Scaffolding fundamentals and recent advances in sustainable scaffolding techniques for cultured meat development.

In cultured meat (CM) production, Scaffolding plays an important role by aiding cell adhesion, growth, differentiation, and alignment. The existence of fibrous microstructure in connective and muscle tissues has attracted considerable interest in the realm of tissue engineering and triggered the interest of researchers to implement scaffolding techniques. A wide array of research efforts is ongoing in scaffolding technologies for achieving the real meat structure on the principality of biomedical research and to replace serum free CM production. Scaffolds made of animal-derived biomaterials are found efficient in replicating the extracellular matrix (ECM), thus focus should be paid to utilize animal byproducts for this purpose. Proper identification and utilization of plant-derived scaffolding biomaterial could be helpful to add diversified options in addition to animal derived sources and reduce in cost of CM production through scaffolds. Furthermore, techniques like electrospinning, modified electrospinning and 3D bioprinting should be focused on to create 3D porous scaffolds to mimic the ECM of the muscle tissue and form real meat-like structures. This review discusses recent advances in cutting edge scaffolding techniques and edible biomaterials related to structured CM production.

Rural-urban differentials in the influences of individual and geospatial preparedness on institutional childbirth: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the rural-urban differentials in the influences of individual and geospatial preparedness on institutional childbirth in Bangladesh. A related aim of this paper is to derive estimates to measure geospatial preparedness for institutional births, through statistical modelling, when no data are available for measuring this areal indicator. DESIGN, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: The paper used data from a large-scale nationally representative Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019. The analytical sample included 9203 currently married women of reproductive age who had a live birth in the 2 years preceding the survey. METHODS: Mixed effect logistic regression models were employed to explore the rural-urban differentials in influences of individual and geospatial preparedness on institutional childbirth. The district-level random effect estimation was done to measure geospatial preparedness. The conditional autoregressive model was used to examine the association of geospatial preparedness with areal variation in institutional births. RESULTS: In rural settings, women who gave birth to a female newborn were 18% less likely to have facility births compared with women who gave birth to a male newborn. Also, women from households in the highest wealth quintile were twice as likely to have facility births compared with those from households in the poorest wealth quintile. In contrast, in urban areas, facility births did not vary by sex of the fetus or by households' socioeconomic status. The geospatial preparedness explained 8% and 9% of the variability in institutional births in rural and urban areas, respectively. Geospatial mapping revealed low preparedness in the hill tracts. Findings identified geospatial preparedness as a potential source of areal variation in facility births. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest improving district-level preparedness and developing differential programme strategies for urban and rural areas to increase the national prevalence and more equitable use of institutional childbirth in Bangladesh.

Correlation Between Psoriasis Severity and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Degree Measured Using Controlled Attenuation Parameter.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence links psoriasis to several metabolic disorders, but the causal relationship between psoriasis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains understudied. PURPOSE: To measure the correlation between the severity of psoriasis and the degree of NAFLD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients with psoriasis in the Dermatovenereology Outpatient Clinic of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from December 2017 through February 2018. Psoriasis severity (psoriasis area and severity index [PASI] and body surface area [BSA]) was recorded and compared with NAFLD degree measured by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). RESULTS: A total of 36 subjects were enrolled with an average age of 49.08 years (±15.52 years). The proportions of mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis were 50%, 27.8%, and 22.2%, respectively. Median of PASI was 6.1 (2-38.4) and BSA was 7.5 (2-93). The proportion of NAFLD was 77.8%. The mean of the CAP score was 250.03±45.64. There was no statistically significant correlation between psoriasis severity based on PASI and CAP score (r = 0.258; p = 0.128). However, if the degree of psoriasis was based on BSA, a significant correlation was found (r = 0.382; p = 0.021). The body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference were significantly correlated with CAP score (r = 0.448, p = 0.006 and r = 0.485, p = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSION: Psoriasis extension correlates with NAFLD severity; further studies should assess in detail the effect of therapies on this pathophysiological link.