A chitosan/alginate coated nano-liposome to improve intestinal absorption of curcumin for oral administration.

Attempts to improve low absorption and rapid metabolic conversion of curcumin were made by developing curcumin-loaded bilayer nanoliposomes coated with chitosan and alginate for intestinal-specific drug delivery. A curcumin-loaded nano-liposome was prepared with optimized formulations with phosphatidylcholine, curcumin, chitosan, and alginate. The particle size of the optimized formulation was approximately 400 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency was more than 99%. In the in vitro release study, curcumin release from the curcumin-loaded nanoliposome with double layers of chitosan/alginate (CNL-CH/AL) was suppressed in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) and enhanced in the simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8). In the in vivo pharmacokinetic study in rats, the CNL-CH/AL-treated group showed a prolonged absorption pattern of curcumin and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0-24) was improved 109-fold compared to the control group treated with a curcumin solution without a nanocarrier.

Quantitative Profiling of Carotenoids, Tocopherols, Phytosterols, and Fatty Acids in the Flower Petals of Ten Marigold (Tagetes spp. L.) Cultivars.

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) flower petals are the most vital sources of carotenoids, especially lutein esters, for the production of natural lutein to use for food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries. Several marigold cultivars are cultivated globally; however, their lutein ester composition and contents have not been widely investigated. Considering this, this study aimed to identify and quantify prominent carotenoid esters from the flower petals of ten marigold cultivars by liquid chromatography (LC)-diode-array detection (DAD)-mass spectrometry (MS). In addition, tocopherols, phytosterols, and fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID) and GC-MS. Furthermore, the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical scavenging abilities of lipophilic extracts were determined. The total carotenoid contents varied significantly (p < 0. 05, Tukey HSD) among cultivars, ranging from 25.62 (cv. Alaska)-2723.11 µg/g fresh weight (cv. Superboy Orange). Among the five major lutein-diesters, (all-E)-lutein-3-O-myristate-3'-O-palmitate and lutein dipalmitate were predominant. Among the studied cultivars, α-tocopherol was recorded, ranging from 167.91 (cv. Superboy Yellow) to 338.50 µg/g FW (cv. Taishan Orange). Among phytosterols, ß-sitosterol was the most prevalent phytosterol, ranging between 127.08 (cv. Superboy Yellow) and 191.99 µg/g FW (cv. Taishan Yellow). Palmitic acid (C16:0; 33.36-47.43%) was the most dominant among the fatty acids. In this study, the highest contents of lutein were recorded from cv. Superboy Orange; however, due to the substantially higher flower petal yield, the cv. Durango Red can produce the highest lutein yield of 94.45 kg/ha. These observations suggest that cv. Durango Red and cv. Superboy Orange are the ideal candidates for lutein fortification in foods and also for commercial lutein extraction.

Association of senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins with ovarian reserve among middle-aged/older women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association of circulating senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins, secreted by senescent cells, with indicators of women's ovarian reserve. METHODS: This secondary analysis of cross-sectional baseline survey data was undertaken by the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Cardiovascular Disease Association Study. A total of 223 women (aged 40-82 y), without any history of oophorectomy, hysterectomy, or other medical conditions that could lower the ovarian reserve, were enrolled in this analysis. Chronological age (years), menopausal status, and serum anti-müllerian hormone (ng/mL) level were used to assess the associations among biological aging, accelerated menopausal aging, and ovarian reserve. RESULTS: Of the 223 women participants (53.4 ± 11.0 y), 147 (46.4 ± 3.9 y) and 76 (67.0 ± 6.9 y) were premenopausal and postmenopausal, respectively. Serum levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins were generally higher in postmenopausal, than in premenopausal, women. In the analyses adjusted for chronological age and body mass index, 17 senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins were associated with menopausal status. However, in premenopausal women, no association trends with the level of anti-müllerian hormone were detected for a total of 28 senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of middle-aged/older women, the level of circulating senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins indicated chronological age and menopausal status. Yet, serum levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype protein potentially have limited predictive value for ascertaining ovarian reserve in premenopausal women.

Interventions using digital technology to promote family engagement in the adult intensive care unit: An integrative review.

BACKGROUND: Family engagement is a key component of safe and effective care in the intensive care unit (ICU). As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in healthcare settings, it is important to review the current science of family engagement interventions in the ICU using digital technology. OBJECTIVES: This integrative review aimed to identify and evaluate studies that used digital technology to promote family engagement in adult ICUs and synthesize study findings. METHODS: Following the methodology of Whittemore and Knafl, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. We included studies conducted in the adult ICU setting; involved family engagement during ICU stay; and used digital technology to engage family members. We excluded studies that were not peer-reviewed or in English. Study findings were assessed using the model of family engagement in the ICU RESULTS: Of 2702 articles, 15 articles were analyzed. Various technologies (e.g., web-, tablet-, or SMS-based tools, video-conferencing, etc.) were used to provide information; augment the decision-making process; provide virtual access to family conferences or interdisciplinary rounds. While varying among interventions, "Information sharing" and "activation and participation" were most commonly addressed within the family engagement model. In studies that addressed the components of family engagement more comprehensively, interventions enabled tailoring of information with two-way communication and active family involvement in decision-making processes. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should use more robust methods and develop interventions with close inputs from families. We recommend using conceptual components of family engagement to ensure comprehensiveness of the intervention.

Senolytic drugs relieve pain by reducing peripheral nociceptive signaling without modifying joint tissue damage in spontaneous osteoarthritis.

Aging is a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis (OA), a progressive joint disease leading to cartilage damage, pain, and loss of function. In a mouse model of OA, senolytic drugs to selectively clear senescent cells (SnCs) that accumulate with injury or aging yielded a chondroprotective effect; however, this therapeutic benefit was limited in aged mice. Due to inconsistency between cartilage destruction and pain-associated symptoms, we studied the therapeutic effect of senolytics on joint pain in spontaneous OA. We orally treated 21- and 22-month old mice with an ABT263 and Dasatinib and Quercetin (D+Q) drug combination. Selective elimination of the SnCs that accumulated in the articular cartilage and synovium by these two drugs did not alter cartilage degeneration and abnormal bone changes during spontaneous OA progression. Treatment reduced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia associated with OA and peripheral sensitization through decreased expression of axon guidance proteins (nerve growth factor NGF/TrkA) and nociceptive neuron (calcitonin gene-related peptide, CGRP) projection to the synovium, subchondral bone marrow, and dorsal root ganglion, and knee joint angiogenesis. Selective removal of the SnCs from in vitro cultures of synovial cells from human OA patients also decreased expression of senescent markers, axonal growth-promoting factors, such as NGF, and angiogenesis markers. We suggest that systemic administration of ABT263 and D+Q is an exciting therapeutic approach to age-related OA pain.

Plasma Proteomic Signature of Cellular Senescence and Markers of Biological Aging Among Postmenopausal Women.

We aimed to investigate the association of circulatory senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs) produced by senescent cells with chronological and menopausal age in women aged 45 years or more. The proteomic profiles for 32 SASP factors of plasma samples were measured in 76 healthy postmenopausal women aged 46-82 years from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Cardiovascular Disease Association Study (KoGES-CAVAS). We assessed the association between the SASP factors and aging indicators (chronological age, menopausal age, and years since menopause) using single- and multiprotein models. First, we composed a profile of proteins associated with chronological age, menopausal age, and years since menopause. In a single-protein model, three proteins (growth differentiation factor 15 [GDF15], insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 [IGFBP-2], and tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]) are positively associated with chronological age. Menopausal age and years since menopause are interrelated with interleukin-8 (IL-8). The direction of association between menopausal age and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was only negative, and IGFBP-2 and TNF-α were significant in all three aging factors. We also constructed parsimonious multiprotein models to confirm the association of the proteomic signature for aging after adjusting for covariates and the combination of proteomic signature of 13 proteins (GDF15, interferon-γ [IFN-γ], IGFBP-2, IGFBP-7, IL-15, IL-1ß, IL-17A, IL-8, MCP-1, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 [TIMP-2], TNF-α, vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A], and interferon-inducible protein 10 [IP-10]) appear to be associated with chronological age and menopausal state of individuals. Thus, by observing association between the selected SASPs and age-related markers among healthy postmenopausal women, we examine how menopause in women relates to proteomic indicators of aging and highlight the potential use of SASP factors as a marker to reflect the state of biological aging attributed by ovarian senescence.

Factors Affecting Metabolic Syndrome in Individuals With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of different anthropometric measures (waist circumference [WC], body mass index [BMI], and percentage body fat) in diagnosing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among individuals with SCI and provides preliminary data for future studies in setting obesity cutoff values for this population. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Sample information, anthropometric measures, and MetS variables of 157 individuals with chronic SCI were collected from an electronic medical records database. RESULTS: Increasing age (odds ratio [OR]=1.040, p=0.016) and lower neurological level of injury (OR=1.059, p=0.046) were risk factors for MetS. Male BMI (r=0.380, p<0.001) and male WC (r=0.346, p<0.001) were positively correlated with the number of MetS subfactors. Individuals with non-obese WC, excluding central obesity, were associated with having no MetS subfactors (p=0.005), and individuals with obese WC were associated with one or more subfactors (p=0.005). BMI was associated with MetS diagnosis (area under the curve=0.765, p<0.001), with the calculated cutoff value for BMI being 22.8 kg/m2. CONCLUSION: This study calls for a stricter BMI cutoff for individuals with SCI in diagnosing MetS and warrants a large population-based study to define central obesity according to sex and ethnicity.

Selective Regional Loss of Cortical Synapses Lacking Presynaptic Mitochondria in the 5xFAD Mouse Model.

Synaptic loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is strongly correlated with cognitive impairment. Accumulating evidence indicates that amyloid pathology leads to synaptic degeneration and mitochondrial damage in AD. However, it remains unclear whether synapses and presynaptic mitochondria are differentially affected in various cortical regions of the AD brain at the ultrastructural level. Using serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, we assessed synaptic structures in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and primary visual cortex (V1) of the 5xFAD mouse model of AD. At 6 months of age, 5xFAD mice exhibited significantly elevated levels of amyloid deposition in layer 2/3 of the mPFC but not V1. Accordingly, three-dimensional reconstruction of synaptic connectivity revealed a significant reduction in excitatory synaptic density in layer 2 of the mPFC, but not V1, of male transgenic mice. Notably, the density of synapses lacking presynaptic mitochondria was selectively decreased in the mPFC of 5xFAD mice, with no change in the density of mitochondria-containing synapses. Further classification of spines into shape categories confirmed a preferential loss of thin spines whose presynaptic boutons were largely devoid of mitochondria in the 5xFAD mPFC. Furthermore, the number of mitochondria per bouton in spared mitochondria-containing boutons was reduced in the mPFC, but not V1, of 5xFAD mice. Collectively, these results highlight region-specific vulnerability of cortical synapses to amyloid deposition and suggest that the presence of presynaptic mitochondria may affect synaptic degeneration in AD.

VidaTalk™ patient communication application "opened up" communication between nonvocal ICU patients and their family.

OBJECTIVES: To explore family members' perceptions of an electronic communication application, VidaTalk™, their communication experience, and emotional reactions to communication with mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care units. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: Qualitative phase of a mixed-methods study nested within a randomised controlled trial. Family members in the intervention group received the VidaTalk™ app as a communication aid during their intensive care stay. Seven family members participated in 18 semi-structured email interviews after discharge between May and December 2018. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. SETTING: Families were recruited in multiple intensive care units located in one university hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Communication experience with the VidaTalk™ and emotions while communicating with the patient. Basic qualitative description and constant comparative techniques were used to code and analyse the text using ATLAS_ti (Version 7.5.18). FINDINGS: The VidaTalk™ opened up family-patient communication by allowing clear communication and expanding communication content. Family members felt happy and thankful to communicate with the patient. They also expressed feelings of relief and less frustration and less stress while communicating with the patient.​ On the other hand, the patient's ability to express their worries or anxiety sometimes made families feel sad or distressed. CONCLUSION: The VidaTalk™ was helpful for family-patient communication. The VidaTalk™ may help families reduce psychological distress. However, ​expanded communication with critically ill patients may cause other negative feelings.

Segregation-controlled self-assembly of silver nanowire networks using a template-free solution-based process.

Metal conductive patterning has been studied as an alternative to the most commonly used indium tin oxide electrodes. Printed electrodes are fabricated by several complicated processes including etching, photolithography, and laser- and template-based techniques. However, these patterning methods have increasingly encountered critical issues of long manufacturing times and high equipment costs that necessitate vacuum and high-temperature conditions. In this study, we present a template-free solution-based patterning method for the fabrication of transparent electronics by inducing segregation-based networks of silver nanowires (SGAgNWs); this is a potential method to fabricate cost effective and scalable optoelectronics. Micro-dimensional fine-patterned segregated networks with conductive cells are created by the self-assembly of one-dimensional nanomaterials under optimal ink conditions wherein different types of solvents and aspect ratios of silver nanowires (AgNWs) are formulated. Photoelectric properties can be controlled by adjusting the size of the cell, which is an empty domain surrounded by the AgNW assembly with microscale cell-to-cell distance dimensions ranging between 4 to 345 µm. The as-obtained AgNW metal grid-formulated on a polyethylene terephthalate film-was identified as a high-performance transparent electrode (TE) device with excellent optoelectronic properties of 87.08% transmittance and 50 Ω â–¡-1 resistance. In addition, the electrical conductivity of the TE film is enhanced with a very low haze of less than 4% because of the intense pulsed light treatment that diminished the sheet resistance to 21.36 Ω â–¡-1, which is attributed to the creation of welded silver networks. The SGAgNW concept for TE technology demonstrates a very promising potential for use in next-generation flexible electronic devices.

Evaluation of the Color Stability of 3D-Printed Crown and Bridge Materials against Various Sources of Discoloration: An In Vitro Study.

Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing have introduced new materials that can be utilized for dental restorations. Nonetheless, there are limited studies on the color stability of restorations using 3D-printed crowns and bridge resins. Herein, the color stability of conventional computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) blocks and 3D-printing resins was evaluated and assessed for their degrees of discoloration based on material type, colorant types (grape juice, coffee, curry, and distilled water (control group)), and storage duration (2, 7, and 30 days) in the colorants. Water sorption, solubility, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were conducted. A three-way ANOVA analysis showed that all three factors significantly affected the color change of the materials. Notably, the discoloration (ΔE00) was significantly higher in all 3D printing resins (4.74-22.85 over the 30 days) than in CAD/CAM blocks (0.64-4.12 over the 30 days) following immersion in all colorants. 3D-printing resins showed color differences above the clinical limit (2.25) following storage for 7 days or longer in all experimental groups. Curry was the most prominent colorant, and discoloration increased in almost all groups as the storage duration increased. This study suggests that discoloration must be considered when using 3D printing resins for restorations.

The Facilitated Sensemaking Model as a Framework for Family-Patient Communication During Mechanical Ventilation in the Intensive Care Unit.

Family caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at high risk for adverse psychological outcomes. Communication difficulty due to mechanical ventilation may induce or worsen adverse psychological outcomes. The Facilitated Sensemaking Model (FSM) is the first model to guide nursing interventions to help ICU family caregivers overcome and prevent adverse psychological outcomes. We address an understudied phenomenon, communication between patients and family caregivers during mechanical ventilation. The FSM guides supportive interventions for critical care nurses to improve patient-family communication in the ICU. We provide an example of communication intervention, an electronic communication app, within the preexisting FSM.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Neuropathic Pain in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury Referred to a Rehabilitation Center.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence and characteristics of neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to investigate associations between NP and demographic or disease-related variables. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with SCI whose pain was classified according to the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain classifications at a single hospital. Multiple statistical analyses were employed. Patients aged <19 years, and patients with other neurological disorders and congenital conditions were excluded. RESULTS: Of 366 patients, 253 patients (69.1%) with SCI had NP. Patients who were married or had traumatic injury or depressive mood had a higher prevalence rate. When other variables were controlled, marital status and depressive mood were found to be predictors of NP. There was no association between the prevalence of NP and other demographic or clinical variables. The mean Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) of NP was 4.52, and patients mainly described pain as tingling, squeezing, and painful cold. Females and those with below-level NP reported more intense pain. An NRS cut-off value of 4.5 was determined as the most appropriate value to discriminate between patients taking pain medication and those who did not. CONCLUSION: In total, 69.1% of patients with SCI complained of NP, indicating that NP was a major complication. Treatment planning for patients with SCI and NP should consider that marital status, mood, sex, and pain subtype may affect NP, which should be actively managed in patients with an NRS ≥4.5.

Staff Perceptions of Adult Day Centers Providing Post-Acute Care for Persons With Dementia.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of adult day services (ADS) staff and hospital discharge planners regarding the feasibility of ADS to provide post-acute care (PAC) for persons with dementia. We conducted key informant interviews with emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospital discharge planners (n = 9), and two focus groups with ADS staff (n = 15) representing five ADS programs. Four thematic categories were identified from the discharge planners, including concerns for patients, factors influencing discharge, experience with ADS, and conditions for ADS referrals. Four categories identified from ADS staff interviews include public lack of knowledge of ADS, communication challenges, ADS to prevent hospitalization and ED visits, and barriers to providing PAC. Lack of knowledge about ADS, the role of family in PAC decisions, and the lack of reimbursement for PAC in ADS were identified as the most significant drivers in the ability of ADS to provide PAC.

Positive Changes in Blood Lipid Profiles, Nutrition Knowledge, and Dietary Taurine Intake After 8-Week Nutrition Education Program in Low-Income Korean Children.

Taurine has been reported to play a key role in the growth and development of children's brains and nerves. Incorrect dietary habits and unbalanced nutrient intakes may be caused by socio-environmental and economic factors in low-income children. This study was conducted to investigate changes in blood lipid profiles, nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and intakes of dietary taurine and nutrients after an 8-week nutrition education program (NEP) in low-income Korean children. In this intervention study, nutrition education, exercise, and nutrition counseling were conducted for 8-weeks in 22 low-income children (11-13 years old, 9 males and 13 females) at community child center located in Incheon, Korea. Changes after the NEP were evaluated using a one group pretest-posttest design. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0. After the 8-week NEP, there was a significant decrease in the blood triglyceride level of female students (p < 0.01). As for nutrition knowledge, there were significant increases in the subscore of sugars and sodium in foods consumed by male students (p < 0.05), total score of nutrition knowledge (p < 0.01), subscore of sugars and sodium in foods (p < 0.01), and fat content of foods and adequate dietary intake in female students (p < 0.05). Dietary attitudes did not change. There were significant increases in intakes of dietary taurine, vitamin B6 (p < 0.01), and dietary fiber (p < 0.05) in female students after the NEP. There were significantly positive correlations between changes in dietary taurine intake and dietary attitudes as well as between changes in carbohydrate intake and total cholesterol level among all the subjects. Therefore, nutrition education to promote balanced nutrient intake and dietary attitudes for optimal growth and development of low-income children is needed.

Deep Learning Method for Automated Classification of Anteroposterior and Posteroanterior Chest Radiographs.

Ensuring correct radiograph view labeling is important for machine learning algorithm development and quality control of studies obtained from multiple facilities. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the performance of a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) for the automated classification of frontal chest radiographs (CXRs) into anteroposterior (AP) or posteroanterior (PA) views. We obtained 112,120 CXRs from the NIH ChestX-ray14 database, a publicly available CXR database performed in adult (106,179 (95%)) and pediatric (5941 (5%)) patients consisting of 44,810 (40%) AP and 67,310 (60%) PA views. CXRs were used to train, validate, and test the ResNet-18 DCNN for classification of radiographs into anteroposterior and posteroanterior views. A second DCNN was developed in the same manner using only the pediatric CXRs (2885 (49%) AP and 3056 (51%) PA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under the curve (AUC) and standard diagnostic measures were used to evaluate the DCNN's performance on the test dataset. The DCNNs trained on the entire CXR dataset and pediatric CXR dataset had AUCs of 1.0 and 0.997, respectively, and accuracy of 99.6% and 98%, respectively, for distinguishing between AP and PA CXR. Sensitivity and specificity were 99.6% and 99.5%, respectively, for the DCNN trained on the entire dataset and 98% for both sensitivity and specificity for the DCNN trained on the pediatric dataset. The observed difference in performance between the two algorithms was not statistically significant (p = 0.17). Our DCNNs have high accuracy for classifying AP/PA orientation of frontal CXRs, with only slight reduction in performance when the training dataset was reduced by 95%. Rapid classification of CXRs by the DCNN can facilitate annotation of large image datasets for machine learning and quality assurance purposes.

Electrospun CuS/PVP Nanowires and Superior Near-Infrared Filtration Efficiency for Thermal Shielding Applications.

Selective filtration of near-infrared (NIR) regions is of primary importance to energy saving via thermal shielding. However, uniform coating of highly effective nanomaterials on flexible substrates remains very challenging. Here, we introduce new material processing and fabrication methodologies that manufacture electrospun copper sulfide/polyvinylpyrrolidone (CuS/PVP) nanowires for enhanced thermal shielding efficiency. Electrospinning offers well-dispersed CuS nanoparticles in a thermal shielding film, which is not achievable in typical solution coating processes. Directly deposited CuS/PVP nanowires on a flexible polymer membrane are enabled by a fluorination treatment that decreases the interfacial electrostatic repulsion. Monitoring of in situ temperature change of a box-shielded, CuS/PVP nanowire film demonstrates excellent NIR shielding efficiency (87.15%). Direct integration of the film with a model car and exposure to direct sunlight demonstrates about twice-higher shielding efficiency than commercial tungsten oxide films. Overall, the comprehensive study of nanomaterial preparation, surface treatment, and integration techniques allows the fabrication of highly flexible and reliable thermal shielding films.

Enhanced biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of mesoporous magnesium silicate/polycaprolactone/wheat protein composite scaffolds.

BACKGROUND: Successful bone tissue engineering using scaffolds is primarily dependent on the properties of the scaffold, including biocompatibility, highly interconnected porosity, and mechanical integrity. METHODS: In this study, we propose new composite scaffolds consisting of mesoporous magnesium silicate (m_MS), polycaprolactone (PCL), and wheat protein (WP) manufactured by a rapid prototyping technique to provide a micro/macro porous structure. Experimental groups were set based on the component ratio: (1) WP0% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:70:0 weight per weight; w/w); (2) WP15% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:55:15 w/w); (3) WP30% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:40:30 w/w). RESULTS: Evaluation of the properties of fabricated scaffolds indicated that increasing the amount of WP improved the surface hydrophilicity and biodegradability of m_MS/PCL/WP composites, while reducing the mechanical strength. Moreover, experiments were performed to confirm the biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) according to the component ratio of the scaffold. The results confirmed that the content of WP affects proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Based on the last day of the experiment, ie, the 14th day, the proliferation based on the amount of DNA was the best in the WP30% group, but all of the markers measured by PCR were the most expressed in the WP15% group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the m_MS/PCL/WP composite is a promising candidate for use as a scaffold in cell-based bone regeneration.