Core curriculum in cariology for dentistry degrees in the Republic of Argentina / Contenidos Mínimos de Cariología en el Currículo de las Carreras de Odontología en la República Argentina

ABSTRACT Aim To prepare a consensus document of the cariology contents and competences included in the curriculum for the dentistry degree at Argentine dental faculties/schools Materials and Method Planning the process in stages: Stage 1- Diagnosis of the situation (Google Form) and invitation to participate extended to the 20 academic units that offer dentistry degrees. Stage 2- Assessment process of Content (C) and Competences (I) agreements in the five domains: D1 Basic Sciences, D2 Risk and diagnosis of dental caries, D3 Decision-making for non-invasive treatments, D4 Decision-making for invasive treatment, and D5 Evidence-based cariology at community level. Stage 3- Consensus. Stages 2 and 3 were held in Workshop format in virtual mode (W) Results Stage 1- Of the total 20 Google forms sent to the AU, 13 responses were received: 7 from National Universities and 6 from Private Universities. All participants agreed to be part of the consensus. Stage 2- W: 20 representatives from 10 AU participated. It began with a contextualizing conference, after which the representatives were divided into 5 groups to assess the agreements of each D. Stage 3- The Cariology Curriculum document was organized into 5 Domains, and 23 C and 31 I of clinical application were defined for teaching cariology. The contents and competences for each domain were agreed upon. The final document was sent to all W participants for their approval and dissemination in each AU involved Conclusion Cariology contents were defined for dentistry students at Universities in the Argentine Republic.

RESUMEN Objetivo Elaborar un documento de consenso de los contenidos y competencias de cariología en el currículo para las facultades/escuelas de odontología argentinas, a nivel del grado Materiales y Método El proceso de creación se efectuó en etapas: 1- Diagnóstico de situación (Formulario electrónico) e invitación a participar a las 20 unidades académicas (UA) donde se imparte la carrera de odontología. 2- Proceso de valoración de acuerdos de Contenidos (C) y Competencias (I) en los cinco dominios (D): D1: Ciencias Básicas; D2: Riesgo y diagnóstico de caries dental; D3: Toma de decisiones tratamientos no invasivos; D4: Toma de decisiones para el tratamiento invasivo y D5: Cariología basada en la evidencia a nivel comunitario. 3- Etapa de consenso. Las etapas 2 y 3 se efectuaron en formato de Workshop en modalidad virtual (W) Resultados Etapa 1: Del total de 20 formularios enviados a las UA se recibieron 13 respuestas (65%), 7 (53,8%) de Universidades Nacionales y 6 (46,1%) de gestión Privada. El 100% de los participantes estuvieron de acuerdo en formar parte del consenso. Etapa 2: W: Participaron 20 representantes de 10 UA. El proceso se inició con una conferencia contextualizadora, posteriormente los representantes fueron divididos en 5 grupos para la valoración de acuerdos de cada D. Etapa 3: El documento de658. 658.l Currículo en Cariología se organizó en 5 Dominios. Se definieron 23 C y 31 I de aplicación clínica para la enseñanza de la Cariología. Se consensuaron los contenidos y las competencias para cada uno de los dominios. El documento final fue enviado a todos los participantes del W para su aprobación y difusión en cada una de las UA involucradas Conclusión En base al trabajo realizado se determinó un consenso de competencias y contenidos en cariología para estudiantes de grado de Odontología, de las Universidades de la República Argentina.

Core curriculum in cariology for dentistry degrees in the Republic of Argentina.

Aim: To prepare a consensus document of the cariology contents and competences included in the curriculum for the dentistry degree at Argentine dental faculties/schools. Materials and Method: Planning the process in stages: Stage 1- Diagnosis of the situation (Google Form) and invitation to participate extended to the 20 academic units (AU) that offer dentistry degrees. Stage 2- Assessment process of Content (C) and Competences (I) agreements in the five domains: D1 Basic Sciences, D2 Risk and diagnosis of dental caries, D3 Decision-making for non-invasive treatments, D4 Decision-making for invasive treatment, and D5 Evidence-based cariology at community level. Stage 3- Consensus. Stages 2 and 3 were held in Workshop format in virtual mode (W). Results: Stage 1- Of the total 20 Google forms sent to the AU, 13 responses were received: 7 from National Universities and 6 from Private Universities. All participants agreed to be part of the consensus. Stage 2- W: 20 representatives from 10 AU participated. It began with a contextualizing conference, after which the representatives were divided into 5 groups to assess the agreements of each D. Stage 3- The Cariology Curriculum document was organized into 5 Domains, and 23 C and 31 I of clinical application were defined for teaching cariology. The contents and competences for each domain were agreed upon. The final document was sent to all W participants for their approval and dissemination in each AU involved. Conclusion: Cariology contents were defined for dentistry students at Universities in the Argentine Republic.

Objetivo: Elaborar un documento de consenso de los contenidos y competencias de cariología en el currículo para las facultades/escuelas de odontología argentinas, a nivel del grado. Materiales y Método: El proceso de creación se efectuó en etapas: 1- Diagnóstico de situación (Formulario electrónico) e invitación a participar a las 20 unidades académicas (UA) donde se imparte la carrera de odontología. 2- Proceso de valoración de acuerdos de Contenidos (C) y Competencias (I) en los cinco dominios (D): D1: Ciencias Básicas; D2: Riesgo y diagnóstico de caries dental; D3: Toma de decisiones tratamientos no invasivos; D4: Toma de decisiones para el tratamiento invasivo y D5: Cariología basada en la evidencia a nivel comunitario. 3- Etapa de consenso. Las etapas 2 y 3 se efectuaron en formato de Workshop en modalidad virtual (W). Resultados: Etapa 1: Del total de 20 formularios enviados a las UA se recibieron 13 respuestas (65%), 7 (53,8%) de Universidades Nacionales y 6 (46,1%) de gestión Privada. El 100% de los participantes estuvieron de acuerdo en formar parte del consenso. Etapa 2: W: Participaron 20 representantes de 10 UA. El proceso se inició con una conferencia contextualizadora, posteriormente los representantes fueron divididos en 5 grupos para la valoración de acuerdos de cada D. Etapa 3: El documento de658. 658.l Currículo en Cariología se organizó en 5 Dominios. Se definieron 23 C y 31 I de aplicación clínica para la enseñanza de la Cariología. Se consensuaron los contenidos y las competencias para cada uno de los dominios. El documento final fue enviado a todos los participantes del W para su aprobación y difusión en cada una de las UA involucradas. Conclusión: En base al trabajo realizado se determinó un consenso de competencias y contenidos en cariología para estudiantes de grado de Odontología, de las Universidades de la República Argentina.

Isoenzyme pattern and partial characterization of hexosaminidases in the membrane and cytosol of human erythrocytes.

OBJECTIVES: Hexosaminidase activity is present in lysosomes, plasma membrane and cytosol of many human cells. Plasma membrane and cytosolic hexosaminidase is not well characterized, particularly as regards their isoenzyme forms and their relationship with the lysosomal ones. DESIGN AND METHODS: Erythrocyte hexosaminidase isoforms were chromatographically separated, characterized and compared to those in the plasma of healthy individuals and in the erythrocytes of a Tay-Sachs patient. RESULTS: Hexosaminidase isoenzymes were found in plasma membrane and cytosol and were composed of the same alpha- and beta-subunits as the lysosomal and plasma hexosaminidase A and B isoenzymes, though with some structural and kinetic differences. In addition, the cytosol contained a hexosaminidase that is a specific N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, the one involved in the removal of N-acetylglucosamine residues O-linked to proteins, named O-GlcNAcase. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides an additional step in the characterization of hexosaminidases helping better understand their role in non-lysosomal compartments and their involvement in physiological or pathological situations.

Lysosomal leukocyte beta-D-glucuronidase during enzyme replacement therapy in Fabry disease.

OBJECTIVE: Fabry disease results from a deficiency in the activity of alpha-d-galactosidase A and subsequent accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids in lysosomes. This study investigated whether lysosomal enzymes can indicate biochemical changes in the lysosomal apparatus induced by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). DESIGN AND METHODS: Eight patients were monitored by clinical and biochemical tests and several lysosomal glycohydrolases were measured in plasma and leucocytes. RESULTS: Before starting ERT, beta-d-glucuronidase in leukocytes was markedly increased. After 1 month of therapy, enzyme levels dropped in all patients. In the patients who regularly followed the therapy, the enzyme levels remained stable for the next 20 months. In one patient who interrupted therapy for 2 months, the enzyme levels rose again. CONCLUSIONS: Lysosomal enzymes can be useful for monitoring biochemical changes in patients with Fabry disease receiving ERT. Though these findings refer to only a small number of patients, the correlation between beta-d-glucuronidase levels and ERT is interesting and might serve as a basis for further studies to define the potential of this enzyme in monitoring the effects of ERT in lysosomal storage disorders.

Low levels of occupational exposure to arsenic and antimony: effects on lysosomal glycohydrolase levels in plasma of exposed workers and in lymphocyte cultures.

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals have been shown to alter the mechanism and release of lysosomal enzymes. In the present study, the activities of lysosomal glycohydrolases were determined in order to evaluate the asymptomatic toxic effects of low levels of exposure to arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in art glass workers. METHODS: N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), beta-D-glucuronidase (GCR), alpha- and beta-D-galactosidase, alpha-D-glucosidase, and alpha-D-mannosidase were determined by a fluorimetric assay in the plasma of 26 art glass workers. Lymphocytes cultured in the presence of different species of As and Sb served as an in vitro model for the study of the protective action of selenium and zinc. RESULTS: No significant difference in the plasma levels of the various enzymes was detected in art glass workers or control subjects. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that secretion of lysosomal glycohydrolases was increased by Sb (225%) and decreased by As (57%) at the same concentration of elements (200 microg/L). The addition of bivalent selenium to the culture neutralized the effects of both metals, while zinc chloride did not show any protective effect. CONCLUSIONS: As for the plasma glycohydrolases, no praecox signs of toxicity related to a low concentration of As and Sb was evident in art glass workers. This may be due to the antagonistic effects demonstrated by these two metals in vitro. Their different mechanism of action on release of glycohydrolases is being discussed.

Acidic and neutral sialidase in the erythrocyte membrane of type 2 diabetic patients.

The behavior of the 2 sialidase forms present in the erythrocyte membrane was investigated in 117 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus versus 95 healthy controls. A significant increase of the acidic form of sialidase, which is anchored to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol bridge, was observed in erythrocyte resealed membranes. On the contrary, the neutral form of the enzyme, the only one capable of removing lipid- and protein-bound sialic acid from endogenous and exogenous sialoderivatives, was significantly reduced with a consequent increase of erythrocyte membrane total sialic acid content. Disease duration, therapy, glycemia, parameters of metabolic control, and presence of complications, except nephropathies, had no influence on the tested enzyme activities. Diabetic subjects showed a different erythrocyte age distribution, with an almost double proportion of young red cells and only one quarter of senescent ones compared with controls. In young erythrocytes, diabetic and control subjects had the same distribution of the 2 enzymes, while in senescent cells the acidic enzyme was increased 3.5-fold and the neutral form was reduced by half in the diabetic subjects. The increase of both acidic sialidase and total membrane-bound sialic acid, together with an overpresence of young red cells in diabetics, suggests that in this pathological condition there might be an altered aging process with a diminished expression of the neutral form of the enzyme and an increase of bound sialic acid. It has been suggested that the expression of the neutral enzyme requires some activation mechanism that is impaired in diabetes.