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The microorganisms residing the oral cavity, referred to as the oral microbiome, have been reported to have an association with health and disease in older adults. In the present review the state-of-the-art methodology was applied to investigate the association of the oral microbiome to systemic diseases, frailty and ageing. The methodology includes a six-step strategy, whereas inclusion criteria were articles in English, publication period between 2015 and December 2023, clinical studies, case series, in-vitro studies, and animal studies. Results indicated that the oral microbiome's composition is crucial for older adults with systemic diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, or cardiovascular disorders. Moreover, there appears to be an association between the oral microbiome and frailty in older patients. The relationship between oral microbiome and ageing is bidirectional, since older adults experience a shift in the composition of the microbiome, whereas those bacteria promote inflammation remotely and rapid ageing of the individual. Further studies investigating the exact kind of phyla and genera of oral microorganisms are essential to better understand the interaction of the oral microflora with the human body in older individuals.

The present study systematically reviewed the literature regarding the bond strength durability of zirconia ceramics to resin-based luting cements after application of different bonding protocols and aging conditions. Electronic searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were performed for relevant literature published between January 1st 2015 and November 15th 2022. Ninety-three (93) English language in-vitro studies were included. The percentage of the mean bond strength change was recorded prior to and after artificial aging, and the weighted mean values and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Bonding protocols were classified based on the combination of MDP/non-MDP containing cement/primer and surface pretreatment, as well as the level of artificial aging performed. Alumina sandblasting (SA) was identified as the most frequently used surface pre-treatment while an insufficient number of studies was identified for each category of alternative surface treatments. The combination of MDP cement with tribochemical silica coating (TSC) or SA yielded more durable results after aging, while the application of SA and TSC improved bond durability when a non-MDP cement and a non-MDP primer were used. TSC may lead to increased bond durability compared to SA, whereas MDP cements may act similarly when combined with SA or TSC.

In late 2021, a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 called Omicron emerged, replacing Delta worldwide. Although it has been associated with a lower risk of hospitalization and severe forms of COVID-19, there is little evidence of its relationship with specific symptoms and viral load. The aim of this study was to verify the relationship between Delta and Omicron variants of concern, viral load, and the occurrence of symptoms in individuals with COVID-19. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected and sequenced from patients with COVID-19 from the Northeast Region of Brazil between August 2021 and March 2022. The results showed a gradual replacement of the Delta variant by the Omicron variant during the study period. A total of 316 samples (157 Delta and 159 Omicron) were included. There was a higher prevalence of symptoms in Delta-infected individuals, such as coryza, olfactory and taste disturbances, headache, and myalgia. There was no association between viral load and the variants analyzed. The results reported here contribute to the understanding of the symptoms associated with the Delta and Omicron variants in individuals affected by COVID-19.

Helicobacter pylori is a pathogenic bacterium and the main risk factor for gastric carcinoma. Presently it shows resistance to antibiotics and, therefore, it is important to find alternatives for prevention and treatment of this microorganism. Some probiotics, such as Lactobacillus fermentum strain UCO-979C inhibits H. pylori. In this work, we report the encapsulation of L. fermentum UCO-979C in a 3:1 proportion alginate-xanthan gum matrix (1.5% w/v) with 20% or without vegetal oil and the increase of bacterial density culturing capsules in MRS broth supplemented with calcium during 12 h to promote biofilm formation. L. fermentum UCO-979C released from capsules containing biofilm and subjected to pH 3.0 maintained the anti-H. pylori inhibitory activity. Capsules containing a biofilm of probiotics plus a polyunsaturated fatty acid rich in omega-3 could be an innovative technological solution to develop a functional food to prevent H. pylori infection.

Background: The incidence of invasive mycoses is increasing worldwide. PCR-RFLP was applied to the identification of 10 reference strains and 90 cultures of agents of invasive mycoses. In addition, the new approach was applied to detect fungal agents in 120 biological samples (blood, cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow). PCR-RFLP results were compared with the ones obtained with conventional methods (culture, microscopy, and biochemical testing). Results: The assays carried out with the reference strains (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida guilliermondii, Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii and Histoplasma capsulatum), demonstrated that the RFLP profiles were correctly predicted by the in silico investigation and allowed unequivocal identification of all chosen reference strains. The PCR-RFLP also identified 90 cultures of agents of invasive mycoses correctly, 2.5 times faster than the conventional assays. Evaluating PCR-RFLP with biological samples it was observed that the PCR was found to be 100% accurate and the RFLP profiles allowed the identification of the etiological agents: C. neoformans (n = 3) and C. gattii (n = 1) in CSF samples, H. capsulatum (n = 1) in bone marrow and C. albicans (n = 2) in blood cultures. The detection and identification by PCR-RFLP were found to be between two to ten times faster than the conventional assays. Conclusion: The results showed that PCR-RFLP is a valuable tool for the identification of invasive mycoses that can be implemented in hospital laboratories, allowing for a high number of clinical analyses per day.