Probiotic Potential and Application of Indigenous Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria in Ripened Short-Aged Cheese.

There are massive sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in traditional dairy products. Some of these indigenous strains could be novel probiotics with applications in human health and supply the growing needs of the probiotic industry. In this work, were analyzed the probiotic and technological properties of three Lactobacilli strains isolated from traditional Brazilian cheeses. In vitro tests showed that the three strains are safe and have probiotic features. They presented antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria, auto-aggregation values around 60%, high biofilm formation properties, and a survivor of more than 65% to simulated acid conditions and more than 100% to bile salts. The three strains were used as adjunct cultures separately in a pilot-scale production of Prato cheese. After 45 days of ripening, the lactobacilli counts in the cheeses were close to 8 Log CFU/g, and was observed a reduction in the lactococci counts (around -3 Log CFU/g) in a strain-dependent manner. Cheese primary and secondary proteolysis were unaffected by the probiotic candidates during the ripening, and the strains showed no lipolytic effect, as no changes in the fatty acid profile of cheeses were observed. Thus, our findings suggest that the three strains evaluated have probiotic properties and have potential as adjunct non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) to improve the quality and functionality of short-aged cheeses.

Brazilian indigenous nonstarter lactic acid bacteria enhance the diversification of volatile compounds in short-aged cheese.

There is growing interest in using autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that provide unique sensory characteristics to dairy products without affecting their safety and quality. This work studied the capacity of three Brazilian indigenous nonstarter LABs (NSLAB) to produce biogenic amines (BAs) and evaluated their effect on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), microbial LAB communities, and physicochemical profile of short-aged cheese. Initially, the strain's potential for biosynthesis of BAs was assessed by PCR and in vitro assays. Then, a pilot-scale cheese was produced, including the NSLAB, and the microbial and VOC profiles were analyzed after 25 and 45 days of ripening. As a results, the strains did not present genes related to relevant BAs and did not produce them in vitro. During cheese ripening, the Lactococci counts were reduced, probably in the production of alcohols and acid compounds by the NSLAB. Each strain produces a unique VOC profile that changes over the ripening time without the main VOCs related to rancid or old cheese. Particularly, the use of the strain Lacticaseibacillus. paracasei ItalPN16 resulted in production of ester compounds with fruity notes. Thus, indigenous NSLAB could be a valuable tool for the enhancement and diversification of flavor in short-aged cheese.

Long-term treatment of cancer-prone germline PTEN mutant mice with low-dose rapamycin extends lifespan and delays tumour development.

PTEN is one of the most commonly inactivated tumour suppressor genes in sporadic cancer. Germline heterozygous PTEN gene alterations also underlie PTEN hamartoma tumour syndrome (PHTS), a rare human cancer-predisposition condition. A key feature of systemic PTEN deregulation is the inability to adequately dampen PI3-kinase (PI3K)/mTORC1 signalling. PI3K/mTORC1 pathway inhibitors such as rapamycin are therefore expected to neutralise the impact of PTEN loss, rendering this a more druggable context compared with those of other tumour suppressor pathways such as loss of TP53. However, this has not been explored in cancer prevention in a model of germline cancer predisposition, such as PHTS. Clinical trials of short-term treatment with rapamycin have recently been initiated for PHTS, focusing on cognition and colon polyposis. Here, we administered a low dose of rapamycin from the age of 6 weeks onwards to mice with heterozygous germline Pten loss, a mouse model that recapitulates most characteristics of human PHTS. Rapamycin was well tolerated and led to a highly significant improvement of survival in both male and female mice. This was accompanied by a delay in, but not full blockade of, the development of a range of proliferative lesions, including gastro-intestinal and thyroid tumours and endometrial hyperplasia, with no impact on mammary and prostate tumours, and no effect on brain overgrowth. Our data indicate that rapamycin may have cancer prevention potential in human PHTS. This might also be the case for sporadic cancers in which genetic PI3K pathway activation is an early event in tumour development, such as endometrial cancer and some breast cancers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a long-term treatment of a germline cancer predisposition model with a PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitor. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Draft Genome Sequence and Comparative Genome Analysis Reveal Potential Functional Properties in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ItalPN16.

Nowadays, there is a great interest on rapid and effective methods for initial identification of probiotic bacteria. In this work, potential probiotic features of the lactic acid bacteria strain ItalPN16 isolated from a traditional Brazilian cheese were studied using bioinformatic tools. The complete genome sequence was obtained, and in silico analyses were carried out to identify the strain and its potential probiotic properties. The sequenced genome (3.02 Mb) presented 3126 protein-coding sequences distributed on 244 SEED subsystems, classifying the strain as nomadic lactobacilli. Phylogenetic and ANI analyses allowed to locate the ItalPN16 strain as a member of the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei group, due to the highest number of orthologous genes in common with reference L. paracasei strains (>98%). In silico analyses revealed the presence of CDSs related to microbe-host interactions, such as adhesion proteins and exopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes. The comparative analysis reveals the presence of a strain-specific glycosyl transferases, compared with other three L. paracasei strains and a high level of protein expression (92%) with the probiotic L. paracasei BL29. The results obtained here indicated interesting probiotic features of the strain L. paracasei ItalPN16 that could favor a future application in the food industry.

Improved functional properties of the potential probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ItalPN16 growing in cheese whey.

The production of probiotic bacteria requires specific and expensive culture media for maintain their viability and metabolic response during gastro-intestinal transit and cell adhesion process. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of the potential probiotic Laticaseibacillus paracasei ItalPN16 to grow in plain sweet whey (SW) and acid whey (AW), evaluating changes in some probiotic properties related to the culture media. Pasteurized SW and AW were suitable media for L. paracasei growth, since counts above 9 Log CFU/ml were achieved using <50% of the total sugars in both whey samples after 48 h at 37°C. The L. paracasei cells obtained from AW or SW cultures showed increased resistance to pH 2.5 and 3.5, higher autoaggregation, and lower cell hydrophobicity, as compared with the control of MRS. SW also improved the biofilm formation ability and cell adhesion capability to Caco-2 cells. Our results indicate that the L. paracasei adaptation to the SW conditions, inducing metabolic changes that improved its stability to acid stress, biofilm formation, autoaggregation, and cell adhesion properties, which are important functional probiotic properties. Overall, the SW could be considered as low-cost culture medium for sustainable biomass production of L. paracasei ItalPN16.

Acquired oral syphilis: A multicenter study of 339 patients from South America.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinicopathologic features of acquired oral syphilis cases in South American countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical data were retrospectively collected from the records of 18 oral diagnostic services in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Peru. Serologies of nontreponemal and treponemal tests were used for diagnosis. RESULTS: The series comprised 339 cases of acquired oral syphilis. Secondary syphilis ranked as the most common stage (86.7%). Lesions were more frequent among males (58.0%) and young adults with a mean age of 33.3 years. Individuals aged 20-29 years were most affected (35.3%). The most commonly involved sites were the tongue (31.6%), lip/labial commissure (25.1%), and hard/soft palate (20.4%). Clinically, acquired oral syphilis usually presented as mucous patches (28.4%), papules (25.7%), and ulcers (18.1%). Skin manifestations occurred in 67.7% of individuals, while lymphadenopathy and fever were observed in 61.3% and 11.6% of all subjects, respectively. Most patients were treated with the benzathine penicillin G antibiotic. CONCLUSION: This report validates the spread of acquired oral syphilis infection among young adults in South America. Our directives include accessible diagnostic tools for proper disease screening, surveillance, and counselling of affected individuals, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Esophagomediastinal fistula: a rare case of gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

A 40-year-old male with history of HIV infection was admitted to the hospital with a one-month history of productive cough, vespertine fever, night sweats, loss of appetite and unintentional 10-Kg weight loss. Physical exam was remarkable for cachexia. Blood tests revealed a CD4+ T lymphocyte count of 23 cells/mm3 and HIV viral load of 837,678 copies/ml. Bacilloscopies were positive. Chest computed thomography (CT) showed multiple mediastinal lymph nodes, signs of esophagomediastinal fistula, pericardial effusion and multiple micronodular pulmonary opacities. Endoscopy (EGD) revealed a 10 mm deep ulcer-like lesion in the middle esophagus with pus overflow, but no bubbles were seen. The diagnosis of stage C3 HIV infection with disseminated tuberculosis was made and the patient underwent standard antituberculosis (RIPE) and antiretroviral therapy. Given the mediastinitis risk a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube was placed for nutritional purposes.

Does Melatonin Associated with Nanostructured Calcium Phosphate Improve Alveolar Bone Repair?

Background and objectives: Calcium phosphates have been widely used as bone substitutes, but their properties are limited to osteoconduction. The association of calcium phosphates with osteoinductive bioactive molecules has been used as a strategy in regenerative medicine. Melatonin has been studied due to its cell protection and antioxidant functions, reducing osteoclastic activity and stimulating newly formed bone. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of topical application of melatonin associated with nanostructured carbonated hydroxyapatite microspheres in the alveolar bone repair of Wistar rats through histological and histomorphometric analysis. Materials and Methods: Thirty female Wistar rats (300 g) were used, divided randomly into three experimental groups (n = 10), G1: nanostructured carbonated hydroxyapatite microspheres associated with melatonin gel (CHA-M); G2: nanostructured carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA); G3: blood clot (without alveolar filling). The animals were euthanized after 7 and 42 days of the postoperative period and processed for histological and histomorphometric evaluation. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post-test were applied to investigate statistical differences between the groups at the same time point for new bone and connective tissue variables. Mann-Whitney was used to assess statistical differences between different time points and in the biomaterial variable. Results: Results showed a greater volume of residual biomaterial in the CHA-M than the CHA group (p = 0.007), and there were no significant differences in terms of newly formed bone and connective tissue between CHA and CHA-M after 42 days. Conclusions: This study concluded that both biomaterials improved alveolar bone repair from 7 to 42 days after surgery, and the association of CHA with melatonin gel reduced the biomaterial's biodegradation at the implanted site but did not improve the alveolar bone repair.

In vivo evaluation of the biocompatibility and biodegradation of a new denatured plasma membrane combined with liquid PRF (Alb-PRF).

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a process that involves the regeneration of bone defects through the application of occlusive membranes that mechanically exclude the population of non-osteogenic cells from the surrounding soft tissue. Interestingly, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has previously been proposed as an autologous GBR membrane despite its short-term resorption period of 2-3 weeks. Recent clinical observations have demonstrated that, by heating a liquid platelet-poor plasma (PPP) layer and mixing the cell-rich buffy coat zone, the resorption properties of heated albumin gel with liquid-PRF (Alb-PRF) can be significantly improved. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory reaction, biocompatibility, and extended degradation properties of a new autologous Alb-PRF membrane in comparison to commonly utilized standard PRF after nude mice implantation, according to ISO 10993-6/2016. Two standard preparations of PRF (L-PRF and H-PRF) were compared to novel Alb-PRF following subcutaneous implantation at 7, 14, and 21 days. All groups demonstrated excellent biocompatibility owing to their autologous sources. However, it is worth noting that, while both L-PRF and H-PRF membranes demonstrated significant or complete resorption by 21 days, the Alb-PRF membrane remained volume-stable throughout the duration of the study. This study demonstrates-for the first time, to the best of our knowledge-a marked improvement in the membrane stability of Alb-PRF. This indicates its future potential for use as a biological barrier membrane for GBR procedures with a long-lasting half-life, or as a biological filler material in esthetic medicine applications. Thus, further studies are warranted to explore future clinical applications in various fields of medicine.

Conditions associated with worse acceptance of a simplified accelerated recovery after surgery protocol in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery Surgical Programs were initially applied to colorectal procedures and used as multimodal approach to relieve the response to surgical stress. An important factor that negatively impacts the success of these programs is the poor tolerance of these patients to certain items in the adopted protocol, especially with regard to post-operative measures. The identification of these factors may help to increase the success rate of such programs, ensuring that benefits reach a greater number of patients and that resources are better allocated. Thus, the aims of this study were to assess the results of the implementation of a Simplified Accelerated Recovery Protocol (SARP) and to identify possible factors associated with failure to implement postoperative protocol measures in patients submitted to laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: 161 patients were randomly divided into two groups. The SARP group (n = 84) was submitted to the accelerated recovery program and the CC group (n = 77), to conventional postoperative care. The SARP group was further divided into two subgroups: patients who tolerated the protocol (n = 51) and those who did not (n = 33), in order to analyze factors contributing to protocol nontolerance. RESULTS: The groups had similar sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The SARP group had a shorter hospital stay, better elimination of flatus, was able to walk and to tolerate a diet sooner (p < 0.0001). Complications rates and readmissions to emergency room were similar between groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that prolonged operating time, stoma creation and rates of surgical complications were independently associated with poor adherence to SARP (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of our SARP resulted in improved recovery from laparoscopic colorectal surgery and proved to be safe for patients. Extensive surgeries, occurrence of complications, and the need for ostomy were variables associated with poor program adhesion. Trial registration Trial Registry: RBR2b4fyr-Date of registration: 03 October 2017.

In Vivo Evaluation of Bovine Xenograft Associated With Oxygen Therapy in Alveolar Bone Repair.

To preserve alveolar bone thickness and width after extraction, clinical strategies have been adopted to reduce or eliminate the need for future surgical interventions to increase the alveolar ridge. The use of xenogeneic biomaterials has been increasing for such application. The association of bone substitutes with active oxygen-based materials, which is essential in the wound-healing process, could accelerate bone repair, optimizing the maintenance of alveolar architecture after extraction. However, the truth of this hypothesis is not clear. The present study aimed to compare the biological response to inorganic bovine bone graft Bonefill (BF), associated or not with active oxygen-based oral gel Bluem (BF+BM), in alveolar bone repair. Twenty female Wistar rats were randomly allocated. The left upper central incisor was extracted, and the dental sockets were filled with BF in the control group (n = 10) and with BF+BM in the experimental group (n = 10). The animals were euthanized at 7 and 42 days after implantation (n = 5), and the samples were processed for descriptive histological and histomorphometric evaluations. The results showed no significant difference between the groups (P > .05). Both groups presented a time-dependent increase in newly formed bone and biosorption biomaterial (P = .0001). The association between active oxygen-based gel and inorganic bovine bone graft did not interfere with or improve bone repair during the experimental periods of alveolar bone repair in rats.

Differential effects of major inhibitory compounds from sugarcane-based lignocellulosic hydrolysates on the physiology of yeast strains and lactic acid bacteria.

OBJECTIVES: Major lignocellulosic inhibitory compounds found in sugarcane-based industrial hydrolysate samples were tested in laboratory and industrial yeast strains, as well as in lactic acid bacteria, in order to verify their effects on important physiological parameters. RESULTS: Saccharomyces cereviaise SA-1, an industrial strain, stood out as compared to the remaining strains for virtually all inhibitors investigated. This strain presented the highest growth rate and the lowest lag-phase in the presence of acetic acid, levulinic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and HMF, when compared to the other strains. In sugarcane-based hydrolysate fermentations, both SA-1 and CEN.PK113-7D presented similar fermentation performances. Industrial isolates of contaminating lactic acid bacteria were evaluated in the presence of an inhibitory cocktail, containing a mixture of 76.6 mM acetic acid, 1.3 mM HMF, 7.1 mM furfural, and 1.9 mM p-coumaric acid. Whilst all yeast strains were unable to grow under such conditions, bacteria had an average inhibition of roughly 50% on their growth rates. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, industrial strain SA-1 might be a promising microbial chassis for second generation ethanol production and for future metabolic and evolutionary engineering strategies, and for strain robustness understanding.

In Vivo Biological Evaluation of Orthodontically Moved Incisors after Replantation.

Background and Objectives: There is still considerable controversy regarding the possibility of submitting replanted teeth to orthodontic movement (OM). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the tissue response after orthodontic movement on replanted teeth. Materials and Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15): G1, replantation without OM after 30 days; G2, replantation with OM after 30 days; G3, replantation without OM after 60 days, and G4, replantation with OM after 60 days. The maxillary left central incisors were extracted and the teeth were stored in milk media. After 30 min, the teeth were replanted and fixed with non-rigid immobilization. All specimens were observed after 30 and 60 days of replantation and then subdivided into two subgroups (with OM or without OM). The animals were euthanized after seven days of the OM started, and the maxillary bone blocks were processed for histological evaluation. Results: The histological results showed periodontal ligament repair in both periods studied without OM; however, ankylosis and root resorption was seen in all orthodontically moved teeth. Conclusions: The orthodontic movement did not favor tissue response in all replanted teeth, regardless of the experimental periods.

Structure and Electrical-Transport Relations in Ba(Zr,Pr)O3-δ Perovskites.

Members of the perovskite solid solution BaZr1-xPrxO3-δ (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) with potential high-temperature electrochemical applications were synthesized via mechanical activation and high-temperature annealing at 1250 °C. Structural properties were examined by Rietveld analysis of neutron powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy at room temperature, indicating rhombohedral symmetry (space group R3̅c) for members x = 0.2 and 0.4 and orthorhombic symmetry (Imma) for x = 0.6 and 0.8. The sequence of phase transitions for the complete solid solution from BaZrO3 to BaPrO3 is Pm3̅m → R3̅c → Imma → Pnma. The structural data indicate that Pr principally exists as Pr4+ on the B site and that oxygen content increases with higher Pr content. Electrical-conductivity measurements in the temperature range of 250-900 °C in dry and humidified (pH2O ≈ 0.03 atm) N2 and O2 atmospheres revealed an increase of total conductivity by over 2 orders of magnitude in dry conditions from x = 0.2 to x = 0.8 (σ ≈ 0.08 S cm-1 at 920 °C in dry O2 for x = 0.8). The conductivity for Pr contents x > 0.2 is attributable to positively charged electronic carriers, whereas for x = 0.2 transport in dry conditions is n-type. The change in conduction mechanism with composition is proposed to arise from the compensation regime for minor amounts of BaO loss changing from predominantly partitioning of Pr on the A site to vacancy formation with increasing Pr content. Conductivity is lower in wet conditions for x > 0.2 indicating that the positive defects are, to a large extent, charge compensated by less mobile protonic species. In contrast, the transport mechanism of the Zr-rich composition (x = 0.2), with much lower electronic conductivity, is essentially independent of moisture content.

Hydrophilic surface of Ti6Al4V-ELI alloy improves the early bone apposition of sheep tibia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this preclinical study was to compare histologically and histomorphometrically both sandblasted/acid-etched implant surfaces with or without maintained in an isotonic solution of 0.9% sodium chloride in early stages of osseointegration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Both implant surfaces were composed of a titanium/aluminum/vanadium alloy (Ti6Al4V-ELI), but they had different surface chemistries: sandblasted/acid-etched titanium surface (FN) or sandblasted/acid-etched surface maintained in an isotonic solution of 0.9% sodium chloride (FA). The surface morphology, topography and chemistry were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal microscopy (CM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Dynamic contact angle (DCA) was employed for wettability evaluation. One implant from each group was placed in the left tibia of twenty healthy, skeletally mature Santa Ines sheep (n = 5). Bone area (BA) and bone-to-implant contact (BIC) were performed on thin sections (30 µm) at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after implant installation. RESULTS: Despite the roughness and morphology similarities between the groups, at the XPS evaluation, the FA group presented 2.3 times less carbon on the surface (FN: 27.3% and FA: 11.6%), sharply enhanced hydrophilicity and significantly enhanced BA and BIC at 14, 21 and 28 days of healing (P < 0.05) compared with the FN. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that the hydrophilic FA accelerates the BA apposition and BIC interface around the implants during early stages of bone formation, providing highest degree of osseointegration.

Recombination in pe/ppe genes contributes to genetic variation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome is made up of two families of genes that are poorly characterized due to their high GC content and highly repetitive nature. The PE and PPE families are typified by their highly conserved N-terminal domains that incorporate proline-glutamate (PE) and proline-proline-glutamate (PPE) signature motifs. They are hypothesised to be important virulence factors involved with host-pathogen interactions, but their high genetic variability and complexity of analysis means they are typically disregarded in genome studies. RESULTS: To elucidate the structure of these genes, 518 genomes from a diverse international collection of clinical isolates were de novo assembled. A further 21 reference M. tuberculosis complex genomes and long read sequence data were used to validate the approach. SNP analysis revealed that variation in the majority of the 168 pe/ppe genes studied was consistent with lineage. Several recombination hotspots were identified, notably pe_pgrs3 and pe_pgrs17. Evidence of positive selection was revealed in 65 pe/ppe genes, including epitopes potentially binding to major histocompatibility complex molecules. CONCLUSIONS: This, the first comprehensive study of the pe and ppe genes, provides important insight into M. tuberculosis diversity and has significant implications for vaccine development.

Site Redistribution, Partial Frozen-in Defect Chemistry, and Electrical Properties of Ba1-x(Zr,Pr)O3-δ.

Changes in nominal composition of the perovskite (ABO3) solid solution Ba1-x(Zr,Pr)O3-δ and adjusted firing conditions at very high temperatures were used to induce structural changes involving site redistribution and frozen-in point defects, as revealed by Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Complementary magnetic measurements allowed quantification of the reduced content of Pr. Weak dependence of oxygen stoichiometry with temperature was obtained by coulometric titration at temperatures below 1000 °C, consistent with a somewhat complex partial frozen-in defect chemistry. Electrical conductivity measurements combined with transport number and Seebeck coefficient measurements showed prevailing electronic transport and also indicated trends expected for partial frozen-in conditions. Nominal Ba deficiency and controlled firing at very high temperatures allows adjustment of structure and partial frozen-in defect chemistry, opening the way to engineer relevant properties for high-temperature electrochemical applications.

A randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate a new xenograft for alveolar socket preservation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical trial was to compare the effect of Bio-Oss(®) and a new bovine xenograft (Osseus(®) ) in alveolar sockets after a 24-week healing period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 adult volunteers ages 30-60 were subjected to single tooth extraction. A tooth extraction was performed at the baseline. All sites were randomly allocated to two test groups (TG1: grafted using a new bovine xenograft, Osseus(®) , and TG2: grafted using commercially available bovine xenograft-Bio-Oss(®) ). Six months later, a sample of the grafted area was obtained and implants were inserted in the same site. Histological sections were examined focusing on the presence of fibrous connective tissue (CT), and newly formed bone in direct contact with the graft. The HE-stained sections were subjected to histomorphometrical evaluation using Image Pro-Plus(®) software (Release 7.0). The definitive crown was placed 3 months later. RESULTS: Upon completion of the study, no patients were removed from the study and all inserted implants (10 in each group) were eventually integrated. After 6 months, in the TG1, the mean value of new bone formation was 33.7 (± 7.1), for CT was 32.3 (± 8.9) and for the remaining biomaterial was 10.7 (± 16.2). In the TG2, the mean value of new bone formation was 19.3 (± 22.6), of the CT was 49.9 (± 14.1) and of the remaining biomaterial was 22.6 (± 7.9). CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant difference was observed between TG1 and TG2 after 6 months (P > 0.05), and both biomaterials afforded a more favorable implant position.

Genotoxic Maillard byproducts in current phytopharmaceutical preparations of Echinodorus grandiflorus.

Extracts of Echinodorus grandiflorus obtained from dried leaves by three different techniques were evaluated by bacterial lysogenic induction assay (Inductest) in relation to their genotoxic properties. Before being added to test cultures, extracts were sterilized either by steam sterilization or ultraviolet light. Only the extracts prepared by infusion and steam sterilized have shown genotoxic activity. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of the flavonoids isovitexin, isoorientin, swertisin and swertiajaponin, isolated from a genotoxic fraction. They were assayed separately and tested negative in the Inductest protocol. The development of browning color and sweet smell in extracts submitted to heat, prompted further chemical analysis in search for Maillard's reaction precursors. Several aminoacids and reducing sugars were cast in the extract. The presence of characteristic Maillard's melanoidins products was determined by spectrophotometry in the visible region and the inhibition of this reaction was observed when its characteristic inhibitor, sodium bisulfite, was added prior to heating. Remarkably, this is the first paper reporting on the appearance of such compounds in a phytomedicine preparation under a current phytopharmaceutical procedure. The genotoxic activity of such heat-prepared infusions imply in some risk of developing degenerative diseases for patients in long-term, uncontrolled use of such phytomedicines.

End-of-life care and grief: study conducted with family members of COVID-19 victims. / Cuidados no final de vida e luto: estudo com familiares de vítimas da COVID-19.

This article aims to investigate the implications of grief among family members of COVID-19 victims; verify the prevalence of prolonged grief symptoms; and identify family members' expectations regarding end-of-life care for their loved ones affected by COVID-19. Descriptive, cross-sectional research, with a quantitative-qualitative approach. Data collection was performed using an online questionnaire, guided by the PG-13 instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. The results were presented descriptively and with the aid of tables. The study sample included 142 family members, mostly female, who presented emotional, physical, social, and financial implications as a result of grief. A prevalence of prolonged grief symptoms was observed in 11.4% of the mourners with more than six months and 29.6% of those with less than six months. Three thematic categories were identified: transparency in communicating the health situation, access to moments of farewell, and promotion of comfort in care actions. The symptoms of Prolonged Grief Disorder have a significant association with the degree of kinship. In final care, family members' expectations were classified as: permission for a dignified farewell, effective communication, and promotion of comfort and care.

O objetivo deste artigo é investigar implicações do luto em familiares de vítimas da COVID-19; verificar a prevalência de sintomas de luto prolongado; identificar expectativas dos familiares acerca do cuidado em fim de vida de seus entes acometidos por COVID-19. Pesquisa descritiva, transversal, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa. Coleta de dados mediante questionário on-line, norteado pelo instrumento PG-13. Aplicou-se estatística descritiva e inferencial. Os resultados foram apresentados de forma descritiva e com auxílio de tabelas. Amostra de 142 familiares, maioria do sexo feminino, que apresentaram implicações emocionais, físicas, sociais e financeiras em decorrência do luto. Houve prevalência de sintomas de luto prolongado em 11,4% dos enlutados com mais de seis meses e 29.6% dos que tinham menos de seis meses. Foram identificadas três categorias temáticas: transparência na comunicação da situação de saúde, acesso a momentos de despedida e promoção de conforto nas ações de cuidado. Os sintomas de Transtorno de Luto Prolongado possuem associação significativa com o grau de parentesco. Nos cuidados finais as expectativas dos familiares foram classificadas em: permissão para despedida digna, comunicação efetiva e promoção de conforto e cuidado.