FDA-approved disulfiram inhibits pyroptosis by blocking gasdermin D pore formation.

Cytosolic sensing of pathogens and damage by myeloid and barrier epithelial cells assembles large complexes called inflammasomes, which activate inflammatory caspases to process cytokines (IL-1ß) and gasdermin D (GSDMD). Cleaved GSDMD forms membrane pores, leading to cytokine release and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis). Inhibiting GSDMD is an attractive strategy to curb inflammation. Here we identify disulfiram, a drug for treating alcohol addiction, as an inhibitor of pore formation by GSDMD but not other members of the GSDM family. Disulfiram blocks pyroptosis and cytokine release in cells and lipopolysaccharide-induced septic death in mice. At nanomolar concentration, disulfiram covalently modifies human/mouse Cys191/Cys192 in GSDMD to block pore formation. Disulfiram still allows IL-1ß and GSDMD processing, but abrogates pore formation, thereby preventing IL-1ß release and pyroptosis. The role of disulfiram in inhibiting GSDMD provides new therapeutic indications for repurposing this safe drug to counteract inflammation, which contributes to many human diseases.

Advances in responses of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants in wastewater.

Nowadays, emerging pollutants are widely used and exist in wastewater, such as antibiotics, heavy metals, nanoparticle and microplastic. As a green alternative for wastewater treatment, microalgal-bacterial symbiosis has been aware of owning multiple merits of low energy consumption and little greenhouse gas emission. Thus, the responses of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants in wastewater treatment have become a hotspot in recent years. In this review paper, the removal performance of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis on organics, nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater containing emerging pollutants has been summarized. The adaptation mechanisms of microalgal-bacterial symbiosis to emerging pollutants have been analyzed. It is found that antibiotics usually have hormesis effects on microalgal-bacterial symbiosis, and that microalgal-bacterial symbiosis appears to show more capacity to remove tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole, rather than oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin. Generally, microalgal-bacterial symbiosis can adapt to heavy metals at a concentration of less than 1 mg/L, but its capabilities to remove contaminants can be significantly affected at 10 mg/L heavy metals. Further research should focus on the influence of mixed emerging pollutants on microalgal-bacterial symbiosis, and the feasibility of using selected emerging pollutants (e.g., antibiotics) as a carbon source for microalgal-bacterial symbiosis should also be explored. This review is expected to deepen our understandings on emerging pollutants removal from wastewater by microalgal-bacterial symbiosis.

Usefulness of the combined orthodontic rubber band and clip method for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Effective traction is an important prerequisite for successful endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The combined orthodontic rubber band (ORB) and clip method was effective in colorectal cancer ESD. To date, the method was not reported in gastric ESD. This study aimed to investigate its efficacy and safety for gastric neoplasms ESD. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of 118 patients with gastric neoplasms treated by ESD from November 2020 to April 2022, 43 by ORB-ESD and 75 by the conventional ESD. The primary outcome measure was the ESD procedure time. Clinical data on efficacy and safety were also collected and analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) matched the patients in both groups. RESULTS: PSM successfully matched 31 pairs of patients. The ORB-ESD operation time was shorter (median [interquartile range], 35 [30-48] vs. 49 [40-70] min, P < 0.001) and dissection speed was higher (median [interquartile range], 22.6 [14.4-29.3] vs. 13.5 [9.6-17.9] mm2/min, P < 0.001) than in the conventional ESD. The groups were similar in muscular injury rate, frequency and time of use of thermal hemostatic forceps, postoperative adverse events, en bloc resection, and R0 resection rate (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the conventional ESD, ORB-ESD significantly reduced the procedure time and increased the dissection speed, proving beneficial to gastric ESD.

Memory impairment of chewing-side preference mice is associated with 5-HT-BDNF signal pathway.

Although tooth loss is a known risk factor of cognitive function, whether and how the chewing-side preference (CSP) affects memory impairment still remains unclear. This study evaluates the behavior changes in mice after the loss of teeth on one side and explores the role of serotonin (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signal pathway within these changes. To this end, CSP mouse models with either the removal of left unilateral molars (CSP-L) or right unilateral molars (CSP-R) were established. Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test were performed to evaluate the mice's learning and memory capacity in the 4th and 8th weeks. The correlation between CSP and brain function changes was validated with changes in 5-HT and BDNF levels. CSP mice's cognitive function was found to be decreased, along with a significant decline in 5-HT1A level, especially in CSP-R mice. BDNF and TrkB levels in CSP-R mice were also significantly lowered. These findings suggest that CSP results in memory impairment, which is associated with the 5-HT-BDNF signaling pathway.

Sensitive detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis based on magnetic capture and upconversion fluorescent identification with multifunctional nanospheres.

A specific and sensitive detection system was designed to detect Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontal pathogen, in mixed bacterial fluids. This new detection system was based on the use of fluorescent and magnetic encoding nanospheres that were conjugated with monoclonal antibodies specific to P. gingivalis, thus enabling rapid detection of the target bacterium. This strategy simplifies the detection process and improves the sensitivity compared with conventional methods, with a detection limit of approximately 10 colony-forming units (CFU) ml(-1) . This new method shows strong anti-interference ability and excellent selectivity and specificity to detect P. gingivalis in mixed solutions.

Inflammation-Responsive Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Nanoparticles against Liver Fibrosis via Regulating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Oxidative Stress.

Liver fibrosis represents a reversible stage of various chronic liver diseases that progresses to cirrhosis. This condition is characterized by an imbalance between tissue damage and repair, and the production of fibers in the liver exceeds their degradation. Oxidative stress (OS) resulting from tissue injury and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) triggered by the overproduction of proteins are pivotal factors in liver fibrosis. Melatonin demonstrates the capability to neutralize free radicals, shielding cells from oxidative harm. It is also a specific inhibitor of the ERS receptor transcription activating factor 6 (ATF6), indicating its great potential in ameliorating liver fibrosis. However, its limited water solubility and oral bioavailability of under 15% present hurdles in achieving therapeutic blood concentrations for treating liver fibrosis. The PLGA@Melatonin is constructed by loading melatonin with poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). Platelet membranes (PM) and activated hepatic stellate cell membranes (HSCM) with high expression of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) are extracted to successfully construct PM@PLGA@Melatonin and HSCM@PLGA@Melatonin, which are subsequently utilized to treat mice with liver fibrosis. The results illustrated the remarkable therapeutic effects of the two nanoparticles on liver fibrosis, along with their excellent targeting and biosafety properties.

Perspective insights into versatile hydrogels for stroke: From molecular mechanisms to functional applications.

As the leading killer of life and health, stroke leads to limb paralysis, speech disorder, dysphagia, cognitive impairment, mental depression and other symptoms, which entail a significant financial burden to society and families. At present, physiology, clinical medicine, engineering, and materials science, advanced biomaterials standing on the foothold of these interdisciplinary disciplines provide new opportunities and possibilities for the cure of stroke. Among them, hydrogels have been endowed with more possibilities. It is well-known that hydrogels can be employed as potential biosensors, medication delivery vectors, and cell transporters or matrices in tissue engineering in tissue engineering, and outperform many traditional therapeutic drugs, surgery, and materials. Therefore, hydrogels become a popular scaffolding treatment option for stroke. Diverse synthetic hydrogels were designed according to different pathophysiological mechanisms from the recently reported literature will be thoroughly explored. The biological uses of several types of hydrogels will be highlighted, including pro-angiogenesis, pro-neurogenesis, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis. Finally, considerations and challenges of using hydrogels in the treatment of stroke are summarized.

Facile Preparation of a Self-Adhesive Conductive Hydrogel with Long-Term Usability.

Although conductive hydrogels (CHs) have been investigated as the wearable sensor in recent years, how to prepare the multifunctional CHs with long-term usability is still a big challenge. In this paper, we successfully prepared a kind of conductive and self-adhesive hydrogel with a simple method, and its excellent ductility makes it possible as a flexible strain sensor for intelligent monitoring. The CHs are constructed by poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), polydopamine (PDA), and phytic acid (PA) through the freeze-thaw cycle method. The introduction of PA enhanced the intermolecular force with PVA and provided much H+ for augmented conductivity, while the catechol group on PDA endows the hydrogel with self-adhesion ability. The PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel can directly contact with the skin and adhere to it stably, which makes the hydrogel potentially a wearable strain sensor. The PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel can monitor human motion signals (including fingers, elbows, knees, etc.) in real-time and can accurately monitor tiny electrical signals for smile and handwriting recognition. Notably, the composite CHs can be used in a normal environment even after 4 months. Because of its excellent ductility, self-adhesiveness, and conductivity, the PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel provides a new idea for wearable bioelectronic sensors.

A Curcumin-Modified Coordination Polymers with ROS Scavenging and Macrophage Phenotype Regulating Properties for Efficient Ulcerative Colitis Treatment.

Overexpression of classically activated macrophages (M1) subtypes and assessed reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are often observed in patients with ulcerative colitis. At present, the treatment system of these two problems has yet to be established. Here, the chemotherapy drug curcumin (CCM) is decorated with Prussian blue analogs in a straightforward and cost-saving manner. Modified CCM can be released in inflammatory tissue (acidic environment), eventually causing M1 macrophages to transform into M2 macrophages and inhibiting pro-inflammatory factors. Co(III) and Fe(II) have abundant valence variations, and the lower REDOX potential in CCM-CoFe PBA enables ROS clearance through multi-nanomase activity. In addition, CCM-CoFe PBA effectively alleviated the symptoms of UC mice induced by DSS and inhibited the progression of the disease. Therefore, the present material may be used as a new therapeutic agent for UC.

Collagen hydrogel with multiple antimicrobial mechanisms as anti-bacterial wound dressing.

Wound infection by multidrug-resistant bacteria seriously threatens human life. Chronic wounds, with necrosis, persistent inflammation, and covered by hypoxic tissue, seriously hinder anti-infection treatments. Herein, we have developed a multifunctional hydrogel dressing with antibacterial activity in the hypoxia environment to promote wound healing. The hydrogel comprises Cypate-conjugated antimicrobial peptides (AMP-Cypates), liposome-encapsulated perfluorodecalin, and recombinant type III collagen. AMP-Cypates exhibited outstanding antibacterial activity, jointly achieved through antimicrobial peptide (AMP) activity, photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT). The perfluorodecalin liposomes act as the oxygen carrier to mitigate wound hypoxia condition and enhance the efficacy of PDT. The recombinant type III collagen in the hydrogel further promoted the healing of the wounds together with the eradication of bacterial infection. Taken together, the hydrogel dressing provides a platform for integrating multiple antimicrobial mechanisms for the rapid removal of bacterial infection and the healing of chronic wounds.

Aggregation of carboxyl-modified polystyrene nanoplastics in water with aluminum chloride: Structural characterization and theoretical calculation.

Nanoplastics (NPs) pollution of aquatic systems is becoming an emerging environmental issue due to their stable structure, high mobility, and easy interactions with ambient contaminants. Effective removal technologies are urgently needed to mitigate their toxic effects. In this study, we systematically investigated the removal effectiveness and mechanisms of a commonly detected nanoplastics, carboxyl-modified polystyrene (PS-COOH) via coagulation and sedimentation processes using aluminum chloride (AlCl3) as a coagulant. PS-COOH appeared as clearly defined and discrete spherical nanoparticles in water with a hydrodynamic diameter of 50 nm. The addition of 10 mg/L AlCl3 compressed and even destroyed the negatively charged PS-COOH surface layer, decreased the energy barrier, and efficiently removed 96.6% of 50 mg/L PS-COOH. The dominant removal mechanisms included electrostatic adsorption and intermolecular interactions. Increasing the pH from 3.5 to 8.5 sharply enhanced the PS-COOH removal, whereas significant loss was observed at pH 10.0. High temperature (23 °C) favored the removal of PS-COOH compared to lower temperature (4 °C). High PS-COOH removal efficiency was observed over the salinity range of 0 - 35‰. The presence of positively charged Al2O3 did not affect the PS-COOH removal, while negatively charged SiO2 reduced the PS-COOH removal from 96.6% to 93.2%. Moreover, the coagulation and sedimentation process efficiently removed 90.2% of 50 mg/L PS-COOH in real surface water even though it was rich in inorganic ions and total organic carbon. The fast and efficient capture of PS-COOH by AlCl3 via a simple coagulation and sedimentation process provides a new insight for the treatment of NPs from aqueous environment.

Antibacterial and Antioxidant Effects of Magnesium Alloy on Titanium Dental Implants.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, a new type of dental implant by covering the surface of the titanium (Ti) implant with zinc-magnesium (Zn-Mg) alloy was designed, to study the antibacterial and antioxidant effects of Mg alloy on titanium (Ti) implants in oral implant restoration. METHODS: Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs), S. sanguinis, and F. nucleatum bacteria were used to detect the bioactivity and antibacterial properties of Mg alloy-coated Ti implants. In addition, B6/J mice implanted with different materials were used to further detect their antibacterial and antioxidant properties. RESULTS: The results showed that Mg alloy could better promote the adhesion and proliferation and improve the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of HGFs, which contributed to better improved stability of implant osseointegration. In addition, Mg alloy could better inhibit the proliferation of S. sanguinis, while no significant difference was found in the proliferation of F. nucleatum between the two implants. In the mouse model, the peripheral inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress of the Mg alloy implant were significantly lower than those of the Ti alloy implant. CONCLUSIONS: Zn-Mg alloy-coated Ti implants could better inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria in the oral cavity, inhibit oxidative stress, and facilitate the proliferation activity of HGFs and the potential of osteoblast differentiation, thus, better increasing the stability of implant osseointegration.

Effects of hydrogen rich water and pure water on periodontal inflammatory factor level, oxidative stress level and oral flora: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hydrogen rich water (HRW) was used as an auxiliary treatment for periodontitis and peri-implantitis due to its good antioxidant properties. However, the stability of artificially added active hydrogen was far less than that of pure natural active hydrogen, which greatly reduced active hydrogen molecules number in HRW. Meanwhile, the effect of HRW was relatively slow. Finally, long-term drinking of HRW may cause abnormal liver function. Hence, this study sought to summarize and analyze the effects of HRW on oral inflammation and oral flora in various studies to determine whether HRW can be used to inhibit dental plaque formation and aliviate oral inflammation. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of HRW and pure water (PW) in the treatment of periodontal diseases published before March 2022 in the PubMed, Web of science, EMBASE, Cochrane, China Knowledge Resource Integrated, Wanfang, and Weipu databases were searched. Changes in the inflammatory factor levels, oxidative stress response, and oral flora were summarized and used as outcome indicators. The quality of included studies was assessed by Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool, and the standardized mean differences (SMD) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Review Manager 5.3. Results: In total, 17 studies, comprising 304 subjects, were included in this meta-analysis. Among them, 5 studies had a high risk of bias, and the rest had a certain risk of bias, thus, the total risk of bias was medium to low. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß (SMD =-0.73; 95% CI: -1.29 to -0.18; P=0.009), tumor necrosis factor alpha (SMD =-2.51; 95% CI: -3.56 to -1.46; P<0.00001), IL-6 (SMD =-1.31; 95% CI: -1.96 to -0.67; P<0.0001), 8-hydroxyguanosine (SMD =-1.61; 95% CI: -2.35 to -0.87; P<0.0001), and reactive oxygen metabolites (SMD =-0.49; 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.06; P=0.02) in the HRW group decreased significantly, while the glutathione peroxidase level increased (SMD =2.5; 95% CI: 1.85 to 3.15; P<0.00001). Additionally, HRW was shown to effectively inhibit oral pathogenic bacteria activity (SMD =-0.91; 95% CI: -1.16 to -0.66; P<0.00001). Conclusions: HRW effectively inhibits the inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress level, and bacterial proliferation activity in patients with periodontal disease.

Orthodontic Rubber Band-Assisted Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: An Efficient Method for Treating Superficial Colorectal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a complex operation. Effective traction is crucial. We have successfully used an orthodontic rubber band (ORB) combined with the clip traction method to assist ESD (ORB-ESD). The aim of this retrospective study is to describe the method and to compare the efficacy and safety of ORB-ESD versus conventional ESD in the treatment of superficial colorectal tumors. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with superficial colorectal tumor (with diameter ≥ 20 mm) who received either ORB-ESD (n = 34) or conventional ESD (n = 90) between January 2019 and September 2020. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match the clinical data of 31 pairs of patients in each group. RESULTS: Operation time was significantly shorter for ORB-ESD than for conventional ESD (34.5 minutes vs. 56 minutes, P ≤ 0.001). In the propensity-matched cohorts, the operation time remained significantly shorter in the ORB-ESD patients (35 minutes vs. 50 minutes, P = 0.001). Postoperative adverse events, en bloc resection rate, and R0 resection rate were comparable between the two groups (P > 0.05), both before and after propensity score matching. In the ORB subgroup analysis, the trainee and expert ESD operation times were similar (37 (26-53) vs. 33.5 (26-37) minutes, respectively; P = 0.274). CONCLUSION: ORB-ESD appears to be an effective technique for ESD of colorectal cancer. Our findings need to be confirmed in large prospective multicenter studies.

TiO2@HNTs Robustly Decorated PVDF Membrane Prepared by a Bioinspired Accurate-Deposition Strategy for Complex Corrosive Wastewater Treatment.

As industrialization has spread all around the world, the problems of water pollution such as offshore oil spill and industrial sewage discharge have spread with it. Although many new separation materials have been successfully developed to deal with this crisis, a large number of water treatment materials only focus on the treatment of classified single water pollutant under mild conditions. It is a great challenge to treat soluble contaminants such as water-soluble dyes and insoluble contaminants, for example, emulsified oils simultaneously in a strong corrosive environment. Herein, in this work, corrosive resistance and multifunctional surface on a commercial polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane via a tunicate-inspired gallic acid-assisted accurate-deposition strategy is created. Owing to the titanium-carboxylic coordination bonding and accurate-deposition strategy, the as-prepared membrane exhibits extraordinary stability, facing various harsh environmental challenges and incredibly corrosive situations (e.g., 4 M NaOH, 4 M HCl, and saturated NaCl solution). The robust multifunctional surface also endows commercial PVDF membrane with the ability for in situ separation and adsorption of surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water (corrosive and dyed) emulsions with high adsorption efficiencies up to 99.9%, separation efficiencies above 99.6%, and permeation flux as high as 15,698 ± 211 L/(m2·h·bar). Furthermore, the resultant membrane can be regenerated facilely and rapidly by flushing a small amount of HCl (4 M) or NaOH (4 M), making the corrosive resistance membrane attain a long-term and high-efficiency application for complex dyed wastewater treatment. Therefore, the multifunctional membrane has a broad application prospect in the industrial field.

Novel optimized drug delivery systems for enhancing spinal cord injury repair in rats.

Effective and accurate delivery of drugs to tissue with spinal cord injury (SCI) is the key to rehabilitating neurological deficits. Sustained-release microspheres (MS) have excellent degradability and can aid in the long-term release of drugs. However, the burst release phenomenon can cause unexpected side effects. Herein, we developed and optimized an injectable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) MS loaded with melatonin(Mel), which were mixed further with Laponite hydrogels (Lap/MS@Mel, a micro-gel compound) in order to reduce the burst release of MS. Thus, these MS were able to achieve stable and prolonged Mel release, as well as synergistic Lap hydrogel in order to repair neural function in SCI by in situ injection. In clinical practice, patients with SCI have complicated conditions and significant inter-individual differences, which means that a single route of administration does not meet actual clinical needs. Thus, the nanospheres are synthesized and subsequently coated with platelet membrane (PM) in order to form PM/MS@Mel (nano-PM compound) for sustained and precision-targeted delivery of Mel intravenously in the SCI. Notably, optimized microsphere delivery systems have improved Mel regulation polarization of spinal microglial/macrophages, which can reduce loss of biomaterials due to macrophage-induced immune response during implantation of spinal cord tissue. These two new delivery systems that are based on MS provide references for the clinical treatment of SCI, according to different requirements.

Clinical outcomes after intentional replantation of permanent teeth: A systematic review.

This study aimed to systematically assess the outcomes of intentional replantation (IR) of teeth and to determine the survival rate, success rate, and prognostic factors related to the treatment. A search was conducted for all relevant English language articles published from January 2000 to October 2017. The search terms included "intentional replantation" and "teeth" according to the inclusion criteria. The Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Twelve studies were identified as relevant for the systematic review. In total, 896 patients with 905 teeth were examined for intentional teeth replantation. The success rate was greater than 90% in four studies (33.33%) and between 70% and 80% in five studies. At short-term follow-up (<6 months), the survival rate was approximately 90% in four studies. At longer-term follow-up (>36 months), the survival rates of teeth were slightly reduced in four studies, and tended to be stable after 48 months. In conclusion, the long-term success and survival rate of IR are likely dependent upon short extraoral time, reduced pocket depth, type of tooth, type of root-end filling material, and the prevention of atraumatic tooth root damage.

Highly Sensitive Strain Sensor Based on a Stretchable and Conductive Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Phytic Acid/NH2-POSS Hydrogel with a 3D Microporous Structure.

Conductive hydrogel-based wearable strain sensors with tough, stretchable, self-recoverable, and highly sensitive properties are highly demanded for applications in electronic skin and human-machine interface. However, currently, hydrogel-based strain sensors put forward higher requirements on their biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and sensitivity. Herein, we report a poly(vinyl alcohol)/phytic acid/amino-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PVA/PA/NH2-POSS) conductive composite hydrogel prepared via a facile freeze-thaw cycle method. Within this hydrogel, PA acts as a cross-linking agent and ionizes hydrogen ions to endow the material with ionic conductivity, while NH2-POSS acts as a second cross-linking agent by increasing the cross-linking density of the three-dimensional network structure. The effect of the content of NH2-POSS is investigated, and the composite hydrogel with 2 wt % NH2-POSS displays a uniform and dense three-dimensional (3D) network microporous structure, high conductivity of 2.41 S/m, and tensile strength and elongation at break of 361 kPa and 363%, respectively. This hydrogel is biocompatible and has demonstrated the application as a strain sensor monitoring different human movements. The assembled sensor is stretchable, self-recoverable, and highly sensitive with fast response time (220 ms) and excellent sensitivity (GF = 3.44).

An epidemiologic study on the correlation between oral Helicobacter pylori and gastric H. pylori.

The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity of a Chinese population. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate whether individuals with oral H. pylori show more possibility of gastric infection and to examine the relationship between gastric H. pylori infection and the presence of the bacteria in the oral cavity. A total of 443 dyspeptic patients participated in the study. Gastric H. pylori infection was detected by the rapid urease test and histology with Giemsa staining, PCR, or smear examination, whereas the presence of the bacteria in the oral cavity was observed by nested PCR from dental plaque. Relevant periodontal and dental parameters were recorded in the process of oral examination. Of the 443 study patients, oral H. pylori was found in the dental plaque of 263 (59.4%) and the stomach of 273 (61.6%). Additionally, in all four age groups, the prevalence of gastric infection was significantly higher among the patients with positive tests for H. pylori in their dental plaque than in the patients with no H. pylori in their dental plaque (P < 0.05). The oral cavity may be a potential reservoir for H. pylori, and the prevalence of oral H. pylori approximated that of gastric H. pylori in the studied population. Furthermore, a close relationship may exist between H. pylori in the oral cavity and bacteria in the stomach or gastric infection, and dyspeptic patients with gastric infection are more likely to harbor H. pylori in their oral cavity.

Construction of ß-cyclodextrin-based supramolecular hyperbranched polymers self-assemblies using AB2-type macromonomer and their application in the drug delivery field.

Despite some efforts have been made in the research of supramolecular hyperbranched polymers (SHPs) self-assemblies, the study which has not been consideration to date is the influence of incoming stimuli-responsive polymer chain on their self-assembly property undergo outer stimuli. The introduction of stimuli-responsive segments which could maintain their hydrophilic property are expected to affect the self-assembly behaviour of SHPs and expand their further biomedical application. In this paper, AB2-type macromolecular monomer, LA-(CD-PDMA)2, which consisted one lithocholic acid (LA) and two ß-cyclodextrin terminated poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) segments (CD-PDMA) was synthesized. LA-(CD-PDMA)2 based SHP were obtained based on the host-guest inclusion interactions of CD/LA moietes and with PDMA as pH-responsive hydrophilic chains. As a control to study the influence of incoming PDMA chains, both LA-(CD-PDMA)2 based SHPs-1 and LA-CD2 based SHPs-2 self-assemblies were comparatively investiged through 2D 1H NMR ROESY, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results suggested that except for the higher drug loading efficiency LA-(CD-PDMA)2 based SHPs-1 pocessing, the release rates of SHPs-1 increased notably at pH 5.0 than that of pH 7.4 due to the repulsion and stretch of protonated PDMA chains while the release rates of SHPs-2 showed no obvious difference. Finally, basic cell experiments demonstrated that the SHPs based self-assemblies can be internalized into cancer cells, indicating their potential application in the drug delivery field.