Role of occlusion in periodontal disease

This article deals with establishing a new link between trauma from occlusion and periodontal pockets based on the know‐how and background gradually developed. To provide a better understanding to the reader, a historical perspective is firstly presented. The main features on the controversy of the role played by trauma from occlusion on the physiologic behavior of the periodontal structures are shown, together with how deviations from the normal characteristics of this relationship itself affect the integrity of the periodontal tissues when or associated with dental biofilm in the presence or not of periodontal pockets have arisen. The literature provides evidence showing that the very first publication to establish a strong correlation between trauma from occlusion and periodontal pockets in humans was of Latin‐American origin. However, subsequently, trauma from occlusion was mostly evaluated by an American group, followed by a Scandinavian group, yet with some contributions from the Latin‐American group. Basically trauma from occlusion has been correlated with periodontal pockets in view of the fact that these would render the periodontal supporting tissues more amenable to the spread of inflammation of biofilm‐related periodontal pockets. This would facilitate the fast deepening of periodontal pockets, influencing the generation of infrabony periodontal pockets or suprabony periodontal pockets that are deeper than in areas without trauma from occlusion. The factors related to these different behaviors are discussed. Several clinical cases are presented showing evidence that corroborates the possibility of an actual interrelationship between trauma from occlusion and periodontitis. Theoretical evaluations based on recent advances of the mechanisms involving molecular modulation in physiological and altered occlusal functions, as well as on research data, and evaluations from data of clinical cases, support the assumption that trauma from occlusion and periodontitis may embrace the unique pathologic condition of the associated lesion trauma from occlusion plus periodontitis or act independently even if both co‐exist simultaneously in a particular case. The link between both conditions that was emphasized as definitively necessary in order for an associated lesion to develop is that both lesions, namely trauma from occlusion and periodontitis, occur in their destructive stage at exactly the same time. This involvement would explain why so many different data are presented in the literature and hopefully will shed some light for development of new methodologies of research. Clinical cases were selected to present a treatment philosophy on the subject.     

Digital tools and 3D printing technologies integrated into the workflow of restorative treatment: A clinical report

The development of technologies including intraoral scanners, dental software for digital restoration design, and additive manufacturing has improved the digital workflow of restorative treatment. The present article describes a digital workflow with intraoral scanning, computer-aided design (CAD) software, and subtractive and additive manufacturing procedures for a patient receiving lithium disilicate laminate veneers.     

Neuroprotective effects of cyanidin 3-O-glucopyranoside on amyloid beta (25–35) oligomer-induced toxicity

Recent studies suggest that the oligomers of short amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides such as Aβ_25–35 as well as full-length Aβ peptides (i.e. Aβ_1–40 and Aβ_1–42 peptides) are responsible for synaptic dysfunction and/or neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among antioxidant phytochemicals derived from fruit and vegetables, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (Cy-3G) has recently gained attention for its neuroprotective properties. In this in vitro study, we demonstrated that Cy-3G can inhibit Aβ_25–35 spontaneous aggregation into oligomers and their neurotoxicity in human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells. In particular, the pre- and co-treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with Cy-3G reduced the neuronal death, in terms of apoptosis and necrosis, elicited by Aβ_25–35 oligomers. Cy-3G also shows the interesting ability to prevent the early events leading to neuronal death such as the Aβ_25–35 oligomer binding to plasma membrane and the subsequent membrane integrity loss. Taken together, these findings suggest that Cy-3G may be considered a phytochemical with neuroprotective properties useful in finding potential drug or food supplements for the therapy of AD.     

Evidence for an association of TP53 codon 72 polymorphism with breast cancer risk

BACKGROUND: A common Arg/Pro polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been investigated as a risk factor for cancer in different populations. So far, the results have been controversial. Our purpose was to investigate the association of this polymorphism with breast carcinoma in women from Southern Brazil, a high-risk area for breast cancer. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 118 women with primary breast carcinoma and from 202 female blood donors were analyzed through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The relative frequency of each allele was 0.75 for Arg and 0.25 for Pro in patients with cancer, and 0.62 for Arg and 0.38 for Pro in normal controls (P < 0.001). The Arg/Arg genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk for breast cancer (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.43-3.6; P < 0.002). No correlation between the genotype distribution and specific prognostic predictors for the disease outcome was observed. DISCUSSION: TP53 codon 72 polymorphism might be implicated in breast carcinogenesis, with the Arg/Arg genotype being associated with an increased susceptibility for this malignancy.     

Characterisation of NcGRA7 and NcSAG4 proteins: Immunolocalisation and their role in the host cell invasion by <Emphasis Type=Italic>Neospora caninum</Emphasis> tachyzoites

Neospora caninum negatively impacts bovine reproductive performance around the world. Addressing this problem requires a greater understanding of the parasite’s molecular biology. In this study, monoclonal antibodies against recombinant proteins were successfully developed and employed to characterise two different proteins of N. caninum: the acute phase-associated NcGRA7 and the chronic phase-associated NcSAG4. Immunofluorescence with the anti-rNcGRA7 monoclonal antibody suggested that NcGRA7 trafficks from tachyzoite dense granules to the matrix of the parasitophorous vacuole and parasite’s surroundings. Furthermore, NcGRA7 is also expressed in the bradyzoite stage and localised on the matrix of bradyzoite-positive vacuoles. NcGRA7 appears to be partially involved in the tachyzoite-invasion mechanisms, as an anti-rNcGRA7 monoclonal antibody partially inhibited in vitro tachyzoite-invasion. A monoclonal antibody specific for NcSAG4 confirmed this protein’s bradyzoitespecific expression both by western blot and immunofluorescence. However, some bradyzoite-positive vacuoles only weakly expressed NcSAG4, if it was expressed at all. The specificity of the anti-rNcSAG4 monoclonal antibody was confirmed by the recognition of the NcSAG4 in the membrane surface of Nc-1SAG4^c transgenic tachyzoites, which constitutively expresses NcSAG4. Blocking NcSAG4 of Nc-1SAG4^c tachyzoites with the monoclonal antibody did not affect host cell invasion. However, its implication on the host cell adhesion or host immune evasion should not be discarded.