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Biomedical subjects

S Straka

Publications and source records attributed to S Straka.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Health and economic benefits of mandatory regular vaccination in the Slovak Republic. III. Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis] .

The authors tried to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of regular vaccination of children against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis in Slovakia. On the basis of model costs of treatment of these diseases before and after vaccination in 1996, the total saved expenditure (102.6 million Sk) and cost-effectiveness (31,619 Sk) were calculated, as well as the cost-benefit.

Child↗
PubMed1999

Epidemiology of smoking habit in adolescents. Suggestions for prevention.

The results of a cross-sectional questionnaire study on smoking in 1,571 pupils of secondary schools in Martin, Slovakia (average age 15.7 y. +/- 1.0) are presented. Prevalence of regular smoking (min. 1 cigarette/day) was in 24.8% of boys and in 14.3% of girls. Higher prevalence was in pupils of apprentice schools. Association between smoking or respondents and their parents were stronger in case of mothers and their children, namely girls. Higher educational level of parents was followed by a decrease of smoking in girls. Girls appear to be more influenced by family background than boys. The authors emphasise the importance of primary prevention of smoking in pupils, namely within the school-based programmes, since smoking habit in these age groups is still developing. The study design can be used as a model for further studies of that kind.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Endogenous digoxin-like immunoactivity and diabetes mellitus: facts and hypotheses.

Substances with digoxin- and ouabain-like immunoactivity (DLIA) are specific inhibitors of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase which increase the total amount of intracellular stored calcium (Ca2+i). In diabetic patients, DLIA levels have been reported to be increased. Although this increase is probably secondary to sodium retention and volume expansion (included in diabetic subjects by hyperinsulinemia and/or diabetic nephropathy), the question arises of whether it has pathophysiological consequences: namely, whether substances with DLIA, via their effect on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and Ca2+i stores, could in diabetic subjects facilitate development of hypertension and/or modulate insulin sensitivity or insulin secretion. Clinical findings of correlations of DLIA to blood pressure, insulin levels and to degree of insulin resistance, together with experimental findings of decreased Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, increased Ca2+i and decreased Mg2+i in both diabetic and hypertensive subjects, support these hypotheses. However, the issue of whether or not these relations are causative and whether or not defects in intracellular milieu are primary or secondary to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has not been resolved yet. Moreover, pathogenesis of both diabetes mellitus and hypertension is multifactorial and includes many other factors. Therefore, further efforts should be made to elucidate the exact role of substances with DLIA in diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1997

The roots of smoking habit in students of medicine and the ways of its prevention.

A questionnaire study on smoking and on the attitudes towards it has been carried out in 667 medical students. The study revealed a lower prevalence of smoking in the studied group than in general population (regular smokers: 7.3 per cent; occasional smokers: 14.3 per cent). The study confirmed the importance of family background for the initiation of smoking habit as well as the association of smoking habit with alcohol consumption. Some of the results were compared with similar study carried out on the same faculty of medicine ten years ago. The goal of the study was not only to gather the data on smoking as an important risk factor of cardiovascular diseases but also to verify the used methods, to improve the system of collecting information and to promote the organisation of such population studies.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1995

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria species and Phaeosclera dematioides Sigler, Tsuneda and Carmichael.

A case of phaeohyphomycosis caused by strains of both Alternaria spp. and Phaeosclera dematioides is presented. First clinical signs of mycosis appeared on the patient's face, after an injury with a straw stalk during the wheat harvest in Germany in 1942. Further signs developed in 1955 at one forearm, and again in 1968 in the mouth, leading to perforation of the palate. After treatment with amphotericin B (1973-75) she went into a 13-year-long, clinically asymptomatic remission. She relapsed in 1988, when eight foci of the disease developed, mostly on both forearms. Diabetes mellitus and asthma developed at this time. After pulse therapy with itraconazole the patient remains in a good clinical condition.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Is the present trend in cardiovascular disease mortality in the Slovak Republic a reason for optimism?].

The authors analyzed the cardiovascular mortality trend in 1985 - 1990 and 1991 -1994. They discuss factors which may have influenced this trend which declined slightly since 1991. They emphasize the importance of cardiovascular diseases in public health and ask epidemiologists, health professionals and the public to pay more attention to the elimination of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. The authors' suggestions are in context with some countries which made already considerable advances as regards elimination of cardiovascular risk factors.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1991

[Incidence of e-antigen and antibodies against it in a selected group of HBsAg-positive Vietnamese citizens].

In 23 citizens of the Vietnamese Socialist Republic on arrival in Czechoslovakia HBsAg positivity of serum was revealed which in 78.2% of subjects was confirmed during a repeated examination after 2-3 months. At that time also HBeAg and antibodies against it were assessed. HBeAg was found in 13.0% and anti-HBe in 47.8% of the subjects with repeatedly positive HBsAg, and anti-HBe in 21.8% of subjects, where HBsAg was negative during repeated examinations. The authors emphasize the importance of assessment of these markers of hepatitis B from the clinical and epidemiological aspect.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Sarcocystis species in Vietnamese workers].

The authors give an account of the finding of sporocysts of the Sarcocystis spp. in 14 Vietnamese apprentices from a total of 1228 examined (1.1%) who came to Central Slovakia in the course of 18 months in 1987-1989. The mean period of sporocyst excretion was 49.2 days. The positive subjects did not report gastrointestinal complaints despite mixed intestinal parasitoses. The subjects were from the north eastern part of the country from Hanoi-Haiphong areas and they did not report that they ate raw meat. The authors evaluate the diagnostic value of different coprological methods whereby they found the highest detection rate in faecal smears examined by Heine's method. The authors draw attention to the fact that the diagnosis of sporocysts of human coccidiae calls for personal diagnostic experience as they may escape attention or be mistaken for cysts of other intestinal protozoa.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Evaluation of ovoscopic methods in the diagnosis of invasion with the tapeworm, Taenia saginata].

During the period between 1979-1988 the authors examined 84 patients with the diagnosis of T. saginata by three ovoscopic methods to detect ova of tapeworms (Hein's method of faecal smears, Fust's method supplemented by examination of the sediment, and Graham-Brumpt's method of examination of the perianal area by means of an adhesive PVC tape. Of the mentioned methods Hein's method combined with Graham-Brumpt's method was most useful, as they detected ova of T. saginata during a single examination in 77 probands (91.7%). By Hein's method alone 8 positive (9.5%) cases were detected, by Graham-Brumpt's method alone 7 (8.3%) positive cases. Ovoscopic examination is recommended by the authors, in particular for workers engaged in animal farming and agriculture where the contact with the examined subjects is often difficult and they often do not report the excretion of segments in the faeces.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

Our experiences with the diagnosis of intestinal parasites in foreign apprentices from the tropics and subtropics.

The authors on an extensive coprologic material with high positivity of intestinal parasites compare the Hein's method of thick smear of stool with concentration methods. They find the Hein's method, despite its simplicity, a suitable method with broad diagnostic scope and high yield of positivity also for thin- capsulated ova of helminths and protozoan cysts (however, the specific diagnosis of the latter needs further methods with staining). They recommend Hein's method as one of the suitable screening methods under field conditions. At the same time, they report on the embedding of slide specimens in SOLAKRYL of Czechoslovak production. The findings are documented on microphotographs.

Czechoslovakia↗
PubMed1989

[Helminthozoonoses in Slovakia 1981-1987].

The incidence of helminthozoonoses in the Slovak Socialist Republic over the years 1981--1987 was assessed on the basis of reports submitted by health and veterinary organizations. The incidence of taeniases exhibited a decreasing trend over the period studied. The occurrence rate of cysticercosis in slaughter cattle was irregularly increasing from 0.65% to 0.90%. Echinococcosis in humans was established only sporadically (4 cases). In animals its extensity was decreasing and dropped to 0.22% in slaughter pigs and to 0.70% in sheep and goats. Trichinosis showed an endemic occurrence (13 cases). Larval toxocariasis increased from 6 to 129 seropositive cases. Hymenolepiasis was diagnosed only in the East Slovakian Region (0.06 to 1.46 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). (Fig. 5, Ref. 3.)

Animals↗