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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of periapical radiographs, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) sections, and cone beam volumetric data on the determination of periapical bone destruction in endodontically treated distal root canals of premolar canine teeth. Nontreated mesial roots were used as controls. STUDY DESIGN: Enterococcus faecalis strain (ATCC 29212) was inoculated into 30 root canals of 2 mongrel dogs to induce apical periodontitis. After 60 days, the root canals of the distal roots of the 11 mandibular and 4 maxillary premolars were endodontically treated (n = 15). The mesial root canals were used as controls (no treatment). The bone destruction was evaluated after 6 months by 5 evaluators using periapical radiographs and by CBCT (coronal and sagittal sections). After the experimental period, the area of the lesions in periapical radiographs and CBCT sections were measured in mm(2) using the ImageTool software. A single evaluator measured the volumetric data using the OsiriX software. The comparison between the diagnosis methods in treated root canals and controls was performed using parametric and nonparametric criteria. The Pearson correlation coefficient was computed between radiographic values and CBCT volumetric data in treated root canals and controls. RESULTS: The results showed the presence of chronic apical periodontitis in every inoculated tooth. After 6 months, periapical radiographs, coronal CBCT sections, and volumetric data showed lower bone destruction in endodontically treated teeth in comparison with the control group (P < .05). The 5 evaluators found no differences between the apical periodontitis area of treated teeth and controls when CBCT sagittal sections were used (P > .05). No correlation was found between x-ray and CBCT volumetric values in treated root canals. CONCLUSIONS: Although selected CBCT sagittal sections showed similar values of bone destruction in endodontically and nontreated root canals, volumetric CBCT data showed that periapical lesions of endodontically treated root canals had half of the volume of periapical lesions in nontreated root canals. No relationship could be found between the periapical values of bone destruction and volumetric data found in CBCT of treated rood canals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure ulcers remain a major health issue for critical patients. The purpose of this descriptive and exploratory study was to analyze the risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized at an intensive care unit of a university hospital. The purpose of this descriptive and exploratory study was to analyze the risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized at an intensive care unit of a university hospital. Patients were assessed through the Braden scale to determine the risk for the development of pressure ulcers and to identify individual risks, and the Glasgow scale was used to assess their consciousness. Patients were assessed through the Braden scale to determine the risk for the development of pressure ulcers and to identify individual risks, and the Glasgow scale was used to assess their consciousness. It was found that the risks associated with pressure ulcer development were: low scores on the Braden Scale on the first hospitalization day and low scores on the Glasgow scale. It was found that the risks associated with pressure ulcer development were: low scores on the Braden Scale on the first day hospitalization and low scores on the Glasgow scale. The results showed that these tools can help nurses to identify patients at risk, with a view to nursing care planning. The results showed that these tools can help nurses to identify patients at risk, with a view to nursing care planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal mortality from complications of unsafe abortion constitutes a serious problem in several developing countries. There is, however, a paucity of well-designed and implemented studies in this area, especially in Latin America. The aim of this paper is to present the findings on the determinants and medical characteristics of abortions among women admitted to hospitals.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study was carried out between October 1992 and September 1993 in Fortaleza, Brazil. A Cox's proportional hazard model was used to estimate prevalence rate ratios after adjustment for confounding.Results: Among 2074 (48%) women who admitted to terminating the pregnancy, 66% reported using misoprostol to induce abortion. Women with an induced abortion as compared with those with an unlikely induced abortion are younger, more often not married, have fewer children alive and experienced one or more previous induced abortions. We have not found any important differences with regard to complication or duration of stay in hospital.Conclusions: This finding, at odds with most previous studies, could reflect the special situation in Brazil where misoprostol is used for illegally-induced abortion. The use of misoprostol by this population may have contributed to the reduction of severe complications related to induced abortion which were most prevalent with more invasive methods. Recommendations are made as to the need for confirmatory studies as well as on information regarding cultural perceptions and concepts of abortion, and reasons why poor women fail to adopt available family planning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart transplantation (HT) recipients are at risk for urgent rehospitalizations following discharge. However, data on prevalence, risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with post-HT rehospitalization are limited., Methods: This study aims to describe patterns of urgent rehospitalizations in HT recipients at a cardiology reference center in Brazil. Rehospitalizations and deaths occurring within the first 90 days following hospital discharge were identified. Regression models were used to identify variables associated with urgent rehospitalizations., Results: A total of 239 patients were included. Of those, 118 (49.4%) presented with a rehospitalization within 90 days following hospital discharge and 5 (2.01%) died. Most patients who were rehospitalized had one new hospital admission (86.0%). The main cause of urgent rehospitalization was infection (55.0%). In the multivariate analysis, elevated C-reactive protein at discharge and the occurrence of intracranial bleeding at index hospitalization were associated with an increased risk of readmission. Longer duration of index hospitalization and use of lower doses of azathioprine were associated with a lower risk of rehospitalization., Conclusion: Around half of HT recipients were rehospitalized within the first 90 days after hospital discharge. Understanding factors associated with post-HT rehospitalization may help the implementation of strategies to avoid patient morbidity and hospital costs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The presence of micropollutants and pathogens in sanitary wastewater and surface water is a growing concern that impacts public health, environmental balance and the maintenance of water supply services. To improve sanitary wastewater treatment, it is necessary to develop and improve sustainable technologies. Among the available options, microalgae-based systems stand out for their efficiency and generation of value-added byproducts. To study the impact of luminosity and the presence of micropollutants (13 selected) on the removal of E. coli and total coliforms from real anaerobically treated wastewater, a pilot flat-panel photobioreactor (50 L) was operated in batch mode in a tropical climate region. This is the first study to evaluate whether micropollutants interfere with coliform groups, considering a microalgae-based system and an experiment in a tropical climate region. E. coli had better removal (from 10 4 to 10 1  CFU 100 mL -1 ) than did total coliforms (from 10 4 to 10 3  CFU 100 mL -1 ). The removal of E. coli was more strongly linked to luminosity and temperature, while the removal of total coliforms was influenced by the presence of the selected micropollutants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Gustavo Henrique Ribeiro da Silva reports financial support was provided by Fundação de amparo a pesquisa do estado de São Paulo. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Marrow stimulation is a common reparative approach to treat injuries to cartilage and other soft tissues (e.g., rotator cuff). It involves the recruitment of bone marrow elements and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the defect, theoretically initiating a regenerative process. However, the resulting repair tissue is often weak and susceptible to deterioration with time. The populations of cells at the marrow stimulation site (beyond MSCs), and their contribution to inflammation, vascularity, and fibrosis, may play a role in quality of the repair tissue., Summary: In this review, we accomplish three goals: 1) systematically review clinical trials on the augmentation of marrow stimulation and evaluate their assumptions on the biological elements recruited; 2) detail the cellular populations in bone marrow and their impact on healing; and 3) highlight emerging technologies and approaches that could better guide these specific cell populations towards enhanced cartilage or soft tissue formation., Key Messages: We found that most clinical trials do not account for cell heterogeneity, nor do they specify the regenerative element recruited, and those that do typically utilize descriptions such as "clots", "elements", and "blood". Furthermore, our review of bone marrow cell populations demonstrates a dramatically heterogenous cell population, including hematopoietic cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, and only a small population of MSCs. Finally, the field has developed numerous innovative techniques to enhance the chondrogenic potential (and reduce the anti-regenerative impacts) of these various cell types. We hope this review will guide approaches that account for cellular heterogeneity and improve marrow stimulation techniques to treat chondral defects., (S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Ent-hardwickiic acid is the major compound of Copaifera pubiflora Benth oleoresin traditionally used in Brazilian folk medicine as an antimicrobial agent. Microbial transformation of ent-hardwickiic by Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 10028b resulted in two and five antifungal derivatives (four new ones) produced in the Czapek modified and Koch's K1 media, respectively. The derivatives were isolated and their structures were determined by spectral analysis, namely 1D/2D NMR and HR-ESIMS. All compounds were tested for cytotoxic and antifungal activities and they were not cytotoxic to the tested cell lines, but all derivatives showed fungicidal activity against Candida glabrata and Candida krusei, which have emerged as resistant to fluconazole. One of the yet unreported biotransformation products displayed the strongest activity with minimum fungicidal concentration values smaller than the other compounds, including fluconazole., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) represent a substantial risk to maternal and fetal health. Emerging evidence suggests an association between testosterone and pre-eclampsia (PE), potentially mediated through androgen receptors (AR). Nevertheless, the mechanism driving this association is yet to be elucidated. On the other hand, reports of transgender men's pregnancies offer a limited and insightful opportunity to understand the role of high androgen levels in the development of HDP. In this sense, a literature review was performed from a little over 2 decades (1998-2022) to address the association of testosterone levels with the development of HDP. Furthermore, this review addresses the case of transgender men for the first time. The main in vitro outcomes reveal placenta samples with greater AR mRNA expression. Moreover, ex vivo studies show that testosterone-induced vasorelaxation impairment promotes hypertension. Epidemiological data point to greater testosterone levels in blood samples during PE. Studies with transgender men allow us to infer that exogenous testosterone administration can be considered a risk factor for PE and that the administration of testosterone does not affect fetal development. Overall, all studies analyzed suggested that high testosterone levels are associated with PE.

Complex lymphatic anomalies (CLAs) are sporadically occurring diseases caused by the maldevelopment of lymphatic vessels. We and others recently reported that somatic activating mutations in KRAS can cause CLAs. However, the mechanisms by which activating KRAS mutations cause CLAs are poorly understood. Here, we show that KRAS G12D expression in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) during embryonic development impairs the formation of lymphovenous valves and causes the enlargement of lymphatic vessels. We demonstrate that KRAS G12D expression in primary human LECs induces cell spindling, proliferation, and migration. It also increases AKT and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and decreases the expression of genes that regulate the maturation of lymphatic vessels. We show that MEK1/2 inhibition with the FDA-approved drug trametinib suppresses KRAS G12D -induced morphological changes, proliferation, and migration. Trametinib also decreases ERK1/2 phosphorylation and increases the expression of genes that regulate the maturation of lymphatic vessels. We also show that trametinib and Cre-mediated expression of a dominant-negative form of MEK1 ( Map2k1 K97M ) suppresses KRAS G12D -induced lymphatic vessel hyperplasia in embryos. Last, we demonstrate that conditional knockout of wild-type Kras in LECs does not affect the formation or function of lymphatic vessels. Together, our data indicate that KRAS/MAPK signaling must be tightly regulated during embryonic development for the proper development of lymphatic vessels and further support the testing of MEK1/2 inhibitors for treating CLAs., Competing Interests: MD is the Director of Research for the Lymphatic Malformation Institute. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Fernandes, Tresemer, Zhang, Rios, Scallan and Dellinger.)

Background: The clinical healing environment after a posterior spinal arthrodesis surgery is one of the most clinically challenging bone-healing environments across all orthopedic interventions due to the absence of a contained space and the need to form de novo bone. Our group has previously reported that sclerostin in expressed locally at high levels throughout a developing spinal fusion. However, the role of sclerostin in controlling bone fusion remains to be established., Methods: We computationally identified two FDA-approved drugs, as well as a single novel small-molecule drug, for their ability to disrupt the interaction between sclerostin and its receptor, LRP5/6. The drugs were tested in several in vitro biochemical assays using murine MC3T3 and MSCs, assessing their ability to (1) enhance canonical Wnt signaling, (2) promote the accumulation of the active (non-phosphorylated) form of β-catenin, and (3) enhance the intensity and signaling duration of BMP signaling. These drugs were then tested subcutaneously in rats as standalone osteoinductive agents on plain collagen sponges. Finally, the top drug candidates (called VA1 and C07) were tested in a rabbit posterolateral spine fusion model for their ability to achieve a successful fusion at 6 wk., Results: We show that by controlling GSK3b phosphorylation our three small-molecule inhibitors (SMIs) simultaneously enhance canonical Wnt signaling and potentiate canonical BMP signaling intensity and duration. We also demonstrate that the SMIs produce dose-dependent ectopic mineralization in vivo in rats as well as significantly increase posterolateral spine fusion rates in rabbits in vivo, both as standalone osteogenic drugs and in combination with autologous iliac crest bone graft., Conclusions: Few if any osteogenic small molecules possess the osteoinductive potency of BMP itself - that is, the ability to form de novo ectopic bone as a standalone agent. Herein, we describe two such SMIs that have this unique ability and were shown to induce de novo bone in a stringent in vivo environment. These SMIs may have the potential to be used in novel, cost-effective bone graft substitutes for either achieving spinal fusion or in the healing of critical-sized fracture defects., Funding: This work was supported by a Veteran Affairs Career Development Award (IK2-BX003845)., Competing Interests: SS, CK, LF, PM, GB, SB, HD, SP No competing interests declared

Introduction: Available studies have shown the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in the processes that lead to neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Also, the use of inhibitors of the inducible isoform of NO-synthase (iNOS) promotes neuroprotection and attenuates dopamine (DA) loss in experimental models of Parkinsonism. In addition, NO also appears to be involved in cardiovascular changes in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinsonism. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of iNOS inhibition on cardiovascular and autonomic function in animals that were subjected to Parkinsonism by the administration of 6-OHDA., Materials and Methods: The animals underwent stereotaxic surgery for bilateral microinfusion of the neurotoxin 6-OHDA (6 mg/mL in 0.2% ascorbic acid in sterile saline solution) or vehicle solution for the Sham group. From the day of stereotaxis until the day of femoral artery catheterization, the animals were treated with the iNOS inhibitor, S-methylisothiourea (SMT; 10 mg/kg; i. p.) or saline solution (0.9%; i. p.) for 7 days. The animals were divided into four groups: Sham-Saline, Sham-SMT, 6-OHDA-Saline, and 6-OHDA-SMT. Subsequent analyses were performed on these four groups. After 6 days, they underwent catheterization of the femoral artery, and 24 h later, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded. Another group of animals (the 6-OHDA and Sham groups) was assessed for aortic vascular reactivity after 7 days of bilateral infusion of 6-OHDA or vehicle, in which cumulative concentration-effect curves (CCEC) were made for phenylephrine (Phenyl), acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside (NPS). Also, CCEC in the presence of Nw-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (l-NAME) (10-5 M), SMT (10-6 M), and indomethacin (10-5 M) blockers were made., Results: The effectiveness of the 6-OHDA lesion was confirmed with the reduction of DA in 6-OHDA animals. However, treatment with SMT could not reverse the loss of DA. Concerning the baseline parameters, SBP and MAP values were lower in 6-OHDA animals compared to their Sham control, with no effect of treatment with SMT. In the analysis of SBP variability, a decrease in variance, the VLFabs component, and the LFabs component were observed in the 6-OHDA groups when compared to their controls, regardless of treatment with SMT. It was also observed that intravenous injections of SMT resulted in an increase in BP and a decrease in HR. However, the response was not different between the Sham and 6-OHDA groups. In vascular function, there was a hyporeactivity to Phenyl in the 6-OHDA group, and when investigating the mechanisms of this hyporeactivity, it was seen that the Rmax to Phenyl increased with incubation with SMT, indicating that iNOS could be involved in the vascular hyporeactivity of animals with Parkinsonism., Conclusion: Thus, the set of results presented in this study suggests that part of the cardiovascular dysfunction in animals subjected to 6-OHDA Parkinsonism may be peripheral and involve the participation of endothelial iNOS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The bacteria Acinetobacter spp. are extremely relevant in clinical settings. Recently, they have emerged as potential food-borne opportunistic pathogens. Their ability to form biofilms contributes to antibiotic resistance by generating an environment that facilitates the acquisition and transfer of resistance genes. Studies on the tolerance of Acinetobacter spp. from food sources to sanitizers used in the food industry and homes are necessary to help mitigate food contamination by these microorganisms., Methodology: Isolates from ready-to-eat salads (n = 11) and raw goat milk (n = 4) were evaluated for their tolerance to sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), quaternary ammonium compound/biguanide (QAC/BG), and peracetic acid (PAA). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that the concentration of these sanitizers in food-processing equipment and utensils and other food-contact articles should not exceed 200 parts per million (ppm)., Results: The minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations of NaClO were above 312.5 ppm for all isolates tested and ≥ 2,500 ppm for four isolates from salads. Only three isolates from salads and four isolates from goat milk were inhibited by an MIC lower than 200 ppm of PAA. QAC/BG presented the lowest MIC and MCB values (9.37/6.25  ppm for all isolates tested), suggesting that it is the most effective agent against the isolates used in this study., Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that Acinetobacter spp. isolates from food can be tolerant to the recommended concentrations of NaClO and PAA, which highlights the health risks to consumers., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2022 Luana Monteiro Fernandes, Gustavo Luis de Paiva Anciens Ramos, Rogerio Caldeira Rodrigues Malta, Janaina dos Santos Nascimento.)

Articular cartilage injuries have a limited healing capacity and, due to inflammatory and catabolic activities, often experience progressive degeneration towards osteoarthritis. Current repair techniques generally provide short-term symptomatic relief; however, the regeneration of hyaline cartilage remains elusive, leaving both the repair tissue and surrounding healthy tissue susceptible to long-term wear. Therefore, methods to preserve cartilage following injury, especially from matrix loss and catabolism, are needed to delay, or even prevent, the deteriorative process. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a cartilage-penetrating hyaluronic-acid (HA) hydrogel to improve damaged cartilage biomechanics and prevent tissue degeneration. At time zero, the HA-based hydrogel provided a 46.5% increase in compressive modulus and a decrease in permeability after simulated degeneration of explants (collagenase application). Next, in a degenerative culture model (interleukin-1β [IL-1β] for 2 weeks), hydrogel application prior to or midway through the culture mitigated detrimental changes to compressive modulus and permeability observed in non-treated explants. Furthermore, localized loss of proteoglycan was observed in degenerative culture conditions alone (non-treated), but hydrogel administration significantly improved the retention of matrix elements. Finally, NITEGE staining and gene expression analysis showed the ability of the HA gel to decrease chondrocyte catabolic activity. These results highlight the importance of reinforcing damaged cartilage with a biomaterial system to both preserve tissue content and reduce catabolism associated with injury and inflammation., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background: Tracheal diverticulum (TD) is a rare entity in clinical practice, accidentally found by imaging methods. It is a potential factor for the development of chronic respiratory infections, contributing to the progression of preexisting lung diseases and putting the success of lung transplantation at risk., Objectives: This paper reports 2 cases of TD with atypical clinical presentation in post-lung transplant patients with recurrent infections and aims to present the importance of this differential diagnosis., Discussion: Case 1: A 30-year-old man with terminal lung disease underwent bilateral lung transplantation with a satisfactory postoperative period. He presented with TD as a focus of recurrent infection associated with persistent hemoptysis. Indicated for surgical resection (cervicotomy with resection of tracheal diverticulum), without complications. He evolved uneventfully in the postoperative period and was clinically stable at follow-up. Case 2: A 57-year-old woman with hypersensitivity pneumonia associated with secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension and bronchiectasis underwent bilateral lung transplantation without complications. She presented with TD as a focus of infection associated with esophageal symptoms. Indicated for the surgical approach (cervicotomy with resection of tracheal diverticulum), she was asymptomatic at follow-up., Conclusion: Conservative treatment is recommended in elderly and asymptomatic patients. Surgical resection is based on the recurrence of symptoms and failure of clinical therapy and is the preferred approach for reported cases., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The incidence of Candida glabrata infections has rapidly grown and this species is among those responsible for causing invasive candidiasis with a high mortality rate. The diterpene ent-hardwickiic acid is a major constituent in Copaifera pubiflora oleoresin and the ethnopharmacological uses of this oleoresin by people from Brazilian Amazonian region point to a potential use of this major constituent as an antimicrobial. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of ent-hardwickiic acid against Candida species and to produce derivatives of this diterpene by using microbial models for simulating the mammalian metabolism. The microbial transformations of ent-hardwickiic acid were carried out by Aspergillus brasiliensis and Cunninghamella elegans and hydroxylated metabolites were isolated and their chemical structures were determined. The antifungal activity of ent-hardwickiic acid and its metabolites was assessed by using the microdilution broth method in 96-well microplates and compared with that of fluconazole. All the diterpenes showed fungistatic effects (ranging from 19·7 to 75·2 µmol l -1 ) against C. glabrata at lower concentrations than fluconazole (163·2 µmol l -1 ) and were more potent fungicides (ranging from 39·5 to 150·4 µmol l -1 ) than fluconazole, which showed fungicidal effect at the concentration of 326·5 µmol l -1 ., (© 2022 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Background: Lung transplantation (LTx) has been discussed as an option for treating irreversible lung fibrosis post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in selected cases., Objectives: To report on the initial experience and management of end-stage lung disease due to COVID-19 at a national center reference in Brazil., Design and Setting: Cohort study conducted at a national reference center for lung transplantation., Methods: Medical charts were reviewed regarding patients' demographics and pre-COVID-19 characteristics, post-LTx due to COVID-19., Results: Between March 2020 and September 2021, there were 33 cases of LTx. During this period, we evaluated 11 cases of severe COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that were potentially candidates for LTx. Among these, LTx was only indicated for three patients (9.1%). All of these patients were on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and the procedure that they underwent was central venoarterial ECMO. All three patients were still alive after the first 30 postoperative days. However, patient #1 and patient #2 subsequently died due to fungal sepsis on the 47th and 52nd postoperative days, respectively. Patient #3 was discharged on the 30th postoperative day., Conclusions: LTx is feasible among these complex patients. Survival over the first 30 days was 100%, and this favors surgical feasibility. Nonetheless, these were critically ill patients.

The gut microbiota is an important contributor to both health and disease. While previous studies have reported on the beneficial influences of the gut microbiota and probiotic supplementation on bone health, their role in recovery from skeletal injury and resultant systemic sequelae remains unexplored. This study aimed to determine the extent to which probiotics could modulate bone repair by dampening fracture-induced systemic inflammation. Our findings demonstrate that femur fracture induced an increase in gut permeability lasting up to 7 days after trauma before returning to basal levels. Strikingly, dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium adolescentis augmented the tightening of the intestinal barrier, dampened the systemic inflammatory response to fracture, accelerated fracture callus cartilage remodeling, and elicited enhanced protection of the intact skeleton following fracture. Together, these data outline a mechanism whereby dietary supplementation with beneficial bacteria can be therapeutically targeted to prevent the systemic pathologies induced by femur fracture., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Objective  To assess the preoperative and postoperative outcomes of patients diagnosed with severe knee osteoarthritis who underwent a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using a mobile-bearing implant with a rotating platform and removing the posterior cruciate ligament. The present study focused on the outcomes relative to depression, pain, functional limitations, and fall episodes. Methods  The Lequesne questionnaire was used to assess pain and functional limitations before and after TKA. In addition, the geriatric depression scale (GDS) was also used. Episodes of falls before and after the surgery were estimated. Results  The mean Lequesne score before the surgery was 15.95, and that after surgery was 6.5. This finding was statistically significant ( p  < 0.001). The mean GDS score before the surgery was 7.43, and that after TKA was 2.22 ( p  < 0.001). The mean number of fall occurrences before the procedure, over a 1-year period, was 1.22, and that after TKA was 0.27 ( p  = 0.004). A direct relationship was found between the Lequesne scores before the surgery and the GDS scores ( p  = 0.004). Conclusions  Total knee arthroplasty resulted in the improvement of pain and functional limitation, decrease or disappearance of the depressive condition, and decrease of fall rates in the evaluated patients., Competing Interests: Conflito de Interesses Os autores declaram não haver conflito de interesses., (Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Ten male sheep (Sheep group; SGk) and seven male goats (Goat group; GGks+) were used in this study. The objective was to compare the use of racemic ketamine or ketamine S(+) associated with lidocaine on spinal anesthesia and evaluate if the drugs leads to a surgical anesthesia state, as well as to verify the cardiorespiratory, sedative and motor effects of this technique in these species. After correct placement of the needle in the subarachnoid space, 3.0 mg kg -1 of racemic ketamine (SGk) or ketamine S(+) (GGks+), both diluted in 1.5 mg kg -1 of 2% lidocaine, were administered. Evaluations were performed during orchiectomy, at times 0 (T0), 5 (T5), 10 (T10), 20 (T20), 30 (T30) and 60 (T60) minutes after subarachnoid anesthesia administration. No significant changes in heart and respiratory rates were observed in both experimental groups. All animals showed surgical analgesia and stood conscious or slightly sedated with ataxia immediately after the drugs administration (T5), allowing the execution of bilateral orchiectomy. The ataxia in SGk was classified as severe with recumbency in 80% of the animals, moderate ataxia in 10% of the animals, and mild ataxia in 10% of the animals. All goats (GGks+; 100%) presented severe ataxia and recumbency. At 60 min, animals of both groups were in standing position and with normal gait. Subarachnoid RS-ketamine and ketamine S(+) (3 mg kg -1 ), associated with lidocaine in sheep and goats, produces surgical anesthesia and recumbency without causing cardiorespiratory abnormalities, regurgitation and bloating., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no financial/personal conflict of interest., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Intervertebral disc (IVD) disease (IDD) is a complex, multifactorial disease. While various aspects of IDD progression have been reported, the underlying molecular pathways and transcriptional networks that govern the maintenance of healthy nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) have not been fully elucidated. We defined the transcriptome map of healthy human IVD by performing single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) in primary AF and NP cells isolated from non-degenerated lumbar disc. Our systematic and comprehensive analyses revealed distinct genetic architecture of human NP and AF compartments and identified 2,196 differentially expressed genes. Gene enrichment analysis showed that SFRP1, BIRC5, CYTL1, ESM1 and CCNB2 genes were highly expressed in the AF cells; whereas, COL2A1, DSC3, COL9A3, COL11A1, and ANGPTL7 were mostly expressed in the NP cells. Further, functional annotation clustering analysis revealed the enrichment of receptor signaling pathways genes in AF cells, while NP cells showed high expression of genes related to the protein synthesis machinery. Subsequent interaction network analysis revealed a structured network of extracellular matrix genes in NP compartments. Our regulatory network analysis identified FOXM1 and KDM4E as signature transcription factor of AF and NP respectively, which might be involved in the regulation of core genes of AF and NP transcriptome.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the instrumentation kinematics on endodontic postoperative pain., Methods and Materials: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cochrane Library and the System for Information on Gray Literature in Europe were searched electronically without time or language limitations up to June 2020. Subsequently, data extraction, quality assessment and meta-analysis were conducted. The meta-analysis was performed using random-effects inverse-variance methods, and heterogeneity was tested using the I 2 index ( P <0.05)., Results: A total of 318 articles were successfully identified in the search. Sixteen studies were used in qualitative synthesis and fourteen used for quantitative synthesis. Meta-analysis showed that patients treated with reciprocating system had lower risk of pain 48 h after endodontic treatment (Risk ratio [RR]=1.04, 95% Confidence interval [CI]=1.01-1.06, P =0.003) (I 2 =0%), but the mean postoperative pain for the reciprocating system was greater 24 h post endodontic treatment (Standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.25, 95% CI=0.06 to 0.44, P =0.01) (I 2 =43%). Other time points presented similar rates of postoperative pain ( P >0.05). The certainty of evidence ranges from very low to high., Conclusions: The rate of postoperative endodontic pain was low, and reciprocating systems evoked more pain within the 24 h interval. Overall, the incidence and level of postoperative pain did not vary between reciprocating and rotary systems. There is no consensus if there is a relationship between the kinematics (rotary and reciprocating) and the incidence of postoperative pain., Competing Interests: ‘None declared’.

Kartagener syndrome (KS) is a rare congenital disorder related to bronchiectasis, chronic sinusitis, and situs inversus, predisposing patients to recurrent respiratory infections that can evolve to end-stage lung disease; lung transplantation (LTx) is one of the therapeutic options. This study highlights some concerns in this group of patients, mainly related to the difficulty of performing the transplantation in recipients with suppurative disease and situs inversus. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all KS patients who underwent LTx at 2 national reference centers by the same LTx team. During 29 years of analysis, we performed 12 cases of bilateral sequential LTx in KS patients, representing 2.4% of all Ltx that we performed. Special perioperative care is needed, including vascular access sites and lung isolation techniques; operative concerns include the arteriotomy and bronchotomy during the back table preparation of the graft and concern about the length of the arterial and bronchial anastomosis. We found a higher incidence of bronchial complications is this group that had not been previously reported. Bilateral sequential orthotopic LTx is feasible in this group of patients, and more studies are needed to understand possible reasons for the apparent higher incidence of bronchial complications., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To report initial experience from the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients who received lung transplantation., Methods: Retrospective study of a single tertiary center in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, a national reference in lung transplantation, based on the prospective collection of data from electronic medical records. The period analyzed extended from January 2009 (beginning of the program) until December 2018., Results: A total of 75 lung transplants were performed, with ECMO used in 8 (10.7%) cases. Of the patients, 4 (50%) were female. The mean age was 46.4±14.3 years. The causes of the end-stage lung disease that led to transplantation were pulmonary arterial hypertension in 3 (37.5%) patients, bronchiectasis in 2 (25%) patients, pulmonary fibrosis in 2 (25%) patients, and pulmonary emphysema in 1 (12.5%) patient. In our series, 7 (87.5%) cases were sequential bilateral transplantations. Prioritization was necessary in 4 (50%) patients, and in 1 patient, ECMO was used as a bridge to transplantation. The ECMO route was central in 4 (50%), peripheral venovenous in 2 (25%) and peripheral venoarterial in 2 (25%) patients. The mean length of the intensive care unit (ICU) stay was 14±7.5 days and of the hospital stay was 34.1±34.2 days. The mean ECMO duration was 9.3±6.6 days with a 50% decannulation rate. Three patients were discharged (37.5%)., Conclusion: Lung transplantation requires complex treatment, and ECMO has allowed extending the indications for transplantation and provided adjuvant support in the clinical management of these patients.

Bone remodeling is achieved through the coupled activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts that are controlled by many locally generated secreted factors, including WNT5A. While previous studies have demonstrated that osteoblast-derived WNT5A promotes osteoclastogenesis, the function of osteoclast-derived WNT5A on bone remodeling has remained unexplored. We examined the effects of osteoclast-derived WNT5A on bone homeostasis by utilizing the Cathepsin K-Cre (Ctsk-Cre) mouse to conditionally delete Wnt5a in mature osteoclasts. These mice exhibited reduced trabecular and cortical bone. The low bone-mass phenotype was driven by decreased bone formation, not osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, as osteoclast number and serum CTX marker were unchanged. Furthermore, molecular analysis of osteoclast- and osteoblast-derived WNT5A identified a serine-phosphorylated WNT5A that is unique to RANKL-treated macrophages mimicking osteoclasts. This study suggests a new paradigm in which WNT5A has opposing effects on bone remodeling that are dependent on the cell of origin, an effect that may result from cell type-specific differential posttranslational modifications of WNT5A., (© 2020 New York Academy of Sciences.)

A large spectrum of pathologic pelvic conditions can present with hemorrhage in structures or organs. These may present acutely, subacutely, chronically or as incidental findings. Clinical history and MRI characteristics can often narrow the differential diagnosis and guide management. The purpose of this article is to showcase a wide array of pelvic lesions, in which the presence of blood is a key imaging feature, and their differential diagnosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the feasibility and impact of ex vivo lung perfusion with hyperoncotic solution (Steen Solution™) in the utilization of these organs in Brazil., Methods: In this prospective study, we subjected five lungs considered to be high risk for transplantation to 4 hours of ex vivo lung perfusion, with evaluation of oxygenation capacity. High-risk donor lungs were defined by specific criteria, including inflammatory infiltrates, pulmonary edema and partial pressure of arterial oxygen less than 300mmHg (inspired oxygen fraction of 100%)., Results: During reperfusion, the mean partial pressure of arterial oxygen (inspired oxygen fraction of 100%) of the lungs did not change significantly (p=0.315). In the first hour, the mean partial pressure of arterial oxygen was 302.7mmHg (±127.66mmHg); in the second hour, 214.2mmHg (±94.12mmHg); in the third hour, 214.4mmHg (±99.70mmHg); and in the fourth hour, 217.7mmHg (±73.93mmHg). Plasma levels of lactate and glucose remained stable during perfusion, with no statistical difference between the moments studied (p=0.216)., Conclusion: Ex vivo lung perfusion was reproduced in our center and ensured the preservation of lungs during the study period, which was 4 hours. The technique did not provide enough improvement for indicating organs for transplantation; therefore, it did not impact on use of these organs.

The effect of cold plasma processing time and gas flow on bioactive compounds such as vitamin C, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, DPPH, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, fatty acids profile, and volatile compounds of guava-flavored whey beverage was investigated. For comparative purposes, a pasteurized beverage was also manufactured. Cold plasma increased the concentration of bioactive and volatile compounds, and proportionated changes in the fatty acids profile. The milder conditions like lower flow rate and processing time, resulted in higher vitamin C and volatile compounds levels, and higher antioxidant activity, but with a lower carotenoids content and a less favorable fatty acids profile. More drastic conditions like higher flow rate and processing time resulted in products with lower vitamin C and volatile compounds levels, but with higher carotenoids content and ACE inhibitory activity. It can be concluded that the cold plasma processing can improve the properties of the guava-flavored whey beverages (increased concentration of bioactive and volatile compounds), while the effect on the fatty acid profile and ACE inhibitory activity is dependent on the process parameters (processing time and flow rate)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the process time (5, 10, and 15 min) and flow rate (10, 20, and 30 mL/min) of cold plasma technology on physio-chemical characteristics (pH), bioactive compounds (DPPD, Total Phenolic Compounds, ACE-inhibitory activity values), fatty acid composition, and volatile compounds profile of chocolate milk drink. The mild (lower flow rate and process time) and more severe (higher flow rate and process time) conditions led to a reduction of the bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds and ACE-inhibitory activity), changes in fatty acid composition (increased saturated fatty acid and decreased monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid), less favorable health indices (higher atherogenic, thrombogenic and hypercholesterolemic saturated fatty acids and lower desired fatty acids), and lower number of volatile compounds. In contrast, in intermediate cold plasma conditions, an adequate concentration of bioactive compounds, fatty acid composition, and health indices, and increased number of volatile compounds (ketones, esters, and lactones) were observed. Overall, cold plasma technology has proven to be an interesting alternative to chocolate milk drinks, being of paramount importance the study of the cold plasma process parameters., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background/aims: The evidence that mouthguards prevent dental trauma is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to determine, through a systematic review and meta-analysis (MA), the impact of mouthguards (MG) on the prevalence of dento-alveolar trauma (DT) among athletes of contact sports., Material and Methods: Searches were performed at Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cochrane Library, and SIGLE without restriction of language or publication date. After the application of eligibility criteria, studies were evaluated regarding their methodology quality and risk of bias. Two meta-analyses (MA) were performed considering: studies free of problems or with minor problems (MA1) and only free of problems studies (MA2). DT prevalence (events) and total number of athletes from each group (use of MG and non-use of MG) were used for odds ratio calculation (α = 5%). The evidence was quality tested using the GRADE approach., Results: A total of 256 articles were identified. After applying the eligibility criteria, 14 studies were selected for qualitative synthesis, and 11 were used in quantitative synthesis. Meta-analyses showed that 73% (MA1) and 83% (MA2) of mouthguard users have a lower prevalence of DT. In MA1 (eight studies), DT prevalence among MG users was 7.75% (n = 183), while non-users had 48.31% (n = 974) (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.07-0.45, P < 0.001). In MA2 (three studies), DT prevalence among MG users was 7.5% (n = 160), while DT prevalence among non-users was 59.48% (n = 750) (OR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.05-0.08, P < 0.001), with moderate evidence quality level., Conclusion: Mouthguards contribute to a lower prevalence of dento-alveolar trauma among athletes of contact sports., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cytosolic Malic Enzyme (ME1) provides reduced NADP for anabolism and maintenance of redox status. To examine the role of ME1 in tumor genesis of the gastrointestinal tract, we crossed mice having augmented intestinal epithelial expression of ME1 (ME1-Tg mice) with Apc Min/+ mice to obtain male Apc Min/+ /ME1-Tg mice. ME1 protein levels were significantly greater within gut epithelium and adenomas of male Apc Min/+ /ME1-Tg than Apc Min/+ mice. Male Apc Min/+ /ME1-Tg mice had larger and greater numbers of adenomas in the small intestine (jejunum and ileum) than male Apc Min/+ mice. Male Apc Min/+ /ME1-Tg mice exhibited greater small intestine crypt depth and villus length in non-adenoma regions, correspondent with increased KLF9 protein abundance in crypts and lamina propria. Small intestines of male Apc Min/+ /ME1-Tg mice also had enhanced levels of Sp5 mRNA, suggesting Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. A small molecule inhibitor of ME1 suppressed growth of human CRC cells in vitro, but had little effect on normal rat intestinal epithelial cells. Targeting of ME1 may add to the armentarium of therapies for cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Context: Progesterone (P) resistance is a hallmark of endometriosis, but the underlying mechanism(s) for loss of P sensitivity leading to lesion establishment remains poorly understood., Objective: To evaluate the association between Notch-1 signaling activation and P resistance in the progression of endometriosis., Design: Case control study; archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues., Setting: University hospitals (United States, Taiwan)., Patients: Women with endometriosis; human endometrial stromal cell line (HESC)., Intervention: Eutopic endometria (EU) and ectopic lesions (ECs) were collected from surgically diagnosed patients. Archived tissue sections of EU and ECs were identified. HESCs were treated with N -[ N -(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)- l -alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t -butyl ester (DAPT) and valproic acid (VPA) to, respectively, suppress and induce Notch-1 activation., Outcome Measures: Tissues were analyzed for Notch Intra-Cellular Domain 1 (NICD1) and progesterone receptor (PGR) protein expression by immunohistochemistry and for transcript levels of NICD1 target genes HES1 , PGR , and PGR-B by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. DAPT- or VPA-treated HESCs with and without P cotreatment were evaluated for cell numbers and for PGR , HES1 , and PGR target gene DKK1 transcript levels., Results: Nuclear-localized stromal NICD1 protein levels were inversely associated with those of total PGR in EU and ECs. Stromal ECs displayed higher HES1 and lower total PGR and PGR-B transcript levels than EU. In HESCs, DAPT reduction of NICD1 decreased cell numbers and increased PGR transcript and nuclear PGR protein levels and, with P cotreatment, maintained P sensitivity. Conversely, VPA induction of NICD1 decreased PGR transcript levels and, with P cotreatment, abrogated P-induced DKK1 and maintained HES1 transcript levels., Conclusions: Aberrant Notch-1 activation is associated with decreased PGR that contributes to P resistance in endometriosis.

Background: Breast cancer is associated with a high mortality rate around the world due to its aggressiveness and high resistance to conventional therapies. Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) are plant alkaloids extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis and Macleaya cordata, which have been studied for their bioactivities., Objective: To determine the anticancer activities of Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) plant alkaloids., Method: The MTT assay, the alkaline comet assay and cell cycle analyses by flow cytometry were performed., Results: It was observed that SAN was cytotoxic to human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) at concentrations of 7.5 µM (24 and 48 hours), effectively reducing cell viability from the concentration of 10 µM for 24 hours and 7.5 µM for 48 hours, by the MTT test. CHE, in turn, was cytotoxic at concentrations of 10 and 20 µM (48 hours), but did not compromise the cellular viability. The comet assay indicated that SAN was genotoxic to the MCF-7 cells, with a significant increment of damage at 10 µM, while none of the tested concentrations of CHE showed a genotoxic effect. The flow cytometry analysis indicated that no cell cycle arrest was caused by both alkaloids, but SAN 10 µM induced a sub-G1 cell population., Conclusion: The results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and cell cycle monitoring that are presented in this paper have suggested that SAN has more of a chemotherapeutic activity, as well as having the potential for the development of new therapies for breast cancer, when compared to CHE., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile, presented deformities, associated comorbidities, and impact on quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This study was conducted in a philanthropic hospital in Fortaleza from 2014 to 2015., Methods: Data were collected from medical records, epidemiological forms, and by applying the Lequesne index questionnaire, which contains several questions related to pain, discomfort and functional limitation to assess the severity of symptoms., Results: Females were more prevalent (76.7%), as were patients over 65 years of age (61.6%) and non-whites (81.6%). As for comorbidities, 83.3% had hypertension and 31.7% had diabetes. Of the total, 76.5% cases were genu varum, and 23.5% genu valgum. According to the Lequesne index findings, 61.6% cases were "extremely severe," and women had higher scores., Conclusion: Females were more prevalent and whites were less prevalent. The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension. Female and elderly patients have more severe disease according to Lequesne index score, and these findings were statistically significant. Level of Evidence II, Prospective Study. , Competing Interests: All authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to this article.

Vitexin is a C-glycosylated flavone found in various medicinal plants with several proven biological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Considering that the human population consumes many foods that contain this flavonoid, the objective of this study was to investigate the genotoxic and the antigenotoxic potentials of vitexin by the SMART (Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test) in Drosophila melanogaster wings, in vivo. To evaluate the genotoxic activity, larvae obtained from standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB) crosses were chronically treated with different concentrations of vitexin (0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 mM). For the evaluation of antigenotoxic activity, the same vitexin concentrations were associated with two damage inducing agents: doxorubicin (0.2 mM) and benzo[a]pyrene (1.0 mM). The results obtained for genotoxic activity showed that vitexin did not induce a statistically significant increment in the frequency of mutant spots, when compared to control. The results for the evaluation of antigenotoxicity indicated that the flavonoid statistically reduced the frequency of mutant spots, when compared to those treated with only the damage inducing agents. Thus, this article presents results that have demonstrated the antigenotoxic activity of vitexin, which could be applied in new studies for the development of drugs with chemoprotective effects.

Background: The first human lung transplantation was performed by James Hardy in 1963 due to lung cancer. Currently, malignancy has its importance in the follow-up of transplanted patients because cancer risk is higher in this population and the main risk factor for this augmentation is immunosuppression. The most common types of cancer are non-melanoma skin cancer and post-transplantation lymphoproliferative diseases. The objective of this study is to measure the cancer incidence and its related mortality in lung-transplanted patients of a Brazilian institution., Methods: Review of the records of the 263 patients who underwent lung transplantation between April 2000 and April 2016 at the Heart Institute (InCor), focusing on the incidence of cancer, most common types of malignancies, and cancer mortality rate. We compared incidence and mortality with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) database., Results: During the 16-year period, the total incidence of cancer was 10.3% with 27 cases diagnosed in 21 patients. The most common types of cancer were non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer, and post-transplantation lymphoproliferative diseases. Comparing the incidences after 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year follow-up with the ISHLT database, they were similar in the first two periods and higher in the third period. As to cancer mortality rate, it was similar to the ISHLT database in both periods analyzed., Conclusion: The incidence of malignancies was higher in our transplanted patients in comparison with the Brazilian population, and the most frequent types of cancer are in accordance with the literature, except for prostate cancer. Cancer mortality rate was similar to that from the ISHLT database., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surgical and nonsurgical abdominal complications have been described after lung transplantation. However, there is limited data on this event in this population. The objective of this study was to analyze the incidence of abdominal complications in patients undergoing lung transplantation at the Heart Institute of the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (InCor-HCFMUSP) between the years 2003 and 2016. The main causes of abdominal complications were inflammatory acute abdomen (7 patients; 14%), obstructive acute abdomen (9 patients; 18%), gastroparesis (4 patients; 8%), distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (4 patients; 8%), perforated acute abdomen (7 patients; 14%), cytomegalovirus (CMV; 6 patients; 12%), and other reasons (12 patients; 26%). Separating these patients according to Clavien-Dindo classification, we had 21 patients (43%) with complications grade II, 4 patients (8%) with complications grade IIIa, 7 patients (14%) with grade IIIb complications, 7 patients (14%) with grade IV complications, and 10 patients (21%) with grade complications V. In conclusion, abdominal disorders are seriously increased after lung transplantation and correlate with a high mortality. Early abdominal surgical complication has worse prognosis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Noble gases (Xe, Ar, Kr) are very attractive as detector media in Dark Matter search and neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments. However, the detection of their scintillation light (in the VUV spectral region) requires shifting the VUV light to visible light, where standard photosensors are more efficient. Tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB) is widely used as wavelength shifter, absorbing the VUV light and re-emitting in the blue region (~430nm). TPB is an organic molecule that may degrade due to exposure to environmental agents and also to ultraviolet light. In this work, we present TPB ageing studies due to exposure to VUV light, aiming at quantifying the reduction of the absolute fluorescence yield of TPB coatings of several thicknesses (130nm, 260nm, 390nm, 1600nm), exposed to various doses of VUV light at 170nm (similar to the Xe scintillation). In our setup, the VUV light is produced from a vacuum monochromator coupled to a deuterium lamp. The VUV exposure in our setup is compared to the exposure obtained in the electroluminescent gaseous Xe TPC of the NEXT-100 experiment for neutrinoless double-beta decay search., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ubiquitin-proteasome system plays an essential role in the immune response due to its involvement in the antigen generation and presentation to CD8 + T cells. Hereby, ubiquitin fused to antigens has been explored as an immunotherapeutic strategy that requires the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Here we propose to apply this ubiquitin fusion approach to a recombinant vaccine against human papillomavirus 16-infected cells. E6E7 multi-epitope antigen was fused genetically at its N- or C-terminal end to ubiquitin and expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies. The antigens were solubilized using urea and purified by nickel affinity chromatography in denatured condition. Fusion of ubiquitin to E6E7 resulted in marked polyubiquitination in vitro mainly when fused to the E6E7 N-terminal. When tested in a therapeutic scenario, the fusion of ubiquitin to E6E7 reinforced the anti-tumor protection and increased the E6/E7-specific cellular immune responses. Present results encourage the investigation of the adjuvant potential of the ubiquitin fusion to recombinant vaccines requiring CD8 + T cells.

A retrospective study was conducted of the records and panoramic radiographs of 35 patients treated with bisphosphonates (BP) and diagnosed with MRONJ. Panoramic radiography was used for evaluation, by two examiners, the following findings were subject of search: osteolysis (OT), cortical bone erosion (EC), bone sclerosis focal (FS) and diffuse (DS), bone sequestration (BS), thickening of lamina dura (TD), prominence of the inferior alveolar nerve canal (IAN), persisting alveolar sockets (SK), and the presence of a pathological fracture (PF). Medical information and staging were also recorded in order to correlate with radiographic findings. Bone sclerosis was the most frequent alteration, followed by OT and TD. The mandible was more affected than the maxilla. There was no significant difference between genders or significant correlation between the number of injuries with age and duration of BP usage. Considering the association between the radiographic findings and MRONJ staging, EC was predominant in stage 3 and DS in stage 2. IAN and PF demonstrated greater association with stage 3. In conclusion, the higher the clinical staging, the greater the severity of the bone alteration. Panoramic radiographic examination is a useful screening tool in patients submitted to antiresorptive therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

The deuteron is the simplest compound nucleus, composed of one proton and one neutron. Deuteron properties such as the root-mean-square charge radius rd and the polarizability serve as important benchmarks for understanding the nuclear forces and structure. Muonic deuterium μd is the exotic atom formed by a deuteron and a negative muon μ(-). We measured three 2S-2P transitions in μd and obtain r(d) = 2.12562(78) fm, which is 2.7 times more accurate but 7.5σ smaller than the CODATA-2010 value r(d) = 2.1424(21) fm. The μd value is also 3.5σ smaller than the r(d) value from electronic deuterium spectroscopy. The smaller r(d), when combined with the electronic isotope shift, yields a "small" proton radius r(p), similar to the one from muonic hydrogen, amplifying the proton radius puzzle., (Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)