The integrity and thermal decomposition of calcium apatite are influenced by the underlying titan... more The integrity and thermal decomposition of calcium apatite are influenced by the underlying titanium during plasma-spraying deposition, especially at the apatite/titanium interface. The destruction of apatite at the interface is governed by substrate temperature, titanium catalysis, and its reaction with titanium dioxide produced from oxidation of titanium in the plasma gas. The apatite in the outer layer of coatings is affected mainly by the substrate temperature and can keep its integrity with a suitable plasma-spraying procedure to minimize the increase of substrate temperature. The heat treatment of the coatings in vacuum results in the decomposition of apatite to alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) and tetracalcium phosphate monoxide (TCPM) with the increase of intensity approaching the interface, which roughens the surface of the coatings. In the air-heat treatment, oxidation of titanium produces a thickened, dense rutile layer at the interface which prevents titanium atoms from diffusing into the coatings and inhibits the titanium-catalyzed decomposition of apatite. The apatite adjacent to the rutile layer reacts moderately with rutile to produce calcium titanate (CaTiO3), alpha- and beta-TCP, while the apatite in the outer layer, separated from the rutile layer, maintains its integrity without decomposition even in a prolonged air-heat treatment. The retention of apatite integrity leads to a decreased surface roughness of the coating.
With respect to the effect of material factors on calcium phosphate biomaterial-induced osteogene... more With respect to the effect of material factors on calcium phosphate biomaterial-induced osteogenesis, the osteoinductive property of two kinds of porous hydroxyapatite ceramics, which were made by different producers, was investigated in dorsal muscles of dogs. One hydroxyapatite ceramic (S-HA), macroporous implants with rough pore walls containing abundant micropores, was made by Sichuan Union University (Chengdu, China); the other hydroxyapatite ceramic (J-HA), porous implants with smooth macropore walls composed of regularly aligned crystal grains, was provided by Mitsubishi Ceramic Int. (Japan). Different tissue response was detected histologically and microradiographically after the ceramic samples had been implanted in dorsal muscles of dogs for 3 and 6 months. Bone formation was found in S-HA at 3 months, which increased at 6 months. In contrast, no bone formation was detected in J-HA at both 3 and 6 months. These results indicate that with the special architecture, calcium phosphate ceramic can induce bone formation in soft tissue. As both materials were very similar in their chemical and crystallographic structures, but varied in their microstructures, the latter seem to be an important factor affecting the osteoinductive capacity of calcium phosphate ceramics. These data suggest that, by controlling the preparation of calcium phosphate ceramic, bone substitutes with intrinsic osteoinductive property can be developed from calcium phosphates.
Dense (97–99.9%) hydroxylapatite ceramics were implanted in muscle and bone tissue of rats. The a... more Dense (97–99.9%) hydroxylapatite ceramics were implanted in muscle and bone tissue of rats. The aim of this study was to compare apatite implant material made of commercially available powder with laboratory powder prepared in a painstaking manner. Biocompatibility, biostability, and adherence to bone were evaluated. In muscle tissue the implants were found to be encapsulated with a very thin connective tissue layer. Implantation in excavated bone tissue resulted with new bone directly deposited against the implant surface, irrespective of the type of hydroxylapatite used. When the implants were protruding from the bone surface, bone appeared to grow up to the edge of the protruding part of the implant. A very strong bonding developed; push-out tests indicated that the bone fractured but never at the interface. Histologic studies proved that a sleeve of newly formed bone closely encased the implant, regardless of shape. It was concluded that dense apatite ceramics are fully compatible with the tibia of the rat and that no degradation of the implant material occurred for intervals of up to 6 months after implantation. The very strong bonding without mechanical retention indicated continuity between artificial hydroxylapatite and natural bone. No difference was found between the biological behavior of the hydroxylapatites prepared from commercial or laboratory starting powders.
Tensile strength testing of the interface between bone and a plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) c... more Tensile strength testing of the interface between bone and a plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coating-Ti-6Al-4V (implant I) and an HA coating-Ti (implant II) was performed. The bone-implant interface and tensile failure mode were evaluated by light microscopy (LM), SEM-energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and backscattered electron imaging. The crystallinity of the HA coating of implant I and implant II was 62 and 40%, respectively. Eleven semidisk implants of each type were inserted in the left tibia of 22 rabbits in each period. After 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks, the tensile strength of the bone-implant I was 0.86, 1.32, 1.10, and 0.92 MPa, respectively; the value of the bone-implant II was 0.66, 0.92, 0.84, and 1.12 MPa, respectively. No significant difference was found in tensile strength between implant I and implant II, and between the data of different periods. LM and SEM revealed that the two types of coatings behave the same in bone. Failure after the tensile test mainly occurred at the bony tissue at 2 and 4 weeks, inside the HA coating layer at 8 weeks, and at the HA coating-metal substrate interface at 16 weeks. Degradation and delamination of the HA coating continued with time, resulting in the interfacial tensile strength not increasing with time. Thus, we concluded that differences between the two implants, mainly the difference in crystallinity of the HA coating (62 vs. 40%), have no significant influence on bone bonding ability, bone bonding strength, tensile failure mode, and degradation of the coating.
In order to unravel the mechanism of osteoinduction by biomaterials, in this study we investigate... more In order to unravel the mechanism of osteoinduction by biomaterials, in this study we investigated the influence of the specific surface area on osteoinductive properties of two types of calcium phosphate ceramics. Different surface areas of the ceramics were obtained by varying their sintering temperatures.Hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramic was sintered at 1150 and 1250 °C. Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic, consisting of HA and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), was sintered at 1100, 1150 and 1200 °C.Changes in sintering temperature did not influence the chemistry of the ceramics; HA remained pure after sintering at different temperatures and the weight ratio of HA and β-TCP in the BCP was independent of the temperature as well. Similarly, macroporosity of the ceramics was unaffected by the changes of the sintering temperature. However, microporosity (pore diameter <10 μm) significantly decreased with increasing sintering temperature. In addition to the decrease of the microporosity, the crystal size increased with increasing sintering temperature. These two effects resulted in a significant decrease of the specific surface area of the ceramics with increasing sintering temperatures.Samples of HA1150, HA1250, BCP1100, BCP1150 and BCP1200 were implanted in the back muscles of Dutch milk goats and harvested at 6 and 12 weeks post implantation. After explantation, histomorphometrical analysis was performed on all implants.All implanted materials except HA1250 induced bone. However, large variations in the amounts of induced bone were observed between different materials and between individual animals.Histomorphometrical results showed that the presence of micropores within macropore walls is necessary to make a material osteoinductive. We postulate that introduction of microporosity within macropores, and consequent increase of the specific surface area, affects the interface dynamics of the ceramic in such a way that relevant cells are triggered to differentiate into the osteogenic lineage.
Bone induction by different calcium phosphate biomaterials has been reported previously. With reg... more Bone induction by different calcium phosphate biomaterials has been reported previously. With regard to (1) whether the induced bone would disappear with time due to the absence of mechanical stresses and (2) whether this heterotopically formed bone would give rise to uncontrolled growth, a long-time investigation of porous hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA), porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (TCP/HA, BCP), porous α-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (α-TCP) and porous β-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (β-TCP) was performed in dorsal muscles of dog, for 2.5 years. Histological observation, backscattered scanning electron microscopy observation and histomorphometric analysis were made on thin un-decalcified sections of retrieved samples. Normal compact bone with bone marrow was found in all HA implants (n=4) and in all BCP implants (n=4), 48±4% pore area was filled with bone in HA implants and 41±2% in BCP implants. Bone-like tissue, which was a mineralised bone matrix with osteocytes but lacked osteoblasts and bone marrow, was found in all β-TCP implants (n=4) and in one of the four α-TCP implants. Both normal bone and bone-like tissues were confined inside the pores of the implants. The results show that calcium phosphate ceramics are osteoinductive in muscles of dogs. Although the quality and quantity varied among different ceramics, the induced bone in both HA and BCP ceramics did neither disappear nor grow uncontrollably during the period as long as 2.5 years.
A three-dimensional carbon/carbon composite (3D C/C) was studied as potential bone-repairing mate... more A three-dimensional carbon/carbon composite (3D C/C) was studied as potential bone-repairing material; its major mechanical properties were found to be closer to those of human bone than other common bone-repairing materials available. In vitro calcification tests revealed that as-received 3D C/C is almost bioinert in simulated body fluid (SBF) over an immersion period of 4 weeks. To improve the bioactivity of 3D C/C, surface modification was accomplished through two practical routes: (1) grafting with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and (2) phosphorylation and precalcification. After grafting with alpha, omega di(aminopropyl) polyethylene glycol 800 (NH2-PEG-NH2), a continuous layer of calcium phosphate was formed on the surface of 3D C/C in SBF after 4 weeks. Phosphorylated 3D C/C samples have the ability to induce apatite precipitation after precalcification in a saturated Ca(OH)2 solution for 1 week. To speed up the coating process, a calcification solution with collagen was developed in which a collagen/apatite coating layer can be formed on 3D C/C in 9 h in ambient conditions.
The nucleation and growth of a calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coating deposited on titanium implants fr... more The nucleation and growth of a calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coating deposited on titanium implants from simulated body fluid was investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Forty titanium alloy plates were assigned into two groups. One group with a smooth surface having a maximum roughness Rmax<0.10 μm (s-Ti6Al4V) and a group with a rough surface with an Rmax<0.25 μm (r-Ti6Al4V) were used. Titanium samples were immersed in SBF concentrated by five (SBF×5) from 10 min to 5 h and examined by AFM and ESEM. Scattered Ca-P deposits of approximately 15 nm in diameter appeared after only 10 min of immersion in SBF×5. These Ca-P deposits grew up to 60–100 nm after 4 h on both s- and r-Ti6Al4V substrates. With increasing immersion time, the packing of Ca-P deposits with size of tens of nanometers in diameter formed larger globules and then a continuous Ca-P film on titanium substrates. A direct contact between the Ca-P coating and the Ti6Al4V surface was observed. The Ca-P coating was composed of nanosized deposits and of an interfacial glassy matrix. This interfacial glassy matrix might ensure the adhesion between the Ca-P coating and the Ti6Al4V substrate. In the case of s-Ti6Al4V substrate, failures within this interfacial glassy matrix were observed overtime. Part of the glassy matrix remained on s-Ti6Al4V while part detached with the Ca-P film. The Ca-P coating detached from the smooth substrate, whereas the Ca-P film extended onto the whole rough titanium surface over time. In the case of r-Ti6Al4V, the Ca-P coating covered evenly the substrate after immersion in SBF×5 for 5 h. The present study suggested that the heterogeneous nucleation of Ca-P on titanium was immediate and did not depend on the Ti6Al4V surface topography. The further growth and mechanical attachment of the final Ca-P coating strongly depended on the surface, for which a rough topography was beneficial.
3D fiber deposition is a technique that allows the development of metallic scaffolds with accurat... more 3D fiber deposition is a technique that allows the development of metallic scaffolds with accurately controlled pore size, porosity and interconnecting pore size, which in turn permits a more precise investigation of the effect of structural properties on the in vivo behavior of biomaterials.This study analyzed the in vivo performance of titanium alloy scaffolds fabricated using 3D fiber deposition. The titanium alloy scaffolds with different structural properties, such as pore size, porosity and interconnecting pore size were implanted on the decorticated transverse processes of the posterior lumbar spine of 10 goats. Prior to implantation, implant structure and permeability were characterized. To monitor the bone formation over time, fluorochrome markers were administered at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and the animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks after implantation. Bone formation in the scaffolds was investigated by histology and histomorphometry of non-decalcified sections using traditional light- and epifluorescent microscopy. In vivo results showed that increase of porosity and pore size, and thus increase of permeability of titanium alloy implants positively influenced their osteoconductive properties.
Material-induced bone formation reported in canine, bovid, suid, and primate species does not oft... more Material-induced bone formation reported in canine, bovid, suid, and primate species does not often occur in lagomorph or rodent models. In this study, we test biphasic calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite- induced bone formation in subcutaneous pockets of mice and intramuscular pockets in rats, rabbits, and dogs. All scaffolds are of similar size, and all animals were sacrificed at 90 days post-implantation. In dogs (N = 8), all implants showed bone formation with significantly more bone formed in biphasic calcium phosphates (30 +/- 6%, N = 8) as compared to hydroxyapatite (14 +/- 5%, N = 8) (p = 0.003). Hydroxyapatite implants did not induce bone formation in mice, rats, or rabbits. Biphasic calcium phosphate induced bone in 6 of 8 scaffolds implanted in 4 rabbits and 3 of 16 scaffolds implanted in 16 mice, whereas it did not induce bone formation in any of the 8 rats. The results presented herein suggest that the incidence of material-induced bone formation varies with animal species and is related to the implant material used.
The in vivo behavior of a porous Ti6Al4V material that was produced by a positive replica techniq... more The in vivo behavior of a porous Ti6Al4V material that was produced by a positive replica technique, with and without an octacalcium phosphate (OCP) coating, has been studied both in the back muscle and femur of goats. Macro- and microporous biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic, known to be both osteoconductive and able to induce ectopic bone formation, was used for comparison purpose.The three groups of materials (Ti6Al4V, OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP) were implanted transcortically and intramuscularly for 6 and 12 weeks in 10 adult Dutch milk goats in order to study their osteointegration and osteoinductive potential.In femoral defects, both OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP were performing better than the uncoated Ti6Al4V, at both time points. BCP showed a higher bone amount than OCP Ti6Al4V after 6 weeks of implantation, while after 12 weeks, this difference was no longer significant.Ectopic bone formation was found in both OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP implants after 6 and 12 weeks. The quantity of ectopically formed bone was limited as was the amount of animals in which the bone was observed. Ectopic bone formation was not found in uncoated titanium alloy implants, suggesting that the presence of calcium phosphate (CaP) is important for bone induction.This study showed that CaPs in the form of coating on metal implants or in the form of bulk ceramic have a significantly positive effect on the bone healing process.
Since surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) play an important role in its performance, surfac... more Since surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) play an important role in its performance, surface modification of HA has gained much attention from researchers. Silane coupling agents have been the focus of the research. In this study, an effective surface modification method was developed using hexamethylene diisocyanate as a coupling agent. Polyethylene glycol (Mw=1500) was successfully coupled to the surface of nano-size apatite particles (nano-apatite). Various methods were used to characterize the surface-modified nano-apatite. Infra-red spectra confirmed the existence of a layer of polymer with both urethane and ether linkage on the surface of nano-apatite. The amount of grafted polymer as determined by total organic carbon analysis (TOC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was about 20% in weight. Solid 1H MAS NMR spectra indicated that the amount of hydroxyl groups of nano-apatite was decreased by 7.7% after surface grafting reaction. It is concluded that the surface hydroxyl groups of nano-apatite have the reactivity towards isocyanate groups.
Three-dimensional (3D) fiber deposition (3DF), a rapid prototyping technology, was successfully d... more Three-dimensional (3D) fiber deposition (3DF), a rapid prototyping technology, was successfully directly applied to produce novel 3D porous Ti6Al4V scaffolds with fully interconnected porous networks and highly controllable porosity and pore size. A key feature of this technology is the 3D computer-controlled fiber depositing of Ti6Al4V slurry at room temperature to produce a scaffold, consisting of layers of directionally aligned Ti6Al4V fibers. In this study, the Ti6Al4V slurry was developed for the 3D fiber depositing process, and the parameters of 3D fiber depositing were optimized. The experimental results show how the parameters influence the structure of porous scaffold. The potential of this rapid prototyping 3DF system for fabricating 3D Ti6Al4V scaffolds with regular and reproducible architecture meeting the requirements of tissue engineering and orthopedic implants is demonstrated.
This paper brings together two ideas about social relations with the material world that emerged ... more This paper brings together two ideas about social relations with the material world that emerged at the end of the twentieth century; the hypothesis of 'extended mind' and the discussion of the 'morality of things'. While each was provoked by the emergence of new technology both apply to all material life. Both challenge the traditional ideas of mind and morality as being intrinsic capacities of individual human beings and point to the importance of material things in the workings of the mind and moral agency. Although such challenges are far from new and both ideas have limitations, when taken together they are welcomed, for directing attention to and suggesting a mode of analysis of the moral consequences of technical change. However, the really difficult and urgent issue is to apply such an approach to the moral consequences of collective minds that are extended into things.
The idea of an 'extended mind' (Clark and Chalmers 1998) has, over the last decade and half, stim... more The idea of an 'extended mind' (Clark and Chalmers 1998) has, over the last decade and half, stimulated considerable close debate amongst philosophers of cognition about whether a notebook can contain beliefs, what needs to be present for a claim of an extended mind (EM) or whether such a thing is ever possible. This paper argues from the perspective of phenomenology, informed by sociological and technological understanding, that the concepts of 'active externalism' and EM are mundane and ordinary. As well as the famous 'Otto's notebook' example, the authors introduce two very different scenarios to discuss the possible extremes of EM; repairing a bicycle wheel bearing and the driving of a driverless car. In each case the human mind extends into the thing but it never takes over those properties of mind that are exclusively human. The paper concludes that the EM debate may have little to say about minds as such but it does draw attention to the important issue of the changing nature of minds as the capacity of technology to be used by humans to undertake cognitive tasks, rapidly accelerates.
The integrity and thermal decomposition of calcium apatite are influenced by the underlying titan... more The integrity and thermal decomposition of calcium apatite are influenced by the underlying titanium during plasma-spraying deposition, especially at the apatite/titanium interface. The destruction of apatite at the interface is governed by substrate temperature, titanium catalysis, and its reaction with titanium dioxide produced from oxidation of titanium in the plasma gas. The apatite in the outer layer of coatings is affected mainly by the substrate temperature and can keep its integrity with a suitable plasma-spraying procedure to minimize the increase of substrate temperature. The heat treatment of the coatings in vacuum results in the decomposition of apatite to alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) and tetracalcium phosphate monoxide (TCPM) with the increase of intensity approaching the interface, which roughens the surface of the coatings. In the air-heat treatment, oxidation of titanium produces a thickened, dense rutile layer at the interface which prevents titanium atoms from diffusing into the coatings and inhibits the titanium-catalyzed decomposition of apatite. The apatite adjacent to the rutile layer reacts moderately with rutile to produce calcium titanate (CaTiO3), alpha- and beta-TCP, while the apatite in the outer layer, separated from the rutile layer, maintains its integrity without decomposition even in a prolonged air-heat treatment. The retention of apatite integrity leads to a decreased surface roughness of the coating.
With respect to the effect of material factors on calcium phosphate biomaterial-induced osteogene... more With respect to the effect of material factors on calcium phosphate biomaterial-induced osteogenesis, the osteoinductive property of two kinds of porous hydroxyapatite ceramics, which were made by different producers, was investigated in dorsal muscles of dogs. One hydroxyapatite ceramic (S-HA), macroporous implants with rough pore walls containing abundant micropores, was made by Sichuan Union University (Chengdu, China); the other hydroxyapatite ceramic (J-HA), porous implants with smooth macropore walls composed of regularly aligned crystal grains, was provided by Mitsubishi Ceramic Int. (Japan). Different tissue response was detected histologically and microradiographically after the ceramic samples had been implanted in dorsal muscles of dogs for 3 and 6 months. Bone formation was found in S-HA at 3 months, which increased at 6 months. In contrast, no bone formation was detected in J-HA at both 3 and 6 months. These results indicate that with the special architecture, calcium phosphate ceramic can induce bone formation in soft tissue. As both materials were very similar in their chemical and crystallographic structures, but varied in their microstructures, the latter seem to be an important factor affecting the osteoinductive capacity of calcium phosphate ceramics. These data suggest that, by controlling the preparation of calcium phosphate ceramic, bone substitutes with intrinsic osteoinductive property can be developed from calcium phosphates.
Dense (97–99.9%) hydroxylapatite ceramics were implanted in muscle and bone tissue of rats. The a... more Dense (97–99.9%) hydroxylapatite ceramics were implanted in muscle and bone tissue of rats. The aim of this study was to compare apatite implant material made of commercially available powder with laboratory powder prepared in a painstaking manner. Biocompatibility, biostability, and adherence to bone were evaluated. In muscle tissue the implants were found to be encapsulated with a very thin connective tissue layer. Implantation in excavated bone tissue resulted with new bone directly deposited against the implant surface, irrespective of the type of hydroxylapatite used. When the implants were protruding from the bone surface, bone appeared to grow up to the edge of the protruding part of the implant. A very strong bonding developed; push-out tests indicated that the bone fractured but never at the interface. Histologic studies proved that a sleeve of newly formed bone closely encased the implant, regardless of shape. It was concluded that dense apatite ceramics are fully compatible with the tibia of the rat and that no degradation of the implant material occurred for intervals of up to 6 months after implantation. The very strong bonding without mechanical retention indicated continuity between artificial hydroxylapatite and natural bone. No difference was found between the biological behavior of the hydroxylapatites prepared from commercial or laboratory starting powders.
Tensile strength testing of the interface between bone and a plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) c... more Tensile strength testing of the interface between bone and a plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coating-Ti-6Al-4V (implant I) and an HA coating-Ti (implant II) was performed. The bone-implant interface and tensile failure mode were evaluated by light microscopy (LM), SEM-energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and backscattered electron imaging. The crystallinity of the HA coating of implant I and implant II was 62 and 40%, respectively. Eleven semidisk implants of each type were inserted in the left tibia of 22 rabbits in each period. After 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks, the tensile strength of the bone-implant I was 0.86, 1.32, 1.10, and 0.92 MPa, respectively; the value of the bone-implant II was 0.66, 0.92, 0.84, and 1.12 MPa, respectively. No significant difference was found in tensile strength between implant I and implant II, and between the data of different periods. LM and SEM revealed that the two types of coatings behave the same in bone. Failure after the tensile test mainly occurred at the bony tissue at 2 and 4 weeks, inside the HA coating layer at 8 weeks, and at the HA coating-metal substrate interface at 16 weeks. Degradation and delamination of the HA coating continued with time, resulting in the interfacial tensile strength not increasing with time. Thus, we concluded that differences between the two implants, mainly the difference in crystallinity of the HA coating (62 vs. 40%), have no significant influence on bone bonding ability, bone bonding strength, tensile failure mode, and degradation of the coating.
In order to unravel the mechanism of osteoinduction by biomaterials, in this study we investigate... more In order to unravel the mechanism of osteoinduction by biomaterials, in this study we investigated the influence of the specific surface area on osteoinductive properties of two types of calcium phosphate ceramics. Different surface areas of the ceramics were obtained by varying their sintering temperatures.Hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramic was sintered at 1150 and 1250 °C. Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic, consisting of HA and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), was sintered at 1100, 1150 and 1200 °C.Changes in sintering temperature did not influence the chemistry of the ceramics; HA remained pure after sintering at different temperatures and the weight ratio of HA and β-TCP in the BCP was independent of the temperature as well. Similarly, macroporosity of the ceramics was unaffected by the changes of the sintering temperature. However, microporosity (pore diameter <10 μm) significantly decreased with increasing sintering temperature. In addition to the decrease of the microporosity, the crystal size increased with increasing sintering temperature. These two effects resulted in a significant decrease of the specific surface area of the ceramics with increasing sintering temperatures.Samples of HA1150, HA1250, BCP1100, BCP1150 and BCP1200 were implanted in the back muscles of Dutch milk goats and harvested at 6 and 12 weeks post implantation. After explantation, histomorphometrical analysis was performed on all implants.All implanted materials except HA1250 induced bone. However, large variations in the amounts of induced bone were observed between different materials and between individual animals.Histomorphometrical results showed that the presence of micropores within macropore walls is necessary to make a material osteoinductive. We postulate that introduction of microporosity within macropores, and consequent increase of the specific surface area, affects the interface dynamics of the ceramic in such a way that relevant cells are triggered to differentiate into the osteogenic lineage.
Bone induction by different calcium phosphate biomaterials has been reported previously. With reg... more Bone induction by different calcium phosphate biomaterials has been reported previously. With regard to (1) whether the induced bone would disappear with time due to the absence of mechanical stresses and (2) whether this heterotopically formed bone would give rise to uncontrolled growth, a long-time investigation of porous hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA), porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (TCP/HA, BCP), porous α-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (α-TCP) and porous β-tricalcium phosphate ceramic (β-TCP) was performed in dorsal muscles of dog, for 2.5 years. Histological observation, backscattered scanning electron microscopy observation and histomorphometric analysis were made on thin un-decalcified sections of retrieved samples. Normal compact bone with bone marrow was found in all HA implants (n=4) and in all BCP implants (n=4), 48±4% pore area was filled with bone in HA implants and 41±2% in BCP implants. Bone-like tissue, which was a mineralised bone matrix with osteocytes but lacked osteoblasts and bone marrow, was found in all β-TCP implants (n=4) and in one of the four α-TCP implants. Both normal bone and bone-like tissues were confined inside the pores of the implants. The results show that calcium phosphate ceramics are osteoinductive in muscles of dogs. Although the quality and quantity varied among different ceramics, the induced bone in both HA and BCP ceramics did neither disappear nor grow uncontrollably during the period as long as 2.5 years.
A three-dimensional carbon/carbon composite (3D C/C) was studied as potential bone-repairing mate... more A three-dimensional carbon/carbon composite (3D C/C) was studied as potential bone-repairing material; its major mechanical properties were found to be closer to those of human bone than other common bone-repairing materials available. In vitro calcification tests revealed that as-received 3D C/C is almost bioinert in simulated body fluid (SBF) over an immersion period of 4 weeks. To improve the bioactivity of 3D C/C, surface modification was accomplished through two practical routes: (1) grafting with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and (2) phosphorylation and precalcification. After grafting with alpha, omega di(aminopropyl) polyethylene glycol 800 (NH2-PEG-NH2), a continuous layer of calcium phosphate was formed on the surface of 3D C/C in SBF after 4 weeks. Phosphorylated 3D C/C samples have the ability to induce apatite precipitation after precalcification in a saturated Ca(OH)2 solution for 1 week. To speed up the coating process, a calcification solution with collagen was developed in which a collagen/apatite coating layer can be formed on 3D C/C in 9 h in ambient conditions.
The nucleation and growth of a calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coating deposited on titanium implants fr... more The nucleation and growth of a calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coating deposited on titanium implants from simulated body fluid was investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Forty titanium alloy plates were assigned into two groups. One group with a smooth surface having a maximum roughness Rmax<0.10 μm (s-Ti6Al4V) and a group with a rough surface with an Rmax<0.25 μm (r-Ti6Al4V) were used. Titanium samples were immersed in SBF concentrated by five (SBF×5) from 10 min to 5 h and examined by AFM and ESEM. Scattered Ca-P deposits of approximately 15 nm in diameter appeared after only 10 min of immersion in SBF×5. These Ca-P deposits grew up to 60–100 nm after 4 h on both s- and r-Ti6Al4V substrates. With increasing immersion time, the packing of Ca-P deposits with size of tens of nanometers in diameter formed larger globules and then a continuous Ca-P film on titanium substrates. A direct contact between the Ca-P coating and the Ti6Al4V surface was observed. The Ca-P coating was composed of nanosized deposits and of an interfacial glassy matrix. This interfacial glassy matrix might ensure the adhesion between the Ca-P coating and the Ti6Al4V substrate. In the case of s-Ti6Al4V substrate, failures within this interfacial glassy matrix were observed overtime. Part of the glassy matrix remained on s-Ti6Al4V while part detached with the Ca-P film. The Ca-P coating detached from the smooth substrate, whereas the Ca-P film extended onto the whole rough titanium surface over time. In the case of r-Ti6Al4V, the Ca-P coating covered evenly the substrate after immersion in SBF×5 for 5 h. The present study suggested that the heterogeneous nucleation of Ca-P on titanium was immediate and did not depend on the Ti6Al4V surface topography. The further growth and mechanical attachment of the final Ca-P coating strongly depended on the surface, for which a rough topography was beneficial.
3D fiber deposition is a technique that allows the development of metallic scaffolds with accurat... more 3D fiber deposition is a technique that allows the development of metallic scaffolds with accurately controlled pore size, porosity and interconnecting pore size, which in turn permits a more precise investigation of the effect of structural properties on the in vivo behavior of biomaterials.This study analyzed the in vivo performance of titanium alloy scaffolds fabricated using 3D fiber deposition. The titanium alloy scaffolds with different structural properties, such as pore size, porosity and interconnecting pore size were implanted on the decorticated transverse processes of the posterior lumbar spine of 10 goats. Prior to implantation, implant structure and permeability were characterized. To monitor the bone formation over time, fluorochrome markers were administered at 3, 6 and 9 weeks and the animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks after implantation. Bone formation in the scaffolds was investigated by histology and histomorphometry of non-decalcified sections using traditional light- and epifluorescent microscopy. In vivo results showed that increase of porosity and pore size, and thus increase of permeability of titanium alloy implants positively influenced their osteoconductive properties.
Material-induced bone formation reported in canine, bovid, suid, and primate species does not oft... more Material-induced bone formation reported in canine, bovid, suid, and primate species does not often occur in lagomorph or rodent models. In this study, we test biphasic calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite- induced bone formation in subcutaneous pockets of mice and intramuscular pockets in rats, rabbits, and dogs. All scaffolds are of similar size, and all animals were sacrificed at 90 days post-implantation. In dogs (N = 8), all implants showed bone formation with significantly more bone formed in biphasic calcium phosphates (30 +/- 6%, N = 8) as compared to hydroxyapatite (14 +/- 5%, N = 8) (p = 0.003). Hydroxyapatite implants did not induce bone formation in mice, rats, or rabbits. Biphasic calcium phosphate induced bone in 6 of 8 scaffolds implanted in 4 rabbits and 3 of 16 scaffolds implanted in 16 mice, whereas it did not induce bone formation in any of the 8 rats. The results presented herein suggest that the incidence of material-induced bone formation varies with animal species and is related to the implant material used.
The in vivo behavior of a porous Ti6Al4V material that was produced by a positive replica techniq... more The in vivo behavior of a porous Ti6Al4V material that was produced by a positive replica technique, with and without an octacalcium phosphate (OCP) coating, has been studied both in the back muscle and femur of goats. Macro- and microporous biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic, known to be both osteoconductive and able to induce ectopic bone formation, was used for comparison purpose.The three groups of materials (Ti6Al4V, OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP) were implanted transcortically and intramuscularly for 6 and 12 weeks in 10 adult Dutch milk goats in order to study their osteointegration and osteoinductive potential.In femoral defects, both OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP were performing better than the uncoated Ti6Al4V, at both time points. BCP showed a higher bone amount than OCP Ti6Al4V after 6 weeks of implantation, while after 12 weeks, this difference was no longer significant.Ectopic bone formation was found in both OCP Ti6Al4V and BCP implants after 6 and 12 weeks. The quantity of ectopically formed bone was limited as was the amount of animals in which the bone was observed. Ectopic bone formation was not found in uncoated titanium alloy implants, suggesting that the presence of calcium phosphate (CaP) is important for bone induction.This study showed that CaPs in the form of coating on metal implants or in the form of bulk ceramic have a significantly positive effect on the bone healing process.
Since surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) play an important role in its performance, surfac... more Since surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) play an important role in its performance, surface modification of HA has gained much attention from researchers. Silane coupling agents have been the focus of the research. In this study, an effective surface modification method was developed using hexamethylene diisocyanate as a coupling agent. Polyethylene glycol (Mw=1500) was successfully coupled to the surface of nano-size apatite particles (nano-apatite). Various methods were used to characterize the surface-modified nano-apatite. Infra-red spectra confirmed the existence of a layer of polymer with both urethane and ether linkage on the surface of nano-apatite. The amount of grafted polymer as determined by total organic carbon analysis (TOC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was about 20% in weight. Solid 1H MAS NMR spectra indicated that the amount of hydroxyl groups of nano-apatite was decreased by 7.7% after surface grafting reaction. It is concluded that the surface hydroxyl groups of nano-apatite have the reactivity towards isocyanate groups.
Three-dimensional (3D) fiber deposition (3DF), a rapid prototyping technology, was successfully d... more Three-dimensional (3D) fiber deposition (3DF), a rapid prototyping technology, was successfully directly applied to produce novel 3D porous Ti6Al4V scaffolds with fully interconnected porous networks and highly controllable porosity and pore size. A key feature of this technology is the 3D computer-controlled fiber depositing of Ti6Al4V slurry at room temperature to produce a scaffold, consisting of layers of directionally aligned Ti6Al4V fibers. In this study, the Ti6Al4V slurry was developed for the 3D fiber depositing process, and the parameters of 3D fiber depositing were optimized. The experimental results show how the parameters influence the structure of porous scaffold. The potential of this rapid prototyping 3DF system for fabricating 3D Ti6Al4V scaffolds with regular and reproducible architecture meeting the requirements of tissue engineering and orthopedic implants is demonstrated.
This paper brings together two ideas about social relations with the material world that emerged ... more This paper brings together two ideas about social relations with the material world that emerged at the end of the twentieth century; the hypothesis of 'extended mind' and the discussion of the 'morality of things'. While each was provoked by the emergence of new technology both apply to all material life. Both challenge the traditional ideas of mind and morality as being intrinsic capacities of individual human beings and point to the importance of material things in the workings of the mind and moral agency. Although such challenges are far from new and both ideas have limitations, when taken together they are welcomed, for directing attention to and suggesting a mode of analysis of the moral consequences of technical change. However, the really difficult and urgent issue is to apply such an approach to the moral consequences of collective minds that are extended into things.
The idea of an 'extended mind' (Clark and Chalmers 1998) has, over the last decade and half, stim... more The idea of an 'extended mind' (Clark and Chalmers 1998) has, over the last decade and half, stimulated considerable close debate amongst philosophers of cognition about whether a notebook can contain beliefs, what needs to be present for a claim of an extended mind (EM) or whether such a thing is ever possible. This paper argues from the perspective of phenomenology, informed by sociological and technological understanding, that the concepts of 'active externalism' and EM are mundane and ordinary. As well as the famous 'Otto's notebook' example, the authors introduce two very different scenarios to discuss the possible extremes of EM; repairing a bicycle wheel bearing and the driving of a driverless car. In each case the human mind extends into the thing but it never takes over those properties of mind that are exclusively human. The paper concludes that the EM debate may have little to say about minds as such but it does draw attention to the important issue of the changing nature of minds as the capacity of technology to be used by humans to undertake cognitive tasks, rapidly accelerates.
Uploads
Papers by Klaas de Groot
Drafts by Klaas de Groot