Exploratory study of sea buckthorn enhancing QiangGuYin efficacy by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and analysis of active ingredients by molecular docking.

Background: Sea buckthorn (SBT) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins, which can potentially prevent and treat osteoporosis. However, no research has been conducted to confirm these hypotheses. QiangGuYin (QGY) is a TCM compound used to treat osteoporosis. There is a need to investigate whether SBT enhances QGY efficacy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore whether SBT enhances QGY efficacy by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum expression through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. The study also aimed to explore the active components of SBT. Methods: Experimental animals were divided into control, model, QGY, SBT, SBT + Eucommia ulmoides (EU), and SBT + QGY groups. After treatment, bone morphometric parameters, such as estrogen, PINP, and S-CTX levels, and Notum, CKIP-1, and ß-catenin expression were examined. Screening of SBT active components was conducted by molecular docking to obtain small molecules that bind Notum and CKIP-1. Results: The results showed that all the drug groups could elevate the estrogen, PINP, and S-CTX levels, improve femoral bone morphometric parameters, inhibit Notum and CKIP-1 expression, and promote ß-catenin expression. The effect of SBT + EU and SBT + QGY was superior to the others. Molecular docking identified that SBT contains seven small molecules (folic acid, rhein, quercetin, kaempferol, mandenol, isorhamnetin, and ent-epicatechin) with potential effects on CKIP-1 and Notum. Conclusion: SBT improves bone morphometric performance in PMOP rats by inhibiting CKIP-1 and Notum expression, increasing estrogen levels, and activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, SBT enhances the properties of QGY. Folic acid, rhein, quercetin, kaempferol, mandenol, isorhamnetin, and ent-epicatechin are the most likely active ingredients of SBT. These results provide insight into the pharmacological mechanisms of SBT in treating osteoporosis.

[Experimental study on effect of complement C3 on bone formation observed by cell culture in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To explore effect of lentivirus-mediated complement C3 silencing vector on the osteogenic ability of human B lymphocyte Raji-osteoblast cell line MG63 co-culture system and its mechanism. METHODS: The lentiviral complement C3 silencing vector was constructed and transfected into human B lymphocyte Raji to establish in vitro Raji-osteoblast cell line MG63 co-culture system. The cells were divided into blank control group (without special treatment), complement C3 silencing group (lentiviral complement C3 silencing vector transfection co-culture system) and model group(lentiviral vector transfection co-culture system). The expression of complement C3 in each group was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Western-Blot at 24 h after culture, proliferation of MG63 cells was detected by CCK-8 at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h, apoptosis of MG63 cells in each group was detected by flow cytometry at 24 h after culture, and alkaline phosphatase(AKP) activity of MG63 cells in each group was detected by AKP detection kit, and osteoprotegerin (OPG ) protein expression of MG63 cells in each group was detected by Western-Blot method. RESULTS: RT-PCR results showed that the expression level of C3 in complement C3 silencing group was lower than that in blank control group and model group, Western-Blot results showed that expression of C3 in complement C3 silencing group was lower than that in blank control group and model group, CCK-8 results showed that there was no difference in proliferation ability of MG63 among complement C3 silencing group and blank control group and model group at 3 and 6 h after culture;at 12 h after culture, proliferation ability of MG63 cells with C3 silencing was higher than that of blank control group and model group;at 24, 48 and 72 h after culture, proliferation ability of MG63 cell line with complement C3 silencing group were higher than that of blank control group and model group. Flow cytometry resluts showed that apoptosis of proliferation ability of MG63 cell line with complement C3 silencing group was lower than that of blank control group and model group;AKP detection kit suggested that AKP activity in complement C3 silencing group was higher than that in blank control group and model group, Western-Blot results showed that expression level of OPG protein in complement C3 silencing groupwas higher than that in blank control groupand model group. CONCLUSION: Silencing of complement C3 could enhance bone formation ability of osteoblast MG63, and it takes time to accumulate this ability. Complement C3 may affect osteogenesis by altering OPG / RANKL / RANK axis.

A space hurricane over the Earth's polar ionosphere.

In Earth's low atmosphere, hurricanes are destructive due to their great size, strong spiral winds with shears, and intense rain/precipitation. However, disturbances resembling hurricanes have not been detected in Earth's upper atmosphere. Here, we report a long-lasting space hurricane in the polar ionosphere and magnetosphere during low solar and otherwise low geomagnetic activity. This hurricane shows strong circular horizontal plasma flow with shears, a nearly zero-flow center, and a coincident cyclone-shaped aurora caused by strong electron precipitation associated with intense upward magnetic field-aligned currents. Near the center, precipitating electrons were substantially accelerated to ~10 keV. The hurricane imparted large energy and momentum deposition into the ionosphere despite otherwise extremely quiet conditions. The observations and simulations reveal that the space hurricane is generated by steady high-latitude lobe magnetic reconnection and current continuity during a several hour period of northward interplanetary magnetic field and very low solar wind density and speed.

Multiple transpolar auroral arcs reveal insight about coupling processes in the Earth's magnetotail.

A distinct class of aurora, called transpolar auroral arc (TPA) (in some cases called "theta" aurora), appears in the extremely high-latitude ionosphere of the Earth when interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is northward. The formation and evolution of TPA offers clues about processes transferring energy and momentum from the solar wind to the magnetosphere and ionosphere during a northward IMF. However, their formation mechanisms remain poorly understood and controversial. We report a mechanism identified from multiple-instrument observations of unusually bright, multiple TPAs and simulations from a high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) global MagnetoHydroDynamics (MHD) model. The observations and simulations show an excellent agreement and reveal that these multiple TPAs are generated by precipitating energetic magnetospheric electrons within field-aligned current (FAC) sheets. These FAC sheets are generated by multiple-flow shear sheets in both the magnetospheric boundary produced by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability between supersonic solar wind flow and magnetosphere plasma, and the plasma sheet generated by the interactions between the enhanced earthward plasma flows from the distant tail (less than -100 RE) and the enhanced tailward flows from the near tail (about -20 RE). The study offers insight into the complex solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes under a northward IMF condition, and it challenges existing paradigms of the dynamics of the Earth's magnetosphere.

[Analysis of the related factors of fever of unknown causes before operation of intertrochanteric fracture in the elderly].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the related factors of fever of unknown causes before operation of intertrochanteric fracture of femur in the elderly. METHODS: From August 2015 to August 2018, 156 cases of intertrochanteric fracture of femur were treated by intramedullary nail fixation. According to the preoperative measurement, whether there was fever was divided into fever group and non fever group. There were 80 cases in fever group, 26 males and 54 females, aged 60 to 93 (75.063±13.082) years; 76 cases in non fever group, 39 males and 37 females, aged 60 to 96 (74.763±13.692) years. All patients' sex, age, basic diseases, WBC, NE%, Hb, CRP, D dimer and ALB were observed for single factor analysisand multi factor analysis. RESULTS: Single factor analysis showed that gender, Hb, CRP had influence on preoperative fever, but other indexes had no influence; multi factor analysis showed that gender and CRP might have influence on fever. The probability of fever increased by 1.2%(P=0.050) for every increase of CRP, and there was no significant difference between female and male in the probability of fever (P=0.061). CONCLUSION: CRP is an independent risk factor of preoperative fever in the elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture of femur. The abnormality of CRP indicates that patients are more likely to have preoperative fever. Perioperative management should pay attention to the monitoring of CRP and early intervention.

[Floating needle therapy for postoperative functional rehabilitation in patients with surgical neck fracture of humerus: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of floating needle therapy on myofascial trigger point (MTrP) and conventional electroacupuncture on the recovery of shoulder joint function after surgical neck fracture of humerus on the basis of drugs and rehabilitation training. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with unilateral surgical neck fracture of humerus were randomly divided into a floating needle group (35 cases) and an electroacupuncture group (37 cases). At the same time of the basic treatment, both groups were intervened on the 2nd day after operation. Touched the MTrP at the affected limb, and the floating needle was used to sweep around it in the floating needle group. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied at Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5) on the affected side, the dilatational wave (4 Hz/20 Hz) was selected. The treatment was given once every day for 2 weeks. Pain visual analogue scales (VAS) score, constant shoulder joint score, and changes in the number of MTrP were used to evaluate the pain and functional status of the shoulder joints before, after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with that before treatment, the VAS scores were decreased, the constant scores were increased, and the numbers of MTrP were decreased in the two groups after treatment and 3 months after treatment (P<0.05), but the improvement in the floating needle group was better than that in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05). Compared with that after treatment, the VAS scores were decreased and the constant scores were increased 3 months after treatment in the floating needle group (P<0.05), and the VAS scores in the electroacupuncture group were decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Floating needle therapy is helpful for the rehabilitation of shoulder joint function after surgical neck fracture of the humerus, and its curative effect is better than conventional electroacupuncture.

Study of the Microstructure and Ring Element Segregation Zone of Spray Deposited SiCp/7055Al.

Composites of 7055 aluminum (Al) matrix reinforced with SiC particles were prepared using the spray deposition method. The volume fraction of the phase reinforced with SiC particles was 17%. The effect of the introduction of SiC particles on the deposited microstructure and properties of the composites was studied in order to facilitate the follow-up study. The structure and element enrichment zone of spray-deposited SiCp/7055 Al matrix composites were studied by Optical Microscope (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the reinforcement phases of the SiC particles were uniformly distributed on the macro and micro levels, and a few SiC particles were segregated into annular closed regions. C and Si on the surface of SiC particles diffused to the Al matrix. The distribution of the two elements was gradient weakening with SiC particles as the center, and the enrichment zones of Si, Mg and Cu formed in the middle of the closed annular area of a few SiC particles. The enrichment zones were mainly composed of alpha-Al, SiC, Al2CuMg, Al2Cu and MgZn2. AlCu and AlMgCu phase precipitate on the surface of the SiC particles, beside the particle boundary, and had the characteristics of preferred nucleation. They tended to grow at the edges and corners of SiC particles. It was observed that the formation of nanoparticles in the alloy had a pinning effect on dislocations. The different cooling rates of the SiC particles and the Al matrix led to different aluminum liquid particle sizes, ranging from 20 to 150 µm. In the region surrounded by SiC particles, the phenomenon of large particles extruding small particles was widespread. Tearing edges and cracks continued to propagate around the SiC particles, increasing their propagation journey and delaying the fracture of the materials.