Evaluation of direct light processing for the fabrication of bioactive ceramic scaffolds: Effect of pore/strut size on manufacturability and mechanical performance

Bioactive ceramic scaffolds for bone regeneration consisting of a three-dimensional mesh of interpenetrating struts with square section were fabricated via Digital Light Processing (DLP). The ability of the technique to manufacture 3D porous structures from β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) powders with different dimensions of struts and pores was evaluated, identifying the possibilities and limitations of the manufacturing process. Small pore sizes were found to seriously complicate the elimination of excess slurry from the scaffold’s innermost pores. The effect of the strut/pore size on the mechanical performance of the scaffolds under compressive stresses was also evaluated, but no significant influence was found. Under compressive stresses, the structures resulted weaker when tested perpendicularly to the printing plane due to interlayer shear failure. Interlayer superficial grooves are proposed as potential failure-controlling defects, which could also explain the lack of a Weibull size effect on the mechanical strength of the fabricated DLP scaffolds.     

Fabrication and properties of 3D printed zirconia scaffold coated with calcium silicate/hydroxyapatite

The scaffold of bone repair needs a variety of material combinations to meet its intended performance; a typical single material such as zirconia has excellent mechanical properties, while hydroxyapatite and calcium silicate are bioactive materials with different degradation rates. In this paper, porous zirconia scaffolds were fabricated using 3D printing technology. The surface of the scaffold was coated by dipping with different contents of calcium silicate and hydroxyapatite to improve the biological activity and mechanical properties. Mechanical tests show that the coating material can effectively fill the pores of the porous scaffold, increasing its compressive strength by an average of 55%. The simulated body fluid (SBF) test showed that the higher calcium silicate in the coating increased the degradation rate. Cell experiments showed that the coated scaffolds exhibited good cytocompatibility and were beneficial to the proliferation and differentiation of cells. In conclusion, coated scaffolds have potential applications in the field of bone repair.     

数字签名技术在医院电子病历中的设计与应用

为推进病历数字化发展,并确保其信息的安全性,将以HIS电子病历系统为基础,采用安信数字签名技术和PKI或PMI系统搭建相信并加以任用的授权服务,经过针对实际的PKC和CA的确认、委托与管控构建整体的数字签名平台,完成电子病历数字签名功能设计,以加强电子文件的完整性、真实性和不可抵赖性。最后以某医院的XML结构化的电子病历系统为基础进行项目实施,完成了医护人员通过HIS的快速身份认证,和准确地数字签名。     

Determinants of the intention to use non-medical insertable digital devices: The case of Chile and Colombia

In the past, thinking of carrying electronic devices inside our bodies was only posed by non-real scenarios. The emergence of insertable devices has changed this. Since this technology is still in its initial development stages, few studies have investigated factors that influence its acceptance. This paper analyzes the predictors of the intention to use non-medical insertable devices in two Latin American contexts. We used partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine whether six constructs predicted intention to use insertable devices. A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students located in Colombia and Chile (n = 672). We also examined whether these predictors influenced intention differently for both of them. Four common constructs significantly and positively influenced both Chilean and Colombian respondents to use insertable devices (hedonic motivation, habit, performance expectancy, and social influence). Also, the habit has a complementary mediating effect on the relationship between social influence and behavioral intention. By contrast, effort expectations were a positive and significant predictor, but only among Chilean respondents. Findings suggest that when technologies are emerging, well-known predictors of intention (e.g., performance and effort expectations) are less influential than predictors related to self-efficacy (e.g., habit and hedonic motivation). The use of insertable devices has a significant impact on society. Thus, a better understanding of what motivates their use has implications for both academia and industry.     

Secure image encryption scheme using 4D-Hyperchaotic systems based reconfigurable pseudo-random number generator and S-Box

This paper introduces the design of a hardware efficient reconfigurable pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) using two different feedback controllers based four-dimensional (4D) hyperchaotic systems i.e. Hyperchaotic-1 and -2 to provide confidentiality for digital images. The parameter's value of these two hyperchaotic systems is set to be a specific value to get the benefits i.e. all the multiplications (except a few multiplications) are performed using hardwired shifting operations rather than the binary multiplications, which doesn't utilize any hardware resource. The ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of these two systems have been exploited to build a generic architecture that fits in a single architecture. The proposed architecture provides an opportunity to switch between two different 4D hyperchaotic systems depending on the required behavior. To ensure the security strength, that can be also used in the encryption process in which encrypt the input data up to two times successively, each time using a different PRNG configuration. The proposed reconfigurable PRNG has been designed using Verilog HDL, synthesized on the Xilinx tool using the Virtex-5 (XC5VLX50T) and Zynq (XC7Z045) FPGA, its analysis has been done using Matlab tool. It has been found that the proposed architecture of PRNG has the best hardware performance and good statistical properties as it passes all fifteen NIST statistical benchmark tests while it can operate at 79.101-MHz or 1898.424-Mbps and utilize only 0.036 %, 0.23 %, and 1.77 % from the Zynq (XC7Z045) FPGA's slice registers, slice LUTs, and DSP blocks respectively. Utilizing these PRNGs, we design two 16 × 16 substitution boxes (S-boxes). The proposed S-boxes fulfill the following criteria: Bijective, Balanced, Non-linearity, Dynamic Distance, Strict Avalanche Criterion (SAC) and BIC non-linearity criterion. To demonstrate these PRNGs and S-boxes, a new three different scheme of image encryption algorithms have been developed: a) Encryption using S-box-1, b) Encryption using S-box-2 and, c) Two times encryption using S-box-1 and S-box-2. To demonstrate that the proposed cryptosystem is highly secure, we perform the security analysis (in terms of the correlation coefficient, key space, NPCR, UACI, information entropy and image encryption quantitatively in terms of (MSE, PSNR and SSIM)).     

Microstructural,mechanical properties and strengthening mechanism of DLP produced β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds by incorporation of MgO/ZnO/58S bioglass

The inherent brittleness of bioceramics restricts their applications in load-bearing implant, although they possess good biocompatibility and bioactivity. ZnO, MgO and 58S bioglass (BG) were incorporated as additives to further improve the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of β-TCP and ZnO/MgO/BG-β-TCP composite scaffolds were manufactured via digital light processing (DLP). The composite with the best comprehensive performance was selected for degradation behavior and biocompatibility evaluation. The effects of different proportions of ZnO/MgO/BG on mechanical strength were analyzed and ZnO0·5/MgO1/BG2-β-TCP (ZMBT) samples exhibited superior mechanical strength. The improvement by 272% and 99% respectively was achieved in fracture toughness and compressive strength with the optimal recipe. The enhancement effect is realized through phase transition, alterative sliding actions and transgranular fracture to effectively prevent the load transfer combining the functions of bioglass and metal oxide. ZMBT scaffolds exhibited a more desirable pH environment and an enhanced ability of apatite-mineralization formation, meanwhile Si⁴⁺, Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were gradually released from scaffolds. Furthermore, in vitro evaluation indicated that ZMBT scaffolds presented not only excellent cell attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, but they up-regulated osteogenic gene (ALP, OCN, Runx2). These results suggest that the addition of ZnO/MgO/BG to DLP-printed β-TCP scaffolds offer a smart strategy to fabricate porous scaffolds with conspicuously better biological and physicochemical properties including compressive strength, bioactivity, osteogenesis and osteogenesis-related gene expression. Metal-oxide and BG synergistically enhanced the mechanical and biological properties which make the ZMBT scaffolds a strong candidate for bone repair applications.     

Feasibility study of large-scale mass customization 3D printing framework system with a case study on Nanjing Happy Valley East Gate

At present, the development and implementation of digital transformation are the keys to promoting high-quality industry development. The new digital fabrication method of robotic 3D printing is a research area being studied by many to tackle the issue of the declining productivity of traditional construction methods. Although many studies have been done, most of the current 3D printing projects are facing limitations in terms of scale. In order to bridge the gap, this article proposed a mass customization 3D printing framework system for large-scale projects. This article discusses how mass customization is made possible through the joint operation of the FUROBOT software and 3D printing hardware. By taking the east gate of Nanjing Happy Valley Plaza as a case study, the article demonstrates and studies the feasibility of the large-scale mass customization 3D printing framework system.     

Comparative analysis of inbreeding parameters and runs of homozygosity islands in 2 Italian autochthonous cattle breeds mainly raised in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production region

Reggiana and Modenese are autochthonous cattle breeds, reared in the North of Italy, that can be mainly distinguished for their standard coat color (Reggiana is red, whereas Modenese is white with some pale gray shades). Almost all milk produced by these breeds is transformed into 2 mono-breed branded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, from which farmers receive the economic incomes needed for the sustainable conservation of these animal genetic resources. After the setting up of their herd books in 1960s, these breeds experienced a strong reduction in the population size that was subsequently reverted starting in the 1990s (Reggiana) or more recently (Modenese) reaching at present a total of about 2,800 and 500 registered cows, respectively. Due to the small population size of these breeds, inbreeding is a very important cause of concern for their conservation programs. Inbreeding is traditionally estimated using pedigree data, which are summarized in an inbreeding coefficient calculated at the individual level (F_PED). However, incompleteness of pedigree information and registration errors can affect the effectiveness of conservation strategies. High-throughput SNP genotyping platforms allow investigation of inbreeding using genome information that can overcome the limits of pedigree data. Several approaches have been proposed to estimate genomic inbreeding, with the use of runs of homozygosity (ROH) considered to be the more appropriate. In this study, several pedigree and genomic inbreeding parameters, calculated using the whole herd book populations or considering genotyping information (GeneSeek GGP Bovine 150K) from 1,684 Reggiana cattle and 323 Modenese cattle, were compared. Average inbreeding values per year were used to calculate effective population size. Reggiana breed had generally lower genomic inbreeding values than Modenese breed. The low correlation between pedigree-based and genomic-based parameters (ranging from 0.187 to 0.195 and 0.319 to 0.323 in the Reggiana and Modenese breeds, respectively) reflected the common problems of local populations in which pedigree records are not complete. The high proportion of short ROH over the total number of ROH indicates no major recent inbreeding events in both breeds. ROH islands spread over the genome of the 2 breeds (15 in Reggiana and 14 in Modenese) identified several signatures of selection. Some of these included genes affecting milk production traits, stature, body conformation traits (with a main ROH island in both breeds on BTA6 containing the ABCG2, NCAPG, and LCORL genes) and coat color (on BTA13 in Modenese containing the ASIP gene). In conclusion, this work provides an extensive comparative analysis of pedigree and genomic inbreeding parameters and relevant genomic information that will be useful in the conservation strategies of these 2 iconic local cattle breeds.     

Digital twin-based analysis of volumetric error mapping procedures

The evaluation of the volumetric accuracy of a machine tool is an open challenge in the industry, and a wide variety of technical solutions are available in the market and at research level. All solutions have advantages and disadvantages concerning which errors can be measured, the achievable uncertainty, the ease of implementation, possibility of machine integration and automation, the equipment cost and the machine occupation time, and it is not always straightforward which option to choose for each application. The need to ensure accuracy during the whole lifetime of the machine and the availability of monitoring systems developed following the Industry 4.0 trend are pushing the development of measurement systems that can be integrated in the machine to perform semi-automatic verification procedures that can be performed frequently by the machine user to monitor the condition of the machine. Calibrated artefact based calibration and verification solutions have an advantage in this field over laser based solutions in terms of cost and feasibility of machine integration, but they need to be optimized for each machine and customer requirements to achieve the required calibration uncertainty and minimize machine occupation time.This paper introduces a digital twin-based methodology to simulate all relevant effects in an artefact-based machine tool calibration procedure, from the machine itself with its expected error ranges, to the artefact geometry and uncertainty, artefact positions in the workspace, probe uncertainty, compensation model, etc. By parameterizing all relevant variables in the design of the calibration procedure, this simulation methodology can be used to analyse the effect of each design variable on the error mapping uncertainty, which is of great help in adapting the procedure to each specific machine and user requirements. The simulation methodology and the analysis possibilities are illustrated by applying it on a 3-axis milling machine tool.     

Fabrication of barium titanate ceramics via digital light processing 3D printing by using high refractive index monomer

A digital light processing (DLP) technology has been developed for 3D printing lead-free barium titanate (BTO) piezoelectric ceramics. By comparing the curing and rheological properties of slurries with different photosensitive monomer, a high refractive index monomer acryloyl morpholine (ACMO) was chosen, and a design and preparation method of BTO slurry with high solid content, low viscosity and high curing ability was proposed. By further selecting the printing parameters, the single-layer exposure time was reduced and the forming efficiency has been greatly improved. Sintered specimens were obtained after a nitrogen-air double-step debinding and furnace sintering process, and the BTO ceramics fabricated with 80 wt% slurry shows the highest relative density (95.32 %) and piezoelectric constant (168.1 pC/N). Furthermore, complex-structured BTO ceramics were prepared, impregnated by epoxy resin and finally assembly made into hydrophones, which has significance for the future design and manufacture of piezoelectric ceramic-based composites that used in functional devices.