cellular model systems provide a promising alternative to animal experiments for studying the intestine-organ axis.

Limiting animal experiments is essential for ethical issues and also because scientific evidence highlights the discrepancies between human and animal metabolism. This review aims to provide a critical discussion of the strengths and limitations of the most appropriate intestine model to answer complex research questions in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields. This review describes the components contributing to the definition of the gut barrier structure, from the outer mucus layer to the inner part of lamina propria, including endothelial and neuronal networks.

[Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil: a population-based survey].

Seroprevalence data provide relevant information on the development and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Mato Grosso State, Brazil, and its distribution according to sociodemographic and economic characteristics. This population-based serological survey was conducted in September-October 2020 in individuals 18 years or older in ten municipalities (counties) in the state of Mato Grosso.

Bone Alterations in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Role of Osteoprotegerin.

Metabolic bone disorders are one of the most frequent extra-intestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that might result in an increase of skeletal fragility and risk of fracture. These disorders are a consequence of bone−gut crosstalk alterations, particularly due to inflammation, which involves the RANK-RANKL-Osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway. This cross-sectional study investigates the role of serum OPG on bone health in IBD patients.

Blooming artifact reduction using different cone-beam computed tomography software to analyze endodontically treated teeth with intracanal posts.

Background: The appearance of high-density root obturating materials, such as gutta-percha and intracanal posts, on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans is substantially different from that seen in the specimen. This study evaluated the effectiveness of different CBCT software in the reduction of blooming artifacts when examining teeth with intracanal posts.

Method: The sample included 42 human single-rooted teeth with two types of posts: G1 - low-fusion alloy posts; G2 - gold alloy posts.

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: The Role of Gut Microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic multifactorial diseases characterized by partially unclear pathogenic mechanisms including changes in intestinal microbiota. Despite the microbiota, alteration is well established in IBD patients, as reported by 16RNA sequencing analysis, an important goal is to define if it is just a consequence of the disease progression or a trigger factor of the disease itself. To date, gut microbiota composition and gut microbiota-related metabolites seem to affect the host healthy state both by modulating metabolic pathways or acting on the expression of different genes through epigenetic effects.