Biocompatibility assessments of 316L stainless steel substrates coated by Fe-based bulk metallic glass through electro-spark deposition method.

Metallic materials made of rather precious alloys are widely used in orthopedic surgery, circulatory system, and dentistry fields. Stainless steel coated by alloys with a variety of physiochemical properties can be an excellent candidate for making economical devices with superior biomedical compatibility. In this study, a Fe- based metallic glass alloy was applied on 316L stainless steel (316L SS) using the electro-spark deposition (ESD) method as an economic and easy handling method. The coated samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that a metallic glass coating was uniformly formed on the stainless steel substrate. Cytocompatibility (MTT assay), hemocompatibility, and cell attachment assays of the fabricated biomaterials were carried out using bone and connective tissue cell lines. The samples with optimized coating were shown to exert lower cytotoxicity, better cell attachment, and higher blood compatibility than the stainless steel substrates.

Effects of dietary supplementation of bovine lactoferrin on antioxidant status, immune response and disease resistance of yellowfin sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) against Vibrio harveyi.

This study investigated the effect of the dietary supplementation of bovine lactoferrin (LF) on growth performance, hematological and immunological parameters, antioxidant enzymes activity and disease resistance against Vibrio harveyi in yellowfin sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) fingerling. The fish with initial body weight 10 ±â€¯0.3 g were randomly distributed at 10 fish per each 250 L fiberglass tank, and fed with four experimental diets (a control basal diet and three supplemented diets with 400, 800 and 1200 mg LF kg-1 diet) for 8 weeks. The obtained results showed that fish fed with LF supplemented diets had significantly higher final body weight as compared to control diet (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between LF-treatments and the control group in white blood cell counts, red blood cell counts, hemoglobin and hematocrit. Total protein and complement activity (ACH50) in the serum of yellowfin sea bream were enhanced with increasing the dietary LF supplementation level (P < 0.05). The mucus lysozyme activity in fish fed on 800 and 1200 mg LF kg-1 was significantly higher than those fed on 400 mg LF kg-1 and control fish (P < 0.05). None of the antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase) was affected by LF supplementation (P > 0.05). Fish fed with dietary LF had a significantly higher survival rate than those fed with the control diet after challenge with Vibrio harveyi (P < 0.05). These results revealed that diet supplementation in A. latus especially with 1200 mg LF kg-1 improve fish growth performance and immune parameters, as well as survival rate against Vibrio harveyi.