Bioeutectic® ceramics for biomedical application obtained by laser floating zone method. In vivo evaluation

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license.In this study, the Bioeutectic® blocks were inserted into the critical size defects of eight rabbits, using both tibiae, and the physical and chemical nature of the remodeled interface between the Bioeutectic® implants and the surrounding bone were performed at four and 15 months. The results showed a new fully mineralized bone growing in direct contact with the implants. The ionic exchange, taking place at the implant interface with the body fluids was essential in the process of the implant integration through a dissolution-precipitation-transformation mechanism. The study found the interface biologically and chemically active over the 15 months implantation period. The osteoblastic cells migrated towards the interface and colonized the surface at the contact areas with the bone. The new developed apatite structure of porous morphology mimics natural bone. © 2014 by the authors.The authors wish to acknowledge funding from the European Community at the 7th Framework Program EU No. 314630-UV Marking and Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) within the Project ACOMP/2009/173.Peer Reviewe

Respuesta ósea al implante del compuesto beta-fosfato tricálcico-colágeno (ß-ftc-c). Estudio «in vivo» en conejos

Se ha estudiado la correlación entre los hallazgos histológicos y las imágenes radiológicas de un compuesto de beta-fosfato tricálcico y colágeno (ß-FTC-C) después de su implantación en defectos óseos creados experimentalmente en 21 conejos de 4 Kg de peso medio. Bajo anestesia general los defectos óseos creados en ambos fémures se rellenaron con un cilindro de 4,5 x 6 mm del compuesto. Los animales fueron sacrificados a la semana y 1, 2, 4 y 12 meses del postoperatorio. Las muestras obtenidas fueron sometidas a estudio radiográfico e histológico. Microscópicamente se comprobó que el compuesto a lo largo del período de implantación sufrió un proceso de reabsorción progresiva mediado por células de estirpe macrofágica y que se correspondió con una disminución de la densidad radiológica y cambios en su morfología. A los doce meses del postoperatorio se observaron escasos restos del material, hecho que se corresponde con la desaparición del implante en la placa radiográfica.The correlation between histologic and radiological findings was studied after implantation of a composite (ß-FTC-C) into osseus defects which were experimentally induced in 21 rabbits. Under general anaesthetic osseus defects were made in both femurs and filled in with a 4,5 x 6 mm composite cylinder. The animals were killed at the first week and, one, two, four and twelve months after surgery. X-ray study and microscopic examination were made in all the specimens. Troughout the implantation period, it was microscopically proven that the composite showed a progressive reabsortion process, mediated by cells of macrophagus lineage. A decrease in radiologic density and changes in its morphology were also observed. At the end of the study (twelve months), limited traces of the material could be seen, in correlation with the images of the X-ray films which revealed the total absence of the composite implant

Aislamiento y cultivo de células osteoblásticas: Interés para la investigación en cirugía ortopédica y traumatología

Describimos un método de aislamiento y caracterización de células osteoblásticas procedentes de la superficie de trabéculas óseas de explantes obtenidos de metafisis de fémures y tibias de conejo y de cabezas femorales humanas de pacientes sometidos a cirugía protésica de cadera. Después de eliminar las células de la médula ósea de los explantes, estos se despositaron sobre dos tipos de mallas, de 80 y 100 µm., obteniéndose un cultivo en monocarpa que se mostró confluente a partir de los 20 días. La población celular aislada presentó un fenotipo osteoblástico utilizando métodos colorimétricos para determinación de la actividad de fosfatasa alcalina (FA) y morfológicos por medio de la observación con microscopía electrónica de barrido. Las células cultivadas exhibieron una morfología diferente según el grado de confluencia de cultivo, siendo en todo momento positivas las sucesivas determinaciones colorimétricas de FA realizadas a lo largo de la experiencia. Consideramos el método de gran interés en investigación en ortopédica, pues permite el estudio de comportamiento de estas células cuando están sometidas a cualquier tipo de estímulo externo, así como cuando se enfrentan a nuevas generaciones de biomateriales, etc.We describe a method of isolation and characterization of osteoblastic cells taken from the surface of bone trabeculae of explants obtained from femur and tibia metaphysis in rabbits and human femoral head in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Afther removing the cells from the bone marrow of explants, they were placed over two mesh, 80 and 100 µmn, obtaining then a culture in monolayer which showed to be confluent after 20 days. The isolated cell population showed an osteoblastic phenotype using colourmetric methods to determinate the alkaline phosphatase (AF) activity and morphologic methods by means of scanning. The cultivated cell showed a different morphology according to the degree of confluence of the culture, being always positive the sucesive colourmetric determinations of AF along the experiment. We consider the method of a great interest for orthopaedic investigations, since it allows the study of the behaviour of these cells when they are subjet to different types of external stimulus as well as meet they the new generations of biomaterials

The Effect of Germanium‐Loaded Hydroxyapatite Biomaterials on Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Growth

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a hard mineral component of mineralized tissues, mainly composed of calcium and phosphate. Due to its bioavailability, HA is potentially used for the repair and regeneration of mineralized tissues. For this purpose, the properties of HA are significantly improved by adding natural and synthetic materials. In this sense, the germanium (Ge) mineral was loaded in HA biomaterial by cold isostatic pressure for the first time and characterization and biocompatibility using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) were investigated. The addition of Ge at 5% improved the solubility (3.32%), stiffness (18.34 MPa), water holding (31.27%) and biodegradation (21.87%) properties of HA, compared to control. Compared to all composite biomaterials, the drug-releasing behavior of HA-3% Ge was higher at pH 1 and 3 and the maximum drug release was obtained at pH 7 and 9 with HA-5% Ge biomaterials. Among the different mediums tested, the DMEM-medium showed a higher drug release rate, especially at 60 min. HA-Ge biomaterials showed better protein adhesion and apatite layer formation, which ultimately proves the compatibility in BM-MSCs culture. Except for higher concentrations of HA (5 and 10 mg/mL), the different concentrations of Ge and HA and wells coated with 1% of HA-1% Ge had higher BM-MSCs growth than control. All these findings concluded that the fabricated HA biomaterials loaded with Ge could be the potential biomaterial for culturing mammalian cells towards mineralized tissue repair and regeneration.This research was funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 Grant numbers PID2020-116693RB-C21 and PID2020-116693RB-C22Generalitat Valenciana Grant number CIAICO/2021/157and Internal Research Fund from Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Grant number PMAFI-27/21, Murcia, Spain

Compartir saberes para cuidar mejor: "aulas invertidas" y producción colaborativa de conocimiento

Depto. de Sociología: Metodología y TeoríaFac. de Ciencias Políticas y SociologíaFALSEsubmitte

Patients receiving a high burden of antibiotics in the community in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Some patients in the community receive a high burden of antibiotics. We aimed at describing the characteristics of these patients, antibiotics used, and conditions for which they received antibiotics. We carried out a cross-sectional study. Setting: Thirty Health Primary Care Areas from 12 regions in Spain, covering 5, 960, 191 inhabitants. Patients having at least 30 packages of antibacterials for systemic use dispensed in 2017 were considered. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of antibiotic use, conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed, clinical characteristics of patients, comorbidities, concomitant treatments, and microbiological isolates. Patient''s average age was 70 years; 52% were men; 60% smokers/ex-smokers; 54% obese. Overall, 93% of patients had, at least, one chronic condition, and four comorbidities on average. Most common comorbidities were cardiovascular and/or hypertension (67%), respiratory diseases (62%), neurological/mental conditions (32%), diabetes (23%), and urological diseases (21%); 29% were immunosuppressed, 10% were dead at the time of data collection. Patients received three antibiotic treatments per year, mainly fluoroquinolones (28%), macrolides (21%), penicillins (19%), or cephalosporins (12%). Most frequently treated conditions were lower respiratory tract (infections or prophylaxis) (48%), urinary (27%), and skin/soft tissue infections (11%). Thirty-five percent have been guided by a microbiological diagnosis, being Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%) and Escherichia coli (16%) the most frequent isolates. In conclusion, high antibiotic consumers in the community were basically elder, with multimorbidity and polymedication. They frequently received broad-spectrum antibiotics for long periods of time. The approach to infections in high consumers should be differentiated from healthy patients receiving antibiotics occasionally

Patients receiving a high burden of antibiotics in the community in Spain: a cross-sectional study.

Some patients in the community receive a high burden of antibiotics. We aimed at describing the characteristics of these patients, antibiotics used, and conditions for which they received antibiotics. We carried out a cross-sectional study. Setting: Thirty Health Primary Care Areas from 12 regions in Spain, covering 5,960,191 inhabitants. Patients having at least 30 packages of antibacterials for systemic use dispensed in 2017 were considered. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of antibiotic use, conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed, clinical characteristics of patients, comorbidities, concomitant treatments, and microbiological isolates. Patient's average age was 70 years; 52% were men; 60% smokers/ex-smokers; 54% obese. Overall, 93% of patients had, at least, one chronic condition, and four comorbidities on average. Most common comorbidities were cardiovascular and/or hypertension (67%), respiratory diseases (62%), neurological/mental conditions (32%), diabetes (23%), and urological diseases (21%); 29% were immunosuppressed, 10% were dead at the time of data collection. Patients received three antibiotic treatments per year, mainly fluoroquinolones (28%), macrolides (21%), penicillins (19%), or cephalosporins (12%). Most frequently treated conditions were lower respiratory tract (infections or prophylaxis) (48%), urinary (27%), and skin/soft tissue infections (11%). Thirty-five percent have been guided by a microbiological diagnosis, being Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%) and Escherichia coli (16%) the most frequent isolates. In conclusion, high antibiotic consumers in the community were basically elder, with multimorbidity and polymedication. They frequently received broad-spectrum antibiotics for long periods of time. The approach to infections in high consumers should be differentiated from healthy patients receiving antibiotics occasionally

Mechanical behaviour and formation process of silkworm silk gut

High performance silk fibers were produced directly from the silk glands of silkworms ("Bombyx mori") following an alternative route to natural spinning. This route is based on a traditional procedure that consists of soaking the silk glands in a vinegar solution and stretching them by hand leading to the so called silkworm guts. Here we present, to the authors’ best knowledge, the first comprehensive study on the formation, properties and microstructure of silkworm gut fibers. Comparison of the tensile properties and microstructural organization of the silkworm guts with those of naturally spun fibers allows gain of a deeper insight into the mechanisms that lead to the formation of the fiber, as well as the relationship between the microstructure and properties of these materials. In this regard, it is proved that an acidic environment and subsequent application of tensile stress in the range of 1000 kPa are sufficient conditions for the formation of a silk fiber

Monografies del Montseny - 37

Antoni Pladevall Font va fer possible el naixement de la col.lecció completa de les Monografies del Montseny, n’ha estat el director durant molts anys, ha publicat més de seixanta treballs d’investigació històrica, i ha estat el mestre que ha mostrat el camí a seguir en la tasca d’aprofundiment de la història del Montseny i el seu entorn més proper. En el pròleg del volum 37 de les Monografies del Montseny es glosa la figura d’Antoni Pladevall Font, qui l’any 1966 inicià la col·laboració en el Servei de Conservació i Catalogació de Monuments Històrics a la Diputació de Barcelona; dos anys més tard, passà a exercir com a professor d’història medieval a la Facultat de Teologia de Barcelona. Obtingué el títol d’Arxiver Municipal de Vic l’any 1979, mentre treballa a la Diputació, i al 1981començà a treballar en el Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat fins a la seva jubilació l’any 1999. L’aleshores conseller de Cultura de la Generalitat Max Cahner li va encarregar d’organitzar el Servei de Conservació i Restauració de Monuments Arquitectònics on se li va assignar la secció d’inventari i la de cap de servei en funcions. Dos anys després hi va exercir com a director general del Patrimoni Arquitectònic. En aquesta etapa va col·laborar amb la Fundació i Editorial de la Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana, en la qual va exercir la direcció d’obres tan importants com la “Catalunya Romànica” i “L’Art Gòtic de Catalunya”, i va assessorar la “Gran Geografia Comarcal de Catalunya”.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats SosteniblesObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::4 - Educació de QualitatPostprint (published version