Dental Students' Perceptions and Performance in Use of Conventional and Virtual Microscopy in Oral Pathology.

Virtual microscopy (VM) is a technology for showing microscope slides using computers and could be considered a progression of classic methodology using optical microscopes. The aim of this study was to analyze the perceptions and performance of dental students in oral pathology regarding the use of conventional microscopy (CM) and VM in relation to teaching and learning. All fourth-semester dental students (N=165) in an oral pathology course at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Brazil in 2016-17 were invited to participate in the study. Students first answered a questionnaire with ten multiple-choice items on VM in comparison with CM and then took an exam divided into two sections: the first contained three virtual slides on the computer; in the second, three glass slides were positioned in an optical microscope. Each slide question, asking students to identify the oral lesion shown, was worth two points. Both conventional and virtual slides were chosen from the main lectures in the oral pathology classes. Of the students, 132 completed the questionnaire (80% response rate), and 77 completed the exam (46.7% response rate). On the questionnaire results, most students perceived that VM was a superior method for teaching and learning compared to CM. Students earned a total of 312 points on the questions with virtual slides and earned 190 points on the questions with conventional slides. In this study, the use of VM in oral pathology teaching was favored by the students over CM and also contributed to these students' learning.

Evaluation of viral load in saliva from patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

Hepatitis C virus can be detected in blood and other bodily fluids, such as saliva. The aim of this study was to detect and quantify the HCV-RNA in saliva and plasma from patients with chronic hepatitis C infections, as well as check the level of viral load in sex groups (age, ethnicity and virus subtypes). Whole saliva and blood from 70 patients with chronic hepatitis C infections attended at the department of gastroenterology from University Hospital. The HCV-RNA load was performed by qRT-PCR using Sybr Green I master mix. HCV-RNA was detected in 80% (56/70) of patients in saliva and 92.85% (65/70) in plasma. The median of the viral load in the plasma was of 4.87 log10, and in saliva, it was 3.32log10, (p = 0.0005). Female patients and black patients exhibited a negative correlation between the HCV-RNA load in saliva vs. the HCV-RNA load in plasma (r = -0.3172, CI95% -0.6240 to -0.03736, p = 0.0491) and (r = -0.3141; IC95% -0.6069 to -0.05926; p = 0.0209), respectively. HCV-RNA was detected and quantified in saliva samples, and according to the quantification levels, saliva may be a possible transmission source of HCV, particularly in women and people of black ethnicity who develop chronic HCV infections.

Etiologia e tratamento da estomatite aftosa recorrente: revisão de literatura / Etiology and treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: literature review

Objetivos: Descrever as características e os principais achados relatados na literatura quanto à provável etiologia e tratamentos das lesões causadas pela Estomatite Aftosa Recorrente (EAR). Métodos: Realizou-se a revisão da literatura nas bases de dados PubMed, SciELO e LILACS, no período de tempo do ano de 2005 a 2012. Utilizaram-se, isoladamente e em combinação, os descritores a seguir: Stomatitis, Aphthous; Oral Ulcer; Risk Factors e Therapeutics. Resultados: A patogênese da estomatite aftosa recorrente ainda continua indefinida, havendo confirmação científica quanto à sua relação com fatores imunológicos e mutações genéticas. Os procedimentos realizados e recursos utilizados para o tratamento das lesões são paliativos, no intuito de aliviar a dor, não existindo uma terapêutica de cura. Conclusão: Por ser a etiologia da EAR ainda incerta, o tratamento atual das lesões é bastante variado,e baseia-se no alívio dos sintomas da doença, variando, desde o uso de produtos naturais, como a própolis, passando por anti-inflamatórios, até à aplicação do laser de baixa potência.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics and key findings reported in the literature about the possible etiology and treatment of lesions caused by Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS). Methods: It was conducted a literature review in the databases PubMed, SciELO and LILACS, from 2005 to 2012. Were used singly or in combination, the following descriptors: Stomatitis, Aphthous; Oral Ulcer; Risk Factors and Therapeutics. Results: The pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis still remains unclear, however, there is strong evidence regarding its relationship with immunological factors and genetic mutations. The procedures performed and resources used for the treatment of lesions are palliative in order to relieve pain, there is not a therapeutic healing. Conclusion: As the uncertain etiology of RAS, the current treatment of lesions is very wide, and relies on relieving symptoms of the disease, ranging from the use of natural products, such as propolis, to anti-inflammatories, until the implementation of low-power laser.