New Inhibitor Based on Hydrolyzed Keratin Peptides for Stainless Steel Corrosion in Physiological Serum: An Electrochemical and Thermodynamic Study.

Reducing the impact of some biological fluids on bioimplants involves the control of surface characteristics by modeling the interface architecture and assembling ecofriendly thin films to retard corrosion. Therefore, a mixture of hydrolyzed keratin peptides (HKER) was investigated as a corrosion inhibitor for 304L stainless steel (SS) in physiological serum (PS), using electrochemical measurements associated with optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The tests, performed for various concentrations of the inhibitor at different temperatures, showed that the inhibition efficiency () decreased with a rise in temperature and proportionally increased with the HKER concentration, reaching its maximum level, around 88%, at 25 °C, with a concentration of 40 g L HKER in physiological serum.

Experimental and Computational Study on Inhibitory Effect and Adsorption Properties of -Acetylcysteine Amino Acid in Acid Environment.

Potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were applied to study the inhibitory effect of -acetylcysteine (NAC) on corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in hydrochloric acid solution. -acetylcysteine influenced the iron dissolution to a greater extent than the hydrogen evolution reaction acting as a mixed inhibitor, predominantly anodic. The charge transfer resistance (R) gradually increased with the inhibitor concentration.

The Link between Job Demands, Burnout, and the Self-Undermining of Healthcare Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Underestimated Threat?

Previous studies have shown an association between job demands and burnout in medical staff during the pandemic. However, these studies have ignored the possibility of loss cycle occurrence during the crisis. In order to address this gap, the aim of this study was to test the mediating role of burnout in the positive relationship between job demands and the self-undermining of healthcare employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Angiogenic Balance and Its Implications in Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases: An Overview.

Angiogenesis is the process of developing new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. This review summarizes the main features of physiological and pathological angiogenesis and those of angiogenesis activation and inhibition. In healthy adults, angiogenesis is absent apart from its involvement in female reproductive functions and tissue regeneration.

Romanian Short Version of the Burnout Assessment Tool: Psychometric Properties.

The Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) represents a new measure of burnout that addresses the shortcomings of previous instruments. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Romanian short version of the BAT. The sample consisted of 648 employees that completed the short version of the BAT.

Interactions of Some Chemotherapeutic Agents as Epirubicin, Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel in Multicomponent Systems Based on Orange Essential Oil.

In order to anticipate the effect induced by a natural product on the chemical activity of medicines simultaneously administered, spontaneous interactions of certain cancer treatment drugs such as, epirubicin (EPR), gemcitabine (GCT), and paclitaxel (PTX) with limonene (LIM)-a natural compound extracted from orange peel and known as an anticancer agent-were investigated. To estimate the stability of the drugs over time, a current density of 50 mA cm was applied as an external stimulus between two platinum electrodes immersed in hydrochloric acid solution containing ethyl alcohol/water in the volume ratio of 2/3, in the absence and presence of orange essential oil (limonene concentration of 95%). The concentration variation of chemotherapeutic agents over time was evaluated by UV-Vis spectrophotometry.

Predictors of Burnout in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of burnout in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from March to June in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, from employees of two Romanian hospitals. Five hundred and twenty-three healthcare workers completed a series of questionnaires that measured burnout, job demands, job resources, and personal resources.

Local cause of gingival overgrowth. Clinical and histological study.

The overgrowth, depending on its extension, has multiple effects on the stomatognathic apparatus: functional disorders (impaired speech), difficulty in chewing and aesthetic problems but can cause significant psychological problems. We proposed this study, motivated by the relative increased frequency of the gum outgrowth, its multifactorial etiopathogeny, but especially from the point of view of the specialist practitioner, by the problems that this pathology raises not only for the functionality of the stomatognathic apparatus but also for the facial esthetics, and especially for future therapeutic attitudes needed to solve the existing pathology at this level. We conducted a clinical study and a histological one.

Dispersion and Functionalization of Nanoparticles Synthesized by Gas Aggregation Source: Opening New Routes Toward the Fabrication of Nanoparticles for Biomedicine.

The need to find new nanoparticles for biomedical applications is pushing the limits of the fabrication methods. New techniques with versatilities beyond the extended chemical routes can provide new insight in the field. In particular, gas aggregation sources offer the possibility to fabricate nanoparticles with controlled size, composition, and structure out of thermodynamics.

Inflamed molluscum contagiosum in a 6-year-old boy: a case report.

The precise prevalence of molluscum contagiosum (MC) is still unknown. The pediatric studies showed a cumulative incidence of 17% in children less than 15 years, but there are no studies available for Romania. The papular skin lesions are generally less than 5 mm, but the immunocompromised patients may develop large uncommon lesions.

Severely altered post-traumatic internal morphology of upper incisors associated with biologic width violation - the combined conservative approach.

This is the report of a case of four upper incisors with multiple internal/external resorptions after a falling accident in the childhood and subsequent violation of the biologic width by incorrect individual coronal restorations. Endodontic orthograde retreatment was performed and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was placed as apical plug and to repair the large internal resorption. In order to re-establish the biologic width, a controlled surgical crown-lengthening procedure was performed.

Matrix metalloproteinase -7, -8, -9 and -13 in gingival tissue of patients with type 1 diabetes and periodontitis.

There is scientific data to support the existence of a two-way relationship between diabetes and periodontitis, with diabetes increasing the risk for periodontitis, and periodontal inflammation negatively affecting the diabetic status. Our study aims to investigate the expression of MMP-7, -8, -9 and -13 in the gingiva of the young patients with aggressive periodontitis (AP) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Gingival biopsies were harvested from five adult patients aged 19-29 years with T1D+AP with moderate (three cases) to severe (two cases) forms of AP and from four adult patients aged 18-28 years with moderate AP without T1D.

Conservative treatment of dental trauma: case presentation-direct adhesive restoration techniques of the 4 upper incisors with different types of fractures on the coronal level.

Dental trauma creates serious functional, aesthetic and psychological problems for the patient. The known developments in recent years in the area of materials and techniques related to direct composite resin restorations provide for the dentists direct conservative solutions that allow both morphology and aesthetic restoration and preservation of pulp vitality in many of the clinical situations encountered. A careful clinical examination and an accurate diagnosis (in terms of classification of the trauma) will allow the dentist to choose the most conservative therapeutic solution.

The attachment affinity of hemoglobin toward silver-containing bioactive glass functionalized with glutaraldehyde.

Bioactive glasses belonging to the 56SiO2·(40 - x)CaO·4P2O5·xAg2O system, with x = 0, 2, and 8 mol %, were surface functionalized with the protein coupling agent glutaraldehyde (GA) and further evaluated in terms of hemoglobin affinity. The bare and GA-functionalized samples were investigated before and after protein attachment, by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy combined with spin-labeling procedure. Methanethiosulfonate spin label was used to explore the local environment of β-93 cysteine in horse hemoglobin, in terms of spin label side chain mobility.

Collagen IV and MMP-9 expression in hypertrophic gingiva during orthodontic treatment.

Introduction: In the present study, we aimed to assess MMP-9 and type IV collagen in the gingival tissue in patients with gingival overgrowth (GO) after orthodontic treatment, with or without clinical signs of inflammation to appreciate the role of balance between those two markers in the onset of GO during tooth movement.

Materials: Gingival tissue was harvested from 45 patients divided in three groups: 15 patients with orthodontic appliance that developed GO on at least two teeth; 15 patients with chronic gingivitis with GO; 15 patients (control group) with healthy periodontal tissues, without clinical gingival changes, in whom the first premolar was planned for extraction for orthodontic purposes (canine distalization).

Methods: The tissue samples obtained by gingivectomy were fixed in 10% neutral formalin solution for 48 hours and then included in paraffin with the usual technique.

Gingival inflammatory infiltrate analysis in patients with chronic periodontitis and diabetes mellitus.

Unlabelled: Diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease are two pathological entities that destructively emphasize each other. The aim of our study was the histological and immunohistochemical analyze of the inflammatory infiltrate in the gingival tissue at patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontal disease.

Materials And Methods: The study was achieved on gingival tissue from 40 patients with DM and specific symptoms of periodontal disease.

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels in gingival crevicular fluid in patients after periodontal microsurgery for orthodontic induced gingival hypertrophy.

Introduction: In this study, we aim to compare the levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), as indicators for healing, in two groups of patients - operated with a classic periodontal surgical technique and the same technique but using a dental microscope.

Materials: We included 14 patients with ages between 12 and 26 years, average 14±6.2 years.

Correlations between the gingival crevicular fluid MMP8 levels and gingival overgrowth in patients with fixed orthodontic devices.

Unlabelled: Levels of metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8) in gingival crevicular fluid were studied in case of treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances. It were found a relationship between its levels and stages of the treatment under a good control of the bacterial plaque. Gingival overgrowth (GO) during the orthodontic treatment was traditionally considered as an inflammatory reaction consecutive of bacterial plaque accumulation because of difficult hygiene in those patients.

Pancreatic metaplasia of gastric mucosa associated with gastroduodenal ulcer.

Metaplasia represents the process of transforming a well-differentiated adult tissue into another type of adult tissue. Pancreatic metaplasia of the gastric mucosa represents the process in which the normal mucosa of the stomach is replaced with pancreatic formations, which mimic the structure of pancreatic acini. We describe the case of a male patient aged 39 who was admitted for abdominal pain, vomiting, hematemesis, melena, pale teguments, intense perspiration and nausea.

The involvement of metalloproteinases and their tissular inhibitors in the processes of periodontal orthodontic remodeling.

The orthodontic treatment uses forces that produce structural and biochemical changes in the periodontal space breaking the balance between the synthesis and the breakdown of the collagen in the periodontium. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) plays a central role in the normal tissular remodeling processes, those in the tissular morphogenesis and the tissular repair (including the remodeling of the periodontal space of the periodontal ligament, during the dental orthodontic translations). The inter-relation between the molecular mechanism of orthodontic remodeling and MMPs is still unclear.

Annexin A3 expression after stroke in the aged rat brain.

In an effort to identify new proteins involved in functional recovery after cerebral ischemia, young (3 months) and aged (18 months) male rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Brains were harvested at 3- and 14-days post ischemia and proteins from the peri-infarcted and the corresponding contralateral area and total proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry analysis. Annexin A3 (ANXA3) was identified as one upregulated protein in the post-ischemic rat brain.