Causal Effect of Smoking and Cessation on Tooth Loss.

Aim: To estimate the causal effects of smoking and cessation on tooth loss using instrumental variable (IV) analysis.

Material And Methods: Data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), conducted from 1995 to 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012 in 50 U.S.

Effects of cannabidiol on biomineralization and inflammatory mediators expression in immortalized murine dental pulp cells and macrophages under pro-inflammatory conditions.

Objectives: This study investigated the in vitro effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on dental pulp cells and macrophages under pro-inflammatory conditions.

Materials And Methods: Mouse dental pulp cells (OD-21) were pre-stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (10 ng/mL) or left untreated, then exposed to CBD at concentrations of 0.01 µM, 0.

Seven versus 14 days of antimicrobial therapy for severe multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections in intensive care unit patients (OPTIMISE): a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority clinical trial.

Background: Shorter courses of antimicrobial therapy have been shown to be non-inferior to longer durations for the management of several infections. However, data on critically ill patients with severe infections by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB) are scarce. In the duratiOn of theraPy in severe infecTIons by MultIdrug-reSistant gram-nEgative bacteria (OPTIMISE) trial, we assessed the non-inferiority of 7-day versus 14-day antimicrobial therapy for patients with intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired severe infections by MDR-GNB.

Big Data and Oral Health Disparities: A Critical Appraisal.

Big data has emerged as a pivotal asset in addressing oral health disparities in recent years. Big data encompasses the vast pool of health care-related biomedical information sourced from diverse channels, such as claims data, patient registries, and electronic health records (EHRs). This study is a critical review that synthesizes the evidence, identifies gaps in knowledge, and discusses future implications regarding big data analytics and oral health disparities.

An International Research Agenda for Oral Health Birth Cohort Studies.

The GLOBICS-Global Consortium of Oral Health Birth Cohort Studies (OHBCS)-is a long-lasting international collaborative research group among existing OHBCS, established in response to the Lancet Series on Oral Health, which pointed out the need to shift the global oral health agenda. This study aimed to identify priority research questions from OHBCS that can be leveraged to improve children's global oral health. A 2-phase online Delphi process sought consensus over research priorities for OHBCS.

Hepatitis A, B, and C in Brazilian Afro-Descendant Communities from Northeast Brazil: A Seroepidemiological Survey.

Background: Viral hepatitis is a disease that is more prevalent among individuals residing in remote regions and in contexts of social vulnerability. The objective of this study was to ascertain the seroprevalence of hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), and C (HCV) in vulnerable communities in the rural area of São João do Piauí (SJP), northern Brazil.

Methods: Immunoenzymatic assays were employed to detect the presence of anti-HAV (total and IgM), HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV serological markers in serum samples.

Predictors of Hepatic Fibrosis in Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background/objectives: Approximately 25% of the world's population and more than 60% of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The association between these pathologies is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Brazil and worldwide due to the high frequency of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiologic and clinical-laboratory profile of patients with T2D and MASLD treated at an endocrinology reference service in a state in northeastern Brazil, and to investigate the association of liver fibrosis with anthropometric and laboratory measurements.

High frequency of plastic ingestion in procellariiform seabirds (albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters) in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean.

Ocean pollution by plastics is a growing concern for marine wildlife conservation, and seabirds are particularly prone to ingest plastics. We report baseline information on plastic ingestion in 17 procellariiform species along the coast of Brazil and Argentina. Through a collaborative regional effort we found plastic items in 30.

The expression of and family genes in pituitary adenomas: clinical correlations and postsurgical outcomes.

Introduction: Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are benign tumors with high prevalence and, occasionally, aggressive course. The tumorigenesis of these lesions is not completely understood at the molecular level. BAK1 and BAX proteins play fundamental roles in apoptosis and seem to interact with VDAC proteins, whose expressions have been markedly altered in cancer, impacting their prognosis.

Cannabidiol exerts antipyretic effects by downmodulating inflammatory mediators in LPS-induced fever.

Contrasting to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) has virtually no psychoactive effects and thus presents a minor risk for abuse. Furthermore, emerging preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that CBD exerts several beneficial pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Even though fever is one of the responses associated with systemic inflammation, no previous study assessed the putative impact of CBD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever.

Cost-effectiveness of home care compared to hospital care in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a systematic review.

Background: To compare, through a systematic literature review, the cost-effectiveness ratio of home care compared to hospital care for following up patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: This review was registered in PROSPERO, and the bibliographic search was performed in six primary databases [MedLine (via PubMed), Scopus, LILACS, SciELO, Web of Science, and Embase], two dedicated databases for economic studies (NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) Registry), and two databases for partially searching the "gray literature" (DansEasy and ProQuest). This review only included studies that compared home and hospital care for patients diagnosed with COPD, regardless of publication year or language.

Impact of 5-Lipoxygenase Deficiency on Dopamine-Mediated Behavioral Responses.

The 5-lipoxygenase/leukotriene system has been implicated in both physiological and pathological states within the central nervous system. Understanding how this system interacts with the dopaminergic system could provide valuable insights into dopamine-related pathologies. This study focused on examining both motor and non-motor dopamine-related responses in 5-lipoxygenase/leukotriene-deficient mice.

Association of sedentary behavior and physical activity with occurrence of signs and symptoms in participants of a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with health impairments, while physical activity (PA) has been a protective factor. It is unclear whether SB and PA are associated with occurrence of signs and/or symptoms (SS) during cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) exercise sessions. The objective was to evaluate the association between SB and PA with occurrence of SS.

High free sugars, insulin resistance, and low socioeconomic indicators: the hubs in the complex network of non-communicable diseases in adolescents.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) predominantly affect adults, but pathophysiological changes begin decades earlier, as a continuum, with initial events apparent in adolescence. Hence, early identification and intervention are crucial for the prevention and management of NCDs. We investigated the complex network of socioeconomic, behavioral, and metabolic factors associated with the presence of NCD in Brazilian adolescents.

Comprehensive statistical analysis reveals significant benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in hospitalized patients: propensity score, covariate adjustment, and feature importance by permutation.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines effectively prevent infection and hospitalization. However, few population-based studies have compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 using advanced statistical methods. Our objective is to address this evidence gap by comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Do all individuals benefit equally from non-surgical periodontal therapy? Secondary analyses of systematic review data.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the variability and treatment effect heterogeneity in response to non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT).

Methods: Data from randomized controlled trials included in two recent systematic reviews on the effect of NSPT on mean clinical attachment loss (CAL), mean probing pocket depth (PPD), percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (%BOP), PPD ≤3 mm (%PD ≤3 mm), and C-reactive protein levels (CRP) at 3-12-month follow-up among adults with systemic diseases or conditions were used. In these trials, the control arms received no treatment, hygiene advice, or supragingival scaling.

Critical thermal maxima in neotropical ants at colony, population, and community levels.

Global warming is exposing many organisms to severe thermal conditions and is having impacts at multiple levels of biological organisation, from individuals to species and beyond. Biotic and abiotic factors can influence organismal thermal tolerance, shaping responses to climate change. In eusocial ants, thermal tolerance can be measured at the colony level (among workers within colonies), the population level (among colonies within species), and the community level (among species).

Postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes is reduced by raw insoluble fiber: A randomized trial.

Background And Aims: A lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with the intake of insoluble fiber. This contradicts the postulate that insoluble fibers do not decrease postprandial glycemic response and that only viscous gel-forming soluble fibers would do this. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a dose of insoluble fibers that meets dietary recommendations on postprandial hyperglycemia in T2DM patients.

Clinical factors associated with salivary flow rate in adults with acromegaly.

Objective: To investigate the stimulated salivary flow (SSF) and unstimulated salivary flow (USF) in adults with acromegaly and to identify possible clinical factors associated with salivary flow.

Study Design: A case-control study was conducted with a group composed of adults diagnosed with acromegaly (n = 29, mean age = 50.2 years) and a control group (n = 29, mean age = 54.

Experimental Periodontitis Worsens Dopaminergic Neuronal Degeneration.

Aim: To investigate the hypothesis supporting the link between periodontitis and dopaminergic neuron degeneration.

Materials And Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were used to induce dopaminergic neuronal injury with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) neurotoxin and experimental periodontitis via ligature placement. Motor function assessments were conducted before and after periodontitis induction in controls and 6-OHDA-injury-induced rats.

Healthcare professionals' well-being at work: a professional and organizational identity perspective.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test a model of healthcare professionals' well-being seen as a consequence of a process of motivated professional identity construction, a variable that mediates the influence of the organizational identity (utilitarian or normative) and the perceived reputation of the profession on well-being.

Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional design, based on a survey of 384 healthcare professionals. Structural equation modeling with latent variables was used to test the model.