Hijacking plant skeletons for biomedical applications: from regenerative medicine and drug delivery to biosensing.

The field of biomedical engineering continually seeks innovative technologies to address complex healthcare challenges, ranging from tissue regeneration to drug delivery and biosensing. Plant skeletons offer promising opportunities for these applications due to their unique hierarchical structures, desirable porosity, inherent biocompatibility, and adjustable mechanical properties. This review comprehensively discusses chemical principles underlying the utilization of plant-based scaffolds in biomedical engineering.

Multifunctional Dual Nano-MOF-Modified Decellularized Small Intestinal Submucosa Membrane Accelerates Healing of Infected Wound.

The treatment of complex or chronic skin wounds caused by burns, trauma, surgery, and genetic disorders has been a worldwide challenge. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a biological material that is widely used in wound healing. How to further expand the wound healing application of SIS, especially in repairing infected wounds, remains a hot research topic for many tissue engineering and biomaterial scholars focusing on skin regeneration.

Correlation and diagnostic performance of metal ions in patients with pseudotumor after MoM hip arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The persistently rising complication, pseudotumor, after hip arthroplasty required surgeons' vigilance. Although the remaining controversial relationship between metal ions and pseudotumor, metal ion detection had been widely employed in clinic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between metal ions and pseudotumor, as well as the effectiveness of metal ion analysis in the screening and diagnosis of pseudotumor through systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Evaluation of Mass/DNA Copy Number of Mitochondria in Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells Cocultured with MSCs.

Over recent decades, UCB has been widely used as an excellent alternative source of HSCs for treating many hematologic disorders. Recent studies suggest using mesenchymal stroma cell co-cultures to increase the number of HSCs prior to transplantation. Considering the critical role of mitochondria in the cell's fate and the importance of the self-renewal capacity of HSCs in HSCT, we decided to investigate the mass/DNA copy number of mitochondria in HSCs while co-cultured with MSCs and alone after seven days.

Potential Use of Organoids in Regenerative Medicine.

Background: In vitro cell culture is crucial for studying human diseases and development. Compared to traditional monolayer cultures, 3D culturing with organoids offers significant advantages by more accurately replicating natural tissues' structural and functional features. This advancement enhances disease modeling, drug testing, and regenerative medicine applications.

Nanoparticle-mediated universal CAR-T therapy.

In recent years, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has been highly successful in treating hematological malignancies, leading to significant advancements in the cancer immunotherapy field. However, the typical CAR-T therapy necessitates the enrichment of patients' own leukocytes for ex vivo production of CAR-T cells, this customized pattern requires a complicated and time-consuming manufacturing procedure, making it costly and less accessible. The off-the-shelf universal CAR-T strategy could reduce manufacturing costs and realize timely drug administration, presenting as an ideal substitute for typical CAR-T therapy.

Deregulation of Melatonin Receptors and Differential Modulation of After-Hyperpolarization and Ih Currents Using Melatonin Treatment Due to Amyloid-β-Induced Neurotoxicity in the Hippocampus.

Treatment with melatonin is routinely prescribed for its potent antioxidant and cognitive-promoting effects, nevertheless, it has yet to find neuromodulatory effects in normal and disease conditions. Therefore, to investigate its neuromodulatory mechanisms, melatonin was systemically administered over 10 consecutive days to both intracortical normal saline- and amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ) peptide-injected rats. At the behavioral level, treatment with melatonin was associated with reduced efficacy in restoring Aβ-induced deficit in passive-avoidance memory.

Preparation of Glutathione-Responsive Paclitaxel Prodrug Based on Endogenous Molecule of L-Glutathione Oxidized for Cancer Therapy.

Using an endogenous carrier is the best method to address the biocompatibility of carriers in the drug delivery field. Herein, we prepared a glutathione-responsive paclitaxel prodrug micelle based on an endogenous molecule of L-glutathione oxidized (GSSG) for cancer therapy using one-pot synthesis. The carboxyl groups in L-glutathione oxidized were reacted with the hydroxyl group in paclitaxel (PTX) using the catalysts dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP).

Codon optimized influenza H1 HA sequence but not CTLA-4 targeting of HA antigen to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines in an animal model.

Infections caused by the influenza virus lead to both epidemic and pandemic outbreaks in humans and animals. Owing to their rapid production, safety, and stability, DNA vaccines represent a promising avenue for eliciting immunity and thwarting viral infections. While DNA vaccines have demonstrated substantial efficacy in murine models, their effectiveness in larger animals remains subdued.

Assessment of MIR200B Polymorphisms Association with Sight-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: To assess the possible association between MIR200B variations and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR).

Methods: A total number of 141 diabetes mellitus patients were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups including 76 patients diagnosed with STDR assigned to the case group, and 65 subjects without STDR considered in the control group. Peripheral blood specimens were used to extract the DNA content, and the primary MIR200B encoding sequence was amplified using a polymerase chain reaction.

Long-term follow-up of ocular involvement in hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia.

An 11-month-old boy with nonscarring alopecia was referred for ophthalmic evaluation because of photophobia from the age of 4 months. Whole-exome sequencing identified a heterozygous mutation in the SREBF1 gene, confirming the diagnosis of hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia. Ocular examination revealed meibomian gland dysfunction and superficial corneal vascularization and opacity.

Compressible Hollow Microlasers in Organoids for High-Throughput and Real-Time Mechanical Screening.

Mechanical stress within organoids is a pivotal indicator in disease modeling and pharmacokinetics, yet current tools lack the ability to rapidly and dynamically screen these mechanics. Here, we introduce biocompatible and compressible hollow microlasers that realize all-optical assessment of cellular stress within organoids. The laser spectroscopy yields identification of cellular deformation at the nanometer scale, corresponding to tens of pascals stress sensitivity.

Enhanced healing of burn wounds by multifunctional alginate-chitosan hydrogel enclosing silymarin and zinc ‎oxide ‎nanoparticles.

Multifunctional wound dressings have been applied for burn injuries to avoid complications and promote tissue regeneration. In the present study, we fabricated a natural alginate-chitosan hydrogel comprising silymarin and green-synthesized zinc ‎oxide ‎nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Then, the physicochemical attributes of ZnO NPs and loaded hydrogels were analyzed.

Biomimetic fiber/hydrogel composite scaffolds based on chitosan hydrogel and surface modified PCL chopped-microfibers.

Hydrogel/fiber composites have received wide attention as tissue engineering scaffolds due to the outstanding properties of fibers and hydrogels. In the current research, a hydrogel/fiber composite scaffold was made based on chitosan-modified polycaprolactone (PCL) microfibers and chitosan hydrogel as a binder. The presence of chitosan as a modifier on the surface of fibers and as a binder between fibers can create scaffolds with excellent structural and mechanical properties.

Artificial intelligence in nanotechnology for treatment of diseases.

Nano-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) have demonstrated the ability to address challenges posed by therapeutic agents, enhancing drug efficiency and reducing side effects. Various nanoparticles (NPs) are utilised as DDSs with unique characteristics, leading to diverse applications across different diseases. However, the complexity, cost and time-consuming nature of laboratory processes, the large volume of data, and the challenges in data analysis have prompted the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Optimization of the Synthesis and Radiolabeling of ZIF-8 Nanoparticles.

Background: Lately, there has been increasing interest in the benefits of metal-organic frameworks, and among them, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF - 8) stand out as one of the most commonly employed systems owing to their unique characteristics.

Objectives: Given that properties like particle size play a key role in biomedical applications of nanoparticles, optimizing the synthesis conditions becomes crucial. Additionally, it is essential to label these nanoparticles to track them effectively within the body.

Combined approach of transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy and secretome implantation for avascular necrosis of femoral head: A case series.

Several preservative treatment options are available for the early stages of avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) but are not as effective as in the advanced-stages. The management of Ficat stage III-IV AFNH is limited to the high rate of patients being converted to total hip replacement (THR). Four female patients with Ficat stage III-IV ANFH were included in this study, with a median age of 32.

Angio-microRNAs in diabetic foot ulcer-: Mechanistic insights and clinical perspectives.

Diabetic foot ulcers, as one of the chronic wounds, are a serious challenge in the global healthcare system which have shown notable growth in recent years. DFU is associated with impairment in various stages of wound healing, including angiogenesis. Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the disruption of the balance between angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, plays a crucial role in angiogenesis dysfunction.