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Abstract Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of zoledronic acid for reducing the incidence of cage subsidence and enhancing interbody fusion rates following oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) surgery, particularly as the first reported evidence of the role of zoledronic acid combined with OLIF. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 108 elderly patients treated for degenerative lumbar diseases using OLIF combined with bilateral pedicle screw fixation from January 2018 to December 2021. Patients were divided into the zoledronic acid (ZOL) group (43 patients, 67 surgical segments) and the control group (65 patients, 86 surgical segments). A comparative analysis of the radiographic and clinical outcomes between the groups was performed, employing univariate and multivariate regression analyses to explore the relationships between cage subsidence and the independent variables. Results Radiographic outcomes, including anterior height, posterior height, disc height, coronal disc angle, foraminal height, and lumbar lordosis, were not significantly different between the two groups. Similarly, no statistically significant differences were noted in the back visual analog scale (VAS) scores and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores between the groups. However, at the 1-year follow-up, the leg VAS score was lower in the ZOL group than in the control group (P = 0.028). The ZOL group demonstrated a notably lower cage subsidence rate (20.9%) than did the control group (43.0%) (P

The transcription factor, signal transducer, and stimulator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a potential target in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. Although xanthatin (XA), a biologically active substance derived from Xanthium strumarium L, specifically inhibits STAT3 phosphorylation at Tyr705, the mechanism underlying its inhibitory effect on OA progression remains unclear. In this study, our objective was to explore the therapeutic effects exerted by XA on OA and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The effects of XA treatment on mouse OA models subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus using medial collateral ligament transection, as well as on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced mouse chondrocytes, were examined. Histological changes in cartilage and subchondral bone (SCB), as well as changes in the expression levels of osteophytes, cartilage degeneration- and osteoclast differentiation-related factors, and the role of XA-related signaling pathways in human cartilage tissue, were studied using different techniques. XA inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation at Tyr705 and further attenuated the activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in chondrocytes and osteoclasts. In vitro, XA administration alleviated pro-inflammatory cytokine release, extracellular matrix catabolism, and RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation. In vivo, intraperitoneal injection of XA exerted a protective effect on cartilage degeneration and SCB loss. Similarly, XA exerted a protective effect on human cartilage tissue by inhibiting the STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway. Overall, our study elucidated the therapeutic potential of XA as a small-molecule inhibitor of STAT3-driven OA progression. This discovery may help enhance innovative clinical interventions against OA.

One popular method of obtaining the acoustic parameters of seabed sediments is by measuring the sound velocity of sediment samples in a laboratory. However, the effects of environmental variation and physical perturbation on acoustic properties are typically neglected in the application of such measured acoustic parameters. In this study, sediment samples were collected from the Huanghai and Bohai seas to measure sound velocity both on the deck and in the laboratory using a digital sonic measuring system. Additionally, sediment compositions, physical and mechanical properties and microstructures were determined. Sound velocity comparisons between on-deck and laboratory measurements indicate that laboratory-measured velocities are generally higher than those measured on the deck, with differences ranging from 1.45 m/s to 130.05 m/s, due to the water loss and densification of sedimentary particles in laboratory settings. The discrepancy of sound velocities measured in the laboratory and on the deck also differ based on the types of sediments sampled. Overall, the discrepancy increases with measurement frequency, increasing average grain diameter and sand content, as well as with decreasing clay content.

An optical fiber sensor based on the parallel Vernier effect for temperature and transverse load measurement is reported in this paper. The sensor is composed of a novel compact fiber Michelson interferometer (MI) and a closed-cavity Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) connected in parallel. The fiber MI consists of a bent single-mode fiber (SMF) structure and a short length of hollow core silicon tube (HCST). A section of HCST is fused between two segments of SMF to form the fiber FPI. Two sensors in parallel can easily measure different physical parameters independently, thus realizing multi-parameter sensing. The fiber MI and FPI are used for temperature and transverse load measurement, respectively. Fiber optic MI and FPI are Vernier effect mutual reference interferometers. When MI is used for temperature sensing, FPI is the reference interferometer. When FPI is used for transverse load sensing, MI is the reference interferometer. It can improve the sensitivity of temperature and transverse load. Two samples were made and the sensing experiment was carried out. Through the sensing experiment, we get the maximum temperature sensitivity of 85.1 pm/°C in the temperature range of 30–80 °C and a transverse load sensitivity of −3.15 nm/N in the temperature range of 0–1.96 N. In addition, the sensor has the advantages of tiny size, low cost, and easy manufacture, which is suitable for temperature and transverse load sensing applications.

A novel optical fiber sensor based on cascade anti-resonant reflection waveguide (ARRW) and fiber ring-shaped structure (FRSS) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for simultaneous measurement of refractive index (RI) and temperature. The sensor is very simply fabricated by splicing ARRW and FRSS based on Mach-Zehnder interference (MZI). The FRSS interference dip is sensitive to external RI and temperature changes, whereas the ARRW structure's loss dip is only sensitive to external temperature. As a result, this sensor can be used to measure both RI and temperature simultaneously. The sensor's maximum RI sensitivity is 108.61 nm/RIU and its maximum temperature sensitivity is 19 pm/ °C in the experiment. This sensor is a good choice when it is necessary to measure RI and temperature at the same time due to its compact size, high sensitivity, low cost, and good stability.

An optical fiber sensor is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for simultaneous measurement of high temperature and transverse load. The sensor is designed by splicing a silica capillary tube (SCT) to a single-mode fiber (SMF) and then heating the SCT to form an air bubble. SCT simultaneously functions as a Fabry Perot (F-P) microcavity and an anti-resonant reflection waveguide. These sensing mechanisms lead to high contrast sensitivity values of temperature and transverse load (1.89pm/°C,190.48pm/N and 24.93pm/°C, 16.68pm/N). Remarkably, the temperature sensitivity of this sensor is eleven times higher than that of the current fiber-tip micro-cavity (2.1 pm/°C). The sensor is also more advantageous in quantitative production and practical application due to its low cost, ease of fabrication, good mechanical strength, and convenient reflection probe.

We demonstrated a high-sensitivity liquid level sensor based on the balloon-shaped fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI). To make an optical fiber MZI sensor, a bare single mode fiber (SMF) is bent into a balloon shape. The sensor is attached to a stiff support and linked to a buoyancy ball floating on the liquid surface via a thin thread. The change in liquid level will bend the fiber and lead to a wavelength shift of transmission spectrum. This is a novel method of measuring liquid levels. We comprehensively studied the sensing performance of the sensor, and applied the ridge regression algorithm to optimize the fitting results of the experimental data. The maximum sensitivity of liquid level and temperature are 5.245 nm/mm and 40.3 pm/°C respectively, and the sensor has a low temperature cross-sensitivity of 0.00768 mm/°C. Furthermore, the sensor has the advantages of real-time response, convenient manufacture, low cost and high reliability, which broadens the application area of balloon-shaped MZI and makes it appropriate for liquid level sensing.

In this paper, we present an RIP module with the features of supporting multiple inductive sensors, no variable frequency LC oscillator, low power consumption, and automatic gain adjustment for each channel. Based on the method of inductance measurement without using a variable frequency LC oscillator, we further integrate pulse amplitude modulation and time division multiplexing scheme into a module to support multiple RIP sensors. All inductive sensors are excited by a high-frequency electric current periodically and momentarily, and the inductance of each sensor is measured during the time when the electric current is fed to it. To improve the amplitude response of the RIP sensors, we optimize the sensing unit with a matching capacitor parallel with each RIP sensor forming a frequency selection filter. Performance tests on the linearity of the output with cross-sectional area and the accuracy of respiratory volume estimation demonstrate good linearity and accurate lung volume estimation. Power consumption of this new RIP module with two sensors is very low. The performance of respiration measurement during movement is also evaluated. This RIP module is especially desirable for wearable systems with multiple RIP sensors for long-term respiration monitoring.

Based on present serious phenomenon of insufficient carbon source in municipal sewage in China, the two kinds of effect of hybrid-fruit-peel (HFP) coagulant (coagulation and external carbon source (ECS)) on treating low carbon source wastewater was studied, mainly compared with that of sodium acetate (NaAc). The feasibility of HFP as an ECS was researched, and then its coagulation behavior, sludge properties, nitrogen removal were studied mainly with aeration mode and sequencing batch reactor (SBR), respectively. The results showed the ration of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) to chemical oxygen demand (COD) released from HFP was 0.67-0.76, within the scope of easily biodegradable. Within a short aeration time, HFP posed obvious coagulation behavior. HFP sludge gave larger extracellular polymer (EPS) and lower dehydrogenase activity (DHA) than NaAc. For HFP, much larger size sludge flocs appeared, the connection among the flocs became closer, and the biofacies and number of microorganisms (Opercularia Coaractata, Nematode, Vorticella, etc.) increased significantly. HFP can be used as an excellent ECS for low carbon source wastewater, and probably also have the ability of slow-releasing carbon, and can be applied to municipal sewage or other wastewaters with insufficient carbon source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]