Latin American Sepsis Institute

ABSTRACT How has Lebanon’s decentralised solar energy market, at least temporarily, resisted incorporation into the country’s entrenched networks of clientelism? Drawing on qualitative interviews with solar photovoltaic (PV) entrepreneurs in Beirut, this article examines why the same patron-client relations—so pervasive in Lebanese society—have not taken root in the same manner within the emerging solar sector. We argue that structural features intrinsic to PV deployment—high upfront capital costs, minimal need for sustained mediation, and limited discretionary allocation—have disrupted the relational infrastructures on which clientelist practices typically depend. In contrast to the diesel generator economy’s routinised brokerage, the solar sector is defined by one-off, impersonal transactions that have, thus far, forestalled enduring patron-client ties. However, the incipient involvement of actors such as Hezbollah in solar loan provision suggests that clientelist absorption remains a latent risk. The Lebanese case underscores the contingency of clientelist reproduction and illustrates how infrastructural transformations recalibrate the boundaries of political discretion. More broadly, we contribute to the study of clientelism by shifting the focus from its persistence to its potential dislocation, highlighting how new market structures may redefine citizen–state interactions at critical historical junctures.

This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of periodontal surgical guides manufactured using a digital workflow in aesthetic clinical crown lengthening procedures. Twenty patients with altered passive eruption in the anterior maxilla requiring clinical crown lengthening were randomly divided into two groups: control group-free hand and test group-periodontal surgical guides. All patients underwent CBCT and intraoral digital scanning (IOS) examinations before the surgical procedure. Virtual planning was carried out in both groups, measuring the height of the gingival tissue to be removed. However, the surgical guides were only printed in the test group. IOS was performed on all patients 6 and 12 months after the surgical procedure to verify the predictability of the surgical technique in relation to the initial plan. Patients also answered a visual analog scale to measure postoperative pain. The comparative analysis between the test and control groups showed no statistical difference in the amount of tissue planned to be removed, and the result obtained after 6 months and 1 year (Control group: median of -0.09 to 0.29 mm in 6 months and 0.00 to 0.55 mm in 12 months. Test group: median of -0.05 to 0.70 mm in 6 months and 0.00 to 0.81 mm in 12 months). No differences were noticed between the techniques tested concerning the positioning of the gingival margin in the 6- or 12-month periods in relation to the marginal tissues observed at the baseline period (p > 0.05). The level of pain presented by patients was low in both groups, with reports of minimal discomfort after the 15-day follow-up period. Patients demonstrated high satisfaction levels with the procedure regardless of the surgical technique. Both guided and conventional surgery techniques are effective for treating altered passive eruption. However, the painful sensation and tendency for recurrence of the coronal positioning of the marginal tissues were lower when the guided surgery technique was applied. This study will help clinicians understand which surgical technique for treating altered passive eruptions is more appropriate for their clinical case.

The Brazilian spongiofauna is still one of the least known worldwide, and the Northeastern region of Brazil is the one with the greatest recorded diversity. Previous studies on sponges in the Rio Grande do Norte State focused on deeper regions of the Potiguar Basin and oceanic islands, lacking any records from intertidal environments. The present study aimed to investigate the biodiversity of marine sponges from two beaches on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte. The specimens were collected in intertidal beachrocks of Baixa Grande and Ponta do Mel beaches (Areia Branca, RN) quarterly between August 2018 and May 2019, using the active search method for 2 hours during low tide. We identified 19 species belonging to the Demospongiae class, four taxa were considered dominant and six were considered rare according to the sampling period. Our study considerably improved the knowledge of the spongiofauna for the Rio Grande do Norte State, with six new taxa occurrences: Placospongia sp., Dysidea robusta, Haliclona (Reniera) manglaris, Haliclona (Reniera) tubifera, Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea and Amorphinopsis atlantica.

With technological advances in Dentistry, the search for more predictable, integrated, and agile planning and treatments increases. In Implantology, despite the digital flow being greatly encouraged, doubts remain about its technical success. Therefore, the aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the full digital flow using two techniques for the fabrication of implant prostheses: with an abutment or direct to the implant, comparatively evaluating the time required for interproximal adjustment to adapt the crowns, occlusal adjustment, and the need to return to the laboratory for corrections. The sample consisted of 46 patients who underwent the installation of 75 implants, treated at the ILAPEO School of Dentistry surgical clinic. They were all over 18, of both sexes and received implants in single edentulous spaces that required rehabilitation with crowns. These patients were divided into two groups, with Group I (G1), comprising 27 patients (38 implants) who had received abutments at the time of surgery, and Group II (G2) comprising 28 patients (37 implants) who had received healing caps, with 9 patients in common in both groups. In G1, scan bodies adapted to the abutments were used. In G2, they were directly adapted to the implants. The cases were scanned and sent to the laboratory. When the crowns were installed, the prosthesis adjustment data was recorded (in seconds), as well as the need to return to the laboratory for adjustments and corrections. The data from the groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test. There were no statistical differences in terms of occlusal and proximal adjustment time. The need to return prosthetic work to the laboratory was compared between the groups using the chi-squared test. The GraphPad Prism 8 software (San Diego, CA, USA) was used for the statistical analysis, and all tests were applied at a significance level of 5%. Data analysis leads to the conclusion that digital flow made it possible to obtain satisfactory implant-supported single crowns in both groups. No differences were found between the two techniques regarding the time taken to adapt to the mouth and the need to return to the laboratory.

In this study, three new taxa of Cosmarium (C. lineatum, C. margigranulatum, C. panamense var. therezienii) and one taxon of Euastrum (E. evolutum var. truncatum) have been described based on the analysis of periphytic material collected in the Capivara river basin, the north coast region from the Bahia State, Brazil. Taxonomic notes and ecological characteristics of the taxa are provided.

O traumatismo raquimedular é uma condição grave que afeta a coluna vertebral e a medula espinhal, com impacto significativo na saúde física e emocional. Neste estudo, a ênfase recai sobre a importância da enfermagem na assistência a pacientes com traumatismo raquimedular. Esta pesquisa se caracteriza como uma abordagem qualitativa, baseada por artigos científicos, ou seja, uma revisão bibliográfica. A pesquisa destaca o papel fundamental dos enfermeiros na promoção do bem estar dos clientes, no fornecimento de cuidados abrangentes e na melhoria da qualidade de vida dos mesmos. Aspectos abordados incluem avaliação contínua e monitoramento, cuidados especializados, educação do paciente sobre o tratamento e adaptação, bem como suporte emocional. O estudo enfatiza que a enfermagem desempenha um papel crucial na assistência a pacientes com traumatismo raquimedular, visando melhorar sua qualidade de vida e proporcionar apoio abrangente.

Esse estudo apresenta um plano de negócio para abertura de um empreendimento de uma hamburgueria delivery na cidade de Ilhéus/BA. O plano de negócio é uma ferramenta indispensável na geração de informações para tomada de decisão, tornando-se necessária a qualquer empreendedor a construção da mesma, no momento em que se identifica uma oportunidade e pretende-se realizar um investimento. O objetivo do trabalho foi identificar a viabilidade econômica de abertura do negócio, utilizando como métodos uma pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. A pesquisa documental foi realizada com o intuito de analisar as necessidades legais da empresa e levantar os custos de produção. Para a pesquisa de campo foi elaborado um questionário simples, o mesmo foi aplicado no Município de Ilhéus de março a setembro de 2023, buscando nortear o estudo em relação às oportunidades de mercado. Para a construção dos resultados, utilizou-se o planilha eletrônica extraída do site da COMICRO (Confederação Nacional das Microempresas e Empresas de Pequeno Porte, 2023), onde foram inseridos os dados e valores que possibilitaram a construção e análise de viabilidade desse plano de negócios. Os resultados demonstram um fluxo de caixa positivo, porém com baixos índices de lucratividade e rentabilidade.

The genus Phyllodytes, endemic to the Atlantic Forest, stands out for its life cycle being closely associated with bromeliads. Since the 2000s, the number of species in the group has more than doubled and the number is still increasing, a fact proven here with the description of Phyllodytes iuna sp. nov. This species, herein described using morphological and molecular evidence, is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, in the northern portion of the Atlantic Forest Central Corridor. Phyllodytes iuna differs from both its sister species and most of its congeners by the color pattern on the dorsum and by the presence of a single tubercle in the tibiotarsal region. The genetic distance for a fragment of the 16S gene ranged from 4.4% to 5.0% between Phyllodytes iuna and its sister species (P. brevirostris and P. edelmoi), and from 5.8% to 14.2% with its congeners. The description of a new species of Phyllodytes serves as a reminder that our understanding of the groups diversity is far from complete. Despite the alarming rates of deforestation, the Atlantic Forest continues to hold significant untapped potential for unexplored biodiversity.

Tonial, C. T.; Martin, J. G.; Lanziotti, V. S.; De Oliveira, C. F.; De Carvalho, W. B.; Fioretto, J. R.; Piva, J. P.; Troster, E. J.; Bossa, A. S.; Gregorini, F.; Ferreira, J.; Lubarino, J.; Cavalcanti, A. B.; Machado, F. R.; De Souza, D. C. Author Information

This study evaluated the shear bond strength (µSBS) and failure mode of CAD/CAM polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN – Vita Enamic) and nanoceramic resin (NCR – Lava Ultimate) submitted to alternative surface treatments. 40 plates of each material were submitted to (n = 10) conventional (manufacturer’s indications): Sandblasting with Al2O3 (SAND) and 5% hydrofluoric acid etching (5% HF), or alternative treatments: 10% HF (10% HF) and Sandblasting + silanization (SAND/SIL). A self-etching adhesive system (Scotchbond Universal Adhesive, 3M Oral Care) was applied, and resin cement cylinders were built on the specimen’s treated surface and tested in µSBS after 24 h, or after water storage for 1 year. Data were evaluated by three-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05). Failure mode was evaluated under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At 24 h, HF etching (5% or 10%) promoted higher µSBS for PICN, while SAND and 5% HF promoted higher µSBS for NCR than SAND/SIL (p > 0.05). After storage for 1 year, all treatments decreased PICN’s bond strength, but 10% HF exhibited higher µSBS than 5% HF (p < 0.05). Also, 5% HF and SAND/SIL maintained µSBS of NCR, and in general, NCR exhibited higher µSBS than PICN. Failure mode was predominantly mixed after 24 h and mostly adhesive after 1-year storage. In conclusion, the surface treatments influenced the bond strength of PICN and NCR and 1-year storage decreased the bond strength for most groups. 10% HF is the treatment option for PICN while 5% HF-etching is an alternative to sandblasting for NCR.