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Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether the restriction in neck rotation and increased neck muscle tension could be causally related to vertigo and dizziness. Material and methods Seventy-one patients reporting vertigo and/or imbalance were divided into 2 groups: 45 subjects with unilateral restriction (R+) and 26 without restriction (R-) of cervical rotation and muscle tension in the clinical flexion-rotation test. The normal caloric test was the inclusion criterion. The control group comprised 36 healthy volunteers with no history of vertigo. The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the cervico-occular reflex (COR) were measured through the videonystagmography (VNG) sinusoidal pendular kinetic test in the conditions of not inactivated head and immobilized head, respectively. The VNG-head torsion test (VNG-HTT) nystagmus was recorded. Results Among the reported complaints, neck stiffness, headaches and blurred vision were more frequent in the R+ group than in both the R- group and the control group. VNG revealed an increased COR gain and the presence of VNG-HTT nystagmus in the R+ group only. Similarly, only in the R+ group a positive relationship between COR and VOR was observed. Conclusions Patients with asymmetric restriction in neck rotation and increased neck muscle tension reveal the tendency to have an increased response of the vestibular system, along with co-existing COR upregulation. Further research is needed to investigate the relationships between the activation of cervical mechanoreceptors and dizziness pathomechanisms. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(5):723-33.

Introduction As the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) join two kinematic chains, the pelvis and the vertebral column, their functional disorders cause secondary changes in the musculoskeletal system. Other reasons concerning a connection between its distant parts are tensegrity principles that govern tension distribution in tendons, muscles, fasciae and ligaments. Our hypothesis was that due to a biomechanical connection between SIJ and cervico-cephalic joints (CCJ), dysfunctions in the SIJ can determine dysfunctions in the CCJ. Aim The aim of this study was to assess various types of SIJ dysfunctions (ilio-sacral and sacro-iliac) and their possible coexistence with CCJ dysfunctions. Materials and methods The study group comprised 80 patients with low back pain, 40 of whom were diagnosed with SIJ dysfunctions. The examination of the suboccipital region by Kaltenborn and Evjenth was conducted by a researcher who was unaware of the results of the pelvis examination. StatGraphics Centurion XV was employed for data analysis. Results and discussion CCJ dysfunctions were detected in almost all subjects. There was a statistically significant difference in mobility and in gliding of the C0–C1 segment between both groups. The restricted mobility on the left side of the C0–C1 segment was statistically significant. The detected abnormal stability on the right side of the C1 motion segment in the study group did not correlate with the side of the SIJ dysfunction. Conclusions There was no dominant dysfunction of the SIJ. The prevalence of dysfunctions of the upper cervical motion segments was high in the study group. There was a tendency towards larger numbers of dysfunctions concerning the right CCJ than the left one observed in patients with SIJ dysfunctions.

Introduction Suboccipital muscles and ligaments of the cervicocephalic joints (CCJ) embody a large number of proprioceptors. There exists a possible correlation between the sacroiliac joints (SIJ) dysfunction with the suboccipital muscles atrophy leading to headaches and body imbalance. This can be caused by the sensorimotor dysfunction of cervical segments due to their functional connections with the SIJ. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the coexistence of SIJ dysfunction and the sensorimotor dysfunction of the CCJ. Materials and methods A double-blind test of CCJ and SIJ by Kaltenborn and Evjenth was conducted involving 80 patients experiencing low back pain, 40 of whom were diagnosed with SIJ dysfunction. Functional tests of the cervical spine were performed with Sensoneck. StatGraphics Centurion XV was employed to obtain the statistical analysis of the data. Results and discussion There was a tendency towards reduced strength of the C 2 muscles and a statistically significant instability of the C 1 segment in the study group. Exteroceptive sensation was not disturbed. Sensorimotor function of the CCJ differed in the number of errors made by patients with SIJ dysfunction, especially concerning complex head movements. The intragroup analysis indicated that more errors were made by those having the left SIJ dysfunction. Conclusions 1. In patients with SIJ dysfunction the tendency towards asymmetrical muscle strength was observed for the C 2 segment. 2. Exteroceptive sensation in the upper cervical dermatomes was not distorted by the influence of SIJ dysfunctions. 3. The sensorimotor function of the upper cervical motor segments was significantly worse for the population of patients with SIJ dysfunction, especially on the left side. 4. Sensoneck is a useful tool for an objective assessment of a manual therapy employed in the dysfunction concerning the occipito-atlanto-axial region.

A dialysis bags experiment, involving the use of natural water from eutrophic LakeMiko8ajskie (Mazurian Lake District, Poland), was performed to assess the impact of grazing pressureby heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF

Effects of mesotrophic lake water enrichment with organic phosphorus and nitrogen substrates (DNA and model protein, bovine serum albumin--BSA) on dynamics and diversity of natural microbial communities (bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliates) were studied in mesocosm experiments. Simultaneous enrichment with DNA and BSA strongly increased the abundance and biomass of all studied groups of microorganisms and induced changes in their morphological and taxonomic structure. The increased participation of large heterotrophic nanoflagellates cells (larger than 10 microm) in their total numbers and shifts in taxonomic and trophic structure of the ciliates, from algivorous to small bacterivorous, species were observed. Grazing caused changes in bacterial size distribution in all enriched mesocosms. Large (10-50 microm) filamentous bacteria significantly contributed to the total bacterial numbers and biomass. Pronounced increase in populations of beta- and gamma-Proteobacteria was found in lake water enriched with organic P and N sources, whereas alpha-Proteobacteria did not change markedly in the studied mesocosms. DNA additions stimulated the rates of bacterial secondary production. BSA shortened the rates of bacterial biomass turnover in lake water. Relatively high and constant (approximately 30%) percentage contribution of active bacteria (MEM+) in two mesocosms enriched with DNA and DNA+BSA suggested the important role of nucleic acids as a source of phosphorus for bacterial growth, activity and production. Numerous and statistically significant correlations between bacteria and protists indicated the direct and selective predator-prey relationship.

The effects of inorganic nutrients (N, P) enrichment of mesotrophic lake water on changes in bacterial and protistan (heterotrophic nanoflagellates and ciliates) communities compositions were studied in the mesocosm experiment. Phosphorus (PO4(3-)) and nitrogen (NH4+) alone and in combination were added to three types of experimental mesocosms. Mesocosms results suggested that simultaneous addition of P and N stimulated phytoplankton growth and production rates of bacterial biomass its turnover rate. Strong positive correlations between chlorophyll a and bacterial secondary production rates suggested that bacteria were mainly controlled by organic substrates released in course ofphytoplankton photosynthesis. Both nutrients increased distinctly protistan biomass and resulted in the shift in ciliate community composition from algivorous to large omnivorous species. The response of bacterial numbers and biomass to nutrients addition was less evident. However, intensive grazing caused their dynamic changes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed only small changes in bacterial taxonomic composition. There was an apparent shift in dominance from Cytophaga-Flavobacterium to the Alphaproteobacteria group in the mesocosm with simultaneous addition of P and N, which positively related to increased abundance of bacterivorous protists. Experiment demonstrated that inorganic N and P nutrients directly influenced the bottom-down control of microbial communities, which had a crucial effect on morphological diversity of bacteria.