Maternal Care under Large Clutches with Small Eggs: The Evolution of Life History Traits in Shield Bugs.

AbstractPatterns in the correlated evolution of parental care and life history traits are long established but controversial. Although parental care is related to large egg size in many taxa, conflicting results have also been reported. To test the evolutionary relationships between parental care and life history traits, we performed phylogenetic comparative analyses using shield bugs (Heteroptera: Acanthosomatidae), in which maternal guarding of eggs and young has repeatedly evolved. Our analyses revealed that female body size affected reproductive resource allocation. Contrary to the expectations of current theories, the acquisition of maternal care was associated with small eggs, large clutches, and large egg resource allocation. There was a greater trade-off between egg size and clutch size in caring species than in noncaring species. Egg and hatchling developmental rates were not correlated with egg size but were slower in caring species than in noncaring species. Analyses of evolutionary transitions suggest that the establishment of large clutches, small eggs, and large egg resource allocation preceded the evolution of maternal care. To our knowledge, this is the first study clarifying the evolution of parental care linked with small eggs in invertebrates.

A retrospective study of occlusal reconstruction in patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the methods and clinical effects of multidisciplinary collaborative treatment for occlusal reconstruction in patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects. METHODS: Patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects who underwent occlusal reconstruction at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022 were enrolled. Clinical treatment was classified into 3 phases. In phase I, techniques such as orthognathic surgery, microsurgery, and distraction osteogenesis were employed to reconstruct the correct three-dimensional (3D) jaw position relationship. In phase II, bone augmentation and soft tissue management techniques were utilized to address insufficient alveolar bone mass and poor gingival soft tissue conditions. In phase III, implant-supported overdentures or fixed dentures were used for occlusal reconstruction. A summary of treatment methods, clinical efficacy evaluation, comparative analysis of imageological examinations, and satisfaction questionnaire survey were utilized to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy in patients with traumatic old jaw fractures and dentition defects. All data are summarized using the arithmetic mean and standard deviation and compared using independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: In 15 patients with old jaw fractures and dentition defects (an average age of 32 years, ranging from 18 to 53 years), there were 7 cases of malocclusion of single maxillary fracture, 6 of malocclusion of single mandible fracture, and 2 of malocclusion of both maxillary and mandible fractures. There were 5 patients with single maxillary dentition defects, 2 with single mandibular dentition defects, and 8 with both maxillary and mandibular dentition defects. To reconstruct the correct 3D jaw positional relationship, 5 patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy of the maxilla, 3 underwent bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible, 4 underwent open reduction and internal fixation for old jaw fractures, 3 underwent temporomandibular joint surgery, and 4 underwent distraction osteogenesis. All patients underwent jawbone augmentation, of whom 4 patients underwent a free composite vascularized bone flap (26.66%) and the remaining patients underwent local alveolar bone augmentation. Free gingival graft and connective tissue graft were the main methods for soft tissue augmentation (73.33%). The 15 patients received 81 implants, of whom 11 patients received implant-supported fixed dentures and 4 received implant-supported removable dentures. The survival rate of all implants was 93.82%. The final imageological examination of 15 patients confirmed that the malocclusion was corrected, and the clinical treatment ultimately achieved occlusal function reconstruction. The patient satisfaction questionnaire survey showed that they were satisfied with the efficacy, phonetics, aesthetics, and comfort after treatment. CONCLUSION: Occlusal reconstruction of old jaw fractures and dentition defects requires a phased sequential comprehensive treatment, consisting of 3D spatial jaw correction, alveolar bone augmentation and soft tissue augmentation, and implant-supported occlusal reconstruction, achieving satisfactory clinical therapeutic efficacy.

In-depth theoretical analysis of the influence of an external electric field on charge transport parameters.

It is important to develop materials with environmental stability and long device shelf life for use in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The microscopic, molecular-level nature of the organic layer in OFETs is not yet well understood. The stability of geometric and electronic structures and the regulation of the external electric field (EEF) on the charge transport properties of four typical homogeneous organic semiconductors (OSCs) were investigated by density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that under the EEF, the structural changes in single-bond linked oligomers were more sensitive and complex than those of condensed molecules, and there were non-monotonic changes in their reorganization energy (λ) during charge transport under an EEF consisting of decreases and then increases (Series D). The change in λ under an EEF can be preliminarily and qualitatively determined by the change in the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) - the number of C-atoms with nonbonding characteristics. For single-bonded molecules, the transfer integral is basically unchanged under a low EEF, but it will greatly change at a high EEF. Because the structure and properties of the molecule will greatly change under different EEFs, the effect of an EEF should be fully considered when determining the intrinsic mobility of OSCs, which could cause a deviation 0.3-20 times in mobility. According to detailed calculations, one heterogeneous oligomer, TH-BTz, was designed. Its λ can be greatly reduced under an EEF, and the change in the energy level of FMOs can be adjusted to different degrees. This study provides a reasonable idea for verification of the experimental mobility value and also provides guidance for the directional design of stable high-mobility OSCs.

Total Saponins in Paridis Rhizoma： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Paridis Rhizoma possesses the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying， alleviating swelling and relieving pain， cooling the liver and calming the convulsion. Saponins are the main active components of Paridis Rhizoma. Studies have shown that total saponins in Paridis Rhizoma have obvious inhibitory effect on solid tumors such as breast cancer， lung cancer， gastric cancer， and liver cancer and non-solid tumors such as leukemia. The saponins may exert the anti-tumor effects by inhibiting the proliferation， migration， and invasion of tumor cells， regulating cell cycle， inducing apoptotic and non-apoptotic death pathways， and regulating metabolism and tumor microenvironment. Furthermore， total saponins in Paridis Rhizoma showed anti-inflammatory， antioxidant， antimicrobial， hemostatic， and uterus-contracting activities. At the same time， they may induce apoptosis of normal cells， inflammation and oxidative stress， and metabolic disorders. In recent years， the reports of liver injury， reproductive injury， gastrointestinal injury， hemolysis， and other adverse reactions caused by total saponins in Paridis Rhizoma have been increasing. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that there are significant differences in the metabolism of total saponins in Paridis Rhizoma administrated in different ways. Injection has a fast clearance rate， while oral administration may have hepatoenteric circulation. Meanwhile， due to the low solubility and activation of P-glycoprotein （P-gp） molecular pump， the prototype absorption， intestinal permeability， and recovery rate of total saponins in Paridis Rhizoma are poor， which affects the bioavailability. The bioavailability can be improved to some extent by preparing new dosage forms or new drug delivery systems with advanced technology. This paper reviews the pharmacological effect， pharmacokinetics， and adverse reactions of Rhizoma Paridis total saponins by searching the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， VIP， and Web of Science with ''Rhizoma Paridis total saponins'' as the keywords， hoping to provide references for the research， development， and clinical application of such components.

Active Ingredients of Chinese Medicines Induce Ferroptosis in Tumor Cells： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Ferroptosis， a new form of programmed cell death different from apoptosis， necrosis， and autophagy， is closely associated with a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Iron-mediated accumulation of reactive oxygen species is the main inducement of ferroptosis， the mechanism of which is related to intracellular lipid metabolism， iron metabolism， and antioxidant defense pathways. Multiple signaling axes and regulators jointly regulate the occurrence and disruption of ferroptosis. Studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis regulates the growth and proliferation of tumor cells. Inducing ferroptosis in tumor cells can control the growth， metastasis， and multi-drug resistance of tumors. Therefore， the effect and mechanism of ferroptosis on tumor cells have become a hot topic in anti-cancer research. As the research advances， a variety of ferroptosis inducers has been used in the clinical chemotherapy for cancers and demonstrate significant efficacy. Accordingly， the development of ferroptosis-inducing anticancer drugs has become a new research direction for tumor treatment. Some active ingredients such as lycorine， oleanolic acid， dihydroartemisinin， pseudolaric acid B， and ophiopogonin B of Chinese medicines can induce ferroptosis in tumor cells via lipid metabolism， iron metabolism， system Xc-， and GPX4/GSH to regulate the development of tumors， demonstrating a promising prospect in clinical treatment. Based on the theory of the mechanism of ferroptosis， this paper reviews the research progress in ferroptosis induced by active ingredients of Chinese medicines in tumor cells and describes the metabolic regulatory network of ferroptosis from signaling pathways and regulatory factors， providing new strategies for applying active ingredients of Chinese medicines in the treatment of tumors.

Quality Factor Improvement of a Thin-Film Piezoelectric-on-Silicon Resonator Using a Radial Alternating Material Phononic Crystal.

This paper studies the radial alternating material phononic crystal (RAM-PnC). By simulating the band gap structure of the phononic crystal, a complete acoustic band gap was verified at the resonant frequency of 175.14 MHz, which can prevent the propagation of elastic waves in a specific direction. The proposed alternately arranged radial phononic crystal structure is applied to the thin-film piezoelectric-on-silicon (TPOS) MEMS resonator. The finite element simulation method increases the anchor quality factor (Qanchor) from 60,596 to 659,536,011 at the operating frequency of 175.14 MHz, which is about 10,000 times higher. The motion resistance of the RAM-PnC resonator is reduced from 156.25 Ω to 48.31 Ω compared with the traditional resonator. At the same time, the insertion loss of the RAM-PnC resonator is reduced by 1.1 dB compared with the traditional resonator.

Reem-Shape Phononic Crystal for Q Anchor Enhancement of Thin-Film-Piezoelectric-on-Si MEMS Resonator.

This paper proposes a reem-shaped phononic crystal for the performance enhancement of TPoS resonators. The proposed phononic crystal offers an ultra-wide acoustic band gap that prevents energy leakage through the supporting substrate upon its placement at the anchoring boundary, resulting in significant improvements in the resonator quality factor. Simulated results show reem-shape phononic crystals generate a band gap up to 175 MHz with a BG of 90% and enhance the anchor quality factor from 180,000 to 6,000,000 and the unloaded quality factor from 133,000 to 160,000, representing 33.3-fold and 1.2-fold improvements, respectively.

Quantitation of Atmospheric Suspended Polystyrene Nanoplastics by Active Sampling Prior to Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Plastic has been demonstrated to release nanoplastics (NPs) into the atmosphere under sunlight irradiation, posing a continuous health risk to the respiratory system. However, due to lack of reliable quantification methods, the occurrence and distribution of NPs in the atmosphere remain unclear. Polystyrene (PS) micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) represent a crucial component of atmospheric MNPs. In this study, we proposed a simple and robust method for determining the concentration of atmospheric PS NPs using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Following active sampling, the filter membrane is directly ground and introduced into the Py-GC/MS system to quantify PS NPs. The proposed method demonstrates excellent reproducibility and high sensitivity, with a detection limit as low as down to 15 pg/m3 for PS NPs. By using this method, the occurrence of PS NPs in both indoor and outdoor atmospheres has been confirmed. Furthermore, the results showed that the abundance of outdoor PS NPs was significantly higher than that of indoor samples, and there was no significant difference in NP vertical distribution within a height of 28.6 m. This method can be applied for the routine monitoring of atmospheric PS NPs and for evaluating their risk to human health.

New genera and new species of remarkably large-sized or uniquely-shaped mirine plant bugs from Taiwan (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae).

New taxa are proposed and described for several large-sized or uniquely-shaped mirine plant bugs from Taiwan or the northeastern Oriental Region. Two new genera, Rhopalimiris n. gen. and Taiwanocapsus n. gen. are described to accommodate three new species, Rhopalimiris amplissimus n. sp., R. gagai n. sp. and Taiwanocapsus luteocordatus n. sp., which are diagnosed and described. In addition, new species of Eocalocoris Miyamoto & Yasunaga and Eurystylus Stål, namely Eo. gotohi n. sp. and Eu. yixuanae n. sp., are also described. An updated checklist of the Taiwanese Mirini is also provided.

Molecular Design of Highly Efficient Heavy-Atom-free NpImidazole Derivatives for Two-Photon Photodynamic Therapy and ClO- Detection.

Two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT), as a treatment technology with deep penetration and less damage, provides a broad prospect for cancer treatment. Nowadays, the development of TP-PDT suffers from the low two-photon absorption (TPA) intensity and short triplet state lifetime of photosensitizers (PSs) used in TP-PDT. Herein, we propose some novel modification strategies based on the thionated NpImidazole (the combination of naphthalimide and imidazole) derivatives to make efforts on those issues and obtain corresponding fluorescent probes for detecting ClO- and excellent PSs for TP-PDT. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) are used to help us characterize the photophysical properties and TP-PDT process of the newly designed compounds. Our results show that the introduction of different electron-donating groups at the position 4 of NpImidazole can effectively improve their TPA and emission properties. Specifically, 3s with a N,N-dimethylamino group has a large triplet state lifetime (τ = 699 µs) and TPA cross section value (δTPA = 314 GM), which can effectively achieve TP-PDT; additionally, 4s (with electron-donating group 2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptane in NpImidazole) effectively realizes the dual-function of a PS for TP-PDT (τ = 25,122 µs, δTPA = 351 GM) and a fluorescent probe for detecting ClO- (Φf = 29% of the product 4o). Moreover, an important problem is clarified from a microscopic perspective, that is, why the transition property of 3s and 4s (1π-π*) from S1 to S0 is different from that of 1s and 2s (1n-π*). It is hoped that our work can provides valuable theoretical clues for the design and synthesis of heavy-atom-free NpImidazole-based PSs and fluorescent probes for the detection of hypochlorite.

Theoretical insight on the charge transport properties: The formation of "head-to-tail" and "head-to-head" stacking of asymmetric aryl anthracene derivatives.

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are widely used in flexible display, renewable energy, and biosensors, owing to their unique solid-state physical and optoelectronic properties. Among the abundant crystal library of OSCs, asymmetric aryl anthracene derivatives have irreplaceable advantages due to the interplay between their distinct π-conjugated geometry and molecular stacking as well as efficient light emission and charge transport properties that can be simultaneously utilized. However, the poor crystal stacking patterns of most asymmetric molecules limit their utility as excellent OSCs. Thus, it is crucial to clarify the structural features that enable the extremely ordered stacking and favorable electronic structure of asymmetric anthracene derivatives to become high-performance OSCs. This contribution investigates the charge transport properties of a series of asymmetric aryl anthracene derivatives to reveal the modulation factors of the molecular stacking modes and to explore the structural factors, which are beneficial to charge transport. The analysis demonstrated that the vinyl-linker facilitated the injection of hole carriers, and the alkynyl-linker effectively reduces the reorganization energy. Importantly, the linear polarizability and permanent dipole moment of a single molecule play a vital regulation to molecular stacking modes and the transfer integral of the dimer. The "head-to-head stacking" motif shows a compact stacking pattern and the maximum 2D anisotropic mobility more than 10 cm2 V-1 s-1. These findings sharpen our understanding of the charge transport properties in asymmetric organic semiconductors and are essential for developing a diverse range of high-performance OSC materials.

Molecular insights into the dissolved organic matter of leather wastewater in leather industrial park wastewater treatment plant.

Leather wastewater (LW) effluent is characterized by complex organic matter, high salinity, and poor biodegradability. To meet the discharge standards, LW effluent is often mixed with municipal wastewater (MW) before being treated at a leather industrial park wastewater treatment plant (LIPWWTP). However, whether this method efficiently removes the dissolved organic matter (DOM) from LW effluent (LWDOM) remains debatable. In this study, the transformation of DOM during full-scale treatment was revealed using spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. LWDOM exhibited higher aromaticity and lower molecular weight than DOM in MW (MWDOM). The DOM properties in mixed wastewater (MixW) were similar to those in LWDOM and MWDOM. The MixW was treated using a flocculation/primary sedimentation tank (FL1/PST), anoxic/oxic (A/O) process, secondary sedimentation tank (SST), flocculation/sedimentation tank, denitrification filter (FL2/ST-DNF), and an ozonation contact reactor (O3). The FL1/PST unit preferentially removed the peptide-like compounds. The A/O-SST units had the highest removal efficiencies for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (61.34 %) and soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) (52.2 %). The FL2/ST-DNF treatment removed the lignin-like compounds. The final treatment showed poor DOM mineralization efficiency. The correlation between water quality indices, spectral indices, and molecular-level parameters indicated that lignin-like compounds were strongly correlated with spectral indices and CHOS compounds considerably contributed to the SCOD and DOC. Although the effluent SCOD met the discharge standard, some refractory DOM from LW remained in the effluent. This study illustrates the composition and transformation of DOM and provides theoretical guidance for improving the current treatment processes.

Theoretical Investigation of Ru(II) Complexes with Long Lifetime and a Large Two-Photon Absorption Cross-Section in Photodynamic Therapy.

Two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT), as a new method for cancer, has shown unique advantages in tumors. A low two-photon absorption cross-section (δ) in the biologic spectral window and a short triplet state lifetime are the important issues faced by the current photosensitizers (PSs) in TP-PDT. In this paper, the photophysical properties of a series of Ru(II) complexes were studied by density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory methods. The electronic structure, one- and two-photon absorption properties, type I/II mechanisms, triplet state lifetime, and solvation free energy were calculated. The results showed that the substitution of methoxyls by pyrene groups greatly improved the lifetime of the complex. Furthermore, the addition of acetylenyl groups subtly enhanced δ. Overall, complex 3b possess a large δ(1376 GM), a long lifetime (136 µs), and better solvation free energy. It is hoped that it can provide valuable theoretical guidance for the design and synthesis of efficient two-photon PSs in the experiment.

Theoretical study of the tuning role of ß-methylthio or ß-methylselenyl on the charge-transport properties of acenedithiophenes derivatives.

To date, the manipulation of intermolecular nonconjugation interactions in organic crystals is still a great challenge due to the complexity of weak intermolecular interactions. Here we designed molecules substituted by ß-methylselenyl on naphtho[1,2-b:5,6-b']dithiophene and anthra[2,3-b:6,7-b']dithiophene, respectively (anti-ß-MS-NDT, anti-ß-MS-ADT), which together with anti-ß-MS-BDT synthesized experimentally all exhibited 2D brickwork π-stacking. Moreover, their maximum molecular carrier mobilities reached 3.30 and 16.46 cm2 V-1 s-1. These results indicated that the substitution of ß-methylselenyl could be a strategy to directionally adjust the parent herringbone stacking into 2D brickwork π-stacking. Hirshfeld surface analysis and symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) were used to investigate the nonconjugated interactions in the pitched π-stacking formed by the ß-methylthio-substituted acenedithiophene derivatives and the 2D brickwork π-stacking of the ß-methylselenyl-substituted ones; wherein, the steric hindrance caused by the introduction of the substituents promoted Csp2-Csp2⋯π interactions to replace Csp2-H⋯π to stabilize the face-to-face stacking. Moreover, by calculating the decomposition energy of the intermediate state model of the molecular stacking mode that may exist in the replacement conversion process, it was found that the energy of this intermediate state was larger than that of the actual ones, finally confirming the inevitability of the actual existence in this stacking. In addition, because of the reduction in intensity of the special vibration modes, it could be found that the ß-methylselenyl substitution showed better phonon assistance than ß-methylthio substitution in terms of dynamic disorder. This study is a further step toward fully understanding the relationship between intermolecular interactions and regulation of the molecular stacking.

Pneumonia risk prediction in patients with acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome through evaluation of sarcopenia index as a prognostic factor.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationship between the sarcopenia index (SI) and the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized patients with acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). STUDY DESIGN: We have performed a retrospective study of individuals with AWS from a teaching hospital in western China. Patients' data were retrieved from the medicinal record databases. Patients' primary (upon admission) blood serum creatinine (Cr) and cystatin C (CysC) levels were incorporated into the records. Participants were separated into low and high SI cohorts based on the three-quarter digit of SI (SI = serum Cr/serum CysC ratio × 100). The association between SI and the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized patients with AWS was assessed by logistic regression analysis. RESULT: Three hundred and twelve patients with acute AWS were included in this retrospective analysis. Among hospitalized patients with acute AWS, the incidence of pneumonia was 13.78%. The average median age of acute AWS patients with pneumonia was 55.28 (10.65) years, and the mean age of acute AWS individuals without pneumonia was 51.23 (10.08) years. In the univariate analysis, the high SI group (SI > 87.91) had a lower incidence of pneumonia than the low SI group (SI ≤ 87.91) (high SI vs. low SI, 6.41% vs. 16.24%, p = 0.029). Further logistic regression analysis showed that the high SI group demonstrated a poorer risk of pneumonia (OR = 0.353, 95%CI: 0.134-0.932, p = 0.036). After adjusting for possible confounders, the risk of pneumonia remained low in the high SI group (OR = 0.358, 95%CI: 0.132-0.968, p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that SI was linked with the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized individuals with acute AWS. We further suggest that it could be a pneumonia risk factor, especially in medical centers where sarcopenia diagnosis is unavailable.

Removal of iodide anions in water by silver nanoparticles supported on polystyrene anion exchanger.

The removal of iodide (I-) from source waters is an effective strategy to minimize the formation of iodinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are more toxic than their brominated and chlorinated analogues. In this work, a nanocomposite Ag-D201 was synthesized by multiple in situ reduction of Ag-complex in D201 polymer matrix, to achieve highly efficient removal of iodide from water. Scanning electron microscope /energy dispersive spectrometer characterization showed that uniform cubic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) evenly dispersed in the D201 pores. The equilibrium isotherms data for iodide adsorption onto Ag-D201 was well fitted with Langmuir isotherm with the adsorption capacity of 533 mg/g at neutral pH. The adsorption capacity of Ag-D201 increased with the decrease of pH in acidic aqueous solution, and reached the maximum value of 802 mg/g at pH 2. This was attributed to the oxidization of I-, by dissolved oxygen under the catalysis of AgNPs, to I2 which was finally adsorbed as AgI3. However, the aqueous solutions at pH 7 - 11 could hardly affect the iodide adsorption. The adsorption of I- was barely affected by real water matrixes such as competitive anions (SO42-, NO3-, HCO3-, Cl-) and natural organic matter, of which interference of NOM was offset by the presence of Ca2+. The proposed synergistic mechanism for the excellent performance of iodide adsorption by the absorbent was ascribed to the Donnan membrane effect caused by the D201 resin, the chemisorption of I- by AgNPs, and the catalytic effect of AgNPs.

Regulating the reaction pathway of nZVI to improve the decontamination performance through magnetic spatial confinement effect.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) shows high effectiveness in the catalyzed removal of contaminants in wastewater treatment. However, the uncontrolled interfacial electron transfer behavior and formation of surface iron oxide (FeOx) layer led to severe electron wasting and occasionally form highly toxic intermediates. Here, we constructed magnetic mesoporous SiO2 shell on surface of nZVI to stimulate a magnetic spatial confinement effect and regulate the electron transfer pattern. Therein, Fe atom facilely spread out from the nZVI core, orderly release electron to surface adsorbed H2O molecule, which is efficiently transformed into active hydrogen (H*). Meanwhile, in-situ Raman revealed that Fe atoms were involved in the formation of penetrable γ-FeOOH rather than FeOx layer, enabling the continuous inward diffusion of H2O and outward diffusion of H* . Employing the catalyzed removal of halogenated phenols as demo reaction, the presence of magnetic mesoporous SiO2 shell utilized the reaction between electrons and H2O to switch the reaction pathway from the reduction/oxidation hybrid process to hydrodehalogantion, and increased the conversion of halogenated phenols-to-phenols by 5.53 times. This study shows the forehand of improving the decontamination performance of nZVI through sophisticated designed surface coating, as well as fine regulating the environmental behavior of magnetic material via micro-magnetic field.

Reproductive outcomes after uterine septum resection in patients with recurrent miscarriage or infertility: a retrospective study in Chinese women.

OBJECTIVE: Septate uterus is the most common structural uterine anomaly, which is related to the adverse pregnancy outcomes in women of childbearing age. This article provides a retrospective review of hysteroscopic uterine septum resection performed in our hospital during recent years, focusing on the patients with recurrent miscarriage and primary infertility, and also to identify which patients are more likely to benefit from the surgery. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective study. Cases of women who underwent hysteroscopic septum resection at West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2014 to December 2019, retrieved through the medical record system, were divided into three groups: Group A was the recurrent miscarriage group, Group B had a history of pregnancy with spontaneous abortion once at most, and Group C was the primary infertility group. Each patient was followed up by telephone about further pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth for at least 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 176 surgical patients were included in this study. Group A, B, and C include 42, 74, and 60 cases, respectively. The postoperative pregnancy rates of the three groups were 71.4, 82.4, and 75.0%; live births rates were 50.0, 74.3, and 71.7%; and spontaneous abortion rates were 21.4, 17.6, and 13.3%. 62 patients had a complete uterine septum and 114 had a partial uterine septum. For patients with complete septate uterus, the preoperative pregnancy rate was 54.84% and the pregnancy rate increased to 85.48% after surgery; and yet the preoperative and postoperative pregnancy rates in patients with partial septate uterus were close (from 71.9 to 72.8%). CONCLUSIONS: After uterine septum resection, the pregnancy rate and spontaneous abortion rate in RSA patients were not significantly different from the other two groups, but the live birth rate was still significantly lower. Patients with complete uterine septum may benefit more from surgery. The surgical indications should be carefully and strictly evaluated.

Expert consensus on clinical application of Lixuwang~® Xuesaitong Soft Capsules / 中国中药杂志

Lixuwang~® Xuesaitong Soft Capsules(referred to as "Xuesaitong Soft Capsules") have the effects of promoting blood circulation, resolving blood stasis, and dredging meridians and collaterals. They are widely used in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in clinical practice. Through years of clinical observation, they have shown significant efficacy in ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease, and other diseases, and have been recommended by multiple guidelines, consensus statements, and monographs. Based on the summary of clinical application experience by doctors and existing evidence-based research, following the Technical Specifications for Consensus Development of Chinese Patent Medicine by Clinical Experts issued by Standardization Office of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a nominal group method was used to reach 19 recommended opinions/consensus suggestions. This document proposes the timing of medication, syndrome differentiation for medication, therapeutic effects, dosage and administration, treatment duration, economic considerations, and safety considerations in the use of Xuesaitong Soft Capsules for the treatment of ischemic stroke and angina pectoris in coronary heart disease. It is intended for doctors in internal medicine, encephalopathy(neurology), cardiovascular medicine, geriatrics, emergency medicine, general practice, and traditional Chinese medicine departments of various medical institutions, as well as pharmacists in hospitals and pharmacies, as a medication reference when using Xuesaitong Soft Capsules. It is hoped that the widespread application of this consensus can improve the clinical efficacy of Xuesaitong Soft Capsules in the treatment of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease, promote rational drug use, and reduce medication risks. This consensus has been reviewed and published by the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the identification number GS/CACM 323-2023.

Stigmasterol protects human brain microvessel endothelial cells against ischemia-reperfusion injury through suppressing EPHA2 phosphorylation / 中国天然药物

Stigmasterol is a plant sterol with anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect through multiple mechanisms. In this study, we further assessed whether it exerts protective effect on human brain microvessel endothelial cells (HBMECs) against ischemia-reperfusion injury and explored the underlying mechanisms. HBMECs were used to establish an in vitro oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) model, while a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of rats were constructed. The interaction between stigmasterol and EPHA2 was detected by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA). The results showed that 10 μmol·L-1 stigmasterol significantly protected cell viability, alleviated the loss of tight junction proteins and attenuated the blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage induced by OGD/R in thein vitro model. Subsequent molecular docking showed that stigmasterol might interact with EPHA2 at multiple sites, including T692, a critical gatekeep residue of this receptor. Exogenous ephrin-A1 (an EPHA2 ligand) exacerbated OGD/R-induced EPHA2 phosphorylation at S897, facilitated ZO-1/claudin-5 loss, and promoted BBB leakage in vitro, which were significantly attenuated after stigmasterol treatment. The rat MCAO model confirmed these protective effects in vivo. In summary, these findings suggest that stigmasterol protects HBMECs against ischemia-reperfusion injury by maintaining cell viability, reducing the loss of tight junction proteins, and attenuating the BBB damage. These protective effects are at least meditated by its interaction with EPHA2 and inhibitory effect on EPHA2 phosphorylation.