The research of novel implantable medical devices is one of the most attractive, yet complex areas in the biomedical field. The design and development of sufficiently small devices working in an in vivo environment is challenging but successful encapsulation of such devices is even more so. Industry-standard methods using glass and titanium are too expensive and tedious, and epoxy or silicone encapsulation is prone to water ingress with cable feedthroughs being the most frequent point of failure. This paper describes a universal and straightforward method for reliable encapsulation of circuit boards that achieves ISO10993 compliance. A two-part PVDF mold was machined using a conventional 3-axis machining center. Then, the circuit board with a hermetic feedthrough was placed in the mold and epoxy resin was injected into the mold under pressure to fill the cavity. Finally, the biocompatibility was further enhanced with an inert P3HT polymer coating which can be easily formulated into an ink. The biocompatibility of the encapsulants was assessed according to ISO10993. The endurance of the presented solution compared to silicone potting and epoxy potting was assessed by submersion in phosphate-buffered saline solution at 37 °C. The proposed method showed superior results to PDMS and simple epoxy potting.
Health care facilities and hospitals generate significant amounts of wastewater which are released into the sewage system, either after a preliminary treatment or without any further treatment. Hospital wastewater may contain large amounts of hazardous chemicals and pharmaceuticals, some of which cannot be eliminated entirely by wastewater treatment plants. Moreover, hospital effluents may be loaded with a plethora of pathogenic microorganisms or other microbiota and microbiome residues. The need to monitor hospital effluents for their genotoxic hazard is of high importance, as detailed information is scarce. DNA-based information can be acquired directly from samples through the application of various molecular methods, while cell-based biomonitoring assays can provide important information about impaired cellular pathways or mechanisms of toxicity without prior knowledge of the identity of each toxicant. In our study, we evaluated samples of chlorinated hospital wastewater discharged into the sewage system after this disinfection process. The assessment of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity of the hospital effluents was performed in vitro by using a broad battery of biomonitoring assays that are relevant for human health effects. All the tested hospital wastewater samples could be classified as potentially genotoxic, and it is concluded that the microbiota present in hospital wastewater might contribute to this genotoxic potential.
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza toxicita MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemocnice MeSH
- odpadní voda * toxicita MeSH
- poškození DNA MeSH
- testy genotoxicity MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Medical devices must be tested before marketing in accordance with ISO EN 10993-10 in order to avoid skin sensitization. This standard predominantly refers to the in vivo test but does not exclude the use of in vitro methods that have been sufficiently technically and scientifically validated for medical device testing. It is foreseen that, due to the complexity of the sensitization endpoint, a combination of several methods will be needed to address all key events occurring in the sensitization process. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the sensitization potential of selected medical devices using a combination of in chemico (DPRA, OECD TG 442C) and in vitro (LuSens, OECD TG 442D) methods in comparison with the in vivo (LLNA DA, OECD TG 442A) method and to suggest a possible testing strategy for the safety assessment of medical device extracts. Overall, one of the 42 tested samples exhibited positive results in all employed test methods, while 33 samples were predicted as non-sensitizing in all three performed methods. This study demonstrated good agreement between in vitro and in vivo results regarding non-sensitizing samples; however, some discrepancies in positive classification were recorded. A testing strategy is suggested in which negative results are accepted and any positive results in the in chemico or in vitro tests are followed up with a third in vitro test and evaluated in accordance with the “2 out of 3 approach”. This strategy may reduce and replace animal use for testing the sensitization potential of medical devices.
- MeSH
- alergická kontaktní dermatitida * MeSH
- alternativy testů na zvířatech * MeSH
- biotest MeSH
- kůže MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- techniky in vitro MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Growing worldwide efforts to replace (reduce) animal testing and to improve alternative in vitro tests which may be more efficient in terms of both time, cost and scientific validity include also genotoxicity/mutagenicity endpoints. The aim of the review article was to summarize currently available in vitro testing approaches in this field, their regulatory acceptance and recommended combinations for classification of chemicals. A study using the combination of Comet Assay performed on two cell lines and the Chromosomal Aberration test on human peripheral lymphocytes was performed with the aim to predict the genotoxic potential of selected paraben esters, serving as a model chemical group. Parabens are widely used in consumer products as preservatives and have been reported to exhibit inconclusive results in numerous genotoxicity studies. The Comet Assay identified Ethylparaben and Benzylparaben as potentially genotoxic. The Chromosomal Aberration test revealed weak genotoxic potential in case of Ethylparaben and positive genotoxicity in case of Butylparaben, Propylparaben and Isopropylparaben. The main reasons for variability seem to be limited water solubility of parabens, determining their bioavailability at the cellular level, and absence of metabolic activation in the Comet Assay. The results confirmed that the Comet Assay should serve as a screening test and should not be used as a stand-alone method for classification of genotoxicity. The weight of evidence approach in risk assessment should be supported with data generated with the use of human relevant in vitro methods based on cells / tissues of human origin.
- MeSH
- alternativy testů na zvířatech * MeSH
- buněčné linie keratinocytů HaCaT MeSH
- chromozomální aberace chemicky indukované MeSH
- hodnocení rizik MeSH
- kometový test MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lymfocyty účinky léků patologie MeSH
- mikrojaderné testy MeSH
- mikrojádra chromozomálně defektní chemicky indukované MeSH
- mutageneze účinky léků MeSH
- parabeny toxicita MeSH
- poškození DNA * MeSH
- testy genotoxicity * MeSH
- viabilita buněk účinky léků MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
The Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) Test was adopted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as OECD TG 236 in 2013. The test has been designed to determine acute toxicity of chemicals on embryonic stages of fish and proposed as an alternative method to the Fish Acute Toxicity Test performed according to OECD TG 203. In recent years fish embryos were used not only in the assessment of toxicity of chemicals but also for environmental and wastewater samples. In our study we investigated the acute toxicity of treated wastewater from seven hospitals in the Czech Republic. Our main purpose was to compare the suitability and sensitivity of zebrafish embryos with the sensitivity of two other aquatic organisms commonly used for wastewater testing - Daphnia magna and Aliivibrio fischeri. For the aim of this study, in addition to the lethal endpoints of the FET test, sublethal effects such as delayed heartbeat, lack of blood circulation, pericardial and yolk sac edema, spinal curvature and pigmentation failures were evaluated. The comparison of three species demonstrated that the sensitivity of zebrafish embryos is comparable or in some cases higher than the sensitivity of D. magna and A. fischeri. The inclusion of sublethal endpoints caused statistically significant increase of the FET test efficiency in the range of 1-12 %. Based on our results, the FET test, especially with the addition of sublethal effects evaluation, can be considered as a sufficiently sensitive and useful additional tool for ecotoxicity testing of the acute toxicity potential of hospital effluents.
- MeSH
- Aliivibrio fischeri účinky léků MeSH
- časové faktory MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita MeSH
- dánio pruhované embryologie MeSH
- Daphnia účinky léků MeSH
- embryo nesavčí účinky léků MeSH
- hodnocení rizik MeSH
- LD50 MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
- nemocnice * MeSH
- odpadní voda toxicita MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- testy akutní toxicity * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
The aim of the study was toxicological testing of an innovative and efficient antimicrobial agent based on photoactive phthalocyanine (Pc) derivative. A promising Aluminium phthalocyanine (AlPc) with efficient and stable antimicrobial effects was subjected to a battery of toxicological tests to avoid local and systemic toxicity hazard. In compliance with the current European legislation restricting the use of experimental animals, the methods comprised exclusively in vitro procedures based on cellular and tissue models of human origin or mimicking human tissues. The battery of toxicological tests to identify local toxicity included skin corrosion/irritation, eye irritation, and phototoxicity. The basic systemic toxicity tests included acute toxicity, skin sensitization, genotoxicity, and endocrine disruption. The results showed that AlPc induced skin and eye irritation, exhibited borderline sensitization potential and mutagenic potential in one test strain of the Ames test, which was not confirmed in the chromosome aberration test. The AlPc was found to be phototoxic. The results from the cytotoxicity test designed for acute oral toxicity estimation were not conclusive, the acute toxicity potential has to be determined by conventional tests in vivo. Regarding endocrine disruption, no agonistic activity of the AlPc on human estrogen receptor α, nor human androgen receptor was observed. The skin penetration/absorption test revealed that the AlPc has not penetrated into the dermis and receptor fluid, confirming no risk of systemic exposure via the bloodstream.
- MeSH
- alfa receptor estrogenů metabolismus MeSH
- androgenní receptory metabolismus MeSH
- antiinfekční látky farmakokinetika toxicita MeSH
- chorioalantoická membrána krevní zásobení účinky léků MeSH
- dráždivé látky farmakokinetika toxicita MeSH
- fotochemické procesy MeSH
- indoly farmakokinetika toxicita MeSH
- kožní absorpce MeSH
- kultivované buňky MeSH
- kuřecí embryo MeSH
- kůže účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lymfocyty účinky léků MeSH
- myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
- oči účinky léků MeSH
- poškození DNA MeSH
- prasata MeSH
- testy toxicity MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- kuřecí embryo MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
