Alternative Strategies for Stem Cell Osteogenic Differentiation

Discovering strategies that increase the osteogenic differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can lead to new perspectives for bone disease treatments. The possibility to associate the mesenchymal stem cells with scaffolds and to use them in bone regeneration as well as the number of studies to understand the signaling pathway of osteogenesis are increasing. Identifying osteogenic induction factors is extremely important and crucial for the success of bone regeneration. Studies have shown that proteins, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), trichostatin A and IGF-1, can be efficiently used for osteogenic regeneration. However, the use of these proteins increases the treatment cost. Fortunately, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may be a new alternative for adjuvant therapy to treat bone regeneration because it has biostimulatory effects on the conversion of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and on the induction of ex vivo ossification. The principle of tissue photobiomodulation with LLLT was first described in dermatology for healing wounds; however, other applications have been described, with anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects and cellular proliferation and differentiation. Following this way, we will discuss some alternative strategies for osteogenic differentiation and suggest that the low-power lasers can be an innovative instrument for cell differentiation

The Use of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Therapeutic Agents for the in vivo Treatment of Immune-Related Diseases: A Systematic Review

Background: One of the greatest challenges for medicine is to find a safe and effective treatment for immune-related diseases. However, due to the low efficacy of the treatment available and the occurrence of serious adverse effects, many groups are currently searching for alternatives to the traditional therapy. In this regard, the use of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) represents a great promise for the treatment of a variety of immune-related diseases due to their potent immunomodulatory properties. The main objective of this study is, therefore, to present and summarize, through a systematic review of the literature, in vivo studies in which the efficacy of the administration of hMSCs for the treatment of immune-related diseases was evaluated.Methods: The article search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Original research articles assessing the therapeutic potential of hMSCs administration for the in vivo treatment immune-related diseases, published from 1984 to December 2017, were selected and evaluated.Results: A total of 132 manuscripts formed the basis of this systematic review. Most of the studies analyzed reported positive results after hMSCs administration. Clinical effects commonly observed include an increase in the survival rates and a reduction in the severity and incidence of the immune-related diseases studied. In addition, hMSCs administration resulted in an inhibition in the proliferation and activation of CD19+ B cells, CD4+ Th1 and Th17 cells, CD8+ T cells, NK cells, macrophages, monocytes, and neutrophils. The clonal expansion of both Bregs and Tregs cells, however, was stimulated. Administration of hMSCs also resulted in a reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-2, IL-12, and IL-17 and in an increase in the levels of immunoregulatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13.Conclusions: The results obtained in this study open new avenues for the treatment of immune-related diseases through the administration of hMSCs and emphasize the importance of the conduction of further studies in this area

Nursing Professional Self-Concept: A Scoping Review Protocol

Nurses are considered one of the largest professional groups in healthcare, generating positive health outcomes for people at various stages of life. A significant impact on the construction of the professional self—or professional self-concept—is considered to exist through the educational process, influenced by factors such as the family and societal expectations often presented by teachers, tutors, and peers. Improving professional self-concept in nursing can offer specific gains in personal, relational, social, and interpersonal communication skills, favoring evolution in the academic and clinical path. This scoping review aims to map the literature related to the state of knowledge regarding professional self-concept in nursing. This scoping review will follow JBI recommendations with the PCC mnemonic and report its findings through PRISMA-ScR using a specific instrument made by the researchers. Providing healthcare complying with high scientific standards requires the professional to have enough self-confidence in his work and skills. The explicit acknowledgement of professional self-concept is essential for any educational tutor or experienced mentor to promote mental health and academic and professional performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A reforma gerencial e o processo de descentralização da política habitacional no Brasil

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho é remontar a história de constituição da Política Habitacional no Brasil a fim de analisar seu processo de descentralização. A demora, por parte, do Estado em perceber a habitação com uma questão pública e a execução de uma política clientelista e centralizada, deixaram resultados expressivos no desenho e execução das políticas habitacionais no Brasil. Assim, sob os argumentos apresentados neste trabalho, considera-se que para que a descentralização da política habitacional seja atrativa aos governos subnacionais faz-se necessária a atuação do poder central. A União deve promover estratégias de indução que minimizem as dificuldades administrativas e fiscais dos governos locais e formular políticas ativas e continuadas de capacitação municipal para a transferência formal de gestão para os municípios. Ressalta-se, ainda, a importância em se garantir controle social, de modo a evitar a realização de ações que visam atender a interesses particulares. Dessa forma, busca-se combater os efeitos perversos que o processo de descentralização pode causar

Morphometric Alteration of Intestinal Epithelium of Rats (Rattus norvegicus) Submitted to the Technique of Enteropexy

Background: Due to the numerous complications that enteropexy may cause in domestic animals and humans, this study aimed at investigating the microscopic level, the damage generated by this technique in mice, in order to investigate the morphometric changes caused by enteropexy technique in rats.Materials, Methods & Results: Eighteen Wistar rats were submitted to surgical technique of enteropexy. To evaluate intestinal disorders they were euthanized at 30 (Group I), 60 (group II) and 90 (group III) days after the procedure. The animals were perfused with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 4% paraformaldehyde for the removal of intestinal fragments for analysis in conventional microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In classical histopathology, group I presented mild lesions with necrosis of the epithelium and infiltration of mononuclear cells. After 60 days, extensive ischemic necrosis area was observed, characterized by the denudation of epithelium cells and cellular debris in the lumen surface and loss of intestinal crypts. After 90 days (group III) lesions were evident and were characterized by strong coagulative necrosis of epithelial cells and intestinal crypts. Under electron microscopy, group I showed early fusion of the adjacent intestinal walls. After 60 days there was adherence of luminal stenosis and intestinal walls. In group III loss of epithelium and substitution of necrotic tissue were identified.Discussion: In the current study it was noticed microscopically that the groups had inflammatory reactions to foreign bodies. It is known that the sutures, independent of manufacture, behave as foreign bodies that induce tissue inflammation of the recipient organism and could harm the scar repair. Among the surgical threads, the nylon type (which was chosen for the current experiment) is indicated in the approach tissues in general and bandages, including cardiovascular, ophthalmic and neurological procedures. This category wire induces minimal inflammation of the receptor tissue. In studies of the histopathological analysis of the tissue reactions produced by the wire implant or nylon thread clamp in rats, it was observed that when the local action of two implants were compared, inflammation showed qualitatively similar responses, although they had different characteristics regarding their course. Inflammation is proportional to the proliferation of fibroblasts and the presence of fibrous tissue around the suture. This quote confirms the analyzed samples, in which, in all postoperative times showed inflammatory process, although at different magnitudes. Surgical research in laboratory animals has expanded in recent decades, mainly due to better anesthetic support, the sophistication of infrastructure, material for perioperative continuous monitoring and an incessant search for species that reproduce human morbid conditions. The main focus of these studies have been improving the knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease, undertake therapeutic trials with new drugs, studying biomarkers and evaluate new techniques to be applied prospects in man. The most common sites of occurrence of intestinal are ileocolic intussusception junction and jejunojejunal segment. The enteroplication has been used to reduce the occurrence of intussusception, promoting the adhesion of the adjacent serosa layers of intestinal segments and thereby decreasing intestinal motility, their applicability is reported in humans, dogs and cats. The enteropexy technique causes morphological changes in intestinal epithelium of rats, evidenced in conventional and electron microscopy, progress with the passing of time the procedure

Natural Products from Ethnodirected Studies: Revisiting the Ethnobiology of the Zombie Poison

Wade Davis's study of Haitian “zombification” in the 1980s was a landmark in ethnobiological research. His research was an attempt to trace the origins of reports of “undead” Haitians, focusing on the preparation of the zombification poison. Starting with this influential ethnopharmacological research, this study examines advances in the pharmacology of natural products, focusing especially on those of animal-derived products. Ethnopharmacological, pharmacological, and chemical aspects are considered. We also update information on the animal species that reportedly constitute the zombie poison. Several components of the zombie powder are not unique to Haiti and are used as remedies in traditional medicine worldwide. This paper emphasizes the medicinal potential of products from zootherapy. These biological products are promising sources for the development of new drugs

Odontoma composto: relato de caso / Compound odontoma: clinical case report

Os Odontomas são definidos como uma malformação benigna e são os tipos mais comum de tumores odontogênicos. De acordo com as suas características histomorfológicas podem ser classificados em composto e complexo. São assintomáticos e normalmente diagnosticados em consultas de rotinas, através de exames radiográficos associados à falta da erupção de um dente permanente. O tratamento consiste em excisão cirúrgica (enucleação e curetagem) da lesão. O objetivo do presente trabalho é descrever um caso clínico de odontoma composto localizado na região anterior da maxila, em paciente do sexo feminino, 11 anos de idade. Sendo atendida pela clínica odontológica do CESMAC. Apresentando uma lesão que estava relacionada com a retenção dentária de elementos permanentes. Sendo realizado o exame clínico, radiografia periapical e oclusal, confirmando o diagnóstico clínico e radiográfico de Odontoma Composto. O tratamento cirúrgico propiciou a remoção da lesão que não mostrou recidiva no pós-operatório. O acompanhamento do caso é de suma importância para avaliar a posterior necessidade de tracionamento ortodôntico do dente retido pela lesão

Fibroma ossificante periférico de grandes proporções: caracteristicas clínicas, radiográficas e histológicas de um relato de caso / Large peripheral ossifying fibroma: Clinical, radiographic and histological characteristics of a reported case

Objetivo: Este estudo tem enquanto relevância acadêmica descrever um caso clínico de fibroma ossificante periférico (FOP), caracterizando a importância da remoção completa da lesão e agentes etiológicos e descrever os tipos de tratamento do Fibroma Ossificante Periférico. Relato de caso: trata-se de um relato de um paciente masculino, melanoderma que apresentava em seu exame intra-oral um nódulo localizado em gengiva superior em região de incisivo lateral à pré-molar direito, unilateral com coloração avermelhada, de superfície lisa e hemorrágica, com limites nítidos, formato irregular, consistência firme/fibrosa, pediculado, fixo e indolor com diagnóstico clínico compatível com fibroma ossificante periférico. Como exame complementar foi solicitado o exame radiográfico, observou-se pontos de calcificação na região posterior da maxila. Como conduta diagnóstica e terapêutica foi realizada a biópsia excisional  Conclusão: O FOP é uma proliferação gengival com focos de ossificação em seu interior que carece de exame histopatológico para a confirmação do diagnóstico porém o exame radiográfico também é de grande valia, pois pode apresentar-se com discretos pontos de calcificações sem envolvimento do osso subjacente, dependendo da fase de desenvolvimento da lesão, sendo a excisão cirúrgica e a remoção dos fatores irritantes locais a alternativa mais apropriada de tratamento. Porém alguns cuidados devem ser tomados na excisão, remoção da base da lesão, do ligamento periodontal e do periósteo adjacente, já que a taxa de recidiva é relativamente alta, esclarecendo também o acompanhamento

Origin and composition of the organic matter of a tidal flat covered by microbial mats

Las planicies de marea son ambientes altamente productivos y pueden proveer más del 50% de la productividad primaria. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar diferentes trazadores naturales (δ13C y δ15N y relación C:N) para examinar las posibles fuentes de MO de los sedimentos supramareales de la zona media del estuario de Bahía Blanca donde se desarrollan matas microbianas. Se tomaron muestras de sedimentos sin disturbar en tres sitios, las cuales fueron separadas in situ en dos capas: superficial (S, 0-5 mm de profundidad) y subsuperficial (SS, 5-10 mm de profundidad). La evaluación de losδ13C, δ15N y relación C:N (~6,8) indicaron un origen principalmente autóctono de la MO de las planicies de marea de Puerto Rosales asociado a una alta producción primaria y excreción de sustancias poliméricas extracelulares (EPS).Centro de Investigaciones Geológica

Origin and composition of the organic matter of a tidal flat covered by microbial mats

Las planicies de marea son ambientes altamente productivos y pueden proveer más del 50% de la productividad primaria. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar diferentes trazadores naturales (δ13C y δ15N y relación C:N) para examinar las posibles fuentes de MO de los sedimentos supramareales de la zona media del estuario de Bahía Blanca donde se desarrollan matas microbianas. Se tomaron muestras de sedimentos sin disturbar en tres sitios, las cuales fueron separadas in situ en dos capas: superficial (S, 0-5 mm de profundidad) y subsuperficial (SS, 5-10 mm de profundidad). La evaluación de losδ13C, δ15N y relación C:N (~6,8) indicaron un origen principalmente autóctono de la MO de las planicies de marea de Puerto Rosales asociado a una alta producción primaria y excreción de sustancias poliméricas extracelulares (EPS).Centro de Investigaciones Geológica