Aplicación Móvil bajo la plataforma Android para informe de Calificaciones y resultados de admisión de los Estudiantes de la Universidad Nacional Agraria, primer semestre año 2014

En el presente trabajo se abordó el análisis y diseño de una Aplicación móvil, que permitirá a los estudiantes de primer ingreso de la Universidad Nacional Agraria consultar sus resultados de admisión. A su vez accederá a las calificaciones de asignaturas semestrales de los estudiantes activos. Seguidamente se muestra los objetivos planteados y la documentación necesaria para la realización de la aplicación. La recopilación de la información se desarrolló, realizando visitas, encuestas personales y telefónicas a los estudiantes y personal de UNA. Esto permitió la obtención de datos que identifican las necesidades y expectativas de los usuarios finales de la aplicación móvil. Posteriormente se muestra cada una de las fases de la evolución del proyecto, así como los requerimientos necesarios que hicieron posible la realización de dicha aplicación móvil; se realizó un estudio de factibilidad con los requerimientos mínimos de la adquisición de los equipos para su desempeño.Para finalizar se detalla las conclusiones y recomendaciones de la aplicación en su etapa final

Diabetic eye: associated diseases, drugs in clinic, and role of self-assembled carriers in topical treatment

Introduction: Diabetes is a pandemic disease that causes relevant ocular pathologies. Diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, cataracts, glaucoma, or keratopathy strongly impact the quality of life of the patients. In addition to glycemic control, intense research is devoted to finding more efficient ocular drugs and improved delivery systems that can overcome eye barriers. Areas covered: The aim of this review is to revisit first the role of diabetes in the development of chronic eye diseases. Then, commercially available drugs and new candidates in clinical trials are tackled together with the pros and cons of their administration routes. Subsequent sections deal with self-assembled drug carriers suitable for eye instillation combining patient-friendly administration with high ocular bioavailability. Performance of topically administered polymeric micelles, liposomes, and niosomes for the management of diabetic eye diseases is analyzed in the light of ex vivo and in vivo results and outcomes of clinical trials. Expert opinion: Self-assembled carriers are being shown useful for efficient delivery of not only a variety of small drugs but also macromolecules (e.g. antibodies) and genes. Successful design of drug carriers may offer alternatives to intraocular injections and improve the treatment of both anterior and posterior segments diabetic eye diseasesThis project is funded by Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions [grant agreement – No 813440]S

In Vitro and Ex Vivo Evaluation of Nepafenac-Based Cyclodextrin Microparticles for Treatment of Eye Inflammation

The aim of this study was to design and evaluate novel cyclodextrin (CD)-based aggregate formulations to efficiently deliver nepafenac topically to the eye structure, to treat inflammation and increase nepafenac levels in the posterior segment, thus attenuating the response of inflammatory mediators. The physicochemical properties of nine aggregate formulations containing nepafenac/γ-CD/hydroxypropyl-β (HPβ)-CD complexes as well as their rheological properties, mucoadhesion, ocular irritancy, corneal and scleral permeability, and anti-inflammatory activity were investigated in detail. The results were compared with a commercially available nepafenac suspension, Nevanac® 3 mg/mL. All formulations showed microparticles, neutral pH, and negative zeta potential (–6 to –27 mV). They were non-irritating and nontoxic and showed high permeation through bovine sclera. Formulations containing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) showed greater anti-inflammatory activity, even higher than the commercial formulation, Nevanac® 0.3%. The optimized formulations represent an opportunity for topical instillation of drugs to the posterior segment of the eyeThis research was funded by MINECO (SAF2017-83118-R), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) Spain, Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2016/008), and FEDER (Spain). B.L.-V. acknowledges an Erasmus+ traineeship (IS-SM2018-81075)S

Crosslinked Hyaluronan Electrospun Nanofibers for Ferulic Acid Ocular Delivery

Electrospun nanofibers are gaining interest as ocular drug delivery platforms that may adapt to the eye surface and provide sustained release. The aim of this work was to design an innovative ophthalmic insert composed of hyaluronan (HA) nanofibers for the dual delivery of an antioxidant (ferulic acid, FA) and an antimicrobial peptide (ε-polylysine, ε-PL). Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was added to facilitate the electrospinning process. Fibers with diameters of approx. 100 nm were obtained with PVP 5%-HA 0.8% w/v and PVP 10%-HA 0.5% w/v mixtures in ethanol:water 4:6 v/v. An increase in PVP concentration to 20% w/v in both presence and absence of HA rendered fibers of approx. 1 µm. PVP 5%-HA 0.8% w/v fibers were loaded with 83.3 ± 14.0 µg FA per mg. After nanofibers crosslinking with ε-PL, blank and FA-loaded inserts showed a mean thickness of 270 ± 21 µm and 273 ± 41 µm, respectively. Blank and FA-loaded inserts completely released ε-PL within 30 min under sink conditions, whereas FA-loaded inserts released the antioxidant within 20 min. Both blank and FA-loaded inserts were challenged against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating their efficacy against relevant microbial speciesThis research was funded by the Spanish MINECO (grant number SAF2017-83118-R), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) Spain, Xunta de Galicia (grant numbers ED431C 2016/008 and AEMAT ED431E 2018/08), and FEDERS

Contact lenses that transform gold into nanoparticles for prophylaxis of light-related events and photothermal therapy

This work describes for first time how anisotropic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be spontaneously formed inside preformed contact lenses (CLs) avoiding the use of additional reductant agents (reagent-free) through a precise tunning of the monomeric composition, the saline concentration, and the application of steam heat sterilization. Protocols to generate AuNPs in solution using inorganic or small organic reductants are widely available. Differently, gold precursors interactions with polymer networks have been overlooked and, thus, the interest of chemically cross-linked hydrogels as organic reductants is still to be elucidated. In the ocular field, incorporation of AuNPs to CLs may expand their applications in prophylaxis, therapy and diagnosis. To carry out the work, a variety of hydrogels and commercially available CLs were incubated with gold salt solution without any other chemical reagent. AuNPs formation was monitored by changes in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) bands and quantifying the gold sorbed. Only silicone hydrogels induced AuNPs formation at room temperature in few days; methacrylic acid red-shifted the LSPR band (550–600 nm), while monomers bearing F hindered the reduction. Storage of hydrogels in the gold precursor solution allowed a gradual formation of anisotropic AuNPs, which could be stopped at any time by washing the hydrogel with water. The developed CLs behave as efficient filters against highly penetrant light and also exhibit photoresponsiveness as demonstrated as rapid (10 s), focused mild hyperthermia when irradiated with green, red and NIR lasersThe work was supported by MCIN [PID 2020-113881RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033], Spain, FEDER and Xunta de Galicia [ED431C 2020/17]S

Cannabis and driving: results from a general population survey.

Producción CientíficaThe role of illicit drugs on driving, and particularly of cannabis and driving, is the object of increasing awareness. While there is increasing evidence of their effect on psychomotor performance and increased risk of involvement in traffic accidents, limited information is available concerning factors that can predict the likelihood of driving under the influence of cannabis. The present study aims to determine the past year prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis, and of being a passenger in a vehicle driven by a person under the influence of cannabis, as well as to examine the correlations with a broad range of potential risk factors. A total of 2500 people, aged between 14 and 70 and living in Castille and Leon (Spain), were surveyed in 2004 with regard to their consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs. Among those who reported cannabis use in the previous year, further assessment was carried out. 15.7% of those surveyed reported cannabis consumption in the previous 12 months, of whom 9.7% reported driving a vehicle under the influence of cannabis during this period, on average eight times. One out of five (19.9%) reported being a passenger in a vehicle driven by a person under the influence of cannabis, on average five times in the previous 12 months. The predictors of driving under the influence of cannabis were the population size of community, the number of drugs consumed, reference to cannabis-related problems and to being a passenger in a vehicle driven by a person under the influence of alcohol. The data show that cannabis consumption and driving is common, and requires more attention from policy makers

Cómo la informática ha reanimado los procesos y estéticas de la animación artística

Este artículo analiza la evolución que ha experimentado la animación artística en la era digital, destacando la paradoja que supone la revitalización de los procedimientos de animación a mano (dibujo, pintura bajo cámara, procesos de grabado) en el entorno digital. De esta manera, se ha generado una relación paradójica entre modernidad y artesanía: a pesar de su virtualidad, las nuevas tecnologías proporcionan una interfaz de trabajo que permite al artista-animador expresar sus intenciones de una forma más directa de la que nunca le facilitaron los medios analógicos.Álvarez Sarrat, S.; Lorenzo Hernández, MC. (2012). Cómo la informática ha reanimado los procesos y estéticas de la animación artística. Deforma. 1(3):1-15. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/65837S1151

Penetration enhancers for topical drug delivery to the ocular posterior segment: a systematic Review

There is an unmet clinical need for eye drop formulations to efficiently treat the diseases of the posterior ocular segment by non-invasive topical administration. Here, we systematically reviewed the literature on ocular penetration enhancers and their ability to transfer drugs to the posterior segment of the eye in experimental studies. Our aim was to assess which penetration enhancer is the most efficient at delivering drugs to the posterior segment of the eye, when topically applied. We conducted a comprehensive search in three electronic databases (Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and PubMed) to identify all the relevant manuscripts reported on ocular penetration enhancers based on the PRISMA guidelines. We identified 6540 records from our primary database search and filtered them per our inclusion/exclusion criteria to select a final list of 14 articles for qualitative synthesis. Of these, 11 studies used cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), 2 used chitosan, and 1 used benzalkonium chloride (BAC) as the penetration enhancer. Cationic and amphipathic CPPs, transactivator of transcription (TAT), and penetratin can be inferred to be the best among all the identified penetration enhancers for drug delivery to the fundus oculi via topical eye drop instillation. Further high-quality experimental studies are required to ascertain their quantitative efficacyThis project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions grant agreement N° 813440 (ORBITAL–Ocular Research by Integrated Training and Learning)S

Asymmetry in Drug Permeability through the Cornea

The permeability through the cornea determines the ability of a drug or any topically applied compound to cross the tissue and reach the intraocular area. Most of the permeability values found in the literature are obtained considering topical drug formulations, and therefore, refer to the drug permeability inward the eye. However, due to the asymmetry of the corneal tissue, outward drug permeability constitutes a more meaningful parameter when dealing with intraocular drug-delivery systems (i.e., drug-loaded intraocular lenses, intraocular implants or injections). Herein, the permeability coefficients of two commonly administered anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e., bromfenac sodium and dexamethasone sodium) were determined ex vivo using Franz diffusion cells and porcine corneas in both inward and outward configurations. A significantly higher drug accumulation in the cornea was detected in the outward direction, which is consistent with the different characteristics of the corneal layers. Coherently, a higher permeability coefficient was obtained for bromfenac sodium in the outward direction, but no differences were detected for dexamethasone sodium in the two directions. Drug accumulation in the cornea can prolong the therapeutic effect of intraocular drug-release systemThis project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement N° 813440 (ORBITAL—Ocular Research by Integrated Training And Learning) and is also supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) [UID/QUI/00100/2019, UIDB/00100/2020 and UID/BIM/04585/2020]S

Reversing the Tumor Target: Establishment of a Tumor Trap

Despite the tremendous progress made in the field of cancer therapy in recent years, certain solid tumors still cannot be successfully treated. Alongside classical treatments in the form of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, targeted treatments such as immunotherapy that cause fewer side effects emerge as new options in the clinics. However, these alternative treatments may not be useful for treating all types of cancers, especially for killing infiltrative and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Recent advances pursue the trapping of these cancer cells within a confined area to facilitate their removal for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. A good understanding of the mechanisms behind tumor cell migration may drive the design of traps that mimic natural tumor niches and guide the movement of the cancer cells. To bring this trapping idea into reality, strong efforts are being made to create structured materials that imitate myelinated fibers, blood vessels, or pre-metastatic niches and incorporate chemical cues such as chemoattractants or adhesive proteins. In this review, the different strategies used (or could be used) to trap tumor cells are described, and relevant examples of their performance are analyzed.This work was supported by the “Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale” (INSERM), the University of Angers (Angers, France), the MINECO (SAF2017-83118-R), the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI, Spain), and the Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional (FEDER). It is also related to the LabEx IRON “Innovative Radiopharmaceuticals in Oncology and Neurology” as part of the French government “Investissements d’Avenir” program, to the INCa (Institut National du Cancer) MARENGO consortium “MicroRNA agonist and antagonist Nanomedicines for GliOblastoma treatment: from molecular programmation to preclinical validation” through the PL-BIO 2014-2020 grant and to the MuMoFRaT project “Multi-scale Modeling & simulation of the response to hypo-Fractionated Radiotherapy or repeated molecular radiation Therapies” supported by “La Région Pays-de-la-Loire” and by the Cancéropôle Grand-Ouest (tumor targeting and radiotherapy network). MN was a Ph.D. student involved in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate program for Nanomedicine and pharmaceutical innovation (EMJD NanoFar) and received a fellowship from “La Région Pays-de-la-Loire.”S