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It is now widely accepted that various subsets of hybrid fiber composites reinforced with combined natural and synthetic fibers can significantly expand the applicability of composite-based materials in design and technology practice. The already existing unnatural circumstances on the planet put natural fibers far ahead of traditions in the field of materials thanks to their biodegradability characteristics, availability and over-term endurance and corrosion resistance. At the same time, composites are rapidly taking their place in many industries and sectors of the economy as metals in as much as it is economically and energetically justified. This study evaluates the mechanical properties of hybrid composites reinforced with glass, hemp, and sisal fibers. Using a hand lay-up method with epoxy resin, composite laminates were fabricated and tested for tensile, flexural, impact strengths and hardness test in accordance with ASTM standards. The experimental results revealed that glass-sisal fiber composites achieved the highest tensile strength of 69.1 MPa, while glass-hemp-sisal fiber composites exhibited superior flexural strength of 15.22 MPa and impact strength of 137.45 kJ/m2 while best hardness value was 24.73 HV for glass-sisal fibre composite. These findings underscore the potential of glass-sisal-hemp fiber-reinforced epoxy composites as viable alternatives to traditional synthetic fiber-reinforced materials in automotive industry where there are no structural loadings i.e. automobile interiors; offering enhanced mechanical performance and sustainability.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been a noticeable technology and made significant progress since the late 1980s. Despite the tremendous growth, this technology is still facing numerous manufacturing challenges. AM of structures and smart materials such as shape memory polymers and alloys is one of the most actively researched areas in which printed objects can alter their properties and shape when exposed to a stimulus e.g., light, temperature, magnetic fields, pH, and humidity. The AM-build parts which can take advantage of these shape-changing features, lead to the growth of 4D printing by introducing time as a fourth dimension in AM processes. This new field originated in 2013, and since then, it has generated great interest due to its potential to build innovative, multi-functional, self-assembling, and self-repairing components with modifiable properties, shapes, and functionalities. This review article intends to examine the major developments of 4D printing in the biomedical field. The study will provide an overview of various 4D printing technologies including vat photo-polymerization, extrusion-based methods, and material jetting and their uses in the biomedical field. It focuses on smart materials like SMPs, LCEs, SMPAs, etc., and their applications in various industries e.g., mechanical, biomedical, aerospace, etc., and explores external stimuli such as moisture, temperature, pH, magnetic fields, and light. The article delves into the promising applications of 4D printing in biomedical fields such as drug delivery, orthopedics, medical devices, tissue engineering, and dentistry and analyzes the challenges associated with 4D printing in the biomedical field, and suggests the future directions including optimization of printing parameters, and exploration of novel materials to broaden its applications.

Objective: To compare the functional and radiological outcomes of treatment of volar Barton’s fractures using T plate with and without distal end screws. Methods: This randomized control trial was conducted at the department of Orthopedics, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan from December 2021 to May 2022. Total 60 patients (30 in each group) were randomly allocated to either group A (T-Plate with distal end screws) or B (T-Plate without distal end screws). Patients were followed up on day-0, day-14, day-28 and day-90. Assessments of patients were done by Green O’Brien Score for pain, Modified Warden Score for callus formation on radiographs at 12-weeks of follow-up and Stewart Score for displacement of fracture. Results: At 90th day, significant difference was seen in Green O’Brien Score (Excellent score: Group-A: 80% vs. Group-B: 90%, p=0.278) while Stewart scores remained comparable (Excellent Score: Group-A: 93.33% vs. Group-B: 96.67%, p=0.221) between treatment groups. Fracture healing assessed with Modified Warden score for score 4 did not show significant difference between both groups at 90th day. i.e. (Group-A: 96.67% vs. Group-B: 96.67%). However, callus formation assessed with Modified Warden score for score 3 showed significant differences between groups at 90th day. i.e. (Group-A: 53.33% vs. Group-B: 86.67%, p=0.001). Conclusion: Both treatment approaches appear to yield comparable outcomes in terms of clinical assessment, Stewart scores, and fracture healing, with a potential advantage for T-plate without distal end screw in callus formation at the 90th day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microemulsions (µEs) are particularly suitable systems for the efficient delivery of anticancer drugs due to their thermodynamic stability, structural flexibility, and patient-friendly chemotherapies. Moreover, µE formulations can efficiently encapsulate the anticancer drugs and deliver them to the desired location. Herein, three new Tween-60-based µE formulations were developed to enhance the dissolution profile of anticancer methotrexate (MTX). For this, µE formulations using an appropriate ratio of castor oil (~9%), water (~11%), and Tween-60 (~40%) were used, while ethanol, 2-propanol, and 1-butanol were selected as co-surfactants for each formulation, respectively. Preliminarily, the phase compatibility of the µE ingredients, the average µE region, and the structural transformation in the microstructure of µE were delineated by mapping the pseudoternary phase diagram, as well as electrical conductivity, viscosity, and optical microscopic measurements. The size distribution profile of the as-formulated µEs analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed the fine monomodal assembly of MTX-µE nanodroplets (~65 nm), which remained stable over a half year of storage. FTIR analysis showed good compatibility of MTX with µE ingredients with no apparent chemical interaction, while fluorescence measurements endorsed the acquisition of MTX in nonpolar microenvironments. Furthermore, an enhanced dissolution rate (>98% ± 1.5%, p ≥ 0.001) and superior bioavailability of the lyophilized non-aggregated methotrexate nanoparticles (MTX-NPs) were achieved, making them a suitable formulation for oral administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment adherence of narcotics-addicted individuals with reduced incidences of relapse can be enhanced by a sustained drug release formulation of antinarcotics. So far, different drug formulations have been reported with sustained drug release periods of 28 and 35 days. To further enhance this duration, different formulations of injectable hydrogels (IHs) have been developed by combining low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) chitosan (CS) with guar gum (GG) and crosslinking them by sodium bi phosphate dibasic. The structural, morphological, and physicochemical properties of LMW-CS IH, and HMW-CS IH were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and rheological, swelling, and biodegradation analysis. The HMW-CS IH showed high crosslinking, increased thermal stability, high mechanical strength, elevated swelling, and low biodegradation. The antinarcotic drugs naltrexone (NTX) and disulfiram (DSF) were loaded separately into the HMW-CS IH and LMW-CS IH. The release of NTX and DSF was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and ethanol (0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5%) over a 56-day period using an UV spectrophotometer. The drug release data were tested in zero-order, first-order, and Korsemeyer–Peppas mathematical models. In PBS, all prepared formulations followed non-Fickian drug release, while in ethanol, only NTX HMW-CS IH followed non-Fickian release in all three different concentrations of ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]