Polyethylene Oxide and Silicon-Substituted Hydroxyapatite Composite: A Biomaterial for Hard Tissue Engineering in Orthopedic and Spine Surgery

Design and Fabrication of Sustained Bacterial Release Scaffolds to Support the Microbiome

Fibres in the micro- and nanometre scale are suited to a broad range of applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Electrospinning is the manufacturing method of choice, but it has some limitations. Novel pressure-driven fibre-forming techniques, like pressurised gyration (PG), overcome these limitations; however, the compatibility of PG with biological materials has not yet been evaluated in detail. For the first time, this limitation of PG was investigated by optimising PG for microbial cell processing and incorporating bacterial cultures into fibrous polymeric scaffolds for sustained release. Multiple polymer-solvent systems were trialled, including polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) 25% w/v, polyethylene oxide (PEO)/PBS 20% w/v, and PVP/ethanol 20% w/v. Rheological studies revealed the surface tension of the PVP/PBS, PEO/PBS, and PVP/ethanol polymer-solvent systems to be 73.2, 73.9, and 22.6 mN/m, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed the median fibre diameters to be between 9.8 μm and 26.1 μm, with PVP producing larger fibres. Overnight Bacillus subtilis cultures were then incorporated into the chosen polymeric solutions and processed into fibres using PG. The produced cell-loaded fibres were incubated in LB broth to assess the cell viability of the encapsulated cells. Colony counts post-incubation showed the PVP/PBS 25% fibres resulted in 60% bacterial growth, and PEO/PBS 20% fibres led to 47% bacterial growth, whereas PVP/ethanol 20% fibres did not lead to any bacterial growth. Based on the results gathered during this study, it can be concluded that PG offers a promising way of encapsulating cells and other sensitive biological products while having many notable advantages compared to electrospinning. This research demonstrates proof of concept research-based evidence and showcases the potential of pressurised gyration as a key disruptive innovation in probiotic delivery system design and manufacturing.

Critical Review on the Developments in Polymer Composite Materials for Biomedical Implants

There has been a lack of research for developing functional polymer composites for biomedical implants. Even though metals are widely used as implant materials, there is a need for developing polymer composites as implant materials because of the stress shielding effect that causes a lack of compatibility of metals with the human body. This review aims to bring out the latest developments in polymer composite materials for body implants and to emphasize the significance of polymer composites as a viable alternative to conventional materials used in the biomedical industry for ease of life. This review article explores the developments in functional polymer composites for biomedical applications and provides distinct divisions for their applications based on the part of the body where they are implanted. Each application has been covered in some detail. The various applications covered are bone transplants and bone regeneration, cardiovascular implants (stents), dental implants and restorative materials, neurological and spinal implants, and tendon and ligament replacement.

Prevalence and patterns of shoulder injuries in Major League Baseball

Background: This study aims to explore the epidemiological patterns of shoulder injuries in professional baseball.Methods: The transaction lists of the 'Major League Baseball' website were screened for injuries from 2011 to 2016, inclusive. Only players that were placed on the 'Disabled List' were included in the study. Our database included the player's position, injury location, injury cause, and time spent on the Disabled List.Results: A total of 3090 injuries were recorded; 511 (17%) were shoulder injuries, making it the most vulnerable anatomic location in baseball (N = 511). Of the 511 shoulder injuries, 132 (25.8%) were due to inflammation, making it the most common cited cause of shoulder injury. Most shoulder injuries occurred in April with 125 (24%) injuries, while June and May came in second and third with 89 (17%) and 81 (16%) injuries, respectively. The pitcher was the player most prone to injury, as it constituted 78% of the injuries. The average time spent off by a shoulder injury was 69 days, which implicated substantial economic losses for the injured athlete's club.Conclusion: Shoulder injuries are prevalent in professional baseball. The overhead pitching motion puts the shoulder at risk and accounts for the high incidence of its injuries.