Scalable Processes for Culturing Meat Using Edible Scaffolds.

There is increasing consumer demand for alternative animal protein products that are delicious and sustainably produced to address concerns about the impacts of mass-produced meat on human and planetary health. Cultured meat has the potential to provide a source of nutritious dietary protein that both is palatable and has reduced environmental impact. However, strategies to support the production of cultured meats at the scale required for food consumption will be critical. In this review, we discuss the current challenges and opportunities of using edible scaffolds for scaling up the production of cultured meat. We provide an overview of different types of edible scaffolds, scaffold fabrication techniques, and common scaffold materials. Finally, we highlight potential advantages of using edible scaffolds to advance cultured meat production by accelerating cell growth and differentiation, providing structure to build complex 3D tissues, and enhancing the nutritional and sensory properties of cultured meat.

The impact of physical, biochemical, and electrical signaling on Schwann cell plasticity.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) injuries are an ongoing health care concern. While autografts and allografts are regarded as the current clinical standard for traumatic injury, there are inherent limitations that suggest alternative remedies should be considered for therapeutic purposes. In recent years, nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) have become increasingly popular as surgical repair devices, with a multitude of various natural and synthetic biomaterials offering potential to enhance the design of conduits or supplant existing technologies entirely. From a cellular perspective, it has become increasingly evident that Schwann cells (SCs), the primary glia of the PNS, are a predominant factor mediating nerve regeneration. Thus, the development of severe nerve trauma therapies requires a deep understanding of how SCs interact with their environment, and how SC microenvironmental cues may be engineered to enhance regeneration. Here we review the most recent advancements in biomaterials development and cell stimulation strategies, with a specific focus on how the microenvironment influences the behavior of SCs and can potentially lead to functional repair. We focus on microenvironmental cues that modulate SC morphology, proliferation, migration, and differentiation to alternative phenotypes. Promotion of regenerative phenotypic responses in SCs and other non-neuronal cells that can augment the regenerative capacity of multiple biomaterials is considered along with innovations and technologies for traumatic injury.

Mechanical stimulation of a bioactive, functionalized PVDF-TrFE scaffold provides electrical signaling for nerve repair applications.

Traumatic nerve injuries have limited success in achieving full functional recovery, with current clinical solutions often including implementation of nerve grafts or the use of nerve conduits to guide damaged axons across injury gaps. In search of alternative, and complimentary solutions, piezoelectric biomaterials demonstrate immense potential for tissue engineering applications. Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-triflouroethylene) (PVFD-TrFE) scaffolds can be harnessed to non-invasively stimulate and direct function of key peripheral nervous system (PNS) cells in regeneration strategies. In this study, electrospun PVDF-TrFE was characterized, fabricated into a 3D scaffold, and finally rendered bioactive with the incorporation of a cell-secreted, decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM). PVDF-TrFE scaffolds were characterized extensively for piezoelectric capacity, mechanical properties, and cell-material interactions with fibroblasts and Schwann cells. Through functionalization of PVDF-TrFE scaffolds with a native, cell-assembled dECM, the ability to promote cell adhesion and enhanced viability was also demonstrated. Additionally, incorporation of bioactive functionalization improved the assembly of key regenerative ECM proteins and regenerative growth factors. PVDF-TrFE scaffolds were then fabricated into a conduit design that retained key physical, chemical, and piezoelectric properties necessary for PNS repair. This work shows great promise for multi-cue, electrospun biomaterials for regeneration of the PNS in traumatic injury.

"Drunkorexia": Understanding eating and physical activity behaviors of weight conscious drinkers in a sample of college students.

OBJECTIVE: Behaviors of weight conscious drinkers (BWCD) include disordered eating, excessive physical activity (PA), and heavy episodic drinking. Considering that approximately 25% of the college students report BWCD, it is important to investigate what characteristics increase the likelihood of college students engaged in BWCD for both moderate and vigorous PAs. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 510 college students were recruited from a large, public southeastern university. METHODS: Participants completed a cross-sectional survey during the spring 2015 semester. RESULTS: Of 510 respondents, 11.2% reported moderate PA-based BWCD and 14.7% reported vigorous PA-based BWCD. Weight loss intention, BMI and Greek affiliation predicted both moderate and vigorous BWCD. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that Greek-affiliated students and students with weight loss intentions might be at an increased risk for BWCD. Along with promoting lower levels of alcohol consumption, college practitioners should consider discussing issues of weight and body image with college students as they relate to maladaptive drinking behavior.