A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS C KNOWLEDGE AMONG DENTAL MEDICINE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB.

Dental health care workers, particularly dental medicine students (DMS), are at an increased risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of our study was to assess the level of knowledge on HBV and HCV, estimate needlestick injury (NSI) prevalence and reporting practice in DMS at the University of Zagreb, and analyze how enrolment in obligatory and supplemental courses affects knowledge and NSI reporting practice. The knowledge was assessed by our questionnaires based on the Centers for Disease Control general handouts.

Skeletal Maturation in Different Vertical Facial Growth Pattern.

Objective: To assess whether there are differences in skeletal maturation among subjects with horizontal, vertical, and neutral facial growth patterns.

Material And Methods: The study was performed on 48 latero-lateral craniographs of patients with horizontal, 48 with vertical and 50 with neutral growth patterns aged 12 to 18 years. Eight variables from the Zagreb 82 MOD, Bracchetti and Accord analysis, were selected for measuring angular and linear parameters on latero-lateral craniographs.

Anatomical Variations of the Bifid Mandibular Canal on Panoramic Radiographs in Citizens from Zagreb, Croatia.

Background: The bifid mandibular canal (BMC) is an anatomical variation with reported prevalence ranging from 0.08 to 65%. Identifying anatomical variations of mandibular canal is very important in order to prevent possible complications during oral surgical and other dental procedures.

The onset of ulcerative colitis upon Helicobacter pylori eradication in a 72-year-old woman: report of a rare case with a 3-year follow-up.

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse association between H. pylori infection/exposure and inflammatory bowel disease prevalence/incidence, however, there are no reports of individual patients who developed a "non-transient" ulcerative colitis (UC) following H. pylori eradication.

Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Thyroid Cancer: Institutional Experience.

Although most patients with thyroid cancer have a favorable clinical course, some patients develop a more aggressive type of cancer and exhibit more rapid disease progression with worse prognosis. Those patients usually exhibit mutations of proteins such as tyrosine kinase enzymes that play a significant role in regulation of tumor proliferation and spreading. Development of targeted therapies is based on the inhibition of mutated kinases which are involved in the MAPK signaling pathway.

Periodontitis severity in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study investigated the stages of periodontitis in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and risk factors associated with periodontitis severity among them.

Materials And Methods: A total of 194 patients underwent a polysomnography/polygraphy and were referred to periodontal examination. According to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), patients were classified as mild OSA (AHI < 15) and moderate to severe OSA (AHI ≥ 15), whereas periodontitis severity was determined by the clinical attachment level (CAL) according to the recent Classification of Periodontal Diseases and Conditions.

Salivary melatonin in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Melatonin's role in circadian rhythm is well documented, as are its' anti-oxidant, oncostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. Poor sleep quality has been associated as a potential risk factor for several malignancies, including head and neck cancers. The purpose of this study is to determine salivary melatonin (MLT) levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, compare the salivary MLT levels with those in healthy individuals and compare the salivary and serum levels in OSCC patients.

Setting up laboratory-based antimicrobial resistance surveillance in low- and middle-income countries: lessons learned from Georgia.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing problem worldwide, with an estimated high burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In these settings, tackling the problem of AMR is often constrained by a lack of reliable surveillance data due to limited use of microbiological diagnostics in clinical practice.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to present an overview of essential elements for setting up an AMR surveillance system in LMICs, to summarize the steps taken to develop such a system in the country of Georgia, and to describe its impact on microbiology laboratories.

Drug-induced gingival overgrowth in cardiovascular patients.

Drug-induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO) is a pathological growth of gingival tissue, primarily associated with calcium channel blockers and immunosuppressants. Consequently, it is mainly seen in cardiovascular and transplanted patients. Nifedipine remains the main calcium channel blocker related to the development of this unpleasant side-effect.

Antibiotic Prescribing Habits and Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness of Dental Practitioners in Primorsko-Goranska County, Croatia.

The goal of this study was to investigate the differences in dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding antibiotic use and resistance among two areas of Primorsko-Goranska County (P-GC), Croatia. A cross-sectional study based on a structured questionnaire that was given to 230 dental practitioners in outpatient settings of P-GC in 2018. The overall response rate was 68.

Prophylactic application of antibiotics selects extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemases producing Gram-negative bacteria in the oral cavity.

Prophylactic administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics in surgery can change the oral microbiome and induce colonization of oral cavity with Gram-negative bacteria including multidrug (MDR) or extensively drug resistant (XDR) organisms which can lead to lower respiratory tract infections. The aim of the study was to analyse the Gram-negative isolates obtained from oral cavity of the mechanically ventilated patients in ICUs, after prophylactic application of antibiotics and their resistance mechanisms and to compare them with the isolates obtained from tracheal aspirates from the same patients. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined by broth dilution method.

Effects of Environmental Factors on Severity and Mortality of COVID-19.

Most respiratory viruses show pronounced seasonality, but for SARS-CoV-2, this still needs to be documented. We examined the disease progression of COVID-19 in 6,914 patients admitted to hospitals in Europe and China. In addition, we evaluated progress of disease symptoms in 37,187 individuals reporting symptoms into the COVID Symptom Study application.

In Search of TGCT Biomarkers: A Comprehensive and Histopathological Analysis.

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are ever more affecting the young male population. Germ cell neoplasia (GCNIS) is the origin of TGCTs, namely, seminomas (SE) and a heterogeneous group of nonseminomas (NS) comprising embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, yolk sac tumor, and choriocarcinoma. Response to the treatment and prognosis, especially of NS, depend on precise diagnosis with a necessity for discovery of new biomarkers.

Epigenetically inactivated RASSF1A as a tumor biomarker.

RASSF1A, one of the eight isoforms of the RASSF1 gene, is a tumor suppressor gene that influences tumor initiation and development. In cancer, RASSF1A is frequently inactivated by mutations, loss of heterozygosity, and, most commonly, by promoter hypermethylation. Epigenetic inactivation of RASSF1A was detected in various cancer types and led to significant interest; current research on RASSF1A promoter methylation focuses on its roles as an epigenetic tumor biomarker.

Adequacy of risk of bias assessment in surgical vs non-surgical trials in Cochrane reviews: a methodological study.

Background: Bias in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can lead to underestimation or overestimation of the true effects of interventions. Surgical RCTs may suffer from the risk of bias (RoB) that is avoidable in trials of other interventions, and vice versa. We aimed to compare the adequacy of RoB assessments in surgical versus non-surgical RCTs included in Cochrane reviews and to assess the most common differences in those RoB assessments.

Gingival Hypertrophy in a Child with Hyaline Fibromatosis Syndrome.

Hyaline fibromatosis syndrome (HFS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by accumulation of hyalinized fibrous tissue with cutaneous, mucosal, osteoarticular, and systemic involvement. The condition is caused by a mutation of ANTXR2 gene that results in a faulty synthesis of a transmembrane protein which leads up to excessive deposition of hyaline material in extracellular space. The first signs may be present at birth or appear during infancy, and joint stiffness is the first, most common, symptom.

Platelet Serotonin Concentration Is Associated with Illness Duration in Schizophrenia and Chronological Age in Depression.

Objective: Impaired serotonergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression and schizophrenia. Blood platelets have been used for years as a peripheral model of neuronal serotonin dynamics. The objective was to investigate platelet count and serotonin concentration in patients with depression and schizophrenia, in an attempt to ascertain their clinical usefulness.

Molecular Characterization of β-Lactam Resistance and Antimicrobial Susceptibility to Possible Therapeutic Options of AmpC-Producing Multidrug-Resistant in a University Hospital of Split, Croatia.

This study was performed to elucidate genetic relatedness and molecular resistance mechanisms of AmpC-producing multidrug-resistant isolates in University Hospital of Split (UHS), and define efficient antibiotics A total of 100 nonrepeated, consecutive, amoxicillin/clavulanate- and cefoxitin-resistant isolates were collected, mostly from urine (44%) and skin and soft-tissue samples (30%). They were all positive in cefoxitin Hodge test and negative for extended spectrum beta-lactamase production. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis identified four clusters and two singletons, with 79% of isolates in dominant cluster.

First evidence of hepatitis E virus infection in a small mammal (yellow-necked mouse) from Croatia.

Since the role of wild rodents/small mammals in hepatitis E virus (HEV) epidemiology has been a subject of considerable debate, this study was conducted to investigate the potential presence of HEV RNA in small rodents collected within their natural habitats and to detect if they can be potential reservoirs of the virus. A total of 483 small rodents were captured using snap traps placed at 11 regions in Croatia. Sampling was undertaken in 2008 and repeated from 2010 to 2014.

Tooth Crown Morphology in Turner and Klinefelter Syndrome Individuals from a Croatian Sample.

Objective: Turner syndrome (TS) and Klinefelter syndrome (KS) represent the two most common X chromosome aneuploidies, each associated with systemic disruptions to growth and development. Effects of these conditions on tooth crown morphology are explored in a sample of Croatian individuals.

Materials And Methods: The sample included 57 TS, 37 KS and 88 control individuals.

Genetic diversity of hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains derived from humans, swine and wild boars in Croatia from 2010 to 2017.

Background: To fulfill epidemiological data and investigate possible interspecies transmission, this study shall attempt to sequence representative HEV strains of human, swine and wild boar origin collected from 2010 to 2017 in Croatia.

Methods: In total, 174 anti-HEV antibody positive human sera samples; 1419 blood or faeces samples of swine, as well as 720 tissue and/or blood samples of wild boar originating from different counties (18 in total) in Croatia were tested for the presence of HEV RNA.

Results: HEV RNA was detected in 26 human sera samples (14.

Chemokines CXCL10, CXCL11, and CXCL13 in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, non-polio enterovirus aseptic meningitis, and neuroborreliosis: CXCL10 as initial discriminator in diagnostic algorithm?

We investigated potential diagnostic usefulness of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of chemokines CXCL10, CXCL11, and CXCL13 in pediatric patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (n = 23), non-polio enterovirus aseptic meningitis (NPEV AM) (n = 20), and neuroborreliosis (NB) (n = 21) and children with acute infectious diseases with neurological symptoms but with excluded neuroinfection/neuroinflammation (controls, n = 20). CSF levels of CXCL10 and CXCL11 were higher in patients with NPEV AM than those in other children, and CXCL10 levels showed a high discriminative potential (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, ROC, 0.982) with high specificity and sensitivity (both 95%).

Prognostic factors in head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma: experience at a single institution based on 64 consecutive patients over a 28-year period.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignancy of the salivary glands. The clinical behaviour of MEC is largely unpredictable, ranging from indolent tumour growth to highly aggressive metastatic spread. The objective of this study was to determine the clinicopathological predictors of recurrence and survival in patients with head and neck MEC.