Because bone-associated diseases are increasing, a variety of tissue engineering approaches with bone regeneration purposes have been proposed over the last years. Bone tissue provides a number of important physiological and structural functions in the human body, being essential for hematopoietic maintenance and for providing support and protection of vital organs. Therefore, efforts to develop the ideal scaffold which is able to guide the bone regeneration processes is a relevant target for tissue engineering researchers. Several techniques have been used for scaffolding approaches, such as diverse types of biomaterials. On the other hand, metallic biomaterials are widely used as support devices in dentistry and orthopedics, constituting an important complement for the scaffolds. Hence, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the degradable biomaterials and metal biomaterials proposed for bone regeneration in the orthopedic and dentistry fields in the last years.

With the aim to maximize dry matter (DM) yield, several associations of two grasses (orchard grass, Dactylis glomerata, and perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne), and one legume (white clover, Trifolium repens) were studied. Five proportions (%) of white clover, orchard grass and perennial ryegrass were utilized: 40:30:30; 40:0:60; 40:60:0; 40:20:40 and 40:40:20, and allocated in 20 experimental units, under a randomized block design with four replications. The measured variables were dry matter yield, growth rate, plant height, and botanical composition. Swards were grazed by sheep Suffolk x Dorset, every four weeks in spring-summer and every six weeks in autumn-winter. The 40:20:40 association showed the highest DM yield, wich was 52% higher than that of 40:60:0 with the lowest value (P ≤ 0.05). In all the associations, the highest DM yield was observed in spring-summer and the lowest in autumn-winter, with 65 and 35% of the annual yield. On average, white clover, orchard grass and perennial ryegrass contributed 51, 31 and 17% of the total DM yield, respectively. The best associations were 40:20:40 and 40:30:30. From the mixture analysis, the ideal proportion that maximizes DM yield was 40, 23, and 37% of white clover, orchard grass and perennial ryegrass, respectively. These values were obtained using the following regression equation: DM yield (kg ha-1) = 11906 (orchard grass proportion) + 14913 (perennial ryegrass proportion) + 12770 (orchard grass proportion) x (perennial ryegrass proportion).

Se evaluaron varias asociaciones de dos gramíneas (ovillo, Dactylis glomerata; y ballico perenne, Lolium perenne) y una leguminosa (trébol blanco, Trifolium repens) en diferentes proporciones, para buscar la de máximo rendimiento de materia seca (MS). Se utilizaron cinco proporciones (%) de trébol blanco, ovillo y ballico perenne: 40:30:30; 40:0:60; 40:60:0; 40:20:40 y 40:40:20, que se distribuyeron en 20 unidades experimentales bajo un diseño de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Las variables evaluadas fueron: rendimiento de materia seca, tasa de crecimiento, altura de planta y composición botánica. Las praderas fueron pastoreadas por ovinos de la cruza entre las razas Suffolk x Dorset, cada cuatro semanas en primavera-verano y cada seis en otoño-invierno. La asociación 40:20:40 mostró el mayor rendimiento de MS que superó en 52% a la asociación 40:60:0 que produjo el valor más bajo (P ≤ 0.05). En todas las asociaciones el mayor rendimiento de MS ocurrió en primavera-verano y el menor en otoño-invierno, con 65 y 35% del rendimiento anual. En promedio, trébol blanco, ballico perenne y pasto ovillo aportaron 51, 34 y 17% respectivamente, del rendimiento de MS. Las mejores asociaciones fueron 40:20:40 y 40:30:30. Del análisis de mezclas se obtuvo que la asociación que maximiza el rendimiento de MS fue 40, 23 y 37% de trébol blanco, ovillo y ballico perenne, respectivamente. Dicho valor se obtuvo con la ecuación: Rendimiento de MS (kg ha-1) = 11906 (proporción de pasto ovillo) + 14913 (proporción de ballico perenne) + 12770 (proporción de pasto ovillo) x (proporción de ballico perenne).

Introduction: Post-herpetic neuralgia is the algic condition that remains when the vesicles of an acute episode of herpes zoster have disappeared after a minimum period of 8-12 weeks. Up to 50% of patients older than 70 years will develop this condition after an acute episode of herpes zoster. Its physiopathological basis is still unclear, so its prevention is difficult and its treatment is aimed to symptoms. Materials and methods: One hundred patients were randomized to one of the study groups (n = 25): group A1, patients < 70 years of age treated with increasing doses of gabapentin; group A2, patients > 70 years of age treated with gabapentin and endovenous lidocaine; group B2, patients > 70 years of age treated with gabapentin and endovenous lidocaine. Pain reported by the patient was assessed at four time points during the first four weeks. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed (p < 0,05) in the mean VAS scores reported by the patients, with a lower VAS score within the groups treated with endovenous lidocaine and in patients < 70 years of age in both groups. Conclusions: The treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia is aimed to symptoms. Local anesthetics have been successfully used for some types of neuropathic pain. Endovenous lidocaine can be useful as co-adjuvant during the initial treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia, since it significantly reduces the VAS score reported by patients. Aged patients had a poorer response to the use of lidocaine, as well as lower mean VAS scores, compared to patients that did not received lidocaine.

Introducción: La neuralgia postherpética es el cuadro álgico que permanece tras desaparecer las vesículas del episodio agudo del herpes zóster, habiendo pasado un periodo mínimo de tiempo de 8-12 semanas. Hasta un 50% de los pacientes con edad superior a 70 años, lo desarrollará tras el episodio agudo de herpes zóster. Sus bases fisiopatológicas no han sido aclaradas, por lo que su prevención es difícil y su tratamiento sintomático. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron 100 pacientes incluidos de forma aleatoria en uno de los grupos diseñados (n = 25): grupo A1, pacientes menores de 70 años, tratados con gabapentina a dosis crecientes; grupo A2, pacientes mayores de 70 años, tratados con gabapentina a dosis crecientes; grupo B1, pacientes menores de 70 años tratados con gabapentina y lidocaína endovenosa; grupo B2, pacientes mayores de 70 años tratados con gabapentina y lidocaína endovenosa. Se evaluó el dolor referido por el paciente en cuatro momentos a lo largo de las cuatro primeras semanas. Resultados: Se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas, p < 0,05, en las medias de EVA referido por los pacientes, presentando una EVA menor los grupos tratados con lidocaína endovenosa y pacientes menores de 70 años en ambos grupos. Conclusiones: El tratamiento de la neuralgia postherpética es un tratamiento sintomático. Los anestésicos locales han sido utilizados con éxito en algunos tipos de dolor neuropático. La lidocaína endovenosa puede ser útil como coadyuvante en el periodo inicial del tratamiento de la neuralgia posthetpética, al reducir significativamente la EVA referida por los pacientes. Los pacientes de edad avanzada respondieron peor al uso de lidocaína, aunque presentaron medias de EVA inferiores a los pacientes a los que no se administró lidocaína.