Associations of Blood Pressure with Functional and Cognitive Changes in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Midlife hypertension followed by late life hypotension resulting from neurodegeneration increases amyloidogenesis and tauopathy.

Methods: Consecutive outpatients with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) at various stages and their respective caregivers were assessed for score variations in 1 year of tests assessing caregiver burden, functionality and cognition according to blood pressure (BP) variations and APOE haplotypes, while also taking into account differential effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, or no antihypertensive medication on score changes. The diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypertension followed the JNC 7 report.

In situ Effect of Chewing Gum with and without CPP-ACP on Enamel Surface Hardness Subsequent to ex vivo Acid Challenge.

The erosion-protective effect of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the ability of CPP-ACP chewing gum to prevent a single event of erosive demineralization in situ. Bovine enamel blocks (n = 120) were randomly assigned to 3 phases according to the baseline surface hardness: phase I (PI) - chewing gum with CPP-ACP, phase II (PII) - chewing gum without CPP-ACP, and control phase (PIII) - salivary effect without stimulation (no gum).

Breastfeeding, Dental Biofilm Acidogenicity, and Early Childhood Caries.

Aim: This study evaluated the acidogenicity of human milk by the dental biofilms of children with and without early childhood caries (ECC).

Method: Biofilms of 16 children (7 with ECC; 9 caries free) were exposed to human milk or 10% sucrose solution in the crossover design, and the biofilm pH was determined.

Results: Breastfeeding did not provoke a decrease in biofilm pH, irrespective of the children's caries status, whereas sucrose decreased the pH for both groups.

Omalizumab in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Brazilian Real-Life Experience.

Background: Current guidelines on chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) suggest a treatment based on a 3-step approach that aims at total symptom control, starting with H1-antihistamines. However, a significant number of patients present an antihistamine-resistant urticaria that must be treated with an alternative third-line therapy such as omalizumab.

Methods: Patients with a history of CSU who did not respond to treatment with high doses of modern antihistamines were treated with 150 or 300 mg of omalizumab every 4 weeks.

Protective Effect of Whole and Fat-Free Fluoridated Milk, Applied before or after Acid Challenge, against Dental Erosion.

This study analysed in vitro the effect of milk against dental erosion, considering three factors: the type of milk (bovine whole/fat-free), the presence of different fluoride concentrations and the time of application (before/after erosive challenge). Bovine enamel (n = 15/group) and root dentine (n = 12/group) specimens were submitted to the following treatments: after the first erosive challenge - 0.9% NaCl solution (negative control), whole milk with 0, 2.

Influence of Toothbrushing on the Antierosive Effect of Film-Forming Agents.

This study evaluated the influence of toothbrushing on the antierosive effect of solutions containing sodium fluoride (225 ppm/F), stannous chloride (800 ppm/Sn), sodium linear polyphosphate (2%/LPP), and their combinations, and deionized water as negative control (C). Solutions were tested in a 5-day erosion-remineralization-abrasion cycling model, using enamel and dentin specimens (n = 8). Erosion was performed 6 times/day for 5 min, exposure to the test solutions 3 times/day for 2min, and toothbrushing (or not) with toothpaste slurry 2 times/day for 2 min (45 strokes).

Frontal Lobe Degeneration in Adults with Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review.

Background: There is a proven link between Down syndrome and the early development of the neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Changes in the personality and behavior of adults with Down syndrome might indicate the early stages of dementia or of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The objective of this study was to investigate the executive functions and changes in behavior associated with frontal lobe degeneration in individuals with Down syndrome who develop AD.

Cytogenetic Biomonitoring in Buccal Mucosa Cells from Young Smokers.

Objective: Nowadays, much attention has been focused on the search for new non-invasive methodologies able to predict malignant transformation of oral mucosa cells. The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate DNA damage (micronucleus) and cellular death (pyknosis, karyolysis and karyorrhexis) in exfoliated oral mucosa cells from smokers and non-smokers in buccal mucosa cells.

Study Design: A total of 24 young, healthy smokers and 14 non-smokers were included in this setting.

Proteomics of Secretory-Stage and Maturation-Stage Enamel of Genetically Distinct Mice.

The mechanisms by which excessive ingestion of fluoride (F) during amelogenesis leads to dental fluorosis (DF) are still not precisely known. Inbred strains of mice vary in their susceptibility to develop DF, and therefore permit the investigation of underlying molecular events influencing DF severity. We employed a proteomic approach to characterize and evaluate changes in protein expression from secretory-stage and maturation-stage enamel in 2 strains of mice with different susceptibilities to DF (A/J, i.

Biomechanical Properties and Microstructural Analysis of the Human Nonaneurysmal Aorta as a Function of Age, Gender and Location: An Autopsy Study.

Introduction: The biomechanical failure properties and histological composition of the human nonaneurysmal aorta were studied.

Methods: Twenty-six human aortas were harvested from fresh cadavers at autopsy. A total of 153 circumferentially oriented strips were obtained from the aortas for biomechanical and histological studies.

Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 as a Potential Mediator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Chronic Vascular Remodeling in Hypertension.

For vascular remodeling in hypertension, it is essential that vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) reshape in order to proliferate and migrate. The extracellular matrix (ECM) needs to be degraded to favor VSMC migration. Many proteases, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), contribute to ECM proteolysis and VSMC migration.

Polymorphism of Metallothionein 2A Modifies Lead Body Burden in Workers Chronically Exposed to the Metal.

Lead (Pb) is a metal that accumulates in the human body, inducing several adverse health effects. One of the proteins responsible for the distribution of metal in the body is metallothionein (MT), which is expressed by different genes, and it is supposed that genetic variation in the genes that encode MTs may affect the Pb body burden. The present study aimed to evaluate the genetic effects of the polymorphism of MT2A (single nucleotide polymorphism rs10636; Cx2192;G) on blood Pb levels (BLL) of workers from car battery factories who are chronically exposed to the metal.

Autologous Internal Limiting Membrane Fragment Transplantation for Large, Chronic, and Refractory Macular Holes.

Objective: To evaluate a technique of autologous internal limiting membrane (ILM) fragment transplantation for the treatment of large, chronic, and/or refractory macular holes (MH).

Design: This was a 6-month prospective interventional case series.

Method: Ten eyes of 10 patients with MH underwent pars plana vitretomy (PPV) and ILM peeling followed by transplantation of an autologous ILM fragment to the MH.

Complications after Radiofrequency Ablation of 233 Hepatic Tumors.

Objective: The only curative treatment for primary and secondary hepatic malignancies is surgery and liver transplantation. Thus, the majority of the patients are not candidates for resection, and there is a lack of organs. For these reasons, alternative treatment modalities such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are employed.

Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring during Intrauterine Open Surgery for Myelomeningocele Repair.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess fetal hemodynamics during intrauterine open surgery for myelomeningocele (MMC) repair by describing fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring in detail related to each part of the procedure.

Methods: A study was performed with 57 fetuses submitted to intrauterine MMC repair between the 24th and 27th week of gestation. Evaluations of FHR were made in specific periods: before anesthesia, after anesthesia, at the beginning of laparotomy, during uterus abdominal withdrawal, hysterotomy, neurosurgery (before incision, during early skin manipulation, spinal cord releasing, and at the end of neurosurgery), abdominal cavity reintroduction, and abdominal closure, and at the end of surgery.

Effect of an Experimental Paste with Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles and Fluoride on Dental Demineralisation and Remineralisation in situ.

This study evaluated the effect of an experimental paste containing hydroxyapatite in nanoparticles (nano-HA)/fluoride on dental de-remineralisation in situ. Thirteen subjects took part in this crossover/randomised/double-blind study performed in 4 phases (14 days each). Four sound and 4 pre-demineralised specimens were worn intraorally at each phase corresponding to the following treatments: Nanop Plus (10% HA, 0.

Peripheral neurokinin-1 receptors contribute to kaolin-induced acute monoarthritis in rats.

Objective: intra-articular co-injection of kaolin with carrageenan (CGN) in rodents is widely used as an experimental model of arthritis. However, the ability of kaolin to cause arthritis and related immune responses when administered alone is unclear. We evaluated the contribution of prostanoids and sensory C-fibres (and their neuropeptide substance P) to kaolin-induced inflammation in the rat knee.