Bone fractures pose a serious challenge for the healthcare system worldwide. A total of 17.5% of these fractures occur in the distal radius. Traditional cast materials commonly used for treatment have certain disadvantages, including a lack of mechanical and water resistance, poor hygiene, and odors. Three-dimensional printing is a dynamically developing technology which can potentially replace the traditional casts. The aim of the study was to examine and compare the traditional materials (plaster cast and fiberglass cast) with Polylactic Acid (PLA) and PLA–CaCO₃ composite materials printed using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology and to produce a usable cast of each material. The materials were characterized by tensile, flexural, Charpy impact, Shore D hardness, flexural fatigue, and variable load cyclic tests, as well as an absorbed water test. In addition, cost-effectiveness was evaluated and compared. The measured values for tensile strength and flexural strength decreased with the increase in CaCO₃ concentration. In the fatigue tests, the plaster cast and the fiberglass cast did not show normal fatigue curves; only the 3D-printed materials did so. Variable load cyclic tests showed that traditional casts cannot hold the same load at the same deflection after a higher load has been used. During these tests, the plaster cast had the biggest relative change (−79.7%), compared with −4.8 % for the 3D-printed materials. The results clearly showed that 3D-printed materials perform better in both static and dynamic mechanical tests; therefore, 3D printing could be a good alternative to customized splints and casts in the near future.

Currently, 3D printing is an affordable technology for industry, healthcare, and individuals. Understanding the mechanical properties and thermoplastic behaviour of the composites is critical for the users. Our results give guidance for certain target groups including professionals in the field of additive manufacturing for biomedical components with in-depth characterisation of the examined commercially available ABS and PLA carbon-based composites. The study aimed to characterize these materials in terms of thermal behaviour and structure. The result of the heating-cooling loops is the thermal hysteresis effect of Ohmic resistance with its accommodation property in the temperature range of 20–84 °C for ESD-ABS and 20–72 °C for ESD-PLA. DSC-TGA measurements showed that the carbon content of the examined ESD samples is ~10–20% (m/m) and there is no significant difference in the thermodynamic behaviour of the basic ABS/PLA samples and their ESD compounds within the temperature range typically used for 3D printing. The results support the detailed design process of 3D-printed electrical components and prove that ABS and PLA carbon composites are suitable for prototyping and the production of biomedical sensors.

We report the additive manufacturing of a heat-exchange device that can be used as a cooling accessory in a wire myograph. Wire myography is used for measuring vasomotor responses in small resistance arteries; however, the commercially available devices are not capable of active cooling. Here, we critically evaluated a transparent resin material, in terms of mechanical, structural, and thermal behavior. Tensile strength tests (67.66 ± 1.31 MPa), Charpy impact strength test (20.70 ± 2.30 kJ/m²), and Shore D hardness measurements (83.0 ± 0.47) underlined the mechanical stability of the material, supported by digital microscopy, which revealed a glass-like structure. Differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetry analysis and thermal conductivity measurements showed heat stability until ~250 °C and effective heat insulation. The 3D-printed heat exchanger was tested in thermophysiology experiments measuring the vasomotor responses of rat tail arteries at different temperatures (13, 16, and 36 °C). The heat-exchange device was successfully used as an accessory of the wire myograph system to cool down the experimental chambers and steadily maintain the targeted temperatures. We observed temperature-dependent differences in the vasoconstriction induced by phenylephrine and KCl. In conclusion, the transparent resin material can be used in additive manufacturing of heat-exchange devices for biomedical research, such as wire myography. Our animal experiments underline the importance of temperature-dependent physiological mechanisms, which should be further studied to understand the background of the thermal changes and their consequences.

Polyamide (PA) has excellent mechanical properties, making it versatile in various applications, including 3D printing. This paper comprehensively investigates and compares the mechanical, structural, thermal, and geometric properties of 3D‐printed PA12 samples produced with desktop and industrial printers using material extrusion (MEX) and powder bed fusion (PBF) processes. The mechanical tests included tensile, flexural, Charpy impact, Shore hardness, torsion, and water absorption tests. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and melt volume rate (MVR) measurements are conducted. To verify printing accuracy from a biomedical perspective, 3D‐printed prosthetic fingers are subjected to geometric assessments. Industrial PBF samples show significantly higher values for most mechanical properties, including a tensile Young's modulus of 1776 ± 19.42 MPa, while the second highest value is 1419 ± 58.77 MPa (MEX desktop). Furthermore, the MVR of the PBF industrial samples is the highest (18.34 cm ³ /10 min ± 2.32 cm ³ /10 min) and this printer exhibits superior performance in printing accuracy than the other printers. The balanced print quality and mechanics make the PBF industrial printer the most recommended for medical device production, but lower‐priced desktop FFF printers can be a good alternative for simple, fast solutions that do not require high precision.

SARS-CoV-2 infections are responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Transferrin has been found to explain the link between diseases associated with impaired iron transport and COVID-19 infection. The effect of SARS-CoV-2 on human whole blood was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The analysis of the thermal transition curves showed that the melting temperature of the transferrin-related peak decreased in the presence of SARS-CoV-2. The ratio of the under-curve area of the two main peaks was greatly affected, while the total enthalpy of the heat denaturation remained nearly unchanged in the presence of the virus. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2, through binding to transferrin, may influence its Fe³⁺ uptake by inducing thermodynamic changes. Therefore, transferrin may remain in an iron-free apo-conformational state, which depends on the SARS-CoV-2 concentration. SARS-CoV-2 can induce disturbance in erythropoiesis due to toxicity generated by free iron overload.

To study the effect of non-ionic contrast media on anticoagulated and non-anticoagulated human whole blood samples, calorimetric measurements were performed. The anticoagulated plasma showed the greatest fall in the total ΔH after Iodixanol treatment. The plasma-free erythrocytes revealed a pronounced shift in the T_max and a decrease in the ΔH of hemoglobin and transferrin. The total ΔH of Iodixanol treatment showed the highest decline, while Iomeprol and Iobitridol had fewer adverse effects. Similarly, the non-anticoagulated samples revealed a decrease both in the T_max and the ΔH of albumin and immunoglobulin-specific transitions. The total ΔH showed that Iodixanol had more influence on the serum. The serum-free erythrocyte samples resulted in a significant drop in the T_max of erythrocyte and transferrin (~5–6 °C). The ΔH of deconvolved hemoglobin and transferrin decreased considerably; however, the ΔH of albumin increased. Surprisingly, compared to Iomeprol and Iobitridol treatments, the total ΔH of Iodixanol was less pronounced in the non-anticoagulated erythrocyte samples. In sum, each non-ionic contrast medium affected the thermal stability of anticoagulated and non-anticoagulated erythrocyte proteins. Interestingly, Iodixanol treatment caused more significant effects. These findings suggest that conformational changes in blood components can occur, which can potentially lead to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular dysfunctions and blood clotting.