Abstract Unfounded—conspiracy and health—beliefs about COVID-19 have accompanied the pandemic worldwide. Here, we examined cross-nationally the structure and correlates of these beliefs with an 8-item scale, using a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. We obtained a two-factor model of unfounded (conspiracy and health) beliefs with good internal structure (average CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.04), but a high correlation between the two factors (average latent factor correlation = 0.57). This model was replicable across 50 countries (total N = 13,579), as evidenced by metric invariance between countries (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMS = 0.07) as well as scalar invariance across genders (CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.04, SRMS = 0.03) and educational levels (CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.04, SRMS = 0.03). Also, lower levels of education, more fear of COVID-19, and more cynicism were weakly associated with stronger conspiracy and health beliefs. The study contributes to knowledge about the structure of unfounded beliefs, and reveals the potential relevance of affective (i.e., fear of COVID-19) and cognitive (i.e., cynicism) factors along with demographics, in endorsing such beliefs. In summary, we obtained cross-cultural evidence for the distinctiveness of unfounded conspiracy and health beliefs about COVID-19 in terms of their structure and correlates.

Background Monitoring of trough levels and anti-drug antibodies is important when patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are treated with anti-TNF biologics due to guided therapeutic decisions. The comparability of 3 ELISA tests for detection of the lowest serum concentration of infliximab (IFX) or antibodies to IFX (ATIs) was evaluated. Material/Methods Two commercial assays for measuring IFX levels were compared with the in-house (UHL) test. ATIs were measured with 1 commercial test and compared to the in-house test. According to the guidelines, IFX levels were within the range of 3 to 7 μg/mL. Results The decision to continue therapy would be the same for 11 out of 16 patients when comparing the apDia Infliximab ELISA and UHL test, and for 12 out of 18 patients when comparing the Lisa-Tracker and in-house UHL test. Linear correlations between the tests were R=0.92 (UHL and apDia), R=0.91 (apDia and Lisa-Tracker), and R=0.89 (UHL and Lisa-Tracker) with P<0.001, respectively. Conclusions As the IFX levels are important for decisions on further therapy, detectable IFX levels realistically reflect the presence of the drug in the patients’ blood and thus control inflammatory activity. The tests were found as comparable and performed well in this aspect and might be used in everyday clinical practice.

Background This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dental health on quality of life (QoL) in 117 patients from Kosova, aged 6–80 years, using the Dental Impact on Daily Living (DL) questionnaire and the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) questionnaire. Material/Methods We recruited 117 patients, approximately half male and half female, aged 6–80 years. The subjects came for dental appointments and filled out 2 questionnaires: DIDL addressing questions on appearance, comfort, pain, performance and eating restriction, and OHRQoL assessing dental-specific questions for evaluation of satisfaction with oral health, and evaluation of importance they attribute to oral health. Collected data included age, gender, income, education level, and frequency of brushing teeth per day. Results The participants were relatively satisfied with their DIDL health (score >0) and also had positive views on OHRQoL (score >0). No participants evaluated the appearance, comfort, eating restrictions, or pain as satisfactory. Comparisons of age, gender, education, income level, and frequency of brushing teeth showed that female participants evaluated their DIDL higher than male participants (P=0.043). Age was correlated with the frequency of teeth brushing per day (rho=−0.450; P<0.001). Gender, age, education level, income level, and frequency of teeth brushing did not influence QoL. Conclusions This small study from Kosovo showed reasonable satisfaction with oral health and its associated QoL. While participants reported good effects of oral health on their QoL, they were least satisfied with comfort and most satisfied with their performance.

Introduction: Sexual satisfaction is the pleasure an individual feels both physically and psychologically, and is the result of erotic experiences, thoughts, dreams, and autoeroticism. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to present the determinants of sexual satisfaction among Bosnian and Herzegovinian women. Methods: The survey was conducted on 387 Bosnian and Herzegovinian women via online questionnaire that consisted of demographic data and 17 statements. The validated questionnaire was used with some adaptations and contained a 5-point Likert scale for each statement, ranging from “not at all satisfied” to “extremely satisfied.” The inclusion criteria were: (a) Age 18–60 years; and (b) completion of the questionnaire as personal consent. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. Results: Data collection was conducted from July 2020 to September 2020. The realization rate of the sample was 24.19%. Most of the participants have a high school diploma, most are between 18 and 24 years old and most are currently married. Thirty-five percent of women sometimes experience pain during intercourse (less than half the time). The lower half of the vagina (from the vaginal entrance to the half of the vagina) and the lower part of the abdomen are usually most affected. A relationship was found between the number of children and sexual satisfaction. Women without children were the most satisfied with their sexual life, followed by women who had only one or two children. Conclusions: Every woman has the right to feel sexual satisfaction. The complexity of sexual satisfaction is reflected in many determinants and factors that can influence it positively and negatively.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been a source of fear around the world. We asked whether the measurement of this fear is trustworthy and comparable across countries. In particular, we explored the measurement invariance and cross-cultural replicability of the widely used Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), testing community samples from 48 countries (N = 14,558). The findings indicate that the FCV-19S has a somewhat problematic structure, yet the one-factor solution is replicable across cultural contexts and could be used in studies that compare people who vary on gender and educational level. The validity of the scale is supported by a consistent pattern of positive correlations with perceived stress and general anxiety. However, given the unclear structure of the FCV-19S, we recommend using latent factor scores, instead of raw scores, especially in cross-cultural comparisons. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Aim: Orthodontic brackets during their wear cause demineralization of enamel, which is the initial step in caries development. The prevention of such spots is crucial to ensure healthy teeth, but patients’ compliance is not the most optimal way. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial properties of fluoride-containing orthodontic materials to the materials without additional fluoride. Materials and Methods: Antibacterial effectiveness of orthodontic materials with fluoride – Transbond Plus SEP Bonding agent, Transpond Plus Adhesive agent, Fuji I Band cement, Fuji Ortho LC Adhesive agent, Ortho Solo Bonding agent, and without antimicrobial substances – Transpond XT Bonding agent, Transbond XT Primer were tested with the inhibition on most common causes L. achidophilus (ATCC 4356) and S. mutans (ATCC 10449) and compared to negative control. Antimicrobial effectiveness of each material was measured with the agar diffusion method and expressed with the diameters of inhibition zones around the disk. Results: Materials containing fluoride showed more antimicrobial effectiveness compared to materials without fluoride or negative control (p<0.001), respectively. Materials from the group with no antibacterial substances were not statistically different compared to the negative control (P>0.05). Conclusion: Materials containing fluoride showed more significant antimicrobial effectiveness when compared to the materials without antimicrobial substance and thus might have the potential of antimicrobial properties in vivo.

Background Severe thoracic trauma (TT) has a significant impact on the selection of treatment strategy in patients with polytrauma. Our aim was to assess the impact of severe TT on choosing the optimal surgical procedure to decrease mortality. Material/Methods Overall, 66 patients with polytrauma and significant TT were analyzed. Demographic data, trauma history, admittance imaging, injury details, injury severity scores, conservative treatment, surgical treatment, days of hospital stay, and mortality data were gathered. Frequencies of thoracic surgical procedures and other treatments were collected and compared with those in the literature. Results All patients had Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores of thorax >3. Injuries to extremities and/or the osseous pelvis accounted for 50% of injuries; 47.0% included the head and/or neck; 45.5% were external injuries; and 27.3% were abdominal injuries or included pelvic organs and/or lumbar spine. Mean prehospital time was 40.3 min. Mean time from trauma occurrence to tertiary treatment was 125 min. Blunt TT (BTT) was recorded in 59 patients (89.4%), and penetrant TT (PTT) was recorded in 7 patients (10.6%). Thoracic drainage, urgent thoracotomy and laparotomy were recorded procedures. The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) of all patients was 31.17. Nine patients died (13.6%) and had BTT with a mean ISS of 48.44. The Trauma Injury Severity Score for BTT injuries was 77.08% and for PTT, 85.6%. Conclusions Factors that decreased hospital stay and mortality and increased survival included arriving in time after injury, aggressive reanimation/intensive care, and mandatory thoracic surgical procedure combined with laparotomy.

Background Periapical lesions are primarily caused by infections in the root canals. The objective of this study was to assess the antibacterial effectiveness of diode laser during root canal treatment in artificial models of infected periapical lesions. Material/Methods One hundred twenty-two extracted premolar single-rooted teeth were inserted into methyl methacrylate artificial models of periapical lesions, and bacterial solutions of Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) and Streptococcus mitis (ATCC 49456) were then applied to the models. The respective diameters of lesions in the artificial models represented 3 different subgroups based on lesion size. The laser protocol used for endodontic disinfection had a power output of 1.5 W and a wavelength of 810 nm. The impact on cell viability was evaluated by flow cytometry. Results Disinfection with laser did not differ between microorganisms (P=0.137), and laser irradiation with a longer duration had better disinfecting action for both microorganisms (P<0.001). Compared with larger lesions, smaller lesions had a higher percentage of dead cells for both microorganisms (P<0.001). The percentage of dead cells in the treatment groups was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusions Laser treatment had a poor, almost negligible effect on elimination of bacterial cells in large periapical lesions. Application of a laser might serve as an adjuvant method to standard irrigation with sodium hypochlorite.

Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops from pests. In addition to protection during cultivation, they are also used after harvesting to extend the shelf life of products. Postharvest control stands out, especially when it comes to products imported from distant countries, resulting in increased concentration of pesticides and risk to human health consuming such products. In this study, analyses of pesticide residues were performed on 200 samples of fruits and vegetables. Pesticide residues were identified and quantified in 30 out of 200 samples. Study results revealed imazalil to be the most frequently detected pesticide. Risk assessment was performed on the obtained results, and it was carried out separately for adults and for children under 6 years of age. Imazalil showed the highest ARfD percentage for adults (max% ARfD 251%), and these values were especially high on risk assessment for children, where they amounted up to max% ARfD 1087%. The study of imazalil impact was performed on 16 Swiss albino mice divided into two groups and 4 subgroups. Experimental group animals were treated with the corresponding NOAEL dose of imazalil (10 mg/kg) for 28 days. Body weight was measured before each pesticide application on a digital electronic Sartorius scale. Peripheral blood analysis was performed after 28-day animal exposure to pesticides. Animals were anesthetized, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and white blood cell (WBC) count were determined by standard hematological methods. The organs for determination of imazalil concentration were extracted immediately upon animal sacrifice and stored in a freezer at -80°C until analysis. Results show difference in gain weight, and an increase in WBC count was recorded in the experimental group as compared with a control group of animals. The highest imazalil levels were recorded in adipose tissue (45.2‰) which proves tendency to accumulate.

SUMMARY The purpose of the study was to retrospectively analyze the prevalence of oral cavity, neck and head tumors recorded at our department over a period of 3 years. Retrospective analysis included archival data on cancer patients treated at our department during the 2015-2017 period. A total of 1005 patients with proven carcinomas were selected for final analysis. Cancers were detected by ultrasound, x-ray, biopsy and clinical diagnosis. The mean age of patients was 58.4±19.3 years. The majority of cases (n=264; 26.3%) were detected in the 7th decade of life. The most common cancers were basal cell carcinoma in 374 (37.2%) and squamous cell carcinoma in 228 (22.7%) cases. The male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. There was no statistically significant age difference between genders. Recurrence of tumor occurred in 31 patients. The most common risk factor in both groups was sun exposure. The most common sites were lower lip, cheek and frontal region in men, and cheek region and nose in women (p<0.001). Men were found to be more susceptible to cancer development. This study showed differences between age groups, i.e. elderly patients had a much higher probability of developing cancer as compared to younger patients.

The Dark Triad (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism) has garnered intense attention over the past 15 years. We examined the structure of these traits’ measure—the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD)—in a sample of 11,488 participants from three W.E.I.R.D. (i.e., North America, Oceania, Western Europe) and five non-W.E.I.R.D. (i.e., Asia, Middle East, non-Western Europe, South America, sub-Saharan Africa) world regions. The results confirmed the measurement invariance of the DTDD across participants’ sex in all world regions, with men scoring higher than women on all traits (except for psychopathy in Asia, where the difference was not significant). We found evidence for metric (and partial scalar) measurement invariance within and between W.E.I.R.D. and non-W.E.I.R.D. world regions. The results generally support the structure of the DTDD.