Developing a new methodology to characterize in vivo the passive mechanical behavior of abdominal wall on an animal model

The most common surgical repair of abdominal wall hernia goes through implanting a mesh that substitutes the abdominal muscle/fascia while it is healing. To reduce the risk of relapse or possible complications, this mesh needs to mimic the mechanical behavior of the muscle/fascia, which nowadays is not fully determined. The aim of this work is to develop a methodology to characterize in vivo the passive mechanical behavior of the abdominal wall. For that, New Zealand rabbits were subjected to pneumoperitoneum tests, taking the inner pressure from 0 mmHg to 12 mmHg, values similar to those used in human laparoscopies. Animals treated were divided into two groups: healthy and herniated animals with a surgical mesh (polypropylene SurgiproTM Covidien) previously implanted. All experiments were recorded by a stereo rig composed of two synchronized cameras. During the postprocessing of the images, several points over the abdominal surface were tracked and their coordinates extracted for different levels of internal pressure. Starting from that, a three dimensional model of the abdominal wall was reconstructed. Pressure–displacement curves, radii of curvature and strain fields were also analysed. During the experiments, animals tissue mostly deformed during the first levels of pressure, showing the noticeable hyperelastic passive behavior of abdominal muscles. Comparison between healthy and herniated specimen displayed a strong stiffening for herniated animals in the zone where the high density mesh was situated. Cameras were able to discern this change, so this method can be used to measure the possible effect of other meshes

Continental shelf zones influenced by the suspended matter flows coming from Cadiz Bay

Due to the diversity of environments and hydrodynamics in Cadiz Bay, it is of interest to study the dynamics of sedimentary exchange between the coastal zones and continental shelf. The most abundant clay minerals on the floor of the continental shelf and Cadiz Bay, and in the particulate matter in suspension, are: illite, smectite, kaolinite + chlorite, and the interstratified clay minerals illite-smectite. The average concentration of suspended matter is 6.5 mg/l, the lowest (1.37 mg/l) being found on the inner shelf and in the inner zones of the bay less affected by currents and surge. The highest values (14 mg/l) are found in the outer bay, consistent with the distribution of muddy facies on the sea floor. The flow paths have been established from the local variations in the mineralogical associations found at the sampling stations, and by means of the alignments of the lowest values of the factor loadings at those stations most affected by the flows. The mineralogical similarity of the components of the clay fraction is related to the mixing action undergone by the components of the suspended matter reaching the bay from various sources, probably produced by the continuous action of the tidal ebb currents flowing from the inner sectors of the bay towards the continental shelf.El estudio de la dinámica de intercambio sedimentario entre las zonas litorales y la plataforma continental es de gran interés en el caso de la bahía de Cádiz, debido a su diversidad de ambientes y situaciones hidrodinámicas. Los minerales de la arcilla más abundantes en los fondos de la plataforma y la bahía, y en la materia en suspensión, son ilita, esmectita, caolinita + clorita e interestratificados ilita-esmectita. La concentración de materia sólida en suspensión indica un contenido promedio de 6,5 mg/l, apareciendo los mínimos (1,37 mg/l) en la plataforma interna y en zonas internas de la bahía no afectadas por corrientes y oleaje. Los valores más altos se dan en la bahía externa (14 mg/l), de acuerdo con la distribución de facies fangosas en el fondo. Las trayectorias de los flujos salientes se han establecido a partir de las variaciones locales de las asociaciones mineralógicas en las diferentes estaciones de muestreo, alineándose los valores más bajos de los factores en las estaciones más afectadas por la acción de los flujos. La similitud mineralógica de los componentes de la fracción arcilla en todos los ambientes se debe a la mezcla de componentes de la materia en suspensión que, desde diferentes fuentes, llegan a la bahía, y es favorecida por la acción de la corriente de reflujo mareal desde el sector más interno de la bahía a la plataforma continental.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

El placer lateral de playa Mejías (noreste de Cuba Oriental): un ejemplo de interacción de procesos aluviales y marinos en la concentración de minerales de elementos preciosos

The playa Mejías lateral placer is the most important placer in Cuba. Its mineralogical composition (magnetite, chromite, rutile, ilmenite, orthopyroxene) reveals that the ophiolites of the Mayarí-Baracoa Belt are the main source area. However, other sources are demonstrated for by the presence of 4 different morphological types of zircon crystals, and minerals related to listvaenitic mineralizations (calcosilicates, carbonates). Also, precious metals have been recognized . Previous to their fluvial transport, electrum grains were depleted in gold in the lateritic environment, producing silve r-rich rims to the electrum grains. The gold particles were transported by rivers as fine-sized particles of electrum with various compositions, and as Au-amalgam. During their fluvial transport, the smaller gold grains coalesced to form larger grains, and a final generation of highly pure gold cemented the subgrains. Then, the particles were deposited in a beach lateral placer, where the grains were leached by sea water, giving rise to corrosion textures. The particles of EGP minerals found are grains of osmium-rich laurite replaced by laurite veins associated with symplectitic intergrowths of a third laurite generation (having intermediate compositions between the above laurite generation) and iridioarsenite, as a consequence of serpentinization at the source. Leaching by sea water produces a depletion in osmium in the particles

La inclusión de los estudiantes universitarios con discapacidad en las universidades presenciales: actitudes e intención de apoyo por parte de sus compañeros

La inclusión de estudiantes con discapacidad en educación superior favorece a las personas con discapacidad y al conjunto de la comunidad universitaria. Este trabajo analiza la intención de apoyo a la inclusión de estudiantes con discapacidad en la universidad presencial, en el marco teórico de Teoría del Comportamiento Planeado (TPB), mediante un estudio empírico realizado entre 629 estudiantes de CC. de la Educación en la Universidad de A Coruña. Los resultados indican que tanto las actitudes como la norma social y el control percibido son variables significativas para explicar la intención de apoyar a las personas con discapacidad

Biomechanical and morphological study of a new elastic mesh (Ciberlastic) to repair abdominal wall defects

The aim of this study was to conduct a preclinical evaluation of the behaviour of a new type of abdominal LW prosthesis (Ciberlastic), which was designed with a non-absorbable elastic polyurethane monofilament (Assuplus, Assut Europe, Italy) to allow greater adaptability to mechanical area requirements and higher bio-mimicking with the newly formed surrounding tissues. Our hypothesis was that an increase in the elasticity of the mesh filament could improve the benefits of LW prostheses. To verify our hypothesis, we compared the short- and long-term behaviour of Ciberlastic and Optilene® elastic commercial meshes by repairing the partially herniated abdomen in New Zealand White rabbits. The implanted meshes were mechanically and histologically assessed at 14 and 180 days post-implant. We mechanically characterized the partially herniated repaired muscle tissue and also determined mesh shrinkage at different post-implant times. This was followed by a histological study in which the tissue incorporation process was analysed over time. The new prosthesis designed by our group achieved good behaviour that was similar to that of Optilene®, one of the most popular LW prostheses on the market, with the added advantage of its elastic property. The mechanical properties are significantly lower than those of the polypropylene Optilene® mesh, and the new elastic mesh meets the basic mechanical requirements for positioning in the abdominal wall, which was also demonstrated by the absence of recurrences after implantation in the experimental model. We found that the growth of a connective tissue rich in collagen over the hernial defect and the proper deposit of the collagen fibres in the regenerated tissue substantially modified the original properties of the mesh, thereby increasing its biomechanical strength and making the whole tissue/mesh stiffer

7th Drug hypersensitivity meeting: part two

No abstract availabl

Intimal thickening in arterial autografts. Role of the adventitial layer

In the present work, the repairing response of the iliac arterial wall is studied after carrying out autografts in segments of these vessels. The formation of the intimal hyperplasia, which occurred in al1 the cases, was followed at the biochemical leve1 (tritium thymidine incorporation) and with light and electron microscopy. The adventitial layer showed great activity during the repairing process. We believe that it plays an important role not only in neoadventitial formation, but also in myointimal raising

Use of a fibroblastic matrix improves the results of mesothelial-cell seeding on vascular prostheses of polytetrafluoroethylene

Mesothelial cells (MC) obtained from the human omentum are a good alternative to the use of endothelial cells (EC) as a covering for vascular prostheses of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), given the antithrombogenic properties and good behaviour in vitro of mesothelial cells. We studied the behaviour of mesothelial cells seeded on PTFE prostheses with an interposed fibroblastic matrix for seeding. The mesothelial cells were extracted from 30-40 g fragments of human omentum by enzymatic digestion with collagenase. The cells extracted were seeded onto small disks of PTFE to which a matrix composed of fibroblastic cells had been fixed with 5% glycerol after the fibroblasts reached convergence. Interposition of a fibroblastic matrix fixed with glycerol notably improved the adherence of the seeded mesothelial cells and the stability and durability of the cell layer formed on the prosthetic surface. The effectiveness of seeding mesothelial cells was confirmed by labelling the cells with l'lIn-oxine. This showed that once the cell layer had formed (24 h after seeding), the fibroblastic matrix favoured the maintenance of a stable layer of mesothelial cells 4 hours after uptake of the radioactive substance