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Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences Jan 2024Tooth gemination is a single enlarged or joined tooth with a normal tooth count when the anomalous tooth is counted as one. Mandibular second premolars show an elevated...
BACKGROUND
Tooth gemination is a single enlarged or joined tooth with a normal tooth count when the anomalous tooth is counted as one. Mandibular second premolars show an elevated variability of crown morphology. Only nine cases of isolated second premolar macrodontia have been reported in the literature.
CASE DESCRIPTION
This case report presents the clinical and radiographic findings and conservative treatment of an atypical and rare case of localized bilateral molarization of mandibular second premolars.
CONCLUSION
Dental professionals should acquire deeper knowledge about anomalies and plan treatment carefully to avoid unexpected complications during dental procedures caused by morphological ignorance.
Topics: Humans; Bicuspid; Mandible; Female; Male; Tooth Abnormalities
PubMed: 38957336
DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v34i1.11 -
Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences Jan 2024Coronaviruses (CoVs) belong to the RNA viruses family. The viruses in this family are known to cause mild respiratory disease in humans. The origin of the novel... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Coronaviruses (CoVs) belong to the RNA viruses family. The viruses in this family are known to cause mild respiratory disease in humans. The origin of the novel SARS-COV2 virus that caused the coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) is the Wuhan city in China from where it disseminated to cause a global pandemic. Although lungs are the predominant target organ for Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19), since its outbreak, the disease is known to affect heart, blood vessels, kidney, intestine, liver and brain. This review aimed to summarize the catastrophic impacts of Coronavirus disease-19 on heart and liver along with its mechanisms of pathogenesis.
METHODS
The information used in this review was obtained from relevant articles published on PubMed, Google Scholar, Google, WHO website, CDC and other sources. Key searching statements and phrases related to COVID-19 were used to retrieve information. Original research articles, review papers, research letters and case reports were used as a source of information.
RESULTS
Besides causing severe lung injury, COVID-19 has also been reported to affect and cause dysfunction of many other organs. COVID-19 infection can affect people by downregulating membrane-bound active angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). People who have deficient ACE2 expression are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. The patients' pre-existing co-morbidities are major risk factors that predispose individuals to severe COVID-19.
CONCLUSION
The disease severity and its broad spectrum phenotype is a result of combined direct and indirect pathogenic factors. Therefore, protocols that harmonize many therapeutic preferences should be the best alternatives to de-escalate the disease and obviate deaths caused as a result of multiple organ damage and dysfunction induced by the disease.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Liver Diseases; Heart Diseases; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Liver
PubMed: 38957334
DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v34i1.10 -
Ghana Medical Journal Mar 2024Mucocoele of the appendix occurs in 0.2-0.7% of people in the world without any well-defined clinical symptoms. It occurs when there is an accumulation of mucous in the...
INTRODUCTION
Mucocoele of the appendix occurs in 0.2-0.7% of people in the world without any well-defined clinical symptoms. It occurs when there is an accumulation of mucous in the lumen of the appendix.
CASE PRESENTATION
We present three cases: a 48-year-old male admitted to the emergency room with a one-day history of right iliac fossa pain. Abdominal examination was suggestive of acute appendicitis. The initial abdominal computerised tomography scan was reported as being unremarkable. At surgery, a firm tumour of the appendix was found, and a limited right hemicolectomy was done. Histopathology confirmed a mucocoele of the appendix with borderline mucinous histology.The second case is a 63-year-old man who presented with a one-year history of abdominal distension and weight loss. Previous abdominal ultrasound was suggestive of liver cirrhosis with significant ascitic fluid. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging found an appendix mucocoele with infiltration of the omentum and scalloping of the liver surface suggestive of pseudomyxoma peritonei. A percutaneous biopsy of the omental mass confirmed metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix.The third case is a 68-year-old man who, during an annual medical check-up, had an incidental finding of a cystic right iliac fossa mass on ultrasound, confirmed on abdominopelvic computerised tomography scan to be an appendix mucocele. He had laparoscopic appendicectomy. The histopathological diagnosis confirmed a mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix.
CONCLUSION
Preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal mucocoele is difficult and commonly discovered intraoperatively. The prognosis is good for the histologically benign type, but it is poor when malignant or peritoneal lesions are present.
FUNDING
None declared.
Topics: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mucocele; Appendix; Aged; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Appendiceal Neoplasms; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Appendicitis; Appendectomy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Cecal Diseases; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei
PubMed: 38957279
DOI: 10.4314/gmj.v58i1.15 -
Ghana Medical Journal Mar 2024The study aimed to detect the presence of infection in children using two investigative methods: the rapid urease test and histological methods. It also examined the...
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to detect the presence of infection in children using two investigative methods: the rapid urease test and histological methods. It also examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and Helicobacter pylori infection.
DESIGN
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the paediatric theatre at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
PARTICIPANTS
Children who were scheduled for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were recruited into the study.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The presence of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies was measured using a rapid urease test and histology.
RESULTS
Seventy-three children aged 2 years to 16 years were seen during the period. Both tests were positive at the same time in 36 (49.3%) out of the 73 children (p<0.0001). The positivity rates for the rapid urease test and histology were 57.5% and 53.4 %, respectively. Significant predictors of the histology presence of H. pylori were a large household size of at least 6 members (AOR: 4.03; p<0.013) and the presence of pets at home (AOR: 3.23; p<0.044).
CONCLUSIONS
Substantial agreement was found between the rapid urease test and histology examination of gastric biopsies for the presence of . Children from large households and those with pets at home appear to have increased odds of having infection of the gastric mucosa.
FUNDING
None declared.
Topics: Humans; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Urease; Female; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Ghana; Biopsy; Socioeconomic Factors; Gastric Mucosa
PubMed: 38957277
DOI: 10.4314/gmj.v58i1.10 -
Cureus Jun 2024Background Newborns frequently experience respiratory distress (RD), necessitating preventive management during transportation. The use of Continuous Positive Airway...
Background Newborns frequently experience respiratory distress (RD), necessitating preventive management during transportation. The use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is crucial in mitigating RD in neonates, particularly during transit. This study aims to assess the feasibility and efficacy of utilizing a RAM cannula (Neotech Products, Valencia, USA) with a T-piece resuscitator to deliver CPAP during neonatal transport. The objective is to evaluate the response of transported neonates to this intervention, including improvements in distress, surfactant requirements, ventilator dependency, and complications. Method and material Neonates with RD qualifying for CPAP support at birth and requiring transport to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care were included. The average duration of transport was 38 minutes (range 12 minutes to 2 hours). RAM cannula with a T-piece resuscitator was used for CPAP delivery during transportation. Vital parameters and interventions were monitored during transit, and outcomes were compared with inborn neonates receiving standard CPAP in the labor room. Results Out of 48 babies, nine babies required surfactant, and four needed invasive ventilation, with three developing a nasal injury. Compared to in-house preterm babies, these babies had more Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) knob adjustment, desaturation episodes, late surfactant administration, and intubation needs. Conclusion A high-flow nasal cannula combined with a T-piece resuscitator emerges as a promising modality for CPAP delivery during neonatal transportation, demonstrating efficacy with minimal complications.
PubMed: 38957251
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61514 -
F1000Research 2023Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis (PVNS) is a rare disease of osteoskeletal tissue. Cytodiagnosis of PVNS on fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears is therefore rarely...
BACKGROUND
Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis (PVNS) is a rare disease of osteoskeletal tissue. Cytodiagnosis of PVNS on fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears is therefore rarely reported. The PVNS usually affects the larger joints. The involvement of the smaller joints and bones are uncommon.
CASE PRESENTATION
The reported case is one such rarity wherein the diagnosis of PVNS was carried out on the FNAC. The case showed the involvement of all carpal bones except for the pisiform. The 2 - 5 metacarpal bases were also found to be involved in the disease process. The presence of sheets of synoviocytes with brown altered hue to the cytoplasm along with multinucleate giant cells and pigmented macrophages were characteristically present in the smears of FNA. The diagnosis was confirmed on the tissue biopsy. The present case is reported for its unusual multiosteotic involvement of wrist joint bones and the metacarpal bones simultaneously with radiological evidence. The cytomorphology of the lesion in the present case were noteworthy as a learning experience in reporting of PVNS of wrist joint on FNA smears.
Topics: Humans; Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular; Carpal Bones; Biopsy, Fine-Needle; Cytodiagnosis; Male; Wrist; Adult; Female
PubMed: 38957200
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.141797.1 -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been studied extensively for its potential to enhance human cognitive functions in healthy individuals and to treat... (Review)
Review
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been studied extensively for its potential to enhance human cognitive functions in healthy individuals and to treat cognitive impairment in various clinical populations. However, little is known about how tDCS modulates the neural networks supporting cognition and the complex interplay with mediating factors that may explain the frequently observed variability of stimulation effects within and between studies. Moreover, research in this field has been characterized by substantial methodological variability, frequent lack of rigorous experimental control and small sample sizes, thereby limiting the generalizability of findings and translational potential of tDCS. The present manuscript aims to delineate how these important issues can be addressed within a neuroimaging context, to reveal the neural underpinnings, predictors and mediators of tDCS-induced behavioral modulation. We will focus on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), because it allows the investigation of tDCS effects with excellent spatial precision and sufficient temporal resolution across the entire brain. Moreover, high resolution structural imaging data can be acquired for precise localization of stimulation effects, verification of electrode positions on the scalp and realistic current modeling based on individual head and brain anatomy. However, the general principles outlined in this review will also be applicable to other imaging modalities. Following an introduction to the overall state-of-the-art in this field, we will discuss in more detail the underlying causes of variability in previous tDCS studies. Moreover, we will elaborate on design considerations for tDCS-fMRI studies, optimization of tDCS and imaging protocols and how to assure high-level experimental control. Two additional sections address the pressing need for more systematic investigation of tDCS effects across the healthy human lifespan and implications for tDCS studies in age-associated disease, and potential benefits of establishing large-scale, multidisciplinary consortia for more coordinated tDCS research in the future. We hope that this review will contribute to more coordinated, methodologically sound, transparent and reproducible research in this field. Ultimately, our aim is to facilitate a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which tDCS modulates human cognitive functions and more effective and individually tailored translational and clinical applications of this technique in the future.
PubMed: 38957187
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1389651 -
Proceedings of SPIE--the International... Feb 2024Organ segmentation is a fundamental requirement in medical image analysis. Many methods have been proposed over the past 6 decades for segmentation. A unique feature of...
Organ segmentation is a fundamental requirement in medical image analysis. Many methods have been proposed over the past 6 decades for segmentation. A unique feature of medical images is the anatomical information hidden within the image itself. To bring natural intelligence (NI) in the form of anatomical information accumulated over centuries into deep learning (DL) AI methods effectively, we have recently introduced the idea of hybrid intelligence (HI) that combines NI and AI and a system based on HI to perform medical image segmentation. This HI system has shown remarkable robustness to image artifacts, pathology, deformations, etc. in segmenting organs in the Thorax body region in a multicenter clinical study. The HI system utilizes an anatomy modeling strategy to encode NI and to identify a rough container region in the shape of each object via a non-DL-based approach so that DL training and execution are applied only to the fuzzy container region. In this paper, we introduce several advances related to modeling of the NI component so that it becomes substantially more efficient computationally, and at the same time, is well integrated with the DL portion (AI component) of the system. We demonstrate a 9-40 fold computational improvement in the auto-segmentation task for radiation therapy (RT) planning via clinical studies obtained from 4 different RT centers, while retaining state-of-the-art accuracy of the previous system in segmenting 11 objects in the Thorax body region.
PubMed: 38957182
DOI: 10.1117/12.3006617 -
International Journal of Nanomedicine 2024Salidroside (SAL) is the most effective component of , a traditional Chinese medicine. Cryptotanshinone (CT) is the main fat-soluble extract of , exhibiting considerable...
BACKGROUND
Salidroside (SAL) is the most effective component of , a traditional Chinese medicine. Cryptotanshinone (CT) is the main fat-soluble extract of , exhibiting considerable potential for application in osteogenesis. Herein, a polycaprolactone/gelatin nanofiber membrane loaded with CT and SAL (PSGC membrane) was successfully fabricated via coaxial electrospinning and characterized.
METHODS AND RESULTS
This membrane capable of sustained and controlled drug release was employed in this study. Co-culturing the membrane with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells revealed excellent biocompatibility and demonstrated osteogenic and angiogenic capabilities. Furthermore, drug release from the PSGC membrane activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoted osteogenic differentiation and vascularization. Evaluation of the membrane's vascularization and osteogenic capacities involved transplantation onto a rat's subcutaneous area and assessing rat cranium defects for bone regeneration, respectively. Microcomputed tomography, histological tests, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining confirmed the membrane's outstanding angiogenic capacity two weeks post-operation, with a higher incidence of osteogenesis observed in rat cranial defects eight weeks post-surgery.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the SAL- and CT-loaded coaxial electrospun nanofiber membrane synergistically enhances bone repair and regeneration.
Topics: Osteogenesis; Animals; Nanofibers; Gelatin; Polyesters; Glucosides; Phenols; Phenanthrenes; Humans; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rats; Male; Bone Regeneration; Membranes, Artificial; Coculture Techniques; Drug Liberation; Cell Differentiation
PubMed: 38957181
DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S461141 -
Aesthetic Surgery Journal Jul 2024Various surgical techniques have been devised for the surgical cosmetic enhancement of female outer genitalia. The selection of an optimal method should be based on...
BACKGROUND
Various surgical techniques have been devised for the surgical cosmetic enhancement of female outer genitalia. The selection of an optimal method should be based on satisfaction rates and safety; however, a comprehensive, contemporary systematic assessment of these factors in has been limited in the literature.
OBJECTIVES
Our aim was to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the overall satisfaction rates and risk factors associated with various labiaplasty techniques and tools.
METHODS
The authors performed a systematic literature search in three medical databases: PubMed, Elsevier and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) with the closing date of October 2023. Original articles with quantitative satisfaction rates and frequencies of most common complications (hematoma, dehiscence, swelling, bleeding and infection) were included.
RESULTS
Systematic search provided a total of 3954 records. After selection and review of the articles, 86 eligible, peer-reviewed studies were identified, of which 53 provided quantitative data. High overall satisfaction rate was found for all methods (Prop: 94%; CI: 93-95%), with highest satisfaction for deepithelization (Prop: 97%; CI: 85%-99%). Complications were generally rare, with elevated incidences for some techniques (wedge resection - dehiscence: Prop: 8%; CI: 5%-13% and composite reduction - swelling: Prop: 13%; CI: 2%-54%). Scalpel has significantly higher incidence of complications than laser, namely for bleeding, swelling and hematoma.
CONCLUSIONS
Labiaplasty can be considered a generally effective approach to outer female genitalia beautification, with low associated risks. Surgeons must tailor their approach to the patients' needs and anatomy to achieve maximal satisfaction, given the differences in the frequency of complications for each method.
PubMed: 38957153
DOI: 10.1093/asj/sjae143