Biodegradable and plasma‐treated electrospun scaffolds coated with recombinant Olfactomedin‐like 3 for accelerating wound healing and tissue regeneration

Three‐dimensional biomimetic scaffolds resembling the native extracellular matrix (ECM) are widely used in tissue engineering, however they often lack optimal bioactive cues needed for acceleration of cell proliferation, neovascularization, and tissue regeneration. In this study, the use of the ECM‐related protein Olfactomedin‐like 3 (Olfml3) demonstrates the importance and feasibility of fabricating efficient bioactive scaffolds without in vitro cell seeding prior to in vivo implantation. First, in vivo proangiogenic properties of Olfml3 were shown in a murine wound healing model by accelerated wound closure and a 1.4‐fold increase in wound vascularity. Second, subcutaneous implantation of tubular scaffolds coated with recombinant Olfml3 resulted in enhanced cell in‐growth and neovascularization compared with control scaffolds. Together, our data indicates the potential of Olfml3 to accelerate neovascularization during tissue regeneration by promoting endothelial cell proliferation and migration. This study provides a promising concept for the reconstruction of damaged tissue using affordable and effective bioactive scaffolds.     

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis E in patients on haemodialysis in Croatia

International Urology and Nephrology - Data on the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in heamodialysis (HD) patients are conflicting, ranging from 0 to 44%. The aim of this study was to...     

Diagnostic algorithm for HFpEF: how much is the recent consensus applicable in clinical practice?

Heart Failure Reviews - Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) represents an important cardiovascular entity with increasing prevalence and relatively high mortality. The agreement...     

Non-Destructive Corrosion Inspection of Reinforced Concrete Using Ground-Penetrating Radar: A Review

Reduced maintenance costs of concrete structures can be ensured by efficient and comprehensive condition assessment. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been widely used in the condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures and it provides completely non-destructive results in real-time. It is mainly used for locating reinforcement and determining concrete cover thickness. More recently, research has focused on the possibility of using GPR for reinforcement corrosion assessment. In this paper, an overview of the application of GPR in corrosion assessment of concrete is presented. A literature search and study selection methodology were used to identify the relevant studies. First, the laboratory studies are shown. After that, the studies for the application on real structures are presented. The results have shown that the laboratory studies have not fully illuminated the influence of the corrosion process on the GPR signal. Also, no clear relationship was reported between the results of the laboratory studies and the on-site inspection. Although the GPR has a long history in the condition assessment of structures, it needs more laboratory investigations to clarify the influence of the corrosion process on the GPR signal.     

Contribution to Understanding of Synergy between Red Mud and Common Supplementary Cementitious Materials

Recently, much attention has been paid to the reuse of bauxite residues from alumina production, also known as red mud, in the cement industry. Red mud bears the potential to improve concrete properties due to its favourable chemical composition and particle size. In this work, the synergy between locally available red mud and common supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash, slag, calcined clay and limestone in cement mixes is investigated. All materials used were sourced from the immediate vicinity of the cement plant. The study of synergy involved the evaluation of the individual chemical reactivity of each material using the R3 test by isothermal calorimetry as well as their joint contribution to the heat of hydration and the composition of the reaction products of the paste and the compressive strength of the mortar. The results show how, by understanding the synergy between the materials, a higher level of cement substitutions can be achieved without compromising the mechanical properties of the mortar.     

Cyclodextrin encapsulation of daidzein and genistein by grinding: implication on the glycosaminoglycan accumulation in mucopolysaccharidosis type II and III fibroblasts

This work aimed to investigate the potential effect of cyclodextrin encapsulation on intrinsic ability of daidzein (DAD) and genistein (GEN) to inhibit the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis in fibroblasts originating from patients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), type II and III. DAD or GEN encapsulation with either 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin or sulphobuthylether-β-cyclodextrin were achieved by neat grinding and were characterised by thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and solubility testing which confirmed the complexes formation with increased solubility with respect to starting compounds. Both isoflavones, as well as their co-ground cyclodextrin complexes reduced GAG levels in the fibroblasts of MPS II and MPS III patients from 54.8–77.5%, in a dose dependent manner, without any significant cytotoxic effect. Cyclodextrin encapsulation did not change the intrinsically high effect of both DAD and GEN on the GAG level reduction in the treated cells, thus could be considered as a part of combination therapies of MPS.