Pretreatment of hypersaline and high-organic wastewater with a three-dimensional electrocatalytic system: a pilot-scale study.

The three-dimensional electrocatalytic oxidation (3DEO) is a promising electrochemical system in the treatment of refractory wastewater, but still far from large-scale applications. In this work, we prepared 146.5 Kg Ti-Sn-Sb@γ-Al2O3 particle electrodes to construct a 3DEO system for the pretreatment of hypersaline and high-organic wastewater in an industrial park sewage plant, with activated carbon particle electrodes as a comparison. The average COD removal rates of Ti-Sn-Sb@γ-Al2O3 and activated carbon-based 3DEO systems were 24.43 and 48.73%, respectively, and the energy consumption of the two 3DEO systems were 102.8 and 31.4 kWh/Kg COD, respectively. However, compared to the negligible enhancement of wastewater biodegradability in the activated carbon 3DEO system, the Ti-Sn-Sb@γ-Al2O3 3DEO system greatly improved the biochemical index (B/C) from 0.021 to 0.166 (by 690.5%). Due to its superior catalytic capacity, Ti-Sn-Sb@γ-Al2O3 outperforms activated carbon in improving biodegradability as the latter relies mainly on adsorption. The results of this work provide a 3DEO engineering practice experience on the pretreatment of hypersaline and high-organic wastewater.

Divergent lncRNA MYMLR regulates MYC by eliciting DNA looping and promoter-enhancer interaction.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) function in a wide range of processes by diverse mechanisms, though their roles in regulation of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressors remain rather elusive. We performed a global search for lncRNAs affecting MYC activity using a systems biology-based approach with a K supercomputer and the GIMLET algorism based on local distance correlations. Consequently, MYMLR was identified and experimentally shown to maintain MYC transcriptional activity and cell cycle progression despite the low levels of expression. A proteomic search for MYMLR-binding proteins identified PCBP2, while it was also found that MYMLR places a 557-kb upstream enhancer region in the proximity of the MYC promoter in cooperation with PCBP2. These findings implicate a crucial role for MYMLR in regulation of the archetypical oncogene MYC and warrant future studies regarding the involvement of low copy number lncRNAs in regulation of other crucial oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

Mechanical Analysis of Posterior Pedicle Screw System Placement and Internal Fixation in the Treatment of Lumbar Fractures.

Objective: Image segmentation technology is applied to separate a single vertebra from the three-dimensional model of the spine, so as to separate a single vertebra image with smaller error, higher degree of automation, and better results. The objectives are to study the biomechanical characteristics of posterior short-segment pedicle screw fixation by three-dimensional finite element method, analyze the mechanical characteristics of posterior pedicle screw rod fixation system under different factors, and demonstrate the feasibility of its application in the treatment of lumbar fracture. Methods: The authors searched the database for articles about the treatment of lumbar spine fracture, screw rod internal fixation system, and its mechanical parameters. The threshold segmentation method based on region segmentation method was used to segment the image, and the three-dimensional finite element model was used to analyze the biomechanical characteristics of different posterior internal fixation for lumbar spine fracture. Results: The posterior pedicle internal fixation system for the treatment of multilevel spinal fractures is a mature surgical technique and has fewer postoperative complications. Transpedicle fixation is effective and reliable. It can effectively restore the coronal and sagittal curvature of the vertebral body and restore the stability of the spine better. But the choice of internal fixation method should be individualized based on fracture type, identification of critical and secondary injury sites, and stability assessment. Only after mastering the biomechanical characteristics of the posterior screw rod system for the treatment of lumbar fracture, selecting the appropriate method, and fixing the appropriate movement unit can the best fixation be achieved. Conclusion: Threshold method is the most direct and simple image segmentation method. The core technology of thresholding is the selection of threshold, which will affect the final segmentation effect. The most common segmentation method is to calculate the segmentation threshold by histogram. The threshold method has less computation and good segmentation effect for the image with large contrast between background and target. Posterior pedicle screw rod system internal fixation has the advantages of less trauma, good reduction, reliable fixation, and less complications. The design, placement angle and depth of various internal fixation systems, and the number of fixed segments all show different mechanical characteristics. As long as we master the above characteristics, choose the appropriate method and fix the appropriate motor unit, and we can get the best fixation; it can be used as an effective treatment for lumbar fracture.

Application of Medical Imaging Based on Deep Learning in the Treatment of Lumbar Degenerative Diseases and Osteoporosis with Bone Cement Screws.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and GSI-energy spectrum electronic computed tomography (CT) medical imaging based on the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease and osteoporosis. METHODS: There were 56 cases of suspected lumbar degenerative disease and osteoporosis. A group of 56 subjects were examined using 1.5 TMR spectrum (MRS) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to collect the lumbar L3 vertebral body fat ratio (FF) and L1~4 vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) value. We divided the subjects into 2 groups with T value -2.5 as the critical point. Set T value > -2.5 as the negative group and T value ≤ -2.5 as the positive group. Pearson's method is used for FF-MRS and BMD correlation analyses. A group of all patients underwent GSI-energy spectrum CT scan, and X-ray bone mineral density (DXA) test results (bone density per unit area) were used as the gold standard to analyze the diagnosis of osteoporosis by the GSI-energy spectrum CT scan method value. RESULTS: The differences in FF and BMD between the negative group and the positive group were statistically significant (P < 0.01), and there was a highly negative correlation between the average value of FF and BMD. 30 cases were diagnosed as osteoporosis by DXA. The accuracy of GSI-energy spectrum CT medical imaging in diagnosing osteoporosis is 89.30%. The GSI-energy spectrum CT diagnosis of osteoporosis and DXA examination results have good consistency. CONCLUSION: Based on the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) MRS technology, GSI-energy spectrum CT medical imaging is used in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of lumbar degenerative lesions and osteoporosis. It has a good advantage in assessing bone quality and has good consistency with DXA examination and has better application value high.

[Effect of pedicle screw fixation with bone cement in lumbar].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the strength of pedicle screw fixation with bone cement in human cadaveric lumbar vertebral bodies by using biomechanical test. METHODS: Twenty-four fresh frozen cadaveric lumbar vertebral bodies were randomly divided into 3 groups, which each group had 8 bodies. The bodies in the first group were drilled only. The bodies in the second group were drilled with tap. The bodies in the third group were drilled and the holes were enlarged by borer. Each vertebral body was drilled in both right and left sides, which one side served as control with the pedicle screws fixation only and another side served as testing side with the pedicle screw fixation with bone cement. The pullout strength was tested on both sides by using borer. RESULT: There was significant difference of manifestation of pull-strength between the control side and the testing side in all groups (P < 0.001). For the manifestation of pull-strength of testing side in different groups, which had pedicle screw fixation with bone cement, there was no significant difference between the second group and third group, however, the difference between the first group and the second group and between the first group and third group were significant. CONCLUSION: The pedicle screws with bone cements could significantly enhance the strength of fixation in cadaveric lumbar compared with pedicle screws only.

[Experimental study on differentiation of rat BMSCs to chondrocytes transfected by TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 gene alone and together].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the secretion of target gene and differentiation of BMSCs transfected by TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 gene alone and together into chondrocytes and to provide a new method for culturing seed cells in cartilage tissue engineering. METHODS: The plasmids pcDNA3.1-IGF-1 and pcDNA3.1-TGF-beta1 were amplified and extracted, then cut by enzymes, electrophoresed and analyzed its sequence. BMSCs of Wistar rats were separated and purificated by the density gradient centrifugation and adherent separation. The morphologic changes of primary and passaged cells were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope and cell surface markers were detected by immunofluorescence method. According to the transfect situation, the BMSCs were divided into 5 groups, the non-transfected group (Group A), the group transfected by empty vector (Group B), the group transfected by TGF-beta1 (Group C), the group transfected by IGF-1 (Group D) and the group transfected both by TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 (Group E). After being transfected, the cells were selected, then the proliferation activity was tested by MTT and expression levels were tested by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The result of electrophoresis showed that sequence of two bands of the target genes, IGF-1 and TGF-beta1, was identical with the sequence of GeneBank cDNA. A few adherent cells appeared after 24 hours culture, typical cluster formed on the forth or fifth days, and 80%-90% of the cells fused with each other on the ninth or tenth days. The morphology of the cells became similar after passaging. The immunofluorescence method showed that BMSCs were positive for CD29 and CD44, but negative for CD34 and CD45. A few cells died after 24 hours of transfection, cell clone formed at 3 weeks after selection, and the cells could be passaged at the forth week, most cells became polygonal. The boundary of some cells was obscure. The cells were round and their nucleus were asymmetry with the particles which were around the nucleus obviously. The absorbency values of the cells tested by MTT at the wavelength of 490 nm were 0.432 +/- 0.038 in group A, 0.428 +/- 0.041 in group B, 0.664 +/- 0.086 in group C, 0.655 +/- 0.045 in group D and 0.833 +/- 0.103 in group E. The differences between groups A, B and groups C, D, E were significant (P < 0.01). The differences between groups A and B or between C, D and E were not significant (P > 0.05). RT-PCR and Western blot was served to detect the expression of the target gene and protein. TGF-beta1 was the highest in group C, 0.9250 +/- 0.0220, 124.3417 +/- 2.9820, followed by group E, 0.7717 +/- 0.0120, 101.7667 +/- 1.2410 (P < 0.01); The expression of IGF-1 was the highest in group E, 1.0200 +/- 0.0260, 128.1717 +/- 9.1520, followed by group D, 0.4650 +/- 0.0420, 111.0450 +/- 6.2480 (P < 0.01). And the expression of collagen II was the highest in group E, 0.9800 +/- 0.0340, 120.3550 +/- 12.5500, followed by group C, 0.7200 +/- 0.0260, 72.2467 +/- 7.3640 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The repairment of cartilage defects by BMSCs transfected with TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 gene together has a good prospect and important significance of clinic application in cartilage tissue engineering.