Author: Maitha Sameer

Background: It is evident from the literature that an increased body mass index (BMI) and low socioeconomicstatus are potential risk factors for periodontal diseases. Most related studies are international and haveinvestigated such associations in adults, and there have been few Iraqi studies targeting school-aged children.Objective: To investigate the impact of paediatric obesity and mothers’ educational levels on the periodontalhealth status of children.Method: The study sample was composed of 300 children (152 males, 148 females) aged 6-12 years. Thesubjects’ weight and height were measured, and the body mass index was calculated for each child to obtain apercentile ranking; the percentiles were used to allocate the total sample population into four subgroups(underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese). The children’s periodontal health was assessed using thePlaque Index (PLI) and Gingival Index (GI), and the mothers’ educational level was assessed by direct parentalinterview.Results: Compared with the other categories of children, obese male (84.35) and overweight female (82.92)children had greater values for the PLI, while overweight children of both sexes (89.47 male, 92.11 female) hadgreater values of the GI. Male and female children with mothers who had the lowest level of education werefound to have the highest values of PLI & GI. Non-significant differences were recorded between the male –female matched study groups with regard to the body mass index and mothers’ educational levels.Conclusions: Childhood obesity and socioeconomic disadvantages have negative impacts on children’s gingivalhealth in this representative sample.Keywords: Obesity, Mothers’ Education, Plaque Index, Gingival Index, Body Mass Index, Iraq 10.5958/0976-5506.2019.03248.0

                                                                                                                        Background and Objective: Dental caries is the most common disease worldwide, and is a major healthcare problem. Streptococcus mutans is considered as the main factor causing dental caries. This study was conducted to assess Streptococcus mutans by its 16S rRNA gene and adhesin gene (spaP) as an early predictor of caries development. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 80 Iraqi pre-school children aged 3-5 years old. Subjects were divided into two groups: the case group, which included 40 children with severe caries, and the control group, which included 40 caries-free children. A dental examination was performed by diagnostic criteria of World Health Organization (WHO). Unstimulated salivary samples were taken from all children, and DNA of Streptococcus mutans was extracted from the all saliva samples. The 16S rRNA and spaP genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and their presence was compared to dental caries severity. Findings: The age and gender of the children had no significant effect in this study. The prevalence of the Streptococcus mutans 16SrRNA gene was 98.8% positive and 1.2% negative in all study groups. Regarding spaP, a significant difference discovered between the case (92.5%) and control (50%) groups (p≥0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that the presence of spaP gene of Streptococcus Mutans can predict caries development. Therefore, more dental care is emphasized in these people. Keywords: Streptococcus Mutans, 16SrRNA, SpaP, Virulence Genes, Dental Caries.   https://jbums.org/article-1-11307-en.pdf

Nanomaterials and nanostructures have shown fascinating performances in various biomedicine fields, from cosmetic to cancer diagnosis and therapy. Engineered nanomaterials can encapsulate both lipophilic and hydrophilic substances/drugs to eliminate their limitations in the free forms, such as low bioavailability, multiple drug administration, off-target effects, and various side effects. Moreover, it is possible to deliver the loaded cargo to the desired site of action using engineered nanomaterials. One approach that has made nanocarriers more sophisticated is the “biomimetic” concept. In this scenario, biomolecules (e.g., natural proteins, peptides, phospholipids, cell membranes) are used as building blocks to construct nanocarriers and/or modify agents. For instance, it has been reported that specific cells tend to migrate to a particular site during specific circumstances (e.g., inflammation, tumor formation). Employing the cell membrane of these cells as a coating for nanocarriers confers practical targeting approaches. Accordingly, we introduce the biomimetic concept in the current study, review the recent studies, challenge the issues, and provide practical solutions. Implications of biomimetic nanocarriers in targeted drug delivery | Emergent Materials (springer.com)

    Introduction: We aimed to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to detect the Db allele and the rs2923234 and rs1049112 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the salivary acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs) to determine their relationship with dental caries in young children. Methods: DNA was extracted from saliva samples of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years. PCR primers designed around exon 3 of the PRH1 locus yielded a 416-base product representing Db for gel electrophoresis and a 519-base product representing the rs2923234 and rs1049112 SNPs for Sanger sequencing. The data were analyzed using a logistic regression model and a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network. Results: Forty children with severe caries and 40 caries-free children completed the study. The frequency of the Db gene was 16.3% in the entire study group. The rs2923234 SNP was a marginally significant (P = 0.053) predictor for the dependent variable (caries-free or severe caries). However, the rs1049112 (P = 0.407) and the Db allele (P = 0.442) were not significant predictors. Conclusion: The rs29232334 SNP could be considered a potential genetic predictor for caries susceptibility. https://doi.org/10.4103/denthyp.denthyp_51_23