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3D Printing and Biomaterials for Biomedical Application

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2023) | Viewed by 4290

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Catalin Zaharia

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Guest Editor

Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Department of Bioresources and Polymer Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymer; 3D printing; organ on-a-chip; biomaterial; nanoparticle; hydrogel; rheology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ionuţ Cristian Radu

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Guest Editor

Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, University Polytehnica of Bucharest, Str. Gheorghe Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymers (controlled polymerization); drug delivery in cancer management; 3D printing; microfluidics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of 3D printing or additive manufacturing has considerably evolved in the last five years, with a special focus on biomedical use. The healthcare system has been revolutionized by the manufacture of various prostheses and surgical instruments, and the bioprinting of tissue and living scaffolds.

In this context, this Special Issue will be dedicated to the recent advancements in biomaterial 3D printing for biomedical applications. Polymers, hydrogels, or bio-inks have the ability to rapidly induce 3D structures with adequate mechanical stability, biocompatibility, biodegradability (if needed), biomimetic character, and potential drug release control of various biological active molecules. The most common type of biomaterials are polymers in different forms, such as solid filaments for fused deposition modelling (FDM) printing, resin solutions for stereolithography (SLA), and powder for selective laser sintering (SLS). Bio-inks are mixtures of cells, bioactive molecules and biomaterials (gels, biopolymers for, i.e.) capable of producing engineered live tissue using 3D printing technology (bioprinting).

The following topics are considered: 3D-printed biomaterials by FDM/FFF, biomaterials processing by SLA/SLS/DLP, bio-inks, and 3D-bioprinted materials, advanced on organ on-a-chip by 3D printing.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers and reviews are all welcome

Prof. Dr. Catalin Zaharia
Dr. Ionut-Cristian Radu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

polymer
biomaterial
resin
bio-ink
FDM
SLA
SLS
DLP
bioprinting
organ on-a-chip

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 14985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anodic Oxidation of 3D Printed Ti6Al4V Scaffold Surfaces: In Vitro Studies

by Talita Kathleen Correia de Sousa, Fátima Raquel Maia, Sandra Pina, Rui L. Reis, Joaquim Miguel Oliveira, João Pedro Aquiles Carobolante, Ana Lúcia do Amaral Escada, Guilherme Arthur Longhitano and Ana Paula Rosifini Alves

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 1656; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app14041656 - 19 Feb 2024

Viewed by 609

Abstract

This study focuses on the surface modification of Ti₆Al₄V scaffolds produced through additive manufacturing using the Powder-Bed Fusion Electron-Beam Melting (PBF-EB) technique. From our perspective, this technique has the potential to enhance implant osseointegration, involving the growth of a layer of titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO₂) on surfaces through anodic oxidation. Scaffolds with anodized surfaces were characterized, and the formation of a nanoporous and crystalline TiO₂ layer was confirmed. The analysis of cell morphology revealed that cells adhered to the anodized surfaces through their filopodia, which led to proliferation during the initial hours. However, it was observed that the adhesion of Saos-2 cells was lower on anodized scaffolds compared to both built and chemically polished scaffolds throughout the cell culture period. The results obtained here suggest that while anodic oxidation is effective in achieving a nanoporous surface, cell adhesion and interaction were affected by the weak adhesion of cell filopodia to the surface. Thus, combining surface treatment techniques to create micro- and nanopores may be an effective alternative for achieving a favorable cellular response when the objective is to enhance the performance of porous titanium scaffolds in the short term. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing and Biomaterials for Biomedical Application)

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18 pages, 7046 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Personalization of the 3D-Printed Upper Limb Exoskeleton Design—Mechanical and IT Aspects

by Dariusz Mikołajewski, Izabela Rojek, Piotr Kotlarz, Janusz Dorożyński and Jakub Kopowski

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7236; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13127236 - 17 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1272

Abstract

The human hand is the most precise and versatile tool that nature has given man, and any deficits in this area affect the functional capabilities and quality of human life. Scientists, engineers and clinicians are constantly looking for solutions in the field of diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and care of patients with hand function deficits. One such solution is a hand exoskeleton. In the process of designing and testing the hand exoskeleton, emphasis should be placed on the full usability and comfort of the system; hence, the issues of personalization, matching and testing are crucial for the development of the discussed group of solutions. The aim of this paper is to present the possibilities of personalizing 3D-printed medical devicesbased on our own experience in functional user assessment andthe material selection, design, optimization using artificial intelligence and production and testing of several generations of different upper limb exoskeletons, incorporatingthe considerations of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), ISO 13485 and ISO 10993 standards.The novelty and possible contribution of the proposed approach consist of the possibilities and limitations of the personalization of the upper limb exoskeleton discussed in the article as well as the directions of further development of significant scientific, technical and clinical importance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing and Biomaterials for Biomedical Application)

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19 pages, 4980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hepatoprotective Effect of Alpinetin on Thioacetamide-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Sprague Dawley Rat

by Suhayla Hamad Shareef, Ameena S. M. Juma, Derin N. F. Agha, Abdullah R. Alzahrani, Ibrahim Abdel Aziz Ibrahim and Mahmood Ameen Abdulla

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5243; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13095243 - 22 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1841

Abstract

Alpinetin is an original medicinal plant flavonoid derived from Alpinia katsumadai and has several biological activities. The current research aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of Alpinetin against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis in rats. Five groups of rats were utilized in this study. Hepatic injury was measured macroscopically and microscopically for entire groups. The rats’ body weight was significantly lower in the TAA control group, likened to rats fed with Silymarin or Alpinetin groups, while liver weight was significantly greater in the TAA control group when equated to rats nourished with Alpinetin groups. A histopathological investigation of hepatic tissues displayed that TAA remarkably induced hepatocyte necrosis and gristly connective tissue propagation in the TAA control group. Alpinetin implicitly decreased the influence of TAA toxicity and diminished fibrosis of liver tissues. The TAA control group presented an increase in liver enzymes (ALP, ALT, and AST) and a decrease in total protein and albumin. Rats who were fed Alpinetin had significantly lower hepatic enzyme activity as well as augmented total protein and albumin, yet they were close to the normal range. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) enzymes in hepatic homogenate were significantly reduced, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was meaningfully elevated in the TAA control group, while rats fed with Alpinetin had significantly increased SOD and CAT achievement and depressed MDA level. Alpinetin-gavaged groups had reduced levels of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), significantly down-regulated Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Alpha-smooth muscle (α-SMA), and reduced hepatic stellate cell activity. However, the TAA control group significantly up-regulated PCNA and α-SMA and increased the activity of hepatic stellate cells. Alpinetin was nontoxic and could improve defensive mechanisms against hepatic tissue injury. Acute toxicity tests discovered no evidence of any toxic signs or dead rats, which highlights the safety of Alpinetin. Consequently, the investigation´s outcomes revealed that the hepatoprotective effects of Alpinetin in TAA-induced hepatic impairment might be due to reduced TAA toxicity, increased protein and albumin, increased SOD and CAT levels, reduced MDA levels, and modulation of inflammatory cytokines and their anti-oxidant activities, and suppressed PCNA and α-SMA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing and Biomaterials for Biomedical Application)

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