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Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Doctoral Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / Introduction: Myofascial pain syndrome is a condition of collective sensory, motor and autonomic symptoms caused by myofascial trigger points, which are hyper-irritable foci in a muscle and palpated as a taut, tender, ropey band. There are many types of treatment for myofascial pain syndrome; dry needling is one of the most effective forms. Dry needling involves the insertion of a needle into the myofascial trigger points in order to break up the contractile elements and any somatic components that may contribute to trigger point hyperactivity, and to stimulate sensitive nerve ending in the area. Although therapeutic, an unpleasant side effect of dry needling is the post-needling soreness. Various modalities have been utilised to decrease post-needling soreness, such as ice, heat and action potential simulation, to mention a few, however no study has been conducted to date that documents low intensity laser therapy and its effect on post-needling soreness. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the effect of low intensity laser therapy on post-needling soreness in trigger point 2 of the upper trapezius muscle. Methodology: This study was designed as a randomised, controlled pre-test and post-test experimental trial. Forty participants were randomly allocated into two equal groups of 20 participants each. Group 1 received the needling and laser therapy; Group 2 received needling and placebo laser. Algometer and Numerical Pain Rating Scale 11 (NRS 11) readings were taken immediately before the dry needling procedure; after the laser or placebo laser therapy; and again, at the follow-up visit 24 hours later. Subjects used a 24- hour pain diary which was completed at three-hour intervals, to record any post-needling soreness. The NRS 11 scale was used immediately before the needling and again at the follow-up visit 24 hours later. Results: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 24.0 to conduct inferential and deductive statistics. A significance of p=0.05 was set. Baseline demographics and outcome measurements were compared between the two groups using t-tests or ANOVA where appropriate. An inter-group analysis revealed that objectively and subjectively all groups experienced some degree of post-needling soreness, which deceased significantly over time. This decrease of pain was not significantly related to the treatment group, and there is no evidence of the differential time effect with the treatment. An inter-group analysis yielded no statistically significant results regarding the effectiveness of the treatments received by the patients. This could be because of the small sample size or because low intensity laser therapy is not a useful intervention. Conclusion: The results from this study revealed that both treatment groups responded equally in the alleviation of pain. It can thus be concluded that low intensity laser therapy had no significant beneficial effects on post-needling soreness. / M

Orientador: Jose Angelo Camilli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T15:55:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_RosaneVieirada_D.pdf: 3119168 bytes, checksum: f66eb3f659f48068db93e8a9062870da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Procedimentos que permitem a reconstrução e acelerem o reparo de fraturas ósseas são de grande importância clínica. Sendo assim, considerando as vantagens oferecidas pelos biomateriais como substitutos aos enxertos ósseos autógenos e os efeitos positivos do laser de baixa energia no processo de regeneração óssea, as propostas do presente trabalho foram estudar a contribuição do laser de baixa energia no processo de reconstrução de falhas ósseas tratadas com enxerto ósseo autógeno, assim como, analisar "in vitro" e "in vivo" a eficácia da cerâmica de fosfato de cálcio como possível substituta aos enxertos ósseos autógenos. O resultado da laserterapia na dosagem estabelecida em nosso trabalho demonstrou que a mesma acelerou a osteogênese na área de enxertia somente nos primeiros períodos do tratamento e esse efeito foi dose dependente.Enquanto isso, o estudo "in vivo" da biocerâmica demonstrou que o implante foi tão eficiente quanto o enxerto ósseo autógeno no processo de reconstrução da falha óssea. No estudo "in vitro", os osteoblastos humanos apresentaram boa interação com a cerâmica, apresentando maior preferência pelas superfícies mais irregulares do material / Abstract: Procedures that allow the reconstruction and speed up the bone repair are of great clinical importance. Being thus, considering the advantages offered for the biomaterials as substitute to the autogenous bone graft and the positive effect of the low-power-laser in the process bone regeneration, the proposals of the present work had been to study the contribution of the low-power-laser in the process of reconstruction of bone defect treated with autogenous bone graft, as well as, to analyze "in vitro" and "in vivo" the efficiency of calcium phosphate ceramic as possible substitute to the autogenous bone graft. The result demonstrated that laser irradiation at the grafted site stimulated osteogenesis during the initial stages of the healing process in na skull defect and this effect was dose dependent. While this, the "in vivo" study of the bioceramic demonstrated that the implantation was so efficient how much autogenous graft in the bone reconstruction process. In the study "in vitro", the human osteoblast had presented' good interaction with ceramics, presenting bigger preference for the surfaces most irregular of the material / Doutorado / Anatomia / Doutor em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) is a non-contact technique for sensing surface vibrations. Traditionally, LDV uses one or more fixed beams to measure the vibrational velocity of specific points and orientations. In order to measure an angular velocity at least two laser beams are required. Instead, this research proposes to develop a Continuous Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (CSLDV) technique, based on a single laser beam continuously sweeping the area of interest using a scanning mirror. Linear scans allow the measurement of normal and angular velocity while circular scans allow the measurement of normal velocity and two angular velocities. The first part of the study analyzes the performance of rigid body models of both the short line and circular scans (< 1 cm) for measuring low broadband frequency vibrations of gel samples. This thesis focused on low frequency broadband vibration since natural human body vibrations (such as tremor or breathing) are typically below a few hundred hertz. Results for normal and angular velocity measurements are validated against conventional method of using two fixed LDVs. The second part of this research investigates the CSLDV technique for longer scans (< 5 cm). These long scans will be used to act as an array of virtual transducers at multiple points along the scanning path of the single laser beam; thus yielding similar information obtained using an array of several real fixed LDVs. A practical challenge encountered when using CSLDV is speckle noise, that is generated when a coherent light source is reflected back from an optically rough surface. The effect of speckle noise will be quantified by varying different parameters such as scan lengths, scanning frequency, target to sensor distance and the amplitude of excitation. These parameters will be optimized in order to reduce the error of vibration measurements obtained from the CSLDV. Such systems will be used to monitor multiple degrees of freedom of human skeletal muscle vibrations for elastography purposes. The forced vibration of human muscles will be analyzed using these CSLDV techniques. Overall contributions of this work include: (1) Validation of rigid body models of both short line and circular scans CSLDV for broadband low frequency linear and angular velocity measurements; (2) application to sensing natural human body vibrations (e.g., hand tremors); (3) replacement of an array of vibration sensors by a single long line scan CSLDV. (4) development of a dynamic elastography technique for skeletal muscles using CSLDV.

CAPES / A acupuntura LASER (LA) é uma técnica da área de saúde que aplica LASER de baixa intensidade em pontos de acupuntura, sendo capaz de produzir uma ação biológica que resulta em efeitos bioquímicos, bioelétricos e bioenergéticos nas células. E36 (Zusanli) é um ponto da acupuntura comumente usado para tratamento de várias alterações patológicas, tais como inflamação, dor aguda e desordens gastrointestinais. Objetivo: Investigar os possíveis mecanismos de ação da LA no acuponto E36 (Zusanli) nas atividades anti-inflamatória e antinociceptiva em modelos agudos e crônicos em camundongos. Método: Os animais foram tratados com LA (830 nm, 4 J/cm2 e 30 mW) no ponto de acupuntura E36. O experimento utilizado para avaliar a ação anti-inflamatória da LA foi o de inflamação aguda induzida pela carragenina no modelo do edema de pata, o qual foi avaliado por micrometria e termografia infravermelha. Depois disso, os níveis de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROS), hidroperóxidos lipídicos (LOOH) e glutationa reduzida (GSH) foram quantificados. Em outro conjunto de experimentos, o edema da pata foi induzido por bradicinina (BK), histamina (HIST) e prostaglandina E2 (PGE2). A nocicepção foi avaliada pela indução química (glutamato, capsaicina e cinamaldeído). Também foi avaliada a alodínia mecânica no modelo de dor neuropática pelo modelo de Ligadura Parcial do Nervo Ciático (LPNC) e de inflamação crônica induzida pelo Complexo Adjuvante Freund (CFA). Os sistemas muscarínicos, adrenérgicos α1 e α2 e adenosinérgicos foram avaliados após o tratamento com LA no acuponto E36, no pré-tratamento utilizando atropina, prazosina, ioimbina e cafeína, verificado no modelo do glutamato. Resultados: A LA no acuponto E36 inibiu significativamente a formação de edema durante 4 h e reduziu a temperatura da pata em 10%, após a injeção de carragenina. Além disso, a LA também reduziu os níveis de ROS (55%) e LOOH (50%); no entanto, não alterou os níveis de GSH. A aplicação do LA reduziu o edema da pata induzido por BK (30 min: 6%, 60 min: 7%), HIST (30 min: 11%) e de PGE2 (90 min: 10%, 120 min: 16%). No acuponto E36, a LA reduziu a nocicepção induzida pelo glutamato, capsaicina e cinamaldeído com inibição de 44%, 53% e 80%, respectivamente. Uma única aplicação inibiu a ação nociceptiva nos modelos do LPNC e CFA. Em longo prazo, o tratamento com LA, uma vez ao dia, também reduziu a alodínia mecânica durante oito dias de aplicação. Os sistemas muscarínicos, adrenérgicos α2 e adenosinérgicos parecem estar ligados ao efeito da estimulação da LA no acuponto E36, pois a redução do comportamento nociceptivo foi revertido pelos antagonistas utilizados, quando verificado no modelo do glutamato. Porém, o efeito antinociceptivo da LA não foi influenciado pelo antagonista do receptor α1 adrenérgico. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem uma importante atividade antinociceptiva e anti-inflamatória da LA no acuponto E36 em modelos experimentais de nocicepção e inflamação agudo e crônico em camundongos, por meio dos sistemas muscarínicos, adrenérgicos α2 e adenosinérgicos. / LASER acupuncture (LA) is a health care technique in which Low-intensity LASER is yielded in acupuncture points to produce a biological action in order to induce biochemical, bioenergetic and bioelectrical effects in cells. ST36 (Zusanli) is acupuncture point commonly used for treating various pathological changes, such as inflammation, acute pain and gastrointestinal disorders. Objective: To investigate the possible mechanisms of action of LA in ST36 (Zusanli) acupoint on the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities in acute and chronic models in mice. Method: Animals were treated with LA (830 nm, 4 J/cm2, 30 mW) in ST36 acupuncture point. The experiment used to assess the anti-inflammatory action of LA was the model of acute inflammation induced by carrageenan in the rat paw edema model, which was evaluated by micrometry and infrared thermography. After that, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were quantified. In another set of experiments, paw edema was induced by bradykinin (BK), histamine (HIST) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Nociception was evaluated by chemical induction (glutamate, capsaicin and cinnamaldehyde). It was also evaluated the mechanical allodynia in models of neuropathic pain, applying the Partial Sciatic Nerve Ligation model (PSNL) and chronic inflammation by means of Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA). Muscarinic, adrenergic α1 and α2 and adenosinergic systems were assessed after treatment of LA in ST36 acupoint with pre-treatment using atropine, prazosin, yombina and caffeine, found in glutamate model. Results: LA in acupoint ST36 significantly inhibited edema formation during 4 h after carrageenan injection in the paw and reduced the temperature by 10%. Moreover, LA also reduced the levels of ROS (55%) and LOOH (50%), however, did not alter levels of GSH. The application of LA reduced paw edema induced by BK (30 min 6%, 60 min: 7%), HIST (30 min: 11%) and PGE2 (90 min: 10%, 120 min: 16%). LA in ST36 acupoint reduced the nociception induced by glutamate, capsaicin and cinnamaldehyde with inhibition of 44%, 53% and 80%, respectively. A single application inhibited the response of mechanical allodynia in models of PSNL and CFA. The long-term treatment with LA, once a day, also reduced mechanical allodynia for eight days of application. Muscarinic, adrenergic α2 and adenosinergic systems appear to be linked to the effect of stimulation of the ST36 acupoint in LA, since reducing the nociceptive behavior was reversed by antagonists used when checked in glutamate model. However, the analgesic effect of LA was not influenced by antagonist α1 adrenergic receptor. Conclusion: The results suggest an important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of LA in ST36 acupoint in experimental models of nociception and acute and chronic inflammation in mice by means of muscarinic systems, adrenergic α2 and adenosinergic.

Cellular internalization of large therapeutic agents such as proteins or nucleic acids is a challenging task because of the presence of the plasma membrane. One strategy to facilitate intracellular drug uptake is to induce transient pores in the cell membrane through physical delivery strategies. Physical approaches are attractive as they offer more generic applicability compared with viral or biochemical counterparts. Pulsed laser light can induce the endothermic carbon-steam reaction in carbon-nanoparticle suspensions to produce explosive photoacoustic effects in the surrounding medium. In this study, for the first time, these photoacoustic forces were used to transiently permeabilize the cell membrane to deliver macromolecules into cells. Intracellular delivery using this method was demonstrated in multiple cell types for uptake of small molecules, proteins and DNA. At optimized conditions, uptake was seen in up to 50% of cells with nearly 100% viability and in 90% of cells with ≥90% viability, which compared favorably with other physical methods of drug delivery. Cellular bioeffects were shown to be a consequence of laser-carbon interaction and correlated with properties of the carbon and laser, such as carbon concentration and size, laser pulse duration, wavelength, intensity and exposure time. Similar results were observed using two different lasers, a femtosecond Ti: Sapphire laser and a nanosecond Nd: YAG laser. Uptake was also shown in murine skeletal muscles in vivo with up to 40% efficiency compared to non-irradiated controls. This synergistic use of nanotechnology with advanced laser technology could provide an alternative to viral and chemical-based drug and gene delivery.