Effects of bovine sperm cryopreservation using different freezing techniques and cryoprotective agents on plasma, acrosomal and mitochondrial membranes

The success of semen cryopreservation is influenced by several factors, such as freezing curves and cryoprotectants. These two factors are of special interest once they may lead to many important physical-chemical changes resulting in different degrees of damage in spermatozoa structure. This experiment was designed to compare the effect of bull semen cryopreservation using two freezing techniques: conventional (CT cooling rate of -0.55 degrees C min-1 and freezing rate of -19.1 degrees C min-1) and automated (AT cooling rate of -0.23 degrees C min-1 and freezing rate of -15 degrees C min-1), performed with different curves, and with three cryoprotectants (glycerol, ethylene glycol and dimethyl formamide) on bovine sperm motility and integrity of plasma, acrosomal and mitochondrial membranes. These variables were simultaneously evaluated using the fluorescence probes propidium iodide, fluorescein-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin and MitoTracker Green FM. The effects of freezing techniques, as well as of different cryoprotectants were analysed by the analysis of variance. The means were compared by Fishers test. There were no significant differences between freezing techniques (P > 0.05). Glycerol showed higher percentages of motility, vigour and integrity of plasma, acrosomal and mitochondrial membranes than other two cryoprotectants (P < 0.05). Ethylene glycol preserved higher motility and integrity of plasma and mitochondrial membranes than dimethyl formamide (P < 0.05). Sperm motility with glycerol was 30.67 +/- 1.41% and 30.50 +/- 1.06%, with ethylene glycol was 21.17 +/- 1.66% and 21.67 +/- 1.13% and with dimethyl formamide was 8.33 +/- 0.65% and 9.17 +/- 0.72% to CT and AT curves, respectively. The percentage of spermatozoa with simultaneously intact plasma membrane, intact acrosome and mitochondrial function (IPIAH) was 14.82 +/- 1.49% (CT) and 15.83 +/- 1.26% (AT) to glycerol, 9.20 +/- 1.31% (CT) and 9.92 +/- 1.29% (AT) to ethylene glycol 4.65 +/- 0.93% (CT) and 5.17 +/- 0.87% (AT) to dimethyl formamide. Glycerol provided the best results, although nearly 85% of spermatozoa showed some degree of injury in their membranes, suggesting that further studies are required to improve the results of cryopreservation of bovine semen.

Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals in Brazil: Integration of Conventional Psychiatric Treatment and Spiritual Complementary Therapy

In Brazil, during the XX century, dozens of Spiritist psychiatric hospitals emerged seeking to integrate conventional medical treatment with complementary spiritual therapy. This combined inpatient treatment is largely found in Brazil, where many psychiatric hospitals stem from the Spiritist movement. The present report describes the use of these spiritual practices, their operating structure, health professionals involved, modalities of care, and institutional difficulties in integrating spiritual practices with conventional treatment in six leading Brazilian Spiritist psychiatric hospitals. These hospitals combine conventional psychiatric treatment with voluntary-based spiritual approaches such as laying on of hands ("fluidotherapy"), lectures regarding spiritual and ethical issues, intercessory prayer, spirit release therapy ("disobsession") and "fraternal dialogue". The non-indoctrination and optional nature of these spiritual complementary therapies seem to increase acceptance among patients and their family members. In conclusion, the Spiritist psychiatric hospitals in Brazil have, for more than half a century, provided an integrative approach in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, associating conventional and spiritual treatments, more specifically Spiritist therapy. The lack of standardized treatment protocols and scientific studies remain a barrier to assessing the impact of this integrative approach on patients' mental health, quality of life, adherence, and perceived quality of treatment.

Comparison of Photodynamic Therapy versus conventional antifungal therapy for the treatment of denture stomatitis: a randomized clinical trial

Clin Microbiol Infect 2012; 18: E380E388 Abstract In this randomized clinical trial, the clinical and mycological efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) was compared with that of topical antifungal therapy for the treatment of denture stomatitis (DS) and the prevalence of Candida species was identified. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups (n = 20 each); in the nystatin (NYT) group patients received topical treatment with nystatin (100 000 IU) four times daily for 15 days and in the PDT group the denture and palate of patients were sprayed with 500 mg/L of Photogem (R), and after 30 min of incubation, were illuminated by light emitting-diode light at 455 nm (37.5 and 122 J/cm2, respectively) three times a week for 15 days. Mycological cultures taken from dentures and palates and standard photographs of the palates were taken at baseline (day 0), at the end of the treatment (day 15) and at the follow-up time intervals (days 30, 60 and 90). Colonies were quantified (CFU/mL) and identified by biochemical tests. Data were analysed by Fishers exact test, analysis of variance and Tukey tests and ? test (a = 0.05). Both treatments significantly reduced the CFU/mL at the end of the treatments and on day 30 of the follow-up period (p <0.05). The NYT and PDT groups showed clinical success rates of 53% and 45%, respectively. Candida albicans was the most prevalent species identified. PDT was as effective as topical nystatin in the treatment of DS.

Intraoral distalizer effects with conventional and skeletal Anchorage: a meta-analysis

Introduction: The aims of this meta-analysis were to quantify and to compare the amounts of distalization and anchorage loss of conventional and skeletal anchorage methods in the correction of Class II malocclusion with intraoral distalizers. Methods: The literature was searched through 5 electronic databases, and inclusion criteria were applied. Articles that presented pretreatment and posttreatment cephalometric values were preferred. Quality assessments of the studies were performed. The averages and standard deviations of molar and premolar effects were extracted from the studies to perform a meta-analysis. Results: After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 40 studies were included in the systematic review. After the quality analysis, 2 articles were classified as high quality, 27 as medium quality, and 11 as low quality. For the meta-analysis, 6 studies were included, and they showed average molar distalization amounts of 3.34 mm with conventional anchorage and 5.10 mm with skeletal anchorage. The meta-analysis of premolar movement showed estimates of combined effects of 2.30 mm (mesialization) in studies with conventional anchorage and 4.01 mm (distalization) in studies with skeletal anchorage. Conclusions: There was scientific evidence that both anchorage systems are effective for distalization; however, with skeletal anchorage, there was no anchorage loss when direct anchorage was used.

The antimicrobial effect of new and conventional endodontic irrigants on intra-orally infected dentin

Objectives. To evaluate if the incorporation of antimicrobial compounds to chelating agents or the use of chelating agents with antimicrobial activity as 7% maleic acid and peracetic acid show similar disinfection ability in comparison to conventional irrigants as sodium hypochlorite or iodine potassium iodide against biofilms developed on dentin. Materials and methods. The total bio-volume of live cells, the ratio of live cells and the substratum coverage of dentin infected intra-orally and treated with the irrigant solutions: MTAD, Qmix, Smear Clear, 7% maleic acid, 2% iodine potassium iodide, 4% peracetic acid, 2.5% and 5.25% sodium hypochlorite was measured by using confocal microscopy and the live/dead technique. Five samples were used for each irrigant solution. Results. Several endodontic irrigants containing antimicrobials as clorhexidine (Qmix), cetrimide (Smear Clear), maleic acid, iodine compounds or antibiotics (MTAD) lacked an effective antibiofilm activity when the dentin was infected intra-orally. The irrigant solutions 4% peracetic acid and 2.5–5.25% sodium hypochlorite decrease significantly the number of live bacteria in biofilms, providing also cleaner dentin surfaces (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Several chelating agents containing antimicrobials could not remove nor kill significantly biofilms developed on intra-orally infected dentin, with the exception of sodium hypochlorite and 4% peracetic acid. Dissolution ability is mandatory for an appropriate eradication of biofilms attached to dentin.

Lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution of (±)-mandelonitrile under conventional condition and microwave irradiation

The kinetic resolution of (±)-mandelonitrile was carried out using lipase from Candida antarctica under conventional condition (orbital shaker) and microwave irradiation in toluene, producing the (S)-mandelonitrile acetate with high selectivity (up to > 98% ee, enantiomeric excess). The unreacted (R)-mandelonitrile under microwave irradiation and conventional condition was partially converted into benzaldehyde by spontaneous chemical equilibrium. The (S)-mandelonitrile acetate under microwave irradiation was produced with 92% ee and 35% yield for 8 h of reaction. Conventional transesterification of (±)-mandelonitrile in an orbital shaker produced unreacted (R)-mandelonitrile (51% ee) and (S)-mandelonitrile acetate (98% ee) in accordance with Kazlauskas rule for 184 h of reaction.

Abrasiveness of conventional and specific denture-cleansing dentifrices

This study analyzed the weight loss and surface roughness caused in Plexiglass specimens by conventional dentifrices (Sorriso, Colgate and Close Up) and specific dentifrices used for cleaning of dentures (Corega and Dentu Creme). Plexiglass specimens were divided into 6 groups (n=6) including: a control (distilled water - DW) and experimental groups. Brushing was performed in a toothbrushing machine with a soft brush and a dentifrice suspension and DW according to different brushing times (50, 100, 200 and 250 min -18,000, 36,000, 72,000 and 90,000 cycles, respectively, calculated to correspond to 1, 2, 4 and 5 years of regular brushing). The results of weight loss and surface roughness were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey’s test at 5% significance level. In all tested times, the effect of DW was insignificant. Dentifrices differed significantly from DW in the initial period. Corega dentifrice caused greater mass loss in all studied times, followed by Close Up. Dentifrices resulted in a surface roughness similar to the DW at 50 min. In the other times, Sorriso, Colgate and Corega caused more surface roughness than DW. In conclusion, specific dentifrices caused larger mass loss and lower surface roughness as conventional dentifrice.

Comparação entre os métodos de aplicação de fluido de corte convencional e otimizado na retificação plana de cerâmicas

Com o grande crescimento tecnológico e a necessidade de melhoria, um dos materiais que ganhou uma grande gama na área da engenharia mecânica é a cerâmica, pois possui vantagens físico-químicas e propriedades mecânicas significativas sobre o aço. Entretanto, sua usinagem é um processo difícil e delicado, que requer ainda uma grande atenção em relação ao seu estudo. Assim, o processo de retificação é um dos métodos que tem apresentado bons resultados, porém um grande problema acerca de tal processo é o uso excessivo de fluidos de corte, o que se tornou uma preocupação mundial, já que os fluidos apresentam graves problemas socioambientais, além disso, o fluido de corte é responsável por uma grande parte do custo final do processo, provocando, desse modo, um grande interesse em pesquisas referentes a métodos alternativos de forma a reduzir o consumo e melhorar as características do fluido de corte utilizado. Este trabalho visa comparar duas técnicas de lubri-refrigeração, o método convencional e a Lubrificação Otimizada. O uso do método otimizado é uma alternativa à diminuição do volume de fluido utilizado, já que este tem como princípio a aplicação de uma menor quantidade de fluido de corte com uma alta velocidade, localmente aplicada, ou seja, com essa redução benefícios ambientais e socioeconômicas são obtidos. A análise do trabalho será feita a partir da avaliação das variáveis de saída do processo de retificação plana tais como o comportamento rugosidade e desgaste do rebolo, já que por elas é possível avaliar o processo em relação a qualidade da peça versus custo. Com essas analises, pretende-se avaliar se a técnica otimizada é viável a substituição da refrigeração convencional na retificação plana de cerâmicas.