Cancer has become a major global public health concern, with millions of new cases and deaths reported annually. Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgery, continue to be the standard of care; however, they frequently bear significant risks and high costs, necessitating the development of more cost-effective and safe alternatives. These limitations can be overcome by nanoparticle (NPs), composed of organic or inorganic substances in the nanoscale range, which offer benefits including enhanced pharmacokinetics, selective targeting of cancer cells, reduced toxicity, and decreased drug resistance. Green nanotechnology, which integrates nanotechnology with natural compounds, has emerged as a strategy for reducing toxicity on human health and the environment by functioning as reducing, capping, and stabilising agents. Compared to other NPs, Zinc oxide NPs (ZnO NPs) possess a unique selectivity and a potent capacity to target cancer cells, in addition to being biocompatible and considered safer for both humans and the environment. Due to the physiological function of zinc, an essential micronutrient, ZnO NPs have demonstrated greater bioavailability than other metal or metal oxide NPs. NP plays a more significant role in bioavailability than particle size, making ZnO NPs an attractive option for various applications. This mini review aims to comprehensively explore the synthesis methodology of ZnO NPs and the potential mechanisms underlying their anticancer properties. © 2025 Bentham Science Publishers.

Natural products play important roles as origins of new cardiovascular drugs. Xanthones are polyphenolic compounds that carry a dibenzo-gamma-pyrone skeleton and exhibit a broad range of pharmacological activities. The application of xanthones and their derivatives as drug leads has been an area of intense study due to a privileged structure of the xanthone skeleton. However, cardiovascular protective activity of simple hydroxylated xanthones, a subclass of xanthones characterized by the presence of one to four hydroxyl substituents, has never been discussed to date. This review aims to provide new insights into the cardiovascular protective effect of natural and synthetic hydroxylated xanthones with a focus on their structure-activity relationship. The activity of hydroxylated xanthones on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes and others was also discussed. The results showed that the cardiovascular protective activity of hydroxylated xanthones is dependent on the number and position of hydroxyl substituents attached to the benzene ring skeleton. Hydroxyxanthones with a higher number of hydroxyl substituents or with a presence of-OH at the C-3 position of the skeleton were found to exhibit higher activity. Recent findings revealed that the configuration of hydroxyl side groups may also be important. Furthermore, 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone (7) could be a promising lead for novel anti-hypertensive drugs. In conclusion, the evidence which support the use of hydroxylated xanthones as leads for novel cardioprotective, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-diabetic drugs is generally lacking in the literature. More works are warranted in these areas to clarify whether hydroxyxanthones are promising leads for novel cardiovascular drugs.

The use of membrane technology has developed rapidly since the proposal of the Robeson upper bound. Nevertheless, the researchers proposed various methods and techniques to enhance the permeability and selectivity to achieve a breakthrough of the upper bound. Metal-organic framework (MOF) and covalent organic framework (COF) were the recently-interest- arising materials enhancing gas separation performance. In this study, recent advances in MOF and COF were comprehensively discussed in terms of the materials, properties and synthesis method. Later, the MOF and COF nanocomposite mixed matrix membrane development was discussed to evaluate the recent improvement of these membranes used in the O2/N2 gas separation performance. This work intends to overview the recent progress and development of the metal-organic framework, covalent organic frameworks and the used nanocomposite membrane in O2/N2 gas separation. This topic review was carried out from a thorough literature review of metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks and the used nanocomposite membrane in O2/N2 gas separation. Additionally, the recent achievement of the O2/N2 gas separation by nanocomposite membrane in term of permeability and selectivity are also discussed. Findings from this study suggested that MOF and COF-based nanocomposite membranes could be used in either the O2/N2 and N2/O2 gas separation process with the possibility of being involved in the gas production sector. © 2025 Bentham Science Publishers.

This review explores core-shell scaffolds in bone tissue engineering, highlighting their osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties critical for bone growth and regeneration. Key design factors include material selection, porosity, mechanical strength, biodegradation kinetics, and bioactivity. Electrospun core-shell nanofibrous scaffolds demonstrate potential in delivering therapeutic agents and enhancing bone regeneration. Critical characterization techniques include structural, surface, chemical composition, mechanical, and degradation analyses. Scaling up production poses challenges, addressed by innovative electrospinning techniques. Future research focuses on regulatory and commercial considerations, while exploring advanced materials and fabrication methods to optimize scaffold performance for improved clinical outcomes. © 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a prominent plant-based catechin predominantly derived from Camellia sinensis and widely available on the market as a health supplement, has garnered significant attention for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This review explores the multifaceted role of EGCG in addressing the “ominous octet”—the 8 core pathophysiological defects associated with T2DM. The literature search was carried out using key terms “EGCG” OR “epigallocatechin-3-gallate” OR “epigallocatechin gallate” AND “diabetes” OR “insulin resistance” OR “hyperglycemia” in the PubMed and Scopus databases. The search was constrained to articles published between January 2018 and April 2024, focusing on the document type. Full-text articles published in English and relevant to EGCG that featured a single active ingredient, included clearly explained diabetes relief mechanism, and included ominous octet aspects were included in the final review. The outcomes of the included studies were reviewed and categorized based on 8 core pathophysiological defects, collectively referred to as the ominous octet in T2DM. This review concludes that EGCG is a potent hypoglycemic agent that has beneficial effects against the ominous octet in addition to its pharmacological activities in modulating gut microbiota dysbiosis, carbohydrate digestion and metabolism, glucose transporter-mediated intestinal glucose-uptake, endothelial dysfunction, and renal damage that are significantly associated with pathogenesis of T2DM. This extensive scientific evidence suggests that EGCG may offer a novel approach to traditional antidiabetic therapies, potentially improving glycemic control and mitigating complications associated with T2DM. The inhibitory effects of EGCG on sodium-glucose transport proteins and their role in reducing renal glucose reabsorption remain unexplored, highlighting a significant research gap. Future research should also aim to broaden the scope by investigating the “egregious eleven,” which comprise a more comprehensive range of diabetic pathophysiological features. This review underscores the therapeutic promise of EGCG for managing T2DM and encourages ongoing research to fully elucidate its clinical applications. Please cite this article as: Wong CN, Lim YM, Liew KB, Chew YL, Chua AL, Lee SK. A review on mechanistic actions of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in targeting the ominous octet of type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 344–356. © 2025 Shanghai Yueyang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The present review attempts to evaluate the applicability of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a green technique for the extraction of phytochemicals from Mangifera indica L. and their therapeutic potential. Mango has been reported to show numerous therapeutic activities, which are attributed to its abundant source of bioactive compounds. Thus, the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals in mangoes is reviewed based on different reported bioactivity tests. The use of DESs is considered a green approach for the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural sources utilizing two or more components and a safe alternative for application in the nutritional, pharmaceutical and other sectors. The trends in the extraction of phytochemicals from mango using different DES components and different extraction parameters of the optimum protocol are reviewed. Hence, DESs are considered potential solvents with selective and efficient properties for extracting bioactive ingredients from mango. However, there are several knowledge gaps that need to be assessed for DES-based bioactive compound extraction from mango such as information on the local and specific varieties of mangoes, standardization of the extraction protocols and use of other parts of the mango plant as alternatives to its peel as bioactive sources. Accordingly, the extraction of bioactive compounds from mango using DESs will provide useful information for subsequent agricultural, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications in the future.

This review paper compiles and provides a review of the latest and relevant research on the nanoparticle-reinforced low-temperature SnBi solder. The physical, electromigration and thermomigration, microstructural, interfacial and mechanical properties of a solder are vital to the reliability of the electronic components. Generally, reinforcement of nanoparticles is beneficial to the properties of low-temperature SnBi solder. Literature on the types of nanoparticles added to SnBi focusing on these properties is available but is not outlined in a competent review. This paper provides a significant review on this topic to provide insight into SnBi solder alloy as an alternative solder in the electronic packaging industry.

The frequent integration of large numbers of power electronics devices and intermittent-controllable renewable energy sources into traditional power grids has created new-type power systems with dual-high complexities and variabilities. These systems require innovative sensing and perception technologies to operate safely, reliably, and smoothly. We briefly explain the background and importance of holistic perception for grid stability, then discuss ecological monitoring challenges faced by existing sensing devices and solutions to meet new-type power systems' flexible measurement requirements using cutting-edge sensing technologies. Although novel, electrical quantity wide bandwidth holographic vision is vital for modern power systems issues by enabling complicated applications like real-time monitoring and dynamic modelling of electrical networks. With the rise of power-specific processors and the collaboration of edge computing, IoT, and AI, intelligent sensing technologies will improve. Wide Bandwidth TWMUs are also tested for defect detection and location, demonstrating their advantages over traditional solutions. We examine transient signal perception and data timestamping accuracy, which require self-calibrating and precise timing methods. The review concludes with future research topics and needs, noting literary unknowns, and suggesting a next step in technology development and adoption. A systematic literature analysis, identification of disjoints in recent research, and an action-producing framework for evolution and integration of modern sensing and situational awareness technologies into power systems are provided by this study. This research offers insights and ideas to assist lead the transition to cleaner, smarter, and more resilient power systems. © 2025

Network services are provided through Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs), such as firewall, intrusion detection, and load balancer, arranged in a chain known as a Service Function Chain (SFC). SFC placement refers to the selection of Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) in a predetermined order, while SFC routing involves determining the paths or links through which the data flow is forwarded from one VNF (source) to the next (destination). The combined optimization of both SFC placement and routing is commonly referred to as SFC mapping. In large-scale networks, network conditions can change rapidly, necessitating dynamic solutions for SFC mapping that can adapt to the uncertainties inherent in dynamic networks in real-time. This paper provides an insightful overview of dynamic Service Function Chain (SFC) mapping within the framework of network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI), focusing on the optimization of SFC placement and routing to minimize latency. It highlights the challenges in identifying appropriate Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) and constructing optimal data traffic routes. While existing literature extensively covers joint solutions for SFC mapping, there is a noticeable research gap concerning dynamic SFC mapping aimed at latency minimization. The review encompasses background information, taxonomy, and challenges associated with SFC mapping, analyzing strategies ranging from traditional methods to deep learning and swarm intelligence. A comprehensive analysis of existing works is presented, considering various parameters such as performance metrics, datasets, and optimization complexity. Additionally, the paper outlines open research issues and future directions, aiming to spur further advancements in latency-aware dynamic SFC mapping.