Multifunctional MoSe2 @MXene Heterostructure-Decorated Cellulose Fabric for Wearable Thermal Therapy.

A booming demand for wearable electronic devices urges the development of multifunctional smart fabrics. However, it is still facing a challenge to fabricate multifunctional smart fabrics with satisfactory mechanical property, excellent Joule heating performance, highly efficient photothermal conversion, outstanding electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, and superior anti-bacterial capability. Here, a MoSe2 @MXene heterostructure-based multifunctional cellulose fabric is fabricated by depositing MXene nanosheets onto cellulose fabric followed by a facile hydrothermal method to grow MoSe2 nanoflakes on MXene layers. A low-voltage Joule heating therapy platform with rapid Joule heating response (up to 230 °C in 25 s at a supplied voltage of 4 V) and stable performance under repeated bending cycles (up to 1000 cycles) is realized. Besides, the multifunctional fabric also exhibits excellent photothermal performance (up to 130 °C upon irradiation for 25 s with a light intensity of 400 mW cm-2 ), outstanding electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (37 dB), and excellent antibacterial performances (>90% anti-bacterial rate toward Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus). This work offers an efficient avenue to fabricate multifunctional wearable thermal therapy devices for mobile healthcare and personal thermal management.

The new andrographolide derivative AGS-30 induces apoptosis in human colon cancer cells by activating a ROS-dependent JNK signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The anti-cancer activity of andrographolide (Andro) has been extensively demonstrated in recent years. It is supposed that modifying the chemical structure of Andro can improve its efficacy and reduce its toxicity. PURPOSE: In this study, the anti-cancer effect of a 14ß-(2'-chlorophenoxy) derivative of andrographolide known as AGS-30 was investigated, and its underlying mechanisms were also explored. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Different cancer cells were used to evaluate and compare the in vitro anti-cancer effects of Andro and AGS-30. Human colon cancer cells HT-29 and HCT-116 were used to study the underlying anti-cancer mechanisms of AGS-30. HT-29 cells xenografted in nude mouse model was used to compare the in vivo anti-tumour efficacies of Andro and AGS-30. RESULT: In vitro studies showed that AGS-30 possessed an anti-cancer effect by inhibiting the viability, colony formation and migration of cancer cells. It significantly induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and triggered the apoptosis in colon cancer cells. These effects of AGS-30 were more potent than those of Andro. In addition, the expression levels of proteins associated with apoptosis, including phospho-JNK1/2 as well as cleaved caspase 9, caspase 3, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase, were elevated in AGS-30-treated colon cancer cells. Moreover, these elevated levels of the proteins were inhibited by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine and the JNK inhibitor SP600125, suggesting the involvement of ROS/JNK-dependent mechanisms in AGS-30-induced apoptosis. The in vitro anti-cancer effect could be reproduced in an HT-29 colon cancer cell xenografted nude mouse model. CONCLUSION: The anti-cancer effect of AGS-30 is stronger than that of Andro. AGS-30 induces apoptosis of colon cancer cells through ROS/JNK-dependent pathway. Our findings may provide insights for the future development of derivatives of Andro as novel chemotherapeutic agents.

Hot air treatment reduces postharvest decay in Chinese bayberries during storage by affecting fungal community composition.

Chinese bayberry fruit were treated with hot air (HA) at 48 ℃ for 3 h and then stored at 4 ℃ for 15 d. Changes in fungal communities were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing (HTS), and decay and fruit quality were monitored during storage. The results showed that HA treatment effectively maintains fruit quality and the richness and diversity of fungal communities. Heat treatment inhibited decay development and reduced the growth of fungi in the genera Botryotinia spp., Davidiella spp., Hanseniaspora spp., and Candida spp. Canonical correspondence analysis further revealed that Botryotinia spp. and Davidiella spp. were positively correlated with fruit decay and weight loss. FUNGuild analysis demonstrated that HA-treated bayberries had a lower relative abundance within the plant pathogen guild, but higher relative abundance within the endophyte guild. The results suggest that HA treatment reduces pathogens by favoring the increase of endophytes, providing new insight into the decay development and quality changes during the storage of postharvest Chinese bayberries.

Capsaicin Inhibits the Expression of Melanogenic Proteins in Melanocyte via Activation of TRPV1 Channel: Identifying an Inhibitor of Skin Melanogenesis.

Chili pepper belongs to the genus Capsicum of Solanaceae family. Capsaicin is the primary capsaicinoid in placenta and flesh of chili pepper fruit, which has been shown to have various pharmacological functions, including gastric protection, anti-inflammation, and obesity treatment. Here, we revealed that capsaicin as well as chilli extract was able to inhibit synthesis of melanin in melanocytes. In cultured melanocytes, the melanin content was reduced to 54 ± 6.55% and 42 ± 7.41% with p < 0.001 under treatment of 50 µM capsaicin for 24 and 72 h, respectively. In parallel, the protein levels of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 were reduced to 62 ± 8.35% and 48 ± 8.92% with p < 0.001. Such an inhibitory effect of capsaicin was mediated by activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. This resulted in a degradation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, leading to reduction of melanogenic enzymes and melanin. These results revealed that capsaicin could be an effective inhibitor for skin melanogenesis. Hence, chili pepper, as our daily food, has potential in dermatological application, and capsaicin should be considered as a safe agent in treating hyperpigmentation problems.

Transcriptome analysis of Botrytis cinerea in response to tea tree oil and its two characteristic components.

Tea tree oil (TTO) and its two characteristic components (terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole) have been shown to inhibit Botrytis cinerea growth. In this study, we conducted a transcriptome analysis to determine the effects of TTO and its characteristic components, alone and in combination, against B. cinerea. Most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from B. cinerea cells treated with terpinen-4-ol participated in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. All treatments containing terpinen-4-ol potentially induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. These were further confirmed by the decreased activities of several enzymes (e.g., succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (α-KGDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH)), the increased activities of certain enzymes (e.g., catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD)), and increased content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). 1,8-Cineole mainly affected DEGs involved in genetic information processing, resulting in cell death. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of B. cinerea inhibition by TTO, and explains the synergistic effect of terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole on B. cinerea.

[Analysis of nine antioxidants in vegetable oils by high performance liquid chromatography].

A method was developed for the determination of nine antioxidants in vegetable oils by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The samples were extracted with methanol, and the fat in the samples was degreased by freezing. Separation of the targeted compounds was performed on an XBridge C18 column in gradient elution mode using methanol-0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase. The analytes were detected using a diode-array detector by the external standard method. The stability and storage conditions for the nine antioxidants were systematically investigated. Ascorbyl palmitate (AP) was introduced into the preparation and pre-treatment of the targets. The concentration of AP was optimized to improve the stability and recovery of the targets. The effects of different extraction solvents and purification methods on the extraction efficiencies were discussed. The results showed that the nine antioxidants could be separated well under the optimized conditions. Good linear relationships in the linear range were obtained, and the correlation coefficients (R2) were greater than 0.999. The average recoveries of the nine antioxidants ranged from 85.3% to 104.1%, with RSDs of the method ≤5.0%. The limits of quantitation (LOQs) for the nine synthetic antioxidants were in the range of 0.6-3.0 mg/kg. The method is simple, rapid, sensitive, and it shows good recovery and reproducibility.

Combining nanoscale magnetic nimodipine liposomes with magnetic resonance image for Parkinson's disease targeting therapy.

AIM: To enhance drug targeting and blood-brain barrier penetration for Parkinson's disease (PD), a novel nanoscale magnetic nimodipine (NMD) delivery system was designed and prepared. MATERIALS & METHODS: The PD rats were established and treated with free NMD or Fe3O4-modified NMD liposomes (Fe3O4-NMD-lips). Then, factional anisotropy values were measured by MRI to evaluate therapy efficacy. RESULTS: Fe3O4-NMD-lips showed the best neuroprotective effect, and the NMD concentration of lesions was 2.5-fold higher in Fe3O4-NMD-lips group than that of free NMD group. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that the magnetic drug system had a great potential to cross the blood-brain barrier and provided a noninvasive and effective therapeutic strategy for PD.

On-demand drug release of ICG-liposomal wedelolactone combined photothermal therapy for tumor.

In the study, a new photoresponsive nano drug delivery system was developed by encapsulating indocyanine green into liposomes (ICG-liposomal wedelolactone), which could improve the water solubility and bioavailability of wedelolactone. The hyperthermia, produced by ICG under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, promoted wedelolactone release rapidly from the carriers. The release amount of ICG-liposomal wedelolactone under NIR irradiation reached up to 96.74% over 8h, achieving the drug of on-demand release. Moreover, the growth of HepG2 cells was obviously inhibited by ICG-liposomal wedelolactone under NIR, and the early apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells was 33.74%. The tumor inhibition rate was 81% in the mice bearing tumor treated with the drug system. The results proved that ICG-liposomal wedelolactone, as a novel drug delivery system to co-delivery chemotherapeutic agents and photothermal agents, achieved synergetic effect of chemotherapy and photothermotherapy, which will have an enormous potential in future cancer therapy.