Mineralization behaviour of some new phema-based copolymers with potential uses in tissue engineering

This paper reports the mineralization ability of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 2-methacryloylamido glutamic acid (MAGA) based copolymers incubated in synthetic fluids. MAGA monomer was obtained by organic synthesis and next p(HEMA-co-MAGA) copolymers with different compositions were prepared by bulk radical polymerization using benzoyle peroxide as initiator and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate as cross-linking agent. The monomer and polymers were further characterized by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy to confirm their structure. Finally, polymers ability to initiate the formation and growth of HA crystals onto their surface in synthetic fluids was proven. SEM analysis showed the formation of apatite-like crystals (calcospherites), fact confirmed also by EDX analysis

A geographical methodology for assessing nodality of a road network. Case study on the western Moldavia

The study tests the concept of nodality in a three-dimensional space, both as a projection of the physical-geographical support and an expression of topological centrality, which is insufficiently employed in papers attempting to evaluate the geographical or potential accessibility. The junctions of the reticular systems will be positioned differently within the network depending on the acquired nodality values, which may influence through their importance the potential for development of the polarized territory. By focusing on a methodology specific to nomothetic epistemology, aimed at highlighting the vulnerabilities induced by the dysfunctions within the road network and obtaining nodal hierarchies, the study allows for the extraction of legitimate relationships, which can be extrapolated beyond the particular space matrix selected for demonstration purposes only

Orange IV stabilizes silk fibroin microemulsions

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural biopolymer that has been extensively studied in various applications due to its impressive mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Recently, SF-based particles have been proposed as controlled drug delivery systems. A new and efficient method to prepare SF microemulsions (SF-MEs) was developed by oil-in-water emulsions using high-pressure homogenization to promote emulsification. During SF-ME production, the secondary structure of SF changed to a more stable conformation (from random coil to -sheets), thus allowing the formation of small and stable (140.7 ± 1.9 nm; polydispersity index, 0.25) SF microparticles (SF-MPs). The efficiency of SF-MP formation was 60%. Orange IV was used as a model compound for incorporation and release studies, although its incorporation into the SF-MEs significantly improved particle size and size distribution over at least 4 wk compared to traditional stabilizers (e.g., poloxamer 407, transcutol, Tween 80, and SDS). This should be a call of attention when using dyes as model compounds since they can influence particle properties and lead to misinterpretation of the results. Orange IV showed an incorporation efficiency of 91% and a controlled release over time. Stable SF-MP formulations, further enhanced by orange IV incorporation, provide an innovative method with potential application in pharmaceutical development due to its associated high biocompatibility and release profile.The authors thank the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the project "BioHealth - Biotechnology and Bioengineering Approaches to Improve Health Quality," Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, cofunded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. We would also like to acknowledge CRA - Unita di Ricerca di Apicoltura and Bachicoltura Padova (Italy) for the supply of B. mori silkworm cocoons, and Andreia Vasconcelos for technical support

A methodology for assessing poverty in Moldavia (Romania)

Community poverty, analyzed as the sum of several types of social and territorial deprivation, is the geographical expression of various processes and phenomena, commonly the object of sociological and economic studies. In this paper we performed a statistical compaction of a series of synthetic indicators, generating an indicator called the index of community development. The statistical validation of these results is accompanied by a spatial validation, which identifies the legitimate social structures in rural areas, emphasizing that obtaining valid results in the implementation of territorial development strategies depends more on the consistency of the scientific methods used to interpret statistical analysisLa pobreza comunitaria, analizada como la suma de varios tipos de privación social y territorial, es la expresión geográfica de distintos procesos y fenómenos, y comúnmente es objeto de estudios sociológicos y económicos. En el presente estudio se realizó la condensación estadística de una serie de variables primarias, generándose un indicador sintético, superior desde el punto de vista informativo, que se denomina índice del desarrollo comunitario. La validación estadística de los resultados está acompañada por una validación espacial, identificando el comportamiento de estructuras sociales legítimas en áreas rurales, destacando que la obtención de resultados válidos en la implementación de estrategias de desarrollo territorial dependen más de la consistencia de los métodos científicos utilizados que de interpretaciones estadísticas certera

Metodología para medir la pobreza en Moldavia (Rumania)

Community poverty, analyzed as the sum of several types of social and territorial deprivation, is the geographical expression of various processes and phenomena, commonly the object of sociological and economic studies. In this paper we performed a statistical compaction of a series of synthetic indicators, generating an indicator called the index of community development. The statistical validation of these results is accompanied by a spatial validation, which identifies the legitimate social structures in rural areas, emphasizing that obtaining valid results in the implementation of territorial development strategies depends more on the consistency of the scientific methods used to interpret statistical analysisLa pobreza comunitaria, analizada como la suma de varios tipos de privación social y territorial, es la expresión geográfica de distintos procesos y fenómenos, y comúnmente es objeto de estudios sociológicos y económicos. En el presente estudio se realizó la condensación estadística de una serie de variables primarias, generándose un indicador sintético, superior desde el punto de vista informativo, que se denomina índice del desarrollo comunitario. La validación estadística de los resultados está acompañada por una validación espacial, identificando el comportamiento de estructuras sociales legítimas en áreas rurales, destacando que la obtención de resultados válidos en la implementación de estrategias de desarrollo territorial dependen más de la consistencia de los métodos científicos utilizados que de interpretaciones estadísticas certera