Regional cerebral blood flow and cognitive function in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objective: To explore the relationship between regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cognitive function in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed for 139 OCD patients and 139 controls, and the radioactivity rate (RAR) was calculated. Cognitive function was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results: The RARs of the prefrontal, anterior temporal, and right occipital lobes were higher in patients than controls. For the WCST, correct and classification numbers were significantly lower, and errors and persistent errors were significantly higher in OCD patients. Right prefrontal lobe RAR was negatively correlated with correct numbers, right anterior temporal lobe RAR was positively correlated with errors, and the RARs of the right prefrontal lobe and left thalamus were positively correlated with persistent errors. Conclusion: OCD patients showed higher CBF in the prefrontal and anterior temporal lobes, suggesting that these areas may be related with cognitive impairment

Desigualdades contextuais e individuais da prevalencia de dor dentaria em adultos e idosos no Brasil

Abstract published in English and Portuguese English title: Contextual and individual inequalities in dental pain prevalence among Brazilian adults and eldersThis study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental pain among adults and older people living in Brazil’s State capitals. Information was gathered from the Telephone Survey Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases (VIGITEL) in 2009 (n = 54,367). Dental pain was the outcome. Geographic region, age, gender, race, schooling, private health coverage, smoking, and soft drink consumption were the explanatory variables. Multilevel Poisson regression models were performed. Prevalence of dental pain was 15.2%; Macapá and São Luís had prevalence rates greater than 20%; all capitals in the South and Southeast, plus Cuiabá, Campo Grande, Maceió, Recife, and Natal had prevalence rates less than 15%. Factors associated with increased prevalence of dental pain were the North and Northeast regions, female gender, black/brown skin color, lack of private health insurance, smoking, and soft drink consumption. Dental pain is a public health problem that should be monitored by health surveillance systems. = O objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer a prevalência de dor dentária e fatores associados em adultos e idosos residentes nas capitais brasileiras usando os dados do Sistema de Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico (VIGITEL), de 2009 (n = 54.367). Dor dentária foi a variável dependente. Macrorregião, idade, sexo, raça, escolaridade, posse de plano de saúde, tabagismo e consumo de refrigerantes foram as variáveis exploratórias. Foram realizadas regressões de Poisson multinível. A prevalência de dor dentária foi de 15,2%; Macapá e São Luís apresentaram prevalências maiores que 20% enquanto em todas as capitais do Sul e Sudeste, em Cuiabá, Campo Grande, Maceió, Recife e Natal foram encontradas prevalências menores que 15%. Residentes no Norte e Nordeste, mulheres, pretos e pardos, aqueles que não possuem plano de saúde, tabagistas e consumidores de refrigerantes apresentaram as maiores prevalências de dor dentária. A dor dentária é um problema de saúde pública que deve ser monitorado pelos sistemas de vigilância em saúde.Marco A. Peres, Betine Pinto Moehlecke Iser, Karen Glazer Peres, Deborah Carvalho Malta, José Leopoldo Ferreira Antune

Thickness and nanomechanical properties of protective layer formed by TiF4 varnish on enamel after erosion

Abstract The layer formed by fluoride compounds on tooth surface is important to protect the underlying enamel from erosion. However, there is no investigation into the properties of protective layer formed by NaF and TiF4 varnishes on eroded enamel. This study aimed to evaluate the thickness, topography, nanohardness, and elastic modulus of the protective layer formed by NaF and TiF4 varnishes on enamel after erosion using nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Human enamel specimens were sorted into control, NaF, and TiF4 varnish groups (n = 10). The initial nanohardness and elastic modulus values were obtained and varnishes were applied to the enamel and submitted to erosive challenge (10 cycles: 5 s cola drink/5 s artificial saliva). Thereafter, nanohardness and elastic modulus were measured. Both topography and thickness were evaluated by AFM. The data were subjected to ANOVA, Tukey’s test and Student’s t test (α = 0.05). After erosion, TiF4 showed a thicker protective layer compared to the NaF group and nanohardness and elastic modulus values were significantly lower than those of the control group. It was not possible to measure nanohardness and elastic modulus in the NaF group due to the thin protective layer formed. AFM showed globular deposits, which completely covered the eroded surface in the TiF4 group. After erosive challenge, the protective layer formed by TiF4 varnish showed significant properties and it was thicker than the layer formed by NaF varnish

Influence of sulfur amino acid levels in diets of broiler chickens submitted to immune stress

Several changes in amino acid levels occur during an infection. As a rule, glycine, taurine and serine levels diminish considerably, while cysteine levels increase. Such changes may be attributed to the intense consumption of sulfur amino acids (SAA- methionine+cysteine) during infectious challenge. Methionine plays an important role in humoral and cellular immune responses. It has been suggested that such effect is exerted by intracellular glutathione and cysteine levels. Four-hundred thirty-two day-old Ross male broiler chickens were fed (from 1 to 42 days of age) three SAA levels in the diet (0.72, 0.82, and 0.92% from 1 to 21 days of age; 0.65, 0.75, and 0.85% from 22 to 42 days of age) and submitted to two immunological stimulus series. Vaccines against Marek's disease, Fowlpox, Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Bursal disease, Freund's Complete Adjuvant, and avian tuberculin were used as immunological stimuli. The experiment comprised 6 treatments, with 6 replications using 12 birds per replicate. Performance data were collected weekly. Gumboro antibodies were measured by ELISA, and the cellular immune response by the tuberculin test. SAA levels tested did not influence immune response. Nevertheless, the vaccines applied on the 1st day impaired chick performance up to the 21 days of age. The SAA levels generally adopted in poultry husbandry may not be enough to assure weight gain, especially when birds are raised if a low-challenge infectious environment