Extrusion based 3-D printing has been extensively applied to create geometrically complex composite polymer-ceramic structures as bone tissue substitute. The rheological features of the formulated bioink that regulate the printability and resolution of the printed scaffolds, rely on physicochemical properties of ink components, mainly their composition and chemical structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different content of 45S5 bioglass (BG) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) nanoparticles on the rheological behavior of printing inks and final composite scaffolds based on polycaprolactone (PCL)/BG/β-TCP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn fiber-reinforced polymer composites, the fiber-matrix interface controls stress transfer mechanisms, thereby affecting mechanical performance. Interfacial properties are often extracted via single-fiber composite tests. In these tests, the load is transferred from the polymer to the fiber through interfacial shear stresses, necessitating the evaluation of interfacial shear properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSkin injuries resulting from physical trauma pose significant health risks, necessitating advanced wound care solutions. This investigation introduces an innovative bilayer wound dressing composed of 3D-printed propolis-coated polycaprolactone (PCL/PP) and an electrospun composite of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polycaprolactone, and diltiazem (PVA/CTS/PCL/DTZ). SEM analysis revealed a bilayer structure with 89.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHybridizing carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers with natural fibers could be a solution to prevent delamination and improve the out-of-plane properties of laminated composites. Delamination is one of the initial damage modes in composite laminates, attributed to relatively poor interlaminar mechanical properties, e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe human's heart cannot regenerate after a wound by itself. So myocardial tissue can be damaged, leading to acute inflammation and scar. To overcome this issue, three dimensional (3D) scaffolds with appropriate properties have been proposed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe performed tensile tests on two carbon fibre/epoxy composites with continuous scanning using synchrotron computed tomography (CT). Both composites were cross-ply laminates, and two specimens were tested for each composite. The voxel size was sufficiently small to recognize individual fibres and fibre breaks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is associated with emotion dysregulation. The emotion regulation strategies people adopt may depend on one's belief about emotion as either fixed or changeable (termed "implicit theory"). We test this experimentally by modifying beliefs about emotions using virtual reality (VR).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Spironolactone (SP) is a lipophilic aldosterone receptor antagonist that few studies have reported its effect on cardiac remodeling. In addition, fewer researches have considered its influence on cardiomyocyte viability and potential benefits for myocardial tissue remodeling.
Method: In this study, stearic acid (SA) (solid lipid) and oleic acid (OA) (liquid lipid) were utilized to produce nanostructured lipid carries (NLCs) (various ratios of SA to OA and water amount, F1: 80:20 [30 ml water], F2: 80:20 [60 ml water], F3: 70:30 [30 ml water], and F4: 70:30 [60 ml water]) containing SP and their particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and release profile were measured.
We have performed synchrotron computed tomography on two different fiber-reinforced composites while they were being continuously loaded in 0° tension. One material is a glass/epoxy laminate and the other is a carbon/epoxy laminate. The voxel size is 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, gelatin/hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffolds containing different amounts of atorvastatin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) coated entirely with polycaprolactone (PCL) film were fabricated for skin regeneration. 12 atorvastatin-loaded NLCs formulations were synthesized, and particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency (EE), and drug release of the formulations were determined. The optimum freeze-dried atorvastatin-loaded NLCs were added in 3 different weight percentages to the gelatin and HA membranous scaffolds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The inability to adjust step length can lead to falls in older people when navigating everyday terrain. Precisely targeted forward placement of the leading foot, constituting step length adjustment, is required for adaptive gait control, but this ability may reduce with ageing. The objective of this study was to investigate ageing effects on step length adaptation using real-time biofeedback.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to prepare, optimise, and characterise the novel hybrid hydrogel scaffold containing atorvastatin lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) and gold nanoparticles (NPs) to improve cardiomyoblasts proliferation and regeneration of myocardium. A thermo-responsive aminated guaran (AGG) hydrogel was prepared to encompass extracellular matrix (ECM) fetched from human adipose tissue. Emulsion phase-inversion technique was used to obtain LNCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the current data article, we present detailed characteristics of voids in carbon/epoxy composite laminates, along with the original image stacks obtained via X-ray micro-Computed Tomography (micro-CT). Five different lay-ups are produced with altering the recommended cure cycle in order to intentionally induce voids in the material. For each lay-up, an image stack (consisting of tomographic slices) and a dataset are provided.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl
December 2019
In the present study, porous (about 70 vol%) nanocomposite scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) and different amounts (0 to 15 wt%) of 45S bioactive glass (BG) nanoparticles (with a particle size of about 40 nm) containing 7 wt% strontium (Sr) were fabricated by solvent casting technique for bone tissue engineering. Then, a selected optimum scaffold was coated with a thin layer of chitosan containing 15 wt% Sr-substituted BG nanoparticles. Several techniques such as X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), tensile test, and water contact angle measurement were used to characterize the fabricated samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The present study compared the in vivo efficacy of a novel synthesized polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyethylene glycol (PEG)/bioactive glass (BG) nanocomposite membrane versus a cytoplast (Cy) membrane in terms of the average percentage of new bone formation and inflammation levels.
Materials And Methods: In the present interventional animal study, 12 male New Zealand rabbits were tested. In the parietal bone of the rabbits, 24 defects were prepared (2 defects for each rabbit), which were divided into 3 equal groups (Cy, PCL, and control).
In the present study, nanocomposite membranes are investigated using poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and bioactive glass nanopowders (BGs) synthesized via solvent casting method with different reinforcement rates of BGs consisting of 3, 5 and 7 wt% for regenerating the periodontal tissue in vitro. These prepared membranes were evaluated by a vast range of essential tests; including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmition-electron microscopy (TEM), tensile testing before and after soaking in PBS solution, degradation and contact angle assessments as well as cell culture assays. In spite of the fact that the percentage of Cu incorporated into BGs was trivial, this negligible amount exerted major cytotoxic impact upon cells during in vitro cell tests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Back Musculoskelet Rehabil
August 2016
Background: Hyperkyphosis with unknown reason is common in teenagers and can be corrected by orthotic management.
Objectives: Investigation of orthotic outcomes by Milwaukee brace.
Methods: Sixty-one patients with idiopathic hyperkyphosis (> 45 degrees) were given Milwaukee brace before skeletal maturity.
Proc Inst Mech Eng H
August 2014
Feet displacement is recognized to be an important element in standing and is also linked to postural instability in elderly people with diabetes. This study investigates standing balance in diabetic patients in four asymmetric feet displacements. Quiet standing balance was investigated using the Biodex Balance System in 18 diabetic patients and compared with 18 control elderly subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBalance is essential for mobility and performing activities of daily living. People with knee osteoarthritis display impairment in knee joint proprioception. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate balance and risk of fall in individuals with bilateral mild and moderate knee osteoarthritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe knee adduction moment represents the medial knee joint load, and greater value is associated with higher load. In people with knee osteoarthritis, it is important to apply proper treatment with the least side effects to reduce knee adduction moment and, consequently, reduce medial knee joint load. This reduction may slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Milwaukee brace is an efficient method for correcting hyperkyphosis before skeletal maturity. However, loss of correction in long-term follow-up is inevitable.
Objectives: To determine loss of correction and factors affecting the loss of correction.
One hundred and forty-one male patients who attended a District General Hospital's department of genitourinary medicine completed a questionnaire including demographic indices, history of sexual abuse/assault, anxiety and depression, and sexual concerns and attitudes. Of these, 52 (36.9%) reported past unwanted sexual experiences (USE).
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