Evaluation of the osteogenesis and angiogenesis effects of erythropoietin and the efficacy of deproteinized bovine bone/recombinant human erythropoietin scaffold on bone defect repair

Erythropoietin (EPO) could promote the angiogenesis and may also play a role in bone regeneration. This study was conducted to evaluate the osteogenesis and angiogenesis effects of EPO and the efficacy of deproteinized bovine bone/recombinant human EPO scaffold on bone defect repair. Twenty-four healthy adult goats were chosen to build goat defects model and randomly divided into four groups. The goats were treated with DBB/rhEPO scaffolds (group A), porous DBB scaffolds (group B), autogenous cancellous bone graft (group C), and nothing (group D). Animals were evaluated with radiological and histological methods at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. The grey value of radiographs was used to evaluate the healing of the defects and the outcome revealed that the group A had a better outcome of defect healing compared with group B (P < 0.05). However, the grey values in group A were lower than group C at week 4 and week 8 (P < 0.05), but at week 12 their difference had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The newly formed bone area was calculated from histological sections and the results demonstrated that the amount of new bone in group A increased significantly compared with that in group B (P < 0.05) but was inferior to that in group C (P > 0.05) at 4, 8, 12 weeks respectively. In addition, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by immunohistochemical testing and real-time polymerase chain reaction at 12 weeks in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05), and also better than that in group C at week 4 and week 8 (P < 0.05), but at week 12 their difference had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Therefore, EPO has significant effects on bone formation and angiogenesis, and has capacity to promote the repair of bone defects. It is worthy of being recommended to further studies.     

Influence of the Preparation Conditions and Percolation Threshold on the Properties of Lead Zirconate Titanate/Cobalt Nickel Ferrite Magnetoelectric Composites

We have prepared magnetoelectric (ME) composite ceramics, free of foreign phases, in the lead zirconate titanate–cobalt nickel ferrite two-phase system: xPZT-36 + (100–x)Ni_0.9Co_0.1Fe₂O₄. The sol–gel derived ferrite powder used in our preparations seems to be doped with titanium cations from the PZT-36. The ceramics have a percolation threshold at x = 50–70 wt %, which is due to the increased electrical conductivity of Ni_0.9Co_0.1Fe₂O₄. As a consequence, the piezoelectric parameters of the ME ceramics drop sharply at x < 50–70 wt %: the piezoelectric moduli |d_ij| and piezoelectric voltage coefficients |g_ij| decrease by a factor of 3–5 in this composite range. The piezoelectric parameters |d_ij| and |g_ij| of the composites produced using the fine ferrite powder exceed those of the materials prepared using macrocrystalline Ni_0.9Co_0.1Fe₂O₄ powder by more than a factor of 2. The piezoelectric voltage coefficient g33 correlates with the ME coefficient ΔE/ΔH. The highest ME conversion efficiency (up to 45 mV/(cm Oe)) is offered by the 80 wt % PZT-36 + 20 wt % Ni_0.9Co_0.1Fe₂O₄ composites, whose composition lies in a subpercolation region. Even though the composites produced using the fine ferrite powder possess improved piezoelectric properties, they have smaller ΔE/ΔH coefficients (no greater than 25 mV/(cm Oe)), which can be tentatively attributed to the degradation of the properties of the ferrite as a consequence of doping with Ti⁴⁺ cations during the sintering of the composite ceramics.     

Hybrid Intercalative Nanocomposites

This review focuses on organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, a research area that has made rapid progress in recent years. Inorganic components (hosts) include both natural materials (clays, silicates, smectites, layered phosphates, and others) and compounds prepared by different synthetic techniques. Into their interlayer spaces, various organic guests—solvents, monomers, and polymers—can be intercalated. Among the hybrid nanocomposites analyzed in detail are those based on polyconjugated electrically conducting polymers, such as poly(aniline) and poly(pyrrole), and various mineral matrices. Particular attention is paid to polymer-metal chalcogenide nanocomposites and their applications as semiconducting materials. One of the most common and practically important intracrystalline processes in the fabrication of hybrid nanocomposites is the incorporation of monomer molecules into pores of the host, followed by controlled internal transformations into polymer, oligomer, or hybrid-sandwich products (in situ postintercalative transformations). This approach is often called “ship-in-the-bottle” polymerization. Another widely used approach is the incorporation of macromolecules into layered host lattices from solutions or melts. This process offers the possibility of producing graphite intercalation compounds and inorganic-organic multilayer composites, including self-assembled nanocomposites in the form of (P/M) _n multilayers, where M and P are oppositely charged inorganic and polymer nanolayers.     

Influence of the Hybrid Combination of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Oxide on Interlaminar Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Laminates

An effective strategy to improve the mode I and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (G _IC and G _IIC ) of unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy (CF/E) laminates using a hybrid combination of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) is reported. Double cantilever beam (DCB) and end notched flexure (ENF) tests were conducted to evaluate the G _IC and G _IIC of the CF/E laminates fabricated with sprayed MWCNTs, GO and MWCNTs/GO hybrid. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe the fracture surfaces of tested DCB and ENF specimens. Experimental results showed the positive effect on the G _IC and G _IIC by 17% and 14% improvements on CF/E laminates with 0.25 wt.% MWCNTs/GO hybrid content compared to the neat CF/E. Also, the interlaminar shear strength value was increased for MWCNTs/GO-CF/E laminates. A synergetic effect between MWCNTs and GO resulted in improved interlaminar mechanical properties of CF/E laminates made by prepregs.     

Human amniotic membrane for guided bone regeneration of calvarial defects in mice

Due to its biological properties, human amniotic membrane (hAM) is widely studied in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. hAM is already very attractive for wound healing and it may be helpful as a support for bone regeneration. However, few studies assessed its potential for guided bone regeneration (GBR). The purpose of the present study was to assess the potential of the hAM as a membrane for GBR. In vitro, cell viability in fresh and cryopreserved hAM was assessed. In vivo, we evaluated the impact of fresh versus cryopreserved hAM, using both the epithelial or the mesenchymal layer facing the defect, on bone regeneration in a critical calvarial bone defect in mice. Then, the efficacy of cryopreserved hAM associated with a bone substitute was compared to a collagen membrane currently used for GBR. In vitro, no statistical difference was observed between the conditions concerning cell viability. Without graft material, cryopreserved hAM induced more bone formation when the mesenchymal layer covered the defect compared to the defect left empty. When associated with a bone substitute, such improved bone repair was not observed. These preliminary results suggest that cryopreserved hAM has a limited potential for GBR.

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Preparation of value added composite boards using finished leather waste and plant fibers—a waste utilization effort in Ethiopia

Preparation of composite materials with better mechanical properties and agreeable use is a need of the time for the reason that it is eco-friendly. Having this objective in mind, the work of preparing value-added leather composites using finished leather waste and various plant fibers as raw materials is done in the laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Central Leather Research Institute, India. In the leather goods and footwear manufacturing industries, about 20–30% of leather is discarded as waste, and presently it is imperative to make effort to utilize this waste in Ethiopia because it is huge and untapped resource. The recycled leather (RCL) as control and its composite boards (CBs) which are the mixtures of leather fibers with plant fibers like jute (Corchorus trilocularis L.), hibiscus (Hibiscus cannabinus), sisal (Agave sisalana), palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and enset (Ensete ventricosum) in the proportion of 10, 20, 30, and 40% are characterized for their physicochemical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, stitch tear strength, water absorption, water desorption, and flexing strength), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Composites exhibited better mechanical properties compared to those of control boards. SEM pictures showed the composite nature of the boards. TGA studies revealed better thermal stability for composites. In the DSC study, the CBs of RCL-S and RCL-P exhibited higher melting point values than those of RCL-J, RCL-H, and RCL-E samples. Based on these results, all the composite boards may be used as raw material for the preparation of consumer products such as insoles, chapel-uppers, wallets, light hand bags, mouse pads, roofing, wall partitioning, and components of furniture and interior decorations.     

Extensions of the U* theory for applications on orthotropic composites and nonlinear elastic materials

To improve the performance and the efficiency of a structure, it is essential to understand how the applied loads are transferred through the structure. The U* index was introduced as one of the methods for identifying the load transfer paths within structures. It has increasingly been used by industry due to its unique capability in structural analysis and design. However, the feasibility of the U* theory for composite materials has not been demonstrated yet. Meanwhile, the U* index was only arisen for linear elastic materials, as a result it is invalid for materials with nonlinear elasticity. In this paper, two modified load transfer indexes for orthotropic composites (\(U_{O}^{*}\)) and nonlinear elastic materials (\(U_{NL}^{*}\)) are proposed based on the basic U* theory, respectively. The computational process of both the \(U_{O}^{*}\) and the \(U_{NL}^{*}\) indexes is presented. The effectiveness of the proposed indexes on load transfer analysis is demonstrated through four case studies.     

Shape-Anisotropic Nickel-PDMS Composites with Uniaxial Magnetic Anisotropy Obtained by Emulsification Under Magnetic Field

Magnetic microcomposites were fabricated by emulsification of a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nickel microparticles. The composites were obtained in a temperature-controlled water-surfactant media with and without the influence of an external magnetic field. The presence of a moderate external magnetic field of 80 G (8 mT) during the polymerization stage leads to the arrangement of nickel microparticles into chains that form the magnetic core of the synthesized composites. The method allows controlling the shape of the composite particles by applying a magnetic field and varying the stirring speed. Three shapes of composite particles, namely spherical, teardrops, and ellipsoidal, were obtained and magnetically characterized. Room temperature hysteresis loops and dM/dH versus H curves in the second-to-third quadrants show that spherical particles are isotropic while non-spherical particles show an induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy which depends on the shape of the resulting composite particles.     

Comparative study on the role of gelatin,chitosan and their combination as tissue engineered scaffolds on healing and regeneration of critical sized bone defects: an in vivo study

Gelatin and chitosan are natural polymers that have extensively been used in tissue engineering applications. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of chitosan and gelatin or combination of the two biopolymers (chitosan–gelatin) as bone scaffold on bone regeneration process in an experimentally induced critical sized radial bone defect model in rats. Fifty radial bone defects were bilaterally created in 25 Wistar rats. The defects were randomly filled with chitosan, gelatin and chitosan–gelatin and autograft or left empty without any treatment (n?=?10 in each group). The animals were examined by radiology and clinical evaluation before euthanasia. After 8?weeks, the rats were euthanized and their harvested healing bone samples were evaluated by radiology, CT-scan, biomechanical testing, gross pathology, histopathology, histomorphometry and scanning electron microscopy. Gelatin was biocompatible and biodegradable in vivo and showed superior biodegradation and biocompatibility when compared with chitosan and chitosan–gelatin scaffolds. Implantation of both the gelatin and chitosan–gelatin scaffolds in bone defects significantly increased new bone formation and mechanical properties compared with the untreated defects (P?<?0.05). Combination of the gelatin and chitosan considerably increased structural and functional properties of the healing bones when compared to chitosan scaffold (P?<?0.05). However, no significant differences were observed between the gelatin and gelatin–chitosan groups in these regards (P?>?0.05). In conclusion, application of the gelatin alone or its combination with chitosan had beneficial effects on bone regeneration and could be considered as good options for bone tissue engineering strategies. However, chitosan alone was not able to promote considerable new bone formation in the experimentally induced critical-size radial bone defects.     

Strengthening in and fracture behaviour of CNT and carbon-fibre-reinforced epoxy–matrix hybrid composite

Advanced materials such as continuous fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composites offer significant enhancements in strength and fracture resistance properties as compared with their bulk, monolithic counterparts. In the present work, mode-I (tensile) fracture behaviour of the neat epoxy (without nano- or hybrid reinforcements), nanocomposite (with amino-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforcement to neat epoxy) and hybrid composite (with amino MWCNT and carbon fibre reinforcements to neat epoxy) along with their flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength has been reported and discussed. Limited topological studies have also been conducted to understand the nature of material fracture and its dependence on the notch orientation. The results thus obtained are analysed and discussed in detail to elucidate: (i) alignment of fibre and its influence on the anisotropy in strength and fracture resistance, (ii) dependence of notch root radii on the apparent fracture toughness and concurrence to strain-controlled fracture and (iii) finally, the nature of J–R curves. The results thus obtained have revealed that the resistance to fracture is significantly increased with the addition of amino-functionalized MWCNTs and carbon fibres. In the hybrid composite, fracture resistance is greater in the longitudinal orientation of fibres than in the transverse orientation and it exhibits a significantly higher strength–fracture toughness combination.     

Enhanced micro-vibration sensitive high-damping capacity and mechanical strength achieved in Al matrix composites reinforced with garnet-like lithium electrolyte

A novel micro-vibration sensitive-type high-damping Al matrix composites reinforced with Li_7-xLa₃Zr_2-xNb _x O₁₂ (LLZNO, x = 0.25) was designed and prepared using an advanced spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The damping capacity and mechanical properties of LLZNO/Al composites (LLZNO content: 0-40 wt.%) were found to be greatly improved by the LLZNO addition. The maximum damping capacity and the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of LLZNO/Al composite can be respectively up to 0.033 and 101.2 MPa in the case of 20 wt.% LLZNO addition. The enhancement of damping and mechanical properties of the composites was ascribed to the intrinsic high-damping capacity and strengthening effects of hard LLZNO particulate. This investigation provides a new insight to sensitively suppress micro-vibration of payloads in the aerospace environment.     

State of the art of macro-defect-free composites

Macro-defect-free (MDF) composites, developed and patented by scientists from Imperial Chemical Industries in the early 1980s, are very high strength cement–polymer composites. The preparation of MDF composites is different from the production of conventional cement paste in that high shearing with a roller mill as well as moderate pressure (about 5 MPa) and moderate temperature (about 80–100 °C) are applied during the production. Very low water/cement ratio (w/c) levels are achieved (as low as 0.10) in this composite, much lower than in other cement-based materials. Of the many unique properties exhibited by MDF composites, surely the most remarkable is their high flexural strength. This is generally attributed to their low porosity and to cross-linking reactions between cement and polymer. MDF composites may reach a flexural strength of 200–300 MPa levels, whereas ordinary cement pastes have generally around 5–10 MPa. However, serious durability problems are observed in MDF composites, particularly their significant reductions in strength when immersed in water. Comprehensive information about MDF composite research will help in understanding the reasons behind the high strength, microstructure and water sensitivity of MDF composites. This review summarizes the materials, production methods, properties, microstructure, hydration reactions, durability and potential application areas of MDF composites as published since 1981.     

Synthesis and properties of graphene and graphene/carbon nanotube-reinforced soft magnetic FeCo alloy composites by spark plasma sintering

The effect of the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and graphene nanoplatelet/carbon nanotube (GNT) mixtures on the mechanical and magnetic properties of spark plasma sintered soft magnetic FeCo alloys was studied. Three different volume fractions (0.5, 1 and 2 vol%) of GNPs and GNTs were investigated. Ball milling was used to disperse the GNPs in monolithic FeCo powder, while magnetic stirring and ultrasonic agitation were used to prepare hybrid GNT prior to ball milling. The highest saturation induction (B _sat) of 2.39 T was observed in the 1 vol% GNP composite. An increase in the volume fraction of the ordered nanocrystalline structure was found to reduce the coercivity (H _c) of the composites. The addition of CNTs to the GNP composite prevented grain growth, leading to grain refinement. An 18 % increase in hardness was observed in the 1 vol% GNP composite as compared to the as-received FeCo alloy. A reduction in tensile strength was observed in all of the composite materials, except for the 0.5 vol% GNT composite, for which a value of 643 MPa was observed. Raman spectroscopy indicated a reduction in the defect density of the GNPs after adding CNTs.     

Properties of anti-washout-type calcium silicate bone cements containing gelatin

Novel washout-resistant bone substitute materials consisting of gelatin-containing calcium silicate cements (CSCs) were developed. The washout resistance, setting time, diametral tensile strength (DTS), morphology, and phase composition of the hybrid cements were evaluated. The results indicated that the dominant phase of β-Ca₂SiO₄ for the SiO₂–CaO powders increased with an increase in the CaO content of the sols. After mixing with water, the setting times of the CSCs ranged from 10 to 29 min, increasing with a decrease in the amount of CaO in the sols. Addition of gelatin into the CSC significantly prolonged (P < 0.05) the setting time by about 2 and 8 times, respectively, for 5% and 10% gelatin. However, the presence of gelatin appreciably improved the anti-washout and brittle properties of the cements without adversely affecting mechanical strength. It was concluded that 5% gelatin-containing CSC may be useful as bioactive bone repair materials.     

Poling effects and piezoelectric properties of PVDF-modified 0–3 connectivity cement-based/lead-free 0.94(Bi<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Na<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>)TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>–0.06BaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> piezoelectric ceramic composites

PVDF-modified 0–3 connectivity cement-based/lead-free 0.94(Bi_0.5Na_0.5)TiO₃–0.06BaTiO₃ piezoelectric ceramic composites were fabricated using 0.94(Bi_0.5Na_0.5)TiO₃–0.06BaTiO₃ (BNBT), Portland cement, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The microstructure, acoustic impedance (Z _c), dielectric properties, and influence of poling temperature and electrical poling field on the piezoelectric coefficient (d ₃₃) and the total period of the poling process of composites with 50 vol% BNBT and 1–10 vol% PVDF were investigated. The results indicated that Z _c, the dielectric constant, and the dielectric loss of the composites decrease as the PVDF content increases. The d ₃₃ of the composites was found to enhance more clearly when the content of PVDF is more than 2 vol%. The d ₃₃ results of the composites showed an optimum increase of 45% when 5 vol% PVDF was used (under an electrical poling field of 1.5 kV/mm and a poling temperature of 80°C). Moreover, these composites with PVDF were found to exhibit enhanced poling behavior in that the PVDF was able to reduce the total period of the poling process. Interestingly, the piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g ₃₃) of the composite with 5 vol% PVDF content had the highest value of 33.59 mV·m/N. Therefore, it can be safely concluded that this new kind of PVDF-modified 0–3 connectivity cement-based/lead-free 0.94(Bi_0.5Na_0.5)TiO₃–0.06BaTiO₃ piezoelectric ceramic composite has the potential to be used in concrete as a sensor for structural health monitoring applications.     

Microwave adsorption of core–shell structure polyaniline/SrFe<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>19</Subscript> composites

Polyaniline/strontium hexaferrites (PANI/SrFe₁₂O₁₉) composites were synthesized by the oxidative chemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of APS. X-ray powder diffraction of ferrites indicated that the structure of core materials is hexagonal with lattice constants around 5.886–5.885 Å. The structural in the character of the sol–gel was investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis. SEM and TEM photographs show that the particle size of core material is around 50–200 nm. After coating with polyaniline, the particle size of the core–shell of PANI/SrFe₁₂O₁₉ has grown up to 100~300 nm. In the magnetization for the PANI/SrFe₁₂O₁₉ composites, it was found that the saturation magnetization (M _s) and coercivity (H _c) decreased after polyaniline coating. The composite under applied magnetic field exhibited the hysteretic loops of the ferromagnetic behavior, such as high saturation magnetization (M _s = 18.9 emu/g) and coercivity (H _c = 3850.0 Oe). The conductivity of the core–shell materials increased with increasing amounts of polyaniline as the temperature increased from 0 to 50 °C, the conductivity increased by about 13%. The polymerization mechanism for the core–shell composites was also investigated. The composite specimens of core–shell PANI/SrFe₁₂O₁₉ and thermal plastic resin (TPR) had band-width microwave absorption due to reflection losses from ?27.3 to ?37.4 dB at frequencies between 10.5 and 11.8 GHz as observed by High-frequency network analyzer.     

Fabrication and Wear Performance of (Cu–Sn) Solution/TiC<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> Bonded Diamond Composites

The Cu(Sn)–TiC_x bonded diamond composites were prepared by in situ reaction sintering of Cu, Ti₂SnC and diamond powders. Effect of Ti₂SnC content on the phase composition, microstructure and grinding properties were studied. The result shows that Ti₂SnC was decomposed to TiC_x and Sn. And then, Sn atom dissolved into the crystal lattice of Cu and formed Cu(Sn) solution. The rich C formed at the interface between diamond and the matrix. Excess Ti₂SnC inhibited the formation of Cu solid solution and reacted with Cu to form Cu₃Sn. Additionally, its matrix was mainly composed of TiC_x with better wear resistance, which may improve obviously the grinding performance of the composites. The grinding ratio value of copper–diamond composite was only 132. The grinding ratio value of the composite contained higher Ti₂SnC content in the raw materials was 636.     

Synthesis and thermoelectric characterization of bulk-type tellurium nanowire/polymer nanocomposites

A simple method to fabricate three-dimensionally (3-D) aligned thermoelectric nanowires attached polymer particle was demonstrated by combination of solution casting of thermoelectric nanostructures (e.g., tellurium nanowires (Te NWs)) on the surface of thermoplastic polymer (e.g., poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA)) microbeads followed by hot compaction of thermoplastic matrix. The percolation threshold of composite with 3-D assembled Te NWs (i.e., 3.45 vol%) significantly was lower than that of a randomly dispersed Te NWs (i.e., 5.26 vol%), which resulted in an order of magnitude greater thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT of 2.8 × 10^?3) compared to randomly dispersed Te NWs in PMMA matrix (ZT of 6.4 × 10^?4) at room temperature by enhancing the electrical conductivity without increasing thermal conductivity.     

Preparation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of nanostructured chitosan/apatite and chitosan/Si-doped apatite composites

Chitosan/apatite (CHI/Ap) composites are attracting great attention as biomaterials for bone repair and regeneration procedures. The reason is their unique set of properties: bioactivity and osteoconductivity provided by Ap and resorbability supplied by CHI among others. Thus, in this study, CHI/Ap and CHI/Si-doped Ap composites were prepared and characterized. Particle size, surface area, in vitro physiological stability, enzymatic biodegradation, and bioactivity were evaluated. Unimodal particle size distribution was obtained for composites with high CHI/Ap ratios while bimodal distribution was present in composites with low CHI/Ap ratio. Physiological stability decreased with Si doping and with the CHI content. Acetylation degree and molecular weight of CHI did not affect in vitro stability. Rate of enzymatic degradation increased with the CHI content in composites. Si-doped Ap composites also showed increased degradation with respect to non-doped ones. The bioactivity of the composites was evidenced by the deposition on their surface of a calcium phosphate layer with Ap morphology after immersion in simulated body fluid. Both, biodegradation and bioactivity were dependent on the molecular weight of the polymeric CHI matrix. These results suggest that the CHI/Ap composites obtained are promising materials for bone regeneration applications.     

Anti-bacterial properties of collagen-coated glass and polydimethylsiloxane substrates

Attachments of three bacterial species, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa on chemically modified glass slides and polydimethylsiloxane substrates were investigated with an attempt to find anti-bacterial materials which can prevent bacterial infections. The results showed that the attachment of the first two species was largely reduced on surfaces treated with self-assembled monolayers plus collagen type 1, whereas attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not affected on all the treated/untreated surfaces. Gentamicin protection assay showed that the fewest Pseudomonas aeruginosa were engulfed by macrophages when the substrates were coated with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane/(3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane plus glutaraldehyde plus collagen type 1. Considering that both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and macrophage adhesion were not influenced very much by the chemical modifications, the decreased engulfment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was attributed to its decreased ability to invade macrophage cells on the two coated substrates. The results indicate that by employing appropriate chemical modifications, bacterial adhesion could be weakened with a decreased bacterial engulfment response of macrophages to the coated substrates, which shows an interesting and promising direction for applicability of this surface modification strategy for future biomedical research on anti-inflammatory/anti-microbial cell-material interactions.