Friction of Laser-Textured Zirconia Coated with a Platelet-Rich Fibrin.

In the present in vitro study, we evaluated the adhesion of an injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) to laser-textured zirconia surfaces and their resultant friction behavior against bone tissue. Three types of zirconia surfaces were compared regarding the i-PRF coating effects: 1) grit blasted with 250-μm spherical alumina particles and acid etched with 20% hydrofluoric acid (ZLA), 2) laser textured with a random (RD) surface pattern, or 3) laser textured with a designed pattern based on 16 lines and 8 passages (L16N8). The coefficient of friction (COF) of the specimens was assessed on a reciprocating sliding pin-on-plate tribometer at 1-N normal load, 1 Hz, and a 2-mm stroke length.

Spirituality-Based Intervention in Hypertension: EFfects on Blood PrEssure and EndotheliaL Function-FEEL Trial Results.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that spirituality improves patient outcomes, however, this has undergone only limited evaluation in randomized trials. Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Objectives: To evaluate whether a spirituality-based intervention, compared to a control group, can reduce blood pressure (BP) and improve endothelial function after 12 weeks in patients with mild or moderate hypertension (HTN).

Neuropsychiatric manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's disease.

Introduction: Autoimmune diseases often present in a systemic manner, affecting various organs and tissues. Involvement of the central and peripheral nervous system is not uncommon in these conditions and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early recognition of the neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with rheumatologic diseases is essential for the introduction of appropriate therapies with the objective of providing a better quality of life for individuals.

Guanidines Conjugated with Cell-Penetrating Peptides: A New Approach for the Development of Antileishmanial Molecules.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by a protozoan of the genus Leishmania, which has visceral and cutaneous forms. The symptoms of leishmaniasis include high fever and weakness, and the cutaneous infection also causes lesions under the skin. The drugs used to treat leishmaniasis have become less effective due to the resistance mechanisms of the protozoa.

Monitoring the Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Throughout the Broiler Production Cycle.

The extensive use of antimicrobials in broiler production is changing the bird microbiota, fostering drug-resistant bacteria, and complicating therapeutic interventions, making the problem of multidrug resistance global. The monitoring of antimicrobial virulence and resistance genes are tools that have come to assist the breeding of these animals, directing possible treatments as already used in human medicine and collecting data to demonstrate possible dissemination of multidrug-resistant strains that may cause damage to industry and public health. This work aimed to monitor broiler farms in southern Brazil, isolating samples of and classifying them according to the profile of resistance to antimicrobials of interest to human and animal health.