Clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of 28 oral haemangiomas in paediatric patients

Objective: To present a large series of oral haemangiomas in children, analyzing the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of oral haemangiomas in 28 children. Material and Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study, reviewing medical records with clinical diagnosis of haemangioma between 1990 and 2006 at the Children?s Maxillofacial Surgery Service of the Hospital Universitario la Fe, Valencia. All patients with a clinical, radiographic, pathologically confirmed diagnosis of oral haemangioma were included. Results: The study included 28 patients (19 females and 9 males) with a mean age of 4.27 years (range 0-14 years). Nine were congenital haemangioma. The most frequent location of oral haemangioma was in the lip with 23 cases, followed by three cases in the tongue and 2 in the buccal mucosa. The mean diameter of the lesion was 1.67 cm (range 1-3cm). The mean duration of the lesion was 6.3 months (range 1 month to 5 years). Of the 28 haemangiomas, 13 were surgically removed, 2 were treated with embolization and 13 disappeared spontaneously. The mean follow up was 2.7 months (1-8 months). There were no cases of recurrence. Conclusions: Haemangiomas usually present in children, and can be seen from birth. They have a predilection for females. They are uncommon in the oral cavity. In the oral region, the most common location is the lip. Most congenital haemangioma regress spontaneously without treatment. The treatment of choice is surgical excision of the lesion

Pediatric oral ranula : clinical follow-up study of 57 cases

Objective: To present 57 cases of oral ranula in children, analyzing the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of these lesions. Methods: The clinical histories of patients diagnosed with oral ranula, seen between 1998 and 2008 at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit of a reference Children?s Hospital (0-14 years) were reviewed. All patients with clinical diagnosis of oral ranula were included. Results: Fifty-seven patients, 21 boys and 36 girls, with a mean age of 5.1 years were included in the study. Thirtytwo cases were located on the left side of the floor of the mouth. The lesion diameter varied between 1 and 3 cm in 27 cases, 22 were less than 1 cm, and 8 were larger than 3 cm. Fifty-four cases were asymptomatic and 3 ranulas had pain on swallowing. Twenty-two cases were resolved by opening with a tract dilator and 35 by marsupialization. Seven cases recurred at a mean of 12 months after treatment, three of these from the marsupialization group. Conclusion: The majority of the oral ranulas occurred in females, asymptomatic, on the left side of the floor of the mouth, with a mean size of 1 to 3 cm; all lesions were treated by surgery, of which 7 recurred

Orofacial dermoid cysts in pediatric patients : a review of 8 cases

Objective: The aim was to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of 8 orofacial dermoid cysts (DC) in pediatric patients. Material and Methods: A retrospective observational study was made, reviewing the medical records with clinical diagnosis of dermoid cyst between 1987 and 2006 in the Children?s Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain. The following data were collected: sex, age, location, size and duration of the lesion, treatment, length of follow-up, and recurrence. Results: Eight patients (3 girls and 5 boys) with a mean age of 2.7 years (range 0-12 years). Four DC were located in the oral area (3 sublingual and 1 lingual), one in the periorbital and three in the nasal areas. The size ranged from 0.8 cm to 4 cm. The mean duration of the lesion was 13.7 months (range 4 days to 2 years). All DC were diagnosed pathologically following surgical removal of the lesion. There were no recurrences. Conclusion: The appearance of DC in the maxillofacial region of pediatric patients is uncommon. The floor of the mouth is the most frequently affected area in the oral cavity. Treatment is surgical removal of the lesion. Recurrence is unusual

"Invisible burials" and fragmentation practices in Iron Age Europe:Excavations at the Monte Bernorio Necropolis (Northern Spain)

The scarcity of burial remains in large parts of Iron Age Europe, particularly in the Atlantic regions, has often led scholars to discuss the apparent “invisibility” of graves. This paper presents the results from several excavation campaigns at Monte Bernorio, one of the most important sites of the 1st millennium b.c. on the Iberian Peninsula. The fieldwork and post-excavation work carried out in the area of the necropolis have identified numerous burial pits, with complex ritual activities characterized by fragmentation and the practice of the pars pro toto. In addition, evidence for later rituals in some of the graves can be linked to ancestor worship. The results provide important insights into funerary practices in Late Iron Age Europe, leading us to rethink the very meaning of cemeteries in the study area and beyond.- Burial Traditions in Iron Age Europe - The Monte Bernorio Archaeological Zone - The 2007–2008 Necropolis Excavations - The 2015–2016 Necropolis Excavations - Post-Excavation Work and Interpretation: The Faunal and Human Remains - Structure and Chronology of Monte Bernorio Area 7 - Destruction of the Body, Commemoration in the Absence of a Corpse, and Visibility of the Mortuary Rite

Two Origins for the Gene Encoding α-Isopropylmalate Synthase in Fungi

BACKGROUND: The biosynthesis of leucine is a biochemical pathway common to prokaryotes, plants and fungi, but absent from humans and animals. The pathway is a proposed target for antimicrobial therapy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we identified the leuA gene encoding alpha-isopropylmalate synthase in the zygomycete fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus using a genetic mapping approach with crosses between wild type and leucine auxotrophic strains. To confirm the function of the gene, Phycomyces leuA was used to complement the auxotrophic phenotype exhibited by mutation of the leu3+ gene of the ascomycete fungus Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the leuA gene in Phycomyces, other zygomycetes, and the chytrids is more closely related to homologs in plants and photosynthetic bacteria than ascomycetes or basidiomycetes, and suggests that the Dikarya have acquired the gene more recently. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The identification of leuA in Phycomyces adds to the growing body of evidence that some primary metabolic pathways or parts of them have arisen multiple times during the evolution of fungi, probably through horizontal gene transfer events

The Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Estimates, Patterns, and Threats

The Mediterranean Sea is a marine biodiversity hot spot. Here we combined an extensive literature analysis with expert opinions to update publicly available estimates of major taxa in this marine ecosystem and to revise and update several species lists. We also assessed overall spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity and identified major changes and threats. Our results listed approximately 17,000 marine species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. However, our estimates of marine diversity are still incomplete as yet—undescribed species will be added in the future. Diversity for microbes is substantially underestimated, and the deep-sea areas and portions of the southern and eastern region are still poorly known. In addition, the invasion of alien species is a crucial factor that will continue to change the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, mainly in its eastern basin that can spread rapidly northwards and westwards due to the warming of the Mediterranean Sea. Spatial patterns showed a general decrease in biodiversity from northwestern to southeastern regions following a gradient of production, with some exceptions and caution due to gaps in our knowledge of the biota along the southern and eastern rims. Biodiversity was also generally higher in coastal areas and continental shelves, and decreases with depth. Temporal trends indicated that overexploitation and habitat loss have been the main human drivers of historical changes in biodiversity. At present, habitat loss and degradation, followed by fishing impacts, pollution, climate change, eutrophication, and the establishment of alien species are the most important threats and affect the greatest number of taxonomic groups. All these impacts are expected to grow in importance in the future, especially climate change and habitat degradation. The spatial identification of hot spots highlighted the ecological importance of most of the western Mediterranean shelves (and in particular, the Strait of Gibraltar and the adjacent Alboran Sea), western African coast, the Adriatic, and the Aegean Sea, which show high concentrations of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable species. The Levantine Basin, severely impacted by the invasion of species, is endangered as well

Optical Investigation of ZnO Nanowires

In this study we report the application of synchrotron X-ray fluorescence, photoluminescence and Raman scattering techniques to the analysis of the incorporation of impurities in unintentionally doped ZnO nanowires. Highly ordered one-dimensional ZnO arrays were fabricated by an oxidation process of Zn metal electrodeposited in nanoporous anodic alumina template. X-ray fluorescence data show the contribution of residual elements into the ZnO nanowires growth. A rough analytical quantification of the main light and heavy chemical contents derives impurity concentrations below 1%. The optical efficiency of ZnO nanowires is strongly affected by non-radiative centers up to temperatures as low as 100 K. The photoluminescence was found to be totally dominated by optical transitions associated with the anodic alumina template. Finally, the Raman scattering provides no evidence of local vibrational modes or secondary phases, but it shows the unambiguous signature of the ZnO hexagonal phase