Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Stimulation in Osteogenesis and Chondrogenesis: Signaling Pathways and Therapeutic Implications

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the main cell players in tissue repair and thanks to their self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation capabilities, they gained significant attention as cell source for tissue engineering (TE) approaches aimed at restoring bone and cartilage defects. Despite significant progress, their therapeutic application remains debated: the TE construct often fails to completely restore the biomechanical properties of the native tissue, leading to poor clinical outcomes in the long term. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are currently used as a safe and non-invasive treatment to enhance bone healing and to provide joint protection. PEMFs enhance both osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. Here, we provide extensive review of the signaling pathways modulated by PEMFs during MSCs osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. Particular attention has been given to the PEMF-mediated activation of the adenosine signaling and their regulation of the inflammatory response as key player in TE approaches. Overall, the application of PEMFs in tissue repair is foreseen: (1) in vitro: to improve the functional and mechanical properties of the engineered construct; (2) in vivo: (i) to favor graft integration, (ii) to control the local inflammatory response, and (iii) to foster tissue repair from both implanted and resident MSCs cells.     

Science in High Magnetic Fields: What Could Be Learned?

High magnetic fields are one of the most powerful tools available to scientists for the study, modification and control of matter. This includes the knowledge on correlations effects, interaction mechanisms, structural information and understanding of mesoscopic effects. In this context, a review of recent scientific achievements at the Grenoble High Magnetic Laboratory is given to illustrate, on specific examples, the power of the Magnetic Field probe.     

非关联双模场对Kerr介质中电子绝热跃迁转移现象的影响

本文研究了充满Kerr介质的高Q腔中非关联双模相干态场与级联三能级原子非共振相互作用情况下,电子的绝热跃迁转移现象与非关联场之间的关系。数值计算显示:级联三能级原子在与非关联双模相干态的相互作用下,该现象依然存在,但呈现不同于原子与关联场相互作用的新特征。     

Axisymmetric extrusion through adaptable dies—Part 1: Flexible velocity fields and power terms

An adaptable die is one that not only produces the correct geometrical shape, but also is designed through an adaptable method to impart other desirable properties to the product or process. In this first part of a series of papers, six kinematically admissible velocity fields are developed for use in upper bound models for axisymmetric extrusion through various dies, including extrusion through adaptable dies. Three base velocity fields are presented:

(1) assuming proportional angles in the deformation zone,

(2) assuming proportional areas in the deformation zone, or

(3) assuming proportional distances from the centerline in the deformation zone.

The base velocity is modified by an additional term comprised of two functions. One function allows extra flexibility in the radial direction, and the second function allows extra flexibility in the angular direction. There are two forms of the second function, which meet the required boundary conditions. The flexibility function in the radial direction is represented by a series of Legendre polynomials, which are orthogonal over the deformation region. The power terms derived for these velocity fields for use in upper bound models are also presented.Part 2 of this series compares the results obtained in upper bound models for the six velocity fields for a spherical extrusion die. In Part 3, the use of the best velocity field for extrusion through streamlined dies is developed to determine the adaptable die shape, which minimizes the required extrusion pressure. Additionally, the adaptable die shape is compared with results from Yang and Han for arbitrarily curved and streamlined dies.     

Comparison of finite element reliability methods

The spectral stochastic finite element method (SSFEM) aims at constructing a probabilistic representation of the response of a mechanical system, whose material properties are random fields. The response quantities, e.g. the nodal displacements, are represented by a polynomial series expansion in terms of standard normal random variables. This expansion is usually post-processed to obtain the second-order statistical moments of the response quantities. However, in the literature, the SSFEM has also been suggested as a method for reliability analysis. No careful examination of this potential has been made yet. In this paper, the SSFEM is considered in conjunction with the first-order reliability method (FORM) and with importance sampling for finite element reliability analysis. This approach is compared with the direct coupling of a FORM reliability code and a finite element code. The two procedures are applied to the reliability analysis of the settlement of a foundation lying on a randomly heterogeneous soil layer. The results are used to make a comprehensive comparison of the two methods in terms of their relative accuracies and efficiencies.     

Extremes of random fields over arbitrary domains with application to concrete rupture stresses

To find the exact probability distribution of the global maximum or minimum of a random field within a bounded domain is a pending problem even for Gaussian fields. Except for very special examples of fields, recourse must be taken to approximate reasoning or asymptotic considerations to be judged with respect to accuracy by simulations. In this paper, the problem is addressed through a functional equation that leads to the definition of a class of distribution functions that depend solely on process or field characteristics and domain quantities that can be calculated explicitly. This distribution function class is studied for Gaussian processes in earlier works by the author and it has been obtained explicitly for Gaussian fields on rectangular domains in the plane. Simulation studies show that rather good predictions are obtained for sufficiently smooth wide band Gaussian processes and fields. In this paper, the distribution function is obtained in general for Gaussian fields over arbitrary bounded domains with piecewise continuous and differentiable boundaries, and as in earlier works the distribution function is tested against empirical distribution functions obtained by simulation of sample functions of a smooth approximately Gaussian field, herein called a broken line Hino field. For completeness this particular field type is defined in appendix a and appendix b. The paper concludes with a statistical application on data for plain concrete tensile strength.     

Dynamic analysis and drilling degrees of freedom

Finite element methods for dynamic analysis employing elements with drilling degrees of freedom are presented. The formulation is based on a variational principle in which displacements and rotations are interpolated independently. The issue of zero masses corresponding to rotational degrees of freedom is addressed and techniques for defining consistent and lumped rotational mass matrices are presented.     

用改进的逐次逼近解法计算二维井间电磁场

提出了一种计算积分方程的新方法——改进的逐次逼近解法 (MSAM) ,并用该方法计算了轴对称二维井间电磁场。与传统的逐次逼近解法 (SAM)相比 ,该方法收敛性强 ,应用范围广 ,可适用于高电导率对比地层。由于不必进行直接的大型矩阵求逆运算 ,因此与积分方程的直接解法 (IE)相比 ,该方法计算速度更快 ,所需内存更少。采用矩阵求逆方法计算了成层介质中的二维 Green函数 ,并对含 Green函数的积分进行了简化 ,从而加快了计算速度。数值计算结果显示 ,在地层电导率对比度达到 2个数量级时 MSAM仍收敛 ,且计算结果与直接求解积分方程的结果一致 ,因此 MSAM是一种有效的计算轴对称二维井间电磁场的方法     

中原高温高盐油藏疏水缔合聚合物凝胶调剖剂研究

针对中原油田高温(>80℃)、高盐度(>50 g/L)、高硬度(>1 g/L)砂岩油藏,研制了地下成胶的高热稳定性聚合物凝胶调剖剂。所用聚合物为疏水缔合聚合物AP-P4,M=9.0×106,HD=27%,疏水基摩尔分数0.2%;交联剂为可生成酚醛树脂的3种化合物;调剖剂胶液用矿化度160 g/L的马寨油田污水配制;实验温度95℃。根据形成的凝胶黏度(95℃,1.1 s-1)确定交联剂各组分用量为:MZ-YL 0.429%,MZ-BE 0.060%,MZ-XS 0.012%;酸度调整剂用量0.12%;成胶时间10~15小时。2.5、3.0、3.5 g/L AP-P4的凝胶在95℃老化100天后黏度保持在~40 Pa.s及以上。初配制胶液在3000 r/min下剪切15分钟后黏度降低87.5%~89.0%,但成胶后和老化过程中凝胶黏度只比未剪切样降低17.1%~6.6%。3.5 g/L AP-P4的调剖剂对~1μm2的6支储层岩心的堵塞率在88.1%~95.8%范围,平均93.3%,造成的残余阻力系数在15.2~28.6范围,平均19.8,使渗透率级差2.3~8.0的4组双人造岩心的注水流量比发生不同程度的反转。认为该凝胶调剖剂高温下稳定性好的原因,是强化学交联密度低,因而凝胶脱水收缩作用弱。图2表5参5。