Dental caries and treatment needs in adolescents from the state of São Paulo, 1998 and 2002

OBJETIVO: Avaliar indicadores de prevalência e severidade de cárie em adolescentes e as necessidades de tratamento. MÉTODOS: Os dados foram obtidos a partir de levantamentos epidemiológicos em saúde bucal realizados no Estado de São Paulo em 1998 e 2002, com adolescentes de 12 e 18 anos de idade. A experiência de cárie foi medida pelo índice de dentes permanentes cariados, perdidos e restaurados (CPOD) e a necessidade de tratamento foi avaliada segundo critérios da Organização Mundial de Saúde. O signifi cant caries index foi empregado para definir a experiência de cárie de um terço do grupo que apresentou maior experiência da doença. Para a idade de 12 anos, os exames ocorreram em escolas públicas e privadas, em 1998 (N=9.327) e 2002 (N=5.782), enquanto que os adolescentes de 18 anos, em 2002, foram examinados em seus domicílios (N=5195, em 1998 e N=257 em 2002). RESULTADOS: Aos 12 anos de idade, o índice CPOD foi de 3,72 em 1998 e de 2,52 em 2002, enquanto que aos 18 anos foi de 8,64 e 7,13, respectivamente. O significant caries index aos 12 anos foi de 7,40 (1998) e 5,62 (2002), aos 18 anos foi de 15,05 e 12,19, respectivamente. Aos 12 anos observou-se aumento de necessidades de restaurações de uma superfície (p<0,0001) e de selantes aos 18 anos (p<0,0001). CONCLUSÕES: Verificou-se que houve declínio da cárie entre os adolescentes e a maioria das necessidades de tratamento odontológicas foram de baixa complexidade.Sem bols

Barrier and internal wave contributions to the quantum probability density and flux in light heavy-ion elastic scattering

We investigate the properties of the optical model wave function for light heavy-ion systems where absorption is incomplete, such as $\alpha + ^{40}$Ca and $\alpha + ^{16}$O around 30 MeV incident energy. Strong focusing effects are predicted to occur well inside the nucleus, where the probability density can reach values much higher than that of the incident wave. This focusing is shown to be correlated with the presence at back angles of a strong enhancement in the elastic cross section, the so-called ALAS (anomalous large angle scattering) phenomenon; this is substantiated by calculations of the quantum probability flux and of classical trajectories. To clarify this mechanism, we decompose the scattering wave function and the associated probability flux into their barrier and internal wave contributions within a fully quantal calculation. Finally, a calculation of the divergence of the quantum flux shows that when absorption is incomplete, the focal region gives a sizeable contribution to nonelastic processes.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures. RevTeX file. To appear in Phys. Rev. C. The figures are only available via anonynous FTP on ftp://umhsp02.umh.ac.be/pub/ftp_pnt/figscat

RNA polymerase II stalling promotes nucleosome occlusion and pTEFb recruitment to drive immortalization by Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immortalizes resting B-cells and is a key etiologic agent in the development of numerous cancers. The essential EBV-encoded protein EBNA 2 activates the viral C promoter (Cp) producing a message of ~120 kb that is differentially spliced to encode all EBNAs required for immortalization. We have previously shown that EBNA 2-activated transcription is dependent on the activity of the RNA polymerase II (pol II) C-terminal domain (CTD) kinase pTEFb (CDK9/cyclin T1). We now demonstrate that Cp, in contrast to two shorter EBNA 2-activated viral genes (LMP 1 and 2A), displays high levels of promoter-proximally stalled pol II despite being constitutively active. Consistent with pol II stalling, we detect considerable pausing complex (NELF/DSIF) association with Cp. Significantly, we observe substantial Cp-specific pTEFb recruitment that stimulates high-level pol II CTD serine 2 phosphorylation at distal regions (up to +75 kb), promoting elongation. We reveal that Cp-specific pol II accumulation is directed by DNA sequences unfavourable for nucleosome assembly that increase TBP access and pol II recruitment. Stalled pol II then maintains Cp nucleosome depletion. Our data indicate that pTEFb is recruited to Cp by the bromodomain protein Brd4, with polymerase stalling facilitating stable association of pTEFb. The Brd4 inhibitor JQ1 and the pTEFb inhibitors DRB and Flavopiridol significantly reduce Cp, but not LMP1 transcript production indicating that Brd4 and pTEFb are required for Cp transcription. Taken together our data indicate that pol II stalling at Cp promotes transcription of essential immortalizing genes during EBV infection by (i) preventing promoter-proximal nucleosome assembly and ii) necessitating the recruitment of pTEFb thereby maintaining serine 2 CTD phosphorylation at distal regions

Chemostratigraphy of Neoproterozoic carbonates: implications for 'blind dating'

The delta C-13(carb) and Sr-87/Sr-86 secular variations in Neoproteozoic seawater have been used for the purpose of 'isotope stratigraphy' but there are a number of problems that can preclude its routine use. In particular, it cannot be used with confidence for 'blind dating'. The compilation of isotopic data on carbonate rocks reveals a high level of inconsistency between various carbon isotope age curves constructed for Neoproteozoic seawater, caused by a relatively high frequency of both global and local delta C-13(carb) fluctuations combined with few reliable age determinations. Further complication is caused by the unresolved problem as to whether two or four glaciations, and associated negative delta C-13(carb) excursions, can be reliably documented. Carbon isotope stratigraphy cannot be used alone for geological correlation and 'blind dating'. Strontium isotope stratigraphy is a more reliable and precise tool for stratigraphic correlations and indirect age determinations. Combining strontium and carbon isotope stratigraphy, several discrete ages within the 590-544 Myr interval, and two age-groups at 660-610 and 740-690 Myr can be resolved

Avaliação da qualidade da carne bovina fresca e maturada proveniente de animais cruzados de raças adaptadas e não adaptadas.

A agropecuária brasileira tem grande importância econômica no país e a pecuária bovina tem grande influência nesse quadro, pois o Brasil é o maior exportador mundial de carne bovina. Dessa maneira, os mercados consumidores mundiais visam à qualidade de tal alimento. Em específico, no caso da carne, os atributos qualitativos mais observados são a palatabilidade (maciez, textura, sabor e suculência) e a aparência (cor, firmeza e marmorização), sendo estes observados por meio de características físico-químicas obtidas no músculo Longissimus dorsi. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade físico-química da carne bovina fresca e maturada proveniente de diferentes cruzamentos entre mães F1 (Nelore x Angus), cruzadas com touro Canchim (CX) ou Bonsmara (BX), em um total de 14 animais, sete de cada cruzamento. As análises foram realizadas no Laboratório de Análise de Carnes da Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste. As amostras maturadas ficaram durante 14 dias em câmara fria entre 1 e 2 ºC e as frescas apenas por um dia. Foram determinados o pH, a capacidade de retenção de água, a perda por cocção, a cor e a força de cisalhamento. O pH foi medido na porção muscular do bife com um medidor digital. As determinações de cor da carne e da gordura foram realizadas com colorímetro portátil, em três diferentes pontos do bife. Foram avaliadas: a luminosidade (L*); a intensidade da cor vermelha (a*); e a intensidade da cor amarela (b*). A capacidade de retenção de água foi obtida por diferença entre os pesos de uma amostra de carne, de aproximadamente 2 g, antes e depois de ser submetida à pressão de 10 kg, durante 5 minutos. A perda por cocção foi determinada pela diferença entre os pesos do bife antes e depois do cozimento até a amostra atingir em seu interior 70ºC. A força de cisalhamento foi medida com o aparelho texturômetro TAXT2 plus. Foi realizada análise de variância e teste de médias utilizando o programa SAS. As características da carne (força de cisalhamento, capacidade de retenção de água, cor, pH e perda por cocção) não se diferenciaram estatisticamente (P>0,05) quanto ao grupo genético. Houve interação entre grupo genético e tempo de maturação no parâmetro L*. Em relação ao tempo de maturação, houve diferença estatística (P<0,05) para todos os parâmetros, exceto o pH. Concluiu-se que não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos genéticos, porém o tempo de maturação influenciou as características físico-químicas

A systematic review on health resilience to economic crises

Background The health effects of recent economic crises differ markedly by population group. The objective of this systematic review is to examine evidence from longitudinal studies on factors influencing resilience for any health outcome or health behaviour among the general population living in countries exposed to financial crises. Methods We systematically reviewed studies from six electronic databases (EMBASE, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science) which used quantitative longitudinal study designs and included: (i) exposure to an economic crisis; (ii) changes in health outcomes/behaviours over time; (iii) statistical tests of associations of health risk and/or protective factors with health outcomes/behaviours. The quality of the selected studies was appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. PRISMA reporting guidelines were followed. Results From 14,584 retrieved records, 22 studies met the eligibility criteria. These studies were conducted across 10 countries in Asia, Europe and North America over the past two decades. Ten socio-demographic factors that increased or protected against health risk were identified: gender, age, education, marital status, household size, employment/occupation, income/ financial constraints, personal beliefs, health status, area of residence, and social relations. These studies addressed physical health, mortality, suicide and suicide attempts, mental health, and health behaviours. Women’s mental health appeared more susceptible to crises than men’s. Lower income levels were associated with greater increases in cardiovascular disease, mortality and worse mental health. Employment status was associated with changes in mental health. Associations with age, marital status, and education were less consistent, although higher education was associated with healthier behaviours. Conclusions Despite widespread rhetoric about the importance of resilience, there was a dearth of studies which operationalised resilience factors. Future conceptual and empirical research is needed to develop the epidemiology of resilience

Dynamic biospeckle analysis, a new tool for the fast screening of plant nematicide selectivity

Background: Plant feeding, free-living nematodes cause extensive damage to plant roots by direct feeding and, in the case of some trichodorid and longidorid species, through the transmission of viruses. Developing more environmentally friendly, target-specific nematicides is currently impeded by slow and laborious methods of toxicity testing. Here, we developed a bioactivity assay based on the dynamics of light 'speckle' generated by living cells and we demonstrate its application by assessing chemicals' toxicity to different nematode trophic groups.Results: Free-living nematode populations extracted from soil were exposed to methanol and phenyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). Biospeckle analysis revealed differing behavioural responses as a function of nematode feeding groups. Trichodorus nematodes were less sensitive than were bacterial feeding nematodes or non-trichodorid plant feeding nematodes. Following 24 h of exposure to PEITC, bioactivity significantly decreased for plant and bacterial feeders but not for Trichodorus nematodes. Decreases in movement for plant and bacterial feeders in the presence of PEITC also led to measurable changes to the morphology of biospeckle patterns.Conclusions: Biospeckle analysis can be used to accelerate the screening of nematode bioactivity, thereby providing a fast way of testing the specificity of potential nematicidal compounds. With nematodes' distinctive movement and activity levels being visible in the biospeckle pattern, the technique has potential to screen the behavioural responses of diverse trophic nematode communities. The method discriminates both behavioural responses, morphological traits and activity levels and hence could be used to assess the specificity of nematicidal compounds.</p

Qualidade da carne bovina maturada de diferentes marcas comerciais.

O Brasil exporta cerca de dois milhões de toneladas de equivalente-carcaça por ano, consolidando-se dessa maneira como o maior exportador mundial de carne bovina. O mercado consumidor mundial visa principalmente à qualidade desse alimento, e parâmetros como pH, cor e maciez são de grande importância. A maturação é um processo no qual se obtém carne com melhores propriedades de maciez e sabor, sendo largamente disponível comercialmente

Análise sensorial de carne bovina maturada proveniente de animais cruzados de raças adaptadas e não adaptadas.

Um produto de qualidade é aquele que dentre outros atributos, atende às necessidades do consumidor. A carne bovina pode ser avaliada em relação à sua qualidade, por meio de análises fisicas, quimicas, microbiológicas ou sensoriais. A análise sensorial é uma ferramenta que avalia, por meio de provadores, atributos tais como aparência, aroma, sabor e textura. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar sensorialmente a carne bovina maturada proveniente de diferentes cruzamentos entre vacas FI (Nelore x Angus), cruzadas com touro Canchim (CX) ou Bonsmara (BX), de um total de 14 animais, sete de cada cruzamento, sendo a raça Nelore adaptada e as demais não adaptadas. As amostras do músculo Longissimus dorsi de animais dos dois grupos genéticos foram maturadas durante 14 dias em câmara fria entre I e 2°C. As análises foram realizadas no Laboratório de Análise de Carne da Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste

Rotation Curves of Spiral Galaxies

Rotation curves of spiral galaxies are the major tool for determining the distribution of mass in spiral galaxies. They provide fundamental information for understanding the dynamics, evolution and formation of spiral galaxies. We describe various methods to derive rotation curves, and review the results obtained. We discuss the basic characteristics of observed rotation curves in relation to various galaxy properties, such as Hubble type, structure, activity, and environment.Comment: 40 pages, 6 gif figures; Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. Vol. 39, p.137, 200