Effect of Yang-Warming and Kidney-Tonifying Prescription on Expression of Osteogenic and Angiogenic Factors and H-Type Vascular Markers in Steroid-Induced Avascular Necrosis of Femoral Head in Rabbits

Objective: To investigate the effect of Yang-warming and Kidney-tonifying Prescription (YKP) on the treatment of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) in rabbits. And to further explore whether its therapeutic mechanism is related to the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF (angiogenic factors), BMP2 and Osterix (osteogenic factor), CD31 (type H vascular marker) and MMP13 (bone destruction-related factor). Methods: Twenty-seven healthy male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into a normal group, model group, traditional Chinese medcine (TCM) group (clinical equivalent dose group of YKP), miR-130a inhibitor group and TCM + inhibitor group. The SANFH model was established by combining horse serum with methylprednisolone. After the model is successfully established, TCM group was given 6.44 g/kg·d YKP by gavage, and the miR-130a gene inhibitor group was intraperitoneally injected with 25 mg/kg miR-130a inhibitor, locked nucleic acid (LNA)-anti-miR-130a. TCM + inhibitor group was treated with YKP intragastrically and miR-130a inhibitor intraperitoneally. The rabbits in the normal group and the model group were intragastrically administered with normal saline 10 ml/d. Once a day for 4 weeks. The avascular necrosis was detected by HE staining. The contents of HIF-1α, VEGF, BMP2 and Osterix in rabbit tissues were detected by qRT-PCR kit, and the expression of CD31 and MMP13 was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Results: In the normal group, the surface of the cartilage layer of the femoral head was smooth, the bone trabeculae were intact and densely arranged, the cells of each layer were neatly arranged, the morphology of the bone cells, the chondrocytes and the adipocytes were normal. In the model group, cartilage surfaces of the femoral head showed exfoliative cracks. The bone trabecular structure was loose and incomplete, chondrocytes, osteoblasts and bone marrow cells were significantly reduced, and the number of empty bone traps was significantly increased. In the TCM-treated group, more chondrocytes, thicker cartilage layer, and more regular bone trabeculae were detected as compared to model rabbits. In contrast, the cartilage layer was thinner, the destruction and fracture of bone trabeculae was more serious, chondrocytes and osteocytes were decreased as compared to model group. The expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, BMP2, and Osterix in the model group decreased significantly as compared to the normal group (P Conclusion: YKP can regulate the expression of angiogenic-related factors (VEGF and HIF-α), osteogenic-related factors (BMP2 and Osterix), and H-type vascular marker CD31, resulting in increased expressions of VEGF, HIF-α, BMP2, and Osterix, which promote intra-femoral head revascularization. Meanwhile, YKP decreased the expression of bone-destruction-related factor MMP13, thus enhancing the ability of bone tissue to repair itself. Regulation of these molecules’ expression may be one of the mechanisms of YKP in the treatment of hormonal femoral head necrosis.

柠檬酸交联固定化小球藻复合材料的制备及药物缓释性能

天然小球藻具有独特的理化/生物特性,通过柠檬酸对小球藻进行热化学改性,制备了一种新型复合材料,并将其用作酮洛芬的药物缓释载体。通过红外光谱和扫描电镜分别对合成的柠檬酸交联固定化小球藻复合材料的结构和表面形貌进行表征,提出了材料的合成机理。研究了不同反应温度下合成的复合材料的羧基含量、酯化率、等电荷点等表面属性,确定140℃为最佳的反应温度。此条件下制备的复合材料具有最大的吸水倍率(为35.8 g/g),并对溶胀介质的pH敏感。以酮洛芬为模板药物,研究了柠檬酸交联固定化小球藻复合材料的药物负载性能及在模拟体内环境下的缓释性能,结果表明,pH=1.2和p H=6.8时,经8 h的酮洛芬的累积释放率分别为93.8%和79.7%,该聚合物对抗炎类药物有缓释作用,在智能药物输送方面具有潜在的应用前景。

Parameterized time-frequency analysis to separate multi-radar signals

Multi-radar signal separation is a critical process in modern reconnaissance systems. However, the complicated battlefield is typically confronted with increasing electronic equipment and complex radar waveforms. The intercepted signal is difficult to separate with conventional parameters because of severe overlapping in both time and frequency domains. On the contrary, time-frequency analysis maps the 1D signal into a 2D time-frequency plane, which provides a better insight into the signal than traditional methods. Particularly, the parameterized time-frequency analysis (PTFA) shows great potential in processing such non stationary signals. Five procedures for the PTFA are proposed to separate the overlapped multi-radar signal, including initiation, instantaneous frequency estimation with PTFA, signal demodulation, signal separation with adaptive filter and signal recovery. The proposed method is verified with both simulated and real signals, which shows good performance in the application on multi-radar signal separation.

Cognate pulse sorting method based on beam missions characteristics

In most multi-function phased array radar applications, multiple missions, including airspace searching and target tracking, are usually performed simultaneously by the digital beam-forming technique and the time dividing method. This paper presents a novel method to classify pulses of different missions from an interleaved pulse sequence emitted by the same radar, which is significant in radar electronic reconnaissance and electronic support measure. Firstly, two hypotheses, i.e., pulse relativity within the same mission and pulse independence among different missions, are proposed by analyzing the antenna pattern and the beam scheduling method of the phased array radar. Based on the above two hypotheses, an optimal model for pulse classification is exploited with pulse amplitude series, where the absolute-value sum of second order difference is taken as the optimal kernel to measure sequence smooth continuity. Finally, several pieces of sequences under different numbers of missions and tracking data rates are simulated for algorithm verification. The simulation results show that the long data length and the high data rate will increase classification efficiency due to the validity of the two hypotheses in sufficient pulse amplitude sequence.

The potential function of transhiatal esophagectomy in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma

Objective： To analyze the results and introduce the experiences of transhiatal esophagectomy in combined with different synthetic therapy. Methods： Seventy-one patients with esophageal carcinoma, median age was 62, 40 of stage Ⅰ, 26 of Ⅱa, 4 of stage Ⅱb, 1 of stage Ⅳ, were treated with transhiatal esophagectomy. 9 and 17 patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy （4000 cGy） and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy （6000 cGy） respectively; 5 patients were treated with preoperative chemotherapy. Results： The postoperative 1, 3 and 5 years survival rates were 100%, 91.43%, and 86.21% for stage Ⅰ; 92%, 83.33%, and 57.14% for stage Ⅱa; 75%, 50%, and 50% for stage Ⅱb; 100%, 0, and 0 for stag Ⅳ and 95.71%, 86.89%, and 71.70% as a whole, respectively. The incidence of complications was 12.68%. Conclusion： Transhiatal esophagectomy combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be beneficial to patients with esophageal carcinoma at stage Ⅱa or earlier who can＇t tolerate or need not be treated by transthoracic esophagectomy.

Broadband quantum-dot frequency-modulated comb laser

Frequency-modulated(FM)laser combs,which offer a quasi-continuous-wave output and a flat-topped optical spectrum,are emerging as a promising solution for wavelength-division multiplexing applications,precision metrology,and ultrafast optical ranging.The generation of FM combs relies on spatial hole burning,group velocity dispersion,Kerr nonlinearity,and four-wave mixing(FWM).While FM combs have been widely observed in quantum cascade Fabry-Perot(FP)lasers,the requirement for a low-dispersion FP cavity can be a challenge in platforms where the waveguide dispersion is mainly determined by the material.Here we report a 60 GHz quantum-dot(QD)mode-locked laser in which both the amplitude-modulated(AM)and the FM comb can be generated independently.The high FWM efficiency of-5 dB allows the QD laser to generate FM comb efficiently.We also demonstrate that the Kerr nonlinearity can be practically engineered to improve the FM comb bandwidth without the need for GVD engineering.The maximum 3-dB bandwidth that our QD platform can deliver is as large as 2.2 THz.This study gives novel insights into the improvement of FM combs and paves the way for small-footprint,electrically pumped,and energy-efficient frequency combs for silicon photonic integrated circuits(PICs).

Carbon neutrality needs a circular metal-energy nexus

Carbon neutrality requires systematic transformations of both energy and metal systems.These transformations are not isolated but rather interlinked and interdependent,such that trade-offs between different strategies exist.Herein,we explore the critical interlinkages between energy and metal systems and further propose a circular metal-energy nexus to advance global coordinated actions towards a carbon-neutral future.

Shipboard bilge water treatment by electrocoagulation powered by microbial fuel cells

Ships generate large amounts of wastewater including oily bilge water, blackwater and greywater. Traditionally they are treated separately with high energy consumption. In this study we demonstrate the feasibility that these waste streams can be treated using an integrated electrocoagulation cell (ECC) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) process, which not only synergized the contaminants removal but also accomplished energy neutrality by directly powering EC with MFC electricity. Results showed that MFC stack powered ECC removed 93% of oily organics, which is comparable to the performance of an external DC voltage powered ECC. In the meantime, more than 80% of COD was removed from MFCs when fed with either acetate or municipal wastewater. Moreover, the ECC electrode area and distance showed notable effects on current generation and contaminants removal, and further studies should focus on operation optimization to enhance treatment efficiency.

Dirac solitons in optical microresonators

Mode-coupling-induced dispersion has been used to engineer microresonators for soliton generation at the edge of the visible band.Here,we show that the optical soliton formed in this way is analogous to optical Bragg solitons and,more generally,to the Dirac soliton in quantum field theory.This optical Dirac soliton is studied theoretically,and a closed-form solution is derived in the corresponding conservative system.Both analytical and numerical solutions show unusual properties,such as polarization twisting and asymmetrical optical spectra.The closed-form solution is also used to study the repetition rate shift in the soliton.An observation of the asymmetrical spectrum is analysed using theory.The properties of Dirac optical solitons in microresonators are important at a fundamental level and provide a road map for soliton microcomb generation in the visible band.