Medicina
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Background and objectives: Pulp stones are hard tissue structures formed in the pulp of permanent and deciduous teeth. Few studies have evaluated their morphology and chemical composition. However, their formation, composition, configuration and role played in overall health status are still unclear. ⋯ Conclusions: The high cellularity rate of the coronal pulp predisposes this region to nodular mineralizations around injured cells. The presence of larger caliber vascular bundles and higher collagen fiber content in radicular pulp determines a diffuse morphological pattern in this region. Understanding the morphology and chemical composition of the pulp stones allows future translational pathways towards the prevention or treatment of such conditions.
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Review Meta Analysis
Aromatherapy for Symptom Relief in Patients with Burn: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Background and Objectives: This review aimed to provide an updated review of evidence regarding the effects of aromatherapy in relieving symptoms of burn injuries, focusing on pain and physiological distress. Materials and Methods: Fifteen databases (including five English databases, four Korean medical databases, and four Iranian databases) and trial registries were searched for studies published between their dates of inception and July 2021. Two review authors individually performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment, and any discrepancies were solved by a third review author. ⋯ None of the included studies reported on AEs. Overall, the risk of bias across the studies was concerning. Conclusions: This updated review and synthesis of the studies had brought a more detailed understanding of the potential application of aromatherapy for easing the pain and anxiety of burn patients.
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While spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a well-established therapy to address refractory persistent spinal pain syndrome after spinal surgery (PSPS-T2), its lack of spatial selectivity and reported discomfort due to positional effects can be considered as significant limitations. As alternatives, new waveforms, such as burst stimulation and different spatial neural targets, such as dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS), have shown promising results. Comparisons between DRGS and standard SCS, or their combination, have never been studied on the same patients. "BOOST DRG" is the first prospective, randomized, double-blinded, crossover study to compare SCS vs. ⋯ Before crossing over, patients will receive each stimulation modality for 1 month, using tonic conventional stimulation. After 3 months, stimulation will consist in switching to burst for 1 month, and patients will choose which modality/waveform they receive and will then be reassessed at 6 and 12 months. In addition to our primary outcome based on pain rating, this study is designed to assess quality of life, functional disability, psychological distress, pain surface coverage, global impression of change, medication quantification, adverse events, brain functional imaging and electroencephalography, with the objective being to provide a multidimensional insight based on composite pain assessment.
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The first published description of intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) appeared in mid-2016, when a new experimental technique was successfully used in adult human ovaries to correct the reduced fertility potential accompanying advanced maternal age. Considering the potential therapeutic scope of intraovarian PRP would likely cover both menopause and infertility, the mainstream response has ranged from skeptical disbelief to welcome astonishment. Indeed, reports of intraovarian PRP leading to restored menses in menopause (as an alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy) and healthy term livebirths for infertility patients (from IVF or as unassisted conceptions) continue to draw notice. ⋯ Notwithstanding these aspects, no adverse events have thus far been reported and ovarian PRP appears well tolerated by patients. Here, early studies guiding the transition of 'ovarian rejuvenation' from experimental to clinical are outlined, with mechanisms to explain results observed in both veterinary and human ovarian PRP research. Current and future challenges for intraovarian cytokine treatment are also discussed.
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Background: Laboratory tests of inflammatory mediators are routinely used in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences of dynamics of inflammatory markers of the blood in patients with suspected acute appendicitis between complicated AA (CAA), non-complicated AA (NAA), and when AA was excluded (No-AA). Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients presented to the Emergency Department (ER) of a tertiary hospital center during a three-year period. ⋯ The linear logistic regression model, involving inflammatory mediators and clinical characteristics, showed mediocre diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing AA with an AUC of 0.737 (0.671-0.802). Conclusions: Increasing concentrations of inflammatory markers are more characteristic in CAA patients than in No-AA during the first 48 h after onset of the disease. A combination of laboratory tests with clinical signs and symptoms has a mediocre diagnostic accuracy in suspecting AA.