Trees harbouring ants are better defended than con-generic and sympatric ant-free trees.

Plant strategies against herbivores are classically divided into chemical, physical, biotic defences. However, little is known about the relative importance of each type of plant defence, especially in the same species. Using the myrmecophyte Triplaris americana (both with and without ants), and the congeneric non-myrmecophyte T. gardneriana, we tested whether ant defence is more effective than other defences of naturally ant-free myrmecophytes and the non-myrmecophyte congeneric species, all spatially co-occurring. In addition, we investigated how plant traits vary among plant groups, and how these traits modulate herbivory. We sampled data on leaf area loss and plant traits from these tree groups in the Brazilian Pantanal floodplain, and found that herbivory is sixfold lower in plants with ants than in ant-free plants, supporting a major role of biotic defences against herbivory. Whereas ant-free plants had more physical defences (sclerophylly and trichomes), they had little effect on herbivory-only sclerophylly modulated herbivory, but with opposite effects depending on ants' presence and species identity. Despite little variation in the chemicals among plant groups, tannin concentrations and δ13C signatures negatively affected herbivory in T. americana plants with ants and in T. gardneriana, respectively. We showed that ant defence in myrmecophytic systems is the most effective against herbivory, as the studied plants could not fully compensate the lack of this biotic defence. We highlight the importance of positive insect-plant interactions in limiting herbivory, and therefore potentially plant fitness.

Integrality, absenteeism and resolubility of specialized care for pediatric patients: a cross-sectional study.

Dental Specialties Centers (CEOs) are clinics representing part of the secondary oral health care system of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Pediatric dentistry is not a requirement for service accreditation. However, the CEO of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (CEO-UFRGS) has provided dental care for children aged 3-11 years since 2017. The utilization rates of health services are influenced by absenteeism. Therefore, evaluation of absences for dental appointments is of primary importance. This study aimed to evaluate referral characteristics, absenteeism, and resolubility of pediatric dentistry appointments at the CEO-UFRGS. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dental Teaching Hospital of the university and analyzed secondary data from referrals and medical records. From August 2017 to December 2019, 167 referrals and 96 medical records were reviewed, from which data of individual variables related to the referral process and treatment were collected. Data were collected by a single trained examiner and analyzed using SPSS software. The main reasons for referral to secondary care were dental caries and pulpal or periapical diseases associated with difficult-to-manage behavior. An absenteeism rate of 28.1% at the first pediatric dental visit and a resolution rate of 65.6% were found. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that each day of waiting for specialized care resulted in a 0.3% of higher chance of absence for appointment. This also increased the chance by 0.7% in child who attended the first visit to complete treatment, suggesting that the waiting time for attendance was associated with absenteeism and resolubility. Public policies that expand providing child dental care in secondary care are recommended to improve access to and resolubility of services.

[The use of dental services in the past year in the brazilian population: a systematic review with meta-analysis]. / O uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano na população brasileira: revisão sistemática com metanálise.

The scope of this study was to analyze the factors associated with the use of dental services in Brazil. The review strategy included PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BBO, EMBASE, Scopus, WOS and Google Scholar databases, in addition to repositories and databases of dissertations and theses. Studies were selected using the PEO (Population/Exposure/Outcomes) strategy. The outcome of this study was the use of dental services in the last year by the Brazilian population, treated as dichotomous variables for the following analyses: ≤ 1 year and > 1 year. Mantel-Haenszel random effect meta-analysis was performed, estimating Prevalence Ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). A total of 94 studies were selected. The majority (98%) had a cross-sectional design, with 63% derived from primary data. For the meta-analysis, 25 studies were included. The use of oral health services in the last year was associated with higher education (≥ 8 years of schooling) (PR = 0.49, (95%CI: 0.39-0.60)); higher family income (≥ 2 minimum wages) (RP = 0.79, (95%CI: 0.74-0.84)); and living in urban areas (RP = 0.79, (95%CI: 0.64-0.97)). The availability of dental services in the Unified Health System needs to be made readily accessible to people with lower income, less education and those living in rural areas.

O objetivo foi analisar os fatores associados ao uso dos serviços odontológicos no Brasil. A estratégia de revisão incluiu as bases PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BBO, EMBASE, Scopus, WOS e Google Scholar, além de repositórios e bancos de dissertações e teses. Os estudos foram selecionados ​​usando a estratégia PEO (população/exposição/desfechos). O desfecho deste estudo foi o uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano pela população brasileira, tratado como variáveis dicotômicas para as análises: ≤ 1 ano e > 1 ano. Foi realizada uma metanálise de efeito randômico de Mantel-Haenszel, estimando-se razões de prevalência (RP) e intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). Foram selecionados 94 estudos. A maioria (98%) tinha delineamento transversal, sendo 63% oriundos de dados primários. Para a metanálise, 25 estudos foram incluídos. O uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano esteve associado com maior escolaridade (≥ 8 anos de estudo) (RP = 0,49, (IC95%: 0,39-0,60)); maior renda familiar (≥ 2 salários-mínimos) (RP = 0,79, (IC95%: 0,74-0,84)); e residir na zona urbana (RP = 0,79, (IC95%: 0,64-0,97)). A oferta de serviços odontológicos no Sistema Único de Saúde precisa ser ampliada entre pessoas com menor renda, menor escolaridade e moradores da zona rural.

O uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano na população brasileira: revisão sistemática com metanálise / The use of dental services in the past year in the brazilian population: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Resumo O objetivo foi analisar os fatores associados ao uso dos serviços odontológicos no Brasil. A estratégia de revisão incluiu as bases PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BBO, EMBASE, Scopus, WOS e Google Scholar, além de repositórios e bancos de dissertações e teses. Os estudos foram selecionados ​​usando a estratégia PEO (população/exposição/desfechos). O desfecho deste estudo foi o uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano pela população brasileira, tratado como variáveis dicotômicas para as análises: ≤ 1 ano e > 1 ano. Foi realizada uma metanálise de efeito randômico de Mantel-Haenszel, estimando-se razões de prevalência (RP) e intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). Foram selecionados 94 estudos. A maioria (98%) tinha delineamento transversal, sendo 63% oriundos de dados primários. Para a metanálise, 25 estudos foram incluídos. O uso dos serviços odontológicos no último ano esteve associado com maior escolaridade (≥ 8 anos de estudo) (RP = 0,49, (IC95%: 0,39-0,60)); maior renda familiar (≥ 2 salários-mínimos) (RP = 0,79, (IC95%: 0,74-0,84)); e residir na zona urbana (RP = 0,79, (IC95%: 0,64-0,97)). A oferta de serviços odontológicos no Sistema Único de Saúde precisa ser ampliada entre pessoas com menor renda, menor escolaridade e moradores da zona rural.

Abstract The scope of this study was to analyze the factors associated with the use of dental services in Brazil. The review strategy included PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BBO, EMBASE, Scopus, WOS and Google Scholar databases, in addition to repositories and databases of dissertations and theses. Studies were selected using the PEO (Population/Exposure/Outcomes) strategy. The outcome of this study was the use of dental services in the last year by the Brazilian population, treated as dichotomous variables for the following analyses: ≤ 1 year and > 1 year. Mantel-Haenszel random effect meta-analysis was performed, estimating Prevalence Ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). A total of 94 studies were selected. The majority (98%) had a cross-sectional design, with 63% derived from primary data. For the meta-analysis, 25 studies were included. The use of oral health services in the last year was associated with higher education (≥ 8 years of schooling) (PR = 0.49, (95%CI: 0.39-0.60)); higher family income (≥ 2 minimum wages) (RP = 0.79, (95%CI: 0.74-0.84)); and living in urban areas (RP = 0.79, (95%CI: 0.64-0.97)). The availability of dental services in the Unified Health System needs to be made readily accessible to people with lower income, less education and those living in rural areas.

Untreated caries and serum vitamin D levels in children and youth of the United States: NHANES 2013-2014.

This study aimed to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and untreated caries and determining factors in children and youth. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2014). In total, 3,072 participants with ages ranging from 1 to 19 years were included in our sample. The main dependent variable, untreated caries, was defined as having at least one untreated carious surface in any tooth. Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was categorized into four groups: ≥75 nmol/ml, 50-74.9 nmol/ml, 25-49.9 nmol/ml, and <25 nmol/ml. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression. RESULTS: For children aged 1-5 years, age (OR = 1.68, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) 1.38-2.04) and low levels of vitamin D (25-49.9 nmol/ml, and <25 nmol/ml: OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.06-6.13) were associated with untreated caries. For children aged 6-11 years, low levels of vitamin D (50-74.9 nmol/ml: OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.16-1.82) remained associated with untreated caries. No associations were found in those between 12 and 19 years of age. CONCLUSION: Our findings show an association between low levels of 25(OH)D and untreated caries in children between 1 and 11 years of age, suggesting that this nutrient might interfere in the caries process.

Untreated caries and serum vitamin D levels in children and youth of the United States: NHANES 2013-2014

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and untreated caries and determining factors in children and youth. Methodology: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2014). In total, 3,072 participants with ages ranging from 1 to 19 years were included in our sample. The main dependent variable, untreated caries, was defined as having at least one untreated carious surface in any tooth. Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was categorized into four groups: ≥75 nmol/ml, 50-74.9 nmol/ml, 25-49.9 nmol/ml, and <25 nmol/ml. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression. Results: For children aged 1-5 years, age (OR = 1.68, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) 1.38-2.04) and low levels of vitamin D (25-49.9 nmol/ml, and <25 nmol/ml: OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.06-6.13) were associated with untreated caries. For children aged 6-11 years, low levels of vitamin D (50-74.9 nmol/ml: OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.16-1.82) remained associated with untreated caries. No associations were found in those between 12 and 19 years of age. Conclusion: Our findings show an association between low levels of 25(OH)D and untreated caries in children between 1 and 11 years of age, suggesting that this nutrient might interfere in the caries process.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a associação entre os níveis séricos de vitamina D e cárie dentária não-tratada e fatores determinantes em crianças e jovens. Metodologia: Este estudo transversal utilizou dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição (2013-2014). No total, 3.072 participantes com idades entre 1 e 19 anos foram incluídos em nossa amostra. A principal variável dependente, cárie não-tratada, foi definida como pelo menos uma superfície de cárie não-tratada em qualquer dente. A concentração sérica de 25-hidroxivitamina D [25(OH)D] foi categorizada em quatro grupos: ≥75 nmol/ml, 50-74,9 nmol/ml, 25-49,9 nmol/ml e <25 nmol/ml. Os dados foram analisados ​​por meio de regressão logística binária. Resultados: Para crianças de 1 a 5 anos, idade (OR = 1,68, intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC 95%) 1,38 a 2,04) e baixos níveis de vitamina D (25 a 49,9 nmol/ml e <25 nmol/ml: OR = 2,55, IC 95% 1,06-6,13) foram associados a cárie não-tratada. Para crianças de 6 a 11 anos, baixos níveis de vitamina D (50 a 74,9 nmol/ml: OR = 1,45, IC 95% 1,16 a 1,82) permaneceram associados à cárie não-tratada. Não foram encontradas associações naqueles entre 12 e 19 anos de idade. Conclusão: Nossos achados mostram uma associação entre baixos níveis de 25(OH)D e cárie não-tratada em crianças de 1 a 11 anos, sugerindo que este nutriente pode interferir no processo da cárie dentária .

Social capital and dental service use in older Brazilians.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of dental services use and its association with social capital among Brazilian older adults. BACKGROUND: Health inequities can be explained by the social determinants of health, which are the social, environmental, cultural and behavioural factors that directly or indirectly affect people's health. Among these determinants is social capital, that seem to affect health behaviours, such as use of dental services among older adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Longitudinal Study of the Health of the Brazilian Elderly, nationally representative of people aged 50 years or older. The baseline survey was carried out between 2015 and 2016, using structured questionnaires. The dependent variable was use of dental services in the last year. The main exposure variable was social capital, assessed through two dimensions: structural and cognitive. The covariates used were sex, skin colour, age, education, wealth, need for dental treatment, self-perception of oral health, tooth loss, type of dental services used, reason for dental care, smoking and alcohol consumption. Descriptive analyses and Poisson regression modelling were used. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 9323 individuals. The prevalence of dental services use was 32.6% (95% CI: 30.7-34.5). No associations were found between social capital and the use of dental services. CONCLUSION: This study did not find an association between structural and cognitive social capital and dental services use in Brazilian older adults. Further researches using instruments with different assessments of social capital are needed.

Dental schools in Brazil and their social, macro-regional and oral health policy repercussions / Cursos de Odontologia no Brasil e suas repercussões sociais, macrorregionais e sobre as políticas de saúde bucal

Dentistry is a profession that has shown considerable growth in the last few years, as far as qualitative aspects and scientific production are concerned, and also in the number of undergraduate courses. Objective: to describe the profile of dentistry courses through official data and unofficial data, such as the existence of student support programs, gender disparities and availability of study places. Material and Methods: to this end, a survey of the 565 Dentistry courses registered by the Ministry of Education was carried out by three trained researchers and then of their respective websites and public domain information, followed by data analysis (R 4.1.2 R Core Team software, Vienna) and georeferencing (Qgis and ArcGis software). Results: as for the profile of the institutions that offer the course, 89.4% are private and as for the unofficial data, 63% of the sites do not have information regarding the teaching staff, 44.2% of the courses present a woman as coordinator and more than half report having at least one type of student support activity. It was possible to observe that the greatest availability of Dentistry vacancies is offered by private institutions and in courses coordinated by men. Conclusion: considering the information available on the college websites, it is important to keep them up to date and complete, so that students have access to the support activities that are relevant to their education.(AU)

A odontologia é uma profissão que tem apresentado crescimento considerável nos últimos anos, tanto no que diz respeito aos aspectos qualitativos e produção científica, como também no número de cursos de graduação. Objetivo: descrever o perfil dos cursos de odontologia por meio de dados oficiais e não oficiais, como a existência de programas de apoio estudantil, disparidades de gênero e disponibilidade de vagas de estudo. Material e Métodos: para tanto, foi realizado um levantamento dos 565 cursos de Odontologia cadastrados no Ministério da Educação por três pesquisadores treinados e, posteriormente, de seus respectivos sites e informações de domínio público, seguido da análise dos dados (R 4.1.2 R Núcleo Team software, Viena) e georreferenciamento (software Qgis e ArcGis). Resultados: quanto ao perfil das instituições que oferecem o curso, 89,4% são privadas e quanto aos dados não oficiais, 63% dos sites não possuem informações sobre o corpo docente, 44,2% dos cursos apresentam uma mulher como coordenadora e mais de metade refere ter pelo menos um tipo de atividade de apoio ao aluno. Foi possível observar que a maior oferta de vagas de Odontologia é oferecida por instituições privadas e em cursos coordenados por homens. Conclusão: considerando as informações disponibilizadas nos sites das faculdades, é importante mantê-las atualizadas e completas, para que os alunos tenham acesso às atividades de apoio pertinentes à sua formação (AU)

Integrality, absenteeism and resolubility of specialized care for pediatric patients: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Dental Specialties Centers (CEOs) are clinics representing part of the secondary oral health care system of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Pediatric dentistry is not a requirement for service accreditation. However, the CEO of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (CEO-UFRGS) has provided dental care for children aged 3-11 years since 2017. The utilization rates of health services are influenced by absenteeism. Therefore, evaluation of absences for dental appointments is of primary importance. This study aimed to evaluate referral characteristics, absenteeism, and resolubility of pediatric dentistry appointments at the CEO-UFRGS. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dental Teaching Hospital of the university and analyzed secondary data from referrals and medical records. From August 2017 to December 2019, 167 referrals and 96 medical records were reviewed, from which data of individual variables related to the referral process and treatment were collected. Data were collected by a single trained examiner and analyzed using SPSS software. The main reasons for referral to secondary care were dental caries and pulpal or periapical diseases associated with difficult-to-manage behavior. An absenteeism rate of 28.1% at the first pediatric dental visit and a resolution rate of 65.6% were found. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that each day of waiting for specialized care resulted in a 0.3% of higher chance of absence for appointment. This also increased the chance by 0.7% in child who attended the first visit to complete treatment, suggesting that the waiting time for attendance was associated with absenteeism and resolubility. Public policies that expand providing child dental care in secondary care are recommended to improve access to and resolubility of services.

Exploring the coating of 3D-printed insulating substrates with conductive composites: a simple, cheap and versatile strategy to prepare customized high-performance electrochemical sensors.

The development of 3D-printed electrochemical sensors by fused deposition modeling (FDM) has been increasing exponentially in the last five years. In this context, commercial conductive filaments composed of a blend of carbon particles (e.g., graphene or carbon black (CB)) and insulating thermoplastic polymers (e.g., polylactic acid (PLA) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)) have been widely used for electrode fabrication. However, such materials may be expensive and the electrodes when used "as-printed" exhibit poor electrochemical performance as a function of the low content of conductive particles in the composition (∼10 to 20 wt%), which requires one or more post-treatment steps (e.g. polishing, chemical, electrochemical, and photochemical) to reach good electrochemical performance. In this technical note a less used approach to produce "ready-to-use" electrochemical platforms based on 3D printing is explored, which consists of the coating of 3D-printed insulating substrates with homemade conductive composites. To demonstrate the potentiality of this alternative protocol, 3D-printed ABS insulating substrates at two geometries were coated in a highly loaded graphite (55 wt%) homemade composite (G-ABS) and evaluated for the detection of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox probe and model analytes in stationary and hydrodynamic 3D-printed systems (nitrite in micro-flow injection analysis/µFIA and paracetamol in batch injection analysis/BIA, respectively). The analytical parameters acquired with the coated electrodes were comparable to those obtained using conventional electrodes (glassy carbon, boron-doped diamond and carbon screen-printed) and 3D-printed sensors fabricated with commercial filaments. Moreover, the inclusion of carbon black in the fluid conductive composite was demonstrated as a perspective to obtain modified coated 3D-printed surfaces easily for the first time. This alternative "do it yourself" strategy is promising for the large-scale production of very cheap (US$ 0.08) and high-performance electrodes based on FDM 3D printing. Moreover, this approach dispenses the acquisition of commercial conductive filaments and the laborious development of homemade filaments.

Sealing of cavitated occlusal carious lesions in the dentine of deciduous molars: a two-year randomised controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This two-arm, parallel-group, tooth-randomised, controlled noninferiority clinical trial aimed to compare survival rates between the sealing and restoring of cavitated occlusal carious lesions in dentine [International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) 5] of deciduous molars using resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC) and to assess caries progression radiographically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 68 molars with ICDAS 5 occlusal lesions were randomly allocated into two groups, a sealing group (n = 31), in which RMGIC was placed directly over the carious lesion, and a restoration group (n = 37), in which a restoration with the same material was placed after selective caries removal. During the baseline and follow-up visits, dental caries was registered and caries activity was assessed according to a visuotactile criterion. At baseline, patient caries status (dmf-t) and cavity depth and extent (mesiodistal and buccolingual) were measured before RMGIC placement. An independent and blinded examiner evaluated the treated teeth using the USPHS criteria after one and two years. Standardised interproximal radiographs were taken for caries progression assessments. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, no lesion progression was observed radiographically. After one year (n = 60; 27 sealed and 33 restored) and two years (n = 48; 23 sealed and 25 restored) of follow-up, the treatment success rates were 78.8% and 76.0% in the restoration group and 59.3% and 47.8% in the sealing group, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression showed that lesions smaller than 2 mm in the mesiodistal extent were less prone to fail after one year (p = 0.03). However, survival curves (log-rank test) were statistically significantly different only after two years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sealing ICDAS 5 occlusal lesions of deciduous molars using RMGIC achieved lower survival rates than restorations. Both sealing and restoration effectively arrested caries progression for two years. Clinical relevance Sealing dentine carious lesions can be effective for treating lesions involving the inner and outer half of the dentine. Ultraconservative treatments can arrest carious lesions presenting obvious cavitation in primary molars. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ReBEC Register no. RBR-225n35.

Using Voice Change as an Indicator of Dysphagia: A Systematic Review.

Voice change post-swallow, observed during a clinical swallow examination, is often used as a clinical indicator of dysphagia risk. However, there has been limited research that evaluated the level of agreement between voice change and swallow dysfunction reported to date. This systematic review aims to investigate existing evidence relating to the relationship between vocal change post-swallow and swallow deficits identified on a Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS). The studies were selected by two independent evaluators for inclusion, without restriction on language or date of publication and the methodological quality and the risk of bias were assessed using QUADAS-2. Following the PRISMA recommendation, 271 articles were analyzed, of which 17 were included in the study. Of these, the methodology described in five studies employed voice analyses using only acoustic methods, seven others conducted only auditory-perceptual analyses, and five other studies used both. Across the studies there was no homogeneity in the voice quality parameters assessed, analytic methods used, and results obtained. Forty seven per cent of the studies presented a high risk of bias in the analysis of vocal quality due to lack of clarity and blinding of VFSS. There was no homogeneity in the choice of consistencies evaluated during swallowing, as well as standardization of the outcome investigated in VFSS without a vocal parameter attributable to accurate detection in each outcome. It is not possible to obtain a consensus regarding the recommendation of the use of vocal evaluation as an accurate method for identifying swallowing alterations due to heterogeneity of the vocal evaluation methods, the outcomes evaluated in the VFSS examination, heterogeneity in food and liquid consistencies, and the methodological quality of the studies.

Analysis of referrals to the stomatology service in a Southern Brazilian hospital: a retrospective study.

This paper intends to describe the demand for referrals to the stomatology service requested by the medical teams for inpatients in a reference hospital in the south of Brazil. This research is a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study focusing on data collection and assessment of information about referrals to the stomatology unit carried out from January 2008 to December 2018. All information was obtained from the hospital management software database, then transferred and analyzed individually for descriptive statistics. A total of 4433 cases were referred to the stomatology team, with an average of 403 cases by year. Hematology/hemato-oncology (37.3%) was the specialty asking for the majority of the referrals, followed by Oncology (20.4%) and Pneumology (8.2%). The mean patients' profile was males (55.5%), receiving a diagnosis of oral mucositis (43.5%), and with the first and second decades of life being the most prevalent ones (34.9%), with a mean age of 34.8±22.3 years. The most common treatment performed by the stomatology team was the photobiomodulation therapy (44.8%). This retrospective study demonstrated the important profile of the stomatological care in hospitalized patients from a specific hospital, especially referred by the hematology/hemato-oncology team. These results evidenced the importance of the stomatology specialty in the hospital environment.

Development of highly sensitive electrochemical sensor using new graphite/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene conductive composite and 3D printing-based alternative fabrication protocol.

Here, a novel electrically conductive thermoplastic material composed of graphite/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (G/ABS) is reported for the first time. This material was explored on the production of 3D printing-based electrochemical sensors with enhanced sensitivity using a novel fabrication approach. The developed G/ABS electrodes showed lower charge transfer resistance (157 vs. 3279 Ω), higher electroactive area (0.61 vs. 0.19 cm2) and peak currents ca. 69% higher when compared with electrodes fabricated using carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) commercial filament, which has been widely explored in recent literature. Moreover, the G/ABS sensor provided satisfactory repeatability, reproducibility and stability (relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.14%, 6.81% and 10.62%, respectively). This improved performance can be attributed to the fabrication protocol developed here, which allows the incorporation of greater amounts of conductive material in the polymeric matrix. The G/ABS electrode also required a simpler and quicker protocol for activation when compared to CB/PLA. As proof of concept, the G/ABS sensor was employed for electroanalytical quantification of paracetamol (PAR) in pharmaceutical products. The linear concentration range was observed from 0.20 to 30 µmol L-1 and the limit of detection achieved was 54 nmol L-1, much lower than several recent studies dealing with the same analyte. The sensitivity of the G/ABS electrode regarding PAR was also far better when compared to CB/PLA sensor (0.50 µA/µmol L-1 vs. 0.12 µA/µmol L-1). Analyses in commercial pill samples showed good accuracy (recoveries ca. 108%) and precision (RSDs < 5%), suggesting great potential for use of this novel conductive thermoplastic in electroanalytical applications based on 3D printing.

Dental Pain in Homeless Adults in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of dental pain with time living on the street in a sample of homeless people in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with homeless people who accessed social services in 2017. A questionnaire was administered covering socioeconomic variables and including questions about general health, use of tobacco/alcohol/drugs, use of dental services and history of dental pain. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index was calculated in an oral examination. The association between socioeconomic characteristics, health status, time of homelessness and dental pain was evaluated using chi-square, t-, and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: A total sample of 214 homeless people was surveyed. Most were male (76.2%), had a low level of education (67.6%) and experienced many episodes of dental pain during life (91.0%). The last episode of pain was moderate or intense (79.7%) and do-it-yourself measures for pain relief were preferred (62.3%). Individuals who were homeless for longer than 1 year had more dental pain in the past (P < 0.001), more frequency of a recent episode of dental pain (P = 0.03), and sought a dentist or healthcare service to relieve pain less frequently (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Dental pain is frequent in the context of homelessness and does not necessarily result in seeking dental services, even where there is universal oral health care.

Efficacy of 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride gel on non-cavitated enamel lesions: a randomized clinical trial.

A randomized controlled parallel clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the association of 1.23% topical professional acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel with oral hygiene and dietary instructions on the arrest of active non-cavitated lesions in permanent, mixed, and temporary dentition in children between 3 and 12 years of age. Ninety-eight caries-active children were randomly divided into two groups: a fluoride gel group (n = 49) and a non-fluoridated gel group (n = 49). Each group received up to eight weekly applications of gel, weekly professional toothbrushing with oral hygiene instructions and dietary counselling. Caries lesions were assessed qualitatively through visual-tactile criteria performed in three stages: initial, intermediate, and final. Regression models were applied to identify risk indicators for caries control. Between-group comparison regarding the time taken to arrest the lesions was performed using Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Seventeen children did not receive the allocated intervention, and one was lost to follow-up (n = 80). There was no difference between the control and placebo groups regarding the time to the arrest of the lesion (p >.05). The treatments showed similar results without significant statistical difference (p = 0.33; 95%CI: 0.32-1.48). No adverse effects were observed. It can be concluded that no additional effect of the association of 1.23% APF gel with oral hygiene using fluoride dentifrice and dietary instructions on the arrest of active non-cavitated lesions could be established. We can also confirm the importance of toothbrushing frequency and, consequently, the visible plaque reduction in the control of caries activity. RBR-37V5S3.

Analysis of referrals to the stomatology service in a Southern Brazilian hospital: a retrospective study

Abstract This paper intends to describe the demand for referrals to the stomatology service requested by the medical teams for inpatients in a reference hospital in the south of Brazil. This research is a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study focusing on data collection and assessment of information about referrals to the stomatology unit carried out from January 2008 to December 2018. All information was obtained from the hospital management software database, then transferred and analyzed individually for descriptive statistics. A total of 4433 cases were referred to the stomatology team, with an average of 403 cases by year. Hematology/hemato-oncology (37.3%) was the specialty asking for the majority of the referrals, followed by Oncology (20.4%) and Pneumology (8.2%). The mean patients' profile was males (55.5%), receiving a diagnosis of oral mucositis (43.5%), and with the first and second decades of life being the most prevalent ones (34.9%), with a mean age of 34.8±22.3 years. The most common treatment performed by the stomatology team was the photobiomodulation therapy (44.8%). This retrospective study demonstrated the important profile of the stomatological care in hospitalized patients from a specific hospital, especially referred by the hematology/hemato-oncology team. These results evidenced the importance of the stomatology specialty in the hospital environment.