Sickle cell disease does not predispose to caries or periodontal disease

This study investigated the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal condition in a population with sickle cell disease (SCD), analyzing some associations with disease severity. The Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index (DMFT) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) were recorded for 99 individuals with SCD and 91 matched controls. Socio-demographic status, oral health behaviors, and history of clinical severity of SCD were assessed. Statistical comparisons were performed between the group with SCD and the control group, as well as multivariate logistic regression analyses with DMFT index and CPI as the dependent variables. The mean number of decayed teeth was significantly higher in individuals with HbSS. Older age, female gender, and daily smoking were identified as risk factors for higher DMFT, while older age and absence of daily use of dental floss were risk factors for the development of periodontal disease. In conclusion, risk factors known to cause caries and periodontal disease had more influence on oral health than the direct impact of SCD.     

Negative association between quantities of body fat and physical fitness of university football players

Sport Sciences for Health - The aim of the present study was to assess, analyze and correlate tests of physical abilities (acceleration and maximum speed in 30 m, Balsom agility test and...     

12 weeks of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training improves functional fitness in elderly men

Worldwide, there are up to 900 million people over 60 years old, of which more than half are physically inactive. Low physical fitness seems to be the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and mortality in this population. Alternative methods of exercise, such as martial arts, may be an option to improve physical fitness in the elderly. This study aimed to verify the effects of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) training on the functional fitness of elderly men. Sixty-two elderly men were divided in two groups (experimental and control). The experimental group was submitted to a 12-week intervention of BJJ (2 times week^?1; 90-min session^?1). Physical fitness tests and anthropometric measurements were performed before and after intervention in both groups. No statistical differences were found between groups before and after the intervention. The experimental group improved in all performed physical fitness tests. Effect size showed that intervention had a small effect on upper body flexibility; a moderate effect for upper body strength, lower body flexibility, and motor agility/dynamic balance; and a large effect on lower body strength and aerobic endurance. BJJ seems to improve functional fitness in elderly men and may be an alternative method to enhance this population’s health and quality of life.     

Shear bond strength between metal alloy and a ceramic system, submitted to different thermocycling immersion times

The aim of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of Co-Cr and Ni-Cr metal alloys and a specific ceramic, submitted to different thermocycling immersion times. Sixty metal-ceramic specimens were confectioned and standardized in cylindricalformat. Three thermocycling conditions were evaluated: without thermocycling, 3,000 cycles (5 degrees C/55 degrees C+/-1) with 30s of immersion time and 3,000 cycles (5 degrees C/55 degrees C+/-1) with 60s. The shear bond strength was performed in a universal testing machine, using a special device to concentrate the tension at the metal/ceramic interface during the test. The load was applied until fracture of the specimens. The data was statistically analyzed by ANOVA (two-way) and Tukey (p<0.05) test. The results didn't show significant statistic differences between the metal-porcelain combinations. Nevertheless, both metal-ceramic systems submitted to 60s of immersion time showed lower values compared to specimens without thermocycling. It was concluded that the thermocycling immersion time of 1 minute affect the shear bond strength values for the Ni-Cr/porcelain and Cr-Co/porcelain systems.     

Peripheral cemento-ossifying fibroma in a child: a case report

Peripheral cemento-ossifying fibroma is a gingival lesion of reactive nature and unknown etiology. Such a lesion can either interfere with normal tooth eruption or become a factor in plaque development, which usually results in caries formation in newly erupted teeth. Therefore, the objective of the present article was to report a case of peripheral cemento ossifying fibroma occurring in the mandibular posterior region of a 11-year-old girl in association with both absence of premolar eruption and presence of severely caried first permanent molar.     

Physical exercise is associated with better fat mass distribution and lower insulin resistance in spinal cord injured individuals

Objectives

The aim of the study was to compare total and regional body composition and their relationship with glucose homeostasis in physically active and non-active individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (c-SCI).

Methods

Individuals with lesion level between C5–C7 were divided into two groups: physically active (PA; n = 14; who practiced physical exercise for at least 3 months, three times per week or more, minimum of 150 minutes/week): and non-physically active (N-PA n = 8). Total fat mass (t-FM) and regional fat mass (r-FM) were assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fasting plasma insulin (FPI) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

PA group present lower (P < 0.01) total fat mass (t-FM), % and kg, regional fat mass (r-FM), % and kg, FPI levels and HOMA index, while they had higher (P < 0.001) total free fat mass (t-FFM), %, and regional free fat mass (r-FFM), %, compared to the N-PA group. In the N-PA group, FPI and HOMA index were negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with FFM% (r = −0.71, −0.69, respectively) and positively correlated to trunk-FM (r = 0.71, 0.69, respectively) and trunk-FM:t-FM (kg) ratio (r = 0.83, 0.79, respectively).

Conclusion

Physical exercise is associated with lower t-FM, r-FM, and insulin resistance, which could contribute to the decrease of the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions in individuals with c-SCI.     

Origin and Spread of the Dengue Virus Type 1, Genotype V in Senegal, 2015–2019

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most widespread arthropod-borne virus, with the number and severity of outbreaks increasing worldwide in recent decades. Dengue is caused by genetically distinct serotypes, DENV-1–4. Here, we present data on DENV-1, isolated from patients with dengue fever during an outbreak in Senegal and Mali (Western Africa) in 2015–2019, that were analyzed by sequencing the envelope (E) gene. The emergence and the dynamics of DENV-1 in Western Africa were inferred by using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. The DENV-1 grouped into a monophyletic cluster that was closely related to those from Southeast Asia. The virus appears to have been introduced directly into Medina Gounass (Suburb of Dakar), Senegal (location probability = 0.301, posterior = 0.76). The introduction of the virus in Senegal occurred around 2014 (95% HPD = 2012.88–2014.84), and subsequently, the virus moved to regions within Senegal (e.g., Louga and Fatick), causing intense outbreaks in the subsequent years. The virus appears to have been introduced in Mali (a neighboring country) after its introduction in Senegal. In conclusion, we present evidence that the outbreak caused by DENV-1 in urban environments in Senegal and Mali after 2015 was caused by a single viral introduction from Asia.     

Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors Are Effective Anti-HIV Drugs

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are currently recommended for the first line treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) infection. The first-generation INSTIs are effective but can select for resistant viruses. Recent advances have led to several potent second-generation INSTIs that are effective against both wild-type (WT) HIV-1 integrase and many of the first-generation INSTI-resistant mutants. The emergence of resistance to these new second-generation INSTIs has been minimal, which has resulted in alternative treatment strategies for HIV-1 patients. Moreover, because of their high antiviral potencies and, in some cases, their bioavailability profiles, INSTIs will probably have prominent roles in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Herein, we review the current state of the clinically relevant INSTIs and discuss the future outlook for this class of antiretrovirals.