Follow-up and histocompatibility observation of urethral reconstruction with different materials.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to observe the long-term surgical results of urethral reconstruction using either pedicled penile flaps or lingual mucosa grafts. We also assess the histocompatibility of the reconstructed urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical data of patients with anterior urethral stenosis undergoing urethra reconstruction by applying different materials were collected from 2014 to 2022 in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University. We assessed their efficacy and the occurrence of complications. Patients who required reoperation due to complications were selected. Sections of the reconstructed urethra created with various materials were excised during repair procedures. The excised tissues underwent hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. Comparison with the original histological morphology was conducted to evaluate histocompatibility. RESULTS: 42 of the 55 patients were cured which showed a surgical success rate of 76.36%. The success rate of urethra reconstruction surgery utilizing lingual mucosa is 71.43% and that of surgeries using pedicled penis flaps is 79.41%. The long-term prognosis of the two groups is similar (P > 0.05). Observations show that the histological morphology of the original epithelium gradually disappeared, leading to adaptive changes to the urinary environment with favorable histocompatibility. CONCLUSION: The application of lingual mucosal and pedicled penis flaps for urethral reconstruction both have a high surgical success rate. The long-term follow-up results are positive. Both methods are viable for urethral reconstruction and exhibit favorable histocompatibility.

Antimicrobial efficacy, mode of action and in vivo use of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) for prevention or therapeutic support of infections.

The objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the rapidly developing field of the current state of research on in vivo use of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to aid infection prevention and control, including naso-pharyngeal, alveolar, topical, and systemic HOCl applications. Also, examples are provided of dedicated applications in COVID-19. A brief background of HOCl's biological and chemical specifics and its physiological role in the innate immune system is provided to understand the effect of in vivo applications in the context of the body's own physiological defense mechanisms.

Biodegradation and Immunological Parameters of Polyurethane-Based Tissue Adhesive in Arterial Microvascular Anastomoses-A Long-Term In Vivo Study.

In microsurgical anastomosis, non-synthetic fibrin-based adhesives have predominantly shown superior properties to synthetic cyanoacrylates, but they have hardly any clinical application. This study aims to investigate the local and systemic effects of synthetically produced biodegradable adhesive VIVO when used in microsurgical anastomosis. VIVO is used in two different anastomosis procedures in the common carotid artery in a rat model: VIVO in addition to a temporary catheter (VIVO TC) and VIVO with a custom-shaped memory nitinol stent (VIVO SM). Conventionally sutured anastomoses serve as controls (C). Tissue response is assessed by in vivo fluorescence imaging and histological examination. The systemic effects of biodegradation are measured using hematologic parameters and serum levels of transaminase activity and lactate dehydrogenase. Finally, the degree of local adhesion of the different anastomotic procedures is evaluated. Fluorescence imaging shows reduced inflammatory blood flow in the VIVO TC group. Histological analysis of the anastomosed vessels also reveals significantly more inflammation in C than in the two adhesive groups. The severity of VIVO adhesions proves acceptable, and no histotoxic effects of VIVO are detected. The data demonstrate that the synthetic tissue adhesive VIVO is a reliable and-compared to sutures-tissue-friendly adhesive for microsurgical anastomoses.

Enzymatically-degradable hydrogel coatings on titanium for bacterial infection inhibition and enhanced soft tissue compatibility via a self-adaptive strategy.

Ideal percutaneous titanium implants request both antibacterial ability and soft tissue compatibility. ZnO structure constructed on titanium has been widely proved to be helpful to combat pathogen contamination, but the biosafety of ZnO is always questioned. How to maintain the remarkable antibacterial ability of ZnO and efficiently reduce the corresponding toxicity is still challenging. Herein, a hybrid hydrogel coating was constructed on the fabricated ZnO structure of titanium, and the coating was proved to be enzymatically-degradable when bacteria exist. Then the antibacterial activity of ZnO was presented. When under the normal condition (no bacteria), the hydrogel coating was stable and tightly adhered to titanium. The toxicity of ZnO was reduced, and the viability of fibroblasts was largely improved. More importantly, the hydrogel coating provided a good buffer zone for cell ingrowth and soft tissue integration. The curbed Zn ion release was also proved to be useful to regulate fibroblast responses such as the expression of CTGF and COL-I. These results were also validated by in vivo studies. Therefore, this study proposed a valid self-adaptive strategy for ZnO improvement. Under different conditions, the sample could present different functions, and both the antibacterial ability and soft tissue compatibility were finely preserved.

Optimizing Anisotropic Polyurethane Scaffolds to Mechanically Match with Native Myocardium.

Biodegradable cardiac patch is desirable to possess mechanical properties mimicking native myocardium for heart infarction treatment. We fabricated a series of anisotropic and biodegradable polyurethane porous scaffolds via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) and tailored their mechanical properties by using various polyurethanes with different soft segments and varying polymer concentrations. The uniaxial mechanical properties, suture retention strength, ball-burst strength, and biaxial mechanical properties of the anisotropic porous scaffolds were optimized to mechanically match native myocardium. The optimal anisotropic scaffold had a ball burst strength (20.7 ± 1.5 N) comparable to that of native porcine myocardium (20.4 ± 6.0 N) and showed anisotropic behavior close to biaxial stretching behavior of the native porcine myocardium. Furthermore, the optimized porous scaffold was combined with a porcine myocardium-derived hydrogel to form a biohybrid scaffold. The biohybrid scaffold showed morphologies similar to the decellularized porcine myocardial matrix. This combination did not affect the mechanical properties of the synthetic scaffold alone. After in vivo rat subcutaneous implantation, the biohybrid scaffolds showed minimal immune response and exhibited higher cell penetration than the polyurethane scaffold alone. This biohybrid scaffold with biomimetic mechanics and good tissue compatibility would have great potential to be applied as a biodegradable acellular cardiac patch for myocardial infarction treatment.

Future prospects of zirconia for oral implants -A review.

Zirconia have been applied to dental implants as well as fixed dental prostheses due to their mechanical, esthetic and biocompatible performance. Moreover, they offer an advantage over titanium (Ti) implants, in that there is no risk of discoloration or hypersensitive reaction with allergy. In this review, the durability and tissue-compatibility of zirconia for the oral implants was mainly discussed. Hot isostatic pressing of Y-TZP had higher cyclic fatigue strength than Cp-Ti (Grade-2), leading the sufficient durability. Tissue-compatibility of zirconia; 1) Blast and acid-etching was effective for bone formation with synergetic effect of micro- and nano-topography. 2) Super-hydrophilic treatment, cold plasma in particular, enhanced initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells and oral keratinocytes. 3) Adherence of the periodontopathic bacteria on zirconia was similar to that on Cp-Ti, leading the necessity of surface modification.

Tissue Compatibility of SN-38-Loaded Anticancer Nanofiber Matrices.

Delivery of chemotherapy in the surgical bed has shown preclinical activity to control cancer progression upon subtotal resection of pediatric solid tumors, but whether this new treatment is safe for tumor-adjacent healthy tissues remains unknown. Here, Wistar rats are used to study the anatomic and functional impact of electrospun nanofiber matrices eluting SN-38-a potent chemotherapeutic agent-on several body sites where pediatric tumors such as neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma arise. Blank and SN-38-loaded matrices embracing the femoral neurovascular bundle or in direct contact with abdominal viscera (liver, kidney, urinary bladder, intestine, and uterus) are placed. Foreign body tissue reaction to the implants is observed though no histologic damage in any tissue/organ. Skin healing is normal. Tissue reaction is similar for SN-38-loaded and blank matrices, with the exception of the hepatic capsule that is thicker for the former although within the limits consistent with mild foreign body reaction. Tissue and organ function is completely conserved after local treatments, as assessed by the rotarod test (forelimb function), hematologic tests (liver and renal function), and control of clinical signs. Overall, these findings support the clinical translation of SN-38-loaded nanofiber matrices to improve local control strategies of surgically resected tumors.

Biological Tissue Response to a New Formulation of a Silicone Based Endodontic Sealer

Abstract Satisfactory biological behavior is a necessary requirement for clinical application of endodontic materials. In this study, the connective tissue responses to silicone (GuttaFlow 2), epoxy resin (AH Plus) and zinc oxide and eugenol (Endofill) based sealers were compared. Twelve Wistar rats had polyethylene tubes (four per animal) containing one of the tested sealers and empty tubes (negative control) implanted in their subcutaneous tissue. The tubes were randomly placed 2 cm from the spine and at least 2 cm apart from one another. Tissue samples with implants were processed for histological analysis after 7 or 60 days (n=6 animals per period). Inflammatory cells, fibrous condensation and abscess were scored according to their intensity. Friedman, followed by Dunn's post hoc, was used to compare sealers. Differences between the two experimental periods were verified using Mann-Witney U test (p<0.05). At 7 days, most of the histological parameters showed no significant differences amongst groups. Endofill group scored higher than the others for giant cells (o<0.05) and promoted a greater number of samples presenting abscess formation. GuttaFlow 2 tended to show a less intense inflammatory infiltrate compared to the other materials. At 60 days, there were no significant differences between groups in most of the histological parameters evaluated. However, it was observed that Endofill scored higher for macrophages (p<0.05) compared to the control group, and GuttaFlow 2 tended to present lower scores than the others for neutrophils and abscess. GuttaFlow 2 showed proper biological behavior and should be considered adequate for clinical practice.

Resumo Um dos requisistos para a aplicação clínica de materiais endodônticos é apresentar comportamento biológico satisfatório. Neste estudo, as respostas do tecido conjuntivo a cimentos endodônticos à base de silicone (GuttaFlow 2), resina epóxica (AH Plus) e óxido de zinco e eugenol (Endofill) foram comparadas. Doze ratos Wistar tiveram tubos de polietileno (4 em cada animal) contendo um dos materiais e tubos vazios (controle negativo) implantados no tecido conjuntivo subcutâneo. Os tubos foram randomicamente posicionados pelo menos 2 cm distantes entre si e da espinha dorsal do animal. Amostras de tecido contendo os implantes foram processadas para análise histológica após 7 e 60 dias (n=6 animais por período). Células inflamatórias, condensação fibrosa e formação de abscesso foram classificadas em escores de acordo com sua intensidade. O teste Friedman, seguido por post hoc de Dunn, foi empregado para comparar os cimentos. O teste de Mann-Witney U foi empregado para verificar diferenças entre os períodos experimentais em cada grupo (p<0,05). Após 7 dias, a maior parte dos parâmetros histológicos não mostrou diferenças estatísticas entre os grupos. O cimento Endofill promoveu escores mais altos que os outros materiais para a variável células gigantes (p<0,05), além de apresentar um maior número de amostras com formação de abscesso. O GuttaFlow 2 tendeu a apresentar infiltrado inflamatório menos intenso comparado aos outros materiais. Após 60 dias, não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos na maioria dos parâmetros avaliados. Entretanto, observou-se que o EndoFill apresentou escores mais altos para os macrófagos em comparação ao controle (p<0,05) e que o GuttaFlow 2 apresentou tendência a escores mais baixos que os demais materiais para as variáveis neutrófilos e abscesso. O GuttaFlow 2 apresentou propriedades biológicas apropriadas e pode ser considerado adequado para a prática clínica.

Characterization, corrosion behavior, cellular response and in vivo bone tissue compatibility of titanium-niobium alloy with low Young's modulus.

ß-Type titanium alloys with a low elastic modulus are a potential strategy to enhance bone remodeling and to mitigate the concern over the risks of osteanabrosis and bone resorption caused by stress shielding, when used to substitute irreversibly impaired hard tissue. Hence, in this study, a Ti-45Nb alloy with low Young's modulus and high strength was developed, and microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion behaviors, cytocompatibility and in vivo osteo-compatibility of the alloy were systematically investigated for the first time. The results of mechanical tests showed that Young's modulus of the Ti-Nb alloy was reduced to about 64.3GPa (close to human cortical bone) accompanied with higher tensile strength and hardness compared with those of pure Ti. Importantly, the Ti-Nb alloy exhibited superior corrosion resistance to Ti in different solutions including SBF, MAS and FAAS (MAS containing NaF) media. In addition, the Ti-Nb alloy produced no deleterious effect to L929 and MG-63 cells, and cells performed excellent cell attachment onto Ti-Nb surface, indicating a good in vitro cytocompatibility. In vivo evaluations indicated that Ti-Nb had comparable bone tissue compatibility to Ti determined from micro-CT and histological evaluations. The Ti-Nb alloy with an elasticity close to human bone, thus, could be suitable for orthopedic/dental applications.

Microsphere-based selective laser sintering for building macroporous bone scaffolds with controlled microstructure and excellent biocompatibility.

Fabrication of bulk biomaterials with controlled structures and excellent properties is increasingly important in tissue engineering, but remains a major challenge in the current stage. Herein we used selective laser sintering (SLS) to construct a series of three-dimensional (3D) bone scaffolds with uniform multi-scaled porosity, moderate mechanical properties as well as good biocompatibility. As starting architectural units for SLS, the pure microspheres of polycaprolactone (PCL) and the composite microspheres of PCL and hydroxyapatite (HA) were firstly synthesized via a modified solvent evaporation method, respectively. Our findings showed that the as-prepared microspheres exhibited the uniform size and monodispersity. Moreover, the microsphere-based 3D scaffolds generated by SLS technique showed a multi-scaled porous structure, and adequate mechanical features. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations further demonstrated that the resultant SLS-derived scaffolds can not only manipulate multiple stem cell behaviors including promoting cell adhesion, supporting cell proliferation and inducing cell differentiation in vitro, but also showed an excellent histocompatibility and induced the vascularization of newly formed tissue in vivo. Consequently, our current study suggests a feasible and effective protocol for fabricating new biomimetic bone biomaterials via SLS technique, also paves a new way for other bulk biomaterials.

In vitro biocompatibility of Ti-Mg alloys fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering.

Ti-xMg (x=17, 33, and 55 mass%) alloy films, which cannot be prepared by conventional melting processes owing to the absence of a solid-solution phase in the phase diagram, were prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering in order to investigate their biocompatibility. Ti and Mg films were also prepared by the same process for comparison. The crystal structures were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and the surfaces were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Ti, Ti-xMg alloy, and Mg films were immersed in a 0.9% NaCl solution at 310 K for 7d to evaluate the dissolution amounts of Ti and Mg. In addition, to evaluate the formation ability of calcium phosphate in vitro, the Ti, Ti-xMg alloy, and Mg films were immersed in Hanks' solution at 310 K for 30 d. Ti and Mg form solid-solution alloys because the peaks attributed to pure Ti and Mg do not appear in the XRD patterns of any of the Ti-xMg alloy films. The surfaces of the Ti-17 Mg alloy and Ti-33 Mg alloy films contain Ti oxides and MgO, whereas MgO is the main component of the surface oxide of the Ti-55 Mg alloy and Mg films. The dissolution amounts of Ti from all films are below or near the detection limit of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. On the other hand, the Ti-17 Mg alloy, Ti-33 Mg alloy, Ti-55 Mg alloy, and Mg films exhibit Mg dissolution amounts of approximately 2.5, 1.4, 21, and 41 µg/cm(2), respectively. The diffraction peaks attributed to calcium phosphate are present in the XRD patterns of the Ti-33 Mg alloy, Ti-55 Mg alloy, and Mg films after the immersion in Hanks' solution. Spherical calcium phosphate particles precipitate on the surface of the Ti-33 Mg film. However, many cracks are observed in the Ti-55 Mg film, and delamination of the film occurs after the immersion in Hanks' solution. The Mg film is dissolved in Hanks' solution and calcium phosphate particles precipitate on the glass substrate. Consequently, it is revealed that the Ti-33 Mg alloy film evaluated in this study is suitable for biomedical applications.

Sealapex Xpress and RealSeal XT feature tissue compatibility in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the response of apical and periapical tissues of dogs' teeth with pulp vitality after root canal filling with the endodontic sealers Sealapex Xpress and Real Seal XT. METHODS: Thirty-eight root canals with vital pulp from dogs' premolars were used. After instrumentation, the canals were filled with Sealapex Xpress and gutta-percha (group SX/GP, n = 16) or Real Seal XT and Resilon cones (group RS/R, n = 22). The animals were killed after 90 days, and the teeth with surrounding tissues were subjected to histotechnical processing. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections were examined by conventional light microscopy for a quantitative histopathologic analysis (sealing of apical opening by newly formed mineralized tissue [biological sealing], inflammatory cell infiltrate, root and bone tissue resorption), according to a scoring system. The subsequent sections were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for identification of mineralization markers (osteopontin, alkaline phosphatase, and RUNX2). Data were analyzed by nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Complete biological sealing was observed in 50% and 22.7% of the specimens of groups SX/GP and RS/R, respectively. Partial biological sealing was observed in 25% and 54.6% and absence of sealing in 25% and 22.7% of the specimens of groups SX/GP and RS/R, respectively. There were no significant differences (P > .05) between the groups for the scores attributed to the histopathologic parameters. Positive staining for osteopontin, alkaline phosphatase, and RUNX2 was observed in both groups, especially in the periodontal ligament. CONCLUSIONS: Sealapex Xpress and RealSeal XT feature tissue compatibility in vivo and allow for sealing of apical opening by deposition of mineralized tissue.

Self-adjuvanting influenza candidate vaccine presenting epitopes for cell-mediated immunity on a proteinaceous multivalent nanoplatform.

We exploit the features of a virus-like particle, adenoviral dodecahedron (Ad Dd), for engineering a multivalent vaccination platform carrying influenza epitopes for cell-mediated immunity. The delivery platform, Ad Dd, is a proteinaceous, polyvalent, and biodegradable nanoparticle endowed with remarkable endocytosis activity that can be engineered to carry 60 copies of a peptide. Influenza M1 is the most abundant influenza internal protein with the conserved primary structure. Two different M1 immunodominant epitopes were separately inserted in Dd external positions without destroying the particles' dodecahedric structure. Both kinds of DdFluM1 obtained through expression in baculovirus system were properly presented by human dendritic cells triggering efficient activation of antigen-specific T cells responses. Importantly, the candidate vaccine was able to induce cellular immunity in vivo in chickens. These results warrant further investigation of Dd as a platform for candidate vaccine, able to stimulate cellular immune responses.

Iodinated glycidyl methacrylate copolymer as a radiopaque material for biomedical applications.

Polymeric biomaterial was synthesized by copolymerizing 50:50 mol% of monomers, glycidyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate. Iodine atoms were then grafted to the epoxide groups of glycidyl methacrylate units, rendering the copolymer radiopaque. The percentage weight of iodine in the present copolymer was found to be as high as 23%. The iodinated copolymer showed higher glass transition temperature and thermal stability in comparison with unmodified polymer. Radiographic analysis showed that the copolymer possessed excellent radiopacity. The iodinated copolymer was cytocompatible to L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The in vivo toxicological evaluation by intracutaneous reactivity test of the copolymer extracts has revealed that the material was nontoxic. Subcutaneous implantation of iodinated copolymer in rats has shown that the material was well tolerated. Upon explantation and histological examination, no hemorrhage, infection or necrosis was observed. The samples were found to be surrounded by a vascularized capsule consisting of connective tissue cells. The results indicate that the iodinated copolymer is biocompatible and may have suitable applications as implantable materials.