Disposable masks: Disinfection and sterilization for reuse, and non-certified manufacturing, in the face of shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing a huge global health threat. To deal with this problem, in addition to research and work in the medical field, the main health measures being taken in the workplace and at home involve the establishment of safety protocols, which include distance measures, hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment, such as masks, etc. The WHO still does not recommend the use of masks for the general population. However, their successful use in China, South Korea and the Czech Republic has encouraged their widespread use, and the shortage that already existed. This has caused that companies and individuals are looking at the best way to reuse them, and to manufacture, homemade or not, of non-certified masks. This paper is based on two objectives: to consult the scientific literature to identify the main strategies for disinfecting them, and to determine the effectiveness of non-certified disposable masks. A rapid review has been conducted in which the main publications and other information available online have been analyzed. Results showed that the most promising methods are those that use hydrogen peroxide vapor, ultraviolet radiation, moist heat, dry heat and ozone gas. Soapy water, alcohol, bleach immersion, ethylene oxide, ionizing radiation, microwave, high temperature, autoclave or steam are not fully recommended. Regarding the effectiveness of surgical masks compared to PPE, the former have been seen to be slightly less effective than PPE. As for other types of masks the effectiveness of homemade or non-certified masks is very low

Industria 4.0 y transformación digital: nuevas formas de organización del trabajo

The Fourth Industrial Revolution requires profound changes in business models and organizations in order to ensure their stay on the market. However, due to the confluence of the numerous technologies in the Industry 4.0, the transformation process is complex and concerns the change in the work organization. This entails the emergence of new job profiles and the elimination of others resulting from the new forms of work organization. Probably manual works will be reduced, although new highly qualified profiles will appear, increasing collaborative work, flexibility in working time, participation and transparency in the results of individual work, although a greater proletarization of the work is also possible in certain jobs, as is happening especially in the case of the gig-economy. From the perspective of the occupational risks prevention, these new forms of work organization involve the search for the best way to face the challenge that poses the anticipating the possible risk situations and taking the appropriate preventive actions.La denominada Cuarta Revolución Industrial exige profundos cambios en las organizaciones empresariales para su permanencia en el mercado. Dada la confluencia de las numerosas tecnologías que supone la Industria 4.0, el proceso es complejo y afecta de lleno a la organización del trabajo. Ello supone la aparición de nuevos perfiles profesionales y la eliminación de otros, como consecuencia de las nuevas formas de organización del trabajo. Probablemente se reducirán los trabajos de tipo manual, aunque aparecerán nuevos perfiles de alta cualificación, incrementándose el trabajo colaborativo, la flexibilidad en el tiempo de trabajo, la participación y la transparencia de los resultados del trabajo individual, aunque también es posible una mayor precarización de ciertos puestos de trabajo, como está sucediendo especialmente en el caso de la gig-economy. Estas nuevas formas de organización del trabajo suponen afrontar el reto de anticiparse a las posibles situaciones de riesgos que permitan tomar las medidas preventivas oportunas

New Risk Situations Related to Low Noise from Electric Vehicles: Perception ofWorkers as Pedestrians and Other Vehicle Drivers.

Sales of electric and hybrid electric vehicles are increasing steadily worldwide, and consequently their presence increases in city areas. At low speeds, the low levels of noise produced by these vehicles could become a new risk factor for road users. However, the magnitude of the risk has not been accurately determined. In addition, its inclusion in the work environment could pose a new risk that should be managed. Thus, in relation to low noise levels of electric and hybrid vehicles, this study aimed to characterise the risk situations and determine the risk perception of workers as pedestrians and internal combustion engine vehicle drivers coming into contact with these vehicles. The data were extracted from 417 questionnaires filled out by the employees of public service companies who come into contact with electric and hybrid vehicles during their working day in the city of Málaga, in the region of Andalusia, Spain. According to the experiences reported, it seems that the risk due to the low noise levels of electric vehicles is moderate and does not reach alarming levels. These risk situations usually occurred in low speed urban areas, particularly when crossing the road, or in semi-pedestrian areas. Almost half the respondents considered that the electric vehicle poses a risk to other road users because it is more di cult to hear, and they believe it likely that other road users could be injured. Despite that risk, pedestrians did not change their way of walking or moving around the parking areas and other areas of the company. Electric and hybrid electric cars are now required to produce sound when travelling at low speeds. Nevertheless, the e ectiveness of this measure should be assessed once implemented and future research should explore alternative non-acoustic measuresSpanish Department of Traffic (DGT). Ref SPIP2015-0176

Asbestosis: un riesgo no siempre visible que amenaza a los trabajadores de la construcción.

If we propose a new approach to organisations synthesised in the "Management of Happiness" that seeks human talent so that companies can improve their competitiveness, productivity and profitability, we cannot leave aside one of the great threats that looms over workers and that affects happiness at work and, in short, organisational management, such as the issue addressed in this communication, which is the great threat posed by the indiscriminate use of asbestos in our societies. Asbestos is a carcinogenic element recognised as such by the International Office of Cancer and although it is banned in many countries such as the European Union, there are many others where it is still used such as China or Russia and despite this ban, its massive use since the Second World War has meant that the trace of materials with asbestos is extensive and present in many buildings forming part of pipes, water tanks, roof coverings, etc., which constitutes a major problem of environmental pollution and public health which can be affected especially workers in the construction sector. Therefore, the aim of this work was to see from a practical point of view the difficulty of managing the prevention of occupational risks due to asbestosis in the workers of Micro-SMEs and Self-Employed Workers in the Construction Sector. The study was carried out using the Expert Panel technique with a total of 10 professionals with extensive experience in the Construction Sector and Occupational Risk Prevention.The experts concluded that the greatest difficulty in carrying out an adequate Asbestosis Prevention Management of the group studied was the hidden asbestos as there is no census of affected buildings and constructions and the lack of awareness in a disease with a latency period of between 35-40 years where the cause-effect relationship is not so evidentUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Delayed Fracture Healing in Mmp10 (Stromelysin 2) Knockout Mice

The remodeling of the extracellular matrix is a central function in endochondral ossification and bone homeostasis. During secondary fracture healing, vascular invasion and bone growth requires the removal of the cartilage intermediate and the coordinate action of the collagenase matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13, produced by hypertrophic chondrocytes, and the gelatinase MMP-9, produced by cells of hematopoietic lineage. Interfering with these MMP activities results in impaired fracture healing characterized by cartilage accumulation and delayed vascularization. MMP-10, Stromelysin 2, a matrix metalloproteinase with high homology to MMP-3 (Stromelysin 1), presents a wide range of putative substrates identified in vitro, but its targets and functions in vivo and especially during fracture healing and bone homeostasis are not well defined. Here, we investigated the role of MMP-10 through bone regeneration in C57BL/6 mice. During secondary fracture healing, MMP-10 is expressed by hematopoietic cells and its maximum expression peak is associated with cartilage resorption at 14 days post fracture (dpf). In accordance with this expression pattern, when Mmp10 is globally silenced, we observed an impaired fracture-healing phenotype at 14 dpf, characterized by delayed cartilage resorption and TRAP-positive cell accumulation. This phenotype can be rescued by a non-competitive transplant of wild-type bone marrow, indicating that MMP-10 functions are required only in cells of hematopoietic linage. In addition, we found that this phenotype is a consequence of reduced gelatinase activity and the lack of proMMP-9 processing in macrophages. Our data provide evidence of the in vivo function of MMP-10 during endochondral ossification and defines the macrophages as the lead cell population in cartilage removal and vascular invasio

Tissue engineered scaffolds for mimetic autografts

Introduction: Despite its regenerative capacity, bone healing can be compromised, leading to delayed fracture regeneration and nonunion. Due to the scarcity of bone tissue that can be used as autograft, novel tissue engineering strategies arise as a promising solution by using biocompatible materials. Methods: Our objective is the development of engineered autografts capable of efficiently treat fracture nonunion. For this purpose, we designed polycaprolactone (PCL) autografts surrounded by a porous membrane mimicking periosteum. To assess their regenerative capacity, these scaffolds were tested in critical size femur defect for ten weeks carrying out μCT and histological analysis. Additionally, we are focusing on the generation of PCL biocomposites, such as poly ethyl-acrylate (PEA) covered PCL membranes which can enhance morphogen functionalization, reducing the effective BMP dose. Results: At the mCT level, structural mimetic PCL scaffolds, showed no significant difference in bone healing (Empty group, 11.47±4.93 mm3; MA, 14.95±3.09 mm3, p=0.1711). Histological analysis demonstrates that MEW PCL mimicking periosteum enhances bone growth, but insufficient for successful healing. However, once functionalized with PEA and BMP-2, these implants showed highly improved regeneration (CTL group, 11,47±4,93 mm3; BMP-2 group, 49,24±13,20 mm3, p = 0.0001). Figure 1. These implants were loaded with BMP-2 solutions previously studied in vitro to estimate morphogen dose, which resulted in 55.64±14.83 ng (n=6). Conclusions and discussion: In conclusion, PEA functionalized mimetic autografts show an important increase in bone healing, enhancing BMP-2 effects, which provide representative regeneration with a 100 folds lower dose than typically described in literature

Tissue engineered mimetic periosteum for efficient delivery of rhBMP-2

Background: Despite its unique regenerative capacity, bone healing can be compromised, leading to delayed fracture regeneration and consequently nonunion. Due to the scarcity of autografts and the problems associated with a supraphysiological use of rhBMP-2, novel tissue engineering strategies arise as a promising solution to overcome nonunions and related bone pathologies. Purpose: To clinically deal with fracture nonunion, we designed engineered mimetic autografts consisting of a personalized polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold surrounded by a porous PCL membrane mimicking the periosteum synthesized by melt electrowriting (MEW) (Figure 1). Methods: MEW membrane was functionalized with poly ethyl acrylate (PEA) and Fibronectin for efficient rhBMP-2 binding and delivery. The regenerative capacity and therapeutic potential of these scaffolds were tested in vitro for osteoblast differentiation and vivo in a critical size femur defect in Sprague Dawley rats (n=6-7 animals/group) (ethical approval 073-20). Regenerative effects were assessed by qPCR, q-mCT and histological analysis. Non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Results: We selected the two lowest dose implants (10 mg/ml, 51.94±8.84 ng and 25 mg/ml, 186.8±17.33) to assess release profile over time and for in vivo therapeutic effect. In vitro, single loading of 186 ng of rhBMP-2 allows similar differentiation potential that standard osteogenic differentiation medium where fresh rhBMP-2 was added twice weekly (Figure 2). In vivo, regarding bone regeneration, quantitative μCT analysis shows great bone healing of defects treated with rhBMP-2 at concentrations of 25 μg/ml (186 ng) and 10 μg/ml (52 ng). Control group, 6.80±2.47 mm3; 10 μg/ml BMP-2 group 19.53±4.266 mm3, *p=0.0324; 25 μg/ml BMP-2 group 24.48±11.30 mm3, **p=0.0087. In addition, histological analysis was carried out to determine the osteoconductive potential of our PCL core (Figure 3). Conclusion: In conclusion, PEA functionalized mimetic periosteum show an unpreceded increase in bone healing, greatly enhancing rhBMP-2 effects

Espacios virtuales practicum MUPES. Utilización de todas las potencialidades de la nueva versión de Studium para mejorar la colaboración entre tutores de educación secundaria y tutores de la Universidad de Salamanca

Memoria ID-104. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2020-2021

Optimization of mimetic periosteum autografts for the treatment of nonunions

Bone presents truly regenerative capacity being able to regenerate into a native state in response to injuries. Despite this self-renewal potential, bone healing is not absent of complications and different conditions can interfere with the regenerative process, leading to delayed fracture and in some cases fracture nonunion. Fracture nonunion is a major cause of chronic pain and disability and, despite the low incidence of nonunion and delayed union fractures (5-10%), the numerous fractures that take place globally (~180 million every year) emphasizes the huge economic burden that fracture nonunion represents. Once detected, fracture nonunion requires a surgical approach, and the use of bone autografts that provide and osteoinductive, osteogenic and osteoconductive environment for a successful repair. However, the availability of bone grafts is limited. The scarcity of bone tissue that can be used for autografts have consolidated the need for novel tissue engineering approaches as potential candidates for the treatment of nonunion and for long bone defects, prone to evolve to nonunions. Tissue engineering strategies allow for the combination of novel tunable materials along with different biological adjuvants, including growth factors and cells. During the bone regenerative response, the periosteum, a fibrous layer surrounding the bone, plays a key role delivering osteochondroprogenitor cells and crucial growth factors into the injured tissue. Thus, we developed a tissue engineering strategy where biocompatible, 3D melt-electro-written polycaprolactone membrane would act as a mimetic periosteum. The engineered mimetic periosteum allows vascularization of the construct either when implanted ectopically or orthotopically. Additionally, we demonstrated its capacity to be functionalized with rhBMP-2, the most important morphogen for bone regeneration, both exposed on the membrane surface attached through PEA-hFN or encapsulated in microparticles covalently bound to the PCL membrane. When functionalized with low doses of rhBMP-2 the mimetic periosteum demonstrated great osteogenic potential in vitro, inducing human MSCs differentiation into osteoblasts. More importantly, in vivo results indicate that the functionalization of the mimetic periosteum with rhBMP-2 allows regenerative properties able to heal critical size femoral defects in SD rats with high efficiency and reproducibility using unpreceded low doses of rhBMP-2. Ultimately, the mimetic periosteum demonstrated its ability to deliver key mesenchymal progenitor cells into the injured site. All these results indicate that our engineered mimetic periosteum represents an efficient system for rhBMP-2 and progenitor cells delivery with important translational potential

Emergent approach of occupational health and safety within the servitization of Industry 4.0

International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Industrial Management (13th. 2019. Gijón