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Rebeca Cecília Souza,1 Emerson Tavares de Sousa,2 David Sousa,3 Marcelo Sales,4 Rudyard dos Santos Oliveira,5 Maria Helena Mariano,6 Eliézer Rushansky,7 Ana Cláudia Amorim Gomes,8 Emanuel Silva8 1Department of Oral Surgery, Dental School, Pernambuco University, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; 2Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; 3Center of Medical Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil; 4Department of Clinical and Community Dentistry, Dental School, Federal University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil; 5Department of Orthodontics, Sao Leopoldo Mandic School, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; 6Department of Rheumatology, Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital, Medical School, Pernambuco University, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; 7Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital, Medical School, Pernambuco University, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; 8Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital, Dental School, Pernambuco University, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilCorrespondence: Emanuel SilvaUniversity of Pernambuco, School of Dentistry, Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 310 Arnóbio Marquês Street, Recife, PE, 50100-130, BrazilTel +55 81-3184-1468Email residenciactbmf@upe.brBackground: This study sought to investigate which temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can be expected in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to determine the combined impact of these conditions on the psychological status, chronic pain, and functional disability.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study composed of 30 patients between 18 and 65 years with ankylosing spondylitis was performed. The research protocol considered the evaluation of outcomes related to the ankylosing spondylitis (HLA-B27 antigen, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and Health Assessment Questionnaire – Spondylitis (HAQ-S)) and temporomandibular disorders (axis I and II of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders – RDC/TMD). Descriptive analyses were applied to express the results.Results: The sample presented both AS and TMD, most of them (24) were diagnosed with conventional AS (HLA-B27 positive). The BASDAI was scored as 7.70 (2.30) (high activity of AS disease). Functional disability represented by high scores of BASFI [7.00 (2.63)] and HAQ-S [1.79 (0.62)] demonstrates the severe impact of the disease on the daily routine and quality of life. According to RDC/TMD diagnostic criteria, 17 (57%) share the three groups of TMD, and 9 (30%) share two groups of TMD (Group I and III). Over 73% of the volunteers scored high levels of chronic pain (Grade III and IV) associated with a high depression scale score. The sample scored the somatization scale (with and without pain) as severe.Conclusion: Patients with ankylosing spondylitis presented a high prevalence of temporomandibular disorder, most of them having the degenerative forms of TMJ disease. AS and TMD cause moderate to severe chronic pain and a negative impact on psychological status and functional capacities.Keywords: spondyloarthritis, temporomandibular disorders, quality of life, chronic pain

The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic parasite and the main cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the world. Its main source of nutrients originates from the degradation of host hemoglobin in blood-feeding helminths, such as A. cantonensis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ultrastructure of the intestinal cells by using of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A. cantonensis worms obtained from Rattus norvegicus (norway rats) from endemic area were used for TEM. The ultrastructural analysis was performed using fragments cut from the middle part of the worms, and the TEM study revealed the cells with microvilli and nuclei containing areas of loose and condensed chromatin and the presence of macrovesicles and microvesicles of digestion and it was observed in this study that intestinal epithelium is look like a syncytium. The ultrastructural aspects of the intestinal cells surface of A. Cantonensis the indicate that the intestinal epithelium is a multinucleate mosaic or syncytium.

Chathuri Yatawara,1 Fatin Zahra Zailan,1 Esther Vanessa Chua,1 Linda Lay Hoon Lim,1 Eveline Silva,1 Joanna Sihan Wang,1 Adeline Ng,1 Kok Pin Ng,1 Nagaendran Kandiah1– 3 1Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore; 2Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; 3Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine-Imperial College London, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeCorrespondence: Nagaendran KandiahNational Neuroscience Institute, Level 3, Clinical Staff Office, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308433, SingaporeTel +65 6357 7171Fax +65 6357 7137Email Nagaendran.Kandiah@singhealth.com.sgBackground: Rivastigmine is used to treat cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, the efficacy of Rivastigmine in patients with AD and concomitant small vessel cerebrovascular disease (svCVD) remains unclear. We investigated the effectiveness of Rivastigmine Patch in patients with AD and svCVD.Methods: In this open-label study, 100 patients with AD and MRI confirmed svCVD received 9.5mg/24 hours Rivastigmine transdermal treatment for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was global cognition indexed using the ADAS-Cog. Secondary outcomes included clinical-rated impression of change (indexed using (ADCS‐CGIC), activities of daily living (indexed using ADCS-ADL) and side effects.Results: Overall, performance on the ADAS-Cog after 24 weeks deteriorated by 1.78 (SD = 5.29) points. Fifty-two percent of the sample demonstrated improvement or remained stable, while 48% demonstrated worsening of ADAS-Cog scores. Of the 52%, significant improvement (2 or more-point decline) on the ADAS-Cog was observed in 25% of the sample, with a mean change of − 5.08 (SD = 3.11). A decline on the ADAS-Cog was observed in 48% of the sample, with a mean change of 6 (SD = 2.98) points. Cognitive outcome did not interact with severity of svCVD. ADCS-ADL scores remained stable from baseline to week 24 and ADCS‐CGIC reports indicated that 81% of the patients remained stable after treatment. Side effects were reported by 16% of the patients, with contact dermatitis being the most common.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Rivastigmine may have a role in the management of patients having AD and concomitant mild-severe svCVD, with minimal side effects.Keywords: rivastigmine, Alzheimer’s disease, small vessel cerebrovascular disease, treatment

Juliana Costa Pereira Baia,1 Mara Eliane Soares Ribeiro,1 Bárbara Catarina Lima Nogueira,1 Rafael Rodrigues Lima,2 Mário Honorato da Silva e Souza Júnior,1 Sandro Cordeiro Loretto1 1Department of Restorative Dentistry, UFPA – Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Structural and Functional Biology, UFPA – Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the bonding strength of dental materials in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis var. kerebau), bovine, and human enamel and the susceptibility of these substrates in acid etching.Materials and methods: A total of 20 human third molars, 20 bovine incisors, and 20 buffalo incisors were used in a mechanical assay of microshear. The substrates were demineralized via conditioning with 37% phosphoric acid, and the ultra-morphological pattern of each substrate was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference in adhesive bonding strength values between buffalo and human enamel (P≥0.05), with a fracture pattern of mixed type for all experimental groups.Conclusion: The results indicate that buffalo enamel is similar to human dental substrate in tests of adhesive bonding strength and also show a similar behavior in the acid conditioning of the enamel. Keywords: dental enamel, shear strength, dental acid etching, scanning electron microscopy

Vanda Ho,1,2 Nur Hani Zainal,1 Linda Lim,1 Aloysius Ng,1 Eveline Silva,1 Nagaendran Kandiah1,3 1Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore; 2School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; 3Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia are reaching epidemic proportions in Asia. Lack of awareness and late presentation are major obstacles to early diagnosis and timely intervention. Cognitive screening may be an effective method for early detection of dementia in Asia. The purpose of this work was to study the characteristics of subjects volunteering for cognitive screening in an Asian setting and to determine the prevalence of MCI.Methods: Retrospective and cross-sectional data from community subjects attending a screening program from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed. Information on demographics, vascular risk factors, subjective symptoms, and cognitive measures were analyzed over the 6-year period.Results: Over the 6 years from 2008 to 2013, 1,243 community subjects voluntarily turned up for cognitive screening (91.2% were Chinese, 5.23% were Indian, 1.37% were Malay, and 2.25% were Eurasian). The mean age of the participants was 61.3 years and the mean number of years of education was 11.0 years. A total of 71.1% of participants were living in public housing, 59.8% had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, and 56.2% reported subjective cognitive symptoms. Over a period of 6 years, no significant change in demographic or clinical variables was noted. High cholesterol and hypertension were consistently the top two risk factors found in the population screened. In total, 17.2% of the total cohort had MCI. Across the 6 years, the proportion with MCI and depression was relatively constant.Conclusion: A significant proportion of participants attending voluntary cognitive screening have MCI. Low level of education and presence of vascular risk factors are general predisposing characteristics for MCI, and there are more specific factors pertaining to sex and employment status. Keywords: early detection, screening, cognitive impairment, dementia, vascular risk factors

We present the development, realization and setup of dielectric resonators, for the purpose of measuring the surface impedance at microwave frequencies of superconducting thin films. We focus on resonators designed to operate in dc magnetic fields, optimized for the measurements of the variation of the surface impedance with the applied field. Two resonators, operating at 8 and 48 GHz, are presented. We discuss different approaches to the measurement of the resonator parameters, with particular attention to the nonidealities of real setups in a cryogenic environment. Finally, we present some sample measurement of high-Tc and low-Tc superconducting films.