[Bacterial vaginosis and premature membrane rupture: an open study. Preliminary data].

We tried to identify a correlation between bacterial vaginosis and PROM with the aim of proposing a future screening for pregnant women at risk for premature rupture of membranes. We made two vaginal bacteriological tests on women pregnant at 24th and 34th week, and we repeated the same test when it proved positive for infection after therapy. We did 375 tests and our study group was composed of 249 pregnant women, aged between 24 and 35. We also evaluated some variable factors as ultrasonographic gestational age redetermination, number pregnancies of oral contraceptives or IUD use, presence of risk factors presence (recurrent abortion, previous PROM, glucose metabolism alteration, immunosuppression, condylomatosis). 171 tests proved positive (total positivity percentage: 47.2\%). The most common micro-organism was Ureaplasma urealyticum (49.1\%) that was related to PROM in 66.7\%. This result contracts with affirmations of some England authors who think that Ureaplasma hasn't an important role in PROM. This fact, if related to the other data we obtained with our study, actually current, shows a strict correlation between PROM and bacterial vaginosis, but also a different distribution of vaginal infections in our country in comparison with English countries

[Estrogen-progestin contraception and biohumoral response of new markers of the atheroma risk. Behavior of lipoprotein(a) and apolipoproteins A and B].

A homogeneous group of 45 patients, aged between 19 and 37 years was considered in relationship to metabolic response during oral contraceptive use. A free endocrinological-metabolic pathology control group, formed by 30 patients, aged between 22 and 35, who were not treated with any therapy in the six months before, was also considered. We also considered any other factors like smoking, height, and weight in all women of our study. Study-trial was comprehensive of a 12 months follow-up, with some periods of study at 0, +6, +12 months. Metabolic responses of lipoprotein(a) and apolipoprotein A and B during the different follow-up steps were determined. Total and fractionated cholesterol and triglycerides were also determined. Positive correlations were shown between Lipo(a) and Apo B and also between total cholesterol and LDL. Negative correlations were shown between Lipo(a) vs HDL and Apo A. Lipoprotein(a) was determined by the ELISA technique and turbidimetric technique. The aim of our study was to verify the importance of the new markers of atheroma risk; even if the oral estrogen-progestin contraception little interferes with this biohumoral marker synthesis, it improves atheroma risk protection through the lipidic metabolism complexity

[Lipoprotein(a) and the cardiovascular risk during estrogen-progestin replacement therapy in postmenopause].

A homogeneous group of 37 patients, aged between 52 and 61 years was considered in relationship to the metabolic response during hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). A free endocrinological-metabolic pathology control group, formed by 40 patients, who were not treated with any therapy, was also considered. Study-trial was comprehensive of a 123 months follow-up, with some periods of study at 0, +6, +12 months. Metabolic responses of lipoprotein(a) and apolipoprotein A and B during the different follow-up steps were determined. Total and fractioned cholesterol and triglycerides were also determined. Significant correlations were shown between Lipo(a) and Apo B and also between Lipo(a) and LDL in both groups considered Lipoprotein(a) was determined by ELISA methodic and turbidimetric methodic. The aim of our study was to verify the importance of the new markers of the atheromatous risk. The reduction of lipoproteins middle value observed in the HRT group shows a little, but however present, estrogens action to the Lipo(a) itself. This fact testifies to the benefit of the use of HRT in post-menopause also as reg ards an evaluated cardiovascular risk inhibition

Milk fatty acid profile from grazing buffaloes fed a blend of soybean and linseed oils

The aim of the study was to examine the changes in milk fatty acid (FA) profile of grazing buffaloes fed either low (L, 276g/d) or high (H, 572g/d) doses of a blend (70:30, wt/wt) of soybean and linseed oils. Fourteen multiparous Mediterranean buffaloes grazing on a native pasture were fed 4 kg/day of a commercial concentrate containing no supplemental oil over a pre-experimental period of ten days. The baseline milk production and composition and milk FA profile were measured over the last three days. After this pre-experimental period the animals received the same concentrate added with either the L or H oil doses for 26 additional days. Milk yield (g/animal/day) did not differ at the start (1776 ± 522 and 1662 ± 291 for L and H, respectively, P<0.622) or at the end of the trial (4590 ± 991 and 4847 ± 447 in L and H, respectively, P<0.543). Baseline milk fat content (g/kg) averaged 77.1 (±20.5) in L and 74.3 (±9.9) in H (P<0.10) and was reduced (P<0.031) to 60.7 (±23.6) and 49.4 (±11.2) (P<0.0031) respectively after L and H with no differences between treatments (P<0.277). Baseline milk protein content (L=43.2 ± 3.4 and H= 44.3 ± 6.9g/kg) increased after oil supplementation (P<0.0001) in both L (73.2 ± 6.0g/kg) and H (68.4 ± 4.9g/kg) without differences between oil doses (P<0.123). Milk fat content of 14:0 decreased after oil supplementation only in the H treatment (5.29 to 4.03, P<0.007) whereas that of 16:0 was reduced (P<0.001) at both L (24.49 to 19.75g/100g FA) and H (25.92 to 19.17g/100g FA) doses. The reduction of total content of 12:0 to 16:0 was higher (P<0.052) in H (32.02 to 23.93g/100g FA) than L (30.17 to 25.45g/100g FA). Vaccenic acid content increased (P<0.001) from 5.70 to 13.24g/100g FA in L and from 5.25 to 16.77 in H, with higher results in the in H treatment (P<0.001). Baseline rumenic acid was sharply increased (P<0.001) in L (1.80 to 4.09g/100g FA, +127%) and H (1.60 to 4.61g/100g FA, +187%) with no differences between L and H (P<0.19). Overall, these results indicate a pronounced improvement in the nutritional value of milk fat from grazing buffaloes fed little amounts (0.276g/day) of a blend of soybean and linseed oils