Detection and differentiation of dengue virus serotypes by one-step multiplex reverse transcription PCR assays / Detecção e diferenciação de sorotipos do vírus da dengue por ensaios de PCR com transcrição reversa multiplexada em uma etapa

Background: Dengue infections are a severe public health problem in Brazil. The Ministry of Health recommends an immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the capture of IgM (MAC-ELISA) to diagnose dengue. However, it detects antibodies that cross-react with other flaviviruses and requires confirmation in reference laboratories. Methods: One-step multiplex RT-PCR assay was used to amplify RNA of 197 serum from patients with clinical suspicion of dengue infection. The samples had been screened with the IgM ELISA kit in the Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Maranhão. Results: Of the 197 samples evaluated by IgM ELISA, 135 were positive; of these, 96 (71.1%) were from patients in the acute phase of the infection. The one-step multiplex RT-PCR detected viral RNA in 88 (91.7%) of this serum. Among the 62-negative serum by ELISA, 29 samples (46.8%) were amplified using the molecular method. Conclusions: One-step multiplex RT-PCR was sensitive in the detection of viral particles from the first day until the sixth day after the onset of the feverish period. Moreover, it was specific and 100% reproducible. Based on these results, we recommend the use of this molecular assay to diagnose and differentiate the DENV serotypes in the acute phase of the disease.Background: Dengue infections are a severe public health problem in Brazil. The Ministry of Health recommends an immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the capture of IgM (MAC-ELISA) to diagnose dengue. However, it detects antibodies that cross-react with other flaviviruses and requires confirmation in reference laboratories. Methods: One-step multiplex RT-PCR assay was used to amplify RNA of 197 serum from patients with clinical suspicion of dengue infection. The samples had been screened with the IgM ELISA kit in the Central Public Health Laboratory of the State of Maranhão. Results: Of the 197 samples evaluated by IgM ELISA, 135 were positive; of these, 96 (71.1%) were from patients in the acute phase of the infection. The one-step multiplex RT-PCR detected viral RNA in 88 (91.7%) of this serum. Among the 62-negative serum by ELISA, 29 samples (46.8%) were amplified using the molecular method. Conclusions: One-step multiplex RT-PCR was sensitive in the detection of viral particles from the first day until the sixth day after the onset of the feverish period. Moreover, it was specific and 100% reproducible. Based on these results, we recommend the use of this molecular assay to diagnose and differentiate the DENV serotypes in the acute phase of the disease

Vitamin E does not prevent bone loss and induced anxiety in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin E on alveolar bone loss (ABL) and anxiety in rats with ligature-induced experimental periodontitis (EP).Material and methodsWistar rats were subjected to ligature-induced EP and treated with vitamin E (500mg/kg, orally) for 9 days. Then anxiety was tested using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. All of the animals were euthanised by cervical dislocation on day 11. ABL was analysed morphometrically and histopathologically. Lipid peroxidation quantification, activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase and immunohistochemistry to tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthases (iNOS) were also tested.ResultsEP induced a marked inflammatory process and intense ABL. Treatment with vitamin E decreased inflammatory reaction, prevented malondialdehyde formation and reduced the immunoreactivity to iNOS, but did not decrease ABL. Vitamin E had an anxiogenic effect on rats with or without EP.ConclusionsVitamin E may have potential to reduce oxidative damage and inflammatory response in EP but does not prevent ABL. Attention should be given to indiscriminate use of vitamin E due to the risk of causing anxiety in patients

Stressors, psychological well-being, and overall health amongst students from public and private dental schools

is study aimed to correlate stressors with psychological well-being and health factors in dental students from public and private schools. Methods: From February to May 2015, three different instruments (Dental Environment Stress DES Psychological General Well-Being PGWB and SF-36 Health Survey) were applied to students from two public and two private dental schools from the State of Ceará, Brazil. Mann-Whitney test or t test for independent samples were used in order to compare the stressors between private and public dental schools students. Correlations to each DES domain were performed using Kendalls Tau C test. Results: A total of 92 (45.32%) and 111 (56.68%) students from public and private schools, respectively, answered the questionnaire. Students from public schools demonstrated significantly higher scores in DES/academic performance and DES/personal and institutional factors (p<0.05). Significant negative correlations were detected between PGWB/anxiety and PGWB/general with all DES domains for both public and private schools (p<0.05). Additionally, DES/academic performance was significantly correlated with several SF-36 domains, such as physical function, vitality, and social functioning, to both public and private schools (p<0.05). However, DES/academic performance and SF-36/role physical was only significantly correlated in private school students (r=-0.171, p=0.039), while SF-36/bodily pain (r=-0.274, p<0.001), general health (r=-0.245, p=0.001), and mental health (r=-0.286, p<0.001) were significantly correlated with DES/academic performance only in public school students. Conclusion: Students from public and private dental schools presented different stressor patterns. Additionally, most of DES domains were significantly associated with PGWB and SF-36 to both public and private schools