Recently, the gut microbiota (GM) has been shown to be a regulator of bone homeostasis and the mechanisms by which GM modulates bone mass are still being investigated. Here, it is found that colonization with GM from children (CGM) but not from the elderly (EGM) prevents decreases in bone mass and bone strength in conventionally raised, ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced osteoporotic mice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals that CGM reverses the OVX‐induced reduction of Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk). Direct replenishment of Akk is sufficient to correct the OVX‐induced imbalanced bone metabolism and protect against osteoporosis. Mechanistic studies show that the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is required for the CGM‐ and Akk‐induced bone protective effects and these nanovesicles can enter and accumulate into bone tissues to attenuate the OVX‐induced osteoporotic phenotypes by augmenting osteogenic activity and inhibiting osteoclast formation. The study identifies that gut bacterium Akk mediates the CGM‐induced anti‐osteoporotic effects and presents a novel mechanism underlying the exchange of signals between GM and host bone.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains an important cancer worldwide, ranking fifth for incidence and fourth for mortality globally. Surgery combined with chemotherapy is recognized as a curative regimen for GC. However, much safer and more effective methods should be developed to improve the survival rate. Formerly, a pure physical method is presented to prepare Ångstrom‐scale silver particles (AgÅPs) and anticancer effects of fructose‐coated AgÅPs (F‐AgÅPs) are found. In this research, the efficacy and alternative pyroptosis induction of F‐AgÅPs in the treatment of GC are investigated and compared with those of cisplatin in subcutaneous GC tumor‐bearing nude mice. F‐AgÅPs inhibit GC cell growth, promote lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and induce cell pyroptosis in vitro. The caspase‐1 selective inhibitor belnacasan (VX‐765) and the pyroptotic pore formation inhibitor necrosulfonamide (NSA) partially reverse F‐AgÅP‐induced pyroptosis in GC cells. In vivo, F‐AgÅPs significantly upregulate inflammasome formation, caspase‐1 expression, and gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage, thus inducing pyroptosis. Furthermore, intravenous and oral administrations of F‐AgÅPs do not induce any obvious toxicities in healthy tissues. This study indicates that GSDMD‐dependent pyroptosis is a novel mechanism by which F‐AgÅPs protect against GC in vitro and in vivo, which may provide a new therapeutic strategy for anti‐GC treatment.

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to inquire into the feasibility, surgical skills required and short-term effect of a laparoscopic resection of the bursa omentalis and lymph node scavenging with radical gastrectomy. In this study, the clinical data of 18 patients who received a laparoscopic resection of the bursa omentalis with radical gastrectomy in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangdong Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Guangzhou, Guangdong, China) during the period between January 2012 and January 2014. A retrospective analysis was performed and the surgical duration, bursa omentalis resection time, amount of bleeding during the surgery, post-operative complications associated with the surgery, length of hospital stay, number of lymph nodes scavenged and short-term follow-up results were assessed. The results indicated that all of these 18 patients successfully received a resection of the bursa omentalis and no one required conversion to open surgery. The mean surgical duration was 289.3±30.3 min, the bursa omentalis resection time was 46.1±18.6 min and the amount of bleeding was recorded as 35.5±6.5 ml in these patients. No patients suffered from post-operative complications, such as pancreatic fistulae, anastomotic fistulae, intestinal obstructions or succumbing to the surgery, and no patients succumbed within a 6-month follow-up period. In conclusion, for advanced gastric carcinoma, laparoscopic resection of the bursa omentalis and lymph node scavenging with radical gastrectomy is feasible. In addition to meeting the requirement that the operator should be skilled and experienced in open bursa omentalis resection, and have well-knit basic skills in using a laparoscope, attention must also be paid to the construction of the surgical team.