A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of reports of clinical trials published in six Brazilian dental journals indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO)

Introduction: Open access publishing is becoming increasingly popular within the biomedical sciences. SciELO, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, is a digital library covering a selected collection of Brazilian scientific journals many of which provide open access to full-text articles. This library includes a number of dental journals some of which may include reports of clinical trials in English, Portuguese and/or Spanish. Thus, SciELO could play an important role as a source of evidence for dental healthcare interventions especially if it yields a sizeable number of high quality reports. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify reports of clinical trials by handsearching of dental journals that are accessible through SciELO, and to assess the overall quality of these reports. Material and methods: Electronic versions of six Brazilian dental Journals indexed in SciELO were handsearched at www.scielo.br in September 2008. Reports of clinical trials were identified and classified as controlled clinical trials (CCTs - prospective, experimental studies comparing 2 or more healthcare interventions in human beings) or randomized controlled trials (RCTs - a random allocation method is clearly reported), according to Cochrane eligibility criteria. Criteria to assess methodological quality included: method of randomization, concealment of treatment allocation, blinded outcome assessment, handling of withdrawals and losses and whether an intention-to-treat analysis had been carried out. Results: The search retrieved 33 CCTs and 43 RCTs. A majority of the reports provided no description of either the method of randomization (75.3%) or concealment of the allocation sequence (84.2%). Participants and outcome assessors were reported as blinded in only 31.2% of the reports. Withdrawals and losses were only clearly described in 6.5% of the reports and none mentioned an intention-to-treat analysis or any similar procedure. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that a substantial number of reports of trials and systematic reviews are available in the dental journals listed in SciELO, and that these could provide valuable evidence for clinical decision making. However, it is clear that the quality of a number of these reports is of some concern and that improvement in the conduct and reporting of these trials could be achieved if authors adhered to internationally accepted guidelines, e. g. the CONSORT statement.

Effect of temporary cements on the shear bond strength of luting cements

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, by shear bond strength (SBS) testing, the influence of different types of temporary cements on the final cementation using conventional and self-etching resin-based luting cements. Material and Methods: Forty human teeth divided in two halves were assigned to 8 groups (n=10): I and V (no temporary cementation); II and VI: Ca(OH)(2)-based cement; III and VII: zinc oxide (ZO)based cement; IV and VIII: ZO-eugenol (ZOE)-based cement. Final cementation was done with RelyX ARC cement (groups I to IV) and RelyX Unicem cement (groups V to VIII). Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test at 5% significance level. Results: Means were (MPa): I - 3.80 (+/- 1.481); II - 5.24 (+/- 2.297); III - 6.98 (+/- 1.885); IV - 6.54 (+/- 1.459); V - 5.22 (+/- 2.465); VI - 4.48 (+/- 1.705); VII - 6.29 (+/- 2.280); VIII - 2.47 (+/- 2.076). Comparison of the groups that had the same temporary cementation (Groups II and VI; III and VII; IV and VIII) showed statistically significant difference (p<0.001) only between Groups IV and VIII, in which ZOE-based cements were used. The use of either Ca(OH) 2 based (Groups II and VI) or ZO-based (Groups III and VII) cements showed no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) for the different luting cements (RelyX (TM) ARC and RelyX (TM) Unicem). The groups that had no temporary cementation (Groups I and V) did not differ significantly from each other either (p>0.05). Conclusion: When temporary cementation was done with ZO- or ZOE-based cements and final cementation was done with RelyX ARC, there was an increase in the SBS compared to the control. In the groups cemented with RelyX Unicem, however, the use of a ZOE-based temporary cement affected negatively the SBS of the luting agent used for final cementation.

Animal welfare: from concepts to reality.

In this review, we provide a brief retrospective history of the science of animal welfare and recognize the sentience of non-human animals; however, we emphasize that crucial problems remain regarding how to define and measure animal welfare. In general, the use of physiological measures to assess welfare is discouraged. Furthermore, there is a theoretical background for measures of stress, but not for welfare states because life may not be at risk. Instead, a preference or choice-based approach, which is based on the animal decision, is recommended. To this end, welfare is discussed and then contrasted with disease, health, stress and distress. In addition, the importance of prospective capacities for the welfare of human and non-human animals is discussed.

Detection of enterotoxins genes in coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from foods

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

Electrochemical Reduction as a Powerful Tool to Highlight the Possible Formation of By-Products More Toxic Than Sudan III Dye

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

Immunosuppression in paracoccidioidomycosis: T cell hyporesponsiveness to two Paracoccidioides brasiliensis glycoproteins that elicit strong humoral immune response

To assess human cellular immune response to paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), lymphocyte proliferative responses to purified antigens from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were determined in healthy persons previously infected by the fungus (positive donors), in healthy noninfected persons (controls), and in PCM patients. Affinity-purified gp70 and gp43, the two major antigens in humoral immune responses, were used, Both induced lymphocyte proliferation (gp43 species-specific) in positive donors but not in controls; healthy persons previously infected by Histoplasma capsulatum reacted to gp70 and not to gp43, A similar cross-reactivity in antibody response to gp70 was previously reported; however, antibody response to gp43 has been considered specific, Lymphocytes from PCM patients, who, unlike positive donors, have high levels of anti-gp43 and anti-gp70 antibodies, proliferated poorly with gp70 and gp43 but better with other stimuli, This dichotomy between humoral and cellular antigen-specific responses suggests a Th2 immune response in PCM, which may be related to failure to control the infection.

Comparison of SRIM, MCNPX and GEANT simulations with experimental data for thick Al absorbers

Proton computerized tomography deals with relatively thick targets like the human head or trunk. In this case precise analytical calculation of the proton final energy is a rather complicated task, thus the Monte Carlo simulation stands out as a solution. We used the GEANT4.8.2 code to calculate the proton final energy spectra after passing a thick Al absorber and compared it with the same conditions of the experimental data. The ICRU49, Ziegler85 and Ziegler2000 models from the low energy extension pack were used. The results were also compared with the SRIM2008 and MCNPX2.4 simulations, and with solutions of the Boltzmann transport equation in the Fokker-Planck approximation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psicoterapia grupal no transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo

There are few published papers about group psychotherapy for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and usually restricted psychoeducational, support or cognitive-behavioral approaches. This article describes the experience of group psychotherapy for OCD patients started in 1996 in Botucatu Medical School - Unesp, São Paulo, Brazil. The two-hour sessions occur once a month, with 6 to 10 female patients, and are based on psychodramatic techniques. Psychotropic prescriptions are given after the sessions. In the beginning, aggressive obsessions were more prominent and were reported with much anguish and shame. Gradually, the themes changed from OCD specific issues (symptoms, pharmacological treatment, outcome, need of exposure and response prevention) to deeper and more personal psychodynamic aspects. The psychodramatic approach (techniques of double, mirror, role inversion, search for prymary scenes) has mostly shown: difficulty in accepting their own human mistakes or negative emotions due to excessive personal demands. This seems to generate guilt, low self-esteem, idealization of others, difficulty in enjoying pleasant situations, fear of taking responsibilities and of losing control (madness/aggressiveness). The group has been considered very important by the patients, since sharing experiences helps to diminish feelings of isolation, shame and guilt, stimulates the exposure to feared situations and enhances self-esteem. The fact that all participants have the same disorder favors group cohesion and provides relief, as they see in the others some of their afflictions and are able to share similar feelings and experiences. Many times the burden of the symptoms are dealt with humor. The confidence in such therapeutic setting is helping the identification and resolution of personal conflicts and contributing to the adherence to pharmacological treatment. The group also provides valuable training experiences for resident physicians in psychiatry.

Microbiological quality of ice used to refrigerate foods

Ice used for human consumption or to refrigerate foods can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and may become a vehicle for human infection. To evaluate the microbiological content of commercial ice and ice used to refrigerate fish and seafood, 60 ice samples collected at six different retail points in the city of Araraquara, SP, Brazil, were studied. The following parameters were determined: total plate counts (37° C and 4° C), most probable number (MPN) for total coliforms, fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli, presence of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., E. coli, Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas spp.. Results suggested poor hygienic conditions of ice production due to the presence of indicator micro-organisms. Fifty strains of E. coli of different serotypes, as well as one Y. enterocolitica biotype 1, serogroup 0:5, 27 and phage type Xz (Ye 1/05,27/Xz) and one Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 1 (PT1) were isolated. Aeromonas spp., Shigella spp. and V. cholerae were not detected. The presence of high numbers of coliforms, heterotrophic indicator micro-organisms and pathogenic strains suggested that commercial ice and ice used to refrigerate fish and seafood may rep resent a potential hazard to the consumer in our community. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of GEANT4 simulations with experimental data for thick al absorbers

Proton beams in medical applications deal with relatively thick targets like the human head or trunk. Therefore, relatively small differences in the total proton stopping power given, for example, by the different models provided by GEANT4 can lead to significant disagreements in the final proton energy spectra when integrated along lengthy proton trajectories. This work presents proton energy spectra obtained by GEANT4.8.2 simulations using ICRU49, Ziegler1985 and Ziegler2000 models for 19.68MeV protons passing through a number of Al absorbers with various thicknesses. The spectra were compared with the experimental data, with TRIM/SRIM2008 and MCNPX2.4.0 simulations, and with the Payne analytical solution for the transport equation in the Fokker-Plank approximation. It is shown that the MCNPX simulations reasonably reproduce well all experimental spectra. For the relatively thin targets all the methods give practically identical results but this is not the same for the thick absorbers. It should be noted that all the spectra were measured at the proton energies significantly above 2MeV, i.e., in the so-called Bethe-Bloch region. Therefore the observed disagreements in GEANT4 results, simulated with different models, are somewhat unexpected. Further studies are necessary for better understanding and definitive conclusions. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Economics of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean: summary 2009

Includes bibliography

Reduced calibration curve for proton computed tomography

The pCT deals with relatively thick targets like the human head or trunk. Thus, the fidelity of pCT as a tool for proton therapy planning depends on the accuracy of physical formulas used for proton interaction with thick absorbers. Although the actual overall accuracy of the proton stopping power in the Bethe-Bloch domain is about 1%, the analytical calculations and the Monte Carlo simulations with codes like TRIM/SRIM, MCNPX and GEANT4 do not agreed with each other. A tentative to validate the codes against experimental data for thick absorbers bring some difficulties: only a few data is available and the existing data sets have been acquired at different initial proton energies, and for different absorber materials. In this work we compare the results of our Monte Carlo simulations with existing experimental data in terms of reduced calibration curve, i.e. the range - energy dependence normalized on the range scale by the full projected CSDA range for given initial proton energy in a given material, taken from the NIST PSTAR database, and on the final proton energy scale - by the given initial energy of protons. This approach is almost energy and material independent. The results of our analysis are important for pCT development because the contradictions observed at arbitrary low initial proton energies could be easily scaled now to typical pCT energies. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Concepções de surdez: A visão do surdo que se comunica em língua de sinais

At this time, diverse views on deafness are present in society. Such views, in general, arecharacterized by theoretical disputes between communicative possibilities - either oral or gestural - based onthe importance of having appropriated oneself of a language code for the development of language, which isessential in the constitution of subjectivity of human beings. Thus, this study aimed to identify the conceptionsof deaf people had about their condition. To collect the data we used semi-structured interviews, applied toten participants who were deaf adult users of the Brazilian Sign Language - Libras. The interviews were taped,transcribed and subjected to content analysis. The results indicate that the conceptions of deafness constitute amultifaceted view on this condition, infl uenced by social relations throughout each person's life trajectories. Theresearchers perceived that learning Libras enabled deaf persons to constitute their own assertiveness as someonewho is different, with different needs.

Environmental value, valuation methods, and natural disaster damage assessment

Includes bibliography

GEANT4 tuning for pCT development

Proton beams in medical applications deal with relatively thick targets like the human head or trunk. Thus, the fidelity of proton computed tomography (pCT) simulations as a tool for proton therapy planning depends in the general case on the accuracy of results obtained for the proton interaction with thick absorbers. GEANT4 simulations of proton energy spectra after passing thick absorbers do not agree well with existing experimental data, as showed previously. Moreover, the spectra simulated for the Bethe-Bloch domain showed an unexpected sensitivity to the choice of low-energy electromagnetic models during the code execution. These observations were done with the GEANT4 version 8.2 during our simulations for pCT. This work describes in more details the simulations of the proton passage through aluminum absorbers with varied thickness. The simulations were done by modifying only the geometry in the Hadrontherapy Example, and for all available choices of the Electromagnetic Physics Models. As the most probable reasons for these effects is some specific feature in the code, or some specific implicit parameters in the GEANT4 manual, we continued our study with version 9.2 of the code. Some improvements in comparison with our previous results were obtained. The simulations were performed considering further applications for pCT development. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.