SELF-MASSAGE AND LOW-LEVEL LASER IN TREATMENT OF MASSETER MYALGIA: SHORT-TERM EFFECT

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the efficiency of massage in the treatment of masseter myalgia compared with biostimulatory laser. Materials and methods: The instrument Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders was used to select subjects and monitor treatment outcome. 54 subjects with masseter myalgia of more than 3 months in duration were invited to participated and 42 cases were available at the end and analyzed. Age range was 16-67 years (median 33, interquartile range 25-53), 36% subjects was -massage and laser) had 21 participants and were monitored one months after the start of treatment. Age, gender, distress, somatization, catastrophizing, hypervigilance, health competence and oral parafunctions were also assessed as factors that could influence effectiveness of treatment. Results: Laser and massage are effective in reducing symptoms of chronic myalgia of the masseter in self-reported limitation of jaw function and reducing pain intensities (p<0.001). Increase of mouth opening was present in both groups, but mainly significant in laser group. The differences in the amount of change between groups were not significant. Psychological characteristics and parafunctions, present before the treatment, age and gender did not have major affect the effectiveness of treatment. Conclusion: Both treatment modalities are effective in treatment of chronic myalgia in short-term

Obravnava bolnikov z neklonsko eritrocitozo

Eritrocitoza je stanje povečane skupne mase eritrocitov, ki se pojavi zaradi zelo heterogenih vzrokov. Bolniki so lahko brez simptomov ali pa imajo simptome in znake povečane viskoznosti krvi. Pri obravnavi bolnika z eritrocitozo uporabljamo diagnostični algoritem, ki omogoča opredelitev vzroka eritrocitoze in ustreznega zdravljenja. V prvem koraku potrjujemo absolutno eritrocitozo s koncentracijo hemoglobina (Hb) > 185 g/L in/ali hematokritom (Ht) > 0,52 za moške ter s Hb > 165 g/L in/ali Ht > 0,48 za ženske. V drugem koraku hkrati izključujemo pravo policitemijo in iščemo sekundarne pridobljene vzroke eritrocitoze, kot so bolezni pljuč, srca, ledvic, tumorji z neustreznim izločanjem eritropoetina. Omeniti velja, da je po smernicah Svetovne zdravstvene organizacije (SZO) diagnosticiranje prave policitemije ob ustrezni klinični sliki določeno že pri nižjih vrednostih, natančneje ob Hb > 165 g/L ali Ht > 0,49 za moške ter Hb > 160 g/L ali Ht > 0,48 za ženske. V tretjem koraku bolnike, ki nam jih ni uspelo opredeliti kljub natančnim diagnostičnim preiskavam, napotimo na genetsko testiranje za opredelitev prirojene eritrocitoze. Ko izključimo pravo policitemijo, sekundarno pridobljeno in prirojeno eritrocitozo, ostane skupina oseb s t. i. idiopatsko eritrocitozo. Priporočeno zdravljenje je odvisno od vzroka eritrocitoze, najpogosteje pa vključuje jemanje acetilsalicilne kisline in ustrezno zniževanje hematokrita z venepunkcijami ob rednih kontrolah krvne slike

8-Iso-prostaglandin F2α as a potential biomarker in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression

Objective: Previous studies have shown that the disturbance of redox homeostasis plays a role in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. It is currently unclear whether oxidative stress parameters can be used as biomarkers (state vs. trait). The aim of the present study was to investigate oxidative stress markers in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP) in acute depressive episodes and remission, and healthy individuals. Patients and methods: Thirty-two patients with a diagnosis of MDD, 32 patients with a diagnosis of BP and 32 matched healthy controls were included in the study. We measured the serum levels of markers of oxidative damage, including 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-Iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α; 8-isoprostane), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and also serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR) in both acute and remission phase, and in control group. Results: After controlling for the effects of age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels were significantly higher in both patient groups compared to controls, regardless of disease phase. The activities of GPX and GR were significantly lower in the acute phase in MDD patients compared to controls. Serum GR activity was lower in both acute and remission phase in MDD compared to BP. Conclusions: Our results suggest that both MDD and BP are associated with a disturbed redox balance with a particularly pronounced increase in serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels in both groups and the presence of glutathione metabolism disorders in MDD patients. Further research is needed to confirm the importance of oxidative stress parameters as potential biomarkers of MDD and BP

Functional complement analysis can predict genetic testing results and long-term outcome in patients with complement deficiencies

Background: Prevalence of complement deficiencies (CDs) is markedly higher in Slovenian primary immunodeficiency (PID) registry in comparison to other national and international PID registries. Objective: The purposes of our study were to confirm CD and define complete and partial CD in registered patients in Slovenia, to evaluate frequency of clinical manifestations, and to assess the risk for characteristic infections separately for subjects with complete and partial CD. Methods: CD was confirmed with genetic analyses in patients with C2 deficiency, C8 deficiency, and hereditary angioedema or with repeated functional complement studies and measurement of complement components in other CD. Results of genetic studies (homozygous subjects vs. heterozygous carriers) and complement functional studies were analyzed to define complete (complement below the level of heterozygous carriers) and partial CD (complement above the level of homozygous patients). Presence of characteristic infections was assessed separately for complete and partial CD. Results: Genetic analyses confirmed markedly higher prevalence of CD in Slovenian PID registry (26% of all PID) than in other national and international PID registries (0.5–6% of all PID). Complement functional studies and complement component concentrations reliably distinguished between homozygous and heterozygous CD carriers. Subjects with partial CD had higher risk for characteristic infections than previously reported. Conclusion: Results of our study imply under-recognition of CD worldwide. Complement functional studies and complement component concentrations reliably predicted risk for characteristic infections in patients with complete or partial CD. Vaccination against encapsulated bacteria should be advocated also for subjects with partial CD and not limited to complete CD

Methylation of the first exon in the erythropoietin receptor gene does not correlate with its mRNA and protein level in cancer cells

Abstract Background Erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) is a functional membrane-bound cytokine receptor. Erythropoietin (EPO) represents an important hematopoietic factor for production, maturation and differentiation of erythroid progenitors. In non-hematopoietic tissue, EPO/EPOR signalization could also play cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic role. Several studies identified pro-stimulating EPO/EPOR effects in tumor cells; however, numerous studies opposed this fact due to the usage of unspecific EPOR antibodies and thus potential absence or very low levels of EPOR in tumor cells. It seems that this problem is more complex and therefore we have decided to focus on EPOR expression at several levels such as the role of methylation in the regulation of EPOR expression, identification of possible EPOR transcripts and the presence of EPOR protein in selected tumor cells. Methods Methylation status was analysed by bisulfite conversion reaction, PCR and sequencing. The expression of EPOR was monitored by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Results In this study we investigated the methylation status of exon 1 of EPOR gene in selected human cancer cell lines. Our results indicated that CpGs methylation in exon 1 do not play a significant role in the regulation of EPOR transcription. However, methylation status of EPOR exon 1 was cell type dependent. We also observed the existence of two EPOR splice variants in human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line - A2780 and confirmed the expression of EPOR protein in these cells using specific A82 anti-EPOR antibody. Conclusion We outlined the methylation status of all selected cancer cell lines in exon 1 of EPOR gene and these results could benefit future investigations. Moreover, A82 antibody confirmed our previous results demonstrating the presence of functional EPOR in human ovarian adenocarcinoma A2780 cells

Povezava nekaterih fizioloških in anatomskih lastnosti z osebnostjo lipicanskega konja

Personality assessment of horses can be used to select suitable training and weaning methods, choose or breed horses for police work or therapeutic riding, investigate underlying reasons for the development of behavioural problems or assess how an unknown horse might react to new or aversive situations or stimuli. In our study with Lipizzan horses, we were interested in verifying the reliability of personality assessment methods by comparing questionnaires, personality descriptions following Tellington-Jones and Taylor anatomical recommendations, heart rate measurements and behavioural tests, namely two fear tests and a handling test. Thirty-five Lipizzan horses older than five years, ridden and healthy, were tested. In the global scale, we were the first to conduct a study by utilizing a battery of methods to investigate the personality of Lipizanner horses and found a clear connection between behaviour, heart rate and anatomical characteristics (head and body) of horses. After a statistical analysis, our main results showed four different modes of responses to fear and learning situations in horses. None of the four modes correlated with the results of the head and body anatomy described by Tellington-Jones and Taylor nor the questionnaire. However, we found that some individual anatomical measurements of the horse’s body (measured with the sartorial meter or program) could be indicative of the behavioural and heart rate responses in behavioural tests. Consequently, we suggest that anatomical characteristics in Lipizzan horses provide us with a reliable and an objective, or at least less subjective measure to define personality traits such as exploration/fearfulness and intelligence (related to trainability).Ocenjevanje osebnosti konj je pomembno področje raziskav, ki lahko omogoči, da lažje izberemo primerno metodo treninga ali odstavitve, izberemo primernega konja za delo v policiji ali v terapevtskih programih. Ocena osebnosti nam je lahko v pomoč pri iskanju vzrokov za razvoj neželenih oblik obnašanja ali v predvidevanju, kako bo konj reagiral na nove ali negativne situacije oz. dražljaje. V naši pilotni študiji opravljeni na lipicancih, smo preverili zanesljivost metod ocenjevanja osebnostiprimerjali smo vprašalnike, opise osebnosti, ki so temeljili na podlagi anatomskih priporočil Tellington-Jones in Taylor, meritve srčnega utripa in odzive obnašanja v dveh testih plašnosti in testu rokovanja. Vprašalnike smo uporabili kot najbolj razširjeno metodo. Lastnosti osebnosti živali so bile ocenjene s subjektivnimi ocenami, ki so temeljile na opisnih pridevnikih osebnosti. Testiranih je bilo 35 slovenskih konj pasme lipicanec, starih vsaj pet let, ujahanih in zdravih. Naša študija je prva v svetovnem merilu, ki dokazuje uporabnost večjega števila metod za proučevanje osebnosti pri lipicanskih konjih. Ugotovili smo jasno povezavo med obnašanjem konj, njihovo srčno frekvenco in anatomskimi značilnostmi (glavo in telesom). Po uporabi standardne metode razvrščanja konj glede na podatke obnašanja in s statističnim vrednotenjem pomembnosti razlik med odkritimi podskupinami smo pokazali štiri različne odzive na radovednost/plašnost in učljivost. Noben od različnih odzivov ni bil odvisen od anatomije glave ali telesa, opisane po metodi Tellington-Jones in Taylor, niti od rezultatov vprašalnikov. Nasprotno pa nam anatomske značilnosti lipicancev, pridobljene s pomočjo metode merjenja s krojaškim metrom ali programom, dajejo zanesljiv in manj subjektiven ali celo objektiven način za določanje značilnosti osebnosti, kot sta radovednost/plašnost in inteligenca (povezana z učljivostjo)