Low levels of potentially toxic elements in workers are associated with self-reported health outcomes.

Occupational exposure to toxic elements can adversely affect health. The current study evaluated blood concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn in formal and informal workers. Additionally, the study investigated the associations between blood PTE concentrations and reported health outcomes in the study population. The exposed group included women engaged in informal jewelry welding within their homes in Limeira, São Paulo state, Brazil (n = 36) and men who worked at a steel company in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil (n = 22). The control group comprised residents of the same neighborhoods as the workers but without occupational exposure to chemicals (n = 28 in Limeira; n = 27 in Volta Redonda). Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (TQ ICP-MS) was used to determine PTE concentrations in blood samples. Glycemia, insulin, and lipid profile tests were performed. All participants completed questionnaires on household risk and reported morbidity. The blood concentrations of Cd, As, and Pb, as well as glycemia, were higher in informal workers than in control subjects. No significant differences were observed between formal workers and control subjects. A robust Poisson regression model, adjusted for variables suggested by a Directed Acyclic Graph, disclosed associations of blood lead and arsenic concentrations with the prevalence of neurological manifestations in Limeira. Blood lead levels > 2.6 µg dL-1 were associated with 2.3 times the prevalence of self-reported neurological manifestations (95 % CI: 1.17-4.58; p = 0.02) than lower blood lead concentrations. Furthermore, a positive association between blood cadmium concentrations and glycemia was observed. Informal occupational exposure to these elements may indicate an increased risk of developing diseases. Monitoring exposure and implementing interventions to reduce PTE exposure in the work environment represent significant steps toward prevention.

Using stable isotopes to inform water resource management in forested and agricultural ecosystems.

Present and future climatic trends are expected to markedly alter water fluxes and stores in the hydrologic cycle. In addition, water demand continues to grow due to increased human use and a growing population. Sustainably managing water resources requires a thorough understanding of water storage and flow in natural, agricultural, and urban ecosystems. Measurements of stable isotopes of water (hydrogen and oxygen) in the water cycle (atmosphere, soils, plants, surface water, and groundwater) can provide information on the transport pathways, sourcing, dynamics, ages, and storage pools of water that is difficult to obtain with other techniques. However, the potential of these techniques for practical questions has not been fully exploited yet. Here, we outline the benefits and limitations of potential applications of stable isotope methods useful to water managers, farmers, and other stakeholders. We also describe several case studies demonstrating how stable isotopes of water can support water management decision-making. Finally, we propose a workflow that guides users through a sequence of decisions required to apply stable isotope methods to examples of water management issues. We call for ongoing dialogue and a stronger connection between water management stakeholders and water stable isotope practitioners to identify the most pressing issues and develop best-practice guidelines to apply these techniques.

ß-Carboline derivatives are potent against Acute Myeloid Leukemia in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: ß-carboline alkaloids exert a distinguished ability to impair cell growth and induce cell death in a variety of cancers and the evaluation of such new therapeutic candidates may denote new possibilities for leukemia treatment. In this present study, we screened 12 ß-carboline derivatives containing different substituents at 1- and 3-positions of ß-carboline nucleus for their antineoplastic activities in a panel of leukemia cell lines. METHODS: The cytotoxic effects of the ß-carboline derivatives were evaluated in different leukemia cell lines as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, autophagy, and important signaling pathways. RESULTS: Treatment with the ß-carboline derivatives resulted in a potent antineoplastic activity leading to a reduced cell viability that was associated with increased cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, the treatment of primary mononuclear cells isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors with the ß-carboline derivatives showed a minor change in cell survival. The antineoplastic activity occurs by blocking ROS production causing consequent interruption of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling and modulating autophagy processes. Notably, in vivo, AML burden was diminished in peripheral blood and bone marrow of a xenograft mouse model. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that ß-carboline derivatives have an on-target malignant cell-killing activity and may be promising candidates for treating leukemia cells by disrupting crucial events that promote leukemia expansion and chemotherapy resistance.

Bismuth(III) triflate: an economical and environmentally friendly catalyst for the Nazarov reaction.

We describe the use of bismuth(III) triflate as an efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst for the Nazarov reaction of aryl vinyl ketones, leading to the synthesis of 3-aryl-2-ethoxycarbonyl-1-indanones and 3-aryl-1-indanones. By changing the temperature and reaction time, it was possible to modulate the reactivity, allowing the synthesis of two distinct product classes (3-aryl-2-ethoxycarbonyl-1-indanones and 3-aryl-1-indanones) in good to excellent yield. The reaction did not require additives and was insensitive to both air and moisture. Preliminary biological evaluation of some indanones showed a promising profile against some human cancer line cells.

Effect of antioxidants on adhesive bond strength to bleached enamel.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of antioxidants (ATX) resveratrol, winter's bark, green tea and yerba mate on the bond strength between bleached enamel and the nanohybrid composite resin. METHODOLOGY: Bovine incisor crowns (n = 132) were randomly divided into 22 groups (n = 6) according to the application times (5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min) of each antioxidant. Teeth restored without previous bleaching or ATX constituted the non-bleached control group (NB Ctrl) (n = 6), and teeth restored after bleaching and without ATX represented the bleached control group (B Ctrl) (n = 6). The 35 % hydrogen peroxide was applied for 45 min (3 application of 15 min) to the buccal enamel surface. ATX was used after bleaching for the specified time of each group and removed with air-water spray. The enamel was etched with 37 % phosphoric acid (30 s) and rinsed with air-water spray. The adhesive resin was applied to the enamel dry surface. Teeth were restored using 1 mm composite resin increments (10 × 10 × 3 mm) and sectioned in test specimens of 6 mm in length and 1 mm2 in cross-sectional area submitted to microtensile bond strength test (0.5 mm/min). The load (N) at failure was recorded, and the bond strength (σt) was calculated (MPa). The fracture area was analyzed under optical microscopy, and failures were classified as cohesive, mixed, or adhesive. Data was evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: B Ctrl group presented lower σt than NB Ctrl (p < 0.001). Applying resveratrol for 5 or 10 min, winter's bark for 10 or 15 min, green tea for less than 15 min, and yerba mate for 15 min provided similar σt between bleached enamel and nanohybrid composite to the control group. CONCLUSION: Restorative procedures performed immediately after tooth bleaching compromises adhesion. Experimental antioxidants applied to bleached enamel can increase the immediate bond strength of restorations performed directly after bleaching, with similar values to those observed in unbleached enamel. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study presents promising results to support the use of antioxidants on the recently bleached enamel to allow adhesive tooth restorations. The immediate bonding obtained using antioxidants was similar to the one achieved in non-bleached enamel in brief application times. Green tea extract and resveratrol were able to restore the bond strength to bleached enamel in a short application time of 5 min. The reduction in the required application time holds the potential to decrease the overall duration of the clinical section, offering clinical advantages and improving the feasibility of using antioxidants on the bleached enamel prior to adhesive procedures.

Intermittent fasting associated with coconut oil (Cocos nucifera L.) alters gut-liver axis parameters in diet-induced obese rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting, associated or not with coconut oil intake, on the gut-liver axis of obese rats. METHODS: A total of 50 rats were divided into five groups: control, obese, obese with intermittent fasting, obese with intermittent fasting plus coconut oil, and obese with caloric restriction. The rats were induced to obesity with a high-sugar diet for 17 wk. The respective interventions were carried out in the last 4 wk. RESULTS: The groups with intermittent fasting protocols had reduced total cholesterol (on average 54.31%), low-density lipoprotein (on average 53.39%), and triacylglycerols (on average 23.94%) versus the obese group; and the obese with intermittent fasting plus coconut oil group had the highest high-density lipoprotein compared with all groups. The obese with intermittent fasting plus coconut oil and obese with caloric restriction groups had lower metabolic load compared with the other groups. The obese group had high citric and succinic acid concentrations, which affected the hepatic tricarboxylic acid cycle, while all the interventions had reduced concentrations of these acids. No histologic changes were observed in the intestine or liver of the groups. CONCLUSION: Intermittent fasting, especially when associated with coconut oil, had effects comparable with caloric restriction in modulating the parameters of the gut-liver axis.

Non-Interferon-Dependent Role of STING Signaling in Pulmonary Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Patients with constitutive activation of DNA-sensing pathway through stimulator of IFN (interferon) genes (STING), such as those with STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy, develop pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the role of STING signaling in general PH patients is heretofore undescribed. Here, we seek to investigate the role of STING in PH development. METHODS: STING expression in patient lung samples was examined. PH was induced in global STING-deficient mice and global type I IFN receptor 1-deficient mice using bleomycin or chronic hypoxia exposure. PH development was evaluated by right ventricular systolic pressure and Fulton index, with additional histological and flow cytometric analysis. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression on murine immune cells was quantified and evaluated with multiplex and flow cytometry. Human myeloid-derived cells were differentiated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and treated with either STING agonist or STING antagonist for evaluation of VEGF secretion. RESULTS: Global STING deficiency protects mice from PH development, and STING-associated PH seems independent of type I IFN signaling. Furthermore, a role for STING-VEGF signaling pathway in PH development was demonstrated, with altered VEGF secretion in murine pulmonary infiltrated myeloid cells in a STING-dependent manner. In addition, pharmacological manipulation of STING in human myeloid-derived cells supports in vivo findings. Finally, a potential role of STING-VEGF-mediated apoptosis in disease development and progression was illustrated, providing a roadmap toward potential therapeutic applications. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these data provide concrete evidence of STING involvement in PH, establishing biological plausibility for STING-related therapies in PH treatment.

Evaluation of the effect of nanoparticles on the cultivation of edible plants by ICP-MS: a review.

Nanoparticle (NP) applications aiming to boost plant biomass production and enhance the nutritional quality of crops hae proven to be a valuable ally in enhancing agricultural output. They contribute to greater food accessibility for a growing and vulnerable population. These nanoscale particles are commonly used in agriculture as fertilizers, pesticides, plant growth promoters, seed treatments, opportune plant disease detection, monitoring soil and water quality, identification and detection of toxic agrochemicals, and soil and water remediation. In addition to the countless NP applications in food and agriculture, it is possible to highlight many others, such as medicine and electronics. However, it is crucial to emphasize the imperative need for thorough NP characterization beyond these applications. Therefore, analytical methods are proposed to determine NPs' physicochemical properties, such as composition, crystal structure, size, shape, surface charge, morphology, and specific surface area, detaching the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) that allows the reliable elemental composition quantification mainly in metallic NPs. As a result, this review highlights studies involving NPs in agriculture and their consequential effects on plants, with a specific focus on analyses conducted through ICP-MS. Given the numerous applications of NPs in this field, it is essential to address their presence and increase in the environment and humans since biomagnification and biotransformation effects are studies that should be further developed. In light of this, the demand for rapid, innovative, and sensitive analytical methods for the characterization of NPs remains paramount.

Educational technologies for accident prevention due to falls in childhood: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: to map evidence on educational technology use for accident prevention due to falls in childhood. METHODS: a scoping review, carried out in October and November 2022, in the MEDLINE, Web of Science, BDENF and CINAHL databases and LILACS bibliographic index. There was no delimitation of language or time. Data were extracted and analyzed descriptively by two independent researchers. The research protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework. RESULTS: twenty-six studies were selected. Booklets, pamphlets and leaflets were the most used technologies, presenting health services as the most frequent environment to develop research on fall prevention. The technologies developed were important outcomes: increased knowledge of children, family members, caregivers, health and education professionals. CONCLUSIONS: educational technology use makes it possible to increase knowledge, adopt safe practices and reduce falls.

Magnetic properties of Fe-doped NiO nanoparticles.

Undoped and Fe-doped NiO nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a lyophilization method and systematically characterized through magnetization techniques over a wide temperature range, with varying intensity and frequency of the applied magnetic fields. The Ni1-xFexO nanoparticles can be described by a core-shell model, which reveals that Fe doping enhances exchange interactions in correlation with nanoparticle size reduction. The nanoparticles exhibit a superparamagnetic blocking transition, primarily attributed to their cores, at temperatures ranging from above room temperature to low temperatures, depending on the Fe-doping level and sample synthesis temperature. The nanoparticle shells also exhibit a transition at low temperatures, in this case to a cluster-glass-like state, caused by the dipolar magnetic interactions between the net magnetic moments of the clusters. Their freezing temperature shifts to higher temperatures as the Fe-doping level increases. The existence of an exchange bias interaction was observed, thus validating the core-shell model proposed.

Fatores associados ao autocuidado praticado por pessoas com estomias de eliminação / Factors associated with self-care practiced by people with intestinal elimination stomas / Factores asociados al autocuidado practicado por personas con estomas de eliminación

Objetivo: avaliar os fatores associados ao autocuidado praticado por pessoas com estomias de eliminação. Método: estudo transversal analítico, baseado nas respostas de 153 pessoas com estomia de eliminação, atendidas em um ambulatório de referência no cuidado de pessoas com estomas, no município de Teresina. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de um formulário semiestruturado com dados demográficos e acerca do autocuidado. Os dados foram analisados mediante estatística descritiva e inferencial. O teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson foi utilizado na análise inferencial. Resultados: o esvaziamento da bolsa, limpeza do estoma, secagem da pele periestoma, descolamento da placa, medição do estoma, realização do molde, adaptação, autoestima e isolamento social apresentaram associação significativa com o autocuidado (p<0,05). Conclusão: evidenciou-se que os fatores associados ao autocuidado foram os cuidados com o estoma e com o equipamento coletor, além dos impactos na autoestima e na vida social(AU)

Objective: to evaluate the factors associated with self-care practiced by people with elimination stomas. Method: analytical cross-sectional study, based on the responses of 153 people with elimination stoma, treated at a reference outpatient clinic for the care of people with stoma, in the city of Teresina. Data collection took place through a semi-structured form with demographic data and about self-care. Analyzes were performed using inferential statistics, using the chi-square test. Results: Emptying the pouch, cleaning the stoma, drying the peristomal skin, detaching the plaque, measuring the stoma, making the mold, fitting, , self-esteem and social isolation were significantly associated with self-care (p<0.05). Conclusion: it was evident that the factors associated with self-care were care for the stoma and the collection equipment, in addition to the impacts on self-esteem and social life(AU)

Objetivo: evaluar los factores asociados al autocuidado practicado por personas con estomas de eliminación. Método: estudio transversal analítico, basado en las respuestas de 153 personas con estoma de eliminación, atendidos en un ambulatorio de referencia para la atención de personas con estoma, en la ciudad de Teresina. Se realizó la recolección de datos a través de un formulario semiestructurado con datos demográficos y sobre autocuidado. Los datos se analizaron utilizando estadística descriptiva e inferencial, utilizando la prueba Chi-cuadrado de Pearson. Resultados: vaciar la bolsa, limpiar la estoma, secar la piel periestomal, despegar la placa, medir la estoma, hacer el molde, adaptarlo, vaciar la bolsa, la autoestima y el aislamiento social se asociaron significativamente con el autocuidado (p<0,05). Conclusión: se evidenció que los factores asociados al autocuidado fueron el cuidado de la estoma y del equipo de recolección, además de los impactos en la autoestima y la vida social(AU)

Microparticles and nanoparticles-based approaches to improve oral treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped, flagellated bacterium that colonizes the stomach of half the world's population. Helicobacter pylori infection causes pathologies of varying severity. Standard oral therapy fails in 15-20% since the barriers of the oral route decrease the bioavailability of antibiotics and the intrinsic factors of bacteria increase the rates of resistance. Nanoparticles and microparticles are promising strategies for drug delivery into the gastric mucosa and targeting H. pylori. The variety of building blocks creates systems with distinct colloidal, surface, and biological properties. These features improve drug-pathogen interactions, eliminate drug depletion and overuse, and enable the association of multiple actives combating H. pylori on several fronts. Nanoparticles and microparticles are successfully used to overcome the barriers of the oral route, physicochemical inconveniences, and lack of selectivity of current therapy. They have proven efficient in employing promising anti-H. pylori compounds whose limitation is oral route instability, such as some antibiotics and natural products. However, the current challenge is the applicability of these strategies in clinical practice. For this reason, strategies employing a rational design are necessary, including in the development of nano- and microsystems for the oral route.

Green Method for Evaluation of Marbofloxacin Tablets by HPLC and Evaluation of Interchangeability With UV and Turbidimetric Methods.

BACKGROUND: Marbofloxacin (MAR) is a veterinary antimicrobial, marketed in injectable solution, oral suspension, and tablets. MAR has no monograph for tablet evaluation in official compendiums. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods present in the literature for evaluating MAR in tablets do not follow the principles of green and sustainable analytical chemistry. OBJECTIVE: A green, clean, and sustainable method by HPLC was developed and validated to evaluate the content and stability of MAR in tablets, in addition to comparing it with other methods available in the literature. METHOD: A C8, 5 µm, 4.6 × 150 mm (ACE®) column, purified water with 0.2% formic acid-ethanol (70:30, v/v) as the mobile phase, and a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min at 296 nm were used. RESULTS: The method was linear over a concentration range of 1-10 µg/mL, selective for tablet matrix and forced degradation, precise with relative standard deviations (RDS) less than 5%, accurate with recovery of 99.99%, and robust to changes in the mobile phase, flow rate, wavelength, equipment, and column brand. The retention time for MAR was approximately 3.1 min. CONCLUSIONS: The method can be used in routine analysis of MAR in tablets in chemical-pharmaceutical laboratories. Furthermore, it can be used to verify the stability of MAR-based products and proved to be interchangeable with spectrophotometric method in the UV region and turbidimetric microbiological method. HIGHLIGHTS: A green method for evaluation of marbofloxacin tablets by HPLC was developed and validated. Additionally, it has been shown to be interchangeable with UV and turbidimetric methods.

ACE2 overexpression in corticotropin-releasing-hormone cells offers protection against pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH), characterized by elevated pulmonary pressure and right heart failure, is a systemic disease involving inappropriate sympathetic activation and an impaired gut-brain-lung axis. Global overexpression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cardiopulmonary protective enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system, attenuates PH induced by chronic hypoxia. Neurons within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) that synthesize corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) are activated by stressors, like hypoxia, and this activation augments sympathetic outflow to cardiovascular tissues. These data coupled with our observations that ACE2 overexpression in CRH cells (CRH-ACE2KI mice) decreases anxiety-like behavior via suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity by decreasing CRH synthesis, led us to hypothesize that selective ACE2 overexpression in CRH neurons would protect against hypoxia-induced PH. Methods: CRH-ACE2KI and WT male and female mice were exposed to chronic hypoxia (10%O2) or normoxia (21%O2) for 4 weeks in a ventilated chamber with continuous monitoring of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations (n = 7-10/group). Pulmonary hemodynamics were measured with Millar pressure catheters then tissues were collected for histological analyses. Results: Chronic hypoxia induced a significant increase (36.4%) in right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure (RVSP) in WT mice, which was not observed in CRH-ACE2KI mice. No significant differences in RVSP were observed between male and female mice in any of the groups. Conclusion: Overexpression of ACE2 in CRH cells was protective against hypoxia-induced PH. Since the majority of expression of CRH is in brain nuclei such as paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and/or central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) these data indicate that the protective effects of ACE2 are, at least in part, centrally mediated. This contributes to the systemic nature of PH disease and that CRH neurons may play an important role in PH.

Tratamento da classe III com disjunção maxilar e tração reversa da maxila: relato de caso clínico / Class III treatment weth maxillary disjunction and reverse maxillary traction: clinical case report

Objetivo: A má oclusão classe III de Angle se caracteriza por protrusão mandibular, retrusão maxilar ou pela combinação de ambas. Além de prejudicar a estética facial do paciente, essa má oclusão pode causar alterações funcionais e respiratórias. Uma das alternativas de tratamento para esses casos é o uso da máscara de Petit e do aparelho disjuntor de Hyrax. Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar por meio da cefalometria ortodôntica se o tratamento com expansão maxilar em conjunto com a tração reversa da maxila diminuem os agravos estéticos e funcionais do paciente Classe III. Relato de caso: o relato de caso descrito no presente trabalho é sobre uma paciente que foi submetida a esse tratamento, sendo descrito por meio de análises cefalométricas, exames radiográficos, fotos intrabucais e achados clínicos. Considerações finais: A verificação dos resultados obtidos após o término do tratamento mostrou que a paciente teve uma boa adesão ao uso desses aparelhos e obteve resultados satisfatórios na sua função mastigatória, na sua oclusão e na sua estética facial e dentária.(AU)

Objective: Angle class III malocclusion is characterized by mandibular protrusion, maxillary retrusion or a combination of both. In addition to impairing the patient's facial aesthetics, this malocclusion can cause functional and respiratory changes. One of the treatment alternatives for these cases is the use of the Petit mask and the Hyrax breaker device. This study aims to evaluate, through orthodontic cephalometry, whether the treatment with maxillary expansion in conjunction with the reverse traction of the maxilla reduces the aesthetic and functional problems of Class III patients. Case report: the case report described in the present work is about a patient who underwent this treatment, being described through cephalometric analysis, radiographic examinations, intraoral photos and clinical findings. Final considerations: The verification of the results obtained after the end of the treatment showed that the patient had a good adherence to the use of these devices and obtained satisfactory results in her masticatory function, in her occlusion and in her facial and dental aesthetics.(AU)

Extra virgin coconut oil (Cocos nucifera L.) intake shows neurobehavioural and intestinal health effects in obesity-induced rats.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of E-VCO on the neurobehaviour and intestinal health parameters of obesity-induced rats, focusing on food consumption, body composition, bacterial and faecal organic acids and histological analyses in the hippocampus and colon. A total of 32 male Wistar rats were randomized into healthy (HG, n = 16) and obese groups (OG, n = 16), which consumed a control or cafeteria diet for eight weeks, respectively. After this period, they were subdivided into four groups: healthy (HG, n = 8); healthy treated with E-VCO (HGCO, n = 8); obese (OG, n = 8); obese treated with E-VCO (OGCO, n = 8), continuing for another eight weeks with their respective diets. The treated groups received 3000 mg kg-1 of E-VCO and control groups received water via gavage. Food preference, body weight gain, body composition, anxiety- and depression-like behaviour were evaluated. Bacteria and organic acids were evaluated in faeces, and histological analyses of the hippocampus and M1 and M2 macrophages in the colon were performed. E-VCO reduced energy intake (16.68%) and body weight gain (16%), although it did not reduce the fat mass of obese rats. E-VCO showed an antidepressant effect, increased lactic acid bacteria counts and modulated organic acids in obese rats. Furthermore, E-VCO protected the hippocampus from neuronal degeneration caused by the obesogenic diet, decreased the M1 macrophage and increased the M2 macrophage population in the gut. The results suggest neurobehavioural modulation and improved gut health by E-VCO, with promising effects against obesity-related comorbidities.

Effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Injection for Interdental Papillae Recovery in Esthetic Areas: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid (HA) injections used to reduce defects in the gingival papillae in esthetic areas. This randomized study included six patients requiring black triangle treatment in 19 defective papillae. After local anesthesia, less than 0.2 mL of HA was injected 2 to 3 mm into the tip of the deficient papilla in the apical direction. Analysis of the target regions with standardized photographs and 3D intraoral scanning (CEREC 4.5 software with RST files, Dentsply Sirona) was performed at baseline (T0) and at 1 month (T1), 2 months (T2), 3 months (T3), and 4 months (T4) after the initial application of HA. At each time period, the photographic analysis showed no statistically significant differences in linear tissue gain after HA gel application. The 3D analysis showed improvements in the vertical papillae tissue recovery at T3 (0.41 ± 0.21 mm) and T4 (0.38 ± 0.21 mm) when compared to T1 (0.13 ± 0.08 mm; P < .0001). Regarding the reconstruction of the interdental papillae, the general dimensions of the tissue in the black triangle areas showed a significant increase in size percentage at T3 (58% ± 32.9%) compared to T1 (30.41% ± 23.4%; P = .0054). Thus, the application of injectable HA was effective for filling papillae in the esthetic area. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2023;43:e73-e80. doi: 10.11607/prd.5814.

ß-Carboline-α-aminophosphonate Derivative: A Promising Antitumor Agent for Breast Cancer Treatment.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality among women worldwide. Considering the limitations of the current treatments available, we analyzed the in vitro cytotoxic potential of ((4-Fluoro-phenyl)-{2-[(1-phenyl-9H-ß-carboline-3-carbonyl)-amino]-ethylamino}-methyl)-phosphonic acid dibutyl ester (BCP-1) in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and in a non-tumor breast cell line (MCF-10A). BCP-1 has an α-aminophosphonate unit linked to the ß-carboline nucleus, and the literature indicates that compounds of these classes have high biological potential. In the present study, the mechanism of action of BCP-1 was investigated through methods of spectrofluorimetry, flow cytometry, and protein expression analysis. It was found that BCP-1 inhibited the proliferation of both cancer cell lines. Furthermore, it induced oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest in G2/M. Upregulation of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bax, cytochrome C, and caspases, as well as a decrease in the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, indicated potential induction of apoptosis in the MDA-MB-231 cells. While in MCF-7 cells, BCP-1 activated the autophagic death pathway, which was demonstrated by an increase in autophagic vacuoles and acidic organelles, in addition to increased expression of LC3I/LC3II and reduced SQSTM1/p62 expression. Further, BCP-1 demonstrated antimetastatic potential by reducing MMP-9 expression and cell migration in both breast cancer cell lines. In conclusion, BCP-1 is a promising candidate for breast cancer chemotherapy.

Digital educational technology content production and validity about Japanese bathtub (ofurô) in neonatal unit.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the elaboration and content validity stages of a digital educational technology for nursing professionals about Japanese bathtub (ofurô) in newborns in neonatal care units. METHOD: A methodological study conducted between August 2019 and July 2021, in a public maternity hospital in Manaus, Amazonas, developed in two stages. In the first, the e-book images, text and editing were produced. In the second, material content validity was carried out, through the opinion of 15 expert judges, nurses and neonatal care experts. In data analysis, the percentage of agreement was applied with agreement score estimation. Items with 80% or more agreement were considered valid. RESULTS: The e-book "Japanese bathtub: manual for nursing professionals" was produced, organized into nine sessions, which describe the technique execution. Content was considered valid by expert judges (general score 90%). CONCLUSION: The e-book was considered suitable for use in training nursing professionals, with potential for dissemination of knowledge regarding humanization of care for premature babies.

Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on the Biosynthesis of Volatile Compounds Associated with the Ripening of Grape Tomato Fruits.

The present work aims to evaluate the roles of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in the formation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from grape tomatoes during ripening. Fruits were treated with MeJA, ethylene, 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), and MeJA+1-MCP, with analyses of the VOC and levels of the gene transcripts for the enzymes lipoxygenase (LOX), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL). An intimate relationship between MeJA and ethylene in aroma formation was detected, mainly among the VOC from the carotenoid pathway. Expression of the fatty acid transcripts, LOXC, ADH, and HPL pathway genes, was reduced by 1-MCP, even when associated with MeJA. In ripe tomato, MeJA increased most of the volatile C6 compounds, except 1-hexanol. The MeJA+1-MCP treatment followed most of the increases in volatile C6 compounds that were increased by MeJA alone, which evidenced some ethylene-independent mechanism in the production of the volatile C6 compounds. In ripe tomato, MeJA and MeJA+1-MCP increased the levels of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, which is derived from lycopene, evidencing an ethylene-independent biosynthetic process.