Combining sandblasting and pink anodisation of Ti implants as a promising method for improving fibroblast adhesion and immune response.

This study examined the effect of combining the sandblasting and anodising of titanium alloys used in implants on the cell response and protein adsorption patterns. The titanium samples were divided into four groups depending on the surface treatment: machining (MC), pink anodisation (PA), sandblasting (MC04) and a combination of the last two (MC04 + PA). Their physicochemical properties were analysed by SEM/EDX, Raman, contact angle measurements and profilometry. In vitro responses were examined using human gingival fibroblastic (HGF) cells and THP-1 macrophages. Cytokine secretion, macrophage adhesion and gene expression were measured by ELISA, confocal microscopy and RT-PCR. Cell adhesion and collagen secretion were evaluated in HGF cultures. The adsorption of immune and regenerative proteins onto the surfaces was assessed employing nLC-MS/MS. MC04 + PA surfaces exhibited a change in the roughness, chemical composition and hydrophilicity of the material, showing more elongated HGF cells and a considerable increase in the area of cells exposed to the MC04 + PA surfaces. Moreover, cells cultured on MC04 + PA generally showed a reduction in the expression of proinflammatory genes (TNF-α, MCP-1, C5, NF-kB and ICAM-1) and an increase in the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4. These results correlated with the proteomic data; we found preferential adsorption of proteins favouring cell adhesion, such as DSC1 and PCOC1. A considerable reduction in the adsorption of immunoglobulins and proteins associated with acute inflammatory response (including SAA4) was also observed. The study highlights the potential advantages of MC04 + PA surface treatment to modify dental implant abutments; it enhances their compatibility with soft tissues and reduces the inflammatory response.

Roughness affects the response of human fibroblasts and macrophages to sandblasted abutments.

BACKGROUND: A strong seal of soft-tissue around dental implants is essential to block pathogens from entering the peri-implant interface and prevent infections. Therefore, the integration of soft-tissue poses a challenge in implant-prosthetic procedures, prompting a focus on the interface between peri-implant soft-tissues and the transmucosal component. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of sandblasted roughness levels on in vitro soft-tissue healing around dental implant abutments. In parallel, proteomic techniques were applied to study the interaction of these surfaces with human serum proteins to evaluate their potential to promote soft-tissue regeneration. RESULTS: Grade-5 machined titanium discs (MC) underwent sandblasting with alumina particles of two sizes (4 and 8 µm), resulting in two different surface types: MC04 and MC08. Surface morphology and roughness were characterised employing scanning electron microscopy and optical profilometry. Cell adhesion and collagen synthesis, as well as immune responses, were assessed using human gingival fibroblasts (hGF) and macrophages (THP-1), respectively. The profiles of protein adsorption to the surfaces were characterised using proteomics; samples were incubated with human serum, and the adsorbed proteins analysed employing nLC-MS/MS. hGFs exposed to MC04 showed decreased cell area compared to MC, while no differences were found for MC08. hGF collagen synthesis increased after 7 days for MC08. THP-1 macrophages cultured on MC04 and MC08 showed a reduced TNF-α and increased IL-4 secretion. Thus, the sandblasted topography led a reduction in the immune/inflammatory response. One hundred seventy-six distinct proteins adsorbed on the surfaces were identified. Differentially adsorbed proteins were associated with immune response, blood coagulation, angiogenesis, fibrinolysis and tissue regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Increased roughness through MC08 treatment resulted in increased collagen synthesis in hGF and resulted in a reduction in the surface immune response in human macrophages. These results correlate with the changes in protein adsorption on the surfaces observed through proteomics.

Composition and Functional Properties of the Edible Spear and By-Products from Asparagus officinalis L. and Their Potential Prebiotic Effect.

Asparagus is a healthy food appreciated for its organoleptic characteristics, nutritional composition and physiological properties. During its industrial processing, a large amount of by-products are generated, since only the apical part of the vegetable is considered edible and a large amount of by-products are generated that could be of nutritional interest. Therefore, the nutritional composition of the edible part and the two by-products of the plant (root and stem) was evaluated, including dietary fiber, inulin, low-molecular-weight carbohydrates, low-molecular-weight polyphenols and macromolecular polyphenols. The hydration properties, oil retention capacity, glucose retardation index and impact on bacterial growth of both probiotic bacteria and pathogenic strains were determined. All samples were high in fiber (>22 g/100 g dw), fructans (>1.5 g/100 g dw) and polyphenolic compounds (>3 g/100 g dw) and had good water-, oil- and glucose-binding capacity. In addition, they promoted the growth of probiotic strains but not pathogenic ones. The effects were more pronounced in the spear by-product samples and appear to be related to the components of dietary fiber. The results indicate that edible spear has potential beneficial effects on host health and microbiota when ingested as part of a healthy diet, while the by-products could be used as supplements and/or as natural ingredients in fiber-enriched foods that require emulsification and are intended to achieve a prebiotic effect.

Enhancing the correlation between in vitro and in vivo experiments in dental implant osseointegration: investigating the role of Ca ions.

This study delves into the osteogenic potential of a calcium-ion modified titanium implant surface, unicCa, employing state-of-the-art proteomics techniques both in vitro (utilizing osteoblasts and macrophage cell cultures) and in vivo (in a rabbit condyle model). When human osteoblasts (Hobs) were cultured on unicCa surfaces, they displayed a marked improvement in cell adhesion and differentiation compared to their unmodified counterparts. The proteomic analysis also revealed enrichment in functions associated with cell migration, adhesion, extracellular matrix organization, and proliferation. The analysis also underscored the involvement of key signalling pathways such as PI3K-Akt and mTOR. In the presence of macrophages, unicCa initially exhibited improvement in immune-related functions and calcium channel activities at the outset (1 day), gradually tapering off over time (3 days). Following a 5-day implantation in rabbits, unicCa demonstrated distinctive protein expression profiles compared to unmodified surfaces. The proteomic analysis highlighted shifts in adhesion, immune response, and bone healing-related proteins. unicCa appeared to influence the coagulation cascade and immune regulatory proteins within the implant site. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the unicCa surface, drawing correlations between in vitro and in vivo results. It emphasizes the considerable potential of unicCa surfaces in enhancing osteogenic behavior and immunomodulation. These findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the intricate molecular mechanisms governing the interplay between biomaterials and bone cells, thereby facilitating the development of improved implant surfaces for applications in bone tissue engineering.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern, cognitive status and depressive symptoms in an elderly non-institutionalized population / Adherencia al patrón de dieta mediterránea, estado cognitivo y síntomas depresivos en una población no institucionalizada de edad avanzada

Introduction: Scientific evidence indicates that adherence to the Mediterranean diet protects against the deterioration of cognitive status and depressive symptoms during aging. However, few studies have been conducted in elderly non-institutionalized subjects. Objective: This study evaluated the relation between the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and cognitive status and depressive symptoms in an elderly population over 75 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Mediterranean city (Garrucha, Spain) in 79 elderly people over 75 (36 men and 41 women). Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern was determined using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Cognitive function was determined by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: Most of population showed a very high adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern and optimal cognitive and affective status. They consumed olive oil as their main source of fat, high levels offish and fruit, low levels of foods with added sugars, and a low consumption of red meat. A significant relation between the MEDAS and MMSE scores was found. However, no relationship was observed between the MEDAS and GDS. Conclusions: The Mediterranean diet pattern was positively related with the cognitive function, although the infl uence of a healthy dietary pattern on the symptomatology of depression was unclear. However, an effective strategy against cognitive function and depression would be to improve physical activity rates, establish lifelong healthy eating habits, and consume a nutritionally-rich diet in order to enhance quality of life of the elderly (AU)

Introducción: la evidencia científica indica que la adherencia al patrón de dieta Mediterránea protege contra el deterioro del estado cognitivo y los síntomas depresivos durante el envejecimiento. Sin embargo, se han realizado pocos estudios en ancianos no institucionalizados. Objetivo: este estudio evaluó la relación entre la adhesión al patrón de dieta mediterránea, el estado cognitivo y los síntomas depresivos en una población anciana de 75 años de vida independiente. Métodos: el estudio transversal se llevó a cabo en una ciudad mediterránea (Garrucha, Almería, España) en 79 adultos mayores de más de 75 años (36 hombres y 41 mujeres). La adhesión al patrón de dieta mediterránea se determinó utilizando el test Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). La función cognitiva se determinó con el test Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), y los síntomas depresivos se evaluaron con la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (GDS). Resultados: la mayoría de la población mostró una alta adhesión al patrón de dieta mediterránea y un estado cognitivo y afectivo óptimos. Consumían aceite de oliva como principal fuente de grasa, un elevado consumo de pescado y fruta, y un bajo consumo de carne roja y de alimentos con azúcares añadidos. Se encontró una relación significativa entre las puntuaciones del MMSE y MEDAS. Sin embargo, no se observó relación entre los resultados de MEDAS y GDS. Conclusiones: el patrón de dieta mediterránea se relacionó positivamente con la función cognitiva, pero la influencia de un patrón de dieta saludable en la sintomatología de la depresión no resultó claro. Sin embargo, una estrategia eficaz para mantener la función cognitiva y disminuir la sintomatología de depresión podría ser mejorar las tasas de actividad física, establecer hábitos alimenticios saludables durante la vida y consumir una dieta saludable con el fin de mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas mayores (AU)

Hibiscus sabdariffa L: fuente de fibra antioxidante: [revisión] / Hibiscus sabdariffa L: source of antioxidant dietary fiber: [review]

Fibra dietética y compuestos antioxidantes son dos conceptos que generalmente se utilizan por separado tanto en la industria como en nutrición. Actualmente el concepto de fibra se ha ampliado debido a que en los alimentos hay otros componentes diferentes a polisacáridos y lignina que no son digeridos en el intestino delgado y que pasan al intestino grueso constituyendo la mayor parte del substrato para la microbiota colónica. El concepto de fibra antioxidante se refiere a aquella materia prima con un elevado porcentaje de fibra dietética y cantidades apreciables de antioxidantes naturales asociados a la matriz del conjunto de compuestos no digestibles. Las flores de Hibiscus sabdariffa L, presentan en su composición un porcentaje importante de fibra dietética así como una elevada capacidad antioxidante. La infusión que se obtiene de la decocción de los cálices de Hibiscus, ha sido ampliamente estudiada debido a las propiedades saludables que se le confieren. En este trabajo se consideran los principales aspectos nutricionales de Hibiscus sabdariffa L y se plantea la posibilidad de estudiarlos como una posible fuente de fibra antioxidante, con propiedades funcionales de interés nutricional.

Dietary fiber and antioxidants are food constituents and functional ingredients that are generally addressed separately. Nowadays there is scientific evidence that primary characteristics of DF assigned to non starch polysaccharides and lignin (resistance to digestion and absorption in the small intestine and fermentation in the large intestine) can be extended to other indigestible food constituents that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine. The antioxidant dietary fiber concept was defined as a dietary fiber concentrate containing significant amounts of natural antioxidants associated with non digestible compounds. Hibiscus sabdariffa L flower shows in its composition an important percentage of dietary fiber and high antioxidant capacity. The infusion obtained by decoction of flowers, had been extensibility studied due to the healthy properties. In this work the principal nutritional aspects from Hibiscus sabdariffa L and its use as a possible antioxidant dietary fiber source had been considered.

Papel del frijol negro p]haseolus vulgaris en el estado nutricional de la población guatemalteca / Effects of black bean phaseolus vulgar consumption on the nutritional status of Guatemalan population

En Guatemala existe un fenómeno de superposición epidemiológica, en el que coexisten problemas de salud propios de países desarrollados con otros característicos de poblaciones en vías de desarrollo. Se observan deficiencias marcadas en algunos macronutrientes tales como hierro y vitamina A. en simultaneidad con enfermedades crónicas como diabetes tipo II o enfermedades cardiovasculares. Se conoce muy bien la importancia del frijol negro (Phaseolus vulgaris) en la dieta habitual de Guatemala, en donde el consumo per capita es de 70g al día. Además del aporte energético, los frijoles constituyen la principal fuente de proteína en la dieta y contienen un alto porcentaje de carbohidratos glicémicos de digestión lenta y carbohidratos no glicémicos fermentables en el intestino grueso. Estos últimos, pueden ejercer efectos fisiológicos beneficiosos relacionados con el control de la respuesta glicémica. de los niveles de colesterol sanguíneo y disminución de los factores de riesgo de cáncer colónico debido a la formación de productos de fermentación colónica (propiónico y butírico). Sin embargo, el frijol negro contiene también diversos factores antinutricionales (inhibidores enzimáticos. hemagluteninas, saponinas, ácido fitico, etc.) muchos de ellos termolábiles que pueden ser destruidos durante el procesado. La riqueza nutricional del frijol negro, y especialmente los carbohidratos glicémicos de digestión lenta, los compuestos no digestibles fermentados por las bacterias intestinales y algunos factores antinutricionales, juegan un papel importante en la etiología de numerosas enfermedades de incidencia actual en Guatemala

Oligosacáridos de la leche humana. Papel en la salud y en el desarrollo del lactante / Human milk oligosaccharides. The rule in the health and development of the infants

Breast-feeding is the optimal mode of feeding for the normal full-term infant. Human milk composition knowledge has been basis for recommended dietary allowances for infants. Few studies about human milk carbohydrates have been done until the last decade. However, carbohydrates provide approximately 40-50 of the total energy content of breast milk. Quantitatively oligosaccharides are the third largest solute in human milk after lactose and fat. Each individual oligosaccharide is based on a variable combination of glucose, galactose, sialic acid, fucose and N-acetylglucosamine with many and varied linkages between them, thus accounting for the enormous number of different oligosaccharides in human milk. The oligosaccharides content in human milk varies with the duration of lactation, diurnally and with the genetic makeup of the mother. At present, a great interest in the roles of human milk oligosaccharides is raising. They act as a the soluble fibre in breast milk and their structure is available to act as competitive ligands protecting the breast-fed infant from pathogens and act as well as prebiotic. They may also act as source of sialic acid and galactose, essential for brain development. This is why today there is an increasing health and industrial interest in human milk oligosaccharides content, with the main purpose of incorporating them as new ingredients in infant nutrition.

Método para el cálculo en "ordenadores personales" de los "valores esperados" de variables antropométricas sobre composición corporal / Method for calculation in personal computers of expected values of anthropometric variables on body composition

Se presenta un programa para incorporar a cualquier ordenador personal (micro-procesador) que posea lenguaje BASIC. Dicho programa permite calcular los valores esperados (percentil 50) y el rango de variación "admisible" (percentiles 3 y 97) de los espesores de los pliegues cutáneos bicipital tricipital y subescapular, así como del perímetro del brazo, tanto en niños como en niñas con edades comprendidas entre los 6 y 14 años. Es fácilmente modificable a cualquier población estudiada, y elabora también un diagnóstico antropométrico. Con este programa se facilita enormemente el manejo e interpretación de algunas variables biométricas usuales, relacionadas con la composición corporal, necesarias para el análisis completo del estado nutricional actual, tanto en individuos como en colectividades

Aplicación del cálculo de valores antropométricos mediante microprocesador al diagnóstico nutricional / Use of anthropometric values calculation with microprocessors for nutritional diagnosis

El propósito de este trabajo fue buscar la posibilidad de realizar un primer diagnóstico nutricional, lo más preciso posible, a partir de información antropométrica, en niños de edad escolar (6 a 14 años), de Madrid. Para ello, dos antropometristas debidamente entrenados obtuvieron datos de talla completa y de rodillas, circunferencia cefálica y torácica, y peso en una muestra aleatoria integrada por 333 niños y niñas que cursan sus estudios en un colegio nacional del centro urbano de Madrid. Se presentan y analizan los datos recogidos, y a partir de ellos calculamos las ecuaciones de ajuste de cada una de las variables antropométricas en función de la edad del sexo, así como algunas relaciones entre ellas mismas. Su empleo simplifica la obtención de los valores de referencia biométricos, además de permitir interpolaciones precisas para edades concretas. Todos estos algoritmos han sido traducidos a sentencias BASIC para su fácil incorporación a cualquier microprocesador. Igualmente presentamos un primer modelo de diagnóstico sobre la historia nutricional pasada y presente de los niños en función de la edad y sexo, talla completa y de rodillas y peso de cada uno de ellos. En este caso también aportamos el "programa", en BASIC, necesario para su incorporación a ordenadores