Piezoelectric-based bioactive zinc oxide-cellulose acetate electrospun mats for efficient wound healing: an in vitro insight.

Being a complex physiological process involving the removal of damaged tissue debris and creating a new microenvironment for host tissue regeneration, wound healing is still a major challenge for healthcare professionals. Disruption of this process can lead to tissue inflammation, pathogenic infections, and scar formation. Current wound healing treatments primarily focus on passive tissue healing, lacking active engagement in the healing process. In recent years, a new class of functional biomaterials based on piezoelectric properties has emerged, which can actively participate in the wound healing process by harnessing mechanical forces generated from body movement. Herein, we have fabricated a bioactive Cellulose Acetate (CA) electrospun nanofibrous mat incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) and investigated its efficiency for accelerated wound healing. We have characterized the physicochemical properties of the fabricated nanofibrous mats using various assays, including SEM, FTIR, TGA, mechanical testing, degradation analysis, porosity measurement, hemolysis assay, and piezoelectric d33 coefficient measurement. Through our investigation, we discovered the tunned piezoelectric coefficient of fabricated specimens due to incorporating ZnO into the CA fibers. In vitro studies also confirmed enhanced cell adhesion, proliferation, and migration, indicating faster wound healing potential. Overall, our findings support the efficacy of piezoelectric-based ZnO-incorporated bioactive CA nanofibrous mats for efficient wound healing.

Effect of Yoga on Performance and Physical Fitness in Cricket Bowlers.

Cricket-bowling performance is known to be influenced by speed of ball release and accuracy. Currently, training sessions typically involve fielding-specific drills and conditioning exercises. Scientific evidence for inclusion of a comprehensive yoga intervention in daily training and exercise sessions remains unexplored. The present study explored the effect of yoga on bowling performance and physical fitness in cricket bowlers. Sports fitness testing and training were conducted among 60 non-elite recreational-club male cricket players aged 13-25 years. Cricket-bowling speed was e valuated using a speed radar gun, accuracy with a test developed by Portus et al., cardiorespiratory endurance using the yo-yo intermittent recovery test, lower-extremity and trunk strength using a back-leg dynamometer, upper-limb power using a medicine ball-throw test, power using a vertical-jump test, and flexibility using a sit-and-reach test. In addition to bowling practice, the yoga intervention group (n = 30) performed pranayama and standing and prone asana, whereas the control group (n = 30) practiced conventional conditioning exercises, for 45 minutes/day, three times a week, for 12 weeks. Improvement in bowling speed, accuracy, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility were comparable between the two groups. Statistically significant improvements in baseline scores in bowling speed, accuracy, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle flexibility, strength, and power were comparable between the two groups of non-elite male cricket players. Bowling speed improved by 6.52% in the yoga group and by 5.18% in the control group. Bowling accuracy improved by 35.40% in the yoga group and by 31.29% in the control group. Additional research on long-duration intervention in elite players may help to establish the role of yoga in conventional cricket-bowling training.

Current challenges in identification of clinical characteristics and detection of COVID-19: A comprehensive review.

World Health Organization (WHO) declares the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. The newly emerging infection has caused around one million deaths worldwide and still counting. There is no specific treatment for the disease, and it can only contain by breaking the spread. So that early and rapid diagnosis of the infection is the only way to control the outbreak. The COVID-19 virus affects the human respiratory system and subsequently infects other vital organs. In consideration of the diagnosis, the present review focuses on the critical diagnostic approaches for COVID-19, including RT-PCR, Chest-CT scan, some biosensor-based systems, etc. Moreover, this review is a specific bird's eye view on recent developments on the point of care devices and related technologies. Additionally, it presented a small glimpse of the pathophysiology and structural aspects of COVID-19. Therefore, the current review can motivate and help the reader to develop cutting-edge diagnostic technologies for the early and rapid detection of the COVID-19.