Anti-nociceptive efficacy of essential oil-based extracts for the management of orofacial pain: a systematic review of available evidence.

OBJECTIVE: Experimental studies have shown that essential oil (EO)-based extracts derived from medicinal plants exhibit antinociceptive activity. The aim of the present systematic review was to assess the anti-nociceptive efficacy of EO-based extracts for the management of orofacial pain (OFP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To address the focused question "Are EO-based formulations effective for the management of OFP disorders?", indexed databases were searched without time and language restrictions using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. Risk of bias (ROB) was assessed. RESULTS: Eight studies were included and processed for data extraction. Two studies were clinical (one in adults and one in children) and 6 were performed in rodents. Results from one clinical study showed that inhalation of EO-extracts does not affect subjective toothache scores; and results from the study on children reported that inhalation of lavender oil reduces anxiety and pain during and after tooth extraction. Results from all experimental studies showed that administration of EO-extracts reduces orofacial nociceptive behavior. The ROB was high in 50% and 83.3% of the clinical and experimental studies, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-nociceptive efficacy of EO-extracts for the management of OFP remains debatable. Further well-designed and power-adjusted randomized clinical trials are needed in this regard.

Performance of three small-scale wastewater treatment plants. A challenge for possible re use.

The study focused on the assessment of the performance of three WWTPs in Greece by the estimation of the microbiological and chemical quality of influent and effluent sewage. Physicochemical parameters were recorded (temperature, pH, COD, BOD, suspended solids, conductivity), and meteorological data were collected (air temperature, rain). Microbiological parameters were analyzed (Escherichia coli, total coliforms, bacteriophages, Salmonella, human adenoviruses, Candida, Pseudallescheria boydii, helminths, parasites Cryptosporidium ssp., and Giardia spp.). Statistically significant correlations among the various aforementioned parameters were investigated, in an attempt to propose appropriate processing performance indicators. Furthermore, the study aimed to assess current joint ministerial decision (JMD) on wastewater reuse, for irrigation purposes; to evaluate its practicability and its potential for public health protection. In the vast majority, outlet samples from all three studied WWTPs were not appropriate for irrigation reuse purposes based on BOD50 and suspended solids limit values, set by the current JMD, for both limited and unrestricted irrigation applications. Reductions for E. coli, total coliforms, and bacteriophages were found to range between 2-3, 1.5-2.5, and 2-4 log10 values, respectively. Salmonella spp. was detected in outlet sewage samples from Patra (PAT), Arachova (ARH), and Livadeia (LEV), at 23% (3/13), 33% (4/12), and 38% (5/13), respectively. Molds were detected at 92.3% (12/13), 100% (13/13), and 91.6% (11/12), respectively, while Candida was found at 85% (11/13), 67% (8/12), and 46% (6/13). A high prevalence of Pseudallescheria boydii, in outlet samples from all studied WWTPs is an important public health issue, which underlines the need for further studies on this emerging fungal pathogen in wastewater reuse applications. Pseudallescheria boydii was found at 85% (11/13), 67% (8/12), and 46% (6/13), respectively. Helminths were found in both inlet and outlet samples, of all studied WWTPs, at 100%. Human adenoviruses, were detected at high percentages in outlet samples at 76.9% (10/13), 92.3% (12/13), 84.6% (11/13), respectively, while no influence of UV irradiation was recorded on the entry and exit loads of human adenoviruses. No influence of meteorological parameters was found on the microbiological and chemical parameters, with the exception of a weak positive correlation between environmental temperature and bacteriophages. A moderate positive correlation was found between BOD and suspended solids, bacteriophages, and total coliforms, bacteriophages and E. coli, and bacteriophages and adenoviruses. A significant positive correlation was found between total coliforms and E. coli, COD and BOD, and suspended solids and COD. No correlations were proved between human pathogens and bacterial indicator parameters. Collectively, our findings underlined the unsuitability of the current JMD on wastewater reuse in Greece, or public health protection. The study is expected to support the development of a public health risk assessment model based on quantitative risk assessment on the use of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes in Greece.

Struma ovarii. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Struma ovarii is the presence of thyroid tissue as a major cellular component in an ovarian teratoma. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old old woman, with a palpable mass at the anatomical position of the right adnexa known for the preceding 3 years underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Histology reported struma ovarii. CONCLUSION: Struma ovarii is a rare tumor of the ovaries and its clinical appearance may vary: it may be asymptomatic, mimic malignant ovarian tumor, or present with symptoms of hyperthyroidism and, in rare cases, it can even be a malignant tumor.

Primary angiosarcoma of bone. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant vascular tumors of bone are very rare accounting for less than 1% of primary bone malignancies. They are characterized by unknown etiology, variable biologic behavior and histological appearance. Angiosarcoma is an aggressive malignant vascular tumor derived from mesenchymal cells with endothelial differentiation. CASE REPORT: We present a rare case of angiosarcoma of bone in a 47-year-old male operated for a lumbar disk herniation. During his transportation from the operation theater, a pathological intertrochanteric fracture of the right hip occured. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a bone lytic lesion located into the great trochanter of the right femur. Open surgical biopsy of the lesion was performed and the histological examination showed primary angiosarcoma of bone. The treatment included radiotherapy (300 cGy per fraction in 13 days) followed by excision of the proximal femur and custom made total hip arthroplasty. The diagnosis was confirmed on the surgical specimen.

Primary rectal malignant melanoma-case report.

INTRODUCTION: Primary malignant melanoma that arises from the true anatomic rectal mucosa is extremely rare. CASE REPORT: An endoscopic investigation of a 79-year-old woman with long history of tenesmus and rectal bleeding revealed posterior fleshy mass 4.5 cm from the anal verge. Biopsies demonstrated malignant melanoma. She underwent abdominoperineal resection and is doing well one year after the operation. CONCLUSION: Owing to its rarity and histologic variability, misdiagnosis as lymphoma, carcinoma or sarcoma is common.

Posterior mediastinal Castleman's disease presented as hypervascular lipomatous tumor.

Castleman's disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder most often found in the chest. Herein we describe the imaging findings of a histologically proven case of CD involving the posterior mediastinum in a 41-year-old asymptomatic man presented as a well-defined hypervascular lipomatous tumor. To our knowledge less than 10 cases of posterior mediastinal CD have been reported so far and this is the first case of CD mimicking mediastinal lipomatous tumor.

Submucosal lipoma of the ascending colon as a source of massive lower gastro-intestinal bleeding: a case report.

Colonic lipomas are relatively uncommon lesions. They have been documented as the source of massive low gastro-intestinal bleeding in only five previous reports in the English language literature. We report an extremely rare case of massive haemorrhage caused by an ascending colon submucosal lipoma and review the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management.

Patellofemoral arthritis due to localize nodular synovitis (LNS).

We present the case of a 38-year-old female patient who had suffered from a progressively increasing anterior pain in her right knee for almost 10 years. She decided to seek medical advice when the pain became intolerable, not permitting her to perform normal everyday activities. The clinical examination showed evidence of patellofemoral arthritis, but the MRI that followed, apart from confirming the original diagnosis as an "Outerbridge" grade III osteoarthritic lesion, revealed an unidentifiable tumor located in the lateral part of the right patellofemoral joint, that appeared to be like a type of "reactive synovitis". The articular degeneration was treated with arthroscopic saving, followed by complete excision of the tumor and anteromedial tibial tubercle transfer under direct vision. The excised tumor was histologically categorized as a "localized type of nodular synovitis" otherwise known as "giant cell" tumor of synovial origin. The patient has fully recoreved from surgery and 3 years post-operatively she has fully returned to everyday normal activities noting only occasional slight discomfort.

Detection of hepatitis-B virus-DNA and mutations in k-ras and p53 genes in human hepatocellular carcinomas.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered as one of the major risk factors in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies have also suggested the implication of oncogene and onco-suppressor genes in liver carcinogenesis. We studied 41 cases of HCC for the presence of HBV DNA and point mutations in codon 12 of K-ras and codon 249 of p53. We used 'nested' PCR for the amplification of HBV because of the expected low incidence of the virus DNA in the samples. PCR was also used for the amplification of K-ras and p53 regions that contain the codons of interest, followed by RFLP analysis for the detection of point mutations. HBV DNA was amplified in 22 cases (53.7%), while 5 cases (12.2%) appeared to carry mutations in codon 12 of K-ras and 7 cases (17.1%) had mutations in codon 249 of the p53 gene. These results further support the correlation between HBV infection and HCC and also indicate an implication of K-ras and p53 genes in hepatocarcinogenesis.