Facilitation of macrofaunal assemblages in marinas by the habitat-forming invader Amathia verticillata (Bryozoa: Gymnolaemata) across a spatiotemporal scale

Widespread habitat-forming invaders inhabiting marinas, such as the spaghetti bryozoan Amathia verticillata, allow exploring facilitation processes across spatiotemporal contexts. Here we investigate the role of this bryozoan as habitat for native and exotic macrofaunal assemblages across different ecoregions of Western Mediterranean and East Atlantic coasts, and a monthly variation over a year. While only 7 (all peracarid crustaceans) of the 54 associated species were NIS, they dominated macrofaunal assemblages in terms of abundance, raising the potential for invasional meltdown. NIS richness and community structure differed among marinas but not among ecoregions, highlighting the importance of marina singularities in modulating facilitation at spatial scale. Despite facilitation did not depend on bryozoan abundance fluctuations, it was affected by its deciduous pattern, peaking in summer and disappearing in late winter. Monitoring A. verticillata in marinas, especially in summer periods, may improve the detection and management of multiple associated NIS.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure in squamous vulvar cancer. 10 years follow-up analysis

AIM

Application of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) procedure in early-stage vulvar cancer and analysis of results, recurrences and complications.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

40 patients with vulvar cancer and SLNB between 2008 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. During the surgical procedure the inguinofemoral lymph nodes were checked with a gamma probe to identify the sentinel nodes that were removed and referred for intraoperative pathological assessment. Subsequently, long-term patient follow-up was performed with analysis of complications, relapse and mortality.

RESULTS

40 patients (mean age: 72 years [47-86], the overall detection rate per patient was 95% and a total of 129 Sentinel Lymph Nodes (SLNs) were removed (3.22 SLN/patient). In 3 out of 25 patients with lateral tumour lesions drainage was bilateral and in 2 out of 15 with midline lesions drainage was unilateral. On lymphoscintigraphy, 16 out of 40 had bilateral drainage and 24 unilateral. A total of 119 SLN- and 10 SLN+ were obtained, in 8 out of 10 an inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy was performed. In the SLN- group, one case of lymphatic blockage and one false negative were included. In 12 out of 40 patients there were post-surgical complications, 4 of them lymphoedemas. In the median follow-up (40 months), 6 out of 10 with SLN+ (40% mortality) and 7 out of 30 SLN- (16% mortality) had recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS

SLNB in vulvar cancer is the technique of choice for correct staging and locoregional therapy. Correct clinical lymph node staging is important before surgery in order to avoid potential blockage drainages which could induce a false negative SLN.

A tooth whitening and chemical abrasive protocol for the treatment of developmental enamel defects

This clinical report describes a chemical abrasive protocol and whitening techniques to quantify modifications to the color and volume produced when eliminating white spots associated with developmental defects in enamel. Chemical (oxidative-erosive) abrasive treatment (whitening + 6.6% hydrochloric acid) resolves white spots up to a depth of 0.2 mm. At greater depths, infiltration with 16% hydrochloric acid followed by composite resin infiltration is recommended.

Dentine hypersensitivity in dental bleaching: case report

Hydrogen and carbamide peroxides used for in-office and at-home whitening treatments are potentially harmful to pulp causing various alterations. Also characteristic and quite frequent is the presence of dental sensitivity. The aim of this paper is to review the appearance of post-whitening tooth hypersensitivity in clinical cases treated with different techniques. A study of patients (N = 56) with 5 different dental whitening techniques was managed: in-office light activated, with 35% hydrogen peroxide (N1 = 10); in-office chemical activated, also with 35% hydrogen peroxide (N2 = 10); in-office with custom-formed trays using 35% carbamide peroxide (N3 = 10); at-home with custom-formed trays (N4 = 16, 8 with 10% carbamide peroxide and 8 with 3.5% hydrogen peroxide); and at-home with a 6% carbamide peroxide varnish (N5 = 10). For the set of cases, sensitivity was 55% and varied between slight and intense. All whitening procedures can cause hypersensitivity, although it does not always occur. When present (31-55% of all the patients treated), hypersensitivity is not usually very intense and affects only a few teeth in each patient. Greater sensitivity was observed with in-office chemical activated (70%) and light-activated (100%) whitening techniques. So, after dental whitening treatment, dental hypersensitivity is to be expected, independently of technique and product used, in at least one out of two patients.

Sealing capacity of a photochromatic flowable composite as protective base in nonvital dental bleaching

AIM

To evaluate microleakage of a flowable composite used as a protective isolating base, applied with different adhesive systems.

METHODOLOGY

Seventy root-filled teeth were divided into seven groups. A flowable composite base (Tetric Flow Chroma) was used with three adhesive techniques (Syntac, Excite, Excite DCS; in the three cases with and without acid etching) and in a control group without dentine conditioning or adhesive placement. A 30% hydrogen peroxide solution was applied for 24 h in the pulp chambers, followed by the placement of a dye (silver nitrate) for 4 h. Each tooth was sectioned longitudinally, and examined under 4x magnification to assess the tooth/restoration dye leakage following a four-degree scale. Percentage of dye penetration was registered. Statistical analysis was made through the Tukey and Mann-Whitney U-tests.

RESULTS

Maximum leakage (100% of specimens) was recorded in the control group without an adhesive system. In the groups subjected to acid etching, the percentage of leakage corresponded to Excite DSC (10%), followed by Syntac (20%) and Excite (30%). In the groups in which only an adhesive system was used, 50% of the teeth demonstrated dye leakage. Statistically significant differences in terms of leakage were observed between the control group and the experimental groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences among the experimental groups, but comparing the leakage percentages obtained between the groups in which the teeth were subjected to prior acid etching, and those in which no etching was carried out, observed differences were significant (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences between the adhesive systems in terms of leakage. Acid etching significantly reduced leakage.

A family of U1 pseudogenes in Bombyx mori may be derived from an ancestral pseudogene

Seven EMBL-4 lambda clones containing U1 small nuclear RNA sequences were isolated from a Bombyx mori genomic library. Six of the seven represent unique sequences. The six unique U1 sequences exhibit fixed point 3'-end truncation. Five out of the six clones share immediate 3'-end flanking sequences while two share 5'-end flanking sequences. Fixed point 3'-end truncation and a hierarchy of shared to unique diagnostic mutations may suggest a family of U1 pseudogenes generated from a reverse-transcribed class II pseudogene in B. mori. An ancestral 'master' U1 pseudogene capable of RNA- and/or DNA-mediated transposition may give rise to generations of U1 pseudogenes that include the original pseudogene's flanking sequences. Identical 3'-end truncation in some of these U1 sequences can be explained by RNA self-priming due to intra-strand binding prior to reverse transcription.