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Jasminum grandiflorum L. (JG) is a medicinal plant containing many bioactive ingredients. Herein, we analyzed the effects of four different extracts and two compounds of JG on acute liver injury caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and underlying molecular mechanisms. 7 weeks old C57BL/6 male mice were used to establish a liver injury model by injecting with 1% CCl4, 10 mL/kg ip. Four different extracts and two compounds of JG were given to mice by gavage for 3 days. Clinical and histological chemistry assays were performed to assess liver injury. Moreover, hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation related markers were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. As a result, JG extracts and two functional components showed different degree of protect effects against CCl4-induced liver injury by the decrease of elevated serum transaminases and liver index, and the attenuation of histopathological changes in mice, among which JG extracted with petroleum ether (PET) had the most significant effect. In addition, PET remarkably alleviated hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation. Further studies revealed that PET significantly inhibited the TNF-α expression, signal pathway expression, NF-κB p65 and inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-6 expression in CCl4-induced liver injury mice. Nevertheless, hydroxytyrosol (HT) alleviated liver injury by reducing oxidative stress. Apart from PET extract, other extracts of JG can inhibit cytochrome CYP2E1 expression to protect liver tissue. These findings suggest that the extracts and its components of JG possesses the potential protective effects against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice by exerting antioxidative stress and anti-inflammation.

Aim: Magnetic hydrogels (MHGs) have been proposed to avoid the redistribution and loss of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) when administrated by intratumoral injection. However, the requirement of complex cooling systems and temperature monitoring systems still hinder the clinical application of MHGs. This study investigates the feasibility of developing an MHG to realize the self-regulation of hyperthermia temperature. Methods: The MHG was developed by dispersing the MNPs with self-regulating temperature property into the temperature-sensitive hydrogel through physical crosslinking. The MHG's gelation temperature was tested by measuring the storage modulus and loss modulus on a rotational rheometer. The biocompatibility of the MHG and MNPs was characterized by CCK-8 assay against HaCaT cells. The in vivo magnetic heating property was examined through monitoring the temperature in the MHG on mice back upon the application of the alternating magnetic field (400 ± 5 Oe, 100 ± 5 kHz) every week for successive six weeks. Results: The gelation temperature of the MHG falls in 28.4°C-37.4°C. At in vivo applied concentration of 80 mg/mL, the MHG exhibits over 80% cell viability after 72 h, significantly higher than 50% cell viability of the MNPs (p

Acute alcoholic intoxication (AAI) is a pathological process of multiple system damage caused by a large amount of alcohol, especially in the liver. Although tea extracts alleviate AAI and alcohol-induced liver damage, the mechanisms underlying the protective actions of different types of Chinese tea are unclear. In this study, the AAI mice model was used to explore the functions and mechanisms of six types of tea extract (WEATs) in alleviating AAI. The losing righting reflexes of mice were evaluated to assess the effects of the WEATs on AAI. The levels of the ethanol metabolism enzymes (ADH, ALDH2, CYP2E1), the oxidative stress-related indicators (NRF-2, HO-1, SOD, GSH, CAT, and TG) and the inflammatory factors (TNF-α, iNOS, IL-6, and IL-10) were determined. Black tea and dark tea significantly shortened the sleep time (duration of the loss of righting reflex) and had a good sobering effect. Green tea and oolong tea had the dual effect of prolonging tolerance time (time of losing righting reflex) and shortening sleep time. While white tea had the most significant effect on prolonging tolerance time but with no obvious sobering effect. Black tea, dark tea, and oolong tea significantly up-regulated ADH and ALDH2, and down-regulated CYP2E1. Green tea and white tea significantly increased the levels of Nrf2, GSH, and CAT. Black tea, dark tea and oolong tea markedly increased the levels of HO-1, IL-10, and inhibited TG. Therefore, it is possible that black tea, dark tea and oolong tea reduced AAI by increasing ethanol metabolism, suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation. While green tea was mainly by regulating oxidative stress. White tea may prolong the tolerance time by increasing ethanol metabolism and reducing oxidative stress. Different types of tea have specific chemical compositions and can alleviate AAI. In conclusion, despite variations in the composition and mechanism of action, tea is a potent natural product to alleviate a hangover and protect the liver.

In this paper, we use the finite difference methods to explore step-down Equity Linked Securities (ELS) options under the fractional Black-Scholes model. We establish Crank-Nicolson scheme under one asset and study the impact of Hurst exponent (H) on return of repayment under fixed stock price. We also explore the impact of stock price on return of repayment under different H. Through numerical experiments, it is found that the return of repayment of options is related to H, and the result of difference scheme will increase with the increase of H. In the case of two assets, we establish implicit scheme, and in the case of three assets, we use operator splitting method (OSM) method to establish semi-implicit scheme. We get the result that the H also influences the return of repayment in two and three assets. We also conduct Greeks analysis. Through Greeks analysis, we find that the long-term correlation of stocks has a huge impact on investment gains or losses. Therefore, we take historical volatility (fractal exponents) into account which can significantly reduce risk and increase revenue for investors.

Jasminum grandiflorum L. is a medicinal plant used to treat hepatitis and gastritis, but the mechanisms underlying its protective effects against gastrointestinal mucosal damage remain to be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the effects of four different extracts and two compounds from the flower of J. grandiflorum in a mouse model of HCl/EtOH-induced gastric ulcer. The flower extracts alleviated gastric mucosal ulceration by increasing PGE2 production and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, along with the suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation, apoptosis-related proteins, pro-inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) production.

Ascorbic acid (AA) has been widely used to improve human health since it was first found, such as resisting scurvy, enhancing immunity, and preventing arteriosclerosis. Moreover, it plays a very important role in the anti-oxidation process in the human body. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop sensitive and accurate detection methods. In this work, silver-coated gold nanorods (Au@Ag NRs) acted as the optical probe, which could be etched with hydroxyl radicals (·OH) from the Fenton reaction between H2O2 and Fe2+, leading to the blue shift of longitudinal localized surface plasmon resonance absorption. However, as a free radical scavenger, AA was able to inhibit the Fenton reaction, resulting in a red shift of plasmon resonance absorption. Based on the change in longitudinal plasma resonance absorption of silver-coated gold nanorods, a linear relationship between the maximum longitudinal absorption wavelength and the concentration of AA was established in the range of 2.5–17.5 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.48 μM and a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.61 μM, which was feasible to detect AA in tablets.

Lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) have attracted a great deal of attention in recent decades, due to their value for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, optimizing the performance of optoelectronic devices through ligand engineering has become a major challenge, as the surfactants that surround quantum dots impede the transport of electrons. In this paper, we prepared PbS QD films and photoconductive devices with four different ligands: 1,2-ethylenedithiol (EDT), tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI), hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and sodium sulfide (Na2S). A series of characterization studies confirmed that using the appropriate ligands in the solid-state ligand exchange step for thin film fabrication can significantly improve the responsivity. The devices treated with sodium sulfide showed the best sensitivity and a wider detection from 400 nm to 2300 nm, compared to the other ligand-treated devices. The responsivity of the champion device reached 95.6 mA/W under laser illumination at 980 nm, with an intensity of 50 mW/cm2.

H2S is an endogenous gas signaling molecule and its multiple biological effects have been demonstrated. The abnormal level of H2S is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases, and H2S donors has important pharmacological implications. In recent years, H2S donors represented by ADTOH (5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione) are often used to synthesize new ‘conjugate’ compounds that can release H2S and parent drugs. These hybrids retain the pharmacological activity of the parent drugs and H2S and have a synergistic effect. ADTOH and parent drug hybrids have become one of the important strategies for the development of H2S donor conjugate drugs. This review summarizes molecular hybrids between ADTOH and clinical drugs to provide new ideas for the study of H2S donor drug design.

Acute alcoholic liver injury (AALI) refers to the inflammatory hepatic damage caused by alcohol. In severe cases, it can lead to steatohepatitis, alcoholic fibrosis and even cirrhosis. In this study, we analyzed the hepatoprotective activity of L-theanine on mice fed with a large amount of ethanol at one time, and the underlying molecular mechanism. The extensive liver injury caused by alcohol feeding was alleviated by L-theanine, which reduced tissue damage, decreased transaminase levels, and increased antioxidant activity. Mechanistically, L-theanine downregulated phosphorylated NF-κB, TNF-α and IKKα in the liver tissues and the LO2 normal hepatocyte cell line, which in turn lowered secretion of iNOS, IL-1β and IL-6. Taken together, L-theanine prevents alcohol-induced liver inflammation by blocking the intrahepatic TNF-α/NF-κB pathway, and is a promising treatment strategy against AALI.

Food extract supplements, with high functional activity and low side effects, play a recognized role in the adjunctive therapy of human colorectal cancer. The present study reported a new functional beverage, which is a type of Chinese Hakka stir-fried green tea (HSGT) aged for several years. The extracts of the lyophilized powder of five HSGT samples with different aging periods were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography. The major components of the extract were found to include polyphenols, catechins, amino acids, catechins, gallic acid and caffeine. The tea extracts were also investigated for their therapeutic activity against human colorectal cancer cells, HT-29, an epithelial cell isolated from the primary tumor. The effect of different aging time of the tea on the anticancer potency was compared. Our results showed that, at the cellular level, all the extracts of the aged teas significantly inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 in a concentration-dependent manner. In particular, two samples prepared in 2015 (15Y, aged for 6 years) and 2019 (19Y, aged for 2 years) exhibited the highest inhibition rate for 48 h treatment (cell viability was 50% at 0.2 mg/mL). Further, all the aged tea extracts examined were able to enhance the apoptosis of HT-29 cells (apoptosis rate > 25%) and block the transition of G1/S phase (cell-cycle distribution (CSD) from 30%) population to G2/M phase (CSD from nearly 30% to nearly 10%) at 0.2 mg/mL for 24 h or 48 h. Western blotting results also showed that the tea extracts inhibited cyclin-dependent kinases 2/4 (CDK2, CDK4) and CylinB1 protein expression, as well as increased poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PRAP) expression and Bcl2-associated X (Bax)/B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2) ratio. In addition, an upstream signal of one of the above proteins, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signalling, was found to be involved in the regulation, as evidenced by the inhibition of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT by the extracts of the aged tea. Therefore, our study reveals that traditional Chinese aged tea (HSGT) may inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression and promoted apoptosis of colon cancer cells by inactivating PI3K/AKT signalling.

As the most common form of epigenetic regulation by RNA, N6 methyladenosine (m6A) modification is closely involved in physiological processes, such as growth and development, stem cell renewal and differentiation, and DNA damage response. Meanwhile, its aberrant expression in cancer tissues promotes the development of malignant tumors, as well as plays important roles in proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, immunity and prognosis. This close association between m6A and cancers has garnered substantial attention in recent years. An increasing number of small molecules have emerged as potential agents to target m6A regulators for cancer treatment. These molecules target the epigenetic level, enabling precise intervention in RNA modifications and efficiently disrupting the survival mechanisms of tumor cells, thus paving the way for novel approaches in cancer treatment. However, there is currently a lack of a comprehensive review on small molecules targeting m6A regulators for anti-tumor. Here, we have comprehensively summarized the classification and functions of m6A regulators, elucidating their interactions with the proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, and immune responses in common cancers. Furthermore, we have provided a comprehensive overview on the development, mode of action, pharmacology and structure–activity relationships of small molecules targeting m6A regulators. Our aim is to offer insights for subsequent drug design and optimization, while also providing an outlook on future prospects for small molecule development targeting m6A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ZnII coordination polymer, namely, poly[{μ2-bis[4-(2-methyl-1Himidazol-1-yl)phenyl]methanone-κ² N³ :N³′ }(μ2-5-bromobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylato-κ² O¹ :O³ )zinc(II)], [Zn(C8H3BrO4)(C21H18N4O)]n or [Zn(Br-BDC)(MIPMO)]n, (I), has been synthesized by the solvothermal method using 5-bromoisophthalic acid (Br-H2BDC), bis[4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl]methanone (MIPMO) and Zn(NO3)2·6H2O. Structure analysis showed that compound (I) displays twofold parallel interwoven sql nets. Fluorescence experiments confirmed that the compound can sensitively and selectively detect nitrofurantoin (NFT) in aqueous medium. In addition, the possible fluorescence quenching mechanisms of compound (I) toward NFT are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are used as transparent electrodes (TE) in many devices. However, the contact mode between the nanowires is the biggest reason why the sheet resistance of silver nanowires is limited. Here, simple and effective ultraviolet (UV) irradiation welding is chosen to solve this problem. The influence of the power density of the UV irradiation on welding of the silver nanowires is studied and the fixed irradiation time is chosen as one minute. The range of the UV (380 nm) irradiation power is chosen from 30 mW/cm2 to 150 mW/cm2. First of all, the transmittance of the silver nanowire film is not found to be affected by the UV welding (400–11,000 nm). The sheet resistance of the silver nanowires decreases to 73.9% at 60 mW/cm2 and increases to 127.6% at 120 mW/cm2. The investigations on the UV irradiation time reveal that the sheet resistance of the AgNWs decreases continuously when the UV irradiation time is varied from 0 to 3 min, and drops to 57.3% of the initial value at 3 min. From 3–6 min of the continuous irradiation time, the change of the sheet resistance is not obvious, which reflects the self-limiting and self-termination of AgNWs welding. By changing the wavelength of the UV irradiation from 350–400 nm, it is found that the welding effect is best when the UV wavelength is 380 nm. The average transmittance, square resistance, and the figure of merit of the welded AgNWs at 400–780 nm are 95.98%, 56.5 Ω/sq, and 117.42 × 10−4 Ω−1, respectively. The UV-welded AgNWs are also used in silicon-based photodetectors, and the quantum efficiency of the device is improved obviously.

Liver injury is a significant public health issue nowadays. Shibi tea is a non-Camellia tea prepared from the dried leaves of Adinandra nitida, one of the plants with the greatest flavonoid concentration, with Camellianin A (CA) being the major flavonoid. Shibi tea is extensively used in food and medicine and has been found to provide a variety of health advantages. The benefits of Shibi tea and CA in preventing liver injury have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of extract of Shibi tea (EST) and CA in mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury. Two different concentrations of EST and CA were given to model mice by gavage for 3 days. Treatment with two concentrations of EST and CA reduced the CCl4-induced elevation of the liver index, liver histopathological injury score, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that EST and CA regulated the oxidative stress signaling pathway protein levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the expression of inflammatory cytokines, the phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB p65 (p-NF-κB)/nuclear factor-kappaB p65 (NF-κB) ratio, the phospho-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-MAPK), and the apoptosis-related protein levels of BCL2-associated X (Bax)/B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) in the liver. Taken together, EST and CA can protect against CCl4-induced liver injury by exerting antioxidative stress, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptosis.

The magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with decreasing heating efficiency (characterized by specific loss power, SLP) with temperature increase, especially around the Curie temperature (TC), are expected to realize the self-regulated temperature hyperthermia of the tumor. However, the actual decrease of the SLP is gradual, resulting in the deviation of self-regulated temperatures from the measured TC. So far, no method is available for evaluating the heating performances of those MNPs. Here, by simulating the temperature-dependent SLP, the heating performances of MNPs are evaluated from three clinically concerning aspects: the capacity for effective heating, the temperature uniformity in the tumor, and the temperature stability under environmental changes such as MNP loss or tumor progression. The developed methods were applied to ZnCoCrFeO, Fe3O4, and γ-Fe2O3 MNPs. It was found that the uniform temperature distribution relies on lowering the heating power in the inner regions of the tumor, and the stable control of temperature depends on the dynamic adaptation of the heating power to the tumor temperature change. The proposed method may be used to predict the heating ability of MNPs and help the selection of MNPs for hyperthermia.

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disease that threatens human health. Tea is a healthy beverage with an abundance of benefits. This study revealed the uric acid-lowering efficacy of six types of tea water extracts (TWEs) on HUA in mice. The results revealed that under the intervention of TWEs, the expression of XDH, a key enzyme that produces uric acid, was significantly downregulated in the liver. TWE treatment significantly upregulated the expression of uric acid secretion transporters ABCG2, OAT1, and OAT3, and downregulated the expression of uric acid reabsorption transporter URAT1 in the kidney. Furthermore, HUA-induced oxidative stress could be alleviated by upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. The intervention of TWEs also significantly upregulated the expression of the intestinal ABCG2 protein. On the other hand, TWE intervention could significantly upregulate the expression of intestinal ABCG2 and alleviate HUA by modulating the gut microbiota. Taken together, tea can comprehensively regulate uric acid metabolism in HUA mice. Interestingly, we found that the degree of fermentation of tea was negatively correlated with the uric acid-lowering effect. The current study indicated that tea consumption may have a mitigating effect on the HUA population and provided a basis for further research on the efficacy of tea on the dosage and mechanism of uric acid-lowering effects in humans.

Thraustochytrids have gained significant attention in recent years because of their considerable ecological and biotechnological importance. Yet, the influence of seasons and habitats on their culturable diversity and lipid profile remains poorly described. In this study, a total of 58 thraustochytrid strains were isolated from the coastal waters of Qingdao, China. These strains were phylogenetically close to five thraustochytrid genera, namely Botryochytrium, Oblongichytrium, Schizochytrium, Thraustochytrium, and Sicyoidochytrium. Most of the isolated strains were classified into the genera Thraustochytrium and Oblongichytrium. Further diversity analysis revealed that samples collected from nutrient-rich habitats and during summer/fall yielded significantly higher culturable diversity of thraustochytrids than those from low-nutrient habitats and winter/spring. Moreover, sampling habitats and seasons significantly impacted the fatty acid profiles of the strains. Particularly, the Oblongichytrium sp. OC931 strain produced a significant amount (153.99 mg/L) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), accounting for 9.12% of the total fatty acids, which was significantly higher than that of the previously reported Aurantiochytrium strains. Overall, the results of this study fill the gap in our current understanding of the culturable diversity of thraustochytrids in the coastal waters and the impact of the sampling habitats and seasons on their capacity for lipid accumulation.

Liver injury is a life-threatening condition that is usually caused by excessive alcohol consumption, improperdiet, and stressful lifestyle and can even progress to liver cancer. Tea is a popular beverage with proven health benefits and is known to exert a protective effect on the liver, intestines, and stomach. In this study, we analyzed the therapeutic effects of six kinds of tea on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in a mouse model. The mice were injected with 10 mL/kg 5% CCl4 to induce liver injury and then given oral gavage of green tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, white tea, black tea, and dark tea, respectively. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured, and the expression levels of inflammation and oxidative stress-related proteins in the liver tissues were quantified. All six kinds of tea partly reduced the liver index, restored the size of the enlarged liver in the CCl4 model, and decreased the serum levels of ALT and AST. Furthermore, the highly fermented dark tea significantly reduced the expression levels of NF-κB and the downstream inflammatory factors, whereas the unfermented green tea inhibited oxidative stress by activating the antioxidant Nrf2 pathway. Taken together, tea can protect against liver inflammation, and unfermented tea can improve antioxidant levels. Further studies are needed on the bioactive components of tea to develop drugs against liver injury.

(C25H27AgN4O5S)n, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a =8.4459(2) Å, b = 23.8845(5) Å, c = 13.0653(3) Å, β =105.096(2)°, V = 2544.66(10) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0315, wRref(F2) = 0.0689, T = 293(2) K.

Summary: Non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has a high rate of metastatic spread and drug resistance, is the most common subtype of lung cancer. Therefore, NSCLC patients have a very poor prognosis and a very low chance of survival. Human cancers are closely linked to regulated cell death (RCD), such as apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. Currently, small‐molecule compounds targeting various types of RCD have shown potential as anticancer treatments. Moreover, RCD appears to be a specific part of the antitumor immune response; hence, the combination of RCD and immunotherapy might increase the inhibitory effect of therapy on tumor growth. In this review, we summarize small‐molecule compounds used for the treatment of NSCLC by focusing on RCD and pharmacological systems. In addition, we describe the current research status of an immunotherapy combined with an RCD‐based regimen for NSCLC, providing new ideas for targeting RCD pathways in combination with immunotherapy for patients with NSCLC in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light loss is one of the main factors affecting the quantum efficiency of photodetectors. Many researchers have attempted to use various methods to improve the quantum efficiency of silicon-based photodetectors. Herein, we designed highly anti-reflective silicon nanometer truncated cone arrays (Si NTCAs) as a light-trapping layer in combination with graphene to construct a high-performance graphene/Si NTCAs photodetector. This heterojunction structure overcomes the weak light absorption and severe surface recombination in traditional silicon-based photodetectors. At the same time, graphene can be used both as a broad-spectrum absorption layer and as a transparent electrode to improve the response speed of heterojunction devices. Due to these two mechanisms, this photodetector had a high quantum efficiency of 97% at a wavelength of 780 nm and a short rise/fall time of 60/105µs. This device design promotes the development of silicon-based photodetectors and provides new possibilities for integrated photoelectric systems.