The dire disregard of measurement invariance testing in psychological science.

Self-report scales are widely used in psychology to compare means in latent constructs across groups, experimental conditions, or time points. However, for these comparisons to be meaningful and unbiased, the scales must demonstrate measurement invariance (MI) across compared time points or (experimental) groups. MI testing determines whether the latent constructs are measured equivalently across groups or time, which is essential for meaningful comparisons. We conducted a systematic review of 426 psychology articles with openly available data, to (a) examine common practices in conducting and reporting of MI testing, (b) assess whether we could reproduce the reported MI results, and (c) conduct MI tests for the comparisons that enabled sufficiently powerful MI testing. We identified 96 articles that contained a total of 929 comparisons. Results showed that only 4% of the 929 comparisons underwent MI testing, and the tests were generally poorly reported. None of the reported MI tests were reproducible, and only 26% of the 174 newly performed MI tests reached sufficient (scalar) invariance, with MI failing completely in 58% of tests. Exploratory analyses suggested that in nearly half of the comparisons where configural invariance was rejected, the number of factors differed between groups. These results indicate that MI tests are rarely conducted and poorly reported in psychological studies. We observed frequent violations of MI, suggesting that reported differences between (experimental) groups may not be solely attributed to group differences in the latent constructs. We offer recommendations aimed at improving reporting and computational reproducibility practices in psychology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Awareness Is Bliss: How Acquiescence Affects Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Assessing the measurement model (MM) of self-report scales is crucial to obtain valid measurements of individuals' latent psychological constructs. This entails evaluating the number of measured constructs and determining which construct is measured by which item. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is the most-used method to evaluate these psychometric properties, where the number of measured constructs (i.e., factors) is assessed, and, afterward, rotational freedom is resolved to interpret these factors. This study assessed the effects of an acquiescence response style (ARS) on EFA for unidimensional and multidimensional (un)balanced scales. Specifically, we evaluated (a) whether ARS is captured as an additional factor, (b) the effect of different rotation approaches on the content and ARS factors recovery, and (c) the effect of extracting the additional ARS factor on the recovery of factor loadings. ARS was often captured as an additional factor in balanced scales when it was strong. For these scales, ignoring extracting this additional ARS factor, or rotating to simple structure when extracting it, harmed the recovery of the original MM by introducing bias in loadings and cross-loadings. These issues were avoided by using informed rotation approaches (i.e., target rotation), where (part of) the rotation target is specified according to a priori expectations on the MM. Not extracting the additional ARS factor did not affect the loading recovery in unbalanced scales. Researchers should consider the potential presence of ARS when assessing the psychometric properties of balanced scales and use informed rotation approaches when suspecting that an additional factor is an ARS factor.

Use of interventions involving virtual reality tasks during the climacteric: a systematic review.

Technological advances have been impacting health care worldwide. Our study aimed to research the literature systematically to determine the impact of technological treatments versus conventional treatments on the quality of life of climacteric women. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021241638). We searched seven databases, including PRISMA, using mesh terms. After screening for eligibility, we selected five clinical trials, and applying the snowball technique we were able to include four more articles, totaling nine articles that used technology-based interventions (virtual reality games) during the climacteric. The total study population consisted of 298 climacteric women. Two studies evaluated a technology-based treatment for pelvic floor, one for urinary incontinence symptoms, three for postural balance, one for cardiorespiratory capacity, one for osteoporosis and one study for lower back pain. The studies showed that the technological treatments improved pelvic floor strength, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness and bone mineral density when compared to conventional treatments. Improvement was linked to adherence to training and a high level of satisfaction during the training sessions. Technology-based treatments appear to be a viable alternative to conventional treatments in improving the quality of health, with benefits for the cardiovascular, genitourinary and skeletal systems, and ultimately for the overall quality of life.

Scale length does matter: Recommendations for measurement invariance testing with categorical factor analysis and item response theory approaches.

In social sciences, the study of group differences concerning latent constructs is ubiquitous. These constructs are generally measured by means of scales composed of ordinal items. In order to compare these constructs across groups, one crucial requirement is that they are measured equivalently or, in technical jargon, that measurement invariance (MI) holds across the groups. This study compared the performance of scale- and item-level approaches based on multiple group categorical confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CCFA) and multiple group item response theory (MG-IRT) in testing MI with ordinal data. In general, the results of the simulation studies showed that MG-CCFA-based approaches outperformed MG-IRT-based approaches when testing MI at the scale level, whereas, at the item level, the best performing approach depends on the tested parameter (i.e., loadings or thresholds). That is, when testing loadings equivalence, the likelihood ratio test provided the best trade-off between true-positive rate and false-positive rate, whereas, when testing thresholds equivalence, the χ2 test outperformed the other testing strategies. In addition, the performance of MG-CCFA's fit measures, such as RMSEA and CFI, seemed to depend largely on the length of the scale, especially when MI was tested at the item level. General caution is recommended when using these measures, especially when MI is tested for each item individually.

Local excision in rectal cancer patients with major or complete clinical response after neoadjuvant therapy: a case-matched study.

PURPOSE: To assess the long-term oncological outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by local or total mesorectal excision. METHODS: Patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma who received neoadjuvant therapy from 2005 to 2017 were evaluated. Those with major or complete clinical response underwent a full-thickness local excision. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to evaluate overall, disease-free, and local recurrence-free survival of patients who underwent local excision (LE group) and were compared with a matched cohort of patients who underwent total mesorectal excision (TME group). RESULTS: Among 252 patients who received neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer, 51 (20.2%) underwent a local excision. At a median follow-up of 61 months, patients who underwent local excision were stoma-free in 88.2% of cases and with rectum preserved in 78.5% of cases, respectively. The estimated 5-year local, disease-free, and overall survival was 91.8% vs 97.6% (95% CI: 79.5-96.8 vs 84.6-99.6), 86.7% vs 86.4% (95% CI: 72.5-93.9 vs 70.1-94.1), and 85% vs 90% (95% CI: 69.0-93.0% vs 75.3-96.2), in the study and matched control group, respectively. None of the differences was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: One-fifth of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer are manageable with a rectum-sparing approach after neoadjuvant therapy. With this strategy, about 80% patients will have their rectum preserved and 90% will be without stoma at long term.

Multicentre randomized clinical trial of colonic J pouch or straight stapled colorectal reconstruction after low anterior resection for rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colonic J pouch reconstruction has been found to be associated with a lower incidence of anastomotic leakage than straight anastomosis. However, studies on this topic are underpowered and retrospective. This randomized trial evaluated whether the incidence of anastomotic leakage was reduced after colonic J pouch reconstruction compared with straight colorectal anastomosis following anterior resection for rectal cancer. METHODS: This multicentre RCT included patients with rectal carcinoma who underwent low anterior resection followed by colorectal anastomosis. Patients were assigned randomly to receive a colonic J pouch or straight colorectal anastomosis. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of major anastomotic leakage. The incidence of global (major plus minor) anastomotic leakage and general complications were secondary outcomes. Risk factors for anastomotic leakage were identified by regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 457 patients enrolled, 379 were evaluable (colonic J pouch arm 190, straight colorectal arm 189). The incidence of major and global anastomotic leakage, and general complications was 14·2, 19·5 and 34·2 per cent respectively in the colonic J pouch group, and 12·2, 19·0 and 27·0 per cent in the straight colorectal anastomosis group. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two arms. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, male sex (odds ratio 1·79, 95 per cent c.i. 1·02 to 3·15; P = 0·042) and high ASA fitness grade (odds ratio 2·06, 1·15 to 3·71; P = 0·015) were independently associated with the occurrence of anastomotic leakage. CONCLUSION: Colonic J pouch reconstruction does not reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage and postoperative complications compared with conventional straight colorectal anastomosis. Registration number NCT01110798 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Metastatic pattern and new primary tumours after neoadjuvant therapy and surgery in rectal cancer.

AIM: Current follow-up guidelines for distant tumour recurrence after rectal cancer surgery are not defined or agreed. The aim was to elucidate the pattern of recurrence over time and provide information that could help direct a strategy for surveillance. METHOD: In all, 378 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and surgery with curative intent. Patients were followed up with a standard protocol, and data were prospectively collected in a dedicated database. Disease-free survival and overall survival were calculated. RESULTS: Within a median follow-up time of 75 months, rates of local and distant recurrence were 2.6% and 21.7%, respectively. Risk factors for recurrence were a baseline carcinoembryonic antigen > 5.0 ng/ml, a distance from the anal verge ≤ 5 cm, R1 resection margins, G3 grading, ypT staging > 2, positive lymph node status and a tumour regression grade of 3-5. Disease-free survival did not vary significantly between patients with lung and extra-pulmonary metastases (P = 0.59). The only factor associated with increased risk of lung metastases was a distance of the tumour from the anal verge of ≤ 5 cm (P = 0.01). Most recurrences occurred within the first 3 years after surgery (74.4%). The first site of recurrence was most frequently the lung (52.0%). The most frequent new primary malignancy was lung cancer (22.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing curative therapy for rectal cancer often experience distant recurrence; the majority of recurrences occur within the first 3 years after surgery and lung metastases are the most common. A predictive factor for pulmonary recurrence is a tumour in the lower rectum.

T1 colon cancer in the era of screening: risk factors and treatment.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for lymph node positivity in T1 colon cancer and to carry out a surgical quality assurance audit. METHODS: The sample consisted of consecutive patients treated for early-stage colon lesions in 15 colorectal referral centres between 2011 and 2014. The study investigated 38 factors grouped into four categories: demographic information, preoperative data, indications for surgery and post-operative data. A univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the significance of each factor both in terms of lymph node (LN) harvesting and LN metastases. RESULTS: Out of 507 patients enrolled, 394 patients were considered for analysis. Thirty-five (8.91%) patients had positive LN. Statistically significant differences related to total LN harvesting were found in relation to central vessel ligation and segmental resections. Cumulative distribution demonstrated that the rate of positive LN increased starting at 12 LN harvested and reached a plateau at 25 LN. CONCLUSIONS: Some factors associated with an increase in detection of positive LN were identified. However, further studies are needed to identify more sensitive markers and avoid surgical overtreatment. There is a need to raise the minimum LN count and to use the LN count as an indicator of surgical quality.

Rectal adenocarcinoma in patients with anorectal malformations: report of two cases and a review of the literature.

AIM: Anorectal malformation (ARM) is a rare congenital disorder of the anus and rectum. In the last 30 years virtually all patients born with ARM have survived and surgeons from adult care may be called to deal with new and long-term sequelae, including tumors of the pulled-through anorectum. Two new cases of colorectal carcinoma in young adults born with ARM and a review of the literature is reported to emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary follow-up. METHODS: A man and a woman, with previous history of ARM, presented at 34 years of age with symptoms of intestinal occlusion and a large pelvic mass. Both patients had no familial history of colorectal carcinoma. RESULTS: The patients underwent biopsies (mucinous rectal adenocarcinoma) and stadiation (T4N0M0). In one case the microsatellite instability showed a stable profile. Despite maximal treatments, including surgery, chemo- and radio-therapy, they both died a few years after diagnosis for progression of disease. CONCLUSION: Case studies are too limited to suggest guidelines for prevention and treatment of such complications, but the life-long follow-up is mandatory in the framework of a well-established network between pediatric and adult surgeons. The risk of tumor development in these patients should not be neglected and colleagues from adult care should be aware of the possibility this occurs in their practice.

Clinical and molecular features of attenuated adenomatous polyposis in northern Italy.

BACKGROUND: Attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) is characterized by the presence of 10-99 colorectal adenomas. The disease may be associated with mutations in either APC or MUTYH genes. We purposed to evaluate the contribution of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and MutY homologue (MUTYH) germline alterations to the AFAP phenotype and to identify genotype/phenotype correlations. METHODS: During counselling for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), 91 probands (and 107 affected individuals) who met the criteria of AFAP were identified. Eighty-two families were screened for constitutional mutations of the APC and MUTYH genes. RESULTS: MUTYH mutations were detected in 21 families (25.6 % of the 82 tested), and APC mutations in 7 (8.5 %). Overall, constitutional alterations were found in 34.1 % of the probands. Patients with APC mutations were younger at cancer onset and had a higher mean number of polyps (48.5 ± 33.0 in APC+ individuals vs. 35.7 ± 24.9 in MUTYH+ individuals, and 33.2 ± 18.4 in the "no mutation" group). Clinical features rendered the "no mutation" group closer to MUTYH+ than to the APC+ group. Colorectal cancer at diagnosis was detected in 40 % of AFAP individuals. CONCLUSIONS: AFAP is a new clinical entity with its frequency in the general population still undefined. The number of adenomas varies greatly, with an average of 30-40 lesions. The molecular basis of AFAP can be established in approximately 1/3 of the patients. Both MUTYH and APC genes are implicated in AFAP, though the role of MUTYH is of considerably greater relevance.

Soft tissue sarcoma and the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome: formulation of an hypothesis.

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutation in one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) which predisposes to colorectal cancer and other malignances, that not yet include sarcomas. For sustaining that soft tissue sarcomas could be HNPCC related malignances, we report on a HNPCC patient with leiomyosarcoma and review the English literature. Overall, we report on eleven cases of soft tissue malignant tumors involving HNPCC patients, with a mean age of 34 years at diagnosis of sarcomas. In the majority of these tumors loss of MSH2 expression can be found at immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in 10 patients a germline mutation in one of the MMR genes was found (7 cases were MSH2 defective and 3 cases MLH1 defective). Data for supporting our hypothesis are also experimental, epidemiologic, histopathological: excess of sarcomas in PMS2 defective mice; sporadic soft tissue sarcomas are rare, with mean age at onset of 56 years and normal IHC for MMR proteins. In conclusion, the data collected support the hypothesis that soft tissue sarcomas could be included in the spectrum of tumors that, even if rarely, depend on MMR genes deficiency.

Clinical and molecular detection of inherited colorectal cancers in northeast Italy: a first prospective study of incidence of Lynch syndrome and MUTYH-related colorectal cancer in Italy.

The reported incidence of hereditary colorectal cancers (CRCs) is widely variable. The principal aim of the study was to prospectively evaluate the incidence of familial CRCs in a region of northern Italy using a standardized method. Consecutive CRC patients were prospectively enrolled from October 2002 to December 2003. Patients underwent a structured family history, the microsatellite instability (MSI) test and a screen for MUTYH mutations. Following family history patients were classified as belonging to high, moderate and mild risk families. Immunohistochemistry for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 proteins and investigation for MLH1/MSH2 mutations, for MLH1 promoter methylation and for the V600E hotspot BRAF mutation were performed in high MSI (MSI-H) cases. Of the 430 patients enrolled, 17 (4%) were high risk [4 hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), 12 suspected HNPCC and 1 MUTYH-associated adenomatous polyposis coli (MAP)], 53 moderate risk and 360 mild risk cases. The MSI test was performed on 393 tumours, and 46 (12%) of them showed MSI-H. In these patients, one MLH1 pathogenetic mutations and two MSH2 pathogenetic mutations were found. Thirty-two (70%) MSI-H cases demonstrated MLH1 methylation and/or BRAF mutation: None of them showed MLH1/MSH2 mutation. Two biallelic germline MUTYH mutations were found, one with clinical features of MAP. A strong family history of CRC was present in 4% of the enrolled cases; incidence of MLH1/MSH2 or MUTHY mutations was 1.3% and of MSI-H phenotype was 12%. MLH1 methylation and BRAF mutation can exclude 70% of MSI-H cases from gene sequencing.

Monitoring prion protein expression in complex biological samples by SERS for diagnostic applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) allows a new insight into the analysis of cell physiology. In this work, the difficulty of producing suitable substrates that, besides permitting the amplification of the Raman signal, do not interact with the biological material causing alteration, has been overcome by a combined method of hydrothermal green synthesis and thermal annealing. The SERS analysis of the cell membrane has been performed with special attention to the cellular prion protein PrP(C). In addition, SERS has also been used to reveal the prion protein-Cu(II) interaction in four different cell models (B104, SH-SY5Y, GN11, HeLa), expressing PrP(C) at different levels. A significant implication of the current work consists of the intriguing possibility of revealing and quantifying prion protein expression in complex biological samples by a cheap SERS-based method, replacing the expensive and time-consuming immuno-assay systems commonly employed.

Prediction of rectal lymph node metastasis by pelvic computed tomography measurement.

AIM: Rectal cancer staging represents a crucial step to select the best treatment for this tumour. Particularly after neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), it may influence the surgical procedure (e.g. radical resection vs. local excision). The aim of this study was to determine the best lymph node size cut-off at computed tomography (CT) to predict nodal metastasis in rectal cancer patients with and without preoperative CRT. METHODS: A consecutive series of patients operated on for primary mid-low rectal adenocarcinoma, all staged with pelvic CT scan, were subdivided as follows: those who underwent surgery alone treatment without CRT (Group A) and those who underwent preoperative CRT (Group B). All CT scans were re-viewed by a single radiologist and, based on the lymph node size, findings were compared with pathologic lymph node status (pN). At each lymph node size cut-off value, the following were calculated: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). The best cut-off value was defined as having an accuracy >or=70% with the highest NPV. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 162 patients: Group A (n=52) and Group B (n=110). Patients classified as pN-positive (n=45) had a higher number of and larger sized lymph nodes by CT scan than patients classified as pN-negative (n=117). The cut-off values with an accuracy >or=70% ranged between 7 and 11 mm in Group A and between 9 and 14 mm in Group B. The cut-off with the best NPV was 7 mm for Group A and 10mm for Group B. CONCLUSIONS: Acknowledging the limitations of the dimensional criterion, lymph node size cut-off values found in our study may be useful for planning rectal cancer treatment using CT scan.

Proximal colon cancer in patients aged 51-60 years of age should be tested for microsatellites instability. A comment on the Revised Bethesda Guidelines.

PURPOSE: The Bethesda guidelines suggest to perform microsatellite instability (MSI) test in early onset rectal cancer and not in patients>50 years with proximal colon cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the risk of high MSI (MSI-H) is greater in proximal colon cancer of patients 51-60 years old than in early-onset rectal cancer. METHODS: Consecutive colorectal cancer (CRC) patients were evaluated. Tumor location, cancer family history, MSI status and histology were recorded. Mutations in MLH1/MSH2 were investigated in MSI-H tumors. Patients were subdivided into groups: group A, proximal colon cancer patients 51-60 years old and groups B, C and D, patients

Efecto bactericida del láser de diodo en periodoncia / Bactericidal effects of diode laser in periodontology

El láser en odontología, gracias a su capacidad antibacteriana, hemostática y de menor sintomatología operatoria, encuentra un amplio campo de aplicación en el ámbito de la terapia periodontal. En este estudio ha sido probada la eficacia de un protocolo que prevé el utilizo asociado de irradiación láser y de agua oxigenada con el fin de reducir a carga bacteriana de cepas comúnmente presentes en las bolsas periodontales activas y resistentes a la acción bactericida de solamente la irradiación láser como la Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum y Peptostreptococcus micron. La metodología de laboratorio preveía el siguiente protocolo: cada una de las suspensiones bacterianas ha sido expuesta al agua oxigenada a una concentración del 3% y ha sido irradiada con láser por 10, 15 o 20 segundos utilizando tubos estériles Eppendorf de 1,5 ml. Los resultados confirman la mayor eficacia bactericida de la acción combinada de agua oxigenada y láser. Los cultivos microbiológicos efectuados revelan cómo, no obstante el efecto bactericida, el láser tiene una escasa acción sobre las cepas bacterianas testeadas si no es asociado al agua oxigenada. En particular, en el caso de laPrevotela intermedia y del Fusobacterium nucleatum la utilización de agua oxigenada al 3% solamente ha dado resultado mejores respecto a solamente el láser, mientras que la asociación de los dos tratamientos ha dado siempre óptimos resultados. En el caso del Peptostreptococcus micron, la utilización de agua oxigenada y el láser separadamente han dado una escasa disminución de la cuenta bacteriana mientras que la asociación de los tratamientos ha potenciado la acción bactericida (AU)

Laser in odontology, thanks to its antibacterial capabilities, haemostatic and of minor operating symptomatology, finds a vast field of application within the framework of periodontal therapy. In this study has been tested the effectiveness of a protocol that foresees the associated use of laser irradiation and hydrogen peroxide with the goal of reducing the bacterial charge of stocks commonly present in the active periodontal pockets and resistant to the bactericide action of laser irradiation alone such as Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus micron. The laboratory method used foresees the following protocol: each bacterial suspension has been exposed to hydrogen peroxide at 3% concentrations and it has been irradiated with laser for 10, 15 or 20 seconds, using sterile 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes. The results confirm the higher bactericide effectiveness of the combined action of hydrogen peroxide and laser. The microbiological cultivations carried out reveal how, in spite of the bactericide effect, the laser has an insufficient action on bacterial stocks tested if it isn’t associated with hydrogen peroxide. Particularly in the case of the Prevotella intermedia or the Fusobacterium nucleatum the use of just hydrogen peroxide at 3% has offered better results than the laser irradiation alone while the association of both treatments has always offered optimal results. In the case of the Peptostreptococcus micron the use of hydrogen peroxide and laser separately has offered an insufficient reduction of the bacterial count while the association of treatments has increased their bactericide action (AU)

Efecto bactericida del láser de diodo en periodoncia / Bactericidal effects of diode laser in periodontology

El láser en odontología, gracias a su capacidad antibacteriana, hemostática y de menor sintomatología operatoria, encuentra un amplio campo de aplicación en el ámbito de la terapiaperiodontal. En este estudio ha sido probada la eficacia de un protocolo que prevé la utilización asociada de irradiación láser y de agua oxigenada con el fin de reducir a carga bacteriana de cepas comúnmente presentes en las bolsas periodontales activas y resistentes a la acción bactericida de solamente la irradiación láser como la Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum y Peptostreptococcus micron. La metodología de laboratorio preveía el siguiente protocolo: cada una de las suspensiones bacterianas ha sido expuesta al agua oxigenada a una concentración del 3% y ha sido irradiada con láser por 10, 15 o 20 segundos utilizando tubos estériles Eppendorf de 1,5 ml. Los resultados confirman la mayor eficacia bactericida de la acción combinada de agua oxigenada y láser. Los cultivos microbiológicos efectuados revelan cómo, no obstante el efecto bactericida, el láser tiene una escasa acción sobre las cepas bacterianas testadas si no es asociado al agua oxigenada. En particular, en el caso de la Prevotela intermedia y del Fusobacterium nucleatum, la utilización de agua oxigenada al 3% solamente ha dado resultado mejores respecto a solamente el láser, mientras que la asociación de los dos tratamientos hadado siempre óptimos resultados. En el caso del Peptostreptococcus micron, la utilización de agua oxigenada y el láser separadamente han dado una escasa disminución de la cuenta bacteriana mientras que la asociación de los tratamientos ha potenciado la acción bactericida (AU)

Laser in odontology, thanks to its antibacterial capabilities, haemostatic and of minor operating symptomatology, finds a vast field of application within the framework of periodontal therapy. In this study has been tested the effectiveness of a protocol that foresees the associated use of laser irradiation and hydrogen peroxide with the goal of reducing the bacterial charge of stocks commonly present in the active periodontal pockets and resistant to the bactericide action of laser irradiation alone such as Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus micron. The laboratory method used foresees the following protocol: each bacterial suspension has been exposed to hydrogen peroxide at 3% concentrations and it has been irradiated with laser for 10, 15 or 20 seconds, using sterile 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes. The results confirm the higher bactericide effectiveness of the combined action of hydrogen peroxide and laser. The microbiological cultivations carried out reveal how, in spite of the bactericide effect, the laser has an insufficient action on bacterial stocks tested if it isn’t associated with hydrogen peroxide. Particularly in the case of the Prevotella intermedia or the Fusobacterium nucleatum the use of just hydrogen peroxide at 3% has offered better results than the laser irradiation alone while the association of both treatments has always offered optimal results. In the case of the Peptostreptococcusmicron the use of hydrogen peroxide and laser separately has offered an insufficient reduction of the bacterial count while the association of treatments has increased their bactericide action (AU)

Postpartum urinary stress incontinence: analysis of the associated risk factors and neurophysiological tests.

AIM: The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence of postpartum urinary stress incontinence (USI) three months after vaginal delivery and to analyze the risk factors more frequently correlated with USI. Pelvic floor neurophysiology was performed to assess pudendal nerve damage in symptomatic women. METHODS: A total of 562 women were interviewed and underwent urogynecological evaluation three days after vaginal delivery. They were contacted by telephone 12 weeks later. Chart abstraction was conducted to obtain obstetrical data. Three months after delivery women presenting persistent USI were invited to return for electrophysiological tests. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to reveal any significant association between USI and risk factors. RESULTS: Prevalence of postpartum USI three days after delivery was 15%, decreasing to 10.6% at follow-up three months later. Multivariate analysis of risk factors revealed that persistent USI was significantly associated with: preconception USI (P<0.05), USI developed de novo after delivery (P<0.05), family history of incontinence (P<0.05), chronic cough (P<0.05) and smoking (P<0.05). No obstetric variables were independently connected with incontinence. Neurophysiological tests revealed nerve damage in 36% of the symptomatic puerperae. CONCLUSION: Persistent postpartum incontinence is associated with several maternal and urogynecological risk factors that can help to detect women at risk for early intervention.

Efecto bactericida del láser Nd: YAP. Estudio in vitro / Bactericidal effects of Nd: YAP. An in vitro study

La utilización del láser en el ambiente odontológico está teniendo cada vez más difusión gracias al hecho que éste puede conciliar un elevado standard de confort para el paciente con la eficacia terapéutica. El presente estudio ha evaluado la eficacia bactericida de la radiación láser asociada al empleo del agua oxigenada respecto a cinco cepas bacterianas comúnmente presentes en las bolsas periodontales activas y resistentes al empleo separado del láser y del agua oxigenada. Las cinco bacterias estudiadas son: Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsytus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Micromonas micron y Fusobacterium nucleatum. La metodología de laboratorio utilizada preveía el siguiente protocolo: 30 ml de cada suspensión bacterianas, expuestas o no al agua oxigenada a distintas concentraciones del 0,5% o del 3%, han sido irradiadas separadamente con el láser por 5 o 10 segundos, utilizando tubos estériles “Eppendorf” de 1,5 ml. Por lo tanto ha sido comparada la actividad bactericida de solo agua oxigenada a concentraciones del 0,5% y del 3%, de solo irradiación láser y de los dos tratamientos asociados. En todos los cultivos bacterianos en examen, el empleo del agua oxigenada en concentración del 3% asociada a la exposición de la irradiación láser por 10 segundos ha llevado a la ausencia o a una marcada disminución del número de colonias bacterianas, mientras que la disminución ha sido menos evidente, o ausente, en el caso de los tratamientos utilizados separadamente. Los resultados confirman la mayor eficacia bactericida de la acción combinada de agua oxigenada y láser (AU)

The use of laser in the odontological field is every day more spread thanks to the fact that it manages to reach a high standard of comfort for the patient in the therapeutic efficiency. The goal of this study is to test the efficiency of a protocol that foresees the associated use of laser irradiation and hydrogen peroxide to reduce the bacterial charge of stocks commonly present in active periodontal pockets. The five bacterial stocks studied are: Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsytus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Micromonas micron, Fusobacterium nucleatem. The laboratory method used foresees the following protocol: 30ml of each bacterial suspension has been exposed to hydrogen peroxide at diverse concentrations at 0.5% or at 3% and it has been irradiated separately with laser for 5 seconds or 10 seconds, using sterile 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes. It has been compared thus the bacterial activity of the hydrogen peroxide alone at the concentrations of 0.5% and 3%, the bacterial activity of the laser irradiation alone and of the two associated treatments. In every bacterial cultivation examined the use of hydrogen peroxide at 3% concentration associated with the 10 second laser irradiation exposure led to the absence or a marked decrease of the number of bacterial colonies, while the decrease has been less evident or absent in the case of the two treatments used separately. The results confirm the higher bactericide effectiveness of the combined action of hydrogen peroxide and laser (AU)