Selective laser melting (SLM), a type of additive manufacturing (AM) technology, leads a global manufacturing trend by enabling the design of geometrically complex products with topology optimization for optimized performance. Using this method, three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) data components can be built up directly in a layer-by-layer fashion using a high-energy laser beam for the selective melting and rapid solidification of thin layers of metallic powders. Although there are considerable expectations that this novel process will overcome many traditional manufacturing process limits, some issues still exist in applying the SLM process to diverse metallic materials, particularly regarding the formation of porosity. This is a major processing-induced phenomenon, and frequently observed in almost all SLM-processed metallic components. In this study, we investigate the mechanical anisotropy of SLM-produced 316L stainless steel based on microstructural factors and highly-oriented porosity. Tensile tests are performed to investigate the microstructure and porosity effects on mechanical anisotropy in terms of both strength and ductility.

In all living organisms, respiration may lead to oxidative stress, a state where increased formation of reactive oxygen species overwhelms host protection and subsequently induces DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and protein denaturation. As a phenolic acid, chlorogenic acid occurs ubiquitously in food. It has been proven to have a number of biological effects in vitro and in vivo, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. Therefore, to some extent, chlorogenic acid can promote human health, and hopefully provide new methods for treatment of chronic disease. Recent studies have focused on the antioxidant properties of dietary polyphenols. The in vitro data often conflict with results obtained from in vivo studies on the antioxidant capacity of plasma or the resistance of plasma and lipoproteins to oxidation ex vivo after consumption of polyphenol-rich foods by human subjects. These inconsistencies are likely explained by the limited bioavailability of dietary polyphenols and their extensive metabolism in humans. Polyphenols exert multifaceted actions, and any clinical application using these substances should be based on a precise understanding of the physiologically relevant mechanisms.

Sepsis is a clinical syndrome defined as a systemic inflammatory response to infection. Eritoran is a synthetic lipid A derivative that competes with lipopolysaccharide in binding to the identical site of myeloid differentiation-2/toll-like receptor 4 complex. Eritoran is effective in decreasing the septic mortality of Gram-negative bacteria-infected animals. Eritoran has been highlighted as a candidate drug for treatment of endotoxemia in phase I clinical studies with healthy human volunteers. A phase II trial of eritoran has been conducted in patients with severe sepsis. Intravenous infusion of eritoran reduced the mortality rate, as compared with the placebo group, in sepsis patients at a high risk of mortality according to acute physiology and chronic health evaluation-II scores. A phase III study of eritoran was completed in 2011. The results appear to be disappointing as no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the eritoran treatment group and the placebo group on day 28 in sepsis patients with a high risk of death. In this review, we focus on the rationale for the use of eritoran in treatment of sepsis as well as its clinical applications.