Analytical and Numerical Models of Thermoplastics: A Review Aimed to Pellet Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing.

Recent developments in additive manufacturing have moved towards a new trend in material extrusion processes (ISO/ASTM 52910:2018), dealing with the direct extrusion of thermoplastic and composite material from pellets. This growing interest is driven by the reduction of costs, environmental impact, energy consumption, and the possibility to increase the range of printable materials. Pellet additive manufacturing (PAM) can cover the same applications as fused filament fabrication (FFF), and in addition, can lead to scale towards larger workspaces that cannot be covered by FFF, due to the limited diameters of standard filaments.

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) for Manufacturing of Microfluidic Micromixers: An Experimental Study on the Effect of Process Variables in Printed Microfluidic Micromixers.

The need for accessible and inexpensive microfluidic devices requires new manufacturing methods and materials as a replacement for traditional soft lithography and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Recently, with the advent of modern additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, 3D printing has attracted attention for its use in the fabrication of microfluidic devices and due to its automated, assembly-free 3D fabrication, rapidly decreasing cost, and fast-improving resolution and throughput. Here, fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing was used to create microfluidic micromixers and enhance the mixing process, which has been identified as a challenge in microfluidic devices.

Tandem Mn-I Exchange and Homocoupling Processes Mediated by a Synergistically Operative Lithium Manganate.

Pairing lithium and manganese(II) to form lithium manganate [Li Mn(CH SiMe ) ] enables the efficient direct Mn-I exchange of aryliodides, affording transient (aryl)lithium manganate intermediates which in turn undergo spontaneous C-C homocoupling at room temperature to furnish symmetrical (bis)aryls in good yields under mild reaction conditions. The combination of EPR with X-ray crystallographic studies has revealed the mixed Li/Mn constitution of the organometallic intermediates involved in these reactions, including the homocoupling step which had previously been thought to occur via a single-metal Mn aryl species. These studies show Li and Mn working together in a synergistic manner to facilitate both the Mn-I exchange and the C-C bond-forming steps.

Effects of mitral chordae tendineae on the flow in the left heart ventricle.

In this paper a computational model for the ventricular flow with a mitral valve and modeled chordae tendineae is presented. The results are compared with an analogous case in which the chordae are not included and their presence is replaced by kinematic boundary conditions. The problem is studied using direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations, two-way coupled with a structural solver for the ventricle and mitral valve dynamics.

A strain-based model for mechanical hemolysis based on a coarse-grained red blood cell model.

Mechanical hemolysis is a major concern in the design of cardiovascular devices, such as prosthetic heart valves and ventricular assist devices. The primary cause of mechanical hemolysis is the impact of the device on the local blood flow, which exposes blood elements to non-physiologic conditions. The majority of existing hemolysis models correlate red blood cell (RBC) damage to the imposed fluid shear stress and exposure time.

Potassium-alkyl magnesiates: synthesis, structures and Mg-H exchange applications of aromatic and heterocyclic substrates.

Using structurally well-defined dipotassium-tetra(alkyl)magnesiates, a new straightforward methodology to promote regioselective Mg-H exchange reactions of a wide range of aromatic and heteroaromatic substrates is disclosed. Contacted ion pair intermediates are likely to be involved, with K being the key to facilitate the magnesiation processes.

siRNA-chitosan complexes in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles for the silencing of aquaporin-1 in cancer cells.

A large number of studies document the strong expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) in tumor microvessels and correlate this aberrant expression with higher metastatic potential and aggressiveness of the malignancy. Although small animal experiments have shown that the modulation of AQP1 expression can halt angiogenesis and induce tumor regression, effective and safe strategies for the tissue specific inhibition of AQP1 are still missing. Here, small interference RNA-chitosan complexes encapsulated in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) are proposed for the intracellular delivery of siRNA molecules against AQP1.

Annular dilatation and loss of sino-tubular junction in aneurysmatic aorta: implications on leaflet quality at the time of surgery. A finite element study.

Objectives: In the belief that stress is the main determinant of leaflet quality deterioration, we sought to evaluate the effect of annular and/or sino-tubular junction dilatation on leaflet stress. A finite element computer-assisted stress analysis was used to model four different anatomic conditions and analyse the consequent stress pattern on the aortic valve.

Methods: Theoretical models of four aortic root configurations (normal, with dilated annulus, with loss of sino-tubular junction and with both dilatation simultaneously) were created with computer-aided design technique.

The preferential targeting of the diseased microvasculature by disk-like particles.

Different classes of nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed for controlling and improving the systemic administration of therapeutic and contrast agents. Particle shape has been shown to be crucial in the vascular transport and adhesion of NPs. Here, we use mesoporous silicon non-spherical particles, of disk and rod shapes, ranging in size from 200nm to 1800nm.