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Introduction: Physical activity has high importance in the prevention of diseases, particularly where lifestyle diseases are concerned. To motivate a person to be physically active often proves to be difficult in clinical practice. Thus it was the aim of this study to find out through interviews how to best motivate most notably the part of the population that is less active., Methods: 500 persons aged from 15 years onwards were asked in face-to-face interviews about their leisure activities, self-assessment of their personal fitness, and about inhibiting and motivating factors in connection with their physical activity., Results: Only every second interviewed person is intentionally active in order to improve his/her own fitness. The better part of the inactive population can envisage introducing more physical activity into their everyday life. There are various reasons that instigate to be more active: above all, the recommendation of doctors, but also the wish for physical wellbeing or group dynamics act as a stimulant. Would there be an advertising campaign promoting the importance of physical activity, top athletes and physicians would have the most motivating impact., Conclusion: A sustainable and favourable effect on health promotion could be achieved most notably by motivating people to add more physical activity to their everyday life.

Introduction: This prospective randomized controlled trial examined the effect of harmonic vibrations of crystal singing bowls on the perception of pain, subjective wellbeing and chronobiologic activities (quality of sleep) in patients with chronic unspecific spinal pain., Subjects and Methods: 54 persons with chronic, unspecific spinal pain participated in the study. The treatment group (IG) received 6 units of a singing bowl therapy, the placebo group (KG) received a placebo treatment. The control group (NG) was not treated at all. Pain intensity, pain disability and quality of life were evaluated right before and 1 week after the intervention, pulse rate and skin conductance were measured during 3 therapeutic sessions. A 24-hour measurement of the heart rate variability to evaluate quality of sleep was made four times. Before and after each session the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDBF) was filled out., Results: IG and KG had significant lower pain intensities compared to the NG. The NG even experienced an increase in pain intensity. The results of the MDBF suggest an unspecific relaxing effect of the intervention in IG and KG. Twice during the treatment a significant decrease of the pulse rate could be observed., Conclusion: Under the given conditions the hypothesis of pain relief and chronobiologic changes in patients with chronic spinal pain by a treatment with crystal singing bowls compared to placebo could not be confirmed., (Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

This paper gives a comparative overview of the current clinical care of patients experiencing pain in the musculoskeletal system in Austria and in Germany. The questionnaire used in this study was modified from one used in a survey carried out in Germany in 2002. In our version we asked specifically about pain in the musculoskeletal system. In all 228 health care facilities were reviewed, 56.6% of which offer at least one option for pain therapy. In Austria, the majority of patients with pain in the musculoskeletal system are treated by specialists in the departments of anaesthesiology, internal medicine, and orthopaedics. In 17.4% of the clinics in Austria there are plans to extend the pain therapy they offer, but in over half of the hospitals that responded facilities for pain therapy are considered to be vulnerable. The study highlights a significant higher percentage of in-patient pain therapy services in Austria, while in Germany, in contrast, there are more outpatient options for pain therapy. The quality of pain therapy could by further improved by more intense cooperation between the inpatient and outpatient sectors and by the establishment of interdisciplinary and multimodal solutions.

In advanced periodontal diseases, where the root surface a longer time is exposed to the oral environment, retaining of teeth is only possible through de novo-attachment of the periodontal ligament on the diseased root surface. Even when surgical reconstruction of the alveolar bone is successful, connective tissue fibers fail to attach to the affected dental cementum. Patients with two- and three wall pockets can be successfully treated by Nymans method of guided tissue regeneration. However the restoration of the dental attachment apparatus in cases with advanced horizontal destruction of the alveolar bone is still an unsolved problem of periodontal therapy. Investigations of an artificial attachment support will be presented. A synthetic felt glued onto the root surface with special dental adhesives shall obtain the necessary support reattachment of the connective tissue fibers at the periodontitis affect root.

A device for the prevention of intraoral soft tissue injuries in comatose patients with uncoordinated chewing movements is presented. Shape and material of the device, which is easily fashioned and handled, are designed to protect oral and buaccal soft tissue structures against self inflicted injuries.

Unlabelled: The German-Austrian-Swiss Research Team on Maxillofacial Tumours is investigating a series of 585 carcinomas of the oral cavity, lips and oropharynx by biostatistical methods. The aim of the study is the determination of relevant prognostic symptoms of oral cavity carcinomas, classification of the series on the basis of these symptoms, the determination of therapeutic efficacy and the assessment of collective and individual prognosis., Preliminary Results: 1. Factors of prognostic relevance are probably only tumour size and intensity of regional metastases. 2. The classification of the series becomes problematic due to the lack of relevant prognostic factors.

Problems associated with the classification of cavum oris and labial carcinomata were discussed with particular reference to patients admitted to and treated in seven different clinical hospitals where identical methods of diagnosis and case history evaluation had been used. Using electronic data processing and biostatistical methods it was possible to study the effects of two clinically detectable factors (growth of primary tumor and degree of regional metastasizing) on both the prognosis and classification according to UICC rules. It was possible to show that a determination of the size of primary tumor (T) alone was not sufficient for three homogeneous, prognostically different collectives of tumors to be satisfactorily classified by the new UICC rules. It has been shown that a classification of three collectives of tumors (new classification according to UICC rules), especially as regards the proportion of N3 metastases within the collectives of tumors, was made possible. Therefore, it will be necessary to study the prognostic influences of additional clinically determinable factors with a view to arriving at a useful and practicable classification of oral cavity carcinomata.