Aim To evaluate dentin permeability after pretreatment with 2.5% aqueous solution of titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4), followed by a self-etching universal adhesive system. Methods Forty dentin discs (1.5 mm thick) were randomly divided into groups according to the application or non-application of a pretreatment, and the type of adhesive system to be tested (two-step self-etching/ Clearfil SE Bond/ Kuraray Medical, or universal adhesive system/ Single Bond Universal/ 3M ESPE). Both sides of the discs were conditioned with 37% phosphoric acid to remove the smear layer. The first hydraulic conductivity measurement (L1) was performed in a permeability machine, under 5 PSI pressure. The samples were sanded again to form a standardized smear layer. The teeth designated for pre-treatment with TiF4 received the TiF4 solutions applied actively for 60 seconds, and the adhesive systems were applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, a new hydraulic conductivity measurement (L2) was performed for the purpose of calculating the hydraulic conductance at a later time, considering the water viscosity and the thickness of the specimen. The percentage (L) of dentin permeability after application of the adhesive system was obtained (L (%) = [(L1-L2) x100] / L1). The Mann-Whitney non-parametric test was applied. Results There was no difference between the two adhesive systems, or between the groups with or without pretreatment, as regards dentin permeability (p>0.05). Conclusion Pretreatment with 2.5% TiF4 did not influence dentin permeability, irrespective of the adhesive system used. 25 2 2.5 TiF4, TiF , (TiF4) selfetching self etching 1.5 15 1 (1. thick nonapplication non twostep step selfetching/ etching/ Medical Universal M ESPE. ESPE . ESPE) 37 layer L1 L (L1 machine pressure pre treatment 6 seconds manufacturers manufacturer s instructions Then L2 (L2 time specimen % (% L1L2 LL [(L1-L2 x100 x L1. L1) MannWhitney Mann Whitney nonparametric parametric p>0.05. p005 p p>0.05 0 05 (p>0.05) used 2. (TiF4 1. (1 3 ( L1L [(L1-L x10 p00 p>0.0 (p>0.05 (TiF x1 p0 p>0. (p>0.0 p>0 (p>0. p> (p>0 (p> (p

Abstract Background: Snake venom phospholipases A2 (svPLA2) are biologically active toxins, capable of triggering and modulating a wide range of biological functions. Among the svPLA2s, crotoxin (CTX) has been in the spotlight of bioprospecting research due to its role in modulating immune response and hemostasis. In the present study, novel anticoagulant mechanisms of CTX, and the modulation of inflammation-induced coagulation were investigated. Methods: CTX anticoagulant activity was evaluated using platelet poor plasma (PPP) and whole blood (WB), and also using isolated coagulation factors and complexes. The toxin modulation of procoagulant and pro-inflammatory effects was evaluated using the expression of tissue factor (TF) and cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and in WB. Results: The results showed that CTX impaired clot formation in both PPP and WB, and was responsible for the inhibition of both intrinsic (TF/factor VIIa) and extrinsic (factor IXa/factor VIIIa) tenase complexes, but not for factor Xa and thrombin alone. In addition, the PLA2 mitigated the prothrombinase complex by modulating the coagulation phospholipid role in the complex. In regards to the inflammation-coagulation cross talk, the toxin was capable of reducing the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and was followed by decreased levels of TF and procoagulant activity from LPS-treated PBMC either isolated or in WB. Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study recognize the toxin as a novel medicinal candidate to be applied in inflammatory diseases with coagulation disorders.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the most common malignancies found in hematology. Aim: To describe the features of patients with MM and perform a survival analysis according to the different treatment protocols used between 2000 and 2016. Material and Methods: Analysis of the database of the Chilean national anti-neoplastic drug program. Information was obtained from 1,103 patients, with a median age of 64.5 years (range 27-95) and a male to female ratio of 1:1.2. Results: The mean overall survival (OS) of patients receiving or not receiving Thalidomide was 46 and 30 months, respectively (p < 0.01). The mean OS of patients treated before 2007 (treated with melphalan and prednisone) and between 2007 and 2012 (treated with thalidomide and dexamethasone) was 36 and 48 months respectively. In the group starting in 2013 (treated with cyclophosphamide, thalidomide and dexamethasone) the median survival had not been reached at 20 months of follow up (p = 0.01 for all comparisons). Autologous transplantation (AT) was carried out in only 18% of the eligible patients. The median OS of the patients who receive an AT had not been reached at 48 month compared with 36 month among those who did not received the procedure (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Even though overall survival has improved with time, new drugs must be introduced in our protocols to obtain similar results to those obtained worldwide.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar por meio de parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais como a fibrose cística (FC) afeta o crescimento e estado nutricional de crianças submetidas ao tratamento de FC que não foram submetidas à triagem neonatal. MÉTODOS: Uma coorte histórica com 52 pacientes com FC menores de 10 anos foi acompanhada em um centro de referência em Campinas, Sudeste do Brasil. Peso e altura foram coletados de prontuários médicos até março de 2010, quando a triagem neonatal foi implementada. Entre setembro de 2009 a março de 2010 a altura dos pais foi medida. RESULTADOS: Quatro pacientes tiveram escores Z ≤ -2 para altura/idade (A/I) e índice de massa corporal/idade (IMC/A). As seguintes variáveis foram associadas com melhor razão A/I: menor número de hospitalizações, maior tempo entre a primeira consulta e o diagnóstico, maior tempo entre o nascimento e o diagnóstico e início tardio da doença respiratória. Capacidade vital forçada [CVF(%)], fluxo expiratório forçado entre 25-75% da CVF [FEF25-75(%)], volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo [VEF1(%)], idade gestacional, peso ao nascer e início dos sintomas respiratórios foram associados com melhor IMC/I. CONCLUSÕES: Maior número de hospitalizações, retardo no diagnóstico e início precoce da doença respiratória tiveram impacto negativo no crescimento. Menores valores espirométricos, menor idade gestacional, menor peso ao nascer e o início precoce dos sintomas respiratórios tiveram impacto negativo no estado nutricional. A desnutrição foi observada em 7,7% dos casos, mas 23% das crianças apresentaram risco nutricional.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate by clinical and laboratory parameters how cystic fibrosis (CF) affects growth and nutritional status of children who were undergoing CF treatment but did not receive newborn screening. METHODS: A historical cohort study of 52 CF patients younger than 10 years of age were followed in a reference center in Campinas, Southeast Brazil. Anthropometric measurements were abstracted from medical records until March/2010, when neonatal screening program was implemented. Between September/2009 and March/2010, parental height of the 52 CF patients were also measured. RESULTS: Regarding nutritional status, four patients had Z-scores ≤-2 for height/age (H/A) and body mass index/age (BMI/A). The following variables were associated with improved H/A ratio: fewer hospitalizations, longer time from first appointment to diagnosis, longer time from birth to diagnosis and later onset of respiratory disease. Forced vital capacity [FVC(%)], forced expiratory flow between 25-75% of FVC [FEF25-75(%)], forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV1(%)], gestational age, birth weight and early respiratory symptoms were associated with improved BMI/A. CONCLUSIONS: Greater number of hospitalizations, diagnosis delay and early onset of respiratory disease had a negative impact on growth. Lower spirometric values, lower gestational age, lower birth weight, and early onset of respiratory symptoms had negative impact on nutritional status. Malnutrition was observed in 7.7% of cases, but 23% of children had nutritional risk.

BACKGROUND: Joint inflammation is a common clinical problem in patients treated by physical therapists. The hypothesis of this study is that joint inflammation induces molecular and structural changes in the soleus muscle, which is composed mainly of slow-twitch muscle fibers.OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of tibiotarsal joint inflammation on muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), gene expression levels (atrogin-1, MuRF1, MyoD, myostatin, p38MAPK, NFκB, TNF-alpha), and TNF-alpha protein in the soleus muscle.METHOD: Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 periods (2, 7 and 15 days) and assigned to 4 groups (control, sham, inflammation, and immobilization). RESULTS:In the inflammation group at 2 days, MuRF1 and p38MAPK expression had increased, and NFκB mRNA levels had decreased. At 7 days, myostatin expression had decreased. At 7 and 15 days, this group had muscle fiber CSA reduction. At 2 days, the immobilization group showed increased atrogin-1, MuRF1, NFκB, MyoD, and p38MAPK expressions and reduced muscle fiber CSA. At 7 and 15 days, myostatin mRNA levels had increased, and the CSA had decreased. The sham group showed increased p38MAPK and myostatin expressions at 2 and 7 days, respectively. No changes occurred in TNF-alpha gene or protein expression. CONCLUSION: Acute joint inflammation induces gene expression related to the proteolytic pathway without reduction in muscle fiber CSA. Chronic joint inflammation induced muscle atrophy without up-regulation of important genes belonging to the proteolytic pathway. Thus, muscle adaptation may differ according to the stage of joint inflammation, which suggests that the therapeutic modalities used by physical therapists at each stage should also be different.

Yeast biodiversity at the acid aquatic environment of the Agrio River and Caviahue Lake was studied. All water samples analyzed contained yeasts in variable concentrations (25 - 1192 UFC L-1). 202 yeasts strains were isolated and on the basis of morphological and physiological studies were assigned to five genera: Candida, Cryptococcus, Cystofilobasidium, Rhodotorula and Sporobolomyces. Cryptococcus and Rhodotorula were the most abundant genera, comprising the 98% of the isolated yeast strains. The results of the tests mentioned above suggested the existence of at least eighteen different yeast species. This work provides the first quantitative and qualitative data on yeasts from an aquatic acid environment of natural origin in Argentina.

Se estudió la biodiversidad de levaduras presente en el ambiente acuático ácido del Río Agrio y el Lago Caviahue. En todas las muestras de agua analizadas se encontraron levaduras en concentraciones variables (25 - 1192 UFC L-1). Fueron aisladas un total de 202 cepas de levaduras, las cuales en base a estudios morfológicos y fisiológicos fueron asignadas a cinco géneros: Candida, Cryptococcus, Cystofilobasidium, Rhodotorula y Sporobolomyces. Los géneros Cryptococcus y Rhodotorula fueron los más abundantes, correspondiendo ambos al 98% del total de las levaduras aisladas. Asimismo, los resultados de las pruebas antes mencionadas sugieren la existencia de al menos dieciocho especies. Este trabajo representa el primer registro cuantitativo y cualitativo de levaduras de un ambiente acuático ácido de origen natural de la Argentina.

The carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis (CNBH) explains the intraspecific variation in herbivory levels suggesting that, when plants acquire resources in excess of growth demands (e.g., light), these resources are shunted into production of chemical defenses. We documented the intraspecific variation of herbivory levels in six woody plant species from the South American temperate forest to determine whether these patterns support the predictions of the CNBH. For all the species studied, plants located in sites with high light availability showed between 1.2-5 times less foliar damage than those located in sites with low light availability. These results, although preliminary, support the CNBH. Future studies could test whether the mechanisms responsible for this pattern are those proposed by the CNBH.

La hipótesis del balance carbono-nutrientes (HBCN) explica las variaciones intraespecíficas en los niveles de herbivoría sugiriendo que, cuando una planta adquiere recursos que exceden la demanda de crecimiento (e.g., luz), dichos recursos son derivados a la producción de defensas químicas. Nosotros documentamos las variaciones intraespecíficas de los niveles de herbivoría en seis especies leñosas del bosque templado de América del Sur para determinar si dichas variaciones apoyan lo esperado por la HBCN. Para todas las especies, las plantas ubicadas en sitios con mayor disponibilidad de luz tuvieron entre 1.2-5 veces menor porcentaje de daño foliar que aquellas ubicadas en sitios con menor disponibilidad de luz. Estos resultados, aunque preliminares, apoyan la HBCN. Futuros estudios deberían determinar si los mecanismos responsables de este patrón coinciden con los propuestos por esta hipótesis.

São relatados 4 casos de lipomas intradurais raqueanos operados. A raridade dêsses tumores é confirmada pelo reduzido número de casos registrados na literatura, constituindo 1 a 2% de todos os tumores intrarraqueanos. Na Clínica Neurológica da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, entre 165 tumores intrarraqueanos operados no período compreendido entre 1945 a 1964, a incidência foi de 2,4%. São feitas considerações sôbre os aspectos clínicos e histopatológicos, sendo discutidos os achados dos exames complementares. A técnica cirúrgica é comentada, sendo os resultados pouco compensadores.

Four cases of spinal intradural lipomas are reported. The rarity of these tumors is confirmed by the small number of cases reported in the medical literature, represented by 1 or 2% of the spinal tumors. In the Neurological Clinic of the University of São Paulo Medical School, in a total of 165 intraspinal tumors which were operated on between 1945 to 1964, the incidence was 2.4%. The clinical and histopathological data, as well as the paraclinical tests, are analysed. The surgical technique is discussed, the authors drawing the conclusion that the results are poorly rewarding.

Os autores relatam um caso de síndrome cerebelar progressiva, com mioclonias generalizadas e por surtos, raramente espontâneas, sendo, na maioria das vêzes, provocadas pelo fechamento dos olhos, menos vêzes pela abertura das pálpebras e, constantemente, pela estimulação luminosa direta. As mio-clonias não se manifestavam no véu do paladar, e não eram influenciadas de modo evidente pelos barbitúricos (Gardenal) mesmo em doses altas. A síndrome cerebelar era global, com predomínio das desordens neocerebelares sobre as paleocerebelosas e de evolução progressiva, embora entremeada por fases de remissão parcial. Dos exames subsidiários tem particular interêsse a eletrencefalografia r que mostrou, no traçado de repouso, numerosos surtos de complexos irregulares "espícula-onda", de complexos "poliespículas-onda", de grande amplitude, bilaterais sincronos. Nos intervalos entre os surtos a atividade elétrica era constituída principalmente por ondas de freqüências compreendidas entre 6 a 9 c/s, com maior voltagem nas áreas posteriores. Os paroxismos se evidenciavam tanto com os olhos abertos como com os olhos fechados; eclodiam invariavelmente quando a paciente fechava os olhos, sendo geralmente acompanhados por abalos mioclônicos generalizados. Estímulos luminosos isolados, mesmo de intensidade relativamente pequena, provocavam sistematicamente a eclosão de paroxismos elétricos acompanhados de abalos mioclônicos generalizados, predominando nos membros inferiores. A estimulação luminosa intermitente, com freqüências de 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 e 15 por segundo, provocava o aparecimento de espículas rítmicas, com a mesma freqüência da estimulação, seguidas de ondas lentas às freqüências mais baixas.

Case report of a progressive cerebellar syndrome with generalized myoclonic movements, which generally appear with the closing and sometimes with the opening of the eyes, but constantly with luminous stimulation. The myoclonic movements were not observed on the palate and were not affected by barbiturates. The cerebellar syndrome was global, with the neocerebellar symptoms predominating over the paleocerebellar ones; the disease had a progressive evolution with periods of partial remission. Of particular interest were the EEG results which showed several spike-wave and multispike-wave complexes of large amplitude, bilateral and synchronic. In the intervals between the attacks the electric activity seemed to be constituted mainly by waves between 6 and 9 c/s, with a higher voltage on the posterior areas. Paroxysms appeared with open as well as with closed eyes; they appeared always when the patient closed her eyes, being generally accompanied by generalized myoclonic attacks. Isolated luminous stimulations, even of a relatively small intensity, did always lead to electric paroxysms with generalized myoclonic attacks, mainly of the lower limb. Intermittent luminous stimulation at frequencies of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 per second, produced rhythmic spicules of the same frequency as the stimulation, followed by slow waves at low frequencies.