A straightforward approach based on thiol-ene click chemistry was used to prepare novel functional polyesters containing amino groups. First, a series of well-defined alkene-functional poly(3caprolactone)s were prepared by ring-opening polymerization of a-allyl-3-caprolactone with 3caprolactone in toluene and in bulk using tin 2-ethylhexanoate as catalyst. These functional polyesters were fully characterized by 1 H NMR, GPC, and MALDI-TOF MS. The resulting random copolyesters were obtained with a wide range of molar masses from 3000 to 50 000 g mol À1 and a good incorporation of the a-allyl-3-caprolactone monomer unit. Then, thiol-ene reaction of alkene-functional PCL with the 2-(Boc-amino)ethanethiol was used to prepare efficiently polyesters bearing protected amino groups without chain degradation. Finally, cationic and water-soluble polyesters bearing free amino groups were recovered by cleavage of the Boc protecting group. These aminated polyesters were characterized by 1 H NMR in deuterated water.

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Since allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is not harmless, multiple alternatives to ABT (AABT) have emerged, though there is great variability in their indications and appropriate use. This variability results from the interaction of a number of factors, including the specialty of the physician, knowledge and preferences, the degree of anemia, transfusion policy, and AABT availability. Since AABTs are not harmless and may not meet cost-effectiveness criteria, such variability is unacceptable. The Spanish Societies of Anesthesiology (SEDAR), Hematology and Hemotherapy (SEHH), Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH), Critical Care Medicine (SEMICYUC), Thrombosis and Hemostasis (SETH) and Blood Transfusion (SETS) have developed a Consensus Document for the proper use of AABTs. A panel of experts convened by these 6 Societies have conducted a systematic review of the medical literature and have developed the 2013 Seville Consensus Document on Alternatives to Allogeneic Blood Transfusion, which only considers those AABT aimed at decreasing the transfusion of packed red cells. AABTs are defined as any pharmacological or non-pharmacological measure aimed at decreasing the transfusion of red blood cell concentrates, while preserving patient safety. For each AABT, the main question formulated, positively or negatively, is: « Does this particular AABT reduce the transfusion rate or not?» All the recommendations on the use of AABTs were formulated according to the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

Intrauterine adhesions lead to partial or complete obliteration of the uterine cavity and have life-changing consequences for women. The leading cause of adhesions is believed to be loss of stroma resulting from trauma to the endometrium after surgery. Adhesions are formed when lost stroma is replaced by fibrous tissue that join the uterine walls. Few effective intrauterine anti-adhesion barriers for gynecological surgery exist. We designed a degradable anti-adhesion medical device prototype to prevent adhesion formation and recurrence and restore uterine morphology. We focused on ideal degradation time for complete uterine re-epithelialization for optimal anti-adhesion effect and clinical usability. We developed a triblock copolymer prototype [poly(lactide) combined with high molecular mass poly(ethylene oxide)]. Comparative pre-clinical studies demonstrated in vivo anti-adhesion efficacy. Ease of introduction and optimal deployment in a human uterus confirmed clinical usability. This article provides preliminary data to develop an intrauterine medical device and conduct a clinical trial.

Macromolecular contrast agents are very attractive to afford efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visualization of implantable medical devices.

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Catestatin (CST), a fragment of Chromogranin-A, exerts angiogenic, arteriogenic, vasculogenic and cardioprotective effects. CST is a very promising agent for revascularization purposes, in "NO-OPTION" patients. However, peptides have a very short half-life after administration and must be conveniently protected. Fibronectin-coated 30 pharmacologically active microcarriers (FN-PAM), are biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric microspheres that can convey mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) and therapeutic proteins delivered in a prolonged manner. In this study, we first evaluated whether a small peptide such as CST could be nanoprecipitated and incorporated within FN-PAMs.