Assessment of Lumbar Vertebrae L1-L7 and Proximal Femur Microstructure in Sheep as a Large Animal Model for Osteoporosis Research.

Sheep have been widely used as a model for osteoporosis research. This study aimed to characterise changes in microstructure and composition in lumbar vertebrae L1-L7 and the proximal femur after implementation of a bone loss induction protocol (in this species). A sham control and experimental group (glucocorticoid-treated ovariectomized sheep) were used ( = 6/group), with a study duration up to the 24th postoperative week.

Blades and barriers: Oral vaccines for conquering cancers and warding off infectious diseases.

Global public health faces substantial challenges from malignant tumors and infectious diseases. Vaccination provides an approach for treating and preventing these diseases. Oral vaccinations are particularly advantageous in disease treatment and prevention due to their non-invasive nature, high patient compliance, convenience, cost-effectiveness, and capacity to stimulate comprehensive and adaptive immune responses.

Bioinspired helical systems with defined chirality assembled from discrete peptide and glycan amphiphiles.

Molecular helices are ubiquitous in biological systems and play key roles in life functions such as recognition, coding and transferring information, replication, catalytic activity, among others. They can have different handedness and dimensions from molecular to macroscale but the exact mechanisms for their formation are still elusive. , they are formed from homochiral building blocks (L-amino acids and D-carbohydrates) by complex, orchestrated supramolecular aggregation processes.

Light-stimulated smart thermo-responsive constructs for enhanced wound healing: A streamlined command approach.

Efficient reconstruction of severe cutaneous wounds necessitates the orchestration of effective cell-mediated matrix remodeling and robust protection against microbial invasion. Herein, we engineered a near-infrared light (NIR)-stimulated, thermo-responsive bilayer system based on a drug-loaded hydrogel with a thermal-responsive temperature of ∼42 °C as the matrix layer and an antibacterial nanofibrous mat as the top layer. The matrix layer integrates basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-loaded thermosensitive gelatin (Gel) hydrogel with polydopamine-Cu coated short nanofibers (P@SF).

Intra-articular Injections of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma from Responder Patients for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Trial.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of allogeneic platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from responder donors to treat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients who showed negative response to autologous PRP.DesignThis pilot feasibility trial included KOA patients who did not respond to previous autologous PRP treatment. They were treated with intra-articular injections of allogeneic PRP from responder donors.

Conductive biological materials for in vitro models: properties and sustainability implications.

The integration of conductive biological materials into in vitro models represents a transformative approach to advancing biomedical research while addressing critical sustainability challenges. Traditional materials used in tissue engineering and disease modeling are often environmentally detrimental, derived from non-renewable resources, and limited in their ability to replicate the dynamic properties of native tissues. Conductive biological materials bridge this gap by offering a unique combination of biodegradability, sustainability, and functional properties, such as bioelectricity and biocompatibility, that are essential for mimicking physiological environments.

Ceragenin Nanogel Coating Prevents Biofilms Formation on Urinary Catheters.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for 40% of hospital-acquired infections, increasing health risks, patient discomfort, morbidity, and hospitalisation time. Bacterial colonisation may occur both during catheter insertion and prolonged catheterization by microorganisms in the urinary tract, consequently, increasing the bacteriuria risk due to biofilm formation. Nanogels, a class of soft nanocarriers, offer remarkable versatility for developing functional coatings on indwelling medical devices that can efficiently prevent biofilm formation.

Sof t Bio-Electroactive Hydrogels for Musculoskeletal Tissue Repair and Rehabilitation.

Musculoskeletal tissue repair and rehabilitation face significant challenges in effectively repairing injured tissues and achieving functional recovery. Recent advancements highlight the crucial role of electrical conductivity in modulating cellular activity, promoting tissue repair, and enhancing recovery. This understanding leads to the development of bio-electroactive materials that combine biocompatibility with electrical conductivity to interact with biological systems.

Oral oncolytic magnetotactic bacteria elicit anti-colorectal tumor immunity and reprogram microbiota metabolism.

Therapeutic outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) are influenced by intestinal microbiota and metabolites. To leverage the tumor-tropism and microbiota-regulating properties of bacteria, we developed oncolytic magnetotactic bacteria (MSR-CPT/APPs) loaded with camptothecin (CPT) and anti-PD-L1 peptide (APP) for targeted chemo-magnetothermal immunotherapy of CRC. To further achieve oral delivery, MSR-CPT/APPs were coated with mulberry leaf lipids and Pluronic F127 (LPs).

Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability Repair Technique Using All-Inside and All-Knotless Soft-Tissue Anchors.

Chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) is common in sports. Whereas traditional open Broström-Gould surgery remains the gold standard for anterior talofibular ligament repair, advances in arthroscopic techniques with knotless suture anchors offer promising alternatives, reducing recovery time and complications. This article presents a minimally invasive arthroscopic technique for anterior talofibular ligament reconstruction with knotless anchors, reattaching the ligament to the fibula and minimizing risks of knot irritation and impingement.

Exploring the Impact of Extraplatelet Content on Fibrin-Based Scaffold Performance for Regenerative Therapies.

This study investigated the impact of increased extraplatelet content on the tissue regenerative capacity of platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-derived fibrin scaffolds. Comparative analyses were performed between a "balanced protein-concentrate plasma" (BPCP) and a standard PRP (sPRP), focusing on platelet and fibrinogen content, scaffold microstructure, and functional performance. Growth factor (GF) release kinetics from the scaffolds were quantified via ELISA over 10 days, while scaffold biomechanics were evaluated through rheological testing, indentation, energy dissipation, adhesion, and assessments of coagulation dynamics, biodegradation, swelling, and retraction.

Bioinspired 3D Bone Model: Mimicking the Cortical-Spongy Bone Architecture and Biology for Enhanced Physiological Representation of Bone.

3D bone models are essential for studying bone physiology, developing therapies, and reducing animal use. Inspired by the hierarchical anatomy of the bone, we shaped previously developed gellan gum-hydroxyapatite spongy-like hydrogels into an outer ring and an inner disc to anatomically represent the cortical and spongy bone, respectively. Biomaterial properties remained stable postmolding, with the polymeric networks absorbing up to 500% of water and exhibiting 4 kPa stiffness.

Understanding Degeneration and Healing Pathways for Tissue-Engineered Treatment Strategies in Tendinopathy.

Background: The multidisciplinary nature of the tendon tissue engineering field brings challenges to move from our basic understanding of tendon biology towards engineering strategies for tendon disorders. Such pathologies present a high risk of inflammation for young patients and limited tissue regeneration capability in ageing patients, leading to painful symptoms and impaired quality of life.

Summary: Among the complications observed in tendinopathy are degenerative changes in the extracellular matrix and aberrant tissue remodelling, accounting for a huge burden in musculoskeletal disorders worldwide.

Advances and mechanisms of gut microbiota modulation in enhancing immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy.

The gut microbiota is crucial for maintaining human health by regulating immune homeostasis and metabolic function. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a cornerstone of cancer immunotherapy, yet their effectiveness is often hampered by treatment resistance and immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Increasing evidence highlights gut microbiota as a critical determinant of ICI efficacy.

Transforming surgical planning and procedures through the synergistic use of additive manufacturing, advanced materials and artificial intelligence: challenges and opportunities.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a powerful approach in healthcare to augment the functionalities of patient-specific medical products and surgical tools. One such area of the healthcare industry is surgical planning and procedures, where the benefits of AM can revolutionize the industry. AM technologies, commonly known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, can change the conventional surgical methodology from the "open-detect-operate-close" mode to the "detect-open-operate-close" mode.

Application of bacterial extracellular vesicles in gastrointestinal diseases.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are nanoscale spherical particles with lipid bilayer membranes containing diverse functional components from their parent bacteria. They exert pivotal effects on bacteria-bacteria and host-bacteria communication. Analyzing the dynamic changes in the production and composition of BEVs provides insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and host health, offering valuable perspectives for diagnosing various gastrointestinal diseases.

NPR1 Promotes Lipid Droplet Lipolysis to Enhance Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation and Fuel Gastric Cancer Metastasis.

Metabolic reprogramming driven by oncogenes plays a critical role in promoting and sustaining multiple steps of gastric cancer metastasis. However, the key metabolic driver of metastasis that can lead to the development of targeted therapies for preventing and treating metastatic gastric cancer remains elusive. Here, it is identified that the transmembrane guanylate cyclase, natriuretic peptide receptor 1 (NPR1), promoted gastric cancer lymph node metastasis by activating lipid droplet lipolysis and enhancing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS).

Osteoimmunity-Regulating biospun 3D silk scaffold for bone regeneration in critical-size defects.

Introduction: Silk-based biomaterials have received a great deal of attention in tissue engineering research for bone repair. Current silk-based materials are typically derived from silk protein solutions, but the limited solubility and solution stability of silk protein solution, coupled with problems such as high preparation cost and low productivity, which severely restrict the application of silk-based materials.

Objective: To address the challenges associated with the complex extraction process and inferior mechanical properties of silk protein or silk fiber-based materials in bone scaffold preparation, flat cocoon silk-based materials were developed to assess their potential for repairing large bone defects.

Gelation Dynamics, Formation Mechanism, Functionalization, and 3D Bioprinting of Silk Fibroin Hydrogel Materials for Biomedical Applications.

Silk fibroin (SF), derived from silk cocoon fibers (), is a natural protein polymer known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and sustainability. The protein can be processed into various material formats suitable for a range of applications. Among these, SF hydrogels are useful in the biomedical field, such as tissue engineering, due to the tailorable structures and properties achievable through tuning the gelation process.

3D-Printed Cell-Instructive Scaffolds Based on Collagen and Sr-Doped Calcium Phosphates for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Bone defects pose a global concern due to their high prevalence. Despite the significant advances in the development of novel therapies and sustainable biomaterial solutions, these still do not perfectly address the clinical needs, in particular, the paradigm shift of personalized treatments. In this sense, marine-origin materials allied to three-dimensional (3D) printing are arising as a feasible alternative to develop innovative personalized approaches, namely, bone tissue engineering (TE).

The role of injections of mesenchymal stem cells as an augmentation tool in rotator cuff repair: a systematic review.

Background: Arthroscopic repair is currently the gold standard for the surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears, but the retear rates remain unacceptably high. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may play a role in the local biology and enhance tendon-to-bone healing during rotator cuff repair. However, the scientific literature is still not well systematized on the effects of injection of MSCs as an augmentation tool for rotator cuff repair.

Engineered ratiometric Sensory electrospun fibers for oxygen mapping in complex cultures and tumor microenvironment.

Monitoring the hypoxic microenvironment is fundamental due to its implication in tumor aggressiveness and progression. In this work, we propose the fabrication of ratiometric fluorescent fibers via electrospinning of poly(trimethylsylil)propine (PTMSP) polymer, an optically clear and gas permeable polymer, for oxygen (O) sensing in a melanoma tumor model. The ratiometric sensing configuration was obtained by entrapping tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium (II) dichloride, capable of detecting dissolved O variations, together with rhodamine B isothiocyanate, serving as a reference dye, within the polymer matrix.

A biodegradable, microstructured, electroconductive and nano-integrated drug eluting patch (MENDEP) for myocardial tissue engineering.

We produced a microstructured, electroconductive and nano-functionalized drug eluting cardiac patch (MENDEP) designed to attract endogenous precursor cells, favor their differentiation and counteract adverse ventricular remodeling . MENDEP showed mechanical anisotropy and biaxial strength comparable to porcine myocardium, reduced impedance, controlled biodegradability, molecular recognition ability and controlled drug release activity. , cytocompatibility and cardioinductivity were demonstrated.

3D tubular constructs based on natural polysaccharides and recombinant polypeptide synergistic blends as potential candidates for blood vessel solutions.

The development of versatile tubular structures is critical for tissue engineering (TE) applications where vascularization is necessary. This study investigates the fabrication of tubular shaped biomaterials focused on chitosan (CHT) combined with alginate (ALG) and acemannan (ACE), known for their synergistic properties, including physical stability, antibacterial activity, and healing promotion. Translating this CHT/ACE/ALG blend into 3D tubular architectures via the freeze-drying technology resulted in flexible tubes with dimensional stability, and well-defined hollow interiors.