Comparison of three anthropometric techniques for tooth selection.

The absence of a reliable method to assess the proper dimension of artificial teeth can lead to errors that reduce aesthetic outcomes of the dental treatment. Previous studies indicate facial anthropometric parameters as guides to estimate the width of the six maxillary anterior teeth. Nasal width, distance between the medialis angles of the eyes and mouth width were measured in young subjects Brazilian as well as the width of their six maxillary anterior teeth. Data were analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey's (p < or = 0.05). The distance between the medialis angles of the eyes is a reliable anthropometric method to indicate the width of artificial teeth similar to the natural extracted.

Inflammatory markers are associated with inhibitory avoidance memory deficit induced by sleep deprivation in rats.

Sleep deprivation (SD) causes detrimental effects to the body, such as memory impairment and weight loss. SD also changes the concentration of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, which, in turn, can affect cognitive functioning. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the involvement of these inflammatory mediators in inhibitory avoidance memory deficit in sleep-deprived rats. Male Wistar rats were deprived of sleep by the modified multiple platform method for 96 h, while their respective controls remained in their housing cages. To assess memory after SD, all animals underwent training, followed by the inhibitory avoidance task test 24h later. Also, the weight of each animal was recorded daily. In the first experiment, animals received an acute administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 or 75 µg/kg i.p.) 3h before the inhibitory avoidance training. In the experiment 2, the animals received acute or chronic administration of anti-IL-6 antibody (Ab, 2 µg/kg i.p.). The acute administration was performed 3h before the inhibitory avoidance training, while the chronic treatment administrations were performed daily during the SD period. The 75 µg/kg dose of LPS, but not the 50 µg/kg dose, caused a significant attenuation of memory impairment in the sleep-deprived animals. Although the treatments with the anti-IL-6 Ab did not produce any significant changes in cognitive performance, the Ab attenuated weight loss in sleep-deprived animals. Taken together, these results suggest the involvement of inflammatory mediators in the modulation of memory deficit and weight loss that are observed in sleep-deprived rats.

Distance between the medialis angles of the eyes as an anatomical parameter for tooth selection.

During the construction of a removable prosthesis, the lack of pre-extractions records turns the selection of artificial maxillary anterior teeth into a complex procedure. The aim of this study was to identify a mathematical relation between the anterior dental segment and the distance between the medialis angles of the eyes, for selecting the suitable width of the six maxillary anterior teeth. Standardized digital images of 80 dentate Brazilian subjects were used to measure both facial and oral structures when viewed from the frontal aspect through an image processing program. Accurate casts were made to measure on a curve the distance between the maxillary canines. Parametric statistics was performed to analyse the results (P < 0.05). The distance between the medialis angles of the eyes showed no significant difference according to gender (P < 0.108). The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient showed significant positive correlation between the distance between the medialis angles of the eyes and all variables compared. After the linear regression analysis, mathematical formulae and biometric ratios were concluded to estimate the combined width of the six maxillary anterior teeth from the measurement of the distance between the medialis angles of the eyes. The distance between the medialis angles of the eyes measured through photogrammetry can be a reliable guide for tooth selection.

Prostaglandin involvement in hyperthermia induced by sleep deprivation: a pharmacological and autoradiographic study.

AIMS: Hyperthermia is a characteristic functional effect of sleep deprivation (SD). We hypothesize here that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) could be involved in hyperthermia induced by sleep deprivation. MAIN METHODS: To address this issue we examined the effects of a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor (COX-2) agent on hyperthermia induced by SD in rats. We also investigated binding to PGE2 receptors in hypothalamic brain areas of sleep-deprived rats using in vitro autoradiography. Male Wistar rats were deprived of sleep for 96 h using the platform technique. Sleep deprived and control groups received saline or Celecoxib (20, 30 and 40 mg/kg; p.o.) daily during the SD period. Colonic temperature was measured daily. KEY FINDINGS: Results indicated that core temperature of sleep-deprived rats that receiving saline increased from the first to the fourth day of SD compared to baseline and to the respective control group. However, the hyperthermia induced by SD was not blocked by COX-2 inhibitor at any dose. [(3)H]PGE2 binding did not differ significantly among the groups in any of a number of hypothalamic areas examined. SIGNIFICANCE: Although SD rats showed no response to the COX-2 inhibitor and no alterations in [(3)H]PGE2 binding, the possibility remains that other prostaglandin system and/or receptor subtypes may be altered by SD.

[Oral health: a challenge for the health care team]. / Saúde oral: um desafio para a equipe de saúde.

The objective of this study is to reveal the knowledge of nursing and medicine students from a university in Rio Grande do Sul regarding the importance of promoting dental health. A questionnaire with three semi-structured questions was answered by 26 students from the nursing school, and by 32 students from the medical school. Through the method of triangulation it was concluded that these students had deficient knowledge regarding dental health. Since a small number of the population in Brazil has access to dental clinics, we consider important that nursing and medicine professionals know how to promote dental care among children.