Flavoring agents present in a dentifrice can modify volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) formation in morning bad breath

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a flavor-containing dentifrice on the formation of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) in morning bad breath. A two-step, blinded, crossover, randomized study was carried out in 50 dental students with a healthy periodontium divided into two experimental groups: flavor-containing dentifrice (test) and non-flavor-containing dentifrice (control). The volunteers received the designated dentifrice and a new toothbrush for a 3 X/day brushing regimen for 2 periods of 30 days. A seven-day washout interval was used between the periods. The assessed parameters were: plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), organoleptic breath scores (ORG), VSC levels (as measured by a portable sulphide monitor) before (H1) and after (H2) cleaning of the tongue, tongue coating (TC) wet weight and BANA test from TC samples. The intra-group analysis showed a decrease in ORG, from 3 to 2, after 30 days for the test group (p < 0.05). The inter-group analysis showed lower values in ORG, H1 and H2 for the test group (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the amount of TC between groups and the presence of flavor also did not interfere in the BANA results between groups (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that a flavor-containing dentifrice seems to prevent VSCs formation in morning bad breath regardless of the amount of TC in periodontally healthy subjects

Short-term immunosuppressive therapy does not affect the density of the pre-existing bone around titanium implants placed in rabbits

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da administração de ciclosporina A (CsA)/nifedipina e sua interrupção na densidade óssea em uma região lateral à superfície de implantes de titânio inseridos em coelhos. Dois implantes de titânio comercialmente puros foram inseridos bilateralmente em vinte e oito coelhos. Os animais foram aleatoriamente divididos em um dos seguintes grupos experimentais, recebendo injeções diárias subcutâneas por 14 dias: Grupos A e C: veículo (dimetil sulfóxido); Grupos B e D: CsA (10 mg/kg) e nifedipina (50 mg/kg). Os animais pertencentes aos Grupos A/B e C/D foram sacrificados 14 e 42 dias após a colocação dos implantes, respectivamente. Após o sacrifício, as tíbias foram removidas para a obtenção de secções não-descalcificadas. A densidade óssea foi obtida em uma zona de 500 mm lateral à superfície do implante através de análise histométrica. A análise intergrupo não revelou diferenças para os grupos teste e controle em 14 e 42 dias (p >; 0,05). Dentro dos limites deste estudo podemos concluir que a associação CsA/nifedipina, administrada em um curto prazo, não apresenta uma influência negativa na densidade do osso preexistente ao redor de implantes de titânio inseridos em coelhos.The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the administration and withdrawal of cyclosporin A/nifedipine on the bone density in a lateral area adjacent to implants placed in rabbits. Two screw-type titanium implants were placed bilaterally in twenty-eight New Zealand rabbits. The animals were assigned to one of the following groups and received daily subcutaneous injections for 14 days: Groups A and C: vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide); Groups B and D: CsA (10 mg/kg) plus nifedipine (50 mg/kg). The animals in Groups A and B were sacrificed 14 days postoperatively and, in Groups C and D, 42 days postoperatively. After sacrifice, the tibiae were removed and undecalcified sections were obtained. Bone density was obtained in a 500 mm-wide zone lateral to the implant surface. Intergroup analysis showed no significant difference (p >; 0.05) in the degree of bone density between control and test groups either on day 14 or on day 42. Thus, it appears that a short-term immunosuppressive therapy may not present a negative influence on the density of the pre-existing bone around titanium implants placed in rabbits

Targeting human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deficient melanoma cells for personalized therapy

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss is associated with genomic instability. APE1 is a key player in DNA base excision repair (BER) and an emerging drug target in cancer. We have developed small molecule inhibitors against APE1 repair nuclease activity. In the current study we explored a synthetic lethal relationship between PTEN and APE1 in melanoma. Clinicopathological significance of PTEN mRNA and APE1 mRNA expression was investigated in 191 human melanomas. Preclinically, PTEN-deficient BRAF-mutated (UACC62, HT144, and SKMel28), PTEN-proficient BRAF-wildtype (MeWo), and doxycycline-inducible PTEN-knockout BRAF-wildtype MeWo melanoma cells were DNA repair expression profiled and investigated for synthetic lethality using a panel of four prototypical APE1 inhibitors. In human tumours, low PTEN mRNA and high APE1 mRNA was significantly associated with reduced relapse free and overall survival. Pre-clinically, compared to PTEN-proficient cells, PTEN-deficient cells displayed impaired expression of genes involved in DNA double strand break (DSB) repair. Synthetic lethality in PTEN-deficient cells was evidenced by increased sensitivity, accumulation of DSBs and induction of apoptosis following treatment with APE1 inhibitors. We conclude that PTEN deficiency is not only a promising biomarker in melanoma, but can also be targeted by a synthetic lethality strategy using inhibitors of BER, such as those targeting APE1

Immunosuppressant therapy and bone loss in ligature-induced periodontitis: a study in rats

O uso de agentes imunossupressores tem sido reconhecido como um fator que afeta os tecidos moles do periodonto. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre o seu efeito na progressão da periodontite. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a influência da ciclosporina (CsA), associada ou não à nifedipina, na perda óssea resultante da periodontite induzida por ligaduras em ratos. Vinte e quatro ratos Wistar machos, adultos, foram incluídos no estudo. Após anestesia, foram colocadas ligaduras de fio de algodão ao redor do primeiro molar inferior direito ou esquerdo, aleatoriamente escolhido. O dente contralateral foi deixado sem ligadura. Os animais foram aleatoriamente escolhidos para receber um dos seguintes tratamentos: Grupo A - solução salina; Grupo B - CsA (10 mg/kg); Grupo C - nifedipina (50 mg/kg); Grupo D - CsA (10 mg/kg) e nifedipina (50 mg/kg). Após 45 dias, os animais foram sacrificados para a análise histométrica. A análise intergrupos não revelou diferenças significativas quanto ao volume da perda óssea entre os diferentes tratamentos (0,46 &plusmn; 0,11; 0,63 &plusmn; 0,32; 0,53 &plusmn; 0,14; 0,50 &plusmn; 0,18, para os grupos A, B, C e D respectivamente - p >; 0,05). Entretanto, a análise intragrupo mostrou um maior volume de perda óssea nos dentes com ligadura, quando comparados aos dentes sem ligadura (p ; 0.05). However, intragroup analysis showed a greater bone loss volume in the ligated teeth than in the unligated ones (p < 0.05). Within the limits of the present study, the conclusion was that the administration of CsA, associated or not with nifedipine, may not influence bone loss in ligature-induced periodontitis in rats

Alcalóides De Tabernaemontana Heterophylla Vahl. (Apocynaceae)

Six indole alkaloids (coronaridine, voacangine, epiheyneanine, vobasine, affinisine and olivacine) as well as lupeol, 3-0- acetyllupeol and sitosterol were isolated from the roots of Tabernaemontana heterophylla Vahl.Dos extratos metanólicos da casca e do lenho da raíz da Tabernaemontana heterophylla Vahl. (Apocynaceae) foram isolados, além de sitosterol, lupeol e 3-O-acetil-lupeol, seis alcalóides indólicoscoronaridina, vobasina, affinisina, olivacina, voacangina e epiheyneanina

Alcalóides De Tabernaemontana Heterophylla Vahl. (Apocynaceae)

Six indole alkaloids (coronaridine, voacangine, epiheyneanine, vobasine, affinisine and olivacine) as well as lupeol, 3-0- acetyllupeol and sitosterol were isolated from the roots of Tabernaemontana heterophylla Vahl.Dos extratos metanólicos da casca e do lenho da raíz da Tabernaemontana heterophylla Vahl. (Apocynaceae) foram isolados, além de sitosterol, lupeol e 3-O-acetil-lupeol, seis alcalóides indólicoscoronaridina, vobasina, affinisina, olivacina, voacangina e epiheyneanina

Physicochemical properties and use of chia mucilage (Salvia hispanica L.) in the reduction of fat in cookies / Propriedades físico-químicas e utilização da mucilagem de chia (Salvia hispanica L.) na redução de gordura em biscoitos

The prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases can be obtained, among other factors, by the reduction of fat of foods. In this context, chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) prove interesting to the making of foods with a reduced fat content for presenting in their composition a considerable amount of dietary fiber (mucilage) with potential use as a fat replacer. In this work, chia seed mucilage was extracted and some of their physicochemical properties as well their use in the fat replacement (butter) in cookies at the levels of 10, 20 and 30 g/100 g were investigated, which were analyzed, afterwards. Chia mucilage presented high values of solubility, water-holding capacity and emulsifying activity and displayed beige color. The cookies with fat replacement by chia mucilage presented reduction in the lipid contents and in the L* and b* parameters. Cookies presenting replacement of 20 and 30 g/100 g of the fat showed greater hardness. In the treatments with a replacement of 10 and 20 g/100 g variations of sensorial acceptance of ‘I liked it slightly’ to ‘I liked it moderately” were observed. Chia mucilage proved a promising alternative to be utilized as a fat replacer in cookies

Presença de alcalóides β-carbolínicos no Rami ou Hami (Bebida de índio)

From a drink widely utilized by the Indian nations of western Amazonia, hallucinogenic, two β-carbolinic alkaloids have been isolated

A GEOBIA approach for multitemporal land-cover and land-use change analysis in a Tropical Watershed in the southeastern Amazon

The southeastern Amazon region has been intensively occupied by human settlements over the past three decades. To evaluate the effects of human settlements on land-cover and land-use (LCLU) changes over time in the study site, we evaluated multitemporal Landsat images from the years 1984, 1994, 2004, 2013 and Sentinel to the year 2017. Then, we defined the LCLU classes, and a detailed “from-to” change detection approach based on a geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) was employed to determine the trajectories of the LCLU changes. Three land-cover (forest, montane savanna and water bodies) and three land-use types (pasturelands, mining and urban areas) were mapped. The overall accuracies and kappa values of the classification were higher than 0.91 for each of the classified images. Throughout the change detection period, ~47% (19,320 km2) of the forest was preserved mainly within protected areas, while almost 42% (17,398 km2) of the area was converted from forests to pasturelands. An intrinsic connection between the increase in mining activity and the expansion of urban areas also exists. The direct impacts of mining activities were more significant throughout the montane savanna areas. We concluded that the GEOBIA approach adopted in this study combines the advantages of quality human interpretation and the capacities of quantitative computing

EXPANSÃO DA ENERGIA SOLAR FOTOVOLTAICA NO BRASIL: IMPACTOS AMBIENTAIS E POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS

Este estudo trata sobre os impactos ambientais decorrentes da construção e exploração de usinas solares fotovoltaicas. Foi realizada uma pesquisa literária, em publicações nacionais e internacionais, para conhecer usinas brasileiras, patrocinada pela Fundação Estadual do Meio Ambiente (Governo Estadual de Minas Gerais). A geração de energia elétrica por usinas solares fotovoltaicas tem vantagens em atenuar a emissão de gases de efeito estufa e reduzir a concentração de CO2 durante sua operação [1], quando comparada com outras fontes [2]. O artigo discute os impactos ambientais que não podem ser negligenciados, identificando-os e classificando-os dentro dos contextos de meios físico, biótico e socioeconômico. Discute-se o estabelecimento de uma norma de âmbito federal que defina o conceito ou a aplicabilidade do termo “pequeno potencial de impacto ambiental”, em complementação à Resolução CONAMA nº 279/2001 [3]. Este estudo trata sobre os impactos ambientais decorrentes da construção e exploração de usinas solares fotovoltaicas. Foi realizada uma pesquisa literária, em publicações nacionais e internacionais, para conhecer usinas brasileiras, patrocinada pela Fundação Estadual do Meio Ambiente (Governo Estadual de Minas Gerais). A geração de energia elétrica por usinas solares fotovoltaicas tem vantagens em atenuar a emissão de gases de efeito estufa e reduzir a concentração de CO2 durante sua operação [1], quando comparada com outras fontes [2]. O artigo discute os impactos ambientais que não podem ser negligenciados, identificando-os e classificando-os dentro dos contextos de meios físico, biótico e socioeconômico. Discute-se o estabelecimento de uma norma de âmbito federal que defina o conceito ou a aplicabilidade do termo “pequeno potencial de impacto ambiental”, em complementação à Resolução CONAMA nº 279/2001 [3]