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Purpose: This study describes a prototype developed for aphakia without capsular support (AWCS) and its proof of concept., Methods: This descriptive study used a 3D software to create and analyze virtual prototypes before manufacturing. A nylon-6/nylon-6.6 copolymer filament and a 3D printer were used for prototyping. A device implantation technique was developed using a 23-gauge hypodermic needle. Two opposing markings, 2 mm posterior to the limbus, were made to determine the location of the scleral punctures and the final position of the device. After adequate centralization and positioning of the device, its haptics were cut and cauterized to generate thermal modeling of the extremity and allow the thickening of the tips (flange), serving as an anchoring mechanism to the sclera. The efficacy and adequacy of the technique and device were then evaluated., Results: Vitreous tissue extrusion was not observed during the sclerotomy. The device was well fixed to the sclera; however, adequate IOL stability and centralization still needed to be achieved. The surgeon evaluated the adequacy of all the other devices' characteristics., Conclusions: The development of a technology prototype for correcting AWCS was possible. Although the proposed prototype met most of the established concept guidelines, the stability of the IOL position remains challenging.

Abstract: Dos Santos, VR, Antunes, M, dos Santos, L, Nascimento, MA, Pina, FLC, Carneiro, NH, Trindade, MCC, Venturini, D, Barbosa, DS, and Cyrino, ES. Effects of different resistance training frequencies on body composition, muscular strength, muscle quality, and metabolic biomarkers in sarcopenic older women. J Strength Cond Res 38(9): e521-e528, 2024-Resistance training (RT) can ameliorate outcomes related to sarcopenia by promoting beneficial changes in muscular strength, skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and muscle quality. This study compared the effects of 12 weeks of RT performed 2 and 3 sessions a week on body composition, muscular strength, muscle quality, and metabolic biomarkers in sarcopenic older women. Thirty-four sarcopenic older women (>60 years) were randomly assigned to perform a whole-body RT program, either 2 (G2X, n = 18) or 3 (G3X, n = 16) sessions a week during 12 weeks (8 exercises, single set of 10-15 repetitions). Body composition, muscular strength, muscle quality, and metabolic biomarkers were assessed before and after the intervention. Both groups increased (p < 0.05) 1 repetition maximum total muscular strength (G2X = +20.4% and G3X = +21.0%), SMM (G2X = +4.0% and G3X = +7.0%), and improved muscle quality (G2X = +16.7% and G3X = +13.6%), with no differences between groups (p > 0.05). No change over time was found for IGF-1 and testosterone (p > 0.05). Our results suggest that 12 weeks of RT performed at a lower weekly frequency is as effective as a higher frequency in improving muscular strength, SMM, and muscle quality in sarcopenic older women., (Copyright © 2024 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

The objective of the present study is to analyze the changes in bioimpedance vector analysis (BIVA) and phase angle (PhA) in sarcopenic older people submitted to a 12-week resistance training (RT) program according to classic and specific analyses. To this end, 20 sarcopenic older adults of both sexes, invited through media, underwent bioimpedance analysis before and after the RT carried out three times a week, for 12 weeks. The mean impedance vectors of the groups established for the confidence ellipses (95% of the confidence ellipse) are compared using Hotelling's T 2 test. The distance D from Mahalanobis is also calculated. Classic and Specific BIVA are presented. The resistance values for the classical analyses (R/H) decreased across all groups (whole group, women and men, p < 0.05), with approximate decreases ranging from 9.4% to 10%, while the classic reactance (Xc/H) decreased (p < 0.05) only for the whole group (5.9%) and men (7.7%). For the specific BIVA, trends are verified for the whole sample, with a decrease in resistance (R.sp) and an increase in reactance (Xc.sp). In conclusion, the RT program in sarcopenic individuals promoted a reduction in resistance values in classical analyses, indicating a possible increase in hydration status and, consequently, musculoskeletal mass., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nanofibers embedded with borate glasses of 45B5 composition doped with Co 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2 + (46.1 B₂O₃26.9-X CaO24.4 Na₂O2.6 P₂O₅, X CoO/CuO/ZnO mol % (X = 0-5)) were produced by electrospinning for wound healing applications. Prior to their addition, the glasses exhibited two broad halos typical of a vitreous borate network, which were mainly composed of ring-type metaborate structural units. The particle distribution in the PHBV nanofibers embedded with 45B5 borate bioactive glasses is present in isolated and agglomerated states, being partially coated by a polymeric layer-except for the cobalt-doped glass, which resulted in a successful encapsulation with 100% embedding efficiency. The incorporation of the glasses reduced the PHBV crystallinity degree and its decomposition temperature, as well as its mechanical properties, including Young's modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break. The neat PHBV fibers and those containing the cobalt-doped glasses demonstrated great cytocompatibility with human keratinocytes (HaCat), as suggested by the high cell viability after 7 days of exposure. Further studies are needed to fully understand the wound healing potential of these fibers, but our results significantly contribute to the area., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate dentin wear and biological performance of desensitizing materials., Methods: Seventy bovine root dentin blocks were sectioned. Half of the surface of each specimen was untreated (control) and the other half was immersed in EDTA and treated with the following desensitizing materials: placebo varnish (PLA), fluoride varnish (FLU), sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish + sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP), universal adhesive (SBU), S-PRG varnish (SPRG), biosilicate (BIOS), and amelotin solution (AMTN). After application, the specimens were submitted to an erosive-abrasive challenge and the wear analyzed by optical profilometer. Serial dilutions of extracts obtained from the culture medium containing discs impregnated with those desensitizers were applied on fibroblasts and odontoblasts-like cells cultures. Cytotoxicity and production of total protein (TP) by colorimetric assays were determined after 24 h. Data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's, One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p ≤ 0.05)., Results: No dentin wear was observed only for SBU. The lowest dentin wear was observed for AMTN and TMP. Cell viability was significantly reduced after treatment with undiluted extracts of PLA, FLU, TMP and SBU in fibroblasts and TMP and SBU in odontoblast-like cells. SPRG, BIOS and AMTN were cytocompatible at all dilutions tested. Considering TP results, no statistical difference was observed among the groups and high levels for TP were observed after TMP and FLU treatments., Conclusions: Universal adhesive system may protect dentin with opened tubules from wear after challenge. Extracts of adhesive and fluoride varnishes presented cytotoxic mainly on fibroblasts. The enamel protein may be a future alternative to treat dentin with opened tubules because it may cause low wear under erosive-abrasive challenge with low cytotoxic effects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Combining proton and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy offers a unique opportunity to study the oxidative and glycolytic components of metabolism in working muscle. This paper presents a 7 T proton calf coil design that combines dipole and loop elements to achieve the high performance necessary for detecting metabolites with low abundance and restricted visibility, specifically lactate, while including the option of adding a phosphorus array. We investigated the transmit, receive, and parallel imaging performance of three transceiver dipoles with six pair-wise overlap-decoupled standard or twisted pair receive-only coils. With a higher SNR and more efficient transmission decoupling, standard loops outperformed twisted pair coils. The dipoles with standard loops provided a four-fold-higher image SNR than a multinuclear reference coil comprising two proton channels and 32% more than a commercially available 28-channel proton knee coil. The setup enabled up to three-fold acceleration in the right-left direction, with acceptable g-factors and no visible aliasing artefacts. Spectroscopic phantom measurements revealed a higher spectral SNR for lactate with the developed setup than with either reference coil and fewer restrictions in voxel placement due to improved transmit homogeneity. This paper presents a new use case for dipoles and highlights their advantages for the integration in multinuclear calf coils.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate changes in the surface characteristics of two denture resins when disinfected with a vinegar-hydrogen peroxide (VHP) mixture., Materials and Methods: Microwave-polymerized or 3D printed acrylic resin disks were immersed for 900 min (simulating 90 daily uses) in the following solutions (N = 10): water; 0.5% sodium hypochlorite; hydrogen peroxide and water dilution (1:1 ratio); vinegar and water dilution (1:1 ratio); and VHP mixture. Surface roughness, Knoop microhardness, surface free energy, and scanning electron microscopic images were assessed before and after the immersions. Results were compared using the 2-way ANOVA for repeated measures and Tukey test, at 5% significance., Results: Surface roughness and microhardness did not differ (P > .05) among the solutions and times. Surface free energy and its dispersive component increased (P < .05) for all solutions. All solutions, except for water and VHP mixture, degraded microtopography., Conclusions: The VHP mixture was not deleterious to conventional and 3D-printed resin surfaces., Clinical Relevance: Conventional and 3D printed resin dentures can be disinfected with a VHP mixture in a 1:1 ratio because this mixture does not substantially affect the surface characteristics after 90 daily immersions. On the contrary, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar solutions, even in low concentrations, should be used with caution for denture disinfection because they may alter the resin microtopography over time., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To investigate the role of central obesity on immunometabolic response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from normal weight and overweight/obese young men., Methods: Eighteen individuals were classified as normal weight (NW; n = 9 - age: 25 ± 5 and BMI: 21.4 ± 1.7) and overweight/obese (OW; n = 9 - age: 29 ± 7 and BMI: 29.2 ± 2.7). The body composition was evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), waist circumference, and visceral and subcutaneous fat depots by ultrasound. Physical activity levels, metabolic parameters, immune phenotypic characterization, cytokine production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -stimulated whole blood cells and LPS or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated PBMC, and mitochondrial respiration in PBMCs were evaluated. Expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and adrenergic receptor beta 1 and 2 (AR-β1 and β2) genes were evaluated in cultured PBMC using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)., Results: Individuals with overweight/obese (OW) presented higher glucose (P = 0.009) and leptin (P = 0.010) than individuals with normal weight (NW). PBMCs of OW under stimulation with LPS presented a lower production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) (P = 0.011) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1α) (P = 0.048) than NW. Mitochondrial respiration rates were not different between NW and OW subjects. Cultured PBMCs in LPS-stimulated condition indicated higher gene expression of AR-β2 in OW, while PMA-stimulated PBMCs presented lower expression of AMPK (P = 0.002) and higher expression of NF-κB (P=<0.0001) than NW. OW presented higher numbers of CD3 + CD4 + T cells (P = 0.009) and higher expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) in CD8 + T cells (P = 0.001) than NW., Conclusion: Central obesity promoted reductions in interleukin 10 production response and increase in AR-β2 expressions in mitogen-stimulated PBMCs. Furthermore, central obesity altered the phenotype of PBMCs, also increasing the expression of PD-1 exhaustion markers in young adults., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate if physical activity is associated with systemic and cellular immunometabolic responses, in young adults after mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection., Methods: Mild- to- moderate post-COVID-19 patients (70.50 ± 43.10 days of diagnosis; age: 29.4 (21.9- 34.9) years; BMI: 25.5 ± 4.3 kg m 2 n = 20) and healthy age-matched controls (age: 29.3 (21.2 - 32.6) years; BMI: 25.4 ± 4.7 kg m 2 ; n = 20) were evaluated. Physical activity levels (PAL), body composition, dietary habits, muscular and pulmonary function, mental health, sleep quality, metabolic parameters, immune phenotypic characterization, stimulated whole blood and PBMC culture (cytokine production), mRNA, and mitochondrial respiration in PBMCs were evaluated., Results: The post-COVID-19 group exhibited lower levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (p = 0.038); therefore, all study comparisons were performed with adjustment for MVPA. Post-COVID-19 impacted the pulmonary function (FEV1, FEV1%pred, FVC, and FVC %pred) compared with the control (p adjusted by MVPA (p adj) <0.05). Post-COVID-19 exhibited lower levels of serum IL-6 (p adj <0.01), whereas it showed higher serum IL-10, triglyceride, leptin, IgG, ACE activity, TNFRSF1A, and PGE 2 (p adj <0.05) levels compared with controls. Post-COVID-19 presented a lower percentage of Treg cells (p adj = 0.03) and altered markers of lymphocyte activation and exhaustion (lower CD28 expression in CD8 + T cells (p adj = 0.014), whereas CD4 + T cells showed higher PD1 expression (p adj = 0.037)) compared with the control group. Finally, post- COVID-19 presented an increased LPS-stimulated whole- blood IL-10 concentration (p adj <0.01). When exploring mitochondrial respiration and gene expression in PBMCs, we observed a higher LEAK state value (p adj <0.01), lower OXPHOS activity (complex I) (p adj = 0.04), and expression of the Rev-Erb-α clock mRNA after LPS stimulation in the post-COVID-19 patients than in the control (p adj <0.01). Mainly, PAL was associated with changes in IL-10, triglyceride, and leptin levels in the plasma of post-COVID-19 patients. PAL was also associated with modulation of the peripheral frequency of Treg cells and the expression of PD-1 in CD8+ T cells, although it abrogated the statistical effect in the analysis of TNF-α and IL-6 production by LPS- and PMA-stimulated PBMC of post-COVID-19 patients., Conclusion: Young adults after mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection appeared to have lower physical activity levels, which can be associated with clinical and immunometabolic responses in a complex manner., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Silva, Pereira, Minuzzi, Padilha, Figueiredo, Olean-Oliveira, dos Santos, von Ah Morano, Marchioto Júnior, Ribeiro, Dos Santos, Seelaender, Teixeira, Dos Santos, Lemos, Freire, Dorneles, Marmett, Olean-Oliveira, Teixeira, Seraphim, Caseiro, Pinho, Islam, Little, Krüger, Rosa-Neto, Coelho-E-Silva and Lira.)

This study aimed to investigate if apical periodontitis in different periods changes systemic levels of the antioxidant and pro-oxidant parameters in Wistar rats. Twenty-four rats were randomly allocated into healthy animals, apical periodontitis at 14 days (AP14) and apical periodontitis at 28 days (AP28). The first mandibular molars were accessed in the AP groups, and the pulp chamber was exposed to the oral environment, inducing the apical lesion. After 14 and 28 days, the animals were anesthetized, euthanized, and hemimandibles were collected for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis to measure lesion volume, bone volume (BV), percent of bone to total tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), and trabecular space (Tb.Sp). A histological examination of the remaining bone was also performed. Finally, blood samples were collected for oxidative biochemistry analysis, investigating glutathione (GSH), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and lipid peroxidation (TBARS). The lesion volume was greater at 28 than at 14 days, as shown by micro-CT. AP14 and AP28 had decreased BV and Tb.Th, but only AP28 showed a reduction in BV/TV. Tb.N and Tb. Sp were increased in apical periodontitis at 28 days. In the histopathological analysis, AP14 had focal regions of moderate mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, and AP28 had an intense inflammatory infiltrate with bacterial colonies. In the biochemical evaluation, GSH, TEAC, and TBARS were increased after 14 days. However, GSH returned to control levels, TEAC was similar to AP14, and TBARS increased significantly after 28 days. Therefore, the oxidative biochemistry response was modulated according to the progression of periapical damage. After 14 days, the organism could still react to the injury. However, at 28 days, the antioxidant response decreased, associated with an increase in TBARS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Frazão, Santos Mendes, Baia-da-Silva, Mendonça de Moura, Neves dos Santos, Matos-Sousa, de Souza Balbinot, Guimarães, Collares and Lima.)

For decades, only two nitroheterocyclic drugs have been used as therapeutic agents for Chagas disease. However, these drugs present limited effectiveness during the chronic phase, possess unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties, and induce severe adverse effects, resulting in low treatment adherence. A previous study reported that N -(cyclohexylcarbamothioyl) benzamide ( BTU-1 ), N -( tert -butylcarbamothioyl) benzamide ( BTU-2 ), and (4-bromo- N -(3-nitrophenyl) carbamothioyl benzamide ( BTU-3 ) present selective antiprotozoal activity against all developmental forms of Trypanosoma cruzi Y strain. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of these compounds through microscopy and biochemical analyses. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed nuclear disorganization, changes in the plasma membrane with the appearance of blebs and extracellular arrangements, intense vacuolization, mitochondrial swelling, and formation of myelin-like structures. Biochemical results showed changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species content, lipid peroxidation, and plasma membrane fluidity. In addition, the formation of autophagic vacuoles was observed. These findings indicate that BTU-1 , BTU-2, and BTU-3 induced profound morphological, ultrastructural, and biochemical alterations in epimastigote forms, triggering an autophagic-dependent cell death pathway.

The relationship between different domains of physical activity (PA) and bone health in older adults needs to be further investigated. We evaluated 379 Brazilian older adults and observed that the risk of osteopenia is higher in older adults who are physically inactive in occupational domain and for osteoporosis the risk is higher in physically inactive in commuting domain and total habitual PA., Purpose: Bone mineral density (BMD) usually decreases with age, and the risk of osteometabolic diseases, such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, increases in older adults. PA is strictly related to BMD. However, the relationship between different domains of PA and bone health in older adults is still unclear, and needs to be further investigated, aiming at the implementation of preventative health measures for this population. Thus, the aim of the current study was to analyze the association between different domains of PA and the risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis in older adults in a 12-month follow-up., Methods: Prospective study that included 379 Brazilian community-dwelling older adults, aged ≥ 60 years (70 ± 7 years, 69% women). Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) total, proximal femur, and lumbar spine were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and PA was self-reported. Binary logistic regression analysis and 95%CI were used to analyze the association between the practice of PA in different domains (at baseline and follow-up) and risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis (follow-up)., Results: The risk for osteopenia (total proximal femur or lumbar spine) is higher in older adults who are physically inactive in the occupational domain (OR:3.25; 95%CI:1.24-8.55). In addition, older adults who are physically inactive in the commuting domain (OR:3.43; 95%CI:1.09-10.82) and total PA (OR:5.58; 95%CI:1.57-19.88) present a higher risk for osteoporosis (total proximal femur or lumbar spine) compared to physically active older adults., Conclusion: The risk of osteopenia is higher in older adults who are physically inactive in occupational domain and for osteoporosis the risk is higher in physically inactive in commuting domain and total habitual PA., (© 2023. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Background: Amazonas is the largest state in Brazil, covering an area of 1,559,159.148 km 2 and primarily occupied by the Amazon rainforest. Fluvial and aerial transport are the primary means of transportation. Studying the epidemiologic profile of patients transported by neurologic emergencies is essential because there is only 1 referral center hospital serving approximately 4 million inhabitants in Amazonas., Methods: This work studies the epidemiologic profile of patients referred by air transport for evaluation by the neurosurgery team at a referral center in the Amazon., Results: Of the 68 patients transferred, 50 (75.53%) were men. The study covered 15 municipalities in Amazonas. Of the patients, 67.64% had a traumatic brain injury due to various causes, and 22.05% had had a stroke. Of all patients, 67.65% did not undergo surgery and 43.9% evolved with good evolution and without complications., Conclusions: Air transportation for neurologic evaluation is essential in Amazonas. However, most patients did not require neurosurgical intervention, indicating that investments in medical infrastructures, such as computed tomography scanners and telemedicine, may optimize health costs., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has detrimental multi-system consequences. Symptoms may appear during the acute phase of infection, but the literature on long-term recovery of young adults after mild to moderate infection is lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) allows for the observation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since physical activity (PA) can help improve ANS modulation, investigating factors that can influence HRV outcomes after COVID-19 is essential to advancements in care and intervention strategies. Clinicians may use this research to aid in the development of non-medication interventions. At baseline, 18 control (CT) and 20 post-COVID-19 (PCOV) participants were observed where general anamnesis was performed, followed by HRV and PA assessment. Thus, 10 CT and 7 PCOV subjects returned for follow-up (FU) evaluation 6 weeks after complete immunization (two doses) and assessments were repeated. Over the follow-up period, a decrease in sympathetic (SNS) activity (mean heart rate: p = 0.0024, CI = -24.67--3.26; SNS index: p = 0.0068, CI = -2.50--0.32) and increase in parasympathetic (PNS) activity (mean RR: p = 0.0097, CI = 33.72-225.51; PNS index: p = 0.0091, CI = -0.20-1.47) were observed. At follow-up, HRV was not different between groups ( p > 0.05). Additionally, no differences were observed in PA between moments and groups. This study provides evidence of ANS recovery after SARS-CoV-2 insult in young adults over a follow-up period, independent of changes in PA.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging global health challenge that has led researchers to study alternatives to conventional antibiotics. A promising alternative is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), produced as the first line of defense by almost all living organisms. To improve its biological activity, the conjugation of AMPs is a promising approach., Objective: In this study, we evaluated the N-terminal conjugation of p-Bt (a peptide derived from Bothrops Jararacuçu`s venom) with ferrocene (Fc) and gallic acid (GA). Acetylated and linear versions of p-Bt were also synthesized to evaluate the importance of N-terminal charge and dimeric structure., Methods: The compounds were obtained using solid-phase peptide synthesis. Circular dichroism, vesicle permeabilization, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity studies were conducted., Results: No increase in antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was observed by adding either Fc or GA to p-Bt. However, Fc-p-Bt and GA-p-Bt exhibited improved activity against Staphylococcus aureus . No cytotoxicity upon fibroblast was observed for GA-p-Bt. On the other hand, conjugation with Fc increased cytotoxicity. This toxicity may be related to the membrane permeabilization capacity of this bioconjugate, which showed the highest carboxyfluorescein leakage in vesicle permeabilization experiments., Conclusion: Considering these observations, our findings highlight the importance of adding bioactive organic compounds in the N-terminal position as a tool to modulate the activity of AMPs., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most common chronic disease in young children and a public health problem worldwide. It is characterized by the presence of atypical and fast progressive caries lesions. The aggressive form of ECC, severe early childhood caries (S-ECC), can lead to the destruction of the whole crown of most of the deciduous teeth and cause pain and sepsis, affecting the child's quality of life. Although the multifactorial etiology of ECC is known, including social, environmental, behavioral, and genetic determinants, there is a consensus that this disease is driven by an imbalance between the oral microbiome and host, or dysbiosis, mediated by high sugar consumption and poor oral hygiene. Knowledge of the microbiome in healthy and caries status is crucial for risk monitoring, prevention, and development of therapies to revert dysbiosis and restore oral health. Molecular biology tools, including next-generation sequencing methods and proteomic approaches, have led to the discovery of new species and microbial biomarkers that could reveal potential risk profiles for the development of ECC and new targets for anti-caries therapies. This narrative review summarized some general aspects of ECC, such as definition, epidemiology, and etiology, the influence of oral microbiota in the development and progression of ECC based on the current evidence from genomics, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies and the effect of antimicrobial intervention on oral microbiota associated with ECC., Conclusion: The evaluation of genetic and proteomic markers represents a promising approach to predict the risk of ECC before its clinical manifestation and plan efficient therapeutic interventions for ECC in its initial stages, avoiding irreversible dental cavitation., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Olive oil is one of the oldest and essential edible oils in the market. The classification of olive oils (e.g. extra virgin, virgin, refined) is often influenced by factors ranging from its complex inherent physiochemical properties (e.g. fatty acid profiles) to the undisclosed manufacturing processes. Therefore, olive oils have been the target of adulteration due to its profitable margin. In this work, we demonstrate that multi-parametric time-domain NMR relaxometry can be used to rapidly (in minutes) identify and classify olive oils in label-free and non-destructive manner. The subtle differences in molecular microenvironment of the olive oils induce substantial changes in the relaxation mechanism in the time-domain NMR regime. We demonstrated that the proposed NMR-relaxation based detection (AUC = 0.95) is far more sensitive and specific than the current gold-standards in the field i.e. near-infrared spectroscopy (AUC = 0.84) and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (AUC = 0.73), respectively. We further show that, albeit the inherent complexity of olive plant natural phenotypic variations, the proposed NMR-relaxation based traits may be a viable mean (AUC = 0.71) in tracing the regions of origin for olive trees, in agreement with their geographical orientation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Dengue is a main public health issue around the world and is an epidemic in Brazil. As part of the Brazilian national program to fight the disease, every municipality has a Zoonosis Control Center responsible for health and case surveillance, among other actions. The fieldwork includes routine visiting of houses and strategic sites (e.g. industries and vacant lands), water sampling, container elimination, and larvicide administration. However, the field data are gathered and summarized by hand. In this work, our goal is to ease the collection and visualization of field data to support decision-making. We have developed a mobile system to collect and georeference field data which could then be used to build geospatial and geo-temporal visualizations of indices such as House, Container, and Breteau1 indices. This solution could enhance entomological surveillance and leverage action planning and evaluation.

Background: This proposal aims to explain some of the gaps in scientific knowledge on the natural history of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with a specific focus on immune, inflammatory, and metabolic markers, in parallel with temporal assessment of clinical and mental health in patients with COVID-19. The study will explore the temporal modulatory effects of physical activity and body composition on individual trajectories. This approach will provide a better understanding of the survival mechanisms provided by the immunomodulatory role of physical fitness. Methods: We will conduct a prospective observational cohort study including adult patients previously infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus who have expressed a mild to moderate COVID-19 infection. Procedures will be conducted for all participants at baseline, six weeks after vaccination, and again at 12 months. At each visit, a venous blood sample will be collected for immune phenotypic characterization and biochemistry assays (inflammatory and metabolic parameters). Also, body composition, physical activity level, cardiovascular and pulmonary function, peripheral and respiratory muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, and mental health will be evaluated. Using the baseline information, participants will be grouped based on physical activity levels (sedentary versus active), body composition (normal weight versus overweight or obese), and SARS-CoV-2 status (positive versus negative). A sub-study will provide mechanistic evidence using an in-vitro assay based on well-trained individuals and age-matched sedentary controls who are negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Whole blood will be stimulated using recombinant human coronavirus to determine the cytokine profile. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy well-trained participants will be collected and treated with homologous serum (from the main study; samples collected before and after the vaccine) and recombinant coronavirus (inactive virus). The metabolism of PBMCs will be analyzed using Respirometry (Seahorse). Data will be analyzed using multilevel repeated-measures ANOVA. Conclusions: The data generated will help us answer three main questions: (1) Does the innate immune system of physically active individuals respond better to viral infections compared with that of sedentary people? (2) which functional and metabolic mechanisms explain the differences in responses in participants with different physical fitness levels? and (3) do these mechanisms have long-term positive modulatory effects on mental and cardiovascular health? Trial registration number: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-5dqvkv3. Registered on 21 September 2021.

This study evaluated the cytocompatibility and antimicrobial/antibiofilm effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) associated with peptide LL-37 and its analogue KR-12-a5 against oral pathogens. The effect of the compounds on metabolism of fibroblasts was evaluated by methyltetrazolium assays. Antimicrobial activity of the compounds was evaluated on Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Actinomyces israelii, and Fusobacterium nucleatum under planktonic conditions, on single- and dual-species biofilms and E. faecalis biofilms in dentinal tubules and analyzed by bacterial counts and confocal microscopy. Data were statistically analyzed considering p < 0.05. EGCG and peptide combinations were not toxic to fibroblasts. KR-12-a5 showed synergistic or addictive effects with EGCG and LL-37 against all bacteria tested. However, EGCG associated with KR-12-a5 demonstrated the highest bactericidal activity on all bacteria tested, at lower concentrations. In single-species biofilms, EGCG + KR-12-a5 eliminated S. mutans and A. israelii and reduced E. faecalis and F. nucleatum counts around 5 log CFU/mL. EGCG + KR-12-a5 reduced E. faecalis (-3.93 log CFU/mL) and eliminated S. mutans in dual-species biofilms. No growth of E. faecalis and significant reduction in A. israelii (-6.24 log CFU/mL) and F. nucleatum (-4.62 log CFU/mL) counts were detected in dual-species biofilms. The combination of EGCG and KR-12-a5 led to 88% of E. faecalis dead cells inside dentin tubules. The association of EGCG and KR-12-a5 was cytocompatible and promoted synergistic effect against biofilms of bacteria associated with endodontic infections., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of traditional resistance training compared to elastic tubes training on bioimpedance vector patterns, body composition, and strength in older women. Thirty-eight older women (age 68.7 ± 6.9 years, body mass index 28.8 ± 7.2 kg/m 2 ) were randomly assigned to perform traditional resistance or elastic tubes training three times per week for 12 weeks. Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. In addition, handgrip strength was measured using a dynamometer. Only the participants who followed the 12-week traditional resistance training program significantly (p < 0.05) decreased fat mass (ES: -0.69) and extracellular water (ES: -1.06), and increased total body water (ES: 0.49), intracellular water (ES: 1.11), body cell mass (ES: 0.82), muscle mass (ES: 0.94), and phase angle (ES: 0.99), while no change occurred in the elastic tubes training group. Furthermore, a vector leftward displacement (ES: 1.11) into the resistance-reactance graph was found only after the traditional resistance training program. The handgrip strength increased for both traditional and elastic tubes training groups (ES: 0.64, ES: 0.71, respectively). Traditional resistance training improved body composition and strength in the older women group, while training using elastic tubes was effective only for the latter. The present outcomes encourage the use of systematic resistance training to counteract the effects of aging in older women., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Low muscle mass is associated with sarcopenia and increased mortality. Muscle mass, especially that of the limbs, is commonly estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bioimpedance analysis (BIA). However, BIA-based predictive equations for estimating lean appendicular soft tissue mass (ALST) do not take into account body fat distribution, an important factor influencing DXA and BIA measurements., Objectives: To develop and cross-validate a BIA-based equation for estimating ALST with DXA as criterion, and to compare our new formula to three previously published models., Methods: One-hundred eighty-four older adults (140 women and 44 men) (age 71.5 ± 7.3 years, body mass index 27.9 ± 5.3 kg/m 2 ) were recruited. Participants were randomly split into validation (n = 118) and cross-validation groups (n = 66). Bioelectrical resistance was obtained with a phase-sensitive 50 kHz BIA device., Results: A BIA-based model was developed for appendicular lean soft tissue mass [ALST (kg) = 5.982 + (0.188 × S 2  / resistance) + (0.014 × waist circumference) + (0.046 × Wt) + (3.881 × sex) - (0.053 × age), where sex is 0 if female or 1 if male, Wt is weight (kg), and S is stature (cm) (R 2  = 0.86, SEE = 1.35 kg)]. Cross validation revealed r 2 of 0.91 and no mean bias. Two of three previously published models showed a trend to significantly overestimate ALST in our sample (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: The new equation can be considered valid, with no observed bias and trend, thus affording practical means to quantify ALST mass in older adults., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of the study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and effect of curcumin-cinnamaldehyde hybrids (CCHs) on the biofilm of oral pathogens. Of the 18 hybrids tested, nine had an inhibitory effect on at least one of the bacterial species tested, with minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations ranging from 9 to 625 μg ml -1 . CCH 7 promoted a potent inhibitory effect against all the bacterial species tested and better compatibility than chlorhexidine (CHX). CCH 7 also presented a similar or improved effect over that of CHX, causing a reduction in bacterial metabolism and viability in single and dual-species biofilms. CCH 7 reduced by 86% and 34% the viability of multispecies biofilms formed by collection and clinical strains. It can be concluded that CCH 7 was cytocompatible at the minimal inhibitory concentration, presented anti-biofilm action against oral pathogens, and could act as an antimicrobial agent for application in endodontics.

Abstract Aging decreases physical function which can increase dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) and disability. However, physical activity (PA) may improve physical function and prevent disability in older adults. In addition, it is important to emphasize that research concerning the domains in which PA is practiced and the benefits for physical function of older adults is also important for the elaboration of preventative health measures for this population. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse the association of total PA and PA in different domains and odds of disability in older adults in a 24-month follow-up. The study included 211 older adults, aged ≥60 years (72 ± 7 years, 72% women). Handgrip strength was measured using a digital dynamometer, gait speed and chair stand by functional tests. PA and dependence in ADL were self-reported. Older adults who remained sufficiently active in the occupational (OR:0.11;CI95%:0.01-0.93, OR:0.21;CI95%:0.07-0.69, and OR:0.13;CI95%:0.05-0.34) domain presented protection for high dependence in basic (BADL), instrumental (IADL) and advanced (AADL), respectively, as well as in total ADL (OR:0.25;CI95%:0.07-0.92). Older adults who remained sufficiently active in the leisure-time exercise (OR:0.28;CI95%:0.11-0.72, OR:0.44;CI95%:0.20-0.93 and OR:0.15;CI95%:0.04-0.49) domain presented protection for high dependence in IADL, AADL and total ADL, respectively. Moreover, older adults who remained sufficiently active in total PA (OR:0.11;CI95%:0.01-0.94, OR:0.30;CI95%:0.11-0.80 and OR:0.21CI95%:0.10-0.46) presented protection for high dependence in BADL, IADL and AADL, respectively, as well as in total ADL (OR:0.28;CI95%:0.09-0.86). The odds of disability are lower in older adults who are sufficiently active, especially in occupational and leisure-time exercise domains.

Background: Alterations in bioimpedance parameters and postural control occur with aging and contribute to the increased risk of falls. The aim of this study was to evaluate the balance behavior in relation to bioimpedance and functionality., Methods: We evaluated 21 elderly (men: 77.3 ± 9.5 years; women: 74.2 ± 9.6 years). The balance in standing posture was measured by the movement of the pressure center in seven positions. Bioimpedance was defined by its parameters resistance, reactance and phase angle, and functionality through the Timed Up and Go Test and Short Physical Performance Battery., Findings: In the analysis of the mediolateral velocity at the positions feet separated with open and closed eyes, feet together with eyes closed and semi-tandem with eyes open on the platform, an inverse correlation between balance and bioimpedance variables were verified for all models, with a coefficient of determination varying between 20% and 74%. Inverse and significant correlations between reactance and phase angle in the one-legged-support position were verified, in all adjustment models, with coefficient of determination varying between 62% and 91%. In the analysis of mediolateral velocity for the semi-tandem eyes closed position, positive correlation with TUG and an inverse correlation with bioimpedance parameters and pennation angle were observed, with coefficient of determination varying between 21% and 67%., Interpretation: The postural control is linearly related to bioimpedance parameters and functionality in the elderly. The assessment of balance can provide important information and furnishes useful insights for prevention and treatment strategies in elderly., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aging causes some unfavorable morphological and functional changes, such as the decline in bone mineral density (BMD) and physical function. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time seem to be related with these alterations, but the impact of distinct patterns remains unclear. The aim of this study was to cross-sectionally and prospectively assess the association between objectively measured MVPA and sedentary patterns (bouts and breaks) with BMD and physical function in older adults. The study considered 151 Brazilians (aged ≥ 60 years), out of which 68 participants completed 2-year follow-up measurements. MVPA and sedentary patterns were measured by means of accelerometry, BMD-(total proximal femur and lumbar spine (L1-L4)) by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and physical function-by means of physical tests. In older women, sedentary bouts >60 min were inversely associated with handgrip strength (β = -2.03, 95% CI: from -3.43 to -0.63). The prospective analyses showed that changes in sedentary bouts (20 to 30 min and >60 min) were inversely associated with changes in the lumbar spine's BMD (β = -0.01, 95% CI: from -0.01 to -0.00 and β = -0.03, 95% CI: from -0.06 to -0.01) and the lumbar spine's T-score (β = -0.06, 95% CI: from -0.10 to -0.01 and β = -0.27, 95% CI: from -0.49 to -0.04), respectively. In older women, sedentary patterns are cross-sectionally associated with handgrip strength and prospectively associated with BMD independent of MVPA.

Introduction: The aim of this ex vivo study was to analyze the effect of different vehicles combined with agitation methods on the penetration of calcium hydroxide (CH) paste in the dentinal tubules., Methods: Sixty freshly extracted, single-rooted human premolars were prepared using WaveOne Gold (Dentsply Sirona, York, PA) and randomized into 6 experimental groups (n = 10) according to the vehicle and method of paste agitation as follows: propylene glycol (PG) + Lentulo, PG + Lentulo + ultrasound, PG + Lentulo + sonic, distilled water (DW) + Lentulo, DW + Lentulo + ultrasonic, and DW + Lentulo + sonic. The CH paste was manipulated with sodium fluorescein dye and was inserted to completely fill the root canal. Two 1-mm thick sections at 2 mm and 5 mm from the apex of each root were obtained. The sections were scanned using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the images were analyzed using ImageJ software (Bethesda, MD) to calculate the percentage penetration and maximum penetration depth of CH paste. Statistical analysis was performed using 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc tests., Results: No statistically significant differences between study factors at a distance of 2 mm from the apex were observed (P > .05). However, at 5 mm, a significant difference between the vehicles (P < .05) in percentage penetration was demonstrated with higher means for PG., Conclusions: Vehicles interfered with the penetration of CH in the dentinal tubules at 5 mm from the apex with better results for PG., (Copyright © 2020 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the study was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of instillation angle and nozzle tip geometry on cross-contamination risk of multidose ocular solution bottles., Methods: Pseudomonas aeruginosa solution was passed exclusively on the outside of the nozzle to simulate contamination on the exterior of topical agents. Three drops were administered from angles of 90° and 45° from bottles with either a round or sharp tip geometry, and the cultures were examined for growth. Two-hundred sixteen cultures from nine lubricant eyedrop brands currently existing in the Brazilian market were assessed for bacterial growth., Results: After seven days, bacterial contamination was detected in 53.7% of cultures when drops were administered at 90° and in 70.4% of cultures at 45°. Eyedrops collected from a rounded nozzle tip and an instillation angle of 90° transmitted bacteria in 69.4% of cases, whereas those administered from a sharp tip transmitted bacteria in only 22.2% of cases ( P = 0.001). At an instillation angle of 45°, contamination was identified in 83.3% of bottles with a rounded tip geometry and in only eight of 18 bottles (44.4%) from those with a sharp nozzle geometry ( P = 0.005)., Conclusions: Adjusting the instillation angle of eyedrop solutions to 90°, as well as using a nozzle geometry that prevents flow of the solution to the side of the bottle, significantly reduced contamination rates., Translational Relevance: Standardizing drop bottles and adjusting delivery angle shows promise in reducing contamination rates and may critically impact the quality of care for patients requiring topical therapeutic agents., Competing Interests: Disclosure: A.X. da Costa, None; M.C.Z. Yu, None; D. de Freitas, None; P.C. Cristovam, None; L.C. LaMonica, None; V.R. dos Santos, None; J.A.P. Gomes, Allergan (C, E), MSD (C), Bausch & Lomb/Valeant (C, E), Mundipharma (C, E), EMS/Legrand (C), Shire (C), Alcon (E), Genom (E), Pfizer (E), Grin (E), Ofta Vision Health (E), FAPESP (R), Capes (R), Cnpq (R), (Copyright 2020 The Authors.)

Background/objectives: Physical activity (PA) could be effective in the prevention of functional disability in older women, especially for those with body composition abnormalities. The aim this study was to analyze the association of total PA and in different domains with physical function and functional capacity in older women with or without osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO), as well as to assess the risk of functional disability in osteosarcopenic obesity older women insufficiently active., Subjects/methods: The study included 152 Brazilian older women, aged 60 years and older. Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and physical function by physical tests. Functional capacity and PA were self-reported., Results: In older women without OSO, the practice of leisure-time exercise (β:-0.23; 95%CI -0.40 to -0.06) and total PA (β:-0.40; 95%CI -0.57 to -0.23) is inversely associated with dependence in ADL. In older women with OSO, the practice of leisure-time exercise was inversely associated with physical function (β:0.88; 95%CI 0.31-1.46) and functional capacity (β:-1.05; 95%CI 1.64 to -0.45), while total PA (β:-1.03; 95%CI -1.93 to -0.13) was inversely associated with functional capacity, independent of control variables. In addition, older women with OSO who remained insufficiently active in leisure-time exercise (HR:2.28; 95%CI 1.04-4.99) and locomotion (HR:2.62; 95%CI 1.28-5.36) domains presented risk for functional disability., Conclusions: PA is inversely associated with physical function and functional capacity in older women with or without OSO, and older women with OSO who are insufficiently active in leisure-time exercise and locomotion domains presented a higher risk for functional disability.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of systemic administration of probiotics on the severity of apical periodontitis (AP)., Methodology: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were used. AP was induced in the maxillary left/right first molars. The animals were arranged into groups: Control, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Probiotics were administered orally for gavage (10 9 colony-forming units diluted in 5 mL of water for 30 days) during the development of AP. After 30 days, cardiac puncture was performed to analyse the complete blood count. Moreover, microbiological analysis of the root canal contents and saliva was performed. Then, the animals were euthanized and the jaw removed for histopathological and IL-10, IL-1β and IL-6 immunolabeling analyses. After the Shapiro-Wilk test of normality, the Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test was performed for nonparametric data, and analysis of variance followed by the Tukey test was performed for parametric data (P < 0.05)., Results: No significance difference was observed in the blood profiles and in the counts of microorganisms from the saliva samples among the groups (P > 0.05). Total microorganism counts in the root canal, the inflammatory infiltrate and the immunostaining for IL-1β and IL-6 in AP were significantly lower in the probiotic groups when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). IL-10 was significantly more immunolabled in the probiotic groups than in the control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Supplementation with probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus) had a significant effect on the severity of apical periodontitis in rats, demonstrating the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics on the development of apical periodontitis., (© 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The aim this study was to analyze the association between insufficient physical activity and dysmobility syndrome (DS) in community-dwelling older adults. In total, 375 subjects were evaluated aged ≥60 years. For the diagnosis of DS the presence of ≥3 clinical factors was considered: (a) low muscle mass; (b) low muscular strength; (c) low gait speed; (d) high body fat, and (e) osteoporosis. Information relating to the practice of habitual physical activity (HPA) was obtained using a questionnaire and accelerometry. The chi-square test was used to verify the association between HPA and DS and analysis of binary logistic regression to build multiple models. Insufficiently active older adults are approximately 2 times (95% confidence interval, 1.14-3.79) more likely to have DS, independent of body mass index, smoking and ethnicity. The insufficient practice of physical activity is associated with DS in older adults, mainly in women and older., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Introduction: Schwannomas-Schwann cells-originating tumors-may develop in many locations. However, primary schwannomas arising within lymph nodes are extremely rare, with only a few cases described to this date in the English literature. For the intranodal location, most of the cases are described in the abdominal cavity. In these cases, clinicians may consider and check for familial disorders, such as neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis also called neurofibromatosis type 3. Schwannomas are benign neoplasms. Histologically, differential diagnosis for spindle-cell lesions in lymph nodes is important and must be done carefully, mainly because they may be attributable to metastatic disease. We report a case of a primary schwannoma arising in a cervical lymph node., Background: Primary schwannomas arising within lymph nodes are extremely rare, with only a few cases reported. Since they are benign neoplasms, the differential diagnosis with other intranodal spindle cell lesions, mostly malignant, is important., Methods: An asymptomatic 69-year-old woman, previously submitted to left hemithyroidectomy for a benign folicular nodule, underwent thyroidectomy totalization following the identification of a large thyroid nodule in routine evaluation., Results: Gross and microscopic examination and ancillary studies were consistent with the diagnosis of intranodal schwannoma. The patient had acquired bilateral hypoacusia. Therefore, type 2 neurofibromatosis was considered and vestibular schwannomas ruled out., Conclusion: Herein, we present the second case of a primary schwannoma in a cervical lymph node reported so far. The relevance of the differential diagnosis is highlighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of 12 weeks of elastic resistance training on the glucose homeostasis, strength and functionally in sarcopenic older adults. Seven sarcopenic subjects (age, 70.71± 8.0 years; body mass index, 22.75±3.1 kg/m 2 ) participated of training protocol with 12 weeks of elastic resistance training. The oral glucose tolerance test, handgrip strength, sit-to-stand test, 4-m walk test, and coordination test were measured at baseline and after training. According to the results, baseline values of area under the curve of glucose and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance were significantly lower than after 12 weeks, respectively (808.2±185.0 mmol/L vs. 706.6±114.8 mmol/L, P =0.049; 1.44±0.48 vs. 0.73±0.32, P =0.040). There were a significant improve of HGS (24.3±5.7 kg vs. 27.3±7.3 kg, P =0.01), 4-m walking test (3.64±0.4 sec vs. 3.23±0.3 sec, P =0.04), and STS (10.2±2.3 sec vs. 9.0±1.9 sec, P =0.04) compared with baseline. In conclusion, these findings suggest that elastic resistance training improved glucose homeostasis, strength, and functionality in sarcopenic older adults., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Introduction: The concept of assistive technology covers several areas of action; one of them is communication with the elaboration of accessible solutions to overcome daily difficulties. It contributes to the resumption of functional abilities, expanding and facilitating inclusion and independent living., Objective: To analyze the usability of a low cost prototype device to support educational activities of adolescents with cerebral palsy., Methods: A descriptive observational study. The evaluation of a prototype device was made through a validated questionnaire, Quest Version 2.0, on the level of the user's satisfaction with an assistive technology, composed of 12 evaluation items. The questionnaire was filled out by the educator based on the observation of four wheelchair-bound participants diagnosed with cerebral palsy according to the international classification of diseases and health-related problems, ICD-10, who attend a coexistence and teaching institution in the state of São Paulo, Brazil., Results: The device developed was considered an assistive technology, which provided an experience with a positive level of satisfaction for the participants., Conclusion: The tested prototype contributes to communication and interaction allowing adolescents with cerebral palsy to participate in educational activities. Implications for Rehabilitation The device assists the individual in the educational activities and can positively influence their development, observe the individual number 5, who has an important limitation in coordination and fine movements, placing the role of the task in the vertical position offers a new perspective to perform the task, this stimulates him to try to perform the work, so the challenge was adjusted to the demands of each individual which can contribute to its neuromotor development, the amplitude of the distal movements and the manual ability, since it must look for alternatives to complete the task requested.

Formation of a dental biofilm by Streptococcus mutans can cause dental caries, and remains a costly health problem worldwide. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of peptidic drugs, such as peptide p1025, analogous to the fragments 1025-1044 of S. mutans cellular adhesin, responsible for the adhesion and formation of dental biofilm. However, peptides have physicochemical characteristics that may affect their biological action, limiting their clinical performance. Therefore, drug-delivery systems, such as a bioadhesive liquid-crystalline system (LCS), may be attractive strategies for peptide delivery. Potentiation of the action of LCS can be achieved with the use of bioadhesive polymers to prolong their residence on the teeth. In line with this, three formulations - polyoxypropylene-(5)-polyoxyethylene-(20)-cetyl alcohol, oleic acid, and Carbopol C974P in different combinations (F1C, F2C, and F3C) were developed to observe the influence of water in the LCS, with the aim of achieving in situ gelling in the oral environment. These formulations were assessed by polarized light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, rheological analysis, and in vitro bioadhesion analysis. Then, p1025 and a control (chlorhexidine) were incorporated into the aqueous phase of the formulation (F + p1025 and F + chlorhexidine), to determine their antibiofilm effect and toxicity on epithelial cells. Polarized light microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering showed that F1C and F2C were LCS, whereas F3C was a microemulsion. F1C and F2C showed pseudoplastic behavior and F3C Newtonian behavior. F1C showed the highest elastic and bioadhesive characteristics compared to other formulations. Antibiofilm effects were observed for F + p1025 when applied in the surface-bound salivary phase. The p1025-loaded nanostructured LCS presented limited cytotoxicity and effectively reduced S. mutans biofilm formation, and could be a promising p1025-delivery strategy to prevent the formation of S. mutans dental biofilm., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is an aggressive condition that can affect teeth of young children. This study aimed to evaluate genotypic diversity and phenotypic traits of S. mutans isolated from dental biofilms of children with different caries status in comparison with caries free (CF) children., Methods: Streptococcus mutans strains were isolated from supragingival biofilm samples of CF, ECC and severe-ECC (S-ECC) children and genotyped by arbitrary-primer polymerase chain reaction - AP-PCR. S. mutans genotypes were tested for their ability to reduce the suspension pH through glycolysis, to tolerate extreme acid challenge and by their ability to form biofilm. Response variables were analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey or Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney tests at a 5% of significance., Results: There was an increase in the prevalence of Streptococcus mutans in biofilms with the severity of dental caries. No differences in genotypic diversity and in acidogenicity of genotypes were found among CF, ECC and S-ECC children. S mutans strains with genotypes more characteristic for ECC and S-ECC children formed more biofilms than those identified in CF children. The strains isolated from S-ECC children were highly acid tolerant., Conclusion: Although S. mutans genotypic diversity was similar among the groups of children, phenotypic traits of S. mutans, especially the acid tolerance response, could explain the severity of early childhood caries.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the in vitro cariogenic potential of some Bifidobacterium species in comparison with caries-associated bacteria., Design: Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium dentium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Actinomyces israelii, Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus mutans were tested for acidogenicity and aciduricity by measuring the pH of the cultures after growth in glucose and bacterial growth after exposure to acid solutions. Biofilm biomass was determined for each species either alone or associated with S. mutans or S. mutans/S. sobrinus. Enamel hardness was analyzed before and after 7-days biofilm formation using bacterial combinations., Results: B. animalis and B. longum were the most acidogenic and aciduric strains, comparable to caries-associated bacteria, such as S. mutans and L. casei. All species had a significantly increased biofilm when combined either with S. mutans or with S. mutans/S. sobrinus. The greatest enamel surface loss was produced when B. longum or B. animalis were inoculated with S. mutans, similar to L. casei and S. sobrinus. All strains induced similar enamel demineralization when combined with S. mutans/S. sobrinus, except by B. lactis., Conclusion: The ability to produce acidic environments and to enhance biofilm formation leading to increased demineralization may mean that Bifidobacterium species, especially B. animalis and B. longum, are potentially cariogenic., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the physical performance of Brazilian individuals older than 80 years with and without OD., Methods: The sample consisted of 135 individuals (aged > 80 years) of both gender. Identification of osteopenia/osteoporosis was verified by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, and the presence of others osteoarticular diseases (OD) was obtained using a questionnaire of morbidities. Physical performance was analyzed by motor tests., Results: Men presented higher proportion of osteopenia/osteoporosis compared to women (p = 0.013). The proportion of older people with arthritis/osteoarthritis for women and men was 33% and 26%, respectively, and with OD in the spine was 19% and 12%, respectively. No significant difference for physical performance, measured by each test and overall score, was observed between groups of OD. According to gender, male with OD presented lower performance in gait speed, balance and overall score (p < 0.05), while older people with osteopenia/osteoporosis are at higher risk for low physical performance (OR 2.73; CI 95% 1.31-5.66)., Conclusion: In conclusion it was verified in older people with age of 80 years or more, a high prevalence of OD, especially in men, and the presence of these diseases interfered negatively their physical performance.

In this work five sources of galactomannans, Adenanthera pavonina, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Ceratonia siliqua and Sophora japonica, presenting mannose/galactose ratios of 1.3, 1.7, 2.9, 3.4 and 5.6, respectively, were used to produce galactomannan-based films. These films were characterized in terms of: water vapour, oxygen and carbon dioxide permeabilities (WVP, O 2 P and CO 2 P); moisture content, water solubility, contact angle, elongation-at-break (EB), tensile strength (TS) and glass transition temperature (T g ). Results showed that films properties vary according to the galactomannan source (different galactose distribution) and their mannose/galactose ratio. Water affinity of mannan and galactose chains and the intermolecular interactions of mannose backbone should also be considered being factors that affect films' properties. This work has shown that knowing mannose/galactose ratio of galactomannans is possible to foresee galactomannan-based edible films properties.

Introduction: Sarcopenia is characterized by a progressive and generalized decrease of strength and muscle mass. Muscle mass loss is prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a result of both the disease and aging. Some methods have been proposed to assess body composition (and therefore identify muscle mass loss) in this population. Despite the high accuracy of some methods, they require sophisticated and costly equipment., Aim: The purpose of this study was to infer the occurrence of muscle mass loss measured by a sophisticated method (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA]) using a more simple and affordable equipment (dynamometer)., Methods: Fifty-seven stable subjects with COPD were evaluated for anthropometric characteristics, lung function, functional exercise capacity, body composition, and peripheral muscle strength. A binary logistic regression model verified whether knee-extension strength (measured by dynamometry) could infer muscle mass loss (from DEXA)., Results: Patients with decreased knee-extension strength were 5.93 times more likely to have muscle mass loss, regardless of sex, disease stage, and functional exercise capacity (P=0.045)., Conclusion: Knee-extension dynamometry was able to infer muscle mass loss in patients with COPD.

Aim: Lobeline is a natural alkaloid derived from Lobelia inflata that has been investigated as a clinical candidate for the treatment of alcoholism. In a pre-clinical trial, lobeline decreased the preference for and consumption of ethanol, due to the modulation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. However, the interaction between lobeline and ethanol is poorly known and thus there are safety concerns. The present study was conducted to evaluate the mutagenic and genotoxic effects of lobeline and assess its modulation of ethanol-induced toxicological effects., Main Methods: CF-1 male mice were divided into five groups. Groups received an intraperitoneal injection of saline solution, lobeline (5 or 10mg/kg), ethanol (2.5 g/kg), or lobeline plus ethanol, once a day for three consecutive days. Genotoxicity was evaluated in peripheral blood using the alkaline comet assay. The mutagenicity was evaluated using both Salmonella/microsome assay in TA1535, TA97a, TA98, TA100, and TA102 Salmonella typhimurium strains and the micronucleus test in bone marrow. Possible liver and kidney injuries were evaluated using biochemical analysis., Key Findings: Lobeline did not show genotoxic or mutagenic effects and did not increase the ethanol-induced genotoxic effects in blood. Lobeline also protected blood cells against oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide. Biochemical parameters were not altered, indicating no liver or kidney injuries or alterations in lipid and carbohydrate metabolisms., Significance: These findings suggest that lobeline does not induce gene or chromosomal mutations, and that this lack of genetic toxicity is maintained in the presence of ethanol, providing further evidence of the safety of this drug to treat alcohol dependence., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Analyzed the association of bone mass with the functional capacity of elderly aged 80 or more., Methods: The sample consisted of 93 elderly aged 80 and 91 years (83.2±2.5 years) being 61 women (83.3±2.7 years) and 32 men (83.1±2.2 years) living in the city of Presidente Prudente - São Paulo/Brazil. The assessment of bone mass was realized by absorptiometry dual-energy X-ray (DXA), where have been measured values bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur and spine (L1-L4). The functional capacity was evaluated by means of walking speed tests, static equilibrium and strength of lower limbs contained in the questionnaire Wellness Health and Aging (SABE). The variables of bone mass and functional capacity were categorized according to the median values and score tests, respectively. For statistical analysis we carried out the chi-square test, the software used was SPSS (13.0) and the significance level was set at 5%., Results: Elderly male with higher performance in the functional tests showed higher femur BMC compared to lower performance, result not found when evaluated women., Conclusion: Thus, the bone of the femur for the oldest old male is associated with functional capacity. The constant assessment of the bone mineral mass and practive of physical activity throughout life would be measures to prevent falls in the elderly.

This experiment was carried out on 8 ha of Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania pastures, with rotational grazing consisting of 7 days of occupation and 21 days of rest. Four treatments were evaluated: cattle grazing alone (BOV), sheep grazing alone (OVI), cattle and sheep grazing simultaneously (SIM) and cattle grazing followed by sheep (alternate - ALT). Twenty heifers and 30 male Santa Inês lambs were used. Fecal egg count (FEC) and fecal cultures were carried out. Blood was also collected to examine red and white cell series, total plasma protein (TPP), albumin and hemoglobin. FEC and estimated nematode pathogenicity index in sheep were lower in the SIM treatment. The Haemonchus spp. proportion was higher in isolated grazing systems. For sheep, mixed grazing was shown to reduce endoparasite infection, and SIM was better than ALT. For cattle, no difference between grazing systems was seen. Therefore, simultaneous grazing (sheep and cattle) may be a tool for reducing the need for anthelmintic treatments in sheep.

Background: Sarcopenia may explain, in a large proportion, physical disability, falls and fractures, especially in aged elderly. However, a diagnosis in an operationally systematic, simple and low cost way is extremely important, particularly for home-based, epidemiological studies., Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate predictive equations of appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) in elderly older than 80 years., Design and Settings: A validation study was performed in 106 elderly (men and women) aged 80 years and older., Measurements: Body weight, height, circumference (arm, midcalf, hip and waist) and triceps skinfold were measured in the elderly. ALST were measured using as the reference method dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)., Results: Two models were predicted. The first model (ALST, in kg = 0.074*height + 0.277*weight - 0.144*triceps skinfold - 0.103*waist circumference + 1.831*gender -0.966), which considered all possible variables in stepwise multiple regression, presented better statistical performance (r2 = 0.82; SEE = 1.67 kg), compared to the second model (ALST, in kg = 0.138*height + 0.103*weight + 3.061*gender - 12.489), a more practical equation, due to a lesser quantity of predictive variables (r2 = 0.75; SEE = 1.94 kg). Both models were validated, however, it was verified trend (p<0.05) for overestimation of predicted ALST., Conclusion: In summary, two models for predicting ALST in men and women with age ≥ 80 years were developed and cross-validated. Model 1, with a greater number of predictive variables, presented a better accuracy than did the model with only three variables (height, weight, and gender). Validation studies are needed to test the usefulness of both models in other populations.

Background: Metabolic and morphological changes associated with excessive abdominal fat, after the introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV/AIDS(PLWHA). Accurate methods for body composition analysis are expensive and the use of anthropometric indices is an alternative. However the investigations about this subject in PLWHA are rare, making this research very important for clinical purpose and to advance scientific knowledge. The aim of this study is to correlate results of anthropometric indices of evaluation of body fat distribution with the results obtained by Dual-energy X-Ray Absorptiometry(DEXA), in people living with HIV/AIDS., Methods: The sample was of 67 PLWHA(39 male and 28 female), aged 43.6±7.9 years. Body mass index, conicity index, waist/hip ratio, waist/height ratio and waist/thigh were calculated. Separated by sex, each index/ratio was plotted in a scatter chart with linear regression fit and their respective Pearson correlation coefficients. Analyses were performed using Prism statistical program and significance was set at 5%., Results: The waist/height ratio presented the highest correlation coefficient, for both male (r=0.80, p<0.001) and female (r=0.87, p <001), while the lowest were in the waist/thigh also for both: male group (r=0.58, p<0.001) and female group (r=0.03, p=0.86). The other indices also showed significant positive correlation with DEXA., Conclusion: Anthropometric indices, especially waist/height ratio may be a good alternative way to be used for evaluating the distribution of fat in the abdominal region of adults living with HIV/ADIS.