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An angiosperm seed is formed by the embryo and endosperm, which are direct products of fertilization, and by the maternal seed coat. These tissues communicate with each other to ensure synchronized seed development. After fertilization, auxin produced in the endosperm is exported to the integuments where it drives seed coat formation. Here, we show that the seed coat signals back to the endosperm to promote its proliferation via the steroid hormones brassinosteroids (BR). We show that BR regulate cell wall-related processes in the seed coat and that the biophysical properties of this maternal organ determine the proliferation rate of the endosperm in a manner independent of the timing of its cellularization. We thus propose that maternal BR signaling tunes endosperm proliferation to seed coat expansion., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background/objectives: Arboviruses, transmitted by mosquitoes like Aedes aegypti , pose significant public health challenges globally, particularly in tropical regions. The rapid spread and adaptation of viruses such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya have emphasized the need for innovative control methods. Essential oils from plants, such as Pectis brevipedunculata (Gardner) Sch.Bip. ( Pb ), have emerged as potential alternatives to conventional insecticides., Methods: In this work, we developed an eco-friendly nanogel using a low-energy, solvent-free method, incorporating the copolymer F127 and Carbopol 974p, enriched with a high concentration of essential oil from Pb (EO Pb ). The resulting nanogel displayed excellent physical stability, maintained under varying temperature conditions. Characterization techniques, including FTIR and DLS, confirmed the stable incorporation of EO Pb within the nanogel matrix., Results: The in vitro assays against Aedes aegypti larvae revealed that at 500 μg/mL, the mortality rates were 96.0% ± 7.0 after 24 h and 100.0% ± 0.0 after 48 h. The positive control group treated with temefos, achieved 100% mortality at both time points, validating the experimental conditions and providing a benchmark for assessing the efficacy of the nGF2002 Pb nanogel., Conclusions: These results indicate that nGF2002 Pb demonstrates a pronounced concentration-dependent larvicidal effect against Aedes aegypti , offering an innovative and sustainable approach to arbovirus vector control.

To evaluate the inflammatory tissue response to BioRoot™ RCS (BR) and AH Plus Jet (AHPJ) sealers implanted in mice subcutaneous tissue. It was hypothesized that the inflammatory tissue response to BR would be milder than to AHPJ. An in vivo study was carried out using isogenic mice. The sealers were implanted during standardized surgical procedures. The inflammatory response was evaluated by microscopic analysis and von Kossa reaction in the reactionary tissue around the specimens after 7, 21, and 63 days. For comparisons, a zinc oxide and eugenol sealer (ZOE) was used as a positive control, in addition to a negative control without a sealer (n = 10 per group/period). All statistical analyses considered a significance level of 5%. All endodontic sealers triggered an inflammatory tissue response after 7 days. BR had a higher inflammatory cell count and a thicker fibrous capsule when compared with AHPJ, but both were less inflammatory than ZOE (p < .001). After 21 days, BR continued to trigger an intense inflammatory tissue response, higher in both microscopic parameters compared to AHPJ, and a thicker fibrous capsule than ZOE (p < .001). After 63 days, the inflammatory tissue response decreased in BR, matching the fibrous capsule thickness with AHPJ and ZOE. BR promoted intense calcium precipitation in all study periods. After 63 days, AHPJ and BR sealers were more biocompatible to subcutaneous mice tissue, but AHPJ present better early inflammatory response, as well as BR showed potential bioactivity. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The inflammatory tissue response triggered by a bioceramic endodontic sealer (BR) was not milder than that triggered by an epoxy-resin based endodontic sealer (AHPJ) during the first 3 weeks, considering the microscopic analysis of the reactionary tissue., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Brazil's public healthcare system (SUS) offers specialized oral health services to Brazilians, but the productivity of specialists, such as Pediatric Dentists, has not been characterized. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the outpatient dental procedures (ODPs) carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS. An epidemiological study with an ecological, longitudinal, retrospective, and quantitative approach was conducted. The ODPs carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS were characterized based on type of procedure, complexity level, and circumstance (urgent or elective). Data were analyzed using a descriptive and analytical approach, considering a significance level of 5%, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (the 2020-2022 years were not included in secondary analyses). In the last 15 years, 29,234,972 ODPs were carried out by Pediatric Dentists within the SUS. Clinical procedures were the majority (55.4%), significantly more frequent than all other types of procedures (all p <0.05). Among these, restorative and periodontal procedures were the most common (30.7% and 21.0%, respectively). From 2008 to 2019, excluding COVID-19 pandemic years, the trend over the last 15 years was constant for all types of procedures (all p >0.05). In addition, low complexity ODPs were the majority (90.1%), significantly more frequent than medium (9.7%) and high complexity procedures (0.1%) (both p <0.05). At last, most ODPs were not characterized by circumstance in the outpatient production reports (96.9%). Therefore, it was possible to conclude that Pediatric Dentists carried out diverse ODPs within the SUS over the past 15 years, although there was a dominant pattern of type and complexity.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate outpatient and inpatient dental care for patients with disabilities from 2014 to 2023., Material and Methods: A time series analysis was carried out with data from Brazil's public healthcare system, considering the outpatient productivity of Special Needs Dentistry specialists and hospitalizations (inpatient admissions) of patients with disabilities for dental procedures, both normalized to every 100,000 inhabitants (incidence). The significance level was set at 5%., Results: In the last 10 years, 22,420,859 procedures were carried out and 89,380 hospitalizations were approved. Trend analysis showed no significant temporal variation in the incidence of both variables. Regarding the procedures, the majority were low-complexity (82.1%, p < .001) and clinical (71.2%, p < .001). Periodontal (19.9%) and restorative (19.5%) procedures were the most frequent. Considering the hospitalizations, almost (R$) 40 million was allocated, and the majority were classified as elective (71.9%, p = .002) and of short duration (less than a day)., Conclusion: Dental care for patients with disabilities presented patterns related to the types of procedures, complexity and circumstance, in addition to not showing significant temporal variation over the last 10 years., (© 2024 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This study evaluated territorial disparities in dental care for disabled persons in Brazil's public healthcare system from 2014 to 2023. The person-year incidence of outpatient dental procedures carried out by special care dentistry specialists and hospitalizations for dental procedures for disabled persons were compared across different regions and against the national estimate. In addition, productivity was correlated with oral health-related indicators. The significance level was set at 5%. The northern region exhibited the highest outpatient productivity, while the southern region showed lower productivity compared to the national estimate (both p -value < 0.05). This pattern was reversed in inpatient productivity (both p -value < 0.05), with the northeastern and central-western regions also below average (both p -value < 0.05). There were no significant correlations between the indicators and inpatient productivity, but outpatient productivity was positively correlated with the proportions of inhabitants who self-rated their general and oral health as "poor" or "very poor", who have never visited a dentist, and who visited a dentist for tooth extraction (all p -values < 0.05). Territorial disparities in dental care for disabled persons were observed within Brazil's public healthcare system, and they were correlated with unfavorable oral health-related indicators at the population level.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition or knockout in experimental apical periodontitis (AP) induced in mice., Methods: The experimental AP was induced by pulpal exposure. To evaluate NLRP3-specific inhibitor medication (MCC950), WT mice received intraperitoneal injections, while the control received PBS (n = 10). In addition, to evaluate NLRP3 knockout, 35 wild-type (WT) and 35 NLRP3 -/- mice were divided into a control group (without pulpal exposure, n = 5) and three experimental groups: after 2, 14 and 42 days after pulpal exposure (n = 10). Microscopic and molecular analyzes were carried out using a significance level of 5%., Results: Exposure to MCC950 did not affect the periapical lesion size after 14 days (P = 0.584). However, exposed mice had a lower expression of IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1 (P = 0.010, 0.016 and 0.002, respectively). Moreover, NLRP3 -/- mice showed a smaller periapical lesion after 14 and 42 days (P = 0.023 and 0.031, respectively), as well as a lower expression of IL-1β after 42 days (P < 0.001), of IL-18 and caspase-1 after 14 (P < 0.001 and 0.035, respectively) and 42 days (P = 0.002 and 0.002, respectively). NLRP3 -/- mice also showed a lower mRNA for Il-1β, Il-18 and Casp1 after 2 (P = 0.002, 0.036 and 0.001, respectively) and 14 days (P = 0.002, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively)., Conclusions: NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition or knockout can attenuate the inflammatory events that result in the periapical lesion (AP) formation after pulpal exposure in mice., Clinical Relevance: The NLRP3 inflammasome may be a therapeutic target for AP, and new approaches may verify the impact of its inhibition (through intracanal medications or filling materials) on the bone repair process and treatment success., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The conicity of the root canals of primary teeth is an important measure for endodontic therapies. However, determining this conicity depends on the methods employed, which requires further investigation., Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the conicity of the root canals of the upper and lower primary second molars using nanotomography (nCT)., Design: An in vitro study was performed using nine primary second molars, both upper and lower, subjected to nCT. Comparisons between the diameters of root canals were performed between the thirds (cervical-D0, middle-D5, and apical-D7). The conicity (%) was determined for each root canal from cervical to apical. Data were statistically analyzed with a significance level of 5%., Results: The conicity ranged from 2% to 8% for the upper primary second molars. Significant differences in root canal diameter between the thirds (D0, D5, and D7 points) were observed in the mesio- and distobuccal roots (p < .05), but not in the palatal roots (p > .05). For the lower primary second molars, the conicity ranged from 2% to 17%, as well as significant differences in root canal diameter between the thirds (D0, D5, and D7 points) were observed in all roots (distal, mesiobuccal, and mesiolingual; p < .05)., Conclusion: The conicity of the upper primary second molars was different from that of the lower ones, which showed a greater variability., (© 2024 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Since the discovery of brassinolide in the pollen of rapeseed, brassinosteroids (BRs) have consistently been associated with reproductive traits. However, compared to what is known for how BRs shape vegetative development, the understanding of how these hormones regulate reproductive traits is comparatively still lacking. Nevertheless, there is now considerable evidence that BRs regulate almost all aspects of reproduction, from ovule and pollen formation to seed and fruit development. Here, we review the current body of knowledge on how BRs regulate reproductive processes in plants, and what is known about how these pathways are transduced at the molecular level. We then discuss how the manipulation of BR biosynthesis and signaling can be a promising avenue for improving crop traits which rely on efficient reproduction. We thus propose that BR hold an untapped potential for plant breeding, which could contribute to attain food security in the coming years., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.)

Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (IPD) remain a challenge for medicine due to several interconnected reasons, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is an overlooked IPD causing persistent skin ulcers that are challenging to heal, resulting in disfiguring scars. Moreover, it has the potential to extend from the skin to the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat in both humans and various animals. Given the limited effectiveness and AMR of current drugs, the exploration of new substances has emerged as a promising alternative for ATL treatment. Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC). Bureau is a native Brazilian plant rich in dimeric flavonoids, including Brachydin (BRA), which displays antimicrobial activity, but still little has been explored regarding the development of therapeutic formulations. In this work, we present the design of a low-cost liquid formulation based on the use of Pluronic F127 for encapsulation of high BRA concentration (LF-B500). The characterization techniques revealed that BRA-loaded F127 micelles are well-stabilized in an unusual worm-like form. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that LF-B500 was non-toxic to macrophages but efficient in the inactivation of forms of Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes with IC 50 of 16.06 µg/mL. The results demonstrated that LF-B500 opened a new perspective on the use of liquid formulation-based natural products for ATL treatment.

Dental caries is an important Public Health issue. However, the treatment of this disease in tertiary dental care requires further investigation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate caries-related hospital morbidity in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) from 2008 to 2022. An ecological study was conducted with secondary data on caries-related Hospital Admission Authorizations (AIH) and in-hospital dental procedures (IDP). Data were collected nationwide and statistical analysis was performed with a significance level (p) of 5%. In the last 15 years, 3,474 caries-related AIH and 63,657 IDP were approved within SUS. There was a significant upward trend in the number of caries-related AIH (p = 0.018) and a stationary trend in the number of caries-related IDP (p = 0.841). Moreover, from 2008 to 2022, R$ 1,160,843.09 was allocated for caries-related AIH. Hospital mortality was 0.29% (10 deaths), and 75.1% were elective inpatient admissions. Among SUS users, adults constituted the majority (49%), with a higher frequency of males (59.8%) and whites (46.2%). The most frequent type of caries-related IDP was restoration of permanent teeth (55.3%). Nonetheless, during the COVID-19 pandemic years, significant reductions in caries-related AIH and IDP within the SUS were observed (all p <0.05). Thus, within the SUS, caries-related tertiary dental care has shown a specific pattern over the last 15 years, including an increase in hospitalizations and a high number of in-hospital dental procedures, especially before the COVID-19 pandemic onset.

The objective of this study was to compare the activation of gelatinases in dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) and underlying dentin of permanent teeth after experimental radiotherapy in conventional and hypofractionated modalities. Newly extracted third molars (n = 15) were divided into three experimental radiotherapy groups: control, conventional (CR), and hypofractionated (HR) (n = 5 per group). After in vitro exposure to ionizing radiation, following standardized protocols for each modality, a gelatinous substrate was incubated on the tooth slices (n = 10 per group). Activation of gelatinases was measured by in situ zymography, expressed in arbitrary fluorescence units (mm2) from three tooth regions: cervical, cuspal, and pit. Fluorescence intensity was compared among radiotherapy protocols and tooth regions in each protocol, considering a significance level of 5%. Considering all tooth regions, the fluorescence intensity of the CR group was higher than the HR and control groups, both in DEJ and underlying dentin (p <0.001). In addition, the fluorescence intensity was higher in underlying dentin when compared to DEJ in all groups (p <0.001). Considering each tooth region, a statistically significant difference between CR and HR was only observed in the pit region of underlying dentin (p <0.001). Significant and positive correlations between fluorescence intensities in DEJ and underlying dentin were also observed (p <0.001). Experimental radiotherapy influenced the activation of gelatinases, as well as exposure to the conventional protocol can trigger a higher activation of gelatinases when compared to hypofractionated, both in DEJ and underlying dentin.

For more than three decades, major efforts in sampling and analyzing tree diversity in South America have focused almost exclusively on trees with stems of at least 10 and 2.5 cm diameter, showing highest species diversity in the wetter western and northern Amazon forests. By contrast, little attention has been paid to patterns and drivers of diversity in the largest canopy and emergent trees, which is surprising given these have dominant ecological functions. Here, we use a machine learning approach to quantify the importance of environmental factors and apply it to generate spatial predictions of the species diversity of all trees (dbh ≥ 10 cm) and for very large trees (dbh ≥ 70 cm) using data from 243 forest plots (108,450 trees and 2832 species) distributed across different forest types and biogeographic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The diversity of large trees and of all trees was significantly associated with three environmental factors, but in contrasting ways across regions and forest types. Environmental variables associated with disturbances, for example, the lightning flash rate and wind speed, as well as the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation, tend to govern the diversity of large trees. Upland rainforests in the Guiana Shield and Roraima regions had a high diversity of large trees. By contrast, variables associated with resources tend to govern tree diversity in general. Places such as the province of Imeri and the northern portion of the province of Madeira stand out for their high diversity of species in general. Climatic and topographic stability and functional adaptation mechanisms promote ideal conditions for species diversity. Finally, we mapped general patterns of tree species diversity in the Brazilian Amazon, which differ substantially depending on size class., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Preoperative ureteral catheterization/stenting (stenting) and intraoperative diagnostic cystoscopy (cystoscopy) may help prevent or identify intraoperative ureteral injuries (IUIs) during abdominopelvic surgery. In order to provide a comprehensive, single source of data for health care decision makers, this study aimed to catalog the incidence of IUI and rates of stenting and cystoscopy across a wide spectrum of abdominopelvic surgeries., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of United States (US) hospital data (October 2015-December 2019). IUI rates and stenting/cystoscopy use were investigated for gastrointestinal, gynecological, and other abdominopelvic surgeries. IUI risk factors were identified using multivariable logistic regression., Results: Among approximately 2.5 million included surgeries, IUIs occurred in 0.88% of gastrointestinal, 0.29% of gynecological, and 1.17% of other abdominopelvic surgeries. Aggregate rates varied by setting and for some surgery types were higher than previously reported, especially in certain higher-risk colorectal procedures. Prophylactic measures were generally employed at a relatively low frequency, with cystoscopy used in 1.8% of gynecological procedures and stenting used in 5.3% of gastrointestinal and 2.3% of other abdominopelvic surgeries. In multivariate analyses, stenting and cystoscopy use, but not surgical approach, were associated with a higher risk of IUI. Risk factors associated with stenting or cystoscopy, as well as those for IUI, largely mirrored the variables reported in the literature, including patient demographics (older age, non-White race, male sex, higher comorbidity), practice settings, and established IUI risk factors (diverticulitis, endometriosis)., Conclusion: Use of stenting and cystoscopy largely varied by surgery type, as did rates of IUI. The relatively low use of prophylactic measures suggests there may be an unmet need for a safe, convenient method of injury prophylaxis in abdominopelvic surgeries. Development of new tools, technology, and/or techniques is needed to help surgeons identify the ureter and avoid IUI and the resulting complications., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Garbage codes, such as external causes with no specific information, indicate poor quality cause of death data. Investigation of garbage codes via an effective instrument is necessary to convert them into useful data for public health. This study analyzed the performance and suitability of the new investigation of deaths from external causes (IDEC) form to improve the quality of external cause of death data in Brazil. The performance of the IDEC form on 133 external garbage codes deaths was compared with a stratified matched sample of 992 (16%) investigated deaths that used the standard garbage codes form. Consistency between these two groups was checked. The percentage of garbage codes from external causes reclassified into valid causes with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was analyzed. Reclassification for specific causes has been described. Qualitative data on the feasibility of the form were recorded by field investigators. Investigation using the new form reduced all external garbage codes by -92.5% (95%CI: -97.0; -88.0), whereas the existing form decreased garbage codes by -60.5% (95%CI: -63.5; -57.4). The IDEC form presented higher effectivity for external-cause garbage codes of determined intent. Deaths that remained garbage codes mainly lacked information about the circumstances of poisoning and/or vehicle accidents. Despite the fact that field investigators considered the IDEC form feasible, they suggested modifications for further improvement. The new form was more effective than the current standard form in improving the quality of defined external causes.

Vermicomposting is the bio-oxidation and stabilization of organic matter involving relationships between the action of earthworms and microorganisms and the activation and dynamics of several enzyme activities. Semi-arid farmers to make (extra) money and organic production, produce their vermicompost using plant residues and animal manure, but there is no information about the final product generated. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the potential of vermicomposting with mixtures of animal manure and vegetable leaves in the development of Eisenia foetida, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activity in the semi-arid region, Brazil. The experimental design applied was randomized block in a 6 × 4 factorial scheme with four replicates, with six treatments (mixtures of cattle manure, goat manure, cashew leaves, and catanduva leaves) and evaluated at four-time intervals (30, 60, 90, and 120 days of vermicomposting). The treatments were placed in polyethylene pots in the same site, environmental conditions, and residues proportions as used by farmers. The characteristics analyzed were the number of earthworms (NE), total earthworm biomass (TEB) and earthworm multiplication index (MI), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and activities of enzymes β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, alkaline and acid phosphatases. The cattle manure vermicomposted shows the highest average values observed for NE, MI, TEB, MBC, and enzymatic activity, regardless of the plant leaves mix. In general, the enzymes activities were found in the descending order of β-glucosidase > alkaline phosphatase > dehydrogenase > acid phosphatase. The maturation dynamics of vermicompost were characterized by a decline in the microbial population and number and biomass of earthworms in the substrate and consequently a decrease in new enzyme synthesis and degradation of the remaining enzyme pool. Microbial biomass and enzymatic activity were indicators for changes in the quality of vermicompost., 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.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the IFI16 and IFN-α/β receptors expression during the genesis and development of experimental apical periodontitis (AP) in mice teeth., Methodology: Apical periodontitis was induced in the lower first molars of 40 C57BL/6 mice. They were divided according to the experimental periods 2, 7, 14, 21 and 42 days (n = 8 per group). Five animals were used as a control group (without AP). Specimens were submitted to histological processing for description of the inflammatory process, immunostaining for the presence/absence and localization of IFI16 and IFN-α/β receptors (qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) histoenzimology., Results: The results showed a gradual development of AP over the experimental times. The expression of IFI16 was noticeably more exacerbated in the experimental early period (day 2) whilst the lowest expression was observed in the control group (p = .02). For IFN-α/β receptors, a higher intensity staining was observed 42 days after AP induction, that was statistically different from the control group (p = .02). In addition, the number of TRAP-positive cells was higher on the later periods (days 21 and 42; p < .001)., Conclusion: IFI16 protein expression was highest during the early periods after AP induction in mice teeth, whilst IFN-α/β receptor expression was highest after AP became established., (© 2022 British Endodontic Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although clean energy generation utilizing the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) can be considered a promising strategy, this approach remains challenging by the dependence on high loadings of noble metals, mainly Platinum (Pt). Therefore, efforts have been directed to develop new and efficient electrocatalysts that could decrease the Pt content (e.g., by nanotechnology tools or alloying) or replace them completely in these systems. The present investigation shows that high catalytic activity can be reached towards the ORR by employing 1.8 ± 0.7 nm Ir nanoparticles (NPs) deposited onto MnO 2 nanowires surface under low Ir loadings (1.2 wt.%). Interestingly, we observed that the MnO 2 -Ir nanohybrid presented high catalytic activity for the ORR close to commercial Pt/C (20.0 wt.% of Pt), indicating that it could obtain efficient performance using a simple synthetic procedure. The MnO 2 -Ir electrocatalyst also showed improved stability relative to commercial Pt/C, in which only a slight activity loss was observed after 50 reaction cycles. Considering our findings, the superior performance delivered by the MnO 2 -Ir nanohybrid may be related to (i) the significant concentration of reduced Mn 3+ species, leading to increased concentration of oxygen vacancies at its surface; (ii) the presence of strong metal-support interactions (SMSI), in which the electronic effect between MnO x and Ir may enhance the ORR process; and (iii) the unique structure comprised by Ir ultrasmall sizes at the nanowire surface that enable the exposure of high energy surface/facets, high surface-to-volume ratios, and their uniform dispersion.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in academic teaching and dental education, but the impact on dental professors' mental health and quality of life remains poorly understood. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of social distancing and online teaching related to COVID-19 on the quality of life and anxiety of Brazilian dental professors. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from August 2020 to October 2020. Three instruments were used in an online version: a questionnaire about personal data, academic information and online teaching activities, the Generalized Anxiety Disorders 7 (GAD7) scale, and the Abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-bref) scale. All instruments were sent by e-mail, social media, and messaging apps to private and public universities and professors. Of the 318 responses, 187 (58.8%) were from female professors. Moreover, lack of good internet access and adequate place for online teaching, difficulties in producing teaching materials, and housework roles had a significant impact on the quality of life and anxiety scores (all p-values < 0.05). Also, Brazilian dental professors who declared that they would make greater efforts if the activities were face-to-face had significantly worse quality of life and anxiety scores, and female professors had significantly higher anxiety scores (all p-values < 0.05). These results provide evidence of a negative effect of social distancing and online teaching activities related to COVID-19 outbreak on the health-related quality of life and mental health of Brazilian dental professors.

Background: Nanocarriers are nanoparticles used to transport functional substances., Objective: This study aimed to perform a systematic review analyzing the functional ability of dental materials after the inclusion of nanocarriers containing functional substances., Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, SciELO, and Science Direct from (02/03/21) to (02/06/21) without restriction on the year of publication. We included studies evaluating the incorporation of Chitosan, PEG-PCL (poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone), PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), and mesoporous silica into dental materials. We analyzed the risk of bias with CRIS guidelines and consolidated all analyses using Microsoft Office Excel., Results: In total, we found 656 studies and included 11. The articles investigated materials to eliminate microorganisms, interference with materials' mechanical properties, elution of remineralizing substances, and reduction of oral anesthetic toxicity. Chitosan and mesoporous silica were the most prevalent nanocarriers. Among all properties, the antibacterial activity was the most analyzed. The functional ability of dental materials provided by all nanocarriers improved., Conclusion: The use of nanocarriers may be a useful way to produce dental materials with improved functional abilities. We registered this manuscript in the Open Science Framework platform - DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/RP5XK, available at https://osf.io/qg49x., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Height measurements are essential to manage and monitor forest biomass and carbon stocks. However, accurate estimation of this variable in tropical ecosystems is still difficult due to species heterogeneity and environmental variability. In this article, we compare and discuss six nonlinear allometric models parameterized at different scales (local, regional and pantropical). We also evaluate the height measurements obtained in the field by the hypsometer when compared with the true tree height. We used a dataset composed of 180 harvested trees in two distinct areas located in the Amapá State. The functional form of the Weibull model was the best local model, showing similar performance to the pantropical model. The inaccuracy detected in the hypsometer estimates reinforces the importance of incorporating new technologies in measuring individual tree heights. Establishing accurate allometric models requires knowledge of ecophysiological and environmental processes that govern vegetation dynamics and tree height growth. It is essential to investigate the influence of different species and ecological gradients on the diameter/height ratio., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Oral health is an important factor of human morbidity worldwide. Yet is often neglected in occupational health despite its direct impact on the quality of life and health of workers., Objective: To discuss the role of oral health in sickness absence and presenteeism, as well as in development and work efficiency improvement processes involving governments, companies and the workers themselves., Methods: Review of full-text articles on oral health, occupational health, sickness absence and presenteeism published in English or Portuguese in the last 10 years and included in scientific databases., Results: Oral problems accounted for 9 to 27% cases of sickness absence and 28 to 50% of presenteeism, with toothache and temporomandibular joint pain as the most frequent reasons. About 50% of workers prefer company-provided dental care, while 40% visit public and 10% other types of facilities. Despite high, the prevalence of oral diseases and orofacial pain was not associated with high rates of absenteeism, but mainly with presenteeism, this is to say, workers do not tend to miss work days, but their performance is reduced and become susceptible to more serious health problems in the future., Conclusion: Oral health is not dissociated from general and occupational health, and as such it must be enhanced and duly promoted in an integrated manner. Effective and comprehensive oral health promotion and prevention public policies and private sector actions in the workplace can enhance the quality of life of workers.

Introduction: Reliable cause-of-death statistics are an important source of information on trends and differentials in population health. In Brazil, the Mortality Information System is responsible for compiling cause of death (CoD) data. Despite the success in reducing R-codes ill-defined causes of death, other garbage codes (GC), classified as causes that cannot be the underlying CoD, according to the Global Burden of Disease study, remain a challenge. The Ministry of Health (MoH) aims to decrease the proportion of all GCs, and a pilot study tested a comprehensive strategy to investigate GC deaths that occurred in 2015., Methods: The research was conducted in seven Brazilian cities during five months in 2016: two rural cities, one metropolitan area, and four capitals. For all GCs selected, municipal healthcare workers collected information about the terminal disease from hospital records, autopsies, family health teams, and home investigation. The fieldwork was coordinated at Federal level in partnership with State and municipal teams., Results: Out of 1,242 deaths selected, physicians analyzed the information collected and certified the CoD in 1,055 deaths, resulting in 92.6% of cases having their underlying cause changed to a usable ICD-10 code., Discussion: It is noteworthy the capacity the health teams in the seven cities showed during the implementation of the pilot., Conclusion: After results analysis, the GC investigation protocol was modified, and the implementation scaled up to 60 cities in 2017.

Transfusion-transmitted leishmaniasis has been a concern in regions endemic for the disease. Whether immediate or delayed, the risks posed by this mode of transmission call for careful assessment. The purpose of this study was to detect Leishmania infection in blood donors living in an endemic area and to investigate progression to the disease in these individuals. Immunofluorescent antibody test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, leishmaniasis rapid test, and the polymerase chain reaction were applied to 430 donors in an initial evaluation. Of those donors with at least one positive test, 50 were reevaluated four years later by the same methods, as were 25 controls who had been negative on the same tests. In the first evaluation, Leishmania infection was detected in 41.4% (95% CI: 36.7-46.1) of donors (n = 430). None of the 75 reevaluated individuals had developed the disease, but retesting revealed positivity in at least one test in 36.0% (95% CI: 25.1-46.9) of donors. Of the 50 initially testing positive, 50% remained so on retesting. Of the 25 initially negative controls, two tested positive in the subsequent evaluation. The severity of the parasitosis and the risk of transfusion transmission warrant investigation of the potential inclusion of methods for Leishmania detection into blood banks for effective screening of infected donors., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Dry tropical forests are a key component in the global carbon cycle and their biomass estimates depend almost exclusively of fitted equations for multi-species or individual species data. Therefore, a systematic evaluation of statistical models through validation of estimates of aboveground biomass stocks is justifiable. In this study was analyzed the capacity of generic and specific equations obtained from different locations in Mexico and Brazil, to estimate aboveground biomass at multi-species levels and for four different species. Generic equations developed in Mexico and Brazil performed better in estimating tree biomass for multi-species data. For Poincianella bracteosa and Mimosa ophthalmocentra, only the Sampaio and Silva (2005) generic equation was the most recommended. These equations indicate lower tendency and lower bias, and biomass estimates for these equations are similar. For the species Mimosa tenuiflora, Aspidosperma pyrifolium and for the genus Croton the specific regional equations are more recommended, although the generic equation of Sampaio and Silva (2005) is not discarded for biomass estimates. Models considering gender, families, successional groups, climatic variables and wood specific gravity should be adjusted, tested and the resulting equations should be validated at both local and regional levels as well as on the scales of tropics with dry forest dominance.

Prurigo pigmentosa (PP) is a rare inflammatory disease of the skin of uncertain etiology first reported in Japan. It is typified by recurrent eruptions of itching urticarial macules, papules, vesicopapules, and plaques with a reticular arrangement that quickly resolve leaving a net-like pigmentation. The disease presents specific histopathological features. Herein, 3 cases of PP in Brazilians with no Japanese ancestry are reported and a revision of all previous English-language case reports indexed on PubMed is provided. Two articles with original case reports not listed on PubMed were also included. Our patients are 2 women and 1 man at the ages of 39, 33, and 22 years, respectively. All 3 presented findings in consonance with previous cases of PP and were diagnosed based on clinicopathological correlation. They were successfully treated with oral minocycline or doxycycline. In our literature review, a total of 210 previously reported cases were included. Although PP seemed to be restricted to Japanese patients in the first years after its recognition, the geographic boundaries of the disease are continuously expanding. Korea responded for 83 previous cases and Japan for 53. The mean age was 24.4 years, with 84.3% of the cases occurring between 11 and 30 years of age. The female/male rate was 2.6 and the most affected anatomical sites were back, chest, and neck. We do believe that the rarity of case reports in western countries may represent lack of awareness about the disease by dermatologists and dermatopathologists in these regions.

Introduction:: The proactive search of deaths is a strategy for capturing events that were not informed to the Mortality Information System of Ministry of Health. Its importance to reduce underreporting of deaths and to evaluate the operation of the information system is widely known., Objective:: To describe the methodology and main findings of the Proactive Search of Deaths, 2013, establishing the contribution of different information sources., Methods:: The research was carried out in 79 Brazilian municipalities. We investigated several official and unofficial sources of information about deaths of municipality residents. Every information source investigated and all cases found in each source were typed in an on-line panel. The second stage of the research was the confirmation of cases to verify information of year and residence and to complete missing information. For all confirmed cases, we estimated the completeness of death registration and correction factors according to the adequacy level of mortality information., Results:: We found 2,265 deaths that were not informed to the Mortality Information System. From those, 49.3% were found in unofficial sources, cemeteries and funeral homes. In some rural municipalities, precarious burial conditions were found in cemeteries in the middle of the forest and no registration of the deceased. Correction factors were inversely associated to the adequacy level of mortality information., Conclusion:: The findings confirm the association between level of information adequacy and completeness of death registration, and indicate that the application of the proactive search is an effective method to capture deaths not informed to the Ministry of Health.

Currently, there is a lack of studies on the correct utilization of continuous distributions for dry tropical forests. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the diameter structure of a brazilian tropical dry forest and to select suitable continuous distributions by means of statistic tools for the stand and the main species. Two subsets were randomly selected from 40 plots. Diameter at base height was obtained. The following functions were tested: log-normal; gamma; Weibull 2P and Burr. The best fits were selected by Akaike's information validation criterion. Overall, the diameter distribution of the dry tropical forest was better described by negative exponential curves and positive skewness. The forest studied showed diameter distributions with decreasing probability for larger trees. This behavior was observed for both the main species and the stand. The generalization of the function fitted for the main species show that the development of individual models is needed. The Burr function showed good flexibility to describe the diameter structure of the stand and the behavior of Mimosa ophthalmocentra and Bauhinia cheilantha species. For Poincianella bracteosa, Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Myracrodum urundeuva better fitting was obtained with the log-normal function.

Essential oils from fresh Piperaceae leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a total of 68 components were identified. Principal components analysis results showed a chemical variability between species, with sesquiterpene compounds predominating in the majority of species analyzed. The composition of the essential oil of Piper mosenii was described for the first time. The cytotoxicity of the essential oils was evaluated in peritoneal macrophages and the oils of P. rivinoides , P. arboretum , and P. aduncum exhibited the highest values, with cytotoxic concentration at 50% (CC 50 ) > 200 µg/mL. Both P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum displayed activity against Leishmania amazonensis , and were more selective for the parasite than for the macrophages, with a selectivity index (SI) of 2.35 and >5.52, respectively. These SI values were greater than the 1 for the standard drug pentamidine. The antileishmanial activity of the essential oils of P. diospyrifolium and P. aduncum was described for the first time. P. rivinoides, P. cernuum , and P. diospyrifolium displayed moderate activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv bacillus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg/mL. These results are relevant and suggests their potential for therapeutic purposes. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explain the exact mechanism of action of these essential oils.

We report the in vitro drugs interaction by the resazurin drugs combination microtiter assay (REDCA) of amoxicillin (AMO)/clavulanate (CLAV) with isoniazid (INH), ethambutol (EMB), and rifampicin (RIF) against susceptible and resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. The addition of AMO/CLAV to classical antituberculosis drugs should be explored as a promising alternative for the treatment of resistant tuberculosis (TB)., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction:: Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae can colonize the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts and has been considered one of the most important risk factors for the development of neonatal disease. The present study evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility of GBS isolates from pregnant women who were attended at a public health service in Northern Paraná, Brazil., Methods:: A descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was performed with 544 pregnant women, at ≥ 35 weeks of gestation. One hundred and thirty-six GBS isolates from pregnant women were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility., Results:: All of the GBS isolates showed susceptibility to the drug that is most frequently used for intrapartum prophylaxis: penicillin. Resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin was detected, thus decreasing the options of prophylaxis in women who are allergic to penicillin., Conclusions:: Additional studies should be conducted to increase the knowledge of GBS sensitivity profile to antimicrobials in other health centers., Competing Interests: The authors have stated explicitly that there are no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

Objective: to describe the prevalence coefficients and characterize cases of microcephaly at birth in Brazil from 2000-2015., Methods: this is a descriptive study with data from the Information System on Live Births (Sinasc). The coefficients were calculated by region and characteristics of mothers and live births (LB)., Results: the annual average number of microcephaly cases was 164 for the period 2000-2014, whilst in 2015, 1,608 cases were registered (54.6 cases per 100 thousand LB). Higher coefficients were observed among preterm babies (81.7; 95%CI 72.3;92.2), born from black-skinned (70.9; 95%CI 58.5;85.9) or to brown-skinned (71.5; 95%CI67.4;75.8) women, to women aged ≤19 (70.3; 95%CI 63.5;77.8) or ≥40 (62.1; 95%CI 46.6;82.6), with ≤3 years of study (73.4; 95%CI 58.2;92.4) and residents in the Northeast region (138.7; 95%CI 130.9;147.0)., Conclusion: the high number of microcephaly cases in 2015 reinforces the importance of Sinasc and the need to improve the surveillance of congenital anomalies.

The scleroderma en coup de sabre is a variant of localized scleroderma that occurs preferentially in children. The disease progresses with a proliferative and inflammatory phase and later atrophy and residual deformity, which are treated with surgical techniques such as injectable fillers, transplanted or autologous fat grafting and resection of the lesion. Among the most widely used fillers is hyaluronic acid. However, there are limitations that motivate the search for alternatives, such as polymethylmethacrylate, a permanent filler that is biocompatible, non-toxic, non-mutagenic and immunologically inert. In order to illustrate its application, a case of scleroderma en coup de sabre in a 17-year-old patient, who was treated with polymethylmethacrylate with excellent aesthetic results, is reported.