Prioritization, Incentives, and Resource Use for Sustainable Dentistry: The EU PRUDENT Project.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The EU PRUDENT project aims to enhance the financing of oral health systems through novel evidence and implementation of better financing solutions together with citizens, patients, providers, and policy makers. The multicountry nature of the project offers unique windows of opportunity for rapid learning and improving within and across various contexts. PRUDENT is anticipated to strengthen capacities for better oral care financing in the EU and worldwide.

Deliberative Improvement of Oral Care Quality: The Horizon Europe DELIVER Project.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The EU DELIVER project aims to enhance the quality of oral health care through codevelopment and coproduction of solutions together with citizens/patients, providers, and policymakers. The unique multicountry nature of the project will facilitate fast-track prototype development and testing of innovative QI approaches in select countries. Reflective learning regarding the transferability of findings between different countries and settings offers unique opportunities to drive progress toward context-specific implementation of innovative oral health care QI approaches. The collective knowledge gained from the 7 European countries involved in DELIVER can also generate knowhow for improving the quality of oral health care in other countries around the globe.

Respiratory oscillometry and functional analyses in patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the spine and causes chest rotation and trunk distortion. Individuals with severe deformities may experience dyspnea on exertion and develop respiratory failure. Respiratory oscillometry is a simple and non-invasive method that provides detailed information on lung mechanics. This work aims to investigate the potential of oscillometry in the evaluation of respiratory mechanics in patients with scoliosis and its association with physical performance. We analyzed 32 volunteers in the control group and 32 in the scoliosis group. The volunteers underwent traditional pulmonary function tests, oscillometry, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Oscillometric analysis showed increased values of resistance at 4 Hz (R4, P<0.01), 12 Hz (R12, P<0.0001), and 20 Hz (R20, P<0.01). Similar analysis showed reductions in dynamic compliance (Cdyn, P<0.001) and ventilation homogeneity, as evaluated by resonance frequency (fr, P<0.001) and reactance area (Ax, P<0.001). Respiratory work, described by the impedance modulus, also showed increased values (Z4, P<0.01). Functional capacity was reduced in the group with scoliosis (P<0.001). A significant direct correlation was found between Cobb angle and R12, AX, and Z4 (P=0.0237, P=0.0338, and P=0.0147, respectively), and an inverse correlation was found between Cdyn and Cobb angle (P=0.0190). These results provided new information on respiratory mechanics in scoliosis and are consistent with the involved pathophysiology, suggesting that oscillometry may improve lung function tests for patients with scoliosis.

HBP/O-GlcNAcylation Metabolic Axis Regulates Bone Resorption Outcome.

Osteoclasts play a key role in the regulation of bone mass and are highly active metabolically. Here we show that a metabolic reprogramming toward the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) is required not only for osteoclast differentiation but also to determine the bone resorption mode during physiological and pathological bone remodeling. We found that pharmacological inhibition of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) significantly reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation and osteoclast differentiation. Accordingly, genetic deletion of OGT also inhibited osteoclast formation and downregulated critical markers related to osteoclasts differentiation and function (NFATc1, αvintegrin, cathepsin K). Indeed, cells treated with OSMI-1, an OGT inhibitor, also reduced nuclear translocation of NFATc1. Furthermore, the addition of exogenous N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) strongly increased osteoclast formation and demineralization ability. Strikingly, our data show for the first time that O-GlcNAcylation facilitates an aggressive trench resorption mode in human cells. The incubation of osteoclasts with exogenous GlcNAc increases the percentage of erosion by trench while having no effect on pit resorption mode. Through time-lapse recording, we documented that osteoclasts making trenches moving across the bone surface are sensitive to GlcNAcylation. Finally, osteoclast-specific Ogt-deficient mice show increased bone density and reduced inflammation-induced bone loss during apical periodontitis model. We show that osteoclast-specific Ogt-deficient mice are less susceptible to develop bacterial-induced periapical lesion. Consistent with this, Ogt-deleted mice showed a decreased number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive cells lining the apical periodontitis site. In summary, here we describe a hitherto undiscovered role of the HBP/O-GlcNAcylation axis tuning resorption mode and dictating bone resorption outcome.

Prevalence of adenomyosis in women with subfertility: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of adenomyosis in women with subfertility. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Google Scholar, PsycINFO and Web of Science Core Collection from database inception to October 2022. The included studies evaluated the prevalence of adenomyosis in women with subfertility, with or without endometriosis and/or uterine fibroids. Secondary analyses were conducted to identify variation in the prevalence of isolated adenomyosis according to geographical location, diagnostic modality, diagnostic criteria, type of ultrasound, ultrasound features of adenomyosis and the use of assisted reproductive technology. RESULTS: Among 21 longitudinal studies evaluating 25 600 women, the overall pooled prevalence of isolated adenomyosis was 10% (95% CI, 6-15%) (I2 = 99.1%; tau2 = 0.12). The pooled prevalence was 1% (95% CI, 0-4%) for adenomyosis with concurrent fibroids (eight studies; I2 = 95.8%; tau2 = 0.03), 6% (95% CI, 3-11%) for adenomyosis with concurrent endometriosis (18 studies; I2 = 98.6%; tau2 = 0.12) and 7% (95% CI, 2-13%) for adenomyosis with concurrent endometriosis and/or fibroids (nine studies; I2 = 98.3%; tau2 = 0.09). The prevalence of isolated adenomyosis varied substantially according to geographical location, with Australia exhibiting the highest pooled prevalence of adenomyosis (19% (95% CI, 12-27%)), which was significantly higher compared with that in Asia (5% (95% CI, 1-12%)). The pooled prevalence of isolated adenomyosis diagnosed using a combination of direct and indirect ultrasound features was 11% (95% CI, 7-16%), whereas it was 0.45% (95% CI, 0-1%) in the study in which only an indirect feature was used as the diagnostic criterion. CONCLUSION: One in 10 women with subfertility have a diagnosis of isolated adenomyosis. The prevalence of adenomyosis varies according to the presence of concurrent endometriosis and/or fibroids. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Respiratory oscillometry and functional analyses in patients with idiopathic scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the spine and causes chest rotation and trunk distortion. Individuals with severe deformities may experience dyspnea on exertion and develop respiratory failure. Respiratory oscillometry is a simple and non-invasive method that provides detailed information on lung mechanics. This work aims to investigate the potential of oscillometry in the evaluation of respiratory mechanics in patients with scoliosis and its association with physical performance. We analyzed 32 volunteers in the control group and 32 in the scoliosis group. The volunteers underwent traditional pulmonary function tests, oscillometry, and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Oscillometric analysis showed increased values of resistance at 4 Hz (R4, P<0.01), 12 Hz (R12, P<0.0001), and 20 Hz (R20, P<0.01). Similar analysis showed reductions in dynamic compliance (Cdyn, P<0.001) and ventilation homogeneity, as evaluated by resonance frequency (fr, P<0.001) and reactance area (Ax, P<0.001). Respiratory work, described by the impedance modulus, also showed increased values (Z4, P<0.01). Functional capacity was reduced in the group with scoliosis (P<0.001). A significant direct correlation was found between Cobb angle and R12, AX, and Z4 (P=0.0237, P=0.0338, and P=0.0147, respectively), and an inverse correlation was found between Cdyn and Cobb angle (P=0.0190). These results provided new information on respiratory mechanics in scoliosis and are consistent with the involved pathophysiology, suggesting that oscillometry may improve lung function tests for patients with scoliosis.

Glutamine synthetase: an unlikely case of functional redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) is an essential enzyme in plant metabolism, catalysing the assimilation of inorganic nitrogen into the amino acid glutamine. GS is a key enzyme in plant growth and has received special attention due to its recognized roles in plant nitrogen use efficiency and crop productivity. It occurs in plants as a collection of isoenzymes, located in the cytosol (GS1) and plastids (GS2), consistent with the multiplicity of roles played in plant metabolism. It is considered that the different isoenzymes, involved in a wide variety of physiological processes throughout the plant life cycle, perform non-redundant and non-overlapping roles. In fact, specific and non-redundant roles of GS isoenzymes in nitrogen metabolism were observed in species like Oryza sativa and Zea mays. However, in A. thaliana the GS isoenzymes, five cytosolic and one plastidic, are suggested to have functional redundancy and an isoenzyme compensation mechanism, specific to this species, was described. This review integrates analyses on the likely roles of the distinct cytosol- and plastid-located GS isoenzymes in A. thaliana, highlighting the redundancy of the GS gene family specifically occurring in this model plant.

Rotifers of Bahia State, Brazil: news records and limitations to studies / Rotíferos do Estado da Bahia, Brasil: novos registros e limitações dos estudos

A first checklist of Rotifera species in freshwater environments in Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, is provided. The list includes sampling data from 26 aquatic environments (lotic and lentic) undertaken from 2010 to 2016. One hundred and fifty-five species were recorded, with 68 new records for the state. The family Brachionidae and Lecanidae were the most representative (54.8%). The greatest richness was recorded in the Colônia River (57 species). Those results reflect the low numbers of studies previously undertaken in the region, indicating more research needs to be focused on Rotifera biodiversity in Bahia, the fifth largest state in Brazil (567,295 km2) with large numbers of freshwater bodies.

É fornecida uma primeira lista de verificação das espécies de Rotifera em ambientes de água doce no Estado da Bahia, nordeste do Brasil. A lista de espécies inclui dados de amostragem de 26 ambientes aquáticos (lóticos e lênticos) de 2010 a 2016. Cento e cinquenta e cinco espécies foram registradas, com 68 novos registros para o estado. As famílias Brachionidae e Lecanidae foram as mais representativas (54,8%). A maior riqueza foi registrada no rio Colônia (57 espécies). Esses resultados provavelmente refletem o número de estudos na região, sugerindo mais pesquisas sobre a biodiversidade de Rotifera na Bahia, o quinto maior estado do Brasil (567.295 km2) com grande número de corpos aquáticos de água doce.

Rotifers of Bahia State, Brazil: News records and limitations to studies

Abstract A first checklist of Rotifera species in freshwater environments in Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, is provided. The list includes sampling data from 26 aquatic environments (lotic and lentic) undertaken from 2010 to 2016. One hundred and fifty-five species were recorded, with 68 new records for the state. The family Brachionidae and Lecanidae were the most representative (54.8%). The greatest richness was recorded in the Colônia River (57 species). Those results reflect the low numbers of studies previously undertaken in the region, indicating more research needs to be focused on Rotifera biodiversity in Bahia, the fifth largest state in Brazil (567,295 km2) with large numbers of freshwater bodies.

Resumo É fornecida uma primeira lista de verificação das espécies de Rotifera em ambientes de água doce no Estado da Bahia, nordeste do Brasil. A lista de espécies inclui dados de amostragem de 26 ambientes aquáticos (lóticos e lênticos) de 2010 a 2016. Cento e cinquenta e cinco espécies foram registradas, com 68 novos registros para o estado. As famílias Brachionidae e Lecanidae foram as mais representativas (54,8%). A maior riqueza foi registrada no rio Colônia (57 espécies). Esses resultados provavelmente refletem o número de estudos na região, sugerindo mais pesquisas sobre a biodiversidade de Rotifera na Bahia, o quinto maior estado do Brasil (567.295 km2) com grande número de corpos aquáticos de água doce.

Rotifers of Bahia State, Brazil: News records and limitations to studies / Rotíferos do Estado da Bahia, Brasil: Novos registros e limitações dos estudos

A first checklist of Rotifera species in freshwater environments in Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, is provided. The list includes sampling data from 26 aquatic environments (lotic and lentic) undertaken from 2010 to 2016. One hundred and fifty-five species were recorded, with 68 new records for the state. The family Brachionidae and Lecanidae were the most representative (54.8%). The greatest richness was recorded in the Colônia River (57 species). Those results reflect the low numbers of studies previously undertaken in the region, indicating more research needs to be focused on Rotifera biodiversity in Bahia, the fifth largest state in Brazil (567,295 km2) with large numbers of freshwater bodies.

É fornecida uma primeira lista de verificação das espécies de Rotifera em ambientes de água doce no Estado da Bahia, nordeste do Brasil. A lista de espécies inclui dados de amostragem de 26 ambientes aquáticos (lóticos e lênticos) de 2010 a 2016. Cento e cinquenta e cinco espécies foram registradas, com 68 novos registros para o estado. As famílias Brachionidae e Lecanidae foram as mais representativas (54,8%). A maior riqueza foi registrada no rio Colônia (57 espécies). Esses resultados provavelmente refletem o número de estudos na região, sugerindo mais pesquisas sobre a biodiversidade de Rotifera na Bahia, o quinto maior estado do Brasil (567.295 km2) com grande número de corpos aquáticos de água doce.

Rotifers of Bahia State, Brazil: News records and limitations to studies.

A first checklist of Rotifera species in freshwater environments in Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, is provided. The list includes sampling data from 26 aquatic environments (lotic and lentic) undertaken from 2010 to 2016. One hundred and fifty-five species were recorded, with 68 new records for the state. The family Brachionidae and Lecanidae were the most representative (54.8%). The greatest richness was recorded in the Colônia River (57 species). Those results reflect the low numbers of studies previously undertaken in the region, indicating more research needs to be focused on Rotifera biodiversity in Bahia, the fifth largest state in Brazil (567,295 km2) with large numbers of freshwater bodies.

Nematic reorientation effects on resonant modes, wavelength mismatch, and slow-light phenomena in one-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals with a dual anisotropic defect.

The present study is devoted to the investigation of spectral properties of an alternated sequence of magnetic and dielectric layers containing a dual defect based on magnetic and nematic layers. Combining the Hydrodynamic Continuum Theory for nematic liquid crystals and Berreman's formalism, we determine how the nematic ordering affects the light localization, polarization rotation, and slow-light phenomena observed in the magnetophotonic system. In particular, we analyze the effects associated with a field-induced reorientation of the director in a nematic defect with strong planar boundary conditions. Our results reveal that field-induced reorientation of the nematic ordering can be used as an efficient mechanism to tune and control the spectral properties of magnetophotonic structure, anomalies in group velocity, and the wavelength mismatch between resonant mode and maximum polarization. The effects of nematic layer thickness are also analyzed.

The use of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) versus no intervention in women with low ovarian reserve undergoing fertility treatment: a non-randomized interventional study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of a 3-month course of intracortical injections of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) upon ovarian reserve markers versus no intervention in women with low ovarian reserve prior to undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). METHODS: Prospective controlled, non-randomized comparative study conducted in a private fertility clinic, in Venezuela. Women with abnormal ovarian reserve markers (FSH, AMH and AFC) who declined oocyte donation were allocated to one of the following groups according to patient choice: monthly intracortical ovarian PRP injections for three cycles, or no intervention. Primary outcomes were the change in FSH, AMH and AFC pre- and post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included the number of oocytes collected and fertilized, biochemical/clinical pregnancy rates and miscarriage and live birth rates. RESULTS: Eighty-three women were included, of which 46 received PRP treatment and 37 underwent no intervention. Overall median age was 41 years (IQR 39-44). There were no demographic differences between the study groups. At the 3-month follow-up, women treated with PRP experienced a significant improvement in FSH, AMH and AFC, whereas there was no change in the control group. Furthermore, overall rates of biochemical (26.1% versus 5.4%, P = 0.02) and clinical pregnancy (23.9% versus 5.4%, P = 0.03) were higher in the PRP group, while there was no difference in the rates of first trimester miscarriage and live birth between groups. CONCLUSION: PRP injections are effective and safe to improve markers of low ovarian reserve prior to ART, although further evidence is required to evaluate the impact of PRP on pregnancy outcomes.

Many-body perturbation theory calculations using the yambo code.

yambo is an open source project aimed at studying excited state properties of condensed matter systems from first principles using many-body methods. As input, yambo requires ground state electronic structure data as computed by density functional theory codes such as Quantum ESPRESSO and Abinit. yambo's capabilities include the calculation of linear response quantities (both independent-particle and including electron-hole interactions), quasi-particle corrections based on the GW formalism, optical absorption, and other spectroscopic quantities. Here we describe recent developments ranging from the inclusion of important but oft-neglected physical effects such as electron-phonon interactions to the implementation of a real-time propagation scheme for simulating linear and non-linear optical properties. Improvements to numerical algorithms and the user interface are outlined. Particular emphasis is given to the new and efficient parallel structure that makes it possible to exploit modern high performance computing architectures. Finally, we demonstrate the possibility to automate workflows by interfacing with the yambopy and AiiDA software tools.

Methylmercury intoxication and cortical ischemia: Pre-clinical study of their comorbidity.

Stroke is one of the main causes of human disability worldwide. Ischemic stroke is mostly characterized by metabolic collapse and fast tissue damage, followed by secondary damage in adjacent regions not previously affected. Heavy metals intoxication can be associated with stroke incidence, because of their damaging action in the vascular system. Mercury, in particular, possesses a high tropism by metabolically active regions, such as the brain. In the present study we sought to evaluate whether methylmercury (MeHg) intoxication can aggravate the tissue damage caused by an ischemic stroke induced by microinjections of endothelin-1 (ET-1) into the motor cortex of adult rats. Following MeHg intoxication by gavage (0.04 mg/kg/day) during 60 days, the animals were injected with ET-1 (1 µl, 40 pmol/µl) or vehicle (1 µl). After 7 days, all animals were submitted to behavioral tests and then their brains were processed to biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses. We observed that long-term MeHg intoxication promoted a significant Hg deposits in the motor cortex, with concomitant increase of microglial response, followed by reduction of the neuronal population following ischemia and MeHg intoxication, as well as disturbance in the antioxidant defense mechanisms by misbalance of oxidative biochemistry with increase of both lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels, associated to behavioral deficits. MeHg exposure and cortical ischemia demonstrated that both injuries are able of causing significant neurobehavioural impairments in motor coordination and learning accompanied of an exacerbated microglial activation, oxidative stress and neuronal loss in the motor cortex, indicating that MeHg as a source of metabolic disturbance can act as an important increasing factor of ischemic events in the brain.

External cephalic version at term: a cohort study of 18 years' experience.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the outcome of referrals for external cephalic version (ECV). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Major university hospital, UK. SAMPLE: Women with non-cephalic presentation at term and no prior caesarean, referred to a specialist clinic. METHODS: Details of referrals, ECV attempts, and perinatal outcomes were prospectively collected and analysed. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were created to determine independent predictors of ECV success, reversion, and spontaneous version. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: External cephalic version success rates, predictors of success and cephalic presentation at birth, and perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: Three thousand eight had confirmed breech presentation; 2614 women underwent ECV. Ineligibility for ECV occurred in 117 breech presentations (3.9%), and 297 eligible women (10.2%) declined it. ECV was successful in 1280 (49.0%, 95% CI 47.0-50.9%) (40% in nulliparous women; 64% in others); 1234 (97.3%) were cephalic at birth. Spontaneous version after failure occurred in 4.3% and was more common in multiparas (aOR 2.47, 95% CI 1.43-4.26) and those with a posterior fetal back (aOR 6.09, 95% CI 1.90-19.53). Reversion after successful ECV occurred in 2.2%. In women with a successful ECV whose fetus remained cephalic at birth, 85.7% delivered vaginally. The corrected perinatal mortality of the ECV cohort was 0.12%. CONCLUSION: External cephalic version has a low complication rate and is effective for most breech presentations, enabling vaginal birth and avoiding caesarean section. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: External cephalic version can safely be performed with most breech presentations.

Tomato plants use non-enzymatic antioxidant pathways to cope with moderate UV-A/B irradiation: A contribution to the use of UV-A/B in horticulture.

Plants developed receptors for solar UV-A/B radiation, which regulate a complex network of functions through the plant's life cycle. However, greenhouse grown crops, like tomato, are exposed to strongly reduced UV radiation, contrarily to their open-field counterparts. A new paradigm of modern horticulture is to supplement adequate levels of UV to greenhouse cultures, inducing a positive mild stress necessary to stimulate oxidative stress pathways and antioxidant mechanisms. Protected cultures of Solanum (cv MicroTom) were supplemented with moderate UV-A (1h and 4h) and UV-B (1min and 5min) doses during the flowering/fruiting period. After 30days, flowering/fruit ripening synchronization were enhanced, paralleled by the upregulation of blue/UV-A and UV-B receptors' genes cry1a and uvr8. UV-B caused moreover an increase in the expression of hy5, of HY5 repressor cop1 and of a repressor of COP1, uvr8. While all UV-A/B conditions increased SOD activity, increases of the generated H2O2, as well as lipid peroxidation and cell mebrane disruption, were minimal. However, the activity of antioxidant enzymes downstream from SOD (CAT, APX, GPX) was not significant. These results suggest that the major antioxidant pathways involve phenylpropanoid compounds, which also have an important role in UV screening. This hypothesis was confirmed by the increase of phenolic compounds and by the upregulation of chs and fls, coding for CHS and FLS enzymes involved in the phenylpropanoid synthesis. Overall, all doses of UV-A or UV-B were beneficial to flowering/fruiting but lower UV-A/B doses induced lower redox disorders and were more effective in the fruiting process/synchronization. Considering the benefits observed on flowering/fruiting, with minimal impacts in the vegetative part, we demonstrate that both UV-A/B could be used in protected tomato horticulture systems.

Caries prevalence and treatment needs in young people in Portugal: the third national study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate caries prevalence and dental treatment needs in Portuguese children and teenagers, as well as fluorosis prevalence in 12-year-old children, in order to address public oral health program strategies. PARTICIPANTS: A representative stratified random cluster sample of 3,710 participants of 6, 12, and 18 years old was selected. A questionnaire was applied to determine sociodemographic data and some oral health determinants. The clinical examination was based on the ICDAS criteria, then adapted to DMFS index, and Dean's index for fluorosis. RESULTS: Caries prevalence at 6, 12, and 18 years old was 45.2%, 47.0%, and 67.6%, respectively. D5MFT scores were 1.18 (SD 0.06) and 2.51 (SD 0.10), respectively. Treatment needs at 12 and 18 years old were associated with 0.37 (SD 0.03) and 0.75 (SD 0.06) values in the "decayed" (D5) variable. SiC index at 12 years old was 2.68 (SD 1.68). Sealants were identified in 55% of 12-year-old children and the mean of sealants per individual was 3.61; also, moderate (2.2%) and severe (0.2%) levels of fluorosis were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The oral health situation in Portugal is favorable for young people, resulting in low treatment needs. The National Oral Health Promotion Program should be extended to include 18-year-olds.

Temperature dependence of the nonlinear optical response of smectic liquid crystals containing gold nanorods.

The present study is devoted to the investigation of the nonlinear optical properties of a smectic liquid crystal doped with gold nanorods. Using the Z-scan technique, we investigate the changes in the optical birefringence of a homeotropic sample upon laser exposure, considering the configurations of normal and oblique incidence. Our results reveal that the birefringence variations may be governed by distinct physical mechanisms, depending on the relative angle between the far-field director and the wave vector of the excitation laser beam. In particular, we observe that the position dependence of the far-field transmittance exhibits different behaviors as the incidence angle is changed, indicating that distortions in the beam wavefront may be associated with the thermal lens phenomenon or an optically induced reorientation of the nematic director. The temperature dependence of the nonlinear refractive and absorptive coefficients is investigated close to the smectic-A-nematic phase transition. A detailed analysis of the interplay between smectic order and plasmon resonance is performed, thus unveiling the capability of plasmonic liquid crystal to be used in optical devices.