Conventional multistep resin cements presented higher adhesive performance to dentin than simplified self-adhesive cements, which is an important criterion for indirect restoration prognosis.
This ...study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on laboratory studies assessing bonding performance to dentin of conventional and self-adhesive resin cements, in cementing indirect restorations. This review was reported according to the PRISMA Statement. Of a total of 518 studies, 36 were screened full text and reviewed according to exclusion criteria. Nineteen papers were included in the systematic review and meta-analyses, according to the following inclusion criteria: studies that evaluated the bond strength to dentin of indirect restorations cemented with dual conventional or self-adhesive resin cements and those that presented bond strength data in MPa as an outcome. Statistical analyses were conducted using Rev-Man 5.1. Comparisons were performed with random effects models at 5% significance level. A global analysis comparing conventional and self-adhesive cements and three subgroup analyses comparing immediate and long-term results were performed. Global analysis showed a difference between groups, with conventional resin cements presenting higher bond strength results than self-adhesive resin cements, in immediate and long-term time periods (both p=0.03). Immediate and longterm bond strength results were different for self-adhesive cements, favoring immediate bond strength (p=0.03), but immediate and long-term bond strength results for conventional resin cements were not different (p=0.06). Medium or high risk of bias was found in all studies. Conventional multistep resin cements showed superior overall adhesive performance compared with simplified self-adhesive resin cements when used to cement indirect restorations to dentin.
This paper presents an overview of cell phone recycling programs currently available in the United States. At the same time, it also provides analyses of the current recycling situation and possible ...recycling alternatives for Brazil. Although there are several recycling options in the United States, collection rates are still only 10% of all potential devices because customers are not aware of these possibilities. The whole system is financially based on reselling refurbished cell phones and recycled materials to developing countries which represent an effective and strong market. Several recyclers offer funds to collection partners who are either charities or who work with charities while obtaining the materials that they need in order to run their operations. A mobile phone recycling system for Brazil considering the United States experience and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle is suggested. A deposit/refund/advance-recycling fee is proposed which might be implemented as a voluntary industrial initiative managed by PRO Brazil, a producer responsibility organization. One widespread public–private agreement will integrate all mobile phone stakeholders, and environmental education actions and promotional events will promote citizen’s participation.
Throughout the world, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of disability, which can include deficits in motor function and memory, as well as acquired epilepsy. Although some ...studies have shown the beneficial effects of physical exercise after TBI, the prophylactic effects are poorly understood. In the current study, we demonstrated that TBI induced by fluid percussion injury (FPI) in adult male Wistar rats caused early motor impairment (24 h), learning deficit (15 days), spontaneous epileptiform events (SEE), and hilar cell loss in the hippocampus (35 days) after TBI. The hippocampal alterations in the redox status, which were characterized by dichlorofluorescein diacetate oxidation and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity inhibition, led to the impairment of protein function (Na(+), K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase ATPase activity inhibition) and glutamate uptake inhibition 24 h after neuronal injury. The molecular adaptations elicited by previous swim training protected against the glutamate uptake inhibition, oxidative stress, and inhibition of selected targets for free radicals (e.g., Na(+), K(+)-ATPase) 24 h after neuronal injury. Our data indicate that this protocol of exercise protected against FPI-induced motor impairment, learning deficits, and SEE. In addition, the enhancement of the hippocampal phosphorylated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (P-Nrf2)/Nrf2, heat shock protein 70, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor immune content in the trained injured rats suggests that protein expression modulation associated with an antioxidant defense elicited by previous physical exercise can prevent toxicity induced by TBI, which is characterized by cell loss in the dentate gyrus hilus at 35 days after TBI. Therefore, this report suggests that previous physical exercise can decrease lesion progression in this model of brain damage.
Bovine anaplasmosis causes considerable economic losses in dairy cattle production systems worldwide, ranging from $300 million to $900 million annually. It is commonly detected through rectal ...temperature, blood smear microscopy, and packed cell volume (PCV). Such methodologies are laborious, costly, and difficult to systematically implement in large-scale operations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) rumination and activity data collected by Hr-Tag sensors (SCR Engineers Ltd.) in heifer calves exposed to anaplasmosis; and (2) the predictive ability of recurrent neural networks in early identification of anaplasmosis. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the effect of time series length before disease diagnosis (5, 7, 10, or 12 consecutive days) on the predictive performance of recurrent neural networks, and how early anaplasmosis disease can be detected in dairy calves (5, 3, and 1 d in advance). Twenty-three heifer calves aged 119 ± 15 (mean ± SD) d and weighing 148 ± 20 kg of body weight were challenged with 2 × 107 erythrocytes infected with UFMG1 strain (GenBank no. EU676176) isolated from Anaplasma marginale. After inoculation, animals were monitored daily by assessing PCV. The lowest PCV value (14 ± 1.8%) and the finding of rickettsia on blood smears were used as a criterion to classify an animal as sick (d 0). Rumination and activity data were collected continuously and automatically at 2-h intervals, using SCR Heatime Hr-Tag collars. Two time series were built including last sequence of −5, −7, −10, or −12 d preceding d 0 or a sequence of 5, 7, 10, or 12 d randomly selected in a window from −50 to −15 d before d 0 to ensure a sequence of days in which PCV was considered normal (32 ± 2.4%). Long short-term memory was used as a predictive approach, and a leave-one-animal-out cross-validation (LOAOCV) was used to assess prediction quality. Anaplasmosis disease reduced 34 and 11% of rumination and activity, respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of long short-term memory in detecting anaplasmosis ranged from 87 to 98%, 83 to 100%, and 83 to 100%, respectively, using rumination data. For activity data, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity varied from 70 to 98%, 61 to 100%, and 74 to 100%, respectively. Predictive performance did not improve when combining rumination and activity. The use of longer time-series did not improve the performance of models to predict anaplasmosis. The accuracy and sensitivity in predicting anaplasmosis up to 3 d before clinical diagnosis (d 0) were greater than 80%, confirming the possibility for early identification of anaplasmosis disease. These findings indicate the great potential of wearable sensors in early identification of anaplasmosis diseases. This could positively affect the profitability of dairy farmers and animal welfare.
Summary
Community‐based real‐world outcomes on effectiveness of antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) in Asians are limited. Whether hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss ...correlates with undetectable virus and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization on treatment or what predicts risk of seroreversion or detectable virus after stopping therapy is unclear. We aim to evaluate rates and predictors of HBsAg loss, seroconversion, ALT normalization and undetectable HBV DNA, including HBsAg seroreversion or re‐emergence of HBV DNA among Asian CHB patients. We retrospectively evaluated 1072 CHB adults on antiviral therapy at two community gastroenterology clinics from 1997 to 2015. Rates of HBsAg loss, ALT normalization, achieving undetectable HBV DNA and developing surface antibody (anti‐HBs) were stratified by HBeAg status. Following HBsAg loss, HBsAg seroreversion or re‐emergence of detectable HBV DNA was analysed. With median treatment of 76.7 months, the overall rate of HBsAg loss was 4.58%, with similar HBsAg loss rates between HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative patients (4.44% vs 4.71%, P=.85) in a predominantly Asian population (98.1%). Among HBsAg loss patients, 33.3% developed anti‐HBs, 95.8% achieved undetectable virus and 66.0% normalized ALT. No significant baseline or on‐treatment predictors of HBsAg loss were observed. While six patients who achieved HBsAg loss had seroreversion with re‐emergence of HBsAg positivity, viral load remained undetectable, demonstrating the sustainability of viral suppression. Among a large community‐based real‐world cohort of Asian CHB patients treated with antiviral therapy, rate of HBsAg loss was 4.58%. Despite only 33.3% of HBsAg loss patients achieving anti‐HBs, nearly all patients achieved sustained undetectable virus.
Hepatic fibrosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Attenuation of fibrogenic process can significantly lower the mortality rate. However, pharmaceutical intervention at ...fibrogenesis stage remains a major task in medicine. So there is a need for a natural compound to treat hepatic fibrosis. This study was outlined to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of β-amyrin in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced hepatic fibrosis male rats. Serum liver function markers (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase), oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reduced content and vitamin C), tissue inflammatory marker (tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)), apoptosis marker (caspase 3) and fibrolytic marker (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1)) were evaluated before and after β-amyrin treatment in DMN-induced rat. β-Amyrin treatment attenuated the altered levels of the serum enzyme markers produced by DMN and caused a subsequent recovery toward normalization. Oxidative stress markers and TNF-α levels were reduced significantly (p < 0.001) as well as proteins’ (caspase-3 and TIMP-1) expression was reduced in β-amyrin–treated DMN rats. By virtue of β-amyrin properties of inhibiting oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrogenesis, it might act as an ideal anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrogenic agent to halt the progression of liver fibrosis to chronicity.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is considered one of the most toxic dioxins. The effects of TCDD are exerted via binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The aim of the present ...study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of resveratrol, an AhR antagonist, against testicular damage caused by TCDD exposure during pregnancy. Pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: a control group; a group treated with 1µgkg-1, p.o., TCDD on Gestational Day (GD) 15; a group treated with 20µgkg-1, p.o., resveratrol on GD10-21; and a group treated with both TCDD and resveratrol. Rats were weighed and killed, and neonatal testes were collected for histopathological analysis on Postnatal Day (PND) 1. At PND90, adult male rats were killed and the testes collected for histopathological analysis and determination of sperm count. Resveratrol had a protective effect against the effects of TCDD on Sertoli cell number in adult and neonate testes, as well as against the effects of TCDD on abnormal seminiferous tubules in adults. Combined administration of TCDD and resveratrol altered the kinetics of spermatogenesis and the proportion of neonatal testicular compartments compared with the control group In addition, combined TCDD and resveratrol treatment decreased seminiferous tubule diameter in adult male rats compared with the control group. In conclusion, resveratrol may protect against some TCDD-induced testicular damage, but, based on the parameters assessed, the administration of resveratrol and TCDD in combination may result in more severe toxicity than administration of either drug alone.
Asthma is associated with a loss of the structural integrity of airway epithelium and dysfunction of the physical barrier, which protects airways from external harmful factors. Granulocyte activation ...causes the formation of extracellular traps, releasing web‐like structures of DNA and proteins, being important to kill pathogens extracellularly. We investigated whether eosinophils infiltrating airways in an experimental model of asthma would induce eosinophil extracellular traps (EETs) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue. We showed that an ovalbumin (OVA) asthma protocol presented a significant increase in eosinophil counts with increased extracellular DNA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as well as in lung tissue, confirming the presence of DNA traps colocalized with eosinophil peroxidase. EETs formation was reversed by DNase treatment. With these approaches, we demonstrated for the first time that OVA‐challenged mice release extracellular DNA traps, which could aggravate pulmonary dysfunction.
Summary
Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) is the first all‐oral ribavirin‐free treatment approved for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6, offering a safe and highly efficacious treatment ...option. Large studies evaluating real‐world outcomes of this regimen are lacking. We aim to evaluate real‐world treatment outcomes for HCV genotype 6. A retrospective cohort study evaluated 65 adults (age ≥18) with chronic HCV genotype 6 treated with SOF/LDV without ribavirin at a community gastroenterology clinic in the United States from November 2014 to May 2016. Rates of undetectable virus at week 4 on treatment, at end of treatment (EOT) and SVR12 were stratified by the presence of cirrhosis and prior treatment (treatment naïve vs treatment experienced). Among 65 patients with chronic HCV genotype 6 treated with SOF/LDV (52.3% male, mean age 66.3 years SD 9.7, 41.5% cirrhosis and 15.4% treatment experienced), 97.3% had undetectable virus at week 4 on treatment, 96.9% had undetectable virus at EOT and 95.3% achieved SVR12. SVR12 was 100% in females vs 91.2% in males, P=.096, and 92.3% in patients with cirrhosis vs 97.4% in those without cirrhosis, P=.347. Resistance testing of treatment failures was attempted but unsuccessful due to lack of conforming primers to define the possible resistance mutations. Among the largest U.S. community‐based real‐world cohort of Asian chronic HCV genotype 6 patients treated with all‐oral SOF/LDV without ribavirin, SVR12 was similar to SVR12 reported in clinical trials, confirming the safety and effectiveness of this regimen and validating current HCV genotype 6 treatment guideline recommendations.
We examined the influence of interleukin genetic polymorphisms in individuals with apical periodontitis (AP). Based on the PICO strategy, searches were conducted in PubMed, SciELO, Web of Science, ...Medline, LILACS and EMBASE databases to answer a guiding question. The quality of studies and methodological rigor were assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program Checklist and classification made according to levels of evidence. The search identified 292 studies, of which six were included based on the criteria. All evaluated the IL-1β polymorphism, of which three found a significant association with a protective and/or potentiating effect of IL-1β on AP. Two studies evaluated the IL-6 polymorphism, one of which identified a significant association. Three studies evaluated TNF-α polymorphism, of which two reported significant associations with AP. An association was also found in one study for IL-8 with AP. In conclusion, polymorphisms of several interleukins have been found to influence the risk and development of AP in humans. Some polymorphisms are more influential and have been more intensively studied than others, such as interleukin 1-β, followed by IL-6 and TNF-α. This influence of genotype can be expressively or mildly marked. Individuals presenting one or two copies of a particular allele appear to be at higher risk of developing periapical lesions. These apparent associations of interleukins with AP merit further study.
