Fabrication of Pliable Biodegradable Polymer foams to Engineer Soft Tissues

1996 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Conley Wake ◽  
Puneet K. Gupta ◽  
Antonios G. Mikos

We have fabricated pliable, porous, biodegradable scaffolds with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) blends using a solvent-casting and particulate-leaching technique. Our study investigated the effects of four different processing parameters on pliability and pore morphology of the biodegradable scaffolds. The parameters investigated were the PLGA copolymer ratio, the PLGA/PEG blend ratio, the initial salt weight fraction, and the salt particle size. A wide range of shear moduli (0.59 to 9.55 MPa), porosities (0.798 to 0.942), and median pore diameters (71 to 154 μm) was able to be achieved by varying the combination of these parameters. Our study indicates that initial salt weight fraction and PLGA/PEG blend ratio have the most significant effects on the physico-mechanical properties of the scaffolds. Enhanced pliability of the three dimensional foams made with blends of PLGA and PEG is evidenced by the ability to roll them into a tube without macroscopic damage to the scaffold. Pliable polymer substrates hold great promise for regeneration of soft tissues such as skin, or those requiring a tubular conformation such as intestine or vascular grafts.

Author(s):  
Nomesh P. Kandaswamy ◽  
Kali Charan Nayak ◽  
Guy D. Snowsill ◽  
John Irving ◽  
Ben Littley

Abstract The recent expansion of civil aviation industry into the new market demands modern aero-engines to operate in hot, harsh and polluted environments. Moreover there is a significant increase in the flight paths across the sea leading to large amount of micro salt particle ingestion into the engines. These contaminants can cause severe damage to the turbine parts through hot corrosion fatigue. The mechanism of the very small particle transport in the secondary air system and their deposition on turbine parts is less reported and not well understood. This study explores the physics of the particle transport (< 0.5–10 micron) and their deposition characteristics in the secondary air paths. Specifically, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed for an engine representative turbine cavity with blade shank utilizing commercial finite volume-based software incorporating the SST k-ω turbulence model. The particle transport is captured using discrete random walk model and their wall interaction (bounce and stick) is simulated using the critical velocity model. A comprehensive parametric study is conducted using 2 and 6 micron CaSO4 particles covering a wide range of operating and design variables. From the parametric study it has been observed that rotor speed, swirl and the radial location of the feed holes strongly influence the flow structure in the shank cavity and particle deposition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Mataczyński ◽  
Mateusz Pelc ◽  
Halina Romualda Zięba ◽  
Zuzana Hudakova

Acquired adult flatfoot is a three-dimensional deformation, which consists of hindfoot valgus, collapse of the longitudinal arch of the foot and adduction of the forefoot. The aim of the work is to present problems related to etiology, biomechanics, clinical diagnostics and treatment principles of acquired flatfoot. The most common cause in adults is the dysfunction of the tibialis posterior muscle, leading to the lack of blocking of the transverse tarsal joint during heel elevation. Loading the unblocked joints consequently leads to ligament failure. The clinical image is dominated by pain in the foot and tibiotarsal joint. The physical examination of the flat feet consists of: inspection, palpation, motion range assessment and dynamic force assessment. The comparable attention should be paid to the height of the foot arch, the occurrence of “too many toes” sign, evaluate the heel- rise test and correction of the flatfoot, exclude Achilles tendon contracture. The diagnosis also uses imaging tests. In elastic deformations with symptoms of posterior tibial tendonitis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, short-term immobilization, orthotics stabilizing the medial arch of the foot are used. In rehabilitation, active exercises of the shin muscles and the feet, especially the eccentric exercises of the posterior tibial muscle, are intentional. The physiotherapy and balneotherapy treatments, in particular hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and laser therapy, are used as a support. In advanced lesions, surgical treatment may be necessary, including plastic surgery of soft tissues, tendons, as well as osteotomy procedures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (29) ◽  
pp. 4778-4788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Heredia-Soto ◽  
Andrés Redondo ◽  
José Juan Pozo Kreilinger ◽  
Virginia Martínez-Marín ◽  
Alberto Berjón ◽  
...  

Sarcomas are tumours of mesenchymal origin, which can arise in bone or soft tissues. They are rare but frequently quite aggressive and with a poor outcome. New approaches are needed to characterise these tumours and their resistance mechanisms to current therapies, responsible for tumour recurrence and treatment failure. This review is focused on the potential of three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models, including multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS) and organoids, and the latest data about their utility for the study on important properties for tumour development. The use of spheroids as a particularly valuable alternative for compound high throughput screening (HTS) in different areas of cancer biology is also discussed, which enables the identification of new therapeutic opportunities in commonly resistant tumours.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 5110
Author(s):  
Sartaj Ahmad Allayie ◽  
Mushtaq Ahmed Parray* ◽  
Bilal Ahmad Bhat ◽  
S. Hemalatha

The use of traditional medicines holds a great promise as an easily available source as effective medicinal agents to cure a wide range of ailments among the people particularly in tropical developing countries like India. The present study investigates the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the major bioactive constituents of N. crenulata leaf extracts. The extractive values of aqueous, acetone and chloroform extracts were found to be 11.34, 4.24 and 6.06 respectively. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of these three solvent extracts confirm the presence of Alkaloids, Saponins, Flavonoids and Phenolic compounds in all the three extracts; however, these phytochemicals were more significant in aqueous extract. Quantitative analysis was carried out using TLC method by different solvent system. Amongst various solvent systems, Butanol: acetic acid: water (9: 0.9: 0.1 v/v/v) shows maximum resolution and number of spots produced at long UV (365 nm) and under iodine vapours. The TLC chromatograms constituted different coloured phytochemical compounds with different Rf values. It can be conveniently used to evaluate the quality of different area samples. This indicates that the leaves can be useful for treating different diseases because the therapeutic activity of a plant is due to the presence of particular class of compounds and thus can serve as potential sources of useful drugs in future.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Hamid Ait Said ◽  
Hassan Noukrati ◽  
Hicham Ben Youcef ◽  
Ayoub Bayoussef ◽  
Hassane Oudadesse ◽  
...  

Three-dimensional hydroxyapatite-chitosan (HA-CS) composites were formulated via solid-liquid technic and freeze-drying. The prepared composites had an apatitic nature, which was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction and Infrared spectroscopy analyses. The impact of the solid/liquid (S/L) ratio and the content and the molecular weight of the polymer on the composite mechanical strength was investigated. An increase in the S/L ratio from 0.5 to 1 resulted in an increase in the compressive strength for HA-CSL (CS low molecular weight: CSL) from 0.08 ± 0.02 to 1.95 ± 0.39 MPa and from 0.3 ± 0.06 to 2.40 ± 0.51 MPa for the HA-CSM (CS medium molecular weight: CSM). Moreover, the increase in the amount (1 to 5 wt%) and the molecular weight of the polymer increased the mechanical strength of the composite. The highest compressive strength value (up to 2.40 ± 0.51 MPa) was obtained for HA-CSM (5 wt% of CS) formulated at an S/L of 1. The dissolution tests of the HA-CS composites confirmed their cohesion and mechanical stability in an aqueous solution. Both polymer and apatite are assumed to work together, giving the synergism needed to make effective cylindrical composites, and could serve as a promising candidate for bone repair in the orthopedic field.


Author(s):  
Jonas F. Eichinger ◽  
Maximilian J. Grill ◽  
Iman Davoodi Kermani ◽  
Roland C. Aydin ◽  
Wolfgang A. Wall ◽  
...  

AbstractLiving soft tissues appear to promote the development and maintenance of a preferred mechanical state within a defined tolerance around a so-called set point. This phenomenon is often referred to as mechanical homeostasis. In contradiction to the prominent role of mechanical homeostasis in various (patho)physiological processes, its underlying micromechanical mechanisms acting on the level of individual cells and fibers remain poorly understood, especially how these mechanisms on the microscale lead to what we macroscopically call mechanical homeostasis. Here, we present a novel computational framework based on the finite element method that is constructed bottom up, that is, it models key mechanobiological mechanisms such as actin cytoskeleton contraction and molecular clutch behavior of individual cells interacting with a reconstructed three-dimensional extracellular fiber matrix. The framework reproduces many experimental observations regarding mechanical homeostasis on short time scales (hours), in which the deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix can largely be neglected. This model can serve as a systematic tool for future in silico studies of the origin of the numerous still unexplained experimental observations about mechanical homeostasis.


Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1126
Author(s):  
Giovanna Iezzi ◽  
Francesca Di Lillo ◽  
Michele Furlani ◽  
Marco Degidi ◽  
Adriano Piattelli ◽  
...  

Symmetric and well-organized connective tissues around the longitudinal implant axis were hypothesized to decrease early bone resorption by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. Previous studies that referred to the connective tissue around implant and abutments were based on two-dimensional investigations; however, only advanced three-dimensional characterizations could evidence the organization of connective tissue microarchitecture in the attempt of finding new strategies to reduce inflammatory cell infiltration. We retrieved three implants with a cone morse implant–abutment connection from patients; they were investigated by high-resolution X-ray phase-contrast microtomography, cross-linking the obtained information with histologic results. We observed transverse and longitudinal orientated collagen bundles intertwining with each other. In the longitudinal planes, it was observed that the closer the fiber bundles were to the implant, the more symmetric and regular their course was. The transverse bundles of collagen fibers were observed as semicircular, intersecting in the lamina propria of the mucosa and ending in the oral epithelium. No collagen fibers were found radial to the implant surface. This intertwining three-dimensional pattern seems to favor the stabilization of the soft tissues around the implants, preventing inflammatory cell apical migration and, consequently, preventing bone resorption and implant failure. This fact, according to the authors’ best knowledge, has never been reported in the literature and might be due to the physical forces acting on fibroblasts and on the collagen produced by the fibroblasts themselves, in areas close to the implant and to the symmetric geometry of the implant itself.


Arthroplasty ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Wendler ◽  
Torsten Prietzel ◽  
Robert Möbius ◽  
Jean-Pierre Fischer ◽  
Andreas Roth ◽  
...  

Abstract Background All current total hip arthroplasty (THA) systems are modular in design. Only during the operation femoral head and stem get connected by a Morse taper junction. The junction is realized by hammer blows from the surgeon. Decisive for the junction strength is the maximum force acting once in the direction of the neck axis, which is mainly influenced by the applied impulse and surrounding soft tissues. This leads to large differences in assembly forces between the surgeries. This study aimed to quantify the assembly forces of different surgeons under influence of surrounding soft tissue. Methods First, a measuring system, consisting of a prosthesis and a hammer, was developed. Both components are equipped with a piezoelectric force sensor. Initially, in situ experiments on human cadavers were carried out using this system in order to determine the actual assembly forces and to characterize the influence of human soft tissues. Afterwards, an in vitro model in the form of an artificial femur (Sawbones Europe AB, Malmo, Sweden) with implanted measuring stem embedded in gelatine was developed. The gelatine mixture was chosen in such a way that assembly forces applied to the model corresponded to those in situ. A study involving 31 surgeons was carried out on the aforementioned in vitro model, in which the assembly forces were determined. Results A model was developed, with the influence of human soft tissues being taken into account. The assembly forces measured on the in vitro model were, on average, 2037.2 N ± 724.9 N, ranging from 822.5 N to 3835.2 N. The comparison among the surgeons showed no significant differences in sex (P = 0.09), work experience (P = 0.71) and number of THAs performed per year (P = 0.69). Conclusions All measured assembly forces were below 4 kN, which is recommended in the literature. This could lead to increased corrosion following fretting in the head-neck interface. In addition, there was a very wide range of assembly forces among the surgeons, although other influencing factors such as different implant sizes or materials were not taken into account. To ensure optimal assembly force, the impaction should be standardized, e.g., by using an appropriate surgical instrument.


2012 ◽  
Vol 696 ◽  
pp. 228-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kourmatzis ◽  
J. S. Shrimpton

AbstractThe fundamental mechanisms responsible for the creation of electrohydrodynamically driven roll structures in free electroconvection between two plates are analysed with reference to traditional Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC). Previously available knowledge limited to two dimensions is extended to three-dimensions, and a wide range of electric Reynolds numbers is analysed, extending into a fully inherently three-dimensional turbulent regime. Results reveal that structures appearing in three-dimensional electrohydrodynamics (EHD) are similar to those observed for RBC, and while two-dimensional EHD results bear some similarities with the three-dimensional results there are distinct differences. Analysis of two-point correlations and integral length scales show that full three-dimensional electroconvection is more chaotic than in two dimensions and this is also noted by qualitatively observing the roll structures that arise for both low (${\mathit{Re}}_{E} = 1$) and high electric Reynolds numbers (up to ${\mathit{Re}}_{E} = 120$). Furthermore, calculations of mean profiles and second-order moments along with energy budgets and spectra have examined the validity of neglecting the fluctuating electric field ${ E}_{i}^{\ensuremath{\prime} } $ in the Reynolds-averaged EHD equations and provide insight into the generation and transport mechanisms of turbulent EHD. Spectral and spatial data clearly indicate how fluctuating energy is transferred from electrical to hydrodynamic forms, on moving through the domain away from the charging electrode. It is shown that ${ E}_{i}^{\ensuremath{\prime} } $ is not negligible close to the walls and terms acting as sources and sinks in the turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent scalar flux and turbulent scalar variance equations are examined. Profiles of hydrodynamic terms in the budgets resemble those in the literature for RBC; however there are terms specific to EHD that are significant, indicating that the transfer of energy in EHD is also attributed to further electrodynamic terms and a strong coupling exists between the charge flux and variance, due to the ionic drift term.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ehsan Taghavizadeh Yazdi ◽  
Simin Nazarnezhad ◽  
Seyed Hadi Mousavi ◽  
Mohammad Sadegh Amiri ◽  
Majid Darroudi ◽  
...  

The use of naturally occurring materials in biomedicine has been increasingly attracting the researchers’ interest and, in this regard, gum tragacanth (GT) is recently showing great promise as a therapeutic substance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. As a polysaccharide, GT can be easily extracted from the stems and branches of various species of Astragalus. This anionic polymer is known to be a biodegradable, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and non-carcinogenic material. The stability against microbial, heat and acid degradation has made GT an attractive material not only in industrial settings (e.g., food packaging) but also in biomedical approaches (e.g., drug delivery). Over time, GT has been shown to be a useful reagent in the formation and stabilization of metal nanoparticles in the context of green chemistry. With the advent of tissue engineering, GT has also been utilized for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds applied for both hard and soft tissue healing strategies. However, more research is needed for defining GT applicability in the future of biomedical engineering. On this object, the present review aims to provide a state-of-the-art overview of GT in biomedicine and tries to open new horizons in the field based on its inherent characteristics.


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