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[Display omitted] • Stem cell-derived EVs significantly improve motor function post-SCI in animals. • Bio-engineered EVs, particularly with surface modifications, show superior efficacy. • EVs treatment promotes neural regeneration and reduces secondary injury effects. • TSA reveal further researches are essential to optimize EVs therapy for SCI repair. Stem-cell derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promise in preclinical spinal cord injury (SCI) models but lack a comprehensive literature review for clinical translation guidance. This meta -analysis with trial sequential analysis systematically search PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Prespecified inclusion criteria were studies reporting on measurable outcomes relevant to SCI repair. Risk of bias and quality of reporting were assessed. Random-effects meta -analyses and subgroup analyses comparing natural and bio-engineered EVs were performed. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024512122). The search identified 3935 records, of which 39 studies were included, totaling 1801 animals. Administration of EVs significantly improved locomotor function as measured by Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan or Basso-Mouse-Scale scores at 1 week (natural EVs: SMD 1.50, 95 % CI 1.06–1.95; bio-engineered EVs: SMD 1.93, 95 % CI 1.34–2.52) and 3 weeks (natural EVs: SMD 2.57, 95 % CI 1.96–3.17; bio-engineered EVs: SMD 3.16, 95 % CI 2.29–4.02) post-injury. Subgroup analyses indicated surface modification approaches were most effective among bio-engineered EV strategies. EVs also promoted nerve growth (SMD 2.95, 95 % CI 2.12–3.78), enhanced neuron conductivity (MD 0.75, 95 %CI 0.59–0.90), alleviated inflammation (SMD −3.12, 95 % CI −4.15--2.10), and reduced lesion size (SMD −2.90, 95 % CI −3.87--1.93). Both natural and bio-engineered EVs improve functional and pathological outcomes in animal models of SCI. The enhanced benefits observed with bio-engineered EVs, particularly those utilizing surface modification approaches, highlight the importance of continued exploration into bio-engineering techniques to optimize EVs' therapeutic efficacy for SCI repair. Protocol Registration CRD42024512122. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study described the chemical engineering technology to signify the utilization of non-edible Faidherbia albida seeds as a promising botanical source for biofuel production, regarding their potential to address both energy needs and environmental concerns. This research offers valuable description into sustainable fuel production technology, along with the objectives to achieve the chemical engineering to develop solutions for a more sustainable future. The utilization of non-edible F. albida as a source for biofuel production, utilized phytonanoctalyst to enhance its catalytic efficiency. F. albida seed oil concentration of 38% (w/w), non-edible feedstock presents a valuable solution for producing high-quality biofuel. The application of an innovative green nanocatalyst of calcium oxide (CaO) and Tamarindus indica pods extract proved beneficial to enhance the transesterification process. The characterization tools such as SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, and HPLC were performed. The verification of methyl ester synthesis was confirmed through FTIR and HPLC analysis. The average nanoparticle size was determined 25.93 nm, while the diffraction peaks elaborate the hexagonal polycrystalline structure. This research provides implications for the advancement of biofuel production, explained the vital role of this interdisciplinary catalysis approach to address the global energy challenges and paving the way for a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic antibodies (Abs) which act on a broader range of epitopes may provide more durable protection against the genetic drift of a target, typical of viruses or tumors. When these Abs exist concurrently on the targeted antigen, several mechanisms of action (MoAs) can be engaged, boosting therapeutic potency. This study selected combinations of four and five Abs with non- or partially overlapping epitopes to the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, on or outside the crucial receptor binding domain (RBD), to offer resilience to emerging variants and trigger multiple MoAs. The combinations were derived from a pool of unique-sequence scFv Ab fragments retrieved from two SARS-CoV-2-naïve human phage display libraries. Following recombinant expression to full-length human IgG1 candidates, a biolayer interferometric analysis mapped epitopes to bins and confirmed that up to four Abs from across the bins can exist simultaneously on the spike glycoprotein trimer. Not all the bins of Abs interfered with the spike protein binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in competitive binding assays, nor neutralized the pseudovirus or authentic virus in vitro, but when combined in vivo, their inclusion resulted in a much stronger viral clearance in the lungs of intranasally challenged hamsters, compared to that of those treated with mono ACE2 blockers. In addition, the Ab mixtures activated in vitro reporter cells expressing Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs) involved in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP). The best four-Ab combination neutralized seventeen variants of concern from Wuhan-Hu1 to Omicron BA.4/BA.5 in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the current relevance of pulmonary toxicology (with focus upon air pollution and the inhalation of hazardous materials), it is important to further develop and implement physiologically relevant models of the entire respiratory tract. Lung model development has the aim to create human relevant systems that may replace animal use whilst balancing cost, laborious nature and regulatory ambition. There is an imperative need to move away from rodent models and implement models that mimic the holistic characteristics important in lung function. The purpose of this review is therefore, to describe and identify the various alternative models that are being applied towards assessing the pulmonary toxicology of inhaled substances, as well as the current and potential developments of various advanced models and how they may be applied towards toxicology testing strategies. These models aim to mimic various regions of the lung, as well as implementing different exposure methods with the addition of various physiologically relevent conditions (such as fluid-flow and dynamic movement). There is further progress in the type of models used with focus on the development of lung-on-a-chip technologies and bioprinting, as well as and the optimization of such models to fill current knowledge gaps within toxicology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic antibodies (Abs) which act on a broader range of epitopes may provide more durable protection against the genetic drift of a target, typical of viruses or tumors. When these Abs exist concurrently on the targeted antigen, several mechanisms of action (MoAs) can be engaged, boosting therapeutic potency. This study selected combinations of four and five Abs with non- or partially overlapping epitopes to the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, on or outside the crucial receptor binding domain (RBD), to offer resilience to emerging variants and trigger multiple MoAs. The combinations were derived from a pool of unique-sequence scFv Ab fragments retrieved from two SARS-CoV-2-naïve human phage display libraries. Following recombinant expression to full-length human IgG1 candidates, a biolayer interferometric analysis mapped epitopes to bins and confirmed that up to four Abs from across the bins can exist simultaneously on the spike glycoprotein trimer. Not all the bins of Abs interfered with the spike protein binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in competitive binding assays, nor neutralized the pseudovirus or authentic virus in vitro, but when combined in vivo, their inclusion resulted in a much stronger viral clearance in the lungs of intranasally challenged hamsters, compared to that of those treated with mono ACE2 blockers. In addition, the Ab mixtures activated in vitro reporter cells expressing Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs) involved in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP). The best four-Ab combination neutralized seventeen variants of concern from Wuhan-Hu1 to Omicron BA.4/BA.5 in vitro.

We surveyed molar surface morphology of bats of 281 extant and extinct species in 5 archaic and 19 extant families using scanning microscopy. We note the occurrence of structural features on talonid crests, the cristid obliqua, postcristid, and entocristid, and their absence in upper molars, even of the same species having them on lowers. We term the structures “carnassiform notches” (CN) for their resemblance to similar features on the carnassial teeth of carnivorans. A CN consists of a small cleft in the edge of a talonid shearing crest accompanied by an adjacent “accessory trough” on the basinward side of the notch. The CN occur in bats with tribosphenic molar morphology and insectivorous or insectivorous–omnivorous dietary habits. Of 19 extant families examined, eight include members that possess lower molars with a CN in at least the cristid obliqua: Megadermatidae, Nycteridae, Mystacinidae, Furipteridae, Thyropteridae, Phyllostomidae, Natalidae, and Vespertilionidae (Murininae and Kerivoulinae only). An extinct genus of Hipposideridae, Vaylatsia, shows CN although extant hipposiderids do not. In extinct families for which lower molar fossils are available, notches were not recognized on the talonids, indicating the condition is not plesiomorphic for bats and probably evolved convergently in different lineages. Where present, the CN or troughs are morphologically consistent within a family, and might serve in some cases as characters supporting phylogenetic analyses and clade diagnoses. CN and accessory troughs probably increase the functional efficiency at sectioning chitin by increasing the effective length of a crest while maintaining the same cusp-to-cusp distance and precise occlusal relationships, and by improving the food-capture area of the shearing blade during occlusion. The accessory troughs provide an immediately adjacent fragment-clearance area. The increased sophistication of this food-processing system might be particularly important in species that must quickly acquire, chew, and swallow their food and resume echolocating in flight. The common ancestor of bats probably did not have CN in its molars, and the presence of CN does not signal carnivory in bats.

Morphogenesis involves interactions of asymmetric cell populations to form complex multicellular patterns and structures comprised of distinct cell types. However, current methods to model morphogenic events lack control over cell-type co-emergence and offer little capability to selectively perturb specific cell subpopulations. Our in vitro system interrogates cell-cell interactions and multicellular organization within human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) colonies. We examined effects of induced mosaic knockdown of molecular regulators of cortical tension (ROCK1) and cell-cell adhesion (CDH1) with CRISPR interference. Mosaic knockdown of ROCK1 or CDH1 resulted in differential patterning within hiPSC colonies due to cellular self-organization, while retaining an epithelial pluripotent phenotype. Knockdown induction stimulates a transient wave of differential gene expression within the mixed populations that stabilized in coordination with observed self-organization. Mosaic patterning enables genetic interrogation of emergent multicellular properties, which can facilitate better understanding of the molecular pathways that regulate symmetry-breaking during morphogenesis.

In this study, we successfully synthesized a δ-MnO 2 cathode with O vacancies, encapsulated by C derived from pyromellitic acid, using a facile hydrothermal method followed by annealing in an Ar atmosphere. The cathode's structural stability and charge transfer kinetics are enhanced by inhibiting the formation of the by-product Zn 4 SO 4 (OH) 6 ·4H 2 O, regulating the Mn valence state, and suppressing the Jahn-Teller effect through the synergy of C encapsulation and O vacancies. This results in remarkable electrochemical performance, including a large capacity of 421.2 mAh g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 , a high specific energy density of 595.53 Wh kg -1 , and exceptional long-cycle life stability with 90.88% over 4000 cycles at 10 A g -1 , together with superior coulombic efficiency (∼100%) in pure ZnSO 4 electrolyte. Moreover, the cathode materials demonstrate specific antitumor efficacy. In brief, this work introduces an in situ synthetic C encapsulated δ-MnO 2 with O vacancies expected to be applied in both large-scale energy storage and biomedicine., (Copyright © 2024 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We designed this review to describe a compilation of studies to enlighten the concepts of plant–microbe interactions, adopted protocols in smart crop farming, and biodiversity to reaffirm sustainable agriculture. The ever-increasing use of agrochemicals to boost crop production has created health hazards to humans and the environment. Microbes can bring up the hidden strength of plants, augmenting disease resistance and yield, hereafter, crops could be grown without chemicals by harnessing microbes that live in/on plants and soil. This review summarizes an understanding of the functions and importance of indigenous microbial communities; host–microbial and microbial–microbial interactions; simplified experimentally controlled synthetic flora used to perform targeted operations; maintaining the molecular mechanisms; and microbial agent application technology. It also analyzes existing problems and forecasts prospects. The real advancement of microbiome engineering requires a large number of cycles to obtain the necessary ecological principles, precise manipulation of the microbiome, and predictable results. To advance this approach, interdisciplinary collaboration in the areas of experimentation, computation, automation, and applications is required. The road to microbiome engineering seems to be long; however, research and biotechnology provide a promising approach for proceeding with microbial engineering and address persistent social and environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We surveyed molar surface morphology of bats of 281 extant and extinct species in 5 archaic and 19 extant families using scanning microscopy. We note the occurrence of structural features on talonid crests, the cristid obliqua, postcristid, and entocristid, and their absence in upper molars, even of the same species having them on lowers. We term the structures "carnassiform notches" (CN) for their resemblance to similar features on the carnassial teeth of carnivorans. A CN consists of a small cleft in the edge of a talonid shearing crest accompanied by an adjacent "accessory trough" on the basinward side of the notch. The CN occur in bats with tribosphenic molar morphology and insectivorous or insectivorous-omnivorous dietary habits. Of 19 extant families examined, eight include members that possess lower molars with a CN in at least the cristid obliqua: Megadermatidae, Nycteridae, Mystacinidae, Furipteridae, Thyropteridae, Phyllostomidae, Natalidae, and Vespertilionidae (Murininae and Kerivoulinae only). An extinct genus of Hipposideridae, Vaylatsia, shows CN although extant hipposiderids do not. In extinct families for which lower molar fossils are available, notches were not recognized on the talonids, indicating the condition is not plesiomorphic for bats and probably evolved convergently in different lineages. Where present, the CN or troughs are morphologically consistent within a family, and might serve in some cases as characters supporting phylogenetic analyses and clade diagnoses. CN and accessory troughs probably increase the functional efficiency at sectioning chitin by increasing the effective length of a crest while maintaining the same cusp-to-cusp distance and precise occlusal relationships, and by improving the food-capture area of the shearing blade during occlusion. The accessory troughs provide an immediately adjacent fragment-clearance area. The increased sophistication of this food-processing system might be particularly important in species that must quickly acquire, chew, and swallow their food and resume echolocating in flight. The common ancestor of bats probably did not have CN in its molars, and the presence of CN does not signal carnivory in bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants being the primary producers are the driving force of sustenance of the living world. However, plants derive the energy from Sun, to produce their own food via the process of photosynthesis. Depending on the plant's different photosynthetic pathways, it can be divided into prominent physiological groups. The main groups are C3 and C4. C4 plants are able to produce the highest rate of biological energy from solar energy. C4 plants are basically another form of C3 plants to survive in a hot and arid climate. The major drastic problem is photorespiration in C3 plants, which reduces the production of biological energy from solar energy. Therefore, C4 plants reduce photorespiration by concentrating the CO 2 concentration near RUBISCO. Hence, a long-standing goal is the conversion of C3 crops to C4 photosynthetic crops by employing different bio-engineering technologies and pathways. In this era of synthetic biology, the conversion has remained very tough owing to its specialized anatomy and biochemical cycles. This study reviewed the basic molecular concepts, the main requirements of C3-C4 conversion and advances in system biology methods. This review further emphasises on the various possible theoretical and practical knowledge with bio-engineering approaches and genetic engineering tools. Moreover, this study discussed different approaches and various future prospects in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian post-implantation development comprises the coordination of complex lineage decisions and morphogenetic processes shaping the embryo. Despite technological advances, a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of these processes and of the self-organization capabilities of stem cells and their descendants remains elusive. Building synthetic embryo-like structures from pluripotent embryonic stem cells in vitro promises to fill these knowledge gaps and thereby may prove transformative for developmental biology. Initial efforts to model the post-implantation embryo resulted in structures with compromised morphology (gastruloids). Recent approaches employing modified culture media, an extracellular matrix surrogate or extra-embryonic stem cells, however, succeeded in establishing embryo-like architecture. For example, embedding of gastruloids in Matrigel unlocked self-organization into trunk-like structures with bilateral somites and a neural tube-like structure, together with gut tissue and primordial germ cell-like cells. In this review, we describe the currently available models, discuss how these can be employed to acquire novel biological insights, and detail the imminent challenges for improving current models by in vitro engineering. [Display omitted] • Embryonic stem cells self-organize into embryonic organoids in vitro. • Gastruloids establish the body axes and cellular states of the post-occipital embryo. • Changing the cellular environment in vitro can improve morphogenetic complexity. • An extracellular matrix surrogate can trigger somite and neural tube formation. • Embryonic organoids facilitate deep analysis of embryonic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Marine macrophytes, including seagrasses and macroalgae, form the basis of diverse and productive coastal ecosystems that deliver important ecosystem services. Moreover, western countries increasingly recognize macroalgae, traditionally cultivated in Asia, as targets for a new bio-economy that can be both economically profitable and environmentally sustainable. However, seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests are threatened by a variety of anthropogenic stressors. Most notably, rising temperatures and marine heatwaves are already devastating these ecosystems around the globe, and are likely to compromise profitability and production security of macroalgal farming in the near future. Recent studies show that seagrass and macroalgae can become less susceptible to heat events once they have been primed with heat stress. Priming is a common technique in crop agriculture in which plants acquire a stress memory that enhances performance under a second stress exposure. Molecular mechanisms underlying thermal priming are likely to include epigenetic mechanisms that switch state and permanently trigger stress-preventive genes after the first stress exposure. Priming may have considerable potential for both ecosystem restoration and macroalgae farming to immediately improve performance and stress resistance and, thus, to enhance restoration success and production security under environmental challenges. However, priming methodology cannot be simply transferred from terrestrial crops to marine macrophytes. We present first insights into the formation of stress memories in both seagrasses and macroalgae, and research gaps that need to be filled before priming can be established as new bio-engineering technique in these ecologically and economically important marine primary producers.

Chitosan has become the most known and second abundantly available recyclable, non-hazardous and eco-friendly biopolymer after cellulose with several advantageous biomedical, agriculture, and wastewater treatment applications. As nanotechnology has progressed, researchers have begun incorporating chitosan-based carbon compounds into various compounds, elements, and carbonaceous materials to increase their efficiency and biocompatibility. Chitosan carbon compounds have also been used directly in many applications due to their inherent chelating and antibacterial features and the presence of customizable functional groups. This review widely discusses- the properties and synthesis of chitosan and chitosan composite. It also discusses the modification of chitosan with different compounds, metals, carbonaceous materials, and agriculture residues to allow their use on an industrial scale. Recent advances in the use of chitosan in biomedical, agro-waste management, agriculture, wastewater treatment, and a few other applications (such as food packaging, cosmetics, and the textile and paper sector) are briefly discussed. Furthermore, this analysis reveals that chitosan and its composite materials are potential, low-cost products for environmental clean-up that can be made with basic manufacturing procedures.

The paper presents a new prefabricated bio-engineering structure for the support of unstable soil. This prefabricated structure is made of a steel frame which is completely filled with soil and a face made of tree trunks among which scions or autochthonous bushes are planted. Due to the difficulties in interpreting the complex interaction between soil and structure during the installation and lifetime, an in situ test was carried out in order to evaluate the state of stress in the steel frame and to understand the global behavior of the structure under service loads. On the basis of the obtained results, a procedure for checking the structure safety was proposed and discussed. An easy design method was developed during the research. Moreover, the use of this type of prefabricated structure shows several advantages, such as good performances in terms of stabilizing effects, and easy assembly and transport.

Summary: This work aims at developing an adequate theoretical basis for comparing assimilation of the ancestral C3 pathway with CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCM) that have evolved to reduce photorespiratory yield losses.We present a novel model for C3, C2, C2 + C4 and C4 photosynthesis simulating assimilatory metabolism, energetics and metabolite traffic at the leaf level. It integrates a mechanistic description of light reactions to simulate ATP and NADPH production, and a variable engagement of cyclic electron flow. The analytical solutions are compact and thus suitable for larger scale simulations. Inputs were derived with a comprehensive gas‐exchange experiment.We show trade‐offs in the operation of C4 that are in line with ecophysiological data. C4 has the potential to increase assimilation over C3 at high temperatures and light intensities, but this benefit is reversed under low temperatures and light.We apply the model to simulate the introduction of progressively complex levels of CCM into C3 rice, which feeds > 3.5 billion people. Increasing assimilation will require considerable modifications such as expressing the NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase‐like complex and upregulating cyclic electron flow, enlarging the bundle sheath, and expressing suitable transporters to allow adequate metabolite traffic. The simpler C2 rice may be a desirable alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food labels legislated by the U.S. government have been designed to provide information to consumers. It has been asserted that the simple disclosures "produced using genetic engineering" on newly legislated U.S. food labels will send a signal that influences individual preferences rather than providing information. Vermont is the only US state to have experienced mandatory labeling of foods produced using genetic engineering (GE) via simple disclosures. Using a representative sample of adults who experienced Vermont's mandatory GE labeling policy, we examined whether GE labels were seen by consumers and whether the labels provided information or influenced preferences. Nearly one-third of respondents reported seeing a label. Higher income, younger consumers who search for information about GE were more likely to report seeing a label. We also estimated whether labels served as information cues that helped reveal consumer preferences through purchases, or whether labels served as a signal that influenced preferences and purchases. For 50.5% of consumers who saw a label, the label served as an information cue that revealed their preferences. For 13% of those who saw the label, the label influenced preferences and behavior. Overall, for 4% of the total sample, simple GE disclosures influenced preferences. For a slight majority of consumers who used a GE label, simple disclosures were an information signal and not a preference signal. Searching for GE information, classifying as female, older age and opposing GE in food production significantly increased the probability that GE labels served as an information source. Providing such disclosures to consumers may be the least complex and most transparent option for mandatory GE labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bionics (the imitation or abstraction of the “inventions of nature) and, to an even greater extent, synthetic biology, will be as relevant to engineering development and industry as the silicon chip was over the last 50 years. Chemical industries already use so-called “white biotechnology” for new processes, new raw materials, and more sustainable use of resources. Synthetic biology is also used for the development of second-generation biofuels and for harvesting the sun's energy with the help of tailor-made microorganisms or biometrically designed catalysts. The market potential for bionics in medicine, engineering processes, and DNA storage is huge. “Moonshot” projects are already aggressively focusing on diseases and new materials, and a US-led competition is currently underway with the aim of creating a thousand new molecules. This article describes a timeline that starts with current projects and then moves on to code engineering projects and their implications, artificial DNA, signaling molecules, and biological circuitry. Beyond these projects, one of the next frontiers in bionics is the design of synthetic metabolisms that include artificial food chains and foods, and the bioengineering of raw materials; all of which will lead to new insights into biological principles. Bioengineering will be an innovation motor just as digitalization is today. This article discusses pertinent examples of bioengineering, particularly the use of alternative carbon-based biofuels and the techniques and perils of cell modification. Big data, analytics, and massive storage are important factors in this next frontier. Although synthetic biology will be as pervasive and transformative in the next 50 years as digitization and the Internet are today, its applications and impacts are still in nascent stages. This article provides a general taxonomy in which the development of bioengineering is classified in five stages (DNA analysis, bio-circuits, minimal genomes, protocells, xenobiology) from the familiar to the unknown, with implications for safety and security, industrial development, and the development of bioengineering and biotechnology as an interdisciplinary field. Ethical issues and the importance of a public debate about the consequences of bionics and synthetic biology are discussed.

Morphogenesis involves interactions of asymmetric cell populations to form complex multicellular patterns and structures comprised of distinct cell types. However, current methods to model morphogenic events lack control over cell-type co-emergence and offer little capability to selectively perturb specific cell subpopulations. Our in vitro system interrogates cell-cell interactions and multicellular organization within human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) colonies. We examined effects of induced mosaic knockdown of molecular regulators of cortical tension (ROCK1) and cell-cell adhesion (CDH1) with CRISPR interference. Mosaic knockdown of ROCK1 or CDH1 resulted in differential patterning within hiPSC colonies due to cellular self-organization, while retaining an epithelial pluripotent phenotype. Knockdown induction stimulates a transient wave of differential gene expression within the mixed populations that stabilized in coordination with observed self-organization. Mosaic patterning enables genetic interrogation of emergent multicellular properties, which can facilitate better understanding of the molecular pathways that regulate symmetry-breaking during morphogenesis.

The design and manufacturing of medical implants constitutes an active and highly important field of research, both from a medical and an engineering point of view. From an engineering aspect, the machining of implants is undoubtedly challenging due to the complex shape of the implants and the associated restrictive geometrical and dimensional requirements. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the surface integrity of the implant is not severely affected, in order for the implant to be durable and wear resistant. In the present work, the methodology of designing and machining the femoral component of total knee replacement using a 3-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine is presented, and then, the results of the machining process, as well as the evaluation of implant surface quality are discussed in detail. At first, a preliminary design of the components of the knee implant is performed and the planning for the production of the femoral component is implemented in Computed Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software. Then, three femoral components are machined under different process conditions and the surface quality is evaluated in terms of surface roughness. Analysis of the results indicated the appropriate process conditions for each part of the implant surface and led to the determination of optimum machining strategy for the finishing stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oviduct was long considered a largely passive conduit for gametes and embryos. However, an increasing number of studies into oviduct physiology have demonstrated that it specifically and significantly influences gamete interaction, fertilization and early embryo development. While oviduct epithelial cell (OEC) function has been examined during maintenance in conventional tissue culture dishes, cells seeded into these two-dimensional (2-D) conditions suffer a rapid loss of differentiated OEC characteristics, such as ciliation and secretory activity. Recently, three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture systems have been developed that make use of cell inserts to create basolateral and apical medium compartments with a confluent epithelial cell layer at the interface. Using such 3-D culture systems, OECs can be triggered to redevelop typical differentiated cell properties and levels of tissue organization can be developed that are not possible in a 2-D culture. 3-D culture systems can be further refined using new micro-engineering techniques (including microfluidics and 3-D printing) which can be used to produce 'organs-on-chips', i.e. live 3-D cultures that bio-mimic the oviduct. In this review, concepts for designing bio-mimic 3-D oviduct cultures are presented. The increased possibilities and concomitant challenges when trying to more closely investigate oviduct physiology, gamete activation, fertilization and embryo production are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional cancer treatments lack specificity and often cause severe side effects. Targeted therapeutic approaches are therefore preferred, including the use of immunotoxins (ITs) that comprise cell-binding and cell death-inducing components to allow the direct and specific delivery of pro-apoptotic agents into malignant cells. The first generation of ITs consisted of toxins derived from bacteria or plants, making them immunogenic in humans. The recent development of human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFP) consisting of human effector enzymes offers the prospect of highly-effective targeted therapies with minimal side effects. One of the most promising candidates is granzyme B (GrB) and this enzyme has already demonstrated its potential for targeted cancer therapy. However, the clinical application of GrB may be limited because it is inactivated by the overexpression in tumors of its specific inhibitor serpin B9 (PI-9). It is also highly charged, which means it can bind non-specifically to the surface of non-target cells. Furthermore, human enzymes generally lack an endogenous translocation domain, thus the endosomal release of GrB following receptor-mediated endocytosis can be inefficient. In this review we provide a detailed overview of these challenges and introduce promising solutions to increase the cytotoxic potency of GrB for clinical applications.

The design and manufacturing of medical implants constitutes an active and highly important field of research, both from a medical and an engineering point of view. From an engineering aspect, the machining of implants is undoubtedly challenging due to the complex shape of the implants and the associated restrictive geometrical and dimensional requirements. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the surface integrity of the implant is not severely affected, in order for the implant to be durable and wear resistant. In the present work, the methodology of designing and machining the femoral component of total knee replacement using a 3-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine is presented, and then, the results of the machining process, as well as the evaluation of implant surface quality are discussed in detail. At first, a preliminary design of the components of the knee implant is performed and the planning for the production of the femoral component is implemented in Computed Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software. Then, three femoral components are machined under different process conditions and the surface quality is evaluated in terms of surface roughness. Analysis of the results indicated the appropriate process conditions for each part of the implant surface and led to the determination of optimum machining strategy for the finishing stage.

Currently, the micro-robotic cell injection procedure is performed manually by expert human bio-operators. In order to be proficient at the task, lengthy and expensive dedicated training is required. As such, effective specialized training systems for this procedure can prove highly beneficial. This paper presents a comprehensive review of haptic technology relevant to cell injection training and discusses the feasibility of developing such training systems, providing researchers with an inclusive resource enabling the application of the presented approaches, or extension and advancement of the work. A brief explanation of cell injection and the challenges associated with the procedure are first presented. Important skills, such as accuracy, trajectory, speed and applied force, which need to be mastered by the bio-operator in order to achieve successful injection, are then discussed. Then an overview of various types of haptic feedback, devices and approaches is presented. This is followed by discussion on the approaches to cell modeling Discussion of the application of haptics to skills training across various fields and haptically-enabled virtual training systems evaluation are then presented. Finally, given the findings of the review, this paper concludes that a haptically-enabled virtual cell injection training system is feasible and recommendations are made to developers of such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[J Med Allied Sci 2016; 6(1): 1-2]

My time at Leeds mechanical engineering bioengineering department with Professor Dowson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin C participates in several physiological processes, among others, immune stimulation, synthesis of collagen, hormones, neurotransmitters and iron absorption. Severe deficiency leads to scurvy, whereas a limited vitamin C intake causes general symptoms, such as increased susceptibility to infections, fatigue, insomnia and weight loss. Surprisingly vitamin C deficiencies are spread in both developing and developed countries, with the latter actually trying to overcome this lack through dietary supplements and food fortification. Therefore new strategies aimed to increase vitamin C in food plants would be of interest to improve human health. Interestingly, plants are not only living bioreactors for vitamin C production in optimal growing conditions, but also they can increase their vitamin C content as consequence of stress conditions. An overview of the different approaches aimed at increasing vitamin C level in plant food is given. They include genotype selection by classical breeding, bio-engineering and changes of the agronomic conditions, on the basis of the emerging concepts that plant can enhance vitamin C synthesis as part of defence responses.

After passage through biological barriers, nanomaterials inevitably end up in contact with the vascular endothelium and can induce cardiovascular damage. In this study the toxicity and sub-lethal effects of six types of nanoparticle, including four of industrial and biomedical importance, on human endothelial cells were investigated using different in vitro assays. The results show that all the particles investigated induce some level of damage to the cells and that silver particles were most toxic, followed by titanium dioxide. Furthermore, endothelial cells were shown to be more susceptible when exposed to silver nanoparticles under flow conditions in a bioreactor. The study underlines that although simple in vitro tests are useful to screen compounds and to identify the type of effect induced on cells, they may not be sufficient to define safe exposure limits. Therefore, once initial toxicity screening has been conducted on nanomaterials, it is necessary to develop more physiologically relevant in vitro models to better understand how nanomaterials can impact on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of slope stability influenced by vegetation cover and additional loads applied. The article presents the results of research conducted in order to create nomographs allowing assessment of slope stability. The proposed recommendations involve graphs and charts, where factor of safety (FOS) is computed in according to six different characteristics: slope height and angle, slope surface vegetation cover, applied surcharge, position of water table, soil mechanical conditions. For the purpose of the research several geotechnical models and approaches were used and became a basis for developing simplified method of predicting the failure of natural and engineered slopes. The advantage of the solutions presented is their simplicity of use; as further FOS calculations are not required during the complex assessment of slope stability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the OECD forecast, it is expected that almost half the world's population will have problems with water before year 2030, which shall lead to an increased demand for water, which might surpass the "offer" by even 40 percent. However, according to the many analyses, the real problem is not in the real lack of water but in recognizing the true value of water, efficient allocation and planning. Therefore, nowadays, the basic goal of bio-engineering measures and actions imposes the conservation of "healthy" water by the decrease or elimination of the existing pollution, without putting more pressure on the environment, with the integral approach in the sense of synergic activity of scientists from various fields. In this paper, we consider the use of "green solutions" in the treatment of waste emulsions and oily water in order to reduce the amount of hazardous waste and pressure on water resources, while providing multiple benefits, as in both the environmental and economic sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]