Lleonard Barrios | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (original) (raw)

Papers by Lleonard Barrios

2017 IEEE 30th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

This paper describes the first insights on the use of piezoelectric two-dimensional nanostructure... more This paper describes the first insights on the use of piezoelectric two-dimensional nanostructures or nanoflakes (NFs) to electrically stimulate living cells. In the past years, piezoelectric nanostructures have been widely used to fabricate power generators or energy harvesting devices. However, the number of biological applications of this kind of materials is more reduced. We have demonstrated that mechanical interaction produced between the cell and the nanostructures generates a local piezopotential that can induce changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. This observation makes possible the use of nanodevices based on piezoelectric materials for in-situ stimulation of electrically responsive cells like neurons or muscle cells.

The present invention relates to an encoded microparticle for labeling an isolated cell or an iso... more The present invention relates to an encoded microparticle for labeling an isolated cell or an isolated embryo characterized in that it is made of a biocompatible material and its external shape comprises a code by which it can be identified. The use of an encoded microparticle for labeling and/or tracking isolated biological material. A method of tracking an encoded microparticle in or attached to an isolated cell or embryo using an optical microscope, preferably an inverted optical microscope with an objective substantially between 20X -1 00x.mPeer reviewedUniversitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España)A1 Solicitud de patente con informe sobre el estado de la técnic

Due to the increase in the use of assisted reproduction techniques, improvement of sample traceab... more Due to the increase in the use of assisted reproduction techniques, improvement of sample traceability is essential. As an alternative to current systems of reproductive samples identification, our group work in the development of systems for direct sample codification. In a previous work, we presented a system based on the introduction of polysilicon barcodes into the periviteline space of mouse embryos. Although this system was effective, it showed some limitations. In the present work, we present an alternative approach to overcome these limitations: the attachment of the barcodes to the outer surface of the zona pellucida. This new approach results in an identification rate of 95.6% and this effectiveness is preserved after cryopreservation procedures

Metallic alloys have been widely used for orthopedic implants since the beginning of the last cen... more Metallic alloys have been widely used for orthopedic implants since the beginning of the last century. Compared to ceramics and polymers, metallic alloys present excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In this chapter, we review the different in vitro assays currently used to test the biocompatibility of new materials designed to be used in orthopedics: cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, mineralization of the extracellular matrix and detection of inflammatory response. In addition, the known causes of alloy toxicity, namely ion release due to material corrosion and characteristics of the material surface (wettability, charge, or topography), are also discussed.

Els micromaterials i nanomaterials presenten unes propietats fisicoquimiques uniques i controlabl... more Els micromaterials i nanomaterials presenten unes propietats fisicoquimiques uniques i controlables, les quals han permes la creacio d'eines innovadores per tal d'afrontar alguns dels reptes que presenten diferents branques de la ciencia i tecnologia, incloent la medicina moderna. El creixement exponencial de la microtecnologia i nanotecnologia en els ultims anys ha generat la necessitat de coneixer millor el comportament dels micromaterials i nanomaterials en ambients fisiologics, especialment a nivell cel·lular, per tal d'assegurar un desenvolupament segur i eficient. En aquest context, l'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi ha estat estudiar la interaccio entre diferents tipus de microparticules i cel·lules. Amb aquesta finalitat, es van dur a terme tres treballs diferents. Primer, s'ha avaluat l'impacte del recobriment de microparticules amb lipids i polimers cationics en la seva internalitzacio en cel·lules no fagocitiques HeLa. En concret, s'ha obs...

Nanoscale, 2019

Electrospinning and plasma post-modification lead to PVDF scaffolds with favorable electromechani... more Electrospinning and plasma post-modification lead to PVDF scaffolds with favorable electromechanical properties and enhanced wettability.

Pharmaceutics, 2019

Purpose: To determine if the specific targeting of microparticles improves their internalization ... more Purpose: To determine if the specific targeting of microparticles improves their internalization by cells under fluidic conditions. Methods: Two isogenic breast epithelial cell lines, one overexpressing the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) oncogene (D492HER2) and highly tumorigenic and the other expressing HER2 at much lower levels and non-tumorigenic (D492), were cultured in the presence of polystyrene microparticles of 1 µm in diameter, biofunctionalized with either a specific anti-HER2 antibody or a non-specific secondary antibody. Mono- and cocultures of both cell lines in static and fluidic conditions were performed, and the cells with internalized microparticles were scored. Results: Globally, the D492 cell line showed a higher endocytic capacity than the D492HER2 cell line. Microparticles that were functionalized with the anti-HER2 antibody were internalized by a higher percentage of cells than microparticles functionalized with the non-specific secondary antib...

Scientific Reports, 2018

in fresh medium for 4 h before irradiation. After irradiation, cells were cultured for 1 h before... more in fresh medium for 4 h before irradiation. After irradiation, cells were cultured for 1 h before further processing. Cells without µP-Tf-A488 and with/without AlPc were used as controls. The cytotoxicity of the microparticles and AlPc in dark conditions and after irradiation was evaluated and compared with control cultures in absence of microparticles and AlPc in dark conditions or after irradiation. Cells were seeded in 24-well dishes at a density of 50,000 cells/well, incubated with or without µP-1-Tf-488 and with or without 2 µg/ml AlPc and irradiated for 30 s or kept in dark conditions. After 24 and 72 h of irradiation, cell viability was determined by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO), reading the 540 nm absorbance using a Victor 3 Multilabel Plate Reader (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA). All photodynamic experiments were performed in triplicate.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland), Jan 24, 2017

Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the... more Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the aim to obtain biocompatible, biodegradable and, eventually, magnetically-steerable platforms. Room-temperature ferromagnetic response was observed in both Fe- and FeMnSi-coated membranes. Good cell viability was observed in both cases by means of cytotoxicity studies, though the FeMnSi-coated membranes showed higher biodegradability than the Fe-coated ones. Various strategies to functionalize the porous platforms with transferrin-Alexa Fluor 488 (Tf-AF488) molecules were tested to determine an optimal balance between the functionalization yield and the cargo release. The distribution of Tf-AF488 within the FeMnSi-coated PP membranes, as well as its release and uptake by cells, was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A homogeneous distribution of the drug within the membrane skeleton and its sustained release was achieved after three consecutive impregnations followed by the a...

Advanced Materials, 2017

C3-3-R). G.M. acknowledges his JAE-Doc contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)... more C3-3-R). G.M. acknowledges his JAE-Doc contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) under the "Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios" Programme, cofunded by the "European Social Fund (ESF)". The authors would like to thank H. Lozano and N. Domingo for performing the piezoresponse measurements. In addition, the authors would like to show their gratitude to Hysitron, Inc. (www.hysitron.com) for carrying out the pico-indentation characterization.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

Purpose: To set up an operational basis of the Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry (RE... more Purpose: To set up an operational basis of the Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry (RENEB) network within which the application of seven established biodosimetric tools (the dicentric assay, the FISH assay, the micronucleus assay, the PCC assay, the gamma-H2AX assay, electron paramagnetic resonance and optically stimulated luminescence) will be compared and standardized among the participating laboratories. Methodology: Two intercomparisons were organized where blood samples and smartphone components were irradiated, coded and sent out to participating laboratories for dosimetric analysis. Moreover, an accident exercise was organized during which each RENEB partner had the chance to practice the procedure of activating the network and to handle large amounts of dosimetric results. Results: All activities were carried out as planned. Overall, the precision of dose estimates improved between intercomparisons 1 and 2, clearly showing the value of running such regular activities. Conclusions: The RENEB network is fully operational and ready to act in case of a major radiation emergency. Moreover, the high capacity for analyzing radiation-induced damage in cells and personal electronic devices makes the network suitable for large-scale analyses of low doses effects, where high numbers of samples must be scored in order to detect weak effects.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

Purpose: In the frame of the QA program of RENEB, an inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) of calibra... more Purpose: In the frame of the QA program of RENEB, an inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) of calibration sources used in biological dosimetry was achieved to investigate the influence of calibration practices and protocols on the results of the dose estimation performance as a first step to harmonization and standardization of dosimetry and irradiation practices in the European biological dosimetry network. Materials and methods: Delivered doses by irradiation facilities used by RENEB partners were determined with EPR/alanine dosimetry system. Dosimeters were irradiated in the same conditions as blood samples. A short survey was also performed to collect the information needed for the data analysis and evaluate the diversity of practices. Results: For most of partners the deviation of delivered dose from the targeted dose remains below 10%. Deviations larger than 10% were observed for five facilities out of 21. Origins of the largest discrepancies were identified. Correction actions were evaluated as satisfactory. The re-evaluation of some ILC results for the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC) assays has been performed leading to an improvement of the overall performances. Conclusions: This work has shown the importance of dosimetry in radiobiology studies and the needs of harmonization, standardization in irradiation and dosimetry practices and educational training for biologists using ionizing radiation.

Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2016

Cell viability and release ion concentration of two newly developed Fe-based alloys.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, ... more The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

International journal of radiation biology, Jan 20, 2016

RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,&... more RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,' is a network for research and emergency response mutual assistance in biodosimetry within the EU. Within this extremely active network, a number of new dosimetry methods have recently been proposed or developed. There is a requirement to test and/or validate these candidate techniques and inter-comparison exercises are a well-established method for such validation. The authors present details of inter-comparisons of four such new methods: dicentric chromosome analysis including telomere and centromere staining; the gene expression assay carried out in whole blood; Raman spectroscopy on blood lymphocytes, and detection of radiation-induced thermoluminescent signals in glass screens taken from mobile phones. In general the results show good agreement between the laboratories and methods within the expected levels of uncertainty, and thus demonstrate that there is a lot of potential fo...

A consequence of ionizing radiation is the induction of chromosomal alterations. This causality r... more A consequence of ionizing radiation is the induction of chromosomal alterations. This causality relation involves that chromosomal alterations can be considered a good indicator of the radiological damage. Some chemical agents can modulate the tissue response to radiation. These compounds are useful because they show certain selectivity, protecting the healthy tissues (radioprotectors) or increasing the sensibility of tissues to radiations (radiosensibilizators). Propolis substance has showed radioprotection properties which are performed in the following study. Propolis is a product of extraordinary interest for both medicine and pharmaceutical industry, since it is assumed to show diverse beneficial health effects. Among many other attributes of EEP (propolis ethanolic extract), it exhibits antioxidant and radical free scavenger properties. In a previous study, human peripheral blood lymphocytes were exposed to 2 Gy of γ rays in presence and absence of EEP, and the analysis showed a reduction in the frequency of dicentrics and rings, with a maximum protection of 50%. The proposed concentration for radioprotection would be between 120-500 μg·ml. The cytotoxic effect has been evaluated analyzing the EEP effect in the cellular division cycle. Propolis ethanolic extract (EEP) has been obtained and samples of peripheral blood have been cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of EEP. In order to quantify it, two indexes have been used, the mitotic index and cell proliferation index. For both indexes the cytotoxic effect takes place from 750 μg·ml-1 concentrations onwards. Similar results were obtained for the analysis of chromosomal aberrations. Finally, propolis effect in lymphocytes by sister chromatid exchange test has been presented for higher concentrations of EEP.

Health physics, 2014

In this note, the authors describe the MULTIBIODOSE software, which has been created as part of t... more In this note, the authors describe the MULTIBIODOSE software, which has been created as part of the MULTIBIODOSE project. The software enables doses estimated by networks of laboratories, using up to five retrospective (biological and physical) assays, to be combined to give a single estimate of triage category for each individual potentially exposed to ionizing radiation in a large scale radiation accident or incident. The MULTIBIODOSE software has been created in Java. The usage of the software is based on the MULTIBIODOSE Guidance: the program creates a link to a single SQLite database for each incident, and the database is administered by the lead laboratory. The software has been tested with Java runtime environment 6 and 7 on a number of different Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, using data from a recent intercomparison exercise. The Java program MULTIBIODOSE_1.0.jar is freely available to download from http://www.multibiodose.eu/software or by contacting the software administ...

2017 IEEE 30th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

This paper describes the first insights on the use of piezoelectric two-dimensional nanostructure... more This paper describes the first insights on the use of piezoelectric two-dimensional nanostructures or nanoflakes (NFs) to electrically stimulate living cells. In the past years, piezoelectric nanostructures have been widely used to fabricate power generators or energy harvesting devices. However, the number of biological applications of this kind of materials is more reduced. We have demonstrated that mechanical interaction produced between the cell and the nanostructures generates a local piezopotential that can induce changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. This observation makes possible the use of nanodevices based on piezoelectric materials for in-situ stimulation of electrically responsive cells like neurons or muscle cells.

The present invention relates to an encoded microparticle for labeling an isolated cell or an iso... more The present invention relates to an encoded microparticle for labeling an isolated cell or an isolated embryo characterized in that it is made of a biocompatible material and its external shape comprises a code by which it can be identified. The use of an encoded microparticle for labeling and/or tracking isolated biological material. A method of tracking an encoded microparticle in or attached to an isolated cell or embryo using an optical microscope, preferably an inverted optical microscope with an objective substantially between 20X -1 00x.mPeer reviewedUniversitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España)A1 Solicitud de patente con informe sobre el estado de la técnic

Due to the increase in the use of assisted reproduction techniques, improvement of sample traceab... more Due to the increase in the use of assisted reproduction techniques, improvement of sample traceability is essential. As an alternative to current systems of reproductive samples identification, our group work in the development of systems for direct sample codification. In a previous work, we presented a system based on the introduction of polysilicon barcodes into the periviteline space of mouse embryos. Although this system was effective, it showed some limitations. In the present work, we present an alternative approach to overcome these limitations: the attachment of the barcodes to the outer surface of the zona pellucida. This new approach results in an identification rate of 95.6% and this effectiveness is preserved after cryopreservation procedures

Metallic alloys have been widely used for orthopedic implants since the beginning of the last cen... more Metallic alloys have been widely used for orthopedic implants since the beginning of the last century. Compared to ceramics and polymers, metallic alloys present excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In this chapter, we review the different in vitro assays currently used to test the biocompatibility of new materials designed to be used in orthopedics: cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, mineralization of the extracellular matrix and detection of inflammatory response. In addition, the known causes of alloy toxicity, namely ion release due to material corrosion and characteristics of the material surface (wettability, charge, or topography), are also discussed.

Els micromaterials i nanomaterials presenten unes propietats fisicoquimiques uniques i controlabl... more Els micromaterials i nanomaterials presenten unes propietats fisicoquimiques uniques i controlables, les quals han permes la creacio d'eines innovadores per tal d'afrontar alguns dels reptes que presenten diferents branques de la ciencia i tecnologia, incloent la medicina moderna. El creixement exponencial de la microtecnologia i nanotecnologia en els ultims anys ha generat la necessitat de coneixer millor el comportament dels micromaterials i nanomaterials en ambients fisiologics, especialment a nivell cel·lular, per tal d'assegurar un desenvolupament segur i eficient. En aquest context, l'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi ha estat estudiar la interaccio entre diferents tipus de microparticules i cel·lules. Amb aquesta finalitat, es van dur a terme tres treballs diferents. Primer, s'ha avaluat l'impacte del recobriment de microparticules amb lipids i polimers cationics en la seva internalitzacio en cel·lules no fagocitiques HeLa. En concret, s'ha obs...

Nanoscale, 2019

Electrospinning and plasma post-modification lead to PVDF scaffolds with favorable electromechani... more Electrospinning and plasma post-modification lead to PVDF scaffolds with favorable electromechanical properties and enhanced wettability.

Pharmaceutics, 2019

Purpose: To determine if the specific targeting of microparticles improves their internalization ... more Purpose: To determine if the specific targeting of microparticles improves their internalization by cells under fluidic conditions. Methods: Two isogenic breast epithelial cell lines, one overexpressing the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) oncogene (D492HER2) and highly tumorigenic and the other expressing HER2 at much lower levels and non-tumorigenic (D492), were cultured in the presence of polystyrene microparticles of 1 µm in diameter, biofunctionalized with either a specific anti-HER2 antibody or a non-specific secondary antibody. Mono- and cocultures of both cell lines in static and fluidic conditions were performed, and the cells with internalized microparticles were scored. Results: Globally, the D492 cell line showed a higher endocytic capacity than the D492HER2 cell line. Microparticles that were functionalized with the anti-HER2 antibody were internalized by a higher percentage of cells than microparticles functionalized with the non-specific secondary antib...

Scientific Reports, 2018

in fresh medium for 4 h before irradiation. After irradiation, cells were cultured for 1 h before... more in fresh medium for 4 h before irradiation. After irradiation, cells were cultured for 1 h before further processing. Cells without µP-Tf-A488 and with/without AlPc were used as controls. The cytotoxicity of the microparticles and AlPc in dark conditions and after irradiation was evaluated and compared with control cultures in absence of microparticles and AlPc in dark conditions or after irradiation. Cells were seeded in 24-well dishes at a density of 50,000 cells/well, incubated with or without µP-1-Tf-488 and with or without 2 µg/ml AlPc and irradiated for 30 s or kept in dark conditions. After 24 and 72 h of irradiation, cell viability was determined by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO), reading the 540 nm absorbance using a Victor 3 Multilabel Plate Reader (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA). All photodynamic experiments were performed in triplicate.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland), Jan 24, 2017

Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the... more Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the aim to obtain biocompatible, biodegradable and, eventually, magnetically-steerable platforms. Room-temperature ferromagnetic response was observed in both Fe- and FeMnSi-coated membranes. Good cell viability was observed in both cases by means of cytotoxicity studies, though the FeMnSi-coated membranes showed higher biodegradability than the Fe-coated ones. Various strategies to functionalize the porous platforms with transferrin-Alexa Fluor 488 (Tf-AF488) molecules were tested to determine an optimal balance between the functionalization yield and the cargo release. The distribution of Tf-AF488 within the FeMnSi-coated PP membranes, as well as its release and uptake by cells, was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A homogeneous distribution of the drug within the membrane skeleton and its sustained release was achieved after three consecutive impregnations followed by the a...

Advanced Materials, 2017

C3-3-R). G.M. acknowledges his JAE-Doc contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)... more C3-3-R). G.M. acknowledges his JAE-Doc contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) under the "Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios" Programme, cofunded by the "European Social Fund (ESF)". The authors would like to thank H. Lozano and N. Domingo for performing the piezoresponse measurements. In addition, the authors would like to show their gratitude to Hysitron, Inc. (www.hysitron.com) for carrying out the pico-indentation characterization.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

Purpose: To set up an operational basis of the Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry (RE... more Purpose: To set up an operational basis of the Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry (RENEB) network within which the application of seven established biodosimetric tools (the dicentric assay, the FISH assay, the micronucleus assay, the PCC assay, the gamma-H2AX assay, electron paramagnetic resonance and optically stimulated luminescence) will be compared and standardized among the participating laboratories. Methodology: Two intercomparisons were organized where blood samples and smartphone components were irradiated, coded and sent out to participating laboratories for dosimetric analysis. Moreover, an accident exercise was organized during which each RENEB partner had the chance to practice the procedure of activating the network and to handle large amounts of dosimetric results. Results: All activities were carried out as planned. Overall, the precision of dose estimates improved between intercomparisons 1 and 2, clearly showing the value of running such regular activities. Conclusions: The RENEB network is fully operational and ready to act in case of a major radiation emergency. Moreover, the high capacity for analyzing radiation-induced damage in cells and personal electronic devices makes the network suitable for large-scale analyses of low doses effects, where high numbers of samples must be scored in order to detect weak effects.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

Purpose: In the frame of the QA program of RENEB, an inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) of calibra... more Purpose: In the frame of the QA program of RENEB, an inter-laboratory comparison (ILC) of calibration sources used in biological dosimetry was achieved to investigate the influence of calibration practices and protocols on the results of the dose estimation performance as a first step to harmonization and standardization of dosimetry and irradiation practices in the European biological dosimetry network. Materials and methods: Delivered doses by irradiation facilities used by RENEB partners were determined with EPR/alanine dosimetry system. Dosimeters were irradiated in the same conditions as blood samples. A short survey was also performed to collect the information needed for the data analysis and evaluate the diversity of practices. Results: For most of partners the deviation of delivered dose from the targeted dose remains below 10%. Deviations larger than 10% were observed for five facilities out of 21. Origins of the largest discrepancies were identified. Correction actions were evaluated as satisfactory. The re-evaluation of some ILC results for the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC) assays has been performed leading to an improvement of the overall performances. Conclusions: This work has shown the importance of dosimetry in radiobiology studies and the needs of harmonization, standardization in irradiation and dosimetry practices and educational training for biologists using ionizing radiation.

Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2016

Cell viability and release ion concentration of two newly developed Fe-based alloys.

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2016

The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, ... more The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

International journal of radiation biology, Jan 20, 2016

RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,&... more RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,' is a network for research and emergency response mutual assistance in biodosimetry within the EU. Within this extremely active network, a number of new dosimetry methods have recently been proposed or developed. There is a requirement to test and/or validate these candidate techniques and inter-comparison exercises are a well-established method for such validation. The authors present details of inter-comparisons of four such new methods: dicentric chromosome analysis including telomere and centromere staining; the gene expression assay carried out in whole blood; Raman spectroscopy on blood lymphocytes, and detection of radiation-induced thermoluminescent signals in glass screens taken from mobile phones. In general the results show good agreement between the laboratories and methods within the expected levels of uncertainty, and thus demonstrate that there is a lot of potential fo...

A consequence of ionizing radiation is the induction of chromosomal alterations. This causality r... more A consequence of ionizing radiation is the induction of chromosomal alterations. This causality relation involves that chromosomal alterations can be considered a good indicator of the radiological damage. Some chemical agents can modulate the tissue response to radiation. These compounds are useful because they show certain selectivity, protecting the healthy tissues (radioprotectors) or increasing the sensibility of tissues to radiations (radiosensibilizators). Propolis substance has showed radioprotection properties which are performed in the following study. Propolis is a product of extraordinary interest for both medicine and pharmaceutical industry, since it is assumed to show diverse beneficial health effects. Among many other attributes of EEP (propolis ethanolic extract), it exhibits antioxidant and radical free scavenger properties. In a previous study, human peripheral blood lymphocytes were exposed to 2 Gy of γ rays in presence and absence of EEP, and the analysis showed a reduction in the frequency of dicentrics and rings, with a maximum protection of 50%. The proposed concentration for radioprotection would be between 120-500 μg·ml. The cytotoxic effect has been evaluated analyzing the EEP effect in the cellular division cycle. Propolis ethanolic extract (EEP) has been obtained and samples of peripheral blood have been cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of EEP. In order to quantify it, two indexes have been used, the mitotic index and cell proliferation index. For both indexes the cytotoxic effect takes place from 750 μg·ml-1 concentrations onwards. Similar results were obtained for the analysis of chromosomal aberrations. Finally, propolis effect in lymphocytes by sister chromatid exchange test has been presented for higher concentrations of EEP.

Health physics, 2014

In this note, the authors describe the MULTIBIODOSE software, which has been created as part of t... more In this note, the authors describe the MULTIBIODOSE software, which has been created as part of the MULTIBIODOSE project. The software enables doses estimated by networks of laboratories, using up to five retrospective (biological and physical) assays, to be combined to give a single estimate of triage category for each individual potentially exposed to ionizing radiation in a large scale radiation accident or incident. The MULTIBIODOSE software has been created in Java. The usage of the software is based on the MULTIBIODOSE Guidance: the program creates a link to a single SQLite database for each incident, and the database is administered by the lead laboratory. The software has been tested with Java runtime environment 6 and 7 on a number of different Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, using data from a recent intercomparison exercise. The Java program MULTIBIODOSE_1.0.jar is freely available to download from http://www.multibiodose.eu/software or by contacting the software administ...