Sources of Microplastic Generation in the Environment.

The number of scientific papers on microplastics in the environment has grown exponentially [...

Life cycle management in bakeries: a proposed roadmap towards sustainability.

Purpose: Some commercial/industrial sectors have increased their interest in sustainability, in some cases changing their business focus, from a profit-centered approach to a more balanced view, including environmental and social factors. It means that the interest in sustainability is increasing. Life cycle management (LCM) is a methodology/concept that can contribute to this paradigm shift.

Selenium status and its relationship with thyroid hormones in obese women.

Background And Aims: Studies have been conducted with the purpose of elucidating thyroid gland dysfunction in obesity, however the contributing factors for such dysfunction are not yet fully understood. Selenium is notable for its role in thyrocyte protection against oxidative damage and control of thyroid hormone synthesis. In addition, subjects with obesity may exhibit alterations in the selenium homeostasis.

Relationship between selenium status and biomarkers of oxidative stress in Crohn's disease.

Objective: Crohn disease (CD) is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation and various factors involved in its pathogenesis including oxidative stress. The oxidative stress in CD may compromise antioxidant nutrients, such as selenium. The aim of this study was to assess the status of selenium and its relationship with markers of oxidative stress in patients with CD in comparison to controls.

Time is life: EpAssistant - a new tool for the automatic identification of anti-HLA antibody epitope specificity in transplant programs.

Background And Objectives: This work aims to present the expert system EpAssistant, a platform algorithm designed to accurately and automatically identify the EPLETS specificities of anti-HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) antibodies in the sera of transplantation candidates.

Materials And Methods: RESULTS: As preliminary results, we present the development and establishment of the EpAssistant platform. EpAssistant analyses can be performed for Class I (-A, B and C) and Class II (-DR, -DQ and -DP) HLA molecules.

Effect of mineral status and glucocorticoid use on bone mineral density in patients with Crohn's disease.

Objectives: Crohn's disease (CD) is a condition that is characterized by chronic inflammation. The presence of multifactorial pathogenesis that results from inflammation is associated with low micronutrient consumption and glucocorticoid use, which may be related to bone health. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between dietary mineral intake and glucocorticoid use in bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with CD.

Retrospective study of dental trauma in children with autism spectrum disorders: a paired study.

The objective was to evaluate the history of traumatic dental injury (TDI) among children with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at the Centro Integrado de Educação Especial (CIES), in Teresina, Brazil. The dental records of 228 children, 114 with ASD (SG = study group) and 114 without ASD (CG = control group), paired by age, gender and socioeconomic characteristics between January 2007 and September 2014 were reviewed. Data were analyzed using chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression (alpha = 5.

New Hybrid Nanomaterial Based on Self-Assembly of Cyclodextrins and Cobalt Prussian Blue Analogue Nanocubes.

Supramolecular self-assembly has been demonstrated to be a useful approach to developing new functional nanomaterials. In this work, we used a cobalt Prussian blue analogue (PBA, Co3[Co(CN)6]2) compound and a β-cyclodextrin (CD) macrocycle to develop a novel host-guest PBA-CD nanomaterial. The preparation of the functional magnetic material involved the self-assembly of CD molecules onto a PBA surface by a co-precipitation method.

Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, voluntary bone marrow donors registry analysis.

Objective: this study aimed to report the allele and haplotype frequencies of volunteer bone marrow donors (VBMD) from the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) who were enrolled in the Brazilian Volunteer Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDOME).

Methods: the sample comprised 12,973 VBMD who had their allele and haplotype frequencies calculated by Arlequin 3.5.

Dentin hypersensitivity treatment of non-carious cervical lesions - a single-blind, split-mouth study.

This study aims to compare the in vivo effect of a desensitizing therapy associated with a restorative technique for the treatment of cervical dentin hypersensitivity (CDH) in non-carious lesions. The sample consisted of 68 teeth with moderate or severe dentin hypersensitivity in 17 individuals (one tooth per quadrant). The sensitivity levels of the teeth were scored, and the teeth were randomly distributed into four groups: T1 - desensitizing gel applied once per week until remission of pain; T2 - desensitizing gel applied once per week followed immediately by restoration with resin composite (Filtek Z250, 3M Espe); T3 - desensitizing gel once per week until remission of pain and then restoration with resin composite; and T4 - restoration with resin composite.

Cephalometric and anthropometric data of obstructive apnea in different age groups.

Introduction: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome usually present with changes in upper airway morphology and/or body fat distribution, which may occur throughout life and increase the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with age.

Objective: To correlate cephalometric and anthropometric measures with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome severity in different age groups.

Methods: A retrospective study of cephalometric and anthropometric measures of 102 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was analyzed.

Hypoalbuminemia and oxidative stress in patients on renal hemodialysis program.

Introduction: Albumin is considered an important extracellular antioxidant molecule. hypoalbuminemia is a strong and independent predictor of mortality in patients on hemodialysis. The present study evaluated the relation between hypoalbuminemia and oxidative stress by comparing superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant micronutrient consumption in chronic renal failure patients.

Oral health of patients under short hospitalization period: observational study.

Objective: To assess the impact of hospitalization on the oral health status of individuals hospitalized for a short period of time.

Material And Methods: This was an observational study of hospitalized patients. The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) was measured at baseline (T0 - first 24 h of hospital admission), and at 3 (T1), 7 (T2), 14 (T3) days.

Brazilian brown propolis elicits antileishmanial effect against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis.

Propolis is a complex matrix of chemical constituents extracted from plants and produced by bees which is used in folk medicine due to its several pharmacological properties. Its chemical composition varies according to the region where it is produced. This work has studied the antileishmanial activity and cytotoxicity of brown propolis (BP) originating from the semi-arid region of Piauí, Brazil.

Intellectual disability and impact on oral health: a paired study.

The objective was to assess the oral health status, the treatment needed, and the type of dental health services access of intellectually disabled (ID) subjects in Teresina, Brazil. The sample consisted of 103 ID subjects matriculated in centers for special needs people and 103 siblings. Results were analyzed using paired t-test, chi-square test, and odds ratio.

Plasma concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α and its relationship with zincemia in obese women.

Objective: In obesity, the excessive adipose tissue increases the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines, which appear to alter the metabolism of minerals, such as zinc. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study investigated whether the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in plasma can to influence biochemical parameters of zinc in obese women.

Oxidative stress and immunological alteration in women with preeclampsia.

Objectives: To determine plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and of inflammatory markers in women with preeclampsia.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 50 preeclamptic and 50 healthy pregnant women. The concentrations of MDA were determined by the method of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances.

Enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase and zincemia in women with preeclampsia.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a complex syndrome of unknown aetiologic origin. It is characterized by the clinical triad of hypertension, edema and protenuria. Current concepts of the genesis of preeclampsia include endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress.

[Validity and reliability of data and avoidability of the underlying cause of neonatal deaths in the intensive care unit of the North-Northeast Perinatal Care Network].

The aim of this study was to analyze the validity and reliability of data and the avoidability of neonatal deaths in the intensive care unit in the North-Northeast Perinatal Care Network (RENOSPE). The sample included 53 neonatal deaths recorded in the RENOSPE database that occurred in a maternity hospital in Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil. Validity was assessed by comparing causes recorded in the database with those from patient charts and calculating kappa index, sensitivity, and positive predictive value (PPV).

Parameters of glycemic control and their relationship with zinc concentrations in blood and with superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in type 2 diabetes patients.

Objective: This study assessed the relationship between the parameters of glycemic control, and zinc concentrations in blood and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in type 2 diabetes patients.

Subjects And Methods: Seventy-three individuals, aged between 25 and 59 years, were divided into the experimental group (type 2 diabetes patients, n = 36) and control group (n = 37). Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations, superoxide dismutase activity, and parameters of glycemic control were analyzed.

Oral health and oral motor function in children with cerebral palsy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the type of cerebral palsy (CP) and oral motor function (OMF) on the oral health status of children and adolescents with CP in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. The sample consisted of 52 children with CP, aged 7 to 18 years. The data were statistically analyzed using chi-square tests.

[Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations in elderly patients with and without senile cataract in a tertiary eye care center at Teresina-Piauí].

Purpose: To determine plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations in elderly with and without senile cataract in a tertiary eye care center at Teresina-Piauí.

Methods: A quantitative, transversal and controlled study was developed at the Hospital de Olhos Francisco Vilar, Piauí, Brasil. Fifty-six elderly subjects (37 females, 19 males) with no known conditions that modify zinc blood levels or increase risk of cataract were included.

[HLA polymorphism in a racially admixed sample of the population of Teresina, Piauí].

Objective: To establish the frequencies of HLA-A, B, DRB1 and DQB1 specificities in a racially admixed sample of the city of Teresina, Piauí to characterize its genetic composition.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) were used to determine HLA-A, B, DRB1 and DQB1 specificities of 97 unrelated healthy racially admixed people of Teresina. The genotypic frequencies were estimated and compared to those described in samples of Brazilian Caucasian, Portuguese, Black and Amerindian populations using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA).