Process,Material,and Regulatory Considerations for 3D Printed Medical Devices and Tissue Constructs

Three-dimensional(3D)printing is a highly automated platform that facilitates material deposition in a layer-by-layer approach to fabricate pre-defined 3D complex structures on demand.It is a highly promising technique for the fabrication of personalized medical devices or even patient-specific tissue constructs.Each type of 3D printing technique has its unique advantages and limitations,and the selection of a suitable 3D printing technique is highly dependent on its intended application.In this review paper,we present and highlight some of the critical processes(printing parameters,build orientation,build location,and support structures),material(batch-to-batch consistency,recycling,protein adsorption,biocompatibility,and degradation properties),and regulatory considerations(sterility and mechanical properties)for 3D printing of personalized medical devices.The goal of this review paper is to provide the readers with a good understanding of the various key considerations(process,material,and regulatory)in 3D printing,which are critical for the fabrication of improved patient-specific 3D printed medical devices and tissue constructs.

3D printing of functional bioengineered constructs for neural regeneration: a review

Three-dimensional(3D)printing technology has opened a new paradigm to controllably and reproducibly fabricate bioengineered neural constructs for potential applications in repairing injured nervous tissues or producing in vitro nervous tissue models.However,the complexity of nervous tissues poses great challenges to 3D-printed bioengineered analogues,which should possess diverse architectural/chemical/electrical functionalities to resemble the native growth microenvironments for functional neural regeneration.In this work,we provide a state-of-the-art review of the latest development of 3D printing for bioengineered neural constructs.Various 3D printing techniques for neural tissue-engineered scaffolds or living cell-laden constructs are summarized and compared in terms of their unique advantages.We highlight the advanced strategies by integrating topographical,biochemical and electroactive cues inside 3D-printed neural constructs to replicate in vivo-like microenvironment for functional neural regeneration.The typical applications of 3D-printed bioengineered constructs for in vivo repair of injured nervous tissues,bio-electronics interfacing with native nervous system,neural-on-chips as well as brain-like tissue models are demonstrated.The challenges and future outlook associated with 3D printing for functional neural constructs in various categories are discussed.

Constructs of highly effective heat transport paths by bionic optimization

The optimization approach based on the biological evolution principle is used to con-struct the heat transport paths for volume-to-point problem. The transport paths are constructed by inserting high conductivity materials in the heat conduction domain where uniform or nonuniform heat sources exist. In the bionic optimization process, the optimal constructs of the high conductiv-ity material are obtained by numerically simulating the evolution and degeneration process ac-cording to the uniformity principle of the temperature gradient. Finally, preserving the features of the optimal constructs, the constructs are regularized for the convenience of engineering manu-facture. The results show that the construct obtained by bionic optimization is approximate to that obtained by the tree-network constructal theory when the heat conduction is enhanced for the do-main with a uniform heat source and high conductivity ratio of the inserting material to the sub-strate, the high conductivity materials are mainly concentrated on the heat outlet for the case with a uniform heat source and low thermal conductivity ratio, and for the case with nonuniform heat sources, the high conductivity material is concentrated in the heat source regions and construacts several highly effective heat transport paths to connect the regions to the outlet.

Engineering of tissue constructs using coaxial bioprinting

Bioprinting is a rapidly developing technology for the precise design and manufacture of tissues in various biological systems or organs.Coaxial extrusion bioprinting,an emergent branch,has demonstrated a strong potential to enhance bioprinting's engineering versatility.Coaxial bioprinting assists in the fabrication of complex tissue constructs,by enabling concentric deposition of biomaterials.The fabricated tissue constructs started with simple,tubular vasculature but have been substantially developed to integrate complex cell composition and self-assembly,ECM patterning,controlled release,and multi-material gradient profiles.This review article begins with a brief overview of coaxial printing history,followed by an introduction of crucial engineering components.Afterward,we review the recent progress and untapped potential in each specific organ or biological system,and demonstrate how coaxial bioprinting facilitates the creation of tissue constructs.Ultimately,we conclude that this growing technology will contribute significantly to capabilities in the fields of in vitro modeling,pharmaceutical development,and clinical regenerative medicine.

A structure-supporting,self-healing,and high permeating hydrogel bioink for establishment of diverse homogeneous tissue-like constructs

The ready-to-use,structure-supporting hydrogel bioink can shorten the time for ink preparation,ensure cell dispersion,and maintain the preset shape/microstructure without additional assistance during printing.Meanwhile,ink with high permeability might facilitate uniform cell growth in biological constructs,which is beneficial to homogeneous tissue repair.Unfortunately,current bioinks are hard to meet these requirements simultaneously in a simple way.Here,based on the fast dynamic crosslinking of aldehyde hyaluronic acid(AHA)/N-carboxymethyl chitosan(CMC)and the slow stable crosslinking of gelatin(GEL)/4-arm poly(ethylene glycol)succinimidyl glutarate(PEG-SG),we present a time-sharing structure-supporting(TSHSP)hydrogel bioink with high permeability,containing 1%AHA,0.75%CMC,1%GEL and 0.5%PEG-SG.The TSHSP hydrogel can facilitate printing with proper viscoelastic property and self-healing behavior.By crosslinking with 4%PEG-SG for only 3 min,the integrity of the cell-laden construct can last for 21 days due to the stable internal and external GEL/PEG-SG networks,and cells manifested long-term viability and spreading morphology.Nerve-like,muscle-like,and cartilage-like in vitro constructs exhibited homogeneous cell growth and remarkable biological specificities.This work provides not only a convenient and practical bioink for tissue engineering,targeted cell therapy,but also a new direction for hydrogel bioink development.

Bioprinting of skin constructs for wound healing

Extensive burns and full-thickness skin wounds are difficult to repair. Autologous split-thickness skin graft (ASSG) is still used as the gold standard in the clinic. However, the shortage of donor skin tissues is a serious problem. A potential solution to this problem is to fabricate skin constructs using biomaterial scaffolds with or without cells. Bioprinting is being applied to address the need for skin tissues suitable for transplantation, and can lead to the development of skin equivalents for wound healing therapy. Here, we summarize strategies of bioprinting and review current advances of bioprinting of skin constructs. There will be challenges on the way of 3D bioprinting for skin regeneration, but we still believe bioprinting will be potential skills for wounds healing in the foreseeable future.

On concretely both reflective and coreflective subconstructs of Chang fuzzy topological spaces

In this paper, the concretely both reflective and coreflective subconstructs of the construct CFTSof Chang fuzzy topological spaces are characterized and their relationship to such subconstructs of stratifiedfuzzy topological spaces is investigated. Properties of a particular such subconstruct of CFTS, the constructof weak fuzzy neighborhood spaces, are discussed in detail. And it is proved that there exists exactly c suchsubconstructs between the subconstruct of weakly induced spaces and CFTS.

Information schema constructs for defining warehouse databases of genotypes and phenotypes of system manifestation features

Our long-term objective is to develop a software toolbox for pre-embodiment design of complex and heterogeneous systems, such as cyber-physical systems. The novelty of this toolbox is that it uses system manifestation features(SMFs) for transdisciplinary modeling of these systems. The main challenges of implementation of the toolbox are functional design- and language-independent computational realization of the warehouses, and systematic development and management of the various evolving implements of SMFs(genotypes, phenotypes, and instances). Therefore, an information schema construct(ISC) based approach is proposed to create the schemata of the associated warehouse databases and the above-mentioned SMF implements. ISCs logically arrange the data contents of SMFs in a set of relational tables of varying semantics. In this article we present the ISCs necessary for creation of genotypes and phenotypes. They increase the efficiency of the database development process and make the data relationships transparent. Our follow-up research focuses on the elaboration of the SMF instances based system modeling methodology.

Information schema constructs for instantiation and composition of system manifestation features

Complementing our previous publications, this paper presents the information schema constructs （ISCs） that underpin the programming of specific system manifestation feature （SMF） orientated information management and composing system models. First, we briefly present （1） the general process of pre-embodiment design with SMFs, （2） the procedures of creating genotypes and phenotypes of SMFs, （3） the specific procedure of instantiation of phenotypes of SMFs, and （4） the procedure of system model management and processing. Then, the chunks of information needed for instantiation of phenotypes of SMFs are discussed, and the ISCs designed for instantiation presented. Afterwards, the information management aspects of system modeling are addressed. Methodologically, system modeling involves （1） placement of phenotypes of SMF in the modeling space, （2） combining them towards the desired architecture and operation, （3） assigning values to the parameters and checking the satisfac- tion of constraints, and （4） storing the system model in the SMFs-based warehouse database. The final objective of the reported research is to develop an SMFs-based toolbox to support modeling of cyber-physical systems （CPSs）.

Culture models produced via biomanufacturing for neural tissue-like constructs based on primary neural and neural stem cells

Neural tissue-like constructs have important application potential in both neural tissue regeneration and individual medical treatment due to the ideal bioenvironment they provide for the growth of primary and stem cells.The biomaterials used in threedimensional(3D)biomanufacturing techniques play a critical role in bioenvironment fabrication.They help optimize the manufacturing techniques and the long-term environment that supports cell structure and nutrient transmission.This paper reviews the current progress being made in the biomaterials utilized in neural cell cultures for in vitro bioenvironment construction.The following four requirements for biomaterials are evaluated:biocompatibility,porosity,supportability,and permeability.This study also summarizes the recent culture models based on primary neural cells.Furthermore,the biomaterials used for neural stem cell constructs are discussed.This study’s results indicate that compared with traditional twodimensional(2D)cultures(with minimal biomaterial requirements),modulus 3D cultures greatly benefit from optimized biomaterials for long-term culturing.

Berun Constructs Coal to MEG Project

Berun Holdings Group’s Xilingol Sunite Soda Industry Companystarted constructing a 200 000 t/a coal to mono-ethylene glycol(MEG) project at Xilingol,Inner Mongolia on October 18th. It isthe third coal to MEG project in Inner Mongolia. The RMB2.3billion project will be constructed in two phases. Phase one is sched-

堆石混凝土坝概述及下一代混凝土坝施工技术展望

Over the past few decades,one of the most significant advances in dam construction has been the inven-tion of the rock-filled concrete(RFC)dam,which is constructed by pouring high-performance self-compacting concrete(HSCC)to fill the voids in preplaced large rocks.The innovative use of large rocks in dam construction provides engineers with a material that requires less cement consumption and hydration heat while enhancing construction efficiency and environmental friendliness.However,two fundamental scientific issues related to RFC need to be addressed:namely,the pouring compactness and the effect of large rocks on the mechanical and physical properties of RFC.This article provides a timely review of fundamental research and innovations in the design,construction,and quality control of RFCdams.Prospects for next-generation concrete dams are discussed from the perspectives of envi-ronmental friendliness,intrinsic safety,and labor savings.

Properties and Characteristics of Regolith-Based Materials for Extraterrestrial Construction

The construction of extraterrestrial bases has become a new goal in the active exploration of deep space.Among the construction techniques,in situ resource-based construction is one of the most promising because of its good sustainability and acceptable economic cost,triggering the development of various types of extraterrestrial construction materials.A comprehensive survey and comparison of materials from the perspective of performance was conducted to provide suggestions for material selection and optimization.Thirteen types of typical construction materials are discussed in terms of their reliability and applicability in extreme extraterrestrial environment.Mechanical,thermal and optical,and radiation-shielding properties are considered.The influencing factors and optimization methods for these properties are analyzed.From the perspective of material properties,the existing challenges lie in the comprehensive,long-term,and real characterization of regolith-based construction materials.Correspondingly,the suggested future directions include the application of high-throughput characterization methods,accelerated durability tests,and conducting extraterrestrial experiments.

Efficiency and effectiveness of systems for the treatment of domestic wastewater based on subsurface flow constructed wetlands in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Constructed wetlands(CwW)are well known nature-based systems for water treatment.This study evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of seven domestic wastewater treatment systems based on horizontal flow CWs in Jarabacoa,the Dominican Republic.The results showed that the CWs were efficient in reducing the degree of contamination of wastewater to levels below the Dominican wastewater discharge standards for parameters such as the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand(BOD5)and chemical oxygen demand,but not for the removal of phosphorus and fecal coliforms.In addition,a horizontal flow subsurface wetland in the peri-urban area El Dorado was evaluated in terms of the performance of wastewater treatment in tropical climatic conditions.The concentrations of heavy metals,such as zinc,copper,chromium,and iron,were found to decrease in the effluent of the wetland,and the concentrations for nickel and manganese tended to increase.The levels of heavy metals in the effluent were lower than the limit values of the Dominican wastewater discharge standards.The construction cost of these facilities was around 200 USD per population equivalent,similar to the cost in other countries in the same region.This study suggested some solutions to the improved performance of CWs:selection of a microbial flora that guarantees the reduction of nitrates and nitrites to molecular nitrogen,use of endemic plants that bioaccumulate heavy metals,combination of constructed wetlands with filtration on activated carbon,and inclusion of water purification processes that allow to evaluate the reuse of treated water.

Micromechanical testing and property upscaling of planetary rocks:A critical review

Knowledge of the mechanical behavior of planetary rocks is indispensable for space explorations.The scarcity of pristine samples and the irregular shapes of planetary meteorites make it difficult to obtain representative samples for conventional macroscale rock mechanics experiments(macro-RMEs).This critical review discusses recent advances in microscale RMEs(micro-RMEs)techniques and the upscaling methods for extracting mechanical parameters.Methods of mineralogical and microstructural analyses,along with non-destructive mechanical techniques,have provided new opportunities for studying planetary rocks with unprecedented precision and capabilities.First,we summarize several mainstream methods for obtaining the mineralogy and microstructure of planetary rocks.Then,nondestructive micromechanical testing methods,nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy(AFM),are detailed reviewed,illustrating the principles,advantages,influencing factors,and available testing results from literature.Subsequently,several feasible upscaling methods that bridge the micro-measurements of meteorite pieces to the strength of the intact body are introduced.Finally,the potential applications of planetary rock mechanics research to guiding the design and execution of space missions are environed,ranging from sample return missions and planetary defense to extraterrestrial construction.These discussions are expected to broaden the understanding of the microscale mechanical properties of planetary rocks and their significant role in deep space exploration.

A comprehensive review of lunar lava tube base construction and field research on a potential Earth test site

The Moon,as the closest celestial body to the Earth,plays a pivotal role in the progression of deep space exploration,and the establishment of research outposts on its surface represents a crucial step in this mission.Lunar lava tubes are special underground caves formed by volcanic eruptions and are considered as ideal natural shelters and scientific laboratories for lunar base construction.This paper begins with an in-depth overview of the geological origins,exploration history,and distribution locations of lunar lava tubes.Subsequently,it delves into the presentation of four distinctive advantages and typical concepts for constructing bases within lava tubes,summarizing the ground-based attempts made thus far in lunar lava tube base construction.Field studies conducted on a lava tube in Hainan revealed rock compositions similar to those found during the Apollo missions and clear lava tube structures,making it a promising analog site.Lastly,the challenges and opportunities encountered in the field of geotechnical engineering regarding the establishment of lunar lava tube bases are discussed,encompassing cave exploration technologies,in-situ testing methods,geomechanical properties under lunar extreme environments,base design and structural stability assessment,excavation and reinforcement techniques,and simulated Earth-based lava tube base.

Subsurface multi-physical characterization of mountain excavation and city construction in loess plateau with a fiber-optic sensing system

Mountain excavation and city construction(MECC)projects being launched in the Loess Plateau in China involve the creation of large-scale artificial land.Understanding the subsurface evolution characteristics of the artificial land is essential,yet challenging.Here,we use an improved fiber-optic monitoring system for its subsurface multi-physical characterization.The system enables us to gather spatiotemporal distribution of various parameters,including strata deformation,temperature,and moisture.Yan’an New District was selected as a case study to conduct refined in-situ monitoring through a 77 m-deep borehole and a 30 m-long trench.Findings reveal that the ground settlement involves both the deformation of the filling loess and the underlying intact loess.Notably,the filling loess exhibits a stronger creep capability compared to underlying intact loess.The deformation along the profile is unevenly distributed,with a positive correlation with soil moisture.Water accumulation has been observed at the interface between the filling loess and the underlying intact loess,leading to a significant deformation.Moreover,the temperature and moisture in the filling loess have reached a new equilibrium state,with their depths influenced by atmospheric conditions measuring at 31 m and 26 m,respectively.The refined investigation allows us to identify critical layers that matter the sustainable development of newly created urban areas,and provide improved insights into the evolution mechanisms of land creation.

Deformation,structure and potential hazard of a landslide based on InSAR in Banbar county,Xizang(Tibet)

The Tibetan Plateau is characterized by complex geological conditions and a relatively fragile ecological environment.In recent years,there has been continuous development and increased human activity in the Tibetan Plateau region,leading to a rising risk of landslides.The landslide in Banbar County,Xizang(Tibet),have been perturbed by ongoing disturbances from human engineering activities,making it susceptible to instability and displaying distinct features.In this study,small baseline subset synthetic aperture radar interferometry(SBAS-InSAR)technology is used to obtain the Line of Sight(LOS)deformation velocity field in the study area,and then the slope-orientation deformation field of the landslide is obtained according to the spatial geometric relationship between the satellite’s LOS direction and the landslide.Subsequently,the landslide thickness is inverted by applying the mass conservation criterion.The results show that the movement area of the landslide is about 6.57×10^(4)m^(2),and the landslide volume is about 1.45×10^(6)m^(3).The maximum estimated thickness and average thickness of the landslide are 39 m and 22 m,respectively.The thickness estimation results align with the findings from on-site investigation,indicating the applicability of this method to large-scale earth slides.The deformation rate of the landslide exhibits a notable correlation with temperature variations,with rainfall playing a supportive role in the deformation process and displaying a certain lag.Human activities exert the most substantial influence on the spatial heterogeneity of landslide deformation,leading to the direct impact of several prominent deformation areas due to human interventions.Simultaneously,utilizing the long short-term memory(LSTM)model to predict landslide displacement,and the forecast results demonstrate the effectiveness of the LSTM model in predicting landslides that are in a continuous development and movement phase.The landslide is still active,and based on the spatial heterogeneity of landslide deformation,new recommendations have been proposed for the future management of the landslide in order to mitigate potential hazards associated with landslide instability.

Two stages power generation test of the hot dry rock exploration and production demonstration project in the Gonghe Basin,northeastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau,China

The Hot Dry Rock(HDR)is considered as a clean and renewable energy,poised to significantly contribute to the global energy decarbonization agenda.Many HDR projects worldwide have accumulated valuable experience in efficient drilling and completion,reservoir construction,and fracture simulation.In 2019,China Geological Survey(CGS)initiated a demonstration project of HDR exploration and production in the Gonghe Basin,aiming to overcome the setbacks faced by HDR projects.Over the ensuing four years,the Gonghe HDR project achieved the first power generation in 2021,followed by the second power generation test in 2022.After establishing the primary well group in the initial phase,two directional wells and one branch well were drilled.Noteworthy progress was made in successfully constructing the targeted reservoir,realizing inter-well connectivity,power generation and grid connection,implementing of the real-time micro-seismic monitoring.A closed-loop technical validation of the HDR exploration and production was completed.However,many technical challenges remain in the process of HDR industrialization,such as reservoir fracture network characterization,efficient drilling and completion,multiple fracturing treatment,continuous injection and production,as well as mitigation of induced seismicity and numerical simulation technology.

Research Progress and Prospects of Total Factor Productivity in the Construction Industry

The high-quality development of the construction industry fundamentally stems from the significant improvement of total factor productivity.Therefore,it is of crucial significance for promoting the development of the construction industry to a higher level by scientifically and accurately measuring the total factor productivity of the construction industry and deeply analyzing the influencing factors behind it.Based on a comprehensive consideration of research methods and influencing factors,this paper systematically reviews the existing relevant literature on total factor productivity in the construction industry,aiming to reveal the current research development trend in this field and point out potential problems.This effort aims to provide a solid theoretical foundation and valuable reference for further in-depth research,and jointly promote the continuous progress and development of total factor productivity research in the construction industry.