Write the abstract of an experiment exploring the following prompt: \"A collabor
ID: 3511562 • Letter: W
Question
Write the abstract of an experiment exploring the following prompt:
"A collaborator of mine is a dentist. He’s been practicing dentistry in his own clinic for about 30 years. Over that period, he noticed a few diseases for which there is no obvious explanation. After inquiring with colleagues and dental surgeons, none had any clue about how these diseases occur. That collaborator reached out to me to see if I could help make sense of one of these diseases. Everyone has heard about cavities. In a cavity, the enamel of the tooth is degraded due to the acidity of the environment. This occurs on the outside of the tooth, in the visible portion of the oral cavity. What my collaborator and his colleagues have observed is different. In several cases, the teeth start to degrade from inside the root, in a region normally protected by the gum tissue. The degradation was observed in healthy individuals and in patients afflicted by gingivitis. In the cases observed, the degradation was producing circular holes in the cementum of the teeth and appeared to occur randomly. Only one tooth was affected per patient unlike cavities wherein many teeth are affected at the same time. What could cause such degradation? Is the disease already known and if so under which name? While speaking with a dental veterinarian about various topics, the dentist learned that this unusual disease was also observed in cats, but not in dogs or other animals usually kept as pets. More interestingly, in zoos other feline species such as tigers are affected while apes and chimpanzees are not. Could we be in the presence of a disease transmitted by zoonotic transfer from cats to humans and if so how? What is the mechanism? How could we test for these mechanisms?"
Explanation / Answer
Abstract : Rare disease affecting enamel of tooth in humans and pet animals like cats .
Introduction : Enamel is the visible white portion of the teeth in the oral cavity . Cavities affect the enamel of the teeth which is degraded due to the acidity of the environment . Cavity occurs on the outside of the tooth . In several cases , the teeth start to degrade from inside the root , in a region normally protected by gum tissue . Cavity affect many teeth at the same time.
Problem Statement : A number of patients was observed and followed up for a period of over 30 years. In observed cases which included both healthy individuals and those affected by gingivitis , a different type of disease was observed where in the degradation produced circular holes in the cementum of teeth and appeared to occur randomly . Only one tooth was affected per patient unlikely cavities where in many teeth are affected at same time . A similar disease was observed in cats and tigers .
Procedure : A number of patients were observed and followed over a period of 30 years. Detailed history was taken from the patients . Site and manner of degradation produced was observed and noted . Number of teeth were counted in each patient to rule out if it was a cavity . A dental veterinarean was consulted about the same disease in cats . Any contact of the patient with cats and visit to the zoo was noted . Necessary investigations were carried out to rule out any zoonotic transmission of the disease . Blood culture and microscopy was done to determine the mechanism of the disease . Oral swab was taken and sent for culture and investigations in cases with gingivities .
Conclusions : The disease affects the teeth in humans as well as certain pet animals like cats and zoo animals like tigers . Unlike cavity , the disease starts in the cementum of tooth and occurs randomly affecting only a single tooth at a time . The disease has close association with gingivitis in humans . It also spreads through animals such as cats and tigers . The mode of transmission is exactly not known , could be handling or through bites .
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