The effects of coal characteristics on the properties of coal water slurry (CWS) were systemically studied using sixteen Chinese coals of different ranks from lignite to anthracite. The correlation between coal properties and CWS characteristics were investigated by multivariate progressive regression analysis. CWS properties examined in this study included slurryability (concentration of slurry that gives an apparent viscosity at 1200 mPa Á s at a shear rate of 28.38 s À1 ), rheological behavior (represented by a flow index), and static stability (days for formation of soft sediment). Coal properties examined in the study included coal rank, air equilibrium moisture (M ad ), maximum moisture holding capacity (MHC), ash content, surface properties, petrographic macerals, pore structure, and adsorption characteristics of dispersants.
Background
Deer antler is a traditional Chinese medicine with the function of tonifying kidney and strengthening bone, which is often used to treat orthopedic diseases.
Methods
Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were used as the fixation model of open tibial fracture with intramedullary nail. The mice were treated with deer antler extract (DAE) or PBS by oral gavage once daily. The tibial fracture samples were collected and performed to the tissue analysis, including X-ray, micro-CT, histology, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry. MC3T3-E1 cells were used to detect the effect of deer antler extract on ability of cell proliferation and migration by CCK-8 assay and cell scratch test.
Results
Imaging and micro-CT showed that DAE could promote the healing of tibial fracture in mice, and histological analysis showed that DAE could promote the transformation of cartilage callus to bone callus in fracture area. The results of qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that DAE could promote intrachondral ossification in fracture zone and the mechanism of promoting fracture healing may be related to the activation of BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway. In the cytological experiment of DAE, it can be found that DAE promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and the migration of MC3T3-E1 cells at a certain concentration, which is also related to the promotion of fracture healing by DAE.
Conclusion
DAE can promote fracture healing by activating BMP-2/SMAD4 signaling pathway. DAE has the potential to be used in clinic as an important means of promoting fracture healing.
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