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

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

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

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

Antibacterial and Antiadhesion Effects of Psidium guajava Fractions on a Multispecies Biofilm Associated with Periodontitis

Objective: To assess the antibacterial activity of Psidium guajava fractions and their effects on adhesion of a multispecies biofilm consisting of Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis in vitro. Material and Methods: Guava leaves were obtained from the mountains of northern Peru, where they grow wild and free of pesticides. The antimicrobial activity of 25 mg/mL petroleum ether, 25 mg/mL dichloromethane and 25 mg/mL methanol fractions of P. guajava was evaluated by measuring inhibition halos, as well as the effect on the adhesion of multispecies biofilms at 4, 7 and 10 days of growth by measuring the optical density. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility was compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and its multiple comparison tests, and differences in mean biofilm adhesion between each fraction were assessed by repeated measures analysis and the Tukey multiple comparison test. Results: The rank-based Kruskal-Wallis test highlighted differences in the effects of the fractions on the zone of inhibition for each oral bacterium, including S. gordonii(p=0.000), F. nucleatum (p=0.000), and P. gingivalis (p=0.000), the Tukey test showed that the group treated with 0.12% chlorhexidine exhibited the least amount of adhesion, followed by the group treated with the 1.56 mg/mL methanol fraction. Conclusion: The methanol fraction of P. guajava had an antibacterial effect on S. gordonii and P. gingivalis, and the 1.56 mg/mL methanol fraction decreased biofilm adhesion

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

Proteína C-reactiva asociada a la condición periodontal de gestantes

Objective: To determine the C-reactive protein level according to the periodontal state, age and trimester of pregnancy in pregnant women who attend the Centro de Salud Magna Vallejo, Cajamarca, Peru.Materials and methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted in a sample of 60 pregnant women divided into three groups: those who were periodontally healthy, those with gingivitis and those with periodontitis. The Russell Index was used to determine the periodontal status. The value of the C-reactive protein level was taken from each patient’s medical record.Results: An elevated C-reactive protein level was found in 66.70 % of the pregnant women with gingivitis, 100 % of the pregnant women with periodontitis and 84.60 % of the adult pregnant women. Conclusions: C-reactive protein levels tend to rise in patients with periodontal disease and increase in adult pregnant women.Objetivo: Determinar el nivel de proteína C-reactiva según el estado periodontal, edad y trimestre de gestación en gestantes del Centro de Salud Magna Vallejo en Cajamarca, Perú.Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Se trabajó con una muestra de 60 gestantes divididas en tres grupos: gestantes periodontalmente sanas, con gingivitis y con periodontitis. Se empleó el índice de Rusell para la determinación del estado periodontal. El valor del nivel de proteína C-reactiva fue tomado del registro de la historia clínica de cada paciente.Resultados: Se encontró un nivel de proteína C-reactiva elevado en el 66,70 % de gestantes con gingivitis y en el 100 % de gestantes con periodontitis, así mismo en el 84,60 % de gestantes adultas. Conclusiones: Los niveles de proteína C-reactiva tienden a elevarse en las pacientes con enfermedad periodontal y se incrementa con la edad de las gestantes