Activity

Additive Manufacturing is currently growing fast, especially fused deposition modeling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF). When manufacturing parts use FDM, there are two key parameters-strength of the part and dimensional accuracy-that need to be considered. Although FDM is a popular technology for fabricating prototypes with complex geometry and other part product with reduced cycle time, it is also limited by several drawbacks including inadequate mechanical properties and reduced dimensional accuracy. It is evident that part qualities are greatly influenced by the various process parameters, therefore an extensive review of the effects of the following process parameters was carried out infill density, infill patterns, extrusion temperature, layer thickness, nozzle diameter, raster angle and build orientation on the mechanical properties. It was found from the literature that layer thickness is the most important factor among the studied ones. Although manipulation of process parameters makes significant differences in the quality and mechanical properties of the printed part, the ideal combination of parameters is challenging to achieve. Hence, this study also includes the influence of pre-processing of the printed part to improve the part strength and new research trends such as, vacuum-assisted FDM that has shown to improve the quality of the printing due to improved bonding between the layers. Advances in materials and technologies that are currently under development are presented. For example, the pre-deposition heating method, using an IR lamp of other technologies, shows a positive impact on the mechanical properties of the printed parts.Modified microspheres (SiO2-M) were obtained by the hydrolytic modification of silicon dioxide (SiO2) microspheres with Na2SiO3, and then, SiO2-M was used as a carrier to prepare a composite photocatalyst (SiO2-M/TiO2) using the sol-gel method; i.e., nano-TiO2 was loaded on the surface of SiO2-M. The structure, morphology, and photocatalytic properties of SiO2-M/TiO2 were investigated. Besides, the mechanism of the effect of SiO2-M was also explored. The results show that the hydrolytic modification of Na2SiO3 coated the surface of SiO2 microspheres with an amorphous SiO2 shell layer and increased the quantity of hydroxyl groups. The photocatalytic performance of the composite photocatalyst was slightly better than that of pure nano-TiO2 and significantly better than that of the composite photocatalyst supported by unmodified SiO2. Thus, increasing the loading capacity of nano-TiO2, improving the dispersion of TiO2, and increasing the active surface sites are essential factors for improving the functional efficiency of nano-TiO2. This work provides a new concept for the design of composite photocatalysts by optimizing the performance of the carrier.Bone healing is a complex, well-organized process. Multiple factors regulate this process, including growth factors, hormones, cytokines, mechanical stimulation, and aging. One of the most important signaling pathways that affect bone healing is the Notch signaling pathway. It has a significant role in controlling the differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells and forming new bone. BLU-945 Interventions to enhance the healing of critical-sized bone defects are of great importance, and stem cell transplantations are eminent candidates for treating such defects. Understanding how Notch signaling impacts pluripotent stem cell differentiation can significantly enhance osteogenesis and improve the overall healing process upon transplantation. In Rancourt’s lab, mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) have been successfully differentiated to the osteogenic cell lineage. This study investigates the role of Notch signaling inhibition in the osteogenic differentiation of mouse embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Our data showed that Notch inhibition greatly enhanced the differentiation of both mouse embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells.Flavonoids as the largest group of natural phytochemical compounds have received significant attention, as demonstrated by clinical trials, due to their chemotherapeutic and/or pharmacological effects against non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and asthma. Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis), known as one of the most popular medicinal plants and used in several countries, contains natural active flavone constituents, with the major compounds of the roots being baicalein, baicalin, wogonin, wogonoside and oroxylin A. S. baicalensis and their compounds are proven to have inhibitory effects on NSCLC cells when used at different concentrations. However, the exact mechanisms by which these compounds exert their therapeutic effects against asthma remain unexplored. Indeed, the mechanisms by which S. baicalensis and its flavone compounds exert a protective effect against nicotine-induced NSCLC and asthma are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this review explores the mechanisms involved in the therapeutic potential of flavone-rich extracts from S. baicalensis in nicotine-induced NSCLC and asthma.Hydrogen bonds (HBs) play a crucial role in many physicochemical and biological processes. Theoretical methods can reliably estimate the intermolecular HB energies. However, the methods for the quantification of intramolecular HB (IHB) energy available in the literature are mostly empirical or indirect and limited only to evaluating the energy of a single HB. During the past decade, the authors have developed a direct procedure for the IHB energy estimation based on the molecular tailoring approach (MTA), a fragmentation method. This MTA-based method can yield a reliable estimate of individual IHB energy in a system containing multiple H-bonds. After explaining and illustrating the methodology of MTA, we present its use for the IHB energy estimation in molecules and clusters. We also discuss the use of this method by other researchers as a standard, state-of-the-art method for estimating IHB energy as well as those of other noncovalent interactions.Aggregates derived from waste, due to the growing awareness of global warming, are more and more often used in the concrete production process. This way, their disposal not only reduces the pollution of the Earth but also lowers the consumption of natural aggregates, which are limited. One of the new “eco” aggregates may be a ferronickel slag waste (FNSW), which was generated in post-war metallurgical processes and stored in Szklary (Lower Silesian, Poland). In order to determine the possibility of using ferronickel slag waste aggregate (FNSWA) in the concrete production process, new concrete mixtures were designed and tested. Physical properties (cone slump, air content, pH, and density), mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, and tensile strength), and thermal properties (thermal conductivity) were assessed for all new laboratory recipes. Moreover, the modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio were determined. This study includes five different contents of FNSWA in the amount of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of the mass of natural aggregate as its partial substitute.