Medicina
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Introduction: The available literature lacks data regarding the levels of resistin, lysozyme, lactoferrin, α-amylase activity, pH, and saliva buffer capacity, as well as oral health and hygiene in the group of adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of the research was to assess the selected saliva parameters in patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Materials and methods: Examined group was composed of 40 patients diagnosed with CF, while the control group of 40 healthy individuals. ⋯ However, mean lysozyme, and resistin levels, as well as pH and buffer capacity of the saliva, were lower. Conclusions: New diagnostic methods, including the evaluation of selected salivary biochemical parameters, may indicate the existence of factors predisposing to severe tooth decay in the study group. Appropriate preventive treatment to combat dental caries in adult patients with CF will significantly improve their comfort and life expectancy.
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Hirschsprung's disease is a neurocristopathy, caused by defective migration, proliferation, differentiation and survival of neural crest cells, leading to gut aganglionosis. It usually manifests rapidly after birth, affecting 1 in 5000 live births around the globe. In recent decades, there has been a significant improvement in the understanding of its genetics and the association with other congenital anomalies, which share the pathomechanism of improper development of the neural crest. ⋯ From the diagnostic perspective, researchers also focused on "Variants of Hirschsprung's disease", which can mimic the clinical signs of the disease, but are in fact different entities, with distinct prognosis and treatment approaches. The treatment of Hirschsprung's disease is usually surgical resection of the aganglionic part of the intestine, however, as many as 30-50% of patients experience persisting symptoms. Considering this fact, this review article also outlines future hopes and perspectives in Hirschsprung's disease management, which has the potential to benefit from the advancements in the fields of cell-based therapy and tissue engineering.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effects of Equine Simulator Riding on Low Back Pain, Morphological Changes, and Trunk Musculature in Elderly Women.
Background and objectives: Studies on the effects of an equine riding simulator (ERS) program on back pain, spinal alignment, and isokinetic moments in subjects with chronic low back pain (CLBP) remain limited. The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in elderly women with CLBP who participate in an ERS program. Materials and Methods: The 80 participants were all women aged 61-84 years who were randomly assigned to either the control group (CON) or ERS group (ERSG). ⋯ Spinal alignment in the ERSG significantly improved. The peak torques of the trunk extensor in the ERSG were also significantly increased. Conclusion: It can be inferred that the ERS exercise can decrease fat and improve the trunk extensor strength through increased BMR, leading to better spinal alignment and reducing back pain in elderly women with CLBP.
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The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the vertical bone gain achieved after the sinus lift procedure with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) used as a bone substitute and simultaneous implant placement. ⋯ This study concluded that there was vertical bone gain with the usage of β-TCP in maxillary sinus lift surgical procedure with immediate implant placement and that implant variables like length and diameter had a significant influence on the average bone gain values. The implant position did not have a statistically significant influence but there was considerable variation in the bone gain between first, second premolar, and molar regions.
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Editorial
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Major Pathogenic Driver in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis?
Despite the fact that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a common downstream mechanism of all fibrosing diseases, whether it represents a leading process in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has been widely discussed and is still a matter of debate. According to the most recent advances, EMT is thought to be mainly driven by the overexpression of several developmental pathways upstream of dysfunctional epithelial regeneration, which indeed normally occurs after damage and during tissue turnover. Future research should likely be directed at investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial dysfunction, in order to allow for both the removal of the wording "idiopathic" from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ("IPF") and for the identification of earlier and more effective therapeutic targets than the late process of fibrosis.