Chemical constituents of Rubia tibetica Hook. f. from Tibetan medicine and cytotoxic activity evaluation.

Two unprecedented quinone compounds Rubiaxylm A (1) and Rubiaxylm B (2), along with fifteen known anthraquinones (3-17) were isolated and characterized from the roots of Rubia tibetica in Tibetan medicine. Their structures were identified through comprehensive analyses of 1D/2D NMR as well as HR-ESIMS data. Furthermore, all separated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity on A549, Caco-2, MDA-MB-231 and Skov-3 cell lines. In particular, compound 2 effectively inhibited MDA-MB-231 cells with an IC50 value of 8.15 ± 0.20 µM. Subsequently, the anti-tumor mechanism of 2 was investigated by flow cytometry, JC-1 staining, cell scratching and cell colony. These results indicated that compound 2 could inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells by arresting cells in the G1 phase.

[Interaction between central nervous system and immune system after ischemic stroke and its therapeutic significance of traditional Chinese medicine].

Ischemic stroke is divided into acute phase, subacute phase, and recovery phase, with different pathological and physiological characteristics manifested at each stage. Among them, immune and inflammatory reactions persist for several days and weeks after ischemia. Ischemic stroke not only triggers local inflammation in damaged brain regions but also induces a disorder in the immune system, thereby promoting neuroinflammation and exacerbating brain damage. Therefore, conducting an in-depth analysis of the interaction between the central nervous system and the immune system after ischemic stroke, intervening in the main factors of the interaction between them, blocking pathological cascades, and thereby reducing brain inflammation have become the treatment strategies for ischemic stroke. This study summarizes and sorts out the interaction pathways between the central nervous system and the immune system. The impact of the central nervous system on the immune system can be analyzed from the perspective of the autonomic nervous system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA), and local inflammatory stimulation. The impact of the immune system on the central nervous system can be analyzed from the dynamic changes of immune cells. At the same time, the relevant progress in the prevention and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is summarized, so as to provide new insights for the analysis of complex mechanisms of TCM in preventing and treating ischemic stroke.

The current clinical landscape of neonatal respiratory failure in Jiangsu Province of China: patient demographics, NICU treatment interventions, and patient outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal respiratory failure (NRF) is a serious condition that often has high mortality and morbidity, effective interventions can be delivered in the future by identifying the risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality. However, recent advances in respiratory support have improved neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) care in China. We aimed to provide an updated review of the clinical profile and outcomes of NRF in the Jiangsu province. METHODS: Infants treated for NRF in the NICUs of 28 hospitals between March 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included baseline perinatal and neonatal parameters, NICU admission- and treatment-related data, and patient outcomes in terms of mortality, major morbidity, and survival without major morbidities. RESULTS: A total of 5548 infants with NRF were included in the study. The most common primary respiratory disorder was respiratory distress syndrome (78.5%). NRF was managed with non-invasive and invasive respiratory support in 59.8% and 14.5% of patients, respectively. The application rate of surfactant therapy was 38.5%, while that of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy was 0.2%. Mortality and major morbidity rates of 8.5% and 23.2% were observed, respectively. Congenital anomalies, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, invasive respiratory support only and inhaled nitric oxide therapy were found to be significantly associated with the risk of death. Among surviving infants born at < 32 weeks of gestation or with a birth weight < 1500 g, caffeine therapy and repeat mechanical ventilation were demonstrated to significantly associate with increased major morbidity risk. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the current clinical landscape of infants with NRF treated in the NICU, and, by proxy, highlights the ongoing advancements in the field of perinatal and neonatal intensive care in China.

Exploiting Thin-Film Properties and Guided-Mode Resonance for Designing Ultrahigh-Figure-of-Merit Refractive Index Sensors.

Guided-mode resonance (GMR) gratings have emerged as a promising sensing technology, with a growing number of applications in diverse fields. This study aimed to identify the optimal design parameters of a simple-to-fabricate and high-performance one-dimensional GMR grating. The structural parameters of the GMR grating were optimized, and a high-refractive-index thin film was simulated on the grating surface, resulting in efficient confinement of the electric field energy within the waveguide. Numerical simulations demonstrated that the optimized GMR grating exhibited remarkable sensitivity (252 nm/RIU) and an extremely narrow full width at half maximum (2 × 10-4 nm), resulting in an ultra-high figure of merit (839,666) at an incident angle of 50°. This performance is several orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional GMR sensors. To broaden the scope of the study and to make it more relevant to practical applications, simulations were also conducted at incident angles of 60° and 70°. This holistic approach sought to develop a comprehensive understanding of the performance of the GMR-based sensor under diverse operational conditions.

Remote terahertz wireless power transfer with self-resonating spoof plasmonic structures.

In this paper, we use a pair of self-resonating subwavelength spoof plasmonic structures to achieve remote non-radiative terahertz wireless power transfer, while nearly without affecting the electromagnetic environment of free space around the structure. The resonating frequency and quality factor of the magnetic dipole mode supported by the spoof plasmonic structures can be freely tuned by tailoring the geometric structure. By putting the weak source and detector into the self-resonating structures, we can find that the effective non-radiative terahertz power transferring distance can reach several hundred times the radius of the structures. Finally, we also demonstrate the efficient wireless power transfer capability for the multi-target receiving system. These results may provide a novel approach to the design of non-radiative terahertz wireless power transfer and communications.

Risk factors of concurrent urinary sepsis in patients with diabetes mellitus comorbid with upper urinary tract calculi.

BACKGROUND: Urinary sepsis is frequently seen in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) complicated with upper urinary tract calculi (UUTCs). Currently, the known risk factors of urinary sepsis are not uniform. AIM: To analyze the risk factors of concurrent urinary sepsis in patients with DM complicated with UUTCs by logistic regression. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 384 patients with DM complicated with UUTCs treated in People's Hospital of Jincheng between February 2018 and May 2022. The patients were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 204 patients were enrolled. The patients were assigned to an occurrence group (n = 78) and a nonoccurrence group (n = 126). Logistic regression was adopted to analyze the risk factors for urinary sepsis, and a risk prediction model was established. RESULTS: Gender, age, history of lumbago and abdominal pain, operation time, urine leukocytes (U-LEU) and urine glucose (U-GLU) were independent risk factors for patients with concurrent urinary sepsis (P < 0.05). Risk score = 0.794 × gender + 0.941 × age + 0.901 × history of lumbago and abdominal pain - 1.071 × operation time + 1.972 × U-LEU + 1.541 × U-GLU. The occurrence group had notably higher risk scores than the nonoccurrence group (P < 0.0001). The area under the curve of risk score for forecasting concurrent urinary sepsis in patients was 0.801, with specificity of 73.07%, sensitivity of 79.36% and Youden index of 52.44%. CONCLUSION: Sex, age, history of lumbar and abdominal pain, operation time, ULEU and UGLU are independent risk factors for urogenic sepsis in diabetic patients with UUTC.

[Comparison of HPLC fingerprints and determination of main components of Viticis Fructus from different species].

In order to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Viticis Fructus, this study established HPLC fingerprints and evaluated the quality of 24 batches of Viticis Fructus samples from different species by similarity evaluation and multivariate statistical analysis(PCA, HCA, PLS-DA). On this basis, an HPLC method was established to compare the content differences of the main components, including casticin, agnuside, homoorientin, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The analysis was performed on the chromatographic column(Waters Symmetry C_(18)) with a gradient mobile phase of acetonitrile(A)-0.05% phosphoric acid solution(B) at the flow rate of 1 mL·min~(-1) and detection wavelength of 258 nm. The column temperature was 30 ℃ and the injection volume was 10 µL. The HPLC fingerprint of 24 batches of Viticis Fructus samples was established with 21 common peaks, and nine peaks were identified. Similarity analysis was carried out based on chromatographic data of 24 batches of chromatographic data of Viticis Fructus, and the results showed that except for DYMJ-16, the similarity of Vitex trifolia var. simplicifolia was ≥0.900, while that of V. trifolia was ≤0.864. In addition, the similarity analysis of two different species showed that the similarity of 16 batches of V. trifolia var. simplicifolia was 0.894-0.997 and that of the eight batches of V. trifolia was between 0.990 and 0.997. The results showed that the similarity of fingerprints of these two species was different, but the similarity between the same species was good. The results of the three multivariate statistical analyses were consistent, which could distinguish the two different species. The VIP analysis results of PLS-DA showed that casticin and agnuside contributed the most to the distinction. The content determination results showed that there was no significant difference in the content of homoorientin and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in Viticis Fructus from different species, but the content of casticin and agnuside was significantly different in different species(P<0.01). The content of casticin was higher in V. trifolia var. simplicifolia, while agnuside was higher in V. trifolia. The findings of this study show that there are differences in fingerprint similarity and component content of Viticis Fructus from different species, which can provide references for the in-depth study of the quality and clinical application of Viticis Fructus.

The Effects of Programmed Cell Death of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on the Development of Liver Fibrosis.

Mesenchymal stem cells have shown noticeable potential for unlimited self-renewal. They can differentiate into specific somatic cells, integrate into target tissues via cell-cell contact, paracrine effects, exosomes, and other processes and then regulate the target cells and tissues. Studies have demonstrated that transplantation of MSCs could decrease the expression and concentration of collagen in the liver, thereby reducing liver fibrosis. A growing body of evidence indicates that apoptotic MSCs could inhibit harmful immune responses and reduce inflammatory responses more effectively than viable MSCs. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondrial transfer from MSCs is a novel strategy for the regeneration of various damaged cells via the rescue of their respiratory activities. This study is aimed at reviewing the functions of MSCs and the related roles of the programmed cell death of MSCs, including autophagy, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, as well as the regulatory pathogenic mechanisms of MSCs in liver fibrosis. Research has demonstrated that the miR-200B-3p gene is differentially expressed gene between LF and normal liver samples, and that the miR-200B-3p gene expression is positively correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis, suggesting that MSCs could inhibit liver fibrosis through pyroptosis. It was confirmed that circulating monocytes could deliver MSC-derived immunomodulatory molecules to different sites by phagocytosis of apoptotic MSCs, thereby achieving systemic immunosuppression. Accordingly, it was suggested that characterization of the programmed cell death-mediated immunomodulatory signaling pathways in MSCs should be a focus of research.

[Analysis of absorbed constituents and network pharmacology research of Xiaoer Fupi Granules].

Xiaoer Fupi Granules, a refined version of the classical prescription Shenling Baizhu Powder, has the effect of invigora-ting spleen, replenishing Qi, harmonizing stomach and resolving accumulation and is commonly used to treat Qi deficiency in spleen and stomach, disordered transportation and transformation, and indigestion of children. However, its medicinal constituents and mechanism remain unclear. We studied the main active constituents and action mechanism of Xiaoer Fupi Granules by integrating network pharmacology and prototype constituent analysis in vivo. This study will help to increase the reliability of database analysis results and lay a foundation for precise medication and mining of quality control markers. On the basis of Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine(BATMAN-TCM), the "key chemical constituents-target" network was constructed. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) was employed to analyze the absorbed constituents in rat urine and plasma, so as to validate the network. Further, we used BATMAN-TCM to construct the "absorbed constituents-target-pathway" network and explore the functioning mechanism of Xiaoer Fupi Granules. A total of 86 chemical constituents of Xiaoer Fupi Granules were predicted via BATMAN-TCM, among which only 18.6% were detected in rat plasma and urine. Accor-ding to the "absorbed constituents-target-pathway" network, 8 chemical constituents such as stearic acid and caprylic acid capable of regulating gastric acid and insulin secretion may be the critical constituents of Xiaoer Fupi Granules in invigorating spleen and harmonizing stomach. This study identified the critical active constituents and predicted the action mechanism of Xiaoer Fupi Granules, providing the reference for the research on the material basis of Xiaoer Fupi Granules.

Empagliflozin reduces kidney fibrosis and improves kidney function by alternative macrophage activation in rats with 5/6-nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes are clinically very effective drugs halting chronic kidney disease progression. The underlying mechanisms are, however, not fully understood. METHODS: We generated single-cell transcriptomes of kidneys from rats with 5/6 nephrectomy before and after SGLT2 inhibitors treatment by single-cell RNA sequencing. FINDINGS: Empagliflozin treatment decreased BUN, creatinine and urinary albumin excretion compared to placebo by 39.8%, 34.1%, and 55%, respectively (p < 0.01 in all cases). Renal interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis was likewise decreased by 51% and 66.8%; respectively (p < 0.05 in all cases). 14 distinct kidney cell clusters could be identified by scRNA-seq. The polarization of M2 macrophages from state 1 (CD206-CD68- M2 macrophages) to state 5 (CD206+CD68+ M2 macrophages) was the main pro-fibrotic process, as CD206+CD68+ M2 macrophages highly expressed fibrosis-promoting genes and can convert into fibrocytes. Empagliflozin remarkably inhibited the expression of fibrosis-promoting (IFG1 and TREM2) and polarization-associated genes (GPNMB, LGALS3, PRDX5, and CTSB) in CD206+CD68+ M2 macrophages and attenuated inflammatory signals from CD8+ effector T cells. The inhibitory effect of empagliflozin on CD206+CD68+ M2 macrophages polarization was mainly achieved by affecting mitophagy and mTOR pathways. INTERPRETATION: We propose that the beneficial effects of empagliflozin on kidney function and morphology in 5/6 nephrectomyiced rats with established CKD are at least partially due to an inhibition of CD206+CD68+ M2 macrophage polarization by targeting mTOR and mitophagy pathways and attenuating inflammatory signals from CD8+ effector T cells. FUNDINGS: A full list of funding bodies that contributed to this study can be found in the Acknowledgements section.

Anthocyanin improves kidney function in diabetic kidney disease by regulating amino acid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is among the most important causes for chronic kidney disease. Anthocyanins (ANT) are polyphenolic compounds present in various food and play an important role in ameliorating hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of ANT in DKD are still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ANT (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside [C3G]) on the renal function of DKD, and whether the anti-DKD effect of ANT is related to metabolic pathways. METHODS: To explore the role of ANT in DKD, we performed the examination of blood glucose, renal function, and histopathology. As for the mechanism, we designed the label-free quantification proteomics and nontargeted metabolomics analysis for kidney and serum. Subsequently, we revealed the anti-DKD effect of ANT through the bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: We showed that the fasting blood glucose level (- 6.1 mmol/L, P = 0.037), perimeter of glomerular lesions (- 24.1 µm, P = 0.030), fibrosis score of glomerular (- 8.8%, P = 0.002), and kidney function (Cystatin C: - 701.4 pg/mL, P = 0.043; urine creatinine: - 701.4 mmol/L, P = 0.032) were significantly alleviated in DKD mice after ANT treatment compared to untreated in the 20th week. Further, proteins and metabolites in the kidneys of DKD mice were observed to be dramatically altered due to changes in amino acid metabolism with ANT treatment; mainly, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism pathway was upregulated (P = 0.0001, t value = 5.97). Furthermore, upregulated tryptophan metabolism (P < 0.0001, t value = 5.94) and tyrosine metabolism (P = 0.0037, t value = 2.91) pathways had effects on serum of DKD mice as responsed ANT regulating. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that prevention of the progression of DKD by ANT could be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism. The use of dietary ANT may be one of the dietary strategies to prevent and treat DKD.

SGLT2 inhibitors improve kidney function and morphology by regulating renal metabolic reprogramming in mice with diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide. SGLT2 inhibitors are clinically effective in halting DKD progression. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The serum and kidneys of mice with DKD were analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomic and proteomic analyses. Three groups were established: placebo-treated littermate db/m mice, placebo-treated db/db mice and EMPA-treated db/db mice. Empagliflozin (EMPA) and placebo (10 mg/kg/d) were administered for 12 weeks. EMPA treatment decreased Cys-C and urinary albumin excretion compared with placebo by 78.60% and 57.12%, respectively (p < 0.001 in all cases). Renal glomerular area, interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis were decreased by 16.47%, 68.50% and 62.82%, respectively (p < 0.05 in all cases). Multi-omic analysis revealed that EMPA treatment altered the protein and metabolic profiles in the db/db group, including 32 renal proteins, 51 serum proteins, 94 renal metabolites and 37 serum metabolites. Five EMPA-related metabolic pathways were identified by integrating proteomic and metabolomic analyses, which are involved in renal purine metabolism; pyrimidine metabolism; tryptophan metabolism; nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism in serum. In conclusion, this study demonstrated metabolic reprogramming in mice with DKD. EMPA treatment improved kidney function and morphology by regulating metabolic reprogramming, including regulation of renal reductive stress, alleviation of mitochondrial dysfunction and reduction in renal oxidative stress reaction.

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis reveals that C3 and C5 are vital targets of DuZhi Wan in protecting against cerebral ischemic injury.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Duzhi Wan (DZW) has been extensively used in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke, but the mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. In this study, a combination of transcriptomics, metabolomics and network analysis was applied to identify the preventive mechanism of DZW in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: The mice were divided into five groups: the sham group, I/R group, I/R + Ginaton group, I/R+DZW-L group, and I/R+DZW-H group. Neurological deficit scores and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Nissl staining results were evaluated. Transcriptomics analysis and metabolomics analysis were applied to identify the key genes and metabolites, and qRT-PCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence were applied to verify the key targets. RESULTS: DZW significantly decreased the infarction size and neurological deficit scores, increased the rCBF percentage and neuronal number and improved neuronal morphology after MCAO. Transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis revealed that C3 and C5ar1 were core targets of DZW and indirectly regulated downstream purine metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, and glycerophospholipid metabolism-associated pathways via inflammatory cells. Moreover, ELISA, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence further confirmed that DZW significantly decreased the expression of C3, C5ar1, C5 and downstream inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-1ß and MMP-9, at the gene and protein levels, suggesting that DZW decreased neuroinflammation and inhibited related metabolic pathways. CONCLUSION: C3 and C5 play important roles in the neuroprotective and antineuroinflammatory effects of DZW in protecting against cerebral I/R. This study provides novel insights into the neuroprotective effects of DZW and its clinical application.

Utilization Intention of Community Pharmacy Service under the Dual Threats of Air Pollution and COVID-19 Epidemic: Moderating Effects of Knowledge and Attitude toward COVID-19.

The utilization of pharmacy services in response to the threat of COVID-19 infection remains unclear in areas suffering from air pollution, and little is known regarding the effects of knowledge and attitude (KA) toward COVID-19 on this preventive behavior. This study aimed to explore how the residents perceived and reacted to the new threats of the epidemic and how KA may affect the correlation. Based on the health belief model (HBM), this research took the pharmacy service utilization (PSU) as an example to explain the preventive behavior. The samples were 375 respondents recruited from five districts near the industrial parks. T-test, ANOVA, and regression analyses of SPSS 22.0 were used to analyze the data. Test results show that self-efficacy was the strongest predictor, followed by the net perceived benefit. KA moderated the association of perceived threat and PSU intention. The levels of air pollution of a district may not be a good predictor for the preventive behavior against COVID-19.

[Establishment and application of quality evaluation method for Xiaochaihu Granules based on calibrator samples].

With reference to the production process documented in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, this paper prepared the calibrator samples of Xiaochaihu Granules from multiple batches and established a method for fingerprint analysis and content determination that could be used to evaluate Xiaochaihu Granules available in market. Multiple batches of Chinese herbal pieces contained in Xiaochaihu Granules were collected for preparing the calibrator samples according to the process in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Following the establishment of fingerprints for calibrator samples by UHPLC, the method for determining the contents of saikosaponin B2, saikosaponin B1, baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, liquiritin, glycyrrhizin G2 and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Granules was established. The experimental results showed that the fingerprints of calibrator samples had 26 common peaks, covering the chemical compounds of main herbs Bupleuri Radix, Scutellariae Radix, Changii Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens. The similarity of fingerprints for 47 batches of Xiaochaihu Granules from 31 companies with the calibrator sample fingerprint ranged from 0.74 to 0.99, indicating good applicability of the established fingerprint. The contents of main components baicalin, saikosaponin B2, and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Granules were within the ranges of 22.917-49.108 mg per bag(RSD 19%), 0.28-2.19 mg per bag(RSD 62%), and 0.897-6.541 mg per bag(RSD 41%), respectively. The quality difference in saikosaponin B2, and glycyrrhizic acid among different manufacturers was significant. The fingerprint analysis and content determination method for calibrator samples of Xiaochaihu Granules prepared according to the production process in Chinese Pharmacopoeia has been proved suitable for evaluating the quality of Xiaochaihu Granules from different manufacturers. Saikosaponin B2, glycyrrhizic acid, and liquiritin should be added as content control indicators for Xiaochaihu Granules, aiming to further improve the product quality.

[Complanatoside A and complanatoside B in rats administered with raw and salt-processed Astragali Complanati Semen: a pharmacokinetics study].

An UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to simultaneously determine complanatoside A and complanatoside B in rat plasma with rutin as the internal standard and applied to examine the effect of salt-processing on pharmacokinetics of these two flavonoid glycosides. The pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using DAS 3.2.6 and subjected to independent sample t-test with SPSS 23.0. No significant difference in T_(max) of complanatoside B was observed between the raw and processed groups; however, in the processed group, C_(max) and AUC_(0-12 h) of complanatoside B increased obviously(P<0.05), while MRT_(0-12 h) decreased from(3.34±0.44) h to(1.81±0.36) h(P<0.05). C_(max) [(14.72±11.13) µg·L~(-1)] and MRT_(0-24) [(3.93±0.26) h] of complanatoside A in the raw group were statistically different from those [(35.64±21.99) µg·L~(-1),(1.43±0.24) h] in the processed group(P<0.05). As a result, salt-processing can facilitate the in vivo adsorption and accelerate the excretion of complanatoside A and complanatoside B.

[Comparative study of Astragali Radix Praeparata cum Melle and Hedysari Radix Praeparata cum Melle on spleen Qi deficiency rats].

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Actin-Binding Proteins as Potential Biomarkers for Chronic Inflammation-Induced Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy.

Actin-binding proteins (ABPs), by interacting with actin, regulate the polymerization, depolymerization, bundling, and cross-linking of actin filaments, directly or indirectly, thereby mediating the maintenance of cell morphology, cell movement, and many other biological functions. Consequently, these functions of ABPs help regulate cancer cell invasion and metastasis when cancer occurs. In recent years, a variety of ABPs have been found to be abnormally expressed in various cancers, indicating that the detection and interventions of unusual ABP expression to alter this are available for the treatment of cancer. The early stages of most cancer development involve long-term chronic inflammation or repeated stimulation. This is the case for breast cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, and colorectal cancer. This article discusses the relationship between chronic inflammation and the above-mentioned cancers, emphatically introduces relevant research on the abnormal expression of ABPs in chronic inflammatory diseases, and reviews research on the expression of different ABPs in the above-mentioned cancers. Furthermore, there is a close relationship between ABP-induced inflammation and cancer. In simple terms, abnormal expression of ABPs contributes to the chronic inflammation developing into cancer. Finally, we provide our viewpoint regarding these unusual ABPs serving as potential biomarkers for chronic inflammation-induced cancer diagnosis and therapy, and interventions to reverse the abnormal expression of ABPs represent a potential approach to preventing or treating the corresponding cancers.

[Prediction of Q-markers of Astragali Radix based on network pharmacology and fingerprint].

Astragali Radix is one of the most commonly used medicinal materials. In recent years, its cultivated varieties and a variety of adulterants have flooded the market, which makes its quality uneven, and the development of quality control methods has become a research hotspot. Therefore, figuring out the quality markers of Astragali Radix is of great significance for its comprehensive evaluation. In this study, the fingerprints of 15 batches of Astragali Radix were established by HPLC, and the main components causing intergroup differences were screened out by PLS-DA. On the basis of literature review and network pharmacology analysis, the targets and pathways of active ingredients were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, PubChem Compound and other databases, and then the "component-target-pathway" network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.7.1 for the prediction of potential quality markers. Twenty-eight common peaks were identified in the established fingerprint, and three differential components were selected as potential quality markers for Astragali Radix, which were astragaloside Ⅳ, calycosin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside and ononin. The proposed method based on HPLC fingerprint of Astragali Radix is convenient and feasible, facilitating the improvement in its quality control.

Tunable wave plates based on phase-change metasurfaces.

Wave plates based on metasurfaces have attracted intensive attention over the past decade owing to their compactness and design flexibility. Although various wave plates have been designed, their working wavelengths are fixed once they are made. Here we present a study on tunable wave plates based on phase-change metasurfaces made of Ge2Sb2Te5 nanopillar structures. The Ge2Sb2Te5 nanopillars can work as a high-efficiency transmissive half- or quarter-wave plate depending on their structural parameters. The working wavelength of wave plate can be tuned via the phase transition of Ge2Sb2Te5. Moreover, the polarization state of the transmitted light at a fixed wavelength can be modified by changing the crystallinity of Ge2Sb2Te5. The features suggest that tunable wave plates may have applications in optical modulators, molecular detection, and polarimetric imaging.