Komparativno ispitivanje efikasnosti bazične, lasero i fitoterapije kod pacijenata sa hroničnom parodontopatijom

The aim of the investigation that was conducted as clinical prospective study was to establish efficacy of the basic, low level laser therapy (LLLT) and phytotherapy in patients with chronic periodontitis. Different approaches in the treatment of chronic periodontitis were compared. Beside basic (causal) therapy, that represents the ‟‟gold standard” for the treatment of chronic periodontitis, LLLT and phytotherapy were performed. The study included 111 subjects divided into 4 groups. The first, the second and the third group was constituted as follows: 30 patients with chronic periodontitis, who received basic periodontal treatment (I group), combined basic and phytotherapy (II group) and combined LLLT and basic therapy (III group), for five consecutive days. Clinical parameters were measured before intervention, after the fifth treatment and after a month. All subjects received oral hygiene instructions and full-mouth periodontal treatment (professional removal of dental plaque and calculus, followed by curettage of periodontal pockets). Afterwards, in group II, phytotherapy was applied (Tinctura paradentoica ® Institut “Dr Josif Panĉić”, Beograd), while in group III, Kavo LLLT (980 nm, 0.2 W, 6 J/cm2) was applied. Subgingival samples were collected at baseline and after the fifth treatment to identify following bacterial species: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis and Treponema denticola. Gingival swabs were taken, and direct smears were prepared on slides for cytomorphometric analysis. The fourth group included 21 periodontally healthy subjects in good general health. The results were compared by clinical examination (oral hygiene indices, gingival and periodontal indices), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of periodontopathogenic bacteria and cytomorphometric analysis. The evaluation using clinical parameters showed better results in group III, there LLLT was applied. Comparing the values of nuclear area after therapy, it was established that their values were statistically significantly higher in the basic therapy group, compared to the combined therapy groups (II and III), independently (p < 0,001). After treatment, the following bacterial species were found less frequently (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis and Treponema denticola) in all studied groups, compared to before treatment, except bacteria Tannerella forsythensis, that was found more frequently in the basic therapy group. In the combined therapy groups (II and III), a statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of bacteria was observed for Tannerella forsythensis and Treponema denticola (p < 0,001). However, in the LLLT group, statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of the remaining bacteria was observed for the following: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia (p < 0,05), as well as Porphyromonas gingivalis (p < 0,01). Based on previous findings, it could be concluded that combined LLLT and basic therapy had better short - term outcomes compared to the basic and phytotherapy as well as basic therapy itself

Antimikrobno dejstvo eteričnih ulja na oralne patogene

Periodontal disease and Dental caries associated with dental plaque are the most common bacterial diseases, but also, significant oral health problem is Candidiasis. Candida albicans, is an opportunistic pathogen that can, under certain conditions proliferate and cause infections. The need for prevention and alternative forms of treatment and products for oral diseases comes from the rise in disease incidence, increased resistance by pathogenic bacteria to currently used chemotherapeutics. The products derived from medicinal plants have proven to be a source of biologically active substances, and thanks to their active principles, products based on medical herbs are more prevalent in modern phytotherapy. Essential oils are complex natural mixtures of volatile secondary metabolites - aliphatic and aromatic, terpinen and phenyl- propane compounds isolated from plants. The main constituents of essential oils are terpenes and sesquiterpenes including carbohydrates, alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketones, which are responsible for the fragrant and biological properties of plants. Different oils produce various pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancerogenic properties, but also oils are biocides. There are numerous in vitro studies that dealt with the research activities of natural herbal substances against oral bacteria that are known to be etiological factors in the development of oral and dental diseases. The phenolic major compounds of essential oils have been suggested to have a potential antifungal activity. There is ample of evidence that plant extracts and essential oils have the potential to be developed into agents that can be used as preventative or treatment therapies of oral diseases.Parodontopatija i dentalni karijes, čiji je nastanak povezan sa dentalnim plakom, predstavljaju najčešća bakterijska oboljenja. Takođe, značajni oralni zdravstveni problem predstavlja i kandidijaza. Candida albicans je oportunistički patogen koji pod pojedinim okolnostima može da proliferiše i uzrokuje infekciju. Potreba za prevencijom i alternativnim oblicima lečenja i produktima za oralna oboljenja proizilazi zbog povećanja učestalosti oboljenja i povećane rezistencije patogenih bakterija na primenu hemoterapeutika koji se trenutno upotrebljavaju. Dokazano je da su produkti dobijeni od lekovitog bilja izvor biološko aktivnih supstanci, a zahvaljujući svojim aktivnim principima, produkti na bazi lekovitog bilja zastupljeniji su u modernoj fitoterapiji. Eterična ulja su kompleksne prirodne mešavine isparljivih sekundarnih metabolita - alifatičnih i aromatičnih, terpenskih i fenil-propanskih jedinjenja izolovanih iz biljaka. Glavni sastojci etarskih ulja su terpeni i seskviterpeni, uključujući i ugljene hidrate, alkohol, etar, aldehide i ketone, koji su odgovorni za mirisna i biološka svojstva biljaka. Različita ulja imaju brojne farmakološke efekte, kao što su antiinflamatorno, antioksidativno i antikancerogeno dejstvo, ali su takođe i biocidi. Postoje brojne in vitro studije koje su se bavile istraživanjem aktivnosti prirodnih biljnih supstanci usmerenih na oralne bakterije za koje je poznato da su etiološki faktori u nastanku oralnih i dentalnih oboljenja. Navedeno je da glavne fenolne komponente eteričnih ulja imaju potencijalnu antigljivičnu aktivnost. Postoje brojni dokazi da biljni ekstrakti i eterična ulja imaju potencijal da se razviju u agense koji se mogu koristiti u preventivi ili u lečenju oralnih oboljenja

Spectral parameters for finger tapping quantification

A miniature inertial sensor placed on fingertip of index finger while performing finger tapping test can be used for an objective quantification of finger tapping motion. Temporal and spatial parameters such as cadence, tapping duration, and tapping angle can be extracted for detailed analysis. However, the mentioned parameters, although intuitive and simple to interpret, do not always provide all the necessary information regarding the subject's motor performance. Analysis of frequency content of the finger tapping movement can provide crucial information about the patient's condition. In this paper, we present parameters extracted from spectral analysis that we found to be significant for finger tapping assessment. With these parameters, tapping's intra-variability, movement smoothness and anomalies that may occur within the tapping performance can be detected and described, providing significant information for further diagnostics and monitoring progress of the disease or response to therapy

Building a Web marketing experience: the Maltese case of Where's Everybody

L’attività di web marketing, concepita fino ad oggi come esclusiva dell’impresa, sta vivendo un’evoluzione in senso sociale e partecipativo che dipende dall’evoluzione stessa del Web. Quello che in particolare si modifica non è lo scopo, che rimane sempre la soddisfazione del cliente e la sua fidelizzazione, ma l’avere a disposizione di utilizzo una “cassetta degli strumenti” più ampia e malleabile. Partendo dalla considerazione di questo fatto, la scelta dell’argomento del presente lavoro di ricerca è avvenuta in seguito a un’esperienza lavorativa di tre mesi presso il Dipartimento di Marketing & Public Relation di Where’s Everybody, una delle maggiori aziende di produzione televisiva a Malta. Questa opportunità mi è stata offerta grazie a una borsa di studio del Progetto Leonardo. Alla luce di questa prospettiva, si è cercato innanzitutto di fornire un’accurata analisi delle variabili del macro-ambiente che rendono Malta un caso particolare in Europa, sia economico, politico che sociale e culturale. In seguito si è definito il micro-ambiente, ovvero il panorama televisivo locale e la concorrenza, con particolare attenzione alla descrizione e al target dei programmi di Where’s Everybody. Il capitolo successivo è dedicato a come il Web 2.0 sta modificando gli assi portanti dell’attività di marketing, e in generale al marketing 2.0. In particolare, saranno delineate le principali caratteristiche del web marketing, non tutte ma soltanto quelle relative al lavoro svolto e all’azienda presa in considerazione. Queste sono: lo spostamento di valore dalla transazione alla relazione; il paradigma di comunicazione many-to-many e i suoi elementi fondanti (comunità virtuale, user-generated content e passaparola); l’empowerment del consumatore e il cambiamento della definizione del marketing mix. Queste considerazioni vengono applicate nella seconda parte del lavoro, in cui vengono analizzati gli strumenti e le applicazioni di web marketing utilizzati dall’azienda maltese, prima, dopo e durante il mio periodo di lavoro. Essi sono analizzati per siti Internet, social networks e servizi streaming e on-demand. In particolare, l’analisi dei punti di forza e di debolezza dell’impiego di questi strumenti serve come spunto per presentare suggerimenti di miglioramento per la strategia complessiva, in accordo con i concetti chiave del Web 2.0, ovvero collaborazione e partecipazione degli utenti. Con ciò si dimostra che Where’s Everybody ha saputo cogliere le opportunità di evoluzione del marketing in un’ottica 2.0, comprovate dai dati forniti dall’Authority delle Comunicazioni e dalle indagini di mercato svolte dalla Media Warehouse di Malta. Lo scopo finale è quindi quello di fornire, in prima istanza, una mappatura generale dello scenario di cambiamento del Web 2.0 e conseguentemente dell’attività di marketing. In seconda istanza, preso il caso pratico di una casa di produzione televisiva non italiana, il presente lavoro si propone di offrire un esempio di azienda capace di sfruttare al meglio le effettive potenzialità dei nuovi strumenti di web marketing, sottolineando le strategie adottate e l’abilità di creare valore aggiunto per i suoi clienti

Effect of photoperiod on sexual activity of boar

The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of photoperiod on sexual activity of three breeds of boars: Swedish Landrace (n=34), Large White (n=38), and Duroc (n=32). Boar sexual activity was analysed based on the libido index and intensity of ejaculation. The libido index was calculated as the ratio between the duration of ejaculation and time of preparation until ejaculation. The intensity of ejaculation was the volume of ejaculate (mL) secreted in the unit of time (min). The effect of photoperiod was analysed as the effect of duration of daylight ( lt 12 h and >12 h) within photoperiod intervals (increasing and decreasing). Impact assessment was carried out by applying the General Linear Model procedure. Libido and intensity of ejaculation varied under the impact of photoperiod and the breed of boars. With the increase in age, the boar libido weakened, while the volume of ejaculate and intensity of ejaculation increased. Boars manifested better libido when the daylight lasted longer than 12 h in both photoperiod intervals. Different from libido, the volume of ejaculate and intensity of ejaculation were highest when the daylight was shorter than 12 h, but only in the decreasing photoperiod interval. Swedish Landrace boars manifested best libido, while in the production of sperm the Duroc boars were inferior compared with Swedish Landrace and Large White. The phenotypic relationship among libido, ejaculate volume, and ejaculation intensity ranges from very low to high; however, the coefficients were positive, which indicates the possibility of simultaneous improvement of these traits

Types of conflict, types of relationships and preferred conflict resolution strategies: Implications for constructive conflict resolution programmes

Constructive conflict resolution programmes are based on the idea that children and youth do no have sufficient knowledge of the procedures and skills for conflict resolution, which is why the conflicts they take part in soon become destructive. Notwithstanding the indubitable practical significance of the constructive conflict resolution programmes, it can be objected that they are not sufficiently based on empirical findings about the characteristics of conflicts in childhood and adolescence. Hence, this paper explores different types of conflict with peers and friends with the aim of determining the preferred conflict resolution strategies and using the obtained results to consider the implications for the improvement of constructive conflict resolution programmes. The research was conducted on the sample of 286 adolescents. The method of hypothetical conflict situations was used for studying the preferred conflict resolution strategies. The key results, which should be taken into account when developing constructive conflict resolution programmes, indicate that the preference for a conflict resolution strategy varies depending on conflict type (problem solving is mostly used in conflicts occurring due to opinion differences and disrespect of agreement, unlike the conflicts arising due to provocations, stubbornness and dishonesty) and relationship types (in conflicts with friends, adolescents prefer problem solving, while in peer conflicts they more frequently opt for competition). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179018: Identifikacija, merenje i razvoj kognitivnih i emocionalnih kompetencija važnih društvu orijentisanom na evropske integracije

Intelligent sensing systems – Status of research at KaProm

Within Industrie 4.0 intelligent sensing systems represent an indispensable asset with significant role in enabling shifting from automated to intelligent manufacturing. Instead of being simple transducers, intelligent sensors are able to retrieve useful information from raw signal. They represent systems with integrated computation and communication capabilities, that run sophisticated and real time applicable algorithms and communicate the necessary information to the other elements of the manufacturing facility. In this paper we present the recent research results in the field of intelligent sensing systems that were accomplished at Laboratory for Manufacturing Automation and Laboratory for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at Department for Production Engineering (KaProm) at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade. Presented systems are intended for application in various manufacturing processes, such as machining, assembly, manipulation, material transport, rubber processing lines. They are based on application of different non-stationary signal processing (Discrete Wavelet Transform, Huang-Hilbert transform) and machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques (Support Vector Machines, Artificial Neural Networks, bio-inspired algorithms, clustering methods, fuzzy inference mechanisms). The most of developed systems are implemented in embedded devices and their real-world applicability is demonstrated

Ekological aspect of the geothermal potentials of ne Serbia

The explored area of Banat, located in NE Serbia, with its geological and geothermal characteristics, represents an area with extraordinary ecological potential. The geological structure of Banat is represented by various complexes of Neogene and Quaternary deposits. The Neogene sediments are mostly composed of sandstone, shale, marlstone, sand and gravel. Mesozoic igneous complex is represented by dacites, andesites and basalts. During Quaternary a relatively thick succession of genetically different types of sediments was deposited. Pleistocene and Holocene aeolian sand and loess and fluvial sandy-clayey alevrites, clays, sands and gravel cover the large area. Thickness and lithological composition of crust and lithosphere, as well as character, types and age of tectonic movements and magmatism decisively influence the content of radioactive elements (uranium, thorium and potassium) in the rocks. Nevertheless, the geothermal characteristics of a particular area are influenced in a significant extent by seismicity and hydrogeological properties. The small thickness of the crust and lithosphere, as a result of various geodynamic movements, during the lower and middle Miocene, classify the Pannonian Basin, and therefore the Banat area, among the most promising geothermal areas in Europe. The favorable geothermal characteristics of Banat also show high average values of geothermal gradient and terrestrial heat flux

Screening inland halophytes from the central Balkan for their antioxidant activity in relation to total phenolic compounds and flavonoids: Are there any prospective medicinal plants?

This paper presents new data for secondary metabolites and biological activity of the insufficiently studied European inland halophytes as remarkable indicators of Balkan saline habitats. Phenolic content, flavonoid concentrations and antioxidant activity were analyzed in fifteen terrestrial salt tolerant plants collected from eight saline habitats situated in two distinct semiarid regions of Serbia. Total phenols ranged from 31.86 to 212.71 mg of GA/g of extract (gallic acid equivalent milligrams of gallic acid per gram of extract). Concentration of flavonoids ranged from 41.21 to 146.06 mg of RU/g of extract (rutin equivalent milligrams of rutin per gram of extract). Antioxidant activity was determined using 1,1-dipheny1-2-picrylhydrazyl radical reagent; obtained values was ranged from 1785.81 to 17.55 mu g/ml. A significant relation was noticed between the concentration of phenols and antioxidant activity. Parallel to the analysis of researched halophytes, Camellia sinensis and Ginkgo biloba were analyzed for comparison. The best antioxidant properties were determined for Statice gmelinii, Artemisia santonicum and Mentha pulegium. The results indicate a potential of studied halophytic species as candidates for natural sources of secondary metabolites with high biological activity, whereas their bioactive compounds might have a significant role in adaptations to salt and drought stress

Self-regulatory dimension of teachers' intercultural competence: Development and psychometric evaluation of new scales

Self-regulation is a key issue for teachers. Self-regulatory competencies help teachers maintain both their well-being and professional commitment. This is of particular importance when it comes to teaching in culturally diverse classrooms. However, this facet is generally neglected when Teacher Education supports pre- and inservice teachers in the development of their intercultural competencies. Against this background, the current paper deals with the development of three scales for the assessment of self-regulatory aspects of teachers' intercultural competence - the Teacher Cultural Diversity Flexibility Scale (TCDFS), the Teacher Cultural Diversity Emotional Regulation Scale (TCDERS), and the Teacher Cultural Diversity Tolerance for Ambiguity Scale (TCDTAS). Each scale was developed and validated in two forms: one referring to minority students in general, and one referring specifically to Roma students. The results indicate generally good reliabilities (αs from .74 to .91) and a unifactorial structure for each of the proposed scales. Both forms (general and the one for the Roma) of the TCDFS and the TCDERS also demonstrated concurrent validity. An assessment based on these scales may better inform training interventions aiming to develop self-regulatory aspect of teachers' intercultural competence and to measure the outcomes and efficacy of such interventions. However, correlation analyses have also revealed some weaknesses of the TCDTAS. In the light of these results, further efforts should be directed at reanalysing the construct of self-regulation in dealing with diversity