Trabecular-bone mimicking osteoconductive collagen scaffolds: an optimized 3D printing approach using freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels.

Background: Technological constraints limit 3D printing of collagen structures with complex trabecular shapes. However, the Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) method may allow for precise 3D printing of porous collagen scaffolds that carry the potential for repairing critical size bone defects.

Methods: Collagen type I scaffolds mimicking trabecular bone were fabricated through FRESH 3D printing and compared either with 2D collagen coatings or with 3D-printed polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) scaffolds.

The interaction of human serum components with model membranes containing phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides.

Lipoproteins, key mediators of lipid transport, facilitate the bidirectional transfer of lipids such as fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol between soluble particles and cell membranes. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) primarily engage in reverse cholesterol transport, while low-density lipoproteins (LDL) predominantly deposit lipids, affecting cardiovascular health with a well-known role in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. In addition, lipoproteins play an important role in neutralizing bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the major component of Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes, which act as potent TLR4 agonists and can trigger severe immune responses.

Counter-diffusion studies of human transthyretin: the growth of high-quality crystals for X-ray and neutron crystallography.

A crystallogenesis study of human transthyretin using the counter-diffusion method is described as an alternative to conventional convective vapour diffusion and batch approaches for protein crystallization. The X-ray diffraction results show systematic trends that exhibit unique patterns of crystallization and high crystal quality as well as a remarkable degree of coherence within extended crystal rods that wholly fill the capillaries used. Preliminary neutron diffraction data have been recorded from a number of these samples, validating the feasibility of this methodology for neutron crystallography.

Do COVID-19 Infectious Disease Models Incorporate the Social Determinants of Health? A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To identify COVID-19 infectious disease models that accounted for social determinants of health (SDH).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, medRxiv, and the Web of Science from December 2019 to August 2020. We included mathematical modelling studies focused on humans investigating COVID-19 impact and including at least one SDH.