Excellent Magnetocaloric Performance of the Fe87Ce13-xBx (x = 5, 6, 7) Metallic Glasses and Their Composite.

The novel Fe87Ce13-xBx (x = 5, 6, 7) metallic glass (MG) ribbons were fabricated in this work. The compositional dependence of glass forming ability (GFA), magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of these ternary MGs, and the mechanism involved was investigated. The GFA and Curie temperature (Tc) of the MG ribbons were found to improve with the boron content, and the peak value of magnetic entropy change (-ΔSmpeak) reaches a maximum of 3.88 J/(kg × K) under 5 T when x = 6. Based on the three results, we designed an amorphous composite that exhibits a table-shape magnetic entropy change (-ΔSm) profile with a rather high average -ΔSm (-ΔSmaverage~3.29 J/(kg × K) under 5 T) from 282.5 K to 320 K, which makes it a potential candidate for the highly efficient refrigerant in a domestic magnetic refrigeration appliance.

Icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 cells via the AMPK pathway.

Backgroud Icariin, a major bioactive pharmaceutical component of the Chinese herbal medicine Epimedii Herba, has demonstrated lipid-lowering and anti-obesity effects. Irisin/ fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) protects against obesity by inducing browning in white adipose tissue. Objectives This study investigated the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 myotubes. Method Cultured murine C2C12 myocytes were used to study the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expressions by Western-blot, qPCR, Elisa and Immunofluorescence. We also investigated FNDC5 expression in icariin-treated intact mice. Results Icariin increased irisin/FNDC5 protein levels. mRNA levels of irisin/FNDC5 were also increased in C2C12 myocytes after treatment with icariin. Icariin increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1alpha (PGC-1α) protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, icariin exposure resulted in phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in a dose-dependent manner. The regulatory effect of icariin on FNDC5 protein expression was blocked by the AMPK antagonist compound C or silencing of AMPK, suggesting that icariin increased FNDC5 protein expression via the AMPK pathway. In vivo, icariin decreased body weight gain in C57BL/6 mice and increased FNDC5, PGC-1α, and p-AMPK expression levels in skeletal muscle. Conclusions Taken together, our results indicated that icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression via the AMPK pathway, indicating that icariin may be promising as an anti-obesity drug.

Browning of Abdominal Aorta Perivascular Adipose Tissue Inhibits Adipose Tissue Inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) can regulate vascular homeostasis by secreting various adipokines. This study investigated the effects of PVAT browning on its endocrine function. METHODS: In the first section of our study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into cold exposure (8°C) and 24°C acclimation groups. After cold exposure for 7 days, interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), subcutaneous white adipose tissue, thoracic aortic PVAT, and abdominal aortic PVAT (aPVAT) were harvested for histological and brown marker gene expression analysis. In the second part, male rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks. In the 11th week, the rats were treated with or without cold exposure. After 14-day cold exposure, aPVAT was collected for histological, gene, and protein expression analysis. RESULTS: Cold exposure had a browning effect on aPVAT by increasing UCP-1 and PGC-1α expression levels. After HFD feeding for 10 weeks, 14-day cold exposure was still able to induce aPVAT browning. Compared with thermoneutrality acclimation rats, TNF-α, IL-6, and p-p65 expression levels were significantly lower in aPVAT from HFD-fed rats with cold exposure. In contrast, p-AMPK expression levels were increased in aPVAT from HFD-fed rats with cold exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that browning of aPVAT in HFD-fed rats lowered the pro-inflammatory adipokine expression levels and activated AMPK.

Oestrogen exerts anti-inflammation via p38 MAPK/NF-κB cascade in adipocytes.

BACKGROUND: Oestrogen has anti-inflammatory property in obesity. However, the mechanism is still not defined. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of oestrogen on LPS-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production in adipocytes. METHODS: Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) was used to imitate inflammatory responses and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) was selected as an inflammatory marker to observe. 17ß-Estradiol (E2), SB203580 (SB), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), pertussis toxin (PTX), wortmannin (WM), p65 siRNA and p38 MAPK siRNA were pre-treated respectively or together in LPS-induced MCP-1. Then p38 MAPK and NF-κB cascade were silenced successively to observe the change of each other. Lastly, oestrogen receptor (ER) α agonist, ERß agonist and ER antagonist were utilised. RESULTS: LPS-induced MCP-1 largely impaired by pre-treatment with E2, SB, PDTC or silencing NF-κB subunit. E2 inhibited LPS-induced MCP-1 in a time- and dose-dependent manner, which was related to the suppression of p65 translocation to nucleus. Furthermore, LPS rapidly activated p38 MAPK, while E2 markedly inhibited this activation. It markedly attenuated LPS-stimulated p65 translocation to nucleus and MCP-1 production by transfecting with p38 MAPK siRNA or using p38 MAPK inhibitor. The oestrogen's inhibitory effect was mimicked by the ERα agonist, but not by the ERß agonist. The inhibition of E2 on p38 MAPK phosphorylation was prevented by ER antagonist. CONCLUSIONS: E2 inhibits LPS-stimulated MCP-1 in adipocytes. This effect is related to the inhibition of p38 MAPK/NF-κB cascade, and ERα appears to be the dominant ER subtype in these events.

[Synthesis and properties of nanorod-long afterglow BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphor].

The present paper mainly reports a new method to synthesize long afterglow photoluminescent material BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+. Al(NO3)3.9H2O, Ba(NO3)2, urea, RE(NO3) 3(RE==Eu, Dy) were employed as raw materials, the admixture of H2O/n-butanol and H2O/n-butanol/SBS were used as medium, then BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphor was achieved by calcining the precursor, which was synthesized by hydrothermal method, at 130 degrees C under reduction atmosphere. The TEM and SEM were used to analyse the morphology and BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ synthesized by annealing at 1300 degrees C are all nanorods. The excitation and emission spectra of the phosphor indicated that all of them are broad band, and the main emission peak is around 498 nm, which is due to 5d-->4f transition of Eu2+. The state-solid synthesis of the long afterglow phosphor BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ generally requires a high calcination temperature, so the products are easily agglomerated, and in this paper the hydrothermal solvothermal synthesis was used, so the synthesized products calcined at 130 degrees degrees C still present well-dispersed rod structure, need not milling, and display well luminescence performance. The authors compared the two different conditions of experiment, and found that under the condition without surfactant the authors can still get well-dispersed rod structure of BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+. The method is hopeful to be used in synthesizing other alkali-earth aluminate and silicate and other luminescent materials.

[Comparative study of antegrade and retrograde intramedullary nailing for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects between antegrade intramedullary nailing and retrograde intramedullary nailing for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. METHODS: From March 1999 to October 2006, 105 patients with humeral shaft fractures were treated with locked intramedullary nail and were adequately followed up. There were 82 antegrade nailing and 23 retrograde nailing. The follow-up parameters included operation time, blood loss,fracture healing rate, healing time, complications, Constant-Murley shoulder score and Mayo elbow performance score. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 31.2 months. Antegrade intramedullary nailing had significantly less blood loss than that in retrograde intramedullary nailing (P=0.002). The differences in operation time, complications, healing time and bone healing rate between he two groups had no statistical significance. Complications in the antegrade intramedullary nail group included 4 patients with nonunions, 1 patient with radial nerve palsy, and 8 patients with shoulder pains and decrement in shoulder range of motion. Complications in the retrograde intramedullary nail group included 1 patient with radial nerve palsy and 3 patients with iatrogenic fractures. For shoulder joints,the difference in the average Constant-Murley shoulder score between the two groups was statistically significant (P=0.04). For elbow joints, the average postoperative Mayo elbow performance score between these two approaches did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Both the antegrade intramedullary nailing and the retrograde intramedullary nailing are good alternatives for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Because of higher incidence of iatrogenic fractures, the insertion point of retrograde intramedullary nailing should be carefully prepared. With antegrade insertion, it important to bury the humeral nail below the rotator cuff to prevent the subacromial impingement, and the rotator cuff should be carefully repaired to avoid shoulder pain and improve shoulder function.

[Antibiotic-PMMA beads combined with external fixator for treating the infected fracture nonunion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of antibiotic-PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate) beads combined with external fixator in treatment of infected fracture nonunion. METHODS: Twenty-two cases of infected fracture-nonunions were reviewed involving 20 male and 2 female with an average age of 34.68 years (ranging 21 to 74 years). The data consisted of 9 cases of tibial fractures, 2 distal fractures of the femur, 6 femoral shaft fractures, 3 intertrochanteric fracture of the femur and 2 humeral shaft fractures. The procedure included thorough debridement to wipe out dead bone and granulation tissue, then antibiotic-PMMA bead chains imbedded into the dead space. One week later, secondary debridement was performed, antibiotic-PMMA bead chains were changed according to result of bacterial culture and susceptibility test, and fractures were stabilized with external fixator. Three months after debridement, antibiotic-PMMA bead chains were taken out and bone graft with autogenous iliac cancellous bone chips was performed. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 19.98 months (ranging 15 to 28 months). Infection was controlled in 20 cases. One tibial fracture and 1 intertrochanteric fracture of the femur needed repeated debridement 2 and 3 months after bone grafting respectively,because of infection recurrence and sinus formation. All 22 cases achieved bony union averaged 15.09 weeks after bone grafting with a range of 8 to 24 weeks. CONCLUSION: Thorough debridement, imbedding antibiotic-PMMA bead chains combined with external fixator and staged bone grafting has proven to be effective and simple for treatment of infected fracture nonunion. The antibiotic bead delivers high tissue levels,obliterates dead space, aids bone repair.