Impact of different fluoride concentrations and pH of dentifrices on tooth erosion/abrasion in vitro

Background: This in vitro study analysed the effect of different fluoride concentrations in acidic or neutral liquid dentifrices in protecting enamel and dentine from erosive and abrasive wear. Methods: Bovine enamel and dentine specimens (n = 132) were randomly allocated to 11 groups (each n = 12): experimental liquid dentifrices with 550 ppm F, 1100 ppm F, 5000 ppm F or 0 ppm F/placebo (each at pH 4.5 and pH 7.0); and commercial dentifrices with 550 ppm F (Colgate Baby, pH 7.0), 1100 ppm F (Crest, pH 7.0) and 5000 ppm F (Duraphat, pH 7.0). The specimens were subjected to erosion for 90 seconds, 4 times/day, over 7 days. Immediately after the first and last erosion, the specimens were brushed for 15 seconds using one of the dentifrices. Tooth wear was measured profilometrically (lm) and analysed by ANOVA (p < 0.05). Results: All fluoridated liquid dentifrices significantly reduced enamel wear compared to the placebo and commercial dentifrices. Only liquid dentifrices with 1100 and 5000 ppm F significantly reduced dentine wear compared to placebo dentifrice. The pH had no effect, but the consistency had a significant impact on the effect of dentifrices. Conclusions: Liquid dentifrices with high F concentration appear to be a good option to prevent tooth wear

Manipulation of follicle development to ensure optimal oocyte quality and conception rates in cattle

Over the last several decades, a number of therapies have been developed that manipulate ovarian follicle growth to improve oocyte quality and conception rates in cattle. Various strategies have been proposed to improve the responses to reproductive biotechnologies following timed artificial insemination (TAI), superovulation (SOV) or ovum pickup (OPU) programmes. During TAI protocols, final follicular growth and size of the ovulatory follicle are key factors that may significantly influence oocyte quality, ovulation, the uterine environment and consequently pregnancy outcomes. Progesterone concentrations during SOV protocols influence follicular growth, oocyte quality and embryo quality; therefore, several adjustments to SOV protocols have been proposed depending on the animal category and breed. In addition, the success of in vitro embryo production is directly related to the number and quality of cumulus oocyte complexes harvested by OPU. Control of follicle development has a significant impact on the OPU outcome. This article discusses a number of key points related to the manipulation of ovarian follicular growth to maximize oocyte quality and improve conception rates following TAI and embryo transfer of in vivo-and in vitro-derived embryos in cattle.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination in Brazil: Regional analyses according to the endemic context

Objective: To To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of a universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination program in Brazil. Methods: An age and time-dependent dynamic model was developed to estimate the incidence of hepatitis A for 24 years. The analysis was run separately according to the pattern of regional endemicity, one for South + Southeast (low endemicity) and one for the North + Northeast + Midwest (intermediate endemicity). The decision analysis model compared universal childhood vaccination with current program of vaccinating high risk individuals. Epidemiologic and cost estimates were based on data from a nationwide seroprevalence survey of viral hepatitis, primary data collection, National Health Information Systems and literature. The analysis was conducted from both the health system and societal perspectives. Costs are expressed in 2008 Brazilian currency (Real). Results: A universal immunization program would have a significant impact on disease epidemiology in all regions, resulting in 64% reduction in the number of cases of icteric hepatitis, 59% reduction in deaths for the disease and a 62% decrease of life years lost, in a national perspective. With a vaccine price of R$16.89 (US$7.23) per dose, vaccination against hepatitis A was a cost-saving strategy in the low and intermediate endemicity regions and in Brazil as a whole from both health system and society perspective. Results were most sensitive to the frequency of icteric hepatitis, ambulatory care and vaccine costs. Conclusions: Universal childhood vaccination program against hepatitis A could be a cost-saving strategy in all regions of Brazil. These results are useful for the Brazilian government for vaccine related decisions and for monitoring population impact if the vaccine is included in the National Immunization Program. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of cognitive performance among community dwelling older adults in an impoverished sub-district of Sao Paulo in Brazil

Determinants of cognitive performance in old age have received limited attention in Latin America. We investigated the association of socio-demographic and health-related variables with cognitive performance in a sample of older adults with limited educational experience living in a poor subdistrict of the city of Sao Paulo. This was a cross-sectional population-based study which included a sample of 384 seniors 65 years and older. Cognition was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB) (episodic memory test with 10 pictures, verbal fluency (VF), Clock Drawing Test (CDT)). Results indicated that age, sex, schooling, depressive symptoms, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) level had a significant impact on the cognitive performance of the sample. Therefore, pharmacological and psychosocial interventions with a focus on improving mood and controlling hypertension may have beneficial effects on cognition among seniors with similar socio-demographic characteristics. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DETERMINATION OF DICLOFENAC SODIUM IN RABBIT PLASMA BY HPLC/UV: EVALUATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ITS CRYSTALLINE FORMS, ANHYDROUS AND HYDRATE, ON THE ANTIPYRETIC EFFECT

Diclofenac sodium (DS) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is widely prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and post-surgery analgesia. The active pharmaceutical ingredient is the anhydrous form; however, it can also exist in hydrate form. In this context, knowing the properties of the solid state is important and relevant in the pharmaceutical area because they have a significant impact on the solubility, bioavailability, and chemical stability of the drugs. In the present study, data from XRPD, FTIR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis were used for the identification and characterization of DS forms (anhydrous and hydrate). An HPLC method was optimized to evaluate the plasma concentration of DS in rabbits. The optimized method exhibited good linearity over the range 0.1-60 mu g/mL with correlation coefficients of >0.9991. The mean recovery was 100%. Precision and accuracy were determined within acceptable limits. Finally, to compare the pharmacological properties of anhydrous and hydrate DS forms, we investigated their effects in the febrile response induced by lipopolysaccharide from E. coli in rabbits. The results show that the antipyretic effect of anhydrous and hydrate DS forms are similar.

Early postoperative pelvic-floor biofeedback improves erectile function in men undergoing radical prostatectomy: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and urinary incontinence are common complications following radical prostatectomy (RP). Although pelvic-floor biofeedback training (PFBT) may improve urinary continence following RP, its effects on the recovery of potency are unknown. Fifty-two patients selected for RP were prospectively randomized for a treatment group (n=26) receiving PFBT once a week for 3 months and home exercises or a control group (n=26), in which patients received verbal instructions to contract the pelvic floor. Erectile function (EF) was evaluated with the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) before surgery and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Patients were considered potent when they had a total IIEF-5 score >20. Continence status was assessed and defined as the use of no pads. Groups were comparable in terms of age, body mass index, diabetes, pathological tumor stage and neurovascular bundle preservation. A significant reduction in IIEF-5 scores was observed after surgery in both groups. In the treatment group, 8 (47.1%) patients recovered potency 12 months postoperatively, as opposed to 2 (12.5%) in the control group (P=0.032). The absolute risk reduction was 34.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.8-64%) and the number needed to treat was 3 (95% CI: 1.5-17.2). A strong association between recovery of potency and urinary continence was observed, with continent patients having a 5.4 higher chance of being potent (P=0.04). Early PFBT appears to have a significant impact on the recovery of EF after RP. Urinary continence status was a good indicator of EF recovery, with continent patients having a higher chance of being potent.

Effect of artesunate-mefloquine fixed-dose combination in malaria transmission in amazon basin communities

Background: Studies in South-East Asia have suggested that early diagnosis and treatment with artesunate (AS) and mefloquine (MQ) combination therapy may reduce the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria and the progression of MQ resistance. Methods: The effectiveness of a fixed-dose combination of AS and MQ (ASMQ) in reducing malaria transmission was tested in isolated communities of the Jurua valley in the Amazon region. Priority municipalities within the Brazilian Legal Amazon area were selected according to pre-specified criteria. Routine national malaria control programmatic procedures were followed. Existing health structures were reinforced and health care workers were trained to treat with ASMQ all confirmed falciparum malaria cases that match inclusion criteria. A local pharmacovigilance structure was implemented. Incidence of malaria and hospitalizations were recorded two years before, during, and after the fixed-dose ASMQ intervention. In total, between July 2006 and December 2008, 23,845 patients received ASMQ. Two statistical modelling approaches were applied to monthly time series of P. falciparum malaria incidence rates, P. falciparum/Plasmodium vivax infection ratio, and malaria hospital admissions rates. All the time series ranged from January 2004 to December 2008, whilst the intervention period span from July 2006 to December 2008. Results: The ASMQ intervention had a highly significant impact on the mean level of each time series, adjusted for trend and season, of 0.34 (95% CI 0.20 - 0.58) for the P. falciparum malaria incidence rates, 0.67 (95% CI 0.50 - 0.89) for the P. falciparum/P. vivax infection ratio, and 0.53 (95% CI 0.41 - 0.69) for the hospital admission rates. There was also a significant change in the seasonal (or monthly) pattern of the time series before and after intervention, with the elimination of the malaria seasonal peak in the rainy months of the years following the introduction of ASMQ. No serious adverse events relating to the use of fixed-dose ASMQ were reported. Conclusions: In the remote region of the Jurua valley, the early detection of malaria by health care workers and treatment with fixed-dose ASMQ was feasible and efficacious, and significantly reduced the incidence and morbidity of P. falciparum malaria.

Effect of external fields in Axelrod's model of social dynamics

The study of the effects of spatially uniform fields on the steady-state properties of Axelrod's model has yielded plenty of counterintuitive results. Here, we reexamine the impact of this type of field for a selection of parameters such that the field-free steady state of the model is heterogeneous or multicultural. Analyses of both one- and two-dimensional versions of Axelrod's model indicate that the steady state remains heterogeneous regardless of the value of the field strength. Turning on the field leads to a discontinuous decrease on the number of cultural domains, which we argue is due to the instability of zero-field heterogeneous absorbing configurations. We find, however, that spatially nonuniform fields that implement a consensus rule among the neighborhood of the agents enforce homogenization. Although the overall effects of the fields are essentially the same irrespective of the dimensionality of the model, we argue that the dimensionality has a significant impact on the stability of the field-free homogeneous steady state.

Pamidronate for the treatment of osteoporosis secondary to chronic cholestatic liver disease in Wistar rats

Osteoporosis is a major complication of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CCLD). We evaluated the efficacy of using disodium pamidronate (1.0 mg/kg body weight) for the prevention (Pr) or treatment (Tr) of cholestasis-induced osteoporosis in male Wistar rats: sham-operated (Sham = 12); bile duct-ligated (Bi = 15); bile duct-ligated animals previously treated with pamidronate before and 1 month after surgery (Pr = 9); bile duct-ligated animals treated with pamidronate 1 month after surgery (Tr = 9). Rats were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery. Immunohistochemical expression of IGF-I and GH receptor was determined in the proximal growth plate cartilage of the left tibia. Histomorphometric analysis was performed in the right tibia and the right femur was used for biomechanical analysis. Bone material volume over tissue volume (BV/TV) was significantly affected by CCLD (Sham = 18.1 ± 3.2 vs Bi = 10.6 ± 2.2%) and pamidronate successfully increased bone volume. However, pamidronate administered in a preventive regimen presented no additional benefit on bone volume compared to secondary treatment (BV/TV: Pr = 39.4 ± 12.0; Tr = 41.2 ± 12.7%). Moreover, the force on the momentum of fracture was significantly reduced in Pr rats (Sham = 116.6 ± 23.0; Bi = 94.6 ± 33.8; Pr = 82.9 ± 22.8; Tr = 92.5 ± 29.5 N; P < 0.05, Sham vs Pr). Thus, CCLD had a significant impact on bone histomorphometric parameters and pamidronate was highly effective in increasing bone mass in CCLD; however, preventive therapy with pamidronate has no advantage regarding bone fragility.

Characterization of ozone transport among metropolitan regions

The aim of this work is to determine the interaction in terms of ozone transport between two metropolitan regions of São Paulo State: The Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC) and Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), with different characteristics and dimensions. In order to describe the interaction between both regions, 3-D Eulerian photochemical CIT model was used with a new approach for São Paulo regions since most previous studies deal with individual areas considering the contribution of other areas only as boundary conditions. The results from the photochemical simulations showed that the ozone concentration in the MRC is associated to local emissions and the transport of ozone and its precursors from the MRSP, demonstrating the significant impact of a megacity in its neighborhood and the importance of meteorological and topography conditions in the transport of air pollutants from the local source to distant regions.