A giant urinary bladder stone in the mummy of Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Joseph Tyan (1760-1820) and its environmental and nutritional implications.

INTRODUCTION: Historical sources and anthropological investigations, with the indispensable support of radiology, bring to light pathological evidence of the past. CASE PRESENTATION: The purpose of this article is to present the radiological investigation conducted on the mummy of the Maronite Joseph Tyan (1760-1820), a famous patriarch who guided the Lebanese Maronite community during a critical period of its history. The natural mummy of the Patriarch was temporarily removed from its burial site to certify the degree of preservation. Conventional radiography was necessary to determine the state of the internal organs and any physical abnormalities, and to clarify the degree of conservation of the mummy. DISCUSSION: Radiological analysis uncovered an exceptional case of a large urinary bladder stone. This pathological evidence confirms historical documentary sources that in the last years of his life the Patriarch suffered from abdominal pain and urinary problems. We can suppose that the environment and diet of the Maronite community, limited by restricted agricultural resources, was the possible cause of the urinary bladder stone, as today the epidemiology of these diseases demonstrates links with mainly cereal diets in rural areas.

Anthropomorphic assessment of the retromolar foramen and retromolar nerve: anomaly or variation of normal anatomy?

The retromolar foramen, retromolar canal, and retromolar nerve constitute a variation of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) with a prevalence of 12-75%; this represents type 1 bifidity of the IAN. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the retromolar nerve in our population and to obtain related data. One hundred and thirty-six mandibles of fresh cadavers aged 20-75 years were dissected. The buccolingual location, diameter, and distance from the third molar, and their associations with sex, were measured. The area of innervation and demographic data were also documented and analysed statistically. The retromolar foramen and retromolar nerve were observed in 55 cases (40.4%). The mean diameter of the retromolar foramen was 1.7 mm (range 1.1-2.1 mm); the mean diameter was 1.8 mm in males and 1.5mm in females. Histological findings showed that the retromolar nerve extended from the anterior border of the ramus, innervating the retromolar pad and continuing to the buccal gingiva of up to two teeth anteriorly (first molar region). This high percentage of IAN type 1 bifidity (40.4%) suggests it to be a normal anatomical variation of the IAN rather than an anomaly.

Periodic variation of the water use efficiency in durum wheat.

Water Use Efficiency (WUF) of five durum wheat varieties (Khiar, Karim, Nasr, Razzak and Sobirano) cultivated in Tunisia was investigated. The experiment was conducted under rainfed field conditions, irrigated pots and test tubes at ESA Kef experiment station during the cropping season of 2010-2011. Under rainfed conditions, Khiar has the highest grain yield with 29.35 q ha(-1). Biological WUE ranged from 1.72-1.49 mg dry matter per g of water for Razzak and Nasr, respectively. The WUE of grain ranged.from 0.81-0.48 mg grain per g of water for Khiar and Sobirano, respectively. Biological WUE showed positive correlation to grain yield and stomatal density and negatively correlated with leaf area. Periodic water use efficiency in pot and test tube trials indicated variation of wheat genotypes according to stage periods and how the experiment was conducted. Test tubes trials showed high, accurate and maximum value of water use. Therefore, we can consider that Khiar has a high WUE in the first period; germination-early tillering (6.70 mg dry matter per g water). Nasr and Sobirano valorise well had got water use during the second period; tillering (9.16 and 10.20 mg dry matter per g of water). Razzak shows a high WUE for the third period; booting-early heading (9.06 mg dry matter per g of water). Finally, Karim cultivar has the highest WUE during for the fourth period; heading-physiological maturity (22.13 mg dry matter per g of water). Periods of high WUE can be targeted for appropriate time of wheat cultivar irrigation.

Gnathic osteosarcomas: a 10-year multi-center demographic study.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcomas (OS) of the jaws are uncommon lesions representing 6-8% of skeletal OS. We assessed the characteristics, demographics, prevalence clinical and histopathological findings and distribution of gnathic OS relative to non-gnathic OS in four major treatment centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study assessed 13 gnathic OS patients of 98 OS patients from four major referral centers during 1996-2007. The age distribution, gender, involved site, clinical findings, signs, symptoms, grade and sub-types were assessed. Hematoxylin-eosin, Picrosirius red, Ponceau trichrome, Masson trichrome and osteoid staining methods were used. RESULTS: Of the 98 OS lesions, 85 (86.8%) involved the skeleton, the youngest patient was 6 and the oldest 60 years old; 13 lesions (13.2%) involved the jaws (seven mandibular and six maxillary) and the youngest and oldest patients were 15 and 50 years-old, respectively. Non-gnathic OS was more prevalent between the ages of 11 and 20 years (avg. 15 years) and was common in the distal femur and proximal tibia, presenting most frequently with pain and swelling. OS of the jaws, however, presented more than 10 years later than non-gnathic OS, being more prevalent between the ages of 20 and 30 years (avg. 27 years). OS of the jaws most frequently involved the mandibular body and the posterior maxillary alveolar ridge, presenting frequently with pain, swelling and loosening of teeth. Two patients with gnathic OS died during the 10-year follow-up period (15.3%). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of OS of the jaws was about twice as high as that reported in other studies and presented later than non-gnathic cases. Pain and swelling were common signs and symptoms in this disease. The mixed sub-type was the most common sub-type of gnathic OS.

Salvage of an impacted canine associated with an adenomatoid odontogenic tumour: a case report.

The adenomatoid odontogenic tumour (AOT) has been known by a number of descriptive names (adenoameloblastoma, ameloblastic adenomatoid tumour, glandular ameloblastoma, and adenomatoid ameloblastoma) since it was first reported and later recognised as a distinct odontogenic lesion unrelated to ameloblastoma. Although it was considered to be a variant of ameloblastoma at one time leading surgeons to perform unduly aggressive surgery, the treatment outcome experience has borne out the benign, nonaggressive nature of this lesion. The AOT is now considered to be a hamartoma with completely benign behaviour. Recurrence seldom if ever occurs after surgical curettage. Thus, it appears needless to extract involved anterior teeth associated with the tumour, especially in children. We report a case in which surgical and orthodontic treatment helped to salvage an impacted mandibular canine associated with an AOT in an adolescent girl. We have not found such a procedure to have been done for this tumour in the literature.

Magnetic resonance imaging in intradural and extradural spinal echinococcosis.

The potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of spinal hydatidosis has not yet been fully explored. Only a few sporadic case reports have demonstrated interesting capabilities for detection of cystic echinococcal lesions in and around the spine, but to our knowledge none has described the MRI findings in intradural hydatid cysts. We present two cases of hydatid disease of the spine with extradural and intradural involvement illustrating the value of MRI in the preoperative evaluation, operative planning, and immediate postsurgical results.