Human hair proteins were isolated and purified for the fabrication of tissue-engineering scaffolds. Their cellular compatibility was studied using NIH3T3 mice fibroblast cells. The proteins were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for molecular weights and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for their isoelectric points (pIs). The molecular weights of keratins were in the range of 40-60 kilo-Daltons (kDa) and of matrix proteins were in the range of 15-30 kDa. The pIs of keratins were found to be in the range of 4.5-5.3. Sponges of the proteins were formed by lyophilization. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to examine the surface. Swelling studies were carried out in phosphate buffer saline at physiological pH 7.4. The hydrophilic character of the protein surface was studied by determining an average contact angle, which came to be 37 degrees. The wells of tissue culture plates were coated with these proteins for studying the attachment and morphology of the cells. The protein detachment study was done to ensure the adsorption of proteins on the wells until the completion of the experiments. The cellular growth on a protein-coated surface showed three-dimensional 'bulged' morphology due to cell-cell and cell-matrix contacts. The sponges of human hair proteins supported more cells for a longer period than control. The morphology and cell proliferation studies exhibited by NIH3T3 cells on these proteins have shown their potential to be used as tissue-engineering scaffolds with better cell-cell contacts and leucine-aspartic acid-valine (LDV)-mediated cell-matrix interactions.

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Background and Aim. Inadequate bowel preparation is a major impediment in colonoscopy quality outcomes. Aim of this study was to evaluate the role of multimedia education (MME) in improving bowel preparation quality and adenoma detection rate. Methods. This was an IRB-approved prospective randomized study that enrolled 111 adult patients undergoing outpatient screening or surveillance colonoscopy. After receiving standard colonoscopy instructions, the patients were randomized into MME group (n = 48) and control group (n = 46). The MME group received comprehensive multimedia education including an audio-visual program, a visual aid, and a brochure. Demographics, quality of bowel preparation, and colonoscopy findings were recorded. Results. MME group had a significantly better bowel preparation in the entire colon (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.16–6.09) and on the right side of the colon (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.12–6.71) as compared to control group (p < 0.05). Large polyps (>1 cm) were found more frequently in the MME group (11/31, 35.5% versus 0/13; p < 0.05). More polyps and adenomas were detected in MME group (57 versus 39 and 31 versus 13, resp.) but the difference failed to reach statistical significance. Conclusion. MME can lead to significant improvement in the quality of bowel preparation and large adenoma detection in a predominantly African-American population.

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Scaffolds of agar and gelatin were developed using a novel entrapment method where agar and gelatin molecules mutually entrapped one another forming stable cell adhesive matrices. Glutaraldehyde was used as a crosslinking agent for gelatin. Three types of hybrid matrices were prepared using agar and gelatin in different proportions in the weight ratio of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1. Surface characterization of dry scaffolds was carried out by scanning electron microscope. Swelling studies were carried out in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) at physiological pH 7.4. The integral stability of the scaffolds was evaluated by estimating the released disintegrated gelatin from them in PBS at pH 7.4. The attachment kinetics of the cells was evaluated by culturing mouse fibroblast cell line NIH 3T3 on films. The cytocompatibility of these matrices was determined by studying growth kinetics of NIH 3T3 cells on them and morphology of cells was observed through optical photographs taken at various days of culture. It was found that the matrices containing agar and gelatin in 2:1 weight ratio exhibited best growth kinetics. The results obtained from these studies have suggested that the above-described method is a cheap and easy way to fabricate agar-gelatin hybrid scaffolds to grow cells which can be used in various in vitro tissue engineering applications like screening of drugs.

Background: Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is a prognostic marker in cirrhosis, but is invasive. There is a need to validate a noninvasive marker to measure portal hypertension. Aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI) is proposed as a good noninvasive estimator of hepatic fibrosis. Whether APRI could be used as noninvasive tool to measure portal hypertension has not been studied. Aim: To correlate APRI with HVPG in patients with cirrhosis and to determine the diagnostic usefulness of the APRI in detection of high portal pressure. Methods: APRI and HVPG were measured in consecutive patients of cirrhosis aged 18-75 years, with serum bilirubin <5 mg/dl, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score 12, and without evidence of acute-on-chronic liver failure or flare.Results: This study included 74 patients (median age 47 years, range 20-70 years; 57 males, (77%). The aetiology of cirrhosis was: viral 33 (45%), alcohol 10 (14%), and cryptogenic and others 31 (42%). The median HVPG was 16 mmHg (range 2-28 mmHg). The median APRI was 1.19 (range 0.17-7.92). There was significant correlation between HVPG and APRI (Spearman's rho 0.365; p ¼ 0.001). The ROC curve to study the performance of APRI for predicting high portal pressure (HVPG >12 mmHg) had area under curve 0.716 (95% CI 0.574-0.858). An APRI of !1.09 had a sensitivity 66%, specificity 73%, positive predictive value 85%, negative predictive value 47%, and diagnostic accuracy 68% for predicting HVPG >12 mmHg. Conclusions: APRI correlates fairly with HVPG in patients of cirrhosis. An APRI score of !1.09 seems to have an acceptable accuracy for prediction of high portal pressure. APRI is a fair, bedside, cost-effective parameter for diagnosis of high portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis.

While aging is accompanied by many age-related changes in renal physiology and function, proteinuria should not be considered to be a part of "normal aging". There are many age-prevalent illnesses that predispose one to developing proteinuria and early recognition, and treatment may help retard disease progression or offer an early cure. The presence of proteinuria warrants further evaluation and follow-up if one has any hope of avoiding its progression and delaying the initiation of treatment. This review article will discuss the anatomy and physiology of the aging kidney, the pathophysiology and etiology of proteinuria during later life, methods to evaluate proteinuria, and ways to monitor and manage this problem.

Agar-gelatin hybrid sponges were used as scaffolds to induce the formation of three-dimensional (3D) spheroids of HepG2 cells. Agar and gelatin in 2:1 ratio were used to make films and sponges. The cell adhesive properties of the films were evaluated by the attachment kinetics. The growth kinetics of HepG2 cells was studied using MTT assay and morphology of the 3D spheroids was observed through inverted optical microscopy. The liver cell-specific functions of the 3D spheroids were evaluated in terms of albumin secretion and urea synthesis. Paracetamol was used as a model drug to investigate the use of these 3D spheroids in the preliminary cytotoxicity evaluation of drugs. The results showed that the agar-gelatin hybrid sponges induced the formation of 3D HepG2 spheroids with significant liver-specific functions. These spheroids exhibited higher amounts of albumin and urea synthesis than the control monolayer culture. These 3D spheroids were found to be more sensitive to the drug (TCIC(50) value of 4.6 mM) than the control monolayer (TCIC(50) value of 6.2 mM). The study shows that agar-gelatin-induced HepG2 3D spheroids can be used for the preliminary evaluation of the toxicity of drugs and chemicals.