MMP3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with noncontact ACL injuries in competing high-level athletes.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in matrix remodeling, as well as in ligament integrity. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a severe and frequent knee injury in sports. The aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms within the MMP3 gene with the predisposition for noncontact ACL rupture in the Croatian professional athletes. One hundred eighty-seven (95 with ACL rupture occurring through a noncontact mechanism and 92 asymptomatic controls) unrelated Caucasians were recruited between 2016 and 2017. All participants were genotyped for three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within the MMP3 gene: rs591058 C/T, rs650108 A/G, and rs679620 G/A using the pyrosequencing method. For all three investigated SNPs, genotype frequencies have significantly differed between cases and controls. The MMP3 rs591058 TT (p = 0.0012, odds ratio [OR] = 38.541, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7024-8.7254), rs650108 GG (p = 0.0051, OR = 23.338, 95% CI = 1.2899-4.2226) and rs679620 AA (p = 0.0030, OR = 34.750, 95% CI = 1.5266-7.9101) genotypes, as well as haplotype variant T-G-A (p = 0.0104, OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.13-2.59) were significantly overrepresented in cases compared to controls. These results support association between functional variants within the MMP3 gene and the risk of ACL rupture. Still, further research is needed to corroborate these results in a larger population.

Trace Element Concentrations in Autopsied Heart Tissues from Patients with Secondary Cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies (CMP) represent a significant health problem as they have a poor long-term prognosis and often require transplantation. Heavy metals are known to have cardiotoxic effects and some of them, such as cadmium (Cd), are found to be elevated in the urine and blood of individuals with heart diseases; nevertheless, direct measurement of metals (e.g. zinc (Zn) which is necessary for normal heart function), in the myocardium of individuals with CMP has not been performed. Here, we aimed to analyze the levels of a group of metals in the myocardium of the left ventricle in individuals with CMP. At the Institute of Pathology, we collected 52 samples of left ventricle post-mortem, out of which 19 subjects had been diagnosed with CMP (mean age: 72 y ± 10), and 33 subjects had not suffered from any heart disease (mean age: 67 y ± 15). We found out that individuals with CMP had a significantly higher concentrations of lead, nickel, manganese and copper than non-CMP subjects (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p = 0.011, and p = 0.002). Interestingly, zinc was significantly lower in CMP subjects than in n-CMP individuals (p = 0.017). Our results indicated the involvement of an increased lead, nickel, copper and manganese heart load in individuals with CMP coupled with lower concentrations of zinc.

Core Decompression Combined with Intraosseous Autologous Conditioned Plasma Injections Decreases Pain and Improves Function in Patients with Symptomatic Knee Bone Marrow Lesions.

The purpose of this prospective case series was to determine the effectiveness of using a combination of the core decompression and injection of autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) for the treatment of symptomatic knee bone marrow lesions (BML), as well as to report on the preliminary clinical results based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs). Patients with OA-related BML who failed to improve on conservative treatment for three months underwent an identical procedure consisting of arthroscopy, core decompression, and the intraosseous injection of ACP and were followed up for 12 months. A statistically significant reduction in pain and an improvement in function, as measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), was observed at one-week follow-up (8.3 ± 0.8 to 1.5 ± 1.0; p ≤ 0.001 and 33.4 ± 10.6 to 53.9 ± 13.6; p ≤ 0.001 respectively). After six weeks, weight-bearing was allowed, but the trend did not change-the NPRS continued to be low (average 1.4 on 12-month follow-up) and the total KOOS increased 44.6 points from the baseline (average 78.0 on 12-month follow-up). The Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score improved from 66.1 ± 19.4 prior to surgery to 58.0 ± 15.9 (p < 0.001) after 3 months. In our study, there was no control group, randomisation was not performed, and the sample size was relatively small. A combination of core decompression and the intraosseous injection of ACP into the affected subchondral area proved to be a safe and effective procedure that provides rapid pain relief and a significant increase in joint function up to one year postoperatively.

Oligoelements in serum and intestinal tissue of pediatric IBD patients.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) develops through complex interplay of genetic, microbial, immune, and environmental factors. Trace elements alterations are commonly present in IBD and may have influence on IBD development. Heavy metal pollution is one of the major environmental issues nowadays and IBD incidence is rising in countries where industry starts to develop. Metals are implicated in processes that are connected to IBD pathogenesis. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate toxic and trace element levels in pediatric population of IBD patients both in serum and intestinal mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled children newly diagnosed with IBD in University children's hospital in Belgrade. Concentrations of thirteen elements: Al, As, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Se and Zn in serum and intestinal mucosa of 17 newly diagnosed children with IBD (10 Crohn's disease (CD) and 7ulcerative colitis (UC)) and 10 controls were assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Intestinal mucosa samples were taken from terminal ileum and six different colon segments (cecum, ascending colon, colon transversum, descending and sigmoid colon and rectum). RESULTS: The results demonstrated significant alterations in serum and intestinal mucosa concentrations of investigated elements. Serum iron was significantly decreased in IBD and CD group, compared to controls while serum Cu significantly differed between three investigated groups with highest concentration observed in CD children. Serum manganese was the highest in the UC subgroup. Terminal ileums of IBD patients contained significantly lower amount of Cu, Mg, Mn and Zn with Mn being significantly decreased also in CD patients compared to control. IBD patients' caecum contained significantly less Mg and Cu while colon transversum tissue samples from IBD and Crohn's patients contained significantly more chromium than controls. Moreover, sigmoid colon of IBD patients were poorer in Mg than controls (p < 0.05). Colon Al, As and Cd were significantly reduced in IBD, and UC children compared to control. Correlations of investigated elements in CD and UC groups were different from controls. Biochemical and clinical parameters showed correlation with element concentrations in intestines. CONCLUSION: Sera of CD, UC and control children significantly differ in Fe, Cu and Mn levels. Serum manganese was the highest in the UC subgroup creating the most prominent and only significant difference between UC and CD subgroups. Terminal ileum of IBD patients contained significantly lower amount of majority of investigated essential trace elements and toxic elements were significantly reduced in colon of IBD and UC patients. Investigation of macro- and microelement alterations in children and adults has potential to further elucidate IBD pathogenesis.

Clinical Outcome of Arthroscopic Repair for Isolated Meniscus Tear in Athletes.

Increased knowledge of the long-term destructive consequences of meniscectomy has created a shift towards operative repair of isolated meniscus lesions. However, in the literature the results of isolated meniscal repair in athletes currently remain underreported. Our objective was to investigate the clinical and functional outcomes as well as survival and return to sport in patients who underwent meniscal repair after isolated meniscal tear, with a focus on athletes (both professional and recreational) in the study population. This retrospective study included 52 athletes who underwent knee surgery for isolated meniscal tear between 2014 and 2020. Patients with concomitant ligamentous and/or chondral injury were not included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 25.5 years (ranging from 12 to 57 years). The mean follow-up period of all patients was 33.3 months (ranging 10 to 80 months). The mean purpose of the study was to report the return to sport. The International Knee Documentation Committee rating (IKDC), Lysholm score, the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Tegner activity level were determined at the follow-up. Failure was defined as re-operation with meniscectomy or revision meniscal repair. In total, 44 out of 52 patients (85%) returned to their previous sports activities. At follow-up, the mean Lysholm score was 90, representing a good to excellent result. Assessment of KOOS (mean value 88.8) and IKDC (mean value 89) scores also showed good to excellent results. A mean level of Tegner scale was 6.2, indicating a relatively high level of sports participation. Failure was encountered in 8 out of 52 knees (15%). Therefore, isolated meniscal repair resulted in good to excellent knee function and most athletes can return to their previous level of sports participation.

New insight into the perplexing toxic features of PCBs: A study of nephrotoxicity in an animal model.

The present study investigated the effects of PCBs on the rat kidneys with attention given to the determination critical effect dose (CED) using the Benchmark dose (BMD) approach. Male albino Wistar rats (7 animals per group) were given by oral gavage Aroclor 1254 dissolved in corn oil at doses of 0.0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 mg/kg b.w./day for 28 days. The PCB nephrotoxicity was manifested by a dose-dependent changes in serum urea levels. The study has also revealed PCB-induced oxidative stress induction in kidneys. The observed nephrotoxic effects can be partly explained by oxidative damage of lipids and proteins in the kidneys due to observed reduced CuZnSOD activity and disturbances in antioxidant protection. Аll the renal oxidative stress parameters showed dependence on PCB oral doses as well as internal, measure kidney PCB levels. Calculated BMDL values were lower than estimated no observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) based on the study, suggesting the importance of BMD approach use in future risk assessment.

Cadmium dietary exposure assessment in the adult population and pre-school children in the Republic of Serbia.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal, present in all matrices of the environment and a common food contaminant. Human exposure to it may elicit many diverse health impairments. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary exposure to Cd for the adult population and preschool children in Serbia using probabilistic methodology. We measured Cd in 11,227 food samples belonging to 50 food items on the Serbian market. Cd was detected in 90% of the tested food items, and in 30.8% of the overall tested samples. The food item that contributed the most to total dietary Cd intake was potatoes (median Cd concentration of 7 ng/g) in adults, and fruit and vegetable juices in children (median Cd concentration of 19 ng/g). Weekly Cd intake shown as 50th and 95th percentiles were 2.54 and 4.74 µg/kg bw in the adult population, and 3.29 and 4.93 µg/kg bw in children. The results of this study are rather preliminary and should be considered as an indication of the need for further, more refined research, which would contribute to a more realistic risk assessment as a high-priority approach, especially in the case of vulnerable subpopulations such as children. Abbreviations: AT SDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; EEA: European Environment Agency; EFSA: European Food Safety Authority; FAO/WHO: Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization; HI: hazard index; IARC: International Agency for Research on Cancer; JECFA: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives; LOD: limit of detection; Cd: cadmium; TWI: tolerable weekly intake; UNEP: United Nations Environment Program; WI: weekly intake.

Biosecurity and Lairage Time versus Pork Meat Quality Traits in a Farm-Abattoir Continuum.

The modern pig production chain is increasingly focused on biosecurity, quality, and safety of meat and is associated with many challenges impacting world meat markets, such as animal disease outbreaks and sanitary restrictions, trade regulations and quality requirements. To overcome such challenges and assure more consistent pork meat quality (and safety), there is a need to develop an effective and reliable monitoring system in a farm-abattoir continuum that can be based on selected biomarkers. This study assessed interrelations of selected stress and inflammation biomarkers (acute phase proteins (APP)) between farm biosecurity score versus pork meat quality traits after two different lairage periods. Briefly, the maximum recorded levels of stress hormones (436.2 and 241.2 ng/mL, for cortisol and Chromogranin A (CgA), respectively) and APP (389.4 and 400.9 µg/mL, Pig Major Acute Proteins (MAP) and Haptoglobin (Hp), respectively) at four commercial farms were within the recommended threshold values. Cortisol and APP were negatively correlated to the internal and total biosecurity scores of farms. The increase of level of both sets of biomarkers was found at bleeding (after transportation and lairage period), but with lower values after long (18-20 h) versus short (1-3 h) lairage lay-over time. In general, negative correlation was confirmed between stress and inflammation biomarkers and carcass/meat quality traits. The farm total biosecurity level significantly affected chilling yield, meat temperature, and a* value. Pig-MAP emerged as a good biomarker with a promising potential for assessment and anticipation of broad aspects in the pork meat chain. It can be used for detection of failures in the pig production system and might be incorporated in certification programs for the pork meat industry.

ST2 and the alteration of cobalt, sodium, potassium and calcium concentration in acute inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: ST2 is the receptor for interleukin (IL)-33, the last discovered member of the IL-1 cytokine family. Acute inflammation is an early response of vascularized tissue to injury, in which alteration of micro- and macro-elements occurs. This study aimed to examine the alteration of cobalt, sodium, potassium, and calcium concentration at the site of acute inflammation and the role of ST2 in these alterations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Wild-type (WT) and ST2 knockout (ST2-/-) mice were divided into groups: WT control group (WT-C), ST2 knockout control group (KO-C), WT inflammatory group (WT-I), and ST2 knockout inflammatory group (KO-I). We induced acute inflammation by intramuscular injection of turpentine oil or saline in the case of the control group. After 12 h, we anesthetized mice and collected treated tissues for histopathological analysis and determination of cobalt, sodium, potassium, and calcium concentration by atomic absorption spectrometer. RESULTS: Histopathological analysis showed the inflammatory infiltrate and cell necrosis in the treated tissue in WT-I and KO-I. The concentration of sodium was significantly lower in WT-I than in WT-C. The concentration of potassium and cobalt was significantly lower in WT-I and KO-I when compared to WT-C and KO-C, respectively. However, the concentration of potassium and cobalt in the tissue was significantly lower in WT-I than in KO-I. The concentration of calcium in the tissue did not significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSION: We reported, to our knowledge for the first time, that ST2 is involved in decreasing sodium, potassium, and cobalt concentration at the site of acute inflammation.

Dietary Exposure and Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin M1 for Children Aged 1 to 9 Years Old in Serbia.

The present study was conducted to estimate the exposure and characterize the risk for the child population of Serbia to Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from milk and milk-based food. A total of 3404 samples comprising milk and different milk-based food samples were collected from various regions of Serbia from 2017 to 2019. Evaluation of AFM1 exposure was carried out using the deterministic method, whereas risk characterization was evaluated using the margin of exposure (MOE) and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Detection rates for AFM1 in milk and milk-based food samples ranged between 2% and 79%, with the highest incidence (79%) and mean level (22.34 ± 0.018 ng kg-1) of AFM1 being detected in pasteurized and UHT milk. According to the three consumption estimates, the values of estimated daily intake (EDI) were higher for toddlers as compared with children aged 3-9 years. Children aged 1-3 years had the highest risk of exposure to AFM1 in milk, with an estimated daily intake of 0.164 and 0.193 ng kg-1 bw day-1 using lower bound (LB) and upper bound (UB) exposure scenarios, respectively. Such difference could result from the higher consumption to weight in younger children. Based on the estimated daily intake (EDI) found in this study, the risk of AFM1 exposure due to consumption of milk and milk-based food was low since the MOE values obtained were >10,000. In addition, the risk of HCC cases/year/105 individuals of different age groups showed that the value of HCC, using potency estimates of 0.0017 (mean), was maximum (0.00034) in the age group 1-3 years, which indicates no health risk for the evaluated groups. The present study revealed the importance of controlling and preventing AFM1 contamination in milk through continuous monitoring and regular inspection to reduce the risk of AFM1 exposure, especially in children.

Characterisation of changes in physicochemical, textural and microbiological properties of Njeguska sausage during ripening.

The purpose of this paper was to investigate effect of ripening time on physicochemical, textural and microbiological properties of Njeguska (dry fermented sausage) during ripening and to conduct sensory and free fatty acid characterization of final product. Ripening time significantly (p < 0.05) affected all physicochemical parameters. Moisture content dropped below national regulation limit (35%) after 12 days, which indicates that production process could be shortened for 4 days. Total weight loss was 36.34%. Due to its final pH (5.54), Njeguska can be classified as low-acid sausage which microbial safety mostly relies on its low water activity (< 0.80). Final TBARS value was 0.27 mg MDA/kg. Levels of tyramine (36.9 mg/kg) and putrescine (16.7 mg/kg) were the highest among all biogenic amines while levels of remaining amines were under 5 mg/kg. Hardness, gumminess and chewiness significantly (p < 0.05) increased during processing to reach final values of 65.59 N, 33.60 N and 19.12 N, respectively. Ripening time had significant effect on color (L*, a* and b*) of surface, meat and fat parts which were all measured separately. Total viable count, lactic acid bacteria and Micrococcaceae counts increased from 5.11 log cfu/g, 3.90 log cfu/g and 2.41 log cfu/g to 7.96 log cfu/g, 7.04 log cfu/g and 4.86 log cfu/g, respectively. Results of sensory characterization showed high scores for smoky flavor, consistency, fattiness, fat/meat cohesiveness and saltiness while lactic acid odor and overall acidity were rated low.

Determination of toxic elements in meat products from Serbia packaged in tinplate cans.

This work aimed to examine the influence of the storage period on the content of toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in five types of canned meat products regularly used in the Serbian Armed Forces. Cans of beef goulash (BG), pork ragout (PR), spam (SP), liver pate (LP), and meatballs in tomato sauce (MB), produced according to military standards and stored under regular conditions, were analyzed. Meat products were packed in tin cans made according to special requirements in terms of tin and varnish application and stored for up to 6 years. The content of toxic elements varied depending on the analyzed product. The highest average content of arsenic was in BG (10.00 µg/kg), cadmium in LP (35.91 µg/kg), and mercury and lead in PR (15.04 and 8.00 µg/kg, respectively). The average concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb in all types of canned meat products were significantly lower than the maximum permitted levels in food currently in force by local and EU legislation. The storage period did not significantly affect the level of toxic elements, although higher concentrations were found in samples stored for more than 2 years. Examination of raw materials, spices, and additives showed that the highest Cd and Pb concentrations, which can affect the total level of these elements in meat products, were found in red ground pepper (Cd above 150 µg/kg) and dish supplement (Pb of 250 µg/kg). The assessment of the weekly intake of toxic elements through canned meat showed that it is significantly lower than the values that affect adversely to human health, as determined by the FAO/WHO and EFSA. However, as there is a constant possibility of contamination of raw materials and food additives, primarily due to environmental pollution, it is recommended to monitor the content of heavy metals in food permanently and assess their risk to human health.

Age-specific accumulation of toxic metal(loid)s in northern pike (Esox lucius) juveniles.

Northern pike specimens of 0+, 1+, and 2+ age classes were collected in June 2013 from the Vizelj channel near Belgrade (Serbia). Inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry (ICP-OES) and atomic absorption spectrometer SpectrAA 220 were used for analyzing concentrations of As, Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Sr, Pb, and Zn, as well as Hg in muscle, gills, and liver. Metal pollution index (MPI) was calculated. Concentrations of As, Cd, Co, and Pb were below the limit of detection. Concentrations of Cu, Hg, and Zn in muscle did not exceed the maximum allowed concentrations. The gills were tissue which was most affected by pollution. The highest concentrations of Fe in muscle, Cr and Fe in gills, and Hg, Sr, and Zn in liver were recorded in 0+ individuals, as well as Zn in gills of 2+ individuals. On contrary, the lowest concentrations were recorded for Zn in gills of 0+ individuals, Hg in gills of 1+ individuals, and Fe in muscle, Cr and Sr in gills, and Zn in liver of 2+ individuals. Regarding age classes, 2+ juveniles had the highest MPI values for all tissues. Correlations between the metal(loid) accumulation and fish condition were not significant, as well as between fish length and weight and Cu and Hg in muscle, Cu, Hg, and Sr in gills, and Cu, Cr, and Fe in liver. Results indicated that young individuals were more sensitive to pollution, but older fish showed higher overall bioaccumulation of toxic elements analyzed in this study.

Modified Technique for Combined Reconstruction of Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Anterolateral Ligament.

During the past few decades, surgical techniques for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have been developing significantly. To date, studies have shown that after ACL reconstruction, rotational stability has a greater impact on the patient's satisfaction, functional scores, and return to sports than translational stability. Although challenged by many authors in the literature, biomechanical studies on the anterolateral ligament (ALL) of the knee and clinical studies regarding ALL reconstruction have been revealing promising results. Thus, the potentially significant role of the ALL in biomechanical load sharing and improving rotational control of the knee has led to the development of various reconstruction techniques whose goal is to achieve simplicity and yield the best results possible. Guided by this idea, we have developed a modified ACL-ALL reconstruction surgical technique. In this article, our simple, bone-saving, anatomic technique to reconstruct both the ACL and ALL using hamstring tendon autograft is described.

Effect of section thickness on cone beam computed tomography-based measurements of intrabony defects compared with clinical measurements.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image reconstruction characteristics, including section thickness, may affect linear bone measurements of periodontal intrabony defects. The aim of this study was to compare intrasurgical and CBCT-based linear measurements of intrabony defects focusing on CBCT section thickness. METHODS: Sixty-six intrabony defects were assessed in 21 patients with chronic generalized severe periodontitis. Linear measurements of alveolar bone (radiographic bone level [rBL]), assessed in CBCT images at diverse section thicknesses: 0.25 mm (voxel size), 1 mm, and 3 mm, were compared with clinical bone level (cBL) measurements obtained intrasurgically. To provide identical reference points for rBL and cBL measurements, individually adjusted grooves on the reference stent were prepared for each periodontal defect site. CBCT measurements were performed in two rounds by two trained observers. Observer agreement was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). ANOVA assessed the difference among cBL and rBL at different section thicknesses. RESULTS: Intra- and inter-observer agreement was excellent (ICC >0.99) and highly significant independent of the observer, evaluation round, and CBCT section thickness. Mean rBL in the diverse CBCT section thicknesses was very close to that measured clinically (cBL). There was no statistically significant difference between cBL and rBL for any section thickness, neither for the overall evaluated sites, nor the maxilla or mandible separately. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant difference between clinical and radiographic bone level for 0.25-, 1-, and 3-mm CBCT section thicknesses were observed when assessing intrabony periodontal defects.

Human health risk assessment of lead, cadmium, and mercury co-exposure from agricultural soils in the Tuzla Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of human exposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) through agricultural soil by considering both uncertainty and variability in key exposure parameters. For this reason we collected soil samples from 29 locations in the Tuzla Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and measured their metal levels with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission or absorption spectrometry (ICP-AES and ICP-AAS, respectively). The levels of Pb ranged from 13.33 to 1692.33 mg/kg, of Cd from 0.05 to 3.67 mg/kg, and of Hg from 0.02 to 2.73 mg/kg. To estimate cancer and non-cancer risks we used deterministic and semi-probabilistic methods. Lead was found to involve higher health risk than the other two heavy metals. Its hazard index (HI) decreased between population groups (children>women>men) and exposure routes (ingestion>skin contact>inhalation). Our Monte Carlo simulations indicated that Pb HIs for both adult populations had a 0.6 % probability to exceed the threshold value of 1, while in children this probability was 14.2 %. Cd and Hg showed no probability to exceed the threshold in any scenario. Our simulation results raise concern about possible adverse health effects of heavy metals from soil, especially in children. It is very important to continue monitoring environmental pollution and assess human health risk, not only with respect to soil, but also with other important environmental compartments, such as air and water.

Association of the matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) single nucleotide polymorphisms with tendinopathies: case-control study in high-level athletes.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in matrix remodelling, as well as in tendon integrity. Due to overuse, athletes often develop chronic tendinopathies. If not treated, they lead to severe impairment, even complete tendon ruptures. AIM: The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether three functional polymorphisms within the MMP3 gene are associated with increased risk of developing tendinopathies in high-level Croatian athletes. METHODS: We have recruited one hundred fifty-five (63 high-level athletes with diagnosed tendinopathies and 92 asymptomatic controls) unrelated Caucasians for this case-control genetic study. All participants were genotyped for three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within the MMP3 gene: rs591058 C/T, rs650108 A/G and rs679620 G/A using the pyrosequencing method. RESULTS: The MMP3 rs650108 GG (P = 0.0074) and rs679620 AA (P = 0.0119) genotypes were significantly over-represented in cases compared with controls, while rs591058 TT (P = 0.0759), as well as haplotype variant T - G - A (P = 0.06), implicated that there is an indication of predisposition for tendinopathies. CONCLUSION: These results support association between functional variants within the MMP3 gene and the risk of tendinopathies in high-level athletes. Further research is needed to replicate these results in a larger population.

Detection rates of periodontal bacteria and herpesviruses in different forms of periodontal disease.

The aim was to investigate the detection rates of periodontal bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Prevotella intermedia, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans) and herpesviruses (herpes simplex virus-1 [HSV-1], cytomegalovirus [CMV], and Epstein-Barr virus [EBV]) in different forms and severity of periodontal disease, and to compare them with those in periodontally healthy subjects. One hundred and twenty-nine patients participated in the study: 39 diagnosed with periodontal abscess (PA), 33 with necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis (NUP), 27 with chronic periodontitis (CP), and 30 participants with healthy periodontal tissue represented a healthy control group. All patients with periodontal disease (PA, NUP, and CP) were also divided into two groups according to the severity of their disease: moderate and severe periodontitis. The subgingival samples were collected from the periodontitis active sites and the detection of microorganisms was performed by end-point polymerase chain reaction analyses. The results revealed significantly higher detection rates of P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, and P. intermedia in all three groups of patients with periodontitis than in healthy participants. The highest detection rate of A. actinomycetemcomitans was noticed in CP, which was significantly higher than that in PA, NUP, and healthy control. The occurrence of EBV was significantly higher in NUP than in CP and healthy participants. CMV was detected significantly more frequently in PA and NUP than in CP and healthy participants. Comparisons among healthy participants and patients with moderate and severe periodontitis showed significantly higher detection rates of EBV and CMV in patients with severe forms of periodontitis than in healthy participants and those with moderate periodontitis.

Trace elements in different tissues in aging rats.

BACKGROUND: Trace elements (TE) in the human body provide a connecting link between the environment, lifestyle and biochemical modulation of homeodynamics. On the other hand, many non-essential (toxic) elements are linked to numerous diseases. Our study tried to identify differences in TE levels between healthy old and young Wistar rats in blood and the tissues of kidney, liver, heart, and testicles. Furthermore, we wanted to see if there were age-related differences in correlations between essential and/or non-essential (toxic) TE within and between mentioned tissues. METHODS: We used 28 healthy male Wistar rats which were divided into two age groups: young, aged 10 weeks (n = 15) and old, aged 36 months (n = 13). The animals were sacrificed under general anesthesia and the blood samples, and samples from the tissues of the heart, kidneys, testicles, and liver were used for the determination of TE content in them. Analysis of the 16 elements was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: Toxic elements in old rats (As, Hg, and Cd) were significantly higher in all of the tissues where the difference in levels of these elements was found. Tissues of the kidney and liver had the most correlations between TE in old and young rats, respectively. In both old and young rats, arsenic was the toxic element that had most of the correlations with other essential or non-essential elements. In old rats, most of the TE correlations were detected between the tissues of the kidney and heart (11 correlations), while in young rats most of the correlations were observed between the tissues of kidney and liver, and kidney and testicles (with 9 correlations both). CONCLUSIONS: Our study has found significant changes in levels of trace elements in all of the mentioned tissues, with kidney and testicles being the tissues with the most TE differences between the two aged groups. This and other similar studies should encourage other investigators to evaluate the mutual connections between TE and physiological, or the "unhealthy" aging. More studies with more tissues included, more biomarkers of the systemic function, and even molecular methods are needed to provide the answers to numerous questions relating to TE and aging.

The use of collagen porcine dermal matrix and connective tissue graft with modified coronally advanced tunnel technique in the treatment of multiple adjacent type I gingival recessions: A randomized, controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical efficacy and esthetic outcome of porcine-derived dermal collagen matrix in comparison with connective tissue graft in the treatment of multiple adjacent gingival recessions (MAGR), 6 and 12 months after the surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with bilateral type I MAGR were treated randomly with porcine-derived dermal collagen matrix (test site) or connective tissue graft (control site) in combination with a modified coronally advanced tunnel technique. The primary objectives were to evaluate the mean and complete root coverage. The secondary objectives were to assess keratinized tissue width, gingival thickness gain, and root coverage esthetic score. RESULTS: Six and 12 months postoperatively, both groups achieved significant improvements in all clinical parameters compared to baseline, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Mean root coverage change (Δ12m - 6 m) was statistically significant between the groups in favor of connective tissue graft, and twice as many patients exhibited a complete coverage of all recessions in the control group than the test group. CONCLUSION: The porcine-derived dermal collagen matrix combined with a modified coronally advanced tunnel technique resulted in satisfactory clinical and esthetic outcomes, which were similar to connective tissue graft. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Porcine-derived dermal collagen matrix (XDM) may be proposed as a substitute for connective tissue graft in multiple adjacent recession treatment due to successful root coverage, a significant increase of gingival thickness, and high esthetic outcomes. The clinical benefits for the use of XDM could be: (a) second surgical wound avoidance, (b) patient discomfort decrease, and (c) lower complications' rate.