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Background and Objectives: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a state in which a patient experiences intraoral burning or a dysesthetic sensation without clinically evident causative lesions in the oropharyngeal area. The disorder is linked to a variety of conditions, including dry mouth, Candida , and bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of oral Candida and/or bacterial infections among patients with BMS and whether they have an effect on pain/burning and salivary flow levels. Objectives: (1) Gather patient data regarding the presence of oral infections, dry mouth, and pain levels in the morning, afternoon, and evening periods; (2) data analysis and assessment to determine medians, means, frequencies, correlations, and statistically significant differences between patient groups. Materials and Methods : Overall, 173 patients (23 males and 150 females) with BMS and 13 controls (five males and eight females) took part in the study. We measured pain/burning levels, unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow, the percentage of patients infected with Candida species and/or bacterial species, and the said species growth in Petri dishes. Results : Candida albicans was the most commonly found infection among patients with BMS ( n = 28, 16.2%). Overall, 21.4% patients with BMS were diagnosed with either C. albicans or another Candida species. Enterobacter had the richest growth among patients with BMS (7.5% out of the infected 10.4% BMS patients). No statistical significance could be noted between the existence of either Candida species or bacterial species infections and changes in pain/burning and salivary flow levels. Negative correlations were noted between age and unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow, and positive correlations were noted between age and Candida andspecific bacteria species' growth levels. Conclusions : Although patients with present bacterial or Candida infections showed a marginal increase in pain/burning levels, no direct statistically significant associations could be made between the presence of Candida species or other bacteria and the symptoms among patients with BMS.

Background and Objectives : Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an enigmatic, idiopathic, chronic, often painful clinical entity, where patients experience oral burning without clear clinical changes on the oral mucosa. There are yet to be well established standardized and validated definitions, diagnostic criteria or classifications for burning mouth syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine whether vitamin B complex and zinc supplements or 0.02% topical capsaicin rinse, can help alleviate BMS pain/burning levels. The objectives: (1) Gather data before and after treatment with vitamin B complex and zinc supplements (2) After the vitamin B complex and zinc protocol gather data before and after treatment with 0.02% topical capsaicin rinse (3) Data analysis and assessment for both treatment methods. Materials and Methods : 89 patients took part in the vitamin B and zinc supplement treatment regimen, out of those 20 patients took part in the capsaicin rinse treatment regimen. Before and after each treatment pain/burning levels were determined using the Visual analogue scale, salivary flow was also determined. Results : Both treatment methods showed statistically significant data in reducing pain/burning levels. There were no statistically significant changes in the salivary flow after any treatment. Conclusion : vitamin B and zinc supplement therapy and topical capsaicin rinse therapy can be an effective way to decrease pain/burning sensation levels in patients with BMS. More research should be conducted to determine the benefit of either vitamin B and zinc supplement therapy or topical capsaicin rinse therapy, so that BMS patients have treatment options, that have as few side-effects as possible.

Background: Pressure among young athletes to meet body composition goals may lead to poor nutrition and affect growth., Aims: To examine the proportion of body fat (%BF), measured by bioimpedance analysis, among Latvian children and adolescents participating in organized sports., Methods: Our study had a nationally representative sample of 6048 young athletes, aged 10-17 years. Their %BF was measured using a multifrequency, 8-pole, bioelectrical impedance leg-to-hand analyzer., Results: About 19.2% (CI 14.4-20.0) of boys and 15.1% (CI 14.0-16.3) of girls had a %BF value below the recommended levels. The %BF in young female athletes participating in aesthetic sports was lower than among their peers participating in other sports. Young male athletes participating in aesthetic sports had lower %BF levels at 10 and 12 years of age, compared with participants in weight-class sports; and lower levels of %BF from age 10-14 years, compared with participants in non-weight-sensitive sports., Conclusions: Almost every fifth child and adolescent participating in organized sports displayed critically low body fat levels. Body fat needs to be assessed regularly in young athletes, to prevent negative consequences on health., (© 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.)

Aims: Physical fitness has the potential to be used as a key health determinant in youth. The aim of this study was to establish age- and sex-stratified reference values for health-related physical fitness in Latvian school-age children and to identify notable sex differences., Methods: Physical fitness was assessed using the EUROFIT test battery. Data were gathered from schoolchildren aged between 6 and 17 years (n = 10,464) by a medical team using standardised methods (EUROFIT battery). Fitness levels, stratified by chronological age and sex, were computed as mean ± SD. Each test was also analysed for differences between males and females in each age group., Results: Boys performed better than girls in muscular endurance and strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and speed-agility fitness tests. Girls had better flexibility than boys (p < 0.001). There was also a more pronounced improvement in physical fitness scores with age in boys compared with girls., Conclusions: Physical fitness reference values were developed for Latvian children and adolescents. These reference values will permit comparisons between students during physical education lessons and provide a baseline against which progress in physical fitness among northern European youths can be compared.

Enteral nutrition (EN) by means of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and tube feeding (TF) offers the possibility of increasing or ensuring nutrient intake in cases where normal food intake is inadequate. These guidelines are intended to give evidence-based recommendations for the use of ONS and TF in cancer patients. They were developed by an interdisciplinary expert group in accordance with officially accepted standards, are based on all relevant publications since 1985 and were discussed and accepted in a consensus conference. Undernutrition and cachexia occur frequently in cancer patients and are indicators of poor prognosis. EN should be started if undernutrition already exists or if food intake is markedly reduced for more than 7-10 days. Standard formulae are recommended for EN. Nutritional needs generally are comparable to non-cancer subjects. In cachectic patients metabolic modulators such as progestins, steroids and possibly eicosapentaenoic acid may help to improve nutritional status. EN is indicated preoperatively for 5-7 days in cancer patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. During radiotherapy of head/neck and gastrointestinal regions dietary counselling and ONS prevent weight loss and interruption of radiotherapy. Routine EN is not indicated during (high-dose) chemotherapy.

This study assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of jejunal feeding (JF) after surgery due to secondary peritonitis or failed conservative therapy of severe pancreatitis. Of 60 patients, 30 were randomly assigned to receive postoperative JF and the remaining 30 constituted the control group. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, nutritional intake, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and outcomes were measured. Patients in JF group received the daily mean of 1294.6 (362.6) kcal including 830.6 (372.7.0) kcal enterally, versus 472.8 (155.8) kcal daily in the control group (P < 0.0001). There were fewer complications in the JF patients, with no significant difference; length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital did not differ. The frequency of systemic inflammatory response syndrome was similar in both groups, but outcomes differed. The first surgical intervention resulted in 3.3% of relaparotomies in JF patients, caused by unresolved peritonitis, versus 26.7% in the control subjects (P = 0.03). Recovery of bowel transit took significantly less time in the JF patients (mean: 54.6 h versus 76.8 h in control subjects, P = 0.01). JF resulted in 3.3% mortality as opposed to 23.3% in the control group (P = 0.05). In conclusion, JF is feasible and effective in postoperative treatment of patients due to secondary peritonitis or severe pancreatitis. Improved bowel and peritoneal function could be the main impact of JF.

Three extracts originating from a combination of various Latvian plant species were tested for their antibacterial activities by evaluating growth delays using a fully automated microturbidimetric method. Ten different human and bovine strains of the genera Staphylococcus and Micrococcus were used as test microorganisms. The inhibitory effect in vitro was defined as the difference between the growth rate without herbs and the growth rate in the presence of an extract. Among the tested strains, Staphylococcus aureus was found sensitive to all 3 extracts. However, extract I was the most effective in slowing the growth of all strains tested. Using appropriate tester strains it should be possible to set up a broad-range microtubidimetry assay for individual herb screening in vitro. The hemolytic effects of the individual extracts on human erythrocytes were also studied at different concentrations. Two of the herbal extracts had minimal lytic effects on eurocaryotic cells. An additional hemolysis test was conducted in the presence of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as a free radical scavenger: CoQ10 had no effect on the hemolytic reaction.