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Bioprinting Microrobot to Treat Gastric Wall Injuries

Surgeons perform a renal transplantation at a hospital in Madrid, Spain. Photo: AFP
Surgeons perform a renal transplantation at a hospital in Madrid, Spain. Photo: AFP
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Bioprinting Microrobot to Treat Gastric Wall Injuries

Surgeons perform a renal transplantation at a hospital in Madrid, Spain. Photo: AFP
Surgeons perform a renal transplantation at a hospital in Madrid, Spain. Photo: AFP

The Science Daily website has reported that Chinese researchers have created a new method that can be used to treat gastric injuries instead of the conventional ones like endoscopic surgery.

According to the German News Agency, a member of the research team said "Gastric wall injury is a common problem in the digestive tract, and about 12 percent of the world's population suffers from it to varying degrees."

"Bioprinting aimed at delivering new cells directly to the wound site to repair the tissue offers a potentially very useful way to treat the problem," he explained.

Researcher Tao Xu, from Tsinghua University, Beijing, said:"The difficulty is that current bioprinting technology focuses on external sites. Bioprinters are normally quite large, and cannot be applied to inner tissue repair without invasive surgery to give enough room for the printing operation."

To overcome this, the team developed a microrobot that enters the body via an endoscope to treat ulcers and other gastric wall injuries.

The robot is composed of a fixed base, and a moving platform. It can fold itself down when entering the patients' body, then unfold before beginning the bioprinting operation.

"Tests showed promising results. A 10-day cell culture showed that printed cells remained at a high viability and a steady proliferation, which indicated good biological function of the cells in treating gastric wounds on the long run," said Tao Xu.

The next phase of the studies will focus on reducing the size of the bioprinting platform and developing bioinks, he concluded.

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Matcha: The Japanese Tea Taking over the World

A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
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Matcha: The Japanese Tea Taking over the World

A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP
A staff member at Tokyo's Milia Matcha prepares a matcha drink for a customer. Philip FONG / AFP

Matcha is the new drink of choice at hip cafes worldwide, but Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for the powdered green tea.

Here's what you need to know about the drink beloved of weekend treat-seekers and "wellness" influencers:

What is matcha?

The word matcha means "ground tea" in Japanese and comes in the form of a vivid green powder that is whisked with hot water and can be added to milk to make a matcha latte.

Green tea was introduced to Japan from China in the early ninth century, and was first used for medicinal purposes.

Matcha came much later, in 16th century Kyoto -- part of the tea ceremony tradition developed by tea master Sen no Rikyu.

Today, there are different grades of matcha quality, from "ceremonial" to "culinary" types used in baking.

How is it produced?

Matcha is made from leaves called "tencha", which are grown in the shade in the final weeks before their harvest to concentrate the flavor, color and nutrients.

This "requires the construction of a complex structure with poles and a roof to filter the light", explained Masahiro Okutomi, a tea producer in Sayama, northwest of Tokyo.

Tencha leaves, rich in chlorophyll and L-theanine, a compound known for its relaxing effects, are hand-picked and deveined, then steamed, dried and ground between two stone mills to produce an ultra-fine powder.

It can take up to an hour to produce just 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of matcha -- making the powder on average twice as expensive to produce as standard green tea leaves.

What are its benefits?

Many drink matcha for its rich grass-like taste, but others are drawn to the drink's nutritional properties.

It is rich in antioxidants, and can aid concentration because of its caffeine content: one cup contains on average 48 milligrams, slightly less than a drip coffee but nearly twice as much as a standardly brewed green tea.

"Matcha is often seen as being good for your health," said Shigehito Nishikida, manager of Tokyo tea shop Jugetsudo.

"But people are also attracted to the Japanese culture around tea: the ritual, the time taken, the aesthetics," he said.

Why is it so popular?

Japan produced 4,176 tons of matcha in 2023 -- a huge increase from the 1,430 tons in 2012.

More than half of the powder is exported, according to the agriculture ministry, mostly to the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

Millions of videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube demonstrate how to make photogenic matcha drinks or choose a traditional "chasen" bamboo whisk.

"I feel like Gen Z really drove this enthusiasm for matcha, and they heavily relied on social media to do so," Stevie Youssef, a 31-year-old marketing professional, told AFP at a matcha bar in Los Angeles.

Matcha can also be used in cooking, extending its appeal to others aside from tea lovers.

"Some customers simply enjoy drinking it, others like preparing it themselves. And of course, many buy it as a gift -- Japanese matcha is always appreciated," said Jugetsudo's Nishikida.