Search

The band gap and defect features of ultrathin ZrO2 films with varying thicknesses have been investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry through the point-by-point data inversion method. The ε2-sprectra in the 3–6 eV range are extracted based on an optical model consisting of a Si substrate/effective ZrO2 film/air ambient structure where the effective ZrO2 film is a combination of interfacial layers and ZrO2. Evident widening of the band gap with a reducing size is observed when the effective ZrO2 films are below a critical thickness, somewhere between 8.80 nm and 17.13 nm. This is due to quantum-confinement and amorphous effects. Moreover, the sub-band-gap defects at interfacial layers and in bulk ZrO2 are identified and present strong thickness dependence as well. The interfacial defects at 3.26, 4.13, 4.43, and 4.77 eV mainly exist below the critical thickness and exhibit a significant suppression with increasing film thickness. The bulk defects at 4.15 eV and 4.46 eV dominate in ZrO2 films once they are over the critical thickness. The evolution of the band gap and defects is closely related to variance in the electronic structure of amorphous ZrO2. Our results may be helpful in understanding controversial problems concerning the size effect on ultrathin high-k oxide films and exploring the further miniaturization of electronic devices based on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The optical properties of TiO2 thin films prepared by electron beam evaporation were studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry and analyzed quantitatively using effective medium approximation theory and an effective series capacitance model. The refractive indices of TiO2 are essentially constant and approach to those of bulk TiO2 for films thicker than 40nm, but drop sharply with a decrease in thickness from 40 to 5.5nm. This phenomenon can be interpreted quantitatively by the thickness dependence of the void fraction and interfacial oxide region. The optical band gaps calculated from Tauc law increase with an increase of film thickness, and can be attributed to the contribution of disorder effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The conversion of biomass into chemical fuels is exciting but quite challenging in the development of an effective conversion strategy to generate easily-separated products without energy consumption. Herein, a lignocellulosic biomass-to-H 2 conversion system via photo-thermal catalysis over Mo 2 C hierarchical nanotube catalysts in an acidic solution, in which the lignocellulose is hydrolyzed to small organic molecules (such as glucose, etc) by dilute H 2 SO 4 , and then the resulting glucose is oxidized by Mo 2 C catalyst to generate H 2 are reported. During the photo-thermal catalytic processes, the carbon vacancy in Mo 2 C catalysts results in the generation of undercoordinated Mo sites, which act as active sites for both biomass oxidation and H 2 generation reactions. Thus, the successful photo-thermal catalytic conversion of common agricultural and forestry biomass including polar wood chip, bamboo, wheat straw, rice straw, corncob, and rice hull into H 2 fuel is realized, and the highest H 2 generation rate achieves 30 µmol g -1  h -1 in the wheat straw system. Outwork affords efficient noble-metal-free catalysts with adjustable active sites for photo-thermal catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into H 2 ., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The conversion of woody biomass to H 2 through photocatalysis provides a sustainable strategy to generate renewable hydrogen fuel but was limited by the slow decomposition rate of woody biomass. Here, we fabricate ultrasmall TiO 2 nanoparticles with tunable concentration of oxygen vacancy defects (V O -TiO 2 ) as highly efficient photocatalysts for photocatalytic conversion of woody biomass to H 2 . Owing to the positive role of oxygen vacancy in reducing energy barrier for the generation of • OH which was the critical species to oxidize woody biomass, the obtained V O -TiO 2 achieves rapid photocatalytic conversion of α-cellulose and poplar wood chip to H 2 in the presence of Pt nanoclusters as the cocatalyst. As expected, the highest H 2 generation rate in α-cellulose and poplar wood chip system respectively achieve 1146 and 59 μmol h -1 g -1 , and an apparent quantum yield of 4.89% at 380 nm was obtained in α-cellulose aqueous solution.

Solar photocatalytic H 2 production from lignocellulosic biomass has attracted great interest, but it suffers from low photocatalytic efficiency owing to the absence of highly efficient photocatalysts. Herein, we designed and constructed ultrathin MoS 2 -modified porous TiO 2 microspheres (MT) with abundant interface Ti-S bonds as photocatalysts for photocatalytic H 2 generation from lignocellulosic biomass. Owing to the accelerated charge transfer related to Ti-S bonds, as well as the abundant active sites for both H 2 and ● OH generation, respectively, related to the high exposed edge of MoS 2 and the large specific surface area of TiO 2 , MT photocatalysts demonstrate good performance in the photocatalytic conversion of α-cellulose and lignocellulosic biomass to H 2 . The highest H 2 generation rate of 849 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 and apparent quantum yield of 4.45% at 380 nm was achieved in α-cellulose aqueous solution for the optimized MT photocatalyst. More importantly, lignocellulosic biomass of corncob, rice hull, bamboo, polar wood chip, and wheat straw were successfully converted to H 2 over MT photocatalysts with H 2 generation rate of 10, 19, 36, 29, and 8 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 , respectively. This work provides a guiding design approach to develop highly active photocatalysts via interface engineering for solar H 2 production from lignocellulosic biomass.

Brachio-cervical inflammatory myopathy (BCIM) is a rare inflammatory myopathy characterized by dysphagia, bilateral upper limb atrophy, limb-girdle muscle weakness, and myositis-specific antibody (MSA) negativity. BCIM has a low incidence and is commonly associated with autoimmune diseases. We present a case report of a 55-year-old man with progressive upper limb weakness and atrophy, diagnosed with flail arm syndrome (FAS). The initial electromyography revealed extensive spontaneous muscle activity and increased duration of motor unit potentials (MUPs). During follow-up, evidence of myogenic damage was observed, as indicated by a decreased duration of MUPs in the right biceps muscle. Laboratory and genetic testing ruled out hereditary or acquired diseases. Negative serological antibodies for myasthenia gravis. Hereditary or acquired diseases were ruled out through laboratory and genetic testing. Whole-body muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed extensive edema and fat replacement in the bilateral upper limbs, scapular, and central axis muscles, while the lower extremities were relatively mildly affected. Muscle biopsy revealed numerous foci of inflammatory cells distributed throughout the muscle bundle, with predominant CD20, CD138, and CD68 expression, accompanied by a light infiltration of CD3 and CD4 expression. The muscle weakness improved with the combination of oral prednisone (initially 60 mg/day, tapered) and methotrexate (5 mg/week) treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sun, Wei, Han, Wang, Wang and Yu.)

Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation from N 2 provides an alternative strategy for ammonia (NH 3 ) production, but it was limited by the consumption of a sacrificial electron donor for the currently reported half-reaction system. Here, we use naturally abundant and renewable cellulose as the sacrificial reagent for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation over oxygen-vacancy-modified MoO 3 nanosheets as the photocatalyst. In this smartly designed photocatalytic system, the photooxidation of cellulose not only generates value-added chemicals but also provides electrons for the N 2 reduction reaction and results in the production of NH 3 with a maximum rate of 68 μmol·h -1 ·g -1 . Also, the oxygen vacancies provide efficient active sites for both cellulose oxygenolysis and nitrogen fixation reactions. This work represents useful inspiration for realizing nitrogen fixation coupled with the generation of value-added chemicals from N 2 and cellulose through a photocatalysis strategy.

Chronic heart failure(CHF) is a severe cardiovascular disease characterized by a complex pathogenesis involving myocardial structural and functional abnormalities and the activation of inflammatory responses. The NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome, acting as a sensor for inflammatory cells, plays a pivotal role in the development of CHF. Research indicates that the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome can induce inflammatory responses, leading to cardiac inflammation and impairing myocardial function, and it is correlated with the severity of CHF. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has garnered increasing attention as a traditional therapeutic approach in recent years. Various TCM drugs and treatment methods have exhibited potential efficacy in suppressing inflammatory responses, alleviating myocardial cell pyroptosis, improving myocardial structure and function, and inhibiting myocardial fibrosis. Several TCM drugs and their extracts have been utilized in CHF treatment, with mechanisms potentially involving the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes and the mitigation of inflammatory responses. The article provided an overview of the composition, structural characteristics, initiation, and activation modes of the NLRP3 inflammasome, its mechanisms in CHF, and the research progress of TCM in CHF treatment. It aims to offer references and foundations for a deeper understanding of CHF pathogenesis and subsequent development of new therapeutic strategies.

Background: The c-ETS-1 (ETS1) expression is high in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues; however, how it impacts ccRCC is currently unknown., Methods: The online STRING web source was used to construct a protein network interacting with ETS1. The Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to detect the cell viability. A clonogenic assay, a wound-healing assay, and a Transwell assay were used to detect cell proliferation, invasion and migration abilities. Western blot was used to detect the expression of proteins., Results: The data showed the expression of ETS1 in ccRCC tissues to be significantly increased compared to adjacent tissues (p<0.05). The positive expression of ETS1 in ccRCC patients aged 20-100 was statistically significant compared to adjacent normal tissues (p<0.05). The grade of ETS1 positive expression (1-4) and lymph node metastasis (N1) in ccRCC were significantly higher than those in adjacent normal tissues (p<0.05). The tumour stage (stages 1-4) in ccRCC patients with positive ETS1 expression was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues (p<0.05). Knockdown of ETS1 and PERK inhibitors significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC cells. Knockdown of ETS1 inhibited MMP-2 expression, and an extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) inhibitor inhibited both ETS1 and MMP-2 expression., Conclusion: A high expression of ETS1 is associated with the progression of ccRCC. This study suggests that ETS1 promotes proliferation by increasing MMP2 expression in ccRCC, and combined knockdown of ETS1 and inhibition of ERK can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC. ETS1 may be a therapeutic and prognostic target for renal cell carcinoma., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

This study investigated the mechanisms and targets of Shenfu Injection in the intervention in chronic heart failure(CHF) through the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)/caspase-1 signaling pathway. A CHF model was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol. Model rats were randomly divided into a model group, a Shenfu Injection group, and a MCC950(NLRP3 inhibitor) group, and a blank group was also set up as a control. After 15 days of treatment, echocardiography was performed to measure cardiac function parameters [left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS)]. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP), interleukin(IL)-1β, and IL-18. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Masson staining were used to observe morphological changes in myocardial tissues, and Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway-related proteins [NLRP3, caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), gasdermin D(GSDMD), IL-1β, and IL-18]. The study found that isoproterenol-induced CHF in rats resulted in decreased cardiac function, worsened myocardial fibrosis, increased expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18 in myocardial tissues, elevated serum inflammatory factors, and induced myocardial cell pyroptosis. Following Shenfu Injection intervention, the Shenfu Injection group showed significantly improved LVEF and LVFS, a significant decrease in NT-proBNP, a marked downregulation of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18 protein expression levels, reduced serum inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 expression in CHF rats, and a decrease in the rate of TUNEL-positive cells. Shenfu Injection can significantly improve cardiac function in CHF, inhibit myocardial fibrosis, and alleviate the progression of myocardial cell pyroptosis through the inhibition of the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism and target sites of Shenfu Injection in the intervention of chronic heart fai-lure based on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR autophagy signaling pathway. The chronic heart failure model was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol. The model rats were randomly divided into model group, Shenfu Injection group, and 3-methyladenine autophagy inhibitor(3-MA) group. A normal group was also set up. After 15 days of administration, cardiac function indexes of the rats were detected by echocardiography. The serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) levels were measured using the ELISA. HE and Masson staining was performed to observe the morphological changes in myocardial tissues, and electron microscopy was used to observe the autophagosomes in myocardial tissues. Western blot was conducted to measure the changes in autophagy-related proteins(LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ and p62), PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and phosphorylation levels. The results showed that compared with normal group, model group in rats led to reduced cardiac function, significant activation of cardiac autophagy, increased fibrotic lesions in myocardial tissues, structural disorder of the myocardium, increased autophagosomes, and cytoplasmic vacuolization. Compared with model group, Shenfu Injection group in rats led to cardiac function significantly improved, myocardial fibrosis decreased, and the number of autophagosomes and cytoplasmic vacuolization decreased. The phosphorylation levels of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR were significantly increased(P&lt;0.01). In the 3-MA group, autophagy was inhibited through the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, resulting in improved cardiac function, reduced myocardial fibrosis, and no significant cytoplasmic vacuolization. The findings suggest that Shenfu Injection can activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and inhibit autophagy, thereby improving cardiac function.

This study aims to investigate the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure based on ferroptosis-mediated oxidative stress and predict the targets of Shenfu Injection in treating chronic heart failure. A rat model of chronic heart failure was established by the isoproterenol induction method. According to the random number table method, the modeled rats were assigned into three groups: a model group, a Shenfu Injection group, and a ferrostatin-1(ferroptosis inhibitor) group. In addition, a normal group was designed. After 15 days of intervention, the cardiac mass index and left ventricular mass index were determined. Echocardiography was employed to eva-luate the cardiac function. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining were employed to reveal the pathological changes and fibrosis of the heart, and Prussian blue staining to detect the aggregation of iron ions in the myocardial tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe the mitochondrion ultrastructure in the myocardial tissue. Colorimetry was adopted to measure the levels of iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant indicators. Flow cytometry was employed to measure the content of lipid-reactive oxygen species(ROS) and the fluorescence intensity of ROS. Western blot and RT-qPCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of ferroptosis-related factors in the myocardial tissue. The results showed that the rats in the model group had reduced cardiac function, elevated levels of total iron and Fe~(2+), lowered level of glutathione(GSH), increased malondialdehyde(MDA), decreased superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), and rising levels of ROS and lipid-ROS. In addition, the model group showed fibrous tissue hyperplasia with inflammatory cell infiltration and myocardial fibrosis, iron ion aggregation, and characteristic mitochondrial changes specific for iron death. Moreover, the model group showcased upregulated protein and mRNA levels of p53 and COX2 and downregulated protein and mRNA levels of GPX4, FTH1, SLC7A11, and Nrf2 in the myocardial tissue. The intervention with Shenfu Injection significantly improved the cardiac function, recovered the iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant indicators, decreased iron deposition, improved mitochondrial structure and function, and alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. Furthermore, Shenfu Injection downregulated the mRNA and protein levels of p53 and COX2 and upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of GPX4, FTH1, SLC7A11, and Nrf2 in the myocardial tissue. Shenfu Injection can improve the cardiac function by regulating iron metabolism, inhibiting ferroptosis, and reducing oxidative stress injury.

The study aimed to explore the mechanism and targets of Shenfu Injection in the regulation of inflammatory injury in chronic heart failure rats based on the high mobility group box-1/Toll like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B(HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB) signaling pathway. The rat model of chronic heart failure was established using isoproterenol. The modeled rats were divided into three groups by random number table: the model group, Shenfu group and glycopyrrolate group, and the normal group was also set. The rats were administrated for 15 consecutive days, and on the following day after the last administration, they were sacrificed for sample collection. The cardiac mass index and left ventricular mass index of the rats in each group were measured, and the echocardiogram was used to analyze the cardiac function indices, and ELISA to test the inflammatory indices in rat serum. The pathological morphology and fibrosis status of rat heart tissues were observed by HE staining and Masson staining, respectively. The content of HMGB1 was determined by immunofluorescence staining. The protein and mRNA expression of HMGB1/TLR4/TLR4 signaling pathway was detected by Western blot and RT-qPCR, respectively. The results showed that the chronic heart failure rat model was successfully prepared. The rats in the model group had reduced cardiac function, increased levels of HMGB1 and inflammatory factors(P&lt;0.05), and elevated protein and mRNA expression of HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB P65 in myocardial tissue(P&lt;0.05), with fibrous connective tissue hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration and severe fibrosis. Shenfu Injection improved cardiac function, decreased the levels of HMGB1 and inflammatory factors(P&lt;0.05) and the protein and mRNA expression of HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB P65 in myocardial tissue(P&lt;0.05), ameliorated interstitial fibrous connective tissue hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduced fibrosis. In conclusion, Shenfu Injection can reduce inflammatory damage and improve cardiac function in chronic heart failure rats by regulating the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Aim: To study the braking effectiveness of artesunate on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in vitro ., Methods: The fostered ARPE-19 cells were processed with artesunate alone or combined with the TGF-β2. The CCK-8 examination was utilized to test the cell propagation. Cell migration was detected by scratch as well as the Transwell examination. The EMT characters and activation of PI3K/Akt signal channel were estimated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The Western blotting was utilized in order to confirm the vitreous of controls as well as patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) were collected and the levels of PI3K, phospho-PI3K, Akt., Results: Disposal of ARPE-19 cells with artesunate (50-150 µmol/L) obviously suppressed their propagation and immigration, which dependent on the concentration and time. Artesunate suppressed the EMT which was induced by TGF-β2 in ARPE-19 cells through sustaining the expression of vimentin and α-SMA through the suppression of PI3K, phospho-PI3K, phospho-Akt and Akt. Levels of PI3K, phospho-PI3K, AKT and phospho-Akt was increased in the vitreous in PVR ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Such findings indicate that PI3K/Akt signal channel is highly activated in vitreous of PVR. Artesuante is an operative depressor of the propagation, immigration and TGF-β2-mediated EMT of ARPE-19 cells by reduced the expression of PI3K/Akt channel., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of continuous exercise training (CT) and high-intensity interval exercise training (HIIT) on liver lipid metabolism and the correlation of the level of fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21) in serum and liver tissues. Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal diet group (N) and obesity model group (H) after 1 week of adaptive feeding. Rats in the obesity model group were fed with 45% high-fat diet for about 8 weeks, and 20% weight increase compared with normal rats was considered as obesity. The rats were divided into normal diet control group (LC), normal diet HIIT group (LHI), normal diet CT group (LCT), High fat diet-induced obese control group (OC), obese HIIT group (OHI), and obese CT group (OCT) ( n =10). Exercised rats were given weight-bearing swimming training intervention for 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected at least 24h after the last exercise intervention to detect the serum levels of inflammatory factors and FGF21. Liver tissue samples were collected to detect the lipid content, lipid metabolic enzyme content and FGF21 expression level. Results: Compared with LC group, the body weight, serum inflammatory factors levels and hepatic triglyceride content were increased significantly ( P ＜0.05). Hepatic triglyceride content was downregulated in LHI group and FGF21 expression level was enhanced in LCT group ( P ＜0.05). Compared with OC group, the body weight and hepatic triglyceride content were decreased significantly ( P ＜0.05), mitochondrial CPT-1β and β-HAD enzyme contents in liver were increased significantly ( P ＜0.05) in OHI group, the contents of LPL and FAT/CD36 enzyme in liver and the levels of FGF21 in serum and liver of OCT group were increased significantly ( P ＜0.05). Conclusion: Both exercise modes can reduce the body weight in normal and obese rats, and lipid deposition in the liver of obese rats. HIIT has a more significant effect on alleviating liver lipid deposition in obese rats by upregulating mitochondrial lipid oxidation level in normal and obese rats. CT improves the levels of FGF21 in serum and liver tissues of normal and obese rats, enhances enzyme contents that involved in fatty acids uptake to the liver, which has limited effect on alleviating lipid deposition in liver of obese rats.

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of diseases owing to its holistic view and more than 2 000 years of experience in the clinical use of natural medicine. The &quot;holistic&quot; characteristic of TCM gives birth to a new generation of research paradigm featuring &quot;network&quot; and &quot;system&quot;, which has been developing rapidly in the era of biomedical big data and artificial intelligence. Network pharmacology, a representative research field, provides new ideas and methods for the research of the interdiscipline of artificial intelligence and medicine, the analysis of massive biomedical data, and the transformation from data to knowledge. TCM plays an important role in proposing the core theory of &quot;network target&quot; and promoting the establishment and development of network pharmacology, and has taken the lead in formulating the first international standard of network pharmacology--Network Pharmacology Evaluation Method Guidance. In terms of theory, network target can systematically link drugs and diseases and quantitatively interpret the overall regulatory mechanism of drugs. In the aspect of method, network pharmacology is developing towards a research model that combines computational, experimental, and clinical approaches. This review introduces the resent important progress of TCM network pharmacology in predicting drug targets, understanding the biological basis of drugs and diseases, and searching for disease and syndrome biomarkers. Under the guidance of Network Pharmacology Evaluation Method Guidance, the development of network pharmacology is expected to become more and more standardized and healthy. Network target will help produce more high-quality research outcomes in TCM and effectively boost the modernization and internationalization of TCM.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the main cause of retinal detachment surgery failure. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by transforming growth factor (TGF-β2) plays an important role in the development of PVR. Artesunate has been widely studied as a treatment for ophthalmic diseases because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and antiproliferative properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of artesunate on the TGF-β2-induced EMT in ARPE-19 cells and PVR development. We found that artesunate inhibited the proliferation and contraction of ARPE-19 cells after the EMT and the autocrine effects of TGF-β2 on ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, the levels of Smad3 and p-Smad3 were increased in clinical samples, and artesunate decreased the levels of Smad3 and p-Smad3 in ARPE-19 cells treated with TGF-β2. Artesunate also inhibited the occurrence and development of PVR in vivo. In summary, artesunate inhibits the occurrence and development of PVR by inhibiting the EMT in ARPE-19 cells., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hypertension, a cardiovascular disease with main clinical manifestations of dizziness and elevated blood pressure, especially elevated arterial pressure, features high prevalence rate and low control rate, which affects patients' quality of life. Therefore, establishing a good animal model of hypertension is of great significance for its diagnosis and clinical prevention and treatment. Based on the clinical characteristics of hypertension in traditional Chinese and western medicine, this study summarized the advantages and disadvantages of current hypertension animal models: gene-related model, surgery-caused model, drug-induced model, and environment-induced model, and investigated the similarity to the clinical symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Among them, spontaneously hypertensive rats, models established with the surgical two-kidney one-clip, one-kidney one-clip, two-kidney two-clip, and abdominal aorta constriction methods, models induced with the drug deoxycorticosterone acetate, and models induced with the high-fat high-purine diet showed symptoms highly similar to the clinical manifestations. Then, the corresponding evaluation and improvement methods of hypertension animal models were proposed. This study provides suggestions for the establishment of hypertension animal model so that the symptoms are more similar to the clinical characteristics of hypertension in traditional Chinese and Western medicine, which is important for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

The primary hydrogen (H) source for all organic compounds in the biosphere is from water, and then participates in biogeochemical cycles through photosynthesis and plant physiological metabolism. As a new proxy of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment, stable hydrogen isotope ratios in wood lignin methoxyl groups (δ 2 H LM ) show great advantages in the studies of paleoclimatic change and have been used to reconstruct precipitation stable hydrogen isotope ratios and paleoclimate signals in many regions. Based on the lignin application mechanism and analysis method of δ 2 H LM , we evaluated the stability and effectiveness of δ 2 H LM -measurement method from lignin content and lignin monomer composition, and expounded the tree lignin methoxyl groups' stable isotope proxies of current research outcomes. In the middle latitudes, the tree-ring δ 2 H LM had great potential in recording temperature signals and precipitation stable hydrogen isotope ratios. However, the study of tree-ring δ 2 H LM was still in its infancy as evidenced by following reasons: 1) The study area was limited to the middle latitude of the northern hemisphere, and the study subjects were limited to conifer species; 2) To compensate for the limitation of hydrogen isotopic records of nitrocellulose, high resolution tree-ring δ 2 H LM would be studied; 3) The potential of tree-ring δ 2 H LM utilization in plant physiology and forest ecology remained to be exploited.

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group accompanied by obvious pontocerebellar limitations. This condition is complex both genetically and phenotypically, making it difficult to describe all the variants simultaneously. Herein, we report a proband from a Chinese mainland family who was admitted to our hospital with paroxysmal limbs jitter and head-shaking. She had experienced broad-based gait, dysarthria, dysmetria, and tremor for about 20 years. Similar clinical symptoms were observed in the daughter, sister and deceased father of this proband. Magnetic resonance imaging showed varying degrees of cerebellar atrophy. The results of whole-exome sequencing (WES) indicated that the three affected members carried the c.590G>A mutation in the CCDC88C gene. Based on the diagnosis of SCA40, this proband was treated with aggressive management. Unfortunately, the proband died of suffocation due to laryngeal oedema. Paroxysmal limbs jitter may be a rare phenotype of SCA40 and may occur as a result of involuntary motion which should be differentiated from chorea and epilepsy. In patients with SCA40, pontocerebellar atrophy occurs to varying degrees. Even in the same family, the multiple patients diagnosed did not all exhibit pontocerebellar atrophy. Furthermore, WES is indispensable for the identification of some atypical phenotypes of SCA40.

Sarcotubular myopathy (STM) is a rare autosomal recessive myopathy caused by TRIM32 gene mutations. It is predominantly characterized by the weakness of the proximal limb and mild to moderate elevation of creatine kinase (CK) levels. In this study, we describe a 50-year-old Chinese man who exhibited a proximal-to-distal weakness in the muscles of the lower limbs and who had difficulty standing up from a squat position. The symptoms gradually became more severe. He denied a history of cognitive or cardiological problems. The patient's parents and children were healthy. Histopathological examination revealed dystrophic changes and irregular slit-shaped vacuoles containing amorphous materials. Whole-exome sequencing consisting of protein-encoding regions of 19,396 genes was performed, the results of which identified one novel homozygous 2kb deletion chr9.hg19: g.119460021&#95;119461983del (exon2) in the TRIM32 gene. This was confirmed at the homozygous state with quantitative real-time PCR. Here, we present a Chinese case of STM with one novel mutation in TRIM32 and provide a brief summary of all known pathogenic mutations in TRIM32.

To study the material basis and mechanism of volatile oil from Alpinia oxyphylla in treating Alzheimer's disease(AD) based on GC-MS and network pharmacology. Ingredients of volatile oil from A.oxyphylla were analyzed by GC-MS. Targets of those ingredients were obtained through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). Relevant targets of AD were obtained through such databases as DrugBank, STITCH, OMIM. Intersection targets of ingredients and diseases were obtained by Online Venny map, and PPI network was established by STRING to screen out core targets. Gene ontology(GO) functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed by DAVID. The &quot;ingredients-target-pathway&quot; network was constructed by software Cytoscape 3.8.1 to screen out potential active ingredients of volatile oil from A.oxyphylla in the treatment of AD. The results showed that a total of 6 active ingredients were screened from the volatile oil of A.oxyphylla by GC-MS, 17 targets corresponding to 6 active ingredients were found in TCMSP database, and 3 448 AD targets were found in DrugBank database. &quot;Ingredients-target-pathway&quot; network and PPI network showed there were 4 potential active ingredients in the treatment of AD and 4 core targets. GO analysis and KEGG analysis showed 34(P&lt;0.05) and 5(P&lt;0.05) pathways, respectively, including nerve ligand receptor interaction, calcium signaling pathway, cholinergic synapse and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic synapse. This suggested that volatile oil from A.oxyphylla could synergistically treat AD by regulating calcium balance, cholinergic balance and phosphorylation. This study provided reference and guidance for further study of volatile oil from A.oxyphylla in the treatment of AD.

Deoxymikanolide (DEO) was isolated from Mikania micrantha Bunge and identified as a novel antibacterial compound previously. However, the mode of antimicrobial mechanism of DEO was not clear but hypothesized to affect the morphology and physiology of Ralstonia solanacearum cells. In this study, we confirmed our hypothesis via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation and comprehensive physiological analyses, including electric conductivity, glycan and phosphorus metabolism, activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase), intrabacterial reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. We found that glycan and phosphorus metabolism, electric conductivity, intracellular ROS and MDA levels of R. solanacearum cells were significantly increased, while the activities of three antioxidant enzymes were significantly inhibited by DEO treatment. Moreover, TEM analysis showed that DEO treatment led to an early-stage of cell shrinkage, intermediate-stages of cytoplasmic damage, and a final-stage of cell disruption. Altogether, our data presented here indicate that DEO could adversely affect the physiology and morphology of R. solanacearum cells and be treated as an alternative antibacterial treatment in the future., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a precious treasure of the Chinese nation and has unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of diseases. The holistic view of TCM coincides with the new generation of medical research paradigm characterized by network and system. TCM gave birth to a new method featuring holistic and systematic "network target", a core theory and method of network pharmacology. TCM is also an important research object of network pharmacology. TCM network pharmacology, which aims to understand the network-based biological basis of complex diseases, TCM syndromes and herb treatments, plays a critical role in the origin and development process of network pharmacology. This review introduces new progresses of TCM network pharmacology in recent years, including predicting herb targets, understanding biological foundation of diseases and syndromes, network regulation mechanisms of herbal formulae, and identifying disease and syndrome biomarkers based on biological network. These studies show a trend of combining computational, experimental and clinical approaches, which is a promising direction of TCM network pharmacology research in the future. Considering that TCM network pharmacology is still a young research field, it is necessary to further standardize the research process and evaluation indicators to promote its healthy development., (Copyright © 2021 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are inflammatory demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system; they are characterized by severe optic neuritis and transverse myelitis. Intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) therapy is an effective treatment that is administered to patients in the acute phase of NMOSD; this therapy has achieved remarkable results in clinical practice. However, there are no reports on NMOSD patients who have experienced an acute bilateral cerebral infarction while undergoing IVMP treatment., Patient Concerns: We report on a 62-yr-old woman who was undergoing IVMP therapy for the primary diagnosis of NMOSD. Unexpectedly, the patient's existing limb weakness worsened, and she developed motor aphasia on the second day of IVMP treatment. Additionally, brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed acute bilateral cerebral infarction., Diagnosis: The patient's clinical manifestations, medical imaging results, and laboratory test results were taken into consideration; the final diagnosis was acute bilateral cerebral infarction in the presence of NMOSD., Interventions: Subsequent to the onset of acute cerebral infarction, the patient was immediately treated with oral aspirin, atorvastatin, and intravenous butylphthalide. The hormone dose was adjusted to an oral 60-mg/d dose for maintenance; this was followed by immunoadsorption plasmapheresis for 3 days, and double-filtration plasmapheresis for 2 days., Outcomes: Following treatment onset, the patient's ocular symptoms significantly improved, and her limb muscle strength gradually recovered. Two months after discharge, the patient's husband reported that she was able to walk with the help of others and take care of herself, and that there was no recurrence., Lessons: Medical professionals must be aware of the possibility of NMOSD patients with cerebrovascular risk factors suffering an acute cerebral infarction while undergoing high-dose IVMP therapy, as this therapy can exacerbate existing problems.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized by localized eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in cells of the nervous system and internal organs. This disorder is frequently missed or misdiagnosed, as there is significant heterogeneity of its clinical presentation. Recently, genetic sequencing has revealed complex links between neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, potentially explaining the diversity of clinical manifestations. Herein, we describe the case of a 68-year-old male Chinese patient who was initially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease based on classic symptomatology and ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy results and was subsequently treated with oral methyldopa for 3 years. He developed a paroxysmal tic before he presented to our hospital for treatment after a convulsive seizure. Brain magnetic resonance imaging identified signal hyperintensity at the corticomedullary junction on diffusion-weighted imaging. Skin biopsy results and genetic testing confirmed a revised diagnosis of neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease. This report highlights that patients clinically diagnosed with Parkinson's disease may actually be in the early stages of neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease, suggesting that patients with suspected Parkinson's disease should also be screened for this disease.

Background: We aimed to examine the risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 among adults with ASK from unilateral nephrectomy., Methods: We retrospectively collected data from adult patients with ASK between January, 2009 and January, 2019, identified from a tertiary hospital in China. The clinical data were compared between patients who developed CKD stage 3 and those who did not develop CKD stage 3 during follow-up., Results: In total, 172 patients with ASK (110 men; median 58.0 years) were enrolled, with a median follow-up duration of 5.0 years. During follow-up, 91 (52.9%) and 24 (14.0%) patients developed CKD stage 3 and end-stage renal disease, respectively. Multiple regression analyses showed that age (odds ratio [OR] 1.076, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.039-1.115, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR 4.401, 95% CI 1.693-11.44, p = 0.002), hyperuricemia (OR 2.733, 95% CI 1.104-6.764, p = 0.03), a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (OR 5.583, 95% CI 1.884-18.068, p = 0.002), and ASK due to renal tuberculosis (OR 8.816, 95% CI 2.92-26.62, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for developing CKD stage 3 among patients with ASK., Conclusions: Regular follow-up of renal function is needed among adult patients with ASK. Optimal management of diabetes, hyperuricemia, and CVD may reduce their risk of CKD stage 3, especially among those that undergo unilateral nephrectomy for renal tuberculosis.

Objective: Dermoscopy is a useful technique for improving the diagnostic accuracy of various types of skin disorders. In China, dermoscopy has been widely accepted, and domestic researchers have made tremendous progress in the field of dermoscopy. The main purpose of this review is to summarize the current status of dermoscopy in China and identify its future directions., Data Sources: Articles included in this review were obtained by searching the following databases: Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, and the Web of Science. We focused on research published before 2019 with keywords including dermoscopy, dermoscopic, dermoscope and trichoscopy., Study Selection: A total of 50 studies were selected. Of these studies, 20 studies were in Chinese and 30 in English, research samples of all the studies were collected from Chinese populations., Results: Since 2000, more than 380 articles about dermoscopy have been published in domestic or foreign journals. Dermoscopy can improve the diagnostic accuracy of neoplastic diseases, evaluating the therapeutic effect of treatment, and determining the treatment endpoint, and it can also assist in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory diseases and in the assessment of the severity of the disease. In addition, researches about the applications of dermoscopy during surgical treatment have been published. Training courses aiming to improve the diagnostic ability of dermatologists, either face-to-face or online, have been offered. The Chinese Skin Image Database, launched in 2017 as a work platform for dermatologists, has promoted the development of dermoscopy in China. Computer-aided diagnostic systems based on the Chinese population are ready for use. In the future, cooperation, resource sharing, talent development, image management, and computer-aided diagnosis will be important directions for the development of dermoscopy in China., Conclusion: Dermoscopy has been widely used and developed in China, however, it still needs to address more challenges in the future.

The changes of urban surface landscape will lead to damage, fragmentation, and losses of biodiversity, resulting in urban biodiversity decline. In order to explore the responses of urban plant diversity to the changes of landscape pattern, we chose the urban area surrounded by round-city highway as research object, set 36 plots in different directions with the Gupeng Square as the center, investigated the plant group in each of the plots through coverage rank method of Braun-Blanquet, and examined the features of plant species diversity in Xuzhou's greenlands. Meanwhile, we divided the landscape of the research area into seven categories: buildings, grasslands, forest lands, waste lands, water areas, roads and farmlands with the help of Erdas, GIS software and Landsat TM remote sensing images from 2005 to 2015 as basic data source. The features of landscape pattern in the research area were analyzed by Fragstats software. We set nine different buffer districts within each of the sample plot by applying the space analyzing function of GIS, calculated 39 landscape pattern metrics using Fragstats, and explored the features of how plant diversity responsed to landscape pattern. After that, the landscape pattern metrics with significant influence on the plant diversity of urban greenlands under different extents were selected by redundant analysis (RDA). The results showed that the plant diversity had obvious temporal and spatial scale effects in responses to landscape pattern and landscape elements. In 2005, the patch area and shape metrics of unused land and farmland could better explain plant diversity in 800 m buffer zone. The patch fragmentation and connectivity metrics of construction land had significant impacts on plant diversity within the extent of 800-2000 m. In 2015, grassland and forest landscapes better explained plant diversity in the 800 m buffer zone while construction sites and unused land had a remarkable impact on plant diversity in the extent of 1000-2000 m. The current plant diversity was more strongly influenced by the 2005 landscape type metrics, indicating that the plant diversity lagged in its response to the changes of landscape pattern. The pattern metrics of landscape level were more consistent with the landscape-class level metrics, indicating that the interaction between species and spatial scale was more dependent on the landscape type. This study would provide effective decision-making information for Xuzhou City planning and construction as well as effective protection of urban green space biodiversity.

Centimeter-scale WS 2 ultrathin films were synthesized on sapphire substrates, and they showed highly oriented crystallographic growth along the c axis. Afterwards, the as-grown samples were systematically characterized using various detection methods. Reliable values of the roughness layer thickness and the film thickness were extracted using both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), and identified using Raman spectroscopy as well. The expansion and tensile strain along the [001] direction were discovered using X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Accurate dielectric functions of WS 2 films were derived from the point-by-point fitting results. The critical points (CPs) of WS 2 , which have not been reported so far, are precisely extracted from the standard critical point (SCP) model. Their origins are uniquely assigned to different interband electronic transitions in the Brillouin zone, including some novel optical structures above 3 eV, which were not investigated in earlier studies. In this work, it is found that dielectric functions are thickness-dependent, while CPs have an opposite nature, and their intrinsic mechanisms are revealed. The as-obtained results can be expected to help people develop more extensive applications of WS 2 .

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a kind of environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) that interfere embryo implantation. Trophoblast invasion plays a crucial role during embryo implantation. In this study, the effects of BPA on invasion ability of human trophoblastic cell line BeWo and its possible mechanism were investigated. BeWo cells were exposed to BPA and co-cultured with human endometrial cells to mimic embryo implantation in transwell model. The proliferation and invasion capability of BeWo cells were detected. The expression of E-cadherin, DNMT1, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were also analyzed. The results showed that the invasion capability of BeWo was reduced after daily exposure to BPA. BPA had biphasic effect on E-cadherin expression level in BeWo cells and expression level of DNMT1 was decreased when treated with BPA. Moreover, BPA treatment also changed the balance of MMPs/TIMPs in BeWo cells by down-regulating MMP-2, MMP-9 and up-regulating TIMP-1, TIMP-2 with increasing BPA concentration. Taken together, these results showed that BPA treatment could reduce the invasion ability of BeWo cells and alter the expression level of E-cadherin, DNMT1, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Our study would help us to understand the possible mechanism of BPA effect on invasion ability of human trophoblastic cell line BeWo.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of promestriene capsule used in the treatment of postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis., Methods: Fifty-three women at age of 45 - 75 years (more than one year history of menopause) diagnosed with postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis were enrolled in self-control study. They all had typicalsymptoms of postmenopausal vaginitis. Promestriene was given by continuous therapy for 20 days, then maintenance therapy for for 8 weeks (1 pill two times per week used). The level of follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E(2)) in serum was and thickness of endometrium were detected before and after treatment. The routine biochemical test was used as index to monitoring the safety. The vaginal mature index (VMI), the atrophic vaginitis evaluating score and vaginal healthy evaluating score were evaluated for therapeutic effect. In the mean time, adverse effect was recorded., Results: (1) SAFETY: during promestriene treatment, no case with adverse effect was observed. Before treatment, the mean level of FSH and E(2) was (71 +/- 3) U/L and (41 +/- 18) pmol/L, the mean thickness of endometrium was (2.4 +/- 0.9) mm. After treatment, the mean level of FSH and E(2) was (67 +/- 22) U/L and (43 +/- 37) pmol/L, the mean thickness of endometrium was (2.5 +/- 1.3) mm. No significant difference was observed (P > 0.05). (2) Therapeutic effect: VMI were 42 +/- 15 before and 54 +/- 8 after treatment. The atrophic vaginitis evaluating score were 3.4 +/- 1.7 before and 1.5 +/- 1.4 after treatment. Vaginal healthy evaluating score were 7.8 +/- 2.4 before and 12.0 +/- 2.4 after treatment. They all showed significant difference (P < 0.01). (3) Adverse effect: six cases with vaginal bleeding, 3 cases with breast nodules and 1 case with cervical polyp was observed, however, it was uncertain whether those events were associated with promestriene use., Conclusion: The premestriene capsule was safe and effective in the treatment of postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis.