Effectiveness of a new toothbrush design versus a conventional tongue scraper in improving breath odor and reducing tongue microbiota

For centuries, specific instruments or regular toothbrushes have routinely been used to remove tongue biofilm and improve breath odor. Toothbrushes with a tongue scraper on the back of their head have recently been introduced to the market. The present study compared the effectiveness of a manual toothbrush with this new design, i.e., possessing a tongue scraper, and a commercial tongue scraper in improving breath odor and reducing the aerobic and anaerobic microbiota of tongue surface. The evaluations occurred at 4 moments, when the participants (n=30) had their halitosis quantified with a halimeter and scored according to a 4-point scoring system corresponding to different levels of intensity. Saliva was collected for counts of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Data were analyzed statistically by Friedman's test (p<0.05). When differences were detected, the Wilcoxon test adjusted for Bonferroni correction was used for multiple comparisons (group to group). The results confirmed the importance of mechanical cleaning of the tongue, since this procedure provided an improvement in halitosis and reduction of aerobe and anaerobe counts. Regarding the evaluated methods, the toothbrush's tongue scraper and conventional tongue scraper had a similar performance in terms of breath improvement and reduction of tongue microbiota, and may be indicated as effective methods for tongue cleaning.

Influence of specimens' design and manufacturing process on microtensile bond strength to enamel: laboratory and FEA comparison

This study evaluated the effect of specimens' design and manufacturing process on microtensile bond strength, internal stress distributions (Finite Element Analysis - FEA) and specimens' integrity by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LCM). Excite was applied to flat enamel surface and a resin composite build-ups were made incrementally with 1-mm increments of Tetric Ceram. Teeth were cut using a diamond disc or a diamond wire, obtaining 0.8 mm² stick-shaped specimens, or were shaped with a Micro Specimen Former, obtaining dumbbell-shaped specimens (n = 10). Samples were randomly selected for SEM and LCM analysis. Remaining samples underwent microtensile test, and results were analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey test. FEA dumbbell-shaped model resulted in a more homogeneous stress distribution. Nonetheless, they failed under lower bond strengths (21.83 ± 5.44 MPa)c than stick-shaped specimens (sectioned with wire: 42.93 ± 4.77 MPaª; sectioned with disc: 36.62 ± 3.63 MPa b), due to geometric irregularities related to manufacturing process, as noted in microscopic analyzes. It could be concluded that stick-shaped, nontrimmed specimens, sectioned with diamond wire, are preferred for enamel specimens as they can be prepared in a less destructive, easier, and more precise way.

Design, construction and evaluation of a simple pressurized solvent extraction system

This work describes the construction and testing of a simple pressurized solvent extraction (PSE) system. A mixture of acetone:water (80:20), 80 ºC and 103.5 bar, was used to extract two herbicides (Diuron and Bromacil) from a sample of polluted soil, followed by identification and quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The system was also used to extract soybean oil (70 ºC and 69 bar) using pentane. The extracted oil was weighed and characterized through the fatty acid methyl ester analysis (myristic (< 0.3%), palmitic (16.3%), stearic (2.8%), oleic (24.5%), linoleic (46.3%), linolenic (9.6%), araquidic (0.3%), gadoleic (< 0.3%), and behenic (0.3%) acids) using high-resolution gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (HRGC-FID). PSE results were compared with those obtained using classical procedures: Soxhlet extraction for the soybean oil and solid-liquid extraction followed by solid-phase extraction (SLE-SPE) for the herbicides. The results showed: 21.25 ± 0.36% (m/m) of oil in the soybeans using the PSE system and 21.55 ± 0.65% (m/m) using the soxhlet extraction system; extraction efficiency (recovery) of herbicides Diuron and Bromacil of 88.7 ± 4.5% and 106.6 ± 8.1%, respectively, using the PSE system, and 96.8 ± 1.0% and 94.2 ± 3.9%, respectively, with the SLP-SPE system; limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for Diuron of 0.012 mg kg-1 and 0.040 mg kg-1, respectively; LOD and LOQ for Bromacil of 0.025 mg kg-1 and 0.083 mg kg-1, respectively. The linearity used ranged from 0.04 to 1.50 mg L-1 for Diuron and from 0.08 to 1.50 mg L-1 for Bromacil. In conclusion, using the PSE system, due to high pressure and temperature, it is possible to make efficient, fast extractions with reduced solvent consumption in an inert atmosphere, which prevents sample and analyte decomposition.

O Sistema Único de Saúde como observatório de direitos universais: uma reflexão a partir das Ciências Sociais

Há uma ampla bibliografia sobre a crise da modernidade. Uma certa vertente compreende que estão ameaçados vários pilares da vida social moderna, dentre eles as conquistas representadas pelos direitos universais. A literatura da Saúde Coletiva também aponta o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) como uma ocorrência contrária ao movimento mundial de flexibilização daqueles direitos. Os princípios de universalidade e integralidade, além de constituírem um desafio institucional, financeiro, político e social, expressam também a decisão da sociedade de implementar direitos universais. Utilizamos o instrumental teórico de Souza Santos para caracterizar o SUS como um observatório sobre a efetivação de tais direitos. Ressurge a importância do remodelamento institucional e das deliberações democráticas no estabelecimento do contrato social.

Aspectos conceituais da regulação dos serviços de água e esgoto no Brasil

Objetiva-se, aqui, apresentar os aspectos conceituais da regulação da prestação dos serviços de água e esgoto no Brasil e analisar de forma comparativa essa regulação com a de outros setores da infraestrutura. O estudo parte do pressuposto da regulação como intervenção do Estado voltada para a eficiência e a equidade, e apresenta os fundamentos teóricos que justificam essa regulação de forma contextualizada às características do setor de água e esgoto. Mediante análise comparativa com outros setores de infraestrutura de redes, concluí-se que, em função das características físicas, econômicas e institucionais do setor de água e esgoto, será bastante complexo o estabelecimento efetivo dessa atividade conforme os princípios da lei nº 11.445/2007.

Mothers’ birth care experiences in a Brazilian birth centre

Objective: to explore the reasons why women with previous hospital experience seek care at a birth centre, and their perceptions related to the care received in both settings. Design, setting and participants in-depth interviews focusing on the care experiences of 18 women who received birth care in a birth centre of the Brazilian public health system. Findings: three key themes emerged from the analysis: ‘Confrontation with strong problems in the hospital setting’, ‘Reasons to seek the birth centre’ and ‘Satisfaction related to birth centre care’. The main aspects that the mothers mentioned in the first and third themes were related to the institutional structure and system of care. Key conclusions and implications for practice mothers’ narratives suggested that their previous experience of problems in the hospital setting was the main motive for seeking care at the birth centre. The most important components of birth care were attention, meeting personal care demands and establishment of an adequate interpersonal relationship. More sensitive birthing care in the hospital setting is necessary, and this can be promoted through continuing professional education

Design and characterization of bridged loop-gap resonators for use in electron paramagnetic resonance measurements

This paper revisits the design of L and S band bridged loop-gap resonators (BLGRs) for electron paramagnetic resonance applications. A novel configuration is described and extensively characterized for resonance frequency and quality factor as a function of the geometrical parameters of the device. The obtained experimental results indicate higher values of the quality factor (Q) than previously reported in the literature, and the experimental analysis data should provide useful guidelines for BLGR design.

Design methodology for multi-pumped discrete Raman amplifiers: case-study employing photonic crystal fibers

This paper proposes a new design methodology for discrete multi-pumped Raman amplifier. In a multi-objective optimization scenario, in a first step the whole solution-space is inspected by a CW analytical formulation. Then, the most promising solutions are fully investigated by a rigorous numerical treatment and the Raman amplification performance is thus determined by the combination of analytical and numerical approaches. As an application of our methodology we designed an photonic crystal fiber Raman amplifier configuration which provides low ripple, high gain, clear eye opening and a low power penalty. The amplifier configuration also enables to fully compensate the dispersion introduced by a 70-km singlemode fiber in a 10 Gbit/s system. We have successfully obtained a configuration with 8.5 dB average gain over the C-band and 0.71 dB ripple with almost zero eye-penalty using only two pump lasers with relatively low pump power. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Analysis of the effects of conical indentation variables on the indentation response of elastic-plastic materials through factorial design of experiment

In this work, the effects of conical indentation variables on the load-depth indentation curves were analyzed using finite element modeling and dimensional analysis. A factorial design 2(6) was used with the aim of quantifying the effects of the mechanical properties of the indented material and of the indenter geometry. Analysis was based on the input variables Y/E, R/h(max), n, theta, E, and h(max). The dimensional variables E and h(max) were used such that each value of dimensionless Y/E was obtained with two different values of E and each value of dimensionless R/h(max) was obtained with two different h(max) values. A set of dimensionless functions was defined to analyze the effect of the input variables: Pi(1) = P(1)/Eh(2), Pi(2) = h(c)/h, Pi(3) = H/Y, Pi(4) = S/Eh(max), Pi(6) = h(max)/h(f) and Pi(7) = W(P)/W(T). These six functions were found to depend only on the dimensionless variables studied (Y/E, R/h(max), n, theta). Another dimension less function, Pi(5) = beta, was not well defined for most of the dimensionless variables and the only variable that provided a significant effect on beta was theta. However, beta showed a strong dependence on the fraction of the data selected to fit the unloading curve, which means that beta is especially Susceptible to the error in the Calculation of the initial unloading slope.

Multidisciplinary optimization of a catamaran's hydrofoil design with dynamic response surface and distributive processing

This paper presents a rational approach to the design of a catamaran's hydrofoil applied within a modern context of multidisciplinary optimization. The approach used includes the use of response surfaces represented by neural networks and a distributed programming environment that increases the optimization speed. A rational approach to the problem simplifies the complex optimization model; when combined with the distributed dynamic training used for the response surfaces, this model increases the efficiency of the process. The results achieved using this approach have justified this publication.

Democracy on the edge: limits and possibilities for the implementation of an urban reform agenda in Brazil

In Brazil the 1990s constituted years of institutional achievements in the fields of housing and urban rights, given the incorporation of the principles of the social function of cities and property, the recognition of tenure rights for slum dwellers and the direct participation of citizens in the decision making process of urban policies, within the 1988 Constitution. These proposals have become the pillars of the Urban Reform agenda which has penetrated the federal government apparatus since the creation of the Ministry of Cities under Lula's administration. The article evaluates the limits and possibilities for the implementation of this agenda through the analysis of two policies proposed by the Ministry: the National Council of Cities and the campaign for Participatory Master Plans. The approach is based on the organization of the Brazilian State in terms of urban development, the relationship with the political system and the characteristics of Brazilian democracy.

Hypotheses, rationale, design, and methods for prognostic evaluation in type 2 diabetic patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries. The MASS IV-DM Trial

Background: The MASS IV-DM Trial is a large project from a single institution, the Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Brazil to study ventricular function and coronary arteries in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods/Design: The study will enroll 600 patients with type 2 diabetes who have angiographically normal ventricular function and coronary arteries. The goal of the MASS IV-DM Trial is to achieve a long-term evaluation of the development of coronary atherosclerosis by using angiograms and coronary-artery calcium scan by electron-beam computed tomography at baseline and after 5 years of follow-up. In addition, the incidence of major cardiovascular events, the dysfunction of various organs involved in this disease, particularly microalbuminuria and renal function, will be analyzed through clinical evaluation. In addition, an effort will be made to investigate in depth the presence of major cardiovascular risk factors, especially the biochemical profile, metabolic syndrome inflammatory activity, oxidative stress, endothelial function, prothrombotic factors, and profibrinolytic and platelet activity. An evaluation will be made of the polymorphism as a determinant of disease and its possible role in the genesis of micro- and macrovascular damage. Discussion: The MASS IV-DM trial is designed to include diabetic patients with clinically suspected myocardial ischemia in whom conventional angiography shows angiographically normal coronary arteries. The result of extensive investigation including angiographic follow-up by several methods, vascular reactivity, pro-thrombotic mechanisms, genetic and biochemical studies may facilitate the understanding of so-called micro- and macrovascular disease of DM.

First Report on Rotenoids as Neurotoxic Principles of Seeds from Aeschynomene indica (Leguminosae)

Toxic principles from seeds of Aeschynomene indica collected in Brazil were analyzed. Dalpanol, 12 alpha-hydroxydalpanol and 11-hydroxydalpanol were identified using (1)H NMR in A. indica for the first time. 11-hydroxydalpanol has not been previously reported in the existing literature. Furthermore these rotenoids are likely the toxic principles that cause neurological signs in mice.