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Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the effects of barium sulfate addition in two dental impression materials previously proved as radiolucent. Materials and Methods: An irreversible hydrocolloid (IH) and polyether (PE) were tested for optical density, linear dimension stability and detail reproduction. Statistical Analysis Used: The optical density data were submitted to Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and compared with two-way ANOVA and Tukey (alpha=0.05). Results: The results of optical density (pixel) were: IH control 45.24 f (±7.6), PE control 54.93 e (±4.45), PE 5Wt% 60.43 d (±6.27), IH 1Wt% 61.54 cd (±5.3), PE 1Wt% 66.9 bc (±5.05), IH 5Wt% 67.17 b (±6.01), PE 10Wt% 84.55 a (±5.14), IH 10Wt% 85.33 a (±5.53). On detail reproduction, polyether control was able to copy the 6 μm line. Adding 1 or 5Wt% of barium sulfate have not change this characteristic. For the irreversible hydrocolloid, the control group was able to copy a line with 14 μm, however, adding 1Wt% barium sulfate, the capability decreased to 22 μm. Adding barium sulfate in the polyether promoted an increase in between the copied lines, for the control, the average distance was 931.6 μm, 936 μm to 1Wt% and 954.5 μm to 5 Wt%. For the IH, the control presented 975 μm in comparison to 987.25 μm for 1 Wt% samples. Conclusion: The addition of barium sulfate was capable of increasing significantly the optical density of tested material, have changed the linear dimension stability, however, have not interfered in detail reproduction only for PE.

OBJETIVO: Analisar a tendência temporal da mortalidade infantil no Brasil em um período recente (1980 a 1998) de crise econômica. MÉTODOS: Estudo de série temporal tendo o Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde, Fundação IBGE e Fundação Nacional de Saúde como fontes de dados. Pela modelagem Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) descreveram-se parâmetros da série e, com coeficientes de correlação de Spearman, avaliou-se a associação entre coeficiente de mortalidade infantil e alguns determinantes. RESULTADOS A mortalidade infantil apresentou tendência decrescente (-59,3%) e forte correlação com a maioria dos indicadores analisados. Todavia, apenas as correlações entre coeficiente de mortalidade infantil e taxa de fecundidade total (e taxa de natalidade) diferiram significantemente de uma década para outra. CONCLUSÕES: A variação da fecundidade foi a principal responsável pela persistência do declínio da mortalidade infantil nos anos oitenta. No período seguinte, aqueles relacionados às condições de vida, principalmente, à atenção à saúde, talvez tenham sido mais importantes.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers were investigated in 40 incident cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in two age and sex matched control groups, comprising 40 patients with other cancers and 80 healthy individuals, resident in Bahia, Brazil. Serologic tests were done by radioimmunoassay. The study observed high proportion of seropositivity to HBsAg (42.5%) and of those presenting HBsAg or antiHBc (65.0%) among HCC cases, higher in men than women and in those aged 17 to 30 years old. HBsAg seropositivity among HCC patients was greater than in the control group with other cancers (7.5%) and in healthy controls (2.5%), corresponding to odds ratio estimates of 15.0 (95% CI 3.29, 68.30) and 33.0 (95% CI 9.13, 119.28), both statistically significant. HBeAg was not observed and antiHBe was present in 41.2% of cases, suggesting the absence of viral replication, possibly with viral DNA intergration into the hepatocyte genome. The presence of cirrhosis was associated with HBsAg seropositivity among HCC cases. A history of chronic alcoholism is shown to be more frequently related to those cases with cirrhosis. This study highlights the relevant association between HCC and HBV in Northeast Brazil, particularly for young individuals, and the high risk of development of HCC for HBsAg carriers.

Abstract Background Vertical facial pattern may be related to the direction of pull of the masticatory muscles, yet its effect on occlusal force and elastic deformation of the mandible still is unclear. This study tested whether the variation in vertical facial pattern is related to the variation in maximum occlusal force (MOF) and medial mandibular flexure (MMF) in 51 fully-dentate adults. Methods Data from cephalometric analysis according to the method of Ricketts were used to divide the subjects into three groups: Dolichofacial (n = 6), Mesofacial (n = 10) and Brachyfacial (n = 35). Bilateral MOF was measured using a cross-arch force transducer placed in the first molar region. For MMF, impressions of the mandibular occlusal surface were made in rest (R) and in maximum opening (O) positions. The impressions were scanned, and reference points were selected on the occlusal surface of the contralateral first molars. MMF was calculated by subtracting the intermolar distance in O from the intermolar distance in R. Data were analysed by ANCOVA (fixed factors: facial pattern, sex; covariate: body mass index (BMI); alpha = 0.05). Results No significant difference of MOF or MMF was found among the three facial patterns (P = 0.62 and P = 0.72, respectively). BMI was not a significant covariate for MOF or MMF (P > 0.05). Sex was a significant factor only for MOF (P = 0.007); males had higher MOF values than females. Conclusion These results suggest that MOF and MMF did not vary as a function of vertical facial pattern in this Brazilian sample.