Probiotic Therapy Reduces Periodontal Tissue Destruction and Improves the Intestinal Morphology in Rats With Ligature‐Induced Periodontitis

Background: With increase in the incidence of resistance to antibiotics, probiotics are emerging as a promising adjunctive periodontal therapy. The authors of this study evaluate the influence of probiotic (PROB) supplementation on ligature‐induced periodontitis (LIP) and intestinal morphology in rats. Methods: Thirty‐two rats were randomly divided into four groups: control (C), LIP, PROB, and LIP/PROB. In groups PROB and LIP/PROB, the PROB was administered orally by addition to the drinking water of the animals for 44 days. In groups LIP and LIP/PROB, the mandibular right first molar of the animals received a cotton ligature that was left in the same position for 14 days. All animals were euthanized 44 days after the start of the PROB supplementation. The jaws were resected and histomorphometric analyses were performed. The measurements included evaluation of attachment loss (AL) and alveolar bone level (ABL) on the distal root of the mandibular first molar. Samples of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were also dissected from each animal to evaluate the villous height (VH) and crypt depth (CD). The data obtained were subjected to statistical analyses (analysis of variance, Tukey; P <0.05). Results: Mean values of AL and ABL were significantly higher in group LIP compared with group LIP/PROB (AL: 3.05 ± 0.57 mm and 1.78 ± 0.63 mm, respectively; ABL: 4.21 ± 0.42 mm and 3.38 ± 0.17 mm, respectively). In group LIP/PROB, the mean values of VH and CD of the jejunum were significantly higher than the ones from group LIP (VH: 672.1 ± 83.3 µm and 528.0 ± 51.7 µm, respectively; CD: 463.8 ± 100.9 µm and 269.0 ± 48.4 µm, respectively). Conclusions: It can be concluded that PROB supplementation 1) reduces AL and alveolar bone loss in rats with LIP and 2) can protect the small intestine from reactive changes induced by LIP.     

Radicular dens invaginatus in a mandibular premolar: cone-beam computed tomography findings of a rare anomaly

Dens invaginatus is a rare developmental anomaly and its etiology remains controversial. Radicular dens invaginatus is an unusual dental anomaly. The aims of this paper are to report the radiographic and tomographic findings of a case of radicular dens invaginatus and to discuss the relevant features associated with this dental anomaly. A 16-year-old female was referred to a private oral radiology clinic for orthodontic evaluation. Radiographically, a morphological alteration to the root portion of the right mandibular first premolar and the presence of a discrete radiolucent periapical lesion were observed. The diagnosis was only elucidated after cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The CBCT images revealed enlargement of the root, and a dilated invagination with limited enamel that had its open site along the lateral portion of the root without evidence of buccal and lingual expansion. The diagnosis of radicular dens invaginatus was then established.     

Effects of long-term water storage on the microtensile bond strength of five experimental self-etching adhesives based on surfactants rather than HEMA

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the hypothesis that replacing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) for surfactant dimethacrylates (SD) does not affect the immediate and long-term microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of experimental two-step self-etch HEMA-free adhesive systems applied on dentin.

Materials and methods

Five experimental HEMA-free two-step self-etching systems containing different SD (ethoxylated bisphenol A diglycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-EMA 10, B10), Bis-EMA 30 (B30), poly-ethyleneglycol (400) dimethacrylate (PEG 400, P400), PEG 1000 (P1000), and PEG 400 urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) (UP400)) and a HEMA-containing system (control) (HA) were formulated. Specimens were subjected to the μTBS test after 24 h and 6 and 12 months of storage. Data (in megapascals) were analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn tests (α?=?0.05).

Results

Medians of the μTBS data after 24 h of storage are: HA?=?57.2^A, B10?=?26.2^BC, B30?=?24.0^C, P400?=?32.6^BC, P1000?=?37.3^B, and UP400?=?57.9^A; after 6 months are: HA?=?47.9^A, B10?=?18.5^B, B30?=?7.8^C, P400?=?16.1^B, P1000?=?14.6^BC, and UP400?=?51.6^A; and after 12 months are: HA?=?31.2^A, B10?=?15.2^B, B30?=?9.0^B, P400?=?9.1^B, P1000?=?13.3^B, and UP400?=?35.7^A. Between the HEMA-free groups, the adhesive system formulated with PEG 400 UDMA produced similar μTBS to the HEMA-containing group. Also, the storage of specimens decreased the μTBS (p?<?0.05).

Conclusion

Replacing HEMA for PEG 400 UDMA in an adhesive system formulation generated a satisfactory μTBS to dentin.

Clinical relevance

Surfactant dimethacrylates have a potential use in the development of HEMA-free self-etching adhesive systems, which are more chemically stable.     

Heat treatment following surface silanization in rebonded tribochemical silica-coated ceramic brackets: shear bond strength analysis

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat treatment on the tribochemical silica coating and silane surface conditioning and the bond strength of rebonded alumina monocrystalline brackets.

Material and Methods

Sixty alumina monocrystalline brackets were randomly divided according to adhesive base surface treatments (n=20): Gc, no treatment (control); Gt, tribochemical silica coating + silane application; Gh, as per Gt + post-heat treatment (air flux at 100ºC for 60 s). Brackets were bonded to the enamel premolars surface with a light-polymerized resin and stored in distilled water at 37ºC for 100 days. Additionally, half the specimens of each group were thermocycled (6,000 cycles between 5-55ºC) (TC). The specimens were submitted to the shear bond strength (SBS) test using a universal testing machine (1 mm/min). Failure mode was assessed using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), together with the surface roughness (Ra) of the resin cement in the bracket using interference microscopy (IM). 2-way ANOVA and the Tukey test were used to compare the data (p>0.05).

Results

The strategies used to treat the bracket surface had an effect on the SBS results (p=0.0), but thermocycling did not (p=0.6974). Considering the SBS results (MPa), Gh-TC and Gc showed the highest values (27.59±6.4 and 27.18±2.9) and Gt-TC showed the lowest (8.45±6.7). For the Ra parameter, ANOVA revealed that the aging method had an effect (p=0.0157) but the surface treatments did not (p=0.458). For the thermocycled and non-thermocycled groups, Ra (µm) was 0.69±0.16 and 1.12±0.52, respectively. The most frequent failure mode exhibited was mixed failure involving the enamel-resin-bracket interfaces.

Conclusion

Regardless of the aging method, Gh promoted similar SBS results to Gc, suggesting that rebonded ceramic brackets are a more effective strategy.     

Low-level laser therapy in different stages of rheumatoid arthritis: a histological study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. Treatment of RA is very complex, and in the past years, some studies have investigated the use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in treatment of RA. However, it remains unknown if LLLT can modulate early and late stages of RA. With this perspective in mind, we evaluated histological aspects of LLLT effects in different RA progression stages in the knee. It was performed a collagen-induced RA model, and 20 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 experimental groups: a non-injured and non-treated control group, a RA non-treated group, a group treated with LLLT (780 nm, 22 mW, 0.10 W/cm², spot area of 0.214 cm², 7.7 J/cm², 75 s, 1.65 J per point, continuous mode) from 12th hour after collagen-induced RA, and a group treated with LLLT from 7th day after RA induction with same LLLT parameters. LLLT treatments were performed once per day. All animals were sacrificed at the 14th day from RA induction and articular tissue was collected in order to perform histological analyses related to inflammatory process. We observed that LLLT both at early and late RA progression stages significantly improved mononuclear inflammatory cells, exudate protein, medullary hemorrhage, hyperemia, necrosis, distribution of fibrocartilage, and chondroblasts and osteoblasts compared to RA group (p?<?0.05). We can conclude that LLLT is able to modulate inflammatory response both in early as well as in late progression stages of RA.     

The role of pro/anti-inflammatory adipokines on bone metabolism in NAFLD obese adolescents: effects of long-term interdisciplinary therapy

To investigate the role of pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines in the bone metabolism of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) obese adolescents as well as the effects of long-term interdisciplinary therapy on metabolic-related risk factors. Forty post-puberty obese adolescents were randomly assigned into two groups: (1) NAFLD group and (2) non-NAFLD group (diagnosis by ultrasonography) and submitted to a weight loss therapy. Body composition was analyzed by air displacement plethysmography, bone mineral density (BMD) and content by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood samples were collected to measure lipid profile, hepatic enzymes, and adipokines. Leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured by ELISA. A decrease in total body mass, BMI, body fat, visceral and subcutaneous fat, insulin concentration, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol and an increase in lean body mass were observed in both groups after therapy. It was found positive correlation between the Δ BMD and the Δ fat mass (%) (r = 0.31, P = 0.01) and negative correlations between Δ BMC with Δ HOMA-IR (r = -0.34, P = 0.02) and Δ HOMA-IR with Δ leptin (r = -0.34, P = 0.02). In addition, increased levels of adiponectin and reduction in leptin concentrations were observed in NAFLD group. In the simple regression analysis, the HOMA-IR was an independent predictor changes in BMC in total obese adolescents and in the non-NAFLD group. One year of interdisciplinary weight loss therapy for obese adolescents with or without NAFLD, could regulate bone mineral metabolism as result of an increased BMC and improved inflammatory state.     

The prevalence of priapism in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease in Brazil

To evaluate priapism rates in individuals <18 years of age with sickle cell disease (SCD) at a referral center. An evaluation was made of 599 consecutive male patients with SCD, separated according to type of hemoglobinopathy (HbSS, HbSC and HbS-β-thalassemia). Age at first episode and number of episodes were recorded. Cases of sickle cell trait were excluded. Mean age was similar in all groups. Overall, priapism occurred in 3.6 % of patients (5.6 % of those with HbSS and 1.1 % of those with HbSC; P = 0.01). In HbSS patients, the prevalence rate of priapism was from 3.5 (CI 95 % 0.94-13.4) when compared with patients with HbSC. No patient with β-thalassemia had priapism. Mean follow-up was 39.7 months (range 1-202 months). Since 91 % of patients with priapism had HbSS, this group was evaluated separately, revealing a rate of priapism of 1.6 % in patients <10 years and 8.3 % in those ≥ 10 years of age (P = 0.002). Regarding priapism in HbSS patients ≥ 10 years (8.3 %) when compared with patients <10 years (1.6 %), the prevalence rate was from 3.3 (CI 95 % 1.1-9.5). Duration of follow-up was not correlated with priapism (P = 0.774). Forty-seven patients were lost to follow-up. Telephone contact was successful with 14/22 patients with priapism, 50 % of whom had required hospital treatment. Most episodes (86 %) occurred at night, always during sleep. Medical interventions were required in 13 cases as follows: intravenous hydration (n = 4), corpora cavernosa puncture and drainage (n = 7) and corpus cavernosum-corpus spongiosum shunts (n = 2). The prevalence of priapism in children <18 years of age with SCD was 3.6 %, lower than previously reported. Prevalence was higher in HbSS patients, increasing in patients >10 years of age. Most episodes occurred at night and half of the patients required some form of urological procedure.     

Ultrasonographic screening for thyroid cancer in siblings of patients with apparently sporadic papillary carcinoma

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown a higher risk of thyroid cancer among individuals who have a relative with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) compared to those without a family history. This study evaluated the prevalence of thyroid cancer among subjects with only one first-degree relative (sibling) with PTC who had no palpable nodules, factors predictive of this malignancy, and the characteristics of tumors discovered during ultrasonographic screening. Methods: A total of 757 siblings of 447 patients with apparently sporadic PTC were examined. Nodules were palpable in 34 subjects (excluded). The 723 individuals without palpable abnormalities were submitted to thyroid ultrasonography and comprised the study group. The control group, consisting of 241 volunteers without a family history of thyroid cancer matched for gender and age to the study group, was also submitted to thyroid ultrasonography. All nodules ≥5?mm were examined by fine-needle aspiration cytology. Subjects with benign cytology were not submitted to surgery, whereas the subjects having malignant, suspicious for a malignancy, indeterminate, or inadequate cytology were referred for thyroidectomy. Results: Ultrasonography detected nodules in 303 (41.9%) study subjects. PTC was observed in 5.94% of the 723 subjects studied (8% women and 3.75% men, p=0.017) and in 14.2% of the 303 subjects with nonpalpable nodular disease. In the control group, 80 (33.2%) of the volunteers had nodules. PTC was observed in 1.2% of them and in 3.8% of those with nodular disease. In addition, 7.17% of the 447 patients had siblings with PTC detected only by ultrasonography. Multicentricity of the tumor was the main predictor of the presence of malignancy in siblings of patients with PTC. Twenty-two subjects (3% of those screened) had tumors that were not intrathyroid microcarcinomas (whereas all three tumors detected in controls were intrathyroid microcarcinomas). Screening permitted an earlier diagnosis of the disease when compared to siblings with a spontaneous diagnosis. Conclusions: The present results favor ultrasonographic screening of first-degree relatives of patients with apparently sporadic multicentric PTC, especially among women.