Both chlorhexidine preparations and distilled water were not able to dissolve pulp tissue. All sodium hypochlorite solutions were efficient in dissolving pulp tissue; the dissolution speed varied with the concentration of the solution.

Neither technique was able to completely prepare the outline of long-oval canals. The Reciproc system removed more tooth structure. The BioRaCe left fewer untouched dentine walls in the more coronal thirds of the canal, whilst Reciproc left fewer in the apical third.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of five different solvents: xylol, eucalyptol, halothane, chloroform and orange oil on softening gutta-percha in simulated root canals. One drop of solvent was placed into a reservoir made in a simulated canal whose channel was previously instrumented and filled with gutta-percha and N-Rickert sealer. After 5 min, softening was evaluated for each solvent by the penetration of a spreader while applying force with a 442 Instron apparatus to reach a depth of 5 mm. The results were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Xylol and orange oil were better in softening gutta-percha than the other solvents. There was no significant difference between xylol and orange oil, but these were statistically different from eucalyptol, halothane and chloroform (p < 0.01).

We consider a dilute granular gas of hard spheres colliding inelastically with coefficients of normal and tangential restitution ␣ and ␤, respectively. The basic quantities characterizing the distribution function f͑v , ͒ of linear ͑v͒ and angular ͑͒ velocities are the second-degree moments defining the translational ͑T tr ͒ and rotational ͑T rot ͒ temperatures. The deviation of f from the Maxwellian distribution parameterized by T tr and T rot can be measured by the cumulants associated with the fourth-degree velocity moments. The main objective of this paper is the evaluation of the collisional rates of change of these second-and fourth-degree moments by means of a Sonine approximation. The results are subsequently applied to the computation of the temperature ratio T rot / T tr and the cumulants of two paradigmatic states: the homogeneous cooling state and the homogeneous steady state driven by a white-noise stochastic thermostat. It is found in both cases that the Maxwellian approximation for the temperature ratio does not deviate much from the Sonine prediction. On the other hand, non-Maxwellian properties measured by the cumulants cannot be ignored, especially in the homogeneous cooling state for medium and small roughness. In that state, moreover, the cumulant directly related to the translational velocity differs in the quasi-smooth limit ␤ → −1 from that of pure smooth spheres ͑␤ =−1͒. This singular behavior is directly related to the unsteady character of the homogeneous cooling state and thus it is absent in the stochastic thermostat case.

BackgroundOral squamous cell carcinoma is an important cause of death and morbidity wordwide and effective prognostic markers are still to be discovered. HIF1α protein is associated with hypoxia response and neovascularization, essential conditions for solid tumors survival. The relationship between HIF1α expression, tumor progression and treatment response in head and neck cancer is still poorly understood.Patients and MethodsIn this study, we investigated HIF1α expression by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays and its relationship with clinical findings, histopathological results and survival of 66 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower mouth.ResultsOur results demonstrated that high HIF1α expression is associated with local disease-free survival, independently from the choice of treatment. Furthermore, high expression of HIF1α in patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy was associated with survival, therefore being a novel prognostic marker in squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. Additionally, our results showed that MVD was associated with HIF1α expression and local disease relapse.ConclusionThese findings suggest that HIF1α expression can be used as a prognostic marker and predictor of postoperative radiotherapy response, helping the oncologist choose the best treatment for each patient.

BackgroundFibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) is a member of a receptor tyrosine kinase family of enzymes involved in cell cycle control and proliferation. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Gly388Arg variant has been associated with increased tumor cell motility and progression of breast cancer, head and neck cancer and soft tissue sarcomas. The present study evaluated the prognostic significance of FGFR4 in oral and oropharynx carcinomas, finding an association of FGFR4 expression and Gly388Arg genotype with tumor onset and prognosis.Patients and MethodsDNA from peripheral blood of 122 patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas was used to determine FGFR4 genotype by PCR-RFLP. Protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on paraffin-embedded tissue microarrays.ResultsPresence of allele Arg388 was associated with lymphatic embolization and with disease related premature death. In addition, FGFR4 low expression was related with lymph node positivity and premature relapse of disease, as well as disease related death.ConclusionOur results propose FGFR4 profile, measured by the Gly388Arg genotype and expression, as a novel marker of prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth and oropharynx.

Root canal preparation may damage NiTi instruments resulting in wear and deformation. The aim of this study was to make a comparative evaluation of the surface topography of the cervical third of four different rotary systems, before and after being used twelve times, in 1.440 resin blocks with simulated root canals with standardized 45° curvatures, and analyzed by atomic force microscopy AFM. The blocks were divided into four groups and prepared according to the manufacturers recommendations: Group 1--K3®; Group 2--Protaper Universal®; Group 3--Twisted Files® and Group 4--Biorace®. After each preparation, the instruments were washed and autoclaved. A total of 240 instruments were selected, being 30 new instruments and 30 after having been used for the 12th time, from each group. These instruments were analyzed by AFM and for quantitative evaluation, the mean RMS (Root mean square) values of the cervical third of the specimens from the four groups were used. The result showed that all the rotary files used for the 12th time suffered wear with change in the topography of the cervical region of the active portion of the file (ANOVA p < 0.01). Classifying the specimens in increasing order, from the least to the greatest wear suffered, Group 3 (2.8993 nm) presented the least wear, followed by Group 4 (12.2520 nm), Group 1 (36.0043 nm) and lastly, Group 2 (59.8750 nm) with the largest amount of cervical surface wear.

The search for molecular markers to improve diagnosis, individualize treatment and predict behavior of tumors has been the focus of several studies. This study aimed to analyze homeobox gene expression profile in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) as well as to investigate whether some of these genes are relevant molecular markers of prognosis and/or tumor aggressiveness. Homeobox gene expression levels were assessed by microarrays and qRT-PCR in OSCC tissues and adjacent non-cancerous matched tissues (margin), as well as in OSCC cell lines. Analysis of microarray data revealed the expression of 147 homeobox genes, including one set of six at least 2-fold up-regulated, and another set of 34 at least 2-fold down-regulated homeobox genes in OSCC. After qRT-PCR assays, the three most up-regulated homeobox genes (HOXA5, HOXD10 and HOXD11) revealed higher and statistically significant expression levels in OSCC samples when compared to margins. Patients presenting lower expression of HOXA5 had poorer prognosis compared to those with higher expression (P=0.03). Additionally, the status of HOXA5, HOXD10 and HOXD11 expression levels in OSCC cell lines also showed a significant up-regulation when compared to normal oral keratinocytes. Results confirm the presence of three significantly upregulated (>4-fold) homeobox genes (HOXA5, HOXD10 and HOXD11) in OSCC that may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these tumors. Moreover, since lower levels of HOXA5 predict poor prognosis, this gene may be a novel candidate for development of therapeutic strategies in OSCC.