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Recent Biomimetic Approaches for Articular Cartilage Tissue Engineering and Their Clinical Applications: Narrative Review of the Literature
Get PDFSince articular cartilage is lacking blood vessels and nerves, its capacity to heal is extremely limited. This means that ruptured cartilage affects the joint as a whole. A health issue known as osteoarthritis can develop as a result of injury and deterioration. Osteoarthritis development can be speeded up by the widespread deterioration of articular cartilage, which ranks third on the list of musculoskeletal disorders requiring rehabilitation, behind only low back pain and broken bones. The current treatments for cartilage repair are ineffective and rarely restore full function or tissue normalcy. A promising new technology in tissue engineering may help create functional cartilage tissue substitutes. Ensuring that the cell source is loaded with bioactive molecules that promote cellular differentiation and/or maturation is the general approach. This review summarizes recent advances in cartilage tissue engineering, and recent clinical trials have been conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent research developments and clinical applications in the framework of degenerated articular cartilage and osteoarthritis
Assessment of Factors Affecting Time to Recovery from COVID-19: A Retrospective Study in Ethiopia
Get PDFBackground. The average duration of recovery from COVID-19 and influencing factors, which would help inform optimal control strategies, remain unclear. Moreover, studies regarding this issue are limited in Ethiopia, and no region-wise studies were conducted. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the median recovery time from COVID-19, and its predictors among patients admitted to Amhara regional state COVID-19 treatment centers, Ethiopia. Methods. A facility-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted at Amhara regional state COVID-19 treatment centers from 13 March 2020 through 30 March 2021. Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1, and STATA version 14 was used for analysis. A Kaplan–Meier curve was used to estimate survival time, and the Cox regression model was fitted to identify independent predictors. value with 95% CI for the hazard ratio was used for testing the significance at alpha 0.05. Results. Six hundred twenty-two cases followed, and 540 observations developed an event at the end of the follow-up. The median time to recovery was 11 days with an interquartile range of 9–14 days. Most of the patients were recovered from COVID-19 between days seven and fourteen. In the first six days of admission, only 4.2% of cases had recovered, but by day 14, 73.8% had recovered. Patients without comorbid illness/s were faster to recover than their counterparts (AHR = 1.44 : 95% CI: 1.10, 1.91) and those who have signs and symptoms on admission (AHR = 0.42 : 95% CI: 0.30, 0.60) and old-aged (AHR = 0.988; 95% CI: 0.982, 0.994) took longer to recover. Conclusion. In conclusion, a relatively short median recovery time was found in this study. Significant predictors for delayed recovery from COVID-19 were older age, presence of symptoms at admission, and having at least one comorbid condition. These factors should be placed under consideration while developing a strategy for quarantining and treating COVID-19 patients
Structural Model of Straw Briquetting Machine with Vertical Ring Die and Optimization of Briquetting Performance
Get PDFThe solidification and molding of straw has been an effective method for comprehensive utilization of straw resources. However, the existing die-roll extrusion-type straw briquetting machine has challenges, such as the easy blockage of ring die holes and the unstable quality of the briquette. In this paper, the influence of four factors, including moisture content of straw, molding temperature, clearance between die and roller, and spindle speed on the quality of the briquette were studied. The regression model of the relaxed density and impact resistance of the briquette were established to obtain the optimal values of these factors to provide the best parameters for producing straw briquette. The results indicate that under the experimental conditions of moisture content 22.335%, temperature 85.127 °C, clearance between die and roller 3.099 mm, and spindle speed 172.712 r/min, the maximum relaxed density and impact resistance of the briquette were 1.144 g/cm3 and 74.76%, respectively. The performance of the briquette already meets the requirements for combustion, transportation, and storage
Combinatorial Therapy of Cancer: Possible Advantages of Involving Modulators of Ionic Mechanisms
Get PDFCancer is a global health problem that 1 in 2–3 people can expect to experience during their lifetime. Several different modalities exist for cancer management, but all of these suffer from significant shortcomings in both diagnosis and therapy. Apart from developing completely new therapies, a viable way forward is to improve the efficacy of the existing modalities. One way is to combine these with each other or with other complementary approaches. An emerging latter approach is derived from ionic mechanisms, mainly ion channels and exchangers. We evaluate the evidence for this systematically for the main treatment methods: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies (including monoclonal antibodies, steroid hormones, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy). In surgery, the possible systemic use of local anesthetics to suppress subsequent relapse is still being discussed. For all the other methods, there is significant positive evidence for several cancers and a range of modulators of ionic mechanisms. This applies also to some of the undesirable side effects of the treatments. In chemotherapy, for example, there is evidence for co-treatment with modulators of the potassium channel (Kv11.1), pH regulation (sodium–hydrogen exchanger) and Na+-K+-ATPase (digoxin). Voltage-gated sodium channels, shown previously to promote metastasis, appear to be particularly useful for co-targeting with inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, especially epidermal growth factor. It is concluded that combining current orthodox treatment modalities with modulators of ionic mechanisms can produce beneficial effects including (i) making the treatment more effective, e.g., by lowering doses; (ii) avoiding the onset of resistance to therapy; (iii) reducing undesirable side effects. However, in many cases, prospective clinical trials are needed to put the findings firmly into clinical context
Current Status and Future Perspective on the Management of Lymph Node-Positive Prostate Cancer after Radical Prostatectomy
Get PDFPathological lymph node involvement (pN1) after a pelvic lymph node dissection represents one of the most unfavorable prognostic factors for disease recurrence and cancer-specific mortality in prostate cancer. However, optimal management for pN1 patients remains unclear. Thus, the guideline from the European Association of Urology recommends discussing three following management options with pN1 patients after an extended pelvic lymph node dissection, based on nodal involvement characteristics: (i) offer adjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy, (ii) offer adjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy with additional radiotherapy and (iii) offer observation (expectant management) to a patient with ≤2 nodes and a prostate-specific antigen <0.1 ng/mL. Treatment intensification may reduce risks of recurrence and cancer-specific mortality, but it may increase adverse events and impair quality of life. Few randomized control trials for pN1 are under investigation. In addition, there are limited reports on the quality of life and patient-reported outcomes in patients with pN1. Therefore, more research is needed to establish an optimal therapeutic strategy for patients with pN1. This review summarizes current evidence on the treatments available for men with pN1, summarizes randomized control trials that included pN1 prostate cancer, and discusses future perspectives
A Retrospective Study of Incidence and Predictors on Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV among HIV-Exposed Infants in West Guji Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Get PDFBackground. The transmission of HIV from mother to child among HIV-positive infants is estimated to be higher than 20%, despite the fact that antiretroviral treatment is available for antenatal mothers with HIV. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of HIV transmission from mother to child among infants aged one and a half years is estimated to be approximately 15.7 percent. Methods. A retrospective cohort analysis using a simple random sampling technique was incorporated among 422 HIV-exposed babies and their mothers who were randomly chosen and screened using OPD (outpatient card) from March 2019 to March 2021 in the general hospitals of West Guji zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. The data were coded and entered into EpiData version 4.6.1 and exported to SPSS version 23 for cleaning and analysis. Result. The study revealed that at the end of follow-up, 3.8% of the HIV-exposed infants were found to be HIV positive. Poor adherence of infant for CPT (AOR: 5.6; 95% CI: 1.010–27.24), father not enrolled to ART (AOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 1.187–15.724), age of infants at enrollment >6 weeks (AOR: 4.5; 95% CI: 1.102–16.1), mother’s enrollment to PMTCT during labor and delivery or after (AOR: 6.84; 95% CI: 1.316–42.743), and mothers on the WHO clinical stage mild or advanced (AOR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.146–16.842) was found to be the most important significant predictors of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Conclusion. Several factors included in the study were the main predictors of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The study concluded that there are some lacunae in the prevention of MTCT of HIV but that the incidence of MTCT of HIV was significantly lower in this part of the world
Kinetics of Thermal Decomposition of Particulate Samples of MgCO3: Experiments and Models
Get PDFIn this work, we study the kinetics of thermal decomposition of MgCO3 in the form of particles of known size. In the experiments, the material is heated to a known temperature in a vacuum oven, and it is characterized, both before and after heating, by infrared spectroscopy and gravimetry. The agreement between the results of the two techniques is excellent. These results are rationalized by means of a model based on Languir’s law, and the comparison with the experiments allows us to estimate the activation energy of the process. The reabsorption of atmospheric water by the oxide is shown spectroscopically, finding that is strongly influenced by the temperature of the proces
Evaluation of Dermal Toxicity and Wound Healing Activity of Cnestis ferruginea Vahl ex DC
Get PDFCnestisferruginea is a tropical plant, which is traditionally used in the treatment and management of various conditions including skin infections and wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the dermal toxicity and wound healing potential of C. ferruginea. Ten millimeter full-thickness mucosal wounds were created on the dorsal midportion of the Sprague Dawley rats. Wounds were treated with 10, 5, and 2.5% w/w aqueous creams, prepared from the methanol extract of the root bark of C. ferruginea (CFM). The wound tissues were harvested on day 21 for histology studies. Compared with the untreated group, 10, 5, and 2.5% w/w CFM-treated wounds significantly reduced the wound size over the study period (). Tissue histology revealed a healed wound with well-regenerated collagen and skin appendages with no pus cells. A skin irritation test was conducted on CFM, as well as the dermal toxicity of CFM was determined in the repeated dose and acute dermal toxicity bioassays. These tests revealed that CFM showed no toxic effect on the skin and showed that CFM was not a skin irritant. C. ferruginea exhibited wound healing activity, which gives credence to its folkloric use.
1. Introduction
Every year around the world, many people get wounded as they are often inevitable occurrences[1]. Apart from the morbidity, disability, and reduced quality of life it imposes on patients, it also creates an economic challenge to the individual and the country at large [2]. Wounds are created when there are interruptions in the integrity of the skin and muscles, as well as bones [3]. It may be attributed to causes such as burns, gunshots, falls, surgical procedures, deleterious skin infection, or by other basal conditions [4]. Wounds appear to be the third most frequent nosocomial infection and unfortunately for developing and resource-constrained countries such as Ghana and others, traumatic and surgical site infections cause high morbidity and death rates [5].
When wounds occur, the body naturally regenerates the skin tissues through the wound healing process [6]. The process of wound healing includes different overlapping events and is categorized into four phases namely homeostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases [7]. Medicinal plants are used in managing acute and chronic wounds in many traditional medicine practice areas in the world, and this practice is a common one [8]. Undoubtedly, these plants have become a great source of wound healing agents to tap into [9].
Cnestis ferruginea of the family Connaraceae is a common plant found in the tropics [10]. Traditionally, it is used to treat migraine (root), headache (root), toothache (root), sinusitis (root), constipation (leaf or root), and conjunctivitis (fruit) [10]. It is used in the management of skin diseases and also in the management of wounds though this has not been scientifically studied [11]. Scientifically, C. ferruginea has been proven to exhibit several biological activities. The hydroethanolic leaf extract of C. ferruginea has been studied to have wound healing activity [12]. The methanol root extract has been reported to exhibit analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties [13, 14]. The methanol and ethyl acetate leaf extracts of C. ferruginea have been reported to possess hypoglycaemic properties [15]. The aqueous, ethanol, and petroleum ether fractions of the leaf, stem, bark, and root extracts of C. ferruginea exhibit antioxidant activity [16]. The aqueous root extract of C. ferruginea has been reported to possess antistress potentials [17]. Also, it is worth mentioning that different chemicals are found in plants, which sometimes may be hazardous as causing corrosion and irritations to the skin [18]. For this reason, toxicity studies are very important in establishing the safety of plant use. This study therefore investigates the dermal toxicity and wound healing properties of root bark of C. ferruginea
Vaccines against Drug Abuse—Are We There Yet?
Get PDFBackground: Drug abuse is a worldwide problem that is detrimental to public health. The potential for drug abuse extends to both legal and illicit drugs. Drawbacks associated with current treatments include limited effectiveness, potential side effects and, in some instances, the absence of or concerns with approved therapy options. A significant amount of clinical research has been conducted investigating immunotherapy as a treatment option against drug abuse. Vaccines against drug abuse have been the main area of research, and are the focus of this review. Methods: An extensive search using “EBSCOhost (Multiple database collection)” with all 28 databases enabled (including “Academic Search Ultimate”, “CINAHL Plus with Full Text”, and MEDLINE), interrogation of the ClinicalTrials.gov website, and searches of individual clinical trial registration numbers, was performed in February and March of 2022. This search extended to references within the obtained articles. Results: A total of 23 registered clinical trials for treating drug abuse were identified: 15 for treatment of nicotine abuse (all vaccine-based trials), 6 against cocaine abuse (4 were vaccine-based trials and 2 were metabolic-enzyme-based trials), 1 against methamphetamine abuse (a monoclonal-antibody-based trial), and 1 multivalent opioid treatment (vaccine-based trial). As indicated on the ClinicalTrials.gov website (Home—ClinicalTrials.gov), the status of all but two of these trials was “Completed”. Phase 3 clinical trials were completed only for vaccine treatments against nicotine abuse. Conclusion: Evidence in the form of efficacy data indicates that vaccines are not an option for treating nicotine or cocaine abuse. Efficacy data are yet to be obtained through completion of clinical trials for vaccines against opioid abuse. These findings align with the absence of regulatory approval for any of these treatments. This review further highlights the need for novel treatment strategies in instances where patients do not respond to current treatments, and while the search for efficacious vaccine-based treatments continues
Iraqi Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Vaccinating Their Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDFThe focus of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination campaigns has been the adult population, particularly the elderly and those with chronic diseases. However, COVID-19 can also affect children and adolescents. Furthermore, targeting this population can accelerate the attainment of herd immunity. The aim of the current study was to evaluate parental intentions to vaccinate their children and the variables associated with them. An online questionnaire was circulated via generic Iraqi Facebook groups to explore parental intentions regarding the vaccination of their children. Multinomial regression analysis was conducted to evaluate variables associated with parental vaccination acceptance. A total of 491 participants completed the study questionnaire. Only 38.3% of the participants were willing to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, while the rest either refused to vaccinate their children (35.6%) or were unsure whether they would (26.1%). Participants’ perceptions about the effectiveness (OR = 0.726, 95% CI = 0.541–0.975, p = 0.033) and safety (OR = 0.435, 95% CI = 0.330–0.574, p < 0.0001) of COVID-19 vaccines were significantly associated with parental acceptance of having children vaccinated. Participants who had received or who were planning to receive the COVID-19 vaccine were significantly less likely to reject vaccinating their children (OR = 0.156, 95% CI = 0.063–0.387, p < 0.0001). There is high refusal/hesitancy among Iraqi parents to vaccinate their children, which is associated with concerns related to the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. More efforts, including educational and awareness campaigns to promote the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, should be made to increase parental acceptance of childhood COVID-19 vaccinations in Iraq