Physical mechanisms of solid-protein interactions in the interface between amorphous silicon carbide and fibrinogen]

State of the art in biomaterial research and implant design is a compromise between functionality and biocompatibility. Consequently the results often have disadvantages with respect to both aspects. In regard to biocompatibility the activation of the clotting system by alloplastic materials is of great significance, because it necessitates anticoagulant therapy. Further improvements of implant technology require an understanding of the interactions between blood and implants. Therefore a microscopic model of thrombogenesis at alloplastic surfaces will shortly be presented, which relates thrombogenicity of a material to the electronic structure of its surface. The requirements for high hemocompatibility, which result from this model--especially in regard to the density of states and the conductivity at the surface--are fulfilled by an amorphous alloy of silicon and carbon (a-SiC:H). The advantage of amorphous materials is that they do not obey stoichiometric rules. Thus they allow a continuous adjustment of the electronic parameters without fundamental changes of their mechanical and chemical properties. The theoretical results where checked by total internal reflection intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy (TIRIF) as well as thrombelastography experiments (TEG). In comparison to conventional materials like titanium or LTI carbon the TEG-clotting time of a-SiC:H-coatings is prolonged in excess of 200%. As a consequence a-SiC:H is well suited as a hemocompatible coating material for hybrid structuring of cardiovascular implants.     

In vitro biocompatibility evaluation of a heat‐resistant 3D printing material for use in customized cell culture devices

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) enables the fabrication of highly customized and complex devices and is therefore increasingly used in the field of life sciences and biotechnology. However, the application of 3D‐printed parts in these fields requires not only their biocompatibility but also their sterility. The most common method for sterilizing 3D‐printed parts is heat steam sterilization—but most commercially available 3D printing materials cannot withstand high temperatures. In this study, a novel heat‐resistant polyacrylate material for high‐resolution 3D Multijet printing was evaluated for the first time for its resistance to heat steam sterilization and in vitro biocompatibility with mouse fibroblasts (L929), human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293E), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae)). Analysis of the growth and viability of L929 cells and the growth of S. cerevisiae confirmed that the extraction media obtained from 3D‐printed parts had no negative effect on the aforementioned cell types, while, in contrast, viability and growth of HEK 293E cells were affected. No different effects of the material on the cells were found when comparing heat steam sterilization and disinfection with ethanol (70%, v/v). In principle, the investigated material shows great potential for high‐resolution 3D printing of novel cell culture systems that are highly complex in design, customized and easily sterilizable—however, the biocompatibility of the material for other cell types needs to be re‐evaluated.     

Watchband‐Like Supercapacitors with Body Temperature Inducible Shape Memory Ability

Smart watches have gained worldwide popularity because they can integrate diverse functions all in one. However, their energy storage devices currently being used are placed in the watches, and this design seriously limited the energy support ability and the future boost space. Herein, for the first time, a strategy to integrate energy storage device with watchband is put forward, which is realized by the preparation of watchband‐like solid‐state supercapacitors using graphene coated on TiNi alloy flake as the negative electrode, ultrathin MnO₂/Ni film as the positive electrode, and different gel electrolytes as the separator. Statical and dynamical bending tests both verify that the as‐fabricated devices have excellent electrochemical performance reliability during bending process. The devices also exhibit the distinctive shape memory ability owing to the use of TiNi shape memory alloy. As a state of the art, such a watchband‐like supercapacitor is connected with an electronic watch to show its potential application. Interestingly, this “watchband” can not only support power to the watch, but also can maintain the shape memory property which can be automatically induced by touching it with the human wrist. In addition, it exhibits excellent biocompatibility. Thus, the smart supercapacitor is qualified for a promising candidate for the next‐generation smart watches.     

Bacterial cellulose-based materials and medical devices: current state and perspectives

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a unique and promising material for use as implants and scaffolds in tissue engineering. It is composed of a pure cellulose nanofiber mesh spun by bacteria. It is remarkable for its strength and its ability to be engineered structurally and chemically at nano-, micro-, and macroscales. Its high water content and purity make the material biocompatible for multiple medical applications. Its biocompatibility, mechanical strength, chemical and morphologic controllability make it a natural choice for use in the body in biomedical devices with broader application than has yet been utilized. This paper reviews the current state of understanding of bacterial cellulose, known methods for controlling its physical and chemical structure (e.g., porosity, fiber alignment, etc.), biomedical applications for which it is currently being used, or investigated for use, challenges yet to be overcome, and future possibilities for BC.     

Neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells on diX (parylene) family materials

We investigated neuronal cell differentiation, particularly neurite outgrowth, on the surface of diX H and diX AM using an in vitro examination of a neuron-like rat pheochromocytoma cell line, PC12. diX H and diX AM are in the parylene family of diX C (or Parylene-C), which is widely used as a novel coating material to insulate neural electrodes, and they have been recently commercialized; diX H and diX AM offer different features of biocompatibility. Previously, we found that these new parylene materials have high cell adhesiveness to neuronal cells whereas the adhesiveness of diX C is extremely low. However, their cell differentiation remains unknown although neuronal cell differentiation plays a crucial role in their development and regeneration. This study showed that almost all PC12 cells adhering to the surface of diX AM and diX H were differentiated, but the neurite outgrowth was significantly larger on diX H than that on diX AM and a conventional polystyrene culture dish. The result suggests that diX H may be advantageous as a biocompatible coating material for a scaffold, which can be used on virtually any substrate to get various configurations in neural devices.     

Medical Device Industry Approaches for Addressing Sources of Failing Cytotoxicity Scores

To ensure patient safety, medical device manufacturers are required by the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies to perform biocompatibility evaluations on their devices per standards, such as the AAMI-approved ISO 10993-1:2018 (ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993-1:2018).However, some of these biological tests (e.g., systemic toxicity studies) have long lead times and are costly, which may hinder the release of new medical devices. In recent years, an alternative method using a risk-based approach for evaluating the toxicity (or biocompatibility) profile of chemicals and materials used in medical devices has become more mainstream. This approach is used as a complement to or substitute for traditional testing methods (e.g., systemic toxicity endpoints). Regardless of the approach, the one test still used routinely in initial screening is the cytotoxicity test, which is based on an in vitro cell culture system to evaluate potential biocompatibility effects of the final finished form of a medical device. However, it is known that this sensitive test is not always compatible with specific materials and can lead to failing cytotoxicity scores and an incorrect assumption of potential biological or toxicological adverse effects. This article discusses the common culprits of in vitro cytotoxicity failures, as well as describes the regulatory-approved methodology for cytotoxicity testing and the approach of using toxicological risk assessment to address clinical relevance of cytotoxicity failures for medical devices. Further, discrepancies among test results from in vitro tests, use of published half-maximal inhibitory concentration data, and the derivation of their relationship to tolerable exposure limits, reference doses, or no observed adverse effect levels are highlighted to demonstrate that although cytotoxicity tests in general are regarded as a useful sensitive screening assays, specific medical device materials are not compatible with these cellular/in vitro systems. For these cases, the results should be analyzed using more clinically relevant approaches (e.g., through chemical analysis or written risk assessment).

Medical devices are engineered to be of durable construction and to accommodate the functionality needed for proper device application. The biocompatibility of the materials, as well as their processing, is also important to ensure that the patients are not negatively affected by the devices when they enter the clinical setting. Certain materials of constructions used for medical devices (and manufacturing processes or processing aids) may contain chemicals that can lead to failing cytotoxicity scores using traditional, regulatory-mandated methodologies. Examples of common materials include plastics (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene [co]polymers, polyvinyl chloride [PVC]) and metals (e.g., nitinol, copper [Cu]-containing alloys). Although providing stable and reliable materials for use in relation to performance parameters, various metals/alloys and plastics may evoke undesired cytotoxic effects. These effects might be observed as reduced cellular activity or decay in the in vitro assay, especially when standard methods and test parameters (e.g., extraction ratios) are used.1,2To prevent adverse effects (e.g., toxicity, or other types of biocompatibility-related issues) from occurring among patients and clinical end users, manufacturers are required to perform biocompatibility evaluations per guidance provided in e.g., ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993-1:2018.3 This standard provides an overall framework for the biological evaluation, emphasizing a risk-based approach, as well as general guidance on relevant tests for specific types of contact to patients or users. Of note, traditional biocompatibility tests, within the battery of both in vivo and in vitro methods, could take up to 6 months (or take years, in the case of long-term systemic toxicity testing). Lengthy turnaround times stem from in vivo test methods, which are performed on animal models and include irritation, sensitization, systemic toxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity studies. Traditional in vitro tests involve exposure of cells or cellular material to device extracts in order to characterize toxicity in terms of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, cellular metabolic activity, and aspects of hemocompatibility.3In recent years, as a complement to or a substitute for traditional testing methods, a risk-based approach using a chemical and materials characterization for evaluation of patient safety has become mainstream. The framework for this approach is provided in ISO 10993-18:2020.4 Moreover, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and, by extension, regulatory bodies (including the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] and International Organization for Standardization [ISO]) have driven the use of chemical and material characterization. Particularly for medical devices in long-term contact with patient (e.g., implantable devices), use of chemical and material characterization can reduce unnecessary animal testing and provide results that are scientifically sound and detailed, while being more cost and time efficient. For example, ISO 10993-13 highlights that a correctly conducted risk assessment can provide justification to exclude long-term biological testing, where the nature and extent of exposure confirms that the patient is being exposed to very low levels of chemicals that are below relevant toxicological thresholds.3Throughout the ISO 10993 series, it also is emphasized that conducting animal testing for biological risk evaluation should only be considered after all alternative courses of action (review of prior knowledge, chemical or physical characterization, in vitro evaluations, or alternative means of mitigation) have been exhausted. In addition, analytical chemistry used for chemical characterization can be used as a means for investigating possible culprits when traditional biocompatibility tests, such as cytotoxicity tests, fail, especially in cases where a known substance(s) in the material has cytotoxic potential (e.g., silver-infused wound dressing that provides antibacterial properties).However, it should be kept in mind that although chemistry can be a powerful tool in many cases, not all medical devices extracts are compatible with the analytical methods and instruments used, and these studies may not provide the full understanding of the toxicity profile of the device. In those cases, animal testing or further justification may still be needed to demonstrate a safe biocompatibility profile for the device.Cytotoxicity testing per AAMI/ISO 10993-5:2009/(R)20145 has historically been one of the most used (and is considered the most reactive) of the biocompatibility tests6,7 and can be efficiently used to detect abnormal effects to cells that may arise if harmful chemicals are present in device extracts. However, it also is recognized that cell-based test methods do not necessarily correlate to in vivo toxicological effects and actual clinical patient safety, often showing a reaction when no clinical adverse effects are known or expected to occur. For instance, some soluble metal ions (e.g., Cu, nickel [Ni]) are known to exert toxic effects on cells in an in vitro setting; however, their presence in surgical instruments and implants has demonstrated high patient tolerance and negligible effects upon clinical use.This article provides a brief evaluation of the clinical impact of metals and plasticizers commonly used in medical device materials that may lead to patient exposure during the use of devices, with emphasis given to those that may result in cytotoxicity failures in an in vitro setting. In addition, an approach to evaluating valid clinical risks using a toxicological risk assessment is discussed.     

天然高分子复合人工肌腱组织细胞外基质的构建与表征

胶原与壳聚糖是2种具有较好生物相容性和一定力学强度的天然高分子,可在肌腱组织工程中用于细胞外基质的构建,但二者单独使用时各有不足.本研究利用二者性能上的互补,在一定的外力场作用下,采用EDC/NHS对2种天然高分子材料进行共价交联,获得具有一定空间取向和力学强度的多孔支架,然后引入细胞黏附因子RGD进行表面修饰,构建了具有较好组织相容性和细胞亲和性及适当降解速率的人工肌腱组织细胞外基质.对基质材料的力学性能、亲水性、体外降解速率等的检测和显微观察,结果显示:所构建的多孔支架材料柔软富有弹性,抗拉强度达:15.0Mpa,相应形变为:7.33%;孔隙率:79.4%;吸水率:772%;保水率:206%;在RPM1640培养液(含10%胎牛血清)和人血清中,3周总降解率分别为4.13%和37.2%,其降解速率可与肌腱修复周期相吻合,RGD修饰后材料对3T3-L1细胞具有较好的亲和性.有望成为理想的人工肌腱组织和人造皮肤细胞外基质,或整形手术的软组织填充材料.     

Immobilized enzyme cellulose hollow fibers: III. Physical properties and in vitro biocompatibility

The initial testing of the safety of a cellulose-heparinase hollow fiber device was assessed with respect to physical properties and in vitro biocompatibility. The material cleared urea and creatinine without passing albumin, even at high flow rates. The clearance of urea and creatinine by cellulose-heparinase was equal or slightly reduced in comparision to the cellulose device. The cellulose-neparinase device tolerance to now rates was also unchanged. In addition, scanning electron microscopy of the lumen established the uniformity of the material. The analysis of clearance rates and the scanning electron micrographs show there to be no damage to the cellulose membrane after tresyl chloride activation and heparinase immobilization. The investigation of biocompatibility in an in vitro test system with whole human blood indicated that there were no significant changes in the biocompatibility of cellulose with bound heparinase. There was no change in the level of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets over the course of in vitro whole blood perfusion through cellulose or cellulose-heparinase hollow fiber devices. Low levels of plasma hemoglobin and complement activation were observed with cellulose and cellulose-heparinase devices. Thus, the cellulose hollow fibers can be functionalized without any changes in in vitro performance.     

Mini-review: Islet transplantation to create a bioartificial pancreas

Donor scarcity precludes the use of pancreatic transplantation to treat type I diabetes. Xenogeneic islet transplantation offers the possibility of overcoming this problem; however, it entails the use of immunoisolation devices to prevent immune rejection of the transplanted islets. These devices consist of a semipermeable membrane, which surrounds the islets and isolates them from the host's immune system, while allowing the passage of insulin and essential nutrients, including glucose. Problems associated with proposed device designs include diffusion limitations, biocompatibility, device retrieval in the event of failure, and mechanical integrity. Microencapsulation appears to be the most promising system of immunoisolation, however, the design of a device suitable for human clinical use remains a challenge. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Biocompatibility evaluation of densified bacterial nanocellulose hydrogel as an implant material for auricular cartilage regeneration

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), synthesized by the bacterium Gluconacetobacter xylinus, is composed of highly hydrated fibrils (99 % water) with high mechanical strength. These exceptional material properties make BNC a novel biomaterial for many potential medical and tissue engineering applications. Recently, BNC with cellulose content of 15 % has been proposed as an implant material for auricular cartilage replacement, since it matches the mechanical requirements of human auricular cartilage. This study investigates the biocompatibility of BNC with increased cellulose content (17 %) to evaluate its response in vitro and in vivo. Cylindrical BNC structures (Ø48?×?20 mm) were produced, purified in a built-in house perfusion system, and compressed to increase the cellulose content in BNC hydrogels. The reduction of endotoxicity of the material was quantified by bacterial endotoxin analysis throughout the purification process. Afterward, the biocompatibility of the purified BNC hydrogels with cellulose content of 17 % was assessed in vitro and in vivo, according to standards set forth in ISO 10993. The endotoxin content in non-purified BNC (2,390 endotoxin units (EU)/ml) was reduced to 0.10 EU/ml after the purification process, level well below the endotoxin threshold set for medical devices. Furthermore, the biocompatibility tests demonstrated that densified BNC hydrogels are non-cytotoxic and cause a minimal foreign body response. In support with our previous findings, this study concludes that BNC with increased cellulose content of 17 % is a promising non-resorbable biomaterial for auricular cartilage tissue engineering, due to its similarity with auricular cartilage in terms of mechanical strength and host tissue response.     

Functionalization of Titanium with Chitosan via Silanation: Evaluation of Biological and Mechanical Performances

Complications in dentistry and orthopaedic surgery are mainly induced by peri-implant bacterial infections and current implant devices do not prevent such infections. The coating of antibacterial molecules such as chitosan on its surface would give the implant bioactive properties. The major challenge of this type of coating is the attachment of chitosan to a metal substrate. In this study, we propose to investigate the functionalization of titanium with chitosan via a silanation. Firstly, the surface chemistry and mechanical properties of such coating were evaluated. We also verified if the coated chitosan retained its biocompatibility with the peri-implant cells, as well as its antibacterial properties. FTIR and Tof-SIMS analyses confirmed the presence of chitosan on the titanium surface. This coating showed great scratch resistance and was strongly adhesive to the substrate. These mechanical properties were consistent with an implantology application. The Chitosan-coated surfaces showed strong inhibition of Actinomyces naeslundii growth; they nonetheless showed a non significant inhibition against Porphyromonas gingivalis after 32 hours in liquid media. The chitosan-coating also demonstrated good biocompatibility to NIH3T3 fibroblasts. Thus this method of covalent coating provides a biocompatible material with improved bioactive properties. These results proved that covalent coating of chitosan has significant potential in biomedical device implantation.     

Designing the Charge Storage Properties of Li‐Exchanged Sodium Vanadium Fluorophosphate for Powering Implantable Biomedical Devices

The growing demand for bioelectronics has generated widespread interest in implantable energy storage. These implantable bioelectronic devices, powered by a complementary battery/capacitor system, have faced difficulty in miniaturization without compromising their functionality. This paper reports on the development of a promising high‐rate cathode material for implantable power sources based on Li‐exchanged Na_1.5VOPO₄F_0.5 anchored on reduced graphene oxide (LNVOPF‐rGO). LNVOPF is unique in that it offers dual charge storage mechanisms, which enable it to exhibit mixed battery/capacitor electrochemical behavior. In this work, electrochemical Li‐ion exchange of the LNVOPF structure is characterized by operando X‐ray diffraction. Through designed nanostructuring, the charge storage kinetics of LNVOPF are improved, as reflected in the stored capacity of 107 mAh g^?1 at 20C. A practical full cell device composed of LNVOPF and T‐Nb₂O₅, which serves as a pseudocapacitive anode, is fabricated to demonstrate not only high energy/power density storage (100 Wh kg^?1 at 4000 W kg^?1) but also reliable pulse capability and biocompatibility, a desirable combination for applications in biostimulating devices. This work underscores the potential of miniaturizing biomedical devices by replacing a conventional battery/capacitor couple with a single power source.     

Novel polymer biomaterials and interfaces inspired from cell membrane functions

Background

Materials with excellent biocompatibility on interfaces between artificial system and biological system are needed to develop any equipments and devices in bioscience, bioengineering and medicinal science. Suppression of unfavorable biological response on the interface is most important for understanding real functions of biomolecules on the surface. So, we should design and prepare such biomaterials.

Scoop of review

One of the best ways to design the biomaterials is generated from mimicking a cell membrane structure. It is composed of a phospholipid bilayered membrane and embedded proteins and polysaccharides. The surface of the cell membrane-like structure is constructed artificially by molecular integration of phospholipid polymer as platform and conjugated biomolecules. Here, it is introduced as the effectiveness of biointerface with highly biological functions observed on artificial cell membrane structure.

Major conclusions

Reduction of nonspecific protein adsorption is essential for suppression of unfavorable bioresponse and achievement of versatile biomedical applications. Simultaneously, bioconjugation of biomolecules on the phospholipid polymer platform is crucial for a high-performance interface.

General significance

The biointerfaces with both biocompatibility and biofunctionality based on biomolecules must be installed on advanced devices, which are applied in the fields of nanobioscience and nanomedicine.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Nanotechnologies - Emerging Applications in Biomedicine.     

聚谷氨酸在医药领域的应用

聚谷氨酸是一种天然的氨基酸聚合物,具有强的水溶性、生物相容性、生物可降解性、无毒等特性,是一种新型绿色环保的生物材料。聚谷氨酸作为药物载体、疫苗佐剂、医用粘合剂和组织工程材料等应用于医药领域时,可表现出更好的生物相容性、更低的生物毒性,可提高药物的靶向性,可有效提高药效,改善药物或材料的性能,因此具有十分广阔的应用前景。本文综述了聚谷氨酸在医药领域的的应用,为下一步的研究和商业化的应用提供参考。     

Apoferritin and Dps as drug delivery vehicles: Some selected examples in oncology

BackgroundThe ideal nanoparticle should be able to encapsulate either pharmaceutical agents or imaging probes so that it could treat or image clinical tumours by targeting the cancer site efficiently. Further, it would be an added advantage if it demonstrates: small size, built in targeting, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Ferritin, which is an endogenous self-assembling protein, stores iron and plays a role in iron homeostasis. When iron atoms are removed apoferritin (AFt) is formed which consists of a hollow shell where it can be used to load guest molecules. Due to its unique architecture, AFt has been investigated as a versatile carrier for tumour theranostic applications. DNA-binding protein from starved cells (Dps), which also belongs to the ferritin family, is a protein found only in prokaryotes. It is used to store iron and protect chromosomes from oxidative damage; because of its architecture, Dps could also be used as a delivery vehicle.ConclusionsBoth these nano particles are promising in the field of oncology, especially due to their stability, solubility and biocompatibility features. Further their exterior surface can be modified for better tumour-targeting ability. More studies, are warranted to determine the immunogenicity, biodistribution, and clearance from the body.General perspectiveThis review discusses a few selected examples of the remarkable in vitro and in vivo studies that have been carried out in the recent past with the use of AFt and Dps in targeting and delivery of various pharmaceutical agents, natural products and imaging probes in the field of oncology.     

Polylactic acid: synthesis and biomedical applications

Social and economic development has driven considerable scientific and engineering efforts on the discovery, development and utilization of polymers. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most promising biopolymers as it can be produced from nontoxic renewable feedstock. PLA has emerged as an important polymeric material for biomedical applications on account of its properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength and process ability. Lactic acid (LA) can be obtained by fermentation of sugars derived from renewable resources such as corn and sugarcane. PLA is thus an eco-friendly nontoxic polymer with features that permit use in the human body. Although PLA has a wide spectrum of applications, there are certain limitations such as slow degradation rate, hydrophobicity and low impact toughness associated with its use. Blending PLA with other polymers offers convenient options to improve associated properties or to generate novel PLA polymers/blends for target applications. A variety of PLA blends have been explored for various biomedical applications such as drug delivery, implants, sutures and tissue engineering. PLA and their copolymers are becoming widely used in tissue engineering for function restoration of impaired tissues due to their excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties. The relationship between PLA material properties, manufacturing processes and development of products with desirable characteristics is described in this article. LA production, PLA synthesis and their applications in the biomedical field are also discussed.     

Harnessing self-assembled peptide nanoparticles in epitope vaccine design

Vaccination has been one of the most successful breakthroughs in medical history. In recent years, epitope-based subunit vaccines have been introduced as a safer alternative to traditional vaccines. However, they suffer from limited immunogenicity. Nanotechnology has shown value in solving this issue. Different kinds of nanovaccines have been employed, among which virus-like nanoparticles (VLPs) and self-assembled peptide nanoparticles (SAPNs) seem very promising. Recently, SAPNs have attracted special interest due to their unique properties, including molecular specificity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. They also resemble pathogens in terms of their size. Their multivalency allows an orderly repetitive display of antigens on their surface, which induces a stronger immune response than single immunogens. In vaccine design, SAPN self-adjuvanticity is regarded an outstanding advantage, since the use of toxic adjuvants is no longer required. SAPNs are usually composed of helical or β-sheet secondary structures and are tailored from natural peptides or de novo structures. Flexibility in subunit selection opens the door to a wide variety of molecules with different characteristics. SAPN engineering is an emerging area, and more novel structures are expected to be generated in the future, particularly with the rapid progress in related computational tools. The aim of this review is to provide a state-of-the-art overview of self-assembled peptide nanoparticles and their use in vaccine design in recent studies. Additionally, principles for their design and the application of computational approaches to vaccine design are summarized.     

Initial observations on the biocompatibility of a polymer used as a skin dressing

In the development of a dressing for burn wound covers, a material is required which combines good oxygen permeability, high water content and good biocompatibility with reasonable mechanical properties. One of the most important functions of the cover is to protect the burned surfaces from drying out and to constitute the first defence against microbial invasion. In this study composite sheets crosslinked either in presence of glicerol or diacetin, obtained by reinforcing PHEMA with a tricot PET net have been implanted subacute in rabbits, to test their biocompatibility. The same composites crosslinked in presence of diacetin and grafted on a polybutadene film, have been used as a skin graft on rabbits.     

Biomimetic Sensors： Active Electrolocation of Weakly Electric Fish as a Model for Active Sensing in Technical Systems

Instead of vision, many nocturnal animals use alternative senses for navigation and object detection in their dark environment. For this purpose, weakly electric mormyrid fish employ active electrolocation, during which they discharge a specialized electric organ in their tail which discharges electrical pulses. Each discharge builds up an electrical field around the fish, which is sensed by cutaneous electroreceptor organs that are distributed over most of the body surface of the fish. Nearby objects distort this electrical field and cause a local alteration in current flow in those electroreceptors that are closest to the object. By constantly monitoring responses of its electroreceptor organs, a fish can detect, localize, and identify environmental objects.Inspired by the remarkable capabilities of weakly electric fish in detecting and recognizing objects, we designed technical sensor systems that can solve similar problems of remote object sensing. We applied the principles of active electrolocation to technical systems by building devices that produce electrical current pulses in a conducting medium (water or ionized gases) and simultaneously sense local current density. Depending on the specific task a sensor was designed for devices could (i) detect an object, (ii) localize it in space, (iii) determine its distance, and (iv) measure properties such as material properties, thickness, or material faults. Our systems proved to be relatively insensitive to environmental disturbances such as heat, pressure, or turbidity. They have a wide range of applications including material identification, quality control, non-contact distance measurements, medical applications and many more. Despite their astonishing capacities, our sensors still lag far behind what electric fish are able to achieve during active electrolocation. The understanding of the neural principles governing electric fish sensory physiology and the corresponding optimization of our sensors to solve certain technical tasks therefore remain ongoing goals of our research.