Comparison of Printable Biomaterials for Use in Neural Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro Characterization and In Vivo Biocompatibility Assessment.

Nervous system traumatic injuries are prevalent in our society, with a significant socioeconomic impact. Due to the highly complex structure of the neural tissue, the treatment of these injuries is still a challenge. Recently, 3D printing has emerged as a promising alternative for producing biomimetic scaffolds, which can lead to the restoration of neural tissue function. The objective of this work was to compare different biomaterials for generating 3D-printed scaffolds for use in neural tissue engineering. For this purpose, four thermoplastic biomaterials, ((polylactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), Filaflex (FF) (assessed here for the first time for biomedical purposes), and Flexdym (FD)) and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel were subjected to printability and mechanical tests, in vitro cell-biomaterial interaction analyses, and in vivo biocompatibility assessment. The thermoplastics showed superior printing results in terms of resolution and shape fidelity, whereas FD and GelMA revealed great viscoelastic properties. GelMA demonstrated a greater cell viability index after 7 days of in vitro cell culture. Moreover, all groups displayed connective tissue encapsulation, with some inflammatory cells around the scaffolds after 10 days of in vivo implantation. Future studies will determine the usefulness and in vivo therapeutic efficacy of novel neural substitutes based on the use of these 3D-printed scaffolds.

Ex Vivo and In Vivo Analyses of Novel 3D-Printed Bone Substitute Scaffolds Incorporating Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Granules for Bone Regeneration.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was examining the ex vivo and in vivo properties of a composite made from polycaprolactone (PCL) and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) (synprint, ScientiFY GmbH) fabricated via fused deposition modelling (FDM); (2) Methods: Scaffolds were tested ex vivo for their mechanical properties using porous and solid designs. Subcutaneous implantation model analyzed the biocompatibility of PCL + BCP and PCL scaffolds. Calvaria implantation model analyzed the osteoconductive properties of PCL and PCL + BCP scaffolds compared to BCP as control group. Established histological, histopathological and histomorphometrical methods were performed to evaluate new bone formation.; (3) Results Mechanical testing demonstrated no significant differences between PCL and PCL + BCP for both designs. Similar biocompatibility was observed subcutaneously for PCL and PCL + BCP scaffolds. In the calvaria model, new bone formation was observed for all groups with largest new bone formation in the BCP group, followed by the PCL + BCP group, and the PCL group. This finding was influenced by the initial volume of biomaterial implanted and remaining volume after 90 days. All materials showed osteoconductive properties and PCL + BCP tailored the tissue responses towards higher cellular biodegradability. Moreover, this material combination led to a reduced swelling in PCL + BCP; (4) Conclusions: Altogether, the results show that the newly developed composite is biocompatible and leads to successful osteoconductive bone regeneration. The new biomaterial combines the structural stability provided by PCL with bioactive characteristics of BCP-based BSM. 3D-printed BSM provides an integration behavior in accordance with the concept of guided bone regeneration (GBR) by directing new bone growth for proper function and restoration.

The protective role of emotional intelligence in smoking relapse during a 12-month follow-up smoking cessation intervention.

BACKGROUND: Previous literature has shown the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and smoking. However, the mechanisms underlying the role of EI in smoking behaviour are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyse how EI abilities protect against relapse in a 12-month smoking cessation program. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-three volunteer smokers were enrolled in a well-established smoking cessation program, accompanied by a 12-month follow-up, through the Spanish Association Against Cancer. Moderation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted to explore the influence of EI abilities on the effect of stress reactivity and nicotine dependence on the likelihood of relapse. RESULTS: Emotional repair ability moderated the effect of stress reactivity on relapse. Higher levels of stress reactivity were associated with a higher likelihood of relapse, but only in those individuals with lower emotional repair abilities. In addition, the moderated mediation analyses revealed that emotional clarity and emotional repair abilities moderated the indirect effect of nicotine dependence on smoking relapse through its influence on stress reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional management is a central concept in explaining smoking behaviour. Our findings suggest that the inclusion of EI training could be particularly useful for improving current smoking cessation programs. A good ability to manage emotions allows smokers to effectively apply psychological coping strategies to deal with stressful situations, thus protecting against relapse.

Randomized phase 3 trial of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide alone or followed by Paclitaxel for early breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Taxanes are among the most active drugs for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and, as a consequence, they have also been studied in the adjuvant setting. METHODS: After breast cancer surgery, women with lymph node-positive disease were randomly assigned to treatment with fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC) or with FEC followed by weekly paclitaxel (FEC-P). The primary endpoint of study-5-year disease-free survival (DFS)-was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Secondary endpoints included overall survival and analysis of the prognostic and predictive value of clinical and molecular (hormone receptors by immunohistochemistry and HER2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization) markers. Associations and interactions were assessed with a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model for DFS for the following covariates: age, menopausal status, tumor size, lymph node status, type of chemotherapy, tumor size, positive lymph nodes, HER2 status, and hormone receptor status. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Among the 1246 eligible patients, estimated rates of DFS at 5 years were 78.5% in the FEC-P arm and 72.1% in the FEC arm (difference = 6.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6% to 11.2%; P = .006). FEC-P treatment was associated with a 23% reduction in the risk of relapse compared with FEC treatment (146 relapses in the 614 patients in the FEC-P arm vs 193 relapses in the 632 patients in the FEC arm, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.95; P = .022) and a 22% reduction in the risk of death (73 and 95 deaths, respectively, HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.06; P = .110). Among the 928 patients for whom tumor samples were centrally analyzed, type of chemotherapy (FEC vs FEC-P) (P = .017), number of involved axillary lymph nodes (P < .001), tumor size (P = .020), hormone receptor status (P = .004), and HER2 status (P = .006) were all associated with DFS. We found no statistically significant interaction between HER2 status and paclitaxel treatment or between hormone receptor status and paclitaxel treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with operable breast cancer, FEC-P treatment statistically significantly reduced the risk of relapse compared with FEC as adjuvant therapy.