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Objective To build mouse osteoblast MC3T3-E1 and mouse osteoclast RAW264.7 co-culture system and to study the effect of icariin on the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the co-culture system. Methods In vitro acquisition and cultivation of mouse osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 and mouse RAW264.7 cells were conducted. Osteoblast and osteoclast activities of cells were detected by CCK-8 staining experiment, alizarin red staining and tartaric-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. We used different concentrations of icariin to interfere in osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system. The effects of icariin on various genes were detected by PCR and Western blot methods The correction between the expression of PPARγ and BMD was analyzed in patients with osteoporosis. Results Mouse osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system was built, and the osteogenic differentiation effect was enhanced. Icariin can improve the MC3T3-E1 osteogenic differentiation activity, enhance the expression of OPG and RANKL gene protein, reduce the NF-κb gene and protein expression, increase of ALP, TGF-b1 and RANKL gene expression level and reduce RANK gene expression. Icariin can act on MC3T3-E1 cells-RAW264.7 cells co-culture system, and promote the osteogenic activity of MC3T3-E1 cells, inhibit the osteoclast activity of RAW264.7 cells and reduce the level of BMSCs adipogenic differentiation. The expression level of PPAR-γ gene was negatively correlated with the level of BMD. Conclusions Mouse MC3T3-E1 cells and mouse RAW264.7 cells could be co-cultured in vitro, and icariin could improve the osteogenic activity of MC3T3 cells-RAW264.7 cells and decrease the osteoclast activity. Icariin could inhibit adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs in the osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture, promoting osteogenic differentiation and inhibiting osteoclast differentiation.

Glucocorticoid-induced postmenopausal osteoporosis is a severe osteoporosis, with high risk of major osteoporotic fractures. This severe osteoporosis urges more extensive and deeper basic study, in which suitable animal models are indispensable. However, no relevant review is available introducing this model systematically. Based on the recent studies on GI-PMOP, this brief review introduces the GI-PMOP animal model in terms of its establishment, evaluation of bone mass and discuss its molecular mechanism. Rat, rabbit and sheep with their respective merits were chosen. Both direct and indirect evaluation of bone mass help to understand the bone metabolism under different intervention. The crucial signaling pathways, miRNAs, osteogenic- or adipogenic- related factors and estrogen level may be the predominant contributors to the development of glucocorticoid-induced postmenopausal osteoporosis.

In order to improve the accuracy performance of a six degree-of-freedom (DOF) redundantly actuated parallel mechanism (RAPM), a self-calibration method based on sensor redundancy is presented. The kinematic model of the RAPM is built and its 44 identifiable parameters are determined by QR decomposition of the identification matrix. Consequently, the self-calibration algorithm is formulated and the least-squares method is used to correct kinematic parameters. A guideline for selection of measurement configurations is presented. Numerical simulations are performed to confirm the validity of the proposed calibration algorithm. Simulation results show that the average parameter error of 2.23 mm is reduced to 0.12 mm, and the position and orientation accuracy of the platform can reach 0.05 mm and 0.16 mrad after calibration.

To investigate the classification and treatment strategies of symptomatic severe osteoporotic vertebral fracture and collapse.Between August 2010 and January 2014, 42 patients with symptomatic severe osteoporotic vertebral fracture and collapse were treated, and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. According to clinical symptom and imaging materials, 23 cases were classified as type I (local pain, limitation of motion, no neurological symptom, and no obvious deformity), 12 cases as type II (slight neurological symptom and kyphotic Cobb angleor = 30 degrees), and 7 cases as type III (severe neurological symptom and kyphotic Cobb angle30 degrees). In 23 type I patients, 17 underwent percutaneous vertebral augmentation, 6 underwent posterior pedicle screw fixation strengthened with bone cement combined with percutaneous vertebral augmentation. In 12 type II patients, they were treated with local spinal decompression and internal fixation strengthened with bone cement. In 7 type III patients, 5 underwent posterior osteotomy, and 2 underwent one stage posterior approach of vertebral resection and reconstruction. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and local kyphotic Cobb angle were used to evaluate the neurological function. The complications were recorded.The operation was successfully completed in all patients. Wound infection and ketoacidosis secondary to stress blood glucose rise occurred in 1 case of type III patients respectively, and were cured after corresponding treatment; primary healing of wound was obtained in the other patients. The patients were followed up from 6 to 36 months (mean, 11.6 months). The nerve function was improved in 17 cases, and micturition disability was observed in 2 cases. Asymptomatic cement leakage occurred in 13 cases (30.95%) (7 cases in type I, 4 cases in type II, and 2 cases in type III). No bone cement dislocation and internal fixation failure were found during follow-up. The VAS score, ODI, and the local kyphotic Cobb angle at 1 week and last follow-up were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones (P0.05), but no significant difference was found between at 1 week and last follow-up (P0.05).In order to improve the effectiveness and reduce the risk and complications of operation, individualized strategies should be performed according to different types of severe osteoporotic vertebral fracture and collapse.

Methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate are potential genotoxic impurities in imatinib mesylate. In this work, a simple, sensitive, reliable, and fast gas chromatography with mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate was developed and validated. Total analysis time was only 7 min. An n-hexane/water solution was used to dissolve samples, and then extracted-ion-chromatogram mode was used to quantify methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate. Calibration curves showed good linearity over the studied range for methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate. The correlation coefficient of fit exceeded 0.999 for each impurity. The LOD and LOQ of methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate were as low as 0.001 and 0.005 μg/mL, respectively, with RSDs of the peak area within 1.06-1.96%. Method accuracy was within 97.2-99.8% for methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate. Therefore, this method can be used to quantify methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate impurities at extremely low levels in imatinib mesylate.

To compare the effectiveness and imaging features between implanting single and double Cage into intervertebral body through unilateral transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).The clinical data were collected and analyzed from 104 patients who underwent unilateral TLIF between January 2013 and October 2014, who were divided into 2 groups: single Cage was implanted into intervertebral body in 64 cases (76 segments) in traditional group, and double Cage was implanted into intervertebral body in 56 cases (70 segments) in reformative group. There was no significant difference in age, gender, bone mineral density, operation segments between 2 groups (P0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores were used to evaluate the effectiveness; the area of intervertebral bone-graft, fusion rate, height of intervertebral space, and the number of Cage subsidence were measured by CT scan.All the patients were followed up 12.85 months on average (range, 9-15 months). The VAS, ODI, and JOA scores were significantly improved at each time point after operation when compared with preoperative values (P0.05), and no significant difference was found between 2 groups (P0.05) except VAS and ODI at 12 months after operation (P0.05). However, the area of intervertebral bone-graft in reformative group [(5.94 ± 1.17) cm2] was significantly larger than that in traditional group [(4.81± 0.97) cm2] at 7 days after operation (t = -6.365, P = 0.000). At 3 and 12 months after operation, the fusion rate was respectively 84.2% and 92.1% in traditional group and was respectively 88.6% and 94.3% in reformative group. Although the height of intervertebral space were increased when compared with preoperative height, the incidence rates of Cages subsidence in traditional group were 44.74% and 47.37% respectively at 3 and 12 months after operation and were significantly higher those that in reformative group (11.43% and 14.29% respectively) (P0.05). In addition, the height difference between affected side and normal side in traditional group was significantly larger than that in reformative group (P0.05).Both single and double Cage implanted into the intervertebral body through unilateral TLIF have good effectiveness. However, double Cage implanted into intervertebral body may hold the height of intervertebral space, reduce the incident rate of Cage subsidence, and prevent sagittal imbalance.

For the multi-channel syncro-loading (MCSL) test, the specimen may be driven by a particular motion of another position channel, representing an in-service duty cycle. The loading accuracy is largely affected by the specimen motion. To reduce the cross coupling from the motion, the cross coupling characteristics between multi-channels is analyzed, and a simplified motion isolation load control (MILC) algorithm is provided, in which the velocity and acceleration of the specimen, measured by the accelerometer, are added into the forward path of the loading control channel in order to drive the actuator to match the motion of the specimen. The test results indicate that the MILC algorithm can significantly improve the loading accuracy compared with the conventional loading control method.

A digital controller based on DSP was proposed for electrohydraulic motion simulator. This digital controller not only offered an integral solution for position servo system in motion simulator, but also benefited to illustrate how to combine MAS methodology with RCP technology in complex control system design. By applying MAS methodology, motion simulator's control system was partitioned into cooperated controller agents with clear hierarchy. Digital controller in this paper was implemented as an agent controller corresponding to the role on an actuator's position control. According to the division of controller's agent task, hardware and software platforms were modularized. Furthermore, the software platform was coded using Matlab/Simulink and RTW based on RCP technology, which is distinguished with classic MAS methodology. By integrating RCP technology with MAS methodology, a seamless and efficient route for control system design was provided from system requirement to practical digital controller and the performance of this controller was also investigated.

Imbalances between bone formation and resorption are the primary cause of osteoporosis. However, currently, a detailed molecular mechanism of osteoporosis is not available. Autophagy is the conserved process characterized by degrading and recycling aggregated proteins, intracellular pathogens, and damaged organelles. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel regulatory factors that play important roles in numerous cellular processes, including autophagy, through the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Conversely, autophagy plays a role in the regulation of miRNA homeostasis. Recent advances have revealed that both autophagy and miRNAs are involved in the maintenance of bone homoeostasis, whereas the role of the interaction of miRNAs with autophagy in osteoporosis remains unclear. In this paper, we review previous reports on autophagy, miRNAs, and their interaction in osteoporosis.

Liquid–liquid equilibrium data of the solubility curves and tie-line compositions were determined for ternary systems of water + acetyl acetone + propyl acetate at 288.15 K, 298.15 K and 313.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Distribution coefficients were evaluated for the immiscibility region. The reliability of the experimental tie-lines has been confirmed by using Othmer–Tobias and Bachman correlation. The experimental data were fitted using the NRTL and UNIQUAC equations, parameters of these two models were regressed.

Liquid−liquid equilibrium (LLE) data of the solubility curves for ternary systems of water + pentane-2,4-dione + ethyl ethanoate and tie-line compositions for both of the ternary systems of water + pentane-2,4-dione + ethyl ethanoate and water + pentane-2,4-dione + cyclohexane were determined at (298.15 and 313.15) K and at a pressure of 101.3 kPa. Distribution coefficients were evaluated for the immiscible region. The reliability of the experimental tie-lines has been confirmed by using the Othmer−Tobias correlation. The experimental data were fitted using the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) and universal quasichemical activity coefficient (UNIQUAC) equations; parameters of these two models were regressed.

Random vibration control is aimed at reproducing the power spectral density (PSD) at specified control points. The classical frequency-spectrum equalization algorithm needs to compute the average of the multiple frequency response functions (FRFs), which lengthens the control loop time in the equalization process. Likewise, the feedback control algorithm has a very slow convergence rate due to the small value of the feedback gain parameter to ensure stability of the system. To overcome these limitations, an adaptive inverse control of random vibrations based on the filtered-X least mean-square (LMS) algorithm is proposed. Furthermore, according to the description and iteration characteristics of random vibration tests in the frequency domain, the frequency domain LMS algorithm is adopted to refine the inverse characteristics of the FRF instead of the traditional time domain LMS algorithm. This inverse characteristic, which is called the impedance function of the system under control, is used to update the drive PSD directly. The test results indicated that in addition to successfully avoiding the instability problem that occurs during the iteration process, the adaptive control strategy minimizes the amount of time needed to obtain a short control loop and achieve equalization.

Isobaric vapor−liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for (acetic acid + cyclohexane) and (cyclohexane + acetylacetone) were determined at a pressure of 101.3 kPa and those for (acetic acid + acetylacetone) at a pressure of 60.0 kPa. A minimum boiling azeotrope was found for (acetic acid + cyclohexane). The nonideality of the vapor phase of (acetic acid + acetylacetone) and (acetic acid + cyclohexane) was investigated by using the Hayden−O’Connell equation. Thermodynamic consistency was tested for all of the VLE data. The experimental data were correlated satisfactorily by the Wilson, NRTL, and UNIQUAC models. Correlation results were in good agreement with experimental data.

To analyze the phasic changes of bone mass, bone turnover markers, and estrogen levels at different time points after glucocorticoid (GC) intervention in rat and their correlation.Thirty-four female 3-month-old Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following 3 groups: baseline group (n = 6), dexamethasone (DXM) group (n = 14), and control group (n = 14). Rats were injected with DXM at the dose of 0.75 mg/kg, twice a week for 12 weeks in DXM group, with salt solution lavage in control group, and no treatment was given in baseline group. The body mass, adrenal weight, and uterus weight were measured. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone area (BA) of lumbar vertebral and femurs were detected by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Meanwhile, the serum levels of N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX), and estrogen levels were determined by ELISA before experiment in baseline group and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after experiment in control and DXM groups. At last, the correlation was analyzed among body weight, BMD, PINP, β-CTX, estrogen levels, and GC intervention duration of DXM group.The body mass, adrenal weight, and uterus weight in DXM group were signiflcantly lower than those in baseline group and control group at all the time points (P0.05). The levels of PINP and β-CTX elevated slowly in DXM group, significant difference was found at 12 weeks (P0.05), but no significant difference at the 4 and 8 weeks (P0.05) when compared with those in baseline group and control group. The estrogen level in DXM group was significantly lower than that in baseline group and control group at all the time points (P0.05). BMD, BMC, and BA of lumbar vertebral and femurs in DXM group were significantly lower than those in control group at all the time points after GC intervention (P0.05). Loss of bone mass of L2 and femoral trochanteric region in DXM group was the lowest of all ranges of interest (ROIs). BMC and BA of lumbar vertebrae and BA of femoral shaft in DXM group at 4 weeks were significantly lower than those in baseline group (P0.05). But there was no significant difference in BMD, BMC, and BA of other lumbar vertebrae and femurs' ROIs between DXM group and baseline group at all the time points (P0.05). After GC intervention, BMD of lumbar vertebrae and femurs had negative correlation with PINP and β-CTX (P0.05) and positive correlation with estrogen level (P0.05).The bone mass decreases rapidly at the early stage after GC intervention and then maintains a low level with time, the levels of bone turnover markers show a progressive increase, and the estrogen levels show a decrease trend. In addition, body weight, the levels of bone turnover markers and estrogen are associated with the change of bone mass.

China’s coastal wetlands belong to some of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide. The loss and degradation of these wetlands seriously threaten waterbirds that depend on wetlands. The China Coastal Waterbird Census was organized by volunteer birdwatchers in China’s coastal region. Waterbirds were surveyed synchronously once every month at 14 sites, as well as irregularly at a further 18 sites, between September 2005 and December 2013. A total of 75 species of waterbirds met the 1 % population level Ramsar listing criterion at least once at one site. The number of birds of the following species accounted for over 20 % of the total flyway populations at a single site: Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), Siberia Crane (Grus leucogeranus), Far Eastern Oystercatcher (Haematopus osculans), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica), Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer), Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmeus), Saunders’s Gull (Larus saundersi), Relict Gull (Larus relictus), Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) and Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus). A total of 26 sites supported at least one species of which their number met the 1 % criterion. Forty-two species met the 1 % criterion in the Yellow River Delta, Shandong; 29 at the Cangzhou coast, Hebei and 26 species at the Lianyungang coast, Jiangsu. The results highlight the international importance of China’s coastal wetlands for waterbirds. This study also demonstrates that participation of local birdwatchers in waterbird surveys results in data that are invaluable not only for understanding the current status of waterbirds in China’s coastal regions but also for waterbird conservation and management.

Traditional control strategy study of the multi-axial electro-hydraulic shaking table(MAEHST) is based on linear model, ignoring the coupling and nonlinearity factors, which results in the waveform distortion and the control precision. To overcome these limitations, a model considering the hydraulic system nonlinearity and mechanical coupling using the software Simulink/SimMechanics is built. A vibration decoupling control strategy based on multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system identification is proposed to improve the waveform replication precision. The proposed control method applies the MIMO H1 estimator to identify frequency response function matrix (FRFM) of the system, not only considering the diagonal element, but the off-diagonal element to acquire the coupling characteristics of six degrees of freedom (DOFs) of MAEHST. And then the inverse frequency response function matrix (IFRFM) is calculated using the singular value decomposition technique to obtain the drive signal combined with the reference signal. Simulation experiments are carried out, and the results indicate that the MIMO vibration decoupling control strategy successfully minimizes the coupling and improve the waveform replication precision of the shaking table.

A method based on high performance liquid chromatography with a coulometric electrode array system (HPLC‐coulometric electrode array) using C18 column has been developed for the simultaneous determination of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (l‐DOPA), p‐tyrosine (p‐TYR), dopamine (DA), m‐tyrosine (m‐TYR), 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) in mice brain. The chromatography was performed using a C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm i.d. and 5 µm) with sodium acetate buffer (pH 5.0, 0.05 M) and methanol as the mobile phase. Elution of analytes was carried out at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The nine compounds were monitored using an ESA electrochemical detector. Potentials of three electrodes in series were set at 200, 500, and 700 mV, respectively. Optimization of the pH of the mobile phase and the proportion of methanol were also considered. The minimal detection limits were 2–8 ng/ml. Linear (r=0.99) detector performan...

For achieving interoperability among heterogeneous computing systems, the Object Management Group (OMG) has adapted the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and the use of an Interface Definition Language (IDL) for specifying object properties and operations which encapsulate the data and programs of heterogeneous systems. This paper describes a common language which is an enhancement of IDL to include: 1) the semantic richness of EXPRESS, an information modeling language adapted by the ISO/STEP community for achieving product model and data exchange; and 2) the extensibility features and knowledge rule specification offered by the Object-oriented Semantic Association Model (OSAM*). This common language, named the NIIIP Common Language (NCL), is a part of the R&D effort of a project entitled the National Industrial Information Infrastructure Protocols (NIIIP). The design of NCL is standards-based, incorporating the semantic features of the two standard languages, IDL and EXPRESS, and conforming to their syntaxes as much as possible. It is an extensible language which supports the addition of new class, constraint, and association types to the language and its underlying object model in order to satisfy the diverse modeling needs of virtual enterprises. The language also contains a high-level rule specification component. Rules in NCL can be used for defining and enforcing integrity and security constraints, government or enterprise policies and regulations, and other types of semantic constraints that are local or global to heterogeneous systems. In this paper, we shall show how such a modeling language and its supporting KBMS functions can be used to achieve rule-based interoperability in an active heterogeneous system as an enhancement to OMG's CORBA.

Driving simulators are largely employed in automotive industry, government, military and academic research fields. This paper provides an overview of the development of a kind of special amphibious vehicle driving simulator. A modularization structure was developed according to the structure character, maintainability and fixing space requirement which provide a kind of convenient methods to replace failure device and cut down simulator maintenance cycle effectively. A mixed network structure based on PC was developed which was used to change information between computers and simulated cabin device. A special amphibious vehicle dynamics simulation model was proposed for use on the driving simulator adopting Commercial-of-The-Shelf (COTS) product Matlab/Simulink and Rapid Control Prototype (RCP) technology. The experiment results shows that the amphibious vehicle driving simulator can provide the near same performance as the actual vehicle and improve the driver's operation skill effectively.

A. war eine der pragenden Gestalten im kulturellen Leben des deutschsprachigen Prag in der Ge neration vor der Gruppe »Jung-Prag« um Max Brod und Franz Kafka. Im Literaturverein »Concordia«, den er leitete, lasen u. a. Gerhart Hauptmann, Arthur Schnitzler und Detlev Liliencron. Bekannt geworden ist A. zu Beginn des Jahrhunderts durch seine er folgreiche Ubertragung von Calderons Komodie Zwei Eisen im Feuer (1900), die ins Repertoire des Wiener Burgtheaters aufgenommen wurde.

A 2DOF(degree of freedom) motion simulator with actuation redundancy is designed,which is characterized by larger workspace,heavier load capacity and less internal driving force coupling.In addition,the design method for the whole system is also introduced.The ZY X Euler angle is adopted to describe the pose of motion simulator,and the parameters of the kinematics and dynamics are deduced in matrix form.In the dynamics part,the number of driving forces is reduced to achieve the cooperative force of each freedom.The driving system that one symmetric valve controls two asymmetric cylinders is simplified to be that one symmetric valve controls one symmetric cylinder in each freedom.Furthermore,the equivalent principle of eccentric load is introduced to study the influence of this load’s stiffness on system’s control performance.Finally,the design of whole driving mechanism and the verification of load matching for this motion simulator are accomplished by combining the kinematics and multibody dynamics model.