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The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the immediate analgesic effects of two applications of short-wave diathermy (SWD) in individuals with chronic low back pain. Randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. A total of 159 participants with chronic low back pain will be randomized in three groups: pulsed mode SWD, continuous mode SWD and placebo. SWD will be applied only once for 30 min. The primary outcomes: intensity and quality of pain. Secondary outcomes: depression and anxiety; perception of global improvement; patient satisfaction; disability and influence of psychosocial factors, strength of the lower limbs and the mobility of the posterior chain. Patients will be evaluated before and after the session and 1 week after. Trial registration number: RBR-2k58f5h Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC).

This article aims to analyze the notes and opinions issued by the University Councils of the Federal Institutions of Higher Education (FIHE) of Minas Gerais about the Entrepreneurial and Innovative Institutes and Universities - FUTURE-SE Program presented in 2019. The problem what is central to the research is to analyze whether the project has already been rejected or whether the Universities presented questions and suggestions for possible acceptance of the program. As for the methodology, a qualitative research was carried out. Regarding the objective, the research can be classified as descriptive, focusing on the use of bibliographic based research and on the analysis of documents provided on the IFES websites. It is concluded that the majority of the IFES rejected or had reservations about the program. Keywords: notes, opinions, FIHE, Future-se. Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar las notas y opiniones emitidas por los Consejos Universitarios de las Instituciones Federales de Educación Superior (IFES) de Minas Gerais sobre los Institutos y Universidades Emprendedoras e Innovadoras - Programa FUTURE-SE presentado en 2019. El problema Lo central de la investigación es analizar si el proyecto ya ha sido rechazado o si las universidades presentaron preguntas y sugerencias para una posible aceptación del programa. En cuanto a la metodología, se realizó una investigación cualitativa. Con respecto al objetivo, la investigación se puede clasificar como descriptiva, centrándose en el uso de la investigación basada en la bibliografía y en el análisis de los documentos proporcionados en los sitios web de IFES. Se concluye que la mayoría de los IFES rechazaron o tenían reservas sobre el programa. Palabras clave: notas, opiniones, IFES, Future-se. O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar as notas e pareceres emitidas pelos Conselhos Universitários das Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior (IFES) de Minas Gerais acerca do Programa Institutos e Universidades Empreendedoras e Inovadoras – FUTURE-SE apresentadas no ano de 2019. O problema central da pesquisa é analisar se já houve rejeição do projeto ou se as Universidades apresentaram questionamentos e sugestões para uma possível aceitação do programa. Quanto a metodologia, foi realizada uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa. No que tange ao objetivo, a pesquisa pode ser classificada descritiva, com enfoque na utilização da pesquisa de base bibliográfica e na análise de documentos fornecidas nos sites das IFES. Conclui-se que a maioria das IFES rejeitaram ou apresentaram ressalvas quanto ao programa. Palavras-chaves: notas, pareceres, IFES, Future-se. &nbsp

The dimensions of amorphized regions in phase-change memory cells are critical parameters to design devices for different applications. However, these dimensions are difficult to be determined by direct imaging. In this work, the length of amorphized regions in multiple identical Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) line cells was extracted from electrical measurements. After each cell was programmed to an amorphous state, a sequence of increasing-amplitude post-reset voltage pulses separated by low-amplitude read DC sweeps was applied. When a post-reset voltage pulse with sufficient amplitude was applied to a given cell, the measured current and the post-pulse resistance increased drastically, indicating that the cell re-amorphized after threshold switching, melting, and quenching. The amorphized length was calculated using the measured voltage at which the threshold switching occurred and the expected drifted threshold field at that time. The measured threshold voltage values and, hence, the extracted amorphized length, generally increase linearly with the programmed resistance levels. However, significant variability arises from the intrinsically unique crystallization and amorphization processes in these devices. For example, cells programmed to an amorphous resistance of approx. 50 MΩ show threshold voltage values of 5.5–7.5 V, corresponding to amorphized length values of 290–395 nm. This unpredictable programming feature in phase-change memory devices can be utilized in hardware security applications.

Evaluate, through a randomized clinical trial, the efficacy of brushing associated with oral irrigation in maintaining implant and overdenture hygiene. Thirty-eight participants, who had a clinically acceptable conventional maxillary complete denture and mandibular overdenture retained by either implants or mini-implants using an O-ring-retained system, were enrolled to participate in the study. They were instructed to use two different hygiene methods, in a random sequence for a period of 14 days, with a 7-day wash-out interposed period: (I) mechanical brushing (MB); (II) association of mechanical brushing with oral irrigation (WP). Biofilms from both subgingival sulci and overdentures were collected and processed by Checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization method at baseline and after using the proposed hygiene protocols. Comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon test and Friedman test with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate, followed by Conover post-hoc test (α = 0.05). In the subgingival sulci-related biofilm, a lower number of microbial cells were detected, after WP compared to the MB method (P

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a potentially pathogenic bacterium that occurs naturally in estuarine environments worldwide. This research aimed to investigate the occurrence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in estuarine environments and determine the virulence profile in aquaculture environment by molecular techniques and conventional microbiological methods. The analysis included 64 samples of water (n=32) and sediment (n=32) collected in estuaries. The samples yielded 64 strains suspected to be V. parahaemolyticus. The isolates were submitted to biochemical identification using a dichotomous key and PCR for the detection of the species-specific gene tl. Virulence was assessed by testing for urea hydrolysis and ?-hemolysis in erythrocytes (Kanagawa phenomenon) and simultaneous detection of the genes tdh and trh. All but one of the isolates (63/64) were confirmed to be V. parahaemolyticus by genotypic detection of tl. The genes tdh and trh were detected in 57 and 19 isolates, respectively. The Kanagawa test was positive for 51 isolates. Only one isolate was positive for urease. The incidence of tdh/trh-positivity was very high in strains isolated from the environment. The present study demonstrates that the necessity to improve the knowledge of the ecology and pathogeny of V. parahaemolyticus.

Even though Critical Thinking (CT) is an important goal for higher education institutions and labour market professionals, studies dealing with employers’ perceptions on CT meaning and envisioning ...

Autonomous navigation in unstructured environments is a common topic of research, being motivated by robotic competitions and involving several sets of skills. We present a modular architecture to integrate different components for path planning and navigation of an autonomous mobile robot. This architecture was developed in order to participate in the RoboMagellan competition hosted by RoboGames. It is divided in the organizational, functional and executive levels in order to secure that the developed system has programmability, autonomy, adaptability and extensibility. Global and local localization strategies use unscented and extended Kalman filters (UKF and EKF) to fuse data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, inertial measurement unit (IMU), odometry and camera. Movement is controlled by a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) and a proportional controller. To avoid obstacles a deformable virtual zone (DVZ) approach is used. The architecture was tested in simulated environments and with a real robot, providing a very flexible approach to testing different configurations.

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most challenging diseases in the 21st century and is the sixth leading cause of death. Telemedicine has increasingly been implemented in the care of patients with DM. Although teleconsultations at home have shown to be more effective for inducing HbA1c reduction than other telemedicine options, before the 2019 coronavirus disease crisis, their use had been lagging behind. Studies on physicians’ or patients’ perceptions about telemedicine have been performed independently of each other, and very few have focused on teleconsultations. In a time of great pressure for health systems and when an important portion of health care has to be assured at a distance, obtaining insights about teleconsultations at home from the stakeholders directly involved in the health care interaction is particularly important. Objective The perceptions of patients and physicians about their intentions to use home synchronous teleconsultations for DM care are examined to identify drivers and barriers inherent to programs that involve home teleconsultations. Methods Two identical questionnaires integrating the technology acceptance model and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and assessing the confidence in information and communication technology use of patients and physicians were developed. Responses by patients (n=75) and physicians (n=68) were analyzed using canonical correlation analysis. Results Associations between predictor constructs (performance, effort, social influence, facilitating conditions, and attitude) and intention to use yielded significant functions, with a canonical R2 of 0.95 (for physicians) and 0.98 (patients). The main identified barriers to patient intention to use were the expected effort to explain the medical problem, and privacy and confidentiality issues. The major drivers were the facilitation of contact with the physician, which is beneficial to patient disease management and treatment, time savings, and reciprocity concerning physicians’ willingness to perform teleconsultations. Responses from physicians revealed an association between intention to use and the expected performance of home teleconsultations. The major barrier to intention to use expressed in physicians’ answers was doubts concerning the quality of patient examination. The major drivers were time savings, productivity increases, improvements in patient’s health and patient management, National Health System costs reduction, and reciprocity relative to patients’ willingness to engage in teleconsultations. Conclusions To promote the use of home teleconsultations for DM, decision makers should improve patients’ health literacy so the physician–patient communication is more effective; explore information and communication technology developments to reduce current limitations of non–face-to-face examinations; ensure patient privacy and data confidentiality; and demonstrate the capabilities of home teleconsultations to physicians.

Sodium hypochlorite is a commonly used endodontic irrigant. It has the ability to dissolve necrotic and vital pulp tissue. It is a disinfectant against broad-spectrum Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, spores and viruses; causes biosynthetic alterations in cellular metabolism and

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T07:58:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-10-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Background and purpose: Severe diarrhoea, a common gastrointestinal manifestation of anticancer treatment with irinotecan, might involve single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of toll-like receptors (TLRs), described as critical bacterial sensors in the gut. Here, colorectal cancer patients carrying missense TLR4 A896G (rs4986790) or C1,196T (rs4986791) SNPs and Tlr4 knockout (Tlr4−/−) mice were given irinotecan to investigate the severity of the induced diarrhoea. Experimental approach: Forty-six patients treated with irinotecan-based regimens had diarrhoea severity analysed according to TLR4 genotypes. In the experimental setting, wild-type (WT) or Tlr4−/− mice were given irinotecan (45 or 75 mg·kg−1, i.p.) or saline (3 ml·kg−1). Diarrhoea severity was evaluated by measuring intestinal injury and inflammatory markers expression after animals were killed. Key results: All patients with TLR4 SNPs chemotherapy-treated presented diarrhoea, whereas gastrointestinal toxicity was observed in 50% of the wild homozygous individuals. Mice injected with irinotecan presented systemic bacterial translocation and increased TLR4 immunostaining in the intestine. In line with the clinical findings, Tlr4 gene deficiency enhanced irinotecan-related diarrhoea and TLR9 expression in mice. An increased myeloperoxidase activity and Il-18 expression along with IL-10 decreased production in Tlr4−/− mice also indicated an intensified intestinal damage and inflammatory response. Conclusion and implications: TLR4 deficiency upregulates TLR9 expression and enhances intestinal damage and the severity of late-onset diarrhoea during irinotecan-based treatment. Identifying patients genetically predisposed to chemotherapy-associated diarrhoea is a strategy toward precision medicine. Graduate Program in Pathology Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine Faculty of Medicine Federal University of Ceará Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetics Haroldo Juaçaba Hospital Cancer Institute of Ceará (ICC) Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences Department of Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmacy Nursing and Dentistry Federal University of Ceará Laboratory of Inflammation and Cancer Pharmacology Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM) Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Federal University of Ceará Cancer Cytogenomic Laboratory Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM) Federal University of Ceará Clinical Oncology Service Haroldo Juaçaba Hospital Cancer Institute of Ceará (ICC) Department of Structural and Functional Biology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) Clinical Oncology Service Walter Cantídio University Hospital Federal University of Ceará Department of Pharmacology School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto University of São Paulo Department of Structural and Functional Biology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) CNPq: 310568/2017-0 CNPq: 421202/2018-1 CAPES: CAPES-PROEX 0756/2020 Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico: PR2-0101-00054.01.00/15

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021, Despite the recent advances involving molecular studies, the neonatal cholestasis (NC) diagnosis still relays on the expertise of medical teams. Our aim was to develop models of etiological diagnosis and unfavourable prognosis which may support a rationale diagnostic approach. We retrospectively analysed 154 patients born between January 1985 and October 2019. The cohort was divided into two main groups: (A) transient cholestasis and (B) other diagnosis (with subgroups) and also in two groups of outcomes: (I) unfavourable and (II) favourable. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the lower gestational age as the only variable independently associated with an increased risk of transient cholestasis and signs and/or symptoms of sepsis with infectious or metabolic diseases. Gamma-glutamyl transferase serum levels > 300 IU/L had a positive predictive value for both diagnosis of biliary atresia and for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) and for unfavourable prognosis. A model of diagnosis for A1ATD (n = 34) showed an area under the ROC curve = 0.843 [confidence interval (CI): 0.773-0.912].Conclusion: This study identified some predictors of diagnosis and prognosis which helped to build a diagnostic decision algorithm. The unusually large subgroup of patients with A1ATD in this cohort emphasizes its predictive diagnostic model. What Is Known • The etiological diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis (NC) requires a step-by-step guided approach, and diagnostic models have been developed only for biliary atresia. • Current algorithms neither address the epidemiology changes nor the application of the new molecular diagnostic tools. What Is New • This study provides diagnostic predictive models for patients with A1ATD, metabolic/infectious diseases, and transient cholestasis, and two models of unfavourable prognosis for NC. • A diagnostic decision algorithm is proposed based on this study, authors expertise and the literature., This work was supported by a PhD scholarship from the Department of Education, Training, and Research of the Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, and by Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit (UCIBIO), which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UID/MULTI/04378/2019).

The importance of developing higher order skills in higher education students is a recommendation of several international organizations, so that they are able to respond to the challenges of 21st century society. The literature mentions several methodologies with these potentialities, including Cooperative Learning (CL), especially in presential learning environments. This study aims at comparing the effectiveness of CL in the development of Critical Thinking (CT) skills of higher education students in Portugal in two learning environments: face-to-face and distance learning. A quasi-experimental study was implemented, with pre and posttest, using the Critical and Creative Thinking Test (1.Revista Lusofona de Educacao 44:173–189) with 32 students of the 3rd year of the Basic Education Program, distributed in two groups: 1) the presential group (academic year 2018/19) and 2) the distance learning group through synchronous sessions and virtual rooms in small groups (academic year 2019/20). The results show that there are no statistically significant differences in the total score of the Critical and Creative Thinking Test or with regard to the different skills assessed by the Critical and Creative Thinking Test: interpretation, analysis, explanation, evaluation, synthesis and creativity. In line with recent research, these results, to be confirmed at a larger scale, point out that CL is equally effective in promoting CT for students in face-to-face or in distance synchronous learning environments.

Cameron lesions were first described 30 years ago (by Cameron and Higgins) as linear erosions or ulcers in hiatal hernia. They are uncommonly reported in adults evaluated for gastrointestinal bleeding, whereas in children they are only few case reports. We describe a ten-years-old boy presenting with a history of iron deficiency anemia and occasional vomiting. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a sliding hiatal hernia and a Cameron ulcer. We highlight that although a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding, a hiatal hernia in a child with iron deficiency anemia should raise the suspicion for Cameron lesions. In fact, the rarity of these lesions makes them a diagnostic challenge, as their identification requires knowledge and a meticulous endoscopy.

We propose a novel algorithm to dimension the backup elements in an optical metro network, by considering the adoption of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and wireless interfaces to realize backup wireless links. Our key idea is to efficiently find the set of node pairs that have to be connected by means of multi-hop UAV-based wireless links, which are selected based on the simulation of multiple disaster events. Results, obtained over a set of meaningful scenarios, demonstrate that our solution can greatly reduce the total installation costs compared to a naive approach, which is instead solely tailored to the restoration of the disrupted links in a given disaster scenario.

Hygiene of implant-supported prostheses and the health of peri-implant tissues are considered to be predictive factors of successful prosthetic rehabilitation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of brushing associated with oral irrigation measured as biofilm-removing capacity, maintenance of healthy oral tissues, and patient satisfaction. A randomized, crossover clinical trial was conducted with 38 patients who wore conventional maxillary complete dentures and mandibular overdentures retained by the O-ring system. The patients were instructed to use the following hygiene methods for 14 days: mechanical brushing (MB; brush and dentifrice, control) and MB with oral irrigation (Waterpik [WP], experimental). Biofilm-removing capacity and maintenance of healthy oral tissues were evaluated by the modified plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing index (BP) recorded at baseline and after each method. In parallel, patients answered a specific questionnaire using a visual analog scale after each hygiene method. Data were analyzed by Friedman and Wilcoxon tests (α = .05). The results showed significantly lower PI, GI, PD, and BP after application of the hygiene methods (P < .001) than those observed at baseline. However, no significant difference was found between MB and WP. The responses to the satisfaction questionnaire for both methods showed high mean values for all questions, with no statistically significant difference found between the answers given after the use of MB and WP (P > .05). The findings suggest that WP was effective in reducing PI, GI, PD, and BP indices and provided a high level of patient satisfaction.

PURPOSE To investigate the impact of peroxide-based solutions in reducing viability and metabolic activity of multispecies biofilms on denture base acrylic resin surfaces and for removing them from these surfaces. BACKGROUND Denture cleansers are effective in reducing monospecies biofilm; however, studies evaluating their action on multispecies biofilms are scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty-nine denture base acrylic resin specimens (O 15 × 3 mm) were sterilised then contaminated with Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form multispecies biofilms. Biofilms were grown for 24 hours; subsequently, specimens were immersed in three different cleansing solutions (n = 9): nitradine (NI), fixodent (FX) and phosphate-buffered saline (Control), according to the respective manufacturer's instructions. After applying the hygiene protocols, viability of microorganisms was evaluated by counting colony-forming units and assessing metabolic activity. Moreover, biofilm removal capacity was estimated based on extension of cell-covered areas visualised in fluorescent microscopy micrographics. RESULTS Microbial counts were solution-dependent; NI was effective against all microorganisms (P

Background In Brazil, a substantial number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and deaths have been reported. It has become the second most affected country worldwide, as of June 9, 2020. Official Brazilian government sources present contradictory data on the impact of the disease; thus, it is possible that the actual number of infected individuals and deaths in Brazil is far larger than those officially reported. It is very likely that the actual spread of the disease has been underestimated. Objective This study investigates the underreporting of cases and deaths related to COVID-19 in the most affected cities in Brazil, based on public data available from official Brazilian government internet portals, to identify the actual impact of the pandemic. Methods We used data from historical deaths due to respiratory problems and other natural causes from two public portals: DATASUS (Department of Informatics of the Unified Healthcare System) (2010-2018) and the Brazilian Transparency Portal of Civil Registry (2019-2020). These data were used to build time-series models (modular regressions) to predict the expected mortality patterns for 2020. The forecasts were used to estimate the possible number of deaths that were incorrectly registered during the pandemic and posted on government internet portals in the most affected cities in the country. Results Our model found a significant difference between the real and expected values. The number of deaths due to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was considerably higher in all cities, with increases between 493% and 5820%. This sudden increase may be associated with errors in reporting. An average underreporting of 40.68% (range 25.9%-62.7%) is estimated for COVID-19–related deaths. Conclusions The significant rates of underreporting of deaths analyzed in our study demonstrate that officially released numbers are much lower than actual numbers, making it impossible for the authorities to implement a more effective pandemic response. Based on analyses carried out using different fatality rates, it can be inferred that Brazil’s epidemic is worsening, and the actual number of infectees could already be between 1 to 5.4 million.

The emergence of nitroimidazole resistant isolates has been an aggravating factor in the treatment of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease in the world. This highlights the importance of new technologies that are safe, effective, and have minor side effects or resistance. Hence, we evaluated the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy on the inactivation of Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro. We used methylene blue as a photosensitizing substance, and a light-emitting diode (LED) for irradiation of metronidazole sensitive and resistant strains. Our results showed that only the presence of light did not interfere with parasite growth; however, methylene blue isolated or associated with light inhibited 31.78% ± 7.18 and 80.21% ± 7.11 of the sensitive strain, respectively, and 31.17% ± 4.23 and 91.13% ± 2.31 of the resistant strain, respectively. The high trichomonicidal activity of the photodynamic therapy, associated with low cost and ease of application, signalize its great therapeutic potential not only when conventional treatment fails, but also routinely in women with trichomoniasis.

Purpose To verify whether 0.1% and 0.2% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and 8% Ricinus communis (RC) were able to remove denture biofilm without causing deleterious effects to acrylic resin. Background Previous data show that denture cleansers are effective in reducing biofilm; however, they can change acrylic resin properties. Methods In a crossover trial, 47 denture wearers brushed and soaked their dentures (20 min/14 d): control, 0.85% saline; SH1, 0.1% NaOCl; SH2, 0.2% NaOCl and RC. Denture biofilm on the intaglio surface was stained, photographed and quantified (Image Tool® ). Furthermore, 80 rectangular and 80 disc-shaped specimens (Lucitone 550) were assigned into tested solutions (n = 20), simulating 5 years of daily short immersions (20 minutes). A colorimeter and the National Bureau of Standards units (NBS) determined colour data (ΔE). Surface roughness and flexural strength were measured using rugosimeter and universal testing machine, respectively. Data were compared by the Friedman test (α = .05) followed by Wilcoxon, corrected by Bonferroni (α = .005) (clinical) and Kruskal-Wallis followed by the Dunn test (α = .05) (laboratorial). Results SH2 (MR=1.77) showed lower biofilm coverage; SH1 (MR = 2.37) and RC (MR = 2.74) presented intermediated values. RC (1.10 [0.96:1.75]) revealed higher colour alteration than SH1 (0.71 [0.62:0.80]) and SH2 (0.74 [0.58:0.85]); however, NBS classified all solutions as "trace" (0.0-0.5). There was no statistical significance for surface roughness (P = .760) and flexural strength (P = .547). Conclusions The 0.2% NaOCl showed the best clinical performance and did not cause adverse effects on acrylic resin on laboratory analyses.

Some studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of Candida species in patients with tuberculosis (TB). This is most likely due to long-term antimicrobial therapy. To date, no longitudinal studies addressed the effects of anti-TB treatment on the fungal burden and virulence of Candida spp. This study investigated the prevalence and virulence of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of 30 TB patients at different stages of treatment through a cohort study. These results were compared with those of 60 systemically healthy individuals in a cross-sectional study. Oral rinse samples from TB patients were collected before 45 and after 120 days of treatment. In the control group, the biological samples were collected only once. Candida spp. were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays, and the following virulence factors were studied: phospholipase C and proteinase production, as well as Candida spp. biofilm and hyphae formation. The clinical diagnosis of TB and its treatment time were associated with the greater fungal burden (p 0.0001), presence of non-albicans Candida (NAC) species (p = 0.0003), and increased virulence factors when compared with the Candida spp. isolated from systemically healthy individuals. The results showed that anti-TB treatment time was responsible for the increased fungal burden and isolation of NAC in TB patients (p = 0.0233). The increased prevalence, quantification, and virulence of Candida spp. isolated from the oral cavity of TB patients highlight the greater risk of oral lesions and cases of systemic dissemination in these patients.

Introdução: na avaliação clínica da próstata, durante o exame de toque retal, podem ser reconhecidos nódulos irregulares nas glândulas externas localizadas na periferia desse órgão. Entre os tipos de patologias existentes, o adenocarcinoma de próstata é a neoplasia mais comum desse tecido, bem como a segunda de maior incidência no sexo masculino no Brasil. Objetivo: evidenciar um caso clínico de dosagem alta de Antígeno Prostático Específico (PSA) em paciente após prostatectomia radical e sem evidências clínicas que atestem recidiva tumoral. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo de caso clínico com perspectiva qualitativa e descritiva, que consiste em uma pesquisa em que, em geral, ocorre com coleta direta de dados, cujo o pesquisador é o instrumento indispensável. Relato de caso: Trata-se de paciente diagnosticado com adenocarcinoma prostático e submetido à prostatectomia radical. Mesmo após a retirada da cirúrgica, a dosagem de PSA continuou alta, no entanto, sem nenhum achado clínico que ateste possível recidiva tumoral. Discussão: o PSA, apesar de ser amplamente utilizado de maneira complementar ao diagnóstico do câncer de próstata, também é empregado durante o acompanhamento e a verificação da eficácia terapêutica. Dessa forma, ressalta-se que o aumento dos valores desse marcador após a prostatectomia radical, configurando uma recidiva bioquímica, nem sempre é um indício de processos metastáticos ou de reincidência tumoral. Conclusão: nesse caso, é imperativo que exames complementares, como a cintilografia óssea e a ressonância magnética, sejam realizados para descartar absolutamente diagnósticos indicativos de malignidade e para indicar o manejo adequado do quadro clínico. Sob esse viés, após uma avaliação individualizada, uma alternativa admissível é a introdução da hormonioterapia para a estabilização desses valores ainda elevados de PSA.

Introdução: o sistema urinário é responsável por remover os produtos finais do metabolismo e regular os fluidos corporais. As infecções do trato urinário (ITU) são queixas recorrentes, acometem principalmente mulheres e tem como fatores de risco questões anatômicas, má higiene, idade, relações sexuais e hábitos de vida. Objetivo: evidenciar quais são os principais fatores de risco relacionados às infecções do trato urinário em mulheres. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva do tipo revisão integrativa da literatura para identificar os fatores de risco para infecções do trato urinário em mulheres. A pesquisa foi online nas diversas bases de dados como PubMed MEDLINE, Scielo, CDSR, Google Scholar, BVS e EBSCO. O principal critério de inclusão foi o período 2015-2021 e com os descritores foram encontrados 23 artigos. Resultados e discussão: A infecção do trato urinário (ITU) é a invasão de microorganismos no sistema urinário, que causa uma inflamação local. Dentre as principais características da maior incidência em mulheres estão os fatores anatômicos como a proximidade do trato urinário com a região perianal e o comprimento da uretra. Outros fatores estão relacionados a hormônios, a hábitos higiênicos evacuatórios e sexuais e a aspectos ambientais. Conclusão: Portanto, as mulheres realmente apresentam maior prevalência, por isso se faz importante a adoção de medidas preventivas e de ações educativas, a fim de garantir a modificação comportamental profilática, incluindo higiene, ingestão hídrica e alimentação, a fim de evitar os impactos e a consequente redução na qualidade.

Background When harvested or raised within sustainable systems, products of domestic fisheries and aquaculture offer healthy, affordable seafood choices with minimal environmental impact that can help Americans meet dietary guidelines for seafood intake. However, some consumers hesitate to purchase seafood products, associating them with negative environmental impact, and adherence to intake recommendations remains low. Consistent sustainability labeling on seafood products could better signal environmental responsibility and encourage consumers toward increased intake. Objective To characterize label attributes indicative of sustainability on seafood packages. Study Design, Setting, Participants A content analysis of seafood package labels was conducted using the Label Insight product database. Characterized attributes included 320 terms and certifications documented on packages. From over 400,000 food products, 2,200 seafood packages were selected for inclusion based on type: salmon (n = 730), shrimp (n = 1,387), and oysters (n = 83). Mixed dishes were excluded. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Four trained coders characterized label attributes according to a priori themes, including sustainability. Total usage frequencies of sustainability-related labels, and frequencies of specific terms and certifications, were determined for each seafood type. Pearson chi-square analyses were conducted to evaluate statistical associations between seafood type and sustainability labeling practices. Results Thirty-eight attributes (11.9%) were coded as sustainability labels. Overall, more salmon (47.9%) and shrimp (47.6%) packages displayed sustainability labels than did oysters (26.5%), (χ2 (2, N = 2,200) = 14.443, P = 0.001). Specific terms used varied by seafood type. Salmon (41.6%) and oyster (26.5%) packages displaying sustainability labels most frequently utilized unstandardized “environmental” terms, whereas shrimp packages (36%) most often displayed a third-party sustainability certification label. Lesser-used terms included planet friendly, responsibly produced, and responsibly caught. Conclusion While encouraging that nearly half the evaluated salmon and shrimp packages reference sustainability, use of terminology and certifications across and within seafood types is inconsistent. Future studies might investigate whether more frequent use of standardized sustainability labels measurably increases seafood purchase and consumption.

Introduction This study aimed to compare the physicochemical and biological properties of premixed calcium silicate–based endodontic sealers with other conventional root canal filling materials by systematically reviewing laboratory studies. Methods The search was conducted in 3 databases (Medline via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted the data. The properties of interest were bond strength, radiopacity, pH, solubility, setting and working time, dimensional change, flow, calcium ion release, antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, and cytotoxicity. Results From 2636 potentially eligible studies, 31 were selected for full-text analysis, and 27 were included in the review. Premixed calcium silicate–based endodontic sealers followed the ISO 6876:2012 requirements for most physicochemical properties except for solubility. The target sealers also presented favorable biological findings when compared with conventional sealers. Conclusions Despite the lack of well-designed long-term clinical trials, the target premixed calcium silicate–based sealers show good physicochemical and biological properties in vitro . In general, the results were similar or better than conventional endodontic sealers as observed in in vitro and in vivo animal studies.

Background Denture-related stomatitis (DS) is chronic multifactorial inflammation, strongly related to the presence of the biofilm that is the complex structure formed by microorganisms held together by a mucus-like matrix of carbohydrate that adheres to different surfaces, including the denture surface. DS has recently been correlated with deleterious cardiovascular alterations. The potential effect of hygiene protocols in the control of DS and randomized clinical trials that address this oral condition with cardiovascular complications are important in clinical decision-making. Material/design A clinical trial, randomized, double-blind, and with parallel groups, will be conducted in Brazil The sample will consist of 100 patients without teeth in both arches, users of at least maxillary complete dentures, and diagnosed with DS, who will be allocated to groups (n = 25 per group) according to the different hygiene protocols: (1) brushing of the palate and immersion of the prosthesis in 0.25% sodium hypochlorite solution (positive control); (2) brushing of the palate and immersion of the prosthesis in 0.15% triclosan solution; (3) brushing of the palate and immersion of the prosthesis in lactose monohydrate; or (4) brushing the palate with citric acid and immersing the prosthesis in lactose monohydrate. The response variables will be heart rate variability and alteration of blood pressure (systemic level), remission of DS, removal of biofilm, reduction of microbial load (colony-forming units (CFU)), mouth and prosthesis odor level, expression of MUC1, proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), viscosity, pH and salivary flow (locally); patient-centred qualitative analysis will also be undertaken. Measurements will be performed at baseline and 10 days after the interventions. The results obtained will be statistically analyzed as pertinent, with a level of significance of 0.05. Discussion This study will provide a guideline for clinical practice regarding the use of hygiene protocols in the treatment of oral diseases (DS) mediated by biofilm. Also, it may provide evidence of correlation of oral manifestation with cardiac risk. Trial registration Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, RBR-4hhwjb. Registered on 9 November 2018.

Denture-related stomatitis (DRS) has recently been associated with harmful cardiovascular effects, including arterial hypertension. This study evaluated salivary parameters, blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV), before and after the DRS treatment in edentulous patients (n=14). Collection of unstimulated and stimulated saliva, as well as blood pressure BP measurements and electrocardiogram recordings, were performed before and after ten days of DRS treatment. The salivary flow (mL/min) was found similar at both times while the pH was smaller (more neutral) after the treatment (7.3±2.2 vs. 7.1±0.24). The systolic BP (mmHg) showed a trend, but not a significant reduction after the DRS treatment (158±25.68 vs. 148±16,72, p=0,062) while diastolic BP was found similar in both times (86±13.93 and 84±9.38). Overall, the HRV measured by the standard deviation of RR intervals was not affected by DRS treatment (24±4 vs. 18±2 ms); but the differences of successive RR intervals (an index of parasympathetic cardiac modulation) increased after the treatment (26±4 vs. 19±2 ms). Moreover, another index of vagal modulation of the heart, i.e., the power of RR interval spectra at high-frequency, was also markedly higher after the DRS treatment (236±63 vs. 135±32 ms 2 ). Overall, these findings strongly suggest that the DRS is associated with an autonomic imbalance, particularly with sympathetic overactivity. Therefore, the DRS may be significantly harmful, increasing cardiovascular risk and the incidence of several diseases, for instance, arterial hypertension.

Security has become a crucial concern in hardware design due to the growing need for protection in everyday financial transactions and exchanges of private information. Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) utilize the inevitable manufacturing process variations to provide a unique way to verify trusted users. Improvements in attack methods over the years have recently moved the field of PUFs from traditional silicon devices toward emerging nonvolatile resistive switching memories. Due to the intrinsic programming variability in resistive switching memory mechanisms, together with the high endurance of these devices, unpredictable and reconfigurable PUF challenge-response pairs can be achieved for a very large number of times. In the case of phase change memories (PCMs), cell-to-cell and cycle-to-cycle programming variability is the result of the random atomic structures created after the rapid quench from melt during the reset programming and the stochastic distribution and orientation of seed crystals nucleated in an amorphous plug during the set operation. This programming variability, which comes in addition to the process variations present in any technology, is an important advantage of PCM (and other resistive switching memory technologies) for implementations of PUFs and other hardware security primitives. In this chapter, we review some of the work on conventional CMOS-based PUFs, the operation principles of PCM devices, and recent reports on PCM-based PUFs that utilize programming variability.

Disordered systems or materials with intrinsic variability in some measurable quantity are recently being considered for hardware security applications like physical unclonable functions or PUFs. An inexpensive optical PUF system based on a dense nanoforest of ZnO nanorods is presented here. A relatively concentrated seed solution used in the synthesis process results in these high density nanorods grown mostly in the upright direction with some vertical hollow spots in between neighboring nanorods. This nanorod arrangement grown on optically reflective substrates works as a nano-porous thin film and produces Fabry-Perot fringes under perpendicularly incident focused white light. The local variations in density, height, diameter, orientation angle, and hexagonal perfection of the ZnO nanorods give rise to unique and reproducible scattering light spectra that vary significantly from one spot on the sample to another. Over 1500 optical measurements are performed to show the strongly variable optical characteristics. These distinct spectra show promise as the raw responses for ZnO-based optical PUFs.

Hardware security primitives such as physical obfuscated keys (POKs) allow tamper-resistant storage of random keys based on manufacturing or physical variability. The output bits of existing POK designs need to be first corrected due to measurement noise using error correction methods and then de-correlated by privacy amplification processes. These additional requirements increase the hardware overhead and reduce the efficiency of the system. In this work, we propose an intrinsically reliable POK design capable of generating random bits by exploiting the limits of the lithographic process for a given technology. Our design does not require any error correction and requires only XOR circuits for privacy amplification which reduces the hardware overhead of the whole system.

Breach of security due to unauthorized access to electronic hardware devices or chips has recently become a serious concern for the internet-connected daily activities. Imaging with electron microscopy is one of the invasive techniques used to gain knowledge about a chip layout and extract secret information by the attackers. Automatic destruction or disturbance of the secret key during such invasive attacks are required to ensure protection against these attacks. We have characterized the disturbance caused to programmed phase change memory (PCM) cells by the imaging electron beam during scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in terms of the measured cell resistance. A sudden increase of resistance is observed on all imaged amorphous cells while the cells programmed to intermediate states show either abrupt increase or erratic decrease. These erratic disturbances of state are promising to mislead an attacker that is trying to acquire a stored key and leave indelible marks of tampering. Since PCM is recently being considered for implementation of various hardware security primitives, these beam-induced state change and tamper-evidence features enhance security of PCM devices against physical attacks.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory process following direct pulp capping during pregnancy. This experimental study involved 48 maxillary first molars of female Wistar rats. The procedures were performed in pregnant and non-pregnant animals (n =20 each). Direct pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and restoration with a light-cured resin composite was performed in half of exposed pulp specimens. In the other half of specimens, light-cured composite was placed directly on the exposed pulp. In the control groups (n=4 each), no intervention was performed. Animals were euthanized at 3 and 7 days. All sections (three per slide) were viewed under an optical microscope. One previously calibrated pathologist performed descriptive analysis and assigned scores for inflammatory response and tissue organization adjacent to the pulp exposure. The Kappa value for intra-examiner variability was 0.91. At 3 days, in animals treated with MTA, inflammatory infiltrate was absent in non-pregnant animals while mild inflammatory infiltrate was observed in some pregnant animals. The inflammatory response ranged from mild to severe in both groups treated with composite alone. At 7 days, the inflammatory response was more intense in pregnant than in non-pregnant animals treated with MTA; while this difference were not evident in animals treated with composite alone. In conclusion, pregnancy may not influence the inflammatory process following direct pulp capping with light-cured resin composite, which was always harmful to the pulp; while the tissue response after the direct pulp with MTA were more favorable in non-pregnant animals. Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o processo inflamatório do tecido pulpar após o capeamento pulpar direto, realizado durante a gestação. Este estudo experimental envolveu 48 primeiros molares superiores de ratos Wistar fêmeas. Os procedimentos foram realizados em animais prenhes e não prenhes (n=20). Após as exposições pulpares, o capeamento pulpar direto foi efetuado com agregado trióxido mineral (MTA) ou restauração direta com resina composta. Nos grupos controle (n=4), nenhuma intervenção foi realizada. Os animais foram submetidos à eutanásia após 3 e 7 dias. Todos os cortes foram avaliados através de um microscópio ótico. Um patologista previamente calibrado realizou analise histológica descritiva e estabeleceu escores para intensidade da resposta inflamatória e para o grau de organização tecidual na região adjacente à exposição pulpar. O valor de Kappa intra-examinador foi 0,91. No período experimental de 3 dias, nos animais tratados com MTA, o infiltrado inflamatório estava ausente nos não prenhes, enquanto infiltrado inflamatório moderado estava presente nos animais prenhes. A resposta inflamatória variou de moderada a severa em ambos os grupos tratados apenas com resina composta. Após o periodo experimental de 7 dias, a resposta inflamatória foi mais intensa nos animais prenhes que nos não prenhes do grupo do MTA, enquanto esta diferença não foi tão evidente nos animais que receberam capeamento pulpar direto com resina composta. Pode-se concluir, que a gestação pode não exercer influência no processo inflamatório do tecido pulpar após proteção pulpar direta com resina composta; a qual foi sempre danosa aos tecidos pulpares. No entanto, a resposta tecidual ao capeamento pulpar com MTA foi mais favorável nos animais não prenhes.

The WUDAPT (World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools project goal is to capture consistent information on urban form and function for cities worldwide that can support urban weather, climate, hydrology and air quality modeling. These data are provided as urban canopy parameters (UCPs) as used by weather, climate and air quality models to simulate the effects of urban surfaces on the overlying atmosphere. Information is stored with different levels of detail (LOD). With higher LOD greater spatial precision is provided. At the lowest LOD, Local Climate Zones (LCZ) with nominal UCP ranges is provided (order 100 m or more). To describe the spatial heterogeneity present in cities with great specificity at different urban scales we introduce the Digital Synthetic City (DSC) tool to generate UCPs at any desired scale meeting the fit-for-purpose goal of WUDAPT. 3D building and road elements of entire city landscapes are simulated based on readily available data. Comparisons with real-world urban data are very encouraging. It is customized (C-DSC) to incorporate each city's unique building morphologies based on unique types, variations and spatial distribution of building typologies, architecture features, construction materials and distribution of green and pervious surfaces. The C-DSC uses crowdsourcing methods and sampling within city Testbeds from around the world. UCP data can be computed from synthetic images at selected grid sizes and stored such that the coded string provides UCP values for individual grid cells.

Promoting students’ Critical Thinking (CT) in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) has been an essential and challenging goal in the 21st century. This exploratory research study attempted to characterize how CT is being fostered in Portuguese HEI. Semi-structured interviews were carried-out with 5 university teachers from different domains, focusing several topics: CT notion, CT aims, CT approach, interventions, teaching strategies, learning materials, assessment methods, challenges and barriers. Results highlighted the undervalue of CT dispositions by university teachers, the lack of clarity regarding the design principles and criteria behind effective CT instruction and assessment, and the need to change institutional culture and conditions towards the support of CT educational practices – this will also enable the long-term integration of CT across the curricula and the transferability of skills and dispositions to other contexts. In general, teachers agreed on the importance to be explicit and clear in their CT teaching practice, and on the use of authentic situations, dialogue and active learning strategies for the effective development of students’ CT.

The relevance of critical thinking in the twenty-first century is indisputable. Although several authors discuss the need for preparing Health and Tourism students for careers in the twenty-first century some recognize the need to bridge the gap between the market needs – employers view – and the graduate profile – higher education institutions view. The CRITHINKEDU ERASMUS+ project started questioning professionals about their views about the critical thinking needs in their areas. This work reports the results from the Portuguese focus group interviews in Health and Tourism areas. After a qualitative analysis, the outcomes for the Health area presented more mentions in critical thinking skills than the Tourism area. In turn, the Tourism area had more mentions in the critical thinking dispositions.

e12595 Background: Breast cancer is one of the most frequent neoplasms worldwide, contributing to women's morbimortality. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of cancer marked by negative estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and lack of the human epidermal growth factor 2 (C-erbB2, HER2/neu) gene overexpression. The high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a factor that regulates malignant tumorigenesis, proliferation, and metastasis. Aim: Here, the HMGB1 expression was investigated as a prognostic factor for TNBC. Methods: Clinico-pathological data and surgical paraffin histopathology blocks were assessed from 85 patients treated at Haroldo Juaçaba Hospital (Ethics committee approval number 407.395). Samples were analyzed by immunofluorescence using the Tissue Microarray technique to determine the percentage of fluorescent cells with cytoplasmic HMGB1 (cHMGB1) expression. Results: The clinico-pathological data analysis indicated that patients were older than 50 years (68.2%) and diagnosed with grade 2–3 ductal carcinomas (91.8%). Tumor metastasis was observed in 9.9% of cases. TNBC patients that tumor cells presented high cHMGB1 fluorescence demonstrated increased local tumor recurrence compared with low expressing tumors (P=0.019). Five-year overall survival was simmilar between the patients with low (63%) versus high (66%) cHMGB1 expression (P=0.7441). Additionally, the risk of death was 0.8 (95% CI = 0.21–2.96). Conclusions: The cHMGB1 expression is associated with an increased tumor relapse in TNBC, not affecting patients' survival.

Both global and local heating phenomena can potentially influence the building thermal performance and comfort. The residential construction sector had a real estate “boom” in the beginning of the 2000’s in Sao Paulo and there is no available information on how this recent built stock performs under the current climate and how it will do, considering the warming climate. Therefore, this study addresses the real estate residential apartment buildings developed in the 2000’s, aiming to investigate their thermal performance and expected comfort conditions, considering the urban present and future climate. The average air temperature difference (ΔT) between the high-rise dense urban area and the suburban stations was registered and then coupled to the future weather file. Comparing the apartment’s thermal performance under the base weather file (SWERA) and the Future (2045–2074) + UHI, in yearly values, an important decrease in comfort hours (from 81% to 65%) was found, while in a hot period (February) the results are much more critical (64% heat discomfort hours). It is important to address how central is the adaptability for improving the domestic comfort conditions, especially in the pandemic and post pandemic scenarios, when people are expected to spend more time inside their homes.

With the emergence of phase change memory, where the devices experience extreme thermal gradients (∼100 K/nm) during transitions between low and high resistive states, the study of thermoelectric effects at small scales becomes particularly relevant. We had earlier observed asymmetric melting of self-heated nano-crystalline silicon micro-wires, where current densities of ∼107 A/cm2 were forced through the wires by 1 μs, ∼30 V pulses. The extreme asymmetry can be explained by the generation of considerable amount of minority carriers, transport under the electric field, and recombination downstream, a heat transfer process we termed as generation–transport–recombination, which is in opposite direction of the electronic-convective heat carried by the majority carriers. Here, we present a full semiconductor physics treatment of this carrier-lattice heat transport mechanism and the contribution of the minority carriers on the evolution of the melt–solid interface, which can be applied to various high-temperature electronic devices.

11 pages, 8 tables, [EN] This study aims to investigate the benefits associated with traceability and its relationship to quality. Market research has been conducted in Spain, Portugal, France, UK and Germany. The results show that the expected benefits for consumers related to traceability focus on food safety and quality. Relevant information about traceability should focus on the intrinsic quality attributes highly valued by consumers and food safety. Among them, it highlights the origin, the value of which has been highly appreciated by most consumers in different countries. As regards signalling, consumers rate labelling very favourably, which would have to offer all relevant information on the intrinsic quality attributes. The implementation of technology (e.g. QR) could favour the perception and recognition of the intrinsic attributes related to quality, food safety and sustainability. Regarding willingness to pay (WTP), the majority of consumers in Spain and Portugal are not willing to pay a premium for the implementation of a traceability programme, while a significant part of the population of France and Germany would be willing to pay a premium for implementing a traceability programme., [EN] El presente estudio trata de investigar los beneficios asociados a la trazabilidad y su relación con la calidad. Se ha realizado una investigación de mercado en España, Portugal, Francia, Reino Unido y Alemania. Los resultados reflejan que los beneficios asociados a la trazabilidad se centran en la seguridad y calidad de los alimentos. La información relevante sobre la trazabilidad debería centrarse en los atributos de la calidad intrínseca, altamente valorada por los consumidores, y en la seguridad de los alimentos. Entre esos atributos destaca el origen, cuyo valor ha sido altamente apreciado por muchos consumidores en todos los países analizados. En lo que atañe a la señalización, los consumidores han calificado de manera muy favorable el etiquetado, que debería ofrecer toda la información relevante sobre los atributos intrínsecos. La introducción de la tecnología (por ejemplo QR) podría favorecer la percepción y el reconocimiento de los atributos intrínsecos asociados a la calidad, seguridad alimentaria y sostenibilidad. En cuanto a la disposición a pagar, la mayoría de los consumidores de España y Portugal no están dispuestos a pagar una prima adicional sobre el precio por la introducción de un programa de trazabilidad, mientras que una población considerable de Francia y Alemania sí accederían a pagar dicha prima., This work is part of research project LABELFISH (Atlantic Area – Framework Programme, 2011-1/163-Ref 1070134), which funded the research contract between Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC) and University of A Coruña (UDC), (Ref INV06013).

Purpose To evaluate a solution based on Ricinus communis (Castor oil) for denture cleansing, comparing it to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for the surface roughness of heat-polymerized acrylic resin. Materials and Methods Forty polished and unpolished resin specimens (90 × 30 × 4 mm) were evaluated before and after their exposure to protocol hygiene: brushing the specimens with a specific denture brush and mild soap for 3 minutes, three times a day, and immersing them in hygiene solutions (0.25% NaOCl—S1 and 0.5% NaOCl—S2; 10% R. communis—S3; saline—S4: control) for 20 minutes. Surface roughness was evaluated by rugosimeter and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after the protocol. For evaluation of surface roughness, polished and unpolished surfaces were used. Results The roughness of the polished surface was not affected by time (p = 0.062), but was affected by solutions (p < 0.0001) and the interaction between factors (p = 0.005). For S1 and S4, the period did not influence the roughness. For S2, there was a change after 7 days, remaining stable after 14 days. For S3, there were changes, and stabilization occurred after 14 days. After 7 and 14 days, S2 and S3 promoted major changes, but after 21 days, there were no differences among solutions, except saline. The unpolished surface was not influenced by factors: period (p = 0.115), solution (p = 0.120), and their interaction (p = 0.382). SEM analysis showed similar results on the evaluation of surface roughness. Conclusions The polished surface of the prosthesis was more susceptible to changes when exposed to hygiene solutions, and although the 0.5% NaOCl solution promoted an increase in the surface roughness compared with the same solution at 0.25% and R. communis at 10%, the values are clinically acceptable.

An eight-contact phase change data router is described. This device comprises a phase-change-material forming a short-pipe geometry with four metal contacts at each end. The device is configured to facilitate connection or isolation between two input and two output terminals (2×2) by amorphizing strips between pairs of “write” terminals. The short pipe geometry enables the implementation of a “swap” function in this 2-D thin-film device. The functionality of this device is demonstrated through 2-D electro-thermal simulations using Ge2Sb2Te5 parameters and field effect transistor access devices.

A 12-year-old male patient came to the pediatric dentistry clinic complaining of sensitivity to cold. The patient was affected by acute leukemia before the age of 2 and underwent chemotherapy. Clinically, permanent teeth were almost always affected by enamel hypoplasia, chemotherapy effect, with consequent dental sensitivity, which made it impossible for the patient to eat frozen foods and to withstand any refrigeration necessary for dental treatment. Radiographic examinations confirmed poor enamel formation. Topical applications of varnish were performed for desensitization, with no success. A low-intensity laser therapy approach was performed: 6 weekly sessions, with a wavelength of 808 nm, 100 mW of power, 1 J at a single point in the cervical margin of each tooth for 10 seconds. At each session the patient indicated a number on the pain scale: before the first session he indicated 6, and after the last session he indicated 1.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:54:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-11-01 Federación Española de Enfermedades Raras The growing importance of Salicornia plants as bioactive agents and health promoters associated with the continuous demand for alternative treatments for liver disorders, has stimulated us to evaluate the renal and hepatic effects of S. ramosissima seeds in mice under normal conditions and exposure to toxic products as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Thus, histopathological and lipid peroxidation evaluations of the liver and kidneys were performed. Powdered dried seeds of S. ramosissima (SRS) were administered orally for 22 days at a dose of 2000 mg/kg/day to male mice in three different settings: 1) seed effects, 2) protection against CCl4 acute toxicity (0.2 mL/kg) and 3) regeneration after acute exposure to CCl4 (0.2 mL/kg), each study being performed with appropriate control animals. Mice treated with SRS per se had slightly enlarged hepatic sinusoids and noticeable renal inflammation. SRS did not show effective protection against mice exposed to CCl4 and had no positive influence on liver and kidney recovery after CCl4 administration. These results demonstrated that SRS failed to improve hepato- and nephrotoxicity, in addition to the apparent synergism between CCl4 and SRS under these experimental conditions. Although the biological mechanisms of S. ramosissima are not fully understood, the evidence suggests further research to elucidate its adverse biological effects. Department of Biology & CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Department of Chemistry & QOPNA - Organic Chemistry and Natural and Agro-food Products University of Aveiro Department of Biology & CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies University of Aveiro Padre Albino University Centre, Catanduva São Paulo State University (Unesp) Institute of Biosciences Humanities and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto Department of Medical Sciences & CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro São Paulo State University (Unesp) Institute of Biosciences Humanities and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto

To evaluate bone tissue reactions in rats to an MTA-based endodontic sealer with and without the addition of various concentrations of C3A or C3A + Ag.Bone tissue reactions were evaluated in 45 Wistar rats after 7, 30 and 90 days (n = 5 per period). Three surgical cavities were prepared on the right femur and filled with 0.2 mL MTA Fillapex, MTA Fillapex + C3A and C3A + Ag at various concentrations: AH Plus (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany), EndoSequence BC (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA, USA) or no sealer (negative control). By the end of each experimental period, animals were randomly euthanized. The samples were histologically processed and analysed using a light microscope. The presence of inflammatory cells, fibres and hard tissue barrier formation was evaluated. Data were analysed statistically using nonparametric tests to compare the differences between groups. Multiple groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests with a Bonferroni correction at P = 0.05.The inflammatory response significantly decreased from 30 to 90 days (P 0.05). Fibre condensation was similar amongst the groups at 07 and 30 days after intervention (P 0.05). At 90 days, however, fibres were absent in most specimens of EndoSequence BC Sealer, AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and the control group, whilst they were still observed in samples of the modified sealers (P 0.05). At 90 days, all specimens of AH Plus, EndoSequence BC Sealer and control group had complete formation of hard tissue barrier. In the MTA Fillapex group, as well as in the modified sealers groups, partial deposition of mineralized tissue was noticed.The hypothesis tested that the incorporation of C3A and C3A + Ag particles to MTA Fillapex would improve bone tissue repair was partially accepted, since modified MTA Fillapex did not have the same repair potential as the commercial bioceramic material.

Trichomonas vaginalis is an amitochondrial parasite that causes human trichomoniasis. Despite metronidazole effectiveness, resistant cases are becoming more frequent. This scenario reveals the need to develop new therapeutic options. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an experimental treatment that involves the activation of photosensitive substances and the generation of cytotoxic oxygen species and free radicals to promote the selective destruction of target tissues. In previous work, we identified an excellent in vitro PDT activity using methylene blue and light emitting diode against metronidazole sensitive and resistant strains of T. vaginalis. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of PDT in vivo and its high trichomonicidal activity was assessed through transmission electron microscopy. Female Balb/c mice were infected intravaginally with T. vaginalis trophozoites. On the third day of infection, methylene blue was introduced into the vaginal canal, which then received 68.1 J/cm2 of radiation for 35.6 s. Twenty-four hours after treatment the vaginal canal of the animals was scraped and the samples processed by the immunocytochemistry technique. Besides that, in vitro photodynamic treatment was performed and T. vaginalis trophozoites were processed by transmission electron microscopy. PDT significantly reduced infection in animals treated, compared to control groups, being as efficient as metronidazole. Morphological changes observed have suggested that PDT activity on T. vaginalis was due to necrosis. These results, added to the high trichomonicidal activity of PDT confirm its feasibility for trichomoniasis treatment.