In-vitro evaluation of the anti-cariogenic effect of a hybrid coating associated with encapsulated sodium fluoride and stannous chloride in nanoclays on enamel

Objective: The aim of this study is to test, in vitro, the anti-cariogenic effect of experimental hybrid coatings, with nano clays of halloysite or bentonite, loaded with sodium fluoride or with a combination of sodium fluoride and stannous chloride, respectively. Methodology: The varnish Fluor Protector (1,000 ppm of F-) was used as positive control and no treatment was the negative control. Enamel specimens (5 mm × 5 mm) were obtained from bovine teeth. The specimens (n=10) had their surfaces divided into two halves (5 mm × 2.5 mm each), in which one half received one of the treatments (Hybrid; Hybrid + NaF; Hybrid + NaF + SnCl2; Hybrid + NaF Loaded; Hybrid + NaF + SnCl2 Loaded). The specimens were submitted to a cariogenic challenge using a biofilm model (S. mutans UA159, for 5 days). Enamel surfaces both under and adjacent to the treated area were analyzed for mineral loss and lesion depth, by transverse microradiography. The pH of the medium was measured twice a day, and the fluoride release was analyzed. Additional specimens were submitted to confocal analysis. Results: Data were statistically analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test (α=0.05). None of hybrid groups were able to reduce the lesion depth; the Hybrid + NaF group, however, was able to reduce mineral loss differing from the negative control (p=0.008). The groups showed no significant difference in the pH measurement and fluoride release. Confocal analysis confirmed that for all groups the biofilm growth was similar. Conclusion: None of the hybrid groups reduced lesion depth, but the Hybrid + NaF group was able to promote protection against mineral loss

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Anaerobic treatment of vinasse in a UASB reactor under thermophilic conditions (55°C) and submitted to progressive organic loadings

Este projeto de pesquisa visou à investigação do desempenho do reator UASB (10 L de volume) no tratamento da vinhaça quando submetido a aumento progressivo da carga orgânica em condições termofílicas. A carga orgânica afluente média foi de 2,79 gDQO/L.dia (desvio de 1,5 gDQO/L.dia) e média efluente bruto de 1,24 gDQO/L.dia (desvio de 0,93 gDQO/L.dia). A operação atingiu o limite de carregamento de 6,5 gDQO/L.dia, limitado pela produção excessiva de ácidos voláteis totais que atingiram concentrações da ordem de 1.200 mgHac/L, tóxicas para biomassa metanogênica. A adaptação do lodo mesofílico às condições termofílicas ocorreu no período de 55 dias, que pode ser considerado um período curto. A operação com ácidos orgânicos para enriquecimento do lodo não se mostrou eficaz, com acúmulo desses ácidos para a COV de 10 gDQO/L.dia. A operação com etanol mostrou-se eficaz para a recuperação do lodo, com COV de 8,0 gDQO/L.dia, obtendo-se eficiência máxima de remoção de DQO de 80%. As eficiências máximas na operação foram durante a adaptação do lodo, com COV de 1,20 gDQO/L.dia (92,0%) e durante a operação do sistema, com COV de 3,50 gDQO/L.dia (83,0%). O TDH médio desenvolvido neste trabalho foi de 1,34 dias. Este dado levantou questionamentos a respeito de um TDH ótimo utilizado para este tipo de tratamento, devido a grande variação de TDHs encontrados na literatura em trabalhos correlatos (entre 1,0 e 6,5 dias).This research project had the objective to investigate the performance of the UASB reactor (10 L of volume) in the vinasse treatment submitted to progressive organic loadings under thermophilic conditions. The organic matter upload average was 2,79 gDQO/L.day (standard deviation of 1,5 gDQO/L.day) and the full organic matter average was 1,24 gDQO/L.dia (standard deviation of 0,93 gDQO/L.day). The operation reached the organic limit loading in 6,5 gCOD/L.day, limited by the excessive production of total volatile acids that reached concentrations beyond 1.200 mgHac/L, toxic to metanogenic biomass. Adaptation of mesophilic sludge to thermophilic conditions occurred in a period of 55 days, what can be considered a short period. The operation with organic acids for sludge enrichment did not seem to be efficient, accumulating these acids in a 10 gCOD/L.day. The operation with ethanol seemed to be efficient for sludge recuperation, of 8,0 gCOD/L.day, reaching maximum COD reduction efficiencies of 80%. The maximum operation efficiency was during sludge adaptation with 1,20 gCOD/L.day (92,0%) and during operation system, with 3,50 gCOD/L.day (83%). The HDT average developed in this research was 1,34 days. These data bring questions about the HDT optimum for this kind of anaerobic treatment, in correlation with significant variation of HDT used in another studies in the literature (between 1,0 and 6,5 days of HDT)

Effect of Gold Nanoparticle on 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Experimental Oral Mucositis in Hamsters

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is a severe inflammation of the oral mucosal cells associated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy-induced toxicity, resulting in epithelial ulcers and higher risk of death from sepsis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the nanoparticle (AuNp) effect on OM induced in hamsters. Materials and methods: 5-fluorouracil (5FU) was used on the first and second day of the experimental model in Golden sirian hamsters, and on the fourth day, mechanical trauma was applied to induce OM. The animals were divided into groups, i.e., polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), mechanical trauma (MT), 5FU, and groups treated with gold nanoparticles (AuNps) (62.5, 125, and 250 μg/kg). On the 10th day, animals were euthanized for macroscopic, histopathological, immunohistochemical, western blot, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and AuNp quantification. Results: AuNp (250 μg/kg) reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2, NF-κB, TGF-β, and SMAD 2/3; increased glutathione levels; decreased the expression of Kelch ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1); and induced heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX-1) and NAD (P) H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) genes. Conclusions: AuNp (250 μg/kg) prevented 5-FU-induced OM in hamsters and improved the parameters of inflammation and oxidative stress