Electrospun silk-elastin-like fiber mats for tissue engineering applications

Protein-based polymers are present in a wide variety of organisms fulfilling structural and mechanical roles. Advances in protein engineering and recombinant DNA technology allow the design and production of recombinant protein-based polymers (rPBPs) with an absolute control of its composition. Although the application of recombinant proteins as biomaterials is still an emerging technology, the possibilities are limitless and far superior to natural or synthetic materials, as the complexity of the structural design can be fully customized. In this work, we report the electrospinning of two new genetically engineered silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) consisting of alternate silk- and elastin-like blocks. Electrospinning was performed with formic acid and aqueous solutions at different concentrations without addition of further agents. The size and morphology of the electrospun structures was characterized by scanning electron microscopy showing to be dependent of concentration and solvent used. Treatment with air saturated with methanol was employed to stabilize the structure and promote water insolubility through a time-dependent conversion of random coils into β-sheets (FTIR). The resultant methanol-treated electrospun mats were characterized for swelling degree (570-720%), water vapour transmission rate (1083 g/m2/day) and mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity of ~126 MPa). Furthermore, the methanol-treated SELP fiber mats showed no cytotoxicity and were able to support adhesion and proliferation of normal human skin fibroblasts. Adhesion was characterized by a filopodia-mediated mechanism. These results demonstrate that SELP fiber mats can provide promising solutions for the development of novel biomaterials suitable for tissue engineering applications.

Modifying fish gelatin electrospun membranes for biomedical applications: cross- linking and swelling behavior

Development of suitable membranes is a fundamental requisite for tissue and biomedical engineering applications. This work presents fish gelatin random and aligned electrospun membranes cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA). It was observed that the fiber average diameter and the morphology is not influenced by the GA exposure time and presents fibers with an average diameter around 250 nm. Moreover, when the gelatin mats are immersed in a phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS), they can retain as much as 12 times its initial weight of solution almost instantaneously, but the material microstructure of the fiber mats changes from the characteristic fibrous to an almost spherical porous structure. Cross-linked gelatin electrospun fiber mats and films showed a water vapor permeability of 1.37 ± 0.02 and 0.13 ± 0.10 (g.mm)/(m2.h.kPa), respectively. Finally, the processing technique and cross-linking process does not inhibit MC-3T3-E1 cell adhesion. Preliminary cell culture results showed good cell adhesion and proliferation in the cross-linked random and aligned gelatin fiber mats.

NOVA ANOTAÇÃO SINTÉTICA, NUMA PERSPECTIVA DE DIREITO PÚBLICO, AINDA AO ACÓRDÃO 212/95, DO TRIBUNAL CONSTITUCIONAL (PORTUGUÊS), DE 20.04.1995 - O DEVER FUNDAMENTAL DE EXISTIR NA LEI EM VIGOR UMA RESPONSABILIDADE CRIMINAL DAS "PESSOAS COLECTIVAS" (OU "PESSOAS JURÍDICAS") E A CONSTITUIÇÃO DA REPÚBLICA PORTUGUESA, V.G. O CASO DO ART. 7º DO REGIME GERAL DAS INFRACÇÕES TRIBUTÁRIAS E DO ART. 3.º DO REGIME DAS INFRACÇÕES ANTIECONÓMICAS E CONTRA A SAÚDE PÚBLICA

Resumo: 1 – Sumário do Acórdão do Tribunal Constitucional n.º 212/1995, de 20 de Abril; 2 – Parte principal do Acórdão do Tribunal Constitucional n.º 212/1995, de 20 de Abril: cfr. http://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/19950212.html , 18 de Maio de 2012; 3 – Anotação sintética; 3.1 – Introdução à anotação sintética e suas características neste caso concreto; 4 – O RIAECSP (Regime das Infracções Anti-Económicas e Contra a Saúde Pública) e a responsabilidade criminal das pessoas colectivas e equiparadas, prevista no seu art. 3.º; 5 – Societas delinquere non potest?; 6 – Breves traços históricos do brocardo societas delinquere non potest; 7 - Alguns dos marcos relevantes na Doutrina penal portuguesa recente acerca da responsabilidade penal das organizações, entes colectivos, pessoas colectivas, pessoas jurídicas; 8 - Os art.os 12.º/2 e 2.º da CRP e a Responsabilidade Criminal dos Entes Colectivos, pessoas jurídicas; 9 - O art. 29.º/5 da CRP - ou o princípio non bis in idem - e a responsabilidade criminal das organizações, dos entes colectivos, das pessoas colectivas; 10 – Conclusões. § Summary: 1 - Summary Judgment of the Constitutional Court No. 212/1995 of 20 April; 2 - The main part of the Constitutional Court Ruling No. 212/1995 of 20 April: cfr. http://www.tribunalconstitucional.pt/tc/acordaos/19950212.html, May 18, 2012; 3 - short annotation; 3.1 - Introduction to synthetic note and its features in this particular case; 4 - The RIAECSP (Status of Anti-Economic Offences and Against Public Health) and the criminal liability of companies and similar persons, provided for in his art. 3; 5 - delinquere Societas non potest ?; 6 - Brief historical traces of societas aphorism delinquere non potest; 7 - Some of the important milestones in recent Portuguese criminal Doctrine about the criminal liability of organizations, public entities, legal persons, legal entities; 8 - art.os 12/2 and 2 of CRP and Criminal Responsibility of loved Collective, legal entities; 9 - Art. 29/5 CRP - or the principle of non bis in idem - and the criminal liability of organizations, collective entities, of legal persons; 10 - Conclusions.

«Da “(In)constitucionalidade da Criminalização do Lenocínio Sem Violência Física e/ou Psicológica: Um Problema, v.g., de Prostituição, de Doenças Contagiosas e de Tributos»

Será que tem sentido do ponto de vista constitucional criminalizar o lenocínio? E porque não regulamentar nomeadamente através do pagamento de impostos e tributos? § Does it make sense from a constitutional point of view criminalize pimping? And why not regulate in particular through the payment of taxes and duties?