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In seasonally dry tropical forests, plant functional type can be classified as deciduous low wood density, deciduous high wood density, or evergreen high wood density species. While deciduousness is often associated with drought‐avoidance and low wood density is often associated with tissue water storage, the degree to which these functional types may correspond to diverging and unique water use strategies has not been extensively tested.We examined (a) tolerance to water stress, measured by predawn and mid‐day leaf water potential; (b) water use efficiency, measured via foliar δ13C; and (c) access to soil water, measured via stem water δ18O.We found that deciduous low wood density species maintain high leaf water potential and low water use efficiency. Deciduous high wood density species have lower leaf water potential and variable water use efficiency. Both groups rely on shallow soil water. Evergreen high wood density species have low leaf water potential, higher water use efficiency, and access alternative water sources. These findings indicate that deciduous low wood density species are drought avoiders, with a specialized strategy for storing root and stem water. Deciduous high wood density species are moderately drought tolerant, and evergreen high wood density species are the most drought tolerant group.Synthesis. Our results broadly support the plant functional type framework as a way to understand water use strategies, but also highlight species‐level differences., Plant functional types in the Caatinga seasonally dry forests can be defined according to phenology and wood density. Our work demonstrates that there is a tight correspondence between these plant function types and water use strategies.

BACKGROUND The present study investigated the sensory acceptance, oxidative damage and protection, and possible anatomical-structural damage of cells from the surface of shapes of minimally processed yam. The tubers were minimally processed into the peeled rondelle, dice and 'chateau cut' (chateau) shapes, the latter of which was obtained after performing the abrasion technique. Control treatment corresponded to the rondelle shape with the periderm. The pieces were kept packed at 5 ± 2 °C for 14 days. RESULTS Peeled rondelle and chateau were sensorially the most well-accepted yam shapes and achieved the highest purchase intention. The enzymes were partially modulated by the detected H2 O2 levels. Oxidative burst lasted longer in the minimally processed tissues than in the control. Polyphenol oxidase activity showed a clear difference in behavior between the minimally processed pieces and the control. Minimal processing induced transient increases in phenolic compounds, for which the expression was lowest in the abraded pieces. On the other hand, these pieces exhibited greater cell collapse on the surface of the amyliferous parenchyma. CONCLUSION Based on the results of the trained panel, the abrasion technique is an alternative to provide shapes that are better accepted and marketable, more resistant to browning, and can be stored for up to 12 days. Resistance to browning may be related to a more efficient modulation of enzymatic antioxidant systems and intense deposition of cell debris on the surface of the amyliferous parenchyma. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:30:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 Background: Recognising pain in donkeys is challenging because they are stoic. Objectives: To identify the responses of donkeys before and after surgical pain. Study design: Prospective, short-term longitudinal pre- and post-intervention observations. Methods: Forty adult donkeys underwent surgical castration after sedation with intravenous (IV) xylazine, induction with guaiphenesin/thiopental IV and maintenance of anaesthesia with isoflurane and local anaesthetic blockade. Four hours after recovery from anaesthesia, flunixin meglumine 1.1 mg/kg, dipyrone 10 mg/kg and morphine 0.2 mg/kg IV were administered. Behavioural responses exhibited by the animals housed in individual stalls were recorded in four 30-min videos: before castration (M0), and 3.5-4.0 hours (M1), 5.5-6.0 hours (M2) and 23.5-24.0 hours after recovery from anaesthesia (M3). To exclude the influence of insects, the behaviour of six apparently pain-free donkeys was compared with and without the presence of faeces and urine in the stall. Results: When compared with presurgical baseline behaviours (M0), after surgery (M1) donkeys raised their pelvic limbs more (P =.003). When compared with M1, after analgesia (M2), the median frequencies of ear movements (44 vs 16; P

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcomes of excessively loaded implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS In five dogs, all mandibular premolars were extracted. After 3 months, six implants (three SLA® and three SLActive®) were placed (S). After 4 weeks, implants were restored: one single crown with stable occlusal contacts (SC), one crown and a cantilever unit with excessive occlusal contacts (OL), and a non-loaded implant (NL). Bleeding-on-probing (BoP), attachment level (AL), mucosal margin (GM) were assessed. Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) was assessed weekly. Standardized X-rays were taken at S, 4 and 24 weeks. RESULTS Similar findings were observed for SLA® and SLActive® implants regarding PlI, GI, GM, AL, and BL. No significant differences were detected between baseline and 24-weeks or between treatment modalities for all clinical parameters (p > .05). Six months after loading, RFA values were significantly greater than at implant placement. No significant differences between treatment modalities were found. Linear radiographic measurements yielded similar results between SLA® and SLActive® implants. SLA® OL implants yielded a statistically significant gain on peri-implant bone density over all other groups (p = .012). Radiographic results were confirmed by descriptive histology. Technically, loosened occlusal screws occurred in 13.3% (SC = 3.3%; OL = 10%), while abutment fractures totalized 23.3% (SC = 6.6%; OL = 16.6%). CONCLUSIONS Excessive occlusal load applied to implants (SLA® or SLActive®) restored with cantilevers did not cause loss of osseointegration or significant changes in their clinical, radiographic, or histologic outcomes. Early excessive occlusal load on SLA® implants promoted a gain in peri-implant bone density. Excessively loaded implants showed more technical complications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The aging of human skin includes intrinsic aging and photo-aging, which are characterized by a decrease in collagen and the deposition of abnormal elastic fibers. Intense pulsed light (IPL) sources are widely used in medicine to treat various cosmetic problems, including photo-damaged skin. Few studies have examined the microscopic changes produced by IPL. The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effects of IPL on collagen and elastic fibers in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty female BALB/c mice were divided into four subgroups. Group 1 was the control group (n = 10), and groups 2, 3, and 4 were treatment groups (n = 10 in each group). Group 2 received one treatment, group 3 received two treatments, and group 4 received three treatments every 2 weeks. Skin tissue was obtained from irradiated areas 24 hours after the last treatment in each mouse. Collagen fibers were identified using the picrosirius red method. Elastic fibers were marked by Weigert-oxone stain. All samples were analyzed and quantified by a light microscope using analyzer system images. RESULTS Group 4, which received three IPL treatments, showed significant quantitative increases in both collagen fibers (P

Fluorescent compounds have been widely used for biomolecule labeling in cytochemistry and histochemistry analysis. Here, it is described the optical properties of dimethyl 2-[(acridin-9-yl)methylidene]-malonate (LPSF/IP-81), an acridine derivative. This compound was conjugated to Concanavalin A (Con A) lectin and applied as sugar probe in lectin histochemistry. Evaluation of luminescent properties showed that LPSF/IP-81 is photoluminescent with excitation at 360 nm and emission at 428 nm. Con A hemagglutinating activity and LPSF/IP81 photoluminescence were unaltered after conjugation. Circular dichroism of Con A-LPSF/IP81 conjugate showed the maintenance of the Con A structure. Lectin histochemistry with Con A-LPSF/IP81 conjugate demonstrated different pattern recognition studying normal, fibroadenoma, and invasive ductal carcinoma of human breast. These findings indicate that LPSF/IP-81 can be proposed as an alternative probe for histochemical analysis.

Background Cancer is considered the second leading cause of death in the world, and for the treatment of this disease, pharmacological intervention strategies are frequently based on chemotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice for treating a number of solid tumours. The treatment with DOX mimics some effects of cancer cachexia, such as anorexia, asthenia, decreases in fat and skeletal muscle mass and fatigue. We observed that treatment with DOX increased the systemic insulin resistance and caused a massive increase in glucose levels in serum. Skeletal muscle is a major tissue responsible for glucose uptake, and the positive role of AMPk protein (AMP-activated protein kinase) in GLUT-4 (Glucose Transporter type 4) translocation, is well established. With this, our aim was to assess the insulin sensitivity after treatment with DOX and involvement of AMPk signalling in skeletal muscle in this process. Methods We used Wistar rats which received a single dose of doxorubicin (DOX group) or saline (CT group) intraperitoneally at a dose of 15 mg/kg b.w. The expression of proteins involved in insulin sensitivity, glucose uptake, inflammation, and activity of electron transport chain was assessed in extensor digitorum longus muscle, as well as the histological evaluation. In vitro assays were performed in L6 myocytes to assess glucose uptake after treatment with DOX. Agonist of AMPk [5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AICAR)] and the antioxidant n-acetyl cysteine were used in L6 cells to evaluate its effect on glucose uptake and cell viability. Results The animals showed a significant insulin resistance, hyperglycaemia, and hyperinsulinemia. A decrease in the expression of AMKP and GLUT-4 was observed in the extensor digitorum longus muscle. Also in L6 cells, DOX leads to a decrease in glucose uptake, which is reversed with AICAR. Conclusions DOX leads to conditions similar to cachexia, with severe glucose intolerance both in vivo and in vitro. The decrease of AMPk activity of the protein is modulated negatively with DOX, and treatment with agonist of AMPk (AICAR) has proved to be a possible therapeutic target, which is able to recover glucose sensitivity in skeletal muscle.

Objective To analyze marginal bone loss (MBL) and clinical parameters around narrow-diameter implants (NDIs – 3.3 mm) made of titanium/zirconium alloy (TiZr) in comparison with commercially pure titanium (cpTi) installed in the molar region of the mandible after 1 year in function. Materials and methods Ten patients participated in the study. A TiZr and a cpTi NDI were randomly installed in contralateral molar sites of the mandible of each patient in a split-mouth design. Eight weeks after healing, all metal–ceramic single crowns were adapted to the implants and patients were enrolled in a plaque control program. MBL at the mesial and distal aspects of the implants were evaluated by comparing periapical radiographs taken immediately after prosthesis installation (T1) and 1 year after loading (T2). Clinical probing depth, bleeding on probing, suppuration, visible plaque and implant mobility were evaluated to determine implant success and survival rates. Results Mean MBL at the interproximal aspects of TiZr implant sites was 0.32 ± 0.27 mm, while at cpTi implant sites mean MBL was 0.35 ± 0.24 mm (P = 0.60). Both TiZr and cpTi NDIs presented 100% implant survival and success rates, with no significant differences in the clinical parameters studied (P > 0.05). Conclusion TiZr and cpTi NDIs presented similar outcomes after 1 year in function in the molar region of the mandible. The results suggest that TiZr and cpTi NDIs may be equally used to support single crowns in the posterior area of the mouth. However, further studies with longer follow-up periods are necessary to confirm these findings.

Background In the oral cavity, genomic instability is caused by long-term exposure to carcinogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between smoking and DNA ploidy. Methods Cytological material was obtained from patients participating in the Outpatient Smoking Treatment Program of the Heart Institute (INCOR-HCFMUSP), and of the Discipline of Oral Medicine (ICT-UNESP). The inclusion criteria for all groups were the absence of a history of malignant tumors, absence of clinical signs of changes in the selected area, and alcohol consumption of less than 3 units per week. Group 1:30 smokers before smoking cessation treatment; Group 2:30 non-smokers; Group 3:30 ex-smokers abstinent for at least 1 year. Cytological smears were collected from the floor of the mouth and border of the tongue and stained by Feulgen. Aneuploidy was evaluated using the ACIS® III system. Results The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no statistically significant difference (P = .4383) between the groups studied. No association between tobacco consumption and aneuploidy was observed in group 1 (P = 1) or group 2 (P = .68; Fisher's exact test). Conclusion Smoking was not associated with changes in DNA content or the incidence of aneuploidy in normal oral mucosa.

In seasonally dry environments, woody species have different survival strategies. However, little is known about how environmental variables affect the phenology and water dynamics of these species. We aim to understand which variables initiate the vegetative phenophases of species in a tropical semiarid climate at 3°S latitude, where variation in photoperiod is minimal and rainfall is seasonal. We hypothesize that groups of species with similar vegetative phenologies, under similar conditions, are functionally similar in terms of water storage and use.We analyse the relationship between functional characteristics related to the acquisition and utilization of water, such as wood density, water storage capacity, water potential and vegetative phenology.The attributes were ordered by multidimensional scaling, and a multiple response permutation procedure was used to test consistency of the groups. Canonical correspondence analysis and Mantel tests were used to evaluate the phenophase response to environmental variables.We found four functional groups: (i) deciduous low wood density, which lose 75% of their leaves one month before the end of the rains; (ii) evergreen high wood density; (iii) early deciduous high wood density, which lose 75% of their leaves one month after the end of the rains; and (iv) late deciduous high wood density, which lose 75% of their leaves two months after the end of the rains. As expected, the vegetative phenodynamics of the deciduous high wood density group were mainly influenced by water availability. The evergreens did not show a correlation with rainfall. Only leaf shedding of the late deciduous, and the vegetative phenophases of the evergreens, responded to an increase in temperature and photoperiod. Bud-break responded to increased photoperiod and soil humidity in the deciduous low wood density group.The foliar periodicity groups can be explained by the presence of species that differ mainly in their mechanisms of water acquisition and use.

Background Bisphosphonates are a widely used class of drugs that prevent bone loss. Several side effects related to bisphosphonate therapy have been reported, including osteonecrosis of the jaws associated with invasive dental procedures and implants placement. Objectives To evaluate the influence of intravenous nitrogen-containing BPs in combination with or without dexamethasone on osseointegration of titanium implants placed in an animal model. Methods Twenty-seven male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: group 1 was treated solely with zoledronic acid, group 2 was treated with zoledronic acid and dexamethasone, and group 3 did only receive saline solution injections. Two endosseous implants were placed in each tibia, and three animals from each group were sacrificed at postoperative times of seven, 14, and 28 days. Non-decalcified sections were observed with light microscopy for histological and histomorphometrical analyses. Results Histomorphometrical analysis using the animals and the implants as unit of measurement revealed no statistically significant difference regarding bone-implant contact and bone density among the three groups. Histological observation revealed that zoledronic acid-treated animals in combination with or without dexamethasone showed expressive less bone remodeling activity at 14 and 28 days after implants placement, compared with control specimens. Conclusions The studied bisphosphonate regimens did not interfere with the osseointegration of the implants, cortical, or medular bone deposition, but a possible lack of bone remodeling of the original cortical bone may affect long-term osseointegration.

KEY WORDS Alendronate; Alveolar repair; TEM; SEM; immunohistochemistryABSTRACT The aim of the present research was to analyze ultrastructural and immunohis-tochemical aspects of the alveolar repair after the extraction of molars of alendronate (ALN)-treated rats. Wistar rats received 2.5mg/kg body wt/day of ALN during 14 days previously and 7,14 and 21 days after the extraction of the secondmandibular molar. Specimens were fixed in 2%glutaraldehyde12.5% formaldehyde under microwave irradiation, decalcified in 4.13% EDTAand paraffin embedded for TRAP histochemistry and immunohistochemistry for OPN, BSP andendoglin, or embedded in Spurr epoxy resin for TEM analysis. Additional specimens had theirsoft tissues removed and were processed for scanning electron microscopy. The ALN group pre-sented latent TRAP-positive osteoclasts and nonresorbed alveolar crests with bacterial infection.Mild bone necrosis signs were observed at all time points studied. Ultrastructurally, emptyosteocyte lacunae were observed and bone trabeculae surface presented hyalinized aspect. A sig-nificant delay in alveolar repair occurred, as wellas decreased angiogenesis. ALN treatment pro-voked mild signs of bone necrosis, despite the high dose employed. The present findings add newinformation about the ultrastructural aspect of the early repair of rats under ALN treatmentand highlight for giving attention when oral surgeries are performed in patients using this drug.Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:633–640, 2013.

Antibiotics are important therapeutic agents commonly used for the control of bacterial infectious diseases; however, resistance to antibiotics has become a global public health problem. Therefore, effective therapy in the treatment of resistant bacteria is necessary and, to achieve this, a detailed understanding of mechanisms that underlie drug resistance must be sought. To fill the multiple gaps that remain in understanding bacterial resistance, proteomic tools have been used to study bacterial physiology in response to antibiotic stress. In general, the global analysis of changes in the protein composition of bacterial cells in response to treatment with antibiotic agents has made it possible to construct a database of proteins involved in the process of resistance to drugs with similar mechanisms of action. In the past few years, progress in using proteomic tools has provided the most realistic picture of the infective process, since these tools detect the end products of gene biosynthetic pathways, which may eventually determine a biological phenotype. In most bacterial species, alterations occur in energy and nitrogen metabolism regulation; glucan biosynthesis is up-regulated; amino acid, protein, and nucleotide synthesis is affected; and various proteins show a stress response after exposing these microorganisms to antibiotics. These issues have been useful in identifying targets for the development of novel antibiotics and also in understanding, at the molecular level, how bacteria resist antibiotics.

The breathing behavior of the jeju fish Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus has been the focus of several studies in recent decades. Few of these studies, however, have described how the fish's air breathing functions in natural environments. We examined changes in the behavior of H. unitaeniatus during daily variations in the dissolved-oxygen (DO) content of the water in Amazonian streams. We recorded the mean time intervals between instances when the fish breached the water surface to take in atmospheric air and the variation in the DO concentrations. We also observed the number of individual fish that breached the surface together as well as their territory-forming behavior. We recorded the individual and collective anti-predator strategies in the presence of a potential predator, experimentally testing the capacity of H. unitaeniatus to recognize the shape of a predator. The results indicated that as the DO concentration decreased, the individuals of H. unitaeniatus tended to breach the water surface at shorter time intervals, which increased their exposure to predators. To minimize the risks from this longer exposure time, the species tends to adopt anti-predator strategies individually or as a group. In well-lit locations, the fish recognized the predator's silhouette, left their territory and took a longer time to return. We provide an original contribution to the understanding of the anti-predatory tactics of the species by describing the behavior of group formation and territory definition as a tool to maximize efficiency in the defense against predators, a behavior that until now was an unknown strategy for this species. Resumo O comportamento respiratorio de Hoplerythrynus unitaeniatus vem sendo foco de diversos estudos nas ultimas decadas. Contudo, poucos trabalhos descreveram seu funcionamento em ambientes naturais. Nos examinamos a variacao comportamental de H. unitaeniatus frente as oscilacoes do oxigenio dissolvido no periodo diurno em cinco pontos distribuidos em dois riachos da Amazonia Meridional. Nestes pontos registramos o tempo medio entre os intervalos de emersao a superficie para a tomada do ar atmosferico, em conjunto com a variacao na concentracao de oxigenio dissolvido. Observamos tambem a quantidade de individuos que emergem juntos a superficie, e o comportamento de formacao de territorio. Nos registramos as estrategias anti-predatorias individuais e coletivas, frente a um potencial predador, testando experimentalmente se H. unitaeniatus reconhece a morfologia de um predador. Os resultados indicam que a medida que ocorre um decrescimo na concentracao de oxigenio dissolvido, os individuos de H. unitaeniatus tendem a emergir a superficie em menor intervalo de tempo, o que leva a uma maior exposicao aos predadores. Para minimizar esse maior tempo de exposicao, observamos que a especie tende a adotar estrategias anti-predatorias que podem ser individuais ou em grupo. Com relacao a deteccao do predador por H. unitaeniatus, nos locais com maior incidencia luminosa os individuos reconhecem visualmente a silhueta do predador, evadindo de seu territorio e apresentando maior tempo de retorno. Este estudo demonstra a adaptacao adquirida por H. unitaeniatus em locais com baixas concentracoes de oxigenio, aumentando suas emersoes a superficie para tomada do ar atmosferico. Fornecemos uma contribuicao para o entendimento sobre taticas anti-predatorias da especie, relatando o comportamento de formacao de grupos e territorios como uma ferramenta para maximizar a eficiencia na defesa contra predadores, que ate entao, era uma estrategia desconhecida para esta especie.

The purpose of the present study is to verify a possible association between herpesviruses and periodontal pathogens in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and periodontitis.Twenty-seven patients with HIV and chronic periodontitis and 23 patients with HIV and gingivitis were included in the study. Probing depth, clinical attachment loss, gingival index, and plaque index were recorded. Blood, saliva, and subgingival plaque were processed for viral and bacterial identification. Bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction and viruses by the nested polymerase chain reaction.For the chronic periodontitis group, Epstein-Barr (EBV)-1 (70.4%) and Tannerella forsythia (Tf) (51.8%) presented higher detection in subgingival plaque and saliva (81.5% and 40.7%, respectively) than in blood (22% and 0%, respectively) (P0.005 and P0.0001, respectively). Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) was more frequent in subgingival plaque (77.7%; P0.0001). In the gingivitis group, Pg and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) presented higher frequency in subgingival plaque (95.6% and 91.3%, respectively; P0.0001 and P = 0.004). Tf and EBV-1 were detected more frequently in subgingival plaque (47.8% and 78.3%, respectively) and saliva (52.2% and 52.2%, respectively; P = 0.004 and P0.005) than in blood. EBV-1, EBV-1-HCMV, and presence of different viruses presented an association with periodontitis in saliva.No association was detected for herpesviruses and periodontal pathogens in patients who are HIV-positive with periodontitis. EBV-1 and coinfection (EBV-1-HCMV) were associated with patients who are HIV-positive with periodontitis.

Feng HS, Bernardo CC, Sonoda LL, Hayashi F, Romito GA, De Lima LAPA, Lotufo RFM, Pannuti CM. Subgingival ultrasonic instrumentation of residual pockets irrigated with essential oils: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Periodontol 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2011.01725.x. Abstract Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of subgingival ultrasonic instrumentation irrigated with essential oils (EOs) of residual periodontal pockets. Material and methods: Sixty-four individuals with chronic periodontitis were invited to participate in this randomized, double-blind, parallel, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. All subjects received non-surgical periodontal therapy. After re-evaluation (baseline), residual pockets (pocket depth 5 mm) received test (ultrasonic instrumentation irrigated with EOs) or control therapy (ultrasonic instrumentation irrigated with negative control). Probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival recession (R), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque were assessed at baseline and after 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Differences between groups and changes over the course of time were analysed according to a generalized linear model. Results: There was a significant reduction in PPD and BOP, as well as a significant CAL gain in the two groups (p

Chambrone L, Chambrone D, Lima LA, Chambrone LA. Predictors of tooth loss during long-term periodontal maintenance: a systematic review of observational studies. J Clin Periodontol 2010; 37: 675–684. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01587.x Abstract Objective: To systematically assess the factors influencing tooth loss during long-term periodontal maintenance (PM). Methods: CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched up to and including September 2009. Studies limited to patients with periodontitis who underwent periodontal therapy and followed a maintenance care programme for the at least 5 years were eligible for inclusion in this review. Studies were considered for inclusion if they reported data on tooth loss during PM. Results: The search strategy identified 527 potentially eligible articles, of which 13 retrospective case series were included in this review. The risk of bias assessment evaluated by the Newcastle–Ottawa scale showed that eight studies were considered of medium methodological quality and five of low methodological quality. Of 41,404 teeth present after active periodontal treatment, 3919 were lost during PM. The percentages of tooth loss due to periodontal reasons and of patients who did not experience tooth loss varied from 1.5% to 9.8% and 36.0% to 88.5%. Studies' individual outcomes showed that different patient-related factors (i.e. age and smoking) and tooth-related factors (tooth type and location, and the initial tooth prognosis) were associated with tooth loss during PM. Conclusions: The considerable heterogeneity found among studies did not allow definitive conclusions. Age, smoking and initial tooth prognosis were found to be associated with tooth loss during PM. Overall, patients must be instructed to follow periodic PM and quit smoking (smokers). Prospective cohort studies are required to confirm the possible predictors of tooth loss due to periodontal reasons. The allocation of patients into subgroups according to the type of periodontitis and smoking frequency will allow more accurate evaluations.

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of different root-coverage procedures in the treatment of recession-type defects.The Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched for entries up to October 2008. There were no restrictions regarding publication status or the language of publication. Only clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a durationor = 6 months that evaluated recession areas (Miller Class I or IIor = 3 mm) that were treated by means of periodontal plastic surgery procedures were included.Twenty-four RCTs provided data. Only one trial was considered to be at low risk of bias. The remaining trials were considered to be at high risk of bias. The results indicated a significantly greater reduction in gingival recession and gain in keratinized tissue for subepithelial connective tissue grafts (SCTGs) compared to guided tissue regeneration (GTR) with bioabsorbable membranes (GTR bms). A significantly greater gain in keratinized tissue was found for enamel matrix protein compared to a coronally advanced flap (0.40 mm) and for SCTGs compared to GTR bms plus bone substitutes. Limited data exist on the changes of esthetic conditions as related to the opinions and preferences of patients for specific procedures.SCTGs, coronally advanced flaps alone or associated with other biomaterial, and GTR may be used as root-coverage procedures for the treatment of localized recession-type defects. In cases where root coverage and gain in keratinized tissue are expected, the use of SCTGs seems to be more adequate.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of the chemical characteristics and roughness of titanium surfaces on the viability, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast-like cells cultured in a medium supplemented with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-7 (rhBMP-7). Material and methods: Osteo-1 cells were grown on titanium disks presenting with the following surfaces: (1) machined, (2) coarse grit-blasted and acid-attacked (SLA) and (3) chemically modified SLA (SLAmod) in the absence or presence of 20 ng/ml rhBMP-7 in culture medium. The viability and number of osteo-1 cells were evaluated after 24 h. Analyses of total protein content (TP) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity at 7, 14 and 21 days, collagen content at 7 and 21 days and mineralized matrix formation at 21 days were performed. Results: Cell viability (P=0.5516), cell number (P=0.3485), collagen content (P=0.1165) and mineralized matrix formation (P=0.5319) were not affected by the different surface configurations or by the addition of rhBMP-7 to the medium. Osteo-1 cells cultured on SLA surfaces showed a significant increase in TP at 21 days. The ALPase/TP ratio (P=0.00001) was affected by treatment and time. Conclusion: The results suggest that the addition of rhBMP-7 to the culture medium did not exert any effect on the viability, proliferation or differentiation of osteoblast-like cells grown on the different surfaces tested. All titanium surfaces analyzed allowed the complete expression of the osteoblast phenotype such as matrix mineralization by osteo-1 cells.

Propolis is a honeybee product with several biological and therapeutic properties, including antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. The effects of an aqueous extract of propolis (AEP) were evaluated on the formation of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and DNA damage in the colon of male Wistar rats by the ACF and Comet assays, respectively. AEP was administered orally at 0.01%, 0.03%, 0.1%, and 0.3% in the drinking water, which resulted in doses of approximately 12, 34, 108, and 336 mg/kg body weight/day. Animals were also given a single subcutaneous injection of 40 mg/kg DMH and sacrificed 4 hr later for evaluating DNA damage, or 4 doses of 40 mg/kg DMH, administered 2 doses/week for 2 weeks, and sacrificed 12 weeks after the last injection for evaluating ACF development in the distal colon. Administration of AEP either simultaneously with or after the DMH treatment resulted in no statistically significant reduction of ACF. In contrast, 0.01%, 0.03%, and 0.3% AEP, given simultaneously with DMH, reduced DNA damage induction in the mid and distal colon. However, 0.3% AEP alone increased DNA damage in the colon. In conclusion, AEP had no effect on the formation of DMH-induced ACF in rat colon, but it modulated DMH-induced DNA damage in colon cells. Further investigations are recommended in order to establish the conditions under which propolis produces either protective or deleterious effects.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of titanium surface characteristics on bone integration of implants, and to describe the pattern of peri-implant tissue healing after simultaneous implant placement and guided bone regeneration. In four healthy mongrel dogs mandibular premolars were extracted. Two weeks following full mouth prophylaxis and 4 months after extractions, simultaneous membrane and implant surgeries were performed. Efforts were made to produce bony defects with dimensions of 7 x 7 x 7 mm. Into these, 24 standard ITI implants (diameter = 4.1 mm; length = 8 mm) with either a titanium plasma-sprayed (TPS) or a machined surface (MS) were placed. Although implants were inserted 4 mm into cancellous bone, difficulties in achieving optimal primary stability were encountered. All dogs were maintained on a soft diet. Chlorhexidine rinses were performed three times a week. Full mouth prophylaxis was performed every 2 weeks. In the case of membrane exposure, the membranes were removed prematurely (4-6 or 14-15 weeks after surgery). Two dogs were sacrificed at 16 weeks and two at 24 weeks after surgery. Nondecalcified histologic sections were processed and histometric analyses were carried out. When membranes were removed after 4-6 weeks, a vertical bone growth (VB) of 45-61% of the original defect was noted. After membrane removal at 14-15 weeks, similar VB was observed. However, if membranes were left in situ for 24 weeks, VB was between 79% and 96%. In this group of sites, the VB was 66% at 16 weeks and 86% at 24 weeks. Osseointegration in the regenerated bone area ranged from 12% to 32% for the TPS and from 0.0% to 3.6% for the MS implants at 16 and 24 weeks combined. Osseointegration in the pristine host bone area ranged from 16% to 35% for the TPS and from 0.0% to 11% for the MS sites at 16 and 24 weeks. In conclusion, the fraction of implant-bone integration was much higher in the pristine bone compared to that in the regenerated bone. TPS surfaces positively influenced the fraction of osseointegration in comparison to MS surfaces for both regenerated and pristine bone. Furthermore, early membrane removal negatively affected the fraction of bone defect fill.

In order to determine if patients with a history of previous urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) but with current normal urinary cytology have DNA damage in urothelial cells, the single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was conducted with cells obtained by urinary bladder washings from 44 patients (28 with a history of previous UCC). Increased DNA damage was observed in cytologically “normal” urothelial cells of patients with a history of UCC when compared with referents with no similar history and after correcting the data for smoking status and age (P < 0.018). Increased DNA damage also correlated with the highest tumor grade, irrespective of time or course of the disease after clinical intervention (Kendall tau correlation, 0.37, P = 0.016). Moreover, aneuploidy, as assessed by DNA content ratio (DCR; 75th/25th percentile of total DNA fluorescence of 50 comets/patient) was unaltered by smoking status, but increased with UCC grade: 1.39 ± 0.12 (median ± 95% confidence interval; referents); 1.43 ± 0.11 (Grade I UCC; P = 0.264, against referents); 1.49 ± 0.16 (Grade II UCC; P = 0.057); 1.57 ± 0.16 (Grade III UCC; P = 0.003). Micronucleated urothelial cells (MNC) were also scored on Giemsa-stained routine cytological smears and were found not to correlate with DNA damage or DCR. MNC frequencies were higher for patients with a history of UCC and/or smoking than referents with neither history, but there was no statistical difference between groups. Taken together, these results suggest that the normal-appearing urothelium of patients resected for UCC still harbor genetically unstable cells. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 40:190–199, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the importance of root canal therapy in the healing process of severe intrabony defects. Four beagle dogs were used and 32 interproximal intrabony defects, up to the apical third, were created. Wire ligatures were placed into these defects for plaque accumulation. Three weeks later, the ligatures were removed and 4 different treatment modalities were employed: group 1) scaling and root planing (SRP); group 2) modified Widman flap (MWF); group 3) modified Widman flap and root canal therapy performed at the same time (RCT/MWF); and group 4) modified Widman flap and root canal therapy performed 3 weeks after the surgical procedure (MWF + RCT). Postoperative oral hygiene was obtained by spraying a 0.12% chlorhexidine solution 3 times a week. The animals were sacrificed 7 weeks after treatment. Blocks were obtained and processed for routine histology. Results were expressed as a percentage of the total defect length (TDL). No differences were observed when SRP was compared to MWF. New bone formation (BF) presented better results for SRP (43.4%) and MWF (53.4%) when compared to RCT/MWF (15.5%). New cementum formation (CF) presented better results for SRP (59.8%) and MWF (64.6%) when compared to RCT/MWF (19.3%) and MWF + RCT (31.5%). Connective tissue repair (CTR) presented better results for SRP (72.4%) and MWF (74.2%) when compared to RCT/MWF (47.5%) and MWF + RCT (44.4%). Results were statistically significant at the level of 0.05. Within the limits of this study, it was concluded that root canal therapy performed simultaneously or 3 weeks after surgery modified the healing of intrabony defects, impairing new bone formation, new cementum formation and new attachment.

Escherichia coli isolated from the intestinal tract of marine fish captured along polluted beaches of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were investigated in terms of resistance to seven antibiotics and to four heavy metals. Approximately 40% of the strains were resistant to one or more antibiotics, with predominance of mono- and biresistance. Overall resistance to heavy metals was 70.7%, and exclusive resistance to these elements was more elevated than resistance to antibiotics only. Resistance to mercury was closely associated with resistance to antibiotics and with multiple resistance in particular. Most of the strains analyzed transferred resistance determinants to standard receptor strains during conjugation, the phenomenon being particularly outstanding for the transfer of the copper marker. The epidemiological and ecological aspects of the results obtained are discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

concomitant AD pathology. Findings that TL is shorter even in substantially non-mitotic brain tissue suggests that telomere shortening might in part be an innate feature of individuals, either owing to congenitally shortened telomeres, or an inherited tendency for reduction in telomere length. Additional experiments examining longitudinal decline in blood leukocyte DNA may be able to further clarify the degree to which telomere length is environmental or acquired versus innate.

Background Gingival recession is defined as the oral exposure of the root surface due to a displacement of the gingival margin apical to the cemento-enamel junction and it is regularly linked to the deterioration of dental aesthetics. Successful treatment of recession-type defects is based on the use of predictable periodontal plastic surgery (PPS) procedures. Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of different root coverage procedures in the treatment of recession-type defects. Search strategy The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched up to October 2008. The main international periodontal journals were handsearched. There were no restrictions with regard to publication status or language of publication. Selection criteria Only randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of at least 6 months' duration evaluating recession areas (Miller's Class I or II > 3 mm) and that were treated by means of PPS procedures were included. Data collection and analysis Screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were conducted independently and in duplicate. Authors were contacted for any missing information. Results were expressed as random-effects models using mean differences for continuous outcomes and risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals. Main results Twenty-four RCTs provided data. Only one trial was considered to be at low risk of bias. The remaining trials were considered to be at high risk of bias. The results indicated a significant greater reduction in gingival recession and gain in keratinized tissue for subepithelial connective tissue grafts (SCTG) compared to guided tissue regeneration with resorbable membranes (GTR rm). A significant greater gain in the keratinized tissue was found for enamel matrix protein when compared to coronally advanced flap (0.40 mm) and for SCTG when compared to GTR rm plus bone substitutes. Limited data exist on aesthetic condition change related to patients' opinion and patients' preference for a specific procedure. Authors' conclusions Subepithelial connective tissue grafts, coronally advanced flap alone or associated with other biomaterial and guided tissue regeneration may be used as root coverage procedures for the treatment of localised recession-type defects. In cases where both root coverage and gain in the keratinized tissue are expected, the use of subepithelial connective tissue grafts seems to be more adequate. Randomised controlled clinical trials are necessary to identify possible factors associated with the prognosis of each PPS procedure. The potential impact of bias on these outcomes is unclear.

At the 14th Annual SETAC North America Meeting, daSilva et al. (1993) presented a poster with a similar title as thisLearned Discourse, in which they commented on the noveltyof ecotoxicological science in Brazil, necessitating theadoption of methods and organisms from countries withtemperate climates. Almost 20 years have gone by, and wedecided to focus on the same subject to assess the develop-ment of Brazilian ecotoxicology. We discuss 3 topics:publications produced and their impact factor, the ecologicalcoherence of these publications, and national regulations thatemploy ecotoxicological testing of any type or form.We carried out a bibliometric analysis of the internationalpublications in ecotoxicology from scientists working inBrazil, with a simultaneous evaluation of the impact level ofthe journals in which such articles have been published. Asearch of articles from scientists working in Brazil in the fieldof ecotoxicology was carried out using the Scopus data bankfor 1993 through 2009, using the expression ‘‘ecotox ’’(article title, abstract, and keywords)þBrazil (affiliation).The evaluation of impact produced by the publicationsanalyzed was obtained from the citation terms of the SCImagoJournal & Country Rank (SJR). In addition, the h-index,which is based on the distribution of citations received by agiven researcher’s publication, was calculated to quantifythe scientific productivity, number of articles published, andthe frequency those articles have been cited. Only articlesauthored by at least one Brazilian scientist affiliated to aBrazilian institution were considered.The Brazilian scientific production of articles indexed atScopus was relatively low in the 1990s, not quite reaching12%, whereas in the 2000s, this number correspondedto 88% from the 212 hits. The number of publications hasbeen increasingly steadily, reaching almost 24% in 2009. Thepercentage of Brazilian publications in relation to otherpublications varied from 0% in 1993 to 4% in 2009. The 212articles have been published in 99 different journals indexedto the SJR; their impact factor varied between 0.0 and 0.574(mean¼0.131). The most popular journal was Ecotoxicologyand Environmental Safety, with 23 articles; however, itsimpact factor was slightly under the mean. The h-index forall articles was 19, at least 19 publications were cited 19times; for every year between 1993 and 2009, we detected anh equal to the number of years studied. Finally, we comparedthe percentage of production by Brazilian scientists incomparison to the world, and this value for the 2000s was2.3%. This value is low for a country that has an economyamong the 10 largest in the world. In summary, there has beenan increase in the level of publications, but these numbers arestill relatively low, relative to the international significance ofthe country.The 2nd part of this Learned Discourse, from Krull andBarros (in press in the Journal of the Brazilian Society ofEcotoxicology), evaluates aquatic ecotoxicology in Brazil basedon the criteria for test organism selection; the most usedspecies, routes, types of exposures, and endpoints; and, theimportance given to multispecies and in situ tests. A total of227 publications on aquatic ecotoxicology, both national andinternational, authored by Brazilian researchers were ana-lyzed, after a search using the platforms Web of Knowledge,Science Direct, and SCIELO, and through databases for thespecific journals Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry andJournal of the Brazilian Society of Ecotoxicology. We observedthat, among the reasons for test organism selection, the origin(that is, native species) was the most used. Although ‘‘nativespecies’’ was the main criterion mentioned, 47.4% of thestudies did not report whether the species was native.Moreover, the 3 most used species were Daphnia magna, D.similis, and Danio rerio, all exotic species. Another interestingobservation was that only 52% of all publications indicatedclearly the reasons for the choice of species selection. In situassays, as well as multispecies tests, represented less than 5%of all publications. Acute laboratory ecotoxicological tests,using water as the route of exposure and evaluating mortalityas the endpoint, were the most frequent tests. We found thatthe majority of assays employed standardized tests with exoticspecies, few in situ methods were developed, few studies usedsediment as a route of exposure, and few methods weredeveloped at higher levels of biological organization. Ourresults suggest that there is an urgent need to develop moreecologically relevant tests, that ecotoxicological tests usinglocal species rather than those used in temperate waters shouldbe developed, and that adequate ecotoxicological experimen-tation that might be used for environmental managementshould be designed.The 3rd part of this Learned Discourse involves a quicklook at Brazilian environmental law that uses ecotoxicology inany manner. Three resolutions of the Brazilian EnvironmentalCouncil—344/04, 357/05, and 430/11—are relevant. Thefirst resolution (344/04) established the general frameworkand minimum procedures for the evaluation of dredgedmaterial from national waters. Despite the known impactof dredging, ecotoxicological tests are required only whenelevated concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, As, or polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons are present. However, the purposeof conducting those tests is unclear as is what should bedone with the results. Resolution 357/05, which deals withthe classification of aquatic ecosystems, also establishes theconditions and patterns for the dumping of industrialeffluents, employing some toxicological testing. However,the emphasis is on using only the physical, chemical, andbacteriological parameters (Oliveira and Marques 2008).Moreover, the ecotoxicological tests are used only to complywith a bureaucratic demand, because no penalties apply iftoxicity is found.A more specific resolution is 430/11, recently published,which is intended to improve resolution 357/05, as far aseffluent toxicity is concerned. However, this resolutionlowers the concept of aquatic ecosystems or water bodies toreceiving bodies, implying that all aquatic ecosystems canreceive effluents. The concept of water body carrying capacity

The structure of a new glucosidic iridoid, 6-epiaucubin 1, isolated from leaves of a tropical tree, Tecoma chrysantha Jacq., was established by analysis of the spectroscopical data of 1 and its hexa-O-acetyl derivative 3. Partial synthesis of 1 from its epimer, aucubin 2, is also reported.