{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,22]],"date-time":"2025-11-22T11:42:39Z","timestamp":1763811759134,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,10]],"date-time":"2025-07-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752105600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Stimulus of Scientific Employment","award":["2021.00077.CEECIND","UIDB\/50022\/2020","UIDP\/50022\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021.00077.CEECIND","UIDB\/50022\/2020","UIDP\/50022\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT","award":["2021.00077.CEECIND","UIDB\/50022\/2020","UIDP\/50022\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021.00077.CEECIND","UIDB\/50022\/2020","UIDP\/50022\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a health condition that can significantly impact patients\u2019 quality of life. Unfortunately, most available treatments present drawbacks such as high recurrence rates, risk of complications, poor tissue integration, and the need for reintervention. One promising alternative is the use of biodegradable implantable meshes, which can support the organs, guide tissue regeneration, and be fully absorbed without damaging the surrounding tissues. In this study, biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) meshes were fabricated using melt electrowritten (MEW), incorporating the antistatic agent Hostastat\u00ae FA 38 (HT) to address these limitations. The goal was to produce microscaffolds with suitable biophysical properties, particularly more stable fiber deposition and reduced fiber diameter. Different HT concentrations (0.03, 0.06, and 0.1 wt%) were investigated to assess their influence on the fiber diameter and mechanical properties of the PCL meshes. Increasing HT concentration significantly reduced fiber diameter by 14\u201317%, 39\u201345%, and 65\u201366%, depending on mesh geometry (square or sinusoidal). At 0.06 wt%, PCL\/HT meshes showed a 24.10% increase in tensile strength and a 55.59% increase in Young\u2019s Modulus compared to pure PCL meshes of similar diameter. All formulations demonstrated cell viability &gt;90%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed preserved thermal stability and changes in crystallinity with HT addition. These findings indicate that the antistatic agent yields promising results, enabling the production of thinner, more stable fibers with higher tensile strength and Young\u2019s Modulus than PCL meshes, without adding cellular toxicity. Developing a thinner and more stable mesh that mimics vaginal tissue mechanics could offer an innovative solution for POP repair.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app15147763","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,11]],"date-time":"2025-07-11T14:22:36Z","timestamp":1752243756000},"page":"7763","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Antistatic Melt-Electrowritten Biodegradable Mesh Implants for Enhanced Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Daniela","family":"Cruz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9793-4076","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisca","family":"Vaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-2608-9295","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Evangelia","family":"Antoniadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3566-5308","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Telma","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3776-9836","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joana","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0569-995X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"F\u00e1bio","family":"Pinheiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"ICBAS\u2014Instituto de Ci\u00eancias Biom\u00e9dicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7783-1166","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nuno Miguel","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9504-7914","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds B.","family":"Bebiano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014Instituto de Ci\u00eancias Biom\u00e9dicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"i3S\u2014Instituto de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e Inova\u00e7\u00e3o em Sa\u00fade, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7255-3400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"R\u00faben F.","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014Instituto de Ci\u00eancias Biom\u00e9dicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"i3S\u2014Instituto de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e Inova\u00e7\u00e3o em Sa\u00fade, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7146-9944","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2889-4969","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisabete","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,10]]},"reference":[{"doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Braga, A., and Serati, M. 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