Background and Objectives: Odontogenic sinusitis is a frequently underestimated pathology with fewer symptoms in patients with periapical lesions, periodontal disease, or iatrogenic foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus. The aim of our study was to determine the correlation between maxillary sinusitis and periapical lesions using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging and histological and immunohistochemical investigations. Materials and Methods: A total of 1450 initial patients diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis in the Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa” Iasi, Romania, were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Of these, 629 still had unresolved symptomatology and were later referred to the Dental Medicine departments for further investigations. Only 50 subjects with periapical lesions in the premolar/molar maxillary area were included in the present study. All the periapical lesions were observed on CBCT and classified using the Periapical Status Index (PSI) and the mean maxillary sinus mucosa thicknesses (MSMT). The enrolled patients underwent surgical procedures with the excision of periapical lesions. The excised samples were submitted to the histological and immunohistochemical investigations. Results: The 50 patients presented periapical lesions of their maxillary teeth in 328 dental units. There was a higher prevalence of periapical lesions in men than in women (chi-square test). We observed a significant difference between the mean MSMT of individuals with periapical lesions compared to those without (p < 0.01). Mean MSMT was 1.23 mm for teeth without periapical lesions and 3.95 mm for teeth with periapical lesions. The histopathological study identified 50% cases with periapical granulomas, 10% cases with periapical granulomas with cystic potential, and 40% cases as periapical cysts. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, along with CD20+ B lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages, were diffusely distributed in all periapical cysts and in some periapical granulomas, but CD79α+ plasma cells characterized especially periapical granulomas. Conclusions: The current study observed a significant correlation between CBCT maxillary mucosa thickness and type of periapical lesion. Chronic inflammatory lympho-histiocytic infiltrate predominates in periapical lesions, supporting the idea that lesion progression is determined by a humoral-type (CD20+ and CD79α+ B lymphocytes) but also by a cellular-type (CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte population) immune mechanism.

The present studies aimed the effects of tyrphostin AG 494 and tyrphostin AG 1295 on apoptosis of mouse pro-B lymphocytes. The actual scientific literature lacks such data. Tyrphostin AG 494 is an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor pathways and tyrphostin AG 1295 is an inhibitor of platelet-derived growth factor receptor pathways. Our obtained data demonstrated that tyrphostin AG 1295 was less effective in preventing the apoptosis of murine pro-B cells, triggered by the combination of Cytoporone B (NR4A1 agonist) and Cyclosporine A. In contrast, tyrphostin AG 494 had a stronger inhibitory effect on the apoptosis of the same cells, when administered for 24 hours. Thus, when blocking the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor pathways, the inductive apoptotic effects of Cytoporone B and Cyclosporine A are reduced. Thus, we could conclude that such inhibition will increase the resistance to apoptosis of pro-B cells. Thus, such a resistance to apoptosis could be experimentally acquired by hematopoietic cells.

Introduction: In the context of the global tuberculosis (TB) burden, children represent 10% of all cases, with high incidence rates still reported by many regions worldwide. The study aim was to determine whether there is a correlation between TB clinical diagnosis and low birth weight in children at various ages. Material and methods: The study was conducted between 2010 and 2014, on a group of 1783 pediatric patients and a subgroup of 137 pediatric patients with low birth weight (LBW). Data were collected from patients' records and hospital statistical reports then processed using MS Excel 2010 and SPSS v.22. Results: The subgroup of LBW patients accounted for 7.68% of all recorded cases. Girls were predominant (total M: F = 0.95; LBW group M: F = 0.91, p < 0.05), most from an urban area (total U: R = 1.29; LBW subgroup U: R = 1.36, p < 0.05). 22.59% of LBW subgroup children were infants aged of 0-12 months. The youngest age at TB diagnosis was 1 month and the lowest weight was 700 g. ANOVA regression for LBW and age at TB diagnosis, showed a multiple R value of 0.0256, p = 0.7659 (F = 0.7659, 95% CI). Conclusions: The correlation between clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis in children at various ages and their low birth weight was positive but was not statistically significant. However, this research hypothesis should be tested in further studies on larger population groups, due to the current public health context of "End TB", promoted worldwide.

Our studies aimed the effects of some endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers (thapsigargin, a Ca2+-ATP-ase inhibitor; tunicamycin, a protein N-glycosylation inhibitor; brefeldin A, a protein transport inhibitor; paraquat, an enhancer of reactive oxygen species production; A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore), as well as some antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine; dithiothreitol, a disulfide bond formation inhibitor) on apoptosis of cultured rat mesenchymal stem cells. The analyze of obtained results evidenced that paraquat, a common and effective herbicide, induced the apoptosis of the isolated rat mesenchymal stem cells in a larger proportion as compared to other chemicals as follows: paraquat ] thapsigargin ] tunicamycin @A23187 ] brefeldin A. Dithiothreitol was effective as a reducer of mesenchymal stem cells apoptosis when was administered as co-treatment for paraquat for 24 h. In contrast, N-acetylcysteine, another potent antioxidant, had no protective effects against paraquat apoptotic effects.

Angiotensin II, angiotensin receptors, apelins and recently de-orphanized APJ receptors are important control factors of cardiovascular system. The present studies aimed the effects of apelin-13 and [Pyr1]-apelin-13 on apoptosis of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells, induced by enhanced concentrations of angiotensin II, in the presence of losartan, a specific inhibitor of AT1 angiotensin receptors type. The obtained data demonstrated that apelin-13 was less efficient in preventing the apoptosis of aortic smooth muscle cells in culture, induced by angiotensin II (in the presence of losartan), as compared to [Pyr1]-apelin-13. It could be concluded that the apoptotic effects induced by angiotensin II in rat aortic could be related to the involvement of AT2 angiotensin receptor type, other types of receptors or pathways unrelated to angiotensin receptors. Furthermore, the apoptotic effects induced by angiotensin II are counteracted by apelins in a structure-related manner.