Effects of aging on DNA hydroxymethylation and methylation in human dental follicles.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the high frequency of impacted teeth and increased frequency of lesions in dental follicles (DF) with aging, DF age-changes remain unclear. We compared the global methylation and hydroxymethylation profiles in DF in relation to age. DESIGN: DF associated with impacted lower third molars were obtained from 59 individuals. Global DNA methylation (5mC content) and hydroxymethylation (5hmC) were evaluated by ELISA. We tested the correlation between 5mC and 5hmC content, and the correlation of each with patients' age. The differences in age, 5mC, and 5hmC in DF from men/women, and location (left/right mandible) was tested. RESULTS: The mean age of the 59 individuals was 19.56 ±â€¯3.92, ranging from 13 to 31 years, and most were women (n = 39). 5hmC content and age up to 19 years were inversely correlated (Spearman's correlation coefficient=-0.552, p = 0.0003, n = 38). There was no relationship between 5hmC and 5mC content. There was no difference in the medians of age (p = 0.25), 5hmC (p = 0.33) and 5mC (p = 0.86) between men/women, nor in the medians of age (p = 0.39), 5hmC (p = 0.99) and 5mC (p = 0.22) between the left/right side of the tooth extraction. CONCLUSION: An inverse correlation between 5hmC and age was established, with no correlation between 5mC and 5hmC content in DF. The biological meaning of such a decrease of global DNA hydroxymethylation with age in DF remains to be clarified.

CTNNB1 and APC mutations in odontogenic carcinoma with dentinoid.

The purpose of the present study is to report 2 cases of odontogenic carcinoma with dentinoid, a rare low-grade odontogenic carcinoma associated with facial deformity and bone loss, and to investigate the presence of pathogenic mutations in these samples. By using a next-generation sequencing approach, we sequenced a panel of 50 oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes commonly mutated in human cancer. Microscopic features of both cases revealed solid areas of malignant odontogenic tumor with a large amount of dentinoid material. We identified pathogenic mutations in the genes CTNNB1 and APC, both of which are part of the Wnt-signaling pathway. Consistent with Wnt-signaling activation, both tumors showed strong ß-catenin accumulation in the cytoplasm and in the nuclei. The molecular profile of odontogenic carcinoma with dentinoid may help in its diagnosis, as well as in the identification of potential molecular targets for therapy in the future.

Targeted next-generation sequencing of glandular odontogenic cyst: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: Glandular odontogenic cyst (GOC) is an uncommon developmental cyst. Its molecular pathogenesis is unclear, and deep sequencing may help identify causative low-frequency variants in tumors. We investigated in GOC mutations in 50 genes commonly altered in human cancers. STUDY DESIGN: Targeted next-generation sequencing was used to interrogate a panel of approximately 2800 mutations in GOC. RESULTS: Six missense single nucleotide variations (SNVs) were reported. Three SNVs (TP53 rs1042522, KDR rs1870377, and KIT rs3822214) are listed as "common single-nucleotide polymorphisms" at the UCSC Genome Browser. The other SNVs (PIK3CA p.Glu689Lys, PIK3CA p.Ala708Thr, and TP53 p.Leu289Phe) are predicted to have deleterious or damaging effects on proteins, but they showed very low frequency in our samples and could not be further validated by orthogonal methods. CONCLUSIONS: No pathogenic SNV was detected in this cohort of GOCs. Further studies with larger gene panels or whole exome sequencing are needed to find the genetic basis of GOC.

Efeito do uso dos aparelhos de telefone celular sobre a expressão de citocinas em saliva produzida pelas glândulas salivares parótidas

Há controvérsia sobre os efeitos e impactos da radiação não ionizante emitida por telefones celulares sobre os mecanismos fisiológicos. Resultados conflitantes já foram relatados sobre a associação entre o uso de telefone celular e desenvolvimento de tumores em parótida. A inflamação crônica está associada com um risco aumentado de câncer, tal como pode ser visto na colite ulcerativa. Para avaliar o possível efeito do uso do telefone celular na glândula salivar parótida, o perfil de expressão de citocinas foi determinado na saliva produzida pelas glândulas parótidas em voluntários saudáveis e, correlacionada com o perfil de uso do telefone celular. Foram avaliados 83 indivíduos saudáveis, a partir de saliva produzida por essas glândulas...

Dúvidas frequentes dos usuários de um centro de saúde de Belo Horizonte sobre o funcionamento da unidade e uma proposta de esclarecimento / Frequently asked questions from users of a health center in Belo Horizonte about the functioning of the unit, and a motion for clarification

Introdução: um dos pressupostos do Programa Nacional de Reorientação da Formação Profissional em Saúde (Pró-Saúde) e do Programa de Educação pelo Trabalho em Saúde (PET-Saúde) é qualificar, em serviço, profissionais da saúde, bem como auxiliar na iniciação ao trabalho e formação de estudantes de cursos de graduação da área da saúde, tendo em perspectiva a qualificação da atenção e a inserção das necessidades dos serviços como fonte de produção de conhecimento e pesquisa nas instituições de ensino superior. Nessa perspectiva, para a devida familiarização e reconhecimento do centro de saúde (CS) pelos acadêmicos do PET-Saúde/UFMG. do Centro de Saúde Leopoldo Crisóstomo de Castro (CSLCC), foram realizadas atividades que envolviam um roteiro de observação dos diferentesespaços físicos e serviços oferecidos, respostas a perguntas elaboradas pelos preceptores sobre as características de saúde/doença da área de abrangência e, também, atividade realizada a partir de escolhas individuais dos próprios acadêmicos para completar a familiarização e reconhecimento desejáveis. Objetivos: apresentar o desenvolvimento de um plano de ação estabelecido a partir da triangulação das três atividades para familiarização e reconhecimento realizadas por parte de um grupo PET-Saúde/UFMG do CSLCC. Métodos: a partir da triangulação das atividades de reconhecimento e familiarização, surgiu o seguinte questionamento: ?os funcionários estão satisfeitos com a dinâmica de funcionamento do CSLCC e com o próprio trabalho?? A fim de se obterem respostas, elaborou-se um questionárioque foi aplicado em formato de entrevista aos funcionários. Após a análise de conteúdo das respostas foi elaborado um plano de ação com o objetivo de procurar solucionar parte das insatisfações apresentadas. Resultados: verificou-se alto índice de insatisfação dos funcionários que trabalhavam na farmácia e na recepção. Observou-se que a reclamação reiterada pautava-se na grande dificuldade em lidar com o público/usuário do centro de saúde. As justificativas para essa dificuldade consistiam no fato de que os usuários muitas vezes desconheciam as normas de funcionamento da unidade e, dessa forma, impacientavam- se facilmente quando não eram atendidos como desejavam. Tais atitudes geravam desgastes e estresse em um ambiente de trabalho, prejudicando imensamente o funcionamento do sistema. Nesse contexto, foram desenvolvidos informativos no formato de fluxogramas afixados nas paredes do CS, assim como fôlderes disponibilizados no balcão da recepção, no intuito de esclarecer os usuários quanto às normas internas necessárias e imprescindíveis ao bom funcionamento da unidade. Um banco de perguntas foi estabelecido a partir de um levantamento realizado com usuários e funcionários de diferentes setores do CSLCC.Com o auxílio do preceptor, as questões foram respondidas em linguagem simples e acessível aos usuários. Depois de um acervo de cerca de 30 perguntas e respostas, 14 questões foram selecionadas juntamente com a gerência do CS, para serem divulgadas na unidade. Conclusão: o material elaborado pode ser uma importante ferramenta de esclarecimento aos usuários e também poderá ser utilizada pelos próprios funcionários. A expectativa Prefeifutura é de que o conhecimento adquirido, a partir dessas leituras informativas, gere menos dúvidas, transtornos e reclamações tanto por parte dos usuários quanto por parte dos funcionários.

Introduction: one of the assumptions of the National Program of Reorientation of Professional Training in Health (Pró-Health) and the Health Education through WorkProgram (PET-Health) is to qualify health professionals in service and assist in the initiation of undergraduate students, attending courses in the health area, into work andtraining with the perspective of qualification of attention and insertion of the services? needs as a source of knowledge production and research in higher education institutions.In this perspective, for proper familiarization and recognition of the Health Center (CS) by the students in the PET-Health/UFMG program in the Leopoldo Crisóstomo deCastro Health Center (CSLCC), activities were carried out involving a guideline based on observation of the different physical spaces and services offered, answers to questions about the characteristics of health/disease in the covered area prepared by the preceptors, and activities executed from the individual academics? own choices to complete the desirable familiarization and recognition. Objective: to present the development of an action plan established on the basis of the triangulation of three activities for the familiarization and recognition carried out by the PET-Health/UFMG group from the CSLCC. Methods: the following question arose from the triangulation of the recognition and familiarization activities: ?are the employees satisfied with the dynamics of the CSLCC operation andtheir own work?? A questionnaire was drafted to obtain answers and applied to the employees in an interview format. After the analysis of the responses, a plan of action was elaborated to seek the means to solve part of the dissatisfaction. Results: a high level of dissatisfaction was identified in employees who worked at the pharmacy and reception. The major complaint was repeatedly built in the great difficulty in dealing with the customers/users of the health center. The justifications for this difficulty consisted in the fact that users often were not aware of the functioning rules set for the unit and thus, easily become impatient when not served as desired. Such attitudes generated wear and stress in the working environment, greatly harming the functioning of the system. Therefore, newsletters, in the flowchart format, were developed and posted on the CS walls and flyers were made available on the front desk to educate users about theinternal rules necessary and indispensable for the proper functioning of the unit. A bank of questions was established from a survey conducted with users and staff from different sectors in the CSLCC. With the aid of the preceptor, questions were answered in plain and accessible language to users. After collection of about 30 questions and answers, 14 questions were selected, together with the CS management, to be disclosed in the unit. Conclusion: the produced material can be an important tool for clarification to users and could also be used by the employees. The future expectation is that the acquired knowledge from these informative readings will lead into fewer questions, disruptions, and complaints from both users and employees.