Characterization and in vitro evaluation of bacterial cellulose membranes functionalized with osteogenic growth peptide for bone tissue engineering

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

Bacterial cellulose-collagen nanocomposite for bone tissue engineering

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

Bacterial leakage evaluation of root canals filled with different endodontic sealers

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sealing ability of AH Plus, Epiphany, Acroseal, Endofill, and Polifil after active lateral condensation technique, by using a bacterial test, during 64 days.Study design. One hundred bovine incisors were cleaned and shaped; then they were filled with the endodontic sealers and adapted into a microcentrifuge tube. The setup root/microcentrifuge tube was added to glass flasks containing Brain Heart Infusion broth. A culture of Enterococcus faecalis was inserted into the upper chamber of each assembly. Daily leakage was evaluated through the broth turbidity.Results. The results were submitted to statistical analysis (Kaplan-Meier method, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests).Conclusions. AH Plus and Endofill had the worst sealing ability when compared with Polifil, which showed the least leakage. Acroseal and Epiphany showed a tendency toward having an intermediate behavior; however, there was no significant difference among Acroseal, Epiphany, and the other sealers. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2009; 108: e56-e60)

Bacterial leakage in root canals filled with conventional and MTA-based sealers

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

Modulatory effects of tuberculosis vaccines on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Although BCG is the only accepted vaccine against tuberculosis (TB), its protective ability is very limited. Therefore, many new vaccines are being evaluated. Our group has been working on DNAhsp65 - a genetic construction containing the hsp65 gene from Mycobacterium leprae. In previous experimental works, we demonstrated that both DNAhsp65 alone or associated with BCG, in a prime-boost regimen, were effective to control TB. A possible deleterious effect related to autoimmunity needed to be tested because hsp65 is highly homologous to the correspondent mammalian protein. In this investigation we tested the effect of a previous immunization with DNAhsp65 alone or associated with BCG in a rat model of multiple sclerosis. Female Lewis rats were immunized with three doses of DNAhsp65 or primed with BCG followed by two DNAhsp65 boosters. The animals were, then, immunized with myelin associated with complete Freund's adjuvant to develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The following parameters were evaluated: weight loss, clinical score, central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and anti-myelin immune response. No deleterious effect was associated with these immunizations schedules. Immunized animals equally lost weight, the clinical scores were similar and CNS inflammation did not increase. Interestingly, both procedures determined decreased inflammation in the brain and lumbar spinal cord. This was concurrent with a modulatory effect over cytokine production by peripheral lymphoid organs. Cell cultures from spleen and lymph nodes in vitro stimulated with myelin produced less IFN-gamma and IL-10, respectively. This phenomenon was more clear in rats immunized with the genetic vaccine alone than with the prime-boost strategy. Together the results suggest that these strategies for TB prophylaxis would not accelerate or aggravate multiple sclerosis, being therefore, safe in this aspect. In addition, they indicate that these vaccination regimens have a potential anti-inflammatory activity that could be better explored in the future.

Bacterial biofilms with emphasis on coagulase-negative staphylococci

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

Recent advances in DNA vaccines for autoimmune diseases

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

Evaluation of pyraclostrobin and acibenzolar-S-methyl on common bacterial blight of snap bean

Assays were done under greenhouse conditions in order to evaluate the effect of pyraclostrobin (0.0375, 0.0750 and 0.150 mL.L-1) and acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) (0.025 g.L-1) in common bacterial blight on leaves of snap beans cultivar Braganca. These chemicals were sprayed at three different times: five days before; five days before + five days after; and five days after leaf inoculation with an isolate of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli. They were determinate the levels of polyphenoloxidase, peroxidase and total soluble proteins on inoculated and non-inoculated leaves of snap beans sprayed with pyraclostrobin (0.075 g.L-1) and ASM (0.025 g.L-1). All concentration of pyraclostrobin and ASM reduced the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) on leaves of snap beans, and the least AUDPC value was observed when this products were sprayed five days before + five days after inoculation. Higher levels of polyphenoloxidase, peroxidase and the total soluble proteins were observed on leaves sprayed with pyraclostrobin or ASM.

Culture-dependent and culture-independent characterization of microorganisms associated with Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) (L.) and dynamics of bacterial colonization in the midgut

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Screening of bacterial strains for pectinolytic activity: characterization of the polygalacturonase produced by Bacillus sp

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

Surface Roughness and Bacterial Adherence to Resin Composites and Ceramics

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface roughness and the in vitro adherence of Streptococcus mutans to indirect aesthetic restorative materials that are uncoated with saliva.Materials and Methods: Four groups of restorative materials were evaluated according to material type: (1) microparticulate feldspathic ceramic; (2) leucite-reinforced feldspathic ceramic; (3) microhybrid resin composite and (4) microfilled resin composite. Twenty standardised samples of each material were produced. Roughness analysis (Ra, n = 10) was performed using a roughness analyser. Adhesion tests (n = 10) were carried out in 24-well plates; colony-forming units (CFU/mL) were evaluated. The mean values of roughness (mu m) and adherence (CFU/mL) for each group were subjected to an analysis of variance and a Tukey test.Results: The leucite-reinforced feldspathic ceramic was rougher and presented higher bacterial adherence than the microparticulate feldspathic ceramic. The resin composites were similar with regard to surface roughness and bacterial adherence.Conclusions: The microhybrid and microfilled resin composites were similar and the leucite-reinforced feldspathic ceramic was rougher and presented higher bacterial adherence than the microparticulate feldspathic ceramic.

Morphology and bacterial colonisation of tooth/ceramic restoration interface after different cement excess removal techniques

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of different protocols for resin cement removal during cementation on biofilm formation.Methods: Twenty-eight ceramic blocks, which were injected under pressure, were placed over enamel blocks obtained from freshly extracted bovine incisors. The ceramic blocks were cemented to the enamel blocks using a dual-cured resin cement and the excess resin was removed according to the experimental group: TS: Teflon spatula; BR: brush; BR+: brush and polishing; SB+: scalpel blade and polishing. After autoclaving, the samples were colonised by incubation in a sucrose broth suspension standardised with Streptococcus mutans in microaerophilic stove. Specimens were quantitatively analysed for bacterial adherence at the adhesive interface using confocal laser scanning microscopy and counting the colony forming units, and qualitatively analysed using SEM. The roughness (Ra/Rz/RSm) was also analysed. Data were analysed by 1-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (5%).Results: The roughness values ranged from 0.96 to 1.69 mu m for Ra (p > 0.05), from 11.59 to 22.80 mu m for Rz (p = 0.02 < 0.05) and from 293.2 to 534.3 mu m for RSm (p = 0.00). Bacterial adhesion varied between 1,974,000 and 2,814,000 CFU/ml (p = 0.00). Biofilm mean thickness ranged from 0.477 and 0.556 mu m (p > 0.05), whilst the biovolume values were between 0.388 and 0.547 mu m(3)/mu m(2) (p = 0.04). Lower values for roughness, bacterial adhesion, biofilm thickness and biovolume were found with BR, whilst TS presented the highest values for most of the parameters. SEM images confirmed the quantitative values.Conclusions: The restoration margin morphology and interface roughness affects bacterial accumulation. The brush technique promoted less bacterial colonisation at the adhesive interface than did the other removal methods.Clinical significance: The brush technique seems to be a good option for removing the excess resin cement after adhesive cementation in clinical practice, as indicated by its better results with lower bacterial colonisation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.