Correlation of plasma gonadotrophins and ovarian steroids pattern with symptomatic changes in cervical mucus during the menstrual cycle in normal cycling women.

27 healthy young Italian women were studied to evaluate their ability to identify symptomatically the potentially fertile phase of the menstrual cycle by self observation of their cervical mucus pattern as described in the Ovulation Method Billings. The women's observations were correlated with daily plasma levels of FSH, LH, estradiol-17 beta and progesterone. Ovulation was considered to occur on the day following the LH peak. The hormonal assays revealed that 2 of the 34 cycles studied were anovulatory. 24 of the 27 subjects in the study group demonstrated their ability to recognize the onset of the mucus discharge and the peak symptom from the first cycle after teaching, another two from the second cycle. The only other subject contributed an anovulatory cycle in which the hormonal assay confirmed the accuracy of her mucus observations. In the study, the mean interval between the time of ovulation as assessed and the peak symptom recorded by the subjects was 0.0 days, with a range from -2 to +1 days. The mean time interval from the first recorded symptom to the estimated day of ovulation was 6.0 days, with a range from 3 to 10 days. The study shows that young Italian women can be taught to recognize their cervical mucus pattern as described in the Ovulation Method Billings. The accuracy of their observations is demonstrated by the hormonal assays. The study also confirms the conclusion reached in earlier similar studies that there is a direct correlation between the cervical mucus symptom and the potentially fertile phase of the cycle. Research is currently being conducted on a larger number of couples employing the Ovulation Method Billings to actually regulate their fertility.

[Importance of form in dental implantation]. / L'importanza della forma nell'impianto dentario.

Thirteen implantations have been made in the mandibular arches of 6 dogs. They consisted of commerical titanium blades and screws and of replicas of extracted dental roots variously shaped and made of titanium. All replicas and some of the commerical implantations were covered with pure aluminium using the plasmajet tecnique. Clinico-radiological, histopathological and microradiographical observation showed that only some of the replicas of dental roots give promising results.

[Dental implantations of ceramics-coated metals]. / Impianti dentari metallici rivestiti di ceramica

Recent studies and personal experience of the Authors in the field of dental implants have encountered the same fundamental problem which arises with orthopedic prosthesis procedures. The basic problem is that of adhesion between the bone tissue and the metal implant. Chrome-cobalt alloy, Tantalum and Titanium are the metals of most recent use. The Authors therefore proceeded to investigate the behaviour of alveolar bone tissue in the proximity of artificial teeth made of alloy (platinum-gold) covered with ceramic, as used in prosthetic dentistry. The experiment was carried out in a dog and a man. In the dog, two of its mandibular teeth were substituted with the same ceramic-gold implants: the first, a replica of natural tooth, was placed in the socket and held in place by metal splint and mandibular circumferential wirings. The other implant, without a replicated crown, was left free, within the alveolus, without contacting the near or opposing teeth. A solid smooth surfaced alumina device, shaped like a small cylinder, was implanted in the upper femoral epiphysis of the same animal.

Structure of human cervical mucus correlation with plasma ovarian hormone levels.

In studying the structural changes of human cervical mucus during the ovulatory cycle, they have been observed to be directly related to ovarian hormone changes. Mucus structural changes, if taken according to their sequence during the cycle, clearly express the anatomic and functional events occurring in the ovary. If each structure is considered separately, only the mucus of the preovulatory period can be considered an indication of the corresponding ovarian processes, presenting peculiar morphologic characteristics. The observation of a similar morphologic appearance in the mucus of the early follicular and luteal phases leads one to believe, in spite of the influence of totally different hormone levels, in the likely existence of a mechanism of interference between estrogens and progesterone during the postovulatory period of the cycle.

Metabolic effects of physical training in subjects with oral glucose intolerance.

A group of normal weight subjects with oral glucose intolerance was studied for 4 months before, during, and after a physical training program (8 km/day/run). There were no significant differences in weight, basal blood glucose, lactate, and total cholesterol during and after training as compared with before training. Serum triglycerides significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased during the training period, and cholesterol-HDL significantly (P less than 0.01) increased during and after the physical program. Our data show that in previously inactive subjects with oral glucose intolerance physical training improves serum lipid patterns and thereby reduces atherosclerotic risk.

Evaluation of hip arthroprostheses by means of body environment simulators.

Laboratory tests carried out by means of body environment simulators have proved to be very important for the evaluation of endoprostheses potentially useful for implantation. The present paper examines the problems connected with the design of such a simulator. The results obtained with an initial, very primitive simulator concerning the outlines of the phenomena of wear, corrosion, and friction and some wear properties of commercially available hip endoprostheses are presented. From these results, the motivation that led to the design of a more advanced simulator is presented. This latter simulator is also described.

Clinical significance of fibrinopeptide A in acute lymphocytic and non-lymphocytic leukaemia.

Fibrinopeptide A (FPA) was systematically investigated in 74 patients with acute leukaemia at different stages of the disease (50 with non-lymphocytic leukaemia, ANLL; 24 with lymphocytic leukaemia, ALL). At diagnosis, 75% of the cases had high FPA levels (86% in ANLL and 54% in ALL) with significantly higher levels in ANLL than in ALL (13.4 vs 4.4 ng/ml; p less than 0.001). Patients with DIC (20 cases in ANLL and 1 case in ALL) had significantly higher levels (p less than 0.001). FPA levels were neither correlated with fibrinogen or FDP levels nor with blast cell count. During chemotherapy, median FPA did not show significant changes whereas, at the end of therapy, a return toward normality was generally observed both in ALL and ANLL apart from the group of patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Among the 24 patients who entered post-remission follow-up (13 ANLL and 11 ALL), 10 cases out of the 11 relapsing (6/6 with ANLL and 4/5 with ALL) had increased FPA 1 to 2 months before the ascertainment of the relapse. However, 16% and 9% of the samples obtained on different occasions, respectively from ANLL and ALL cases in maintained first remission, showed FPA above the normal limit. This study demonstrates that subclinical activation of blood coagulation, as indicated by high FPA level, is common both in lymphocytic and non-lymphocytic leukemia and suggests that this phenomenon is related to disease activity.