The use of auxetic materials in tissue engineering.

A number of biological tissues have been reported as behaving in an auxetic manner, defined by a negative Poisson's ratio. This describes the deformation of tissue which expands in the axial and the transverse directions simultaneously while under uniaxial tension; and contracts axially and transversely upon uniaxial compression. The discovery of auxetic behaviour within biological tissues has implications for the recreation of the auxetic loading environment within tissue engineering. Tissue engineers strive to recreate the natural properties of biological tissue and in order to recreate the unique loading environment of cells from auxetic tissue, an auxetic scaffold is required. A number of studies have used a variety of auxetic scaffolds within tissue engineering. Investigation into the effect of auxetic micro-environments created by auxetic scaffolds on cellular behaviour has demonstrated an increased cellular proliferation and enhanced differentiation. Here, we discuss studies which have identified auxetic behaviour within biological tissues, and where cells have been cultured within auxetic scaffolds, bringing together current knowledge of the potential use of auxetic materials in tissue engineering applications and biomedical devices.

In Vivo Measurement of Surface Pressures and Retraction Distances Applied on Abdominal Organs During Surgery.

This study undertook the in vivo measurement of surface pressures applied by the fingers of the surgeon during typical representative retraction movements of key human abdominal organs during both open and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Surface pressures were measured using a flexible thin-film pressure sensor for 35 typical liver retractions to access the gall bladder, 36 bowel retractions, 9 kidney retractions, 8 stomach retractions, and 5 spleen retractions across 12 patients undergoing open and laparoscopic abdominal surgery. The maximum and root mean square surface pressures were calculated for each organ retraction. The maximum surface pressures applied to these key abdominal organs are in the range 1 to 41 kPa, and the average maximum surface pressure for all organs and procedures was 14 ± 3 kPa. Surface pressure relaxation during the retraction hold period was observed. Generally, the surface pressures are higher, and the rate of surface pressure relaxation is lower, in the more confined hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures than in open surgery. Combined video footage and pressure sensor data for retraction of the liver in open surgery enabled correlation of organ retraction distance with surface pressure application. The data provide a platform to design strategies for the prevention of retraction injuries. They also form a basis for the design of next-generation organ retraction and space creation surgical devices with embedded sensors that can further quantify intraoperative retraction forces to reduce injury or trauma to organs and surrounding tissues.

Double-Negative Mechanical Metamaterials Displaying Simultaneous Negative Stiffness and Negative Poisson's Ratio Properties.

A scalable mechanical metamaterial simultaneously displaying negative stiffness and negative Poisson's ratio responses is presented. Interlocking hexagonal subunit assemblies containing 3 alternative embedded negative stiffness (NS) element types display Poisson's ratio values of -1 and NS values over two orders of magnitude (-1.4 N mm-1 to -160 N mm-1 ), in good agreement with model predictions.

Molecular origin of auxetic behavior in tetrahedral framework silicates.

Recent analytical models for the Poisson's ratios (nu(ij)) of tetrahedral frameworks are applied to alpha-cristobalite and alpha-quartz for the first time. Rotation and dilation of the SiO4 tetrahedral subunits are considered. Each mechanism leads to negative nu(31) values, whereas negative and positive values are possible when they act concurrently. The concurrent model is in excellent agreement with experiment and explains the dichotomy between negative and positive nu(31) values in alpha-cristobalite and alpha-quartz, respectively. The predicted strain-dependent trends confirm those from molecular modeling.