ASSESSMENT OF CYTOGENETIC DAMAGE TO EXFOLIATED GINGIVAL CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GENERALIZED PERIODONTITIS.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the occurrence of chromosomal abnormalities through the frequency of micronuclei and other genomic damage markers in patients with chronic generalized periodontitis and without periodontal disease. Micronucleus assay was performed in exfoliated gingival epithelial cells of 35 patients with generalized chronic periodontitis and 30 control subjects with healthy periodontium. Full mouth clinical examination was performed to define periodontal condition. The mean number of cells with micronuclei observed in chronic periodontitis and control groups was 1.8 (±1.49) and 2.0 (±1.34), respectively. Differences between the groups were not significant (p=0.574). Compared to control subjects, patients with chronic periodontitis showed a significant increase in the number of binucleated cells (p≤0.001) and number of cells with nucleoplasmic bridges (p=0.042). Study results indicated that chronic periodontitis was not associated with higher occurrence of chromosomal damage in gingival cells compared to individuals with healthy periodontium.

Resilience in Health and Illness.

Resilience is a relatively new concept that lacks clarity although it is increasingly used in everyday conversation and across various disciplines. The term was first introduced into psychology and psychiatry from technical sciences and afterwards thorough medicine and healthcare. It represents a complex set of various protective and salutogenic factors and process important for understanding health and illness, and treatment and healing processes. It is defined as a protective factor that makes an individual more resilient to adverse events that lead to positive developmental outcomes. Resilience is a positive adaptation after stressful situations and it represents mechanisms of coping and rising above difficult experiences, i.e., the capacity of a person to successfully adapt to change, resist the negative impact of stressors and avoid occurrence of significant dysfunctions. It represents the ability to return to the previous, so-called "normal" or healthy condition after trauma, accident, tragedy, or illness. In other words, resilience refers to the ability to cope with difficult, stressful and traumatic situations while maintaining or restoring normal functioning. The higher the resilience, the lower the vulnerability and risk of illness. Resilient individuals tend to be optimistic, have a tendency to see everything as a useful experience, focus on personal strengths and qualities, use constructive criticism, develop close relationships with others, have developed social skills, and are emotionally conscious. Good resilience aggravates and prevents the onset of disease, provides good heath, facilitates and accelerates healing, and provides productive life and a sense of well-being despite chronic illness. Resilience experts believe that anyone can strengthen their resilience and thus contribute to the advancement of health and, if ill, ease the illness, accelerate and facilitate healing.

The Positive Effects of Running on Mental Health.

Working as a team with patients who are also recreational runners and managing a running school in the City of Mostar had made us thinking on how recreational running affects the mental health in individuals. Previous literature is pretty old dated, so we found this even more interesting. We have wondered why there is no more recent literature on this subject. So, while working on this mini review and discussing on this subjects we came up with an idea on a research about self esteem and life quality of individuals pre and post running school experience. Previous studies show that consistent running results in a number of positive psychological changes among diverse populations. In a study of Kenneth E.C. ordinary nonprofessional runners were surveyed about the psychological aspects of running. Many of the respondents had started running to improve their health, and almost all noted mental and emotional benefits including relief of tension, improved self-image, and better mood. Considering therapeutic effects of running Greist et al. define running as not expensive, and unlike sorne other treatments, it has beneficiai physical side effects. Their results compare favorably with those of patients in psychotherapy and have persisted for at !east one year in follow-up. Taking in mind all of the previously published research it can be concluded that running can be a therapeutic tool for a sereies of negative psychological conditions, such ass depression, anxieta, tension, mood changes, low self esteem etc. Although, these research are a few decades old there is still no recipe or dosage for running, especially in the area of physical ilness prevention. There is much to research and to be discovered in this field.

Mental Health and Self-Esteem of Active Athletes.

INTRODUCTION: Systematic and continuous physical exercise of certain intensity and volume is irreplaceable in the stages of growth and development and in preventing impairments of the biological, functional and health state of the human organism.Many studies show that physical exercise contributes to development and reinforcement of mental health and increases self-esteem. Examine mental health and self-esteem of active athletes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects of the study are active athletes from Herzegovina and students of the Faculty of Health Studies in Mostar. Mental health and self-esteem were measured by a sociodemographic questionnaire, The Symptom Checklist-90 and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. RESULTS: There is a statistically significant difference in the frequency of exercise, active athletes have the highest percentage (100%) and state that they exercise often (almost every day) while university students have a significantly lower percentage (20%).Students scored significantly higher on the subscales for somatization, obsessive - compulsive symptoms, interpersonal vulnerability, depression, anxiety, aggression, phobia, and paranoia than active athletes. Active athletes have statistically higher scores for almost all the claims of the subjective assessment of life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Active athletes showed significantly less psychological symptoms and better mental health, greater life satisfaction and higher self-esteem than students of the Faculty of Health Studies in Mostar.