Publications by authors named "Rica A"

Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluated health outcomes and functional status in elderly patients (ages >80) who underwent emergency surgery at a hospital in Spain over a year.
  • Out of 568 patients, 407 were included, with an average age of 86.9, a mean hospital stay of 10.4 days, and various types of surgical interventions, revealing significant postoperative complications.
  • The mortality rates were notably high: 7.1% in the hospital, 10.3% within 30 days, and 24.6% at 6 months, particularly for those with high preoperative risk profiles.
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The possibility of dental pulp damage during dental procedures is well known. According to studies, during finishing and polishing without cooling, temperatures of up to 140 °C or more can be generated. There are many studies that have analysed the influence of the finishing and polishing of fillings on the mechanical parameters, but the analysis of thermal parameters has led to uncertain results due to the difficulty of performing this in vivo.

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This prospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of long COVID in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection from March 2020 to July 2022 and assess the impact of different viral lineages. A total of 2,524 patients were followed up for 12 months, with persistent symptoms reported in 35.2% at one month, decreasing thereafter.

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The cellular immune response is essential in the protection against severe disease in patients with established SARS-CoV-2 infection. The novelty of this study lies in the evaluation of the overall performance of a standardized assay to measure cellular immune response, the SARS-CoV-2-specific interferon-γ release assay (IGRA), in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 IGRA was shown to accurately classify patients based on disease severity and prognosis, and the study revealed that test performance was not affected by the SARS-CoV-2 variant or control tube results.

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The restoration of class II cavities is predominantly carried out with composite materials. Due to the high failure rate in restoring this type of cavity, composite materials with much-improved properties and new application techniques have been promoted. The study aimed to analyze the mechanical behavior of several topical composite materials (nanocomposites, nanohybrids and ormocer) using different application techniques.

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Background: We measured T-cell and antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vaccinated patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and explored their potential value to predict outcomes.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal study including vaccinated patients hospitalized with Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants. TrimericS-IgG antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 T-cell response were measured using a specific quantitative interferon-γ release assay (IGRA).

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This study aimed to evaluate the surface roughness evolution of several finished and polished composites when bleaching materials are applied. The research was conducted on four microhybrid or nanofilled composites that are used in dental restorations. For each composite type, 5 samples were selected for control, 5 samples were subjected to the bleaching protocol "office bleach" with 40% hydrogen peroxide, and 5 other samples were subjected to the "home bleach" protocol with 16% carbamide peroxide, resulting in a total number of 60 samples.

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Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) led to intensive care units (ICUs) collapse. Amalgams of sedative agents (including volatile anesthetics) were used due to the clinical shortage of intravenous drugs (mainly propofol and midazolam).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized 1:1, controlled clinical trial was designed to compare sedation using propofol and sevoflurane in patients with ARDS associated with COVID-19 infection in terms of oxygenation and mortality.

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Background: Due to their minimally invasive high-quality adhesive, aesthetic and mechanical qualities, composite resins are the most frequently used materials in modern restorative dentistry. However, polymerization shrinkage and cytotoxicity are still unresolved drawbacks associated with these biomaterials.

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess the cytotoxicity of some restorative resin-based materials on gingival mesenchymal stromal cells (gMSCs), assuming that no differences in their behavior will be highlighted.

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Background: Mycobacterium africanum is a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and is endemic in West Africa, where it causes up to half of all cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. Here, we report the first isolation of Mycobacterium africanum from the pericardial effusion culture of a patient with tuberculous pericarditis.

Case Presentation: A 31-year-old man, native from Senegal, came to the emergency room with massive pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis.

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Bruxism is a repetitive activity of the masticatory muscles, which determine teeth grinding or clenching, associated with rigidity, bracing, or thrusting of the mandibula. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of possible bruxism in 328 students attending the Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, and its associations with stress and other manifestations of the temporo-mandibular disorder. This was a questionnaire-based study to collect information on self-evaluation of bruxism presence, frequency of specific episodes, stress, anxiety, and other manifestations of temporo-mandibular disorder.

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Objectives: To assess the benefits of remdesivir in hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving combined immunomodulatory therapy (CIT) with dexamethasone and tocilizumab.

Methods: This was a cohort study of microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized patients. The primary outcome was all-cause 28 day mortality.

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This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the frequency of bone augmentation materials used for implant or periodontal surgical treatment depending on the age and sex of the patients from a dental practice in Essen, Germany, but also the implants dimensions and respectively the stage and progression grade of the periodontitis. The analysis of the data showed that bone augmentation materials are used much more frequently in the implant surgical cases (43,33%) compared to periodontal surgical cases (13,33%). While the correlations with sex and age were less obvious, the use of bone augmentation materials in the implant surgical cases was correlated with the use of shorter implants, while their use in the periodontal surgical cases was correlated with the stage 3 periodontitis.

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Data on the performance of saliva specimens for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ambulatory patients are scarce and inconsistent. We assessed saliva-based specimens for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) in the community setting and compared three different collection methods. This prospective study was conducted in three primary care centers.

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Objective: The number of indications for total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is increasing. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) represents the next step in the evolution of standardised care. The primary aim of this study is to measure the in-hospital 30-day medical and surgical postoperative complications rate.

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Diabetes mellitus is a complex disease characterized by insufficient insulin secretion and / or an inefficiency of target tissues to its metabolic action. Periodontal disease was recognized as the sixth leading complication of a diabetes. Gingival sulcus bleeding is considered as an important clinical parameter in the diagnosis of periodontal disease.

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The study conducted on a total of 1344 preterm births, of which 403 hypotrophic fetuses births (between 2010-2012 within the Maternal Clinics of Craiova, Romania), studied the involvement of dental inflammatory infections in the chorioamnionitis onset. The possibility of transferring germs, toxins and degraded materials into the blood flow, and them entering the chorioamniotic structures is quite a common issue. Subclinically often evolving chorioamniotic membrane and its existence is clearly established after birth by histopathological and bacteriological examinations, being partially responsible for the growth delay of the conception product.

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