Laponite Composites: In Situ Films Forming as a Possible Healing Agent.

A healing material must have desirable characteristics such as maintaining a physiological environment, protective barrier-forming abilities, exudate absorption, easy handling, and non-toxicity. Laponite is a synthetic clay with properties such as swelling, physical crosslinking, rheological stability, and drug entrapment, making it an interesting alternative for developing new dressings. This study evaluated its performance in lecithin/gelatin composites (LGL) as well as with the addition of maltodextrin/sodium ascorbate mixture (LGL MAS). These materials were applied as nanoparticles, dispersed, and prepared by using the gelatin desolvation method-eventually being turned into films via the solvent-casting method. Both types of composites were also studied as dispersions and films. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and rheological techniques were used to characterize the dispersions, while the films' mechanical properties and drug release were determined. Laponite in an amount of 8.8 mg developed the optimal composites, reducing the particulate size and avoiding the agglomeration by its physical crosslinker and amphoteric properties. On the films, it enhanced the swelling and provided stability below 50 °C. Moreover, the study of drug release in maltodextrin and sodium ascorbate from LGL MAS was fitted to first-order and Korsmeyer-Peppas models, respectively. The aforementioned systems represent an interesting, innovative, and promising alternative in the field of healing materials.

Single-step genomic evaluation for growth traits in a Mexican Braunvieh cattle population.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare (pedigree-based) best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), genomic BLUP (GBLUP), and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) methods for genomic evaluation of growth traits in a Mexican Braunvieh cattle population. METHODS: Birth (BW), weaning (WW), and yearling weight (YW) data of a Mexican Braunvieh cattle population were analyzed with BLUP, GBLUP, and ssGBLUP methods. These methods are differentiated by the additive genetic relationship matrix included in the model and the animals under evaluation. The predictive ability of the model was evaluated using random partitions of the data in training and testing sets, consistently predicting about 20% of genotyped animals on all occasions. For each partition, the Pearson correlation coefficient between adjusted phenotypes for fixed effects and non-genetic random effects and the estimated breeding values (EBV) were computed. RESULTS: The random contemporary group (CG) effect explained about 50%, 45%, and 35% of the phenotypic variance in BW, WW, and YW, respectively. For the three methods, the CG effect explained the highest proportion of the phenotypic variances (except for YW-GBLUP). The heritability estimate obtained with GBLUP was the lowest for BW, while the highest heritability was obtained with BLUP. For WW, the highest heritability estimate was obtained with BLUP, the estimates obtained with GBLUP and ssGBLUP were similar. For YW, the heritability estimates obtained with GBLUP and BLUP were similar, and the lowest heritability was obtained with ssGBLUP. Pearson correlation coefficients between adjusted phenotypes for non-genetic effects and EBVs were the highest for BLUP, followed by ssBLUP and GBLUP. CONCLUSION: The successful implementation of genetic evaluations that include genotyped and non-genotyped animals in our study indicate a promising method for use in genetic improvement programs of Braunvieh cattle. Our findings showed that simultaneous evaluation of genotyped and non-genotyped animals improved prediction accuracy for growth traits even with a limited number of genotyped animals.

The Vehicles of Calcium Hydroxide Pastes Interfere with Antimicrobial Effect, Biofilm Polysaccharidic Matrix, and Pastes' Physicochemical Properties.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the pH, volumetric alteration, antimicrobial action, and effect on biofilm matrix polysaccharides of calcium hydroxide (CH) pastes with different vehicles available in endodontics: CH + propylene glycol (CHP), UltraCal XS®, Metapaste®, and Metapex®. The pH was analyzed at different time intervals using a pH meter. For volumetric alteration, a microtomographic assay was performed before and after immersion in water. Enterococcus faecalis was chosen for microbiological tests. The bacterial viability and extracellular matrix were quantified with direct contact evaluation (dentin blocks) and at the intratubular level (dentin cylinders) using LIVE/DEAD BacLight and Calcofluor White dyes via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests were used to analyze pH and direct contact assays, while one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to analyze volumetric alteration and intratubular decontamination (α = 0.05). Higher pH values were obtained during the initial days. Volumetric alterations were similar in all groups. Lower bacterial viability was obtained for dentin blocks and cylinders when CH pastes were used. UltraCal XS and Metapex had lower values for the extracellular matrix. The pH of all CH pastes decreased with time and did not promote medium alkalization for up to 30 days. CH paste can reduce bacterial viability through direct contact and at an intratubular level; however, UltraCal XS and Metapex are involved with lower volumes of extracellular matrices.

Feature fusion based VGGFusionNet model to detect COVID-19 patients utilizing computed tomography scan images.

COVID-19 is one of the most life-threatening and dangerous diseases caused by the novel Coronavirus, which has already afflicted a larger human community worldwide. This pandemic disease recovery is possible if detected in the early stage. We proposed an automated deep learning approach from Computed Tomography (CT) scan images to detect COVID-19 positive patients by following a four-phase paradigm for COVID-19 detection: preprocess the CT scan images; remove noise from test image by using anisotropic diffusion techniques; make a different segment for the preprocessed images; and train and test COVID-19 detection using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models. This study employed well-known pre-trained models, including AlexNet, ResNet50, VGG16 and VGG19 to evaluate experiments. 80% of images are used to train the network in the detection process, while the remaining 20% are used to test it. The result of the experiment evaluation confirmed that the VGG19 pre-trained CNN model achieved better accuracy (98.06%). We used 4861 real-life COVID-19 CT images for experiment purposes, including 3068 positive and 1793 negative images. These images were acquired from a hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil and two other different data sources. Our proposed method revealed very high accuracy and, therefore, can be used as an assistant to help professionals detect COVID-19 patients accurately.

Changes in late-latency auditory evoked potentials after tinnitus suppression using auditory stimulation

Abstract Objective: Tinnitus can result from auditory system reorganization due to neural activity dysfunctions. Auditory stimulation can cause temporary or persistent tinnitus alleviation by altering the neural generators. The present study investigated the changes in Late-Latency Auditory Evoked Potentials (LLAEPs) after tinnitus suppression using auditory stimulation with short-term Residual Inhibition (RI) and long-term Tinnitus Masker (TM). Methods: The study included 40 participates with equal numbers in the Tinnitus Group (TG), including the chronic tinnitus subjects, and the Control Group (CG), including matched volunteers. The participants had normal hearing in conventional audiometry. All the participants underwent LLAEP recording pre-intervention and after a one-minute auditory stimulation (RI), as well as a pre-intervention Dichotic Digit Test (DDT) as a behavioral assessment of the selective attention. Moreover, TG underwent a 3-month course of TM, a third LLAEP recording post-TM, a second DDT post-TM, and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) before and after the TM. Results: In the baseline LLAEP recording, the TG had significantly later N1, P3a, and P3b latencies, as well as significantly lower P3a and P3b amplitudes. The second LLAEP recording showed a significant intragroup increase in P3a amplitude and a significant decrease in P3a latency in the TG, while no significant intragroup difference was observed in the CG. In the third LLAEP recording performed on TG, the P3a amplitude and latency had significant changes compared to the second recording, while the N1 latency was significantly decreased. Moreover, the DDT and THI scores had significant improvement after the TM in TG. Conclusions: The present study showed the neurophysiological changes after short-term (RI) and long-term (TM) auditory stimulations in tinnitus subjects. The LLAEP changes suggest that these interventions lead to tinnitus suppression through common mechanisms. The electrophysiological observation was also confirmed using behavioral assessments. Level of evidence: This study type is a "comparative study" with the level of evidence "3".

Changes in late-latency auditory evoked potentials after tinnitus suppression using auditory stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus can result from auditory system reorganization due to neural activity dysfunctions. Auditory stimulation can cause temporary or persistent tinnitus alleviation by altering the neural generators. The present study investigated the changes in Late-Latency Auditory Evoked Potentials (LLAEPs) after tinnitus suppression using auditory stimulation with short-term Residual Inhibition (RI) and long-term Tinnitus Masker (TM). METHODS: The study included 40 participates with equal numbers in the Tinnitus Group (TG), including the chronic tinnitus subjects, and the Control Group (CG), including matched volunteers. The participants had normal hearing in conventional audiometry. All the participants underwent LLAEP recording pre-intervention and after a one-minute auditory stimulation (RI), as well as a pre-intervention Dichotic Digit Test (DDT) as a behavioral assessment of the selective attention. Moreover, TG underwent a 3-month course of TM, a third LLAEP recording post-TM, a second DDT post-TM, and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) before and after the TM. RESULTS: In the baseline LLAEP recording, the TG had significantly later N1, P3a, and P3b latencies, as well as significantly lower P3a and P3b amplitudes. The second LLAEP recording showed a significant intragroup increase in P3a amplitude and a significant decrease in P3a latency in the TG, while no significant intragroup difference was observed in the CG. In the third LLAEP recording performed on TG, the P3a amplitude and latency had significant changes compared to the second recording, while the N1 latency was significantly decreased. Moreover, the DDT and THI scores had significant improvement after the TM in TG. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed the neurophysiological changes after short-term (RI) and long-term (TM) auditory stimulations in tinnitus subjects. The LLAEP changes suggest that these interventions lead to tinnitus suppression through common mechanisms. The electrophysiological observation was also confirmed using behavioral assessments. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: This study type is a "comparative study" with the level of evidence "3".

The Value of Spiral Chest Computed Tomography Scan in the Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Coronavirus Carriers among Paranasal Sinus and Pharynx Surgery Candidates

Abstract Introduction The nasopharynx and oropharynx are the main colonization sites of coronavirus. Therefore, patients with paranasal sinuses and pharyngeal problems (ear, nose, and throat [ENT] patients) predispose coronavirus infection. Ear, nose, and throat patients with concomitant asymptomatic coronavirus infection may develop severe pneumonia following surgical procedures. As a result, presurgical screening for coronavirus infection is a substantial concern. Objective We evaluated the usefulness of a spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan in the diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus infection in the presurgical assessment of ENT patients Methods In this study, candidates of paranasal sinus or pharyngeal surgery were evaluated for coronavirus infection. Patients with neither history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nor compatible symptoms and signs were screened for asymptomatic coronavirus infection. These patients composed two groups: the first group underwent a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of nasopharyngeal sample and spiral chest CTscan, but for the second one, only the latter was performed. Results In the first group, which consisted of 106 patients, 11 (10.4%) cases had positive RT-PCR test results, and 17 (16%) patients showed positive findings in favor of coronavirus infection in the spiral chest CT scan. In the second group, which consisted of 173 patients, 34 (19.7%) cases had positive chest CT scan results. Conclusion The chest CT scan has a valuable role in the early diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus carriers in patients highly predisposed to infection, especially in low resource areas, where the RT-PCR test is unavailable.

The Value of Spiral Chest Computed Tomography Scan in the Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Coronavirus Carriers among Paranasal Sinus and Pharynx Surgery Candidates.

Introduction The nasopharynx and oropharynx are the main colonization sites of coronavirus. Therefore, patients with paranasal sinuses and pharyngeal problems (ear, nose, and throat [ENT] patients) predispose coronavirus infection. Ear, nose, and throat patients with concomitant asymptomatic coronavirus infection may develop severe pneumonia following surgical procedures. As a result, presurgical screening for coronavirus infection is a substantial concern. Objective We evaluated the usefulness of a spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan in the diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus infection in the presurgical assessment of ENT patients Methods In this study, candidates of paranasal sinus or pharyngeal surgery were evaluated for coronavirus infection. Patients with neither history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nor compatible symptoms and signs were screened for asymptomatic coronavirus infection. These patients composed two groups: the first group underwent a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of nasopharyngeal sample and spiral chest CT scan, but for the second one, only the latter was performed. Results In the first group, which consisted of 106 patients, 11 (10.4%) cases had positive RT-PCR test results, and 17 (16%) patients showed positive findings in favor of coronavirus infection in the spiral chest CT scan. In the second group, which consisted of 173 patients, 34 (19.7%) cases had positive chest CT scan results. Conclusion The chest CT scan has a valuable role in the early diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus carriers in patients highly predisposed to infection, especially in low resource areas, where the RT-PCR test is unavailable.

pedSimulate ­ An R package for simulating pedigree, genetic merit, phenotype, and genotype data

This study aimed to introduce R package pedSimulate, which was built to simulate pedigree, genetic merit, phenotype, and genotype data. These are amongst the most important data types that animal breeders and quantitative geneticists deal with. Twenty pedigrees with ten generations were simulated applying different combinations of three parameters: genetic variance (10 vs. 20), proportion of males selected (10 vs. 20%), and the pattern for selecting females (random, positively, or negatively based on own phenotype or parent average). Males were selected positively based on parent average. Consequently, assortative mating was applied to the pedigrees in which females were positively selected based on their own phenotype or parent average. Disassortative mating was applied to the pedigrees in which females were selected negatively based on phenotype or parent averages. Genetic gain and response to selection over generations were positive for all the pedigrees due to high selection intensity on males, mating each male with multiple females, and moderate to high heritability (0.25 and 0.40 for genetic variances 10 and 20, and the residual variance of 30). Genetic variance showed a slightly increasing trend over generations by assortative mating and lower selection intensity on males. Selection intensity on females was the same in all the pedigrees. This study provided examples of how R package pedSimulate can be adopted for pedigree, genetic merit, phenotype, and genotype data simulation in animal breeding studies. By using different functions and combining different parameters for their arguments, many scenarios can be simulated by R package pedSimulate.(AU)

O Efeito Direto do Índice de Massa Corporal nos Resultados Cardiovasculares entre Participantes sem Obesidade Central pela Estimativa por Máxima Verossimilhança Direcionada / The Direct Effect of Body Mass Index on Cardiovascular Outcomes among Participants Without Central Obesity by Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation

Resumo Fundamento: O índice de massa corporal (IMC) é o índice mais usado para categorizar uma pessoa como obesa ou não-obesa, e está sujeito a limitações importantes. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito direto do IMC nos desfechos cardiovasculares em participantes sem obesidade central. Métodos: Esta análise incluiu 14.983 homens e mulheres com idades entre 45-75 anos do Estudo de Risco de Aterosclerose em Comunidades (ARIC). O IMC foi medido como obesidade geral e a circunferência da cintura (CC), a relação cintura-quadril (RCQ) e circunferência do quadril como obesidade central. A estimativa de máxima verossimilhança direcionada (TMLE, no acrônimo em inglês) foi usada para estimar os efeitos totais (TEs) e os efeitos diretos controlados (CDEs). A proporção de ET que seria eliminada se todos os participantes fossem não obesos em relação à obesidade central foi calculada usando o índice de proporção eliminada (PE). P<0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. As análises foram realizadas no pacote TMLE R. Resultados: O risco de desfechos cardiovasculares atribuídos ao IMC foi significativamente revertido com a eliminação da obesidade na RCQ (p <0,001). A proporção eliminada dos efeitos do IMC foi mais tangível para participantes não obesos em relação à CC (PE = 127%; IC95% (126,128)) e RCQ (PE = 97%; IC95% (96,98)) para doença arterial coronariana (DAC), e RCQ (PE = 92%; IC95% (91,94)) para acidente vascular cerebral, respectivamente. Com relação ao sexo, a proporção eliminada dos efeitos do IMC foi mais tangível para participantes não obesos em relação a RCQ (PE = 428%; IC95% (408.439)) para DAC em homens e CC (PE = 99%; IC95% (89,111)) para acidente vascular cerebral em mulheres, respectivamente. Conclusão: Esses resultados indicam diferentes efeitos potenciais da eliminação da obesidade central na associação entre IMC e desfechos cardiovasculares em homens e mulheres. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(5):879-886)

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used index to categorize a person as obese or non-obese, which is subject to important limitations. Objective: To evaluate the direct effect of BMI on cardiovascular outcomes among participants without central obesity. Methods: This analysis included 14,983 males and females aged 45-75 years from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC). BMI was measured as general obesity, and waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and hip circumference as central obesity. Targeted maximum likelihood estimation (TMLE) was used to estimate the total effects (TEs) and the controlled direct effects (CDEs). The proportion of TE that would be eliminated if all participants were non-obese regarding central obesity was computed using the proportion eliminated (PE) index. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Analyses were performed in the TMLE R package. Results: The risk of cardiovascular outcomes attributed to BMI was significantly reversed by eliminating WHR obesity (p<0.001). The proportion eliminated of BMI effects was more tangible for non-obese participants regarding WC (PE=127%; 95%CI (126,128)) and WHR (PE=97%; 95%CI (96,98)) for coronary heart disease (CHD), and WHR (PE=92%; 95%CI (91,94)) for stroke, respectively. With respect to sex, the proportion eliminated of BMI effects was more tangible for non-obese participants regarding WHR (PE=428%; 95%CI (408,439)) for CHD in males, and WC (PE=99%; 95%CI (89,111)) for stroke in females, respectively. Conclusion: These results indicate different potential effects of eliminating central obesity on the association between BMI and cardiovascular outcomes for males and females. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(5):879-886)

Fabrication of Multilayered Composite Nanofibers Using Continuous Chaotic Printing and Electrospinning: Chaotic Electrospinning.

Multi-material and multilayered micro- and nanostructures are prominently featured in nature and engineering and are recognized by their remarkable properties. Unfortunately, the fabrication of micro- and nanostructured materials through conventional processes is challenging and costly. Herein, we introduce a high-throughput, continuous, and versatile strategy for the fabrication of polymer fibers with complex multilayered nanostructures. Chaotic electrospinning (ChE) is based on the coupling of continuous chaotic printing (CCP) and electrospinning, which produces fibers with an internal multi-material microstructure. When a CCP printhead is used as an electrospinning nozzle, the diameter of the fibers is further scaled down by 3 orders of magnitude while preserving their internal structure. ChE enables the use of various polymer inks for the creation of nanofibers with a customizable number of internal nanolayers. Our results showcase the versatility and tunability of ChE to fabricate multilayered structures at the nanoscale at high throughput. We apply ChE to the synthesis of unique carbon textile electrodes composed of nanofibers with striations carved into their surface at regular intervals. These striated carbon electrodes with high surface areas exhibit 3- to 4-fold increases in specific capacitance compared to regular carbon nanofibers; ChE holds great promise for the cost-effective fabrication of electrodes for supercapacitors and other applications.

The Direct Effect of Body Mass Index on Cardiovascular Outcomes among Participants Without Central Obesity by Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation. / O Efeito Direto do Índice de Massa Corporal nos Resultados Cardiovasculares entre Participantes sem Obesidade Central pela Estimativa por Máxima Verossimilhança Direcionada.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used index to categorize a person as obese or non-obese, which is subject to important limitations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the direct effect of BMI on cardiovascular outcomes among participants without central obesity. METHODS: This analysis included 14,983 males and females aged 45-75 years from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC). BMI was measured as general obesity, and waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and hip circumference as central obesity. Targeted maximum likelihood estimation (TMLE) was used to estimate the total effects (TEs) and the controlled direct effects (CDEs). The proportion of TE that would be eliminated if all participants were non-obese regarding central obesity was computed using the proportion eliminated (PE) index. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Analyses were performed in the TMLE R package. RESULTS: The risk of cardiovascular outcomes attributed to BMI was significantly reversed by eliminating WHR obesity (p<0.001). The proportion eliminated of BMI effects was more tangible for non-obese participants regarding WC (PE=127%; 95%CI (126,128)) and WHR (PE=97%; 95%CI (96,98)) for coronary heart disease (CHD), and WHR (PE=92%; 95%CI (91,94)) for stroke, respectively. With respect to sex, the proportion eliminated of BMI effects was more tangible for non-obese participants regarding WHR (PE=428%; 95%CI (408,439)) for CHD in males, and WC (PE=99%; 95%CI (89,111)) for stroke in females, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results indicate different potential effects of eliminating central obesity on the association between BMI and cardiovascular outcomes for males and females. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(5):879-886).

FUNDAMENTO: O índice de massa corporal (IMC) é o índice mais usado para categorizar uma pessoa como obesa ou não-obesa, e está sujeito a limitações importantes. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito direto do IMC nos desfechos cardiovasculares em participantes sem obesidade central. MÉTODOS: Esta análise incluiu 14.983 homens e mulheres com idades entre 45-75 anos do Estudo de Risco de Aterosclerose em Comunidades (ARIC). O IMC foi medido como obesidade geral e a circunferência da cintura (CC), a relação cintura-quadril (RCQ) e circunferência do quadril como obesidade central. A estimativa de máxima verossimilhança direcionada (TMLE, no acrônimo em inglês) foi usada para estimar os efeitos totais (TEs) e os efeitos diretos controlados (CDEs). A proporção de ET que seria eliminada se todos os participantes fossem não obesos em relação à obesidade central foi calculada usando o índice de proporção eliminada (PE). P<0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. As análises foram realizadas no pacote TMLE R. RESULTADOS: O risco de desfechos cardiovasculares atribuídos ao IMC foi significativamente revertido com a eliminação da obesidade na RCQ (p <0,001). A proporção eliminada dos efeitos do IMC foi mais tangível para participantes não obesos em relação à CC (PE = 127%; IC95% (126,128)) e RCQ (PE = 97%; IC95% (96,98)) para doença arterial coronariana (DAC), e RCQ (PE = 92%; IC95% (91,94)) para acidente vascular cerebral, respectivamente. Com relação ao sexo, a proporção eliminada dos efeitos do IMC foi mais tangível para participantes não obesos em relação a RCQ (PE = 428%; IC95% (408.439)) para DAC em homens e CC (PE = 99%; IC95% (89,111)) para acidente vascular cerebral em mulheres, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: Esses resultados indicam diferentes efeitos potenciais da eliminação da obesidade central na associação entre IMC e desfechos cardiovasculares em homens e mulheres. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(5):879-886).

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexual behavior of the population. The vision of the east and the west

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way of life around the World. The state of alarm has forced the population to stay at home, radically changing both interpersonal and partner relationships; work at home, social distancing, the continued presence of children at home, fear of infection and not being able to physically meet with others have changed most people's sexual habits. We conducted a review by exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual behavior in the population from three different countries: Iran, Italy and Spain from each country's perspective. The impact of the coronavirus will be very important in the sexual life of the people and we will attend in the next months or years, to some changes in the relationships at all the levels. The pandemic will negatively affect sexual behaviors due to multiple contact restrictions. In the future, we will be able to assess these effects in more detail.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexual behavior of the population. The vision of the east and the west.

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way of life around the World. The state of alarm has forced the population to stay at home, radically changing both interpersonal and partner relationships; work at home, social distancing, the continued presence of children at home, fear of infection and not being able to physically meet with others have changed most people's sexual habits. We conducted a review by exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual behavior in the population from three different countries: Iran, Italy and Spain from each country's perspective. The impact of the coronavirus will be very important in the sexual life of the people and we will attend in the next months or years, to some changes in the relationships at all the levels. The pandemic will negatively affect sexual behaviors due to multiple contact restrictions. In the future, we will be able to assess these effects in more detail.

Is there any association between Helicobacter pylori and otitis media with effusion? / Há associação entre Helicobacter pylori e otite média com efusão?

Abstract Introduction: It is proposed that Helicobacter pylori can be responsible for the development of otitis media with effusion. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in the adenoid tissue and fluid of the middle ear in patients who suffer from adenoid hyperplasia and otitis media with effusion in comparison with those who suffer from adenoid hyperplasia without otitis media with effusion. Methods: This is a case-control study that was carried out in 50 children of age 2-7 years old who were admitted with adenoid hyperplasia. Patients were divided into case and control groups. The study group included 25 patients with adenoid hyperplasia and otitis media with effusion and the control group included 25 patients with adenoid hyperplasia without otitis media with effusion. The patients in both groups underwent surgical adenoidectomy. For the case group we carried out myringotomy and placement of tympanostomy tube, and fluid samples were collected under sterile conditions. The samples were sent to the laboratory for polymerase chain reactions. Results: In the case group H. pylori was found to be positive in 18 samples of the middle ear fluid (70%) and in 1 polymerase chain reaction adenoid tissue sample (4%). In the control group H. pylori was positive in 3 samples of adenoid tissues (12%). There was no gender difference. Conclusion: H. pylori is one of the important bacteria that plays a role in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion. Whether adenoid tissue may be a reservoir for H. Pylori is unclear.

Resumo Introdução: Propõe-se que o Helicobacter pylori possa ser responsável pelo desenvolvimento de otite média com efusão. Objetivo: Investigar a prevalência de H. pylori no tecido adenoideano e no fluido da orelha média em pacientes com hiperplasia de adenoide e otite média com efusão em comparação àqueles com hiperplasia de adenoide sem otite média com efusão. Método: Este é um estudo de caso-controle feito em 50 crianças de 2 a 7 anos, com sinais e sintomas de hiperplasia de adenoide. Os pacientes foram divididos em grupo de estudo e grupo controle. O grupo de estudo incluiu 25 pacientes com hiperplasia de adenoide e otite média com efusão e o grupo controle incluiu 25 pacientes com hiperplasia de adenoide sem otite média com efusão. Os pacientes dos dois grupos foram submetidos a adenoidectomia e, no grupo de estudo, realizou-se também miringotomia com colocação de tubo de ventilação e amostras de fluidos foram coletadas sob condições estéreis. As amostras foram enviadas para o laboratório, para investigação por reação de polimerase em cadeia. Resultados: No grupo de estudo, houve positividade para H. pylori em 18 amostras do fluido de orelha média (70%) e uma amostra de tecido adenoideano foi positiva na reação de polimerase em cadeia (4%). No grupo controle, houve positividade para H. pylori em 3 amostras de tecido adenoideano (12%). Não houve diferença entre os gêneros. Conclusão: H. pylori é uma das bactérias importantes que desempenham um papel na patogênese da otite médica com efusão. Se o tecido adenoideano pode ou não representar um reservatório para H. pylori ainda necessita ser esclarecido.

Relationship between antifungal susceptibility profile and virulence factors in Candida albicans isolated from nail specimens.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate some virulence factors in Candida albicans isolates from patients with onychomycosis and determine the correlation between these factors and the antifungal resistance profile. METHODS: Seventy species of C. albicans were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction amplification of the HWP1 gene. According to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, the susceptibility profile of four antifungal agents was investigated, and the production of aspartyl protease, phospholipase, haemolysin, and biofilm was determined. The correlation between these profiles was also investigated. RESULTS: The isolates indicated different levels of resistance and production of virulence factors. Significant correlations were observed between the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fluconazole/itraconazole and biofilm production, between phospholipase production and fluconazole/itraconazole MIC, and between fluconazole MIC and hemolytic activity in C. albicans isolates. The results also showed significant correlations between phospholipase activity and biofilm production. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of C. albicans and characterize the relationship between virulence factors and antifungal resistance, which may suggest new therapeutic strategies considering the possible involvement of the virulence mechanism in the effectiveness of treatment.

Is there any association between Helicobacter pylori and otitis media with effusion?

INTRODUCTION: It is proposed that Helicobacter pylori can be responsible for the development of otitis media with effusion. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in the adenoid tissue and fluid of the middle ear in patients who suffer from adenoid hyperplasia and otitis media with effusion in comparison with those who suffer from adenoid hyperplasia without otitis media with effusion. METHODS: This is a case-control study that was carried out in 50 children of age 2-7 years old who were admitted with adenoid hyperplasia. Patients were divided into case and control groups. The study group included 25 patients with adenoid hyperplasia and otitis media with effusion and the control group included 25 patients with adenoid hyperplasia without otitis media with effusion. The patients in both groups underwent surgical adenoidectomy. For the case group we carried out myringotomy and placement of tympanostomy tube, and fluid samples were collected under sterile conditions. The samples were sent to the laboratory for polymerase chain reactions. RESULTS: In the case group H. pylori was found to be positive in 18 samples of the middle ear fluid (70%) and in 1 polymerase chain reaction adenoid tissue sample (4%). In the control group H. pylori was positive in 3 samples of adenoid tissues (12%). There was no gender difference. CONCLUSION: H. pylori is one of the important bacteria that plays a role in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion. Whether adenoid tissue may be a reservoir for H. Pylori is unclear.

A fluorometric hybridization assay for detecting and genotyping high-risk human papillomavirus 16 and 18 in archival tissues of cervical specimens.

Early diagnosis and genotyping of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) in cervical tissue specimens is significant for cervical cancer prevention. A sensitive microplate fluorometric hybridization assay (MFHA) was designed for the detection of HPV DNA 16 and 18 in cervical tissue. Following optimization and validation of the method, 60 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cervical samples representing different cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades of HPV-associated lesions were tested to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. Using consensus GP5+/6+ biotin-labeled primers to amplify a conserved region within the L1 gene, the amplicons were added to the microplate wells coated with specific probes for the hybridization of HPV 16 and 18 individually. Final detection was performed with streptavidin-AlexaFluor488 conjugated. The results were then compared with type-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and colorimetric microplate assay. While the agreement between the results obtained by the type-specific nested PCR and fluorometric assay for the detection of both HR-HPV types was 100%, this agreement for the detection of HPV type 16 and 18 using microplate colorimetric assay was 94.2% and 85% respectively. Overall, the results of the fluorometric and colorimetric assays are promising for detecting both HR-HPV types in a large number of cervical tissue samples with the higher MFHA assay sensitivity.

Up-regulation of human immune system function by Donkey's Milk

Donkey's milk represents a good alternative to human milk because of its chemical characteristics similar to those of human's. In present study, the pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of donkey's milk were evaluated on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). PBMCs were isolated from 12 young and 12 aged normal subjects. PBMCs were cultured with or without the optimal and non-cytotoxic dose of pasteurized donkey's milk, and polymyxin B was used to inhibit the possible endotoxin contamination. Following 18 hours incubation, culture supernatants were harvested to measure the secreted Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) by ELISA. Donkey's milk significantly increased TNF-α (p= 0.01), IL-8 (p< 0.0001), IL-6 (p< 0.0001) and IL-10 (p= 0.01) levels in PBMCs. In addition, the levels of IL-6 (p= 0.002), IL-8 (p= 0.002) and TNF-α (p= 0.002) from aged subjects were significantly higher compared with young subjects. In contrast with these data, the level of IL-10 was markedly reduced from aged subjects (p= 0.02). Considering the immune-potentiation effects of donkey's milk, it is suggested investigating milk as a beneficial dietary component for up-regulating the immune response in aged people

SHELL Part of Nucleus Accumbens and Its Laterality Has Important Role in Response to Chronic Stress in Female Rats

Abstract The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) plays a role in appetitive and negative motivation with sex differences in responses. NAcSh and its laterality in metabolic and hormonal responses to chronic stress in female rats is evaluated via transient inactivation of this nucleus during stress induction. Animals in the stress groups received consecutive stress for four days and transient inactivation of NAcSh was performed by administrating lidocaine (0.2%) unilaterally or bilaterally in the nucleus for five minutes before electric foot shock induction. After stress termination, food and water intake, latency to eat, plasma glucose, corticosterone, estradiol and progesterone were measured in all groups. Results showed that stress increased food intake and blood glucose level, but there were no change in the latency to eat and the amount of water intake. The right side, the left side, and both sides of NAcSh may be dominant in latency to eat, food intake, and both water intake and plasma glucose level, respectively. Although chronic stress included no changes for corticosterone and progesterone, it increased estradiol level in plasma. Also, bilateral and right sides of NAcSh may have modulatory effects on stress in corticosterone and progesterone, respectively, without affecting estradiol. It can be concluded that the NAc shell plays a pivotal role in metabolic and hormonal responses to chronic stress in a laterality manner in female rats.