Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Nursing and Technical Students in Croatia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the students from the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences in relation to oral health, and to determine the respectable differences between students of nursing and technical study programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Students were randomly selected to represent a convenient sample. A total of 140 students from nursing and technical studies were interviewed by using the World health organization Oral Health Questionnaire, adapted to fit the study purposes. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequency distribution and percentages for all variables. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The distribution of participants regarding gender was significantly different between the study programs (p = 0.000). Significant difference was also observed in their perceived socioeconomic status (p = 0.001). A significant difference was found between the study programs regarding the knowledge whether bad teeth could impair general health (p = 0.001), could tooth decay and periodontal disease may be prevented (p = 0.002), as well as the importance of regular dental check-ups for prevention of tooth decay (p = 0.028). There were significant differences regarding dietary habits and alcohol consumption in the past 30 days between the observed study programs (p = 0.000) while no significant differences were found regarding tobacco and tobacco product use (p = 0.170). CONCLUSION: Results obtained and presented in this paper show better knowledge and more favorable habits and behaviors among the students from nursing study program compared with the technical ones. Still all students' habits should be changed to improve oral health. To change attitudes and influence habits, effective oral health promotion programs are needed; not only in colleges, but also in primary and secondary schools.

ODONTOMAS: PEDIATRIC CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Odontomas are benign odontogenic tumors formed from epithelial and mesenchymal cells. They are mostly associated with disorders of tooth eruption, causing impaction and/or delayed tooth eruption, and are an accidental finding on routine radiological examination. The aim of this paper is to present current findings in the etiology and treatment of odontomas, as well as the clinical and radiographic features, describing a case that is rarely found in the literature. A case of multiple complex odontoma in the mandible of an 11-year-old boy is presented, causing impaction of the first permanent right molar, 46. The treatment consisted of surgical enucleation of the multiple complex odontoma with preservation of the impacted tooth, monitoring clinically and radiologically its spontaneous eruption followed by final orthodontic alignment. Odontomas are not an everyday part of clinical practice and given that they are most commonly associated with permanent tooth impaction, it is extremely important to have knowledge of their clinical and radiological features. Early diagnostics and appropriate treatment result in better diagnosis, thus increasing the possibility of preserving the impacted teeth.

Careful neuropsychological testing reveals a novel genetic marker, GSTO1*C, linked to the pre-stage of Alzheimer's disease.

Approximately 30 million people currently suffer from late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) worldwide. Twin studies demonstrated that 60 to 80% of LOAD is genetically determined, 20% of which remaining unassigned. This case-control study included 118 cognitively healthy controls, 52 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; the pre-stage of LOAD) and 71 LOAD patients. The participants were genotyped for the genetic LOAD marker apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) and the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs4925 in glutathione S-transferase omega-1 (GSTO1). Additive logistic regression showed a novel, statistically significant association of the major allele GSTO1*C with MCI (OR1.9; p = 0.032). However, identification of significant SNP-disease relations required well-defined study groups. When classifying participants solely by the short Mini Mental State examination (MMSE), the associations of GSTO1*C and the reference marker APOE4 with MCI were cancelled. Moreover, even identifying only the control group by MMSE nullified a statistically significant association (OR1.8; p = 0.045) between GSTO1*C and LOAD. In contrast, these statistical relations were retained when the detailed Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-Plus) test battery was used. Hence, besides proposing rs4925 as a genetic marker for cognitive impairment, this work also emphasized the importance of carefully characterized controls in addition to well-diagnosed patients in case-control studies.

The prevalence of human papillomavirus 16 and Epstein-Barr virus in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

It has been suggested that certain viruses such as human papillomaviruses (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) might have a role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, results of the published studies are controversial and are dependent on the geographic distribution and methods of sampling and sample analysis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV 16 and EBV in OSCC patients. In 24 patients with OSCC (mean age 59.6 +/- 8.8) and 30 controls (mean age 49.1 +/- 8.3), 5 mL of blood was collected to determine the prevalence of EBV by serologic methods. In addition, swabs were obtained to analyze the presence of HPV 16 and EBV by use of polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was performed by use of Mann-Whitney test, chi2-test and Spearman correlation test. The results of this study showed that there were no significant differences between OSCC patients and control subjects according to the presence of EBV or HPV 16. Therefore, it can be concluded that the role of the aforementioned viruses is less likely in our population of OSCC patients.

Salivary analytes in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Literature data indicates that measurement of certain salivary constituents might serve as a useful diagnostic/prognostic tool in the patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In 24 patients with OSCC (60 +/- 2.5 yrs) and in 24 controls (24 +/- 3.7 yrs) we have determined levels of salivary magnesium, calcium, copper, chloride, phosphate, potassium, sodium, total proteins and amylase. Sodium, potassium and chloride were determined by indirect potentiometry whereas copper, magnesium and phosphate were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Total proteins were determined by pyrogalol colorimetric method. Amylase levels were determined by continued colorimetric method. Statistical analysis was performed by use of chi2 test and Spearman's correlation test. The results of this study indicate that the concentrations of sodium and chloride were significantly elevated in patients with OSCC when compared to the controls. However, level of total protein was significantly decreased when compared to the healthy controls. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between alcohol consumption and total protein concentration in patients with oral carcinoma. We might conclude that in patients with OSCC increased salivary sodium and chloride might reflect their overall dehydration status due to alcohol consumption rather than consequence of OSCC itself.

Pain relieve after impacted wisdom teeth extraction dependent on the drug therapy.

Purpose of this study was to compare the effects of combined therapy using nonsteroid anti-inflammatory analgetics and corticosteroids, and the effects of the mono-therapy with same drugs for post-operative pain after surgical removal of the impacted mandibular third molar. The study was completed at the Department of Oral Surgery and at the Department of Dental Medicine of the Public Institute Health Center Zenica in Zenica. The research included 60 patients divided into 3 groups using random selection, including both sexes. Age range was between 18 and 45 years. All participants came without any pain or other inflammatory symptoms at the time of oral surgical intervention. Two medicaments were prescribed after the impacted tooth removal: 15 mg of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory analgesic drug (Meloxicam, Bosnalijek, BiH) and 32 mg Methylprednisolone (corticosteroid, Bosnalijek, BiH). Both medicaments were applied per os, according to schedule determined by the research protocol. The level of post-surgical pain was evaluated by the 1-10 visual analog scale (VAS). One way ANOVA was made with Tuckey post-hoc tests. Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between the group treated with mono therapy and the group treated with combined therapy. Application of monotherapy using only corticosteroids or only nonsteroid anti-inflammatory pain-killers was less effective compared to the combined therapy with both medicaments after surgical removal of the impacted mandibular third molar.

In vitro anticancer studies of alpha- and beta-D-glucopyranose betulin anomers.

Four derivatives of betulin containing a D-glucopyranosyl moiety at C3 position were synthesized and characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. The crystal structure of 28-O-acetylbetulin-3-yl-beta-D-(2',3',4',6'-tetra-O-acetyl)glucopyranoside was determined. The compounds were tested against fifteen tumor cell lines of different histogenic origins. The alpha- and beta-anomers of 28-O-acetylbetulin-3-yl-D-glucopyranoside, exerted a dose dependent antiproliferative action towards the tumor cell lines. Treatment of HCT-116 cells for 24h induced apoptosis, which was confirmed by the appearance of a typical ladder pattern in the DNA fragmentation assay and cell cycle analysis. The alpha- and beta-anomers of 28-O-acetylbetulin-3-yl-D-glucopyranoside seem to induce apoptosis by activation of different upstream caspases on colon cancer HCT-116 cell line.

Recent insights into the role of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DPIV) and aminopeptidase N (APN) families in immune functions.

BACKGROUND: In the past, different research groups could show that treatment of immune cells with inhibitors of post-proline splitting dipeptidyl aminopeptidases leads to functional changes in the immune system consistent with immunosuppression. This is due to the inhibition of proliferation of lymphocytes and the production of inflammatory cytokines of the TH1, TH2, and TH17, cells as well as the induction of immunosuppressive cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and interleukin (IL)-1RA. Until recently, most of the effects of these inhibitors on immune functions were attributed to the inhibition of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DPIV/CD26). With the identification of new peptidases of the DPIV family (DASH) with the same or similar substrate specificity [fibroblast activation protein (FAP), DP8/9], the question arose whether and to what extent the inhibition of intracellularly localized enzymes, DP8 and DP9, contribute to the observed immunosuppression. In addition, members of the aminopeptidase N (APN) family are also involved in the regulation of immune functions. Hence, the concept of a combined targeting of both families of peptidases for treatment of inflammatory diseases is a promising strategy. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Summarizing data obtained from the usage of different non-selective and selective inhibitors of DPIV, DP8/9, FAP, and DPII, this review provides evidence that in addition to DPIV, DP8/9 also regulate the immune response via modulation of cell cycle progression and cytokine production. The strongest and most consistent effects in vitro were, however, observed with non-selective inhibitors for the suppression of DNA synthesis and cytokine production. Similar effects were provoked by APN inhibitors, which were also found to suppress DNA synthesis and the production of inflammatory cytokines in vitro. However, different mechanisms and signaling pathways appear to mediate the cellular effects resulting from the inhibition of either APN or DPIV family members. In particular, members of the APN family uniquely influence the function of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cells. Consequently, the concomitant inhibition of both APN and DPIV enzyme families by means of two separate inhibitors or by binary inhibitors with specificity for both enzyme families (PETIR, peptidase targeted immunoregulation) synergistically affects immune cells on the level of cell cycle regulation, suppression of TH1, TH2, and TH17 cytokines as well as the activation of regulatory T-cells. Besides leukocytes, dermal cells as sebocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts are also targeted by these inhibitors. This strongly suggests a broad potential of the multiple anti-inflammatory effects of PETIR in treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, allergies, and transplant rejections, as well as of inflammatory skin diseases, such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea or atopic dermatitis. The first active dual inhibitor, IP10.C8, has been developed by IMTM for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases and has just entered the first phase II study.

[The province of East Prussia and "euthanasia" during national socialism: the SS-"Aktion Lange" and "Aktion T4"]. / Die Provinz Ostpreussen und die nationalsozialistische "Euthanasie": SS-",Aktion Lange" und "Aktion T4".

During World War II, psychiatric patients hospitalized in asylums in Eastern Prussia became victims of two separate killing programmes: first, by the SS-special command Lange, second by the centrally (in Berlin) organized "euthanasia"-"Aktion T4". By an analysis of the patient files of the victims, the present paper shows that the historical actors responsible for the killings were communicating with each other. It is now also possible to reconstruct the exact dynamic in time and space of the killings. A comparative analysis of the selection criteria within the total population of the asylums documents that in both programs, the responsible historical actors included physicians and provincial administrative personnel; it further shows that under the conditions of war, only patients who were able to contribute to the asylum work and economy, and were behaviourally adapted could survive.

3-D stress analysis in first maxillary premolar.

The aim of this study was to investigate the stress distribution in a 3-D model of two-rooted tooth (first maxillary premolar) under two different occlusal force vectors by using finite element analysis. In the first model overall force of 200 N was divided into three vectors (cusp to fossa occlusion), and in the second model overall force was divided into 4 vectors (cusp to fossa and cusp to marginal ridge occlusion). The greatest compressive stress was found at the dentino- enamel junction in the cervical area of the both models (about -200 MPa). The greatest tensile stress was found at the vestibular aspect of buccal cusp in second model (about +3 MPa) and in the central fossa of the both models (about +28 MPa). Results indicate that in the both types of occlusal loadings the stress distribution was mainly compression and compressive forces were predominant over tensile stresses. In the second model with 4 vectors, stresses generated in the tooth structure were higher compared to the stresses generated in the first model with 3 vectors.

Triggering endogenous immunosuppressive mechanisms by combined targeting of Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPIV/CD26) and Aminopeptidase N (APN/ CD13)--a novel approach for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

The ectopeptidases Dipeptidylpeptidase IV and Alanyl-Aminopeptidase N, strongly expressed by both, activated and regulatory T cells were shown to co-operate in T cell regulation. Based on the findings that DPIV and APN inhibitors induce the TGF-beta1 and IL-10 production and a suppression of T helper cell proliferation in parallel, and that particularly APN inhibitors amplify the suppressing activity of regulatory T cells, both peptidases represent a promising target complex for treatment of diseases associated with an imbalanced T cell response, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The aim of the present study was to analyze the therapeutic potential of DPIV and APN inhibitors in vivo in a mouse model of colitis. Balb/c mice received 3% (w/v) dextran sulphate sodium with the drinking water for 7 days. After onset of colitis symptoms, inhibitor treatment started at day 3. Disease activity index (DAI) was assessed daily, supplemented by histological and immunological analysis. While the DPIV inhibitor Lys-[Z(NO])(2)]-pyrrolidide or the APN-inhibitor Actinonin alone had marked but no significant therapeutic effects, the simultaneous administration of both inhibitors reduced colitis activity in comparison to placebo treated mice, significantly (DAI 4.8 vs. 7.7, p<0.005). A newly developed compound IP12.C6 with inhibitory capacity toward both enzymes significantly attenuated the clinical manifestation of colitis (DAI 3.2 vs. 7.6, p<0.0001). TGF-beta mRNA was found to be up-regulated in colon tissue of inhibitor-treated animals. In summary our results strongly suggest that combined DPIV and APN inhibition by synthetic inhibitors represents a novel and efficient approach for the pharmacological therapy of IBD by triggering endogenous immunosuppressive mechanisms.

Wayfinding behavior and spatial knowledge of adults and children in a virtual environment: The role of landmarks.

This study investigated the effect of different organizations of landmark-location pairings as fine-space information on wayfinding behavior and spatial knowledge on a total of 90 participants: 30 second graders, 30 sixth graders, and 30 adults. All participants had to find their way to a goal in a virtual environment with either randomized or categorical landmarks, or without any landmarks. Thereafter, they had to find the shortest way from the start position to the goal in two consecutive trials (wayfinding performance), and they had to solve a number of spatial knowledge tasks. The results showed that independent of their categorical function, the existence of landmarks influenced the way-finding performance of adults and children in the same way. Whereas the presence of landmarks had no effect on spatial survey knowledge, landmark knowledge itself was influenced by the categorical function of the landmarks presented. Moreover, second graders showed limited achievement compared to adults independent of the existence of landmarks. The main results implicate firstly that children at school age indeed are able to use landmark-location pairings as fine-space information like adults during learning an unknown environmental space, and secondly that a dissociation between wayfinding behavior and spatial knowledge might exist.

Adaptation to separate kinematic and dynamic transformations in children and adults.

The question addressed in the present study is whether children and adults are able to combine and decompose separate kinematic (visual-feedback-shift) and dynamic (velocity-dependent force) transformations in goal-directed arm movements. A total of 64 participants (32 adults and 32 children) performed horizontal forearm movements using a single-joint arm manipulandum. When participants first learned kinematic and dynamic transformations separately, target error decreased in a subsequent combined transformation task. This effect was based on previous learning of the kinematic transformation. When they first learned the combined transformation, target error was smaller in the following kinematic-but not in the dynamic-transformation. No difference was found in adaptation performance between children and adults. The results suggest that there are two separate models for the kinematic and dynamic transformation and that a possible differentiation of kinematic and dynamic features of the motor task might already be present at age 11.

Evidence for the direct 2beta- and 3beta-hydroxylation of [2H2]GA20-13-O-[6'-2H2]glucoside in seedlings of Phaseolus coccineus.

[17-2H2]GA20-13-O-[6'-2H2]glucoside was synthesized and applied to seedlings of Phaseolus coccineus L. After incubation for 72 h the conjugate metabolites were purified and shown by LC-ESI-tandem-MS and GC-MS to be [17-2H2]GA1-13-O-[6'-2H2]glucoside and [17-2H2]GA29-13-O-[6'-2H2]glucoside. This is the first evidence for the conversion of intact GA-O-glucosides, and represents an additional metabolic pathway of the gibberellin metabolism in P. coccineus L. The results indicate that intact GA-O-glucosides are accepted by 2- and 3-oxidases in the plant.