Cone beam computed tomography in Endodontics - a review of the literature

The use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the diagnosis and/or management of endodontic problems is increasing and is reflected in the exponential rise in publications on this topic in the last two decades. The aim of this paper is to: (i) Review current literature on the endodontic applications of CBCT; (ii) Based on current evidence make recommendations for the use of CBCT in Endodontics; (iii) Highlight the areas in which more research is required.

Probiotics in Goat Milk Products: Delivery Capacity and Ability to Improve Sensory Attributes

Dairy foods, particularly those of bovine origin, are the predominant vehicles for delivery of probiotic bacteria. Caprine (goat) milk also possesses potential for successful delivery of probiotics, and despite its less appealing flavor in some products, the use of goat milk as a probiotic carrier has rapidly increased over the last decade. This review reports on the diversity, applicability, and potential of using probiotics to enhance the sensory properties of goat milk and goat milk-based products. A brief conceptual introduction to probiotic microorganisms is followed by an account of the unique physicochemical, nutritive, and beneficial aspects of goat milk, emphasizing its advantages as a probiotic carrier. The sensory properties of probiotic-enriched goat milk products are also discussed. The maintenance of probiotic viability and desirable physicochemical characteristics in goat milk products over shelf life is possible. However, the unpleasant sensory features of some goat milk products remain a major disadvantage that hinder its wider utilization. Nevertheless, certain measures such as fortification with selected probiotic strains, inclusion of fruit pulps and popular flavor compounds, and production of commonly consumed tailor-made goat milk-based products have potential to overcome this limitation. In particular, certain probiotic bacteria release volatile compounds as a result of their metabolism, which are known to play a major role in the aroma profile and sensory aspects of the final products.

High-intensity ultrasound: A novel technology for the development of probiotic and prebiotic dairy products

High-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) can be used as a mild-preservation technology in dairy products, due to its ability to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and enzymes. In addition, it can result in physical and chemical alterations in the products and has impact on the probiotic viability and metabolic activity. This review provides an overview of the effects of HIUS on dairy products manufactured with probiotics and prebiotics. Furthermore, it presents perspectives of HIUS application on paraprobiotics and postbiotics products. HIUS has been proven to be a potential technology and its application to fermented dairy products can result in shorter processing time, increased probiotic viability, and products with low lactose content, higher oligosaccharides concentration, less undesirable taste (lower propionic and acetic acids content) and reduced ingredients (no need of prebiotic addition or β-galactosidase inclusion). In cheeses, HIUS can reduce the ripening time and accelerate proteolysis, resulting in products with better sensory, textural and nutritional (bioactive peptides) characteristics. Furthermore, it can change the prebiotic structure, facilitating the access for the probiotics. The impact of the HIUS is highly dependent on the process parameters (frequency, power, processing time, pulse mode and duration), type of probiotic culture and food composition. Therefore, HIUS process parameters must be precisely quantified and controlled. The HIUS can also be applied to the inactivation of probiotic cultures and development of paraprobiotic products or to the improvement in the production of soluble factors (postbiotics) with health effects. Further researches should be conducted to evaluate the efficiency of this methodology in the cases of paraprobiotic and postbiotic products.

Postprandial glycemia in healthy subjects: Which probiotic dairy food is more adequate?

The consumption of probiotic-enriched dairy products has been associated with many health benefits, including anti-hyperglycemic activity. The effect on health is dependent on the type of probiotic culture used and the dairy product consumed. This study evaluated the effect of different probiotic-enriched dairy matrices (Minas Frescal cheese, Prato cheese, and whey dairy beverage) containing Lactobacillus casei on in vitro and in vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity. For this purpose, in vitro anti-hyperglycemic activity was determined by the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and a human study was performed with healthy individuals (n = 15, consumption of bread as a control; bread + Minas Frescal cheese; bread + Prato cheese; bread + dairy beverage) to assess the effects of different probiotic foods on postprandial glycemia. In vitro data showed that Prato cheese presented the highest lipid (36.9 g/100 g) and protein (26.5 g/100 g) contents as well as the highest α-amylase (60.7%) and α-glucosidase (52.6%) inhibition. The consumption of Prato cheese resulted in a lesser increase in blood glucose level (13 mg/dL) compared with the consumption of bread alone (19 mg/dL), Minas Frescal cheese (20 mg/dL), and whey dairy beverage (30 mg/dL), with glycemic indices similar to that observed for the control. The present results demonstrated a good correlation between in vitro and in vivo data, in which the type of dairy matrix affects the anti-hyperglycemic activity. It is concluded that the consumption of probiotic Prato cheese can contribute to the reduction of postprandial glycemia in healthy individuals.

Short communication: Influence of long-chain inulin and Lactobacillus paracasei subspecies paracasei on the sensory profile and acceptance of a traditional yogurt

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of the addition of long-chain inulin as a fat replacer and prebiotic agent (20g/L) and (or) probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei on the sensory profile and acceptance of yogurts, and to assess the influence of descriptive attributes on the sensory acceptance of the products. The addition of inulin to low-fat yogurt improved its brightness and firmness, which was similar to the full-fat yogurt. However, the use of long-chain inulin increased the separation of serum and no influence on creaminess was observed. Regarding the product's acceptability, the low-fat yogurt with added inulin presented similar acceptance compared with the full-fat yogurt. The addition of Lb. paracasei ssp. paracasei did not affect the sensory profile and acceptance of the low-fat yogurt. Using external preference mapping, it was possible to verify that the sensory acceptance was driven positively by the sweetness and creaminess and negatively driven by firmness (appearance and texture) and homogeneity (appearance). It was possible to formulate low-fat yogurts with added probiotics that presented similar sensory characteristics to those of full-fat yogurts, and this was due to the addition of the long-chain inulin as a fat replacer.

External cervical resorption: part 2 - management

Effective management of external cervical resorption (ECR) depends on accurate assessment of the true nature and accessibility of ECR; this has been discussed in part 1 of this 2 part article. This aim of this article was firstly, to review the literature in relation to the management of ECR and secondly, based on the available evidence, describe different strategies for the management of ECR. In cases where ECR is supracrestal, superficial and with limited circumferential spread, a surgical repair without root canal treatment is the preferred approach. With more extensive ECR lesions, vital pulp therapy or root canal treatment may also be indicated. Internal repair is indicated where there is limited resorptive damage to the external aspect of the tooth and/or where an external (surgical) approach is not possible due to the inaccessible nature of subcrestal ECR. In these cases, root canal treatment will also need to be carried out. Intentional reimplantation is indicated in cases where a surgical or internal approach is not practical. An atraumatic extraction technique and short extraoral period followed by 2-week splinting are important prognostic factors. Periodic reviews may be indicated in cases where active management is not pragmatic. Finally, extraction of the affected tooth may be the only option in untreatable cases where there are aesthetic, functional and/or symptomatic issues.

Brazilian Artisanal Cheeses: An Overview of their Characteristics, Main Types and Regulatory Aspects

A large variety of cheeses exist in Brazil, reflecting historical and cultural aspects. Brazilian artisanal cheeses present differences in the processing, ripening time (when applied), type of milk used, texture, size, shape, color, moisture content, flavor, the use or not of starter cultures, among others. This review describes the main artisanal cheeses produced in Brazil, focusing on general and particular characteristics associated with their making process and geographical identity. Overall, the high variability of the physicochemical data and deficiency of information on sensorial properties of Brazilian artisanal cheeses were noticed. On the other hand, culture-dependent methods were mostly used to expand the knowledge into the microbiology of these cheeses, whereas their microbial diversity has been recently discovered through the use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based methods. The certification of a geographical indication for Brazilian artisanal cheeses may encompass an essential milestone for adding value to these products. Regardless of their significance in the diet, culture, and economy of producing regions, taken together, the reviewed literature discloses the need of insightful studies to generate scientific data to support the expansion of the market, while ensuring the protection of historic aspects related to the production of Brazilian artisanal cheeses.

The future of functional food: Emerging technologies application on prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics

This review was the first to gather literature about the effect of emerging technologies on probiotic, prebiotic, and postbiotic products. Applying emerging technologies to probiotic products can increase probiotic survival and improve probiotic properties (cholesterol attachment, adhesion to Caco-2 cells, increase angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities, and decrease systolic blood pressure). Furthermore, it can optimize the fermentation process, produce or maintain compounds of interest (bacteriocin, oligosaccharides, peptides, phenolic compounds, flavonoids), improve bioactivity (vitamin, aglycones, calcium), and sensory characteristics. Applying emerging technologies to prebiotic products did not result in prebiotic degradation. Still, it contributed to higher concentrations of bioactive compounds (citric and ascorbic acids, anthocyanin, polyphenols, flavonoids) and health properties (antioxidant activity and inhibition of ACE, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase). Emerging technologies may also be applied to obtain postbiotics with increased health effects. In this way, current studies suggest that emerging food processing technologies enhance the efficiency of probiotics and prebiotics in food. The information provided may help food industries to choose a more suitable technology to process their products and provide a basis for the most used process parameters. Furthermore, the current gaps are discussed. Emerging technologies may be used to process food products resulting in increased probiotic functionality, prebiotic stability, and higher concentrations of bioactive compounds. In addition, they can be used to obtain postbiotic products with improved health effects compared to the conventional heat treatment.

Guava flavored whey-beverage processed by cold plasma: Physical characteristics, thermal behavior and microstructure

The present study aimed to compare the physicochemical (pH), physical (rheology parameters and particle size), microstructure (optical microscopy) and thermal properties (differential scanning calorimetry) of guava flavored whey-beverages submitted to cold plama technology in different processing time (5, 10, and 15 min) and gas flow (10, 20, and 30 mL min^-1) conditions with a conventional pasteurized product. Whey beverages treated by cold plasma presented higher pH values, lower consistency and lower viscosity, and a flow behavior index similar to Newtonian fluids. Milder cold plasma conditions resulted in whey beverages with higher pH, lower viscosity and consistency, and similar particle distribution and microstructure compared to the pasteurized product. In contrast, more severe processing conditions resulted in a higher particle surface area ([D 3,2]) and smaller particles (~10 μM), due to the decrease in the number of larger particles (1000 μM), cell rupture, the formation of cell fragments, and higher viscosity and consistency. The treatments did not affect the thermal properties (enthalpy and bound water) of any sample.

Synbiotic sheep milk ice cream reduces chemically induced mouse colon carcinogenesis

Sheep dairy products containing prebiotic and probiotic ingredients may have health-promoting properties. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of sheep milk ice cream [conventional full-fat (CONV), full-fat enriched with probiotic (PROB, 100 mg % wt/wt of Lacticaseibacillus casei 01), or nonfat synbiotic (SYNB, Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 and inulin, 10% wt/wt)] on carcinogen-induced colonic crypt cytotoxicity and premalignant lesion development. Male Swiss mice received 2 doses of colon carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM, 15 mg/kg of body weight) at wk 3 and 4. Two weeks before and during AOM administrations (4 wk) mice were treated with CONV, PROB, or SYNB by gavage (10 mL/kg). Mice were euthanized at wk 4 or 25 (n = 5 or 10 mice/group, respectively). At wk 4, a significant reduction in micronucleated colonocytes was observed in PROB and SYNB groups, and a significant decrease in both p53 expression and apoptosis indexes in colonic crypts was observed in SYNB group. At wk 25, both PROB and SYNB interventions reduced the mean number of colonic premalignant lesions. However, only SYNB group showed lower incidence and number of high-grade premalignant lesions in the colonic mucosa. These findings indicate that PROB or SYNB sheep milk ice cream, especially SYNB intervention, can reduce chemically induced mouse colon carcinogenesis.

Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in a probiotic Minas Frescal cheese

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, inoculated alone or in combination on surface of Minas Frescal cheeses, during storage for 21 days at 7 °C. Survival percentages of each individual bacterial species after exposure to in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions (SGC) were also determined. The addition of L. rhamnosus did not affect (P > 0.05) pH, moisture, fat, protein and texture profile of Minas Frescal cheeses. L. rhamnosus was able to survive in suitable counts (>6 Log CFU/g) in cheeses from the 7th day of storage, with high survival (>74.6-86.4%) after SGC. An inhibitory effect of L. rhamnosus on L. monocytogenes was observed in cheeses (decrease of 1.1-1.6 Log CFU/g) and after SGC (20% reduction in the survival). No inhibitory effect of L. rhamnosus was observed on S. aureus counts (P > 0.05), and this microorganism did not survive the exposure to SGC. In conclusion, the addition of L. rhamnosus in Minas Frescal cheese has a potential for L. monocytogenes inhibition. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the inhibition process and determine the survival ability of the bacterial species evaluated in in vivo experiments.

Probiotic Prato cheese attenuates cigarette smoke-induced injuries in mice

The efficacy of probiotic Prato cheese against the inflammatory and oxidative damage in mice organs induced by cigarette smoke exposure was investigated. Forty C57BL/6 male mice were assigned to four groups: (CS) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed regular chow; (CS + C) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily conventional cheese ad libitum; (CS + PC) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily probiotic (Lactobacillus casei-01) cheese ad libitum; and a control group (C) exposed to ambient smoke-free air and fed regular chow. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), blood, gut and liver homogenates were used for biochemical assays. The (CS + PC) group exhibited fewer BAL leukocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and BAL and gut lipid peroxidation than the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, which had findings similar to the (C) group. Probiotic cheese consumption did not change the red blood cell count, but lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in plasma, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and peroxynitrite expression were observed compared to the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, with findings similar to the (C) group. These results suggest that probiotic Prato cheese consumption reduced oxidative stress in the lungs, gut, and liver.

Dulce de leche submitted to ohmic heating treatment: Consumer sensory profile using preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the application of ohmic heating (OH) to milk (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 V cm^-1, 72-75 °C/15 s) on the sensory profiling of dulce de leche (DL) evaluated using preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) and temporal Check-all-that-apply (TCATA) methodologies. In addition a consumer test was also performed. OH-DL samples presented increased scores for all the sensory attributes evaluated. Low or intermediate strength electric fields contributed to increase bitter taste and decrease DL aroma and sweet taste of the products, without impact on the overall liking. When high strength electric fields were applied, higher brightness, fluidity and DL flavor scores were observed, as well as, lower intensities in consistency and sandiness scores, resulting in increased acceptance by consumers. From TCATA data, it could be observed that the perception of all sensory attributes increased as well as increased the strength of the electric fields. Overall, the adoption of electric fields with higher strength in ohmic heating during DL processing is advised, since they improved the intensity and perception of desirable intrinsic DL sensory attributes as well as improved DL overall liking.

Paraprobiotic obtained by ohmic heating added in whey-grape juice drink is effective to control postprandial glycemia in healthy adults

The effect of paraprobiotic Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 inactivated by ohmic heating (8 V/cm, 95 °C/7 min, 60 Hz) whey-grape juice drink at the postprandial glycemia was evaluated. In vitro hypoglycemic activity was assessed by the α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition, while in vivo activity was determined using 15 healthy subjects, which consumed bread + probiotic whey drink, bread + paraprobiotic whey drink, and bread alone as a control. The probiotic and paraprobiotic grape-flavored whey drinks showed similar α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition (51.2 vs 51.8% and 43.2 vs 44.2%, respectively). The consumption of both paraprobiotic and probiotic whey drinks increased the incremental glucose rate when compared to the control due to the presence of sugar in its composition, without changes in the other parameters evaluated (maximum glucose value, glucose incremental percentage, and peak blood glucose time), showing a reduced glycemic response. In addition, the consumption of the paraprobiotic drink maintained the maximum glucose increase similar to the control, while an increase in this parameter was observed after the consumption of the probiotic drink. Therefore, the paraprobiotic grape-flavored whey drink may be an effective alternative to replace the probiotic product in reducing the postprandial glycemia in healthy individuals.

Ohmic heating as a method of obtaining paraprobiotics: Impacts on cell structure and viability by flow cytometry

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ohmic heating (OH) on probiotic inactivation, cell viability and morphology of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 05 (LA), Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 (LC), and Bifidobacterium animalis Bb 12 (BA) to develop paraprobiotics. OH at different electric field magnitudes (4, 8, and 12 V/cm at 60 Hz) and conventional heat treatment (CONV) were performed to determine the most adequate condition for the obtainment of paraprobiotics. Analysis of culturability, flow cytometry (FC), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was carried out. The complete inactivation by CONV was achieved only in the following conditions: LA - 95 °C/5 min, LC and BA - 95 °C/7 min. The same temperature profile was used in OH treatments to study the OH electrical effects. The OH treatment (8 V/cm) caused lower damage to the cell membrane integrity compared to the CONV treatment (p < 0.05). The OH showed to be adequate technology for the efficient production of paraprobiotics.

Probiotic fermented whey-milk beverages: Effect of different probiotic strains on the physicochemical characteristics, biological activity, and bioactive peptides

The effect of probiotic strains (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-03 (La-03); Lactobacillus acidophilus La-05 (La-05); Bifidobacterium Bb-12 (Bb-12) or Lacticaseibacillus casei-01 (L. casei-01)) on the characteristics of fermented whey-milk beverages during storage (4 °C, 30 days) was evaluated. The products were assessed for biological and antioxidant activities, physicochemical characteristics, and bioactive peptides. Probiotic addition increased α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant activities, mainly at 15 days of storage. L. casei-01 showed higher metabolic activity (higher titratable acidity and lower pH values) and the presence of anti-hypertensive peptides, while La-5 and Bb-12 showed higher α-glucosidase inhibition, improvements in the high saturated hypercholesterolemic index, and peptides with ACE-inhibitory, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. Our findings suggest that probiotic fermented whey-milk beverages may exert antidiabetic and antioxidant properties, being suggested La-5 or Bb-12 as probiotics and 15 days of storage.