Search

Introduction: It`s well known that the periodontitis is а complex disease initiated by bacteria, but modified by environmental factors and the host response. As any other chronic disease, the periodontal disease is influenced by the individual predisposition of the patient to develop the specific symptoms. The increasing number of studies in the area of the genetic factors and mechanisms of the patient to develop the specific condition is leading to the need for certain polymоrphism’s to be studied in details for the Bulgarian population. Aim: The recent study aims to identify the presence of SNP of IL-17F in the Bulgarian population. Materials and methods: In the study, 40 patients with periodontitis stage II, III and IV and 10 healthy control subjects were taking part. The age of the subjects varied between 23 and 75 with an average value of 46 years. Clinical and radiographic methods to establish the basic periodontal parameters were used. Laboratory methods were performed by means of Real-Time PCR for determination of SNP of Interleukin 17F (IL-17F) (-7488C/T rs_763780). The statistic data was processed with PCA – IBM SPSS Statistics Version 21. From all of the patients, informed consent was taken. Results: The recent study collected information about the dominating genotype when studying SNP of IL-17 F for patients with periodontitis. The presence of two genotypes was established – genotype TT (92%) and genotype CT (8%). We have established specific tendencies about the distribution of major parameter for diagnosis of periodontitis such as BoP and BL/Age in both groups. The individual host susceptibility can be used as a diagnostic parameter leading to the development of screening methods in order suspectable individuals to be found. Conclusion: The study has contributed to clarifying the genetic characteristic of the tested subject. The results confirmed the data from different studies that aim to research the genetic polymorphism of IL-17F in relation to periodontitis.

Morphogens are secreted signalling molecules that act in a graded manner to control the pattern of cellular differentiation in developing tissues. An example is Sonic hedgehog (Shh), which acts in several developing vertebrate tissues, including the central nervous system, to provide positional information during embryonic patterning. Here we address how Shh signalling assigns the positional identities of distinct neuronal subtype progenitors throughout the ventral neural tube. Assays of intracellular signal transduction and gene expression indicate that the duration as well as level of signalling is critical for morphogen interpretation. Progenitors of the ventral neuronal subtypes are established sequentially, with progressively more ventral identities requiring correspondingly higher levels and longer periods of Shh signalling. Moreover, cells remain sensitive to changes in Shh signalling for an extended time, reverting to antecedent identities if signalling levels fall below a threshold. Thus, the duration of signalling is important not only for the assignment but also for the refinement and maintenance of positional identity. Together the data suggest a dynamic model for ventral neural tube patterning in which positional information corresponds to the time integral of Shh signalling. This suggests an alternative to conventional models of morphogen action that rely solely on the level of signalling.

Background: The effectiveness and limitations of causal therapy of chronic periodontitis have been thoroughly documented in the literature, and the intensity of the individual destructive host response is taken into consideration, as well. These facts are the basis in research of additional therapeutic approaches to modify tissue response by regulating the amount and activity of pro-inflammatory mediators and those of destruction. Various drugs are being studied to modulate the host's response in chronic periodontitis. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that inhibit the expression and activity of important mediators has led to positive results. Aim: To assess changes in PGE2 gene expression levels as a result of non-surgical therapy and additional application of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent in chronic periodontitis. Material and methods: Thirty patients with moderate to severe periodontitis without systemic diseases were involved in the study. Clinical and laboratory methods were used to evaluate non-surgical periodontal treatment. Results: The data obtained from the clinical measurements - PD, CAL, BL and BOP shows that no statistically reliable relationship between gene expression of PGE2 and most clinical parameters was found in the control and test groups. Reduction in the values following the therapy was recorded in a lot of patients, but only in the test group (taking NSAIDs) with a pocket depth (PD) ≥5mm a statistically significant, inverse correlation between the PGE2 gene expression levels and changes in the pocket depth was established. Conclusion: Additional therapy with NSAIDs in chronic periodontitis has higher efficacy, manifested by correlation of deep pockets reduction and changes in PGE2 expression.

Research background: Distance education in Bulgarian universities is a relatively new form of human capital training, applied until recently on a limited scale. The global 2020 health and economic crisis, related to the mass lockdown of the in-person educational process throughout the world, has imposed a new challenge to the anti-crisis management of the universities, schools and other educational institutions in Bulgaria: the obligatory application of the distance learning process. For the optimal development of the educational systems in the conditions of similar future crises, it is necessary to have various information about the impact of the crisis on the different groups of educational institutions and especially about the response of the students. Purpose of the article: This article aims to highlight the identified problems and challenges that distance education is facing and to provide recommendations for its future optimization to individual learners and educators, as well as to the educational institutions themselves and third stakeholders. Methods: The method of self-administered survey, conducted through Google Forms and the descriptive method, through which the authors of the article share their observations of the educational process, conducted during the lockdown, were used. Findings & Value added: Main findings include the pre- and after- lockdown levels of technical armament of the respondents, specifics of the loans taken for its provision, the forms of online training used and the personal assessment of the respondents for their effectiveness, the difficulties encountered during the educational process.

Chronic periodontitis is a multifactorial disease that is characterized by attachment loss and loss of alveolar bone. Periodontal pathogens from the subgingival microbiota are suggested as a major etiological factor for the periodontitis. The host inflammatory response against bacteria and their virulence factors underlies the current understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis. The destructive immune response was shown to be associated with an extremely increased production of inflammatory cytokines in periodontal tissues. The expression of several cytokines likeIL-1β and IL-6 is responsible for alveolar bone resorption, and loss of connective tissue attachment in chronic periodontitis. Authors reported a reduction in the levels of inflammatory cytokines after successful periodontal therapy. Measuring the levels of inflammatory factors may be diagnostic approach to assess the effectiveness of the therapy of periodontitis.

Globalization is a process with serious implications for the well-being of humankind. The development of electronic technologies and hardware has led to the emergence and expansion of global e-commerce which allows people to meet their needs for certain goods and receive financial means to do that. This article points to the results of a study of online buying habits and perceived opportunity for professional realization in e-commerce of first-year students in Economics at a smaller economic faculty in Southeast Europe, born in the late Y generation, with a minimum period of higher education in majors other than e-commerce. The relationship with the education and training, required to carry out these activities was specifically sought. The method of self-administered survey was used. 58 usable questionnaires were collected. Results show that respondents buy online mostly clothes, shoes, cosmetics and electronics and pay usually by bank cards; the main reasons for this kind of purchasing being the lower price and non-availability of the goods otherwise. Only 12.07% of the respondents have conducted commercial sales via the Internet and out of them 57.1% are satisfied with the income, but only at the-pocket-money-level. 36.2% of all respondents are ready to seek training in order to be able to earn a living in this way, which points to a niche in the educational services market.

Facial shape is the basis for facial recognition and categorization. Facial features reflect the underlying geometry of the skeletal structures. Here, we reveal that cartilaginous nasal capsule (corresponding to upper jaw and face) is shaped by signals generated by neural structures: brain and olfactory epithelium. Brain-derived Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) enables the induction of nasal septum and posterior nasal capsule, whereas the formation of a capsule roof is controlled by signals from the olfactory epithelium. Unexpectedly, the cartilage of the nasal capsule turned out to be important for shaping membranous facial bones during development. This suggests that conserved neurosensory structures could benefit from protection and have evolved signals inducing cranial cartilages encasing them. Experiments with mutant mice revealed that the genomic regulatory regions controlling production of SHH in the nervous system contribute to facial cartilage morphogenesis, which might be a mechanism responsible for the adaptive evolution of animal faces and snouts.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disruption of the periodontal supportive tissues. There are the numerous evidences for his bacterial etiology. Though the occurrence of periodontal bacteria is considered to be the main cause of periodontitis, certain characteristics of the individual immune response may also have influence on the disease development and progression, and on the treatment outcomes. There are some reports that attempt to identify genetic factors associated with periodontitis including polymorphisms of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) genes. We were interested from the distribution of several genotypes of the cytokines: interleukin-6 - (G-174C) and (G-597A), lymphotoxin- α (A+252G), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (G-308A) in patients with chronic periodontitis. Aim: To investigate the association of chronic periodontitis with certain gene polymorphisms of interleukin-6 (IL-6), Lymphotoxin- α, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Material and methods: The study included 30 patients with moderate or severe chronic periodontitis, and 10 persons with healthy periodontium. Total genomic DNA was extracted from the buccal epithelial cells. TNF-A (G-308A), IL-6 (G-174C), IL-6 (G-597A) and LT-A (A+252G) genes polymorphisms were analyzed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Outcomes showed a large variety in genotype’s distribution in the investigated groups. No important difference was observed in the distribution of IL-6, TNF-α and LT-α genotypes between chronic periodontitis patients and controls in this study be reason of the small studied group. However, a significant difference in the LT-α was observed – a prevalence of the genotype GG in patients with severe periodontitis. In relation with IL-6 (G-597A) and IL-6 (G-174C) genotyping – in both of them in patients with severe periodontitis was occurred most frequently the genotype GG. In patients with periodontitis the frequency of genotype GG of TNF-α (G-308A) was significantly increased. Conclusion: The assessment IL-6 (G-597A) and IL-6 (G-174C), and TNF-α (G-308A) revealed that genotype GG was moderate associated with chronic periodontitis in Bulgarian individuals. As a result of these findings we may suppose that the G allele may play an important role in the development and progression of periodontal disease in this population. The frequency of LT-A (A252G) was significantly greater in severe periodontitis patients in this study.

Double staining kit of Annexin V Cy3.18/6-CFDA was used to investigate the changes in phospholipide asymmetry after treating sperm cells with dexamethasone. The % of spermatozoa with registered translocation of PS in treated with dexamethazone groups at the 10-th min and in control no treated varied from 2.74%±0.65 to 2.30%±0.89. After the 5 hour of incubation these % increased to 39.83±3.33 for the treated group and 23.44±1.12 for the control. It was concluded that Annexin V binding assay is more sensitive in the detection of deterioration in membrane function than other conventional methods such as motility analysis and supravital techniques.

It is possible to collect and successfully cryopreserve ejaculates in a non-mating season from rams of the autochthonous breeds Karakachan, Cooper-red Shumen and Karnobat-local, raised in Bulgaria. Studies are in progress aiming the elaboration of optimal cryoprotective extenders and freezing technology.

Until 2020 organisations gave their employees the opportunity to work from home as a perk intended to provide for favourable working conditions. The spread of COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed by governments made organisations worldwide switch entirely and in a very short time to remote work where the nature of the job allowed it. In these new working conditions, organisations changed their policies and employee engagement became one of the most common issues in recent research. This article is aimed to study employees' attitudes of engagement with their organisation when working from home as well as the factors that could increase employee engagement. The results from the author's two-stage survey of employees in Bulgarian organisations show that their engagement with the organisation has not decreased despite the long work from home due to the pandemic and the challenges associated with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to induce the sexual activity and to attain ejaculation during non-mating season in aboriginal ram breeds bred in Bulgaria. The possibility is discussed to use these rams with regard to the selection activity in effective sexual way.

The present study was conducted to detect sperm apoptosis in fresh, capacitated and frozen ram semen and to determine its relationship with other seminal parameters as motility and viability. The cryopreservation process induces the plasma membrane disruptions, attended with increasing of phoshpatidylserine molecules expression on the extracellular surface, wherefore some of the live spermatozoa loss their biological potential to fertilize the egg.

In vitro induced apoptosis by dexamethazone treating of ram spermatozoa provoked the phospatidylserine exposure which is mainly localized on sperm tail region of plasma membrane and is correlated negatively with the sperm motility and survival rate.