Influence of heat treatment and mechanical cycling on hardness and fracture analysis of Ti35Nb5Zr casting alloy

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

Effect of composite surface treatment and aging on the bond strength between a core build-up composite and a luting agent

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of conditioning methods and thermocycling on the bond strength between composite core and resin cement. Material and Methods: Eighty blocks (8x8x4 mm) were prepared with core build-up composite. The cementation surface was roughened with 120-grit carbide paper and the blocks were thermocycled (5,000 cycles, between 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C, with a 30 s dwell time in each bath). A layer of temporary luting agent was applied. After 24 h, the layer was removed, and the blocks were divided into five groups, according to surface treatment: (NT) No treatment (control); (SP) Grinding with 120-grit carbide paper; (AC) Etching with 37% phosphoric acid; (SC) Sandblasting with 30 mm SiO2 particles, silane application; (AO) Sandblasting with 50 mu m Al2O3 particles, silane application. Two composite blocks were cemented to each other (n=8) and sectioned into sticks. Half of the specimens from each block were immediately tested for microtensile bond strength (mu TBS), while the other half was subjected to storage for 6 months, thermocycling (12,000 cycles, between 5 degrees C and 55 degrees C, with a dwell time of 30 s in each bath) and mu TBS test in a mechanical testing machine. Bond strength data were analyzed by repeated measures two-way ANOVA and Tukey test (alpha=0.05). Results: The mu TBS was significantly affected by surface treatment (p=0.007) and thermocycling (p=0.000). Before aging, the SP group presented higher bond strength when compared to NT and AC groups, whereas all the other groups were statistically similar. After aging, all the groups were statistically similar. SP submitted to thermocycling showed lower bond strength than SP without thermocycling. Conclusion: Core composites should be roughened with a diamond bur before the luting process. Thermocycling tends to reduce the bond strength between composite and resin cement.

Challenges to the treatment and new perspectives for the eradication of helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the leading causes of gastric diseases such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric adenocarcinoma. The current treatment of H. pylori infection with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors has several limitations, including poor adherence and intrinsic patient-related factors, drug resistance, and the absence of adequate treatments. This review summarizes the current therapeutic approaches to eradicating H. pylori, the difficulties associated with its treatment, and several new perspectives aimed at improving existing treatment strategies.

Localized periodontal disease induced by bacterial plaque and palatal radicular groove: treatment and considerations

The palatal radicular groove is a morphological tooth defect, which act as local predisposing risk factor favoring accumulation of the bacterial plaque, permitting microbial invasion via root groove way, directly into periodontal structures. A patient diagnosed with palatal radicular groove and a localized periodontal disease was treated by procedures to control bacterial action and procedures to eliminate local predisposing risk factor. To treat the periodontal bone defect a sequelae of periodontal disease, a guided tissue regeneration technique was applied by using allograft and xenograft materials associated with a resorbable demineralized bovine cortical bone membrane. The objective of surgical regenerative procedure was to recover the periodontal tissues nearly as they were before periodontal disease destruction.

Dental implant fractures: aetiology, treatment and case report

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the etiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment options of dental implants fractures through a literature review and to relate a clinical report. Methods: A literature review was performed using the Medline database and this paper describes a case demonstrating the management of implant fracture. Twenty two articles were selected in the present literature review. Results: Nowadays the use of dental implants to rehabilitate completely and partially edentulous patients became the best treatment option; however, this treatment is suitable to failure. The fracture of implant body is a possible complication. The fracture of implant body is a late complication and is related to the failure in implant design or material, non-passive fitting of the prosthetic crown and overloading. Clinically, prosthesis instability and spontaneous bleeding are observed. Three options of treatment have been indicated: complete removal of implant fragment, maintenance of implant fragment, and surface preparation of the fragment with insertion of a new abutment. Conclusion: The literature indicates the complete removal of the fragment as the best treatment option.

Moringa extracts used in sugarcane juice treatment and effects on ethanolic fermentation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sugarcane juice treatment using Moringa oleifera leaf and seeds extracts on ethanolic fermentation. The experiment was arranged in a split plot statistical design, with four replications. Main treatments were three sedimentation agents (synthetic polyelectrolyte, moringa leaf and seed extracts) and control while the secondary treatments were two sugarcane varieties (RB867515 and CTC4). Extracted sugarcane juice was clarified by simple defecation with pH adjusted to 6.0. The flocculating agents were added in a decanter before the limed juice. After then, the juice was standardized to 16° Brix at pH 4.5, and musts were inoculated with yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, FT858. At the end of the fermentation process, wines were recovered by centrifugation. In all experimental stages, extracted juice, clarified juice and wine were chemically and technologically characterized. The use of moringa leaf and seed extracts as sedimentation adjuvants did not increase the sedimentation speed of impurities. However, there was a high sludge compaction, which was essential for maintenance of yeast and bud population at the beginning of fermentation, and yeast budding rate in the end. The use of different sedimentation agents as adjuvants in juice treatment did not affect wine quality and ethanol yield.

Epidemiologia molecular, fatores de risco e prognóstico da infecção por Enterococcus spp resistentes à vancomicina em situação de introdução recente: um estudo em dois hospitais públicos de Bauru-SP

Pós-graduação em Doenças Tropicais - FMB

Caracterização da liga Ti-30Ta após tratamento biomimético associado à incorporação de antibiótico

Surface treatments have been used to modify the surface of titanium alloys. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surface of Ti-30Ta alloy after biomimetic approach associated to antibiotic incorporation. The ingots were obtained in arc melting furnace, treated and cold-worked by swaging. The surface treatment was performed in two steps: biomimetic treatment and antibiotic incorporation. For biomimetic treatment, first an alkaline treatment (NaOH 1M at 60ºC) was performed, followed by heat treatment and immersion in SBFx5 (Simulated Body Fluid) for a period of 24 hours. In order to incorporate the antibiotic, samples were immersed in a solution formed by drugs plus SBFx5 for 48 hours. The sample surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. The release of antibiotic from coated implants was measured in phosphate buffer saline at pH 7.4 by using UV/VIS spectrometry. Results have shown changes on the surface after incorporating the drug, which is gradually co-precipitated with the Ca-P crystals, forming a uniform and rough layer on the metal surface

Susceptibility of adult and larval stages of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans, to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae under field conditions

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

Comparison of the susceptibility of Santa Ines and Ile de France ewes to nematode parasitism around parturition and during lactation

Breeds of sheep with resistance to nematode infection often display a reduced periparturient rise (PPR) in faecal egg counts (FEC) when compared with susceptible sheep. This trial was carried out to compare the resistance of Santa Ines, an indigenous Brazilian breed of sheep, and Ile de France ewes to natural infections by gastrointestinal nematodes, especially in the periparturient period. Twelve Santa lnes and 10 Ile de France ewes were estrus synchronized and then mated (December 2001). Lambing occurred from 30 April to 19 June 2002 and the lambs were weaned at 60 days of age. Faecal egg counts, packed cell volume (PCV), total plasma protein levels and peripheral eosinophils counts were determined from November 2001 to September 2002. To prevent deaths, individual treatment with anthelmintics was provided to ewes with FEC higher than 4000 eggs per gram (EPG) or with PCV lower than 21%. The percentage of Santa Ines ewes treated with anthelmintics was lower than that of Ile de France sheep. Eight of the 10 Ile de France ewes were treated, with one of them requiring four treatments, one requiring three treatments, and two requiring two treatments. The remaining four received a single treatment. In contrast, only 5 of the 12 Santa lnes ewes required treatment and for each this was done only once. The mean values of PCV were in the normal range in the Santa Ines ewes. In contrast, mean PCVs of Ile de France ewes reached a low of 24.5% in the second month after lambing and were significantly lower than Santa Ines 1 month before lambing (P < 0.05) and 2 months after lambing (P < 0.07). The mean plasma protein level was significantly lower in the Ile de France ewes in the second month after lambing (P < 0.01) coinciding with a reduction in PCV. The ewes of both breeds had high mean numbers of eosinophils in blood, which increased even further post-weaning when a marked reduction in FEC occurred. Haemonchus larvae were the most numerous genus in faecal cultures for both breeds followed by Trichostrongylus, Oesophagostomum and Cooperia. A periparturient rise in FEC was observed in both breeds. However, Santa Ines ewes showed a higher capacity to support the infection in an environment contaminated with large number of infective larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photodegradation of the pharmaceuticals amoxicillin, bezafibrate and paracetamol by the photo-Fenton process - Application to sewage treatment plant effluent

Photodegradation of the pharmaceuticals amoxicillin (AMX), bezafibrate (BZF) and paracetamol (PCT) in aqueous solutions via the photo-Fenton process was investigated under black-light and solar irradiation. The influences of iron source, initial H2O2 concentration and matrix (distilled water and sewage treatment plant effluent) on degradation efficiency were discussed in detail. The results showed that (i) the degradation of the drugs was favored in the presence of potassium ferrioxalate (FeOx) in comparison to Fe(NO3)(3): (ii) the increase of the H2O2 concentration improved the efficiency of AMX and BZF oxidation; however, the same was not observed for PCT: (iii) the influence of the matrix was observed for the degradation of BZF and PCT: (iv) under solar irradiation, the oxidation of the BZF and PCT is faster than under black-light irradiation. All these pharmaceuticals can be efficiently degraded employing the process evaluated. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calcium hydroxide and a corticosteroid-antibiotic association as dressings in cases of biopulpectomy. A comparative study in dogs' teeth.

The subject of this paper was to study the behavior of the periapical tissues of dogs' teeth after biopulpectomy and dressing with calcium hydroxide or a corticosteroid-antibiotic association, before root canal filling with zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) or Sealapex sealers. The teeth were overinstrumented and dressed for 7 days before the root canal filling. The animals were sacrificed 180 days after treatment and the specimens were prepared for morphological analysis. Specimens treated with Sealapex presented a higher number of cases with biological closure than ZOE. When the root canals were filled with ZOE, better results were observed with the use of the Ca(OH)2 dressing.

In vitro susceptibility of oral Candida albicans strains to different pH levels and calcium hydroxide saturated aqueous solution

Candida albicans is present in the oral cavity and in the whole digestive tract of humans and other animals, being frequently related to endodontic treatment failure. The present study determined the incidence of C. albicans in the oral cavity and the susceptibility of isolates to different pH values and saturated calcium hydroxide aqueous solution at pH 12.5. Sixty-five patients attending the Endodontic Clinic at the Sagrado Coração University participated in the study. The collected samples were cultivated in selective media for C. albicans and the isolates were tested in terms of resistance to both alkaline pH and saturated aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide. In relation to time variables, yeast viability was assessed by the Sabouraud's agar culture and fluorescein diacetate and ethidium bromide fluorescent staining method. Results from the different pHs and experimental times, including those from different techniques measuring fungal viability, were compared using the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (α=0.05). The yeasts became completely inviable after 48 h of contact with the calcium hydroxide solution. On the other hand, when exposed to the alkaline culture broth, the yeasts were found to be viable at pHs 9.5 and 10.5 for up to 7 days. In conclusion, C. albicans can only be completely inhibited by direct contact with saturated calcium hydroxide aqueous solution after 48 h of exposure.

Reduced susceptibility to vancomycin and biofilm formation in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from blood cultures

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

Susceptibility of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus to ivermectin (200, 500 and 630 mu g/kg) in field studies in Brazil

The present study aimed to determine the susceptibility of 17 Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus populations, originating in the Southeast and Southern regions of Brazil, to different ivermectin concentrations (200, 500 and 630 mu g/kg), administered through subcutaneous or topical (pour-on) routes. R. (B.) microplus populations from the states of Minas Gerais (seven populations), Sao Paulo (seven populations) and Parana (three populations) were chosen for the tests. The selected cattle were allocated to treatment groups on day 0, and block formation was based on the arithmetic mean of female ticks (4.5-8.0 mm long) counted on three consecutive days (-3, -2 and -1). To evaluate the therapeutic and residual efficacies of these formulations, tick counts (females ranging from 4.5 to 8.0 mm long) were performed on days 3,7 and 14 post-treatment, and continued on a weekly basis thereafter until the end of each experiment. The results obtained throughout this study, utilizing field efficacy studies, allowed us to conclude that the resistance of R. (B.) microplus against 200 and 500 mu g/kg ivermectin is widely disseminated because all tick populations that had contact with these specific concentrations were diagnosed as resistant. However, it is possible to infer that R. (B.) microplus resistance against 630 mu g/kg ivermectin was also widespread, diagnosed at six of ten analyzed properties. Resistance of these ectoparasites to 630 mu g/kg ivermectin is most likely emerging in three other populations of R. (B.) microplus. Strategies of resistance management need to be quickly determined to keep the selection pressure at a minimum level in Brazil. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.