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Introduction/Objective. Comparing two materials under the same conditions is the best way to define differences between them. Ceramic-reinforced polyether-etherketone (PEEK) is a polymer that has many possible uses in dentistry as already well-known lithium disilicate ceramics. The aim of this study was to compare peri-implant soft tissue healing and evaluate patient satisfaction with esthetics in different observation periods, as well as the success and survival rate of both types of crowns. Methods. The study was conducted as a clinical, prospective, randomized split-mouth study on 17 patients with bilaterally missing upper teeth of the same type, replaced with dental implants. Study outcomes have been analyzed with subjective (visual analogue scale – VAS scale) and objective parameters (modified bleeding index – MBI, modified plaque index – MPI and peri-implant probing depth – PPD) baseline, six and twelve months after fixing crowns onto the implants. Results. Comparison of the results between PEEK and lithium disilicate crowns showed no statistical differences in terms of MPI, MBI, and PPD in the observed periods. Analyzing MPI during observation periods in the PEEK group of crowns, statistical significance was registered between baseline values and after six months. Also, statistical significance was noticed in terms of PPD during the observation time both in the study and control group of crowns. Results for VAS for the esthetics showed no statistically significant difference between the groups, while VAS for restoration satisfaction showed a statistically significant difference. Conclusion. This study showed that scores of the applied subjective and objective parameters can be a reliable tool to rate the clinical outcome of implant-retained single crowns over time.

Introduction/Objective. Factors such as nature of psychiatric disorder, length of hospitalization and oralside effects of psychotropic medications may considerably contribute to high prevalence of oral diseases among people with schizophrenia, and a consequent need for prosthetic rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to ascertain the oral health level of prosthetic rehabilitated patients with schizophrenia and to consider their needs for future improvement of prosthetic rehabilitation. Methods. The study group comprised 52 patients with schizophrenia, hospitalized at the Dr Laza Lazarević Clinic for Mental Disorders, Belgrade. The control group comprised 52 patients with no psychiatric medical history, treated at the School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade. The oral health indices (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index – DMFT, Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs – CPITN, and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index – OHI-S), socio-demographic characteristics, smoking habits, oral hygiene habits, and previous dental visits were registered in both groups, as well as medical characteristics of the primary disease in the study group patients. Results. Fifty percent of the study group patients had partial mobile dentures, while almost 30% had fixed dentures, in contrast to the control group patients, who prevalently had fixed dentures. In both groups of patients, a statistical significance was observed between partial mobile and fixed dentures wearers, in terms of DMFT index, carious teeth, CPI modified, and OHI-S. Similarly, a statistically significant difference between the groups was observed concerning fixed dentures in terms of carious teeth, filled teeth, CPI modified, and OHI-S. Conclusion. Multidisciplinary approach is needed for complete oral and prosthetic rehabilitation of this group of psychiatric patients.

Background/Aim. In colon and rectal cancer surgery, resection is considered radical when circumferential, proximal and distal resection margins are without the presence of tumor cells. Concept of total mesorectal excision in rectal surgery involves complete removal of the tumor with mesorectal fascia which surrounds lymph nodes, lymphatics and blood vessels. The aim of this study was to determine whether laparoscopic approach provides all parameters of oncological radicality as open surgery of colorectal cancer. Methods. The study included 122 patients with carcinoma of colon and rectum, divided into two equal groups: patients operated on by laparoscopic and those operated on by open approach. In colon surgery we analyzed proximal and distal resection margins, and the number of removed lymph nodes, and in rectal surgery: proximal, distal and circumferential resection margins, and the number of removed lymph nodes. Results. Both groups were comparable in age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, tumor localization, tumor size, and type of surgical operation performed. According to localization of the tumor, the most commonly performed operation was anterior resection of the rectum (60.7% vs. 59%). There was no case of the tumor involvement of the distal margin. Average proximal distance from the tumor on the fixed specimen was 100 vs. 120 mm with statistical significance (p < 0.001). Distal margins were not significantly different, 40 mm in both groups (p = 0.143). In two cases we had circumferential resection margin (CRM) of 1 mm (7.7%) in the laparoscopic group, and in three cases operated conventionally CRM was 1 mm (8.8%). The average number of removed lymph nodes was 15 vs. 16, respectively. Length of hospital stay for patients assigned to the laparoscopic surgery was significantly shorter than for patients operated on by the open approach. Concerning postoperative complications, no significant difference was found between groups. The overall postoperative morbidity was 18% vs. 21.3%, respectively. Conclusion. With laparoscopic approach it is possible to provide all parameters of oncological radicality similarly to the open surgery of colorectal cancer.

Corrective defectological or special educational work is one of the important approaches in the education and rehabilitation of children with disabilities and developmental disorders, regardless of whether these children are educated in special or general conditions. Corrective work, additional support, compulsory extracurricular individual activities or corrective stimulating exercises - are all kinds of individual special educational work based on the specific educational needs and abilities of each individual child. The benefits and values of applying individual special educational work in special education and rehabilitation are numerous; the focus on one student/user, as given by the very nature of this type of teaching or work, is not only a simple spatial orientation of a higher degree but also a new type of relationship, communication and interaction that creates a new quality and development in the discovery and perception of the world around these students/users. Individual special educational work, as an approach, exists in the part of the education system that is intended for the education of students with disabilities, in the so-called special schools for more than 15 years, and it is almost neglected the existing possibility of its application in the entire educational system, in all educational institutions where children and students with disabilities and developmental difficulties learn in an inclusive context. Inclusive education in Serbia, which still faces numerous challenges, should use all available resources in an adequate way. Corrective defectological or special educational work is an insufficiently used inclusive resource in our environment and our educational system.

TiO2 nanopowders were produced by sol-gel technique using TiCl4 as a starting material. For the preparation of crystalline anatase with developed surface area, this aqueous solution has been mixed with 0.05 M or 0.07 M (NH4)2SO4 solution in a temperature-controlled bath. The pH values of the suspension were 7, 8 or 9. According to the x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis the anatase crystallite sizes were about 12 nm, which coincided with the average particle size revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Raman scattering measurements have shown the presence of a small amount of highly disordered brookite phase in addition to dominant anatase phase with similar nanostructure in all synthesized powders. BET measurements revealed that all synthesized catalysts were fully mesoporous, except the sample synthesized with 0.07 M (NH4)2SO4 at pH=9, which had small amount of micropores. The photocatalytic degradation of herbicide Clomazone was carried out for both the pure active substance and as the commercial product (GAMIT 4-EC) under UV irradiation. The best photocatalytic efficiency was obtained for the catalyst with the largest specific surface area, confirming this parameter as crucial for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of the pure active substance and commercial product of herbicide Clomazone. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III45018]

The present study estimated the cracking phenomenon in as-plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite coatings (HACs) after they were being subjected to the severe cutting conditions in the direction perpendicular to the coating/substrate interface. In order to evaluate the effects of substrate preheating on the occurrence of micro-cracks, the HACs were deposited at different initial substrate temperatures (TS = 20, 100 and 200°C). The changes in phase composition and HA splat morphology with TS were observed and were correlated with the cracking occurrence. The results showed that severe cutting conditions introduced a localized cracking in the regions of HACs dominantly attributed to the brittle hydroxyl-deficient amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) phase. This effect was particularly observable in the HACs deposited without preheating of substrate. On the other hand, the preheating of substrate reduced the presence of micro-cracks and caused insignificant changes in the average local phase composition. In HACs deposited with preheating of substrate, the HA splats (of which HACs are composed) were thinner and recrystallized HA regions seemed smaller in size and more evenly distributed. These results implied potentially important roles of the HA splat formation mechanism on the distribution of ACP and recrystallized HA regions in the as-plasma-sprayed HACs and the cracking resistance of HACs. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 34022]