Engineering Commons^™

Fatigue Behaviour Of Load-Bearing Polymeric Bone Scaffolds: A Review, Hamed Bakhtiari, Alireza Nouri, Mehrdad Khakbiz, Majid Tolouei-Rad

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Bone scaffolds play a crucial role in bone tissue engineering by providing mechanical support for the growth of new tissue while enduring static and fatigue loads. Although polymers possess favourable characteristics such as adjustable degradation rate, tissue-compatible stiffness, ease of fabrication, and low toxicity, their relatively low mechanical strength has limited their use in load-bearing applications. While numerous studies have focused on assessing the static strength of polymeric scaffolds, little research has been conducted on their fatigue properties. The current review presents a comprehensive study on the fatigue behaviour of polymeric bone scaffolds. The fatigue failure in polymeric scaffolds is …

Engineering Of Microparticle Encapsulated Antioxidant To Mitigate Oxidative Stress In Vitro And In Vivo, Kayla Ney

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability in the United States. Current treatments for cLBP have variable results across the patient population, and many patients struggle to find consistent relief. Most current treatments focus on the symptom of pain, not the root cause. In painful degenerated discs, oxidative stress and inflammation function in a vicious cycle and perpetuate degeneration, damage, and pain. Therefore, oxidative stress and inflammation are important targets in addressing the source of pain. This work characterizes an antioxidant, BuOE, encapsulated in a chondroitin sulfate microparticle as a novel …

Turning Dead Leaves Into An Active Multifunctional Material As Evaporator, Photocatalyst, And Bioplastic, Siyuan Fang, Xingyi Lyu, Tian Tong, Aniqa Ibnat Lim, Tao Li, Jiming Bao, Yun Hang Hu

Michigan Tech Publications

Large numbers of leaves fall on the earth each autumn. The current treatments of dead leaves mainly involve completely destroying the biocomponents, which causes considerable energy consumption and environmental issues. It remains a challenge to convert waste leaves into useful materials without breaking down their biocomponents. Here, we turn red maple dead leaves into an active three-component multifunctional material by exploiting the role of whewellite biomineral for binding lignin and cellulose. Owing to its intense optical absorption spanning the full solar spectrum and the heterogeneous architecture for effective charge separation, films of this material show high performance in solar water …

Effect Of Alloying Elements On The Compressive Mechanical Properties Of Biomedical Titanium Alloys: A Systematic Review, Syed Faraz Jawed, Chirag Dhirajlal Rabadia, Muhammad Ahmed Khan, Saad Jawaid Khan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Due to problems such as the stress-shielding effect, strength-ductility trade-off dilemma, and use of rare-earth, expensive elements with high melting points in Ti alloys, the need for the design of new Ti alloys for biomedical applications has emerged. This article reports the effect of various alloying elements on the compressive mechanical performance of Ti alloys for biomedical applications for the first time as a systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines on this subject. The search strategy in this systematic review used Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases and searched the articles …

Design And Finite Element Analysis Of Patient-Specific Total Temporomandibular Joint Implants, Shirish M. Ingawale, Tarun Goswami

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

In this manuscript, we discuss our approach to developing novel patient-specific total TMJ prostheses. Our unique patient-fitted designs based on medical images of the patient’s TMJ offer accurate anatomical fit, and better fixation to host bone. Special features of the prostheses have potential to offer improved osseo-integration and durability of the devices. The design process is based on surgeon’s requirements, feedback, and pre-surgical planning to ensure anatomically accurate and clinically viable device design. We use the validated methodology of FE modeling and analysis to evaluate the device design by investigating stress and strain profiles under functional/normal and para-functional/worst-case TMJ loading …

Antimicrobial Mechanisms Of Biomaterials: From Macro To Nano, Shounak Roy, Sanchita Sarkhel, Deepali Bisht, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao, Smitha Rao, Amit Jaiswal

Michigan Tech Publications

Overcoming the global concern of antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenge faced by scientists today and the key to tackle this issue of emerging infectious diseases is the development of next-generation antimicrobials. The rapid emergence of multi-drug resistant microbes, superbugs and mutated strains of viruses have fueled the search for new and alternate antimicrobial agents with broad-spectrum biocidal activity. Biomaterials, ranging from macroscopic polymers, proteins, and peptides to nanoscale materials such as nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanosheets have emerged as effective antimicrobials. An extensive body of research has established the antibacterial and antiviral efficiencies of different types of biomaterials. …

Tunable Blood Shunt For Neonates With Complex Congenital Heart Defects, Ellen Garver, Christopher B. Rodell, Kristen Shema, Krianthan Govender, Samantha E. Cassel, Bryan Ferrick, Gabriella Kupsho, Ethan Kung, Kara L. Spiller, Randy Stevens, Amy L. Throckmorton

Publications

Despite advancements in procedures and patient care, mortality rates for neonatal recipients of the Norwood procedure, a palliation for single ventricle congenital malformations, remain high due to the use of a fixed-diameter blood shunt. In this study, a new geometrically tunable blood shunt was investigated to address limitations of the current treatment paradigm (e.g., Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt) by allowing for controlled modulation of blood flow through the shunt to accommodate physiological changes due to the patient’s growth. First, mathematical and computational cardiovascular models were established to investigate the hemodynamic requirements of growing neonatal patients with shunts and to inform design …

Injectable Decellularized Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Exhibits Neuroinhibitory Properties, Logan M. Piening, David J. Lillyman, Fei San Lee, Alvaro Moreno Lozano, Jeremy R. Miles, Rebecca A. Wachs

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Background: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability, but treatments for LBP are limited. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc due to loss of neuroinhibitory sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) allows nerves from dorsal root ganglia to grow into the core of the disc. Treatment with a decellularized tissue hydrogel that contains sGAGs may inhibit nerve growth and prevent discassociated LBP.

Methods: A protocol to decellularize porcine nucleus pulposus (NP) was adapted from previous methods. DNA, sGAG, α-gal antigen, and collagen content were analyzed before and after decellularization. The decellularized tissue was then enzymatically modified to be …

Piezoelectric Signals In Vascularized Bone Regeneration, Delfo D’Alessandro, Claudio Ricci, Mario Milazzo, Giovanna Strangis, Francesca Forli, Gabriele Buda, Mario Petrini, Stefano Berrettini, M. Jasim Uddin, Serena Danti, Paolo Parchi

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The demand for bone substitutes is increasing in Western countries. Bone graft substitutes aim to provide reconstructive surgeons with off-the-shelf alternatives to the natural bone taken from humans or animal species. Under the tissue engineering paradigm, biomaterial scaffolds can be designed by incorporating bone stem cells to decrease the disadvantages of traditional tissue grafts. However, the effective clinical application of tissue-engineered bone is limited by insufficient neovascularization. As bone is a highly vascularized tissue, new strategies to promote both osteogenesis and vasculogenesis within the scaffolds need to be considered for a successful regeneration. It has been demonstrated that bone and …

Thermal & Mechanical Analysis Of Bombyx Mori Silk Nanofibers, Justin Busnot

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis presents a study on the thermomechanical properties of Bombyx Mori silk nanofibers. These nanofibers were obtained from silkworm cocoons which were degummed to separate the fibroin and the sericin, the two proteins that make up silk. The fibroin was then centrifuged to remove insoluble particles and stored and 4°C before the electrospinning process. A parametric study of the electrospinning process was carried out in order to identify the factors allowing to obtain optimal mechanical properties. The current as well as the flow rate applied, the diameter of the syringe, the distance separating the syringe from collector or even …

Aloe Vera Extract-Based Composite Nanofibers For Wound Dressing Applications, Raul Barbosa, Alexa Villarreal, Cristobal Rodriguez, Heriberto De Leon, Robert Gilkerson, Karen Lozano

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable composite nanofibers made of Aloe vera extract, pullulan, chitosan, and citric acid were successfully produced via Forcespinning® technology. The addition of Aloe vera extract at different weight percent loadings was investigated. The morphology, thermal properties, physical properties, and water absorption of the nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The developed nanofiber membranes exhibited good water absorption capabilities, synergistic antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, and promoted cell attachment and growth. Its porous and high surface area structure make it a potential candidate for wound dressing …

Hydrolytic Degradation Study Of Polyphosphazene-Plga Blends, Riley Blumenfield

Honors Scholar Theses

The synthesis and in vitro degradation analysis of thin films of poly[(glycineethylglycinato)₇₅(phenylphenoxy)₂₅phosphazene]
(PNGEG₇₅PhPh₂₅) and poly[(ethylphenylalanato)₂₅(glycine-
ethylglycinato)₇₅phosphazene] (PNEPA₂₅GEG₇₅) blended with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) was conducted to determine the blends’ potential for use as scaffolding materials for tissue regeneration applications. The samples were synthesized with glycylglycine ethyl ester (GEG) acting as the primary substituent side group, with cosubstitution by phenylphenol (PhPh) and phenylalanine ethyl ester (EPA) to make the final product [1]. Blends of 25% polyphosphazene, 75% PLGA and 50% polyphosphazene, 50% PLGA were …

Addressing Present Pitfalls In 3d Printing For Tissue Engineering To Enhance Future Potential, Jesse K. Placone, Bhushan Mahadik, John P. Fisher

Physics & Engineering Faculty Publications

Additive manufacturing in tissue engineering has significantly advanced in acceptance and use to address complex problems. However, there are still limitations to the technologies used and potential challenges that need to be addressed by the community. In this manuscript, we describe how the field can be advanced not only through the development of new materials and techniques but also through the standardization of characterization, which in turn may impact the translation potential of the field as it matures. Furthermore, we discuss how education and outreach could be modified to ensure end-users have a better grasp on the benefits and limitations …

Liver Cancer: Current And Future Trends Using Biomaterials, Sue Anne Chew, Stefania Moscato, Sachin George, Bahareh Azimi, Serena Danti

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common type of cancer diagnosed and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Despite advancement in current treatments for HCC, the prognosis for this cancer is still unfavorable. This comprehensive review article focuses on all the current technology that applies biomaterials to treat and study liver cancer, thus showing the versatility of biomaterials to be used as smart tools in this complex pathologic scenario. Specifically, after introducing the liver anatomy and pathology by focusing on the available treatments for HCC, this review summarizes the current biomaterial-based approaches for systemic delivery and implantable tools …

Multidirectional Pin-On-Disk Testing Device To Evaluate The Cross-Shear Effect On The Wear Of Biocompatible Materials, Vicente Cortes, Carlos A. Rodriguez Betancourth, Javier A. Ortega, Hasina Huq

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

One of the main causes of hip prostheses failure is the premature wear of their components. Multi-directional motion or “cross-shear” motion has been identified as one of the most significant factors affecting the wear rate of UHMWPE in total hip joint replacement prostheses. To better evaluate the effect of this cross-shear motion on the tribological behavior of different biomaterials, a new wear testing device has been designed and developed. This new instrument is capable to reproduce the “cross-shear” effect with bidirectional motion on bearing materials and to determine coefficient of friction (COF) between surfaces during testing. To validate the functionality …

Forcespinning Technique For The Production Of Poly(D,L-Lactic Acid) Submicrometer Fibers: Process–Morphology–Properties Relationship, Victoria Padilla-Gainza, Graciela Morales, Heriberto Rodríguez-Tobías, Karen Lozano

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This work addresses a systematic study for the process development and optimization of poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) submicrometer fibers utilizing the centrifugal spinning technique known as Forcespinning. This study analyzes the effect of polymer concentration (8, 10, and 12 wt %) and angular speed on the fiber morphology, diameter distribution, and fiber yield. The increase in polymer concentration and angular speed favored the formation of continuous and homogeneous submicrometer fibers with an absence of bead formation and higher output. The optimal conditions were established considering the morphological characteristics that exhibit a greater surface area (homogeneous and submicrometer fibers); and they were …

Biomaterial Substrate Modifications That Influence Cell-Material Interactions To Prime Cellular Responses To Nonviral Gene Delivery, Amy Mantz, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Gene delivery is the transfer of exogenous genetic material into somatic cells to modify their gene expression, with applications including tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, sensors and diagnostics, and gene therapy. Viral vectors are considered the most effective system to deliver nucleic acids, yet safety concerns and many other disadvantages have resulted in investigations into an alternative option, i.e. nonviral gene delivery. Chemical nonviral gene delivery is typically accomplished by electrostatically complexing cationic lipids or polymers with negatively charged nucleic acids. Unfortunately, nonviral gene delivery suffers from low efficiency due to barriers that impede transfection success, including intracellular processes such as …

Recent Approaches In Designing Bioadhesive Materials Inspired By Mussel Adhesive Protein, Pegah Kord Forooshani, Bruce P. Lee

Department of Biomedical Engineering Publications

Marine mussels secret protein-based adhesives, which enable them to anchor to various surfaces in a saline, intertidal zone. Mussel foot proteins (Mfps) contain a large abundance of a unique, catecholic amino acid, Dopa, in their protein sequences. Catechol offers robust and durable adhe-sion to various substrate surfaces and contributes to the curing of the adhesive plaques. In this article, we review the unique features and the key functionalities of Mfps, catechol chemistry, and strategies for preparing catechol-functionalized poly- mers. Specifically, we reviewed recent findings on the contributions of various features of Mfps on interfacial binding, which include coacervate formation, surface …

Alginate Hydrogels As Three-Dimensional Scaffolds For In Vitro Culture Models Of Growth Plate Cartilage Development And Porcine Embryo Elongation, Taylor D. Laughlin

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

The establishment of in vitro culture models utilizes tissue engineering principles to design functional mimics of in vivo environments in vitro. Advantages for the use of in vitro culture models include ethical alleviation of animal models for therapeutic testing, cost efficiency, and a greater ability to study specific mechanisms via a systematic, ground-up approach to development. In this thesis, alginate hydrogels are utilized in the development of in vitro culture models of porcine embryo elongation and growth plate cartilage development. First, the effect of scaffold and modifications to the scaffold were explored in both projects. In order to modulate …

Calcium Phosphate As A Key Material For Socially Responsible Tissue Engineering, Vuk Uskoković, Victoria M. Wu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Socially responsible technologies are designed while taking into consideration the socioeconomic, geopolitical and environmental limitations of regions in which they will be implemented. In the medical context, this involves making therapeutic platforms more accessible and affordable to patients in poor regions of the world wherein a given disease is endemic. This often necessitates going against the reigning trend of making therapeutic nanoparticles ever more structurally complex and expensive. However, studies aimed at simplifying materials and formulations while maintaining the functionality and therapeutic response of their more complex counterparts seldom provoke a significant interest in the scientific community. In this review …

Micro- And Nanoparticulates For Dna Vaccine Delivery, Eric Farris, Deborah M. Brown, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

DNA vaccination has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional protein-based vaccines for the induction of protective immune responses. DNA vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccines, including increased stability, rapid and inexpensive production, and flexibility to produce vaccines for a wide variety of infectious diseases. However, the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines delivered as naked plasmid DNA is often weak due to degradation of the DNA by nucleases and inefficient delivery to immune cells. Therefore, biomaterial-based delivery systems based on micro- and nanoparticles that encapsulate plasmid DNA represent the most promising strategy for DNA vaccine delivery. Microparticulate delivery systems allow …

Finite Element Analysis Of The Application Of Ultrasound-Generated Acoustic Radiation Force To Biomaterials, Nicole J. Piscopo

Honors Scholar Theses

While most bone fractures can heal simply by being stabilized, others can take a longer time to rejoin or they could fail to merge back together completely. Numerous studies have shown the positive effects that ultrasonic therapy have had on delayed-union and non-union bone fracture repair but little is known as to what specific biological mechanisms are at play. Ultrasound may be a valuable tool for bone tissue regeneration at these fracture sites using a tissue engineering approach, however, more must be understood about its impact on stimulating tissues to heal before this can be a reality. For that reason, …

In-Vivo Corrosion And Fretting Of Modular Ti-6al-4v/Co-Cr-Mo Hip Prostheses: The Influence Of Microstructure And Design Parameters, Jose Luis Gonzalez Jr

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of corrosion and fretting in 48 retrieved titanium-6aluminum-4vanadium and/or cobalt-chromium-molybdenum modular total hip prosthesis with respect to alloy material microstructure and design parameters. The results revealed vastly different performance results for the wide array of microstructures examined. Severe corrosion/fretting was seen in 100% of as-cast, 24% of low carbon wrought, 9% of high carbon wrought and 5% of solution heat treated cobalt-chrome. Severe corrosion/fretting was observed in 60% of Ti-6Al-4V components. Design features which allow for fluid entry and stagnation, amplification of contact pressure and/or increased micromotion were also shown …

Piezoelectric Polymers As Biomaterials For Tissue Engineering Applications, Clarisse Ribeiro, Vitor Sencadas, Daniela M. Correia, Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Tissue engineering often rely on scaffolds for supporting cell differentiation and growth. Novel paradigms for tissue engineering include the need of active or smart scaffolds in order to properly regenerate specific tissues. In particular, as electrical and electromechanical clues are among the most relevant ones in determining tissue functionality in tissues such as muscle and bone, among others, electroactive materials and, in particular, piezoelectric ones, show strong potential for novel tissue engineering strategies, in particular taking also into account the existence of these phenomena within some specific tissues, indicating their requirement also during tissue regeneration. This referee reports on piezoelectric …

Next Generation Bioelectronics: Advances In Fabrication Coupled With Clever Chemistries Enable The Effective Integration Of Biomaterials And Organic Conductors, Paul Molino, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Organic bioelectronics is making an enormous impact in the field of tissue engineering, providing not just biocompatible, but biofunctional conducting material platforms. For their true potential to be reached, it is critical to integrate organic conductors with other biopolymers in a targeted manner, allowing the development of devices and scaffold architectures capable of delivering a number of physical, chemical, and electrical stimuli. Herein, we provide an overview of the methods currently being employed to tailor organic conductors for bioapplications, with a focus on the development of fabrication techniques vital to the development of the next generation of intelligent bionic devices.

Influence Of Biopolymer Loading On The Physiochemical And Electrochemical Properties Of Inherently Conducting Polymer Biomaterials, Paul J. Molino, Peter C. Innis, Michael J. Higgins, Robert M. I Kapsa, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The physicochemical and electrochemical properties of polypyrrole (PPy) doped with the biological dopant dextran sulphate (DS) were shown to be significantly altered as a function of varying the salt concentration (0.2, 2 or 20 mg/ml) in the polymerisation electrolyte. Films grown in the presence of 0.2 mg/ml DS generated the highest potential during galvanostatic growth, with the potential decreasing with each subsequent increase in DS concentration. The electroactivity of the polymers was similar for all three DS concentrations, with the 20 mg/ml film drawing slightly more current upon reduction in PBS. Increasing the DS concentration reduced film interfacial roughness and …

Combined Qcm-D/Ge As A Tool To Characterize Stimuli-Responsive Swelling Of And Protein Adsorption On Polymer Brushes Grafted Onto 3d-Nanostructures, Meike Koenig, Tadas Kasputis, Daniel Schmidt, Keith B. Rodenhausen Jr., Klaus-Jochen Eichhorn, Angela K. Pannier, Mathias Schubert, Manfred Stamm, Petra Uhlmann

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

A combined setup of quartz crystal microbalance and generalized ellipsometry can be used to comprehensively investigate complex functional coatings comprising stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and 3D nanostructures in a dynamic, noninvasive in situ measurement. While the quartz crystal microbalance detects the overall change in areal mass, for instance, during a swelling or adsorption process, the generalized ellipsometry data can be evaluated in terms of a layered model to distinguish between processes occurring within the intercolumnar space or on top of the anisotropic nanocolumns. Silicon films with anisotropic nanocolumnar morphology were prepared by the glancing angle deposition technique and further functionalized by …

Stability Of Silk And Collagen Protein Materials In Space, Xiao Hu, Waseem K. Raja, Bo An, Olena Tokareva, Peggy Cebe, David L. Kaplan

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Collagen and silk materials, in neat forms and as silica composites, were flown for 18 months on the International Space Station [Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE)-6] to assess the impact of space radiation on structure and function. As natural biomaterials, the impact of the space environment on films of these proteins was investigated to understand fundamental changes in structure and function related to the future utility in materials and medicine in space environments. About 15% of the film surfaces were etched by heavy ionizing particles such as atomic oxygen, the major component of the low-Earth orbit space environment. Unexpectedly, …

Investigation Of A New Material For Heart Valve Tissue Engineering, Claire Brougham, Gerard Cooney, Thomas Flanagan, Stefan Jockenhoevel, Fergal O'Brien

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Electrochemical Investigation Of Chromium Nanocarbide Coated Ti-6al-4v And Co-Cr-Mo Alloy Substrates, Viswanathan Swaminathan, Haitong Zeng, Daniel Lawrynowicz, Zongtao Zhang, Jeremy L. Gilbert

Biomedical and Chemical Engineering - All Scholarship

This study investigated the electrochemical behavior of chromium nano-carbide cermet coating applied on Ti–6Al–4V and Co–Cr–Mo alloys for potential application as wear and corrosion resistant bearing surfaces. The cermet coating consisted of a highly heterogeneous combination of carbides embedded in a metal matrix. The main factors studied were the effect of substrate (Ti–6Al–4V vs. Co–Cr–Mo), solution conditions (physiological vs. 1 M H₂O₂ of pH 2), time of immersion (1 vs. 24 h) and post coating treatments (passivation and gamma sterilization). The coatings were produced with high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray technique at atmospheric conditions to …