Petrosamine isolated from marine sponge Petrosia sp. demonstrates protection against neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.

According to The World Alzheimer Report 2023 by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) estimates that 33 to 38.5 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's Disease (AD). A crucial hallmark associated with this disease is associated with the deficiency of the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine, due to an affected acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Marine organisms synthesize several classes of compounds, some of which exhibit significant AChE inhibition, such as petrosamine, a coloured pyridoacridine alkaloid. The aim of this work was to characterize the activity of petrosamine isolated for the first time from a Brazilian marine sponge, using two neurotoxicity models with aluminium chloride, as exposure to aluminium is associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The in vitro model was based in a neuroblastoma cell line and the in vivo model exploited the potential of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos in mimicking hallmarks of AD. To our knowledge, this is the first report on petrosamine's activity over these parameters, either in vitro or in vivo, in order to characterize its full potential for tackling neurotoxicity.

Associations of medicine use and ejection fraction with the coexistence of frailty and sarcopenia in a sample of heart failure outpatients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Frailty and sarcopenia have been extensively studied in heart failure (HF) patients, but their coexistence is unknown. The aim of this work is to describe the coexistence of these conditions in a sample of HF outpatients and its association with the use of medication and left-ventricular ejection fraction. METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited from a HF outpatients' clinic in northern Portugal. Frailty phenotype was assessed according to Fried et al. Sarcopenia was evaluated according to the revised consensus of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. RESULTS: A total of 136 HF outpatients (33.8% women, median age 59 years) integrated this study. Frailty and sarcopenia accounted for 15.4% and 18.4% of the sample, respectively. Coexistence of frailty and sarcopenia was found in 8.1% of the participants, while 17.6% had only one of the conditions. In multivariable analysis (n = 132), increasing age (OR = 1.13;95%CI = 1.06,1.20), being a woman (OR = 65.65;95%CI = 13.50, 319.15), having heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) (OR = 5.61; 95%CI = 1.22, 25.76), and using antidepressants (OR = 11.05; 95%CI = 2.50, 48.82), anticoagulants (OR = 6.11; 95%CI = 1.69, 22.07), furosemide (OR = 3.95; 95%CI = 1.07, 14.55), and acetylsalicylic acid (OR = 5.01; 95%CI = 1.10, 22.90) were associated with increased likelihood of having coexistence of frailty and sarcopenia, while using statins showed the inverse effect (OR = 0.06; 95%CI = 0.01, 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: The relatively low frequency of coexistence of frailty and sarcopenia signifies that each of these two conditions still deserve individual attention from health professionals in their clinical practice and should be screened separately. Being a woman, older age, having HFpEF, using anticoagulants, antidepressants, loop diuretics and acetylsalicylic acid, and not using statins, were associated with having concomitant frailty and sarcopenia. These patients can potentially benefit from interventions that impact their quality of life such as nutritional and mental health interventions and exercise training.

Imutabilidade em queiloscopia após aplicação do ácido hialurônico ­ estudo de caso / Immutability in cheiloscopy after application of hyaluronic acid - case study

O ácido hialurônico (AH) composto empregado na especialidade de harmonização orofacial para fins de preenchimento facial confere obtenção de harmonia em casos de estética deficiente. O objetivo desse trabalho é verificar se existe alteração dos sulcos labiais após a aplicação de ácido hialurônico, por meio de um relato de prontuário e análise de fotografias periorais. O prontuário selecionado foi de um paciente do sexo feminino, que se submeteu a um procedimento de preenchimento labial com infiltração de um volume total de 0,7 mL de ácido hialurônico da marca comercial (Hialurox Soft® 8mg/mL São Carlos - Brasil) e apresentava documentação fotográfica completa, anterior ao procedimento e pós-operatório tardio de 108 dias. Foi realizada uma simulação de confronto queiloscópico comparando as imagens entre si com o auxílio da ferramenta de edição Paint Microsoft, os sulcos foram classificados de acordo com o método de Suzuki e Tsuchihashi (1971), e os dados foram registrados na ficha modificada de Stamm (2014). A técnica utilizada no presente estudo não promoveu alteração significativa nos sulcos labiais pré-existentes. No entanto, o período do pós-operatório tardio de 108 dias não foi suficiente para o reaparecimento de alguns sulcos encontrados na fase pré-procedimento

The compound hyaluronic acid (HA) used in the specialty of orofacial harmonization for the purpose of facial filling confers harmony in cases of poor aesthetics. The aim of this study was to find out whether there are any changes to the labial folds after the application of hyaluronic acid, by means of a medical record report and analysis of perioral photographs. The medical record selected was that of a female patient who underwent a lip filling procedure with infiltration of a total volume of 0.7 mL of hyaluronic acid commercial brand (Hialurox Soft® 8mg/mL São Carlos ­ Brazil) and had complete photographic documentation prior to the procedure and 108 days after the procedure. A cheiloscopic comparison simulation was carried out, comparing the images with each other using the Paint Microsoft editing tool, lip prints were classified according to the method of Suzuki and Tsuchihashi (1971), and the data was recorded on the modified form of Stamm (2014). The technique used in this study did not significantly alter the pre-existing labial traces. However, the late postoperative period of 108 days was not enough for some of the furrows found in the pre-procedure phase to reappear

Valorisation of the Invasive Macroalgae Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar for the Green Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potential.

Bacterial and fungal infections are a challenging global problem due to the reported increasing resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to conventional antimicrobials. Nanomaterials are a promising strategy to fight infections caused by multidrug-resistant microbes. In this work, gold (Au@UP) and silver (Ag@UP) nanoparticles were produced for the first time by green synthesis using an aqueous extract of the invasive macroalgae Undaria pinnatifida (UP). The nanoparticles were characterized by a wide range of physicochemical techniques. Au@UP and Ag@UP demonstrated to be spherical and crystalline with an average size of 6.8 ± 1.0 nm and 14.1 ± 2.8 nm, respectively. Carbohydrates and proteins of the UP extract may participate in the synthesis and capping of the nanoparticles. The UP extract, Ag@UP, and Au@UP were assessed for their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Candida auris. Ag@UP showed the highest antimicrobial activity with very low MIC and MBC values for all the tested bacteria, and Au@UP demonstrated to be very effective against biofilm-producing bacteria. The antifungal properties of both Ag@UP and Au@UP were remarkable, inhibiting hyphae formation. This study points towards a very promising biomedical exploitation of this invasive brown algae.

Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized with Cystoseira algae extracts.

Antimicrobial resistance is an ever-growing global concern to public health with no clear or immediate solution. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have long been proposed as efficient agents to fight the growing number of antibiotic-resistant strains. However, the synthesis of these particles is often linked to high costs and the use of toxic, hazardous chemicals, with environmental and health impact. In this study, we successfully produced AgNPs by green synthesis with the aid of the extract of two brown algae-Cystoseira baccata (CB) and Cystoseira tamariscifolia (CT)-and characterized their physico-chemical properties. The NPs produced in both cases (Ag@CB and Ag@CT) present similar sizes, with mean diameters of around 22 nm. The antioxidant activity of the extracts and the NPs was evaluated, with the extracts showing important antioxidant activity. The bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties of both Ag@CB and Ag@CT were tested and compared with gold NPs produced in the same algae extracts as previously reported. AgNPs demonstrated the strongest bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties, at concentrations as low as 2.16 µg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Finally, the capacity of these samples to prevent the formation of biofilms characteristic of infections with a poorer outcome was assessed, obtaining similar results. This work points towards an alternative for the treatment of bacterial infections, even biofilm-inducing, with the possibility of minimizing the risk of drug resistance, albeit the necessary caution implied using metallic NPs.

Seguro de responsabilidade civil profissional em Odontologia: simulação de apólices considerando o perfil padronizado do cirurgião-dentista brasileiro / Professional liability insurance in Dentistry: policy simulation considering the standardized profile of the Brazilian dentist

Introdução: em Odontologia o seguro de responsabilidade civil tem a proposta de garantir um aporte financeiro em caso de condenação judicial por processos indenizatórios propostos por pacientes. Este mecanismo permite que o profissional desempenhe sua atividade com mais tranquilidade. Objetivo: o presente trabalho teve por objetivo relatar um caso simulado onde foram analisados comparativamente três tipos diferentes de seguro de responsabilidade civil para o cirurgião-dentista, disponíveis no mercado brasileiro. Material e Métodos: através de revisão de literatura, buscou-se traçar um perfil do cirurgião dentista brasileiro padronizado. Na sequência através de busca na Plataforma Google através dos termos "seguro", "responsabilidade civil" e "odontologia", foi possível encontrar diversas seguradoras. Aleatoriamente foram selecionadas as três primeiras que permitiam preencher propostas on-line de seguro. A partir disso, obtiveram-se três cotações, as quais foram motivos de análise. Resultados: o cirurgião-dentista brasileiro padronizado é caracterizado pelo sexo feminino e especialidade em ortodontia. O valor para a contratação variou entre R$ 1.014,74 e R$ 2.296,67, sendo o prazo de vigência do seguro de doze meses para todas as seguradoras, com cobertura nas esferas cível, criminal e administrativa. Conclusão: O presente estudo mostrou a importância de os profissionais da Odontologia conhecerem bem cada cláusula do produto ou seguro que está sendo oferecido e como elas podem impactar na atividade clínica para realmente poderem fazer o uso pleno do seguro de responsabilidade civil

Introduction: in Dentistry, civil liability insurance has the purpose to ensure financial support in case of judicial conviction in indemnity processes for patients. This mechanism allows the professionals to develop their activity with more confidence. Objective: This paper aims to report a simulated case where three different types of liability insurance for dentists available in the Brazilian market were comparatively analyzed. Methods: through a literature review, we sought to draw a profile of a standardized Brazilian dental surgeon. Through a search on the Google Platform using the key-words "insurance", "civil liability" and "dentistry", it was possible find several insurance companies. The first three were randomly selected that allowed the filling of insurance proposals online. So, three quotations were obtained, which were reasons for analysis. Results: The Brazilian's dental surgeon profile was characterized by female with an orthodontics specialty. The contracting amount ranged between R$1,014.74 and R$2,296.67, with the insurance term being twelve months for all insurance companies, with coverage in the civil, criminal and administrative spheres. Conclusion: This study showed the importance of dentistry professionals knowing well each clause of the product or insurance that is being offered and how they can impact in the clinical activity being able to make full use of the liability insurance

Evolução normativa e legal para o exercício da Odontologia brasileira frente à pandemia da COVID-19 / Normative and legal evolution for the exercise of Brazilian dentistry against the COVID-19 pandemic

Introdução: A COVID-19 é uma enfermidade respiratória causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2, detectado pela primeira vez em Wuhan - China em dezembro de 2019. Atualmente, está bem definido que esse vírus possui alta e sustentada transmissibilidade entre as pessoas. Em decorrência do aumento da infecção humana pelo novo coronavírus e com o eminente risco de contágio e propagação da doença, iniciaram-se as medidas de prevenção e controle de infecção através da publicação de dispositivos legais com o objetivo de orientar os serviços de saúde e conter a disseminação do vírus. Sabe-se que a assistência odontológica apresenta alto risco para a disseminação do coronavírus e, por esse motivo, tornou-se de suma importância que os profissionais que atuam nos serviços de saúde estejam munidos de informações para evitar ou reduzir ao máximo a transmissão de microrganismos durante qualquer assistência realizada. Objetivo: Apontar, por meio de uma revisão de literatura, a evolução das normativas éticas e legais relacionadas ao exercício da odontologia frente à pandemia da COVID-19 no Brasil. Revisão Da Literatura: Foram verificados dispositivos legais publicados durante o período de pandemia com repercussão sobre a Odontologia nas esferas nacional, com ênfase para questões sanitárias e de fiscalização do exercício profissional, além de uma orientação associativa. Conclusão: As normativas publicadas até a presente data, que se relacionam ao exercício profissional, destacam a importância de os cirurgiões-dentistas manterem-se atualizados sobre estes aspectos para o exercício profissional, ressaltando, ainda, que novas orientações e atualizações podem ser feitas sobre esta pandemia.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first detected in Wuhan - China in December 2019. Currently, it is well defined that this virus has a high and sustained transmissibility between humans. As a result of the increase of human infection by the new coronavirus and the imminent risk of contagion and spread of the disease, measures of prevention and control of the infection were initiated through the publication of several regulations aiming to guide and contain the spread of the virus. Due to the high risk of dissemination of the coronavirus associated with dental care, it has become extremely important to provide information to avoid or reduce, as much as possible, the transmission of microorganisms during any assistance performed. OBJECTIVE: To point out, through a literature review, the evolution of ethical and legal regulations related to the practice of dentistry in view of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. LITERATURE REVIEW: Legal provisions published during the pandemic period with repercussions on Dentistry were examined, in national level, focusing on sanitary issues and supervision of professional practice, in addition to an associative orientation. CONCLUSION: The regulations published to date, which relate to professional practice, highlight the importance of dentists keeping up-to-date on these aspects for professional practice, also emphasizing that new guidelines and updates can be made about this pandemic

May Measurement Month 2019: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Angola.

Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest risk factor that contributes to the global burden of disease and mortality. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative aimed to improved awareness of BP and has been a temporary solution to the lack of screening programmes. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2019. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. In total, 7112 individuals were screened (mean age 41.3 years; 50.4% female; 99.5% black) in 6 of the 18 Angolan provinces. In total, 99.6% of screenees provided three BP readings with an average BP of the 2nd and 3rd readings of 126/81 mmHg. After imputation, 2745 (38.6%) had hypertension of whom 1389 (59.8%) were aware of their diagnosis and 50.6% were on antihypertensive medication. Of those 1389 treated participants, 41.2% were controlled (<140/90 mmHg) and of all hypertensive individuals, 20.8% were controlled. Also, 1356 individuals had untreated hypertension and 817 were inadequately treated. Angolan MMM19 follows on from the MMM17 (n = 17481) and MMM18 (n = 14433) studies, which were the largest BP screening campaigns undertaken in Angola. The 2019 results showed a high percentage of hypertensive individuals and almost 2200 adults had either untreated or inadequately treated hypertension, demonstrating that there is work to do but also that the Angolan MMM is being effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals.

Novel concept of exosome-like liposomes for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles that act as carriers for proteins and nucleic acids, with therapeutic potential and high biocompatibility. We propose a new concept of exosome-like liposomes for controlled delivery. The goal of this work was to develop a new type of liposomes with a unique mixture of phospholipids, similar to naturally occurring exosomes but overcoming their limitations of heterogeneity and low productivity, for therapeutic delivery of bioactive compounds. Curcumin was chosen as model compound, as it is a phytochemical molecule known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can protect the brain against oxidative stress and reduce ß-amyloid accumulation, major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These new liposomes can efficiently encapsulate hydrophobic curcumin, yielding particles with a size smaller than 200 nm, and a polydispersity index lower than 0.20, which make them ideal for crossing the blood-brain barrier. These particles have a long shelf life, being stable up to 6 months. The curcumin encapsulation efficiency was higher than 85% (up to approximately 94%). Curcumin-loaded liposomes were not cytotoxic (up to 20 µM curcumin, and 200 µM of exo-liposomes), and significantly reduced oxidative stress induced in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells, indicating their potential for neuroprotection. They also do not show any toxicity and are internalized in zebrafish embryos, concentrating in lipid enriched areas, as the brain and the yolk sac. Such innovative carriers are a new effective approach to deliver drugs into the brain, as these are stable, protect the cargo and are uptaken by neuronal cells. Upon internalization, liposomes release the therapeutic biomolecules, resulting in successful neuroprotection, being a positive alternative strategy for AD therapy.

May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Angola.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide with high prevalence in the world and with a huge impact on public health. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of high BP and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programmes. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2018. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. In Angola 14 433 individuals (mean age 38.6 years; 53.7% female; 99.9% black) in 6 of 18 provinces were screened. In total, 99.0% of screenees provided three BP readings with an average BP from 2nd and 3rd reading of 126/80 mmHg. After imputation, 4844 (33.6%) had hypertension of whom 54.2% were aware of their diagnosis and 46.3% were on antihypertensive medication. Of those medicated, 42.6% were controlled and of all hypertensive individuals, 19.7% were controlled. We screened 2603 individuals with untreated hypertension and 1285 with inadequately treated hypertension. Angolan MMM18 emerges as a continuation of the Angolan MMM17 study, the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Angola, enabling us to compare the 2 years. This year's results also showed a high percentage of hypertensive individuals and almost 3900 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension, demonstrating that there is still a long way to go but also that the Angolan MMM is being effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals.

PROPOSTA DE TERMO DE CONSENTIMENTO LIVRE E ESCLARECIDO PARA USO DE PROTETORES BUCAIS PERSONALIZADOS / Proposed of informed consent for use of personalized mouthguards

Durante a prática de esportes, especialmente considerando as modalidades de luta, a cavidade oral fica vulnerável aos eventos traumáticos decorrentes do contato entre os esportistas, o que pode comprometer o bom desenvolvimento da atividade e o próprio desempenho do atleta. A utilização de protetores bucais é uma medida fundamental para reduzir a ocorrência dessas injúrias e, principalmente as suas gravidades, favorecendo uma recuperação mais eficaz e rápida. Contudo, é obrigação ética do profissional e prerrogativa legal dos pacientes receber as informações relacionadas ao seu tratamento da forma mais completa possível, bem como certificar-se que os pacientes compreenderam estas questões. Neste trabalho, é apresentada uma proposta de um modelo de Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido para uso de protetores bucais personalizados, o qual aborda as questões pertinentes à confecção destes dispositivos. Este documento traz inúmeros benefícios para a especialidade, pois apresenta características como o fortalecimento do vínculo de confiança entre o dentista e o paciente atleta, a determinação de benefícios apropriados, riscos e encargos, a compreensão das vulnerabilidades entre as partes e a obtenção de permissões e aprovações. A confecção e o uso de protetores bucais apresentam especificidades importantes e estas devem estar esclarecidas para o paciente.

Ethical and legal aspects of the use of fake drugs for orofacial aesthetics ­ a case report

Introduction: Over the last decade, Botulinum Toxin (BT) gained space in the armamentarium of drugs used for orofacial aesthetics. The contemporary scenario of Dentistry led to new horizons within aesthetic treatments founded on the application of BT. Objective: This study aimed to report a case of fake type-A BT sold to a dentist on training for orofacial aesthetics. Material and methods: During a 16-hour training course, a dentist bought form a reference seller a "so-called" quality drug allegedly consisting of type-A BT. After suspecting of fake drug based on uncommon label and flask, the dentist sent images of the product to the laboratory responsible for registering the drug at the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Results: The laboratory confirmed the fake drug. ANVISA blocked the commercialization, use and distribution of the product as well as made efforts to remove the available products from the market. Parallel police investigations were carried out and forensic expertise for drug profiling was accomplished ­ confirming the fake drug. Conclusion: This study drives attention to the possibility of existing fake drug commercialization to dentists dedicated to orofacial aesthetics, and the potential impact of this drugs if used in patients. Consequences might extend to penalties in the consumer relation interface, as well as in the criminal field as offense against public health.

Exosome-like Nanoparticles: A New Type of Nanocarrier.

Nanoparticles are one of the most commonly used systems for imaging or therapeutic drug delivery. Exosomes are nanovesicular carriers that transport cargo for intercellular communication. These nanovesicles are linked to the pathology of some major diseases, in some cases with a central role in their progression. The use of these carriers to transport therapeutic drugs is a recent and promising approach to treat diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer disease. The physiological production of these structures is limited impairing its collection and subsequent purification. These drawbacks inspired the search for mimetic alternatives. The collection of exosome-like nanoparticles from plants can be a good alternative, since they are easier to extract and do not have the drawbacks of those produced in animal cells. Both natural and synthetic exosome-like nanoparticles, produced from serial extrusion of cells or by bottom up synthesis, are currently some of the most promising, biocompatible, high efficiency systems for drug delivery.

Leukemia inhibitory factor: Recent advances and implications in biotechnology.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine with several functions in health and disease ranging from inflammation to cancer. LIF is also a potential target and/or therapeutic agent for diseases such as multiple sclerosis, stroke and even psychological disorders, where the function of LIF as a neurotrophic factor has only recently been explored. In recent years, a limited number of LIF clinical trials have been completed, which partially explains the shortage of effective applications as a therapeutic agent. With the increasing interest from biotechnology companies producing recombinant LIF, this status quo will certainly change, and the potential impact of LIF in terms of disease diagnosis, treatment and management will be realized.

Development of a computer-aided design software for the quantitative evaluation of aesthetic damage.

Concerns associated with the assessment of aesthetic damage or injury raise critical difficulties, such as the scarcity of methodology and standardization that may result in fundamental precepts to establish impartial forms of compensation and aiming the total reparation of bodily injury. The complexity of the aesthetic damage evaluation is associated with the confluence of legal and technical perspectives and expert subjectivity while conducting examination and writing a report. Experts face additional difficulties associated with the objectivity while assessing aesthetic damage, independently on its location or expert skills, due to complex details observed in these lesions. Another situation in the clinical area, doctors (mainly plastic surgeons) and dentists could show the improvement or not, of the aesthetic condition to the patients. In health related areas, the use of information technology has contributed to increase the number of appropriate diagnoses, besides promoting quality, efficiency and satisfaction to health care providers. In order to make this assessment more objective, a technological tool was developed to aid experts in the evaluation of aesthetic damage and report elaboration. The objective was to develop computer-aided design software for aesthetic damage quantification/evaluation that is accessible via internet to be applied as a complementary report on body aesthetic damage. The software uses as a parameter the AIPE method, translated transculturally from Spanish to Portuguese and English. The present study allowed the construction of open access auxiliary software for the evaluation of corporal aesthetic damage. Its use is facilitated by intuitive and interactive filling, and the text may be customized by the user. It transforms the report into PDF and saves all evaluations already done in its own file. Information is encrypted for added security and confidentiality. The software is available on website at https://www.aestheticdamage.com.

Verificação do tempo de percepção da unicidade em marcas de mordidas e sua aplicação forense: estudo piloto / Uniqueness perception time verification in bite marks and their forensic application: pilot study

Introdução: As marcas de mordida são lesões que contribuem para a identificação de agressores, vítimas e criminosos, possuindo valor probatório em processos judiciais por apresentarem características peculiares de cada indivíduo, embora não apresentem imutabilidade e perenidade, salvo quando registradas fotograficamente. Objetivo: Verificar o potencial de autoimagens de marcas de mordida a partir de aparelhos celulares, tanto para identificação de agressores, bem como estimar o respectivo tempo de percepção da unicidade. Metodologia: A pesquisa consistiu na participação de 6 (seis) voluntários, sendo definido por sorteio que um destes seria a suposta vítima e outro o agressor. Após sorteio, o agressor desferiria uma mordida na porção medial do antebraço esquerdo da vítima. Foram feitas fotografias desta mordida com a câmera do celular e registrados os tempos com intervalos de 5 minutos até 40 minutos. Após esta etapa, foram realizadas fotografias dos arcos dentais superiores e inferiores dos 5 (cinco) suspeitos. O confronto dessas imagens com a autoimagem do agredido foi feito por comparação direta e sobreposição, utilizando um software livre. Resultados: Após a comparação dos arcos dentais dos suspeitos com as lesões, foi possível identificar o agressor. Conclusão: No presente estudo piloto, observou-se que as imagens fotográficas feitas até quinze minutos após a mordida mostraram características anatômicas suficientes para realizar o confronto e identificar o ofensor. Passados 20 minutos da agressão, não mais havia características lesivas na pele que embasassem o requisito da unicidade.

Introduction: Bite marks are injuries that contribute to victims and criminals identification, having probative value in lawsuits, since they present characteristics of each individual, even though they don't show immutability and permanence, except when photographed. Objective: Verify the potential of self-images of bite marks from mobile devices, for identification of aggressors and to estimate the respective time of perception of the unicity. Methodology: This research consists of the participation of 6 (six) volunteers, being defined by raffle that one will be the victim and another the aggressor. After this definition, the offender will bite on the medial portion of the victim's left forearm. Photographs of this bite were taken with the camera of the cell phone and the times registered with time spaces of 5 minutes to 40 minutes. After this step, photographs of the upper and lower arches of the 5 (five) suspects were taken. The confrontation of these images with the self-image of the assaulter was done by direct comparison and overlap using Image J (free software). Results: After comparing the arches of the 5 suspects, it was possible to identify the aggressor. Conclusion: In the present pilot study, it was observed that the photographical images taken up to fifteen minutes after the bite showed sufficient anatomical characteristics to compare and identify the offender. After 20 minutes of the picture being taken, there were no more harmful skin characteristics that would support the uniqueness requirement

Ptychography of pure quantum states.

Ptychography is an imaging technique in which a localized illumination scans overlapping regions of an object and generates a set of diffraction intensities used to computationally reconstruct its complex-valued transmission function. We propose a quantum analogue of this technique designed to reconstruct d-dimensional pure states. A set of n rank-r projectors "scans" overlapping parts of an input state and the moduli of the d Fourier amplitudes of each part are measured. These nd outcomes are fed into an iterative phase retrieval algorithm that estimates the state. Using d up to 100 and r around d / 2, we performed numerical simulations for single systems in an economic (n = 4) and a costly (n = d) scenario, as well as for multiqubit systems (n = 6logd). This numeric study included realistic amounts of depolarization and poissonian noise, and all scenarios yielded, in general, reconstructions with infidelities below 10-2. The method is shown, therefore, to be resilient to noise and, for any d, requires a simple and fast postprocessing algorithm. We show that the algorithm is equivalent to an alternating gradient search, which ensures that it does not suffer from local-minima stagnation. Unlike traditional approaches to state reconstruction, the ptychographic scheme uses a single measurement basis; the diversity and redundancy in the measured data-key for its success-are provided by the overlapping projections. We illustrate the simplicity of this scheme with the paradigmatic multiport interferometer.

Analysis of Dental Case Reports in the Context of Court Decisions: Causal Nexus and Aspects of Fault.

The purpose of expert reports is to support the judge in his decisions, by providing technical information. However, it remains uncertain as to what extent the content of these reports is used, and if they are effectively associated with judicial decisions. The aim of this study was to perform a qualitative analysis of case reports in relation to the judicial decisions rendered in association with these reports, by determining the connection between causal nexus and aspects of fault. The case reports included lawsuits against dentists, issued by the Medical Justice Department of the State Court of Appeals of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between 2010 and 2013. Comparing the percentage of agreement between case report and judicial decision, causal nexus was 79.9% and fault was 86.7%. The high percentages of agreement found in relation to fault and causal nexus highlight the relevance of expert reports in weighing the judge's decision.