Satyajit Patra

A Review of 3D Printing Techniques and the Future in Biofabrication of Bioprinted Tissue

Abstract3D printing has been around in the art, micro-engineering, and manufacturing worlds for decades. Similarly, research for traditionally engineered skin tissue has been in the works since the 1990s. As of recent years, the medical field also began to take advantage of the untapped potential of 3D printing for the biofabrication of tissue. To do so, researchers created a set of goals for fabricated tissues based on the characteristics of natural human tissues and organs. Fabricated tissue was then measured against this set of standards. Researchers were interested in not only creating tissue that functioned like natural tissues but in creating techniques for 3D printing that would print tissues quickly, efficiently, and ultimately result in the ability to mass produce fabricated tissues. Three promising methods of 3D printing emerged from their research: thermal inkjet printing with bioink, direct-write bioprinting, and organ printing using tissue spheroids. This review will discuss all three printing techniques, as well as their advantages, disadvantages, and the possibility of future advancements in the field of tissue fabrication.

Anti-inflammatory effects of royal poinciana through inhibition of toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway.

Inflammation is part of the non-specific immune response that occurs in reaction to any type of bodily injury. In some disorders the inflammatory process, which under normal conditions is self-limiting, becomes continuous and chronic inflammatory diseases develop subsequently including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer etc. Barks of Delonix regia is used traditionally in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the therapeutic potential of D. regia ethanol extract and its active constituent β-Elemene with special interest in inflammation model using standard in vivo anti-inflammatory models: Carrageenan-induced paw edema, Cotton pellet granuloma, and Acetic acid-induced vascular permeability. To explicate the mechanism of action for the possible anti-inflammatory activity, we determined the level of major inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, COX-2-dependent prostaglandin E2 or PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-12). Additionally, we determined the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), by mRNA expression in drug treated LPS-induced murine macrophage model. To explore the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity, we evaluated expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), nuclear factor kappa-B cells (NF-kB), and NF-kB inhibitor alpha (IK-Ba). Furthermore, we determined the acute and sub-acute toxicity of D. regia extract in BALB/c mice. This study established a significant anti-inflammatory activity of D. regia extract and β-Elemene along with the inhibition of TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-12 expressions. Further, the expression of TLR4, NF-kBp65, MyD88, iNOS and COX-2 molecules were reduced in drug-treated groups, but not in the LPS-stimulated untreated or control groups, Thus, our results collectively indicated that the D. regia extract and β-Elemene can efficiently inhibit inflammation.

Review of Medicinal Plants for Anti-Obesity Activity

Obesity is a complex health issue to address, it is a serious and chronic disease that can have a negative effect on many systems in your body. Overweight and obesity may increase the risk of many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis and certain cancers. Obesity is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world. Today it is estimated that there are more than 300 million obese people world-wide. Obesity is regarded as a disorder of lipid metabolism and the enzymes involved in this process could be targeted selectively for the development of antiobesity drugs. However, most of the anti-obesity drugs that were approved and marketed have now been withdrawn due to serious adverse effects. The naturopathic treatment for obesity has been explored extensively since ancient times and gaining momentum in the present scenario. Traditional medicinal plants and their active phytoconstituents have been used for the treatment of obesity and their associated secondary complications. Some active medicinal plants and their respective bioactive compounds were also tested by clinical trials and are effective in traemnet of obesity. This review focus on natural phytoextracts with their mechanism of action and their preclinical experimental model for further scientific research.

Evaluation of antitumor and antioxidant activity of Sargassum tenerrimum against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice.

CONTEXTnIn the last half century, discovering, developing and introducing of clinical agents from marine sources have seen great successes, with examples including the anti-cancer compound trabectedin. However, with increasing need for new anticancer drugs, further exploration for novel compounds from marine organism sources is strongly justified.nnnOBJECTIVEnThe major aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor and antioxidant potential of Sargassum tenerrimum J.Agardh (Sargassaceae) on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnAn ethanol extract of S. tenerrimum (EEST) from whole algae was used to evaluate cytotoxicity followed by in vivo assessment of toxicity, using biochemical parameters including hepatic and non-hepatic enzymes. Antioxidant properties were examined in animals bearing EAC treated with daily oral administration of 100-300 mg/kg extract suspension.nnnRESULTSnAntitumor effects of EEST in EAC bearing mice was observed with LD50 1815 mg/kg. Parameters like body weight, tumor volume, packed cell volume, tumor cell count, mean survival time and increase in life span in animals in the EAC bearing animals treated with EEST 300 mg/kg was comparable with control group. Significant differences were also seen with changes in total protein content, hepatic enzymes contents, MDA level, and free radical scavenging enzymes in untreated vs. EEST treated group animals.nnnCONCLUSIONSnEvaluation of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic enzymes in the EAC animal model treated with EEST exhibited similar effects as the positive control drug 5-flurouracil. S. tenerrimum extracts contain effective antioxidants with significant antitumor activity.

BRAF, KRAS and PIK3CA mutation and sensitivity to Trastuzumab in breast cancer cell line model

Studies show that approximately 20% of all breast cancer patients have a breast tumor that tests positive for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2, otherwise known as the HER2 gene. As such, treatments for breast cancer usually include drugs that target HER2. The drug Trastuzumab is a recombinant antibody that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of these HER2 positive breast cancers. However, researchers have found that mutations in associated genes, PIK3CA and KRAS, can cause the tumor to become resistant to Trastuzumab. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the sensitivity of the cancer cell lines to the drug Trastuzumab and investigate how this sensitivity is compromised by the PIK3CA, KRAS and BRAF gene mutations. Trastuzumab responsiveness was evaluated in breast cancer cell lines by treating the lines with an optimal concentration of the drug followed by a proliferation assay of the cell lines in the presence of monoclonal antibodies. We determined the optimum concentration of Trastuzumab to be 7 μg/well. The BRAF and KRAS mutated cell line, MDA-MB-231, showed the least sensitivity after being treated with trastuzumab when compared to the sensitivity of the PIK3CA mutated cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-361, and the KRAS/ BRAF/ PIK3CA cell line, MDA-MB-453. Clinical observations show that mutations in BRAF and KRAS genes in breast cancer cells do lower the responsiveness of Trastuzumab drug treatments.

Human, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Human Genetic Engineering

Geneticengineeringcansimplybeexplainedasthealterationofanorganisms� genetic,� orhereditary,�materialtoeliminateundesirablecharacteristicsorto� producedesirablenewones.� Severalworkshavebeendoneongeneticengineeringwithmajorfocuson� itsimportancerangingfromincreasingplantandanimalfoodproduction,� diagnosingdiseasecondition,� medicaltreatmentimprovement,�aswellas� productionofvaccinesandotherusefuldrugs.�Methodsinthistechniques� involvetheselectivebreedingofanimalsandplants,� hybridization� (reproductionbetweendifferentstrainsorspecies),� andrecombinant� deoxyribonucleicacid�(rDNA).

Effects of Genetic Engineering - The Ethical and Social Implications

Several works have been done on genetic engineering with major focus on its importance ranging from increasing plant and animal food production, diagnosing disease condition, improve medical treatment, and produce vaccines and other useful drugs. Methods in the techniques involve the selective breeding of animals and plants, hybridization (reproduction between different strains or species), and recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). However, these benefits are not without peril. This article gives a brief account on the effect of this principle on the biosphere together with several controversial issues that accompany the acceptance of this technology.

Obesity--A Short Overview of Health Policies.

shift to more westernized dietary choices. Brazilian government has now implemented programs to promote traditional diets rich in fruits and vegetables, and depreciate unhealthy fast food. Recent surveys have shown that there is an increase in the awareness of obesity and associated health risks. Programs targeting adolescents are also being implemented and some initial efforts in this area have proved useful [4] . Canada, on the other hand, represents typical Western diet and lifestyle with increased energy or food consumption and decreased physical activity. However, recently there are different sectors at work to promote a healthy diet, physical activity and establishing policies. For example, the Centre for Health Promotion in collaboration with other sectors of government, is working to improve healthy eating, physical activity and weight management. Further awareness of disease prevention and control are managed and regulated by the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. The regulation of food and safety is carried out by Food Directorate, which also makes policies and standards regarding nutritional regulation and information labels of foods [5] . After a short review of different factors contributing to obesity and the steps taken by some of the countries to address this issue, some potential policies could be suggested. There should be efforts at federal and local levels to regulate and improve socioeconomic factors, physical activity proToday, obesity affects people of all ages and socioeconomic groups. Some of the direct causes of obesity are attributed to poor diet, increased availability and accessibility of high-energy foods, and reduced physical activity. The socioeconomic status has also been linked with obesity, with those on the lower end of socioeconomic status having higher obesity rates. Other non-environmental factors include genetic predisposition or depressive disorders. All these factors interact differently in different countries, leading to differences in trends and prevalence of obesity. Being regarded as a ‘global epidemic’, it becomes important to raise awareness and implement the health policies that promote healthy lifestyles and awareness of the risks associated with obesity [1, 2] . In Japan, obesity prevalence remains low due to the use of traditional diet. Programs such as ‘Health Japan 21’ have played an important role in decreasing the health risks for chronic diseases and improving the quality of life. ‘Dietary Guidelines for Japanese’ and ‘Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top’ proposed in 2005 give easy guidelines to understand and promote a healthy lifestyle. Dieticians and other health officials have also been implementing policies and health care programs to educate and encourage people to eat healthy and non-fattening food [3] . On the contrary, Brazil mirrors the trends of Western World with increased rates of obesity, majorly associated with a Published online: May 30, 2015