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The authors report on a patient with normal ECG findings, who had a complete atrioventricular block caused by cough-induced complete atrioventricular block. Carotid sinus massage did not produce asystolia. The mechanism of cough-induced syncope and several other disturbances of cardiac rhythm likely to cause syncope are presented.… Preberite več >>

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an in vitro method which uses enzymatic synthesis to amplify, in an exponential manner, specific DNA or RNA sequences. Although it has been available for only a few years, PCR technology is already finding widespread application in biomedical research. This article presents a broad overview of the principles of PCR, summarizes some of the … Preberite več >>

This article deals with the breathing function in patients with muscular and neuromuscular diseases. Described are the consequences of weakened respiratory muscles, such as abnormal values of pulmonary function tests, changed respiratory frequency, noneffective cough, breathing with accessory respiratory muscles, paradoxical breathing, impaired function of the diaphragm, glossopharyngeal breathing, alveolar hypoventilation during sleep and chronic alveolar hypoventilation with dispnoea and … Preberite več >>

In the article are described some key mechanisms, used by an immune system to distinguish a tumor cell from a normal, healthy cell. According to bulk of the literature in the past decades, T lymphocytes are able to specifically recognise tumor cells, but the specific recognition of tumor cells does not result in rejection of a tumor tissue. Some proposed … Preberite več >>

The basics of visual evoked potentials are described. In the first part of the paper, the anatomical and physiological principles of the electrical activity recorded over the occipital cortex, the visual evoked potential recording technique, the characteristics of visual evoked potentials in healthy subjects and their interpretation are described. The second part deals with the visual evoked potential abnormalities and … Preberite več >>

Changes in the classification of delirium were introduced in the 10^th revision of International Classification of Diseases. Delirium is an etiologically nonspecific organic cerebral syndrome. Elderly in-patients are especially prone to it. Its clinical features and the mechanisms of its development are described. The importance of early recognition of delirium and treatment of its underlying cause is stressed.… Preberite več >>

The author presents non-atheromatous mechanisms of myocardial ischemia, which may be either congenital or acquired in origin. Myocardial ischemia is produced by one or several non-atheromatous factors, or by a combination of these factors and atherosclerotic narrowing. Optimum therapy in angina pectoris is completely dependent on accurate diagnosis.… Preberite več >>

With the identification of HIV in 1981, the health care world was suddenly faced with the risk of HIV infection through occupational exposure to infected blood and body fluids. Health care workers and other people handling infected material were found to run the greatest risk of infection. Objective data on this issue have been provided by a number of recent … Preberite več >>

Doppler ultrasound examination is employed for estimating the presence, quality and quantity of blood flow. The physical principles of Doppler ultrasound apparatus and the parameters involved in the ultrasound examination are presented. The author describes the method of displaying blood flow and outlines some other determinations, especially the quantification of blood flow with volume measurement and sonogram analysis. The limitations, … Preberite več >>

The electroretinogram demonstrates a flash-evoked potentials of the retina recorded by surface electrodes. Electroretinography is a noninvasive and objective, yet nonstandardised examination technique, which has been in clinical use for number of years. The aim of this study was to record electroretinographic responses according to ISCEV standards, and to test a new laboratory-produced non-corneal HK – loop electrode. Electroretinograms were … Preberite več >>

Clinical diagnosis of early gastric cancer was established in 51 of 262 patients with gastric cancer. The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of clinical diagnosis, and to evaluate the terapy and 5-year survival rate in patients with early gastric cancer. We compared clinical diagnosis and histological findings of the resected specimens in 41 out of the … Preberite več >>