Influence of Occlusal Interference on the Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders

The significance of occlusal interference in the etiology of temporomandibular disorders has been questioned in numerous recent articles. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the clinical signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in a young male nonpatient population and to investigate a possible association between the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders and occlusal interference. A questionnaire including data from history and clinical functional examination was used in the study. All subjects (a total of 230) were male (army recruits), of 19 to 28 years of age (mean 21.3). Temporomandibular joint clicking was reported in 91 subjects, temporomandibular joint pain on palpation and functional loading in 78 subjects, masticatory muscle pain on palpation and functional loading in 58 subjects, tension type headache in 30 subjects, and mandibular deviation on opening and closing movements greater than 2 mm in 43 subjects. The prevalence of occlusal interference in percentage in 230 young adults, 65% had no occlusal interference during examination of the functional state of occlusion, while 14%subjects had centric slide between centric relation and maximum intercuspation, 5% subjects had working side interference and 16% subjects had non-working side interference during lateral and protrusive mandibular movements. Clinical signs and symptoms were correlated with occlusal interference, although their correlation cannot be considered unique or dominant in definition of a temporomandibular disorder population

Clinical and Morphological Characteristics of Cutaneous Melanoma

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma has increased significantly worldwide over the last several decades. The aim of this study is to determine clinical and morphology characteristics of primary melanoma, since some of them are important prognostic factors. This retrospective study included 172 patients. The data were collected by the Consulting team for malignant skin tumors in the Banja Luka Clinical Centre from 2009 to 2011. We did not use dermoscopy as a diagnostic tool in our investigation. We determined that melanoma occurs equally commonly in both sexes, in women in the sixth decade and the seventh in men. The most common sub-type was nodular melanoma (59.5%, P&lt;0.05), followed by superficial spreading (27.8%) and acral lentiginous melanoma (11.4%). The most common localization was on the back in men (34.3%) and on the legs in women (P&lt;0.05). More than half of our patients (55.8%) had melanoma thickness from 1.0 to 4.0 mm, and 38% had a melanoma thicker than 4.0 mm. The average Breslow thickness is 4.6 mm. More women than men had melanoma thicker than 4 mm (P&lt;0.05). Spread of the primary tumor localization was found in 31.4% of patients, more frequently in men than in women (P&lt;0.05). In most cases it was abstraction of lymph nodes (P&lt;0.05). The average thickness of the melanoma in our patients is much higher than the average in the world and the countries of Europe. The results of this study indicate a need for better unique regional registry in this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and improvement of preventive measures in the early diagnosis of melanoma.</p

Reconstruction of geomagnetic event as observed in Northern Adriatic region and Its correlation with GPS single-frequency positioning deviations

Space weather effects are generally recognized as causes of degradation of satellite positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. We analyze GPS position estimation error during a geomagnetic storm, focusing on manifestations of geomagnetic processes. The position estimation error was analyzed in terms of GPS coordinates’ deviations (latitude, longitude and height) from their reference values. The storm’s impact was studied in the Northern Adriatic region where GPS observables from two Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reference stations were analysed. Geomagnetic indices were elaborated, comprising readings from interplanetary, magnetospheric and geomagnetic observatories. Total Electron Content (TEC) on both stations was computed using dual frequency GPS pseudorange observables. The experiment was to reconstruct the movement of geomagnetic disturbances entering the geospace, reaching the earth’s surface. The aim was to correlate possible space weather manifestation on satellite positioning performance in terms of positioning error. Regularities in changes in positioning deviations were identified with relation to influential indices. The research offered a possibility of experimental positioning deviations assessment as well as forecasting. Evaluation of generated rudimentary Classification and Regression Trees (CART) models showed that the risk of satellite positioning errors could be assessed and predicted considering absolutes, as well as changes in values of geomagnetic indices. During the research process, several activities emerged as preferable continuation of the work, with the aim of further development of predictive models and the complement of space weather scenarios and their consequences on navigational systems. Along with summarized results, they are outlined in the conclusion section

Clinical and Morphological Characteristics of Cutaneous Melanoma

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma has increased significantly worldwide over the last several decades. The aim of this study is to determine clinical and morphology characteristics of primary melanoma, since some of them are important prognostic factors. This retrospective study included 172 patients. The data were collected by the Consulting team for malignant skin tumors in the Banja Luka Clinical Centre from 2009 to 2011. We did not use dermoscopy as a diagnostic tool in our investigation. We determined that melanoma occurs equally commonly in both sexes, in women in the sixth decade and the seventh in men. The most common sub-type was nodular melanoma (59.5%, P&lt;0.05), followed by superficial spreading (27.8%) and acral lentiginous melanoma (11.4%). The most common localization was on the back in men (34.3%) and on the legs in women (P&lt;0.05). More than half of our patients (55.8%) had melanoma thickness from 1.0 to 4.0 mm, and 38% had a melanoma thicker than 4.0 mm. The average Breslow thickness is 4.6 mm. More women than men had melanoma thicker than 4 mm (P&lt;0.05). Spread of the primary tumor localization was found in 31.4% of patients, more frequently in men than in women (P&lt;0.05). In most cases it was abstraction of lymph nodes (P&lt;0.05). The average thickness of the melanoma in our patients is much higher than the average in the world and the countries of Europe. The results of this study indicate a need for better unique regional registry in this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and improvement of preventive measures in the early diagnosis of melanoma.</p

Identification of a metallothionein gene in honey bee Apis mellifera and its expression profile in response to Cd, Cu and Pb exposure.

Metallothioneins are ubiquitous proteins important in metal homeostasis and detoxification. However, they have not previously been identified in honey bees or other Hymenoptera, where metallothioneins could be of ecophysiological and ecotoxicological significance. Better understanding of the molecular responses to stress induced by toxic metals could contribute to honey bee conservation. In addition, honey bee metallothionein could represent a biomarker for monitoring environmental quality. Here we identify and characterize a metallothionein gene in Apis mellifera (AmMT). AmMT is 1,680 bp long and encodes a 48 amino acids protein with 15 cysteines and no aromatic residues. A metal response element upstream of the start codon, coupled with numerous cis-regulatory elements indicate the functional context of AmMT. Molecular modelling predicts several transition metal binding sites, and comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed five putative metallothionein proteins in three other hymenoptera species. AmMT was characterized by cloning the full-length coding sequence of the putative metallothionein. Recombinant AmMT was found to increase metal tolerance upon overexpression in Escherichia coli supplemented with Cd, Cu or Pb. Finally, in laboratory tests on honey bees, gene expression profiles showed a dose-dependant relationship between Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations present in food and AmMT expression, while field experiments showed induction of AmMT in bees from an industrial site compared to those from an urban area. These studies suggest that AmMT has metal binding properties in agreement with a possible role in metal homeostasis. Further functional and structural characterization of metallothionein in honey bees and other Hymenoptera are necessary

Analysis of the cytoplasmic interaction between polycystin-1 and polycystin-2

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) arises following mutations of either Pkd1 or Pkd2. The proteins these genes encode, polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2), form a signaling complex using direct intermolecular interactions. Two distinct domains in the C-terminal tail of PC2 have recently been identified, an EF-hand and a coiled-coil domain. Here, we show that the PC2 coiled-coil domain interacts with the C-terminal tail of PC1, but that the PC2 EF-hand domain does not. We measured the K0.5 of the interaction between the C-terminal tails of PC1 and PC2 and showed that the direct interaction of these proteins is abrogated by a PC1 point mutation that was identified in ADPKD patients. Finally, we showed that overexpression of the PC1 C-terminal tail in MDCK cells alters the Ca2+ response, but that overexpression of the PC1 C-terminal tail containing the disease mutation does not. These results allow a more detailed understanding of the mechanism of pathogenic mutations in the cytoplasmic regions of PC1 and PC2