Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the use of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the differential diagnosis between AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Methods: From September 2021 to October 2022, we collected venous blood from patients and healthy individuals who visited our hospital’s Neurology Department, and we isolated serum to detect NfL and GFAP using direct chemiluminescence. The results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results: Pairwise comparisons among the three groups showed that compared with the health checkup (HC) group, serum NfL and GFAP were increased in both AD and MCI (P_NfL < 0.05, P_GFAP < 0.01). There were significant differences in GFAP between MCI and AD groups, and the level in AD group was higher (p < 0.01), while there was no difference in NfL. Both serum NfL and serum GFAP levels can independently diagnose AD (p < 0.01). The ROC curve showed that GFAP had a higher diagnostic efficacy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.928. The cut-off values of the two serum markers for the diagnosis of AD were NfL > 40.09 pg./mL and GFAP >31.40 pg./mL. Sensitivity and specificity for NfL in the diagnosis of AD were 59.6 and 76.2%, respectively, and for GFAP, they were 90.4 and 82.1%, respectively. The combined diagnosis of GFAP and NfL improved the diagnostic efficiency (AUC = 0.931, sensitivity = 78.8%, specificity = 92.3%). The cut-off value of GFAP for the differential diagnosis of MCI and AD was 46.05 pg./mL.Conclusion: Both serum NfL and serum GFAP can be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of AD. Serum GFAP has better diagnostic efficacy and can distinguish AD from MCI. A combined diagnosis can improve diagnostic specificity.

Tea catechins exhibit a broad range of pharmacological activities that impart beneficial effects on human health. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the major tea catechins, has been widely associated with cancer prevention and treatment. In addition, tea catechins in combination with anticancer drugs are being evaluated as a new cancer treatment strategy. However, the interactions of anticancer drugs with tea catechins are largely unknown. Accumulated data indicate significant interactions between anticancer drugs and tea catechins, such as synergistic tumor inhibition or antagonist activity. Therefore, it is critical to understand comprehensively the effects of tea catechins on anticancer drugs. Focusing on evidence from preclinical studies, this paper will review the interactions between anticancer drugs and tea catechins, including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics effects. We hope that by detailing the interactions between anticancer drugs and tea catechins, more attention will be directed to this important therapeutic combination in the future.

To study the potential relationship between melatonin and beta‐amyloid (Abeta), we established a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) method to quantitatively analyze melatonin, deuterated isotopes (melatonin‐D4), and internal standard 6‐iodo‐2‐(4'‐dimethylamino‐) phenyl‐imidazo(1,2) pyridine (IMPY) under positive (+) mode. The gradient elution was set to 6 min, and the corresponding peak time of melatonin and its isotope melatonin‐D4 was 3.14 min, while the peak time for the internal standard IMPY was 3.24 min. Next, we established and optimized the molecule receptor saturation binding assay based on LC‐MS to determine the melatonin affinity for beta‐amyloid (Abeta). Melatonin showed a high and specific binding for Abeta. The corresponding equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of melatonin with Abeta 1‐40 and Abeta 1‐42 was 814.37 ± 36.62 and 628.33 ± 13.57 nmol·L⁻¹; besides, the Kd of melatonin with mixed plaques (1‐40 and 1‐42) was 461.13 ± 45.37 nmol·L⁻¹. The results may suggest the potential mechanism of action of MT on Abeta and provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of MT treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

An efficient synthesis of (E)-cinnamaldehydes by a metal-free DDQ-mediated oxidative transformation of allylarenes was developed. The protocol provides a practical method to prepare diverse (E)-cinnamaldehydes with broad functional group tolerance in good to excellent yields, including easy access to natural products randainal and geranyloxy sinapyl aldehyde from plant extracts. Finally, the mechanism of a single-electron transfer process was proposed.