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Fulltext Anatomic considerations for immediate implant placement in the mandibular molar region: a cross-sectional study using cone-beam computed tomography

Ho JY, Ngeow WC, Lim D, Wong CS

Folia Morphol (Warsz), 2021 Jun 29.
PMID: 34184752 DOI: 10.5603/FM.a2021.0060

BACKGROUND: There is concern regarding immediate implantation in the molar region because of discrepancy between socket size and inserted implant diameter. The purpose of this study was to assess the local anatomy of the posterior mandibular region in relation to immediate implant placement using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using CBCT imaging data, 204 mandibular first molars and 201 mandibular second molars were assessed for the interradicular and alveolar bone dimensions, tooth sizes and proximity to vital structures. The cross-sectional mandibular shape and root configuration of these molars were determined.
RESULTS: Distances to the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) from the root apices of the first molar were significantly greater than the second molar. Up to 14.5% of second molars had less than 10mm of vertical bone height between the IAC and furcation bone crest. Interradicular bone width of <3mm was found in 57% of second molars. All first molars in this study had two to three roots while 16% of second molars presented with a single root. The prevalent mandible shape at the first and second molars was the parallel and undercut ridges, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The mandibular second molars from samples of a Southeast Asian population presented with greater anatomical difficulties for immediate implant placement which include absent or inadequate interradicular bone thickness, higher incidence of unfavorable mandible shape and increased proximity to vital structures.
Local and Systemic Expression Profile of IL-10, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37 in Periodontal Diseases: A Cross-sectional Study

Ho JY, Yeo BS, Yang XL, Thirugnanam T, Hakeem MF, Sahu PS, et al.

J Contemp Dent Pract, 2021 Jan 01;22(1):73-79.
PMID: 34002713

AIM: This study aimed to compare the level of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37 in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and human plasma of subjects with periodontal disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted over a 3-month period at a primary dental clinic in Malaysia, 45 participants were recruited via consecutive sampling and assigned into three groups, namely healthy periodontium group (n = 15), gingivitis group (n = 15), and periodontitis group (n = 15). Gingival crevicular fluid and plasma samples were collected from each participant. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was conducted to measure the concentration of IL-10, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the interleukin levels between patient groups.
RESULTS: In GCF samples, IL-17 level was the highest in the periodontitis group (p <0.05), while IL-27 was the lowest (p <0.05). Meanwhile, plasma levels of IL-27 and IL-37 were significantly lower (p <0.05) in the periodontitis group, but plasma IL-35 levels were observed to rise with increasing disease severity.
CONCLUSION: There are reduced local and systemic levels of IL-27 in periodontitis patients.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Periodontal diseases exert both local and systemic effects, resulting in the destruction of the tooth-supporting structures and contributing to the systemic inflammatory burden. Some of the cytokines that were investigated in the current study, IL-17, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37, can be potential biomarkers that warrant further longitudinal clinical studies to determine their usefulness as prognostic/diagnostic markers.
Fulltext Multidrug-resistant bacteria and microbial communities in a river estuary with fragmented suburban waste management

Ho JY, Jong MC, Acharya K, Liew SSX, Smith DR, Noor ZZ, et al.

J Hazard Mater, 2021 03 05;405:124687.
PMID: 33301976 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124687

River systems in developing and emerging countries are often fragmented relative to land and waste management in their catchment. The impact of inconsistent waste management and releases is a major challenge in water quality management. To examine how anthropogenic activities and estuarine effects impact water quality, we characterised water conditions, in-situ microbiomes, profiles of faecal pollution indicator, pathogenic and antibiotic resistant bacteria in the River Melayu, Southern Malaysia. Overall, upstream sampling locations were distinguished from those closer to the coastline by physicochemical parameters and bacterial communities. The abundances of bacterial DNA, total E. coli marker genes, culturable bacteria as well as antibiotic resistance ESBL-producing bacteria were elevated at upstream sampling locations especially near discharge of a wastewater oxidation pond. Furthermore, 85.7% of E. faecalis was multidrug-resistant (MDR), whereas 100% of E. cloacae, E. coli, K. pneumoniae were MDR. Overall, this work demonstrates how pollution in river estuaries does not monotonically change from inland towards the coast but varies according to local waste releases and tidal mixing. We also show that surrogate markers, such dissolved oxygen, Bacteroides and Prevotella abundances, and the rodA qPCR assay for total E. coli, can identify locations on a river that deserve immediate attention to mitigate AMR spread through improved waste management.
Fulltext Low BACH2 Expression Predicts Adverse Outcome in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Ciardullo C, Szoltysek K, Zhou P, Pietrowska M, Marczak L, Willmore E, et al.

Cancers (Basel), 2021 Dec 21;14(1).
PMID: 35008187 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010023

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a heterogeneous disease with a highly variable clinical outcome. There are well-established CLL prognostic biomarkers that have transformed treatment and improved the understanding of CLL biology. Here, we have studied the clinical significance of two crucial B cell regulators, BACH2 (BTB and CNC homology 1, basic leucine zipper transcription factor 2) and BCL6 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6), in a cohort of 102 CLL patients and determined the protein interaction networks that they participate in using MEC-1 CLL cells. We observed that CLL patients expressing low levels of BCL6 and BACH2 RNA had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) than high BCL6- and BACH2-expressing cases. Notably, their low expression specifically decreased the OS of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region-mutated (IGHV-M) CLL patients, as well as those with 11q and 13q deletions. Similar to the RNA data, a low BACH2 protein expression was associated with a significantly shorter OS than a high expression. There was no direct interaction observed between BACH2 and BCL6 in MEC-1 CLL cells, but they shared protein networks that included fifty different proteins. Interestingly, a prognostic index (PI) model that we generated, using integrative risk score values of BACH2 RNA expression, age, and 17p deletion status, predicted patient outcomes in our cohort. Taken together, these data have shown for the first time a possible prognostic role for BACH2 in CLL and have revealed protein interaction networks shared by BCL6 and BACH2, indicating a significant role for BACH2 and BCL6 in key cellular processes, including ubiquitination mediated B-cell receptor functions, nucleic acid metabolism, protein degradation, and homeostasis in CLL biology.
Fulltext Rosmarinic acid exhibits broad anti-enterovirus A71 activity by inhibiting the interaction between the five-fold axis of capsid VP1 and cognate sulfated receptors

Hsieh CF, Jheng JR, Lin GH, Chen YL, Ho JY, Liu CJ, et al.

Emerg Microbes Infect, 2020 Dec;9(1):1194-1205.
PMID: 32397909 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1767512

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), a positive-stranded RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family, may cause neurological complications or fatality in children. We examined specific factors responsible for this virulence using a chemical genetics approach. Known compounds from an anti-EV-A71 herbal medicine, Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), were screened for anti-EV-A71. We identified a natural product, rosmarinic acid (RA), as a potential inhibitor of EV-A71 by cell-based antiviral assay and in vivo mouse model. Results also show that RA may affect the early stage of viral infection and may target viral particles directly, thereby interfering with virus-P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL1) and virus-heparan sulfate interactions without abolishing the interaction between the virus and scavenger receptor B2 (SCARB2). Sequencing of the plaque-purified RA-resistant viruses revealed a N104K mutation in the five-fold axis of the structural protein VP1, which contains positively charged amino acids reportedly associated with virus-PSGL1 and virus-heparan sulfate interactions via electrostatic attraction. The plasmid-derived recombinant virus harbouring this mutation was confirmed to be refractory to RA inhibition. Receptor pull-down showed that this non-positively charged VP1-N104 is critical for virus binding to heparan sulfate. As the VP1-N104 residue is conserved among different EV-A71 strains, RA may be useful for inhibiting EV-A71 infection, even for emergent virus variants. Our study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of virus-host interactions and identifies a promising new class of inhibitors based on its antiviral activity and broad spectrum effects against a range of EV-A71.
Fulltext Diagnostic procedures & practices in drug allergy/hypersensitivity: a survey of 13 Asian countries

Tang MM, Fok JS, Thong BY, Yun J, Li PH, Kang HR, et al.

Asia Pac Allergy, 2020 Oct;10(4):e36.
PMID: 33178561 DOI: 10.5415/apallergy.2020.10.e36

Background: The issues and challenges in the diagnosis of drug allergy/hypersensitivity among children and adults in Asia are likely to be different from non-Asian countries.
Objective: To study the diagnostic modalities used in the evaluation and management of drug allergy/drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) among member societies of the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI).
Methods: A questionnaire comprising 41 questions was circulated electronically to member societies and individual members of APAAACI between January 23, 2020 and March 6, 2020.
Results: Twenty-six respondents from 15 member societies and 1 individual member responded. European DHR guidelines were most commonly used. Skin prick and intradermal testing was used by 100%, with only 60% having access to commercial penicillin skin test reagents. In vitro-speciﬁc IgE tests were used by 75%, and basophil activation test by 56.3% for immediate DHR. Patch tests were used by 75% in contrast to lymphocyte transformation tests by 25% for nonimmediate DHR. Drug provocation tests were used by 68.8%, the most common indication being to exclude hypersensitivity where history/symptoms were not suggestive of drug hypersensitivity/allergy (93.3%). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype testing was mandatory among 25% respondents before new carbamazepine prescriptions, and 8.3% for allopurinol prescriptions.
Conclusions: There was increased use of skin testing for iodinated contrast media hypersensitivity and patch testing for nonimmediate DHR. HLA genotype testing prior to new carbamazepine, allopurinol and abacavir prescriptions remain variable despite strong associations for severe cutaneous adverse reactions with Asian ethnicity. Results of this survey form a useful framework for developing educational and training needs and for improving access to drug allergy diagnostic and treatment modalities across APAAACI member societies.