Dentin bonding and SEM analysis of a new experimental universal adhesive system containing a dendrimer

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Due to their polymerization characteristics, hyper-branched dendrimers have lately shown to be promising candidates for use in dental materials. In this study, a new dental adhesive system was prepared, using a dendrimer derived from 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (G-IEMA), and its adhesive properties were investigated. The exposed dentin was treated with four universal adhesives (UAs): SBU (Scotchbond Universal™), FUT (Futurabond M+™), AE1 (experimental adhesive with Bis-GMA) and AE2 (experimental adhesive with G-IEMA), using Etch & Rinse (ER) or Self Etch (SE) protocols. Composite build-ups were prepared and stored for 24 h at 37 °C in distilled water. Composite/dentin beams were prepared with cross-sectional areas of 1 ± 0.3 mm2 and µTBS (Micro-tensile bond strength) test was performed at 0.5 mm/min. Failures modes were evaluated by stereomicroscopy, and bonding interfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analysis of µTBS data was performed using General Linear (GLM) and Linear Mixed Models (LMM). The effect of adhesive type on µTBS was significant (p = 0.010), with AE1 presenting significantly higher µTBS than SBU (p = 0.019). No other differences between adhesives were observed. ER showed significantly better results than SE (p = 0.019), and no significant interactions between the adhesives and protocols were determined. Results obtained so far pinpoint the emergence of a new paradigm in the dental materials field, as G-IEMA can be used successfully as an alternative to Bis-GMA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relationships between bone turnover and energy metabolism

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.It is well established that diabetes can be detrimental to bone health, and its chronic complications have been associated with an increased risk of osteoporotic fracture. However, there is growing evidence that the skeleton plays a key role in a whole-organism approach to physiology. The hypothesis that bone may be involved in the regulation of physiological functions, such as insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism, has been suggested. Given the roles of insulin, adipokines, and osteocalcin in these pathways, the need for a more integrative conceptual approach to physiology is emphasized. Recent findings suggest that bone plays an important role in regulating intermediary metabolism, being possibly both a target of diabetic complications and a potential pathophysiologic factor in the disease itself. Understanding the relationships between bone turnover and glucose metabolism is important in order to develop treatments that might reestablish energy metabolism and bone health. This review describes new insights relating bone turnover and energy metabolism that have been reported in the literature.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Linking short- to medium-term beach dune dynamics to local features under wave and wind actions: a northern portuguese case study

Many coasts suffer from prevailing erosion, with them being particularly vulnerable to predicted climate change impacts, threatening coastal ecosystems, their services, infrastructures and populations. Understanding coastal morpho-sedimentary dynamics is thus essential for coastal management. However, coastal vulnerability may differ locally, depending on exposure/protection and local geological and morpho-hydrodynamical features, suggesting that a local approach to erosion risk assessment is needed to identify and understand local patterns. Digital elevation models of a 14 km long coastal stretch in northern Portugal that were extracted from aerial surveys obtained between November 2008 and February 2019 were analysed to quantify changes in shoreline position and sediment budgets, both for the whole study area and for distinct beach segments. The observed dynamics were subsequently analysed by considering prevailing wave and wind intensities and directions. Overall and during the decade analysed, the beach–dune system of the studied stretch slightly increased in volume (0.6%), although the shoreline retreated (by 1.6 m on average). Temporal variability in coastal dynamics was observed at all of the temporal scales considered—from seasons to 5-year periods—with them being related to variability in ocean and wind patterns. There was a trend from accretional to erosional conditions, with the first 5-year period showing a mean increase in the beach–dune system’s volume of 0.6% and a mean shoreline progradation of 1.5 m, followed by 5-years with 0.0% volume change and 3.1 m shoreline retreat. Locally, the dynamics were very variable, with shoreline dynamics ranging from 24.0 m regression to 51.5 m progradation, and sediment budgets from 213.8 m3 loss to 417.0 m3 gain, per segment and for the decade. Stretches with relatively stable morphologies and others with erosional or accretional trends were found, depending on the beach type, shoreline orientation and the presence of defence structures. Rocky beaches were the least dynamic and sandy beaches the most dynamic, with mean shoreline position changes of 0.0 m and −3.4 m, respectively, and mean sediment budgets of −1.1 m3 and −2.9 m3 per linear meter of coastline, respectively, for the studied decade. The observed dynamics showed how local conditions interacted with meteo-ocean conditions in shaping local morpho-sedimentary dynamics, stressing the importance of a local approach to coastal erosion monitoring and risk assessment.European Union MarRISK project: Adaptación costera ante el Cambio Climático: conocer los riesgos y aumentar la resiliencia (0262_MarRISK_1_E) through EP INTERREG V A España-Portugal (POCTEP) program and the project INNOVMAR-Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000035, within Research Line ECOSERVICES), supported by NORTE 2020, under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the ERD

The feasibility of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the assessment of lead concentration in animal bone powder

"This work demonstrates the feasibility of wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence for the assessment of lead in animal bone powder.

Determinants of the Sympatric Host-Pathogen Relationship in Tuberculosis

Major contributions from pathogen genome analysis and host genetics have equated the possibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis co-evolution with its human host leading to more stable sympatric host-pathogen relationships. However, the attribution to either sympatric or allopatric categories depends on the resolution or grain of genotypic characterization. We explored the influence on the sympatric host-pathogen relationship of clinical (HIV infection and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis [MDRTB]) and demographic (gender and age) factors in regards to the genotypic grain by using spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) for classification of M. tuberculosis strains within the Euro-American lineage. We analyzed a total of 547 tuberculosis (TB) cases, from six year consecutive sampling in a setting with high TB-HIV coinfection (32.0%). Of these, 62.0% were caused by major circulating pathogen genotypes. The sympatric relationship was defined according to spoligotype in comparison to the international spoligotype database SpolDB4. While no significant association with Euro-American lineage was observed with any of the factors analyzed, increasing the resolution with spoligotyping evidenced a significant association of MDRTB with sympatric strains, regardless of the HIV status. Furthermore, distribution curves of the prevalence of sympatric and allopatric TB in relation to patients' age showed an accentuation of the relevance of the age of onset in the allopatric relationship, as reflected in the trimodal distribution. On the contrary, sympatric TB was characterized by the tendency towards a typical (standard) distribution curve. Our results suggest that within the Euro-American lineage a greater degree of genotyping fine-tuning is necessary in modeling the biological processes behind the host-pathogen interplay. Furthermore, prevalence distribution of sympatric TB to age was suggestive of host genetic determinisms driven by more common variants.Luso-American Development Foundation: (LACR Award program - 2007), European Community fund: (FEDER)

Coastal zone geomorphologic interactions: natural versus human-induced driving factors

Sediment dynamics in the vicinity of river mouths reveal complex patterns due to the joined effect of river discharges, tides and waves. These phenomena underlie current mathematical and simulation models, which constitute powerful tools that can be used as a complement to monitoring field work for the characterization of morphodynamical patterns in these complex coastal environments. The Cávado estuary inlet is situated near Esposende and the Douro Estuary about 50 km south of it, next to Porto. During the last years, inland beach migration, sand loss and cliff retreat have been recurrent in this North Portuguese, Atlantic coastal areas, which can be considered to be of the mixed energy and wave-dominated type. Local tides are mesotidal and semidiurnal, with a maximum equinoctial spring tide high-water level of about 3.9 m and 4.0 m and a minimum low-water level of 0.2 m and 0.1 m, for the Esposende and Porto regions, respectively. Mean spring tides are about 3.5 m. The Cávado estuary inlet, enclosed between a breakwater on the northern side and the end of a migrant sandy spit on the southern side, has been subject to silting up. The spit’s resilience is crucial as a natural defense against sea incursions for the town of Esposende which lies behind the spit. During the last twenty years the sea has repeatedly flooded and twice ruptured the spit. To decrease silting-up and increase navigability, the building of two breakwaters and an artificial inlet management has been suggested. The Douro Estuary inlet is also protected by a northern breakwater and has a protective estuarine barrier sand spit, though in a more inland position than the Cávado spit. This spit protects Douro harbor facilities and the heavily populated river banks against wave and tide actions. Facing similar problems as in the Cávado (silting-up of the navigation channel that runs north of the spit and spit vulnerability to wave and wind action and, particularly to the recurrent river floods) the northern breakwater was extended and an additional breakwater was built (between 2004 and 2008) attached to the spit, to protect it. The present work discusses and synthesizes results from an integrated approach, involving monitoring field surveys and the application of mathematical models, to describe the main features of these two coastal inlets and adjacent costal zones, considering the 15 km from the Neiva River to Apúlia for the Cávado river and the 22 km from Crestuma dam to Porto for the Douro river. The influence of river and tidal characteristics are discussed for both cases

Percepção dos Cuidadores versus Presença de Dificuldades Alimentares Pediátricas: um estudo transversal

Avaliar a percepção de cuidadores de crianças com dificuldades alimentares pediátricas (DAPs) a respeito dos problemas de alimentação de seus filhos. Métodos: Estudo transversal realizado na internação pediátrica com crianças abaixo de 14 anos e seus cuidadores em um hospital público no Sul do Brasil. Coletaram-se dados de prontuário além da aplicação de um questionário. Para avaliar a presença de DAPs foi utilizado o diagnóstico no prontuário. Aprovado pelo comitê de ética da instituição (CAAE nº 65500222300005327). Resultados: Avaliou-se 148 duplas de indivíduos, sendo 54% das crianças menores de 2 anos. As DAPs estavam presentes em 36 (22,8%) dos pacientes avaliados, contrastando aos 40(25,3%) identificados por seus cuidadores. Entre os diagnosticados, 7(19,4%) dos cuidadores negaram a presença de DAP. Desses, 34 (94,4%) já haviam sido internados anteriormente, dos quais 50% tiveram acima de 5 reinternações. Todos os 36(100%) utilizaram sonda para alimentação em algum momento da vida e em 24(66,6%) dos casos foi devido à DAP. Atualmente, 5(13,9%) alimenta-se exclusivamente via oral, 16(44,4%) utiliza via completar (enteral e/ou parenteral) à oral e 15(41,6%) somente via enteral e/ou parenteral. Conclusão: Nota-se discrepância na percepção dos cuidadores em relação ao diagnóstico de DAPs, demonstrando necessidade de investir em educação para identificação e manejo adequado. Fato reforçado pelo alto número de reinternações e uso de vias complementares para alimentação nessas crianças

Liquefaction optimization of Crataegus monogyna Jacq

The objective of this work was to evaluate the potentiality of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. residues to be liquefied by polyhydric alcohols and the chemical transformations observed in this process with subsequent use to produce polyurethane foams. The variations on liquefaction yield were determined at different temperature, time, material/solvent ratio and granulometry. Results show that liquefaction performed at 180 °C with a 1:10 material/solvent ratio increases along time, reaching a maximum at 60 min. Similarly, liquefactions made during 60 min with a 1:10 material/solvent ratio show that there is an increase in liquefaction yield with the increase in temperature until 180 °C. A higher temperature could increase the liquefaction yield but would lead to a higher energy consumption in the process. There seems to be no significative advantage in increasing material/solvent ratio above 1:7, although the liquefaction yield increases for higher ratios. Granulometry testing shows that the smaller the particle the best is the liquefaction percentage. It was concluded that the best liquefaction yield, of approximately 81%, was obtained with a temperature of 180 °C, for 60 min and particle size <80 mesh for Crataegus monogyna Jacq. This material has good properties to be converted in a liquid mixture that can be used later, on the production of polyurethane foams.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Changes in bone Pb accumulation: Cause and effect of altered bone turnover

Notice: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Bone. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Bone, [Vol 64 (2014 Jul)] DOI 10.1016/j.bone.2014.04.021"This paper assesses the magnitude of Pb uptake in cortical and trabecular bones in healthy animals and animals with altered balance in bone turnover, and the impact of exposure to Pb on serum markers of bone formation and resorption. The results reported herein provide physiological evidence that Pb distributes differently in central compartments in Pb metabolism, such as cortical and trabecular bone, in healthy animals and animals with altered balance in bone turnover, and that exposure to Pb does have an impact on bone resorption resulting in OC-dependent osteopenia. These findings show that Pb may play a role in the etiology of osteoporosis and that its concentration in bones varies as a result of altered bone turnover characteristic of this disease, a long standing question in the field. In addition, data collected in this study are consistent with previous observations of increased half-life of Pb in bone at higher exposures. This evidence is relevant for the necessary revision of current physiologically based kinetic models for Pb in humans.

Re-evaluation of the spectroscopic data and redox properties

Eur. J. Biochem. 270, 3904–3915 (2003)The cytochrome c nitrite reductase is isolated from the membranes of the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774 as a heterooligomeric complex composed by two subunits (61 kDa and 19 kDa) containing c-type hemes, encoded by the genes nrfA and nrfH,respectively. The extracted complex has in average a 2NrfA:1NrfH composition. The separation of ccNiR subunits from one another is accomplished by gel filtration chromatography in the presence of SDS. The amino-acid sequence and biochemical subunits characterization show that NrfA contains five hemes and NrfH four hemes. These considerations enabled the revision of a vast amount of existing spectroscopic data on the NrfHA complex that was not originally well interpreted due to the lackof knowledge on the heme content and the oligomeric enzyme status. Based on EPRandMo¨ ssbauer parameters and their correlation to structural information recently obtained from X-ray crystallography on the NrfA structure [Cunha, C.A., Macieira, S., Dias, J.M., Almeida, M.G., Gonçalves, L.M.L., Costa, C., Lampreia, J.,Huber,R., Moura, J.J.G., Moura, I. & Romão, M. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 17455– 17465], we propose the full assignment of midpoint reduction potentials values to the individual hemes.NrfAcontains the high-spin catalytic site ()80mV) as well as a quite unusual high reduction potential (+150 mV)/low-spin bis-His coordinated heme, considered to be the site where electrons enter. In addition, the reassessment of the spectroscopic data allowed the first partial spectroscopic characterization of theNrfH subunit. The four NrfH hemes are all in a low-spin state (S ¼ 1/2).One of them has a gmax at 3.55, characteristic of bis-histidinyl iron ligands in a noncoplanar arrangement, and has a positive reduction potential