Programmable Carbon Nanotube Networks: Controlling Optical Properties Through Orientation and Interaction.

The lattice geometry of natural materials and the structural geometry of artificial materials are crucial factors determining their physical properties. Most materials have predetermined geometries that lead to fixed physical characteristics. Here, the demonstration of a carbon nanotube network serves as an example of a system with controllable orientation achieving on-demand optical properties. Such a network allows programming their optical response depending on the orientation of the constituent carbon nanotubes and leads to the switching of its dielectric tensor from isotropic to anisotropic. Furthermore, it also allows for the achievement of wavelength-dispersion for their principal optical axes - a recently discovered phenomenon in van der Waals triclinic crystals. The results originate from two unique carbon nanotubes features: uniaxial anisotropy from the well-defined cylindrical geometry and the intersection interaction among individual carbon nanotubes. The findings demonstrate that shaping the relative orientations of carbon nanotubes or other quasi-one-dimensional materials of cylindrical symmetry within a network paves the way to a universal method for the creation of systems with desired optical properties.

Kinetic Modulation of Carbon Nanotube Growth in Direct Spinning for High-Strength Carbon Nanotube Fibers.

With impressive individual properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show great potential in constructing high-performance fibers. However, the tensile strength of as-prepared carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) by floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) is plagued by the weak intertube interaction between the essential CNTs. Here, we developed a chlorine (Cl)/water (H2O)-assisted length furtherance FCCVD (CALF-FCCVD) method to modulate the intertube interaction of CNTs and enhance the mechanical strength of macroscopic fibers. The CNTs acquired by the CALF-FCCVD method show an improvement of 731% in length compared to that by the conventional iron-based FCCVD system. Moreover, CNTFs prepared by CALF-FCCVD spinning exhibit a high tensile strength of 5.27 ± 0.27 GPa (4.62 ± 0.24 N/tex) and reach up to 5.61 GPa (4.92 N/tex), which outperforms most previously reported results. Experimental measurements and density functional theory calculations show that Cl and H2O play a crucial role in the furtherance of CNT growth. Cl released from the decomposition of methylene dichloride greatly accelerates the growth of the CNTs; H2O can remove amorphous carbon on the floating catalysts to extend their lifetime, which further modulates the growth kinetics and improves the purity of the as-prepared fibers. Our design of the CALF-FCCVD platform offers a powerful way to tune CNT growth kinetics in direct spinning toward high-strength CNTFs.

An efficient approach toward production of near-zigzag single-chirality carbon nanotubes.

Synthesizing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with a narrow chirality distribution is essential for obtaining pure chirality materials through postgrowth sorting techniques. Using carbon monoxide chemical vapor deposition, we devise a ruthenium (Ru) catalyst supported by silica for the bulk production of SWCNTs containing only a few (n, m) species. The result is attributed to the limited carbon dissociation on the supported Ru clusters, favoring the growth of only small-diameter SWCNTs at comparable growth rates. The resulting materials expedite high-purity single chirality separation using gel chromatography, leading to unprecedented yields of 3.5% for (9, 1) and 5.2% for (9, 2) nanotubes, which surpass those separated from HiPco SWCNTs by two orders of magnitude. This work sheds light on the large-quantity synthesis of SWCNTs with enriched species beyond near-armchair ones for their high-yield separation.

Design of dual peptide-conjugated hydrogels for proliferation and differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells.

Completely synthetic cell cultivation materials for human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are important for the future clinical use of hPSC-derived cells. Currently, cell culture materials conjugated with extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived peptides are being prepared using only one specific integrin-targeting peptide. We designed dual peptide-conjugated hydrogels, for which each peptide was selected from different ECM sites: the laminin ß4 chain and fibronectin or vitronectin, which can target α6ß1 and α2ß1 or αVß5. hPSCs cultured on dual peptide-conjugated hydrogels, especially on hydrogels conjugated with peptides obtained from the laminin ß4 chain and vitronectin with a low peptide concentration of 200 µg/mL, showed high proliferation ability over the long term and differentiated into cells originating from 3 germ layers in vivo as well as a specific lineage of cardiac cells. The design of grafting peptides was also important, for which a joint segment and positive amino acids were added into the designed peptide. Because of the designed peptides on the hydrogels, only 200 µg/mL peptide solution was sufficient for grafting on the hydrogels, and the hydrogels supported hPSC cultures long-term; in contrast, in previous studies, greater than 1000 µg/mL peptide solution was needed for the grafting of peptides on cell culture materials.

Monocyte distribution width as an early predictor of short-term outcome in adult patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVES: Monocyte distribution width (MDW) is a quantitative measurement of monocyte anisocytosis and has been proposed as an efficient marker for early sepsis detection. This study aimed to assess the prognostic potential of MDW in septic patients. METHODS: In this study, a total of 252 adult septic patients were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory finding including MDW and traditional inflammatory biomarkers detected at three time points (day 1, day 3 and day 6) after admission were collected and compared between 28-day survivors and non-survivors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess and compare their predictive values. Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to identify MDW trajectory endotypes. Basic characteristics and 28-day outcomes were compared between the trajectories. RESULTS: ROC curve analysis showed that MDW levels measured on day 3 after admission (D3-MDW) had moderate prognostic value and was independently associated with 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis. A D3-MDW value of 26.20 allowed discrimination between survivors and non-survivors with a sensitivity of 77.8 % and a specificity of 67.6 %. However, the prognostic accuracy of D3-MDW was diminished in immune-compromised patients and patients who already received antibiotics before admission. Group-based trajectory modeling indicated that excessively elevated and delayed decreased MDW levels during the first week after admission inversely correlated with prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: MDW values detected on day 3 after admission and its kinetic change might be potential markers for predicting short-term outcome in adult septic patients.

Effects of esketamine for multimodal analgesia on opioid consumption and gastric motility in mechanically ventilated non-surgical ICU patients / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of esketamine for multimodal analgesia on opioid consumption and gastric motility in mechanically ventilated non-surgical intensive care unit （ICU） patients. METHODS Forty cases of mechanically ventilated non-surgical patients in the ICU of our hospital from February 1st， 2023 to July 31st， 2023 were selected and randomly divided into control group and esketamine （S-K） group using grouping method with opaque envelopes， with 20 cases in each group. Control group was given sufentanil， and S-K group was infused with Esketamine hydrochloride injection at a constant rate of 0.2 mg/（kg·h）+ sufentanil. The treatment period length， analgesic compliance rate， sedation level， analgesic and sedative consumption， and gastric motility indexes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the treatment period length， analgesic compliance rate， sedation level， or the consumption of propofol and midazolam between the two groups （P＞0.05）. The consumption of sufentanil in the S-K group was significantly less than control group （P＜ 0.05）. Compared with 1 h after randomization， the antral contraction frequency， antral contraction amplitude and antral motility index of patients in the S-K group were significantly higher at 72 h after randomization and were significantly higher than control group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Esketamine may reduce opioid consumption and improve gastric motility in mechanically ventilated non-surgical ICU patients while ensuring a level of analgesic sedation.

Trilogy of drug repurposing for developing cancer and chemotherapy-induced heart failure co-therapy agent

Chemotherapy-induced complications, particularly lethal cardiovascular diseases, pose significant challenges for cancer survivors. The intertwined adverse effects, brought by cancer and its complication, further complicate anticancer therapy and lead to diminished clinical outcomes. Simple supplementation of cardioprotective agents falls short in addressing these challenges. Developing bi-functional co-therapy agents provided another potential solution to consolidate the chemotherapy and reduce cardiac events simultaneously. Drug repurposing was naturally endowed with co-therapeutic potential of two indications, implying a unique chance in the development of bi-functional agents. Herein, we further proposed a novel "trilogy of drug repurposing" strategy that comprises function-based, target-focused, and scaffold-driven repurposing approaches, aiming to systematically elucidate the advantages of repurposed drugs in rationally developing bi-functional agent. Through function-based repurposing, a cardioprotective agent, carvedilol (CAR), was identified as a potential neddylation inhibitor to suppress lung cancer growth. Employing target-focused SAR studies and scaffold-driven drug design, we synthesized 44 CAR derivatives to achieve a balance between anticancer and cardioprotection. Remarkably, optimal derivative 43 displayed promising bi-functional effects, especially in various self-established heart failure mice models with and without tumor-bearing. Collectively, the present study validated the practicability of the "trilogy of drug repurposing" strategy in the development of bi-functional co-therapy agents.

Prussian blue analogues derived magnetic FeCo@GC material as high-performance metallic peroxymonosulfate activators to degrade tetrabromobisphenol A over a wide pH range.

Metal-organic frame (MOF) materials can effectively degrade organic pollutants, whereas the MOF is rapidly hydrolysed in water and has poor stability and low reusability. However, in the current advanced oxidation process (AOP) system, the removal effect of pollutants under alkaline condition is not ideal. In this study, a magnetic composite material derived from MOF was synthesised and used as a new catalyst for rapid degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Compared to precarbonisation, FeCo@GC formed a conductive graphite carbon skeleton, retained the complete rhombododecahedron structure, had a larger specific surface area and provided more active sites for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The target pollutant TBBPA (20 mg/L) was completely degraded within 30 min, and the mineralisation rate reached 40.98% in the FeCo@GC (150 mg/L) and PMS (1 mM) systems, owing to the synergistic interaction between Fe, Co and graphite carbon. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved in the reaction were determined to be SO4•-, ·OH, 1O2 and O2•- by electron paramagnetic resonance and free radical scavenging experiments, and the 1O2 played a dominant role. Based on the results of LC-MS analysis results, the main degradation pathways of TBBPA involve three mechanisms: the debromination reaction, hydroxylation and cleavage of the benzene ring. In addition, compared with previous AOP systems, FeCo@GC/PMS overcomes the disadvantage of poor degradation effect of TBPPA under alkaline conditions, has a wide range pH (3-11) application and has the best effect on TBBPA degradation under alkaline conditions. FeCo@GC has an excellent cycle performance, with a removal rate of re-calcined material of 88.52% after five cycles. Therefore, FeCo@GC can be used as a promising and efficient catalyst for removing environmental organic pollutants.

Contacting individual graphene nanoribbons using carbon nanotube electrodes.

Graphene nanoribbons synthesized using bottom-up approaches can be structured with atomic precision, allowing their physical properties to be precisely controlled. For applications in quantum technology, the manipulation of single charges, spins or photons is required. However, achieving this at the level of single graphene nanoribbons is experimentally challenging due to the difficulty of contacting individual nanoribbons, particularly on-surface synthesized ones. Here we report the contacting and electrical characterization of on-surface synthesized graphene nanoribbons in a multigate device architecture using single-walled carbon nanotubes as the electrodes. The approach relies on the self-aligned nature of both nanotubes, which have diameters as small as 1 nm, and the nanoribbon growth on their respective growth substrates. The resulting nanoribbon-nanotube devices exhibit quantum transport phenomena-including Coulomb blockade, excited states of vibrational origin and Franck-Condon blockade-that indicate the contacting of individual graphene nanoribbons.

Carbon Nanotube-Directed 7 GPa Heterocyclic Aramid Fiber and Its Application in Artificial Muscles.

Poly(p-phenylene-benzimidazole-terephthalamide) (PBIA) fibers with excellent mechanical properties are widely used in fields that require impact-resistant materials such as ballistic protection and aerospace. The introduction of heterocycles in polymer chains increases their flexibility and makes it easier to optimize the fiber structure. However, the inadequate orientation of polymer chains is one of the main reasons for the large difference between the measured and theoretical mechanical properties of PBIA fibers. Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are selected as an orientation seed. Their structural features allow CNTs to orient during the spinning process, which can induce an orderly arrangement of polymers and improve the orientation of the fiber microstructure. To ensure the complete 1D topology of long CNTs (≈10 µm), PBIA is used as an efficient dispersant to overcome dispersion challenges. The p-CNT/PBIA fibers (10 µm single-walled carbon nanotube 0.025 wt%) exhibit an increase of 22% in tensile strength and 23% in elongation, with a maximum tensile strength of 7.01 ± 0.31 GPa and a reinforcement efficiency of 893.6. The artificial muscle fabricated using CNT/PBIA fibers exhibits a 34.8% contraction and a 25% lifting of a 2 kg dumbbell, providing a promising paradigm for high-performance organic fibers as high-load smart actuators.

AQP8 promotes glioma proliferation and growth, possibly through the ROS/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The aquaporin (AQP) family of proteins has been implicated in the proliferation and growth of gliomas. Expression of AQP8 is higher in human glioma tissues than in normal brain tissues and is positively correlated with the pathological grade of glioma, suggesting that this protein is also involved in the proliferation and growth of glioma. However, the mechanism by which AQP8 promotes the proliferation and growth of glioma remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism and role of abnormal AQP8 expression in glioma development. METHODS: The dCas9-SAM and CRISPR/Cas9 techniques were used to construct viruses with overexpressed and knocked down AQP8, respectively, and infect A172 and U251 cell lines. The effects of AQP8 on the proliferation and growth of glioma and its mechanism via the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were observed using cell clone, transwell, flow cytometry, Hoechst, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. A nude mouse tumor model was also established. RESULTS: Overexpression of AQP8 resulted in an increased number of cell clones and cell proliferation, enhanced cell invasion and migration, decreased apoptosis and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression, and increased phosphorylated serine/threonine protein kinase (p-AKT) expression and ROS level, whereas the AQP8 knockdown groups showed opposite results. In the animal experiments, the AQP8 overexpression group had higher tumor volume and weight, whereas the AQP8 knockdown group had lower tumor volume and weight compared with those parameters measured in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results preliminary suggest that AQP8 overexpression alters the ROS/PTEN/AKT signaling pathway, promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gliomas. Therefore, AQP8 may be a potential therapeutic target in gliomas.

Effects of microbial diversity loss on the stability of CO2 production and N2O emission in agricultural soils.

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability is a hot topic in ecology. However, current studies focus mainly on aboveground system with plants, little attention has been paid to belowground system with soils. In this study, we constructed three soil suspensions with varying microbial diversity (100, 10-2, 10-6) by the dilution method and inoculated separately into agricultural Mollisols and Oxisols to examine the stability (indicated by resistance and resilience) of soil CO2 production and N2O emission to copper pollution and heat stress. Results showed that the stability of CO2 production in Mollisols was not influenced by microbial diversity loss, while the resistance and resilience of N2O emission in Mollisols were significantly decreased at the 10-6 diversity. In the Oxisols, the resistance and resilience of N2O emission to copper pollution and heat stress started to decrease even at the 10-2 diversity, and the stability of CO2 production decreased at the 10-6 diversity. These results suggested that both soil types and the identity of soil functions influenced the relationship between microbial diversity and the stability of function. It was concluded that soils with ample nutrients and resistant microbial communities tend to have higher functional stability, and that the fundamental soil functions (e.g., CO2 production) are more resistant and resilient than the specific soil functions (e.g., N2O emission) in response to environmental stress.

Retrospective analysis of 217 fatal intoxication autopsy cases from 2009 to 2021: temporal trends in fatal intoxication at Tongji center for medicolegal expertise, Hubei, China.

This retrospective analysis of fatal intoxication case autopsies was performed at Tongji Center for Medicolegal Expertise in Hubei (TCMEH) from 2009 to 2021 to obtain up-to-date information on intoxication cases. The objective was to describe important data about evolving patterns in intoxication occurrences, enhance public safety policies, and assist forensic examiners and police in more efficient handling of such cases. Analyses based on sex, age, topical exposure routes, toxic agents, and mode of death were performed using 217 records of intoxication cases collected from TCMEH as a sample, and the results were compared with reports previously published (from 1999 to 2008) from this institution. Deaths from intoxications occurred at a higher rate in males than in females and were most common among individuals aged 30-39 years. The most frequent method of exposure was oral ingestion. The causative agents of deadly intoxications have changed when compared to the data from the previous 10 years. For instance, deaths from amphetamine overdoses are becoming more prevalent gradually, whereas deaths due to carbon monoxide and rodenticide intoxication have declined dramatically. In 72 cases, pesticides continued to be the most frequent intoxication cause. A total of 60.4% of the deaths were accidental exposure. Men died from accidents at a higher rate than women, although women were more likely to commit suicide. Particular focus is needed on the use of succinylcholine, cyanide, and paraquat in homicides.

Optical Fibers Embedded with As-Grown Carbon Nanotubes for Ultrahigh Nonlinear Optical Responses.

Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) embedded with functional materials has demonstrated diverse applications ranging from ultrafast lasers, optical communication to chemical sensors. Many efforts have been made to fabricating carbon nanotube (CNT) based optical fibers by ex situ transfer method; however, often suffer poor uniformity and coverage. Here, the direct growth of CNTs on the inner walls of PCFs by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is reported. A two-step growth method is developed to control the narrow diameter distribution of CNTs to ensure desirable nanotube optical transitions. In the as-fabricated CNT- embedded fiber, third-harmonic generation (THG) has been enhanced by ≈15 times compared with flat CNT film on fused silica. A dual-wavelength all-fiber mode-locked ultrafast laser (≈1561 and ≈1064 nm) is further demonstrated by integrating the 1.36±0.15 nm-diameter CNTs into two kinds of photonic bandgap hollow core PCF (named HC-1550 and HC-1060) as saturable absorbers, using their S11 (≈0.7 eV) and S22 (≈1.2 eV) interband transition respectively. The fiber laser shows stable output of ≈10 mW, ≈800 fs pulse width, and ≈71 MHz repetition rate at 1561 nm wavelength. These results can enable the large-scale applications of CNTs in PCF-based optical devices.

(n, m) Distribution of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Grown from a Non-Magnetic Palladium Catalyst.

Non-magnetic metal nanoparticles have been previously applied for the growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). However, the activation mechanisms of non-magnetic metal catalysts and chirality distribution of synthesized SWNTs remain unclear. In this work, the activation mechanisms of non-magnetic metal palladium (Pd) particles supported by the magnesia carrier and thermodynamic stabilities of nucleated SWNTs with different (n, m) are evaluated by theoretical simulations. The electronic metal-support interaction between Pd and magnesia upshifts the d-band center of Pd, which promotes the chemisorption and dissociation of carbon precursor molecules on the Pd surface, making the activation of magnesia-supported non-magnetic Pd catalysts for SWNT growth possible. To verify the theoretical results, a porous magnesia supported Pd catalyst is developed for the bulk synthesis of SWNTs by chemical vapor deposition. The chirality distribution of Pd-grown SWNTs is understood by operating both Pd-SWNT interfacial formation energy and SWNT growth kinetics. This work not only helps to gain new insights into the activation of catalysts for growing SWNTs, but also extends the use of non-magnetic metal catalysts for bulk synthesis of SWNTs.

Fabrication of foxtail millet prolamin/caseinate/chitosan hydrochloride composite nanoparticles using antisolvent and pH-driven methods for curcumin delivery.

Co-assembled foxtail millet (FP)-sodium casein (NaCas) nanocomplex and NaCas coated FP nanoparticles (NPs) were produced by using pH-cycle and anti-solvent methods, respectively. Subsequently, the effects of chitosan hydrochloride (CHC) coating on the particle size, surface charge and physicochemical stability of the two different FP/NaCas nanoparticles (NPs) were evaluated. With the addition of CHC, the particle size of NaCas coated FP NPs and co-assembled FP-NaCas nanocomplex significantly increased from 128.3 nm and 69.5 nm to 183.5 nm and 113.8 nm, respectively. The stability of the two kinds of CHC coated FP-based NPs to different pH values and varying ionic strengths was different due to their different NP structures. Using different fabrication formulations, co-assembled FP-NaCas NPs entrapped curcumin in relatively hydrophilic microenvironment and showed higher curcumin retention rate in comparison with NaCas coated FP NPs in terms of long-term storage stability. The results revealed that the produced CHC coated FP/NaCas nanocomplexes could be very beneficial in entrapping and delivering bioactive substances.

Effects of astrocytes on the proliferation of neural stem cells in the hippocampal microenvironment of old and young adults / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of astrocytes on the proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in adult and juvenile hippocampus microenvironment. Methods Hippocampal astrocytes were isolated and cultured from 5 female SD rats at day 1 and week 30 postnatal, respectively; Embryonic hippocampus NSCs was isolated and cultured from 1 SD rat at day 15 of gestation; Conditioned astrocyte culture medium(CM) was collected for NSCs culture; Flow cytometry and CCK-8 were used to detect the proliferation of NSCs cultured in CM. Colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) with differential expression was screened by mass spectrometry after cultured astrocyte CM. Western blotting and ELISA were used to verify the result of mass spectrometry. Immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and CCK-8 were used to detect the proliferation of NSCs treated with different concentrations of CSF-1 recombinant protein (20 μg/ L, 100 μg/ L, 1 mg/ L and 5 mg/ L). Results Compared with the adult group, the CM of hippocampal astrocytes in the young group could promote the proliferation of NSCs(P<0. 01); Compared with the conditioned medium of hippocampal astrocytes in the juvenile group, the expression of CSF-1 in the hippocampus of the elder group was significantly up-regulated(P<0. 01); At 20 μg/ L, CSF-1 promoted the proliferation of NSCs(P<0. 01), and 5 mg/ L CSF-1 inhibited significantly the proliferation of NSCs(P<0. 01). Conclusion The secretion of CSF-1 by astrocytes in hippocampal microenvironment can regulate the proliferation of NSCs with the development of the times.

Study on protective effect of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on immune myocarditis injury induced by anti-PD-1 antibody / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effeot of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on the prevention of immune myocarditis induced by anti-PD-1 antibody by reducing the production of inflammatory factors and the expression of myocardial injury markers. Methods Thirty-two maie PD-1 humanized mice with C57BL/6 genetic background were randomly divided into control group, myocarditis model group, anti-PD-1 antibody group and Shenqi Fuzheng injection group (n = 8). Except the control group, mice in other groups were intraperitoneally injected with myocardial myosin heavy chain peptide (5 mg • kg

Study on processing and enhance the curative effects of Arisaematis rhizomz preparatum based on network pharmacology / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the mechanism of process¬ing and increasing efficiency of Arisaematis rhizomz preparatum. Methods UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS tech¬nology was used to detect the chemical components be¬fore and after processing of Arisaematis rhizomz prepara¬tum, and its mechanism of action was analysed in the treatment of 44 asthma and phlegm " by using network pharmacology. A rat model of allergic asthma was es- tablished to compare the efficacy of Arisaematis rliizoma before and after processing. Results A total of 27 chemical components were identified, among which cur- cumin ,6-gingerol and other components increased after processing. Combined with the database prediction, the action mechanism of the 36 chemical components in the treatment of 44 asthma and phlegm" diseases was dis¬cussed and predicted through network pharmacology. The results of animal experiments showed that the effect of processed Arisaematis rhizoma on allergic asth¬ma was better than that of Arisaematis rhizoma, but there was no significant difference. Conclusions The addition of curcumin, 6-gingerol, camphor, demethyl- curcumin and other components after the processed Ari¬saematis rhizomz preparatum may be the reason for the synergistic effect of Arisaematis rhizomz preparatum in the treatment of allergic asthma.

Study on improvement mechanism of caudatin on liver injury in rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the improvement mechanism of caudatin on liver injury of rats. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， caudatin low-dose and high-dose groups （25， 50 mg/kg）， with 6 rats in each group. Diethylnitrosamine （DEN） was injected intraperitoneally three times per week for eight weeks to establish liver injury model of rats. At 5th week of modeling， the rats received relevant medicine or 0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose intragastrically for 4 weeks. The levels of liver function indexes [alanine transaminase （ALT）， aspartate transaminase （AST）， total protein （TP） and total bilirubin （TBI）] and inflammatory factors [interleukin （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， IL-1β] in serum were detected； the histopathological morphological changes of rat liver were observed； the positive protein expressions of nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） and 78 kDa glucose regulatory protein （Grp78） in liver tissue were also determined； the expressions of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related protein Grp78， C/EBP homologous protein （CHOP）， activating transcription factor 6 （ATF6） and inositol requiring enzyme 1α （IRE1α） and the level of protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase robertluoyi@126.com （PERK） in liver tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with blank group， serum levels of ALT， AST， TBI， IL-6， TNF-α and IL-1β and positive expressions of NF-κB and Grp78 in liver tissue as well as protein expressions of Grp78， CHOP， ATF6 and IRE1α， PERK protein phosphorylation level were all increased significantly in model group （P＜0.05）， while the serum level of TP was decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The disordered structure of liver lobule， swollen liver cells， unclear intercellular boundary were observed and accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with model group， most of the above indexes were significantly reversed in caudatin groups （P＜0.05）； the structure of hepatic lobule was relatively complete and clear， the cells were arranged orderly， and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was also reduced. CONCLUSIONS Caudatin has a significant improvement effect against DEN-induced liver injury in rats， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammatory reaction.