This paper investigated building data from multispectral and single-photon Lidar systems. The multispectral datasets from the individual channels and fused channels were explored. The multispectral and single-photon Lidar data were compared across multiple aspects: the data acquisition geometry, number of echoes, intensity, density, resolution, data defects, noise level, and the absolute and relative accuracy. In addition, we explored the performance of the multispectral and single-photon data for roof plane detection for eight complex/stylish buildings to investigate the suitability of these data for 3D building reconstruction. The building data from the single-photon and multispectral Lidar systems were evaluated with respect to the reference building vector data with an accuracy of better than 5 cm. The advantages and disadvantages of both technologies and their applications in the urban building environment are discussed.

Many classic visual monocular SLAM systems have been developed over the past decades, however, most of them will fail when dynamic scenarios dominate. DM-SLAM is proposed for handling dynamic objects in environments based on ORB-SLAM. The article mainly concentrates on two aspects. Firstly, DLRSAC is proposed to extract static features from the dynamic scene based on awareness of nature difference between motion and static, which is integrated into initialization of DM-SLAM. Secondly, we design candidate map points selection mechanism based on neighborhood mutual exclusion to balance the accuracy of tracking camera pose and system robustness in motion scenes. Finally, we conduct experiments in the public dataset and compare DM-SLAM with ORB-SLAM. The experiments verify the superiority of the DM-SLAM.

Synthetic polymer-based gradient foams have considered as promising category of functionally graded materials with unique properties. In this study, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) foaming technology has used for PET-PEN (Polyethylene Terephthalate - Polyethylene Naphthalate) copolymer towards porous functional materials with thermal insulation with reasonable mechanical strength. Through scanning electron microscope based morphological characterization, a potential to fabricate gradient foam structures with micro-pores has identified. It has shown that variation of post-foaming temperature can tune the pore size distribution although the very high post-foaming temperature tends to cause structural instability. Thermal measurement data set the limits of operation, confirmed by simultaneous differential scanning calorimeter and thermo-gravimetric analysis. Mechanical stress and thermal conductivity also has measured to find rationale of thermal insulation with reasonable mechanical strength and to elucidate the actual 3D grid foam of copolymer.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has allowed for production of geometrically complex 3D objects with extreme flexibility, which is currently undergoing rapid expansions in terms of materials, functionalities, as well as areas of application. When attempting to print 3D microstructures in glass, femtosecond laser induced chemical etching (FLICE) – which is a subtractive 3D printing technique – has proved itself a powerful approach. Here, we demonstrate fabrication of macro-scale 3D glass objects of large heights up to ~3.8 cm with an identical lateral and longitudinal spatial resolution of ~20 μm. The remarkable accomplishment is achieved by revealing an unexplored regime in the interaction of ultrafast laser pulses with fused silica which results in aberration-free focusing of the laser pulses deeply inside fused silica.

Using a combination of pan proteomic platform associated with systemic biology analyses, we demonstrate that neonatal microglial cells derived from cortex and spinal cord expressed different phenotypes upon the physiological or pathological conditions. They also highlight great variability in protein production on both cellular and exosome levels. Bioinformatics data indicate for the cortical microglia anti-inflammatory and neurogenesis/tumorigenesis characteristics, while for the spinal cord microglia involvement in the inflammatory response. We confirmed these results by performing functional testing including neurite outgrowth assays in DRGs cell line, and glioma proliferation analysis in 3D spheroid cultures. Results from these in vitro assays indicate that the microglia located at different CNS areas reveal differential biological functions. While both microglia sources enhanced growth of DRGs axons, only the spinal microglia significantly attenuated glioma proliferation. Overall these findings are pointing to the fact that the origin of neonatal microglia affects the physio-pathological function, which may address the prevalence of the glioma in the brain in comparison with the spinal cord in adult.

Development of novel anti-cancer peptides requires a rapid screening process which can be accelerated by using appropriate in vitro tumor models. Breast carcinoma tissue is a three dimensional (3D) microenvironment, which contains a hypoxic center surrounded by dense proliferative tissue. Biochemical clues provided by such 3D cell mass cannot be recapitulated in conventional 2D culture systems. In this experiment, we evaluate the efficacy of the sandalwood peptide, cyclosaplin on established in vitro 3D silk breast cancer model using invasive MDA-MB-231 cell line. The anti-proliferative effect of the peptide on 3D silk tumor model is monitored by alamar blue assay, with conventional 2D culture as control. The proliferation rate, glucose consumed, LDH, and MMP-9 activity of Human breast cancer cells are higher in 3D constructs compared to 2D. A higher concentration of drug is required to achieve 50% cell death in 3D culture than 2D cultures. The cyclosaplin treated MDA-MB-231 cells showed significant decrease in MMP-9 activity in 3D constructs. Microscopic analysis revealed the formation of cell clusters evenly distributed in the scaffolds. The drug treated cells were less in number, smaller and showed unusual morphology. Overall, these findings indicate the role of cyclosaplin as a promising anti-cancer therapeutics.

The objective of this study is to preliminarily evaluate a new CT-biopsy guidance device, an origami needle guide. The device is created by laser cutting the structure from a sheet of cardboard, 3D printing two radiocontrast agent grids on to the surface and folding the structure into a rectangular prism with a viewing window. An abdominal imaging phantom was used to evaluate the device through CT imaging and the targeting of lesions for needle insertion. The lesion targeting trials resulted in a mean targeting error of 1.88 mm with a standard deviation of 0.73 mm. The device attaches to the patient and is rigid enough to adequately support standard biopsy needles, reducing the effect of gravity and the risk of laceration by the needles, making it potentially advantageous for biopsy of superficial lesions and lesions approached from a horizontal orientation. The device supports insertion of multiple needles at once, making it particularly suitable for composite ablation using multiple needles. Another advantage of the device is that it can guide off-axial needle insertion. The low-cost and disposability of the device make it well-suited for the minimally invasive image guided therapy environment.

The capacity of 3D printing (3DP) technologies to initiate speedy polymerization of solvent free resins accounts for their utility in the manufacturing of medical devices. Nonetheless, independent biological evaluation of 3D printed materials is recommended due to the unique parameters of the manufacturing process, which can influence their physical, chemical, and biological properties. In this study, E-Shell 450 material indicated for 3DP of hearing aid shells and inner ear devices was examined for biological safety using zebrafish bioassays adapted to OECD fish embryo test. In addition, the proprietary material was characterized for composition using headspace gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). To initiate test, newly fertilized zebrafish eggs were cultured on non-treated and ethanol-treated materials in glass petri dishes with ultrapure water, incubated at 28.5°C and assessed for developmental endpoints of toxicity at 24h interval until 96h. Data confirmed non-treated material was extremely toxic in bioassays within 24h whereas ethanol-treated material showed a relative lower toxicity possibly due to ethanoic-aqueous interactions as observed by GC-MS. With the current influx of 3D printing materials, users are urged to exercise caution. Operators must also take cognizance of the potential toxicity of the chemicals used in 3DP and implement safety measures to limit their exposure.

The application of solvent method in the preparation of polypropylene powders was investigated, including the influence of various technological conditions, such as the raw material melt index of polypropylene, processing temperature, dosage of the solvent and the packing pressure. The experimental data show that using solvent method can effectively produce polypropylene powder, and the optimal technological conditions are: melt index of polypropylene being about 17.8 g/10min, processing temperature being about 166.0 ℃, dosage of the solvent being about 0.067g/ml and the packing pressure being about 0.7MPa.Under this technological conditions, polypropylene powder with excellent sphericity could be prepared, the apparent density of powder can reach 0.40 g/cm3 and the prepared powder displayed a narrow size distribution with the mean size of about 42.7 µm.

As part of our research for new leads against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), we report on a 3D-QSAR study for antitrypanosomal activity and cytotoxicity of aminosteroid-type alkaloids recently isolated from the African medicinal plant Holarrhena africana A. DC. (Apocynaceae), some of which are strong trypanocides against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (Tbr) with low toxicity against mammalian cells. Fully optimized 3D molecular models of seventeen congeneric Holarrhena alkaloids were subjected to a comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). CoMFA models were obtained for both, the anti-Tbr and cytotoxic activity data. Model performance was assessed in terms of statistical characteristics (R², Q² and P² for partial least squares (PLS) regression, internal cross-validation (leave-one-out) and external predictions (test set), respectively, as well as the corresponding SDEP and F-values). With R²=0.99, Q²=0.83 and P²=0.79 for anti-Tbr activity and R²=0.94, Q²=0.64, P²=0.59 for cytotoxicity against L6 rat skeletal myoblasts, both models were of good internal and external predictive power. The regression coefficients of the models representing the most prominent steric and electrostatic effects on anti-Tbr and for L6 cytotoxic activity were translated into contour maps and analyzed visually, allowing suggestions for possible modification of the aminosteroids to further increase the antitrypanosomal potency and selectivity. Very interestingly, the 3D-QSAR model established with the Holarrhena alkaloids also applied to the antitrypanosomal activity of two aminocycloartane-type compounds recently isolated by our group from Buxus sempervirens L. (Buxaceae), which indicates that these structurally similar natural products share a common SAR and, possibly, mechanism of action with the Holarrhena steroids. This 3D-QSAR study has thus resulted in plausible structural explanations of the antitrypanosomal activity and selectivity of aminosteroid- and aminocycloartane-type alkaloids as an interesting new class of trypanocides and may represent a starting point for lead optimization.

Three-dimensional convolutional neural networks (3D CNN) as a type of artificial intelligence (AI) are powerful in image processing and recognition using deep learning to perform generative and descriptive tasks. The advantage of CNN compared to its predecessors is that it automatically detects the important features without any human supervision. 3D CNN are used to extract features in three dimensions where input is a 3D volume or a sequence of 2D pictures e.g., slices in a cone-beam computer tomography scan (CBCT). The main aim of this article was to bridge interdisciplinary cooperation between forensic medical experts and deep learning engineers. With emphasis activating clinical forensic experts in the field with possibly basic knowledge of advanced artificial intelligence techniques with interest in its implementation in their efforts to advance the forensic research further. This paper introduces a novel workflow of 3D CNN analysis of full-head CBCT scans. Authors explore and present 3D CNN method for forensic research design concept in five perspectives: (1) sex determination, (2) biological age estimation, (3) 3D cephalometric landmark annotation, (4) growth vectors prediction, (5) facial soft-tissue estimation from the skull and vice versa. In conclusion, 3D CNN application can be a watershed moment in forensic medicine, leading to unprecedented improvement of forensic analysis workflows based on 3D neural networks.

The current study explores for the first time an eco-friendly solution casting method using a green solvent, Ethyl Acetate, to prepare feedstock/filaments from Polylactic Acid (PLA) biopolymer reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), followed by 3D printing and surface activation for biosensing applications. Comprehensive thermal, electrical, rheological, microstructural, and mechanical properties of developed feedstock and 3D printed parts were performed and analyzed. Herein, adding 2 wt.% CNTs to the PLA matrix marked the electrical percolation, achieving conductivity of 8.3×10-3 S.m-1, thanks to the uniform distribution of CNTs within the PLA matrix facilitated by the solution casting method. Rheological assessments paralleled these findings; the addition of 2 wt.% CNTs transitioned the nanocomposite from liquid-like to a solid-like behavior with a percolated network structure, significantly elevating rheological properties compared to composite with 1 wt.% CNTs. Mechanical evaluations of the printed samples revealed improvement in tensile strength and modulus compared to virgin PLA by a uniform distribution of 2 wt.% CNTs into PLA, with an increase of 14.5% and 10.3%, respectively. To further enhance the electrical conductivity and sensing capabilities of developed samples, an electrochemical surface activation treatment was applied to as-printed nanocomposite samples. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis confirmed that this surface activation effectively exposed the CNTs to the surface of 3D-printed parts by removing a thin layer of polymer from the surface, thereby optimizing the composite's electroconductivity performance. The findings of this study underscore the potential of the proposed eco-friendly method in developing advanced 3D printed bio nanocomposites based on carbon nanotubes and biopolymers, using a green solution casting and cost-effective material extrusion 3D printing method, for electrochemical sensing applications.

Urban indicators characterize a specific urban space through calculated values, such as building coverage, building height, floor area ratio, and many others. Urban indicators established in spatial development plans should ensure the preservation of spatial order when introducing new construction investments. They should also harmonize with the existing urban structure, and even modernize it towards sustainable development. When determining these indicators, surrounding space is analyzed. Conventionally, building indicators in the existing space are determined based on available documents, usually 2D spatial data such as large-scale maps or cadastral maps. The aim of this research is to investigate the method of calculating building indicators using 3D urban building models that will be created from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) measurements. In the discussion of the results, indicators calculated based on LiDAR data are compared with calculated from 2D cadastral data. The calculated 3D indicators correlate with the classically calculated indicators. The accuracy of computed building area, volume, and other indicators depends on the LiDAR point cloud density and accuracy. The indicators calculated from 3D data align with new trends in defining Building Morphology Indicators (BMI).

High-precision, ultra-thin angular detectable imaging upon a single pixel holds significant promise for light field detection and reconstruction, thereby catalyzing advancements in machine vision and interaction technology. Traditional light-direction angle sensors relying on optical components like gratings and lenses face inherent constraints from diffraction limits in achieving device miniaturization. Recently, angle sensors via coupled double nanowires have demonstrated prowess in attaining high-precision angle perception of incident light at sub-wavelength device scales, which may herald a novel design paradigm for ultra-compact angle sensors. However, the current approach to measure the three-dimensional (3D) incident light direction is unstable. In this paper, we propose a flexible segmented concentric nanorings structure capable of discerning the 3D light-direction based on its sensitivity character to both elevation (θ) and azimuth (ϕ) angles at a micrometer device scale. Through deep learning (DL) analysis and prediction, our simulations reveal that for angle scanning with a step size of 1o, the device can still achieve a detection range of 0∼360o for azimuth and 45o∼90o for elevation, with an average accuracy of 0.19o, and DL can further solve some data aliasing problems to expand the sensing range. Our design broadens the angle sensing dimension based on mutual resonance coupling among nanorings segments, and through waveguide implementation or sensor array arrangements, the detection range can be flexibly adjusted to accommodate diverse application scenarios.

Recent advances in organoid technology have revolutionized cancer biology and thera-peutic interventions, offering personalized immunotherapy treatment. Organoids, three-dimensional cell cultures derived from patient tumors, accurately replicate the tumor microenvi-ronment, providing unprecedented insights into tumor-immune interactions and therapeutic re-sponses. In this literature-based study, we discuss various culture methods for the diverse appli-cations of organoids in cancer immunotherapy, including drug screening, personalized treatment strategies, and mechanistic studies. Additionally, we address the technological challenges asso-ciated with these methods and propose potential future solutions to accelerate the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. This review highlights the transformative potential of or-ganoid models in advancing preclinical cancer immunotherapy modeling, screening, and evalua-tion, paving the way for more effective and personalized cancer treatments.

Camouflage is a natural or artificially process to prevent an object from being detected while camouflage breaking is a countering process for the identification of the concealed object. We report that a perfectly camouflaged object in a two-dimensional scene can be retrieved and detected with stereo-vision assisted three-dimensional (3D) imaging perceived with stereopsis. The analysis is based on binocular energy model applied to general 3D settings. We show that a perfectly concealed object with random noise background can be retrieved with vision’s stereoacuity to resolve the hidden structures. The theoretical analysis is further tested and demonstrated with distant natural images taken by a drone-camera, processed with a computer and displayed in an autostereoscopy. The recovered imaging is presented with removal of the background interference to demonstrate the general applicability for camouflage breaking with stereo imaging and sensing.

In the present investigation, the crank-slider and crank-rocker off-center mechanisms are used to control 1-DOF in a solar tracker focused on improving the conversion of solar to electrical energy. Likewise, the kinematic equations of these mechanisms are presented that allow us to know their operating pattern in the work range of the follower and their comparative analysis between them. Finally, the scale construction with 3D printing is shown to verify the functionality of each 4-bar system.

Diagnosing congenital heart disease (CHD) remains challenging because of its complex morphology. Representing the intricate structures of CHD on conventional two-dimensional flat screens is difficult owing to wide variations in the pathologies. Technological advancements, such as three-dimensional printed heart models (3DPHM) and virtual reality (VR), could potentially address the limitations of viewing complex structures using conventional methods. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness and clinical value of four visualization modalities across three different cases of CHD, including ventricular septal defect, double outlet right ventricle, and tetralogy of fallot. Seventeen cardiac specialists were invited to participate in this study, which was aimed at assessing the usefulness and clinical value of four visualization modalities, namely, DICOM images, 3DPHM, VR, and 3D PDF. Of these modalities, 76.4% of the specialists ranked VR as the best for understanding the spatial associations among cardiac structures and for presurgical planning. Meanwhile, 94.1% ranked 3DPHM as the best modality for communicating with patients and their families. Of the various visualization modalities, VR was the best tool for assessing anatomical locations and vessels, comprehending the spatial relationships among cardiac structures, and for presurgical planning. The 3DPHM models were the best tool for medical education as well as communication. In summary, both 3DPHM and VR have their own advantages and outperform the other two modalities, i.e., DICOM images and 3D PDF, in terms of visualizing and managing CHD.

Digital twin technology is revolutionizing traditional manufacturing paradigms. In modern manufacturing systems, digital twin technology is fraught with challenges due to the scarcity of labeled data. Specifically, existing supervised machine learning algorithms, with their reliance on voluminous training data, find their applicability constrained in real-world production settings. This paper introduces an unsupervised 3D reconstruction approach tailored for industrial applications, aimed at bridging the data void in creating digital twin models. Our proposed model, by ingesting high-resolution 2D images, autonomously reconstructs precise 3D digital twin models without the need for manual annotations or prior knowledge. Through comparisons with multiple baseline models, we demonstrate the superiority of our method in terms of accuracy, speed, and generalization capabilities. This research not only offers an efficient approach to industrial 3D reconstruction but also paves the way for the widespread adoption of digital twin technology in manufacturing.

This study extends the CGAN-based MODIS cloud vertical-profile (64×64-scene, about 70km width×15km height) retrieval technique developed by Leinonen et al. (2019) [1] to construct seamless 3D cloud fields for the MODIS granules [2]. Firstly, the accuracy and spatial continuity of the Leinonen et al. [1] retrievals are statistically evaluated. Then, according to the characteristics of the retrieval error, a spatially overlapping-scene ensemble generation method and a bi-directional Ensemble Binning Probability Fusion (CGAN-BEBPF) technique are developed, which improves the CGAN retrieval accuracy and support to construct seamless 3D clouds. The CGAN-BEBPF technique involves three steps: cloud masking, intensity scaling, and optimal value selection. It ensures adequate coverage of the low reflectivity areas while preserving the high reflectivity cloud cores. The technique is applied to retrieve the 3D cloud fields of Typhoon Chaba and a multi-cell convective system. The cloud structures of the CGAN-BEBPF results are highly consistent with the ground-based radar observations. It can retrieve weak clouds at the top levels of convective storms and hurricanes that were missed by ground-based radars and fill the gaps of the ground-based radar lower-level PPI scan. Overall, CGAN-BEBPF can be automated to retrieve the rich informative 3D structures of typhoons and severe convective systems over the oceans along the MODIS swath, which certainly presents great value for improving maritime and near-shore typhoons and convection prediction and other cloud-sensitive applications.

Shigella and Salmonella have been implicated in neonatal sepsis, food poisoning, and bacteremia. Their increasing resistance to antibiotics has undermined treatment options, constituting a public health crisis. Also, the scarcity of new antibiotics in the development pipeline compounds multidrug-resistance (MDR). Hence, there is a need to potentiate antibiotics to mitigate resistance. This study leveraged riboflavin to re-sensitize fluoroquinolones and carbapenems against MDR Shigella and Salmonella spp. Disk diffusion, microbroth-dilution, chequerboard, and time-kill assays were used to determine resistance profiles and riboflavin-antibiotic activity. Biofilm-formation and bacterial viability (after riboflavin-antibiotic challenge) was determined with crystal-violet and Macrophage infection assays, respectively. Strains exhibited >80% resistance to fluoroquinolones and carbapenems, with 160–320 µg MIC ranges and 0.5–2 FIC, indicating no synergy. At 40–80 µg riboflavin, there was two-fold reduction in bacterial survival, with meropenem-riboflavin exhibiting significant reduction and FIC of 0.075 indicating high synergistic activity. Biofilm-formation was altered (from strong to weak phenotype) with 40 µg riboflavin-antibiotic treatment. There was a 40–70% reduction in bacterial survival in THP-1 cells treated with meropenem-riboflavin after 3 hours, and complete clearance between 24-48 hpi. Riboflavin potentiated fluoroquinolones and meropenem, leading to modulation of the host immune response for the clearance of the strains.

RFID based technology innovated a new field of wireless sensing, which has been applied in posture recognition, object localization and the other sensing fields, the existing sensing methods often require tags to be attached to dynamic targets (because RFID signals are more sensitive to moving target), significantly limiting their applications. It is a challenging task to sensing a static target without tag attached in NLOS (Non-Line-of-Sight). We utilized RFID technologies to sense the static foreign objects in agricultural products, and taken metal, rock, rubber and clod as sensing targets that are common in agricultural. By deploying a tag matrices to create a sensing region, we observed the signal variations before and after the appearance of the targets in this sensing region, determined the targets’ positions and their types. Here, we buried the targets in the media of seedless cotton and wheat, and detected static targets with a non-contact method in the NLOS. Researches illustrated that by deploying appropriate tag matrices and adjusting the angle of a single RFID antenna, the matrices signals can be sensitive to the static targets’ positions and their properties,i.e. matrices signals vary with different targets and their positions. Specifically, we achieved a 100% success rate in locating metallic targets, while the success rate for clods was the lowest at 86%. We achieved a 100% recognition rate for the types of all the four objects.

Aqueous Zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) possess significant potential in large energy storage systems due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental protection. However, the limited voltage window and poor reaction kinetics of the cathode material are still bottlenecks, restricting the further development of ZIBs. In this work, we rationally design Ni-doped V2O5@3D Ni core/shell composite on carbon cloth electrode (Ni-V2O5@3D Ni@CC) by growing Ni-V2O5 on the free-standing 3D Ni metal nanonets for high-voltage and high-capacity ZIBs. Impressively, the embedded Ni doping increases the interlayer spacing of V2O5, extending the working voltage and improving the Zn2+ kinetics reaction of the cathode materials, at the same time the 3D structure with high specific surface area and superior electronic conductivity benefits to fast Zn2+ transport. Consequently, the as-designed Ni-V2O5@3D Ni@CC cathodes can operate within a wide voltage window from 0.3 to 1.8 V vs. Zn/Zn2+ and deliver a high capacity of 270 mAh g-1 at a high current density of 0.8 A g-1. In addition, the reversible Zn2+ (de)-incorporation reaction mechanisms in the Ni-V2O5@3D Ni@CC cathodes are investigated by multiple characterization methods. As a result, we achieve a big step toward the practical applications of commercial ZIBs.

Advancements in 3D printing technologies have led to new implementations in rapid prototyping, microfluidics, tooling, dentistry, biomedical devices, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Stereolithography techniques, which are photopolymerization-based processes, contribute to the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of 3D printed materials using versatile polymer chemistry. This study used potassium titanate powder (K2Ti8O17) as an additive to enhance the mechanical strength of photocurable resins. PEG was selected as the stabilizer to optimize the dispersion and precipitation of potassium titanate. The flexural strength, hardness, and tensile strength were compared to assess the mechanical strength of the 3D printing resin. The flexural strengths of the printed specimens were in the range of 15–39 N/mm2. The measured surface hardness and tensile strength were 41–80 HV and 2.3–15 N/mm2, respectively. The output resolution of the potassium titanate/acrylate resin was tested using a line-pattern structure. 3D printing resin without stabilizers produced lines with a thickness of 0.3 mm, whereas 3D printing resin containing a stabilizer produced lines with a thickness of 0.2 mm. The flexural strength and pattern thickness results suggest that the potassium titanate/acrylate resin can be utilized as a 3D printer resin, suggesting new possibilities for potassium titanate materials.

The future of intelligent manufacturing machines involves autonomous selection of process parameters to maximize productivity while maintaining quality within specified constraints. To effectively optimize process parameters, these machines need to adapt to existing uncertainties in the physical system. This paper proposes a novel framework and methodology for feedrate optimization that is based on a physics-informed data-driven digital twin with quantified uncertainty. The servo dynamics are modeled using a digital twin, which incorporates the known uncertainty in the physics-based models and predicts the distribution of contour error using a data-driven model that learns the unknown uncertainty on-the-fly by sensor measurements. Using the quantified uncertainty, the proposed feedrate optimization maximizes productivity while maintaining quality under desired servo error constraints and stringency (i.e., the tolerance for constraint violation under uncertainty) using a model predictive control framework. Experimental results obtained using a 3-axis desktop CNC machine tool and a desktop 3D printer demonstrate significant cycle time reductions of up to 38% and 17% respectively, while staying close to the error tolerances compared to the existing methods.

The present work fronts the human pose estimation problem, developing a method that enables automated ergonomic risk assessment. A research methodology is developed to calculate joint angles from digital snapshots or videos by using computer vision and machine learning techniques to get a more accurate ergonomic risk assessment. Starting from an ergonomic analysis, the study explores the use of a semi-supervised training method to detect the skeletons of workers. The research methodology developed aims to infer the positions and angles of the joints, to calculate the criticality index based on the RULA scores and fuzzy rules. Then, to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), improve production capacity and decrease the ergonomic risk, the system uses joint with a collaborative robot to support the worker in carrying out the most critical operations. The method has been tested on a real industrial case in which manual assembly activities of electrical components are conducted. The approach developed can overcome the limitations of recent developments based on computer vision or wearable measurement, sensors by performing an assessment with an objective and flexible ap-proach to postural analysis development.

Introduction: There is no standardised, universal method to assess physical conditions such as pressure in the pelvicalyceal system in real time during RIRS (retrograde intrarenal surgery). Therefore, the problem concerning increased pressure in the upper urinary tract during the procedure is underestimated. Moreover, it potentially may cause micro-damage and longer postoperative recovery. The aim of this study was to evaluate intrapelvic pressure (IPP) during RIRS procedures. Materials and methods: The 3D printed models of the pelvicalyceal system were printed based on CT-scan of real patient. They were used to perform 50 RIRS procedures with laser lithotripsy of artificially synthesised kidney stones with two different sizes of ureteral access sheath-UAS (10/12Fr vs. 12/14Fr) together with different energy settings generated by the holmium:YAG laser. IPP monitoring during RIRS was performed with the use of the PressureWire X Guidewire compatible with the CoroFlow system. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that high IPP of up to 400 cmH2O would be achieved using a 10/12Fr UAS, while the use of a 12/14Fr UAS would significantly reduce the peak pressure to approximately 100 cmH2O, hence the size of the UAS is a pivotal factor of the IPP generated during the procedure.

3D printing technology has brought about a paradigm shift in the delivery of clinical care in medicine and dentistry. There are several different 3D printing technologies, which, along with different printable materials with unique biomechanical properties, allows for a wide range of applications for 3D printing in dentistry. The clinical use of 3D printing has created versatile applications which streamline our digital workflow. Technological advancements have also paved the way for the integration of new dental materials in dentistry. This paper provides an overview of the mechanisms of 3D printing, the dental materials relevant to each mechanism and the possible applications of these materials within different areas of dentistry. Understanding the existing spectrum of 3D printing applications in dentistry will serve to further expand its use in the dental field.

Forests play a pivotal role within the ecological milieu, with alterations to forested areas not only impacting the local environment but also serving as a significant contributing factor to the occurrence of landslide disasters. However, the significance of forests in connection with deep seated landslides is diminished. In instances of extreme events, heavy rainfall, highly weak slopes, or seismic events, it is improbable for forest cover to exert any influence. Due to extensive agricultural irrigation, the Heifangtai terrace of China has experienced a significant rise in groundwater levels, leading to the occurrence of numerous landslides. Through field investigations and remote sensing interpretation, this study has revealed dramatical geomorphological changes in the Heifangtai terrace due to the occurrence of widespread landslides. These changes are likely to disrupt the pre-existing hydrological balance within the study area, thereby altering the conditions for landslides. Therefore, understanding how the evolution patterns of loess landslides can be assessed is a crucial scientific issue for predicting the conditions of landslide occurrence. Taking the evolution of landslides along the edge of the Heifangtai terraces as an example, this study first classified different types of loess landslides. Subsequently, the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of these landslides were analyzed. Finally, utilizing the FLAC3D software, the stability of the loess slopes at the edge of the Heifangtai terrace was examined under the lateral evolution mode. The research findings indicate that the current loess landslides in the Heifangtai terrace exhibits longitudinal multi-periodicity and lateral group-occurring behavior, which is significant for assessing loess landslides along the edge of Heifangtai terraces.

Printed oral splints are a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of functional disorders. Their mechanical properties are crucial to their clinical success and their performance can vary depending on cleaning, post-polymerization, or build orientation. This in vitro study aimed to compare the biaxial flexural strength of the chosen materials depending on the aforementioned parameters. 720 discs (n = 15 per group, 16 mm x 2 mm) were printed from splint materials. Printing was performed under 90°, 45°, or 0° orientation to the building platform with supporting structures. Specimens were either automatically or manually cleaned with isopropanol. Post-polymerization was performed with LED- or Xenon-light. Biaxial flexural strength (BFS) was determined with a piston-on-3-ball test after 24 hours or 60 days water storage (37°C). Test specimens were preloaded with 0.5 N and the load was applied by a piston of 1.6 mm in diameter at 1 mm/min crosshead speed. Statistics were performed by using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Levene-tests. Mean BFS after 24 hours of storage varied between 79 MPa and 157 MPa. After 60 hours the BFS significantly decreased and revealed values ranging from 72-127 MPa (mean24 113 MPa, mean60 97 MPa; p<0.001). No significant differences could be determined between the materials (p=0.103) or between the different cleaning procedures (p=0.321). Post-polymerization yielded higher means with LED- (P1: 115 MPa) than with Xenon-light (P2: 95 MPa; p<0.001). Regarding position, the mean values ranged from 101 MPa for 0°, 102 MPa for 45°, and 115 MPa for 90°, which was significantly different (p<0.001). Build orientation of 90° and post-polymerization with LED-light provided significantly higher biaxial flexural strength and should be used to guarantee optimal strength of splint materials. Aging decreased the biaxial flexural strength of the tested specimens.

Traditional lithium-ion batteries cannot meet the high flexibility and bendability requirements of modern flexible electronic devices due to the limitations of their electrode materials. Therefore, the development of high-performance flexible energy storage devices is of great significance for promoting flexible electronics. In recent years, one-dimensional flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries have been rapidly developed due to the advantages of high flexibility and bendability. However, it is still a big challenge to realize 1D flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries with excellent electro-chemical properties and good mechanical performance. In this work, a reduced graphene ox-ide-based printing ink is proposed to fabricate flexible Li4Ti5O12/graphene fiber electrodes through a 3D printing assembly strategy. It is noteworthy that the green reducing agent vitamin C was used to reduce graphene oxide in one step, which improved the conductivity of the fiber elec-trode. Furthermore, a 3D conductive network is constructed inside the fiber electrodes due to the high specific surface area of reduced graphene oxide, which enhances the electronic conductivity and ion mobility. The fiber electrode not only has good mechanical performance, but also has ex-cellent electrochemical properties. Equally important, the method is simple and efficient, and the working environment is flexible. It can precisely control the shape, size and structure of the one-dimensional fiber flexible electrode, which is of great significance for the development of fu-ture flexible electronic devices.

The research on calcium leaching of 3D printed cement pastes (3DPC) exposed in aggressive water is limited, and the mechanism underlying its effect needs to be better understood. The performance anisotropy of degraded 3DPC due to calcium leaching is investigated in this paper. Samples with aggregate micro fines (AMF) and fly ash (FA) were prepared. A 6 mol/L NH₄Cl solution was used in the accelerated experiment. At specific leaching durations, performances were tested on the samples in different leaching directions. Results show that the performances of 3DPC in aggressive water have a significant anisotropic behavior. The evolution of pore defects and hydration products mainly governs the performance anisotropy of degraded 3DPC. The remaining hydration products of the surface of 3DPC leached in the Z direction are less than the other two directions because calcium ions leached in the Z direction are difficult to be compensated through weak interfaces between layers.

Background: Our objective was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the reproducibility of foot and ankle anthropometric measurements with a three-dimensional (3D) optical scanner. Methods: We evaluated thirty-nine different anthropometric parameters obtained with 3D Laser UPOD-S Full-Foot Scanner in a healthy population of twenty subjects. We determined the variance of the measurements for each foot/ankle, and the average variance among different subjects. Results: For 40 feet and ankles (15 women and 5 men; mean age 35.62 +/- 9.54 years, range 9-75 years), the average variance was 1.4 ± 2 (range 0,1 to 8). Overall, the mean absolute measurement error was < 1 mm, with a maximum variance percentage of 8.3%. Forefoot and midfoot circumferences had a low variance < 2.5, with variance percentages < 1%. Hindfoot circumferences, malleolar heights, and the length of the first and fifth metatarsal to the ground contact points showed the highest variance (range 1 to 7). Conclusion: This optical scanner achieved a good reproducibility of a large set of foot and ankle anthropometric measurements. It is a valuable tool for clinical and research purposes.

High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with ultralow density and environment friendly properties are greatly demanded to address electromagnetic radiation pollution. Herein, carbon nanotubes/polylactic acid (CNTs/PLA) materials with different CNTs contents, which exhibit characteristics of light weight, environmental protection and good chemical stability, are fabricated by 3D printing technology, where CNTs are evenly distributed and bind well with PLA. The performances of 3D printed CNTs/PLA composite are improved compared to pure 3D printed PLA composite, which include mechanical properties, conductive behaviors and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of CNTs/PLA composite could be improved when the contents of CNTs increase. When it reaches 15 wt%, the EMI SE of 3D printed CNTs/PLA composite could get up to 47.1 dB, which shields 99.998% of electromagnetic energy. Meanwhile, the EMI shielding mechanism of 3D printed CNTs/PLA composite is mainly of absorption loss, and it generally accounted for more than 80% of the total shielding loss. These excellent comprehensive performances endow the 3D printed CNTs/PLA composite with great potential for use in industrial and aerospace area.

This research focused on the perception of visually impaired individuals regarding tactile image creation using 3D printing. We developed and applied an experiment with 28 participants with visual impairments. They performed tasks based on skills whose foundations are needed and used in their daily lives, such as scanning, tactile discrimination, picture and spatial comprehension. The tactile images used in this study were developed by additive manufacturing and printed over 180 g/m² sulphite paper. The best performances were obtained when (1) the tactile image contour line heights were between 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm; and (2) the texture presented densities between 10% and 50%, when alone, or between 10% and 90%, when combined with another texture. The tested line widths (0.8 mm and 1.2 mm) did not present statistically significant differences in the results. Vision status (low vision or blindness) and moment of vision loss (congenital or late blind) did not influence the results. Schooling affected the activities of identifying objects and locating their copies. In the Conclusion section, there is a detailed recommendation list for the production and application of tactile materials, which range from simplifying forms to encouraging the use of both hands during content assimilation.

The aim of this study was to measure the effects on 3D active cervical Range of Motion (ACROM) and perceived pain of a n elastic taping (ET) application in the cervical area. Thirty participants (n: 22M and 8F, age 35.4±4.4 years; body height 173.1±8.4 cm; body mass 73.5±12.8 kg) for the study group (SG) and twenty subjects (n: 11M and 9F, age 32.6±3.9 years; body height 174.9±10.9 cm; body mass 71.2±12.9 kg) for the control group (CG) were recruited. All subjects were symptomatic for neck and cervical pain in baseline condition. Each group performed on ACROM test and the perceived pain on neck basing as Numerical Rating Scale (NRS 0-10, a.u.): at the baseline (T0); after 20' from ET application (T1); after three days of wearing the ET application (T2). Between T0 and T1 an ET was applied on the cervical area of the SG participants. Statistical analysis did not show any significant change in CG in any measurement session for ACROM and neck pain parameters. Conversely, the SG showed significant improvements for ACROM rotation left (T0 64.8 ± 7.7° - T2 76.0 ± 11.1° p &lt; 0.000) and right (T0 66.0 ± 11.9° - T2 74.2 ± 9.6° p &lt; 0.000); lateral inclination left (T0 37.5 ± 6.9° - T2 40.6 ± 10.8° p &lt; 0.000) and right (T0 36.5 ± 7.9° - T2 40.9 ± 5.2° p &lt; 0.000); flexion posterior (T0 47.0 ± 12.9° - T2 55.1 ± 12.3° p &lt; 0.001) and anterior (T0 55.0 ± 3.6° - T2 62.9 ± 12.0° p &lt; 0.006). A significant decrease was measure also in SG for pain NRS between T0 and T2 (T0 7.5 ± 1.0° - T1 5.5 ± 1.4 - T2 1.4 ± 1.5° p &lt; 0.000). In conclusion, the results of this study underline the usefulness of a bilateral and symmetrical ET cervical application in terms to enhance multiplanar ACROM and to reduce subjective self-perceived cervical pain when it is needed. These findings can be applied for managing musculoskeletal health of different kind of individuals.

Medical management of chronic canine pruritic dermatologic conditions is challenging and often frustrating. This is a report that shows one way of aiding the management of pruritic dogs using a remote monitoring device. It is often difficult for veterinarians to get dog owners to return to the clinic once a dog is treated. It is possible that a 3-D accelerometer device could provide information to the clinic staff on the success or failure of a pruritus treatment plan while the dog was cared for at home. Eighty-seven dogs and their owners came to a Florida dermatology specialty clinic or its general practice hospital to be evaluated and treated for pruritus. An ANIMO® 3-D accelerometer was placed on the collar of dogs diagnosed and treated for pruritus. Dogs that completed the study were monitored for 120 days (4 months). The ANIMO app monitored a dog’s daily scratching, shaking, sleeping, activity, resting, barking and calories consumed and summarized this information in a daily report visible on the pet owner’s smart phone. An additional variable (grooming minutes per day) could be seen by the Sure Petcare R&amp;D Team that was not yet available in the app. The use of a 3-D accelerometer enabled veterinarians to continuously monitor dogs at home when they were being treated for itching. Clinic staff kept in touch with the owners by phone and could change therapy or bring the dog back for a recheck if problems were seen. Daily reports were combined into line charts that showed plots of scratching, shaking, grooming and sleeping over four months. Veterinarians were able to remotely monitor dogs that had been treated for pruritus for up to four months through the use of a collar-borne monitoring device. Dog owners and clinic staff used the daily summaries which were accessible through a smart phone app. Dogs seemed to tolerate the device well because of its small size and unobtrusive nature.

Small molecules that can modulate or stabilize cell-cell interactions are valuable tools for investigating the impact of collective cell behavior on various biological processes such as development/morphogenesis, tissue regeneration and cancer progression. Recently, we showed that budesonide, a glucocorticoid widely used as anti-asthmatic drug, is a potent regulator of stem cell pluripotency. Here we tested the effect of different budesonide derivatives and identified CHD-030498 as a more effective analogue of budesonide. CHD-030498 was able to prevent stem cell pluripotency exit in different cell-based models, including embryonic stem-to-mesenchymal transition, spontaneous differentiation and 3D gastruloid development, and at lower doses compared to budesonide.

Plant breeding aims to develop elite crop varieties appropriate for various environments with higher quality and quantity of production. Researchers use quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and association studies to identify regions in the genome responsible for the variation of the quantitative traits of interest. However, mapped regions do not always translate to functional proteins, which makes it challenging to identify genes associated with traits of interest. The biological functions of proteins are strongly dependent on their 3D structure. Alternatively, if proteins can be directly linked with the phenotypes, the effect of mutations on phenotypic changes can be assessed. Innovation of deep learning models in biology opens new avenues of exploration. AlphaFold is an AI system that predicts the 3D structure of a protein from its amino acid sequence with near experimental accuracy and was used in this study. Point mutations with a significant influence on the 3D structure of a protein can capture the effect on phenotypes through association study, and this provides insights into the regions that are of functional importance. In the current study, 534 plants were selected based on plant vigor, and 154 missense variants that change amino acid sequences, including 5 significant hits from previous study, were included. The changes in protein 3D structure were assessed by association with the phenotype. The analysis identified five significant associations, four of which were also identified in previous study of SNPs GWAS, however, a new fifth association was also identified which was annotated as disease resistance gene in Medicago truncatula. This study helps to associate SNPs that could be missed by GWAS due to stringent Bonferroni corrected p-values by providing a more robust filter for SNPs using features from predicted protein 3D structures.

Background. To prospectively evaluate the reliability of a portable optical scanner compared to the water displacement technique for volumetric measurements of the foot and ankle, and to compare the acquisition time associated with these two methods. Methods. Foot volume was measured in 29 healthy volunteers (58 feet, 24 female/5 male) by a 3D scanner (UPOD-S 3D Laser Full-Foot Scanner ®) and by water-displacement volumetry. Measurements were performed on both feet, up to a height of 10 cm above the ground. The acquisition time for each method was evaluated. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Lin's Concordance Correlation Coefficient, and a Student’s t-test were performed. Results: Mean foot volume was 869.7+/-165.1cm3 (3D scanner) versus 867.9+/-155.4cm3 (water-displacement volumetry) (p <10-5). Concordance of measurements was 0.93, indicative of a high correlation between the two techniques. Volumes were 47.8 cm3 lower when using the 3D scanner versus water volumetry. After statistically correcting this underestimation, the concordance was improved (0.98, residual bias = -0.03 +/- 35.1 cm3). Mean examination time was 4.2 +/-1.7 min (3D optical scanner) versus 11.1 +/-2.9 min (water volumeter) (p<10-4). Conclusion: Ankle/foot volumetric measurements performed using this portable 3D scanner are reliable and fast, and can be used in clinical practice and research.

Non-pneumatic tires have gained a lot of attention due to their advantages, including not having to worry about getting a flat tire. In this type of tire, metamaterial cells replace the pneumatic part of the tire. In general, metamaterials are formed by stacking cells together. These cells are obtained by various methods including topology optimization. Therefore, in this research, to achieve a metamaterial cell suitable for a non-pneumatic tire with the objective function of increasing compressive strength and bending fatigue life, optimization for three types of geometry including (1) square plane, (2) rectangular plane, and (3) entire circumference of tire and three types of material including polylactic acid (PLA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and void have been done. Optimization has been implemented by using MATLAB code in 2D mode. The cubic cell is obtained from extruding the optimized response of the square plane. From the optimized response of the rectangular plane, the cylindrical cell and from extruding the optimized response of the entire circumference of tire to the tire cross-section size, the main geometry of the tire has been calculated. Finally, to check the quality of 3D printing in producing cells and how they are connected, the optimal cell fabricated by the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method has been observed using a field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results show that in the optimization of the square plane, the sample with the minimum remaining weight constraint equal to 40% and in the optimization of the rectangular plane and the entire circumference of tire, the sample with the minimum remaining weight constraint equal to 60% was selected as the optimal sample. From checking the quality of 3D printing, it has been concluded that PLA and TPU materials are completely connected.

3D object detection is crucial for autonomous driving to understand the driving environment. Since the pooling operation causes information loss in the standard CNN, we have designed a wavelet multiresolution analysis-based 3D object detection network without a pooling operation. Additionally, instead of using a single filter like the standard convolution, we use the lower-frequency and higher-frequency coefficients as a filter. These filters capture more relevant parts than a single filter, enlarging the receptive field. The model comprises a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and an inverse wavelet transform (IWT) with skip connections to encourage feature reuse for contrasting and expanding layers. The IWT enriches the feature representation by fully recovering the lost details during the downsampling operation. Element-wise summation is used for the skip connections to decrease the computational burden. We train the model for the Haar and Daubechies (Db4) wavelets. The two-level wavelet decomposition result shows that we can build a lightweight model without losing significant performance. The experimental results on the KITTI’s BEV and 3D evaluation benchmark show our model outperforms the Pointpillars base model by up to 14 \% while reducing the number of trainable parameters. Code will be released.

Weaving is an ancient and effective structural forming technique characterized by the ability to convert two-dimensional ribbons to three-dimensional structures. However, most 3D structures woven from straight ribbons have topological defects. Baek et al. proposed a method to weave smoother continuous 3D surface structures using naturally curved (in-plane) ribbons, obtained a new surface structure with relatively continuous variation of Gaussian curvature, and analyzed its geometric properties. We believe that this new 3D surface structure with smooth geometric properties must correspond to new mechanical properties. To this end, we investigated a 3D surface structure using naturally curved (in-plane) ribbon weaving, and the results of calculations and experiments show that such structures have better buckling stability than those woven with straight ribbons. It is observed that the number of ribbons influences the buckling behavior of different types of woven structures.

Shell-like, double curved and thus above-average performance structures, are usually produced monolithically on site. For industrial advancement, however, they must be divided into transportable modules which can be assembled on the construction site (design for assembly). Models are lattice shells made of steel and glass, in which predominantly flat sub-surfaces (modules) are used. Therefore, the main question is: Which modularizations are suitable for flow production with mineral building materials? In this paper designed free-form surface is going to be discretized as PQ circular mesh system, suitable modules for 3D concrete printing. Moreover, the multi-criteria optimization is done with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in order to get optimal final shape. The goal is to start from the arbitrary shape, that can be generated from two curves, with possible two-way division into modules and compare it with the resulted discretized PQ circular mesh system, realized with new algorithm. The comparison can be defined through two main criteria: geometrical and structural.

Numerous cases and a shortage of resources usually limit wild animal rescue. New technology implemented might save these severely injured wild animals from the situation of euthanasia by easing the requirement of intensive medication. Three-dimensional (3D) technologies provide precise and accurate results that improve the quality of the medical application. These 3D tools have become relatively low-cost and accessible in the past years. In the medical field of exotic animal, turtle shell defect is highly challenging because of inevitable water immersion. This report is the first attempt to apply the combination of 3D scanning, computer-aid design (CAD), and 3D printing to make a protective device that frees the wound from exposure to water or infection sources. The presenting techniques successfully extricate a wild freshwater turtle from an extensive shell defect within a short period. Integration of multiple sciences to 3D technology can provide a facile model for veterinary medical applications.

Abstract: The calibrator is one of the most important factors in the calibration of various laser 3D scanning instruments. The requirements for diffuse reflection surface are specially emphasized in many national standards. In this study, the spherical calibrator and plane calibrator compara-tive measurement experiments were carried out. The black ceramic standard sphere, white ce-ramic standard sphere, metal standard sphere, metal standard plane and white ceramic standard plane were used to test the laser 3D scanner. In the spherical calibrators comparative measure-ment experiments, the results indicated that the RMS of the white ceramic spherical calibrator with reflectance about 60% is 10 times that of the metal spherical calibrator with the reflectance of about 15%, and the RMS of the black ceramic spherical calibrator with reflectance of about 11% is of the same order as the metal spherical calibrator. In the plane calibrators comparative measurement experiments, the RMS of flatness measurement is 0.077 mm for metal plane cali-brator with reflectance of 15%, and 2.915 mm for ceramic plane calibrator with reflectance of 60%. The results show that when the optimal measurement distance and incident angle are selected, the reflectance of the calibrator has a great effect on the measurement results, regardless of the outlines or profiles. Based on the experiments, it is recommended to use the spherical calibrator or the standard plane with reflectance of around 18% as the standard, which can obtain the rea-sonable results. In addition, it is necessary to clearly provide the material category and surface reflectance information of the standard when calibrating the scanner according to the measure-ment standard.

The effects of residual stress in a tungsten gate on a polysilicon channel in scaled 3D NAND flash memories were investigated using a technology computer-aided design simulation. The NAND strings with respect to the distance from the tungsten slit were also analyzed. The scaling of the spacer thickness and hole diameter induced compressive stress on the polysilicon channel. Moreover, the residual stress of polysilicon in the string near the tungsten slit had greater compressive stress than the string farther away. The increase in compressive stress in the polysilicon channel degraded the Bit-Line current (Ion) because of stress-induced electron mobility deterioration. Moreover, a threshold voltage shift (△Vth) occurred in the negative direction because of conduction band lowering.

This article presents, for the first time, the kinetics and the general conversion features of free radical polymerization (FRP) in a 3-component system (A/B/N), with [A] being the initiator, and [B] and [N] are additives, based on the proposed mechanism of Rahal et al. Higher FRP can be achieved by additives [B] and [N], via the dual function of (i) regeneration [A], and (ii) generation of extra radicals (R) via the radicals (S' and S) produced by N.The initiator (coumarin) shows a dual photo-oxidation and photo-reduction character for high efficacy. The FRP conversion efficacy (CE) depends not only on the property of the initiator [A], the additives [B] and [N}, but also the types of monomers. For example, when [A]=CoumC, [A]/NPG is more efficient than [A]/Iod, but revserse trend occurs in some monomers. However, 2-component systems (with CE=0% to 80%) are always less efficient than that of 3-component systems (with CE=70% to 86%, in TMPTA). Specific systems with [A]=coumarins, [B]=Iodonium salt, and N=NPG are analyzed. Analytical formulas for the role of each component concentration, light intensity and coupling rates on the conversion efficacy are derived.

Introduction: The current generation of 3D printers are lighter, cheaper, and smaller, making them more accessible to the chairside digital dentist than ever before. 3D printers in general in the industrial and chairside setting can work with various types of materials including, metals, ceramics, and polymers. Evidence presented in many studies show that an ideal material used for dental restorations is characterised by several properties related to durability, cost-effectiveness, and high performance. This review is the second part in a 3D Printing series that looks at the literature on material science and applications for these materials in 3D printing as well as a discussion on the potential further development and future evolution in 3D printing materials. Conclusions: Current materials in 3D printing provide a wide range of possibilities for providing more predictable workflows as well as improving efficiency through less wasteful additive manufacturing in CAD/CAM procedures. Incorporating a 3D printer and a digital workflow into a dental practice is challenging but the wide range of manufacturing options and materials available mean that the dentist should be well prepared to treat patients with a more predictable and cost effective treatment pathway. As 3D printing continues to become a commonplace addition to chair side dental clinics, the evolution of these materials, in particular reinforced PMMA, resin incorporating zirconia and glass reinforced polymers offer increased speed and improved aesthetics that will likely replace subtractive manufacturing milling machines for most procedures.

Introduction: The term 3D printing is commonly used to depict an assembling method whereby the final form of an object is the result of the addition of different layers to build the frame of an object. This procedure is more accurately portrayed as additive manufacturing and is likewise alluded to as fast prototyping. The term 3D printing, in any case, is generally new and has been an active part of current developments in Dentistry. Much publicity encompasses the evolution of 3D printing, which is hailed as an innovation that will perpetually change CAM manufacturing, including in the dental sector. This review is the first part in a 3D Printing series that looks at the history of 3D Printing, the technologies available and reviews the literature relating to the accuracy of these technologies. Conclusions: The recent advancement in digital dentistry to incorporate these tools has modernised dental practices by paving the way for computer-aided design (CAD) technology and rapid prototyping. The use of 3D printing has led to 3D digital models produced with intraoral scanners (IOS), which can be manipulated easily for diagnosis, treatment planning, mockups, and a multitude of other uses. Combining 3D Printing with a 3D intraoral scan eliminates the need for physical storage but makes it to retrieve a 3D models for use within all dental modalities.

The article proposes an indirect measurement method based on a dimensional and shape analysis of forgings for the evaluation of the manufacture and the proper operation of the key elements of the crank press, in which after modernization, a quick tool assembly based on SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) was implemented. As a result of the introduced changes aiming at improving the forging aggregate and increasing the production efficiency, errors were observed on the manufactured products-forgings in the form of twists and joggles. The preliminary analysis showed that they can be clearances and dynamic deformation in the kinematic chain, the occurrence of side forces during automatic forging of the forging in a two-component system (a long, thin element), as well as the design and construction errors in the joining of the SMED instrument with the table tops of the press. In order to solve the presented problem, in the first place, a separate dimensional and shape analysis was made of selected elements of the press and the instrumentation with the use of the 3D scanning method with the purpose to analyze the construction tolerances of the key elements of the press geometry. Next, an evaluation of the effect of clearances and dynamic deformations of the press as well as the force distribution during the forging process was made through numerical modelling. Despite all of the above, such an approach did not make it possible to solve the problem. A proprietary method with the use of 3d reverse scanning was proposed, which allowed to solve the problem of forgings errors. Based on the measurement results and analyses for a few variants of production cycles the necessary changes was obtained, making it possible to minimize the errors and obtain proper products in respect of geometry and quality.

Marketing is one of the important stages, the decisive factor affecting the success of production and business activities of every business. Therefore, marketing is considered to be the first and most important stage in the process of introducing, bringing products to market and branding of businesses, especially in the period when the disease situation is taking place very complicated worldwide. This study provides both qualitative and quantitative results for the following research objectives. Firstly, the study will assess the situation and analyze the appropriateness of marketing models in the current market situation trend. Secondly, the study proposes an approach in building a new type of marketing model, which is 3D web-based marketing applied in e-commerce to support the modeling of enterprise products in the form of Interactive 3D products are similar to real products. Thirdly, testing and evaluating 3D e-commerce web marketing model at Truong Hai Auto Showroom, Thai Nguyen City branch. This study also proposes a number of solutions for the research and deployment of 3D web marketing model application for businesses in the current market situation.

The aim of this study was to clarify degradation characteristics in each tissue of the knee complex of a medial meniscectomy (MMx)-induced knee osteoarthritis (KOA) animal model using classical methods and a new comprehensive evaluation method called contrast-enhanced X-ray micro-computed tomography (CEX-μCT), which was developed in the study. Surgical MMx was performed in the right knee joints of five male Wistar rats to induce KOA. At 4 wk post-surgery, the synovitis was evaluated using qPCR. Degradations of the articular cartilage of the tibial plateau were evaluated using classical methods and CEX-μCT. Evaluation of the synovitis demonstrated significantly increased expression levels of inflammation-associated marker genes in MMx-treated knees compared to that in sham-treated knees. Evaluation of the articular cartilage using classical methods showed that MMx fully induced degradation of the cartilage. Evaluation using CEX-μCT showed that local areas of the medial cartilage of the tibial plateau were significantly reduced in MMx-treated knees compared to that in sham-treated knees. On the other hand, total cartilage volumes were significantly increased in MMx-treated knees. Based on the findings of this study, the researchers in KOA research could be helped to select an optimal KOA model to discover new drugs.

Despite the long and extensive history of 3D technology, it has recently attracted the attention of researchers. This technology has become the center of interest of young people because of the real feelings and sensations it creates. People see their environment as 3D because of their eye structure. In this study, it is hypothesized that people lose their perception of depth during sleepy moments and that there is a sudden transition from 3D vision to 2D vision. Regarding these transitions, the EEG signal analysis method was used for deep and comprehensive analysis of 2D and 3D brain signals. In this study, a single-stream anaglyph video of random 2D and 3D segments was prepared. After watching this single video, the obtained EEG recordings were considered for two different analyses: the part involving the critical transition (transition-state) and the state analysis of only the 2D versus 3D or 3D versus 2D parts (steady-state). The main objective of this study is to see the behavioral changes of brain signals in 2D and 3D transitions. To clarify the impacts of the human brain’s power spectral density (PSD) in 2D-to-3D (2D_3D) and 3D-to-2D (3D_2D) transitions of anaglyph video, 9 visual healthy individuals were prepared for testing in this pioneering study. Spectrogram graphs based on Short Time Fourier transform (STFT) were considered to evaluate the power spectrum analysis in each EEG channel of transition or steady-state. Thus, in 2D and 3D transition scenarios, important channels representing EEG frequency bands and brain lobes will be identified. To classify the 2D and 3D transitions, the dominant bands and time intervals representing the maximum difference of PSD were selected. Afterward, effective features were selected by applying statistical methods such as standard deviation (SD), maximum (max), and Hjorth parameters to epochs indicating transition intervals. Ultimately, k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) algorithms were applied to classify 2D_3D and 3D_2D transitions. The frontal, temporal, and partially parietal lobes show 2D_3D and 3D_2D transitions with a good classification success rate. Overall, it was found that Hjorth parameters and LDA algorithms have 71.11% and 77.78% classification success rates for transition and steady-state, respectively.

Electrospinning is known to be an effective and straightforward technique to fabricate polymer non woven matrices made of nano and microfibers. Micro patterned morphology of electrospun matrices results to be outmost advantageous in the biomedical field, since it is able to mimic extracellular matrix (ECM), and favors cell adhesion and proliferation. Controlling electrospun fibers alignment is crucial for the regenerative purposes of certain tissues, such as neuronal and vascular. In this study we investigated the impact of electrospinning process parameters on fiber alignment in tubular nanofibrous matrices made of Poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLA-PCL); a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach is here proposed in order to statistically set up the process parameters. The DoE was studied keeping constants the previously set material and environmental parameters; voltage, flow rate and mandrel rotating speed were the process parameters here investigated as variables. Orientation analysis was based on ImageJ and plugin Orientation J analysis of SEM images. The results show that voltage combined with flow rate has significant impact on electrospun fiber orientation, and the greatest orientation is achieved when all the three input parameters (voltage, flow rate and mandrel rotation speed) are at their maximum value.

Direct laser writing based on non-linear 3D nanolithography (also known as 3D laser lithography, 3DLL) is a powerful technology to manufacture polymeric micro-optical components. However, practical applications of these elements are limited due to the lack of knowledge of their optical resilience and durability. In this work, we employ 3DLL for the fabrication of bulk (i.e. fully filled) and woodpile structures out of different photopolymers. We then characterize them using S-on-1 laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) measurements. In this way, quantitative data of LIDT values can be collected. Furthermore, this method permits to gather damage morphologies. The results presented in this work demonstrate that LIDT values depend on the material and the geometry of the structure. Bulk non-photosensitized hybrid organic-inorganic photopolymer SZ2080 structures are found to be the most resilient with a damage threshold being of 169±15 mJ/cm².

We propose a computer-generated hologram method for near-eye virtual reality and augmented reality 3D display. A 3D object located near the holographic plane is projected onto a projection plane to obtain a plurality of projected images with different angles. The hologram is calculated by superposition of projected image convolution with a specific PSF through the interference of reference wave with object wave. Holographic 3D display systems with LED as illumination, 4f optical filtering system and lens as eyepiece for near-eye VR display and HOE as combiner for near-eye AR display are designed. The results show that the proposed method is about 38 times faster than the conventional point cloud method. The proposed method is flexible to produce speckle noise free high-quality VR and AR images with efficient focus and defocus capabilities.

3D-printing with foam concrete, which is known for its distinct physical and mechanical properties, has not yet been purposefully investigated. The article at hand presents a methodological approach for the mixture design of 3D-printable foam concretes and a systematic investigation of the potential application of this type of material in digital construction. Three different foam concrete compositions with water-to-binder ratios between 0.33 and 0.36 and having densities of 1100 to 1580 kg/m³ in the fresh state were produced with a pre-foaming technique using a protein-based foaming agent. Based on the fresh-state tests, including 3D-printing as such, an optimum composition was identified and its compressive and flexural strengths were characterised. The printable foam concrete showed compressive strength above 10 MPa and low thermal conductivity, which make it suitable for 3D-printing applications, while fulfilling both load-carrying and insulating functions.

Culture systems for 3-dimensional tissues, such as multicellular spheroids, are indispensable for high-throughput screening of primary or patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-expanded cancer tissues. Oxygen supply to the center of such spheroids is particularly critical for maintaining cellular functions as well as avoiding the development of a necrotic core. In this study, we evaluated 2 methods to enhance oxygen supply: (1) using culture plate with gas-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane at its bottom and (2) embedding hydrogel beads in the spheroids. Culturing spheroids on PDMS increased cell growth and affected glucose/lactate metabolism and CYP3A4 mRNA expression and subsequent enzyme activity. The spheroids comprised 5000 Hep G2 cells and 5000 20 µm-diameter hydrogel beads did not develop a necrotic core for 9 days when cultured on a gas-permeable sheet. In contrast, central necrosis in spheroids lacking hydrogel beads was observed after day 3 of culture, even when using PDMS. These results indicate that the combination of gas-permeable culture equipment and embedded hydrogel beads improves culture 3D spheroids produced from primary or PDX-expanded tumor cells.

Poliovirus 2A protease (PV2Apro) plays a vital role in viral replication and down-regulation of host cell protein synthesis. In order to understand more concerning PV2Apro, the protein was over-expressed in bacteria following amplification using sense and antisense primers and cloning in pET15b. Several expression hosts were tested and BL21 (DE3) pLysS cells gave the best expression of PV2Apro with minimal unwanted protein expression following IPTG induction. The 2Apro protein was purified to homogeneity using column chromatography, its solubility determined and its molecular weight and composition determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The protease was found in the insoluble fraction and the purified protein had a slightly lower molecular weight than predicted. Moreover, three dimensional structure was modelled using template 1z8r with 58% identity and validated using ramachandran plot. Results revealed that most of the residues lie in favoured and allowed regions. These findings could help in a better understanding of PV2Apro structure and inhibition thus, highlighting potential targets for antiviral drug development.

The development and generalization of Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) on X-ray computed tomography data highlight the issue of long term storage. The present paper proposes a new model-free method for pruning the DVC data. The size of the remaining sampled data can be user-defined, depending on the needs concerning storage space. The data pruning procedure is deeply linked to hyper-reduction techniques. The DVC data of a resin-bonded sand tested in uniaxial compression is used as an illustrating example. The relevance of the pruned data is tested afterwards for model calibration. A new Finite Element Model Updating (FEMU) technique coupled with an hybrid hyper-reduction method is used to successfully calibrate a constitutive model of the resin bonded sand with the pruned data only.

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) is one of the enzymes responsible of endocannabinoids metabolism. The inhibition of FAAH is a useful and indirect strategy to raise endogenous cannabinoid concentrations, which would be useful for the treatment of various pathological processes in which cannabinoid concentrations are lowered. In the present work, we present an extensive 3D-QSAR/CoMSIA study on a series of 90 irreversible inhibitors of FAAH of pyrimidinyl-piperazine-carboxamide structure. The final model obtained was extensively validated (q2 = 0.734; r2test = 0.966; r2m = 0.723), and based on the information derived from the contour maps we reported a series of 10 new compounds designed as powerful FAAH inhibitors (pIC50 of the best-proposed compounds = 12.196; 12.416).

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, remains one of the least treatable cancers. Current standard of care—combining surgical resection, radiation, and alkylating chemotherapy—results in a median survival of only 15 months. Despite decades of investment and research into the development of new therapies, most candidate anti-glioma compounds fail to translate into effective treatments in clinical trials. One key issue underlying this failure of therapies that work in pre-clinical models to generate meaningful improvement in human patients is the profound mismatch between drug discovery systems—cell cultures and mouse models—and the actual tumors they are supposed to imitate. Indeed, current strategies that evaluate the effects of novel treatments on GBM cells in vitro fail to account for a wide range of factors known to influence tumor growth. These include secreted factors, the brain’s unique extracellular matrix, circulatory structures, the presence of non-tumor brain cells, and nutrient sources available for tumor metabolism. While mouse models provide a more realistic testing ground for potential therapies, they still fail to account for the full complexity of tumor-microenvironment interactions, as well as the role of the immune system. Based on the limitations of current models, researchers have begun to develop and implement novel culture systems that better recapitulate the complex reality of brain tumors growing in situ. A rise in the use of patient derived cells, creative combinations of added growth factors and supplements, may provide a more effective proving ground for the development of novel therapies. This review will summarize and analyze these exciting developments in 3D culturing systems. Special attention will be paid to how they enhance the design and identification of compounds that increase the efficacy of radiotherapy, a bedrock of GBM treatment.

This work presents datasets that can be used for getting a good understanding of an essential geoscience content knowledge that describe earth’s coordinate systems. This include coordinate system used for spherical/spheroidal earth with latitudes and longitudes and their subsequent transformations to 2d maps on a variety of media (paper as well as digital) using the process of map projections. The datasets include PDF documents that are embedded with 3d models, animations and mathematical equations. The dataset has separate PDF documents for geographic (for spherical earth) and projected (2d) coordinate systems. Additionally, the data set include individual 3d models that can be used in various digital systems (including apps) and the animations in mp4 format that can be watched on most of the modern digital devices.

We propose an approach for estimating the error in depth data provided by generic 3D sensors, which are modern devices capable of generating an image (RGB data) and a depth map (distance) or other similar 2.5D structure (e.g. stereo disparity) of the scene. Our approach starts capturing images of a checkerboard pattern devised for the method. Then proceed with the construction of a dense depth map using functions that generally comes with the device SDK (based on disparity or depth). The 2D processing of RGB data is performed next to find the checkerboard corners. Clouds of corner points are finally created (in 3D), over which an RMS error estimation is computed. We come up with a multi-platform system and its verification and evaluation has been done, using the development kit of the board nVIDIA Jetson TK1 with the MS Kinects v1/v2 and the Stereolabs ZED camera. So the main contribution is the error determination procedure that does not need any data set or benchmark, thus relying only on data acquired on-the-fly. With a simple checkerboard, our approach is able to determine the error for any device. Envisioned application is on 3D reconstruction for robotic vision, with a series of 3D vision sensors embarked in robots (UAV of type quadcopter and terrestrial robots) for high-precision map construction, which can be used for sensing and monitoring.

Ultrafast laser 3D lithography based on non-linear light-matter interactions, widely known as multi-photon lithography (MPL), offers unrivaled precision rapid prototyping and flexible additive manufacturing options. 3D printing equipment based on MPL are already commercially available, yet there is still no comprehensive understanding of factors determining spatial resolution, accuracy, fabrication throughput, repeatability, and standardized metrology methods for the accurate characterization of the produced 3D objects and their functionalities. The photoexcitation mechanisms, spatial-control or photo-modified volumes, and the variety of processable materials are topics actively investigated. The complexity of the research field is underlined by limited understanding and fragmented knowledge of light-excitation and material response. Research to date has only provided case-specific findings on photoexcitation, chemical modification, and material characterization of the experimental data. In this review, we aim to provide a consistent and comprehensive summary of the existing literature on photopolymerization mechanisms under highly confined spatial and temporal conditions, where, besides the excitation and cross-linking, parameters such as diffusion, temperature accumulation, and the finite amount of monomer molecules start to become of critical importance. Key parameters such as, photoexcitation, polymerization kinetics, and the properties of the additively manufactured materials at the nanoscale in 3D are examined, whereas, the perspectives for future research and as well as emerging applications are outlined.

The recent development of Wearable Exoskeletons has stressed their effectiveness in assisting humans for rehabilitation and augmentation purposes. These devices interact with the user, therefore their actuators and power transmission mechanisms are fundamental for improving physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI). The enhanced advancement of 3D-printing technology as a valuable approach for creating light and efficient gearboxes allows for exploring multiple reducers’ designs. However, to the authors’ knowledge, only sporadic implementations with relatively low reduction ratios are reported, and the respective experimental validations usually differ from each other, preventing a comprehensive evaluation of different design and implementation choices. In this paper, we design, develop, and examine experimentally multiple 3D-printed gearboxes conceived for wearable assistive devices. Two relevant transmission ratios (1:30 and 1:80) and multiple designs, that include single and double-stage compact cam cycloidal drives, compound planetary gearboxes, and the series of cycloidal and planetary architectures have been compared to assess the worth of 3D-printed reducers in Human-Robot Interaction applications. The resulting prototypes were examined by evaluating their weight, cost, back-driveability, friction, regularity of the reduction ratio, gear play, and stiffness. The results show that the developed gearboxes represent valuable alternatives for actuating wearable exoskeletons in multiple applications.

3D printing technology has made significant strides in smart textiles—fabrics embedded with electronics like conductive fibers and sensors—now widely applied in areas such as health con-dition monitoring, wearable energy-harvesting devices, and interactive textiles that respond to environmental conditions and color changes. Different 3D printing methods, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Direct Ink Writing (DIW), and PolyJet printing, are used in the fabrication of smart textiles. This study provides a detailed, applica-tion-specific overview of 3D printing technologies—such as FDM, SLS, DIW, and PolyJet print-ing—and their use in smart textiles across various sectors, including wearable technology, medical textiles, and smart fashion design. We gathered articles and reports from Scopus and Google Scholar, providing a concise assessment of 3D printing materials for smart textiles to give readers a quick understanding of the field. The timeline of 3D printing’s use in smart textiles, from 2016 to 2023, highlights significant advancements in various additive manufacturing techniques applied to smart textiles. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding 3D printing techniques such as FDM, SLS, DIW, and PolyJet, as their applicability for selecting the best approach to in-corporating advanced functionalities into smart textiles.

This study presents the innovative design and fabrication of a 3D-printed prosthesis arm aimed at enhancing automated hand rehabilitation for targeting hemiplegic patients who cannot open and close their hands. By leveraging surface electromyography (EMG) signals, the prosthesis arm translates muscle contractions in the forearm into precise hand movements, facilitating more effective rehabilitation. A comprehensive analysis of existing prosthesis designs guided the creation of a new, improved prototype. Using a concept scoring evaluation matrix, the best concept design was selected, designed, and fabricated through additive manufacturing. The finished prosthesis improves grip stability by imitating natural finger movements with flexible materials and a tendon system made of elastic ropes and fishing lines. Experimental comparisons between the designed prosthesis arm and a human hand showed significant similarities in flexion angles, though further refinement is needed for measurement accuracy and tactile feedback. The result presents the designed prosthesis arm validity and can be used in automated control rehabilitation in the future. This research also highlights the potential of 3D printing and EMG technology in creating customizable, efficient prosthesis arms for automated rehabilitation, suggesting pathways for future improvements and broader applications.

This study presents the design and comprehensive 3D multiphysics simulation of a novel microfluidic immunosensor for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of pro-inflammatory biomarkers in human sweat. The patch-like device, designed using COMSOL Multiphysics, integrates magnetofluidic manipulation with direct-field capacitive sensing. The sensor comprises two distinct units: an immunocomplex enhancement unit, employing a series of microcoils to optimize the binding efficiency, reaction kinetics, and homogeneity of biomarker-magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) interactions, thereby enhancing the sensor's specificity; and a layered capacitive sensing unit, designed to concentrate and detect biomarker-tagged MNPs, thus amplifying sensitivity. Simulations of the capacitive sensing unit revealed a substantial sensitivity increase of up to 42.48\% at an 85\% MNP concentration within the detection zone. These findings highlight the potential of the proposed immunosensor for efficient and precise real-time biomarker monitoring, which may facilitate early disease diagnosis and enable personalized healthcare interventions.

This paper presents a novel segmentation algorithm specially developed for applications in 3D point clouds with high variability and noise, particularly suitable for heritage building 3D data. The method can be categorized within the segmentation procedures based on edge detection. In addition, it uses a graph-based topo-logical structure generated from the supervoxelization of the 3D point clouds, which is used to make the clo-sure of the edge points and to define the different segments. The algorithm provides a valuable tool for generating results that can be used in subsequent classification tasks and broader computer applications dealing with 3D point clouds. One of the characteristics of this segmentation method is that it is unsupervised, which makes it particularly advantageous for heritage applications where labelled data is scarce. It is also easily adaptable to different edge point detection and supervoxelization algorithms. Finally, the results show that the 3D data can be segmented into different architectural elements, which is important for further classification or recognition. Extensive testing on real data from historic buildings demonstrates the effectiveness of the method. The results show superior performance compared to three other segmentation methods, both globally and in the segmentation of planar and curved zones of historic buildings.

Graph visualization has evolved significantly over time, offering various methods to effectively represent complex data structures. This study introduces a novel force-directed algorithm for 3D data visualization, specifically tailored for commonly used datasets in linked data visualization. Leveraging the power of graph theory and methods, the algorithm aims to address the challenge of creating visually appealing and easily interpretable visualizations, which often necessitate advanced user interaction. By utilizing 3D space and the Unity Engine, the research successfully visualizes data and develops interactive visualizations, overcoming limitations of basic force-directed implementations. The main contribution of presented research is in the force-directed algorithm with springs and controlled placement as a visualization technique that combines the use of springs and attractive forces to stabilize a graph in a 3D environment. The combination of these two techniques also helps prevent the formation of a single large cluster within the graph, enhancing the overall visualization quality.

Linear polyamides, known as nylons, are a class of synthetic polymers with a wide range of applications due to their outstanding properties, such as chemical and thermal resistance or mechanical strength. These polymers have been used in various fields: from common and domestic applications, such as socks and fishing nets, to industrial gears or water purification membranes. By their durability, flexibility and wear resistance nylons have been started to be used in addictive manufacturing technology as a good material choice to get sophisticated devices with precise and complex geometric shapes. Furthermore, the emergence of triboelectric nanogenerators and the development of biomaterials have highlighted the versatility and utility of these materials. In order to enhance the triboelectric performance and the range of applications, nylons show a potential use as tribo-positive materials. Because of the easy control of their shape they can be subsequently integrated into nanogenerators. The use of nylons has also extended into the field of biomaterials, where their biocompatibility, mechanical strength and versatility have paved the way for groundbreaking advances in medical devices as dental implants, catheters and non-absorbable surgical sutures. By means 3D bioprinting nylons have been used to develop scaffolds, joint implants and drug carriers with tailored properties for various biomedical applications. The present paper aims to collect these recently specific applications of nylons by reviewing the literature produced in the last decades, with a special focus on the newer technologies in the field of energy harvesting and biomedicine.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder presenting a dysregulated immune response and derangement of the epidermal barrier lipids. The Th2-type cytokines interleukin IL-4 and IL-13 play a prominent role in AD by activating the Janus Kinase/Signal Transduction and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) intracellular signal axis. This study aimed to investigate the role of JAK/STAT in the lipid perturbations induced by Th2 signaling in 3D-epidermal equivalents. We used tofacitinib, a low-molecular-mass JAK inhibitor, to screen for the JAK/STAT-mediated deregulation of lipid metabolism. Th2 cytokines decreased the expression of elongases 1, 3, and 4, and serine-palmitoyl-transferase and increased that of sphingolipid delta(4)-desaturase, and carbonic anhydrase 2. Th2 cytokines inhibited the synthesis of palmitate and caused a depletion of triglycerides. This depletion was associated with altered PC profiles and fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Overall, the ceramide profiles were minimally affected. Except for most sphingolipids and very long chain FAs, the effects of Th2 on lipid pathways were reversed by co-treatment with tofacitinib. An increase in the mRNA levels of CPT1A and ACAT1, reduced by tofacitinib, suggests that Th2 cytokines promote FA beta-oxidation. In conclusion, pharmacological inhibition of JAK/STAT activation prevents the lipid disruption caused by halted homeostasis of FA metabolism.

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are aggressive and invasive cancers of the brain, associated with high rates of tumor recurrence and poor patient outcomes despite initial treatment. Targeting cell migration is therefore of interest in highly invasive cancers such as GBMs, to prevent tumor dissemination and regrowth. One current aim of GBM research focusses on assessing anti-migratory properties of novel or repurposed inhibitors, including plant-based drugs which display anti-cancer properties. We investigated the potential anti-migratory activity of plant-based products with known cytotoxic effects in cancers, using a range of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) migration and invasion assays as well as immunofluorescence microscopy to determine specific anti-migratory and phenotypic effects of three plant-derived compounds, Turmeric, Indigo and Magnolia bark, on established glioma cell lines. Migrastatic activity was observed in all three drugs, with Turmeric exerting the most inhibitory effect on GBM cell migration into scratches and from the spheroid edge at all timepoints investigated (p < 0.001). We also observed novel cytoskeletal phenotypes affecting actin and focal adhesion dynamics. By determining the migrastatic activity of Turmeric, Indigo and Magnolia on GBM cell migration, we demonstrate a potential role for Turmeric as a novel GBM anti-migratory therapeutic, in combination with the current standard of care, to prevent tumor recurrence and promote patient survival.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the accuracy of resin-based fixed dental restorations, namely veneers, single crowns, and four-unit fixed partial dental prosthesis (FPDs) using two different 3D printers and polymer-based materials. Materials and Methods: A standard maxillary polyurethane jaw model containing prepared teeth was scanned using an intraoral scanner. The generated STL data were used to design the restorations virtually using CAD software. Two 3D printers were utilized for the provisional digital light processing and stereolithography for the castable resin patterns. Each printer produced 10 specimens of each type of restoration, for a total of 80 restorations. The 3d-printed restorations were then 3D scanned using the same intraoral scanner and evaluated for external and internal dimensional accuracy in terms of trueness and precision. A one-way ANOVA and Two-sample T-Test were implemented to compute the precision (variability between groups) and trueness (with the designed CAD model). A level of statistical significance of p-Value

In the conservation of monumental heritage, the collection and utilization of information are of primary importance. The Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) procedure harnesses the potential of three-dimensional models, offering significant advantages in accessing documentation, interoperability, multidimensionality of intervention design, cost evaluation and maintenance management. Attention here is focused on the Certosa di Pisa, a large historical complex built in the 14th century as a monastery of the Carthusian order, currently in a state of deterioration and in need of restoration and re-functionalization. The multifaceted nature of this monumental complex, with its intricate interplay of architectural elements spanning different historical periods and featuring diverse techniques, poses a significant challenge for structural safety assessment. This case study presents an opportunity to explore an HBIM approach to streamline the diagnostic process and facilitate the intervention design phase. The goal is achieved by utilizing an accurate 3D model enriched with data from multiple sources and automating certain operations for structural assessment. The usefulness of the HBIM methodology is highlighted as a valuable tool in the realm of Cultural Heritage structures for both technicians and scholars alike.

Neuroblastoma is an embryonal tumor arising from the sympathetic central nervous system. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a role in neuroblastoma growth and metastatic behavior. Recently, we have demonstrated that cathepsin D (CD) contrasts EGF-induced neuroblastoma cell growth in 2D by downregulating EGFR/MAPK signaling. Aggressive NB is highly metastatic to the bone and the brain. In the metastatic process, adherent cells detach to form clusters of suspended cells that once reached the metastatic site adhere and form secondary colonies. Whether CD involves in survival of metastatic NB clones is not known. Therefore, in this study we addressed how CD differentially affects cell growth in suspension versus adherent condition. To mimic tumor heterogeneity, we co-cultured transgenic clones silenced for or overexpressing CD. We compared the growth kinetics of such mixed clones in 2D and 3D models in response to EGF, and we found that Over CD clone was advantaged for the growth in suspension, while the CD knocked-down clone was favored for the adherent growth as 2D. The fact that CD plays a dual role in cancer cell growth in 2D and 3D conditions indicates that during clonal evolution subclones expressing different level of CD may arise, which confers survival and growth advantages depending on the metastatic step. Whether CD involves in survival of metastatic NB clones is not known. We propose that epigenetic regulation of CD expression could be an additional strategy to prevent NB metastases.

Mapping building roof plane structures is an active research direction in urban-related studies, as understanding roof structure provides essential information for generating highly detailed 3D building models. Traditional deep learning models have been the main focus of most recent research endeavours aiming to extract pixel-based building roof plane areas from remote sensing imagery. However, significant challenges arise, such as delineating complex roof boundaries and invisible boundaries. Additionally, challenges during the post-processing phase, where pix-el-based building roof plane maps are vectorized, often result in polygons with irregular shapes. In order to address this issue, this study explores a state-of-the-art method for planar graph reconstruction applied to building roof plane extraction. We propose a framework for reconstructing regularized building roof plane structures using aerial imagery and cadastral information. Our framework employs a holistic edge classification architecture based on an attention-based neural network to detect corners and edges between them from aerial imagery. Our experiments focused on three distinct study areas characterized by different roof structure topologies: Stadsveld – 't Zwering neighbourhood and Oude Markt area, located in Enschede, The Netherlands, and the Lozenets district in Sofia, Bulgaria. The outcomes of our experiments revealed that a model trained with a combined dataset of two different study areas demonstrated superior performance, capable of delineating edges obscured by shadows or canopy. Our experiment in the Oude Markt area resulted in building roof plane delineation with an F-score value of 0.43 when the model trained on the combined dataset was used. In comparison, the model trained only on the Stadsveld – 't Zwering dataset achieved an F-score value of 0.37, and the model trained only on the Lozenets dataset achieved an F-score value of 0.32. The results from the developed approach are promising and can be used for 3D city modelling in different urban settings.

Reconstructing a 3D model of a scene from a set of multiple views poses a significant challenge in the field of computer vision. The advent of NeRF has marked a major breakthrough in this domain. However, there is a need to extend the capabilities of the NeRF model to enable editing tasks such as relighting and deformation, as well as to enhance its training efficiency. Neural reflectance fields introduce the concept of the reflectance equation into the NeRF framework to achieve relighting of the NeRF model. We leverage the TensoRF approach, which incorporates tensor decomposition and employs multiple tensors to store features, to expedite the training process of the NeRF model. Our novel method, called StensorR, combines the reflectance equation and tensor decomposition within the radiation field model framework. Differing from previous approaches, we employ a single tensor to store scene features and render the surface color of our scene using a simplified reflectance equation. This approach accelerates model convergence and enables relighting of the NeRF model. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves a 50% faster convergence rate compared to existing relighting radiation field models, while successfully enabling relighting and improving the quality of synthesized images from new viewpoints.

This paper presents a numerical study on the laser shock wave propagation in a 3D woven CFRP material by means of detailed and homogenized FE models. The aim of the study is to numerically characterize the shock wave response of the 3D woven CFRP in terms of back face velocity profiles and the induced damage and to investigate whether the detailed FE models could be replaced by homogenized FE models. The 3D woven geometry was designed using the TexGen software, while the numerical analyses were executed using the LS-Dyna explicit FE software. A high-strain rate behavior was considered for the matrix. The fiber bundles in the detailed models were modeled as a high fiber content unidirectional composite laminate, with its mechanical properties calculated by micromechanical equations. Both for the fiber bundles of the detailed model and the homogenized models a progressive damage material model was applied. The results of the detailed model reveal a considerable effect of material’s architecture on the shock wave propagation and the sensitivity of the back face velocity profile to the spot location. Consequently, the homogenized model is not capable of accurately simulating the shock wave response of the 3D woven composite. Moreover, the detailed predicts with high accuracy matrix cracking in the resin-rich areas and in the bundles as well as fiber failure. On the contrary, the homogenized model predicts matrix cracking at the same areas and no fiber failure.

Background: Complex bone defects are challenging to treat. Autografting is the gold standard for regenerating bone defects, however limitations include donor site morbidity and increased surgical complexity. Advancements in 3D bioprinting (3DBP) offer a promising alternative for viable bone grafts. Methods: Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to design 12 hydrogel bioinks of various Gelatin meth-acrylate/hydroxyapatite (GelMA/HA) concentrations. These bioinks were assessed for pipettability and equilibrium modulus. An optimal bioink was designed using the DoE data to produce the greatest stiffness while still being pipettable. Two bioinks, the DoE designed maximal stiff-ness and the experimentally defined maximal stiffness vs. a literature based control were then printed using a 3D bioprinter and assessed for print fidelity. The resulting hydrogels were combined with human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) and evaluated for cell viability. Results: DoE ANOVA analysis indicated that the augmented 3 level factorial design model used was a good fit (p < 0.0001). Using the model, DoE correctly predicted that a composite hydrogel consisting of 12.3% GelMA, 15.7% HA, and 2% Gelatin would produce the maximum equilibrium modulus while still being pipettable. The hydrogel with the most optimal print fidelity was 10% GelMA, 2% HA, and 5% Gelatin. There were no significant differences in cell viability within hydrogels from day 2 to day 7 (p > 0.05). There was however a significantly lower cell viability in the gel composed of 12.3% GelMA, 15.7% HA, and 2% gelatin compared to the other gels with lower HA concentration (p < 0.05), showing that higher HA or print pressure may be cytotoxic within hydrogels. Conclusions: Extrusion-based 3DBP offers significant advantages for bone-tissue implants due to its high customizability. This study demonstrates it is possible to create printable bone-like grafts from GelMA and HA with increased HA levels, favorable mechanical properties (145kPa) and >80% cell viability.

3D printing with earth-based mortar is still under development and faces challenges. Optimizing the mortar mixture, improving structural strength, determining the relationship between printing speed and the amount of extruded material, and ensuring long-term durability are areas that are still being refined. Additionally, regulatory and certification issues must also be considered to ensure the safety and compliance of 3D printed structures. This paper presents for discussion the records, analyses, studies, and considerations regarding the initial initiatives involving 3D printing with the extrusion of earth-based mortar developed at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto - FEUP. Through this work, it is possible to strengthen and reaffirm that 3D printing with earth-based mortar has significant potential in the construction industry and that the incorporation of dispersed kraft paper fibres from the recycling of cement bags is an excellent resource to achieve good constructability in 3D printing with earth-based mortar.

3D human pose estimation has made significant advancements through the integration of deep learning techniques. This survey provides a comprehensive review of recent 3D human pose estimation methods, with a focus on monocular images, videos, and multi-view cameras. Our approach stands out through a systematic literature review methodology, ensuring an up-to-date and meticulous overview. Unlike many existing surveys that categorize approaches based on learning paradigms, our survey offers a fresh perspective, delving deeper into the subject. For image-based approaches, we not only follow existing categorizations but also introduce and compare significant 2D models. Additionally, we provide a comparative analysis of these methods, enhancing the understanding of image-based pose estimation techniques. In the realm of video-based approaches, we categorize them based on the types of models used to capture inter-frame information. Furthermore, in the context of multi-person pose estimation, our survey uniquely differentiates between approaches focusing on relative poses and those addressing absolute poses. Our survey aims to serve as a pivotal resource for researchers, highlighting state-of-the-art deep learning strategies and identifying promising directions for future exploration in 3D human pose estimation.

Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) printing emerged as the next generation of manufacturing techniques, spanning several research areas such as engineering, chemistry, biology, computing, and materials science. Three-dimensional printing allows the manufacture of complex shapes with high precision, by adding layer by layer of different materials. The use of smart materials that change shape or color, produce an electrical current, become bioactive, or perform an intended function in response to an external stimulus. Shape memory materials (SMMs) in 3D printing technology have attracted a lot of attention due to their ability to respond to external stimuli, leading this technology towards an emerging area of research, "4D printing technology." The core part of this review summarizes the effect of the main external stimuli on 4D textile materials followed by the main applications 4D printed textiles can change their shape over time due to external stimuli such as temperature.

Copper(I) sulfide (Cu2S) is a low-cost, earth-abundant, and non-toxic thermoelectric material for applications in the middle-high temperature range (&gt;650 K). Although 3D printing these materials can simplify their manufacturing, elevated temperatures observed during sintering impair their crystal structure and energy conversion efficiency. In this study, we demonstrated a novel post-processing methodology to revert the thermoelectric properties of the 3D printed Cu2-xS materials back to the unimpaired state via sulfur infusion. After printing and sintering, sulfur was infused into the specimens under vacuum to optimize their crystal structure and achieve high thermoelectric efficiency. Chemical analysis and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) tests showed that after the sulfur infusion process, the Cu/S ratio was reverted close to the stoichiometric level. 3D printed Cu2-xS showed p-type thermoelectric behavior with electrical conductivity peaking at 143 S-cm-1 at 750 K and Seebeck coefficient of 175 µV-K-1 at 627 K. Figure of merit (ZT) value of 1.0 at 780 K was achieved which is the highest value ever reported for a 3D printed Cu2-xS thermoelectrics at this temperature. Fabrication of environmentally friendly thermoelectric materials with extended dimensional freedom and conversion efficiency has the potential to impact the thermoelectric industry with new energy conversion applications and lowered manufacturing costs.

The purpose of this in vitro study is to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating a new irrigation system into a surgical guide and monitor its effect on heat generation during implant bed preparation. A total of 48 surgically guided osteotomies were performed on 12 bovine ribs divided into 4 groups, using different irrigation techniques: Group A (test) had entry and exit channels incorporated into the guide; Group B had a similar design with an entry channel only; Group C had conventional external irrigation; Group D (control) had no irrigation. Heat generation during the osteotomies was measured using thermocouples placed at a depth of 2 mm and 6 mm. The lowest mean temperature was observed in Group A (22.1°C at 2mm and 21.4°C at 6mm), this was statistically significant when compared with Groups C and D (p&lt;0.001). Group A showed a lower mean temperature compared with Group B as well, however statistically significant only at 6mm depth (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, the proposed guide has significantly reduced heat generation during implant osteotomy. The integration of an exit cooling channel can resolve limitations found in previously designed surgical guides and can be easily incorporated into computer designing and 3D printing software.

The rapid development of Deep Learning brought novel methodologies for 3D Object Detection using LiDAR sensing technology. These improvements in precision and inference speed performances lead to notable high performance and real-time inference, which is especially important for self-driving purposes. However, the developments carried by these approaches overwhelm the research process in this area since new methods, new technologies, and software versions lead to different project necessities, specifications and requirements. Moreover, the improvements brought by the new methods may be due to improvements in newer versions of deep learning frameworks and not just the novelty and innovation of the model architecture. Thus, it became crucial to create a framework with the same software versions, specifications and requirements that accommodate all these methodologies and allow the easy introduction of new methods and models. A framework is proposed that abstracts the implementation, reusing and building of novel methods and models. The main idea is to facilitate the representation of state-of-the-art (SoA) approaches and simultaneously encourage the implementation of new approaches by reusing, improving and innovating modules in the proposed framework, which has the same software specifications to allow a fair comparison. This makes it possible to determine if the key innovation approach outperforms the current SoA by comparing models in a framework with the same software specifications and requirements.

Background: For the treatment of bone defects, biodegradable compressive biomaterials are needed as a substitute, which degrade at the same rate as the bone regenerates. In this study, the compressive strength of CPC ceramics (with a layer thickness of more than 12 layers) should be compared with sintered ceramics. Methods: Round scaffolds with 20, 25, 30 and 45 layers were 3D printed the 3D Bioplotter, solidified in a water-saturated atmosphere for 3 days and then tested for compressive strength together with a sintered ceramic using a Zwick universal testing machine. Results: The 3D printed scaffolds are more compressive at 41.56 ± 7.12 MPa than the sintered ceramic at 24.16 ± 4.44. Conclusions: The round geometry sintered ceramics approach or exceed the upper limit of the compressive strength of cancellous bone in the direction of compacta (depending on the author).

3D printing with cement-based materials is a promising manufacturing technique for civil engineering applications that already allows for the design and the construction of complex and highly customized structures using a layer-by-layer deposition approach. Usually, in this type of additive manufacturing, a mixture of cement, water, aggregate and additives is extruded through a specific print head and deposited in successive layers to form the desired shape. The extrusion mechanism is one of the most expensive parts of the 3D printer. Also, for low scale 3D printers, based on the shape of the extruder and the geometry limitation of the mixing blade, the 3D mixture is often limited to a narrow range of materials due to the risk of layer splitting or blockage. Therefore, there is a need to develop affordable and feasible alternatives to the current design-fabrication-application approach of 3D printers. In this paper, various new designed mixtures of fiber reinforced mortars that can be 3D printed using only a commercially available screw pump are analyzed based on their fresh properties and mechanical characteristics. The reduced facility requirements in this approach allow 3D-printing to be more available for civil engineering applications. With further innovation in the future, this method and mixtures can be extended for sustainable and economically feasible printing of single-family housing units.

The surface defects of shield subway tunnel can significantly affect the serviceability of the tunnel structure and may compromise the operation safety. To effectively detect the multiple surface defects, this research employs a tunnel inspection trolley (TIT) based on the mobile laser scanning technique. By conducting the inspection of the shield tunnel on a metro line section, various surface defects are identified by the TIT, including water leakage defect, dislocation, spalling, cross-section deformation, etc. To explore the root causes of the surface defects, the association rules between different defects are calculated via an improved Apriori algorithm. Results show that: i) there are significant differences in different association rules of various surface defects of the shield tunnel; ii) the average confidence of the association rule “dislocation &amp; spalling → water leakage” is as high as 57.78%, indicating that most of the water leakage defects are caused by dislocation and spalling of the shield tunnel in the sections being inspected; iii) the weakest rule appears at “water leakage → spalling”, with the average confidence of 13%. The association analysis can be used in predicting the critical defects influencing the structural reliability and operation safety, such as water leakage, and optimizing the construction and maintenance work for the shield subway tunnel.

Measuring pulmonary nodules accurately can help with early diagnosis of lung cancer, which can improve a patient’s chances of survival. Many methods for segmenting nodules have been developed, but they all rely on input from radiologists in the form of a 3D volume of interest (VOI) or use a constant region of interest (ROI) and only consider the presence of nodule within the given VOI. These approaches limit the networks’ ability to detect nodules outside the given VOI and can also include unnecessary structures in the VOI, leading to potentially inaccurate segmentation. In this work, we propose a novel approach for 3D lung nodule segmentation by using 2D region of interest (ROI) inputted from radiologist or computer-aided detection (CADe) system. Particularly, we design a dual-encoder-based hard attention network (DEHA-Net) which incorporates the full slice of thoracic computed tomography scan along with the ROI mask to produce an accurate segmentation mask of lung nodule in the given slice. The proposed architecture exploits the adaptive region of interest (A-ROI) algorithm to automatically investigates the penetration of lung nodule into surrounding slices while eliminating the need to drawing separate ROIs in each slice. Further, the framework performs the multi-view analysis, i.e., in sagittal and coronal views, to improve the segmentation performance. The proposed scheme has been rigorously evaluated on the lung image database consortium and image database resource initiative (LIDC/IDRI) dataset and an extensive analysis of results have been performed. The quantitative analysis shows that the proposed method not only improves the existing state-of-the-art in term of dice score but also, significantly robust against the different types, shape and dimensions of lung nodules.

Deterioration of concrete subjected to freezing and thawing climatic conditions is one of most important factors affecting the durability of concrete infrastructure in cold climates. The freeze-thaw resistance of cementitious materials like concrete and mortar can be determined by the CDF test (Capillary Suction of De-icing chemicals and Freeze-Thaw Test). Here, concrete specimens are subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles with simultaneous addition of de-icing salt and the amount of material weathered near the surface is determined. For concretes with adequate freeze-thaw resistance, this test method works very well. However, specimens with inadequate or unknown performance often experience increased edge weathering, which is caused by the detachment of the lateral isolation tape. The increasing edge influence thus leads to a falsification of the results and consequently to an underestimation of the actual freeze-thaw resistance of the material. In materials research in particular, however, concretes with high levels of weathering are studied in order to be able to investigate various factors of influence on the freeze-thaw resistance of concretes in a targeted manner. This paper presents a novel methodology that delivers new information regarding the weathering of CDF test samples and the associated distribution function of the height decrease using high resolution 3D scan data. The results indicate a correlation between the progression of the distribution function and the sample's maximum aggregate size. The change of the sample volume can be used to support the weathering results of the standard CDF methodology. The increase of the surface area is used to estimate the tortuosity of the sample surface. It indicates an asymptotic curve approaching a specific maximum value, which is dependent on the the weathering depth of the sample.

Scattering has been always considered a problem in most of the imaging and holography systems. In this project, a 3D imaging system has been developed based on scattering against common beliefs. The 3D imaging system consists of only two components namely a scattering lens, fabricated by grinding the surface of a convex lens using sandpaper and a web camera. The point spread function (PSF) in the form of speckle distribution was recorded using a laser source in the first step. A synthetic object was selected which was convolved with the PSF in a computer to generate the object intensity distribution. The image of the object was reconstructed by processing the PSF and object intensity distribution using a computational reconstruction method called non-linear reconstruction. The recorded PSF was scaled and the process was repeated for a different synthetic object. The concept was extended to 3D by summing the object intensity distributions generated using PSFs with different scaling factors. The image at different planes can be reconstructed using the PSFs corresponding to that plane.

The mechanical properties and stability of hydrophobic surface structures prepared by traditional methods are still the main technical bottlenecks restricting the broad application of hydrophobic systems on workpiece surfaces. In this contribution, we propose a technique called selective laser shock peening (SLSP) to enable large-scale high efficient, low-cost manufacturing of hydrophobic metal surfaces with enhanced mechanical properties for durable applications. Using the method of experimental investigation combined with numerical calculation, the hydrophobic properties, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of the samples prepared under SLSP, all-laser shock peening (ALSP), and non-laser shock peening (NLSP) are studied. The SLSP process could prepare a 3D gradient structure material with surface structures, a two-phase (strong phase, soft phase) distribution on the surface, and a multi-level gradient distribution in the thickness direction. Compared with the 2D gradient structure prepared by the traditional process, 3D gradient structures by SLSP have more significant advantages in improving the wetting behavior and the mechanical properties of the material, which proves SLSP to be a novel method to fabricate functional metal surface structures, with highly high engineering application value.

Additive manufacturing (AM) are used in several industries such as automotive, aerospace, and medical sciences. One of the most common devices used in additive manufacturing is fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers. This fabrication method has different inputs that affect the quality of the parts. In this research, the bending fatigue properties of polylactic acid (PLA) biomaterial made with a 3D printer are investigated. To demonstrate the influence of printing parameters on fatigue lifetime, standard specimens with nozzle diameters of 0.2-0.6 mm, extruder temperature of 180-240°C, and print speed of 5-15 mm/s were printed. After performing fully-reversed bending fatigue tests, it was found that printed specimens at 180°C have the best fatigue lifetime in most cases. Accordingly, fatigue behavior improved by reducing the nozzle diameter. Printing at lower temperatures also improved fatigue lifetime. The printing speed affected the slope of the S-N diagram, known as the fatigue strength exponent.

3D facial surface imaging is a useful tool in dentistry and in terms of diagnostics and treatment planning. Between-groups PCA (bgPCA) is a method that has been used to analyse shapes in biological morphometrics, although various “pathologies” of bgPCA have recently been proposed. Monte Carlo (MC) simulated datasets were created here in order to explore “pathologies” of multilevel PCA (mPCA), where mPCA with two levels is equivalent to bgPCA. The first set of MC experiments involved 300 uncorrelated normally distributed variables, whereas the second set of MC experiments used correlated multivariate MC data describing 3D facial shape. We confirmed previous results of other researchers that indicated that bgPCA (and so also mPCA) can give a false impression of strong differences in component scores between groups when there is none in reality. These spurious differences in component scores via mPCA reduced strongly as the sample sizes per group were increased. Eigenvalues via mPCA were also found to be strongly effected by imbalances in sample sizes per group, although this problem was removed by using weighted forms of covariance matrices suggested by the maximum likelihood solution of the two-level model. However, this did not solve problems of spurious differences between groups in these simulations, which was driven by very small sample sizes in one group here. As a “rule of thumb” only, all of our experiments indicate that reasonable results are obtained when sample sizes per group in all groups are at least equal to the number of variables. Interestingly, the sum of all eigenvalues over both levels via mPCA scaled approximately linearly with the inverse of the sample size per group in all experiments. Finally, between-group variation was added explicitly to the MC data generation model in two experiments considered here. Results for the sum of all eigenvalues via mPCA predicted the asymptotic amount for the total amount of variance correctly in this case, whereas standard “single-level” PCA underestimated this quantity.

In this paper we describe the potentialities of a tool for the visualization of experimental results directly on a three-dimensional model. The case study concerns the visualization of the results of a dynamic finite element analysis (FEA/FEM) applied to the calculation of seismic risk on works belonging to the Italian infrastructural heritage, specifically bridges, viaducts and overpasses. The project is based on finite element analysis performed on an exemplary set of 8 structures located on the Italian territory, performed by means of the open-source software framework OpenSees, according to the guidelines indicated in the Technical Standards for Construction NTC08. The application created for this project is classifiable as a webGIS, since all data are georeferenced and visualized on a map through an application executed through a browser. The graphical interface displays the interested works on the map of the Italian territory and allows to select them by mouse click. Following the selection, a 3D rendering of the model of the work and the surrounding terrain is shown, in which the results of the analysis are represented using color gradients directly on the three-dimensional model. The necessary tools are present for the selection of the type of result and for the animation in real time of the response of the work to the seismic action. The 3D representation is freely navigable by the user thanks to intuitive tools of panning, rotation and zoom through mouse and keyboard. The application takes advantage of HTML5, CSS and Javascript to show graphical features such as Cartesian diagrams of accelerograms used in modal analysis.

This document presents the design and manufacture of a reflectarray (RA) antenna for the Ku-band, based on a fully-metallic 3D architecture. The reflectarray unit cell is formed by a square-shaped waveguide section ended in a short circuit, that is the reflectarray back ground plane. Each cell has the ability of configuring the phase of its own reflected field by means of resonators perforated on the walls of the cell waveguide section. The resonator-based waveguide cell introduces the 3D character to the design. The geometry of the resonators and its size variation introduces the phase behaviour of each cell, conforming the radiation pattern of the reflectarray. This design explores the potential of phase value truncation (6 states and 2 states), and demonstrates that proper pattern results can be obtained with this phase truncation.

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) participate in regulating many environmental stress responses and biological processes in plants. Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major cash crop that is grown worldwide. However, the growth and yield of maize are affected by several adverse environmental inputs. Therefore, investigating the factors that regulate maize growth and development and resistance to abiotic stress is an essential task for developing stress-resilient maize varieties. Thus, a comprehensive genome-wide identification analysis was performed to identify HSFs in the maize genome. The current study identified 25 ZmHSFs, randomly distributed throughout the maize genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZmHSFs are divided into three classes and 13 sub-classes. Gene structure and protein motif analysis supported the results obtained through the phylogenetic analysis. Domain analysis showed the DNA-binding domain to be the most conserved region of ZmHSFs. Segmental duplication is shown to be responsible for the expansion of ZmHSFs. Most of the ZmHSFs are localized inside the nucleus, and the ZmHSFs which belong to the same group show similar physio-chemical properties. The 3D structures revealed comparable conserved ZmHSFs protein structures. RNA-seq analysis revealed a major role of class A HSFs including, ZmHSFA-1a and ZmHSFA-2a in all the maize growth stages, i.e., seed, vegetative, and reproductive development. Furthermore, ZmHSFs displayed an obvious spatiotemporal expression. Under abiotic stress conditions (heat, drought, cold, UV, and salinity), members of class A and B ZmHSFs are induced. Gene ontology (GO) annotation analysis indicated a major role of ZmHSFs in resistance to environmental stress and regulation of primary metabolism. Further, the protein-protein interaction analysis showed that ZmHSFs interact with several molecular chaperons and major stress-responsive proteins. To summarize, this study provides novel insights for functional studies on the ZmHSFs in maize breeding programs.