Identification of purinergic system components in the venom of Bothrops mattogrossensis and the inhibitory effect of specioside extracted from Tabebuia aurea.

Snake bites are a severe problem in the countryside of Brazil and are usually attributed to snakes of the genera Bothrops, Crotalus, and Lachesis. Snake venom can release ectoenzymes and nucleotidases that modulate the purinergic system. In addition to serum therapy against snake poisoning, medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory activities, such as Tabebuia aurea, is empirically applied in accidents that occur in difficult-to-access areas. This study aimed was to verify the presence and activity of nucleotidases in the crude venom of Bothrops mattogrossensis (BmtV) in vitro and characterize the modulation of purinergic components, myeloid differentiation, and inflammatory/oxidative stress markers by BmtV in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, our study assessed the inhibitory activities of specioside, an iridoid isolated from Tabebuia aurea, against the effects of BmtV. Proteomic analysis of venom content and nucleotidase activity confirm the presence of ectonucleotidase-like enzymes in BmtV. In in vivo experiments, BmtV altered purinergic component expression (P2X7 receptor, CD39 and CD73), increased neutrophil numbers in peripheral blood, and elevated oxidative stress/inflammatory parameters such as lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase activity. BmtV also decreased viability and increased spreading index and phagocytic activity on macrophages. Specioside inhibited nucleotidase activity, restored neutrophil numbers, and mediate the oxidative/inflammatory effects produced by BmtV. We highlight the effects produced by BmtV in purinergic system components, myeloid differentiation, and inflammatory/oxidative stress parameters, while specioside reduced the main BmtV-dependent effects.

Effect of radiotherapy, immediate dentin sealing and irrigation simulating single- or two-visits endodontic treatment on the bond strength to pulp chamber dentin: an in vitro study.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of radiotherapy and different endodontic treatment protocols on the bond strength to pulp chamber dentin. Eighty mandibular molars were randomly divided into two groups (n = 40): non-irradiated and irradiated (60 Gy). The pulp chambers were sectioned, and each group was subdivided (n = 8), according to the endodontic treatment protocol: no treatment (Control); Single-visit; Two-visits; Immediate dentin sealing (IDS) + single-visit; and IDS + two-visits. Each endodontic treatment visit was simulated through irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl, 17% EDTA and distilled water. IDS was performed by actively applying two coats of a universal adhesive to the lateral walls of the pulp chamber. After, the pulp chambers were restored with resin composite and four sticks were obtained for microtensile test. In addition, the dentin of the pulp chamber roof was assessed for surface roughness, chemical composition, and topography after each treatment protocol. Two-way ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post hoc were performed (α = 5%). The treatment protocol affected bond strength (p < 0.05), while the irradiation did not (p > 0.05). The control group presented the highest values (p < 0.05). The single-visit group demonstrated better performance compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), which did not differ from each other (p > 0.05) The use of IDS changed the surface roughness (p < 0.05), chemical composition (p < 0.05) and topography of the dentin. In conclusion, the treatment protocol influenced dentin adhesion, while irradiation did not.

Acrobatic training prevents learning impairments and astrocyte remodeling in the hippocampus of rats undergoing chronic cerebral hypoperfusion: sex-specific benefits.

Background: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) leads to memory and learning impairments associated with degeneration and gliosis in the hippocampus. Treatment with physical exercise carries different therapeutic benefits for each sex. We investigated the effects of acrobatic training on astrocyte remodeling in the CA1 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus and spatial memory impairment in male and female rats at different stages of the two-vessel occlusion (2VO) model. Methods: Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups of males and females: 2VO acrobatic, 2VO sedentary, sham acrobatic, and sham sedentary. The acrobatic training was performed for 4 weeks prior to the 2VO procedure. Brain samples were collected for morphological and biochemical analysis at 3 and 7 days after 2VO. The dorsal hippocampi were removed and prepared for Western blot quantification of Akt, p-Akt, COX IV, cleaved caspase-3, PARP, and GFAP. GFAP immunofluorescence was performed on slices of the hippocampus to count astrocytes and apply the Sholl's circle technique. The Morris water maze was run after 45 days of 2VO. Results: Acutely, the trained female rats showed increased PARP expression, and the 2VO-trained rats of both sexes presented increased GFAP levels in Western blot. Training, mainly in males, induced an increase in the number of astrocytes in the CA1 subfield. The 2VO rats presented branched astrocytes, while acrobatic training prevented branching. However, the 2VO-induced spatial memory impairment was partially prevented by the acrobatic training. Conclusion: Acrobatic training restricted the astrocytic remodeling caused by 2VO in the CA1 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus. The improvement in spatial memory was associated with more organized glial scarring in the trained rats and better cell viability observed in females.

Lifestyle and metabolic risk factors, and diabetes mellitus prevalence in European countries from three waves of the European Health Interview Survey.

Population shift towards healthier lifestyles can help reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), therefore understanding and monitoring the lifestyle-related risk factors are crucial for setting up effective preventive strategies and disease management. The present study aimed to explore the changes in prevalence of DM and major risk factors including smoking, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as body mass index (BMI) over three waves of European Health Interview Survey, and to investigate the association between risk factors and presence of DM across 11 European Union member states. Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association between risk factors and DM, adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic variables. The estimated age-standardized prevalence of DM increased from 7.01% in 2009 to 7.96% in 2019, with substantial increase in subgroups with higher BMI and unhealthy lifestyle including physically inactive people, or current smokers. Obesity and overweight and physical inactivity were significantly associated with DM in all survey waves. Our findings underline that obesity prevention and weight loss promotion along with physical activity promotion are the subject of lifestyle interventions to reduce the burden of DM in EU member states.

Premixed calcium silicate-based root canal sealers have better biological properties than AH Plus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vivo animal studies and in vitro laboratory studies.

Objectives: The aim was to determine whether premixed calcium silicate-based root canal sealers have better biological properties than AH Plus. Materials and Methods: Searches of studies published up to January 2023 were performed in the PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE and via other methods (databases of the International Endodontic Journal, Journal of Endodontics, and gray literature). The inclusion criteria were in vivo animal and in vitro studies that analyzed the response in the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of rats, cell viability, and genotoxicity. Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation Risk of Bias (RoB) tool for in vivo studies and modified CONSORT checklist for in vitro were appraised. Meta-analysis was performed using the Stata. Results: Fifty-two studies were included. In the RoB, in vivo studies fulfilled 20%-50% of the items and in vitro 60%-100%. The studies included in the meta-analysis demonstrated better histocompatibility with the premixed calcium silicate-based sealers at 30 days and greater cell viability with these sealers when used in undiluted extracts in experimental period of 72 h and in extracts with 1:2 and 1:4 dilution in 24 and 72 h. In contrast, no difference between materials was found concerning genotoxicity. Conclusion: Premixed calcium silicate-based root canal sealers have better histocompatibility and are less cytotoxic than the epoxy resin-based sealer AH Plus, demonstrating favorable biological behavior.

Prevalence of cagA, cagM, vacA and oipA genes in isolates of Helicobacter pylori obtained from hospital patients in Northeast Brazil.

Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of gastrointestinal disorders such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric cancer. It is estimated that around half of the world's population is infected with this pathogen, with underdeveloped countries reporting the highest frequencies. The genes cagA, cagM, vacA, and oipA are some of the most important virulence factors of H. pylori; however, there are no recent studies from Recife-PE demonstrating their frequency, and their relationship with severe gastric modifications. This work aims to use qualitative PCR to detect the virulence genes cagA, cagM, vacA, and oipA in H. pylori isolates obtained from patients in a public hospital in Recife (PE). We collected samples from the stomach's body and antrum of 147 patients, from which 71 (48%) tested positive for H. pylori. Among positive samples, the most frequently infected gender was female (44/71, 62%), and the most frequently infected age group was those above the age of 46 (31/71, 44%). Histological examination of H. pylori-positive samples revealed alterations other than chronic gastritis, including metaplasia and atrophy. The frequency of cagA, cagM, and oipA genes were identified in 84%, 56%, and 69% of the samples tested, respectively, as well as the vacA-s1m1 allelic combination (77%). However, there was no statistically significant variation in the occurrence of these genes, therefore they cannot be considered unique markers of severity in our setting. New research with larger samples and investigations of other genetic markers can aid uncover local risk factors and lead to a better understanding of H. pylori's pathogenesis.

Social-Single Prolonged Stress affects contextual fear conditioning in male and female Wistar rats: Molecular insights in the amygdala.

Stress exposure can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in male and female rats. Social-Single Prolonged Stress (SPS) protocol has been considered a potential PTSD model. This study aimed to pharmacologically validate the Social-SPS as a PTSD model in male and female rats. Male and female Wistar rats (60-day-old) were exposed to Social-SPS protocol and treated with fluoxetine (10 mg/Kg) or saline solution intraperitoneally 24 h before euthanasia. Two cohorts of animals were used; for cohort 1, male and female rats were still undisturbed until day 7 post-Social-SPS exposure, underwent locomotor and conditioned fear behaviors, and were euthanized on day 9. Animals of cohort 2 were subjected to the same protocol but were re-exposed to contextual fear behavior on day 14. Results showed that fluoxetine-treated rats gained less body weight than control and Social-SPS in both sexes. Social-SPS effectively increased the freezing time in male and female rats on day eight but not on day fourteen. Fluoxetine blocked the increase of freezing in male and female rats on day 8. Different mechanisms for fear behavior were observed in males, such as Social-SPS increased levels of glucocorticoid receptors and Beclin-1 in the amygdala. Social-SPS was shown to increase the levels of NMDA2A, GluR-1, PSD-95, and CAMKII in the amygdala of female rats. No alterations were observed in the amygdala of rats on day fourteen. The study revealed that Social-SPS is a potential PTSD protocol applicable to both male and female rats.

Asociación entre niveles de ansiedad y depresión en adultos con obesidad / Associação entre níveis de ansiedade e depressão em adultos com obesidade / Association between anxiety levels and depression in adults with obesity

Objetivo: Verificar la asociación entre los niveles de ansiedad y depresión en participantes de un Programa Multidisciplinario para el Tratamiento de la Obesidad, con variables antropométricas; composición corporal; parámetros bioquímicos y hemodinámicos; y aptitud física relacionada con la salud. Método: Estudio cuantitativo, correlacional, transversal, realizado con adultos participantes del Programa Multidisciplinario de Tratamiento de la Obesidad en un municipio del Noroeste de Paraná. Para la recolección de datos se aplicaron medidas antropométricas en julio de 2021; composición corporal; parámetros bioquímicos y hemodinámicos; pruebas de aptitud física relacionadas con la salud; y escala para evaluar los niveles de ansiedad y depresión. Resultados: Participaron del estudio 116 individuos, 87,94% mujeres, 12,06% hombres, con una edad media de 40 años. Hubo una correlación positiva considerable entre la hemoglobina y el hematocrito; colesterol total y LDL; glucosa y HbA1C1; peso e IMC; peso y perímetro abdominal; peso y circunferencia de la cintura; IMC y perímetro abdominal; IMC y perímetro de cintura; así como ansiedad y depresión. Conclusión: Los niveles de ansiedad y depresión de los participantes de Programa Multidisciplinario para el Tratamiento de la Obesidad no se correlacionaron significativamente con las variables de medición antropométricas; composición corporal; parámetros bioquímicos y hemodinámicos; y pruebas de evaluación de la aptitud física relacionadas con la salud. (AU)

Objetivo: Verificar associação entre níveis de ansiedade e depressão de participantes de um Programa Multiprofissional de Tratamento da Obesidade, com variáveis antropométricas; composição corporal; parâmetros bioquímicos e hemodinâmicos; e aptidão física relacionada à saúde. Método: Estudo transversal, realizado com adultos que participaram do programa em município do Noroeste do Paraná. Para a coleta de dados, aplicou-se em julho de 2021, avaliações de medidas antropométricas; composição corporal; parâmetros bioquímicos e hemodinâmicos; testes de aptidão física relacionada à saúde; e escala para avaliar os níveis de ansiedade e depressão. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 116 indivíduos, sendo 87,94% do sexo feminino, 12,06% do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 40 anos. Houve correlação positiva entre hemoglobinas e hematócritos; colesterol total e LDL; glicose e HbA1C1; peso, IMC e circunferências abdominal e de cintura; além de ansiedade e depressão. Conclusão: Os níveis de ansiedade e depressão não apresentaram correlação significativa com as variáveis estudadas. (AU)

Objective: To verify the association between levels of anxiety and depression of participants in a Multidisciplinary Program for the Treatment of Obesity, with anthropometric variables; body composition; biochemical and hemodynamic parameters; and health-related physical fitness. Method: Quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study carried out with adults who participated in the Multidisciplinary Program for the Treatment of Obesity in a municipality in the Northwest of Paraná. For data collection, anthropometric measurements were applied in July 2021; body composition; biochemical and hemodynamic parameters; health-related physical fitness tests; and scale to assess levels of anxiety and depression. Results: 116 individuals participated in the study, 87.94% female, 12.06% male, with a mean age of 40 years. There was a considerable positive correlation between hemoglobin and hematocrit; total and LDL cholesterol; glucose and HbA1C1; weight and BMI; weight and abdominal circumference; weight and waist circumference; BMI and abdominal circumference; BMI and waist circumference; as well as anxiety and depression. Conclusion:The levels of anxiety and depression of the participants of the Multidisciplinary Program for the Treatment of Obesity did not present a significant correlation with the variables of anthropometric measurements; body composition; biochemical and hemodynamic parameters; and health-related physical fitness assessment tests. (AU)

Effects of polymethyl methacrylate-based bone cement graft for treating excessive gingival display and its dimensional facial changes: 12-Month clinical study.

Objective: to present a 12-month follow-up with photographic and tomographic analyses of the effect of polymethyl methacrylate-based bone cement graft (PMMA) in gingival exposure (GE) in patients with excessive gingival display (EGD). Methods: Twelve patients with EGD were included. The PMMA was surgically placed. A frontal and lateral photograph protocol was performed at baseline (T0), 3 (T3), 6 (T6), and 12 months (T12) post-operatively. Soft tissue cone-beam computed tomography (ST-CBCT) was performed at T0 and T12. Measures included GE, length of the lip vermilion (LLV), lip shape (LS), nose width (NW), filter width (FW), nasolabial angle (NAS) while smiling, and nasolabial angle at rest (NAR). The height, thickness, and volume of the cement graft were also measured in the ST-CBCT. The comparisons were performed by Kruskal-Wallis test at 5 % of significance (p < 0.05). Results: The height, thickness, and volume of the PMMA were respectively 12.84 ± 1.59 mm, 3.83 ± 0.53, and 1532.02 ± 532.52 mm3. PMMA significantly decreased GE from 8.33 ± 1.25 mm (T0) to 6.60 ± 0.93 mm (T12) (p < 0.01). NAR was 98.34 ± 9.28° at T0 and increased to 105.13 ± 7.33° at T12; however, the angle value was not statistically different (p = 0.08). LLV, LS, NW, FW, and NAS did not exhibit statistical differences between the baseline and follow-up periods. Conclusions: PMMA significantly decreased GE in a 12-month follow-up without influencing adjacent soft tissue anatomical structures.

Gnathostoma infection after ingestion of raw fish is a probable cause of eosinophilic meningitis in the Brazilian Amazon.

We report a case of eosinophilic meningitis associated with the ingestion of raw fish (Cichla sp.) from the Brazilian Amazon, likely caused by Gnathostoma. A 36-year-old male visited Juruena river on a fishing trip. After 50 days, the patient presented with an intense frontal headache. A cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed 63% eosinophilia. Another individual who ingested raw fish developed linear dermatitis on the abdominal wall. Anti-Gnathostoma serum antibodies were detected, and the patient made a full recovery after treatment with corticosteroids and albendazole. To date, autochthonous Gnathostoma spp. infections in Latin American countries have only caused linear panniculitis. This report raises awareness of gnathostomiasis-causing meningitis.

Effect of Radiotherapy and Taper of Root Canal Preparation on the Biomechanical Behavior of Mesial Roots of Mandibular Molars.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the effect of radiotherapy and taper of root canal preparation on the biomechanical behavior of mesial roots of mandibular molars. METHODS: Eighty mandibular molars with 2 canals in the mesial root were randomly allocated into 2 groups (n = 40): one group underwent irradiation (60 Gy), while the other did not. Subsequently, the mesial roots were sectioned and each group was subdivided into 5 subgroups (n = 8), according to the preparation taper: no preparation (control); 25.03; 25.04; 25.06; and 25.08. All groups were considered homogeneous regarding their dimensions, weight, and morphology. The prepared specimens were embedded in cylindrical plastic molds and subjected to a cyclic fatigue test. A failure analysis was performed according to the extension and course of the fractures. Two-way ANOVA, Tukey's post-hoc, Fisher's exact, and Kaplan-Meier tests were conducted to evaluate the obtained data (α = 5%). RESULTS: Fatigue resistance decreased as the taper of the preparation increased (P < .05). Preparation 25.03 presented significantly higher values only than 25.08 (P < .05), while 25.04, 25.06, and 25.08 were considered similar (P > .05). Irradiation significantly reduced the biomechanical performance (P < .05). Survival analysis corroborated these findings. There were no differences in the distribution of fracture types among the groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The biomechanical behavior of the mesial roots of the mandibular molars decreased significantly in the face of irradiation and as the taper of the preparation increased.

Effects of chemotherapy treatment on muscle strength indicators, functional capacity and biopsychosocial aspects of women with breast cancer.

Evidences on the effects of chemotherapy treatment cycles on measures of muscle, mental state, social and cognitive performance are scarce. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of chemotherapy cycles on muscle strength and activation, functional capacity, quality of life, fatigue and anxiety of women with breast cancer. Therefore, twenty-two women divided into a treatment group (n = 10; 46.6 ± 9.6 years) and control group (n = 12; 51.6 ± 7.0 years) participated in the study. Analysis of muscle performance, quality of life, fatigue and anxiety after the 2nd and 4th cycle of chemotherapy with anthracyclines were performed in women with breast cancer (TRA) and compared to healthy women (CTR). Two-way ANOVA was used to compare the variance of the means and the significance level was set as P≤0.05. The results showed Differences in the muscular activation of the vastus mediallis between the groups at post time (P = 0.038), as well as in the sit and stand test in the baseline (P<0.001) and post moment (P<0.001). Functional capacity performance was different between baseline (P<0.001) and post-time (P<0.001) groups. Additionally, the TRA group worsened the quality of life in the domains of functional capacity (P<0.001) and limitation of physical aspects (P = 0.002), besides presenting negative changes in fatigue. Thus, anthracycline chemotherapy cycles reduce muscular performance and affect biopsychosocial variables in women with breast cancer.

Acrobatic training prevents motor deficits and neuronal loss in male and female rats following chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in vascular dementia leads to memory and motor deficits; Physical exercise improves these aspects and promotes neuroprotection. Sexual dimorphism may significantly influence both ischemic and exercise outcomes. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 2VO (Two-Vessel occlusion) and the acrobatic training on motor function, functional performance, and tissue loss in male and female rats. METHODS: Male and female rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham acrobatic, sham sedentary, 2VO acrobatic and 2VO sedentary. After 45 days of 2VO surgery, the animals received 4 weeks of acrobatic training. At the end, open field, beam balance and horizontal ladder tests were performed. Brain samples were taken for histological and morphological evaluation. RESULTS: Spontaneous motor activity in the open field was not affected by 2VO, on the other hand, an impairment in forelimb placement was observed after 2VO and acrobatic training prevented errors and improved hindlimb placement. Neuronal loss was found in the motor cortex and striatum after 2VO, especially in females, which was prevented by acrobatic training. CONCLUSION: Mild motor damage was found in animals after 2VO when refined movement was evaluated, probably associated to neuronal death in the motor cortex and striatum. The acrobatic exercise showed a neuroprotective effect, promoting neuronal survival and attenuating the motor deficit.

Challenges of Implementing a Human Multi-Tissue Bank in a Public Hospital in the Interior of São Paulo: Under the Light of the Quality Management System.

BACKGROUND: Human multi-tissue banks (HMTB) are important health institutions specialized in the capture, processing, and distribution of human tissues for transplants and research, aiming for safety and quality in the supply of their products, intended for reconstructive surgeries and injury repair, in addition to contributing to the advancement of research developed in regenerative medicine. This study aims to report and share the experience of implementing an HMTB, as well as creating an institution's own quality management system. METHODS: This is a descriptive study, an experience report type, which identifies historical aspects of an HMTB's actions in the 5 years of implementing and operating the service. RESULTS: Initially, a musculoskeletal tissue bank was established in collaboration with the Department of Orthopedics at the State University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, in June 2018. In 2023, through a management model and associated technologies, the banks of human musculoskeletal and ocular tissues at the institution established the HC-UNICAMP Human Multi-tissue Bank. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the HMTB with modern and technological infrastructure, associated with the development and operation of the quality management system, allowed us to provide excellent organization of work processes, as well as obtain the necessary health license to begin activities. It is believed that this report can be an important source of information and recommendations applicable to the implementation of other human HMTBs.

The use of sonic and ultrasonic activation of endodontic sealer to improve sealer filling quality in the root canal: a scoping review.

This scoping review aimed to map whether the use of sonic and ultrasonic methods to activate the endodontic sealer improves the sealer filling quality in the root canal, considering the bond strength and intratubular penetration to the root dentin as evaluation criteria. The study protocol was prospectively registered and is available online ( https://osf.io/x5fma/ ). Reporting was based on PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. The search was performed in Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. We selected studies without time and language restrictions that used sonic or ultrasonic methods to activate endodontic sealer, whose outcomes were bond strength and intratubular penetration. Three researchers independently selected the articles and collected data. Of 1422 articles, 19 were read in full and 13 studies were included. The vast majority of studies opted for direct activation of the endodontic sealer. The most investigated sealers were the epoxy resin-based sealers, and the ultrasonic activation method was the most explored. For the bond strength outcome, there was a trend toward higher values when the sealer was activated ultrasonically, but the findings seem to be divergent. The sonic activation was not effective for its intended purpose. For the outcome of intratubular penetration, the vast majority of studies indicate that the use of sonic and ultrasonic methods to activate the endodontic sealer is capable of increasing intratubular penetration. The use of sonic and ultrasonic methods to directly activate the endodontic sealer can increase the intratubular penetration of the sealer, but their benefits on the bond strength are uncertain.

In silico toxicity and immunological interactions of components of calcium silicate-based and epoxy resin-based endodontic sealers.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine in silico toxicity predictions of test compounds from hydraulic calcium silicate-based sealers (HCSBS) and AH Plus and computationally simulate the interaction between these substances and mediators of periapical inflammation via molecular docking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All chemical information of the test compounds was obtained from the PubChem site. Predictions for bioavailability and toxicity analyses were determined by the Molinspiration Cheminformatics, pkCSM, ProTox-II and OSIRIS Property Explorer platforms. Molecular docking was performed using the Autodock4 AMDock v.1.5.2 program to analyse interactions between proteins (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α) and ligands (calcium silicate hydrate, zirconium oxide, bisphenol-A epoxy resin, dibenzylamine, iron oxide and calcium tungstate) to establish the affinity and bonding mode between systems. RESULTS: Bisphenol-A epoxy resin had the lowest maximum dose tolerated in humans and was the test compound with the largest number of toxicological properties (hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity and irritant). All systems had favourable molecular docking. However, the ligands bisphenol-A epoxy resin and dibenzylamine had the greatest affinity with the cytokines tested. CONCLUSION: In silico predictions and molecular docking pointed the higher toxicity and greater interaction with mediators of periapical inflammation of the main test compounds from AH Plus compared to those from HCSBS. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first in silico study involving endodontic materials and may serve as the basis for further research that can generate more data, producing knowledge on the interference of each chemical compound in the composition of different root canal sealers.

Foliar Application of Amino Acids and Nutrients as a Tool to Mitigate Water Stress and Stabilize Sugarcane Yield and Bioenergy Generation.

Extended periods of water stress negatively affect sugarcane crop production. The foliar application of supplements containing specific nutrients and/or organic molecules such as amino acids can improve sugarcane metabolism, stalk and sugar yields, and the quality of the extracted juice. The present study assessed the effectiveness of the foliar application of an abiotic stress protection complement (ASPC) composed of 18 amino acids and 5 macronutrients. The experiments were carried out in the field with two treatments and twelve replicates. The two treatments were no application of ASPC (control) and foliar application of ASPC. The foliar application of ASPC increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (DPPH) was higher in ASPC-treated plants than in control plants, reflecting higher antioxidant enzyme activity and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The level of H2O2 was 11.27 nM g-1 protein in plants treated with ASPC but 23.71 nM g-1 protein in control plants. Moreover, the application of ASPC increased stalk yield and sucrose accumulation, thus increasing the quality of the raw material. By positively stabilizing the cellular redox balance in sugarcane plants, ASPC application also increased energy generation. Therefore, applying ASPC is an effective strategy for relieving water stress while improving crop productivity.

NeoSLAM: Long-Term SLAM Using Computational Models of the Brain.

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a fundamental problem in the field of robotics, enabling autonomous robots to navigate and create maps of unknown environments. Nevertheless, the SLAM methods that use cameras face problems in maintaining accurate localization over extended periods across various challenging conditions and scenarios. Following advances in neuroscience, we propose NeoSLAM, a novel long-term visual SLAM, which uses computational models of the brain to deal with this problem. Inspired by the human neocortex, NeoSLAM is based on a hierarchical temporal memory model that has the potential to identify temporal sequences of spatial patterns using sparse distributed representations. Being known to have a high representational capacity and high tolerance to noise, sparse distributed representations have several properties, enabling the development of a novel neuroscience-based loop-closure detector that allows for real-time performance, especially in resource-constrained robotic systems. The proposed method has been thoroughly evaluated in terms of environmental complexity by using a wheeled robot deployed in the field and demonstrated that the accuracy of loop-closure detection was improved compared with the traditional RatSLAM system.

Risk of death following chikungunya virus disease in the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort, 2015-18: a matched cohort study and self-controlled case series.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya virus outbreaks have been associated with excess deaths at the ecological level. Previous studies have assessed the risk factors for severe versus mild chikungunya virus disease. However, the risk of death following chikungunya virus disease compared with the risk of death in individuals without the disease remains unexplored. We aimed to investigate the risk of death in the 2 years following chikungunya virus disease. METHODS: We used a population-based cohort study and a self-controlled case series to estimate mortality risks associated with chikungunya virus disease between Jan 1, 2015, and Dec 31, 2018, in Brazil. The dataset was created by linking national databases for social programmes, notifiable diseases, and mortality. For the matched cohort design, individuals with chikungunya virus disease recorded between Jan 1, 2015, and Dec 31, 2018, were considered as exposed and those who were arbovirus disease-free and alive during the study period were considered as unexposed. For the self-controlled case series, we included all deaths from individuals with a chikungunya virus disease record, and each individual acted as their own control according to different study periods relative to the date of disease. The primary outcome was all-cause natural mortality up to 728 days after onset of chikungunya virus disease symptoms, and secondary outcomes were cause-specific deaths, including ischaemic heart diseases, diabetes, and cerebrovascular diseases. FINDINGS: In the matched cohort study, we included 143 787 individuals with chikungunya virus disease who were matched, at the day of symptom onset, to unexposed individuals using sociodemographic factors. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of death within 7 days of chikungunya symptom onset was 8·40 (95% CI 4·83-20·09) as compared with the unexposed group and decreased to 2·26 (1·50-3·77) at 57-84 days and 1·05 (0·82-1·35) at 85-168 days, with IRR close to 1 and wide CI in the subsequent periods. For the secondary outcomes, the IRR of deaths within 28 days after disease onset were: 1·80 (0·58-7·00) for cerebrovascular diseases, 3·75 (1·33-17·00) for diabetes, and 3·67 (1·25-14·00) for ischaemic heart disease, and there was no evidence of increased risk in the subsequent periods. For the self-controlled case series study, 1933 individuals died after having had chikungunya virus disease and were included in the analysis. The IRR of all-cause natural death within 7 days of symptom onset of chikungunya virus disease was 8·75 (7·18-10·66) and decreased to 1·59 (1·26-2·00) at 57-84 days and 1·09 (0·92-1·29) at 85-168 days. For the secondary outcomes, the IRRs of deaths within 28 days after disease onset were: 2·73 (1·50-4·96) for cerebrovascular diseases, 8·43 (5·00-14·21) for diabetes, and 2·38 (1·33-4·26) for ischaemic heart disease, and there was no evidence of increased risk at 85-168 days. INTERPRETATION: Chikungunya virus disease is associated with an increased risk of death for up to 84 days after symptom onset, including deaths from cerebrovascular diseases, ischaemic heart diseases, and diabetes. This study highlights the need for equitable access to approved vaccines and effective anti-chikungunya virus therapeutics and reinforces the importance of robust vector-control efforts to reduce viral transmission. FUNDING: Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia, Wellcome Trust, and UK Medical Research Council. TRANSLATION: For the Portuguese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Evaluation of dietary lignin on broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations, gut morphometry, and lipid oxidation.

Two trials were performed in order to evaluate the effects of dietary Kraft lignin inclusion on broiler performance, ileal nutrient digestibility, blood lipid profile, intestinal morphometry, and lipid oxidation of meat. Trial 1 was conducted in order to evaluate performance and ileal digestibility for the period of 1 to 21 d of age, randomly distributing 490 day-old broiler chicks across 5 dietary treatments with 14 replicates containing 7 birds each in metabolic cages, while trial 2 was executed in order to evaluate performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphometry, carcass yield and abdominal fat, and lipid oxidation for the period of 1 to 42 d of age, randomly distributing 900 day-old broiler chicks across 5 dietary treatments with 15 replicates of 12 birds each in floor pens, being each bird in trial 2 challenged with coccidiosis vaccine at 10 d of age. The treatments used in both trials were: positive control (PC): basal diet + antimicrobial; negative control (NC): Basal diet; NC1: NC + 1% lignin; NC2: NC + 2% lignin; NC3: NC + 3% lignin. For trial 1, it was observed that birds fed diets containing 1% lignin had a significant positive effect for BW, feed intake (FI), average daily weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR), similar to the PC, but also showing better EE, CP and AAs ileal digestibility percentages when compared to other treatments. For trial 2, it was observed that during the period of 21 to 35 d, the inclusion of lignin in the diet provided better results in animal performance, similar to the PC group, but at 42 d, animals fed with dietary lignin showed results lower than animals fed the PC diet (P < 0.05). Animals fed with increasing lignin concentrations showed decreasing levels of HDL (P < 0.05). As of intestinal morphometry, animals fed with 1% and 3% lignin showed longer intestinal length (P < 0.05). At 14 d of age, it was observed that animals fed with lignin showed oxidation levels similar to the control treatments. The inclusion of up to 1% lignin in the diet provides beneficial effects on productive performance and nutrient digestibility, while the inclusion of 2% lignin provided lower cholesterol levels, lower villus/crypt ratio, and better internal organ development, therefore, it can be considered an alternative to performance-enhancing antimicrobials in broiler chicken diets.