Association between local and systemic factors in patients with burning mouth syndrome

Cilj: Ispitati povezanost sindroma pekućih usta (SPU) te lokalnih i sustavnih čimbeni- ka. Ispitanici i metode: U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 314 ispitanika koji su podijeljeni u SPU skupinu (n = 164) i kontrolnu skupinu (n = 150). Istraživanje je provedeno pomoću ankete kojom smo ispitivali pojavnost lokalnih i sustavnih čimbenika koji utječu na pojavnost SPU-a između skupina. Anketa se sastojala od 14 upita: demografski podatci, uzimanje lijekova, alergije, sustavne bolesti ili poremećaji koji mogu biti u podlozi SPU-a, pušenje te lokalni čimbenici. Zatim je izmjerena količina izlučene sline, uzeti su brisovi na Candidu, izmjeren je galvanizam te je ispitivano postojanje parafunkcijskih navika. Komparativne statističke analize ispitivanih čimbenika između skupina učinjene su Hi kvadrat testom, Fischer egzaktnim te- stom ili t-testom za razlike između proporcija. Rezultati: Utvrđena je značajno veća pojavnost navedenih čimbenika u SPU skupini u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu: alergije na inhalacijske alergene, postmenopauza, pozitivan nalaz H. pylori/GERB/gastritis, lokalna trauma živca ili neurološka oboljenja, parafunkcije, kserostomija, kandidijaza, galvanizam te terapija antihipertenzivima. Pušenje je značajno zastupljenije u kontrolnoj skupini. Zaključak: U radu s pacijentima koji pate od sekundarnog SPU-a liječnik dentalne medicine treba obratiti posebnu pozornost na prisutnost kandidijaze, galvanizma i parafunkcijskih navika te na gastroenterološke probleme.Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and to determine local and systemic factors associated with its presence. Patients and methods: 314 patients were divided in BMS group (n = 164) and control group (n = 150). Research was conducted using a questionnaire assaying the prevalence of local and systemic factors associated with BMS between BMS group and control group. The questionnaire involved 14 enquires: demographic data, drugs, allergies, systemic illness or disorders that may be in the back- ground of BMS, smoking and local factors. Total salivary flow rates were determined, smears to identify the presence of Candida were taken, oral galvanism was measured and the presence of parafunctional habits was determined. Comparative statistical analyses of scanned factors among groups were performed using Hi square test, Fischer’s exact test or t-test for the difference between proportions. Results: Significantly higher prevalence in the SPU group was found for: allergies, postmenopause, positive finding of H. pylori / GERD / gastri- tis, local nerve trauma or neurologic disease, parafunctional habits, xerostomia, candidiasis, galvanism and antihypertensive therapy. Smoking was significantly more common in control group. Conclusions: Treating the patients with secondary BMS dentists should pay special attention to the presence of candidyasis, galvanism, parafunctional habits and gastroenterological problems

Attitude of physiotherapists toward electronic health record in Croatia

BACKGROUND: Electronic health record can facilitate everyday clinical practice of physiotherapists. The aim of this study is to determine attitude of physiotherapists towards implementation of information technology in their work and the differences in attitude in relation to gender, age, level of education and type of health institutions. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional survey of Croatian physiotherapists. The questionnaire ″Attitude of physiotherapists towards implementation of electronic health record included 12 items scored on a Likert-type scale from 1 to 5 and presented the award values as "Disagree", "Neither agree nor disagree" and "Agree". Croatian physiotherapists were (n = 267) recruited from 13 health care institutions. For analysis chi square test, t-test, one-way analysis of variance and as a post-hoc Tukey test were used. RESULTS: Explanatory factorial analysis confirmed two factors: Satisfaction in the work of physiotherapists using computers (SAT) and Necessity of computers in the work of physiotherapists (NEC). Most physiotherapists agree on (SAT) (47.9%) and on (NEC) (51.3%). Male physiotherapists were significantly more likely to disagree with statements related to SAT (p  0.05). CONCLUSION: The attitude of Croatian physiotherapists towards electronic health record differs according to the age, gender, level of education and type of health care institutions. This finding can facilitate implementation of electronic health record in physiotherapy

Expression of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins and Telomerase in Melanocitic Lesions

To gain insight into the role and association of cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory proteins and telomerase activity in the course of progression of melanocitic lesions we have examined immunohistochemicaly, expression and the distribution of p53, bcl-2, Ki-67 and telomerase in 25 samples of common and dysplastic nevi, and 45 samples of primary invasive melanomas. Protein p53 expression was significantly increased in dysplastic as compared with common nevi and melanomas (p<0.001). Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly increased in melanomas as compared with common aquired and dysplastic nevi (p=0.001). Nevi and melanomas exhibited clear-cut differences in terms of Ki-67 expression. Telomerase expression was significantly increased in melanomas as compared with common acquired (p=0.014) and dysplastic nevi (p<0.001). Enhanced telomerase activity in association with increased bcl-2 expression in the course of melanoma progression could contribute to development and progression of melanoma

Measurement of Tooth Extraction Forces in Upper Incisors

A new method, applied for the first time in this research, was used for measurement of tooth extraction forces. The research has been done in a group of 50 examinees to whom the tooth extraction has been done with lower premolar forceps – forceps »13« and in the control group of 54 examinees in whom the tooth extraction has been done with upper incisive forceps – forceps »1«. The measurement instrument registered the extraction forces values in both types of forceps. There was no difference in any parameters in these two groups except in used pressure. While using the forceps »13«, a significantly lower tooth extraction force was measured than the force measured while using the forceps »1« (p<0.001). This means that in clinical work we can already apply noticeably less force using the lower premolar forceps for the extraction of the upper incisors (in the moments of rotation up to 70%). These results are meaningful, because they lead to better and improved instrument solutions and working techniques

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire Measuring Attitudes towards e-learning among University Students

Cilj: Tijekom posljednjeg desetljeća provode se mnoga istraživanja koja analiziraju čimbenike utjecaja na e-učenje; između ostalog, informatičke vještine korisnika, pristup internetu i stav studenata prema e-učenju. Većina studija stav ispituje utvrđujući svrhu i učestalost uporabe računala, dok neke mjere stav studenata upitnikom, a da pritom nisu određene mjerne osobine upitnika. Stoga je cilj ovog rada bio oblikovati upitnik za mjerenje stava studenata prema e-učenju te odrediti njegove psihometrijske osobine. Metode: Istraživanje je bilo provedeno od listopada 2010. godine do listopada 2011. godine. Ispitano je 308 ispitanika (106 studenta i 202 studentice) s Medicinskog i Tehničkog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci. Za nastanak prve inačice upitnika oblikovano je 40 tvrdnji (čestica). Iz relevantne znanstvene literature odabrane su 22 tvrdnje, a na osnovi vlastitih znanja i iskustva preostalih 18. Dva stručnjaka koja se bave izradom i validacijom upitnika i dva stručnjaka u području e-učenja pregledala su svih 40 tvrdnji te uklonila tvrdnje sa sličnim ili nejasnim značenjima. Preostale su 24 tvrdnje na kojima je učinjena eksploratorna faktorska analiza tipa analize glavnih komponenata. Rezultati: Utvrđena su dva faktora: faktor I – pozitivan stav prema e-učenju (10 čestica), faktor II – negativan stav prema e-učenju (12 čestica). Korelacija između faktora iznosila je 0,67. Pouzdanost upitnika bila je vrlo visoka (a = 0,87). Završna inačica upitnika sastojala se od 22 čestice kojima se opisuje pozitivan i negativan aspekt prema e-učenju. Studenti su iskazali visoko pozitivan stav prema e-učenju (87 ± 10 od mogućih 110). Zaključak: Oblikovan je upitnik s dobrim psihometrijskim osobinama koji će u daljnjim istraživanja predstavljati standardni alat za mjerenje stava studenata prema e-učenju.Aim: In the last decade many survey studies have analyzed factors that influenced e-learning such as computer skills, access to the Internet and attitudes towards e-learning. Some surveys were developed for broader studies and different contents while others lack psychometric properties testing. The aim of this study was to construct and examine the psychometric properties of a questionnaire measuring students’ attitudes towards e-learning. Methods: Research was conducted from October 2010 to October 2011. Participants were 308 undergraduate students (106 men and 202 women) from the School of Medicine and the School of Engineering at the University of Rijeka, Croatia. In the first version of the questionnaire, we generated 40 statements (items). Twenty-two statements were based on relevant scientific literature, whereas the remaining 18 statements were developed on the basis of our own knowledge and experience. Two experts in questionnaire construction and validation and two experts in e-learning reviewed independently all the statements and removed those with similar or ambiguous meaning. The remaining 24 statements were chosen for the validation. Factor analysis was used to find the factor structure of the questionnaire and to measure construct validity. Results: The final version of the questionnaire consisted of 22 items. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) determined two factors: factor I – positive attitudes towards e-learning (10 items) and factor II – negative attitudes towards e-learning (12 items). Correlation between factors was 0.67. The reliability of the questionnaire was high (a=0.87). Participants had positive attitudes towards e-learning with a mean score ± standard deviation of 87±10 out of maximum 110. Conclusion: The instrument proved to have good psychometric properties and it can be used for future studies assessing attitudes towards e-learning

Systemic and Local CC Chemokines Production in a Murine Model of Listeria monocytogenes Infection

Repeated intragastric inoculation of Listeria monocytogenes into BALB/c mice resulted in prolonged bacteraemia and severe hepatic infection. Bacteria could also be isolated from the brain tissue of all experimental mice. During the inflammatory process, chemokine concentrations typically increased at the local site in comparison to the systemic level. The liver-to-serum ratio was more pronounced in the case of macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), suggesting its role in the inflammatory response in the liver. The ratio of brain-to-serum concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) remained the same as in the control animals, while it was lower in the infected mice, both in the case MIP-1α and in the case of regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). This is in correlation with slight inflammatory infiltrates found in the brain tissue early in infection