Search

Calcium and magnesium are minerals with important functions throughout the body. The deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer, and affects the skin and teeth. Some studies have associated it with osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative pathology with a high prevalence that affects the knee joint, and prevention is necessary in the context of the lack of understanding of pathophysiology. The role of serum calcium and magnesium levels was considered in this regard. The study included a group of 371 hospitalized patients for unilateral or bilateral knee pain, of whom 326 patients had knee osteoarthritis and were the subject of the research. The risk factors such as age, gender, body mass index, weight status, and certain anatomical changes were analyzed, including the varus and valgus alignment. The results show the inverse relationship of Ca values with the radiological classification of knee osteoarthritis and the importance of risk factors such as age, gender, and obesity for the onset and progression of the pathology. Serum Mg values were not statistically significant in this study group.

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate a possible relation between the volume of atypical meningiomas (AMs) and the risk of tumour recurrence, as well as progression-free survival (PFS). Material and methods: We evaluated 81 patients diagnosed with AMs (WHO grade II meningioma) who have undergone surgery at the "Prof. Dr. N. Oblu" Emergency Clinical Hospital Iasi between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. The recorded data were demographic and imagistic (MRI, contrast-enhanced T1WI). We calculated the tumour volume prior to the surgery and evaluated the tumour recurrence using MRI at 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months after the surgery. Results: 50.6% of patients had meningioma volume < 26.4 cm3. Women had larger tumour volumes than men (52.6%). Patients of age ? 60 years old, had tumour volumes ? 26.4 cm3 in 58.5% of cases and meningiomas with volumes ? 26.4 cm3 recurred earlier (p=0.010). Also, patients who had tumour volumes ? 26.4 cm3, had a shorter PFS (40.976 months), compared to patients with tumour volumes < 26.4 cm3, who had better PFS (53.4 months). Conclusions: the tumour volume of AMs ? 26.4 cm3 represents a negative prognostic factor for both early tumour recurrence and reduced PFS.

Objective Parasagittal and falcine meningiomas are still a challenge in terms of surgical resection. Although maximal safe resection is the main therapeutic approach, numerous postoperative complications can still occur depending on the locations of these tumors. Moreover, previous studies have reported that parasagittal meningiomas have a higher recurrence rate than meningiomas with other locations. Patients, materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed 21 patients with parasagittal and falcine atypical meningiomas [World Health Organization (WHO) grade II], nine of whom had their superior sagittal sinus (SSS) invaded by the tumor. We reviewed the demographic information, operative notes, pathological reports, and clinical and imagistic follow-up reports of each patient over a 5-year time span. Results All the patients were surgically treated, and the tumor removal was grade II according to Simpson's grading system in 47.6% and grade III in 19% of the cases. The SSS was invaded in 42.9% of the patients. No immediate mortality or morbidity was revealed by our study. Tumor recurrence/progression documented on postoperative imaging amounted to 14.3% and 19%, 12 and 24 months after surgery, respectively. Furthermore, 36, 48 and 60 months after the surgery, the recurrence rate remained the same, namely in 9.5% of the cases. The recurrence was higher in patients with SSS invasion than in patients with no SSS invasion. The tumor recurrence was slightly more predominant in women, i.e., 6% higher than in the male group. Conclusions In our group of patients with parasagittal and falcine meningiomas, we report a 47.6% Simpson II resection rate and 19% Simpson III resection rate associated with a very low complication rate and no immediately postoperative morbidity and mortality, compared to more aggressive techniques. The recurrence of parasagittal meningiomas predominated after grade III and IV Simpson resection and dural sinus invasion was a negative predictive factor for recurrence. Therefore, the surgery of parasagittal and falcine meningiomas is beneficial, both for tumor control, but also for improving neurological outcome. Aggressive meningioma resection should be balanced with the increased neurosurgical risk.

Over recent years, studies have shown that in patients with left-sided heart failure, arterial hypertension, and acute coronary syndrome, hyponatremia is a negative prognostic factor. In this context, there is raising interest in the association between hyponatremia and pulmonary embolism (PE). This retrospective cohort study includes 404 consecutive patients with confirmed acute nonfatal pulmonary embolism divided into four groups according to their sodium fluctuation pattern. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and determining the recurrence rate among patients with nonfatal PE using serum sodium levels as a continuous variable. Patients with acquired and persistent hyponatremia had a significantly higher rate of mortality rate than those in the normonatremia group (12.8% and 40.4%, OR- 7.206, CI: 2.383–21.791, p = 0.000 and OR-33.250, CI: 11.521–95.960, p = 0.000 vs. 2%, p &lt, 0.001, respectively). Mean survival time decreases from 23.624 months (95% CI: (23.295–23.953)) in the normonatremia group to 16.426 months (95% CI: (13.17–19.134)) in the persistent hyponatremia group, statistically significant (p = 0.000). The mean survival time for all patients was 22.441 months (95% CI: (21.930–22.951)). The highest recurrence rate was recorded at 12 and 24 months in the acquired hyponatremia group (16.7% and 14.1%, respectively). Serum sodium determination is a simple and cost-effective approach in evaluating the short and long-term prognosis in patients with acute PE.

The current trend is the introduction of antimicrobial agents for the purpose of inhibiting or avoiding (adherence) adhesion and (increasing) the multiplication of their microorganisms on the surface of the impression materials. This study aims to determine the properties of antibacterial and antifungal elastic impression materials in full agreement with (bacterial flora) microflora specific for every patient ( with identification of existing species ). In the same time there are considered modern methods of sterilization and insertion of antiseptics, trajectories with profound impact in the field of biocompatibility. The obtained microorganisms were transplanted on differentiated and selective (differentiated) culture medium in order to obtain pure cultures.Each microbial strain obtained was tested to identify several characteristics. The examinations carried out by means of the electron microscopy very accurately detect the microbial load in the structure of the impression materials, sounding an alarm signal on its use in particular clinical situations. Alginates present in their structure polysaccharide structures that represent an excellent substrate of microorganisms.

The aim of this study was represented by the definition and testing of a new formulation strategy and the functionality of composite materials, while ensuring the optimization of the relevant properties for the dental restoration processes through the use of precise techniques of characterization, the modification and functionality of the components in view of obtaining results that are characterized by an optimum biomechanical and bioactive relation, in full agreement with the particularities of the dental structure that requires restoration. In view of obtaining new resistant composite structures we made a number of 10 samples including extracted teeth with various losses of dental substance and the structural modifications included 3 types of composites, whose structure was improved by the introduction of inorganic fillings based on hydroxyapatite and silver nanoparticles. All these structures were reinforced with two types of fibers, Reforpost fiber glass kit (Angelus) and Fiber post Schulzer Pre-silanized; With regard to the use of composite structures improved by HA addition, we notice a slight lacunary structure on the SEM images due to the properties of HA, an aspect present at much smaller dimensions in the silver � HA mix. The size of the grains associated with their continuous uniformity and adherence for the fibrillar structure stands out at the samples with hydroxyapatite, the first place as uniformity and adherence going to the composite of the nanofiller technology category.

The application of certain digital processing techniques offers the possibility of extra accuracy in the interpretation of paraclinical examinations of this type, with profound implications in the diagnosis as well as in the hierarchy of the treatment plan. The purpose of this study is to identify the type of imaging processing for the identification of pathological elements from orthopantomographies and articular tomographies. A number of 20 orthopantomographies and 15 temporo-mandibular joint tomography have undergone through various image enhancement techniques. Various methods of image enhancement (enhancement) have been used for those procedures whereby it becomes more useful in the following aspects: specific details are highlighted; noise is eliminated; the image becomes more visually attractive. The workings were done in Corel PhotoPaint 7.0, using the automatic procedures available.The choice of a particular type of image enhancement technique has been selected for each type of pathology found in orthopantomographies or articular tomography, providing the best accuracy for an optimal imaging interpretation that underpins a precision diagnosis.Of the most useful imaging processing in the optimization of the orthopantomographic image accuracy the point-to-point transformations are to be noted. The image processing proposed in this article focused primarily on improving the radiological image attributes to highlight specific anatomical structures, and secondly, the contour detection, where it was necessary for the diagnostic purposes as well.

Plasma NT-proBNP levels are elevated in heart disease, especially in the presence of ascites-edema syndrome and left ventricular overload. Previous studies have reported cardiovascular dysfunction correlated with the severity of liver damage. This prospective study enrolled 65 subjects with the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis, 82 with chronic hepatitis and 65 healthy subjects in the control group. In chronic hepatitis, NT-proBNP has been shown to be an early marker of diastolic dysfunction and left ventricular remodeling, while in liver cirrhosis it also correlated with portopulmonary hypertension.

The various thyroid axis dysfunctions have cardiovascular consequences both in hyperthyroidism and in hypothyroidism. This cross-sectional study included hyperthyroid and hypothyroid female patients in whom uric acid and NT-proBNP were determined in relation to changes in clinical findings and some echocardiographic parameters. The results of our study suggest that NT-proBNP is a better predictor than uric acid, correlating with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and systolic blood pressure variations.

The General Linear Modeling is a statistical method which combines the regression and the variance analysis for a dependent variable in the presence of an independent variable and one or more factors, whose effects can be analyzed separately or combined. We used the GLM univariate models on a database made from 6384 patients, recorded in the Oro-Maxillo-Facial Clinic, "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital Iasi, between 2004 – 2015, in order to investigate the influence of patients’ age over the hospitalization length, modulated by gender, domicile, season, etiology and main diagnostics. We found as significant factors the domicile, the season and the diagnostics: the patients from rural areas are expected to stay in hospital with 0.396 days less than those from urban areas, those hospitalized during spring stay in hospital with 0.320 days less than those hospitalized during other seasons, and the patients with maxillary fractures have an hospitalization length longer with 0.877 days than the other patients; the patients with mandible fractures have an hospitalization length longer with 0.755 days than the other patients and the patients with dental fracture and dislocations have an hospitalization length shorter with 0.840 days than the other patients. No significant interactions between these factors were identified.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate on a group of 67 patients (29 boys and 38 girls) aged 6-37 years the frequency of the type of impacted teeth, the treatment performed, as well as to compare the images obtained on the panoramic radiographs and on the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in order to establish an appropriate therapeutic decision. The impacted canine was the most frequent, followed by the incisor and premolar impaction. The most common therapeutic procedure was surgical exposure and orthodontic traction. The therapeutic decision was changed after examining the CBCT images, which brought additional information about the impacted tooth and the relationships with the adjacent tissues. The three-dimensional CBCT reconstructions were relevant for visualizing the path of the impacted tooth, the buccal-palatal choice of the surgical opening and the evolution of the orthodontic traction of the impacted tooth.

The recent researches showed that the multimedia content is a useful tool for the educational process, because it is dynamic, attractive and stimulates the students' engagement. The animations facilitate the learning of dynamic information and help the learners to understand better the changes in time. Last year we introduced the video presentations as teaching method during the practical stages at Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Iasi, and, because the students' feedback was highly positive, this year we extended this method for all the stages, not only to solve certain practical problems, but also to explain theoretical concepts, from the biostatistical field. The videos were developed using Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 14.0 and contain live demonstration, registered using CamStudio 2.7, with oral explanations recorded separately, static images and animations made in Microsoft PowerPoint. We intend to upload all these videos on YouTube, on a personal channel, because this resource has nowadays a huge popularity between youngers. The current paper presents a review regarding the efficacy of YouTube and other similar products in the educational process and shows the opinion of our students about this initiative. This information was obtained through an opinion survey among the students of our University. We used an anonymously questionnaire with 20 items and answers recorded on a five-level Likert scale of agreement; we used 3 samples of study in order to make comparisons: a sample of 75 students in the 1st year, Faculty of Dental Medicine (they had video presentations during the practical stages, being able to evaluate objectively the drawbacks and benefits), a sample of 90 students in the 1st year, Faculty of Medicine (they did not watch video presentations during the practical stages, but they know the concept) and a sample of 85 students in the 5th year, Faculty of Dental Medicine (they also did not watch video presentations during the practical stages, they know the concept and can make more mature evaluations, having a higher age).

Aim: Study aimed to test whether implants inserted in posterior mandible sites augmented with screw-guided bone regeneration (S-GBR) technique differ from implants placed in non-grafted sites regarding the success and survival rate. Materials and Methods: 20 edentulous patients (mean age 59.45 ± 15.220) were divided in a test group (S-GBR) (immediate implants placed simultaneously with grafting procedures) and control group (implants placed in naturally healed sites). Primary outcomes (implants success, implants survival) and secondary outcomes (clinical parameters of soft tissues: mPI, mGI, probing depth, keratinized mucosa, marginal-bone-level) were evaluated at 24-months follow-up. Results: Plaque levels were higher (p = 0.046) in S-GBR group (0.97 ± 0.882 mm) when compared with control (0.66 ± 0.695 mm). Keratinized mucosa width was higher in S-GBR group (4.13 ± 1.033 mm) than control (3.34 ± 0.821 mm) (p = 0.000) Probing depth (PD) width was higher in S-GBR group (3.50 ± 1.372 mm) than control (2.56 ± 1.332 mm) (p = 0.000). mGI was higher among implants placed in S-GBR group (0.90 ± 1.020 mm) than control (0.56 ± 0.794 mm) (p = 0.061). The difference between the average bone loss (MBL) for implants placed in grafted sites (Group S-GBR: 2.20 ± 1.867 mm) and for those placed in naturally healed sites (Group B: 1.09 ± 1.678 mm) was statistically significant (p = 0.000). The overall implant success rate after 24-month follow-up was 76.7% in S-GBR group and 90.6% in control group (p = 0.001). The survival rate after 24-month follow-up was 86.7% in S-GBR group and 93.8% in control group (p = 0.182). The reconstruction of the alveolar bone using S-GBR technique and immediate implant placement is a valid guided bone regeneration strategy for mandibular alveolar bone with severe horizontal resorption. The choice of S-GBR technique should be based on specific indications as implants placed in grafted sites recorded worse marginal success rate, survival rate and bone resorption than those placed in non-grafted sites.

The aims of the study was to compare the marks obtained at the final assessment, using MCQ tests and at the oral evaluation, for a preclinical and a clinical discipline, on a sample of 285 undergraduate students at dental medicine divided into two groups according to their year of study, in order to evaluate the advantages and the drawbacks of these performances. The statistical results showed that the grades’ distribution at MCQ tests follow the normal law, but their averages were significantly lower than the average marks obtained at the oral evaluation, regardless the year of study or gender.

Our experiment focused on identifying the elemental chemical composition of salivary crystals' surface, obtained from patients with/without orthodontic appliances or metal-ceramic crowns in order to test their influence on human saliva. We used 110 samples of saliva derived from 19 patients (11 males and 8 females), with ages between 11–26 years old, divided into three groups: the control sample (without orthodontic appliances/metal-ceramic crowns), the study sample A (with orthodontic appliances/physiognomic metal-ceramic crowns) and the study sample B (former patients with previous orthodontic appliances). The surface elemental chemical composition was observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and was analyzed by X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 20.0. Metallic elements (Ni, Al, Zn) that do not derive from the chemical composition of human saliva were found on all the salivary crystals. There were found statistically significant differences for Ni between the study sample B and the control sample (p

The risk factors analysis in medicine is a very complex problem, with significant practical implications in taking the right decisions in the health policies field. A useful approach is the study of interaction between risk factors through additive and multiplicative schemes, required when the identified risk factors are not independent in causing a certain outcome. Several models were developed to solve this problem, but it is critical to choose the right one, because different methods can lead to different conclusions about the same biological processes. Our paper describes the additive and multiplicative interaction schemes and presents a practical application of them in investigating the effects of a few particular diet habits on the chances to develop gingival recession, on a sample made from 2389 people coming from Iasi county. 8 diet habits were investigated; only 4 of them were identified as risk factors and, among the 6 possible paired combinations, 4 were identified as major positive interaction, 1 was identified as moderate interaction and 1 was identified as weak.

The aim of this study concerns the individualization of correlative aspects of the type of smile, teeth and visibility of how the therapeutic solution chosen, according to the particular clinical case provides ultimate clinical success through the aesthetic requirements. The analyzed group was represented by 40 patients, diagnosed with partial edentation; The sample was evaluated through descriptive statistics (performed in SPSS 20.0) and the smile type was emphasized by detecting the contours through image processing in Corel PhotoPaint 7.0. Regarding the type of smile met, we noted a prevalence of the convex-not contacting smile in a proportion of 35%, followed by smile convex-contacting and convex-covering, a rate of 25%, assuming the gingival smiles for a 15%. The therapeutic solutions which provided an optimal rehabilitation optimally were elected according to the established smile type. Beside the correctness of the clinical and technological maneuvers, the esthetic evaluation and the individualization of the esthetic area influence in a decisive way the final results.

Cholesterol gallstone disease is often associated with the metabolic syndrome. Female gender is an unmodifiable risk factor for cholelithiasis and, in its turn, the metabolic syndrome features a sexual dimorphism which warns that a global approach might overlook important discrimination. We carried out a retrospective analytical case-control study in order to perform a comparative analysis between two groups of female patients with metabolic syndrome and gallstones (n=60) or without gallstones (n=65). All the patients were investigated by abdominal ultrasound and met at least three criteria for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Cases and controls were compared regarding anthropometric measurements, a complex lipid profile, and liver function tests. The risks associated with the likelihood of gallstones were estimated by means of cross-tabulation. In order to rank the significant variables we developed a binary logistic regression model which identified lean body weight ≤ 46.44 kg (OR 0.165; 95% CI 0.045–0.611; P = 0.007), total cholesterol ≥ 4.9 mmol/L (OR 15.948; 95% CI 2.700–94.205; P = 0.002), and direct bilirubin > 5.1 µmol/L (OR 0.056; 95% CI 0.013–0.235; P < 0.001), as variables with significant probability of association with the risk of gallstones in women with metabolic syndrome.

Our experiment's aim was to make a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of a case with malocclusion and to simulate the orthodontic treatment with fixed poliaggregate appliance. We used intraoral photos, panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms which were processed in Rhinoceros Nurbs Modelling Tool v.5.0 Service Release 9. To create the 3D model we used the programs Keyshot v.5.0.86 with trial license, Adobe Photoshop CS6 v. 13 and SnagIT v. 12.2.0, requiring the application of several sequences of graphic processing. Individualizing the original 3D model consisted of customizing component elements, repositioning dental units, matching their alveoli, blocking them in three layers, creating jaw and mandible and positioning in occlusion. Customizing the 3D model showed the status of the chosen clinical case. In order to simulate the orthodontic treatment brackets and archwires were built and were placed on each maxillary and mandibular tooth. Our 3D model has many advantages, varied functionality, diagnostic and therapeutic importance.

A subject of high interest in epidemiology is to register monthly and yearly the prevalence of certain diseases, in order to make prognosis regarding the expected number of new patients. It is suitable to solve these sorts of problems by treating these monthly reports as time series and making forecasts through the modelling methods of Time Series Analysis. Our paper propose this approach in making forecasts about the expected number of 4 types of oro-maxillo-facial traumas at patients from Iasi, during a period of 8 months (May 2015–December 2015) based on 11 years records made within the Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic, "Sf. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital Iasi. The forecasts were made in SPSS 16.0, using the Expert Modeler module, and the best suitable models found were Simple Seasonal Exponential Smoothing and Simple Exponential Smoothing. The paper presents the results of this analysis and the predicted values, with 95% confidence intervals.

The study on the accuracy of manual and digital measurements was conducted on conventional lateral cephalograms of 66 randomly selected patients with malocclusion from the Clinical Orthodontics at the Ambulatory Clinic of the “St. Spiridon” University Emergency Hospital, Iasi, Romania. Forty-six linear and angular measurements were performed with Steiner, Tweed and Jarabak analyses. The manual measurements were conducted with a ruler and a protractor, the digital ones with Onyx CephTM (Onyx CEPH 2.7.18 (174) Image Instruments GmbH, Chemnitz, Germany). The statistical analyses were performed in SPSS, version 20.0. The results presented different mean values of measurements calculated with two analyses, being statistically significant (p

Introduction: The growing prevalence of urticaria in children over the last decade and the importance of determining the involved pathogenic mechanisms as well as of detecting the etiologic factors are some of the aspects that led to the choice of research topic. Materials and Methods: The early diagnosis and the establishment of the therapeutic and prophylactic conduct in the urticaria are a necessity. There have been evaluated through a retrospective questionnaire, anamnesis and biochemical evaluation a number of 246 children diagnosed with chronic IgE and non IgE mediated urticaria, and prick tested for a wide range of food allergens. The assessment of the intensity of the eruption was done by calculating the urticaria activity score (UAS), both at diagnosis and at subsequent evaluations to assess the response to the treatment. The immunological investigations which were carried out included the determination of the IgA, IgG, IgM, total IgE and specific IgE to food allergens and airborne allergens, as well as the determination of the IgG4-type antibodies to 20 food allergens by means of enzyme immunoassay. The ELISA method was used for dosing the total IgE, while the CLA System Quanti Scan method (Innogenetics, Heiden, Germany) was used for determining the serum-specific IgE for 20 of the most common food allergens and airborne allergens (Innogenetics, Heiden, Germany). Results: Positive statistical correlations have been made with IgE and non IgE mediated reactions, also with IgG4 antibodies. The result of the multivariate analysis shows that the existence of the atopy represents a risk factor which significantly influences the allergic sensitisation (HR = 3.186→95% CI: 2.57-5.96), followed in the order of importance by food diversification before the age of 6.months (HR = 2.157→95% CI: 1.86-5.35), natural feeding before 3.months of age (HR = 1.78→95% CI: 1003-4581) and artificial or mixed feeding (HR = 1.56→95% CI: 1056-3861). Conclusion: There have been reported different correlations between specific IgE and IgG4 with different food allergens and the period of time between the onset and the duration of chronic urticaria. The regression of specific IgE has a predictive value upon the remission of urticaria (AUC=0.557, p=0.447, 95%CI: AUC→0.398–0.717). The logistic regression for analysis of the predictives factors for the regresson of urticaria showed several factors involved:.Speciphic IgE values, compliance for the eliminating diet and treatment, allergic antecedents and the eventual polisensitivisation.