Fabrication and characterization of superficially modified porous dental implants

Stress-shielding and loosening compromise the success of dental implants under real-life service conditions. This work evaluates the mechanical behavior of superficially modified porous titanium dental implants fabricated by two different routes: conventional powder metallurgy and space-holder techniques. A novel, feasible and repetitive protocol of micro-milling of the implant thread (before sintering), as well as surface modification treatments (after sintering) are also implemented. The discussion is conducted in terms of the influence of porosity and surface roughness on the stiffness and yield strength of implants. The macro-pores concentrate stress locally, and, at the same time, they could act as a barrier to the propagation of micro-cracks. Higher rugosity was observed for virgin implants obtained with spacer particles. Concerning superficially modified implants, while bioglass 1393 was the most effective coating due to its greater infiltration and adhesion capacity, chemical etching could improve osteoblast adhesion because modifies the roughness of the implant surface.Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain PID2019-109371GB-I00Junta de Andalucía–FEDER (Spain) US-125977

Black Truffle Production, Soils and Mediterranean Woods: Spanish Research Contributions (1962-2006)

The production of mycorrhizal fungi provides higher economic returns than any other forest product in many Mediterranean woods. In these areas, truffles (Tuber spp.) and mushrooms of Boletus and Lactarius genus are the fungi that yield the highest economic benefits. However, there are still evident gaps in the understanding of the truffle's biological cycles, ecology and interactions with host plants and other fungi. In the last 12 years, Spanish research has begun to respond to the requirements of truffle research. Most of Spanish Tuber references deal with the areas of agronomy, forestry, ecology and soil science. In this respect, Spain is one of the main truffle-producing countries in the world and its varied climate, topography and lithology make it a useful geographic area for increasing knowledge on Tuber ecology and truffle production. This work describes the content of Spanish research and its impact on the knowledge of truffles

Higher Order Dynamic Mode Decomposition of an experimental trailing vortex

The decay of trailing vortices is a fundamental problem in fluid mechanics and constitutes the basis of control applications that intend to alleviate the wake hazard. In order to progress, we use the recently developed modal-decomposition technique to identify the governing dynamics in an experimental trailing vortex. A particular emphasis is on the difficulty and usefulness of applying such tools to noisy experimental data. We conducted a water-tunnel experiment at a chord-based Reynolds number Re = 4 x 10^4 using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry measurements over a downstream range of 36 chords. The downstream evolution of the maximum of vorticity suggests that the whole wake can be partitioned into three consecutive regimes. A higher-order dynamic mode decomposition of the streamwise vorticity in each such part of the wake shows that the decay is well approximated by at most three modes. Additionally, our study provides evidence for the existence of several instabilities after the vortex roll up beyond about 6.5 chords

Gas6, una proteína dependiente de la vitamina k implicada en la respuesta a la infección por sars-cov-2

Trabajo presentado en el LXIII Congreso Nacional SEHH/ XXXVII Congreso Nacional SETH, celebrado en Pamplona (Navarra) del 14 al 16 de octubre de 2021

Growth Arrest-Specific Factor 6 (GAS6) Is Increased in COVID-19 Patients and Predicts Clinical Outcome

Producción CientíficaBackground: Growth arrest-specific factor 6 (GAS6) and the Tyro3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) receptors counterbalance pro-inflammatory responses. AXL is a candidate receptor for SARS-CoV-2, particularly in the respiratory system, and the GAS6/AXL axis is targeted in current clinical trials against COVID-19. However, GAS6 and TAMs have not been evaluated in COVID-19 patients at emergency admission. Methods: Plasma GAS6, AXL, and MERTK were analyzed in 132 patients consecutively admitted to the emergency ward during the first peak of COVID-19. Results: GAS6 levels were higher in the SARS-CoV-2-positive patients, increasing progressively with the severity of the disease. Patients with initial GAS6 at the highest quartile had the worst outcome, with a 3-month survival of 65%, compared to a 90% survival for the rest. Soluble AXL exhibited higher plasma concentration in deceased patients, without significant differences in MERTK among SARS-CoV-2-positive groups. GAS6 mRNA was mainly expressed in alveolar cells and AXL in airway macrophages. Remarkably, THP-1 human macrophage differentiation neatly induces AXL, and its inhibition (bemcentinib) reduced cytokine production in human macrophages after LPS challenge. Conclusions: Plasma GAS6 and AXL levels reflect COVID-19 severity and could be early markers of disease prognosis, supporting a relevant role of the GAS6/AXL system in the immune response in COVID-19.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project RTI2018-095672-B-I00)Instituto de Salud Carlos III - Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (grants PI15/00531 and PI19/01410)Fundació La Marató TV3 (grants 20153030 and 20153031)Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (project CSIC-COV19-016/202020E155)Junta de Castilla y León (project 07.04.467B04.74011.0

Gender differences in the plasma concentration of the GAS6-TAM system in COVID-19 patients

Resumen del trabajo presentado en el 4th European Congress on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, celebrado en Gante (Bélgica), los días 14 y 15 de octubre de 2021Background: SARS-CoV-2 induces an immune response with potentially harmful effects for the patient due to an uncontrolled release of inflammatory factors, specially at the capillary wall. The vitamin K-dependent plasma protein GAS6 and the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) receptors play a relevant role among restorative mechanisms that counterbalance pro-inflammatory responses at the endothelial interface. Aims: To study the influence of gender on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the GAS6/TAM system, as reflected by plasma concentration at patient admittance at the emergency ward. Methods: The plasma content of GAS6, AXL, and MERTK was analyzed in a first group of 132 patients, 68 females and 64 males consecutively admitted to the emergency ward during the first peak of COVID-19. A confirmatory group was studied from the second wave of contagions. An analysis of gender differences in relation to the GAS6/TAM concentrations in plasma was performed on this population. Results: In accordance with recently published GAS6 levels, significantly higher in the SARS-CoV-2 positive than in negative patients, increased progressively with the severity of the disease in SARS-CoV-2 positive individual irrespective of the gender of the patient. In contrast, while soluble AXL exhibited higher plasma concentration in deceased patients and no significant differences were observed in MERTK concentration, differential gender analysis suggest differences in soluble TAM receptors. While a COVID-19 related increase in sAXL was observed in men, this was not the case in women. Oppositely, MERTK differences due to COVID-19 infection were only significant in women. Summary/Conclusion: GAS6-TAM system of ligands and receptors is implicated in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients from both genders. Plasma GAS6 levels paralleled COVID-19 severity being an early marker of disease prognosis in both sexes. In contrast, soluble TAM receptors presented a gender-specific behavior. Sex-related differences in sAXL and sMERTK expression in COVID-19 patients could affect therapy efficacy deserving further investigation

Competencias básicas para la aplicación de la medicina regenerativa en la clínica de pequeños animales

Depto. de Medicina y Cirugía AnimalFac. de VeterinariaFALSEsubmitte

The upper-airway microbiome as a biomarker of asthma exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid treatment.

BACKGROUND: The response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma is affected by the interplay of several factors. Among these, the role of the upper-airway microbiome has been scarcely investigated. We aimed to evaluate the association between the salivary, pharyngeal, and nasal microbiome with asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS. METHODS: Samples from 250 asthma patients from the Genomics and Metagenomics of Asthma Severity (GEMAS) study treated with ICS were analyzed. Control/case subjects were defined by the absence/presence of asthma exacerbations in the past 6 months despite being treated with ICS. The bacterial microbiota was profiled by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Differences between groups were assessed by PERMANOVA and regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Afalse discovery rate (FDR) of 5% was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Classification models of asthma exacerbations despite ICS treatment were built with machine learning approaches based on clinical, genetic, and microbiome data. RESULTS: In nasal and saliva samples, case subjects had lower bacterial diversity (Richness, Shannon, and Faith indices) than control subjects (.007≤ P≤ .037). Asthma exacerbations accounted for 8% to 9% of the interindividual variation of the salivary and nasal microbiomes (.003≤ P≤ .046). Three, 4, and 11 bacterial genera from the salivary, pharyngeal, and nasal microbiomes were differentially abundant between groups (4.09*10-12≤ FDR≤ 0.047). Integrating clinical, genetic, and microbiome data showed good discrimination for the development of asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS (AUCtraining: 0.82 and AUCvalidation: 0.77). CONCLUSION: The diversity and composition of the upper-airway microbiome are associated with asthma exacerbations despite ICS treatment. The salivary microbiome has a potential application as a biomarker of asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS