Does parkinsonism affect periodontal health? A cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital.

Background: Muscular rigidity, tremors, and bradykinesia with diminished motor skills are the characteristic features of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Aim: The study investigated the influence of reduced motor proficiency on the periodontal health of PD patients and compared it with controls.

Setting And Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted on PD patients selected from outpatient section of a tertiary healthcare center and compared with age- and gender-matched controls.

Early warning signals for critical transitions in a thermoacoustic system.

Dynamical systems can undergo critical transitions where the system suddenly shifts from one stable state to another at a critical threshold called the tipping point. The decrease in recovery rate to equilibrium (critical slowing down) as the system approaches the tipping point can be used to identify the proximity to a critical transition. Several measures have been adopted to provide early indications of critical transitions that happen in a variety of complex systems.

Adjunctive tamsulosin improves stone free rate after ureteroscopic lithotripsy of large renal and ureteric calculi: a prospective randomized study.

Objectives: To prospectively evaluate the role of tamsulosin on the stone free rate and the rate of colic episodes after ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy. The presence of alpha-1A adrenoceptor in the distal ureteral smooth muscle prompted the use of tamsulosin, a selective alpha-1 blocker, to promote spontaneous passage of distal ureteral and juxtavesical calculi. Tamsulosin also improves stone clearance after shock wave lithotripsy.

Intense inflammatory reaction with porcine small intestine submucosa pubovaginal sling or tape for stress urinary incontinence.

Objectives: To report on the intense local inflammatory reactions in patients undergoing pubovaginal sling or tape using a small intestinal submucosa graft. A case series of such inflammatory complications is presented.

Methods: We performed 16 standard pubovaginal sling or tension-free tape procedures for stress urinary incontinence, using the Cook 4-ply Stratasis or 8-ply Stratasis-TF system.

Antibiotic pretreatment of hydrogel ureteral stent.

Purpose: To compare bacterial adhesion to hydrogel-coated and uncoated ureteral stents. The antimicrobial activity of coated and uncoated stents treated with commonly used antibiotic solutions also was evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Hydrogel coated and uncoated stent segments were dipped in different antibiotic solutions (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and cefazolin).

Squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate--a case report.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a rare neoplasm of the prostate gland, forming about 0.5 of all prostatic malignancies. We present a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate.