Perceptions of laypersons and orthodontists regarding the buccal corridor in long- and short-face individuals

Objective: To determine the perception of orthodontists and laypersons regarding the size of the dark spaces in the buccal corridors and how that affects smile esthetics in individuals with long and short faces.Materials and Methods: Images of eight smiling individuals were modified to create five sizes of dark spaces in the buccal corridors (2%, 10%, 15%, 22%, and 28%) and were submitted to a group of laypersons and a group of orthodontists.Results: Laypersons were more critical in their evaluation than orthodontists. Laypersons could not distinguish the gradation of dark spaces in the buccal corridor unless it was very plain. Orthodontists perceived this gradation beginning at 15%. Female evaluators were more critical than male evaluators in both groups.Conclusions: The presence or absence of dark spaces in the buccal corridors has little influence over smile esthetics. While this aspect must be considered in the orthodontic diagnosis, there is no justification for expanding the buccal corridor to eliminate dark spaces unless they are very evident. (Angle Orthod. 2011;81:86-90.)

Structural description of humic substances from subtropical coastal environments using elemental analysis, FT-IR and C-13-solid state NMR data

Elemental composition and spectroscopic properties (FT-IR and CP/MAS C-13-NMR) of sedimentary humic substances (HS) from aquatic subtropical environments (a lake, an estuary and two marine sites) are investigated. Humic acids (HA) are relatively richer in nitrogen and in aliphatic chains than fulvic acids (FA) from the same sediments. Conversely, FA are richer in carboxylic groups and in ring polysaccharides than HA. Nitrogen is mostly present as amide groups and for lake and marine HS the FT-IR peaks around 1640 cm(-1) and 1540 cm(-1) identify polypeptides. Estuarine HS exhibit mixed continental-marine influences, these being highly influenced by site location. Overall, the data suggest that aquatic and mixed HS are more aliphatic than has been proposed in current models and also that amide linkages form an important part of their structural configuration.

The Perception of Smile Attractiveness Variations from Esthetic Norms, Photographic Framing and Order of Presentation

Objectives: To evaluate the attractiveness of a smile according to variations from esthetic norms, photographic framing, and the order of the presentation of photographs.Materials and Methods: A photograph of an individual was selected and digitally manipulated to create the following smiles: an ideal control smile (I), a smile with diastema (D1), a smile with midline deviation (LM3), a smile with deviation from the long axes of the lateral incisors (10D), and a smile with an inverted smile arc (LSRV). The manipulated photographs were developed in framings of the face and of the mouth and evaluated by 20 laypeople. For half the evaluators, the presentation started with facial photographs and, for the other half, the presentation began with the mouth shots. Evaluators were asked to rank the photographs from the least to the most attractive; then, each photograph was awarded a mark (scale of 0.0 to 10.0).Results: In both presentations, the smiles I, LM3, 10D, and LSRV received favorable ratings, whereas the D1 smile got poor ratings. The photographic framings used (face vs mouth) and the order of presentation of the photographs did not influence the rankings.Conclusion: The absence of variations from beauty norms of a smile has a positive impact on its esthetic perception, but variations from the norms do not necessarily result in reduced attractiveness. (Angle Orthod. 2009;79:634-639.)

Pesquisa em educação ambiental: panorama da produção brasileira e alguns de seus dilemas

A partir de textos publicados em periódicos e de levantamentos já realizados em bancos de dissertações e teses, procuramos indicar tendências e perspectivas na produção da pesquisa em educação ambiental (EA) no Brasil. Fica evidente o aumento do número de trabalhos produzidos nos últimos 10 anos. do ponto de vista metodológico, observa-se que a maioria das pesquisas faz uso de abordagens qualitativas, orientadas, muitas vezes, para uma ação colaborativa. Fica também evidente a concentração de trabalhos em certas regiões do país. O sistema universitário público, e neste a pós-graduação, constitui-se no lócus privilegiado dessa produção. A estreita relação entre pesquisa em EA e os sistemas de pós-graduação indica que, para compreender tal produção, torna-se necessário compreender o sistema de pós-graduação brasileiro. Salienta-se a importância de se construir espaços múltiplos que se constituam em lócus de discussão e divulgação da pesquisa em EA no país e de mobilização política de pesquisadores da área.

Maxillary canine-first premolar transposition - Restoring normal tooth order with segmented mechanics

Tooth transpositions present at a relatively low incidence in the world population and primarily affect maxillary canines and premolars. Treatment of this disturbance should take into account aspects such as facial pattern, age, malocclusion, tooth-size discrepancy, stage of eruption, and magnitude of the transposition. Mechanics for correction should be entirely individualized, reducing the risks and adverse effects. Practitioners often select simpler options, indicating extraction of permanent teeth, which is an irreversible procedure that may bring about damages to the patient. This study presents a case report and treatment of unilateral transposition of maxillary canine and premolar with repositioning of affected teeth to their respective normal positions.

Macrobenthic intertidal communities from wave to tide dominated beach environments. A case study in two Brazilian beaches

Modification showed by intertidal macrofaunal communities between two nearby sites that change from a wave to a tide dominated beach environment, was analyzed on the present study. At each site, eleven intertidal sampling stations were distributed along a transect, from the drift line to the spring low tide water level. Four macrofaunal samples one meter long-shore spaced were collected at, each station with an iron core of 0.05 m(2) surface area, taken to a depth of 20 cm. Major,differences on sediments between sites were the offshore decrease of mean particle size diameter and increase of kurtosis and water content at the tide dominated site. KIDS ordination showed major similarities between the lowest stations of this site, that represents the dissipative low tide-terrace portion of the beach. Two lower station of the wave dominated site presented similarities with this group. The other stations of the tide-dominated site, that represents the reflective high tide beach portion, grouped distant from the former. (canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed a similar spatial distribution of stations, suggesting the importance of environmental factors on the explanation of species distribution patterns. Sediment water content and water table depth, with the highest inertia value, seems to be the principal physical factor. Increase on water content affects the macrofaunal distribution by the expansion of typical infralitoral species, as was the case of Bathyporeiapus ruffoi, on the dissipative low tide terrace beach portion. A disrupted distribution with the lost of a gradate zonation along a physical gradient is one of the major modification presented by macrobenthic communities on the transition from a wave to a tide dominated beach environment.

Long-term effectiveness and treatment timing for bionator therapy

The aim of the present investigation was to provide information about the long-term effects and optimal timing for class-II treatment with the Bionator appliance. Lateral cephalograms of 23 class-II patients treated with the Bionator were analyzed at three time periods: T1, start of treatment; T2, end of Bionator therapy; and T3, long-term observation (after completion of growth). T3 includes a phase with fixed appliances. The treated sample was divided into two groups according to their skeletal maturity as evaluated by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method. The early-treated group (13 subjects) initiated treatment before the peak in mandibular growth, which occurred after completion of Bionator therapy. The late-treated group (10 subjects) received Bionator treatment during the peak. The T1-T2, T2-T3, and T1-T3 changes in the treated groups were compared with changes in control groups of untreated class-II subjects by nonparametric statistics (P < .05). The findings of the present study on Bionator therapy followed by fixed appliances indicate that this treatment protocol is more effective and stable when it is performed during the pubertal growth spurt. Optimal timing to start treatment with the Bionator is when a concavity appears at the lower borders of the second and the third cervical vertebrae (CVMS 11). In the long term, the amount of significant supplementary elongation of the mandible in subjects treated during the pubertal peak is 5.1 mm more than in the controls, and it is associated with a backward direction of condylar growth. Significant increments in mandibular ramus height also were recorded.

Diagnosis and environmental planning for Paranagud - PR - Brazil

The main goal of this study was to identify and analyse environmental problems related to human occupation at the south part of the city of Paranagua PR, Brazil, aiming the diagnosis and conceptual evaluation of landscape use. For landscape use assessments and degradation diagnosis purposes, the environment was classified considering mainly geological and geomorphologic characteristics, such as declivity and sediment origin. The identification of potential environmental impacts was made by aerial photographs, Landsat-TM images, photographic records, surface sediment samples, water-column samples, and mainly observation visits to each classified unit. Surface sediment samples were taken with a Petit-Ponar sampler, in 13 station located in Paranagua Bay. In order to characterize the contamination level on sediments, the concentration of the following elements were analysed: arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Ph) e zinc (Zn). For the extraction of these elements, samples were treated with HCl 0.1N for 12 hours. This method has the advantage of determining contaminants which are weakly bind to the sediment, thus more available to the system. Analysis were performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. According to the adopted criteria, sectors were classified as hills, mangroves, continental sediments and beach ridges urban and port industrial. Water quality and concentrations of metallic elements were determined at three sectors one control and two with the influence of urban and port/industrial activities, respectively the major upland impacts found were: deforestation due to disordered occupation, and solid waste emission through domestic and industrial sewage. The diagnosis of the actual situation was used as a basis for a management plan, once it allows the identification of impacts, and consequent environmental irregularities. Based on this considerations, suggestions for land use and management were presented, which offers a better approach for recuperation and protection of the studied ecosystem.

Coastal Marine Mapping as an Ecosystem Based Management - the case study of the Baixada Santista Region - São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Natural Conditions and Environmental Impacts in a Coastal Hydrographic Basin in the Brazilian Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Curvature versus V-bends in a group B titanium T-loop spring

Objective: To compare the system of forces acting on curvature and preactivated V-bends in titanium T-loop springs (TTLSs) made of 0.017- X 0.025-inch TMA (titanium molibdenium alloy) wire.Materials and Methods: Pictures of TTLSs preactivated by curvature and V-bends were inserted in the LOOP software program to design both TTLSs. Symmetry was assured using the program. Both TTLSs used the same amount (length) of wire and had the same angulation between their anterior and posterior extremities when passive. The loops were activated 7 mm, and forces and moments were registered after each 0.5 mm of deactivation. The brackets were at the same height, separated by 23 mm and angulated 0 degrees.Results: The preactivated curvature TTLS delivered horizontal forces ranging from 34 gF to 456 gF, while the TTLS preactivated by V-bends delivered forces ranging from 54 gF to 517 gF. The forces decreased more (30 gF vs 33 gF) with every 0.5 mm of activation on the preactivated V-bend TTLS than on the preactivated curvature TTLS. Vertical forces were low and clinically insignificant for both TTLSs. The moment to force (MF) ratios were systematically higher on the preactivated curvature than on the preactivated V-bend TTLS (from 5.8 mm to 38.8 mm vs 4.7 mm to 28.3 mm).Conclusions: Although both loops show symmetrical moments in their anterior and posterior extremities and can be used for group B anchorage, the curvature preactivated TTLS delivers lower horizontal forces and higher MF ratios than the acute preactivated V-bend TTLS.

Maxillary ulceration resulting from using a rapid maxillary expander in a diabetic patient

One of the characteristics of diabetes mellitus is the exaggerated inflammatory response. The present report shows the reaction from the use of a rapid maxillary expander in a diabetic patient. A 9-year-old child presented an uncommon reaction to the treatment with a rapid maxillary expander, and on follow-up examination, it was discovered that the patient had diabetes mellitus. After controlling the disease, the proposed treatment was used without further incidents. The case calls attention to the presence of uncommon responses to treatment and the need for the orthodontist to suspect a patient's systemic compromise. (Angle Orthod. 2011;81:546-550.)

Influência da cobertura de aveia-preta e milheto sobre comunidade de plantas daninhas e produção de soja

The success in weed control by using straw depends on the management time, straw quality and quantity. The objective of this research was to evaluate the suppressor effect of black-oats and millet straw cover on the incidence of weeds and on the productivity of the soybean crop. The experiment was carried out during the years 2006 and 2007, in an area from the Farm of Education, Research and Production of FCAV-UNESP, Jaboticabal Campus, in a completely randomized block design, with four replications. Treatments consisted of different types of black oats and pearl millet straw management before soybean seeding (without management, obtained by machine cut, desiccated using glyphosate desiccation and with paraquat) and different periods of straw deposition (0, 15, 30 e 60 days before soybean seeding). The weed population and the characteristics of soybean growth and production were evaluated. The deposition of black oats and pearl millet straw provided reductions in weed density and dry mass, and this effect was more effective when the deposition occurred until 15 days prior to soybean seeding. The suppressor effect of black oats straw was more pronounced than that of pearl millet straw, regardless of the drying method, although the millet had a greater dry matter production. No significant differences were found between the drying methods and the straw effectiveness.

Pesquisa em Resolução de Problemas: caminhos, avanços e novas perspectivas

We discuss the knowledge that has been constructed regarding Problem Solving in Math Education as a result of research developed by GTERP - Work and Study Group in Problem Solving, UNESP-Rio Claro/SP. The research is guided by the following general questions: How do students construct mathematical knowledge and how do teachers implement the methodology of Math Teaching-Learning-Evaluation through Problem Solving? Historical aspects of Problem Solving are very important in the configuration of the current trends for Problem Solving. One of them is the Methodology of Math Teaching-Learning- Evaluation through Problem Solving, based on clear foundations and an approach of renewal. In addition to that methodology, two aspects have been developed by the group: The conception of Math as a science of pattern and order and Discrete Mathematics. The knowledge constructed and the scientific production of GTERP prove its relevant contribution to intensifying dialogues between research and educational practice, students and teachers, and to increasing the possibilities of that practice particularly in Math work.