Medial deviation of the pterygoid hamulus as an uncommon cause of persistent oral and facial pain - a rare case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Pterygoid hamulus syndrome, a painful oral and facial syndrome, has been described in literature to be correlated with morphological changes in the length of the pterygoid hamulus of the sphenoid bone.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

The current case report describes the treatment for severe, continuous pain in the posterior right palate. Despite numerous conservative treatments given to the patient, no improvement was seen. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) measurements revealed an elongation as well as a significant medial deviation of the lower extremity of the medial pterygoid plate. The surgical resection was performed under local anesthesia. The pain subsided two days after the surgery, and there were no relapses in the weeks that followed.

CONCLUSION

The medial deviation of the hamulus appeared to be important in the etiology of this painful syndrome. Additional research based on CBCT measurements will be required.

Bioinformatics Study Applied to the Pharmacokinetic Profile of Chitosan and its Derivatives with Biomedical Applicability

The N-acetyl group attached to monomeric glucosamine monomer units of chitin confers an extremely low solubility, which makes chitin difficult to process and therefore limiting its medical potential. In order to be used as a drug administration system in the body, it is important to know about the pharmacokinetic profiles of chitosan and its derivatives, more specifically about ADME-Tox profiles (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicology). Through cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools, ADMET is identifying, a set of pharmacokinetic characteristics, such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, blood-brain barrier, nervous system barrier, and toxicological characteristics of chitosan and 5 of its derivatives. Our results have shown that one can try to integrate the drug delivery system into the body.

Bioinformatics and Cheminformatics Tools Applied to Chitosan and Derivatives with Biomedical Applicability

Chitosan (CS) and its derivatives are important particles for the administration of nanomedicine and drugs. Using bioinformatics and cheminformatics tools, the molecular descriptors of chitosan and other new derivatives were quantified and compared using the nano-SAR method.

As(III) Removal by Dynamic Adsorption onto Amberlite XAD7 Functionalized with Crown Ether and Doped with Fe(III) Ions

Arsenic content in groundwater�s present a wide range of concentration, ranging from hundreds of micrograms to thousands of micrograms of arsenic per litter, while the maximum permitted arsenic concentration established by World Health Organization (WHO) is 10 mg L-1. According to the WHO all people, regardless of their stage of development and their social economic condition, have the right to have access to adequate drinking water. The most efficient and economic technique used for arsenic removal is represented by adsorption. In order to make this remediation technique more affordable and environmentally friendly is important to new materials with advance adsorbent properties. Novelty of present paper is represented by the usage of a new adsorbent material obtained by physical - chemical modification of Amberlite XAD polymers using crown ethers followed by iron doping, due to well-known affinity of arsenic for iron ions. Present paper aims to test the obtained modified Amberlite polymer for arsenic removal from real groundwater by using adsorption in a fixed bed column, establishing in this way a mechanism for the adsorption process. During experimental work was studied the influence of competing ions from real water into the arsenic adsorption process.

Eco-materials for Arsenium and Selenium Removal from Aqueous Solutions

Environmental engineering have a great importance because is dealing with different fields, most important of them being water resource protection. It is well known that natural waters and especially groundwater contain dissolved substances, most of them unharmful for human and animal life, but some of them still potentially harmful. Ground waters containing dissolved arsenic and / or selenium are harmful and not suitable for human an animal life. Selenium represents a human life prerequisite microelement which can become toxic when higher quantities are ingested or accumulated. In comparison arsenic has an acute toxic effect over the human body even when very low quantities are ingested. In both cases the maximum amount were limited by OMS at 10 mg L-1. A new technique was used to produce an ecofriendly composite material by doping graphite with iron oxide, which was used for retention of arsenic and selenium from aqueous solutions. Synthesized material was characterized using SEM, EDX, XRD and DTA. Adsorption capacity and adsorption mechanism were established through equilibrium studies. Maximum adsorption capacity was 400 �g As(V) and 625 �g Se(VI) per gram of adsorbent.

From the Complex Process of Gold Ions Recovery in New Antimicrobial Product

Production of new antibacterial materials is really important due to high resistance bacteria at classical antibiotics. In present study,using the adsorption process of gold ions loaded onto Amberlite XAD7-L-glutamic acid, antibacterial material wasproduced.The antibacterial activity of produced material was studied. In order to test this activity, frstly it was necessary to know the microbiological behaviour of Au(III), by running several toxicity tests. Synthesized material show good antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria collected form BegaRiver. These studies were performed in order to find a new application of such materials as paints used as antibacterial agents in hospitals and for domestic use.

Biochemical Study of Cerebrospinal Liquid Composition on a Lot of Newborns with Hydrocephaly

Hydrocephaly represents the accumulation of cerebrospinal liquid at cerebral level and it associates with the increasing of intracranial pressure with multiple effects at the level of cerebral tissue. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a fluid with a clear appearance, with a composition that changes depending on gestational age and associated pathology. Newborns, especially premature, are more susceptible to develop hydrocephaly and a significant percentage out of these will develop neurological deficits and complications associated with ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. The study was carried out in the Department of Neonatology and Premature from the Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children Louis urcanu Timisoara, in a period of 3 years (2014-2016). There were 26 patients included in the study, who presented hydrocephaly diagnosis supported clinically, by ultrasound and CT. There were conducted dosages in dynamics of CSF composition, depending on pathology: malformative, infectious or hemorrhagic.

Effect of a Three-month Period of Diet and pPhysical Activity on Adipokines and Inflammatory Status in Children with Metabolic Syndrome

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the young population continues to rise. This study aimed to determine whether adipokines are significant markers in defining MetS in a pediatric population and to assess the effect of a hypocaloric diet and physical activity on serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). A prospective study was conducted over a period of 1 year, between January and December 2015, on 66 cases of obesity in children diagnosed at the Louis Turcanu Emergency Hospital for Children in Timisoara, Romania. The patients diagnosed with MetS were put on diet and physical exercise for 3 months. MetS was present in 63.6 % of obese children. There was a significant and positive correlation between MetS and both leptin and hs-CRP and a significant, negative correlation between MetS and adiponectin. After diet and physical activity, 3 patients no longer met the criteria for MetS. Leptin, adiponectin and hs-CRP concentrations statistically improved after a three-month diet and physical activity program. In conclusion, hs-CRP, leptin and adiponectin can be used as predictors of cardiovascular risk in the pediatric population. Diet and physical activity have an impact on metabolic status.

Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds Extracted from Urtica dioica Evaluated by in Silico and Experimental Methods

Urtica dioica is a perennial plant of the family of Urticaceae, originating in Eurasia. Nettle lives in temperate regions, prefers shady places, moist soil and rich in nutrients. Worldwide nettle is considered weed. Nettle was used in the past for its medicinal properties on the body and to cure diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, gingivitis, hair loss, or ulcer. It is a plant rich in nutrients, with a high content of minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin A and C. The nettle has uses in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic and nutrition processes. Nettle extract contains ursolic acid and quercetin, giving the plant antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Studies on the nettle have demonstrated a multitude of pharmacological uses including: pharmacological, antiviral, antibacterial, hepato-protective, hypotensive, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. The methods of extraction of the compounds used in the plant were maceration and distillation using ethanol-water-soluble solvent, used because of its extraction capacity. At the same time, the metals in the nettle were determined taking 2 samples of the root, the stalk and the nettle leaves, but also the soil from which the plant grew and were analyzed by Spectroscopy Elemental Isotope Analysis using an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. By cheminformatics and bioinformatics tools we elucidate for first time: (i) the drug like features and bioavailability of ursolic acid and quercetin (ii) by predictive ADMET a set of pharmacokinetic features like: absorption, distribution, metabolized, blood brain barrier and nervous system barrier crossed and toxicology features (AMES, carcinogens, hepatotoxicity, Maximum tolerated dose (human)). Our results showed that quercetin is a good candidate as antioxidant and anti-aging effects.

Pretreatments Testing of High Biodiversity Inocula with Simultaneous Biohydrogen Production and Wastewater Treatment

Hydrogen represents a renewable energy resource and it is an ideal alternative to fossil fuels since it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. In the present study it has been proposed to develop an experimental model to test and compare fermentative capacity of waste water with biohydrogen production for two high biodiversity heterotrophic microbial inocula. All the pretreatment methods tested yielded good results, but heat and acid pretreatment had the best results. These observations open the way for the development and application of new technologies using microbial consortia specially developed to serve the dual role of biological waste water treatment and the production of a renewable energy in the form of biohydrogen.

Assessment of Biochemical Markers in Two Particular Cases with Maxilary Cysts

Biochemical markers have been previously described as predictors of bone remodelling in dental disorders. Here we present 2 cases, diagnosed with inflammatory maxillary cysts in whom biochemical markers of bone remodeling have been evaluated. Clinical evaluations, radiological and laboratory tests, including histopathological examinations were performed in both patients. Laboratory test results indicated an activation of osteoblasts in both cases. Bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) serum levels, as a marker for bone deposition, were significantly increased in both patients. In addition, differences in the cyst size and the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP-5b) test results have been noted in these cases. In the first case, with a cyst [ 1.5 cm in diameter, TRACP-5b serum levels were within the normal reference laboratory values, suggesting that the process of bone resorption may be slightly decreased or potentially lacking. In the second case, with a cyst ] 3 cm in diameter, TRACP-5b serum levels were 1.5 times higher than the upper limit of the normal reference laboratory values, suggesting that a process of osteolysis apparently occured. The two cases diagnosed with maxillary cyst presented differences in the size and the TRACP-5b test results. This suggest a possible correlation between TRACP-5b serum levels, bone resorption and the size of maxillary cysts. Further studies should be performed to confirm this hypothesis.

Protective Effect of Hypericum perforatum L. Extract on Hexavalent Chromium Induced Toxicity in Rat Adrenal Gland

This study was carried out to test the possibility of hexavalent chromium administration through drinking water to induce the structural damage in rat�s adrenal glands and the possibility of Hypericum perforatum extract to faith against chromium aggression. Chromium induced cellular stress was determined by the expression level assessment of the Bcl2 genes family, known to modulate the apoptotic pathway. Obtained results showed that exposure to chromium altered adrenal glands morphology, by induction of apoptosis. When Hypericum perforatum extract was administered expression level of Bcl2 genes and histological lesions in adrenal glands were significantly reduced.

Novel Adsorbent Used for Cesium Removal from Aqueous Solutions

Cesium (Cs) removal from wastewater becomes an emerging issue after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Cs(I) is an metal ion present in high level radioactive waste and has to be removed for a better disposal in geological formation. The present study investigates the adsorption process of Cs(I) from aqueous solutions on an novel adsorbent material. The novelty of this material is that the solid support, magnesium silicate, is doped with a new extractant, thiourea dissolved in ethyl alcohol. In order to establish the adsorption capacities of the adsorbent material, it was used in the removal process of metal ions. Kinetically, the adsorption process of this metal ion has the best fit for the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The removal process through adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous due to the thermodynamic studies. Equilibrium studies were also carried out for the Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips model. The new doped material proves to be favourable as adsorbent material in the removal of Cs(I) from polluted water.

Influence of Enzymatic Cocktails on Conversion of Agricultural Lignocellulose to Fermentable Sugars

Agricultural lignocellulosic biomass is regarded as an important source of biofuels, especially bioethanol and biohydrogen. The following aspects have been studied: the effect of type of substrate used in production of cellulolytic enzymes, the activity of several enzymatic cocktails used to hydrolyse three types of agricultural biomass and the influence of provenience of enzymatic cocktails on sugars yields in the hydrolysis process. Fungi investigated in this study (T. longibrachiatum DSM 769) release higher titter of enzymes when raw, unpretreated agriculture residual biomass is used as substrate and inducer for biosynthesis of cellulolytic enzymes. Cellulolytic enzymes produced in culture media containing a certain type of agricultural lignocellulosic biomass as substrate, can be used in hydrolysis of other types of agricultural lignocellulosic biomass with similar sugar yields. Cellulases produced in culture media containing purified crystalline cellulose as substrate does not contain all necessary types of enzymes to hydrolyze lignocellulosic complex from agricultural biomass to produce high yields of sugars. On-site production of cellulases can be an effective approach biorefinery of lignocellulose to produce biofuels or other biochemicals by fermentation.

The Sulphur and Iron Metabolism in Acidophilic Microbial Gelatinous Formations from an Auriferous Sulphides Mine from the South-West of Romania

This study concerns the iron and sulphur metabolism in the gelatinous formations found in the Kiesberg gallery which is a part of an old mine located in the South-West of Romania which was dug in the metamorphic rocks. The gelatinous formations from the Kiesberg mine represent a complex assemblage formed by 1. chemoautotrophic acidophilic microorganisms (water pH 2.8) and 2. by heterotrophic microorganisms. The oxidative metabolism of the chemolitotrophs is very intense, oxidizing from pyrite: 1. Fe2+ and has, as a result Fe(OH)3 which is deposited at the base of the gelatinous formations, 2. sulphur compounds from which important quantities of SO42-.

Physico-chemical and Bacteriological Characterization of the Soil Types from Various Altitudinal Vegetation Zones in Par�ng Mountains

There were collected soil samples from various vegetation sites and altitudinal vegetation zones of the Par�ng Mountains, from the South-Eastern part of the Hunedoara county, and they were analysed from the physico-chemical and bacteriological point of view. The chemical analyses consisted in the appreciation of the reaction of the soil (pH), in establishing the humus and total nitrogen content. According to these analyses, the soil is generally acid and presents normal nitrogen content. In order to establish the soil type and classes existing in the Par�ng Mountain, the chemical analyses were completed with physical analyses of the soil texture sampled from various altitudinal zones, determining the following soil classes: the Umbrisol Class, the Spodisol Class, the Cambisol Class and the Protisol Class. The bacteriological analyses consisted in the study of the abundance, of the dynamics, diversity and ecological significance on the groups of bacteria involved in the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen (aerobic mesophilic heterotrophs, ammonifiers, denitrifiers, nitrate bacteria and nitrite bacteria and aerobic, free, nitrogen fixing-bacteria from Azotobacter genus) from the mountainous soils. Based on the obtained results there was also calculated the bacterial indicator of the soils biological quality (BISQ) for each type of soil in each altitudinal vegetation zones.

Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Bioinformatics - Two Modern Tools for Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase (SOD3) Gene Promoter Analysis

Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC) is a relatively new method used for screening DNA sequences, characterized by high capacity to detect mutations/polymorphisms. This study is focused on the Transgenomic WAVETM DNA Fragment Analysis (based on DHPLC separation method) of a 485 bp fragment from human EC-SOD gene promoter in order to detect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with atherosclerosis and risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The fragment of interest was amplified by PCR reaction and analyzed by DHPLC in 100 healthy subjects and 70 patients characterized by atheroma. No different melting profiles were detected for the analyzed DNA samples. A combination of computational methods was used to predict putative transcription factors in the fragment of interest. Several putative transcription factors binding sites from the Ets-1 oncogene family: ETS member Elk-1, polyomavirus enhancer activator-3 (PEA3), protein C-Ets-1 (Ets-1), GABP: GA binding protein (GABP), Spi-1 and Spi-B/PU.1 related transcription factors, from the Krueppel-like family: Gut-enriched Krueppel-like factor (GKLF), Erythroid Krueppel-like factor (EKLF), Basic Krueppel-like factor (BKLF), GC box and myeloid zinc finger protein MZF-1 were identified in the evolutionary conserved regions. The bioinformatics results need to be investigated further in others studies by experimental approaches.

The Testing of the Capacity of an Acidophilic Consortium from an Old Mine Concerning the Elimination of Iron and Manganese from the Underground Waters

During the potabilisation processes of underground waters, important quantities of energy are being consumed. In this study, the experimental results obtained at the testing of the elimination of iron and manganese capacity from acidophilic microorganisms consortium located on the gelatinous formations from an old no longer functional mine situated in the South-West of Romania in some underground waters is presented. The experiment was realized with experimental 3 liters plexiglass column pipes for a period of six days. During this time, the capacity of microorganisms consortium inoculated on a pumice stone to oxidize the manganese and iron reduced from the underground waters and to deposit them as insoluble compounds. The data have been compared to the ones from a witness column pipe that was filled up with a pumice stone with no microorganisms and which was only aerated. After every experiment, measurements of manganese and iron concentration from the raw drilling water, from the test effluent and from the witness column pipe have been done. SEM (scanning electronic microscopy) observations of the support pumice stone from the test and witness column pipes have also been realized. As a result of this laboratory experiment we can conclude that, in the same experimental conditions, for 25 minutes period, the iron was chemically and bio-chemically oxidized more rapidly than the manganese. The iron and manganese have been more rapidly oxidized by combined chemical and biological processes from the test column pipe than by chemical process only, from the witness column pipe.

Prostate-specific antigen may serve as a pathological predictor in breast cancer

PSA (prostate-specific antigen), a serine protease with chymotrypsin-like activity is the most useful tumor marker for prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring. The identification of PSA in normal and tumoral mammary gland was regarded as a curiosity, but the confirmation of PSA expression in the mammary gland by others teams of researchers and the identification of specific mRNA in tumors with PSA immunoexpression initiated new perspectives for studies. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of PSA in breast cancers and to evaluate the correlations between PSA expression and some clinicopathological markers. We analyzed the expression of PSA in series of consecutive breast carcinomas by immunohistochemistry and correlated the PSA expression with the histological type and grade, nodal and metastasis status, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), androgen receptor (AR) and HER2/neu expression. PSA expression was observed in 44.5% of breast cancers, particularly in lobular types of carcinoma (p<0.0001). In univariate analysis, the expression of PSA was statistically correlated with AR (p<0.0001), PR (p=0.01) and inversely correlated with HER2/neu overexpression (p=0.008) and G3 (p=0.02). PSA did not significantly correlate with ER expression, lymph node and metastasis status. In multivariate analysis, PR was a moderate predictor (p=0.024) but the lobular type (p=0.000), AR (p=0.000), HER2/neu (p=0.002) and G3 (p=0.008) were strong predictors for PSA immunoexpression.

CD30 expression utilization for the accuracy of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma staging

INTRODUCTION

The presence of Reed-Sternberg malignant cells is absolutely necessary for Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnostic, but it is not always sufficient because can be observed Reed-Sternberg-like cells in other malignant and benign diseases, too. The CD30 expression at Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg level can give us supplementary information in differential diagnostic and can be used as progressive disease factor.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Our study was composed from 63 cases histopathological diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and hospitalized in Hematology Department of County Hospital Timişoara. CD30 expression was immunohistochemical semi-quantitative evaluated using clone BerH2 as primary antibody and APAAP-New Fuchsin as visualization system.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The increasing of CD30 expression occurs in the same time with advanced stages and the disease progression (p =0.001). For I and II stages CD30 expression does not overcome (-/+) category while the III and IV stages, all the cases are situated in (+/-) and (+) categories. No connection can be noticed between histological type and CD30 expression (p < or = 1). We consider that using this staining, although less used in Romania, must be done in all Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma-like cases. We say that because the main cause of relapses is represented by inadequate clinical staging and diagnostic.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, the increasing of CD30 expression is associated with advanced disease stage. We recommend reinvestigating and restaging all cases that was included into an incipient stages and they have a CD30 expression situated in (+/-) and (+) intervals because some lymph nodes could be overlooked.

Variation of cephalometric parameters in peri-puberty cephalometric aspects of sexual dymorphism

The data regarding the global and segmental growth and development of the child are useful in pluri-disciplinary studies which view the human body as an entity where the biological aspects (both the normal and the pathological ones) interlace with the socio-cultural ones, thus offering the possibility to any specialist in the field of humanities and morphological studies to cover a wide range in contemporary anthropological research. The development of the skull takes place in two active stages separated by a stage of relative quiet during the age of seven and puberty when the skull has a dolicocephalic aspect. During the second stage of active growth (which starts with puberty) there is a transversal growth of the basis of the cranium followed by an anteroposterior growth. The degree of gender-related differences as far as the dimensions and proportions of the skull are concerned vary greatly according to race, therefore we may say that general ethnic differences are more pronounced than gender-related ones.

The construction of human body--from model to reality

The human body building represented a complex research topic for the scientist in the most diverse domains. Although their interests and reasons were different, the goal was always the same: establishing a relation to verify the ratio between the dimensions of the constituent segments It appears that the mystery was solved out in the XIX-th century by Adolf Zeising, a German, who, using the statistic calculus, defined the division of a segment by the gold section. This purely mathematic logic confirms the human body's integration in proportion to the finest segments, thus providing the technical instrument of building a fully harmonious human body. The present study aims to compare the ideal, the calculated perfection to the reality, namely the theoretically obtained values to the average values of an 18-year-old male. It appears that the differences refer especially to the limbs; both the superior ones and the inferior ones being longer comparing to the ideal pattern while the bust is shorter and broader.

Preliminary results of orthotopic en bloc uterus and ovary transplantation in the laboratory rat

A new experimental model of whole uterus and ovary transplantation in the laboratory rat was achieved. The main goals of this study were concerned with developing and standardizing the microsurgical technique of uterus transplantation in rats and observing the particular cellular patterns of acute allograft rejection at the level of the transplanted graft. Thirty-five orthotopic uterus transplantations were performed. An additional 20 female rats were used for dissection training sessions. Recipients were euthanasied at 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours. Immediate postoperative survival was 100%. Patency of the microsurgical anastomoses, checked at 24 hours, was 100%. At 72 hours thrombosis occurred in all anastomoses. The explanted uterine grafts were fixed in formaline and analyzed under light microscopy and specific imunohistochemical analysis. The acute allograft rejection has a particular cellular reaction pattern, probably due to the unique diversity of the tissues that compose it. Inflammatory cells like LTCD8+, LBCD20+ and mastocytes tend to agglomerate in the vicinity of nervous and vascular structures, showing no signs of lymphoid tissue disposition like in typical acute rejection. Uterus transplantation in rats has proven to be a valid experiment that allows us to express hope that by further research on transplantation of the uterus gynecologists will be able to introduce an adapted technique in the treatment of specific cases of human female infertility.