This disclosure relates to sclerostin inhibitors for use in ossification, and methods related thereto. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to placing sclerostin inhibitors in graft compositions for forming bone. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of forming bone comprising implanting a graft composition disclosed herein optionally comprising a growth factor such as BMP or recombinant vector expressing the same in a subject such as at a desired site of bone or cartilage growth.

Disclosed is a medical device for use in surgery including at least one structured substrate including a plurality of structures, at least a portion of the plurality of structures being a plurality of ridges having each a length that is at least 5 times greater than their width. The ridges have at least two different cross-sections and have swellable properties, for example in the presence of water. The medical device includes at least a second substrate, including a second plurality of structures, the first and second plurality of structures being arranged to interlock when the first substrate is pressed against the second substrate in presence of water.

This disclosure relates to treating internal disc disruption or a connective tissue injury. The treatment involves injecting, or otherwise administering, a therapeutic composition into an animal, such as a human being, in need thereof. The therapeutic composition may contain transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) or transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β2), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or a secondary agent.

There is a need for methods that can produce piezoelectric composites having suitable physical characteristics and also optimized electrical stimulatory proper-ties. The present application provides piezo-electric composites, including tissue-stimu-lating composites, as well as methods of making such composites, that meet these needs. In embodiments, methods of making a spinal implant are provided. The methods suitably comprise preparing a thermoset, thermoplastic or thermoset/thermoplastic, or copolymer polymerizable matrix, dispersing a plurality of piezoelectric particles in the polymerizable matrix to generate dispersion, shaping the dispersion, inducing an electric polarization in the piezoelectric particles in the shaped dispersion, wherein at least 40% of the piezoelectric particles form chains.

Methods and systems for manufacturing a ceramic or glass material component supersaturated in nitrogen are disclosed. The method for manufacturing a component typically comprises receiving the ceramic or glass material within a containment vessel; simultaneously heating and applying isostatic pressure to the ceramic or glass material within the containment vessel to a first temperature and a first pressure using pressurizing nitrogen gas; holding the first temperature and the first pressure for a period of time; cooling the ceramic or glass material within the containment vessel to a second temperature while maintaining the first pressure; and depressurizing the containment vessel to a second pressure.

A delivery system comprising an agent and a foldable covering including a first surface disposed with the agent and a second surface connectable with the first surface to intra-operatively dispose the covering in a selected configuration.

To achieve in vivo repair of severed mammalian nerve tissue, a system can be employed to induce distraction neurogenesis. At least a portion of the system can be anchored at an injury site, such as between distal and proximal nerve ends. The system can be attached to the proximal nerve end and can place the nerve under micro-tension for an extended period of treatment. The system may also deliver medication or treatment to encourage neurogenesis and to reduce pain in the subject receiving treatment. After the course of treatment, the device can be removed from the injury site, and the nerve ends rejoined.

A facemask includes integrated actuating modules having sensors and other mechanisms. The facemask has one or more sockets into which various modules may be inserted. The facemask itself or the modules may include air filters and check valves to regulate airflow along or through the various modules. The modules may detect various substances either in the ambient air or the air exhaled by the wearer. The facemask also includes modules for measuring pulmonary and/or cardiovascular exertion, lung capacity and other physiological metrics. Other modules may provide supplements, vitamins or other substances such as tobacco smoke or vapor from vaporizers to the wearer. The modules may include microcontrollers in wireless communication with software applications on electronic devices so that the facemask may also serve as a cellular phone.

A surgical implant having a surface treatment which contains primary cavities and secondary cavities. The primary cavities are larger than the secondary cavities and the primary cavities have an average length ranging from 20-500 micrometers. The surface treatment includes recasted material adjacent to a plurality of the primary cavities.

The present disclosure relates to the development of hydrogels with extreme stiffness and high-strength. In particular, an hydrogel comprising poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and graphene material with a specific oxidation degree. The hydrogels of the present disclosure may be used in medicine, veterinary or cosmetic, namely as scaffold, cartilage, intervertebral disc and blood contact device such as: catheters, vascular grafts, heart valves, stents, artificial kidneys, artificial lungs, ventricular assist devices or drug delivery system. Uses in other areas can be envisaged, like in soft robotics, packaging, sealing and sensors.