Nature of Vulnerability in Biomedical and Psychosocial Research

This chapter explores the ethics of research as one of the requirements in daily work, considering the protection of the dignity of subjects and the publication of information. It identifies which are the most vulnerable populations as well as the conflicting ones and the ambiguity in the decision making, which in many occasions recurrently appear in the review of the literature on human research. Also, it described strategies to overcome the ethical difficulties encountered in the call and follow-up, with a cultural sensitivity

Human Oral Microbiome and Systemic Diseases: What Stage are We at?

The oral cavity is a dynamic ecosystem comprising an array of microbial communities, including many pathogenic or opportunistic species. Recent studies have also demonstrated the role of periodontal disease as a risk factor or enhancer of distant systemic pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and colorectal cancer with bacterial periodontopathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, respectively. Since the publication of the results of the human microbiome project, it was shown that microorganisms do not have unique niches and their presence in various locations does not necessarily generate disease. We should emphasize that we are just beginning to know the characteristics of microbiomes, their variability influenced by various factors, and their interaction with the host

Human Oral Microbiome and Systemic Diseases: What Stage are We at?

The oral cavity is a dynamic ecosystem comprising an array of microbial communities, including many pathogenic or opportunistic species. Recent studies have also demonstrated the role of periodontal disease as a risk factor or enhancer of distant systemic pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and colorectal cancer with bacterial periodontopathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, respectively. Since the publication of the results of the human microbiome project, it was shown that microorganisms do not have unique niches and their presence in various locations does not necessarily generate disease. We should emphasize that we are just beginning to know the characteristics of microbiomes, their variability influenced by various factors, and their interaction with the host

Sellantes odontopediátricos, ¿Realmente protegen a los dientes de diferentes procesos mecánicos? Revisión de literatura

 The use of pit and fissure sealants in the area of pediatric dentistry has been very helpful as a preventive measure to avoid carious lesions generally given in the occlusal area of the first permanent molars erupted. These sealants have had constant variations over time, however, the most used are resinous sealants. These types of sealants are mainly classified in polymerization, viscosity and translucency. As dentistry has advanced, they have been divided into two groups (hydrophobic and hydrophilic), both with different characteristics, but with the same purpose, to provide a protective barrier between extrinsic factors and the tooth. However, when in contact with different elements such as humidity, carbohydrates and saliva, as well as having a bad application on the pits and fissures, these tend to fail and begin to present diverse problems such as microfiltration, retention failures and their microhardness. The objective of this literature review was to recognize whether these sealants are adequate to protect the teeth from external factors and whether they can resist various mechanical changes. For this purpose, a literature review was carried out in various databases and dental journals, and articles were selected according to their evidence, established criteria and the year of publication, which was between 2015 and 2020. El uso de los sellantes de fosas y fisuras en el área de odontopediatría han sido de mucha ayuda como medida preventiva para evitar lesiones cariosas generalmente dados en la zona oclusal de los primeros molares permanentes erupcionados. Estos sellantes han tenido constantes variaciones con el paso del tiempo, sin embargo, los más usados son los sellantes resinosos. Este tipo de sellantes se clasifican principalmente en polimerización, viscosidad y traslucidez, a medida que la odontología ha ido avanzando, estos se dividieron en dos grupos (hidrofóbicos e hidrofílicos), ambos con características diferentes, pero con un mismo propósito, el de brindar una barrera de protección entre factores extrínsecos y el diente. No obstante, al estar en contacto con diferentes elementos como la humedad, carbohidratos y saliva, así como también tener una mala aplicación sobre las fosas y fisuras, estos tienden a fracasar y comienzan a presentar diversos problemas como microfiltración, fallos en la retención y su microdureza. El objetivo de esta revisión de literatura fue reconocer si estos sellantes son los adecuados para proteger los dientes de factores externos y si pueden resistir a diversos cambios mecánicos. Para esto se realizó la revisión bibliográfica en diversas bases de datos y revistas de carácter odontológico, se procedió a la selección de artículos según su evidencia, criterios establecidos y el año de publicación ubicado entre los años 2015 y 2020.

Invariance of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Construct Across Clinical Populations and Sociodemographic Variables

Recent research has shown that cultural, linguistic, and sociodemographic peculiarities influence the measurement of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI). Assessing trait EI in different populations fosters cross-cultural research and expands the construct's nomological network. In mental health, the trait EI of clinical populations has been scarcely researched. Accordingly, the present study examined the relationship between trait EI and key sociodemographic variables on Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF) datasets with mental healthcare patients from three different Spanish-speaking countries. Collectively, these datasets comprised 528 participants, 23% from Chile (120), 28% from Peru (150), and 49% from Spain (258). The sociodemographic variables we used for trait EI comparisons were gender, age, educational level, civil status, and occupational status. Analyses involved Multigroup Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (to test measurement invariance) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Our results revealed significant between-country differences in trait EI across the studied sociodemographic variables and interactions between these variables. Measurement invariance across the datasets was attained up to the scalar level regarding gender and education (i.e., strong invariance), although analyses on age, civil status, and occupation displayed non-invariance. The resultant psychometric evidence supports the suitability of the TEIQue-SF for the accurate cross-cultural assessment of trait EI in mental health settings. It also highlights the importance of incorporating trait EI into extant psychotherapeutic frameworks to enhance non-pharmacological treatment efficacy

Risk factors for oral cancer: Thematic trends and research agenda

Context: Oral cancer is difficult to define due to several factors. It’s known as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and is common in the head and neck. Geographic variations in the impact of OSCC highlight the need for research on risk factors and treatment trends. Aims: To identify the main research trends of studies on oral cancer risk factors in the scientific literature in the Scopus database and Web of Science. Methods: This was an exploratory study of the risk factors for oral cancer designed considering the eligibility criteria defined by the PRISMA-2020 international statement, that is, inclusion and exclusion. Results: A total of 215 documents from Scopus and Web of Science were subjected to bibliometric analysis. The years 2020 and 2021 were the most productive, with 18 and 22 articles, respectively. The leading author in productivity and impact was Johnson N, the leading journal was Oral Oncology, followed by the International Journal of Cancer, and the main contributing countries were the United States, the United Kingdom and India. The main thematic cluster was composed of concepts such as Tobacco and Alcohol as the major risk factors; concepts such as Mortality or Head and Neck were positioned as emerging within the scientific literature. Conclusions: The main risk factors, i.e., alcohol and tobacco consumption, are relevant in terms of mortality in the consumer population, which is why their role should be determined in future studies

Identification of Proteins Associated with the Formation of Oral Biofilms

Objective: To identify proteins associated with the formation of Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum biofilms. Material and Methods: Biofilms composed of two bacterial species, S. gordonii and F. nucleatum, were cultured for 1, 4, 7, and 10 days. The presence of both species was confirmed via amplification of the srtA and radD genes using real-time PCR. The concentrations of proteins associated with the biofilms and individual species were quantified using Western blotting. Results: The protein profiles of S. gordonii and F. nucleatum from individual cultures determined using one-dimensional electrophoresis revealed proteins found in S. gordonii and in F. nucleatum. Ct and reciprocal Ct values were determined for the exposed S. gordonii and F. nucleatum biofilms. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein was detected in biofilms and F. nucleatum, whereas HSP40 protein was present only in biofilms after 7 and 10 days of formation. Conclusion: HSP40 was detected only in the formed biofilms; thus, HSP40 is an essential proteins for adhesion

Factors associated with scientific production citations in dentistry: Zero-inflated negative binomial regression and hurdle modelling [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: The global scientific literature in dentistry has shown important advances in the field, with major contributions ranging from the analysis of the basic epidemiological aspects of prevention to specialised results in the field of dental treatments. The present investigation aimed to analyse the current state of the scientific literature on dentistry hosted in the Web of Science database. Methods: The methodology included two phases in the analysis of articles and indexed reviews in all thematic areas. During the first phase, the following variables were analysed: scientific production by the publisher, the evolution of scientific output published by publishers, the factors associated with the impact of scientific production, and the modelling of the impact of scientific production on dentistry. During the second phase, associations, evolutions, and trends in the use of keywords in the scientific literature in dentistry were analysed. Results: The first phase shows that scientific production in dentistry will increase between 2010 and 2021, reaching 12,126 articles in 2021. Publishers such as Wiley and Elsevier stand out, but Quintessence Publishing has the most citations. Factors such as pages, authors, and references influence the number of citations. Phase 2 analyzes trends in the dental literature using the WoS database. Topics such as "dental education", "pediatric dentistry", and "pandemic" stand out. The intersection of technology and dentistry and the importance of evidence-based education are highlighted. Conclusions: In conclusion, the study shows that the most studied topics include the association of dental education and the curriculum, the association of pediatric dentistry with oral health, and dental care. The findings show that more recently emphasised topics also stand out, such as evidence-based dentistry, the COVID-19 pandemic, infection control, and endodontics, as well as the need for future research to expand current knowledge based on emerging topics in the scientific literature on dentistry

Antibacterial Effect of Hypochlorous Acid on Bacteria Associated with the Formation of Periodontal Biofilms: An in vitro Pilot Study

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial effect of electrolytically generated hypochlorous acid on Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Material and Methods: In this in vitro experiment, the effect of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) on the strains S. gordonii, F. nucleatum, and P. gingivalis was evaluated using 4% sodium hypochlorite, 0.12% chlorhexidine, and distilled water as controls. The four groups were placed on each plate, and each group was replicated five times. The agar diffusion method by zones measurement was used. The data were processed with SPSS using the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple comparison tests. Results: Hypochlorous acid showed an average inhibition halo of 9.28 mm on S. gordonii. As expected with distilled water, no zone of inhibition was noted for any of the bacteria, nor were zones of inhibition observed with HOCl for F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis. Conclusion: Hypochlorous acid showed antimicrobial properties against only S. gordonii and was less effective than 4% sodium hypochlorite and 0.12% chlorhexidine, although no significant differences were found between the latter