Artificial ligaments (ALs), as important grafts for reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament, often fail in rupture owing to inadequate mechanical properties and frictional wear in clinical practice. Braiding parameters affect the properties of ALs. Previous studies have been limited to investigating the effects of braiding parameters on the mechanical or tribological properties of ALs in isolation and lacked a comprehensive investigation into their combined or synergistic impact. Therefore, in this study, ALs with different braiding parameters are prepared, and mechanical and tribological indicators are integrated to conduct a synergistic investigation. The results show that as the braiding angle and number of layers decrease, the breaking strain increases, while the ultimate tensile force, elastic modulus, and yield force decrease. The number of spindles positively correlates with the mechanical and tribological performance of ALs.

Bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGNs) have attracted widespread attention in regenerative medicine owing to their excellent biocompatibility and tissue repair capacity. However, the ion release behaviour associated with the long-term degradation of BGNs doped with different functional elements remains unclear. Herein, binary silicate BGNs (BGN-Ca, BGN-Mg, BGN-Zn, BGN-Cu and BGN-Mn) were prepared, and their degradation behaviour in normal saline was systematically evaluated over a period of up to 150 days. The evolution of particle morphology and size, ion release and pH changes in solution was characterised in detail. The results showed that the degradation behaviours of BGNs doped with different elements differed markedly. BGN-Ca and BGN-Mg exhibited the fastest degradation rates characterised by rapid degradation accompanied by higher Si release, whereas BGN-Zn and BGN-Mn showed comparable total Si release but displayed 'fast-then-slow' and 'slow-then-fast' release patterns, respectively. Overall, the reactivity of metal ions can provide a preliminary prediction of early ion-exchange trends, but the actual degradation behaviour is also co-regulated by multiple factors, including doping content, crystalline structure and solubility. This study elucidates the intrinsic relationship among doped elements, structural state and degradation behaviour and provides an experimental support for the precise design and stability regulation of multicomponent functionalised BGNs.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a significant complication of indwelling urinary catheters, primarily caused by bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation and catheter-induced mechanical irritation. To reduce the risk of infection and enhance catheter safety and performance, this study developed an antibacterial lubricating coating. The coating was fabricated on a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrate via electrostatic self-assembly, combining dopamine-modified hyaluronic acid-dopamine (HA-DN) as a biomimetic adhesive with aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (AMSN) serving as a long-acting drug delivery carrier loaded with triclosan (TCS). The results demonstrated that the prepared AMSN exhibited a uniform particle size of approximately 80 nm, an ordered mesoporous structure and a high drug-loading capacity, enabling sustained in vitro release of TCS for up to 144 h. Additionally, the composite multilayer coating significantly improved surface hydrophilicity and lubricity, exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and maintained good biocompatibility. These findings highlight its potential for preventing CAUTIs and enhancing the safety of indwelling urinary catheters.