New treatment of cellulite with infrared-LED illumination applied during high-intensity treadmill training

Phototherapy improves cellular activation which is an important factor for the treatment of cellulite. The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate the effects of a new (noninvasive and nonpharmacological) clinical procedure to improve body aesthetics: infrared-LED (850 nm) plus treadmill training. Twenty women (25-55 years old) participated in this study. They were separated in two groups: the control group, which carried out only the treadmill training (n = 10), and the LED group, with phototherapy during the treadmill training (n - 10). The training was performed for 45 minutes twice a week over 3 months at intensities between 85% and 90% maximal heart rate (HR(max)). The irradiation parameters were 39 mW/cm(2) and a fluence of 106 J/cm(2). The treatment was evaluated by interpreting body composition parameters, photographs and thermography. This was primarily a treatment for cellulite with a reduction of saddlebag and thigh circumference. At the same time, the treadmill training prevented an increase of body fat, as well as the loss of lean mass. Moreover, thermal images of the temperature modification of the thighs are presented. These positive effects can result in a further improvement of body aesthetics using infrared-LED together with treadmill training.

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium massiliense and Mycobacterium bolletii in isolates collected from outbreaks of infections after laparoscopic surgeries and cosmetic procedures

An outbreak of infections affecting 311 patients who had undergone different invasive procedures occurred in 2004 and 2005 in the city of Belem, in the northern region of Brazil. Sixty-seven isolates were studied; 58 were from patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgeries, 1 was from a patient with a postinjection abscess, and 8 were from patients who had undergone mesotherapy. All isolates were rapidly growing nonpigmented mycobacteria and presented a pattern by PCR-restriction enzyme analysis of the hsp65 gene with BstEII of bands of 235 and 210 bp and with HaeIII of bands of 200, 70, 60, and 50 bp, which is common to Mycobacterium abscessus type 2, Mycobacterium bolletii, and Mycobacterium massiliense. hsp65 and. rpoB gene sequencing of a subset of 20 isolates was used to discriminate between these three species. hsp65 and rpoB sequences chosen at random from 11 of the 58 isolates from surgical patients and the postinjection abscess isolate presented the highest degrees of similarity with the corresponding sequences of M. massiliense. In the same way, the eight mesotherapy isolates were identified as M. bolletii. Molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) grouped all 58 surgical isolates, while the mesotherapy isolates presented three different PFGE patterns and the postinjection abscess isolate showed a unique PFGE pattern. In conclusion, molecular techniques for identification and typing were essential for the discrimination of two concomitant outbreaks and one case, the postinjection abscess, not related to either outbreak all of which were originally attributed to a single strain of M. abscessus.

Characterization of protein hydrolysates of cosmetic use by CE-MS

Protein hydrolysates have been used as active principles in cosmetic products conferring different properties to the final formulations, which are mostly controlled by the peptide size and its amino acid sequence. In this work, capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry analyses were carried out in order to investigate such characteristics of protein hydrolysates. Samples of different origins (milk, soy and rice) were obtained from a local company, and were analyzed without a previous preparation step. The background electrolyte (BGE) and sheath liquid compositions were optimized for each sample. The best BGE composition (860 mmol/L formic acid - pH 1.8 - in 70: 30 v/v water/methanol hydro-organic solvent) was chosen based on the overall peak resolution whereas the best sheath liquid was selected based on increased sensitivity and presented different compositions to each sample (10.9-217 mmol/L formic acid in 75: 25-25: 75 v/v water/methanol hydro-organic solvent). Most of the putative peptides in the hydrolysate samples under investigation presented molecular masses of 1000 Da or less. De novo sequencing was carried out for some of the analytes, revealing the hydrophobicity/polarity of the peptides. Hence, the technique has proved to be an advantageous tool for the quality control of industrial protein hydrolysates.

The internationalization of the cosmetic retail industry: a history of success?

O setor de varejo foi cada vez mais global ao longo das últimas décadas, ilustrando visualmente a globalização dos negócios. Muitos varejistas estão apostando em expandir, as atividades ao nível internacional, a fim de evitar a saturação da atividade no país de origem deles (Alexander, 1990), de aumentar os lucros ou de imitar os concorrentes (Williams, 1992). Portanto, eles tornaram-se competidores globais consideráveis: eles fornecem novos produtos no mercado, além de ser mais influentes na cadeia de abastecimento global (Williams, 1992). Em relação à internacionalização do varejo, a indústria cosmética oferece com exemplos de muitas realizações bem- sucedidas. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o processo de internacionalização de vários varejistas globais, especializados na venda de produtos cosméticos. Mesmo que o campo de internacionalização no varejo já foi no passado o objeto de vários estudos, este trabalho visa a compreender, por meio da utilização de um estudo de caso múltiplo, a estratégia de retalhistas cosméticos que entram nos mercados internacionais. Por meio de um estudo qualitativo, a questão principal que orienta este trabalho será a de compreender se o varejo de cosméticos segue as mesmas estratégias de negócio e estratégias de marketing para se tornar global. O estudo de casos múltiplos foi escolhido a fim de comparar quatro empresas, especializadas na venda de produtos de cosmética, com atividades no exterior. Os resultados claramente exibem diferenças entre os processos de internacionalização, baseado especialmente na nacionalidade das empresas sob analise.

Steatosis and hepatic markers before and shortly after bariatric surgery

Background We present new findings on liver steatosis detected in a group of 20 morbidly obese patients who were reassessed shortly after bariatric surgery (BS) by assaying hepatic markers in their serum.Methods We assayed aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), cholinesterase, cholesterol, total protein, and albumin, and measured the weight and the body mass index (BMI) of patients, before and one and three months after surgery.Results There were significant reductions in BMI following surgery and also falls in transaminases and gamma-GT activities three months after BS. No changes occurred in other parameters between periods, except that cholesterol was above reference values before BS and fell to normal levels three months after BS.Conclusions We suggest that before undergoing surgery, the patients suffered from slight steatosis, while after BS the reduction in AST and gamma-GT indicated that this condition was corrected within three months. Moreover, these enzymes may be useful markers for excess fat in the liver.

Subconjunctival Delivery of Antibiotics in a Controlled-Release System A Novel Anti-infective Prophylaxis Approach for Cataract Surgery

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A Single Intraoperative Sub-Tenon's Capsule Injection of Triamcinolone and Ciprofloxacin in a Controlled-Release System for Cataract Surgery

PURPOSE. To compare intraoperative injection of triamcinolone and ciprofloxacin in a controlled-release system (DuoCat) with prednisolone and ciprofloxacin eye drops after cataract surgery.METHODS. In this randomized, double-masked, controlled trial, a total of 135 patients undergoing cataract surgery were randomly allocated to two groups: 67 patients treated after surgery with prednisolone 1% and ciprofloxacin 3% eye drops four times daily (week 1), three times daily (week 2), twice daily (week 3), and once daily (week 4) and 0.3% ciprofloxacin drops four times daily (weeks 1 and 2), and 68 patients treated at the end of surgery with a sub-Tenon's injection of 25 mg triamcinolone and 2 mg ciprofloxacin in biodegradable microspheres. The patients were examined on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. The main outcome measures were postoperative anterior chamber cell and flare, intraocular pressure (IOP), lack of anti-inflammatory response, and presence of infection.RESULTS. No significant differences were observed between the groups in anterior chamber cell (P > 0.14) and flare (P > 0.02) at any postoperative visits. The mean (99% confidence interval) differences in IOP between the prednisolone and triamcinolone groups on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 were -0.4 mm Hg (-2.1 to 1.3), 0.0 mm Hg (-1.4 to 1.3), 0.0 mm Hg (-1.1 to 1.1), -0.2 mm Hg (-1.1 to 0.8), and -0.1 mm Hg (-1.1 to 0.9), respectively. No patient had a postoperative infection.CONCLUSIONS. One injection of DuoCat had a therapeutic response and ocular tolerance that were equivalent to conventional eye drops in controlling inflammation after cataract surgery. (Clinical-Trials. gov number, NCT00431028.) (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009; 50: 3041-3047) DOI: 10.1167/iovs.08-2920

DNA damage in patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery under inhalation or intravenous anesthesia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of DNA damage and lipoperoxidation of propofol in patients undergoing elective surgery

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genotoxicity, cytotoxicity and gene expression in patients undergoing elective surgery under isoflurane anaesthesia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Enzyme Biomarkers of Renal Tubular Injury in Arterial Surgery Patients

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cytokine Profile in Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Surgery with Balanced Anesthesia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hip fracture in the elderly: does counting time from fracture to surgery or from hospital admission to surgery matter when studying in-hospital mortality?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)