Constructing a biofunctionalized 3D-printed gelatin/sodium alginate/chitosan tri-polymer complex scaffold with improvised biological andmechanical properties for bone-tissue engineering

Sodium alginate(SA)/chitosan(CH)polyelectrolyte scaffold is a suitable substrate for tissue-engineering application.The present study deals with further improvement in the tensile strength and biological properties of this type of scaffold to make it a potential template for bone-tissue regeneration.We experimented with adding 0%–15%(volume fraction)gelatin(GE),a protein-based biopolymer known to promote cell adhesion,proliferation,and differentiation.The resulting tri-polymer complex was used as bioink to fabricate SA/CH/GEmatrices by three-dimensional(3D)printing.Morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy revealed the microfibrous porous architecture of all the structures,which had a pore size range of 383–419μm.X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed the amorphous nature of the scaffold and the strong electrostatic interactions among the functional groups of the polymers,thereby forming polyelectrolyte complexes which were found to improve mechanical properties and structural stability.The scaffolds exhibited a desirable degradation rate,controlled swelling,and hydrophilic characteristics which are favorable for bone-tissue engineering.The tensile strength improved from(386±15)to(693±15)kPa due to the increased stiffness of SA/CH scaffolds upon addition of gelatin.The enhanced protein adsorption and in vitro bioactivity(forming an apatite layer)confirmed the ability of the SA/CH/GE scaffold to offer higher cellular adhesion and a bone-like environment to cells during the process of tissue regeneration.In vitro biological evaluation including the MTT assay,confocal microscopy analysis,and alizarin red S assay showed a significant increase in cell attachment,cell viability,and cell proliferation,which further improved biomineralization over the scaffold surface.In addition,SA/CH containing 15%gelatin designated as SA/CH/GE15 showed superior performance to the other fabricated 3D structures,demonstrating its potential for use in bone-tissue engineering.

Decade Milestone Advancement of Defect-Engineered g-C_(3)N_(4) for Solar Catalytic Applications

Over the past decade, graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4)) has emerged as a universal photocatalyst toward various sustainable carbo-neutral technologies. Despite solar applications discrepancy, g-C_(3)N_(4) is still confronted with a general fatal issue of insufficient supply of thermodynamically active photocarriers due to its inferior solar harvesting ability and sluggish charge transfer dynamics. Fortunately, this could be significantly alleviated by the “all-in-one” defect engineering strategy, which enables a simultaneous amelioration of both textural uniqueness and intrinsic electronic band structures. To this end, we have summarized an unprecedently comprehensive discussion on defect controls including the vacancy/non-metallic dopant creation with optimized electronic band structure and electronic density, metallic doping with ultraactive coordinated environment(M–N_(x), M–C_(2)N_(2), M–O bonding), functional group grafting with optimized band structure, and promoted crystallinity with extended conjugation π system with weakened interlayered van der Waals interaction. Among them, the defect states induced by various defect types such as N vacancy, P/S/halogen dopants, and cyano group in boosting solar harvesting and accelerating photocarrier transfer have also been emphasized. More importantly, the shallow defect traps identified by femtosecond transient absorption spectra(fs-TAS) have also been highlighted. It is believed that this review would pave the way for future readers with a unique insight into a more precise defective g-C_(3)N_(4) “customization”, motivating more profound thinking and flourishing research outputs on g-C_(3)N_(4)-based photocatalysis.

3D-printed engineered bacteria-laden gelatin/sodium alginate composite hydrogels for biological detection of ionizing radiation

Nuclear safety is a global growing concern,where ionizing radiation(IR)is a major injury factor resulting in serious damage to organisms.The detection of IR is usually conducted with physical dosimeters;however,biological IR detection methods are deficient.Here,a living composite hydrogel consisting of engineered bacteria and gelatin/sodium alginate was 3D-printed for the biological detection of IR.Three strains of PrecA::egfp gene circuit-containing engineered Escherichia coli were constructed with IR-dependent fluorescence,and the DH5αstrain was finally selected due to its highest radiation response and fluorescence.Engineered bacteria were loaded in a series of gelatin/sodium alginate matrix hydrogels with different rheology,3D printability and bacterial applicability.A high-gelatin-content hydrogel containing 10%gelatin/1.25%sodium alginatewas optimal.The optimal living composite hydrogelwas 3D-printedwith the special bioink,which reported significant green fluorescence underγ-ray radiation.The living composite hydrogel provides a biological strategy for the detection of environmental ionizing radiation.

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.

Application of 2-D and 3-D Geo-electrical Resistivity Tomography and Geotechnical Soil Evaluation for Engineering Site Investigation:A Case Study of Okerenkoko Primary School,Warri-Southwest,Delta State,Nigeria

In the design of building structures,joint efforts must be decided to resolve the depth of competent layers across the intended site to safeguard the durability of civil engineering structures and to avert the disastrous consequences of structural failure and collapse.In this study,an integrated methodology that employed DC resistivity tomography involving 2-D and 3-D techniques and geotechnical-soil analysis was used to evaluate subsoil conditions for engineering site investigation at Okerenkoko primary school,in the Warri-southwest area of Delta State,to adduce the phenomena responsible for the visible cracks/structural failure observed in the buildings.The results obtained brought to light the geological structure beneath the subsurface,which consists of four geoelectric layers identified as topsoil,dry/lithified upper sandy layer,wet sand(water-saturated)and peat/clay/sandy clayey soil(highly water-saturated).The deeply-seated peat/clay materials(ρ≤20Ωm)were delineated in the study area to the depths of 17.1 m and 19.8 m from 2-D and 3-D tomography respectively.3-D images presented as horizontal depth slices revealed the dominance of very low resistivity materials i.e.peat/clay/sandy clay within the fourth,fifth and sixth layers at depths ranging from 8.68-12.5 m,12.5-16.9 m and 16.9-21.9 m respectively.The dominance of mechanically unstable peat/clay/sandy clay layers beneath the subsurface,which are highly mobile in response to volumetric changes,is responsible for the noticeable cracks/failure detected on structures within the study site.These observations were validated by a geotechnical test of soil samples in the study area.Atterberg’s limits of the samples revealed plasticity indices of zero.Thus,the soil samples within the depth analyzed were representatives of sandy soil that does not possess any plasticity.The methods justifiably provided relevant information on the subsurface geology beneath the study site and should be appropriated as major tools for engineering site assessment/geotechnical projects.

“新工科”背景下建筑设计人才“3+3+3”培养模式的建构

“新工科”国家战略的推动下,我国高等院校建筑人才培养面临新的挑战,建筑设计人才培养体系、培养质量与“新工科”建设愿景仍存在差距。该研究借鉴新加坡高等教育发展历程以及新加坡国立大学建筑设计人才培养内涵,探析如何在“新工科”背景下推动建筑设计人才培养模式的建构,以培养主体、培养途径、培养层级三要素为建筑设计人才培养框架,创新性提出“3+3+3”多层级建筑人才培养模式,以期为“新工科”战略的实施提供高素质建筑设计人才保障。

基于Pro/ENGINEER的电池盖注射3D模设计

本文运用Pro／ENGINEER及其EMX4．1模块完成电池盖模具整个设计工作，还利用了Moldflow Adviser 7．1软件对塑件进行模流分析，从而使设计的整个过程实现无纸化，有利于提高模具的生产效率，节约了生产成本，并大大缩短了生产的周期。

在Pro/ENGINEER环境下3D公差的实现

立体公差标注是三维CAD/CAM软件的瓶颈,本文作者通过实例介绍一套在Pro/ENGINEER环境下3D公差的表示方法,实现了三维公差的标注,并在一定程度上解决了三维模型对工程图的依赖。

“3+2”联合培养模式下本科层次职业教育数学课程衔接发展研究——以安徽机电职业技术学院为例

“3+2”联合培养模式是本科层次职业教育的主要模式之一,有利于提升本科教育与职业教育的课程衔接效果。以安徽机电职业技术学院为例,剖析本科层次职业教育数学课程衔接背景与课程开展现状,从目标衔接、内容衔接、教法衔接、考核评价衔接等方面,深入分析本科层次职业教育数学课程衔接发展的措施,有助于为“3+2”联合培养模式下本科与职业教育数学课程的顺利衔接提供参考。

Selective sulfur conversion with surface engineering of electrocatalysts in a lithium-sulfur battery

The sluggish kinetics of multiphase sulfur conversion with homogeneous and heterogeneous electrochemical processes,causing the“shuttle effect”of soluble polysulfide species(PSs),is the challenges in terms of lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs).In this paper,a Mn_(3)O_(4-x) catalyst,which has much higher activity for heterogeneous reactions than for homogeneous reactions(namely,preferentialactivity catalysts),is designed by surface engineering with rational oxygen vacancies.Due to the rational design of the electronic structure,the Mn_(3)O_(4-x) catalyst prefers to accelerate the conversion of Li2S4 into Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S and optimize Li_(2)S deposition,reducing the accumulation of PSs and thus suppressing the“shuttle effect.”Both density functional theory calculations and in situ X-ray diffraction measurements are used to probe the catalytic mechanism and identify the reaction intermediates of MnS and Li_(y)Mn_(z)O_(4-x) for fundamental understanding.The cell with Mn_(3)O_(4-x) delivers an ultralow attenuation rate of 0.028% per cycle over 2000 cycles at 2.5 C.Even with sulfur loadings of 4.93 and 7.10mg cm^(-2) in a lean electrolyte(8.4μL mg s^(-1)),the cell still shows an initial areal capacity of 7.3mAh cm^(-2).This study may provide a new way to develop preferential-activity heterogeneous-reaction catalysts to suppress the“shuttle effect”of the soluble PSs generated during the redox process of LSBs.

Optimizing the Performance of CsPbI3-Based Perovskite Solar Cells via Doping a ZnO Electron Transport Layer Coupled with Interface Engineering

Interface engineering has been regarded as an effective and noninvasive means to optimize the performance of perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Here,doping engineering of a ZnO electron transport layer(ETL)and CsPbI3/ZnO interface engineering via introduction of an interfacial layer are employed to improve the performances of CsPbI3-based PSCs.The results show that when introducing a TiO2 buffer layer while increasing the ZnO layer doping concentration,the open-circuit voltage,power conversion efficiency,and fill factor of the CsPbI3-based PSCs can be improved to 1.31 V,21.06%,and 74.07%,respectively,which are superior to those of PSCs only modified by the TiO2 buffer layer or high-concentration doping of ZnO layer.On the one hand,the buffer layer relieves the band bending and structural disorder of CsPbI3.On the other hand,the increased doping concentration of the ZnO layer improves the conductivity of the TiO2/ZnO bilayer ETL because of the strong interaction between the TiO2 and ZnO layers.However,such phenomena are not observed for those of a PCBM/ZnO bilayer ETL because of the weak interlayer interaction of the PCBM/ZnO interface.These results provide a comprehensive understanding of the CsPbI3/ZnO interface and suggest a guideline to design high-performance PSCs.

Color 3D Reverse Engineering

This paper presents a principle and a method of col or 3D laser scanning measurement. Based on the fundamental monochrome 3D measureme nt study, color information capture, color texture mapping, coordinate computati on and other techniques are performed to achieve color 3D measurement. The syste m is designed and composed of a line laser light emitter, one color CCD camera, a motor-driven rotary filter, a circuit card and a computer. Two steps in captu ring object’s images in the measurement process: First, the color CCD camera ta kes the color picture of the object to be used for texture mapping in post proce ssing. Secondly, the monochrome data of the object is taken. The laser light emi tter is started; the light plane and the surface of the object intersect to form an undulate line, which forms an image on the CCD sensor. After the optic- electronics transformation, the electronic signals are captured and send to the computer. A new color 3D measurement model was derived, and a rapid calibra ting method to measure the system parameters was proposed--optical plane equat ion calibrating method. A calibrating drone was designed and built. 3D color sca nning system not only provides an object’s individual point information in the 3D coordinate, in the mean time, it provides the color information of each indiv idual point. This paper also advances a multi-frame auto-merging method, i.e. several frames of color 3D digital images measured are merged quickly according to their curvature characteristics and RGB information. Initial matching and fin e tune of the registration are completely performed by the computer; initial mat ching is via user interface in helping computer to find the transformation matri x. The transformation matrix is found according to the geometric characteristics chosen by hand. After the initial transformation matrix is found, fine tune of the registration is preformed to do the optimum adjustment to achieve a complete color textured 3D model. The system can be broadly used in the fields of produc t design, mold manufacture, multimedia, game development, animation, medical eng ineering, antique digitization, etc.

Tunable 3D Nanofiber Architecture of Polycaprolactone by Divergence Electrospinning for Potential Tissue Engineering Applications

The creation of biomimetic cell environments with micro and nanoscale topographical features resembling native tissues is critical for tissue engineering. To address this challenge, this study focuses on an innovative electrospinning strategy that adopts a symmetrically divergent electric field to induce rapid self-assembly of aligned polycaprolactone(PCL) nanofibers into a centimeter-scale architecture between separately grounded bevels. The 3D microstructures of the nanofiber scaffolds were characterized through a series of sectioning in both vertical and horizontal directions. PCL/collagen(type I)nanofiber scaffolds with different density gradients were incorporated in sodium alginate hydrogels and subjected to elemental analysis. Human fibroblasts were seeded onto the scaffolds and cultured for 7 days. Our studies showed that the inclination angle of the collector had significant effects on nanofiber attributes, including the mean diameter, density gradient, and alignment gradient. The fiber density and alignment at the peripheral area of the 45°-collector decreased by 21% and 55%, respectively, along the z-axis,while those of the 60°-collector decreased by 71% and 60%, respectively. By altering the geometry of the conductive areas on the collecting bevels, polyhedral and cylindrical scaffolds composed of aligned fibers were directly fabricated. By using a four-bevel collector, the nanofibers formed a matrix of microgrids with a density of 11%. The gradient of nitrogen-to-carbon ratio in the scaffold-incorporated hydrogel was consistent with the nanofiber density gradient. The scaffolds provided biophysical stimuli to facilitate cell adhesion, proliferation, and morphogenesis in 3D.

Visible Light-Induced 3D Bioprinting Technologies and Corresponding Bioink Materials for Tissue Engineering: A Review

Three-dimensional(3D)bioprinting based on traditional 3D printing is an emerging technology that is used to precisely assemble biocompatible materials and cells or bioactive factors into advanced tissue engineering solutions.Similar technology,particularly photo-cured bioprinting strategies,plays an important role in the field of tissue engineering research.The successful implementation of 3D bioprinting is based on the properties of photopolymerized materials.Photocrosslinkable hydrogel is an attractive biomaterial that is polymerized rapidly and enables process control in space and time.Photopolymerization is frequently initiated by ultraviolet(UV)or visible light.However,UV light may cause cell damage and thereby,affect cell viability.Thus,visible light is considered to be more biocompatible than UV light for bioprinting.In this review,we provide an overview of photo curing-based bioprinting technologies,and describe a visible light crosslinkable bioink,including its crosslinking mechanisms,types of visible light initiator,and biomedical applications.We also discuss existing challenges and prospects of visible light-induced 3D bioprinting devices and hydrogels in biomedical areas.

3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds:a focus on vascular regeneration

Tissue engineering is an emerging means for resolving the problems of tissue repair and organ replacement in regenerative medicine.Insufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen to cells in large-scale tissues has led to the demand to prepare blood vessels.Scaffold-based tissue engineering approaches are effective methods to form new blood vessel tissues.The demand for blood vessels prompts systematic research on fabrication strategies of vascular scaffolds for tissue engineering.Recent advances in 3D printing have facilitated fabrication of vascular scaffolds,contributing to broad prospects for tissue vascularization.This review presents state of the art on modeling methods,print materials and preparation processes for fabrication of vascular scaffolds,and discusses the advantages and application fields of each method.Specially,significance and importance of scaffold-based tissue engineering for vascular regeneration are emphasized.Print materials and preparation processes are discussed in detail.And a focus is placed on preparation processes based on 3D printing technologies and traditional manufacturing technologies including casting,electrospinning,and Lego-like construction.And related studies are exemplified.Transformation of vascular scaffolds to clinical application is discussed.Also,four trends of 3D printing of tissue engineering vascular scaffolds are presented,including machine learning,near-infrared photopolymerization,4D printing,and combination of self-assembly and 3D printing-based methods.

3-D Fracture Network Modelling in Hydropower Engineering Based on Optimal Monte Carlo Simulation

Effectively and accurately modelling the spatial relation of fracture surfaces is crucial in the design and construction of large hydropower dams having a complex underlying geology. However, fracture surfaces are randomly formed and vary greatly with respect to their spatial distribution, which makes the construction of accurate 3-D models challenging. In this study, we use an optimal Monte Carlo simulation and dynamic conditioning to construct a fracture network model. We found the optimal Monte Carlo simulation to effectively reduce the error associated with the Monte Carlo method and use dynamic conditioning to ensure the consistency of the model with the actual distribution of fractures on the excavation faces and outcrops. We applied this novel approach to a hydropower station on the Jinshajiang River, China. The simulation results matched the real sampled values well, confirming that the model is capable of effectively and accurately simulating the spatial relations in a fracture network.

低压环境下RP-3航空煤油自燃特性研究

开展了低压环境下RP-3航空煤油的自燃特性研究,测试了101 kPa、80 kPa、60 kPa、40 kPa、20 kPa五种压力环境下航空煤油自燃点及着火延迟时间数据。结果表明,随着环境压力降低,自燃点升高,并基于谢苗诺夫热自燃理论,建立了耦合压力参数的自燃点预测模型。分析了环境压力对着火延迟时间的影响机制,建立了不同环境压力下的着火延迟时间预测模型。分析了GB/T 5332—2007标准在低压环境下测试存在的问题,并提出了相关改进方法。

微生物合成2′-岩藻糖基乳糖和3-岩藻糖基乳糖的代谢工程策略研究进展

人乳寡糖(human milk oligosaccharide,HMOs)是母乳的关键成分,它对婴幼儿健康成长发挥着重要的作用。2′-岩藻糖基乳糖(2′-fucosyllactose,2′-FL)和3-岩藻糖基乳糖(3-fucosyllactose,3-FL)是HMOs的主要组分,具有抑制病原体感染、调节肠道菌群和提高免疫力等功能,其合成方法成为近年内的研究热点。然而,利用化学法或酶法合成2′-FL和3-FL具有反应过程繁琐、成本高以及产物收率低等缺点,无法满足市场的需求,因此,高效的微生物法已被开发应用于2′-FL和3-FL的商业化生产。本文总结2′-FL和3-FL的制备方法,系统阐述微生物法合成2′-FL和3-FL的工程化策略,为后续2′-FL和3-FL的微生物生产提供一定的研究思路。

Lateral bearing characteristics of subsea wellhead assembly in the hydrate trial production engineering

Conductor and suction anchor are the key equipment providing bearing capacity in the field of deep-water drilling or offshore engineering,which have the advantages of high operation efficiency and short construction period.In order to drill a horizontal well in the shallow hydrate reservoir in the deep water,the suction anchor wellhead assembly is employed to undertake the main vertical bearing capacity in the second round of hydrate trial production project,so as to reduce the conductor running depth and heighten the kick-off point position.However,the deformation law of the deep-water suction anchor wellhead assembly under the moving load of the riser is not clear,and it is necessary to understand the lateral bearing characteristics to guide the design of its structural scheme.Based on 3D solid finite element method,the solid finite element model of the suction anchor wellhead assembly is established.In the model,the seabed soil is divided into seven layers,the contact between the wellhead assembly and the soil is simulated,and the vertical load and bending moment are applied to the wellhead node to simulate the riser movement when working in the deep water.The lateral bearing stability of conventional wellhead assembly and suction anchor wellhead assembly under the influence of wellhead load is discussed.The analysis results show that the bending moment is the main factor affecting the lateral deformation of the wellhead string;the anti-bending performance from increasing the outer conductor diameter is better than that from increasing the conductor wall thickness;for the subsea wellhead,the suction anchor obviously improves the lateral bearing capacity and reduces the lateral deformation.The conduct of the suction anchor wellhead assembly still needs to be lowered to a certain depth that below the maximum disturbed depth to ensure the lateral bearing stability,Thus,a method for the minimum conductor running depth for the suction anchor wellhead assembly is developed.The field implementations show that compared with the first round of hydrate trial production project,the conductor running depth is increased by 9.42 m,and there is no risk of wellhead overturning during the trial production.The method for determining the minimum conductor running depth in this paper is feasible and will still play an important role in the subsequent hydrate exploration and development.

3D-printed Mg-1Ca/polycaprolactone composite scaffolds with promoted bone regeneration

In bone tissue engineering,polycaprolactone(PCL)is a promising material with good biocompatibility,but its poor degradation rate,mechanical strength,and osteogenic properties limit its application.In this study,we developed an Mg-1Ca/polycaprolactone(Mg-1Ca/PCL)composite scaffolds to overcome these limitations.We used a melt blending method to prepare Mg-1Ca/PCL composites with Mg-1Ca alloy powder mass ratios of 5,10,and 20 wt%.Porous scaffolds with controlled macro-and microstructure were printed using the fused deposition modeling method.We explored the mechanical strength,biocompatibility,osteogenesis performance,and molecular mechanism of the Mg-1Ca/PCL composites.The 5 and 10 wt%Mg-1Ca/PCL composites were found to have good biocompatibility.Moreover,they promoted the mechanical strength,proliferation,adhesion,and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stem cells(hBMSCs)of pure PCL.In vitro degradation experiments revealed that the composite material stably released Mg_(2)+ions for a long period;it formed an apatite layer on the surface of the scaffold that facilitated cell adhesion and growth.Microcomputed tomography and histological analysis showed that both 5 and 10 wt%Mg-1Ca/PCL composite scaffolds promoted bone regeneration bone defects.Our results indicated that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was involved in the osteogenic effect.Therefore,Mg-1Ca/PCL composite scaffolds are expected to be a promising bone regeneration material for clinical application.Statement of significance:Bone tissue engineering scaffolds have promising applications in the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects.However,there remain many limitations in the materials and manufacturing methods used to fabricate scaffolds.This study shows that the developed Ma-1Ca/PCL composites provides scaffolds with suitable degradation rates and enhanced boneformation capabilities.Furthermore,the fused deposition modeling method allows precise control of the macroscopic morphology and microscopic porosity of the scaffold.The obtained porous scaffolds can significantly promote the regeneration of bone defects.