Prenatal Fumonisin Exposure Impairs Bone Development via Disturbances in the OC/Leptin and RANKL/RANK/OPG Systems in Weaned Rat Offspring.

The goal of the current study was to examine the effects of prenatal exposure to fumonisins (FBs) on bone properties and metabolism in weaned rat offspring divided into groups intoxicated with FBs at either 0 (the 0 FB group), 60 (the 60 FB group), or 90 mg/kg b.w. 0 (the 90 FB group). Female and male offspring exposed to FBs at a dose of 60 mg/kg b.w. had heavier femora. Mechanical bone parameters changed in a sex and FBs dose-dependent manner. Growth hormone and osteoprotegerin decreased in both sexes, regardless of FBs dose. In males osteocalcin decreased, while receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand increased regardless of FBs dose; while in females changes were dose dependent. Leptin decreased in both male FBs-intoxicated groups, bone alkaline phosphatase decreased only in the 60 FB group. Matrix metalloproteinase-8 protein expression increased in both female FBs-intoxicated groups and decreased in male 90 FB group. Osteoprotegerin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 protein expression decreased in males, regardless of FBs dose, while nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand expression increased only in the 90 FB group. The disturbances in bone metabolic processes seemed to result from imbalances in the RANKL/RANK/OPG and the OC/leptin systems.

Trabecular Bone Parameters, TIMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-13, VEGF Expression and Immunolocalization in Bone and Cartilage in Newborn Offspring Prenatally Exposed to Fumonisins.

Fumonisins are protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors and potent inhibitors of sphingosine N-acyltransferase (ceramide synthase) disrupting de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of fumonisins (FB) exposure from the 7th day of pregnancy to parturition on offspring bone development. The rats were randomly allocated to either a control group (n = 6), not treated with FBs, or to one of the two groups intoxicated with FBs (either at 60 mg FB/kg b.w. or at 90 mg FB/kg b.w. Numerous negative, offspring sex-dependent effects of maternal FB exposure were observed with regards to the histomorphometry of trabecular bone. These effects were due to FB-inducted alterations in bone metabolism, as indicated by changes in the expression of selected proteins involved in bone development: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8), matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The immunolocalization of MMPs and TIMP-2 was performed in trabecular and compact bone, as well as articular and growth plate cartilages. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the exposure of pregnant dams to FB negatively affected the expression of certain proteins responsible for bone matrix degradation in newborns prenatally exposed to FB in a dose- and sex-dependent manner.

An Assessment of the Number of Cariogenic Bacteria in the Saliva of Children with Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: Anticancer therapy entails qualitative and quantitative changes in the physiological bacterial flora of the organism, including the oral microflora. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the number of cariogenic bacteria - Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. - in the saliva of children with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and the relationship between the dynamics of neutrophils in the blood and the number of cariogenic bacteria in the saliva. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 52 children aged 3-17.5 years, diagnosed with cancer and undergoing antineoplastic treatment. The control group comprised 52 generally healthy children matched for age and gender. Both groups underwent microbiological analysis of the saliva. The Dentocult SM Strip Mutans test (Orion Diagnostica, Espoo, Finland) was used to evaluate the number of Streptococcus mutans colonies in the saliva, while the Dentocult LB test (Orion Diagnostica) was used to assess the number of Lactobacillus spp. bacteria. The statistical analysis was carried out using STATISTICA 10 software (StatSoft Inc., Tulsa, USA). RESULTS: The statistical analysis using Kendall's tau test showed a significant inverse correlation between the number of neutrophils in the blood and the number of the Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. colonies in the saliva of the children undergoing anticancer therapy. The highest titres of cariogenic bacteria in the saliva were observed during severe neutropenia, which was frequently observed between day 7 and day 21 of the chemotherapy course. CONCLUSIONS: A significant increase in the number of cariogenic bacteria in the saliva during episodes of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia suggests that the activity of dental caries increases in children undergoing antineoplastic treatment.

Oral hygiene in children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia living in rural and urban regions.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: During acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment, oral mucositis is a hugely important dental problem. In order to lower the risk of such complications, patients should take special care of their oral hygiene. The aim of this study was to assess the oral hygiene status in children with ALL during anti-cancer treatment protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 78 children with ALL who were examined in 3 stages, and 78 generally healthy children, who constituted the control group, participated in the study. In the group of patients were 55 children from the rural environment and 23 children living in towns. Oral hygiene status was assessed with the use of the Oral Hygiene Simplified Index, Plaque Index, and Gingival Index. RESULTS: The average value of OHI-S index in children with ALL before the chemotherapy was 0.64 ± 0.85, the value of the Pl.I index was 0.59 ± 0.74, GI index value was 0.08 ± 0.34. In the period from 0.5-1.5 years, the anti-cancer therapy value indicators of oral hygiene in children with ALL developed as follows: OHI-S--0.49 ± 0.69, Pl.I--0.49 ± 0.67, GI--0.02 ± 0.13. CONCLUSIONS: Oral hygiene was significantly better in children with ALL than in children in the control group. The better condition of oral hygiene in children with ALL than children in the control group is the result of the oral hygiene regime that the children were following during cancer treatment protocols. Significantly higher GI in children with ALL, compared to children from the control group, was observed despite the better oral hygiene.

Passive smoking as an environmental health risk factor.

Initially, tobacco was considered as a decorative plant and only later began to be treated as a herb with special therapeutic properties. With time, it was found that tobacco had strong insecticidal and addictive properties. There also occurred reports about the negative influence of tobacco on human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies smoking as a chronic, progressive disease which is also 'contagious'. It is also considered to be a neurobiotic addiction. Nicotine addiction does not cause changes in the behaviour or functioning of a smoker; however, it adversely affects his or her general health status and the health status of people within their environment. Passive smoking (so-called ETS--Environmental Tobacco Smoke), which means accompanying smokers negatively influences the health of passive smokers. Environmental tobacco smoke, on the one hand, is the result of spontaneous cigarette burning and, on the other hand, the result of the side-stream of cigarette smoke, as well as the smoke exhaled by active smokers. Health personnel should clearly and convincingly present the data concerning the adverse results of smoking, as well as the dangers of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, thereby making their patients aware that breaking their addiction will not only be beneficial for their own health, but will also protect non-smokers in their environment from the adverse effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

Smoking and the level of nicotine addiction in relation to the state of hard dental tissues in young adults.

Nowadays, smoking is considered to be one of the unhealthiest human behaviours. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential influence of smoking, as well as the degree of the addiction, on the health status of hard dental tissues in young adults. The study involved 148 randomly selected young adults. Mean age of the study subjects was 20 years ± 4 months. Questionnaire survey (6-grade Fagerstrom Nicotine Tolerance Questionnaire) and clinical examination were performed and the obtained results statistically analyzed. The mean value of 6-grade Fagerstrom Nicotine Tolerance Questionnaire was 2.298 ± 1.992. Of the studied population, 88.06% had no features of biological dependency. Mean DMF and DMFs Indexes were 11.31 ± 5.06 and 16.91 ± 10.65, respectively. It was established that in the study population, over 45% of the subjects smoked. However, there was no correlation found between smoking and gender, and no cause-eff ect relationship between smoking and hard dental tissues status as defined by DMF, DMFs values and their components. It was observed that in the case of people who began smoking at an earlier age, the degree of nicotine dependency was higher. None of the study subjects demonstrated features of heavy or pharmacological nicotine dependency.

Distant consequences of traumatic injuries to deciduous teeth--a case report.

The ever increasing number of injuries to deciduous teeth in children constitutes a serious problem in paedodontics. Among many factors that facilitate tooth injuries are malocclusions, and most specifically protrusions of upper incisors of Class II/1 according to Angle. This is a case report of a 6-year-old girl with irregularities of upper permanent incisors due to traumatic injuries to deciduous teeth. In view of the ongoing child development processes, medical check-ups following injuries to deciduous teeth should be undertaken once every two or three months. Since such injuries have an impact on the development of the masticatory organ, children should undergo medical inspection and observation immediately upon the completion of relevant post-trauma treatment.

A rare case of tooth-nail syndrome.

The present work is a case report of a 11-year-old patient directed for consultations to Department of Paedodontics, Medical University of Lublin. The clinical examination ascertained numerous lacks of permanent teeth, there were only central incisors in maxilla and first molars in mandibula. With the exception of teeth 54, 55, 64, 74, 84, which were reincluded, the patient had remaining deciduous teeth. The radiographic examination confirmed large oligodontia within permanent teeth. Hair, sweat glands, anterior chamber and bottom of the eye were correct. Little disturbances within nail plates of palm fingers were found. A gentle form of ectodermal dysplasia was recognized as a tooth-nail syndrome (Witkop's syndrome).