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Repair of osteoporotic bone defects (OBD) remains a clinical challenge due to dysregulated bone homeostasis, characterized by impaired osteogenesis and excessive osteoclast activity. While drug-loaded 3D-printed scaffolds hold great potential in the restoration of bone homeostasis for enhanced OBD repair, achieving the controlled release and targeted delivery of drugs in a 3D-printed scaffold is still unmet. Herein, we developed an electrostatic encapsulation strategy to motivate 3D-printed polyelectrolyte scaffolds (APS@P) with bone-targeting liposome formulation of salvianolic acid B (SAB-BTL). Benefiting from this strategy, SAB, an unstable and untargetable plant-derived osteogenic compound, was effectively encapsulated in APS@P, demonstrating stable and precise delivery with improved therapeutic efficacy. Owing to SAB-mediated bone homeostasis, APS@P significantly promoted angiogenesis and new bone formation while suppressing bone resorption, resulting in a significant 146 % increase in bone mass and improved microstructure compared to the OBD group. It was confirmed that the encapsulation of SAB into APS@P could promote the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs by stimulating Tph2/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, coupled with the stimulation of type H angiogenesis and the suppression of RANKL-mediate bone resorption, thereby enhance OBD repair. This study provides a universal platform for enhancing the bioactivity of tissue-engineered scaffolds, offering an effective solution for the efficient regeneration of osteoporotic bone.

Abstract The rotor blades of an axial‐flow turbine are cantilever structures, and there is inevitably a gap between them and the casing. Due to factors such as rotor wear and unit vibration, the eccentricity of the impeller will change during the operation of the turbine, resulting in the impeller being affected by additional radial forces, which can even lead to rubbing or biting between the impeller and the casing. To monitor the eccentricity of the impeller and the additional radial forces in real time during the operation of the turbine, this study conducted numerical simulations of the internal flow of the turbine under different eccentricities of the impeller, and analyzed the characteristics of pressure pulsation and impeller radial force in the turbine using the variational mode decomposition method. The results showed that there was a good linear relationship between the eccentricity of the impeller and the amplitude of the frequency corresponding to the rotor in pressure pulsation at the monitoring point and the Alford force acting on the impeller. Based on this finding, we established mathematical formulas for the relationship between the pressure pulsation at the monitoring point and the eccentricity of the impeller, as well as the eccentricity of the impeller and the Alford force acting on it. According to these formulas, we only need to monitor the pressure pulsation during the operation of the turbine to realize the real‐time monitoring of the eccentricity of the impeller and the Alford force, which is of great significance for ensuring the safe and stable operation of the turbine.

Background: Curcumin (CUR), an effective traditional Chinese medicinal extract, displays good anti-cancer activity against various cancers. Nevertheless, the impacts and fundamental mechanisms of CUR to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) yet to be comprehensively clarified. This study examined the suppressive impacts of CUR on ESCC.Methods: For a comprehensive understanding of the effect of CUR in ESCC. The CUR targets and ESCC-related genes were identified respectively, and the intersection targets between CUR and ESCC were acquired. Then, we examined the intersection targets and discovered genes that were expressed differently in ESCC. Using DAVID, enrichment analyses were conducted on the targets of CUR-ESCC. The STRING database and Cytoscape v.3.9.1 were utilized to build networks for protein-protein interaction (PPI) and drug-target-pathway. Furthermore, the interactions between CUR and its core targets were confirmed by molecular docking studies. To confirm the effects of CUR on ESCC cells, in vitro experiments were finally conducted.Results: Overall, 47 potential CUR targets for ESCC treatment were identified. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified 61 signaling pathways, primarily associated with the FoxO signaling, the cell cycle, cellular senescence, the IL-17 signaling pathway which play important roles in ESCC progression. In the PPI network and the docking results identified CHEK1 and CDK6 as the core targets that positively associated with ESCC survival. CUR arrested ESCC cells at the G2/M and S phases, as shown by flow cytometry. Colony formation and CCK8 assays showed that CUR can inhibit the proliferative ability of ESCC cells. The Transwell invasion results validated that CUR can significantly inhibit the invasion rates of ESCC cells.Conclusion: Collectively, these findings indicate that CUR exhibits pharmacological effects on multiple targets and pathways in ESCC.

Salvia miltiorrhiz, commonly known as “Danshen” in Chinese medicine, has longstanding history of application in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, including promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, calming the mind, tonifying the blood, and benefiting the “Qi”, recent studies have revealed its significant positive effects on bone metabolism. This potential has garnered attention for its promising role in treating musculoskeletal disorders. Consequently, there is a high anticipation for a comprehensive review of the potential of Salvia miltiorrhiza in the treatment of various musculoskeletal diseases, effectively introducing an established traditional Chinese medicine into a burgeoning field. Aim of the review: Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) present significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated the high efficacy and prospects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients for treatment of MSDs. This review aims to illuminate the newfound applications of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients in the treatment of various MSDs, effectively bridging the gap between an established medicine and an emerging field. Methods: In this review, previous studies related to Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients on the treatment of MSD were collected, the specific active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza were summarized, the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients for the treatment of MSDs, as well as their potential molecular mechanisms were reviewed and discussed. Results: Based on previous publications, Salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone IIA are the representative active ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Their application has shown significant beneficial outcomes in osteoporosis, fractures, and arthritis. Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients protect against MSDs by regulating different signaling pathways, including ROS, Wnt, MAPK, and NF-κB signaling. Conclusion: Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients demonstrate promising potential for bone diseases and have been explored across a wide variety of MSDs. Further exploration of Salvia miltiorrhiza’s pharmacological applications in MSDs holds great promise for advancing therapeutic interventions and improving the lives of patients suffering from these diseases.

Background: Osteopenia and fragile fractures are diabetes-associated complications. Many hypoglycemic drugs have effects on bone metabolism. Metformin, as is a prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), had been reported to have osteoprotective effects beyond its hypoglycemic effect, however the potential mechanism behind these effects remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the comprehensive effects of metformin on bone metabolism in T2DM rat model and elucidate the potential mechanism. Methods: Goto-Kakizaki spontaneous T2DM rats with significant hyperglycemia were treated with/without metformin for 20 weeks. Glucose tolerance was tested and all rats were weighed every two weeks. The osteoprotective effects of metformin in diabetic rats were determined by quantifying serum bone biomarkers, μ-CT imaging, histological staining, bone histomorphometry, and biomechanical properties analyses. Potential targets of metformin in the treatment of T2DM and osteoporosis were predicted using network pharmacology. The effects of metformin on mesenchymal stem cells (C3H10) cultured in high glucose medium were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, qPCR and western blotting. Results: This study demonstrated that metformin significantly attenuated osteopenia, decreased serum glucose and glycated serum protein (GSP) levels, improved bone microarchitecture, and biomechanical properties in GK rats with T2DM. Metformin significantly increased biomarkers of bone formation, and significantly decreased muscle ubiquitin C (Ubc) expression. Network pharmacology analysis found that signal transducer and activator of transcription1 (STAT1) would be a potential target of metformin for regulating bone metabolism. Metformin increased C3H10 ​cell viability in vitro, alleviated ALP inhibition caused by hyperglycemia, increased the osteogenic gene expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), collagen type I alpha 1 (Col1a1), osteocalcin (OCN), and ALP, while suppressing RAGE and STAT1 expression. Metformin also increased the protein expression of Osterix and decreased that of RAGE, p-JAK2, and p-STAT1. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that metformin attenuated osteopenia and improved bone microarchitecture in GK rats with T2DM and significantly promoted stem cell osteogenic differentiation under high glucose condition. The effects of metformin on bone metabolism are closely associated with the suppression of RAGE-JAK2-STAT1 signaling axis. The translational potential of this article: Our research provides experiment evidence and potential mechanistic rationale for the use of metformin as an effective candidate for diabetes-induced osteopenia treatment.

Axial-flow turbomachinery is widely used in low head water transfer and electricity generation projects. As there is a gap between the impeller and casing of the tubular flow unit, the fluid will cross the gap to form tip leakage flow, which may induce intense pressure pulsation, noise and mechanical vibration, and even threaten the safe operation of the unit. In order to ensure the efficient and stable operation of hydropower units, the influence factors of tip clearance flow and its formation and development mechanism have been deeply studied in this paper. In this paper, the impact of gap width, angle of attack and inlet velocity on tip leakage flow of hydrofoil with clearance are studied by orthogonal experiment method. The results suggest that the gap width has the greatest influence on tip clearance flow, the incidence angle takes the second place, and the inlet velocity has the least effect on tip clearance flow. Then the fractal characteristics of tip leakage vortices with different gap widths are studied. The results demonstrate that the fractal dimension of tip leakage vortices in large gaps was significantly larger than that in small gaps; The fractal dimension of the leakage vortex decreases gradually along the flow direction.

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for identifying bruised apples based on 3-D shape information obtained by a 3-D infrared imaging system. The algorithm aims at classifying the harvested apples into two classes: bruised apples and un-bruised apples. The proposed algorithm is composed of two steps: feature extraction and classification. For feature extraction, we introduce a vertex-based mesh local binary pattern (vmLBP) operator to extract binary patterns from 3-D meshes. Specifically, we design a framework to construct ordered vertex rings (OVRs) for the computation of vmLBP codes. The constructed OVRs are designed to have the same ordering fashion as each other. For classification, we apply a support vector machine classifier to train the feature vectors generated from the histograms of vmLBP codes. Through experiments, we investigated and optimized the parameters of the proposed algorithm to achieve the highest identification accuracy. We compared the proposed algorithm with other algorithms. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has achieved a better performance for bruised apple identification than traditional algorithms, which indicates that the proposed vmLBP operator has good potential in a 3-D shape analysis due to its high discriminative power.

Objective To investigate CUE domain containing 2 ( CUEDC2 ) expression in colorectal cancer with different invasion and migration abilities. Methods Fresh colon cancer tissues, obtained from patients with or without lymph node metastasis who were treated at the Department of General Surgery, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, and SW620 and HT29 colorectal cancer cell lines, were analysed for CUEDC2 expression. Results Real-time polymerase chain reaction showed significantly higher CUEDC2 mRNA levels in colon cancer tissue from patients with ( n = 8) versus without ( n = 8) lymph node metastasis, and in SW620 versus HT29 cells. Western blots revealed significantly higher CUEDC2 protein levels in colon cancer tissues from patients with versus without lymph node metastasis, and in SW620 versus HT29 cells. Colorectal cancer tissues from patients with lymph node metastasis showed more intense immunohistochemical staining and moderate staining of cell nuclei and cytoplasm versus less intense/weak staining in tissues from patients without lymph node metastasis. Conclusions CUEDC2 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues and colorectal cancer cell lines with high invasion and migration ability. CUEDC2 may be involved in promoting invasion and metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Embedding fiber optic sensors in critical components is a key step for real-time monitoring of structural conditions during service and supporting autonomous system operations. Successful integration of these sensors necessitates effective interfacial bonding between the fiber and matrix, good integrity and functionality of the embedded sensors, robust mechanical strength of the matrix materials, and the ability to retain these properties during transient thermal and stress events. This study demonstrates the encapsulation of fused silica optical fibers in stainless steel and nickel through the electric field-assisted sintering (EFAS) process. Copper-coated and gold-coated single mode optical fibers were embedded under different EFAS conditions. The resulting components with embedded sensors were evaluated using advanced microscopy and optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) to assess the aforementioned critical aspects of embedding. The results indicate that both copper- and gold-coated fibers can be successfully embedded in stainless steel and nickel with good fiber integrity and fiber-matrix bonding. Samples fabricated under optimal conditions passed helium leak testing, confirming effective interfacial bonding. Microstructural characterization revealed excellent fiber-matrix adhesion and interdiffusion of elements across the interface. The functionality of the embedded fibers was evaluated through OFDR scans, which revealed signal insertion loss of 0.43–0.52 dB for nickel samples and 0–0.75 dB for stainless steel samples at the embedding sites. Additionally, the embedded fibers underwent cyclic thermal treatment between 500 °C and 700 °C. The fibers maintained good integrity and interfacial characteristics, demonstrating their ability to survive cyclic thermal events for sensing in harsh environments.

Abstract To analyze the causes, locations, associated injuries, and relevant factors of lower limb and pelvic fractures in hospitalized children in China to provide a theoretical basis for reducing the incidence of such fractures. A retrospective analysis of children with lower limb and pelvic fractures admitted to 27 tertiary children’s hospitals affiliated with China’s Futang Research Center of Pediatric Development between December 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019, was conducted. Inpatient cases were analyzed in the following age groups: Infants (

Abstract The technology of gob-side entry retaining (GER) has the advantages in terms of higher resource recovery rate and lower drivage ratio. In this study, the GER implementation in N1217 panel in Ningtiaota Coal Mine, to verify the adaptability of the gob-side entry retaining with roadside backfilling, the FLAC3D numerical model was established, the stress evolution law and plastic zone distribution of the roadway surrounding rock were analyzed, the deformation characteristics of the roadway during the mining period were revealed, the roadway surrounding rock control technology was proposed, and the development of roof cracks was analyzed. The numerical results show that during the mining of the working face, the roadside backfill body and gangue are jointly loaded, the peak stress of the surrounding rock is transferred from the mining side to the solid coal side, the plastic zone of the roof and the solid coal side increases significantly, and the tensile and shear mixed failure occurs. Based on the evolution characteristics of the stress and plastic zone of the surrounding rock during the mining period of the working face, a collaborative control technology of the surrounding rock based on gangue retaining bracket + roadside backfill + bolt (cable) is proposed, and the borehole peep shows that the roadway is affected by roof fracture rotation and subsidence, which leads to the development of roadway overburden cracks and failures to the depth. The monitoring results indicate that the control measures are highly effective, with minimal roadway convergence observed and stable bolt (cable) supporting forces recorded. Additionally, hydraulic support resistance monitoring confirms that the roadway remains stable. It can ensure the safe mining of the working face of the Ningtiaota coal mine and other similar roadways.

Cavitation and cavitation erosion often occur and seriously threaten the safe and stable operation of hydraulic machinery. However, during the operation of hydraulic machinery, the cavitation flow field is often difficult to contact andmeasure, and the shedding and development characteristics of cavitation floware unknown. This paper uses theDetached Eddy Simulation (DES) turbulence model and Zwart-Gerber-Belamri (ZGB) cavitationmodel to conduct numerical research on the cavitation flow of a twisted hydrofoil and verifies the effectiveness of numerical simulation by comparing it with experimental results. Then, based on the fractal dimension method, the number and fractal dimension of themain cavitation clusters in two different views are analyzed. The research results show that with the continuous flow of fluid, the cavitation at the tail of the hydrofoil periodically falls off, and the number of cavitation bubbles shows a strong randomness between 1 and 2. The fractal dimensionmethod calculates that the frequency of cavitation bubbles falling off is 30 Hz. The fractal dimension of cavitation also fluctuates periodically. The fractal dimension of cavitation in the side view fluctuates between 1.30-1.38, and the fractal dimension of cavitation in the top view fluctuates between 1.31-1.42. The fractal dimension of the cavitation is closely related to the size and shape of the cavitation. By analyzing the relationship between the cavitation development process and the fractal dimension in the side view, we found the relationship between the development of cavitation in a cycle and the change of fractal dimension, which is of great significance to understanding the characteristics of cavitation flow through the image of the cavitation flow field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells hold great promise for realizing high power conversion efficiency at low cost. However, achieving scalable fabrication of wide-bandgap perovskite (~1.68 eV) in air, without the protective environment of an inert atmosphere, remains challenging due to moisture-induced degradation of perovskite films. Herein, this study reveals that the extent of moisture interference is significantly influenced by the properties of solvent. We further demonstrate that n-Butanol (nBA), with its low polarity and moderate volatilization rate, not only mitigates the detrimental effects of moisture in air during scalable fabrication but also enhances the uniformity of perovskite films. This approach enables us to achieve an impressive efficiency of 29.4% (certified 28.7%) for double-sided textured perovskite/silicon tandem cells featuring large-size pyramids (2–3 μm) and 26.3% over an aperture area of 16 cm2. This advance provides a route for large-scale production of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, marking a significant stride toward their commercial viability.

Abstract Background Fractures of hands and feet are common in children, but relevant epidemiological studies are currently lacking. We aim to study the epidemiological characteristics of hand and foot fractures and growth plate injuries in children and provide a theoretical basis for their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of children with hand and foot fractures who were hospitalized at Shenzhen Children’s Hospital between July 2015 and December 2020. Data on demographic characteristics, fracture site, treatment method, etiology of injury, and accompanying injuries were collected. The children were divided into four age groups: infants, preschool children, school children, and adolescents. The fracture sites were classified as first-level (the first–fifth finger/toe, metacarpal, metatarsal, carpal, and tarsal) and second-level (the first–fifth: proximal phalanx, middle phalanx, distal phalanx, metacarpal, and metatarsal) sites. The changing trends in fracture locations and injury causes among children in each age group were analyzed. Results Overall, 1301 children (1561 fractures; 835 boys and 466 girls) were included. The largest number of fractures occurred in preschool children (n = 549, 42.20%), with the distal phalanx of the third finger being the most common site (n = 73, 15.57%). The number of fractures in adolescents was the lowest (n = 158, 12.14%), and the most common fracture site was the proximal phalanx of the fifth finger (n = 45, 29.61%). Of the 1561 fractures, 1143 occurred in the hands and 418 in the feet. The most and least common first-level fracture sites among hand fractures were the fifth (n = 300, 26.25%) and first (n = 138, 12.07%) fingers, respectively. The most and least common first-level foot fracture locations were the first (n = 83, 19.86%) and fourth (n = 26, 6.22%) toes, respectively. The most common first-level and second level etiologies were life related injuries (n = 1128, 86.70%) and clipping injuries (n = 428, 32.90%), respectively. The incidence of sports injuries gradually increased with age, accounting for the highest proportion in adolescents (26.58%). Hand and foot fractures had many accompanying injuries, with the top three being nail bed injuries (570 cases, 36.52%), growth plate injuries (296 cases, 18.96%), and distal severed fracture (167 cases, 10.70%). Among the 296 growth plate injuries, 246 occurred on the hands and 50 on the feet. Conclusions In contrast to previous epidemiological studies on pediatric hand and foot fractures, we mapped the locations of these fractures, including proximal, shaft, distal, and epiphyseal plate injuries. We analyzed the changing trends in fracture sites and injury etiologies with age. Hand and foot fractures have many accompanying injuries that require attention during diagnosis and treatment. Doctors should formulate accident protection measures for children of different ages, strengthen safety education, and reduce the occurrence of accidental injuries.

Balanophora dioica R.Br.ex Royle, belongs to the the Balanophoraceae family, has been documented as Chinese folk medicine in Lahu nationality in China for millennia. Myocardial injury is the main manifestation of cardiovascular disease. However, the role of Balanophora dioica ethanol extract (BDEE) in improving myocardial injury is unclear. The main purpose of this study is to clarify the pharmacological effect and molecular mechanisms of BDEE on myocardial injury. The major compounds of BDEE were analyzed by GC-MS and HPLC-FT-ICR-MS. The male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 10), the control group, the isoproterenol (ISO) model group, ISO + 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/d of BDEE groups, and the BDEE group (400 mg/kg/d). The heart weight/body weight was calculated, serum biochemistry markers CK, LDH, and myocardial enzyme indexes MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px were measured by corresponding kits. Heart tissue histopathology was detected by hematoxylin-eosin and Sirius Red staining. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to determine the protein expression associated with myocardial fibrosis, inflammation and apoptosis. TUNEL staining was used to evaluate the apoptosis level. The results demonstrated that BDEE can restore cardiac morphology and serum biochemical level, and restrain ISO-induced myocardial fibrosis by regulating TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway. Additionally, BDEE can reduce inflammation-related TLR4, MyD88, IRAK-1, TRAF-6, and NF-κB expression, and also inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-9 and Caspase-3. The above results indicated that BDEE improved ISO-induced myocardial injury by regulating myocardial fibrosis, inflammation and apoptosis, and it may be developed as a potential drug to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: To explore the current status and trends of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis through bibliometric and visual analyses of the related literature. Methods: Relevant literature from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2017 to 2022 was retrieved, and a bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace 6.1. R2. Thesoftware was used to generate visual graphs of the author, institution, country, keyword co-occurrence, and literature co-citation network. Results: A total of 1719 manuscripts were retrieved, including 1397 original studies and 322 reviews. In the past five years, Patti F and the University of London were the authors and institutions generating the largest number of publications, respectively, and there was active collaboration between authors and institutions. The United States was the largest contributor to the relevant literature, and the high-frequency keywords in the field of multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapies in the past five years mainly included multiple sclerosis, disease-modifying therapy, double-blind, disability, natalizumab, effectiveness, fingolimod, glatiramer acetate, and dimethyl fumarate. Conclusions: Current research hotspots and trends in DMTs in multiple sclerosis focus on the effectiveness of different DMTs drugs in treating patients with MS and how to optimise treatment strategies. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the correlation between MS and COVID-19 infection and the method to manage and address the adverse effects of DMTs on multiple sclerosis patients is also future research trends.

TRistructural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel is a leading-edge nuclear fuel form representing a departure from the more traditional nuclear fuel forms utilized in the reactor fleet of today. Rather than a monolithic fuel pellet of uranium dioxide, integral fuel forms containing TRISO fuel are composed of thousands of microencapsulated uranium-bearing fuel kernels and individually coated with multiple layers of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. These multilayered ceramic coatings serve as an environmental barrier to ensure radioactive and chemically reactive fission products are contained within the reactor fuel elements, but also participate in the transfer of heat generated in the nuclear fuel to the coolant – the primary purpose of a nuclear reactor. Since traditional thermal property measurement techniques, such as laser flash analysis, would be unable to resolve the thermal properties of the individual TRISO coating layers, a simplified frequency-domain thermoreflectance technique has been developed to rapidly map the thermal properties of TRISO particles. Using this technique, the thermal properties of TRISO particles have been mapped from room temperature up to 1000 °C to examine the spatial variation and temperature-dependency of the thermal properties within each layer. Additionally, spatial-domain thermoreflectance was used to examine the anisotropy of the thermal properties for each layer at different locations within a single TRISO particle, and across multiple TRISO particles to assess the intra- and inter-particle uniformity of thermal properties, respectively. To elucidate the underlying causes for the measured variations in thermal properties, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to examine variations in microstructure and chemical bonding within the different coating layers. Results from this work are then compared with previous examinations of TRISO fuel particles and microstructurally driven mechanisms for the variations in the measured thermal properties of the different carbonaceous layers are discussed.

The superstate configuration in all-perovskite tandem solar cells is disadvantageous for long-term stability. Here, the authors reverse the processing order and demonstrate substrate configuration to bury oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskites, and achieve efficiency of 25.3% with long stability.