Oral hygiene and periodontal status of smokers in a district of Chisinau, Moldova

20th conference of the European Association of Dental Public HealthAccording to European Health report 2012, the Republic of Moldova is in fourth place concerning the percentage of people who smoke in the country Aim: To assess the oral hygiene and periodontal status of regular and occasional smokers in a district of Chisinau and compare it with that of non-smokers .Methods:. A cross- sectional study was carried out in a convenience sample of 96 patients aged 20-60 years. They were divided in three groups, who were regular smokers, occasional smokers or nontobacco users. The participants received a questionnaire regarding dental visits, oral hygiene behaviour and tobacco consumption. Approval for the study was obtained from the ethics committee for research of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Nicolae Testemitanu’, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. Oral hygiene status was assessed by clinical measurement of levels of Plaque index (PLI), Gingival index (GI) and loss of epithelial attachment (CAL), - these assessments were carried out on 6 sites of all erupted teeth except third molars, using the automated pressure controlled periodontal probe ‘Florida Probe’ and the mean values for periodontal parameters were calculated. A detailed medical history was also taken to exclude medically compromised subjects, especially diabetics and drugs that can induce the gingival hyperplasia. Results: Findings revealed that the overall periodontitis levels were significantly higher in regular smokers, especially males (n=22, 22.9%) than in occasional smokers and non-smokers. The majority of occasional smokers (n=11, 11.5%) and non-smokers (n=37, 38.5%) were females, who reported good oral hygiene behaviours and made regular dental visit s at least once a year. They presented with lower levels of PLI, GI and LA. However, the effect of tobacco use was considered limited when compared to that of oral hygiene. Conclusion: In the group studied good oral hygiene appeared to be more important in preventing or limiting periodontitis. Nevertheless, smoking is one of the major risk factors for periodontitis development and progress

New research on the Middle Paleolithic of the Middle Prut Basin, Moldova

In 2015– 2017 the Prut-Dniester expedition from the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences carried out field research at a number of Paleolithic localities in the middle reaches of the Prut and Dniester in the north-west of Moldova. This paper presents the results of new research at the Middle Paleolithic open air site of Teţcani X and the cave site of Buzdujeni I. The cultural layer of Teţcani X yielded a representative collection of flint artifacts. The flaking technology is oriented on the production of points, which were struck from unifacial single platform cores. The tool set is typical of Mousterian, no bifaces are present. The cave of Buzdujeni I was nearly completely excavated by N. A. Chetraru in the 1970’ s, but remained largely unpublished. The re-analysis of the old collection together with the materials obtained by us in 2017 challenges the once popular idea that the industry of Buzdujeni I belongs to Denticulate Mousterian, highlighting instead its Micoquian affinities such as presence of various bifacial tools. The available biostratigraphic and radiometric data, including newly obtained radiocarbon dates, appears to suggest that both sites can be broadly dated to the first half of MIS-3 or to MIS-4, with Teţcani X being probably somewhat older than Buzdujeni I.În 2015-2017 expediția Prut-Nistru a Institutului de Istorie a Culturii Materiale a Academiei Ruse de Științe a desfășurat cercetări de teren într-un număr de puncte paleolitice din zona mijlocie a Prutului și Nistrului în nord-vestul Moldovei. Acest articol prezintă rezultatele noilor cercetări din siturile paleolitice mijlocii de la Teţcani X și din peștera Buzdujeni I. Din nivelul cultural de la Teţcani X a fost recoltată o colecție reprezentativă de piese de silex. Tehnologia este orientată către producția de vârfuri, obținute din nuclee unifaciale cu o singură platformă de lovire. Piesele sunt tipic musteriene, lipsind bifacialele. Peștera Buzdujeni I a fost aproape complet cercetată de N. A. Chetraru în anii 1970 dar a rămas în mare parte nepublicată. Re-analizarea vechii colecții și a materialelor obținute de noi în 2017 pune la îndoială idea că industria litică de la Buzdujeni I aparține musterianului denticulat, sugerând în schimb afinitățile micoquiene indicate de prezența bifacialelor de diverse tipuri. Datele biostratigrafice și radiometrice , inclusiv datele de radiocarbon recente par să sugereze că ambele situri se datează în prima parte a MIS-3 sau în MIS-4, Teţcani X fiind puțin mai vechi decât Buzdujeni I.Vishnyatsky Leonid, Burlacu Vitalie. New research on the Middle Paleolithic of the Middle Prut Basin, Moldova. In: Materiale şi cercetãri arheologice (Serie nouã), H-S 2021. pp. 105-124

Situl din Paleoliticul mijlociu Buzdujeni 1 (regiunea de nord a Moldovei): dovezi ale prezenței hienei de peșteră

International audienceThe new archaeozoological and taphonomical data identify the Middle Paleolithic site of Buzdujeni 1 as a periodic cave hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea) den. The most complete taphonomic evidence on hyena den come from the recently excavated squares K-5 and L-5 of layer 3, but the presence of hyena at Buzdujeni 1 site is also recorded in layers 4, 5, and 6. The evidence of cave hyena presence at Buzdujeni 1 include steak-like bone fragments, nibbled and chewed stick-like bone fragments, gnawed bones of large prey species (Bison priscus, Coelodonta antiquitatis), and skeletal remains of juvenile individuals. The composition of fauna from Buzdujeni 1 indicates generally open landscape in the environments of the site when Paleolithic layers were accumulatedNoile date arheologice și tafonomice din grota atribuită paleoliticului mijlociu Buzdujeni 1 indică prezența hienei de peșteră (Crocuta crocuta spelaea), care a folosit periodic acest loc ca vizuină, după ce stațiunea a fost părăsită de omul preistoric. Cea mai completă dovadă tafonomică a acestei specii de animale se găsește în cel de al treilea strat, în carourile K-5 și L-5. De asemenea, dovezi ale prezenței hienei de peșteră, sunt remarcate și în straturile 4, 5 și 6, prin prezența unor fragmente de oase mici sub formă de „așchii”, „așchii” specifice cu urme de la dinții unor animale de pradă, oase cu urme de roadere de la animale de talie mare (Bison priscus, Coelodonta antiquitatis), precum și resturile scheletice ale unor specii juvenile. Compoziția generală a faunei din grota Buzdujeni 1 indică un peisaj deschis în vecinătatea grotei în timpul formării straturilor paleolitice ale stațiunii.Новые археозоологические и тафономические данные из среднепалеолитической стоянки в гроте Буздужаны 1 указывают на периодическое сушествование в данном палеолитическом памятнике логова пещерной гиены (Crocuta crocuta spelaea), которая поселялась в гроте когда его покидали люди. Наиболее полные тафономические свидетельства логова пещерной гиены выявлены в недавно раскопанных квадратах К-5 и Л-5 третьего слоя памятника. Присутствие и деятельность пещерной гиены также отмечены в слоях 4, 5 и 6. Следы деятельности пещерной гиены включают мелкие фрагменты костей в виде «шепок», специфические «щепки» со следами зубов хищника, обглоданные кости крупных животных (Bison priscus, Coelodonta antiquitatis), а также скелетные остатки ювенильных особей. Общий состав фауны из грота Буздужаны 1 указывают на открытый ландшафт в окрестностях грота во время формирования палеолитических слоёв пемятник

Preliminary data on a child’s grave discovered in the Paleolithic site of Cosăuţi (Republic of Moldova)

This paper presents the preliminary results of a comprehensive study of the burial discovered during the investigations of the Upper Paleolithic site at Cosăuţi by the expedition led by Ilie Borziac. Due to various circumstances, the burial remained virtually unexplored until present. The article presents the main results of a preliminary study of skeletal remains that was carried out by an international, Moldavian-Romanian, group of researchers

Preliminary data on the child’s tomb discovered in the Paleolithic site of Cosăuţi (Republic of Moldova)

The study presents an exceptional anthropological discovery made in 1987 in the upper paleolithic site from Cosăuţi by Ilie Borziac. Due to unfavorable circumstances, the child's tomb remained properly unexploited scientific until present. Are given the preliminary results obtained by interdisciplinary research team formed especially for conservation and investigation the child's tomb from Cosăuţi.Văleanu Mădălin-Cornel, Bejenaru Luminiţa, Covalenco Serghei, Tentiuc Ion, Burlacu Vitalie, Lacătuşu Codrin. Preliminary data on the child’s tomb discovered in the Paleolithic site of Cosăuţi (Republic of Moldova). In: Annales d'Université "Valahia" Târgovişte. Section d'Archéologie et d'Histoire, Tome 16, Numéro 2, 2014. pp. 7-15