An expandable medical implant for supporting bone structures is disclosed. A silver or silver alloy-based conductive layer is deposited onto the substrate, and patterned to thereby form a gate line assembly proceeding in the horizontal direction. Various compound particles comprising multiple nanoparticles, alone or in combination with larger objects, and processes for the preparation of such compound particles, are also described. The invention also relates to a sizing composition including said resin, to the mineral fibers sized by means of this composition and to the products formed from the mineral fibers, in particular for thermal andor sound insulation. The invention also includes a method of making such a drum and includes variations in the bearing edges of the tuned staves for such a drum.