A model of maxilla resection to test new hybrid implants:macroporous titanium and tissue engineering elements

Maxillary bone loss in commonly found in humans, due to bone ageing, tooth loos, periodontal disease and, more severely, to trauma, radiotherapy and tumor resection. Masillofacial reconstructive surgery is a still unmet clinical demand, available therapies include grafting of autologous or heterologous bone tissue and/or the implantation of metallic plates, buy these treatments are still unable to resume form and function. The emrgence of 3D-printing technology applied to metal alloys now allows the manufacturing of customized, patient-tailored prosthetic implants. However, poor bone quiality at the implant site due to ageing or disease still hamper proper osseointegration. By combining Electron Beam Melting metal sintering and tissue engineering, we are developing hybrid maxillofacial implants, wher a metal framework of Ti6Al4V alloy confers both and appropiaate shape and mechanical stabilty, while stem cells and osteogenic molecules stimulate bone growth into the metal framework, thus pormoting osseointegration. We hereby present the in vitro work driving to the development of our hybrid maxillofacial prostheses, as well as the setting up of an in vivo model of complete maxilla full resection, created in order to test the prostheses in a preclinical studyUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Combining tissue engineering with metal scaffolds in orthopaedic to improve osseointegration of endoprothesis

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology allows the fabrication of free-formed metal scaffolds, thus creating the possibility of manufacturing patient-specific endo-prostheses. It also allows the production of highly-porous prostheses with an elastic modulus similar to that of bone. The porous can be filled-in with tissue engineering elements (i.e. osteogenic molecules, biomaterials, cells) in order to promote bone ingrowth inside them, thus improving the prostheses osseointegration. For this purpose, the surface of EBM-sintered titanium should permit cell adhesion, growth and differentiation to ensure a good metal-to-tissue interaction. Our goal was to evaluate the osteoconductivity of EBM-manufactured Ti6Al4V porous scaffolds. Porous Ti6Al4V discs were manufactured by EBM-sintering, autoclave-sterilized and seeded with human and rat osteoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation were assessed by vital staining, MTT assay, RT-PCR and immunostaining techniques. Bone organ-explant culture was used to further assess osteoconductivity at tissue level in vitro. Both osteoblastic and MSC attached to and grew on the titanium discs, covering up the entire metal surface, and even bridging the pores of the scaffold. Collagen type I, osteopontin, and osteocalcin expression confirmed the osseous differentiation of the cells cultured on the titanium discs. Bone explants placed on EBM-sintered titanium alloy spontaneously released cells that covered up the metal surface. Long-term cultured explants strongly adhered to the titanium. EBM-sintered titanium scaffolds promote cell adhesion and can be populated by osteoblastic and MSC, which can normally differentiate towards the osteogenic lineage upon proper stimulation. These osteoconductive properties should promote the osseointegration of EBM-manufactured endoprostheses for bone replacement.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Virtualization of niebla formation sites (upper miocene) in the Huelva province: valuating the paleontological heritage in differentiate educative settings II

El patrimonio paleontológico del Neógeno de la provincia de Huelva es uno de los más importantes de España y referente europeo de moluscos de este período. Sin embargo, no existe un inventario de catalogación básica de los principales yacimientos ni de los principales grupos fósiles presentes, así como de su importancia como patrimonio natural. El presente trabajo pretende rellenar este notable vacío con una proyección tanto hacia materias preuniversitarias como universitarias, así como hacia posibles instituciones y corporaciones públicas susceptibles de utilizarlo en sus planes de ordenación. Por otro lado, se pretende que actúe como mecanismo de interconexión entre titulaciones con bajo número de alumnos de nuevo ingreso y los centros de Bachillerato, de forma que incentive una posible elección de estos Grados por los alumnos de las opciones científico-tecnológicas. También puede ser interesante para captar egresados hacia Másteres Oficiales en Patrimonio Histórico y Natural. En este sentido, se ha realizado un DVD documental sobre el patrimonio paleontológico del Mioceno superior de la provincia de Huelva. Este documental incluye una visión de conjunto de los principales yacimientos de fósiles marinos de la Fm. Niebla, desarrollada en un marco transgresivo bajo unas condiciones más húmedas y cálidas que las actuales. Esta aportación es aplicable al trabajo de campo de varios Grados y Posgrados universitarios y de fácil uso como material didáctico en diversas asignaturas de E.S.O. y Bachillerato. Este trabajo se ha realizado en el marco del proyecto de innovación docente (PID nº 11003) de la Universidad de Huelva.The paleontological heritage from the Neogene in the province of Huelva is one of the most important in Spain and it is considered a European reference site for the mollusk fossil record from this period. However, there are not basic inventories neither for the main sites nor the major fossil groups. Furthermore, no inventories exist about their natural heritage importance. This work aims to fill this significant gap for both pre-university and university levels, as well as to public institutions and corporations that may use it in their management plans. In addition, it is intended to act as an linking mechanism between university degrees with low number of first-year students and high school centres, in order to encourage a possible choice of these Bachelor’s degrees by scientific and technological students. It may also be interesting to catch the attention of graduates for Official Masters in Historical and Natural Heritage. In this sense, a DVD-documentary has been made about the paleontological heritage from the Upper Miocene in the province of Huelva. This documental includes an overview of the main marine fossil sites from the Niebla Formation developed in a transgressive setting under more humid and warmer conditions than today. This contribution is useful for the fieldwork at Bachelor and Master Degree level and it is easy to use as teaching materials in different ESO (Obligatory Secondary Teaching) and High School subjects. This work has been funded for an Innovation in Teaching Project (PID No. 10050) of the Huelva University

Three-dimensional assessment of the judo throwing techniques frequently used in competition

Background and Study Aim: Although the judo throwing techniques are not considered as injurious to the attacker, repetition of these techniques might cause repetitive strain type injuries. The goal of the study was knowledge about the degrees of flexion and extension and abduction and adduction of the main locomotive joints, performing the most employed throwing techniques in high-level competition. Material and Methods: Two world-class judoists, under the supervision of an elite Japanese expert, performed seoi-nage, uchi-mata, osoto-gari, ouchi-gari and kouchi-gari. They were analysed using three-dimensional technology. Results: Data of performance throws obtained from expert 1 and 2 respectively were very similar. Results indicate that systematic repetition of seoi-nage, uchi-mata and o-soto-gari can produce shoulder tendon pathologies. Long-term seoi-nage and uchi-mata practice might generate epicondylitis. Judokas who have suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries must be careful when executing techniques that demand explosive knee extension (i.e. seoi-nage) against a great resistance. Judokas are not exposed to overuse injuries when they perform ouchi-gari and kouchi-gari throws. Conclusions: Systematic practice of the most employed judo throwing techniques in high-level judo can cause injuries by overuse in the upper-body joints (shoulder, elbow). Nevertheless, the lower-body joints (knee, ankle) do not seem to be at risk of injury by overuse

Protein metabolism and physical fitness are physiological determinants of body condition in Southern European carnivores

The physiological significance of biometric body condition indices (bBCI) is poorly understood. We hypothesized that bBCI are composite metrics of nutritional physiology, physical fitness and health. To test this hypothesis, we first compared the performance of eight bBCI, using 434 Southern European carnivores from six species as a model system; and then identified, by non-destructive methods, the hematology and serum biochemistry correlates of three selected bBCI. Fulton’s K Index, Major Axis Regression Residuals and Scaled Mass Index were the only bBCI insensitive to the effect of sex and age. The most informative physiological parameters in explaining the variation of these bBCI were the albumin (Effect Size (ES) = − 1.66 to − 1.76), urea (ES = 1.61 to 1.85) and total bilirubin (ES = − 1.62 to − 1.79). Hemoglobin and globulins (positive) and cholesterol (negative) were moderately informative (0.9 <|ES|< 1.5). This study shows that most bBCI do not control for the effect of age and sex in Southern European carnivores. Our results support that bBCI are composite measures of physiologic processes, reflecting a positive gradient from protein-poor to protein-rich diets, accompanied by increased physical fitness. Biometric body condition indices allow the integration of ecologically relevant physiological aspects in an easily obtained metric.Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness [FJCI-2015-24949]; Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha [Project PREG-05-23]; Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales [Project OAPN352/2011]; Juan de la Cierva research contracts from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Funder Id: 10.13039/501100004837 from the Spanish Ministry of Economyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Simulations for trapping reactions with subdiffusive traps and subdiffusive particles

While there are many well-known and extensively tested results involving diffusion-limited binary reactions, reactions involving subdiffusive reactant species are far less understood. Subdiffusive motion is characterized by a mean square displacement $\sim t^\gamma$ with $0<\gamma<1$. Recently we calculated the asymptotic survival probability $P(t)$ of a (sub)diffusive particle ($\gamma^\prime$) surrounded by (sub)diffusive traps ($\gamma$) in one dimension. These are among the few known results for reactions involving species characterized by different anomalous exponents. Our results were obtained by bounding, above and below, the exact survival probability by two other probabilities that are asymptotically identical (except when $\gamma^\prime=1$ and $0<\gamma<2/3$). Using this approach, we were not able to estimate the time of validity of the asymptotic result, nor the way in which the survival probability approaches this regime. Toward this goal, here we present a detailed comparison of the asymptotic results with numerical simulations. In some parameter ranges the asymptotic theory describes the simulation results very well even for relatively short times. However, in other regimes more time is required for the simulation results to approach asymptotic behavior, and we arrive at situations where we are not able to reach asymptotia within our computational means. This is regrettably the case for $\gamma^\prime=1$ and $0<\gamma<2/3$, where we are therefore not able to prove or disprove even conjectures about the asymptotic survival probability of the particle.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter; special issue on Chemical Kinetics Beyond the Textbook: Fluctuations, Many-Particle Effects and Anomalous Dynamics, eds. K.Lindenberg, G.Oshanin and M.Tachiy

Activity/inactivity circadian rhythm shows high similarities between young obesity-induced rats and old rats

The objective of the present study was to compare differences between elderly rats and young obesity-induced rats in their activity/inactivity circadian rhythm. The investigation was motivated by the differences reported previously for the circadian rhythms of both obese and elderly humans (and other animals), and those of healthy, young or mature individuals. Three groups of rats were formed: a young control group which was fed a standard chow for rodents; a young obesity-induced group which was fed a high-fat diet for four months; and an elderly control group with rats aged 2.5 years that was fed a standard chow for rodents. Activity/inactivity data were registered through actimetry using infrared actimeter systems in each cage to detect activity. Data were logged on a computer and chronobiological analysis were performed. The results showed diurnal activity (sleep time), nocturnal activity (awake time), amplitude, acrophase, and interdaily stability to be similar between the young obesity-induced group and the elderly control group, but different in the young control group. We have concluded that obesity leads to a chronodisruption status in the body similar to the circadian rhythm degradation observed in the elderly