Mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment(TME)are associated with tumor growth,proliferation,and drug resistance.Strong mechanical forces in tumors alter the metabolism and behavior of cancer cells,thus promotin...Mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment(TME)are associated with tumor growth,proliferation,and drug resistance.Strong mechanical forces in tumors alter the metabolism and behavior of cancer cells,thus promoting tumor progression and metastasis.Mechanical signals are transformed into biochemical signals,which activate tumorigenic signaling pathways through mechanical transduction.Cancer immunotherapy has recently made exciting progress,ushering in a new era of“chemo-free”treatments.However,immunotherapy has not achieved satisfactory results in a variety of tumors,because of the complex tumor microenvironment.Herein,we discuss the effects of mechanical forces on the tumor immune microenvironment and highlight emerging therapeutic strategies for targeting mechanical forces in immunotherapy.展开更多
The carbonization of magnesium oxide particles by CO2 was investigated using a stirring mill reactor. The effects of the system temperature, stirring rotation speed, influx rate of CO2 and initial diameter of the magn...The carbonization of magnesium oxide particles by CO2 was investigated using a stirring mill reactor. The effects of the system temperature, stirring rotation speed, influx rate of CO2 and initial diameter of the magnesium oxide particles on the carbonization process were determined, The results show that the system temperature and the stirring rotation speed are the most significant influencing factors on the carbonization rate. The determi-nation of critical decomposition temperature (CDT) gives the maximum carbonization rate with other conditions fixed. A theoretical model involving mass transfer and reaction kinetics was presented for the carbonization process. The apparent activation energy was calculated to be 32.8kJ·mol-1. The carbonization process is co-controlled by diffusive mass transfer and chemical reaction. The model fits well with the experimental results.展开更多
To improve the osteogenic property of bone repairing materials and to accelerate bone healing are major tasks in bone biomaterials research. The objective of this study was to investigate if the mechanical force could...To improve the osteogenic property of bone repairing materials and to accelerate bone healing are major tasks in bone biomaterials research. The objective of this study was to investigate if the mechanical force could be used to accelerate bone formation in a bony defect in vivo. The calcium sulfate cement was implanted into the left distal femoral epiphyses surgically in 16 rats. The half of rats were subjected to external mechanical force via treadmill exercise, the exercise started at day 7 postoperatively for 30 consecutive days and at a constant speed 8 m·min-1 for 45 min·day-1, while the rest served as a control. The rats were scanned four times longitudinally after surgery using microcomputed tomography and newly formed bone was evaluated. After sacrificing, the femurs had biomechanical test of three-point bending and histological analysis. The results showed that bone healing under mechanical force were better than the control with residual defect areas of 0.64±0.19 mm2 and 1.78±0.39 mm2(P〈0.001), and the ultimate loads to failure under mechanical force were 69.56±4.74 N, stronger than the control with ultimate loads to failure of 59.17±7.48 N(P=0.039). This suggests that the mechanical force might be used to improve new bone formation and potentially offer a clinical strategy to accelerate bone healing.展开更多
The switching process of ferroelectric thin films in electronic devices is one of the most important requirements for their application. Especially for the different external fields acting on the film surface, the mec...The switching process of ferroelectric thin films in electronic devices is one of the most important requirements for their application. Especially for the different external fields acting on the film surface, the mechanism of domain switching is more complicated. Here we observe the nanoscale domain switchings of Bi3.15Eu0.85Ti3O12 thin film under different mechanical forces at a fast scan rate. As the force increases from initial state to 247.5 n N, the original bright or grey contrasts within the selected grains are all changed into dark contrasts corresponding to the polarization vectors reversed from the up state to the down state, except for the clusters. As the mechanical force increases to 495 n N, the color contrasts in all of the selected grains further turn into grey contrasts and some are even changed into grey contrasts completely showing the typical 90° domain switching. When another stronger loading force 742.5 n N is applied, the phase image becomes unclear and it indicates that the piezoelectric signal can be suppressed under a sufficiently high force, which is coincident with previous experimental results. Furthermore, we adopt the domain switching criterion from the perspective of equilibrium state free energy of ferroelectric nanodomain to explain the mechanisms of force-generated domain switchings.展开更多
BK channels are widely expressed in both excitable and non-excitable cells and known to be involved in many physiological processes,such as vascular smooth tone regulation,neuronal firing and endocrine cell secretion[...BK channels are widely expressed in both excitable and non-excitable cells and known to be involved in many physiological processes,such as vascular smooth tone regulation,neuronal firing and endocrine cell secretion[1].Recently, the BK channels have展开更多
BackgroundThe retina, a light-sensitive neural tissue critical for vision, exists in a dynamic mechanical environment where it is continuously exposed to mechanical forces. These forces, including traction forces, int...BackgroundThe retina, a light-sensitive neural tissue critical for vision, exists in a dynamic mechanical environment where it is continuously exposed to mechanical forces. These forces, including traction forces, intraocular pressure-related stress, and hemodynamic forces, are closely linked to the progression of retinal diseases. A comprehensive understanding of retinal mechanosensation and mechanotransduction is essential for understanding the pathological mechanisms under aberrant mechanical conditions.Main TextThis review synthesizes current knowledge on advanced biomechanical assessment techniques, and aging-associated biomechanical alterations in retinal tissues, emphasizing how mechanical forces drive structural and functional pathology.ConclusionsBy elucidating the mechanosensitive mechanisms remodeling retinal cell behavior and fate, this review highlights the critical role of biomechanics in retinal disease pathogenesis. The integration of mechanistic insights with biomechanical assessment techniques offers transformative potential for diagnosing mechanical dysfunction and developing mechanotargeted therapies.展开更多
Mechanical forces play a key role in the initiation and progression of cancer.Intercellular interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells contribute a large portion of the mechanical forces in tumor tissue.Hence,f...Mechanical forces play a key role in the initiation and progression of cancer.Intercellular interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells contribute a large portion of the mechanical forces in tumor tissue.Hence,further investigation of the mechanical force-mediated intercellular interactions between cancer cells and fibroblasts is urgently needed,given the slow progress in the management of various solid cancers.In our previous study,we observed obvious mechanical force-mediated interactions between hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells and fibroblasts through integrins and ECM proteins by using our coculture model and discovered that these interactions play important roles in 3D structure formation and tumor growth,suggesting their potential application in HCC treatment.In this review,we summarize the recent research progress in this field in hopes of providing insight into the development of potential anticancer strategies,with a special focus on HCC.展开更多
To study the electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomer subjected to a mechanical force field, we use free energy functions of variable forms to analyze the mechanical performance of dielectric elastomer. The...To study the electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomer subjected to a mechanical force field, we use free energy functions of variable forms to analyze the mechanical performance of dielectric elastomer. The relation among critical nominal electric field, critical true electric field, nominal stress and mechanical force field is derived. These calculations agree well with the experimental results. The results can help us better understand the stability conditions of dielectric elastomers and furthermore guide the design and manufacture of sensors and actuators based on dielectric elastomers.展开更多
Artificial vascular graft(AVG)fistula is widely used for hemodialysis treatment in patients with renal failure.However,it has poor elasticity and compliance,leading to stenosis and thrombosis.The ideal artificial bloo...Artificial vascular graft(AVG)fistula is widely used for hemodialysis treatment in patients with renal failure.However,it has poor elasticity and compliance,leading to stenosis and thrombosis.The ideal artificial blood vessel for dialysis should replicate the structure and components of a real artery,which is primarily maintained by collagen in the extracellular matrix(ECM)of arterial cells.Studies have revealed that in hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced liver fibrosis,hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)become hyperactive and produce excessive ECM fibers.Furthermore,mechanical stimulation can encourage ECM secretion and remodeling of a fiber structure.Based on the above factors,we transfected HSCs with the hepatitis B viral X(HBX)gene for simulating the process of HBV infection.Subsequently,these HBX-HSCs were implanted into a polycaprolactonepolyurethane(PCL-PU)bilayer scaffold in which the inner layer is dense and the outer layer consists of pores,which was mechanically stimulated to promote the secretion of collagen nanofiber from the HBX-HSCs and to facilitate crosslinking with the scaffold.We obtained an ECM-PCL-PU composite bionic blood vessel that could act as access for dialysis after decellularization.Then,the vessel scaffold was implanted into a rabbit’s neck arteriovenous fistula model.It exhibited strong tensile strength and smooth blood flow and formed autologous blood vessels in the rabbit’s body.Our study demonstrates the use of human cells to create biomimetic dialysis blood vessels,providing a novel approach for creating clinical vascular access for dialysis.展开更多
The vibration response formulas of the mechanical system under the affect of thevari-frequency exciting force are deduced. It is proved by the theoretical analysis and experimentalresults that the vibration response a...The vibration response formulas of the mechanical system under the affect of thevari-frequency exciting force are deduced. It is proved by the theoretical analysis and experimentalresults that the vibration response amplitude of the mechanical system under the affect of thevari-frequency exciting force is far smaller than that under the affect of the constant frequency exciting force on condition that the exciting force amplitudes are just the same;while the vari-fre-quency rate a increases to 5 Hz per second the vibration amplitude will decrease to 10% only as lowas that under the affect of the constant frequency exciting force. All these conclusions will be of significance for revealing the mechanism of suppressing chatter in van-speed cutting and analyzing theexperimental results of sine-wave scanning exciting test.展开更多
Cells are exposed to various mechanical forces,including extracellular and intracellular forces such as stiffness,tension,compression,viscosity,and shear stress,which regulate cell biology.The process of transducing m...Cells are exposed to various mechanical forces,including extracellular and intracellular forces such as stiffness,tension,compression,viscosity,and shear stress,which regulate cell biology.The process of transducing mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals is termed mechanotransduction.These mechanical forces can regulate protein and gene expression,thereby impacting cell morphology,adhesion,proliferation,apoptosis,and migration.During cancer development,significant changes in extracellular and intracellular mechanical properties occur,resulting in altered mechanical inputs to which cells are exposed.MicroRNAs(miRNAs),key post-transcriptional regulators of gene and protein expression,are increasingly recognized as mechanosensitive molecules involved in cancer development.In this review,we summarize the primary cellular pathways involved in force sensing and mechanotransduction,emphasizing the role of forces in miRNA biogenesis and expression,as well as their influence on the regulation of key mechanotransducers.Furthermore,we focus on recent evidence regarding the induction or repression of miRNAs involved in cancer development by mechanical forces and their impact on the regulation of proteins that contribute to cancer progression.展开更多
Cross-talk between tumor cells and mechanical stress in the tumor microenvironment has been shown to be involved in carcinogenesis.High mechanical stress in tumors can alter the metabolism and behaviors of cancer cell...Cross-talk between tumor cells and mechanical stress in the tumor microenvironment has been shown to be involved in carcinogenesis.High mechanical stress in tumors can alter the metabolism and behaviors of cancer cells and cause cancer cells to attain cancer stem-like cell properties,thus driving tumor progression and promoting metastasis.The mechanical signal is converted into a biochemical signal that activates tumorigenic signaling pathways through mechanotransduction.Herein,we describe the physical changes occurring during reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism,which regulate cancer stem cell functions and promote tumor progression and aggression.Furthermore,we highlight emerging therapeutic strategies targeting mechanotransduction signaling pathways.展开更多
The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies d...The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies diverse and the scarcity of accurate quantitative reconstruction records.In this study,we employed diatoms and pollen records from lacustrine sediment in the Aibi Lake of Southwest Junggar Basin to quantitatively reconstruct salinity and watershed precipitation amounts while exploring the associated forcing mechanisms.The results indicate that Aibi Lake salinity varied between 2 and 47 g/L during the Late Holocene Period,indicating a generally brackish environment,and corresponding to prevailing Tryblionella granulata diatom in the lake basin.Westerly-dominated annual precipitation varied between 250 and 320 mm during the Late Holocene Period in the basin,exhibiting a generally semi-arid environment and prevailing desert steppe vegetation.The Aibi Lake has a low salinity of average value of~15 g/L and exhibits elevated precipitation(average value of~280 mm)during the periods of the 2900-1990,1570-1140,and 590-120 cal yr BP.The reconstructed precipitation and salinity exhibit a periodicity of~200 years,which is consistent with the cycle of phase changes of the North Atlantic oscillation(NAO)and total solar irradiance(TSI).This correlation suggests that variations in NOA and TSI significantly influence the precipitation and salinity changes in Central Asia over centennial to millennial timescales.展开更多
Shallow slope failures induced by rainfall infiltration occur frequently, and the relevant triggering mechanisms have been widely studied.Rainfall-induced landslides are widely recognized to be caused by increases in ...Shallow slope failures induced by rainfall infiltration occur frequently, and the relevant triggering mechanisms have been widely studied.Rainfall-induced landslides are widely recognized to be caused by increases in soil weight, seepage force and pore water pressure or decreases in soil mechanical properties. However, even when all these factors are considered, some landslides still cannot be explained well. The increased pore water pressure in a slope reduces the effective stress of the soil and may trigger slope failure. Similarly, the pore gas pressure in a slope also reduces the effective stress of the soil but has been neglected in previous studies. As the viscosity of air is nearly negligible when compared with that of water, the pore gas pressure spreads faster, and its influence is wider, which is harmful for the stability of the slope. In this paper, the effects of pore gas pressure are considered in a shallow slope stability analysis, and a self-designed experiment is conducted to validate the force transfer mechanism.Numerical simulation results show that the pore gas pressure in the slope increases sharply at different locations under heavy rainfall conditions and that the pore gas pressure causes a rapid decrease in the slope safety factor. Laboratory experimental results show that the pore gas pressure throughout the whole unsaturated zone has the same value, which indicates that the gas pressure could spread quickly to the whole sample.展开更多
Adaptive gaits for legged robots often requires force sensors installed on foot-tips,however impact,temperature or humidity can affect or even damage those sensors.Efforts have been made to realize indirect force esti...Adaptive gaits for legged robots often requires force sensors installed on foot-tips,however impact,temperature or humidity can affect or even damage those sensors.Efforts have been made to realize indirect force estimation on the legged robots using leg structures based on planar mechanisms.Robot Octopus III is a six-legged robot using spatial parallel mechanism(UP-2UPS) legs.This paper proposed a novel method to realize indirect force estimation on walking robot based on a spatial parallel mechanism.The direct kinematics model and the inverse kinematics model are established.The force Jacobian matrix is derived based on the kinematics model.Thus,the indirect force estimation model is established.Then,the relation between the output torques of the three motors installed on one leg to the external force exerted on the foot tip is described.Furthermore,an adaptive tripod static gait is designed.The robot alters its leg trajectory to step on obstacles by using the proposed adaptive gait.Both the indirect force estimation model and the adaptive gait are implemented and optimized in a real time control system.An experiment is carried out to validate the indirect force estimation model.The adaptive gait is tested in another experiment.Experiment results show that the robot can successfully step on a 0.2 m-high obstacle.This paper proposes a novel method to overcome obstacles for the six-legged robot using spatial parallel mechanism legs and to avoid installing the electric force sensors in harsh environment of the robot's foot tips.展开更多
The analytical solutions for predicting the exact shape of collapse mechanisms in shallow tunnels with arbitrary excavation profiles were obtained by virtue of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and variation p...The analytical solutions for predicting the exact shape of collapse mechanisms in shallow tunnels with arbitrary excavation profiles were obtained by virtue of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and variation principle according to Hoek-Brown failure criterion. The seepage force was included in the upper bound limit analysis, and it was computed from the gradient of excess pore pressure distribution. The seepage was regarded as a work rate of external force. The numerical results of roof collapse in square and circular tunnels with different rock parameters were derived and discussed, which proves to be valid in comparison with the previous work. The influences of different parameters on the shape of collapsing blocks were also discussed.展开更多
In order to investigate the sealing performance variation resulted from the thermal deformation of the end faces, the equations to calculate the fluid film pressure distribution, the bearing force and the leakage rate...In order to investigate the sealing performance variation resulted from the thermal deformation of the end faces, the equations to calculate the fluid film pressure distribution, the bearing force and the leakage rate are derived, for the fluid film both in parallel gap and in wedgy gap. The geometrical parameters of the sealing members are optimized by means of heat transfer analysis and complex method. The analysis results indicate that the shallow spiral grooves can generate hydrodynamic pressure while the rotating ring rotates and the bearing force of the fluid film in spiral groove end faces is much larger than that in the flat end faces. The deformation increases the bearing force of the fluid film in flat end faces, but it decreases the hydrodynamic pressure of the fluid film in spiral groove end faces. The gap dimensions which determine the characteristics of the fluid film is obtained by coupling analysis of the frictional heat and the thermal deformation in consideration of the equilibrium condition of the bearing force and the closing force. For different gap dimensions, the relation- ship between the closing force and the leakage rate is also investigated, based on which the leakage rate can be controlled by adjusting the closing force.展开更多
wo different surface morphology characteristics of magnetron sputtered aluminumsilicon(Al-Si)alloy films deposited at 0 and 200℃ were observed by atomic force microscopy(AFM).One is irregularly shaped grains put togt...wo different surface morphology characteristics of magnetron sputtered aluminumsilicon(Al-Si)alloy films deposited at 0 and 200℃ were observed by atomic force microscopy(AFM).One is irregularly shaped grains put togther on a plane.The other is irregularly shaped grains Piled up in space. Nanometer-sized particles with heights from 1.6 to 2.9 nm were first observed. On the basis of these observations the growth mechanism of magnetron sputtered films is discussed.展开更多
Studies by many scientists show that Hebei, China is an area with strong correlation between the tidal force and the occurrences of major earthquakes, the Xingtai earthquake of 1966, the Hejian earthquake of 1967 and ...Studies by many scientists show that Hebei, China is an area with strong correlation between the tidal force and the occurrences of major earthquakes, the Xingtai earthquake of 1966, the Hejian earthquake of 1967 and the Tangshan earthquake of 1976 were triggered by the tidal force, in this paper the study on the common characteristics of their occurrence times confirms these facts. The computed times of maximum horizontal of the semi diurnal solid tide tidal force show that the occurrence times of the above mentioned earthquakes were close to the times of maximum horizontal tidal force of the semi diurnal solid tide at new moon or full moon. The Longyao earthquake of M =6.8, the Ningjin earthquake of M =7.2 and the Hejian earthquake of M =6.3 occurred tens of minutes after the maximum horizontal tidal force of the semi diurnal solid tides, and the Tangshan earthquake of M =7.8 occurred 16 minutes before the maximum horizontal tidal force. The tidal forces were directed to the west. This is their temporal characteristic. It is generally accepted that the 1969 Bohai earthquake of M =7.4 and the 1975 Haicheng earthquake were not triggered by the tidal force. These events did not show such characteristics. The temporal characteristics of the earthquakes indicate that the occurrences of these events were not random, but were controlled by the tidal force from the sun and the moon, and triggered by the tidal force. These facts agree with the triggering mechanism of the tidal force, are evidences of earthquakes triggered by tidal force.展开更多
Cells are capable of sensing and responding to the extracellular mechanical microenvironment via the actin skeleton.In vivo,tissues are frequently subject to mechanical forces,such as the rapid and significant shear f...Cells are capable of sensing and responding to the extracellular mechanical microenvironment via the actin skeleton.In vivo,tissues are frequently subject to mechanical forces,such as the rapid and significant shear flow encountered by vascular endothelial cells.However,the investigations about the transient response of intracellular actin networks under these intense external mechanical forces,their intrinsic mechanisms,and potential implications are very limited.Here,we observe that when cells are subject to the shear flow,an actin ring structure could be rapidly assembled at the periphery of the nucleus.To gain insights into the mechanism underlying this perinuclear actin ring assembly,we develop a computational model of actin dynamics.We demonstrate that this perinuclear actin ring assembly is triggered by the depolymerization of cortical actin,Arp2/3-dependent actin filament polymerization,and myosin-mediated actin network contraction.Furthermore,we discover that the compressive stress generated by the perinuclear actin ring could lead to a reduction in the nuclear spreading area,an increase in the nuclear height,and a decrease in the nuclear volume.The present model thus explains the mechanism of the perinuclear actin ring assembly under external mechanical forces and suggests that the spontaneous contraction of this actin structure can significantly impact nuclear morphology.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.81972455 and 81902358)。
文摘Mechanical forces in the tumor microenvironment(TME)are associated with tumor growth,proliferation,and drug resistance.Strong mechanical forces in tumors alter the metabolism and behavior of cancer cells,thus promoting tumor progression and metastasis.Mechanical signals are transformed into biochemical signals,which activate tumorigenic signaling pathways through mechanical transduction.Cancer immunotherapy has recently made exciting progress,ushering in a new era of“chemo-free”treatments.However,immunotherapy has not achieved satisfactory results in a variety of tumors,because of the complex tumor microenvironment.Herein,we discuss the effects of mechanical forces on the tumor immune microenvironment and highlight emerging therapeutic strategies for targeting mechanical forces in immunotherapy.
文摘The carbonization of magnesium oxide particles by CO2 was investigated using a stirring mill reactor. The effects of the system temperature, stirring rotation speed, influx rate of CO2 and initial diameter of the magnesium oxide particles on the carbonization process were determined, The results show that the system temperature and the stirring rotation speed are the most significant influencing factors on the carbonization rate. The determi-nation of critical decomposition temperature (CDT) gives the maximum carbonization rate with other conditions fixed. A theoretical model involving mass transfer and reaction kinetics was presented for the carbonization process. The apparent activation energy was calculated to be 32.8kJ·mol-1. The carbonization process is co-controlled by diffusive mass transfer and chemical reaction. The model fits well with the experimental results.
基金supported in part by the Natural Science Foundation of China under the grants of 11072165,31270995 and 81320108018
文摘To improve the osteogenic property of bone repairing materials and to accelerate bone healing are major tasks in bone biomaterials research. The objective of this study was to investigate if the mechanical force could be used to accelerate bone formation in a bony defect in vivo. The calcium sulfate cement was implanted into the left distal femoral epiphyses surgically in 16 rats. The half of rats were subjected to external mechanical force via treadmill exercise, the exercise started at day 7 postoperatively for 30 consecutive days and at a constant speed 8 m·min-1 for 45 min·day-1, while the rest served as a control. The rats were scanned four times longitudinally after surgery using microcomputed tomography and newly formed bone was evaluated. After sacrificing, the femurs had biomechanical test of three-point bending and histological analysis. The results showed that bone healing under mechanical force were better than the control with residual defect areas of 0.64±0.19 mm2 and 1.78±0.39 mm2(P〈0.001), and the ultimate loads to failure under mechanical force were 69.56±4.74 N, stronger than the control with ultimate loads to failure of 59.17±7.48 N(P=0.039). This suggests that the mechanical force might be used to improve new bone formation and potentially offer a clinical strategy to accelerate bone healing.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51272158 and 11302185)the Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department,China(Grant No.13C901)the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(Grant Nos.14JJ3081 and 13JJ1019)
文摘The switching process of ferroelectric thin films in electronic devices is one of the most important requirements for their application. Especially for the different external fields acting on the film surface, the mechanism of domain switching is more complicated. Here we observe the nanoscale domain switchings of Bi3.15Eu0.85Ti3O12 thin film under different mechanical forces at a fast scan rate. As the force increases from initial state to 247.5 n N, the original bright or grey contrasts within the selected grains are all changed into dark contrasts corresponding to the polarization vectors reversed from the up state to the down state, except for the clusters. As the mechanical force increases to 495 n N, the color contrasts in all of the selected grains further turn into grey contrasts and some are even changed into grey contrasts completely showing the typical 90° domain switching. When another stronger loading force 742.5 n N is applied, the phase image becomes unclear and it indicates that the piezoelectric signal can be suppressed under a sufficiently high force, which is coincident with previous experimental results. Furthermore, we adopt the domain switching criterion from the perspective of equilibrium state free energy of ferroelectric nanodomain to explain the mechanisms of force-generated domain switchings.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of China grants10732070,10602031
文摘BK channels are widely expressed in both excitable and non-excitable cells and known to be involved in many physiological processes,such as vascular smooth tone regulation,neuronal firing and endocrine cell secretion[1].Recently, the BK channels have
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82301207 to D.W.)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(LQ21H120003 to Y.L.).
文摘BackgroundThe retina, a light-sensitive neural tissue critical for vision, exists in a dynamic mechanical environment where it is continuously exposed to mechanical forces. These forces, including traction forces, intraocular pressure-related stress, and hemodynamic forces, are closely linked to the progression of retinal diseases. A comprehensive understanding of retinal mechanosensation and mechanotransduction is essential for understanding the pathological mechanisms under aberrant mechanical conditions.Main TextThis review synthesizes current knowledge on advanced biomechanical assessment techniques, and aging-associated biomechanical alterations in retinal tissues, emphasizing how mechanical forces drive structural and functional pathology.ConclusionsBy elucidating the mechanosensitive mechanisms remodeling retinal cell behavior and fate, this review highlights the critical role of biomechanics in retinal disease pathogenesis. The integration of mechanistic insights with biomechanical assessment techniques offers transformative potential for diagnosing mechanical dysfunction and developing mechanotargeted therapies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82160882)the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(No.2022JJA141302)the Scientific Research Fund of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine(No.2023MS044 and 2023LZ002).
文摘Mechanical forces play a key role in the initiation and progression of cancer.Intercellular interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells contribute a large portion of the mechanical forces in tumor tissue.Hence,further investigation of the mechanical force-mediated intercellular interactions between cancer cells and fibroblasts is urgently needed,given the slow progress in the management of various solid cancers.In our previous study,we observed obvious mechanical force-mediated interactions between hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells and fibroblasts through integrins and ECM proteins by using our coculture model and discovered that these interactions play important roles in 3D structure formation and tumor growth,suggesting their potential application in HCC treatment.In this review,we summarize the recent research progress in this field in hopes of providing insight into the development of potential anticancer strategies,with a special focus on HCC.
文摘To study the electromechanical stability of dielectric elastomer subjected to a mechanical force field, we use free energy functions of variable forms to analyze the mechanical performance of dielectric elastomer. The relation among critical nominal electric field, critical true electric field, nominal stress and mechanical force field is derived. These calculations agree well with the experimental results. The results can help us better understand the stability conditions of dielectric elastomers and furthermore guide the design and manufacture of sensors and actuators based on dielectric elastomers.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81770294)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(No.2023J05261),China.
文摘Artificial vascular graft(AVG)fistula is widely used for hemodialysis treatment in patients with renal failure.However,it has poor elasticity and compliance,leading to stenosis and thrombosis.The ideal artificial blood vessel for dialysis should replicate the structure and components of a real artery,which is primarily maintained by collagen in the extracellular matrix(ECM)of arterial cells.Studies have revealed that in hepatitis B virus(HBV)-induced liver fibrosis,hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)become hyperactive and produce excessive ECM fibers.Furthermore,mechanical stimulation can encourage ECM secretion and remodeling of a fiber structure.Based on the above factors,we transfected HSCs with the hepatitis B viral X(HBX)gene for simulating the process of HBV infection.Subsequently,these HBX-HSCs were implanted into a polycaprolactonepolyurethane(PCL-PU)bilayer scaffold in which the inner layer is dense and the outer layer consists of pores,which was mechanically stimulated to promote the secretion of collagen nanofiber from the HBX-HSCs and to facilitate crosslinking with the scaffold.We obtained an ECM-PCL-PU composite bionic blood vessel that could act as access for dialysis after decellularization.Then,the vessel scaffold was implanted into a rabbit’s neck arteriovenous fistula model.It exhibited strong tensile strength and smooth blood flow and formed autologous blood vessels in the rabbit’s body.Our study demonstrates the use of human cells to create biomimetic dialysis blood vessels,providing a novel approach for creating clinical vascular access for dialysis.
文摘The vibration response formulas of the mechanical system under the affect of thevari-frequency exciting force are deduced. It is proved by the theoretical analysis and experimentalresults that the vibration response amplitude of the mechanical system under the affect of thevari-frequency exciting force is far smaller than that under the affect of the constant frequency exciting force on condition that the exciting force amplitudes are just the same;while the vari-fre-quency rate a increases to 5 Hz per second the vibration amplitude will decrease to 10% only as lowas that under the affect of the constant frequency exciting force. All these conclusions will be of significance for revealing the mechanism of suppressing chatter in van-speed cutting and analyzing theexperimental results of sine-wave scanning exciting test.
文摘Cells are exposed to various mechanical forces,including extracellular and intracellular forces such as stiffness,tension,compression,viscosity,and shear stress,which regulate cell biology.The process of transducing mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals is termed mechanotransduction.These mechanical forces can regulate protein and gene expression,thereby impacting cell morphology,adhesion,proliferation,apoptosis,and migration.During cancer development,significant changes in extracellular and intracellular mechanical properties occur,resulting in altered mechanical inputs to which cells are exposed.MicroRNAs(miRNAs),key post-transcriptional regulators of gene and protein expression,are increasingly recognized as mechanosensitive molecules involved in cancer development.In this review,we summarize the primary cellular pathways involved in force sensing and mechanotransduction,emphasizing the role of forces in miRNA biogenesis and expression,as well as their influence on the regulation of key mechanotransducers.Furthermore,we focus on recent evidence regarding the induction or repression of miRNAs involved in cancer development by mechanical forces and their impact on the regulation of proteins that contribute to cancer progression.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11832008 and 11772073)by the Program of the Postgraduate Tutor Team,Chongqing Education Commission(2018).
文摘Cross-talk between tumor cells and mechanical stress in the tumor microenvironment has been shown to be involved in carcinogenesis.High mechanical stress in tumors can alter the metabolism and behaviors of cancer cells and cause cancer cells to attain cancer stem-like cell properties,thus driving tumor progression and promoting metastasis.The mechanical signal is converted into a biochemical signal that activates tumorigenic signaling pathways through mechanotransduction.Herein,we describe the physical changes occurring during reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism,which regulate cancer stem cell functions and promote tumor progression and aggression.Furthermore,we highlight emerging therapeutic strategies targeting mechanotransduction signaling pathways.
基金supported by the Gansu Province Outstanding Youth Fund(No.23JRRA1016)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42422102,42071101,41907379)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFF0801501)。
文摘The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies diverse and the scarcity of accurate quantitative reconstruction records.In this study,we employed diatoms and pollen records from lacustrine sediment in the Aibi Lake of Southwest Junggar Basin to quantitatively reconstruct salinity and watershed precipitation amounts while exploring the associated forcing mechanisms.The results indicate that Aibi Lake salinity varied between 2 and 47 g/L during the Late Holocene Period,indicating a generally brackish environment,and corresponding to prevailing Tryblionella granulata diatom in the lake basin.Westerly-dominated annual precipitation varied between 250 and 320 mm during the Late Holocene Period in the basin,exhibiting a generally semi-arid environment and prevailing desert steppe vegetation.The Aibi Lake has a low salinity of average value of~15 g/L and exhibits elevated precipitation(average value of~280 mm)during the periods of the 2900-1990,1570-1140,and 590-120 cal yr BP.The reconstructed precipitation and salinity exhibit a periodicity of~200 years,which is consistent with the cycle of phase changes of the North Atlantic oscillation(NAO)and total solar irradiance(TSI).This correlation suggests that variations in NOA and TSI significantly influence the precipitation and salinity changes in Central Asia over centennial to millennial timescales.
基金supported by National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFC1501100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51279090)Sponsored by Research Fund for Excellent Dissertation of China Three Gorges University
文摘Shallow slope failures induced by rainfall infiltration occur frequently, and the relevant triggering mechanisms have been widely studied.Rainfall-induced landslides are widely recognized to be caused by increases in soil weight, seepage force and pore water pressure or decreases in soil mechanical properties. However, even when all these factors are considered, some landslides still cannot be explained well. The increased pore water pressure in a slope reduces the effective stress of the soil and may trigger slope failure. Similarly, the pore gas pressure in a slope also reduces the effective stress of the soil but has been neglected in previous studies. As the viscosity of air is nearly negligible when compared with that of water, the pore gas pressure spreads faster, and its influence is wider, which is harmful for the stability of the slope. In this paper, the effects of pore gas pressure are considered in a shallow slope stability analysis, and a self-designed experiment is conducted to validate the force transfer mechanism.Numerical simulation results show that the pore gas pressure in the slope increases sharply at different locations under heavy rainfall conditions and that the pore gas pressure causes a rapid decrease in the slope safety factor. Laboratory experimental results show that the pore gas pressure throughout the whole unsaturated zone has the same value, which indicates that the gas pressure could spread quickly to the whole sample.
基金Supported by National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,Grant No.2013CB035501)Research Fund of the State Key Lab of MSV of China(Grant No.MSV201208)
文摘Adaptive gaits for legged robots often requires force sensors installed on foot-tips,however impact,temperature or humidity can affect or even damage those sensors.Efforts have been made to realize indirect force estimation on the legged robots using leg structures based on planar mechanisms.Robot Octopus III is a six-legged robot using spatial parallel mechanism(UP-2UPS) legs.This paper proposed a novel method to realize indirect force estimation on walking robot based on a spatial parallel mechanism.The direct kinematics model and the inverse kinematics model are established.The force Jacobian matrix is derived based on the kinematics model.Thus,the indirect force estimation model is established.Then,the relation between the output torques of the three motors installed on one leg to the external force exerted on the foot tip is described.Furthermore,an adaptive tripod static gait is designed.The robot alters its leg trajectory to step on obstacles by using the proposed adaptive gait.Both the indirect force estimation model and the adaptive gait are implemented and optimized in a real time control system.An experiment is carried out to validate the indirect force estimation model.The adaptive gait is tested in another experiment.Experiment results show that the robot can successfully step on a 0.2 m-high obstacle.This paper proposes a novel method to overcome obstacles for the six-legged robot using spatial parallel mechanism legs and to avoid installing the electric force sensors in harsh environment of the robot's foot tips.
基金Project(2013CB036004)supported by the National Basic Research Program of ChinaProjects(51178468,51378510)supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘The analytical solutions for predicting the exact shape of collapse mechanisms in shallow tunnels with arbitrary excavation profiles were obtained by virtue of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and variation principle according to Hoek-Brown failure criterion. The seepage force was included in the upper bound limit analysis, and it was computed from the gradient of excess pore pressure distribution. The seepage was regarded as a work rate of external force. The numerical results of roof collapse in square and circular tunnels with different rock parameters were derived and discussed, which proves to be valid in comparison with the previous work. The influences of different parameters on the shape of collapsing blocks were also discussed.
文摘In order to investigate the sealing performance variation resulted from the thermal deformation of the end faces, the equations to calculate the fluid film pressure distribution, the bearing force and the leakage rate are derived, for the fluid film both in parallel gap and in wedgy gap. The geometrical parameters of the sealing members are optimized by means of heat transfer analysis and complex method. The analysis results indicate that the shallow spiral grooves can generate hydrodynamic pressure while the rotating ring rotates and the bearing force of the fluid film in spiral groove end faces is much larger than that in the flat end faces. The deformation increases the bearing force of the fluid film in flat end faces, but it decreases the hydrodynamic pressure of the fluid film in spiral groove end faces. The gap dimensions which determine the characteristics of the fluid film is obtained by coupling analysis of the frictional heat and the thermal deformation in consideration of the equilibrium condition of the bearing force and the closing force. For different gap dimensions, the relation- ship between the closing force and the leakage rate is also investigated, based on which the leakage rate can be controlled by adjusting the closing force.
文摘wo different surface morphology characteristics of magnetron sputtered aluminumsilicon(Al-Si)alloy films deposited at 0 and 200℃ were observed by atomic force microscopy(AFM).One is irregularly shaped grains put togther on a plane.The other is irregularly shaped grains Piled up in space. Nanometer-sized particles with heights from 1.6 to 2.9 nm were first observed. On the basis of these observations the growth mechanism of magnetron sputtered films is discussed.
文摘Studies by many scientists show that Hebei, China is an area with strong correlation between the tidal force and the occurrences of major earthquakes, the Xingtai earthquake of 1966, the Hejian earthquake of 1967 and the Tangshan earthquake of 1976 were triggered by the tidal force, in this paper the study on the common characteristics of their occurrence times confirms these facts. The computed times of maximum horizontal of the semi diurnal solid tide tidal force show that the occurrence times of the above mentioned earthquakes were close to the times of maximum horizontal tidal force of the semi diurnal solid tide at new moon or full moon. The Longyao earthquake of M =6.8, the Ningjin earthquake of M =7.2 and the Hejian earthquake of M =6.3 occurred tens of minutes after the maximum horizontal tidal force of the semi diurnal solid tides, and the Tangshan earthquake of M =7.8 occurred 16 minutes before the maximum horizontal tidal force. The tidal forces were directed to the west. This is their temporal characteristic. It is generally accepted that the 1969 Bohai earthquake of M =7.4 and the 1975 Haicheng earthquake were not triggered by the tidal force. These events did not show such characteristics. The temporal characteristics of the earthquakes indicate that the occurrences of these events were not random, but were controlled by the tidal force from the sun and the moon, and triggered by the tidal force. These facts agree with the triggering mechanism of the tidal force, are evidences of earthquakes triggered by tidal force.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 12025207 and 11872357)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities。
文摘Cells are capable of sensing and responding to the extracellular mechanical microenvironment via the actin skeleton.In vivo,tissues are frequently subject to mechanical forces,such as the rapid and significant shear flow encountered by vascular endothelial cells.However,the investigations about the transient response of intracellular actin networks under these intense external mechanical forces,their intrinsic mechanisms,and potential implications are very limited.Here,we observe that when cells are subject to the shear flow,an actin ring structure could be rapidly assembled at the periphery of the nucleus.To gain insights into the mechanism underlying this perinuclear actin ring assembly,we develop a computational model of actin dynamics.We demonstrate that this perinuclear actin ring assembly is triggered by the depolymerization of cortical actin,Arp2/3-dependent actin filament polymerization,and myosin-mediated actin network contraction.Furthermore,we discover that the compressive stress generated by the perinuclear actin ring could lead to a reduction in the nuclear spreading area,an increase in the nuclear height,and a decrease in the nuclear volume.The present model thus explains the mechanism of the perinuclear actin ring assembly under external mechanical forces and suggests that the spontaneous contraction of this actin structure can significantly impact nuclear morphology.