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Objective: The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the long-term survival rate of dental implants placed in autologous onlay bone block graft (AOBG) augmentation areas, harvested from intraoral origin, used for reconstruction of maxillary atrophy. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 108 patients, who received a total of 272 dental implants placed in 109 maxillary augmentation sites using AOBG in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bovine bone substitute material, covered with platelet-poor plasma (PPP). Results: Of the 109 OBGs performed from 2000 to 2010, 108 (99.1%) were deemed "successful." Of the total implants, the great majority (94.5%) was deemed to have survived. The total implants' 10-year cumulative survival rate was 89%, compared to 99% in the anterior maxillary area. Conclusions: We suggest that reconstruction of maxillary atrophy, through horizontal and vertical intraoral AOBG, in combination with bovine bone substitute material and PRP and covered by PPP, should be considered a reliable, safe, and very effective method to obtain a high rate of bone graft survival following a high rate of long-term implant survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G-protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) interfere in receptor-G-protein coupling leading to desensitization of G-protein-mediated receptor signalling. G-protein-coupled receptor signalling and its desensitization were previously implicated in the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate alterations in GRK2 protein and mRNA levels in mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) of untreated patients with major depression and the effects and time-course of antidepressant treatments on these alterations. Repeated GRK2 protein and mRNA measurements were carried in MNL of 24 patients with major depression. Each patient was examined while untreated and after 1, 2, 3 and 4 wk of antidepressant treatment ; 24 healthy subjects were also studied. GRK2 protein and mRNA levels were evaluated through immunoblot analyses using monoclonal antibodies against GRK2 and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. GRK2 protein and mRNA levels in MNL of untreated patients with major depression were significantly lower than the measures characterizing healthy subjects. The decreased GRK2 protein and mRNA levels were alleviated by antidepressant treatment. Normalization of GRK2 measures preceded, and, thus, could predict clinical improvement by 1-2 wk. These findings support the implication of GRK2 in the pathophysiology of major depression and in the mechanism underlying antidepressant-induced receptor down-regulation and therapeutic effects. GRK2 measurements in patients with depression may potentially serve for biochemical diagnostic purposes and for monitoring and predicting response to antidepressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has not only caused significant challenges for health systems worldwide, but also fueled a surge in misinformation. Nurses as frontline health care providers should be equipped with the most accurate information on COVID-19., Purpose: This study examines nurses' knowledge and strategies of information credibility sourcing., Method: A cross-sectional survey among nurses and laypersons with no health care background. The questionnaire dealt with knowledge and ability assess credibility of COVID-19 information., Findings: Nurses' knowledge of COVID-19 preventative behaviors was significantly higher than that of laypersons; however, there was no difference in science-based knowledge of COVID-19. In contrast to laypersons, nurses in this study were better able to discern the credibility of health-related information about COVID-19 than laypersons. Yet they rarely used scientific criteria in evaluating conflicting information., Discussion: Given the importance of assessing the credibility of information, both information literacy skills and science-based knowledge about COVID-19 should be offered., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)