The role of humanitarian missions in surgical training for maxillofacial surgery residents: SOS Face Marrakesh experience

Resident´s participation in humanitarian work has been controversial, while it´s recognized by some authors to bring significant value to the resident´s education. Herein, we aim to provide an evidence of the role of humanitarian missions in the surgical training as part of residency program, through report of a 10 years experience of SOS FACE Marrakesh, a non-benefit association within maxillofacial surgery department of Marrakesh. Its operating mode is to organize humanitarian missions coupled to targeted surgical training program, which is framed by educational objectives using a pedagogic portfolio. As a result, 60.6% of the residents felt an improvement in surgical skills, and the evaluation of residents before and after the targeted training showed an increase of 57% in average clinical knowledge, especially the diagnosis part. In conclusion, humanitarian work helps to improve surgical skills in addition to enhancement of human values and we suggest incorporating volunteerism in residency programs

Helicobacter pylori and Biliary Tract Cancers: A Meta-Analysis

Background. Helicobacter pylori is detected in various extragastric diseases, including biliary tract cancers. Besides, gallbladder cancers, extracholangiocarcinomas, and intracholangiocarcinomas are highly lethal cancers with limited survival due to their late diagnosis. Epidemiological data on Helicobacter pylori infection and biliary tract cancer have been contradictory. Aim. The aim of this study is to explore and evaluate the association between the Helicobacter pylori infection and biliary tract cancer. Materials and Methods. Systematic literature research was carried out to identify all eligible articles. All relevant publications from 2000 to 2019 were retrieved using comprehensive combinations of keywords. We used a random effects model to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for odds ratio were also calculated. Quantitative assessment of heterogeneity was explored by the chi-square test and was measured using I2. Results. Thirteen case-control studies published between 2001 and 2018 were included. The overall meta-analysis favoured a significant association between Helicobacter pylori infection and biliary tract cancer (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.35–4.91; I2 = 58%). Geographic distribution-based subgroup analysis showed a higher prevalence of H. pylori in Asian and North American countries. Evidence supporting the higher presence of Helicobacter pylori in a cancer group was found by PCR. In another subgroup, the ORs were 4.18 (2.03, 8.58) in cholangiocarcinoma, 1.36 (0.34, 5.44) in gallbladder cancer, and 5.93 (1.89, 18.63) in other biliary tract cancers. Conclusion. This meta-analysis suggests that infection of the biliary tract with Helicobacter pylori is related to an increased risk of biliary tract cancers

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Revealed by Oral Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Kaposi’s sarcoma is the malignant proliferation of the endothelial cell vessels. It is a systemic, malignant and multifactor disease. It usually presents initially as violaceous cutaneous lesions. Outside of a known context of an immune deficiency, an isolated oral lesions may not think to Kaposi’s sarcoma. Hence the interest of the histological and immunohistochemical study. This paper reviews one such case of Kaposi’s sarcoma in a 42-year-old woman who present an isolated pigmented lesions of the tongue, related to Kaposi’s sarcoma, without cutaneous or visceral involvement, and which led to the discovery of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV). The stabilization was obtained with antiretroviral triple therapy.</p

Patent Blue V Dye Adsorption by Fresh and Calcined Zn/Al LDH: Effect of Process Parameters and Experimental Design Optimization

This work focuses on the adsorptive removal of patent blue V (PBV) dye from aqueous solution by Zn/Al layered double hydroxide in fresh (LDH) and calcined (CLDH) forms. The material was synthesized via coprecipitation and samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA-DTA. Dye retention was evaluated under different experimental conditions of contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature and initial dye concentration. Experimental results show that highest adsorption capacity occurred at acidic medium. Kinetics data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second-order model. Equilibrium data were best correlated to Langmuir model with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 185.40 and 344.37 mg/g, respectively, for LDH and CLDH. The process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Based on the preliminary study, full factorial experimental design (24) was used for the optimization of the effect of solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration and the calcination. Thus, the optimal conditions to reach high equilibrium adsorption capacity were achieved at pH of 5, adsorbent dosage of 0.1 g/L, and initial dye concentration of 15 mg/L by CLDH

Patent Blue V Dye Adsorption by Fresh and Calcined Zn/Al LDH: Effect of Process Parameters and Experimental Design Optimization

This work focuses on the adsorptive removal of patent blue V (PBV) dye from aqueous solution by Zn/Al layered double hydroxide in fresh (LDH) and calcined (CLDH) forms. The material was synthesized via coprecipitation and samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA-DTA. Dye retention was evaluated under different experimental conditions of contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature and initial dye concentration. Experimental results show that highest adsorption capacity occurred at acidic medium. Kinetics data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second-order model. Equilibrium data were best correlated to Langmuir model with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 185.40 and 344.37 mg/g, respectively, for LDH and CLDH. The process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Based on the preliminary study, full factorial experimental design (24) was used for the optimization of the effect of solution pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration and the calcination. Thus, the optimal conditions to reach high equilibrium adsorption capacity were achieved at pH of 5, adsorbent dosage of 0.1 g/L, and initial dye concentration of 15 mg/L by CLDH

Curious Vascular Tumor

Introduction. Sinusoidal hemangioma is a rare variant of acquired cavernous hemangioma predominantly occurring in females. Very few case reports have been described in the literature. Case Report. We present a case of a 46-year-old woman who noticed a slowly growing, cutaneous nodule on the left breast. Local excision of the lesion was performed and histology allowed to find a sinusoidal hemangioma. No recurrence was noticed. Conclusion. The very few reports of such a lesion in the literature reflect either rarity of such lesions or unfamiliarity of this subset among the pathologists

Relevant SARS-CoV-2 Genome Variation through Six Months of Worldwide Monitoring

Real-time genome monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak is of utmost importance for designing diagnostic tools, guiding antiviral treatment and vaccination strategies. In this study, we present an accurate method for temporal and geographical comparison of mutational events based on GISAID database genome sequencing. Among 42523 SARS-CoV-2 genomes analyzed, we found 23202 variants compared to the reference genome. The Ti/Tv (transition/transversion) ratio was used to filter out possible false-positive errors. Transition mutations generally occurred more frequently than transversions. Our clustering analysis revealed remarkable hotspot mutation patterns for SARS-CoV-2. Mutations were clustered based on how their frequencies changed over time according to each geographical location. We observed some clusters showing a clear variation in mutation frequency and continuously evolving in the world. However, many mutations appeared in specific periods without a clear pattern over time. Various important nonsynonymous mutations were observed, mainly in Oceania and Asia. More than half of these mutations were observed only once. Four hotspot mutations were found in all geographical locations at least once: T265I (NSP2), P314L (NSP12), D614G (S), and Q57H (ORF3a). The current analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes provides valuable information on the geographical and temporal mutational evolution of SARS-CoV-2.Peer Reviewe

What Open-Lung Biopsy Teaches Us about ARDS in COVID-19 Patients: Mechanisms, Pathology, and Therapeutic Implications

Difficulties have risen while managing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19, although it meets the Berlin definition. Severe hypoxemia with near-normal compliance was noted along with coagulopathy. Understanding the precise pathophysiology of this atypical ARDS will assist researchers and physicians in improving their therapeutic approach. Previous work is limited to postmortem studies, while our report addresses patients under protective lung mechanical ventilation. An open-lung minithoracotomy was performed in 3 patients who developed ARDS related to COVID-19 and were admitted to the intensive care unit to carry out a pathological and microbiological analysis on lung tissue biopsy. Diffused alveolar damage with hyaline membranes was found, as well as plurifocal fibrin microthrombi and vascular congestion in all patients’ specimens. Microbiological cultures were negative, whereas qualitative Reversed Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) detected SARS-CoV-2 in the pulmonary parenchyma and pleural fluid in two patients. COVID-19 causes progressive ARDS with onset of severe hypoxemia, underlying a dual mechanism: shunt effect through diffused alveolar damage and dead space effect through thrombotic injuries in microvascular beds. It seems reasonable to manage this ventilation-perfusion ratio mismatch using a high dose of anticoagulant combined with glucocorticoids