Amniotic membrane, clinical applications and tissue engineering. Review of its ophthalmic use. / Membrana amniótica, aplicaciones clínicas e ingeniería tisular. Revisión de su uso oftalmológico.

The use of amniotic membrane in ophthalmology has been increasing in recent years due to its multiple biological and tectonic properties, improvement in the process of obtaining, ease of use, and advancement in tissue engineering. The amniotic membrane has become one of the main adjuvant treatments, in ophthalmic surgery as well as in other medical-surgical specialties. The development of tissue engineering has allowed it to be used, not only in its classic form, but also by the use of drops and other presentations. The different steps prior to its use (preparation and conservation), the different surgical techniques, and their main clinical applications are described throughout the article.

An integrated methodology to assess the benefits of urban green space.

The interrelated issues of urban sprawl, traffic congestion, noise, and air pollution are major socioeconomic problems faced by most European cities. A methodology is currently being developed for evaluating the role of green space and urban form in alleviating the adverse effects of urbanisation, mainly focusing on the environment but also accounting for socioeconomic aspects. The objectives and structure of the methodology are briefly outlined and illustrated with preliminary results obtained from case studies performed on several European cities.

[Effect of body weight and acute mesenteric ischemia duration on the mortality of rats subjected to intestinal revascularization]. / Influencia del peso corporal y del período de isquemia mesentérica aguda en la mortalidad de ratas sometidas a revascularización intestinal.

We have studied the influence of corporal weight and acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) duration on the mortality and average survival of rats submitted to intestinal revascularization. The results demonstrated that mortality is under 50% when the AMI is equal or less than 2 hours. There are also important differences in mortality, for the same AMI duration, depending on the corporal weight and age of the animals. The differences are statistically significant up to 210 g. In conclusion, in experimental studies on intestinal ischemia-revascularization, it is necessary to correct for factors as ischemia duration and weight, which are variables that can alter the results.