Thin gold films on silicone display large reversible change in electrical resistance upon stretching. Eutectic liquid metal conductors maintain bulk metal conductivity, even upon extensive elongation. When integrated together, the soft metals enable multidirectional, large strain sensor skin. Their fabrication process combines thermal evaporation of thin gold film patterns through stencil mask ...

The management of radial head fractures complicated by ligamentous disruption remains a matter of controversy. The use ofa silicone radial head implant to provide temporary stability is thought to help to protect the ligaments during healing. The reported complications of long-term implantation of a silicone replacement include fracture, dislocation, synovitis, lymphadenitis and subchondral res...

Case Report A 71-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy and prior coronary artery bypass grafting surgery with a dual-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placed 4 years earlier for a history of ventricular tachycardia was referred for lead extraction because of recurrent fever, vegetations on his atrial lead, and Kocuria varians bacteremia. He had a Guidant 4470 right atrial...

The relationship between cardiovascular device performance in animals and humans is not straightforward. As the principal formed element in a thrombus, platelets play a major role in determining the hemocompatibility of mechanical heart valves and other high-shear-rate cardiovascular devices. Since larger animals are required to test many such devices, sheep and porcine platelet responses were ...

SINCE the introduction of artificial heart valves, investigators have been continuously modifying them, endeavoring to eliminate complications associated with their use. -3 The Starr-Edwards ball-valve prosthesis was the first to be widely accepted; however, problems due to its weight, cage size, and resistance to blood flow have stimulated the search for a better prosthetic device. In spite of...

Collagen lattices containing bovine retinal pericytes (RPs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells (PMECs), or aortic endothelial cells (AECs) were prepared and contraction was quantitated by measuring the resulting change in lattice area. VSMCs were the most efficient at lattice contraction followed by RPs and then PMECs. AECs did not contract the lattic...

Collagen lattices containing bovine retinal pericytes (RPs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), pulmonary microvessel endothelial cells (PMECs), or aortic endothelial cells (AECs) were prepared and contraction was quantitated by measuring the resulting change in lattice area. VSMCs were the most efficient at lattice contraction followed by RPs and then PMECs. AECs did not contract the lattic...

As the role of mechanical force in cellular signaling gained recognition, investigators designed a number of devices to deliver controlled regimens of mechanical force to cultured cells. One type of device uses thin silicone-rubber membranes to support monolayer cell adhesion and to transmit mechanical force in the form of biaxial strain. We have observed that cell attachment and spreading are ...