Bioengineering

35 pages, 1334 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Biodegradable Bone Implants as a New Hope to Reduce Device-Associated Infections—A Systematic Review

by José C. C. Paiva, Luís Oliveira, Maria Fátima Vaz and Sofia Costa-de-Oliveira

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080409 - 22 Aug 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4618

Bone fractures often require fixation devices that frequently need to be surgically removed. These temporary implants and procedures leave the patient more prone to developing medical device-associated infections, and osteomyelitis associated with trauma is a challenging complication for orthopedists. In recent years, biodegradable [...] Read more.

Bone fractures often require fixation devices that frequently need to be surgically removed. These temporary implants and procedures leave the patient more prone to developing medical device-associated infections, and osteomyelitis associated with trauma is a challenging complication for orthopedists. In recent years, biodegradable materials have gained great importance as temporary medical implant devices, avoiding removal surgery. The purpose of this systematic review was to revise the literature regarding the use of biodegradable bone implants in fracture healing and its impact on the reduction of implant-associated infections. The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was conducted by searching published studies regarding the in vivo use of biodegradable bone fixation implants and its antibacterial activity. From a total of 667 references, 23 studies were included based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Biodegradable orthopedic implants of Mg-Cu, Mg-Zn, and Zn-Ag have shown antibacterial activity, especially in reducing infection burden by MRSA strains in vivo osteomyelitis models. Their ability to prevent and tackle implant-associated infections and to gradually degrade inside the body reduces the need for a second surgery for implant removal, with expectable gains regarding patients’ comfort. Further in vivo studies are mandatory to evaluate the efficiency of these antibacterial biodegradable materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Nanobiotechnology and Biofabrication)

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16 pages, 14027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Population-Based 3D Atlas of the Pathological Lumbar Spine Segment

by Vincenza Sciortino, Salvatore Pasta, Tommaso Ingrassia and Donatella Cerniglia

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080408 - 22 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2120

Abstract

The spine is the load-bearing structure of human beings and may present several disorders, with low back pain the most frequent problem during human life. Signs of a spine disorder or disease vary depending on the location and type of the spine condition. [...] Read more.

The spine is the load-bearing structure of human beings and may present several disorders, with low back pain the most frequent problem during human life. Signs of a spine disorder or disease vary depending on the location and type of the spine condition. Therefore, we aim to develop a probabilistic atlas of the lumbar spine segment using statistical shape modeling (SSM) and then explore the variability of spine geometry using principal component analysis (PCA). Using computed tomography (CT), the human spine was reconstructed for 24 patients with spine disorders and then the mean shape was deformed upon specific boundaries (e.g., by

\pm 3

or

\pm 1.5

standard deviation). Results demonstrated that principal shape modes are associated with specific morphological features of the spine segment such as Cobb’s angle, lordosis degree, spine width and height. The lumbar spine atlas here developed has evinced the potential of SSM to investigate the association between shape and morphological parameters, with the goal of developing new treatments for the management of patients with spine disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Spine Biomechanics)

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22 pages, 11742 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Use in Acute Tendon Injury: In Vitro Tenogenic Potential vs. In Vivo Dose Response

by Kristin Bowers, Lisa Amelse, Austin Bow, Steven Newby, Amber MacDonald, Xiaocun Sun, David Anderson and Madhu Dhar

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080407 - 22 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3150

Abstract

Stem cell therapy for the treatment of tendon injury is an emerging clinical practice in the fields of human and veterinary sports medicine; however, the therapeutic benefit of intralesional transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in tendonitis cases is not well designed. Questions persist [...] Read more.

Stem cell therapy for the treatment of tendon injury is an emerging clinical practice in the fields of human and veterinary sports medicine; however, the therapeutic benefit of intralesional transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in tendonitis cases is not well designed. Questions persist regarding the overall tenogenic potential and efficacy of this treatment alone. In this study, we aimed to isolate a rat mesenchymal stem cell lineage for in vitro and in vivo use, to assess the effects of growth factor exposure in vitro on cell morphology, behavior, and tendon-associated glycoprotein production, and to assess the therapeutic potential of intralesional stem cells, as a function of dose, in vivo. First, rat adipose-derived (rAdMSC) and bone marrow-derived (rBMSC) stem cell lineages were isolated, characterized with flow cytometric analysis, and compared in terms of proliferation (MTS assay) and cellular viability (calcein AM staining). Rat AdMSCs displayed superior proliferation and more homogenous CD 73, CD 44H, and CD 90 expression as compared to rBMSC. Next, the tenogenic differentiation potential of the rAdMSC lineage was tested in vitro through isolated and combined stimulation with reported tenogenic growth factors, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β3 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). We found that the most effective tenogenic factor in terms of cellular morphologic change, cell alignment/orientation, sustained cellular viability, and tendon-associated glycoprotein upregulation was TGFβ3, and we confirmed that rAdMSC could be induced toward a tenogenic lineage in vitro. Finally, the therapeutic potential of rAdMSCs as a function of dose was assessed using a rat acute Achilles tendon injury model. Amounts of 5 × 10⁵ (low dose) and 4 × 10⁶ (high dose) were used. Subjectively, on the gross morphology, the rAdMSC-treated tendons exhibited fewer adhesions and less scar tissue than the control tendons; however, regardless of the rAdMSC dose, no significant differences in histological grade or tissue collagen I deposition were noted between the rAdMSC-treated and control tendons. Collectively, rAdMSCs exhibited appropriate stem cell markers and tenogenic potential in vitro, but the clinical efficacy of intralesional implantation of undifferentiated cells in acute tendonitis cases could not be proven. Further investigation into complementary therapeutics or specialized culture conditions prior to implantation are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine)

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29 pages, 1571 KiB

Open AccessReview

Function of the Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Classification, Molecular Mechanisms, and Significant Therapeutic Potentials

by Ahmad Khan and Xiaobo Zhang

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080406 - 21 Aug 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3561

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and serious type of primary liver cancer. HCC patients have a high death rate and poor prognosis due to the lack of clear signs and inadequate treatment interventions. However, the molecular pathways that underpin HCC pathogenesis [...] Read more.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and serious type of primary liver cancer. HCC patients have a high death rate and poor prognosis due to the lack of clear signs and inadequate treatment interventions. However, the molecular pathways that underpin HCC pathogenesis remain unclear. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a new type of RNAs, have been found to play important roles in HCC. LncRNAs have the ability to influence gene expression and protein activity. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been linked to a growing number of liver disorders, including HCC. As a result, improved understanding of lncRNAs could lead to new insights into HCC etiology, as well as new approaches for the early detection and treatment of HCC. The latest results with respect to the role of lncRNAs in controlling multiple pathways of HCC were summarized in this study. The processes by which lncRNAs influence HCC advancement by interacting with chromatin, RNAs, and proteins at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels were examined. This critical review also highlights recent breakthroughs in lncRNA signaling pathways in HCC progression, shedding light on the potential applications of lncRNAs for HCC diagnosis and therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicines)

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14 pages, 3718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Initial Healing Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Gel and Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) in the Deep Corneal Wound in Rabbits

by Seo-Young Choi, Soochong Kim and Kyung-Mee Park

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080405 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2527

Abstract

Platelet concentrates (PCs), including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), are autologous blood-derived biomaterials containing numerous growth factors. This study aimed to evaluate the initial healing effects of PRP gel and PRF on deep corneal wounds. Thirty-three eyes from New Zealand [...] Read more.

Platelet concentrates (PCs), including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), are autologous blood-derived biomaterials containing numerous growth factors. This study aimed to evaluate the initial healing effects of PRP gel and PRF on deep corneal wounds. Thirty-three eyes from New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups: group 1, lamellar keratectomy (LK); group 2, LK + commercial porcine small intestinal submucosal membrane (SIS); group 3, LK + SIS + PRP gel; and group 4, LK + SIS + PRF. Postoperative clinical and histological findings were observed for eight weeks. Group 1 showed no neovascularization during the observation period, and incompletely recovered with a thin cornea. Group 2 showed active healing through neovascularization, and a thick cornea was regenerated through the sufficient generation of myofibroblasts. Although group 3 showed a healing effect similar to that of group 2, angiogenesis and subsequent vessel regression were promoted, and corneal opacity improved more rapidly. In group 4, angiogenesis was promoted during initial healing; however, the incidence of complications, such as inflammation, was high, and myofibroblasts were hardly generated in the corneal stroma, which adversely affected remodeling. In conclusion, while PRP gel is a safe surgical material for promoting remodeling through vascular healing and myofibroblast production in deep corneal wounds, the use of PRF is not recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials)

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14 pages, 2742 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Reflective Zeolite Coating for Implantable Bioelectronic Devices

by Giuseppe Oliva, Maria Giovanna Bianco, Antonino S. Fiorillo and Salvatore A. Pullano

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080404 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1878

Abstract

Since sunlight is one of the most easily available and clean energy supplies, solar cell development and the improvement of its conversion efficiency represent a highly interesting topic. Superficial light reflection is one of the limiting factors of the photovoltaic cells (PV) efficiency. [...] Read more.

Since sunlight is one of the most easily available and clean energy supplies, solar cell development and the improvement of its conversion efficiency represent a highly interesting topic. Superficial light reflection is one of the limiting factors of the photovoltaic cells (PV) efficiency. To this end, interfacial layer with anti-reflective properties reduces this phenomenon, improving the energy potentially available for transduction. Nanoporous materials, because of the correlation between the refractive index and the porosity, allow low reflection, improving light transmission through the coating. In this work, anti-reflective coatings (ARCs) deposited on commercial PV cells, which were fabricated using two different Linde Type A (LTA) zeolites (type 3A and 4A), have been investigated. The proposed technique allows an easier deposition of a zeolite-based mixture, avoiding the use of chemicals and elevated temperature calcination processes. Results using radiation in the range 470–610 nm evidenced substantial enhancement of the fill factor, with maximum achieved values of over 40%. At 590 and 610 nm, which are the most interesting bands for implantable devices, FF is improved, with a maximum of 22% and 10%, respectively. ARCs differences are mostly related to the morphology of the zeolite powder used, which resulted in thicker and rougher coatings using zeolite 3A. The proposed approach allows a simple and reliable deposition technique, which can be of interest for implantable medical devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Medical Devices)

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18 pages, 3896 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular and Morphological Characterization of Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs Causing Northern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Bihar

by Md Arshad Anwer, Ram Niwas, Tushar Ranjan, Shyam Sundar Mandal, Mohammad Ansar, Jitendra Nath Srivastava, Jitesh Kumar, Khushbu Jain, Neha Kumari and Aditya Bharti

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080403 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3748 | Correction

Abstract

Maize is considered the third most important cereal crop in Asia after rice and wheat. Many diseases affect this crop due to the cultivation of various hybrids. This research aimed to characterize the causative agent of northern corn leaf blight disease in Bihar, [...] Read more.

Maize is considered the third most important cereal crop in Asia after rice and wheat. Many diseases affect this crop due to the cultivation of various hybrids. This research aimed to characterize the causative agent of northern corn leaf blight disease in Bihar, India, caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs. Leaf samples were collected from infected fields in five maize growing districts of Bihar in 2020–2022. A total of 45 fungal isolates from 135 samples were examined for cultural, morphological, and molecular characteristics and were identified as E. turcicum. The isolates were grouped into four groups based on colony color, i.e., olivaceous brown, blackish brown, whitish black, and grayish, and into two groups based on regular and irregular margins. The conidial shapes were observed to be elongated and spindle-shaped with protruding hilum, with conidial septa ranging from 2–12. Similarly, conidial length varied from 52.94 μm to 144.12 μm. β-tubulin gene sequences analysis made it possible to verify the identities of fungal strains and the phylogenetic relationships of all isolates, which were clustered in the same clade. The β-tubulin gene sequences of all the isolates showed a high level of similarity (100%) with reference isolates from GenBank accession numbers KU670342.1, KU670344.1, KU670343.1, KU670341.1, and KU670340.1. The findings of this study will serve as a baseline for future studies and will help to minimize yield losses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioengineering and Omics for Improving Crop Productivity, Stress Tolerance, and Industrial Applications)

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12 pages, 2203 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Subject-Based Model for Reconstructing Arterial Blood Pressure from Photoplethysmogram

by Qunfeng Tang, Zhencheng Chen, Rabab Ward, Carlo Menon and Mohamed Elgendi

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080402 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3207

Abstract

The continuous prediction of arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms via non-invasive methods is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Photoplethysmography (PPG) can be used to reconstruct ABP signals due to having the same excitation source and high signal [...] Read more.

The continuous prediction of arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms via non-invasive methods is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Photoplethysmography (PPG) can be used to reconstruct ABP signals due to having the same excitation source and high signal similarity. The existing methods of reconstructing ABP signals from PPG only focus on the similarities between systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures without evaluating their global similarity. This paper proposes a deep learning model with a W-Net architecture to reconstruct ABP signals from PPG. The W-Net consists of two concatenated U-Net architectures, the first acting as an encoder and the second as a decoder to reconstruct ABP from PPG. Five hundred records of different lengths were used for training and testing. The experimental results yielded high values for the similarity measures between the reconstructed ABP signals and their reference ABP signals: the Pearson correlation, root mean square error, and normalized dynamic time warping distance were 0.995, 2.236 mmHg, and 0.612 mmHg on average, respectively. The mean absolute errors of the SBP and DBP were 2.602 mmHg and 1.450 mmHg on average, respectively. Therefore, the model can reconstruct ABP signals that are highly similar to the reference ABP signals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Intelligent Biosignals Processing and Analysis)

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22 pages, 26412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Transient Regenerative Potential of Cardiac Muscle Using a Neonatal Pig Partial Apical Resection Model

by Katherine M. Copeland, Bryn L. Brazile, J. Ryan Butler, Jim Cooley, Erin Brinkman-Ferguson, Andrew Claude, Sallie Lin, Sammira Rais-Rohani, Bradley Welch, Sara R. McMahan, Kytai T. Nguyen, Yi Hong, Sharan Ramaswamy, Zhi-Ping Liu, Pietro Bajona, Matthias Peltz and Jun Liao

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080401 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2899

Abstract

Researchers have shown that adult zebrafish have the potential to regenerate 20% of the ventricular muscle within two months of apex resection, and neonatal mice have the capacity to regenerate their heart after apex resection up until day 7 after birth. The goal [...] Read more.

Researchers have shown that adult zebrafish have the potential to regenerate 20% of the ventricular muscle within two months of apex resection, and neonatal mice have the capacity to regenerate their heart after apex resection up until day 7 after birth. The goal of this study was to determine if large mammals (porcine heart model) have the capability to fully regenerate a resected portion of the left ventricular apex during the neonatal stage, and if so, how long the regenerative potential persists. A total of 36 piglets were divided into the following groups: 0-day control and surgical groups and seven-day control and surgical groups. For the apex removal groups, each piglet was subjected to a partial wall thickness resection (~30% of the ventricular wall thickness). Heart muscle function was assessed via transthoracic echocardiograms; the seven-day surgery group experienced a decrease in ejection fraction and fractional shortening. Upon gross necropsy, for piglets euthanized four weeks post-surgery, all 0-day-old hearts showed no signs of scarring or any indication of the induced injury. Histological analysis confirmed that piglets in the 0-day surgery group exhibited various degrees of regeneration, with half of the piglets showing full regeneration and the other half showing partial regeneration. However, each piglet in the seven-day surgery group demonstrated epicardial fibrosis along with moderate to severe dissecting interstitial fibrosis, which was accompanied by an abundant collagenous extracellular matrix as the result of a scar formation in the resection site. Histology of one 0-day apex resection piglet (briefly lain on and accidentally killed by the mother sow three days post-surgery) revealed dense, proliferative mesenchymal cells bordering the fibrin and hemorrhage zone and differentiating toward immature cardiomyocytes. We further examined the heart explants at 5-days post-surgery (5D PO) and 1-week post-surgery (1W PO) to assess the repair progression. For the 0-day surgery piglets euthanized at 5D PO and 1W PO, half had abundant proliferating mesenchymal cells, suggesting active regeneration, while the other half showed increased extracellular collagen. The seven-day surgery piglets euthanized at 5D PO, and 1W PO showed evidence of greatly increased extracellular collagen, while some piglets had proliferating mesenchymal cells, suggesting a regenerative effort is ongoing while scar formation seems to predominate. In short, our qualitative findings suggest that the piglets lose the full myocardial regenerative potential by 7 days after birth, but greatly preserve the regenerative potential within 1 day post-partum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Cell and Tissue Mechanics in Cardiovascular Regenerative)

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14 pages, 2500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computer-Aided Design and 3D Printing of Hemipelvic Endoprosthesis for Personalized Limb-Salvage Reconstruction after Periacetabular Tumor Resection

by Xianglin Hu, Yong Chen, Weiluo Cai, Mo Cheng, Wangjun Yan and Wending Huang

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080400 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2347

Abstract

3D-printed hemipelvic endoprosthesis is an emerging solution for personalized limb-salvage reconstruction after periacetabular tumor resection. Further clinical studies are still required to report its surgical characteristics, outcomes, benefits and drawbacks. Sixteen consecutive patients underwent periacetabular tumor wide resection and pelvic reconstruction with a [...] Read more.

3D-printed hemipelvic endoprosthesis is an emerging solution for personalized limb-salvage reconstruction after periacetabular tumor resection. Further clinical studies are still required to report its surgical characteristics, outcomes, benefits and drawbacks. Sixteen consecutive patients underwent periacetabular tumor wide resection and pelvic reconstruction with a 3D-printed hemipelvic endoprosthesis from 2018 to 2021. The surgical characteristics and outcomes are described. The mean follow-up duration was 17.75 months (range, 6 to 46 months). Five patients underwent surgery for type I + II resection and reconstruction, seven for type II + III resection and reconstruction, three for type II resection and reconstruction, and one for type I + II + IV resection and reconstruction. The incidence of postoperative complication was 12.5% (2/16) for deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 12.5% (2/16) for pneumonia, and 12.5% (2/16) for would deep or superficial infection. During follow-up, two patients (12.5%) suffered hip dislocation and underwent revision surgery. CT demonstrated an obvious prosthetic porous structure–bone fusion after follow-up of at least 6 months. At the final follow-up, 12 lived with no evidence of disease while four lived with disease; no patients experienced pain; and 15 had independent ambulation, with a mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score of 85.8% (range, 26.7% to 100%). 3D-printed hemipelvic endoprosthesis facilitates wide resection of periacetabular tumor and limb-salvage reconstruction, thus resulting in good oncological and functional outcomes. The custom-made nature is able to well mimic the skeletal anatomy and microstructure and promote osseointegration. Perioperative complications and rehabilitation exercise still need to be stressed for this engineering technology-assisted major orthopedic surgery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancement in Cancer Research through 3D Tumor Modeling and Imaging System)

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14 pages, 4706 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Biocompatibility and Osteogenic Activity of Marine-Plankton-Derived Whitlockite Bone Granules through Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Incorporation

by Ji Won Baek, Ki Su Kim, Ho Park, Nak Gyu Park and Beom-Su Kim

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080399 - 17 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1987

Abstract

Whitlockite (WH) is a calcium-phosphate-based Mg-containing ceramic with good mechanical properties, rapid resorption, and good osteogenicity. Recently, we successfully synthesized highly porous WH granules using a marine plankton exoskeleton (MP-WH). In the present study, we improved the osteoinductive activity of MP-WH granules by [...] Read more.

Whitlockite (WH) is a calcium-phosphate-based Mg-containing ceramic with good mechanical properties, rapid resorption, and good osteogenicity. Recently, we successfully synthesized highly porous WH granules using a marine plankton exoskeleton (MP-WH). In the present study, we improved the osteoinductive activity of MP-WH granules by bone morphogenetic protein2 (BMP2) (MP-WH/BMP2). The surface morphology and composition of the fabricated MP-WH/BMP2 granules were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The biocompatibility and osteogenic effects were evaluated using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). BMP2 was absorbed on the surfaces of the MP-WH/BMP2 granules. Immobilized BMP2 was released at a moderate rate over 30 days. hMSCs seeded on MP-WH/BMP2 granules became biocompatible, with a better proliferation and adhesion for MP-WH/BMP2, compared with MP-WH. Bone-specific markers Runx2, type I collagen, osteocalcin, and osteopontin were significantly upregulated following BMP2 incorporation. Similar observations were made regarding the alkaline phosphatase activity. This study suggests that BMP2 incorporation improves the osteoinductive activity of marine-plankton-derived WH granules for bone tissue repair. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Regenerative Engineering)

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25 pages, 11121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper Genes Family Regulates the Jinggangmycin Mediated Immune Response of Oryza sativa to Nilaparvata lugens, and Laodelphax striatellus

by Sheraz Ahmad, Yu Chen, Amir Zaman Shah, Huaiqi Wang, Chuanyuan Xi, Haowen Zhu and Linquan Ge

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080398 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2284

Abstract

The homeodomain-leucine zipper (HDZIP) is an important transcription factor family, instrumental not only in growth but in finetuning plant responses to environmental adversaries. Despite the plethora of literature available, the role of HDZIP genes under chewing and sucking insects remains elusive. Herein, we [...] Read more.

The homeodomain-leucine zipper (HDZIP) is an important transcription factor family, instrumental not only in growth but in finetuning plant responses to environmental adversaries. Despite the plethora of literature available, the role of HDZIP genes under chewing and sucking insects remains elusive. Herein, we identified 40 OsHDZIP genes from the rice genome database. The evolutionary relationship, gene structure, conserved motifs, and chemical properties highlight the key aspects of OsHDZIP genes in rice. The OsHDZIP family is divided into a further four subfamilies (i.e., HDZIP I, HDZIP II, HDZIP III, and HDZIP IV). Moreover, the protein–protein interaction and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that OsHDZIP genes regulate plant growth and response to various environmental stimuli. Various microRNA (miRNA) families targeted HDZIP III subfamily genes. The microarray data analysis showed that OsHDZIP was expressed in almost all tested tissues. Additionally, the differential expression patterns of the OsHDZIP genes were found under salinity stress and hormonal treatments, whereas under brown planthopper (BPH), striped stem borer (SSB), and rice leaf folder (RLF), only OsHDZIP3, OsHDZIP4, OsHDZIP40, OsHDZIP10, and OsHDZIP20 displayed expression. The qRT-PCR analysis further validated the expression of OsHDZIP20, OsHDZIP40, and OsHDZIP10 under BPH, small brown planthopper (SBPH) infestations, and jinggangmycin (JGM) spraying applications. Our results provide detailed knowledge of the OsHDZIP gene family resistance in rice plants and will facilitate the development of stress-resilient cultivars, particularly against chewing and sucking insect pests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioengineering and Omics for Improving Crop Productivity, Stress Tolerance, and Industrial Applications)

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18 pages, 3346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mycosynthesis of Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) Nanoparticles Using Aspergillus niger and Their Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Activities

by Ebrahim Saied, Salem S. Salem, Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, Fathy M. Elkady, Amr A. Arishi and Amr H. Hashem

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080397 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 60 | Viewed by 3606

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) are now widely used in a variety of applications, including medicine, solar energy, drug delivery, water treatment, and pollution detection. Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (Hem-NPs) were manufactured in this work by utilizing a cost-effective and [...] Read more.

Nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) are now widely used in a variety of applications, including medicine, solar energy, drug delivery, water treatment, and pollution detection. Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (Hem-NPs) were manufactured in this work by utilizing a cost-effective and ecofriendly approach that included a biomass filtrate of A. niger AH1 as a bio-reducer. The structural and optical properties of Hem-NPs were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV-visible and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. The results revealed that all of the studied parameters, as well as their interactions, had a significant impact on the crystallite size. The average diameter size of the biosynthesized Hem-NPs ranged between 60 and 80 nm. The antimicrobial and photocatalytic activities of Hem-NPs were investigated. The antimicrobial results of Hem-NPs revealed that Hem-NPs exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli, B. subtilis, and S. mutans with MICs of 125, 31.25, and 15.62 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, Hem-NPs exhibited antifungal activity against C. albicans and A. fumigatus, where the MICs were 2000 and 62.5 µg/mL, respectively. The efficiency of biosynthesized Hem-NPs was determined for the rapid biodegradation of crystal violet (CV) dye, reaching up to 97 percent after 150 min. Furthermore, Hem-NPs were successfully used more than once for biodegradation and that was regarded as its efficacy. In conclusion, Hem-NPs were successfully biosynthesized using A. niger AH1 and demonstrated both antimicrobial activity and photocatalytic activity against CV dye. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosynthesis of Nanoparticle/Exosome/ECV/Microparticles)

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24 pages, 6730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioinformatic Analysis and In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments Reveal That Fibrillarin Participates in the Promotion of Lung Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

by Weixin Luo, Shusheng Lin, Yipei Huang, Ke Zhu, Fapeng Zhang, Junlong Lin, Yufei Qin, Ziyu Zhou, Wenrui Wu and Chao Liu

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080396 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2195

Abstract

Lung metastasis, the most frequent metastatic pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma, is an important contributor to poor prognosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. Aiming to explore these mechanisms, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was firstly used [...] Read more.

Lung metastasis, the most frequent metastatic pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma, is an important contributor to poor prognosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. Aiming to explore these mechanisms, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was firstly used to find hub genes related to lung metastasis. Then, we obtained 67 genes related to lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma which were mainly related to ribosomal pathways and functions, and a protein interaction network analysis identified that fibrillarin (FBL) might be an important hub gene. Furthermore, we found that FBL is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and that its high expression increases the rate of lung metastasis and indicates a poor prognosis. Knockdown of FBL could significantly reduce proliferation and stemness as well as inhibiting the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, we found that FBL might be involved in the regulation of MYC and E2F pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, we demonstrated that the knockdown of FBL could suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth in vivo. In conclusion, ribosome-biogenesis-related proteins, especially Fibrillarin, play important roles in lung metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma. Full article

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16 pages, 1351 KiB

Open AccessReview

Anti-Tumor Effect of Parasitic Protozoans

by Haojie Ding, Songrui Wu, Zi Jin, Bin Zheng, Yuan Hu, Ke He, Shaohong Lu and Xunhui Zhuo

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080395 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2921

Abstract

The immune system may aberrantly silence when against “altered self”, which consequently may develop into malignancies. With the development of tumor immunology and molecular biology, the deepened understanding of the relationship between parasites and tumors shifts the attitude towards parasitic pathogens from elimination [...] Read more.

The immune system may aberrantly silence when against “altered self”, which consequently may develop into malignancies. With the development of tumor immunology and molecular biology, the deepened understanding of the relationship between parasites and tumors shifts the attitude towards parasitic pathogens from elimination to utilization. In recent years, the antitumor impact implemented by protozoan parasites and the derived products has been confirmed. The immune system is activated and enhanced by some protozoan parasites, thereby inhibiting tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis in many animal models. In this work, we reviewed the available information on the antitumor effect of parasitic infection or induced by parasitic antigen, as well as the involved immune mechanisms that modulate cancer progression. Despite the fact that clinical trials of the protozoan parasites against tumors are limited and the specific mechanisms of the effect on tumors are not totally clear, the use of genetically modified protozoan parasites and derived molecules combined with chemotherapy could be an important element for promoting antitumor treatment in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapy for Cancer)

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11 pages, 10386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Corneal Adhesion Possesses the Characteristics of Solid and Membrane

by Jiajin Yang, Qiaomei Ren, Dong Zhao, Zhipeng Gao, Xiaona Li, Rui He and Weiyi Chen

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080394 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1836

Abstract

Adhesion behavior usually occurs in corneas associated with clinical treatments. Physiologically, an intact natural cornea is inflated by intraocular pressure. Due to the inflation, the physiological cornea has a mechanical property likeness to membrane. This characteristic is ignored by the classical theory used [...] Read more.

Adhesion behavior usually occurs in corneas associated with clinical treatments. Physiologically, an intact natural cornea is inflated by intraocular pressure. Due to the inflation, the physiological cornea has a mechanical property likeness to membrane. This characteristic is ignored by the classical theory used to analyze the adhesion behavior of soft solids, such as the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR) model. Performing the pull-off test, this work evidenced that the classical JKR solution was suitable for computing the corneal adhesion force corresponding to the submillimeter scale of contact. However, when the cornea was contacted at a millimeter scale, the JKR solutions were clearly smaller than the related experimental data. The reason was correlated with the membranous characteristic of the natural cornea was not considered in the JKR solid model. In this work, the modified JKR model was superimposed by the contribution from the surface tension related to the corneal inflation due to the intraocular pressure. It should be treated as a solid when the cornea is contacted at a submillimeter scale, whereas for the contact at a larger size, the characteristic of the membrane should be considered in analyzing the corneal adhesion. The modified JKR model successfully described the adhesion characteristics of the cornea from solid to membrane. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ophthalmic Engineering)

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10 pages, 1979 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Valve Endothelial Cell Exposure to High Levels of Flow Oscillations Exacerbates Valve Interstitial Cell Calcification

by Chia-Pei Denise Hsu, Alexandra Tchir, Asad Mirza, Daniel Chaparro, Raul E. Herrera, Joshua D. Hutcheson and Sharan Ramaswamy

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080393 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3118

Abstract

The aortic valve facilitates unidirectional blood flow to the systemic circulation between the left cardiac ventricle and the aorta. The valve’s biomechanical function relies on thin leaflets to adequately open and close over the cardiac cycle. A monolayer of valve endothelial cells (VECs) [...] Read more.

The aortic valve facilitates unidirectional blood flow to the systemic circulation between the left cardiac ventricle and the aorta. The valve’s biomechanical function relies on thin leaflets to adequately open and close over the cardiac cycle. A monolayer of valve endothelial cells (VECs) resides on the outer surface of the aortic valve leaflet. Deeper within the leaflet are sublayers of valve interstitial cells (VICs). Valve tissue remodeling involves paracrine signaling between VECs and VICs. Aortic valve calcification can result from abnormal paracrine communication between these two cell types. VECs are known to respond to hemodynamic stimuli, and, specifically, flow abnormalities can induce VEC dysfunction. This dysfunction can subsequently change the phenotype of VICs, leading to aortic valve calcification. However, the relation between VEC-exposed flow oscillations under pulsatile flow to the progression of aortic valve calcification by VICs remains unknown. In this study, we quantified the level of flow oscillations that VECs were exposed to under dynamic culture and then immersed VICs in VEC-conditioned media. We found that VIC-induced calcification was augmented under maximum flow oscillations, wherein the flow was fully forward for half the cardiac cycle period and fully reversed for the other half. We were able to computationally correlate this finding to specific regions of the aortic valve that experience relatively high flow oscillations and that have been shown to be associated with severe calcified deposits. These findings establish a basis for future investigations on engineering calcified human valve tissues and its potential for therapeutic discovery of aortic valve calcification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Cell and Tissue Mechanics in Cardiovascular Regenerative)

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27 pages, 1209 KiB

Open AccessReview

Novel Gene-Correction-Based Therapeutic Modalities for Monogenic Liver Disorders

by Mahsa Ghasemzad, Mahdieh Hashemi, Zohre Miri Lavasani, Nikoo Hossein-khannazer, Haleh Bakhshandeh, Roberto Gramignoli, Hani Keshavarz Alikhani, Mustapha Najimi, Saman Nikeghbalian and Massoud Vosough

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080392 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4240

Abstract

The majority of monogenic liver diseases are autosomal recessive disorders, with few being sex-related or co-dominant. Although orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) is currently the sole therapeutic option for end-stage patients, such an invasive surgical approach is severely restricted by the lack of donors [...] Read more.

The majority of monogenic liver diseases are autosomal recessive disorders, with few being sex-related or co-dominant. Although orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) is currently the sole therapeutic option for end-stage patients, such an invasive surgical approach is severely restricted by the lack of donors and post-transplant complications, mainly associated with life-long immunosuppressive regimens. Therefore, the last decade has witnessed efforts for innovative cellular or gene-based therapeutic strategies. Gene therapy is a promising approach for treatment of many hereditary disorders, such as monogenic inborn errors. The liver is an organ characterized by unique features, making it an attractive target for in vivo and ex vivo gene transfer. The current genetic approaches for hereditary liver diseases are mediated by viral or non-viral vectors, with promising results generated by gene-editing tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Despite massive progress in experimental gene-correction technologies, limitations in validated approaches for monogenic liver disorders have encouraged researchers to refine promising gene therapy protocols. Herein, we highlighted the most common monogenetic liver disorders, followed by proposed genetic engineering approaches, offered as promising therapeutic modalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell- and Gene-Based Therapeutic Strategies for Liver Disease: Recent Advances and Prospects)

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33 pages, 7215 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Deep Learning Computer-Aided Diagnosis Approach for Breast Cancer

by Ahmed M. Zaalouk, Gamal A. Ebrahim, Hoda K. Mohamed, Hoda Mamdouh Hassan and Mohamed M. A. Zaalouk

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080391 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3109

Abstract

Breast cancer is a gigantic burden on humanity, causing the loss of enormous numbers of lives and amounts of money. It is the world’s leading type of cancer among women and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. The histopathological examination of breast [...] Read more.

Breast cancer is a gigantic burden on humanity, causing the loss of enormous numbers of lives and amounts of money. It is the world’s leading type of cancer among women and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. The histopathological examination of breast tissue biopsies is the gold standard for diagnosis. In this paper, a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system based on deep learning is developed to ease the pathologist’s mission. For this target, five pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) models are analyzed and tested—Xception, DenseNet201, InceptionResNetV2, VGG19, and ResNet152—with the help of data augmentation techniques, and a new approach is introduced for transfer learning. These models are trained and tested with histopathological images obtained from the BreakHis dataset. Multiple experiments are performed to analyze the performance of these models through carrying out magnification-dependent and magnification-independent binary and eight-class classifications. The Xception model has shown promising performance through achieving the highest classification accuracies for all the experiments. It has achieved a range of classification accuracies from 93.32% to 98.99% for magnification-independent experiments and from 90.22% to 100% for magnification-dependent experiments. Full article

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21 pages, 1676 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Developments and Current Applications of Organic Nanomaterials in Cartilage Repair

by Zhanqi Wei, Ganlin Zhang, Qing Cao, Tianhao Zhao, Yixin Bian, Wei Zhu and Xisheng Weng

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080390 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2579

Abstract

Regeneration of cartilage is difficult due to the unique microstructure, unique multizone organization, and avascular nature of cartilage tissue. The development of nanomaterials and nanofabrication technologies holds great promise for the repair and regeneration of injured or degenerated cartilage tissue. Nanomaterials have structural [...] Read more.

Regeneration of cartilage is difficult due to the unique microstructure, unique multizone organization, and avascular nature of cartilage tissue. The development of nanomaterials and nanofabrication technologies holds great promise for the repair and regeneration of injured or degenerated cartilage tissue. Nanomaterials have structural components smaller than 100 nm in at least one dimension and exhibit unique properties due to their nanoscale structure and high specific surface area. The unique properties of nanomaterials include, but are not limited to, increased chemical reactivity, mechanical strength, degradability, and biocompatibility. As an emerging nanomaterial, organic nanocomposites can mimic natural cartilage in terms of microstructure, physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. The integration of organic nanomaterials is expected to develop scaffolds that better mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) environment of cartilage to enhance scaffold-cell interactions and improve the functionality of engineered tissue constructs. Next-generation hydrogel technology and bioprinting can be used not only for healing cartilage injury areas but also for extensive osteoarthritic degenerative changes within the joint. Although more challenges need to be solved before they can be translated into full-fledged commercial products, nano-organic composites remain very promising candidates for the future development of cartilage tissue engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Developments and Applications in Bone Tissue Engineering)

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23 pages, 3620 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

In Vivo Application of Silica-Derived Inks for Bone Tissue Engineering: A 10-Year Systematic Review

by Nicolas Touya, Ayako Washio, Chiaki Kitamura, Adrien Naveau, Yasuhiko Tabata, Raphaël Devillard and Olivia Kérourédan

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080388 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3660

Abstract

As the need for efficient, sustainable, customizable, handy and affordable substitute materials for bone repair is critical, this systematic review aimed to assess the use and outcomes of silica-derived inks to promote in vivo bone regeneration. An algorithmic selection of articles was performed [...] Read more.

As the need for efficient, sustainable, customizable, handy and affordable substitute materials for bone repair is critical, this systematic review aimed to assess the use and outcomes of silica-derived inks to promote in vivo bone regeneration. An algorithmic selection of articles was performed following the PRISMA guidelines and PICO method. After the initial selection, 51 articles were included. Silicon in ink formulations was mostly found to be in either the native material, but associated with a secondary role, or to be a crucial additive element used to dope an existing material. The inks and materials presented here were essentially extrusion-based 3D-printed (80%), and, overall, the most investigated animal model was the rabbit (65%) with a femoral defect (51%). Quality (ARRIVE 2.0) and risk of bias (SYRCLE) assessments outlined that although a large majority of ARRIVE items were “reported”, most risks of bias were left “unclear” due to a lack of precise information. Almost all studies, despite a broad range of strategies and formulations, reported their silica-derived material to improve bone regeneration. The rising number of publications over the past few years highlights Si as a leverage element for bone tissue engineering to closely consider in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches for the Treatment of Maxillofacial Defects: From Bone to Skin Regeneration)

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16 pages, 4192 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Co-Graft of Acellular Dermal Matrix and Split Thickness Skin Graft—A New Reconstructive Surgical Method in the Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

by Marcin Gierek, Wojciech Łabuś, Anna Słaboń, Karolina Ziółkowska, Gabriela Ochała-Gierek, Diana Kitala, Karol Szyluk and Paweł Niemiec

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080389 - 14 Aug 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4923

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic disease that significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Patients are chronically treated with systemic therapies, which are often ineffective. Surgical treatment for severe cases of hidradenitis suppurativa is one option for affected patients. Surgical treatment has its limitations, [...] Read more.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic disease that significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Patients are chronically treated with systemic therapies, which are often ineffective. Surgical treatment for severe cases of hidradenitis suppurativa is one option for affected patients. Surgical treatment has its limitations, and wound closure may be particularly problematic. This requires the use of reconstructive techniques. The methods of choice for wound closure are split-thickness skin grafts or local flaps reconstructions. However, each method has its limitations. This is a presentation of a new reconstructive surgical method in hidradenitis suppurativa surgery: the use of a co-graft of Acellular dermal matrix and split thickness skin graft as a novel method in wound closure after wide excisions, based on two cases. The results of this method are very promising: we achieved very fast wound closure with good aesthetic results regarding scar formation. In this paper, we used several examinations: laser speckle analysis, cutometer tests, and health-related quality of life (QoL) questionnaire to check the clinical impact of this method. Our initial results are very encouraging. ADM with STSG as a co-graft could be widely used in reconstructive surgery. This is a preliminary study, which should be continued in further, extended research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioengineered Strategies for Surgical Innovation)

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5 pages, 437 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Long-Term Dose Optimization of Adalimumab via Dose Spacing in Patients with Psoriasis

by Michael Benzaquen, Mohammad Munshi, Simon Bossart, Laurence Feldmeyer, Vladimir Emelianov, Nikhil Yawalkar, Simone Cazzaniga and Kristine Heidemeyer

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080387 - 13 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2106

Abstract

Dose spacing (DS) can be useful for optimizing treatment with biologics in psoriasis patients. However, interval prolongation might increase the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and, therefore, reduce the drug’s effectiveness. The long-term effects of DS with adalimumab in psoriatic patients have not [...] Read more.

Dose spacing (DS) can be useful for optimizing treatment with biologics in psoriasis patients. However, interval prolongation might increase the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and, therefore, reduce the drug’s effectiveness. The long-term effects of DS with adalimumab in psoriatic patients have not been reported. The goal of our study was to evaluate the long-term follow-up of psoriatic patients after adalimumab DS regarding the clinical course and determination of circulating adalimumab, TNFα levels, and anti-adalimumab antibodies. We retrospectively included seven patients treated with adalimumab for moderate-to-severe psoriasis and benefiting from DS from 2010 to 2021. The dose interval of adalimumab was extended to three weeks for all patients and then to four weeks for three of the seven patients. Adalimumab trough levels, TNFα levels, and ADA against adalimumab were measured. For six of the seven patients, absolute PASI values remained below 3 throughout the follow-up period (median = 8.0 years; range: 1.7–11.5) after DS. All the patients were satisfied with the effectiveness of their treatment regime. Within the follow-up period, an average of 63 doses of adalimumab per patient were spared. The median adalimumab trough levels were 4.7 µg/mL (range: 1.9–12.5). TNFα levels remained under 10 pg/mL (undetectable) in all except one patient. ADA against adalimumab remained negative (<10 µg/mL) during the follow-up in all patients. Our data indicate that therapeutic drug monitoring, including the measurement of trough concentrations and ADA, together with the clinical response and patient’s preference, can be helpful for clinical decision making and treatment optimization in psoriasis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Present and Future Therapies of Skin Diseases)

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23 pages, 16385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of the Aeration and Hydrodynamics in Vertical-Wheel^™ Bioreactors

by Pedro M. Neto, Diogo E. S. Nogueira, Yas Hashimura, Sunghoon Jung, Bruno Pedras, Mário N. Berberan-Santos, Tiago Palmeira, Brian Lee, Joaquim M. S. Cabral, Vitor Geraldes and Carlos A. V. Rodrigues

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080386 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3000

Abstract

In this work, the oxygen transport and hydrodynamic flow of the PBS Vertical-Wheel MINI^™ 0.1 bioreactor were characterized using experimental data and computational fluid dynamics simulations. Data acquired from spectroscopy-based oxygenation measurements was compared with data obtained from 3D simulations with a [...] Read more.

In this work, the oxygen transport and hydrodynamic flow of the PBS Vertical-Wheel MINI^™ 0.1 bioreactor were characterized using experimental data and computational fluid dynamics simulations. Data acquired from spectroscopy-based oxygenation measurements was compared with data obtained from 3D simulations with a rigid-lid approximation and LES-WALE turbulence modeling, using the open-source software OpenFOAM-8. The mass transfer coefficients were determined for a range of stirring speeds between 10 and 100 rpm and for working volumes between 60 and 100 mL. Additionally, boundary condition, mesh refinement, and temperature variation studies were performed. Lastly, cell size, energy dissipation rate, and shear stress fields were calculated to determine optimal hydrodynamic conditions for culture. The experimental results demonstrate that the

k_{L}

can be predicted using

S h = 1.68 R e^{0.551} S c^{\frac{1}{3}} G^{1.18}

, with a mean absolute error of 2.08%. Using the simulations and a correction factor of 0.473, the expression can be correlated to provide equally valid results. To directly obtain them from simulations, a partial slip boundary condition can be tuned, ensuring better near-surface velocity profiles or, alternatively, by deeply refining the mesh. Temperature variation studies support the use of this correlation for temperatures up to 37 °C by using a Schmidt exponent of 1/3. Finally, the flow was characterized as transitional with diverse mixing mechanisms that ensure homogeneity and suspension quality, and the results obtained are in agreement with previous studies that employed RANS models. Overall, this work provides new data regarding oxygen mass transfer and hydrodynamics in the Vertical-Wheel bioreactor, as well as new insights for air-water mass transfer modeling in systems with low interface deformation, and a computational model that can be used for further studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Bioreactors for Advanced Cell Culture, (Nano)toxicity, Regenerative Medicine and Organ Bioengineering)

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24 pages, 11905 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupled and Synchronization Models of Rhythmic Arm Movement in Planar Plane

by Affiani Machmudah, Denys Dutykh and Setyamartana Parman

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080385 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1622

Abstract

Nonlinear dynamics have become a new perspective on model human movement variability; however, it is still a debate whether chaotic behavior is indeed possible to present during a rhythmic movement. This paper reports on the nonlinear dynamical behavior of coupled and synchronization models [...] Read more.

Nonlinear dynamics have become a new perspective on model human movement variability; however, it is still a debate whether chaotic behavior is indeed possible to present during a rhythmic movement. This paper reports on the nonlinear dynamical behavior of coupled and synchronization models of a planar rhythmic arm movement. Two coupling schemes between a planar arm and an extended Duffing-Van der Pol (DVP) oscillator are investigated. Chaos tools, namely phase space, Poincare section, Lyapunov Exponent (LE), and heuristic approach are applied to observe the dynamical behavior of orbit solutions. For the synchronization, an orientation angle is modeled as a single well DVP oscillator implementing a Proportional Derivative (PD)-scheme. The extended DVP oscillator is used as a drive system, while the orientation angle of the planar arm is a response system. The results show that the coupled system exhibits very rich dynamical behavior where a variety of solutions from periodic, quasi-periodic, to chaotic orbits exist. An advanced coupling scheme is necessary to yield the route to chaos. By modeling the orientation angle as the single well DVP oscillator, which can synchronize with other dynamical systems, the synchronization can be achieved through the PD-scheme approach. Full article

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17 pages, 1970 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Factors Influencing Formation of Nanoemulsion by Spontaneous Emulsification: Impact on Droplet Size, Polydispersity Index, and Stability

by Mohammed S. Algahtani, Mohammad Zaki Ahmad and Javed Ahmad

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080384 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3570

Abstract

Interest in nanoemulsion technology has increased steadily in recent years for its widespread applications in the delivery of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Rational selection of the composition and the preparation method is crucial for developing a stable nanoemulsion system with desired physicochemical characteristics. [...] Read more.

Interest in nanoemulsion technology has increased steadily in recent years for its widespread applications in the delivery of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Rational selection of the composition and the preparation method is crucial for developing a stable nanoemulsion system with desired physicochemical characteristics. In the present study, we investigate the influence of intricate factors including composition and preparation conditions that affect characteristic parameters and the stability of the nanoemulsion formation prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method. Octanoic acid, capryol 90, and ethyl oleate were selected to represent oil phases of different carbon–chain lengths. We explored the impact of the addition mode of the oil–S_mix phase and aqueous phase, vortexing time, K_m (surfactant/cosurfactant) ratio, and the replacement of water by buffers of different pH as an aqueous system. The phase behavior study showed that the S_mix phase had a significant impact on the nanoemulsifying ability of the nanoemulsions composed of oil phases of varying carbon-chain lengths. The mode of mixing of the oil–S_mix phase to the aqueous phase markedly influenced the mean droplet size and size distribution of the nanoemulsions composed of oil phases as capryol 90. Vortexing time also impacted the mean droplet size and the stability of the generated nanoemulsion system depending on the varying carbon-chain length of the oil phase. The replacement of the water phase by aqueous buffers of pH 1.2, 5.5, 6.8, and 7.4 has altered the mean droplet size and size distribution of the nanoemulsion system. Further, the K_m ratio also had a significant influence on the formation of the nanoemulsion system. The findings of this investigation are useful in understanding how the formulation composition and process parameters of the spontaneous emulsification technique are responsible for affecting the physicochemical characteristics and stability of the nanoemulsion system composed of oil of varying carbon-chain (C₈-C₁₈) length. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drug Delivery Systems, What's New?)

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17 pages, 2410 KiB

Open AccessReview

CARDIOSIM^©: The First Italian Software Platform for Simulation of the Cardiovascular System and Mechanical Circulatory and Ventilatory Support

by Beatrice De Lazzari, Roberto Badagliacca, Domenico Filomena, Silvia Papa, Carmine Dario Vizza, Massimo Capoccia and Claudio De Lazzari

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080383 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2347

Abstract

This review is devoted to presenting the history of the CARDIOSIM^© software simulator platform, which was developed in Italy to simulate the human cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The first version of CARDIOSIM^© was developed at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies of [...] Read more.

This review is devoted to presenting the history of the CARDIOSIM^© software simulator platform, which was developed in Italy to simulate the human cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The first version of CARDIOSIM^© was developed at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies of the National Research Council in Rome. The first platform version published in 1991 ran on a PC with a disk operating system (MS-DOS) and was developed using the Turbo Basic language. The latest version runs on PC with Microsoft Windows 10 operating system; it is implemented in Visual Basic and C++ languages. The platform has a modular structure consisting of seven different general sections, which can be assembled to reproduce the most important pathophysiological conditions. One or more zero-dimensional (0-D) modules have been implemented in the platform for each section. The different modules can be assembled to reproduce part or the whole circulation according to Starling’s law of the heart. Different mechanical ventilatory and circulatory devices have been implemented in the platform, including thoracic artificial lungs, ECMO, IABPs, pulsatile and continuous right and left ventricular assist devices, biventricular pacemakers and biventricular assist devices. CARDIOSIM^© is used in clinical and educational environments. Full article

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19 pages, 4767 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Isoliquiritigenin Nanoemulsion Preparation by Combined Sonication and Phase-Inversion Composition Method: In Vitro Anticancer Activities

by Jianman Wang, Hongjin Chen, Tao Guo, Ping Yue, Tianbao Qian, Xiangyu Zeng, Yali Luo, Jiangmin Li, Lijing Teng, Qingyu Liu, Liang Hong, Zijiang Yu and Zuquan Hu

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080382 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2340

Abstract

Isoliquiritigenin (ILQ) has a number of biological activities such as antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. However, biomedical applications of ILQ are impeded by its poor aqueous solubility. Therefore, in this research, we prepared a novel ILQ-loaded nanoemulsion, i.e., ILQ-NE, which consisted of Labrafil^® [...] Read more.

Isoliquiritigenin (ILQ) has a number of biological activities such as antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. However, biomedical applications of ILQ are impeded by its poor aqueous solubility. Therefore, in this research, we prepared a novel ILQ-loaded nanoemulsion, i.e., ILQ-NE, which consisted of Labrafil^® M 1944 CS (oil), Cremophor^® EL (surfactant), ILQ, and phosphate-buffered saline, by employing a combined sonication (high-energy) and phase-inversion composition (low-energy) method (denoted as the SPIC method). The ILQ-NE increased the ILQ solubility ~1000 times more than its intrinsic solubility. It contained spherical droplets with a mean diameter of 44.10 ± 0.28 nm and a narrow size distribution. The ILQ loading capacity was 4%. The droplet size of ILQ-NE remained unchanged during storage at 4 °C for 56 days. Nanoemulsion encapsulation effectively prevented ILQ from degradation under ultraviolet light irradiation, and enhanced the ILQ in vitro release rate. In addition, ILQ-NE showed higher cellular uptake and superior cytotoxicity to 4T1 cancer cells compared with free ILQ formulations. In conclusion, ILQ-NE may facilitate the biomedical application of ILQ, and the SPIC method presents an attractive avenue for bridging the merits and eliminating the shortcomings of traditional high-energy methods and low-energy methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Early Career Scientists' (ECS) Contributions to Nanotechnology Applications in Bioengineering)

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15 pages, 2128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Biotechnological Approach for the Production of Pharmaceutically Active Human Interferon-α from Raphanus sativus L. Plants

by Rashad Kebeish, Emad Hamdy, Omar Al-Zoubi, Talaat Habeeb, Raha Osailan and Yassin El-Ayouty

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080381 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2285

Abstract

Human interferon (IFN) is a type of cytokine that regulates the immune system’s response to viral and bacterial infections. Recombinant IFN-α has been approved for use in the treatment of a variety of viral infections as well as an anticancer medication for various [...] Read more.

Human interferon (IFN) is a type of cytokine that regulates the immune system’s response to viral and bacterial infections. Recombinant IFN-α has been approved for use in the treatment of a variety of viral infections as well as an anticancer medication for various forms of leukemia. The objective of the current study is to produce a functionally active recombinant human IFN-α2a from transgenic Raphanus sativus L. plants. Therefore, a binary plant expression construct containing the IFN-α2a gene coding sequence, under the regulation of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35SS promoter, was established. Agrobacterium-mediated floral dip transformation was used to introduce the IFN-α2a expression cassette into the nuclear genome of red and white rooted Raphanus sativus L. plants. From each genotype, three independent transgenic lines were established. The anticancer and antiviral activities of the partially purified recombinant IFN-α2a proteins were examined. The isolated IFN-α2a has been demonstrated to inhibit the spread of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV). In addition, cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis assays against Hep-G2 cells (Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma) show the efficacy of the generated IFN-α2a as an anticancer agent. In comparison to bacterial, yeast, and animal cell culture systems, the overall observed results demonstrated the efficacy of using Raphanus sativus L. plants as a safe, cost-effective, and easy-to-use expression system for generating active human IFN-α2a. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Formulations in Agri-Food-Pharma: Source and Applications, Volume II)

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16 pages, 3162 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Peptide-Functionalized Nanoemulsions as a Promising Tool for Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells

by Nuria Carmona-Ule, Noga Gal, Carmen Abuín Redondo, María De La Fuente Freire, Rafael López López and Ana Belén Dávila-Ibáñez

Bioengineering 2022, 9(8), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9080380 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3156

Abstract

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are shed from primary tumors and travel through the blood, generating metastases. CTCs represents a useful tool to understand the biology of metastasis in cancer disease. However, there is a lack of standardized protocols to isolate and culture them. [...] Read more.

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are shed from primary tumors and travel through the blood, generating metastases. CTCs represents a useful tool to understand the biology of metastasis in cancer disease. However, there is a lack of standardized protocols to isolate and culture them. In our previous work, we presented oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) composed of lipids and fatty acids, which showed a benefit in supporting CTC cultures from metastatic breast cancer patients. Here, we present Peptide-Functionalized Nanoemulsions (Pept-NEs), with the aim of using them as a tool for CTC isolation and culture in situ. Therefore, NEs from our previous work were surface-decorated with the peptides Pep10 and GE11, which act as ligands towards the specific cell membrane proteins EpCAM and EGFR, respectively. We selected the best surface to deposit a layer of these Pept-NEs through a Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) method. Next, we validated the specific recognition of Pept-NEs for their protein targets EpCAM and EGFR by QCM-D and fluorescence microscopy. Finally, a layer of Pept-NEs was deposited in a culture well-plate, and cells were cultured on for 9 days in order to confirm the feasibility of the Pept-NEs as a cell growth support. This work presents peptide-functionalized nanoemulsions as a basis for the development of devices for the isolation and culture of CTCs in situ due to their ability to specifically interact with membrane proteins expressed in CTCs, and because cells are capable of growing on top of them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosynthesis of Nanoparticle/Exosome/ECV/Microparticles)

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Bioengineering, Volume 9, Issue 8 (August 2022) – 77 articles

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