Publications by authors named "Zoilo Gonzalez"

This study confirms the efficacy of a unique combined pretreatment-functionalization protocol based on the use of deep eutectic solvent (DES) to obtain sulfated lignocellulose and cellulose nanofibers (SLNF or SNF) hydrogels, which have been successfully shaped as sponge-based adsorbents and fruitfully assessed for the removal of heavy metals from water. A comprehensive characterization study was conducted, demonstrating an excellent degree of sulfation (0.62) in DES-treated wheat straw-derived nanofibers.

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Polymeric-based drug delivery systems have become versatile and valuable candidates in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, health, medicine, etc [...

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An innovative colloidal approach is proposed here to carry out the customized functionalization of TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF) incorporating non-noble inorganic nanoparticles. A heterocoagulation process is applied between the delignified CNF and as-synthetized CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) to formulate mixtures which are used in the preparation of aerogels with antibacterial effect, which could be used to manufacture membranes, filters, foams, etc. The involved components of formulated blending, CNF and CuO NPs, were individually obtained by using a biorefinery strategy for agricultural waste valorization, together with an optimized chemical precipitation, assisted by ultrasounds.

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The hornification processes undergone by the fibers in the paper industry recycling processes lead to the loss of properties of the final products, which exhibit poor mechanical properties. Among the most promising solutions is the reinforcement of secondary fibers with cellulose nanofibers. The present work addresses two important issues: the efficient production of cellulose nanofibers from scarcely exploited agricultural wastes such as horticultural residues and vine shoots, and their application as a reinforcement agent in recycled linerboard recycling processes.

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Colloidal processing techniques, based on the suspension of powders in a liquid, are very versatile techniques to fabricate porous structures. They can provide customized pores, shapes and surfaces through the control of operational parameters, being the base of the alternative additive manufacture processes. In this work disperse and stable titanium aqueous slurries has been formulated in order to process porous materials by the incorporation of methylcellulose (MC) as a gelation agent and ammonium bicarbonate as an expansive porogen.

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Among several ions playing a vital role in the body, Sr and Mg are involved in the mechanism of bone formation, making them especially useful for bone tissue engineering applications. Recently, polylactic acid (PLA)/Mg composites have emerged as a promising family of biomaterials due to their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability properties. In these composites, polymer and bio-metal have a synergetic effect-while the PLA inhibits the Mg fast reactivity, Mg provides bioactivity to the inert polymer buffering the medium pH during degradation.

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Core-sheath nanofibrous scaffolds from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-strontium ranelate (SrR)-Polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared by water in oil electrospinning method. Thus, PCL (the oil phase) was used as the shell part and a mixture of PVA and SrR (the water phase) was inserted in the core. The amounts of SrR was varied from 0 to 15 wt.

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Implantable devices are versatile and promising drug delivery systems, and their advantages are well established. Of these advantages, long-acting drug delivery is perhaps the most valuable. Hydrophilic compounds are particularly difficult to deliver for prolonged times.

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Among strontium-based drugs, the Strontium ranelate (SrR) is a divalent strontium salt of ranelic acid which has an overall effect over the bone microarchitecture improvement. However, some findings reveal that the SrR affects in an opposite manner to the cell proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation, based on its concentration. Consequently, its release should be controlled.

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Extensive efforts are being made to find alternative uses for lignin (LIG). In the present work the use of this biopolymer as excipient to prepare tablets was studied. For this purpose, LIG was combined with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and used as excipients to prepare directly compressed tablets containing a model drug, tetracycline (TC).

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Rapidly growing vegetables could be an abundant and cheap sources of lignocellulose biomass for lignocellulose nanofibre (LCNF) production. The aim of this work is to study the feasibility of using Chamaecytisus proliferus and Leucaena leucocephala for LCNF isolation by mechanical, enzymatic and TEMPO-mediated oxidation pre-treatments. Characterisation of the nanofibres shows that there are significant differences in the production of LCNF depending on the raw material and pre-treatment used.

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Anemia is very common entity or comorbidity in surgical patients. Its management involves a multidisciplinary approach with the aim of optimizing the available therapeutic resources with individualized care for each clinical situation. Rational use of blood transfusions, iron therapy (oral and intravenous), erythropoiesis stimulating agents and other therapeutic alternatives by physicians must achieve maximal benefit with minimal complications for our patients.

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Introduction: A case of thoracic-abdominal dissection after open surgical exclusion of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm is presented.

Case Presentation: A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with a rapid increase in maximal diameter. She underwent surgery for aneurysm exclusion by an end-to-end aortoaortic bypass with Dacron collagen (Intervascular; WL Gore & Associates Inc, USA).

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