Low virulent oral Candida albicans strains isolated from smokers

It is widely accepted that tabagism is a predisposing factor to oral candidosis and cumulate data suggest that cigarette compounds may increase candidal virulence. To verify if enhanced virulence occurs in Candida albicans from chronic smokers, a cohort of 42 non-smokers and other of 58 smokers (all with excellent oral conditions and without signs of candidosis) were swabbed on tong dorsum and jugal mucosa. Results showed that oral candidal loads do not differ between smoker and non-smokers. Activities of secreted aspartyl-protease (Sap), phospholipase, chondroitinase, esterase-lipase, and haemolysin secretions were screened for thirty-two C. albicans isolates. There were detected significant increments in phospholipasic and chondroitinasic activities in isolates from non-smokers. For other virulence factors, no differences between both cohorts were achieved.     

Dental trauma: review of common dental injuries and their management in primary and permanent dentitions

Management of dental trauma in children can be a challenging problem in dental practices. Knowledge of current trauma guidelines is vital in effectively managing dental trauma so that favorable outcomes are achieved. The purpose of this paper is to review the current guidelines and management strategies of dental trauma in primary and permanent dentitions. When planning emergency treatment for a primary tooth, it is important to consider the lifespan of the tooth, the potential damage to the permanent dentition, and the behavior of the child. After injury to permanent teeth, the treatment strategy is dictated by the concern for vitality of the periodontal ligament and pulp of the injured tooth. The emergency nature of dental trauma requires that the dentist be knowledgeable and readily available during and after office hours to provide care.     

Enlarged parietal foramina: a review of genetics, prognosis, radiology, and treatment

Introduction

Enlarged parietal foramina are variable ossification defects in the parietal bones that present as symmetric radiolucencies on skull radiographs. In contrast to the normal small parietal foramina, enlarged parietal foramina are a hereditary condition and genes associated with it have been identified.

Methods

A literature review was performed to discuss the many known findings related to enlarged parietal foramina.

Conclusions

Even though they remain asymptomatic in the majority of cases, they may be associated with other pathologies and occasionally become symptomatic. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current knowledge of enlarged parietal foramina.     

Effect of hypoxanthine, antioxidants and allopurinol on cholinesterase activities in rats

In the present study, we investigate the in vitro effect of hypoxanthine on acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities in the hippocampus, striatum, cerebral cortex and serum of 15-, 30- and 60-day-old rats. Furthermore, we also evaluated the influence of antioxidants, namely α-tocopherol (trolox) and ascorbic acid, and allopurinol to investigate the possible participation of free radicals and uric acid in the effects elicited by hypoxanthine on these parameters. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities were determined according to Ellman et al. (Biochem Pharmacol 7:88–95, 1961), with some modifications. Hypoxanthine (10.0 μM), when added to the incubation medium, enhanced acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampus and striatum of 15- and 30-day-old rats and reduced butyrylcholinesterase activity in the serum of 60-day-old rats. The administration of allopurinol and/or antioxidants partially prevented the alterations caused by hypoxanthine in acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities in the cerebrum and serum of rats. Data indicate that hypoxanthine alters cholinesterase activities, probably through free radicals and uric acid production since the alterations were prevented by the administration of allopurinol and antioxidants. It is presumed that the cholinesterase system may be associated, at least in part, with the neuronal dysfunction observed in patients affected by Lesch–Nyhan disease. In addition, although extrapolation of findings from animal experiments to humans is difficult, it is conceivable that these vitamins and allopurinol might serve as an adjuvant therapy to avoid progression of brain damage in patients affected by this disease.     

PRRT2-related disorders: further PKD and ICCA cases and review of the literature

Recent studies reported mutations in the gene encoding the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) to be causative for paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), PKD combined with infantile seizures (ICCA), and benign familial infantile seizures (BFIS). PRRT2 is a presynaptic protein which seems to play an important role in exocytosis and neurotransmitter release. PKD is the most common form of paroxysmal movement disorder characterized by recurrent brief involuntary hyperkinesias triggered by sudden movements. Here, we sequenced PRRT2 in 14 sporadic and 8 familial PKD and ICCA cases of Caucasian origin and identified three novel mutations (c.919C>T/p.Gln307*, c.388delG/p.Ala130Profs*46, c.884G>A/p.Arg295Gln) predicting two truncated proteins and one probably damaging point mutation. A review of all published cases is also included. PRRT2 mutations occur more frequently in familial forms of PRRT2-related syndromes (80–100 %) than in sporadic cases (33-46 %) suggesting further heterogeneity in the latter. PRRT2 mutations were rarely described in other forms of paroxysmal dyskinesias deviating from classical PKD, as we report here in one ICCA family without kinesigenic triggers. Mutations are exclusively found in two exons of the PRRT2 gene at a high rate across all syndromes and with one major mutation (c.649dupC) in a mutational hotspot of nine cytosines, which is responsible for 57 % of all cases in all phenotypes. We therefore propose that genetic analysis rapidly performed in early stages of the disease is highly cost-effective and can help to avoid further unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.