Influence of sample type and collection method on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. counts in the oral cavity

Objectives: This study compared three methods of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. detection in the oral cavity: saliva swab (SS)-sample of stimulated saliva collected with swab; whole saliva (WS)-sample of 2 ml of stimulated saliva; and the dental plaque method (DP)-plaque sample of all dental surfaces.Methods: Thirty children were included in this study. In the first 15 children, the SS and WS methods were carried out before the dental plaque collection, and in the following 15, the sequence was inverted to evaluate possible interference of the methods sequence. The samples were diluted and inoculated in SB20 and Rogosa agar, respectively for S. mutans and Lactobacillus spp., at 37 degrees C for 48 h.Results: the results (cfu/mL) of S. mutans were analysed by the statistical Friedman's test. The levels of Lactobacillus spp. were analysed by descriptive statistics due to the high proportion of zero counts in the culture. In the first sequence of methods, the number of S. mutans counted for the SS method was inferior to DP and WS (P < 0.05), and the results for the WS and DP methods were similar. The detection of Lactobacillus spp. was observed just by the WS (100 %) and SS (14.3 %) methods. However, in the second experimental set the number of S. mutans detected by the DP method was similar to those of the SS and WS, however, the WS method showed higher values than SS (P < 0.05). A greater number of Lactobacillus spp. was detected by the WS method (100 %), followed by SS (55.5 %) and DP (33.3 %).Conclusions: the dental plaque collection and the sample of stimulated whole saliva presented similar results in the S. mutans count. The most suitable method to detect the Lactobacillus spp. level in the oral cavity is the stimulated whole saliva method. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro comparison of 1.5 mm vs. 2.0 mm screws for fixation in the sagittal split osteotomy

Purpose: Numerous "in vitro" investigations have been conducted to evaluate the role of screw size and pattern in determining optimal resistance to deformation, often these have been controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of screw size and insertion technique on the stability of sagittal split osteotomies.Materials and methods: This study used twenty polyurethane replicas of human hemimandibles with a prefabricated sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO). The hemimandibles were stabilized with 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm titanium screws inserted in an inverted L configuration. All specimens were tested to determine the strength and stability of the fixation.Results: In all cases there was failure of the synthetic bone before there was any evidence of screw failure. There were no significant differences in the load necessary to make the construct fail between the 1.5 or 2.0 mm screw sizes.Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between the strengths achieved with screws of 1.5 and 2.0 mm diameters for fixation of SSRO performed in synthetic mandibles. There was no fracture of the 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm diameter screws in any of the tests. 1.5 mm diameter screws in an inverted L pattern have as much stability and mechanical resistance as a 2.0 mm screw, may be safely used for this procedure. (C) 2010 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery.

Efeito da nicotina na viabilidade e morfologia de fibroblastos: estudo in vitro

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar in vitro o efeito da nicotina sobre a viabilidade e a morfologia celular utilizando-se uma linhagem contínua de fibroblastos. Para tal, foram formados dois grupos experimentais segundo a dose (0 - controle, 10 mig, 100 mig, 0,5 mg, 1 mg) e o tempo de condicionamento (1 e 24 horas). Cada um dos 12 orifícios de uma placa para cultura celular recebeu 2 ml de meio de Eagle, e 1 ml de suspensão de meio de cultura contendo aproximadamente 1 × 10(5) células/ml. Foi, então, acrescentada a solução de nicotina nas diferentes concentrações. Após o condicionamento com a droga, nos dois períodos testados, as células foram coradas com azul de trypan 0,4%, e observadas em microscópio invertido por um examinador cego para os grupos experimentais, que avaliou a viabilidade e a morfologia segundo o índice de Gamal. Os experimentos foram repetidos 5 vezes. Quanto à morfologia, os resultados obtidos demonstraram, no grupo condicionado por 1 h, que os controles apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significantes em relação apenas à maior dose de nicotina; no entanto, foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre o controle e todas as concentrações após 24 horas de condicionamento. Na viabilidade celular, um maior número de células não viáveis foi observado nas diferentes concentrações de nicotina em comparação aos controles tanto após 1 quanto 24 horas de condicionamento (p < 0,05). em ambos períodos existiu uma tendência significativa de aumento do número de células não viáveis com o aumento da dose de nicotina (p = 0,0053; p = 0,00001 após 1 e 24 h respectivamente). Portanto, conclui-se que a nicotina pode alterar, in vitro, a viabilidade e a morfologia de fibroblastos de forma proporcional à dose e ao tempo de exposição.

Effect of reline material and denture base surface treatment on the impact strength of a denture base acrylic resin

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

Gel de plaquetas: arcabouço 3D para cultura celular

INTRODUÇÃO: O reparo tissular é o objetivo final da cirurgia. A cultura celular requer arcabouço mecânico que dê suporte ao crescimento celular e difusão dos nutrientes. O uso do plasma rico em plaquetas (PRP) como um arcabouço 3D possui diversas vantagens: é material biológico, de fácil absorção pós-transplante, rico em fatores de crescimento, em especial PDGF- ββ e TGF-β que estimula síntese de matriz extracelular na cartilagem. OBJETIVO: Desenvolver arcabouço 3D à base de PRP. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Duas formas foram idealizadas: Sphere e Carpet. Condições estéreis foram utilizadas. O gel de plaquetas permaneceu em cultura celular, observado diariamente em microscópio invertido. RESULTADOS: Ambos arcabouços obtiveram sucesso, com aspectos positivos e negativos. DISCUSSÃO: A forma Sphere não aderiu ao plástico. Observou-se retração do gel e investigação ao microscópio dificultada devido às áreas opacas no campo visual. A forma Carpet não aderiu ao plástico e apresentou-se translúcida. O tempo de estudo foi de 20 dias. CONCLUSÕES: A produção de um arcabouço 3D PRP foi um sucesso, e trata-se de uma alternativa que necessita ser mais utilizado e investigado para que se consolide em uma rota eficiente e confiável na tecnologia de engenharia tissular, particularmente em cultura de tecido cartilaginoso.

Reproductive behavior of the swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius (Lamarck, 1818) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae) in captivity

In this study, the reproductive behavior exhibited by Arenaeus cribrarius in captivity was described, and the duration of each behavioral stage was measured. Swimming crabs were trawled in Ubatuba, northern littoral of São Paulo State, Brazil, and maintained in aquaria. Water conditions and food items were provided according to this species' natural requirements in the wild. In the presence of premolt females, intermolt males exhibited a courtship display that became intensified when the potential mate was visually perceived. After mate selection, the male carried the female under itself (precopulatory position) for 29.8 +/- 5.1 d until the female molted. Afterwards, the male manipulated the recently molted female, and inverted her position under itself as to penetrate her with his first pair of pleopods (copulation), a process that took 17.1 +/- 4.6 h. After copulation the male continued to carry his soft-shelled mate for 29.7 +/- 5.8 d (postcopulatory position). The time elapsed between copulation and spawning was 57.8 +/- 3.8 d and the time interval between successive spawns 33.8 +/- 7.1 d. Total embryonic development took 13.5 +/- 2.1 d in temperature conditions of 25.0 +/- 2.0 degrees C. During the last 4.7 +/- 1.4 d embryos' eyes were already visible. The reproductive behavior pattern in A. cribrarius is very similar to those previously described in other portunids.

Sucrose hydrolysis by gelatin-immobilized inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus var. bulgaricus

The crude cell-free medium from a culture of Kluyveromyces marxianus var. bulgaricus was immobilized in a gelatin-water support, with an immobilization yield of 82.60% for inulinase activity. The optimum pH for both free and immobilized inulinase was the same (3.5) and the optimum temperatures were 55 degrees C for the free and 60 degrees C for the immobilized enzyme. The Arrhenius plots were linear and activation energies were 56.20 (free enzyme) and 20.27 kj/mol K (immobilized enzyme). The kinetic parameters were calculated by Lineweaver-Burk plots and the V-max and K-m were 37.60 IU/mg protein and 61.83 mM for the free inulinase and 31.45 IU/mg protein and 149.28 mM for the immobilized enzyme, respectively. The operational stability of the immobilized inulinase was studied in a continuous fixed-bed column reactor for 33 days, at the end of which the sucrose conversion was 58.12%. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flower morpho-anatomy in Epiphyllum phyllanthus (Cactaceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chromosomal location of heterochromatin and 45S rDNA sites in four South American triatomines (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

First radiation hybrid map of the river buffalo X chromosome (BBUX) and comparison with BTAX

We report the first radiation hybrid map of the river buffalo X chromosome generated from a recently constructed river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) whole-genome radiation hybrid panel (BBURH5000). This map contains a total of 33 cattle-derived markers, including 10 genes, four ESTs and 19 microsatellites. The markers are distributed in two linkage groups: LG1 contains eight markers spanning 125.6 cR, and LG2 contains 25 markers spanning 366.3 cR. LG1 contains six markers in common with bovine sequence assembly BUILD 3.1. With the exception of BMS2152, the order of these markers on our BBUX map is shuffled when compared to the cow X chromosome (Bos taurus; BTAX). From LG2, two markers (AMELX and BL22) map to a more distal portion of BTAX compared to BBUX. In addition, two pairs of LG2 markers exhibit inversions compared to BTAX (ILSTS017 and ATRX; XBM38 and PPEF1). Alternatively, when compared to the most recent bovine RH map (Bov-Gen 3000rads), BL1098 and BMS2227 from LG1 as well as PLS3 and BMS1820 from LG2 showed inverted positions on the BBUX map. These discrepancies in buffalo and cattle maps may reflect evolutionary divergence of the chromosomes or mapping errors in one of the two species. Although the set of mapped markers does not cover the entire X chromosome, this map is a starting point for the construction of a high-resolution map, which is necessary for characterization of small rearrangements that might have occurred between the Bubalus bubalis and Bos taurus X chromosomes.

Biomechanical in vitro evaluation of three stable internal fixation techniques used in sagittal osteotomy of the mandibular ramus: a study in sheep mandibles

Among the osteotomies performed in orthognathic surgery, the sagittal osteotomy of the mandibular ramus (SOMR) is the most common, allowing a great range of movements and stable internal fixation (SIF), therefore eliminating the need of maxillomandibular block in the postoperative period. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical resistance of three national systems used for SIF in SOMR in sheep mandibles. Material and methods: The study was performed in 30 sheep hemi-mandibles randomly divided into 3 experimental groups, each containing 10 hemi-mandibles. The samples were measured to avoid discrepancies and then subjected to SOMR with 5-mm advancement. In group I, 2.0x12 mm screws were used for fixation, inserted in an inverted "L" pattern (inverted "L" group). In group II, fixation was performed with two 2.0x12 mm screws, positioned in a linear pattern and a 4-hole straight miniplate and four 2.0x6.0 mm monocortical screws (hybrid group). In group III, fixation was performed with two-hole straight miniplates and eight 2.0x6.0 mm monocortical screws (mini plate group). All materials used for SIF were supplied by Osteosin - SIN. The hemimandibles were subjected to vertical linear load test by Kratos K2000MP mechanical testing unit for loading registration and displacement. Results: All groups showed similar resistance during mechanical test for loading and displacement, with no statistically significant differences between groups according to analysis of variance. Conclusion: These results indicate that the three techniques of fixation are equally effective for clinical fixation of SOMR.

Heavy-flavor tagging and the supersymmetry reach of the CERN Large Hadron Collider

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

Is the LHC observing the pseudoscalar state of a two-Higgs-doublet model?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comparação entre dois tipos de suspensão passiva de barra em condições simuladas de pista de prova normalizada

In this paper we conducted several analysis of the simulated dynamic behavior of two passive suspension types of the trailed sprayer booms. The suspension analysis was conducted under conditions of a bump track test ISO 5008, with two levels of speed (5 km h(-1) and 15 km h(-1)) and two track profiles proposed in these standards (bumpy and smooth). It was used the simulations software MATLAB (R), SIMULINK (R) and Visual Nastran (R). The results obtained showed that suspensions of trapezoidal type have good performance at low frequencies input (omega < 0,2 Hz) while suspensions of simple pendulum type have good performance in others conditions.

The Perception of Smile Attractiveness Variations from Esthetic Norms, Photographic Framing and Order of Presentation

Objectives: To evaluate the attractiveness of a smile according to variations from esthetic norms, photographic framing, and the order of the presentation of photographs.Materials and Methods: A photograph of an individual was selected and digitally manipulated to create the following smiles: an ideal control smile (I), a smile with diastema (D1), a smile with midline deviation (LM3), a smile with deviation from the long axes of the lateral incisors (10D), and a smile with an inverted smile arc (LSRV). The manipulated photographs were developed in framings of the face and of the mouth and evaluated by 20 laypeople. For half the evaluators, the presentation started with facial photographs and, for the other half, the presentation began with the mouth shots. Evaluators were asked to rank the photographs from the least to the most attractive; then, each photograph was awarded a mark (scale of 0.0 to 10.0).Results: In both presentations, the smiles I, LM3, 10D, and LSRV received favorable ratings, whereas the D1 smile got poor ratings. The photographic framings used (face vs mouth) and the order of presentation of the photographs did not influence the rankings.Conclusion: The absence of variations from beauty norms of a smile has a positive impact on its esthetic perception, but variations from the norms do not necessarily result in reduced attractiveness. (Angle Orthod. 2009;79:634-639.)