Short- and long-term effects of incentives on prosocial behavior: The case of ride vouchers to a blood collection agency.

This study addresses the challenge of low blood donation rates in developing countries by examining the effectiveness of a barrier-removal incentive-a one-day transportation voucher-to promote blood donation. Utilizing a longitudinal dataset of 23,750 donors from a Brazilian blood collection agency (BCA) collected between March 2018 and May 2020, we examine the short and long-term effects of this campaign on donation rates. Our results show that the incentive had a large positive influence on both donation attempts and successful donations on the day of the campaign. However, the short-term success of the intervention had an unintended consequence: the significant increase in prospective donors' waiting time at the BCA during the intervention day, which may help explain the negative impact on return rates in the 24-month follow-up. Despite these opposing outcomes, the net effect of the one-day blood donation incentive was still positive, offering valuable insights for BCAs aiming to enhance donor recruitment and retention strategies and emphasizing the need to balance immediate benefits with potential long-term impacts.

Stigmatizing deferrals disproportionally reduce donor return rates: Evidence from Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prior research has shown that temporary deferrals negatively influence donor return rates, but it remains unknown the extent to which these effects vary across reasons for deferral. We investigate whether deferrals differ in their degree of perceived stigmatization and, if so, how being deferred for stigmatizing (vs. non-stigmatizing) reasons affects subsequent donation behaviour. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined whether reasons for deferral vary on their perceived level of stigmatization through an online survey (n = 400). Furthermore, we used a dataset encompassing 25 years of donation records from the state-run blood collection agency (BCA) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to investigate how stigmatizing (vs. non-stigmatizing) reasons for deferral affected return rates of 82,648 donors over a 60-month follow-up period. RESULTS: Being deferred for sex- and drug-related reasons was perceived as much more stigmatizing than other reasons for deferral (odds ratio = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.33-4.25). Controlling for multiple observables, prospective donors were less likely to return to the BCA when deferred for stigmatizing (vs. non-stigmatizing) reasons (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.83-0.93). CONCLUSION: Donors perceive deferrals motivated by sex- and drug-related reasons as particularly stigmatizing, which is negatively associated with donor return rates. BCAs may want to pay special attention when communicating stigmatizing reasons for deferral to prospective donors.

Success rate of permanent teeth pulpotomy using bioactive materials: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: The results of vital pulp treatments in permanent teeth have been encouraging. Currently, pulpotomy treatment for permanent teeth primarily utilizes mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as the dressing material, followed by calcium hydroxide. While other calcium-silicate-based cements have been suggested for pulpotomy, there is a limited number of studies evaluating their long-term effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the success rate of pulpotomies performed on permanent teeth, comparing the use of ProRoot MTA with that of calcium hydroxide and other bioceramic materials. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in several electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Science Direct until December 2022. The search was guided by PICOS criteria, including only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the success rate of pulpotomy treatments in permanent teeth using ProRoot MTA in comparison to calcium hydroxide and other bioceramic materials. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the RoB-2 tool to evaluate the risk of bias, and relevant data were extracted and analysed in RevMan software 5.3 using fixed-effect models. The GRADE tool was used to determine the overall quality of evidence. RESULTS: The initial search retrieved 1072 studies and, after eliminating duplicates, 677 studies were screened and 28 studies were considered for eligibility. In the final selection process, 16 studies were included in the systematic review, with 10 being determined as having a high risk of bias. Pulpotomy showed an overall mean success rate of 92% after 1 year. The meta-analysis indicated a significantly higher success rate for pulpotomies utilizing MTA in comparison with calcium hydroxide, while no significant difference was seen between MTA and calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) or Biodentine. The GRADE assessment revealed an overall low level of evidence for the included studies. DISCUSSION: Most randomized controlled trials exhibited a significant absence of control over confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that pulpotomy is a highly effective treatment for managing permanent teeth. The results indicate that the success rate of pulpotomy using ProRoot MTA is significantly higher than when using calcium hydroxide. However, the certainty of evidence supporting these findings is low, and there is a need for well-designed RCTs to assess the long-term outcomes of pulpotomy using newer bioceramic materials. REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42023393970).

Efficacy of an arrow-shaped ultrasonic tip for the removal of residual root canal filling materials.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of supplementary methods to remove the remaining root filling material from root canals. Twenty mandibular single-rooted teeth were instrumented with Reciproc 25/0.08 and filled with gutta-percha and AH-Plus sealer, followed by a micro-CT scanning. The retreatment procedures were performed, the samples were rescanned and divided into two groups (n = 10) according to the supplementary method: XP-endo Finisher R and Clearsonic tip. The samples were rescanned and the volume of remaining root filling material was quantified. Data were analysed statistically (P < 0.05). The amount of filling material removed after supplementary methods was higher compared with retreatment procedure (P < 0.05). XP-endo Finisher R promoted a greater percentage of filling materials reduction in the entire root canal and apical third compared with Clearsonic tip (P < 0.05). Supplementary methods were effective in the reduction of root filling materials. XP-endo Finisher R removed more root filling material than Clearsonic tip.

Physicochemical, cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility of a high-plasticity calcium-silicate based material.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical properties, the cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility of MTA Repair HP (MTA HP) and White MTA (WMTA). The setting time, flow, radiopacity and water solubility were assessed. To the cytotoxicity assay, primary human osteoblast cells were exposed to several dilutions of both materials eluates. MTT assay, apoptosis assay and cell adhesion assay were performed. The in vivo biocompatibility was evaluated through histological analysis using different staining techniques. No differences were observed between MTA HP and WMTA for setting time, radiopacity, solubility and water absorption (P > 0.05). However, MTA HP showed a significantly higher flow when compared to WMTA (P < 0.05). Cell viability results revealed that the extracts of WMTA and MTA HP promoted the viability of osteoblasts. After incubation of cells with the endodontic cement extracts, the percentage of apoptotic or necrotic cells was very low (<3%). Furthermore, SEM results showed a high degree of cell proliferation and adhesion on both groups. MTA HP showed similar in vivo biocompatibility to the WMTA and the control group in all time-points. The MTA HP presented adequate physicochemical and biological properties with improved flow ability when compared to WMTA. Such improved flow ability may be a result of the addition of a plasticizing agent and should be related to an improvement in the handling of MTA HP.

The short- and long-term impact of an incentive intervention on healthier eating: a quasi-experiment in primary- and secondary-school cafeterias in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the short- and long-term effectiveness of a lottery incentive intervention to promote the purchase of healthy products in school cafeterias. DESIGN: A quasi-experiment in which students' purchases in intervention schools were analysed in a pre-post analysis and also compared with a control school in a difference-in-differences model. A hierarchical linear model assessed the mean number of promoted healthy products purchased daily per participant before (twenty-six weekdays), during (nine weekdays) and after (twenty-eight weekdays) the intervention period. Sex, age and prior purchasing behaviour served as covariates. SETTING: Convenience sample of school cafeterias using a debit-card payment method that allowed for the assessment of students' purchasing behaviour.ParticipantsStudents who used the pre-paid card to buy snacks at the school cafeteria. A total of 352 students (208 in intervention schools and 144 in control school) were included in the final analyses. RESULTS: The incentives programme significantly increased the purchase of promoted healthy products during (v. before) the intervention period in intervention schools (P<0·001), especially among younger children (P=0·036). Among the students who purchased the promoted healthier products during the intervention, there was an increase in total number of purchased products (healthy non-promoted, but also of less healthy products). Sex and past consumption behaviour did not influence the response to incentives in the short term. On average, no long-term effect was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term and negative spillover effects must be taken into consideration for a complete understanding of the effects of incentives on healthier eating.

Avaliação antimicrobiana dos vapores de para monoclorofenol e tricresol formalina utilizando uma nova metodologia / Antimicrobial evaluation of vapors of paramonochlorophenol and tricresol formalin using a new methodology

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito antimicrobiano do Paramonoclorofenol Canforado (PMCFC) e do Tricresol Formalina (TF) frente ao Enterococcus faecalis utilizando uma nova metodologia para simular a volatilização dos compostos. Enterococcus faecalis foram inoculados em placas de Petri com BHI, na qual foram fincados escalpes contendo algodão embebido em PMCFC e TF. Bolinhas de algodão sem medicação foram utilizadas como controle negativo. Após 48 horas de cultivo, foi avaliada a formação de halos de inibição de crescimento bacteriano. Pode-se constatar que o grupo com TF produziu halos de inibição em 100% dos escalpes, enquanto o PMCFC e o controle negativo não produziram halo de inibição. Conclui-se que somente o TF apresentou atividade antimicrobiana por volatilização.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of paramonochlorophenol and tricresol formalin using a new methodology to simulate the volatilization of these substances. Enterococcus faecalis were inoculated em petri dishes with BHI and mm scalps containing cotton balls soaked with the tested substances were stucked in the petri dishes. Cotton balls without medication were used as negative control. After 48 hours the inhibition halo formation was evaluated. The results showed that tricresol formalin group presented inhinition zones in 100% of scalps, while paramochlorophenol and control group produced no inhibition zone. The results suggested that the vapor of formalin tricresol has antibacterial activity; however paramonochlorophenol was unable to exert antibacterial activity from the volatilization of its gases.

Behavior of subcutaneous tissue of rats in response to infected dentine associated with different endodontic irrigants / Comportamento do tecido subcutâneo de ratos frente à dentina infectada e associada a diferentes irrigantes endodônticos

PURPOSE: To compare rat subcutaneous connective tissue reaction to dentine contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis associated with 0.9% sterile saline, 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and 2% chlorhexidine gel (CHX). METHODS: Dentine was crushed into powder and inoculated with E. faecalis. Tested substances were mixed with contaminated dentine and placed in polyethylene tubes. Ten male Wistar rats had their backs divided into four quadrants that received an implant containing one of the tested substances. An empty tube was used as a control. Five rats were randomly distributed for evaluation at time intervals of 24 hours and 72 hours. Tissue samples were histologically processed. Tissue reactions to experimental groups were evaluated under optical microscopes. RESULTS: Groups of 5.25% NaOCl induced greater inflammatory response after 24 hours and 72 hours. Compared to groups of 2% CHX, the groups of 0.9% sterile saline showed milder inflammatory reactions after 24 hours and more severe after 72 hours. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that 5.25% NaOCl group showed a higher inflammatory reaction to rat subcutaneous connective tissue and the 2% chlorhexidine group showed the least reaction.

OBJETIVO: Comparar a resposta do tecido subcutâneo de ratos frente a dentina contaminada com Enterococcus faecalis associado ao soro fisiológico 0.9% , hipoclorito de sódio 5.25% (NaOCl) ou clorexidina gel 2% (CHX). METODOLOGIA: Foi realizada a contaminação de dentina em pó com E. faecalis. As substâncias testadas foram misturadas com a dentina contaminada e inseridas em tubos de polietileno. Dez ratos Wistar tiveram os dorsos divididos em quatro quadrantes e cada quadrante recebeu um tubo com cada uma das misturas testadas. Um tubo vazio foi utilizado como controle. Os ratos foram distribuídos em dois grupos para avaliação no período de 24 e 72 horas. Os tecidos foram processados histologicamente e as reações teciduais foram avaliadas sobre microscopia de luz. RESULTADOS: Os grupos de NaOCl 5.25% promoveram maiores reações inflamatória após 24 e 72 horas. Quando comparado com os grupos de CHX 2%, os grupos de soro fisiológico 0.9% mostraram inflamação moderada após 24 horas e severa após 72 horas. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados indicaram que o grupo de NaOCl 5.25% apresentou maior reação inflamatória aos tecidos subcutâneos de rato e que o grupo de CHX 2% apresentou menor reação inflamatória.

Assessment of the tip surface of gutta-percha cones after different cutting methods

Fue evaluada la superficie de conos de gutapercha después de ser calibrados con cinco diferentes métodos de corte, incluyendo el nuevo dispositivo TipSnip. Los conos de gutapercha fueron cortadoscon TipSnip, con un corte con hoja de bisturí en regla calibrada, con corte de ida y vuelta con hoja de bisturí en reglacalibrada, con hoja de afeitar sobre una platina de vidrio, o con tijeras. Las muestras fueron observadas bajo microscopía estereoscópica y examinadas por tres evaluadores altamente calificados y previamente calibrados utilizado el coeficiente Kappa con intervalo de confianza del 95 por ciento; todos los resultados fueron tabulados y analizados estadísticamente mediante el test no paramétrico deKruskal-Wallis con un nivel de significancia del 5 por ciento. El corte con tijeras produjo significativas irregularidades en la superficie delcono, siendo el grupo con peores resultados. El corte con TipSnip,el corte de ida y vuelta con hoja de bisturí, y la hoja de afeitar obtuvieron los mejores resultados. Una superficie regular en la punta de los conos de gutapercha mejora la adaptación apical, y esto puede conseguirse por medio de diferentes métodos de corte.