20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 induces apoptosis and autophagy in melanoma cells via suppressing Src/STAT3 signaling.

Background: 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) has been extensively studied for multifaceted health benefits. However, the anti-melanoma effect of GRh2 remains poorly understood. Herein, the anti-melanoma effects and underlying mechanisms of GRh2 were investigated.

Isoalantolactone exerts anti-melanoma effects via inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and STAT3 signaling in cell and mouse models.

Although the anti-cancer activity of isoalantolactone (IATL) has been extensively studied, the anti-melanoma effects of IATL are still unknown. Here, we have investigated the anti-melanoma effects and mechanism of action of IATL. MTT and crystal violet staining assays were performed to detect the inhibitory effect of IATL on melanoma cell viability.

LITAF Promotes Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation by Stimulating the NF-κB Inflammatory Pathway.

Objective: Lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-α factor (LITAF) protein is a newly discovered inflammatory protein. This study aims to study the role of LITAF in the formation of atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 10 C57BL/6J mice and 10 C57BL/6J mice with knockout of LITAF gene (C57BL/6J) were divided into two groups: the control group and the LITAF group.

A traditional prescription comprising Astragali Radix and Schisandra chinensis Fructus induces apoptosis and protective autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a growing challenge to global health efforts. The 5-year survival rate of HCC patients is still dismal. A traditional prescription Qi-Wei-Wan (QWW) comprising Astragali Radix and Schisandra chinensis Fructus has traditionally been used for HCC treatment according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, but the pharmacological basis is not clear.

Gracillin exerts anti-melanoma effects in vitro and in vivo: role of DNA damage, apoptosis and autophagy.

Background: Melanoma is an aggressive cancer. Gracillin has been reported to treat various types of cancer, such as colorectal and lung cancer. However, there is a paucity of research on the anti-melanoma effects of gracillin.

Polyphyllin II Induces Protective Autophagy and Apoptosis via Inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and STAT3 Signaling in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Polyphyllin II (PPII) is a natural steroidal saponin occurring in . It has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-cancer activity against a variety of cancer cells. However, the anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) effects and mechanism of action of PPII are rarely reported.

10-Gingerol, a natural AMPK agonist, suppresses neointimal hyperplasia and inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation.

: Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the intimal region is a key event in the development of neointimal hyperplasia. 10-G, a bioactive compound found in ginger, exerted inhibitory effects on the proliferation of several cancer cells. However, the effect and mechanism of 10-G on neointimal hyperplasia are not clear.

Dihydrotanshinone I inhibits the growth of hepatoma cells by direct inhibition of Src.

Background: Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Dihydrotanshinone I (DHI) was shown to inhibit the growth of several types of cancer. However, research related to hepatoma treatment using DHI is limited.

An Inhibitor of NF-κB and an Agonist of AMPK: Network Prediction and Multi-Omics Integration to Derive Signaling Pathways for Acteoside Against Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent type of dementia. Acteoside (ACT) is a compound isolated from , which possesses excellent neuroprotective properties. However, the underlying mechanism of ACT in regulating microglia polarization remains ill-defined.

Dauricine inhibits proliferation and promotes death of melanoma cells via inhibition of Src/STAT3 signaling.

Melanoma is the most common type of skin cancer. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling has been demonstrated to be a therapeutic target for melanoma. Dauricine (Dau), an alkaloid compound isolated from the root of Menispermum dauricum DC.

Multifunctional Single-Layered Graphene Quantum Dots Used for Diagnosis of Mitochondrial Malfunction-Related Diseases.

Mitochondria are critical organelles in eukaryotes that efficiently generate adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) for various biological activities, and any defect in the process of ATP synthesis may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and directly link to a variety of medical disorders. Monitoring the ATP variations in cells is key for innovative early diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases. Herein, multifunctional single-layered graphene quantum dots (s-GQDs) with bright green emission were constructed, which exhibit strong binding affinity for ATP and good mitochondria targeting ability.

Multifunctional aggregation-based fluorescent probe for visualizing intracellular calcium dynamic fluctuations.

Calcium ion (Ca) is an indispensable second messenger in living organisms. The impaired Ca handling can induce many diseases. In this paper, we developed a simple and effective method to encapsulate a coumarin-based Ca probe ((E)-2-hydroxy-N'-((7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yl)methylene)-2-phenylacetohydrazide, CPM) into nanoparticles (NPs), and CPM NPs with blue fluorescence were obtained, whose maximum excitation and maximum emission wavelengths were characterized at 365 nm and 450 nm, respectively.

[Interannual Characteristics of Fine Particulate Matter in North China and Its Relationship with Land Use and Land Cover Change].

Fine particulate matter (PM) is an important component of air pollution, and thus it is meaningful to analyze its influencing factors. According to existing literature, most studies to date have focused on the relationship between PM and meteorological or economic factors, whereas fewer have analyzed the relationship between PM and land use and land cover change (LUCC). This study employed spatial distribution data of PM and land use and land cover data to analyze the relationship between dynamic characteristics of PM and LUCC.

Size dependent anti-invasiveness of silver nanoparticles in lung cancer cells.

The molecular mechanism of cancer cell death caused by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of different sizes is investigated. Compared with the larger nanoparticles, 13 nm AgNPs significantly inhibit the migration and invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells, induce elevated reactive oxygen species and lead to NF-κB directed cellular apoptosis.

Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Indoles to para-Quinone Methide Derivatives.

A catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of indoles to o-hydroxyphenyl substituted p-quinone methides has been established in the presence of chiral phosphoric acid, which afforded chiral indole-containing triarylmethanes in generally high yields (54-98%) and good enantioselectivities (90:10-96:4 enantiomeric ratio). The control experiments indicated that o-hydroxyphenyl substituted p-quinone methides had a high possibility to transform into o-quinone methides in the presence of chiral phosphoric acid, and the formation of o-quinone methides might be a necessity for the reaction. This reaction will not only contribute to the research field of catalytic asymmetric transformations of p-quinone methides and o-quinone methides but also provide a useful method for the construction of enantioenriched triarylmethane frameworks.

The [4 + 2] cyclization/retro-Mannich reaction cascade of para-quinone methide derivatives with Pd-containing 1,4-dipoles.

The first [4 + 2] cyclization/retro-Mannich reaction cascade of para-quinone methides with Pd-containing 1,4-dipoles generated in situ from vinyl benzoxazinanones has been established. The corresponding rearrangement products were obtained in generally good to excellent yields (up to 92% yield). This reaction represents the first example of C[double bond, length as m-dash]C double bond cleavage of para-quinone methides, which will greatly enrich the chemistry of quinone methides.

Early missed abortion is associated with villous angiogenesis via the HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.

Purpose: To analyze the effects of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway on villous angiogenesis in early missed abortion.

Methods: Immunohistochemical assays were performed to detect the expression of micro-vessel density (MVD), HIF-1α, and VEGF in villous tissue samples from 30 missed abortions and 30 elective abortions in early pregnancy. We further analyzed the correlation between HIF-1α/VEGF and MVD.

[Spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture of mountain apple orchards with rainwater collection and infiltration (RWCI) system in the Loess Plateau, China].

Water scarcity is a critical factor influencing rain-fed agricultural production on the Loess Plateau, and the exploitation of rainwater is an effective avenue to alleviate water scarcity in this area. This study was conducted to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of soil moisture in the 0-300 cm under a 21-year-old apple orchard with the rainwater collection and infiltration (RWCI) system by using a time domain reflectometer (TDR) probe on the Loess Plateau. The results showed that there was a low soil moisture zone in the 40-80 cm under the CK, and the RWCI system significantly increased soil moisture in this depth interval.

Application of 3-Methyl-2-vinylindoles in Catalytic Asymmetric Povarov Reaction: Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Indole-Derived Tetrahydroquinolines.

The first application of 3-methyl-2-vinylindoles in catalytic asymmetric Povarov reactions has been established via the three-component reactions of 3-methyl-2-vinylindoles, aldehydes, and anilines in the presence of chiral phosphoric acid, providing easy access to chiral indole-derived tetrahydroquinolines with three contiguous stereogenic centers at high yields (up to 99%) and with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (all >95:5 dr, up to 96% ee). This mode of catalytic asymmetric three-component reaction offers a step-economic and atom-economic strategy for accessing enantioenriched indole-derived tetrahydroquinolines with structural diversity and complexity.

Diastereo- and Enantioselective Construction of 3,3'-Pyrrolidinyldispirooxindole Framework via Catalytic Asymmetric 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions.

The first catalytic enantioselective construction of a 3,3'-pyrrolidinyldispirooxindole scaffold has been established via organocatalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of isatin-derived azomethine ylides with methyleneindolinones, which afforded structurally complex bis-spirooxindoles containing three contiguous and two quaternary stereogenic centers in generally high yields (up to 99%) and excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to >95:5 dr, 98% ee). This reaction also provides a good example for the application of catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions in constructing enantioenriched bis-spirooxindole frameworks with structural complexity and rigidity.

Association of Pneumococcal Carriage and Expression of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells and Th17 Cells in the Adenoids of Children.

Background: Pneumococcal carriage in the nasopharynx is a primary means of transmission and a necessary prerequisite for pneumococcal disease.

Objectives: We analyzed the relationship between expressions of Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells, and pneumococcal carriage in the adenoids of children who were either positive or negative for pneumococci.

Methods: We collected adenoidal tissue and nasopharyngeal swab samples from children undergoing an adenoidectomy.

[Effects of lead stress on net photosynthetic rate, SPAD value and ginsenoside production in Ginseng (Panax ginseng)].

The paper aimed to evaluate the effects of lead stress on photosynthetic performance and ginsenoside content in ginseng (Panax ginseng). To accomplish this, three years old ginseng were cultivated in pot and in phytotron with different concentrations of lead, ranging from 0 to 1000 mg x kg(-1) soil for a whole growth period (about 150 days). The photosynthetic parameters in leaves and ginsenoside content in roots of ginseng were determined in green fruit stage and before withering stage, respectively.

Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) negatively regulates pressure overload-induced ventricular hypertrophy in mice.

Aims: Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) is a critical regulator of the Toll-like receptor-mediated signalling pathway. However, the role of Tollip in chronic pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the functional significance of Tollip in the regulation of aortic banding-induced cardiac remodelling and its underlying mechanisms.

[Photostimulated luminescence and color centers research in BaCl(x)Br(2-x):Eu2+ phosphors].

Eu2+ doped BaCl(x)Br(2-x), phosphors were prepared by solid state method in the present paper. The crystal structure and luminescent properties were studied by XRD, excitation, emission, and photostimulation. The XRD patterns indicate thatthe samples are single phase of BaCl(x)Br(2-x).