Detrimental effects of chronic sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drink consumption on inflammatory response and the size of apical periodontitis: An animal-based study.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic consumption of two sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drinks - one containing caffeine (Coca-Cola®) and one without (Sprite®) - on the progression of periapical lesions and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in rats.

Methodology: Twelve Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 4): Control group, Coca-Cola group and Sprite group. The rats in Coca-Cola and Sprite groups were given ad libitum access to their respective soft drinks for 3 months, while the Control group received filtered water.

Indicators of Return to Sports at Preinjury Levels Following Surgery for Chronic Ankle Instability: Comparison of ALR-RSI, AOFAS, and Karlsson Scores.

Background: While there are several scales for measuring patients' outcomes after chronic ankle instability (CAI) surgery, a study comparing the predictive ability of these scores with regard to return to sports (RTS) at the preinjury level is lacking.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the Ankle Ligament Reconstruction-Return to Sport After Injury (ALR-RSI), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and Karlsson scores in predicting 2-year RTS outcomes after arthroscopic treatment of CAI. It was hypothesized that ALR-RSI would be superior in predicting 2-year RTS outcomes after CAI surgery and that a quantifiable increase in this score would significantly improve RTS outcomes.

Behavioral and Electrophysiological Assessment of Central Auditory Processing in Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease.

Introduction: Sickle cell anemia has a genetic origin characterized by an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. The nervous system may be subject to vaso-occlusion and, consequently, affect the proper functioning of the central portion of hearing.

Objective: To assess central auditory skills and analyze short- and long-latency auditory evoked potentials in children with sickle cell disease.

Single-molecule resolution of the conformation of polymers and dendrimers with solid-state nanopores.

Polymers and dendrimers are macromolecules, possessing unique and intriguing characteristics, that are widely applied in self-assembled functional materials, green catalysis, drug delivery and sensing devices. Traditional approaches for the structural characterization of polymers and dendrimers involve DLS, GPC, NMR, IR and TG, which provide their physiochemical features and ensemble information, whereas their unimolecular conformation and dispersion also are key features allowing to understand their transporting profile in confined ionic nanochannels. This work demonstrates the nanopore approach for the determination of charged homopolymers, neutral block copolymer and dendrimers under distinct bias potentials and pH conditions.

Comprehensive molecular epidemiology of influenza viruses in Brazil: insights from a nationwide analysis.

Influenza A and B viruses represent significant global health threats, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality rates. However, a comprehensive understanding of the molecular epidemiology of these viruses in Brazil, a continental-size country and a crucial hub for the entry, circulation, and dissemination of influenza viruses within South America, still needs to be improved. This study addresses this gap by consolidating data and samples across all Brazilian macroregions, as part of the Center for Viral Surveillance and Serological Assessment project, together with an extensive number of other Brazilian sequences provided by a public database during the epidemic seasons spanning 2021-23.