Biochemical and Microbiological Aspects of the Oral Cavity of Children and Young People with Neurological Impairment and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia.

The components and the salivary flow have a direct influence on the composition of the oral microbiota of children and young people with oropharyngeal dysphagia, and studies have already demonstrated the excessive accumulation of supragingival dental calculus in individuals with enteral nutrition. This study aimed to compare the oral hygiene, biochemical, and microbiological aspects of the oral cavity of children and young people with neurological impairment and oropharyngeal dysphagia. Forty children and young people with neurological impairment and oropharyngeal dysphagia were enrolled and divided into two groups: group I, encompassing 20 participants fed via gastrostomy; and group II, encompassing 20 participants fed via the oral route. Oral hygiene and salivary pH and flow were assessed, and a polymerase chain reaction was performed to evaluate the messenger RNA expressions of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tanerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola. In groups I and II, the mean Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified scores were 4 and 2, respectively, showing a significant difference; the mean Calculus Index scores were 2 and 0, respectively, showing a significant difference; and the mean pH was 7.5 and 6.0, respectively, showing a significant difference. Bacterial analysis indicated no association between the two groups. It can be concluded that children and young people who use gastrostomy had a poorer oral hygiene, greater dental calculus deposition, and higher salivary pH. The saliva of patients in both groups contained Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tanerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola.

Capitalismo dependente, Estado e autoritarismo no Brasil / Dependent Capitalism, State and Authoritarianism in Brazil

Como resultado de pesquisas sobre a articulação, no Brasil atual, entre Estado, capitalismo dependente e nova direita, este texto enfatiza questões estruturantes e conjunturais das peculiaridades do capitalismo no País, com o objetivo de discutir as relações entre Estado, classes sociais, autocracia burguesa, democracia restrita, nova direita e autoritarismo. Seguindo a perspectiva materialista histórica dialética e referenciado em revisão de literatura especializada, o texto estrutura-se e apresenta como resultados: o entendimento do Estado capitalista como relação social contraditória moldada pelas lutas de classe, suas particularidades no Brasil sob as bases do capitalismo dependente; a heteronomia, padrão compósito de hegemonia burguesa e os limites da democracia no Brasil, como eixos estruturantes e dinâmicos da especificidade brasileira; e o autoritarismo como produto da corrente ideológica da nova direita, com tendência de radicalização, presente nas ações políticas nacionais que seguem características do Ur-fascismo.

As a result of research on the articulation, in the current Brazil, between State, dependent capitalism and new right, this text emphasizes structural and conjunctural questions of the peculiarities of capitalism in the Country, with the objective of discussing the relations between State, social classes, bourgeois autocracy, restricted democracy, New Right and authoritarianism. Following the dialectical historical materialist perspective and referenced in a specialized literature review, the text is structured and presents as results: the understanding of the capitalist state as a contradictory social relationship shaped by class struggles, its particularities in Brazil under the bases of dependent capitalism; heteronomy, a composite pattern of bourgeois hegemony and the limits of democracy in Brazil, as structural and dynamic axes of Brazilian specificity; and authoritarianism as a product of the ideological current of the New Right, with a tendency to radicalization, present in national political actions that follow characteristics of Ur-fascism.

Oral hygiene and oral microbiota in children and young people with neurological impairment and oropharyngeal dysphagia.

This study compared the oral hygiene and oral microbiota in children and young people with neurological impairment and oropharyngeal dysphagia with and without gastrostomy. Forty children and young people participated in this study: 19 females and 21 males, aged 2 to 22 years (mean age 8.6 years). Participants were divided into two groups: group I (GI = 20) with gastrostomy and group II (GII = 20) without gastrostomy (with oral feeding). Oral hygiene was assessed using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (SOHI). Analysis of two bacteria, Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, was performed by collecting saliva using an oral swab, then mRNA expression was evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The oral hygiene index had a general median of 2.2, and the two groups were statistically different (Group I: median 2.9 and Group II: median 2.0) (p = 0.01751). Bacterial analysis indicated 13 individuals with S. mutans and none with S. sobrinus. Of the 13 individuals with S. mutans, 6 were from Group I and 7 from Group II. Those with gastrostomy had worse oral hygiene, and both groups harbored the bacterium S. mutans.

Resistência e formação no Serviço Social: ação política das entidades organizativas / Resistance and formation in Social Work: political action of organizational entities

Resumo: Este texto objetiva elucidar desafios que, na visão dos dirigentes da Abepss, CFESS/Cress e Andes, incidem sobre a formação profissional e o trabalho docente do assistente social, contribuindo para fundamentar as ações de resistência do coletivo nessas organizações. Assim, discorreremos sobre os pressupostos da resistência no Serviço Social e desafios para a formação e o trabalho docente; as dificuldades para a resistência e a relevância da construção da agenda de lutas.

Abstract: This text has the objective of clear the challenges that, in the vision of the directors of Abepps, CFESS/Cress and Andes, focus over the professional formation and the Social Worker's teaching work, contributing to base the actions of resistance of the collective in these organizations. In these way, we are going to discuss about assumptions of resistance in the Social Work and challenges for the formation and the teaching work; the difficulties for the resistance; and the relevance of the construction of the fights agenda.

Clinical topographic analysis of neuropathic pain in patients admitted in a center of multidisciplinary treatment / Análise clínico-topográfica da dor neuropática de pacientes admitidos em um centro de tratamento multidisciplinar

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Verbal investigation is a critical step of nursing neurological evaluation of neuropathic pain patients, due to its multidimensionality. There are few studies in the literature specifically dealing with this subject. In light of the above, this study aimed at evaluating medical records on clinical topographic characteristics of neuropathic pain reported by patients from a multidisciplinary management center. METHODS: This is a documental, crossover and quantitative study evaluating 50 medical records of patients with established neuropathic pain diagnosis who came for routine consultations between January and June 2014. Data collection form was based on McGill Pain Questionnaire and data regarding age, gender, pain topography and presence of verbal descriptors were analyzed. Data were submitted to statistical analysis and Chi-square test was applied to compare association among variables. RESULTS: There has been prevalence of females (64%), with mean age of 57 years. Most common pain descriptors were from the sensory dimension and were associated to cases where neuropathy affected lower limbs (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: There has been association between topography and pain dimension. Due to the subjectivity and complexity involving neuropathic pain evaluation, it is necessary to understand its clinical manifestations and to prepare the whole multidisciplinary team, especially Nursing, which plays a critical role in verbal investigation of painful patients. .

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A investigação verbal é uma etapa fundamental do exame neurológico do enfermeiro na avaliação do paciente com dor neuropática, dada à sua multidimensionalidade. Na literatura, poucos são os trabalhos que lidam especificamente com esse tema. Diante disso, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar registros em prontuários sobre as características clínico-topográficas da dor neuropática relatadas por pacientes de um centro de tratamento multidisciplinar. MÉTODOS: Estudo documental, transversal, de natureza quantitativa. Analisaram-se 50 prontuários de pacientes com diagnóstico estabelecido de dor neuropática que compareceram para consultas de rotina entre janeiro e junho de 2014. Utilizou- -se formulário para coleta de dados baseado no Questionário de Dor McGill e foram analisados dados referentes a idade, gênero, topografia da dor e presença de descritores verbais. Os dados foram submetidos a análise estatística e aplicou-se teste de Qui- -quadrado para comparar a associação entre as variáveis. RESULTADOS: Prevaleceram pacientes do gênero feminino (64%), com média de 57 anos. Os descritores de dor mais citados foram da dimensão sensorial e se associaram aos casos em que a neuropatia atingia os membros inferiores (p=0,006). CONCLUSÃO:: Foi observada uma associação entre topografia e dimensão da dor. Em virtude da subjetividade e complexidade que envolvem a avaliação da dor neuropática, faz-se necessário o conhecimento das suas manifestações clínicas e o preparo de toda a equipe multidisciplinar, sobretudo da Enfermagem, que desempenha papel fundamental na condução da investigação verbal do paciente com dor. .

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy to detect anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody in blood sera of domestic cats: quantitative analysis based on partial least-squares multivariate statistics.

Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonosis in public health because domestic cats are the main agents responsible for the transmission of this disease in Brazil. We investigate a method for diagnosing toxoplasmosis based on Raman spectroscopy. Dispersive near-infrared Raman spectra are used to quantify anti-Toxoplasma gondii (IgG) antibodies in blood sera from domestic cats. An 830-nm laser is used for sample excitation, and a dispersive spectrometer is used to detect the Raman scattering. A serological test is performed in all serum samples by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for validation. Raman spectra are taken from 59 blood serum samples and a quantification model is implemented based on partial least squares (PLS) to quantify the sample's serology by Raman spectra compared to the results provided by the ELISA test. Based on the serological values provided by the Raman/PLS model, diagnostic parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive prediction values, and negative prediction values are calculated to discriminate negative from positive samples, obtaining 100, 80, 90, 83.3, and 100%, respectively. Raman spectroscopy, associated with the PLS, is promising as a serological assay for toxoplasmosis, enabling fast and sensitive diagnosis.

Análise das estratégias utilizadas em um grupo terapêutico pedagógico para auxiliar o desenvolvimento da linguagem escrita em crianças com deficiência auditiva / Analyses of strategies used in a pedagogic therapeutic group to enhance the development of writing in hearing impaired children

O presente estudo teve como objetivos avaliar e acompanhar o desenvolvimento da linguagem escrita e analisar as estratégias utilizadas durante 01 ano de intervenção pedagógica em grupo para o desenvolvimento da linguagem escrita de quatro crianças com deficiência auditiva, usuárias de Aparelho de Amplificação Sonora Individual (AASI) e/ou Implante Coclear (IC) com idades entre 05 e 07 anos, atendidas no Centro Educacional do Deficiente Auditivo do Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais da Universidade de São Paulo, em Bauru-SP. Para a consecução dos objetivos foram realizados os seguintes procedimentos: submissão do projeto de pesquisa ao Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da instituição, revisão da literatura, análise das estratégias para a intervenção, categorização das habilidades de audição e de linguagem oral de cada criança após avaliações da percepção auditiva da fala e de linguagem oral realizadas por um fonoaudiólogo, bem como avaliação da linguagem escrita de acordo com protocolos específicos, no pré e pós-intervenção. As estratégias foram aplicadas na situação de grupo, mediadas pela pedagoga-pesquisadora e registradas com câmera fixa, instalada em tripé. Realizada a análise das estratégias por meio de transcrição e categorização das mesmas bem como a análise quantitativa e qualitativa das avaliações de cada criança, buscando situar seu nível de desenvolvimento de escrita de acordo com a literatura. Observou-se que as crianças avançaram nas fases de desenvolvimento da escrita e concluiu-se que as estratégias terapêuticas aplicadas despertaram maior envolvimento, confiança e habilidade das crianças em relação à linguagem escrita, mostrando assim, sua utilidade >na intervenção pedagógica em grupo.

The aims of the present study were to evaluate and to accompany the development of writing in an educational and therapeutic group setting with four children between the ages of 5 and 7 years with mild to profound hearing loss, all of whom use hearing aids or have cochlear implants. The objective was to analyze strategies used during such intervention for the development of writing language in this group, during 1 year. The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital of Abnormalities and Craniofacial Rehabilitation of the University of São Paulo and the study was conducted with the parents' consent. The following procedures were undertaken: literature review and analysis of strategies for the intervention, assessment of hearing and language abilities of each child, as well as evaluation of the writing language following specific protocols, before and after intervention. The strategies were applied in group situation, mediated by the educator-researcher and recorded with camera fixed on a tripod. The strategies were transcribed and analyzed. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of each child's evaluations was done, so as to understand the child's level of writing development in accordance with the literature. The results showed that all children showed progress in their writing development. The conclusion was that the therapeutic strategies that were applied enabled greater involvement, confidence and abilities regarding written language, pointing to the usefulness of group educational intervention.

A new method for hemorrhoid surgery: intrahemorrhoidal diode laser, does it work?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical results of intrahemorrhoidal application of a diode laser. BACKGROUND DATA: Hemorrhoids are a common source of pain, and no surgical technique achieves a painless outcome. Endovascular laser therapy for varicose veins as described in an experimental study is a method that could be used in the treatment of hemorrhoids, but there are few clinical trials described in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with second and third degree hemorrhoids underwent intrahemorrhoidal laser therapy. After the piles were identified, a fiber was introduced into each and it was irradiated with laser energy (810 nm, 5 W, frequency of 5 Hz, energy density of 19 J/cm(2), total energy of 4-10 J). RESULTS: The piles were immediately partially reduced, and clinical examination 7, 14, 21, and 28 d after surgery showed complete healing in nine patients (60.4%) and partial resolution in five patients (33%). In one patient (6.6%) the treatment failed. Mean pain intensity throughout the study period, measured by a visual analog scale (0-10), was 0.84 +/- 1.13 (mean +/- SD). Major complications were burn lesions (n = 4) and residual plicoma (skin tag) (n = 5). Ten control patients underwent an open "cold scalpel" hemorrhoidectomy. Their pain intensity was 1.78 +/- 0.68 (mean +/- SD). There was a significant statistical difference (p = 0.018) between groups. CONCLUSION: The diode laser energy delivered into small to median hemorrhoidal piles caused little pain and led to a partial to complete resolution within a short time compared to open hemorrhoidectomy. Some adjustments must be made to prevent burning lesions and residual plicoma. Although it is not a good method for big piles, this technique opens new possibilities for surgical treatment of hemorrhoidal disease.

Infrared laser light reduces loading time of dental implants: a Raman spectroscopic study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess, through near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (NIRS), the incorporation of hydroxyapatite of calcium (CHA; approximately 960 cm(1))--on the healing bone around dental implants submitted or not to low-level laser therapy (LLLT) (lambda830 nm). BACKGROUND DATA: The process of maturation of the bone is important for the success of dental implants, as it improves the fixation of the implant to the bone, allowing the wearing of a prosthesis. LLLT has been suggested as a mean of improving bone healing because of its biomodulatory capabilities. METHODS: Fourteen rabbits received a titanium implant on the tibia; eight of them were irradiated with lambda830-nm laser (seven sessions at 48-h intervals, 21.5 J/cm(2) per session, 10 mW, phi approximately 0.0028 cm(2), 85 J/cm(2) treatment dose), and six acted as control. The animals were sacrificed at 15, 30, and 45 days after surgery. Specimens were routinely prepared for Raman spectroscopy. Twelve readings were taken on the bone around the implant. RESULTS: The results showed significant differences in the concentration of CHA on irradiated and control specimens at both 30 and 45 days after surgery (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that LLLT does improve bone healing, and this can be safely assessed by Raman spectroscopy.

Use of near-infrared raman spectroscopy to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in serum samples of domestic cats.

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (NIRS) is a particularly promising technique that is being used in recent years formany biomedical applications. Optical spectroscopy has gained increasing prominence as a tool for quantitative analysis of biological samples, clinical diagnostic, concentration measurements of blood metabolites and therapeutic drugs, and analysis of the chemical composition of human tissues. Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonosis in public health, and domestic cats are the most important transmitters of the disease. This disease can be detected by several serological tests, which usually have a high cost and require a long time. The goal of this work was to investigate a new method to diagnosis Toxoplasma gondii infections using NIRS. In order to confirm antibody detection, 24 cat blood serum samples were analyzed by the Raman spectra, from which 23 presented positive serology to toxoplasmosis and one was a reference negative serum. Characteristic Raman peaks allowed differentiation between negative and positive sera, confirming the possibility of antibody detection by Raman spectroscopy. These results give the first evidence that this technique can be useful to quantify antibodies in cat sera.

Avaliação da sintomatologia ocular em pacientes com disfunçäo temporo-mandibular / Ocular symptom evaluation in patients with temporomandibular dysfunction

Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia da placa neuromiorrelaxante em reduzir a sintomatologia oftalmológica de pacientes com disfunçäo temporo-mandibular (DTM) e constatar a possível correlaçäo entre DTM e sintomatologia ocular.Métodos: Foi realizada uma análise comparativa da evoluçäo das sintomatologias da DTM e oculares em uma amostra de dezenove pacientes com DTM, sinais e sintomas oftalmológicos e ausência de patologia ocular. Esses pacientes foram submetidos a uma terapia reversível por meio do uso da placa neuromiorrelaxante.Resultados: Observou-se que após o uso da placa durante um período maior (60 dias), o número de pacientes que apresentaram melhora de 100porcento ou que apresentaram sintomatologia discreta, tanto para DTM quanto para ocular, foi estatisticamente significativo. Já em intervalos de tempo menores (7-15, 15-30, 30-60 dias), o efeito da placa näo foi significativo estatisticamente para reduzir a sintomatologia da DTM e ocular. A sintomatologia oftalmológica mais freqüente (84,2porcento) encontrada nos pacientes com DTM da presente amostra foi dor ocular. Conclusäo: Há correlaçäo entre DTM e sintomatologia ocular, visto que pacientes portadores desta disfunçäo que fizeram uso da terapia reversível, obtiveram melhora do quadro clínico tanto da DTM quanto da sintomatologia ocular num intervalo de tempo maior (7-60 dias)

Avaliaçäo in vitro da eficácia do flúor adicionado em refrigerantes na prevençäo da desmineralizaçäo do esmalte do dente / In vitro evaluation of fluoride efficacy added in soft drinks to avoid tooth enamel desmineralization

Nada substitui o flúor como elemento anticariogênico. Este pode ser obtido pela água fluorada, pelo uso de dentifrícios, géis ou vernizes fluorados e pela nutriçäo em si. Uma dose ótima de flúor proporciona máxima reduçäo na prevalência da cárie, sem causar efeitos prejudiciais na formaçäo do esmalte. Em vista disto, foi adicionado aos refrigerantes concentraçöes variadas deste elemento. Sabe-se que o refrigerante é uma das bebidas mais consumidas por crianças e adolescentes. Porém, de acordo com a freqüência de ingestäo, causa efeitos deletérios aos dentes devido ao seu teor ácido e à presença de açúcares. Objetivou-se avaliar a reduçäo da desmineralizaçäo, além de analisar o pH e estimar o poder erosivo desta bebida. Para tanto, foram usados blocos de esmalte de dentes humanos, em intervalos pré- determinados, perfazendo 288 amostras. A metodologia empregada para determinaçäo da acidez foi pH-metro e para constatar a perda de cálcio do esmalte, a Espectrofotometria de Absorçäo Atômica...