University of Rijeka

This research will study the effect of Mediterranean diet intervention in patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment for metastatic melanoma and its relationship with gut microbiome and quality of life. One group of patients will continue with their regular diet, while the other will receive dietary tele-intervention with trained nutritionist during the 12-week period. Gut microbiome, quality of life questionnaires, blood parameters and radiological examination will be evaluated before and 12-weeks after the start of the intervention.

The use of regional anesthesia in breast surgery improves the postoperative outcome, reduces the development of infection, and weakens the perioperative immunosuppressive response associated with the response to surgical stress. The investigators hypothesize that the use of propofol / paravertebral anesthesia and analgesia will be accompanied by a decrease in serum proinflammatory cytokines and/or an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines compared to propofol / PECS 2 anesthesia and analgesia. The research will be on 100 respondents divided into two groups. 0.5% levobupivacaine will be administered to both groups. Serum concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and lymphocyte subpopulations 1h before, 24h, and 48h after surgery will be measured. The investigators aim to compare the effect of propofol / paravertebral and propofol / PECS 2 anesthesia and analgesia on serum perioperative values of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines to standardize protocols and apply the best method of perioperative analgesia in breast cancer surgery.

The aim of this study is to compare the dimensional changes of the gingiva due to initial periodontal therapy in non-smokers and cigarette smokers and to compare the oral health related quality of life of non-smokers and cigarette smokers with periodontitis before and after initial periodontal therapy. Changes in gingival volume are expected to be greater in non-smokers than in cigarette smokers. It is expected that the quality of life will be better after therapy in both groups, with better results in the non-smoking group.
60 subjects with periodontitis will be included in the study 30 non-smokers and 30 cigarette smokers. All subjects will fill out a quality of life questionnaire which will be validated before the onset of this research. This will be followed by clinical periodontal examination. After examination, the upper and lower jaw will be scanned using an intraoral scanner and initial periodontal therapy will be performed. After 8 weeks, subjects will fill out the quality of life questionnaire again, measurement of periodontal indices and scanning will be performed. The digital scans wll be superimposed, and the dimensional changes of the gingiva will be quantified and compared between the two groups. By using 3D technology, it will be possible to objectively quantify tissue changes and monitor the course of the disease. A 3D comparison between non-smokers and cigarette smokers will provide a new perspective on the relationship between smoking and periodontitis. Furthermore, it will be demonstrated to what extent smoking affects the quality of life of patients with periodontitis and the results of non-surgical therapy.