Buccal Fat Pad as a Potential Source of Stem Cells for Bone Regeneration:an in vitro Study in Static and Dynamic Culture

Adipose tissues hold great promise in bone tissue engineering since they are available in large quantities as a waste material. The buccal fat pad (BFP) is a specialized mass of adipose tissue that can be easily obtained via the oral cavity without injury to the external body surface. Another advantage of BFP over subcutaneous fat is that its size appears to be similar among different people, independent of body weight and fat distribution. However, limited studies have been conducted on the osteogenic capability of stem cells derived from BFP (BFPSCs). In this study, the BFPSCs were characterized for their osteogenic differentiation potential especially in contact with a synthetic scaffold in a perfusion bioreactor. The features of BFPSCs were compared with bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) as a well known cell source for bone tissue engineering. Comparing BFPSCs with BMSCs indicated similar morphology, but faster proliferation rate of BMSCs. Moreover, when properly induced for two weeks, BFPSCs resembled BMSCs in the production of bone-specific markers, such as alkaline phosphatase, collagen, bone morphogenic protein (BMP), Runx2, and osteocalcin. Both cell types attached nicely to the pores of a gelatin-coated β-Tricalcium phosphate scaffolds. More osteogenic differentiation potential was observed for both cells under dynamic culture in a perfusion bioreactor compared with static culture. The highest collagen content and BMP production were observed in BFPSCs cultured in the bioreactor for two weeks. These results define BFP as a new, rich, and accessible source of stem cells for tissue engineering purposes

A study on Carbon Nanotube-Gene Interaction in Induction of Glial Cells to Neuron Cell

Introduction: Reprogramming different cell to neuron have yet remained attractive field in regenerative medicine, so discovery new methodsor improve existing methods could be helpful. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Carbon Nanotube-Gene Interaction in Induction ofGlial Cells to Neuron Cell.Materials and Methods: Accordingly, we analyzed the transcriptome data of glial and neuron cells to determine thedifferent gene expression in both groups. Then, based on this transcriptome data, the gene chemical interaction was determined to find the mostimportant chemical structure which induces glial cell to neurons. Data extract from transcriptome database related rat cerebral cortex cellsgenerated by RNA sequencing transcriptomic (RNAseq) technique. By comparison neuron against glial cells (astrocyte, oligodenderocyte andmicroglia) determined different gene expression. In Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) determined the most important chemicalto interact with this gene set. Then by using genetrail2 database determined mechanism of gene set associated to chemicals and miRNA enriched.Results: Result determined different chemical with the risk factor and protective factor properties related to 500 genes that enriched in a neuronin comparison with glial cells. The carbon nanotube is the first important chemicals that interact with 75 genes of 500. Gene ontology analysisdetermined the carbon nanotube effect on genes that induce neurogenesis, neurodevelopment, and differentiation. Genetrail2 release the 29significant miRNAs enriched in gene interacts with carbon nanotube in which miR-34a and miR-449a are the most significant molecules.Network analysis of these genes represents KIT (tyrosine-protein kinase, CD117), Gria1, Syt1, Rab3c, and Tubb3 have central roles inneurogenesis by the carbon nanotube.Conclusion: In sum up, the carbon nanotube is an electrical stimulator that has biocompatibility toinduce glial cell to the neuron which applies as devise lonely or combination with a cell in damage part of the neural tissue

Effect of water storage on ultimate tensile strength and mass changes of universal adhesives

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of water storage on micro tensile strength (µTS) and mass changes (MC) of two universal adhesives. 10 disk-shaped specimens were prepared for each adhesive; Scotchbond Universal (SCU) All-Bond Universal (ABU) and Adper Single Bond 2 (SB2). At the baseline and after 1 day and 28 days of water storage, their mass were measured and compared to estimate water sorption and solubility. For µTS test, 20 dumbbell shaped specimens were also prepared for each adhesive in two subgroups of 1 day and 28 days water storage. MC was significantly lower for SCU and ABU than SB2 (P < 0.05) at both time intervals. In all three adhesives, the MC was significantly lower at 28 days compared to that at 1 day (P < 0.05). Similarly, µTS was significantly higher for SCU and ABU than SB2 at both storage intervals (P < 0.05). After 28 days, µTS increased significantly for universal adhesives (P < 0.05). MC and µTS of adhesives were both material and time dependent when stored in water; both universal adhesives showed less water sorption and higher values of µTS than the control group

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Iran

Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among Iranian infants. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on infants who had undergone screening for ROP at Farabi Eye Hospital, between March 2016 and March 2017. Data were analyzed based on the presence of extreme prematurity (gestational age ≤ 28 weeks), extremely low-birth-weight (≤ 1000 g), and multiplegestation (MG) infants. Results: The prevalence of ROP was 27.28% (n = 543) among all screened infants, 74.4% for extremely preterm (EP) infants, 77.5% for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies, and 27.25% for infants from MG pregnancies. On multivariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, and history of transfusion (P &lt; 0.0001, P &lt; 0.0001, and P = 0.04, respectively) were found to be significantly associated with ROP. More advanced stages of ROP (P &lt; 0.0001) were observed in EP and ELBW infants. Birth weight (P = 0.088), history of transfusion (P = 0.066), and intubation (P = 0.053) were not associated with increased risk of ROP in EP infants, while gestational age (P = 0.037) and history of transfusion (P = 0.040) were significant risk factors for ROP in ELBW infants. Gestational age (P &lt; 0.001) and birth weight (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with ROP in infants from MG pregnancies in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: ROP remains a commonly encountered disease, especially in ELBW and EP infants. The history of transfusion may have a role in stratifying the risk for ROP and guiding future screening guidelines

Surface Coating of Polyurethane Films with Gelatin, Aspirin and Heparin to Increase the Hemocompatibility of Artificial Vascular Grafts

Purpose: A hemocompatible substrate can offer a wonderful facility for nitric oxide (NO) production by vascular endothelial cells in reaction to the inflammation following injuries. NO inhibits platelet aggregation this is especially critical in small-diameter vessels. Methods: The substrate films were made of polyurethane (PU) in a casting process and after plasma treatments, their surface was chemically decorated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000, gelatin, gelatin-aspirin, gelatin-heparin and gelatin-aspirin-heparin. The concentrations of these ingredients were optimized in order to achieve the biocompatible values and the resulting modifications were characterized by water contact angle and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) assays. The values of NO production and platelet adhesion were then examined. Results: The water contact angle of the modified surface was reduced to 26±4⸰ and the newly developed hydrophilic chemical groups were confirmed by FTIR. The respective concentrations of 0.05 mg/ml and 100 mg/mL were found to be the IC50 values for aspirin and heparin. However, after the surface modification with aspirin, the bioactivity of the substrate increased in compared to the other experimental groups. In addition, there was a synergistic effect between these reagents for NO synthesis. While, heparin inhibited platelet adhesion more than aspirin. Conclusion: Because of the highly hydrophilic nature of heparin, this reagent was hydrolyzed faster than aspirin and therefore its influence on platelet aggregation and cell growth was greater. Taken together, the results give the biocompatible concentrations of both biomolecules that are required for endothelial cell proliferation, NO synthesis and platelet adhesion

Diagnostic Performance of Ultrasonography for Identification of Small Bowel Obstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is known as a common cause of acute abdominal complaints in the emergency department (ED). The modality of choice for the diagnosis of SBO has not yet been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of SBO. Methods: Systematic search was performed on five electronic databases including Medline, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and the retrieval period was from the inception of each database to November 2023. The quality of the included studies were investigated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). The pooled values of diagnostic characteristics for ultrasonography were estimated using meta-Disc and Stata statistical software. Results: Twenty-one studies with a total of 1977 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the summary ROC curve of ultrasonography for diagnosing SBO were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91–0.95), 0.8 (95% CI: 0.77–0.83), 5.69 (95% CI: 3.64–8.89), 0.1 (95% CI: 0.07–0.16), 83.51 (95% CI: 18.12–182.91) and 0.96, respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this meta-analysis showed that the utilization of ultrasonography holds promise as a diagnostic imaging for SBO with high accuracy. However, additional worldwide studies are essential to get more evidence on the value of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of SBO

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Prevalence of use of medicinal plants and its relationship with health literacy and attitude among pregnant women

Introduction: Women are the main users of medicinal plants and they usually continue using them during pregnancy without considering the potential maternal and fetal risks. The present study was performed with aim to determine the frequency of consumption of medicinal plants and its relationship with health literacy and attitude of pregnant women towards medicinal plants. Methods: This descriptive-analytical and retrospective study was conducted in 2022 on 322 pregnant women who visited the hospitals in the west of Mazandaran for delivery. Data collection tools was questionnaire that the first part included the demographic characteristics and the pattern of medicinal plant consumption, the second part was the attitude toward the consumption of medicinal plants, and the third part was the health literacy. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 25) and Independent t and Chi-square tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 322 pregnant women participated in this study, 134 (41.6%) consumed medicinal plants during pregnancy. The most common reason for consumption was digestive problems. Mint and borage were the most commonly used herbs. The first and third trimesters of pregnancy were the most common times of consuming herbs (65.5%). No relationship was found between the frequency of consumption with demographic characteristics and health literacy, but a significant relationship was found between frequency of consumption and attitude towards medicinal plants (P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the relationship between prevalence of medicinal plant consumption and attitude towards medicinal plants, and lack of the relationship with health literacy, it is necessary to take a fundamental action to improve the attitude and raise the awareness of pregnant women regarding the use of medicinal plants

Buccal fat pad as a potential source of stem cells for bone regeneration: an in vitro study

Adipose tissues hold great promise in bone tissue engineering since they are available in large quantities as a waste material. The buccal fat pad (BFP) is a specialized mass of adipose tissue that can be easily obtained via the oral cavity without injury to the external body surface. Another advantage of BFP over subcutaneous fat is that its size appears to be similar among different people, independent of body weight and fat distribution. However, limited studies have been conducted on the osteogenic capability of stem cells derived from BFP (BFPSCs). In this study, the BFPSCs were characterized for their osteogenic differentiation potential especially in contact with a synthetic scaffold in a perfusion bioreactor. The features of BFPSCs were compared with bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) as a well known cell source for bone tissue engineering. Comparing BFPSCs with BMSCs indicated similar morphology, but faster proliferation rate of BMSCs. Moreover, when properly induced for two weeks, BFPSCs resembled BMSCs in the production of bone-specific markers, such as alkaline phosphatase, collagen, bone morphogenic protein (BMP), Runx2, and osteocalcin. Both cell types attached nicely to the pores of a gelatin-coated β-Tricalcium phosphate scaffolds. More osteogenic differentiation potential was observed for both cells under dynamic culture in a perfusion bioreactor compared with static culture. The highest collagen content and BMP production were observed in BFPSCs cultured in the bioreactor for two weeks. These results define BFP as a new, rich, and accessible source of stem cells for tissue engineering purposes

Rational Micro/Nanostructuring for Thin-Film Evaporation

Heat management in electronics and photonics devices is a critical challenge impeding accelerated breakthrough in these fields. Among approaches for heat dissipation, thin-film evaporation with micro/nanostructures has been one of the most promising approaches that can address future technological demand. The geometry and dimension of these micro/nanostructures directly govern the interfacial heat flux. Here, through theoretical and experimental analysis, we find that there is an optimal dimension of micro/nanostructures that maximizes the interfacial heat flux by thin-film evaporation. This optimal criterion is a consequence of two opposing phenomena: nonuniform evaporation flux across a liquid meniscus (divergent mass flux near the three-phase contact line) and the total liquid area exposed for evaporation. In vertical micro/nanostructures, the optimal width-to-spacing ratio is 1.27 for square pillars and 1.5 for wires (e.g., nanowires). This general criterion is independent of the solid material and the thermophysical properties of the cooling liquid. At the optimal width-to-spacing ratio, as the density of the pillars increases (i.e., smaller pillar’s dimension), the interfacial heat flux increases. This study provides a direction for rational development of micro/nanostructures for thin-film evaporation and paves the path for development of high-performance thermal management systems