Expression of Musashi-1 Increases in Bone Healing

The authors of this manuscript were partially supported by Research Groups #CTS-138 and #CTS-1028 (Junta de Andalucía, Spain). This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.All experiments were performed after the approval of the Committee on Animal Research of the University of Granada (CEEA 2014/357) and under the European Union and Spanish regulations for ethics in animal research (EU Directive 63/2010 and Spanish RD 53/2013) and reported following the ARRIVE guidelines.The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.The authors would especially like to acknowledge the contribution to the histochemical and immunohistochemical studies of Serafin Vélez García and Carmen Ruíz Guzmán, technicians in the Department of Surgery, and María Dolores Rodriguez, in the Department of Pathology and IBIMER of the University of Granada and Justin G. Davis for assistance with the writing style.Musashi-1 (MSI1) is an RNA-binding protein that regulates progenitor cells in adult and developing organisms to maintain self-renewal capacities. The role of musashi-1 in the bone healing environment and its relation with other osteogenic factors is unknown. In the current study, we analyze the expression of MSI1 in an experimental model of rat femoral bone fractures. We also analyze the relation between MSI1 expression and the expression of two osteogenic markers: periostin (POSTN) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). We use histological, immunohistochemical, and qPCR techniques to evaluate bone healing and the expression of MSI1, POSTN, and RUNX2 over time (4, 7, and 14 days). We compare our findings with non-fractured controls. We find that in bone calluses, the number of cells expressing MSI1 and RUNX2 increase over time and the intensity of POSTN expression decreases over time. Within bone calluses, we find the presence of MSI1 expression in mesenchymal stromal cells, osteoblasts, and osteocytes but not in hypertrophic chondrocytes. After 14 days, the expression of MSI1, POSTN, and RUNX2 was significantly correlated. Thus, we conclude that musashi-1 potentially serves in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells and bone healing. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the possibility of musashi-1 ' s role as a clinical biomarker of bone healing and therapeutic agent for bone regeneration.Junta de Andalucia European Commission CTS-138 CTS-102

Maxillary sinus floor augmentation comparing bovine versus porcine bone xenografts mixed with autogenous bone graft. A split-mouth randomized controlled trial

This investigation was conducted under an Investigator--Initiated Study partially funded by Dentsply Sirona Implants (Molndal, Sweden) through a research transfer agreement with the Technology Transfer Office of the University of Granada (number I--BI--17--026) and the Research Cathedra "Dentsply Sirona-UGR" agreed between Dentsply Sirona Iberia S.A.U. and the University of Granada. The authors are also supported by funding from Research Groups #CTS-138 and #CTS--1028 (Junta de Andalucia, Spain) The authors are grateful to Justin G. Davis for assistance with the English translation and to Emilio Couso-Queiruga for assistance with the volumetric radiographic analyses.Aim: To compare the effectiveness of two xenografts for maxillary sinus floor augmentation in terms of clinical, radiographical, histologic, and molecular outcomes. Materials and methods: A split-mouth randomized clinical trial was conducted at the University of Granada. Ten consecutive patients in need of bilateral two-staged maxillary sinus floor augmentation were included. Each patient received both biomaterials (porcine bone mineral and anorganic bovine bone), which were randomly assigned for bilateral sinus augmentation. The maxillary autogenous bone scraped from the sinus access window was mixed with each xenograft at a 20:80 ratio. After a healing period of 6 months, bone biopsies were collected with a trephine during the implant placement in the regenerated area. Histologic, histomorphometrical, immunohistochemical, and molecular outcomes were analyzed. Clinical and radiographical data throughout the treatment phases were also evaluated. Results: The resulting anatomic features were similar between both groups. After six months of graft consolidation, the graft resorption rates were similar between both biomaterials. The histologic, histomorphometrical, and immunohistochemical results showed no statistical differences between groups. Conclusion: Anorganic bovine bone and porcine bone mineral combined with maxillary autogenous cortical bone show similar biologic and radiologic features in terms of biomaterial resorption, osteoconduction, and osteogenesis when used for maxillary sinus floor augmentation.Dentsply Sirona Implants (Molndal, Sweden)Technology Transfer Office of the University of Granada I-BI-17-026Dentsply Sirona Iberia S.A.U.University of GranadaJunta de AndaluciaEuropean Commission CTS-138 CTS-102

Estudio de ecosistemas terrestres y acuáticos ubicados en el parque nacional natural cueva de los guácharos (acevedo, huila)

Los estudios realizados durante el tiempo en el que se realizó la salida de campo de la asignatura Ecología Regional Continental del 3 al 17 de septiembre de 2010 permitieron determinar ciertas características y estados de calidad en los sistemas acuáticos y vegetales (bosque subandino) del Parque Nacional Natural Cueva de los Güácharos(PNNCG). Para el estudio limnológico se realizaron muestreos en varios ecosistemas acuáticos: Laguna Encantada, Quebrada Chánchiras, Quebrada La Lindosa, Cascada Cristales, Rí­o Suaza, Cueva de los Guacharos y Cueva del Indio. Se tomaron muestras a de variales fisicoquímicas y de comunidades biológicas (perifiton, plancton, macroinvertebrados). Las aguas de la región son de temperaturas medias y se mineralizan al pasar por el sistema de cuevas; son ligeramente alcalinas y bajas en nutrientes (oligotróficas) y transportan bajas a moderadas cantidades de sólidos suspendidos. Los datos fisicoquímicos que caracterizan a los ecosistemas acuáticos del PNNCG corresponden a sistemas típicos neotropicales, con baja intervención humana y condiciones propias de ambientes cársticos. La materia orgánica aportada por la vegetación riparia y por las macrófitas sustenta diferentes órdenes de macroinvertebrados, siendo los más representativos Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemíptera y Trichoptera. El bosque subandino estudiado se encuentra en proceso de desarrollo debido a que presenta una mayor cantidad de arboles del conjunto del futuro; no obstante, el conjunto del presente, aunque en una menor proporción, se encuentra bien establecido. Esto también se puede observar en los mapas de cobertura vegetal del estrato arbóreo, donde el dosel es continuo y solamente se interrumpe por los disturbios ocasionados por la muerte y caída de árboles del conjunto del presente, lo que genera claros en el bosque y permite que los arboles del conjunto del futuro desarrollen su cobertura

Contribution to the knowledge of the Biodiversity inventory of the Moncloa Campus

El proyecto contribuye al conocimiento de la Biodiversidad presente en el Campus Moncloa, con el fin de fomentar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes en conocimientos naturales, en un contexto de ciencia ciudadana.Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónDepto. de Química en Ciencias FarmacéuticasFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte

Stopping cross sections of TiO2 for H and He ions

Stopping cross sections of TiO2 films were measured for H and He ions in the energy intervals 200–1500 keV and 250–3000 keV, respectively, using the Rutherford backscattering technique. Theoretical calculations were performed by means of two versions of the dielectric formalism and a non-linear model. Good agreement is found between the present experimental data and the theoretical results at intermediate and high energies, and also with the very limited experimental information available in the literature.We thank the financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Projects FPA2009-14091-C02-01 and FIS2010-17225) and the European Regional Development Fund. This work was partially supported by the following Argentinian institutions: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT)