In Vivo assessment of a tissue-engineered vascular graft combining a biodegradable elastomeric scaffold and muscle-derived stem cells in a rat model

Limited autologous vascular graft availability and poor patency rates of synthetic grafts for bypass or replacement of small-diameter arteries remain a concern in the surgical community. These limitations could potentially be improved by a tissue engineering approach. We report here our progress in the development and in vivo testing of a stem-cell-based tissue-engineered vascular graft for arterial applications. Poly(ester urethane)urea scaffolds (length=10mm; inner diameter=1.2mm) were created by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). Compound scaffolds were generated by reinforcing TIPS scaffolds with an outer electrospun layer of the same biomaterial (ES-TIPS). Both TIPS and ES-TIPS scaffolds were bulk-seeded with 10×106 allogeneic, LacZ-transfected, muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs), and then placed in spinner flask culture for 48h. Constructs were implanted as interposition grafts in the abdominal aorta of rats for 8 weeks. Angiograms and histological assessment were performed at the time of explant. Cell-seeded constructs showed a higher patency rate than the unseeded controls: 65% (ES-TIPS) and 53% (TIPS) versus 10% (acellular TIPS). TIPS scaffolds had a 50% mechanical failure rate with aneurysmal formation, whereas no dilation was observed in the hybrid scaffolds. A smooth-muscle-like layer of cells was observed near the luminal surface of the constructs that stained positive for smooth muscle α-actin and calponin. LacZ+ cells were shown to be engrafted in the remodeled construct. A confluent layer of von Willebrand Factor-positive cells was observed in the lumen of MDSC-seeded constructs, whereas acellular controls showed platelet and fibrin deposition. This is the first evidence that MDSCs improve patency and contribute to the remodeling of a tissue-engineered vascular graft for arterial applications. © 2010 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

How do Muslim service users, caregivers, and community members in Malappuram, Kerala, use their faith to address the challenges associated with mental ill health?

Our aim was to explore the role religion and spiritual beliefs play in dealing with the challenges associated with mental ill health among the Muslim community in Malappuram, Kerala. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with patients of Islamic faith diagnosed with a mental health condition (n = 10) in urban (Ponnani) and rural (Vailathur) area of Malappuram, a Muslim majority district in Kerala, their family carers (n = 8) and community members (n = 6). Four key themes were derived, namely (1) Attribution to supernatural factors, (2) Relying on “God’s will”, (3) Prayer, and (4) Traditional healing. Faith was seen to be a prerequisite for any treatment, including modern medicine, to work. Even within a single faith group there can be considerable variation in belief and practice, with more pious participants disapproving of the reliance on local traditional healers and belief systems, highlighting the value of paying attention to the detail of local beliefs and practices

Pirólise lenta de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum shum): valorização do bio-óleo e do potencial absorvido do biochar ativado.

O capim elefante é uma das culturas que mais produzem biomassa e que pode gerar produtos, como biocombustíveis, etanol lignocelulósico, adsorventes, entre outros. Como forma de investigação, o capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) foi analisado pelo processo de pirólise, produzindo bio-óleo e biochar. A influência de parâmetros como umidade, temperatura, análise elementar (CHN) e química (GC/MS) são discutidas objetivando o uso na indústria química. O biochar ativado termoquimicamente com K2CO3 foi avaliado para a remoção do hormônio 17β-estradiol em solução. A caracterização do adsorvente foi realizada através da Microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), pH no ponto de carga zero (pHpcz) e Isoterma de Adsorção/Dessorção N2 (BET). O resultado para análise da área superficial mostrou perfil de isoterma (tipo I) característica de materiais microporosos, com uma área superficial específica de 223,044 m2/g. A escolha do hormônio como contaminante foi motivada pela crescente presença desses compostos em mananciais de abastecimento e causa de danos à saúde humana e vida marinha

Briquetagem da biomassa do capim-elefante variedade Madeira com diferentes granulometrias de partículas.

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Reciclagem das cascas de coco verde no contexto da economia circular: briquetagem e pirólise.

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Maternity in the Brazilian CV Lattes : when will it become a reality?

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