Abstract This study evaluated the bioactive potential of a macro-porous chitosan scaffold incorporated with calcium hydroxide (CH-Ca) and functionalized with bioactive doses of simvastatin (SV) for bone tissue regeneration. Initially, the bioactive dose of SV in osteoblastic cells (SAOS-2) was determined. For the direct contact experiment, SAOS-2 cells were plated on scaffolds to assess cell viability and osteogenic differentiation. The second assay was performed at a distance using extracts from scaffolds incubated in culture medium to assess the effect of conditioned medium on viability and osteogenic differentiation. The initial screening showed that 1 μM SV presented the best biostimulating effects, and this dose was selected for incorporation into the CH-Ca and pure chitosan (CH) scaffolds. The cells remained viable throughout the direct contact experiment, with the greatest cell density in the CH-Ca and CH-Ca-SV scaffolds because of their higher porosity. The CH-Ca-SV scaffold showed the most intense bio-stimulating effect in assays in the presence and absence of osteogenic medium, leading to an increased deposition of mineralized matrix. There was an increase in the viability of cells exposed to the extracts for CH-Ca, CH-SV, and CH-Ca-SV during the one-day period. There was an increase in ALP activity in the CH-Ca and CH-Ca-SV; however, the CH-Ca-SV scaffold resulted in an intense increase in the deposition of mineralized nodules, approximately 56.4% at 7 days and 117% at 14 days, compared with CH (control). In conclusion, functionalization of the CH-Ca scaffold with SV promoted an increase in bioactivity, presenting a promising option for bone tissue regeneration.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) has emerging as an epidemic, multifactorial and multidimensional condition in older age. Assessment of attitudes and beliefs of patients with back pain is necessary for understanding the impact of psychosocial factors on pain perception and management. OBJECTIVES: To cross-culturally adapt and examine the validity and reproducibility (intra and interrater reliability and agreement) of the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) in older Brazilians with acute LBP. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional methodological report conducted at the Department of Physical Therapy of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. METHODS: The present study was conducted for translating, adapting, and examining the psychometric properties of a questionnaire. Participants aged ≥ 60 years experiencing an acute episode of LBP were recruited. Coefficients of internal consistency, reliability and agreement were obtained using Cronbach’s α, intraclass correlations, and standard error of measurement and the smallest detectable change, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-six participants aged between 60-84 years and reporting a mean of 9.8 (4.3) years of schooling completed the study. The Brazilian Portuguese-language version of the BBQ (BBQ-Brazil) was proposed and presented with adequate conceptual, semantic, operational, and measurement equivalence from the original version. Intra and interrater evaluations showed moderate (0.74) and excellent (0.91) intraclass correlation coefficients, respectively, with small standard error of measurement for both evaluations. Internal consistency was considered adequate (0.70). CONCLUSION: BBQ-Brazil had consistent measurements of validity and reproducibility, and proved to be a valuable tool in clinical practice for addressing attitudes and beliefs of older patients with acute LBP.

Abstract Acute renal failure (ARF) is an extremely important public health issue in need of novel therapies. The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy to promote the improvement and recovery of renal function in a preclinical model. Wistar rats were used as the experimental model, and our results show that cisplatin (5mg/kg) can efficiently induce ARF, as measured by changes in biochemical (urea and creatinine) and histological parameters. MSC therapy performed 24h after the administration of chemotherapy resulted in normalized plasma urea and creatinine levels 30 and 45d after the onset of kidney disease. Furthermore, MSC therapy significantly reduced histological changes (intratubular cast formation in protein overload nephropathy and tubular hydropic degeneration) in this ARF model. Thus, considering that current therapies for ARF are merely palliative and that MSC therapy can promote the improvement and recovery of renal function in this model system, we suggest that innovative/alternative therapies involving MSCs should be considered for clinical studies in humans to treat ARF.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento vegetativo e o início do período produtivo de mirtilos (Vaccinium virgatum) propagados por estaquia e micropropagação. No ano de 2009, foi implantado um pomar de mirtilo com mudas de um ano de idade, em espaçamento de 1,3x4,0 m. Utilizaram-se as cultivares Bluegem, Briteblue e Woodard, do grupo "rabbiteye". Foram avaliados os seguintes parâmetros: altura de planta, diâmetro e número de brotações, diâmetro médio dos frutos, frutos colhidos por planta, produção média por planta, produtividade estimada por hectare, massa de matéria fresca por fruto, teor de sólidos solúveis, acidez titulável e pH. Plantas obtidas pela técnica de micropropagação apresentaram maior crescimento vegetativo inicial, em razão do rejuvenescimento causado por este tipo de propagação. O método de propagação não influenciou a qualidade dos frutos. Ao contrário do esperado, as plantas micropropagadas não mostraram atraso no início da produção de frutos e apresentaram produtividade e qualidade de frutos semelhantes às de plantas propagadas por estaquia.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetative development and the onset of the productive period of blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum) seedlings obtained by semi-hardwood cuttings or micropropagation. In 2009, a blueberry orchard was established with one-year-old seedlings, at 1.3x4.0 m spacing. The cultivars Bluegem, Briteblue, and Woodard, from the rabbiteye group were utilized. The following parameters were evaluated: plant height, number and diameter of shoot, berry average diameter, number of harvested fruit per plant, average production per tree, estimated yield by hectare, fresh matter per fruit, content of soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH. Plants originated from the micropropagation technique showed high rate of initial vegetative growth, due to the rejuvenation caused by this sort of propagation. Propagation methods did not affect fruit quality. Despite the expected, micropropagated plants showed no delay in the initial fruit production and its fruit yield and quality were similar to those of cutting-propagated plants.