Biological Hyperthermia-Inducing Nanoparticles for Specific Remodeling of the Extracellular Matrix Microenvironment Enhance Pro-Apoptotic Therapy in Fibrosis.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a major driver of fibrotic diseases and forms a dense fibrous barrier that impedes nanodrug delivery. Because hyperthermia causes destruction of ECM components, we developed a nanoparticle preparation to induce fibrosis-specific biological hyperthermia (designated as GPQ-EL-DNP) to improve pro-apoptotic therapy against fibrotic diseases based on remodeling of the ECM microenvironment. GPQ-EL-DNP is a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9-responsive peptide, (GPQ)-modified hybrid nanoparticle containing fibroblast-derived exosomes and liposomes (GPQ-EL) and is loaded with a mitochondrial uncoupling agent, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). GPQ-EL-DNP can specifically accumulate and release DNP in the fibrotic focus, inducing collagen denaturation through biological hyperthermia. The preparation was able to remodel the ECM microenvironment, decrease stiffness, and suppress fibroblast activation, which further enhanced GPQ-EL-DNP delivery to fibroblasts and sensitized fibroblasts to simvastatin-induced apoptosis. Therefore, simvastatin-loaded GPQ-EL-DNP achieved an improved therapeutic effect on multiple types of murine fibrosis. Importantly, GPQ-EL-DNP did not induce systemic toxicity to the host. Therefore, the nanoparticle GPQ-EL-DNP for fibrosis-specific hyperthermia can be used as a potential strategy to enhance pro-apoptotic therapy in fibrotic diseases.

Influences of lithium on soil properties and enzyme activities.

Lithium is an emerging environmental contaminant under the current sustainable energy strategy, but little is known about its contamination characteristic in soil. In this study, soil properties and enzyme activities in soils treated with 10-1280 mg kg-1 lithium were measured. The results showed that the content of ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, and exchangeable potassium significantly increased by 64.39%-217.73%, 23.06%-131.86%, and 4.76%-16.10%, while electric conductivity and available phosphorus content in lithium treated soils was respectively as 1.10-fold-13.44-fold and 1.27-fold-6.66-fold comparing to CK value. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity slightly declined and increased, respectively, and there was no significant variation in total organic carbon. However, nitrate nitrogen and sulfate content significantly decreased under higher lithium stress. On the other hand, lower lithium treatment level of 10, 20, 40, or 80 mg kg-1 selectively promoted the activities of sucrase, urease, aryl sulfatase, and peroxidase, while the protease, neutral phosphatase, phytase, and lipase were significantly inhibited under all lithium levels, indicating a weaken geochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Then, lithium's 10% and 50% ecological dose (ED10 and ED50) was respectively fitted as 21.18 and 1408.67 mg kg-1 basing on Geometric Mean Index. The influences of lithium on soil were adverse. This study provided important insights into understanding the characteristics of lithium contamination, informing risk assessment and guiding remediation.

In Vitro Anti-Obesity Effect of Shenheling Extract (SHLE) Fermented with Lactobacillus fermentum grx08.

Obesity is a common global problem. There are many fat-reducing herbal prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine that have been proven to be safe and functional during long-term application. Microbial fermentation can improve the efficacy of herbal medicine and improve the unsavory flavor. In this study, Shenheling extract (SHLE) composed of six medicine food homology materials was used as the research object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillusfermentum grx08 fermentation on the antiobesity efficacy and flavor of SHLE. We found that L. fermentum grx08 grew well in SHLE. After 72 h of fermentation, the total polysaccharides, total flavonoids, total polyphenols and total saponins of SHLE decreased, but the lipase inhibitory activity and total antioxidant capacity (FRAP) were significantly increased (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the α-glucosidase inhibition rate and DPPH· clearance rate before or after fermentation (p > 0.05). In addition, the fermentation reduces the unpleasant flavors of SHLE such as bitterness and grassy and cassia flavors. This study demonstrates that SHLE fermented by L. fermentum grx08 improved some anti-obesity functions and improved the unpleasant flavor.

Moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy versus bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy has been suggested as an alternative second-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection. AIMS: To systematically review the efficacy and tolerance of moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy in second-line H. pylori eradication, and to conduct a meta-analysis of studies comparing this regimen with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Cochrane controlled trials register, Web of Science, PubMed, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (updated to December 2010), and manual searches were conducted. A meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy to bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in the second-line treatment of H. pylori infection was performed. RESULTS: Seven RCTs including 787 patients were assessed. The meta-analysis showed that the eradication rate in the moxifloxacin group was significantly higher than that in the quadruple therapy group (74.9 vs 61.4%, OR 1.89, 95% CI: 1.38-2.58, p < .0001); besides, the rates of side effects and discontinuing therapy because of side effects in the moxifloxacin group were significantly lower than those in the quadruple therapy group (side effects: 10.1 vs 27.8%, OR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.18-0.41, p < .00001; discontinuing therapy because of side effects: 1.4 vs 8.2%, OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.08-0.40, p < .0001). These results were constant in the sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Moxifloxacin-containing triple regimen is more effective and better tolerated than the bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in the second-line treatment of H. pylori infection.