Genetic variants in tooth agenesis-related genes might be also involved in tooth size variations.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate if genetic variants in PAX9, MSX1, TGFα, FGF3, FGF10, FGF13, GLI2 and GLI3 are involved in TS of permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pretreatment dental records from orthodontic patients were assessed prior to recruitment. Patients with tooth agenesis and congenital anomalies (including oral cleft) and/or syndromes were excluded. Dental casts were used to measure the maximum crown dimensions of all fully erupted permanent teeth except second and third molars in mesiodistal direction. Teeth with caries, occlusal wear, mesiodistal restorations, and obvious deformities were not evaluated. Genomic DNA samples were used for genotyping. The allelic discrimination of 13 genetic variants was performed. The associations between TS and genotype were analyzed by linear regression, adjusted by gender at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Genetic polymorphisms in the tooth agenesis-related genes studied here were associated with increased and decreased TS, in both maxilla and mandible (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study reported associations of novel tooth agenesis-related gene variants with permanent tooth size variations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The presence of some genetic variants could allow the prediction of permanent tooth size.

Human permanent tooth sizes are associated with genes encoding oestrogen receptors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if genetic polymorphisms in the oestrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and oestrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) genes encoded for oestrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERß) are involved in permanent tooth size. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Orthodontic Clinic at School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 108 orthodontic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-treatment orthodontic records were evaluated. Dental casts were used to determine the maximum crown measurements of fully erupted permanent teeth in the mesiodistal dimensions. Second and third molars were not included in the analysis. Genomic DNA samples were used for the genotyping of four genetic polymorphisms: ESR1 (rs9340799 and rs2234693) and ESR2 (rs1256049 and rs4986938). The associations between tooth size and sex were evaluated using t test. The associations between tooth size and genotype were analysed with linear regression and adjusted by sex at an alpha of P⩽0.05. RESULTS: Female patients presented smaller tooth size than male patients. A statistically significant difference was observed in almost all teeth (P<0.05). The genetic polymorphisms in rs9340799, rs2234693, rs1256049 and rs4986938 were associated with some tooth sizes in both the maxilla and mandible (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that genetic polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2 could be associated with tooth size in permanent teeth.

Microcephaly and Zika virus: neonatal neuroradiological aspects.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe some radiological features in the newborns with microcephaly caused by Zika virus infection during pregnancy. METHODS: We radiologically analyzed 13 cases of newborns with microcephaly born to mothers who were infected by the Zika virus in the early stage of pregnancy. RESULTS: The most frequently observed radiological findings were microcephaly and decreased brain parenchymal volume associated with lissencephaly, ventriculomegaly secondary to the lack of brain tissue (not hypertensive), and coarse and anarchic calcifications mainly involving the subcortical cortical transition, and the basal ganglia. CONCLUSIONS: Although it cannot be concluded that there is a definitive pathognomonic radiographic pattern of microcephaly caused by Zika virus, gross calcifications and anarchic distribution involving the subcortical cortical transition and the basal ganglia, in association with lissencephaly and in the absence of hypertensive ventriculomegaly, are characteristic of this type of infection.

Presence of HPV in prostate tissue from patients submitted to prostate biopsy.

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent cancer among men in the Western population. Infections, such as the one caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), have been shown to promote inflammation that can lead to the appearance of neoplasms. This study aimed to verify the presence of HPV in neoplastic and non-neoplastic prostate tissue in patients undergoing prostate biopsy and its possible relationship with PCa. METHODS: Prostate tissue fragments were collected by prostate biopsy and subjected to polymerase chain reaction with primers for the HPV L1 gene to identify the presence of the virus. RESULTS: Among 162 patients, 10 (6.2%) had HPV and in 152 (93.8%) HPV was not identified in prostate biopsies. HPV was detected in 7/95 (7.4%) of patients with PCa, in 2/55 (3.6%) of patients without PCa, and in no patient with an inconclusive diagnosis of PCa. There was no significant difference (p = 0.487) of HPV presence in the tissue of patients with PCa. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant levels of HPV L1 protein in prostate tissue. The findings suggest the absence of HPV oncogenic activity in the prostate tissue of patients with PCa.

Orthodontic Wires: A 12-Year Bibliometric Study.

Aims and Objectives: To perform a bibliometric study to identify and evaluate articles associated with "orthodontic wires" indexed in six databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, Lilacs, and Google Scholar) from 2010 to 2022. Materials and Methods: The search strategy in PubMed combined different medical subject heading terms with free-text words and was adjusted for each selected database. The retrieved documents were original English articles containing the keywords used in the search strategies related to orthodontic wires. Collected data consisted of journal name, nationality, field, JIF-2 and JIF-5, SJR, CiteScore, Q and H-index, and categorization of the study. Results: In total, 417 articles were retrieved from the initial search. After the exclusion criteria, 257 articles remained. The most common theme was mechanical properties, with basic studies as the main categorization. Conclusions: This bibliometric survey provides an overview of orthodontic wires publications that might help orthodontists to understand the tendency of the studies on this subject. The retrieved papers were published in 100 journals, including 15 orthodontic journals, mainly in the first and second quartiles. Europe and America were the continents with the highest number of papers. The United States was the country with the highest number of journals on the topic. AJODO presented the highest h-index among the retrieved orthodontic journals. Brazil represented the principal institutions of origin of the listed articles. There was a tendency to increase the number of publications on orthodontic wires over the years. These findings indicate that research on orthodontic wires is still contemporary and relevant.

COVID-19 in healthcare workers in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil: clinical and sociodemographic characteristics associated with death and hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical and sociodemographic characteristics associated with death and hospitalization of healthcare workers due to COVID-19, in addition to calculating the incidence rates per profession. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study using secondary open data from the State Health Department of Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil. The cases of COVID-19 in healthcare workers were recorded between February 27 and August 17, 2020, in Espírito Santo, excluding cases with missing information. RESULTS: Of the confirmed cases, 75.6% (n=9,191) were female. The overall case fatality rate was 0.27% and the general hospitalization rate was 0.99%. The clinical outcome of death and the occurrence of hospitalization were associated with male sex, age ≥50 years, higher education, fever, difficulty breathing, cough, cardiac comorbidity, diabetes and obesity (p<0.05). Only the occurrence of hospitalization was associated with case reported in the metropolitan region of Vitória, runny nose, sore throat, headache and renal comorbidity (p<0.05). The profession with the highest incidence rate was nurse (16,053.2 cases/100,000 nurses). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated high frequency of cases among women, low overall case fatality rate, and high incidence in nurses.

Factors associated with the death of healthcare workers due to COVID-19 in the state of Amapá, Brazil.

Introduction: Frontline healthcare workers providing care for COVID-19 are more likely to get infected and die compared with other professionals. Deaths or sick leaves due to COVID-19 can affect the smooth operation of health services in areas with shortage of workers. Objectives: To analyze factors associated with the death of healthcare workers due to COVID-19 in the state of Amapá, Brazil. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study using COVID-19 data from Amapá between March 2020 and January 2021. The association of independent variables (sex, race/color, age group, region of residence, comorbidity) with death was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Data from 1,258 workers were analyzed. The majority were women (67.7%; 852/1,258), multiracial (66.9%; 759/1,135), aged between 18 and 64 (98.3%; 1,226/1,247), with no comorbidity (86.6%; 1,090/1,258), from the Macapá metropolitan area (56.7%; 713/1,258). The mortality rate was 1.59%. Factors associated with death were: age group = 65 years (odds ratio = 10.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.78-39.11), comorbidity (odds ratio = 4.52; 95%CI = 1.74-11.74), and residence in the Macapá metropolitan area (odds ratio = 4.37; 95%CI = 1.25-15.29). Conclusions: The recognition of factors that may have caused the death of healthcare workers in Amapá can support the recommendation of protective measures for the most susceptible, such as switching to activities with lower exposure to the virus or teleworking.

Validity Evidence of Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Professional Fulfillment Index.

PURPOSE: The questionnaire "Professional Fulfillment Index" (PFI) was validated to assess emotional exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and professional achievement among physicians. This study presents the process of cross-cultural adaptation of the PFI to the Brazilian context. DESIGN: Analytical cross-sectional study carried out between July and October 2020. Settings: For conceptual equivalence, a panel of experts was constituted who conducted analyzes on the translation and back-translation processes from English to Brazilian Portuguese. SUBJECTS: For the operational equivalence, 432 physicians in the field of Occupational Medicine were invited. MEASURES: They answered the PFI in an online platform. Analysis: Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to seek evidence of the hypothesized structure of PFI item responses. Reliability was assessed using three indicators. RESULTS: The Brazilian version can be considered similar to the original. Most of participants were female (57.6%) and mean age 49.6 years-SD 14.0. The mean time since graduation was 18.5 years-SD 9.67. Most of them had a full-time job (88.0%) and were trained through post-graduation courses 83.8%. The most frequent job task was to perform worker´s clinical evaluations (84.9%). Exploratory and confirmatory analyzes showed the adequacy of the items in measuring the instrument's construct, with stability for use in other populations and samples. CONCLUSION: The PFI was developed to evaluate positive and negative aspects of physicians' role and performance. The process described in this article was the first cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire. The PFI can help in mapping potential risk situations for negative impacts on physicians' occupational well-being and performance at work, in order to propose interventions that reduce exhaustion and expand professional fulfillment.

Distress and pleasure indicators in health care workers on the COVID-19 front line. / Indicadores de sofrimento e prazer em trabalhadores de saúde na linha de frente da COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate distress and pleasure indicators in health care workers on the front line of care for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases. METHOD: an exploratory, analytical and cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. The studied sample consisted of 437 health professionals invited by electronic means, who answered the questionnaire on sociodemographic information, occupational aspects and clinical conditions. Distress and pleasure at work were considered as outcomes, which were analyzed with multinomial logistic regression regarding the associated independent variables. RESULTS: Most of the participants were female (71.0%), nurses (55.6%), with a weekly working shift of 40 hours or more (75.8%); 61.6% of the participants suffered from mental distress. The psychosocial characteristics of high-strain work and low social support were reported by 23.8% and 52.9% of the participants, respectively. In the multiple analysis, distress and lack of pleasure at work were associated with high job strain, low support from co-workers and mental distress. The profession is also associated with distress at work. CONCLUSION: distress and lack of pleasure at work are associated with occupational characteristics and mental strain among health care workers in the COVID-19 scenario.

Mental distress in workers at two metallurgical companies in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

This study aimed to map the prevalence of mental distress among employees at two metallurgical companies and to analyze differences according to the sex of workers and the employing company. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using the 20-item Self-Reporting Questionnaire to map the prevalence of mental distress. A total of 439 workers participated in the study. The overall prevalence was 10.0%, being 4 times higher in women (32.3%) than in men (8.3%) (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the prevalence rates of mental distress according to employing company (p = 0.271) or sector (p = 0.239). The most frequent complaint was 'nervousness, tension, and worry' (48.7%). These results indicate the need for management of workers' mental health, especially among women.

Objetivou-se mapear a prevalência de sofrimento mental entre empregados de duas empresas metalúrgicas e analisar diferenças conforme o sexo dos trabalhadores e a empresa de vínculo. Tratou-se de um estudo transversal analítico que utilizou o questionário Self-Reporting Questionnaire de 20 perguntas para mapear a prevalência de sofrimento mental. Participaram da pesquisa 439 trabalhadores. A prevalência geral foi 10,0%, sendo cerca de quatro vezes maior no sexo feminino (32,3%) que no masculino (8,3%) (p < 0,001). Não houve diferença entre as prevalências de sofrimento mental segundo empresa de vínculo (p = 0,271) ou setor (p = 0,239). A queixa mais frequente foi "nervosismo, tensão e preocupação" (48,7%). Esses resultados indicam a necessidade de gerenciamento da saúde mental dos trabalhadores, especialmente das mulheres.

Epidemiological profile, occupational accidents, and socioeconomic characteristics of workers in the state of Amapá, Brazil: a time series analysis (2007-2017).

INTRODUCTION: The state of Amapá is located in Brazil's Legal Amazon and comprises 16 municipalities. Its history is marked by social vulnerability and industrial mining; therefore, its current socioeconomic and occupational context should be analyzed considering possible sociohistorical and geographic influences. OBJECTIVES: To analyze and/or describe the epidemiological profile of workers, occupational accidents, the socioeconomic context, and time evolution of the number of workers in the state and their relationship with the state's gross domestic product. METHODS: This is an analytic time series study based on official public data. We used a simple regression test to analyze the relationship between the number of workers and gross domestic product and to assess the time trend of the number of workers. The studied period was from 2007 to 2017. RESULTS: The number of workers presented an increasing trend over time (R2 = 0.902; p < 0.001), with a relative increase of 49.8% between 2007 and 2017. We observed a positive relationship between the annual increase in the number of workers and the state's gross domestic product (R2 = 0.899; p < 0.001). The economic activity with the highest mean number of workers was public administration, defense, and social security. The highest socioeconomic indicators were observed in the state capital Macapá. Non-hazardous waste management was the activity concentrating the highest absolute number of occupational accidents. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted important socioeconomic contrasts within the state. The significant increases in the gross domestic product and number of workers are signs of development, but the high number of occupational accidents represents a serious public health problem.

FGF10 and FGF13 genetic variation and tooth-size discrepancies.

OBJECTIVES: To explore whether variations in odontogenesis-related genes are associated with tooth-size discrepancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Measurements of the width of permanent teeth were obtained from dental casts of 62 orthodontic patients (age 15.65 ± 6.82 years; 29 males and 33 females). Participants were classified according to the anterior and overall Bolton ratios as without tooth-size discrepancy or with maxillary or mandibular tooth-size excess. Genomic DNA extracted from buccal cells was used, and 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across nine genes were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan chemistry. χ2 or Fisher exact tests were applied to determine the overrepresentation of genotypes/alleles depending on the type of tooth-size discrepancy (α = .05; corrected P value: P < 5.556 × 10-3). Odds ratios (ORs) and their correspondent 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated to investigate the risk of this phenotype for the SNPs having significant association. RESULTS: Individuals carrying the FGF10 rs900379 T allele were more likely to have larger mandibular teeth (OR = 3.74; 95% CI: 1.65-8.47; P = .002). This effect appeared to be stronger when two copies of the risk allele (TT) were found (recessive model, OR = 6.16; 95% CI: 1.71-22.16; P = .006). On the other hand, FGF13 rs5931572 rare homozygotes (AA, or male A hemizygotes) had increased risk of displaying tooth-size discrepancies when compared with the common homozygotes (GG, or male G hemizygotes; OR = 10.32; 95% CI: 2.20-48.26; P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that FGF10 and FGF13 may contribute to the presence of tooth-size discrepancies.

Occupational psychosocial stressors and mental distress among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors associated with mental distress among health workers who cared for patients with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study of national scope, carried out between in the second quarter of 2020. A total of 437 health professionals, who filled out an electronic form about sociodemographic data, occupational aspects, psychosocial characteristics of work and mental distress. Multiple logistic regression was performed to analyze the covariables associated with mental distress. RESULTS: There was a predominance of workers on the nursing team (65.0%), female (71.0%), from Southeastern region of the country (68.6%) and with no morbidities (36.2%). The prevalence of mental distress was 61.6%. Job strain was reported by 24% of participants, and the perception of low support from coworkers was described by 52.9%. The final multiple regression model showed that mental distress was associated with females (odds ratio - OR: 1.93; 95%CI: 1.22-3.07), age up to 40 years (OR: 1.64; 95%CI: 1.07-2.52), weekly working hours equal or over 60 hours (OR: 1.87; 95%CI: 1.15-3.11), job strain (OR: 2.45; 95%CI: 1.41-4.40) and low support from co-workers (OR: 3.47; 95%CI: 2.26-5.38). CONCLUSION: Six out of ten participants presented mental distress, which was associated to both individual characteristics and factors related to the work carried out during the pandemic. There is an urgent need to map services that have such characteristics, to outline actions to promote mental health and prevent emotional distress at different levels of health care.

Calcium and Phosphorus Levels in Saliva are Influenced by Genetic Polymorphisms in Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Microrna17.

Homeostasis between salivary calcium and phosphorus is important for maintaining oral health. The aim of this study was to evaluate if polymorphisms in ESR1 (Estrogen Receptor Alpha), ESR2 (Estrogen Receptor Beta) and miRNA17 (microRNA17) are associated with calcium and phosphorus levels in saliva. Saliva from 276 12-year-old children were collected by masticatory stimulation and calcium and phosphorus levels were determined by Mass Spectrometry. Genomic DNA was extracted from remaining saliva and genetic polymorphisms in ESR1 (rs12154178, rs1884051, rs9340799 and rs2234693), in ESR2 (rs4986938 and rs1256049) and in miRNA17 (rs4284505) were genotyped using TaqMan chemistry and a real-time PCR equipment. Statistical differences in genotype and allele distributions between 'low' and 'high' calcium and phosphorus levels were determined using chi-square or Fisher´s exact tests. The analysis was also adjusted by sex (alpha of 5%). ESR1 rs9340799 had the less common genotype associated with higher calcium levels (p=0.03). The less common allele of ESR1 rs1884051 was associated with lower phosphorus levels (p=0.005) and there was an excess of heterozygotes for miRNA17 rs4284505 among individuals with lower calcium levels (p=0.002), both adjusted by sex. This study provides evidence that genetic polymorphisms in ESR1 and miRNA17 are involved in determining salivary calcium and phosphorus levels.

Association between craniofacial morphological patterns and tooth agenesis-related genes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess if genetic polymorphisms in tooth agenesis (TA)-related genes are associated with craniofacial morphological patterns. METHODS: This cross-sectional, multi-center, genetic study evaluated 594 orthodontic Brazilians patients. The presence or absence of TA was determined by analysis of panoramic radiography. The patients were classified according to their skeletal malocclusion and facial growth pattern by means of digital cephalometric analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from squamous epithelial cells of buccal mucosa and genetic polymorphisms in MSX1 (rs1042484), PAX9 (rs8004560), TGF-α (rs2902345), FGF3 (rs1893047), FGF10 (rs900379), and FGF13 (rs12838463, rs5931572, and rs5974804) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan chemistry and end-point analysis. RESULTS: Genotypes (p = 0.038) and allele (p = 0.037) distributions for the FGF3 rs1893047 were significantly different according to the skeletal malocclusion. Carrying at least one G allele increased in more than two times the chance of presenting skeletal class III malocclusion (OR = 2.21, CI 95% = 1.14-4.32; p = 0.017). There was no association between another skeletal craniofacial pattern and some polymorphism assessed in the present study. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the genetic polymorphism rs1893047 in FGF3 might contribute to variations in the craniofacial sagittal pattern.

Trend in the incidence of commuting accidents among workers in Brazil between 2009 and 2016.

BACKGROUND: Commuting accidents might have serious consequences for the health of workers, in addition to considerable financial impacts on the national health system and the social security administration. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile and calculate the incidence of commuting accidents in Brazil in the period from 2009 to 2016. METHODS: Retrospective and descriptive study with time series analysis (2009-2016) based on official secondary data obtained from Social Security Statistical Yearbooks. Information on the economically active population was retrieved from the National Household Sample Survey. Annual incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 economically active population. Simple temporal linear regression analysis was performed with software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The significance level was set to p<0.05. RESULTS: The epidemiological profile of workers involved in commuting accidents corresponded to men, aged 20 to 29 and with leg/ankle fractures, which represented 24.78% of the total population of involved workers. The incidence of commuting accidents increased from 88.17 to 105.88 in the analyzed period, which represents an variation rate of 20.08% (R2=0.715; p=0.008). CONCLUSION: The detected rise in the incidence and number of commuting accidents point to the need for the government to formulate prevention plans targeting high-risk groups.

INTRODUÇÃO: Os acidentes de trajeto ocorrem no percurso do domicílio até o local de trabalho e vice-versa. Esse tipo de acidente de trabalho pode resultar em grave desordem à saúde do trabalhador e, em grande quantidade, impactar financeiramente o Sistema Único de Saúde e a Previdência Social Brasileira (PSB). OBJETIVOS: Descrever o perfil epidemiológico e estimar a incidência dos acidentes de trajeto em trabalhadores no Brasil entre 2009 e 2016. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo descritivo, com análises de séries temporais (2009-2016), baseado em dados secundários e oficiais extraídos dos Anuários Estatísticos da Previdência Social. As informações de População Economicamente Ativa foram retiradas da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios. As incidências anuais foram calculadas para cada 100 mil pessoas economicamente ativas, independentemente de sexo, de idade e de contribuição para a PSB. Utilizou-se o Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) para realizar testes de regressão linear simples temporal, considerando significância de p<0,05. RESULTADOS: O perfil epidemiológico do trabalhador acometido foi de homem entre 20 e 29 anos com fratura de perna e/ou tornozelo, que representou 24,73% do total de trabalhadores acometidos. No período, a incidência dos acidentes de trajeto aumentou de 88,17 para 105,88, o que resultou em taxa de variação de 20,08% (R2=0,715; p=0,008). CONCLUSÃO: O crescimento da incidência e do número de acidentes demonstra grande necessidade de elaboração de planos governamentais de prevenção, que devem ser direcionados aos principais grupos de risco.

Tooth agenesis-related GLI2 and GLI3 genes may contribute to craniofacial skeletal morphology in humans.

OBJECTIVE: The present cross-sectional, multi-centre, genetic study aimed to determine, whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in tooth agenesis (TA)-associated GLI2 and GLI3 genes contribute to the development of craniofacial skeletal morphology in humans. DESIGN: Orthodontic patients from an ethnically heterogeneous population were selected for the present study (n = 594). The presence or absence of TA was determined by analysis of panoramic radiography and dental records. The subjects were classified according to their skeletal malocclusion and facial growth pattern by means of digital cephalometric analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from squamous epithelial cells of the buccal mucosa and SNPs in GLI2 (rs3738880, rs2278741) and GLI3 (rs929387, rs846266) were analysed by polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan chemistry and end-point analysis. RESULTS: Class II skeletal malocclusion presented a significantly lower frequency of TA (P < 0.05). Subjects without TA showed significantly higher ANB angles (P < 0.05). Genotype and/or allele distributions of the SNPs in GLI2 (rs3738880, rs2278741) and GLI3 (rs846266) were associated with the presence of TA (P < 0.05). The SNPs rs3738880, rs2278741 and rs929387 were also associated with some type of skeletal malocclusion (P < 0.05), but not with the facial growth pattern (P > 0.05). The G allele for TA-related GLI2 rs3738880 was strongly linked to the presence of Class III skeletal malocclusion (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.37-3.03; P<3125 × 10-6). GLI2 rs2278741 C allele was overrepresented in individuals without TA, suggesting it as a protective factor for this dental phenotype (OR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.24-0.78; P<625 × 10-5). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that SNPs in TA-associated GLI2 and GLI3 genes may also play a role in the development of skeletal malocclusions. rs3738880 and rs2278741 in GLI2 seems to contribute to the genetic background for skeletal Class III and TA, respectively. TA could be an additional predictor of craniofacial morphology in some cases. Further research replicating the reported associations should be performed.

Genetic variants in ACTN3 and MYO1H are associated with sagittal and vertical craniofacial skeletal patterns.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association of genetic variants inACTN3 and MYO1H with craniofacial skeletal patterns in Brazilians. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study enrolled orthodontic and orthognathic patients selected from 4 regions of Brazil. Lateral cephalograms were used and digital cephalometric tracings and analyzes were performed for craniofacial phenotype determination. Participants were classified according to the skeletal malocclusion in Class I, II or III; and according to the facial type in Mesofacial, Dolichofacial or Brachyfacial. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva samples containing exfoliated buccal epithelial cells and analyzed for genetic variants inACTN3 (rs678397 and rs1815739) and MYO1H (rs10850110) by real-time PCR. Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis (α = 5%). RESULTS: A total of 646 patients were included in the present study. There was statistically significant association of the genotypes and/or alleles distributions with the skeletal malocclusion (sagittal skeletal pattern) and facial type (vertical pattern) for the variants assessed inACTN3 (P < 0.05). For the genetic variant evaluated in MYO1H, there was statistically significant difference between the genotypes frequencies for skeletal Class I and Class II (P < 0.05). The reported associations were different depending on the region evaluated. CONCLUSION: ACTN3 and MYO1H are associated with sagittal and vertical craniofacial skeletal patterns in Brazilian populations.

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of Haas appliance in exfoliated buccal mucosa cells during orthodontic treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of Haas appliances through micronuclei test and cytogenetic damage analysis in buccal mucosa epithelial cells of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients, 6-12 years of age and of both genders, who required a Haas appliance for the correction of a posterior crossbite were included. Epithelial cells from the mucosa were collected by gently scraping the inside of both the right and left cheeks. The cells were collected before the insertion of the appliance (T0), 1 month after the device was installed (T1), and again 3 months after the appliance was immobilized (T2). The cells were processed to obtain slides. Feulgen/Fast Green was used as the staining method, and the number of normal, karyolytic, pyknotic, nuclear buds, bi/trinucleated, and micronucleus cells were counted under light microscopy. Cellular abnormalities were evaluated with parametric and nonparametric tests for comparison of the means by analysis of variance testing, Tukey posttest, or the Kruskal-Wallis test and then by Dunn's posttest. The significance level was 5%. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant changes in the micronuclei in the evaluated periods ( P > .05). Nuclear buds increased at T1 ( P < .05), returning to baseline levels at T2. Other abnormalities (cariolytic, pyknotic, and bi/trinucleated cells) showed a significant increase at T1 and T2 ( P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The Haas appliance did not cause an increase in micronuclei in cells of the buccal mucosa. However, statistically significant increases in cariolytic, pyknotic, and bi/trinucleated cells were observed during treatment, suggesting possible DNA damage.

On two-channel filter banks with directional vanishing moments.

The contourlet transform was proposed to address the limited directional resolution of the separable wavelet transform. One way to guarantee good approximation behavior is to let the directional filters in the contourlet filter bank have sharp frequency response. This requires filters with large support size. We seek to isolate the key filter property that ensures good approximation. In this direction, we propose filters with directional vanishing moments (DVM). These filters, we show, annihilate information along a given direction. We study two-channel filter banks with DVM filters. We provide conditions under which the design of DVM filter banks is possible. A complete characterization of the product filter is, thus, obtained. We propose a design framework that avoids 2-D factorization using the mapping technique. The filters designed, when used in the contourlet transform, exhibit nonlinear approximation comparable to the conventional filters while being shorter and, therefore, providing better visual quality with less ringing artifacts. Furthermore, experiments show that the proposed filters outperform the conventional ones in image approximation and denoising.