Surgical Scientific Publication and the 1991–1995 War in Croatia

The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical scientific publication in relation to the 1991–1995 war in Croatia, based on the articles indexed in Medline database that were published in 1980–2005 period. The number of articles was extracted from PubMed and analysed with trend analysis, which is preferred analytic approach over calculation of crude publication rates. The results indicate sporadic pre-war output, which was almost completely reduced by the onset of war. During wartime, a significant increasing trend in the number of published surgical articles that were related to warfare was detected (p=0.003). During the post-war period a gradual shift towards surgical articles that were not related to warfare was detected, also marked by the significant increasing trend (p=0.027). Both trends were significantly steeper than the overall Croatian biomedical output, suggesting that surgical scientific articles were being published more dynamically than in other biomedical areas in Croatia. The results suggest that war in Croatia has had a strong modifying effect on the surgical scientific output

PANDAS SY (PEDIJATRIJSKI AUTOIMUNI NEUROPSIHIJATRIJSKI POREMEĆAJ UDRUŽEN SA STREPTOKOKNOM INFEKCIJOM)

Pedijatrijski autoimuni neuropsihijatrijski poremećaj udružen sa streptokoknominfekcijom (PANDAS) je grupa oboljenja, definisana u skorije vrijeme a koja se manifestujeneurološkim i neuropsihijatrijskim manifestacijama: hiperaktivnost, promjeneraspoloženja, tik, opsesivno-kompulzivni poremećaj, psihoza i dr. Cilj je opisati kliničkemanifestacije, terapijski pristup, laboratorijske analize, klinički tok i ishod kod dječakasa PANDAS sindromom

Surgical Scientific Publication and the 1991–1995 War in Croatia

The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical scientific publication in relation to the 1991–1995 war in Croatia, based on the articles indexed in Medline database that were published in 1980–2005 period. The number of articles was extracted from PubMed and analysed with trend analysis, which is preferred analytic approach over calculation of crude publication rates. The results indicate sporadic pre-war output, which was almost completely reduced by the onset of war. During wartime, a significant increasing trend in the number of published surgical articles that were related to warfare was detected (p=0.003). During the post-war period a gradual shift towards surgical articles that were not related to warfare was detected, also marked by the significant increasing trend (p=0.027). Both trends were significantly steeper than the overall Croatian biomedical output, suggesting that surgical scientific articles were being published more dynamically than in other biomedical areas in Croatia. The results suggest that war in Croatia has had a strong modifying effect on the surgical scientific output

Mandibular lateral deviation induces alteration in vascular endothelial growth factor expression and oxidative stress/nitric oxide generation in rat condyle, synovial membrane and masseter muscle

Objective: We aimed to investigate alteration in cellular signaling mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and parameters of oxidative stress/nitric oxide generation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), underlying altered functional mechanical loading of TMJ (temporomandibular joint) during lateral mandibular deviation. Design: Thirty-eight 5-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into experimental group, which received acrylic resin appliance that shifted mandible to the left during closure, and control group. Computed tomography and histomorphometry were used for condyle analyses, while samples of condyle, synovial membrane and m. masseter were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and spectrophotometry to determine VEGF and nNOS protein concentrations, and SOD activity. Results: Experimental group of rats developed smaller and asymmetrical mandibles. Less of new bone and cartilage formation and larger bone marrow cavities area were found in the experimental group. Higher VEGF expression in condyle and m. masseter as well as higher nNOS expression in m. masseter and synovial membrane were found in the experimental compared to the control group. Alteration of SOD activity was found in m. masseter and synovial membrane in the experimental group. Conclusions: Lateral mandibular deviation induces mandibular and condylar morphological changes as well as significant cellular signaling alterations in condyle, synovial membrane and masticatory muscle. Cellular VEGF protein overexpression and oxidative stress/nitric oxide disbalance could be the mechanisms underlying unbalanced functional TMJ loading due to mandibular deviation