An oligodeoxynucleotide that induces differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts in vitro and reduces alveolar bone loss in rats with periodontitis

To investigate the effect of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) on the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to osteoblasts, in order to find a candidate ODN with potential for the treatment of periodontitis, a series of ODNs were designed and selected to test their effect on the promotion of the differentiation of BMSCs to osteoblasts in vitro and on the repair of periodontal tissue in rats with periodontitis. It was found that MT01, one of the ODNs with the sequences of human mitochondrial DNA, stimulated the proliferation of BMSCs, the differentiation of BMSCs to osteoblasts and mRNA expression of bone-associated factors including Runx2, Osterix, OPG, RANKL and collagen I in vitro. In vivo study showed that MT01 prevented the loss of alveolar bone in the rats with periodontitis and induced the production of proteins of OPG and Osterix in the bone tissue. These results indicated that MT01 could induce differentiation of BMSCs to osteoblasts and inhibit the alveolar bone absorption in rats with periodontitis.     

The Cellular Choreography of Osteoblast Angiotropism in Bone Development and Homeostasis

Interaction between endothelial cells and osteoblasts is essential for bone development and homeostasis. This process is mediated in large part by osteoblast angiotropism, the migration of osteoblasts alongside blood vessels, which is crucial for the homing of osteoblasts to sites of bone formation during embryogenesis and in mature bones during remodeling and repair. Specialized bone endothelial cells that form “type H” capillaries have emerged as key interaction partners of osteoblasts, regulating osteoblast differentiation and maturation and ensuring their migration towards newly forming trabecular bone areas. Recent revolutions in high-resolution imaging methodologies for bone as well as single cell and RNA sequencing technologies have enabled the identification of some of the signaling pathways and molecular interactions that underpin this regulatory relationship. Similarly, the intercellular cross talk between endothelial cells and entombed osteocytes that is essential for bone formation, repair, and maintenance are beginning to be uncovered. This is a relatively new area of research that has, until recently, been hampered by a lack of appropriate analysis tools. Now that these tools are available, greater understanding of the molecular relationships between these key cell types is expected to facilitate identification of new drug targets for diseases of bone formation and remodeling.     

Targeting Intercellular Communication in the Bone Microenvironment to Prevent Disseminated Tumor Cell Escape from Dormancy and Bone Metastatic Tumor Growth

Metastasis to the bone is a common feature of many cancers including those of the breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and kidney. Once tumors metastasize to the bone, they are essentially incurable. Bone metastasis is a complex process involving not only intravasation of tumor cells from the primary tumor into circulation, but extravasation from circulation into the bone where they meet an environment that is generally suppressive of their growth. The bone microenvironment can inhibit the growth of disseminated tumor cells (DTC) by inducing dormancy of the DTC directly and later on following formation of a micrometastatic tumour mass by inhibiting metastatic processes including angiogenesis, bone remodeling and immunosuppressive cell functions. In this review we will highlight some of the mechanisms mediating DTC dormancy and the complex relationships which occur between tumor cells and bone resident cells in the bone metastatic microenvironment. These inter-cellular interactions may be important targets to consider for development of novel effective therapies for the prevention or treatment of bone metastases.     

A Specific Oligodeoxynucleotide Promotes the Differentiation of Osteoblasts via ERK and p38 MAPK Pathways

A specific oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), ODN MT01, was found to have positive effects on the proliferation and activation of the osteoblast-like cell line MG 63. In this study, the detailed signaling pathways in which ODN MT01 promoted the differentiation of osteoblasts were systematically examined. ODN MT01 enhanced the expression of osteogenic marker genes, such as osteocalcin and type I collagen. Furthermore, ODN MT01 activated Runx2 phosphorylation via ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and p38 MAPK. Consistently, ODN MT01 induced up-regulation of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and type I collagen, which was inhibited by pre-treatment with the ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 and the p38 inhibitor SB203580. These results suggest that the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways, as well as Runx2 activation, are involved in ODN MT01-induced up-regulation of osteocalcin, type I collagen and the activity of ALP in MG 63 cells.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide)‐based glycopolymers and their biocompatibility with osteoblast cells

Poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(methacryl‐d ‐glucopyranoside) (PEO‐GP) and poly(methacryl‐d ‐glucopyranoside) (H‐GP) glycopolymers were synthesized by deacetylation of acetylated polymers which were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization. The synthesized glycopolymers were characterized using ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The deacetylated polymers exhibited onset decomposition temperatures about 60 °C lower compared to the polymers having acetyl pendants. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the acetylated homopolymer was 133 °C and that of the PEO‐based block copolymer was 124 °C. The deacetylated polymers H‐GP and PEO‐GP exhibited T_g values of about ?30 °C. Biocompatibility of the H‐GP and PEO‐GP glycopolymers was obtained by studying osteoblast cell adhesion, viability and proliferation in vitro. The cell viability showed an increase with increasing concentration of H‐GP from 0.1 to 1 µmol L^?1 and then decreased with further increase in its concentration (10–1000 µmol L^?1). PEO‐GP did not show a significant variation in cell viability on variation of its concentration from 0.1 to 1000 µmol L^?1. The significant improvement in biocompatibility with osteoblast cells in the presence of PEO‐GP was considered as due to the covalently bonded PEO segment of the methacrylate glycopolymer block. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

中低品位磷矿粉的机械力化学活化与活性表征

采用机械力化学法对中低品位磷矿石进行活化,考察了不同活化设备在不同活化条件下的磷活化性能,结果表明:原料磷矿石质地较致密坚硬,化学活性较低,磷浸出率非常低,只有3.1％.采用XQM2-2L变频行星球磨机机械活化,在机械活化120 min后得到了最佳的活性,磷浸出率为7.5％.采用AGO-Ⅱ高能球磨机进行实验,磷浸出率最佳值为10.9％,若在相同活化条件下,活化过程中加入助磨剂,则可进一步提高磷的浸出率,最佳值可达15.3％.     

Preparation,biomimetic apatite induction and osteoblast proliferation test of TiO2-based coatings containing P with a graded structure

TiO₂-based coatings containing P (T–P) were prepared on Ti6Al4V by microarc oxidation (MAO) with applied voltages of 200–400 V in an electrolyte containing (NaPO₃)₆ and NaOH. The surfaces of the T–P coatings became rough and the thickness increased with increasing the applied voltage. Above 200 V, anatase was found on the surface, and rutile was observed at 400 V. With increasing the coating thickness, the O and P concentrations increase; while Ti and Al concentrations decrease. Ti, O and P elements display a uniform distribution character around the micropores on the surface of the T–P coating formed at 300 V. However, the inner of the micropores exhibits a high Ti concentration and low O and P concentrations due to the graded distributions of Ti, O and P elements in the T–P coating. The apatite-forming ability of the T–P coating formed at 300 V was evaluated by immersing in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for 28 and 56 days. The results indicate that biomimetic apatite was formed on the surface of the T–P coating after immersion in SBF for 56 days. And the further cell experiment indicates that the T–P coating can provide surface suitable for the MG63 cell proliferation.     

Superior Alignment of Human iPSC-Osteoblasts Associated with Focal Adhesion Formation Stimulated by Oriented Collagen Scaffold

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be applied in patient-specific cell therapy to regenerate lost tissue or organ function. Anisotropic control of the structural organization in the newly generated bone matrix is pivotal for functional reconstruction during bone tissue regeneration. Recently, we revealed that hiPSC-derived osteoblasts (hiPSC-Obs) exhibit preferential alignment and organize in highly ordered bone matrices along a bone-mimetic collagen scaffold, indicating their critical role in regulating the unidirectional cellular arrangement, as well as the structural organization of regenerated bone tissue. However, it remains unclear how hiPSCs exhibit the cell properties required for oriented tissue construction. The present study aimed to characterize the properties of hiPSCs-Obs and those of their focal adhesions (FAs), which mediate the structural relationship between cells and the matrix. Our in vitro anisotropic cell culture system revealed the superior adhesion behavior of hiPSC-Obs, which exhibited accelerated cell proliferation and better cell alignment along the collagen axis compared to normal human osteoblasts. Notably, the oriented collagen scaffold stimulated FA formation along the scaffold collagen orientation. This is the first report of the superior cell adhesion behavior of hiPSC-Obs associated with the promotion of FA assembly along an anisotropic scaffold. These findings suggest a promising role for hiPSCs in enabling anisotropic bone microstructural regeneration.     

氯化锌活化生物质炭制备活性炭及其表征

以生物质炭为原料,采用氯化锌活化制备高比表面积微孔生物质活性炭,研究了浸渍比、活化剂浓度、活化温度与活化时间等条件对生物质活性炭吸附性能的影响,利用氮气吸附脱附、扫描电子显微镜、傅里叶红外光谱、X射线衍射等技术对生物质活性炭表面微观结构、形貌特征及化学结构进行了分析。结果表明,制备生物质活性炭的适宜工艺条件为：浸渍比为3,活化剂质量分数为40%,活化温度为600℃,活化时间为90min。在该条件下制备的生物质活性炭对亚甲基蓝的吸附值为213mg/g,超过国家水处理用活性炭一级品标准。经测试生物质活性炭的BET比表面积高达631.2m2/g,平均孔径2.23nm,总孔容为0.352cm3/g;孔隙结构发达,孔径分布狭窄,孔形状为排列整齐的蜂窝状结构,含有大量的微孔,84.4%的孔集中在2nm以内;表面存在醇羟基、羰基、醚、酚等含氧官能团。     

少熟料水泥中大掺量矿渣激发条件的研究

研究在粉碎活化、碱性激发和硫酸盐复合激发的作用下,大掺量矿渣的活性激发与强度的关系。研究结果表明,对矿渣进行活化激发可显著提高大掺量矿渣水泥的早期和后期强度。将各种激发条件复合并在工业生产中应用可生产高标号少熟料和无熟料砌筑水泥。     

Application of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and mechanical activation for obtaining nanocomposites

A new method is developed for obtaining powder nanocomposites consisting of a metallic or intermetallic matrix and ceramic nanometer particles as a reinforcing phase. This method involves the following consecutive processes: short-time mechanical activation of the mixture of powder reagents in a high-energy planetary ball mill, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, and additional mechanical activation of the synthesis products. Specific features of the reinforcing phase synthesis in matrices are examined by an example of TiB₂-Cu and TiB₂-TiNi systems. Compaction conditions that allow obtaining volume nanostructural materials with high strength characteristics are found. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 58–71, March–April, 2007.     

神木煤显微组分热解半焦CO_2活化特性研究

通过对神木煤显微组分不同温度下（500℃,700℃）热解得到的半焦和半焦CO2活化特性进行研究,发现富惰质组半焦比表面积和孔隙结构明显优于富镜质组半焦;热解半焦均存在较宽泛的中孔、大孔,从500℃到700℃,富镜质组半焦生成的微孔多于富惰质组半焦。在实验条件下,500℃和700℃的半焦CO2活化性能均是富镜质组〉原煤〉富惰质组。热解从500℃提高到700℃,富镜质组半焦的CO2反应活性明显提高。惰质组的结构疏松,在活化过程中容易造成孔壁塌陷,形成大孔,从而导致富惰质组半焦比表面积减小。     

Impact of Fluid Flow Shear Stress on Osteoblast Differentiation and Cross-Talk with Articular Chondrocytes

Bone cells, in particular osteoblasts, are capable of communication with each other during bone growth and homeostasis. More recently it has become clear that they also communicate with other cell-types; including chondrocytes in articular cartilage. One way that this process is facilitated is by interstitial fluid movement within the pericellular and extracellular matrices. This stimulus is also an important mechanical signal in skeletal tissues, and is known to generate shear stresses at the micron-scale (known as fluid flow shear stresses (FFSS)). The primary aim of this study was to develop and characterize an in vitro bone–cartilage crosstalk system, to examine the effect of FFSS on these cell types. Specifically, we evaluated the response of osteoblasts and chondrocytes to FFSS and the effect of FFSS-induced soluble factors from the former, on the latter. This system will ultimately be used to help us understand the role of subchondral bone damage in articular cartilage degeneration. We also carried out a comparison of responses between cell lines and primary murine cells in this work. Our findings demonstrate that primary cells produce a more reliable and reproducible response to FFSS. Furthermore we found that at lower magnitudes , direct FFSS produces anabolic responses in both chondrocytes and osteoblasts, whereas higher levels produce more catabolic responses. Finally we show that exposure to osteoblast-derived factors in conditioned media experiments produced similarly catabolic changes in primary chondrocytes.     

机械活化对玉米淀粉结晶结构与化学反应活性的影响

采用搅拌球磨机对玉米淀粉进行机械活化，用X射线衍射仪、差示扫描量热仪、扫描电子显微镜及粒度分析仪等考察了机械活化对玉米淀粉结晶结构、热特性、颗粒形貌及粒度变化的影响。并将不同活化时间的玉米淀粉在相同条件下与乙酸酐进行酯化反应及与丙烯酰胺进行接枝共聚反应，通过研究机械活化对酯化反应取代度、接枝共聚反应接枝率与接枝效率的影响规律来探讨机械活化对玉米淀粉化学反应活性的影响。结果表明，机械活化预处理能显著提高玉米淀粉酯化反应的取代度及接枝共聚反应的接枝率与接枝效率，说明机械活化能有效地提高玉米淀粉的化学反应活性。其原因是玉米淀粉在机械活化过程中其结晶结构与颗粒形貌均受到破坏，结晶度降低，最终由多晶态转变成非晶态。并随活化时间的延长，糊化温度及糊黏度下降，流动性增强，从而使反应试剂的扩散阻力下降，易于扩散到淀粉分子中参与反应。     

Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: Pathogenic Mechanisms Involving the Cartilage and Subchondral Bone,and Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Joint Regeneration

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a specialized synovial joint that is crucial for the movement and function of the jaw. TMJ osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) is the result of disc dislocation, trauma, functional overburden, and developmental anomalies. TMJ OA affects all joint structures, including the articular cartilage, synovium, subchondral bone, capsule, ligaments, periarticular muscles, and sensory nerves that innervate the tissues. The present review aimed to illustrate the main pathomechanisms involving cartilage and bone changes in TMJ OA and some therapeutic options that have shown potential restorative properties regarding these joint structures in vivo. Chondrocyte loss, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and subchondral bone remodeling are important factors in TMJ OA. The subchondral bone actively participates in TMJ OA through an abnormal bone remodeling initially characterized by a loss of bone mass, followed by reparative mechanisms that lead to stiffness and thickening of the condylar osteochondral interface. In recent years, such therapies as intraarticular platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid (HA), and mesenchymal stem cell-based treatment (MSCs) have shown promising results with respect to the regeneration of joint structures or the protection against further damage in TMJ OA. Nevertheless, PRP and MSCs are more frequently associated with cartilage and/or bone repair than HA. According to recent findings, the latter could enhance the restorative potential of other therapies (PRP, MSCs) when used in combination, rather than repair TMJ structures by itself. TMJ OA is a complex disease in which degenerative changes in the cartilage and bone develop through intricate mechanisms. The regenerative potential of such therapies as PRP, MSCs, and HA regarding the cartilage and subchondral bone (alone or in various combinations) in TMJ OA remains a matter of further research, with studies sometimes obtaining discrepant results.     

Sustainable activation of pumice with partially variable substitutions of metakaolin and/or fumed silica

Sustainable alkali activation of pumice from Turkish origin was studied by a partial replacement of metakaolin and/or fumed silica additives. Following the characterization of as-received pumice by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a series of powder mixtures were prepared by introducing metakaolin and/or fumed silica (8, 14, and 20 M) into 1 M of the pumice. The mixtures were then dissolved in 11 M NaOH or sodium silicate solutions. The slurries were poured into polyacetal molds to obtain geopolymer samples for mechanical testing and cured in a constant 50°C temperature in a humidity oven for 48 h and then left for 1 week to undergo additional curing at ambient temperature. The microstructural, mechanical, and thermal properties of the final geopolymer samples were determined by XRD, scanning electron microscopy, Weibull analysis of 3-point flexural and compressive tests and thermal conductivity measurements. Results showed that all the Weibull values were best for 14 M of metakaolin and/or fumed silica. The metakaolin-added pumice yielded higher compressive strengths of (53.78 ± 33.30 MPa) than fumed silica (10.87 ± 4.04 MPa) and fumed silica plus metakaolin (41.22 ± 5.16 MPa). Thermal conductivities (0.19–0.46 Wm^–1K^–1) were also comparable to the thermal conductivity of metakaolin-based geopolymers.     

Catalytic activity of coke activated with sulphuric acid for the reduction of nitric oxide

The catalytic activity of coke activated with sulphuric acid for the reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia at 150 °C was investigated. With the original coke the yield of nitrogen after 90 min reaction was only 10% and activation of the coke by the impregnation in sulphuric acid and subsequent heat treatment at ≈450 °C markedly enhanced the activity to a nitrogen yield as much as 70%. The activity decreased in repeated runs probably because of a surface coverage effect of the water produced, but the activity could be restored by further heat treatment at 400 °C.