Spinal Cord Injury Heal with 3D Printing: American journal of Neurology & Neurophysiology (AJNN), OpenAccess ISSN 2642-3081

-

ONOMY Science

American journal of Neurology & Neurophysiology (AJNN), OpenAccess ISSN 2642-3081 


Spinal Cord Injury Heal with 3DPrinting

        For people whose spinal cords are injured in traffic accidents, sports mishaps, or other traumatic events, cell-based treatments have emerged as a potential avenue for encouraging healing. Now, taking advantage of advances in 3D printing technology, researchers have created customized implants that may boost the power of cell-based therapies for repairing injured spinal cords.
Made of soft hydrogels that mimic spinal cord tissue, the implant pictured here measures just 2 millimeters across and is about as thick as a penny. It was specially designed to encourage healing in rats with spinal cord injuries. The tiny, open channels that surround the solid “H”-shaped core are designed to guide the growth of new neural extensions, keeping them aligned properly with the spinal cord.
When left on their own, neural cells have a tendency to grow haphazardly. But the 3D-printed the implant is engineered to act as a scaffold, keeping new cells directed toward the goal of patching up the injured part of the spinal cord.
This technology relies on a computer projection system and precisely controlled mirrors, which direct light into a solution containing photo-sensitive polymers and cells to produce the final product. Using this approach, the researchers fabricated finely detailed, rodent-sized implants in less than 2 seconds. That’s about 1,000 times faster than a traditional 3D printer!
Rat embryonic neural stem cells, into the injured spinal cords of 11 rats. Other rats with similar injuries received empty implants or stem cells without the implant. Within 5 months, rats with the cell-loaded implants had new neural cells bridging the injured area, along with spontaneous regrowth of blood vessels to feed the new neural tissue. Most importantly, the use of their hind limbs. Animals receiving empty implants or cell-based therapy without an implant didn’t show that kind of recovery.
The new findings offer proof-of-principle that 3D printing technology can be used to create implants tailored to the precise shape and size of an injury. In fact, the researchers have already scaled up the process to produce 4-centimeter-sized implants to match several different, complex spinal cord injuries in humans. These implants were printed in a mere 10 minutes.
Further improvements, including the addition of growth factors or other ingredients that may further encourage neuron growth and functional recovery. If all goes well, the team hopes to launch human clinical trials of their cell-based treatments for spinal cord injury within a few years. And that should provide hope for the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who suffer serious spinal cord injuries each year.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hepatitis C Care Cascade In IV Drug Users: Scientific Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (SJGH)- ISSN : 2641-5585

-
Image
Hepatitis C Care Cascade In IV Drug Users ONOMY Science  Scientific Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology   (SJGH) - ISSN:   2641-5585           Many people who are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remain undiagnosed and untreated. Although those born between 1946 and 1964 represent most of the population with  chronic  HCV infection,  persons who inject drugs (PWID) now make up the largest population of new cases of the disease. Up to 90% of all new HCV infections worldwide and at least 75% of those in the United States are attributed to the use of injected drugs.           An estimated 10 million PWID are infected with HCV worldwide, creating a significant infectious reservoir for the continued spread of this virus. Control of HCV infection among PWID will require targeted strategies to address the “HCV cascade of care”—enhancing diagnosis, linking individuals to HCV care, increasing treatment uptake, and enhancing viral cure. New Drug Users at R
Read more

Using Artificial Intelligence to Catch Irregular Heartbeats: American journal of Cardiology and Cardiovascular diseases (AJCCVD), ISSN 2641-2438

-
Image
ONOMY Science  American journal of Cardiology and Cardiovascular diseases (AJCCVD),  Open Access ISSN 2641-2438 Using Artificial Intelligence to Catch Irregular Heartbeats           Thanks to advances in wearable health technologies, it’s now possible for people to monitor their heart rhythms at home for days, weeks, or even months via wireless electrocardiogram (EKG) patches. In fact, my Apple Watch makes it possible to record a real-time EKG whenever I want. (I’m glad to say I am in normal sinus rhythm.) For true medical benefit, however, the challenge lies in analyzing the vast amounts of data—often hundreds of hours worth per person—to distinguish reliably between harmless rhythm irregularities and potentially life-threatening problems. Now, NIH-funded researchers have found that artificial intelligence (AI) can help. A powerful computer “studied” more than 90,000 EKG recordings, from which it “learned” to recognize patterns, form rules, and apply them accurately
Read more

Scientific Journal of Animal and Veterinary Science: Radiation Therapy for Dogs

-
Image
ONOMY Science Scientific Journal of Animal and Veterinary Science (SJAVS),  Open Access  ISSN 2640-5393 Radiation Therapy for Dogs                  Radiation can be used to control pain in some pets. A dog is diagnosed with cancer, very rarely is the aim of treatment an outright cure. Veterinarians usually try to maximize the amount of time a dog can survive while enjoying a good quality of life.  Radiation Makes Cancer Cells Unable To Reproduce. “The goals of radiation are to achieve the best possible tumor control and to decrease negative effects of the tumor, such as pain , while sparing normal tissues, optimizing both quality and quantity of life”. Pets have a range of weapons in their arsenal. Alone or in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy, radiation therapy is useful for its ability to specifically target tumors.     Radiation can be broadly divided into two groups: electromagnetic and particulate radiation. Whether you know it or not, you interact with el
Read more