The Protective Effect of Selenium Nanoparticles in Osteoarthritis: In vitro and in vivo Studies.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration. OA usually manifests as joint pain, limited mobility, and joint effusion. Currently, the primary OA treatment is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Although they can alleviate the disease's clinical symptoms and signs, the drugs have some side effects. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) may be an alternative to relieve OA symptoms. Materials and Results: We confirmed the anti-inflammatory effect of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in vitro and in vivo experiments for OA disease in this study. In vitro experiments, we found that SeNPs could significantly reduce the expression of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the major inflammatory factors, and had significant anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. SeNPs can inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß)-stimulated cells. Additionally, SeNPs down-regulated matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS-5) expressions, while up-regulated type II collagen (COL-2) and aggrecan (ACAN) expressions stimulated by IL-1ß. The findings also indicated that SeNPs may exert their effects through suppressing the NF-κB p65 and p38/MAPK pathways. In vivo experiments, the prevention of OA development brought on by SeNPs was demonstrated using a DMM model. Discussion: Our results suggest that SeNPs may be a potential anti-inflammatory agent for treating OA.

Tea biochar-immobilized Ralstonia Bcul-1 increases nitrate nitrogen content and reduces the bioavailability of cadmium and chromium in a fertilized vegetable soil.

Pyrolytic biochar (PL-BC, pyrochar) and hydrothermal biochar (HT-BC, hydrochar) derived from branches and leaves of tea plants had different pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total carbon nitrogen content, BET surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter, and functional groups. HT-BC had a larger specific surface area and more functional groups than PL-BC. Ralstonia Bcul-1 (R-B) was the dominant and functional bacteria in a fertilized vegetable soil supplemented with TBB-immobilized R-B (TBB + R-B). R-B vitality was more closely related to BET surface area, total pore volume, and functional groups of tea-based biochar (TBB: PL-BC and HT-BC). R-B was able to maintain high oxidase activity. R-B and TBB + R-B can increase the activities of urease and peroxidase in vegetable soil playing an essential role in the biotransformation of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N). TBB was able to simultaneously increase the content of NO3--N and NH4+-N, and TBB + R-B also significantly increased NO3--N content but decreased NH4+-N content in a fertilized vegetable soil. These results indicated that R-B promoted nitrification in the soil, i.e. conversion of NH4+-N into NO3--N, by enhancing the activities of urease and peroxidase. R-B had high adsorption capacity for cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) (Cd&Cr: Cd and Cr). Moreover, TBB + R-B was able to convert weak acid extractable and reducible Cd&Cr into a more stable residual fraction and oxidizable Cd&Cr. The overall effect of the treatments was to reduce plant uptake of Cd&Cr by cabbage. TBB + R-B significantly promoted R-B growth, changed inorganic nitrogen speciation, increased NO3--N supply, reduced Cd&Cr bioavailability, and decreased plant tissue Cd&Cr content.

Head-to-head comparison of H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors in the treatment of erosive esophagitis: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of H(2)-receptor antagonists (H(2)RAs) and proton pump inhibitors in healing erosive esophagitis (EE). METHODS: A meta-analysis was performed. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases to include randomized controlled head-to-head comparative trials evaluating the efficacy of H(2)RAs or proton pump inhibitors in healing EE. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated under a random-effects model. RESULTS: RRs of cumulative healing rates for each comparison at 8 wk were: high dose vs standard dose H(2)RAs, 1.17 (95%CI, 1.02-1.33); standard dose proton pump inhibitors vs standard dose H(2)RAs, 1.59 (95%CI, 1.44-1.75); standard dose other proton pump inhibitors vs standard dose omeprazole, 1.06 (95%CI, 0.98-1.06). Proton pump inhibitors produced consistently greater healing rates than H(2)RAs of all doses across all grades of esophagitis, including patients refractory to H(2)RAs. Healing rates achieved with standard dose omeprazole were similar to those with other proton pump inhibitors in all grades of esophagitis. CONCLUSION: H(2)RAs are less effective for treating patients with erosive esophagitis, especially in those with severe forms of esophagitis. Standard dose proton pump inhibitors are significantly more effective than H(2)RAs in healing esophagitis of all grades. Proton pump inhibitors given at the recommended dose are equally effective for healing esophagitis.

Low-dose rabeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole triple therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: Rabeprazole in combination with amoxicillin and metronidazole (RAM) has been shown to be an effective second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. The effects were compared of 7-day low-dose and high dose rabeprazole in RAM for the primary treatment of H. pylori infection in Chinese patients. METHODS: Helicobacter pylori-positive dyspeptic patients were randomized to receive either (i) rabeprazole 10 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg and metronidazole 400 mg (RAM-10) or (ii) high-dose rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg and metronidazole 400 mg (RAM-20), each given twice daily for 7 days. Helicobacter pylori eradication was confirmed by (13)c-urea breath test 5 weeks after stopping medications. side-effects of treatments were documented. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were eligible for analysis. By intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis, the eradication rates were 83% and 86% in the RAM-10 group and 75% and 76% in the RAM-20 group, respectively (P = 0.26 and P = 0.17). Both regimens were well-tolerated and compliance was >98% in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose rabeprazole in combination with amoxicillin and metronidazole is an effective, economical and well-tolerated therapy for the treatment of H. pylori infection in Chinese population.