Regional early development and eruption of permanent teeth: case report.

BACKGROUND: Early development and eruption of permanent teeth are rarely reported in scientific literature. Early eruption of permanent teeth has been reported to occur due to local factors such as trauma or dental abscesses in primary teeth, and in systemic conditions. Congenital diffuse infiltrating facial lipomatosis (CDIFL) is a rare condition that belongs to a group of lipomatosis tumours. In this disorder, the mature adipocytes invade adjacent soft and hard tissues in the facial region. Accelerated tooth eruption is one of the dental anomalies associated with CDIFL. CASE REPORT: A 3-year-old boy presented with a swelling of the lower lip localised early development and eruption of permanent teeth and dental caries involving many primary teeth. TREATMENT: The planned treatment included biopsy of the swollen lower lip to confirm the diagnosis, surgical reduction and reconstruction of lip aesthetics. The management of the carious primary teeth included preventative and comprehensive dental care and extractions. These procedures were completed under general anaesthesia due to the child's young age and poor cooperation. The lip biopsy showed features of CDIFL such as the presence of infiltrating adipose tissue, prominent number of nerve bundles and thickened vessels. FOLLOW-UP: The high recurrence rate of CDIFL mandates long-term monitoring during the facial growth period of the child. Follow-up care by the paediatric dentist and maxillofacial surgeon has been required to manage all aspects of this congenital malformation. CONCLUSION: This rare disorder has many implications affecting child's facial aesthetics, psychological well being, developing occlusion and risk of dental caries. A multi-disciplinary approach is needed for management of this condition.

First Report of Rust Caused by Puccinia carthami on Safflower in Oman.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a minor, but culturally important crop in Oman; the dried flowers produce a pigment used in facial ornamentation. Although Oman is not a commercial producer of safflower, the region is a center of diversity and a source of genetic material for breeding programs. Production of oil from safflower has potential in Oman, where plant growth is prolific. In April 2004, leaf samples showing rust symptoms were collected from Mudhaibi, 100 km south of Muscat. Chestnut brown pustules covered both sides of the leaves, but not the stems, and yielded urediniospores and teliospores typical of the pathogen. Urediniospores were globose, 25 µm in diameter with three germ pores. Two-celled teliospores were chestnut brown, minutely verrucose, with a single, depressed germ pore in each cell. The pathogen was identified as Puccinia carthami Corda (voucher specimen deposited in the U.S. National Fungus Collections, BPI863557; nuclear ribosomal large subunit DNA voucher sequence deposited in GenBank, Accession No. AY787782). On the basis of phylogenetic analyses, the rust from Oman belongs to a complex of closely related Puccinia spp. that infects members of the Cardueae. Elsewhere, in addition to leaf infections, P. carthami causes foot and root disease of safflower (1) with teliospores surviving in the soil and on seed to initiate new infections. Germplasm is now being collected and will be screened for variation in response to rust infection. Reference: (1) M. L. Schuster et al. Phytopathology 42:211, 1952.