Computational Modelling of Tissue-Engineered Cartilage Constructs

Cartilage is a fundamental tissue to ensure proper motion between bones and damping of mechanical loads. This tissue often suffers damage and has limited healing capacity due to its avascularity. In order to replace surgery and replacement of joints by metal implants, tissue engineered cartilage is seen as an attractive alternative. These tissues are obtained by seeding chondrocytes or mesenchymal stem cells in scaffolds and are given certain stimuli to improve establishment of mechanical properties similar to the native cartilage. However, tissues with ideal mechanical properties were not obtained yet. Computational models of tissue engineered cartilage growth and remodelling are invaluable to interpret and predict the effects of experimental designs. The current model contribution in the field will be presented in this chapter, with a focus on the response to mechanical stimulation, and the development of fully coupled modelling approaches incorporating simultaneously solute transport and uptake, cell growth, production of extracellular matrix and remodelling of mechanical properties.publishe

An operad of 3-manifolds

A coloured operad whose operadic operations are 3-cobordisms is introduced in this paper. This operad is presented purely combinatorially through diagrams in handlebodies together with a calculus, which is a generalization of Kirby's calculus. Both integral and rational calculi are developed and a calculus consisting of finite set of local moves is presented in the paper.Comment: 30 pages, an appendix added, Sections "Introduction" and "The operad" are rewritte

Electrochemically deposited iridium-oxide: Estimation of intrinsic activity and stability in oxygen evolution in acid solution

Hydrated iridiumoxyhydroxide (IrOx) films were electrochemically deposited from an alkaline oxalic solution at constant anodic potentials and by applying a potential cycling protocol, in both cases with variation of the electrodeposition time. FromUV-vis spetroscopy of the solution for the deposition and their characterization it was concluded that a mixture of Ir(III)/Ir(IV) monomers participates in the deposition of IrOx film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of IrOx films indicated that both types of films contained hydrated Ir(IV) hydroxide as the dominant species, but in the film deposited by potential cycling the presence of the additional Ir(III) species was evident. The scanning electon microscopy (SEM) analysis of the surface morphology revealed that films deposited by potential cycling were more uniform than the films deposited at a constant potential. The amount of electrochemically active Ir-species on the surface of deposited IrOx films was estimated from the voltammetric charge of the Ir(III)/Ir(IV) transition. Depending on the film electrodeposition parameters, the values between 15 and 1080 nmol cm-2 were obtained. The electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of IrOx films was calculated from cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and ranged from 3 to 131 cm(2) per 1 cm(2) of geometric surface area for various films. The activity and stability of IrOx films toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was investigated in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution under potentiostatic conditions. The intrinsic activity, stated as turnover frequency and specific current density normalized per ECSA, showed that the OER activity of IrOx films deposited by potential cycling are up to two and a half times higher than the activity of films deposited at a constant anodic potential. Potentiostatic stability test showed a decrease in OER current over time for both type of the films. Determination of ECSA, the amount of electroactive Ir species, XPS spectrum and SEM imaging after the test indicated that the decrease in OER activity was caused by partial dissolution and delamination of the film as well as by oxidation of highly active hydroxide Ir(III) species

A novel bioreactor with mechanical stimulation for skeletal tissue engineering

The provision of mechanical stimulation is believed to be necessary for the functional assembly of skeletal tissues, which are normally exposed to a variety of biomechanical signals in vivo. In this paper, we present a development and validation of a novel bioreactor aimed for skeletal tissue engineering that provides dynamic compression and perfusion of cultivated tissues. Dynamic compression can be applied at frequencies up to 67.5 Hz and displacements down to 5 µm thus suitable for the simulation of physiological conditions in a native cartilage tissue (0.1-1 Hz, 5-10 % strain). The bioreactor also includes a load sensor that was calibrated so to measure average loads imposed on tissue samples. Regimes of the mechanical stimulation and acquisition of load sensor outputs are directed by an automatic control system using applications developed within the LabView platform. In addition, perfusion of tissue samples at physiological velocities (10-100 µm/s) provides efficient mass transfer, as well as the possibilities to expose the cells to hydrodynamic shear and simulate the conditions in a native bone tissue. Thus, the novel bioreactor is suited for studies of the effects of different biomechanical signals on in vitro regeneration of skeletal tissues, as well as for the studies of newly formulated biomaterials and cell biomaterial interactions under in vivo-like settings

Synthesis and characterization of silver/poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) hydrogel nanocomposite obtained by in situ radiolytic method

This work describes radiolytic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) within the poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) hydrogel. The hydrogel matrix was obtained by gamma irradiation-induced cross-linking, while the in situ reduction of Ag(+) ions was performed using strong reducing species formed under water radiolysis. Absorption spectrum of the Ag/PVP nanocomposite confirmed the formation of Ag NPs, showing the surface plasmon band maxima at 405 nm. Ag/PVP nanocomposites were characterized by XRD and TEM analysis, accompanied with investigations of swelling and diffusion properties in the simulated body fluid at 37 degrees C, and mechanical properties in bioreactor conditions. It was shown that Ag/PVP nanocomposite exhibited higher values of equilibrium swelling degree, Youngs modulus, and molar mass between crosslinks, while lower values of the diffusion coefficient and effective crosslink density were obtained, as compared to the pure PVP. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved