Polyphenols Influence the Development of Endometrial Cancer by Modulating the Gut Microbiota.

Dysbiosis of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract can induce the development of gynaecological tumours, particularly in postmenopausal women, by causing DNA damage and alterations in metabolite metabolism. Dysbiosis also complicates cancer treatment by influencing the body's immune response and disrupting the sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain homeostasis in the gut microbiota through the effective use of food components that affect its structure. Recent studies have shown that polyphenols, which are likely to be the most important secondary metabolites produced by plants, exhibit prebiotic properties. They affect the structure of the gut microbiota and the synthesis of metabolites. In this review, we summarise the current state of knowledge, focusing on the impact of polyphenols on the development of gynaecological tumours, particularly endometrial cancer, and emphasising that polyphenol consumption leads to beneficial modifications in the structure of the gut microbiota.

Influence of the Relative Displacements and the Minimum Chip Thickness on the Surface Texture in Shoulder Milling.

The formation of surface texture in milling is a complex process affected by numerous factors. This paper focuses on the surface roughness of X37CrMoV51 steel machined by shoulder milling. The aim of the study was to develop a mathematical model to predict the surface roughness parameter Ra. The proposed model for predicting the surface roughness parameter Ra in shoulder milling takes into account the feed per tooth, fz, the corner radius, rε, and the actual number of inserts involved in the material removal process as well as hmin and D(ξ). The correlation coefficient between the theoretical and experimental data was high (0.96). The milling tests were carried out on a three-axis vertical milling machine using a square shoulder face mill. The geometric analysis of the face mill shows that at a feed rate of 0.04 mm/tooth, cutting was performed by three out of five inserts, and when the feed rate exceeded 0.12 mm/tooth, material was removed by all inserts. The minimum chip thickness parameter and the standard deviation of the relative displacement increased as the feed increased. Over the whole range of feeds per tooth, the displacement increased by 0.63 µm. Higher cutting speeds resulted in lower minimum chip thicknesses and the average standard deviation of the relative displacements for the whole range of cutting speeds was 2 µm.

Effects of topical dehydroepiandrosterone therapy in women after pelvic organ prolapse surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs predominantly in postmenopausal women. Restoration of the proper estrogenization of vaginal mucosa is important in preoperative and postoperative treatment, increasing the effectiveness of this approach. The objective of this study was the development of intravaginal vaginal suppositories containing DHEA and comparison of the clinical effects of vaginal topical therapy with DHEA, estradiol, or antibiotic after POP surgery. METHOD: Nine types of vaginal suppositories containing 6.5 mg DHEA in different bases were prepared to find optimal formulation for the vaginal conditions. Ninety women referred for POP surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups receiving topical treatment in the postoperative period (estradiol, DHEA, or antibiotic). On admission to hospital and during follow-up vaginal pH, vaginal maturation index and vaginal symptoms were assessed. RESULTS: Vaginal suppositories with the base made from polyethylene glycol 1,000 without surfactants characterized the highest percentage of the released DHEA. In women treated with topical estradiol or DHEA a significant decrease in the number of parabasal cells, increase in superficial and intermediate cells in the vaginal smears, decrease in vaginal pH, and reduction of vaginal symptoms were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of topical therapy with DHEA or the use of topical therapy with estradiol in the postoperative period were both shown to improve maturation index, vaginal pH, and vaginal symptoms. The benefits of topical therapy with DHEA after pelvic organ prolapse repair brings similar results as estradiol, without potential systemic exposure to increased concentrations of sex steroids above levels observed in postmenopausal women.

Analyzing the Potential of Drill Bits 3D Printed Using the Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) Technology to Drill Holes in Polyamide 6 (PA6).

Drilling with standard twist drill bits is the most common method to create cylindrical holes. With the constant development of additive manufacturing technologies and easier access to additive manufacturing equipment, it is now possible to design and fabricate solid tools suitable for various machining applications. Specially designed 3D printed drill bits seem more convenient for standard and nonstandard drilling operations than conventionally made tools. The study described in this article aimed to analyze the performance of a solid twist drill bit made from steel 1.2709 using direct metal laser melting (DMLM), which was compared with that of a drill bit manufactured conventionally. The experiments involved assessing the dimensional and geometric accuracy of the holes made by the two types of drill bits and comparing the forces and torques occurring during the drilling of holes in cast polyamide 6 (PA6).

A Study of the Kinematics System in Drilling Inconel 718 for Improving of Hole Quality in the Aviation and Space Industries.

This article discusses experimental results concerning the quality of through holes drilled in Inconel 718. The tests involved hole cutting under 27 different conditions using different values of the feed per revolution and spindle speed, and different types of kinematic system. The drilling was performed on a CTX Alpha 500 universal turning center using tools with internal coolant supply. Three kinematic systems were considered for hole cutting. The first, based on the driven tool holder, had a stationary workpiece and a rotating and linearly fed tool. In the second, where drilling was based on the spindle rotations, the workpiece rotated while the tool moved along a straight line. In the third system, the workpiece and the tool rotated in opposite directions; the tool also performed a linear motion. The study aimed to assess the quality of holes on the basis of the following output parameters: the hole diameter, cylindricity and straightness errors, and the surface texture. A multifactorial statistical analysis was used to determine how the hole quality was dependent on the process parameters and the type of drilling kinematics. The findings confirm that the kinematic system, as well as the feed per revolution, are the key factors affecting the quality of holes drilled in Inconel 718. The analysis of the hole drilling process for Inconel 718, performed using a CNC turning center, shows that the third kinematic system was the best option as all the four parameters describing the hole quality had the lowest values. The best results were obtained in the 6th (n = 637 rpm, fn = 0.075 mm/rev, KIN III) and 8th experiments (n = 955 rpm, fn = 0.075 mm/rev, KIN II), because the parameters were then the lowest, with the scatter of results being up to 30%.

Antioxidative, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Obesogenic, and Antidiabetic Properties of Tea Polyphenols-The Positive Impact of Regular Tea Consumption as an Element of Prophylaxis and Pharmacotherapy Support in Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is second only to cervical carcinoma among the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumours of the female reproductive system. The available literature provides evidence for the involvement of 32 genes in the hereditary incidence of EC. The physiological markers of EC and coexisting diet-dependent maladies include antioxidative system disorders but also progressing inflammation; hence, the main forms of prophylaxis and pharmacotherapy ought to include a diet rich in substances aiding the organism's response to this type of disorder, with a particular focus on ones suitable for lifelong consumption. Tea polyphenols satisfy those requirements due to their proven antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesogenic, and antidiabetic properties. Practitioners ought to consider promoting tea consumption among individuals genetically predisposed for EC, particularly given its low cost, accessibility, confirmed health benefits, and above all, suitability for long-term consumption regardless of the patient's age. The aim of this paper is to analyse the potential usability of tea as an element of prophylaxis and pharmacotherapy support in EC patients. The analysis is based on information available from worldwide literature published in the last 15 years.

Influence of the Milling Conditions of Aluminium Alloy 2017A on the Surface Roughness.

The article presents the results and process analysis of the face milling of aluminium alloy 2017A with the CoroMill 490 tool on an AVIA VMC 800 vertical milling centre. The study analysed the effects of the cutting speed, the feed rate, the actual number of teeth involved in the process, the minimum thickness of the cut layer (hmin), and the relative displacement in the tool-workpiece system D(ξ) on the surface roughness parameter Ra. To measure relative displacement, an original bench was used with an XL-80 laser interferometer. The analysis of relative displacement and surface roughness allowed these factors to be correlated with each other. The purpose of this article is to determine the stable operating ranges of the CoroMill 490-050Q22-08M milling head with respect to the value of the generated relative displacement w during the face-milling process and to determine its influence on surface roughness. The research methodology presented in this paper and the cutting tests carried out allowed the determination of the optimum operating parameters of the CoroMill 490-050Q22-08M tool during the face milling of aluminium alloy 2017A, which are vc 300 m/m and fz­0.14 mm/tooth. Working with the defined cutting parameters allows all the cutting inserts in the tool body to be involved in shaping the geometrical structure of the surface, while maintaining a low vibration level D(ξ) > 1 µm, a low value of the parameter hmin > 1.5 µm, and the desired value of the parameter Ra > 0.2 µm

A prospective cohort trial evaluating sexual function after urethral diverticulectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Dyspareunia is a main symptom of urethral diverticulum in the female population, reported up to 60% of patients. Pain may cease after diverticulectomy as published in previous retrospective studies. To date scarce or no data exists on the postoperative outcome in terms of sexual function. The present study wants to quantify sexual function and evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms in sexually active patients after resection of urethral diverticulum. STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective cohort trial at a tertiary referral center, we evaluated 40 female patients who presented with symptomatic urethral diverticulum and were sexually active. All of them underwent a standardized surgical procedure with inverted U-shape colpotomy between 2008 and 2018. The patients completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which is determined by the mean score of the different domains, and underwent urodynamic assessment both at baseline examination before surgery and 12 months postoperatively. For statistical analysis, we conducted a paired Wilcoxon rank sum test analyzing the non-normally distributed non-parametric variables of the female sexual function index. RESULTS: In two patients a malignancy was found in postoperative histology and received a different therapeutical approach. They have been excluded from statistical analysis. Sexual function improved in all domains (n = 38): total score (Z = -5.4, P < 0.000), satisfaction (Z = -5.3, P < 0.000), pain (Z = -5.4, P < 0.000), arousal (Z = -2.6, P = 0.010), lubrication (Z = -2.4, P = 0.020), desire (Z = -2.6, P = 0.009) and orgasm (Z = -2.2, P = 0.029). Maximum urethral closure pressure deteriorated from 39 to 36 cmH2O (P = 0.0008) and residual urine increased from 10 ml to 20 ml after surgery (P = 0.0019). No statistical significance is found for bladder capacity and free urinary flow. CONCLUSIONS: All domains of the female sexual function index improved. Patients' bothersome symptoms, mainly pain may cease and sexual satisfaction increases, which is reassuring concerning patients' preoperative consent. We should be aware that occasionally an unexpected malignancy may be detected and it is mandatory to examine all excised tissue histologically. Lower urinary tract function remains clinically unchanged, although maximum urethral closure pressure deteriorated and postvoid residual increased though not being clinically significant.

Geometry, Structure and Surface Quality of a Maraging Steel Milling Cutter Printed by Direct Metal Laser Melting.

This article considers the use of additive manufacturing to produce cutting tools for various machining operations, especially turning, milling, and drilling. The right geometry and material of the tool as well as coatings applied on cutting edges are crucial as they improve the life and performance of the tool. The study described here focused on a four-flute end mill made of maraging steel 1.2709 using a Concept Laser M2 Cusing Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) machine. Before the printed tool was first used, it was examined to determine its dimensional and geometric accuracy, surface roughness, and surface structure. The measurement data showed that the tool required machining, e.g., grinding, to improve its geometry because the total runout of the shank and the cutting edge radius were too high, amounting to 120 µm and 217 µm, respectively. The cutting edges were sharpened to obtain a fully functional cutting tool ready to perform milling operations. The study aimed to check the dimensional and geometric accuracy of the 3D printed milling cutter and determine the optimal machining allowance for its finishing.

Urine Nerve Growth Factor May Not Be Useful as a Biomarker of Overactive Bladder in Patients with Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

(1) Background: Overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms are frequently present in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Although urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) is a promising biomarker of OAB, little is known about its role in patients with OAB secondary to POP. The aim of the study was to evaluate urinary NGF levels in patients with POP involving the anterior vaginal wall and check if it may serve as a predicting factor for postoperative resolution of OAB symptoms. (2) Methods: Eighty-three Caucasian women included in the study were divided into three groups: pure OAB, one associated with POP (POP&OAB) and a control group composed of healthy volunteers. The urine NGF and creatinine were assessed with ELISA tests to calculate the NGF/creatinine ratio. (3) Results: The NGF/creatinine ratio was significantly higher in patients with pure OAB in comparison with other groups; however, it did not differ between the control group and the POP&OAB group. There was no correlation between NGF/creatinine ratio and age, menopausal status, BMI, parity or urodynamic findings. The NGF/creatinine ratio was not a prognostic factor for OAB symptoms' resolution after surgical treatment of POP. (4) Conclusions: Urinary NGF excretion is not increased in women with OAB secondary to POP; thus, it may not serve as an OAB biomarker in these patients.

Influence of feet's position on maximum forward lean using a new estimate of functional balance.

Functional stability is crucial to the daily activity of an independent person. Functional balance testing is widely used in laboratories and has proven to be a reliable indicator of fall risk. So far, only few studies have paid attention to the impact of foot positioning on the results of functional balance measurements. Thirty healthy adults took part in experiment. LOS test was performed for four stance positions: preferred width, wide stance (feet parallel, 28 cm apart), narrow stance (feet together) and angle stance (heels together, toes pointing outside, 90° angle between them) with eyes opened and closed. The results of the study show significant differences between angle and narrow stance according to wide and preferred width stances - angle and narrow positions didn't allow participants to lean as far as other positions. Vision had stabilizing influence on maximum forward lean in all tested positions.

Influence of the Kinematic System on the Geometrical and Dimensional Accuracy of Holes in Drilling.

This article attempts to show how the kinematic system affects the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of through-holes in drilling. The hole cutting tests were performed using a universal turning center. The tool was a TiAlN-coated Ø 6 mm drill bit, while the workpiece was a C45 steel cylinder with a diameter of 30 mm and a length of 30 mm. Three kinematic systems were studied. The first consisted of a fixed workpiece and a rotating and linearly moving tool. In the second, the workpiece rotated, while the tool moved linearly. The third system comprised a rotating workpiece and a rotating and linearly moving tool, but they rotated in opposite directions. The geometrical and dimensional accuracy of the hole was assessed by analyzing the cylindricity, straightness, roundness, and diameter errors. The experiment was designed using the Taguchi orthogonal array method to determine the significance of the effects of the input parameters (cutting speed, feed per revolution, and type of kinematic system) on the accuracy errors. A multifactorial statistical analysis (ANOVA) was employed for this purpose. The study revealed that all the input parameters considered had a substantial influence on the hole quality in drilling.

Analyzing the Effects of the Kinematic System on the Quality of Holes Drilled in 42CrMo4 + QT Steel.

This article discusses the relationship between the kinematic system used in drilling and the quality of through-holes. The drilling was done on a CTX Alpha 500 universal turning center using a TiAlN-coated 6.0 mm drill bit with internal cooling, mounted in a driven tool holder. The holes were cut in cylindrical 42CrMo4 + QT steel samples measuring 30 mm in diameter and 30 mm in length. Three types of hole-drilling kinematic systems were considered. The first consisted of a fixed workpiece and a tool performing rotary (primary) and linear motions. In the second system, the workpiece rotated (primary motion) while the tool moved linearly. In the third system, the workpiece and the tool rotated in opposite directions; the tool also moved linearly. The analysis was carried out for four output parameters characterizing the hole quality (i.e., cylindricity, straightness, roundness, and diameter errors). The experiment was designed using the Taguchi approach (orthogonal array). ANOVA multi-factor statistical analysis was used to determine the influence of the input parameters (cutting speed, feed per revolution and type of kinematic system) on the geometrical and dimensional errors of the hole. From the analysis, it is evident that the kinematic system had a significant effect on the hole roundness error.

Influence of Relative Displacement on Surface Roughness in Longitudinal Turning of X37CrMoV5-1 Steel.

The shaping process of surface texture is complicated and depends on many factors and phenomena accompanying them. This article presents the author's test stand for the measurement of relative displacements in a tool-workpiece system during longitudinal turning. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of edge radius on the relative displacement between the tool and workpiece. The cutting process was carried out with inserts with different edge radii for X37CrMoV5-1 steel. As a result of the research, vibration charts of the tool-workpiece system were obtained. In the range of feed 0.03-0.18 mm/rev, the values of the standard deviation of relative displacements in the x-axis were obtained in the range of 0.36-0.78 µm for the insert with an edge radius of rn = 48.8 µm. As a result of the work, it was determined that for the feed value of 0.12 mm/rev for all inserts, the relative displacements are the smallest. As the final effect, the formula for forecasting the Ra roughness parameter was presented.

Predictive value of classification systems and single fistula-related factors in surgical management of vesicovaginal fistula.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to find the most clinically useful vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) classification system or single fistula-related factor, which would be helpful in determining the most proper management leading to successful treatment. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2020, 30 patients were diagnosed with VVF and underwent the Latzko procedure. Nineteen patients, after previously failed surgery, were injected with platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) before a final attempt to close VVF. Patients with primary VVF were included into the surgery only group and patients with secondary VVF were included into PRP and surgery group. Each patient was classified according to 13 different classification systems. RESULTS: Statistical evaluation revealed some significant differences between the patients who required PRP injection and repeated surgery, compared with patients who were successfully treated at first surgery but only with Lawson, Waaldijk, Arrowsmith, and Tafesse classifications. Patients who succeded with the fistula closure after the first surgical procedure had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) when compared with patients who required PRP injection prior surgical procedure (30.9 vs. 25.7, respectively; p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: None of the classification systems allows to precisely predict VVF surgery outcome. There are several factors such as previous surgery, lack of urethral involvement, lack of circumferential defect which might suggest that PRP injection would help to preserve watertightness of the closure. The most important finding is that overweight is the most positive predicting demographic feature of surgical success. Thus we may conclude that Martius flap technique should be taken into consideration in patients with low BMI.

Third gender - the clinical image of Morris syndrome.

Not required for Clinical Vignette.

Urine Proteomic Study in OAB Patients-Preliminary Report.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is defined by International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/ International Continence Society (ICS) as urinary urgency, usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency urinary incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection (UTI) or other obvious pathology. The pathophysiology of OAB is not well understood, however a number of different proteins and cytokines including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were found to be important in regulating structural integrity of the bladder wall. Proteome analysis may thus provide significant information with regard to OAB and may help in discovering novel diagnostic disease biomarkers. Sixteen Caucasian women aged 32-78 were included in the study. Patients were placed within 2 groups: OAB group (n = 8) and control group (n = 8). Urine samples were collected, immediately preserved in a protease inhibitor mixture, and frozen at -80 ℃. All samples were then further processed according to the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) manual. Proteins were labeled and analyzed in the mass spectrometer conjugated with liquid chromatograph (data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD017799). There were no statistically significant differences in demographic data between control and OAB groups. VCAM-1 was the only protein that reached statistical significance as a differentiating protein in both of our experiments assessing the proteomic constitution in OAB patients. Studies involving a larger group of patients may provide further information on urinary bladder proteomics.

Practical Adaptation of a Low-Cost Voltage Transducer with an Open Feedback Loop for Precise Measurement of Distorted Voltages.

This paper presents the project proposal of a low-cost transducer with a Hall-effect sensor placed in a ferromagnetic core's air gap, which enables the measurement of the distorted voltage instantaneous values without the feedback loop used for measurements in electrical machines. The presented transducer allows for electrical separation between the measured voltage and the voltage at the output. Moreover, the influences of frequency, additional resistance, and the reactance of the winding circuit on the voltage phase shift caused by winding inductance with ferrite core and amplitude are discussed. The result of simulating leakage inductance of measuring winding with ferrite core with an air gap is calculated using finite element analysis. Experimental investigations of the voltage phase shift angle and output voltage amplitude drop for the voltage transducers with an open feedback loop are carried out, taking into account the linear core magnetization characteristic.

Blebbistatin reveals beneficial effects on the cystometric parameters in an animal model of detrusor overactivity.

The aims of the study were to determine the effectiveness of blebbistatin (BLEB) on detrusor overactivity (DO) in an animal model induced by retinyl acetate (RA) and, because of potential urothelial permeability, to evaluate the degenerative impact of BLEB on the urothelium. Three days after RA instillation into the urinary bladder, BLEB was administered into the bladder and immediately after cystometric assessment was performed. Furthermore, Evans Blue extravasation into bladder tissue and urothelium thickness were measured. Sixty female Wistar rats were used and randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 15 in each group): (1) control, (2) RA, (3) BLEB, and (4) RA + BLEB. RA administration induced changes in cystometric parameters reflecting DO, as previously reported. Treatment with BLEB did not significantly alter cystometric parameters in rats which did not receive RA. Administration of BLEB to rats pretreated with RA reversed changes in cystometric parameters induced by RA in basal pressure, threshold pressure, detrusor overactivity index, amplitude of nonvoiding contractions, frequency of nonvoiding contractions, voided volume, volume threshold, intercontraction interval, bladder compliance, and volume threshold to elicit nonvoiding contractions. There were no significant differences in Evans Blue extravasation into bladder tissue or urothelium thickness between the groups. The current research provides new data on the possible utility of blebbistatin in the pharmacotherapy of DO, which is an important feature of overactive bladder (OAB). Further studies in human patients with DO/OAB are warranted to confirm these preclinical results.

Adiponectin and Omentin Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Preterm Birth in Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine any changes in adiponectin and omentin levels in GDM patients who delivered at term and preterm and to evaluate whether adipokines can be useful as a clinical biomarker to predict subsequent preterm delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The levels of adiponectin and omentin were measured in four groups: (1) women with GDM who delivered at term (n=63); (2) women with GDM who had the symptoms of threatened preterm labor and delivered at term (n=23); (3) women with GDM and spontaneous preterm birth (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) (n=19); (4) women with physiological pregnancy (n=55). RESULTS: In comparison with control group the median adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower in all GDM groups (10737 versus 8879; 7057; 6253 ng/ml, respectively; p<0.01). The median omentin concentrations were also significantly lower in all GDM groups in comparison with control group (469 versus 432; 357; 308 ng/ml, respectively; p<0.01). No significant differences in adiponectin and omentin levels between the GDM, preterm labor, and preterm birth groups were observed. However, there was a trend towards lower adiponectin and omentin levels in preterm birth group. The strong correlations between adiponectin and omentin levels were observed in all groups (R=0.801, p<0.001; R=0.824, p<0.001; R=0.705, p<0.001; R=0.764, respectively; p<0.001). In the univariable logistic regression model, significant correlation between omentin concentrations and preterm birth occurrence was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that omentin-1, rather than adiponectin, could be useful as a predictor of preterm birth in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.