Weaving the next generation of (bio)materials: Semi-interpenetrated and interpenetrated polymeric networks for biomedical applications.

Advances in polymer science have led to the development of semi-interpenetrated and interpenetrated networks (SIPN/IPN). The interpenetration procedure allows enhancing several important properties of a polymeric material, including mechanical properties, swelling capability, stimulus-sensitive response, and biological performance, among others. More interestingly, the interpenetration (or semi-interpenetration) can be achieved independent of the material size, that is at the macroscopic, microscopic, or nanometric scale.

Non-Propagating Cracks at the Fatigue Limit of Notches: An Analysis of Notch Sensitivity and Size Effect.

The issues of the high-cycle fatigue resistance of notches and the role of non-propagating short cracks in defining the fatigue notch sensitivity and fatigue limit of the configuration are addressed. A fracture mechanics approach is employed to determine the threshold configuration that defines the associated fatigue limit. The influence of notch sharpness, notch size, intrinsic fatigue limit, microstructural dimensions, and the threshold for crack propagation is examined.

Intrinsic Fatigue Limit and the Minimum Fatigue Crack Growth Threshold.

In the field of long-life fatigue, predicting fatigue lives and limits for mechanical components is crucial for ensuring reliability and safety. Fracture mechanics tools have enabled the estimation of fatigue lives for components with small cracks or defects. However, when dealing with defects larger than the microstructural characteristic size, estimating the fatigue resistance of a material requires determining the cyclic resistance curve for the defect-free matrix, which depends on knowledge of the material's intrinsic fatigue limit.

New Spanish semantic feature production norms for older adults.

Semantic feature production norms are a useful tool for researchers to have empirically collected data about the semantic representations of a particular population. As older adults have been shown to have certain differences in their semantic knowledge organization in comparison with younger adults, it is relevant for them to have their own normative data. Thus we present here the first Spanish semantic feature production norms for older adults.

Effect of anodized zirconium implants on early osseointegration process in adult rats: a histological and histomorphometric study.

Since surface plays a key role in bioactivity, the response of the host to the biomaterial will determine the success or failure of the prosthesis. The purpose of this study is to make an exhaustive analysis of the histological and histochemical characteristics of new bone tissue around Zr implants anodized at 60 V (Zr60) supported by histomorphometric methods in a rat model. Fibrous tissue was observed around the control implants (Zr0) and osteoblasts were identified on the trabeculae close to the implantation site that showed typical cytological characteristics of active secretory cells, regardless of the surface condition.

Expression of Ghrelin and Its Receptor mRNA in Bovine Oocyte and Cumulus Cells.

Energy balance is regulated by ghrelin which is a neuroendocrine modulator. Ghrelin is expressed in reproductive organs. However, the role of ghrelin during maturation (IVM) and bovine preimplantational development is limited.

EPR spectroscopy applied to the study of the TEMPO mediated oxidation of nanocellulose.

Two different methods of pH control were used in the synthesis of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) oxidized cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and the reaction kinetics and degree of oxidation were investigated. In method I the media pH was controlled by addition of NaOH solution. The effect of the oxidant concentration (sodium hypochloride, NaClO) on the final degree of oxidation and crystallinity of the samples was investigated.