Effect Of Platform Connection And Abutment Material On Stress Distribution In Single Anterior Implant-supported Restorations: A Nonlinear 3-dimensional Finite Element Analysis.

Although various abutment connections and materials have recently been introduced, insufficient data exist regarding the effect of stress distribution on their mechanical performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different abutment materials and platform connections on stress distribution in single anterior implant-supported restorations with the finite element method. Nine experimental groups were modeled from the combination of 3 platform connections (external hexagon, internal hexagon, and Morse tapered) and 3 abutment materials (titanium, zirconia, and hybrid) as follows: external hexagon-titanium, external hexagon-zirconia, external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, internal hexagon-zirconia, internal hexagon-hybrid, Morse tapered-titanium, Morse tapered-zirconia, and Morse tapered-hybrid. Finite element models consisted of a 4×13-mm implant, anatomic abutment, and lithium disilicate central incisor crown cemented over the abutment. The 49 N occlusal loading was applied in 6 steps to simulate the incisal guidance. Equivalent von Mises stress (σvM) was used for both the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the implant and abutment in all the groups and the maximum (σmax) and minimum (σmin) principal stresses for the numerical comparison of the zirconia parts. The highest abutment σvM occurred in the Morse-tapered groups and the lowest in the external hexagon-hybrid, internal hexagon-titanium, and internal hexagon-hybrid groups. The σmax and σmin values were lower in the hybrid groups than in the zirconia groups. The stress distribution concentrated in the abutment-implant interface in all the groups, regardless of the platform connection or abutment material. The platform connection influenced the stress on abutments more than the abutment material. The stress values for implants were similar among different platform connections, but greater stress concentrations were observed in internal connections.

Impaired Compensatory Beta-cell Function And Growth In Response To High-fat Diet In Ldl Receptor Knockout Mice.

In this study, we investigated the effect of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) deficiency on gap junctional connexin 36 (Cx36) islet content and on the functional and growth response of pancreatic beta-cells in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet. After 60 days on regular or HF diet, the metabolic state and morphometric islet parameters of wild-type (WT) and LDLr-/- mice were assessed. HF diet-fed WT animals became obese and hypercholesterolaemic as well as hyperglycaemic, hyperinsulinaemic, glucose intolerant and insulin resistant, characterizing them as prediabetic. Also they showed a significant decrease in beta-cell secretory response to glucose. Overall, LDLr-/- mice displayed greater susceptibility to HF diet as judged by their marked cholesterolaemia, intolerance to glucose and pronounced decrease in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. HF diet induced similarly in WT and LDLr-/- mice, a significant decrease in Cx36 beta-cell content as revealed by immunoblotting. Prediabetic WT mice displayed marked increase in beta-cell mass mainly due to beta-cell hypertrophy/replication. Nevertheless, HF diet-fed LDLr-/- mice showed no significant changes in beta-cell mass, but lower islet-duct association (neogenesis) and higher beta-cell apoptosis index were seen as compared to controls. The higher metabolic susceptibility to HF diet of LDLr-/- mice may be explained by a deficiency in insulin secretory response to glucose associated with lack of compensatory beta-cell expansion.

Molecular And Biochemical Characterization Of Caffeine Synthase And Purine Alkaloid Concentration In Guarana Fruit.

Guarana seeds have the highest caffeine concentration among plants accumulating purine alkaloids, but in contrast with coffee and tea, practically nothing is known about caffeine metabolism in this Amazonian plant. In this study, the levels of purine alkaloids in tissues of five guarana cultivars were determined. Theobromine was the main alkaloid that accumulated in leaves, stems, inflorescences and pericarps of fruit, while caffeine accumulated in the seeds and reached levels from 3.3% to 5.8%. In all tissues analysed, the alkaloid concentration, whether theobromine or caffeine, was higher in young/immature tissues, then decreasing with plant development/maturation. Caffeine synthase activity was highest in seeds of immature fruit. A nucleotide sequence (PcCS) was assembled with sequences retrieved from the EST database REALGENE using sequences of caffeine synthase from coffee and tea, whose expression was also highest in seeds from immature fruit. The PcCS has 1083bp and the protein sequence has greater similarity and identity with the caffeine synthase from cocoa (BTS1) and tea (TCS1). A recombinant PcCS allowed functional characterization of the enzyme as a bifunctional CS, able to catalyse the methylation of 7-methylxanthine to theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine), and theobromine to caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), respectively. Among several substrates tested, PcCS showed higher affinity for theobromine, differing from all other caffeine synthases described so far, which have higher affinity for paraxanthine. When compared to previous knowledge on the protein structure of coffee caffeine synthase, the unique substrate affinity of PcCS is probably explained by the amino acid residues found in the active site of the predicted protein.

Desquamation Is A Novel Phenomenon For Collective Prostate Epithelial Cell Deletion After Castration.

The mechanism underlying castration-induced prostate regression, which is a classical physiological concept translated into the therapeutic treatment of advanced prostate cancer, involves epithelial cell apoptosis. In searching for events and mechanisms contributing to prostate regression in response to androgen modulation, we have frequently observed the collective deletion of epithelial cells. This work was undertaken to characterize this phenomenon hereafter named desquamation and to verify its presence after 17β-estradiol (E2) administration. Electron microscopy revealed that the desquamating cells had preserved cell-cell junctions and collapsed nuclear contents. The TUNEL reaction was negative for these cells, which were also negative for cleaved caspases-8, -9, -3 and nuclear apoptosis-inducing factor. Detailed analyses revealed that the condensed chromatin was first affected detaching from the nuclear lamina, which was observable after lamin A immunohistochemistry, suggesting the lack of lamin A degradation. A search in animals treated with supraphysiological E2 employed as an alternative anti-androgen treatment revealed no desquamation. The combined treatment (Cas + E2 group) caused changes particular to each treatment, including desquamation. In conclusion, desquamation appeared as a novel phenomenon contributing to collective prostate epithelial cell deletion, distinct from the classical castration-induced apoptosis and particular to the androgen deprivation resulting from surgical castration, and should be considered as part of the mechanisms promoting organ regression.

Profile Of The Use Of Disease Modifying Drugs In The Brazilian Registry Of Spondyloarthritides.

Few studies have evaluated the profile of use of disease modifying drugs (DMD) in Brazilian patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). A common research protocol was applied prospectively in 1505 patients classified as SpA by criteria of the European Spondyloarthropathies Study Group (ESSG), followed at 29 referral centers in Rheumatology in Brazil. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained and evaluated, by analyzing their correlation with the use of DMDs methotrexate (MTX) and sulfasalazine (SSZ). At least one DMD was used by 73.6% of patients: MTX by 29.2% and SSZ by 21.7%, while 22.7% used both drugs. The use of MTX was significantly associated with peripheral involvement, and SSZ was associated with axial involvement, and the two drugs were more administered, separately or in combination, in the mixed involvement (p < 0.001). The use of a DMD was significantly associated with Caucasian ethnicity (MTX , p = 0.014), inflammatory back pain (SSZ, p = 0.002) , buttock pain (SSZ, p = 0.030), neck pain (MTX, p = 0.042), arthritis of the lower limbs (MTX, p < 0.001), arthritis of the upper limbs (MTX, p < 0.001), enthesitis (p = 0.007), dactylitis (MTX, p < 0.001), inflammatory bowel disease (SSZ, p < 0.001) and nail involvement (MTX, p < 0.001). The use of at least one DMD was reported by more than 70% of patients in a large cohort of Brazilian patients with SpA, with MTX use more associated with peripheral involvement and the use of SSZ more associated with axial involvement.

Comparison Of The Solution Of Histidine-tryptophan-alfacetoglutarate With Histidine-tryptophan-glutamate As Cardioplegic Agents In Isolated Rat Hearts: An Immunohistochemical Study.

Cardiac arrest during heart surgery is a common procedure and allows the surgeon to perform surgical procedures in an environment free of blood and movement. Using a model of isolated rat heart, the authors compare a new cardioplegic solution containing histidine-tryptophan-glutamate (group 2) with the histidine-tryptophan-alphacetoglutarate (group 1) routinely used by some cardiac surgeons. To assess caspase, IL-8 and KI-67 in isolated rat hearts using immunohistochemistry. 20 Wistar male rats were anesthetized and heparinized. The chest was opened, cardioctomy was performed and 40 ml/kg of the appropriate cardioplegic solution was infused. The hearts were kept for 2 hours at 4ºC in the same solution, and thereafter, placed in the Langendorff apparatus for 30 minutes with Ringer-Locke solution. Immunohistochemistry analysis of caspase, IL-8, and KI-67 were performed. The concentration of caspase was lower in group 2 and Ki-67 was higher in group 2, both P<0.05. There was no statistical difference between the values of IL-8 between the groups. Histidine-tryptophan-glutamate solution was better than histidine-tryptophan-alphacetoglutarate solution because it reduced caspase (apoptosis), increased KI-67 (cell proliferation), and showed no difference in IL-8 levels compared to group 1. This suggests that the histidine-tryptophan-glutamate solution was more efficient than the histidine-tryptophan-alphacetoglutarate for the preservation of hearts of rat cardiomyocytes.

Iis--integrated Interactome System: A Web-based Platform For The Annotation, Analysis And Visualization Of Protein-metabolite-gene-drug Interactions By Integrating A Variety Of Data Sources And Tools.

High-throughput screening of physical, genetic and chemical-genetic interactions brings important perspectives in the Systems Biology field, as the analysis of these interactions provides new insights into protein/gene function, cellular metabolic variations and the validation of therapeutic targets and drug design. However, such analysis depends on a pipeline connecting different tools that can automatically integrate data from diverse sources and result in a more comprehensive dataset that can be properly interpreted. We describe here the Integrated Interactome System (IIS), an integrative platform with a web-based interface for the annotation, analysis and visualization of the interaction profiles of proteins/genes, metabolites and drugs of interest. IIS works in four connected modules: (i) Submission module, which receives raw data derived from Sanger sequencing (e.g. two-hybrid system); (ii) Search module, which enables the user to search for the processed reads to be assembled into contigs/singlets, or for lists of proteins/genes, metabolites and drugs of interest, and add them to the project; (iii) Annotation module, which assigns annotations from several databases for the contigs/singlets or lists of proteins/genes, generating tables with automatic annotation that can be manually curated; and (iv) Interactome module, which maps the contigs/singlets or the uploaded lists to entries in our integrated database, building networks that gather novel identified interactions, protein and metabolite expression/concentration levels, subcellular localization and computed topological metrics, GO biological processes and KEGG pathways enrichment. This module generates a XGMML file that can be imported into Cytoscape or be visualized directly on the web. We have developed IIS by the integration of diverse databases following the need of appropriate tools for a systematic analysis of physical, genetic and chemical-genetic interactions. IIS was validated with yeast two-hybrid, proteomics and metabolomics datasets, but it is also extendable to other datasets. IIS is freely available online at: http://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/lnbio/IIS/.

Neonatal Outcomes Of Late Preterm And Early Term Birth.

To compare neonatal deaths and complications in infants born at 34-36 weeks and six days (late preterm: LPT) with those born at term (37-41 weeks and six days); to compare deaths of early term (37-38 weeks) versus late term (39-41 weeks and six days) infants; to search for any temporal trend in LPT rate. A retrospective cohort study of live births was conducted in the Campinas State University, Brazil, from January 2004 to December 2010. Multiple pregnancies, malformations and congenital diseases were excluded. Control for confounders was performed. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. After exclusions, there were 17,988 births (1653 late preterm and 16,345 term infants). A higher mortality in LPT versus term was observed, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 5.29 (p<0.0001). Most complications were significantly associated with LPT births. There was a significant increase in LPT rate throughout the study period, but no significant trend in the rate of medically indicated deliveries. A higher mortality was observed in early term versus late term infants, with adjusted OR: 2.43 (p=0.038). LPT and early term infants have a significantly higher risk of death.

Gastrointestinal Involvement In Lipoid Proteinosis: A Ten-year Follow-up Of A Brazilian Female Patient.

Lipoid proteinosis is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the deposition of hyaline material in the skin and internal organs. The main clinical features are hoarseness and typical skin lesions. In this report we describe the endoscopic and radiologic findings in a Brazilian female patient presenting extensive gastrointestinal involvement and the evolution of the detected lesions in ten years of follow-up. Initial upper endoscopy and colonoscopy showed a similar pattern of multiple yellowish nodules throughout the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and colons. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis. In addition, small bowel follow through demonstrated numerous well defined, round, small filling defects throughout the jejunum. Ten years later, the esophageal lesions remained the same, but none of the previous alterations were detected in the stomach, duodenum, and colons. In conclusion, lipoid proteinosis may affect all gastrointestinal organs with the same pattern of macroscopic and microscopic lesions. Some lesions may regress with increasing age.

Otorhinolaryngological Findings In A Group Of Patients With Rheumatic Diseases.

Otorhinolaryngological manifestations of rheumatologic diseases represent a great challenge not only to the generalistphysician but also to the ENT doctor andrheumatologist. They often represent early manifestations of an autoimmune disorder which requires prompt and aggressive immunosuppressive treatment. Auditory, nasal, laryngeal and eye symptoms can be the first manifestation of rheumatic diseases and their proper assessment helps the doctor to identify signs of disease activity. The objective of this study is to identify the ENT manifestations in patients with rheumatic diseases in a high complexity hospital, regarding facilitating an early diagnosis and treatment. We performed clinical and complete otorhinolaryngological evaluations in patients selected from the outpatient rheumatology in a standardized manner by the use of a standardized form filling during the secondhalf of 2010. In the study group, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients had predominantly laryngeal manifestations, while patients with Sjögren's syndrome showed a higher prevalence of otologic manifestations. Changes in audiometric tests were found in 53% of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) patients, 80% of relapsing polychondritis (RP), 33% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 50% of Churg-Strauss syndrome (SCS). Regarding nasal alterations, these were found so prevalent in all conditions, especially Churg-Strauss syndrome. This study demonstrated that most patients treated in our hospital has the ENT signs and symptoms commonly associated in previous studies on rheumatic diseases, but further studies with a larger number of patients must be made to establish such relations.

Construction Of A Manual Of Work Processes And Techniques From Centro De Dispensação De Medicamentos De Alto Custo (cedmac), Hospital De Clínicas, Unicamp.

The Centers for High Cost Medication (Centros de Medicação de Alto Custo, CEDMAC), Health Department, São Paulo were instituted by project in partnership with the Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, USP, sponsored by the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP) aimed at the formation of a statewide network for comprehensive care of patients referred for use of immunobiological agents in rheumatological diseases. The CEDMAC of Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (HC-Unicamp), implemented by the Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, identified the need for standardization of the multidisciplinary team conducts, in face of the specificity of care conducts, verifying the importance of describing, in manual format, their operational and technical processes. The aim of this study is to present the methodology applied to the elaboration of the CEDMAC/HC-Unicamp Manual as an institutional tool, with the aim of offering the best assistance and administrative quality. In the methodology for preparing the manuals at HC-Unicamp since 2008, the premise was to obtain a document that is participatory, multidisciplinary, focused on work processes integrated with institutional rules, with objective and didactic descriptions, in a standardized format and with electronic dissemination. The CEDMAC/HC-Unicamp Manual was elaborated in 10 months, with involvement of the entire multidisciplinary team, with 19 chapters on work processes and techniques, in addition to those concerning the organizational structure and its annexes. Published in the electronic portal of HC Manuals in July 2012 as an e-Book (ISBN 978-85-63274-17-5), the manual has been a valuable instrument in guiding professionals in healthcare, teaching and research activities.

Synthesis And Antiproliferative Activity Of 8-hydroxyquinoline Derivatives Containing A 1,2,3-triazole Moiety.

Twelve novel 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives were synthesized with good yields by performing copper-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (click reaction) between an 8-O-alkylated-quinoline containing a terminal alkyne and various aromatic or protected sugar azides. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for their antiproliferative activity on various cancer cell types. Protected sugar derivative 16 was the most active compound in the series, exhibiting potent antiproliferative activity and high selectivity toward ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-03, GI50 < 0.25 μg mL(-1)); this derivative was more active than the reference drug doxorubicin (OVCAR-03, GI50 = 0.43 μg mL(-1)). In structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, the physico-chemical parameters of the compounds were evaluated and docking calculations were performed for the α-glucosidase active site to predict the possible mechanism of action of this series of compounds.

Optical And Nonoptical Aids For Reading And Writing In Individuals With Acquired Low Vision.

To evaluate the use of optical and nonoptical aids during reading and writing activities in individuals with acquired low vision. This study was performed using descriptive and cross-sectional surveys. The data collection instrument was created with structured questions that were developed from an exploratory study and a previous test based on interviews, and it evaluated the following variables: personal characteristics, use of optical and nonoptical aids, and activities that required the use of optical and nonoptical aids. The study population included 30 subjects with acquired low vision and visual acuities of 20/200-20/400. Most subjects reported the use of some optical aids (60.0%). Of these 60.0%, the majority (83.3%) cited spectacles as the most widely used optical aid. The majority (63.3%) of subjects also reported the use of nonoptical aids, the most frequent ones being letter magnification (68.4%), followed by bringing the objects closer to the eyes (57.8%). Subjects often used more than one nonoptical aid. The majority of participants reported the use of optical and nonoptical aids during reading activities, highlighting the use of spectacles, magnifying glasses, and letter magnification; however, even after the use of these aids, we found that the subjects often needed to read the text more than once to understand it. During writing activities, all subjects reported the use of optical aids, while most stated that they did not use nonoptical aids for such activities.

Health-related And Socio-demographic Factors Associated With Frailty In The Elderly: A Systematic Literature Review.

Frailty is a syndrome that leads to practical harm in the lives of elders, since it is related to increased risk of dependency, falls, hospitalization, institutionalization, and death. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the socio-demographic, psycho-behavioral, health-related, nutritional, and lifestyle factors associated with frailty in the elderly. A total of 4,183 studies published from 2001 to 2013 were detected in the databases, and 182 complete articles were selected. After a comprehensive reading and application of selection criteria, 35 eligible articles remained for analysis. The main factors associated with frailty were: age, female gender, black race/color, schooling, income, cardiovascular diseases, number of comorbidities/diseases, functional incapacity, poor self-rated health, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol use. Knowledge of the complexity of determinants of frailty can assist the formulation of measures for prevention and early intervention, thereby contributing to better quality of life for the elderly.

Overlapped Sequence Types (sts) And Serogroups Of Avian Pathogenic (apec) And Human Extra-intestinal Pathogenic (expec) Escherichia Coli Isolated In Brazil.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains belong to a category that is associated with colibacillosis, a serious illness in the poultry industry worldwide. Additionally, some APEC groups have recently been described as potential zoonotic agents. In this work, we compared APEC strains with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains isolated from clinical cases of humans with extra-intestinal diseases such as urinary tract infections (UTI) and bacteremia. PCR results showed that genes usually found in the ColV plasmid (tsh, iucA, iss, and hlyF) were associated with APEC strains while fyuA, irp-2, fepC sitDchrom, fimH, crl, csgA, afa, iha, sat, hlyA, hra, cnf1, kpsMTII, clpVSakai and malX were associated with human ExPEC. Both categories shared nine serogroups (O2, O6, O7, O8, O11, O19, O25, O73 and O153) and seven sequence types (ST10, ST88, ST93, ST117, ST131, ST155, ST359, ST648 and ST1011). Interestingly, ST95, which is associated with the zoonotic potential of APEC and is spread in avian E. coli of North America and Europe, was not detected among 76 APEC strains. When the strains were clustered based on the presence of virulence genes, most ExPEC strains (71.7%) were contained in one cluster while most APEC strains (63.2%) segregated to another. In general, the strains showed distinct genetic and fingerprint patterns, but avian and human strains of ST359, or ST23 clonal complex (CC), presented more than 70% of similarity by PFGE. The results demonstrate that some zoonotic-related STs (ST117, ST131, ST10CC, ST23CC) are present in Brazil. Also, the presence of moderate fingerprint similarities between ST359 E. coli of avian and human origin indicates that strains of this ST are candidates for having zoonotic potential.