The inhibition of Mpro, the primary protease of COVID-19, by and its active compounds: a network pharmacology and molecular docking study.

is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that can clear dampness, promote diuresis, and strengthen the spleen and stomach. has been detected in many TCM compounds that are used for COVID-19 intervention. However, the active ingredients and mechanisms associated with the effect of on COVID-19 remain unclear.

Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of paclitaxel loaded in six-arm star-shaped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid).

Background: Star-shaped polymers provide more terminal groups, and are promising for application in drug-delivery systems.

Methods: A new series of six-arm star-shaped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (6-s-PLGA) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization. The structure and properties of the 6-s-PLGA were characterized by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry.

Amphiphilic glycopolymer nanoparticles as vehicles for nasal delivery of peptides and proteins.

Nasal drug delivery system has been a very promising route for delivery of proteins and peptides for the reason that it can avoid degradation in gastrointestinal tract and metabolism by liver enzymes. However, the bioavailability of proteins and peptides is still low due to the rapid clearance of mucociliary. Here, to prolong the residence time of drugs and improve their absorption, we prepared amphiphilic glycopolymer poly(2-lactobionamidoethyl methacrylate-random-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid) (p(LAMA-r-AAPBA), and the glycopolymer could assemble into the nanoparticles with narrow size distribution.

Gene delivery of PEI incorporating with functional block copolymer via non-covalent assembly strategy.

A novel functional diblock polymer P(PEGMA-b-MAH) is prepared and incorporated to improve the gene delivery efficiency of poly(ethyleneimine) PEI via non-covalent assembly strategy. First, P(PEGMA-b-MAH) is prepared from l-methacrylamidohistidine methyl ester (MAH) by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, with poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (P(PEGMA)) as the macroinitiator. Then P(PEGMA-b-MAH) is assembled with plasmid DNA (pDNA) and PEI (M(w)=10kDa) to form PEI/P(PEGMA-b-MAH)/pDNA ternary complexes.

The target gene carrying validity to HePG2 cells with the brush-like glutathione modified chitosan compound.

The grafting modified chitosan with L-glutathione (GSH) end capped PEG brush-like poly [poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] (PMPEG), CS-PMPEG-GSH, as the pDNA condensed vector material could result in a much higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxity for NIH3T3 cells. In this work, we have further examined the morphology stabilities of CS-PMPEG-GSH/pDNA vectors at different medium pH values and in the presence of serum protein in detail. And then the targeted characters for HepG2 cells have been probed by tracing the cell uptake behavior and transfection efficiency.

The effects of a multifunctional oligomer and its incorporation strategies on the gene delivery efficiency of poly(L-lysine).

A novel multifunctional oligomer is synthesized and incorporated to enhance the gene delivery efficiency of PLL via non-electrostatic assembly and covalent grafting strategies. The improvement of the gene delivery efficiency is dependent on the gene carrying complex properties, and the properties are dependent on the oligomer incorporation strategy.

Glycopolymer modification on physicochemical and biological properties of poly(L-lysine) for gene delivery.

Poly(L-lysine) (PLL) has excellent plasmid DNA (pDNA) condensation capacity. However, the relatively high cytotoxicity and low transfection efficiency limit its application as gene delivery vectors. Here, well-defined glycopolymers are synthesized by reversible addition fragmentation transfer polymerization and grafted onto PLL to improve the gene delivery performance.

A novel glutathione modified chitosan conjugate for efficient gene delivery.

A novel non-viral gene vector based on poly[poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] (PMPEG) and l-glutathione (GSH) grafted chitosan (CS) has been fabricated. First, well-defined brush-like PMPEG living polymers with dithioester residues were prepared by the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and grafted onto the allylchitosan via radical coupling method. Then, the tripeptide GSH was introduced onto the end of PMPEG chain to give a CS-PMPEG-GSH conjugate.

Flow injection on-line solid phase extraction coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for determination of (ultra)trace rare earth elements in environmental materials using maleic acid grafted polytetrafluoroethylene fibers as sorbent.

A new sorbent, maleic acid grafted polytetrafluoroethylene fiber (MA-PTFE), was prepared and evaluated for on-line solid-phase extraction coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for fast, selective, and sensitive determination of (ultra)trace rare earth elements (REEs) in environmental samples. The REEs in aqueous samples at pH = 3.0 were selectively extracted onto a microcolumn packed with the MA-PTFE fiber, and the adsorbed REEs were subsequently eluted on-line with 0.

[Expression and significance of the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor RECK gene in prostate cell strains].

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of RECK gene and MMP-9 in prostate cell strains such as BPH-1, DU45, LNCaP and PC-3.

Methods: The expression of mRNA of RECK and MMP-9 was measured by RT-PCR and RECK protein was evaluated by Western blot.

Results: The mRNA level of the RECK gene in the prostate carcinoma cell strains, such as DU45, LNCaP and PC-3, was lower than that in the benign prostate hyperplasia cell line BPH-1, while MMP-9 had a higher expression.