Strings propagating in the (2+1)-dimensional black hole anti-de Sitter spacetime.
We study the string propagation in the 2+1 black hole anti de Sitter background (2+1 BH-ADS). We find the first and second order fluctuations around the string center of mass and obtain the expression for the string mass. The string motion is stable, all fluctuations oscillate with real frequencies and are bounded, even at $r=0.$ We compare with the string motion in the ordinary black hole anti de Sitter spacetime, and in the black string background, where string instabilities develop and the fluctuations blow up at $r=0.$ We find the exact general solution for the circular string motion in all these backgrounds, it is given closely and completely in terms of elliptic functions. For the non-rotating black hole backgrounds the circular strings have a maximal bounded size $r_m,$ they contract and collapse into $r=0.$ No indefinitely growing strings, neither multi-string solutions are present in these backgrounds. In rotating spacetimes, both the 2+1 BH-ADS and the ordinary Kerr-ADS, the presence of angular momentum prevents the string from collapsing into $r=0.$ The circular string motion is also completely solved in the black hole de Sitter spacetime and in the black string background (dual of the 2+1 BH-ADS spacetime), in which expanding unbounded strings and multi-string solutions appear.
Mass spectrum of strings in anti-de Sitter spacetime.
We perform string quantization in anti de Sitter (AdS) spacetime. The string motion is stable, oscillatory in time with real frequencies $\omega_n= \sqrt{n^2+m^2\alpha'^2H^2}$ and the string size and energy are bounded. The string fluctuations around the center of mass are well behaved. We find the mass formula which is also well behaved in all regimes. There is an {\it infinite} number of states with arbitrarily high mass in AdS (in de Sitter (dS) there is a {\it finite} number of states only). The critical dimension at which the graviton appears is $D=25,$ as in de Sitter space. A cosmological constant $\Lambda\neq 0$ (whatever its sign) introduces a {\it fine structure} effect (splitting of levels) in the mass spectrum at all states beyond the graviton. The high mass spectrum changes drastically with respect to flat Minkowski spacetime. For $\Lambda \sim \mid\Lambda\mid N^2,$ {\it independent} of $\alpha',$ and the level spacing {\it grows} with the eigenvalue of the number operator, $N.$ The density of states $\rho(m)$ grows like $\mbox{Exp}[(m/\sqrt{\mid\Lambda\mid}\;)^{1/2}]$ (instead of $\rho(m)\sim\mbox{Exp}[m\sqrt{\alpha'}]$ as in Minkowski space), thus {\it discarding} the existence of a critical string temperature. 
For the sake of completeness, we also study the quantum strings in the black string background, where strings behave, in many respects, as in the ordinary black hole backgrounds. The mass spectrum is equal to the mass spectrum in flat Minkowski space.
Engineering bio-inks for 3D bioprinting cell mechanical microenvironment
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has become a promising approach to construct­ing functional biomimetic tissues for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In 3D bioprinting, bio-inks are essential for the construction of cell microenviron­ment, thus affecting the biomimetic design and regenerative efficiency. Mechanical properties are one of the essential aspects of microenvironment, which can be char­acterized by matrix stiffness, viscoelasticity, topography, and dynamic mechanical stimulation. With the recent advances in functional biomaterials, various engineered bio-inks have realized the possibility of engineering cell mechanical microenviron­ment in vivo. In this review, we summarize the critical mechanical cues of cell micro­environments, review the engineered bio-inks while focusing on the selection princi­ples for constructing cell mechanical microenvironments, and discuss the challenges facing this field and the possible solutions for them.