Thermoelectric Freeze-Casting of Biopolymer Blends: Fabrication and Characterization of Large-Size Scaffolds for Nerve Tissue Engineering Applications.

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are detrimental to the quality of life of affected individuals. Patients are often left with life-long ailments that affect them physically and psychologically. Autologous nerve transplant is still the gold standard treatment for PNIs despite limited donor site and partial recovery of nerve functions.

Characterization of moderate tendinopathy in ex vivo stress-deprived rat tail tendons.

Background: Stress deprivation (SD) has frequently been used as a model to study tendinopathy. Most of these studies have investigated either short-term (early tendinopathy) or long-term SD (advanced tendinopathy), while the transient mid-term SD has been given less attention. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize mid-term SD.

Efficacy of Combining PRP and MMP Inhibitors in Treating Moderately Damaged Tendons Ex Vivo.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPIs) have been used as therapeutic options for tendinopathy. However, mixed results have been reported regarding their efficacy. We posited that the combination of these two treatment strategies would be more beneficial for healing tendons than each treatment alone.

Effect of manufacturing and experimental conditions on the mechanical and surface properties of silicone elastomer scaffolds used in endothelial mechanobiological studies.

Background: Mechanobiological studies allow the characterization of cell response to mechanical stresses. Cells need to be supported by a material with properties similar to the physiological environment. Silicone elastomers have been used to produce various in vitro scaffolds of different geometries for endothelial cell studies given its relevant mechanical, optical and surface properties.

Histopathological, biomechanical, and behavioral pain findings of Achilles tendinopathy using an animal model of overuse injury.

Animal models of forced running are used to study overuse tendinopathy, a common health problem for which clear evidence for effective and accessible treatments is still lacking. In these models, pain evaluation is necessary to better understand the disease, help design and evaluate therapies, and ensure humane treatment of the animals. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate pain and pathologic findings in an animal model of moderate Achilles tendinopathy induced by treadmill running.

Button fixation technique for Achilles tendon reinsertion: a biomechanical study.

Chronic insertional tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon is a frequent and disabling pathologic entity. Operative treatment is indicated for patients for whom nonoperative management has failed. The treatment can consist of the complete detachment of the tendon insertion and extensive debridement.

Low amplitude characterization tests conducted at regular intervals can affect tendon mechanobiological response.

In bioreactor studies of tissue mechanobiology, characterizing changes in tissue quality is essential for understanding and predicting the response to mechanical stimuli. Unfortunately, current methods are often destructive and cannot be used at regular intervals on the same sample to characterize progression over time. Non-destructive methods such as low amplitude stress relaxation tests could be used, but then, the following dilemma comes into play: how can we accurately measure live tissue progression over time if the tissue is reacting to our measurement methods? In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that stress relaxation tests at physiological amplitudes conducted at regular intervals between stimulation periods do not modify tissue progression over time.

A sit-ski design aimed at controlling centre of mass and inertia.

This article introduces a sit-ski developed for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team in view of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic games. The design is predominantly based on controlling the mass distribution of the sit-ski, a critical factor in skiing performance and control. Both the antero-posterior location of the centre of mass and the sit-ski moment of inertia were addressed in our design.

Low stress tendon fatigue is a relatively rapid process in the context of overuse injuries.

To stimulate healing and prevent tendinosis through optimized physical exercise, it is important to elucidate the tendon response to repetitive mechanical loading. However, the study of this response is challenging due to complex cell-matrix interactions. In an initial approximation, the authors examined tendon mechanical response only, and did not consider cellular activity.

Preparation of rat tail tendons for biomechanical and mechanobiological studies.

Rat tail tendons (RTTs) are a common biological model used in experimental in vitro studies in the fields of tendon physiology and tendinopathy. Working with those tissues is challenging because they are very fragile, and until now there was no rigorously detailed protocol for their isolation. Faced with these challenges, we have developed methods and instruments to facilitate manipulation of RTTs and control tissue viability, sterility and integrity.

Relative contributions of mechanical degradation, enzymatic degradation, and repair of the extracellular matrix on the response of tendons when subjected to under- and over- mechanical stimulations in vitro.

Tendon response to mechanical loading results in either homeostasis, improvement, or degeneration of tissue condition. In an effort to better understand the development of tendinopathies, this study investigated the mechanical and structural responses of tendons subjected to under- and over-stimulations (1.2% and 1.

Cross-sectional profiles and volume reconstructions of soft tissues using laser beam measurements.

Precise geometric reconstruction is a valuable tool in the study of soft tissues biomechanics. Optical methods have been developed to determine the tissue cross section without mechanical contact with the specimen. An adaptation of the laser micrometer developed by Lee and Woo [ASME J.

Tissue reorganization in response to mechanical load increases functionality.

In the rapidly growing field of tissue engineering, the functional properties of tissue substitutes are recognized as being of the utmost importance. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of static mechanical forces on the functionality of the produced tissue constructs. Living tissue sheets reconstructed by the self-assembly approach from human cells, without the addition of synthetic material or extracellular matrix (ECM), were subjected to mechanical load to induce cell and ECM alignment.

Increasing strain and strain rate strengthen transient stiffness but weaken the response to subsequent compression for articular cartilage in unconfined compression.

Strain amplitude and strain rate dependent nonlinear behavior and load-induced mechanical property alterations of full-thickness bovine articular cartilage attached to bone were investigated in unconfined compression. A sequence of test compressions of finite deformation (ranging from 0.9% to 34.