Effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on counts of Candida spp. in children.

The effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on counts of Candida spp. have rarely been discussed, and no conclusive results are found in the literature. The aim of this study was thus to ascertain the effects of oral environment stabilization procedures with glass ionomer and zinc oxide-eugenol cements on counts of Candida spp.

C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene and variant hemoglobins: a study in newborns from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

The C677T polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR) is associated with an increase in total homocysteine serum levels (tHcy), described as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Eight hundred forty-three neonates from two different maternity hospitals, one public and another private, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil were screened for this polymorphism by PCR and RFLP. The T-allele frequency in the total sample was 0.

Ethnicity and glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1/GSTT1) polymorphisms in a Brazilian population.

The distribution of polymorphisms related to glutathione S-transferases (GST) has been described in different populations, mainly for white individuals. We evaluated the distribution of GST mu (GSTM1) and theta (GSTT1) genotypes in 594 individuals, by multiplex PCR-based methods, using amplification of the exon 7 of CYP1A1 gene as an internal control. In São Paulo, 233 whites, 87 mulattos, and 137 blacks, all healthy blood-donor volunteers, were tested.

Esthetic alternative for fluorosis blemishes with the usage of a dual bleaching system based on hydrogen peroxide at 35%.

Esthetic dental procedures in pediatric dentistry represent sources of satisfaction and realization, as much for the patient as for the professional. Lack of dental esthetics may develop psychological problems in infant as well as in adolescent patients. Blemishes produced by fluorosis appear as a challenge to the pediatric dentist and alternatives for treatment are desired.

Diagnostic value of cytokines and C-reactive protein in the first 24 hours of neonatal sepsis.

The first objective of this article was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in differentiating infected from noninfected neonates during the first 24 hours of suspected sepsis and to compare them to the currently used laboratory parameters: C-reactive protein (CRP), immature-to-total neutrophil ratio, and leukocyte and platelet count. The secondary objective was to compare the cytokine levels in subpopulations of neonates. Seventy-five premature and 30 term infants were enrolled.

[Clinical and laboratorial repercussions of the nasal CPAP in preterm newborns].

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and problems associated with nasal CPAP use. METHODS: 96 preterm newborns needing nasal CPAP either as initial ventilatory support or as weaning from the ventilator were studied prospectively. RESULTS: Nasal CPAP was used in children weighing 480g to 2,450g and corrected gestational age of 24 to 39 weeks.

Comparison of two nasal prongs for application of continuous positive airway pressure in neonates.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have compared the performance of nasal prongs used for applying continuous positive airway pressure. The present study compared the tolerance and efficacy with the Argyle and Hudson nasal prongs. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized clinical study.

Schistosoma mansoni infection is associated with a reduced course of asthma.

Background: Helminthic infections decrease skin reactivity to indoor allergens, but data on whether they influence asthma severity are lacking.

Objective: This study evaluated the course of asthma in patients with and without Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Methods: Asthmatic subjects were enrolled from 3 low-socioeconomic areas: a rural area endemic for schistosomiasis (group 1) in addition to a rural area (group 2) and a slum area (group 3), both of which were not endemic for schistosomiasis.

Antibodies to Schistosoma mansoni in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from patients suspected of having neuroschistosomiasis (NS) were evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Monoclonal antibodies of various immunoglobulin isotypes (IgM, IgA, IgE, total IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) were used to detect antibodies against Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA) and soluble worm adult preparation (SWAP). Of the 83 CSF samples tested, 55% were reactive to SEA (26% were reactive only to SEA and 29% to both SEA and SWAP), 34% were reactive to SWAP (5% only to SWAP and 29% to both SEA and SWAP), and 40% were not reactive with any antigen.

Acute leukemias in Piauí: comparison with features observed in other regions of Brazil.

Differences in age and sex distribution as well as FAB (French-American-British classification) types have been reported for acute leukemias in several countries. We studied the demographics and response to treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between 1989 and 2000 in Teresina, Piau , and compared these results with reports from Brazil and other countries. Complete data concerning 345 patients (230 ALL, 115 AML) were reviewed.

Human enamel veneer restoration in a deciduous tooth: clinical case.

Trauma to deciduous anterior teeth, frequently occur in children, and the treatment is a big challenge for the pediatric dentistry. In these cases, besides the pain and discomfort provoked by the injury, both child and parents/persons responsible were eager to reconstruct the damage, as soon as possible. In modern operative restorative dentistry, no restorative material is able to substitute for the human dental enamel in quality, color and resistance.

[Diagnostic concordance between emergency room and hospitalization in medical patients].

Background: The purpose of this study was to know the concordance of diagnosis between emergency rooms amd hospitalization wards and to analyze the mistake index, the epidemiological characteristics and the main reasons for the mistakes.

Patients And Method: We analyzed hospitalized patients and used a three-level concordance: exact diagnosis (A), syndromical concordance (B) and mistake (C). We compared age, sex, time and days of hospitalization between the groups A+B and C.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and organic solvents.

Organic solvents have been suggested as a possible risk factor for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). We studied 109 NHL incident cases and 276 controls with other cancers (1990/1996) in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Occupational exposure to organic solvents was evaluated through standardized questionnaires and defined by industrial hygienists, taking into account individuals' lifetime history.

Community of male Euglossini bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a secondary forest, Alcântara, MA, Brazil.

From September, 92 to August, 93 bee sampling was done in a secondary forest near the Pepital River, in Alcântara, MA, in order to study the local Euglossini fauna. Five aromatic compounds were used: eucaliptol, eugenol, methyl salicylate, vanillin, and benzoate. Four hundred sixty-seven male Euglossini bees were captured, distributed in 4 genus and 19 species.

[The baby alarm distress scale: a validity study].

It should take into account the psychopatologic context and the child's development moment to evaluate the baby alarm distress from a standardized instrument. We present the BADS questionnaire validation by its application in 90 children, from 0 to 2 years-old, obtaining a K=0.783 to p<0.

Clinical and immunologic evaluation of 31 patients with acute schistosomiasis mansoni.

Thirty-one patients with acute schistosomiasis were evaluated clinically and immunologically. Cytokine levels were determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) supernatants. Levels of total and antigen-specific IgE, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and immune complexes were measured in serum samples.

[Historical issues in case-control studies].

This paper presents the main issues in the evolution of case-control studies (CCS) as of the late 1980s. The comparison of two groups regarding exposure to a risk factor has been known since the 18th century. The latter half of the 19th century witnessed a decline in the "Epidemiology of Populations", and the first CCS were only done in the 1920s.

[Analysis of internal notices to the emergency team of the medical area at a general hospital].

Objective: To study the frequency and characteristics of the hospitalized patients medical emergencies.

Patients And Methods: We have collected daily the notice to the emergency room from patients hospitalized and we have analyzed the clinical and epidemiological characteristics.

Results: Three hundred forty-one notices were recorded.

Microleakage evaluation of pit and fissure sealants done with different procedures, materials, and laser after invasive technique.

This study evaluated the microleakage of pit and fissure sealants after different surface preparation (invasive technique and laser irradiation) and the use of different materials (fluoride resin-filled sealant, resin-modified glass ionomer cement and adhesive system). Eighty-four pre molars were used in this study, which were divided into seven groups. After the accomplishment of the different treatments, these were submitted to thermocycling process and assess for microleakage by examination under an epifluorescent microscope and scored zero to seven.

Analysis of gonadotropin pulsatility in hirsute women with normal menstrual cycles and in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To study the relation between plasma gonadotropin pulsatility, androgen levels, and estrogen levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in hirsute women with normal menstrual cycles, and in healthy women.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University medical center-based cellular and molecular endocrinology laboratory.