Assessment of Angiogenesis and Cell Survivability of an Inkjet Bioprinted Biological Implant in an Animal Model

The rapidly growing field of tissue engineering hopes to soon address the shortage of transplantable tissues, allowing for precise control and fabrication that could be made for each specific patient. The protocols currently in place to print large-scale tissues have yet to address the main challenge of nutritional deficiencies in the central areas of the engineered tissue, causing necrosis deep within and rendering it ineffective. Bioprinted microvasculature has been proposed to encourage angiogenesis and facilitate the mobility of oxygen and nutrients throughout the engineered tissue. An implant made via an inkjet printing process containing human microvascular endothelial cells was placed in both B17-SCID and NSG-SGM3 animal models to determine the rate of angiogenesis and degree of cell survival. The implantable tissues were made using a combination of alginate and gelatin type B; all implants were printed via previously published procedures using a modified HP inkjet printer. Histopathological results show a dramatic increase in the average microvasculature formation for mice that received the printed constructs within the implant area when compared to the manual and control implants, indicating inkjet bioprinting technology can be effectively used for vascularization of engineered tissues.     

Buccal micronucleus cytome assay in primary school children: A descriptive analysis of the MAPEC_LIFE multicenter cohort study

Background

Recent data support the hypothesis that genetic damage occurring early in life during childhood can play an important role in the development of chronic diseases in adulthood, including cancer.

Gliomas and farm pesticide exposure in men: the upper midwest health study

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health evaluated farm pesticide exposure and glioma risk in a study that included 457 glioma cases and 648 population-based controls, all adult men (18-80 yr old) and nonmetropolitan residents of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Multiple logistic regressions were used to control for farm residence, age, age group, education, and exposure to other pesticides. No associations were found between glioma and 12 specific pesticides. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and found reduced glioma risk for insecticides (OR = 0.53, CI = 0.37-0.77), fumigants (OR = 0.57, CI = 0.34-0.95), and organochlorines (OR = 0.66, CI = 0.47-0.94). In analyses excluding proxy respondents (47% of cases) most CIs included 1.0. No positive association of farm pesticide exposure and glioma was found. Other farm exposures may explain the excess brain cancer risk seen in previous studies.     

Nutritional Status after Roux-En-Y (Rygb) and One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (Oagb) at 6-Month Follow-Up: A Comparative Study

Introduction: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) are two effective bariatric surgical procedures with positive outcomes in terms of weight loss, comorbidities remission, and adverse events profiles. OAGB seems to carry a higher risk of malnutrition, but existing data are controversial. The aim of this study is to objectively evaluate and compare malnutrition in patients undergoing RYGB and OAGB. Methods: Retrospective monocentric study of obese patients undergoing RYGB or OAGB between the 15 September 2020 and the 31 May 2021. Nutritional status was assessed using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and compared between groups. The primary outcome was the mean CONUT score at 6 months. The secondary outcomes included the incidence of malnutrition, comorbidities, including hypertension, insulin resistance and type II diabetes mellitus, and weight loss. Results: 78 patients were included: 30 underwent RYGB and 48 underwent OAGB. At 6-Month Follow-Up there was no difference between groups in the mean CONUT score nor in incidence of malnutrition. In both groups, the nutritional status significantly worsened 6 months after surgery (preoperative and postoperative score of 0.48 ± 0.9 and 1.38 ± 1.5; p = 0.0066 for RYGB and of 0.86 ± 1.5 and 1.45 ± 1.3; p = 0.0422 for OAGB). Type II Diabetes mellitus (DMII) and hypertension remission were significant in the OAGB group with a 100% relative remission in the DMII-OAGB group (p = 0.0265), and a 67% relative remission in the hypertension-OAGB group (p = 0.0031). Conclusions: No difference in nutritional status has been detected between patients undergoing RYGB or OAGB at the 6-Month Follow-Up. Both procedures may have significant mal-absorptive effects leading to decline in nutritional status. OAGB may be more efficacious in inducing DMII and hypertension remission. Larger prospective studies dedicated specifically to nutritional status after gastric bypass are needed to confirm the impact of different bypass procedures on nutritional status.     

Assistive technology for communication of older adults: a systematic review

Objective: Describe the use of assistive technology to enhance communication opportunities for older adults.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, by using two different searches in each. The search was limited to original articles, in English language, including people aged 60 years and older that used any type of assistive technology for communication. The articles found in the initial search were filtered by title, abstracts and the remaining articles were fully read.

Results: Eighteen studies were included in this review after the reading of full-texts. Most of the studies included apparently healthy participants with communication limitations due to aging related changes and the others included people with some pathology that prevent them from normal communication.

Conclusion: Four categories of assistive technology were identified: assistive technology for people with speech problems; robot or videoconferencing systems; Information and Communication Technologies and, other types of assistive technology for communication, such as hearing aids and scrapbooks. Assistive technology for communication of older adults is not only used by people with disabilities that prevent them from usual communication. They are mostly for older adults without a pathological communication problem.     

High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism in elders living in nonprofit homes in South Brazil

Objectives Hypovitaminosis D (HD) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP) are common in elders, and many factors could contribute to them. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of HD, SHP, and its associated factors, in individuals living in nonprofit homes for elders in south Brazil. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), total calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, magnesium, creatinine, and albumin levels were measured in late spring, November, 2005. The presence of factors potentially related with HD and SHP—age, sex, weight, height, skin phototype, sun exposure, exercise, smoking, use of ≤5 medications or diuretics or alcohol, and daily calcium ingestion. Results 102 subjects age 77.8 ± 9.0 were included in the study. HD was found in 85.7% and SHP in 53% of the subjects. The estimated daily calcium ingestion was 720 mg. There was no association between serum 25(OH)D levels and any of the risk factors evaluated. Serum 25(OH)D levels were correlated with serum PTH (r = −0.358, P = 0.000), calcium (r = 0.306, P = 0.002), and albumin (r = 0.253, P = 0.011) levels. In univariate analysis, SHP was positively associated with age (P = 0.006), and female sex (0.007); and negatively associated with sunlight exposure (P = 0.020), GFR (P = 0.000), Ln25(OH)D (P = 0.002), and total serum calcium (P = 0.024). After multivariate model adjustment, age [OR 1.09 (CI 1.01–1.18); P = 0.024], Ln25(OH)D [OR 0.92 (CI 0.08–0.74); P = 0.013], GFR [OR 0.96 (CI 0.92–0.99); P = 0.013], and hydrochlorothiazide treatment [OR 7.63 (CI 1.67–34.9); P = 0.008] were independently associated with SHP. Conclusions HD and SHP are highly prevalent in elders living in old-age homes. No associations were established between common risk factors and low serum levels of 25(OH)D levels; however, SHP was independently related with age, 25(OH)D, GFR, and hydrochlorothiazide use.     

The utility of ultrasound in late pregnancy compared with clinical evaluation in detecting small and large for gestational age fetuses in low-risk pregnancies

Objective: To determine the utility of ultrasound (US) in late pregnancy for identifying fetuses with growth disturbances.

Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective study of birth weights over a 12-month period at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) and Barwon Health (BH). Data were collected from the discharge summaries and medical records at both hospitals targeting abnormal fetal weight below 10th percentile (small for gestational age – SGA) and above 90th percentile (large for gestational age – LGA).

Results: There were 4079 study patients from both hospitals. After weight adjustment by gender and gestational age, an abnormal fetal weight was detected in 741 cases (babies over the 90th percentile or below 10th percentile). One hundred and twenty-eight patients with high-risk pregnancies were excluded. Therefore, a total of 613 patients remained that were considered to be low-risk pregnancies with abnormal foetal growth; 305 patients from RHH and 308 from BH. The antenatal detection rate for LGA was 35.9%, at RHH by combination of US and clinical evaluation, while for BH it was 34.8% by clinical evaluation alone (p?=?0.910). The antenatal detection rate for SGA was 36.8% via US and clinical evaluation at RHH and 54.5% by clinical evaluation alone at BH (p?=?0.006).

Conclusion: This study shows no benefit in the use of routine US for the antenatal diagnosis of LGA compared with clinical evaluation in low-risk pregnancies. US evaluation was inferior to clinical evaluation in the antenatal diagnosis of SGA in low-risk pregnancies.