Development of A Low-Dose Strategy for Propagation-based Imaging Helical Computed Tomography (PBI-HCT): High Image Quality and Reduced Radiation Dose.

Propagation-based imaging computed tomography (PBI-CT) has been recently emerging for visualizing low-density materials due to its excellent image contrast and high resolution. Based on this, PBI-CT with a helical acquisition mode (PBI-HCT) offers superior imaging quality (e.g.

Integration of bioprinting advances and biomechanical strategies forlung modelling.

The recent occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic and frequent wildfires have worsened pulmonary diseases and raised the urgent need for investigating host-pathogen interactions and advancing drug and vaccine therapies. Historically, research and experimental studies have relied on two-dimensional cell culture dishes and/or animal models, which suffer from physiological differences from the human lung. More recently, there has been investigation into the use of lung-on-a-chip models and organoids, while the use of bioprinting technologies has also emerged to fabricate three-dimensional constructs or lung models with enhanced physiological relevance.

Synthesis of Alginate/Collagen Bioink for Bioprinting Respiratory Tissue Models.

Synthesis of bioinks for bioprinting of respiratory tissue requires considerations related to immunogenicity, mechanical properties, printability, and cellular compatibility. Biomaterials can be tailored to provide the appropriate combination of these properties through the synergy of materials with individual pros and cons. Sodium alginate, a water-soluble polymer derived from seaweed, is a cheap yet printable biomaterial with good structural properties; however, it lacks physiological relevance and cell binding sites.

Influence of Breath-Mimicking Ventilated Incubation on Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Respiratory Tissue Scaffolds.

Development of respiratory tissue constructs is challenging due to the complex structure of native respiratory tissue and the unique biomechanical conditions induced by breathing. While studies have shown that the inclusion of biomechanical stimulus mimicking physiological conditions greatly benefits the development of engineered tissues, to our knowledge no studies investigating the influence of biomechanical stimulus on the development of respiratory tissue models produced through three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting have been reported. This paper presents a study on the utilization of a novel breath-mimicking ventilated incubator to impart biomechanical stimulus during the culture of 3D respiratory bioprinted constructs.

Development of a Nanoparticle System for Controlled Release in Bioprinted Respiratory Scaffolds.

The use of nanoparticle systems for the controlled release of growth factors is a promising approach to mimicking of the biochemical environment of native tissues in tissue engineering. However, sustaining growth factor release inside an appropriate therapeutic window is a challenge, particularly in bioprinted scaffolds. In this study, a chitosan-coated alginate-based nanoparticle system loaded with hepatocyte growth factor was developed and then incorporated into bioprinted scaffolds.

Associations between urinary glyphosate and diabetes mellitus in the US general adult: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2013-2016.

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are used extensively around the world and have become the leading agrochemicals. However, study about the association between glyphosate exposure and the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) is scarce. This study used 4 years of NHANES data (2013-2016) to further investigate the association.

The association between non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) and risk of depression among US adults: A cross-sectional NHANES study.

Background: NHHR (non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio) is a new lipid parameter used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the association between NHHR and the risk of depression has not been studied before.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2016.

Colorimetric sensing assay based on aptamer-gold nanoparticles for rapid detection of salivary melatonin to monitor circadian rhythm sleep disorders.

Salivary melatonin is a clinically used biomarker for diagnosing circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Current melatonin detection assays are complex, expensive, and in many cases do not adequately measure low levels of salivary melatonin. Precisely measuring melatonin levels at multiple time points is crucial for determining dim light melatonin onset to evaluate its circadian fluctuation as well as the extent of circadian disruption and consequently adapt treatment regimens.

Causal association between self-reported fatigue and coronary artery disease: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Observational studies have reported the association between fatigue and coronary artery disease (CAD), but the causal association between fatigue and CAD is unclear.

Method: We conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study using publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis.

Identification of the shared mechanisms and common biomarkers between Sjögren's syndrome and atherosclerosis using integrated bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by exocrine and extra-glandular symptoms. The literature indicates that SS is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (AS); however, its pathophysiological mechanism remains undetermined. This investigation aimed to elucidate the crosstalk genes and pathways influencing the pathophysiology of SS and AS via bioinformatic analysis of microarray data.

Sparse2Noise: Low-dose synchrotron X-ray tomography without high-quality reference data.

Background: Synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SR-CT) holds promise for high-resolution in vivo imaging. Notably, the reconstruction of SR-CT images necessitates a large set of data to be captured with sufficient photons from multiple angles, resulting in high radiation dose received by the object. Reducing the number of projections and/or photon flux is a straightforward means to lessen the radiation dose, however, compromises data completeness, thus introducing noises and artifacts.

Transient ischemic attack and coronary artery disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Although observational studies have shown that patients who experienced transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) had a higher risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), the causal relationship is ambiguous.

Methods: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to analyze the causal relationship between TIA and CAD using data from the FinnGen genome-wide association study. Analysis was performed using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method.

Printing tissue-engineered scaffolds made of polycaprolactone and nano-hydroxyapatite with mechanical properties appropriate for trabecular bone substitutes.

Background: Bone tissue engineering, based on three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, has emerged as a promising approach to treat bone defects using scaffolds. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of porosity and internal structure on the mechanical properties of scaffolds.

Methods: We fabricated composite scaffolds (which aimed to replicate trabecular bone) from polycaprolactone (PCL) reinforced with 30% (wt.

Investigation into relationships between design parameters and mechanical properties of 3D printed PCL/nHAp bone scaffolds.

Background: Scaffolds are of great importance in tissue engineering applications as they provide a mechanically supportive environment for cellular activity, which is particularly necessary for hard tissues such as bone. Notably, the mechanical properties of a scaffold vary with differing design parameters such as those related to scaffold height and internal structure. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between design parameters and mechanical properties of composite polycaprolactone (PCL) and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) scaffolds fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing.

Reinforcement of Hydrogels with a 3D-Printed Polycaprolactone (PCL) Structure Enhances Cell Numbers and Cartilage ECM Production under Compression.

Hydrogels show promise in cartilage tissue engineering (CTE) by supporting chondrocytes and maintaining their phenotype and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. Under prolonged mechanical forces, however, hydrogels can be structurally unstable, leading to cell and ECM loss. Furthermore, long periods of mechanical loading might alter the production of cartilage ECM molecules, including glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and collagen type 2 (Col2), specifically with the negative effect of stimulating fibrocartilage, typified by collagen type 1 (Col1) secretion.

Market of tissue engineering in Canada from 2011 to 2020.

Tissue engineering aims to produce tissue/organ substitutes to improve upon current treatment approaches, thus providing a permanent solution to damaged tissues/organs. This project aimed to perform a market analysis for understanding and promoting the development and commercialization of tissue engineering in Canada. We searched companies that were established between October 2011 and July 2020 via publicly available information and for these companies, we collected and analyzed the corporate level information, including revenues, and number of employees and founder information.

Optimization of 3D printing and characterization of alginate/gelatin lattice and angular scaffolds for potential cardiac tissue engineering.

Engineering cardiac tissue that mimics the hierarchical structure of cardiac tissue remains challenging, raising the need for developing novel methods capable of creating structures with high complexity. Three-dimensional (3D)-printing techniques are among promising methods for engineering complex tissue constructs with high precision. By means of 3D printing, this study aims to develop cardiac constructs with a novel angular structure mimicking cardiac architecture from alginate (Alg) and gelatin (Gel) composite.

3D and 4D Bioprinting Technologies: A Game Changer for the Biomedical Sector?

Bioprinting is an innovative and emerging technology of additive manufacturing (AM) and has revolutionized the biomedical sector by printing three-dimensional (3D) cell-laden constructs in a precise and controlled manner for numerous clinical applications. This approach uses biomaterials and varying types of cells to print constructs for tissue regeneration, e.g.

Macromolecular nanoparticles to attenuate both reactive oxygen species and inflammatory damage for treating Alzheimer's disease.

Prevention and early intervention are the current focus of treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a feature of the early stages of AD, thus suggesting that the removal of excess ROS can be a viable method of improving AD. Natural polyphenols are able to scavenge ROS and thus promising for treating AD.

Non-thyroidal illness syndrome and the prognosis of heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a complex and multifactorial syndrome caused by impaired heart function. The high morbidity and mortality of HF cause a heavy burden of illness worldwide. Non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) refers to aberrant serum thyroid parameters in patients without past thyroid disease.

Applied Compressive Strain Governs Hyaline-like Cartilage versus Fibrocartilage-like ECM Produced within Hydrogel Constructs.

The goal of cartilage tissue engineering (CTE) is to regenerate new hyaline cartilage in joints and treat osteoarthritis (OA) using cell-impregnated hydrogel constructs. However, the production of an extracellular matrix (ECM) made of fibrocartilage is a potential outcome within hydrogel constructs when in vivo. Unfortunately, this fibrocartilage ECM has inferior biological and mechanical properties when compared to native hyaline cartilage.

Structural properties and binding mechanism of DNA aptamers sensing saliva melatonin for diagnosis and monitoring of circadian clock and sleep disorders.

Circadian desynchrony with the external light-dark cycle influences the rhythmic secretion of melatonin which is among the first signs of circadian rhythm sleep disorders. An accurate dim light melatonin onset (established indicator of circadian rhythm sleep disorders) measurement requires lengthy assays, and antibody affinities alterations, especially in patients with circadian rhythm disorders whose melatonin salivary levels vary significantly, making antibodies detection mostly inadequate. In contrast, aptamers with their numerous advantages (e.