Emirates Airlines has announced additional flights for some routes under strict conditions. Passengers will be able to fly from Dubai to Frankfurt, Manila, Shanghai, Sao Paulo and London Heathrow in May. The special flights will be for people wishing to return home and Emirates Airlines informed that passengers wishing to travel to Shanghai, should contact Chinese embassy in UAE.

The flights will be one-way. Only citizens of the destination countries and passengers who meet the entry requirements of the destination will be allowed to board the flights. Emirates informed that special safety measures will be required for all the flights.

Emirates will pre-allocate seats for passengers for their safety. No cabin baggage will be allowed on these special flights. Passengers should arrive at the airport, three hours in advance.

As per official statement from the airline, the following flights will operate during May. If the authorities change the flight schedules due to developing situation and easing of lockdowns in different regions, Emirates will update customers about new schedule.

Flights from Dubai to Frankfurt are scheduled to operate on May 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 and 13.
Emirates will fly from Dubai to London Heathrow on May 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14.
Flights to Manila will operate on May 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15 and 16.
Flights for Sao Paulo on May 3, and to Shanghai on May 2.

Emirates added that passengers are required to apply social distancing guidelines during their journey and wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft.

The researchers at Northwestern University, led by assistant professor Ramille Shah along with her postdoctoral fellow Adam Jakus, have developed a synthetic “hyperelastic” bone tissue produced with 3D printable ink. This invention was a result of over 100 interviews conducted by the researchers of the University with surgeons who complained of the bone graft material generally used, to be too brittle.

The material invented was able to fuse with new natural bone after being experimented upon rodents and a rhesus macaque. The results were published in Science Translational Medicine on Wednesday which says that its strength can enable it to be used in a femur while its flexibility can enable it to squeeze through a small incision.

Though there is a long time for the synthetic bone to be tested on people, if it proves its ability, it could be used in bone fractures, craniofacial procedures, bone fractures, or anterior cruciate ligament (ACR) or rotator cuff injuries. Also, if the material is able to grow with the patient, it could be employed in children as well.

Jakus, with an academic background in explosive materials and metallurgy, says his inspiration of the extrusion process to manufacture goods like bricks, toilets, etc., inspired the team to approach the experiment with the idea of combining materials used in bioengineering along with industry production approaches.

The layers are bound together by the team’s printer by using layer upon layer of a compound composed of a biodegradable polyester and hydroxyapatite.

Since the hyperelastic bone can be printed with a 3D printer, the need to heat the material is not needed, saving it from turning brittle. The body parts can be printed within minutes or hours, the process being fast and viable on a large body, making the manufacture hopefully cheap and feasible enough to be used in hospitals and for the deprived and underprivileged sections of the world. The ink can also be stored for a year.