Caries Level in 3-Year-Olds in Germany: National Caries Trends and Gaps in Primary Dental Care.

Background: Nationally representative long-term data on caries in the primary dentition are rare but essential for determining the need for prevention and treatment. This research assessed the prevalence and trends of dental caries in 3-year-old children across Germany, with national data analyzed and compared with the corresponding data for 6-7-year-olds.

Methods: Data were extracted from the most recent German National Oral Health Survey in 2016.

The Use and Benefits of Focused Shockwaves for the Diagnosis of Myofascial Pain Syndrome by Examining Myofascial Trigger Points in Low Back Pain.

: Low back pain (LBP) is a widespread public health issue, with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) being a common cause, affecting 67-100% of patients. However, there are significant challenges in the diagnostic process due to the subjective and unreliable nature of manual palpation. Focused Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (F-ESWT), traditionally used for MPS treatment, offers a reproducible and non-invasive mechanical stimulus, making it a potential diagnostic tool.

Association of Osteoporosis with Tooth Loss and Dental Radiomorphometric Indices.

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease associated with reduced bone mass, impaired bone microarchitecture, and thus an increased risk of bone fractures. Moreover, patients with osteoporosis are more likely to experience periodontal diseases and tooth loss. Some indices have been proposed to detect osteoporosis on dental panoramic radiographs.

Stereotactic Percutaneous Electrochemotherapy as a New Minimal Invasive Treatment Modality for Primary and Secondary Liver Malignancies.

: To report on the first results of safety, efficacy, and outcome of CT-navigated stereotactic percutaneous electrochemotherapy (SpECT) in patients with primary and secondary liver malignancies. : This retrospective study included 23 consecutive lesions in 22 patients who underwent SpECT for primary and secondary malignant liver lesions with locally curative intention. The endpoints were primary technique efficacy (PTE), local tumor progression (LTP), time to progression (TTP), and occurrence of adverse events.

Mossy Fiber Sprouting in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: The Impact of Netrin-1, DCC, and Gene Expression Changes.

Background: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of drug-resistant epilepsy, often associated with hippocampal sclerosis (HS), which involves selective neuronal loss in the Cornu Ammonis subregion 1 CA1 and CA4 regions of the hippocampus. Granule cells show migration and mossy fiber sprouting, though the mechanisms remain unclear. Microglia play a role in neurogenesis and synaptic modulation, suggesting they may contribute to epilepsy.

Phosphorylated FAT10 Is More Efficiently Conjugated to Substrates, Does Not Bind to NUB1L, and Does Not Alter Degradation by the Proteasome.

: FAT10 is a member of the ubiquitin-like modifier family. Similar to ubiquitin, FAT10 has a distinct enzyme cascade consisting of E1-activating, E2-conjugating, and possibly several E3-ligating enzymes, which will covalently link FAT10 to substrate proteins in order to target them directly for proteasomal degradation. FAT10 was reported to be phosphorylated by IKKβ during infection with influenza A virus.

Exploration of Novel Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Proteomic Analysis and Ligand-Binding Assays.

Background/objectives: Neurodegenerative diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and their public health burden continues to increase. There is an urgent need to develop reliable and sensitive biomarkers to aid the timely diagnosis, disease progression monitoring, and therapeutic development for neurodegenerative disorders. Proteomic screening strategies, including antibody microarrays, are a powerful tool for biomarker discovery, but their findings should be confirmed using quantitative assays.

Adalimumab Autoantibodies in Uveitis Patients: Do We Need Routine Drug Monitoring?

Background: Adalimumab, an anti-TNF-α biologic agent, has emerged as a principal treatment option for patients with non-infectious uveitis. The influence of adalimumab anti-drug antibodies (AAA) on the efficacy of adalimumab therapy is not yet fully understood. We aim to understand their clinical implications in the context of therapeutic drug monitoring and the factors contributing to the formation of these antibodies.

Fingerprint Sweat Pore Density in Patients with Oligodontia: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

There is a lack of evidence for the relationship between sweat pores and tooth agenesis. The aim of this study was to compare sweat pore density on fingertips between a group of patients with oligodontia and a control group without tooth agenesis. This parallel-group controlled clinical trial included 28 patients.

Effectiveness of Bobath Therapy vs. Conventional Medical Gymnastics in Psycho-Social and Cognitive Status Improvement in Children with Mild Neurodevelopmental Delay: A Randomized Double-Blinded Prospective Cohort Study.

The main objective of this research was to compare the Bobath concept and conventional medical gymnastics in psycho-social and cognitive habilitation of infants with mild neurodevelopmental delay, and determine whether there is a difference in their effectiveness. The study included 100 children up to 3 months of age who were diagnosed with a mild neuromotor disorder based on clinical examination, the Münich Functional Developmental Diagnostic Test for the first year of life, and the Ages and Stages questionnaire. The respondents were randomized into two groups, habilitated according to the Bobath concept or conventional medical gymnastics.

Fecal Nervonic Acid as a Biomarker for Diagnosing and Monitoring Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background/objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated pathology associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism. The administration of nervonic acid, a very long-chain fatty acid, has been shown to improve colonic inflammation in a mouse model of colitis. Our study aimed to quantify fecal levels of nervonic acid, as well as the very long-chain fatty acids, lignoceric acid, and pentacosanoic acid, to identify associations with IBD activity.

Proteomic Profile Regulated by the Immunomodulatory Jusvinza Drug in Neutrophils Isolated from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Jusvinza is an immunomodulatory drug composed of an altered peptide ligand (APL) designed from a novel CD4+ T cell epitope of human heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), an autoantigen involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The peptide induces regulatory T cells and decreases levels of TNF-α and IL-17; pre-clinical and phase I clinical studies support its use for the treatment of RA. This peptide was repositioned for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with signs of hyperinflammation.

Expanding the Molecular Genetic Landscape of Dystrophinopathies and Associated Phenotypes.

: X-linked dystrophinopathies are a group of neuromuscular diseases caused by pathogenic variants in the gene (MIM *300377). Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD; MIM #310200) is the most common inherited muscular dystrophy. : We screened datasets of 403 male, genetically confirmed X-linked dystrophinopathy patients and identified 13 pathogenic variants of the gene that have not been described in the literature thus far.

The Role of Protein Kinase C During the Differentiation of Stem and Precursor Cells into Tissue Cells.

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an essential role during many biological processes including development from early embryonic stages until the terminal differentiation of specialized cells. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the involvement of PKC in molecular processes during the differentiation of stem/precursor cells into tissue cells with a particular focus on osteogenic, adipogenic, chondrogenic and neuronal differentiation by using a comprehensive approach. Interestingly, studies examining the overall role of PKC, or one of its three isoform groups (classical, novel and atypical PKCs), often showed controversial results.

Breathless Nights and Cardiac Frights-How Snoring Is Breaking Hearts.

While your nightly symphony may be testing your loved one's patience, it could also be giving your own heart reasons to complain [...

Buffered 4% Articaine Reduces Pain and Enhances Anesthesia in Maxillary Third Molar Extractions: A Randomized, Double-Blind Split-Mouth Study.

: Buffered local anesthetics are suggested to enhance patient comfort and anesthetic efficacy during dental procedures. However, their advantages over non-buffered solutions in maxillary third molar extractions remain under-investigated. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, split-mouth study aimed to compare the efficacy of buffered versus non-buffered 4% articaine in terms of pain, anesthetic onset, and the duration of anesthesia during maxillary third molar extractions.

Xanthohumol: Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Mechanically Stimulated Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells.

Background/objectives: Initial sterile inflammation is an essential molecular process in the periodontium during orthodontic tooth movement. A better understanding and possible modulations of these processes are of great interest to develop individual therapies for special patient groups. The prenylated plant polyphenol xanthohumol (XN) could have modulating effects as it has shown anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis-inhibiting effects in various cell lines.

Modeling the Impact of Extracellular Vesicle Cargoes in the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease.

: We aimed to assess the relationship among circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs), hypoxia-related proteins, and the conventional risk factors of life-threatening coronary artery disease (CAD) to find more precise novel biomarkers. : Patients were categorized based on coronary CT angiography. Patients with a Segment Involvement Score > 5 were identified as CAD patients.

The HuRaA Trial-The Radiocapitellar Line Shows Significant Posterior Translation in Healthy Elbows: A Prospective Analysis of 53 Healthy Individuals.

: The elbow joint is stabilized by complex interactions between bony structures and soft tissues, notably the lateral and medial collateral ligaments. Posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI), a form of elbow instability, is challenging to diagnose due to overlapping symptoms with other conditions. The radiocapitellar line (RCL) is a radiographic tool for assessing humeroradial alignment and elbow stability, but its diagnostic accuracy remains debated.

Association Between Unemployment and Mental Disorders: A Narrative Update of the Literature.

The relationship between unemployment and mental disorders has been a significant subject of study since at least the Industrial Revolution. However, most data show associations of unemployment and isolated mental disorders, and this study field has been neglected in the last years. Therefore, this narrative review aims to provide an updated overview of the association between unemployment and mental health in general as well as the most prevalent mental disorders.

Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in Healthcare-A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Health SWAps in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Background: The sector-wide approach (SWAp) is an instrument of cooperation between external development partners (EDPs) and the government of a country. Its main purpose is the coordination, alignment and harmonisation of activities between EDPs and between EDPs and the respective government by covering the entire sector with one major programme.

Methods: The main objective of this paper is to analyse the performance of the SWAps in two countries and draw conclusions about the appropriateness of SWAps as financing instruments in the healthcare sector under certain conditions.

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Professional Development Program for Primary School Teachers in the Czech Republic: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Research has shown that 20% of Czech teachers suffer with burnout symptoms and 65% are at risk of burning out, which suggests that it is essential to continue addressing the issue of stress in Czech teachers. The main objective of this study was to evaluate a self-compassion and mindfulness-based professional development program for primary school teachers in the Czech Republic.

Methods: Five schools were recruited, two as intervention schools ( of teachers = 47) and three as controls ( of teachers = 57).

The Relationship Between Body, Mind, and Social Characteristics in a Sample of a Training Program for Developing Social and Personal Resources: A Network Analysis.

In this cross-sectional study, the interactions between demographic characteristics and the body, mind, and social dimensions among participants of a holistic training program for social and personal development were examined and compared to a control group. The sample involved 223 adults from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, with 80 (37.2%) participants in the training group already having finished the training.

Resettlement, Employment, and Mental Health Among Syrian Refugee Men in Canada: An Intersectional Study Using Photovoice.

Context: The impact of forced migration on the mental health of refugee men is far-reaching and compounded by gendered masculinity, which shapes men's access to employment and other resources. A gap in knowledge exists on the broader determinants of refugee men's mental health.

Methodology: Using community-based participatory action research and the arts-based method of photovoice, this study advances knowledge about the gendered impacts of forced migration from the perspective of ( = 11) Syrian refugee men in the Canadian context.