The manifestations of Parkinson's disease are caused by reduced dopaminergic innervation of the striatum. Loss-of-function mutations in the DJ-1 gene cause early-onset familial parkinsonism. To investigate a possible role for DJ-1 in the dopaminergic system, we generated a mouse model bearing a germline disruption of DJ-1. Although DJ-1(-/-) mice had normal numbers of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, evoked dopamine overflow in the striatum was markedly reduced, primarily as a result of increased reuptake. Nigral neurons lacking DJ-1 were less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of D2 autoreceptor stimulation. Corticostriatal long-term potentiation was normal in medium spiny neurons of DJ-1(-/-) mice, but long-term depression (LTD) was absent. The LTD deficit was reversed by treatment with D2 but not D1 receptor agonists. Furthermore, DJ-1(-/-) mice displayed hypoactivity in the open field. Collectively, our findings suggest an essential role for DJ-1 in dopaminergic physiology and D2 receptor-mediated functions.

The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with negative self-rated oral health. Elderly subjects from the Brazilian Ministry of Health's oral health survey (2002-2003) who rated their own oral health as bad or very bad were compared to those who rated their oral health as excellent, good, or fair, using prevalence ratios based on Poisson regression. The minority (870; 17%) gave their own oral health a negative rating. Negative self-rated oral health was less prevalent among those with 1-9 teeth and the edentulous, and more prevalent among blacks, mixed-race, and indigenous, those who had never used dental service, with soft tissue alterations, who reported little pain or medium to intense pain, rated their own appearance and chewing as fair or bad or very bad, reported that their oral health limited their social interaction a little or considerably, and reported needing dental treatment (PR = 1,47; 95%CI: 1.20-1.79). Despite their precarious oral conditions, the majority gave their oral health a positive rating. Subjective conditions were more heavily associated with self-rated oral health than were objective conditions. The findings suggest unequal oral health conditions and allow orienting public policies aimed at oral health and quality of life.

The oral health of the elderly in Brazil is deficient and the use of dental services was lower among those who needed them most. The factors associated with dental services utilization differ for dentulous and edentulous individuals. The only similarities are schooling, having information on oral health, and having experienced pain in the teeth and gums in the previous three months. Public investment in oral health is needed to turn around this scenario.

Resumo Os professores universitários estão expostos a um aumento de tensão no trabalho pela fragmentação da sua atividade e as responsabilidades exigidas, sem que, em muitas situações, tenham as condições necessárias para responder adequadamente. Tal situação pode representar condições estressoras, aumentando o risco de transtornos mentais. Investigou-se a associação entre transtornos mentais comuns e estressores no trabalho entre professores de nove cursos da área da saúde de uma universidade particular em Minas Gerais. A variável dependente foi a presença de transtornos mentais, avaliada pelo Questionário de Saúde Geral 12. Os estressores no trabalho foram avaliados pelo modelo Esforço-Recompensa e Comprometimento excessivo. As demais variáveis foram: sociodemográfi-cas, história ocupacional, comportamentais e referentes à saúde geral. Os dados foram submetidos à análise descritiva, análise bivariada e regressão de Poisson. Participaram 175 professores (80,0%), e 19,5% apresentaram transtornos mentais comuns. A prevalên-cia desses transtornos foi maior entre professores com maior esforço no trabalho (RP= 1,8; IC95%= 1,(1)(2)(3)46) e menor naqueles com maior qualidade de vida no domínio físico (RP= 0,95, IC95%= 0,97). Conclui-se que há uma prevalência considerável de transtornos mentais comuns entre professores universitários, sendo maior naqueles que se esforçam mais no trabalho e com pior qualidade de vida no domínio físico. Palavras-chave saúde mental; docentes; qualidade de vida; saúde do trabalhador; esgotamento profissional.Abstract Professors are exposed to increased tension at work on account of the fragmentation of their activities and of the responsibilities demanded of them without, in many cases, their having the conditions they need in order to respond adequately. Such a situation may represent stressful conditions, which increase the risk of mental disorders. We investigated the association between common mental disorders and stress factors at work among professors teaching in nine health courses at a private university in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variable was the presence of mental disorders, as measured by General Health Questionnaire 12. Stress factors at work were evaluated based on the Effort-Reward and Excessive Commitment model. The other variables were sociodemographic, occupational background, behavioral, and related to general health. The data were submitted to descriptive analyses, bivariate analyses, and Poisson regression. A total of 175 professors participated (80.0%), of whom 19.5% had mental disorders. These disorders were more prevalent among professors making the most effort at work (PR= 1.8, 95% CI= 1.01-3.46) and less prevalent among those with higher quality of life in their physical domain (PR= 0.95, 95% CI= 0.93 to 0.97). It can be concluded that there is a considerable prevalence of common mental disorders among university professors, which were higher among those who put more effort into their work and had lower quality of life in their physical domains.

OBJETIVO: Inquéritos sorológicos realizados em diversos países mostraram uma maior prevalência da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B (VHB) em dentistas, especialmente entre os cirurgiões, do que na população geral. O estudo realizado objetivou determinar a prevalência e os fatores associados à vacinação contra hepatite B (HB) entre os dentistas e investigar as principais razões alegadas para a não vacinação e vacinação incompleta. MÉTODOS: Foi conduzido um inquérito entre 299 cirurgiões dentistas residentes em Montes Claros, MG, por meio de questionário auto-aplicável. Foi determinada a prevalência de vacinação segundo o número de doses e os fatores associados à não vacinação e à vacinação incompleta através de regressão logística multinomial. RESULTADOS: Dos 299 questionários distribuídos, 296 (99%) foram respondidos. Destes, 74,9% tomaram três doses; 14%, duas doses; 2%, uma dose e 10% não foram vacinados. A vacinação completa foi maior entre os que relataram fazer exclusivamente cirurgia e/ou periodontia (89%). A principal razão alegada para a não vacinação ou vacinação incompleta foi a necessitade de maiores informações. A não vacinação foi mais freqüente entre aqueles com mais de 40 anos (OR=8,62; IC 95%: 1,88-39,41) e os que não se reciclaram nos dois anos prévios ao inquérito (OR=2,72; IC 95%: 1,02-7,22). A vacinação incompleta foi maior entre os que não usam luva no trabalho (OR=2,32; IC 95%: 1,08-4,97). CONCLUSÃO: A falta de informação, possivelmente relacionada a menor reciclagem profissional, parece ser um dos principais fatores limitantes da vacinação.

Investigou-se o uso de serviços odontológicos entre idosos dentados e edentados residentes na Região Sudeste do Brasil, participantes do inquérito saúde bucal realizado pelo Ministério da Saúde em 2002/2003. Os idosos que usaram serviço há menos de um ano foram comparados aos que usaram há mais de um ano. Do total, 345 eram dentados e 669 edentados, sendo a prevalência de uso, 32% e 11%, respectivamente. Na regressão logística multivariada entre dentados, o uso foi maior entre idosos que percebiam a fala influenciada pela saúde bucal e menor entre residentes rurais; com menor renda; que usaram por problema bucal; que tinham sextante excluído; que necessitavam de prótese e que percebiam a aparência como péssima. Entre edentados, o uso foi maior entre idosos com 5-8 anos de escolaridade; que relatavam sensibilidade dolorosa; que percebiam a aparência como péssima; e menor entre idosos que usaram por problema bucal e que percebiam o relacionamento afetado pela condição bucal. A análise mostrou diferenças entre dentados e edentados. O menor uso entre idosos que mais necessitam sugere iniqüidade no acesso aos serviços odontológicos.

RESULTS:Out of the whole sample, 2,928 (55%) of the elderly people said they needed dental treatment. This need was perceived less frequently among those aged 70 years or over (PR=0.94; 95% CI: 0.89;0.99), those who had not received information on how to avoid oral problems (PR=0.89; 95% CI: 0.83;0.95) and those who were edentate (PR=0.68; 95% CI: 0.62;0.74). The perceived need was greater among those who self;rated their oral health as regular (PR=1.31; 95% CI: 1.21;1.41) or poor/very poor (PR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.19;1.41), their appearance as regular (PR=1.23; 95% CI: 1.15;1.32) or poor/very poor (PR=1.28; 95% CI: 1.18;1.39) and their chewing as regular (PR=1.08; 95% CI: 1.01;1.15) or poor/very poor (PR=1.13; 95% CI: 1.05;1.21). It was also greater among those who reported pain in their teeth or gums over the six months prior to the survey (PR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.18;1.36) and among those who needed a prosthesis in one arch (PR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.19;1.39) or both (PR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.16;1.40). CONCLUSIONS:Information, oral health conditions and subjective questions were associated with self-perceived need for dental treatment. The results reinforce the need to capacitate individuals to carry out oral self-examination and identify non-painful signs and symptoms of mucosal lesions, caries and periodontal disease at an early stage. INTRODUCTIONThe oral health indicators for the elderly population of Brazil are critical. 12,15,21,22,a According to the World Health Organization (WHO) target (WHO, 24 1997), 50% of elderly people should present at least 20 teeth in their mouths. However, analysis of data from a national oral health survey concluded by the Brazilian Ministry of Health in 2003 showed that only 10% of elderly Brazilians presented 20 teeth in their mouths. Moreover, 6% had never used dental services in their whole lives and, among those who had, 77% had used dental services more than

The presence of untreated dental caries among Brazilian children was associated with an impact on specific daily activities (difficulty eating and sleeping) and the psychological domain of OHRQoL.