Comparison of postoperation bone defects healing of alveolar processes of maxilla and mandible with the use of Bio-Gen and Bio-Oss

Bone defects of mandible and maxilla alveolar processes have often iatrogenic origins, because they appear as a consequence of performed operations. Bone atrophy may be stopped by filling bone defects with augmentative biomaterial directly after an oral surgery procedure. To achieve this aim augmentative biomaterials are used. Many years of experimental studies confirmed xenogenic biomaterials as the most ef fective. The aim of this study was clinical assessment of bone lesions healing with the use of Bio-Gen and Bio-Oss materials. A comparison of radiological imaging of healed defects was performed, as well as histological analysis of biopsies obtained from the defect sites. The structure analysis of both materials was performed with the use of electron microscopy. Chemical ingredients of analyzed biomaterials were assessed with the use of X-ray microanalysis. Postoperation follow-up in all groups was done. Histological and radiological analysis of regeneration course were performed. Radiological analysis was performed with the use of Digora 2,1 system, which allows to asses optical density of images. Histopathologic regenerates were analyzed morfometrically. The results of this study confirmed effectiveness of Bio-Gen and Bio-Oss materials in regeneration of bone defects. Six month long follow-up period confirmed a significant increase of the optical density of regenerates augmented with Bio-Gen and Bio-Oss comparing to lesions healed without biomaterial augmentation

The Effects of Online Learning Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students’ Satisfaction, Adjustment, Performance, and Loyalty

This research investigates the student online learning experience (SOLE) during the 2020 spring Covid-19 pandemic. We collected quantitative data through an online survey from 362 international and 488 domestic students at a large Polish University. Correlation and path analysis within a conceptual model of SOLE and its academic outcomes established that (1) SOLE explained adjustment, performance, satisfaction, and loyalty, (2) academic adjustment predicts performance, satisfaction, and loyalty, (3) that academic performance and satisfaction predict student loyalty, and (4) that academic performance predicts satisfaction. Interestingly, time spent in quarantine/self-isolation did not exert any effect on academic outcomes in SOLE. Moreover, qualitative data collected via narrative interviews with 13 international and domestic students developed our understanding of SOLE and its outcomes. We propose some research and practice implications for universities to enhance SOLE

Allelopathic and bloom-forming picocyanobacteria in a changing world

Picocyanobacteria are extremely important organisms in the world’s oceans and freshwater ecosystems. They play an essential role in primary production and their domination in phytoplankton biomass is common in both oligotrophic and eutrophic waters. Their role is expected to become even more relevant with the effect of climate change. However, this group of photoautotrophic organisms still remains insufficiently recognized. Only a few works have focused in detail on the occurrence of massive blooms of picocyanobacteria, their toxicity and allelopathic activity. Filling the gap in our knowledge about the mechanisms involved in the proliferation of these organisms could provide a better understanding of aquatic environments. In this review, we gathered and described recent information about allelopathic activity of picocyanobacteria and occurrence of their massive blooms in many aquatic ecosystems. We also examined the relationships between climate change and representative picocyanobacterial genera from freshwater, brackish and marine ecosystems. This work emphasizes the importance of studying the smallest picoplanktonic fractions of cyanobacteria. © 2018 MDPI. All Rights reserved.Acknowledgments: We thank Sabina Jodłowska for execution photographic documentations of Synechococcus sp. strains on electron microscope. This study was supported by BMN grants, Poland, No. 538-G245-B568-17

Toleranzkompass Jugendliche: Eine empirische Untersuchung von Toleranzeinstellungen

Ziel des Gesamtprojekts ist es, das Ausmaß der Toleranzeinstellungen sowie das Ausmaß der Vorurteile und des Fundamentalismus von in Wien lebenden Jugendlichen umfassend zu erforschen und in Kenntnis dieser Einstellungen wirksame Integrationsmaßnahmen zu erarbeiten. Die vorgestellte Studie versteht sich als erster Baustein eines für drei Jahre geplanten Projekts. Wir haben anhand einer empirischen Fragebogenerhebung Schüler und Schülerinnen einesGymnasiums im Hinblick auf ihre Toleranzeinstellungen, ihren Fundamentalismus und ihre Vorurteile untersucht. Eine Bevorzugung der liberalen, begrenzten modernen Toleranz auf der einen und eine relativ klare Zurückweisung der wertkonservativen Toleranz, des Leitkulturansatzes, auf der anderen Seite sind für diese Schule typisch. Eine geringe Minderheit tendiert allerdings zur Intoleranz und es gibt auch fünf SchülerInnen, die in hohem Maß vorurteilsvoll und fundamentalistisch gestimmt sind.The overall project goal is to explore levels of tolerance as well as levels of prejudice and fundamentalism among young people living in Vienna, and to devise effective integration measures on the basis of such insights. The study, presented here, is the first module of a three-year-project. We administered a questionnaire for male and female secondary school students, in order to research their levels of tolerance, fundamentalism and prejudice. For this particular school, what we found out to be typical was a preference for liberal, limited and modern tolerance on the one hand, and, on the other hand, a relatively marked rejection of a tolerance rooted in conservative values, referencing to the so-called dominant culture approach being called the »Leitkultur«. A small minority, however, tends towards intolerance, and there are five students who display highly prejudiced and fundamentalist feelings

Physiological effects on coexisting microalgae of the allelochemicals produced by the bloom-forming cyanobacteria synechococcus sp. And nodularia spumigena

Only a few studies have documented the physiological effects of allelopathy from cyanobacteria against coexisting microalgae. We investigated the allelopathic ability of the bloom-forming cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. and Nodularia spumigena filtrates on several aspects related to the physiology of the target species: population growth, cell morphology, and several indexes of photosynthesis rate and respiration. The target species were the following: two species of green algae (Oocystis submarina, Chlorella vulgaris) and two species of diatoms (Bacillaria paxillifer, Skeletonema marinoi). These four species coexist in the natural environment with the employed strains of Synechococcus sp. and N. spumigena employed. The tests were performed with single and repeated addition of cyanobacterial cell-free filtrate. We also tested the importance of the growth phase in the strength of the allelopathic effect. The negative effects of both cyanobacteria were the strongest with repeated exudates addition, and generally, Synechococcus sp. and N. spumigena were allelopathic only in the exponential growth phase. O. submarina was not negatively affected by Synechococcus filtrates in any of the parameters studied, while C. vulgaris, B. paxillifer, and S. marinoi were affected in several ways. N. spumigena was characterized by a stronger allelopathic activity than Synechococcus sp., showing a negative effect on all target species. The highest decline in growth, as well as the most apparent cell physical damage, was observed for the diatom S. marinoi. Our findings suggest that cyanobacterial allelochemicals are associated with the cell physical damage, as well as a reduced performance in respiration and photosynthesis system in the studied microalgae which cause the inhibition of the population growth. Moreover, our study has shown that some biotic factors that increase the intensity of allelopathic effects may also alter the ratio between bloom-forming cyanobacteria and some phytoplankton species that occur in the same aquatic ecosystem.This research were funded by BMN grant number 538-G245-B568-17 and FCT Project UID/Multi/04423/2019. The APC was funded by DS 530-G245-D717-18

Assessment of the allelochemical activity and biochemical profile of different phenotypes of picocyanobacteria from the genus synechococcus

Organisms belonging to Synechococcus sp. genera are observed in all freshwater, brackish, and marine waters of the world. They play a relevant role in these ecosystems, since they are one of the main primary producers, especially in open ocean. Eventually, they form mass blooms in coastal areas, which are potentially dangerous for the functioning of marine ecosystems. Allelopathy could be an important factor promoting the proliferation of these organisms. According to the authors’ best knowledge, there is no information on the allelopathic activity and allelopathic compounds exhibited by different Synechococcus sp. phenotypes. Therefore, the research conducted here aimed to study the bioactivity of compounds produced by three phenotypes of Synechococcus sp. by studying their influence on the growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, and photosynthetic pigments of eighteen cyanobacteria and microalgae species. We demonstrated that three different Synechococcus sp. phenotypes, including a phycocyanin (PC)-rich strain (Type 1; green strain) and phycoerythrin (PE)-rich strains containing phycoerythrobilin (PEB) and phycocyanobilin (PCB) (Type 2; red strain and Type 3a; brown strain), had a significant allelopathic effect on the selected species of cyanobacteria, diatoms, and green algae. For all green algae, a decrease in cell abundance under the influence of phenotypes of donor cyanobacteria was shown, whereas, among some target cyanobacteria and diatom species, the cell-free filtrate was observed to have a stimulatory effect. Our estimates of the stress on photosystem II (Fv/Fm) showed a similar pattern, although for some diatoms, there was an effect of stress on photosynthesis, while a stimulatory effect on growth was also displayed. The pigment content was affected by allelopathy in most cases, particularly for chlorophyll a, whilst it was a bit less significant for carotenoids. Our results showed that Synechococcus sp. Type 3a had the strongest effect on target species, while Synechococcus sp. Type 1 had the weakest allelopathic effect. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis produced different biochemical profiles for the Synechococcus strains. For every phenotype, the most abundant compound was different, with oxime-, methoxy-phenyl- being the most abundant substance for Synechococcus Type 1, eicosane for Synechococcus Type 2, and silanediol for Synechococcus Type 3aThis research was founded by BMN grant number 539-O140-B416-20, FCT Projects UIDB/04423/2020and UIDP/04423/2020

Czym jest a czym nie jest psychologia pozytywna? Poszukiwanie paradygmatu

W artykule wskazano istotne kryteria wskazujące na tożsamość psychologii pozytywnej powstałej pod koniec lat 90. w USA. Ponieważ różnorodność interpretacji często utrudnia zrozumienie charakteru i misji psychologii pozytywnej, ważne jest, aby wziąć pod uwagę jej założycieli, elementy kształtujące psychologię pozytywną, a także wewnętrzne procesy zmian. Otwarta na współpracę interdyscyplinarną psychologia pozytywna zachowuje swój specyficzny profil, cele i metody. Ma swój własny paradygmat wskazujący, co można uznać za psychologię pozytywną i gdzie można znaleźć jej granice

Melatonin – the New Multipotential Drug of the Future?

Introduction: Melatonin is a well-known drug and dietary supplement that is steadily growing in popularity on the pharmaceutical market. This indolamine, which has been known for more than 50 years, is produced by the pineal gland depending on the circadian rhythm. Also referred to as the "darkness hormone" and secreted mainly during nighttime hours, it is primarily associated with the treatment of sleep-wake rhythm disorders or disorders associated with sudden shifting time zones (jet lag). However, many scientific studies have shown that melatonin has multidirectional effects. It is used both as a chronobiotic, i.e., a drug that regulates circadian rhythms, as well as having anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-carcinogenic properties, regulating mitochondrial function, and affecting many systems and organs, keeping the organism in a state of homeostasis. Purpose: This review article aims to provide an overview of the mechanism of action of melatonin, its current indications in clinical practice, and potential future directions for therapy use.   Materials and methods: A summary of reports available in publications and scientific studies posted in medical information databases: Pubmed, CrossRef, Google Scholar, and book positions. Results: The pleiotropic effect of melatonin can be used as an supportive drug in the treatment of sleep disorders, disorders of the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system, and many oncological diseases. Conclusions: Despite a number of important reports on the positive effects of melatonin in the treatment of disorders in many areas of medicine, it is necessary to deepen research with its participation and the emergence of recommendations for its use in order to safely introduce the drug into common clinical practice