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Objective: Implant-related infection is a devastating complication in orthopedic surgery. Aiming to minimize this problem, many material modifications have been developed. Here we report a study of a surface modification of Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy using a methodology that enables the study of interactions between bacteria and the material in the presence of eukaryotic cells., Methods: We mixed different concentrations of collection or clinical strains of staphylococci isolated from implant-related infections with preosteoblastic cells using a previously published methodology, analyzing the minimal concentration of bacteria able to colonize the surface of the material through image analysis. Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy was modified by anodization to obtain two F-doped nanostructured surfaces that have been previously described to have antibacterial properties., Results: Our results show similar bacterial adhesion results to nanoporous and nanotubular F-doped surfaces. The presence of preosteoblastic cells increases the adherence of all bacterial strains to both structures. No effect of the surface on eukaryotic cells adherence was detected., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first time that anin vitro study emulating the race for the surface evaluates and compares the osseointegration and antibacterial properties between two nanostructured- modified titanium alloy surfaces. Clinical strains show different behavior from collection ones in bacterial adherence. The presence of cells increased bacterial adherence. NP and NT surface modifications didn´t show significant differences in bacterial adhesion and preosteoblastic cells integration., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chronic osteomyelitis is a challenging setback to the orthopedic surgeons in deciding an optimal therapeutic strategy. Conversely, patients feel frustrated of the therapeutic outcomes and development of adverse drug effects, if any. Present investigation deals with extensive approach incorporating in vivo animal experimentation and human application to treat chronic osteomyelitis, using antibiotic loaded porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Micro- to macro-porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds impregnated with antibiotic ceftriaxone-sulbactam sodium (CFS) were fabricated and subsequently evaluated by in vivo animal model after developing osteomyelitis in rabbit tibia. Finally 10 nos. of human osteomyelitis patients involving long bone and mandible were studied for histopathology, radiology, pus culture, 3D CT etc. up to 8-18 months post-operatively. It was established up to animal trial stage that 50N50H samples [with 50-55% porosity, average pore size 110 μm, higher interconnectivity (10-100 μm), and moderately high drug adsorption efficiency (50%)] showed efficient drug release up to 42 days than parenteral group based on infection eradication and new bone formation. In vivo human bone showed gradual evidence of new bone formation and fracture union with organized callus without recurrence of infection even after 8 months. This may be a new, alternative, cost effective and ideal therapeutic strategy for chronic osteomyelitis treatment in human patients., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fluorescently labeled hemocyanin has been previously proposed as an oxygen sensor. In this study, we explored the efficacy of this biosensor for monitoring the biological oxygen consumption of bacteria and its use in testing bacterial cell growth and viability of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Staphylococcus simulans. Using a microwell plate, the time courses for the complete deoxygenation of samples with different initial concentrations of cells were obtained and the doubling times were extracted. The applicability of our fluorescence-based cell growth assay as an antibacterial drug screening method was also explored. The results provide a proof-of-principle for a simple, quantitative, and sensitive method for high-throughput monitoring of prokaryotic cell growth and antibiotic susceptibility screening.

The interaction of several common strains of bacteria with rabbit or human platelets in vitro has been examined sequentially with scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Bacteria were added to platelets in their native plasma or to washed platelets in a balanced salt solution at ratios of about 1:1 or at low bacteria to platelet ratios (down to 1:100). The platelet-bacterial interaction (PBI) was studied with recording nephelometry. Matched samples were fixed for microscopy at various points in the aggregation response. The results support these conclusions: a) Bacteria stimulate platelet aggregation by direct contact and adhesion with the platelet surface. b) Adhesion between the two cell types requires divalent cations, occurs through fusion of normal cell-surface coats and appears identical in the presence or absence of extracellular plasma protein. c) The morphologic transformation of platelets during PBI is identical to that produced by collagen. d) During PBI the bacteria are incorporated into the forming platelet aggregates and reside predominantly intercellularly. e) Phagocytosis of bacteria by a single platelet is very rare. f) Bacteria which have resided within platelet aggregates for one hour are unaltered morphologically. g) PBI occurs even at very low bacterial numbers and produces platelet-bacterial aggregates in small numbers without stimulating generalized platelet aggregation. Methods for concentration of thrombocytopenic plasma and washing human platelets are presented.