Print Area Research Articles

Intervention effect of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm on myofascial pain syndrome in rats and its mechanism

This paper aims to investigate the intervention effect of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm(QFGT) on myofascial pain syndrome(MPS) in rats and to preliminarily explain its mechanism from the perspective of improving muscle inflammation and pain. Male SD rats were divided into 6 groups, namely normal group, model group, positive control drug(Huoxue Zhitong Ointment, HXZT) group, and low, medium, and high-dose QFGT groups(75, 150, and 300 mg·d~(-1)). The rat model of MPS was established by striking combined with centrifugation for 8 weeks, during which QFGT and HXZT were used for corresponding intervention. Standard VonFrey fiber was used to evaluate the mechanical pain threshold, and acetone was used to detect the cold pain threshold. The electrophysiological activity of muscle at trigger point was detected, and the electromuscular analysis of trigger point was performed. CatWalk gait analyzer was used to detect pain-induced gait adaptation changes. The hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in muscle and skin tissues at the trigger point of rats. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of capsaicin receptor transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1) in muscle tissues and interleukin(IL)-33 in skin tissues at the trigger point. The protein expression levels of TRPV1, protein kinase B(Akt), phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in muscle tissues at the trigger point were detected by Western blot. The results showed that as compared with the model group, the mechanical pain threshold and cold pain threshold of rats in other groups were increased after treatment with QFGT. The spontaneous electromyography(EMG) activity was observed in the model group, but QFGT alleviated the EMG activity in a dose-dependent manner. Gait analysis showed that standing duration, average intensity, swing speed, maximum contact point, maximum contact area, paw print length, paw print width, and paw print area were significantly improved in all QFGT groups. Pathological results showed that the disorder of muscle arrangement at the trigger point was decreased, muscle fiber adhesion and atrophy were reduced, and inflammatory cell infiltration was alleviated after treatment with QFGT. In addition, QFGT and HXZT both inhibited the protein expression of TRPV1, PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the muscle tissues of rats with MPS. However, there was no significant difference in the pathological structure and expression of IL-33 in the treated skin as compared with the normal group. The related results have proved that QFGT can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors by inhibiting the TRPV1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the muscle trigger point of rats with MPS and finally attenuate the atrophy and adhesion of local muscles and inflammatory infiltration, thereby relieving the muscle pain of rats with MPS, and local administration has no skin irritation.

An extended version of cellular automata model for powder bed fusion to unravel the dependence of microstructure on printing areas for Inconel 625

An extended version of cellular automata model for powder bed fusion to unravel the dependence of microstructure on printing areas for Inconel 625

Space-filling and print path generation methods for large-area 3D concrete printing pavements

3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology is a construction method that offers a unique combination of automation and customization. However, when the printing area goes large, generating the print path becomes a sophisticated work. That’s because the customized print path should not only be expandable but also printable, such rules are hard to follow as both the printing area and construction requirements increase. In this paper, the Shenzhen Baoan 3D Printing Park project serves as a case study to introduce space-filling and print path generation methods for three types of large-area concrete pavement. The space-filling methods utilize geometry-based rules to generate complex and expandable paving patterns, while the print path generation methods utilize construction-oriented rules to convert these patterns into print paths. The research provides easy-to-operate design and programming workflows to achieve a pavement printing area of 836 sqm, which significantly increases the construction scale of large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) and shows the potential of 3D printing technology to reach non-standard results by using standard workflows.

Identifikasi Faktor Iklim Kerja, Kebisingan, dan Pencahayaan pada Sektor UMKM Kediri

Occupational health and safety is an important aspect that needs to be considered in the company's management system, because it involves activities or activities that protect and maintain the resources or inputs owned by the company such as equipment, facilities and human resources from accidents that can be harmful and detrimental company. UKM Kediri is an association of UMKM, namely UKM Making Tofu, Making Herbal Beverages, Making Crackers, and Self-Service Sales. To run this MSME, each MSME has a way to produce well in different ways. In the production process, UMKM still pays little attention to the physical work environment, specifically in the Working Climate, Noise and Lighting sections. This research is descriptive in nature with a cross-sectional design in this measurement referring to the Minister of Manpower Standard Number 5 of 2018 concerning Occupational Safety. From the results of Identification of Working Climate Factors, Noise, and Lighting in the Kediri MSME Sector that the working climate factors in the cracker oven section and the cracker dough cooking section still exceed the NAB standard. the noise factor in the Soybean Boiling, Tofu Printing, and Herbal Beverage Squeezing Production Sites is close to NAV. the lighting factor in the Production Area for Squeezing Herbal Beverages, the Cracker Printing Area, the Materials Section and the Dough Mixing Container is still insufficient to exceed the NAV. The working climate factor needs to be controlled, the lighting factor is still inadequate, it is necessary to add lighting and noise that exceeds the threshold value, but there are 2 points in the Kediri MSME production process for the need for personal protective equipment (earphones).

A Review of Natural Fiber-Based Filaments for 3D Printing: Filament Fabrication and Characterization.

Today, additive manufacturing (AM) is the most recent technology used to produce detailed and complexly built parts for a variety of applications. The most emphasis has been given to fused deposition modeling (FDM) in the development and manufacturing fields. Natural fibers have received attention in the area of 3D printing to be employed as bio-filters with thermoplastics, which have prompted an effort for more ecologically acceptable methods of manufacturing. The development of natural fiber composite filaments for FDM requires meticulous methods and in-depth knowledge of the properties of natural fibers and their matrices. Thus, this paper reviews natural fiber-based 3D printing filaments. It covers the fabrication method and characterization of thermoplastic materials blended with natural fiber-produced wire filament. The characterization of wire filament includes the mechanical properties, dimension stability, morphological study, and surface quality. There is also a discussion of the difficulties in developing a natural fiber composite filament. Last but not least, the prospects of natural fiber-based filaments for FDM 3D printing are also discussed. It is hoped that, after reading this article, readers will have enough knowledge regarding how natural fiber composite filament for FDM is created.

Inkjet Printing of All Aqueous Inks to Flexible Microcapacitors for High‐Energy Storage

AbstractDue to the low energy density of commercial printable dielectrics, printed capacitors occupy a significant printing area and weight in printed electronics. It has long remained challenging to develop novel dielectric materials with printability and high‐energy storage density. Herein, a novel strategy for inkjet printing of all aqueous colloidal inks to dielectric capacitors composed of carbon nanotube electrodes and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)‐based dielectrics is presented. The formulated dielectric ink is composed of negatively charged PVDF latex nanoparticles complexed with cationic chitosan molecules. Beyond the isoelectric point, the PVDF@Chitosan particles demonstrate excellent printability and film‐forming properties. Chitosan serves as a strong binder to improve the printed film quality yet it introduces charged species. To mitigate the transport of mobile charges, the printed PVDF@Chitosan film is interlayered with a layer of boron nitride nanosheets. This layer is perpendicular to the electric field and serves as an efficient barrier to block the transport and the avalanche of charges, eventually leading to a recoverable energy density of 15 J cm−3at 610 MV m−1. This energy density represents the highest value among the waterborne dielectrics. It is also superior to most of the state‐of‐the‐art dielectric materials printed from solvent‐based formulations.

Design of Dual-Head 3D Printer

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printers are usually designed to create a product with one single ma-terial. Some of them allow fabricate items in multiple colours but creating a single product consisting of two different materials remains an advantage of industrial 3D printers only. The aim of this research was to develop a design of a device with two printheads which enables to print products with two different materials, compatible with a cheap and commonly available FFF device Prusa i3MK2S, and the subse-quent production of a prototype. A key aspect of the design was the hardware compatibility of the device with the given printer while maintaining the maximum possible printing area.

Slot-Die Coated Copper Indium Disulfide as Hole-Transport Material for Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite photovoltaics have the potential to significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy. However, this depends on the ability of the perovskite thin film and other layers in the solar cell to be deposited using large-scale techniques such as slot-die coating without sacrificing efficiency. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), Spiro-OMeTAD, a small molecule-based organic semiconductor, is commonly used as the benchmark hole transport material (HTL). Despite its effective performance, the multi-step synthesis of Spiro-OMeTAD is complex and expensive, making large-scale printing difficult. Copper indium disulfide (CIS) was chosen in this study as an alternative inorganic HTL for perovskite solar cells due to its ease of fabrication, cost-effectiveness, and improvements to the economic feasibility of cell production. In this study, all layers of perovskite solar cell were printed and compared to a spin-coating-based device. Various parameters affecting the layer quality and thickness were then analyzed, including substrate temperature, print head temperature, printing speed, meniscus height, shim thickness, and ink injection flow rate. The small print area achieved spin-coating quality, which bodes well for large-scale printing. The printed cell efficiencies were comparable to the reference cell, having a 9.9% and 11.36% efficiency, respectively.

A silicone-based support material eliminates interfacial instabilities in 3D silicone printing.

Among the diverse areas of 3D printing, high-quality silicone printing is one of the least available and most restrictive. However, silicone-based components are integral to numerous advanced technologies and everyday consumer products. We developed a silicone 3D printing technique that produces precise, accurate, strong, and functional structures made from several commercially available silicone formulations. To achieve this level of performance, we developed a support material made from a silicone oil emulsion. This material exhibits negligible interfacial tension against silicone-based inks, eliminating the disruptive forces that often drive printed silicone features to deform and break apart. The versatility of this approach enables the use of established silicone formulations in fabricating complex structures and features as small as 8 micrometers in diameter.

The role of training and hyperbaria in the rehabilitation process after crushing injury of the sciatic nerve in mice - assessment of functional parameters using the CATWALK XT platform

Introduction Peripheral nerve injuries are one of the most common injuries in the population and affect 3% of trauma patients. Unfortunately, full functional regeneration is a relatively rare phenomenon. Attempts to heal and regenerate damaged nerves are a frequent subject of research, especially when animal models are considered, and the results are not always satisfactory Aim of the study The aim of this study was to evaluate functional regeneration after sciatic nerve damage in mice treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy and locomotor training, and to check the effectiveness of these methods. Materials and Methods The research material consisted of 75 mice with a damaged sciatic nerve. The mice were divided into three groups: H- subjected to hyperbaric therapy, T- subjected to training and K- not subjected to any therapy (control group). A functional gait analysis was performed using the CATWALK XT gait platform based on selected gait parameters. Results In the groups subjected to both hyperbaric therapy and training, the results of the analysis showed faster functional recovery. Statistically significant differences in the print area, print length, swing and SFI parameters were noted in the treated groups as opposed to the control group, while in the hyperbaric group of mice functional recovery turned out to be the most effective and fastest. Conclusion Mice of both groups (H, T) showed a faster recovery of sensory and motor functions in contrast to the control group not subjected to any treatment.

Simultaneous FDM 4D printing and magnetizing of iron-filled polylactic acid polymers

4D printing magnetic structures with excellent strength activated with a low level of magnetic field are always desired but challenging. This work studies the influence of simultaneous magnetization on the magneto-mechanical performance of 4D-printed active polymers. The main aim is to magnetise magnetic iron polylactic acid (PLA) material during 4D printing via fused deposition modelling (FDM) process. During the printing process, the magnetization of samples is performed in various magnetic field states. Specimens are printed in three states with two magnets around the printing area, magnets under the printing area, and without magnets, at three angles of 0, 45, and 90° to the applied magnetic field. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), mechanical tests, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) are used to investigate the effects of the applied magnetic field on the magnetization with different printing conditions, mechanical properties of different printing angles, and the microstructure of printed samples. Results show that printed samples on the edge of the magnet are saturated in a higher specific magnetization compared to the printed samples with magnets around and without a magnetic field. The specific magnetization in the magnetic field in the direction of the sample deposition increases by 63.46% by applying a magnetic field. The strength increases 21.4% when a magnetic field is present, and the sample is printed at 0° angle along the tension direction. The printed sample has better mechanical properties when two magnets are used around the printing region rather than one under it, which is independent of the impact of the printing angle. Finally, the optimal printing mode for obtaining the appropriate magnetic and mechanical characteristics is 4D printing with magnets under the printing bed at 0° angle along the tension direction.

Rapid Continuous 3D Printing via Orthogonal Dual-Color Photoinitiation and Photoinhibition.

Stereolithographic additive manufacturing technology has developed from point-by-point scanning exposure to layer-by-layer masking curing and even volumetric printing. Rapid prototyping is one of the important goals pursued by researchers. A continuous three-dimensional (3D) printing system based on the dual-color photoinitiation and photoinhibition is proposed with the aim of further improving printing speed. The process of continuous 3D printing is realized through the anti-polymerization layer between the cured part and the window generated by the ultraviolet (UV) light sheet (355 nm), and dynamic masking with the blue light (470 nm). The volume of the anti-polymerization layer can be adjusted by the intensity ratio of the incident lights (IUV, 0/Iblue,0) and the size of UV laser spot to enhance the reflow filling rate of the liquid resin. For the orthogonal Gaussian anti-polymerization layer, an intensity ratio of 28.6 allows for an inhibition volume of 97.1% of the desired rectangular anti-polymerization zone with a height of 1 mm. The simulation analysis of continuous 3D printing process by flow-structure interaction reveals that the increase of the thickness of the anti-polymerization layer effectively improves the filling rate of the resin and the cross-sectional area of printing, and reduces the stress of the cured part. The experiments with two different 3D structures printing demonstrate that the filling rate and the stress have virtually no effect on the printing process at a large-scale thickness of the anti-polymerization layer, and the printing speed is capable of reaching 200 μm/s. Certainly, the printing volume and complexity can be further improved with the improvement of the system and the optimization of the resin.

КОМПЛЕКСНАЯ ОЦЕНКА КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ СТРОИТЕЛЬНЫХ 3D-ПРИНТЕРОВ

This article proposes a method for assessing the competitiveness of building 3D printers based on a comparison of their technical and technological characteristics and economic parameters. The methodology implements an integrated approach that takes into account a large number of comparison parameters of a different nature based on the use of relative indicators. The calculation takes into account the design characteristics of printers, the characteristics of the manufacturability of the printing process, the characteristics of printed building objects and the economic parameters of printers. So, for low-rise construction, the essential parameters are: printing speed, the ratio of the print area and the overall dimensions of the printer, the ability to work with low-flow mixtures and with various building mixtures without readjustment, reducing the defectiveness of the printed layer and energy consumption. The most competitive is the printer that provides more units of useful effect, determined by a set of technical and technological characteristics, per unit of costs associated with the purchase of a printer, its energy consumption, the laboriousness of maintenance and installation and dismantling at a construction site. As a result of assessing the competitiveness of various types of printers, it was revealed that the leader for low-rise construction is the portal printer BOD2 2-2-2 of the Danish company COBOD BOD2. For printing building products and structures in a production environment, the FIXED robotic arm from the Netherlands has a competitive advantage. CyBe Construction. The considered approach to assessing the competitiveness of building 3D printers is of practical interest to their manufacturers. The new knowledge about the significance of the design solutions of 3D printers, obtained as a result of the implementation of the proposed methodology, creates strategic guidelines for domestic manufacturers.

Comparison of cortical versus cancellous bone fixation in tendon-to-bone healing with a rat trans-calcaneal suture model for Achilles tendon sleeve avulsion

BackgroundTrans-calcaneal suture technique is an economical and effective method for repairing Achilles tendon sleeve avulsion. Whether cancellous bone fixation upon this technique could accelerate tendon-to-bone healing is unknown. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of cortical versus cancellous bone fixation on tendon–bone healing with a novel rat trans-calcaneal suture model.MethodsTrans-calcaneal suture treatment was carried out on the right hindlimb in male Sprague–Dawley rats (N = 80). They were randomly divided into the cortical group (Achilles fixed to the calcaneal cortical bone, n = 40) and the cancellous group (Achilles fixed to the calcaneal cancellous bone, n = 40). Gait analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed 1, 4, 7, and 14 days after the operation. Gross observation, biomechanical analysis, micro-CT, and histological analysis were performed 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Independent-samples t tests were used for comparison between groups.ResultsAt 1, 4, and 7 days, the swing time of the affected limb in the cancellous group decreased, while the duty cycle, the maximum contact area, the print area, and the mean intensity increased significantly. The cross-sectional area of the tendon–bone junction in the cancellous group was smaller, and the failure load and stiffness were higher 4 weeks after the operation. The cancellous group showed more proportion of new bone and a relatively well-organized and dense connective tissue interface with better fibrocartilage-like tissue at 4 weeks after the operation. The ratio of ED2 + macrophages in the cancellous group was significantly higher than in the cortical group on 1, 4, 7, and 14 days. There were no significant differences in gait at 2 weeks, in appearance, biomechanics, new bone formation, and histology at 8 weeks after surgery between the two groups.ConclusionIn the new rat trans-calcaneal suture model, cancellous fixation can accelerate tendon-to-bone healing in the early stage, which perhaps is related to the abundant bone marrow tissue in the cancellous bone that modulates the inflammatory processes.

Определение фактической площади контакта декеля и фактического давления в печатной зоне

The article determines the effect of micro-roughening of the surface roughness of the printing plate on the deformation of the deck. To study the effect of printing plate surface roughness on the actual contact area of the deck in the printing area, the interaction of the roughness microroughness with the surface of the softer material of the deck was considered. A review and discussion of the results of studies on contact problems was made. To determine the actual contact area from the applied load, the distribution of micro protrusions of the surface roughness of the printing plate is taken into account. A method has been developed for calculating the actual deckle contact area and the actual pressure in the printing area, taking into account the surface roughness of the printing plate. According to the proposed method, the values of the actual deckle contact area and the actual pressure in the printing zone were calculated. It has been established that with an increase in the normal load, the actual deckle contact area increases. Also, an increase in the normal load leads to an increase in the actual pressure. The set values of the actual contact area and the actual pressure contribute to the formation of an elastic saturated contact of the deckle, which ensures high quality prints. The results obtained by the developed method are compared with calculations based on known dependencies. In calculations, the number of protrusions crossed by the average level and the number of protrusion tops located above the midline in the area corresponding to the base length are determined, respectively, by the average roughness step and by the average step between adjacent roughness protrusions. The research results make it possible to make the right choice of printing plates and decals when adjusting and operating a printing machine, as well as to set the actual pressure value, which ensures high quality prints.

3D Printing in Triggered Drug Delivery Devices: A Review

Triggered drug delivery devices use external stimulus to trigger the release of the drugs from the device. By controlling the exposure of the stimuli, it would allow for the control over the timing, duration and amount of drug being released from the device, improving drug efficacy. 3D printing uses on-demand deposition and crosslinking of materials to fabricate a product, increasing the customisability of the design and internal structure. By using 3D printing to fabricate triggered drug delivery devices, certain advantages such as complex geometries, gradient compositions, multi-material structures and embedded components can be conferred to the printed devices. In this review paper, triggered drug delivery devices which are fabricated using 3D printing techniques such as vat photopolymerisation and material extrusion are discussed. The advancement in certain areas of 3D printing, such as in multi-material 3D printing and hybrid additive manufacturing, which presents tremendous opportunities for fabricating future triggered drug delivery devices will also be reviewed.

Fabrication and characterization of fly ash-based geopolymer and its performance for immobilization of heavy metal cations

In this study, the geopolymer from fly ash as based-raw material has been examined on the ability of several heavy metal ions immobilization. The fly ash has been provided from PT IPMOMI which firstly analyzed the physical and chemical properties. Fly ash and heavy metals were mixed with an activator base until homogeneous, then cast into a cylindrical shape mold following ASTM C 39-86 and left for 7 days. After that, the geopolymer was characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, compressive strength test and TCLP. The diffractogram of PT. IPMOMI fly ash exhibited the existence of mullite, alumina and iron oxide phase, which were suitable with XRF result. From FTIR spectra, the vibration on finger print area appeared indicating the vibration of T-O-T from geopolymer network. The observation revealed that the addition of Pb2+ cations caused microcracking from SEM image and affected the compressive strength of the geopolymer. Sr2+ was an ion that was very easilyleached compared to other three ions, and it caused a weak interaction between Sr2+ and geopolymer network. The higher amount of metal ions into the geopolymer network reduced the compressive strength of geopolymer. Sr2+-geopolymer had a lower compressive strength compared to Pb2+, Cd2+, and Co2+.

The variability of palm print ridge density among Egyptians regarding distribution and sex discrimination

BACKGROUND: Sex determination, as a part of the biological profile of a victim or assailant, plays an important role in resolving different forensic cases as it reduces susceptibility to its half (fifty percent). Previous studies highlighted the role of palm print in sex identification, however, these studies were little when compared to fingerprints.
 AIM: To estimate the density of palm print ridges and to make an equation for establishing gender using gender parameters for a specific population (Egyptians).
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 200 healthy young adults (113 males and 87 males, aged 1822 years) from Cairo city, Egypt. The palm prints were taken by inking method and four areas of the palm print were analyzed to count the ridge density of each palm print area.
 RESULTS: Females describe higher ridge density than males in all palm areas with a significant high statistical difference (p 0.001) for all areas of both hands. The areas of highest sexual discriminatory power for the right palm was Palmar area 4 (P4) and for the left palm was Palmar area 1 (P1) and sex could be accurately identified at an accuracy of 70%. In addition, there was a significant correlation for ridge density in each palm area and other palm areas.
 CONCLUSION: The current study raises hope for the usage of palm print a newly added tool for sex identification in the forensic field, thus decreasing suspicion by fifty percent.

Effects on print quality of varying acrylic binder types in water‐based flexographic ink formulations

AbstractThe ink industry is one of the world's largest markets due to the increasing demand for printing inks for the packaging industry. Flexography printing is a well‐known promising technology for large‐area printing due to its high printing speed and roll‐to‐roll capability to print economically on a variety of surfaces and is used in nearly in all areas of packaging printing. Water‐based inks are considered non‐toxic, odourless, and more environmentally friendly options compared to solvent‐based inks. Therefore, in this article, the goal was to develop new water‐based ink formulation with different acrylic binders for flexographic printing on commercial solid bleached sulphate (SBS) board. Five inks were formulated with four different acrylic binders and compared to a commercially available ink to study their performance. The developed inks were investigated with regard to their print qualities and print characteristics. It was found that the binder type influenced some print quality while the effect was not significant for others. Using flexography printed cyan inks, the ink formulated with the highest molecular weight had the lowest print density and the largest tonal value increase (TVI) observed between 40 and 60 tone values. The same ink had the largest mottle values and variation in topography. For values of print contrast and delta gloss at 75°, although differences were observed between average values, data had inconclusive variation and spread around averages, where no conclusive trends or effects of acrylic binder type on these response factors were observed. Print chroma and dot roundness results were equally close for all printed samples.

Identification of Metal Type Prints, Recarved Woodblock Prints and Woodblock Recarving Sequences through Image Analyses: Comparisons among Six Versions of Jeungdoga Scripts

Some books were printed using metal type and woodblocks in the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. In some cases, there are postscripts that record the printing method, printing period, and the background that led to the printing. However, it is difficult to accurately determine the printing dates based solely on that information. When there are several versions of the same old book, it is possible to obtain evidence that can provide clues to determine the printing method and date of each version by image comparison and analysis between versions. In this study, images of six very similar versions of <i>Jeungdoga</i> Scripts (南明泉和尙頌證道歌) estimated to have been printed with metal type and woodblocks between the 13th and 16th centuries were compared and analyzed. The printing method, sequence, and date were estimated. By quantifying and comparing the inked areas of randomly selected characters and corresponding characters in identical locations of different versions, the increase in stroke thickness and printing area in recarved versions was confirmed. Deformation and engraving errors in several characters were found in later versions. Of the six versions, it was concluded that the Gongin version (空印本) was printed in early September 1239 with metal type, and is the earliest version. The other five versions were printed after being engraved with woodblocks in the following order: Banyasa Temple version (般若寺本), Daegu version (大邱本) in 1472, Samseong version (三省本), Jongno Library (鍾路圖書館本) in 1526, and th e National Central Library version (國立中央圖書館本).