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Abstract This study evaluated the scientific contribution of Brazilian CNPq Research Productivity fellows (PQ) in Dentistry by areas of activity. This cross-sectional study included 217 active PQ who were grouped into six groups: (1) Biomaterials, Prosthodontics, and Restorative Dentistry; (2) Public Health and Epidemiology; (3) Oral Pathology, Stomatology, and Dental Radiology; (4) Pediatric Dentistry and Child Health; (5) Dental Clinic (Periodontics, Endodontics, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, and Implantology), and (6) Basic Areas (Histology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Physiology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pharmacology). The PQ were predominantly male (n = 122; 56.2%), received level 2 scholarships (n = 121; 55.8%), and performed research in the Southeast region of Brazil (n = 160; 73.73%). Regarding supervision of undergraduate, master's, and PhD students, both during their entire careers and in the last 5 years, the highest average was observed for PQs in the field of Public Health and Epidemiology, the only area with higher average supervision of master's than that of undergraduate and PhD students. PQ in Public Health and Epidemiology had the highest average number of papers published over their career and in the last 5 years, followed by PQ in Pediatric Dentistry and Child Health and Dental Clinic. The high productivity of PQ is demonstrated by modern research performance indicators. Their scientific publications are indexed in bibliometric databases such as WoS, Scopus, and SciELO. Addtionally, highlighted among the PQ was the time since initiation of their scientific careers and master's and doctoral candidates trained.

Objective: To determine clinical outcomes and mortality risk factors related to mental disorders in a cohort of hospitalized patients with Covid-19 in Brazil. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used a Brazilian database called the Sistema de Vigilância Epidemiológica da Gripe (Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance System) to analyze patients aged ≥ 18 years who were hospitalized with Covid-19 between 2020 and 2022. The exposure of interest was mental disorders (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) identified through self-report. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Covariates included demographic and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: A cohort of 2,124,285 patients was included in the analysis, with 23,246 individuals (1.1%) self-reporting mental disorders, of which depression was the most prevalent (52.3%). The mortality rate of patients with mental disorders was 30.8%. Age, sex, region, dyspnea, low oxygen saturation, and comorbidities were associated with a higher mortality risk, as was schizophrenia (adjusted OR: 1.68; 95%CI 1.54-1.81). Conclusions: Individuals with schizophrenia had a greater likelihood of Covid-19-related death than those without mental health conditions. These findings underscore the significant effect of serious mental disorders on Covid-19 mortality.

ABSTRACT Objective: To report the case of a girl presenting a severe phenotype of mandibuloacral dysplasia type A (MADA) characterized by prominent osteolytic changes and ectodermal defects, associated with a rare homozygous LMNA missense mutation (c.1579C>T). Case description: A 6-year-old girl was evaluated during hospitalization exhibiting the following dysmorphic signs: subtotal alopecia, dysmorphic facies with prominent eyes, marked micrognathia and retrognathia, small beaked nose, teeth crowding and thin lips, generalized lipodystrophy, narrow and sloping shoulders, generalized joint stiffness and bone reabsorption in the terminal phalanges. In dermatological examination, atrophic skin, loss of cutaneous elasticity, hyperkeratosis, dermal calcinosis, and hyperpigmented and hypochromic patches were observed. Radiology exams performed showed bilateral absence of the mandibular condyles, clavicle resorption with local amorphous bone mass confluence with the scapulae, shoulder joints with subluxation and severe bone dysplasia, hip dysplasia, osteopenia and subcutaneous calcifications. Comments: MADA is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in LMNA gene. It is characterized by craniofacial deformities, skeletal anomalies, skin alterations, lipodystrophy in certain regions of the body and premature ageing. Typical MADA is caused by the p.R527H mutation in the LMNA gene. However, molecular analysis performed from oral epithelial cells obtained from the patient showed the rare mutation c.1579C>T, p. R527C in the exon 9 of LMNA. This is the sixth family identified with this mutation described in the literature.

Abstract Introduction: Brazilian scientific production has shown substantial growth and achieved international visibility. However, in general, the participation of women in scientific activities remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the indicators of scientific productivity of women fellows of the Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in the field of Medicine. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 541 (211 women, 39%) researchers registered as recipients of CNPq research productivity (PQ) scholarships in Medicine according to a list provided in December 2022. Results: There was a predominance of male researchers (n=330; 61%). In both the male and female groups, most researchers were at level 2, with 62.5% women and 47.2% men (p=0.018). All 211 female PQ scholars were distributed among 37 different institutions and published 34,969 papers in scientific journals, averaging 165.7 articles per researcher. In the last five years of the study period (from 2018 to 2022), 9,679 papers were published. Over their careers, the 211 researchers supervised 5,440 undergraduate research students, 4,144 master’s degree students, and 2,923 PhD candidates. There was a significant difference between the scholarship levels for the development of human resources in undergraduate research (p=0.040), master’s degree (p=0.027), and PhD. (p

Abstract: The aim was to analyze the perception of Brazilian federal judges on the implications of COVID-19 vaccination. A study was carried out with Brazilian federal judges, who received a survey designed with multiple-choice questions on COVID-19 vaccination, covering topics such as its mandatory aspect, the application of coercive measures, hesitation to vaccinate, priority groups, the duties of Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa, acronym in Portuguese), the role of the Judiciary branch, and immunity passports. A total of 254 out of 1,300 federal judges from all states responded to the survey. Most respondents have a Bachelor’s degree or a specialization (59.1%) and have been judges for more than 10 years (63.8%). A great majority of the judges (87.7%) agree with vaccine mandates for adults and for children and adolescents (66.1%). Over 75% of judges believe that all levels of government can impose sanctions on those who refuse to get vaccinated. The judges trust vaccination 93% of the time, 56.1% reject anti-vaccination movements, and 75.2% believe that Anvisa duties should be respected. The Judiciary branch actions concerning the COVID-19 pandemic are approved by 62.6% of judges, and 88.2% support immunity passports. There is a direct connection among mandatory vaccination, trust in the vaccine, and the adoption of immunity passports. Most federal judges agree with vaccine mandates for children and adults, support the application of sanctions for vaccination refusal, disapprove of anti-vaccination movements, agree with Anvisa’s duties, and support judicial intervention in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Background Nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSOC) are the craniofacial most common congenital malformations. There are evidences that the nonsyndromic cleft palate (NSCP) development differs from other NSOC. However, most of the publications treat NSCP without considering that information. Furthermore, few studies focus on NSCP. The aim of this study was to describe epidemiological findings of patients with isolated NSCP in Brazil. Methods In this cross-sectional multicenter study, four reference Centers for treatment in three different Brazilian states was investigated. Data were obtained from clinical records of patients, between November 2021 and June 2022. Researched variables were sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and pregnancy and family history. Pearson’s chi-square and ANOVA One-way tests were used for associations. Results Majority were female (58.1%), white (60.7%) with incomplete NSCP (61.2%). There was an association between complete NSCP and a positive history of medical problems during pregnancy (p = 0.016; 27.9%; OR: 1.94; 1.12–3.35). Systemic alterations were perceived in 40.6% of the sample with odds ratio for development of the complete type (OR: 1.21; 0.74–1.97). Higher OR was visualized in medication use during pregnancy (OR: 1.35; 0.76–2.37) and positive family history of oral cleft (OR: 1.44; 0.80–2.55). Dental and surgical care was associated with higher age groups (p

COVID-19, a respiratory illness with a global impact on millions, has recently been linked to manifestations affecting various bodily systems, including the oral cavity. Studies highlight oral issues, like ulcers, blisters, and white patches, alongside olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, influencing an individual’s quality of life. In this context, our study aimed to assess the frequency of oral lesions, olfactory and gustatory disorders, and xerostomia resulting from COVID-19. An observational study was conducted with 414 patients to evaluate the frequency of oral symptoms resulting from COVID-19. Patients were diagnosed with mild symptoms and evaluated through clinical examination of the oral cavity and a questionnaire to assess functional alterations. The findings showed that 139 out of 414 patients presented clinical manifestations, with oral lesions being the most prevalent (19.1%), followed by gustatory disorders (18.1%), xerostomia (14.2%), and olfactory dysfunction (14%). The most prevalent oral lesions were ulcerations (n = 51), candidiasis (n = 8), and erythema or red plaques (n = 7). Unfortunately, 50 (12.1%) patients died during this study. Therefore, oral lesions, olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions, and xerostomia are common symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Abstract Associations between the WNT5A rs566926 variant and non-syndromic orofacial cleft (NSOC) have been reported in different populations. Objective This study aimed to investigate the role of the rs566926 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in WNT5A and its interactions with SNPs in BMP4, FGFR1, GREM1, MMP2, and WNT3 in the occurrence of NSOC in a Brazilian population. Methodology A case-control genetic association study was carried out involving participants from four regions of Brazil, totaling 801 patients with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL±P), 273 patients with cleft palate only (NSCPO), and 881 health volunteers without any congenital condition (control). Applying TaqMan allelic discrimination assays, we evaluated WNT5A rs566926 in an ancestry-structured multiple logistic regression analysis, considering sex and genomic ancestry as covariates. Interactions between rs566926 and variants in genes involved in the WNT5A signaling pathway (BMP4, FGFR1, GREM1, MMP2, and WNT3) were also explored. Results WNT5A rs566926 was significantly associated with an increased risk of NSCL±P, particularly due to a strong association with non-syndromic cleft lip only (NSCLO), in which the C allele increased the risk by 32% (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.04–1.67, p=0.01). According to the proportions of European and African genomic ancestry, the association of rs566926 reached significant levels only in patients with European ancestry. Multiple interactions were detected between WNT5A rs566926 and BMP4 rs2071047, GREM1 rs16969681 and rs16969862, and FGFR1 rs7829058. Conclusion The WNT5A rs566926 polymorphism was associated with NSCL±P, particularly in individuals with NSCLO and high European ancestry. Epistatic interactions involving WNT5A rs566926 and variants in BMP4, GREM1, and FGFR1 may contribute to the risk of NSCL±P in the Brazilian population.

Resumo Introdução: O envelhecimento populacional está entre as transformações globais mais importantes. Na população idosa, há prevalência aumentada de condições crônicas que comprometem a autonomia relacionadas ao comprometimento cognitivo. Objetivo: Este estudo buscou estimar a prevalência de comprometimento cognitivo e os fatores associados em uma população de idosos. Método: Trata-se de pesquisa transversal analítica envolvendo idosos com 60 anos ou mais, cadastrados na Estratégia Saúde da Família de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Para caracterização dos fatores sociodemográficos, hábitos de vida e condições de saúde, utilizou-se o instrumento Brazilian Older Americans Researches and Service Multidimensional Function Assessment Questionnaire; para avaliação cognitiva, o Mini Exame do Estado Mental, e os resultados, ajustados por escolaridade na análise de regressão logística binária, com apresentação de odds ratio (OR) e intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95%. Resultados: Dos 1.746 idosos avaliados, 11,5% apresentaram comprometimento cognitivo. Os fatores de risco associados foram idosos acima de 80 anos (OR=4,463; IC95% 3,160–6,304); analfabetos (OR=3,996; IC95% 2,716–5,791); sem companheiro (OR=1,989; IC95% 1,388–2,850); sedentários (OR=1,777; IC95% 1,208–2,613) e com histórico de Acidente Vascular Cerebral (OR=3,635; IC95% 2,213–5,971). Conclusões: Comprometimento cognitivo foi associado a variáveis passíveis de ações preventivas, como o acesso à escolarização e hábitos de vida saudáveis.

Objetivo: descrever a organização da assistência em Estomatologia dos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas (CEOs) do Brasil. Materiais e Métodos: realizou-se estudo transversal e descritivo utilizando dados do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e Qualidade dos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas (PMAQ-CEO). Resultados: foram avaliados um total de 930 CEOs. Deste montante, 65,5% das equipes eram habilitadas em estomatologia e se concentravam no Sudeste (37,8%). Houve diferenças regionais na organização dos serviços de referência, porém, observaram-se, na maioria dos CEOs, protocolos que orientavam os encaminhamentos para a especialidade (57,8%); usuários encaminhados com termo por escrito/meio eletrônico (61,7%); sem cotas pré-definidas para encaminhamento (86,9%) e atendimento agendado em até uma semana (78,3%). A biópsia era comumente realizada (82,4%), as equipes possuíam referência para casos de câncer (80%) e o tema câncer de boca, abordado por 54,5% das equipes no matriciamento. Conclusão: o PMAQ-CEO revelou vazios regionais em relação à assistência em estomatologia e diferenças na organização do trabalho nos diversos estabelecimentos. Há necessidade de se conhecer as desigualdades regionais na organização dos serviços para melhor planejamento das políticas públicas a fim de diminuir o desequilíbrio na oferta do cuidado e no acesso e utilização dos serviços.

Objective: To analyze specialized dental care through access, demand and the work processes provided by the CEO's, using secondary data from the cycles of the PMAQ-CEO. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study using public domain data. Variables of interest were selected from the external evaluation instrument data matrices and were grouped in categories. The categories were geographic distribution, structural, human resources, work processes and access and coordination. Results: The total of 932 CEO’s were evaluated in 2014 and 1,042 in 2016, most of them type II, present in the Northeast region. In both cycles, the highest average of dentists worked in the endodontic specialty (2.4 professionals per CEO) and the lowest in oral medicine (0.8 professionals per CEO). Of the two cycles, 91.5% of the CEO’s had a manager, 79.5% performed action planning activities and 74.5% realized internal self-assessment processes. There was an increase in the mean number of days to be seen at the CEO in all analyzed specialties (p

Abstract Objective: to analyze the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders (CMDs) in Primary Health Care professionals between August-October/2021. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study conducted with health professionals in the Northern health macro-region of Minas Gerais state; snowball sampling was used; the dependent variable, CMDs, was evaluated using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20); Poisson regression was used to perform the statistical analysis. Results: a total of 702 health professionals took part in the study; the prevalence of CDMs was 43.2%. It was higher in those with previous [prevalence ratios (PR) = 2.42; 95%CI 1.43;4.08] and current (PR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.25;1.89) symptoms of mental disorders, overwork during the pandemic (PR = 1.42; 95%CI 1.16;1.73), previous symptoms of anxiety (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.01;1.61), depression (PR = 1.27; 95%CI 1.06;1.52) and other mental disorders (PR = 1.20; 95%CI 1.01;1.43). Conclusion: there was an association between CDMs and presenting previous and current symptoms of mental disorders and work overload during the covid-19 pandemic.

Abstract Hypertrichosis and dental anomalies may occur alone or in combination in the spectrum of many syndromes. To identify genetic entities characterized by hypertrichosis and dental anomalies, a search was performed in the Mendelian Inheritance in Man database with the terms “hypertrichosis” or “hirsutism” and “tooth” or “dental abnormalities.” Nondependent androgen metabolism disturbances were classified as hypertrichosis. Genetic entities with hypertrichosis and dental anomalies were included in the study. Additional searches were performed in the PubMed and Orphanet databases, when necessary, in order to include data from scientific articles. An integrative analysis of the genes associated with the identified syndromes was conducted using STRING to characterize biological processes, pathways, and interactive networks. The p-values were subjected to the false discovery rate for the correction of multiple tests. Thirty-nine syndromes were identified, and dental agenesis was the most frequent dental anomaly present in 41.02% (n = 16) of the syndromes. Causative genes were identified in 33 out of 39 genetic syndromes. Among them, 39 genes were identified, and 38 were analyzed by STRING, which showed 148 biological processes and three pathways that were statistically significant. The most significant biological processes were the disassembly of the nucleosome (GO:0006337, p = 1.09e-06), chromosomal organization (GO:0051276, p = 1.09e-06) and remodeling of the chromatin (GO: 0006338, p = 7.86e-06), and the pathways were hepatocellular carcinoma (hsa05225, p = 5.77e-05), thermogenesis (hsa04714, p = 0.00019), and cell cycle (hsa04110, p = 0.0433). Our results showed that the identification of hypertrichosis and dental anomalies may raise the suspicion of one of the thirty-nine syndromes with both phenotypes.

Abstract Based on an extensive analysis of public databases, we provide an overview of the global scientific output and describe the dynamics of the profound changes in the scientific enterprise during the last decades. The analysis included the scientific production of 53 countries over the 1996-2018 period. During this period, the production of articles per year has tripled. There was a strong correlation between the growth of the global gross domestic product and the increase in the number of articles (R2 = 0.973, P

Objective: To evaluate the surgical rehabilitation of cleft lip and/or palate by the Brazilian public health system. Methods: Retrospective, analytical and comparative ecological study, with information on hospital procedures performed on individuals with cleft lip and/or palate in Centers authorized by the Brazilian public health system, between the years 2008 and 2020. The information was collected in databases Ministry of Health data. Results: Between 2008 and 2020, there was an increase of 8 (36.4%) qualified Centers in Brazil, currently having 30 Centers in 100% of the geographic regions. The surgical procedures performed totaled 68,716; with multiple surgeries being the most frequent. Complete cleft lip and palate was the most frequent type in hospital admissions. The public financial resources invested in the surgical rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate in the qualified Lip and Palate Malformation Treatment Centers were US$ 39,693 million, making an average value per procedure of US$ 577.64. Conclusions: In Brazil, public health system performed and financed, over the years 2008 and 2020, an important volume of surgical procedures for cleft lip and/or palate, which presented a polarization in the Southeast region but with a slight tendency expansion to other regions of the country. The most performed surgical procedures were multiple surgeries and mostly for individuals with cleft lip and palate. The amounts paid showed a heretogeneous distribution in the national territory. Level of evidence: Level 5: Report containing program evaluation data.

Abstract We analyzed the distribution characteristics of the scientific production of Brazilian dentistry researchers of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. The Lattes curriculum data of 211 researchers from Oral Pathology, Oral Surgery, and Oral Medicine fields were included (2018–2020). Over their academic career, 39 researchers published 7,555 papers (average, 175 articles/researcher); 3,876/7,555 papers were indexed in the Web of Science. During 2018–2020, 1,440/7,555 (19%) papers were published. Brazilian dental researchers contribute significantly to international research by participating in scientific journals’ editorial boards, evaluating research promotion agencies, training researchers, and contributing to scientific and technological development.

Resumo Introdução Na perspectiva dos determinantes sociais de saúde, a Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica apresenta complexa natureza multifatorial. É fator de risco cardiovascular, influenciado por aspectos comportamentais, econômicos, sociais, políticos e ambientais. Objetivo Investigar a relação entre determinantes sociais de saúde e risco cardiovascular global em hipertensos assistidos em serviço da atenção secundária do Sistema Único de Saúde. Método Estudo seccional analítico, com pacientes do Centro Hiperdia, no norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Dados de determinantes sociais foram coletados por meio de questionário estruturado. A classificação do risco cardiovascular (alto, moderado e baixo) deu-se a partir de dados clínicos. A estatística considerou nível de significância 5%. Resultados Entre 231 participantes, a maioria (64,1%) era de alto risco cardiovascular, associado aos dados clínicos: elevada pressão arterial sistólica (p=0,04) e maior tempo de diagnóstico (p=0,01). O alto risco cardiovascular foi associado aos determinantes sociais: satisfação com acesso aos serviços de saúde (p=0,02) e ambiente físico saudável (p=0,02). Conclusão Apesar de a satisfação com os serviços de saúde e com o ambiente físico terem apresentado resultados reversos, sugere-se fortalecer políticas e práticas de atenção à saúde, que reconheçam diferentes determinantes e previnam a gravidade do risco cardiovascular.

Abstract Objectives: to investigate the prevalence of dental anomalies in complete deciduous dentition of children with NSCL/P. Methods: this study included 75 children with NSCL/P and 286 healthy control. In both groups the children had deciduous dentition with ages varying from 4 to 6 years. Clinical examination, panoramic and periapical radiographies were performed and dental anomalies of number and shape were considered. Results: there was a higher prevalence of dental anomalies in the case group, compared to the control group. In all, 42 dental anomalies were identified, 25.33% in the case group and 8.04% in control group (p

Dear Editor, In 2020, when we searched the word "Coronavirus" in PubMed, 19,085 papers were found, a daily average of 100.9 papers/day. These papers discussed several aspects of COVID-19 pandemic, including signals and symptoms, spread of virus, risk of health workers, drugs and treatment (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/). The scientific literature related to dentistry is still limited, with studies exploring areas of clinical care [1-5], immunobiology of oral mucosa [6], and the use of social media and telemedicine [7]. However, no reports on impact of treatment and management of patients with oral clefts have yet been described. Nonsyndromic oral clefts (NOC) are amongst the most prevalent congenital abnormalities in humans (approximately 1 in 700 live births), and are considered important public health problem mainly due to the high risk of mortality, reaching up to 30% in underdeveloped countries and in specific areas in developed countries, and significant morbidities [8]. Both esthetic consequences and functional impairment, such as restriction of maxillofacial growth, dental changes, speech and chewing disorders and hearing problems, affect patients’ health and quality of life and demand longstanding treatment, in some cases for the entire life of patient [9].

Many viral infections cause oral manifestations, including disorders in odontogenesis, resulting in dental malformations. In this review, based on current knowledge, we will discuss the likely dental and oral consequences of COVID-19. In this article, we review currently available data associated with vertical transmission of COVID-19 and odontogenesis, oral manifestations, and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on a diagnosis of oral diseases. Owing to the severity of the pandemic, the population's anxiety and fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 may underestimate the signs and symptoms of serious illnesses, besides discourage patients from seeking health, medical or dental services to determine the diagnosis of oral lesions. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic could be an additional and aggravating factor for the delay of serious illness diagnosis, such as oral squamous cell carcinoma resulting in higher morbidity and worse prognosis. Several changes and oral lesions have been described as oral manifestations of COVID-19, such as dysgeusia, oral ulcers, petechiae, reddish macules, desquamative gingivitis, among others. Besides, it can cause major systemic changes and predispose opportunistic infections. As with other viral infections, oral manifestations, including dental anomalies, can occur as a direct result of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, further studies are needed to guide and clarify possible oral changes.

Letter to the editors

Associations of CRISPLD2 (cysteine-rich secretory protein LCCL domain containing 2) and genes belonging to its activation pathway, including FOS (Fos proto-oncogene), CASP8 (caspase 8) and MMP2 (matrix metalloproteinase 2), with nonsyndromic orofacial cleft risk, have been reported, but the results are yet unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FOS, CASP8 and MMP2 and to determine their SNP-SNP interactions with CRISPLD2 variants in the risk of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL±P) in the Brazilian population. The SNPs rs1046117 (FOS), rs3769825 (CASP8) and rs243836 (MMP2) were genotyped using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays in a case-control sample containing 801 NSCL±P patients (233 nonsyndromic cleft lip only (NSCLO) and 568 nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP)) and 881 healthy controls via logistic regression analysis adjusted for the effects of sex and genomic ancestry proportions with a multiple comparison p value set at ≤0.01. SNP-SNP interactions with rs1546124, rs8061351, rs2326398 and rs4783099 in CRISPLD2 were performed with the model-based multifactor dimensionality reduction test complemented with a 1000 permutation-based strategy. Although the association between FOS rs1046117 and risk of NSCL±P reached only nominal p values, NSCLO risk was significantly higher in carriers of the FOS rs1046117 C allele (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.10–1.64, p = 0.004), TC heterozygous genotype (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.16–2.18, p = 0.003), and in the dominant model (OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.10–2.02, p = 0.007). Individually, no significant associations between cleft risk and the SNPs in CASP8 and MMP2 were observed. SNP-SNP interactions involving CRISPLD2 variants and rs1046117 (FOS), rs3769825 (CASP8) and rs243836 (MMP2) yielded several significant p values, mostly driven by FOS rs1046117 and CASP8 rs3769825 in NSCL±P, FOS rs1046117 in NSCLO and CRISPLD2 rs8061351 in NSCLP. Our study is the first in the Brazilian population to reveal the association of FOS rs1046117 with NSCLO risk, and to support that CRISPLD2, CASP8, FOS and MMP2 interactions may be related to the pathogenesis of this common craniofacial malformation.

Dear Editor, When searching the scientific literature COVID-19-associated syndromes in addition to syndromes middle eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), some cardiovascular syndromes and post intensive care syndrome [1,2], we found the syndromes of Guillain-Barré, Miller Fisher, polyneuritis cranialis, Kawasaki, Inflammatory multisystem syndrome, and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion [3-29]. Of these, only Guillain-Barré syndrome and Miller Fisher syndrome, Kawasaki diseases and Inflammatory multisystem syndrome have currently present cranio-facial manifestation (Table 1), but possibly others will become know when the damage of COVID-19 becomes known. Although there is no standardized definition of rare diseases, the classification of rare diseases is closely related to a definition according to point prevalence in the current political and legislative context, and such definitions are based on a prevalence threshold directly or implied. According to the World Health Organization (WOS) and adopted by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, a rare disease affects up to 65 per 100,000 individuals [30]. Each rare disease, taken separately, affects a limited number of people. Considering, however, that there are up to 8,000 types of rare diseases worldwide, when grouped under a single category, their epidemiological impact may become quite significant. About 80% of those are caused by genetic factors, and the rest by other factors, such as environmental, infectious and immunologicalones [31]. Thus, rare diseases are a global challenge that must be overcome. A multi-professional and interdisciplinary team, including pediatric dentistry, oral medicine and pathology, is essential for success throughout the process.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 impacts on the activities of researchers in the field of Oral Medicine (OM) and Oral Pathology (OP). To assess the research activities and training of human resources by Brazilian productivity fellows in research (BPFR) in OM and OP in the COVID-19 Era . Material and Methods: Thirty-six BPFR in OM and OP areas, funded by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), received a virtual structured questionnaire by e-mail, on the Google Forms (Google®) platform, with questions regarding research activities and training of human resources (supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students), during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the thirty-six BPFR in OM and OP, twenty-seven (75.0%) answered the questionnaire. Results: Most of them were males (n=20; 74.1%) and were distributed in four Brazilian regions and ten states of the federation, including the Federal District. Twenty-four (88.9%) BPFR reported having suspended clinical activities, while sixteen (59.3%) answered that histopathology practices are suspended. Twenty-five (92.6%) BPFR mentioned difficulties in conducting research projects and 55.5% stated having no difficulties in the supervision of undergraduates, master’s and PhD students . Conclusion: The current scenario may significantly impact the diagnosis of oral diseases in Brazil. Moreover, a decrease in the scientific production of BPFR in OM and OP in the coming years is also considered.

Abstract The world is looking forward to a prompt response by the scientific community in order to overcome the first pandemic of the 21st century. This study aimed to provide an overview of scientific output on COVID-19 during its first year. We assembled information regarding 60,830 articles related to COVID-19 indexed in the WoS database from January 24 to December 13, 2020. Only 4 countries accounted for about 60% of the articles (USA, China, Italy, and England) and 12 countries accounted for about 95% of the world scientific output on COVID-19 (USA, China, Italy, England, India, Canada, Germany, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Iran, and Turkey). 25 research centers around the world contributed with more than 500 papers on COVID-19. Papers were scattered throughout 6,133 journals, with 12 journals with > 250 articles. 20 articles (0.03%) have already received more than the 1,000 citations. The response of the scientific endeavor to this acute global public health emergency has been fast and robust. The overview provided by the analysis of the scientific response to the pandemic may contribute to further studies aiming to evaluate the impact and changes in the scientific endeavor for the next years in light of the forthcoming new world framework.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has limited the access of patients with Hansen's disease (HD) to care due to changes in routine health services. METHODS: To ascertain this, we compared the number of HD cases diagnosed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The decrease in HD cases in Brazil reached 18,223 (-48.4%), corresponding to an average reduction of 1,518 cases per month during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Therefore, effective measures should be implemented to minimize the damage and the consequent negative health impact of COVID-19 on the care of HD patients.

Abstract: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a vasculitis with predilection for coronary arteries. Due to a lack of reliable confirmatory laboratory tests, the diagnosis of KD is based on a characteristic pattern of clinical findings that appear in a typical temporal sequence. The diagnostic criteria have been periodically modified and the American Heart Association has proposed the most recent guidelines for its diagnosis. However, patients may have incomplete or atypical forms of KD and diagnosis can often be difficult. Because oropharyngeal manifestations are a common and important feature for diagnosing KD and recent studies have hypothesized a possible association between KD and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in this review we highlight the importance of dentists in the diagnosis of KD and its potential association with SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract The Brazilian scientific community and health care workers are working hard to provide support for the political health measures to deal with this unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paradoxically, while the society is looking forward for an immediate response of the scientific community, Brazilian scientists are facing a dramatic reduction in financial support for research and graduate programs.

Abstract Due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, many dental schools and instructors are rethinking the way they teach and interact with students. New perspectives regarding a change in face-to-face activities, social isolation and the reformulation of clinical activities result in a transition toward e-learning and e-teaching processes. In this review, we discuss some favorable aspects and difficulties associated with virtual teaching and learning, searching for available tools and techniques as well as new perspectives.

Abstract: Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the profile and scientific production of research fellows of the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in the neuroscience area. Methods: We created a database containing 542 researchers who were CNPq fellows in Medicine, of which 94 (17.34%) worked mainly in the neuroscience area. Results: The researchers were distributed in eight Brazilian States: São Paulo (n=49; 52.12%), Rio Grande do Sul (n=22; 23.40%), Rio de Janeiro (n=9; 9.57%), Minas Gerais (n=5; 5.31%), Ceará (n=4; 4.25%), Santa Catarina (n=3; 3.19%), Espirito Santo (n=1; 1.06) and Paraná (n=1, 1.06%). Although the neuroscience researchers were from more than 20 institutions, 58.5% worked in only 3 of those, namely USP (n=30), UFRGS (n=15) and UNIFESP (n=10). The median time since obtaining the PhD degree was 18.27 years (range, 5-39). Throughout their academic careers, 94 researchers published 16,488 papers in scientific journals, with an average of 175.40 articles per researcher (ranging from 43 to 715 articles). Of the 16,488 articles,12,801 or 77.63% were indexed at Web of Science (mean of 136.18 articles/researcher), while 10,166 or 61.65% were indexed at Scopus database (mean of 108.14 articles/researcher). Overall, those researchers advised 1,279 undergraduate students (median of 13.60; range: 0-68), of which 1,329 were master’s degree students (median of 14.13; range: 1-49) and 970 PhD students (median of 10.54; range: 0-42). The fellows’ median H-index at ISI was 23.75. Conclusion: It is observed that the neuroscience fellows constitute a group with significant scientific production (the fellows’ median H-index at ISI was 23.75). Most of these scientific publications were indexed at the Web of Science (77.63%) and Scopus (61.65%) databases. Human resources training are also highlighted, including undergraduate students, master’s degree students and PhD students. Comparative studies with researchers from other countries, in similar areas of knowledge, are necessary to better understand the present results.

In late December 2019, a cluster of unexplained pneumonia cases was diagnosed in Wuhan, China, and few days later, the causative agent of this mysterious pneumonia was identified as a novel coronavirus. This causative virus has been temporarily named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the relevant infected disease has been named as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization respectively. The COVID-19 epidemic is spreading in China and all over the world now...

Introduction: Bifid uvula is a frequently observed anomaly in the general population and can be regarded as a marker for submucous cleft palate. Objective: In this study aimed to determine the frequency of bifid uvula and submucous cleft palate and their relationship with oral clefts in a Brazilian population. Methods: We conducted a transversal, descriptive and quantitative study of 1206 children between August 2014 and December 2015. A clinical examination of the children was conducted by means of inspection of the oral cavity with the aid of a tongue depressor and directed light. After the clinical examination in children, parents answered a questionnaire with questions about basic demographic information and their family history of oral clefts in their first-degree relatives. After application of the questionnaires, the information collected was archived in a database and analyzed by the statistical program SPSS® version 19.0, by applying Chi-Square tests. Values with p

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the pathogen SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic in March 2020. Recently, studies have discussed reports of patients infected with COVID-19 associated with vesicular manifestations of Herpes Zoster. The objective of this study was to compare the data from the Unified Health System (SUS) on the number of diagnoses of Herpes Zoster from March to August from 2017 to 2019, with the same period in 2020, in the five Brazilian regions (North, Northeast, Southeast, South, and Midwest). The data were extracted from the public database (DATASUS) of Brazil's Ministry of Health. The data showed an increase in the number of Herpes Zoster diagnoses over the years and the negative impact from the COVID-19 disease, revealing an average increase corresponding to an extra 10.7 cases per million inhabitants during the pandemic in all Brazilian Regions. Therefore, although the association between HZ and COVID-19 is not well established, we observed in this study an increase in HZ cases during the COVID -19 pandemic, which suggests a correlation between these diseases.

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies have indicated a higher incidence of breast and gastric cancer in patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL ± P) and their relatives, which can be based on similar genetic triggers segregated within family with NSCL ± P. Methods This multicenter study evaluated the association of 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in AXIN2 and CDH1, representing genes consistently altered in breast and gastric tumors, with NSCL ± P in 223 trios (father, mother and patient with NSCL ± P) by transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). Results Our results showed that the minor A allele of rs7210356 (p = 0.01) and the T-G-G-A-G haplotype formed by rs7591, rs7210356, rs4791171, rs11079571 and rs3923087 SNPs (p = 0.03) in AXIN2 were significantly under-transmitted to patients with NSCL ± P. In CDH1 gene, the C-G-A-A and A-G-A-G haplotypes composed by rs16260, rs9929218, rs7186053 and rs4783573 polymorphisms were respectively over-transmitted (p = 0.01) and under-transmitted (p = 0.008) from parents to the children with NSCL ± P. Conclusions The results suggest that polymorphic variants in AXIN2 and CDH1 may be associated with NSCL ± P susceptibility, and reinforce the putative link between cancer and oral clefts.

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) in families of patients with prostate cancer (PC). Study design: We conducted a case-control study involving a total of 748 individuals, 280 of which had PC, and 468 were free-cancer healthy individuals. The patients answered a questionnaire with basic demographic information and family history of NSCL/P in first-degree relatives. The information collected was stored in a database and analyzed by using the statistical program SPSS® 24.0 for Windows (Chicago, IL, USA). In order to determine the association with NSCL/P, chi-square and Fisher’s exact test and odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for risk magnitude assessment. Values with p

Aims: Evaluate the seasonal influence in nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) in Brazilian patients. Methods: A case-control study, with 361 unrelated patients with NSCL/P and 481 healthy individuals, was done on a reference service for craniofacial deformities in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Information was collected from clinical records considering gender, month of birth, as well as with the seasons. Results: Nonparametric tests did not show a seasonal variation in month of birth and in seasons of year of NSCL/P compared to a control group (p = 0.902 and p = 0.679, respectively). A difference in births between the groups was identified only in January, however, was not significant. Moreover, among the control group there were more births in the months of February and August, and for the cleft group, more in July and August. The males were more affected by cleft lip with or without palate (CLP) and the females by isolated cleft palate (CP) manifestation. The ratio of CL:CLP:CP indicated that CLP was predominant when compared with CL and CP, CLP was more frequent in male patients, and CP predominance was seen in females. Conclusion: This study did not show seasonal differences in births on NSCL/P in a Brazilian group, emphasizing that environmental factors may be related to oral clefts. These results provide a basis for further epidemiological studies of orofacial clefts in Brazil.

ABSTRACT The current study aimed to analyze through a literature review evidence of association between ocular changes and non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P). A literature review was carried out in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Group protocol. PubMed, Scopus, Academic Google and ISI Web of Science databases were systematically searched. A total of 16 studies were accessed, and three made up the final sample.All three studied ocular abnormalities in patients with NSCL/P.The articles found ocular abnormalities in 6.21%, 17.54% and 1.03% of patients respectively.The presence of ocular abnormalities in patients with NSCL/P was significant in this systematic review, but the articles all agreed that future studies should explore the possibility of a greater occurrence of ocular changes in individuals with NSCL/P.

RESUMO: Objetivo: Identificar e descrever casos de sífilis congênita e materna notificados e não notificados em uma cidade brasileira de médio porte. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo descritivo e retrospectivo que avaliou 214 prontuários de gestantes e recém-nascidos (RNs). Iniciou-se com identificação das fichas de notificação epidemiológica, seguida de busca ativa nas maternidades, avaliando-se todos os prontuários que apresentavam sorologia não treponêmica positiva e prontuários do serviço de referência em infectologia, na cidade de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, no período de 2007 a 2013. As definições de casos seguiram as recomendações do Ministério da Saúde (MS) no Brasil e as variáveis foram descritas utilizando-se frequências absoluta e relativa. Estudo aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros). Resultados: De 214 prontuários avaliados, foram identificados 93 casos de sífilis materna e 54 casos de sífilis congênita. As gestantes analisadas foram, predominantemente, de cor parda, apresentando ensino médio/superior, com faixa etária entre 21 e 30 anos e estado civil solteira. Considerando acompanhamento pré-natal das gestantes com sífilis, observou-se predomínio do diagnóstico tardio, após o parto ou a curetagem; a totalidade dos respectivos tratamentos foi considerada inadequada, segundo o MS. Dos RNs de gestantes com sífilis, a maioria não foi referenciada para acompanhamento pediátrico. Apenas 6,5% dos casos de sífilis em gestantes foram notificados; em relação à forma congênita, esse valor foi de 24,1%. Conclusão: Persistindo a transmissão vertical, verificam-se sinais de que a qualidade da atenção pré-natal e neonatal deve ser reestruturada.

Multiple studies have demonstrated an association between cancer and nonsyndromic oral clefts in different populations. In this study, we assessed the occurrence of nonsyndromic oral clefts in families of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, n = 50) and controls (n = 125). The parents of the patients answered a questionnaire with basic demographic information and family history of nonsyndromic oral clefts in first-degree relatives. Statistical analysis was carried out using Fisher’s exact test. In the ALL group, 22 (44%) were male and 28 (56%) were female, and the average age was 13.2 ± 12.2 years. In the control group, 64 (51.2%) were male and 65 were female and the average age was 11.3 ± 10.3 years. Two out of 50 patients (4%) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia had a positive history of nonsyndromic oral clefts, whereas there were no reported occurrences of nonsyndromic oral clefts in the control group (OR: 12.94, 95% CI: 0.61−274.6, p = 0.08). Despite the limited population, the frequency of nonsyndromic oral clefts was increased in the first-degree relatives of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Studies with larger samples and molecular analyses are needed to better understand the possible etiological relationship between cancer and nonsyndromic oral clefts.