Easy, Flexible and Standardizable Anti-Nascent Biofilm Activity Assay to Assess Implant Materials.

Medical implants have improved the quality of life of many patients. However, surgical intervention may eventually lead to implant microbial contamination. The aims of this research were to develop an easy, robust, quantitative assay to assess surface antimicrobial activities, especially the anti-nascent biofilm activity, and to identify control surfaces, allowing for international comparisons.

A Novel Bioreactor System Capable of Simulating the Conditions of Synovial Joints.

Any significant evaluation of cartilage tissue engineering and cartilage repair strategies has to be performed under the harsh conditions encountered within synovial joints. To this end, we have developed a novel automated physiological robot reactor system (PRRS) that is capable of recapitulating complex physiological motions and load patterns within an environment similar to that found in the human knee. The PRRS consists of a mechanical stimulation unit (MSU) and an automatic sample changer (ASC) within an environment control box in which the humidity, temperature, and gas composition are tightly regulated.

In vitro methods for the evaluation of antimicrobial surface designs.

Unlabelled: Bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on biomedical implants and devices are a major cause of their failure. As systemic antibiotic treatment is often ineffective, there is an urgent need for antimicrobial biomaterials and coatings. The term "antimicrobial" can encompass different mechanisms of action (here termed "antimicrobial surface designs"), such as antimicrobial-releasing, contact-killing or non-adhesivity.

Absorbable mineral nanocomposite for biomedical applications: Influence of homogenous fiber dispersity on mechanical properties.

Electrospun micro- and nanosized fibers are frequently used as reinforcing elements in low temperature ceramic composites for biomedical applications. Electrospinning of fibers yield, however, not individual fibers, but rather fiber-mats that are difficult to separate. Most investigations have been performed on diced mats and highly nonhomogenous composites.

Bovine Osteochondral Tissues: A Questionable Model to Evaluate Mechanical Loading In Vitro.

Articular cartilage exists within synovial joints to adsorb and distribute mechanical loads to the subchondral bone. Mechanical loading is one aspect of a wide range of microenvironmental stressors that contribute to the maintenance of articular cartilage. The aim of the current study was to characterize bovine osteochondral tissues and to assess their suitability to serve as a model for investigating the effects of mechanical loading on cartilage tissue in vitro using a custom-made reactor system.