ZIF-62 glass foam self-supported membranes to address CH4/N2 separations.

Membranes with ultrahigh permeance and practical selectivity could greatly decrease the cost of difficult industrial gas separations, such as CH4/N2 separation. Advanced membranes made from porous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks, can achieve a good gas separation performance, although they are typically formed on support layers or mixed with polymeric matrices, placing limitations on gas permeance. Here an amorphous glass foam, agfZIF-62, wherein a, g and f denote amorphous, glass and foam, respectively, was synthesized by a polymer-thermal-decomposition-assisted melting strategy, starting from a crystalline zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-62. The thermal decomposition of incorporated low-molecular-weight polyethyleneimine evolves CO2, NH3 and H2O gases, creating a large number and variety of pores. This greatly increases pore interconnectivity but maintains the crystalline ZIF-62 ultramicropores, allowing ultrahigh gas permeance and good selectivity. A self-supported circular agfZIF-62 with a thickness of 200-330 µm and area of 8.55 cm2 was used for membrane separation. The membranes perform well, showing a CH4 permeance of 30,000-50,000 gas permeance units, approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of other reported membranes, with good CH4/N2 selectivity (4-6).

Orthogonal retrieval algorithm of atmospheric temperature profiles from pure rotational Raman lidar signals.

Aimed at the stability of calibration coefficients in a general non-orthogonal retrieval algorithm (NRA) of pure rotational Raman lidars (PRRLs), an orthogonal retrieval algorithm (ORA) of atmospheric temperature profiles based on the orthogonal basis function is proposed. This algorithm eliminates the correlation between the calibration coefficients in the NRA to reduce the influence of the number of calibration points and the selection scheme on the calibration coefficients. In this paper, the stabilities of calibration coefficients in the NRA and ORA are compared and analyzed, and the data analysis for atmospheric temperature profiles with a time resolution of minute-level are given, based on the developed Cloud Precipitation Potential Evaluation (CPPV) lidar data and the parallel radiosonde temperature data. The analysis results show that coefficients of variation (CVs) of ORA calibration coefficients are one order of magnitude smaller than those of NRA coefficients. The mean deviation of the ORA retrieval results is roughly reduced by 16.1% compared with the NRA, and the root-mean-square deviation is roughly reduced by 15.0% compared with the NRA. Therefore, the temperature retrieval performance of the ORA is better than that of the NRA.

Power-modulated integrated path differential absorption lidar for probing benzene concentration.

Aimed at the regional open-path detection of benzene (C 6 H 6) in the atmosphere, a power-modulated integrated path differential absorption (PM-IPDA) lidar is introduced and demonstrated. Two tunable interband cascade lasers (ICLs) with about 3.2 µm wavelength are utilized to generate the required PM optical signal. These two operation central wavelengths (CWs) of the PM-IPDA lidar are, respectively, 3236.6 and 3187.1 nm, which can mitigate the influence of significant gases such as H 2 O, C H 4, and HCl on the detection performance. In this work, the fast Fourier transform algorithm is used to retrieve the measured values with the time resolution of 0.1 s corresponding to 104 sampling bins at the sampling rate of 100 kSps/s. The modulated frequency of the PM-IPDA lidar is selected as 10 kHz by laboratory experiments. The slow fluctuation characteristic of the benzene absorption spectrum within the vicinity region of 3.2 µm reduces the impact of small wavelength fluctuations on the performance of PM-IPDA lidar, although a scheme modulated only the driving current causes wavelength fluctuations of ∼±0.2n m. These laboratory experiments also indicate the PM-IPDA lidar can reduce the error resulting from 1/f noise. Open-path observation experiments show that the detection limit is about 0.60m g⋅m -3 and that the PM-IPDA lidar can be used for the regional open-path real-time detection of benzene.

Nano-Voids in Ultrafine Explosive Particles: Characterization and Effects on Thermal Stability.

Ultrafine explosives show high safety and reliable initiation and have been widely used in aerospace, military, and industrial systems. The outstanding performance of ultrafine explosives is largely given by the unique void defects according to the simulation results. However, the structures and effects of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive particles have been rarely investigated experimentally. In this work, contrast-variation small angle X-ray scattering was verified to reliably measure the structures of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105) and 2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexanitro diphenylethylene (HNS). The size of nano-voids is around 10 nm, and the estimated number of nano-voids in a single particle is considerable. Moreover, the thermal stability of ultrafine LLM-105 was improved via changing the structures of nano-voids. This work provides a methodology for the study of nano-void defects in ultrafine organic particles and may pave the path to enhance the performance of ultrafine explosives via defect engineering.

Risk assessment of combined exposure to lead, cadmium, and total mercury among the elderly in Shanghai, China.

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and total mercury (THg) are toxic heavy metals (THMs) that are widely present in the environment and can cause substantial health problems. However, previous risk assessment studies have rarely focused on the elderly population and have usually targeted a single heavy metal, which might underestimate the long-term accumulative and synergistic effects of THMs in humans. Based on the food frequency questionnaire and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, this study assessed external and internal exposures to Pb, Cd and THg in 1747 elderly people in Shanghai. Probabilistic risk assessment with the relative potential factor (RPF) model was used to assess the neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity risks of combined THMs exposures. The mean external exposures of Pb, Cd and THg in Shanghai elderly were 46.8, 27.2 and 4.9 µg/day, respectively. Plant-based foods are the main source of Pb and THg exposure, while Cd is mainly from animal-based foods. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd and THg were 23.3, 1.1 and 2.3 µg/L in the whole blood, and 6.2, 1.0 and 2.0 µg/L in the morning urine, respectively. Combined exposure to THMs leading to 10.0 % and 7.1 % of Shanghai elderly at risk of neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The results of this study have important implications for understanding the profiles of Pb, Cd and THg exposure in the elderly living in Shanghai and provide data support for risk assessment and control of nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity from combined THMs exposure in the elderly.

Improving Anti-Humidity Property of a SnO2-Based Chemiresistive Hydrogen Sensor by a Breathable and Hydrophobic Fluoropolymer Coating.

Metal-oxide-based chemiresistive hydrogen sensors exhibit high sensitivity, long-term stability, and low cost and have been extensively applied in safety monitoring of H2. However, the sensing performances are dramatically affected by the water vapor, resulting in reduced response value and increased response/recovery time. To improve the anti-humidity property of sensors, coating the breathable and hydrophobic membrane on the surface of the sensing film is an effective strategy. In this work, the poly[4,5-difluoro-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene] (Teflon AF-2400) was dip-coated on the surface of SnO2 in a commercial hydrogen sensor (TGS2615) as a breathable and hydrophobic membrane. For safety, He instead of H2 was used to test the gas permeability of membranes. The Teflon membrane shows a high He permeability of up to 40,700 Barrer and an excellent He/H2O selectivity of 99. Moreover, Teflon shows high processability to form a defect-free coating on the rough surface of the sensing film and high chemical stability under the operando condition of the sensor. Thus, the Teflon-modified sensor possesses excellent selectivity with a value of 5, and the resistance is stable at 10,554 ± 3% Ω for 20 days in 80% RH. The modified sensor shows an improved anti-humidity property with a 75% response to 200 ppm H2 at 80% RH and has a low coefficient of variation value of 7.23% that shows advances than other reported sensors modified by coatings. The commercially available Teflon and the simple coating technology make the strategy easily scale up and show promising applications.

Characterization of Nano-Scale Parallel Lamellar Defects in RDX and HMX Single Crystals by Two-Dimension Small Angle X-ray Scattering.

Nano-scale crystal defects extremely affect the security and reliability of explosive charges of weapons. In this work, the nano-scale crystal defects of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) single crystals were characterized by two-dimension SAXS. Deducing from the changes of SAXS pattern with sample stage rotating, we firstly found the parallel lamellar nano-scale defects in both RDX and HMX single crystals. Further analysis shows that the average diameter and thickness of nano-scale lamellar defects for RDX single crystal are 66.4 nm and 19.3 nm, respectively. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicate that the lamellar nano-scale defects distribute along the (001) in RDX and the (011) in HMX, which are verified to be the crystal planes with the lowest binding energy by the theoretical calculation.

Halogenated Metal-Organic Framework Glasses and Liquids.

The synthesis of four novel crystalline zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) structures using a mixed-ligand approach is reported. The inclusion of both imidazolate and halogenated benzimidazolate-derived linkers leads to glass-forming behavior by all four structures. Melting temperatures are observed to depend on both electronic and steric effects. Solid-state NMR and terahertz (THz)/far-IR demonstrate the presence of a Zn-F bond for fluorinated ZIF glasses. In situ THz/far-IR spectroscopic techniques reveal the dynamic structural properties of crystal, glass, and liquid phases of the halogenated ZIFs, linking the melting behavior of ZIFs to the propensity of the ZnN4 tetrahedra to undergo thermally induced deformation. The inclusion of halogenated ligands within metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses improves their gas-uptake properties.

Cycloastragenol upregulates SIRT1 expression, attenuates apoptosis and suppresses neuroinflammation after brain ischemia.

Cycloastragenol (CAG) is the active form of astragaloside IV isolated from Astragalus Radix, which displays multiple pharmacological effects. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), a class III histone deacetylase, has been shown to play an important role in neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia. In this study, we investigated whether CAG protected against ischemic brain injury and, if so, whether the beneficial effects were associated with the regulation of SIRT1 in the ischemic brain. Mice were subjected to 45 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion. CAG (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally at the onset of reperfusion, 12 h later and then twice daily for up to three days. CAG dose-dependently reduced brain infarct volume, significantly ameliorated functional deficits, and prevented neuronal cell loss in MCAO mice. Meanwhile, CAG significantly reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity, prevented tight junction degradation and subsequently ameliorated blood-brain barrier disruption. Moreover, CAG significantly upregulated SIRT1 expression in the ischemic brain but did not directly activate its enzymatic activity. Concomitant with SIRT1 upregulation, CAG reduced p53 acetylation and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in the ischemic brain. CAG also inhibited NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. As a result, CAG suppressed the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1ß, and inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the ischemic brain. Our findings suggest that CAG is neuroprotective against ischemic brain injury in mice and that its beneficial effect may involve SIRT1 upregulation and the inhibition of apoptosis and neuroinflammation in the ischemic brain.

Mechanical Properties and Processing Techniques of Bulk Metal-Organic Framework Glasses.

Melt quenched metal-organic framework (MOF) glasses define a new category of glass, distinct from metallic, organic, and inorganic glasses, owing to the dominant role of metal-ligand coordination bonding. The mechanical properties of glasses in general are important given their application in protective coatings and display technologies, though little is known about MOF glasses in this respect. The experimental elucidation of key properties such as their scratch resistance has been limited by the lack of processing methodologies capable of producing bulk glass samples. Here, nanoindentation was used to investigate the Young's modulus and hardness of four melt-quenched glasses formed from zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF): agZIF-4, agZIF-62, agZIF-76, and agZIF-76-mbIm. The creep resistance of the melt-quenched glasses was studied via strain-rate jump (SRJ) tests and through constant load and hold (CLH) indentation creep experiments. Values for the strain-rate sensitivity were found to be close to those for other glassy polymers and Se-rich GeSe chalcogenide glasses. Vacuum hot-pressing of agZIF-62 resulted in an inhomogeneous bulk sample containing the glass and amorphous non-melt-quenched aZIF-62. Remelting and annealing, however, resulted in the fabrication of a transparent, bubble-free bulk specimen, which allowed the first scratch testing experiments to be performed on an MOF glass.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction Attenuates Infiltration of Natural Killer Cells and Protects Against Ischemic Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Natural killer (NK) cells are among the first immune cells that respond to an ischemic insult in human brains. The infiltrated NK cells damage blood-brain barrier (BBB) and exacerbate brain infarction. Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD), a classic Chinese traditional herbal prescription, has long been used for the treatment of ischemic stroke. The present study investigated whether BHD can prevent brain infiltration of NK cells, attenuate BBB disruption and improve ischemic outcomes. METHODS: Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by a 60-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion, and BHD was orally administrated at the onset of reperfusion, 12 hours later, then twice daily. Assessed parameters on Day 3 after ischemia were: neurological and motor functional deficits through neurological deficit score and rotarod test, respectively; brain infarction through TTC staining; BBB integrity through Evans blue extravasation; matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activities through gelatin zymography; tight junction protein, nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) p65 and phospho-p65 levels through Western blotting; NK cell brain infiltration and CXCR3 levels on NK cells through flow cytometry; interferon-γ production through ELISA; CXCL10 mRNA levels through real-time PCR; CXCL10 expression and p65 nuclear translocation through immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: BHD markedly reduced brain infarction, improved rotarod performance, and attenuated BBB breakdown. Concurrently, BHD attenuated the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activities and the degradation of tight junction proteins in the ischemic brain. Infiltration of NK cells was observed in the ischemic hemisphere, and this infiltration was blunted by treatment with BHD. BHD suppressed brain ischemia-induced interferon-γ and chemokine CXCL10 production. Furthermore, BHD significantly reduced the expression of CXCR3 on brain-infiltrated NK cells. Strikingly, BHD did not affect NK cell levels or its CXCR3 expression in the spleen or peripheral blood after brain ischemia. The nuclear translocation of NF-kB p65 and phospho-p65 in the ischemic brain was inhibited by BHD. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that BHD prevents brain infiltration of NK cells, preserves BBB integrity and eventually improves ischemic outcomes. The inhibitory effects of BHD on NK cell brain invasion may involve its ability of suppressing NF-kB-associated CXCL10-CXCR3-mediated chemotaxis. Notably, BHD only suppresses NK cells and their CXCR3 expression in the ischemic brain, but not those in periphery.

Twin scanning lidars for accurate measurement of lower tropospheric aerosols by numerical approximation.

In order to improve accuracy of aerosol measurements, a novel method using twin scanning lidars is presented; this method is able to overcome the incomplete overlap range of vertical lidar as well as provide 2D spatial distributions. The scanning lidar setups in the opposite directions are employed as remote sensing tools. Aerosol measurements are performed with cross scanning from the ground to the height of interest. Aerosol optical properties are retrieved using numerical approximation, in which differences between the measured values and the constructed values of the logarithmic range-square-corrected lidar data in the cross-scanning region are minimized. In the data retrieval, we utilize a matrix formulation, in which a Cartesian 2D range-height-indicator diagram is constructed. To verify this method, scanning measurements by ultraviolet Mie scanning lidar performed at different time intervals were taken as the cross-scanning measurements from the twin scanning lidars. With the retrieved spatial distributions of aerosol optical properties, such as aerosol backscatter, aerosol extinction, and lidar ratio, the regional aerosol studies showed that aerosol loading was relatively small and in the presence of multiple layers, which may be influenced by airflow from long-range transportation and cause a large impact on the local environment. To conclude, the presented method using twin scanning lidars is feasible for aerosol measurement in the application of horizontally atmospheric inhomogeneity.

Apoptotic extracellular vesicles restore homeostasis of the articular microenvironment for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severe autoimmune disease with symptoms including synovial inflammation, cartilage erosion, and bone loss in RA lesions, which eventually lead to joint deformity and function loss. Most current treatments fail to achieve satisfying therapeutic outcomes with some adverse effects. Extracellular vesicles derived from apoptotic cells (apoEVs) have emerged as important mediators in intercellular communication regulating diverse physiological and pathological processes. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of macrophage-derived and osteoclast-derived apoEVs (Mφ-apoEVs and OC-apoEVs) on RA. The in vitro results showed that both Mφ-apoEVs and OC-apoEVs induced macrophage repolarization toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, promoted chondrocyte functions and chondrogenesis, and inhibited osteoclast formation and maturation. In addition, OC-apoEVs promoted osteogenic differentiation. The in vivo study on the CIA mouse model further demonstrated that apoEVs could couple various functions and exert synergistic effects on the joint with RA, as evidenced by the regression of synovial inflammation, the reversal of cartilage damage and bone erosion, and the preservation of joint structure. These findings demonstrated that Mφ-apoEVs and OC-apoEVs contributed to restoring the homeostasis of the overall microenvironment in the RA joint and highlighted their potential application as a promising alternative to treat RA.

Non-coding RNAs and leaf senescence: Small molecules with important roles.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a special class of functional RNA molecules that are not translated into proteins. ncRNAs have emerged as pivotal regulators of diverse developmental processes in plants. Recent investigations have revealed the association of ncRNAs with the regulation of leaf senescence, a complex and tightly regulated developmental process. However, a comprehensive review of the involvement of ncRNAs in the regulation of leaf senescence is still lacking. This manuscript aims to summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying ncRNAs-mediated leaf senescence and the potential applications of ncRNAs to manipulate the onset and progression of leaf senescence. Various classes of ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are discussed in terms of their regulatory mechanisms in leaf senescence. Furthermore, we explore the interactions between ncRNA and the key regulators of senescence, including transcription factors as well as core components in phytohormone signaling pathways. We also discuss the possible challenges and approaches related to ncRNA-mediated leaf senescence. This review contributes to a further understanding of the intricate regulatory network involving ncRNAs in leaf senescence.

Facilitating polymorphic crystallization of HMX through ultrasound and trace additive assistance.

Low sensitivity octahydro-1,3,4,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) has garnered significant attention from researchers due to its reduced shock sensitivity. However, the crystallization process poses challenges due to the high solidity and viscosity of the metastable α phase. Despite efforts to address this with additional energy sources like ultrasonic irradiation, prolonged exposure duration often results in small particle sizes, hindering the production of HMX with a consistent particle size distribution, thus limiting its applicability. To overcome these challenges, a method combining ultrasonic irradiation and trace H+ additive was proposed and investigated for their impact on the polymorphic transformation of HMX. The H+ additive was found to modify barriers, thus there was a lack of competitive driving force for the nucleation or growth of the metastable α form, thereby shortening the transformation pathway and duration. Moreover, the H+ additive significantly accelerated the nucleation rate of the ß form (67.7 orders of magnitude faster with 0.10 wt ‰ H+) and the growth rate of ß form HMX (5.8 orders of magnitude faster with 0.10 wt ‰ H+). While H+ additive alone was insufficient to induce spontaneous nucleation of the ß form, combining it with short-duration ultrasonic irradiation further promoted ß nucleation and shortened the polymorphic transformation duration (almost 20 orders of magnitude shorter). This rational approach led to effective control of the transformation process. The resulting low sensitivity HMX crystals exhibited varying mean sizes ranging from 20 to 340 µm, with purity exceeding 99.6 %, an apparent density greater than 1.8994 g/cm3, and few internal defects, fully meeting the requirements of low-sensitivity HMX, thus significantly expanding its potential applications. Our study sheds light on the mechanisms governing HMX polymorphic transformation in the presence of additives and ultrasonic irradiation, offering guidance for the rational control of this complex transformation.

Leaf Senescence Database v5.0: A Comprehensive Repository for Facilitating Plant Senescence Research.

Through an extensive literature survey, we have upgraded the Leaf Senescence Database (LSD v5.0; https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/lsd/), a curated repository of comprehensive senescence-associated genes (SAGs) and their corresponding mutants. Since its inception in 2010, LSD undergoes frequent updates to encompass the latest advances in leaf senescence research and its current version comprises a high-quality collection of 31,740 SAGs and 1,209 mutants from 148 species, which were manually searched based on robust experimental evidence and further categorized according to their functions in leaf senescence. Furthermore, LSD was greatly enriched with comprehensive annotations for the SAGs through meticulous curation using both manual and computational methods. In addition, it was equipped with user-friendly web interfaces that facilitate text queries, BLAST searches, and convenient download of SAG sequences for localized analysis. Users can effortlessly navigate the database to access a plethora of information, including literature references, mutants, phenotypes, multi-omics data, miRNA interactions, homologs in other plants, and cross-links to various databases. Taken together, the upgraded version of LSD stands as the most comprehensive and informative plant senescence-related database to date, incorporating the largest collection of SAGs and thus bearing great utility for a wide range of studies related to plant senescence.

Performance Enhancement of Silicone Rubber Using Superhydrophobic Silica Aerogel with Robust Nanonetwork Structure and Outstanding Interfacial Effect.

The application of high-performance rubber nanocomposites has attracted wide attention, but its development is limited by the imbalance of interface and network effects caused by fillers. Herein, an ultrastrong polymer nanocomposite is successfully designed by introducing a superhydrophobic and mesoporous silica aerogel (HSA) as the filler to poly(methyl vinyl phenyl) siloxane (PVMQ), which increased the PVMQ elongation at break (∼690.1%) by ∼9.3 times and the strength at break (∼6.6 MPa) by ∼24.3 times. Furthermore, HSA/PVMQ with a high dynamic storage modulus (G'0) of ∼12.2 MPa and high Payne effect (ΔG') of ∼9.4 MPa is simultaneously achieved, which is equivalent to 2-3 times that of commercial fumed silica reinforced PVMQ. The superior performance is attributed to the filler-rubber interfacial interaction and the robust filler-rubber entanglement network which is observed by scanning electron microscopy. When the HSA-PVMQ entanglement network is subjected to external stress, both the HSA and bound-PVMQ chains are synergistically involved in resisting structural evolution, resulting in the maximized energy dissipation and deformation resistance through the desorption of the polymer chain and the slip/interpenetrating of the exchange hydrogen bond pairs. Hence, highly aggregated nanoporous silica aerogels may soon be widely used in the application of reinforced silicone rubber or other polymers shortly.

Direct observation of keyhole characteristics in deep penetration laser welding with a 10 kW fiber laser.

Keyhole formation is a prerequisite for deep penetration laser welding. Understanding of the keyhole dynamics is essential to improve the stability of the keyhole. Direct observation of the keyhole during deep penetration laser welding of a modified "sandwich" specimen with a 10 kW fiber laser is presented. A distinct keyhole wall and liquid motion along the wall are observed directly for the first time. The moving liquid "shelf" on the front keyhole wall and the accompanying hydrodynamic and vapor phenomena are observed simultaneously. Micro-droplets torn off the keyhole wall and the resultant bursts of vapor are also visualized. The hydrodynamics on the keyhole wall has a dominant effect on the weld defects. The emission spectrum inside the keyhole is captured accurately using a spectrometer to calculate the characteristics of the keyhole plasma plume.

Cycloastragenol suppresses M1 and promotes M2 polarization in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells and ischemic stroke mice.

There are two distinct phenotypes of activated microglia, pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2. Accumulating evidence indicates that shifting the microglial polarization from M1 to M2 is a potential strategy for the treatment of neuroinflammation-associated brain diseases, including ischemic stroke. Cycloastragenol (CAG) is a hydrolysis product of astragaloside IV, the major active component of Astragalus radix. We have previously demonstrated that CAG has anti-inflammatory effect in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. This study investigated the effect of CAG on the phenotype polarization of microglia in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 mouse microglial cells and ischemic stroke mice. In LPS-treated BV-2 cells, we found that CAG significantly reduced the expression of M1 markers, including pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes. In contrast, CAG promoted the expression of M2 markers, including anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factor. In addition, CAG inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and enhanced the activation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the expression of its downstream heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Furthermore, CAG also inhibited levels of M1 markers, promoted those of M2 markers, and enhanced Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression in ischemic mouse brain. Importantly, the effect of CAG on M2 markers, but not M1 markers, was reversed by Nrf2 siRNA in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Together, our results suggested that CAG promoted microglial M2 and suppressed M1 polarization through activating Nrf2 and inhibiting NF-κB, respectively, in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells and ischemic mouse brain. CAG is a promising candidate for the treatment of neuroinflammation-related diseases, including ischemic stroke.