Preparation and Properties of Attapulgite/Brucite Fiber-Based Highly Absorbent Polymer Composite.

The ATP-BF-P(HEC-AA-AMPS) composite highly absorbent polymer was copolymerized with acrylic acid (AA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) using an aqueous solution method with attapulgite (ATP) and attapulgite (ATP) as a matrix. The prepared ATP-BF-P(HEC-AA-AMPS) was characterized in terms of microstructure and tested for its water absorption capacity, water retention properties, and pH dynamic sensing ability. The results showed that the synthesized ATP-BF-P(HEC-AA-AMPS) had a rough and porous surface and a high water absorption capacity and rate, almost reaching the maximum water absorption around 20 min, and demonstrated excellent water retention performance at low and medium temperatures. ATP-BF-P(HEC-AA-AMPS) has a sensitive dynamic sensing ability in different pH solutions, with a high swelling capacity between pH 6.0 and 10.0. When the pH value exceeded 10.0, the swelling rate decreased rapidly. Additionally, the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the highly absorbent polymers were significantly improved after blending with ATP and BF.

Microbial osteoporosis: The interplay between the gut microbiota and bones via host metabolism and immunity.

The complex relationship between intestinal microbiota and host is a novel field in recent years. A large number of studies are being conducted on the relationship between intestinal microbiota and bone metabolism. Bone metabolism consisted of bone absorption and formation exists in the whole process of human growth and development. The nutrient components, inflammatory factors, and hormone environment play important roles in bone metabolism. Recently, intestinal microbiota has been found to influence bone metabolism via influencing the host metabolism, immune function, and hormone secretion. Here, we searched relevant literature on Pubmed and reviewed the effect of intestinal microbiota on bone metabolism through the three aspects, which may provide new ideas and targets for the clinical treatment of osteoporosis.

Liraglutide Activates the Nrf2/HO-1 Antioxidant Pathway and Protects Brain Nerve Cells against Cerebral Ischemia in Diabetic Rats.

This study aimed to determine the effect of liraglutide pretreatment and to elucidate the mechanism of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling after focal cerebral ischemia injury in diabetic rats model. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated (S) group, diabetes mellitus ischemia (DM + MCAO) group, liraglutide pretreatment normal blood glucose ischemia (NDM+MCAO+L) group, and liraglutide pretreatment diabetes ischemia (DM + MCAO + L) group. At 48 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), neurological deficits and infarct volume of brain were measured. Oxidative stress brain tissue was determined by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities. The expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 of brain tissue were analyzed by western blotting. In the DM + MCAO + L group, neurological deficits scores and cerebral infarct volume seemed to decrease at 48 h after MCAO cerebral ischemia compared with those in DM + MCAO group (P < 0.05). In addition, the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 increased in 48 h at liraglutide pretreatment groups after MCAO cerebral ischemia if compared with those in the DM + MCAO group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the DM + MCAO + L group has no significant difference compared with the NDM + MCAO + L group (P > 0.05). To sum up, alleviating effects of liraglutide on diabetes complicated with cerebral ischemia injury rats would be related to Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.