Damage Investigation in PMMA Polymer: Experimental and Phase-Field Approaches.

The prediction of crack patterns is one of the main tasks in the field of fracture mechanics in order to prevent the total damage of various materials, particularly Methyl Methacrylate Polymer (PMMA). The few data in the literature underscores the need for additional experiments on PMMA to analyze the performance of the phase-field approach to predict crack trajectories. The main purpose of this study is to verify the accuracy of the phase-field approach with a staggered scheme, based on spectral decomposition, for predicting crack propagation in PMMA specimens by comparing it with the experimental results presented in this work.

Short-term outcomes of da Vinci Xi versus Si robotic systems for minor hepatectomies.

Background: In the recent years, robotic technology has been drastically improved and the last generation of robotic platforms is hardly comparable with the earlier ones. The present study aims to investigate the short-term outcomes of minor hepatectomies performed with da Vinci Xi surgical system vs. Si surgical systems.

Epidermoid cyst of the buccal mucosa-An uncommon entity: Case report and literature review.

Epidermoid cyst of the buccal mucosa is rare. Nevertheless, it must be included in the differential diagnosis of swelling in this area. The diagnosis is based on anatomopathological examination.

[The role of piezosurgery in the treatment of a rare case of superinfected cemento-osseous dysplasia caused by actinomyces: a case report].

Cemento-osseous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous lesion affecting the alveolar bone. It is classified into three forms: periapical, focal or florid dysplasia. It is often asymptomatic and fortuitously discovered during a routine radiological examination.

Mucosal coronally positioned flap technique for management of excessive gingival display.

Improvement of smile esthetics is a major goal of modern dentistry. Various treatment modalities have been proposed to correct excessive gingival display, depending on intraoral or extraoral etiologies. This report aimed to document the use of mucosal coronally positioned flap called surgical lip repositioning technique for the management of a gummy smile associated with vertical maxillary excess.

Piezoelectric-Assisted Removal of a Mandibular Cementoossifying Fibroma: An Innovative Technique.

Diagnosis of cementoossifying fibroma is oriented by the clinical and radiological aspects of the lesion. Histology confirms the diagnosis. Treatment is surgical with enucleation-resection depending on the lesion size or wider resection with bone reconstruction in cases of large fibromas.

Gingival Melanin Depigmentation by 808 nm Diode Laser: Report of a Case.

Gingival hyperpigmentation frequently poses an aesthetic problem, especially in patients with gingival smile. This paper presents the use of a 808 nm pulsed diode laser for gingival depigmentation in a 22-year-old male patient, with a frequency of 20,000 Hz, a peak power of 5 W, and a pulse width of 26 microseconds, using a 400 nm flexible optic fiber. The hyperpigmented gingival tissue was removed without bleeding or postoperative pain.

Thymoquinone protects rat liver after partial hepatectomy under ischaemia/reperfusion through oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress prevention.

Ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) is associated with liver injury and impaired regeneration during partial hepatectomy (PH). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thymoquinone (TQ), the active compound of essential oil obtained from Nigella sativa seeds, on rat liver after PH. Male Wistar rats were divided equally into four groups (n = 6) receiving an oral administration of either vehicle solution (sham and PH groups) or TQ at 30 mg/kg (TQ and TQ + PH groups) for 10 consecutive days.

Risk Factors for Mortality and Morbidity in Elderly Patients Presenting with Digestive Surgical Emergencies.

Background: Emergency digestive surgery is being increasingly performed in elderly patients. The aim of the present study was to identify the predictors of mortality and morbidity following emergency digestive surgery in patients aged 80 years and older.

Methods: A single-center retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients aged ≥65 years operated for a digestive surgical emergency between January 2011 and December 2013.

An Oxygenated and Transportable Machine Perfusion System Fully Rescues Liver Grafts Exposed to Lethal Ischemic Damage in a Pig Model of DCD Liver Transplantation.

Background: Control of warm ischemia (WI) lesions that occur with donation after circulatory death (DCD) would significantly increase the donor pool for liver transplantation. We aimed to determine whether a novel, oxygenated and hypothermic machine perfusion device (HMP Airdrive system) improves the quality of livers derived from DCDs using a large animal model.

Methods: Cardiac arrest was induced in female large white pigs by intravenous injection of potassium chloride.

Antioxidant and antiproliferative potential of biosurfactants isolated from Lactobacillus casei and their anti-biofilm effect in oral Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Biosurfactants also called bioemulsifiers are amphipathic compounds produced by many microorganisms that allow them to exhibit a wide range of biological activities. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and antiproliferative potential of biosurfactants isolated from Lactobacillus casei and to assess their anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm abilities against oral opportunistic Staphylococcus aureus strains. The antioxidant activity of biosurfactant was evaluated using the in vitro scavenging ability on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical.

Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Laurus nobilis L. essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus strains associated with oral infections.

Background: Laurus nobilis L. is an aromatic herb with relevant medicinal properties due to its important chemical composition and its potential therapeutic effects. In this study, we investigate the chemical composition, the antibacterial and the antibiofilms activities of Tunisian L.

Cone-beam computed tomography exploration and surgical management of palatal, inverted, and impacted mesiodens.

Supernumerary teeth are extra teeth or toothlike structures which may have either erupted or unerupted in addition to the 20 deciduous teeth and the 32 permanent teeth. Mesiodens is one of these located in the midline between the two central incisors. Their presence may give rise to a variety of clinical problems.

Assessment of adhesion, invasion and cytotoxicity potential of oral Staphylococcus aureus strains.

The oral cavity is regarded as a relevant site for Staphylococcus aureus colonization. However, characterization of virulence mechanisms of oral S. aureus remains to be uncovered.

Mesh repair versus non-mesh repair for strangulated inguinal hernia: systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: The optimal technique to cure strangulated inguinal hernia remains controversial. The use of mesh in cases of strangulated hernia is still debated due to the potential risk of infection.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to determine whether or not the mesh repair technique is associated with a higher risk of surgical site infection than non-mesh techniques for strangulated inguinal hernias in adults.

Adhesive properties and extracellular enzymatic activity of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from oral cavity.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of prominent bacterial pathogen that occurs in oral region. In this study, 21 strains of S. aureus isolated from the oral cavity of Tunisian patients were investigated for slime production using Congo red agar method (CRA) and adherence assay.

Retroperitoneal paragangliomas: Report of 4 cases.

We reviewed the data of all patients managed for retroperitoneal paragangliomas (PGLs) between June 2010 and June 2011 to present our experience concerning this uncommon entity to highlight diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of retroperitoneal PGLs. All patients were admitted to the department of general and hepatobiliary surgery in the regional hospital of Jendouba, Tunisia. The size of the tumor was taken at its largest dimension, as determined in a computed tomography (CT) scan and pathological reports.