Microbial Ecosystem Analysis in Root Canal Infections Refractory to Endodontic Treatment

Introduction To combine Multiple Displacement Amplification (MDA) and checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the microbiota present in infections refractory to endodontic treatment. Methods The subjects of this study were 40 patients presenting periapical lesions refractory to endodontic treatment. Samples were taken by scraping or filing root canal walls with a #10 K-type hand file. Sample DNA was amplified by MDA, and the levels of 107 bacterial taxa were analyzed by checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization. The taxa were divided into three distinct microbial populations, depending on their mean proportion in samples (% DNA probe counts ± SEM), as follows: dominant (≥3.0%), sub-dominant (\u3e1.6 to 3.0%) and residual (≤1.6%) populations. The significance of differences was determined using the Mann-Whitney test. Results The taxa present with the highest mean proportions (constituting the dominant population) were Corynebacterium diphtheriae (8.03±0.98), Porphyromonas gingivalis (5.42±2.09), Streptococcus sobrinus (5.33±0.69), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (4.72±1.73). Among the sub-dominant population were Eubacterium saphenum (3.85±1.06), Helicobacter pylori (3.16±0.62), Dialister pneumosintes (3.12±1.1), Clostridium difficile (2.74±0.41), Enterobacter agglomerans (2.64±0.54), Salmonella enterica (2.51±0.52), Mobiluncus mulieris (2.44±0.6), and Klebsiella oxytoca (2.32±0.66). In the population of bacteria present at the lowest mean proportions (the residual population), Bacteroides ureolyticus (0.04±0.01), Haemophilus influenzae (0.04±0.02), and Prevotella oris (0.01±0.01) were found at the lowest mean proportions. Enterococcus faecalis was detected in the residual population (0.52±0.26). Conclusion The microbial climax community in teeth refractory to endodontic treatment not only harbor medically important species, but also contains distinct microbial consortia present with different population levels

Síndrome de Torsades de Pointes: análise de casos: Torsades de Pointes Syndrome: case analysis

A Síndrome de Torsades de Pointes (TdP) é uma taquiarritmia ventricular polimórfica de pacientes com um intervalo QT longo congênito ou induzido por fármacos, cujo eletrocardiograma possui aspecto de “torção das pontas” e os sinais e sintomas característicos são síncope, palpitação ou mesmo evolução para fibrilação ventricular e morte súbita. O sexo mais frequentemente acometido é o feminino, o diagnóstico se baseia no eletrocardiograma e o tratamento preconizado é o sulfato de magnésio (MgSO4) intravenoso, a correção dos distúrbios eletrolíticos, principalmente a hipocalemia e o tratamento da causa base, na TdP farmacoinduzida. O objetivo do estudo é analisar os casos de Síndrome de Torsades de Pointes em pacientes com alterações do intervalo QT no eletrocardiograma. Trata-se de uma revisão bibliográfica integrativa, do tipo quantitativa, que utilizou as plataformas do PubMed, SciELO e Cochrane Library como bases de dados para seleção dos artigos, todos na língua inglesa. Foram utilizadas literaturas publicadas com recorte temporal de 2017 a 2022. De acordo com as literaturas analisadas, conclui-se que a TdP é uma taquiarritmia ventricular polimórfica com um mau prognóstico se não tratada precocemente com o MgSO4 intravenoso e, por ter diversas etiologias, é primordial que o diagnóstico preciso seja estabelecido de forma rápida, devido ao alto índice de mortalidade. Pacientes portadores da síndrome do QT longo congênita, bradicardia sinusal e bloqueio atrioventricular de 1º grau possuem predisposição para o desenvolvimento de TdP. Observa-se escassez na literatura a respeito das formas adequadas de prevenção da TdP, já que muitos pacientes que participam das triagens, muitas das vezes inefetivas, adquirem a síndrome após o uso de drogas que a predispõem, com prolongamento do intervalo QT, ou não sabem que possuem uma SQTL pré-existente, obrigatória para o desenvolvimento da TdP

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora