Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering

The adsorption of activated charcoal is currently a major clinical treatment for acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP). However, the adsorption duration and efficiency of this method is unstable.

In this study, a hydrogel embedding activated charcoal was prepared and its alleviating effects on AOPP were investigated.

A composite hydrogel using sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (SA-PVA) hydrogel was prepared in this study. The structural properties of the SA-PVA hydrogel were characterized via multiple analysis including FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, tensile strength and expansion rate. Based on these, activated charcoal (AC) was embedded within the SA-PVA hydrogel (SA-PVA-AC) and it was used for the treatment of AOPP.

Structural characterization indicated SA-PVA hydrogel possesses excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The in vivo study demonstrated that SA-PVA-AC significantly alleviated the inflammation and oxidative damage in the liver, as evidenced by reduced levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and, IL-1β, SOD, and MDA. Furthermore, SA-PVA-AC treatment effectively re-regulated the activities of serum AST and ALT, exhibiting an improved effect on liver function.

The findings suggest that activated charcoal embedded within SA-PVA hydrogel has significant potential as a therapeutic agent in treating AOPP, and offering a novel approach to managing pesticide-induced toxicity.

Vascular endothelial injury, a key factor in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) pathogenesis, is linked to the impaired proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells, modulated by hypoxia-inducible factor, growth factors, and inflammatory elements.

The present study assesses the role of SIKVAV (Ser-Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val), a peptide shown to enhance cell proliferation and migration, on mouse aortic endothelial cell (MAEC) and the corresponding molecular mechanisms.

MAEC were treated with SIKVAV at 0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 μg/mL for 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell viability was tested using the CCK-8 assay. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and protein kinase B (Akt) levels were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot.

SIKVAV augmented PCNA mRNA expression and stimulated vascular endothelial cell proliferation in a concentration and time-dependent fashion. Furthermore, it amplified the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-Akt, pivotal components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK1/2 and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways. The inhibition of these pathways suppressed PCNA mRNA expression, cell proliferation rate, and decreased p-ERK1/2 and p-Akt levels, highlighting SIKVAV's role in promoting vascular endothelial cell proliferation via these pathways.

The results of this study confirmed that SIKVAV grafted onto scaffolds can accelerate the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells for the therapy of skin wounds, and provide a theoretical basis for its application in ischemic disease as synthesized biomaterials scaffolds of tissue engineering.

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy pose significant risks to both maternal and fetal health, necessitating safe and effective therapeutic interventions.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of an extract derived from Falcaria vulgaris (FV), loaded with exosomes to form the Exo/FV complex, as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of hypertension in pregnant mice: antioxidants, antimicrobials, and phenolic compounds present in FV lower blood pressure.

The isolation of exosomes was done by ultracentrifugation methods and the FV was loaded into the exosomes by electroporation method.

The Exo/FV was found to be spherical with diameter ranges from 20 to 30 nm and they were tested for biocompatibility in NHI 3T3 cell lines and found to be effective. This research investigated in vivo hypertension in mice induced by L-NAME and treated with FV and Exo/FV and found that AChE and MAO determine mice's redox state tends to reduce blood pressure. Increased non-protein thiol (NP-SH) and decreased lipid peroxidation were also found, and PDE-5, ACE, Arginase, and MDA activity has also been tested.

This analysis showed that Exo/FV effectively treated hypertension during pregnancy.

Accurate measurement of bone alignment of the knee during walking provides ideal clinical information for diagnosis and treatment of knee joint disorders. To bring this ideal closer to clinical reality, we developed an image matching technique to measure the three-dimensional (3D) position of bones using anteroposterior radiography during the stance phase of treadmill walking.

To develop and validate an image matching method for evaluation of 3D knee alignment using anteroposterior radiography of artificial femoral and tibial bones.

The 3D position of each bone was recovered by minimizing the difference between the projected outline and the contour of the bone in the anteroposterior radiograph. The true value of the position was measured using a 3D coordinate measuring machine.

The mean values ± standard deviation and root mean squares (RMS) of translation errors were within −1.6 ± 2.1 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively, for femur, and 2.1 ± 1.9 mm and 2.8 mm for tibia. The mean values ± standard deviation and RMS of errors in rotation were within 0.3 ± 0.7° and 0.7°, respectively, for femur, and −0.3 ± 0.9° and 0.9°, respectively, for tibia.

Our method is suitable for evaluating 3D knee alignment on anteroposterior radiography.

The preservation period afforded by cold storage of cells is short. However, the use of rare gases for cold storage as a means of extending the period of preservation would be highly beneficial.

To examine the effect of temperature on the protective effect of cold storage of cells using pressurized dissolution of xenon gas, with particular focus on the inhibition of substance transport by viscosity.

Human dermal fibroblast monolayers incubated in a culture dish for 48 h were used as a test sample, with culture medium used as a preservation solution. Samples were placed into a pressure-resistant vessel, which was pressurized with xenon gas at 0 or 0.5 MPa, and cells were stored at 0 to 5°C for 18 h. Cell activity was evaluated by tetrazolium salt assay. The viscosity of the medium under pressurization at each storage temperature was estimated.

The maximum protective effect against cell damage of cold storage with pressurized dissolution of xenon gas was observed at 4°C. An increase in estimated viscosity by pressurization was correlated with increased cell activity at 4°C.

Analysis of the temperature dependence of the protective effect against cell damage of cold storage with pressurized dissolution of xenon gas revealed that the most effective temperature is 4°C. The data also suggest that increased viscosity due to pressurization plays a role in the protective effect.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are effective in alleviating symptoms, but the large number of acupoints can make accurate needle placement and training difficult.

To address these challenges, this study aims to develop an augmented reality (AR) acupuncture navigation system designed to improve the accuracy and intuitiveness of acupoint localization.

The proposed system employs a six-point registration and positioning technique, enabling the AR navigation model to adapt to the specific characteristics of each patient.

In testing, discrepancies between virtual and actual acupuncture points ranged from 0.6 mm to 3.9 mm, which is within the acceptable tolerance range for acupuncture.

This AR-based system shows promise in enhancing the precision of acupuncture point localization, potentially leading to improved treatment outcomes.