Effect of adding a gonadotropin-releasing-hormone treatment at the beginning and a second prostaglandin F-2 alpha treatment at the end of an estradiol-based protocol for timed artificial insemination in lactating dairy cows during cool or hot seasons of the year

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

Influence of different toothpaste abrasives on the bristle end-rounding quality of toothbrushes

ObjectivesTo evaluate the influence of different toothpaste abrasives on the bristle wear and bristle tip morphology of toothbrushes with different degrees of hardness.Material and methodsNinety samples of bovine incisor teeth were used in this study. The samples were randomly divided into three groups according to the bristle hardness of the toothbrush used: soft bristles (S); extra-soft bristles (ES); hard bristles (H). The toothbrushes of each group were randomly divided into six subgroups with five toothbrushes each, according to the abrasive of the toothpaste used in the simulation: Negative control (distilled water); toothpaste 1 (silica); toothpaste 2 (hydrated silica); toothpaste 3 (calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate and silica); toothpaste 4 (tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, silica and titanium dioxide); toothpaste 5 (calcium carbonate). The samples were placed in a toothbrushing simulating machine that simulating three months of brushing. The toothbrush bristles were evaluated by the bristle wear index, and the bristle tips morphology was evaluated by the bristle tip morphology index.ResultsThe ES brush presented the highest bristle wear among the toothbrushes. Additionally, the S brushes showed better morphology of the bristles followed by ES and H brushes. The type of abrasive only influenced the bristle tip morphology of the ES brushes. The toothpaste 3 induced the worse bristle tip morphology than all the other toothpastes.ConclusionsDifferent abrasives have influence only on the bristle tip morphology of the ES brushes.

Wave reflection at the end of a waveguide supported by a nonlinear spring

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

Quantitative end qualitative analysis of the electrical activity of rectus abdominis muscle portions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the electrical behavior pattern of the Rectus abdominis muscle by qualitative and quantitative analysis of the electromyographic signal obtained from its superior, medium and inferior portions during dynamic and static activities. Ten voluntaries (aged X = 17.8 years, SD = 1.6) athletic males were studied without history of muscle skeletal disfunction. For the quantitative analysis the RMS (Root Mean Square) values obtained in the electromyographic signal during the isometric exercises were normalized and expressed in maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentages. For the qualitative analysis of the dynamic activity the electromyographic signal was processed by full-wave rectification, linear envelope and normalization (amplitude and time), so that the resulting curve of the processed signal was submitted to descriptive graphic analysis. The results of the quantitative study show that there is not a statistically significant difference among the portions of the muscle. Qualitative analysis demonstrated two aspects: the presence of a common activation electric pattern in the portions of Rectus abdominis muscle and the absence of significant difference in the inclination angles in the electrical activity curve during the isotonic exercises.

Greater level of physical activity associated with better cognitive function in hemodialysis in end stage renal disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a lower exercise tolerance and poor functional capacity, carry on a sedentary lifestyle. Another important change found in patients with CKD is cognitive dysfunction. Physical inactivity has been associated with cognitive dysfunction in the general population, but few studies have evaluated this association in CKD. To assess the association between physical activity and cognitive function in patients with CKD on hemodialysis (HD). We evaluated 102 patients undergoing HD. The participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, which assesses the level of physical activity and the Mini Mental State Examination, used for cognitive screening. Patients were divided into three groups according to their level of physical activity (GI: active/GII: irregularly active/GIII: sedentary). It was applied logistic regression analysis and adopted as outcome variable the presence of cognitive impairment and preserving as independent variables those with a probability of statistical difference between groups of less than 0.1. It was considered statistically significant when p less than 0.05. The groups were similar in age, duration of HD, and smoking. Statistically significant difference regarding race, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, underlying disease and degree of cognitive impairment. Regarding laboratory data, the groups differed in terms of creatinine, glucose, hemoglobin and hematocrit. There was significant association with better physical activity and cognitive function, even adjusting for confounding variables. the highest level of physical activity was associated with better cognitive function in CKD patients undergoing HD.

Controlling the formation of ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems by changing the hydrogen-bonding ability of polyethylene glycol end groups

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

The influence of the alveolar ridge shape on the stress distribution in a free-end saddle removable partial denture supported by implant

The alveolar ridge shape plays an important role in predicting the demand on the support tooth and alveolar bone in the removable partial denture (RPD) treatment. However, these data are unclear when the RPD is associated with implants. This study evaluated the influence of the alveolar ridge shape on the stress distribution of a free-end saddle RPD partially supported by implant using 2-dimensioanl finite element analysis (FEA). Four mathematical models (M) of a mandibular hemiarch simulating various alveolar ridge shapes (1-distal desceding, 2- concave, 3-horizontal and 4-distal ascending) were built. Tooth 33 was placed as the abutment. Two RPDs, one supported by tooth and fibromucosa (MB) and other one supported by tooth and implant (MC) were simulated. MA was the control (no RPD). The load (50N) were applied simultaneously on each cusp. Appropriate boundary conditions were assigned on the border of alveolar bone. Ansys 10.0 software was used to calculate the stress fields and the von Mises equivalent stress criteria (σvM) was applied to analyze the results. The distal ascending shape showed the highest σvM for cortical and medullar bone. The alveolar ridge shape had little effect on changing the σvM based on the same prosthesis, mainly around the abutment tooth.