About the Authors

Yasuo Onishi

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Teruya Kawamoto

trykwmt@med.kobe-u.ac.jp

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Takeshi Ueha

Affiliation NeoChemir Inc., Gokodori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

Kenta Kishimoto

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Hitomi Hara

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Naomasa Fukase

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Mitsunori Toda

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Risa Harada

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Masaya Minoda

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Yoshitada Sakai

Affiliation Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Himeji Dokkyo University, Kami-Ohno, Himeji, Hyogo, Japan

Masahiko Miwa

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Masahiro Kurosaka

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Toshihiro Akisue

Affiliation Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

Competing Interests

This study was supported by NeoChemir Inc. through the employment of Takeshi Ueha who conceived, designed and performed the experiments, and analyzed the data for this study. The hydro-gel used in this study was a gift from NeoChemir Inc. and is patented by Neochemir Inc. (publication number WO2004/002393; publication date January 8, 2004). There are no other patents, products in development or other marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: YO TK TU. Performed the experiments: YO TK TU M. Minoda. Analyzed the data: YO MT RH HH NF. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: TU. Wrote the paper: YO TK TU. Supervised all aspects of this study: KK M. Miwa YS MK TA.