Surface Microstructure Changes Induced by Ion Beam Irradiation

As a study result of irradiation-induced damage, various mathematical models have been developed to explain the phenomenon of irradiation-induced surface sputtering, these models are currently used in technological fields as diverse as materials characterization and in thin film deposition used in the manufacture of electronic or medical components. However, the phenomenon is not fully understood due to its high complexity, this work has the goal to present experimental evidence of the changes induced in the surface of hypereutectic alloy Ni-22% at Si promoted by the nickel ion beam irradiation, the surface changes induced will be explained in terms of the Sigmund theory of surface sputtering

Gelatin microparticles aggregates as three-dimensional scaffolding system in cartilage engineering

A three-dimensional (3D) scaffolding system for chondrocytes culture has been produced by agglomeration of cells and gelatin microparticles with a mild centrifuging process. The diameter of the microparticles, around 10 μ, was selected to be in the order of magnitude of the chondrocytes. No gel was used to stabilize the construct that maintained consistency just because of cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion to the substrate. In one series of samples the microparticles were charged with transforming growth factor, TGF-β1. The kinetics of growth factor delivery was assessed. The initial delivery was approximately 48 % of the total amount delivered up to day 14. Chondrocytes that had been previously expanded in monolayer culture, and thus dedifferentiated, adopted in this 3D environment a round morphology, both with presence or absence of growth factor delivery, with production of ECM that intermingles with gelatin particles. The pellet was stable from the first day of culture. Cell viability was assessed by MTS assay, showing higher absorption values in the cell/unloaded gelatin microparticle pellets than in cell pellets up to day 7. Nevertheless the absorption drops in the following culture times. On the contrary the cell viability of cell/TGF-β1 loaded gelatin microparticle pellets was constant during the 21 days of culture. The formation of actin stress fibres in the cytoskeleton and type I collagen expression was significantly reduced in both cell/gelatin microparticle pellets (with and without TGF-β1) with respect to cell pellet controls. Total type II collagen and sulphated glycosaminoglycans quantification show an enhancement of the production of ECM when TGF-β1 is delivered, as expected because this growth factor stimulate the chondrocyte proliferation and improve the functionality of the tissue.JLGR acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Education through project No. MAT2010-21611-C03-01 (including the FEDER financial support). The support of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the CIBER initiative of the Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) is also acknowledged

Factores relacionados con hemorragia mayor durante la cirugía cardíaca bajo circulación extracorpórea

Objetivo: Conocer los factores de riesgo asociados a hemorragia abundante en sujetos sometidos a cirugía cardiovascular con circulación extracorpórea. Material y métodos: Se diseñó un estudio de casos y controles, en pacientes adultos, pareados por edad y género, con indicación de cirugía cardíaca electiva y bajo circulación extracorpórea. Aquéllos con insuficiencia hepática o antecedentes de trastornos de la coagulación fueron excluidos. La comparación entre los grupos se realizó mediante ji-cuadrada, t de Student y regresión logística, con valores de p &lt;0 .05. Resultados: Los pacientes intervenidos en clase funcional III o IV de la CCS sangraron más (p = 0.006), aunque no hubo diferencias cuando se comparó la fracción de expulsión en ambos grupos. De los factores de riesgo se identificó a la obesidad, dislipidemia e hipertensión arterial como predictores de hemorragia. La cirugía de revascularización de múltiples vasos y tiempos quirúrgicos prolongados se asocia a la complicación (p < 0.05). De acuerdo al análisis multivariado, el tiempo de derivación cardiopulmonar, peso, tiempo de pinzamiento aórtico y dosis de heparina son los que mejor discriminan la posibilidad de hemorragia. Conclusiones: La hemorragia se observa más en pacientes isquémicos, su presencia se asocia a mayor duración de la cirugía, sobrepeso y a las dosis de heparina utilizadas en el transoperatorio

Edible mushrooms as a novel protein source for functional foods

Fast demographic growth has led to an increasing interest in low-cost alternative protein sources to meet population needs. Consequently, the attention of many researchers has focused on finding under-exploited sources of protein, alternative to those of animal origin, usually plant proteins have been used for this purpose, however, most of them are not considered high quality proteins due to their lack of some essential amino acids. Mushroom proteins usually have a complete essential amino acid profile which may cover the dietetic requirements as well as they may have certain economic advantages compared to animal and plant sources since many mushrooms have the ability to grow in agro-industrial waste as well as on submerged cultures reaching high yields in a short period of time. Edible mushrooms can be processed to obtain a wide variety of food products enriched with high quality protein, which may have as well improved functional properties, giving them an added value.This work was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte also, Project ColOsH 02/SAICT/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030071)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio