Engineering biomaterial surfaces using nanoparticle assemblies: A new paradigm for modulating cell function

Silica nanoparticles (NP) were investigated as a surface modification medium and their impact on cell function was studied. This work has demonstrated that NP assemblies are suitable for the surface modification of both metal and polymer substrates. Additionally, important surface parameters, such as nano-roughness, charge, and chemistry, can be imparted in a predictable manner. More importantly, by varying the NP size, nano-roughness of a surface can be varied independent of chemistry. Two terminally differentiated mammalian cell types, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and murine calvarial osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1), were used to probe the effects of nano-topography on cell proliferation, metabolic activity, spreading, cytoskeletal F-actin alignment, and focal adhesion recruitment. Furthermore, the influence of nano-topography on cell migration was studied using BAEC and human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB). The results suggested that surface nano-rugosity affects cell behavior at various levels and that these effects are cell type specific; however, some clear trends were discerned with respect to F-actin alignment and cell migration. In particular, presentation of nano-features resulted in enhancement of cytoskeletal F-actin alignment along the long axis of the cells in comparison to unmodified glass. With respect to cell migration, increased nano-roughness resulted in decreased migration rates for both BAEC and hFOB. Finally, the potential of nano-rugosity as a mediator of cell differentiation was investigated by following the lineage specific differentiation of human marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPC) on NP-modified 316L stainless steel and titanium substrates. It was observed that NP modification enhanced the differentiation of MPC into an osteogenic lineage and that rugosity appeared to be the dominant factor in directing this differentiation. Thus, coatings composed of silica NPs presented a new paradigm that may lend themselves to nanoscale biomimetic engineering of biomaterial surfaces. Such biomimetic surfaces may prove to be useful tools in directing differentiation of stem cells into specific lineages depending on the application. Since NP-derived coatings offered a means by which chemical and topographical cues could be systematically introduced, this surface modification approach could serve as a useful tool for delineating and decoupling topographical from chemical effects, and, vice versa, on cell behavior

Engineering biomaterial surfaces using nanoparticle assemblies: A new paradigm for modulating cell function

Silica nanoparticles (NP) were investigated as a surface modification medium and their impact on cell function was studied. This work has demonstrated that NP assemblies are suitable for the surface modification of both metal and polymer substrates. Additionally, important surface parameters, such as nano-roughness, charge, and chemistry, can be imparted in a predictable manner. More importantly, by varying the NP size, nano-roughness of a surface can be varied independent of chemistry. Two terminally differentiated mammalian cell types, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and murine calvarial osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1), were used to probe the effects of nano-topography on cell proliferation, metabolic activity, spreading, cytoskeletal F-actin alignment, and focal adhesion recruitment. Furthermore, the influence of nano-topography on cell migration was studied using BAEC and human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB). The results suggested that surface nano-rugosity affects cell behavior at various levels and that these effects are cell type specific; however, some clear trends were discerned with respect to F-actin alignment and cell migration. In particular, presentation of nano-features resulted in enhancement of cytoskeletal F-actin alignment along the long axis of the cells in comparison to unmodified glass. With respect to cell migration, increased nano-roughness resulted in decreased migration rates for both BAEC and hFOB. Finally, the potential of nano-rugosity as a mediator of cell differentiation was investigated by following the lineage specific differentiation of human marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPC) on NP-modified 316L stainless steel and titanium substrates. It was observed that NP modification enhanced the differentiation of MPC into an osteogenic lineage and that rugosity appeared to be the dominant factor in directing this differentiation. Thus, coatings composed of silica NPs presented a new paradigm that may lend themselves to nanoscale biomimetic engineering of biomaterial surfaces. Such biomimetic surfaces may prove to be useful tools in directing differentiation of stem cells into specific lineages depending on the application. Since NP-derived coatings offered a means by which chemical and topographical cues could be systematically introduced, this surface modification approach could serve as a useful tool for delineating and decoupling topographical from chemical effects, and, vice versa, on cell behavior

Nanoscale engineering of biomaterial surfaces

Single-step independent modification of the texture and chemistry of a material surface through the assembly of functionalized silica nanoparticles (NPs) is described. Such NP surface modifications enhance the differentiation of human-marrow-derived mesenchymal cells into an osteogenic lineage and present a new paradigm for nanoscale biomimetic engineering of a biomaterial surface

Post-anaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants (POPULAR): a multicentre, prospective observational study

Background Results from retrospective studies suggest that use of neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia might be linked to postoperative pulmonary complications. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods We did a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients were recruited from 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) who received general anaesthesia for any in-hospital procedure except cardiac surgery. Patient characteristics, surgical and anaesthetic details, and chart review at discharge were prospectively collected over 2 weeks. Additionally, each patient underwent postoperative physical examination within 3 days of surgery to check for adverse pulmonary events. The study outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications from the end of surgery up to postoperative day 28. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for surgical factors and patients’ preoperative physical status, providing adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and adjusted absolute risk reduction (ARRadj). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01865513. Findings Between June 16, 2014, and April 29, 2015, data from 22803 patients were collected. The use of neuromuscular blocking agents was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who had undergone general anaesthesia (1658 [7·6%] of 21694); ORadj 1·86, 95% CI 1·53–2·26; ARRadj –4·4%, 95% CI –5·5 to –3·2). Only 2·3% of high-risk surgical patients and those with adverse respiratory profiles were anaesthetised without neuromuscular blocking agents. The use of neuromuscular monitoring (ORadj 1·31, 95% CI 1·15–1·49; ARRadj –2·6%, 95% CI –3·9 to –1·4) and the administration of reversal agents (1·23, 1·07–1·41; –1·9%, –3·2 to –0·7) were not associated with a decreased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Neither the choice of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for reversal (ORadj 1·03, 95% CI 0·85–1·25; ARRadj –0·3%, 95% CI –2·4 to 1·5) nor extubation at a train-of-four ratio of 0·9 or more (1·03, 0·82–1·31; –0·4%, –3·5 to 2·2) was associated with better pulmonary outcomes. Interpretation We showed that the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in general anaesthesia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Anaesthetists must balance the potential benefits of neuromuscular blockade against the increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications