Wounds are among the most common skin conditions, displaying a large etiological diversity and being characterized by different degrees of severity. Wound healing is a complex process that involves multiple steps such as inflammation, proliferation and maturation and ends with scar formation. Since ancient times, a widely used option for treating skin wounds are plant- based treatments which currently have become the subject of modern pharmaceutical formulations. Triterpenes with tetracyclic and pentacyclic structure are extensively studied for their implication in wound healing as well as to determine their molecular mechanisms of action. The current review aims to summarize the main results of in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies conducted on lupane, ursane, oleanane, dammarane, lanostane and cycloartane type triterpenes as potential wound healing treatments.

Modern dentistry is turning towards natural sources to overcome the immunological, toxicological, aesthetic, and durability drawbacks of synthetic materials. Among the first biomaterials used as endosseous dental implants, mollusk shells also display unique features, such as high mechanical strength, superior toughness, hierarchical architecture, and layered, microporous structure. This review focusses on hydroxyapatite—a bioactive, osteoconductive, calcium-based material crucial for bone healing and regeneration. Mollusk-derived hydroxyapatite is widely available, cost-effective, sustainable, and a low-impact biomaterial. Thermal treatment coupled with wet chemical precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis are the most common methods used for its recovery since they provide efficiency, scalability, and the ability to produce highly crystalline and pure resulting materials. Several factors, such as temperature, pH, and sintering parameters, modulate the size, purity, and crystallinity of the final product. Experimental and clinical data support that mollusk shell-derived hydroxyapatite and its carbonated derivatives, especially their nanocrystaline forms, display notable bioactivity, osteoconductivity, and osteoinductivity without causing adverse immune reactions. These biomaterials are therefore highly relevant for specific dental applications, such as bone graft substitutes or dental implant coatings. However, continued research and clinical validation is needed to optimize the synthesis of mollusk shell-derived hydroxyapatite and determine its applicability to regenerative dentistry and beyond.

A quantitative structure - property relationship (QSPR) modeling of vapor pressure at 298.15 K, expressed as log (VP / Pa) was performed for a series of 84 hydrocarbons (63 alkanes and 21 cycloalkanes) using the van der Waals (vdW) surface area, SW/Å2, calculated by the Monte Carlo method, as the molecular descriptor. The QSPR model developed from the subset of 63 alkanes (C1-C16), deemed as the training set, was successfully used for the prediction of the log (VP / Pa) values of the 21 cycloalkanes, which was the external prediction (test) subset. A QSPR model was also developed for a series composed of all 84 hydrocarbons. Both QSPR models were statistically tested for their ability to fit the data and for prediction. The results showed that the vdW molecular surface used as molecular descriptor (MD) explains the variance of the majority of the log (VP / Pa) values in this series of 84 hydrocarbons. This MD describes very well the intermolecular forces that hold neutral molecules together. The clear physical meaning of the molecular surface values, SW/Å2, could explain the success of the QSPR models obtained with a single structural molecular descriptor.

Background/Objectives: This is the first study to examine age-related patterns of meniscal/chondral lesions in women undergoing first-time knee arthroscopy. Methods: We analyzed meniscal tear type/location and evaluated cartilage damage in femoral condyles and the tibial plateau in a medium-sized Romanian cohort (n = 241). Results: Age was associated significantly (p ≤ 0.004) with medial meniscal damage (O.R. = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06), medial femoral condyle chondropathy (O.R. = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.10), and medial tibial plateau chondropathy (O.R. = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.12). Medial meniscus tear patterns differed significantly between age groups (p < 0.001, Cramér’s V = 0.32). Bucket-handle tears—the most common tear type—peaked in middle age (p < 0.001, Cramér’s V = 0.30). The two menisci showed different distributions of tear patterns in women aged ≥40 years (p ≤ 0.023, Cramér’s V ≤ 0.41). Meniscal tears most commonly involved the posterior third. The distribution of tear sites in menisci (medial vs. lateral) varied significantly in women aged 40–59 years (p = 0.020, Cramér’s V = 0.28). The medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau showed significant intergroup differences in ICRS scores (p ≤ 0.024, Cramér’s V ≤ 0.34). The frequency of ICRS grade 4 cartilage lesions increased markedly in the 40–59 age group at both sites, continuing to rise in older patients for the medial tibial plateau. Conclusions: Knee pathology in women worsens with age, especially in the medial compartment. Early screening (intervention) in middle-aged women may help prevent advanced joint damage.

Background/Objectives: This study investigated the independent and interactive effects of age, sex, and area of residence on dental diagnostic and anatomic patterns among emergency dental patients. Methods: Clinical data were collected from 1650 patients treated at the Arad County Emergency Clinical Hospital and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Dental diagnoses were grouped into carious lesions, endodontic conditions, periodontal diseases, acute infections, and other dental pathologies. Affected teeth were classified as anterior, premolar, or molar. Results: Middle-aged patients (40–59 years) showed lower odds of dental caries (OR = 0.21, p = 0.009) and endodontic conditions (OR = 0.42, p = 0.011), but higher odds of periodontal diseases (OR = 2.02, p < 0.001) compared to young adults (<40 years). Older age (≥60 years) was associated with reduced risk of endodontic emergencies (OR = 0.58, p = 0.021) but higher risk of periodontal diseases (OR = 1.92, p = 0.026). Rural residence was associated with higher odds of endodontic (OR = 1.57, p = 0.048) and periodontal pathology (OR = 1.76, p = 0.045). The endodontic effect differed by sex, with rural men showing higher odds of this outcome versus urban women (OR = 2.03, p = 0.033). Male patients were more likely to have affected anterior teeth (OR = 1.62, p = 0.045), whereas their molars were less frequently affected (OR = 0.69, p = 0.042). Conclusions: Age and rural residence were significantly associated with variations in advanced dental pathology patterns within this emergency cohort. Sex modified the association between area of residence and endodontic conditions and was independently associated with patterns of tooth involvement. Our findings identify rural men from this cohort as a high-risk subgroup and emphasize the need for targeted public health programs in rural communities.