Sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge and attitudes of Peruvian dental interns about dental shade selection.

BACKGROUND: The dentist should have a thorough knowledge of the science, protocols and procedures for dental shade selection in order to mimic dental tissue with restorative materials, respecting the individual needs and attitudes of each patient and providing them with a pleasant and esthetically acceptable appearance. The present study evaluated the knowledge and attitudes of dental interns from two Peruvian universities about dental shade selection and its relationship with sociodemographic factors. METHODS: The present cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out on Peruvian dental interns from the Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal and the Universidad Privada de San Juan Bautista during May to June 2022. Two validated questionnaires on knowledge and attitudes about dental shade selection were used. A Poisson regression model with robust variance using the adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) was used to assess the influence of the variables: age group, sex, place of origin and type of university, considering a significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that 40.8% (95% CI: 34.0% - 47.6%) of the interns presented unfavorable attitudes while 90.1% (95% CI: 86.0% - 94.2%) presented insufficient knowledge. It was also found that dental interns under 29 years of age were 32% less likely to have unfavorable attitudes (APR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.48 - 0.96) and 11% more likely to have insufficient knowledge (APR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.24) about tooth shade selection compared to dental interns aged 29 years and older. Finally, women were 55% more likely to have unfavorable attitudes about tooth shade selection compared to men (APR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.08 - 2.22). CONCLUSION: The majority of dental interns presented insufficient knowledge and less than half had unfavorable attitudes about dental shade selection. In addition, being a student under 29 years of age was a risk factor for presenting insufficient knowledge and at the same time constituted a protective factor for presenting unfavorable attitudes. Likewise, being a female student was a risk factor for presenting unfavorable attitudes about dental shade selection.

Long-term PM2.5 exposure before diagnosis is associated with worse outcome in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Increasingly epidemiological evidence supports that environmental factors are associated with breast cancer (BC) outcomes after a BC diagnosis. Although evidence suggests that air pollution exposure is associated with higher mortality in women with BC, studies investigating potential mechanisms have been lacking. METHODS: We evaluated women with BC (N = 151) attended at the National Cancer Institute-Mexico from 2012 to 2015. We calculated 1-year average exposures to particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) at home address before diagnosis. We used linear and logistic regression models to determine the associations between PM2.5 exposure and BC aggressiveness (tumor size, molecular phenotype). RESULTS: Average annual PM2.5 exposure of this population was 23.0 µg/m3 [standard deviation (SD)]: 1.90 µg/m3]. PM2.5 levels were positively correlated with tumor size at diagnosis (r = 0.22; p = 0.007). Multivariable linear models had a similar inference [risk ratio (RR): 1.32; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.04, 1.674]. We did not observe differences in this association by age or menopause status. Further, women with triple-negative BC (TNBC) had significantly higher PM2.5 levels compared with other phenotypes (p = 0.015). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models assessing the association between PM2.5 and tumor size had a similar inference (RR 1.41; 95% CI 1.05, 1.89) overall for all ages and also for women who were ≤ 50 years old at diagnosis (RR 1.63; 95% CI 1.036, 2.57). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a significant association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and BC aggressiveness based on tumor size and phenotype, as well as a worse outcome.

Short-Term Response of Cytosolic N O 3 - to Inorganic Carbon Increase in Posidonia oceanica Leaf Cells.

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased over the past 200 years and is expected to continue rising in the next 50 years at a rate of 3 ppm·year-1. This increase has led to a decrease in seawater pH that has changed inorganic carbon chemical speciation, increasing the dissolved HC O 3 - . Posidonia oceanica is a marine angiosperm that uses HC O 3 - as an inorganic carbon source for photosynthesis. An important side effect of the direct uptake of HC O 3 - is the diminution of cytosolic Cl- (Cl-c) in mesophyll leaf cells due to the efflux through anion channels and, probably, to intracellular compartmentalization. Since anion channels are also permeable to N O 3 - we hypothesize that high HC O 3 - , or even CO2, would also promote a decrease of cytosolic N O 3 - ( N O 3 - c ). In this work we have used N O 3 - - and Cl--selective microelectrodes for the continuous monitoring of the cytosolic concentration of both anions in P. oceanica leaf cells. Under light conditions, mesophyll leaf cells showed a N O 3 - c of 5.7 ± 0.2 mM, which rose up to 7.2 ± 0.6 mM after 30 min in the dark. The enrichment of natural seawater (NSW) with 3 mM NaHCO3 caused both a N O 3 - c decrease of 1 ± 0.04 mM and a Cl c - decrease of 3.5 ± 0.1 mM. The saturation of NSW with 1000 ppm CO2 also produced a diminution of the N O 3 - c , but lower (0.4 ± 0.07 mM). These results indicate that the rise of dissolved inorganic carbon ( HC O 3 - or CO2) in NSW would have an effect on the cytosolic anion homeostasis mechanisms in P. oceanica leaf cells. In the presence of 0.1 mM ethoxyzolamide, the plasma membrane-permeable carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, the CO2-induced cytosolic N O 3 - diminution was much lower (0.1 ± 0.08 mM), pointing to HC O 3 - as the inorganic carbon species that causes the cytosolic N O 3 - leak. The incubation of P. oceanica leaf pieces in 3 mM HC O 3 - -enriched NSW triggered a short-term external N O 3 - net concentration increase consistent with the N O 3 - c leak. As a consequence, the cytosolic N O 3 - diminution induced in high inorganic carbon could result in both the decrease of metabolic N flux and the concomitant biomass N impoverishment in P. oceanica and, probably, in other aquatic plants.

Intracrystalline Ozurdex®: therapeutic effect maintained for 18 months.

INTRODUCTION: Ozurdex® is a sterile, sustained-release implant of dexamethasone. The device dissolves within the vitreous body and releases dexamethasone. Here we present a clinical case that demonstrates the sustained therapeutic efficacy of Ozurdex® when accidentally injected into the crystalline lens. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: Sixty-three-year-old male in which we decided to prescribe the intravitreal injection of a dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®) in the left eye because of macular oedema after branch retinal vein occlusion. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.4. At 15 days post-implantation, the slit-lamp examination revealed the dexamethasone implant was located in the crystalline lens. Given there was no inflammation in the anterior pole, no cataracts had developed, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was normal and the macular oedema had been resolved, we decided to assess the efficacy and safety of the dexamethasone implant located in the crystalline lens. The BCVA improved until 14 months post-accidental injection. At 18 months post-Ozurdex® injection the BCVA worsened until 0.05 because of the cataract evolution. Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens placement in sulcus was performed. CONCLUSION: Once the complication has occurred, most authors advocate the early withdrawal of the implanted Ozurdex® device by means of crystalline phacoemulsification and then repositioning it in the vitreous body. However, as long as there are no signs of inflammation in the anterior pole, the IOP is within normal limits, the device does not affect the visual axis and there is no cataract development, we can evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of Ozurdex® in this non-indicated, abnormal location.

Na⁺-Dependent High-Affinity Nitrate, Phosphate and Amino Acids Transport in Leaf Cells of the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile.

Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile is a seagrass, the only group of vascular plants to colonize the marine environment. Seawater is an extreme yet stable environment characterized by high salinity, alkaline pH and low availability of essential nutrients, such as nitrate and phosphate. Classical depletion experiments, membrane potential and cytosolic sodium measurements were used to characterize the high-affinity NO3-, Pi and amino acids uptake mechanisms in this species. Net uptake rates of both NO3- and Pi were reduced by more than 70% in the absence of Na⁺. Micromolar concentrations of NO3- depolarized mesophyll leaf cells plasma membrane. Depolarizations showed saturation kinetics (Km = 8.7 ± 1 µM NO3-), which were not observed in the absence of Na⁺. NO3- induced depolarizations at increasing Na⁺ also showed saturation kinetics (Km = 7.2 ± 2 mM Na⁺). Cytosolic Na⁺ measured in P. oceanica leaf cells (17 ± 2 mM Na⁺) increased by 0.4 ± 0.2 mM Na⁺ upon the addition of 100 µM NO3-. Na⁺-dependence was also observed for high-affinity l-ala and l-cys uptake and high-affinity Pi transport. All together, these results strongly suggest that NO3-, amino acids and Pi uptake in P. oceanica leaf cells are mediated by high-affinity Na⁺-dependent transport systems. This mechanism seems to be a key step in the process of adaptation of seagrasses to the marine environment.

Fusión intergénica de protoplastos de Saccharomyces cerevisiae y Hanseniaspora guillermondii / Intergenic fusion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hanseniaspora guillermondii protoplasts

La fusión de protoplastos ha facilitado la obtención de nuevas cepas de levaduras con propiedades biotecnológicas muy interesantes. El principal objetivo de esta investigación fue obtener una levadura híbrida intergénica con potencialidades enológicas características de dos géneros diferentes. Para ello se fusionaron protoplastos de Saccharomyces cerevisiae autóctona de la región zuliana con Hanseniaspora guillermondii CECT 11102 de origen comercial. Saccharomyces es una levadura que produce altas concentraciones de etanol pero el perfil aromático es sencillo y común. Hanseniaspora no resiste las concentraciones de etanol, pero puede generar aromas agradables e intensos. La identificación de las levaduras antes y después de la fusión de protoplastos se realizó con la técnica PCR-RFLP del gen 5.8S rADN y las regiones intergénicas adyacentes ITS1 e ITS2 del ADN extraído, sometiendo los productos amplificados a un análisis de restricción con las enzimas HinfI, HaeIII, CfoI y DdeI. El polietilenglicol fue usado para inducir la fusión de protoplastos. La cepa híbrida presentó características de ambas levaduras parentales debido a que resistió altas concentraciones de etanol como S. cerevisiae y fue capaz de metabolizar el salicín como H. guillermondii. El análisis molecular PCR-RFLP de la levadura híbrida mostró un patrón de bandas diferente al de las levaduras parentales.

Protoplast fusion has facilitated the development of new yeast strains with very interesting biotechnological properties. The main objective of this research was to obtain hybrid yeast with potentialities of two different genera, that could be used in the wine manufacture. Saccharomyces cerevisiae protoplasts from the Zulian region were fused with Hanseniaspora guillermondii CECT 11102 of commercial origin. Saccharomyces is a yeast that produces high levels of ethanol but the aromatic profile is simple and common. Hanseniaspora does not withstand ethanol concentrations, but it can generate pleasant and intense aromas. Identification of yeast before and after the fusion of protoplasts was performed using the PCR-RFLP technique of the 5.8S rDNA gene and the adjacent ITS1 and ITS2 intergenic regions of the extracted DNA, subjecting the amplified products to a restriction with the enzymes HinfI, HaeIII, CfoI and DdeI. Polyethylene glycol was used to induce fusion of protoplasts. The hybrid strain showed characteristics of both parental yeasts because it resisted high concentrations of ethanol as S. cerevisiae and was able to metabolize the salicin as H. guillermondii. PCR-RFLP molecular analysis of hybrid yeast showed a different band pattern than those pertaining to parental yeasts.

Estudio de los efectos de la implantación de un banco de leche donada en los recién nacidos pretérmino en Aragón / Study of the effects of the implementation of a human milk donor bank in preterm newborns in Aragon

INTRODUCCIÓN: Numerosos obstáculos pueden impedir que un prematuro o un neonato enfermo reciba leche de su madre. En estos casos las sociedades científicas pediátricas recomiendan la alimentación con leche materna donada. Explicamos qué es un banco de leche, cómo funciona, el método de selección de donantes y sus beneficios. Finalmente, describimos la situación actual en Aragón. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio retrospectivo de tipo descriptivo de las características perinatales de la muestra y analítico observacional, comparando 2 grupos de la muestra: prebanco y posbanco de leche. Finalmente se buscan diferencias dentro de la etapa posbanco entre los alimentados con leche materna propia y donada. RESULTADOS: Un total de 234 pacientes (104 hombres y 130 mujeres). Dos grupos: prebanco (152 pacientes) y posbanco (82 pacientes), comparables al nacimiento; longitud y perímetro cefálico significativamente mayor en grupo posbanco y menor tasa de enterocolitis necrosante. Sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el resto de variables, y tampoco entre los subgrupos de leche materna propia y donada. Discusión La implantación del banco supone un efecto beneficioso, con reducción de la morbilidad neonatal en el caso de la enterocolitis necrosante, y la alimentación con leche materna podría ser un factor protector frente a sepsis neonatal tardía al mejorar la inmunidad. CONCLUSIONES: La incidencia de enterocolitis necrosante es menor tras la implantación del banco de leche. Estudios con mayor número de pacientes quizás demostrasen diferencias en otras variables

INTRODUCTION: Numerous obstacles may prevent a premature or sick neonate receiving their mother's milk. In these cases, pediatric scientific societies recommend feeding with donor human milk. In this article, it is explained what a milk bank is, how it works, the donors' selection method, and the benefits. We also describe the current situation in Aragon (Spain) is also described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective and descriptive study was conducted on the perinatal sample characteristics, as well as an analytical observational study, comparing two sample groups: pre- and post-human milk bank. Finally, differences in the post-bank stage between those patients fed with own-mother's or donor human milk were determined. RESULTS: The study included a total of 234 PATIENTS: 104 females and 130 males. Two groups: pre and post-bank, with 152 and 82 patients, respectively, which had similar characteristics at birth; length and head circumference were significantly higher in the post-bank group and a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis was also found. No statistically significant differences were found in other variables between subgroups fed with own-mother's milk and donor human milk. Discussion The establishment of the human milk donor bank has a beneficial effect, as it reduces neonatal morbidity in cases of necrotizing enterocolitis. Human milk feeding could be a protective factor against neonatal sepsis due to improve immunity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis is lower after the establishment of the milk bank. Studies with more patients may demonstrate differences in other variables

[Study of the effects of the implementation of a human milk donor bank in preterm newborns in Aragon]. / Estudio de los efectos de la implantación de un banco de leche donada en los recién nacidos pretérmino en Aragón.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous obstacles may prevent a premature or sick neonate receiving their mother's milk. In these cases, pediatric scientific societies recommend feeding with donor human milk. In this article, it is explained what a milk bank is, how it works, the donors' selection method, and the benefits. We also describe the current situation in Aragon (Spain) is also described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective and descriptive study was conducted on the perinatal sample characteristics, as well as an analytical observational study, comparing two sample groups: pre- and post-human milk bank. Finally, differences in the post-bank stage between those patients fed with own-mother's or donor human milk were determined. RESULTS: The study included a total of 234 patients: 104 females and 130 males. Two groups: pre and post-bank, with 152 and 82 patients, respectively, which had similar characteristics at birth; length and head circumference were significantly higher in the post-bank group and a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis was also found. No statistically significant differences were found in other variables between subgroups fed with own-mother's milk and donor human milk. DISCUSSION: The establishment of the human milk donor bank has a beneficial effect, as it reduces neonatal morbidity in cases of necrotizing enterocolitis. Human milk feeding could be a protective factor against neonatal sepsis due to improve immunity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis is lower after the establishment of the milk bank. Studies with more patients may demonstrate differences in other variables.

The MAD1 1673 G → A polymorphism alters the function of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint and is associated with a worse response to induction chemotherapy and sensitivity to treatment in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mitotic arrest deficient 1 (MAD1), a protein of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), recognizes MAD2 through two leucine zippers, transporting and activating MAD2, which promotes a metaphase arrest signal. A single nucleotide polymorphism of MAD1 was found to affect the SAC function that could be involved in a poor response to therapeutic agents that alter the dynamics of microtubules. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of the polymorphism MAD1 1673 G → A (rs1801368) with the efficiency of the SAC and the generation of aneuploidies and with the therapeutic response of patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS: The polymorphism was evaluated in 144 healthy individuals and 91 patients. Mitotic arrest and the presence of errors in segregation were analyzed in cultured human lymphocytes treated with nocodazole and paclitaxel. Errors in segregation were also evaluated in 27 biopsies of patients. RESULTS: Allele frequencies in healthy individuals were G: 50%, A: 50%, whereas in the patients they were G: 38%, A: 62% (P<0.05). The percentage of cells with mitotic arrest was higher among GG cells (P<0.05). The frequency of micronuclei and nondisjunction events increased in AA cells (P<0.05). Tumors from polymorphic patients had a higher percentage of aneuploid cells (P<0.05). The GG patients showed a higher biochemical response, optimal cytoreduction, and sensitivity to the treatment. There were no differences in progression-free or overall survival between both groups. CONCLUSION: The polymorphism MAD1 1673 G → A affects SAC functionality, increasing the frequency of aneuploid cells. This polymorphism modifies the response to agents that alter the dynamics of microtubules in patients with ovarian cancer.

Neuroprotective actions of the synthetic estrogen 17alpha-ethynylestradiol in the hippocampus.

17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2), a major constituent of many oral contraceptives, is similar in structure to 17beta-estradiol, which has neuroprotective properties in several animal models. This study explored the potential neuroprotective actions of EE2 against kainic and quinolinic acid toxicity in the hippocampus of adult ovariectomized Wistar rats. A decrease in the number of Nissl-stained neurons and the induction of vimentin immunoreactivity in astrocytes was observed in the hilus of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus after the administration of either kainic acid or quinolinic acid. EE2 prevented the neuronal loss and the induction of vimentin immunoreactivity induced by kainic acid at low (1 microg/rat) and high (10-100 microg/rat) doses and exerted a protection against quinolinic acid toxicity at a low dose (1 microg/rat) only. These observations demonstrate that EE2 exerts neuroprotective actions against excitotoxic insults. This finding is relevant for the design of new neuroprotective estrogenic compounds.

High Smac/DIABLO expression is associated with early local recurrence of cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: In a recent pilot report, we showed that Smac/DIABLO mRNA is expressed de novo in a subset of cervical cancer patients. We have now expanded this study and analyzed Smac/DIABLO expression in the primary lesions in 109 cervical cancer patients. METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections to analyze Smac/DIABLO expression in the 109 primary lesions. Seventy-eight samples corresponded to epidermoid cervical cancer and 31 to cervical adenocarcinoma. The median follow up was 46.86 months (range 10-186). RESULTS: Smac/DIABLO was expressed in more adenocarcinoma samples than squamous tumours (71% vs 50%; p = 0.037). Among the pathological variables, a positive correlation was found between Smac/DIABLO immunoreactivity and microvascular density, a marker for angiogenesis (p = 0.04). Most importantly, Smac/DIABLO immunoreactivity was associated with a higher rate of local recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma (p = 0.002, log rank test). No association was found between Smac/DIABLO and survival rates. CONCLUSION: Smac/DIABLO expression is a potential marker for local recurrence in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Dinámica cardiopulmonar durante una prueba e esfuerzo máximo en atletas mexicanos de resistencia / Cardiopulmonary dynamics during maximal effort test in mexican athletes

Propósito: Buscar diferencias cinéticas y dinámicas cardiopulmonares (CPs) entre atletas de resistencia (RES = 10) y no atletas (NON = 19) mexicanos. Método: Del volumen espirado (V. e), medido por espirometría de circuito abierto, se calculó V. O2 y V. CO2 durante una prueba en cicloergómetro mientras cada voluntario pedaleaba sentado al inicio 50 Wú 2min-1 seguido de incrementos de 25 Wú 2min-1 hasta lograr un V. O2máx . El curso temporal (min) transitorio de la respuesta (V. O2 , V. CO2 , V. e, frecuencia cardiaca, FC; y pulso de O2 , PulO2 ) al ejercicio se transformó a segundos y se modeló por computadora mediante regresión lineal, por el método iterativo de los mínimos cuadrados, en el que el tiempo de respuesta media (TRM) se usó de indicador cinético global CP. Resultados: Los TRMs transitorios de V. O2 , V. CO2 y V. e fueron lentos en RES comparado con NON. La dinámica CP transitoria en el grupo NON fue: TRM_V.O2 < (TRM_PulO2 , TRM_FC) < TRM_V. CO2 < TRM_V.e; los RES desplazaron hacia la derecha su TRM_PulO2 y TRM_FC ((TRM_V.O2 ,TRM_V.CO2) < (TRM_PulO2, TRM_FC) < TRM_V. e). La correlación entre la velocidad promedio del mejor desempeño fisicodeportivo con TRM_V. O2 , TRM_V. CO2 y TRM_PulO2 (CIG = cinética del intercambio gaseoso), mostró RES_rápidos de CIG_lenta y RES_lentos de CIG_rápida. Conclusión: La cinética CP transitoria fue lenta en RES comparado con NON. Es posible distinguir diferencias cinéticas cardiopulmonares entre atletas de resistencia con desempeño fisicodeportivo competitivo diferente.