Background
Type 2 diabetes and periodontitis predispose to a higher risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. Recent studies show upregulation of innate ...immuno‐regulatory microRNA‐146a and ‐155 in oral fluids of patients with type 2 diabetes as well as of patients with periodontitis. The aim was to investigate whether upregulation of these microRNAs may relate to patient susceptibility to the infection via modulation of SARS‐CoV‐2 cellular entry factors expression.
Methods
Due to limited experimental feasibility and health risks in Coronavirus Disease 2019, bioinformatic analyses combining with system biology were used as initial investigation of interaction between microRNA‐146 and ‐155 and genes encoding SARS‐CoV‐2 entry factors.
Results
SARS‐CoV‐2 cellular entry factors are expressed in salivary glands and masticatory mucosa (tongue) at different expression levels, comparable with those measured in lungs and tonsil. MicroRNA‐146 and ‐155 are widely involved in the regulation of SARS‐CoV‐2 oral cellular entry factors and may enhance expression of ACE2 and modulate genes involved in host immunity.
Conclusions
Diabetes‐ and periodontitis‐induced increase in microRNA‐146a and ‐155 in oral cavity is predicted to upregulate angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 expression, essential SARS‐CoV‐2 entry receptors, and modulate host antiviral response. As it could suggest increased infectivity of diabetes and periodontitis patients, additional protective measures for periodontists are recommended.
Type 2 diabetes and periodontitis predispose to a higher risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Recent studies show upregulation of innate immuno-regulatory ...microRNA-146a and -155 in oral fluids of patients with type 2 diabetes as well as of patients with periodontitis. The aim was to investigate whether upregulation of these microRNAs may relate to patient susceptibility to the infection via modulation of SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry factors expression.
Due to limited experimental feasibility and health risks in Coronavirus Disease 2019, bioinformatic analyses combining with system biology were used as initial investigation of interaction between microRNA-146 and -155 and genes encoding SARS-CoV-2 entry factors.
SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry factors are expressed in salivary glands and masticatory mucosa (tongue) at different expression levels, comparable with those measured in lungs and tonsil. MicroRNA-146 and -155 are widely involved in the regulation of SARS-CoV-2 oral cellular entry factors and may enhance expression of ACE2 and modulate genes involved in host immunity.
Diabetes- and periodontitis-induced increase in microRNA-146a and -155 in oral cavity is predicted to upregulate angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression, essential SARS-CoV-2 entry receptors, and modulate host antiviral response. As it could suggest increased infectivity of diabetes and periodontitis patients, additional protective measures for periodontists are recommended.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is able to produce an excessive host immune reaction and may leads to severe disease- a life-threatening condition occurring ...more often in patients suffering from comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Infection by human corona viruses highly depends on host microRNA (miR) involved in regulation of host innate immune response and inflammation-modulatory miR-146a is among the first miRs induced by immune reaction to a virus. Moreover, recent analysis showed that miR-146 is predicted to target at the SARS-CoV-2 genome. As the dominant regulator of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) downstream signaling, miR-146a may limit excessive inflammatory response to virus. Downregulation of circulating miR-146a was found in diabetes, obesity and hypertension and it is reflected by enhanced inflammation and fibrosis, systemic effects accompanying severe COVID-19. Thus it could be hypothesized that miR-146a deficiency may contribute to severe COVID-19 state observed in diabetes, obesity and hypertension but further investigations are needed.
Dentists bear the burden of responsibility for antimicrobial resistance since antibiotics are the drugs most prescribed by dentists. Often, "inappropriate" antibiotic use is considered as a "gray ...area" by dentists mainly due to ethical challenges associated with the clinical judgement depending on patients and/or prescribers.
The study aimed to assess whether and in what way dental ethical principles underpin rational antibiotic use by investigating perceptions of postgraduate and undergraduate dental students without formal knowledge of dental ethics.
A cross-sectional anonymous survey comprised nine close-ended questions and was conducted among dental students (n = 125). The investigated practice of appropriate antibiotic prescribing in the survey relied on the respect of three basic principles of ethics: autonomy, non-maleficence, and beneficence.
Results show that dental students exhibit a lack of dental ethics knowledge that results in an inappropriate antibiotic-prescribing practice: prescribing an antibiotic when it is not necessary, without examination, or for indications that are not within the competence of the dentist. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that there was a significant difference between under- and postgraduates.
Within the pharmacology course, a review of the clinical scenarios which cover both ethical and clinical complexities regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics should be introduced as an educational approach.
The number of approvals for AI-based systems is increasing rapidly, although AI clinical trial designs lack consideration of the impact of human–AI interaction. Aim of this work was to investigate ...how reading of an AI system (ChatGPT) features/descriptions could influence the willingness and expectations for use of this technology as well as dental students’ learning performance.
Dental students (N = 104) were asked to learn about side effects of drugs used in dental practice via reading recommended literature or ChatGPT. Expectations towards ChatGPT were measured by survey, before and after reading of a system features description, whilst learning outcomes were evaluated via pharmacology quiz.
Students who used ChatGPT (YG group) showed better results on the pharmacology quiz than students who neither read the description nor employed ChatGPT for learning (NN condition). Moreover, students who read the description of ChatGPT features yet did not use it (NG) showed better results on the pharmacology quiz compared with the NN condition, although none of them employed ChatGPT for learning. The NG students compared to the YG students had less trust in AI system assistance in learning, and after the AI system description reading, their expectations changed significantly, showing an association with quiz scores.
A majority of students in our cohort was reluctant to use ChatGPT. Furthermore, familarity (reading) with ChatGPT features appear to alter the expectations and enhance learning performance of students.suggesting an AI description–related cognitive bias. Hence the content description of ChatGPTshould be reviewed and verified prior to AI system use for educational purposes.
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent a research hotspot by playing a key role in epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of diverse biological functions and due to their involvement in different ...diseases, including oral inflammatory diseases. Based on ncRNAs’ suitability for salivary biomarkers and their involvement in neuropathic pain and tissue regeneration signaling pathways, the present narrative review aims to highlight the potential clinical applications of ncRNAs in oral inflammatory diseases, with an emphasis on salivary diagnostics, regenerative dentistry, and precision medicine for neuropathic orofacial pain.
"For dentists, as well as for other health care practitioners, it is mandatory to obtain informed consent from their patients, implying that a dialog has taken place and that patients understand the ...risks, benefits and alternatives to rendered treatments. Having in mind that majority of dental procedures are surgical in nature, leading to irreversible change to orofacial tissues and with the risk of unwanted side effects, well-documented informed consent process needs to be a basic norm in the dental practice. Clinical experience suggests that verbal discussion along with providing informed consent forms may not be enough and that patients response and understanding may improve by adding adjunctive materials like brochures or videos related to planned procedures. Many companies for implants and dental materials supply dental offices with the brochures and pamphlets, mostly for marketing purposes. Therefore, the use of these materials must be used with caution while objectively discussing other reasonable options. With the increasingly growing phenomenon of dental tourism, an important dentist-patient relationship ethical issues arise. Namely, issues regarding patient autonomy over practitioner choice, patient safety, and optimal care are under constant reconsideration while informed consent has to specify circumstances underlying treatment plan and posttreatment care. Currently, there is a paucity of information regarding informed consent in dentistry, and vital ethical issues associated with recent developments in dental practice need to be addressed in the near future. "
Aim
Recent studies point at the crucial role of epigenetic mechanisms in the development of multifactorial diseases such as periodontitis and diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2. In addition, circulatory ...microRNAs (miRs) have emerged as novel biomarkers for various diseases. Aim of this study was to investigate the levels of miR‐146a and miR‐155 and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of periodontitis patients with (CPDM) and without (CP) DM type 2 as well as in periodontally healthy, control groups (PHDM and PH, respectively).
Material and methods
miR modulation was analysed using quantitative real‐time PCR while SOD activity was measured spectrophotometrically.
Results
The upregulation of miR‐146a and miR‐155 was observed in CP and CPDM patients’ baseline, while the levels decreased after 6 weeks of the non‐surgical therapy to the levels comparable to PH and PHDM, respectively. Expression levels of miRs positively correlated with SOD activity. Levels of miR‐146a were higher in PHDM compared to PH patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that levels of miR‐146a and miR‐155 were significantly associated with periodontitis when adjusting for age and gender.
Conclusions
miR‐146a and miR‐155 may be considered as possible novel biomarkers for periodontitis in non‐diabetic and type 2 diabetic patients.
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