Application of bone transgenic zebrafish in anti-osteoporosis chemical screening

Background: The zebrafish(Danio rerio) has recently been shown to be an ideal model to study bone disease including osteoporosis. The zebrafish osteoporosis model could be induced by glucocorticoid treatment with chemical staining for reflecting the level of bone mineralization. However, this methodology was unstable.Here, we developed a novel methodology to directly evaluate the bone mass and density.Methods: We generated and used the bone of transgenic zebrafish Tg(ola.sp7:nlsGFP) to evaluate the bone mass and density by measuring the areal extent and the integrated optical density(IOD) of enhanced green fluorescent protein(eGFP).This methodology was further compared with the traditional chemically stained method showing the bone mineralization. Furthermore, genes related to zebrafish osteoporosis were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).Results: Our results of new methods were consistent with those from chemically stained fish, following glucocorticoid-induction or epimedium flavonoid(FE)-rescue treatments. q RT-PCR analyses on mRNA levels revealed that glucocorticoid induces osteoporosis by downregulating the expression of osteoblast-related factors osterix,osteocalcin, and osteopontin, and upregulating the expression of osteoclast-related factor tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. In FE-rescued fish, the expression of osteogenic factors osterix, osteocalcin, and osteopontin were increased.Conclusion: Compared to the traditional chemical staining methods, the new osteoporosis model using Tg(ola.sp7:nlsGFP) is more convenient and efficient for studying osteoporosis in vivo, and especially for high-throughput anti-osteoporosis drug screening.

Exploring the mechanism of Yuxuebi Pill in the treatment of osteoarthritis through network pharmacology and molecular docking

Background:Osteoarthritis(OA)is one of the most common joint diseases which mainly involves damage to the articular cartilage andinvolves the entire joint tissue.Yuxuebi Pill(YXBP)is one of the traditional Chinese medicine compound drugs for the treatment of OA.In this study,we aimed to use network pharmacology and molecular docking technology to systematically explain the potential anti-OA mechanism of YXBP.Methods:We used the TCMSP database to query YXBP related natural compounds,and obtained potential targets of these natural compounds through PubChem and SwissTargetPrediction database.According to the OMIM database,GeneCard database,CTD database,and DrugBank database,the potential targets of OA were obtained.According to the location results of potential target genes of YXBP and OA,a PPI network was constructed and amplified to obtain the interaction between targets.We screened out the HUB target through topological analysis.In addition,we used David bioinformatics resources to enrich the GO biological processes and KEGG pathways.Molecular docking was used to verify the relationship between the core compounds and proteins.Results:This study identified five core components of YXBP for OA,including quercetin,beta-sitosterol,stigmasterol,kaempferol,and luteolin.At the same time,we obtained a total of 264 related targets for OA.Functional enrichment analysis suggested that YXBP exerted its pharmacological effects on OA by modulating multiple pathways,including the IL-17 signaling pathway,HIF-1 signaling pathway,JAK-STAT signaling pathway.The biological processes mainly involve inflammation,cell apoptosis,and cell cycle.Subsequently,based on molecular docking the key compounds could be found to spontaneously bind to the proteins.Conclusions:YXBP may exert an anti-OA effect through pathways,including the IL-17 signaling pathway,HIF-1 signaling pathway,JAK-STAT signaling pathway.The application of network pharmacology and molecular docking technology may provide a novel method for research of Chinese herbal medicine.YXBP may also provide a complementary treatment option for patients with OA.

Effect of Electromagnetic Stirring on Molten Steel Flow and Solidification in Bloom Mold

The effect of electromagnetic stirring on molten steel flow and heat transfer in a 260 mm× 300 mm bloom mold was investigated by using a method combining both finite element method and finite volume method. The simu lation results related to magnetic fields were consistent with the onsite measured data. The magnetic flux density in creased with increasing the current intensity but decreased with increasing the current frequency. Electromagnetic stirring caused molten steel to flow with rotation on a horizontal section and two sets of recirculation regions with opposite fellow directions in a longitudinal section formed. The maximum tangential velocity increased with increasing the current intensity and frequency. Furthermore, the superheat degree of the molten steel on the outlet cross section of the mold decreased with increasing the current intensity. growth zone of solidified shell in the effective stirring zone. bearing steel, the appropriate values of current intensity and to be 300 A and 3 Hz, respectively. Electromagnetic stirring caused the emergence of a zero For the 260 mm N 300 mm bloom continuous caster of current frequency of electromagnetic stirring were found

Exploiting methylated amino resin as a multifunctional binder for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

The practical application of Li-S batteries is severely restricted by limited cycle life and low sulfur loading.Here,a common industrial paint,methylated amino resin(MAR),was employed as a novel multifunctional binder to address these issues.The S cathodes by using MAR binder(S@MAR) demonstrate an excellent reversible capacity of 480.9 mA·h·g^(-1) after 400 cycles at a rate of 0.5 C,and the sulfur loading in the electrode could achieve as high as 3.0 mg·cm^(-2).These achievements are ascribed to the superior mechanical property for volume expansion,better adsorption ability toward poly sulfides,and more favorable Li+transportation of MAR,compared to the conventional binders of polyvinylidene difluoride and carboxymethylcellulose.This study paves a new way for obtaining high-energy-density Li-S batteries by the simple application of multifunctional binder that are inherently cost-effective.

Effect of Cu Addition in Pipeline Steels on Microstructure,Mechanical Properties and Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

In the present study, Cu-modified pipeline steels were fabricated to mitigate MIC by the antimicrobial ability of Cu element. The microstructure, mechanical properties and the antimircobial performance of the Cu-modified steel were systematically investigated. The Cu-modified steels showed good antimicrobial performance with remarkable strength enhancement by nanoscale Cu-rich precipitates and good impact toughness without changing the original base microstructures after the optimal aging treatment of 500 °C/1 h.

Strength, strain capacity and toughness of five dual-phase pipeline steels

The effect of microstructures on strength,strain capacity and low temperature toughness of a micro-alloyed pipeline steel was elucidated.Five various dual-phase microstructures,namely,acicular ferrite and a small amount of(around 2 vol.%)polygonal ferrite(AF+PF),polygonal ferrite and bainite(PF+B),polygonal ferrite and martensite/austenite islands(PF+M/A),polygonal ferrite and martensite(PF+M)and elongated polygonal ferrite and martensite(ePF+M),have been studied.Experimental results show that AF+PF microstructure has high yield strength and excellent low temperature toughness,whereas its yield ratio is the highest.Polygonal ferrite-based dual-phase steels,PF+B,PF+M/A and PF+M microstructures show better strain capacity and low temperature toughness.The strain capacity and low temperature toughness of ePF+M microstructure are the worst due to its high strength.The relationship between microstructure,strength,strain capacity and toughness has been established.Based on the results,the optimum microstructure for a better combination of strength,strain capacity and toughness is suggested to be the one having appropriate polygonal ferrite as second phase in an acicular ferrite matrix.