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Collagen is a cornerstone protein for tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting due to its outstanding biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and natural abundance in human tissues. Nonetheless, it still poses some important challenges, such as complicated and limited extraction processes, usually accompanied by batchto-batch reproducibility and influence of factors, such as temperature, pH, and ionic strength. In this work, we evaluated the suitability and performance of new, fibrillar type I collagen as standardized and reproducible collagen source for 3D printing and bioprinting. The acidic, native fibrous collagen formulation (5% w/w) performed remarkably during 3D printing, which was possible to print constructs of up to 27 layers without collapsing. On the other hand, the fibrous collagen mass has been modified to provide a fast, reliable, and easily neutralizable process. The neutralization with TRIS-HCl enabled the inclusion of cells without hindering printability. The cell-laden constructs were printed under mild conditions (50–80 kPa, pneumatic 3D printing), providing remarkable cellular viability (>90%) as well as a stable platform for cell growth and proliferation in vitro. Therefore, the native, type I collagen masses characterized in this work offer a reproducible and reliable source of collagen for 3D printing and bioprinting purposes.

Drug adherence is a significant medical issue, often responsible for sub-optimal outcomes during the treatment of chronic diseases such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis. Monoclonal antibodies (which are exclusively given parenterally) have been proven to be an effective treatment in these cases. The use of auto-injectors is an effective strategy to improve drug adherence in parenteral treatments since these pen-like devices offer less discomfort and increased user-friendliness over conventional syringe-based delivery. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of including a monoclonal antibody as a solid formulation inside an auto-injector pen. Specifically, the objective was to evaluate the drug stability after a concentration (to reduce the amount of solvent and space needed) and freeze-drying procedure. A preliminary screening of excipients to improve stability was also performed. The nano-DSC results showed that mannitol improved the stability of the concentrated, freeze-dried antibody in comparison to its counterpart without it. However, a small instability of the CH2 domain was still found for mannitol samples, which will warrant further investigation. The present results serve as a stepping stone towards advancing future drug delivery systems that will ultimately improve the patient experience and associated drug adherence.

Vascular stents (VS) have revolutionized the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by the fact that the implantation of VS in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has become a routine, easily approachable surgical intervention for the treatment of stenosed blood vessels. Despite the evolution of VS throughout the years, more efficient approaches are still required to address the medical and scientific challenges, especially when it comes to peripheral artery disease (PAD). In this regard, three-dimensional (3D) printing is envisaged as a promising alternative to upgrade VS by optimizing the shape, dimensions and stent backbone (crucial for optimal mechanical properties), making them customizable for each patient and each stenosed lesion. Moreover, the combination of 3D printing with other methods could also upgrade the final device. This review focuses on the most recent studies using 3D printing techniques to produce VS, both by itself and in combination with other techniques. The final aim is to provide an overview of the possibilities and limitations of 3D printing in the manufacturing of VS. Furthermore, the current situation of CAD and PAD pathologies is also addressed, thus highlighting the main weaknesses of the already existing VS and identifying research gaps, possible market niches and future directions.

Desde finales de la decimonónica centuria hasta las primeras décadas del siglo pasado, el danzón fue uno de los bailes más populares en Cuba. Este trabajo propone analizar sus antecedentes y establecimiento, así como su posterior evolución y diversificación en distintos subgéneros dados por los cambios socio-musicales del momento. En este sentido, se va a partir de las transformaciones mencionadas para también abordar la importancia de la flauta travesera dentro de la charanga francesa y los intérpretes que a lo largo de las décadas destacaron en la ejecución del danzón. De esta manera, mediante una metodología que aúna el análisis bibliográfico con el musical, se pretenden cumplir los propósitos marcados para la aproximación a este fenómeno sociocultural de la Antilla. Estos objetivos abarcan desde la construcción de un discurso que englobe características histórico-musicales y la recepción actual del género en el país, hasta el acercamiento a la interpretación a través de los estilos de improvisación y los flautistas de las diferentes generaciones., From the end of the nineteenth century until the first decades of the last century, the danzón was one of the most popular dances in Cuba. This work proposes to analyze its antecedents and establishment, as well as its later evolution and diversification into different subgenres due to the socio-musical changes of the time. In this sense, it is going to start from the mentioned transformations to also approach the importance of the transverse flute within the French charanga and the interpreters that throughout the decades stood out in the execution of the danzón. In this way, by a methodology that combines the bibliographical analysis with the musical one, it is intended to fulfill the purposes marked for the approximation to this sociocultural phenomenon of the Antillean Antilles. These objectives range from the construction of a discourse that encompasses historical-musical characteristics and the current reception of the genre in the country, to the approach to the interpretation through the styles of improvisation and the flutists of the different generations.

Memoria del Proyecto de Innovación 139/2021