Epidemiological Trends in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Attributable to Modifiable Risk Factors and Its Association with Sociodemographic Transitions across BRICS-Plus Countries.

BRICS-Plus countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and 30 other countries) is a group of 35 countries with emerging economies making up more than half of the world's population. We explored epidemiological trends of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality attributable to modifiable risk factors and its association with period and birth cohort effects and sociodemographic index (SDI) across BRICS-Plus countries by using joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort modeling from 1990 to 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, the all-ages CVD deaths increased by 85.

An "AND" Molecular Logic Gate as a Super-Enhancers for De Novo Designing Activatable Probe and Its Application in Atherosclerosis Imaging.

Developing activatable fluorescent probes with superlative fluorescence enhancement factor (F/F ) to improve the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is still an urgent issue. "AND" molecular logic gates are emerging as a useful tool for enhanced probes selectivity and accuracy. Here, an "AND" logic gate is developed as super-enhancers for designing activatable probes with huge F/F and S/N ratio.

Peroxynitrite/Lipid Droplet Sequence-Activated Dual-Lock Fluorescent Probes Enable Precise Intraoperative Imaging of Atherosclerotic Plaques.

The formation of atherosclerotic plaques is the root cause of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Effective CVD interventions thus call for precise identification of the plaques to aid clinical assessment and treatment of such diseases. In this study, we introduced a dual-analyte sequentially activated logic fluorescence reporting system CNN2-B to precisely identify the atherosclerotic plaques .

Enzyme Catalysis Biomotor Engineering of Neutrophils for Nanodrug Delivery and Cell-Based Thrombolytic Therapy.

Utilizing neutrophils (NEs) to target and deliver nanodrugs to inflammation sites has received considerable attention. NEs are involved in the formation and development of thrombosis by transforming into neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs); this indicates that NEs may be a natural thrombolytic drug delivery carrier. However, NEs lack an effective power system to overcome blood flow resistance and enhance targeting efficiency.

Lipid Droplet-Specific Probe for Rapidly Locating Atherosclerotic Plaques and Intraoperative Imaging via Spraying.

The ability to visualize the full extent of atherosclerotic plaques during surgery has major implications for therapeutic outcomes. Fluorescence imaging is a promising approach for atherosclerotic plaque inspection during surgery. However, a specific strategy for the intraoperative fluorescence imaging of atherosclerosis has not been established.

Lipid-Activatable Fluorescent Probe for Intraoperative Imaging of Atherosclerotic Plaque Using In Situ Patch.

The surgical removal of lesions is among the most common and effective treatments for atherosclerosis. It is often the only curative treatment option, and the ability to visualize the full extent of atherosclerotic plaque during the operation has major implications for the therapeutic outcome. Fluorescence imaging is a promising approach for the inspection of atherosclerotic plaques during surgery.

Anti-cancer adjuvant drug screening via epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related aptamer probe.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is implicated in the pathological processes of cancer metastasis and drug resistance. Anti-cancer drugs may also potentially lead to EMT, resulting in their reduced therapeutic effect. Therefore, the combination of these anti-cancer drugs with anti-EMT agents has been promoted in clinic.

Controlled "off-on" fluorescent probe for the specific detection of hyperhomocysteinemia.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis and vascular disease. Therefore, designing a hyperhomocysteinemia specific probe is of great significance for the early warning of cardiovascular diseases. However, developing probes that can efficiently and specifically recognize homocysteine (Hcy) remains a tremendous challenge.

A Bioresponsive Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Facile and Persistent Live-Cell Tracking.

Molecular imaging significantly transforms the field of biomedical science and facilitates the visualization, characterization, and quantification of biologic processes. However, it is still challenging to monitor cell localization in vivo, which is essential to the study of tumor metastasis and in the development of cell-based therapies. While most conventional small-molecule fluorescent probes cannot afford durable cell labeling, transfection of cells with fluorescent proteins is limited by their fixed fluorescence, poor tissue penetration, and interference of autofluorescence background.

CD44 targeted redox-triggered self-assembly with magnetic enhanced EPR effects for effective amplification of gambogic acid to treat triple-negative breast cancer.

Gambogic acid (GA) is a natural anti-tumor drug whose application is restricted by its poor aqueous solubility and inefficient bioavailability. Developing nanomaterials with excellent biocompatibility can amplify the therapeutic effects of GA. In this study, a tumor-targeted redox controllable self-assembled nano-system with magnetic enhanced EPR effects (mPEG-HA/CSO-SS-Hex/SPION/GA) was developed to improve the anticancer efficacy of GA.

BHQ-Cyanine-Based "Off-On" Long-Circulating Assembly as a Ferroptosis Amplifier for Cancer Treatment: A Lipid-Peroxidation Burst Device.

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent cell death caused by accumulation of lipid peroxidation (LPO), which is a new strategy for cancer treatment. Th current ferroptosis therapy nanodevices have low efficiency and side effects generally. Hence, we developed a Black Hole Quencher (BHQ)-based fluorescence "off-on" nanophotosensitizer complex assembly (CSO-BHQ-IR780-Hex/MIONPs/Sor).

Mitochondrial membrane anchored photosensitive nano-device for lipid hydroperoxides burst and inducing ferroptosis to surmount therapy-resistant cancer.

: Ferroptosis is a regulated process of cell death caused by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides (LPO). It is sensitive to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) cells, a well-known therapy-resistant state of cancer. Previous studies on nanomaterials did not investigate the immense value of ferroptosis therapy (FT) in epithelial cell carcinoma during EMT.

Enhanced identification of the in vivo metabolites of Ecliptae Herba in rat plasma by integrating untargeted data-dependent MS and predictive multiple reaction monitoring-information dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion scan.

Detection and identification of the in vivo metabolites of traditional Chinese medicine by untargeted profiling strategies are often confronted with severe interference from complex endogenous substances. Here we developed an integral approach, by combining untargeted data-dependent MS (dd-MS) of Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry and predictive multiple reaction monitoring-information dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion scan (pMRM-IDA-EPI) of triple quadrupole-linear ion trap (QTRAP) mass spectrometry, aiming to detect and identify more extensive metabolites in bio-samples. Ecliptae Herba (EH) is a widely consumed medicinal herb with the effects of nourishing liver/kidney, but its metabolites in vivo have not been fully elucidated.

Improved druggability of gambogic acid using core-shell nanoparticles.

Gambogic acid (GA) is a natural antitumor drug candidate with advantages of broad-spectrum activity, low toxicity and multiple mechanisms. Its clinical application is hindered, however, by low aqueous solubility, instability and poor pharmacokinetic properties. In this research, core-shell hybrid nanoparticles have been developed to improve the druggability of GA.

Tumor-specific activated photodynamic therapy with an oxidation-regulated strategy for enhancing anti-tumor efficacy.

Photodynamic therapy relies on photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in the apoptois of tumor cells. However, there is an antioxidant system that impedes the elevation of oxidation levels in tumor cells. Thus, photodynamic therapy may exhibit insufficient curative effects due to ungenerous reactive oxygen species levels.

Reticuloendothelial System Pre-Block Strategy to Improve Tumor Targeting Efficacy for Hyaluronic Acid Related Drug Delivery System.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely used in many tumor targeting drug delivery systems (TDDS) due to its biocompatibility and modifiability. Moreover, HA receptors are over-expressed on many tumor cells. However, the clearance of the HA-related TDDS by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) need urgent consideration on account of the high affinity between HA and related receptors in RES.

Multifunctional Hyaluronic Acid-Decorated Redox-Responsive Magnetic Complex Micelle for Targeted Drug Delivery with Enhanced Antitumor Efficiency and Anti-Cell-Migration Activity.

A novel multifunctional hyaluronic acid-decorated redox-responsive magnetic complex micelle (HA/CSO-SS-Hex/Fe3O4/PTX) based on a reducible hexadecanol-modified chitosan oligosaccharide polymer micelle (CSO-SS-Hex) coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) and loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) Fe3O4 nanoparticles is developed. HA is coated onto the surface of micelles via electrostatic absorption and acts as a targeting ligand for CD44 over expression in many tumor cells. A CSO-SS-Hex polymer micelle was used for PTX incorporation and GSH-triggered intracellular release.

Rapid profiling and pharmacokinetic studies of major compounds in crude extract from Polygonum multiflorum by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS and UPLC-MS/MS.

A reliable, rapid analytical method was established for characterization of constituents in the ethanol extract of Polygonum multiflorum by combining an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS). 131 constituents which including phenolic acids, stilbenes, flavones, anthraquinones, naphthalenes and their derivatives were identified or tentatively identified by using characteristic diagnostic fragment ions and references. The established method was further applied to analyze blood samples, and successfully identified 41 compounds which were absorbed through the gastrointestine in rats after administration the extract of P.

Modeling and optimizing inhibitory activities of Nelumbinis folium extract on xanthine oxidase using response surface methodology.

Xanthine oxidase (XOD), which could oxidize hypoxanthine to xanthine and then to uric acid, is a key enzyme in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia and also a well-known target for the drug development to treat gout. In our study, the total alkaloids of Nelumbinis folium markedly inhibited XOD activity, with IC value being 3.313μg/mL.

Analysis of the Constituents in "Zhu She Yong Xue Shuan Tong" by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Combined with Preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

"Zhu She Yong Xue Shuan Tong" lyophilized powder (ZSYXST), consists of a series of saponins extracted from Panax notoginseng, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of strokes. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) combined with preparative high performance liquid chromatography (PHPLC) method was developed to rapidly identify both major and minor saponins in ZSYXST. Some high content components were removed through PHPLC in order to increase the sensitivity of the trace saponins.