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Hemorrhage is the leading cause of death following battlefield injuries. Although several hemostats are commercially available, they do not meet all the necessary requirements to stop bleeding in combat injuries. Here, we engineer thermoresponsive shear-thinning hydrogels (T-STH) composed of a thermoresponsive polymer, poly(

This review discusses the state-of-the-art integrated biosensors by providing specific examples, detailing their main advantages in monitoring MPSs, and describing the remaining challenges and potential future developments.

Soft tissue defects are a common clinical challenge mostly caused by trauma, congenital anomalies and oncological surgery. Current soft tissue reconstruction (STR) options include synthetic materials (fillers and implants) and autologous adipose tissue transplantation through flap surgery and/or lipotransfer. Both reconstructive options hold important disadvantages to which vascularized adipose tissue engineering (VATE) strategies could offer solutions. In this review, we first summarized pivotal characteristics of functional adipose tissue (FAT) such as the structure, function, cell types, development and extracellular matrix (ECM). Next, we discussed relevant cell sources and how they are applied in different state-of-the-art VATE techniques. Herein, biomaterial scaffolds and hydrogels, ECMs, spheroids, organoids, cell sheets, 3D bioprinting and microfluidics are overviewed. Also, we included extracellular vesicles and emphasized their potential role in VATE. Lastly, current challenges and future perspectives in VATE are pointed out to help to pave the road towards clinical applications.

Shear-thinning biomaterials (STBs) based on gelatin-silicate nanoplatelets (SNs) are emerging as an alternative to conventional coiling and clipping techniques in the treatment of vascular anomalies. Improvements in the cohesion of STB hydrogels pave the way toward their translational application in minimally invasive therapies such as endovascular embolization repair. In the present study, sodium phytate (Phyt) additives are used to tune the electrostatic network of SNs-gelatin STBs, thereby promoting their mechanical integrity and facilitating injectability through standard catheters. We show that an optimized amount of Phyt enhances storage modulus by approximately one order of magnitude and reduces injection force by ≈58% without compromising biocompatibility and hydrogel wet stability. The Phyt additives are found to decrease the immune responses induced by SNs. In vitro embolization experiments suggest a significantly lower rate of failure in Phyt-incorporated STBs than in control groups. Furthermore, the addition of Phyt leads to accelerated blood coagulation (reduces clotting time by ≈45% compared to controls) due to the contributions of negatively charged phosphate groups, which aid in the prolonged durability of STB in coagulopathic patients. Therefore, the proposed approach is an effective method for the design of robust and injectable STBs for minimally invasive treatment of vascular malformations.

The mechanical properties of cells are largely determined by the cytoskeleton, which is a complex network of interconnected biopolymers consisting of actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. While disruption of the actin filament and microtubule networks is known to decrease and increase cell-generated forces, respectively, the effect of intermediate filaments on cellular forces is not well understood. Using a combination of theoretical modeling and experiments, we show that disruption of vimentin intermediate filaments can either increase or decrease cell-generated forces, depending on microenvironment stiffness, reconciling seemingly opposite results in the literature. On the one hand, vimentin is involved in the transmission of actomyosin-based tensile forces to the matrix and therefore enhances traction forces. On the other hand, vimentin reinforces microtubules and their stability under compression, thus promoting the role of microtubules in suppressing cellular traction forces. We show that the competition between these two opposing effects of vimentin is regulated by the microenvironment stiffness. For low matrix stiffness, the force-transmitting role of vimentin dominates over their microtubule-reinforcing role and therefore vimentin increases traction forces. At high matrix stiffness, vimentin decreases traction forces as the microtubule-reinforcing role of vimentin becomes more important with increasing matrix stiffness. Our theory reconciles seemingly disparate experimental observations on the role of vimentin in active cellular forces and provides a unified description of stiffness-dependent chemo-mechanical regulation of cell contractility by vimentin.SignificanceVimentin is a marker of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition which takes place during important biological processes including embryogenesis, metastasis, tumorigenesis, fibrosis, and wound healing. While the roles of the actin and microtubule networks in the transmission of cellular forces to the extracellular matrix are known, it is not clear how vimentin intermediate filaments impact cellular forces. Here, we show that vimentin impacts cellular forces in a matrix stiffness-dependent manner. Disruption of vimentin in cells on soft matrices reduces cellular forces, while it increases cellular forces in cells on stiff matrices. Given that cellular forces are central to both physiological and pathological processes, our study has broad implications for understanding the effect of vimentin on cellular forces in different microenvironments.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have shown interesting properties and specific biofunctions, providing benefits and new opportunities for controlled release systems. In this research, we demonstrated the use of natural rubber latex (NRL) from Hevea brasiliensis as a carrier of AuNPs and the antibiotic metronidazole (MET). We prepared AuNP-MET-NRL and characterized by physicochemical, biological and in vitro release assays. The effect of AuNPs on MET release was evaluated using UV-Vis and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) techniques. AuNPs synthesized by Turkevich and Frens method resulted in a spherical shape with diameters of 34.8 ± 5.5 nm. We verified that there was no emergence or disappearance of new vibrational bands. Qualitatively and quantitatively, we showed that the MET crystals dispersed throughout the NRL. The Young's modulus and elongation values at dressing rupture were in the range appropriate for human skin application. 64.70% of the AuNP-MET complex was released within 100 h, exhibiting a second-order exponential release profile. The LIBS technique allowed monitoring of the AuNP release, indicating the Au emission peak reduction at 267.57 nm over time. Moreover, the dressing displayed an excellent hemocompatibility and fibroblast cell viability. These results demonstrated that the AuNP-MET-NRL wound dressing is a promising approach for dermal applications.

Tissue engineering provides various strategies to fabricate an appropriate microenvironment to support the repair and regeneration of lost or damaged tissues. In this matter, several technologies have been implemented to construct close-to-native three-dimensional structures at numerous physiological scales, which are essential to confer the functional characteristics of living tissues.In this article, we review a variety of microfabrication technologies that are currently utilized for several tissue engineering applications, such as soft lithography, microneedles, templated and self-assembly of microstructures, microfluidics, fiber spinning, and bioprinting.These technologies have considerably helped us to precisely manipulate cells or cellular constructs for the fabrication of biomimetic tissues and organs. Although currently available tissues still lack some crucial functionalities, including vascular networks, innervation, and lymphatic system, microfabrication strategies are being proposed to overcome these issues. Moreover, the microfabrication techniques that have progressed to the preclinical stage are also discussed.This article aims to highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each technique and areas of further research for a more comprehensive and evolving understanding of microfabrication techniques in terms of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of trauma-related deaths, in hospital and prehospital settings. Hemostasis is a complex mechanism that involves a cascade of clotting factors and proteins that result in the formation of a strong clot. In certain surgical and emergency situations, hemostatic agents are needed to achieve faster blood coagulation to prevent the patient from experiencing a severe hemorrhagic shock. Therefore, it is critical to consider appropriate materials and designs for hemostatic agents. Many materials have been fabricated as hemostatic agents, including synthetic and naturally derived polymers. Compared to synthetic polymers, natural polymers or biopolymers, which include polysaccharides and polypeptides, have greater biocompatibility, biodegradability and processibility. Thus, in this review, we focus on biopolymer-based hemostatic agents of different forms, such as powder, particles, sponges and hydrogels. Finally, we discuss biopolymer-based hemostatic materials currently in clinical trials and offer insight into next-generation hemostats for clinical translation.

Objectives: Assess the quality of life among children with Thalassemia and determine the association between quality of life of Thalassemia children with selected demographic factors. Materials and Methods: The present study was aimed at assessing quality of life among thalassemia children using descriptive survey approach. A total of 100 Thalassemia children were selected by purposive sampling technique, from Safdarjung Hospital and Kalawati Saran Children Hospital OPD and Day Care Center. Structured interview schedule was used to assess quality of life among Thalassemia children. Analysis and interpretation of data for the present study were based on data collected through structured interview schedule from 100 children with Thalassemia by using both descriptive and inferential statistics based on objectives of the study. Result: The data was collected, analyzed and interpreted in terms of the objectives. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized for the analysis of the data. The level of significance set for testing the association was 0.05 using chi-square test. The mean, median and standard deviation values were close to each other which indicate that group was homogenous. Mean=86.58, Median=87.5 and standard deviation of quality of life score was 10.95. Conclusion: The major findings of the study were, majority of children were having moderate quality of life and there was a significant association between quality of life of Thalassemia children and selected demographic variables. How to cite this article: Bains M, Mandal K. A Study to Assess the Quality of Life among Children with Thalassemia and its Relationship with Selected Factors in Selected Hospitals of Delhi. Ind J Youth Adol Health 2019; 6(3): 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.2880.201911

The study was done among hypertensive elderly people staying in selected old age home of Gurgaon and Delhi. Convenient sampling was used to select the old age home and purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample of 30 hypertensive elderly people for assessing the management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. Further, 30 hypertensive elderly people had been evaluated for finding the effectiveness of planned teaching programme in terms of knowledge and attitude towards management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. There was deficit in knowledge and a lack of positive attitude regarding management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. The mean post-test knowledge scores and attitude scores were 27.5 and 71.2 respectively, which were signiflcantly higher than the mean pre-test knowledge scores and attitude scores (23.6 and 67.3) as evident from 't' values of 24.07 and 23.07 respectively for df (29) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the planned teaching programme was effective in increasing the knowledge and developing a positive attitude of hypertensive elderly people in management of hypertension.

The study was done among hypertensive elderly people staying in selected old age home of Gurgaon and Delhi. Convenient sampling was used to select the old age home and purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample of 30 hypertensive elderly people for assessing the management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. Further, 30 hypertensive elderly people had been evaluated for finding the effectiveness of planned teaching programme in terms of knowledge and attitude towards management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. There was deficit in knowledge and a lack of positive attitude regarding management of hypertension among hypertensive elderly people. The mean post-test knowledge scores and attitude scores were 27.5 and 71.2 respectively, which were significantly higher than the mean pre-test knowledge scores and attitude scores (23.6 and 67.3) as evident from ‘t’ values of 24.07 and 23.07 respectively for df (29) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the planned teaching programme was effective in increasing the knowledge and developing a positive attitude of hypertensive elderly people in management of hypertension.

Correction for ‘Opposite responses of normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma cells to substrate viscoelasticity’ by Kalpana Mandal et al., Biomater. Sci., 2020, 8, 1316–1328.

Cells respond to both their chemical environment and to microenvironmental stiffness by the process of mechanotransduction. The mechanisms by which cells monitor and respond to the mechanical properties of their environment are largely unknown. Cellular response to the stiffness of the substrate is highly cell type specific and depends on the chemical composition of the substrate and therefore the type of adhesion receptors that engage it. Nearly all studies of mechanobiology in vitro employ substrates coated with protein or peptide ligands for integrins, but the native extracellular matrix (ECM) is highly enriched with glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans that can alter cell adhesion and signaling though integrins. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the major ECM components that helps maintains the viscoelasticity of connective tissues, controls tissue hydration, and organizes the supramolecular assembly of proteoglycans. In this study we investigate the role of HA together with integrin ligands in promoting hepatocellular carcinoma cell (Huh7) spreading on very soft substrates (300 Pa), resulting in morphology and motility similar to that which these cells develop only on stiff substrates (30 kPa/glass) in the absence of HA. In particular, we test the hypothesis that cell interaction with HA leads to activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which in turn promotes actin remodeling to facilitate cell spreading without requiring high contractile forces that are generated on stiff substrates. Inhibition of polyphosphoinositide turnover whether by two different PI3kinase inhibitors or by a cell-permeant polyphosphoinositide-binding peptide causes both Huh7 cells and murine fibroblasts to decrease spreading and detach whereas cells on stiffer substrates show almost no response. Traction force microscopy (TFM) shows that the cell maintains a very low total strain energy and net contractile moment on HA substrates as compared to stiff 30 kPa substrate even though cells on both substrates have large spread areas, extensive focal adhesions, and actin bundles (generally called stress fibers). Measurements of cell membrane tension by lipid tether pulling show a similar level of membrane tension on HA substrate as on stiff substrates. These results suggest that simultaneous signaling stimulated by HA and an integrin ligand can generate PI3K-dependent signals to the cytoskeleton that mimic those generated by high cellular tension, to produce increased actin and focal adhesion assembly and large spread areas.

Role of Embryo and Endosperm in Rice Seed Deterioration