Effect of type 2 diabetes on biochemical markers of bone metabolism: a meta-analysis.

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to examine differences in biochemical markers of bone metabolism between individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and non-T2DM control groups.

Materials And Methods: Two independent evaluators searched five databases: PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. We aimed to identify observational studies investigating the impact of T2DM on biochemical markers of bone metabolism.

Proteinaceous Microsphere-Based Water-in-Oil Pickering Emulsions for Preservation of Chlorella Cells.

Microalgae are highly regarded as ideal materials for the creation of liquid biofuels and have substantial potential for growth and utilization. However, traditional storage and culture methods for microalgae are plagued by challenges such as uncontrolled growth, bacterial contamination, and self-shading among algae. These issues severely impede the photosynthetic process and the efficient extraction of biomass energy.

Study on Modification of Poplar Wood via Composite Impregnation with Silica Sol/Melamine-Glyoxal Resin.

In order to overcome the defects of fast-growing poplar wood, such as low strength and poor toughness, this paper introduces a method of modifying poplar wood via impregnation with silica sol/melamine-glyoxal (silica sol/MG) resin and explores its effects on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of poplar wood. It was found via scanning electron microscopy that the composite modifier covered and filled the cell lumen, cell interstitial space, and cell wall pores of poplar wood. Further, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses confirmed that chemical cross-linking occurred between the silica sol/MG resin composite modifier and the internal groups of poplar wood and that the Si-O-Si flexible long chains introduced in the composite modifier formed a cross-linking network with poplar wood such as Si-O-Si and Si-O-C, which led to the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties and the enhancement of the thermal stability of poplar wood.

Electronic Janus lattice and kagome-like bands in coloring-triangular MoTe monolayers.

Polymorphic structures of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) host exotic electronic states, like charge density wave and superconductivity. However, the number of these structures is limited by crystal symmetries, which poses a challenge to achieving tailored lattices and properties both theoretically and experimentally. Here, we report a coloring-triangle (CT) latticed MoTe monolayer, termed CT-MoTe, constructed by controllably introducing uniform and ordered mirror-twin-boundaries into a pristine monolayer via molecular beam epitaxy.

Development of a cryogen-free sub-3 K low-temperature scanning probe microscope by remote liquefaction scheme.

We developed a new scheme for cryogen-free cooling down to sub-3 K temperature range and ultra-low vibration level. An ultra-high-vacuum cryogen-free scanning probe microscope (SPM) system was built based on the new scheme. Instead of mounting a below-decoupled cryocooler directly onto the system, the new design was realized by integrating a Gifford-McMahon cryocooler into a separate liquefying chamber, providing two-stage heat exchangers in a remote way.

Long-term Physical Exercise Improves Finger Tapping of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that has been characterized by progressive development of long onset early disease with complicated etiology and may cause memory loss, cognitive impairment, and behavioral changes. Physical exercise may play a preventive role in AD. In the present study, we investigated the impact of longer-term physical exercise on the finger tapping of AD patients by comparing the finger tapping of AD patients and healthy controls.

Size-dependent strain-engineered nanostructures in MoSmonolayer investigated by atomic force microscopy.

The strain has been employed for controlled modification of electronical and mechanical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, the thermal strain-engineered behaviors of the CVD-grown MoShave not been systematically explored. Here, we investigated the strain-induced structure and properties of CVD-grown triangular MoSflakes by several advanced atomic force microscopy.

The effects of locomotion on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell fate: insight into mechanical regulation and bone formation.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) refer to a heterogeneous population of cells with the capacity for self-renewal. BMSCs have multi-directional differentiation potential and can differentiate into chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and adipocytes under specific microenvironment or mechanical regulation. The activities of BMSCs are closely related to bone quality.

Medium-Intensity Treadmill Exercise Exerts Beneficial Effects on Bone Modeling Through Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

As a type of multipotential cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) can differentiate into chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and adipocytes under different loading condition or specific microenvironment. Previous studies have shown that BMMSCs and their lineage-differentiated progeny (for example, osteoblasts), and osteocytes are mechanosensitive in bone. The appropriate physical activity and exercise could help attenuate bone loss, effectively stimulate bone formation, increase bone mineral density (BMD), prevent the progression of osteoporosis, and reduce the risk of bone fractures.

Extensive germline genome engineering in pigs.

The clinical applicability of porcine xenotransplantation-a long-investigated alternative to the scarce availability of human organs for patients with organ failure-is limited by molecular incompatibilities between the immune systems of pigs and humans as well as by the risk of transmitting porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs). We recently showed the production of pigs with genomically inactivated PERVs. Here, using a combination of CRISPR-Cas9 and transposon technologies, we show that pigs with all PERVs inactivated can also be genetically engineered to eliminate three xenoantigens and to express nine human transgenes that enhance the pigs' immunological compatibility and blood-coagulation compatibility with humans.

Atomically Asymmetric Inversion Scales up to Mesoscopic Single-Crystal Monolayer Flakes.

Symmetry is highly relevant with various quantities and phenomena in physics. While the translational symmetry breaks at the edges of two-dimensional hexagonal crystalline flakes, it is usually associated with the breaking of central inversion symmetry that is yet to be observed in terms of physical properties. Here, we report an experiment-theory joint study on in-plane compressed single-crystal monolayer WS flakes.

MiR-214 Attenuates the Osteogenic Effects of Mechanical Loading on Osteoblasts.

Exercise is an effective way to prevent osteoporosis, but its mechanism remains unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in bone metabolism. Recently, mechanical loading was reported to induce changes in miRNA expression in osteoblasts.

Interfacial water intercalation-induced metal-insulator transition in NbS/BN heterostructure.

Interfacial engineering, such as molecule intercalation, can modify properties and optimize performance of van der Waals heterostructures and their devices. Here, we investigated the pristine and water molecule intercalated heterointerface of niobium disulphide (NbS) on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) (NbS/BN) using advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM), and observed the metal-insulator transition (MIT) of first layer (1L-) of NbS induced by water molecule intercalation. In pristine sample, interfacial charge transfers were confirmed by the direct detection of trapped static charges at the post-exposed h-BN surface, produced by mechanically peeling off the 1L-NbS from the substrate.

Finger Tapping Outperforms the Traditional Scale in Patients With Peripheral Nerve Damage.

This study aimed to investigate whether there exist the limits of finger tapping frequency in the peripheral nerve injury detection in upper limb, and the effects of rehabilitation treatment on upper limb with peripheral nerve injury through finger tapping. Here, 54 patients with peripheral nerve injury in upper limb were selected. We conducted finger tapping frequency test and Lind-mark hand function assessment score on the 54 subjects, and recorded the data 2-week before and after rehabilitation treatment.

Can Long-Term Regular Practice of Physical Exercises Including Taichi Improve Finger Tapping of Patients Presenting With Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a brain disease with both anatomical and functional alterations. There is clear evidence that individuals that are diagnosed with MCI have a high risk to develop dementia in the next 2-5 years compared to an age-matched population with a non-MCI diagnosis. The present study aimed to investigate whether the finger tapping frequency of patients with MCI was different from that of healthy individuals without MCI, and whether Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese movement discipline, could improve the finger tapping frequency of MCI patients.

Dynamic interfacial mechanical-thermal characteristics of atomically thin two-dimensional crystals.

Owing to the flexible nanoelectronic applications of two-dimensional (2D) materials, further exploration of their nanoscale local mechanical properties and their coupled physical characteristics becomes extremely significant. The puckering effect is a typical micro/nanoscale local frictional characteristic generally in the tip-film-substrate system, which is simultaneously expected to be coupled with a dynamic thermal interfacial response. Here, applying scanning thermal microscopy (SThM), we observed a novel mechanical-thermal coupling effect in monolayer/bilayer MoS2 and WS2 films: puckering deformation can induce the enhancement of interfacial thermal resistance (TR).

Nanoscale charge transfer and diffusion at the MoS/SiO interface by atomic force microscopy: contact injection versus triboelectrification.

Understanding the process of charge generation, transfer, and diffusion between two-dimensional (2D) materials and their supporting substrates is very important for potential applications of 2D materials. Compared with the systematic studies of triboelectric charging in a bulk sample, a fundamental understanding of the triboelectrification of the 2D material/insulator system is rather limited. Here, the charge transfer and diffusion of both the SiO surface and MoS/SiO interface through contact electrification and frictional electrification are investigated systematically in situ by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy and dual-harmonic electrostatic force microscopy.

Mechanical Stress Regulates Bone Metabolism Through MicroRNAs.

There are many lines of evidence indicating that mechanical stress regulates bone metabolism and promotes bone growth. BMP, Wnt, ERK1/2, and OPG/RANKL are the main molecules thought to regulate the effects of mechanical loading on bone formation. Recently, microRNAs were found to be involved in bone cell proliferation and differentiation, regulating the balance of bone formation and bone resorption.

Modulating memristive performance of hexagonal WO3 nanowire by water-oxidized hydrogen ion implantation.

In a two-terminal Au/hexagonal WO3 nanowire/Au device, ions drifting or carriers self-trapping under external electrical field will modulate the Schottky barriers between the nanowire and electrodes, and then result in memristive effect. When there are water molecules adsorbed on the surface of WO3 nanowire, hydrogen ions will generate near the positively-charged electrode and transport in the condensed water film, which will enhance the memristive performance characterized by analogic resistive switching remarkably. When the bias voltage is swept repeatedly under high relative humidity level, hydrogen ions will accumulate on the surface and then implant into the lattice of the WO3 nanowire, which leads to a transition from semiconducting WO3 nanowire to metallic HxWO3 nanowire.

Non-thermal plasma-induced photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol in water.

TiO(2) photocatalyst (P-25) (50mgL(-1)) was tentatively introduced into pulsed high-voltage discharge process for non-thermal plasma-induced photocatalytic degradation of the representative mode organic pollutant parachlorophenol (4-CP), including other compounds phenol and methyl red in water. The experimental results showed that rate constant of 4-CP degradation, energy efficiency for 4-CP removal and TOC removal with TiO(2) were obviously increased. Pulsed high-voltage discharge process with TiO(2) had a promoted effect for the degradation of these pollutants under a broad range of liquid conductivity.