Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are proteins that stimulate the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. These proteins have been described in many pathologic and inflammatory conditions, but their involvement in the development of periodontitis has not been thoroughly investigated. This study compared the immunohistochemical expression of these proteins, involved in angiogenesis and hypoxia, by immunostained inflammatory and endothelial cells in periodontal disease and healthy gingival tissues. Gingival tissue samples were divided as follows: 30 samples with chronic periodontitis, 30 with chronic gingivitis, and 30 of healthy gingiva. Results were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation tests (p=0.01). Inflammatory and endothelial cells were found to express these proteins. Periodontitis showed median percentage of HIF-1α-positive cells of 39.6%, 22.0% in cases of gingivitis and 0.9% in the healthy gingiva group (p=0.001). For VEGF, median percentage of immunopositive cells was 68.7% for periodontitis, 66.1% in cases for gingivitis, and 19.2% for healthy gingival specimens (p<0.001). Significant correlation between VEGF and HIF-1α was also observed in healthy gingiva (p<0.001).The increased expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in periodontitis, compared to gingivitis and healthy gingiva, suggests possible activation of the HIF-1α pathway in advanced periodontal disease. The correlation between HIF-1α and VEGF expression in healthy gingiva suggests a physiological function for these proteins in conditions of homeostasis. In periodontal disease, HIF-1α and VEGF expression may be regulated by other factors, in addition to hypoxia, such as bacterial endotoxins and inflammatory cytokines.

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Staphylococci are considered members of the transient oral microbiota and are seldom isolated from the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of subgingival staphylococci in healthy and periodontal disease sites. Sterile endodontic paper points were used to isolate subgingival staphylococci in periodontally healthy and periodontally diseased sites in 30 adult subjects (n=540 sites). Staphylococcus spp were identified by an automated method and confirmed by conventional biochemical tests. All the samples were identified as coagulase-negative staphylococci. The results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, chi-square and Fisher's exact test at 5% significance level. A total of 86.7% of the subjects harbored these microorganisms in 11.7% of their periodontal sites. The most frequently isolated species was S. auricularis, which was isolated from 31.4% of the periodontal sites, followed by S. epidermidis, isolated from 21.4% of them. There was no statistically significant difference between the frequencies of these species isolated either from the healthy and the diseased sites (p>0.153). Although staphylococci are present in the subgingival environment and contribute to the pathogenic synergism involved in periodontal diseases, the results suggest that they do not participate directly in the pathogenesis of these diseases.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a glandular tumor characterized by large pools of extracellular mucin. The tumor can arise as a primary tumor of the major salivary glands. However, its occurrence is exceedingly rare and has only recently been recognized. Only few cases in the major salivary glands have been reported. This report is an additional case of MAC with origin in minor salivary gland at the oral floor. Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor for cytokeratins 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 18 e 20, vimentin, SMA, CEA, EMA, p53, ki-67 e histochemical analysis for PAS, Alcian blue e mucicarmin was performed. Predominantly, the tumor expressed cytokeratins 7, 18 and 20 that are commonly found in simple epithelia. Therefore, was observed positivity to PAS, Alcian blue and mucicarmin. No other cancer has been detected. The tumor is considered to be a primary mucinous adenocarcinoma, being the twenty-third case in minor salivary gland reported in the literature and the fourth MAC located in the mouth floor.

▲An epidemiological study of immune-mediated skin diseases affecting the oral cavity * Estudo epidemiológico das doenças dermatológicas imunologicamente mediadas na cavidade oral Abstract: BACKGROUND: Immune-mediated skin diseases encompass a variety of pathologies that present in different forms in the body. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of the principal immune-mediated skin diseases affecting the oral cavity. METHODS: A total of 10,292 histopathology reports stored in the archives of the Anatomical Pathology Laboratory, Department of Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, covering the period from 1988 to 2009, were evaluated. For the cases diagnosed with some type of disease relevant to the study, clinical data such as the gender, age and ethnicity of the patient, the anatomical site of the disease and its symptomatology were collected. RESULTS: Of all the cases registered at the above-mentioned service, 82 (0.8%) corresponded to immune-mediated skin diseases with symptoms affecting the oral cavity. The diseases found in this study were: oral lichen planus, pemphigus vulgaris and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid. Oral lichen planus was the most common lesion, comprising 68.05% of the cases analyzed. Of these cases, 64.3% were women and the cheek mucosa was the anatomical site most commonly affected (46.8%). CONCLUSION: Immune-mediated skin diseases affecting the oral cavity continue to be rare, the prevalence found in this study being similar to that reported for the majority of regions worldwide. Nevertheless, early diagnosis is indispensable in the treatment of these diseases, bearing in mind that systemic involvement is possible in these patients. Keywords: Lichen planus, oral; Pemphigoid, benign mucous membrane; Pemphigus

The staining of these metalloproteinases, with the exception of MMP-2, suggests their contribution to tumor growth and expansion. The presence of these metalloproteinases in stromal cells reveals the active participation of these cells in the degradation of the extracellular matrix, contributing to the growth of the tumor studied.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a condição periodontal de pacientes atendidos na clínica escola de Odontologia da Universidade Estadual da Paraíba – UEPB, campus I, Campina Grande, Paraíba, investigando sua associação com as características comportamentais e hábitos da população estudada. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, quantitativo e analítico a partir de prontuários odontológicos. Utilizou-se como critérios de exclusão a incompletude de dados ou a falta de assinatura do TCLE pelo paciente. As análises foram realizadas pelo SPSS 20.0. Para caracterizar a população, distribuiu-se as frequências dos dados. Para associar a condição periodontal (gengivite/periodontite) e as demais variáveis empregou-se o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson (ou teste exato de Fisher quando apropriado), com p < 0,05. Do total de 426 prontuários, 42,5% foram excluídos, restando 245 prontuários. A frequência de tabagistas foi de 10,6% e de ex-tabagistas de 22,0%. Em relação à queixa principal, 68,6% procuraram atendimento por motivos não relacionados à doença periodontal. Sobre a prática de higiene bucal, 121 (49,4%) afirmaram escovar os dentes 3 vezes ao dia e 124 (50,6%), usar fio dental. Porém, a avaliação do índice de placa visível refletiu uma higiene bucal ruim (58,4%). A condição mais prevalente foi de cálculo dentário (63,7%), predominando no sextante 5 (72,7%). A associação entre a condição periodontal e demais variáveis foi estatisticamente significante entre periodontite e tabagismo (p = 0,003). Conclui-se que o relato de prática de higienização bucal adequada não reflete na condição periodontal presente. Observa-se a importância de intensificar ações de orientação em saúde bucal.

The objective of this work was to analyze the development and functionalities of the QGIS software, using the hydraulic simulation plug-in QESG, using the sewage system in the district of Outeiro-PA. The chosen software is free, has easy installation, but the provision of auxiliary materials in the use of it is scarce. For the development of the study, the analysis was performed with the aid of data available in the database of the Companhia de Saneamento do Pará, in order to simulate real data. The results obtained after the simulations showed the efficiency of the use of the QESG plugin with the QGIS software, and it is possible to analyze the main parameters for sewage systems, such as tensile, critical velocity and Y / D blade, in order to be evaluated according to NBR 9649 (ABNT, 1986). However, it was noted that it is difficult to approach this simulation completely from reality, considering that the plugin considers only one diameter for the collecting network in its entirety. Therefore, it was concluded that this tool is only aimed at aiding in simulations of sewage systems and not as a design tool.