A perspectiva do consumo de plantas medicinais porpacientes idosos em tratamento quimioterápico / The perspective of the consumption of medicinal plants byelderly patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment

O câncer, frequentemente relacionado ao envelhecimento, impulsiona pacientes a buscarem tratamento hospitalar ou métodos alternativos, como plantas medicinais. Este estudo visou avaliar os perfis sociodemográfico e clínico e o consumo de plantas para fins medicinais entre pacientes idosos em tratamento oncológico no Hospital Araújo Jorge (HAJ). Dados de 55 pacientes foram analisados, abrangendo informações sociodemográficas, tipos de câncer, tratamento, a utilização de plantas medicinais, o objetivo de uso, as fontes de informações sobre plantas e se notaram alguma reação adversa após o consumo. A faixa etária mais encontrada foi 61 a 70 anos (67,27%), a maioria dos pacientes eram homens (63,64%), com ensino fundamental incompleto (32,73%), casados (56,36%) e que moram no interior de Goiás (43,64%). Quanto ao tratamento, a maioria realizava quimioterapia (40,00%) e o câncer gástrico foi mais relatado (14,54%). Sobre o uso de plantas medicinais, a maioria relatou simpatizar com o consumo (58,18%), e acredita em sua segurança devido à origem natural (59,37%). Informações sobre o uso de plantas medicinais eram obtidas com amigos, vizinhos e familiares (21,81%). Ao relatar sobre o consumo de plantas medicinais durante a quimioterapia, a maioria não percebeu nenhum efeito (40,63%). Foram citadas 17 plantas, que eram utilizadas no tratamento anticâncer (29,00%) e preparadas como infusões (18,75%) pelo uso das folhas frescas (60,00%), principalmente para uso interno (46,87%). Diante disso, a atenção farmacêutica se mostra vital para guiar pacientes nas práticas seguras e eficazes de consumo. Isso inclui direcionar sobre doses adequadas, efeitos colaterais e interações, garantindo bem-estar e prevenindo riscos à saúde.

Cancer, which is often related to ageing, drives patients to seek hospital treatment or alternative methods such as medicinal plants. This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical profile and the consumption of plants for medicinal purposes among elderly patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Araújo Jorge Hospital (AJH). Data from 55 patients was analyzed, covering sociodemographic information, types of cancer, treatment, the use of medicinal plants, the purpose of use, the source of information about plants and whether they noticed any adverse reactions after consumption. The most common age group was 61 to 70 years (67.27%), the majority of patients were men (63.64%), had incomplete primary education (32.73%), were married (56.36%) and lived in the interior of Goiás (43.63%). With regard to treatment, the majority were undergoing chemotherapy (40,00%) and gastric cancer was the most frequently reported (14.54%). With regard to the use of medicinal plants, the majority were sympathetic to their consumption (58.18%) and believed them to be safe due to their natural origin (59.37%). Information on the use of medicinal plants was obtained from friends, neighbors and family members (21.81%). When reporting on the consumption of medicinal plants during chemotherapy, the majority did not notice any effect (40.63%). Seventeen plants were mentioned, which were used for anticancer treatment (29,00%) and prepared as infusions (18.75%) with fresh leaves (60,00%), mainly for internal use (46.87%). In view of this, pharmaceutical care is vital to guide patients in safe and effective consumption practices. This includes guidance on appropriate doses, side effects and interactions, ensuring well-being and preventing health risks.

Innovative sustainable bioreactor-in-a-granule formulation of Trichoderma asperelloides.

The advancement of fungal biocontrol agents depends on replacing cereal grains with low-cost agro-industrial byproducts for their economical mass production and development of stable formulations. We propose an innovative approach to develop a rice flour-based formulation of the beneficial biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperelloides CMAA1584 designed to simulate a micro-bioreactor within the concept of full biorefinery process, affording in situ conidiation, extended shelf-life, and effective control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a devastating pathogen of several dicot agricultural crops worldwide. Rice flour is an inexpensive and underexplored byproduct derived from broken rice after milling, capable of sustaining high yields of conidial production through our optimized fermentation-formulation route. Conidial yield was mainly influenced by nitrogen content (0.1% w/w) added to the rice meal coupled with the fermentor type. Hydrolyzed yeast was the best nitrogen source yielding 2.6 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU)/g within 14 days. Subsequently, GControl, GLecithin, GBreak-Thru, GBentonite, and GOrganic compost+Break-Thru formulations were obtained by extrusion followed by air-drying and further assessed for their potential to induce secondary sporulation in situ, storage stability, and efficacy against Sclerotinia. GControl, GBreak-Thru, GBentonite, and GOrganic compost+Break-Thru stood out with the highest number of CFU after sporulation upon re-hydration on water-agar medium. Shelf-life of formulations GControl and GBentonite remained consistent for > 3 months at ambient temperature, while in GBentonite and GOrganic compost+Break-Thru formulations remained viable for 24 months during refrigerated storage. Formulations exhibited similar efficacy in suppressing the myceliogenic germination of Sclerotinia irrespective of their concentration tested (5 × 104 to 5 × 106 CFU/g of soil), resulting in 79.2 to 93.7% relative inhibition. Noteworthily, all 24-month-old formulations kept under cold storage successfully suppressed sclerotia. This work provides an environmentally friendly bioprocess method using rice flour as the main feedstock to develop waste-free granular formulations of Trichoderma conidia that are effective in suppressing Sclerotinia while also improving biopesticide shelf-life. KEY POINTS: • Innovative "bioreactor-in-a-granule" system for T. asperelloides is devised. • Dry granules of aerial conidia remain highly viable for 24 months at 4 °C. • Effective control of white-mold sclerotia via soil application of Trichoderma-based granules.

Adjunctive photobiomodulation to Basic Periodontal therapy using different low-power laser application techniques: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To review current literature and synthesize clinical outcomes related to different low-level laser techniques as a complement to basic periodontal therapy (BPT). Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus, and clinical trials published from January 2013 to August 2023 using photobiomodulation as a complement to basic periodontal therapy, with a clear description of the laser technique, were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Assessment Checklist. Estimates of interest were calculated using random effects meta-analyses. A total of 947 references were retrieved, and 22 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. Ten studies used intrasulcular laser techniques, with 89% using infrared wavelength, and 12 studies used transgingival techniques, with 61.5% using red wavelength. The frequency of photobiomodulation after BPT ranged from 1 to 9 sessions, with follow-up periods ranging from 5 days to 12 months. Risk of bias was considered low in 16 studies and moderate in six studies. Meta-analysis of 13 studies showed that BPT reduced probing depth at 4-, 12- and 24-weeks post-treatment, and improved clinical level attachment at 6-, 12- and 24-weeks post-treatment. Studies suggest that photobiomodulation may be a valuable complement in the treatment of periodontitis, especially using transgingival application technique.

Peptide-Based Biomimetic Condensates via Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation as Biomedical Delivery Vehicles.

Biomolecular condensates are dynamic liquid droplets through intracellular liquid-liquid phase separation that function as membraneless organelles, which are highly involved in various complex cellular processes and functions. Artificial analogs formed via similar pathways that can be integrated with biological complexity and advanced functions have received tremendous research interest in the field of synthetic biology. The coacervate droplet-based compartments can partition and concentrate a wide range of solutes, which are regarded as attractive candidates for mimicking phase-separation behaviors and biophysical features of biomolecular condensates. The use of peptide-based materials as phase-separating components has advantages such as the diversity of amino acid residues and customized sequence design, which allows for programming their phase-separation behaviors and the physicochemical properties of the resulting compartments. In this Perspective, we highlight the recent advancements in the design and construction of biomimicry condensates from synthetic peptides relevant to intracellular phase-separating protein, with specific reference to their molecular design, self-assembly via phase separation, and biorelated applications, to envisage the use of peptide-based droplets as emerging biomedical delivery vehicles.

Identification of distinct phenotypes and improving prognosis using metabolic biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the levels of adipokines and other endocrine biomarkers and patient outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: In a prospective study that included 213 subjects with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit, we measured the levels of cortisol, C-peptide, glucagon-like peptide-1, insulin, peptide YY, ghrelin, leptin, and resistin.; their contributions to patient clustering, disease severity, and predicting in-hospital mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Cortisol, resistin, leptin, insulin, and ghrelin levels significantly differed between severity groups, as defined by the World Health Organization severity scale. Additionally, lower ghrelin and higher cortisol levels were associated with mortality. Adding biomarkers to the clinical predictors of mortality significantly improved accuracy in determining prognosis. Phenotyping of subjects based on plasma biomarker levels yielded two different phenotypes that were associated with disease severity, but not mortality. CONCLUSION: As a single biomarker, only cortisol was independently associated with mortality; however, metabolic biomarkers could improve mortality prediction when added to clinical parameters. Metabolic biomarker phenotypes were differentially distributed according to COVID-19 severity but were not associated with mortality.

Mortality, hospitalizations, and persistence of symptoms in the outpatient setting of the first COVID-19 wave in Brazil: results of SARS-Brazil cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate deaths, hospitalizations, and persistence of symptoms in patients with COVID-19 after infection in an outpatient setting during the first COVID-19 wave in Brazil. METHODS: This prospective cohort was between April 2020 and February 2021. Hospitalized or non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients until five days after symptom onset were included. The outcomes measured were incidence of death, hospitalization, and persistence of more than two symptoms 60 days after discharge. RESULTS: Out of 1,198 patients enrolled in the study, 66.7% were hospitalized. A total of 289 patients died (1 [0.3%] non-hospitalized and 288 [36%] hospitalized). At 60 days, patients non-hospitalized during admission had more persistent symptoms (16.2%) compared to hospitalized (37.1%). The COVID-19 severity variables associated with the persistence of two or more symptoms were increased age (OR= 1.03; p=0.015), respiratory rate at hospital admission (OR= 1.11; p=0.005), length of hospital stay of more than 60 days (OR= 12.24; p=0.026), and need for intensive care unit admission (OR= 2.04; p=0.038). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 survivors who were older, tachypneic at admission, had a hospital length of stay >60 days, and were admitted to the intensive care unit had more persistent symptoms than patients who did not require hospitalization in the early COVID-19 waves.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04479488.

Are we approaching the development of a novel calcium phosphate-based bioceramic dental material?

OBJECTIVES: Develop a sustainable bovine hydroxyapatite dental ceramic with the addition of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (5 % and 8 % by weight), analyzing the outcome of this addition to the microstructure, as well as its mechanical and chemical properties, in order to evaluate whether they satisfy the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 6872:2015 for dental ceramics or not. METHODS: Disks were obtained through uniaxial followed by isostatic pressing from bovine hydroxyapatite powder and TiO2 nanoparticles and sintered at 1300ºC for 2 h. Three experimental groups were developed (HA, HA+5 %TiO2 and HA+8 %TiO2) and subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), indentation fracture (IF), biaxial flexural strength (BFS) and chemical solubility test. RESULTS: XRD revealed, for HA group, the appearance of a peak corresponding to b-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP). For HA+ 5 %TiO2 and HA+ 8 %TiO2, the entire composition was converted into ß-TCP and calcium titanate (CaTiO3). The SEM images showed a dense ceramic matrix and a uniform distribution of another phase in groups with TiO2 nanoparticles. HA+ 5 %TiO2 (1.40 ± 0.18 MPa.m1/2) and HA+ 8 %TiO2 (1.32 ± 0.18 MPa.m1/2) showed significantly higher fracture toughness values than HA (0.67 ± 0.09 MPa.m1/2). HA showed significantly higher characteristic stress (295.8 MPa) in comparison to groups with 5 % (235.1 MPa) and 8 % (214.4 MPa) TiO2 nanoparticles. Differences were not observed between the Weibull modulus values. The solubility results indicated that all experimental ceramics were above the 2000 ug/cm2 limit set by the ISO 6872:2015. SIGNIFICANCE: This study proposed the development and characterization of a new ceramic for dental prosthesis made from HA extracted from bovine bones, with the intention of reusing these solids waste and transforming them into a sustainable and low-cost material. Although the experimental calcium phosphate ceramic with additions of 5 % and 8 % of TiO2 achieved desirable mechanical properties, the chemical solubility values were very high.

Scalable assessment of genome editing off-targets associated with genetic variants.

Genome editing with RNA-guided DNA binding factors carries risk of off-target editing at homologous sequences. Genetic variants may introduce sequence changes that increase homology to a genome editing target, thereby increasing risk of off-target editing. Conventional methods to verify candidate off-targets rely on access to cells with genomic DNA carrying these sequences. However, for candidate off-targets associated with genetic variants, appropriate cells for experimental verification may not be available. Here we develop a method, Assessment By Stand-in Off-target LentiViral Ensemble with sequencing (ABSOLVE-seq), to integrate a set of candidate off-target sequences along with unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) in genomes of primary cells followed by clinically relevant gene editor delivery. Gene editing of dozens of candidate off-target sequences may be evaluated in a single experiment with high sensitivity, precision, and power. We provide an open-source pipeline to analyze sequencing data. This approach enables experimental assessment of the influence of human genetic diversity on specificity evaluation during gene editing therapy development.

Metabolomic Profiling of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Predicting Disease-Free and Overall Survival.

Breast cancer (BC) remains a significant global health concern, with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) offering preoperative benefits like tumor downstaging and treatment response assessment. However, identifying factors influencing post-NACT treatment response and survival outcomes is challenging. Metabolomic approaches offer promising insights into understanding these outcomes. This study analyzed the serum of 80 BC patients before and after NACT, followed for up to five years, correlating with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Using untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and a novel statistical model that avoids collinearity issues, we identified metabolic changes associated with survival outcomes. Four metabolites (histidine, lactate, serine, and taurine) were significantly associated with DFS. We developed a metabolite-related survival score (MRSS) from these metabolites, stratifying patients into low- and high-risk relapse groups, independent of classical prognostic factors. High-risk patients had a hazard ratio (HR) for DFS of 3.42 (95% CI 1.51-7.74; p = 0.003) after adjustment for disease stage and age. A similar trend was observed for OS (HR of 3.34, 95% CI 1.64-6.80; p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis confirmed the independent prognostic value of the MRSS. Our findings suggest the potential of metabolomic data, alongside traditional markers, in guiding personalized treatment decisions and risk stratification in BC patients undergoing NACT. This study provides a methodological framework for leveraging metabolomics in survival analyses.

Predicting the Adhesive Layer Thickness in Hybrid Joints Involving Pre-Tensioned Bolts.

While most academic studies focus on the properties of cured joints, this research addresses the manufacturing process of hybrid joints in their uncured state. Hybrid joints that combine adhesive bonding with pre-tensioned bolts exhibit superior mechanical performance compared to exclusively bonded or bolted joints. However, the adhesive flow during manufacturing in hybrid joints often results in a nonuniform adhesive thickness, where obtaining an exact thickness is crucial for accurate load capacity predictions. This paper presents experiments involving three different adhesives, providing precise measurements of the adhesive layer thickness distribution, which served as a reference when evaluating and validating the subsequent numerical predictions. The numerical predictions were performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model the flow behavior of the adhesives during the bonding process and their interactions with the metal substrates. The CFD predictions of the adhesive layer thickness showed good agreement with the experimental data, with the relative differences between the average experimental and numerical thickness values ranging from 4.07% to 27.1%. The results were most accurate for the adhesive with sand particles, whose particles remained intact, ensuring that the adhesive's rheology remained unchanged. The results highlight the importance of the rheological behavior of the adhesive in the final distribution of the adhesive layer thickness, thereby expanding the understanding of these joints.

Fracture Analysis of Highly Flexible Adhesives: Cohesive Zone Modelling across a Wide Spectrum of Temperatures and Strain Rates.

This study focuses on the prediction of the fracture mechanics behaviour of a highly flexible adhesive (with a tensile elongation of 90%), since this type of adhesive is becoming widely used in automotive structures due to their high elongation at break and damping capacity. Despite their extensive applications, the understanding of their fracture mechanics behaviour under varying loading rates and temperatures remains limited in the literature. In addition, current prediction models are also unable to accurately predict their behaviour due to the complex failure mechanism that such bonded joints have. This study aims to determine whether a simple triangular cohesive zone model (CZM), which predefines the crack path, can reproduce the load-displacement curves of adhesives under various temperatures and strain rates. To achieve this, a calibrated CZM is used, adapting the model for reference joints and then validating it with independent test results conducted in a wide range of loading and environmental conditions. The tests were performed at speeds between 0.2 and 6000 mm/min and at three different temperatures ranging from -30 °C to 60 °C. Mode I fracture toughness was measured using the DCB (double cantilever beam) specimens. Using a simple triangular CZM may not be optimal for predicting the mechanical response of highly flexible adhesives with complex failure mechanisms and multiple crack paths. However, by correctly adjusting the cohesive zone properties for a limited set of reference conditions, it is possible to accurately predict the mechanical response of these joints across various test speeds and temperatures, significantly reducing costs and effort.

Clinical Study of Photobiomodulation Effect at Postoperative Clefted Alveolar Ridge Bone Grafting.

This study aimed to evaluate photobiomodulation (PBM) adjunct effect on pain, swelling, and face temperature in individuals with oral cleft submitted to alveolar ridge bone grafting (ABG). The sample consisted of 46 patients with either incomplete or complete unilateral cleft lip and palate aged from 9 to 18 years, both sexes, who underwent ABG with chin donor area. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) Control (C): ABG (n=17); (2) PBM: ABG with PBM (n=14); (3) Simulated photobiomodulation (SPBM): ABG with SPBM (n=15). Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (GaAlAs) infrared laser was used at 808±10 nm and power of 100 mW±20%. GaAlAs infrared laser was applied on 14 points in the subject's face at 4J per point, at 2 times: Immediate postoperative period and 24 hours postoperative. The authors evaluated pain, swelling, and face temperature at 24 hours postoperative; at 7-day postoperative, the authors evaluated pain, medication use, and swelling decreasing perception. No statistically significant difference occurred between groups C, PBM, and SPBM. At 24 hours postoperative, pain values showed statistically significant difference (P=0.04) between group C and SPBM. PBM at the tested parameters did not reduce pain and swelling and did not significantly change face temperature of individuals submitted to ARBG.

A worldwide study of white matter microstructural alterations in people living with Parkinson's disease.

The progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with microstructural alterations in neural pathways, contributing to both motor and cognitive decline. However, conflicting findings have emerged due to the use of heterogeneous methods in small studies. Here we performed a large diffusion MRI study in PD, integrating data from 17 cohorts worldwide, to identify stage-specific profiles of white matter differences. Diffusion-weighted MRI data from 1654 participants diagnosed with PD (age: 20-89 years; 33% female) and 885 controls (age: 19-84 years; 47% female) were analyzed using the ENIGMA-DTI protocol to evaluate white matter microstructure. Skeletonized maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were compared across Hoehn and Yahr (HY) disease groups and controls to reveal the profile of white matter alterations at different stages. We found an enhanced, more widespread pattern of microstructural alterations with each stage of PD, with eventually lower FA and higher MD in almost all regions of interest: Cohen's d effect sizes reached d = -1.01 for FA differences in the fornix at PD HY Stage 4/5. The early PD signature in HY stage 1 included higher FA and lower MD across the entire white matter skeleton, in a direction opposite to that typical of other neurodegenerative diseases. FA and MD were associated with motor and non-motor clinical dysfunction. While overridden by degenerative changes in the later stages of PD, early PD is associated with paradoxically higher FA and lower MD in PD, consistent with early compensatory changes associated with the disorder.

Design and rationale of an interactive serious game to teach Basic Life Support among schoolchildren in Brazil.

UNSTRUCTURED: Cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide. CPR and early defibrillation significantly enhance survival rates. Serious Games (SG) improve learning through entertainment. Current strategies target Cardiopulmonary resuscitation for communities and schoolchildren, but none have been validated for children in low-to-middle-income settings. The SG Children Save Hearts, developed in Brazil, teaches the five resuscitation steps according to International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation 2020 guidelines and requires formal usability assessment. The study aimed to evaluate the usability of SG Children Save Hearts among IT and healthcare professionals using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The usability test was conducted in August 2022 in the university's IT department. The game was developed targeting schoolchildren aged 7 to 17. Categorical variables as absolute and relative frequencies, while continuous variables were presented as median with interquartile range (IQR). Normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Comparisons between IT and healthcare professionals were made using the independent t-test for normal distributions or the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal distributions. We included 17 volunteers with a mean age of 22 years (IQR 20-26). All participants played the game and completed a 10-question survey on its usability using a Likert-type scale. The final grade was converted to a 0 to 100 scale, with a grade above 70 considered acceptable for a minimum viable product. The mean SUS score was 75 (IQR 72.5-87.5). Healthcare professionals gave higher grades to all five domains compared to IT professionals. The average time spent playing the game was 3.2 minutes. Novel technologies have shown promising results for CPR teaching using active teaching methods, but face challenges in developing countries, such as language barriers, device acquisition, cultural differences, and technical support. To our knowledge, this is the first SG developed in portuguese for brazilian schoolchidren. Despite some usability issues, the SG Children Save Hearts is considered adequate for teaching CPR to schoolchildren in Brazil.

Characterization of intracranial compliance in healthy subjects using a noninvasive method - results from a multicenter prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: An FDA-approved non-invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring system enables the assessment of ICP waveforms by revealing and analyzing their morphological variations and parameters associated with intracranial compliance, such as the P2/P1 ratio and time-to-peak (TTP). The aim of this study is to characterize intracranial compliance in healthy volunteers across different age groups. METHODS: Healthy participants, both sexes, aged from 9 to 74 years old were monitored for 5 min in the supine position at 0º. Age was stratified into 4 groups: children (≤ 7 years); young adults (18 ≤ age ≤ 44 years); middle-aged adults (45 ≤ age ≤ 64 years); older adults (≥ 65 years). The data obtained was the non-invasive ICP waveform, P2/P1 ratio and TTP. RESULTS: From December 2020 to February 2023, 188 volunteers were assessed, of whom 104 were male, with a median (interquartile range) age of 41 (29-51), and a median (interquartile range) body mass index of 25.09 (22.57-28.04). Men exhibited lower values compared to women for both the P2/P1 ratio and TTP (p < 0.001). There was a relative rise in both P2/P1 and TTP as age increased (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that the P2/P1 ratio and TTP are influenced by age and sex in healthy individuals, with men displaying lower values than women, and both ratios increasing with age. These findings suggest potential avenues for further research with larger and more diverse samples to establish reference values for comparison in various health conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (RBR-9nv2h42), retrospectively registered 05/24/2022. UTN: U1111-1266-8006.

Natural Aging of Reprocessed Polypropylene Composites Filled with Sustainable Corn Fibers.

Natural fiber reinforcements have the potential to enhance mechanical properties, thereby improving performance and durability in various applications. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the impact of environmental degradation over 120 days on reprocessed polypropylene (PP) reinforced with corn husk fiber (CHF) composites. The manufactured systems underwent rigorous analysis using various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. These analyses revealed that climatic conditions significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the mechanical properties of all systems. Photodegradation led to surface morphological changes and chemical structures. Regardless, adding CHF filler proved a key factor, as it allowed for less susceptibility to environmental degradation than the reprocessed matrix. These findings, therefore, provide robust evidence supporting the feasibility of using CHF composites for manufacturing agricultural containers.

Correction: Boia-Ferreira et al. TCTP from Loxosceles Intermedia (Brown Spider) Venom Contributes to the Allergic and Inflammatory Response of Cutaneous Loxoscelism. Cells 2019, 8, 1489.

In the original publication [...].

Photo-crosslinkable hydrogel incorporated with bone matrix particles for advancements in dentin tissue engineering.

The objective of this study was to create injectable photo-crosslinkable biomaterials, using gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel, combined with a decellularized bone matrix (BMdc) and a deproteinized (BMdp) bovine bone matrix. These were intended to serve as bioactive scaffolds for dentin regeneration. The parameters for GelMA hydrogel fabrication were initially selected, followed by the incorporation of BMdc and BMdp at a 1% (w/v) ratio. Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) was also included as a control. A physicochemical characterization was conducted, with FTIR analysis indicating that the mineral phase was complexed with GelMA, and BMdc was chemically bonded to the amide groups of gelatin. The porous structure was preserved post-BMdc incorporation, with bone particles incorporated alongside the pores. Conversely, the mineral phase was situated inside the pore opening, affecting the degree of porosity. The mineral phase did not modify the degradability of GelMA, even under conditions of type I collagenase-mediated enzymatic challenge, allowing hydrogel injection and increased mechanical strength. Subsequently, human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) were seeded onto the hydrogels. The cells remained viable and proliferative, irrespective of the GelMA composition. All mineral phases resulted in a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized matrix deposition. However, GelMA-BMdc exhibited higher cell expression values, significantly surpassing those of all other formulations. In conclusion, our results showed that GelMA-BMdc produced a porous and stable hydrogel, capable of enhancing odontoblastic differentiation and mineral deposition when in contact with HDPCs, thereby showing potential for dentin regeneration.

Development of flavored kombuchas with Amazonian fruits: bioactive compounds evaluation and antioxidant capacity.

Using Amazonian fruits to flavor kombuchas is a promising proposal, as it adds nutritional value to the drink. This work sought to develop kombucha flavored with Amazonian fruits and evaluate the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of the formulations. Three kombucha formulations were prepared using green tea (Camellia sinensis) and three Amazonian fruits: cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum), tapereba (Spondias lutea L.) and bacuri (Platonia insignis). Kombucha fermentations were evaluated before and after the insertion of nectars through the analysis of phenolic compounds, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity. Analyzes of pH, total sugars, acetic acid, ethanol, and microbiological characterization of final formulations were also carried out. For the first fermentation, were found values of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of 30.60 ± 0.93 mg EAG/L and 295.02 ± 5.59 µmol ET/mL, and the formulation with tapereba showed the highest values for total phenolic compounds (34.92 ± 12.25 mg EAG/L), antioxidant capacity (320.57 ± 9.53 µmol ET/mL) and vitamin C (198.25 mg/100g). Thus, the formulations developed had a crucial nutritional appeal to stimulate consumption by the population, in addition to enabling the valorization and addition of commercial value to the Amazonian fruits used.