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•N-CQDs/BiOI0.25Br0.75 was synthesized by a rapid one-step in-situ precipitation method.•The formation of solid solution was revealed by analysis of lattice parameter with the ...vergard's law.•A strong binding effect between N-CQDs and BiOI0.25Br0.75 was formed.•Enhanced activity was due to multiple lights scattering of BiOxBr1-x and internal electric field.
The hierarchical layered microspheres of BiOIxBr1-x solid solution decorated with N-CQDs were rapidly synthesized by one-step in-situ co-precipitation. Nitrogen doping caused carboxyl and amino groups on the surface of CQDs, These groups combined with Bi atoms in bismuth-derived precursors to provide in situ growth site for BiOIxBr1-x, thus achieved strong binding effect between BiOIxBr1-x and N-CQDs, which was beneficial to charge transfer. Meanwhile, BiOIxBr1-x hierarchical layered microspheres were assembled by nanosheets with a thickness of about 23 nm, which could generate multiple reflection of light, and thus enhanced the light-harvesting. Under visible light irradiation, N-CQDs/BiOI0.25Br0.75 presented the remarkable photocatalytic activity when the loading amount of N-CQDs was 1.25 wt%. The removal rate of phenol and tetracycline hydrochloride was 98.7% within 3 h and 96.6% after 5 min, respectively. The reason of improvement activity of N-CQDs/BiOIxBr1-x was due to the multiple scattering of light between hierarchical layered BiOxBr1-x as well as the internal electric field from N-CQD to BiOI0.25Br0.75.
Cancer is the leading cause of death and one of the greatest barriers to increased life expectancy worldwide. Currently, chemotherapy with synthetic drugs remains one of the predominant ways for ...cancer treatment, which may lead to drug resistance and normal organ damage. Increasing researches have suggested that apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is a promising way for cancer therapy. Furthermore, natural products are important sources for finding new drugs with high availability, low cost and low toxicity. As a well-known isoquinoline alkaloid, accumulating evidence has revealed that berberine (BBR) exerts potential pro-apoptotic effects on multiple cancers, including breast, lung, liver, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. The related potential signal pathways are AMP-activated protein kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and protein kinase B pathways. In this review, we provide a timely and comprehensive summary of the detailed molecular mechanisms of BBR in treating three types of cancer (breast, lung and liver cancer) by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, we also discuss the existing challenges and strategies to improve BBR's bioavailability. Hopefully, this review provides valuable information for the comprehension of BBR in treating three types of cancer and highlight the pro-apoptotic effects of BBR, which would be beneficial for the further development of this natural compound as an effective clinical drug for treating cancers.
The development of inexpensive and effective catalysts that can produce hydrogen from methanol is attractive for the implementation of clean energy technologies. Cu-Al oxides, prepared by different ...methods, were tested for hydrogen production from methanol decomposition. Catalysts with spinel CuAl2O4 (copper aluminate) structure as compared with non-spinel Cu-Al oxides, are more stable, and exhibit higher catalytic activity despite of their low surface area. Spinel CuAl2O4 synthesized by citrate process show better performance towards methanol decomposition than that obtained by co-precipitation process. The selectivity to H2+CO can be improved by the impregnation of potassium in spinel CuAl2O4. However, the direct addition of potassium during the citrate process strongly inhibited the formation of CuAl2O4 structure, thus leading to a low catalytic activity. CuAl2O4 was found to be a reservoir of Cu, slowly releasing Cu during the catalysis of methanol decomposition and preventing Cu from quick sintering.
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•Various Cu-Al oxides were prepared for H2 production from methanol decomposition.•Cu-Al oxides containing spinel structure exhibited stable catalytic activity.•The impregnation of potassium in CuAl2O4 could improve the selectivity of H2 + CO.•Direct addition of K during catalyst synthesis strongly inhibited CuAl2O4 formation.•Cu-Al spinel acted a reservoir of Cu, slowly releasing Cu and preventing Cu from quick sintering.
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•AlCl3-aided aqueous DES pretreatment was proposed for fractionation of corn straw.•The effective removal of lignin and hemicellulose promoted the conversion of straw.•The highest ...enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency reached 87.0% under the mild condition.•A maximum biohydrogen yield of 114.8 mL/g total solids was achieved.
To boost saccharification and biohydrogen production efficiency from corn straw, Lewis acid enhanced deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment using choline chloride/glycerol was developed. A notable enhancement of the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency from 26.3 % to 87.0 % was acquired when corn straw was pretreated with aqueous DES at 100 °C for 5 h using 2.0 wt% AlCl3. A maximum biohydrogen yield of 114.8 mL/g total solids (TS) was achieved in the sequential dark fermentation stage, which was 2.1 times higher than that of the raw feedstock (37.1 mL/g TS). The enhanced efficient conversion was ascribed to the effective removal of lignin and hemicellulose, which led to the bio-accessibility of the straw. This work provides new sights for the rational design of efficient AlCl3-aided aqueous DES system toward biohydrogen production from lignocellulosic biomass.
Camrelizumab, a programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibiting antibody, has demonstrated efficacy in various malignancies and received approval in multiple countries. Despite its therapeutic benefits, ...camrelizumab is associated with a unique spectrum of immune-related adverse effects (irAEs), predominantly reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP). However, visceral manifestations of such endothelial proliferations, particularly hepatic cavernous hemangiomas, have not been extensively documented.
This case series retrospectively reviews six patients who developed hepatic hemangiomas following treatment with camrelizumab in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. The series highlights the clinical course, imaging findings, management strategies, and outcomes associated with this complication. A detailed analysis was conducted to discern the potential causal relationship between camrelizumab therapy and the development of hepatic hemangiomas.
All six patients, after varying cycles of camrelizumab-based therapy, presented with hepatic lesions identified as cavernous hemangiomas on imaging. These findings were atypical for metastatic disease and were further complicated by significant clinical events, including massive intra-abdominal bleeding post-biopsy. Discontinuation of camrelizumab led to a reduction in the size of the hemangiomas in two cases, suggesting a potential link between the drug and the development of these vascular lesions. The incidence of RCCEP remained high, and the use of other agents such as bevacizumab did not mitigate the occurrence of hepatic hemangiomas, indicating a possible unique pathogenic mechanism associated with camrelizumab.
Hepatic cavernous hemangioma may represent a rare but clinically significant irAE associated with camrelizumab therapy. This series underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and a high index of suspicion for atypical hepatic lesions in patients undergoing treatment with PD-1 inhibitors. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the pathophysiology of this complication and to establish guidelines for the management and surveillance of patients receiving camrelizumab.
Fibrosis is the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix, characterized by accumulation of collagen and other extracellular matrix components, which causes organ dysfunction and even death. ...Despite advances in understanding fibrosis pathology and clinical management, there is no treatment for fibrosis that can prevent or reverse it, existing treatment options may lead to diarrhea, nausea, bleeding, anorexia, and liver toxicity. Thus, effective drugs are needed for fibrotic diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine has played a vital role in fibrotic diseases, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that
Astragalus
(
Astragalus mongholicus
Bunge) can attenuate multiple fibrotic diseases, which include liver fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, peritoneal fibrosis, renal fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, and so on, mechanisms may be related to inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), reactive oxygen species (ROS), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)/Smads, apoptosis, inflammation pathways. The purpose of this review was to summarize the pharmacology and mechanisms of
Astragalus
in treating fibrotic diseases, the data reviewed demonstrates that
Astragalus
is a promising anti-fibrotic drug, its main anti-fibrotic components are Calycosin, Astragaloside IV,
Astragalus
polysaccharides and formononetin. We also review formulas that contain
Astragalus
with anti-fibrotic effects, in which
Astragalus
and
Salvia miltiorrhiza
Bunge,
Astragalus
and
Angelica sinensis
(Oliv.) Diels are the most commonly used combinations. We propose that combining active components into new formulations may be a promising way to develop new drugs for fibrosis. Besides, we expect
Astragalus
to be accepted as a clinically effective method of treating fibrosis.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a growing health problem throughout the world. Strong evidences have supported that gut microbiota can influence tumorigenesis; however, little is known about what happens ...to gut microbiota following surgical resection. Here, we examined the changes of gut microbiota in CRC patients after the surgical resection. Using the PCoA analysis and dissimilarity tests, the microbial taxonomic compositions and diversities of gut microbiota in post-surgery CRC patients (A1) were significantly different from those in pre-surgery CRC patients (A0) and healthy individuals (H). Compared with A0 and H, the Shannon diversity and Simpson diversity were significantly decreased in A1 (
< 0.05). Based on the LEfSe analysis, the relative abundance of phylum
in A1 was significantly increased than that in A0 and H. The genus
in A1 had higher proportions than that in A0 (
< 0.05). Individual variation was distinct; however, 90% of CRC patients in A1 had more abundances of
than A0. The
in A1 was significantly associated with infectious diseases (
< 0.05), revealed by the correlation analysis between differentiated genera and metabolic pathway. The
(
) in A1 was significantly linked with lymphatic invasion (
< 0.05). Furthermore, the PCA of KEGG pathways indicated that gut microbiota with a more scattered distribution in A1 was noticeably different from that in A0 and H. The nodes, the links, and the kinds of phylum in each module in A1 were less than those in A0 and H, indicating that gut microbiota in A1 had a relatively looser ecologcial interaction network. To sum up, this pilot study identified the changes of gut microbiota in post-surgery CRC patients, and highlights future avenues in which the gut microbiota is likely to be of increasing importance in the care of surgical patients.
In this paper, the initiation of interfacial damage in SnPb alloy was investigated at the atomic scale through molecular dynamics simulations. The focus was primarily on the structural stability of ...the Sn/Pb interface with different orientations, the formation energies of vacancies in different Sn/Pb interfaces, and the short-range interactions between dislocations and the Sn/Pb interface. The results revealed a correlation between the interfacial energies of all four Sn/Pb interfaces and the disorder of Sn and Pb atoms near the interface, where a more regular atomic arrangement resulted in lower interfacial energy. The vacancy formation energies near the Sn/Pb interfaces varied depending on the interface type, although all types contributed to reducing these energies. Furthermore, the Sn/Pb interface acts as a barrier to dislocations in both Pb and
β
-Sn phases, while leading to the cross-slip of screw dislocations in the Pb phase. Edge dislocations in the
β
-Sn phase induce significant strain localization at the interface, initiating interfacial damage and crack nucleation. These findings are highly significant for understanding damage mechanisms in SnPb alloy and advancing high-performance solder development.
Probiotics as medications have previously been shown to change intestinal microbial characteristics, potentially influencing cancer therapy efficacy. Patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung ...cancer (NS-NSCLC) treated by bevacizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy were randomized to obtain Clostridium butyricum supplement (CBS) or receive a placebo as adjuvant therapy. Clinical efficacy and safety were assessed using progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AE). Intestinal microbiota was longitudinally explored between CBS and placebo groups over time. Patients who took CBS had significantly decreased bacterial richness and abundance, as well as increased the total richness of the genus Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). Beta diversity and the interactional network of intestinal microbiota were distinctly different between CBS and placebo group. However, there were no significant variations between them in terms of microbial taxonomical taxa and alpha diversity. The potential opportunistic pathogen Shewanella was still detectable after treatment in the placebo group, while no distinguishing microbial markers were found in the CBS group. In terms of clinical efficacy, the CBS group had a significantly reduced AE compare to the placebo group (p < 0.05), although no significantly longer PFS and OS. Therefore, favorable modifications in intestinal microbiota and significant improvements in drug safety make probiotics be promising adjunctive therapeutic avenues for lung cancer treatment.
The incidence of glycolipid metabolic diseases is extremely high worldwide, which greatly hinders people's life expectancy and patients' quality of life. Oxidative stress (OS) aggravates the ...development of diseases in glycolipid metabolism. Radical oxygen species (ROS) is a key factor in the signal transduction of OS, which can regulate cell apoptosis and contribute to inflammation. Currently, chemotherapies are the main method to treat disorders of glycolipid metabolism, but this can lead to drug resistance and damage to normal organs. Botanical drugs are an important source of new drugs. They are widely found in nature with availability, high practicality, and low cost. There is increasing evidence that herbal medicine has definite therapeutic effects on glycolipid metabolic diseases.
This study aims to provide a valuable method for the treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases with botanical drugs from the perspective of ROS regulation by botanical drugs and to further promote the development of effective drugs for the clinical treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases.
Using herb*, plant medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, phytochemicals, natural medicine, phytomedicine, plant extract, botanical drug, ROS, oxygen free radicals, oxygen radical, oxidizing agent, glucose and lipid metabolism, saccharometabolism, glycometabolism, lipid metabolism, blood glucose, lipoprotein, triglyceride, fatty liver, atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, dysglycemia, NAFLD, and DM as keywords or subject terms, relevant literature was retrieved from Web of Science and PubMed databases from 2013 to 2022 and was summarized.
Botanical drugs can regulate ROS by regulating mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and other signaling pathways to improve OS and treat glucolipid metabolic diseases.
The regulation of ROS by botanical drugs is multi-mechanism and multifaceted. Both cell studies and animal experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness of botanical drugs in the treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases by regulating ROS. However, studies on safety need to be further improved, and more studies are needed to support the clinical application of botanical drugs.
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