Passive smoking and early childhood caries: when adult addiction affects children's oral health.

DATA SOURCES: Medline via EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Scopus up to February 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Observational studies in the English language published in peer-reviewed journals, encompassing children aged 0 to 6 years exposed to environmental tobacco smoke and passive smoking, with a focus on oral health conditions in deciduous dentition. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data were extracted from 25 papers, encompassing study details, oral health, and smoking exposure. Confounding factors such as parental education, income, diet, fluoride exposure, gender, and oral hygiene practices were also identified. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Frequency effect size was calculated for health variables and smoking exposure. RESULTS: Most studies identified a correlation between passive smoking and an increased prevalence of dental caries. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and dental caries risk were influenced by factors such as low parental education, socioeconomic status, dietary habits, oral hygiene, and gender. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review strongly indicate a significant association between dental caries in deciduous dentition and passive smoking.

Developmental Defects of Enamel: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Most-Cited Papers.

BACKGROUND: Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) are a result of disturbances during formation and maturation of the enamel. Evaluating the most-cited DDE papers can provide important tools that point to the gaps and strengths of this important topic in dentistry. SUMMARY: This bibliometric study analyzed the 100 most-cited papers on DDE. Using a combined keyword search strategy, the 100 most-cited papers were selected in the Web of Science Core Collection. Papers that addressed any type of DDE were included. The extracted data were title, number of citations, study theme, authorship, journal, type of DDE, type of dentition (primary or permanent), type of diagnosis, study design, year, and country of publication. The bibliometric networks were generated through VOSviewer software. The 100 papers had a range from 78 to 459 citations. The main themes of studies were etiopathogenesis (53%), prevalence and incidence (22%), and diagnosis (8%). The authors with the highest number of citations were Goodman AH and Rose JC (459 citations). Most articles were published in dental journals (47%). The most studied types of DDE were fluorosis and amelogenesis imperfecta in the permanent dentition (47%). Observational (24%) and non-systematic reviews (24%) were the most common study designs and ranged from 1977 to 2019. The country with the highest number of publications was the USA (41%). KEY MESSAGES: Most of the top 100 DDE papers were about fluorosis and amelogenesis imperfecta, with top papers from three continents with English as the native language. This topic is of great importance in dentistry, and the need for further studies is highlighted, especially regarding the diagnosis and treatment of some DDEs.

Which dental and psychosocial factors may predict bullying occurrence in adolescence?

DESIGN: Cohort study. STUDY POPULATION: 639 preschool children at baseline (T1) and 429 adolescents at follow-up (T2). OUTCOME MEASURES: Oral health conditions (untreated dental caries, dental trauma and malocclusion, sense of coherence (SOC), self-perception of dental treatment needs, general and dental bullying. DATA ANALYSIS: Chi-square test, t-test, structural equation modeling, goodness of fit. RESULTS: Untreated dental caries and low socioeconomic status impacted the occurrence of both general and dental bullying. SOC and self-perceived dental treatment need were also important factors in the occurrence of bullying. CONCLUSIONS: The oral health condition that most impacted bullying episodes both directly and indirectly was untreated dental caries. Socioeconomic status was also an important cumulative predictor of the occurrence of episodes of bullying.

Retention in fissure resin-based sealants in schoolchildren: the etching step importance.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. STUDY POPULATION: Forty-seven schoolchildren aged 9-10 years with fully sound/noncavitated erupted first permanent molars were included and randomly allocated in control and experimental groups in a split-mouth design. CASES: 47 schoolchildren (94 molars) fissure sealants applied using self-etch universal adhesive system. CONTROLS: 47 schoolchildren (94 molars) fissure sealants applied using conventional acid-etching technique. OUTCOME MEASURE: Retention of sealants and secondary caries incidence (ICDAS). DATA ANALYSIS: Chi-square test. RESULTS: Conventional acid-etch sealants retention was superior to self-etch after 6 and 24 months (p < 0.001), but no differences were found in caries incidence after 6 and 24 months (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical retention of fissure sealants using conventional acid-etch technique is greater than self-etch.

Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC): development and validation.

This study aimed to develop and validate the Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC), a malocclusion-specific measure of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children aged 3-5 years and their parents/caregivers. A pool of items was analysed to identify those relevant to the assessment of the impact of malocclusion on OHRQoL. Dental professionals and mothers of children with and without malocclusion rated the importance of these items. The final version of the MIS-EC was evaluated in a cross-sectional study comprising 381 parents of children aged 3-5 years to assess construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Twenty-two items were identified from item pooling. After item reduction, eight items were chosen to constitute the MIS-EC, in addition to two general questions. The MIS-EC demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79 for the Child Impact section and 0.53 for the Family Impact section), and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94), floor effect was 55.7% and ceiling effect 0%. MIS-EC scores indicating worse OHRQoL were significantly associated with the presence of malocclusion (p < 0.05). The MIS-EC is reliable and valid for assessing the impact of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of preschool children and their parents/caregivers.

Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC): development and validation

Abstract: This study aimed to develop and validate the Malocclusion Impact Scale for Early Childhood (MIS-EC), a malocclusion-specific measure of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children aged 3-5 years and their parents/caregivers. A pool of items was analysed to identify those relevant to the assessment of the impact of malocclusion on OHRQoL. Dental professionals and mothers of children with and without malocclusion rated the importance of these items. The final version of the MIS-EC was evaluated in a cross-sectional study comprising 381 parents of children aged 3-5 years to assess construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Twenty-two items were identified from item pooling. After item reduction, eight items were chosen to constitute the MIS-EC, in addition to two general questions. The MIS-EC demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79 for the Child Impact section and 0.53 for the Family Impact section), and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94), floor effect was 55.7% and ceiling effect 0%. MIS-EC scores indicating worse OHRQoL were significantly associated with the presence of malocclusion (p < 0.05). The MIS-EC is reliable and valid for assessing the impact of malocclusion on the OHRQoL of preschool children and their parents/caregivers.

Impaction of mandibular third molars after orthodontic treatment by the edgewise method: a retrospective study.

This study aimed to determine the incidence of mandibular third molar (M3) impaction after orthodontic treatment by edgewise appliances, and identify possible determinant factors of M3 impaction. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 1154 patients. Complete orthodontic records were analyzed pretreatment and posttreatment, considering the following variables: type of Angle malocclusion, treatment with or without extraction of first premolars, overbite, stage of dentition, M3 prior angulation and duration of orthodontic treatment. Impaction was determined after radiographic evidence of total closure of the root apex. The chi-square test and Poisson regression (p < 0.05) were used for statistical analysis with a hierarchical approach. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Mandibular M3 impaction incidence was 17%. Overbite equal to or greater than 4 mm (RR = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.11-1.26, p < 0.001), prior mesial angulation of M3 (RR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.52-0.68, p < 0.001), non-extraction of first premolars (RR=1.06, 95%CI: 1.01-1.12, P=0.019) and orthodontic treatment time equal to or less than three years (RR = 0.94. 95%CI: 0.90-0.99, p < 0.014) were significantly associated with impacted M3. There was no correlation between the type of Angle malocclusion and the risk of impaction. In conclusion, the incidence of mandibular M3 impaction was considered low. The main pretreatment factors directly involved in impaction were mesioangulation of M3 and overbite equal to or greater than 4 mm. Orthodontic treatment with extraction of first premolars and treatment time greater than 3 years reduce the risk of impaction.

Fluorescence-based method is more accurate than counting-based methods for plotting growth curves of adherent cells.

OBJECTIVE: Cell growth curves constitute one of the primary assays employed to analyze cell proliferation dynamics of in vitro cultured cells under specific culture conditions. From the cell growth curve, it is possible to assess the behavior of proliferating cells under different conditions, such as drug treatment and genomic editions. Traditionally, growth curves for adherent cells are obtained by seeding the cells in multiple-well plates and counting the total number of cells at different time points. Here, we compare this traditional method to the fluorescence-based method, which is based on the CFSE fluorescence decay over time. RESULTS: The fluorescence-based method is not dependent on the determination of the total number of cells, but rather is approached by assessing the fluorescence of a sample of single cells from a cell population at different time points after plating. Therefore, this method is not biased due to either cell loss during harvesting or to the presence of cellular debris and cell clumps. Moreover, the fluorescence-based method displays lower variation among different measurements of the same time point, which increases the reliability on the determination of lag, log and stationary phase transitions.

Fluorescence-based method is more accurate than counting-based methods for plotting growth curves of adherent cells

Objective: Cell growth curves constitute one of the primary assays employed to analyze cell proliferation dynamics of in vitro cultured cells under specific culture conditions. From the cell growth curve, it is possible to assess the behavior of proliferating cells under different conditions, such as drug treatment and genomic editions. Traditionally, growth curves for adherent cells are obtained by seeding the cells in multiple-well plates and counting the total number of cells at different time points. Here, we compare this traditional method to the fluorescence-based method, which is based on the CFSE fluorescence decay over time. Results: The fluorescence-based method is not dependent on the determination of the total number of cells, but rather is approached by assessing the fluorescence of a sample of single cells from a cell population at different time points after plating. Therefore, this method is not biased due to either cell loss during harvesting or to the presence of cellular debris and cell clumps. Moreover, the fluorescence-based method displays lower variation among different measurements of the same time point, which increases the reliability on the determination of lag, log and stationary phase transitions.

Impaction of mandibular third molars after orthodontic treatment by the edgewise method: a retrospective study

Abstract This study aimed to determine the incidence of mandibular third molar (M3) impaction after orthodontic treatment by edgewise appliances, and identify possible determinant factors of M3 impaction. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 1154 patients. Complete orthodontic records were analyzed pretreatment and posttreatment, considering the following variables: type of Angle malocclusion, treatment with or without extraction of first premolars, overbite, stage of dentition, M3 prior angulation and duration of orthodontic treatment. Impaction was determined after radiographic evidence of total closure of the root apex. The chi-square test and Poisson regression (p < 0.05) were used for statistical analysis with a hierarchical approach. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Mandibular M3 impaction incidence was 17%. Overbite equal to or greater than 4 mm (RR = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.11-1.26, p < 0.001), prior mesial angulation of M3 (RR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.52-0.68, p < 0.001), non-extraction of first premolars (RR=1.06, 95%CI: 1.01-1.12, P=0.019) and orthodontic treatment time equal to or less than three years (RR = 0.94. 95%CI: 0.90-0.99, p < 0.014) were significantly associated with impacted M3. There was no correlation between the type of Angle malocclusion and the risk of impaction. In conclusion, the incidence of mandibular M3 impaction was considered low. The main pretreatment factors directly involved in impaction were mesioangulation of M3 and overbite equal to or greater than 4 mm. Orthodontic treatment with extraction of first premolars and treatment time greater than 3 years reduce the risk of impaction.

Functional impact of the long non-coding RNA MEG3 deletion by CRISPR/Cas9 in the human triple negative metastatic Hs578T cancer cell line.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve critical roles in regulating cellular homeostasis, and their deregulated expression/activity is associated with neoplastic transformation. The maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) has been extensively described as a tumor suppressor gene in different types of cancer, including breast cancer. Interestingly, using a panel of seven different breast cancer cell lines, the present study revealed that MEG3 is highly expressed in the triple negative metastatic human Hs578T breast cancer cell line, which is refractory to different therapeutic approaches. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the phenotypic impact of MEG3 deletion in this cell line. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, complete knockout (KO) of MEG3 was achieved. Deletion was confirmed by genomic PCR and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The MEG3_KO cell population displaying the highest efficiency of genomic editing was selected for phenotypic in vitro assays, including wound scratch and Transwell assays, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The results demonstrated that MEG3 deletion increased cell proliferation, anchorage-independent cell growth and cell motility, which was consistent with its well-known tumor suppressor function. However, the present study revealed that MEG3_KO also lead to decreased cell invasiveness ability, supporting previous evidence that MEG3 modulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal inducing factors. The present study demonstrated that deletion of MEG3 promoted an increase in transforming growth factor ß and N-cadherin protein levels and significant reduction in matrix metallopeptidase 2, zinc-finger E-box binding homeobox 1 and collagen type III α1 chain gene expression levels. Additionally, MEG3_KO cells displayed significant resistance to doxorubicin treatment, demonstrating the role of this lncRNA in cancer cell survival by regulating apoptosis. The present study highlighted the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 for anticancer studies of intergenic lncRNAs and demonstrated that, although Hs578T cells express MEG3 at high levels, these cells display mechanisms to escape the growth suppression effects of this lncRNA. Notably, the detailed pathological mechanisms of MEG3 concerning tumor metastasis remain to be elucidated prior to applying MEG3 expression/activation in future therapeutic approaches for breast cancer treatment.

Role of Ectodermal-neural cortex 1 protein in human glioma progression, identification of a peptide internalized by human glioblastoma cells and development of an alternative method to generate growth curves of adherent cultures / Papel da proteína Ectodermal-neural cortex 1 (ENC1) na progressão de glioma humano, identificação de um peptídeo internalizado por células de glioblastoma humano e desenvolvimento de um método alternativo para gerar curvas de crescimento celular

Gliomas are the most common form of primary intracranial malignancy, among which astrocytomas are the most frequent. Ectodermal-cortex protein 1 (ENC 1), also known as Nuclear Restricted Protein/Brain (NRP/B), was first characterized as a protein which interacts with the cytoskeleton by binding to actin through Kelch-like domains, being related to neural fate specification during development of the nervous system. The first chapter of this thesis confirms ENC1 as a tumor suppression properties by a genomic edition approach, analyses ENC1 expression in a set of patient glioma samples and describes the correlation these data with patients survival and progression-free survival, concluding that ENC1 expression may constitute a biomarker for glioma aggressiveness. The second chapter refers to the identification and in vitro characterization of the LHTNELQ peptide, which was selected by the Phage Display method using human glioblastoma cells. This new peptide is able to be internalized by these cells and features as a new tool for the development of glioma therapeutics. The third chapter report an alternative method to generate growth curves of adherent cell cultures, which is based on the CFSE fluorescence decay over time. It is an alternative method to determine growth curves of cultured cells, with smaller variation among technical replicates than that of counting-based methods

Gliomas são a forma mais comum de malignidades primárias intracranianas, dentre os quais os astrocitomas são os mais frequentes. A proteína Ectodermal-neural cortex 1 (ENC1), também conhecida como Nuclear Restricted Protein/Brain (NRP/B), foi primeiramente caracterizada como uma proteína que interage com o citoesqueleto por meio de ligação à actina através de domínios Kelch-like, sendo relacionada com diferenciação neuronal durante o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso. O primeiro capítulo desta tese descreve confirmação da capacidade supressora tumoral de ENC1 por abordagem de edição genômica, analisa a expressão de ENC1 em um conjunto de amostras de pacientes com gliomas e correlaciona esses dados com tempo de sobrevida geral e sobrevida livre de progressão tumoral nos pacientes, concluindo que a expressão de ENC1 pode ser utilizada como um biomarcador da agressividade do glioma. O segundo capítulo apresenta a identificação e caracterização in vitro do peptídeo LHTNELQ, que foi selecionado pela metodologia de Phage display utilizandose de células de glioblastoma humano. Este novo peptídeo é capaz de internalizar-se nestas células e figura como uma nova ferramenta para o desenvolvimento de estratégias terapêuticas para glioblastomas. No terceiro capítulo propõe-se um método alternativo para gerar curvas de crescimento celular de cultura aderente, o qual é baseado no decaimento da fluorescência do reagente CFSE ao longo do tempo. Tratase de um método alternativo para a determinação de curvas de crescimento de culturas aderentes, com menor variação entre as réplicas técnicas do que os métodos baseados em contagem das células

Transcriptomic analysis of purified human cortical microglia reveals age-associated changes.

Microglia are essential for CNS homeostasis and innate neuroimmune function, and play important roles in neurodegeneration and brain aging. Here we present gene expression profiles of purified microglia isolated at autopsy from the parietal cortex of 39 human subjects with intact cognition. Overall, genes expressed by human microglia were similar to those in mouse, including established microglial genes CX3CR1, P2RY12 and ITGAM (CD11B). However, a number of immune genes, not identified as part of the mouse microglial signature, were abundantly expressed in human microglia, including TLR, Fcγ and SIGLEC receptors, as well as TAL1 and IFI16, regulators of proliferation and cell cycle. Age-associated changes in human microglia were enriched for genes involved in cell adhesion, axonal guidance, cell surface receptor expression and actin (dis)assembly. Limited overlap was observed in microglial genes regulated during aging between mice and humans, indicating that human and mouse microglia age differently.

Severity of Dental Caries and Quality of Life for Toddlers and Their Families.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of untreated caries in different stages on the oral healthrelated quality of life (OHRQoL) of one- to three-year-olds and their families. METHODS: The mothers of 308 children answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale to determine their perceptions of the OHRQoL of their children. The mothers also answered a questionnaire addressing demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of their families. The children were submitted to a clinical examination for the diagnosis of dental caries using International Caries Detection and Assessment System criteria. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, and hierarchically adjusted Poisson regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of untreated caries was 64.3 percent. Among the children with caries, 53.5 percent exhibited the severe stage of the condition. Negative impact on OHRQoL was significantly associated with severe stage of caries (prevalence ratio [PR] equals 2.80, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] equals 1.90 to 4.12, P<0.001), and a younger age for the mother (PR equals 1.69, 95 percent CI equals 1.27 to 2.25, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Untreated caries in advanced stages was associated with a poorer quality of life among one- to three-year-olds and their families.

Do TMJ symptoms improve and last across time after treatment with red (660 nm) and infrared (790 nm) low level laser treatment (LLLT)? A survival analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a variety of clinical problems that originate from the area of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, and surrounding tissues. There are different treatment options; however, there is no evidence that low level laser treatment (LLLT) will last about six months. The aim of this study was to determine the survival rate of treatment with red (660 nm) and infrared (790 nm) laser in cases of TMDs. METHODS: In 19 subjects, one side of the face (half face) was randomly selected to receive intervention, in a total of 116 sensitive points. Pain was measured at baseline and time intervals of 24 h, 30, 90, and 180 days after treatment. Laser irradiation with 4 j/cm² in the TMJs and 8 j/cm² in the muscles was used in three sessions. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Both treatments showed statistically significant results (p < 0.001). The survival rate for red and infrared laser was 0.24 and 0.30, respectively, at 180 days. Grinding teeth and headache were associated with recurrent pain. DISCUSSION: Both lasers were effective in the treatment of TMD symptoms and had a low survival rate at 180 days.

Non-nutritive sucking habits after three years of age: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Non-nutritive sucking habits can result in negative consequences on the development of orofacial structures and occlusion. AIM: Assess factors associated with non-nutritive sucking habits in children after 3 years old. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 638 children aged 3-6 years. In the second stage, a case-control study (1:2) was conducted. The case group included all children who presented some non-nutritive sucking habits in the first stage of the study (n = 110). The control group (n = 220) was made up of children who had never presented non-nutritive sucking habits, matched to the case group for gender and age. The data were collected during the national poliomyelitis vaccination campaign, through a questionnaire applied to parents/guardians with questions related to the presence of sucking habits, sociodemographic aspects, birth aspects, and early life of the child. Statistical analysis involved descriptive analysis, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, and conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Reduction in maternal education was a protective factor for the development of non-nutritive sucking habits (education ≤8 years OR = 0.38, CI 95%: 0.16, 0.89, P = 0.025). Prematurity (OR = 3.30, CI 95%: 1.13, 9.69, P = 0.030) and a longer period using a baby bottle (OR = 1.03, CI 95%: 1.01, 1.05, P = 0.006) remained associated with a greater possibility of the occurrence of sucking habits, regardless of monthly family income. CONCLUSION: Non-nutritive sucking habits were associated with maternal education, premature birth, and greater time of bottle feeding in children after 3 years old.

Efficacy of red and infrared lasers in treatment of temporomandibular disorders--a double-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial.

AIM: Low-level laser therapy has still not been well established, and it is important to define a standardized protocol for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) using low level laser. There is no consensus on controlled clinical trials concerning the best option for laser therapy with regard to wavelength. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of red and infrared laser therapy in patients with TMD, using a randomized parallel-group double-blind trial. METHODOLOGY: Each hemiface of 19 subjects was randomized to receive intervention, in a total of 116 sensitive points. Pain was measured at baseline and time intervals of 24 hours, 30 days, 90 days, and 180 days after treatment. Irradiation of 4 J/cm2 in the temporomandibular joints and 8 J/cm(2) in the muscles was used in three sessions. RESULTS: Both treatments had statistically significant results (P<0.001); there was statistical difference between them at 180 days in favor of the infrared laser (P=0.039). There was improvement in 24 hours, which extended up to 180 days in both groups. CONCLUSION: Both lasers are effective in the treatment and remission of TMD symptoms.

[Lymph node evaluation in colorectal cancer]. / Acometimento metastático linfonodal no câncer colorretal.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, colorectal carcinoma is the third cause of death by malignant tumors among women, and the fifth among men. Lymph node involvement is one of the most relevant prognostic maker in these tumors. AIM: To study lymph node involvement in colorectal carcinoma in relationship to biological behavior and tumor location. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and eight five colorectal carcinoma cases were studied. Lymph node involvement was analyzed according to tumor location, diameter, vessel invasion, and TNM staging. RESULTS: Three thousand nine hundred and six lymph nodes were harvested in 185 patients (21.1 lymph nodes/patient). Metastasis were detected in 399/2,573 peritumoral lymph nodes (15.5%) and in 72/1,333 non-peritumoral lymph nodes (5.4%). Eighty-six patients presented metastasis; in these patients 471/1942 lymph nodes were compromised. In 26 patients peritumoral and non-peritumoral lymph nodes were involved; in 57 cases metastasis were detected only in peritumoral lymph nodes and in 3, only non-peritumoral lymph nodes were involved. The number of lymph node was higher among cecal tumors and smaller in the rectum and sigmoid. There was a positive correlation between the number of metastatic lymph node and pT, tumor diameter and lymphatic and venous invasion; there was a negative correlation between lymph node involvement and lymphocytic response; pN was significantly associated with pT. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal carcinoma involves preferentially peritumoral lymph node, but in 29 patients (15,7%) non-peritumoral lymph nodes were affected, which is important for tumor staging and prognosis. pN and the number of metastatic lymph nodes were associated with other behaviour markers.