Total synthesis of justicidin B, justicidin E, and taiwanin C: A general and flexible approach toward the synthesis of natural arylnaphthalene lactone lignans.

Lignans are widely present in traditional medicinal plants. Many natural arylnaphthalene lactone lignans (NALLs) isolated from the genera Justicia, Haplophyllum, and Phyllanthus possess interesting biological activities. Herein, we report a general strategy for the total synthesis of this kind of lignans. Features of this new approach are an aryl-alkyl Suzuki cross-coupling to introduce the dioxinone unit, a cation-induced cyclization to construct the aryl dihydronaphthalene, and base-mediated oxidative aromatization to furnish the arylnaphthalene core. By incorporating these key transformations, the total syntheses of justicidins B and E and taiwanin C covered type I and type II NALLs were accomplished.

Effectiveness of Proanthocyanidin plus Trimetazidine in the Treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Radiation Heart Injury.

This study was intended to explore the effect of proanthocyanidin (PC) combined with trimetazidine in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with radiation-induced heart damage (RIHD). It was a prospective randomized controlled study that 86 NSCLC patients with radiation treatment in Cangzhou People's Hospital from January 2019 and June 2021 were enrolled and randomized to either the control group or the study group via the random table method, 43 cases in each group. The control group received trimetazidine, and the study group additionally received PC. The incidence of RIHD-related clinical manifestation, RIHD-related ECG, and RIHD-related cardiac ultrasound change were all lower in the study group. After radiotherapy, the serum level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was higher, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was lower in the study group when compared with the control group. After radiotherapy, the serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiac troponin (cTnT), creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase isoenzymes (CKMB) were all lower in the study group when compared with the control group. The efficacy of PC plus trimetazidine for NSCLC with RIHD is superior to trimetazidine alone, and it significantly mitigates radiation-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

Full size microplastics in crab and fish collected from the mangrove wetland of Beibu Gulf: Evidences from Raman Tweezers (1-20 µm) and spectroscopy (20-5000 µm).

Microplastic pollution in organisms is a growing environmental concern worldwide. Current methods to identify microplastics (MPs) are subject to the limitations of analytical techniques, and there is no full-scale method to measure MPs in organisms. In this study, Raman Tweezers and spectroscopy methods were combined and applied to identify MPs in organisms within the size range of 1-5000 µm. The abundance of small MPs (1-20 µm) was measured in crab (0.39-2.83 items/individual) and fish (0.35-3.22 items/individual). Most MPs were transparent in color and pellet shape. The proportion of small MPs (1-20 µm) was 35.77%, and analysis revealed the non-inclusion of this fraction will induce large deviations in the overall measurement. The large MPs (20-5000 µm) were identified in crab and fish with abundances ranging from 0.74-4.96 items/individual and 0.72-5.39 items/individual, respectively. Mainly fiber shape items were detected, the dominant particle size ranged from 20 to 100 µm, and most MPs were white. Polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the main types of MPs polymers detected. Our study fills the gap to provide a new method to detect MPs in organisms below 20 µm, facilitating study of the migration and transformation of small MPs in the environment.

Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Pyridines: A Metal-Free Cascade Process.

Herein, we report a new process for the synthesis of highly functionalized pyridines based on a tandem Pummerer-type rearrangement, aza-Prins cyclization, and elimination-induced aromatization. This formal [5+1] cyclization provides pyridines in good yields with easily accessible starting materials. The synthetic potential of our new method is further demonstrated in the modification of the frameworks of BINOL and some natural products.

Left atrial function, inflammation, and prothrombotic response after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) to sinus rhythm is associated with transient dysfunction of the left atrium (LA). This study aimed to investigate the time course of LA function and inflammation after radiofrequency (RF) ablation for paroxysmal AF. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing RF ablation were recruited. White blood cells were counted and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels were measured. LA emptying fraction, strain, and strain rate were evaluated before RF ablation and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks and 2 and 3 months after ablation using conventional Doppler echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. RESULTS: LA emptying fraction sharply decreased at day 7 after ablation and then slowly increased (p < 0.05) and returned to the baseline value at day 28. LA strain and strain rate values sharply decreased at day 7 after the procedure and then slowly increased (p < 0.05). A significant correlation between hs-CRP level and LA emptying fraction was found at day 7. CONCLUSION: Reduced LA function and increased prothrombotic tendency were found at ∼1 week after AF ablation for paroxysmal AF. Therefore, monitoring the time and degree of anticoagulation after ablation for paroxysmal AF might effectively prevent thromboembolic events and reduce anticoagulant cost and bleeding risk.