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Cartilage Jul 2023The cartilage regeneration field has not yet overcome the issue of effective "shaping": growing regenerated cartilage in the desired shape, and maintaining that shape,...
OBJECTIVE
The cartilage regeneration field has not yet overcome the issue of effective "shaping": growing regenerated cartilage in the desired shape, and maintaining that shape, is problematic. This study reports on a new method of cartilage regeneration in which the cartilage is shaped in three dimensions. Since cartilage is composed only of cartilage cells and an abundant extracellular matrix with no blood circulation, once it is damaged, the lack of nutrient supply means that it is difficult to repair. Scaffold-free cell sheet technology plays an important role in cartilage regeneration, avoiding inflammation and immune response caused by scaffold materials. However, cartilage regenerated from the cell sheet needs to be sculpted and shaped before it can be used for cartilage defect transplantation.
DESIGN
In this study, we used a new ultra-strong magnetic-responsive Fe3O4 nanoparticle (MNP) to shape the cartilage . Super-magnetic Fe3O4 microspheres are manufactured by co-assembling negatively charged Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and positively charged Fe3+ under solvothermal conditions.
RESULTS
The Fe3O4 MNPs are swallowed by chondrocytes, and the MNP-labeled chondrocytes are acted upon by the magnetic field. The predetermined magnetic force makes the tissues coalesce to form a multilayer cell sheet with a predetermined shape. The shaped cartilage tissue is regenerated in the transplanted body, and the nano magnetic control particles do not affect cell viability. The nanoparticles in this study improve the efficiency of cell interaction through super-magnetic modification, and to a certain extent change the way the cells absorb magnetic iron nanoparticles. This phenomenon allows a more orderly and compact alignment of the cartilage cell extracellular matrix, promotes ECM precipitation and cartilage tissue maturation, and improves the efficiency of cartilage regeneration.
CONCLUSION
The magnetic bionic structure, which contains specific magnetic particle-labeled cells, is deposited layer by layer to generate a three-dimensional structure with repair function, and further induce the production of cartilage. This study describes a new method for the regeneration of tissue engineered cartilage which has broad application prospects in regenerative medicine.
PubMed: 37401776
DOI: 10.1177/19476035231183254 -
Disability and Rehabilitation Nov 2023In the USA, low back pain related illness accounts for approximately 149 million workdays lost each year. Initial management of back pain typically involves allied...
In the USA, low back pain related illness accounts for approximately 149 million workdays lost each year. Initial management of back pain typically involves allied healthcare professionals who implement various treatments, such as chiropractic manipulation, physiotherapy, and acupuncture which have varying outcomes and levels of supporting evidence. Another passive treatment for back pain is inversion table therapy (ITT). It is a form of spinal traction which is thought to have a role in relieving low back pain due to the gravity-facilitated traction of the spine which distracts the lumbar vertebrae. However, ITT is not without risk. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Medical Device Reporting Events Database, ITT has resulted in serious injuries including spinal cord injury, fractures, lacerations, and death. The FDA has regulated ITT for only manufacturers that indicated medical use; however, most manufacturers have not made such medical claims and were exempt from FDA regulation. This article discusses the risks of ITT, the current regulatory process for ITT, and the need for a better understanding of the role of ITT in the treatment of spinal pain while optimizing consumer safety.Implications for rehabilitationInversion table therapy (ITT) is a form of spinal traction which is thought to have a role in relieving low back pain due to the gravity-facilitated traction of the spine which distracts the lumbar vertebrae.According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statistics, injuries due to non-powered traction from various medical devices have been rising since 2011.The FDA has regulated ITT for only manufacturers that indicated medical use; however, most manufacturers have not made such medical claims and were exempt from FDA regulation.This article discusses the risks of ITT, the current regulatory process for ITT, and the need for a better understanding of the role of ITT in the treatment of spinal pain while optimizing consumer safety.
PubMed: 36444821
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2133174 -
British Dental Journal Apr 2024Royal patronage is not something new. Engraved images of British royalty were used by early toothpaste manufacturers, dentists and perfumiers to convey royal endorsement...
Royal patronage is not something new. Engraved images of British royalty were used by early toothpaste manufacturers, dentists and perfumiers to convey royal endorsement to boost their product sales in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Packaged in high-quality ceramic pots, these toothpastes and powders promoted cleaning, beautifying and preserving the teeth and gums. These fascinating containers, sealed with a transfer-printed lid, feature inventive designs and typefaces and highlight sophisticated manufacturing and marketing skills to entice consumers. Many have been re-discovered from the excavation of former rubbish tips and are often the only tangible evidence of long defunct businesses that elected to use this latest form of packaging.
Topics: Humans; Advertising; Ceramics; Commerce; Toothpastes; White People; United Kingdom
PubMed: 38609623
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-024-7226-x -
Plant Communications Jul 2023Verbascoside, which was first discovered in 1963, is a well-known phenylethanoid glycoside (PhG) that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and...
Verbascoside, which was first discovered in 1963, is a well-known phenylethanoid glycoside (PhG) that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective activities and contributes to the therapeutic effects of many medicinal plants. However, the biosynthetic pathway of verbascoside remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we report the identification of two missing enzymes in the verbascoside biosynthesis pathway by transcriptome mining and in vitro enzymatic assays. Specifically, a BAHD acyltransferase (hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:salidroside hydroxycinnamoyltransferase [SHCT]) was shown to catalyze the regioselective acylation of salidroside to form osmanthuside A, and a CYP98 hydroxylase (osmanthuside B 3,3'-hydroxylase [OBH]) was shown to catalyze meta-hydroxylations of the p-coumaroyl and tyrosol moieties of osmanthuside B to complete the biosynthesis of verbascoside. Because SHCTs and OBHs are found in many Lamiales species that produce verbascoside, this pathway may be general. The findings from the study provide novel insights into the formation of caffeoyl and hydroxytyrosol moieties in natural product biosynthetic pathways. In addition, with the newly acquired enzymes, we achieved heterologous production of osmanthuside B, verbascoside, and ligupurpuroside B in Escherichia coli; this work lays a foundation for sustainable production of verbascoside and other PhGs in micro-organisms.
Topics: Glucosides; Glycosides; Phenols
PubMed: 36935606
DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100592 -
Clinical Endocrinology Sep 2023The sun imposes a 24-h periodicity to life and circadian rhythms have evolved to maintain homoeostasis through the day/night cycle. In humans, there is a central clock... (Review)
Review
The sun imposes a 24-h periodicity to life and circadian rhythms have evolved to maintain homoeostasis through the day/night cycle. In humans, there is a central clock that controls the sleep/wake cycle which is paralleled metabolically by a fast/feed cycle. The clock maintains homoeostasis by synchronising metabolism to the time of feeding. Loss of synchrony between the clock and hormonal rhythms results in loss of homoeostasis as evidenced by obesity, depression, and diabetes in people undertaking shift work. Cortisol has a distinct circadian rhythm; peaking on waking and low at sleep onset. Loss of this rhythm in adrenal insufficiency is associated with a poor quality of life and increased mortality. To replace the cortisol rhythm requires chronotherapy and for this you need to define the key parameters of the target rhythm, create a formulation to replicate that rhythm, and then prove clinical benefit. The physiology of hormones is more complex than that of nonnative drugs. Hormones are secreted with varied rhythms, bound to multiple cognate binding proteins, and actively transported and cleared through enzymatic pathways in multiple organs. We have examined the diurnal rhythm of cortisol in healthy volunteers, created physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models, and tested various oral delayed and sustained formulations of hydrocortisone (development name, Chronocort) in clinical trials. The outcome from this work was the manufacture of modified-release hydrocortisone hard capsules (tradename Efmody, Diurnal Ltd), that replicate the cortisol diurnal rhythm and improve the disease control of congenital adrenal hyperplasia the commonest hereditary form of adrenal insufficiency.
PubMed: 37767979
DOI: 10.1111/cen.14976 -
The Malaysian Journal of Medical... Aug 2023With the world recovering from a public health disaster in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and with political and social upheaval in the forms of wars such as in...
With the world recovering from a public health disaster in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic and with political and social upheaval in the forms of wars such as in Ukraine and Sudan, localised fighting in various hotspots, the medical field faces huge challenges in addressing the needs of the various stakeholders. Still, these disasters represent opportunities to advance the new discoveries without compromising on the safety of the patients or general population. The COVID-19 vaccines were pushed through with great urgency driving on new discoveries of the genomic research, i.e. RNA based vaccines. This is complemented by the use of big data to monitor the disbursement of the vaccine to the general public. Unmistakably these new developments in tackling serious health disasters will lead to improvements on how the world tackle future crisis. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), genomics discoveries and cell biology are driving research and fueling hope for the future. Amid this scenario of great upheavals and significant advances in technologies or emerging technologies for the health sector, SIRIM Berhad is increasing its preparedness in terms of development of new facilities and new competencies as well as building the platform for the communication of conventional health or medical technologies with other technologies particularly digital technologies to unlock the potential of emerging technologies in both medical and digital to develop novel solutions to future problems or challenges.
PubMed: 37655139
DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.4.1 -
Head & Face Medicine Oct 2023Current 3D scanning and printing technologies offer not only state-of-the-art developments in the field of medical imaging and bio-engineering, but also cost and time... (Review)
Review
Current 3D scanning and printing technologies offer not only state-of-the-art developments in the field of medical imaging and bio-engineering, but also cost and time effective solutions for surgical reconstruction procedures. Besides tissue engineering, where living cells are used, bio-compatible polymers or synthetic resin can be applied. The combination of 3D handheld scanning devices or volumetric imaging, (open-source) image processing packages, and 3D printers form a complete workflow chain that is capable of effective rapid prototyping of outer ear replicas. This paper reviews current possibilities and latest use cases for 3D-scanning, data processing and printing of outer ear replicas with a focus on low-cost solutions for rehabilitation engineering.
Topics: Humans; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Ear, External; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 37891625
DOI: 10.1186/s13005-023-00394-x -
Pharmaceutics Dec 2023This review discusses the entire progress made on the anthelmintic drug praziquantel, focusing on the solid state and, therefore, on anhydrous crystalline polymorphs,... (Review)
Review
This review discusses the entire progress made on the anthelmintic drug praziquantel, focusing on the solid state and, therefore, on anhydrous crystalline polymorphs, amorphous forms, and multicomponent systems (i.e., hydrates, solvates, and cocrystals). Despite having been extensively studied over the last 50 years, new polymorphs and the greater part of their cocrystals have only been identified in the past decade. Progress in crystal engineering science (e.g., the use of mechanochemistry as a solid form screening tool and more strategic structure-based methods), along with the development of analytical techniques, including Synchrotron X-ray analyses, spectroscopy, and microscopy, have furthered the identification of unknown crystal structures of the drug. Also, computational modeling has significantly contributed to the prediction and design of new cocrystals by considering structural conformations and interactions energy. Whilst the insights on praziquantel polymorphs discussed in the present review will give a significant contribution to controlling their formation during manufacturing and drug formulation, the detailed multicomponent forms will help in designing and implementing future praziquantel-based functional materials. The latter will hopefully overcome praziquantel's numerous drawbacks and exploit its potential in the field of neglected tropical diseases.
PubMed: 38258039
DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010027 -
Sports Biomechanics Feb 2024Our purpose was to compare the mechanical properties of the protective outer shells of various athletic helmets in their final, fully manufactured form. Sections were...
Our purpose was to compare the mechanical properties of the protective outer shells of various athletic helmets in their final, fully manufactured form. Sections were taken from 3 different helmet shells (Bauer RE-AKT hockey helmet, Cascade R lacrosse helmet, and Riddell Speedflex football helmet) at 4 different locations (front, side, top, and rear) for a total of 12 test specimens. The 4 specimens from each helmet shell were potted together in epoxy resin moulds and mechanically polished. The hardness, elastic modulus and phase angle were measured using dynamic nanoindentation performed at 100 Hz with an oscillation amplitude of 1 nm (rms). Repeated ANOVA analysis was used to compare each of the dependent variables for each of the 3 helmets across the 4 different locations. The interaction between helmet type and location was significant for hardness (F = 2.84, = 0.032, Pη = 0.21), elastic modulus (F = 6.412, < 0.001, Pη = 0.38), and phase angle (F = 7.65, < 0.001, Pη = 0.42). Polycarbonate has a higher ability to dissipate mechanical energy making it the recommended superior choice for helmet shells. In addition, the results lead us to speculate that manufacturing causes changes in the molecular weight or the distribution of fillers across locations for polyethylene but not for polycarbonate since mechanical properties are fairly uniform over the surface of football helmets, at least within a given helmet.
Topics: Humans; Head Protective Devices; Biomechanical Phenomena; Football; Racquet Sports; Acrylates; Propylene Glycols
PubMed: 33660587
DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2020.1837926