The evaluation of the photocatalysis of visible light activated titanium dioxide employed in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was carried using seven H2O2 solutions (3.5 and 35%) and/or methylene blue (MB), with or without light irradiation (LI); the absorbance of MB was the bleaching indicator. Color analysis was performed on bovine teeth (n=12) using two different concentrations of H2O2, 6 and 35% associated with titanium dioxide (TiO2). Data were analyzed with one and two-way ANOVA, and significance level of p<0.05. Solutions containing MB, H2O2 at 3.5 or 35%, and TiO2, followed by LI, showed significant difference when compared with other groups. Greater MB reduction was found in 35% concentration. H2O2 35%+TiO2 gel showed no difference in comparison to control group. All groups for the color analysis assay showed ΔE higher than 3.3. In conclusion, TiO2 and H2O2 association is a promisor alternative for reducing the clinical time of in-office dental bleaching.

IntroductionDuring the last decades, Fusarium spp. has been reported as a significant cause of disease in humans, especially in immunocompromised patients, who have high risk of invasive life-threatening disease. Fusarium species usually reported as cause of human disease are F. solani, F. oxysporum and F. verticillioides.Case descriptionWe describe the second case in the literature of disseminated fusariosis caused by Fusarium napiforme, that occurred in a 60-year-old woman with multiple myeloma after subsequent cycles of chemotherapy.Discussion and EvaluationWe identified the F. napiforme not only by standard morphologic criteria by macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, but also confirmed by molecular biology methods, including sequencing. The antifungal susceptibility of the F. napiforme isolates were tested to seven antifungal drugs; the azoles were the most active drug against all the isolates tested.ConclusionsFusarium spp. are of relevance in medical mycology, and their profiles of low susceptibility to antifungal drugs highlight the importance for faster and more accurate diagnostic tests, what can contribute to an earlier and precise diagnosis and treatment.

The performance of three molecular biology techniques, i.e., DNA microarray, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and real-time PCR were compared with DNA sequencing for properly identification of 20 isolates of Fusarium spp. obtained from blood stream as etiologic agent of invasive infections in patients with hematologic malignancies. DNA microarray, LAMP and real-time PCR identified 16 (80%) out of 20 samples as Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) and four (20%) as Fusarium spp. The agreement among the techniques was 100%. LAMP exhibited 100% specificity, while DNA microarray, LAMP and real-time PCR showed 100% sensitivity. The three techniques had 100% agreement with DNA sequencing. Sixteen isolates were identified as FSSC by sequencing, being five Fusarium keratoplasticum, nine Fusarium petroliphilum and two Fusarium solani. On the other hand, sequencing identified four isolates as Fusarium non-solani species complex (FNSSC), being three isolates as Fusarium napiforme and one isolate as Fusarium oxysporum. Finally, LAMP proved to be faster and more accessible than DNA microarray and real-time PCR, since it does not require a thermocycler. Therefore, LAMP signalizes as emerging and promising methodology to be used in routine identification of Fusarium spp. among cases of invasive fungal infections.

This article reports results of a qualitative study conducted at a public escuela secundaria (U.S. grades 7, 8, and 9) in Guadalajara, Mexico, during the spring of 2010. As the second phase of an ongoing project, the main goal was to learn from direct classroom observation about the most prevalent teaching and institutional practices at this level of education in a region from which large numbers of English learners arrive in the United States every year. Findings contribute to the limited existing knowledge about the school culture typical of Mexican schools, which includes warm relationships between teachers and students across content areas, the infusion of technology in curriculum and assessment, and the active role of parents in school governance. Practical information presented in this article may help U.S. teachers better understand the prior educational experiences of Mexican-born students and design effective instruction that facilitates their adjustment to cultural norms, routines, and expectations in U.S. classrooms.

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