Analysis of the procedures used to evaluate suicide crime scenes in Brazil: A statistical approach to interpret reports

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

ORIGIN AND EARLY DIVERSIFICATION OF THE PHYLUM CNIDARIA VERRILL: MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE TAXON'S PROTEROZOIC-CAMBRIAN HISTORY

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

Health surveys and use of maternal and child health care services in three municipalities within the São Paulo metropolitan area

Objectives. To describe the changes in the use of maternal and child health care services by residents of three municipalities-Embu, Itapecerica da Serra, and Taboao da Serra-in the São Paulo metropolitan area, 12 years after the implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS) in Brazil, and to analyze the potential of population-based health care surveys as sources of data to evaluate these changes.Methods. Two population-based, cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 1990 and 2002 in municipalities located within the São Paulo metropolitan area. For children under 1 year of age, the two periods were compared in terms of outpatient services utilization and hospital admission; for the mothers, the periods were compared in terms of prenatal care and deliveries. In both surveys, stratified and multiple-stage conglomerate sampling was employed, with standardization of interview questions.Results. The most important changes observed were regarding the location of services used for prenatal care, deliveries, and hospitalization of children less than 1 year of age. There was a significant increase in the use of services in the surrounding region or hometown, and decrease in the utilization of services in the city of São Paulo (in 1990, 80% of deliveries and almost all admissions for children less than 1 year versus 32% and 46%, respectively, in 2002). The use of primary care units and 24-hour walk-in clinics also increased. All these changes reflect care provided by public resources. In the private sector, there was a decrease in direct payments and payments through company-paid health insurance and an increase in payments through self-paid health insurance.Conclusions. The major changes observed in the second survey occurred simultaneous to the changes that resulted from the implementation of the SUS. Population-based health surveys are adequate for analyzing and comparing the utilization of health care services at different times.

A dental caries preventive program applied to children aged 5 to 8 years attending since the first year of age at the Baby Clinic of the Araçatuba Dental School, Brazil

Objective: Tooth decay is one of the more common diseases of childhood. Several studies recommend that early preventive measures must be implemented since the first years of life and continue throughout childhood and adolescence. The aim of the this study was to present results of a preventive dental program considering oral health maintenance, dental caries experience and the prevalence of dental caries relation with follow-up compliance visits. Material end method: Intraoral and interproximal radiographic exams were performed on 171 patients participants of a preventive dental program. Data regarding age, gender, previous caries experience and the frequency at which the patients attended return visits were obtained from the records. The data were analyzed statistically by the McNemar test, with the level of significance set at 1%. Result: Clinical and radiographic examination revealed that most children participating in the program had sound teeth (77.2 and 84.8%, respectively). The past dental history of the dental caries from patients included in this study showed statistical relevance when associated with the present dental caries experience and a statistical relationship was found from the absence of compliance to clinical visits and the dental caries presence. Conclusion: The preventive strategy had a positive influence on oral health maintenance in the children examined. Previous caries experience and the lack of compliance with return visits influenced the clinical oral condition of the children during participation in the preventive program.

Distribution of contagious and environmental mastitis agents isolated from milk samples collected from clinically health buffalo cows between brazilian dry and rainy seasons of the year

The present study was performed to evaluate the microbiological characteristics of clinically health quarters submitted to milking and also to observe the distribution of contagious and environmental agents between brazilian dry and rainy seasons of the year. During nine months 734 quarters from 37 buffalo cows were submitted monthly to udder inspection, palpation and strip cup test before milking. 734 asseptic milk samples were inoculated in 10% ovine blood agar and in MacConkey agar media, then incubated for 72 hours at 37 C. Among the 580 isolated microrganisms, 182 (31,38%) were recovered from samples collected during the rainy season and 398 (68,62%) from the dry season. In the rainy period the most prevalent agents were: bacteria from the genus Corynebacterium sp (53,30%), Staphylococcus sp (19,78%) and Rhodococcus equi (13,74%). In the dry period, the commonest ones were: Corynebacterium sp (44,97%), Staphylococcus sp (18,84%) and Micrococcus sp (9,55%). The results demonstrated that the methods used to select health quarters in brazilian dairy buffalo farms allow the transmission of contagious bacteria during both seasons of the year, maintaining agents known to cause mainly subclinical inflammatory reactions that compromise cronically the physiology and production of the mammary gland.

Occurrence of tooth injuries in patients treated in hospital environment in the region of Aracatuba, Brazil during a 6-year period

Dental trauma has been considered as a public health problem that affects mainly children and youngsters and due to its impact on the patient's quality of life. This study presents the results of a 6-year survey of the occurrence and characteristics of dental trauma in patients admitted to the Service of Surgery and Oral and Maxillofacial Traumatology of the School of Dentistry of Aracatuba (UNESP, Brazil) after emergency care in hospital facilities in the region of Aracatuba, SP, Brazil. For such purpose, the clinical files of patients treated at the Service between 1999 and 2005 were reviewed. Information regarding gender, age, number of traumatized teeth, etiology and diagnosis of the trauma was collected from the files of patients with tooth injuries and recorded in case report forms specifically designed for this purpose. The results showed that from a total of 4112 patients admitted to the Service within the surveyed period, 266 (6.5%) had tooth injuries (172 males - 64.7%; 94 females - 35.3%). The total number of traumatized teeth was 496. Most patients belonged to the 16-20 year-old age group (20.3%) and the most frequent causes of tooth injuries were bicycle accidents (28.6%), motorcycle accidents (19.2%) and falls (18.8%). Injuries to the periodontal tissues were the most frequent type of tooth injuries (408 teeth; 82.26%), occurring in 118 primary and 290 permanent teeth. Among the injuries to the periodontal tissues, avulsion was the most common (32.86%) (29.41% for primary and 34.0% for permanent teeth), followed by extrusive luxation (19.15%) (25.21% for primary and 17.24% for permanent teeth). In conclusion, in the surveyed population, cases of tooth injuries were more frequent in males aged 16-20 years old due to cyclist accidents with predominance of injuries to the periodontal tissues, in particular, avulsions.

Paulista registry of glomerulonephritis: 5-year data report

Background. The Paulista Registry of Glomerulopathies was created in May 1999 and comprises several centres of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian State, that concentrates people from all regions of the country who look for health care.Methods. This report includes data from 2086 patients from Brazil submitted to renal biopsy due to the presumed diagnosis of glomerular diseases, registered prospectively since May 1999 until January 2005. Data were collected by the integrants of the 11 centres involved, utilizing a standardized questionnaire.Results. The mean age of the patients was 34.5 +/- 14.6 years. Primary glomerular diseases were more frequent in males (55.1%) than in females; on the other hand, secondary glomerular diseases were more frequent in females (71.8%). The most common clinical presentation was nephrotic syndrome and the frequency of hypertension, at this time, was 55.5%. There was a predominance of indication of biopsies in the third, fourth and fifth decades of life. The most common primary glomerular diseases were focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (29.7%), followed by membranous nephropathy (20.7%), IgA nephropathy (17.8%), minimal change disease (9.1%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (7%), crescentic glomerulonephritis (4.1%), advanced chronic glomerulopathy (4%), non-IgA mesangial glomerulonephritis (3.8%), diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (2.5%), focal segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis (1%) and others (0.3%). The most frequent secondary glomerular disease was lupus nephritis, corresponding to 66.2% of the cases, followed by post-infectious glomerulonephritis (12.5%), diabetic nephropathy (6.2%), diseases associated to paraproteinaemia (4.9%), hereditary diseases (4.6%), vasculitis (3.2%), malignancies (0.9.%), secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (0.6%) and others (0.9%).Conclusion. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was the most frequent primary glomerular disease, followed by membranous nephropathy and IgA nephropathy. Lupus nephritis predominated over all the other secondary glomerular diseases.

Comparison of methods in oral health education from the perspective of adolescents.

To investigate whether teenagers' knowledge about oral health is influenced by educational methods and to verify the most effective method according to their perception. The study was performed in Araçatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil, with 127 teenagers from a vocational school. It was realised in 3 steps: 1. An evaluation of knowledge about oral health using a self-applied questionnaire. 2. An application of educational methods, where the students were divided into two groups (A and B). Group A participated in three educational activities that involved lectures, individual demonstration, and participatory activity. Group B was divided into three subgroups (B1, B2, B3) and each of them participated in only one of the methods. 3. The acquired knowledge was evaluated. Group A created a focus group to give their opinion about strategies. With regards to knowledge after the application of the different methods in all groups, there was a statistically significant difference concerning periodontitis, gingivitis and herpes. In group A, after the three activities, and in group B2 after the individual demonstration, an association was found between 'healthy teeth' and 'general health' (P = 0.004 and P = 0.022, respectively). After the individual demonstration, an association was shown between variables of acquired knowledge about 'harmful diet' and 'dental caries' (P = 0.002) as well as 'good diet' and 'prevention of oral diseases' (P = 0.032). The favourite method was individual demonstration, due to the contact with educational materials, followed by participatory activity because it encouraged learning in a more dynamic way. Educational methods influenced knowledge about oral health, with individual demonstration proving to be the most effective method for acquiring knowledge. In the adolescents' view, the participatory activity was the preferred method.

Five-year clinical performance of the dentine Deproteinization Technique in non-carious cervical lesions

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 5-year clinical performance of composite restorations of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) using a total-etch adhesive system with or without collagen removal with 10% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).Methods: In this study randomized controlled split-mouth clinical trial, one-hundred and thirty-eight NCCL were restored into 30 patients. Each patient received at least one pair of composite restorations (Filtek A110/3M ESPE), bonded either with 2 techniques: Conventional Technique - acid etching with 37% phosphoric acid + Prime & Bond NT (Denstply DeTrey); Deproteinization Technique - acid etching with 37% phosphoric acid + 10% NaOCl for 1 min + Prime & Bond NT. The two techniques were evaluated using the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria at baseline, 18 months, 3 and 5 years. After five years, one-hundred and six restorations were evaluated in 24 patients. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test (p < 0.05).Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two techniques regarding the evaluated parameters (p > 0.05).Conclusion: After 5 years, the application of 10% NaOCl deproteinization on etched dentine did not affect the clinical performance of composite restorations placed in NCCL when compared to the conventional total-etch technique.Clinical significance: Clinical studies evaluating the performance of the Deproteinization Technique are scarce. In this study, this technique showed similar clinical performance at the end of 5 years when compared to a conventional total-etch technique. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the effectiveness of 30% sodium chloride aqueous solution for the preservation of fixed anatomical specimens: a 5-year follow-up study

Anatomical specimens used in human or veterinary anatomy laboratories are usually prepared with formaldehyde (a cancerous and teratogenic substance), glycerin (an expensive and viscous fluid), or ethanol (which is flammable). This research aimed to verify the viability of an aqueous 30% sodium chloride solution for preservation of anatomical specimens previously fixed with formaldehyde. Anatomical specimens of ruminant, carnivorous, equine, swine and birds were used. All were previously fixed with an aqueous 20% formaldehyde solution and held for 7days in a 10% aqueous solution of the same active ingredient. During the first phase of the experiment, small specimens of animal tissue previously fixed in formaldehyde were distributed in vials with different concentrations of formaldehyde, with or without 30% sodium chloride solution, a group containing only 30% sodium chloride, and a control group containing only water. During this phase, no contamination was observed in any specimen containing 30% sodium chloride solution, whether alone or in combination with different concentrations of formaldehyde. In the second phase of the experiment, the 30% sodium chloride solution, found to be optimal in the first phase of the experiment, was tested for its long-term preservation properties. For a period of 5years, the preserved specimens were evaluated three times a week for visual contamination, odors, and changes in color and texture. There was no visual contamination or decay found in any specimen. Furthermore, no strange odors, or changes in color or softness were noted. The 30% sodium chloride solution was determined to be effective in the preservation of anatomic specimens previously fixed in formaldehyde.

Child safety from the perspective of essential needs

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

Radical management of solid ameloblastoma of the mandible: report of a case with 5-year follow-up

Ameloblastoma is a true neoplasm of odontogenic epithelial origin. This pathology can be classified into 4 groups: unicystic, solid or multicystic, peripheral, and malignant. Solid ameloblastomas of the mandible are the most common of them, and represent a challenging group of tumours to treat; in addition the follicular histopathological subtype has a high likelihood of recurrence. Thus, the challenges in the management of this tumour are to provide complete excision in addition to reconstruct the bony defect, in order to provide the patient with reasonable cosmetic and functional outcome. With this in mind, this paper aimed to describe the management of a solid multilocular ameloblastoma of follicular subtype in a 39-year-old female. Case report The authors report a case of a solid multilocular ameloblastoma of follicular subtype in a 39-year-old female who was successfully treated by partial resection of the mandible with immediate reconstruction using an iliac crest, as a donor site. After 15 months, the patient was rehabilitated using titanium implant dentistry, and has been followed up for 5 years without signs or symptoms of recurrence. Conclusion Correct surgical planning is the key for successful management of solid ameloblastoma with multilocular features, which is best treated using radical resection with immediate reconstruction, which ensures complete tumour excision, prevents recurrence, and enables fast and safe dental rehabilitation. Biomedical prototypes should be used since they provide acceptable precision and are useful for surgical planning.

Lifespan and reproductive dynamics of the commercially important sea bob shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Penaeoidea): synthesis of a 5-year study

Population parameters of the shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller, 1862) (sex ratio, length-frequency distributions (carapace length, CL), growth, lifespan, size of sexual maturity, spawning and recruitment) were analyzed in a long-term study from January 1998 through June 2003. The data on these parameters were collected and analyzed to test the hypothesis that the main period of juvenile recruitment in the bay coincides with the period of fishery closures currently designated by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources. Monthly collections were conducted along the southeastern Brazilian coast, using a shrimp fishing boat with “double-rig” nets sampling at stations up to 40 m depth. Sex ratios were female-biased only in zones with high reproductive activity such as in stations deeper than 15 m (χ2 test, p<0.05). The mean size of males and females was 15.3 ± 3.1 mm CL and 16.2 ± 4.7 mm CL, respectively, with size at sexual maturity estimates (CL50) of 14.8 mm for males and 15.5 mm for females. Mean growth curves provided estimates of CL∞ = 29.31 mm, k = 0.009/day, t0=−0.25 and CL∞ = 35.33 mm, k = 0.006/day, t0=−0.23 for males and females, respectively, and average lifespans of 1.35 for males and 2.12 years for females. Recruitment and abundances of reproductive females were highly correlated with the environmental factors such as higher water temperature and finer-grained bottom sediment (canonical correlation, r=0.63, p<0.001). The reproductive peaks in February-April 1998, March-May 1999 and February-May 2002 were followed by recruitment peaks in May-July 1998, July-September 1999 and April-June 2002, respectively. Thus, the proposed period of fisheries closure (March to May) does not coincide with the main recruitment periods observed for X. kroyeri.

Lifespan and reproductive dynamics of the commercially important sea bob shrimp xiphopenaeus kroyeri (penaeoidea): synthesis of a 5-year study

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