Development of Silk based Bio-polymeric Porous Matrices for Tissue Engineering Applications

Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach for the development of artificial body organs, repair, recover or improve tissue structures and functionality. 3D porous scaffolds possessing biomimicking properties are needed to support the neogenesis of tissues and mass transport of cells, nutrients and metabolic waste. Keeping this in view, the present dissertation work was undertaken for the development of SF based scaffolds with improved surface, mechanical and biological properties that can be used as artificial extracellular matrices for tissue regeneration. The silk fibroin was extracted from B. mori silk cocoon and the process was optimized by Response surface methodology using Box-Behnken Design. Porous SF and SF/PVA) blend scaffolds were prepared by salt leaching process and characterized for morphological (SEM), structural (XRD and FTIR), thermal (DSC and TGA) and mechanical (compressive strength) behaviour. The SF scaffolds were further modified with soluble eggshell membrane protein (SEP) with the aim of improving cell affinity for tissue regeneration. The pore size of the prepared SEP-SF and SEP-(SF/PVA) scaffold were in the range of 250-350µm and porosity of 90-93%. The measured compressive strength of SF and SF/PVA (50:50) scaffold were 279.8 ± 36.2 KPa and 235 ± 67.1 KPa respectively. The existence of soluble eggshell membrane protein on the scaffold surface, structural and thermal stability was confirmed by EDX, XRD, FTIR, DSC and TGA analysis. An increase in compressive strength of the prepared SF scaffolds was achieved by modification with SEP (321.5 ± 42.2 KPa for SEP-SF and247.5± 23.7 KPa for SEP-(SF/PVA) scaffolds). The cell culture study has indicated the significant improvement in cell adhesion and proliferation observed with hMSCs cultured on SF and SF/PVA scaffolds modified with SEP. The cyto-compatibility of the SEP conjugated SF scaffolds was confirmed by in-vivo animal model testing. This study has demonstrated that the biomimic property of SF scaffold can be enhanced by surface modification with SEP. Finally, it is concluded that the SEP conjugated SF/PVA (50:50) has the potential for use as artificial extra cellular matrix particularly for soft and other non-load bearing tissue engineering applications

Economic analysis and marketing system of Apis mellifera honey production in Dang, Nepal

Dang valley, the major honey producing district in Nepal, contributes 14 percent of national honey production in the country. Understanding the constraints and opportunities contributes in improving production and productivity of honey bee (Apis mellifera), in Dang, the study was initiated to find out the status, constraints and opportunities of honey production and its marketing system in the valley so as to increase the productivity and effective marketing. Total 60 beekeepers, 35 from Ghorahi and 25 from Tulsipur sub-metropolitan municipality having more than 20 beehives were selected based on proportionate stratified random sampling method and 2 processor cum wholesalers, 2 retailers, 2 middlemen and 2 cooperatives were selected based on simple random sampling method for interview. Personal interview, focus group discussion, key informant survey was used to collect primary data and secondary data were collected from topic related publications of various institution. The average annual honey productivity was 23.5 kg/hive with benefit cost ratio of 2.15 in 2019/20. Producers disposed their honey through nine marketing channels. Out of nine honey marketing channels, maximum portion i.e. 54.14% of honey disposed through producers to processor cum wholesalers to retailers/ traders inside or outside Dang to consumers, and only 2.66% of honey disposed through producers to cooperatives to consumers. Strengthening the appropriate management practice, quality testing and product certification of honey is must to enhance production and marketing of honey

Influence of Parent’s Lifestyle in Children Behaviour – An Ayurveda Perspective

Role of parents is very crucial as children adopt the behavior and lifestyle which are followed by their parents in pediatrics population. In pediatric age group the world of children is only their parents, so if parents have no time for them, they feel lonely and anxious. Also parents over expectation, careless nature towards their child are the causes of psychological disorders in pediatric age group. Aim - To establish the relationship between parent’s behaviour and children psychology. Material and Methods - Literature review of psychology of children from classics by considering its different aspects, scholarly articles and information on internet has been referred thoroughly. Discussion and Conclusion - Overburden of parents expectation, loneliness, parents unhealthy relationship are responsible for increasing stress which leads to persistence of disease of pediatric age. Whatever the etiological factors including the genetic predisposition and course of disease pathology, the physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being of the parents, proper nutrition of the mother during pregnancy and after birth of child and practice of a wholesome regimen, play a prime role in achieving a healthy offspring. All the protocol mentioned in classics are very cost effective and easy to administer even in today’s life style, and therefore have very crucial role to prevent the psychological diseases in pediatric age group

Study of normal breast tissue by in vivo volume localized proton MR Spectroscopy: variation of Water-Fat ratio in relation to the heterogeneity of the breast and the menstrual cycle

Purpose: To investigate the alterations in water-fat (W-F) ratio of the normal breast tissue of female volunteers as a function of the histological phases of the menstrual cycle. Methods: Image-guided volume localized in vivo proton (<SUP>1</SUP>H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 1.5 T was carried out in the para-areolar region and the upper and lower quadrants of the normal breast tissue of volunteers (n=29; mean age 33.7±6 years) during five histological phases of the menstrual cycle. Results: A W-F value of 0.90±0.41 was observed for the para-areolar region during the proliferative phase, which reduced to 0.46±0.21 and 0.45±0.25 during follicular and luteal phases, respectively. The value increased to 0.76±0.61 during secretory and to 0.87±0.37 during menstrual phases. No significant difference was observed in the W-F value for the upper and the lower quadrants of the breast during various phases of the menstrual cycle. However, the W-F ratio of the para-areolar region was significantly higher compared to the upper and the lower quadrants during all phases. This reflects the dependence of W-F value on the amount of glandular and adipose tissues and the heterogeneous nature of the breast. Conclusions: Our results indicate that changes in the normal breast tissue characteristics occur due to physiological factors like menstrual cycle that strongly influences the W-F value especially the para-areolar region in a cyclic manner. Thus any assessment of breast pathology using W-F values should be carried out carefully taking into consideration the location of the tumor within the breast as well as the time of menstruation

Advancement in “Garbage In Biomaterials Out (GIBO)” concept to develop biomaterials from agricultural waste for tissue engineering and biomedical applications

Presently on a global scale, one of the major concerns is to find effective strategies to manage the agricultural waste to protect the environment. One strategy that has been drawing attention among the researchers is the development of biocompatible materials from agricultural waste. This strategy implies successful conversion of agricultural waste products (e.g.: cellulose, eggshell etc.) into building blocks for biomaterial development. Some of these wastes contain even bioactive compounds having biomedical applications. The replacement and augmentation of human tissue with biomaterials as alternative to traditional method not only bypasses immune-rejection, donor scarcity, and maintenance; but also provides long term solution to damaged or malfunctioning organs. Biomaterials development as one of the key challenges in tissue engineering approach, resourced from natural origin imparts better biocompatibility due to closely mimicking composition with cellular microenvironment. The “Garbage In, Biomaterials Out (GIBO)” concept, not only recycles the agricultural wastes, but also adds to biomaterial raw products for further product development in tissue regeneration. This paper reviews the conversion of garbage agricultural by-products to the biocompatible materials for various biomedical applications. Graphical abstract: The agro-waste biomass processed, purified, modified, and further utilized for the fabrication of biomaterials-based support system for tissue engineering applications to grow living body parts in vitro or in vivo. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Mechanochemically synthesized phase stable and biocompatible β-tricalcium phosphate from avian eggshell for the development of tissue ingrowth system

Bioceramics obtained from naturally derived materials are gaining much interest as implants for bone and dental defects. The present study aims to synthesize phase stable β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) from avian eggshell assisted with ball milling process followed by a wet chemical precipitation method (Group CPM). The effect of mechanical stimulation on phase conversion of CaO was also studied. The study was carried alongside the powders synthesized from chemical precursors (Group CPS) as well as eggshell derived powders without ball milling process (Group CPN). The phase behaviour and surface morphology were studied by XRD, FT-IR, and SEM analysis. Scaffolds were fabricated using sponge replication method to simulate a potential bone graft analogue. The cytocompatibility study was performed by human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) over a period of 21 days by live-dead assay and Alamar blue dye reduction assay. The process of mechanically stimulating CaO precursor through extensive milling plays a major role on phase stabilization of β-TCP, as compared to the mixed phases of Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-TCP formed from unmilled CaO. Group CPN scaffolds were found to be biologically equivalent to group CPS scaffolds. This novel route, aided with ball-milling process for the synthesis of β-TCP from naturally occurring eggshell waste seems promising enough to replace commercially available β-TCP produced from harmful nitrate precursors and has the capability to develop implantable biomaterial for tissue regeneration

Risk map of cholera infection for vaccine deployment: the eastern Kolkata case.

BACKGROUND: Despite advancement of our knowledge, cholera remains a public health concern. During March-April 2010, a large cholera outbreak afflicted the eastern part of Kolkata, India. The quantification of importance of socio-environmental factors in the risk of cholera, and the calculation of the risk is fundamental for deploying vaccination strategies. Here we investigate socio-environmental characteristics between high and low risk areas as well as the potential impact of vaccination on the spatial occurrence of the disease. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The study area comprised three wards of Kolkata Municipal Corporation. A mass cholera vaccination campaign was conducted in mid-2006 as the part of a clinical trial. Cholera cases and data of the trial to identify high risk areas for cholera were analyzed. We used a generalized additive model (GAM) to detect risk areas, and to evaluate the importance of socio-environmental characteristics between high and low risk areas. During the one-year pre-vaccination and two-year post-vaccination periods, 95 and 183 cholera cases were detected in 111,882 and 121,827 study participants, respectively. The GAM model predicts that high risk areas in the west part of the study area where the outbreak largely occurred. High risk areas in both periods were characterized by poor people, use of unsafe water, and proximity to canals used as the main drainage for rain and waste water. Cholera vaccine uptake was significantly lower in the high risk areas compared to low risk areas. CONCLUSION: The study shows that even a parsimonious model like GAM predicts high risk areas where cholera outbreaks largely occurred. This is useful for indicating where interventions would be effective in controlling the disease risk. Data showed that vaccination decreased the risk of infection. Overall, the GAM-based risk map is useful for policymakers, especially those from countries where cholera remains to be endemic with periodic outbreaks