Coexpression of Galanin and Nestin in the Chemoreceptor Cells of the Human Carotid Body.

The carotid body is a highly specialized chemoreceptive organ of neural crest origin whose role is to detect changes in arterial oxygen content. The sensory units are the chemoreceptor cells, which are neuronal-like cells, surrounded by sustentacular or glial-like cells. It is suggested that the carotid body contains self-renewing multipotent stem cells, which are putatively represented by glial-like sustentacular cells.

Respiratory Toxicity of Dimethyl Sulfoxide.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is one of the most commonly used solvents for hydrophobic substances in biological experiments. In addition, the compound exhibits a plethora of bioactivities, which makes it of potential pharmacological use of its own. The influence on respiration, and thus on arterial blood oxygenation, of DMSO is unclear, contentious, and an area of limited study.

The Environmental Domain of Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases.

The literature lacks reports on the role played by the Environmental domain of quality of life (QoL) in care for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Such information has a high potential for implementation in modern medicine based on a 'tailor-made' holistic healthcare model. The purpose of this study was to determine the components that shape the Environmental domain of QoL in patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

Effects of arundic acid, an astrocytic modulator, on the cerebral and respiratory functions in severe hypoxia.

Mild hypoxia increases ventilation, but severe hypoxia depresses it. The mechanism of hypoxic ventilatory depression, in particular, the functional role of the cerebrum, is not fully understood. Recent progress in glial physiology has provided evidence that astrocytes play active roles in information processing in various brain functions.

Comparison of efficacy of the intermittent pneumatic compression with a high- and low-pressure application in reducing the lower limbs phlebolymphedema.

Introduction: The primary lymphedema and chronic venous insufficiency present an important medical problem, and effective physical therapeutic methods to treat this problem are still at the search phase. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) of a high- or low-pressure level in the treatment of primary phlebolymphedema of the lower limbs.

Methods: The study included 81 patients with chronic venous insufficiency and primary lymphedema of the lower limbs.

The Influence of Asthma Exacerbations on Health-Related Quality of Life.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of asthma on the quality of life (QoL) of patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of the disease and those with controlled asthma receiving outpatient treatment, and to establish the patients' somatic status and the level of health care utilization. This study involved 239 adults with asthma (123 hospitalized patients and 116 outpatients of family physicians). The authors used: WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and a questionnaire measuring health care utilization.

Kinesiology Taping does not Modify Electromyographic Activity or Muscle Flexibility of Quadriceps Femoris Muscle: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study in Healthy Volleyball Players.

Background: Kinesiology taping (KT) is a popular method of supporting professional athletes during sports activities, traumatic injury prevention, and physiotherapeutic procedures after a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries. The effectiveness of KT in muscle strength and motor units recruitment is still uncertain. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of KT on surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity and muscle flexibility of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis (VM) muscles in healthy volleyball players.

Is a practice-based rural research network feasible in Europe?

Research in family medicine is a well-established entity nationally and internationally, covering all aspects of primary care including remote and isolated practices. However, due to limited capacity and resources in rural family medicine, its potential is not fully exploited yet. An idea to foster European rural primary care research by establishing a practice-based research network has been recently put forward by several members of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA) and the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN).

Massage may initiate tendon structural changes--a preliminary study.

Background: Physical exercise is now a widely known and studied factor of the proper functioning of living organisms. Many questions remain unanswered concerning various aspects of the changes in the morphology of structures subjected to chronic physical exercise.

Materials And Methods: This study was conducted on fifty Buffalo strain rats, randomly divided into two equal (experimental and control) groups.

Real time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in centenarians.

Centenarians are a model to study human longevity and the physiological process of aging. A plethora of studies on this model show the complexity of the system. Laboratory studies fail to find a biomarker of senescence.

Cognitive functioning of the prelingually deaf adults.

Deafness is a model of brain adaptation to sensory deprivation which entails psychomotor and cognitive domains. This study seeks to determine the level of emotional intelligence, assessed from the ability to discern emotions from facial expressions, visual and mental attention, and non-verbal fluency in the deaf people as compared with the hearing counterparts. Participants were 29 prelingually deaf, hearing loss of >70 dB, communicating only in sign language, and 30 hearing persons.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) fingerprint of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a profoundly life changing condition and once diagnosis occurs, this is typically at a relatively late stage into the disease process. Therefore, a shift to earlier diagnosis, which means several decades before the onset of the typical manifestation of the disease, will be an important step forward for the patient. A promising diagnostic and screening tool to answer this purpose is represented by breath and exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis.

Effects of synergistic massage and physical exercise on the expression of angiogenic markers in rat tendons.

Physical exercise and massage are regarded as key factors in regulating tendon structure. However, information on the mechanism through which massage influences the structure and biology of a tendon is scarce. In this study, we attempted to define the impact of these two activities on rat tendons by using morphological and molecular techniques, determining the expression of VEGF-A, FGF-2, and CD34 in the tendons of rats subjected to 10 weeks of physical exercise (running) with massage of varied duration.

The Application of Tensegrity Massage in a Professionally Active Musician - Case Report.

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to present options for the application of tensegrity massage to manage pain caused by the overload of soft tissues in musicians.

Design: Tensegrity massage was applied to a 34-year-old male violinist.

Methods: The methodology included a correct positioning and tensegrity massage with individually designed procedure.

Evaluation of bioelectrical activity of pelvic floor muscles and synergistic muscles depending on orientation of pelvis in menopausal women with symptoms of stress urinary incontinence: a preliminary observational study.

Objectives: Evaluation of resting and functional bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and the synergistic muscles, depending on the orientation of the pelvis, in anterior (P1) and posterior (P2) pelvic tilt.

Design: Preliminary, prospective observational study.

Setting: Department and Clinic of Urology, University Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland.

Application of Tensegrity Massage to Relive Complications After Mastectomy--Case Report.

Purpose: The case study was to determine the effectiveness of tensegrity massage in a patient after mastectomy.

Design: Tensegrity massage was performed in a 50-year-old woman after mastectomy. The purpose of the massage was to normalize the tension of musculo-ligamento-fascial system in the chest, shoulder girdle, and back.

School age children with HIV/AIDS: possible discrimination and attitudes against.

Survey-based study what purpose was to analyse respondents' opinions about contacts with HIV/AIDS-affected people. It was performed using a paper-pencil method during visits of respondents at primary care centres and on-line through a link to the questionnaire distributed among patients of primary care physicians. The study involved 302 respondents, 80% of whom were women; the average age was 34.

The evaluation of bioelectrical activity of pelvic floor muscles depending on probe location: a pilot study.

Objectives: The main objective was to determine how the depth of probe placement affects functional and resting bioelectrical activity of the PFM and whether the recorded signal might be dependent on the direction in which the probe is rotated.

Participants: The study comprised of healthy, nulliparous women between the ages of 21 and 25.

Outcome Measures: Bioelectric activity of the PFM was recorded from four locations of the vagina by surface EMG and vaginal probe.

Health impact of wind farms.

Introduction And Objective: Wind power is employed worldwide as an alternative source of energy. At the same time, however, the health effects of wind turbines have become a matter of discussion. The purpose of this study is a critical review of available reports providing arguments both for and against the construction of wind farms.

The effectiveness of massage in therapy for obturator nerve dysfunction as complication of hip joint alloplasty-case report.

Unlabelled: The purpose of our case presentation was to reveal effectiveness of medical massage in the therapy for obturator nerve dysfunction as a complication of hip joint alloplasty.

Design: Medical massage was carried out in a 58-year-old man after hip joint alloplasty. The aim was to normalize tension of muscle-ligament-fascia apparatus within pelvic girdle and reconstruct correct structural conditions in the course of obturator nerve.

The effectiveness of massage in stress urinary incontinence-case study.

Purpose: The aim of the case study was to determine the effectiveness of massage in the management of stress urinary incontinence.

Design: A 50-year-old woman with many years' history of stress incontinence was treated with massage.

Methods: The methodology involved positioning of the patient and massage according to an original method including the initial, main, and final parts.

The effects of mirror therapy on arm and hand function in subacute stroke in patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mirror therapy on arm and hand function in subacute stroke in patients. The study included 60 hemiparetic right-handed patients after ischemic stroke 8-10 weeks after onset. They underwent stationary comprehensive rehabilitation in the rehabilitation centre.