Advances in anode current collectors with a lithiophilic gradient for lithium metal batteries.

The practical application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is inevitably associated with serious safety risks due to the uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrites. Thus, to inhibit the formation of lithium dendrites, many researchers have focused on constructing three-dimensional porous current collectors with a high specific surface area. However, the homogeneous structure of porous collectors does not effectively guide the deposition of lithium metal to the bottom, leading to a phenomenon known as "top-growth." Recently, the construction of 3D porous current collectors with a lithiophilic gradient has been widely reported and regarded as an effective approach to inhibit lithium top-growth, thus improving battery safety. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on such anode current collector design strategies, including surface modification of different base materials, design of gradient structures, and field factors, emphasizing their lithium-affinity mechanism and the advantages and disadvantages of different collector designs. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future research directions and applications of gradient affinity current collectors.

The in vivo and in vitro corrosion behavior of MgO/Mg-Zn-Ca composite with different Zn/Ca ratio.

The effect of Zn/Ca ratio on the corrosion behavior of Mg-3Zn-0.2Ca-1.0MgO (3ZX) and Mg-1Zn-0.2Ca-1.0MgO (ZX) was investigated on the as-extruded specimens. Microstructure observations revealed that the low Zn/Ca ratio led to the grain growth from 1.6 µm in 3ZX to 8.1 µm in ZX. At the same time, the low Zn/Ca ratio changed the nature of second phase from the existence of Mg-Zn and Ca2Mg6Zn3 phases in 3ZX to the dominated Ca2Mg6Zn3 phase in ZX. The local galvanic corrosion caused by the excessive potential difference was alleviated obviously due to the missing of MgZn phase in ZX. Besides, the in vivo experiment also showed that ZX composite exhibited a good corrosion performance and the bone tissue around the implant grew well.

CKB affects human osteosarcoma progression by regulating the p53 pathway.

This study aimed to explore the role of the creatine kinase B (CKB) gene in the development of human osteosarcoma (OS). Western blotting and qRT-PCR were performed to detect CKB expression in tissues and cells. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, Transwell, and cell scratch assays were performed to detect OS cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to conduct signal pathway enrichment. CKB expression was higher in OS tissues and cells than that in normal tissues and cells. Silencing CKB expression reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and improved cell apoptosis in HOS cells, while overexpressing CKB increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and decreased apoptosis in U2-OS cells. GSEA showed that CKB affected the p53 signaling pathway. Overexpression of CKB inhibited the protein expression of p53, p21, and Bax and promoted the expression of Bcl-2 and MDM2 in U2-OS cells. Conversely, silencing CKB promoted the protein expression of p53, p21, and Bax, and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 and MDM2 in HOS cells. Silencing p53 could reverse the effect of the silencing CKB in HOS cells, and overexpressing p53 could reverse the effect of overexpressing CKB in U2-OS cells. Taken together, CKB affects the development of OS by regulating the activity of the p53 signaling pathway.

The use of three-dimensional model construction of virtual technology in orthopedic treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the construction of a digital three-dimensional model of virtual technology that plays an auxiliary role in orthopedic treatment. METHODS: Three fracture patients were selected, with no abnormality was observed in bone examination, no musculoskeletal disease in the past; and spiral CT scan of the spine and pelvis, upper limbs, and lower limbs was performed. The virtual technology was used to build a digital 3D model, mainly using the editing software Mimics10.0 software. In addition, the virtual three-dimensional model was verified by virtual surgery, data storage security, work efficiency of the model, model validity, three-dimensional characteristics of the model, the interaction mode of the model, and the data accuracy of the model were studied. RESULTS: The digital 3D model was successfully established by Mimics10.0 software. The data fitting efficiency was very high. The data storage security of the 3D model was greatly improved compared with the 2D model, and the work efficiency was improved by at least 50%. There was also a significant change in the accuracy and interaction of data acquisition. Therefore, the detection of digital 3D model work through virtual surgery simulation fully demonstrated the positive auxiliary role of 3D model in orthopedic treatment. CONCLUSION: The digital 3D model based on Mimics10.0 software is efficient and accurate in obtaining data. It is very effective for subsequent adjuvant therapy in the field of orthopedics, reducing the probability of misdiagnosis by doctors, saving time and improving efficiency, reducing patient's physical pain and unnecessary economic expenses.

The application of 3D printing patient specific instrumentation model in total knee arthroplasty.

The application of 3D printing patient specific instrumentation model in total knee arthroplasty was explored to improve the operative accuracy and safety of artificial total knee arthroplasty. In this study, a total of 52 patients who need knee replacement were selected as the study objects, and 52 patients were divided into experimental group and control group. First, the femoral mechanical-anatomical angle (FMAA), lateral femoral angle (LFA), hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), femorotibial angle (FTA) of research objects in both groups were measured. Then, the blood loss during the operations, drainage volume after operations, total blood loss, hidden blood loss, and hemoglobin decrease of the experiment group and the control group were measured and calculated. Finally, the postoperative outcomes of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty were evaluated. The results showed that before the operations, in the PSI group, the femoral mechanical-anatomical angle (FMAA) was (6.9 ± 2.4)°, the lateral femoral angle (LFA) was (82.4 ± 1.6)°, the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA) was (166.4 ± 1.4)°, and the femorotibial angle (FTA) was (179.5 ± 7.3)°. In the CON group, the FMAA was (5.8 ± 2.4)°, the LFA was (81.3 ± 2.1)°, the HKA was (169.5 ± 1.9)°, and the FTA was (185.4 ± 5.4)°. The differences in these data between the two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). After the operations, in the PSI group, the total blood loss, the hidden blood loss, and the hemoglobin (Hb) decrease were respectively (420.2 ± 210.5), (240.5 ± 234.5), and (1.7 ± 0.9); in the CON group, the total blood loss, the hidden blood loss, and the Hb decrease were respectively (782.1 ± 340.4), (450.9 ± 352.6), and (2.9 ± 1.0). These data of both groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Therefore, it can be seen that the 3D printing patient specific instrumentation model can effectively simulate the lower limb coronal force line and was highly consistent of the preoperative software simulation plan. In addition, the random interviews of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty showed that the knees of patients had recovered well. The application of 3D printing patient specific instrumentation model in artificial total knee arthroplasty can effectively improve the operative accuracy and safety, and the clinical therapeutic effects were significant.

ß-elemene enhances anticancer bone neoplasms efficacy of paclitaxel through regulation of GPR124 in bone neoplasms cells.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the anticancer effects of ß-elemene and paclitaxel for bone neoplasms. MTT assay, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, flow cytometry and immunostaining were used to analyze the combined effects of ß-elemene and paclitaxel both in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that combined treatment of ß-elemene and paclitaxel (ß-elemene-paclitaxel) significantly inhibited growth and aggressiveness of U-2OS cells compared with either ß-elemene or paclitaxel treatment alone. It was demonstrated that ß-elemene promoted paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of U-2OS cells. Anti-apoptosis B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 and Bcl-w genes were downregulated and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death and caspase-3 genes were upregulated in U-2OS cells following treatment with ß-elemene-paclitaxel. Treatment of ß-elemene-paclitaxel arrested the cell cycle and decreased cyclin-dependent kinase, cyclin-B1, P21 and P27 expression levels and decreased resistant genes alterations of ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1, LDL receptor related protein and TS in U-2OS cells. Results demonstrated that ß-elemene-paclitaxel decreased G-protein coupled receptor 124 (GPR124), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-3, MMP-9 expression levels and increased endostatin, TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2 expression in U-2OS cells. In vivo assay demonstrated that ß-elemene-paclitaxel treatment inhibited tumor growth of BALB/c-nu/nu nude mice and prolonged survival rate of tumor-bearing mice. Immunostaining demonstrated that ß-elemene-paclitaxel treatment increased apoptotic bodies, GPR124 and increased endostatin, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression in tumor tissues. In conclusion, these results suggest that the combined treatment of ß-elemene-paclitaxel is more effective at inhibiting bone neoplasm growth than ß-elemene or paclitaxel single treatment GPR124.

Effects of Statins on Bone Mineral Density and Fracture Risk: A PRISMA-compliant Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Although observational studies have identified the protective effect of statins on bone health, the effects remain controversial in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs to evaluate the effects of statins on bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk among adults.We searched electronic databases of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and conducted a bibliography review to identify articles published until May, 2015.Studies included in this meta-analysis should be randomized controlled trials conducted in adults, using statins in the intervention group. Information on changes in BMD or odds ratio, relative risk or hazard ratio (HR) for fracture risk with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was provided.Two investigators independently reviewed the title or abstract, further reviewed the full-texts and extracted information on study characteristics and study outcomes. Net change estimates of BMD and pooled HR of fracture risk comparing the intervention group with the control group were estimated across trials using random-effects models.Of the relevant 334 citations, 7 trials (including 27,900 randomized participants in total) meeting the eligibility criteria were included. Of the 7 trials, 5 were conducted to assess the association of statins use with BMD change and 2 with fracture risk. Compared with the control group, statins use was associated with significant increase in BMD of 0.03 g/cm (95% CI: 0.006, 0.053; I = 99.2%; P < 0.001), but null association with fracture risk, with the pooled HR of 1.00 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.15; I = 0; P = 0.396). Sensitivity analyses revealed that the associations were consistent and robust.The effect of statins use on bone health among subpopulation could not be identified due to limited number of trials.These findings provide evidence that statins could be used to increase BMD other than decreasing fracture risk in participant with dyslipidemia. In addition, further trials with the primary outcome of bone health-related measurements in subpopulation are warranted to ensure the effect of statins use.