Gas-propelled nanomotors alleviate colitis through the regulation of intestinal immunoenvironment-hematopexis-microbiota circuits.

The progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with immunologic derangement, intestinal hemorrhage, and microbiota imbalance. While traditional medications mainly focus on mitigating inflammation, it remains challenging to address multiple symptoms. Here, a versatile gas-propelled nanomotor was constructed by mild fusion of post-ultrasonic CaO2 nanospheres with Cu2O nanoblocks. The resulting CaO2-Cu2O possessed a desirable diameter (291.3 nm) and a uniform size distribution. It could be efficiently internalized by colonic epithelial cells and macrophages, scavenge intracellular reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, and alleviate immune reactions by pro-polarizing macrophages to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. This nanomotor was found to penetrate through the mucus barrier and accumulate in the colitis mucosa due to the driving force of the generated oxygen bubbles. Rectal administration of CaO2-Cu2O could stanch the bleeding, repair the disrupted colonic epithelial layer, and reduce the inflammatory responses through its interaction with the genes relevant to blood coagulation, anti-oxidation, wound healing, and anti-inflammation. Impressively, it restored intestinal microbiota balance by elevating the proportions of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Odoribacter and Bifidobacterium) and decreasing the abundances of harmful bacteria (e.g., Prevotellaceae and Helicobacter). Our gas-driven CaO2-Cu2O offers a promising therapeutic platform for robust treatment of UC via the rectal route.

Oral exosome-like nanovesicles from Phellinus linteus suppress metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma by reactive oxygen species generation and microbiota rebalancing.

The biomedical application of nanotechnology in cancer treatment has demonstrated significant potential for improving treatment efficiencies and ameliorating adverse effects. However, the medical translation of nanotechnology-based nanomedicines faces challenges including hazardous environmental effects, difficulties in large-scale production, and possible excessive costs. In the present study, we extracted and purified natural exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) from Phellinus linteus. These nanoparticles (denoted as P-ELNs) had an average particle size of 154.1 nm, displayed a negative zeta potential of -31.3 mV, and maintained stability in the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, P-ELNs were found to contain a diverse array of functional components, including lipids and pharmacologically active small-molecule constituents. In vitro investigations suggested that they exhibited high internalization efficiency in liver tumor cells (Hepa 1-6) and exerted significant anti-proliferative, anti-migratory, and anti-invasive effects against Hepa 1-6 cells. Strikingly, the therapeutic outcomes of oral P-ELNs were confirmed in an animal model of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma by amplifying reactive oxygen species (ROS) and rebalancing the gut microbiome. These findings demonstrate the potential of P-ELNs as a promising oral therapeutic platform for liver cancer treatment.

Synthesis and Properties of Injectable Hydrogel for Tissue Filling.

Hydrogels with injectability have emerged as the focal point in tissue filling, owing to their unique properties, such as minimal adverse effects, faster recovery, good results, and negligible disruption to daily activities. These hydrogels could attain their injectability through chemical covalent crosslinking, physical crosslinking, or biological crosslinking. These reactions allow for the formation of reversible bonds or delayed gelatinization, ensuring a minimally invasive approach for tissue filling. Injectable hydrogels facilitate tissue augmentation and tissue regeneration by offering slow degradation, mechanical support, and the modulation of biological functions in host cells. This review summarizes the recent advancements in synthetic strategies for injectable hydrogels and introduces their application in tissue filling. Ultimately, we discuss the prospects and prevailing challenges in developing optimal injectable hydrogels for tissue augmentation, aiming to chart a course for future investigations.

CaO2-Cu2O micromotors accelerate infected wound healing through antibacterial functions, hemostasis, improved cell migration, and inflammatory regulation.

During the wound tissue healing process, the relatively weak driving forces of tissue barriers and concentration gradients lead to a slow and inefficient penetration of bioactive substances into the wound area, consequently showing an impact on the effectiveness of deep wound healing. To overcome these challenges, we constructed biocompatible CaO2-Cu2O "micromotors". These micromotors reacted with the fluids at the wound site, releasing oxygen bubbles and propelling particles deep into the wound tissue. In vitro experimental results revealed that these micromotors not only exhibited antibacterial and hemostatic functions but also facilitated the migration of dermal fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells, while modulating the inflammatory microenvironment. A methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infected full-thickness-wound model was created in rats, in which CaO2-Cu2O micromotors markedly expedited the wound healing process. Specifically, CaO2-Cu2O provided a sterile microenvironment for wounds and increased the amounts of M1-type macrophages during infection and inflammation. During the proliferation and remodeling stages, the amount of M1 macrophages gradually decreased, while the amount of M2 macrophages increased, and CaO2-Cu2O did not prolong the inflammatory period. Furthermore, the introduction of a regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) film on the wound surface successfully enhanced the therapeutic effects of CaO2-Cu2O against the infected wound. The combined application of oxygen-producing CaO2-Cu2O micromotors and a RSF film demonstrates significant therapeutic potential and emerges as a promising candidate for the treatment of infected wounds.

Priapism due to penile abscess diagnosed by ultrasonography: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Priapism is an acute medical condition requiring immediate evaluation, and depending on etiology, and potentially, the need for emergency management. Among them, priapism caused by penile abscesses is relatively rare. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case report, we report a case of priapism caused by a penile abscess found by ultrasonography, with rigidity and pain in the corpus cavernosum, but no penile deviation. The patient was treated with an abscess incision and drainage. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography plays an important role in the diagnosis of penile abscess formation, and once the diagnosis is made, early treatment should be given to improve the adverse outcomes.

Bioinspired Polyacrylic Acid-Based Dressing: Wet Adhesive, Self-Healing, and Multi-Biofunctional Coacervate Hydrogel Accelerates Wound Healing.

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and its derivatives are commonly used as essential matrices in wound dressings, but their weak wet adhesion restricts the clinical application. To address this issue, a PAA-based coacervate hydrogel with strong wet adhesion capability is fabricated through a facile mixture of PAA copolymers with isoprenyl oxy poly(ethylene glycol) ether and tannic acid (TA). The poly(ethylene glycol) segments on PAA prevent the electrostatic repulsion among the ionized carboxyl groups and absorbed TA to form coacervates. The absorbed TA provides solid adhesion to dry and wet substrates via multifarious interactions, which endows the coacervate with an adhesive strength to skin of 23.4 kPa and 70% adhesion underwater. This coacervate achieves desirable self-healing and extensible properties suitable for frequently moving joints. These investigations prove that the coacervate has strong antibacterial activity, facilitates fibroblast migration, and modulates M1/M2 polarization of macrophages. In vivo hemorrhage experiments further confirm that the coacervate dramatically shortens the hemostatic time from hundreds to tens of seconds. In addition, full-thickness skin defect experiments demonstrate that the coacervate achieves the best therapeutic effect by significantly promoting collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and epithelialization. These results demonstrate that a PAA-based coacervate hydrogel is a promising wound dressing for medical translation.

Correlation between coronary artery lesion quantitative score and OSAHS and relative risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with coronary artery lesion quantitative score Syntax Score (SX score) and risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 115 patients with OSAHS admitted to the Department of Cardiology in our hospital from January 2011 to June 2015 were selected. Philips Respironics Alice 5 Polysomnography was used for sleep monitoring. The patients were divided into mild group (n=32), moderate group (n=36) and severe group (n=47) according to apnea hypopnea index (AHI). Coronary angiography was performed for the patients, and SX score was calculated. Fasting venous blood was extracted from all patients with OSAHS and sent for detection of blood routine, coagulation, liver and kidney function, blood lipid and other indexes, and all patients received color Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: The body weight and body mass index (BMI) of patients with OSAHS in severe group were higher than those in the mild group and moderate group (p<0.05). The content of fibrinogen (FIB) of patients in severe group was higher than that in mild group (p<0.01). The levels of total cholesterol (TC) (p<0.05), blood uric acid (p<0.05), and serum creatinine (p<0.01) of patients in the severe group were significantly higher than those in mild group and moderate group, but there were no differences between mild group and moderate group (p>0.05). Echocardiography suggested that the left atrium diameter 1 (LAD) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of patients in severe group were larger than those in the mild group and moderate group (p<0.01), and the right ventricle anteroposterior diameter (RVD) in the mild group was smaller than those in the moderate group (p<0.05) and severe group (p<0.01). The score of patients with OSAHS in the severe group was higher than those in the mild group and moderate group (p<0.01), and SX score was increased with AHI (r=0.416, p<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that AHI and SX score could not be used as indicators to judge the prognosis of patients. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive correlation between AHI and SX score in patients with OSAHS, indicating that with the aggravation of respiratory sleep disorder, SX score is increased significantly and the severity of coronary artery lesion is increased accordingly.

Rosuvastatin promotes the differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes into M2 macrophages in patients with atherosclerosis by activating PPAR-γ.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate M2 marker changes in human circulating monocytes before and after rosuvastatin treatment, and to investigate the effects of rosuvastatin on the differentiation of monocytes into M2 macrophages by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients was administrated with rosuvastatin. The human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were extracted by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation method. PPAR-γ, CD206 and CD163 mRNA levels were detected by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The total content of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), PPAR-γ, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the contents of phosphorylated ERK and p38 MAPK were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The expression levels of CD206, Interleukin 10 (IL-10), and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 (CCL18) were significantly improved by rosuvastatin. The expression level of PPAR-γ in circulating monocytes was also distinctly up-regulated through the treatment with rosuvastatin. After rosuvastatin therapy, PPAR-γ mRNA expression was unceasingly increased with time prolonging. The tendency of mRNA level of aP2 was the same as that of PPAR-γ. In vitro experiments indicated that in M2 macrophages, rosuvastatin could enhance the decrease of CD163 expression level induced by interleukin 4 (IL-4). M1 macrophages cultured by supernatant that was used to culture M2 macrophages could significantly inhibit TNF-α and MCP-1 expressions. Rosuvastatin could remarkably induce the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, but the effect on ERK1/2 was not obvious. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed expressions of M2 markers in human circulating peripheral blood monocytes after rosuvastatin therapy. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments proved that rosuvastatin can induce the expression and activation of PPAR-γ in human monocytes, resulting in the differentiation of monocytes into M2 macrophages.

Research on clinical value of galectin-3 in evaluating the prognosis of acute heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of galectin-3 in the prognosis evaluation of acute heart failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 316 patients treated in Suzhou Kowloon Hospital were enrolled into this study and followed up for 1 year. Venous blood during the onset was collected for examinations of blood routine, blood biochemistry, N-terminal B-type pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), galectin-3 and other indexes. Cardiovascular events (CV events) include the re-admission or death due to the recent acute episode of chronic heart failure. RESULTS: The concentrations of NT-proBNP and galectin-3 in the CV event group were significantly increased compared with those in non-CV event group (p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of NT-proBNP in predicting CV events of patients with acute heart failure within 1 year after discharge was 0.816 and that of galectin-3 was 0.847. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that risks of CV events of patients with the NT-proBNP concentration >3013.21 pg/mL and galectin-3 concentration >17.15 ng/mL within 1 year after discharge were significantly higher than those in other groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 can be used as a biomarker for the prognosis evaluation of acute heart failure, and its combined analysis can increase the predictive value of NT-proBNP.