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Background: Oral health service utilization contributes to positive oral health and indicates realised access to services. The study aimed to describe patterns of oral health service use among overseas‐born and Australian‐born populations and assess equity in access to services. Methods: The study used data from Australia's National Study of Adult Oral Health 2017–2018 and was guided by the Aday and Andersen framework of access to health and Australia's National Oral Health Plan. Descriptive analyses of service use by perceived need, enabling and predisposing factors were compared between four groups: Australian‐born and overseas‐born who mainly speak English and Australian‐born and overseas‐born who mainly speak a language other than English. Results: Overseas‐born who mainly speak a language other than English experienced greater oral health care inequity, largely driven by financial difficulty (avoided care due to cost: 42% vs 27%–28%; avoided/delayed visiting due to cost: 48% vs. 37%–38%; cost prevented treatment: 32% vs. 18%–24%). The most favourable visiting patterns were among the Australian‐born population who speak a language other than English. Conclusions: The study shows clear inequity experienced among immigrants in accessibility as measured through indicators of oral health care utilization and factors related to inequity, such as the ability to pay for services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To estimate the additive effects of parent's nativity status/language spoken at country of birth, education, and area-level socioeconomic status (SES) on untreated dental caries among children aged 5 to 9 y in Australia., Methods: Cross-sectional population-based data were obtained from the 2014 National Child Oral Health Study (N = 12,140). Indicators of social position used to explore additive effects on dental caries included nativity status, language, university degree, and neighborhood socioeconomic level. Multiple-way interactions were examined, and departure from additivity resulting from 2- and 3-way interactions were estimated as relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI)., Results: Children marginalized across multiple layers of disadvantage had substantially higher frequencies of dental caries compared with children in the most advantaged category. RERI for the 3-way interaction between immigrant status, education, and neighborhood SES was negative (RERI 3 : -0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.68, 1.40). When operationalizing language, education, and neighborhood SES, the joint effect of the 3 marginalized positions was additive (RERI 3 : 0.43; 95% CI: -2.08, 2.95)., Conclusion: Children marginalized across multiple intersecting axes of disadvantage bear the greatest burden of dental caries, with frequencies surpassing the cumulative effect of each social position alone. Findings emphasize the need to account for intersecting inequities and their oral health effects among children with immigrant backgrounds., Knowledge Transfer Statement: Our analysis underscores the necessity for policies and public health strategies targeting dental caries-related inequities to comprehensively account for various indicators of social disadvantage, particularly encompassing language proficiency, educational attainment, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. Within the intricate interplay of these factors, we identify a vulnerable subgroup comprising children with the highest prevalence of dental decay. Therefore, prioritizing this specific demographic should be the focal point of policies and public health initiatives aimed at fostering equitable oral health outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

In psychological networks, one limitation of the most used community detection algorithms is that they can only assign each node (symptom) to a unique community, without being able to identify overlapping symptoms. The clique percolation (CP) is an algorithm that identifies overlapping symptoms but its performance has not been evaluated in psychological networks. In this study, we compare the CP with model parameters chosen based on fuzzy modularity (CPMod) with two other alternatives, the ratio of the two largest communities (CPRat), and entropy (CPEnt). We evaluate their performance to: (1) identify the correct number of latent factors (i.e., communities); and (2) identify the observed variables with substantive (and equally sized) cross-loadings (i.e., overlapping symptoms). We carried out simulations under 972 conditions (3x2x2x3x3x3x3): (1) data categories (continuous, polytomous and dichotomous); (2) number of factors (two and four); (3) number of observed variables per factor (four and eight); (4) factor correlations (0.0, 0.5, and 0.7); (5) size of primary factor loadings (0.40, 0.55, and 0.70); (6) proportion of observed variables with substantive cross-loadings (0.0%, 12.5%, and 25.0%); and (7) sample size (300, 500, and 1000). Performance was evaluated through the Omega index, Mean Bias Error (MBE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), sensitivity, specificity, and mean number of isolated nodes. We also evaluated two other methods, Exploratory Factor Analysis and the Walktrap algorithm modified to consider overlap (EFA-Ov and Walk-Ov, respectively). The Walk-Ov displayed the best performance across most conditions and is the recommended option to identify communities with overlapping symptoms in psychological networks., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This qualitative systematic review and meta-aggregation aimed to synthesise evidence regarding perceptions of patients, practitioners, and stakeholders on the use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) for the management of dental caries., Data: This review was reported in alignment with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023390301) and the Joanna Briggs Systematic Reviews register., Sources: References were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE using a pre-established search strategy., Study Selection: Qualitative and mixed-methods studies examining perspectives of patients, practitioners, and/or stakeholders on the use of SDF were included. The initial search identified 650 articles eligible for inclusion, out of which 14 articles were included in the review. Reviewers synthesised findings and generated 11 distinct categories grouped into three synthesised findings: 1) Clinical use; 2) Staining; 3) Facilitators and barriers., Conclusions: Practitioners and patients viewed SDF as a therapeutic option with multiple benefits. While aesthetic concerns may be a barrier to some groups, the acceptance of the treatment was influenced by other factors, such as trusting professional advice., Clinical Significance: Patient education is key for increased SDF acceptance. This systematic review can assist clinicians in addressing concerns regarding SDF therapy. Findings have the potential to inform policy decisions that address oral health inequities through patient-centred health care models., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: 'Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD)' populations have diverse languages, ethnic backgrounds, societal structures and religions. CALD populations have not experienced the same oral health benefits as non-CALD groups in Australia. However, the socio-demographic profile of Australian CALD populations is changing. This study examined how household income modifies the oral health of CALD and non-CALD adults in Australia., Methods: Data were from two National Surveys of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) conducted in 2004-06 (NSAOH 2004-06) and 2017-18 (NSAOH 2017-18). The outcome was self-reported number of missing teeth. CALD status was identified based on English not the primary language spoken at home and country of birth not being Australia. Social disadvantage was defined by total annual household income. Effect-measure modification was used to verify differences on effect sizes per strata of CALD status and household income. The presence of modification was indicated by Relative Excess Risk due to Interactions (RERIs)., Results: A total of 14,123 participants took part in NSAOH 2004-06. The proportion identifying as CALD was 11.7% and 56.7% were in the low-income group, and the mean number of missing teeth was 6.9. A total of 15,731 participants took part in NSAOH 2017-18. The proportion identifying as CALD was 18.5% and 38.0% were in the low-income group, and the mean number of missing teeth was 6.2. In multivariable modelling, the mean ratio (MR) for CALD participants with low household income in 2004-06 was 2% lower than the MR among non-CALD participants with high household income, with the RERI being - 0.23. Non-CALD participants from lower income households had a higher risk of having a higher number of missing teeth than low income CALD individuals (MR = 1.66, 95%CI 1.57-1.74 vs. MR = 1.43 95%CI 1.34-1.52, respectively). In 2017-18, the MR for CALD participants with low household income was 3% lower than the MR among non-CALD participants with high household income, with the RERI being - 0.11. Low income CALD participants had a lower risk of missing teeth compared to their non-CALD counterparts (MR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.34-1.52 vs. MR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.50-1.64)., Conclusions: The negative RERI values indicate that the effect-measure modification operates in a negative direction, that is, there is a protective element to being CALD among low income groups with respect to mean number of missing teeth., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the geospatial distribution of COVID-19 vaccination rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across Local Government Areas in Australia., Methods: We described the patterns of COVID-19 vaccination across jurisdictions, identified clusters with different levels of vaccination uptake, and assessed the relationship between contextual factors and vaccination (spatial error model, spatial lag model, and geographic weighted regression)., Results: The proportion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population that received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by the last week of June 2022 ranged from 62.9% to 97.5% across Local Government Areas. The proportion of the overall population who is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (β = 0.280, standard deviation [SD] = 1.92), proportion of the total labour force employed (β =0.286, SD = 0.98), and proportion of individuals who speak an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language (β =0.215, SD = 0.15) had, on average, the strongest effects on COVID-19 vaccination rates., Conclusion: Findings underscore the extent to which area-level demographic influence the COVID-19 vaccination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians., Implications for Public Health: Findings can inform vaccination strategies that prioritise geographic areas with higher vulnerability to promote equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Schizophrenia is a disabling mental disorder associated with severe social dysfunction. Individuals with long-term mental conditions have poorer Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) compared to the general population, but little is known about the measurement properties of OHRQoL instruments in this group of patients. This study aimed to examine the replicability of OHRQoL networks across samples of the general community (GC) and patients with schizophrenia (PWS)., Methods: Data were obtained from 603 community-dwelling participants and 627 patients with schizophrenia. OHRQoL was measured using the short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. A regularized partial correlation network was estimated for each sample. The number of dimensions and structural stability were assessed using Exploratory Graph Analysis. Global strength, edge weights and centrality estimates were compared. Network replicability was examined fitting the PWS data to the GC network structure., Results: A single OHIP-14 dimension was identified in the GC sample, whereas three dimensions were detected in the PWS sample. Structural consistency was perfect in the network of GC participants (1), and considerably low in at least two dimensions of the PWS network (0.28; 0.65; 0.16). A moderate correlation for node strength estimates was observed (τ: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.72), although edge weights were not correlated (τ: 0.025; 95% CI: -0.11, 0.16). The fit of the PWS data to the GC network structure was deemed unacceptable., Conclusion: Network models of OHRQoL did not replicate across samples of the general community and outpatients with schizophrenia. Prudent use of OHIP-14 to compare measures of OHRQoL between groups with significant cognitive impartment and the general population is recommended., (© 2023 The Authors. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To estimate the discrepancies between global ratings of oral health and general health and investigate the factors associated with self-rated oral health (SROH) and self-rated general health (SRGH)., Methods: Data were collected from 502 participants aged 18 to 81 years. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data regarding sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported conditions. Global self-ratings of oral health and general health were the main outcomes. Discrepancies between self-ratings of oral health and general health were stratified by independent variables. Bayesian ordinal logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the posterior distributions of parameters and 95% credible intervals (95% CrI)., Results: The proportion of participants who rated their oral health worse than general health was 28.6% (95% CrI: 24.7-32.3). Negative discrepancies between SROH and SRGH were associated with being men, reporting gingivitis, and lower income. Sex (95% CrI: 1.12-2.25) impacted only on SRGH. Income (SROH - 95% CrI: 1.52-6.40; SRGH - 95% CrI: 1.08-4.56), tertiary education (SROH - 95% CrI: 1.13-2.53; SRGH - 95% CrI: 1.01-2.32), self-reported missing teeth (SROH - 95% CrI: 1.57-3.46; SRGH - 95% CrI: 2.21-4.92), self-reported gingivitis (SROH - 95% CrI: 1.10-2.40; SRGH - 95% CrI: 1.71-3.82), and self-reported chronic health problem (SROH - 95% CrI: 1.38-3.08; SRGH - 95% CrI: 1.61-3.59) impacted on both outcomes., Conclusions: Substantial discrepancies between self-rated oral health and self-rated general health were found and were associated with being male, reporting gingivitis, and having lower income., (Copyright© 2023 Dennis Barber Ltd.)

As part of a (bio)colonial project, the biological information of Indigenous Peoples has historically been under scientific scrutiny, with very limited benefits for communities and donors. Negative past experiences have contributed to further exclude Indigenous communities from novel developments in the field of omics research. Over the past decade, new guidelines, reflections, and projects of genetic research with Indigenous Peoples have flourished in Australia, providing opportunities to move the field into a place of respect and ethical relationships. This review explores the ethical and cultural implications of the use of biological samples from Indigenous communities in biomedical research. A structured framework outlining emerging topics of interest for the development of respectful omics research partnerships with Indigenous Australians is presented. This paper highlights aspects related to Indigenous governance, community and individual consent, respectful handling of biological samples, data management, and communication in order to protect Indigenous interests and rights and to promote communities' autonomy., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: An increased incidence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its related cancers has been observed in recent years. Correct knowledge about HPV infection can lead to a significant decrease in transmission and a subsequent increase in vaccine uptake. Awareness and behavioural perception towards HPV infections are critical for improving HPV vaccination rates among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no instrument designed to measure knowledge about HPV infection that is culturally appropriate and validated among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People., Aim: To address this research gap, this paper aims to examine the psychometric properties of the HPV Knowledge Tool (HPV-KT) in an Indigenous population sample from South Australia., Methodology: Data from 747 Indigenous Australian Adults who participated in the 12-month follow-up of the HPV and Oropharyngeal Carcinoma in Indigenous Australians Study was utilised for this study. The psychometric properties examined included1) dimensionality and item redundancy; (2) network loadings; (3) model fit; (4) criterion validity; and (5) reliability. The network model was estimated using the Graphical Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operator (GLASSO). Evaluation of the HPV-KT (10 items) dimensionality and item redundancy was conducted within the framework of Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA). Reliability was evaluated with the McDonald's Omega (ω) coefficient., Results: After the exclusion of two items, the HPV-KT exhibited good psychometric properties for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The two dimensions of "General HPV Knowledge" and "Commonness of HPV" were identified. The dimension of "Commonness of HPV" displayed poor reliability, so a sum score for this subscale is not recommended (i.e. the items can still be used individually) The network model of the 7-item HPV-KT was fitted in the validation sample and model fit was adequate (x2 (7) = 17.17, p < 0.016; CFI = 0.980; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.063, 90% CI = 0.025-0.010). Furthermore, the reliability of the "General HPV Knowledge" subscale (ω = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72-0.79), while the reliability of the "Commonness of HPV" subscale (ω = 0.58, 95% CI0.58-0.88) was poor., Conclusion: The HPV-KT was adapted for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population and is readily available for future use in Australia. The addition of items assessing specifications of HPV infection, natural history and behaviour will improve the reliability and usability to assess the level of accurate knowledge about HPV infection. Future studies should investigate the possibility of developing new items for the dimension 'Commonness of HPV'., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

This study aimed to estimate the number of excess deaths among Indigenous Peoples associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and to assess the disparities in excess mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Brazilians. A time series analysis of weekly mortality data including all deaths from January 2015 to December 2020 was conducted. The number of expected deaths for 2020 was estimated using an over-dispersed Poisson model that accounts for demographic changes, temporal trends, and seasonal effects in mortality. Weekly excess deaths were calculated as the difference between the number of observed deaths and the expected deaths. Regional differences in Indigenous mortality were investigated. A significant increase in Indigenous mortality was observed from April 1 to December 31, 2020. An estimated 1149 (95% CI 1018-1281) excess deaths was found among Indigenous Brazilians in 2020, representing a 34.8% increase from the expected deaths for this population. The overall increase in non-Indigenous mortality was 18.1%. The Indigenous population living in the Brazilian Amazon area was the earliest-affected Indigenous group, with one of the highest proportional increases in mortality. Disparities in excess mortality revealed a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among Indigenous Brazilians compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Findings highlight the importance of implementing an effective emergency plan that addresses the increased vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples to COVID-19., (© 2021. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

Over the past decades, increasing research interest has been directed towards the psychosocial factors that impact Aboriginal health, including stress, coping and social support. However, there has been no study that examined whether the behaviours, cognitions and emotions related to stress, coping and social support constitute a psychological network in an Aboriginal population and that examined its properties. To address this gap, the current study employed a new methodology, network psychometrics, to evaluate stress, coping and social support in an Aboriginal Australian population. This study conducted a secondary analysis of the South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC) study, a randomised controlled trial in South Australia, which included 367 pregnant Aboriginal women at study baseline. The Gaussian Graphical Model was estimated with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Node centrality was evaluated with eigencentrality, strength and bridge centrality. Network communities were investigated with the walktrap algorithm. The findings indicated that stress, coping and social support constituted a connected psychological network in an Aboriginal population. Furthermore, at the centre of the network were the troubles experienced by the Aboriginal pregnant women, bridging their perceptions of stress and coping and constituting a potential target for future interventions.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the associations of oral health literacy (OHL), sense of coherence (SOC) and other covariates with self-reported school performance (SRSP) in adolescents enrolled in public schools in Brazil., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with adolescents aged from 14 to 18 years enrolled in 6 public schools in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Researchers carried out data collection at schools using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The dependent variable was SRSP. The explanatory factors included were sociodemographic characteristics, OHL, SOC, self-rated oral health, health behaviors, and experience of bullying. Analyses included simple and multiple logistic regression models., Results: The final sample consisted of 385 adolescents with a mean age of 16 years. Poor school performance was associated (95%CI) with being male, with more than 1 sibling, individual whose last visit to the dentist was due to dental pain, with a lower level of OHL and SOC., Conclusions: OHL and SOC were important factors associated with SRSP performance together with other sociodemographic and oral health-related variables in high school students. Our findings reinforce the importance of intersectoral actions between the health and education sectors to promote better school performance among adolescents, including actions to improve OHL and SOC., (© 2022, American School Health Association.)

Background: Oral health literacy (OHL) is a key factor for reducing inequalities in oral health and promoting better health outcomes, including those related to periodontal health. This study aimed to evaluate associations between OHL and periodontal disease amongst users of primary health care services., Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 250 adult users of primary health care services in Brazil. OHL was measured using the Oral Health Literacy Instrument-Brazilian (OHLA-B). Participants also answered a structured questionnaire addressing sociodemographic and behavioural data. Clinical oral examination was performed using the Community Periodontal Index. Analyses of the crude associations were performed by simple logistic regression models, and estimates were reported as odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Variables associated with a significance level <0.20 in bivariate analyses were included in hierarchical multiple logistic regression models., Results: Amongst participants, 62% were female with an average age of 37.2 years. Adults aged 37 years or older (OR, 5.48; 95% CI, 2.68-11.21), with fewer years of study (OR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.66-6.71), with low OHL levels (OR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.71-20.49), and who smoked (OR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.34-8.09) were more likely to have periodontal pockets compared to their counterparts., Conclusions: Primary health care users with low OHL levels presented with more severe periodontal diseases., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: Network analysis is an innovative, analytic approach that enables visual representation of variables as nodes and their corresponding statistical associations as edges. It also provides a new way of framing oral health-related questions as complex systems of variables. We aimed to generate networks of oral health variables using epidemiological data of Indigenous children, and to compare network structures of oral health variables among participants who received immediate or delayed delivery of an oral health intervention., Methods: Epidemiological data from 448 mother-child dyads enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of dental caries prevention in South Australia, Australia, were obtained. Networks were estimated with nodes representing study variables and edges representing partial correlation coefficients between variables. Data included dental caries, impact on quality of life, self-rated general health, self-rated oral health, dental service utilization, knowledge of oral health, fatalism and self-efficacy in three time points. Communities of nodes, centrality, clustering coefficient and network stability were estimated., Results: The oral health intervention interacted with the network through self-rated general health and knowledge of oral health. Networks depicting groups shortly after receiving the intervention presented higher clustering coefficients and a similar arrangement of nodes. Networks tended to return to a preintervention state., Conclusion: The intervention resulted in increased connectivity and changes in the structure of communities of variables in both intervention groups. Our findings contribute to elucidating dynamics between variables depicting oral health networks over time., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: This ecological study aimed to examine the geographic patterns in Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among boys and girls aged 15 years across locations in Australia, in addition to assessing contextual area-level factors that may explain the variations in HPV vaccination coverage., Methods: Aggregate HPV vaccination data for Australian girls and boys aged 15 years from 2015 to 16 was obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for each Statistical Area level 4 (SA4). A Gradient Boosting Machine learning model was applied to assess the predictors' importance for the study outcomes. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) models were run to assess whether substantially different relationships between predictors and outcomes occur at different locations in space., Results: Completed HPV vaccination across the 88 SA4 regions ranged from 57.6% to 90.6% among girls, and from 53.6% to 85.5% among boys. The 2016 SEIFA Index of Economic Resources was the variable with the highest contribution to the predictions of both girls' and boys' HPV vaccination rates. Selected predictors explained 45% and 72% of the geographic variance in vaccination rates among boys and girls, respectively. Normalised coefficients for both GWR models showed a high variation in the associations between predictors and HPV vaccination rates across regions., Conclusion: Socioeconomic and education factors were important predictors for HPV vaccination rates among Australian boys and girls aged 15 years, although no variable presented a uniform effect on HPV vaccination across SA4 regions. Important spatial heterogeneity in the effect of predictors was identified across the study area., 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 © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the replicability of oral health literacy (OHL) network models across the general community and a sample of older adults from Brazil., Methods: Data were obtained from two oral health surveys conducted with a total of 1138 participants. OHL was measured using the short form Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (HeLD-14). A regularized partial correlation network was estimated for each sample. Dimensionality and structural stability were examined via exploratory graph analysis. Network properties compared included global strength, edge weights, and centrality estimates. Model replicability was examined fitting the general community model to the older participants' data., Results: Six dimensions with the exact same item composition were detected in both network models. Only the Receptivity domain in the older adults sample yielded low structural stability. Strong correlations were observed between edge weights (τ: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.62-0.74) and between node strength estimates (τ: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.36-0.89). No statistically significant differences were found for global strength. The fit of the older adults sample to the HeLD-14 network structure of the general community sample was satisfactory., Conclusion: Network models OHL replicated across the general community and a sample of older adults. The psychometric network approach is a useful tool to evaluate the measurement equivalence of OHL instruments across populations., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Public Health Dentistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Public Health Dentistry.)

This study aimed to investigate the association between Oral Health Literacy (OHL) and dental outcomes. A sample of 920 adults above 18 years of age living in areas covered by 10 Family Health Units (FHUs) in a large city in São Paulo state, Brazil, was included. OHL was assessed using the short-form Health Literacy in Dentistry Scale (HeLD-14). Data on sociodemographic factors, oral health, and general health were obtained through a structured questionnaire. The investigated outcomes "tooth loss" and "reason for the last dental appointment" were evaluated using self-reported data. Simple logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between each independent factor and outcomes. Factors that presented a significance level of ≤0.20 in the bivariate analysis were included in the hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. Participants with an education level up to high school, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.35 (95%CI, 1.01-1.80), 1.48 (95%CI, 1.12-1.95), and 1.46 (95%CI, 1.11-1.92) times more probability to report missing teeth, respectively. Adults from families with lower monthly income, low OHL, and poor/fair self-rated oral health had 1.70 (95%CI, 1.29-2.26), 1.89 (95%CI, 1.42-2.51), and 1.73 (95%CI, 1.30-2.30) times more chance, respectively, to have gone to the last dental appointment due to pain or caries. Adults with low OHL levels are more likely to have missing teeth and have gone to the last dental visit for pain, reinforcing the importance of OHL as an important determinant for promoting oral health.

Objective: To translate and adapt the eHealth Literacy Scale for the cultural reality of Brazil and to evaluate the psychometric properties of its Brazilian Portuguese version., Methods: The instrument was translated and adapted to Brazilian Portuguese and applied to a sample of 502 individuals from 18 to 80 years old who lived in the surrounding areas of six Family Health Units of a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The data was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, and instrument reliability measures (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega)., Results: The eHealth Literacy Scale - Brazilian version (eHEALS-Br) presented an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.95 e ω = 0.95), with only one dimension and an explained variation of 81.79%., Conclusions: The Brazilian version of the instrument showed excellent psychometric properties to measure the levels of digital health literacy in adults from the country.

Background: Centrality measures identify items that are central to a network, which may inform potential targets for oral interventions., Aim: We tested whether centrality measures in a cross-sectional network of mothers' baseline factors are able to predict the association with children's dental outcomes at age 5 years., Design: A network approach was applied to longitudinal data from a randomised controlled trial of dental caries prevention delivered to 448 women pregnant with an Indigenous child in South Australia. Central items were identified at baseline using three centrality measures (strength, betweenness, and closeness). Centrality values of mothers' outcomes were regressed with their predictive values to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years., Results: Items of oral health self-efficacy and oral health literacy were central to mothers' baseline network. Strength at baseline explained 51% and 45% of items' predictive values to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years, respectively. Adjusted and unadjusted values of node strength for the children's oral health network were highly correlated., Conclusion: Strength at baseline successfully identified mothers' items with greater importance to dental caries experience and dental service utilisation at child age 5 years., (© 2020 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) has become a standard tool for the evaluation of digital health literacy., Objectives: This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the eHEALS in a sample of patients from a dental clinic setting., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a dental setting. The sample included patients from the Dental Clinic of the Dentistry School of the University of São Paulo between September 2019 and March 2020. The underlying structure of the data was exploratorily investigated using Exploratory Graph Analysis, a network analysis method. The internal reliability was assessed using the McDonald's Omega coefficient. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to assess the fit of the structure identified by the network analysis. Convergent validity was assessed using the Average Variance Extracted, and measurement invariance was examined using nested models in multigroup CFA. Criterion-related validity was examined calculating the latent mean differences between subgroups (genders, age groups, and educational levels)., Results: The sample included 132 adults aged 18 to 82 years (mean 44.7 years). The eHEALS network indicated that items form a single-factor structure. The 1-factor model presented adequate fit (χ2 (18) = 29.873, p < 0.039; R-CFI = 0.997; R-TLI = 0.996; R-RMSEA = 0.032, 90% CI [0.000, 0.052]), good internal reliability, and convergent validity. Configural invariance was found for genders, educational levels, and age groups. Scalar invariance was observed for genders and age, whereas partial scalar invariance was confirmed for education. Participants aged 18 to 45 and those with higher education presented greater latent means for eHEALS subscales. There were no differences between genders., Conclusion: The BR-eHEALS presented good internal reliability, convergent validity, measurement invariance, and was able to discriminate the levels of eHealth literacy among groups with different ages and educational levels. These findings demonstrate that the tool is valid and reliable for use in a dental setting with the Brazilian population., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the structural validity of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) instrument in Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations from Australia and Brazil using a network analysis approach., Methods: Cross-sectional data collected using OHIP-14 were obtained for Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations from Australia and Brazil. Networks were estimated using the Gaussian graphical model. Items of the OHIP-14 instrument are represented as nodes and the partial correlations between items as edges. Dimensionality was assessed using exploratory graph analysis. Structural consistency and item stability were computed using a bootstrap sampling method. Standardized node strength across each dimension was also calculated., Results: Four dimensions were identified across all samples, although the item arrangement of most dimensions presented variation. Similarities with the theoretical domains of the instrument were found. Items from the conceptually derived OHIP-14 domains formed separated clusters or blended with other items in a single dimension. Most dimensions across all samples showed an acceptable structural consistency. Item stability revealed some discrepancies among items of dimensions of both Indigenous networks., Conclusion: The psychometric network perspective adopted in this study provides validation of the OHIP-14 structure in Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. The structural consistency and item stability analyses showed that both Indigenous networks present a higher number of cross-domain items and less defined boundaries between dimensions. These findings indicate that OHIP-14 does not measure attributes in the same extent among different cultures., Knowledge Transfer Statement: This study demonstrates a new analytical framework from which to conceptualize and interpret the construct oral health-related quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Network graphs facilitate knowledge translation of findings to professionals with no expertise in psychometric methods. OHIP-14 is a valuable tool to oral health research and clinical practice. Differences in conceptions of health may influence the extent that the instrument measures oral health impacts. Consequently, dimension scores do not always provide appropriate measures and should be avoided in research reports and assessments of treatment outcomes.

Background: Population ageing in Brazil is rapid and is likely to place additional pressure over the Brazilian public health system., Objective: This study aims to examine the factors associated with utilisation of dental services in the previous year among a representative sample of older adults from São Paulo, Brazil., Methods: The sample included 5951 older adults who participated in the SBSP-15 study, an epidemiological survey conducted in 2015 in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The outcome "utilisation of dental services" was defined as having visited a dentist in the previous year. Chi-square tests were employed in the bivariate analyses and Poisson regressions with robust variance in the multilevel analysis., Results: Only 30.5% of the participants had their last dental appointment within the previous year. Number of teeth and dental pain presented the strongest effects on the investigated outcome. Education, income, age, ethnicity, living alone, higher Family Health Strategy coverage and the Metropolitan area were associated with having visited a dentist in the previous year. Older adults who rated their oral health as positive did not report treatment need nor prosthodontic need, presented negative oral health-related quality of life, had their last dental appointment in the public health system and sought treatment due to pain or extraction also were more likely to report the utilisation of dental services in the previous year., Conclusion: Regional, sociodemographic and subjective factors are associated with utilisation of dental services in the previous year among the elders from the State of São Paulo, Brazil., (© 2020 Gerodontology Association. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the usefulness of machine learning and automation techniques to match pairs of panoramic radiographs for personal identification., Materials and Methods: Two hundred panoramic radiographs from 100 patients (50 males and 50 females) were randomly selected from a private radiological service database. Initially, 14 linear and angular measurements of the radiographs were made by an expert. Eight ratio indices derived from the original measurements were applied to a statistical algorithm to match radiographs from the same patients, simulating a semi-automated personal identification process. Subsequently, measurements were automatically generated using a deep neural network for image recognition, simulating a fully automated personal identification process., Results: Approximately 85% of the radiographs were correctly matched by the automated personal identification process. In a limited number of cases, the image recognition algorithm identified 2 potential matches for the same individual. No statistically significant differences were found between measurements performed by the expert on panoramic radiographs from the same patients., Conclusion: Personal identification might be performed with the aid of image recognition algorithms and machine learning techniques. This approach will likely facilitate the complex task of personal identification by performing an initial screening of radiographs and matching ante-mortem and post-mortem images from the same individuals., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None, (Copyright © 2021 by Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

Aims: To investigate the factors associated with poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a sample of Brazilian older adults., Methods and Results: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 535 non-institutionalized elders aged 60 years or older from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. OHRQoL was measured using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Data on sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived general health status, and health-related behaviors were obtained through a structured questionnaire. Data on chronic diseases were obtained from health records. Associations between exploratory factors and low OHRQoL (% GOHAI score <30) were evaluated using multivariate Poisson regression models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and confidence intervals. The mean OHRQoL score was 30 (± 4.4). In bivariate analysis, being not married, smoking, and self-rated "fair/poor" general health status were associated with lower OHRQoL. In the adjusted model, self-rated "fair/poor" general health (PR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.05-1.48), presence of chronic diseases (PR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.37-2.58), smoking (PR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.02-1.53), and reason for last dental appointment (PR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.13-1.59) were associated with poor OHRQoL., Conclusion: Non-institutionalized older adults with a history of chronic diseases, who smoke, have a negative perception of their general health, and had the last dental appointment motivated by pain present significantly higher prevalence rates of poor OHRQoL., (© 2021 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Food insecurity is a complex phenomenon that affects the health and wellbeing of vulnerable families. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between household food insecurity, dental caries, oral health-related quality of life, and social determinants of health among Indigenous adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Kaingang adults aged 35-44 years old from the Guarita Indigenous Land, Brazil. Food insecurity was assessed through the EBIA scale. Dental caries was assessed using the DMFT index. Participants answered the OHIP-14 questionnaire and a structured interview. Descriptive and multivariate analyzes using Poisson regression models were performed. The final sample included 107 adults from 97 households. Approximately 95% lived in food insecure families. Severe food insecurity was present in 58% of the households. The phenomenon was associated to the Bolsa Família benefit, household size, and greater perception of oral health impacts on quality of life. The high number of families affected by food insecurity reveals the social vulnerability of the Kaingang people. Food insecurity in Kaingangs adults is associated to oral health perception and social determinants of health.

Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is a rare type of leishmaniasis characterized by diffuse skin lesions. In Brazil, Leishmania ( L. ) amazonensis is the main etiological agent of this clinical form. The state of Maranhão has the highest prevalence of this disease in the country, as well as a high rate of HIV infection. Here, we report the first case of DCL/HIV of Brazil. A 46-year-old man from the Amazonian area of Maranhão state presented atypical lesion in the left upper limb and dissemination of diffuse erythematous nodules over his entire body. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania , and a polymerase chain reaction and molecular identification by restriction fragment profile identified L. ( L. ) amazonensis as the causative agent of the disease. The patient was also diagnosed with HIV virus after the leishmaniasis diagnosis. The initial treatments for leishmaniasis were liposomal amphotericin B (AmB-L) (4 mg/kg) for 10 days and prophylactic use of Glucantime ® (10 mg/Sb +5 /kg) for 2 months. After unsuccessful initial treatments, he was treated with a combination of AmB-L (4 mg/kg) alternated with pentamidine (4 mg/kg) for 10 days but failed in the first therapeutic cycle. Subsequently, he had a good response to treatment with pentamidine (4 mg/kg).

Background: The study of oral health literacy (OHL) is likely to gain new and interesting insights with the use of network analysis, a powerful analytical tool that allows the investigation of complex systems of relationships. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between oral health literacy and oral health-related factors in a sample of Indigenous Australian adults using a network analysis approach., Methods: Data from 400 Indigenous Australian adults was used to estimate four regularised partial correlation networks. Initially, a network with the 14 items of the Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (HeLD-14) was estimated. In a second step, psychosocial, sociodemographic and oral health-related factors were included in the network. Finally, two networks were estimated for participants with high and low oral health literacy. Participants were categorised into 'high' or 'low' OHL networks based on a median split. Centrality measures, clustering coefficients, network stability, and edge accuracy were evaluated. A permutation-based test was used to test differences between networks., Results: Solid connections among HeLD-14 items followed the structure of theoretical domains across all networks. Oral health-related self-efficacy, sporting activities, and self-rated oral health status were the strongest positively associated nodes with items of the HeLD-14 scale. HeLD-14 items were the four most central nodes in both HeLD-14 + covariates network and high OHL network, but not in the low OHL network. Differences between high and low OHL models were observed in terms of overall network structure, edge weight, and clustering coefficient., Conclusion: Network models captured the dynamic relationships between oral health literacy and psychosocial, sociodemographic and oral health-related factors. Discussion on the implications of these findings for informing the development of targeted interventions to improve oral health literacy is presented., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction: The epidemiological profile of dental caries for Indigenous Peoples is complex and heterogeneous. The oral health of the Kaingang people, third largest Indigenous population from Brazil, has not been investigated so far., Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries, in addition to the associated factors of the need of dental extraction among Kaingang adult Indigenous., Methods: A cross-sectional oral health survey was conducted among Kaingang adults aged from 35 to 44 years old living in the Guarita Indigenous Land, Rio Grande do Sul. Clinical exams were performed to analyze the conditions of dental crown and treatment needs., Results: A total of 107 Indigenous adults were examined. Mean DMFT score was 14.45 (± 5.80). Two-thirds of the DMFT score accounted for missing teeth. Anterior lower dentition presented the highest rates of sound teeth, whereas the lower first molars had the lowest. Need for dental extraction was observed in 34.58% and was associated with village location, time of last dental visit, and higher number of decayed teeth., Conclusion: The high frequencies of caries and missing teeth observed in this population indicate a lack of adequate assistance. It is essential to discuss health care models in order to combat avoidable social and health injustices.

Objectives: To determine the severity of dental caries in South American Indigenous peoples., Methods: A systematic review was conducted regarding the severity of dental caries in South American Indigenous peoples using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO, LILACS and grey literature up to March 2018. Literature search was conducted up to March 2018. No restrictions on language or year of publication were applied. Descriptive analysis and meta-analysis of studies were performed to determine mean dmft/DMFT index (decayed, missing and filled teeth) and temporal trends for selected age brackets., Results: The search strategy retrieved 698 studies, of which 70 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 28 were included in the qualitative analysis. Finally, 18 papers were included in the meta-analysis. Publication year ranged from 1964 to 2018. Mean dmft for 5-year-old children was 5.73 (95% CI 4.67-6.79), and mean DMFT for 12-year-olds was 3.14 (95% CI 1.88-4.40). Estimated DMFT for 15-19 years, 35-44 years and 65-74 years was 5.53 (95% CI 2.97-8.09), 19.41 (95% CI 11.88-26.93) and 28.19 (24.83-31.55), respectively. DMFT was higher than that reported in general population surveys in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela for all age brackets with available data. Heterogeneity was observed in all age brackets, ranging from 79.7 to 99.7%., Conclusion: Dental caries remains a significant public health problem for South American Indigenous peoples. Prevention and treatment strategies that consider cultural specificities are needed., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

As a result of colonialism and globalization, many Indigenous groups have transitioned towards a Westernized diet, with significant implications for food security and oral health. This study investigated the experiences of the Kaingang and Guarani Indigenous peoples from the South of Brazil regarding the effects of cultural changes on their food systems and oral status. Focus groups were conducted in each tribe and the methodological framework grounded theory was adopted. The development of categories occurred with reference to Pierre Bourdieu's work. Four themes emerged from the analysis: 1. Contemporary Indigenous identities; 2. Perceptions of food systems; 3. Shared knowledge in the orientation of differentiated assistance in oral health; and 4. Ethnic cultural capital in conflict. The food transition is represented as a form of cultural discontinuity, whereas the ability to redefine identity boundaries contributes to promote food security and oral health.

Imprisoned women represent a growing population worldwide with important health needs. In this study, we aimed to analyze the impact of oral health conditions on the quality of life of female inmates in a maximum security correctional facility. Participants were examined and answered the OHIP-14 questionnaire. A total of 305 inmates were included in the study. Prevalence of untreated caries was 84%. Worse quality of life was associated with dental caries, dental pain, deep periodontal pocket, prosthetic use, and age. Sociodental indicators should be incorporated into healthcare and health policies in order to promote wellbeing among this vulnerable population.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of IMP3, an independent poor prognostic factor for many cancers, and its association with clinicopathological features and HER2 status., Methods: Gastrectomy specimens from 106 patients were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization., Results: HER2 overexpression was found in 4.71 % of the samples. A negative association was observed between HER2 overexpression and grade of differentiation. No association was observed between HER2 overexpression and status of surgical margins, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, nodal metastasis and depth of invasion. Among all specimens of gastric cancer, 67.92 % were positive for IMP3. Expression of IMP3 was significantly higher in specimens with vascular invasion, perineural invasion, nodal metastasis and higher depth of invasion. HER2 overexpression was detected in only 5.55 % of IMP3 positive specimens., Conclusions: IMP3 expression was frequently observed in gastric cancer and was associated with poor prognostic clinicopathological features. A survival benefit with HER2 therapy should be expected for the minority of patients with IMP3 positive specimens. Studies should be conducted to evaluate the response to HER2 therapy of gastric cancer expressing IMP3.

Introduction Warthin tumor is described as papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum and is the second most common tumor of the parotid glands. Bilateral synchronous incidence is rare, occurring in 7 to 10% of the cases. It is more common in males between 60 and 70 years of age and is closely related to smoking. There is slow growth and the condition is a delimited nodule of regular outlines; it has low rates of malignant progression and recurrence. Objective Report a case of synchronous bilateral Warthin tumor occurring in an elderly patient, and review incidence and peculiarities of this tumor. Case Report A 78-year-old man who used to smoke had a history of mild pain in the topography of right parotid three weeks ago. Patient with hypertension, diabetes and a longtime smoker (smoking a pack per day for 32 years) noticed a progressive bulging in the right parotid region for about 2.5 years ago, and noticed another progressive bulging (althought in the left parotid region), for about one year ago. Patient denied fever, redness, skin lesions and pain during this period until last three weeks, when he sought medical attention for a mild pain in the right facial region. The patient underwent cervical magnetic resonance imaging that showed tumor lesions in both parotids. Fine needle aspiration revealed a typical lesion of epithelial oxyphilic cells associated with reactive lymphoid proliferation, suggesting Warthin tumor. The patient underwent two superficial parotidectomies, and the histopathologic result from both tumors of parotid glands showed papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum. Conclusion The occurrence of synchronous bilateral Warthin tumor is extremely rare, and anamnesis and physical examination, as well as some complementary examinations, are important means for diagnostic evaluation. Confirmation of the diagnosis can only be obtained through a histopathologic study. A superficial or total parotidectomy is the recommended treatment for the disease.

Epidermolytic ichthyosis is a rare autosomal dominant disease that manifests at birth with fragile blisters and erosions that evolve into hyperkeratotic lesions associated or not with erythroderma. When the disease is associated with a mutation in cytokeratin 1, it may be related to hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, but this is not usually found when cytokeratin 10 is mutated. The disease can present in a mosaic form, due to post zygotic mutation of the gene involved, constituting an individual formed by two populations of genetically distinct cells - one carrier of the mutation and the other without it. We report a case of mosaic epidermolytic ichthyosis diagnosed in a female patient.

Dermatoscopy of melanocytic lesions has guided the decision of when or not to biopsy a lesion. The use of this tool has increased clinical examination's sensitivity and specificity in 89% and 96% respectively. However, dermatoscopic evaluation of amelanotic or hypomelanotic melanomas, as well as metastases, can be difficult. There is still no standardization for the analysis of these pathologies, which relies mostly on their vascular pattern. We describe the dermatoscopy of acral metastatic amelanotic melanoma.

Objective: To correlate chronic liver disease diagnosed by transcutaneous liver biopsy guided by ultrasound, with ultrasound findings with B-mode and Doppler of the right hepatic vein; 2) to compare the wave patterns between the study group and the control group; 3) to compare the right hepatic vein Doppler findings with histopathology findings as a possible marker of chronic liver disease., Methods: Were studied 38 patients with chronic liver disease diagnosed by biopsy and serology (study group) and 10 persons without serologic liver disease (control group), assessed only by ultrasound B-mode and Doppler. The criteria were based on histology classification of the Brazilian Society of Pathology for chronic hepatitis. Chi-square, Fisher's exact and Student t tests were used., Results: The B-mode and Doppler ultrasound were useful in inferring the differentiation between individuals with chronic liver disease from normal. There were significant differences between the study group and the controls when comparing the histopathology findings, ultrasound B-mode and Doppler in relationship to the wave patterns of the right hepatic vein., Conclusion: The correlation of liver biopsies with ultrasound B-mode and Doppler of hepatic vein was positive; 2) individuals with liver disease showed alterations in the flow of the right hepatic vein and normal subjects not, being the wave pattern in normal triphasic and in patients with chronic liver disease monophasic or biphasic; 3) Doppler of the right hepatic vein is useful marker for chronic liver disease.

Experimental studies in animals and in vitro have shown the usefulness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjunct to periodontal treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and microbiological effects of PDT associated with nonsurgical periodontal treatment. Three sites in each of 33 patients with chronic periodontitis were randomly allocated in a split-mouth design to a treatment group: (1) scaling and root planing (SRP group); (2) SRP and irrigation with toluidine blue O (TBO group); and (3) SRP, irrigation with TBO and low-level laser irradiation (PDT group). Clinical parameters including visible plaque index, bleeding gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, gingival recession and clinical attachment level were measured at baseline, and after 60, 90 and 180 days. Additionally, subgingival plaque samples were collected for microbiological analysis by PCR. Intergroup and intragroup statistical analyses were performed. All treatment groups showed an improvement in all clinical parameters, and a significant reduction in the proportion of sites positive for periodontopathogens at 60, 90 and 180 days compared to baseline (p < 0.05). None of the periodontal parameters showed a significant difference among the groups (p > 0.05). At 180 days, PDT treatment led to a significant reduction in the percentage of sites positive for all bacteria compared to SRP alone (p < 0.05). Within the limits of this study it may be concluded that PDT as an adjunct to periodontal treatment produced statistically significant reductions in some of the key periodontal pathogens but produced no statistically significant benefit in terms of clinical outcome.

Introduction: Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery is a noninvasive tool used for endothelial function evaluation. There is increasing evidence that endothelial dysfunction is a common etiological factor for erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular events., Aim: To evaluate endothelial function with a high-resolution ultrasound device, to assess FMD in men diagnosed with ED and without clinical evidence of significant atherosclerotic disease, classified as "intermediate risk" according to the Framingham risk score (FRS)., Methods: This is a case-control study that included 52 consecutive men. In all men with ED evaluated by a score less than 22 on International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire (IIEF-5), clinical parameters such as blood pressure, waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass index, lipid profile, fasting glucose, and serum total testosterone were obtained. These parameters were compared with those men without diagnosis of ED (IIEF-5 score≥22) (age-matched, also classified as "intermediate risk" according to the FRS). All underwent brachial artery ultrasound for assessment of FMD, as a noninvasive method to evaluate endothelial function. Statistical analysis was performed considering a P<0.05., Main Outcome Measures: Endothelium-dependent FMD was evaluated in the right brachial artery with a high-resolution ultrasound machine following reactive hyperemia., Results: Thirty-four men were included in the ED group, and 18 were included in the group without ED. The mean ages were 59.61±9.87 and 56.18±10.93, respectively (P=0.27). Clinical and laboratory evaluations were similar between men with and without ED (P>0.05) except for waist circumference that was greater in patients with ED (mean=100.85 cm vs. 96.05; P<0.05). The percentage of FMD was higher in men without ED when compared with those with ED (mean FMD 11.33±6.08% vs. 4.24±7.06%, respectively; P=0.001)., Conclusions: Men without established atherosclerotic disease presenting with ED demonstrated a worse endothelial function., (© 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.)

Syringocystadenoma papilliferum is a rare benign adnexal tumor that frequently shows apocrine differentiation. It usually develops on the scalp and is associated with a nevus sebaceus in 40% of cases. Although the clinical presentation may differ, its histology is characteristic. Reports have been made of dermoscopy used in cases of adnexal tumors such as eccrine poromas, hidradenomas and angiohistiocytomas; however, up to the present moment there have been no reports of dermoscopy in a case of syringocystadenoma. This paper describes the dermoscopic features found in a case of syringocystadenoma associated with a nevus sebaceus, revealing a polymorphous vascular pattern including a horseshoe-shaped arrangement of vessels.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of and mortality due to meningitis and compare data according to microbiological diagnosis. This was a ten-year retrospective study conducted at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Newborns with meningitis confirmed by positive CSF culture were included; those with congenital infection or malformations that made lumbar puncture impossible were excluded. The variables investigated were birth weight, gestational and postnatal age, procedures, hematological and CSF parameters, and complications. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used (statistical value p<0.05). The incidence of meningitis was 0.6% and mortality was 27%. Of the 22 cases, 59% involved Gram-negative bacteria; 36% Gram-positive and 5% fungi. The groups did not differ in relation to birth weight, gestational and postnatal age, procedures or hematological and CSF parameters. Sepsis, convulsions and deaths were frequent in both groups, without statistical difference. Gram-negative cases showed abscesses and higher frequency of ventriculitis and hydrocephaly. Meningitis was infrequent, but presented high mortality and frequent complications.

Purpose: To study the influence of glutamine on functional and morphological changes of liver in the extrahepatic biliary obstruction through an experimental model in rats., Methods: Seventy Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (group C) fictitious operation, (group FO), submitted to laparotomy with handling of bile ducts, but without hepatic duct ligation, (group EBO) submitted to laparotomy and hepatic duct ligation, one of them submitted to supplementation with glutamine 2% (group G). The control group consisted of 6 animals. The animals from groups FO, EBO and G were divided into three groups consisting of 6 animals each, being sacrificed at 7, 14 and 21 days after operation, respectively. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis and a fragment of liver tissue was collected from the middle lobe for histological analysis., Results: Both for biochemical analysis (BT, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase AST, ALT and alkaline phosphatase FAL) and for histopathological changes (fibrosis, portal inflammation, parenchymal inflammation, hepatocytic changes and duct proliferation), no statistical difference between groups submitted to extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EBO) with and without treatment with glutamine (G) was observed., Conclusion: Glutamine supplementation did not alter the prognosis of liver enzymes and histopathological changes in animals submitted to extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Purpose: To evaluate histopathologic alterations of the peritoneum exposed to heat shock., Methods: Sixty rats were randomly distributed into 6 groups: Heat Shock (HS), High Temperature (HT), Body Temperature (BT), Temperature 0oC (TZ), Sham (SH) and Control (CG) with 10 animals each. The peritoneal cavity of animals from groups HS, HT, BT and TZ was irrigated with NaCl solution 0.9% at temperatures 50 degrees C, 0 degrees C, 50 degrees C, 37 degrees C and 0 degrees C, respectively. For animals from group SH, the procedures were simulated and those from group CG, laparotomy and biopsies were conducted. Twenty-four hours later, biopsies of the peritoneum for exams under light and electronic microscopy were performed., Results: Edema was found in groups HS 80%, HT 60%, BT 30% TZ 70%, SH 40% and CG 30%. Vascular congestion was found in groups HS 20%, HT 30%, BT 10% and TZ 20%. Erythrocyte extravasation was found in groups HT 60% and SH 10%. Mesothelium destruction was found in 100% of specimens from groups HS, HT, BT, TZ, SH and CG 90%. Necrosis was found in groups HS 30%, HT 20% and BT 10%. The mean peritoneal thickness ranged from 42.26 microm (TZ) to 26.42 microm (CG)., Conclusion: The heat shock caused no deaths, but promoted significant peritoneal edema without affecting the other histopathologic indicatives.

The efficiency of terbinafine was tested in C57BL/6 mice inoculated with the Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis strain MHOM/BR/PH8. The mice were administered: terbinafine at a dose of 100mg/kg/d by via oral; 0.9% saline solution orally as the control; and subcutaneous sodium stibogluconate 400mg SbV/kg/d as gold standard, for 20 days. Terbinafine was demonstrated to be ineffective when compared to the controls, using clinical and parasitological parameters and the limiting dilution assay.

Four weekly injections of 50 micrograms of trehalose dimycolate (TDM) in FIA protect 40% of the Mice against a lethal infection by Trypanosoma cruzi; under the same conditions MDP (muramyldipeptide) has only a very slight effect.