Artificial Neural Network-Based Density Functional Approach for Adiabatic Energy Differences in Transition Metal Complexes.

During the past decades, approximate Kohn-Sham density functional theory schemes have garnered many successes in computational chemistry and physics, yet the performance in the prediction of spin state energetics is often unsatisfactory. By means of a machine learning approach, an enhanced exchange and correlation functional is developed to describe adiabatic energy differences in transition metal complexes. The functional is based on the computationally efficient revision of the regularized, strongly constrained, and appropriately normed functional and improved by an artificial neural network correction trained over a small data set of electronic densities, atomization energies, and/or spin state energetics. The training process, performed using a bioinspired nongradient-based approach adapted for this work from the particle swarm optimization, is analyzed and discussed extensively. The resulting machine learned meta-generalized gradient approximation functional is shown to outperform most known density functionals in the prediction of adiabatic energy differences for a diverse set of transition metal complexes with varying local coordinations and metal choices.

Theoretical Framework Based on Molecular Dynamics and Data Mining Analyses for the Study of Potential Energy Surfaces of Finite-Size Particles.

Nanoclusters are remarkably promising for the capture and activation of small molecules for fuel production or as precursors for other chemicals of high commercial value. Since this process occurs under a wide variety of experimental conditions, an improved atomistic understanding of the stability and phase transitions of these systems will be key to the development of successful technological applications. In this work, we proposed a theoretical framework to explore the potential energy surface and configuration space of nanoclusters to map the most important morphologies presented by those systems and the phase transitions between them. A fully automated process was developed, which combines global optimization techniques, classical molecular dynamics, and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. To showcase these capabilities of the approach, we explored the example of copper nanoclusters (Cun) where n = 13, 38, 55, 75, 98, 102, and 147. We not only reported a graphical potential energy surface for each size, but also explored the topology of the configuration space via structural and thermodynamic analyses. The effect of size on the potential energy surface and the critical temperature for solid-liquid phase transitions were also reported, highlighting the impact of magic numbers on those quantities.

Metronidazole for Treatment of Clostridioides difficile Infections in Brazil: A Single-Center Experience and Risk Factors for Mortality.

We describe the epidemiology of C. difficile infections (CDIs) focused on treatment and analyze the risk factors for mortality. This is a retrospective cohort study of CDI cases with a positive A/B toxin in the stool in 2017-2018. We analyzed the demographic data, comorbidities, previous use of antimicrobials, severity, and treatment, and we performed multivariate analysis to predict the 30-days mortality. We analyzed 84 patients, 37 (44%) of which were male, where the mean age was 68.1 years and 83 (99%) had comorbidities. The percentage of positivity of the A/B toxin was 11.6%, and the overall incidence density was 1.78/10,000 patient days. Among the patients, 65.4% had previous use of antimicrobials, with third-generation cephalosporins being the class most prescribed, and 22.6% of cases were severe. Treatment was prescribed for 70 (83.3%) patients, and there was no statistically significant difference between the initial treatment with metronidazole and vancomycin even in severe cases. The 30-day mortality was 7/84 (8.3%), and the risk factors associated with mortality was a severity score ≥2 (OR: 6.0; CI: 1.15-31.1; p = 0.03). In this cohort of CDI-affected patients with comorbidities and cancer, metronidazole was shown to be a good option for treating CDIs, and the severity score was the only independent risk factor for death.

Microbiology of Diabetic Foot Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.

Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) are one of the causes of hospitalization in diabetic patients and, when this occurs, empirical antibiotic therapy is necessary. We have conducted a retrospective study of patients with DFI that required hospitalization to evaluate microbiologic profile and the susceptibility pattern of these infections. We evaluated 320 patients, of which 223 (69.7%) were male with a media age of 71 years with 276 isolates. Gram-positive bacteria were responsible for 188 (68.1%) of the isolates, while Gram-negative bacilli were responsible for 88 (31.9%). E. faecalis was the most prevalent pathogen, followed by S. aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococci. Among Gram-negative pathogens, P. aeruginosa was the most prevalent agent. Regarding the susceptibility profile, we found ampicillin-sensitive enterococci in 89% of the cases, oxacillin-sensitive S. aureus in 47%, but in coagulase-negative staphylococci, oxacillin was sensible only in 20%. The susceptibility profile of Gram-negatives was very good with 76% susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to ceftazidime and meropenem. The other prevalent Enterobacterales had great susceptibility to ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam and 100% susceptibility to meropenem, with the exception of K. pneumoniae, which had 75% susceptibility to meropenem. Knowledge of microbiological profile and susceptibility patterns of patients with DFIs is useful to guide empirical therapy.

Microbial Source Tracking as a Method of Determination of Beach Sand Contamination.

Beach sand may act as a reservoir for numerous microorganisms, including enteric pathogens. Several of these pathogens originate in human or animal feces, which may pose a public health risk. In August 2019, high levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were detected in the sand of the Azorean beach Prainha, Terceira Island, Portugal. Remediation measures were promptly implemented, including sand removal and the spraying of chlorine to restore the sand quality. To determine the source of the fecal contamination, during the first campaign, supratidal sand samples were collected from several sites along the beach, followed by microbial source tracking (MST) analyses of Bacteroides marker genes for five animal species, including humans. Some of the sampling sites revealed the presence of marker genes from dogs, seagulls, and ruminants. Making use of the information on biological sources originating partially from dogs, the municipality enforced restrictive measures for dog-walking at the beach. Subsequent sampling campaigns detected low FIB contamination due to the mitigation and remediation measures that were undertaken. This is the first case study where the MST approach was used to determine the contamination sources in the supratidal sand of a coastal beach. Our results show that MST can be an essential tool to determine sources of fecal contamination in the sand. This study shows the importance of holistic management of beaches that should go beyond water quality monitoring for FIB, putting forth evidence for beach sand monitoring.

Development of an Innovative Mechatronic Binder Machine.

This paper describes the development of a mechatronic punch and bind office machine. Integrating smart technologies in the existing traditional business machines will ease the evolution of these systems, enabling productivity and efficiency. The development of an experimental platform that enables further advances in servitization is required. To increase the binding rate of the office document, as well as to reduce the likelihood of errors, efforts have been made to develop a measuring system that allows the document to be properly measured and specifies the appropriate binding spine at the same time. As a complement, developments have been conducted in a system that enables the verification of the inserted spine. In addition, a system for automated document binding along with an integrated platform that allows the communication between all systems is presented. In both its hardware design and its underlying sensors, the new system has several advantages, providing significant performance improvements and upgradability over existing systems. This alternative comprises a system that enables a variety of sheets of paper, plastic or other materials to be punched.

Influence of glucose on xylose metabolization by Spathaspora passalidarum.

The yeast Spathaspora passalidarum is able to produce ethanol from D-xylose and D-glucose. However, it is not clear how xylose metabolism is affected by D-glucose when both sugars are available in the culture medium. The aims of this work were to evaluate the influence of D-glucose on D-xylose consumption, ethanol production, gene expression, and the activity of key xylose-metabolism enzymes under both aerobic and oxygen-limited conditions. Ethanol yields and productivities were increased in culture media containing D-xylose as the sole carbon source or a mixture of D-xylose and D-glucose. S. passalidarum preferentially consumed D-glucose in the co-fermentations, which is consistent with the reduction in expression of genes encoding the key xylose-metabolism enzymes. In the presence of D-glucose, the specific activities of xylose reductase (XR), xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH), and xylulokinase (XK) were lower. Interestingly, in accordance with other studies, the presence of 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) did not inhibit the growth of S. passalidarum in culture medium containing D-xylose as the sole carbon source. This indicates that a non-canonical repression pathway is acting in S. passalidarum. In conclusion, the results suggest that D-glucose inhibits D-xylose consumption and prevents the D-xylose-mediated induction of the genes encoding XR, XDH, and XK.

Role of the OH-group in the adsorption properties of methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol on 15-atom 3d, 4d, and 5d transition-metal clusters.

The adsorption of alcohols on transition-metal (TM) substrates has received the attention of many researchers due to the applications of alcohols in several technological fields. However, our atomic-level understanding is still far from satisfactory, in particular for the interaction of alcohols with finite-size TM clusters, where new effects can arise due to the presence of quantum-size effects. In this work, we report a theoretical investigation of the adsorption properties of methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol on 12 different 3d, 4d, and 5d TM15 clusters based on density functional theory calculations within the semi-empirical D3 van der Waals corrections. From the correlation analysis of all the lowest- and high-energy configurations, we identified the adsorption modes of methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol on the TM15 clusters, in which the OH group binds to the cationic TM sites via the O-TM and H-TM interactions. Due to the relatively weak alcohol-TM15 interaction, the changes induced on the TM15 clusters are small, except for Au15 and Ru15, where the bare cluster changes its structure to a nearby minimum in the potential energy surface. The adsorption energy for the alcohol/TM15 systems is correlated to the combination of several parameters, in which the main contribution is connected with the O-TM interaction and the HOTM angles. Furthermore, the TM electronegativity is an important descriptor for the methanol and ethanol adsorption energies, while charge transfer is important for ethylene glycol.

Characterization of Decellularized Human Pericardium for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications.

BACKGROUND: Pericardium tissue allograft can be used for surgical repair in several procedures. One of the tissue engineering strategies is the process of decellularization. This process decreases immunogenic response, but it may modify the natural extracellular matrix composition and behavior. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cell removal, maintenance of extracellular matrix properties and mechanical integrity of decellularized human pericardium using a low concentration solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate. METHODS: Decellularization was performed with sodium dodecyl sulfate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Histological analysis, DNA quantification, evaluation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen were performed. Biomechanical assay was performed using tensile test to compare the decellularization effects on tissue properties of tensile strength, elongation and elastic modulus. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: There was reduction in visible nuclei present in pericardium tissue after decellularization, but it retained collagen and elastin bundles similar to fresh pericardium. The DNA contents of the decellularized pericardium were significantly reduced to less than 511.23 ± 120.4 ng per mg of dry weight (p < 0.001). The biomechanical assay showed no significant difference for fresh or decellularized tissue. CONCLUSION: The decellularization process reduces cell content as well as extracellular matrix components without changing its biomechanical properties.

Characterization of Decellularized Human Pericardium for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications / Caracterização do Pericárdio Humano Descelularizado para Engenharia de Tecidos e Aplicações de Medicina Regenerativa

Abstract Background: Pericardium tissue allograft can be used for surgical repair in several procedures. One of the tissue engineering strategies is the process of decellularization. This process decreases immunogenic response, but it may modify the natural extracellular matrix composition and behavior. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cell removal, maintenance of extracellular matrix properties and mechanical integrity of decellularized human pericardium using a low concentration solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Methods: Decellularization was performed with sodium dodecyl sulfate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Histological analysis, DNA quantification, evaluation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen were performed. Biomechanical assay was performed using tensile test to compare the decellularization effects on tissue properties of tensile strength, elongation and elastic modulus. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There was reduction in visible nuclei present in pericardium tissue after decellularization, but it retained collagen and elastin bundles similar to fresh pericardium. The DNA contents of the decellularized pericardium were significantly reduced to less than 511.23 ± 120.4 ng per mg of dry weight (p < 0.001). The biomechanical assay showed no significant difference for fresh or decellularized tissue. Conclusion: The decellularization process reduces cell content as well as extracellular matrix components without changing its biomechanical properties.

Resumo Fundameto: O enxerto de pericárdio pode ser usado em muitos procedimentos de correção cirúrgica. Uma das estratégias da engenharia tecidual é o processo de descelularização. No entanto, embora esse processo diminua a resposta imunogênica, a descelularização pode modificar tanto o comportamento como a composição da matriz extracelular natural. Objetivos: Avaliar a eficácia da descelularização usando baixa concentração de dodecil sulfato de sódio na remoção celular, na manutenção das propriedades da matriz extracelular e na integridade mecânica do pericárdio humano descelularizado. Métodos: A descelularização foi realizada com dodecil sulfato de sódio e ácido etilenodiamino tetra-acético. Foi realizada análise histológica, quantificação de DNA, e avaliação de glicosaminoglicanos e colágeno. O estudo biomecânico foi conduzido pelo teste de tração para comparar os efeitos da descelularização sobre as propriedades teciduais de resistência à tração, alongamento e módulo de elasticidade. Foi considerado um valor de p < 0,05 como estatisticamente significativo. Resultados: Observou-se uma redução na quantidade de núcleos presentes no pericárdio após a descelularização, apesar de manter quantidades similares de feixes de elastina e de colágeno. As concentrações de DNA do pericárdio descelularizado foram significativamente reduzidas para menos que 511,23 ± 120,4 ng por mg de peso seco (p < 0,001). O teste biomecânico não apontou diferenças entre os tecidos fresco e descelularizado. Conclusão: A descelularização reduziu a concentração de células bem como os componentes da matriz extracelular sem afetar suas propriedades biomecânicas.

Electronic properties and vibrational spectra of (NH4)2M″(SO4)2·6H2O (M = Ni, Cu) Tutton's salt: DFT and experimental study.

The complex crystals of the family of the Tutton's salt have been investigated through the numerous experimental and theoretical studies to understand their physical properties and their potential technological applications. In spite of the more than 60 years of research, there are very few studies about the electronic properties of Tutton's salt. In our present work, we have calculated the stability, electronic properties and the first theoretical study of band structure of the three different crystals of the Tutton's salt, ammonium nickel sulfate hexahydrate ((NH4)2Ni(SO4)2·6H2O), ammonium nickel-copper sulfate hexahydrate ((NH4)2Ni0.5Cu0.5(SO4)2·6H2O) and ammonium copper sulfate hexahydrate ((NH4)2Ni(SO4)2·6H2O) with the help of periodic ab-initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). In addition to this, the internal Raman and FTIR modes of the ionic fragments [Ni(H2O)6]2+, [Cu(H2O)6]2+ NH4+ and SO42- of the sample crystals were obtained by employing the ab initio and the orientation of the molecular vibrations of the ionic fragments have been presented in picturized form. Furthermore, the Raman and FTIR spectroscopy of the sample crystals were measured in the range 100-4000 cm-1 and 400-4000 cm-1 respectively, and the internal vibrational modes obtained from experimental measurement have been compared with those obtained from DFT calculations.

Fatores associados a não participação nas aulas de educação física escolar em adolescentes / Factors associated with non-participation in education classes school physics in adolescents

RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi estimar as prevalências da não participação nas aulas de Educação Física Escolar (EFE) e identificar os fatores associados. A amostra foi composta por 1471 escolares (oito a 18 anos de idade) do ensino fundamental I e II. A variável de desfecho foi autoreferrida participa e não participa das aulas. Foi utilizada análise de regressão logística múltipla pelo procedimento de eliminação retrógrada. A prevalência a não participação das aulas de EFE foi de 43,6%, pública 38,9% e particular 49,5%. Os fatores associados a não participação nas aulas de EFE foram: sexo feminino (OR: 1,30; IC95%: 1,06-1,61), idade maior que 12 anos (OR: 1,39; IC95%: 1,12-2,73), acima do sétimo ano (OR: 1,32; IC95%: 1,07-2,63), uso da tecnologia acima de duas horas diárias (OR: 1,29; IC95%: 1,05-1,60), fazer menos de três refeições diárias (OR: 1,56; IC95%: 1.25-2,93) e o excesso de peso (OR: 1,61; IC95%: 1,32-2,97). Isso perpassa em entender a escola e todos os educadores como elementos propulsores do processo global de educação, uma vez que a participação efetiva de crianças e adolescentes nas aulas de EFE possibilita a diminuição e exposição a comportamentos de risco à saúde em todas as fases da vida, oportunizando a conscientização dessas práticas.

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of non-participation in the School Physical Education classes (EFE) and to identify the associated factors. The sample consisted of 1471 schoolchildren (eight to 18 years of age) from elementary school I and II. The outcome variable was self-reported participates and does not participate in classes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used by the retrograde elimination procedure. The prevalence of non-participation in EFE classes was 43.6%, public 38.9% and private 49.5%. The factors associated with non-participation in EFS classes were: female (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.06-1.61); age greater than 12 years (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07-2.63), use of the technology over two hours per day (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1, (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.25-2.93) and overweight (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.32-2, 97). This is to understand the school and all educators as elements that propel the global education process, since the effective participation of children and adolescents in EFE classes enables the reduction and exposure to health risk behaviors in all phases of life , giving an opportunity to raise awareness of these practices.

Physiological characterization of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under abiotic stresses for breeding purposes.

In the Brazilian wet and dry seasons, common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are grown under rainfed conditions with unexpected episodes of drought and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological mechanisms associated with drought adaptation traits in landraces and line/cultivars of beans from the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools. Twenty-five genotypes, contrasting in terms of drought tolerance, were evaluated in a phenotyping platform under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Agronomic and physiological parameters such as grain yield, shoot structures, gas exchange, water potential, and osmotic adjustment were evaluated. The stress intensity was estimated to be 0.57, and the grain yield reduction ranged from 22 to 89%. Seven accessions, representative of the Andean and Mesoamerican germplasm (CF 200012, CF 240056, CF 250002, CF 900004, CNF 4497, CNF 7382, and SEA 5), presented superior performance in grain yield with and without stresses. The physiological responses under abiotic stresses were highly variable among the genotypes, and two Mesoamerican accessions (CF 200012 and SEA 5) showed more favorable adaptive responses. As the main secondary physiological traits, gas exchange and osmotic adjustment should be evaluated together with the grain yield to increase the selection efficiency of abiotic stresses-tolerant common bean lines.

Overexpression of a phospholipase (OsPLDα1) for drought tolerance in upland rice (Oryza sativa L.).

This work aimed to evaluate the drought tolerance of transformed plants of the cultivar BRSMG Curinga that overexpress the rice phospholipase D α1 (OsPLDα1) gene. The productivity of independent transformation event plants of the OsPLDα1 gene was evaluated in an experiment where 19 days of water deficit were applied at the reproductive stage, a very strict growing condition for upland rice. The non-genetically modified cultivar (NGM) under drought treatment reduced productivity by 89% compared with that under irrigated treatment, whereas transformed plants (PLDα1_E2) reduced productivity by only 41%. After the drought treatment, the PLDα1_E2 plants productivity was five times greater than that of the NGM plant. Moreover, no adverse effects on growth and development of the transgenic plants were observed. Seven days after the resumption of irrigation, PLDα1_E2 plants had higher stomatal conductance, greater photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate than did NGM plants, as well as a higher expression level of the OsPLDα1 gene. A delay in the senescence process was observed in these PLDα1_E2 plants, and this was determined for the recovery of photosynthesis, with greater expression of the Rubisco and lower expression of the SOD. This finding was suggestive of decreased oxidative stress, probably due to gas exchange by the partial closure of the stomata of these transformed plants, which prevented the formation of reactive oxygen species. OsPLDα1 gene overexpression resulted in a reduction in production loss under severe water deficit and revealed a possibility for the development of upland rice cultivars that are more tolerant to extreme drought conditions.

Construção e validação de instrumento de sistematização da assistência de enfermagem em terapia intensiva / Construction and validation of a systematization instrument for nursing in intensive care

Objetivo: construir e validar um instrumento de Sistematização da Assistência de Enfermagem e caracterizar o perfil dos pacientes de uma unidade de terapia intensiva do norte do Brasil. Métodos: trabalho metodológico descritivo, seguiu o modelo do processo de enfermagem em cinco fases. Resultados: foi sugerido que o instrumento fosse construído em dois impressos, um de admissão e outro de avaliação diária. Alguns itens do instrumento foram retirados conforme a validação do conteúdo pelas enfermeiras. Dos 45 pacientes avaliados, 60,0% eram homens, 44,0% casados, 40,0% com baixa escolaridade, insuficiência renal crônica e carcinoma. Os principais diagnósticos de enfermagem foram risco para infecção (100,0%) e mobilidade física prejudicada (97,8%). As principais intervenções de enfermagem foram: lavagem das mãos, trocar acessos endovenosos, realizar técnicas assepticamente e movimentar o paciente a cada 2 horas. Conclusão: a construção e validação de conteúdo foram realizadas com êxito, subsidiando instrumentos capazes de proporcionar aos pacientes uma assistência de enfermagem de qualidade.

Implante imediato e carga imediata em paciente periodontal - relato de caso com acompanhamento de seis anos / Immediate implants and immediate loading in periodontally compromised patient: a clinical case with a six years follow-up

Os implantes osseointegrados abrangem cada vez mais os planos de tratamento que visam a reabilitação de pacientes que perdem os dentes em consequência da doença periodontal. Nestes, as áreas edêntulas remanescentes tem uma densidade óssea reduzida. Quando uma prótese implantossuportada é instalada nessa região e uma sobrecarga oclusal é aplicada, a osseointegração se torna deficiente, o que leva à perda do implante. Contudo, quando qualquer estímulo nocivo é suprimido, as chances de êxito do tratamento são altas, mesmo em indivíduos com a forma ativa da doença. Nesses casos, a instalação dos implantes pode acontecer no mesmo momento cirúrgico das exodontias. Os pacientes submetidos a este modelo de tratamento desejam, também, o uso de próteses implantossuportadas imediatas, a fim de restabelecer, o mais cedo possível, a função e estética. O artigo a seguir é a apresentação de um caso clínico de reabilitação total da maxila com utilização de implantes e carga imediatos em paciente periodontal. Na cirurgia foram realizadas dez exodontias e colocados sete implantes. Em todos, a estabilização primária foi alcançada. Após 24 horas, a carga imediata foi aplicada. Somente depois de seis meses, o protocolo metalocerâmico foi instalado. Após seis anos de acompanhamento, através de exames clínico e radiográficos, não foram revelados sinais que indicassem a peri-implantite nem a micromovimentação dos implantes. Os autores concordam que os implantes imediatos e carga imediata trazem vantagens aos pacientes periodontais, pois há a redução do tempo de trabalho, menos desconforto pós-operatório e, sobretudo, utilização de uma prótese provisória fixa, funcional e estética.

The osseointegrated implants had become more common in the treatment plans aiming at rehabilitation of patients that had lost their teeth due to periodontal disease. In these patients the remaining edentulous areas have low bone density. When an implant-supported prosthesis is installed in that site and an overload is applied, the consequence is a bad osseointegration may result on implant loss. However, when any prejudicial stimulus is suppressed there are good chances of a successful treatment even in patients with periodontitis. In these cases implant placement can be performed in fresh extraction sites. Patients submitted to this model of treatment also search for immediate implant-supported prosthesis, for a briefer reestablishment of aesthetics. This article introduces a clinical report of full-arch maxillary rehabilitation with immediate implants and immediate loading in periodontally compromised patient. In the surgery were performed ten extractions and seven implants were installed. Primary stabilization was achieved for all of them. After 24 hours, the immediate loading was applied, and only after six months the implant-supported porcelain-fused-to-metal prosthesis was placed. After six years of follow up, through clinical and radiographic controls, were not observed signs that indicate peri-implantitis or implants micromovement. The authors agree that immediate implants and immediate loading offer advantages to periodontally compromised patients, such as reduction in the chair time, less postoperative discomfort and, especially the use of provisional fixed prosthesis that restore function and aesthetics

Molecularly imprinted fibers with renewable surface for solid-phase microextraction of triazoles from grape juice samples followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis.

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of a new molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction fiber able to renew its selective binding sites because of the gradual thermal decomposition of the polymeric network. The injector of the chromatograph operates at 300 °C, and during the desorption step of the analytes (in a short period), the polymeric network is degraded from the surface to the core in volatile compounds that do not interfere with the analysis. The renewable MIP fiber was successfully employed to extract triazole fungicides (triadimenol, tebuconazole, and metconazole) from grape juice samples followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. The method was adjusted to the quadratic models from 100 to 2000 µg L(-1), with good precision and accuracy. The limits of quantification (100 µg L(-1) for all analytes) were sufficient to analyze triadimenol, tebuconazole, and metconazole in grape juice samples, where their maximum residue limits in Brazil are 100, 2000, and 1000 µg L(-1), respectively.

Solução estética e funcional usando tecnologia CAD/CAM e zircônia Prettau: relato de caso / Aesthetic and functional solution using CAD/CAM technology and Prettau Zirconia: case report

Os processos restauradores estão se desenvolvendo bastante em duas áreas específicas. A primeira diz respeito a um aumento da resistência das infraestruturas não metálicas que permite indicações de restaurações livres de metal. A segunda, diz respeito ao desenvolvimento de sistemas totalmente automatizados para a confecção de infraestruturas protéticas. O desenho de uma estrutura protética em um computador seguido de sua confecção por uma máquina de fresagem é designado comumente por CAD (Computer Aided Design) - CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing). Durante os últimos 27 anos, essa tecnologia tem produzido uma grande revolução na Odontologia, com o objetivo principal de otimizar a produção de estruturas protéticas com excelentes níveis de precisão e estética. A evolução dos sistemas CAD/CAM tem sido acompanhada também pela evolução dos materiais, sobretudo a zircônia, o material com maior resistência flexural disponível nessa área. Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever o planejamento e a confecção de uma prótese parcial fixa, utilizando a zircônia Prettau do sistema Zirkonzahn, por meio da tecnologia CAD/ CAM, revisando suas características, vantagens e desvantagens

The restorative processes are developing well in two specific areas. The first relates to an increased resistance of non-metal infrastructures which allows indications of metal-free restorations. The second concerns the development of fully automated systems for the construction of prosthetic infrastructure. The design of a prosthetic structure on a computer followed by its production by a milling machine is commonly called a CAD (Computer Aided Design) / CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing). During the last 27 years, this technology has produced a great revolution in Dentistry, with the main objective of optimizing the production of prosthetic structures with excellent levels of precision and esthetics. The evolution of CAD/CAM system has also been accompanied by the evolution of material, particularly zirconia, the strongest ceramic available in this area. The present article describes the planning and fabrication of partial fixed dentures with Prettau zirconia, Zirkonzahn system through CAD/CAM technology, reviewing their advantages and disadvantages

Epidemiology and predictors of a poor outcome in elderly patients with candidemia.

BACKGROUND: Candidemia affects patient populations from neonates to the elderly. Despite this, little information is available about the epidemiology of candidemia in elderly patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 987 episodes of candidemia in adults (>14 years of age) from the databases of three laboratory-based surveys of candidemia performed at 14 tertiary care hospitals. Patients aged ≥60 years were considered elderly (group 1, n=455, 46%) and were compared to younger patients (group 2, n=532, 54%) regarding demographics, underlying diseases, comorbidities, exposure to medical procedures, species, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: The median APACHE II score was significantly higher in the elderly patients (19 vs. 15, p=0.03). Variables that were observed significantly more frequently in elderly patients included admission to an intensive care unit, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, cardiac disease, lung disease, receipt of antibiotics or H2 blockers, insertion of a central venous catheter, mechanical ventilation, and candidemia due to Candida tropicalis. The 30-day mortality of elderly patients was significantly higher than that of younger patients (70% vs. 45%, p<0.001). Factors associated with higher mortality by multivariate analysis included APACHE II score and being in group 1 (elderly). Factors associated with mortality in elderly patients were lung disease and the receipt of mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients account for a substantial proportion of patients with candidemia and have a higher mortality compared to younger patients.

Juvenile paracoccidioidomycosis in urban area: report of two cases.

We present two cases of juvenile form of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), a systemic mycosis frequently found in rural areas, whose prognosis is poor in children and young adults. They are a 14-year-old boy and a 25-year-old woman, both residents in an urban area in São Paulo - Brazil, without any history of travelling to an endemic area. They have been admitted to the hospital due to fever, weight loss and lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis was confirmed by serologic and histopathologic study. Patients have recovered after therapy with oral itraconazole and were discharged from hospital, maintaining outpatient visits. In this article, the authors discuss the unusual presentation of PCM in an urban area.