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The tongue is able to quickly reflect the state of health or disease of the human body. Tongue inspection is an important diagnostic approach. It is a unique method that allows to explore the pathogenesis of diseases based on the guiding principles of the holistic concept that involves the observation of changes in the lining of the tongue in order to understand the physiological functions and pathological changes of the body. It is a potential method of screening and early detection of cancer. However, the subjective inspection of the tongue has a low reliability index, and therefore computerized systems of acquisition of diagnostic bioinformation have been developed to analyze the lining of the tongue. Next-generation sequencing technology is used to determine the V2–V4 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA to study the microbiota. A lot of neoplasms are identified only at an advanced phase, while in the early stages, many subjects remain in an asymptomatic form. On the contrary, the early diagnosis is able to increase the prognosis of cancer and improve the survival rates of subjects. Evidently, it is necessary to develop new strategies in oral medicine for the early diagnosis of diseases, and the diagnosis of the tongue as a minimally invasive method is certainly one of them.

The color of the teeth is considered an important aspect for having a beautiful smile and improving the aesthetic appearance. Quick teeth whitening has become one of the most requested dental procedures in our society. The laser has been considered the most valuable energy for teeth whitening. The main advantage of laser whitening is that it can be completed in a single studio treatment and allows you to focus on a single tooth or even a selected part of a tooth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the whitening effect of the 810 nm laser light, without the addition of hydrogen peroxide gel, on a devitalized and dyschromic dental element with aesthetic value.

The high share of renewables has a significant role in decarbonization targets. However, it increases the intermittency of the power supply and disrupts the optimal operation and grid reliability. This raises the costs for the system and the end-users. To avoid such costs, distributed and dispatchable power generation technologies like small scale combined heat and power systems (CHP) should be promoted to avoid transmission losses and fulfill the energy needs of customers. In this regard, micro gas turbine (MGT) technology can be considered a promising and attractive solution through its environmentally friendly operation and fuel flexibility. Within the scope of this paper, such a solution is proposed as a system consisting of MGTs for CHP purposes to capture the advantage derived from the potential gap between electricity and gas tariff prices for public organizations in Italy. The analyses are based on expected spot power and gas prices traded on the forward markets and actual tariff prices to show the real potential. A specific case study, consisting of 14 buildings of the University of Genoa (UniGe) in Italy has been studied, focusing on using MGTs for CHP as an alternative for the existing energy solution which is electricity and natural gas import from the national grid. A real-time energy monitoring system for the buildings is available at present. The proposed system considers all data points for the consumption and generation capacity of MGTs and optimizes the operational schedule of MGTs based on the electricity and heat demand together with the power and gas prices according to the time zones. Then a comparison is made between the current situation, which is the electricity import from the grid with a variable tariff; and the proposed system, based on net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), return on investment (ROI), and payback period. Further analysis is performed to demonstrate the opportunities to use hydrogen as an alternative fuel in MGTs and breakeven hydrogen price is calculated to show where it becomes more attractive than natural gas for this case.

Resumo da biografia do entrevistado: Durval Muniz Albuquerque Júnior possui graduação em Licenciatura Plena em História pela Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (1982), mestrado em História pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1988) e doutorado em História pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas (1994). Pós- Doutorado em Educação pela Universidade de Barcelona e em Teoria e Filosofia da História pela Universidade de Coimbra. Professor titular aposentado da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Atualmente é professor visitante da Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, professor permanente dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em História da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco e Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Bolsista de Produtividade em Pesquisa 1A do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). Coordena o Corpus: grupo de estudos e pesquisas em história dos corpos e das sensibilidades; faz parte do Histor: Núcleo de estudos de teoria da história e história da historiografia e do grupo de pesquisa em História dos Sertões. Tem experiência na área de História, com ênfase em Teoria e Filosofia da História, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: gênero, nordeste, masculinidade, identidade, cultura, biografia histórica, produção de subjetividades e história das sensibilidades.

Background: Supernumerary teeth are present in 0,2-3% of the population. Multiple supernumeraries are often associated with syndromes such as cleidocranial dysplasia and Gardner's syndrome. They often hinder the permanent eruption’s teeth, causing cavities, periodontal lesions, pulp necrosis, and in some cases follicular cysts. Reactive lesions such as fibroma, local fibrous hyperplasia, pyogenic granuloma, and peripheral ossifying fibroma are frequent gingival lesions. Materials and Methods: We reported a case of a 9 years old patient with the missed eruption of a permanent element caused by a supernumerary tooth, associated with an exophytic palatine lesion. The deciduous incisor was still present and the supernumerary included. It was decided to proceed with the extraction of the deciduous and to wait for scheduling checks every two months. After a few months, the conoid shape supernumerary tooth erupted in the maxillary arch, so a fixed orthodontic therapy was performed to create the space for the central incisor’s eruption. Results: After a few months, the tooth began to erupt in the arch thanks to orthodontic traction. The patient was instructed to correct and specific oral hygiene maneuvers to lower the plaque index and try to reduce gingival hypertrophy. Conclusion: Supernumerary teeth often hinder the eruption and development of the related permanent tooth causing localized periodontal problems. Corrective fixed orthodontics requires more strict oral hygiene to avoid periodontal complications.

In the oral cavity, the most frequent gum diseases are those of the mucous type, but also those that are less often correctly diagnosed. In fact, many of them appear in a completely similar way and are morphologically difficult to distinguish, even when they are determined by various factors, different in etiology and pathogenesis. We present a case of atypical gingival swelling unrelated to plaque and tartar, successfully treated in the long term with the probiotics Lactobacillus reuteri(L. reuteri).

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is on the rise among patients taking long-term antiresorptive drugs. The primary goal of treatment in osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ) should be to improve the patient's quality of life by managing pain and infections, preventing the development of new lesions and slowing the progression of the disease. In recent years, the use of the laser for MRONJ treatment has spread, thanks to the practical administration and the widely reported beneficial effects on tissue healing. This literature overview sought to clarify whether low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has positive effects on the treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw. Our results show that treatment modalities, including LLLT, were associated with superior outcomes in terms of cure or improvement of antiresorptive drugs-related osteonecrosis of jaw lesions compared to conventional surgical and / or conservative drug therapy alone. It can be concluded that combined treatment with antibiotics, minimally invasive surgery (including laser surgery) and LLLT in the early stages of the disease should be the gold standard for management to MRONJ.

Skeletal complications caused by osteoporosis or bone metastases are associated with considerable pain, increased mortality and reduced quality of life. Agents that prevent bone resorption, such as bisphosphonates or denosumab, can reduce the risk of fractures and are widely used in patients with osteoporosis or bone cancer metastases. Drug-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a rare but potentially serious adverse event associated with cumulative high doses of bisphosphonates or denosumab. MRONJ is a known potential side effect of long-term bisphosphonate therapy. Other risk factors for osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) ​​include the use of glucocorticoids, maxillary or mandibular bone surgery, poor oral hygiene, chronic inflammation, diabetes mellitus, dental prostheses, and other medications, including antiangiogenic agents. Prevention strategies for elimination and stabilization of oral disease include completion of necessary oral surgery prior to initiation of antiresorptive drug therapy, use of antibiotics before and / or after the procedure, and rinsing of the mouth with chlorhexidine antimicrobial, adequate wound healing after tooth extraction and maintenance of good oral hygiene. The primary goal of treatment should be to improve the patient's quality of life by managing pain and infections, preventing the development of new lesions and slowing the progression of the disease. As a multi-professional team, dentists and dental hygienists play a key role in the primary prevention of MRONJ. However, the need for a standardized multidisciplinary approach, with a sustained dialogue between the specialists involved, should always be adopted in order to improve the effectiveness of preventive strategies and improve the patient's quality of life. This treatise describes the preventive treatment and management of patients with this condition.