Tomasz Kurzynowski

Pamidronate Enhances Bacterial Adhesion to Bone Hydroxyapatite. Another Puzzle in the Pathology of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw?

PURPOSE Bacterial colonization of the denuded bone in bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw suggests that bisphosphonates increase bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. This study evaluated the adhesion of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria on hydroxyapatite coated with pamidronate, one of the most potent bisphosphonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-five Staphylococcus aureus and 25 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were cultured on pamidronate-coated and uncoated hydroxyapatite discs. After incubation, nonadherent bacteria were removed by rinsing and centrifugation. Formation of a biofilm was confirmed by confocal laser 3-dimensional and scanning electron microscopy. The number of bacterial colonies was counted using quantitative cultures and mean numbers were compared using the Mann-Whitney rank sum test (statistical significance defined as P ≤ .05). The Hartree-Fock method was used for the calculation of electron interactions between hydroxyapatite ions and pamidronate. RESULTS Fold increases in the number of colonies formed by S aureus and P aeruginosa in the presence of pamidronate compared with controls were 7.19 ± 4.127 and 2.87 ± 0.622, respectively. Hartree-Fock analysis showed that the reactive NH3(+) group of pamidronate may act as a steric factor, facilitating anchoring of bacteria to the hydroxyapatite surface. Alternatively, the NH3(+) group may attract bacteria by direct electrostatic interaction. CONCLUSIONS Increased bacterial adhesion in the presence of bisphosphonates can promote osteomyelitis in patients with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. There may be increased infection rates when bisphosphonates are used for stabilization of prostheses in joint arthroplasty and in osteotomies and open fractures in patients treated with bisphosphonates.

Parameters in selective laser melting for processing metallic powders

The paper presents results of studies on Selective Laser Melting. SLM is an additive manufacturing technology which may be used to process almost all metallic materials in the form of powder. Types of energy emission sources, mainly fiber lasers and/or Nd:YAG laser with similar characteristics and the wavelength of 1,06 - 1,08 microns, are provided primarily for processing metallic powder materials with high absorption of laser radiation. The paper presents results of selected variable parameters (laser power, scanning time, scanning strategy) and fixed parameters such as the protective atmosphere (argon, nitrogen, helium), temperature, type and shape of the powder material. The thematic scope is very broad, so the work was focused on optimizing the process of selective laser micrometallurgy for producing fully dense parts. The density is closely linked with other two conditions: discontinuity of the microstructure (microcracks) and stability (repeatability) of the process. Materials used for the research were stainless steel 316L (AISI), tool steel H13 (AISI), and titanium alloy Ti6Al7Nb (ISO 5832-11). Studies were performed with a scanning electron microscope, a light microscopes, a confocal microscope and a μCT scanner.

Composite Laser-Clad Coating on Titanium Substrate Using Pure Hydroxyapatite Powder

Biocomposite (or bioceramic) materials have become very popular, especially for replacing some human bone parts, such as hip joints, knee joints, and producing implants for dentistry and others. It is supposed that cladding coatings with hydroxyapatite (HA) on a metallic substrate could be a good solution for implants. Production of laser cladding coatings using pure HA powder and titanium substrate is investigated.

Fatigue Crack Growth Rates and Tensile Strength of Titanium Produced by Means of Selective Laser Melting

Mini-samples technique was utilized to determine mechanical properties of technically pure titanium produced by means of selective laser melting (SLM). Full-field digital image correlation (DIC) measurements and inverse method were applied for crack tip position and stress intensity factors calculations in the case of fatigue crack growth rate tests. DIC was also used for strain measurement during tensile tests on sub sized samples. There was studied the influence of samples orientation on the mechanical properties of mini-samples. Samples were cut out from rectangular cubes and were oriented with 0°, 45° or 90° angle to the direction of laser beam travel. There were also tested samples directly produced via SLM. Additionally microstructure observations were performed to verify the quality of SLM processed materials and explain mechanical properties variations.

Porosity Detection by Computed Tomography

Industrial computed tomography (CT) supports quality inspection of manufactured technical objects and product development thanks to its possibility of non-destructive detection of porosity. Application of computed tomography to porosity detection permits not only qualitative evaluation of internal structure of objects, but also quantitative evaluation of material porosity with representation of three-dimensional shape of pores and their spatial distribution. The paper presents a brief characteristic of the factors influencing effectiveness of porosity detection by CT. A technical example illustrates influence of the applied magnification on the possibility to detect porosity and represent shapes of pores. Next, the results of porosity evaluation obtained by CT and by standard microscopic examinations are compared. It was demonstrated that result of porosity detection is influenced by magnification and resolution of CT measurements.

The process development of laser surface modification of commercially pure titanium (Grade 2) with rhenium

The paper presents the results of the process development of laser surface modification of commercially pure titanium with rhenium. The criterion of the successful/optimal process is the repetitive geometry of the surface, characterized by predictable and repetitive chemical composition over its entire surface as well as special mechanical properties (hardness and wear resistance). The analysis of surface geometry concluded measurements of laser penetration depth and heat affected zone (HAZ), the width of a single track as well as width of a clad. The diode laser installed on the industrial robot carried out the laser treatment. This solution made possible the continuous supply of powder to the substrate during the process. The aim of an investigation is find out the possibility of improving the tribological characteristics of the surface due to the rhenium alloying. The verification of the surface properties (tribological) concluded geometry measurements, microstructure observation, hardness tests and evaluation of wear resistance.