Physical Properties of CaTiO3-Modified NaNbO3 Thin Films.

NaNbO3(NN)-based lead-free materials are attracting widespread attention due to their environment-friendly and complex phase transitions, which can satisfy the miniaturization and integration for future electronic components. However, NN materials usually have large remanent polarization and obvious hysteresis, which are not conducive to energy storage. In this work, we investigated the effect of introducing CaTiO3((1-x)NaNbO3-xCaTiO3) on the physical properties of NN. The results indicated that as x increased, the surface topography, oxygen vacancy and dielectric loss of the thin films were significantly improved when optimal value was achieved at x = 0.1. Moreover, the 0.9NN-0.1CT thin film shows reversible polarization domain structures and well-established piezoresponse hysteresis loops. These results indicate that our thin films have potential application in future advanced pulsed power electronics.

Cang-ai volatile oil ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriatic skin lesions by suppressing the ILC3s.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cang-ai volatile oil (CAVO) is an aromatic Chinese medicine with potent antibacterial and immune regulatory properties. While CAVO has been used to treat upper respiratory tract infections, depression, otomycosis, and bacterial infections in the skin, its effect on psoriasis is unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study explores the effect and mechanism of CAVO in psoriasis intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The effect of CAVO on the expression of IL-6 and IL-1ß was assessed in TNF-α-induced HaCaT cells using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mice were given imiquimod (IMQ) and administered orally with different CAVO doses (0.03 and 0.06 g/kg) for 5 days. The levels of inflammatory cytokines related to group-3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) in the skin were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, ELISA, and western blotting (WB). The frequency of ILC3s in mice splenocytes and skin cells was evaluated using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that CAVO decreased the expression of IL-6 and IL-1ß in TNF-α- induced HaCaT cells. CAVO significantly reduced the severity of psoriatic symptoms in IMQ-induced mice. The expression of inflammatory cytokines in the skin, such as IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-17 A were decreased, whereas IL-10 levels were increased. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-23 A, IL-23 R, IL-22, IL-17 A, and RORγt were down-regulated in skin tissues. CAVO also decreased the levels of NF-κB, STAT3, and JAK2 proteins. CONCLUSIONS: CAVO potentially inhibits ILC3s activation to relieve IMQ-induced psoriasis in mice. These effects might be attributed to inhibiting the activation of NF-κB, STAT3, and JAK2 signaling pathways.

Extracts from Seseli mairei Wolff attenuate imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting Th17 cells.

Objective: Seseli mairei Wolff extracts (SMWE) are widely used to treat psoriasis as a Chinese medicine, but their effect and mechanism are unclear. This study verified the effect of SMWE on psoriasis by regulating Th17 cells. Methods: HaCaT cells were treated with IL-17A in vitro to evaluate the effect of SMWE on psoriasis. In vivo, the mice psoriasis model was established using imiquimod (IMQ, 62.5 mg/d), and intragastrically treated with the different drugs for six days. The severity of skin inflammation was evaluated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and pathology. The levels of inflammation cytokines were assessed with immunofluorescence, immunochemistry, ELISA, and real-time PCR. The number of Th17 cells was determined with flows. Results: SMWE inhibited the proliferation of HaCaT cells and reduced the IL-17A-induced IL-6 production in vitro. In vivo, SMWE deduced the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, IL-23, and TNF-α, while increasing the level of IL-10 compared to the model group. SMWE also inhibited the levels of NF-κB, JAK2, and STAT3 proteins, while declining the expressions of Gr-1, and MPO. Interestingly, SMWE significantly decreased the number of Th17 cells. Conclusion: SMWE inhibited the proliferation of HaCaT cells and attenuated the development of psoriasis lesions by inhibiting Th17 cells to regulate the levels of inflammation cytokines.

Effects of Tylophora yunnanensis Schltr on regulating the gut microbiota and its metabolites in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rats by inhibiting the activation of NOD-like receptor protein 3.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tylophora yunnanensis Schltr (TYS) is widely distributed in Yunnan, Guizhou, and other places in China. It is commonly used by folks to treat hepatitis and other liver-related diseases; however, its mechanism of action is still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to determine the effects of TYS on regulating gut microbiota and its metabolites in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) rats by inhibiting the activation of NOD-like receptor protein3 (NLRP3). MATERIAL AND METHODS: An HFD-induced rat model was established to investigate if the intragastric administration of TYS could mediate gut microbiota and their metabolites to ultimately improve the symptoms of NASH. The improving effects of TYS on NASH rats were assessed by measuring their body weight, lipid levels, histopathology, and inflammatory factor levels in the rat models. The regulatory effects of TYS on NLRP3 in the NASH rats were analyzed using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which determined the levels of NLRP3-related factors. The changes in the composition of the gut microbiota of NASH rats were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. Meanwhile, the Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used for the non-targeted analysis of metabolites in the cecum contents. RESULTS: The results showed that TYS could improve NASH by decreasing the body weight and levels of lipid, AST, ALT, LPS, FFA, VLDL, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-ß, NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 in the NASH rats. The analysis of gut microbiota showed that TYS could improve the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota and alter their composition by decreasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae, Christensenellaceae, Blautia, etc. while increasing those of Muribaculaceae, Rumiaococcus, Ruminococcaceae, etc. The analysis of metabolites in the cecum contents suggested that the arachidonic acid metabolism, bile secretion, serotonergic synapse, Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway, etc. were regulated by TYS. The metabolites enriched in these pathways mainly included chenodeoxycholic acid, prostaglandin D2, TXB2, 9-OxoODE, and 13(S)-HOTrE. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that TYS could alleviate the NASH symptoms by decreasing the body weight, regulating the lipid levels, reducing the inflammatory response, and inhibiting the expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 in the NASH rats. The changes in the composition of gut microbiota and their metabolic disorder were closely related to the activation of NLRP3. TYS could significantly inhibit the activation of NLRP3 and regulate the composition of gut microbiota and the disorder of metabolites during NASH modeling.

Flavonoids from Scutellaria amoena C. H. Wright alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction and regulate oxidative stress via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis in rats with high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is among the most common liver diseases in the world. Flavonoids from Scutellaria amoena (SAF) are used in the treatment of hepatopathy in China. However, the effect and mechanism against NASH remain unclear. We investigated the alleviating effect of SAF on NASH via regulating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. METHODS: The effects of SAF on NASH were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo methods. L02 cells were induced by fat emulsion to establish an adipocytes model, followed by treatment with SAF for 24 h. NASH rat models were established by the administration of a high-fat diet for 12 weeks and were administered SAF for six weeks. Changes in body weight, organ indexes, lipid levels, inflammatory cytokines, mitochondrial indicators, and fatty acid metabolism were investigated. RESULTS: SAF significantly improved body weight, organ indexes, lipid levels, liver injury, and inflammatory infiltration in NASH rats. SAF notably regulated interleukin-6, tumor necrotic factor-alpha, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Additionally, SAF improved mitochondrial dysfunction, increased the levels of GSH, SOD, ATP synthase, complex I and II, and decreased the level of MDA in liver mitochondria. SAF regulated the expression of ß-oxidation genes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor -gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1α), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) A, CPT1B, medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and PPARα. CONCLUSION: SAF can alleviate NASH by regulating mitochondrial function and oxidative stress via the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis.

Walnut green husk ethanol extract improves gut microbiota and their metabolites associated with NLRP3 in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Increasing studies have shown that walnut green husk (WGH) has obvious effects on reducing lipid, resisting oxidation, and protecting the liver. However, the mechanism by which WGH can prevent high-fat diet (HFD)-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remains unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of WGH ethanol extract (WGHE) on NLRP3-related biochemical indicators and the diversity and metabolism of gut microbiota in HFD-induced NASH rats. WGHE was administered to HFD-induced NASH rats for 6 weeks. The results showed that WGHE could decrease the levels of blood and liver TC, TG, LDL-C, AST, and ALT and the levels of liver indices, including IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-ß, FFA, VLDL, caspase-1, ASC, and NLRP3, while it could increase the levels of HDL-C. The pathological damage to liver tissues was significantly reduced. Moreover, WGHE could reduce the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and the relative abundances of potentially harmful bacteria, such as Lachnospiraceae and Christensenellaceae, and increase that of potentially beneficial bacteria, such as norank_f__Muribaculaceae. These bacteria were associated with NASH and most of them were significantly associated. A total of 23 gut bacteria and 31 metabolites were significantly altered by HFD, which was reversed by WGHE. The common functional pathways, including lipid metabolism and steroid biosynthesis, were identified through the analysis of KEGG metabolic pathways. In addition, the changes in gut microbiota, such as unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, unclassified_g__Blautia, and unclassified_g__Desulfovibrio, were associated with the changes in key intestinal metabolites, such as arachidonoyl amine, xanthine, and 25,26-epoxy-1α-hydroxyvitamin D3. In conclusion, WGHE could mitigate HFD-induced NASH in rats by interfering with the NLRP3-related gut microbiota and their metabolites.

Distinction of electromagnetically induced transparency and Autler-Towners splitting in a Rydberg-involved ladder-type cold atom system.

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes splitting (ATS) are two similar quantum coherent phenomena but have different mechanisms and applications. Akaike information criteria (AIC), an objective method to discriminate EIT and ATS from an experimental viewpoint, has been employed in a variety of systems. Here we use AIC method to quantitively discriminate a series of spectra of cold atoms in a Rydberg-involved upper-driving ladder-type. The derived weights of EIT and ATS reflect that our spectra change from EIT-ATS intermediate region to ATS-dominated region along Rabi frequency of coupling field increases. We find that there are two factors affecting EIT-ATS weights in a Rydberg-involved three-level system: dephasing rate, induced by the interactions among Rydberg atoms, makes the EIT-ATS crossover move to the direction of low Rabi frequency of coupling field and the experimental noise makes the difference between EIT and ATS weights reduce at elsewhere. Our investigation could provide a meaningful reference for the observations and applications of Rydberg-involved quantum coherent spectroscopy.

Two new flavonol glycosides from Dimocarpus longan leaves.

From the extracts of Dimocarpus longan Lour leaves, 2 unusual flavonol glycosides, quercetin 3-O-(3″-O-2‴-methyl-2‴-hydroxylethyl)-ß-D-xyloside (1) and quercetin 3-O-(3″-O-2‴-methyl-2‴-hydroxylethyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), as well as 10 known compounds including 2 flavonol glycosides, afzelin (3) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), 2 flavans, (-)-epicatechin (5) and proanthocyanidin A-2 (6), 3 triterpenoids, friedelin (7), epifriedelanol (8) and ß-amyrin (9), a peptide, N-benzoylphenylalanyl-N-benzoylphenylalaninate (10), and 2 sterols, ß-sitosterol (11) and daucosterol (12) were isolated and identified by using combination of mass spectrometry and various 1D and 2D NMR techniques. This is the first report of flavonoid glycosides possessing a 2-methyl-2-hydroxylethoxyl group in sugar moiety from D. longan.

[Determination of ursolic acid of Sambucus adnata].

HPLC was used to determine the content of ursolic acid of Sambucus adnata from different origins. The content of ursolic acid range between 1.14 to 5.7 microg, r = 0.999 8, the recovery range from 99.8% to 101.3%. The method is quick, sensitive and repeatable for determination of the content of ursolic acid of S. adnata.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of the leaves of Polygonum multiflorum].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the leaves of Polygonum multiflorum. METHODS: The chemical constituents were extracted with water and separated by manifold chromatography technique, and their structures were determined by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as physcion (I), emodin (II), noreugenin (III), apigenin (IV), hyperoside (V), rutin (VI), vitexin (VII), 2,3,5 ,4'-tetrahydroxy-stibene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (VIII), beta-amyrin (IX), beta-sitosterol (X), daucosterol( XI). CONCLUSION: Among these compounds, I - IV, VI - XI are isolated from the leaves of Polygonum multiflorum for the first time.

[Studies on chemical constituents from rattan of Polygonum multiflorum].

OBJECTIVE: To study on the chemical constituents from rattan of Polygonum multiflorum. METHODS: The chemical constituents were extracted with alcohol and were separated with manifold chromatography technique. Their structures were determined by spectral analysis. RESULTS: Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as Chrysophanol(I), Physcion(II), Emodin(III), Aloeemodin(IV), Rhein(V), Physcion-8-O-beta-D-glucoside(VI), Emodin-8-O-beta-D-glucoside (VII),2,3,5,4'-Tetrahydroxy-stibene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside(VIII), Noreugenin(IX), Apigenin(X), Daucosterol(XI), beta-Sitosterol(XII), Stearic acid(XIII). CONCLUSION: Among these, compounds I, IV-VI, VIII-XI, XIII are isolated from rattan of Polygonum multiflorum for the first time.