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Background: Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by generalized chronic pain and tenderness in specific areas. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) using low-level laser therapy and/or light emitting diode therapy is an electrophysical agent that can be used alone or together with a static magnetic field (PBMT-sMF) to promote analgesia in several health conditions. Little evidence exists regarding the effects of using PBMT and PBMT-sMF in patients with fibromyalgia; this evidence is conflicting., Aim: We aimed to investigate the effects of using PBMT-sMF versus a placebo on reduction of the degree-of-pain rating, impact of fibromyalgia, pain intensity, and satisfaction with treatment in patients with fibromyalgia., Design: A prospectively registered, monocentric, randomized placebo-controlled trial, with blinding of patients, therapists, and assessors, was performed., Setting: The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Phototherapy and Innovative Technologies in Health (LaPIT) in Brazil, between March and October 2020., Population: Ninety female patients with fibromyalgia were randomized to undergo either PBMT-sMF (N.=45) or placebo (N.=45) treatment., Methods: Patients from both groups received nine treatment sessions, three times a week, for 3 weeks. Clinical outcomes were collected at baseline, the end of treatment, and at the follow-up appointment 4 weeks post-treatment. The primary outcome was the degree-of-pain rating, measured by the reduction of the tender point count., Results: A decrease in the degree-of-pain rating was observed in patients allocated to the PBMT-sMF group, decreasing the number of tender points when compared to placebo group at the end of treatment (P<0.0001) and at the follow-up assessment (P<0.0001). Patients did not report any adverse events., Conclusions: PBMT-sMF is superior to placebo, supporting its use in patients with fibromyalgia., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: PBMT-sMF might be considered an important adjuvant to the treatment regimens of patients with fibromyalgia.

Autologous fibrin gel is commonly used as a scaffold for filling defects in articular cartilage. This biomaterial can also be used as a sealant to control small hemorrhages and is especially helpful in situations where tissue reparation capacity is limited. In particular, fibrin can act as a scaffold for various cell types because it can accommodate cell migration, differentiation, and proliferation. Despite knowledge of the advantages of this biomaterial and mastery of the techniques required for its application, the durability of several types of sealant at the site of injury remains questionable. Due to the importance of such data for evaluating the quality and efficiency of fibrin gel formulations on its use as a scaffold, this study sought to analyze the heterologous fibrin sealant developed from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus using studies in ovine experimental models. The fibrin gel developed from the venom of this snake was shown to act as a safe, stable, and durable scaffold for up to seven days, without causing adverse side effects. Fibrin gel produced from the venom of the Crotalus durissus terrificus snake possesses many clinical and surgical uses. It presents the potential to be used as a biomaterial to help repair skin lesions or control bleeding, and it may also be used as a scaffold when applied together with various cell types. The intralesional use of the fibrin gel from the venom of this snake may improve surgical and clinical treatments in addition to being inexpensive and adequately consistent, durable, and stable. The new heterologous fibrin sealant is a scaffold candidate to cartilage repair in this study., (© 2015 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.)

A low-resolution 1H NMR relaxometry study on the dynamics of an n-decane/water emulsion stabilized by beta-casein is presented. Spin-spin (transverse) relaxation time constants (T2) were used to assess relative mobilities of emulsion components, by a selective deuteration procedure. Data analysis allowed the emulsion investigated to be described by a heterogeneous collection of dynamically distinct populations. A major population of n-decane molecules presented an average mobility that very nearly approached that of pure solvent, which is compatible with its occurrence in the emulsion continuous microphase. beta-Casein molecules displayed a prevalent population with significantly decreased mobility as compared to the free protein in solution, which is in accordance with the protein location at the oil/water interface. Also, a major H2O population with significantly lower average T2 as compared to the pure liquid was detected and has been assigned to interfacial water.

I conducted this study in a traditional fishing community in Brazil to reveal its socioeconomic characteristics and evaluate fishery productivity using a simple methodology through fishers' knowledge. I interviewed 72 fishers, one per household, representing 50% of all households that obtain their earnings mainly from fishing. Harvesting bivalve mollusks is the most important fishery. Fishers generally earned between half and two Brazilian minimum salaries (US$ 145.50–579.54) monthly. The activity is more productive in the summer, but the highest wholesale prices occur during the winter. I calculated productivity at 318.8 kg gross weight and 106.3 kg net weight monthly per household. Earnings were approximately US$ 296.00 monthly per household, and the most profitable season is between October and December. The methodology I used is a powerful tool to estimate productivity in some small-scale fisheries (SSFs) where the difficulty of obtaining data from fishers negatively affects the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the new heterologous fibrin biopolymer associated, or not, with photobiomodulation therapy for application in tendon injuries, considered a serious and common orthopedic problem. Thus, 84 Rattus norvegicus had partial transection of the calcaneus tendon (PTCT) and were randomly divided into: control (CG); heterologous fibrin biopolymer (HFB); photobiomodulation (PBM); heterologous fibrin biopolymer + photobiomodulation (HFB + PBM). The animals received HFB immediately after PTCT, while PBM (660 nm, 40 mW, 0.23 J) started 24 h post injury and followed every 24 h for 7, 14, and 21 days. The results of the edema volume showed that after 24 h of PTCT, there was no statistical difference among the groups. After 7, 14, and 21 days, it was observed that the treatment groups were effective in reducing edema when compared to the control. The HFB had the highest edema volume reduction after 21 days of treatment. The treatment groups did not induce tissue necrosis or infections on the histopathological analysis. Tenocyte proliferation, granulation tissue, and collagen formation were observed in the PTCT area in the HFB and HFB + PBM groups, which culminated a better repair process when compared to the CG in the 3 experimental periods. Interestingly, the PBM group revealed, in histological analysis, major tendon injury after 7 days; however, in the periods of 14 and 21 days, the PBM had a better repair process compared to the CG. In the quantification of collagen, there was no statistical difference between the groups in the 3 experimental periods. The findings suggest that the HFB and PBM treatments, isolated or associated, were effective in reducing the volume of the edema, stimulating the repair process. However, the use of HFB alone was more effective in promoting the tendon repair process. Thus, the present study consolidates previous studies of tendon repair with this new HFB. Future clinical trials will be needed to validate this proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their congruity with the native extracellular matrix and their ability to assist in soft tissue repair, hydrogels have been touted as a matrix mimicking biomaterial. Hydrogels are one of the prevalent scaffolds used for 3D cell culture. They can exhibit actuation in response to various stimuli like a magnetic field, electric field, mechanical force, temperature, or pH. In 3D cell culture, the traction exerted by cells on hydrogel can induce non-periodic mechanobiological movements (shrinking or folding) called 'bio-actuation'. Interestingly, this hydrogel 'tropism' phenomenon in 3D cell cultures can be exploited to devise hydrogel-cell-based actuators for tissue engineering. This review briefs about the discrepancies in 2D vs. 3D cell culturing on hydrogels and discusses on different types of cell migration occurring inside the hydrogel matrix. It substantiates the role of mechanical stimuli (such as stiffness) exhibited by the collagen-based hydrogel used for 3D cell culture and its influence in governing the lineage commitment of stem cells. Lastly, the review also audits the cytoskeleton proteins present in cells responsible for influencing the actuation of collagen hydrogel and also elaborates on the cellular signaling pathways responsible for actuation of collagen hydrogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) directly into the bone of osteoporotic (OP) patients for rapid recovery has been studied worldwide. Scaffolds associated with MSCs are used to maintain and avoid cell loss after application. A unique heterologous fibrin sealant (HFS) derived from snake venom was evaluated for the cytotoxicity of its main components and as a three-dimensional biological scaffold for MSCs to repair a critical femur defect in osteoporotic rats. Methods: The cytotoxicity of HFS was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay and transmission electron microscopy. The cells were cultured, characterized by flow cytometry and differentiated into the osteogenic lineage. Two-month-old rats underwent ovariectomy to induce OP. After 3 months, a 5 mm critical bone defect was made in the distal end of the rat femurs and filled with HFS; HFS +MSCs; and HFS +MSCs D (differentiated into the osteogenic lineage) to evaluate the effects. An injury control group (injury and no treatment) and blank control group (no injury and no treatment) were also included. The animals were observed at days 14 and 28 by microtomographic (micro-CT) analyses, histologic and biochemical analysis, as well as scanning electron microscopy. Results: The results revealed that one of the compounds of HFS, the thrombin-like enzyme extracted from snake venom, had no cytotoxic effects on the MSCs. OP was successfully induced, as demonstrated by the significant differences in the levels of 17β-estradiol, Micro-CT analyses and alkaline phosphatase between the ovariectomized (OVX) and non-ovariectomized (NOVX) groups. The histological data revealed that at 14 days after surgery in both the OVX and NOVX animals, the HFS + CTMs and HFS + CTMsD showed a higher formation of bone cells at the site in relation to the control group (without treatment). Collagen formation was evidenced through bone neoformation in all treated and control groups. No morphological differences in the femurs of the NOVX and OVX animals were observed after the surgical procedure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the histological analysis. Conclusions: The new HFS composed of two non-toxic components for MSCs showed capacity to promote the recovery of the bone lesions in OVX and NOVX animals at 14 days after surgery. In addition, the HFS enabled the differentiation of MSCs into MSCs D in the group treated with HFS + MSCs. Using the MSCs and/or MSCs D together with this biopharmaceutical could potentially enable significant advances in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures. Future clinical trials will be necessary to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability of antioxidant capacity of 14 strains of the edible oyster mushroom Pleurotus spp. was determined, and the effect of selected mushroom supplements on the longevity of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens, was evaluated. The antioxidant capacity of the fruiting bodies was determined by three different methods, measuring the free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extracts, the OH radical scavenging capacity, and the total phenol content. The inhibition percentage of the DPPH radical varied between 32.6 and 85.7 % and total phenols varied between 30.6 and 143.3 mg/g. The strains with the highest (Pleurotus djamor ECS-0142) and lowest (Pleurotus ostreatus ECS-1123) antioxidant capacity were selected to study their effect on the survival, life expectancy, and mortality of the Mexican fruit fly A. ludens. The results demonstrated differing responses between male and female flies. High concentrations of mushrooms (5 and 20 %) in the diet resulted in a decrease in life expectancy. However, flies on the diet with 1 % P. djamor ECS-0142 showed slightly but significantly greater survival than those on the control diet. The possible adverse effect of protein content in mushroom extracts is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outbreaks of food-borne diseases related to consumption of contaminated shellfish have been reported in many countries, but not in Brazil, possibly due to deficient reporting. Here we investigated the suitability of the clam Anomalocardia brasiliana as an animal sentinel for coliform monitoring in shellfish harvesting areas of Brazil's northeast. Samples of shellfish meats (40 clams per sample; n = 8 per collection) were collected at random from April 2009 through March 2010 in the bay area of Mangue Seco (state of Pernambuco). The numbers of thermotolerant coliforms were analyzed through the most probable number technique, and these contamination levels were tentatively correlated with the precipitation recorded on the day of sampling or 24 to 48 h beforehand. A. brasiliana shellfish meats from local retail shops (250 g per sample/ n = 3 per market) sold frozen were also investigated from August 2010 through June 2011. We found that the highest coliform contamination levels were correlated with recent rainfall events, limited to 24 h before sampling. However, irrespective of the rainfall level, the mean contamination above the Brazilian legal threshold of < 3 × 10 MPN/ 100 g for shellfish harvesting areas ranged from 18.7 to 93.7 % of samples analyzed monthly. Additionally, a large number of samples obtained from retail shops were also highly contaminated by coliforms during rainy periods, and therefore were not proper for human consumption. We conclude that A. brasiliana can be successfully used to monitor the contamination levels of coliforms in shellfish harvesting areas in Brazil's northeast coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify and develop the best renewable and low carbon footprint biodiesel substitutes for petroleum diesel, the properties of different biodiesel candidates should be studied and characterized with respect to molecular structures versus biodiesel liquid property relationships. In our previous paper, ¹H low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry was investigated as a tool for studying the liquid-phase molecular packing interactions and morphology of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). The technological potential was demonstrated with oleic acid and methyl oleate standards having similar alkyl chains but different head groups. In the present work, molecular organization versus segmental and translational movements of FAMEs in their pure liquid phase, with different alkyl chain lengths (10-20 carbons) and degrees of unsaturation (0-3 double bonds), were studied with ¹H LF-NMR relaxometry and X-ray, ¹H LF-NMR diffusiometry, and 13C high-field NMR. Results: Based on density values and X-ray measurements, it was proposed that FAMEs possess a liquid crystal-like order above their melting point, consisting of random liquid crystal aggregates with void spaces between them, whose morphological properties depend on chain length and degree of unsaturation. FAMEs were also found to exhibit different degrees of rotational and translational motions, which were rationalized by chain organization within the clusters, and the degree and type of molecular interactions and temperature effects. At equivalent fixed temperature differences from melting point, saturated FAME molecules were found to have similar translational motion regardless of chain length, expressed by viscosity, self-diffusion coefficients, and spin-spin (T2) ¹H LF-NMR. T2 distributions suggest increased alkyl chain rigidity, and reduced temperature response of the peaks' relative contribution with increasing unsaturation is a direct result of the alkyl chain's morphological packing and molecular interactions. Conclusions: Both the peaks' assignments for T2 distributions of FAMEs and the model for their liquid crystal-like morphology in the liquid phase were confirmed. The study of morphological structures within liquids and their response to temperature changes by ¹H LF-NMR has a high value in the field of biodiesel and other research and applied disciplines in numerous physicochemical- and organizational-based properties, processes, and mechanisms of alkyl chains, molecular interactions, and morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ¹H low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry has been suggested as a tool to distinguish between different molecular ensembles in complex systems with differential segmental or whole molecular motion and/or different morphologies. In biodiesel applications the molecular structure versus liquid-phase packing morphologies of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) influences physico-chemical characteristics of the fuel, including flow properties, operability during cold weather, blending, and more. Still, their liquid morphological structures have scarcely been studied. It was therefore the objective of this work to explore the potential of this technology for characterizing the molecular organization of FAMEs in the liquid phase. This was accomplished by using a combination of supporting advanced technologies. Results: We show that pure oleic acid (OA) and methyl oleate (MO) standards exhibited both similarities and differences in the ¹H LF-NMR relaxation times (T2s) and peak areas, for a range of temperatures. Based on X-ray measurements, both molecules were found to possess a liquid crystal-like order, although a larger fluidity was found for MO, because as the temperature is increased, MO molecules separate both longitudinally and transversely from one another. In addition, both molecules exhibited a preferred direction of diffusion based on the apparent hydrodynamic radius. The close molecular packing arrangement and interactions were found to affect the translational and segmental motions of the molecules, as a result of dimerization of the head group in OA as opposed to weaker polar interactions in MO. Conclusions: A comprehensive model for the liquid crystal-like arrangement of FAMEs in the liquid phase is suggested. The differences in translational and segmental motions of the molecules were rationalized by the differences in the ¹H LF-NMR T2 distributions of OA and MO, which was further supported by 13C high field (HF)-NMR spectra and ¹H HF-NMR relaxation. The proposed assignment allows for material characterization based on parameters that contribute to properties in applications such as biodiesel fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]