Resumo Introdução Soluções para irrigação nasal são amplamente usadas após cirurgias endonasais. Essas soluções removem os resíduos e crostas, reduzem a probabilidade de formação de sinéquias e aceleram a cicatrização da mucosa. Objetivo O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar os efeitos das soluçoes para irrigaçao nasal com diferentes conteudos apos septoplastia e turbinoplastia com radiofrequencia. Método O presente estudo foi um estudo cego simples, randomizado, controlado e prospectivo de 120 pacientes submetidos a septoplastia e turbinoplastia bilateral com radiofrequencia. Os pacientes foram divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com a soluçao nasal utilizada: agua da torneira, soluçao salina isotonica tamponada, soluçao salina com xilitol e agua do mar hipertonica. Os pacientes foram examinados no 7° e 15° dias do pos-operatorio. O teste de sacarina foi utilizado para determinar a atividade mucociliar pre-operatoria e no 7° e 15° dias do pos-operatorio. Os pacientes foram questionados sobre a sensaçao de secura e obstruçao nasais utilizando uma escala visual analógica de 10 cm. Alem disso, os pacientes foram examinados para determinar o escore em relaçao a crostas. Resultados Não houve diferença significativa entre o pré-operatório e o sétimo e 15° dias do pós-operatório dos tempos de clearance mucociliar entre os quatro grupos. Verificou-se que o escore em relação a crostas foi significativamente menor no grupo que usou água do mar hipertônica (p < 0,001). As sensações de secura e obstrução nasais no sétimo e 15° dias do pós-operatório mostraram-se significativamente mais confortáveis no grupo água do mar hipertônica (p < 0,001). Conclusão A água de mar hipertônica é a solução de irrigação recomendada, pois está associada a menor incidência de crostas, secura e obstrução nasais no pós-operatório de cirurgia de septoplastia e das conchas nasais com radiofrequência.

Abstract Introduction Nasal irrigation solutions are widely used following endonasal surgery. These irrigation solutions remove infective debris and crusts, reducing the probability of synechia formation, and accelerate mucosal healing. Objective The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of nasal irrigation solutions with different contents following septoplasty and concha radiofrequency. Methods The present study was a prospective, randomized, controlled simple blind study of 120 patients who underwent septoplasty and bilateral concha radiofrequency. Patients were divided into four groups according to the nasal irrigation solution used: tap water, buffered isotonic saline, saline with xylitol, and hypertonic sea water. Patients were examined on the 7th and 15th postoperative days. A saccharine test was applied to determine mucociliary activity preoperatively and on the 7th and 15th postoperative days. Patients were asked about drying and obstruction using a 10 cm visual analog scale. In addition, patients were examined to determine the crusting score. Results There was no significant difference found in the preoperative and 7th and 15th postoperative days' mucociliary clearance times among the four groups. The crusting score was found to be significantly lower in the hypertonic sea water group (p < 0.001). Drying and obstruction on the 7th and 15th postoperative days were found to be significantly more comfortable in the hypertonic sea water group (p < 0.001). Conclusion Hypertonic sea water is the recommended irrigation solution, as it is associated with less crusting, drying, and obstruction in the nose for the postoperative period following septoplasty and concha radiofrequency.

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar os resultados clínicos e topográficos curto prazo após crosslinking (CXL) de córnea com solução isotônica de riboflavina sem dextrano, em pacientes com ceratocone. Método: Estudamos 26 olhos de 26 pacientes com ceratocone, nesta série retrospectiva de casos. Melhor acuidade visual corrigida (BCVA), refração e achados topográficos foram analisados aos 6 meses de acompanhamento. Resultados: BCVA pré-operatória (linhas de Snellen) foi de 0,51 ± 0,2. BCVA após CXL foram de 0,48 ± 0,2, 0,57 ± 0,2 e 0,64 ± 0,2 no 1º, 3º e 6º meses, respectivamente. A diferença entre a BCVA pré-operatória e mais recente foi estatisticamente significativa (p=0,006). O equivalente esférico médio diminuiu de -5,6 ± 2,4 dioptrias (D) no pré-operatório para -5.0 ± 2.1 D e a média da ceratometria simulada diminuiu de 48,5 ± 2,5 D para 47, 8± 2,6 D aos 6 meses. (p=0,145 e p=0,001, respectivamente). A ceratometria máxima diminuiu progressivamente durante o acompanhamento com as mudanças sendo significativamente diferentes do valor pré-operatório (p=0,003). As espessuras corneanas central e mínima, diminuiram de 442,8 ± 25,6 µm e 430,5 ± 23,9 µm para 420,7 ± 31,8 µm e 409,3 ± 28,7 µm, respectivamente, na visita mais recente (p<0,001). Não foram observadas complicações intraoperatórias e pós-operatórias. Conclusões: CXL com solução de riboflavina isotônica sem dextrano parece ser uma opção segura de tratamento para o ceratocone com melhora mantida na acuidade visual, ceratometria e espessura corneana, no curto prazo. Resultados a longo prazo são necessários para confirmar estes resultados.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To analyze the short-term clinical and topographic outcomes in patients with keratoconus after corneal collagen cross-linking treatment (CXL) with dextran-free isotonic riboflavin solution. Methods: In this retrospective case series, 26 eyes from 26 patients with keratoconus were studied. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and refractive and topographic findings were analyzed at a 6-month follow-up. Results: The mean BCVA (Snellen lines) values before and 1, 3, and 6 months after CXL were 0.51 ± 0.2, 0.48 ± 0.2, 0.57 ± 0.2, and 0.64 ± 0.2, respectively, and the difference between the preoperative and 6-month values was statistically significant (p=0.006). The mean spherical equivalent refraction decreased from -5.6 ± 2.4 diopters (D) preoperatively to -5.0 ± 2.1 D, and mean simulated keratometry decreased from 48.5 ± 2.5 D to 47.8 ± 2.6 D at 6 months. (p=0.145 and p=0.001, respectively). In addition, the maximum keratometry decreased progressively and significantly from the preoperative value during follow-up (p=0.003). The central and minimal corneal thicknesses, including those of the epithelium, also decreased from 442.8 ± 25.6 µm and 430.5 ± 23.9 µm preoperatively to 420.7 ± 31.8 µm and 409.3 ± 28.7 µm at the most recent follow-up (p<0.001), respectively. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. Conclusions: CXL with dextran-free isotonic riboflavin solution appears to be a safe treatment alternative for keratoconus and yields sustained short-term improvements in visual acuity, keratometric readings, and corneal thickness. However, long-term results are needed to confirm these outcomes.

Progenitor cells play an important biological role in tooth and bone formation, and previous analyses during bone and dentine induction have indicated that they may be a good alternative for tissue engineering. Thus, to clarify the influence of the microenvironment on protein and gene expression, MDPC-23 cells (mouse dental papilla cell line) and KUSA/A1 cells (bone marrow stromal cell line) were used, both in vitro cell culture and in intra-abdominal diffusion chambers implanted in 4-week-old male immunodefficient mice (SCID mice). Our results indicate that KUSA/A1 cells differentiated into osteoblast-like cells and induced bone tissue inside the chamber, whereas, MDPC-23 showed odontoblast-like characteristics but with a low ability to induce dentin formation. This study shows that MDPC-23 cells are especial cells, which possess morphological and functional characteristics of odontoblast-like cells expressing dentin sialophosphoprotein in vivo. In contrast, dentin sialophosphoprotein gene and protein expression was not detected in both cell lines in vitro. The intra-abdominal diffusion chamber appears as an interesting experimental model for studying phenotypic expression of dental pulp cells in vivo.

The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionary conserved mechanism that plays an important role in cell-cell communication and cell fate in a wide range of tissues. The mammalian family of Notch receptors consists of 4 members: Notch1/2/3/4. The Notch ligand family consists of 5 members: Delta1/3/4 and Jagged1/2. Math1 encodes a murine basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor that acts as positive regulator of cell differentiation. Recently, links between Notch and Math1 pathways were demonstrated in various tissues. Expression of Notch1, Jagged2 and Math1 were analyzed in the mouse molar tooth germ during embryonic stage (E) 13 and E15 and during postnatal stage (PN) 1, PN3, PN5, PN10 and PN14 by using in situ hybridization. Positive Notch1 expression was found at the tooth bud during embryonic stages, but its expression was absent from the basal cells in contact with the dental mesenchyme. Jagged2 and Math1 were strongly expressed in differentiated ameloblasts and odontoblasts and Math1 strong expression was even maintained until PN14 stage. Math1 showed the strongest expression. Our results suggest that the Notch1 signaling pathway through Jagged2 could be importantly related to Math1, directing the process of odontogenesis toward cell differentiation.