Genetic Variants in Cyclooxygenase-2 Contribute to Post-treatment Pain among Endodontic Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a well-established analgesic efficacy for inflammatory pain. These drugs exert their effect by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) and are commonly used for the management of pain after endodontic treatment. There are 2 distinct isoforms of COX: COX-1, which is constitutively expressed, and COX-2, which is primarily induced by inflammation. Previous studies have shown that functional human genetic variants of the COX-2 gene may explain individual variations in acute pain. The present study extends this work by examining the potential contribution of the 2 COX isoforms to pain after endodontic treatment. METHODS: Ninety-four patients treated by endodontic residents at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry were enrolled into a prospective cohort study. Data on potential predictors of post-treatment pain were collected, and all patients submitted saliva samples for genetic analysis. Nonsurgical root canal therapy was performed, and participants recorded pain levels for 5 days after. RESULTS: In this study, 63% of patients experienced at least mild pain after root canal therapy, and 24% experienced moderate to severe pain. The presence of pretreatment pain was correlated with higher post-treatment pain (P = .01). Elevated heart rate (P = .02) and higher diastolic blood pressure (P = .024) were also correlated with decreased post-treatment pain. Finally, we identified genetic variants in COX-2 (haplotype composed of rs2383515 G, rs5277 G, rs5275 T, and rs2206593 A) associated with post-treatment pain after endodontic treatment (P = .025). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the genetic basis of pain after endodontic treatment will advance its prevention and management.

Oral cancer knowledge, attitudes and practices: a survey of dentists and primary care physicians in Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: The authors conducted a study to assess dentists' and primary care physicians' oral cancer knowledge, attitudes and practices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. METHODS: The authors mailed a 38-item, pretested questionnaire to a stratified sample of dentists and primary care physicians in Massachusetts. The sample population included all general medicine, internal medicine and family practice physicians listed with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine and all Massachusetts Dental Society members. The authors invited a random sample of more than 1,000 clinicians to participate in the survey. They assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices of respondents and performed a bivariate analysis of responses to questions by using statistical software. RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of physicians reported performing an oral cancer examination in patients aged 40 to 55 years, compared with 92 percent of dentists (P < .001). For patients 56 years or older, 54 percent of physicians reported performing oral cancer examinations, compared with 93 percent of dentists (P < .001). More than 96 percent of physicians reported that they asked patients about smoking and alcohol use. However, only 9 percent of physicians and 39 percent of dentists were able to identify the two most common sites on which oral cancer develops (P < .001). Fifty-seven percent of dentists and 24 percent of physicians correctly identified the most common symptom of early oral cancer. CONCLUSION: This survey identified an existing gap in knowledge and practices among physicians and dentists and underscores the need to enhance oral cancer education among both professional groups.

The B73 maize genome: complexity, diversity, and dynamics.

We report an improved draft nucleotide sequence of the 2.3-gigabase genome of maize, an important crop plant and model for biological research. Over 32,000 genes were predicted, of which 99.8% were placed on reference chromosomes. Nearly 85% of the genome is composed of hundreds of families of transposable elements, dispersed nonuniformly across the genome. These were responsible for the capture and amplification of numerous gene fragments and affect the composition, sizes, and positions of centromeres. We also report on the correlation of methylation-poor regions with Mu transposon insertions and recombination, and copy number variants with insertions and/or deletions, as well as how uneven gene losses between duplicated regions were involved in returning an ancient allotetraploid to a genetically diploid state. These analyses inform and set the stage for further investigations to improve our understanding of the domestication and agricultural improvements of maize.