Dental fluorescence: Potential forensic use

In cases of identification of bones, skeletal segments or isolated bones, searching for biotypologic diagnostic data to estimate an individual's age enables comparing these data with those of missing individuals. Enamel, dentin and pulp undergo remarkable changes during an individual's life. The enamel becomes more mineralized, smoother and thinner, and deteriorates because of physiological and pathological factors. Dental pulp decreases in volume due to the deposition of secondary dentin; thus, the dentin becomes thicker with time. In natural teeth, the fluorescence phenomenon occurs in dentin and enamel and changes in those tissues may alter the expression of the natural tooth color. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between age and teeth fluorescence for individuals from different age groups. The sample consisted of 66 randomly selected Brazilians of both genders aged 7-63 years old. They were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 - aged 7-12 years, Group 2 - aged 13-20 years, Group 3 - aged 21-30 years, Group 4 - aged 31-40 years, Group 5 - aged 41-50 years and Group 6 - aged between 51 and 63 years. Upper right or left central incisors were used for the study. Restored and aesthetic rehabilitated teeth were excluded from the sample. The measurement of tooth fluorescence was carried out via computer analysis of digital images using the software ScanWhite DMC/Darwin Systems - Brazil. It was observed that dental fluorescence decreases when comparing the age groups 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-63 years. The results also showed that there is a statistically significant difference between the groups 41-50 years and 21-30 years (p=. 0.005) and also among the group 51-63 years and all other groups (p< 0.005). It can be concluded that dental fluorescence is correlated with age and has a similar and stable behavior from 7 to 20 years of age. It reaches its maximum expected value at the age of 26.5 years and thereafter decreases. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Temporomandibular joint condylar changes following maxillomandibular advancement and articular disc repositioning

Purpose To evaluate condylar changes 1 year after bimaxillary surgical advancement with or without articular disc repositioning using longitudinal quantitative measurements in 3-dimensional (3D) temporomandibular joint (TMJ) models. Methods Twenty-seven patients treated with maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) underwent cone-beam computed tomography before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at 1-year follow-up. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging before surgery to assess disc displacements. Ten patients without disc displacement received MMA only. Seventeen patients with articular disc displacement received MMA with simultaneous TMJ disc repositioning (MMA-Drep). Pre- and postsurgical 3D models were superimposed using a voxel-based registration on the cranial base. Results The location, direction, and magnitude of condylar changes were displayed and quantified by graphic semitransparent overlays and 3D color-coded surface distance maps. Rotational condylar displacements were similar in the 2 groups. Immediately after surgery, condylar translational displacements of at least 1.5 mm occurred in a posterior, superior, or mediolateral direction in patients treated with MMA, whereas patients treated with MMA-Drep presented more marked anterior, inferior, and mediolateral condylar displacements. One year after surgery, more than half the patients in the 2 groups presented condylar resorptive changes of at least 1.5 mm. Patients treated with MMA-Drep presented condylar bone apposition of at least 1.5 mm at the superior surface in 26.4%, the anterior surface in 23.4%, the posterior surface in 29.4%, the medial surface in 5.9%, or the lateral surface in 38.2%, whereas bone apposition was not observed in patients treated with MMA. Conclusions One year after surgery, condylar resorptive changes greater than 1.5 mm were observed in the 2 groups. Articular disc repositioning facilitated bone apposition in localized condylar regions in patients treated with MMA-Drep. © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

O homem e o desenvolvimento humano nos discursos de Aristóteles e John Dewey

Pós-graduação em Educação Escolar - FCLAR

Dimensionamento de suspensões veiculares para isolamento de vibrações excitadas pela via

This work intends to perform the dimensioning of the Guaratinguetá’s Engineering College Baja SAE vehicle suspension system. To do so, concepts of suspension systems, human comfort limits to vibrations and automotive models for suspension vibration analyses are reviewed. On the development of this work descriptions of considerations specific for the vehicle object of this work are made as well as descriptions of the experiment made to determine the stiffness of the tire used. These concepts are applied through a computational routine that allows the dimensioning of springs and shock absorbers of both front and rear axles of a vehicle in a way to respect all the criteria showed during this work and visualize the system’s behavior when excited on different frequencies

Expression, purification, and circular dichroism analysis of human CDK9

The human cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) protein was expressed in E coli BL21 using the pET23a vector at 30 degrees C. Several milligrams of protein were purified from soluble fraction using ionic exchange and ATP-affinity chromatography. The structural quality of recombinant CDK9 and the estimation of its secondary structure were obtained by circular dichroism. Structural models of CDK9 presented 26% of helices in agreement with the spectra by circular dichroism analysis. This is the first report on human CDK9 expression in Escherichia coli and structure analysis and provides the first step for the development of CDK9 inhibitors. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stereoselective analysis of carvedilol in human plasma and urine using HPLC after chiral derivatization

An enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of carvedilol in plasma and urine was developed and validated using (-)-menthyl chloroformate (MCF) as a derivatizing reagent. Chloroform was used for extraction, and analysis was performed by HPLC on a C18 column with a fluorescence detector. The quantitation limit was 0.25 ng/ml for S(-)-carvedilol in plasma and 0.5 ng/ml for R(+)-carvedilol in plasma and for both enantiomers in urine. The method was applied to the study of enantioselectivity in the pharmacokinetics of carvedilol administered in a multiple dose regimen (25mg/12h) to a hypertensive elderly female patient. The data obtained demonstrated highest plasma levels for the R(+)-carvedilol(AUCSS 75.64 vs 37.29ng/ml). The enantiomeric ratio R(+)/S(-) was 2.03 for plasma and 1.49 0 - 12 for urine (Aeo-12 17.4 vs 11.7 pg). Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Retrospective analysis of post-exposure to human anti-rabies treatment in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil

This analysis aimed to identify characteristics of accidents that would, probably, provoke rabies infection. A total of 14,409 survey questionnaires for surveillance of human rabies from the Brazilian Information System for Disease Notification (SINAN), from 2000 to 2005, were analyzed. Regarding demographics, it was observed that 7,377 (51.5%) of the victims were white, 4,458 (30.93%) were children and 8,008 (55.58%) were males. Urban cases were prevalent (88.10%) while dogs were the animals most frequently involved in accidents, in 11,700 cases (81.19%). Bites (84.35%) and scratches (19.15%) were the most prevalent exposure types, and occurred predominantly on victims' extremities (38.79%). The prophylactic measure taken in 6,179 cases comprised anti-rabies vaccine; of these victims, 421 (2.92%) showed systemic reactions while 693 (4.80%) reported no response. The importance of developing awareness in professionals that should correctly report post-exposure immunoprophylaxis cases is emphasized given the high number of individuals who receive this type of treatment annually.

Relationship between visualization of meiotic spindle in human oocytes and ICSI outcomes: a meta-analysis

The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the influence of meiotic spindle visualization in human oocytes on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. Search strategies included on-line Surveys of databases (MEDLINE, em BASE, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and Ovid). The fixed effect was used for odds ratio. Ten trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria comparing in-vitro and clinical ICSI outcomes with or without visualization of meiotic spindle in fresh and in-vivo matured oocytes. According to the meta-analysis, the results showed statistically significant higher fertilization rate (P < 0.0001) when the meiotic spindle was viewed than when it was not. Moreover, the percentage of pro-nuclear-stage embyros with good morphology (P = 0.003), cleavage rate (P < 0.0001), percentage of day-3 top-quality embryos (P = 0.003) and percentage of embryos that reached the blastocyst stage (P < 0.0001) were statistically significantly better among, embryos derived from oocytes in which meiotic spindle was viewed compared with those in which meiotic spindle was not observed. However, these differences were not observed in the clinical pregnancy or implantation rates. This observation has clinical relevance mainly in countries where there is a legal limit on the number of oocytes to be fertilized. However, additional controlled trials are needed to further confirm these results.

IVF/ICSI outcomes after culture of human embryos at low oxygen tension: a meta-analysis

Background: Improved pregnancy, implantation, and birth rates have been reported after the use of reduced O2 concentration during embryo culture, mainly due to a reduction of the cumulative detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species. However, some studies have failed to report any positive effects. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of a low-O2 environment on IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.Methods: All available published and ongoing randomised trials that compared the effects of low (similar to 5%; OC similar to 5) and atmospheric (similar to 20%; OC similar to 20) oxygen concentrations on IVF/ICSI outcomes were included. Search strategies included online surveys of databases from 1980 to 2011. The outcomes measured were fertilisation rate, implantation rate and ongoing pregnancy rates. The fixed effects model was used to calculate the odds ratio.Results: Seven studies were included in this analysis. The pooled fertilisation rate did not differ significantly (P = 0.54) between the group of oocytes cultured at low O2 tension and the group at atmospheric O2 tension. Concerning all cycles, the implantation (P = 0.06) and ongoing pregnancy (P = 0.051) rates were not significantly different between the group receiving transferred sets containing only OC similar to 5 embryos and the group receiving transferred sets with only OC similar to 20 embryos. In a meta-analysis performed for only those trials in which embryos were transferred on day 2/3, implantation (P = 0.63) and ongoing pregnancy (P = 0.19) rates were not significantly different between the groups. In contrast, when a meta-analysis was performed using only trials in which embryos were transferred on days 5 and 6 (at the blastocyst stage), the group with transferred sets of only OC similar to 5 embryos showed a statistically significantly higher implantation rate (P = 0.006) than the group receiving transferred sets with only OC similar to 20 embryos, although the ongoing pregnancy (P = 0.19) rates were not significantly different between the groups.Conclusions: Despite some promising results, it seems too early to conclude that low O2 culture has an effect on IVF outcome. Additional randomised controlled trials are necessary before evidence-based recommendations can be provided. It should be emphasised that the present meta-analysis does not provide any evidence that low oxygen concentration is unnecessary.

Comparison between human and armadillo Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis

Sixty-three Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates obtained from three nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novem-cinctus), one Amazonian armadillo's and 19 clinical isolates were compared by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis with the primer OPG-19. The isolates were divided into three major clusters, I, II and III. Coincidences between human and armadillo isolates were observed in clusters I and II. Cluster III consisted only of armadillos' isolates. The results suggested that (I) humans may acquire P. brasiliensis infection by contact with armadillo's environment, (II) there may be P. brasiliensis genotypes peculiar to the animal, and (III) individual armadillos may be infected with P brasiliensis cells with different genotypes.

Geographic analysis on the occurrence of human and canine leptospirosis in the city of Maringá, state of Paraná, Brazil

INTRODUÇÃO: Leptospirose é uma zoonose que tem como hospedeiros primários os animais silvestres, sinantrópicos e domésticos. Os humanos comportam-se como hospedeiros terminais e acidentais. Sua prevalência depende dos animais portadores que disseminam o agente, de sua sobrevivência ambiental e do contato de pessoas susceptíveis. Cada sorovar tem um ou mais hospedeiros com diferentes níveis de adaptação. Os focos de leptospirose devem-se aos animais infectados, doentes e assintomáticos, considerados como fontes de infecção ambiental. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar áreas de risco da infecção leptospírica em cães errantes e pacientes com diagnóstico de leptospirose nos anos de 2006 a 2008, em Maringá, Estado do Paraná, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 335 cães errantes e 25 pacientes. Os soros, tanto dos animais como dos pacientes, foram examinados pela prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), para pesquisa de anticorpos antileptospíricos. Para determinar áreas de risco e a distribuição espacial da doença foram elaborados mapas temáticos. RESULTADOS: Foram observados 41(12,2%) cães positivos para um ou mais sorovares de leptospiras, e os mais frequentes foram: Pyrogenes (43,9%), Canícola (21,9%) e Copennhageni (19,5%). Nos humanos, a positividade foi de 2 (8%) para os sorovares, Pyrogenes e Hardjo Prajitno e, Pyrogenes e Cynopteri. CONCLUSÕES: A análise espacial revelou que o risco de cães e humanos, no município de Maringá, se infectar com leptospiras está presente tanto em áreas centrais como periféricas, fato que reforça a relevância deste estudo e de ações contínuas de vigilância epidemiológica e ambiental para o controle da doença tanto nos animais como no homem.

Comparative Histopathological Analysis of Human Pulps after Class I Cavity Preparation with a High-Speed Air-Turbine Handpiece or Er:YAG Laser

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Crystallization, preliminary X-ray analysis and Patterson search of a new aspartic protease isolated from human urine

Aspartic protease (EC 3.4.23) make up a widely distributed class of enzymes in animals, plants, microbes and, viruses. In animals these enzymes perform diverse functions, which range from digestion of food proteins to very specific regulatory roles. In contrast the information about the well-characterized aspartic proteases, very little is known about the corresponding enzyme in urine. A new aspartic protease isolated from human urine has been crystallized and X-ray diffraction data collected to 2.45 Angstrom resolution using a synchrotron radiation source. Crystals belong to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) the cell parameters obtained were a=50.99, b=75.56 and c=89.90 Angstrom. Preliminary analysis revealed the presence of one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The structure was determined using the molecular replacement technique and is currently being refined using simulated annealing and conjugate gradient protocols.

In vitro study of the Nd : YAG laser effect on human dental enamel: Optical and scanning electron microscope analysis

Objective: the Nd:YAG laser irradiation of dental enamel was evaluated in enamel demineralization experiments in a Streptococcus mutans culture media. Summary Background Data: Previous studies had shown that a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser at an energy of approximately 67 mJ may induce an increased acid resistance in human dental enamel when exposed to severe demineralization conditions. Methods: Enamel windows of 3 x 4 cm in the buccal surface were irradiated with a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 1,064 Ecm using energy densities of from 83.75 to 187.50 J/cm(2), Enamel windows of 3 x 4 cm on the lingual surface served as control (without the laser irradiation). The enamel windows were then exposed to a Streptococcus mutans culture media at a temperature of 37 degrees C for 15 and 21 days. The laser effects and demineralization were examined both by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Results: A comparison between the lased and the unlased windows of enamel showed fusion and recrystalization of the enamel and increased acid-resistance in all groups irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser, on the other hand, the 3 x 4 delimited enamel surfaces from the control group (not irradiated with the Nd:YAG laser) showed 100% deminerization, Conclusions: These findings are consistent with the finding that laser irradiation of dental results in significant reduction of the effective solubility of enamel mineral.