Correlations between postural stability and strength of lower body extremities of women population living in long-term care facilities

The present study was aimed at analyzing correlation between strength of lower body extremities and postural stability in function of age. A pool of 180 women divided into 6 age groups (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89 and 90-94 years) was examined. They all were informed-consent participants. The results suggest that age is negatively correlated with lower body strength and positively correlated with decrease of postural balance. There is also an exponential correlation between the strength of lower body part and postural balance. The conclusion was derived that postural stability is at least partially controlled by the strength of lower body. The age of 75 in women population seems to be a threshold above which the neurodegenerative and muscle degeneration processes are responsible for significant increase of risk of fall.     

Tests of Dental Properties of Composite Materials Containing Nanohybrid Filler

Complex composite materials are used in many areas of dentistry. Initially, chemically hardened materials were also used, and in this group nanohybrid composites are highly valued. They are often used today, mainly for the direct reconstruction of damaged hard tooth tissue materials for rebuilding damaged tissues using indirect adhesive techniques. The research was conducted to determine the mechanical properties of materials with nanofillers. The article focuses on methods of important test methods for dental prosthetics: resilience, abrasion, wear test, impact strength, hardness, SEM, and chemical analysis. As part of this work, five different series of hybrid composites with nano-fillers were tested. The mechanical properties of composites, such as compressive strength, microhardness, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity, depend mainly on the type, particle size, and amount of filler introduced. The obtained test results showed that the type and amount of nanofiller have a significant influence on the mechanical and tribological properties. The introduction of nanofillers allowed us to obtain higher mechanical properties compared to classic materials discussed by other researchers. The study observed a change in vibrations in the IR spectrum, which allowed a comparison of the organic structures of the studied preparations.     

Antibiotic Disk Susceptibility Tests with Neisseria gonorrhoeae

We have used a standardized disk diffusion procedure to test the susceptibility of 892 isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to six antibiotics. The disk diffusion test described is a modification of the disk test of Bauer, Kirby, Sherris, and Turck, which is widely used for susceptibility testing of fast-growing, aerobic pathogens. With all six antibiotics (penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, and cephaloridine), disk test results were found to be reproducible and correlated well with the minimal inhibitory concentration as determined by an agar dilution procedure. The coefficients of correlation ranged from -0.79 with cephaloridine to -0.93 with penicillin. The technique described for disk susceptibility testing of gonococci can be used both for research and clinical purposes.     

Diagnosis of gonorrhoea using a genetic transformation test at a venereal disease clinic in Thailand

A genetic transformation test (GTT), a technique in which gonococcal DNA is detected in clinical specimens, was used to search for Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in 37 men and 159 women at the Venereal Disease clinic in Cholburi, Thailand. Swabs were collected in duplicate from cervical specimens from 159 women and from urethral specimens from 37 men. One of each specimen was cultured on Thayer-Martin media while the other was mailed to the United States at room temperature for the GTT which involved a delay of 10 to 14 days. With the urethral specimens N. gonorrhoeae was identified in 84% (31/37) of specimens and there was 100% concordance between the results of the GTT and culturing specimens directly on Thayer-Martin media. With cervical specimens N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from 26% (41/159) by the standard culture technique and 19% (13/159) by the GTT. Seventy-six percent of the culture positive specimens were positive with the GTT and two specimens from which N. gonorrhoeae were not isolated were positive in the GTT. The GTT technique enables physicians to send swab collected from patient with suspected gonorrhoea without any special transport media to a central laboratory for laboratory diagnosis of gonorrhoeal infections. This technique which uses reagents which are available in most bacteriology laboratories, should facilitate surveillance of gonorrhoea especially when specimens are collected in clinics where bacteriology laboratory facilities are not available.     

Why remove all cervical polyps and examine them histologically?

A retrospective analysis of 1366 cervical polyps showed that none had malignant features and 67% were removed from asymptomatic women. A policy removing only cervical polyps from symptomatic women or those with abnormal cervical cytology and limiting histological examination to these polyps would result in significant savings and reduce the small risk of morbidity associated with polypectomy.     

Deterioration of basic coordinative parameters defines life quality of elderly

The objective of the studies was to analyze the level of deterioration of basic coordinative parameters and to derive the present correlation. 180 female participants with no neurological disorders and limb surgery were studied by means of flamingo, kinesthetic differentiation, spatial orientation and reaction to signals tests. t-test for un-paired data and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Nonlinear gradual deterioration of studied parameters in function of age was observed. The correlation between postural balance, kinesthetic differentiation, and reaction to signals was observed. The obtained results indicate that significant correlation between the coordinative parameters may influence daily life functioning. It has also been shown that decline of the basic coordinative parameters can be driven be neurodegenerative processes and environmental factors such as high calorie intake, physical and mental inactivity, toxins and/or infectious agents.     

Live births after management of severe OHSS by GnRH antagonist administration in the luteal phase

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a serious complication of ovarian stimulation protocols. Currently, no curative therapy exists and the main preventive option is cycle cancellation. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist administration in the luteal phase was recently proposed as a new approach for the management of patients with established severe OHSS. Three polycystic ovarian syndrome patients undergoing IVF treatment developed severe OHSS, diagnosed 6 days after oocyte retrieval. On day 6, the patients underwent blastocyst transfer and received GnRH antagonist for 4 days, combined with luteal phase support using exogenous oestradiol and progesterone. Two patients had successful pregnancies that resulted in births of healthy infants, while one patient had a biochemical pregnancy. In all patients, established severe OHSS regressed to a moderate form of the syndrome, no pregnancy-induced life-threatening OHSS was observed, while a short monitoring period was required at an outpatient level, avoiding the need for patient hospitalization. This is the first report in the literature on GnRH antagonist administration in the luteal phase, combined with embryo transfer and exogenous oestradiol and progesterone supplementation. This novel treatment was effective in the regression of established severe OHSS, and resulted in the birth of healthy infants.