Lost in translation? The potential psychobiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus (JB-1) fails to modulate stress or cognitive performance in healthy male subjects

Background: Preclinical studies have identified certain probiotics as psychobiotics a live microorganisms with a potential mental health benefit. Lactobacillus rhamnosus (JB-1) has been shown to reduce stress-related behaviour, corticosterone release and alter central expression of GABA receptors in an anxious mouse strain. However, it is unclear if this single putative psychobiotic strain has psychotropic activity in humans. Consequently, we aimed to examine if these promising preclinical findings could be translated to healthy human volunteers. Objectives: To determine the impact of L. rhamnosus on stress-related behaviours, physiology, inflammatory response, cognitive performance and brain activity patterns in healthy male participants. An 8 week, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over design was employed. Twenty-nine healthy male volunteers participated. Participants completed self-report stress measures, cognitive assessments and resting electroencephalography (EEG). Plasma IL10, IL1β, IL6, IL8 and TNFα levels and whole blood Toll-like 4 (TLR-4) agonist-induced cytokine release were determined by multiplex ELISA. Salivary cortisol was determined by ELISA and subjective stress measures were assessed before, during and after a socially evaluated cold pressor test (SECPT). Results: There was no overall effect of probiotic treatment on measures of mood, anxiety, stress or sleep quality and no significant effect of probiotic over placebo on subjective stress measures, or the HPA response to the SECPT. Visuospatial memory performance, attention switching, rapid visual information processing, emotion recognition and associated EEG measures did not show improvement over placebo. No significant anti-inflammatory effects were seen as assessed by basal and stimulated cytokine levels. Conclusions: L. rhamnosus was not superior to placebo in modifying stress-related measures, HPA response, inflammation or cognitive performance in healthy male participants. These findings highlight the challenges associated with moving promising preclinical studies, conducted in an anxious mouse strain, to healthy human participants. Future interventional studies investigating the effect of this psychobiotic in populations with stress-related disorders are required.

Prévoir la Réussite des Étudiants en Techniques d’inhalothérapie et d’anesthésie

Abstract: Respiratory therapists must be able to care for their patients safely, efficiently and competently. They manage critically ill patients on life support systems. As a member of the anesthesia team they are responsible for the vulnerable patient undergoing surgery. Within all areas of the hospital they are called upon to make decisions and judgements concerning patient treatment. The environment that is found in the modern clinical setting is often stressful and demanding. The respiratory and anesthesia technology program has the responsibility of preparing competent practioners who graduate not only with a broad knowledge base but with the affective competencies that are required to meet these challenges. Faculty and clinical instructors in the program of Respiratory and Anesthesia Technology have been troubled by rising attrition rates and weak performance of students. It is apparent that this is not a problem unique to Vanier College. The rationale for this study was multi-fold; to establish a definition of student success, to determine whether pre-admission academic abilities can predict success in the program and whether scores on a professional behavioural aptitudes tool can predict success in the clinical year of the program. Predictors were sought that could be used either in the pre-program admission policies or during the course of study in order to ensure success throughout the program and beyond. A qualitative analysis involving clinical instructors and faculty (n=5) was carried out to explore what success signified for a student in the respiratory and anesthesia program. While this process revealed that a student who obtained a grade above 77.5% was considered “successful”, the concept surrounding success was a much more complex issue. Affective as well as cognitive and psychomotor abilities complete the model of the successful student. Appropriate behaviour and certain character traits in a respiratory therapy student are considered to be significant elements leading to success. Assessment of students in their clinical year of the respiratory & anesthesia technology program currently include little measurement of abilities in the affective domain, and the resulting grade becomes primarily a measure of academic and procedural skills. A quantitative study of preadmission records and final program grades was obtained from a single cohort of respiratory and anesthesia technology students who began the program in 2005 and graduated in 2008 (n=16). Data was collected and a descriptive analysis (analysis of variance, Pearson correlation) was used to determine the relationship between preadmission grades and success. The lack of association between the high school grades and grades in the program ran contrary to some of the findings in the literature and it can be cautiously inferred that preadmission grades do not predict success in the program. To ascertain the predictive significance of evaluating professional behavioural skills and success in clinical internship, a behaviour assessment tool was used by clinical instructors and faculty to score each student during a rotation in their third year of the program which was clinical internship. The results of this analysis showed that a moderately strong association could be made between a high score on the behavior assessment tool and final clinical grades. Therefore this tool may be effective in predicting success in the clinical year of the program. Refining the admissions process to meet the challenge and responsibility of turning out graduates who are capable of meeting the needs of the profession is difficult but essential. The capacity to predict which students possess the affective competencies necessary to cope and succeed in their clinical year is conceivably more important than their academic abilities. Although these preliminary findings contribute, to some degree, to the literature that exists concerning methods of predicting success in a respiratory and anesthesia technology program, much data is still unknown. Further quantitative and qualitative research is required using a broader population base to substantiate the findings of this small study.||Résumé: Les inhalothérapeutes doivent être capables de prodiguer des soins à leurs patients d’une manière sécuritaire, efficace et compétente. Ils/elles peuvent être appelé(e)s à gérer les soins aux personnes gravement malades branchées à un respirateur artificiel. En tant que membres de l’équipe d’anesthésie, ils/elles sont responsables des patients qui subissent une chirurgie. Ils/elles sont sollicité(e)s par tous les secteurs de l’hôpital pour décider ou juger des traitements à apporter aux malades. L’environnement dans lequel ils/elles travaillent est souvent stressant et exigeant. Le programme de Techniques d’inhalothérapie et d’anesthésie vise à former des inhalothérapeutes compétent(e)s qui possèdent non seulement les connaissances propres à la discipline mais également les aptitudes affectives nécessaires pour faire face à ces défis. Les enseignant(e)s et instructeur(e)s cliniques en Techniques d’inhalothérapie et d’anesthésie sont préoccupé(e)s par le taux d’abandon croissant et la faible performance des étudiant(e)s dans le programme. Il semble que ce problème ne soit pas unique au Collège Vanier. Le but de cette recherche est multiple : définir ce qu’est «réussir» pour les étudiant(e)s de ce programme; déterminer si les aptitudes scolaires acquises avant l’admission au programme peuvent aider à prévoir le succès des étudiant(e)s dans le programme; et si les résultats obtenus à un test mesurant les aptitudes comportementales professionnelles permettent de prévoir le succès des étudiant(e)s dans le stage clinique du programme. On a essayé d’identifier des facteurs qui pourraient être utilisés dans les politiques d’admission au programme ou celles régissant le cheminement dans le programme qui permettraient d’assurer le succès au cours du programme et par la suite. Une analyse qualitative a été conduite auprès des instructeur(e)s cliniques et des enseignant(e)s (n=5) afin d’étudier la notion de « réussite » des étudiant(e)s dans le programme. Bien qu’un(e) étudiant(e) ayant obtenu une note supérieure à 77.5% soit considéré(e) comme ayant « réussi », la notion de « réussite » est beaucoup plus complexe. Des aptitudes affectives, autant que cognitives et psychomotrices complètent le modèle d’un(e) étudiant(e) ayant réussi. Un comportement approprié et certains traits de caractère sont considérés comme des facteurs importants pour la réussite d’un(e) étudiant(e) en techniques d’inhalothérapie et d’anesthésie. L’évaluation qui se fait actuellement des étudiant(e)s dans le stage clinique du programme ne porte que peu sur les aptitudes affectives, et le résultat obtenu témoigne essentiellement des aptitudes scolaires et procédurales. Une analyse quantitative des dossiers des étudiant(e)s avant leur admission au programme et leurs notes finales a été conduite auprès d’une cohorte d’étudiant(e)s ayant commencé le programme en 2005 et gradué en 2008 (n=16). Des données ont été recueillies et une analyse descriptive (analyse de la variance, corrélation de Pearson) ont été faites afin de déterminer l’existence d’un lien entre les notes obtenues au secondaire et celles obtenues dans le programme. L’absence de corrélation entre les deux catégories de notes va à l’encontre de certaines recherches publiées et on peut déduire avec réserve que les notes obtenues avant l’admission au programme ne permettent pas de prévoir la réussite dans le programme. Afin de vérifier la portée de l’évaluation du comportement professionnel et de la réussite en milieu clinique quant à la prévision de réussite dans le programme, une méthode d’évaluation du comportement a été appliquée par les instructeurs(e) cliniques et les enseignant(e)s pour évaluer chaque étudiant(e) au cours d’une rotation dans leur troisième année de stage clinique. Les résultats de cette analyse ont démontré qu’une corrélation moyennement forte pouvait être faite entre une bonne note à l’évaluation comportementale et les notes finales du stage clinique. Perfectionner le processus d’admission au programme afin d’assumer la responsabilité de former des diplômé(e)s capables de répondre aux besoins de la profession est difficile mais essentiel. Avoir les moyens de prévoir quels/quelles étudiant(e)s ont les compétences affectives nécessaires pour faire face à la réussite de leur année de stage clinique est peut être plus important que d’avoir les aptitudes scolaires. Bien que ces observations préliminaires contribuent, à un certain degré, à la littérature existante sur les méthodes de prévoir la réussite dans le programme d’inhalothérapie et d’anesthésie, plusieurs données restent inconnues. Une recherche quantitative et qualitative plus élaborée, conduite sur un échantillon plus large de la population, est nécessaire afin de corroborer les résultats de cette étude limitée.

Ideación suicida y desesperanza en pacientes con cáncer

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue identificar la relación entre ideación suicida y desesperanza en 160 pacientes con cáncer. La ideación suicida se midió a través de dos ítems de una entrevista semiestructurada, la escala de ideación suicida (ISS), el ítem 9 del inventario de depresión de Beck (BDI-IA). La desesperanza se midió con la escala de desesperanza de Beck (BHS). Los resultados obtenidos indicaron una relación significativa (p=.000) entre ideación suicida y desesperanza; una prevalencia de ideación suicida en los pacientes con cáncer entre 4.4% y 13.8% y de riesgo de suicidio entre 5.6% y 30.6%; y algún grado de desesperanza en 31.9 % de los participantes. De acuerdo con lo anterior, se confirma que existe relación entre la desesperanza y la ideación suicida en pacientes oncológicos adultos. Adicionalmente, que estas variables están presentes en los pacientes y que ameritan atención en la intervención interdisciplinaria.

Actitudes hacia la Enfermedad del Alzheimer según el género y la edad de adultos colombianos

La enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) es la demencia más frecuente y su prevalencia continúa en aumento tanto en Colombia como en el mundo. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo explorar si las actitudes hacia la EA varían según la edad y género de 450 personas adultas colombianas. Se realizó un estudio exploratorio de corte transversal en el que se aplicó un cuestionario autodiligenciado. Se encontró que efectivamente hay algunas diferencias según la edad y el género en el componente cognoscitivo (creencias y conocimiento) y conductual (intención conductual y conducta) de las actitudes; y diferencias según el género en el componente afectivo. Se concluye que los conocimientos sobre la EA son escasos, que la tristeza es la emoción predominante hacia la EA y que es un tema de interés en el que predomina la idea de que afecta especialmente la memoria. Se discutieron los resultados reconociendo que esta es una aproximación inicial a las actitudes hacia la EA.

Methods for objective and interpretative evaluation of function and motor control: gait in perturbed condition and in the aquatic therapy

Gait analysis allows to characterize motor function, highlighting deviations from normal motor behavior related to an underlying pathology. The widespread use of wearable inertial sensors has opened the way to the evaluation of ecological gait, and a variety of methodological approaches and algorithms have been proposed for the characterization of gait from inertial measures (e.g. for temporal parameters, motor stability and variability, specific pathological alterations). However, no comparative analysis of their performance (i.e. accuracy, repeatability) was available yet, in particular, analysing how this performance is affected by extrinsic (i.e. sensor location, computational approach, analysed variable, testing environmental constraints) and intrinsic (i.e. functional alterations resulting from pathology) factors. The aim of the present project was to comparatively analyze the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the performance of the numerous algorithms proposed in the literature for the quantification of specific characteristics (i.e. timing, variability/stability) and alterations (i.e. freezing) of gait. Considering extrinsic factors, the influence of sensor location, analyzed variable, and computational approach on the performance of a selection of gait segmentation algorithms from a literature review was analysed in different environmental conditions (e.g. solid ground, sand, in water). Moreover, the influence of altered environmental conditions (i.e. in water) was analyzed as referred to the minimum number of stride necessary to obtain reliable estimates of gait variability and stability metrics, integrating what already available in the literature for over ground gait in healthy subjects. Considering intrinsic factors, the influence of specific pathological conditions (i.e. Parkinson’s Disease) was analyzed as affecting the performance of segmentation algorithms, with and without freezing. Finally, the analysis of the performance of algorithms for the detection of gait freezing showed how results depend on the domain of implementation and IMU position.

Seeing emotions in others: Improving cognitive and neuronal mechanisms of facial expression processing

In the conceptual framework of affective neuroscience, this thesis intends to advance the understanding of the plasticity mechanisms of other’s emotional facial expression representations. Chapter 1 outlines a description of the neurophysiological bases of Hebbian plasticity, reviews influential studies that adopted paired associative stimulation procedures, and introduces new lines of research where the impact of cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation protocols on higher order cognitive functions is investigated. The experiments in Chapter 2 aimed to test the modulatory influence of a perceptual-motor training, based on the execution of emotional expressions, on the subsequent emotion intensity judgements of others’ high (i.e., full visible) and low-intensity (i.e., masked) emotional expressions. As a result of the training-induced learning, participants showed a significant congruence effect, as indicated by relatively higher expression intensity ratings for the same emotion as the one that was previously trained. Interestingly, although judged as overall less emotionally intense, surgical facemasks did not prevent the emotion-specific effects of the training to occur, suggesting that covering the lower part of other’s face do not interact with the training-induced congruence effect. In Chapter 3 it was implemented a transcranial magnetic stimulation study targeting neural pathways involving re-entrant input from higher order brain regions into lower levels of the visual processing hierarchy. We focused on cortical visual networks within the temporo-occipital stream underpinning the processing of emotional faces and susceptible to plastic adaptations. Importantly, we tested the plasticity-induced effects in a state dependent manner, by administering ccPAS while presenting different facial expressions yet afferent to a specific emotion. Results indicated that the discrimination accuracy of emotion-specific expressions is enhanced following the ccPAS treatment, suggesting that a multi-coil TMS intervention might represent a suitable tool to drive brain remodeling at a neural network level, and consequently influence a specific behavior.

Development and Implementation of the Plasma Focus Technology for Radiation Therapy Applications

A Plasma Focus device can confine in a small region a plasma generated during the pinch phase. When the plasma is in the pinch condition it creates an environment that produces several kinds of radiations. When the filling gas is nitrogen, a self-collimated backwardly emitted electron beam, slightly spread by the coulomb repulsion, can be considered one of the most interesting outputs. That beam can be converted into X-ray pulses able to transfer energy at an Ultra-High Dose-Rate (UH-DR), up to 1 Gy pulse-1, for clinical applications, research, or industrial purposes. The radiation fields have been studied with the PFMA-3 hosted at the University of Bologna, finding the radiation behavior at different operating conditions and working parameters for a proper tuning of this class of devices in clinical applications. The experimental outcomes have been compared with available analytical formalisms as benchmark and the scaling laws have been proposed. A set of Monte Carlo models have been built with direct and adjoint techniques for an accurate X-ray source characterization and for setting fast and reliable irradiation planning for patients. By coupling deterministic and Monte Carlo codes, a focusing lens for the charged particles has been designed for obtaining a beam suitable for applications as external radiotherapy or intra-operative radiation therapy. The radiobiological effectiveness of the UH PF DR, a FLASH source, has been evaluated by coupling different Monte Carlo codes estimating the overall level of DNA damage at the multi-cellular and tissue levels by considering the spatial variation effects as well as the radiation field characteristics. The numerical results have been correlated to the experimental outcomes. Finally, ambient dose measurements have been performed for tuning the numerical models and obtaining doses for radiation protection purposes. The PFMA-3 technology has been fully characterized toward clinical implementation and installation in a medical facility.

Hierarchical active inference for cognitive architectures

This thesis explores the methods based on the free energy principle and active inference for modelling cognition. Active inference is an emerging framework for designing intelligent agents where psychological processes are cast in terms of Bayesian inference. Here, I appeal to it to test the design of a set of cognitive architectures, via simulation. These architectures are defined in terms of generative models where an agent executes a task under the assumption that all cognitive processes aspire to the same objective: the minimization of variational free energy. Chapter 1 introduces the free energy principle and its assumptions about self-organizing systems. Chapter 2 describes how from the mechanics of self-organization can emerge a minimal form of cognition able to achieve autopoiesis. In chapter 3 I present the method of how I formalize generative models for action and perception. The architectures proposed allow providing a more biologically plausible account of more complex cognitive processing that entails deep temporal features. I then present three simulation studies that aim to show different aspects of cognition, their associated behavior and the underlying neural dynamics. In chapter 4, the first study proposes an architecture that represents the visuomotor system for the encoding of actions during action observation, understanding and imitation. In chapter 5, the generative model is extended and is lesioned to simulate brain damage and neuropsychological patterns observed in apraxic patients. In chapter 6, the third study proposes an architecture for cognitive control and the modulation of attention for action selection. At last, I argue how active inference can provide a formal account of information processing in the brain and how the adaptive capabilities of the simulated agents are a mere consequence of the architecture of the generative models. Cognitive processing, then, becomes an emergent property of the minimization of variational free energy.

Testosterone Therapy Differently Regulates The Anti- And Pro-inflammatory Cytokines In The Plasma And Prostate Of Rats Submitted To Chronic Ethanol Consumption (uchb).

Ethanol consumption damages the prostate, and testosterone is known by anti-inflammatory role. The cytokines were investigated in the plasma and ventral prostate of UChB rats submitted or not to testosterone therapy by ELISA and Western blot, respectively. Additionally, inflammatory foci and mast cells were identified in the ventral prostate slides stained by hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue, respectively. Inflammatory foci were found in the ethanol-treated animals and absent after testosterone therapy. Plasma levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were not changed while TNFα and TFG-β1 were increased in the animals submitted testosterone therapy. Regarding to ventral prostate, IL-6 did not alter, while IL-10, TNFα, and TFG-β1 were increased after testosterone therapy. Ethanol increases NFR2 in addition to high number of intact and degranulated mast cell which were reduced after testosterone therapy. So, ethanol and testosterone differentially modulates the cytokines in the plasma and prostate.

Genetic Predictors Of Long-term Response To Growth Hormone (gh) Therapy In Children With Gh Deficiency And Turner Syndrome: The Influence Of A Socs2 Polymorphism.

There is great interindividual variability in the response to GH therapy. Ascertaining genetic factors can improve the accuracy of growth response predictions. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-2 is an intracellular negative regulator of GH receptor (GHR) signaling. The objective of the study was to assess the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism (rs3782415) and its interactive effect with GHR exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 (rs2854744) polymorphisms on adult height of patients treated with recombinant human GH (rhGH). Genotypes were correlated with adult height data of 65 Turner syndrome (TS) and 47 GH deficiency (GHD) patients treated with rhGH, by multiple linear regressions. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction was used to evaluate gene-gene interactions. Baseline clinical data were indistinguishable among patients with different genotypes. Adult height SD scores of patients with at least one SOCS2 single-nucleotide polymorphism rs3782415-C were 0.7 higher than those homozygous for the T allele (P < .001). SOCS2 (P = .003), GHR-exon 3 (P= .016) and -202 A/C IGFBP3 (P = .013) polymorphisms, together with clinical factors accounted for 58% of the variability in adult height and 82% of the total height SD score gain. Patients harboring any two negative genotypes in these three different loci (homozygosity for SOCS2 T allele; the GHR exon 3 full-length allele and/or the -202C-IGFBP3 allele) were more likely to achieve an adult height at the lower quartile (odds ratio of 13.3; 95% confidence interval of 3.2-54.2, P = .0001). The SOCS2 polymorphism (rs3782415) has an influence on the adult height of children with TS and GHD after long-term rhGH therapy. Polymorphisms located in GHR, IGFBP3, and SOCS2 loci have an influence on the growth outcomes of TS and GHD patients treated with rhGH. The use of these genetic markers could identify among rhGH-treated patients those who are genetically predisposed to have less favorable outcomes.

Dyspareunia And Lubrication In Premature Ovarian Failure Using Hormonal Therapy And Vaginal Health.

To evaluate vaginal microbiological and functional aspects in women with and without premature ovarian failure (POF) and the relationship with sexual function. A cross-sectional study of 36 women with POF under hormonal therapy who were age-matched with 36 women with normal gonadal function. The vaginal tropism was assessed through hormonal vaginal cytology, vaginal pH and vaginal health index (VHI). Vaginal flora were assessed by the amine test, bacterioscopy and culture for fungi. Sexual function was evaluated through the questionnaire Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Women in both groups were of similar age and showed similar marital status. The two groups presented vaginal tropic scores according to the VHI but the tropism was worse among women in the POF group. No difference was observed with respect to hormonal cytology and pH. Vaginal flora was similar in both groups. Women with POF showed worse sexual performance with more pain and poorer lubrication than women in the control group. The VHI, the only parameter evaluated showing statistical difference between the groups, did not correlate with the domains of pain and lubrication in the FSFI questionnaire. These findings suggest that the use of systemic estrogen among women with POF is not enough to improve complaints of lubrication and pain despite conferring similar tropism and vaginal flora. Other therapeutic options need to be evaluated.

The Effect Of Soy Dietary Supplement And Low Dose Of Hormone Therapy On Main Cardiovascular Health Biomarkers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To assess the effects of a soy dietary supplement on the main biomarkers of cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women compared with the effects of low-dose hormone therapy (HT) and placebo. Double-blind, randomized and controlled intention-to-treat trial. Sixty healthy postmenopausal women, aged 40-60 years, 4.1 years mean time since menopause were recruited and randomly assigned to 3 groups: a soy dietary supplement group (isoflavone 90mg), a low-dose HT group (estradiol 1 mg plus noretisterone 0.5 mg) and a placebo group. Lipid profile, glucose level, body mass index, blood pressure and abdominal/hip ratio were evaluated in all the participants at baseline and after 16 weeks. Statistical analyses were performed using the χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), paired Student's t-test and Wilcoxon test. After a 16-week intervention period, total cholesterol decreased 11.3% and LDL-cholesterol decreased 18.6% in the HT group, but both did not change in the soy dietary supplement and placebo groups. Values for triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, glucose level, body mass index, blood pressure and abdominal/hip ratio did not change over time in any of the three groups. The use of dietary soy supplement did not show any significant favorable effect on cardiovascular health biomarkers compared with HT. The trial is registered at the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos - ReBEC), number RBR-76mm75.

Discovery Of A Rare Pterosaur Bone Bed In A Cretaceous Desert With Insights On Ontogeny And Behavior Of Flying Reptiles.

A pterosaur bone bed with at least 47 individuals (wing spans: 0.65-2.35 m) of a new species is reported from southern Brazil from an interdunal lake deposit of a Cretaceous desert, shedding new light on several biological aspects of those flying reptiles. The material represents a new pterosaur, Caiuajara dobruskii gen. et sp. nov., that is the southermost occurrence of the edentulous clade Tapejaridae (Tapejarinae, Pterodactyloidea) recovered so far. Caiuajara dobruskii differs from all other members of this clade in several cranial features, including the presence of a ventral sagittal bony expansion projected inside the nasoantorbital fenestra, which is formed by the premaxillae; and features of the lower jaw, like a marked rounded depression in the occlusal concavity of the dentary. Ontogenetic variation of Caiuajara dobruskii is mainly reflected in the size and inclination of the premaxillary crest, changing from small and inclined (∼ 115°) in juveniles to large and steep (∼ 90°) in adults. No particular ontogenetic features are observed in postcranial elements. The available information suggests that this species was gregarious, living in colonies, and most likely precocial, being able to fly at a very young age, which might have been a general trend for at least derived pterosaurs.

[do Elderly Individuals With A Cognitive Handicap Have Worse Oral Health?].

A comparison of the oral health of elderly people with and without a cognitive handicap was assessed. The cognitive condition, the indices of decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), decayed, filled roots (DFR), the need for dental treatment, the presence of plaque (P), calculus (C), the community periodontal index (CPI), the rate of periodontal attachment loss (PAL), edentulism, prosthetic use and the need for prosthetics were evaluated in a complex probabilistic sample by conglomerates of the elderly (65-74 years). PASW(r) 17.0 was used for the statistical analyses with correction for the design effect, applying the Mann Whitney and chi-square test with 95% reliability. A total of 736 elderly individuals were interviewed and examined. Those with cognitive impairment had higher average DMFT, DFR and lower average healthy sextant CPI, a lower prevalence of sextants without plaque/calculus, use of prosthetics and higher prevalence of edentulism and need for prosthetics. Elderly individuals with a cognitive handicap had poorer oral health.

Bile And Liver Metallothionein Behavior In Copper-exposed Fish.

The present study analyzed metallothionein (MT) excretion from liver to bile in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to sub-lethal copper concentrations (2mgL(-1)) in a laboratory setting. MTs in liver and bile were quantified by spectrophotometry after thermal incubation and MT metal-binding profiles were characterized by size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography coupled to ICP-MS (SEC-HPLC-ICP-MS). Results show that liver MT is present in approximately 250-fold higher concentrations than bile MT in non-exposed fish. Differences between the MT profiles from the control and exposed group were observed for both matrices, indicating differential metal-binding behavior when comparing liver and bile MT. This is novel data regarding intra-organ MT comparisons, since differences between organs are usually present only with regard to quantification, not metal-binding behavior. Bile MT showed statistically significant differences between the control and exposed group, while the same did not occur with liver MT. This indicates that MTs synthesized in the liver accumulate more slowly than MTs excreted from liver to bile, since the same fish presented significantly higher MT levels in liver when compared to bile. We postulate that bile, although excreted in the intestine and partially reabsorbed by the same returning to the liver, may also release MT-bound metals more rapidly and efficiently, which may indicate an efficient detoxification route. Thus, we propose that the analysis of bile MTs to observe recent metal exposure may be more adequate than the analysis of liver MTs, since organism responses to metals are more quickly observed in bile, although further studies are necessary.