Tamoxifen inhibits transforming growth factor-alpha gene expression in human breast carcinoma samples treated with triiodothyronine

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

Changes in the stiffness of demineralized dentin following application of tooth whitening agents

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

Comparison of visual inspection, radiographic examination, laser fluorescence and their combinations on treatment decisions for occlusal surfaces

Purpose: To compare visual inspection (VI), radiographic examination (RX) and the laser fluorescence device DIAGNOdent (L), as well as their combinations in vitro regarding treatment decisions for occlusal surfaces. Methods: 72 extracted human permanent teeth (molars and premolars) were used. Treatment decisions were recorded by three calibrated examiners, and the options available were fissure sealant and conservative restoration. For validation of treatment decisions, the teeth were sectioned and examined in a stereomicroscope. Thereafter, dental slices were scanned and the images were edited to facilitate classification of existing carious lesions. Intra and inter-examiner reproducibility for the determination of treatment plans were calculated using Cohen's kappa test (95%-CI). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the area under the ROC curve were also calculated. Results: VI and L provided on average the greatest intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility, respectively. Although the combination of diagnostic methods may decrease both intra- and inter examiners reproducibility, combination of VI, L and RX resulted in the greatest sensitivity, being statistically superior to RX and L. There was more inter-examiner agreement for the option of restorative treatment, while the use of sealants as a treatment option yielded the lowest values. Negative predictive values were numerically inferior to positive predictive values, indicating that the examiners preferred not to restore a carious tooth than to proceed operatively in an intact tooth. The combination of the three methods studied showed the best results in determining treatment plans for occlusal surfaces, when compared to the other types of exams. on the other hand, radiographic examination and laser fluorescence were less efficient when used alone.

Exploring CBCT-Based DICOM Files. A Systematic Review on the Properties of Images Used to Evaluate Maxillofacial Bone Grafts

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

Effect of Conventional and Resin-modified Glass-Ionomer Liner on Dentin Adhesive Interface of Class I Cavity Walls After Thermocycling

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to analyze the effect of glass-ionomer cement as a liner on the dentin/resin adhesive interface of lateral walls of occlusal restorations after thermocycling.Materials and Methods: Occlusal cavities were prepared in 60 human molars, divided into six groups: no liner (1 and 4); glass-ionomer cement (GIC, Ketac Molar Easymix, 3M ESPE) (2 and 5); and resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC, Vitrebond, 3M ESPE) (3 and 6). Resin composite (Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE) was placed after application of an adhesive system (Adper Single Bond 2, 3M ESPE) that was mixed with a fluorescent reagent (Rhodamine B) to allow confocal microscopy analysis. Specimens of groups 4, 5 and 6 were thermocycled (5 degrees C-55 degrees C) with a dwell time of 30 seconds for 5000 cycles. After this period, teeth were sectioned in approximately 0.8-mm slices. One slice of each tooth was randomly selected for confocal microscopy analysis. The other slices were sectioned into 0.8 nun x 0.8 mm beams, which were submitted to microtensile testing (MPa). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey test (p < 0.05).Results: There was no detectedstatistical difference on bond strength among groups (alpha < 0.05). Confocal microscopy analysis showed a higher mean gap size in group 4(12.5 mu m) and a higher percentage of marginal gaps in the thermocycled groups. The RNIGIC liner groups showed the lowest percentage of marginal gaps.Conclusions: Lining with RMGIC resulted in less gap formation at the dentin/resin adhesive interface after artificial aging. RMGIC or GIC liners did not alter the microtensile bond strength of adhesive system/resin composite to dentin on the lateral walls of Class I restorations.

Treinamento físico durante a recuperação nutricional não afeta o metabolismo muscular da glicose de ratos

O presente estudo visou avaliar a ingestão alimentar, ganho de peso e metabolismo muscular da glicose em ratos submetidos ao treinamento aeróbio durante recuperação de desnutrição protéica. Para isso, 60 ratos da linhagem Wistar, machos, foram separados nos grupos normoprotéico (NP) e hipoprotéico (HP), de acordo com a dieta NP (17% de proteína) ou HP (6% de proteína), respectivamente, recebida do desmame (21 dias) aos 90 dias de idade. Todos os animais passaram então, a receber a dieta NP e foram submetidos (treinado TRE) ou não (sedentário - SED) ao treinamento físico, que consistiu de corrida em esteira rolante, 25m/min, 50 minutos ao dia, cinco dias na semana, durante 30 dias, compondo os grupos NP-SED, NP-TRE, HP/NP-SED e HP/NP-TRE. Foi avaliado o metabolismo da glicose em fatias de músculo sóleo incubado em presença de insulina (100miU/L) e glicose (5,5mM, contendo [C14] glicose e [H³] 2-deoxiglicose). A ingestão alimentar diária (g/100g de peso corporal) do grupo HP/NP-TRE (24,39 ± 4,07) foi maior do que o grupo HP/NP-SED (21,62 ± 4,69). O ganho de peso (g) foi semelhante nos grupos HP/NP-TRE (203,80 ± 34,03) e HP/NP-SED (214,43 ± 30,54). Não houve diferença entre estes dois grupos quanto aos parâmetros: captação de glicose, oxidação de glicose e síntese de glicogênio pelo músculo sóleo. Desse modo, pudemos concluir que o treinamento aeróbio não teve impacto sobre a recuperação nutricional, visto que não houve diferenças metabólicas ou somáticas entre animais recuperados em presença ou ausência do treinamento.

Influence of ultrasound and physical activity on bone healing

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

Serum homocysteine and physical exercise in patients with Parkinson's disease

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a major risk factor for cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as cortical and hippocampal injury, including an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have been treated with levodopa; however, physical exercises can help reduce Hcy concentrations. The aim of the present study was to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with PD who partook in regular physical exercises, sedentary PD patients, and healthy controls.Methods: Sixty individuals were enrolled in the present study across three groups: (i) 17 patients who did not partake of any type of exercise; (ii) 24 PD patients who exercised regularly; and (iii) 19 healthy individuals who did not exercise regularly. All participants were evaluated by Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Schwab and England scale (measure daily functionality). The serum levels of Hcy were analyzed by blood samples collected of each participant. An analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test were applied to compare and to verify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to consider the association between several variables.Results: Mean plasma Hcy concentrations in individuals who exercised regularly were similar to those in the healthy controls and significantly lower than those in the group that did not exercise at all (P = 0.000). In addition, patients who did not exercise were receiving significantly higher doses of levodopa than those patients who exercised regularly (P = 0.001). A positive relationship between levodopa dose and Hcy concentrations (R(2) = 0.27; P = 0.03) was observed in patients who did not exercise, but not in those patients who exercised regularly (R(2) = 0.023; P = 0.15).Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that, even with regular levodopa therapy, Hcy concentrations in PD patients who exercise regularly are significantly lower than in patients who do not exercise and are similar Hcy concentrations in healthy controls.

The Anatomy of the Thoracic Spinal Canal Investigated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND: We investigated, with magnetic resonance imaging, the distance of the dura mater to the spinal cord in patients without spinal or medullar disease at the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments.METHODS: Fifty patients in the supine position underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Medial sagittal slices of the 2nd, 5th, and 10th thoracic segments were measured for the relative distances using the 1.5-T superconducting system (Gyroscan Intera, Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands). In 10 patients, the angles relative to the tangent at the insertion point on the skin were measured.RESULTS: The posterior dural-spinal cord distance is significantly greater at the midthoracic region (5th thoracic = 5.8 +/- 0.8 mm) than at the upper (2nd thoracic = 3.9 +/- 0.8 mm) and lower thoracic levels (10th thoracic = 4.1 +/- 1.0 mm) (P < 0.015). There were no differences between interspaces T2 and 110. There was no correlation between age and the measured distance between the dura mater and the spinal cord. The entry angle of the needle at T2 was 9.0 degrees +/- 2.5 degrees; at T5, 45.0 degrees +/- 7.4 degrees; and at T10, 9.50 degrees +/- 4.2 degrees.CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that there is greater depth of the posterior subarachnoid space at the T2, T5, and T10 levels. The greater distance was found at T5. (Anesth Analg 2010;110:1494-5)

Ascorbic acid degradation kinetics in tomatoes at different drying conditions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Utilização de métodos combinados para obtenção de mamão formosa (carica papaya) seco

COMBINED METHODS TO OBTAIN DRIED PAPAYA of FORMOSA CULTIVAR (Carica papaya) The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of blanching in hot water, osmotic dehydration in sucrose solution and pectin coating on color and water activity of papaya slices after convective drying. on the first experiments, the influence of concentration and time of dehydration on color changes and water activity of fresh and blanched papaya slices was evaluated based on a factorial design. It was not verified significant color changes at the studied ranges. An expression for the water activity of osmotically dehydrated blanched samples was found. Then, the influences of blanching, osmotic dehydration, edible coating and combinations among these pre-treatments on color and water activity were evaluated after convective drying of papaya slices. Blanching was not an advantageous pre-treatment to maintain color and reduce water activity of dried fruits. Osmotically dehydrated fresh samples with or without coating presented the best results.

Influência de pré-influência de pré-tratamentos sobre a desidratação osmótica de carambolas

A desidratação osmótica (DO) de fatias de carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) em solução de sacarose foi estudada, com o objetivo de otimizar o processo. Num primeiro conjunto de experimentos, aplicou-se revestimento de coberturas comestíveis (pectina ou pectina+amido) sobre as fatias, seguido de do em solução aquosa de sacarose (50%, p/p, 27°C). Num segundo conjunto, foi realizada secagem parcial da cobertura, em estufa, antes da DO. Num terceiro conjunto de experimentos testou-se a adição de CaCl2 na solução osmótica. A aplicação dos revestimentos antes da do não melhorou a eficiência (máxima perda água/ganho soluto) devido à grande retenção de umidade e à fácil impregnação de sacarose nos mesmos, enquanto que o tecido vegetal sem revestimento restringiu mais o ganho de soluto e propiciou maior saída de água. A utilização de CaCl2 a 0,04M, na própria solução osmótica de sacarose, melhorou ligeiramente a eficiência do processo, em relação à solução sem o sal. A do em solução de sacarose, sem e com a adição de CaCl2, geraram resultados positivos na qualidade sensorial da carambola em fatias, desidratadas em secador (60 e 70°C), em comparação com a fruta não tratada, sendo que a melhor temperatura de secagem foi 60°C.

Efeito do pré-tratamento osmótico com sacarose e cloreto de sódio sobre a secagem convectiva de abóbora

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

Kinetics of osmotic dehydration and air-drying of pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata)

Kinetics of osmotic dehydration (OD) and effects of sucrose impregnation on thermal air-drying of pumpkin slices were investigated. A simplified model based on the solution of Fick's Law was used to estimate effective diffusion coefficients during OD and air-drying. In order to take into account shrinkage, average and variable thicknesses were considered. Pumpkin slices were dehydrated in sucrose solutions (40%, 50% and 60%, w/w, 27 degrees C. The effective water diffusion coefficients were higher than the sucrose, and low diffusivity dependence with solution concentration was observed. Samples non-treated and pre-treated in 60% osmotic solutions during one hour were dried in a hot-air-dryer at 50 and 70 degrees C (2 m/s) until equilibrium was achieved. Pre-treatment enhanced mass transfer during air-drying. Great volume reduction was observed in pre and non-treated dried samples. Using variable thickness in the model diminished the relative deviations between predicted and experimental OD and drying data. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autogenous demineralized dentin matrix for tissue engineering applications: Radiographic and histomorphometric studies

Purpose: This work evaluated the osteoconductive properties of autogenous demineralized dentin matrix (ADDM) on surgical bone defects in the parietal bone of rabbits, using the guided bone regeneration technique and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane. Materials and Methods: Surgical bone defects were created in 24 adult rabbits and repaired with either ADDM and PTFE (experimental group) or PTFE alone (control group). The ADDM had been obtained from the central incisors of the experimental rabbits. The rabbits were sacrificed after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days and the defects examined radiographically and histologically. Results: Radiographically, the defects in the experimental animals achieved radiopacity more quickly than the defects in the control group. Discussion: After 15, 30, 60, and 90 days of observation following surgery, the ADDM slices appeared to stimulate new bone formation. The dentin slices were completely incorporated into the new bone tissue and were resorbed during the bone repair. Conclusions: Bone repair was accelerated on the bone defects treated with ADDM when compared to the control group.