Relationship between gingival clinical parameters and the reactivity of the BANA test in subgingival samples from children.

Gingivitis is the first manifestation of periodontal disease, and is characterized by painless and slow evolution. Early diagnosis and intervention must be done to avoid the possibility of precocious periodontitis during the childhood or teenage years. The enzymatic BANA test (N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-naphthylamide) was used to evaluate subgingival samples from 54 children between 6 and 9 years of age. Plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were assessed according to the criteria recommended by Löe (1967). Subgingival plaque was collected from the region that featured the greatest periodontal alteration, represented by a higher gingival index. Resulting data were grouped individually according to visible and non-visible plaque and bleeding and non-bleeding gingiva. Results showed that there was no statistically significant correlation between the presence of visible plaque and the positivity of the BANA test, nor was there a statistically significant correlation between the presence of bleeding and the positivity of the BANA test in subgingival samples obtained from children. This study concluded that the BANA test is not an ideal diagnostic test to be applied to children.

Serological cross-reactivity of Trypanosoma cruzi, Ehrlichia canis, Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Babesia canis to Leishmania infantum chagasi tests in dogs

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serological cross-reactivity between Leishmania sp. and other canine pathogens. Methods: Positive serum samples for Ehrlichia canis, Babesia canis, Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Trypanosoma cruzi were tested using three serological methods enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and Kalazar Detect™, for canine visceral leishmaniasis. Results: Of the 57 dog samples tested, 24 (42.1%) tested positive using one of the three serological methods: 10/57 (17.5%) for ELISA, 11/57 (19.3%) for IFAT and 3/57 (5.3%) for Kalazar Detect™. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that the presence of other infectious agents may lead to cross-reactivity on leishmaniasis serological tests.

Determination of reactivity rates of silicate particle-size fractions

The efficiency of sources used for soil acidity correction depends on reactivity rate (RR) and neutralization power (NP), indicated by effective calcium carbonate (ECC). Few studies establish relative efficiency of reactivity (RER) for silicate particle-size fractions, therefore, the RER applied for lime are used. This study aimed to evaluate the reactivity of silicate materials affected by particle size throughout incubation periods in comparison to lime, and to calculate the RER for silicate particle-size fractions. Six correction sources were evaluated: three slags from distinct origins, dolomitic and calcitic lime separated into four particle-size fractions (2, 0.84, 0.30 and <0.30-mm sieves), and wollastonite, as an additional treatment. The treatments were applied to three soils with different texture classes. The dose of neutralizing material (calcium and magnesium oxides) was applied at equal quantities, and the only variation was the particle-size material. After a 90-day incubation period, the RER was calculated for each particle-size fraction, as well as the RR and ECC of each source. The neutralization of soil acidity of the same particle-size fraction for different sources showed distinct solubility and a distinct reaction between silicates and lime. The RER for slag were higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation, indicating that the method used for limes should not be used for the slags studied here.

Vitamin D Induces Increased Systolic Arterial Pressure via Vascular Reactivity and Mechanical Properties

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

Reactivity of IgE to the allergen hyaluronidase from Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) venom

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

New method to assess the pozzolanic reactivity of mineral admixtures by means of pH and electrical conductivity measurements in lime:pozzolan suspensions

A very simple method based on electrical conductivity and pH measurements was proposed for assessing reactivity of pozzolans. Calcium hydroxide: pozzolan water suspensions were monitored by means of measurements of electrical conductivity and pH values. In these suspensions, Ca(OH)(2) in solid state was initially present, being them, thus, saturated in this reagent. Three testing temperatures were selected (40, 50 and 60 degrees C). In the experiments carried out, calcium hydroxide was suspended in deionized water for yielding a lime saturated suspension. The addition of siliceous pozzolan (two types of rice husk ash RHA and two types of densified silica fume DSF were tested) to the saturated lime suspension can produce the unsaturation of the system, depending on the testing time, testing temperature and reactivity of pozzolan. When unsaturation was reached, the loss of electrical conductivity was higher than 30% and the variation of pH was higher than 0.15 units. These threshold values were selected for characterizing the reactivity of pozzolans by means of a proposed template, classifying the pozzolan in three different reactivity levels.

Analysis of the chronic intake of and withdrawal from diazepam on emotional reactivity and sensory information processing in rats

It has been demonstrated that, on abrupt withdrawal, patients with chronic exposure can experience a number of symptoms indicative of a dependent state. In clinical patients, the earliest to arise and most persistent signal of withdrawal from chronic benzodiazepine (Bzp) treatment is anxiety. In laboratory animals, anxiety-like effects following abrupt interruption of chronic Bzp treatment can also be reproduced. In fact, signs that oscillate from irritability to extreme fear behaviours and seizures have been described already. As anxiety remains one of the most important symptoms of Bzp withdrawal, in this study we evaluated the anxiety levels of rats withdrawn from diazepam. Also studied were the effects on the motor performance and preattentive sensory gating process of rats under diazepam chronic treatment and upon 48-h withdrawal on three animal models of anxiety, the elevated plus-maze (EPM), ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) and startle + prepulse inhibition tests. Data obtained showed an anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like profile of the chronic intake of and withdrawal from diazepam regimen in the EPM test, 22-KHz USV and startle reflex. Diazepam chronic effects or its withdrawal were ineffective in promoting any alteration in the prepulse inhibition (PPI). However, an increase of PPI was achieved in both sucrose and diazepam pretreated rats on 48-h withdrawal, suggesting a procedural rather than a specific effect of withdrawal on sensory gating processes. It is also possible that the prepulse can function as a conditioned stimulus to informing the delivery of an aversive event, as the auditory startling-eliciting stimulus. All these findings are indicative of a sensitization of the neural substrates of aversion in diazepam withdrawn animals without concomitant changes on the processing of sensory information

Effects of exercise training on stress-induced vascular reactivity alterations: role of nitric oxide and prostanoids

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

Mesenchymal stem cells engrafted in a fibrin scaffold stimulate Schwann cell reactivity and axonal regeneration following sciatic nerve tubulization

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

Early fetoscopic tracheal occlusion for extremely severe pulmonary hypoplasia in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia: Preliminary results

Objective: To evaluate the effect of early fetoscopictracheal occlusion (FETO) (22–24 weeks’ gestation) onpulmonary response and neonatal survival in cases ofextremely severe isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia(CDH). Methods: This was a multicenter study involving fetuseswith extremely severe CDH (lung-to-head ratio < 0.70,liver herniation into the thoracic cavity and no otherdetectable anomalies). Between August 2010 and December 2011, eight fetuses underwent early FETO. Datawere compared with nine fetuses that underwent standard FETO and 10 without fetoscopic procedure fromJanuary 2006 to July 2010. FETO was performed undermaternal epidural anesthesia, supplemented with fetalintramuscular anesthesia. Fetal lung size and vascularitywere evaluated by ultrasound before and every 2 weeksafter FETO. Postnatal therapy was equivalent for bothtreated fetuses and controls. Primary outcome was infantsurvival to 180 days and secondary outcome was fetalpulmonary response. Results: Maternal and fetal demographic characteristicsand obstetric complications were similar in the threegroups (P > 0.05). Infant survival rate was significantlyhigher in the early FETO group (62.5%) comparedwith the standard group (11.1%) and with controls(0%) (P < 0.01). Early FETO resulted in a significantimprovement in fetal lung size and pulmonary vascularitywhen compared with standard FETO (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Early FETO may improve infant survival byfurther increases of lung size and pulmonary vascularityin cases with extremely severe pulmonary hypoplasia inisolated CDH. This study supports formal testing of thehypothesis with a randomized controlled trial.

The Lanz® endotracheal tube decreases tracheal injury in dogs

Purpose: To determine, in dogs anesthetized with nitrous oxide (N2O), whether the endotracheal tube (ETT) cuffed with a Lanz® pressure regulating valve decreases the tracheal consequences of tracheal intubation. Methods: Sixteen mixed-breed dogs were allocated to two groups according to the ETT used: Control group (n = 8) - Rüsch ETT, and Lanz group (n = 8) - ETT with Lanz® pressure regulating valve. The ETT cuffs in both groups were inflated with air to an intracuff pressure of 30 cm H2O. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with pentobarbitone and N2O (1.5 L·min-1) and O2 (1 L·min-1). ETT cuff pressures were measured before (control) and 60, 120, and 180 min during N2O administration. The dogs were sacrificed, and biopsy specimens from four predetermined areas of the tracheal mucosa in contact with the ETT were collected for light and scanning electron microscopy (SM) examination. Results: Cuff pressures in the Control group were higher than in the Lanz group at all time points studied (P < 0.001), with an increase over time only in the Control group (P < 0.001). Median neutrophilic inflammatory infiltration values of the epithelial surface, and in the subepithelial layer in contact with the cuff, were higher in the Control group as compared to the Lanz group (3.0 vs 1.0 and 3.0 vs 1.5 respectively) (P < 0.05). On SM examination, median histological grades were higher in the Control group compared to Lanz group (2.9 vs 1.9 respectively), (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The Lanz® ETT decreases tracheal mucosal injury in dogs.

Preanesthetic assessment data do not influence the time for tracheal intubation with Airtraq (TM) video laryngoscope in obese patients

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

Peritoneal reactivity evaluation in horses subjected to experimental small colon enterotomy and treated with subcutaneous heparin

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