Abstract Objectives: To review and provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of otosclerosis. Methods: Task force members were educated on knowledge synthesis methods, including electronic database search, review and selection of relevant citations, and critical appraisal of selected studies. Articles written in English or Portuguese on otosclerosis were eligible for inclusion. The American College of Physicians’ guideline grading system and the American Thyroid Association’s guideline criteria were used for critical appraisal of evidence and recommendations for therapeutic interventions. Results: The topics were divided into 2 parts: 1) Diagnosis – audiologic and radiologic; 2) Treatment – hearing AIDS, pharmacological therapy, stapes surgery, and implantable devices - bone-anchored devices, active middle ear implants, and Cochlear Implants (CI). Conclusions: The pathophysiology of otosclerosis has not yet been fully elucidated, but environmental factors and unidentified genes are likely to play a significant role in it. Women with otosclerosis are not at increased risk of worsening clinical condition due to the use of contraceptives or during pregnancy. Drug treatment has shown little benefit. If the patient does not want to undergo stapedotomy, the use of hearing aids is well indicated. Implantable systems should be indicated only in rare cases, and the CI should be indicated in cases of profound deafness.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever o efeito da fotobiomodulação no tratamento de neuralgia pós-herpética em idosa. Relato de caso: Paciente do gênero feminino, 61 anos, 56kg, 1,67cm de altura, procurou o Centro de Laserterapia da Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, na cidade de São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil, no dia 27 de outubro de 2015. Diagnosticada com herpes zoster em 4 de setembro de 2015 com queixas de neuralgia intermitente no trajeto do nervo torácico longo e picos de dor intensa (nível 10, segundo escala analógica de dor). A fotobiomodulação foi realizada com irradiações pontuais do laser de baixa intensidade em 20 pontos ao redor do nervo acometido pelo herpesvírus, com uma distância de 2 cm de cada ponto. A irradiação foi realizada com o tempo de 20 segundos em cada ponto, ou seja, 3J/cm2 por ponto e energia total de 60 J. Sendo ao final do tratamento o nível de dor 0 e o padrão de sono normal (oito horas de sono). Conclusão: A fotobiomodulação tratou o desconforto álgico, melhorou a qualidade de vida da paciente e mostrou-se, por meio de suas vantagens, ser um tratamento efetivo, seguro e promissor, com grande potencial de se tornar a terapia de escolha em tais casos.

Abstract Objectives: to describe the effect of photobiomodulation therapy in the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia in the elderly. Case report: a female patient, 61 years old, 56 kg, 1.67cm tall, sought treatment at the Laser Therapy Center of the Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, in the city of São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, on October 27, 2015. She had been diagnosed with herpes zoster on September 4, 2015 with complaints of intermittent neuralgia in the long thoracic nerve path and spikes of intense pain (level 10, according to the analogue pain scale). Photobiomodulation was performed with low intensity laser spot irradiations at 20 points around the herpesvirus nerve, with a distance of 2cm between each point. Irradiation was performed at each point after 20 seconds, with 3J/cm2 per point and total energy of 60 J. At the end of the treatment the pain level was 0 and the patient exhibited a normal sleep pattern (8 hours of sleep). Conclusions: Photobiomodulation treated painful discomfort, improved the quality of life of the patient and proved to be an effective, safe and promising treatment, with significant potential to become the therapy of choice in such cases.

Introduction Threshold doses of electromagnetic radiation can initiate necrosis and apoptosis in cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cellular apoptosis and necrosis immediately (t0) and 24 hours (t24) after irradiation with different doses of coherent light (laser) or non-coherent light (LED). Methods CHO-K1 lineage cells were irradiated with laser (810nm) or LED (945±20nm), with 24mW, contact area of 1cm2 and doses of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50J/cm2 for 300, 660, 960, 1230 and 1620s, respectively, at both wavelengths. Cells were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy, differentiating viable, apoptotic and necrotic cells immediately and 24 hours after irradiation. Results The number of necrotic cells at t0 was higher in the LED 40 and 50J/cm2 groups (86±14 and 84±16% respectively, p <0.05), than in the 10 and 20J/cm2 laser (5±2 and 5±3%, p<0.05) and LED (5±3 and 4±1%, p<0.05) conditions. At t24, the LED 40J/cm2 (80±20%, p<0.05) group also showed more necrosis than the control and lower dose groups (laser 10, 20, and 30J/cm2 percentage of 6±4, 10±3 and 7±3%, p<0.05; LED 10 and 20J/cm2 percentage of 3±1 and 17±10%, p<0.05). A decrease in apoptotic cells was observed in the laser group with doses of 10, 40, and 50J/cm2 (6±4, 3±1 and 1±1% respectively, not significant), as well as in the LED 40J/cm2 (2±2%, not significant) group versus control. The cells had a higher percentage of apoptosis cells in the control group and with laser doses of 10 and 30J/cm2 (percentage of 20±1 and 20±4%, not significant), while only the LED 40J/cm2 (10±10%, not significant) had a lower percentage compared the control group. Conclusion Laser or LED stimulation promoted an increase in cell necrosis in a high energy density condition as characterized in a dose-dependent inhibition therapy. Laser or LED infrared irradiation in low doses (up to 20J/cm2) reduced the percentage of apoptosis in CHO-K1 cells, while high doses (30J/cm2) elevated apoptosis.

Resumo Objetivos Avaliar o perfil epidemiológico de crianças e adolescentes portadores de estomas intestinais atendidos no Hospital Universitário Presidente Dutra (HUPD) em São Luís (MA). Métodos Estudo observacional, descritivo, retrospectivo e individuado em que foram coletados dados de 110 crianças e adolescentes com estomas intestinais de eliminação de janeiro de 2006 a fevereiro de 2013. Analisaram-se as variáveis: idade, sexo, procedência dos pacientes, indicação, tipo e caráter temporal dos estomas. Após coleta dos dados, foi feita análise descritiva pelo programa Bioestat 5.0. Resultados Dos 110 pacientes, 78,2% eram do sexo masculino e 21,8% do sexo feminino. A idade média foi de 9,4 anos. 55,5% era procedente do interior do Estado do Maranhão e 44,5% da capital, São Luís. Com relação ao tipo: 88,2% eram colostomias e 11,8% ileostomias, todos os estomas temporários. A causa principal foi o trauma (42,7%), sendo a perfuração abdominal por arma de fogo a mais frequente (71,5% da categoria); seguido pelas anomalias congênitas (38,2%), causas obstrutivas (5,4%) e inflamatórias (4,5%). Conclusão As crianças e adolescentes estudados eram, em sua maioria, do sexo masculino, proveniente do interior do Estado do Maranhão, tendo como principal causa a traumática e a colostomia como o tipo de estoma mais comum.

Abstract Objectives To assess the epidemiological profile of children and adolescents with intestinal stoma, assisted at the Presidente Dutra University Hospital (HUPD), São Luís (MA). Methods Observational, descriptive, retrospective, and individuated study. Data were collected from 110 children and adolescents with elimination intestinal stoma, from January 2006 to February 2013. The following variables were analyzed: age, gender, patient origin, and stomata indication, type, and temporal character. After data collection, descriptive analysis was made by Bioestat 5.0 program. Results Of 110 patients, 78.2% were male and 21.8% female. The average age was 9.4 years old. 55.5% came from the Maranhão state countryside, and 44.5% from the capital, São Luís. Regarding stoma type, colostomies made up 88.2%, and were 11.8% ileostomies, all temporary stoma. The main cause was trauma (42.7%), with firearm abdominal puncture being the most frequent cause (71.5% of the category); followed by congenital anomalies (38.2%), and obstructive (5.4%) and inflammatory (4.5%) causes. Conclusion Studied children and adolescents were mostly male, from Maranhão state countryside. The main cause was trauma, and colostomy was the most common stoma type.

O objetivo do estudo foi revisar a literatura a respeito da terapia com laser de baixa potência e sua relação com as fases iniciais de reparo. Foram analisados 22 artigos, observando-se a utilização de diferentes doses e comprimentos de ondas (632,8 a 904 nm). Nos estudos in vitro, foram utilizadas doses entre 2,2 e 16 J/cm². A dose de 5 J/cm² tem sido apontada como responsável por mudanças significativas in vitro; porém, a dose de 16 J/cm² promove efeito inibitório sobre o crescimento celular em culturas. Em estudos in vivo, envolvendo animais, foram utilizadas doses entre 0,04 a 21 J/cm². Para estudos em humanos, foram utilizadas doses entre 1,8 a 16 J/cm². Conclui-se que a terapia com laser de baixa potência exerce efeitos anti-inflamatórios importantes nos processos iniciais da cicatrização: redução de mediadores químicos, de citocinas, do edema, diminuição da migração de células inflamatórias e incremento de fatores de crescimento, contribuindo diretamente para o processo de reabilitação tecidual. Porém, a falta de padronização dificulta a escolha de parâmetros ideais.

O objetivo do estudo foi realizar uma revisão de literatura a respeito da terapia com laser de baixa potência e sua relação com as fases iniciais de reparo. Foram analisados 22 artigos, observou-se a utilização de diferentes doses e comprimentos de ondas (632,8 a 904 nm). Nos estudos in vitro foram utilizadas doses entre 2,2 e 16 J/cm². A dose de 5 J/cm² tem sido apontada como responsável por mudanças significativas in vitro, porém a dose de 16 J/cm² promove efeito inibitório sobre o crescimento celular em culturas. Em estudos in vivo, envolvendo animais foram utilizadas doses entre 0,04 a 21 J/cm². Para estudos em humanos foram utilizadas doses entre 1,8 a 16 J/cm². Conclui-se que a terapia com laser de baixa potência exerce efeitos antiinflamatórios importantes nos processos iniciais da cicatrização: redução de mediadores químicos, de citocinas, do edema, diminuição da migração de células inflamatórias e incremento de fatores de crescimento contribuindo diretamente para o processo de reabilitação tecidual. Porém, a falta de padronização dificulta a escolha de parâmetros ideais.

Melissa officinalis (L.) (Lamiaceae), a plant known as the lemon balm, is native to the east Mediterranean region and west Asia. Also found in tropical countries, such as Brazil, where it is popularly known as "erva-cidreira" or "melissa", it is widely used in aqueous- or alcoholic-extract form in the treatment of various disorders. The aim was to investigate in vivo its antigenotoxicity and antimutagenicity, as well as its genotoxic/mutagenic potential through comet and micronucleus assaying. CF-1 male mice were treated with ethanolic (Mo-EE) (250 or 500 mg/kg) or aqueous (Mo-AE) (100 mg/kg) solutions of an M. officinalis extract for 2 weeks, prior to treatment with saline or Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) doses by intraperitoneal injection. Irrespective of the doses, no genotoxic or mutagenic effects were observed in blood and bone-marrow samples. Although Mo-EE exerted an antigenotoxic effect on the blood cells of mice treated with the alkylating agent (MMS) in all the doses, this was not so with Mo-AE. Micronucleus testing revealed the protector effect of Mo-EE, but only when administered at the highest dose. The implication that an ethanolic extract of M. officinalis has antigenotoxic/antimutagenic properties is an indication of its medicinal relevance.

Lasers de CO2 tem sido apresentados com a finalidade de rejuvenecer a face através do resurfacing. Embora cada sistema de laser tenha o mesmo princípio básico, há significativa diferença entre os lasers que pode resultar em variações no efeito tecidual clínico e histológico. O laser Erbium:YAG que tem como característica o comprimento de onda com 10 vezes mais afinidade pela água que o laser de CO2. O propósito deste estudo experimental foi comparar as alterações morfométricas encontradas em 2 e 4 passadas com laser Erbium:YAG com sobreposição de 0% dos spots. Foi avaliada a homogeneidade da ablaçãoem comprimento e usou-se a pele do dorso de 3 ratos in vivo. Foi selecionada uma área de pele controle de cada rato. Finalmente, num período máximo de 3 horas, a pele foi ressecada e encaminhada à histopatologia para as avaliações propostas. Como resultados com 4 passadas houve mais homogeneidade da extensão da ablação do que em 2 passadas. Conclui-se que a extensão e homogeneidade de ablação foi maior com 4 passadas. A utilização de 0% de sobreposição dos spots não garante homogeneidade de ablação.

CO2 lasers has been presented with the purpose of rejuvenating the face by means of resurfacing. Though each laser systems has the same base principle, there is a significant difference among lasers which could result in variations in the clinical and histological effects of the tissue. The Erbium:YAG laser has the characteristic of having the wavelength with 10 times more affinity for water than the CO2 laser. The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the morphometric alterations found in 2 and 4 Erbium:YAG laser passes with 0% overlap of spots. It was evaluated the homogeneity of ablation in length and was used the dorsal skin of 3 living mice. It was selected a control area in each mouse. Finally, in the maximum period of three hours, the skin was resected and sent to histopathology for evaluations proposed. As a result there was more homogeneity in the length of the ablation with 4 passes than with 2 passes. The conclusions of the experiment indicated that the length and homogeneity of the ablation were larger with 4 passes. The use of 0% overlap of spots does not guarantee homogeneity in ablation.