Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an important malignancy throughout the world; early detection is an important criterion for achieving high cure rate. Out of the many reported markers for OSCC, this study validated the efficacy of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in differentially diagnosing premalignant oral lesions and OSCC. Also, the study aimed to correlate the levels of salivary and serum TNF-α with clinicopathologic factors. Materials and Methods: A prospective experimental laboratory study was designed. Serum and salivary samples from 100 subjects in each group of healthy control, premalignant disease (PMD) and OSCC were collected for the study following appropriate exclusion and inclusion criteria. Serum and salivary level of TNF-α was analysed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The data obtained were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Results: Increased level of both serum and salivary TNF-α was observed in OSCC subjects compared to healthy control and PMD group. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis and area under curve values showed high specificity and sensitivity for salivary TNF-α in differentiating OSCC from PMD and healthy controls. There was significant increase in TNF-α level in moderately and poorly differentiated lesion compared to well differentiated lesion and in stage IV of clinical stage. A positive correlation was observed only with histological grading of OSCC and TNF-α. Conclusions: Salivary TNF-α is proved to be superior for detecting OSCC. Increase in TNF-α with histological grading and clinical staging suggests a role in prognosis.

Multifunctional bioactive hydrogel ECM like membrane for 3D dynamic tissue/disease modelling.

Bioglass (BG) was prepared by sol-gel method and the role of sintering temperatures (600, 700 and 800°C) on crystalline phase changes, bioactivity, erythrocyte and MG-63 cell line compatibility was investigated. Increase in sintering temperature from 600 to 800°C led to the secondary phase formation that was confirmed through structural analysis. Micrographics revealed the formation of nanorods (700°C) and nanoflake like (800°C) morphologies. Biocompatibility assay showed that, BG sintered at 600°C had optimal biocompatibility while better mechanical property was noted at 700°C. Altogether, the study demonstrated that increasing the sintering temperature will result in increased crystallinity which in turn resulted in the optimal biomineralization but decreased the biocompatibility. Hence, we demonstrated the importance of temperature during the processing of BG for various applications, as it affects many properties including bioactivity and compatibility.

The thermal treatment of Ca10−xFex(PO4)6(OH)2 at different temperatures had an effect on the mineralization potential under non-cellular and cellular conditions by releasing its bioactive ions at optimal or excessive levels.

Enamel, once formed, loses the ability to regenerate due to the loss of the formative ameloblasts. It is subjected to constant damaging events due to exposure to external agents and oral microbiomes. An enamel remineralization process targets to replenish the lost ionic component of the enamel through a multitude of methods. Enamel remineralization is highly challenging as it has a complex organized hierarchical microstructure. Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals of the enamel vary in size and orientation along alignment planes inside the enamel rod. The inability of the enamel to remodel unlike other mineralized tissues is another substantial deterrent. One of the wellknown biomaterials, bioglass (BG) induces apatite formation on the external surface of the enamel in the presence of saliva or other physiological fluids. Calcium, sodium, phosphate, and silicate ions in BG become responsive in the presence of body fluids, leading to the precipitation of calcium phosphate. Studies have also demonstrated the bactericidal potential of BG against Streptococcus mutans biofilms. The anticariogenicity and antibacterial activity were found to be enhanced when BG was doped with inorganic ions such as F, Ag, Mg, Sr, and Zn. Due to the versatility of BG, it has been combined with a variety of agents such as chitosan, triclosan, and amelogenin to biomimic remineralization process. Key strategies that can aid in the development of contemporary enamel remineralization agents are also included in this review.