The association between vitamin D binding protein levels and periodontal status: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D binding protein (DBP) is biosynthesised in the liver and is predominantly expressed in serum. Its primary role centres on facilitating the systemic transportation of vitamin D and its metabolites, notably 25-hydroxyvitamin D, to specific target tissues where vitamin D exerts its biological functions. Due to the paucity of studies, it is unclear whether there is an association between DBP and periodontal status and thus its potential use as a diagnostic biomarker. Therefore, the aim of the systematic review is to investigate the association between DBP in periodontal disease. METHODS: Two independent reviewers (YD and RG) performed a systematic literature search of English publications using several databases including MEDLINE (OVID interface, 1946 onwards), EMBASE (OVID interface, 1974 onwards), and Global Health (OVID interface, 1973 onwards). This search strategy enabled the identification of relevant publications and the development of a comprehensive library of studies. Studies were included based on previously agreed eligibility criteria. Of the eight studies included as part of this systematic review, seven were case-control studies and one was a cross-sectional study. The quality assessment was based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for case-control studies and the modified NOS for the cross-sectional study. RESULTS: The NOS quality assessment was 'favorable' for 6 included case control studies; and 'fair' for one study. The modified NOS quality assessment for the single cross-sectional study demonstrated a medium risk of bias. The results of the majority of the included studies indicated a statistically significant higher concentration of DBP levels in individuals with periodontitis in comparison to those who were periodontally healthy. This trend held true irrespective of the sampling method employed for the assessment of DBP concentration. CONCLUSION: The results summarised in this systematic review indicate a positive association between DBP and periodontitis. Nonetheless, there is a need for longitudinal, prospective trials, to confirm the use of DBP as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of periodontitis.

Nuclear Charge Radius of

Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the isomer of the aluminium isotope ^{26m}Al. The measured isotope shift to ^{27}Al in the 3s^{2}3p ^{2}P_{3/2}^{○}→3s^{2}4s ^{2}S_{1/2} atomic transition enabled the first experimental determination of the nuclear charge radius of ^{26m}Al, resulting in R_{c}=3.130(15) fm. This differs by 4.5 standard deviations from the extrapolated value used to calculate the isospin-symmetry breaking corrections in the superallowed ß decay of ^{26m}Al. Its corrected Ft value, important for the estimation of V_{ud} in the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, is thus shifted by 1 standard deviation to 3071.4(1.0) s.

Nuclear Charge Radii of the Nickel Isotopes

Collinear laser spectroscopy is performed on the nickel isotopes ^{58-68,70}Ni, using a time-resolved photon counting system. From the measured isotope shifts, nuclear charge radii R_{c} are extracted and compared to theoretical results. Three ab initio approaches all employ, among others, the chiral interaction NNLO_{sat}, which allows an assessment of their accuracy. We find agreement with experiment in differential radii δ⟨r_{c}^{2}⟩ for all employed ab initio methods and interactions, while the absolute radii are consistent with data only for NNLO_{sat}. Within nuclear density functional theory, the Skyrme functional SV-min matches experiment more closely than the Fayans functional Fy(Δr,HFB).

Quality assessment of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease using the AGREE II instrument: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased considerably in recent years. Many clinical practice guidelines (CPG) have been developed for the management of this disease across different clinical contexts, however, little evidence exists on their methodological quality. Therefore, we aimed to systematically evaluate the quality of CPGs for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. METHODS: We identified CPGs by searching databases (MEDLINE - PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS) and other sources of gray literature on January 2022. We included guidelines with specific recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD and evaluated them with the AGREE II instrument to assess their methodological quality. Six independent reviewers assessed the quality of the guidelines and resolved conflicts by consensus. We assessed the degree of agreement using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and change in quality over time was appraised in two periods: from 2012 to 2017 and from 2018 to 2022. RESULTS: We analyzed and evaluated 26 CPGs that met the inclusion criteria. The overall agreement among reviewers was moderate (ICC: 0.74; 95% CI 0.36 - 0.89). The mean scores of the AGREE II domains were: "Scope and purpose" 84.51%, "Stakeholder involvement" 60.90%, "Rigor of development" 69.95%, "Clarity of presentation" 85.58%, "Applicability" 26.60%, and "Editorial independence" 62.02%. No changes in quality were found over time. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of the CPGs evaluated was generally good, with a large majority of the assessed guidelines being "recommended" and "recommended with modifications"; despite this, there is still room for improvement, especially in terms of stakeholder involvement and applicability. Efforts to develop high quality CPGs for IBD need to be further optimized.

Effect of metabolic control on recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in patients with premature coronary artery disease: Results of the Genetics of Atherosclerotic Disease study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death around the world, and its rate of presentation is increasing at young ages. Despite the evidence that secondary prevention in CAD reduces the risk of recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), no studies have analyzed the composite control of blood pressure, lipids, and glucose control in premature CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a real-world prospective cohort study of patients with premature CAD. The composite control in blood pressure <140/80 mmHg, LDL-C <70 mg/dL, non-HDL-C <100 mg/dL, and Hemoglobin A1c <8% was considered as metabolic control. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of non-fatal and fatal MACE. The data included 1042 patients with premature CAD. The mean age of the patients was 54.1 ± 8.1 years, 18.5% were women, and had a median follow-up of 59.1 ± 11.8 months. Of them, 7% had non-fatal MACE, and 4% had a fatal MACE. Overall, 21.3% achieved metabolic control, and 3.0% did not achieve any target. Cox regression analysis showed that percutaneous coronary intervention (Hazzard ratio = 1.883 [95% CI, 1.131-3.136]), C-reactive protein (1.046 [1.020-1.073]), blood pressure >140/90 mmHg (2.686 [1.506-4.791]), fibrates (2.032 [1.160-3.562]), calcium channel blockers (2.082 [1.158-3.744]) had greater risk to present a recurrent non-fatal MACE; whereas familial history of premature CAD (2.419 [1.240-4.721]), heart failure (2.139 [1.032-4.433]), LDL-C >70 mg/dL (4.594 [1.401-15.069]), and diuretics (3.328 [1.677-6.605]) were associated with cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The composite goal achievement in lipids, blood pressure and glucose, reduced the risk for recurrent MACE in 80%.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cell culture on radio sterilized human amnion or radio sterilized pig skin in burn wound healing.

Deep second and third degree burns treatment requires fibroblasts, keratinocytes and other skin cells in order to grow new dermis and epidermis. Cells can proliferate, secrete growth factors and extracellular matrix required to repair the damaged tissue. Radiosterilized human amnion and radiosterilized pig skin have been used as natural origin skin dressings for burned patients. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into fibroblasts and keratinocytes and improve wound-healing progress. These cells can stimulate vascular tissue formation, release growth factors, synthetize new extracellular matrix and immunoregulate other cells. In this study, we developed mesenchymal stem cells-cellularized skin substitutes based from radiosterilized human amnion or pig skin. Third-degree burns were induced in mice animal models to evaluate the effect of cellularized skin substitutes on burn wound healing. Mesenchymal phenotype was immunophenotypically confirmed by flow cytometry and cell viability was close to 100%. Skin recovery was evaluated in burned mice after seven and fourteen days post-coverage with cellularized and non-cellularized sustitutes. Histological techniques and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate re-epithelization and type I collagen deposition. We determined that cellularized-human amnion or cellularized-pig skin in combination with mesenchymal stem cells improve extracellular matrix deposition. Both cellularized constructs increase detection of type I collagen in newly formed mouse skin and can be potentially used as skin coverage for further clinical treatment of burned patients.

[Clinical characteristics and comorbidities associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 in Coahuila (Mexico)]. / Características clínicas y comorbilidades asociadas a mortalidad en pacientes con COVID-19 en Coahuila (México).

Background and objective: This study aims to describe the characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in a state in northern Mexico and establish the comorbidities associated with mortality. Methods: Patients with COVID-19, divided into survivors and non-survivors, were analyzed. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Cox's regression model. Results: A total of 17,479 patients were included and mortality rate of 6.3% was reported. Age over 60 years (HR = 8.04; 95% CI 7.03-9.19), diabetes (HR = 1.63; 95% CI 1.40-1.89), high blood pressure (HR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.28-1.72), obesity (HR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.18-1.60) and chronic kidney disease (HR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.64-2.59) were significantly associated with mortality. Conclusions: Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and chronic kidney disease increased mortality among patients with COVID-19 in the population of Coahuila, Mexico. The factor that most contributed to risk of death was age over 60 years.

Effective absorption coefficient and effective thickness in attenuated total reflection spectroscopy.

Since the introduction of attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy for the characterization of materials, attempts have been made to relate the measured reflectivity (R) to the absorption coefficient (α) of the absorbing material of interest. The common approach is limited to the low absorption case under the assumption R∼exp(-αde), where de is an effective thickness, which is evaluated for the lossless case. In this Letter, a more detailed derivation leads to R=exp(-ßdp/2), enabling the definition of an ATR-effective absorption coefficient ß and the penetration depth dp of the electric field in the absorbing material. It is found that ß∼4πε2/λ, where ε2 is the imaginary part of the complex dielectric function of the absorbing material, and λ is the wavelength. An alternative formulation is R=exp(-αdef), where def is a generalized effective thickness for arbitrary strength of absorption which reduces to de in the low absorption limit. The experimental data for water, the biopolymer chitosan, and soda-lime glass prove the reliability of the ATR-effective absorption coefficient in the infrared range.

Glycine rich segments adopt polyproline II helices: Implications for biomolecular condensate formation.

Many intrinsically disordered proteins contain Gly-rich regions which are generally assumed to be disordered. Such regions often form biomolecular condensates which play essential roles in organizing cellular processes. However, the bases of their formation and stability are still not completely understood. Based on NMR studies of the Gly-rich H. harveyi "snow flea" antifreeze protein, we recently proposed that Gly-rich sequences, such as the third "RGG" region of Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) protein, may adopt polyproline II helices whose association might stabilize condensates. Here, this hypothesis is tested with a polypeptide corresponding to the third RGG region of FUS. NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that significant populations of polyproline II helix are present. These findings are corroborated in a model peptide Ac-RGGYGGRGGWGGRGGY-NH2, where a peak characteristic of polyproline II helix is observed using CD spectroscopy. Its intensity suggests a polyproline II population of 40%. This result is supported by data from FTIR and NMR spectroscopies. In the latter, NOE correlations are observed between the Tyr and Arg, and Arg and Trp side chain hydrogens, confirming that side chains spaced three residues apart are close in space. Taken together, the data are consistent with a polyproline II helix, which is bent to optimize interactions between guanidinium and aromatic moieties, in equilibrium with a statistical coil ensemble. These results lend credence to the hypothesis that Gly-rich segments of disordered proteins may form polyproline II helices which help stabilize biomolecular condensates.

Coagulation process in Manchega sheep milk from Spain: A path analysis approach.

Characteristics of sheep milk are of great interest for the dairy industry, as almost the totality of production is intended for cheesemaking. However, the existing relationships between these variables are complex. This study assessed composition, hygienic quality, coagulation properties, and curd yield of 1,200 individual Manchega sheep milk samples. The aim was to compare the effect of composition and hygienic quality on coagulation and curdling, and to evaluate the relationship between curd yields and the coagulation process and the effect of other features by using path analysis methodologies. Outcomes proved path analysis to be a useful and effective tool to assess these relationships through direct and indirect paths within the same model. Results showed that the factors that had a direct influence on milk coagulation were lactose concentration, casein content, and initial pH of milk. Contrastingly, somatic cells did not seem to have any effect (direct or indirect) on the coagulation process. Factors that directly affected curd yield were fat content, lactose concentration, casein content, and curd moisture. However, technological parameters showed little effect over curd yield.

Burning season and vegetation coverage influenced the community-level physiological profile of Mediterranean mixed-mesogean pine forest soils.

Knowledge of forest soil ecology is necessary to assess vulnerability to disturbances, such as wildfires, and improve its microbial diversity and functional value. Soil microbiota play an important role in forest soil processes and are a key driver of postfire recovery, but they are very vulnerable to heat. According to future scenarios for climate and land-use change, fire regimes will undergo transformations in semiarid terrestrial ecosystems, mainly in the Mediterranean Basin. To develop tools for forest management in fire-prone areas, i.e., fire prevention, we assessed the impact of prescribed burnings on soil microorganisms in Mediterranean mixed pine forests. We hypothesised that low severity fire burns would not influence the functional diversity of soil microorganisms, although the burning season could influence that response due to seasonal variations in its vulnerability. We used the Biolog EcoPlate System to record soil biological indicators and assess the effect of the prescribed burning season (early or late season) on bacterial communities, including the soil-plant interphase. The soil microbiome response differed significantly according to vegetation coverage but prescribed burning season was not directly related. Burning increased the proportions of soil organic matter and soil organic carbon, and also promoted cation-exchange capacity and total phosphorus, which were higher following spring burns. Microbial richness and the Shannon-Weaver diversity index both showed a positive correlation with vegetation cover. However, microbial richness was triggered after burning uncovered patches of vegetation. We also noted differences in the usage pattern for the six substrate groups defined in our study: the use of carboxylic acids, amino acids and carbohydrates was higher in unburned plots and those subject to late burns, whereas amino acids did not predominate in early burn plots.

Normalized Sombor Indices as Complexity Measures of Random Networks.

We perform a detailed computational study of the recently introduced Sombor indices on random networks. Specifically, we apply Sombor indices on three models of random networks: Erdös-Rényi networks, random geometric graphs, and bipartite random networks. Within a statistical random matrix theory approach, we show that the average values of Sombor indices, normalized to the order of the network, scale with the average degree. Moreover, we discuss the application of average Sombor indices as complexity measures of random networks and, as a consequence, we show that selected normalized Sombor indices are highly correlated with the Shannon entropy of the eigenvectors of the adjacency matrix.

Simultaneous Determination of Neutron-Induced Fission and Radiative Capture Cross Sections from Decay Probabilities Obtained with a Surrogate Reaction.

Reliable neutron-induced-reaction cross sections of unstable nuclei are essential for nuclear astrophysics and applications but their direct measurement is often impossible. The surrogate-reaction method is one of the most promising alternatives to access these cross sections. In this work, we successfully applied the surrogate-reaction method to infer for the first time both the neutron-induced fission and radiative capture cross sections of ^{239}Pu in a consistent manner from a single measurement. This was achieved by combining simultaneously measured fission and γ-emission probabilities for the ^{240}Pu(^{4}He,^{4}He^{'}) surrogate reaction with a calculation of the angular-momentum and parity distributions populated in this reaction. While other experiments measure the probabilities for some selected γ-ray transitions, we measure the γ-emission probability. This enlarges the applicability of the surrogate-reaction method.

Charge Radius of the Short-Lived

We present the first laser spectroscopic measurement of the neutron-rich nucleus ^{68}Ni at the N=40 subshell closure and extract its nuclear charge radius. Since this is the only short-lived isotope for which the dipole polarizability α_{D} has been measured, the combination of these observables provides a benchmark for nuclear structure theory. We compare them to novel coupled-cluster calculations based on different chiral two- and three-nucleon interactions, for which a strong correlation between the charge radius and dipole polarizability is observed, similar to the stable nucleus ^{48}Ca. Three-particle-three-hole correlations in coupled-cluster theory substantially improve the description of the experimental data, which allows to constrain the neutron radius and neutron skin of ^{68}Ni.

Laparoscopic Liver Resection: A South American Experience with 2887 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) have been increasingly performed in recent years. Most of the available evidence, however, comes from specialized centers in Asia, Europe and USA. Data from South America are limited and based on single-center experiences. To date, no multicenter studies evaluated the results of LLR in South America. The aim of this study was to evaluate the experience and results with LLR in South American centers. METHODS: From February to November 2019, a survey about LLR was conducted in 61 hepatobiliary centers in South America, composed by 20 questions concerning demographic characteristics, surgical data, and perioperative results. RESULTS: Fifty-one (83.6%) centers from seven different countries answered the survey. A total of 2887 LLR were performed, as follows: Argentina (928), Brazil (1326), Chile (322), Colombia (210), Paraguay (9), Peru (75), and Uruguay (8). The first program began in 1997; however, the majority (60.7%) started after 2010. The percentage of LLR over open resections was 28.4% (4.4-84%). Of the total, 76.5% were minor hepatectomies and 23.5% major, including 266 right hepatectomies and 343 left hepatectomies. The conversion rate was 9.7%, overall morbidity 13%, and mortality 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study assessing the dissemination and results of LLR in South America. It showed an increasing number of centers performing LLR with the promising perioperative results, aligned with other worldwide excellence centers.

Long-term response control in a patient with metastatic squamous cell lung cancer after treatment with nivolumab: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Nivolumab is a fully human programmed death control immune point 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody which promotes antitumor immunity. Cutaneous toxicity associated with nivolumab, immune system related, could be linked to a more durable response in patients with squamous cell lung cancer. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 62-year-old male diagnosed with metastatic squamous cell lung cancer, who was treated with nivolumab after cytotoxic chemotherapy. After treatment discontinuation, due to grade 2 cutaneous toxicity, the patient is maintaining with durable partial response for more than one year with close follow-up. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: Cumulative doses of nivolumab could cause immunological toxicities that may prolong survival of these patients even after discontinuation of treatment. DISCUSSION: Nivolumab was approved by European Medicines Agency (EMA), as second-line therapeutic, for the treatment of squamous cell lung cancer, showing a median of 9.23 months of overall survival. The development of immune-related skin toxicities has been associated with greater clinical benefit in patients with lung cancer. When cutaneous toxicity forces to nivolumab suspension, in certain cases, the option of not starting again and closely following up the patient may appear reasonable, even though there are no survival data in this context. Suspension of treatment with close monitoring of these patients until progression may be an alternative, since immune-related skin toxicities could be related to a greater clinical benefit and a durable response to nivolumab.

Validation of Brix refractometers and a hydrometer for measuring the quality of caprine colostrum.

On-farm assessment of caprine colostrum quality is important for goat farmers; the ability to quickly recognize whether colostrum is suitable to feed to kids helps achieve successful passive transfer of immunity. The study compared the use of optical and digital Brix refractometers and a hydrometer against the international gold standard radial immunodiffusion (RID), using both fresh and frozen samples. A locally available ELISA methodology was included for comparison. A total of 300 samples were collected from 2 farms (farm 1: n = 157, collected by research staff within 24 h of parturition; farm 2: n = 143, collected by the farmer within 12 h of parturition). Farm 1 provided doe age for a subset of samples (n = 86). Samples were tested fresh and then frozen for shipment and repeated testing. Specific gravity was measured using a hydrometer in a subset of samples (n = 22) from farm 2. Because no gold standard thresholds are currently available for caprine colostrum, RID-derived values of 30, 40, and 50 g/L IgG were used as potential "good quality" thresholds. Pearson (ρ) and Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) were calculated for comparison of methods. Optimum thresholds were established maximizing the Youden index and minimizing the "distance closest to the top left corner" of the receiver operator characteristic curves. Brix values were correlated with RID (optical Brix, fresh: ρ = 0.73; digital Brix, fresh: ρ = 0.71; digital Brix, frozen: ρ = 0.76) and with each other (range: ρ = 0.93 to 0.99; CCC = 0.91 to 0.99). Specific gravity measured by the hydrometer yielded a strong relationship with RID (ρ = 0.83) and with Brix values (range: ρ = 0.88 to 0.90). The ELISA method was not correlated with Brix methods (range: ρ = 0.02 to 0.09) or RID (ρ = 0.20). Depending on the colostrum IgG threshold, the hydrometer yielded high Youden indices (range: 0.78 to 0.93) and low distance closest to the top left corner criteria (0 to 0.05) at a threshold of 1.047 specific gravity. For all RID IgG thresholds, the best Brix threshold (regardless of type or whether the sample was fresh or frozen) was 18 or 19%, with the highest Youden indices (range: 0.47 to 0.61) and lowest distance to the top left corner criteria (range: 0.09 to 0.16); however, we recommend 19%, because this reduces the potential of feeding poor-quality colostrum. The ELISA method was the poorest predictor of colostrum concentration. Age was not found to affect colostrum quality; however, the sample size of this subset was small. Hydrometers are inexpensive and easy to use, whereas Brix methods use only a small amount of colostrum; we suggest that either method could be used on-farm.

Protein blend and casein supplementations before inactive phase similarly activate mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling in rat skeletal muscle.

During overnight sleep, the longest postabsorptive and inactive phase of the day causes protein catabolism and loss. However, the daytime ingestion of dairy proteins has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and growth. This study compared the effects of pre-sleep supplementation of a protein blend (PB) composed of micellar casein (MCa) and whey protein (1:1) versus isolate MCa on the plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and the activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, a critical intracellular pathway involved in the regulation of muscle protein synthesis. After 10 h of fasting during the active phase, rats were fed with a single dose of PB or MCa (5.6 g protein/kg of body mass) by gavage, and samples of blood and gastrocnemius muscle were collected at 30, 90, and 450 min. PB and MCa supplementations induced an increase (~3-fold, P < 0.001) of plasma BCAAs at 30 and 90 min. Most importantly, the stimulatory phosphorylation levels of mTOR and its downstream target p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) were similarly higher (~2.5-fold, P < 0.001) 30 and 90 min after MCa and PB. Plasma levels of leucine, isoleucine, valine, and overall BCAAs were correlated with the activation of mTOR (P < 0.001) and p70S6K (P < 0.001). MCa and PB supplementations before the inactive phase of rats resulted in an anabolic milieu in the skeletal muscle by inducing a transient increase in plasma BCAAs and a similar activation of the mTOR/p70S6K axis.

Long term geochemical variation of brines derived from a major phosphogypsum pond of SW Europe.

The chemical evolution of brines resulting from an inactive phosphogypsum pond derived of fertilizer industry located in Huelva (Spain, SW Europe) has been studied based on a weekly sampling from 2014 to 2017. Long-range time variation of metals and ions concentrations in brines are expected to depend on environmental parameters such as rainfall and evaporation. The results show that brines are enriched in F- (1.7-2.0 g/l), Cl- (13-24 g/l), SO42- (7.2-9.3 g/l), V (70-128 mg/l) and U (55-98 mg/l). A great variation of chemical concentrations has been found, due to dilution, recharge and evaporation processes. Most of the elements show peak concentrations in summer, coinciding with the lowest pH values (<1), high conductivity (>133 mS/cm), and high evaporation rates as expected. Nonetheless, F- shows an opposite behaviour, varying its concentrations between 0.9 g/l in summer and 3.7 g/l in the rainy season. According to the results, a future restoration plan for PG ponds should include the removal of brines and layered salts during summer in order to avoid the annual generation of brines and their impact on the environment.

Prevalence of Apical Periodontitis in patients with Multiple Myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Aim Previous reports have been analyzed the prevalence/association of apical periodontitis (AP) with systemic diseases. The present study aims to analyze the prevalence of healthy/diseased periapex and endodontic treatments in patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM) and compare the results with those of control subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Methodology Panoramic radiographs of 50 individuals with MM were evaluated and compared with 50 controls that were sex and age matched exactly with the diseased group. Radiographic analysis was performed by 2 two experienced endodontists under standardized conditions. The periapical status (presence or not of AP) was assessed using the periapical index (PAI). Data included systemic health, technical quality of root fillings, total number of teeth, quality of restoration, and periapical status. Statistical evaluation of differences between groups included used chi-squared tests and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of root canal-treated teeth was 10.11% in the MM group and 12.05% in the control group (p=0.90). The average root canal-treated teeth in the test group was 2,34 and 2.48 in the control group, where the difference was statistically significant (p=0.05). AP in 1 or more teeth was found in 86 % and in 78% of the patients in the MM and the control groups, respectively. When analyzed by subject, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of AP (p>0.72). Similarly there was also no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of PA (p=0.85), when analyzed by tooth, AP was found in 63.2% and 62.9% in MM and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of AP and endodontic treatment was not significantly different in individuals with MM compared with control subjects. Future studies are needed to elucidate and confirm the association between MM and AP.