A scoping review of digital fabrication techniques applied to prosthetics and orthotics: Part 1 of 2-Prosthetics.

Background: Traditionally, the manufacture of prostheses is time-consuming and labor-intensive. One possible route to improving access and quality of these devices is the digitalizing of the fabrication process, which may reduce the burden of manual labor and bring the potential for automation that could help unblock access to assistive technologies globally.

Objectives: To identify where there are gaps in the literature that are creating barriers to decision-making on either appropriate uptake by clinical teams or on the needed next steps in research that mean these technologies can continue on a pathway to maturity.

Evaluation of a novel biomechanics-informed walking frame, developed through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between biomechanists and design engineers.

Background: Walking aids such as walking frames offer support during walking, yet paradoxically, people who self-report using them remain more likely to fall than people who do not. Lifting of walking frames when crossing door thresholds or when turning has shown to reduce stability, and certain design features drive the need to lift (e.g.

Assessing the in vitro cell based ocular compatibility of contact lens materials.

A series of in vitro assays for determining the biocompatibility of ocular biomaterials have been developed and used to assess the differences in performance of omafilcon A, etafilcon A and nelfilcon A contact lens materials. The assays assessed bacterial attachment, macrophage adhesion, granulocyte adhesion and activation, epithelial cell adhesion and corneal cell contact damage. Overall, omafilcon A was found to be more biocompatible than the other materials although there was no significant difference between the epithelial cell adhesion and granulocyte adhesion and activation on any of the hydrogels.

Adsorption of serum alpha-1-microglobulin onto biomaterials.

The adsorption of alpha-1-microglobulin (alpha-1-m) from serum to the surface of polymers with different physicochemical properties was investigated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed binding of this protein to the surface of polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and a polyurethane, Chronoflex, after water washing, but only trace levels could be detected on two polymethacrylate derivatives, polymethyl methacrylate and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). alpha-1-m was selectively desorbed from the five materials by sequential washes of serum-conditioned surfaces with isopropanol solutions at increasing concentrations.

Hydrothane(R) interactions with biological components: a comparison with Chronoflex(R).

The interaction of a glycol-containing polyurethane, Hydrothane(R), was assessed with respect to protein adsorption and cell and bacterial adhesion. The results obtained were compared with those from a second polyurethane, Chronoflex(R). Dynamic contact angle (DCA) and protein adsorption studies indicated that the overall hydrophilic nature of Hydrothane in physiological environment was affected by the possible presence of hydrophobic domains still exposed at the surface after wetting.