Oxidative Stress in Military Missions-Impact and Management Strategies: A Narrative Analysis

This narrative review comprehensively examines the impact of oxidative stress on military personnel, highlighting the crucial role of physical exercise and tailored diets, particularly the ketogenic diet, in minimizing this stress. Through a meticulous analysis of the recent literature, the study emphasizes how regular physical exercise not only enhances cardiovascular, cognitive, and musculoskeletal health but is also essential in neutralizing the effects of oxidative stress, thereby improving endurance and performance during long-term missions. Furthermore, the implementation of the ketogenic diet provides an efficient and consistent energy source through ketone bodies, tailored to the specific energy requirements of military activities, and significantly contributes to the reduction in reactive oxygen species production, thus protecting against cellular deterioration under extreme stress. The study also underlines the importance of integrating advanced technologies, such as wearable devices and smart sensors that allow for the precise and real-time monitoring of oxidative stress and physiological responses, thus facilitating the customization of training and nutritional regimes. Observations from this review emphasize significant variability among individuals in responses to oxidative stress, highlighting the need for a personalized approach in formulating intervention strategies. It is crucial to develop and implement well-monitored, personalized supplementation protocols to ensure that each member of the military personnel receives a regimen tailored to their specific needs, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of measures to combat oxidative stress. This analysis makes a valuable contribution to the specialized literature, proposing a detailed framework for addressing oxidative stress in the armed forces and opening new directions for future research with the aim of optimizing clinical practices and improving the health and performance of military personnel under stress and specific challenges of the military field.

Eyelid carcinomas: Tumor aggressiveness tendencies for smokers compared to non‑smokers

During the past few years, several studies have demonstrated that head and neck carcinomas present more aggressive forms for smokers, relative to non-smokers. Our aim was to investigate the tumor aggressiveness for patients with eyelid carcinomas, in relation to tobacco consumption, as well as other demographic and clinical data. For 98 patients with eyelid carcinomas, we studied the relationship between the duration of their symptoms and their tumor stage at first diagnosis, trying to determine potential correlations with smoking status and several other clinical parameters. Our data revealed that, for the same duration of symptoms, tobacco consumers tended to have higher tumor stages, which did not correlate with other variables. For early diagnosed tumors, within the first year of symptoms, smokers presented 6.044 times higher odds to exhibit more advanced tumor stages, compared to non-smokers, and this value decreased to 4.501, up to 5 years of the presence of symptoms (P<0.05). We also noted that, for smokers, an increased age was associated with increased tumor stages, which was opposed to non-smokers, regardless of their symptom duration [average odds ratio (OR) 1.122, P<0.05]. Tumor aggressiveness was therefore associated with tobacco consumption, leading to an increased risk of developing more aggressive forms of eyelid carcinomas for smokers, compared to non-smokers.

Impact of Photochemical Reactions Induced by UV Light in Pterygium Lesions

Pterygium is a frequent ocular disease whose etiopathology is not completely known. Several factors are considered involved in pterygium formation and progression, among which light exposure, age, dry eyes condition, bacterial infections or genetic predisposition. The purpose of our study was to perform a partial evaluation of the social history of 118 patients with pterygium. All of them presented lesions of various sizes, unilateral or bilateral, and underwent surgical removal. We have analysed potential correlations between the degree of progression (lesion size expressed in mm, measured before removal) and several factors: age, sex, residence, sun exposure, presence of chemical burns, smoking habits. According to our results, UV radiation was identified as an important factor, as patients with prolonged exposure exhibited larger lesions. Other factors presented less significant correlations with the size of pterygium lesions.

Applications of Factorial Analysis in the Study of Risk Factors and their Chemical Influence for Erosive Dental Wea

Dental wear is an irreversible loss of dental hard tissues under the action of physical and chemical factors that may come from the external or internal environment of the body. Dental wear is the consequence of three mechanisms: biocorrosion, friction and stress. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of risk factors on the severity of erosive dental wear in children using factorial analysis. In this context, we used data from a statistical survey conducted between 2017-2018 on 456 rural and urban children aged 6 to 11 years, where dental wear was analyzed according to a series of diet-related factors, oral hygiene and behavioral patterns (bruxism). The major impact was caused by energy drinks, yoghurt and carbonated beverages. Through the associations resulting from the factorial analysis, the mechanisms involved in the erosive dental wear were also highlighted, and the main was biocorrosion, followed by friction and stress.

Biochemical Analysis of Mineral Metabolism and Central Bone Mineral Density in 157 Adult Women

This is a cross-sectional retrospective study of observational type. 157 menopausal subjects were included. A number of N1=89 were younger of 60 years old (also included) and a number of N2=68 were older than 60 years old. Median of age was of 55 years, respective 66 years.The biochemical parameters like total and ionic serum calcium, serum magnesium, and phosphorus between the two groups N1-N2 were similar (p]0.05).The median values of mentioned chemical elements were within normal limits.The bone turnover markers were not statistically significant different between N1 and N2. 25OHD was found deficient in both populations, irrespective of age. DXA- BMD and T-score N1-N2 difference was statistical significant for all the four central sites. Biochemical mineral parameters seem not to be influenced by the cut off of 60 years in menopausal women aged between 40 and 80 years. Yet, a large prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is identified regardless the age without secondary PTH raise. The statistical significant results are for BMD and T-score for all the four central sites.

Inverted Nipple Treatment and Poliglecaprone Spacer

INTRODUCTION

Nipple inversion is defined as a non-projectile nipple. It is a frequent pathologic condition, in which the whole nipple, or a portion of its, is buried inward towards the lactiferous duct and lies below the plane of the areola. Numerous strategies have been described to correct nipple inversion. All the procedures have the purpose to give a good shape to the nipple, preserving its function and sensitivity, when it is possible. To avoid recurrences and to obtain good aesthetic results, we present a modified percutaneous technique.

METHOD

We performed a retrospective study between 2011 and 2016 and included all the cases of inverted nipples treated in our department. Our modified percutaneous technique consists of a minimal incision supported by a percutaneous suture as a temporary spacer to fill the defect caused by releasing the fibro-ductal bands.

RESULTS

A total of 41 cases of inverted nipples were corrected in 32 patients. After 1 year of follow-up, no recurrence was observed and all nipples maintained complete eversion. There was only one case of partial unilateral necrosis in a patient who underwent tumorectomy and radiotherapy. All patients were satisfied with the aesthetic outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This is a simple, safe and cheap technique that should be considered as a reliable method for long-term correction of nipple inversion.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

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