Elastofibromatous changes in giant cell fibroma and amalgam tattoo: Unusual findings in common oral lesions.

Several cases of elastofibromatous lesion affecting the oral mucosa have been reported. Clinically, these lesions may appear as small exophytic lesions or less often as white lesions. Therefore, fibrous hyperplasia and leukoplakia are not uncommonly considered in clinical differential diagnosis. Microscopically, elastic and fibrous connective tissue deposition is seen. Rarely, elastofibromatous changes can be detected when assessing intraoral lesions, including cysts, salivary gland neoplasms, and epithelial dysplasia. Here we report two oral lesions showing elastofibromatous changes, expanding their clinicopathological spectrum. The first case was a 46-year-old man with a history of asymptomatic nodular lesion on the palate 1 year ago, diagnosed as giant cell fibroma with elastofibromatous changes. The second case was a 79-year-old woman who presented a pigmented and mildly symptomatic lesion on the mandibular alveolar mucosa several months ago, diagnosed as amalgam tattoo associated with elastofibromatous changes.

Lingual Actinomycosis Clinically Simulating Nodular Median Rhomboid Glossitis: Literature Review and Report of Additional Case.

Actinomycosis is an uncommon, subacute to chronic, suppurative bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces Israelii. About 3% of all actinomycosis cases occur in the tongue, often affecting adult patients (mean age, 50 years). The clinical characteristics of actinomycosis can resemble malignant or benign tumors, and other infectious diseases. A 56-year-old woman was referred presenting an ulcerated lesion on the tongue 1 year ago. Intraoral examination revealed an edematous nodular lesion with an ulcerated surface, slightly symptomatic, on the midline dorsum of posterior tongue, suggesting nodular median rhomboid glossitis. Cytology smear was negative for fungus. After excisional biopsy, histopathological examination showed a chronic inflammatory infiltrate supported by a fibrovascular connective tissue stroma, and at the deepest part, broad basophilic areas surrounded by neutrophils, containing numerous filamentous bacilli, which were highlighted by Gram and Groccott-Gomori staining. The final diagnosis was lingual actinomycosis. Oral amoxicillin treatment (8/8 h for 2 weeks) was started, and after 1-month complete resolution was observed. Lingual actinomycosis is a rare lesion that must be recognized by dentists, because its early diagnosis and correct treatment reduce the possibility of a clinical complication that compromises the patient's quality of life. Noteworthy, when located on the midline dorsum of posterior tongue, actinomycosis can simulate nodular median rhomboid glossitis, expanding its spectrum of clinical differential diagnosis.

Lip Granular Cell Tumor (GCT) in a Pediatric Patient: Critical Literature Review on Pediatric Intraoral GCT and Acquired and Congenital Intraoral Non-Neural GCT.

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is an uncommon benign neoplasm derived from Schwann cells, frequently affecting the oral cavity, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. On microscopy, pseudocarcinomatous squamous hyperplasia (PSH) and perineural involvement are potential diagnostic pitfalls. GCT should be differentiated from non-neural GCT (NN-GCT). A 13-year-old male patient was referred presenting a nodular lesion on the upper lip several months ago. After excisional biopsy, microscopy revealed GCT without PSH but presenting multifocal perineural involvement. By immunohistochemistry, ALK was negative, whereas Rb and INI1 expression was intact. Moreover, with few intraoral NN-GCTs being assessed, recent studies suggest that acquired dermal NN-GCT subgroup seems to correspond to ALK-rearranged variants of epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma. Accordingly, further research on this topic is strongly encouraged.

Resolution of blood eosinophilia and limited mouth opening after short-term follow-up in a pediatric Langerhans cell histiocytosis case.

Introduction: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an inflammatory myeloid neoplasia that often affects children, presenting a broad clinical spectrum. Methods: Here, we report a 13-year-old male Salvadorian patient who was referred presenting a nodular swelling at the mandibular angle region, mildly symptomatic, few weeks ago, which relevantly was associated with limited mouth opening. Intraoral examination was unremarkable. Imaginological exams revealed an osteolytic lesion affecting the vestibular cortex at the right mandibular angle. The blood test results were normal, except for eosinophilia (21%; absolute eosinophil count 4 × 109/L). After an incisional biopsy, microscopical and immunohistochemical analyses were consistent with LCH diagnosis, which corresponded to a single system-single site category. After a few weeks, the mandibular movements were re-established, and complete resolution of blood eosinophilia was observed. Conclusion: LCH with blood eosinophilia is rarely reported. To our knowledge, 3 cases have been previously published.

Fear and death anxiety among Latin American doctors during the Covid-19 pandemic

IntroductionA patients death elicits various feelings arise in doctors such as impotence and guilt that could trigger physical or psychological symptoms. Despite its impact, few studies have explored anxiety and fear of death among physicians. ObjectiveTo evaluate perceptions and responses to ones mortality among Latin American physicians treating COVID-19 patients. MethodologyThis cross-sectional study utilized the Collet-Lester Modified Fear of Death Scale and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) to collect data from physicians in Latin America. Results219 doctors from Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Bolivia filled out the online questionnaire. Fear of death among the sample population ranged from 56.2% to 90%. Furthermore, the prevalence of "High Anxiety" was 80.8%. A statistically significant association was found between fear according to age and time of graduation (p = 0.010 and p = 0.020, respectively). No differences were found by gender, age, and country of origin or practice. ConclusionPhysicians experience feelings of helplessness and guilt upon the death of a patient and those feelings can trigger physical or psychological symptoms. For these states of fear and anxiety about death, more frequent in times of pandemic, doctors must be prepared, and institutions must provide them with the necessary means to help them overcome these difficult times.

Characterization of the response to abiotic stresses of high ascorbate Arabidopsis lines using phenomic approaches.

L-Ascorbic acid (AsA, vitamin C) is a key antioxidant and enzyme cofactor in plants. Ascorbate controls cell division, affects cell expansion, and plays an important role in modulating plant senescence. It protects plants against reactive oxygen species that are produced in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. Manual phenotyping indicated that Arabidopsis lines over-expressing enzymes in the myo-inositol pathway have elevated AsA, accumulate more biomass of both aerial and root tissues and are tolerant to abiotic stresses including salt, cold, heat, and environmental pollutants. However, manual phenotyping is time consuming, low throughput, subjective, and limited to the resolution of the human eye. In contrast, high throughput phenotyping technologies are accurate, non-destructive, and more sensitive, allowing the detection of subtle phenotypes. Therefore, we used a phenomics platform to phenotype our high AsA Arabidopsis lines with visible, fluorescence, and near infrared cameras. Based on this approach, high AsA lines grew faster, accumulated more biomass, and displayed healthier chlorophyll fluorescence and water content profiles than controls. By studying abiotic stress in a high throughout fashion using optimized protocols, we have also shown that these high AsA lines are tolerant to salt and water limitation stresses. In addition, we developed open source algorithms to analyze images and by comparing results obtained with a widely used commercial software against our algorithms, here we show that our method achieved good accuracy for all phenotypic parameters of interest including projected leaf area, rosette diameter (caliper length), compactness, and color classification.

Determinants of parental report of dental pain and discomfort in preschool children-The Dental Discomfort Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a major consequence of caries, which negatively impacts the quality of life of children and their families. AIM: To analyse the parental report of dental pain and discomfort in preschool children, and to identify clinical and sociodemographic factors associated. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study involved 375 four- and five-year-old preschoolers enrolled in the city of Campo Magro public school system, along with their parents and caregivers. Parents/caregivers answered the Brazilian version of the Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ-B) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Two examiners (kappa > 0.79) performed clinical examinations using dmf-t and pufa index. The associations were statistically analysed by univariate and multiple Poisson regression with robust variance (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The prevalence of dental pain and discomfort was 70.3% (66%-75% 95% CI). Children from non-nuclear families (PRa 1.33; 95% CI: 1.01-1.76) and whose parents presented a lower level of education (PRa 2.43; 95% CI 1.66-3.55) presented a higher prevalence of dental pain or discomfort. Considering the clinical determinants, after adjusting, only the presence of clinical consequences of untreated dental caries (pufa ≥ 1) (PRa 1.37; 95% CI 1.02-1.84) was significantly associated with higher dental pain or discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: Dental pain and discomfort were associated with socioeconomic factors and with the presence of clinical consequences of untreated dental caries.

Demarcated opacity in primary teeth increases the prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization.

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) and its relationship with the number of primary teeth with developmental defects of enamel (DDE). A representative population-based sample of 731 schoolchildren was randomly selected from the public school system in Curitiba, Brazil. Schoolchildren aged 8 years with fully erupted permanent first molars and incisors were eligible for the study. MIH and DDE were classified by four calibrated examiners (kappa > 0.75) according to EAPD criteria and to the FDI-modified DDE index. Clinical data were collected in a school environment. Socioeconomic information was collected through a self-administered semistructured questionnaire applied to the children's caregivers. Statistical analyses were carried out using Poisson multiple regression with robust variance (α = 0.05). MIH prevalence was 12.1% (95%CI: 10-15), and opacities were the most prevalent defect. Socioeconomic factors were not associated with MIH. Children with demarcated opacity in primary teeth presented a higher prevalence of MIH than those without DDE in primary teeth. In the multiple analysis, the increase of one primary tooth affected by demarcated opacity increased the prevalence of MIH by 33% (PR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.15-1.53, p < 0.001). Asian children had a higher prevalence of MIH (PR = 2.91, 95%CI: 1.08-8.09 p = 0.035) than did Caucasian children.Conclusion: Based on these findings, the prevalence of MIH in Curitiba was 12.1%. Demarcated opacity in primary teeth could be considered a predictor of MIH.

Demarcated opacity in primary teeth increases the prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization

Abstract This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) and its relationship with the number of primary teeth with developmental defects of enamel (DDE). A representative population-based sample of 731 schoolchildren was randomly selected from the public school system in Curitiba, Brazil. Schoolchildren aged 8 years with fully erupted permanent first molars and incisors were eligible for the study. MIH and DDE were classified by four calibrated examiners (kappa > 0.75) according to EAPD criteria and to the FDI-modified DDE index. Clinical data were collected in a school environment. Socioeconomic information was collected through a self-administered semistructured questionnaire applied to the children's caregivers. Statistical analyses were carried out using Poisson multiple regression with robust variance (α = 0.05). MIH prevalence was 12.1% (95%CI: 10-15), and opacities were the most prevalent defect. Socioeconomic factors were not associated with MIH. Children with demarcated opacity in primary teeth presented a higher prevalence of MIH than those without DDE in primary teeth. In the multiple analysis, the increase of one primary tooth affected by demarcated opacity increased the prevalence of MIH by 33% (PR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.15-1.53, p < 0.001). Asian children had a higher prevalence of MIH (PR = 2.91, 95%CI: 1.08-8.09 p = 0.035) than did Caucasian children.Conclusion: Based on these findings, the prevalence of MIH in Curitiba was 12.1%. Demarcated opacity in primary teeth could be considered a predictor of MIH.