Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis at District Mohmand

OBJECTIVES This study aims to determine Cutaneous Leishmaniasis’s epidemiological and clinical characteristics (CL) in the Mohmand district. METHODOLOGY This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at District Headquarters (DHQ) Ghallanai, District Mohmand, involving 360 patients with cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Individuals with coinfections or other skin diseases were intentionally excluded. Data, including gender, age, socio-economic status, size, site, and number of lesions, were recorded. CL was compared among age groups, gender, and socio-economic status using the chi-square test. \RESULTS The mean age was 10.72 ± 5.94 years, with 137 (38.06%) females and 223 (61.94%) males. Most patients suffering from CL had a low socio-economic status (n=175, 48.61%), followed by the middle (n=126, 35%). A minority reported a habit of sleeping on the ground (n=43, 11.94%). About 53 (14.72%) had multiple lesions. The location of lesions varied, with 66 (18.33%) on the arm, 229 (63.61%) on the head, neck, and face, and 65 (18.06%) on the leg. The association of the number of lesions (p=0.61), size of the lesion (p=0.47), and location of the lesion (p=0.27) was not statistically significant. Multiple lesions of CL were more common in the low socio-economic group (n=30, 56.6%) than in the middle (n=10, 18.8%) and high-class (n=13, 24.6%) groups, and the results were statistically significant (p=0.019). Most lesions were on the head, neck, and face, with the highest percentage in the low socio-economic group (66.86%). The rate of lesions on the leg was highest in the middle socio-economic group (19.84%), followed by the low (12.57%) and high (30.51%) groups. The differences in location were statistically significant (p=0.032). CONCLUSION Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) disproportionately affects children, particularly males and those with lower socio-economic status. We observed a notable link between lesion characteristics and socio-economic status

Bioresorbable antibacterial PCL-PLA-nHA composite membranes for oral and maxillofacial defects

Degradable implant membranes designed to separate hard and soft tissues and to trigger the growth of underlying bone and with antimicrobial properties are needed for the management of bone defects, ridge augmentation and to facilitate dental implants. In this study, the composite scaffolds of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(caprolactone) (PCL) blended with nano hydroxyapatite and cefixime‐β cyclodextrin (Cfx‐βCD) inclusion complexes were synthesized by electrospinning. The prepared electrospun fibrous membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Membranes were microporous with random fibers in the range of 0.2–0.37 µm. The data from FTIR spectral analysis helped to characterize the presence of PCL, PLA, Cfx, and βCD in the electrospun membranes. In addition, the mechanical properties (i.e., elastic modulus and tensile strength) of the scaffolds were investigated. The mechanical strength and suture retention ability of the membranes was comparable to that of skin grafts. Drug release assays confirmed the slow release of Cfx from the membranes in the presence of βCD and antimicrobial studies showed that the membranes possessed antibacterial properties. The interaction of cells with membranes was evaluated by culturing them with the mouse pre‐osteoblast cell line MC3T3 and assessment of bone formation was done using Alizarin Red Assay. Culturing MC3T3 cells on the scaffolds showed that cells attached and entered the membranes and increased in number over time. In summary, these membranes are flexible, strong, bactericidal and osteogenic, which are the ideal implant properties for dental and maxillofacial surgery

FTIR analysis of natural and synthetic collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in humans and animals, comprising of one third of the total proteins that accounts for three quarters of the dry weight skin in humans. Collagen containing a range of proteins has been reported for tissue engineering applications, but, only a small number of studies related to chemical structure evaluation of collagen are found in the literature. Collagen can be obtained from both the natural and synthetic sources and offers a wide range of biomedical applications due to its excellent biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. Hence, it is important to identify chemical structural properties of collagen and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) appears to be a technique of choice to study their chemical structure. This review aims to highlight the use of FTIR to study collagen-based biomaterials, using it for characterization of collagen extracted from various sources. Characterization of collagen-based materials used in wound healing, skin substitutes, derma fillers, and aging of skin, collagen containing drug delivery agents, collagen-based materials used in tissue engineering, bone regeneration, and osteogenic differentiation is discussed in detail. FTIR analysis of collagen-containing materials used for dental applications, cleft-palate, and in alveolar-ridge preservation has also been highlighted

Acid catalysed synthesis of bioactive glass by evaporation induced self assembly method

Bioactive glass (BG) with uniform spherical morphology was prepared by EISA (Evaporation Induced Self Assembly) process using non-ionic Pluronic F127 as structure directing agent and phosphoric acid as a source of P2O5 and compared with conventional precursor triethyl phosphate (TEP). EISA method proceeds through ionic interaction mechanism by protonation of surfactant and silicic species. H3PO4 provides H+ and PO43 − ions in reaction medium which play critical role in reaction mechanism. Hydrogen ions increase the protonation of H2O and surfactant, while PO43 − ions act as bridging molecule between different cations, ensuring incorporation of phosphorus in BG network. TEP participates by proton acceptance mechanism, creating competitive environment. Thus H3PO4 facilitates the formation of BG in presence of non-ionic surfactant Pluronic F127. The prepared glasses were characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDX, TGA-DSC and BET surface analyzer. Uniform spherical morphology, improved dispersity, relatively large surface area and better cells focal attachment were observed for BG-H3PO4, prepared by using H3PO4. SiO2–CaO–P2O5 mol% composition of BG-H3PO4 was (66:24:10) close to the theoretical value (65:25:10), while for BG-TEP the actual ratio was (77:20.5:2.5). The surface reactivity, studied by soaking in simulated body fluid, showed rapid growth of hydroxyapatite with Ca/P ratio 1.67 on BG-H3PO4. The proliferation of MC3T3 cells on BG-H3PO4 was remarkably improved as compared to conventional BG. Thus BG-H3PO4 can be considered for biomedical applications in future especially for drug loading and composite application where homogeneous and uniform structure are of utmost importance