Micro-CT imaging facilitated the evaluation of 3D printing accuracy and reproducibility. In cadaver temporal bones, the performance of the prostheses' acoustics was determined using laser Doppler vibrometry. We provide a framework for the production of individualized middle ear prostheses in this paper. 3D printing produced remarkably accurate results for the dimensional match between the 3D models and the 3D-printed prostheses. The diameter of 0.6 mm for 3D-printed prosthesis shafts resulted in good reproducibility. While displaying a notable rigidity and diminished flexibility compared to titanium prostheses, 3D-printed partial ossicular replacement prostheses offered impressive maneuverability during the surgical process. The sound transmission characteristics of their prosthesis matched those of a commercially manufactured titanium partial ossicular replacement device. Liquid photopolymer, used in 3D printing, enables the creation of individualized functional middle ear prostheses with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. Currently, these prostheses serve as a valuable resource for the development of otosurgical skills. mediodorsal nucleus Subsequent research is necessary to assess their practical use in clinical settings. Future applications of 3D printing in the creation of personalized middle ear prostheses may lead to superior audiological outcomes for patients.
Skin-conforming flexible antennas, which effectively transmit signals to terminals, are crucial components for the advancement of wearable electronics. Flexible devices, by their nature, are prone to bending, which, in turn, diminishes the performance of the antennas embedded within them. The innovative method of inkjet printing, a subset of additive manufacturing, has been utilized for the fabrication of flexible antennas recently. Surprisingly little research has been conducted on the bending performance of inkjet printing antennas, either through simulations or physical experiments. This paper details a bendable coplanar waveguide antenna, surprisingly small at 30x30x0.005 mm³, combining fractal and serpentine antenna elements. This design facilitates ultra-wideband operation while effectively eliminating the substantial dielectric layers (over 1mm) and substantial volume typically encountered in traditional microstrip antennas. The antenna's structural design was refined through simulation using Ansys high-frequency structure simulator, and then fabricated on a flexible polyimide sheet via inkjet printing. Experimental results from characterizing the antenna show a central frequency of 25 GHz, a return loss of -32 dB, and a bandwidth of 850 MHz. These findings corroborate the simulation results. The findings confirm that the antenna exhibits anti-interference capabilities and conforms to ultra-wideband specifications. If the traverse and longitudinal bending radii are greater than 30mm and the skin proximity is above 1mm, then the antenna's resonance frequency shifts tend to stay within 360MHz, and its return losses are typically below -14dB in comparison to the non-bent antenna. The proposed inkjet-printed flexible antenna's ability to flex, as evidenced by the results, makes it a promising candidate for wearable technologies.
The creation of bioartificial organs hinges on the sophisticated procedure of three-dimensional bioprinting. Nevertheless, a major obstacle to bioartificial organ development arises from the challenge of constructing vascular structures, specifically capillaries, within printed tissue, which suffers from low resolution. The vascular structure, crucial for transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells and removing waste products, mandates the incorporation of vascular channels into bioprinted tissues for the successful fabrication of bioartificial organs. This study showcases a sophisticated method for constructing multi-scale vascularized tissue, leveraging a predefined extrusion bioprinting approach combined with endothelial sprouting. Successfully fabricated was mid-scale vasculature-embedded tissue, employing a coaxial precursor cartridge. In addition, the bioprinted tissue, subjected to a biochemical gradient, fostered the development of capillary structures. In essence, this multi-scale vascularization strategy in bioprinted tissue displays a promising direction for the production of bioartificial organs.
For the treatment of bone tumors, electron beam melting-produced bone replacement implants have seen extensive investigation. A hybrid implant structure, combining solid and lattice components, ensures robust bonding between bone and soft tissues within this application. Considering the anticipated weight loading throughout the patient's lifetime, the hybrid implant's mechanical performance must demonstrably satisfy the required safety criteria. Given the small number of clinical cases, a variety of solid and lattice implant shapes and volumes must be considered to create effective design guidelines. This study examined the mechanical efficiency of the hybrid lattice, investigating two distinct implant shapes and the corresponding volume fractions of solid and lattice, alongside detailed microstructural, mechanical, and computational assessments. Enteral immunonutrition The effectiveness of hybrid implants, tailored to individual patient needs, is exemplified in their ability to improve clinical outcomes. Optimized volume fractions within the lattice structure contribute to enhanced mechanical performance and facilitate bone cell integration into the implant.
3D bioprinting technology has remained central to tissue engineering advancements, recently enabling the construction of bioprinted solid tumors for testing cancer treatments. Soticlestat cost The most common type of extracranial solid tumor observed in pediatric cases is neural crest-derived tumors. While a small number of tumor-specific therapies exist that directly address these tumors, the paucity of new treatments continues to impede improvements in patient outcomes. The existing gap in more effective therapies for pediatric solid tumors, in general, could be connected to the present preclinical models' limitations in reproducing the solid tumor phenotype. In this research, we generated neural crest-derived solid tumors through the methodology of 3D bioprinting. Bioprinted tumors were developed from a combination of cells from established cell lines and patient-derived xenograft tumors suspended within a bioink consisting of 6% gelatin and 1% sodium alginate. Analysis of the bioprints' viability and morphology was performed using bioluminescence and immunohisto-chemistry, respectively. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures were contrasted with bioprints under controlled conditions of hypoxia and therapeutic intervention. The production of viable neural crest-derived tumors was accomplished, preserving the histology and immunostaining characteristics characteristic of the parent tumors. The bioprinted tumors, having proliferated in culture, demonstrated growth within the orthotopic murine models. The bioprinted tumors demonstrated greater resistance to hypoxia and chemotherapeutics than those grown in traditional two-dimensional culture. This aligns with the phenotypic characteristics observed in solid tumors, potentially making this bioprinted model a more suitable alternative to traditional 2D cultures for preclinical research. This technology's future implications include the potential for rapidly printing pediatric solid tumors, promoting high-throughput drug studies that accelerate the identification of novel, individually tailored therapies.
Clinical practice frequently encounters articular osteochondral defects, and tissue engineering methods present a promising treatment approach. 3D printing's benefits—speed, precision, and personalized customization—facilitate the design and creation of articular osteochondral scaffolds with boundary layer structures, effectively catering to the specific needs of irregular geometries, differentiated compositions, and multilayered structures. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy, physiology, pathology, and restorative mechanisms of the articular osteochondral unit, including a review of the necessity of a boundary layer structure in osteochondral tissue engineering scaffolds, and a discussion of the relevant 3D printing strategies. Future strategies in osteochondral tissue engineering should include a commitment to not only strengthening research into the basic structure of osteochondral units, but also an active exploration of the application of 3D printing technology. Improved functional and structural bionics of the scaffold will result in enhanced repair of osteochondral defects stemming from various diseases.
The ischemic region of the heart receives enhanced blood supply through coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), a primary treatment method that involves diverting blood flow around the constricted coronary artery segment, improving cardiac function. Coronary artery bypass grafting procedures often utilize autologous blood vessels, but their availability is frequently impacted by the underlying disease. Therefore, clinical applications necessitate the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts that are free from thrombosis and possess mechanical properties similar to those of natural vessels. The prevalent polymers used in many commercially available artificial implants frequently lead to issues such as thrombosis and restenosis. An ideal implant material, the biomimetic artificial blood vessel, is composed of vascular tissue cells. The precise control afforded by three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting makes it a promising method for generating biomimetic systems. Bioink, in the 3D bioprinting method, is the key component for building the topological structure and maintaining the vitality of the cells. This review explores the core properties and materials applicable in bioinks, with particular attention paid to the study of natural polymers like decellularized extracellular matrices, hyaluronic acid, and collagen. Subsequently, the benefits of alginate and Pluronic F127, the most utilized sacrificial materials in the preparation of artificial vascular grafts, are likewise assessed.