Project description:Tooth-supporting periodontium forms a complex with multiple tissues, including cementum, periodontal ligament (PDL), and alveolar bone. In this study, we developed multiphase region-specific microscaffolds with spatiotemporal delivery of bioactive cues for integrated periodontium regeneration. Polycarprolactione-hydroxylapatite (90:10 wt%) scaffolds were fabricated using three-dimensional printing seamlessly in three phases: 100-?m microchannels in Phase A designed for cementum/dentin interface, 600-?m microchannels in Phase B designed for the PDL, and 300-?m microchannels in Phase C designed for alveolar bone. Recombinant human amelogenin, connective tissue growth factor, and bone morphogenetic protein-2 were spatially delivered and time-released in Phases A, B, and C, respectively. Upon 4-week in vitro incubation separately with dental pulp stem/progenitor cells (DPSCs), PDL stem/progenitor cells (PDLSCs), or alveolar bone stem/progenitor cells (ABSCs), distinctive tissue phenotypes were formed with collagen I-rich fibers especially by PDLSCs and mineralized tissues by DPSCs, PDLSCs, and ABSCs. DPSC-seeded multiphase scaffolds upon in vivo implantation yielded aligned PDL-like collagen fibers that inserted into bone sialoprotein-positive bone-like tissue and putative cementum matrix protein 1-positive/dentin sialophosphoprotein-positive dentin/cementum tissues. These findings illustrate a strategy for the regeneration of multiphase periodontal tissues by spatiotemporal delivery of multiple proteins. A single stem/progenitor cell population appears to differentiate into putative dentin/cementum, PDL, and alveolar bone complex by scaffold's biophysical properties and spatially released bioactive cues.
Project description:3D printing is a rapidly growing area of interest within pharmaceutical science thanks to its versatility in creating different dose form geometries and drug doses to enable the personalisation of medicines. Research in this area has been dominated by polymer-based materials; however, for poorly water-soluble lipophilic drugs, lipid formulations present advantages in improving bioavailability. This study progresses the area of 3D-printed solid lipid formulations by providing a 3D-printed dissolvable polymer scaffold to compartmentalise solid lipid formulations within a single dosage form. This allows the versatility of different drugs in different lipid formulations, loaded into different compartments to generate wide versatility in drug release, and specific control over release geometry to tune release rates. Application to a range of drug molecules was demonstrated by incorporating the model lipophilic drugs; halofantrine, lumefantrine and clofazimine into the multicompartmental scaffolded tablets. Fenofibrate was used as the model drug in the single compartment scaffolded tablets for comparison with previous studies. The formulation-laden scaffolds were characterised using X-ray CT and dispersion of the formulation was studied using nephelometry, while release of a range of poorly water-soluble drugs into different gastrointestinal media was studied using HPLC. The studies show that dispersion and drug release are predictably dependent on the exposed surface area-to-volume ratio (SA:V) and independent of the drug. At the extremes of SA:V studied here, within 20 min of dissolution time, formulations with an SA:V of 0.8 had dispersed to between 90 and 110%, and completely released the drug, where as an SA:V of 0 yielded 0% dispersion and drug release. Therefore, this study presents opportunities to develop new dose forms with advantages in a polypharmacy context.
Project description:BackgroundPeripheral pulmonary lesion (PPL) incidence is rising because of increased chest imaging sensitivity and frequency. For PPLs suspicious for lung cancer, current clinical guidelines recommend tissue diagnosis. Radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) is a bronchoscopic technique used for this purpose. It has been observed that diagnostic yield is impacted by the ability to accurately manipulate the radial probe. However, such skills can be acquired, in part, from simulation training. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been used to produce training simulators for standard bronchoscopy but has not been specifically used to develop similar tools for R-EBUS.ObjectiveWe report the development of a novel ultrasound-compatible, anatomically accurate 3D-printed R-EBUS simulator and evaluation of its utility as a training tool.MethodsComputed tomography images were used to develop 3D-printed airway models with ultrasound-compatible PPLs of "low" and "high" technical difficulty. Twenty-one participants were allocated to two groups matched for prior R-EBUS experience. The intervention group received 15 minutes to pretrain R-EBUS using a 3D-printed model, whereas the nonintervention group did not. Both groups then performed R-EBUS on 3D-printed models and were evaluated using a specifically developed assessment tool.ResultsFor the "low-difficulty" model, the intervention group achieved a higher score (21.5 ± 2.02) than the nonintervention group (17.1 ± 5.7), reflecting 26% improvement in performance (P = 0.03). For the "high-difficulty" model, the intervention group scored 20.2 ± 4.21 versus 13.3 ± 7.36, corresponding to 52% improvement in performance (P = 0.02). Participants derived benefit from pretraining with the 3D-printed model, regardless of prior experience level.Conclusion3D-printing can be used to develop simulators for R-EBUS education. Training using these models significantly improves procedural performance and is effective in both novice and experienced trainees.
Project description:Herein, we present an approach for the rapid, straightforward and economical preparation of a tailored reactor device using three-dimensional (3D) printing, which can be directly linked to a high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) for real-time, in-line observations. To highlight the potential of the setup, supramolecular coordination chemistry was carried out in the device, with the product of the reactions being recorded continuously and in parallel by ESI-MS. Utilising in-house-programmed computer control, the reactant flow rates and order were carefully controlled and varied, with the changes in the pump inlets being mirrored by the recorded ESI-MS spectra.
Project description:ObjectiveTechnological developments have made it possible to create simulation models to educate clinicians on surgical techniques and patient preparation. In this study, we created an inexpensive lumbar spine phantom using patient data and analyzed its usefulness in clinical education.MethodsThis randomized comparative study used computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging data from a single patient to print a three-dimensional (3D) bone framework and create a mold. The printed bones and structures made from the mold were placed in a simulation model that was used to train residents. The residents were divided into two groups: Group L, which received only an audiovisual lecture, and Group P, which received an additional 1 hour of training using the 3D phantom. The performance of both groups was evaluated using pretest and post-test analyses.ResultsBoth the checklist and global rating scores increased after training in both groups. However, some variables improved significantly only in Group P. The overall satisfaction score was also higher in Group P than in Group L.ConclusionsWe have described a method by which medical doctors can create a spine simulation phantom and have demonstrated its efficiency for procedural education.
Project description:The transcatheter approach is nowadays considered a cost-effective alternative to surgery in adults with "complex" aortic coarctation. The printed 3D model was crucial in planning transcatheter treatment of a complex case of postsurgical aortic re-coarctation, due to coexistence of transverse aortic arch stenosis and pseudoaneurysm as well as aneurysm of the descending aorta. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).
Project description:In this study, we investigated the effect of oxygen tension on the expansion of ADMSCs and on their differentiation toward their chondrocytic phenotype, regenerating a lab-based cartilaginous tissue with superior characteristics. Controversial results with reference to MSCs that were cultured under different hypoxic levels, mainly in 2D culturing settings combined with or without other biochemical stimulus factors, prompted our team to study the role of hypoxia on MSCs chondrogenic differentiation within an absolute 3D environment. Specifically, we used 3D-printed honeycomb-like PCL matrices seeded with ADMSCs in the presence or absence of TGF and cultured with a prototype 3D cell culture device, which was previously shown to favor nutrient/oxygen supply, cell adhesion, and infiltration within scaffolds. These conditions resulted in high-quality hyaline cartilage that was distributed uniformly within scaffolds. The presence of the TGF medium was necessary to successfully produce cartilaginous tissues with superior molecular and increased biomechanical properties. Despite hypoxia's beneficial effect, it was overall not enough to fully differentiate ADMSCs or even promote cell expansion within 3D scaffolds alone.
Project description:This is a 7-years single institution study on low-cost cardiac three-dimensional (3D) printing based on the use of free open-source programs and affordable printers and materials. The process of 3D printing is based on several steps (image acquisition, segmentation, mesh optimization, slicing, and three-dimensional printing). The necessary technology and the processes to set up an affordable three-dimensional printing laboratory are hereby described in detail. Their impact on surgical and interventional planning, medical training, communication with patients and relatives, patients' perception on care, and new cardiac device development was analyzed. A total of 138 low-cost heart models were designed and printed from 2013 to 2020. All of them were from different congenital heart disease patients. The average time for segmentation and design of the hearts was 136 min; the average time for printing and cleaning the models was 13.5 h. The average production cost of the models was €85.7 per model. This is the most extensive series of 3D printed cardiac models published to date. In this study, the possibility of manufacturing three-dimensional printed heart models in a low-cost facility fulfilling the highest requirements from a technical and clinical point of view is demonstrated.
Project description:BackgroundConsidering the complexity of vascular or bronchial variations and the difficulty of nodule localization during segmental resection, the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and printing model can provide a guarantee for safe operation and, to some extent, can simplify the surgical procedure. We conducted this study to estimate the avail of 3D reconstruction and personalized model in anatomical partial-lobectomy (APL).MethodsWe prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed the data of 298 cases who underwent APL in our institute from April 2017 to May 2019. The patients were divided into "3D-reconstruction" group (131 patients), "3D model" group (31 patients) and "non-3D" group (136 patients). We adopted the ANOVA analysis and Chi-square test to compare the perioperative data between the three groups. Subjective satisfaction questionnaires for surgeons were provided to evaluate the value of personalized 3D printed model.ResultsThe proportion of complex segmentectomy in 3D model group (87.1%) was significantly higher than that in the 3D-reconstruction group (60.3%) and non-3D group (55.9%) (P=0.006), and the average operation time of complex segmentectomy in 3D model group (99.56 minutes) was significantly shorter than that of the other group (all P<0.05). The average intraoperative blood loss in the 3D model group (12.9 mL) was significantly lower than that in the 3D reconstruction group (20.9 mL) (P=0.001) and non-3D group (18.2 mL) (P=0.022). For simple segmentectomy, the operation time, postoperative drainage, and postoperative hospital stay were similar among the three groups. The questionnaire survey showed that most surgeons were satisfied with the clinical effectiveness of the personalized 3D printed model.Conclusions3D printing technology can improve understanding of the anatomy, decrease the operation time, and reduce the potential risk of thoracoscopic anatomical partial lobectomy in stage I lung cancer. A pre-operative rating scale was designed to standardize the application of this technology.