Smart Bio-Polymeric Matrix for Accelerated Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration

Traditionally in Chinese medicine, animal sources and their by-products widely used for surgical and healing purposes. Eggshell Membrane (ESM) has been potentially used as grafting material for wound covering and healing due to its fibrous mesh enriched with collagen and glycoproteins. However, the fragile nature of ESM limits applicability for small and superficial wounds. Therefore, acellular matrix/scaffold fabricated from the allogeneic or xenogeneic tissues widely used as grafting material for the repairing and regeneration tissue. Here, we modified an acellular scaffold in different concentrations of ESM protein (ESMP)-5, 7.5 and 10%, and studied synergistic effect for intensifying the tissue healing and regeneration process. Modified Scaffolds (ESMP-AGDS) were evaluated for tissue regeneration by subjecting it through physicochemical and biological characterization i.e., biochemical assay, FTIR, FESEM, in vitro and in vivo analysis. The study revealed proper interaction between the ESMP and acellular matrix 3D interconnected pores structure (57.69±15.65 μm) with good porosity (60.56±9.78%) for better cell and nutrient diffusion. In vitro studies revealed good biodegradability and biocompatibility of modified scaffold with 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. At the very least concentration of 5% ESMP, acellular matrix showed excellent proliferation and attachment of fibroblast with the progression of time. Similarly, in vivo study showed a full-thickness excisional wound in the albino mice model healed within 14 days along with hair follicles regenerated neo-skin tissue, without any immunogenicity and inflammation. Thus, the study confirmed ESMP and acellular matrix synergistic effect results in a cost-effective, biodegradable, biocompatible smart material potentially applicable for tissue regeneration.

Novel Implications of Tissue Engineering in the Treatment and Management of Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

Tendinopathy encompasses one of the most common and debilitating group of injuries in persons of all age. Current treatments range from rest and ice to more invasive mechanisms such as surgical repair or artificial tendon recreation. In recent years, there has been a push to study minimally invasive treatments to aid in the regeneration and repair of damaged tendons. These treatments are yet to show reproducible clinically significant improvement over placebo treatments. Years of research has been put into synthesizing different materials to create scaffolds including metals, bioactive glasses, natural and synthetic polymers. These scaffolds are constructed through one of a variety or complex processes from 3D printing to solvent leaching. These different mechanisms of creation and materials used allow the scaffolds to embody different properties including pore size, thermal stability, strength and pliability. This allows for the utilization of tissue engineering in a multitude of in vivo environments. Many different cell types are used to seed scaffolds including tenocytes, multipotent stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Scaffolds show promise as a delivery system for drugs as well as cytokines and growth factors. Tissue engineering is a novel field of study that shows promise not only for tendon repair but the field of orthopedics as a whole. This paper focuses on systematic review of the principles of tissue engineering and the implications in tendinopathy.

The Tactile Sensing with Light Propagation in a Four-Layer Slab Waveguide for Breast Tumor Detection

Light propagation in a 4 layer slab waveguide is considered. The supported modes are of higher orders than zero, with a larger node concentration toward the layers with larger refractive index. Additionally, we consider the geometric optics approximation to describe very thick waveguides. Light can be coupled from LED by direct focusing with a lens, and coupling can be optimized by introducing a transverse displacement in order to focus it on the layers with larger refractive index. Further optimization can be done by tilting the lens and bringing in some degree of coma aberrations.