Influência de drogas anticonvulsivantes no tratamento ortodôntico / Influence of anticonvulsant drugs on orthodontic treatment

As drogas utilizadas para prevenção de convulsões podem impactar na movimentação dentária durante o tratamento ortodôntico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência de drogas anticonvulsivantes no tratamento ortodôntico. O desenho deste estudo é uma revisão narrativa da literatura onde uma busca eletrônica foi realizada sem restrição de idioma e data em três bases de dados (PubMed via MEDLINE, SCOPUS e BVS). Foram utilizados os seguintes termos para o PubMed e BVS: anticonvulsants drugs AND orthodontic movement e para o SCOPUS: anticonvulsants AND drugs AND orthodontic AND movement. Uma pesquisa complementar foi realizada nas referências bibliográficas dos estudos incluídos. Os artigos indicaram que o uso de medicação anticonvulsivante favorece o desenvolvimento de hiperplasias gengivais, xerostomia e alterações no metabolismo ósseo que modulam a taxa de movimentação ortodôntica. Dentro das limitações desta revisão, concluiu-se que não há contraindicações para tratamento ortodôntico em pacientes utilizando anticonvulsivantes, no entanto os ortodontistas devem estar cientes dos potenciais efeitos adversos advindos do uso desses medicamentos para que possam adotar medidas para mitigar esses riscos.

Drugs used to prevent seizures can have an impact on tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of anticonvulsant medications on orthodontic treatment. The design of this study is a narrative literature review in which an electronic search was carried out without language or date restriction in three databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and BVS). The following terms were used for PubMed and BVS: anticonvulsants drugs AND orthodontic movement and SCOPUS: anticonvulsants AND drugs AND orthodontic AND movement. A complementary search was carried out on the bibliographical references of the included studies. The articles indicated that using anticonvulsant medication favors the development of gingival hyperplasia, xerostomia, and alterations in bone metabolism that modulate the rate of orthodontic movement. Within the limitations of this review, it was concluded that there is no contraindication for orthodontic treatment in patients using anticonvulsants. However, orthodontists should be aware of the potential adverse effects arising from the use of these drugs so that they can adopt measures to minimize these risks.

Sedação consciente com óxido nitroso em clínica odontológica: principais indicações e segurança / Concious sedation with nitrous oxide in dental clinics: main indications and safety

A ansiedade desempenha um papel significativo na experiência de tratamentos odontológicos e pode resultar em evasão por parte dos pacientes. Isso é especialmente relevante para grupos como pacientes pediátricos e aqueles com necessidades especiais, que muitas vezes requerem técnicas de controle de comportamento ou sedação devido à ansiedade. No entanto, a ansiedade não deve ser negligenciada mesmo em pacientes sem odontofobia grave, pois está relacionada à percepção da dor durante os procedimentos odontológicos. A sedação consciente com óxido nitroso surge como uma alternativa valiosa para reduzir a ansiedade e melhorar o conforto do paciente. Ao contrário dos benzodiazepínicos e da anestesia geral, o óxido nitroso atua no sistema nervoso de uma forma que deprime levemente o córtex cerebral, sem afetar o centro respiratório. Isso permite o uso de concentrações subanestésicas do gás, administradas com oxigênio por meio de uma máscara nasal. O óxido nitroso é de rápida ação, pouco solúvel e tem um período de recuperação breve, permitindo que os pacientes retornem rapidamente às atividades normais. Este estudo, uma revisão de literatura, explora o mecanismo de ação do óxido nitroso, suas indicações na prática odontológica e examina possíveis riscos e contraindicações associados ao seu uso. Em resumo, a sedação consciente com óxido nitroso se mostra como uma opção promissora para aliviar a ansiedade e melhorar a experiência de tratamentos odontológicos, beneficiando uma ampla gama de pacientes, não apenas aqueles com fobias graves.

Anxiety, in an outpatient dental environment, plays a fundamental role in pain and discomfort expectation, resulting in increase of treatment evasion. The groups that present greater difficulty in cooperation are children and special needs patients, with behavioral control and sedation being often necessary. Nevertheless, literature emphasizes that anxiety must be evaluated as a critical stage and its management done not only in patients with elevated anxiety levels, but being crucial on pain control of every dental patient, since higher grades of restlessness equals higher pain perception. It is known that the use of nitrous oxide in conscious sedation proves to be an useful tool on reducing anxiety and enabling comfortable interventions, indicating that it is an alternative to the use of benzodiazepines and general anesthesia. The drug acts on the nervous system, promoting a slight depression of the cerebral cortex and, unlike benzodiazepines, which act at the medulla level, it does not depress the respiratory center. The technique uses sub-anesthetic concentrations of nitrous oxide delivered with oxygen through a nasal mask. Nitrous oxide is poorly soluble and has a rapid onset of action, being therefore associated with a rapid recovery period. The duration of sedation is controlled and the patient can quickly return to normal activities. This paper is a narrative review with the objective of exploring the mechanism of action of this gas, evaluating its indications for use in dental clinic and verifying possible risks and contraindications.

Incisões e retalhos: orientações e guia prático / Incisions and flaps: guidelines and pratical guide

Na cirurgia oral, dois princípios básicos são o acesso adequado e uma boa visualização. Em diversos casos, isto somente é alcançado afastando os tecidos moles adjacentes do local operado através de retalhos cirúrgicos. Os principais retalhos descritos na literatura para cirurgia oral são: envelope, em L ou triangular, trapezoidal e em Y. As técnicas para a realização de incisões e retalhos são essenciais para o acesso de determinados dentes ou patologias que surgem de maneira rotineira na clínica odontológica, além de também serem usadas para contornar complicações cirúrgicas, como fraturas radiculares. O objetivo deste trabalho é, através de um guia prático, expor os princípios para uma técnica adequada e a sequência para realização dos retalhos mais utilizados em cirurgia oral.

In oral surgery, two basic principles are access and good visualization. In many cases, this is only achieved by moving adjacent soft tissues away from the operated site using surgical flaps. The main flaps described in the literature for oral surgery are: envelope, L-shaped or triangular, trapezoidal and Y-shaped. Techniques for performing incisions and flaps are essential for accessing certain teeth or pathologies that arise routinely in the dental clinic, in addition to being used to circumvent surgical complications, such as root fractures. The objective of this work is, as a practical guide, to expose the principles for an adequate technique and a sequence for the realization of the most used flaps in oral surgery.

A Synergic Strategy: Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids Seeded on 3D-Printed PLA/CHA Scaffolds Implanted in a Bone Critical-Size Defect Model.

Bone critical-size defects and non-union fractures have no intrinsic capacity for self-healing. In this context, the emergence of bone engineering has allowed the development of functional alternatives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of ASC spheroids in bone regeneration using a synergic strategy with 3D-printed scaffolds made from poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and nanostructured hydroxyapatite doped with carbonate ions (CHA) in a rat model of cranial critical-size defect. In summary, a set of results suggests that ASC spheroidal constructs promoted bone regeneration. In vitro results showed that ASC spheroids were able to spread and interact with the 3D-printed scaffold, synthesizing crucial growth factors and cytokines for bone regeneration, such as VEGF. Histological results after 3 and 6 months of implantation showed the formation of new bone tissue in the PLA/CHA scaffolds that were seeded with ASC spheroids. In conclusion, the presence of ASC spheroids in the PLA/CHA 3D-printed scaffolds seems to successfully promote bone formation, which can be crucial for a significant clinical improvement in critical bone defect regeneration.

Anestesia oral na gravidez: por que o cloridrato de bupivacaína deve ser o sal anestésico de escolha? / Oral anesthesia in pregnancy: why should bupivacaine hydrochloride be the anesthetic salt of choice?

O período gestacional é uma fase de cuidados em todos os aspectos da vida da gestante. São muitos os sais anestésicos utilizados em odontologia e as suas propriedades, que devem ser levadas em consideração na escolha da substância que será utilizada, de acordo com a condição sistêmica do paciente. As propriedades do Cloridrato de Bupivacaína podem ser consideradas interessantes e demonstrar aspectos positivos para o seu uso em pacientes grávidas durante os procedimentos odontológicos. O objetivo desse trabalho é apresentar as razões, pelas quais o Cloridrato de Bupivacaína deve ser o sal anestésico de escolha para uso em gestantes na odontologia. Uma revisão de literatura foi realizada para coletar dados pertinentes ao assunto. Esse sal anestésico é capaz de preservar tanto a saúde da mãe, como a do bebê, desde que aplicada corretamente.

The pregnancy in women is a phase of high expectations and care in all aspects of a pregnant woman's life. There are many anesthetic solutions used in dentistry and their properties must be considered when choosing the substance to be used according to the patient's systemic condition. The properties of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride can be considered interesting and demonstrate positive aspects for its use in pregnant patients during dental procedures. The objective of this review is to present the reasons why Bupivacaine Hydrochloride should be the anesthetic salt of choice for use in pregnant women in the dental clinic. A literature review was carried out to collect relevant data to the subject. This anesthetic salt can preserve the mother's and baby's health if it is correctly applied.

Artroplastia em Gap com Interposição de Fáscia de Temporal para o Tratamento de Anquilose de Articulação Temporomandibular: Relato de Caso / Gap Arthroplasty with Temporalis Fascia Interposition for the Treatment of Temporomandibular

A anquilose da articulação temporomandibular (ATM) é caracterizada pela união intracapsular do complexo disco-côndilo à superfície do osso temporal, podendo gerar restrição dos movimentos mandibulares e limitação de abertura bucal. São descritas ainda alterações como restrição da capacidade mastigatória, dificuldade de fonação e de uma adequada higiene bucal, além de dificuldade de interação social. O presente caso retrata um paciente feminino, 27 anos, com histórico de fratura de parassínfise e côndilo mandibular bilateral após trauma em 2014, evoluindo com anquilose da ATM direita, com abertura máxima de 13,27 mm. Para o tratamento do caso descrito, foi utilizado o acesso de Al-Kayat, coronoidectomia ipsilateral e ressecção de massa anquilótica em gap com interposição de retalho da fáscia do músculo temporal no lado direito. Após seis meses do procedimento cirúrgico, foi realizada uma nova tomografia da face na qual se observa ausência de lesões e de sinais de recidiva da anquilose e também foi observada a manutenção do espaço de lacuna feita pela ressecção óssea. O resultado satisfatório da técnica foi atribuído pela obtenção e estabilização de uma abertura bucal adequada, melhora da capacidade mastigatória e da fonação. Além do sucesso clínico, uma vantagem da técnica utilizada foi o baixo custo do procedimento por utilizar apenas interposição do músculo temporal sem uso de materiais aloplásticos. Além disso, a coronoidectomia ipsilateral associada foi suficiente para auxiliar na manutenção da abertura alcançada, não sendo necessária a coronoidectomia contralateral, o que minimizou o tempo operatório e a morbidade de mais um sítio cirúrgico acessado.

Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is characterized by the intracapsular union of the condyle- disc complex to the surface of the temporal bone, which can cause restriction of the mandibular movements and a limitation of a mouth opening. Alterations are also described as a restriction of masticatory capacity, difficulty in phonation and suitable oral hygiene, as well as difficulty in social interaction. A 27-year-old female patient with a bilateral history of parasymphysis and mandibular condyle fracture after a trauma in 2014, which evolved to an ankylosis of the right TMJ, with a maximum mouth opening of 13.27 mm. For the treatment of the described case, it was used the Al- Kayat approach, ipsilateral coronoidectomy and resection of the ankylotic mass in gap with interposition of temporalis muscle fascia flap on the right side. After six months of the surgical procedure, it was made a new computed tomography of the face in which it was possible to notice the absence of lesions and signs of recurrence of the ankylosis. It was also observed the maintenance of the gap space made by the bone resection. The satisfactory result of the technique was attributed to the achievement and stabilization of an adequate mouth opening, improved chewing ability and phonation. Besides the clinical success, an advantage of the technique used was the low cost of the procedure by using only temporal muscle interposition without the use of alloplastic materials. In addition, the associated ipsilateral coronoidectomy was sufficient to help maintaining the achieved mouth opening, and the contralateral coronoidectomy was not necessary, as a result it was minimized the surgical time and morbidity of one more accessed surgical site.

Saúde bucal e condições sistêmicas em idosos da Baixada Fluminense: coorte retrospectivo / Oral health and systemic conditions in elderly people from Baixada Fluminense: retrospective cohort

O equilíbrio sistêmico e a saúde bucal são condições clínicas que estabelecem entre si uma relação multidimensional capaz de exercer grande impacto sobre o bem-estar cotidiano do indivíduo. As disfunções metabólicas associadas ao estado nutricional e a perda da capacidade muscular geram uma maior necessidade de cuidados em pessoas idosas. Sob o ponto de vista odontológico a presença de dentes naturais bem como o grau de doença periodontal, estão associados a competência mastigatória e, desta forma, são fatores determinantes na saúde da população acima dos 60 anos de idade. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar, através da análise retrospectiva dos últimos 05 anos, a relação entre a saúde bucal e as condições sistêmicas de indivíduos acima de 60 anos residentes na Baixada Fluminense (Rio de Janeiro/Brasil) com evidente crescimento demográfico populacional. Para isso foram analisados 11.390 prontuários de pacientes usuários da Clínica Odontológica da Universidade Iguaçu/RJ sendo selecionados 1.125 que atendiam aos critérios de inclusão. Os resultados destacam a presença de doença periodontal em cerca de 56% dos indivíduos diabéticos, além de 43% com quadro hipertensivo no momento do atendimento apontando para uma importante relação entre a atenção com a saúde bucal da população assistida nessa região e suas condições sistêmicas.

Systemic balance and oral health are clinical conditions that establish a multidimensional relationship capable of having a great impact on the individual's daily well-being. Metabolic dysfunctions associated with nutritional status and loss of muscle capacity generate a greater need for care in the elderly. From the dental point of view, the presence of natural teeth, as well as the degree of periodontal disease, are associated with masticatory competence and, thus, are determining factors in the health of the population over 60 years of age. The present study aimed to describe descriptively, through the retrospective analysis of the last 05 years, the relationship between oral health and the systemic conditions of individuals over 60 years old living in the Baixada Fluminense (Rio de Janeiro / Brazil) with evident population demographic growth. For that purpose, 11,390 medical records of patients who were users of the Clínica Odontológica of Universidade Iguaçu / RJ were analyzed, 1,125 who met the inclusion criteria were selected. The results highlight the presence of periodontal disease in about 56% of diabetic individuals, in addition to 43% with the hypertensive condition at the time of care, pointing to an important relationship between the attention to the oral health of the assisted population in this region and their systemic conditions.

Advances in surface treatment of dental implants: a literature review

Amplamente utilizados para substituir dentes perdidos, os implantes dentários nos últimos anos vêm apresentando tecnologias como superfícies com micro e nanotopografia e ajustes nas composições químicas, dentre outros, para melhorar a osseointegração e reduzir o prazo de tratamento, permitindo, assim, carga funcional imediata ou precoce em pacientes com densidade óssea reduzida. Vários métodos são aplicados com intuito de modificar a superfície do implante, como jateamento com areia, corrosão ácida, oxidação anódica, tratamento com flúor, usinagem, pulverização de plasma de titânio e revestimento de fosfato de cálcio; esses métodos podem aumentar notavelmente a área de superfície quando operada a técnica adequadada de modificação, quer por procedimento de adição ou subtração. Tais modificações promovem superfícies rugosas, as quais aumentam a porcentagem de contato osso-implante (BIC) durante o processo de cicatrização óssea inicial. Os principais benefícios da modificação da superfície são melhorar a molhabilidade (hidrofilicidade), adesão e fixação de células a implantes e proliferação celular. Dentre os tratamentos de superfície de implantes dentários destaca-se o jateamento de areia com granulação grossa e ataque-ácido com HCL/H2SO4 (SLA) em altas temperaturas, o revestimento de superfície do implante com hidroxiapatita, oxidação anódica e o duplo ataque ácido. O objetivo deste trabalho é realizar uma revisão de literatura discutindo a importância e eficácia desses métodos para a osseointegração e, por conseguinte, para a redução do período de tratamento.

Widely used to replace lost teeth, dental implants have been presenting technologies such as surfaces with micro and nano topography and adjustments in chemical compositions, among others, to improve osseointegration and reduce treatment time, thus allowing immediate or early functional load in patients with reduced bone density. Several methods are applied to modify the implant surface, such as sandblasting, acid corrosion, anodic oxidation, fluoride treatment, machining, titanium plasma spraying, and calcium phosphate coating; these methods can notably increase the surface area when the appropriate modification technique is operated, either by the addition or subtraction procedure. Such modifications promote rough surfaces, which increase the percentage of bone-implant contact (BIC) during the initial bone healing process. The main benefits of surface modification are to improve wettability (hydrophilicity), adhesion and attachment of cells to implants, and cell proliferation. Among the surface treatments for dental implants, sandblasting with large grit and acid-etching with HCL/H2SO4 (SLA) stands out at high temperatures. The surface coating of the implant with hydroxyapatite, anodic oxidation, and double acid-etching. This work aims to conduct a literature review discussing the importance and effectiveness of these methods for osseointegration and, therefore, for reducing the treatment period.

Whole bone subcutaneous transplantation as a strategy to study precisely the bone marrow niche.

Hematopoietic stem cells are maintained in a specialized microenvironment, known as the 'niche', within the bone marrow. Understanding the contribution of cellular and molecular components within the bone marrow niche for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells is crucial for the success of therapeutic applications. So far, the roles of crucial mechanisms within the bone marrow niche have been explored in transgenic animals in which genetic modifications are ubiquitously introduced in the whole body. The lack of precise tools to explore genetic alterations exclusively within the bone marrow prevents our determination of whether the observed outcomes result from confounding effects from other organs. Here, we developed a new method - 'whole bone subcutaneous transplantation'- to study the bone marrow niche in transgenic animals precisely. Using immunolabeling of CD45.1 (donor) vs. CD45.2 (recipient) hematopoeitic stem cells, we demonstrated that hematopoeitic stem cells from the host animals colonize the subcutaneously transplanted femurs after transplantation, while the hematopoietic stem cells from the donor disappear. Strikinlgy, the bone marrow niche of these subcutaneously transplanted femurs remain from the donor mice, enabling us to study specifically cells of the bone marrow niche using this model. We also showed that genetic ablation of peri-arteriolar cells specifically in donor femurs reduced the numbers of hematopoietic stem cells in these bones. This supports the use of this strategy as a model, in combination with genetic tools, to evaluate how bone marrow niche specific modifications may impact non-modified hematopoietic stem cells. Thus, this approach can be utilized for genetic manipulation in vivo of specific cell types only within the bone marrow. The combination of whole bone subcutaneous transplantation with rodent transgenic models will facilitate a more precise, complex and comprehensive understanding of existing problems in the study of the hematopoietic stem cell bone marrow niche.

Retinal organoids from human-induced pluripotent stem cells: From studying retinal dystrophies to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have provided new methods to study neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to their wide application in neuronal disorders, hiPSCs technology can also encompass specific conditions, such as inherited retinal dystrophies. The possibility of evaluating alterations related to retinal disorders in 3D organoids increases the truthfulness of in vitro models. Moreover, both Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) have been described as causing early retinal alterations, generating beta-amyloid protein accumulation, or affecting dopaminergic amacrine cells. This review addresses recent advances and future perspectives obtained from in vitro modeling of retinal diseases, focusing on retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Additionally, we depicted the possibility of evaluating changes related to AD and PD in retinal organoids obtained from potential patients long before the onset of the disease, constituting a valuable tool in early diagnosis. With this, we pointed out prospects in the study of retinal dystrophies and early diagnosis of AD and PD.

Organoids as a novel tool in modelling infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases worldwide affect human health and have important societal impacts. A better understanding of infectious diseases is urgently needed. In vitro and in vivo infection models have brought notable contributions to the current knowledge of these diseases. Organoids are multicellular culture systems resembling tissue architecture and function, recapitulating many characteristics of human disease and elucidating mechanisms of host-infectious agent interactions in the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, the central nervous system and the skin. Here, we discuss the applicability of the organoid technology for modeling pathogenesis, host response and features, which can be explored for the development of preventive and therapeutic treatments.

Tissue-resident glial cells associate with tumoral vasculature and promote cancer progression.

Cancer cells are embedded within the tissue and interact dynamically with its components during cancer progression. Understanding the contribution of cellular components within the tumor microenvironment is crucial for the success of therapeutic applications. Here, we reveal the presence of perivascular GFAP+/Plp1+ cells within the tumor microenvironment. Using in vivo inducible Cre/loxP mediated systems, we demonstrated that these cells derive from tissue-resident Schwann cells. Genetic ablation of endogenous Schwann cells slowed down tumor growth and angiogenesis. Schwann cell-specific depletion also induced a boost in the immune surveillance by increasing tumor-infiltrating anti-tumor lymphocytes, while reducing immune-suppressor cells. In humans, a retrospective in silico analysis of tumor biopsies revealed that increased expression of Schwann cell-related genes within melanoma was associated with improved survival. Collectively, our study suggests that Schwann cells regulate tumor progression, indicating that manipulation of Schwann cells may provide a valuable tool to improve cancer patients' outcomes.

Regulatory mechanisms of stem cell differentiation: Biotechnological applications for neurogenesis.

The world population's life expectancy is growing, and neurodegenerative disorders common in old age require more efficient therapies. In this context, neural stem cells (NSCs) are imperative for the development and maintenance of the functioning of the nervous system and have broad therapeutic applicability for neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, knowing all the mechanisms that govern the self-renewal, differentiation, and cell signaling of NSC is necessary. This review will address some of these aspects, including the role of growth and transcription factors, epigenetic modulators, microRNAs, and extracellular matrix components. Furthermore, differentiation and transdifferentiation processes will be addressed as therapeutic strategies showing their significance for stem cell-based therapy.

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.

Guia prático de coleta de sangue venoso para obtenção da fibrina rica em plaquetas / Practical guide for collecting venous blood for obtaining platelet rich fibrin

A Fibrina Rica em Plaquetas (PRF) é caracterizada por sua abrangente aplicabilidade na Odontologia. Neste sentido, a venopunção é uma etapa fundamental para sua obtenção. Tal procedimento consiste na identificação das veias superficiais, localizadas na região da fossa antecubital dos membros superiores, para que através da utilização do sistema a vácuo de coleta seja obtido o sangue venoso do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho é realizar um guia prático abordando cada etapa que compreende a coleta sanguínea para produção do PRF permitindo sua reprodutibilidade de forma segura e eficiente.

Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) is characterized by its wide applicability in Dentistry. In this sense, venipuncture is a fundamental step towards obtaining it. Such procedure consists of the identification of superficial veins, located in the region of the antecubital fossa of the upper limbs, so that through the use of the vacuum collection system, the patient's venous blood is obtained. The objective of this work is to carry out a practical guide covering each step that comprises the blood collection for the production of the PRF allowing its reproducibility in a safe and efficient way.

Guia prático de uso da centrífuga IntraSpin® para a obtenção de fibrina rica em plaquetas / Practical guide for using the IntraSpin® centrifuge to obtain platelet-rich fibrin

Obter corretamente a Fibrina Rica em Plaquetas (PRF) depende da execução de cada etapa de maneira protocolada. Nesse sentido, no Laboratório Associado de Pesquisa Clínica (LPCO), da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal Fluminense (FO-UFF) é utilizado o sistema IntraSpin® de centrifugação do sangue coletado, que caracteriza o segundo passo para preparo deste material autólogo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é realizar uma descrição prática do correto manuseio da Centrífuga IntraSpin para garantir a obtenção do PRF e sua efetiva aplicabilidade clínica.

Obtaining Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) correctly depends on the execution of each step in a protocol manner. In this sense, at the Associated Clinical Research Laboratory (LPCO), of the Faculty of Dentistry in the Federal Fluminense University (FO-UFF) the IntraSpin® centrifugation system is used in the collected blood, that characterizes the second step to prepare this autologous material. The objective of this present work is to make a practical description of the correct handling of the IntraSpin Centrifuge to guarantee the PRF's biocompatibility and its effective clinical applicability.

Drugs and Endogenous Factors as Protagonists in Neurogenic Stimulation.

Neurogenesis is a biological process characterized by new neurons formation from stem cells. For decades, it was believed that neurons only multiplied during development and in the postnatal period but the discovery of neural stem cells (NSCs) in mature brain promoted a revolution in neuroscience field. In mammals, neurogenesis consists of migration, differentiation, maturation, as well as functional integration of newborn cells into the pre-existing neuronal circuit. Actually, NSC density drops significantly after the first stages of development, however in specific places in the brain, called neurogenic niches, some of these cells retain their ability to generate new neurons and glial cells in adulthood. The subgranular (SGZ), and the subventricular zones (SVZ) are examples of regions where the neurogenesis process occurs in the mature brain. There, the potential of NSCs to produce new neurons has been explored by new advanced methodologies and in neuroscience for the treatment of brain damage and/or degeneration. Based on that, this review highlights endogenous factors and drugs capable of stimulating neurogenesis, as well as the perspectives for the use of NSCs for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.

In Vivo Evaluation of Permeable and Impermeable Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration.

BACKGROUND: The degree of biodegradation and the inflammatory response of membranes employed for guided bone regeneration directly impact the outcome of this technique. This study aimed to evaluate four different experimental versions of Poly (L-lactate-co-Trimethylene Carbonate) (PTMC) + Poly (L-lactate-co-glycolate) (PLGA) membranes, implanted in mouse subcutaneous tissue, compared to a commercially available membrane and a Sham group. METHODS: Sixty Balb-C mice were randomly divided into six experimental groups and subdivided into 1, 3, 6 and 12 weeks (n = 5 groups/period). The membranes (1 cm2) were implanted in the subcutaneous back tissue of the animals. The samples were obtained for descriptive and semiquantitative histological evaluation (ISO 10993-6). RESULTS: G1 and G4 allowed tissue adhesion and the permeation of inflammatory cells over time and showed greater phagocytic activity and permeability. G2 and G3 detached from the tissue in one and three weeks; however, in the more extended periods, they presented a rectilinear and homogeneous aspect and were not absorbed. G2 had a major inflammatory reaction. G5 was almost completely absorbed after 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The membranes are considered biocompatible. G5 showed a higher degree of biosorption, followed by G1 and G4. G2 and G3 are considered non-absorbable in the studied periods.