Invasive Candidiasis in Non-Hematological Patients

Candida is one of the most frequent pathogens isolated in bloodstream infections, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In addition to haematological patients, there are several other populations with a substantial risk of developing invasive candidiasis (IC). These include patients undergoing prolonged hospitalisation with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, those fitted with intravascular catheters, admitted to both adult and neonate intensive care units (ICU) or gastrointestinal surgery wards and subjects with solid tumours undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. As a general rule, every immunocompromised patient might be at risk of Candida infection, including, for example, diabetic patients

Sexual addiction in drug addicts: The impact of drug of choice and poly-addiction

Objective: To compare the risk of comorbid sexual addiction in a sample of individuals with a diagnosis of substance dependence, stratifying the sample by drug of choice as well as by mono versus polysubstance addiction. Method: All data were collected at Santa Casa de Sao Paulo, Brazil. The study sample comprised all alcohol or drug dependents admitted to the Addiction Treatment Unit between November 2013 and August 2014. A generalized linear model with a binomial distribution was performed to compare the odds of having a Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) score greater than 6 points in the subgroups analyzed. Results: A total of 133 participants were included in our analysis, all reporting cocaine/crack and/or alcohol as drug of choice. Polysubstance addicts had a significant higher risk of a positive screening for sexual addiction compared to monosubstance addicts, age-sex adjusted odds ratios of sexual addiction being respectively 2.72 (95CI 1.1-6.71) and 0.37 (95CI 0.15-0.91). The odds of a SAST score greater than 6 was not statistically different between the cocaine/crack and alcohol groups, respectively 0.38 (95CI 0.14-1.02) and 2.67 (95CI 0.98-7.25). We found a significant relation between stronger drug addiction and greater levels of sexual addiction in the cocaine/crack group (p=0.0012), but not in the alcohol group. Conclusion: Our study reinforces the importance of assessing sexual behavior of drug addicts in clinical practice, especially considering users of multiple substances or with severe dependence.FCMSCSP, Ctr Integrated Mental Hlth CAISM, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Psychiat Dept, Sexual Studies Grp Gesex, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Escola Enfermagem Ribeirao Preto, Psychiat Nursing & Social Sci Dept, Ribeirao Preto, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Psychiat Dept, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Psychiat Dept, Sexual Studies Grp Gesex, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Psychiat Dept, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Photobiomodulation and myofascial temporomandibular disorder : systematic review and meta-analysis followed by cost-effectiveness analysis

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a non-invasive and non-pharmacological treatment, which, has shown beneficial results in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) related pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to evaluate the eff

Microleakage of “bulk-fill” composite resin for class II restorations pretreated with CO2 laser in deciduous molars: an in vitro study

Introduction: Microleakage has been reported to cause dentin hypersensitivity because of the passage of bacteria and their products through the restoration-tooth interface and is one of the main reasons for replacement of restorations. CO2 laser can be used for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate in vitro the microleakage in composite restorations following surface pretreatment with acid etching and CO2 laser.Methods: Twelve human caries-free primary molars were selected. Class II cavities were prepared on occlusal mesial and occlusal distal surfaces. Specimens were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6): Group 1 (G1) – 37% phosphoric acid gel etching + Beautiful-Bulk Restorative – Giomer (Shofu Inc); Group 2 (G2) – 37% phosphoric acid gel etching + SDR Bulk-Fill Flow (Dentsply); Group 3 (G3) – CO2 laser irradiation + Beautiful-Bulk Restorative – Giomer (Shofu Inc); Group 4 (G4) – CO2 laser irradiation + SDR Bulk-Fill Flow (Dentsply). Surfaces were restored with bonding agent (Natural Bond DE, DFL). Specimens were cut longitudinally and immersed in 0.5% methylene blue solution for 4 hours. Microleakage scores were assessed under a magnifying glass at x3,5 and qualitatively analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Data were analyzed using nonparametric Wilcoxon test (P < 0.05).Results: Scores prevailed between 0 and 2, however, no statistically significant difference was found among the groups (P = 0.05).Conclusion: It could be concluded that all composite resins bulk fill did not show significant difference among them regarding microleakage using either CO2 laser or 37% phosphoric acid etching.  

Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Primary Headache: Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

peer reviewedThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of photobiomodulation as an adjuvant treatment for primary headache. A systematic review of randomized clinical trials was performed. For such, electronic searches were performed in the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, LILACS, PEDro, PsycInfo, Clinicaltrials.gov., and WHO/ICTRP databases, with no restrictions imposed regarding language or year of publication. We included studies that assessed any photobiomodulation therapy as an adjuvant treatment for primary headache compared to sham treatment, no treatment, or another intervention. The methodological assessment was conducted using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The certainty of the evidence was classified using the GRADE approach. Four randomized clinical trials were included. Most of the included studies had an overall high risk of bias. Compared to sham treatment, photobiomodulation had a clinically important effect on pain in individuals with primary headache. Despite the benefits reported for other outcomes, the estimates were imprecise, and the certainty of the evidence was graded as low. These findings are considered insufficient to support the use of photobiomodulation in the treatment of primary headache. Randomized clinical trials, with higher methodological quality, are needed to enhance the reliability of the estimated effects

Immediate Effect of Photobiomodulation on pH and Salivary Flow and Its Preliminary Outcome

peer reviewedXerostomia, a common side effect of radiotherapy, can significantly impact patients' quality of life. This study aimed to compare the immediate effects of infrared light photobiomodulation on salivary flow and pH in individuals experiencing xerostomia. Twenty adults with xerostomia participated in the study, divided into two groups: Group 1 (G1) received extraoral photobiomodulation treatment, and Group 2 (G2) received both intra and extraoral treatment. Stimulated saliva was collected before and immediately after light application. In G1, the photobiomodulation was applied using a cluster (808 nm, 120 mW, 24J), while G2 received treatment with a pointer (808 nm, 100mW, 6J per point). The results confirmed our hypothesis, showing a statistically significant increase in immediate salivary flow stimulation with the headgear technique (G1) (p= 0.037). Analyzing the percentage of volume variation (ml) per minute, the average salivary flow increased from 0.86 ml/min to 1.2 ml/min after extraoral application with an infrared laser cluster, representing a 7% increase. In conclusion, the protocol involving only extraoral application was effective in stimulating salivary flow. Further research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms behind these differences and optimize photobiomodulation techniques for xerostomia management. This study found that using external infrared photobiomodulation can immediately increase salivary flow in xerostomia patients, potentially offering a comfortable and effective symptom management method. It emphasizes the need for refining these techniques and further research to understand long-term effectiveness

Effect of Photobiomodulation Combined with Physiotherapy on Functional Performance in Children with Myelomeningo-Cele-Randomized, Blind, Clinical Trial.

peer reviewed[en] BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the electrical activity of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and lateral gastrocnemius muscles during the sit-to-stand task and functional mobility after a neurofunctional physiotherapy protocol associated with PBM. METHODS: Twenty-five children were randomly allocated to either Active PBM + physiotherapy (n = 13) or PBM sham + physiotherapy (n = 12). PBM was carried out with a LED device (850 nm, 25 J, 50 s per point and 200 mW) at four points over the area with absence of a spiny process. Both groups completed a twelve-week supervised program with two weekly 45-60 min sessions. Pre-training and post-training assessments involved the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). Muscle activity was assessed using portable electromyography (BTS Engineering) and the electrodes were positioned on the lateral gastrocnemius, anterior tibialis, and rectus femoris muscles. The RMS data were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: After 24 sessions of the treatment protocol, improvements were found in the PEDI score. The participants presented greater independence in performing the tasks, requiring less assistance from their caregivers. More significant electrical activity was found in the three muscles evaluated between the rest period and execution of the sit-to-stand tasks, both in the more compromised or less compromised lower limbs. CONCLUSION: Neurofunctional physiotherapy with or without PBM improved functional mobility and electrical muscle activity in children with myelomeningocele

Pollinator-flower interactions in gardens during the covid 19 pandemic lockdown of 2020

During the main COVID-19 global pandemic lockdown period of 2020 an impromptu set of pollination ecologists came together via social media and personal contacts to carry out standardised surveys of the flower visits and plants in gardens. The surveys involved 67 rural, suburban and urban gardens, of various sizes, ranging from 61.18° North in Norway to 37.96° South in Australia, resulting in a data set of 25,174 rows, with each row being a unique interaction record for that date/site/plant species, and comprising almost 47,000 visits to flowers, as well as records of flowers that were not visited by pollinators, for over 1,000 species and varieties belonging to more than 460 genera and 96 plant families. The more than 650 species of flower visitors belong to 12 orders of invertebrates and four of vertebrates. In this first publication from the project, we present a brief description of the data and make it freely available for any researchers to use in the future, the only restriction being that they cite this paper in the first instance. The data generated from these global surveys will provide scientific evidence to help us understand the role that private gardens (in urban, rural and suburban areas) can play in conserving insect pollinators and identify management actions to enhance their potential