The association of chlorhexidine digluconate and calcium chloride to use as vehicle of a silicate calcium-based cement

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the addition of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) associated with 5% calcium chloride (CaCl2 ) on antimicrobial activity, setting time, pH and calcium release of gray mineral trioxide aggregate (GMTA). Materials and Methods: GMTA powder was mixed with water, 2% CHX alone or 2% CHX combined with 5% CaCl2 . Antimicrobial activity was determined against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) strains by agar diffusion test. Data obtained were submitted to kruskal wallis tests. Analysis of the setting time was evaluated by American society for testing and materials C266-03 requirements. The pH and calcium release analysis were evaluated, in 24 h, 7, 14 and 28 days using pH meter equipment and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. Data obtained were analyzed by ANOVA, in 5% significance level. Results: Significant differences were seen (P < 0.01) among the zones of bacterial growth inhibition produced by 5% CaCl2 + 2% CHX combination against E. faecalis when compared with water (P < 0.05). Regarding the setting time, that combination had the shortest setting time (P < 0.05). All associations were alkaline and released calcium. No statistical difference was observed between the experimental groups at the different periods of analysis (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Combination of 5% CaCl2 + 2% CHX reduced the setting time and enhanced the antimicrobial activity of GMTA without changing the pH and calcium release.

Encapsulation of paclitaxel into a bio-nanocomposite. a study combining inelastic neutron scattering to thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy

The anticancer drug paclitaxel was encapsulated into a bio-nanocomposite formed by magnetic nanoparticles, chitosan and apatite. The aim of this drug carrier is to provide a new perspective against breast cancer. The dynamics of the pure and encapsulated drug were investigated in order to verify possible molecular changes caused by the encapsulation, as well as to follow which interactions may occur between paclitaxel and the composite. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, inelastic and quasi-elastic neutron scattering experiments were performed. These very preliminary results suggest the successful encapsulation of the drug.

A step to the gigantic genome of the desert locust: chromosome sizes and repeated DNAs

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) has been used as material for numerous cytogenetic studies. Its genome size is estimated to be 8.55 Gb of DNA comprised in 11 autosomes and the X chromosome. Its X0/XX sex chromosome determinism therefore results in females having 24 chromosomes whereas males have 23. Surprisingly, little is known about the DNA content of this locust's huge chromosomes. Here, we use the Feulgen Image Analysis Densitometry and C-banding techniques to respectively estimate the DNA quantity and heterochromatin content of each chromosome. We also identify three satellite DNAs using both restriction endonucleases and next-generation sequencing. We then use fluorescent in situ hybridization to determine the chromosomal location of these satellite DNAs as well as that of six tandem repeat DNA gene families. The combination of the results obtained in this work allows distinguishing between the different chromosomes not only by size, but also by the kind of repetitive DNAs that they contain. The recent publication of the draft genome of the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), the largest animal genome hitherto sequenced, invites for sequencing even larger genomes. S. gregaria is a pest that causes high economic losses. It is thus among the primary candidates for genome sequencing. But this species genome is about 50 % larger than that of L. migratoria, and although next-generation sequencing currently allows sequencing large genomes, sequencing it would mean a greater challenge. The chromosome sizes and markers provided here should not only help planning the sequencing project and guide the assembly but would also facilitate assigning assembled linkage groups to actual chromosomes.

Combining plant and bird data increases the accuracy of an Index of Biotic Integrity to assess conservation levels of tropical forest fragments

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Radarfacies and sedimentological analysis: study of sedimentary substrate from an archaeological site (shell mound), southern Brazil

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

Comparison of different methods of erythrocyte dysmorphism analysis to determine the origin of hematuria

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

Male-specific contributions to the Brazilian population of Espirito Santo

Y chromosome markers have been widely studied due to their various applications in the fields of forensic and evolutionary genetics. In this study, 35 Y-SNPs and 17 Y-STRs were genotyped in 253 males from the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. A total of 18 haplogroups and 243 haplotypes were detected; the haplogroup and haplotype diversities were 0.7794 and 0.9997, respectively. Genetic distance analysis using the Y-STR data showed no statistically significant differences between Espirito Santo and other admixed populations from Brazil. The classification of paternal lineages based on haplogroups showed a predominant European contribution (85.88 %), followed by African (11.37 %) and Amerindian (2.75 %) contributions.

Straight and angulated abutments in platform switching: influence of loading on bone stress by three-dimensional finite element analysis

PURPOSE: In view of reports in the literature on the benefits achieved with the use of platform switching, described as the use of an implant with a larger diameter than the abutment diameter, the goal being to prevent the (previously) normal bone loss down to the first thread that occurs around most implants, thus enhancing soft tissue aesthetics and stability and the need for implant inclination due to bone anatomy in some cases, the aim of this study was to evaluate bone stress distribution on peri-implant bone, by using three-dimensional finite element analysis to simulate the influence of implants with different abutment angulations (0 and 15 degrees) in platform switching. METHODS: Four mathematical models of an implant-supported central incisor were created with varying abutment angulations: straight abutment (S1 and S2) and angulated abutment at 15 degrees (A1 and A2), submitted to 2 loading conditions (100 N): S1 and A1-oblique loading (45 degrees) and S2 and A2-axial loading, parallel to the long axis of the implant. Maximum (σmax) and minimum (σmin) principal stress values were obtained for cortical and trabecular bone. RESULTS: Models S1 and A1 showed higher σmax in cortical and trabecular bone when compared with S2 and A2. The highest σmax values (in MPa) in the cortical bone were found in S1 (28.5), followed by A1 (25.7), S2 (11.6), and A2 (5.15). For the trabecular bone, the highest σmax values were found in S1 (7.53), followed by A1 (2.87), S2 (2.85), and A2 (1.47). CONCLUSIONS: Implants with straight abutments generated the highest stress values in bone. In addition, this effect was potentiated when the load was applied obliquely.