Berberine: Potential preventive and therapeutic strategies for human colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common digestive tract tumor, with incidences continuing to rise. Although modern medicine has extended the survival time of CRC patients, its adverse effects and the financial burden cannot be ignored. CRC is a multi-step process and can be caused by the disturbance of gut microbiome and chronic inflammation's stimulation. Additionally, the presence of precancerous lesions is also a risk factor for CRC. Consequently, scientists are increasingly interested in identifying multi-target, safe, and economical herbal medicine and natural products. This paper summarizes berberine's (BBR) regulatory mechanisms in the occurrence and development of CRC. The findings indicate that BBR regulates gut microbiome homeostasis and controls mucosal inflammation to prevent CRC. In the CRC stage, BBR inhibits cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, blocks the cell cycle, induces cell apoptosis, regulates cell metabolism, inhibits angiogenesis, and enhances chemosensitivity. BBR plays a role in the overall management of CRC. Therefore, using BBR as an adjunct to CRC prevention and treatment could become a future trend in oncology.

Access to innovative anticancer medicines in China: a national survey on availability, price and affordability.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the availability, price, and affordability of nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in China. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study based on data from a nationwide medical database. DATA SOURCES/SETTING: Quarterly data about the use of innovative anticancer medicines from 2020 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Medicine Economic Information Network. This study covered 895 public general hospitals in 30 provincial administrative regions in China. Of the total hospitals, 299 (33.41%) were secondary and 596 (66.59%) were tertiary. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The adjusted WHO and Health Action International methodology was used to calculate the availability and affordability of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines in the investigated hospitals. Price is expressed as the defined daily dose cost. RESULTS: On average, the total availability of 33 innovative anticancer medicines increased annually from 2020 to 2022. The median availability of all investigated medicines in tertiary hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 24.04%, 33.60% and 37.61%, respectively, while the indicators in secondary hospitals were 4.90%, 12.54% and 16.48%, respectively. The adjusted prices of the medicines newly put in Medicare (in March 2021) decreased noticeably, with the decline rate ranging from 39.98% to 82.45% in 2021 compared with those in 2020. Most generic brands were priced much lower than the originator brands. The affordability of anticancer medicines has improved year by year from 2020 to 2022. In comparison, rural residents had lower affordability than urban residents. CONCLUSIONS: The overall accessibility of 33 nationally negotiated innovative anticancer medicines improved from 2020 to 2022. However, the overall availability of most anticancer medicines in China remained at a low level (less than 50%). Further efforts should be made to sufficiently and equally benefit patients with cancer.

Leveraging molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors treat advanced thyroid carcinoma to achieve thyroid carcinoma redifferentiation.

Thyroid cancer can be classified into three different types based on the degree of differentiation: well-differentiated, poorly differentiated, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Well-differentiated thyroid cancer refers to cancer cells that closely resemble normal thyroid cells, while poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma are characterized by cells that have lost their resemblance to normal thyroid cells. Advanced thyroid carcinoma, regardless of its degree of differentiation, is known to have a higher likelihood of disease progression and is generally associated with a poor prognosis. However, the process through which well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma transforms into anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, also known as "dedifferentiation", has been a subject of intensive research. In recent years, there have been significant breakthroughs in the treatment of refractory advanced thyroid cancer. Clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of dedifferentiated thyroid cancer. These drugs work by targeting specific molecules or proteins in cancer cells to inhibit their growth or by enhancing the body's immune response against the cancer cells. This article aims to explore some of the possible mechanisms behind the dedifferentiation process in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. It also discusses the clinical effects of molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors in thyroid cancer patients with different degrees of differentiation. Furthermore, it offers insights into the future trends in the treatment of advanced thyroid cancer, highlighting the potential for improved outcomes and better patient care.

Particulate matter emissions from light-duty gasoline vehicles under different ambient temperatures: Physical properties and chemical compositions.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from vehicle exhaust is typically emitted at breathing height and thus imposes severe adverse effects on human health and air quality. However, there is currently limited knowledge on the characteristics of PM2.5 in exhaust, specifically its chemical components, at different ambient temperatures. Particulate emissions from typical light-duty gasoline vehicles (LDGVs) were investigated on a chassis dynamometer according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Test Cycle at ambient temperatures of 38 °C, 28 °C, 15 °C, 5 °C and - 7 °C. The results showed a significant increase in particulate mass (PM) and particle number (PN) emissions with decreasing ambient temperature, particularly during cold starts below 5 °C. The particle size distributions exhibited distinct bimodal patterns, with accumulation-mode (AM) particles (60-125 nm) dominating the gasoline direct injection (GDI) distribution and nucleation-mode (NM) particles (8-12 nm) dominating the port fuel injection (PFI) distribution. AM particles were more temperature-sensitive than NM particles. Lower temperatures produced higher emissions of elements, carbonaceous components, and large-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, while water-soluble ions showed an opposite trend. The total toxic equivalent, primarily influenced by benzo[a]pyrene, was significantly higher at -7 °C. The penalty distribution of LDGV PM and PN, defined by comparing the emissions at the various temperatures to those at regulated temperatures (23-30 °C), exhibited notable temporal heterogeneity (winter > autumn > spring > summer) and spatial heterogeneity (northern China > southern China). These findings are essential for establishing more stringent vehicle emission standards and improving emission models in cold environments.

Dynamic Survival Risk Prognostic Model and Genomic Landscape for Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors: A Population-Based, Real-World Study.

BACKGROUND: An atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is an uncommon and aggressive pediatric central nervous system neoplasm. However, a universal clinical consensus or reliable prognostic evaluation system for this malignancy is lacking. Our study aimed to develop a risk model based on comprehensive clinical data to assist in clinical decision-making. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study by examining data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) repository, spanning 2000 to 2019. The external validation cohort was sourced from the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, China. To discern independent factors affecting overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), we applied Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Random Forest (RF) regression analyses. Based on these factors, we structured nomogram survival predictions and initiated a dynamic online risk-evaluation system. To contrast survival outcomes among diverse treatments, we used propensity score matching (PSM) methodology. Molecular data with the most common mutations in AT/RT were extracted from the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database. RESULTS: The annual incidence of AT/RT showed an increasing trend (APC, 2.86%; 95% CI:0.75-5.01). Our prognostic study included 316 SEER database participants and 27 external validation patients. The entire group had a median OS of 18 months (range 11.5 to 24 months) and median CSS of 21 months (range 11.7 to 29.2). Evaluations involving C-statistics, DCA, and ROC analysis underscored the distinctive capabilities of our prediction model. An analysis via PSM highlighted that individuals undergoing triple therapy (integrating surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) had discernibly enhanced OS and CSS. The most common mutations of AT/RT identified in the COSMIC database were SMARCB1, BRAF, SMARCA4, NF2, and NRAS. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we devised a predictive model that effectively gauges the prognosis of AT/RT and briefly analyzed its genomic features, which might offer a valuable tool to address existing clinical challenges.

Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant combination immunotherapy in surgically resectable malignant solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has emerged as a prominent research focus recently. For potentially operable patients, neoadjuvant therapy serves as a primary method to reduce tumor load and facilitate surgical interventions. METHODS: We retrieved articles from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and European Society of Medical Oncology websites from inception to December 2023. Statistical analyses were performed using the R software. Primary outcomes assessed included major pathological response (MPR), pathological complete response (pCR), and treatment-related adverse events (trAEs). RESULTS: 29 studies encompassing 1163 patients were included. The MPR rate of neoadjuvant combination immunotherapy was 38% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25%-52%), and the pCR rate was 33% (95%CI: 25%-42%). These values were significantly higher than those obtained with single agent immunotherapy (p < 0.001). The pooled incidence of overall trAEs was 83% (95%CI: 73%-92%), and grade (G) 3-4 trAEs was 22% (95%CI: 15%-29%), both significantly higher than those observed with single agent immunotherapy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the efficacy of neoadjuvant combination immunotherapy. Given that the majority of the included trials were phase II with small sample sizes, further multicenter phase III randomized controlled trials should be conducted to validate the findings of the review.

Remediation of neonicotinoid-contaminated soils using peanut shell biochar and composted chicken manure: Transformation mechanisms of geochemical fractions.

Soil remediation techniques are promising approaches to relieve the adverse environmental impacts in soils caused by neonicotinoids application. This study systematically investigated the remediation mechanisms for peanut shell biochar (PSB) and composted chicken manure (CCM) on neonicotinoid-contaminated soils from the perspective of transformation of geochemical fractions by combining a 3-step sequential extraction procedure and non-steady state model. The neonicotinoid geochemical fractions were divided into labile, moderate-adsorbed, stable-adsorbed, bound, and degradable fractions. The PSB and CCM addition stimulated the neonicotinoid transformation in soils from labile fraction to moderate-adsorbed and stable-adsorbed fractions. Compared with unamended soils, the labile fractions decreased from 47.6% ± 11.8% of the initial concentrations to 12.1 ± 9.3% in PSB-amended soils, and 7.1 ± 4.9% in PSB and CCM-amended soils, while the proportions of moderate-adsorbed and stable-adsorbed fractions correspondingly increased by 1.8-2.4 times and 2.3-4.8 times, respectively. A small proportion (<4.8%) in bound fractions suggested there were rather limited bound-residues after 48 days incubation. The PSB stimulated the -NO2-containing neonicotinoid-degraders, which promoted the degradable fractions of corresponding neonicotinoids by 8.2 ± 6.3%. Degradable fraction of neonicotinoids was the dominant fate in soils, which accounted for 58.3 ± 16.7%. The findings made beneficial theoretical supplements and provided valuable empirical evidence for the remediation of neonicotinoid-contaminated soils.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Accelerate Recovery of Acetic Acid-Induced Chronic Gastric Ulcer by Regulating Ekt/Akt/TRIM29 Axis.

Chronic gastric ulcer (CGU), a prevalent digestive disease, has a high incidence and is seriously harmful to human health. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proven to have beneficial therapeutic effects in many human diseases. Here, a CGU model induced by acetic acid in mice was used to evaluate the repair effects and potential mechanism of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) and hUC-MSCs derived conditioned medium (hUC-MSC-CM). We found that hUC-MSCs and hUC-MSC-CM treatment significantly repaired morphological characteristics of CGU, improved proliferation and decreased apoptosis of gastric cells, and promoted the generation of new blood vessels in granulation tissues. In addition, we could detect the homing of MSCs in gastric tissue, and MSCs may differentiate into Lgr5-positive cells. As well as this, in vitro experiments showed that hUC-MSC-CM could promote cell proliferation, stimulate cell cycle progression, and reduce the incidence of apoptosis. The transcriptome of cells and the iTRAQ proteome of gastric tissues suggest that MSCs may play a therapeutic role by increasing the expression of TRIM29. Additionally, it was found that knocking down TRIM29 significantly decreased the ameliorative effects of hUC-MSC-CM on cell apoptosis. As a result of further molecular experiments, it was found that TRIM29 is capable of phosphorylating Erk/Akt in specific cell type. As a whole, it appears that hUC-MSCs can be an effective therapeutic approach for promoting gastric ulcer healing and may exert therapeutic effects in the form of paracrine and differentiation into gastric cells.

Effect of insulin levels and plasma fasting glucose on refractive status in the United States population aged 12-19 years.

Purpose: The causes of myopia are varied, and both genetic and environmental influences play an essential role. The prevalence of myopia is increasing among adolescents and is expected to be more than one-third the global population by 2050. Some animal studies suggest that hyperinsulinemia may be a cause of myopia. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential effects of insulin levels and plasma fasting glucose on the refractive status of adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2008. Weighted multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the effect of insulin levels, plasma fasting glucose on refractive status. We used a smooth curve fit to reveal the nonlinear relationship between the variables. Results: In the multivariate regression model, as insulin levels increased, there was a shift towards myopia in refractive status (ß = -0.013, 95% CI: -0.023 to -0.004). This correlation was also evident in the male adolescent subgroup (ß = -0.021, 95% CI: -0.035 to -0.007). Similar findings indicated that in Mexican Americans, there was a myopic shift in refractive status as insulin levels increased (ß = -0.018, 95% CI: -0.033 to -0.002). However, grouping by differences in insulin measurement showed no significant correlation in Mexican-Americans. At the same time, there was no significant correlation between plasma fasting glucose and refractive status (ß = -0.041, 95% CI: -0.174 to 0.091). Conclusion: The present cross-sectional study demonstrated that higher insulin levels may promote the development of myopia in adolescents, but there may be variations across gender and ethnicity. More basic research is needed to reveal the mechanistic reasons for the association.

ZnO nanoparticles impair autophagic flux and cell viability through the TRIM16-NRF2-p62 pathway in inflammatory keratinocytes.

PURPOSE: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used in sunscreen, cosmetics, and topical drugs. Most previous studies have confirmed the safety of ZnO NPs applied to normal skin; however, little is known about the safety and potential toxicity of ZnO NPs applied to inflamed skin. This study aimed to evaluate the exposure risk of ZnO NPs in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. METHODS: Normal human and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory keratinocytes were incubated with ZnO NPs to assess their toxic effects on cell viability and autophagy signaling pathway. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics analysis was used to identify differentially expressed proteins following incubation of inflammatory keratinocytes with ZnO NPs. Protein expression was assessed by Western blot, and double fluorescent labeling and siRNA-knockdown further elucidated the role of the TRIM16-NRF2-p62 pathway in mediating the effects of ZnO NP. RESULTS: In TNF-α-induced inflammatory keratinocytes, ZnO NPs activated cytoprotective autophagy and mediated p62-related autophagic flux block, thereby reducing the viability of inflammatory keratinocytes. Additionally, TRIM16-NRF2 was essential in ZnO NP-mediated autophagy flux block and cell viability reduction in inflammatory keratinocytes. Inhibition of the TRIM16-NRF2 pathway reduced p62 levels, alleviated autophagy flux blockade, and slightly restored the viability of inflammatory keratinocytes. CONCLUSION: ZnO NPs activated protective cell autophagy. Blockade of autophagy flux mediated by the TRIM16-NRF2-p62 pathway led to decreased cell viability. This study provided a deeper understanding of the toxicity mechanism of ZnO NPs in inflammatory keratinocytes.

5α-Hydroxycostic acid inhibits choroidal neovascularization in rats through a dual signalling pathway mediated by VEGF and angiopoietin 2.

BACKGROUND: 5α-Hydroxycostic acid is a eudemane sesquiterpene that is isolated from the natural plant, Laggera alata. It exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects on human breast cancer cells, but its role and underlying mechanism in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) are still unclear. We conducted a study to verify that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit the formation and leakage of CNV, and describe the possible dual pathway by which it exerts its inhibitory effects in this process. METHODS: An in vitro model of choroidal neovascularization was established using VEGF164, while a rat model of choroidal neovascularization was established using a 532 nm laser. In both models, the effects of 5α-Hydroxycostic acid in vivo and in vitro were evaluated to determine its inhibitory effect on abnormal cell proliferation, migration and tubule formation, as well as its effect on pathological changes in choroidal tissues and the area of neovascularization leakage in rats. The levels of components in the VEGF/VEGFR and Ang2/Tie2 signaling pathways were measured in tissues and cells. RESULTS: In vitro experiments have shown that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit abnormal cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. Additionally, 5α-Hydroxycostic acid enhances cell adhesion by inhibiting the phosphorylation pathways of VEGFR2 and Tie2. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 5α-Hydroxycostic acid has a positive therapeutic effect on choroidal neovascularization in rats. It can effectively reduce vascular leakage, consistent with the results of the cell experiments. CONCLUSION: 5α-Hydroxycostic acid can inhibit choroidal neovascularization by interfering with the VEGF- and Ang2/Tie2-related pathways, and it may be a good candidate drug for treating CNV.

Optimal allocation of agricultural water and land resources integrated with virtual water trade: A perspective on spatial virtual water coordination.

Agricultural production consumes the majority of global freshwater resources. The worsening water scarcity has imposed significant stress on agricultural production when regions seek food self-sufficiency. To seek optimal allocation of spatial agricultural water and land resources in each water function zone of the objective region, a multi-objective optimization model was developed to tackle the trade-offs between the water-saving objective and the economic benefit objective considering virtual water trade (VWT). The cultivated area of each crop in each water function zone was taken into account as the decision variable, while a set of strong constraints were used to restrict land resources and water availability. Then, a decomposition-simplex method aggregation algorithm (DSMA) was proposed to solve this nonlinear, bounding-constrained, and multi-objective optimization model. Based on the quantitative analysis of the spatial blue and green virtual water in each agricultural product, the proposed methodology was applied to a real-world, provincial-scale region in China (i.e., Jiangsu Province). The optimized results provided 18 Pareto solutions to reallocate the land resources in the 21 IV-level water function zones of Jiangsu Province, considering four major rainy-season crops and two dry-season crops. Compared to the actual scenario, the superior scheme increased by 7.95% (5.6 × 109 RMB) for economic trade and decreased by 1.77% (2.0 × 109 m3) for agricultural water consumption. It was mainly because the potential of spatial blue and green virtual water in Jiangsu was fully exploited by improving spatial land resource allocation. The food security of Jiangsu could be guaranteed by achieving self-sufficiency in the superior scheme, and the total VWT in the optimal scheme was 2.2 times more than the actual scenario. The results provided a systematic decision-support methodology from the perspective of spatial virtual water coordination, yet, the methodology is widely applicable.

Exhaust Emissions from Gasoline Vehicles with Different Fuel Detergency and the Prediction Model Using Deep Learning.

Enhancing gasoline detergency is pivotal for enhancing fuel efficiency and mitigating exhaust emissions in gasoline vehicles. This study investigated gasoline vehicle emission characteristics with different gasoline detergency, explored synergistic emission reduction potentials, and developed versatile emission prediction models. The results indicate that improved fuel detergency leads to a reduction of 5.1% in fuel consumption, along with decreases of 3.2% in total CO2, 55.4% in CO, and 15.4% in HC emissions. However, during low-speed driving, CO2 and CO emissions reductions are limited, and HC emissions worsen. A synergistic emission reduction was observed, particularly with CO exhibiting a pronounced reduction compared to HC. The developed deep-learning-based vehicle emission model for different gasoline detergency (DPVEM-DGD) enables accurate emission predictions under various fuel detergency conditions. The Pearson correlation coefficients (Pearson's r) between predicted and measured values of CO2, CO, and HC emissions before and after adding detergency agents are 0.913 and 0.934, 0.895 and 0.915, and 0.931 and 0.969, respectively. The predictive performance improves due to reduced peak emissions resulting from improved fuel detergency. Elevated gasoline detergency not only reduces exhaust emissions but also facilitates more refined emission management to a certain extent.

Regulation of the surface activity of carbon anodes for rationalization of potassium storage.

The gradient temperature was manipulated to construct hollow irregular carbon spheres with regulated intrinsic defects and surface area targeting favorable potassium storage. An enlarged surface area, increased intrinsic defects, and superior conductivity induced more surface-active interfaces. These actions facilitated a high reversible capacity as well as excellent cycling stability.

Neonatal iatrogenic calcinosis cutis caused by calcium gluconate extravasation.

BACKGROUND: Calcium gluconate is widely used to treat neonatal hypocalcemia, severe hyperkalemia, and convulsions. However, extravasation of calcium gluconate can lead to iatrogenic calcinosis, causing symptoms such as local redness and swelling, cutaneous plaque, soft tissue calcification, and cutaneous tissue necrosis. Therefore, this study retrospectively analyzed the conservative treatment results of neonatal iatrogenic calcinosis. METHODS: Data of neonates diagnosed with iatrogenic calcinosis cutis caused by calcium gluconate exudation between December 2012 and June 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical data included medical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, and radiographs. All the patients were conservatively treated, and the curative effect and prognosis were followed up by evaluating radiographs and limb function. Patients with complications, such as recurrence or limb dysfunction, were further followed up. RESULTS: Overall, 16 neonates (sex: 10 male and 6 female infants; age: 17.5 ± 7.8 days) were included. Iatrogenic calcinosis cutis was located around the left wrist, right wrist, left ankle, and right ankle in four, one, six, and five patients, respectively. Calcification healed within 1-3 months (mean: 1.6 ± 0.6 months). After a follow-up of 0.5-8.5 years (mean: 3.5 ± 2.8 years), the appearance, joint function, local growth, and development of the lesion of the neonates with iatrogenic calcinosis cutis were consistent with those of the healthy ones. CONCLUSION: For neonatal iatrogenic calcinosis cutis without cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue necrosis, symptomatic support treatment is effective and does not affect the limbs' appearance and function.Level of evidence: IV.

Xiaoxuming decoction cutting formula reduces LPS-stimulated inflammation in BV-2 cells by regulating miR-9-5p in microglia exosomes.

The Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and the inflammatory mechanism plays a crucial role in stroke-related brain injury and post-ischemic tissue damage. Xiaoxuming decoction (XXMD) is the first prescription for the treatment of "zhongfeng" (a broad concept referring to stroke) in the Tang and Song Dynasties of China and has a significant position in the history of stroke treatment. Through the study of ancient medical records and modern clinical evidence, it is evident that XXMD has significant efficacy in the treatment of stroke and its sequelae, and its pharmacological mechanism may be related to post-stroke inflammation. However, XXMD contains 12 medicinal herbs with complex composition, and therefore, a simplified version of XXMD, called Xiaoxuming decoction cutting (XXMD-C), was derived based on the anti-inflammatory effects of the individual herbs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore and confirm the anti-inflammatory mechanism of XXMD-C. Aim of the study: Based on the previous experiments of our research group, it was found that both XXMD and XXMD-C have anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-induced microglia, and XXMD-C has a better anti-inflammatory effect. Since miRNAs in exosomes also participate in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine can regulate exosomal miRNAs through intervention, this study aims to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of XXMD-C in the treatment of post-stroke inflammation through transcriptome sequencing, providing a basis for the application of XXMD-C. Materials and methods: XXMD-C was extracted using water and filtered through a 0.22 µm membrane filter. The main chemical components of the medicinal herbs in XXMD-C were rapidly qualitatively analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay, and an LPS-induced BV-2 cell inflammation model was established. The expression of inflammatory cytokines was detected using ELISA and Western blot (WB). Extracellular vesicles were extracted using ultracentrifugation, and identified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis, and WB. Differential miRNAs were screened using smallRNA-seq sequencing, and validated using RT-PCR and Western blot. Results: The UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis revealed that representative components including ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, cinnamaldehyde, baicalin, baicalein, wogonin, and ginsenoside Rg1 were detected in XXMD-C. The results of ELISA and WB assays showed that XXMD-C had a therapeutic effect on LPS-induced inflammation in BV-2 cells. TEM, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and WB results demonstrated the successful extraction of extracellular vesicles using high-speed centrifugation. Differential miRNA analysis by smallRNA-seq identified miR-9-5p, which was validated by RT-PCR and WB. Inhibition of miR-9-5p was found to downregulate the expression of inflammatory factors including IL-1ß, IL-6, iNOS, and TNF-α. Conclusion: The study found that XXMD-C has anti-neuroinflammatory effects. Through smallRNA-seq sequencing of extracellular vesicles, miR-9-5p was identified as a key miRNA in the mechanism of XXMD-C for treating neuroinflammation, and its in vivo anti-inflammatory mechanism deserves further investigation.

Chemical resolution of spiroindanones and synthesis of chiroptical polymers with circularly polarized luminescence.

Herein, the synthesis and chemical resolution of 1,1'-spirobisindane-3,3'-dione have been accomplished utilizing inexpensive and readily available benzaldehyde and acetone as starting materials, and (1R,2R)- or (1S,2S)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol as a recyclable chiral resolution reagent. The further transformation of R- and S-1,1'-spirobisindane-3,3'-dione into chiral monomers and polymers has been achieved by the reasonable design of the synthetic route and the optimization of the polymerization conditions. The resulting chiroptical polymers exhibit blue emission with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), excellent optical activities with circular dichroism intensities per molar absorption coefficient (gabs) of up to 6.4 × 10-3, and intense circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with luminescence dissymmetry factor (glum) values of up to 2.4 × 10-3.

Dibenzo[b,d]furan/thiophene-fused double boron-based multiresonance emitters with narrowband ultrapure green electroluminescence.

Herein, double boron (DB)-based narrowband pure-green multiresonance (MR) emitters DBF-DBN and DBT-DBN have been designed and synthesized. Dibenzo[b,d]furan and dibenzo[b,d]thiophene as linkages between two B-N skeletons endow target DB-MR-emitters with a rigid and symmetric molecular structure, which efficiently extends the π-conjugation length and suppresses vibrational relaxation, resulting in a narrowband pure-green emission. DBT-DBN exhibits a remarkably higher reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate (kRISC = 7.4 × 105 s-1) than DBF-DBN (kRISC = 1.1 × 105 s-1) due to the heavy-atom effect of sulfur. The organic light-emitting diode (OLEDs) based on DBT-DBN shows an ultrapure green emission with maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) up to 31.3%, an emission peak at 520 nm, and a narrow full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 24 nm, meeting the BT.2020 green standard.