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This study aimed to assess the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and identify their association with obesity and abdominal obesity in adult women of reproductive age living in situations of social vulnerability in Maceió, Northeastern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional study carried out between October 2020 and May 2021. An anthropometric evaluation was carried out to assess obesity and abdominal obesity. A dietary assessment was also conducted using a 24-h food recall to determine the calorie intake from UPF. To estimate intra-individual variability in food consumption, the probabilistic Multiple Source Method was used. These data in the form of tertiles were used to analyse the association between the consumption of UPF and obesity and abdominal obesity. Logistic regressions were used to analyse the association. A directed acyclic graph (DAG) was created for this analysis. This study included 1702 women of which 53.7% were 31 years old or older, and 74.2% lived in poverty. It identified that 36.5% and 38.1% of the women had obesity and abdominal obesity, respectively, and that an average of 33.8% of calories consumed came from UPF. In the analysis of association guided by the DAG, it was observed that women with a high-calorie intake from UPF had a 1.3 times higher probability of being obese. It was also observed that women with a moderate and high-calorie intake from UPF were 1.4 and 1.3 times more likely, respectively, to have abdominal obesity. Thus, it can be concluded that socially vulnerable women in Brazil have a relatively high consumption of UPF and that this condition increases the probability of obesity in this population group., (© 2024 British Nutrition Foundation.)

Objective: To map and summarize the current scientific evidence concerning the active ingredients, effectiveness, and adverse effects of over-the-counter (OTC) bleaching products., Data and Source: This study was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for scoping reviews and registered on the Open Science Framework platform., Study Selection: Database searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus up to January 2024. All in vitro, in situ, and clinical studies evaluating the effectiveness and adverse effects of OTC bleaching products were included. A descriptive analysis of the included studies was performed., Results: A total of 88 studies were included. Most of them were in vitro studies (n = 49), followed by randomized clinical trials (n = 28). The main OTC bleaching products identified were whitening or stain-removing toothpastes (n = 42), followed by whitening strips (n = 39). Most clinical studies indicate that whitening strips are effective in improving tooth color and providing whitening benefits. In contrast, the bleaching effectiveness of toothpastes, mouth rinses and whitening trays was mainly supported by in vitro studies. The main adverse effects associated with OTC bleaching agents were tooth sensitivity and gingival irritation., Conclusion: A wide variety of OTC bleaching products is available for consumer self-administered use. Clinical studies have mainly confirmed the bleaching effectiveness of whitening strips, while the validation for toothpastes, mouth rinses and whitening trays has mainly relied on in vitro studies. Nevertheless, the use of OTC bleaching products may result in adverse effects, including tooth sensitivity, gingival irritation, and enamel surface changes., Clinical Significance: Some over-the-counter bleaching products may have whitening properties supported by clinical studies, particularly those containing hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. Nonetheless, clinicians must be aware of the potential risks associated with excessive self-administration of these products, which may result in adverse effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Studies have highlighted numerous benefits of ozone therapy in the field of medicine and dentistry, including its antimicrobial efficacy against various pathogenic microorganisms, its ability to modulate the immune system effectively, reduce inflammation, prevent hypoxia, and support tissue regeneration. However, its effects on dental extraction healing remain to be elucidated. .Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of systemically administered ozone (O3) at different doses in the healing of dental extraction sockets in rats., Methodology: To this end, 72 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups after extraction of the right upper central incisor: Group C - control, no systemic treatment; Group OZ0.3 - animals received a single dose of 0.3 mg/kg O3; Group OZ0.7 - a single dose of 0.7 mg/kg O3; and Group OZ1.0 - a single dose of 1.0 mg/kg O3, intraperitoneally. In total, six animals from each group were euthanized at 7, 14, and 21 days after the commencement of treatment. Bone samples were harvested and further analyzed by descriptive histology, histomorphometry, and immunohistochemistry for osteocalcin (OCN) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) protein expression., Results: All applied doses of O3 were shown to increase the percentage of bone tissue (PBT) after 21 days compared to group C. After 14 days, the OZ0.7 and OZ1.0 groups showed significantly higher PBT when compared to group C. The OZ1.0 group presented the most beneficial results regarding PBT among groups, which denotes a dose-dependent response. OCN immunostaining was higher in all groups at 21 days. However, after seven and 14 days, the OZ1.0 group showed a significant increase in OCN immunostaining compared to C group. No differences in TRAP+ osteoclasts were found between groups and time points., Conclusion: Therefore, O3 therapy at higher doses might be beneficial for bone repair of the alveolar socket following tooth extraction.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ayahuasca (AYA) is a psychedelic brew used in religious ceremonies. It is broadly used as a sacred medicine for treating several ailments, including pain of various origins., Aim of the Study: To investigate the antinociceptive effects of AYA and its mechanisms in preclinical models of acute and chronic pain in mice, in particular during experimental neuropathy., Materials and Methods: The antinociceptive effects of AYA administered orally were assessed in the following models of pain: formalin test, Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation, tail flick test, and partial sciatic nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain. Antagonism assays and Fos immunohistochemistry in the brain were performed. AYA-induced toxicity was investigated. AYA was chemically characterized. The antinociceptive effect of harmine, the major component present in AYA, was investigated., Results: AYA (24-3000 μL/kg) dose-dependently reduced formalin-induced pain-like behaviors and CFA-induced mechanical allodynia but did not affect CFA-induced paw edema or tail flick latency. During experimental neuropathy, single treatments with AYA (24-3000 μL/kg) reduced mechanical allodynia; daily treatments once or twice a day for 14 days promoted consistent and sustained antinociception. The antinociceptive effect of AYA (600 μL/kg) was reverted by bicuculline (1 mg/kg) and methysergide (5 mg/kg), but not by naloxone (5 mg/kg), phaclofen (2 mg/kg), and rimonabant (10 mg/kg), suggesting the roles of GABA A and serotonergic receptors. AYA increased Fos expression in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and nucleus raphe magnus after 1 h, but not after 6 h or 14 days of daily treatments. AYA (600 μL/kg) twice a day for 14 days did not alter mice's motor function, spontaneous locomotion, body weight, food and water intake, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters. Harmine (3.5 mg/kg) promoted consistent antinociception during experimental neuropathy., Conclusions: AYA promotes consistent antinociceptive effects in different mouse models of pain without inducing detectable toxic effects. Harmine is at least partially accountable for the antinociceptive properties of AYA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: to evaluate the existing evidence on surface treatment techniques employed in resin composite repair and their effect on the repair short- and long-term bond strength., Data and Source: This scoping review was performed under the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for scoping reviews and registered on the Open Science Framework platform., Study Selection: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus and grey literature up to September 2022 without language or date restriction. In vitro studies comparing mechanical surface and/or chemical treatments on repair bond strength of resin composite were included. Studies evaluating experimental adhesive systems or resin composites were excluded. Selection of studies and data extraction were performed. Data from selected studies was qualitatively analyzed., Results: A total of 76 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. Among the mechanical treatments, alumina blasting was the most frequently used, followed by silica coating and diamond bur. As for chemical treatments, dentin bonding systems were the most frequently evaluated, followed by universal adhesive systems and silane/ceramic primer. The combination of mechanical and chemical pre-treatments increased the repair bond strength of resin composite in both short- and long-term simulated aging scenarios. The evidence obtained from the included studies was classified as moderate quality, mainly due to the medium risk of bias observed across most of the studies., Conclusion: The techniques used to treat the surface of resin composites for repair are diverse. Incorporating a combination of mechanical and chemical pre-treatments resulted in superior repair bond strength of resin composite materials under both short- and long-term simulated aging conditions., Clinical Significance: The analysis of evidence revealed significant variability among protocols for repairing resin composites. Utilizing both mechanical and chemical pre-treatment methods is important for enhancing the bond strength of resin composites during both short- and long-term simulated aging situations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Surgical procedures, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, individually or in association, are current oncological treatments. Among the most used chemotherapy drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) is an antimetabolite with a broad spectrum of action. This study evaluated the effects of probiotics (PRO) as an adjuvant to the treatment of experimental periodontitis (EP) in rats immunosuppressed with 5FU.108 rats were randomly allocated to six different groups: EP; SS - systemic treatment with saline solution (SS); 5FU - systemic treatment with 5FU; 5FU+PRO - systemic treatment with 5FU, followed by the local administration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; 5FU+SRP - systemic treatment with 5-FU, followed by scaling and root planing (SRP); and 5FU+SRP+PRO - systemic treatment with 5FU followed by local treatments with SRP and PRO. Immunosuppression was obtained at two points: at the time of ligature installation and after 48 h. Six animals from each group were euthanized at seven, 15, and 30 d and hemimandibles were collected and processed for histopathological, histometric, and immunohistochemical analysis. Data were subjected to statistical analysis (α=5%). At 7 d, the 5FU+PRO group showed less bone resorption and better structured connective tissue compared with the EP, SS, 5FU+SRP, and 5FU+SRP+PRO groups. At 15 d, the 5FU+SRP group showed a greater intensity of the inflammatory response (p<0.05). At 30 d, the 5FU+SRP+PRO group showed better structured bone tissue and a higher percentage of bone tissue (PBT) than the EP, SS, 5FU, and 5FU+PRO groups (p<0.05). The use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as monotherapy or as an adjuvant to periodontal therapy may have a positive effect on bone repair in immunosuppressed conditions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic (PRO) Lactobacillus reuteri (DSM17938) as an adjuvant to the treatment of experimental periodontitis (EP)., Material and Methods: Fifty-four male adult Wistar rats were included. EP was induced and maintained for 7 days. Subsequently, the ligature was removed and the animals were allocated into three different experimental groups (n = 18/group): EP - no local treatment, the animals received four systemic saline solution (SS) administrations; SRP+SS, the animals underwent SRP treatment, followed by SS administration; and SRP+PRO, the animals received SRP treatment, followed by the systemic administration of PROs ( Lactobacillus reuteri ; 0.16 ml/day). Six animals from each group were euthanised at 7, 15 and 30 days. Histological and histometric analyses of alveolar bone loss (BL) and immunohistochemical analyses for TRAP, RANKL, OPG, OCN, and PCNA were performed. Shapiro-Wilk, ANOVA, post-hoc Tukey, Kruskal-Wallis, Student-Newman Keuls were performed., Results: The SRP+PRO group presented a reduction in inflammation. At 15 days, a lower BL was observed in the SRP+SS and SRP+PRO groups. Greater immunolabeling was noticed for PCNA at 15 days in the SRP+PRO group than in the SRP + SS group. The SRP+PRO group demonstrated a higher OCN immunolabeling pattern than the EP group at 15 and 30 days., Conclusion: The use of Lactobacillus reuteri as an adjuvant to SRP for the treatment of EP showed promising results in the control of local inflammatory responses, and enhanced the periodontal tissue repair process according to the employed concentration., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Background: The repair of bone defects has been the subject of many studies that have shown inconclusive results as to what is the best bone substitute., Material and Methods: Bone defects (Ø 2 mm) were induced on the tibia of seventy-two rats, which were distributed into the following four groups/treatments (n=18 each): Control: no treatment; EMD: enamel matrix derived protein; PBM: photobiomodulation therapy (660 nm, 0,035 W, 60 s); EMD + PBM: EMD and immediate treatment with PBM (660 nm, 0,035 W, 60 s). Six animals from each group were euthanized after 10, 30 and 60 days. Histological and immunohistochemistry analyses (osteocalcin - OCN and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase - TRAP) were performed with scores for each of the biological events., Results: All performed treatments resulted in an increased filling and maturation of bone tissue, being greater in the EMD and EMD + PBM groups in the 30 day period, compared to the Control group. The immunostaining of OCN was greater at 60 days in all treated groups than in the Control over the same period. TRAP immunostaining was higher at 30 days in all treated groups, and lower in groups EMD and PBM after 60 days, compared to the Control over the same period. There was greater immunostaining in the EMD + PBM group after 10 days than in the Control and EMD groups in the same period., Conclusions: These results lead to the conclusion that treatments with EMD and PBM, both separate and in association were effective in filling and maturing bone tissue in tibial bone cavities, with greater effectiveness in the period of 30 days in the EMD and EMD + PBM groups. Key words: Enamel matrix proteins, low-level laser, bone, animal research., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright: © 2022 Medicina Oral S.L.)

Objective: to measure underreporting of typical fatal occupational injuries (FOI) on the Mortality Information System (SIM) in Belo Horizonte city, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in 2011., Methods: the capture-recapture method was used to assess all FOI recorded among city residents and/or occurring in the city, using probabilistic linkage of three data sources: SIM, the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) and the Belo Horizonte Forensic Medicine Institute Autopsy Database., Results: the majority of the 54 cases found occurred in males (n=53), with drivers and construction workers accounting for half of them (n=28); the most common causes of death were traffic accidents (n=18) and falls (n=10); 15 deaths were underreported on SIM., Conclusion: the use of the capture-recapture method contributed to the detection of FOI underreporting.

SEM analysis of endodontic instruments from a Ni-Ti rotary system was assessed, before and after using them, considering their defects and deformations. Twenty Twisted File®, BioRąCe®, Mtwo®, and EndoWave® instruments were micrographed at 190× magnification. The files were washed and micrographed again to view alterations as to the presence or absence of irregular edges, grooves, microcavities, and scraping. Simulated root canal preparations were performed using these instruments. The instruments were cleaned and received a microscopic analysis after being used five times. After analysis tests were tested using Fisher's exact test and Kappa to evaluate the concordance among examiners. There was a statistically significant difference with respect to deformations between Twisted File® and other instruments (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in strains between the other groups (p > 0.05). All Twisted File® instruments showed the same defects; however damage were lower than those found in BioRace® and Mtwo®. The Endowave® did not show the same defects. In accordance with the data we conclude that the presence of defects was higher in Twisted File® instruments as the instruments and BioRace® Mtwo® brand, the defect rate was smaller and Endowave® instruments had no defects. Regarding the presence of wear after five uses among the groups all instruments showed changes in their cutting blades., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Occult spinal dysraphism is defined as a group of dystrophic conditions below an intact cover of dermis and epidermis. Ultrasonography using linear transducers is a fast, inexpensive, and effective method that makes it possible to view the content of the vertebral canal and bone structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is reserved for elucidating the type of dysraphism and for planning corrective surgery. We present a case of a five-day-old female neonate who presented cutaneous stigmas (in the lumbar region, hands, and feet), in whom ultrasonography demonstrated dysraphism in the lumbar region. MRI confirmed the type of dysraphism and enabled surgical planning.

The adequate supply of vitamins A and E to newborns is essential. However, factors such as maternal nutritional status and nutrient interaction may limit its bioavailability. The aim of this study was to establish nutritional status for vitamins A and E and evaluate the correlation of retinol on colostrum alpha-tocopherol in lactating women. A total of 103 lactating women were recruited at a Brazilian public maternity hospital. Fasting serum and colostrum samples were collected in the immediate post-partum. Retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and nutritional status for these vitamins was defined from specific cut-off points for serum and colostrum. Mean serum and colostrum retinol (1.49 µmol L(-1) , 2.18 µmol L(-1) ) and alpha-tocopherol (26.4 µmol L(-1) , 26.1 µmol L(-1) ) indicated satisfactory biochemical status. However, we found a prevalence of subclinical deficiency of vitamin A and vitamin E in serum (15.5% and 16%) and colostrum (50% and 60%). Lactating women with serum retinol ≥ 1.05 µmol L(-1) showed an inverse correlation between serum retinol and alpha-tocopherol concentration in the colostrum (P = 0.008, r = -0.28). This association was not observed in serum level < 1.05 µmol L(-1) . The nutritional status of lactating women for vitamins A and E was adequate, although there is a risk of subclinical deficiency. The negative correlation of serum retinol on alpha-tocopherol concentration in the colostrum must be carefully evaluated in situations of vitamin A supplementation, because alpha-tocopherol bioavailability in maternal milk may be compromised., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background and Objective: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new technique introduced in endodontics that combines the action of a photosensitizer (dye) and a low intensity light source. Currently, there are no PDT studies evaluating the microbial disinfection of root canals in order to compare the effects of light delivery systems in the photosensitizer activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the PDT effectiveness in reducing Enterococcus faecalis, with and without the aid of an intracanal optical fiber., Methods: Extracted single-rooted teeth were selected, instrumented, inoculated with E. faecalis and divided into six groups: one control group (untreated), one conventionally-treated group (1% NaOCl irrigation) and four PDT-treated groups. Irradiation (diode laser) was performed with (OF) or without an intracanal optical fiber (NOF) using two different irradiation times: 1 min and 30 sec (IT(90)) or 3 min (IT(180)). Samples were collected before and after testing procedures and CFU/mL was determined., Results: The greatest reduction of E. faecalis (99.99%) was achieved with irrigation with 1% NaOCl. PDT also significantly reduced E. faecalis in the following decreasing order: OF/IT(180), NOF/IT(180), OF/IT(90) and NOF/IT(90), with no significant statistical difference among the groups., Conclusions: These results suggest that PDT was effective against E. faecalis, regardless of the use of an intracanal optical fiber.

A chromogenic bioassay was utilized to determine the antithrombin activity of methylene chloride and methanol extracts prepared from 50 plants of Azores. Extracts of the six plants Hedychium gardneranum, Tropaeolum majus, Gunnera tinctoria, Hedera helix, Festuca jubata and Laurus azorica demonstrated activity of 78% or higher in this bioassay system.