Until now, we’ve only evaluated gel’s impact on test results Studies comparing lubricating gel and water have conclusively shown that a small amount of gel, used on the outside of the speculum blades, does not interfere with either Pap testing or detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. One liquid-based cytology manufacturer, however, discourages the use of lubricants with “carbomers” or “carbopol p...

PURPOSE To assess the reliability and reproducibility of static cyclotorsion correction (SCC) measurements made using the Schwind Amaris Excimer laser in patients undergoing LASIK or PRK, and compare the outcomes of treating astigmatism with and without SCC. METHODS Eighty eyes of 40 patients were included in this study. All eyes underwent 2 or 3 sets of five measurements: before and after sp...

OBJECTIVE Nonlubricated plastic specula can adhere to the vaginal introitus and cause discomfort with pelvic examination. We wanted to see if application of water-soluble gel lubricant to the plastic vaginal speculum would change the unsatisfactory cervical cytology diagnosis rate. METHODS Five public health family planning clinic sites were randomized to either water-soluble gel or water onl...

BACKGROUND A randomized, controlled study was performed to compare vaginoscopic versus traditional (speculum with or without tenaculum) hysteroscopy in terms of pain score and procedure time. METHODS Three hundred patients were randomized in two groups: Group A, diagnostic hysteroscopy with vaginoscopic approach (150 patients) and Group B, diagnostic hysteroscopy with traditional approach (15...

Standard artificial insemination (AI) using a speculum in dairy goats does not result in acceptable fertility rates in nulliparous does. An explanation might be the difficulties to pass the cervical canal in nulliparous females with the insemination gun, increasing the time needed for semen deposition. Nulliparous Alpine dairy goats were used to evaluate whether time interval from insertion to ...

During the past decades, agro-biodiversity has markedly declined and some species are close to extinction in large parts of Europe. Reintroduction of rare arable plant species in suitable habitats could counteract this negative trend. The study investigates optimal sowing rates of three endangered species (Legousia speculum-veneris (L.) Chaix, Consolida regalis Gray, and Lithospermum arvense L....

Siliceous planktons are valuable indicators of the environmental conditions in both modern and past marine settings. However, contrast to diatoms radiolarians, other siliceous micro- nanoplankton Arctic Ocean have been rarely explored. In this study, silicoflagellates, endoskeletal dinoflagellate Actiniscus pentasterias chrysophyte cysts were investigated one-year mooring sediment trap material...