Endoperoxide-enhanced self-assembled ROS producer as intracellular prodrugs for tumor chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy.

Prodrug-based self-assembled nanoparticles (PSNs) with tailored responses to tumor microenvironments show a significant promise for chemodynamic therapy (CDT) by generating highly toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the insufficient level of intracellular ROS and the limited drug accumulation remain major challenges for further clinical transformation. In this study, the PSNs for the delivery of artesunate (ARS) are demonstrated by designing the pH-responsive ARS-4-hydroxybenzoyl hydrazide (HBZ)-5-amino levulinic acid (ALA) nanoparticles (AHA NPs) with self-supplied ROS for excellent chemotherapy and CDT.

Salt solution etching to construct micro-gullies on the surface of Zn anodes enhances anodes performance in aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have caused significant research attention due to their low redox potential of 0.76 V, high theoretical capacity of 820 mAh g. However, the dendrite growth of zinc anode and the side reactions caused by water seriously affect the cycle life of AZIBs.

Anticancer Activity of Diosgenin and Its Molecular Mechanism.

Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin, obtained from Trigonella foenum-graecum, Dioscorea, and Rhizoma polgonati, has shown high potential and interest in the treatment of various cancers such as oral squamous cell carcinoma, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, glioma, and leukemia. This article aims to provide an overview of the in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies reporting the diosgenin's anticancer effects. Preclinical studies have shown promising effects of diosgenin on inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and growth, promoting apoptosis, inducing differentiation and autophagy, inhibiting tumor cell metastasis and invasion, blocking cell cycle, regulating immunity and improving gut microbiome.

Multiple stimuli-responsive nanosystem for potent, ROS-amplifying, chemo-sonodynamic antitumor therapy.

Although sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a promising non-invasive tumor treatment strategy due to its safety, tissue penetration depth and low cost, the hypoxic tumor microenvironment limits its therapeutic effects. Herein, we have designed and developed an oxygen-independent, ROS-amplifying chemo-sonodynamic antitumor therapy based on novel pH/GSH/ROS triple-responsive PEG-PPMDT nanoparticles. The formulated artemether (ART)/FeO-loaded PEG-PPMDT NPs can rapidly release drug under the synergistic effect of acidic endoplasmic pH and high intracellular GSH/ROS levels to inhibit cancer cell growth.

Chlorogenic Acid Improves PTSD-like Symptoms and Associated Mechanisms.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, abundant in honeysuckle and eucommia, and has a wide range of biological activities, and pharmacological effects. Previous studies have shown that CGA can regulate learning, memory, cognitive ability, coupled with improvement to anxiety, depression, and other post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms. This article explores the protective effects of CGA on neurons through its anti-apoptotic effect, inhibition of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which may be the mechanisms of its improvement of PTSD-like symptoms.

The Effects of P75NTR on Learning Memory Mediated by Hippocampal Apoptosis and Synaptic Plasticity.

Neurological diseases bring great mental and physical torture to the patients, and have long-term and sustained negative effects on families and society. The attention to neurological diseases is increasing, and the improvement of the material level is accompanied by an increase in the demand for mental level. The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is a low-affinity neurotrophin receptor and involved in diverse and pleiotropic effects in the developmental and adult central nervous system (CNS).

Nucleic Acid Vaccine Targeting Nogo-66 Receptor and Paired Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor B as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Spinal Cord Injury in Rats.

Nogo-66 receptor (NgR) and paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B (PirB) are two common receptors of various myelin-associated inhibitors (MAIs) and, thus, play an important role in MAIs-induced inhibitory signalling of regeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI). Based on the concept of protective autoimmunity, vaccine approaches could induce the production of antibodies against inhibitors in myelin, such as using purified myelin, spinal cord homogenates, or MAIs receptor NgR, in order to block the inhibitory effects and promote functional recovery in SCI models. However, due to the complication of the molecules and the mechanisms involved in MAIs-mediated inhibitory signalling, these immunotherapy strategies have yielded inconsistent outcomes.

Synaptic Plasticity in PTSD and associated Comorbidities: The Function and Mechanism for Diagnostics and Therapy.

The studying of synaptic plasticity, the ability of synaptic connections between neurons to be weakened or strengthened and specifically long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), is one of the most active areas of research in neuroscience. The process of synaptic connections playing a crucial role in improving cognitive processes is important to the processing of information in brain. In general, the dysfunction of synaptic plasticity was involved in a wide spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including some neurodegenerative disorders.

Liver Fibrosis Can Be Induced by High Salt Intake through Excess Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Production.

High salt intake has been known to cause hypertension and other side effects. However, it is still unclear whether it also affects fibrosis in the mature or developing liver. This study demonstrates that high salt exposure in mice (4% NaCl in drinking water) and chick embryo (calculated final osmolality of the egg was 300 mosm/L) could lead to derangement of the hepatic cords and liver fibrosis using H&E, PAS, Masson, and Sirius red staining.

[Sedative, hypnotic and antiseizure effects of compound gardenia oil and jujube seed oil in mice].

Objective: To study the sedative, hypnotic and antiseizure effects of the compound preparation of gardenia oil and jujube seed oil in mice and investigate the interaction of the two drugs in this preparation.

Methods: The compound preparation was administered intragastrically in mice, whose spontaneous activity was observed along with their tolerance of the preparation after long-term administration. The hypnotic effect of the compound was assessed by investigating the changes in the pentobarbital sodium-induced sleeping.

4-Bromo-2,6-dimethyl-anilinium bromide monohydrate.

In the title compound, C(8)H(11)BrN(+)·Br(-)·H(2)O, a network of N-H⋯O, N-H⋯Br and O-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds helps to consolidate the crystal packing.