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Microplastics have emerged as ubiquitous contaminants, attracting increasing global attention. Recent evidence confirms the presence of microplastics in human blood, suggesting their potential to interact with cells and induce adverse physiological reactions in various organs as blood circulates. To quantify the distribution of microplastics and assess their potential effects on human health, the effective separation of microplastics from blood is crucial. However, current methods for separating microplastics from blood are limited in effectiveness and simplicity. This study proposes a microfluidic device that utilizes traveling surface acoustic waves to separate microplastics from blood. While traveling surface acoustic waves have been employed to separate various particles, a systematic study on the separation of microplastics from blood samples has not been previously reported. Specifically, the theoretical values of the acoustic radiation factor for various types of microplastics and blood cells were investigated. The significant differences in resonant frequencies indicated the feasibility of separating microplastics of different sizes and types from blood cells. Experimental validation was performed using a polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic device on a piezoelectric lithium niobate substrate. The device successfully separated 5- and 10-micrometer polystyrene microplastics from blood samples. The effects of power and flow rate on separation efficiency were also systematically investigated. This study provides a novel approach for the effective separation of microplastics from blood, contributing to the assessment of their distribution and potential health impacts.

Brazil's COVID-19 response has faced challenges due to the continuous emergence of variants of concern (VOCs), emphasizing the need for ongoing genomic surveillance and retrospective analyses of past epidemic waves to reassess and fine tune containment protocols. Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil's southernmost state, has international borders and trades with Argentina and Uruguay, along with significant domestic connections within Brazil. The identification of source and sink transmission chains at national and international scales can identify main hubs and pathways to target future interventions. In this study we investigated the RS state role in the national and international SARS-CoV-2 transmission chains, which has not been fully explored. Nasopharyngeal samples from various municipalities in RS were collected between June 2020 and July 2022. SARS-CoV-2 whole genome amplification and sequencing were performed using high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis encompassed the development of scripts and tools to perform subsampling taking into account epidemiological information to reduce sequencing disparities bias among the regions/countries, genome assembly, and large-scale alignment and phylogenetic reconstruction. We sequenced a total of 1,480 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from RS, covering all major regions. Sequences predominantly represented Gamma (April-June 2021) and Omicron (January-July 2022) lineages. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a regional pattern for transmission dynamics, particularly with Southeast Brazil for Gamma, and a range of inter-regional connections for Delta and Omicron within the country. On the other hand, international and cross-border transmission with Argentina and Uruguay was rather limited. We evaluated the three VOCs circulation over two years in RS using a new subsampling strategy based on the number of cases in each state during the circulation of each VOC. In summary, the retrospective analysis of genomic surveillance data demonstrated that virus transmission was less intense between country borders than within the country. These findings suggest that while non-pharmacological interventions were effective to mitigate transmission across international RS land borders, they were insufficient to contain transmission at the domestic level.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and characterize the dentigerous cyst in a Portuguese population with bone pathology and to study the concordance rate between clinical and histological diagnoses of all cases. Methods: Clinical records of patients attending Oral Surgery and Oral Pathology consultations in a Portuguese university clinic between 2000 and 2023 were consulted. Bone pathology cases were selected along with information about sex, age, and anatomic location. The concordance rate between clinical and histological diagnoses was also calculated, dividing the cases into totally concordant, partially concordant, and discordant. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square tests. Results: The dentigerous cyst prevalence within bone pathology cases was 10.50%. It was more prevalent in males (68%), with no statistical significance (p>0.05). The average age of patients was 36.9 ± 13.5 years old. About half of the cases (56%) were associated with unerupted teeth, and third molars were the most affected teeth (33.33%). Most cases (57%) were in the mandible, with no statistical significance, more prevalent in the fourth quadrant (38.89%). The clinical diagnosis of 44.80% of the cases analyzed agreed with the histological diagnosis, 17.65% agreed partially, and 37.55% disagreed. Conclusions: The prevalence of dentigerous cysts in the referred population was 10.50%. They were more prevalent in males and mostly located in the mandible, with a higher incidence between 19 and 50 years of age. The concordance rate between clinical and histological diagnoses was 62.45%, a value that can and should be improved.

Abstract To explore the diversity of scenarios in nature, animals have evolved tools to interact with different environmental conditions. Chemoreceptors are an important interface component and among them, olfactory receptors (ORs) and gustatory receptors (GRs) can be used to find food and detect healthy resources. Drosophila is a model organism in many scientific fields, in part due to the diversity of species and niches they occupy. The contrast between generalists and specialists Drosophila species provides an important model for studying the evolution of chemoreception. Here, we compare the repertoire of chemoreceptors of different species of Drosophila with that of D. incompta, a highly specialized species whose ecology is restricted to Cestrum flowers, after reporting the preferences of D. incompta to the odor of Cestrum flowers in olfactory tests. We found evidence that the chemoreceptor repertoire in D. incompta is smaller than that presented by species in the Sophophora subgenus. Similar patterns were found in other non-Sophophora species, suggesting the presence of underlying phylogenetic trends. Nevertheless, we also found autapomorphic gene losses and detected some genes that appear to be under positive selection in D. incompta, suggesting that the specific lifestyle of these flies may have shaped the evolution of individual genes in each of these gene families.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence of tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth and characterize both anomalies in a Portuguese pediatric population. Methods: Clinical records of patients attending Pediatric Dentistry appointments in the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the University of Porto were consulted. Appointments from September 2020 to December 2021 were analyzed. For each patient, sex and age were recorded, along with any relevant data in their clinical history. Statistical analysis of the results was conducted using chi-square tests with a significance level of 0.05. The sample included 144 patients. Results: This study found a prevalence for tooth agenesis of 20.83% (11.81% excluding the third molars) and a prevalence for supernumerary teeth of 1.39%. The prevalence of agenesis was 26.1% for males and 16% for females. No association was established in this regard (p>0.05). The most affected teeth were the third molars, followed by the second premolars. The mandible had 52.63% of agenesis cases, but no association was found (p>0.05). Two cases of supernumerary teeth were found, both in male patients and in the second quadrant. No differences were inferred regarding sex (p>0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study contributed to the existing data regarding the prevalence of dental anomalies of number within a Portuguese population.

Abstract Marine microplastics are emerging as a growing environmental concern due to their potential harm to marine biota. The substantial variations in their physical and chemical properties pose a significant challenge when it comes to sampling and characterizing small-sized microplastics. In this study, we introduce a novel microfluidic approach that simplifies the trapping and identification process of microplastics in surface seawater, eliminating the need for labeling. We examine various models, including support vector machine, random forest, convolutional neural network (CNN), and residual neural network (ResNet34), to assess their performance in identifying 11 common plastics. Our findings reveal that the CNN method outperforms the other models, achieving an impressive accuracy of 93% and a mean area under the curve of 98 ± 0.02%. Furthermore, we demonstrate that miniaturized devices can effectively trap and identify microplastics smaller than 50 µm. Overall, this proposed approach facilitates efficient sampling and identification of small-sized microplastics, potentially contributing to crucial long-term monitoring and treatment efforts.

Objectives: To answer the question: Can sterilized pouches be used a second time while maintaining their sterility conditions? Methods: This investigation tested paper/plastic sterilization pouches divided into three groups: experimental group – twice-used pouches; negative control group – once-used pouches; and positive control group – environmentally contaminated pouches. In the experimental group, pouches were opened, a gauze dressing was placed into them, and they were sterilized again, representing the reuse of the pouches (second sterilization cycle). After the sterilization cycle, samples were stored for 1 day (T0), 7 days (T1), 31 days (T2), and 153 days (T3). Positive control group pouches were opened and exposed to contamination in the storage environment. After the specified storage period, the experimental and negative control groups’ pouches were opened, and the gauze dressings were removed aseptically. All gauze dressings of all groups, including the positive control group, were incubated in Petri dishes with nutrient agar at 37°C for 3 days. After incubation, the Petri dishes were inspected, and the microbial contamination was assessed and classified as present or absent. Results: The experimental group’s Petri dishes showed no sign of contamination. The same happened to the negative control group. The positive control group’s Petri dishes presented microbial contamination. The same results were obtained for all incubation times. Conclusions: This study showed that sterilization pouches could be used a second time while maintaining sterility and integrity conditions, even for extended periods (153 days – 5 months of storage).

Objectives: Commercial photocurable polymers used in dental additive manufacturing still have mechanical limitations. The incorporation of graphene may provide interesting advantages in this field. This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the effect of adding graphene nanoparticles to a 3D-printed polymethylmethacrylate dental resin in terms of surface roughness, flexural properties, and hardness. Methods: A 3D-printed dental resin (Dental Sand, Harz Lab) was loaded with four different graphene nanoplatelet (Graphenest) concentrations: 0.01wt%, 0.1wt%, 0.25wt%, and 0.5wt%. The neat resin was used as the control group. The surface roughness was measured with a contact profilometer using bar-shaped specimens (50x10x4mm). The flexural strength of specimens (80x10x4mm) from each group was calculated using the 3-point bending test in a Universal Test Machine. Hardness shore D was measured using a manual durometer on round-shaped specimens (12x6mm). Data were evaluated using the Kruskall-Wallis test followed by post-hoc Bonferroni corrected pairwise inter-group comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p

Objectives: To produce a systematic review regarding the effect of graphene-reinforced polymethylmethacrylate used in dentistry on mechanical properties. Methods: Electronic databases (Pubmed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase) were independently searched by two researchers for relevant studies published up to December 2021. An additional manual search was performed to identify relevant publications. The population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) question was “In dentistry, does graphene-reinforced polymethylmethacrylate offer better mechanical properties than conventional polymethylmethacrylate?”. The selection of articles was carried out according to the established inclusion and exclusion criteria, following the PRISMA flowchart. The inter-investigator reliability was assessed by Cohen’s Kappa coefficient. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-experimental Studies. Results: Six in vitro studies were included in the qualitative analysis. A total of 247 specimens were evaluated: 81 made of non-reinforced PMMA resin and 166 of PMMA reinforced with graphene. The mechanical properties evaluated were flexural strength, flexural modulus, hardness, biaxial flexural strength, and impact strength. These properties seem to improve with the addition of graphene in certain concentrations. The analysis of the risk of bias showed low risk. Conclusions: Within the limitation of this study, graphene seems to strengthen some mechanical properties of PMMA dental resin. However, more studies are needed to understand the ideal graphene concentration to improve resin’s clinical performance.

Este artigo objetiva mapear a produção de podcasts que falam sobre política no Brasil. Desde2014, acompanhamos o crescimento deste tipo de mídia no país, configurando um novo campo de informação e discussão política. Esta pesquisa busca lançar luz sobre as principais características desses podcasts, tais quais: vinculação, periodicidade, data de criação, especialidade ou tema discutido nos programas, além do posicionamento político. Para ilustrar o fenômeno, propomos um estudo exploratório que levanta dados quantitativos (N = 125) de podcasts e dados qualitativos por meio de entrevistas em profundidade (N = 6) com responsáveis por alguns podcasts. Este trabalho pretende apresentar o campo desta mídia como parte do ecossistema comunicacional composto por diferentes meios de informação política frente às crises e processos políticos recentes no Brasil. Como resultados principais, salienta-se o domínio da podosfera política por produções independentes, vinculadas à esquerda, lançadas semanalmente e que tratam de “Política Nacional” como tema majoritário nos seus episódios. Além disso, houve um pico de lançamento de programas em 2019, sendo este ano responsável por quase metade do corpus analisado.

Tesamorelin, a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone, is indicated for the reduction of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in people with HIV. Here, we performed a post hoc analysis of participants receiving tesamorelin for 26 weeks in a phase III clinical trial. Efficacy data were compared between individuals with and without dorsocervical fat, stratified by tesamorelin response. Among tesamorelin responders, VAT and waist circumference (WC) decreased in both dorsocervical fat groups and did not statistically differ (VAT P = 0.657, WC P = 0.093). These data demonstrate that tesamorelin is equally effective and should be considered in the treatment of excess VAT regardless of the presence of dorsocervical fat.

Although several devices are available for small bowel capsule endoscopy, few studies have compared their visualization quality and diagnostic yield, despite users reporting subjective differences between them. This study aims to compare two widely used systems (Mirocam® MC1600 and OMOM® HD). Patients who underwent OMOM® HD capsule enteroscopy between August 2022 and February 2023 were prospectively included consecutively (cases). Controls were retrospectively selected from a database of patients who underwent Mirocam® MC1600 enteroscopy between March 2018 and July 2022 in a 1:1 ratio. Controls were matched for potential confounders (age, sex, indication, hospitalization, comorbidities, and opioid prescription). The small bowel cleanliness (global and divided by tertiles), the diagnostic yield (positive findings) and the transit times (TT) were compared. Overall, 214 patients were included (107:107). Global bowel preparation was similar between the OMOM® and Mirocam® groups. However, the average scores for each tertile were significantly higher when the OMOM® HD capsule was used (p < 0.05). Small bowel TT was shorter for OMOM® HD (265 ± 118 versus 307 ± 87 min, p = 0.020), while the diagnostic yield (55.0%) and relative distribution of lesions were similar. This study suggests that capsule characteristics, namely resolution, and illumination, systematically interfere with the perception of preparation quality. However, this did not affect the diagnostic yield.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically changed all aspects of life. In the context of clinical dental care, a significant number of new recommendations have been implemented to comply with public health policies, ensuring the safety of dental care professionals, staff, and patients and preventing further spread of the virus. This article is the third in a series of 3 on the management of COVID-19 in clinical dental care and presents a set of recommendations and standards to be implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include remote contact with all patients for triage and guidance before scheduling a clinical visit to know if they have COVID symptoms or are positive for COVID, if they belong to a risk group, and if there is a suggestion that aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) will be required during their visit. It also reviews additional precautionary measures in the waiting room and reception area, where the environment is reorganised to protect patients and clinical staff, avoiding situations that could result in cross contamination. The dental office operates under a strict set of guidelines, namely, use of personal protective equipment by professionals, contact with patients, a strategy to avoid aerosol-generating procedures, as well as disinfection procedures for the dental office before, during, and after each patient visit. The implementation of these protocols to mitigate cross infection and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the dental office will help improve safety and restore the confidence required to provide dental care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

O termo comunismo tem atraído a atenção dos pesquisadores de comunicação política diante de um contexto de retomada de guerras culturais assentadas em plataformas de mídias sociais. Examinamos neste artigo as características do debate político online sobre comunismo, especificamente no YouTube. Para tanto, realizamos uma pesquisa exploratória de caráter descritivo para identificar os principais atores, conteúdos, narrativas e enquadramentos temáticos de vídeos sobre comunismo na plataforma. Como resultado, destacamos que, no Brasil, o debate sobre comunismo no YouTube foca na história do comunismo enquanto um conceito teórico, no anticomunismo como uma ferramenta discursiva no contexto político brasileiro, e na suposta contradição entre as ideias comunistas e valores da sociedade ocidental representados pelos princípios cristãos.

Hybrid argon plasma coagulation (hAPC) is a novel technique that combines conventional argon plasma coagulation and waterjet submucosal expansion. The aims of this metanalysis were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of hAPC in the setting of Barret’s esophagus (BE) ablation and as an adjunct to colonic endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Four electronic databases were searched, and the results were analyzed by two independent authors. Random-effects meta-analyses of the proportions of endoscopic and histologic remission (for BE), recurrence, and post-procedure adverse events were performed using R. Studies’ reporting quality was also assessed. From the 979 identified records, 13 studies were included (10 regarding BE and three colonic EMR). The pooled percentages of endoscopic and histologic remission after hAPC for BE were 95% (95% confidence interval [CI] 91–99, I2 = 34) and 90% (95%CI 84–95, I2 = 46), respectively, while major adverse events and recurrence were registered in 2% (95%CI 0–5, I2 = 41) and 11% (95%CI 2–27, I2 = 11), respectively. Concerning hAPC-assisted EMR, the pooled percentages of major adverse events and recurrence were 5% (95%CI 2–10, I2 = 0) and 1% (95%CI 0–3, I2 = 40). Evidence suggests that the main advantages of hAPC are the increase in safety in the setting of BE ablation and the reduction of local recurrence after colonic EMR. Trials comparing hAPC with standard strategies are required to support its use for these indications.

Sometimes, the presentation of some diseases can be fulminating. The authors present the case of a 51-year- old male brought to the emergency department visibly drunk and complaining of abdominal pain. Immediately, the diagnosis of hemorrhagic shock due to an accentuated drop of the hemoglobin level was made. After stabilization, he underwent a computed tomography of the abdomen, revealing a hepatocellular carcinoma with rupture of the Glisson capsule and massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. With this case, the authors want to bring attention to a rare first presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma with a catastrophic result.

The present study aimed to test, in vitro, the antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans and the surface roughness of a 3D-printed polymethylmethacrylate dental resin enhanced with graphene. A 3D-printed polymethylmethacrylate dental resin was reinforced with four different concentrations of graphene: 0.01, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 wt%. Neat resin was used as a control. The specimens were printed in a liquid crystal display printer. Disc specimens were used in antimicrobial evaluation, and bar-shaped specimens were used to measure surface roughness. The study of antimicrobial activity included the inhibition of the growth of C. albicans and S. mutans and their adhesion to the resin’s surface. Surface roughness increased with the increase in the graphene concentration. The growth inhibition of C. albicans was observed in the different concentrations of graphene after 24 h, with no recovery after 48 h. The specimens doped with graphene were capable of inactivating S. mutans after 48 h. The surface-adhesion studies showed that the density of microbial biofilms decreases in the case of specimens doped with graphene. Graphene, despite increasing the resin’s surface roughness, was effective in inhibiting the growth and the adhesion to the resin’s surface of the main inducers of prosthetic stomatitis.

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A utilização de resíduos animais provenientes da avicultura como fertilizante orgânico é uma maneira sustentável de utilização dos resíduos desse sistema de produção, porém ainda há poucos estudos sobre a dinâmica de disponibilização dos nutrientes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso de cama de aves associada à fertilizante nitrogenado na cultura do milho e a disponibilização de nitrogênio da cama de aves durante três anos de cultivo. Foi utilizado o delineamento em blocos casualizados, no esquema fatorial 3x5+1. Os fatores consistiram doses de cama de aves (2, 5 e 8 Mg ha-1) e doses de nitrogênio (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 kg ha-1). A testemunha recebeu fertilizante mineral na semeadura na dose de 120, 80 e 20 kg ha-1 de P205, K2O e N, respectivamente e em cobertura com 200 kg ha-1 de N. Foram feitas leituras com clorofilômetro, altura de plantas, altura de espigas, produtividade, massa de cem grãos e número de grãos por espiga. As maiores doses de cama de aves utilizadas em três anos sucessivos, mesmo sem N em cobertura, propicia produtividade semelhante à testemunha com fertilizante mineral na cultura do milho. A cama de aves é alternativa viável na adubação da cultura do milho.

Plastic pollution has emerged as a growing concern worldwide. In particular, the most abundant plastic debris, microplastics, has necessitated the development of rapid and effective identification methods to track down the stages and evidence of the pollution. In this paper, we combine low-cost plastic staining technologies using Nile Red with the continuous feature offered by microfluidics to propose a low-cost 3D printed device for the identification of microplastics. It is observed that the microfluidic devices indicate comparable staining and identification performance compared to conventional Nile Red staining processes while offering the advantages of continuous recognition for long-term environmental monitoring. The results also show that concentration, temperature, and residency time possess strong effects on the identification performance. Finally, various microplastics have been applied to further demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed devices. It is found that, among different types of microplastics, non-spherical microplastics show the maximal fluorescence level. Meanwhile, natural fibers indicate better staining quality when compared to synthetic ones.

The study aims to understand the characteristics of YouTube videos in two recent Brazilian political mobilizations: "Fora Feliciano” and "Fora Renan". A quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted on 334 videos. The findings suggest similar patterns in both events, with predominantly amateur videos and low occurrence of formal journalism content. Although most of posts are linked to street demonstrations, most of viewed videos are parodies or artistic interventions.

A pesquisa visa compreender as características de uso do YouTube nas mobilizações políticas dos casos “Fora Feliciano” e “Fora Renan”. Foram estudados 334 vídeos em uma análise quantiqualitativa. Os resultados identificaram padrões convergentes nos dois eventos, com pouca replicação de conteúdo do jornalismo formal. Embora os picos de postagens coincidam com as mobilizações de rua, os vídeos com maior número de visualizações são narrativas paródicas ou intervenções artísticas.

The development of the poultry industry in the central west region of Brazil have provided considerable quantities of organic waste, poultry litter, which have potential for use in agriculture. However there are few studies about the release dynamics of the poultry litter nutrients, what makes it difficult to define the dose as well the form of application of this organic residue. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of different doses of poultry litter, with two forms of application, on growth and yield of soybean. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design in a factorial scheme 5 x 2 + 2, being factors doses of poultry litter (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 t ha-1) and application forms, broadcast and band. On the control treatments were applied mineral fertilizer, one broadcast and one band. The variables plant height, shoot dry matter and chlorophyll were measured in stage R2 and yield at the end of the crop cycle. The increase in rates of poultry litter increases linearly the plant height while the shoot dry matter and yield had a quadratic response. The form of poultry litter application did not influence the yield and dry matter, affecting only plant height and leaf chlorophyll. The band application of poultry litter provides increased plant growth. The organic fertilization with poultry litter can replace mineral fertilizers on soybean.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare two commercially available screw-type sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) Ti implant systems from Eckermann Laboratorium S.L., with similar geometry and distinct microtopography, regarding surface properties and osteoblastic cytocompatibility. Material and Methods: Implant I (referred as a conventional SLA system) and Implant II (a system patented as Eckcyte®) were characterized for macro and microtopograpphy, surface roughness and chemical composition. For the cytocompatibility studies, human bone marrow osteoblastic cells were seeded over the implants’ surface, and the cell response was assessed for cell adhesion and proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and matrix mineralization. Results: Implant I presented a rough surface with irregularly shaped and sized cavities among flatter-appearing areas, whereas Implant II exhibited a homogeneous rough microporous surface. Compared to Implant I, Implant II presented higher Ra values (0.8 [SD 0.008] μm and 1.21 [SD 0.15] μm, respectively, P < 0.05) and also increased values of Rz, Rt and Rsm, a more negative value of Rsk, and similar RKu values. XPS showed the expected presence of Ti, O, C and N; Al, Si, F, P and Ca were detected in low concentrations. Implant II exhibited significantly lower Al levels. Both implants supported the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic cells. Implant II showed a thicker fibrilar cell layer and an earlier onset and more abundant matrix mineralization. Conclusions: The homogeneous rough and microporous surface of Implant II is most probably a main contributor for its improved cell response.