Detection and Endodontic Treatment of Unusual Anatomic Variations in Second Premolars: A Case Report

Endodontic treatment of second premolars is challenging due to their complex anatomy and the likelihood of anatomical variations. The current report presents successful treatments of mandibular and maxillary second premolars with different anatomies in a single patient. The first case involved a patient referred from a general practitioner who was unable to complete the root canal treatment of her mandibular second premolar with four root canals. The initial radiograph showed an apical radiolucency, periodontal ligament (PDL) widening, and a fast break suggesting the possibility of root canal branching. With the diagnosis of previous treatment and chronic apical periodontitis, the tooth was successfully retreated with the aid of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), a dental operating microscope, and ultrasonic tips. The second case was a maxillary second premolar with Vertucci’s type VI root canal morphology, which was not responsive to pulpo-periapical tests. Along with a deep carious lesion and a PDL widening on the initial radiograph, a diagnosis of necrosis with chronic apical periodontitis was made. The root canals were located and treated using a combination of radiography with different angulation and CBCT. Both teeth were clinically and radiographically asymptomatic at the 4-month follow-up session. This case report highlights the importance of thorough preoperative evaluation and the use of advanced technology and techniques in achieving successful endodontic treatment outcomes

Fanconi Anemia Pathway in Colorectal Cancer: A Novel Opportunity for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and has the second highest mortality rate globally. Thanks to the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies, several novel candidate genes have been proposed for CRC susceptibility. Germline biallelic mutations in one or more of the 22 currently recognized Fanconi anemia (FA) genes have been associated with Fanconi anemia disease, while germline monoallelic mutations, somatic mutations, or the promoter hypermethylation of some FANC genes increases the risk of cancer development, including CRC. The FA pathway is a substantial part of the DNA damage response system that participates in the repair of DNA inter-strand crosslinks through homologous recombination (HR) and protects genome stability via replication fork stabilization, respectively. Recent studies revealed associations between FA gene/protein tumor expression levels (i.e., FANC genes) and CRC progression and drug resistance. Moreover, the FA pathway represents a potential target in the CRC treatment. In fact, FANC gene characteristics may contribute to chemosensitize tumor cells to DNA crosslinking agents such as oxaliplatin and cisplatin besides exploiting the synthetic lethal approach for selective targeting of tumor cells. Hence, this review summarizes the current knowledge on the function of the FA pathway in DNA repair and genomic integrity with a focus on the FANC genes as potential predisposition factors to CRC. We then introduce recent literature that highlights the importance of FANC genes in CRC as promising prognostic and predictive biomarkers for disease management and treatment. Finally, we represent a brief overview of the current knowledge around the FANC genes as synthetic lethal therapeutic targets for precision cancer medicine

<i>In vitro</i> cholinesterase inhibitory activity of some plants used in Iranian traditional medicine

<p>In this study, <i>in vitro</i> evaluation of cholinesterase inhibitory (ChEI) activity of various plants including betel nuts (<i>Areca catechu</i> L.), clove buds (<i>Syzygium aromaticum</i> L<i>.</i>), aerial parts of dodder (<i>Cuscuta chinensis</i> Lam.), common polypody rhizomes (<i>Polypodium vulgare</i> L.) and turpeth roots (<i>Ipomoea turpethum</i> R. Br.) which were recommended for the treatment of AD symptoms in Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) is reported. Among them, aqueous extract of <i>A. catechu</i> L. was found as the most potent anti-AChE (IC₅₀ = 32.00 μg/mL) and anti-BChE (IC₅₀ = 48.81 ± 0.1200 μg/mL) agent.</p> <p>Aqueous extract of betel nuts as AChE inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 32.00 µg/mL).</p