Evaluation of peripheral nerve fibers and mast cells in burning mouth syndrome.

Emerging evidence has revealed a cross-talk in the etiopathogenesis of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) related to peripheral nerve fibers (NF) and neuropeptides secreted by mast cells. Here, we investigated the S-100+ density and PGP 9.5+ integrity of peripheral NF and the tryptase+ mast cell density in the oral mucosa of BMS patients and healthy individuals.

Hookah Smoking among Brazilian University Students: An Exploratory Survey on the Prevalence and Perceptions of Addiction and its Harmfulness.

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of hookah use in a population of undergraduate students at a large public university in Brazil.

Methods: The sample consisted of 1348 undergraduate students aged over 18-year-old. They completed structured questionnaires on demographic information and close-ended questions on the past and current experiences of smoking hookah.

Paclitaxel-Loaded Folate-Coated pH-Sensitive Liposomes Enhance Cellular Uptake and Antitumor Activity.

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a microtubule-stabilizing agent widely used to treat breast cancer. Nevertheless, the low solubility of the drug and the side effects of commercial formulations available limit its clinical use. In this way, our group recently described the preparation of PTX-loaded folate-coated long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes (SpHL-folate-PTX).

Association between phase angle from bioelectrical impedance analysis and level of physical activity: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between physical activity and phase angle.

Design: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Electronic searches of MEDLINE (via PUBMED), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), SciELO, LILACS, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to December 10th, 2017.

Technetium-99m radiolabeled paclitaxel as an imaging probe for breast cancer in vivo.

The high incidence and mortality of breast cancer supports efforts to develop innovative imaging probes to effectively diagnose, evaluate the extent of the tumor, and predict the efficacy of tumor treatments while concurrently and selectively delivering anticancer agents to the cancer tissue. In the present study we described the preparation of technetium-99m (Tc)-labeled paclitaxel (PTX) and evaluated its feasibility as a radiotracer for breast tumors (4T1) in BALB/c mice. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was used to determine the radiochemical purity and in vitro stability of Tc-PTX.

Combined Acupuncture and Auriculotherapy in Burning Mouth Syndrome Treatment: A Preliminary Single-Arm Clinical Trial.

Background: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic pain disorder that is difficult to diagnose and refractory to treatment; it is more prevalent in pre- and postmenopausal women. Acupuncture and auriculotherapy have been suggested as options for the treatment of pain because they promote analgesia and allow for the reduction of symptoms with lower doses of drugs; this leads to greater patient compliance with treatment and has a positive effect on quality of life. Clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of BMS are scarce in the literature.

Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia (Heck's Disease) in a 57-Year-Old Brazilian Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Focal epithelial hyperplasia (FEH), or Heck's disease, is a rare disease of the oral mucosa associated with infection by some subtypes of human papilloma virus, especially subtypes 13 or 32. The disease is predominantly found in children and adolescents with indigenous heritage, but other ethnic groups can be affected worldwide. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it has not been reported in Brazil's elderly population.

A rare occurrence of lymphoepithelial cyst in the palatine tonsil: a case report and discussion of the etiopathogenesis.

Lymphoepithelial cysts are uncommon benign lesions that present as painless yellowish nodules arising from various sites in the oral cavity and other parts of the body. Their etiopathogenesis is controversial, but most authors have assumed that they develop from obstruction of crypts in oral lymphoid aggregates, thus they are not true cysts but pseudocysts of retention. This paper describes a case of a large lymphoepithelial cyst located in the tonsil of a 21-year-old man complaining of a lump in the throat for four months.

Evaluation of the Effects of Some Brazilian Medicinal Plants on the Production of TNF- α and CCL2 by THP-1 Cells.

Several plant species are traditionally used in Brazil to treat various inflammatory diseases. Tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) are key inflammatory mediators in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, respectively; nevertheless, only a few extracts have been assayed against these targets. We herein report the effect of 19 plant extracts on TNF-α and CCL2 release by lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated THP-1 cells, a human monocytic leukemia cell line, along with their radical scavenging activity on DPPH.

Long-term effects of nifedipine on human gingival epithelium: a histopathological and immunohistochemical study.

The chronic usage of nifedipine is associated with the appearance of gingival overgrowth (GO). The frequency of GO associated with chronic nifedipine therapy remains controversial and the possible subclinical effects of this drug on the gingival epithelium should be investigated. We investigated the epithelial proliferation index and apoptosis rate, and their association with epithelial enlargement.

Association between 894G>T endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms and metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and type II diabetes. Here, we performed a case-control study analyzing the association between 894G>T endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism (NOS3) and MS in 616 subjects. Genotype frequencies were TT= 9.

Epithelial inclusion cyst after free gingival graft: a case report.

There have been few case reports of cystic lesions occurring after gingival grafting. There are three reports of this type of sequela after connective tissue grafting, but this is the first known case of a cystlike lesion developing secondarily to a free gingival graft procedure. The bulky tissue, which had developed under the previously grafted area, was properly excised under local anesthesia.