Surface modifications of polycaprolactone (PCL) implants influence osseointegration by altering cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Osteon-like microtopography has been shown to enhance these parameters compared to untreated PCL. Additional treatments, such as cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and extracellular matrix (ECM) coatings, may further improve bioactivity. This study evaluates and compares the osteogenic potential of osteon-like […]
Swimming bacteria move through a fluid by actuating their moving body parts. They are force-free and can be described as hydrodynamic force dipoles: pushers or pullers. This modelling description is broadly used in biological physics and active matter research, and it has successfully predicted, for example, the superfluid behaviour of suspensions of pushers or the […]
The success of cardiovascular devices is hindered by non-physiological flow conditions and surface materials, which can trigger platelet activation and lead to thrombus formation with severe consequences for patients. While anticoagulation treatments help prevent thrombus formation, they can compromise hemostasis and thereby increase the risk of bleeding. In this study, physical surface modifications through specific […]
In the pursuit of realizing reliable clean energy generation via inertial confinement fusion (ICF), wetted foam (WF) capsule targets have long been coveted due to their potential to simplify the target fielding process and suppress hydrodynamic instabilities and material mixing that limit achievable energy output, yet producing and deploying a WF target has proven challenging. […]
The detection of trace gases is crucial in environmental monitoring, industrial safety, and medical diagnostics. Optical sensing technologies, particularly those leveraging photothermal spectroscopy, offer high sensitivity and selectivity, enabling the identification of gases based on their unique absorption spectra. Among these, photothermal interferometry offers exceptional sensitivity due to its use of an interferometric signal transducer. […]
Surfaces become “sticky” at the micro/nano length scale as the gravitational force is no longer effective. Ultragentle, high-contrast switching of interfacial adhesion is the key to reliable small-scale object manipulation. Here, a novel approach is presented for surface adhesion control utilizing a liquid-permeable nanoporous surface, which can switch from off-state adhesion (< 0.002 kPa) to […]
Electrochemical sensors offer the advantages of low cost, high sensitivity, and miniaturization for a wide range of biological applications, including in situ detection of cell metabolites and monitoring cell behavior in real time. However, the complex matrix in biosystems often leads to electrode fouling and inferior sensing performance. In addition to chemical barriers featuring assorted […]
Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is a cutting-edge technique for fabricating precise micro- and nanostructures, with applications in photonics, biomedical engineering, and micro-optics. A critical factor influencing the optical performance of 2PP-fabricated structures is the refractive index (RI) of the printed parts. This study analyzes the refractive indices of three resins developed by UpNano GmbH. Using a […]
The attributes of implant surfaces are pivotal for successful osseointegration. Among surface engineering strategies, microtopography stands out as a promising approach to promote early cellular interactions. This study aims to design and craft a novel biomimetic osteon-like surface modification and to compare its impact on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) with four established topographies: blank, […]
The growing importance of submicrometer-structured surfaces across a variety of different fields has driven progress in light manipulation, color diversity, water-repellency, and functional enhancements. To enable mass production, processes like hot-embossing (HE), roll-to-roll replication (R2R), and injection molding (IM) are essential due to their precision and material flexibility. However, these processes are tool-based manufacturing (TBM) […]
