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Biomaterials and biopharmaceuticals for correcting large bone defects are a potential area of translational science. A new bioproduct, purified from snake venom and fibrinogen from buffalo blood, aroused interest in the repair of venous ulcers. Expanding potential uses, it has also been used to form biocomplexes in combination with bone grafts, associated with physical therapies or used alone. The aim of this preclinical study was to evaluate low-level laser photobiomodulation (PBM) in critical defects in the calvaria of rats filled with nanohydroxyapatite (NH) associated with the heterologous fibrin biopolymer (HFB). Sixty animals were used, divided into six groups (n = 10 each): G1 (NH); G2 (HFB); G3 (NH + HFB); G4 (NH + PBM); G5 (HFB + PBM); G6 (NH + HFB + PBM). PBM simultaneously used red (R) and infrared (IR) light emission, applied intraoperatively and twice a week, until the end of the experiment at 42 days. Microtomography, bone formation can be seen initially at the margins of the defect, more evident in G5. Microscopically, bone formation demonstrated immature and disorganized trabeculation at 14 days, with remnants of grafting materials. At 42 days, the percentage of new bone formed was higher in all groups, especially in G5 (HFB, 45.4 ± 3.82), with collagen fibers at a higher degree of maturation and yellowish-green color in the birefringence analysis with Picrosirius-red. Therefore, it is concluded that the HFB + PBM combination showed greater effectiveness in the repair process and presents potential for future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous polymeric scaffolds provide a physical substrate for cells to attach and proliferate, allowing the formation of new tissue. These materials are broadly used in the tissue engineering field due to their ability to mimic native tissue. Each application requires specific morphologies and resistance, among other several features. To accomplish these requirements, various techniques are available, each one with its advantages and disadvantages. Among the most relevant techniques are salt leaching, solvent casting, gas foaming, thermally induced phase separation, freeze-drying, electrospinning, thermally induced self-agglomeration, and three-dimensional (3D) printing. In this review, a brief and simple explanation of each method is described, along with some recent results and each technique’s advantages and disadvantages. It is expected that this review will bring important guidance in the production of polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Abstract In this work, the surfaces of silver nanowires (AgNWs) were modified by silanization process to improve the mechanical and antibiofilm properties of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dental resins. A two‐route methodology was used to silanize the AgNWs: first, a surface treatment using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was performed to act as interface agent; and then, γ‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) was used to insert functional groups compatible to the acrylic resin. PMMA/AgNWs composites were obtained using pristine (AgNWP) and modified AgNWs (AgNWM) at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 wt%. The mechanical (flexural and impact strength) and antibiofilm properties against Candida albicans was investigated. AgNWM showed an enhancement in the dispersion and adhesion within the PMMA matrix, which were responsible for improvements in the mechanical properties. Results of flexural strength showed significant improvements for the sample with incorporation of 0.5 wt% of AgNWM and no significative changes for the sample with AgNWP. In addition, a reduction of about 50% in the biofilm formation by C. albicans was observed for the samples with 0.5 and 1.0 wt% of AgNWM. The incorporation of silanized‐AgNWs into PMMA dental resins can combine improvements in antimicrobial activity and in the flexural strength, being a potential antimicrobial biomaterial for dental applications.

Introduction: HIV infection causes pathological changes in the natural killer (NK) cell compartment that can be only partially restored by antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated NK cells phenotype and function in children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) and long-term viral control (five years) due to effective ART in a multicentre cross-sectional European study (CARMA, EPIICAL consortium). The impact of age at ART start and viral reservoir was also evaluated. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 40 PHIV who started ART within two years of life (early treated patients (ET), 6 months), with at least five years of HIV-1 suppression ( Results: A significantly higher frequency of [CD56.sup.neg] NK cells was found in LT compared with ET. We further found in LT a positive correlation of [CD56.sup.neg] NK cells with HIV-1 DNA. LT also displayed increased expression of the NKG2D and NKp46 activating receptors and perforin compared with ET. Moreover, [CD107a.sup.+] and [IFN-[gamma].sup.+] frequencies in non-stimulated NK were associated with HIV-1 DNA in LT patients. Finally RNA-Seq analysis showed in LT an up-regulation of genes related to NKactivating pathways and susceptibility to apoptosis compared with ET. Conclusions: We show that early initiation of ART during infancy preserves the NK compartment and is associated with lower HIV-1 reservoir. Such condition persists over adolescence due to long-term viral control achieved through effective ART. Keywords: cohort studies; HIV care continuum; immunology; paediatrics; ARV; viral suppression Additional information may be found under the Supporting Information tab for this article., 1 | INTRODUCTION HIV-1-induced immunological impairment begins during acute infection and is only partially restored in children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) if antiretroviral therapy (ART) is introduced during the [...]

Introduction: Clinical trials on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) treatment have shown an improvement in overall and progression‐free survival in patients with advanced differentiated thyroid cancer. However, it is necessary to evaluate these studies to assess methodological biases and inconsistencies that may impact the effects. Objective: To map and assess the methodological quality of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) regarding randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, and selective reporting bias. Methods: RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of TKI for the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid cancer were included. The search was performed in the MEDLINE database. The included RCTs were assessed for the adequacy of the methodological steps, as recommended by the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results: Nine studies were analyzed, of which 77.7% were classified as low risk of bias regarding selective reporting and 33.3% as high risk of reporting bias. The mean time between protocol registration and study publication was approximately 5.11 years. Moreover, 66.7% were classified as low risk of bias for randomization and allocation concealment, and 33.3% did not specify the randomization process and allocation concealment in a way that would allow the identification of occurrences of bias. Concerning blinding of participants and outcome assessors, 77.8% of the RCTs reported adequate blinding and were classified as having a low risk of bias, 11.1% had a high risk of bias, and 11.1% had insufficient information and were classified as having unclear risk of bias. Regarding the blinding of the outcome assessors, 33.3% did the blinding correctly, 11.1% did not blind, and 55.6% did not provide enough information. Conclusion: Overall, the assessed RCTs were predominantly at low risk of bias. The critical evaluation of these studies is essential to have confidence in the treatment estimated effect that will support clinical decision‐making and provide information to preclude future clinical study flaws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivou-se identificar o uso de medicamento ansiolítico e/ou antidepressivo e associá-lo às características dos estudantes de medicina de uma universidade. Trata-se de um estudo com 449 estudantes de medicina no interior do estado de São Paulo. O uso de medicamento antidepressivo e/ou ansiolítico era feito por 24,3% dos estudantes, sendo a maior parte do sexo feminino e cursando os dois primeiros anos da faculdade. Não houve associação entre o uso de medicamento e os fatores como: idade, renda, morar com a família, horas de sono, relação com docentes e ter pai e mãe vivos. Observou-se maior chance de fazer terapia entre os estudantes que usavam medicamento (β=1,12, OR=3,07, pchr(38)lt;0,001) e uma menor chance de realizar exercício físico (β=-0,051, OR=0,60, p=0,03). Estratégias para o manejo da depressão e da ansiedade devem ser incentivadas e ações para reduzir o estresse durante o curso devem fazer parte de um programa de apoio das universidades

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of amphiregulin protein, an epidermal growth factor receptor ligand, in cartilaginous tumors. METHODS: Amphiregulin expression was examined in 31 enchondromas and 67 chondrosarcomas using immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 15 enchondromas (48.40%) and 24 chondrosarcomas (35.82%) were positive for amphiregulin. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve test, no difference in amphiregulin expression was observed between enchondromas and low-grade chondrosarcomas (p=0.0880). Additionally, 39 lesions (16 in short bones, 13 in long bones, and 10 in flat bones) were positive for amphiregulin, exhibiting a higher percentage of positive cells (p=0.0030) and intensity of immunohistochemical expression (p=0.0055) in short bone lesions than in others. Among 25 enchondromas localized in short bones, 15 expressed amphiregulin; however, all 6 cases localized in long bones were negative for this marker (p=0.0177). CONCLUSIONS: Amphiregulin did not help in distinguishing enchondromas from low-grade chondrosarcomas. The present study is the first to document the expression of this immunohistochemical marker in enchondromas. Furthermore, amphiregulin expression in enchondromas was localized in short bones, indicating a phenotypic distinction from that in long bones. This distinction may contribute to an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of these lesions.

The effect of applying cetol and varnish finishing products and sanding on the surface roughness and colour of marupa (Simarouba amara) wood was evaluated. Three coats of each product were applied and two sandpaper grits were used, 280 and 320). The analyzes were performed on untreated samples and between each coat of products in order to analyze the effect of sanding, the products and the number of coats. According to colorimetry, the L* value for the control treatment was 82.83 and the treatments reduced the L* to 61.70 on average for the cetol treatment and 77.09 for the varnish treatment, showing that the cetol darkened the wood more than the varnish. The yellowish and reddish pigmentations became more intense according to the positive values of Δa* and Δb*, especially after applying the cetol. The total colour variation ΔE average was 40.79 for the cetol treatment and 9.83 for the varnish treatment, confirming a much more significant colour change in the cetol treatment. Sanding with different grits did not significantly alter the surface colour. The product application made the wood surface smoother, and was noticeable from the second coat. Sanding reduced roughness on the wood surface, but the finishing product was the largest source of variation.

The presence of microbial biofilms in the wounds affects negatively the healing process and can contribute to therapeutic failures. This study aimed to establish the effective parameters of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) against wound-related multispecies and monospecies biofilms, and to evaluate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the protocol. Monospecies and multispecies biofilms were formed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. The monospecies biofilms were grown in 96 wells plates and multispecies biofilm were formed on collagen membranes. The biofilms were exposed to helium CAP for 1, 3, 5 and 7 min. In monospecies biofilms, the inhibitory effect was detected after 1 min of exposure for E. faecalis and after 3 min for MRSA. A reduction in P. aeruginosa biofilm’s viability was detected after 7 min of exposure. For the multispecies biofilms, the reduction in the overall viability was detected after 5 min of exposure to CAP. Additionally, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated by MTT assay and static cytometry, respectively. CAP showed low cytotoxicity and no genotoxicity to mouse fibroblastic cell line (3T3). It could be concluded that He-CAP showed inhibitory effect on wound-related multispecies biofilms, with low cytotoxicity and genotoxicity to mammalian cells. These findings point out the potential application of CAP in wound care.

Introdução: Os sinais da idade costumam se evidenciar mais intensamente na face, no pescoço e nas mãos revelando perda considerável de volume, um indicador comum de envelhecimento. Objetivo: Comparar o tempo de duração e os efeitos adversos de dois tipos de preenchedores subcutâneos para o tratamento do envelhecimento volumétrico de mão. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo e comparativo, onde os pacientes foram divididos aleatoriamente em 3 grupos: Grupo A, composto por 4 pacientes que utilizaram o mesmo volume de hidroxiapatita de cálcio e ácido hialurônico em ambas as mãos; Grupo B, composto por 4 pacientes que utilizaram maior volume de hidroxiapatita de cálcio tambem em uma das maõs e Grupo C, composto por 4 pacientes que utilizaram maior volume de ácido hialurônico. Os pacientes foram avaliados através de mudanças em escala validada para envelhecimento de mãos, registradas por fotografias digitais antes e 1,3,6,9,12,15 e 18 meses após o procedimento. Resultados: No Grupo A os pacientes apresentaram o mesmo tempo de duração de ambos os preenchedores; no Grupo B os pacientes tratados com hidroxiapatita de cálcio apresentaram maior tempo de duração; no Grupo C os pacientes tratados com ácido hialurônico apresentaram maior tempo de duração. Os efeitos adversos foram mais frequentes com o uso de hidroxiapatita de cálcio. Conclusões: Pode-se concluir que o tempo de duração é proporcional ao volume injetado para ambos os preenchedores, e que o ácido hialurônico é mais seguro para o tratamento dessa irregularidade cosmética.

Introdução: Molusco contagioso é uma dermatovirose causada por um poxvírus. Na literatura há descrição de diferentes abordagens terapêuticas dessa infecção. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia do imiquimode para tratamento de molusco contagioso de forma isolada e associada à curetagem. Métodos: Grupo A, 20 pacientes utilizaram imiquimode 5% creme, 3 vezes por semana por 6 semanas e Grupo B, 10 pacientes que utilizaram creme base, 3 vezes por semana por 6 semanas. Após estas 6 semanas, todos os pacientes se submeteram à curetagem. Resultados: Grupo A, na sexta semana diminuição de 31% no número de lesões, com uma efetividade da curetagem de 97,6%; Grupo B na sexta semana um aumento de 4,8% no número de lesões e uma efetividade da curetagem de 81,1%. A média do nível de dor durante a curetagem foi de 1,8 para o Grupo A e 3,0 para o Grupo B. Conclusões: Por aumentar a taxa de eliminação de lesões de molusco contagioso e diminuir a dor quando o processo de curetagem é realizado após uso do imunomodulador, concluímos que a associação de imiquimode 5% em creme com curetagem possa ser uma possibilidade terapêutica.