Combination of the Topical Photodynamic Therapy of Chloroaluminum Phthalocyanine Liposomes with Fexinidazole Oral Self-Emulsifying System as a New Strategy for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treatment.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease. The treatment is restricted to drugs, such as meglumine antimoniate and amphotericin B, that exhibit toxic effects, high cost, long-term treatment, and limited efficacy. The development of new alternative therapies, including the identification of effective drugs for the topical and oral treatment of CL, is of great interest. In this sense, a combination of topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine liposomes (Lip-ClAlPc) and the oral administration of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system containing fexinidazole (SEDDS-FEX) emerges as a new strategy. The aim of the present study was to prepare, characterize, and evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy with Lip-ClAlPc and SEDDS-FEX in the experimental treatment of Leishmania (Leishmania) major. Lip-ClAlPc and SEDDS-FEX were prepared, and the antileishmanial efficacy study was conducted with the following groups: 1. Lip-ClAlPc (0.05 mL); 2. SEDDS-FEX (50 mg/kg/day); 3. Lip-ClAlPc (0.05 mL)+SEDDS-FEX (50 mg/kg/day) combination; 4. FEX suspension (50 mg/kg/day); and 5. control (untreated). BALB/c mice received 10 sessions of topical Lip-ClAlPc on alternate days and 20 consecutive days of SEDDS-FEX or FEX oral suspension. Therapeutical efficacy was evaluated via the parasite burden (limiting-dilution assay), lesion size (mm), healing of the lesion, and histological analyses. Lip-ClAlPc and SEDDS-FEX presented physicochemical characteristics that are compatible with the administration routes used in the treatments. Lip-ClAlPc+SEDDS-FEX led to a significant reduction in the parasitic burden in the lesion and spleen when compared to the control group (p < 0.05) and the complete healing of the lesion in 43% of animals. The Lip-ClAlPc+SEDDS-FEX combination may be promising for the treatment of CL caused by L. major.

Single-Component Electroactive Polymer Architectures for Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensing.

Organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) have emerged as promising materials for biological sensing, owing to their electrochemical activity, stability in an aqueous environment, and biocompatibility. Yet, OMIEC-based sensors rely predominantly on the use of composite matrices to enable stimuli-responsive functionality, which can exhibit issues with intercomponent interfacing. In this study, an approach is presented for non-enzymatic glucose detection by harnessing a newly synthesized functionalized monomer, EDOT-PBA. This monomer integrates electrically conducting and receptor moieties within a single organic component, obviating the need for complex composite preparation. By engineering the conditions for electrodeposition, two distinct polymer film architectures are developed: pristine PEDOT-PBA and molecularly imprinted PEDOT-PBA. Both architectures demonstrated proficient glucose binding and signal transduction capabilities. Notably, the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) architecture demonstrated faster stabilization upon glucose uptake while it also enabled a lower limit of detection, lower standard deviation, and a broader linear range in the sensor output signal compared to its non-imprinted counterpart. This material design not only provides a robust and efficient platform for glucose detection but also offers a blueprint for developing selective sensors for a diverse array of target molecules, by tuning the receptor units correspondingly.

Emetic Tartar-Loaded Liposomes as a New Strategy for Leishmaniasis Treatment.

Emetic tartar (ET), was used in the treatment of leishmaniasis but its use was discontinued due to its low therapeutic index. Liposomes have been shown to be a promising strategy for delivery of bioactive substances in the region of interest, in order to reduce and/or eliminate undesirable effects. In the present study, liposomes containing ET were prepared and characterized to evaluate acute toxicity as well as their leishmanicidal action using BALB/c mice with an inoculum of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. Liposomes were composed of egg phosphatidylcholine and 3ß-[N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl]cholesterol, with an average diameter of 200 nm, zeta potential of +18 mV, and ET encapsulated into liposomes at a concentration near 2 g/L. Healthy mice were treated with ET or liposome containing ET (Lip-ET) in a single dose of 16 mg/kg of Sb3+ intravenously and observed for 14 days. The death of two animals in the ET-treated group and no deaths in the Lip-ET-treated group was observed. Higher hepatic and cardiac toxicity were observed in animals treated with ET when compared to animals treated with Lip-ET, blank liposomes (Blank-Lip) and PBS. The study of antileishmanial efficacy was conducted by intraperitoneal administration of Lip-ET, for ten consecutive days. It was observed by limiting dilution that treatments with liposomal formulations containing ET, as well as Glucantime®, led to a significant reduction in parasitic load in spleen and liver (p < 0.05) when compared to the untreated control group.

Conhecimento dos estudantes de enfermagem sobre biossegurança no contexto hospitalar na pandemia: abordagem qualitativa / Nursing students' knowledge about biosafety in the hospital context during the pandemic: a qualitative approach

OBJETIVO: Descrever o conhecimento dos estudantes de enfermagem sobre as medidas de biossegurança no contexto hospitalar em tempos de pandemia. MÉTODO: Estudo descritivo, exploratório, qualitativo, com estudantes de enfermagem de uma universidade pública da baixada litorânea do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, através de entrevista em ambiente virtual, entre julho e setembro de 2021. Utilizou-se o Interface de R pour Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes Et de Questionnaires para processamento do corpus textual e Análise de Conteúdo Temática para interpretação das falas. RESULTADOS: Participaram 29 estudantes que reconhecem a biossegurança, mas não possuem segurança ao abordá-la. Para eles, trata-se de normas para proteção do trabalhador e pacientes, associando-as aos EPIs e ao uso durante a pandemia. CONCLUSÃO: A biossegurança não é reconhecida na sua totalidade entre estudantes de enfermagem que estarão no mercado de trabalho futuramente. É necessário um olhar ampliado em perspectiva transversal, especialmente nas disciplinas do ciclo profissionalizante da enfermagem.

OBJECTIVE: To describe Nursing students' knowledge about the biosafety measures in the hospital context in pandemic times. METHOD: A descriptive, exploratory and qualitative study conducted through interviews in a virtual environment between July and September 2021 with Nursing students from a public university in the coastal lowland of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Interface de R pour Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes Et de Questionnaires was used to process the text corpus and Thematic Content Analysis was employed to interpret the testimonies. RESULTS: The participants were 29 students that recognize biosafety but are not confident enough to address it. For them, it is but a set of standards for the protection of workers and patients alike, associating it with PPE and with its use during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Biosafety is not recognized in its entirety by the Nursing students who will enter the labor market in the near future. An expanded and cross-sectional perspective is required, especially in the academic disciplines of Nursing training cycle.

Convection Driven Ultrarapid Protein Detection via Nanobody-Functionalized Organic Electrochemical Transistors.

Conventional biosensors rely on the diffusion-dominated transport of the target analyte to the sensor surface. Consequently, they require an incubation step that may take several hours to allow for the capture of analyte molecules by sensor biorecognition sites. This incubation step is a primary cause of long sample-to-result times. Here, alternating current electrothermal flow (ACET) is integrated in an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT)-based sensor to accelerate the device operation. ACET is applied to the gate electrode functionalized with nanobody-SpyCatcher fusion proteins. Using the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in human saliva as an example target, it is shown that ACET enables protein recognition within only 2 min of sample exposure, supporting its use in clinical practice. The ACET integrated sensor exhibits better selectivity, higher sensitivity, and lower limit of detection than the equivalent sensor with diffusion-dominated operation. The performance of ACET integrated sensors is compared with two types of organic semiconductors in the channel and grounds for device-to-device variations are investigated. The results provide guidelines for the channel material choice in OECT-based biochemical sensors, and demonstrate that ACET integration substantially decreases the detection speed while increasing the sensitivity and selectivity of transistor-based sensors.

3D Concentric Electrodes-Based Alternating Current Electrohydrodynamics: Design, Simulation, Fabrication, and Potential Applications for Bioassays.

Two-dimensional concentric asymmetric microelectrodes play a crucial role in developing sensitive and specific biological assays using fluid micromixing generated by alternating current electrohydrodynamics (ac-EHD). This paper reports the design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization of fluid motion generated by 3D concentric microelectrodes for the first time. Electric field simulations are used to compare electric field distribution at the electrodes and to analyze its effects on microfluidic micromixing in 2D and 3D electrodes. Three-dimensional devices show higher electric field peak values, resulting in better fluid micromixing than 2D devices. As a proof of concept, we design a simple biological assay comprising specific attachment of streptavidin beads onto the biotin-modified electrodes (2D and 3D), which shows ~40% higher efficiency of capturing specific beads in the case of 3D ac-EHD device compared to the 2D device. Our results show a significant contribution toward developing 3D ac-EHD devices that can be used to create more efficient biological assays in the future.

Acolhimento de travestis e transexuais na atenção primária à saúde: uma revisão bibliográfica / Accommodation of transvestis and transsexuals in primary health care: a literature review

Objetivo: analisar, conhecer sobre o acolhimento de Travestis e Transexuais na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Métodos: trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica de caráter exploratório com abordagem qualitativa, na qual realizou-se uma busca no período de março a junho de 2020 em base de dados confiáveis, em português, dentre os quais Scientifc Electronic Library Online Brasil (SciELO), Google Scholar e o site do Ministério da Saúde podem ser citados, dentre outros periódicos de referência na área.Resultados:após análise detalhada das publicações, verificou-se 16 publicações exploravam realmente o tema em questão, sendo utilizados para a construção da pesquisa. Considerações Finais: há um método principal para que o acolhimento seja qualificado e holístico, que é acapacitação do enfermeiro juntamente com a educação continuada para que ele ajude a mudar a realidade da vida do público Transno âmbito de saúde.

Objective: to analyze and learn about the reception of Transvestites and Transsexuals in Primary Health Care. Methods: this is an exploratory bibliographic research with a qualitative approach, in which a search was carried out from March to June 2020 in reliable database, in Portuguese, among which Scientifc Electronic Library Online Brazil (SciELO), Google Scholar and the Ministry of Health website can be cited, among other reference periodicals in the area. Results: after detailed analysis of the publications, it was found that 16 publications actually explored the topic in question, being used for the construction of the research. Final Considerations: there is a main method for the reception to be qualified and holistic, which is the training of nurses along with continuing education so that they help change the reality of life for the Trans public in the health field.

Topical photodynamic therapy with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine liposomes is as effective as systemic pentavalent antimony in the treatment of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND: In the Americas, one of the main causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis is Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. The systemic antimonials remain the most largely used option for disease control. However, this drug has significant toxicity. The development of new alternative therapies, including the identification of effective drugs for topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis, is of utmost interest. In this sense, photodynamic therapy emerges as a new strategy. The aim of this study was to develop the chloroaluminum phthalocyanine-loaded liposome, characterize it, and evaluate its stability and efficacy in the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. (L.) amazonensis. METHODS: Liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine were prepared by Bangham's method. Storage stability of phthalocyanine-loaded liposomes was evaluated at 30 and 60 days after preparation. For the in vivo evaluation, the animals were infected with L. (L.) amazonensis and divided into groups: chloroaluminium phthalocyanine-loaded liposome, blank liposome, meglumine antimoniate (200 mgSb+5/Kg/day), and control. The lesion size was determined weekly after the beginning of the treatment. Upon completion, parasites were recovered from the skin lesion and spleen and evaluated by limiting dilution assay. RESULTS: Chloroaluminum phthalocyanine-loaded liposomes were stable and showed adequate characteristics for topical administration. The topical chloroaluminum phthalocyanine-loaded liposome was as effective as systemic pentavalent antimony in reducing the parasitic load in the lesion and spleen in infected animals. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that photodynamic therapy with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine-loaded liposomes is a promising strategy for the treatment of American cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. (L.) amazonensis.

Leishmaniasis treatment: update of possibilities for drug repurposing.

The leishmaniases represent a public health problem in under-developed countries and are considered a neglected disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). They are cuased by Leishmania  parasites with different clinical manifestations. Currently, there is no vaccine, and treatment is in-efficient and is associated with both serious side effects often leading to resistance to the parasites. Thus, it is essential to search for new treatment strategies, such as drug repurposing, i.e., the use of drugs that are already used for other diseases. The discovery of new clinical applications for approved drugs is strategic for lowering the cost of drug discovery since human toxicity assays are already conducted. Here, we review a broad analysis of the different aspects of this approach for anti-leishmanial treatment.

Genetic Polymorphism in MMP9 May Be Associated With Anterior Open Bite in Children

Abstract Anterior open bite (AOB) has a multifactorial etiology caused by the interaction of sucking habits and genetic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between AOB and polymorphisms in genes that encode Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). Four hundred and seventy-two children that presented at least one sucking habit were evaluated. Children were examined clinically for the presence of AOB. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva. Genotyping of the selected polymorphisms in MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, TIMP1 and TIMP2 was carried out by real-time PCR using the TaqMan method. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between the groups with and without AOB using the PLINK® software in a free and in a recessive model using a chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was implemented (p≤0.05). Two hundred nineteen children had AOB while 253 did not. The polymorphism rs17576 in MMP9 was significantly associated with AOB (p=0.009). In a recessive model GG genotype was a protective factor for AOB (p=0.014; OR 4.6, 95%CI 1.3-16.2). In the logistic regression analysis, none of the genes was associated with AOB. In conclusion, the polymorphism rs17576 (glutamine for arginine substitution) in MMP9 was a protective factor for AOB.

Resumo A mordida aberta anterior apresenta uma etiologia multifatorial causada pela interação entre hábitos de sucção e fatores genéticos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a associação entre mordida aberta anterior e polimorfismo nos genes que codificam as metaloproteinases da matriz (MMPs) e seus inibidores teciduais (TIMPs). Foram avaliadas 472 crianças que apresentvam pelo menos um hábito de sucção. As crianças foram clinicamente examinadas para avaliar a presença de mordida aberta anterior. DNA genômico foi extraído da saliva. A genotipagem dos polimorfismos selecionados em MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, TIMP1 e TIMP2 foi realizada por PCR em tempo real, usando o método de TaqMan. As frequências alélicas e genotípicas foram comparadas entre os grupos com e sem mordida aberta anterior usando o software PLINK®. Duzentas e dezenove crianças apresentavam mordida aberta anterior enquanto 253 não a apresentavam. O polimorfismo rs17576 em MMP9 estava significativamente associado com mordida aberta anterior (p=0,009). No modelo recessivo (GG versus AG+AA) o genótipo GG foi um fator protetor para mordida aberta anterior (p=0,014; OR 4,6; 95%CI 1,3- 16,2). Concluindo, o polimorfismo rs17576 (substituição de glutamina por arginina) em MMP9 está associado com mordida aberta anterior. Os resultados obtidos suportam a hipótese de que fatores genéticos estão envolvidos com a etiologia da mordida aberta anterior.

Genetic Polymorphism in MMP9 May Be Associated With Anterior Open Bite in Children.

Anterior open bite (AOB) has a multifactorial etiology caused by the interaction of sucking habits and genetic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between AOB and polymorphisms in genes that encode Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). Four hundred and seventy-two children that presented at least one sucking habit were evaluated. Children were examined clinically for the presence of AOB. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva. Genotyping of the selected polymorphisms in MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, TIMP1 and TIMP2 was carried out by real-time PCR using the TaqMan method. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between the groups with and without AOB using the PLINK® software in a free and in a recessive model using a chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was implemented (p≤0.05). Two hundred nineteen children had AOB while 253 did not. The polymorphism rs17576 in MMP9 was significantly associated with AOB (p=0.009). In a recessive model GG genotype was a protective factor for AOB (p=0.014; OR 4.6, 95%CI 1.3-16.2). In the logistic regression analysis, none of the genes was associated with AOB. In conclusion, the polymorphism rs17576 (glutamine for arginine substitution) in MMP9 was a protective factor for AOB.

Atividade inseticida do óleo de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (copaiba) sobre Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae / Actividad insecticida de aceite de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (copaiba) sobre Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae / Insecticidal activity of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (copaiba) oil aga inst Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae

Introdução: utilizou-se o óleo de copaíba (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf) em duas formas de aplicação como alternativa de controle de Tribolium castaneum. Objetivo: avaliar o potencial tóxico do óleo de copaíba (C. langsdorffii) sobre adultos de Tribolium castaneum. Métodos: os bioensaios foram conduzidos no Laboratório de Análise de Sementes, da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil. Realizaram-se dois bioensaios: No primeiro, adultos de T. castaneum foram confinados em recipientes de acrílico (50 mL) com tampa, possuindo o óleo nas diluições de 0,0 (testemunha); 10; 30; 50; 70 e 90 por cento, aplicando-se 0,5 mL da diluição sobre um disco de papel filtro; No segundo experimento, os insetos foram confinados em recipientes de plástico (100 mL) com tampa, por onde o óleo foi levado para o interior desses, na forma de névoa, nas doses de 0,0 (testemunha); 0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0 e 2,5 mL. Para os dois experimentos avaliou-se o número de insetos mortos após 24, 48 e 72 h, e determinou-se a DL 50 e DL90. Os bioensaios foram organizados em esquema fatorial 6 x 3. Resultados: em ambos os experimentos, o óleo de copaíba se mostrou eficiente para o controle de T. castaneum, com mortalidades de até 100 por cento por contato e 97,5 por cento por nebulização. Conclusão: o óleo de C. langsdorffii, por contato ou nebulização, é tóxico a T. castaneum(AU)

Introducción: en este trabajo se utilizó el aceite de copaiba (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.) aplicado de dos formas distintas como alternativa de control do Tribolium castaneum. Objetivo: evaluar el potencial tóxico del aceite de C. langsdorffii aplicado en adultos de T. castaneum. Métodos: los bioensayos se realizaron en el Laboratorio de Análisis de Semillas, Universidad Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil. Para alcanzar los objetivos se llevaran a cabo dos bioensayos: primero, los adultos de T. castaneum fueron confinados en contenedores de acrílico (50 mL) con tapa, contiendo el aceite en diluciones de 0.0 (control); 10; 30; 50; 70 y 90 por ciento, se aplicando 0,5 mL de la dilución en un disco de papel de filtro. En el segundo bioensayo, los insectos se colocaron en recipientes de plástico (100 mL) con tapa, por donde el aceite fue llevado a estos en la forma de niebla, en las dosis de 0.0 (control); 0,5; 1,0; 1.5; 2,0 y 2,5 mL. En ambos bioensayos se evaluó el número de insectos muertos después de 24, 48 y 72 h, y se determinó la DL50 y DL90. Los bioensayos fueron dispuestos en un factorial 6 x 3. Resultados: en ambos experimentos, el aceite de copaiba fue eficiente para el control de T. castaneum, con tasas de mortalidad de hasta el 100 por ciento, por contacto, y 97,5 por ciento por nebulización. Conclusión. el aceite de C. langsdorffii, por contacto o nebulización es tóxico para T. castaneum(AU)

Introduction. we used the copaiba oil (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.) in two application forms as an alternative control Tribolium castaneum. Objective: the objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of copaiba oil (C. langsdorffii) on adults of T. castaneum. Methods: bioassays were conducted in the Laboratory of Seed Analysis, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil. There were two bioassays: (1) Mortality by Contact and (2) Nebulization. At first, the adults of T. castaneum were kept in acrylic containers (50 mL) with a lid having oil dilutions of 0.0 (control), 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 percent, applying 0.5 mL of the dilution on a filter paper disc. In the second experiment, the insects were placed in plastic containers (100 mL) with lid, from which the oil was smuggled into these in the form of mist, at doses of 0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mL. For the two experiments evaluated, the number of dead insects after 24, 48 and 72 hours as well as LD50 and LD 90. Bioassays were organized into 6 x 3 factorial arrangement. Results: in both experiments, the copaiba oil proved being effective for the control of T. castaneum, with mortality rates of up to 100 percent due to 97.5 percent by nebulization. Conclusion: the oil of C. langsdorffii, by contact or misting, is toxic to T. castaneum(AU)

Arsenic content in Portland cement: a literature review.

Portland cement (PC) is a hydraulic binding material widely used in the building industry. The main interest in its use in dentistry is focused on a possible alternative to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) because PC is less expensive and is widely available. In dentistry, PC has been used in dental procedures such as pulpotomy, pulp capping, repair of root perforation and root-end filling. The purpose of this article is review the dental literature about the PC, its composition with special attention to arsenic content, properties, and application in dentistry. A bibliographic research was performed in Bireme, PubMed, LILACS and Scopus data bases looking for national and international studies about the PC composition, properties and clinical use. It was observed that PC has favorable biological properties very similar to those of MTA. The PC has shown good cell proliferation induction with formation of a monolayer cell, satisfactory inflammatory response, inhibitory effect of prostaglandin and antimicrobial effect. Studies have shown that PC is not cytotoxic, stimulates the apposition of reparative dentin and permits cellular attachment and growth. Regarding arsenic presence, its levels and release are low. PC has physical, chemical and biological properties similar to MTA. Arsenic levels and release are low, therefore, unable to cause toxic effects.

Emprego do cimento de ionômero de vidro: uma revisão sistemática / Use of glass ionomer cements: a systematic review

Introducao: Os cimentos de ionomero de vidro (CIV) sofreram grandes mudancas na sua composicao, como a adicao de ions metalicos ou componentes resinosos, o que contribuiu para a melhora de suas propriedades fisicas e seu uso como material restaurador terapeutico de grande aplicabilidade clinica. Objetivo: Realizar uma revisao sistematica acerca das publicacoes sobre o emprego deste material em odontologia e direcionar os profissionais de saude com relacao ao uso do ionomero, mostrando os aspectos desse material que sao avaliados. Metodo: As publicacoes utilizadas foram selecionadas a parti r de uma pesquisa em bases de dados (Medline ? Literatura Internacional em Ciencias da Saude, BBO ? Bibliografia Brasileira de Odontologia e Scopus) compreendendo o periodo de 2000 a 2008, utilizando os termos: cimentos de ionomero de vidro e glass ionomer cements. Conclusao: Os artigos analisados evidenciaram desempenho clinico satisfatorio do CIV quando utilizado em restauracoes, na tecnica do Tratamento Restaurador Atraumatico (TRA) e como selantes de fossas e fissuras, apresentando nessas tres aplicacoes boa retencao, adaptacao marginal e durabilidade, baixa deterioracao e baixo indice de falhas, em periodos superiores a um ano. O sucesso clinico do CIV tem sido relatado por varios autores que afirmam ter, este material, um papel bastante relevante na pratica odontologica. Verificou-se que ha uma tendencia a padronizacao dos estudos que avaliam restauracoes, TRA e selantes, o que facilita a analise comparativa dos trabalhos.

Introduction: Glass ionomer cements (GIC) have undergone remarkable changes in their composition, such as the addition of metallic ions or resin components to their composition, which contributed to improve their physical properties and increased their use as a restorative material of great clinical applicability. Objective: To perform a systematic review about the publications on the use of this material in dentistry and offer information to health professionals with respect the use of GIC, addressing the aspects of these material that are evaluated. Method: The publications used in this review were retrieved from a search in online databases - Medline (International Health Science Literature), BBO (Brazilian Dental Bibliography), and Scopus - for the period between 2000 and 2008, using the term glass ionomer cements in Portuguese and English. Conclusion: The articles analyzed showed a sati sfactory clinical behavior of GIC when used in restorations, atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) and as pit-and-fissure sealants, showing for these three applications good retention, marginal adaptation and durability, low deterioration and low failure rate within periods longer than 1 year. The clinical success of GIC has been reported by several authors who affirm that this material has a highly relevant role in dental practice. It was observed a tendency towards a standardization of the studies that evaluate the use of glass ionomer cements for restorations, ART and sealing of pit and fissures, which facilitates the comparative analysis of the studies.

Propriedades dos cimentos de ionômero de vidro: uma revisão sistemática / Glass ionomer cements properties: a systematic review

O objetivo da dentística o de preservar a estrutura dental sadia e o recompor do tecido perdido, buscado, através do emprego de materiais e técnicas restauradoras adequadas, evitar recidivas, devido ao aparecimento de novas lesões de cárie dentária. Dentre esses materiais, os que mais se destacam, pelo caráter terapêutico, são os cimentos de ionômero de vidro. Este trabalho objetivou realizar uma revisão sistemática acerca das publicações sobre as propriedades físicas, mecânicas e biológicas dos cimentos de ionômero de vidro, de forma a avaliar os resultados encontrados na literatura. As publicações foram selecionadas a partir de uma pesquisa em base de dados (Medline - Literatura Internacional em Ciências da Saúde, BBO - Bibliografia Brasileira de Odontologia e Scopus) no período de 2000 a 2008, utilizando os termos: cimento de ionômero de vidro, propriedades mecânicas e biocompatibilidade. Pode-se observar que houve uma certa padronização nas metodologias, o que facilitou a comparação dos trabalhos. A maioria dos trabalhos relatou limitações físicas e mecânicas do cimento de ionômero de vidro e constatou que a grande vantagem dos cimentos de ionômero de vidro convencionais em relação a outros materiais é a biocompatibilidade, que, por sua vez, não pode ser verificada nos cimento de ionômero de vidro modificados por resina.

The objective of the dentistry is the x preservation of healthy tooth structure and rebuilding the lost tissue, searching through the use of materials and restorative techniques appropriate, to prevent relapses or even appearance of new lesions of dental caries. Among these materials, those that stand out because their therapeutic nature, are glass ionomer cements (GICs). The aim of this study is conduct a systematic review of publications about the physical, mechanical and biological weapons of CIVs in order to evaluate the results found in the literature. The publications were selected from a search in database (Medline - Literature Internacional Health Sciences, BBO - Brazilian Bibliography of Dentistry and Scopus) in the period from 2000 a 2008, using the words: glass ionomer cements, properties mechanical and biocompatibility. It was noted that there was a certain standardization of the methodologies descriptions, which make easier the comparison of publications. Most of the studies reported mechanical and physical limitations of GICs and found that the major advantage of conventional glass ionomer cements comparing to other materials is biocompatibility, which could not be found in resin modified glass ionomer cements.

In silico survey of resistance (R) genes in Eucalyptus transcriptome

A major goal of plant genome research is to recognize genes responsible for important traits. Resistance genes are among the most important gene classes for plant breeding purposes being responsible for the specific immune response including pathogen recognition, and activation of plant defence mechanisms. These genes are quite abundant in higher plants, with 210 clusters found in Eucalyptus FOREST database presenting significant homology to known R-genes. All five gene classes of R-genes with their respective conserved domains are present and expressed in Eucalyptus. Most clusters identified (93) belong to the LRR-NBS-TIR (genes with three domains: Leucine-rich-repeat, Nucleotide-binding-site and Toll interleucine 1-receptor), followed by the serine-threonine-kinase class (49 clusters). Some new combinations of domains and motifs of R-genes may be present in Eucalyptus and could represent novel gene structures. Most alignments occurred with dicots (94.3%), with emphasis on Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) sequences. All best alignments with monocots (5.2%) occurred with rice (Oryza sativa) sequences and a single cluster aligned with the gymnosperm Pinus sylvestris (0.5%). The results are discussed and compared with available data from other crops and may bring useful evidences for the understanding of defense mechanisms in Eucalyptus and other crop species