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The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of the elongated styloid process in panoramic radiographic exams, in a subpopulation of northern Brazil in relation to age, sex and side. Panoramic radiographs were selected, and the apparent size of the styloid process was measured from the point where the styloid leaves the tympanic plate to the tip of the process. The data were analyzed using chi-square tests and variance analysis with a 5% significance level. Approximately 30% of the elongated styloid process was observed in patients between 18 to 35 years. Of the styloid processes that measured more than 30 mm (elongated), 764 styloid processes (81%) showed Type I elongation pattern, 97 styloid processes (10%) showed Type II calcification patterns, and 85 styloid processes (9%) showed Type III calcification patterns. The prevalence of the elongated styloid process was high, and no statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of the elongated styloid process and the variables studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize the audiological findings of a sample of patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) in southern Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, quantitative study. Research was carried out at a hospital which is considered to offer benchmark treatment for patients with OI in southern Brazil. Seventy-seven patients were recruited, at ages between 5 and 55 years; the mean age was 21.9 ± 14.3 years. Patients were divided into three age groups: 10 and under, 10–19 and over 19. During our study, peripheral audiological assessments were performed (pure tone testing and acoustic immittance measurements). The main outcome measures taken into account were airway thresholds, bone conduction, air–bone gap and compliance values between compared frequencies. Data were analyzed per ear. Results: Normal hearing thresholds were found in 96 (64.4%) ears of the total sample. When analysis was stratified into age groups, normal hearing thresholds were found in 81.3%, 65%, and 54.4%, of the children, adolescent and adult groups, respectively. Concerning hearing impairments, there was a predominance of mixed type hearing loss in adults (21.1%) whereas adolescents presented conductive hearing loss or a conductive loss factor, while maintaining airway thresholds within the bounds of normality (30%). Ears with hearing loss showed superior compliance means than ears without hearing loss (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Overall, the majority of the subjects in this patient sample presented normal hearing thresholds. When present, hearing impairments were more prevalent in the adult group than in the adolescent or children's groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect(s) of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on in vitro RANKL-mediated osteoclast-dependent bone resorption events and the influence of Ca 2+ and Al 3+ on the osteoclastogenesis inhibition by MTA., Materials and Methods: Two types of osteoclast precursors, RAW 264.7 (RAW) cell line or bone marrow cells (obtained from BALB/c mice and stimulated with recombinant (r) macrophage colony stimulation factor (M-CSF), were stimulated with or without recombinant (r) activator of nuclear kappa B ligand (RANKL), in the presence or absence of MTA for 6 to 8 days. White Angelus MTA and Bios MTA (Angelus, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil) were prepared and inserted into capillary tubes (direct contact surface = 0.50 mm 2 and 0.01 mm 2 ). Influence of MTA on these types of osteoclast precursors was measured by the number of differentiated tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinuclear cells (RAW and bone marrow cells), TRAP enzyme activity (RAW cells), cathepsin K gene expression (RAW cells), and resorptive pit formation (RAW cells) by mature osteoclasts. Besides, RAW cells were also stimulated with Ca 2+ and Al 3+ to evaluate the influence of these ions on MTA anti-osteoclastogenic potential., Results: In bone marrow and RAW cells, the number of TRAP-positive mature osteoclast cells induced by rRANKL was significantly inhibited by the presence of MTA compared with control rRANKL stimulation without MTA (p < 0.05), along with the reduction of TRAP enzyme activity (p < 0.05) and the low expression of cathepsin K gene (p < 0.05). In contrast, to control mature osteoclasts, the resorption area on dentin was significantly decreased for mature osteoclasts incubated with MTA (p < 0.05). rRANKL-stimulated RAW cells treated with Ca 2+ and Al 3+ decreased the number of osteoclasts cells. Besides, the aluminum oxide was the dominant suppressor of the osteoclastogenesis process., Conclusions: MTA significantly suppressed RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activity and, therefore, appears able to suppress bone resorption events in periapical lesions. This process might be related to Ca 2+ and Al 3+ activities., Clinical Relevance: MTA is an important worldwidely acknowleged biomaterial. The knowledge about its molecular activities on osteoclasts might contribute to improving the understanding of its clinical efficacy.

The estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, is one of the most abundant cetacean species in Brazil. Determination of age and of aspects associated with the development of this species is significant new studies. Counts of growth layer groups in dentin are used to estimate age of these animals, though other ways to evaluate development are also adopted, like the measurement of total length (TL). This study presents a procedure to evaluate the development of the estuarine dolphin based on the ossification pattern of forelimbs. Thirty-seven estuarine dolphins found in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, were examined. Age was estimated, TL was measured and ossification of epiphyses was examined by radiography. We analyzed results using the Spearman correlation. Inspection of radiographs allowed evaluation of the significance of the correlation between age and development of the proximal (r = 0.9109) and distal (r = 0.9092) radial epiphyses, and of the distal ulnar epiphyses (r = 0.9055). Radiographic analysis of forelimbs proved to be an appropriate method to evaluate physical maturity, and may be a helpful tool to estimate age of these animals in ecological and population studies.