Finite element analysis (FEA) of the stress behavior of some dental materials.

This study compared the biomechanical behavior of three widely used dental materials-zirconia, lithium disilicate (IPS e.max CAD), and 3D-printed composite (VarseoSmile CrownPlus)- for maxillary anterior bridge restorations. Finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to evaluate the mechanical response of these materials under normal occlusal forces, replicating real clinical conditions.

Postnatal Outcomes in Prenatally Detected Vascular Rings.

Vascular rings are rare congenital defects that can cause tracheal and/or esophageal compression. Prenatal detection is increasing due to advances in screening and fetal echocardiography. Postnatal outcomes remain variable.

Clinical Statistical Study on the Prevalence of Carious Lesions in First Permanent Molars.

Dental caries remains one of the most widespread chronic diseases that also affects first permanent molars (FPMs). In this study, we analyzed the prevalence of carious lesions using a standardized evaluation system, while following the analysis of the influence of favoring factors represented by the type and frequency of snacks and the frequency of tooth brushing. A clinical-statistical study was carried out on a group of 311 children from both urban and rural environments, aged between 6 and 19 years old.

Comparative study of outcomes with total knee arthroplasty: medial pivot prosthesis vs posterior stabilized implant. Prospective randomized control.

Purpose: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective procedure for pain relief and restoration of function in patients with symptomatic end-stage knee arthritis. Kinematic problems due to conventional implant design have been postulated. The objective of this study is to determine if there was any difference in postoperative ROM and outcomes between patients undergoing MP-TKA vs PS-TKA.

Retrospective Study of the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Asthma Control in Children.

Asthmatic children who tested positive for COVID-19 experienced changes in lung function and persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, even for several months after diagnosis, and with the same features as in an acute phase. This study aimed to analyze a pediatric age group (between 0 and 17 years old) diagnosed with asthma, and SARS-CoV-2 infection attending regular monitoring visits in a Pediatric Department of a Regional Tertiary Hospital (Filantropia Clinical Municipal Hospital Craiova, Romania) during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic time interval (i.e.

A Rare Case of Neonatal Desmoid Tumor Leading to Severe Aortic Coarctation: Review of Literature and Case Report.

Desmoid tumors are a rare entity, especially in the pediatric population. There are no reports of such a tumor in newborns. They are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, even though they are benign soft tissue tumors.

Statistical Analysis and Forecasts of Performance Indicators in the Romanian Healthcare System.

Background/objectives: Globally, healthcare systems face challenges in optimizing performance, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study focuses on the analysis and forecasting of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the County Emergency Clinical Hospital in Craiova, Romania. The study evaluates indicators such as average length of stay (ALoS), bed occupancy rate (BOR), number of cases (NC), case mix index (CMI), and average cost per hospitalization (ACH), providing insight into their dynamics and future trends.

Non-Instrumental and Instrumental Tools Validity in Bruxism Diagnostics.

The study aimed to validate the diagnostic system proposed by the Standardized Tool for the Assessment of Bruxism (STAB) by correlating the results obtained based on questionnaire and non-instrumental and instrumental tools. The study had three stages (questionnaire, clinical examination, and electromyographic study). The subjects completed a questionnaire and clinical exam.

Prediction Models of Severity in Acute Biliary Pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is a common condition with a variable prognosis. While the overall mortality rate of acute pancreatitis is relatively low, ranging between 3 and 5% in most cases, severe forms can result in significantly higher morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early risk assessment is crucial for optimizing management and treatment.

Hominin presence in Eurasia by at least 1.95 million years ago.

The timing of the initial dispersal of hominins into Eurasia is unclear. Current evidence indicates hominins were present at Dmanisi, Georgia by 1.8 million years ago (Ma), but other ephemeral traces of hominins across Eurasia predate Dmanisi.

Challenges in Diagnosing Focal Liver Lesions Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has become the preferred method for many clinicians in evaluating focal liver lesions (FLLs) initially identified through standard ultrasound. However, in clinical practice, certain lesions may deviate from the typical enhancement patterns outlined in EFSUMB guidelines. This study aims to assess FLLs that remained inconclusive or misdiagnosed after CEUS evaluation, spanning eight years of single-center experience.

Imaging in Vascular Liver Diseases.

Vascular liver diseases (VLDs) include different pathological conditions that affect the liver vasculature at the level of the portal venous system, hepatic artery, or venous outflow system. Although serological investigations and sometimes histology might be required to clarify the underlying diagnosis, imaging has a crucial role in highlighting liver inflow or outflow obstructions and their potential causes. Cross-sectional imaging provides a panoramic view of liver vascular anatomy and parenchymal patterns of enhancement, making it extremely useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of VLDs.

Bacterial Pathogen Profiles and Antibiotic Resistance in Pediatric Leukemia Patients: Insights for Optimizing Infection Management in Immunocompromised Children.

This study investigates bacterial etiology and antibiotic resistance in pediatric leukemia patients to determine the impact of chronic pathology on treatment efficacy. : Thirty cases of children aged 1-16 years (18 boys, 12 girls) were analyzed, identifying 13 pathogens, including 8 Gram-positive and 5 Gram-negative bacteria. : Among the patients, 11 girls presented with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) type B, while one boy and one girl had acute myeloid leukemia, and, as for boys, three had ALL type T and two had pre-B ALL.

Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of Chronic Otomastoiditis: A Retrospective Analysis of Risk Factors, Outcomes, and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns.

Chronic otomastoiditis is a complex inflammatory condition frequently associated with delayed diagnosis, inadequate antibiotic use, and healthcare disparities. This study aimed to analyze the clinical, demographic, and microbiological characteristics of chronic otomastoiditis and its complications over a 10-year period in rural versus urban populations. This retrospective study included 292 patients with chronic otomastoiditis admitted to the ENT Clinic of Craiova County Emergency Clinical Hospital from 2013 to 2023.

The Role of Occlusal Appliances in Reducing Masseter Electromyographic Activity in Bruxism.

: Bruxism is a masticatory muscle activity, phasic or tonic, with/without teeth contact, that appears in sleep or an awake state. An instrumental technique used to measure the surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity of the masseter muscle is used to diagnose bruxism activity during sleep and while awake. The objective of this study was to compare the variation in bruxism (sleep and awake) indices and masseter activity indices in low sleep bruxism and moderate sleep bruxism before and after wearing an occlusal appliance (OA) for 3 months each night.

The Impact of HIV on Early Brain Aging-A Pathophysiological (Re)View.

: This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how HIV alters normal aging trajectories in the brain, presenting the HIV-related molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological pathways involved in brain aging. The review explores the roles of inflammation, oxidative stress, and viral persistence in the brain, highlighting how these factors contribute to neuronal damage and cognitive impairment and accelerate normal brain aging. Additionally, it also addresses the impact of antiretroviral therapy on brain aging and the biological markers associated with its occurrence.

Comprehensive Management of Cholesteatoma in Otitis Media: Diagnostic Challenges, Imaging Advances, and Surgical Outcome.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of cholesteatoma of the middle ear, focusing on its clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging, and treatment outcomes. Cholesteatomas are defined by the keratinized squamous epithelium within the middle ear, leading to significant bone erosion, often affecting the ossicular chain and surrounding structures. The study explores various mechanisms involved in cholesteatoma progression, including enzymatic lysis, inflammatory responses, and neurotrophic disturbances.

Audiometric Outcomes in Chronic Otitis Media with Mastoid Involvement: A Five-Year Clinical Overview.

Otomastoiditis, an inflammatory condition affecting the middle ear and mastoid cells, poses significant risks for hearing impairment. This study aimed to analyze the clinical presentations, anatomical variations, and audiometric outcomes associated with acute and chronic otomastoiditis over a five-year period at the ENT Clinic of the Clinical County Emergency Hospital of Craiova. A retrospective clinical-statistical analysis was conducted on 145 patients aged 2 to 78 years, who were treated for otomastoiditis.

Going with the flow: Implementing a 4D flow MRI program at a children's hospital.

Four-dimensional phase contrast MRI (4D flow) has emerged as a versatile imaging technique for comprehensive visualization and both qualitative and quantitative assessment of cardiovascular blood flow. 4D flow is a three-dimensional, time-resolved acquisition that is gated to the cardiac cycle. 4D flow provides cardiovascular velocity and flow assessment across the volume of acquisition and yields a multitude of advanced hemodynamic parameters that help to assess the impact of cardiovascular disease on flow and vice versa, guiding the clinical and surgical management of patients with congenital and acquired heart disease.

DNA methylation classifier to diagnose pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma metastases from different anatomical sites.

Background: We have recently constructed a DNA methylation classifier that can discriminate between pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PAAD) liver metastasis and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) with high accuracy (PAAD-iCCA-Classifier). PAAD is one of the leading causes of cancer of unknown primary and diagnosis is based on exclusion of other malignancies. Therefore, our focus was to investigate whether the PAAD-iCCA-Classifier can be used to diagnose PAAD metastases from other sites.

Ultra-Short Pulses Laser Heating of Dielectrics: A Semi-Classical Analytical Model.

Femtosecond laser pulses are currently regarded as an emerging and promising tool for processing wide bandgap dielectric materials across a variety of high-end applications, although the associated physical phenomena are not yet fully understood. To address these challenges, we propose an original, fully analytical model combined with Two Temperatures Model (TTM) formalism. The model is applied to describe the interaction of fs laser pulses with a typical dielectric target (e.

Deep learning automatically distinguishes myocarditis patients from normal subjects based on MRI.

Myocarditis, characterized by inflammation of the myocardial tissue, presents substantial risks to cardiovascular functionality, potentially precipitating critical outcomes including heart failure and arrhythmias. This investigation primarily aims to identify the optimal cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) views for distinguishing between normal and myocarditis cases, using deep learning (DL) methodologies. Analyzing CMRI data from a cohort of 269 individuals, with 231 confirmed myocarditis cases and 38 as control participants, we implemented an innovative DL framework to facilitate the automated detection of myocarditis.