The Effect of Spironolactone on the Pathogenesis of Ligatureinduced Alveolar Bone Loss in Wistar Rats

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a straight relationship with tissue  destruction in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Inhibitory effects of TNF production have been attributed  to spironolactone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of spironolactone on the pathogenesis of  ligature-induced alveolar bone loss in rats. Experimental periodontitis was induced in 38 Wistar rats by ligature  placement in the left second maxillary molar. The contra-lateral maxillary molar served as intragroup  control. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated with spironolactone (50, 100, 200  mg·kg-1) or saline. Morphometrical registration of maxillary alveolar bone was performed after 28 days of  experimental periodontitis. Intra-group comparisons showed significantly higher alveolar bone loss mean  values in maxillary sides with ligature (paired sample t test, p<0.05). Mean alveolar bone loss was not significantly  different between groups, independently of the dosage (range: 0.63 – 0.66 mm, one-way  ANOVA, p>0.05). Although spironolactone has recognized TNF-inhibitory properties, the possibility of its  use on modulation of host immune-inflammatory response in periodontal disease was not confirmed.

A Nova Leitura Literária Infantil e Juvenil no Contexto dos Centros Culturais Multimidiais

Este artigo propõe, em uma primeira parte, esboçar as origens da literatura infantil e juvenil que, em seus primórdios, tinha função formadora, ao apresentar modelos de comportamento com a finalidade de reforçar valores sociais vigentes. Após, ressalta-se a importância do redimensionamento da atuação das bibliotecas, de forma que propiciem a consolidação de centros culturais multimidiais, para que bibliotecários,professores e educadores, conscientes de suas funções, priorizem a leitura de textos de qualidade, capazes de desenvolver a capacidade crítica de crianças e jovens. A fim de que sejam apresentados os escritores responsáveis pela atual produção literária nacional infantil e juvenil, o terceiro tópico do artigo aborda quem são esses novos talentos e algumas de suas mais recentes obras, que oferecem uma nova concepçãode texto escrito. Afinal, em vez da constante lembrança de escritores consagrados pelo cânone, por que não legitimar novas obras de autores emergentes e reconhecidos pela crítica

Periodontal disease and inflammatory blood cytokines in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Periodontal disease has been associated with elevations of blood cytokines involved in atherosclerosis in systemically healthy individuals, but little is known about this association in stable cardiovascular patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association between periodontal disease (exposure) and blood cytokine levels (outcomes) in a target population of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Material and Methods This cross-sectional study included 91 patients with stable CAD who had been under optimized cardiovascular care. Blood levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were measured by Luminex technology. A full-mouth periodontal examination was conducted to record probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment (CA) loss. Multiple linear regression models, adjusting for gender, body mass index, oral hypoglycemic drugs, smoking, and occurre:nce of acute myocardial infarction were applied. Results CAD patients that experienced major events had higher concentrations of IFN-γ (median: 5.05 pg/mL vs. 3.01 pg/mL; p=0.01), IL-10 (median: 2.33 pg/mL vs. 1.01 pg/mL; p=0.03), and TNF-α (median: 9.17 pg/mL vs. 7.47 pg/mL; p=0.02). Higher numbers of teeth with at least 6 mm of CA loss (R2=0.07) and PD (R2=0.06) were significantly associated with higher IFN-γ log concentrations. Mean CA loss (R2=0.05) and PD (R2=0.06) were significantly related to IL-10 concentrations. Elevated concentrations of TNF-α were associated with higher mean CA loss (R2=0.07). Conclusion Periodontal disease is associated with increased systemic inflammation in stable cardiovascular patients. These findings provide additional evidence supporting the idea that periodontal disease can be a prognostic factor in cardiovascular patients

Even high normal blood pressure affects live birth rate in women undergoing fresh embryo transfer

STUDY QUESTION Do differences in blood pressure within the normal range have any impacts on the live birth rate (primary outcome) or biochemical pregnancy rate (beta-hCG positivity), clinical pregnancy rate (heart beating in ultrasound), abortion rate and ectopic pregnancy rate (secondary outcomes) of fresh embryo transfer in women undergoing their IVF/ICSI treatment? SUMMARY ANSWER Even rather small differences in baseline blood pressure in women with normal blood pressure according to current guidelines undergoing fresh embryo transfer after IVF/ICSI affects substantially the live birth rate. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Pre-pregnancy hypertension is a well-known risk factor for adverse pregnancy events such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, placental abruption and adverse neonatal events. It is likewise well known that hypertension during pregnancy in women undergoing ART is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, whether blood pressure at the high end of the normal range has an impact on ART is unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION It is a prospective observational cohort study based on a single IVF center between January 2017 and December 2018. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Two thousand four hundred and eighteen women with normal blood pressure undergoing fresh embryo transfer after IVF/ICSI at the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya were enrolled in this study. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Blood pressure was measured at the first visit when women consulted the IVF center due to infertility. In women with a successful pregnancy outcome (1487 live births out of 2418 women undergoing fresh embryo transfer after IVF/ICSI), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (114.1 ± 9.48 mmHg versus 115.4 ± 9.8 mmHg, P = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (74.5 ± 7.5 mmHg versus 75.3 ± 7.34 mmHg, P = 0.006) were lower than in those who did not achieve live births. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SBP (OR: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.979–0.996, P = 0.004) and DBP (OR: 0.986, 95% CI: 0.975–0.998, P = 0.016) were negatively associated with live birth. Similarly, SBP was significantly negatively related to clinical pregnancy rate (OR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.981–0.999, P = 0.033), while for DBP the association was not statistically significant (OR: 0.994, 95% CI: 0.982–1.006, P = 0.343). However, both SBP and DBP were positively associated with miscarriage OR: 1.021 (95% CI: 1.004–1.037, P = 0.013) and OR: 1.027 (95% CI: 1.005–1.049, P = 0.014), respectively. Both SBP and DBP were unrelated to biochemical pregnancy (hCG positivity), implantation and ectopic pregnancy rate. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Whether lowering blood pressure before initiating ART treatment in women with SBP or DBP higher than the thresholds defined in our study will confer a benefit is unknown. Also, we cannot exclude bias due to different ethnicities. Moreover, participants in our study only received fresh embryo transfer, whether the results could apply to frozen embryo transfer is unclear. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our study challenges the current blood pressure goals in women undergoing fresh embryo transfer after IVF/ICSI. Further studies are needed to figure out the mechanism and effective approach to increase IVF/ICSI pregnancy outcomes. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Hunan Provincial Grant for Innovative Province Construction (2019SK4012). The authors declare that there were no conflicts of interest in this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A

Periodontal disease and inflammatory blood cytokines in patients with stable coronary artery disease

ABSTRACT www.scielo.br/jaos http://d

The Critical Turning Points Database : Concept, Methodology and Dataset of an International Transformative Social Innovation Comparison (TRANSIT Working Paper # 10, July 12th 2017)

[Abstract] This working paper presents the TRANSIT open-access online database on Critical Turning Points (CTP) in Transformative Social Innovation. It specifies the contents of the database, comprising qualitative accounts of more than 450 ‘critical’ episodes in the evolution of social innovation initiatives in 27 different countries. Providing the theoretical-methodological context to these data, the paper also describes the theoretical background of the CTP concept and the methodology though which the CTP accounts have been reconstructed through interviews with members of SI initiatives. The paper concludes with reflections on the open access CTP database as a knowledge infrastructure, discussing its significance in terms of mapping, dissemination and framing of social innovation.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 61316