Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) are a promising antibacterial agent to address the challenge of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In this work, the antibacterial activity of the spherical Se NPs was shown to be strongly size dependent.

In this study, Fe-Ag and Fe-Au composites were fabricated by powder metallurgy using spark plasma sintering. Their microstructures, mechanical properties, and biocorrosion behavior were investigated by using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, environment scanning electronic microscopy, compressive test, electrochemical measurements, and immersion tests. Microstructure characterization indicated that the as-sintered iron-based materials obtained much finer grains than that of as-cast pure iron. Phase analysis showed that the Fe-Ag composites were composed of α-Fe and pure Ag phases, and Fe-Au composites consisted of α-Fe and Au phases. Compressive test showed that the improved mechanical strengths were obtained in as-sintered iron-based materials, among which the Fe-5 wt %Ag exhibited the best mechanical properties. The electrochemical and immersion tests revealed that the addition of Ag and Au could increase the corrosion rate of the iron matrix and change the corrosion mode into more uniform one. Based on the results of cytotoxicity evaluation, it was found that all the experimental material extracts performed no significant toxicity on the L-929 cells and EA. hy-926 cells, whereas a considerable inhibition on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells was observed. The hemocompatibility tests showed that the hemolysis of all the experimental materials was within the range of 5%, which is the criteria value of biomaterials with good hemocomaptibility. The amount of platelet adhered on the surface of as-sintered iron-based materials was lower than that of as-cast pure iron, and the morphology of platelets kept smoothly spherical on the surface of all the experimental materials.

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Renal ischemia rapidly mobilizes endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which provides renoprotection in acute kidney injury (AKI). Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a protein-binding uremic toxin with a potential role in endothelial injury. In this study, we examined the effects and mechanisms of action of IS on EPCs in AKI. Forty-one consecutive patients (26 male; age, 70.1 ± 14.1 years) diagnosed with AKI according to the AKIN criteria were enrolled. The AKI patients had higher serum IS levels than patients with normal kidney function (1.35 ± 0.94 × 10(-4)M vs. 0.02 ± 0.02 × 10(-4)M, P < 0.01). IS levels were negatively correlated to the number of double-labeled (CD34(+)KDR(+)) circulating EPCs (P < 0.001). After IS stimulation, the cells displayed decreased expression of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, increased reactive oxygen species, decreased proliferative capacity, increased senescence and autophagy, as well as decreased migration and angiogenesis. These effects of IS on EPCs were reversed by atorvastatin. Further, exogenous administration of IS significantly reduced EPC number in Tie2-GFP transgenic mice and attenuated NO signaling in aortic and kidney arteriolar endothelium after kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice, and these effects were restored by atorvastatin. Our results are the first to demonstrate that circulating IS is elevated in AKI and has direct effects on EPCs via NO-dependent mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. Targeting the IS-mediated pathways by NO-releasing statins such as atorvastatin may preempt disordered vascular wall pathology, and represent a novel EPC-rescued approach to impaired neovascularization after AKI.

Hyperglycemia is associated with advanced glycation end products (AGEs). This study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of monascin on receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE) signal and THP-1 monocyte inflammation after treatment with S100b, a specific ligand of RAGE. Monascin inhibited cytokine production by S100b-treated THP-1 monocytes via up-regulation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and alleviated p47phox translocation to the membrane. Methylglyoxal (MG, 600 mg/kg bw) was used to induce diabetes in Wistar rats. Inhibitions of RAGE and p47phox by monascin were confirmed by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of MG-induced rats. Silymarin (SM) was used as a positive control group. It was found that monascin promoted heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression mediated by Nrf2. Suppressions of AGEs, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-β) in serum of MG-induced rats were attenuated in the monascin administration group treated with retinoic acid (RA). RA treatment resulted in Nrf2 inactivation by increasing RA receptor-α (RARα) activity, suggesting that RA acts as an inhibitor of Nrf2. The results showed that monascin exerted anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects mediated by Nrf2 to prevent the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes caused by inflammation.

In this study, the effects of Fe2O3 (addition, 2, 5, 10, and 50 wt %) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion behaviors, and in vitro biocompatibility of Fe-Fe2O3 composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering were systematically investigated as a novel-structure biodegradable metallic material. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis and optical microscopy indicated that Fe-Fe2O3 composite is composed of α-Fe and FeO instead of Fe2O3. Both eletrochemical measurements and immersion test showed a faster degradation rate of Fe-2Fe2O3 and Fe-5Fe2O3 composites than pure iron and Fe-5Fe2O3 exhibited the fastest corrosion rate among these composites. Besides, the effect of Fe2O3 on the corrosion behavior of Fe-Fe2O3 composites was discussed. The extracts of Fe-Fe2O3 composite exhibited no cytotoxicity to both ECV304 and L929 cells, whereas greatly reduced cell viabilities of vascular smooth muscle cells. In addition, good hemocompatibility of all Fe-Fe2O3 composites and pure iron was obtained. To sum up, Fe-5Fe2O3 composite is a promising alternative for biodegradable stent material with elevated corrosion rate, enhanced mechanical properties, as well as excellent biocompatibility.