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Dirac cones are difficult to achieve in a square lattice with full symmetry. Here, we have theoretically investigated a bipartite tetragonal lattice composed of tetragons and octagons using both Tight-Binding (TB) model and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The TB model predicts that the system exhibits nodal line semi-metallic properties when the on-site energies of all atoms are identical. When the on-site energies differ, the formation of an elliptical Dirac cone is predicted. Its physical properties (anisotropy, tilting, merging, and emerging) can be regulated by the hopping energies. An exact analytical formula is derived to determine the position of the Dirac point by the TB parameters, and a criterion for the existence of Dirac cones is obtained. The "divide-and-coupling" method is applied to understand the origin of the Dirac cone, which involves dividing the bands into several groups and examining the couplings among inter-groups and intra-groups. Various practical systems computed by DFT methods, e.g., t-BN, t-Si, 4,12,2-graphyne, and t-SiC, are also examined, and they all possess nodal lines or Dirac cones as predicted by the TB model. The results provide theoretical foundation for designing novel Dirac materials with tetragonal symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-diameter polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber has a broad application prospect in the field of reinforcing geomorphic building materials owing to its large diameter and excellent mechanical properties. In this work, PVA2499 polymer was used as the raw material, DMSO/H2O as the hybrid solvent, and the staged heating approach was adopted to obtain high solid content of spinning solutions, and then a series of large-diameter medium-strength PVA fibers with different solid contents of spinning solutions (SCS) were prepared by dry-wet spinning, and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scan electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal analysis (TGA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and electronic universal testing machine were performed to explore the effect of the SCS on the structure and performance of PVA fiber. The results displayed that with the increase of the SCS, the -OH stretching vibration absorption peak of PVA fiber moved from 3276 cm−1 to 3262 cm−1; The tensile strength, initial modulus, the crystallization and orientation of PVA fibers all increased first and then decreased. Especially, when the SCS was 23.5wt%, the diameter of the PVA fiber was 110.6 ± 6.0 μm (124.8 ± 6.2 dtex), the tensile strength was 7.0 ± 0.3 cN/dtex, the initial modulus was 106.2 ± 10.3 cN/dtex, the crystallization and the orientation were 49.6% and 96.8%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mechanical property poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) fibers have attracted tremendous attentions because of their excellent mechanical properties and has a potential application in the field of building enhancement. In this article, PVA polymer with high polymerization degree (Pn) and high Syndiotacticity-diad content (S-diad) were synthesized using vinyl acetate (VAc) and vinyl pivalate (VPi) as monomers via emulsion polymerization with water as solvent, the GPC and 1H NMR were used to characterized the Pn and S-diad of PVA polymer. Then the lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) was chosen as cross-linking and the synthesized PVA polymer as raw material for dry-wet spinning, a series of PVA fibers with high strength and high modulus have been prepared. The final PVA-La fibers were characterized through a series of experiments including of FTIR, SEM, DSC, TGA, XRD and fiber tensile tester. It turned out that the Pn and S-diad of synthesized PVA polymer were 4817 ± 76 and 56.3 ± 0.7%. With the increasing of LaCl3 content, the -OH vibration absorption peak of PVA-La composite fiber gradually increased from 3462 cm-1 to 3484 cm-1; the strength, modulus, crystallinity and orientation all increased first and then decreased. Especially, the properties of PVA-La fiber exhibited an optimal LaCl3 content of 0.8 wt%, the denier was 5.4 ± 0.5 dtex, the tensile strength and highest elastic modulus of 15.19 ± 0.5 cN/dtex and 369.21 ± 9.1cN/dtex, the elongation at break was 3.72 ± 0.4%, the crystallinity was 53.9 ± 0.6%, the orientation was 95.6 ± 0.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to significantly enhance the fluorescence and mechanical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fluorescent fibers, HBP(P-L) is synthesized by lysine, phenylalanine and N,N-methylene bisacrylamide via Michael addition reaction. Acidified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are added in HBP(P-L) solution, which are sonicated to obtain MWCNTs-HBP(P-L). Moreover, MWCNTs-HBP(P-L) is incorporated with PVA polymer to fabricate PVA fluorescence fibers via wet spinning. The fluorescence and mechanical properties of fabricated PVA fluorescence fibers are characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, fibers tensile tester and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results display that the neat PVA fibers could not emit fluorescence when emission peak is at 450–480 nm, while MWCNTs-HBP(P-L)/PVA fibers could emit green fluorescence. The neat PVA fibers still could not emit fluorescence when emission peak is at 530–550 nm, while MWCNTs-HBP(P-L)/PVA fibers could emit dark red fluorescence. Furthermore, the crystallinity, the degree of orientation, the breaking strength and modulus of MWCNTs-HBP(P-L)/PVA fibers are 65.0%, 93.8%, 6.52 cN/dtex and 76.33 cN/dtex, respectively. Especially, the breaking strength and modulus of MWCNTs-HBP(P-L)/PVA fibers are 15.2% and 82.1% higher than that of neat PVA fibers. The fabricated MWCNTs-HBP(P-L)/PVA fibers exhibit unique mechanical and fluorescence properties, which make it be potentially envisaged in biomedical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the shortcoming of Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers for food or medical packaging materials including low mechanical strength and poor water resistance, lignin (LN) was used as raw material, acetone/H 2 O as solvent to self-assemble into lignin nanoparticles (LNP) by adverse solvent precipitation approach, and then PVA/LNP composite fibers with different LNP contents were fabricated successfully by wet and dry spinning. Herein, vast hydrophilic hydroxyl groups in PVA decreased owing to the hydrogen bond between LN and PVA, Especially, with only 0.5 wt% loading of LNP into the PVA/LNP fibers, the diameter was 94.4 dtex, tensile strength was 10.1 cN/dtex (1279.8 MPa), initial modulus was 94.7 cN/dtex (12.0 GPa), the crystallinity was 56.7 %, the orientation was 97.1 %, and water contact angle was 103.1°. Compared with pure PVA fibers, the tensile strength of PVA/LNP-0.5 fibers was increased by 44.2 % and the contact angle was increased 37°. This work provides novel insights into obtaining lignin-reinforced PVA composite fibers with strong mechanical properties and excellent water resistance properties, indicating the potential of the PVA/LNP fibers for food or medical packaging application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and high expression levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in wound tissue are two major problems for wound repair and scar inhibition. Modulation of the wound microenvironment is considered to be able to overcome these issues. Two possible solutions include the use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2) as an enzyme-like ROS scavenger and pirfenidone (PFD) as an anti-fibrotic drug to inhibit the expression of TGF-β. However, CeO2 is easily adsorbed by biological macromolecules and loses its enzyme-like activity. Furthermore, the intracellular delivery of PFD is difficult. Herein, the layer-by-layer method was used to prepare nanocapsules (NCs) with a sophisticated structure featuring PFD at their core and CeO2 in their shell; these NCs were referred to as PFD/CeO2 NCs. PFD/CeO2 NCs were supposed to efficiently achieve intracellular delivery of PFD and successfully scavenged ROS from the microenvironment. Cellular experiments verified that PFD/CeO2 NCs had good biocompatibility, satisfactory cellular uptake, and favorable ROS-scavenging capacity. To be applied directly to the wound, PFD/CeO2 NCs were then adhered to plasma-etched polylactic acid (PLA) fiber membranes to prepare a new wound dressing. Animal experiments further demonstrated that the dressing accelerated the epithelialization of the wound, reduced the levels of ROS and TGF-β, improved the arrangement and proportion of collagen fibers, and finally, achieved satisfactory wound-repairing and anti-scarring effects. These results provide a new concept for promoting wound repair and preventing scar formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PVA fibers with high strength and high modulus are very attractive in many potential applications. However, there is a difficulty when enhancing the strength and modulus of PVA fibers. To overcome this difficulty, here we report a method to enhance the strength and modulus of PVA fibers by synthesis of high polymerization degree (DP) and high syndiotacticity diad content (S-diad) PVA polymers with vinyl acetate (VAc)/ vinyl propionate (VPa) as monomers via non-emulsifier emulsion polymerization. The synthesized PVA polymers with different mass ratio of VAc/VPa were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), it demonstrated that the ratio of VPa monomer has a significant effect on the DP and S-diad of PVA polymers. In addition, a series of PVA fibers have been fabricated using the synthesized polymers by wet spinning method, and the mechanical and thermal properties of PVA fibers have been investigated by tensile tester, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and it found that there is a substantial increase in strength and modulus of PVA fibers with the increase of DP and S-diad of PVA polymer. However, too high DP and S-diad of PVA polymers had an opposite effect on the spinning fluid, spinnability and properties of PVA fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the variable selection and parameter estimation for the semiparametric varying-coefficient partially linear models when the covariates are measured with errors. The proposed penalised empirical likelihood estimators are shown to possess the oracle property. Also, we conclude that the asymptotic distribution of penalised empirical likelihood ratio test statistic is a chi-square distribution under the null hypothesis. Some simulations and an application are given to illustrate the performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) from the genus Hosta with antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were reported for the first time. Sixteen extracts from the aboveground and underground parts of the four Hosta species, including H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata, and H. albofarinosa, using reflux extraction (RE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) techniques have high TPC and TFC with good antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Furthermore, no significant differences on extraction yields, TPC, and TFC were found between RE and UAE techniques. Additionally, extracts from the aboveground parts of the four Hosta species had higher TPC, TFC, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities compared to the underground parts by means of RE or UAE techniques. Lastly, the extracts of H. albo-marginata displayed a very remarkable α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared to the positive control acarbose. The relationships of sixteen extracts of the four Hosta species were analyzed by RE and UAE techniques between extraction yields, TPC, TFC, antioxidant activity, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The present study demonstrated that H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata, and H. albofarinosa could be new sources of natural antioxidants and antidiabetes for pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) from the genus Hosta with antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were reported for the first time. Sixteen extracts from the aboveground and underground parts of the four Hosta species, including H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata, and H. albofarinosa, using reflux extraction (RE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) techniques have high TPC and TFC with good antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Furthermore, no significant differences on extraction yields, TPC, and TFC were found between RE and UAE techniques. Additionally, extracts from the aboveground parts of the four Hosta species had higher TPC, TFC, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities compared to the underground parts by means of RE or UAE techniques. Lastly, the extracts of H. albo-marginata displayed a very remarkable α-glucosidase inhibitory activity compared to the positive control acarbose. The relationships of sixteen extracts of the four Hosta species were analyzed by RE and UAE techniques between extraction yields, TPC, TFC, antioxidant activity, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The present study demonstrated that H. plantaginea, H. ventricosa, H. ensata, and H. albofarinosa could be new sources of natural antioxidants and antidiabetes for pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Lagopsis supina has been used as a traditional medicinal herb for centuries in China. In folk medicine, it is used for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (PBCRBS), anti-inflammatory and diuretic activities. Modern pharmacological investigation have shown that L. supina have an improvement in blood and lymphatic microcirculation, myocardioprotective, and antioxidative activities. Although the pharmacological research of L. supina was more, there was no report on the diuretic activity. Aim of the study This study was to evaluate the diuretic activity and the underlying mechanism of an ethanol extract of L. supina (LS) in a rat model of traumatic blood stasis (TBS). Materials and methods There were 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats that were randomly assigned to the control group, TBS group, and LS group (10 animals in each group). LS was administered orally (460 mg/kg) once daily for 7 successive days. The control group and TBS group were given an equal amount of 0.3% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na). For the efficacy evaluation, the urine output volume, the urinary electrolyte concentrations (Na+, K+, Cl- and Ca2+) and pH value, the levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), atriopeptin (ANP), anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone (ALD), as well as aquaporin (AQP)-1, 2 and 3 protein expressions were detected in a rat model of TBS. The protein expressions of AQP-1, 2 and 3 were detected by quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot analysis. Results In the efficacy evaluation, rat models treated with LS showed a significant increase in the total urine output (p < 0.01). The urinary electrolyte and the acid-base disturbances, including the decrease of Na+ and Ca2+ levels and the Na+/K+ value together with the increase in the Cl- level and the pH value, in the urine of the LS group were compared with the TBS group. Moreover, the levels of Ang II, ADH and ALD of rat model were decreased after being treated with LS (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), while the ANP level was increased (p < 0.05). In addition, the results of the quantitative IHC and the Western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of AQP-1, 2 and 3 proteins decreased significantly compared with those of the TBS group. Conclusions This is the first reported notable diuretic effect by LS, which probably was through the suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and the regulation of the signaling pathways of AQP-1, 2 and 3 protein expressions. Based on our results, we conclude that L. supina carries out its diuretic effect mainly by down-regulating the levels of AQP-1, 2 and 3 expressions in TBS rat model. These data also embody the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) application principle of Huo xue li shui. These findings suggest that LS may warrant further evaluation as a possible agent for the diuretic drug in clinical applications. Further research is underway to elucidate the active compounds responsible for the diuretic activity of LS. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaenomeles plants are adapted to diverse ecological zones particularly the temperate areas of Korea, Japan, and China. In China, Chaenomeles speciosa is mainly planted in Chongqing, Anhui, and Hubei provinces. Most of the studies till date have been focused on the anti-inflammatory activities of C. speciosa fractions. The present study aimed to review the maximum literature reported for the presence of various phytochemicals in C. speciosa. In addition, the pharmacological properties of these chemical compounds of this plant shall also be discussed. The extracts of the various parts of the plant are rich in diversity of antioxidants, organic acids, phenolics, terpenoids, and many different phytochemicals that bear strong anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial properties, anti-inflammation, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and anti-Parkinson properties. C. speciosa fruits have broad scope in industry as well as in medicines. Not only the leaves and fruits of C. speciosa plant, but various other parts including roots, seeds, bark twigs, and flowers all have long history of clinical trials in curing many human ailments. However, the maximum accessible data concerning the chemical compositions and their broad pharmacological properties of C. speciosa plant parts is pretty restricted that make it more appealing for in-depth investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: We aimed to determine the cancer detection rate and complications of transrectal prostate biopsy (TRBx) and transperineal prostate biopsy (TPBx) in the hospital. However, given the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in TPBx remains controversial according to the current guidelines, we also investigated the safety and side effects of TPBx with and without antibiotic prophylaxis.Materials and Methods: A total of 777 patients who underwent prostate biopsy were enrolled in this study in accordance with the criteria. The primary outcome was pooled infectious complications (sepsis, fever, symptomatic urinary tract infection and urinary retention), and the secondary outcome was prostate cancer detection rate.Results: Findings showed that TPBx and TRBx were equivalent in terms of prostate cancer detection rate (TPBx: 50.4% vs. TRBx: 47.3%; P = 0.424) and urinary retention (TPBx: 5% vs. TRBx: 6.3%; P = 0.451). However, TRBx had significantly higher incidences of sepsis (risk ratios, RR: 3.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-11.03; P = 0.014) and symptomatic urinary tract infection (RR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.07-8.66; P = 0.029) than TPBx. Notably, for TPBx, patients who received a single dose of cephazolin prophylaxis were not associated with the risk of sepsis (RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.13-4.63; P = 0.783) and symptomatic urinary tract infection (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.24-5.74; P = 0.848) in contrast to patients who did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis. Meanwhile, no effects on prostate cancer detection rate and urinary retention were observed in the TPBx group.Conclusions: Our findings indicated that TPBx significantly reduced infectious complications compared with TRBx and should therefore be preferred. Importantly, we need to re-examine whether the antibiotic prophylaxis should be routinely applied before TPBx in consideration of increasing antibiotic resistance. This result complements the current national guidelines. Nevertheless, future studies on this topic with improved quality and increased sample size are still needed to minimise bacterial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new isophthalic acid, 2-acetyl-5-hydroxy-6-methoxyisophthalic acid ( 1), was isolated from the wetland soil-derived fungus Talaromyces flavus (No. BYD07-13). Its chemical structure was elucidated on the basis of UV, IR, MS, and NMR spectroscopic analyses. The anti-A β aggregation, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities of compound 1 were tested. Compound 1 displayed significant anti-A β aggregation activity with a relative inhibitory rate value of 55.01% at a concentration of 100 μmol/mL. This is the first report that isophthalic acid has anti-A β agregation activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Active queue management has been proved to be an effective mechanism at the intermediate nodes to alleviate network congestion. A novel robust active queue management scheme based on H-infinity feedback control theory is proposed in this paper. A TCP model with link capacity disturbances, modeling uncertainties and time-varying delay is investigated, and the objective is to design a feedback controller which guarantee the queue length stability and robustness against the external disturbances and model perturbations. Meanwhile a simple on-line estimation of TCP window size is adopted instead of state observer which reduces computation burden significantly. The controller parameters are obtained through the standard linear matrix inequality techniques. Finally NS-2 simulation results demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lagopsis supina (Steph. ex Willd.) lk. -Gal. ex Knorr. has been used as a diuretic agent in China for centuries with limited scientific evidence. This study investigated the diuretic efficacy and underlying mechanism of a macroporous adsorption resin with 30% ethanol elution fraction from L. supina (LSC) in saline-loaded rats and to identify its phytochemicals by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-qTOF-MS/MS). As a result, 18 phenylpropanoids, 14 flavonoids and 15 others were identified in LSC, among which stachysoside A and acteoside could be the main bio-active constituents responsible for the diuretic effect. In parallel, the daily administration of LSC (16, 32 and 64 mg/kg) markedly promoted urinary excretion after 2 h of treatment. Moreover, LSC had no effect on urinary Na+ and K+ concentrations, as well as on serum Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Meanwhile, LSC significantly decreased the serum levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), aldosterone (ALD), aquaporin (AQP) 1, AQP2 and AQP3, suppressed renal AQP1, AQP2, and AQP3 mRNA expressions, down-regulated AQP1, AQP2 and AQP3 protein levels, and up-regulated serum atriopeptin (ANP) level in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that LSC has acute and prolonged diuretic effects by inhibiting the AQPs, RAAS, and upregulation of atriopeptin in saline-loaded rats, and this finding support LSC as a novel diuretic agent. [Display omitted] • LSC possess prominent diuretic effect in saline-loaded rats. • LSC inhibits the AQPs and RAAS, as well as promotes atriopeptin. • Stachysoside A and acteoside are two main bio-active constituents in LSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Hosta (Liliaceae family) represents an interesting source of natural bio-constituents, and the 50 species of this genus are widespread in the world. Five species have been used as traditional East Asian medicines for treating inflammation and pain-related diseases. However, the available data for this genus have not been comprehensively reviewed regarding their extracts and secondary metabolites. The present review aims to provide a deeper insight, better awareness and detailed knowledge of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology along with toxicological aspects of the genus Hosta in the past decades (February 1964 to August 2020). In addition, the relevance among traditional uses, pharmacology and phytochemistry in folk medicines were extensively discussed. The relevant information of Hosta species was obtained from several databases. Moreover, the medical books, PhD and MSc dissertations in Chinese were also used to perform this work. Comprehensive analysis of the afore-mentioned databases, medical books and dissertations confirmed that ethnomedical uses of Hosta genus plants had been recorded in China, Japan, Korea and other countries. To date, only eight species have been studied for chemical constituents, and a total of 200 secondary metabolites (not include essential oil constituents), including steroids, flavonoids, alkaloids, furan derivatives, phenylpropanoids, phenethyl derivatives, terpenoids, aliphatics, and others. The crude extracts and isolated chemical constituents exhibited anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-viral, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory, antimicrobial, anti-chronic prostatitis, and other effects. Moreover, only the n-butanol fraction of H. ventricosa (Salisb.) Stearn roots showed moderate acute toxicity in mice. In addition, the relevance among traditional uses, pharmacology and phytochemistry in folk medicines were extensively discussed. Hosta spp. are plants rich in steroids and flavonoids with valuable medicinal properties; though, there are several gaps in understanding the traditional uses in the current available data. More high scientific quality preclinical studies with new methodology are necessary to assess the safety, efficacy and mechanism of these plants. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This is the first time to report the chemical profiling and anti-blood stasis mechanism of L. supina. • L. supina possess prominent anti-blood stasis effect by modulating the anti-coagulation, anti-platelet activation and anti-fibrinolysis. • Stachysoside A and acteoside are two major bio-constituents in L. supina. Lagopsis supina (Steph.) IK. -Gal. ex Knorr. has been used for centuries as an empiric treatment for blood stasis syndrome in China without scientific validation. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the chemical profiling, efficacy and mechanism of L. supina ethanol extract (LS) and its four fractions (LSA∼D) in Dextran 500-induced acute blood stasis model rats. Oral administration of LS (229.0∼916.0 mg/kg) and LSC (17.6∼70.4 mg/kg) once daily for seven consecutive days significantly improved microcirculation hemodynamics function (blood flow, blood concentration and blood flow velocity), hemorheological parameters (whole blood viscosity, whole blood reduced viscosity, plasma viscosity, platelet aggregation rate, hematokrit, erythrocyte assembling index and erythrocyte deformation index), and coagulation parameters (thrombin time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen and antithrombin III). Furthermore, their markedly down-regulated thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α levels. In addition, it significantly decreased tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), urokinasetype plasminogen activator (u-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels, as well as PAI-1/t-PA and PAI-1/u-PA rations. In parallel, 51 chemical constituents were identified from LS based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-qTOF-MS/MS), and quantitative analysis showed that the two major constituents of stachysoside A and acteoside were present in 0.90 ± 0.01 and 1.36 ± 0.01 mg/g of the L. supina whole plant, respectively. These findings suggest that LS and LSC possess prominent anti-blood stasis effect on rats by modulating the anti-coagulation, anti-platelet activation and anti-fibrinolysis, and supports the traditional folk use of this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On basis of the difficulty in fabricating natural-polymer nanofibers by electrospinning with common solvents, in this paper, gelatin/chitosan (CS)-Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) electrospun membranes at different weight ratios (9/1, 8/2, 7/3, 6/4) were successfully fabricated with 50% (v/v) acetic acid solution as solvent. Moreover, the relationship between different fiber components and the properties of as-spun membranes has been studied. All electrospun membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, porosity, contact angle, water swelling rate, water vapor transmission rate, mechanical properties, and in vitro degradation behavior. The results demonstrated that all electrospun membranes were consisted of uniform, bead-free fibers, and the average fiber diameter and porosity were 390-600 nm and 80-90%, respectively. The crystallinity of gelatin/CS-PEO electrospun membranes gradually increased with the increasing content of PEO. Besides, the water contact angle, water swelling ratio, water vapor transmission rate, and in vitro degradation behavior of gelatin/CS-PEO electrospun membranes were 29°-37°, 260-410%, 580-657 g·m−2·day−1, and 79-91%, respectively. Moreover, the mechanical properties showed that the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and elongation at break were 0.76-1.70 MPa, 21.0-31.7 MPa, and 22.3-27.4%, respectively. In particular, gelatin/CS-PEO electrospun membranes 7/3 have excellent properties comparing with others, showing the great potential application as dermis scaffold in skin regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) was first discovered in the sporozoite of Plasmodium falciparum and TRAP family proteins are secreted by micronemes and transported to the parasite surface to participate in the invasion process. Various TRAP proteins have been identified in apicomplexan protozoans, but there have been few reports about TRAP proteins in Babesia orientalis. Methods: The functional domain of TRAP2 in B. orientalis was cloned, sequenced, characterized and compared to the TRAP sequences of related apicomplexan parasites. The functional domain of BoTRAP2 was truncated, named BoTRAP2-1, and then cloned into the pET-28a expression vector. Rabbit anti-rBoTRAP2-1 polyclonal antibody was produced by immunizing three rabbits. Western blot analysis was used to identify the native form and immunogenicity of BoTRAP2. The localization of BoTRAP2 was identified by indirect fluorescence assay (IFA). Results: The amplified genes of BoTRAP2 are 2817 bp in length, encoding a functional domain of about 938 aa with two vWFA domains, one TSP domain and one transmembrane domain. The amino acid sequence of BoTRAP2 has a high similarity with that of B. bovis and B. gibsoni. The predicted tertiary structure of truncated BoTRAP2-1 confirmed that BoTRAP2 contains two vWFA domains and a TSP domain, the main functional areas of the protein. The native BoTRAP2 was identified from B. orientalis lysate by using rabbit polyclonal anti-rBoTRAP2-1. A band corresponding to rBoTRAP2-1 was detected by reaction with serum from a B. orientalis-infected water buffalo, indicating that the protein has a high immunogenicity. IFA showed that BoTRAP2 is mainly localized on the apical end of parasites by rabbit anti-rBoTRAP2-1 polyclonal serum. Conclusions: The rBoTRAP2 could differentiate serum from B. orientalis-infected water buffalo and normal water buffalo, implicating that BoTRAP2 has high immunogenicity and could serve as a candidate antigen for diagnosis of B. orientalis infection in buffalo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants have served humans since prehistoric times to treat various ailments. Both developed and underdeveloped countries rely on traditional systems of medication using natural sources from plants. Phyllanthus is one of the largest genus in the family Phyllanthaceae, comprising over 700 well known species cosmopolitan in distribution mainly in the tropics and subtropics. Phyllanthus species are being in constant used in traditional medications to cure an array of human diseases (constipation, inhalation related, arthritis, loss of appetite, injuries, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, running nose, common cold, malaria, blennorrhagia, colic, diabetes mellitus, dysentery, indigestion, fever, gout, gonorrheal diseases of males and females, skin itching, jaundice, hepatic disorders, leucorrhea, vaginitis, menstrual irregularities, obesity, stomach pains, and tumors), confectionaries, food industry, and in some pesticides. Phyllanthus species are rich in diversity of phytochemicals e.g., tannins, terpenes, alkaloids, glycosidic compounds, saponins, and flavones etc. More in depth studies are a direly needed to identify more compounds with specific cellular functions to treat various ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The sensitivity of the sensor is significantly improved by inducing stress concentration. • The sensitivity of the sensor can be adjusted by microstructure customization or changing the placement angle. • The laminated structure of the conductive network endows sensors pressure sensitivity. Flexible sensors are receiving growing attention as a valuable technology in application areas such as wearable electronics, soft robotics and e-skin. Unfortunately, most flexible sensors generally suffer from low sensitivity, narrow application range and single detection function. Herein, we present an uneven deformation strategy inspired by armadillo skin to construct ultra-sensitive flexible sensors. ASR-CLNS sensor consists of a silicone rubber substrate imitating the armadillo skin (ASR) and a continuously laminated conductive network (CLN). Mechanical deformation-induced stress concentration substantially contributes to ultra-high sensitivity. Noteworthily, the non-uniform substrates have specific stress concentration responses in different tensile directions, and the stretch sensitivity can be easily adjusted by microstructure customization or simply changing the sensor placement angle, which enables it to meet the detection requirements of more scenarios. Simultaneously, the laminated structure of the CLN endows the sensor pressure sensitivity, which allows sensors to be used to detect small pressures such as human breathing. Additionally, CLN demonstrated fast heat transfer capability, which can effectively improve the thermal management properties of composites. In short, this work provides an unexplored strategy to develop tunable/ultra-high sensitivity and multifunctional flexible sensor devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The herb Fissistigma oldhamii var. longistipitatum has been used for a long time in Asian folk medicine in the treatment of several diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Researchers in China and elsewhere have analyzed and characterized its chemical content. In this study, a UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method, run in both positive and negative modes, was used to identify the main chemical compounds in dichloromethane extracts of this F. oldhamii variant. A total of 64 compounds, including 44 alkaloids and 20 flavonoids, were rapidly identified or tentatively characterized by comparing the molecular ion peaks and MS2 mass spectrometry fragment ions, combined with the mass spectrometry information of reference substances, appropriate fragmentation ions and related literatures. For the first time, the developed UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis method allows for the determination of 64 compounds from extracts of the F. oldhamii variant. The method presented here produced results that will be useful in further studies of this herb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible conductive composites have garnered significant interest as wearable strain sensors due to their potential in diverse application fields, such as next-generation robotics automation, electronic skin, and human body detection. Nevertheless, the practical usage scenarios often entail tear and fracture, posing a persistent challenge to their performance stability. Consequently, there exists a pressing demand to engineer conductive composites that not only exhibit flexibility, stretchability, and sensing capabilities but also demonstrate effective self-healing properties. This pursuit presents a formidable task, considering the complex requirements imposed on the materials. This study presents a novel methodology for fabricating a conductive silicone elastomer composite. The approach involves the initial utilization of an excess of amino-capped Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to undergo a reaction with Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and Isoflurane diisocyanate (IPDI), leading to the formation of amino-capped polyurea (TPU). Subsequently, the self-healing elastomer IPDI/TDI/TA (ITT) is synthesized through chain expansion with Terephthalaldehyde (TA) in tetrahydrofuran (THF). To complement the experimental investigations, all-atom molecular dynamics (AAMD) simulations are employed to develop a comprehensive model elucidating the mechanical characteristics and self-healing capabilities of the elastomers. To introduce hybrid fillers into the elastomer composite, MXenes are electrostatically modified with L-glutamine (negatively charged), while multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (positively charged). These modified fillers self-assemble in water and are subsequently combined with the aforementioned rubber THF solution after drying. Through ultrasonication and drying, the ITT elastomers/MXene/MWCNT composite is successfully prepared. The formation of hydrogen bonds and dynamic imine bonds is verified using FT-IR and AAMD simulations. By maintaining a fixed ratio of TA to PDMS, we observe a positive correlation between TDI concentration and the fracture strength of the ITT elastomer, while the elongation at break decreases with increasing TDI. Furthermore, the successful modification of MXene and MWCNT is confirmed through FT-IR, XRD, and zeta potential measurements, and the resulting composites exhibit significant electrical conductivity and self-healing properties. Tensile and electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the composite possesses promising characteristics suitable for sensor applications, and its mechanical and electrical properties can recover after self-healing. Notably, the resulting composites exhibit a very low conductivity threshold (3.5 wt%). The composite system exhibits desirable tensile properties and efficient self-healing ability due to the reversibility of multiple hydrogen and imine bonds. Overall, this study aims to introduce a novel elastomer-based composite that possesses excellent properties in terms of self-healing, stretchability, sensing capability and flexibility. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ester electrolyte can be collected via pyrolysis at temperatures below 200 °C. • Liberation efficiency increased from 81.49 % to above 97 % after thermal treatment. • Al content in cathode materials decreased from 1.09 % to below 0.35 %. Removing organics via thermal treatment to liberate active materials from spent cathode sheets is essential for recovering lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the effects of incineration, N 2 pyrolysis, and CO 2 pyrolysis on the removal of organics and liberation of ternary cathode active materials (CAMs) were compared. The results indicated that the organics in the spent ternary cathode sheets comprised a residual electrolyte and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder. Moreover, the organics could be removed to promote the liberation of CAMs via incineration, N 2 pyrolysis, and CO 2 pyrolysis. When the temperature was <200 °C, the chemical properties of the volatilized ester electrolyte remained unchanged during both N 2 and CO 2 pyrolysis, indicating that the electrolyte can be collected by controlling the pyrolysis temperature and condensation. Furthermore, PVDF binder decomposition occurred at 200–600 °C. The optimal temperatures of incineration, N 2 pyrolysis, and CO 2 pyrolysis were 550, 500, and 450 °C, respectively, and these treatments increased the liberation efficiency of CAMs from 81.49 % to 98.75 %, 99.26 %, and 97.98 %, respectively. In addition, heat-treated CAMs required less time to achieve adequate liberation. Following three thermal treatment processes, the sizes of the CAM particles were mainly concentrated in the ranges of 0.075–0.1 mm and <0.075 mm. Furthermore, for all types of CAMs examined, the Al concentration decreased from 1.09 % to <0.35 %, which increased the separation efficiency and improved the chemical metallurgical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phospholipids (PLs) are important components of physiological metabolism in animals and plants, and they have been widely used in clinical treatment, cosmetics, and industry. With the development of marine resources, marine PLs rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids have attracted increasing attention. As important marine resources, shrimp heads (SH), codfish roe (CR), and squid gonads (SG) contain a high PL content. The antithrombotic, antistroke, anti‐inflammatory, pro‐angiogenic, and cardioprotective activities of PLs from SH, CR, and SG were evaluated and compared using the in vivo zebrafish model. The results showed that the PL extracts of SH, CR, and SG had significant biological activities, which lays a theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of PLs in marine byproducts in the future, providing a new choice for the prevention of inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. Practical applications: In this experiment, phospholipids in seafood from different sources were extracted, and their biological activities were comprehensively evaluated and compared using the zebrafish model to lay a foundation for the development of cardiovascular drugs, health food, special medicinal food, and other effective components. The utilization of marine byproducts not only makes full use of resources, but it also protects the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathic pain that occurs in branches of the trigeminal nerve. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been considered key mediators of neuropathic pain. This study was aimed to elucidate the pathophysiological function and mechanisms of miR‐223‐3p in mouse models of TN. Methods: Infraorbital nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI‐ION) was applied in male C57BL/6J mice to establish mouse models of TN. Pain responses were assessed utilizing Von Frey method. The expression of miR‐223‐3p, MKNK2, and MAPK/ERK pathway protein in trigeminal ganglions (TGs) of CCI‐ION mice was measured using RT‐qPCR and Western blotting. The concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were evaluated using Western blotting. The relationship between miR‐223‐3p and MKNK2 was tested by a luciferase reporter assay. Results: We found that miR‐223‐3p was downregulated, while MKNK2 was upregulated in TGs of CCI‐ION mice. MiR‐223‐3p overexpression by an intracerebroventricular injection of Lv‐miR‐223‐3p attenuated trigeminal neuropathic pain in CCI‐ION mice, as well as reduced the protein levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in TGs of CCI‐ION mice. MKNK2 was verified to be targeted by miR‐223‐3p. Additionally, miR‐223‐3p overexpression decreased the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 protein in TGs of CCI‐ION mice to inhibit MAPK/ERK signaling. Conclusions: Overall, miR‐223‐3p attenuates the development of TN by targeting MKNK2 to suppress MAPK/ERK signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of knowledge graphs (KGs), various AI-related applications have been affected positively. However, even though some KGs are relatively large, they still suffer from incompleteness. This has mighty promoted the development of reasoning over KGs to complement them. However, most existing reasoning methods only focus on semantics in the KG, ignoring potential or valuable information hidden in it, the most typical ones are neighborhood information and type information. This limits not only the reasoning performance but also the interpretability of the embedding space. To this end, we propose a Type-Aware Graph Attention neTworks (TAGAT) for the reasoning task over KGs. Except for combining type-related information during the embedding process, TAGAT further adopts a hierarchical attention mechanism to realize the perception of type and neighborhood information meticulously. For each entity, different attention levels respectively focus on considering the contribution of different relations, different types under each relation and different entity of each type under each relation. Moreover, the embedding space of TAGAT is constrained by the type information and naturally has better type-related interpretability, which greatly complements the defects of existing KGC models. Extensive experiments validate the high reasoning performance and the relatively ideal interpretability of our model. • A reasoning model over KG based on graph attention networks is proposed. • The model jointly embeds semantic, neighborhood and entity type information. • Multi-layer attention mechanism considering type is applied to learn neighborhood. • Type is integrated into embedding as constraints conforming to human intuition. • The embedding space has type-related interpretation by means of embedding types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowers of Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Aschers are commonly used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in traditional Chinese medicine with limited scientific evidence. Plantanone C (PC) is a new phytochemical isolated from H. plantaginea flowers; nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory effect remains unknown. Herein, we aimed to study the anti-inflammatory effects of PC and its underlying molecular mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The cell viability of PC-treated RAW 264.7 macrophage was measured by the Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The anti-inflammatory effect of PC was investigated by measuring the levels of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines using the Griess reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, the mechanism of action of PC was evaluated by Western blot analysis. The results showed that PC was not cytotoxic at concentrations as high as 40 μM. Furthermore, PC potently suppressed LPS-stimulated overproduction of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Western blot demonstrated that PC remarkably suppressed the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), p38, and protein kinase B (Akt), as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings suggest that PC exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB, iNOS, COX-2, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages. [Display omitted] • Plantanone C (PC) exerts strong anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. • PC suppressing NF-κB/iNOS/COX-2/MAPKs/Akt pathways in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. • PC may be promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, herpesvirus viral vectors that stimulate strong humoral and cellular immunity have been demonstrated to be the most promising platforms for the development of multivalent vaccines, because they contain various nonessential genes and exhibit long-life latency characteristics. Previously, we showed that the feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) mutant WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE, which was safe for felines and provided efficacious protection against FHV-1 challenge, can be used as a vaccine vector. Moreover, previous studies have shown that the major neutralizing epitope VP2 protein of feline parvovirus (FPV) can elicit high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, to develop a bivalent vaccine against FPV and FHV-1, we first generated a novel recombinant virus by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologous recombination, WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2, which expresses the VP2 protein of FPV. The growth characteristics of WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 were similar to those of WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE, and WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 was stable for at least 30 generations in CRFK cells. As expected, we found that the felines immunized with WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 produced FPV-neutralizing antibody titers (27.5) above the positive cutoff (26) on day 14 after single inoculation. More importantly, recombinant WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 exhibited severely impaired pathogenicity in inoculated and cohabiting cats. The kittens immunized with WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE and WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 produced similar levels of FHV-specific antibodies and IFN-β. Furthermore, felines immunized with WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 were protected against challenge with FPV and FHV-1. These data showed that WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 appears to be a potentially safe, effective, and economical bivalent vaccine against FPV and FHV-1 and that WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE can be used as a viral vector to develop feline multivalent vaccines. • We first generated a novel FHV-1 recombinant WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2. • WH2020-ΔTK/gI/gE-VP2 displayed high safety in kittens and provided great protection against FPV or FHV-1 challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Aschers flower is a famous Mongolian folk medicine in China and has a therapeutic effect on acute pharyngitis (AP). However, the effect and potential mechanism of H. plantaginea flower on AP have not been fully elucidated. The present work aimed to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of the crude extract of H. plantaginea flowers (HP) and its four fractions of petroleum ether fraction (HPA), ethyl acetate fraction (HPB), n-butanol fraction (HPC), and water residue (HPD) against AP in rats. A 15% ammonia-induced AP rat model in rats was established. Therapeutic effects of HP and HPA∼D in model rats were evaluated based on body weight, histopathological analysis, and inflammatory parameters, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-6. The protein expression of nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65), inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBα), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), just another kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt) were detected by a Western blotting assay. HP, HPB, and HPC treatments markedly alleviated AP in rats by increasing body weight and improving pathological damages in pharyngeal tissues. In addition, HP, HPB, and HPC treatments significantly inhibited inflammation, including decreasing the levels of TNF-α, PGE2, IL-1β, and IL-6, and suppressing phosphorylated protein expression of p65, IκBα, JNK, p38, Erk, JAK1, STAT3, PI3K, and Akt in pharyngeal tissues of rats. Collectively, HP, HPB, and HPC can attenuate pharynx injury in rats by suppressing inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt pathways, which supports the traditional use of H. plantaginea flowers. [Display omitted] • For the first time, the anti-AP effect and mechanism of Hosta plantaginea were explored in-depth. • Hosta plantaginea flower showed a significant anti-AP effect in rats. • HPB and HPC were the main active fractions of H. plantaginea flower. • HPB and HPC fractions showed anti-AP effects through inhibition of NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Aschers flowers (HPF) are well-known for their high flavonoid content, which contribute to their widely as traditional Chinese medicine for alleviating inflammation. Despite their recognized potential, information regarding the total flavonoid (TF) of HPF and its therapeutic application in treating chronic prostatitis (CP) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the extraction optimization, constituent analysis, and alleviating effect of TF on CP as well as its potential mechanism. The optimized extraction of TF from HPF was explored using response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken design model. The major flavonoids in TF were identified based on UHPLC-MS approach. Efficacy of TF (25 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) on CP was evaluated in prostate antigen emulsion-induced autoimmune CP rat model by measuring prostatic index, the levels of leukocytes and lecithin bodies, as well as histopathological examination. The protein expression contents were detected by western blotting. Additionally, the antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS) and anti-inflammatory (cyclooxygenase 2, COX-2 inhibitory) effects of TF were also evaluated in vitro. The optimized conditions for TF extraction were determined as 60% ethanol concentration, 30 mL/g liquid-to-solid ratio, 30 min extraction time, and 90 °C extraction temperature, and the extraction ratio is 65.98 ± 2.14%. A total of 15 major flavonoids in TF were characterized by comparison with reference standards. TF ameliorated the efficacy of CP in rats in a dose-independent manner, including reduced prostatic index and leukocytes levels, elevated lecithin body levels, ameliorated histopathological damage to prostate, and suppressed phosphorylated protein expressions of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBα), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), just another kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt). Simultaneously, the IC 50 of TF to DPPH, ABTS radicals, and COX-2 were 2.02, 1.79, and 0.0838 mg/mL, respectively. We first demonstrated that TF from HPF represents a promising candidate to alleviate CP through suppression of NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. [Display omitted] • The optimized extraction of TF from Hosta plantaginea flowers was acquired. • Fifteen major flavonoids in TF were qualitatively analyzed. • The efficacy of TF on chronic prostatitis was investigated for the first time. • TF ameliorated chronic prostatitis through inhibition of multiple inflammatory pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen constituents were recently isolated from the roots of Dendropanax dentiger with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitory effects. However, the effect of 14 constituents on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their action mechanism remain unclear. The study aimed to explore the anti-RA effect and potential mechanism of these constituents in tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)–stimulated human RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (MH7A cells). The cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) production, inflammatory cytokine levels, and protein expressions were measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Griess reagent, ELISA, and Western blot assays, respectively. Results showed that 14 constituents (40 μM) have no cytotoxicity for MH7A cells. Among them, two phenols including 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl-1-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (DRG) and 3,4-dimethoxyphenol-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside (DAG) were shown to significantly inhibit the NO production with IC50 values of 5.25±0.34 and 5.35±0.31 μM, respectively. They also remarkably decreased the release of interleukin (IL)-2, 6, 8, and interferon (IFN)-γ, as well as prominently reduced the phosphorylation protein levels of p65, IkBα, AKT, and JNK at a concentration of 10 μM. Taken together, DRG and DAG could inhibit TNF-α-induced inflammatory response through blocking NF-kB/AKT/JNK signaling pathways in MH7A cells, thus could be promising against RA and other inflammation-related agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) recovery has been proposed as an attractive way to store captured CO2 while recovering CH4. The adsorption and desorption behaviors of CO2 and CH4 on dry and wet coal (anthracite) were studied at 318 and 338K and up to 150atm. The sorption capacity of CO2 and CH4 on anthracite coal was higher at lower temperatures and dry coal condition, but smaller than those on bituminous coals at a similar condition. In wet coal, the sorption capacity and stability of high pressure CO2 stored at 318K could be lower than those at 338K in the supercritical region because higher density of CO2 at 318K could lead to the structural change of wet coal. The difference in the excess adsorbed amount between dry and wet coal was only noticeable under the subcritical conditions at 338K but became more significant under the supercritical conditions with pressure at 318K. In dry and wet coal, the CO2 desorption isotherms had different shapes, depending on temperature, but all the CH4 desorption isotherms showed a weak positive hysteresis. The mutual solubility between the CO2-rich (or CH4-rich) phase and aqueous phase as well as coal swelling should be considered in evaluating the sorption capacity of a wet coal seam. Fluid density in free volume was the important variable to estimate the CO2 storage capacity or ECBM recovery because the density variation significantly influenced the isotherm shape. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A novel oleanolic acid derivative, OA4 , was rationally designed as a TOP1 inhibitor. • Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that OA4 can stably interact with TOP1. • Arg488, Ile535, and His632 were predicted as hotspot residues of OA4 binding to TOP1. • OA4 is a TOP1 catalytic inhibitor and precludes CPT -mediated TOP1cc formation. • OA4 induces tumor cells apoptosis and inhibits their metastasis and proliferation. DNA topoisomerase I (TOP1) catalytic inhibitors are a promising class of antitumor agents. Oleanolic acid derivatives are potential TOP1 catalytic inhibitors. However, their inhibitory activity still needs to be enhanced, and the stability and hotspot residue sites of their interaction with TOP1 remain to be elucidated. Herein, a novel oleanolic acid derivative, OA4 (N-(3-(methyl(3-(orotic amido)propyl)amino)propyl)oleanolamide), was identified by rational design. Subsequently, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the stability and conformational dynamics of the TOP1–OA4 complex. The molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area method calculated the binding free energy and predicted Arg488, Ile535, and His632 to be hotspot residues. Biological experiments verified that OA4 is a nonintercalative TOP1 catalytic inhibitor. OA4 exhibits better proliferation inhibitory activity against tumor cells than normal cells. Furthermore, OA4 can induce apoptosis and effectively suppress the proliferation and migration of cancer cells. This work provides new insights for the development of novel TOP1 catalytic inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendropanax dentiger root is a traditional medicinal plant in China and used to treat inflammatory diseases for centuries, but its phytochemical profiling and biological functions are still unknown. Thus, a rapid, efficient, and precise method based on ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was applied to rapidly analyse the phytochemical profiling of D. dentiger with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in vitro. As a result, a total of 78 chemical compositions, including 15 phenylpropanoids, 15 alkaloids, 14 flavonoids, 14 fatty acids, 7 phenols, 4 steroids, 4 cyclic peptides, 3 terpenoids, and 2 others, were identified or tentatively characterized in the roots of D. dentiger. Moreover, alkaloid and cyclic peptide were reported from D. dentiger for the first time. In addition, the ethanol crude extract of D. dentiger roots exhibited remarkable anti-inflammatory activity against cyclooxygenase- (COX-) 2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities in vitro. This study is the first to explore the phytochemical analysis and COX-2 inhibitory activity of D. dentiger. This study can provide important phytochemical profiles and biological functions for the application of D. dentiger roots as a new source of natural COX-2 inhibitors and antioxidants in pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lagopsis supina is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and used as an agent for diuresis in China for centuries. This is the first time to evaluate the diuretic activity of the ethanol extract of L. supina (LS) and its four fractions (LSA, LSB, LSC, and LSD) in normal rats. After the administration of LS-H, LS-M, LSB-H, and LSC-L, the urine output of the rats was significantly increased, while the urine excretion was significantly reduced after treatment with LSB-L. The urine Na+ excretion was remarkably increased with LS-H, LS-M, LSA-H, LSA-L, LSB-H, LSC-L, and LSD-L, and the urine K+ excretion was significantly increased after administration of LS-H and LSB-H. Moreover, the urine Na+ and K+ excretion was significantly reduced after treatment with LSC-H and LSD-H. However, the urine pH values and urine and serum Na+-K+-ATPase levels did not show remarkable change after administration of LS or its four fractions in comparison with the control group. On the contrary, LS and its four fractions can suppress the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), including ADH arrest by LSB-H, LSB-L, LSC-L, LSD-L, and LSD-H and ALD arrest by LSD-L, as well as promote ANP release by LS-M, LSB-H, LSC-H, and LSD-H, while furosemide can suppress only arrest of ADH within 24 h compared with the control group. In addition, LS and its four fractions did not change the urine and serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels in normal rats within 24 h. This study will provide a quantitative basis for explaining the natural medicinal use of LS as a diuretic agent for edema and promoting the diuretic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Aschers flower is an important Mongolian medicine beneficial in the treatment of chronic prostatitis (CP) in the absence of scientific evidence. The aim of this study was to reveal the therapeutical effects and potential mechanisms of H. plantaginea flowers extract (HP) and its different polarity fractions (HPA∼D) on autoimmune CP (ACP) model rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to 13 groups (n = 6/group). Except the sham group, all rats were injected with a mixture of prostate antigen and complete Freund's adjuvant on days 0, 7, and 21 to establish ACP model rats. Afterwards, ACP model rats were orally gavaged with HP or HPA∼D (1 and 4 g/kg of raw herbal material) or positive drug (Prostat, 200 mg/kg) daily from day 21 to day 50 for 30 days, while the sham and model groups were treated simultaneously with isopyknic of 0.3% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. Histopathological analysis, biochemical parameters, and protein expression of prostate tissues were investigated. In comparison with the model group, all fraction groups experienced improved CP effects, including restored body weight, reduced prostate gland edema and prostate index, decreased prostatic leukocytes, increased prostatic lecithin bodies, and alleviated histopathological damage to prostate tissue. Furthermore, all fraction groups markedly inhibited the phosphorylated protein of nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65), NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), just another kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt) than the model group. All fractions of HP exerted significant anti-CP effects by inhibiting NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT and PI3K-Akt pathways in ACP model rats. These findings provide scientific evidence that H. plantaginea flowers can be used as a pivotal Mongolian medicine in clinical applications for the treatment of CP. [Display omitted] • For the first time, the effect of Hosta plantaginea flowers on chronic prostatitis was revealed. • The different polarity fractions of Hosta plantaginea flowers showed significant therapeutic effects on chronic prostatitis in rats. • The effect of Hosta plantaginea flowers on chronic prostatitis was ameliorated by inhibiting NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Babesiosis caused by Babesia orientalis is one of the most prevalent infections of water buffalo transmitted by Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides causing a parasitic and hemolytic disease. The organelles proteins localized in apical membrane especially rhoptries neck and microneme protein form a complex called moving junction important during invasion process of parasites belonging to apicomplexan group, including Babesia species. A truncated fragment coding a 936 bps fragment was cloned in pMD-19T and subcloned into pET32 (a)+ expression vector, expressed in E. coli BL21. Purified recombinant BoRON2 was used to produce polyclonal antibody against BoRON2. Here, we identified the full sequence of gene encoding the rhoptry neck 2 protein that we named BoRON2 which is 4035 bp in full-length open reading frame without introns, encoding a polypeptide of 1345 amino acids. Western blot of rBoRON2 probed with buffalo positive serum analysis revealed a band of around 150 kDa in parasite lysates, suggesting an active involvement during invasion process. These findings most likely are constructive in perspective of ongoing research focused particularly on water buffalo babesiosis prevention and therapeutics and globally provide new information for genes comparative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scutellariae radix (SR) has been proven to be highly effective in treating inflammation because of its superior medicinal properties. The two main commercial specifications of SR are Kuqin (KQ) and Ziqin (ZQ). According to traditional Chinese medicine theories, KQ has a better effect than ZQ on dispelling upper energizer lung damp heat, however, its mechanism of action is not known. Thus, this study investigated the role of KQ-induced alterations in endogenous metabolites and gut microbiota in regulating LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI). KQ treatment ameliorated lung injury more effectively than ZQ and demonstrated satisfactory organ protection properties. KQ treatment reversed the tryptophan metabolite abnormalities in ALI and reshaped the composition of gut microbial communities. Additionally, the abundance of the enriched Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly and inversely correlated with the rate-limiting enzyme of the tryptophan/kynurenine pathway, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) activity (p = 0.0214, R2 =0.7712). Furthermore, the beneficial and causative effects of A. muciniphila were confirmed by antibiotic and microbial intervention experiments. Live and pasteurized A. muciniphila, both supplements could ameliorate the inflammatory response and down-regulate IDO1 expression, thereby restoring tryptophan metabolic imbalance. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated for the first time that KQ may act on the A. muciniphila abundance, regulate IDO1 activity, and thus ameliorate ALI. Interestingly, A. muciniphila supplementation could be a promising therapeutic option for lung diseases through the gut-lung axis. [Display omitted] • Kuqin treatment reversed the tryptophan metabolite abnormalities in acute lung injury and reshaped the composition of gut microbial communities. • The abundance of the enriched Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly and inversely correlated with indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 activity. • Live and pasteurized A. muciniphila, both supplements could ameliorate the inflammatory response and down-regulate IDO1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) derived from Lagopsis supina exert diuretic effects in rats. • Three PhGs by inhibiting aquaporins and vasopressin type 2 receptor. • The molecular docking and structure-activity relationship of three PhGs were performed. • Three PhGs developed as promising novel diuretics and superior to furosemide. Aquaporins (AQPs) and vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R) play a crucial role in urine excretion and are widely used to explore novel diuretics. In this study, three phenylpropanoids including stachysoside A (L1), acteoside (L2), and glucopyranosyl (1 → 6) martynoside (L3) were isolated from Lagopsis supina (Steph. ex Willd.) lk. -Gal. ex Knorr. Their diuretic activity, mechanism, molecular docking, and structure-activity relationships were explored. The results suggest that L1, L2, and L3 exhibit acute (6 h) and prolonged (6 d) activities including increased urinary excretion volume, diuretic action, and diuretic activity, without affecting the urinary pH and minor altering the electrolyte balance in saline-loaded rats. Further, L1, L2, and L3 significantly reduced the levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), and aldosterone (ALD), AQPs 1–4 and 7, and V2R, and remarkably elevated the atriopeptin (ANP) level. Besides, L1, L2, and L3 obviously suppressed mRNA and protein levels of AQPs 1–4 and 7, and V2R. The hypothetical binding modes of L1, L2, and L3 with these proteins were determined by molecular docking, and a tight structure-activity relationship was also proposed. Collectively, L1, L2, and L3 represent three natively novel phenylethanoid glycoside diuretics, which inhibit AQP and V2R-mediated molecular mechanisms. They are superior to furosemide as long-term diuretics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaempferol 3- O -(2G-glucosylrutinoside)-7- O -glucoside (KGG) has isolated from Hosta plantaginea flowers and possessed an inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), could be effective in inhibiting inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of KGG remain unknown. In this study, for the first time, the anti-inflammatory effect of KGG and its potential molecular mechanisms were explored in cells. KGG had no cytotoxicity at concentrations of 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 μM by Cell Counting kit-8 assay in RAW 264.7 cells. Besides, KGG concentration-dependently (1.25, 2.5, and 5 μM) inhibited secretions of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot showed that the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), p38 MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), and protein kinase B (Akt), together with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and COX-2 were significantly attenuated by KGG (1.25, 2.5, and 5 μM) in a concentration-dependent relationship. Meanwhile, KGG remarkably enhanced the protein expression of IκB. Taken together, KGG may be one of bioactive phytochemicals from H. plantaginea flowers, and be an anti-inflammatory agent via inhibiting NF-κB, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and Akt signaling pathways. [Display omitted] • Kaempferol 3- O -(2G-glucosylrutinoside)-7- O -glucoside (KGG) exerts anti-inflammatory effect through blocking NF-κB, MAPKS, and Akt pathways. • KGG might be a promising candidate against inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Babesia orientalis 34 kDa protein (designated BoP34) was obtained by immunoscreening of a cDNA expression library using B. orientalis infected water buffalo serum. The complete nucleotide sequence of the BoP34 was 1088 bp, which contained one open reading frame (ORF), two untranslated regions (UTRs) and a poly (A) tail. The length of ORF was 933 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 310 aa with a predicted size of 34 kDa. BLAST analysis showed that the nucleotide sequence of BoP34 had 71% similarity with that of the Babesia bovis gene XM_001611335, which encodes a nuclear movement family protein. This suggested that BoP34 is a homologous of the movement family protein. Structural analysis of the BoP34 protein indicated a CS domain which may interact with the ATPase domain of the heat shock protein 90. A truncated version of BoP34 was cloned into the expression vector pET-32a and subsequently expressed and purified from the Escherichia coli Rosetta™ (DE3) pLysS stain as a Trx-fusion (designated rBoP34-T). Antibodies in the serum of a B. orientalis -infected water buffalo were able to recognize this protein in immune-bloting analysis. Rabbit antibodies raised against rBoP34-T could detecte native BoP34 (34 kDa) in B. orientalis -infected water buffalo erythrocytes. These results suggested that BoP34 might be a good diagnostic antigen for the specific detection of anti- B. orientalis antibody in water buffalo. Further research is required to explore the biological function and diagnostic potential of this molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hostaflavone A (HA) is a new flavonoid component isolated from the flower of Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Asch., which is commonly used as a folk herbal to treat inflammatory diseases in China. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory effect of HA remains unknown. This work aimed to evaluate the HA with anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism in RAW 264.7 macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Anti-inflammatory effect of HA was evaluated by measuring of cell viability, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 levels in RAW 264.7 cells. In parallel, the HA action mechanism of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), p38, and protein kinase B (Akt) were detected by Western blot analysis. HA has no cytotoxicity at concentrations as high as 40 μM. Besides, HA concentration-dependently clearly suppressed the overproduction of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS. In addition, HA remarkably reduced the upregulation of phosphorylated NF-κB p65, phosphorylated IκB, phosphorylated JNK, phosphorylated Erk and phosphorylated p38, together with iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions in a concentration-dependent manner. HA blocked the LPS activated inflammation via suppressing NF-κB, iNOS, COX-2, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and Akt pathways in RAW 264.7 cells, and might be a new anti-inflammatory agent. [Display omitted] • Hostaflavone A (HA) can play a significant anti-inflammatory effect via blocking NF-κB/iNOS/COX-2/MAPKS/Akt pathways. • HA can inhibit the LPS-activated inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 cells. • HA may be promising candidate for an anti-inflammatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Noncovalent interactions are ubiquitous in molecular interaction and supramolecular self-assembly. As a model system, host–guest complexes between β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and small molecules have been extensively studied and widely used in a variety of application fields including drug transportation and fluorescence enhancement. However, details on how guest molecules interact with the β-CD hosts to demonstrate the observed effects still remain to be further studied. In this work, we report the study of gas-phase fragmentation of host–guest complexes formed between β-CD and small guest molecules by using collision induced dissociation (CID). The CID mass spectra of the complexes changed dramatically as the collision energy was increased. Fragmentation patterns of β-CD complexed with different small molecules were analyzed and the differences in the presence/absence of fragment ions from the β-CD were attributed to varied proton affinity of the small molecules. Furthermore, the CE50 values fitted from the fragmentation curves were used in the qualitative evaluation of interactions in noncovalent host–guest systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents research which focused on the structure assignments and elucidation of flavanones derived from Artocarpus heterophyllus. Topics covered include the inflamatory and antioxidant effects of the flavanones. Also mentioned are description and characteristics of artoheterones A and B flavanones from the plant.

[Display omitted] • Sixteen phenylpropanoids (40 μM) exhibited strong inhibitory effects on NO production in TNF-α-stimulated MH7A cells. • Pinoresinol and dendrocoumarin A were the most effective substances from the extract of Dendropanax dentiger roots against RA through inhibiting NF-kB, Akt and JNK signaling pathways. • Pinoresinol and dendrocoumarin A may be promising candidates for anti-RA treatment. The root of Dendropanax dentiger (Harms) Merr. has been used for centuries as an empirical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China without scientific validation. In our recent study, nineteen phenylpropanoids (1 – 19) with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory activities from the ethanol extract of D. dentiger roots, indicated to have a potential anti-RA effect. This study, evaluated the anti-RA effect of 19 phenylpropanoids on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α induced inflammation in MH7A cells and clarified their underlying mechanisms. As a result, 16 compounds remarkably suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production at a concentration of 40 μM in TNF-α-induced MH7A cells. Among them, pinoresinol (12) and dendrocoumarin A (1) were the most effective substances, which showed significant inhibitory effect on NO production, with IC 50 values of 6.25 ± 0.42 and 7.87 ± 0.67 μM, respectively. Furthermore, pinoresinol and dendrocoumarin A remarkably decreased the levels of interleukin (IL)-2, 6, 8, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), as well as prominently reduced the phosphorylation protein levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65, I-kappa-B-alpha (IkBα), protein kinase B (Akt), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) by Western blot analysis. Taken together, our findings suggest that pinoresinol and dendrocoumarin A may offer new and safe anti-RA candidates by inhibiting NF-kB, Akt and JNK signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root of Dendropanax dentiger (Harms) Merr. is a pivotal folk Chinese medicine against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with no scientific validation. This study was conducted to explore the anti-RA effect of the D. dentiger extract on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats and identified its major bio-constituents. Dendropanax dentiger roots extracts (127.5, 255.0 and 510.0 mg/kg, once daily) were orally at day 7 post-administration adjuvant and lasting for 22 days. The therapeutic effects of D. dentiger roots extract on AIA rats were investigated by body weight growth, arthritis score, thymus and spleen indices, and histopathological analysis. Moreover, the levels of rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were also evaluated. Finally, the major constituents were isolated and identified from D. dentiger roots extract with COX-2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Dendropanax dentiger roots extract remarkably alleviated the histological lesions of knee joint, increased body weight growth, decreased arthritis score, and reduced thymus and spleen indices in model rats. In parallel, the levels of RF, CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, COX-2, 5-LOX and MMP-2 were observably downregulated, while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were prominently upregulated in D. dentiger roots extract-treated rats. Meanwhile, 14 compounds were isolated and identified from D. dentiger roots extract, and four phenol derivatives (1 , 4 , 6 and 7) exhibited remarkable COX-2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Dendropanax dentiger roots extract possessed persuasive anti-RA effect may be partly responsible for phenol derivatives via modulation of inflammatory biomarkers, and supports the traditional folk use of D. dentiger in China. Image 1 • This is the first time to explore the anti-RA effect of Dendropanax dentiger roots extract. • 11 phenol derivatives and 3 others were isolated from D. dentiger roots with COX-2 and DPPH activities. • Phenols may be responsible for the major bio-constituents in D. dentiger roots against RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 19 phenylpropanoids were isolated through bioactivity-guided isolation. • The COX-2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities of 19 compounds were measured, and the tight structure-activities relationships were proposed. • This is the first report on the COX-2 inhibitory activity of phenylpropanoids and D. dentiger. The root of Dendropanax dentiger (Harms) Merr. is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used to treat inflammation-related diseases with little scientific validation. In this study, a bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation of D. dentiger led to the isolation of 19 phenylpropanoid derivatives including one new compound (1) and 18 known ones (2 – 19). Their structures were elucidated by NMR and HRMS as well as comparison with literature data. The ability of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition and antioxidant of all isolated compounds were measured in vitro. Chlorogenic acid derivatives (14 – 19) exhibited outstanding COX-2 inhibitory (IC 50 = 5.1–93.4 μM) and antioxidant (IC 50 = 13.2–31.9 μM) activities. Moreover, the tight structure-activities relationships were proposed. This is the first report on the COX-2 inhibitory activity of phenylpropanoids and D. dentiger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel "green solvent" pseudo ionic liquids (PILs) were synthesized and applied in the plasticization of PVA polymers to broaden the window of thermal processing of PVA. PILs were consist of 3 parts, including the choline chloride-based, cations and strong hydrogen bond acceptors, and all of the parts could form new hydrogen bonding with PVA chains to destroy the intra-/intermolecular hydrogen bonding of PVA, having smaller space volume and more efficiency in disrupting hydrogen-bonded interaction than other plasticizers, achieving the melt spinning of PVA. • The novel "green solvent" pseudo ionic liquids (PILs) and glycerol (GL)/PILs system were applied to plasticize PVA polymers, which not only improved the poor thermal processability, but also achieved the melt spinning of PVA for the first time. • The GL/ChCI-GL system plasticized PVA fibres were successfully prepared with the melt spinning method. To solve the problem of thermal processing of PVA polymers, the novel "green solvent" pseudo ionic liquids (PILs) and glycerol (GL)/PILs system were applied to plasticize PVA polymers, which not only improved the poor thermal processability, but also achieved the melt spinning of PVA for the first time. In this paper, different PILs (choline chloride-based, ChCI-based) were prepared and characterized. The plasticizing mechanism and the effects of GL/PILs system on PVA polymers were further investigated. Cation (OH), anion (Cl−) and hydrogen bond acceptors in the GL/PILs plasticizing system could form strong hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups of PVA. Compared with pure PVA, the plasticized PVA polymer provided a lower melting temperature, wider thermal processing window and better melt fluidity. Finally, the GL/ChCI-GL system plasticized PVA fibres were successfully prepared with the melt spinning method. The structure and properties were systemically investigated by scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal analysis, two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction and yarn strength tester. The PVA fibre diameter was measured to be ~116 μm with a smooth surface, and the cross section was circular and uniform. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of PVA fibre were up to 1208 MPa and 23 GPa, respectively. The melt-spun PVA fibres with large fibre diameter and outstanding mechanical properties will provide an opportunity for cement-based reinforcement material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]