Surgical treatment of advanced anterior wall and apical vaginal prolapse using the anchorless self-retaining support implant: long-term follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Following health notification by the FDA in 2008 of serious complications with transvaginal mesh for anterior pelvic organ prolapse, there has been a return to native tissue repairs. Earlier work with a self-retaining support (SRS) implant showed a high anatomical success rate with minimal implant-related complications over a medium-term follow-up. It is proposed that post-implant complications are more a consequence of the method of mesh anchoring rather than the implant itself. Our system incorporates an ultralight mesh with a frame that provides level I, II, and III support without the need for fixation. The first long-term outcomes of SRS implantation are presented. METHODS: A prospective multicenter trial was conducted using two consecutive identical protocols of the use of the SRS implant in women with symptomatic anterior compartment prolapse extending their follow-up to 36 months. Anatomical success (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification stage 0 or 1 or a Ba ≤ -2) was recorded along with subjective success as defined by regular quality-of-life (PFDI-20 and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire) assessments. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients completed 36 months of follow-up. Mean Ba measurements improved from 3.1 (-1 to 6) cm to -2.8 (-1 to -3) cm and C point from 0.4 (-8 to 6) cm to -6.9 (-10 cm to 1) cm. accumulating to a significant anatomical success rate of 94.3%. Subjective success based on question #3 of the PFDI-20, analyzed for the index surgical compartment, reached 95.7%. Post-operative complications included 2 cases of urinary retention, 1 minor frame exposure, 1 case of delayed voiding dysfunction, and 2 cases of de novo stress urinary incontinence. Untreated pre-operative second-degree Bp measurements had increased in 27% at follow-up. CONCLUSION: The long-term outcome of the SRS implant shows an excellent subjective and objective success with minimal risk of complications or need for reintervention.

Dimensionality Reduction and Prediction of Impedance Data of Biointerface.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is the golden tool for many emerging biomedical applications that describes the behavior, stability, and long-term durability of physical interfaces in a specific range of frequency. Impedance measurements of any biointerface during in vivo and clinical applications could be used for assessing long-term biopotential measurements and diagnostic purposes. In this paper, a novel approach to predicting impedance behavior is presented and consists of a dimensional reduction procedure by converting EIS data over many days of an experiment into a one-dimensional sequence of values using a novel formula called day factor (DF) and then using a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to predict the future behavior of the DF. Three neural interfaces of different material compositions with long-term in vitro aging tests were used to validate the proposed approach. The results showed good accuracy in predicting the quantitative change in the impedance behavior (i.e., higher than 75%), in addition to good prediction of the similarity between the actual and the predicted DF signals, which expresses the impedance fluctuations among soaking days. The DF approach showed a lower computational time and algorithmic complexity compared with principal component analysis (PCA) and provided the ability to involve or emphasize several important frequencies or impedance range in a more flexible way.

Syntaxin 1: A Novel Robust Immunophenotypic Marker of Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Considering the specific clinical management of neuroendocrine (NE) neoplasms (NENs), immunohistochemistry (IHC) is required to confirm their diagnosis. Nowadays, synaptophysin (SYP), chromogranin A (CHGA), and CD56 are the most frequently used NE immunohistochemical markers; however, their sensitivity and specificity are less than optimal. Syntaxin 1 (STX1) is a member of a membrane-integrated protein family involved in neuromediator release, and its expression has been reported to be restricted to neuronal and NE tissues. In this study, we evaluated STX1 as an immunohistochemical marker of NE differentiation. STX1, SYP, CHGA, and CD56 expression was analyzed in a diverse series of NE tumors (NETs), NE carcinomas (NECs), and non-NE tumors. All but one (64/65; 98%) NETs and all (54/54; 100%) NECs revealed STX1 positivity in at least 50% of the tumor cells. STX1 showed the highest sensitivity both in NETs (99%) and NECs (100%) compared to CHGA (98% and 91%), SYP (96% and 89%), and CD56 (70% and 93%), respectively. A wide variety of non-NE tumors were tested and found to be uniformly negative, yielding a perfect specificity. We established that STX1 is a robust NE marker with an outstanding sensitivity and specificity. Its expression is independent of the site and grade of the NENs.

Dynamics of sleep oscillations is coupled to brain temperature on multiple scales.

KEY POINTS: Sleep spindle frequency positively, duration negatively correlates with brain temperature. Local heating of the thalamus produces similar effects in the heated area. Thalamic network model corroborates temperature dependence of sleep spindle frequency. Brain temperature shows spontaneous microfluctuations during both anesthesia and natural sleep. Larger fluctuations are associated with epochs of REM sleep. Smaller fluctuations correspond to the alteration of spindling and delta epochs of infra-slow oscillation. ABSTRACT: Every form of neural activity depends on temperature, yet its relationship to brain rhythms is poorly understood. In this work we examined how sleep spindles are influenced by changing brain temperatures and how brain temperature is influenced by sleep oscillations. We employed a novel thermoelectrode designed for measuring temperature while recording neural activity. We found that spindle frequency is positively correlated and duration negatively correlated with brain temperature. Local heating of the thalamus replicated the temperature dependence of spindle parameters in the heated area only, suggesting biophysical rather than global modulatory mechanisms, a finding also supported by a thalamic network model. Finally, we show that switches between oscillatory states also influence brain temperature on a shorter and smaller scale. Epochs of paradoxical sleep as well as the infra-slow oscillation were associated with brain temperature fluctuations below 0.2°C. Our results highlight that brain temperature is massively intertwined with sleep oscillations on various time scales.

Self-retaining support implant: an anchorless system for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse-2-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The search for an improved vaginal mesh prompted the development of a new anchorless implant. The objective was to report on outcome after 2 years of a technique using a self-retaining support (SRS) implant. METHODS: Patients with anterior vaginal wall prolapse, with/without apical prolapse, were recruited. Participants underwent surgical repair using the SRS device. Demographic data, pre-surgical Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) scoring, quality of life (QoL) questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Short Form 20 [PFDI-20], Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire 12 [PISQ-12]), and surgical data were collected. Patients were followed at 2 weeks, 2, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Objective anatomical success was defined using the NIH criteria. RESULTS: Twenty women were recruited for the study with an average age of 62.1 years and an average parity of 4.0 deliveries. Average BMI was 28. Pre-operative mean POP-Q measurements were Aa =1.40 (-1 to 3) cm, Ba = 2.3 (-1 to 6) cm and C = 0.4 (-7 to 6) cm. Surgical time averaged 31.2 min. Estimated blood loss averaged 165 ml. No intra-operative complications were observed. One case (5%) of frame erosion was documented 8 months after surgery. At 2 years' follow-up, mean POP-Q measurements were: Aa = -2.95 (-3 to -2) cm, Ba = -2.85 (-3 to -2) cm, and C point -6.90 (-10 to -3) cm. Seventeen (85%) patients had stage 0 and 3 patients (15%) had stage 1. No mesh erosions or chronic pelvic pain were documented at follow-up. The total PFDI score at follow-up was decreased by 92.8 points (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: At 2 years' follow-up, the SRS implant was found to be safe, showing no intra-operative or immediate post-operative complications. All women presented with POP-Q measurements of the anterior and apical compartment at normal value (Ba ≤ -2 cm) and statistically significant subjective improvement.

Does anchoring vaginal mesh increase the potential for correcting stress incontinence?

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the feasibility of anchoring a four-arm transvaginal mesh (TVM) to the mid-urethra to correct an anterior compartment POP-Quantification stage II-III (Q II-III) and concomitant genuine SUI. METHODS: We analysed clinical data from 248 patients with stage II-III anterior prolapse and concomitant SUI who had undergone surgery at a tertiary referral centre in Hungary between January 2008 and June 2010. One hundred and twenty-four women treated with anterior colporrhaphy and 62 patients implanted with a conventional permanent TVM were selected as historical matched controls. Sixty-two patients received a modified permanent TVM, where the mesh was fixed to the mid-urethra with two stitches for the purpose of potentially correcting SUI. Surgical complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification system. RESULTS: The anti-SUI efficacy was minimally higher in the mTVM group than in the original TVM group (p = 0.44, 96.8% vs 91.9%, respectively), while prosthesis surgery was more effective than anterior colporrhaphy in improving the anterior compartment POP-Q status (96.8, 90.3% vs 64.5%, respectively). Anchoring the mesh did not increase the extrusion rate (p = 0.11). The de novo urge symptoms were not more prevalent among those who had received additional periurethral stitches (p = 1.00, 11.3% vs 12.9%). The incidence of reoperation observed in the mTVM group was non-significantly lower than that in the TVM group (p = 0.15, 6.5% vs 16.1%); however, the difference did not reach the level of significance. The early postoperative complication profile was more favourable among the mTVM patients (classified as CD I: 8.1%; CD II: 1.6%; and CD IIIb: 1.6%) as compared to the TVM group (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The new, modified mesh surgery represents an effective procedure for prolapse and concomitant SUI with a decreased risk of short- and long-term complications.

[Vaginal mesh operations in the urogynecological practice after the FDA warnings. Use or not to use mesh?] / Hüvelyi hálómutétek gyakorlata az amerikai korlátozó figyelmeztetés után. Merjem, vagy ne merjem?

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with aging is escalating alarmingly, and now becoming a growing epidemic among the elderly. Synthetic transvaginal mesh (TVM) has been employed with increasing popularity in the treatment of POP until the end of the last decade. After the U.S. Drug and Food Administration (FDA) warnings in the years 2008 and 2011, the number of vaginal mesh operations has decreased dramatically. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the anti-POP effectivity, the anti-stress incontinence (anti-SUI) efficacy, and the late (36 months) post-operative complications of the anterior vaginoplasty and the TVM operations. METHOD: We analysed the clinical data from 120 patients with stage II-III anterior prolapse and concomitant SUI who had undergone surgery at a tertiary referral centre in Hungary between January 2013 and January 2014. Sixty patients underwent Kelly-Stoeckel vaginoplasty and the other 60 cases had TVM operation. The surgical complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification system. RESULTS: The anti-POP (91.6% vs. 63.3%; p<0.001) and the anti-SUI efficacy (90% vs. 55%, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the TVM group than in the vaginoplasty group, while the overall extrusion rate was found 8.3% after a 3-year follow-up. The Clavien-Dindo score (CD) proved that the early post-operative complication profile was similar among the TVM patients as compared to the vaginoplasty group (p = 0.405). CONCLUSION: Vaginal mesh surgery represents an effective procedure for prolapse and concomitant SUI with a decreased risk of short- and long-term complications. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(10): 397-404.

Tilted pillar array fabrication by the combination of proton beam writing and soft lithography for microfluidic cell capture: Part 1 Design and feasibility.

Design, fabrication, integration, and feasibility test results of a novel microfluidic cell capture device is presented, exploiting the advantages of proton beam writing to make lithographic irradiations under multiple target tilting angles and UV lithography to easily reproduce large area structures. A cell capture device is demonstrated with a unique doubly tilted micropillar array design for cell manipulation in microfluidic applications. Tilting the pillars increased their functional surface, therefore, enhanced fluidic interaction when special bioaffinity coating was used, and improved fluid dynamic behavior regarding cell culture injection. The proposed microstructures were capable to support adequate distribution of body fluids, such as blood, spinal fluid, etc., between the inlet and outlet of the microfluidic sample reservoirs, offering advanced cell capture capability on the functionalized surfaces. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the microfluidic systems were tested with yeast cells (similar size as red blood cells) for efficient capture.

Durability of high surface area platinum deposits on microelectrode arrays for acute neural recordings.

The durability of high surface area platinum electrodes during acute intracerebral measurements was investigated. Electrode sites with extremely rough surfaces were realized using electrochemical deposition of platinum onto silicon-based microelectrode arrays from a lead-free platinizing solution. The close to 1000-fold increase in effective surface area lowered impedance, its absolute value at 1 kHz became about 7 and 18 % of the original Pt electrodes in vitro and in vivo, respectively. 24-channel probes were subjected to 12 recording sessions, during which they were implanted into the cerebrum of rats. Our results showed that although on the average the effective surface area of the platinized sites decreased, it remained more than two orders of magnitude higher than the average effective surface area of the original, sputtered thin-film platinum electrodes. Sites with electrochemical deposits proved to be superior, e.g. they provided less thermal and 50 Hz noise, even after 12 penetrations into the intact rat brain.

Immunohistological responses in mice implanted with Parylene HT - ITO ECoG devices.

Transparent epidural devices that facilitate the concurrent use of electrophysiology and neuroimaging are arising tools for neuroscience. Testing the biocompatibility and evoked immune response of novel implantable devices is essential to lay down the fundamentals of their extensive application. Here we present an immunohistochemical evaluation of a Parylene HT/indium-tin oxide (ITO) based electrocorticography (ECoG) device, and provide long-term biocompatibility data at three chronic implantation lengths. We implanted Parylene HT/ITO ECoG devices epidurally in 5 mice and evaluated the evoked astroglial response, neuronal density and cortical thickness. We found increased astroglial response in the superficial cortical layers of all mice compared to contralateral unimplanted controls. This difference was largest at the first time point and decreased over time. Neuronal density was lower on the implanted side only at the last time point, while cortical thickness was smaller in the first and second time points, but not at the last. In this study, we present data that confirms the feasibility and chronic use of Parylene HT/ITO ECoG devices.

Thermal neuromodulation using pulsed and continuous infrared illumination in a penicillin-induced acute epilepsy model.

Infrared neuromodulation (INM) is a promising neuromodulation tool that utilizes pulsed or continuous-wave near-infrared (NIR) laser light to produce an elevation of the background temperature of the neural tissue. The INM-based cortical heating has been proven as an effective modality to induce changes in neuronal activities. In this paper, we investigate the effect of INM-based cortical heating on the characteristics of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) induced by penicillin in anesthetized rats. Cortical heating was conducted using a NIR laser light guided through a needle-like silicon-based waveguide probe. We detected penicillin-induced cortical IEDs from preprocessed micro-electrocorticography ([Formula: see text]ECoG) recordings, then we assessed changes in various temporal and spectral features of IEDs due to INM. Our findings show that the fast cortical heating phase obtained with continuous-wave NIR light is highly associated with a reduction of IED amplitudes, small but significant changes in the negative amplitude of IEDs compared with the baseline, and a proportional increase in the power of frequency bands related to delta/theta (2-8 Hz) and gamma (28-80 Hz) oscillations. Furthermore, a low rate of cortical heating with pulsed NIR illumination has a more inhibitory impact on the sharp negative polarity of IEDs. Our findings do not indicate a clear reduction in the frequency of IEDs in anesthetized rodents. In contrast, 2-4 min of continuous laser illumination leads to a notable increase in IED frequency. This effect of INM could potentially restrict its use in therapeutic applications related to epilepsy. However, the thermal effect of INM on cortical neurons induces changes in other characteristics of IEDs, which could prove beneficial for future applications.

Bundle formation of sperm: Influence of environmental factors.

Cooperative behaviour of sperm is one of the mechanisms that plays a role in sperm competition. It has been observed in several species that spermatozoa interact with each other to form agglomerates or bundles. In this study, we investigate the effect of physical and biochemical factors that will most likely promote bundle formation in bull sperm. These factors include fluid viscosity, swim-up process, post-thaw incubation time and media additives which promote capacitation. While viscosity does not seem to influence the degree of sperm bundling, swim-up, post-thaw migration time and suppressed capacitation increase the occurrence of sperm bundles. This leads to the conclusion that sperm bundling is a result of hydrodynamic and adhesive interactions between the cells which occurs frequently during prolonged incubation times.

Consecutive vesicovaginal fistula for transobturator sling perforations and successful repairs with skin flap.

AIM: To report a reconstructive technique of large vesicovaginal fistula repairs, which is a rare complication of the most modern anti-incontinence procedures (tension-free tapes) using the "oldie but goodie" Lehoczky's island flap. METHODS: Women with large vesicovaginal fistulas caused by mid-urethral transobturator tape were operated in our department. The transobturator tape was removed and the large fistula was closed using the skin island flap. The flap was created from the regional skin and subcutaneous tissue and pulled with intact vascular supply through a paravaginal tunnel to the site of the vaginal defect. RESULTS: No complications occurred after the reconstructions. The patients have become permanently continent and free from fistulas. CONCLUSIONS: Mid-urethral transobturator sling is a successful procedure evidenced worldwide with a very low rate of fistula formation. Lehoczky's island flap can be a reasonable and safe surgical option in the repair of large defects of the vaginal wall.

Anchorless implant for the treatment of advanced anterior and apical vaginal prolapse - Medium term follow up.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the mid-term safety and efficacy of a surgical technique using an anchorless implant. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective study. Women with symptomatic POP were recruited. The technique involved placement of an open trapezoid-shaped frame which retains a polypropylene mesh stretched within its parameter. No fixation techniques used. Demographic data and pre-operative quality of life (QoL) questionnaires were collected. Peri-operative data were documented. Patients were followed at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Follow-up included repeated QoL questionnaires, Pelvic Organ Prolapse- Quantification (POP-Q) measurements and assessment for possible complications. RESULTS: Seventy women were recruited. Mean age was 63.1 years, mean parity was 4.6 deliveries. Mean pre-operative POP-Q were Ba = 3.1 (-1 to 6) cm and C = 0.4 (-8 to 6) cm. No intra-operative complications were observed. Surgical time averaged 24.7 min. Estimated blood loss averaged 155 cc. Mean follow up at last visit was 27.7 months. Two patients (2.8 %) underwent partial frame resection and two patients (2.8 %) underwent a TVT-O for de-novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI). At follow-up, the mean POP-Q were Ba= -2.8 (-3 to -1) cm and C = -6.8 (-10 to 1) cm. Two patients (2.8 %) had recurrent prolapse. One was symptomatic and received treatment. No mesh erosion or chronic pelvic pain were documented. Pelvic Function Distress Inventory (PFDI20) scores showed significant improvement. Thirty-eight (54 %) patients completed the Pelvic organ prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ12) showing no chronic dyspareunia. CONCLUSION: The Self Retaining Support (SRS) implant provides 97 % subjective and 94.3 % objective cure. Two patients (2.8 %) had the implant's frame removed surgically. The SRS is a safe and effective treatment for pelvic organ prolapse.

Infrared neural stimulation and inhibition using an implantable silicon photonic microdevice.

Brain is one of the most temperature sensitive organs. Besides the fundamental role of temperature in cellular metabolism, thermal response of neuronal populations is also significant during the evolution of various neurodegenerative diseases. For such critical environmental factor, thorough mapping of cellular response to variations in temperature is desired in the living brain. So far, limited efforts have been made to create complex devices that are able to modulate temperature, and concurrently record multiple features of the stimulated region. In our work, the in vivo application of a multimodal photonic neural probe is demonstrated. Optical, thermal, and electrophysiological functions are monolithically integrated in a single device. The system facilitates spatial and temporal control of temperature distribution at high precision in the deep brain tissue through an embedded infrared waveguide, while it provides recording of the artefact-free electrical response of individual cells at multiple locations along the probe shaft. Spatial distribution of the optically induced temperature changes is evaluated through in vitro measurements and a validated multi-physical model. The operation of the multimodal microdevice is demonstrated in the rat neocortex and in the hippocampus to increase or suppress firing rate of stimulated neurons in a reversible manner using continuous wave infrared light (λ = 1550 nm). Our approach is envisioned to be a promising candidate as an advanced experimental toolset to reveal thermally evoked responses in the deep neural tissue.

Recent antiepileptic and neuroprotective applications of brain cooling.

Hypothermia is a widely used clinical practice for neuroprotection and is a well-established method to mitigate the adverse effects of some clinical conditions such as reperfusion injury after cardiac arrest and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in newborns. The discovery, that lowering the core temperature has a therapeutic potential dates back to the early 20th century, but the underlying mechanisms are actively researched, even today. Especially, in the area of neural disorders such as epilepsy and traumatic brain injury, cooling has promising prospects. It is well documented in animal models, that the application of focal brain cooling can effectively terminate epileptic discharges. There is, however, limited data regarding human clinical trials. In this review article, we will discuss the main aspects of therapeutic hypothermia focusing on its use in treating epilepsy. The various experimental approaches and device concepts for focal brain cooling are presented and their potential for controlling and suppressing seizure activity are compared.

Pure sensory stroke due to brainstem lesion.

A 40-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with acute onset right-sided upper and lower extremity numbness/tingling over the past day. Prior to the paraesthesia onset, the patient experienced transient mild ataxia and left ocular pain with complete resolution at the time of presentation. Neurological exam revealed isolated right-sided sensory changes from his hand-to-elbow as well as foot-to-knee. No other focal neurological deficits were noted. MRI brain revealed a small left posterior infarct at the junction between the pons and midbrain. Dual-antiplatelet therapy was initiated and the patient experienced minimal paraesthesia improvement proximally over his 5-day hospital course. This case report highlights an acute brainstem stroke presenting with predominant hemisensory symptoms. Presentations of brainstem lesions can range from subtle, non-specific features to profound deficits. This case serves to emphasise the importance of performing a thorough clinical exam while maintaining a high index of suspicion for brainstem lesions.

Stroke in a young man: a late complication of radiation therapy.

This 37-year-old man presented with left sided facial warmth and numbness associated with new sudden-onset right hemiparesis. The patient first developed sudden numbness of his left lip and warmth in left ear which travelled to the rest of left face. His past medical history was significant for hypertension, Hodgkin lymphoma treated with radiation therapy at the age of 10, and sleeve gastrectomy for obesity 1 year ago complicated by bilateral ischaemic cerebral infarctions with residual left hemiparesis. No acute infarcts were found on MRI. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a complex atheroma near the sinotubular junction in ascending aorta.

3D arrays of microcages by two-photon lithography for spatial organization of living cells.

This paper addresses a nanoengineering approach to create a fully three-dimensional (3D) network of living cells, providing an advanced solution to in vitro studies on either neuronal networks or artificial organs. The concept of our work relies on stackable scaffolds composed of microcontainers designed and dimensioned to favor the geometrically constrained growth of cells. The container geometry allows cells to communicate in the culture medium and freely grow their projections to form a 3D arrangement of living cells. Scaffolds are fabricated using two-photon polymerization of IP-L 780 photoresist and are coated with collagen. They are stacked by mechanical micromanipulation. Technical details of the proposed nanofabrication scheme and assembly of the modular culture environment are explained. Preliminary in vitro results using PC12 cells have shown that this structure provides a good basis for healthy cell growth for at least 16 days. Our approach is envisioned to provide tailor-made solutions of future 3D cell assemblies for potential applications in drug screening or creating artificial organs.

Comparing the effects of uncoated nanostructured surfaces on primary neurons and astrocytes.

The long-term application of central nervous system implants is currently limited by the negative response of the brain tissue, affecting both the performance of the device and the survival of nearby cells. Topographical modification of implant surfaces mimicking the structure and dimensions of the extracellular matrix may provide a solution to this negative tissue response and has been shown to affect the attachment and behavior of both neurons and astrocytes. In our study, commonly used neural implant materials, silicon, and platinum were tested with or without nanoscale surface modifications. No biological coatings were used in order to only examine the effect of the nanostructuring. We seeded primary mouse astrocytes and hippocampal neurons onto four different surfaces: flat polysilicon, nanostructured polysilicon, and platinum-coated versions of these surfaces. Fluorescent wide-field, confocal, and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the attachment, spreading and proliferation of these cell types. In case of astrocytes, we found that both cell number and average cell spreading was significantly larger on platinum, compared to silicon surfaces, while silicon surfaces impeded glial proliferation. Nanostructuring did not have a significant effect on either parameter in astrocytes but influenced the orientation of actin filaments and glial fibrillary acidic protein fibers. Neuronal soma attachment was impaired on metal surfaces while nanostructuring seemed to influence neuronal growth cone morphology, regardless of surface material. Taken together, the type of metals tested had a profound influence on cellular responses, which was only slightly modified by nanopatterning.