Does the meningococcal vaccine also protect against gonorrhea?

According to the World Health Organization, about 78 million new cases of gonorrhea are reported each year. An infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae becomes very hard to treat. Increasing incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and resistance to common antibiotics force scientists to search for new treatments and prevention methods. So far, there is no commercially available vaccine againts N. gonorrhoeae , but recent research from New Zealand can change that. The scientists reported, that B-MeNZB® meningococcal vaccine used in 2004-2008 can prevent of gonorrhea. The results of the study were published in Lancet.

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Regular alcohol drinking may reduce the risk of diabetes

Danish researchers have examined the association between drinking patterns and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women. More than 70 000 individuals participated in the study. Self- reported questionnaires were used to obtain information on frequency of alcohol drinking and consumption of wine, beer or spirits. Overall average weekly alcohol intake was calculated and then compiled with national data on type 2 diabetes frequency. Analysis indicates that frequent consumption (i.e. several times a week) of moderate amounts of alcohol is associated with the lower risk of diabetes. It has been also confirmed, that the frequency of consumption has significantly greater impact on the probability of illness than drinks amount.

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Breast implants protect against bullets from firearms

The results of a very interesting analysis were published in the latest issue of „Journal of Forensic Sciences”. Christopher J. Pannucci, a plastic surgeon, has argued that breast implants can protect women from the effects of gunshot injuries.

Millions of American women are after implantation of breast enlargement inserts. Only in 2016, over 450,000 of such procedures were made. Firearms violence contributes almost 8% of overall violent crime in US. It results in more than 1200 women each year being exposed to gunshot wounds (including fatal ones). So, can implants not only improve the quality of life, but also save it?

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Since the end of the twentieth century the number of birth by caesarean section (CS) has increased. In Poland in 2014, 42,8 % of deliveries was CS. On the one hand the number of maternal and newborn deaths decreases, but on the other hand caesarean section should be performed only if it is medically necessary. Alarming are reports that cesarean delivery may increase the risk of : autoimmune diseases, childhood allergies and asthma. The scientists from Italy carried out a study which showed that the intestinal flora of caesarean and vaginally delivered infants appears to be very different.

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Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) represents growing health problem in developed countries. Recent study reviled that topical furosemide is beneficial treatment for CRSwNP, reducing the recurrence of polyps after endoscopic sinus surgery. However, the optimal dosage and treatment duration has not been established and require further investigation. The article was published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. Read full text »

Aortic coarctation (CoA) constitutes 6-8% of all live births with hearth diseases. It can occur in various stages: from a discrete constriction of the aortic isthmus to the hypoplasia of the aortic arch. Prenatal diagnosis of CoA may result in lower mortality rate and better haemodynamic parameters (due to the early operation of CoA) by sustaining the patency of the aorta (1). The way to treat the fetus with CoA could be sustained, intermittent maternal hyperoxygenation (HO). Scientists discovered that HO can indicate the increase of left cardiac dimensions and the aortic isthmus (in fetuses with isolated CoA). Effects are mostly noticed in 4th week of treatment. The duration of the HO should dependent on left heart dimensions

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Year 2016 has brought new reports on a possible participation of infectious agents in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. Chinese scientists have published in the ‘PLoS One’ journal the results of a meta-analysis suggesting a possible contribution of Mycobacteria in the development of the disease. On the other hand, an international team of experts have published in the ‘American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology’ the results of an experiment indicating a contribution of Propionibacterium acnes infection in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

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Chronic Infection with hepatitis C virus can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease to around 30% ‒ this is a conclusion of the authors of the research carried out in Medical University of China and published in Neurology magazine.

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The number of people with diagnosed overweight or obesity is rapidly growing worldwide. The problem concerns both, children and adults. According to World Health Organization, there is 1,6 bn overweight and 522 m obese people around the world. The latest research conducted in the United States showed that high-fat diet impairs cognitive processes of human organism such as memory or learning.

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Everybody knows detrimental impact of secondhand smoke on human health. Annually worldwide because of passive smoking 600,000 people die. The exposure to tobacco smoke contributes not only to the prevalence of physical disease, including depression, but also causes serious lung and cardiovascular disease, such as lung cancer, heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Exposure of pregnant women to passive smoking, is associated with low birth weight newborns and the occurrence of asthma in children.

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