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The authors report on a patient with Chiari I malformation associated to Waardenburg phenotype, multiple malformations, osteochondrodysplasia and microdeletion of 1q21,1 chromosome, of which they underline the rarity. The pathogenesis connected to the features of neural crest cells-derived structures with mesodermal-derived tissues, mainly in the facial and boundary region of malformed posterior cranial fossa, is discussed. The authors hypothesize that chromosomal microdeletion, acting directly or on contiguous gene(s) or by long range control of gene expression, have modified the function of some developmental genes, causing consequently the association of symptoms observed in the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontal disease, progressing from gingivitis to periodontitis, affects the majority of the world population. Its pathogenesis is related to a complex interaction between environmental, microbial, genetic and other host factors, tobacco smoking being the most important environmental risk factor. Conflicting results are reported in the literature regarding the effects of smoking habits on cytogenetic damage in exfoliated oral cells. We report herein the results of a study evaluating, for the first time, the frequency of micronucleated and binucleated cells in the gingival epithelium. There was no significant elevation of these cytogenetic end-points in 43 subjects as related to smoking habits (never-smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers) and periodontal disease (mild, moderate, or severe forms of gingivitis and periodontitis). Therefore, the overall data emerging from the present study do not support the evidence for an association between smoking habits, periodontal disease and genotoxic damage in gingival epithelial cells., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)