and caudally. Further treatment, including surgical revision, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, was recommended. At the time of publication, no further treatment has been initiated, and a scheduled consultation with the oncologist has been canceled. The cat is doing well at home with no reported signs of recurrence 120 days postoperatively. This is the first report of a cat with a tracheal SCC to be treated with a tracheal resection and anastomosis and only the third feline tracheal SCC to be treated in the veterinary literature.

fit athletes training at both lower elevations and elevations greater than 5000 feet. Military population rates of injury have been consistently lower than civilian sectors in previous studies. Nevertheless, no large-scale studies of this type have looked at altitude and the effects of hydration on SCT-related complications. The military uses an aggressive hydration and work/rest protocol for all soldiers. Objective.-The investigators hypothesized that hydration and work/rest protocols may have led to lower rates of injury in soldiers with SCT exposed to altitude. Methods.-We conducted a retrospective review of a 2800 soldier cohort using blinded data of injuries occurring in participants with pre-identified SCT during a series of 28-day Marine Mountain Warfare training events conducted in Bridgeport, CA from May 2010-Feb 2012. All soldiers with SCT enrolled in the course were included in the study and their injury patterns followed. We compared their patterns with those of the non-SCT population. Results.-Out of the 2800 soldiers, 25 had SCT, but only 1 of the SCT group had an altitude-related complication (acute mountain sickness). Surprisingly, despite a reported clear predilection for complications secondary to SCT, altitudespecific illnesses were rare and only occurred once out of 25 participants (4%). The rate of injuries was much lower than previous civilian studies. There were no deaths in either the study group or the control group. Conclusions.-Medical providers must be prepared to recognize possible SCT-related complications at elevations above 5-10,000 feet, but also recognize that it may be far more likely that their soldiers with SCT will more likely have a wide range of routine illnesses and injuries that are not altitude related.