Vibroacoustic stimulation in abnormal biophysical profile: verification of facilitation of fetal well-being.

Objectives: To verify the effect of vibroacoustic stimulation on biophysical profile score, with a prospective randomised study.

Study Design: All women with singleton pregnancy, gestational age >or=30 weeks, intact membranes and biophysical profile score View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Epidemiology of human brucellosis in a rural area of north-western Peloponnese in Greece.

A case-control study was conducted in a rural area of Achaia in western Greece to examine the risk factors of brucellosis. The participants in the study were 414 (7.5% of the whole population of the investigated municipality).

Plasma retinol and tocopherol levels in greek elderly population from an urban and a rural area: associations with the dietary habits.

Data on plasma concentrations of retinol and alpha-tocopherol in elderly (over 65 years) living in the Mediterranean countries are sparse. In the current study, plasma retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were determined in 200 healthy subjects (82 men and 112 women) residing in an urban and in a rural area in South Western Greece. High prevalence of low plasma retinol concentration was observed for both sexes in each area.

Organochlorine pesticide residues in human breast milk from southwest Greece: associations with weekly food consumption patterns of mothers.

Breast milk samples were collected from 112 mothers who resided in southwest Greece during the years 1995-1997. The following chemicals, which were present in some of the milk samples, were quantified by gas chromatography: residues of lindane (i.e.

Anticardiolipin antibodies levels in healthy pregnant and non-pregnant woman.

To determine the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in healthy non pregnant women and during normal pregnancy, 110 healthy women of mean age 25 years old and 53 healthy pregnant females of mean age 24.5 years old, who no one suffered from any autoimmune disease, were studied. In all women the anticardiolipin antibodies were measured in duplicate by the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Road traffic accidents in Greece: recent trends (1981-1991).

This study describes trends of road traffic accidents (RTAs) in Greece over the past 11-year period. All casualties that occurred in Greece during the period 1981-1991 are analyzed. Trends in severity (as judged by the proportion of fatal or serious casualties) are studied.

Trace metals in scalp hair of Greek agricultural workers.

In order to determine "base-line" values of hair metal concentrations in unpolluted, non-industrial areas of Greece, a random sample of 144 agricultural workers (75 males and 69 females) was selected from the Civil Registry of communities of southwest Greece. All subjects were at least 50 years old and had lived in the same community for at least 10 years prior to the investigation. Bulk hair samples were collected and washed with non-ionic detergent and ultrasonic cleaning.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in gravidas and recently aborted women and study of risk factors.

Two hundred seventeen parturients and eighty six recent aborters were screened for IgM and IgG toxoplasma antibodies. Age, profession, educational level, residence (urban/rural), presence of cat and other domestic animals were recorded for each subject. None of the subjects was IgM-positive.

Prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of Chlamydia trachomatis among pregnant and non-pregnant women in south-western Greece.

One-hundred-ninety-three pregnant and seventy five non-pregnant women, aged 18-35 years, were examined for endocervical infection with Chlamydia trachomatis using an enzyme immunoassay technique on cervical specimens. Chlamydia trachomatis was discovered in 7.2% of the pregnant women and in 10.

Is natural infection with M. tuberculosis protective against cancer?

In order to investigate the effect of natural infection with M. tuberculosis on cancer incidence, a case-control study was undertaken on 108 recently diagnosed cancer cases (all sites) and 317 controls. After removal of cancer cases or controls considered immunoincompetent (25% and 17% respectively), the remaining subjects were tested by intradermal injection of tuberculin (5 I.

Possible health effects of high manganese concentration in drinking water.

Three areas in the same region of northwest Peloponnesos, Greece, that had varying concentrations of manganese (Mn) in drinking water were selected for study. The Mn concentrations in areas A, B, and C were 3.6-14.

Prevalence rate of cerebrovascular disease in the rural population of northwest Peloponnese, Greece. A direct epidemiological study.

In a direct (door-to-door) epidemiological study, the prevalence rate of cerebrovascular disease in the rural population of northwest Peloponnese, Greece, was found to be 995 strokes per 100,000 inhabitants over 20 years of age. This number is considerably lower than the prevalence rate (1,417 strokes per 100,000 inhabitants over 20 years of age) found in the urban population of the same county (Patras, Greece).

A study of risk factors of vaginal colonization with group B streptococci in pregnancy.

Two hundred pregnant women were screened for vaginal Group B Streptococci carriage just before delivery. Fifty non-pregnant women were also examined. Vaginal colonization rate of pregnant women and of non-pregnant women was identical (12% in both groups).

The prevalence rate of cerebrovascular disease in Patras, Greece. A direct epidemiological study.

In a direct (door-to-door) epidemiological study, the prevalence rate of cerebrovascular disease in Patras, Greece, was found to be 1,417 strokes per 100,000 inhabitants over 20 years of age. This number is approximately two times higher than the prevalence rate found in other countries by other authors. The possible responsible factors for this difference are discussed.

Spirometric values for normal adult males in Greece.

We have measured the vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 50 healthy men aged 20 to 25 and 50 aged 55 to 60 years in order to obtain normal values for reference use for pulmonary tests in Greece. We constructed tables of mean and 95% confidence limits for ages 20 to 70 and height 1·5 to 1·9 metres, assuming that these respiratory values vary linearly with age and height. The differences in our results from those obtained in the United States of America and in France show that misinterpretation of pulmonary function tests may result from inappropriate reference values.

Byssinosis in cotton ginneries in Greece.

The prevalence of byssinosis in a sample of cotton ginnery workers in Greece was investigated. The respiratory symptoms, F.E.