Analgesic action of laser therapy (LLLT) in an animal model

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the analgesic effect of laser therapy on healthy tissue of mice.STUDY DESIGN: Forty-five animals were divided in three groups of 15: A--infrared laser irradiation (830 nm, Kondortech, São Carlos, SP, Brazil); B--red laser irradiation (660 nm, Kondortech, São Carlos, SP, Brazil); C-- ham irradiation with laser unit off. After laser application, the mice remained immobilized for the injection of 30 microl of 2% formalin in the plantar pad of the irradiated hind paw. The time that the mouse kept the hind paw lifted was measured at 5 min intervals for 30 minutes.RESULTS: Results showed statistically significant differences comparing the control group with the infrared laser group at 5, 20, 25 and 30 accumulated minutes, and with the red laser group at all time points. The analysis of partial times, at each 5 minutes, showed statistically significant differences between the control and the laser groups up to 20 minutes.CONCLUSIONS: Laser therapy had an analgesic effect and red laser had the best results

Physioland - A serious game for rehabilitation of patients with neurological diseases

Current society has observed an increasing number of victims of neurological disease, with reduced mobility, leading to a necessity to perform physical therapy to optimize their quality of life. This action results in physiotherapeutic programs filled with repetitive exercises, often fastidious, that lead to the demotivation of patients and consequent poor adherence and withdrawal. As a result of the technological evolution, new tools such as serious games are emerging, so their use in the field of physical therapy can modify the way patients face their treatments, promoting their motivation. Thus, we have developed a serious game based on image processing techniques to motivate and monitor patients with neurological diseases in their physical therapy practice.This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT - "Fundação para a Ciencia e Tecnologia" within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013 and also by FCT - "Fundação para a Ciencia e Tecnologia" within the Project Scope: SFRH/BD/74852/2010

Qualidade dos frutos de genótipos de tomateiro do banco de germoplasma de hortaliças da Universidade Federal de Viçosa

Foi avaliada a qualidade dos frutos de 29 acessos de tomateiro do Banco de Germoplasma de Hortaliças (BGH-UFV) e de três cultivares comerciais, Santa Clara, Débora Plus e Fanny. As variáveis avaliadas foram: sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT), pH e relação SS/AT. Foi observada, para os acessos, variação significativa das características avaliadas, com exceção do pH. Os acessos BGH700, BGH2000, BGH2008, BGH2013, BGH2014 e BGH2017 destacaram-se no que se refere ao teor de SS, tendo estes sido superiores em 4,2 ºBrix aos dos cultivares comerciais. Com relação à acidez titulável, os acessos BGH2013, BGH2019, BGH2020 e BGH2033 apresentaram os maiores valores, com acidez acima de 0,57%. Os cultivares comerciais foram alocados no grupo de menor acidez, com valores inferiores a 0,46%. Para a relação SS/AT, destacaram-se os acessos BGH700, BGH2000, BGH2008 e o cultivar comercial Débora Plus com valores de 11,1; 11,9; 10,9; e 10,0, respectivamente.Fruit quality of 29 tomato accesses from the Vegetable Germplasm Bank of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa and three commercial cultivars, Santa Clara, Débora Plus and Fanny were evaluated for the characteristics soluble solids (SS), acidity (AT), pH and SS/AT ratio (flavor fruits indicator). The accesses showed significant variation for the evaluated characteristics, except for the pH. The accesses BGH-700, BGH-2000, BGH-2008, BGH-2013, BGH-2014 and BGH-2017 stood out for the SS content, which were higher than 4.2 ºBrix and the SS content of the commercial cultivars. Acidity of the accesses BGH-2013, BGH-2019, BGH-2020 and BGH-2033 was higher, above 0.57%. The commercial cultivars were classified into the group with the lowest acidity, with values under 0.46%. The accesses BGH-700, BGH-2000, BGH-2008 and the commercial cultivar Débora Plus stood out for the SS/AT ratio, with values of 11.1, 11.9 and 10.9, and 10.0, respectively