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Background: The oral cavity harbors more than 700 species of bacteria, which play crucial roles in the development of various oral diseases including caries, endodontic infection, periodontal infection, and diverse oral diseases., Aim: To investigate the antimicrobial action of Cymbopogon Schoenanthus and Pelargonium graveolens essential oils against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Ca. dubliniensis , and Ca. krusei ., Methods: Minimum microbicidal concentration was determined following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute documents. The synergistic antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the Broth microdilution checkerboard method, and the antibiofilm activity was evaluated with the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey post-hoc test ( P ≤ 0.05)., Results: C. schoenanthus and P. graveolens essential oils were as effective as 0.12% chlorhexidine against S. mutans and St. aureus monotypic biofilms after 24 h. After 24 h P. graveolens essential oil at 0.25% was more effective than the nystatin group, and C. schoenanthus essential oil at 0.25% was as effective as the nystatin group., Conclusion: C. schoenanthus and P. graveolens essential oils are effective against S. mutans, St. aureus, Ca. albicans, Ca. dubliniensis , and Ca. krusei at different concentrations after 5 min and 24 h., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), chlorhexidine (CHX), and the glycolic extract of propolis (GEP) as endodontic irrigants and of calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH) 2 ], CHX, or Ca(OH) 2 + CHX as intracanal medications on the capacity of the lipoteichoic acid (LTA) of Enterococcus faecalis in macrophages' proinflammatory cytokines production. Freshly extracted 108 human single-rooted teeth were used in this study. The LTA of E. faecalis was standardized in double-distilled pyrogen-free water (250 µg/mL) and inoculated into the specimens subdivided into nine subgroups (n = 12). Cultures of murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) were treated with 30 µL of each sample collected from root canals and incubated (37 °C, 5% CO 2 ) for 24 h. Lastly, anti-TNF-α, anti-IL-6, anti-IP-10, anti-MIP-1α, anti-G-CSF, and anti-IL-1β DuoSet kits were used to perform an ELISA assay. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey test ( p ≥ 0.05). It was found that 1% NaOCl was the most effective irrigant in reducing the capacity of LTA in cytokines production, followed by 12% GEP and 2% CHX, respectively. Ca(OH) 2 + CHX presented the best results when associated with NaOCl or GEP. Thus, NaOCl or GEP associated with Ca(OH) 2 + CHX were effective in reducing the capacity of LTA in different macrophages pro-inflammatory cytokines production.

The removal of dyes from effluents of textile industries represents a technological challenge, due to their significant environmental impact. The application of halloysite (Hal) and palygorskite (Pal) clay minerals as adsorbents for the removal of Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB) was evaluated in this work. The materials were applied both in natural and acid-treated forms, and characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM-EDS, FTIR, and N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm techniques to identify their properties and main active sites. The adsorbents showed potential to remove CR (> 98%) and MB (> 85%) within 180 min, using 0.3 g adsorbent and initial dye concentration of 250 mg L -1 . Semi-empirical quantum mechanical calculations (SQM) confirmed the interaction mechanism between dyes and the adsorbents via chemisorption (- 69.0 kcal mol -1  < E ads  <  - 28.8 kcal mol -1 ), which was further observed experimentally due to the high fit of adsorption data to pseudo-second order kinetic model (R 2  > 0.99) and Langmuir isotherm (R 2  > 0.98). The use of Pal and Hal to remove dyes was proven to be economically and environmentally viable for industrial application., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii are opportunistic pathogens, and both are involved in different oral infections. This work aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition of Myrciaria cauliflora hydroethanolic extract and to evaluate its antimicrobial and antibiofilm action against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC 19606; multi-resistant clinical strains 58004, 50098, 566006, and H557). Myrciaria cauliflora hydroethanolic extract was prepared, and the content of soluble solids, flavonoids, and phenols was quantified. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed later. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined using the broth microdilution method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, standard M7-A6, and subsequently, its minimum bactericidal concentration was determined. Then, the most effective concentrations were analyzed against biofilms. Statistical analysis was performed using the ANOVA method with Tukey's test. The soluble solids content in the prepared hydroethanolic extract of M. cauliflora was 2.22%. Additionally, the total flavonoid content, measured using the quercetin standard curve, was 0.040 mg/mL. Furthermore, the total phenol content, determined using the gallic acid standard curve, was 0.729 mg/mL. HPLC analysis presented peaks of gallic acid (11.80 m), p-coumaric acid (12.09 m), cinnamic acid derivative (19.02 m), and ellagic acid (29.83 m). The extract demonstrated antimicrobial and antibiofilm action against all tested strains. However, the most effective antibacterial concentration against all the tested bacteria was 5.55 mg/mL. Therefore, these chemical components justify that M. cauliflora hydroethanolic extract is effective in reducing biofilm formation in S. aureus (standard strain) and A. baumannii (standard and clinical strains).

This review article explores the fundamental principles of modern endodontics with a focus on root canal cleaning and shaping. It reviews commonly used endodontic irrigant, namely sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), herbal extracts, chlorhexidine (CHX), and chelating agents, highlighting their properties, applications, and potential drawbacks. NaOCl, a key antimicrobial agent, demonstrates effectiveness against various microorganisms but poses challenges such as high cytotoxicity. Herbal extracts, gaining recognition in endodontics, present an alternative with potential advantages in preserving dentin integrity. CHX, known for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, is discussed in both liquid and gel formulations, emphasizing its role in reducing smear layer formation and preserving hybrid layer durability. Chelating agents, specifically ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and citric acid, play a vital role in removing the smear layer, enhancing dentin permeability, and facilitating the penetration of antimicrobial agents. The review article underscores the importance of careful application and consideration of each irrigant's properties to ensure safe and effective endodontic procedures. It serves as a valuable guide for clinicians in selecting appropriate irrigants based on specific treatment requirements., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to assess the relationship between apical fenestration-a defect in the alveolar bone involving the root apex-and tooth position in all tooth groups, excluding the third molars, utilizing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. A total of 800 CBCT scans (400 maxillary and 400 mandibular) from patients undergoing various treatments were examined by a single professional (radiologist and endodontist). Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, were conducted using R software 2.7.3 (R Foundation, Vienna, Austria). Results indicated a significant association ( p ≤ 0.05) between apical fenestration and tooth position. In the upper teeth, apical fenestrations were notably present in the mesio-buccal (17.17%) and disto-buccal (11.07%) roots of the first molars. Conversely, apical fenestrations in the lower teeth were relatively less frequent. The study revealed a negative correlation between apical fenestration and mesial inclination, rotation, and extrusion in the upper teeth. However, a positive correlation was observed between apical fenestration and lingual inclination in the upper teeth. In conclusion, this study illuminates the distribution of apical fenestration and its correlation with tooth positions, offering insights into factors influencing this defect in dental anatomy. The findings enhance our understanding of nuanced relationships between tooth position and apical fenestration in the upper and lower dental arches.

The contamination of jet fuel has gained attention in the past years as a notable factor in aircraft accidents. Identifying the contamination sources is still a challenge, especially when they have a similar composition to the fuel, such as kerosene solvent (KS). A novel analytical methodology was developed by combining a set of excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence to area constrained multivariate curve resolution with alternating least-squares (MCR-ALS) and PARAllel FACtor (PARAFAC) analysis, in order to identify KS in blends with JET-A1. For this purpose, a dataset with 50 samples (KS and JET-A1 blends, 2.0-100% v/v) was used to build the multivariate models. Both PARAFAC and MCR-ALS allowed fuel quantification with 4.64% and 3.46% RMSEP, respectively; both models (PARAFAC and MCR-ALS) could quantify KS with high accuracy (RMSEP <5.36%). In addition, MCR-ALS model was able to recover the pure spectral profiles of KS, JET-A1 and interferers. GC-MS data of the samples proved the composition similarities between both petroleum distillates, thus being inefficient for identifying the contamination. These results indicate that the development of multivariate models using EEM was the key for contributing with a new low-cost and accurate method for on-line screening of jet fuel contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Crohn's Disease (CD) is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease and is characterized by an immune-mediated nature. Its etiology results from the interaction between genetic, enviromental and microbial factors. Regarding pathophysiology, it involves high levels of interleukin (IL)-12, IL-17, and Th1 profile, along with loss of tolerance mechanisms, an increase in pro-inflammatory interleukins, beyond the possibility to affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its symptoms include abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, weight loss, anorexia, and fatigue, as well as blood in the stool or rectum. Additionally, conditions comprising musculoskeletal, cutaneous, ocular, hepatic, and hematological alterations may be associated with this scenario and extra-intestinal presentation, such as erythema nodosum, anterior uveitis, osteoporosis, and arthritis can also occur. Today, clinical history, exams as fecal calprotectin, ileocolonocopy, and capsule endoscopy can be performed in the diagnosis investigation, along with treatments to induce and maintain remission. In this sense, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biological agents, as well as surgery and non-pharmacological interventions plays a role in its therapy. The aim of this review is to bring more current evidence to clinical management of CD, as well as to briefly discuss aspects of its pathophysiology, surveillance, and associated disorders., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest,and no financial support., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To identify risk factors for loss to follow-up in periodic intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections for the treatment patients with diabetic macular edema, subretinal neovascularization, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vein occlusion in a single eye center in São Paulo, Brazil., Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal study that gathered information from 992 patients who required intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs over 6 months. The authors included age, eye disease, laterality, monthly income, distance, and payment mode as risk factors., Results: Two hundred and seventy patients (29.93%) were lost to follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed age, monthly income, eye involvement, and type of medical assistance independently associated with loss to follow-up. The odds of loss to follow-up were greater among older patients than those less than 50 years (reference), p  < 0.001. The odds of loss to follow-up were greater among patients who received unilateral treatment than those who received bilateral injections ( p  = 0.013). Concerning gross monthly income, there were no differences in the odds of the four salary strata; the data also indicate an absence of difference in the three strata of patients' distance to the clinic. Considering the diagnosis, only age-related macular degeneration showed greater odds of loss to follow-up ( p  = 0.016). Finally, the data suggest greater odds of loss to follow-up in private patients than in those on a health care plan ( p  < 0.001)., Conclusion: Loss to follow-up is paramount because many patients may remain unassisted concerning their eye diseases. Identifying the risk factors is crucial to enforcing measures to increase adherence and the long-term success of the treatment., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Adiponectin and leptin are adipokines, secreted by white adipose tissue (WAT), which play an important role in energy homeostasis. Some evidence has shown that adipokine-producing adipose cells present in the bone marrow (BM) appear to exert an influence on hematopoiesis and B cell development. Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the most common inborn errors of immunity in humans. In CVID, numerical and/or functional defects of B cells and their precursors result in hypogammaglobulinemia, usually Immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG. Manifestations of CVID include immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, inflammation and lymphoproliferation, resulting in a wide range of phenotypes. How adipokines interact and influence the pathophysiology of CVID is still unclear. In this review, we seek to summarize the aspects known so far concerning the interface between adipokines, B cells and CVID. More research is needed to fully understand these interactions; this knowledge is a potential avenue for the discovery of useful biomarkers and may provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of patients with CVID and related diseases., (© 2023 The Scandinavian Foundation for Immunology.)

Objective: Evaluate the influence of isolated and associated prepregnancy obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on adverse perinatal outcomes., Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional observational study with women who delivered at a Brazilian Maternity Hospital, between August and December 2020. Data were collected by interview with application form, and medical records. Sample was stratified by body mass index (BMI) and GDM screening in four groups: no obesity (BMI < 30 kg/m 2 ) no GDM - reference; isolated GDM; isolated obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ); and obesity with GDM. Preeclampsia (PE), cesarean section (CS), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) newborn and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were analyzed by odds ratio (OR) adjusted for confounding factors, adopting 95% confidence interval (CI) and P < 0.05 statistically significant., Results: From 1,618 participants, isolated obesity group (233/14.40%) had high chance of PE (OR = 2.16; CI: 1.364-3.426; P = 0.001), isolated GDM group (190/11.74%) had high chance of CS (OR = 1.736; CI: 1.136-2.652; P = 0.011) and NICU admission (OR = 2.32; CI: 1.265-4.261; P = 0.007), and obesity with GDM group (121/7.48%) had high chance of PE (OR = 1.93; CI: 1.074-3.484; P = 0.028), CS (OR = 1.925; CI: 1.124-3.298; P = 0.017) and LGA newborn (OR = 1.81; CI: 1.027-3.204; P = 0.040), compared with reference (1,074/66.38%)., Conclusion: Obesity and GDM enhances the chance of different negative outcomes, worsening this prognosis when associated.

Candida spp. cause fungal infection that affects patients' oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the isolated and synergistic antifungal effect of Rosa centifolia L., Curcuma longa L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., and Punica granatum L. glycolic extracts against Candida albicans , Candida dubliniensis , Candida tropicalis , and Candida krusei planktonic and biofilm forms. The plant extracts were chemically characterized and the main compounds were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) analysis. The minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations of the extracts were determined, and antibiofilm activity was evaluated by MTT assay. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's tests, and by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests, considering a significance level of 5%. The main compounds identified in each of the extracts were: p-coumaric acid (2153.22 μg/100 mL) in the rosemary extract, gallotannins (4318.31 μg/100 mL) in the pomegranate extract, quercetin derivatives (3316.50 μg/100 mL) in the extract of white roses, and curcumin (135.09 μg/100 mL) in the turmeric extract. The combination of R. centifolia and C. longa glycolic extracts was effective against C. albicans, C. dubliniensis , and C. tropicalis biofilms over different periods ( p < 0.05). The combination of R. officinalis and P. granatum glycolic extracts was effective against C. albicans and C. krusei biofilms after 30 min, and against C. tropicalis after 24 h, with all combinations showing an average reduction of 50% in cell viability ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the combined plant extracts have antifungal and antibiofilm action against Candida spp. in different concentrations and times of action.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects about half of the world's population. H. pylori infection prevails by several mechanisms of adaptation of the bacteria and by its virulence factors including the cytotoxin associated antigen A (CagA). CagA is an oncoprotein that is the protagonist of gastric carcinogenesis associated with prolonged H. pylori infection. In this sense, small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are important macromolecules capable of inhibiting and activating gene expression. This function allows sRNAs to act in adjusting to unstable environmental conditions and in responding to cellular stresses in bacterial infections. Recent discoveries have shown that nickel-regulated small RNA (NikS) is a post-transcriptional regulator of virulence properties of H. pylori , including the oncoprotein CagA. Notably, high concentrations of nickel cause the reduction of NikS expression and consequently this increases the levels of CagA. In addition, NikS expression appears to be lower in clinical isolates from patients with gastric cancer when compared to patients without. With that in mind, this minireview approaches, in an accessible way, the most important and current aspects about the role of NikS in the control of virulence factors of H. pylori and the potential clinical repercussions of this modulation., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no potential conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

The investigation and control of jet fuel contamination for private aircrafts has gained attention due to the softer monitoring in comparison to commercial aviation. The possible contamination with kerosene solvent (KS) makes this investigation more challenging, since it has physicochemical similarities with jet fuel. To help solve this problem, a chemometric methodology was applied in this research combining multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) and partial least squares (PLS) models coupled to near- and mid-infrared spectroscopies (MIR/NIR) in order to detect and quantify KS in blends with JET-A1 using 23 samples (5-60% v/v). Additionally, 98 samples were stored for 60 days, and principal component analysis, genetic algorithm, and successive projections algorithm were coupled to linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA, GA-LDA, and SPA-LDA) in order to classify the blends according to the bands assigned to oxidation products, such as phenols and carboxylic acids. GA-LDA and SPA-LDA models were accurate and reached 100% sensitivity and specificity. Physicochemical analysis was not able to detect the presence of KS in contaminated jet fuel samples, even in high concentrations. The use of MIR-NIR combined spectra improved the quantification results, thus decreasing the experimental error from 5.22% (using only NIR) to 1.64%. PLS regression quantified the content of KS with high accuracy (RMSEP < 1.64%, R 2  > 0.995). The MCR-ALS model stood out for recovering the spectral profile of kerosene solvent by segregating it from jet fuel spectra. The development of models using chemometric tools contributed to a fast, low-cost, and efficient process for quality control that can be applied in the fuel industry., (© 2022. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Recent research has demonstrated that critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) show significant immune system dysregulation. Due to that, some nutrients that influence immunomodulation have been suggested as a form of treatment against the infection. This review collected the information on the impact of vitamins on the prognosis of COVID-19, with the intention of facilitating treatment and prevention of the disease risk status in patients. The collected information was obtained using the PubMed electronic database by searching for articles that relate COVID-19 and the mechanisms/effects of the nutrients: Proteins, glucose, lipids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium, including prospective, retrospective, and support articles. The findings reveal an optimal response related mainly to omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, calcium, and iron that might represent benefits in the treatment of critically ill patients. However, nutrient supplementation should be done with caution due to the limited availability of randomized controlled studies., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest exist., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aims of the study were to assess the number of insertions per month of the 52 mg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) and gauge the knowledge and opinions of health care providers with regard to some of its characteristics and the reasons why women liked using the method., Methods: An online questionnaire survey was conducted between January and July 2021 at the University of Campinas, Brazil. The survey comprised physicians and nurses from centres that had requested and received donated devices., Results: A total of 65 health care providers answered the questionnaire (41 physicians and 24 nurses). The main misconceptions were related to insertion after an ectopic pregnancy: 60/65 (92.3%) answered that users with previous ectopic pregnancy must have frequent follow-up. Wrong answers were also given on the occurrence of acne (37/65, 56.9%) and depression (32/65, 49.2%). Participants reported that the LNG-IUS was highly effective (100%), long-acting (93.9%) and an appropriate method for controlling uterine bleeding (90.8%) and that it had few side effects (86.2%)., Conclusion: Our study suggests that health care providers from centres that requested and received LNG-IUS donations, even though they reported adequate knowledge about the device, still had misconceptions with regard to its clinical management.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Aloe vera and chlorhexidine "CHX" as disinfectants on the success of selective caries removal technique in deep carious lesions. A total of 60 patients with: (I) deep class II carious lesion diagnosed with reversible pulpitis; (II) good oral hygiene; (III) no gingival recession or periodontal diseases; (IV) no antibiotic or antifungal treatment in the last three months; and (V) no systematic disease or pregnancy were included in the study. Sixty patients were distributed randomly to three experimental groups ( n  = 20): Group 1: no disinfectant solution was applied (control group); group 2: the cavity was filled with 2% CHX for 5 mins and then dried with a sterilized cotton pellet; group 3: the cavity was filled with Aloe vera extract for 5 mins and then dried with sterilized cotton pellet. One week later, only teeth with vital pulp characteristics were restored definitely with resin composite. After 18 months, clinical and radiographic examination was performed by using a blinded separated evaluator. The data were tabulated and analyzed using the chi-square test by SPSS 13.0 with a significance level ( p ≤ 0.05). It was observed that 13 teeth of the control group, 14 teeth of the CHX group, and 16 teeth of the Aloe vera group were diagnosed with healthy vital pulp after 18 months. There was no significant difference between the CHX and the control group; however, there was a significant difference between the Aloe vera and control group ( p ≤ 0.007). Aloe vera extract as a cavity disinfectant increases the success rate of selective caries removal technique of deep carious lesions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ahmad Al-Abdullah et al.)

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in more than 93 million cases and 2 million deaths in the world. SARS-CoV-2 respiratory tract infection and its main clinical manifestations such as cough and shortness of breath are well known to the scientific community. However, a growing number of studies have reported SARS-CoV-2-related gastrointestinal involvement based on clinical manifestations, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain as well as on the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with coronavirus disease 2019. Furthermore, current evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 transmission via the fecal-oral route and aerosol dissemination. Moreover, studies have shown a high risk of contamination through hospital surfaces and personal fomites. Indeed, viable SARS-CoV-2 specimens can be obtained from aerosols, which raises the possibility of transmission through aerosolized viral particles from feces. Therefore, the infection by SARS-CoV-2 via fecal-oral route or aerosolized particles should be considered. In addition, a possible viral spread to sources of drinking water, sewage, and rivers as well as the possible risk of viral transmission in shared toilets become a major public health concern, especially in the least developed countries. Since authors have emphasized the presence of viral RNA and even viable SARS-CoV-2 in human feces, studies on the possible fecal-oral coronavirus disease 2019 transmission become essential to understand better the dynamics of its transmission and, then, to reinforce preventive measures against this infection, leading to a more satisfactory control of the incidence of the infection., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest associated with any of the senior author or other coauthors contributed their efforts in this manuscript., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Despite of recent advances in the pharmacological treatment, heart failure (HF) maintains significant morbidity and mortality rates. While serum potassium disorders are common and associated with adverse outcomes, the exact recommended potassium level for patients with HF are not entirely established. We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of potassium levels on a cohort of patients with symptomatic chronic HF., Methods and Results: Patients with symptomatic chronic HF were identified at the referral to 6 min walking test (6MWT) and were prospectively followed up for cardiovascular events. Clinical and laboratorial data were retrospectively obtained. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular death, hospitalization due to HF, and heart transplantation. The cohort included 178 patients with HF with the mean age of 51 ± 12.76 years, 39% were female, 85% of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy, and 38% had New York Heart Association Class III with a relatively high Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) score (12.91 ± 6.6). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 39.98 ± 15.79%, and the mean 6MWT distance was 353 ± 136 m. After a median follow-up of 516 days, there were 22 major cardiovascular events (4 cardiovascular deaths, 13 HF admissions, and 5 heart transplants). Patients were stratified according to cut-point level of serum potassium of 4.7 mmol/L to predict combined cardiac events based on receiver operating characteristic analysis. Individuals with higher potassium levels had worse renal function (glomerular filtration rate, K ≤ 4.7: 102.8 ± 32.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 vs. K > 4.7: 85.42 ± 36.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , P = 0.004), higher proportion of New York Heart Association Class III patients (K ≤ 4.7: 28% vs. K > 4.7: 48%, P = 0.0029), and also higher MAGGIC score (K ≤ 4.7: 12.08 ± 5.7 vs. K > 4.7: 14.9 ± 7.9, P = 0.0089), without significant differences on the baseline pharmacological HF treatment. Both potassium levels [hazard ratio (HR) 4.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59-11.421, P = 0.003] and 6MWT distance (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.993-0.999, P = 0.01) were independently associated with the primary outcome. After adjustments for MAGGIC score and 6MWT distance, potassium levels > 4.7 mmol/L maintained a significant association with outcomes (HR 3.57, 95% CI 1.305-9.807, P = 0.013). Patients with K > 4.7 mmol/L were more likely to present clinical events during the follow-up (log rank = 0.005). Adding potassium levels to the model including 6MWT and MAGGIC significantly improved the prediction of events over 2 years (integrated discrimination index 0.105, 95% CI 0.018-0.281, P = 0.012 and net reclassification index 0.447, 95% CI 0.077-0.703, P = 0.028)., Conclusions: Potassium levels were independently associated with worse outcomes in patients with chronic symptomatic HF, also improving the accuracy model for prognostic prediction when added to MAGGIC score and 6MWT distance. The potassium levels above 4.7 mmol/L might identify those patients at an increased risk of cardiovascular events., (© 2021 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global emergency, is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The gold standard for its diagnosis is the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, but considering the high number of infected people, the low availability of this diagnostic tool in some contexts, and the limitations of the test, other tools that aid in the identification of the disease are necessary. In this scenario, imaging exams such as chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) have played important roles. CXR is useful for assessing disease progression because it allows the detection of extensive consolidations, besides being a fast and cheap method. On the other hand, CT is more sensitive for detecting lung changes in the early stages of the disease and is also useful for assessing disease progression. Of note, ground-glass opacities are the main COVID-19-related CT findings. Positron emission tomography combined with CT can be used to evaluate chronic and substantial damage to the lungs and other organs; however, it is an expensive test. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been shown to be a promising technique in that context as well, being useful in the screening and monitoring of patients, disease classification, and management related to mechanical ventilation. Moreover, LUS is an inexpensive alternative available at the bedside. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging, although not usually requested, allows the detection of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological abnormalities associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, it is important to consider the challenges faced in the radiology field in the adoption of control measures to prevent infection and in the follow-up of post-COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest. No financial support., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obtaining lignin products is currently one of the great challenges, mainly because of its stable and poorly reactive structure. This work used a DFT and QTAIM approach, seeking to understand the influence of lignin structure on the reactivity and βO4 binding properties of 18 model structures. The computational modeling used confirmed that lignins derived from more oxygenated monomers have a smaller HOMO-LUMO gap, and therefore are less stable. In the developed study, the replacement of alpha hydroxyl with a carbonyl was able to abruptly change the electron topology, reducing binding energy in βO4 indicating which SHOX model is more susceptible to breakage.

This study evaluated the effects of subchronic exposure to Caryocar brasiliense peel ethanolic extract (CBPE) on reproductive function in male Swiss mice. CBPE was administered orally for 28 days at doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg.kg -1 bw; control group received saline. Fertility test was performed after 14 days of treatment and animals were euthanized after the end of the 28-day period for evaluation of the reproductive parameters. The tested doses produced no significant changes in plasma testosterone levels, daily sperm production, sperm concentration, sperm morphology or fertility rate. However, sperm transit time was reduced in the caput/corpus epididymis, the post-implantation loss rate increased and there were significant changes in spermatogenic dynamics at the highest dose. These results indicated that subchronic exposure to CBPE has low reproductive toxicity, but additional studies are recommended to provide evidence of long-term safety at high concentrations., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Adulteration is a recurrent issue found in fuel screening. Commercial diesel contamination by kerosene is highly difficult to be detected via physicochemical methods applied in market. Although the contamination may affect diesel quality and storage stability, there is a lack of efficient methodologies for this evaluation. This paper assessed the use of IR spectroscopies (MIR and NIR) coupled with partial least squares (PLS) regression, support vector machine regression (SVR), and multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) calibration models for quantifying and identifying the presence of kerosene adulterant in commercial diesel. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA), successive projections algorithm (SPA), and genetic algorithm (GA) tools coupled to linear discriminant analysis were used to observe the degradation behavior of 60 samples of pure and kerosene-added diesel fuel in different concentrations over 60 days of storage. Physicochemical properties of commercial diesel with 15% kerosene remained within conformity with Brazilian screening specifications; in addition, specified tests were not able to identify changes in the blends' performance over time. By using multivariate classification, the samples of pure and contaminated fuel were accurately classified by aging level into two well-defined groups, and some spectral features related to fuel degradation products were detected. PLS and SVR were accurate to quantify kerosene in the 2.5-40% (v/v) range, reaching RMSEC < 2.59% and RMSEP < 5.56%, with high correlation between real and predicted concentrations. MCR-ALS with correlation constraint was able to identify and recover the spectral profile of commercial diesel and kerosene adulterant from the IR spectra of contaminated blends.

Human schistosomiasis, caused by trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma , is one of the most significant neglected tropical diseases, affecting more than 200 million individuals worldwide and praziquantel is the only available drug to treat this disease. Artemisia absinthium L. and Tanacetum parthenium L. are species popularly used as anthelmintics. We investigated the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of crude extracts of A. absinthium (AA) and T. parthenium (TP) and their isolated compounds. AA and TP, at 200  μ g/mL, were active, causing 100% mortality of all adult worms. Chromatographic fractionation of AA leads to isolation of artemetin and hydroxypelenolide, while santin, apigenin, and parthenolide were isolated from TP. Artemetin, hydroxypelenolide, santin, and apigenin, at 100  μ M, were inactive against adult worms. Parthenolide (12.5 to 100  μ M) caused 100% mortality, tegumental alterations, and reduction of motor activity of all adult worms of S. mansoni , without affecting mammalian cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed tegumental morphological alterations and changes on the numbers of tubercles of S. mansoni worms. This report provides the first evidence for the in vitro activity of parthenolide against adult worms of S. mansoni , opening the route to further schistosomicidal studies with this compound., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Schistosomiasis is one of the world's major public health problems, and its treatment is widely dependent on praziquantel (PZQ), the only available drug. Schistosoma mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolases are ecto-enzymes localized on the external tegumental surface of S. mansoni and considered an important target for action of new drugs. In this work, the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of the crude extract of Glycyrrhiza inflata roots (GI) and its isolated compounds echinatin, licoflavone A and licoflavone B were evaluated against S. mansoni adult worms. Results showed that GI (200 μg/mL) was active against adult schistosomes, causing 100% mortality after 24 h of incubation. Chromatographic fractionation of GI led to isolation of echinatin, licoflavone A and licoflavone B. Licoflavone B (25-100 μM) caused 100% mortality, tegumental alterations, and reduction of oviposition and motor activity of all adult worms, without affecting mammalian Vero cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed tegumental morphological alterations and changes on the numbers of tubercles of S. mansoni worms in a dose-dependent manner after incubation with licoflavone B. Licoflavone B also showed high S. mansoni ATPase (IC50 of 23.78 μM) and ADPase (IC50 of 31.50 μM) inhibitory activities. Docking studies predicted different interactions between licoflavone B and S. mansoni ATPDase 1, corroborating with the in vitro inhibitory activity. This report demonstrated the first evidence for the schistosomicidal activity of licoflavone B and suggests that its mechanism of action involve the inhibition of S. mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolases., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a murine autoimmune disease used to study multiple sclerosis. Herein, we have investigated the immunomodulatory effect of licochalcone A (LicoA) on NO, H2 O2 , tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-17 production in cultured cells from EAE mice., Methods: EAE was induced in C57Bl/6 mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG35-55 ). LicoA was isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata. Splenocytes were obtained from EAE mice and incubated with LicoA (4, 20 and 40 μm). Peritoneal cells were obtained from EAE mice treated with LicoA (15 and 30 mg/kg/day. p.o.). H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production was determined in the presence or absence of concanavalin (ConA) or MOG35-55 stimulation., Key Findings: LicoA (40 μm) inhibited H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production in splenocytes spontaneously or after both ConA and MOG35-55 stimulation. LicoA (30 mg/kg/day) reduced clinical score and severity of EAE mice, and inhibited TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-17 production in peritoneal cells., Conclusions: LicoA possesses immunomodulatory effects on H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production in cells from EAE mice. It is suggested that LicoA acts on the mechanism of development of EAE by IFN-γ, IL-17 and TNF-α inhibition, modulating the immune response on both Th1 and Th17 cells., (© 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.)

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, affects more than 200 million people worldwide, and its control is dependent on a single drug, praziquantel. Tanacetum vulgare (Asteraceae) is used in folk medicine as a vermifuge. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of the crude extract (TV) and the essential oil (TV-EO) from the aerial parts of T. vulgare. TV-EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS, which allowed the identification of β-thujone (84.13%) as the major constituent. TV and TV-EO, at 200 μg/mL, decreased motor activity and caused 100% mortality of all adult worms. At 100 and 50 μg/mL, only TV caused death of all adult worms, while TV-EO was inactive. TV (200 μg/mL) was also able to reduce viability and decrease production of developed eggs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed morphological alterations in the tegument of the S. mansoni surface after incubation with TV (50 and 100 μg/mL). Quantitative analysis on the schistosomes tegument showed that TV caused changes in the numbers of tubercles of S. mansoni male worms in a dose-dependent manner. The findings suggest that T. vulgare is a potential source of schistosomicidal compounds.

Background: Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a major role in lipid metabolism, but studies on the association of CETP polymorphisms with risks of cardiovascular disease are inconsistent. This study investigated whether the CETP gene I405V and Taq1B polymorphisms modified subclinical atherosclerosis in an asymptomatic Brazilian population sample., Methods: The polymorphisms were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction in 207 adult volunteers. Serum lipid profiles, oxLDL Ab titers, C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations and CETP and phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activities were determined, and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured using ultrasonography., Results: No differences in cIMT were observed between the presence or absence of the minor B2 and V alleles in either polymorphism. However, inverse correlations between mean cIMT and CETP activity in the presence of these polymorphisms were observed, and positive correlations of these polymorphisms with PLTP activity and oxLDL Ab titers were identified. Moreover, logistic multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of the B2 allele was associated with a 5.1-fold (CI 95%, OR: 1.26 - 21.06) increased risk for cIMT, which was equal and above the 66th percentile and positively interacted with age. However, no associations with the V allele or CETP and PLTP activities were observed., Conclusions: None of the studied parameters, including CETP activity, explained the different relationships between these polymorphisms and cIMT, suggesting that other non-determined factors were affected by the genotypes and related to carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Purpose: to evaluate factors related to the presence of neonatal macrosomia in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus., Methods: 157 pregnant women presenting gestational diabetes mellitus in follow-up were retrospectively selected from January 2004 to July 2006. This group has been divided into two subgroups: one with newborns with weight in accordance with the gestational age (n=136) and another with macrosomic newborns (n=21). Maternal characteristics have been compared between the groups. The t-Student test was used for the analysis of equality hypothesis between the averages of the two groups, and chi-square test, to check the groups' homogeneity concerning ratios., Results: the groups did not show any significant difference concerning the gestational age, body mass index, weight gain along the gestation, number of previous pregnancies, fast glycemia in the oral glucose tolerance test after the ingestion of 75 g (TOTG 75 g), gestational age at delivery, glycemic values during the treatment, and the type of treatment used (p>0.05). In the group with neonatal macrosomia, there was a higher two-hour-glycemia in the TOTG 75 g (p=0.02), higher gestational age at the treatment onset (p=0.02), and a lower number of appointments at the health service (p<0.01). When adjusted to a logistic regression model, the most important factor (p<0.01) found to predict neonatal macrosomia was the two-hour-glycemia in the TOTG 75 g., Conclusions: the factors more frequently related to neonatal macrosomia were late treatment onset and, consequently, lower number of appointments and chiefly, high two-hour-glycemia in the TOTG 75 g.