2-O-methylmagnolol mitigates the generation of reactive oxidative stress and inflammaging in human gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts with advanced glycation end products stimulation
Liang-Gie Huang, Cheng-Chia Yu, Jia-You Fang
et al.
Background/purpose: Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more susceptible to periodontitis, largely due to the accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which drive oxidative stress and inflammaging. Inflammaging is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation and accelerated cellular aging that contributes to periodontal degradation, mediated by AGEs-induced cellular senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). 2-O-methylmagnolol (2-MG), a bioactive compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, remains underexplored in DM-associated periodontal degeneration. This study investigated the effects of 2-MG on AGE-induced oxidative stress and inflammaging in human gingival epithelial cells (HGEs) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Materials and methods: The study assessed the effects of 2-MG on AGE-stimulated HGEs and HGFs by evaluating cell proliferation, wound healing capacity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, cellular senescence markers, and the secretion of SASP factors, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8. Additionally, Western blot analysis was performed to examine the protein expression of a senescence marker p16. Results: Treatment with 2-MG at concentrations up to 10 μM did not significantly affect HGEs and HGFs cell proliferation (P > 0.05). However, 2-MG effectively improved AGEs-induced wound healing impairment and significantly attenuated ROS production in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 2-MG reduced cellular senescence and suppressed the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 (P < 0.05). Western blot analysis demonstrated that 2-MG inhibited AGEs-induced p16 expression (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings indicate that 2-MG mitigates AGEs-induced oxidative stress and inflammaging in HGEs and HGFs. These results suggest that 2-MG may have therapeutic potential in preventing or attenuating DM-associated periodontal degeneration.
Investigating the role of Rubus coreanus in enhancing peri-implant bone healing in healthy and estrogen-deficient rats
Odir Nunes de Oliveira-Filho, Naara Gabriela Monteiro, Fábio Roberto de Souza-Batista
et al.
Abstract Osseointegration can be compromised by bone diseases such as osteoporosis, negatively affecting the quality of life in affected individuals. Rubus coreanus (RC) has shown potential in modulating bone metabolism. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of RC-functionalized implants on peri-implant bone healing in both healthy (SHAM) and ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The research included both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Initially, osteoblastic cell cultures were used to assess the response to functionalized discs, followed by an in vivo study with forty-eight female Wistar rats, randomly assigned to six groups: SHAM CONV, SHAM RC 200, SHAM RC 400, OVX CONV, OVX RC 200, and OVX RC 400, where CONV refers to a conventional titanium implant and 200 and 400 represent that implant coated with 200 µg and 400 µg of RC. SHAM groups underwent fictitious surgery, while OVX groups underwent ovariectomy. After 30 days, implants were placed in the tibial metaphysis, and the rats were euthanized at 28 days post-implantation. Results indicated that RC maintained cell viability without significantly altering bone microarchitecture. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed notable histological improvements and enhanced marker expression, particularly with the RC 200 surface. Ultrastructural analysis suggested that RC functionalization improves peri-implant bone healing, especially in healthy rats treated with RC 200. In conclusion, implant functionalization with RC, particularly RC 200 significantly enhances peri-implant bone healing, with the most pronounced effects observed in SHAM group.
Synthetic Orthopantomography Image Generation Using Generative Adversarial Networks for Data Augmentation
Maria Waqas, Shehzad Hasan, Ammar Farid Ghori
et al.
Objective: To overcome the scarcity of annotated dental X-ray datasets, this study presents a novel pipeline for generating high-resolution synthetic orthopantomography (OPG) images using customized generative adversarial networks (GANs). Methods: A total of 4777 real OPG images were collected from clinical centres in Pakistan, Thailand, and the U.S., covering diverse anatomical features. Twelve GAN models were initially trained, with four top-performing variants selected for further training on both combined and region-specific datasets. Synthetic images were generated at 2048 × 1024 pixels, maintaining fine anatomical detail. The evaluation was conducted using (1) a YOLO-based object detection model trained on real OPGs to assess feature representation via mean average precision, and (2) expert dentist scoring for anatomical and diagnostic realism. Results: All selected models produced realistic synthetic OPGs. The YOLO detector achieved strong performance on these images, indicating accurate structural representation. Expert evaluations confirmed high anatomical plausibility, with models M1 and M3 achieving over 50% of the reference scores assigned to real OPGs. Conclusion: The developed GAN-based pipeline enables the ethical and scalable creation of synthetic OPG images, suitable for augmenting datasets used in artificial intelligence-driven dental diagnostics. Clinical Significance: This method provides a practical solution to data limitations in dental artificial intelligence, supporting model development in privacy-sensitive or low-resource environments.
Comparative Analysis of the Chelating Capacity of Two Solutions Activated with Sonic and Ultrasonic Systems: HEBP Versus EDTA
Chloé Lefevre, Julia Mena-Gómez, Andrea Martin-Vacas
et al.
The success of root canal treatment depends on the proper execution of each phase. However, the instrumentation and irrigation phase is especially important. During this phase, the interior of the root canal system must be removed to facilitate the next phase, obturation, achieving the most airtight seal possible, resulting in the success of the endodontic treatment. This study aimed to compare the chelating capacity and smear layer removal effectiveness of two irrigants—17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and 9% hydroxyethylidene bisphosphonate (HEBP)—when activated using two different irrigant activation systems: sonic and ultrasonic. Additionally, the study assessed the relationship between these variables and the average diameter of dentinal tubules in the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the root canal. A total of 105 single-rooted human teeth were decoronated and instrumented using a rotary system. Teeth were randomly assigned to four experimental groups based on the irrigant (EDTA or HEBP) and the activation method (sonic or ultrasonic). Final irrigation was performed with the corresponding protocol. Samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Smear layer removal was quantified using the Carvalho method, and dentinal tubule diameter was measured with image analysis software. Data were statistically analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov and non-parametric tests, with a significance level set at α = 0.05. EDTA showed superior smear layer removal in the coronal and middle thirds, particularly when activated ultrasonically. In contrast, HEBP was more effective in the apical third, especially when used with sonic activation. There were no statistically significant differences in the overall tubule diameter between the two chelating agents; however, HEBP resulted in significantly larger tubule openings in the apical third. Activation systems played a critical role, with ultrasonic irrigation being more effective for EDTA and sonic irrigation favoring HEBP in specific canal regions. The combination of chelating agent and activation system influences both smear layer removal and dentinal tubule morphology. HEBP demonstrated promising results in the apical third with minimal structural damage, supporting its use as a viable alternative to EDTA in continuous chelation protocols.
Technology, Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Letter to the Editor regarding “Designing a Smartphone Application for Detection of Oral Bite Force Using Artificial Intelligence” by Gao et al.
Wenxi Dong
MUC5B modulation of early oral biofilm glucose metabolism
Carolina Robertsson, Carolina Robertsson, Julia Davies
et al.
IntroductionSalivary mucin MUC5B has been suggested to support eubiosis in early oral biofilms by regulating the attachment of commensals, while downregulating dysbiotic activities related to dental caries development, such as microbial carbohydrate transport and metabolism.MethodsTo investigate how the metabolism of glucose, a potential driver for dental caries, in early mono- and dual-species biofilms of oral Actinomyces naeslundii and Streptococcus gordonii clinical isolates was affected by the presence of the complex salivary mucin MUC5B, this study employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics with the interpretation of network integration.Results and discussionMUC5B reduced early attachment in the presence of glucose compared with uncoated surfaces but maintained even species distribution. This suggests that MUC5B may represent an innate mechanism to regulate biofilm eubiosis by supporting early coadhesion while regulating total biomass. All annotated metabolites were intermediates in either carbohydrate metabolism, pyruvate conversion, or amino acid metabolism, which was not unexpected in biofilm glucose metabolomes from two saccharolytic species since pyruvate conversion represents a junction point between glycolysis and amino acid metabolic chains. The 10 metabolites present in all early biofilms represent a core metabolome shared by A. naeslundii and S. gordonii. Such core metabolomes can be used to detect deviations in future studies. Significant differences in metabolite abundance elicited by the presence of MUC5B were also detected. In early biofilms where they were each present, pyruvate, ethanol, and metabolite 134 were present in significantly higher abundance in the presence of 25% MUC5B with 20 mM glucose (MUC5B + G) compared with a physiologic buffer with 20 mM glucose (PBS + G), while metabolites 84, 97, and sarcosine were present at significantly lower abundance. Metabolite 72 was unique to biofilms grown in MUC5B + G, and eight unannotated metabolites were unique to biofilms grown in PBS + G. A pathway enrichment analysis of the metabolites that were differently expressed in early A. naeslundii, S. gordonii, and dual-species biofilms grown with 20 mM glucose with or without MUC5B showed that pyruvate metabolism was significantly over-represented. Studying the metabolic interactions between commensal members of oral biofilms and modulatory effects of host factors such as glycoproteins in saliva during the metabolism of substrates that are potential drivers of dysbiosis, such as glucose, is essential to understand the roles of oral microbial ecosystems in oral health and disease.
Esophageal Reflux Hypersensitivity: A Comprehensive Review
Akinari Sawada, Daniel Sifrim, Yasuhiro Fujiwara
Reflux hypersensitivity (RH) is one of the phenotypes of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The latest Rome IV defines RH as a condition with typical reflux symptoms and positive reflux-symptom association despite normal acid exposure. Subsequently, the Lyon consensus proposed detailed cutoff values for the criteria on the basis of experts’ consensus. Rome IV brought a clear-cut perspective into the pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the importance of esophageal hypersensitivity. This perspective can be supported by the fact that other functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia often overlap with RH. Although several possible pathophysiological mechanisms of esophageal hypersensitivity have been identified, there is still unmet medical needs in terms of treatment for this condition. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding RH.
Diseases of the digestive system. Gastroenterology
Inhibition of TRPP3 by calmodulin through Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II
Xiong Liu, Yifang Wang, Ziyi Weng
et al.
Transient receptor potential (TRP) polycystin-3 (TRPP3) is a non-selective cation channel activated by Ca2+ and protons and is involved in regulating ciliary Ca2+ concentration, hedgehog signaling and sour tasting. The TRPP3 channel function and regulation are still not well understood. Here we investigated regulation of TRPP3 by calmodulin (CaM) by means of electrophysiology and Xenopus oocytes as an expression model. We found that TRPP3 channel function is enhanced by calmidazolium, a CaM antagonist, and inhibited by CaM through binding of the CaM N-lobe to a TRPP3 C-terminal domain not overlapped with the EF-hand. We further revealed that the TRPP3/CaM interaction promotes phosphorylation of TRPP3 at threonine 591 by Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II, which mediates the inhibition of TRPP3 by CaM.
Biology (General), Medicine (General)
Young nursing and medical students’ knowledge and attitudes towards sexuality and contraception in two spanish universities: an inferential study
Juan-Pablo Scarano-Pereira, Alessandro Martinino, Francesca Manicone
et al.
Abstract Background Living safely sexuality and without risk to one’s health is an international priority. The youth age group has specific characteristics that make it a particularly vulnerable group for adverse consequences such as unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections. Health professionals are an important group to address this issue; however, to achieve a good result, sufficient knowledge is required to solve all the issues. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge of young university students studying a nursing or a medical degree. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study of young medical and nursing students was conducted. The selection of participants was made by convenience. The Sexuality and Contraceptive Knowledge Instrument scale was used to measure knowledge level. A bivariate analysis was conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test or the Kruskal–Wallis H test, depending on the number of categories of the independent variable. Finally, a multivariate analysis was conducted using a multiple linear regression model, establishing the level of knowledge as the dependent variable and all variables that obtained statistical significance in the bivariate analysis as predictors. Data collection was carried out from October 2020 to March 2021. Results The sample comprised 657 health university students. Participants had a good level of knowledge, with 77.9% answering 50% of the questions correctly. Before training, 34.15% of the participants did not pass 50% of the questions asked. This percentage decreased to 12.87% after receiving sexuality training during their university degrees. The main training gaps were found for the items on hormonal contraceptive methods. The bivariate analysis showed that female participants had significantly higher knowledge scores, as did those who had used a hormonal contraceptive method during the most recent intercourse or were aware of family planning centers. These variables maintained their significant effect at the multivariate level, obtaining two models with good explanatory power for participants of both university degrees. Conclusion The general level of knowledge of the healthcare students was high and sufficient after receiving training during the university degree (87.13% of the participants obtain more than 50% of items correct). The main training gap was found for items on hormonal contraceptive methods, which should be emphasized in future training programs.
Special aspects of education, Medicine
Promotion of oral health in schoolchildren in the framework of a comprehensive collective intervention, conducted in the period
Lila Susana Cornejo, Marcela Inés Bella, Pablo Cristian Gigena
et al.
Objective: Oral health is a public health challenge that must be addressed by integrating its social and biological dimensions to adopt a dental practice with a sense of integrality that takes into account the needs and potentialities of each person and context. The objective of this study was to analyze the oral health status of schoolchildren in a socio-environmentally vulnerable urban area of the city of Córdoba, Argentina, within the framework of a comprehensive collective intervention, conducted in the period 2013-2015 at the María del Tránsito Cabanillas school.
Material and Methods: The intervention was organized in 3 stages: diagnosis, collective design and implementation of oral health promotion strategies, and evaluation, applying qualitative and quantitative logics appropriate to the object of study. Diagnosis was carried out in 2013, performing a clinical-dental examination of schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years and a participatory study of the school environment.
Results: Based on the diagnostic data, the stage of collective design and implementation of promotion strategies and oral health care was carried out. The evaluation of the intervention was performed through the clinical-dental examination of schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years who attended the school in 2015, and who, also having attended the same institution in 2013, participated in the diagnostic study and analysis of the qualitative records related to the intervention. Healthy clinical trends and positive assessments by the different actors were observed.
Conclusion: The results encourage continuing conducting comprehensive intervention strategies for oral health promotion and care.
A New Model for Caries Risk Prediction in Teenagers Using a Machine Learning Algorithm Based on Environmental and Genetic Factors
Liangyue Pang, Ketian Wang, Ye Tao
et al.
Dental caries is a multifactorial disease that can be caused by interactions between genetic and environmental risk factors. Despite the availability of caries risk assessment tools, caries risk prediction models incorporating new factors, such as human genetic markers, have not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to construct a new model for caries risk prediction in teenagers, based on environmental and genetic factors, using a machine learning algorithm. We performed a prospective longitudinal study of 1,055 teenagers (710 teenagers for cohort 1 and 345 teenagers for cohort 2) aged 13 years, of whom 953 (633 teenagers for cohort 1 and 320 teenagers for cohort 2) were followed for 21 months. All participants completed an oral health questionnaire, an oral examination, biological (salivary and cariostate) tests, and single nucleotide polymorphism sequencing analysis. We constructed a caries risk prediction model based on these data using a random forest with an AUC of 0.78 in cohort 1 (training cohort). We further verified the discrimination and calibration abilities of this caries risk prediction model using cohort 2. The AUC of the caries risk prediction model in cohort 2 (testing cohort) was 0.73, indicating high discrimination ability. Risk stratification revealed that our caries risk prediction model could accurately identify individuals at high and very high caries risk but underestimated risks for individuals at low and very low caries risk. Thus, our caries risk prediction model has the potential for use as a powerful community-level tool to identify individuals at high caries risk.
Demystifying Interventional Radiology: A Guide for Medical Students
Ross Robertson
Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Effect of a Tea Polyphenol on Different Levels of Exposure of Nicotine and Tobacco Extract on Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation
Emily S. Taylor, Grace F. Gomez, Elizabeth A. S. Moser
et al.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different levels of nicotine and tobacco extract exposure on Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation and the inhibitory effect of the polyphenol epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) found in green tea. This study addressed the results of biofilm assays with EGCG and varying relative concentrations of nicotine and tobacco extract consistent with primary, secondary and tertiary levels of smoking exposure. Primary smoking exposure to nicotine has been demonstrated to significantly increase biofilm formation, while EGCG has been demonstrated to reduce S. mutans biofilm formation.Methods:S. mutans was treated with varying levels of nicotine or cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) concentrations (0–32 mg/ml and 0–2 mg/ml, respectively) in Tryptic Soy broth supplemented with 1% sucrose for different lengths of time simulating primary, secondary and tertiary smoking exposure with and without 0.25 mg/ml EGCG. The amount of total growth and biofilm formed was determined using a spectrophotometric crystal violet dye staining assay.Results: For both nicotine and CSC, primary exposure displayed overall significantly less growth compared to secondary exposure. For nicotine, secondary exposure demonstrated significantly greater growth than tertiary exposure levels. Overall, significantly greater total bacterial growth and biofilm formation in the presence of nicotine and CSC was observed in the absence of EGCG than in the presence of EGCG. However, biofilm growth was not significantly different among different concentrations of CSC.Conclusion: The results of this study help illustrate that nicotine-induced S. mutans biofilm formation is reduced by the presence of EGCG. This provides further evidence of the potential beneficial properties of polyphenols.
Hypertension and Pathogenic hAPP Independently Induce White Matter Astrocytosis and Cognitive Impairment in the Rat
Alexander Levit, Sonny Cheng, Olivia Hough
et al.
Hypertension is recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease, but the causal link remains undetermined. Although astrocytes and microglia play an important role in maintaining the neurovascular unit, astrocytes and microglia have been understudied in comorbid models of hypertension and Alzheimer disease. In this study, male transgenic Fischer 344 rats (TgAPP21) overexpressing a pathogenic human amyloid precursor protein received 8 weeks of Angiotensin II infusion to increase blood pressure, and the rats were evaluated for astrocytosis, microgliosis, and cognitive function. A linear relationship between astrocytosis and blood pressure was observed in the corpus callosum and cingulum of wildtype rats, with hypertensive wildtype rats matching the elevated baseline astrocytosis seen in normotensive transgenic rats. In contrast, hypertensive transgenic rats did not demonstrate a further increase of astrocytosis, suggesting a deficient response. Angiotensin II infusion did not affect activation of microglia, which were elevated in the white matter and hippocampus of transgenic rats. Angiotensin II infusion did impair both wildtype and transgenic rats’ executive functions in the Morris Water Maze. These results present important implications for the interaction between hypertension and pathogenic human amyloid precursor protein expression, as Angiotensin II infusion produced cognitive impairments in both genotypes, but transgenic rats were additionally impaired in developing a normal astrocytic response to elevated blood pressure.
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Age estimation for children and young adults by volumetric analysis of upper anterior teeth using cone-beam computed tomography data
Z. Yang, L. Fan, K. Kwon
et al.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between chronological age and the pulp/tooth volume ratio (PTR) of specific teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) enhanced with Materialise-Mimics Research software 21.0 in children and young adult population from Eastern China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CBCT scans of 230 patients (119 males, 111 females), aged 8.18–19.92 years were analysed by two well-trained examiners in this retrospective study. The intraclass correlation coefficient value was calculated to test the intra- and inter-examiner agreement. The volumetric analysis of the pulp and calcified tissues was performed on the maxillary left central incisors and canines. The correlation and regression analyses were then performed. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation analysis showed a strong coefficient of correlation (r) for maxillary left canines (–0.81 for girls and –0.88 for boys) as compared to central incisors (–0.63 for girls and –0.70 for boys). Regarding performance, the canine model was more powerful than the central incisor model. The derived regression equation from maxillary left canines had high coefficients of determination (Age = 21.979 – 105.42 × PTR, R2 = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Our study proved that the PTR value of canines had a negative correlation relationship with a subadult’s chronological age and volumetric analysis of CBCT scans using the software may become an efficient method to estimate the chronological age of children and young adults.
The role of languages at the University of Malaya
Kim Yok Choi, Jagdish Kaur
The Malaysian Education Policy accords the status of main medium of instruction to Malay and the status of second most important language to English. While a formalized bilingual policy is not yet in place, English is used as a medium of instruction for various academic disciplines at the tertiary level. At the University of Malaya, various courses at the undergraduate level at the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering and Law are taught in English. The use of English as a medium of instruction at the postgraduate level is widespread and dissertations at
Masters and PhD levels are allowed to be written in Malay or English.
This paper reports the outcome of a survey conducted on the use of languages (especially Malay and English) as mediums of instruction across the 17 faculties, academies and centres of the University of Malaya. The role of these languages in research and administration is also discussed. Questionnaires and interviews with Deans and the teaching staff from the various institutions provided the necessary data to support the contention that bilingualism is practiced to a greater or lesser degree at the University of Malay. The paper also trace the background to the change in policy that now places greater emphasis on the use of English in Malaysian universities.
Relationship between periodontal disease and preterm low birth weight: systematic review
Amare Teshome, Asmare Yitayeh
INTRODUCTION: periodontal disease is a neglected bacterial infection that causes destruction of the periodontium in pregnant women. Yet its impact on the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes has not systematically evaluated and there is no clear statement on the relationship between periodontal disease and preterm low birth weight. The objective of this study was to summarize the evidence on the impact of periodontal disease on preterm low birth weight. METHODS: we searched the following data bases from January 2005 to December 2015: CINAHL (cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature), MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE (excerpta medica database), Cochrane library and Google scholar. Only case-control studies with full text in English were eligible. Critical appraisal of the identified articles was done by two authors independently to provide the possible relevance of the papers for inclusion in the review process. The selected Case control studies were critically appraised with 12 items structured checklist adapted from national institute of health (NIH). Odds ratio (OR) or risk ratios (RR) were extracted from the selected studies. The two reviewers who selected the appropriate studies also extracted the data and evaluated the risk of bias. RESULTS: of 229 articles, ten studies with a total of 2423 participants with a mean age ranged from 13 to 49 years were met the inclusion criteria. The studies focused on preterm birth, low birth weight and /or preterm low birth weight and periodontitis. Of the selected studies, 9 implied an association between periodontal disease and increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and /or preterm low birth weight outcome (ORs ranging from 2.04 to 4.19) and only one study found no evidence of association. CONCLUSION: periodontal disease may be one of the possible risk factor for preterm low birth weight infant. However, more precise studies with randomized clinical trial with sufficient follow-up period must be done to confirm the association.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERIODONTAL DISEASE INDEX AND LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH PERIODONTITIS
Ira Komara, Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, Ina Hendiani
Objective: To identify the relationship between periodontitis in pregnant women through the periodontal disease index (PDI) and low birth weight babies.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted to determine the relationship between periodontitis in pregnant women through the periodontal disease index (PDI) and the low birth weight babies (LBW). The participants were mothers with periodontitis and non-periodontitis mothers aged 20–35 years who gave birth in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung in the period of December to January 2005.
Results: Based on the chisquare test results a highly significant relationship between periodontitis and low birth weight (p=0.002) was found. The Odd’s ratio showed that the risk of low birth weight in pregnant women with periodontitis was 15.58 times higher compared to those who did not suffer from periodontitis. The periodontal disease index has an accuracy of 88.6% in predicting the incidence of LBW. It strongly influenced the incidence of LBW with a high Odd’s ratio of 28.0. Pregnant women who suffer from periodontitis with a PDI > 3.25, have 19.2 times higher risk for delivering babies with LBW compared to the non-periodontitis mothers.
Conclusions: The loss of attachment affects the possibility of delivering LBW babies.
Morphological characterization of the nasopalatine region in human fetuses and its association to pathologies
Saulo Gabriel Moreira FALCI, Flaviana Dornela VERLI, Alberto CONSOLARO
et al.
The nasopalatine region is composed of structures such as the vomeronasal organ and nasopalatine duct. The nasopalatine duct may provide the communication of the mouth to the nasal cavity in human fetuses and can be obliterated in an adult human. Knowledge on the development of the nasopalatine region and nasopalatine duct in humans is necessary for understanding the morphology and etiopathogenesis of lesions that occur in this region. Objective The aim of the present study was to describe the morphological aspects of the nasopalatine region in human fetuses and correlate these aspects with the development of pathologies in this region. Material and Methods Five human fetuses with no facial or palatine abnormalities were used for the acquisition of specimens from the nasopalatine region. After demineralization, the specimens were histologically processed. Histological cuts were stained with methylene blue to orient the cutting plane and hematoxylin-eosin for the descriptive histological analysis. Results The age of the fetuses was 8.00, 8.25, 9.00 and 9.25 weeks, and it was not possible to determine the age in the last one. The incisive canal was observed in all specimens as an opening delimited laterally by the periosteum and connecting oral and nasal cavity. The nasopalatine duct is an epithelial structure with the greatest morphological variation, with either unilateral or bilateral occurrence and total patent, partial patent and islet forms. The vomeronasal organ is a bilateral epithelized structure located alongside the nasal septum above the incisive canal in all the fetuses. Conclusions The incisive canal, nasopalatine duct and vomeronasal organ are distinct anatomic structures. The development of nasopalatine duct cysts may occur in all forms of the nasopalatine duct.
Estudo preliminar do instrumento de avaliação clínico proposto aos alunos de graduação de odontopediatria da Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba- Unicamp
Carolina S. Oliveira, Kamila R. Kantovitiz, Milena S. Teixeira
et al.
Nos dias atuais a relação ensino aprendizado vem sendo analisada em suas áreas de domínio cognitivo e habilidades, produzindo reflexões sobre o resultado final do aprendizado, porém não há um método científico que forneça, de forma objetiva e padronizada, procedimentos de avaliação. O objetivo desse estudo preliminar foi elaborar, aplicar e analisar um instrumento de avaliação clínico (IA), o qual se propôs a desenvolver o interesse de docentes, discentes e pós-graduandos, tendo por base o acompanhamento diário do desempenho do aluno de graduação nas atividades clínicas na área de Odontopediatria, durante o sexto semestre da graduação. Para isso, elaborou-se um sistema de avaliação tendo por base a instituição de valores numéricos aos procedimentos clínicos realizados avaliando o aluno sob os aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos. Ao final do semestre para coletar a opinião dos alunos a respeito do IA, estes responderam a um questionário auto-administrado. Concluiu-se que o IA padronizou a avaliação e permitiu a visão geral das atividades clínicas e do desempenho dos alunos e que ajustes na metodologia inicialmente proposta devem ser realizados para se padronizar com maior eficácia o IA. A participação dos alunos foi relevante, pois as críticas construtivas puderam contribuir para o aprimoramento desta nova proposta de avaliação na clínica odontopediátrica.