Chemical analysis of different parts from agarwood columns by artificially agarwood-inducing method based on GC-MS and UPLC-TOF-MS.

Agarwood is resin-containing wood produced by plants that have been injured. It is widely used in herbal medicine, incense, decorative items, and so on. In this study, we conducted resin area statistical analysis, determined starch particle and reducing sugar contents, and performed multivariate statistical analysis of chemical composition by GC-MS and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to explore the different components in sections cut from an agarwood column, designated as A1-A4.

A novel self-assembled nanoplatform based on retrofitting poloxamer 188 for triple-negative breast cancer targeting treatment.

Poloxamer 188 is a widely used pharmaceutical excipient, which can be found in a variety of drug formulations. In this study, a novel self-assembled nanoplatform was developed for active targeting of folate receptor-overexpressing triple-negative breast cancer. This platform, FPP NPs, was prepared by the retrofitted poloxamer 188 derivatives, resulting in nanoparticles with an appropriate size (< 100 nm), good stability, and satisfactory biocompatibility.

Image recognition of traditional Chinese medicine based on deep learning.

Chinese herbal medicine is an essential part of traditional Chinese medicine and herbalism, and has important significance in the treatment combined with modern medicine. The correct use of Chinese herbal medicine, including identification and classification, is crucial to the life safety of patients. Recently, deep learning has achieved advanced performance in image classification, and researchers have applied this technology to carry out classification work on traditional Chinese medicine and its products.

Characteristic quality analysis for biologically induced agarwood columns in Aquilaria sinensis.

Current artificial agarwood-inducing techniques yield low quality and quantities of agarwood. On account of unclear agarwood formation mechanism there's still no high-efficiency agarwood inducing method globally spread. In this study, a complete agarwood column was taken out of the live tree trunk at 6 months post-treatment by a novel agarwood-inducing method (Agar-Bit) in cultivated Aquilaria sinensis trees, and was first divided into 8 parts (A1-4, B1-4) involving agarwood layer (A part) and brown inner layer (B part) according to its color and length for analysis.

Allyl halide induced electrochemical degradation of lignin into double-bonded phenolic monomers.

Lignin is one of the major macromolecule in nature that contains an aromatic ring structure, and also a potential source of high-value products such as biofuels and chemicals. However, Lignin is a kind of complex heterogeneous polymer which can produce many degradation products during processing or treatment. These degradation products are difficult to separate, making it challenging to use lignin directly for high-value applications.

Puerarin Alleviates Vascular Cognitive Impairment in Vascular Dementia Rats.

Cerebral ischemia triggers vascular dementia (VD), which is characterized by memory loss, cognitive deficits, and vascular injury in the brain. Puerarin (Pur) represents the major isoflavone glycoside of Radix Puerariae, with verified neuroprotective activity and cardiovascular protective effects. However, whether Pur ameliorates cognitive impairment and vascular injury in rats with permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (BCCAO) remains unknown.

The antihypertension effect of hydrogen sulfide (HS) is induced by activating VEGFR2 signaling pathway.

Aims: Previous studies demonstrated that HS has an antihypertension effect on hypertension, but the mechanism involved is unclear until now. The aim of the study is to elucidate the effect of HS on PH and the mechanism involved.

Main Methods: In this study, GYY4137 (a HS donor) were administered to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) by intraperitoneally injection daily for consecutive 14 days.

Citronellal ameliorates doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity via antioxidative stress, antiapoptosis, and proangiogenesis in rats.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a very effective broad-spectrum anticancer drug, yet its clinical application is badly restricted due to its serious side effects. Citronellal (CT), a specialized metabolite of plants found in Cymbopogon spp., is proved to exhibit many beneficial properties.

Advance of sporadic Alzheimer's disease animal models.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. In the past decades, numbers of promising drug candidates showed significant anti-AD effects in preclinical studies but failed in clinical trials. One of the major reasons might be the limitation of appropriate animal models for evaluating anti-AD drugs.

Effect of bajijiasu isolated from Morinda officinalis F. C. how on sexual function in male mice and its antioxidant protection of human sperm.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In recent years, the physiological aspects of human fertility have been seriously influenced by the interactions of genetic and environmental factors. Almost one in 20 males has been affected by male infertility, providing a great challenge and an opportunity to use natural compounds as alternatives to chemical drugs with comprehensive adverse effects. However, ample evidences are scanty to support the physiological mechanisms of natural compounds used to treat male infertility.

Quantum molecular dynamics study of expanded beryllium: evolution from warm dense matter to atomic fluid.

By performing quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations, we investigate the equation of states, electrical and optical properties of the expanded beryllium at densities two to one-hundred lower than the normal solid density, and temperatures ranging from 5000 to 30000 K. With decreasing the density of Be, the optical response evolves from the one characteristic of a simple metal to the one of an atomic fluid. By fitting the optical conductivity spectra with the Drude-Smith model, it is found that the conducting electrons become localized at lower densities.

Protective effects of bajijiasu in a rat model of Aβ₂₅₋₃₅-induced neurotoxicity.

Ethnopharmacological Relevence: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) caused by neurons and/or myelin loss lead to devastating effects on patients׳ lives. Although the causes of such complex diseases have not yet been fully elucidated, oxidative stress, mitochondrial and energy metabolism dysfunction, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and apoptosis have been recognized as influential factors. Current therapies that were designed to address only a single target are unable to mitigate or prevent disease progression, and disease-modifying drugs are desperately needed, and Chinese herbs will be a good choice for screening the potential drugs.

Theoretical investigation of the increase in the Rosseland mean opacity for hot dense mixtures.

Based on a detailed configuration accounting model with the term structures treated by the unresolved transition array model, a large scale calculation has been performed for the opacities of medium- and high-Z materials and mixtures. Agreement between our calculated results and previous theoretical simulations is obtained. By filling in the low-opacity regions of one material with the high-opacity regions of other materials, the Rosseland mean opacity of their combination will be increased.