Initiating PeriCBD to probe perinatal influences on neurodevelopment during 3-10 years in China.

Adverse perinatal factors can interfere with the normal development of the brain, potentially resulting in long-term effects on the comprehensive development of children. Presently, the understanding of cognitive and neurodevelopmental processes under conditions of adverse perinatal factors is substantially limited. There is a critical need for an open resource that integrates various perinatal factors with the development of the brain and mental health to facilitate a deeper understanding of these developmental trajectories. In this Data Descriptor, we introduce a multicenter database containing information on perinatal factors that can potentially influence children's brain-mind development, namely, periCBD, that combines neuroimaging and behavioural phenotypes with perinatal factors at county/region/central district hospitals. PeriCBD was designed to establish a platform for the investigation of individual differences in brain-mind development associated with perinatal factors among children aged 3-10 years. Ultimately, our goal is to help understand how different adverse perinatal factors specifically impact cognitive development and neurodevelopment. Herein, we provide a systematic overview of the data acquisition/cleaning/quality control/sharing, processes of periCBD.

Effect of vanadium and tungsten loading order on the denitration performance of F-doped V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts.

F-doped V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst has been confirmed to have excellent denitration activity at low temperatures. Since the V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst is a structure-sensitive catalyst, the loading order of V2O5 and WO3 may affect its denitration performance. In this paper, a series of F-doped V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalysts with different V2O5 and WO3 loading orders were synthesized to investigate the effect of denitration performance at low temperatures. It was found that the loading orders led to significant gaps in denitration performance in the range of 120-240 °C. The results indicated loading WO3 first better utilized the oxygen vacancies on the TiF carrier promoting the generation of reduced vanadium species. In addition, loading WO3 first facilitated the dispersion of V2O5 thus enhanced the NH3 adsorption capacity of VWTiF. In situ DRIFT verified the rapid reaction between NO2, nitrate, and nitrite species and adsorbed NH3 over the VWTiF, confirming that the NH3 selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) reaction over VWTiF at 240 °C proceeded by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism. This research established the constitutive relationship between the loading order of V2O5 and WO3 and the denitration performance of the F-doped VWTi catalyst providing insights into the catalyst design process.

Serum Pharmacochemistry Combined with Network Pharmacology-Based Mechanism Prediction and Pharmacological Validation of Zhenwu Decoction on Alleviating Isoprenaline-Induced Heart Failure Injury in Rats.

Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) is a famous classical formula in the treatment of heart failure (HF) with significant clinical effects. Owing to the complex material basis of ZWD, it is challenging to elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and pharmacological mechanisms of ZWD against HF. Therefore, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry method was used to profile the chemical components and the absorbed prototype constituents in ISO-induced HF rat serum after oral administration of ZWD, and 33 out of 115 compounds were identified. In the in vivo study, ZWD could improve cardiac function and reduce the content of serum biochemical indexes, which are heart failure markers. With the help of network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation analysis, 112 ZWD targets oriented by HF were obtained, with STAT3, TNF, AKT1, VEGFA, and ALB as the core targets. Furthermore, we found that paeoniflorin and its derivatives may play a bigger role than other serum migrant components. Enriched pathway analysis yielded multiple HF-related signaling pathways, which indicated that ZWD may attenuate HF through the effect of PI3K-Akt, and MAPK pathways by regulating key targets such as STAT3, TNF, and AKT1. Finally, STAT3/MAPK pathways were experimentally validated in the anti-HF effect of ZWD. The phosphorylation levels of p38, JNK, ERK, and STAT3 were significantly increased in the ISO group and reversed by ZWD intervention. The results provided a reasonable strategy for the rapid screening of bioactive components in ZWD and a reference for quality control and further mechanism study of ZWD.

Piper nigrum Extract Inhibits the Growth of Human Colorectal Cancer HT-29 Cells by Inducing p53-Mediated Apoptosis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignancy of the digestive tract with the second highest mortality rate globally. Piper nigrum is a widely used traditional medicinal plant, exhibiting antitumor activity against various tumor cells. At present, research on the effect of Piper nigrum on CRC is limited to in vitro cytotoxicity, lacking comprehensive mechanism investigations. This study aimed to explore the inhibitory effect and mechanism of Piper nigrum extract (PNE) on HT-29 cells. Firstly, we identified the chemical components of PNE. Then, MTT assay, colony formation assay, JC-1 staining, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effect of PNE on HT-29 cells in vitro. A xenograft model, histopathological examination, immunohistochemistry, and western blot were used to evaluate the tumor growth inhibitory activity and mechanism of PNE in vivo. The results indicated that PNE could inhibit cell proliferation and colony formation, reduce mitochondrial membrane potential, induce cell apoptosis in vitro, and inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, PNE could regulate p53 and its downstream proteins, and subsequently activate the caspase-3 pathway. In summary, PNE probably induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells through the mitochondrial pathway mediated by p53. All these results suggested that PNE might be a potential natural-origin anti-CRC drug candidate.

Beauvericin exerts an anti-tumor effect on hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing PI3K/AKT-mediated apoptosis.

Beauvericin is a world-spread mycotoxin isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine, Bombyx batryticatus (BB), which has been widely used to treat various neoplastic diseases. This study investigated the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) activity of beauvericin and its potential mechanism. In this study, H22-bearing mice were intraperitoneally injected with 3, 5, 7 mg/kg of beauvericin once per-week over a three-week period. TUNEL staining determined the extent of tumor apoptosis induced by beauvericin. ELISA kits detected the level of IL-2, Perforin, and TNF-α, IFN-γ level in the serum. H22 hepatoma cells were exposed to beauvericin (5, 10, and 20 µmol/L) to investigate the underlying pathway. CCK-8 assay was used to observe the influence of beauvericin on the growth of H22 cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis and ROS level. Western blotting was performed to detect apoptotic and PI3K/AKT pathway protein production. The results showed that beauvericin could remarkably inhibit the growth of HCC in mice, combined with elevated TNF-α and IL-2. In vitro, beauvericin significantly promoted the generation of ROS, up-regulated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3 levels, down-regulated p-PI3K/PI3K ratio, p-AKT/AKT ratio, promoted the apoptosis of H22 cells, and inhibited the growth of H22 cells. Remarkably, treatment with PI3K/AKT activator (740Y-P and SC79) could prevent beauvericin-induced H22 cell apoptosis. These findings collectively indicate that beauvericin inhibits HCC growth by inducing apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the trihelix transcription factor family in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under abiotic stress.

BACKGROUND: The plant trihelix gene family is among the earliest discovered transcription factor families, and it is vital in modulating light, plant growth, and stress responses. METHODS: The identification and characterization of trihelix family members in the sesame genome were analyzed by bioinformatics methods, and the expression patterns of sesame trihelix genes were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: There were 34 trihelix genes discovered in the genome of sesame, which were irregularly distributed among 10 linkage groups. Also, the genome contained 5 duplicate gene pairs. The 34 trihelix genes were divided into six sub-families through a phylogenetic study. A tissue-specific expression revealed that SiTH genes exhibited spatial expression patterns distinct from other trihelix genes in the same subfamily. The cis-element showed that the SiTHs gene promoter contained various elements associated with responses to hormones and multiple abiotic stresses. Additionally, the expression patterns of 8 SiTH genes in leaves under abiotic stresses demonstrated that all selected genes were significantly upregulated or downregulated at least once in the stress period. Furthermore, the SiTH4 gene was significantly induced in response to drought and salt stress, showing that SiTH genes may be engaged in the stress response mechanisms of sesame. CONCLUSION: These findings establish a foundation for further investigation of the trihelix gene-mediated response to abiotic stress in sesame.

In Vivo Evaluation of Self-assembled nano-Saikosaponin-a for Epilepsy Treatment.

Saikosaponin-a (SSa) exhibits antiepileptic effects. However, its poor water solubility and inability to pass through the blood-brain barrier greatly limit its clinical development and application. In this study, SSa-loaded Methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (MePEG-SSa-PCL) NPs were successfully prepared and characterized. Our objective was to further investigate the effect of this composite on acute seizure in mice. First, we confirmed the particle size and surface potential of the composite (51.00 ± 0.25 nm and - 33.77 ± 2.04 mV, respectively). Further, we compared the effects of various MePEG-SSa-PCL doses (low, medium, and high) with those of free SSa, valproic acid (VPA - positive control), and saline only (model group) on acute seizure using three different acute epilepsy mouse models. We observed that compared with the model group, the three MePEG-SSa-PCL treatments showed significantly lowered seizure frequency in mice belonging to the maximum electroconvulsive model group. In the pentylenetetrazol and kainic acid (KA) acute epilepsy models, MePEG-SSa-PCL increased both clonic and convulsion latency periods and shortened convulsion duration more effectively than equivalent SSa-only doses. Furthermore, hematoxylin-eosin and Nissl staining revealed considerably less neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA3 area of KA mice in the SSa, VPA, and three MePEG-SSa-PCL groups relative to mice in the model group. Hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptor and cleaved caspase-3 expression levels in KA mice were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in the three MePEG-SSa-PCL treatment groups than in the model group. Thus, MePEG-SSa-PCL exhibited a more potent antiepileptic effect than SSa in acute mouse epilepsy models and could alleviate neuronal damage in the hippocampus following epileptic seizures, possibly via GABA-A receptor expression upregulation.

Research progress on pesticide residue detection based on microfluidic technology.

The problem of pesticide residue contamination has attracted widespread attention and poses a risk to human health. The current traditional pesticide residue detection methods have difficulty meeting rapid and diverse field screening requirements. Microfluidic technology integrates functions from sample preparation to detection, showing great potential for quick and accurate high-throughput detection of pesticide residues. This paper reviews the latest research progress on microfluidic technology for pesticide residue detection. First, the commonly used microfluidic materials are summarized, including silicon, glass, paper, polydimethylsiloxane, and polymethyl methacrylate. We evaluated their advantages and disadvantages in pesticide residue detection applications. Second, the current pesticide residue detection technology based on microfluidics and its application to real samples are summarized. Finally, we discuss this technology's present challenges and future research directions. This study is expected to provide a reference for the future development of microfluidic technology for pesticide residue detection.

Benzene induces spleen injury through the B cell receptor signaling pathway.

Benzene is a toxic environmental pollutant that disrupts the immune system in humans. Benzene exposure reduces the abundance of immune cells in multiple immune organs; however, the biological mechanisms underlying benzene-induced immunotoxicity has not been elucidated. In this study, benzene was used to develop mouse model for immune dysfunction. A significant decrease in IgG, IL-2 and IL-6 levels, an increase in oxidative stress and spleen injury were observed after benzene exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Quantitative proteomics revealed that benzene-induced immune dysfunction was associated with deregulation of the B cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway. Benzene exposure suppressed the expression of CD22, BCL10 and NF-κb p65. Also, a significant decrease in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis of splenic lymphocytes were found after benzene exposure. Moreover, we found that benzene exposure increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mito-ROS) and decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Overall, we revealed the damaging effects of benzene on spleen-related immune function and the underlying biological mechanism, involving the disruption of BCR signaling pathway, NF-κB deactivation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Isorhamnetin inhibits inflammatory response to alleviate DHEA-induced polycystic ovary syndrome in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of isorhamnetin on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats. METHODS: Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were subcutaneously injected with dehydroepiandrosteron (DHEA) to establish PCOS model. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) were used to measure histological changes and apoptosis of ovary tissues. The levels of serum hormones and inflammatory factors in ovary tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In DHEA-induced PCOS rats, the levels of serum glucose, insulin, testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) were enhanced, estradiol (E2), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were decreased, inflammatory levels and apoptosis of ovary tissues were increased. Additionally, DHEA increased the body weight, ovary weight, and ovary volume, cystic follicles, and decreased corpus luteum. Moreover, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway was activated in PCOS rats. The levels of TNF receptor superfamily member 1 A (TNFR1), TNF-α, and fas cell surface death feceptor (FAS) were enhanced in ovary tissues of DHEA induced PCOS rats. Isorhamnetin (ISO) treatment after DHEA modeling markedly reduced serum levels of glucose, insulin, testosterone and LH, increased E2, SHBG, FSH level, decreased inflammatory levels, and inhibited apoptosis and decreased body weight, ovary weight, and ovary volume. The levels of TNFR1, TNF-α, and FAS were markedly decreased after ISO treatment in PCOS rats. Additionally, ISO alone had no significant effect on rats. CONCLUSION: Isorhamnetin inhibits inflammatory response to alleviate DHEA-induced PCOS in rats by inactivating the TNF signaling pathway.

Crataegus pinnatifida: A botanical, ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and pharmacological overview.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Crataegus pinnatifida belongs to the Rosaceae family and extensively distribute in North China, Europe, and North America. Its usage was first described in "Xinxiu Ben Cao." The dried fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge or Crataegus pinnatifida var. major N. E. Br., also known as "Shanzha," is a famous medicine and food homology herb with a long history of medicinal usage in China. C. pinnatifida has the functions for digestive promotion, cardiovascular protection, and lipid reduction. It was traditionally used to treat indigestion, cardiodynia, thoracalgia, hernia, postpartum blood stagnation, and hemafecia. In recent years, C. pinnatifida has attracted worldwide attention as an important medicinal and economical crop due to its multiple and excellent health-promoting effects on cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, endocrine systems, and morbigenous microorganisms of the human body due to its medicinal and nutritional values. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The current review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the geographical distribution, traditional usage, phytochemical components, pharmacological actions, clinical settings, and toxicities of C. pinnatifida. Moreover, the connection between the claimed biological activities and the traditional usage, along with the future perspectives for ongoing research on this plant, were also critically summarized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected the published literature on C. pinnatifida using a variety of scientific databases, including Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Wiley, Springer, Taylor & Francis, ACS Publications, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, The Plant List Database, and other literature sources (Ph.D. and MSc dissertations) from 2012 to 2022. RESULTS: In the last decade, over 250 phytochemical compounds containing lignans, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and their glycosides, as well as other compounds, have been isolated and characterized from different parts, including the fruit, leaves, and seeds of C. pinnatifida. Among these compounds, flavonoids and triterpenoids were major bioactive components of C. pinnatifida. They exhibited a broad spectrum of pharmacological actions with low toxicity in vitro and in vivo, such as cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, anti-mutagenic, anti-osteoporosis, anti-aging, anti-obesity, and hepatoprotection and other actions. CONCLUSION: A long history of traditional uses and abundant pharmacochemical and pharmacological investigations have demonstrated that C. pinnatifida is an important medicine and food homology herb, which displays outstanding therapeutic potential, especially in the digestive system and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, the current studies on the active ingredients or crude extracts of C. pinnatifida and the possible mechanism of action are unclear. More evidence-based scientific studies are required to verify the traditional uses of C. pinnatifida. Furthermore, more efforts must be paid to selecting index components for quality control research and toxicity and safety studies of C. pinnatifida.

Interparental conflict and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal moderated mediation model.

While the detrimental effect of interparental conflict on adolescent depression is well-established, the underlying mechanisms linking the two continue to be inadequately understood. This study investigated the mediating role of family functioning and the moderating role of cultural beliefs about adversity in the association between interparental conflict and adolescent depression. The samples included 651 Chinese adolescents (mean age at Time 1 = 13.27 years; 56.5% girls) from a two-wave longitudinal study with data spanning 1 year. The findings from path modeling analyses provided evidence for the mediating role of family functioning; these findings indicated that interparental conflict can damage family functioning, which in turn exacerbates the risk of adolescent depression. The moderating role of cultural beliefs about adversity was also demonstrated by interactions between interparental conflict and cultural beliefs about adversity, as well as, family functioning and cultural beliefs about adversity. The results indicated a buffering role of cultural beliefs about adversity on the deleterious effect of interparental conflict on adolescent depression. They also suggested that lower levels of family functioning was associated with increased depression among adolescents were lower in cultural beliefs about adversity.

Design Polyaniline/α-Zirconium Phosphate Composites for Achieving Self-Healing Anti-Corrosion of Carbon Steel.

The rupture of a micro/nano container can trigger the release of repair agents and provides the coating with a self-healing and anti-corrosion effect. However, the defect and inhomogeneity of the coating, produced by the rupture of the micro/nano container, may weaken its anti-corrosion performance. This study reports a rare protection mechanism, which optimizes the space occupying of zirconium phosphate, and the de-doping peculiarity of polyaniline without the rupture of the micro/nano container. Polyaniline/α-zirconium phosphate composites were constructed through in situ oxidation polymerization. Repair agents were added in the form of doped acids. According to the different repair agents in polyaniline/α-zirconium phosphate composites (citric ion, tartaric ion and phytic ion), the performance and protection mechanism of the composites were researched. Polyaniline/α-zirconium phosphate coating (with phytic ion) shows an excellent self-healing anti-corrosive effect, due to the large spatial structure and abundant chelating groups of the precipitation inhibitor. Considering the anti-corrosive application, the developed polyaniline/α-zirconium phosphate composite has a far-reaching influence on marine development.

An integrated model: marital effect on adolescent behavioral problems through siblings.

Introduction: Few studies have simultaneously focused on the effects of marital conflict and marital intimacy on adolescent development, and little is known about the role of sibling relationships. Thus, this study examined the association between marital relationships and adolescent behavioral problems, including depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior. At the same time, we explored the mediating role of sibling hostility and sibling affection and the moderating effect of birth order in multichild families in China. Methods: Participants included 842 adolescents (Mage = 12.60, 46.2% boys) from Henan Province. Marital relationship, sibling relationship, birth order, depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. SEM was then used to examine the role of sibling relationships and birth order in the association between marital relationship and adolescent behavioral problems. Results: Our results showed that marital intimacy was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior, while marital conflict was positively correlated with them. Marital intimacy was associated with depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior through both sibling hostility and sibling affection. Marital conflict was indirectly associated with depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior through sibling hostility. In addition, the first-born adolescents were more sensitive to marital intimacy. Discussion: Given that the occurrence of adolescent behavioral problems is more common in contemporary society, our findings suggest that establishing a more intimate and warmer family atmosphere and promoting positive interactions between siblings may help control adolescent mental health problems.

Efficacy of the Whole-Course Case Management Model on Compliance and Satisfaction of Breast Cancer Patients with Whole-Course Standardized Treatment.

Objective: To explore the influence of the whole-course case management model on the compliance and satisfaction of breast cancer patients with the whole-course standardized treatment. Methods: Eighty breast cancer patients admitted to our hospital between April 2020 and June 2021 were assigned to receive either conventional nursing (routine group, n = 40) or whole-process case management (experimental group, n = 40) according to different nursing methods. Outcome measures included self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores, self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores, adverse reactions, treatment compliance, and nursing satisfaction. Results: After nursing, the SAS and SDS scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the routine group (P < 0.05). The whole case management mode was associated with a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions versus routine nursing (P < 0.05). The whole case management resulted in higher compliance of patients versus routine nursing (P < 0.05). The experimental group had a significantly higher nursing satisfaction versus the routine group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The whole-process case management mitigates patients' negative emotions, strengthens their treatment compliance, lowers the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions, and improves nursing satisfaction, which may provide a viable nursing alternative for patients with breast cancer.

Chemical analysis of Chrysosplenium from different species by UPLC-Q exactive orbitrap HRMS and HPLC-DAD.

Chrysosplenium is the main component of a variety of Tibetan prescription preparations. Nevertheless, there are few chemical reports for different species of Chrysosplenium, which should be further explored. To this end, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap HRMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) were first integrated to qualitatively analyse the chemical characteristics of Chrysosplenium nudicaule, Chrysosplenium carnosum, Chrysosplenium sikangense, Chrysosplenium griffithii, Chrysosplenium absconditicapsulum, Chrysosplenium forrestii and Chrysosplenium axillare. As a result, a total of 40 compounds were identified or tentatively identified from these 7 species of Chrysosplenium, including 21 flavonoids, 3 triterpenoids and a variety of alkaloids, organic acids and anthraquinones, etc. Among them, 6 compounds were detected for the first time, and 8 compounds are common components in all 7 species of Chrysosplenium. In the specific chromatogram, 4 characteristic peaks, namely Riboflavin, 5,4'-dihydroxy-3,6,3'-trimethoxyflavin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside, 5,7,3'-trihydroxy-6,4',5'-trimethoxyflavone and Chrysosplenetin, were selected to evaluate the similarities of 17 batches of Chrysosplenium samples, which ranged from 0.770 to 0.994. The established method is simple, feasible and accurate, and was proven to be suitable for characterizing the chemical compositions of Chrysosplenium from different species and evaluating their similarities by specific chromatogram analysis to clarify the rationality of using Chrysosplenium from different species in clinical medication, which provides experimental data for further quality evaluation of Chrysosplenium.

The Application of Whole-Process Case Management in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Objective: To explore the application of professional whole-process case management during nursing in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Methods: This study recruited 60 patients with triple-negative breast cancer who were diagnosed and treated at Department of Breast Surgery in our hospital assessed for eligibility between June 2018 and June 2020, and we assigned them at a ratio of 1 : 1 via the random number table method to receive either general nursing (control group) or professional whole-process case management plus general nursing (observation group). We analyzed and evaluated the hospitalization, the indwelling time of drainage tube, complications, recovery, quality of life, posttraumatic growth, and nursing satisfaction between these two groups at registration, discharge, and the sixth month after surgery, respectively. Results: Professional whole-process case management achieved a shorter duration of drainage tube placement and hospitalization and a lower incidence of postoperative complications versus general nursing (P < 0.05). Moreover, the observation group had got better recovery (P < 0.05) and a better quality of life at discharge and 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05). Professional whole-process case management obtained higher scores of posttraumatic growth and higher nursing satisfaction versus general nursing (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Whole-process case management promotes the postoperative recovery of patients with triple-negative breast cancer and shortens the duration of drainage tube indwelling and hospitalization, which lowers the incidence of postoperative complications, improves their quality of life, and enhances nursing satisfaction.

Protection from benzene-induced immune dysfunction in mice.

Benzene can impair peripheral immunity and immune organs; however, the recovery of benzene impairment has rarely been reported. In this study, we developed an immune dysfunction mouse model using a benzene gavage (500 mg/kg). Female Balb/c mice were treated with Bombyx batryticatus (BB, 5 g/kg), raw pinellia (RP, 5 g/kg), or a combination of Valproic acid and Coenzyme Q10 (CM, 150 mg/kg VPA & 100 mg/kg CoQ10) medication for four weeks. The immune function of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), spleen, and thymus was determined to evaluate whether the observed impairment could be altered by medications in the mouse model. Results showed that medications could alleviate benzene-induced structural and functional damage of spleen and thymus. Benzene exposure decreased the ATP level of PBMC, which can be improved by BB, RP or CM. Importantly, BB, RP or CM could relieve benzene induced-oxidative stress by increasing the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and decreasing the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA). In conclusion, BB, RP, and CM were able to alleviate the benzene-induced immune dysfunction and redox imbalance. Improvement of the oxidative and antioxidant imbalance may represent a mechanism by which medicine prevents benzene-induced immune dysfunction.

A review of the genus Chrysosplenium as a traditional Tibetan medicine and its preparations.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Plants of genus Chrysosplenium have a long history of application and are distributed in many countries, especially in Tibetan regions of China. The genus has been used locally in the treatment of various hepatobiliary diseases such as "Chiba disease" (related to cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, acute icteric hepatitis, and acute liver necrosis in modern medicine). AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review summarizes and critically analyzes the aspects of the botanical morphology and distribution, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, quality control, and development status of preparations of the genus Chrysosplenium. Moreover, the future research direction and focus of the genus are also discussed. We hope to provide a valuable reference for researchers who are interested in the genus Chrysosplenium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relevant information of the genus Chrysosplenium was gathered through electronic databases from 1968 to 2021, including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Springer, CNKI, and Wan Fang, as well as PhD, MSc thesis, Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), Tibetan medicine monographs. In addition, plant names were verified by "The Plant List" (The Plant List Database, http://www.theplantlist.org). RESULTS: Based on existing studies of chemical compositions, more than 90 compounds have been identified from Chrysosplenium species, including flavonoids, triterpenoids, volatile oils, steroids, alkaloids, and other compounds. The highly hydroxylated and methoxylated flavonoids and triterpenoids are the main active components. In addition, many studies have shown that the extracts and some components isolated from the genus Chrysosplenium have a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, antibacterial, anti-viral, hepatoprotective, and insecticidal properties. Furthermore, there are only 9 preparations with Chrysosplenium species as one of the medicinal materials. Among these preparations, C. nudicaule is used more and other Chrysosplenium species are rarely involved. CONCLUSIONS: Most medicinal species of Chrysosplenium have not only good therapeutic effects in traditional uses, but also a great potential for development in modern pharmaceutical studies. However, the material basis and mechanism of action of this genus have not been well explained. Therefore, further systematic and comprehensive research on the genus Chrysosplenium is still required to provide a scientific basis for its clinical applications.

Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Containing Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Porous Graphitic Carbon for Advanced Supercapacitor.

Three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphitic carbon (HPGC) were synthesized via one-step carbonization-activation and a catalytic strategy. The method can not only improve the graphitization degree of carbon materials, but also offer plentiful interfaces for charge accumulation and short paths for ion/electron transport. Polypyrrole, potassium hydroxide, and nickel acetate were used as the carbon precursors, activating agent, and catalyst, respectively. The retraction and dissolution of Ni caused the change of pore size in the material and led to the interconnected micro/nano holes. Nickel acetate played a significant role in enhancing the electrical conductivity, introducing pseudocapacitance, and promoting ion diffusion. In the supercapacitor, HPGC electrode exhibited a remarkable specific capacitance of 336.3 F g-1 under 0.5 A g-1 current density and showed high rate capability, even with large current densities applied (up to 50 A g-1). Moreover, HPGC showed optimal cycling stability with 97.4% capacitance retention followed by 3000 charge-discharge cycles. The excellent electrochemical performances coupled with a facile large-scale synthesis procedure make HPGC a promising alternative for supercapacitors.