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There has been an increase in the use of elastomers in the biomedical industry. Recent developments in utilising elastomers for use in orthopaedic implants has shown the great potential of these materials for long-term implantation. Elastomers are being developed for applications in tissue engineering, polymeric scaffolds and synthetic implants, all with the aim of repairing or maintaining orthopaedic joints in working order. The aim of this review is to discuss current developments in elastomeric orthopaedic implants and their most utilised materials namely silicones, polyurethanes and hydrogels. Polyurethane and silicone elastomers are commonly used in bulk implantable devices due to their good mechanical properties, chemical resistance and biocompatibility. Other materials such as polycarbonate urethanes (PCUs) are being utilised as means to protect the joints due to their superb mechanical properties and wear characteristics. The range of applications of elastomers vary from hip joint replacements, such as in the case of the TriboFit implant, meniscal implants, and first metatarsophalangeal joint replacements. More recently hydrogels have been utilised as coatings for increased lubrication in joint replacements, as a substitute for articular cartilage. Applications of hydrogels vary from improving the collagen and proteoglycan content of the joint to improving the load distribution across the joint in arthritic knee joints. The use of elastomers in orthopaedic implants is still in its infancy; and whilst a large amount of the research being done is still in the prototype stages, the potential of these materials and devices is unlimited., peer-reviewed

There has been an increase in the use of elastomers in the biomedical industry. Recent developments in utilising elastomers for use in orthopaedic implants has shown the great potential of these materials for long-term implantation. Elastomers are being developed for applications in tissue engineering, polymeric scaffolds and synthetic implants, all with the aim of repairing or maintaining orthopaedic joints in working order. The aim of this review is to discuss current developments in elastomeric orthopaedic implants and their most utilised materials namely silicones, polyurethanes and hydrogels. Polyurethane and silicone elastomers are commonly used in bulk implantable devices due to their good mechanical properties, chemical resistance and biocompatibility. Other materials such as polycarbonate urethanes (PCUs) are being utilised as means to protect the joints due to their superb mechanical properties and wear characteristics. The range of applications of elastomers vary from hip joint replacements, such as in the case of the TriboFit® implant, meniscal implants, and first metatarsophalangeal joint replacements. More recently hydrogels have been utilised as coatings for increased lubrication in joint replacements, as a substitute for articular cartilage. Applications of hydrogels vary from improving the collagen and proteoglycan content of the joint to improving the load distribution across the joint in arthritic knee joints. The use of elastomers in orthopaedic implants is still in its infancy; and whilst a large amount of the research being done is still in the prototype stages, the potential of these materials and devices is virtually unlimited., peer-reviewed

This study investigated seed germination in five indigenous species of plants in the Maltese Islands, predominantly occurring in coastal garrigue habitats but also inland, namely Drimia maritima, Periploca angustifolia, Asparagus aphyllus, Myrtus communis, and Pancratium maritimum. Different germination protocols were tested for one or more populations, namely: four different temperature regimes - constant 15, 20 and 25°C as well as alternating 23.5/15°C; three different photoperiods, 12/12, 16/8 and 0/24 light/dark. The best germination results for each species are provided and additional notes on the species and germination behaviour are also given., peer-reviewed

The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for the preservation of biodiversity, which is threatened due to habitat degradation and climate change. Actions to enhance restoration and resilience of habitats to reduce biodiversity loss are needed. Though in-situ conservation is considered the best way to preserve biodiversity where species can persist with all their natural ecological interactions, the latter element is often ignored. Criticalities can arise when ex-situ grown indigenous plants are translocated in-situ, without their natural soil microbial associations, especially in a Mediterranean climate where abiotic stresses are severe. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) are fundamental for terrestrial ecosystems, enhancing plant productivity, alleviating abiotic and oxidative stress, and regulating macronutrients recycling. The aim of the project was to investigate the use of indigenous ECM to enhance acclimatization and survival of ex-situ grown plants translocated for habitat restoration., peer-reviewed

The Mediterranean basin is a biodiversity hotspot where many species are under threat and action for restoration is needed. One of these species is Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca, with a localised distribution in the Maltese Islands. Seed priming is the controlled hydration of seeds in water or a solution of low osmotic potential to initiate the germination metabolism before sowing. Hydropriming is an economical technique that improves seed water-uptake efficiency and is useful in areas with unpredictable abiotic stresses namely high temperature and drought. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of hydropriming treatment on seeds of C. valentina subsp. glauca using morphocolorimetric analysis and germination dynamics data, peer-reviewed

Micropropagation has the advantage of genetic homogeneity and reduces difficulties related to obtaining pathogen-free plant material. However, some plant species present challenging problems when used for in vitro culture. This research work dealt with the micropropagation of Quercus pubescens Willd. with the aim of enhancing the percentage proliferation and rooting from micro-cuttings. Microcuttings, containing apical or axillary buds, were taken from two year-old branches using a clone of Q. pubescens grown at the Forest Nursery of Sant’Angelo in Vado, Pesaro-Urbino, Marche, Italy. A preliminary screening of the proliferation was performed using increasing concentration of benzylaminopurine (BA) in the culture medium (0.25; 0.5; 0.75; 1 mg/l) in order to select the best hormones to use in the experiment. From the results it was possible to deduce that BA plays a key role in influencing shoot proliferation, leading to the formation of a callus and to the production of new shoots. Moreover, we observed that, especially higher BA concentrations promoted the production of a larger number of shorter shoots compared to low concentrations, that produced the small number of longer shoots. Furthermore, these trials have shown that, in order to have a large number of seedlings with an optimal shoot length, it is necessary to divide the process of propagation in two phases. The first phase involves a high concentration of BA, with the aim of increasing the number of new micro-cuttings; the second phase, with lower levels of BA, to increase the length of the shoots. With regards to root induction, the hormone selected was indole-butyric acid (IBA). Results showed that micro-cutting exposed for 24h to higher hormone concentration gave the best results for root induction and root length. The study developed an efficient method for the micropropagation of Q. pubescens for the selection of genotypes in vitro and sterile (e.g., free microorganisms and insects) conditions. It is envisaged that the development of this protocol paves the way for further utilisation of micro-propagated Q. pubescens in new areas of research, such as in vitro mycorrhization., peer-reviewed

Nitinol, a thermoelastic Ni-Ti Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with approximately 50 at. % Ti, is adopted in a wide range of medical equipment and devices used in interventional radiology, orthopaedics, neurology and cardiology, in particular as a smart material for stents. In this work, NiTi real stents and massive samples before and after different Powder Immersion Reaction Assisted Coating (PIRAC) treatments have been investigated by using two neutron techniques: (1) Small and Ultra-Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS, USANS) for nano- and micro-scale characterization, obtaining information on structure and the effects due to the coating treatment; and (2) High-Resolution Neutron Diffraction (HRND), evaluating the macrostrain components resulting from angular shifts of diffraction peaks and the micro-strains in the plastically deformation region by means of profile-broadening analysis. The obtained results contribute: improving knowledge of defects and other key features of the materials complementary to those achieved by using traditional examination techniques; helping to better understand the functional characteristics of Nitinol parts and predict the material’s mechanical behaviour., peer-reviewed

The Maltese Islands are located in the central Mediterranean sea and have a strongly bi-seasonal climate characterised by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 530 mm. Trichoderma spp. are endophytic, soil-borne fungi, green-spored filamentous ascomycetes and are found world wide. This genus was first described by Persoon 1794 and Tulasne 1865. According with Druzhinina et al. 2011, to date at least 1100 strains of Hypocrea (sexual telomorphic stage), and Trichoderma (asexual anamorphic stage), have been identified, and many new species are being recognized. Trichoderma spp. are widely studied due to their uses as mycoparasites biocontrol agents. Furthermore, they stimulate plant growth, suppress plant diseases by one or more different direct and/or indirect mechanisms and solubilize nutrients. Some strains can induce host growth under abiotic stress, and improve seed germination under saline conditions. These fungi are producers of a number of secondary metabolites with antibiosis properties and they also have several biotechnological applications. On the other hand, T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum and T. viride have been recognized as opportunistic pathogens of immunocompromised persons. Trichoderma is a powerful organism to study for its capacity of helping good practise against climate change. Since, few studies on Trichoderma spp. are recorded on the Maltese Island, the present work was aimed to investigate presence, isolation and preservation on different substrates., peer-reviewed

Some plants present challenging obstacles when grown by in vitro culture, they may be recalcitrant, hampering the development of reliable regeneration techniques. This ‘recalcitrant behaviour’ is genetically driven, so it is difficult to control by environmental and nutritional manipulation in microculture. Plants which are difficult to work with are usually perennials with complex seasonal life cycles. Quercus species show short growth spurts per season, when they stop growing until the next season. Such species may be called episodic and are not always successfully used in microculture and biotechnology. Micropropagation has the advantage of genetic homogeneity and avoids difficulties related to obtaining sterile plant material., peer-reviewed

NEPTUME is an R&I project funded by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), dealing with the treatment of raw municipal effluent to produce quality second class water for irrigation (and other) purposes. This paper presents an innovative two-stage process which uses the combination of a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) coupled with a Membrane Bioreactor Filtration (MBR) incorporating the benefits of both processes. This setup produces a very high quality disinfected second class treated sewage effluent (TSE) (COD, Bajada New Energy, Bitmac ltd., Econetique, Energy Investment, JMV Vibro Blocks, Solar Engineering., peer-reviewed