Postoperative pain in root canal treatment with ultrasonic versus conventional irrigation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Clinical Oral Investigations - The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis (SRM) was to answer the question whether the use of ultrasonic irrigation (UI) results in less postoperative...     

Biomarkers for traumatic brain injury: a short review

Neurosurgical Review - Cellular response to TBI is a mixture of excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and cell death. Biomarkers that can track these lesions and inflammatory processes are being...     

Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Vertebral Compression Fractures Using Convolutional Neural Networks and Radiomics

Journal of Digital Imaging - Vertebral Compression Fracture (VCF) occurs when the vertebral body partially collapses under the action of compressive forces. Non-traumatic VCFs can be secondary to...     

Rhizobium response to sole and combined exposure to cadmium and the phytocompounds alpha-pinene and quercetin

Soils can be contaminated with substances arising from anthropogenic sources, but also with natural bioactive compounds produced by plants, such as terpenes and flavonoids. While terpenes and flavonoids have received much less attention from research studies than metals, the effects that phytocompounds can have on soil organisms such as beneficial microorganisms should not be neglected. Herein we report the sole and combined exposure of Rhizobium to cadmium, to the monoterpene alpha-pinene and to the flavanol quercetin. A range of environmentally relevant concentrations of the phytocompounds was tested. Physiological (growth, protein content and intracellular Cd concentration), oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation) and antioxidant mechanisms (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione-S-transferases, protein electrophoretic profiles) were assessed. Results suggest that exposure to both phytocompounds do not influence Rhizobium growth, but for combined exposure to phytocompounds and Cd, different responses are observed. At low concentrations, phytocompounds seem to relieve the stress imposed by Cd by increasing antioxidant responses, but at high concentrations this advantage is lost and membrane damage may even be exacerbated. Thus, the presence of bioactive phytocompounds in soil may influence the tolerance of microorganisms to persistent toxicants, and may change their impact on the environment.     

Effects of cannabis and its components on the retina: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: Cannabis is the most prevalent drug in the world and its consumption is growing. Cannabinoid receptors are present in the human central nervous system. Recent studies show evidence of the effects of cannabinoids on the retina, and synthesising the results of these studies may be relevant for ophthalmologists. Thus, this review adopts standardised, systematic review methodology to investigate the effects of exposure to cannabis and components on the retina.

Methods: We searched five online databases for the combined terms for outcome (“retina”) and exposure (“cannabis”). Eligibility of studies were conducted by two independent reviewers, and risk of bias was assessed.

Results: We retrieved 495 studies, screened 229 studies, assessed 52 studies for eligibility, and included 16 studies for qualitative analysis. The cannabinoids most frequently investigated were delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), abnormal cannabidiol, synthetic cannabinoid, and cannabidiol (CDB). The outcomes most studied were neuroretinal dysfunction, followed by vascular effects. The studies also included investigation of neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects and teratogenic effects.

Conclusions: This review suggests that cannabinoids may have an important role in retinal processing and function.     

Exuberant case of verrucous cutaneous leishmaniasis

Cutaneous leishmaniasis represents a public health problem that affects 85 countries. It is an endemic disease in Brazil, having an important socioeconomic impact. An exuberant case of cutaneous leishmaniasis is reported herein. A 28-year-old male patient with Down syndrome had had verrucous plaques on the back for over a year, with progressive growth. PCR of a lesion sample was positive for Leishmania braziliensis. The patient's condition was classified as atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis. He was successfully treated with amphotericin B and miltefosine. The treatment remains a challenge, given the toxicity and low cure rate of the currently recommended drugs.