Automated Folding of Origami Lattices: From Nanopatterned Sheets to Stiff Meta-Biomaterials.

Folding nanopatterned flat sheets into complex 3D structures enables the fabrication of meta-biomaterials that combine a rationally designed 3D architecture with nanoscale surface features. Self-folding is an attractive approach for realizing such materials. However, self-folded lattices are generally too compliant as there is an inherent competition between ease-of-folding requirements and final load-bearing characteristics. Inspired by sheet metal forming, an alternative route is proposed for the fabrication of origamilattices. This 'automated-folding' approach allows for the introduction of sharp folds into thick metal sheets, thereby enhancing their stiffness. The first time realization of automatically folded origami lattices with bone-mimicking mechanical properties is demonstrated. The proposed approach is highly scalable given that the unit cells making up the meta-biomaterial can be arbitrarily large in number and small in dimensions. To demonstrate the scalability and versatility of the proposed approach, it is fabricated origamilattices with > 100 unit cells, lattices with unit cells as small as 1.25 mm, and auxetic lattices. The nanopatterned the surface of the sheets prior to folding. Protected by a thin coating layer, these nanoscale features remained intact during the folding process. It is found that the nanopatterned folded specimens exhibits significantly increased mineralization as compared to their non-patterned counterparts.

Fluidic Force Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy Unveil New Insights into the Interactions of Preosteoblasts with 3D-Printed Submicron Patterns.

Physical patterns represent potential surface cues for promoting osteogenic differentiation of stem cells and improving osseointegration of orthopedic implants. Understanding the early cell-surface interactions and their effects on late cellular functions is essential for a rational design of such topographies, yet still elusive. In this work, fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with optical and electron microscopy are used to quantitatively investigate the interaction of preosteoblasts with 3D-printed patterns after 4 and 24 h of culture. The patterns consist of pillars with the same diameter (200 nm) and interspace (700 nm) but distinct heights (500 and 1000 nm) and osteogenic properties. FluidFM reveals a higher cell adhesion strength after 24 h of culture on the taller pillars (32 ± 7 kPa versus 21.5 ± 12.5 kPa). This is associated with attachment of cells partly on the sidewalls of these pillars, thus requiring larger normal forces for detachment. Furthermore, the higher resistance to shear forces observed for these cells indicates an enhanced anchorage and can be related to the persistence and stability of lamellipodia. The study explains the differential cell adhesion behavior induced by different pillar heights, enabling advancements in the rational design of osteogenic patterns.

Fighting Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections by Surface Biofunctionalization of 3D-Printed Porous Titanium Implants with Reduced Graphene Oxide and Silver Nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have high multifunctional potential to simultaneously enhance implant osseointegration and prevent infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Here, we present the first report on using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) to incorporate different combinations of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and silver (Ag) NPs on additively manufactured geometrically ordered volume-porous titanium implants. The rGO nanosheets were mainly embedded parallel with the PEO surfaces. However, the formation of 'nano-knife' structures (particles embedded perpendicularly to the implant surfaces) was also found around the pores of the PEO layers. Enhanced in vitro antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was observed for the rGO+Ag-containing surfaces compared to the PEO surfaces prepared only with AgNPs. This was caused by a significant improvement in the generation of reactive oxygen species, higher levels of Ag+ release, and the presence of rGO 'nano-knife' structures. In addition, the implants developed in this study stimulated the metabolic activity and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells compared to the PEO surfaces without nanoparticles. Therefore, the PEO titanium surfaces incorporating controlled levels of rGO+Ag nanoparticles have high clinical potential as multifunctional surfaces for 3D-printed orthopaedic implants.

Preventing Antibiotic-Resistant Infections: Additively Manufactured Porous Ti6Al4V Biofunctionalized with Ag and Fe Nanoparticles.

Implant-associated infections are highly challenging to treat, particularly with the emergence of multidrug-resistant microbials. Effective preventive action is desired to be at the implant site. Surface biofunctionalization of implants through Ag-doping has demonstrated potent antibacterial results. However, it may adversely affect bone regeneration at high doses. Benefiting from the potential synergistic effects, combining Ag with other antibacterial agents can substantially decrease the required Ag concentration. To date, no study has been performed on immobilizing both Ag and Fe nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of additively manufactured porous titanium. We additively manufactured porous titanium and biofunctionalized its surface with plasma electrolytic oxidation using a Ca/P-based electrolyte containing Fe NPs, Ag NPs, and the combinations. The specimen's surface morphology featured porous TiO2 bearing Ag and Fe NPs. During immersion, Ag and Fe ions were released for up to 28 days. Antibacterial assays against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed that the specimens containing Ag NPs and Ag/Fe NPs exhibit bactericidal activity. The Ag and Fe NPs worked synergistically, even when Ag was reduced by up to three times. The biofunctionalized scaffold reduced Ag and Fe NPs, improving preosteoblasts proliferation and Ca-sensing receptor activation. In conclusion, surface biofunctionalization of porous titanium with Ag and Fe NPs is a promising strategy to prevent implant-associated infections and allow bone regeneration and, therefore, should be developed for clinical application.

On the Use of Black Ti as a Bone Substituting Biomaterial: Behind the Scenes of Dual-Functionality.

Despite the potential of small-scale pillars of black titanium (bTi) for killing the bacteria and directing the fate of stem cells, not much is known about the effects of the pillars' design parameters on their biological properties. Here, three distinct bTi surfaces are designed and fabricated through dry etching of the titanium, each featuring different pillar designs. The interactions of the surfaces with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are then investigated. Pillars with different heights and spatial organizations differently influence the morphological characteristics of the cells, including their spreading area, aspect ratio, nucleus area, and cytoskeletal organization. The preferential formation of focal adhesions (FAs) and their size variations also depend on the type of topography. When the pillars are neither fully separated nor extremely tall, the colocalization of actin fibers and FAs as well as an enhanced matrix mineralization are observed. However, the killing efficiency of these pillars against the bacteria is not as high as that of fully separated and tall pillars. This study provides a new perspective on the dual-functionality of bTi surfaces and elucidates how the surface design and fabrication parameters can be used to achieve a surface topography with balanced bactericidal and osteogenic properties.

Antibacterial Titanium Implants Biofunctionalized by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation with Silver, Zinc, and Copper: A Systematic Review.

Patients receiving orthopedic implants are at risk of implant-associated infections (IAI). A growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria threaten to hamper the treatment of IAI. The focus has, therefore, shifted towards the development of implants with intrinsic antibacterial activity to prevent the occurrence of infection. The use of Ag, Cu, and Zn has gained momentum as these elements display strong antibacterial behavior and target a wide spectrum of bacteria. In order to incorporate these elements into the surface of titanium-based bone implants, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) has been widely investigated as a single-step process that can biofunctionalize these (highly porous) implant surfaces. Here, we present a systematic review of the studies published between 2009 until 2020 on the biomaterial properties, antibacterial behavior, and biocompatibility of titanium implants biofunctionalized by PEO using Ag, Cu, and Zn. We observed that 100% of surfaces bearing Ag (Ag-surfaces), 93% of surfaces bearing Cu (Cu-surfaces), 73% of surfaces bearing Zn (Zn-surfaces), and 100% of surfaces combining Ag, Cu, and Zn resulted in a significant (i.e., >50%) reduction of bacterial load, while 13% of Ag-surfaces, 10% of Cu-surfaces, and none of Zn or combined Ag, Cu, and Zn surfaces reported cytotoxicity against osteoblasts, stem cells, and immune cells. A majority of the studies investigated the antibacterial activity against S. aureus. Important areas for future research include the biofunctionalization of additively manufactured porous implants and surfaces combining Ag, Cu, and Zn. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of such implants should be determined in assays focused on prevention, rather than the treatment of IAIs. These implants should be tested using appropriate in vivo bone infection models capable of assessing whether titanium implants biofunctionalized by PEO with Ag, Cu, and Zn can contribute to protect patients against IAI.

Three-dimensional analysis of shape variations and symmetry of the fibula, tibia, calcaneus and talus.

The bones forming the talocrural joint (TCJ) and subtalar joint (STJ) are often assumed to be bilaterally symmetric. Therefore, the contralateral limb (i.e. the fibula, tibia, calcaneus and talus) is used as a template or an intra-subject control in clinical and research practice. However, the validity of the symmetry assumption is controversial, because insufficient information is available on the shape variations and bilateral (a)symmetry of the fibula, tibia, calcaneus and talus. Using three-dimensional spatially dense sampled representations of bone shapes extracted from bilateral computed tomography scans of 66 individuals (55 male, mean age: 61 ±â€…10 years; 11 female, mean age: 53 ±â€…15 years), we analyzed whether: (i) similar shape patterns exist in the left and right bones of the same type; (ii) gender has an effect on bone shape variations; (iii) intra-subject shape variation is smaller than that of inter-subject for a given shape variance direction. For the first set of analyses, all left and right instances of the same type of bone were considered as two separate groups, and statistically compared with each other on multiple aspects including group location (central tendency), variance-covariance scale (dispersion) and orientation (covariance structure) using distance-based permutational tests. For the second and third sets of analyses, all left and right bones of the same type were pooled into one group, and shape variations in the TCJ and STJ bones were extracted using principal component analysis. The effects of gender on age-adjusted bone shape differences were assessed using an analysis of covariance. Moreover, intra-class correlation was employed to evaluate intra- and inter-subject bone shape variations. For each bone type, both sides had similar shape patterns (Ppermutational -values > 0.05). After Bonferroni adjustment, gender led to shape differences, which were mainly in the lateral and medial condyles of the tibia (P = 0.003), the length and height of the calcaneus (P < 0.001), the posterior and anterior talar articular surfaces of the calcaneus (P = 0.001), and in the posterior aspect of the talus (P = 0.001). Intra-subject shape variations in the tibial tuberosity together with the diameter of the tibia, and the curvature of the fibula shaft and the diameter of the fibula were as high as those of inter-subject. This result suggests that the shape symmetry assumption could be violated for some specific shape variations in the fibula and tibia.

Towards osteogenic and bactericidal nanopatterns?

Recent discoveries have shown that nanopatterns with feature sizes ≤100 nm could direct stem cell fate or kill bacteria. These effects could be used to develop orthopedic implants with improved osseointegration and decreased chance of implant-associated infections. The quest for osteogenic and bactericidal nanopatterns is ongoing but no controlled nanopatterns with dual osteogenic and bactericidal functionalities have been found yet. In this study, electron beam induced deposition (EBID) was used for accurate and reproducible decoration of silicon surfaces with four different types of nanopatterns. The features used in the first two nanopatterns (OST1 and OST2) were derived from osteogenic nanopatterns known to induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells in the absence of osteogenic supplements. Two modifications of these nanopatterns were also included (OST2-SQ, OST2-H90) to study the effects of controlled disorder and lower nanopillar heights. An E. coli K-12 strain was used for probing the response of bacteria to the nanopatterns. Three nanopatterns (OST2, OST2-SQ, and OST2-H90) exhibited clear bactericidal behavior as evidenced by severely damaged cells and disrupted formation of extracellular polymeric substance. These findings indicate that controlled nanopatterns with features derived from osteogenic ones can have bactericidal activity and that EBID represents an enabling nanotechnology to achieve (multi)functional nanopatterns for bone implants.

Bioengineered Skin Intended for Skin Disease Modeling.

Clinical use of bioengineered skin in reconstructive surgery has been established for more than 30 years. The limitations and ethical considerations regarding the use of animal models have expanded the application of bioengineered skin in the areas of disease modeling and drug screening. These skin models should represent the anatomical and physiological traits of native skin for the efficient replication of normal and pathological skin conditions. In addition, reliability of such models is essential for the conduction of faithful, rapid, and large-scale studies. Therefore, research efforts are focused on automated fabrication methods to replace the traditional manual approaches. This report presents an overview of the skin models applicable to skin disease modeling along with their fabrication methods, and discusses the potential of the currently available options to conform and satisfy the demands for disease modeling and drug screening.

Three-Dimensional Registration of Freehand-Tracked Ultrasound to CT Images of the Talocrural Joint.

A rigid surface⁻volume registration scheme is presented in this study to register computed tomography (CT) and free-hand tracked ultrasound (US) images of the talocrural joint. Prior to registration, bone surfaces expected to be visible in US are extracted from the CT volume and bone contours in 2D US data are enhanced based on monogenic signal representation of 2D US images. A 3D monogenic signal data is reconstructed from the 2D data using the position of the US probe recorded with an optical tracking system. When registering the surface extracted from the CT scan to the monogenic signal feature volume, six transformation parameters are estimated so as to optimize the sum of monogenic signal features over the transformed surface. The robustness of the registration algorithm was tested on a dataset collected from 12 cadaveric ankles. The proposed method was used in a clinical case study to investigate the potential of US imaging for pre-operative planning of arthroscopic access to talar (osteo)chondral defects (OCDs). The results suggest that registrations with a registration error of 2 mm and less is achievable, and US has the potential to be used in assessment of an OCD' arthroscopic accessibility, given the fact that 51% of the talar surface could be visualized.

Current Trends in Metallic Orthopedic Biomaterials: From Additive Manufacturing to Bio-Functionalization, Infection Prevention, and Beyond.

There has been a growing interest in metallic biomaterials during the last five years, as recent developments in additive manufacturing (=3D printing), surface bio-functionalization techniques, infection prevention strategies, biodegradable metallic biomaterials, and composite biomaterials have provided many possibilities to develop biomaterials and medical devices with unprecedented combinations of favorable properties and advanced functionalities. Moreover, development of biomaterials is no longer separated from the other branches of biomedical engineering, particularly tissue biomechanics, musculoskeletal dynamics, and image processing aspects of skeletal radiology. In this editorial, I will discuss all the above-mentioned topics, as they constitute some of the most important trends of research on metallic biomaterials. This editorial will, therefore, serve as a foreword to the papers appearing in a special issue covering the current trends in metallic biomaterials.

Design for Additive Bio-Manufacturing: From Patient-Specific Medical Devices to Rationally Designed Meta-Biomaterials.

Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) techniques in terms of accuracy, reliability, the range of processable materials, and commercial availability have made them promising candidates for production of functional parts including those used in the biomedical industry. The complexity-for-free feature offered by AM means that very complex designs become feasible to manufacture, while batch-size-indifference enables fabrication of fully patient-specific medical devices. Design for AM (DfAM) approaches aim to fully utilize those features for development of medical devices with substantially enhanced performance and biomaterials with unprecedented combinations of favorable properties that originate from complex geometrical designs at the micro-scale. This paper reviews the most important approaches in DfAM particularly those applicable to additive bio-manufacturing including image-based design pipelines, parametric and non-parametric designs, metamaterials, rational and computationally enabled design, topology optimization, and bio-inspired design. Areas with limited research have been identified and suggestions have been made for future research. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the practical aspects of DfAM and the potential of combining AM with subtractive and formative manufacturing processes in so-called hybrid manufacturing processes.

Full-field strain measurement during mechanical testing of the human femur at physiologically relevant strain rates.

Understanding the mechanical properties of human femora is of great importance for the development of a reliable fracture criterion aimed at assessing fracture risk. Earlier ex vivo studies have been conducted by measuring strains on a limited set of locations using strain gauges (SGs). Digital image correlation (DIC) could instead be used to reconstruct the full-field strain pattern over the surface of the femur. The objective of this study was to measure the full-field strain response of cadaver femora tested at a physiological strain rate up to fracture in a configuration resembling single stance. The three cadaver femora were cleaned from soft tissues, and a white background paint was applied with a random black speckle pattern over the anterior surface. The mechanical tests were conducted up to fracture at a constant displacement rate of 15 mm/s, and two cameras recorded the event at 3000 frames per second. DIC was performed to retrieve the full-field displacement map, from which strains were derived. A low-pass filter was applied over the measured displacements before the crack opened in order to reduce the noise level. The noise levels were assessed using a dedicated control plate. Conversely, no filtering was applied at the frames close to fracture to get the maximum resolution. The specimens showed a linear behavior of the principal strains with respect to the applied force up to fracture. The strain rate was comparable to the values available in literature from in vivo measurements during daily activities. The cracks opened and fully propagated in less than 1 ms, and small regions with high values of the major principal strains could be spotted just a few frames before the crack opened. This corroborates the hypothesis of a strain-driven fracture mechanism in human bone. The data represent a comprehensive collection of full-field strains, both at physiological load levels and up to fracture. About 10,000 points were tracked on each bone, providing superior spatial resolution compared to ∼15 measurements typically collected using SGs. These experimental data collection can be further used for validation of numerical models, and for experimental verification of bone constitutive laws and fracture criteria.

A novel ultrasound technique for detection of osteochondral defects in the ankle joint: a parametric and feasibility study.

(Osteo)chondral defects (OCDs) in the ankle are currently diagnosed with modalities that are not convenient to use in long-term follow-ups. Ultrasound (US) imaging, which is a cost-effective and non-invasive alternative, has limited ability to discriminate OCDs. We aim to develop a new diagnostic technique based on US wave propagation through the ankle joint. The presence of OCDs is identified when a US signal deviates from a reference signal associated with the healthy joint. The feasibility of the proposed technique is studied using experimentally-validated 2D finite-difference time-domain models of the ankle joint. The normalized maximum cross correlation of experiments and simulation was 0.97. Effects of variables relevant to the ankle joint, US transducers and OCDs were evaluated. Variations in joint space width and transducer orientation made noticeable alterations to the reference signal: normalized root mean square error ranged from 6.29% to 65.25% and from 19.59% to 8064.2%, respectively. The results suggest that the new technique could be used for detection of OCDs, if the effects of other parameters (i.e., parameters related to the ankle joint and US transducers) can be reduced.

Orthopedic meta-implants.

Meta-biomaterials, engineered materials with distinctive combinations of mechanical, physical, and biological properties stemming from their micro-architecture, have emerged as a promising domain within biomedical engineering. Correspondingly, meta-implants, which serve as the device counterparts of meta-biomaterials, offer exceptional functionalities, holding great potential for addressing complex skeletal diseases. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the various types of meta-implants, including hybrid, shape-morphing, metallic clay, and deployable meta-implants, highlighting their unprecedented properties and recent achievement in the field. This paper also delves into the potential future developments of meta-implants, addressing the exploration of multi-functionalities in meta-biomaterials and their applications in diverse biomedical fields.

Sustainable Sources of Raw Materials for Additive Manufacturing of Bone-Substituting Biomaterials.

The need for sustainable development has never been more urgent, as the world continues to struggle with environmental challenges, such as climate change, pollution, and dwindling natural resources. The use of renewable and recycled waste materials as a source of raw materials for biomaterials and tissue engineering is a promising avenue for sustainable development. Although tissue engineering has rapidly developed, the challenges associated with fulfilling the increasing demand for bone substitutes and implants remain unresolved, particularly as the global population ages. This review provides an overview of waste materials, such as eggshells, seashells, fish residues, and agricultural biomass, that can be transformed into biomaterials for bone tissue engineering. While the development of recycled metals is in its early stages, the use of probiotics and renewable polymers to improve the biofunctionalities of bone implants is highlighted. Despite the advances of additive manufacturing (AM), studies on AM waste-derived bone-substitutes are limited. It is foreseeable that AM technologies can provide a more sustainable alternative to manufacturing biomaterials and implants. The preliminary results of eggshell and seashell-derived calcium phosphate and rice husk ash-derived silica can likely pave the way for more advanced applications of AM waste-derived biomaterials for sustainably addressing several unmet clinical applications.

Automated design of bone-preserving, insertable, and shape-matching patient-specific acetabular components.

Effective treatment of large acetabular defects remains among the most challenging aspects of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA), due to the deficiency of healthy bone stock and degradation of the support columns. Generic uncemented components, which are favored in primary THA, are often unsuitable in revision cases, where the bone-implant contact may be insufficient for fixation, without significant reaming of the limited residual bone. This study presents a computational design strategy for automatically generating patient-specific implants that simultaneously maximize the bone-implant contact area, and minimize bone reaming while ensuring insertability. These components can be manufactured using the same additive manufacturing methods as porous components and may reduce cost and operating-time, compared to existing patient-specific systems. This study compares the performance of implants generated via the proposed method to optimally fitted hemispherical implants, in terms of the achievable bone-implant contact surface, and the volume of reamed bone. Computer-simulated results based on the reconstruction of a set of 15 severe pelvic defects (Paprosky 2A-3B) suggest that the patient-specific components increase bone-implant contact by 63% (median: 63%; SD: 44%; 95% CI: 52.3%-74.0%; RMSD: 42%), and reduce the volume of reamed bone stock by 97% (median: 98%; SD: 4%; 95% CI: 95.9%-97.4%; RMSD: 3.7%).

4D Printing for Biomedical Applications.

4D (bio-)printing endows 3D printed (bio-)materials with multiple functionalities and dynamic properties. 4D printed materials have been recently used in biomedical engineering for the design and fabrication of biomedical devices, such as stents, occluders, microneedles, smart 3D-cell engineered microenvironments, drug delivery systems, wound closures, and implantable medical devices. However, the success of 4D printing relies on the rational design of 4D printed objects, the selection of smart materials, and the availability of appropriate types of external (multi-)stimuli. Here, this work first highlights the different types of smart materials, external stimuli, and design strategies used in 4D (bio-)printing. Then, it presents a critical review of the biomedical applications of 4D printing and discusses the future directions of biomedical research in this exciting area, including in vivo tissue regeneration studies, the implementation of multiple materials with reversible shape memory behaviors, the creation of fast shape-transformation responses, the ability to operate at the microscale, untethered activation and control, and the application of (machine learning-based) modeling approaches to predict the structure-property and design-shape transformation relationships of 4D (bio)printed constructs.

Biodegradation-affected fatigue behavior of extrusion-based additively manufactured porous iron-manganese scaffolds.

Additively manufactured (AM) biodegradable porous iron-manganese (FeMn) alloys have recently been developed as promising bone-substituting biomaterials. However, their corrosion fatigue behavior has not yet been studied. Here, we present the first study on the corrosion fatigue behavior of an extrusion-based AM porous Fe35Mn alloy under cyclic loading in air and in the revised simulated body fluid (r-SBF), including the fatigue crack morphology and distribution in the porous structure. We hypothesized that the fatigue behavior of the architected AM Fe35Mn alloy would be strongly affected by the simultaneous biodegradation process. We defined the endurance limit as the maximum stress at which the scaffolds could undergo 3 million loading cycles without failure. The endurance limit of the scaffolds was determined to be 90 % of their yield strength in air, but only 60 % in r-SBF. No notable crack formation in the specimens tested in air was observed even after loading up to 90 % of their yield strength. As for the specimens tested in r-SBF, however, cracks formed in the specimens subjected to loads exceeding 60 % of their yield strength appeared to initiate on the periphery and propagate toward the internal struts. Altogether, the results show that the extrusion-based AM porous Fe35Mn alloy is capable of tolerating up to 60 % of its yield strength for up to 3 million cycles, which corresponds to 1.5 years of use of load-bearing implants subjected to repetitive gait cycles. The fatigue performance of the alloy thus further enhances its potential for trabecular bone substitution subjected to cyclic compressive loading. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Fatigue behavior of extrusion-based AM porous Fe35Mn alloy scaffolds in air and revised simulated body fluid was studied. The Fe35Mn alloy scaffolds endured 90 % of their yield strength for up to 3 × 106 loading cycles in air. Moreover, the scaffolds tolerated 3 × 106 loading cycles at 60 % of their yield strength in revised simulated body fluid. The Fe35Mn alloy scaffolds exhibited a capacity of withstanding 1.5-year physiological loading when used as bone implants.