Titanium and its alloys have been widely applied in many biomedical fields because of its excellent mechanical properties,corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility.However,problems such as rejection,shedding and ...Titanium and its alloys have been widely applied in many biomedical fields because of its excellent mechanical properties,corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility.However,problems such as rejection,shedding and infection will occur after titanium alloy implantation due to the low biological activity of titanium alloy surface.The structures with specific functions,which can enhance osseointegration and antibacterial properties,are fabricated on the surface of titanium implants to improve the biological activity between the titanium implants and human tissues.This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments and applications of surface functional structure in titanium and titanium alloy implants.The applications of surface functional structure on different titanium and titanium alloy implants are introduced,and their manufacturing technologies are summarized and compared.Furthermore,the fabrication of various surface functional structures used for titanium and titanium alloy implants is reviewed and analyzed in detail.Finally,the challenges affecting the development of surface functional structures applied in titanium and titanium alloy implants are outlined,and recommendations for future research are presented.展开更多
Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we us...Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we used species inventories,a molecular phylogeny,and trait data to detect patterns of phylogenetic and functional community structure in successional plant communities growing on the mounds of Himalayan marmots(Marmota himalayana)on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We found that phylogenetic and functional diversities of plant communities on marmot mounds tended to cluster during the early to medium stages of succession,then trended toward overdispersion from medium to late stages.Alpine species in early and late stages of succession were phylogenetically and functionally overdispersed,suggesting that such communities were assembled mainly through species interactions,especially competition.At the medium and late stages of succession,alpine communities growing on marmot mounds were phylogenetically and functionally clustered,implying that the communities were primarily structured by environmental filtering.During the medium and late stages of succession the phylogenetic and functional structures of plant communities on marmot mounds differed significantly from those on neighboring sites.Our results indicate that environmental filtering and species interactions can change plant community composition at different successional stages.Assembly of plant communities on marmot mounds was promoted by a combination of traits that may provide advantages for survival and adaptation during periods of environmental change.展开更多
Functionally graded cellular structures(FGCSs)have a multitude of applications to a wide range of industries.Utilising the ever-progressing technology of additive manufacturing(AM),FGCSs can be applied to control mate...Functionally graded cellular structures(FGCSs)have a multitude of applications to a wide range of industries.Utilising the ever-progressing technology of additive manufacturing(AM),FGCSs can be applied to control material grading and achieve the desired mechanical properties.The current study explores the design and optimisation of FGCSs for AM,with a focus on improving the compression and impact performance of below knee(BK)prosthetic limbs made of thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU).A multiscale research methodology integrating topology optimization(TO),finite element analysis(FEA),and design of experiments(Do E)was adopted to optimise lattice structures in terms of stiffness and lightweight properties.Two-unit cell designs were considered in the study:Schwarz P gyroid and body-centered cubic(BCC).Response surface methodology(RSM)was implemented to analyse the effect of minimum and maximum cell wall thickness,cell size,and unit cell type on the mechanical performance of TPU FGCS structures.The results indicated that a Schwarz P FGCS structure with cell size,minimum and maximum cell wall thickness of 6,0.9 and 2.8 mm,respectively,could be optimal for a compromise between performance and weight.In this optimized case,stiffness and volume fraction values of 684 N/mm and 0.64 were obtained,respectively.The study also presents a proof-of-concept design for a BK prosthetic damper,highlighting the potential of FGCSs to enhance patient comfort,reduce manufacturing costs,and enable personalised designs through 3D scanning and AM.The obtained results could be a step forward towards the incorporation of AM technologies in prosthetics,offering a pathway to lightweight,cost-effective,and functionally tailored solutions.展开更多
Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field.However,tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and hi...Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field.However,tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties.Inspired by Chinese ramen,we propose a universal fabricating method(printing-P,training-T,cross-linking-C,PTC&PCT)for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap.First,3D printing fabricates a hydrogel scaffold with desired structures(P).Then,the scaffold could have extraordinarily high mechanical properties and functional surface structure by cycle mechanical training with salting-out assistance(T).Finally,the training results are fixed by photo-cross-linking processing(C).The tough gelatin hydrogel scaffolds exhibit excellent tensile strength of 6.66 MPa(622-fold untreated)and have excellent biocompatibility.Furthermore,this scaffold possesses functional surface structures from nanometer to micron to millimeter,which can efficiently induce directional cell growth.Interestingly,this strategy can produce bionic human tissue with mechanical properties of 10 kPa-10 MPa by changing the type of salt,and many hydrogels,such as gelatin and silk,could be improved with PTC or PCT strategies.Animal experiments show that this scaffold can effectively promote the new generation of muscle fibers,blood vessels,and nerves within 4 weeks,prompting the rapid regeneration of large-volume muscle loss injuries.展开更多
Mimicking the electric microenvironment of natural tissue is a promising strategy for developing biomedical implants. However, current research has not taken biomimetic electrical functional units into consideration w...Mimicking the electric microenvironment of natural tissue is a promising strategy for developing biomedical implants. However, current research has not taken biomimetic electrical functional units into consideration when designing biomedical implants. In this research, ordered structures with Schottky heterojunction functional unit (OSSH) were constructed on titanium implant surfaces for bone regeneration regulation. The Schottky heterojunction functional unit is composed of periodically distributed titanium microdomain and titanium oxide microdomain with different carrier densities and surface potentials. The OSSH regulates the M2-type polarization of macrophages to a regenerative immune response by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal pathway and further promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This work provides fundamental insights into the biological effects driven by the Schottky heterojunction functional units that can electrically modulate osteogenesis.展开更多
In this paper,a semi-discrete model based on peridynamics(PD)for engineered cementitious composites(ECCs)is applied to simulate the fracture behavior of functionally graded ECC(FGECC)beams.This is a new application of...In this paper,a semi-discrete model based on peridynamics(PD)for engineered cementitious composites(ECCs)is applied to simulate the fracture behavior of functionally graded ECC(FGECC)beams.This is a new application of PD in ECC.Prior to simulating the crack behavior,the convergence of the PD model for ECC is discussed and the appropriate horizon size 5 and nonlocal ratio m are obtained,i.e.,S=1.6 mm and m=4.In addition,when the bond strain exceeds the elastic limit,a damage variable is introduced into the model,and the model is validated using a simple numerical algorithm.Finally,the dynamic fracture behavior of a two-dimensional FGECC beam under four-point bending is investigated,and the effect of the initial crack location on the fracture behavior is analyzed.Simulation results show that the initial crack location can affect the crack propagation pattern,thereby enabling one to understand the dynamic fracture behavior of ECC structures and guide the engineering practice.展开更多
With the continuous advancement in topology optimization and additive manufacturing(AM)technology,the capability to fabricate functionally graded materials and intricate cellular structures with spatially varying micr...With the continuous advancement in topology optimization and additive manufacturing(AM)technology,the capability to fabricate functionally graded materials and intricate cellular structures with spatially varying microstructures has grown significantly.However,a critical challenge is encountered in the design of these structures–the absence of robust interface connections between adjacent microstructures,potentially resulting in diminished efficiency or macroscopic failure.A Hybrid Level Set Method(HLSM)is proposed,specifically designed to enhance connectivity among non-uniform microstructures,contributing to the design of functionally graded cellular structures.The HLSM introduces a pioneering algorithm for effectively blending heterogeneous microstructure interfaces.Initially,an interpolation algorithm is presented to construct transition microstructures seamlessly connected on both sides.Subsequently,the algorithm enables the morphing of non-uniform unit cells to seamlessly adapt to interconnected adjacent microstructures.The method,seamlessly integrated into a multi-scale topology optimization framework using the level set method,exhibits its efficacy through numerical examples,showcasing its prowess in optimizing 2D and 3D functionally graded materials(FGM)and multi-scale topology optimization.In essence,the pressing issue of interface connections in complex structure design is not only addressed but also a robust methodology is introduced,substantiated by numerical evidence,advancing optimization capabilities in the realm of functionally graded materials and cellular structures.展开更多
Over millions of years of evolution,nature has created organisms with overwhelming performances due to their unique materials and structures,providing us with valuable inspirations for the development of next-generati...Over millions of years of evolution,nature has created organisms with overwhelming performances due to their unique materials and structures,providing us with valuable inspirations for the development of next-generation biomedical devices.As a promising new technology,3D printing enables the fabrication of multiscale,multi-material,and multi-functional threedimensional(3D)biomimetic materials and structures with high precision and great flexibility.The manufacturing challenges of biomedical devices with advanced biomimetic materials and structures for various applications were overcome with the flourishing development of 3D printing technologies.In this paper,the state-of-the-art additive manufacturing of biomimetic materials and structures in the field of biomedical engineering were overviewed.Various kinds of biomedical applications,including implants,lab-on-chip,medicine,microvascular network,and artificial organs and tissues,were respectively discussed.The technical challenges and limitations of biomimetic additive manufacturing in biomedical applications were further investigated,and the potential solutions and intriguing future technological developments of biomimetic 3D printing of biomedical devices were highlighted.展开更多
Understanding the acid resistance mechanism of S.mutans is crucial for preventing dental caries.FtsZ is the core protein for cell division in bacteria that can polymerize into Z-rings and drive cytokinesis.Our previou...Understanding the acid resistance mechanism of S.mutans is crucial for preventing dental caries.FtsZ is the core protein for cell division in bacteria that can polymerize into Z-rings and drive cytokinesis.Our previous study revealed that the FtsZ in S.mutans(SmFtsZ) has higher self-assembly and GTPase activity under acidic stress,which may be responsible for acid resistance and ca riogenesis of S.mutans.However,the functional structure mechanism of SmFtsZ under low pH conditions is still unclear.Here,we further reported the crystal structure of S.mutans FtsZ,revealing a unique lateral interface.Through protein polymerization and GTPase activity assay,we experimentally demonstrated that the mutation of Arg68 on this lateral interface significantly reduced the functional activity of FtsZ in an acidic environment.The phenotype assay and rat caries model further showed that the mutation of Arg68 effectively inhibited the acid resistance of S.mutans and the occurrence and progress of dental caries in vivo.By employing a molecular dynamics simulation analysis,we conclude that the mutation of Arg68 disrupts the conformation change necessary for SmFtsZ polymerization under acidic conditions.Our study proposes a novel mechanism to maintain FtsZ function in bacteria and could be a potential target for antimicrobial drugs to inhibit the growth of S.mutans in acidic environments.展开更多
The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurode...The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function.展开更多
Subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment(svMCI)is a common prodromal stage of vascular dementia.Although mounting evidence has suggested abnormalities in several single brain network metrics,few studies have exp...Subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment(svMCI)is a common prodromal stage of vascular dementia.Although mounting evidence has suggested abnormalities in several single brain network metrics,few studies have explored the consistency between functional and structural connectivity networks in svMCI.Here,we constructed such networks using resting-state f MRI for functional connectivity and diffusion tensor imaging for structural connectivity in 30 patients with svMCI and 30 normal controls.The functional networks were then parcellated into topological modules,corresponding to several well-defined functional domains.The coupling between the functional and structural networks was finally estimated and compared at the multiscale network level(whole brain and modular level).We found no significant intergroup differences in the functional–structural coupling within the whole brain;however,there was significantly increased functional–structural coupling within the dorsal attention module and decreased functional–structural coupling within the ventral attention module in the svMCI group.In addition,the svMCI patients demonstrated decreased intramodular connectivity strength in the visual,somatomotor,and dorsal attention modules as well as decreased intermodular connectivity strength between several modules in the functional network,mainly linking the visual,somatomotor,dorsal attention,ventral attention,and frontoparietal control modules.There was no significant correlation between the altered module-level functional–structural coupling and cognitive performance in patients with svMCI.These findings demonstrate for the first time that svMCI is reflected in a selective aberrant topological organization in multiscale brain networks and may improve our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying svMCI.展开更多
Cuticular wax plays a major role in the growth and storage of plant fruits.The cuticular wax coating,which covers the outermost layer of a fruit’s epidermal cells,is insoluble in water.Cuticular wax is mainly compose...Cuticular wax plays a major role in the growth and storage of plant fruits.The cuticular wax coating,which covers the outermost layer of a fruit’s epidermal cells,is insoluble in water.Cuticular wax is mainly composed of very long-chain fatty acids(VLCFAs);their derivatives,including esters,primary alcohols,secondary alcohols,aldehydes,and ketones;and triterpenoids.This complex mixture of lipids is probably biosynthesized in the epidermal cells of most plants and exuded onto the surface.Cuticular wax not only makes the fruit less susceptible to microbial infection but also reduces mechanical damage to the fruit,thereby maintaining the fruit’s commodity value.To date,research has mostly focused on the changes,function,and regulation of fruit wax before harvest,while ignoring the changes and functions of wax in fruit storage.This paper reviews on the composition,structure,and metabolic regulation of cuticular wax in fruits.It also focuses on postharvest factors affecting wax composition,such as storage temperature,relative humidity(RH),gas atmosphere,and as exogenous hormones;and the effects of wax on fruit postharvest quality,including water dispersion,fruit softening,physiological disorders,and disease resistance.These summaries may be of assistance in better understanding the changes in cuticular wax in postharvest fruit and the resulting effects on fruit quality.展开更多
Functional graded cellular structure(FGCS)usually shows superiormechanical behaviorwith lowdensity and high stiffness.With the development of additivemanufacturing,functional graded cellular structure gains its popula...Functional graded cellular structure(FGCS)usually shows superiormechanical behaviorwith lowdensity and high stiffness.With the development of additivemanufacturing,functional graded cellular structure gains its popularity in industries.In this paper,a novel approach for designing functionally graded cellular structure is proposed based on a subdomain parameterized level set method(PLSM)under local volume constraints(LVC).In this method,a subdomain level set function is defined,parameterized and updated on each subdomain independently making the proposed approach much faster and more cost-effective.Additionally,the microstructures on arbitrary two adjacent subdomains can be connected perfectly without any additional constraint.Furthermore,the local volume constraint for each subdomain is applied by virtue of the augmented Lagrange multiplier method.Finally,several numerical examples are given to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed approach in designing the functionally graded cellular structure.From the optimized results,it is also found that the number of local volume constraints has little influence on the convergence speed of the developed approach.展开更多
Background:Although urbanization is threatening biodiversity worldwide,the increasing green urban spaces could harbor relatively high biodiversity.Therefore,how to maintain the biodiversity in urban ecosystem is cruci...Background:Although urbanization is threatening biodiversity worldwide,the increasing green urban spaces could harbor relatively high biodiversity.Therefore,how to maintain the biodiversity in urban ecosystem is crucial for sustainable urban planning and management,especially in arid and semiarid regions with relatively fragile environment and low biodiversity.Here,for the first time we linked species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure of bird assemblages in university campuses in northern China with plant species richness,glacial-interglacial climate change,contemporary climate,and anthropogenic factors to compare their relative roles in shaping urban bird diversity.Methods:Bird surveys were conducted in 20 university campuses across Inner Mongolia,China.Ordinary least squares models and simultaneous autoregressive models were used to assess the relationships between bird species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure with environmental factors.Structural equation models were used to capture the direct and indirect effects of these factors on the three components of bird diversity.Results:Single-variable simultaneous autoregressive models showed that mean annual precipitation was consistently a significant driver for bird species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure.Meanwhile,mean annual temperature and plant species richness were also significant predictors for bird species richness.Conclusions:This study suggests that campuses with warmer and wetter climate as well as more woody plant species could harbor more bird species.In addition,wetter campuses tended to sustain over-dispersed phylogenetic and functional structure.Our findings emphasize the dominant effect of precipitation on bird diversity distribution in this arid and semiarid region,even in the urban ecosystem.展开更多
It was proved that velocity-dependent infinitesima l symmetry transformations of nonholonomic systems have a characteristic functio nal structure, which could be formulated by means of an auxiliary symmetry tra nsform...It was proved that velocity-dependent infinitesima l symmetry transformations of nonholonomic systems have a characteristic functio nal structure, which could be formulated by means of an auxiliary symmetry tra nsformation function and is manifestly dependent upon constants of motion of th e system. An example was given to illustrate the applicability of the results.展开更多
In the conceptual stage the function design process is realized by the computer aided application. After surveying on the function specification methods and the function modeling, a computer aided function design envi...In the conceptual stage the function design process is realized by the computer aided application. After surveying on the function specification methods and the function modeling, a computer aided function design environment is analyzed. Subsequently based on a module library and principle catalogue, a solution finding process as a part of conceptual design is proposed for a creative design. In addition, a search algorithm to find the solution of adaptable function structure is also discussed. The concepts proposed in this paper can support the subsequent design stages, especially simulation for checking the function structure defects.展开更多
The time sequence of longitudinal velocity component at different vertical locations in turbulent boundary layer was finely measured in a wind tunnel. The concept of coarse_grained velocity structure functions, which ...The time sequence of longitudinal velocity component at different vertical locations in turbulent boundary layer was finely measured in a wind tunnel. The concept of coarse_grained velocity structure functions, which describes the relative motions of straining and compressing for multi_scale eddy structures in turbulent flows, was put forward based on the theory of locally multi_scale average. Based on the consistency between coarse_grained velocity structure function and Harr wavelet transformation,detecting method was presented, by which the coherent structures and their intermittency was identified by multi_scale flatness factor calculated by locally average structure function. Phase_averaged evolution course for multi_scale coherent eddy structures in wall turbulence were extracted by this conditional sampling to educe scheme. The dynamics course of multi_scale coherent eddy structures and their effects on statistics of turbulent flows were studied.展开更多
Exploration of soil environmental characteristics governing soil microbial community structure and activity may improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes and soil quality. The impact of soil environmental ...Exploration of soil environmental characteristics governing soil microbial community structure and activity may improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes and soil quality. The impact of soil environmental characteristics especially organic carbon availability after 15-yr different organic and inorganic fertilizer inputs on soil bacterial community structure and functional metabolic diversity of soil microbial communities were evaluated in a 15-yr fertilizer experiment in Changping County, Beijing, China. The experiment was a wheat-maize rotation system which was established in 1991 including four different fertilizer treatments. These treatments included： a non-amended control（CK）, a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer treatment（NPK）; a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with swine manure incorporated treatment（NPKM）, and a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw incorporated treatment（NPKS）. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） of the 16 S r RNA gene was used to determine the bacterial community structure and single carbon source utilization profiles were determined to characterize the microbial community functional metabolic diversity of different fertilizer treatments using Biolog Eco plates. The results indicated that long-term fertilized treatments significantly increased soil bacterial community structure compared to CK. The use of inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated for long term（NPKM, NPKS） significantly promoted soil bacterial structure than the application of inorganic fertilizer only（NPK）, and NPKM treatment was the most important driver for increases in the soil microbial community richness（S） and structural diversity（H）. Overall utilization of carbon sources by soil microbial communities（average well color development, AWCD） and microbial substrate utilization diversity and evenness indices（H＇ and E） indicated that long-term inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated（NPKM, NPKS） could significantly stimulate soil microbial metabolic activity and functional diversity relative to CK, while no differences of them were found between NPKS and NPK treatments. Principal component analysis（PCA） based on carbon source utilization profiles also showed significant separation of soil microbial community under long-term fertilization regimes and NPKM treatment was significantly separated from the other three treatments primarily according to the higher microbial utilization of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, polymers, phenolic compounds, and amino acid, while higher utilization of amines/amides differed soil microbial community in NPKS treatment from those in the other three treatments. Redundancy analysis（RDA） indicated that soil organic carbon（SOC） availability, especially soil microbial biomass carbon（Cmic） and Cmic/SOC ratio are the key factors of soil environmental characteristics contributing to the increase of both soil microbial community structure and functional metabolic diversity in the long-term fertilization trial. Our results showed that long-term inorganic fertilizer and swine manure application could significantly improve soil bacterial community structure and soil microbial metabolic activity through the increases in SOC availability, which could provide insights into the sustainable management of China＇s soil resource.展开更多
Allam and Tantawy [1] presented an analytical solu- tion for stress distribution and perturbations of the magnetic field vector in FGM hollow structures made from viscoelas- tic composite materials .While studying thi...Allam and Tantawy [1] presented an analytical solu- tion for stress distribution and perturbations of the magnetic field vector in FGM hollow structures made from viscoelas- tic composite materials .While studying this article, the dis- cusser noticed a confusion in regarding Maxwell＇s electro- magnetic stress expression展开更多
The ex-situ incorporation of the secondary SiC reinforcement,along with the in-situ incorporation of the tertiary and quaternary Mg_(3)N_(2) and Si_(3)N_(4) phases,in the primary matrix of Mg_(2)Si is employed in orde...The ex-situ incorporation of the secondary SiC reinforcement,along with the in-situ incorporation of the tertiary and quaternary Mg_(3)N_(2) and Si_(3)N_(4) phases,in the primary matrix of Mg_(2)Si is employed in order to provide ultimate wear resistance based on the laser-irradiation-induced inclusion of N_(2) gas during laser powder bed fusion.This is substantialized based on both the thermal diffusion-and chemical reactionbased metallurgy of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.This study also proposes a functional platform for systematically modulating a functionally graded structure and modeling build-direction-dependent architectonics during additive manufacturing.This strategy enables the development of a compositional gradient from the center to the edge of each melt pool of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.Consequently,the coefficient of friction of the hybrid composite exhibits a 309.3%decrease to–1.67 compared to–0.54 for the conventional nonreinforced Mg_(2)Si structure,while the tensile strength exhibits a 171.3%increase to 831.5 MPa compared to 485.3 MPa for the conventional structure.This outstanding mechanical behavior is due to the(1)the complementary and synergistic reinforcement effects of the SiC and nitride compounds,each of which possesses an intrinsically high hardness,and(2)the strong adhesion of these compounds to the Mg_(2)Si matrix despite their small sizes and low concentrations.展开更多
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.52235011,51905352)Shenzhen Municipal Excellent Science and Technology Creative Talent Training Program (Grant No.RCBS20210609103819021)+1 种基金Guangdong Provincial Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant No.2023B1515120086)Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Planning Project (Grant No.CJGJZD20230724093600001)。
文摘Titanium and its alloys have been widely applied in many biomedical fields because of its excellent mechanical properties,corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility.However,problems such as rejection,shedding and infection will occur after titanium alloy implantation due to the low biological activity of titanium alloy surface.The structures with specific functions,which can enhance osseointegration and antibacterial properties,are fabricated on the surface of titanium implants to improve the biological activity between the titanium implants and human tissues.This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments and applications of surface functional structure in titanium and titanium alloy implants.The applications of surface functional structure on different titanium and titanium alloy implants are introduced,and their manufacturing technologies are summarized and compared.Furthermore,the fabrication of various surface functional structures used for titanium and titanium alloy implants is reviewed and analyzed in detail.Finally,the challenges affecting the development of surface functional structures applied in titanium and titanium alloy implants are outlined,and recommendations for future research are presented.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant No.31560063)Applied Basic Research Program of Yunnan Province,China(2018FB067).
文摘Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we used species inventories,a molecular phylogeny,and trait data to detect patterns of phylogenetic and functional community structure in successional plant communities growing on the mounds of Himalayan marmots(Marmota himalayana)on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We found that phylogenetic and functional diversities of plant communities on marmot mounds tended to cluster during the early to medium stages of succession,then trended toward overdispersion from medium to late stages.Alpine species in early and late stages of succession were phylogenetically and functionally overdispersed,suggesting that such communities were assembled mainly through species interactions,especially competition.At the medium and late stages of succession,alpine communities growing on marmot mounds were phylogenetically and functionally clustered,implying that the communities were primarily structured by environmental filtering.During the medium and late stages of succession the phylogenetic and functional structures of plant communities on marmot mounds differed significantly from those on neighboring sites.Our results indicate that environmental filtering and species interactions can change plant community composition at different successional stages.Assembly of plant communities on marmot mounds was promoted by a combination of traits that may provide advantages for survival and adaptation during periods of environmental change.
基金financially supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University(IMSIU)(No.IMSIU-DDRSP2503)。
文摘Functionally graded cellular structures(FGCSs)have a multitude of applications to a wide range of industries.Utilising the ever-progressing technology of additive manufacturing(AM),FGCSs can be applied to control material grading and achieve the desired mechanical properties.The current study explores the design and optimisation of FGCSs for AM,with a focus on improving the compression and impact performance of below knee(BK)prosthetic limbs made of thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU).A multiscale research methodology integrating topology optimization(TO),finite element analysis(FEA),and design of experiments(Do E)was adopted to optimise lattice structures in terms of stiffness and lightweight properties.Two-unit cell designs were considered in the study:Schwarz P gyroid and body-centered cubic(BCC).Response surface methodology(RSM)was implemented to analyse the effect of minimum and maximum cell wall thickness,cell size,and unit cell type on the mechanical performance of TPU FGCS structures.The results indicated that a Schwarz P FGCS structure with cell size,minimum and maximum cell wall thickness of 6,0.9 and 2.8 mm,respectively,could be optimal for a compromise between performance and weight.In this optimized case,stiffness and volume fraction values of 684 N/mm and 0.64 were obtained,respectively.The study also presents a proof-of-concept design for a BK prosthetic damper,highlighting the potential of FGCSs to enhance patient comfort,reduce manufacturing costs,and enable personalised designs through 3D scanning and AM.The obtained results could be a step forward towards the incorporation of AM technologies in prosthetics,offering a pathway to lightweight,cost-effective,and functionally tailored solutions.
基金supported by the Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(T2121004)Key Programme(52235007)National Outstanding Youth Foundation of China(52325504).
文摘Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field.However,tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties.Inspired by Chinese ramen,we propose a universal fabricating method(printing-P,training-T,cross-linking-C,PTC&PCT)for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap.First,3D printing fabricates a hydrogel scaffold with desired structures(P).Then,the scaffold could have extraordinarily high mechanical properties and functional surface structure by cycle mechanical training with salting-out assistance(T).Finally,the training results are fixed by photo-cross-linking processing(C).The tough gelatin hydrogel scaffolds exhibit excellent tensile strength of 6.66 MPa(622-fold untreated)and have excellent biocompatibility.Furthermore,this scaffold possesses functional surface structures from nanometer to micron to millimeter,which can efficiently induce directional cell growth.Interestingly,this strategy can produce bionic human tissue with mechanical properties of 10 kPa-10 MPa by changing the type of salt,and many hydrogels,such as gelatin and silk,could be improved with PTC or PCT strategies.Animal experiments show that this scaffold can effectively promote the new generation of muscle fibers,blood vessels,and nerves within 4 weeks,prompting the rapid regeneration of large-volume muscle loss injuries.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52072127,52201297,U21A2055,and U22A20160)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M711200)the Royal Society(No.IEC/NSFC/191344)(UK).
文摘Mimicking the electric microenvironment of natural tissue is a promising strategy for developing biomedical implants. However, current research has not taken biomimetic electrical functional units into consideration when designing biomedical implants. In this research, ordered structures with Schottky heterojunction functional unit (OSSH) were constructed on titanium implant surfaces for bone regeneration regulation. The Schottky heterojunction functional unit is composed of periodically distributed titanium microdomain and titanium oxide microdomain with different carrier densities and surface potentials. The OSSH regulates the M2-type polarization of macrophages to a regenerative immune response by activating the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal pathway and further promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This work provides fundamental insights into the biological effects driven by the Schottky heterojunction functional units that can electrically modulate osteogenesis.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11872339,11472248)the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province(No.182300410221).
文摘In this paper,a semi-discrete model based on peridynamics(PD)for engineered cementitious composites(ECCs)is applied to simulate the fracture behavior of functionally graded ECC(FGECC)beams.This is a new application of PD in ECC.Prior to simulating the crack behavior,the convergence of the PD model for ECC is discussed and the appropriate horizon size 5 and nonlocal ratio m are obtained,i.e.,S=1.6 mm and m=4.In addition,when the bond strain exceeds the elastic limit,a damage variable is introduced into the model,and the model is validated using a simple numerical algorithm.Finally,the dynamic fracture behavior of a two-dimensional FGECC beam under four-point bending is investigated,and the effect of the initial crack location on the fracture behavior is analyzed.Simulation results show that the initial crack location can affect the crack propagation pattern,thereby enabling one to understand the dynamic fracture behavior of ECC structures and guide the engineering practice.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Number 2021YFB1714600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Number 52075195)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China through Program No.2172019kfyXJJS078.
文摘With the continuous advancement in topology optimization and additive manufacturing(AM)technology,the capability to fabricate functionally graded materials and intricate cellular structures with spatially varying microstructures has grown significantly.However,a critical challenge is encountered in the design of these structures–the absence of robust interface connections between adjacent microstructures,potentially resulting in diminished efficiency or macroscopic failure.A Hybrid Level Set Method(HLSM)is proposed,specifically designed to enhance connectivity among non-uniform microstructures,contributing to the design of functionally graded cellular structures.The HLSM introduces a pioneering algorithm for effectively blending heterogeneous microstructure interfaces.Initially,an interpolation algorithm is presented to construct transition microstructures seamlessly connected on both sides.Subsequently,the algorithm enables the morphing of non-uniform unit cells to seamlessly adapt to interconnected adjacent microstructures.The method,seamlessly integrated into a multi-scale topology optimization framework using the level set method,exhibits its efficacy through numerical examples,showcasing its prowess in optimizing 2D and 3D functionally graded materials(FGM)and multi-scale topology optimization.In essence,the pressing issue of interface connections in complex structure design is not only addressed but also a robust methodology is introduced,substantiated by numerical evidence,advancing optimization capabilities in the realm of functionally graded materials and cellular structures.
基金The authors acknowledge Arizona State University for the start-up funding support.
文摘Over millions of years of evolution,nature has created organisms with overwhelming performances due to their unique materials and structures,providing us with valuable inspirations for the development of next-generation biomedical devices.As a promising new technology,3D printing enables the fabrication of multiscale,multi-material,and multi-functional threedimensional(3D)biomimetic materials and structures with high precision and great flexibility.The manufacturing challenges of biomedical devices with advanced biomimetic materials and structures for various applications were overcome with the flourishing development of 3D printing technologies.In this paper,the state-of-the-art additive manufacturing of biomimetic materials and structures in the field of biomedical engineering were overviewed.Various kinds of biomedical applications,including implants,lab-on-chip,medicine,microvascular network,and artificial organs and tissues,were respectively discussed.The technical challenges and limitations of biomimetic additive manufacturing in biomedical applications were further investigated,and the potential solutions and intriguing future technological developments of biomimetic 3D printing of biomedical devices were highlighted.
基金supported by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation:7222220National Natural Science Foundation of China (82001039)+2 种基金Research Foundation of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology:PKUSS20230117The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesYoung Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by CAST (No.2019QNRC001 to Y.L.L)。
文摘Understanding the acid resistance mechanism of S.mutans is crucial for preventing dental caries.FtsZ is the core protein for cell division in bacteria that can polymerize into Z-rings and drive cytokinesis.Our previous study revealed that the FtsZ in S.mutans(SmFtsZ) has higher self-assembly and GTPase activity under acidic stress,which may be responsible for acid resistance and ca riogenesis of S.mutans.However,the functional structure mechanism of SmFtsZ under low pH conditions is still unclear.Here,we further reported the crystal structure of S.mutans FtsZ,revealing a unique lateral interface.Through protein polymerization and GTPase activity assay,we experimentally demonstrated that the mutation of Arg68 on this lateral interface significantly reduced the functional activity of FtsZ in an acidic environment.The phenotype assay and rat caries model further showed that the mutation of Arg68 effectively inhibited the acid resistance of S.mutans and the occurrence and progress of dental caries in vivo.By employing a molecular dynamics simulation analysis,we conclude that the mutation of Arg68 disrupts the conformation change necessary for SmFtsZ polymerization under acidic conditions.Our study proposes a novel mechanism to maintain FtsZ function in bacteria and could be a potential target for antimicrobial drugs to inhibit the growth of S.mutans in acidic environments.
文摘The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission(18JCQNJC10900)Tianjin Natural Science Foundation(17JCZDJC36300)。
文摘Subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment(svMCI)is a common prodromal stage of vascular dementia.Although mounting evidence has suggested abnormalities in several single brain network metrics,few studies have explored the consistency between functional and structural connectivity networks in svMCI.Here,we constructed such networks using resting-state f MRI for functional connectivity and diffusion tensor imaging for structural connectivity in 30 patients with svMCI and 30 normal controls.The functional networks were then parcellated into topological modules,corresponding to several well-defined functional domains.The coupling between the functional and structural networks was finally estimated and compared at the multiscale network level(whole brain and modular level).We found no significant intergroup differences in the functional–structural coupling within the whole brain;however,there was significantly increased functional–structural coupling within the dorsal attention module and decreased functional–structural coupling within the ventral attention module in the svMCI group.In addition,the svMCI patients demonstrated decreased intramodular connectivity strength in the visual,somatomotor,and dorsal attention modules as well as decreased intermodular connectivity strength between several modules in the functional network,mainly linking the visual,somatomotor,dorsal attention,ventral attention,and frontoparietal control modules.There was no significant correlation between the altered module-level functional–structural coupling and cognitive performance in patients with svMCI.These findings demonstrate for the first time that svMCI is reflected in a selective aberrant topological organization in multiscale brain networks and may improve our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying svMCI.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31772042)Ramóny Cajal grant(RYC2020-030365-I)+1 种基金Xunta de Galicia for supporting the program(Excelencia-ED431F2022/01)the Key Research&Development Program of Zhejiang Province(2021C02015).
文摘Cuticular wax plays a major role in the growth and storage of plant fruits.The cuticular wax coating,which covers the outermost layer of a fruit’s epidermal cells,is insoluble in water.Cuticular wax is mainly composed of very long-chain fatty acids(VLCFAs);their derivatives,including esters,primary alcohols,secondary alcohols,aldehydes,and ketones;and triterpenoids.This complex mixture of lipids is probably biosynthesized in the epidermal cells of most plants and exuded onto the surface.Cuticular wax not only makes the fruit less susceptible to microbial infection but also reduces mechanical damage to the fruit,thereby maintaining the fruit’s commodity value.To date,research has mostly focused on the changes,function,and regulation of fruit wax before harvest,while ignoring the changes and functions of wax in fruit storage.This paper reviews on the composition,structure,and metabolic regulation of cuticular wax in fruits.It also focuses on postharvest factors affecting wax composition,such as storage temperature,relative humidity(RH),gas atmosphere,and as exogenous hormones;and the effects of wax on fruit postharvest quality,including water dispersion,fruit softening,physiological disorders,and disease resistance.These summaries may be of assistance in better understanding the changes in cuticular wax in postharvest fruit and the resulting effects on fruit quality.
基金This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.12072242,11772237)the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(Grant No.2020CFB816)the open funds of the State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment(Dalian University of Technology)through contract/Grant No.GZ19110.
文摘Functional graded cellular structure(FGCS)usually shows superiormechanical behaviorwith lowdensity and high stiffness.With the development of additivemanufacturing,functional graded cellular structure gains its popularity in industries.In this paper,a novel approach for designing functionally graded cellular structure is proposed based on a subdomain parameterized level set method(PLSM)under local volume constraints(LVC).In this method,a subdomain level set function is defined,parameterized and updated on each subdomain independently making the proposed approach much faster and more cost-effective.Additionally,the microstructures on arbitrary two adjacent subdomains can be connected perfectly without any additional constraint.Furthermore,the local volume constraint for each subdomain is applied by virtue of the augmented Lagrange multiplier method.Finally,several numerical examples are given to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed approach in designing the functionally graded cellular structure.From the optimized results,it is also found that the number of local volume constraints has little influence on the convergence speed of the developed approach.
基金GF was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41861004)and the Inner Mongolia Grassland Talent(12000-12102228).
文摘Background:Although urbanization is threatening biodiversity worldwide,the increasing green urban spaces could harbor relatively high biodiversity.Therefore,how to maintain the biodiversity in urban ecosystem is crucial for sustainable urban planning and management,especially in arid and semiarid regions with relatively fragile environment and low biodiversity.Here,for the first time we linked species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure of bird assemblages in university campuses in northern China with plant species richness,glacial-interglacial climate change,contemporary climate,and anthropogenic factors to compare their relative roles in shaping urban bird diversity.Methods:Bird surveys were conducted in 20 university campuses across Inner Mongolia,China.Ordinary least squares models and simultaneous autoregressive models were used to assess the relationships between bird species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure with environmental factors.Structural equation models were used to capture the direct and indirect effects of these factors on the three components of bird diversity.Results:Single-variable simultaneous autoregressive models showed that mean annual precipitation was consistently a significant driver for bird species richness,phylogenetic and functional structure.Meanwhile,mean annual temperature and plant species richness were also significant predictors for bird species richness.Conclusions:This study suggests that campuses with warmer and wetter climate as well as more woody plant species could harbor more bird species.In addition,wetter campuses tended to sustain over-dispersed phylogenetic and functional structure.Our findings emphasize the dominant effect of precipitation on bird diversity distribution in this arid and semiarid region,even in the urban ecosystem.
文摘It was proved that velocity-dependent infinitesima l symmetry transformations of nonholonomic systems have a characteristic functio nal structure, which could be formulated by means of an auxiliary symmetry tra nsformation function and is manifestly dependent upon constants of motion of th e system. An example was given to illustrate the applicability of the results.
文摘In the conceptual stage the function design process is realized by the computer aided application. After surveying on the function specification methods and the function modeling, a computer aided function design environment is analyzed. Subsequently based on a module library and principle catalogue, a solution finding process as a part of conceptual design is proposed for a creative design. In addition, a search algorithm to find the solution of adaptable function structure is also discussed. The concepts proposed in this paper can support the subsequent design stages, especially simulation for checking the function structure defects.
文摘The time sequence of longitudinal velocity component at different vertical locations in turbulent boundary layer was finely measured in a wind tunnel. The concept of coarse_grained velocity structure functions, which describes the relative motions of straining and compressing for multi_scale eddy structures in turbulent flows, was put forward based on the theory of locally multi_scale average. Based on the consistency between coarse_grained velocity structure function and Harr wavelet transformation,detecting method was presented, by which the coherent structures and their intermittency was identified by multi_scale flatness factor calculated by locally average structure function. Phase_averaged evolution course for multi_scale coherent eddy structures in wall turbulence were extracted by this conditional sampling to educe scheme. The dynamics course of multi_scale coherent eddy structures and their effects on statistics of turbulent flows were studied.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC31301843)the National Nonprofit Institute Research Grant of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(IARRP-202-5)
文摘Exploration of soil environmental characteristics governing soil microbial community structure and activity may improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes and soil quality. The impact of soil environmental characteristics especially organic carbon availability after 15-yr different organic and inorganic fertilizer inputs on soil bacterial community structure and functional metabolic diversity of soil microbial communities were evaluated in a 15-yr fertilizer experiment in Changping County, Beijing, China. The experiment was a wheat-maize rotation system which was established in 1991 including four different fertilizer treatments. These treatments included： a non-amended control（CK）, a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer treatment（NPK）; a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with swine manure incorporated treatment（NPKM）, and a commonly used application rate of inorganic fertilizer with maize straw incorporated treatment（NPKS）. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） of the 16 S r RNA gene was used to determine the bacterial community structure and single carbon source utilization profiles were determined to characterize the microbial community functional metabolic diversity of different fertilizer treatments using Biolog Eco plates. The results indicated that long-term fertilized treatments significantly increased soil bacterial community structure compared to CK. The use of inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated for long term（NPKM, NPKS） significantly promoted soil bacterial structure than the application of inorganic fertilizer only（NPK）, and NPKM treatment was the most important driver for increases in the soil microbial community richness（S） and structural diversity（H）. Overall utilization of carbon sources by soil microbial communities（average well color development, AWCD） and microbial substrate utilization diversity and evenness indices（H＇ and E） indicated that long-term inorganic fertilizer with organic amendments incorporated（NPKM, NPKS） could significantly stimulate soil microbial metabolic activity and functional diversity relative to CK, while no differences of them were found between NPKS and NPK treatments. Principal component analysis（PCA） based on carbon source utilization profiles also showed significant separation of soil microbial community under long-term fertilization regimes and NPKM treatment was significantly separated from the other three treatments primarily according to the higher microbial utilization of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, polymers, phenolic compounds, and amino acid, while higher utilization of amines/amides differed soil microbial community in NPKS treatment from those in the other three treatments. Redundancy analysis（RDA） indicated that soil organic carbon（SOC） availability, especially soil microbial biomass carbon（Cmic） and Cmic/SOC ratio are the key factors of soil environmental characteristics contributing to the increase of both soil microbial community structure and functional metabolic diversity in the long-term fertilization trial. Our results showed that long-term inorganic fertilizer and swine manure application could significantly improve soil bacterial community structure and soil microbial metabolic activity through the increases in SOC availability, which could provide insights into the sustainable management of China＇s soil resource.
文摘Allam and Tantawy [1] presented an analytical solu- tion for stress distribution and perturbations of the magnetic field vector in FGM hollow structures made from viscoelas- tic composite materials .While studying this article, the dis- cusser noticed a confusion in regarding Maxwell＇s electro- magnetic stress expression
基金supported by the Learning & Academic Research Institution for Master’s and Ph.D. Students and Postdocs (LAMP) Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Ministry of Education (No. RS-2023-00285353)supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIP) (NRF-2021R1A2C3006662, NRF-2022R1A5A1030054, and 2021R1A2C1091301)+3 种基金the support from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF)
文摘The ex-situ incorporation of the secondary SiC reinforcement,along with the in-situ incorporation of the tertiary and quaternary Mg_(3)N_(2) and Si_(3)N_(4) phases,in the primary matrix of Mg_(2)Si is employed in order to provide ultimate wear resistance based on the laser-irradiation-induced inclusion of N_(2) gas during laser powder bed fusion.This is substantialized based on both the thermal diffusion-and chemical reactionbased metallurgy of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.This study also proposes a functional platform for systematically modulating a functionally graded structure and modeling build-direction-dependent architectonics during additive manufacturing.This strategy enables the development of a compositional gradient from the center to the edge of each melt pool of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.Consequently,the coefficient of friction of the hybrid composite exhibits a 309.3%decrease to–1.67 compared to–0.54 for the conventional nonreinforced Mg_(2)Si structure,while the tensile strength exhibits a 171.3%increase to 831.5 MPa compared to 485.3 MPa for the conventional structure.This outstanding mechanical behavior is due to the(1)the complementary and synergistic reinforcement effects of the SiC and nitride compounds,each of which possesses an intrinsically high hardness,and(2)the strong adhesion of these compounds to the Mg_(2)Si matrix despite their small sizes and low concentrations.
