Performance on adsorption of toluene by ionic liquid-modified AC in high-humidity exhaust gas.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) frequently pose a threat to the biosphere, impacting ecosystems, flora, fauna, and the surrounding environment. Industrial emissions of VOCs often include the presence of water vapor, which, in turn, diminishes the adsorption capacity and efficacy of adsorbents. This occurs due to the competitive adsorption of water vapor, which competes with target pollutants for adsorption sites on the adsorbent material. In this study, hydrophobic activated carbons (BMIMPF6-AC (L), BMIMPF6-AC (g), and BMIMPF6-AC-H) were successfully prepared using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) to adsorb toluene under humidity environment. The adsorption performance and mechanism of the resulting ionic liquid-modified activated carbon for toluene in a high-humidity environment were evaluated to explore the potential application of ionic liquids as hydrophobic modifiers. The results indicated that BMIMPF6-AC-H exhibited superior hydrophobicity. The toluene adsorption capacity of BMIMPF6-AC-H was 1.53 times higher than that of original activated carbon, while the adsorption capacity for water vapor was only 37.30% of it at 27 °C and 77% RH. The Y-N model well-fitted the dynamic adsorption experiments. To elucidate the microscopic mechanism of hydrophobic modification, the Independent Gradient Model (IGM) method was employed to characterize the intermolecular interactions between BMIMPF6 and toluene. Overall, this study introduces a new modifier for hydrophobic modification of activated carbon, which could enhance the efficiency of activated carbon in treating industrial VOCs.

Superoxide Anion-Mediated Afterglow Mechanism-Based Water-Soluble Zwitterion Dye Achieving Renal-Failure Mice Detection.

Afterglow materials-based biological imaging has promising application prospects, due to negligible background. However, currently available afterglow materials mainly include inorganic materials as well as some organic nanoparticles, which are difficult to translate to the clinic, resulting from non-negligible metabolic toxicity and even leakage risk of inorganic heavy metals. Although building small organic molecules could solve such obstacles, organic small molecules with afterglow ability are extremely scarce, especially with a sufficient renal metabolic capacity. To address these issues, herein, we designed water-soluble zwitterion Cy5-NF with renal metabolic capacity and afterglow luminescence, which relied on an intramolecular cascade reaction between superoxide anion (O2•-, instead of 1O2) and Cy5-NF to release afterglow luminescence. Of note, compared with different reference contrast agents, zwitterion Cy5-NF not only had excellent afterglow properties but also had a rapid renal metabolism rate (half-life period, t1/2, around 10 min) and good biocompatibility. Unlike prior afterglow nanosystems possessing a large size, for the first time, zwitterion Cy5-NF has achieved the construction of water-soluble renal metabolic afterglow contrast agents, which showed higher sensitivity and signal-to-background ratio in afterglow imaging than fluorescence imaging for the kidney. Moreover, zwitterion Cy5-NF had a longer kidney retention time in renal-failure mice (t1/2 more than 15 min). More importantly, zwitterion Cy5-NF can be metabolized very quickly even in severe renal-failure mice (t1/2 around 25-30 min), which greatly improved biosecurity. Therefore, we are optimistic that the O2•--mediated afterglow mechanism-based water-soluble zwitterion Cy5-NF is very promising for clinical application, especially rapid detection of kidney failure.

Corrigendum: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with aortic calcification: a cohort study with propensity score matching.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.880683.].

Orderly Self-Assembly of Organic Fluorophores for Sensing and Imaging.

Fluorescence imaging utilizing traditional organic fluorophores is extensively applied in both cellular and in vivo studies. However, it faces significant obstacles, such as low signal-to-background ratio (SBR) and spurious positive/negative signals, primarily due to the facile diffusion of these fluorophores. To cope with this challenge, orderly self-assembled functionalized organic fluorophores have gained significant attention in the past decades. These fluorophores can create nanoaggregates via a well-ordered self-assembly process, thus prolonging their residency time within cells and in vivo settings. The development of self-assembled-based fluorophores is an emerging field, and as such, in this review, we present a summary of the progress and challenges of self-assembly fluorophores, focusing on their development history, self-assembly mechanisms, and biomedical applications. We hope that the insights provided herein will assist scientists in further developing functionalized organic fluorophores for in situ imaging, sensing, and therapy.

In situ orderly self-assembly strategy affording NIR-II-J-aggregates for in vivo imaging and surgical navigation.

J-aggregation, an effective strategy to extend wavelength, has been considered as a promising method for constructing NIR-II fluorophores. However, due to weak intermolecular interactions, conventional J-aggregates are easily decomposed into monomers in the biological environment. Although adding external carriers could help conventional J-aggregates stabilize, such methods still suffer from high-concentration dependence and are unsuitable for activatable probes design. Besides, these carriers-assisted nanoparticles are risky of disassembly in lipophilic environment. Herein, by fusing the precipitated dye (HPQ) which has orderly self-assembly structure, onto simple hemi-cyanine conjugated system, we construct a series of activatable, high-stability NIR-II-J-aggregates which overcome conventional J-aggregates carrier's dependence and could in situ self-assembly in vivo. Further, we employ the NIR-II-J-aggregates probe HPQ-Zzh-B to achieve the long-term in situ imaging of tumor and precise tumor resection by NIR-II imaging navigation for reducing lung metastasis. We believe this strategy will advance the development of controllable NIR-II-J-aggregates and precise bioimaging in vivo.

Evaluation of the immunization effectiveness of bOPV booster immunization and IPV revaccination.

To provide a basis for further optimization of the polio sequential immunization schedule, this study evaluated the effectiveness of booster immunization with one dose of bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV) at 48 months of age after different primary polio immunization schedules. At 48 months of age, one dose of bOPV was administered, and their poliovirus types 1-3 (PV1, PV2, and PV3, respectively)-specific neutralizing antibody levels were determined. Participants found to be negative for any type of PV-specific neutralizing antibody at 24, 36, or 48 months of age were re-vaccinated with inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). The 439 subjects who received a bOPV booster immunization at the age of 48 months had lower PV2-specific antibody levels compared with those who received IPV. One dose of IPV during basic polio immunization induced the lowest PV2-specific antibody levels. On the basis of our findings, to ensure that no less than 70% of the vaccinated have protection efficiency, we recommend the following: if basic immunization was conducted with 1IPV + 2bOPV (especially Sabin strain-based IPV), a booster immunization with IPV is recommended at 36 months of age, whereas if basic immunization was conducted with 2IPV + 1bOPV, a booster immunization with IPV is recommended at 48 months of age. A sequential immunization schedule of 2IPV + 1bOPV + 1IPV can not only maintain high levels of antibody against PV1 and PV3 but also increases immunity to PV2 and induces early intestinal mucosal immunity, with relatively good safety. Thus, this may be the best sequential immunization schedule for polio in countries or regions at high risk for polio.

Association between Periodontitis and Aortic Calcification: A Cohort Study.

The present study investigated the association between the presence of periodontitis and aortic calcification (AC) risk among Chinese adults. A total of 6059 individuals who underwent regular health check-ups and received a diagnosis of periodontitis between 2009 and 2016 were included. The outcome was AC, assessed by a chest low-dose spiral CT scan. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the association between periodontitis and AC risk after adjusting for several confounders. After a median follow-up period of 2.3 years (interquartile range: 1.03-4.97 years), 843 cases of AC were identified, with 532 (12.13%) and 311 (18.59%) patients in the non-periodontitis group and periodontitis group, respectively. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that, compared with those without periodontitis, the hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval for AC risk in participants with periodontitis was 1.18 (1.02-1.36) (P = .025) in the fully adjusted model. Stratified analyses showed that the positive relationship between periodontitis and AC was more evident in males and participants <65 years of age (pinteraction = .005 and .004, respectively). Our results show that the presence of periodontitis was positively associated with AC among Chinese adults, especially among males and younger participants.

Reform and Practice of Ideological and Political Education of Core Courses of Biopharmaceutical Specialty———Taking The Course of Biotechnology Pharmacy as An Example / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

As mentioned in this paper, the curriculum team of biotechnological pharmaceutics in Binzhou University reoriented the curriculum objective based on the educational policy: fostering virtue through education and consolidating fundamental spirit and soul. Additionally, the team drew on cutting-edge scientific and technological developments, social hotspots, national spirit, innovative thinking, dedication spirit and other elements, conducted in-depth study on the ideological and political elements of the subject and organically integrated them with the contents such as genetic engineering, cellular engineering, fermentation engineering, enzyme engineering, protein engineering, and established online and offline ideological and political database. Furthermore, with the aid of teaching apps like ‘Rain Classroom’, the teaching models include lecture, case-based teaching, group discussion, and blended teaching for the subject. In the meantime, the ideological and political educational requirements were integrated into the curriculum evaluation system. Taking the genetic engineering pharmaceutics as an example, reform and practice for the ideological and political education for the undergraduate subject, biotechnological pharmaceutics, was applied. This paper expatiated the teaching practice of the ideological and political education, and reviewed the outcomes of the curriculum reform over these years in an effort to formulate a set of all-round programs for the reform and practice of the ideological and political education that can be replicated and improved continuously. This paper aims not only in developing high-caliber biomedical talents with a strong sense of patriotism and social responsibility, but also in providing a reference for the teaching reform of related subjects.

Exploring the application value of the modified Delphi method in the development process of acupuncture and moxibustion guideline recommendations based on the WFAS Clinical Practice Guideline for Female Urinary Incontinence / 中国针灸

Taking the recommendations development of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) standard Clinical Practice Guideline for Female Urinary Incontinence as an example, this study analyzed the consensus expert composition, specific consensus process, and results in the development of the guideline's recommendations. It systematically examined the advantages of using the modified Delphi method in the formation of recommendations for acupuncture and moxibustion clinical practice guideline, with the aim of providing reference for the development of acupuncture and moxibustion guidelines in the same field.

Geographic Variations in the Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Dyslipidemia among Chinese Adults in 2018-2019: A Cross-sectional Study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the spatial patterns of the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates of dyslipidemia at the provincial level in China.@*METHODS@#A national and provincial representative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 178,558 Chinese adults in 31 provinces in mainland China in 2018-2019, using a multi-stage, stratified, cluster-randomized sampling design. Subjects, as households, were selected, followed by a home visit to collect information. Both descriptive and linear regression procedures were applied in the analyses.@*RESULTS@#The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia was 35.6%, and wide geographic variations of prevalence, treatment, and control rates of dyslipidemia were identified among 178,558 eligible participants with a mean age of 55.1 ± 13.8 years. The highest-lowest difference regarding the provincial level prevalence rates were 19.7% vs. 2.1% for high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 16.7% vs. 2.5% for high total cholesterol, 35.9% vs. 5.4% for high triglycerides, and 31.4% vs. 10.5% for low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The treatment rate of dyslipidemia was correlated with the socio-demographic index ( P < 0.001), urbanization rate ( P = 0.01), and affordable basic technologies and essential medicines ( P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#Prevailing dyslipidemia among the Chinese population and its wide geographic variations in prevalence, treatment, and control suggest that China needs both integrated and localized public health strategies across provinces to improve lipid management.

Application of meridian and acupoint diagnosis of three yin meridians of foot in the treatment for gynecological diseases with acupuncture and moxibustion / 中国针灸

With three representative types of gynecological diseases (dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammation, polycystic ovary syndrome) as examples, the application methods of meridian and acupoint diagnosis for gynecological diseases treated with acupuncture and moxibustion are discussed. During clinical diagnosis and treatment, it is recommended to examine the patient's leg segment along the three yin meridians of foot, aiming to explore the positive reactions of the meridians and acupoints (color, shape, skin temperature, sensory abnormalities, etc.). Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment at this positive reaction place can improve the clinical efficacy. Meridian and acupoint diagnosis could provide basis for meridian syndrome differentiation, thus guiding the selection of acupoint prescriptions; it is also helpful to clarify the deficiency, excess, cold and heat of the disease nature, thus guiding the selection of acupuncture and moxibustion methods. In addition, it is an auxiliary method to estimate the prognosis and outcome of the disease.

From the body-mind holism to psychosomatic medicine: theory and practice of acupuncture and moxibustion / 中国针灸

The traditional life concept of "body-mind holism" in Chinese medicine has drawn a special attention with the development of modern psychosomatic medicine. The "body-mind holism" is valuable in the guidance for clinical acupuncture practice, but, it is only remained on the theoretical significance by the medical masters in the past dynasties. In the paper, based on the understanding of Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic), the similarities and differences are compared between the body-mind theory and psychosomatic medicine. In association with clinical observation, from three aspects, i.e. body-mind pathogenesis, acupoint detection and observing the mind, and body-mind treatment, the guidance of "body-mind holism" is explored for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion; the referents of "body" and "mind" are clarified in views of disease, diagnosis and treatment; and the treatment strategies of acupuncture and moxibustion are discussed in the perspective of "body-mind holism".

Screening of natural drug molecules against Fusarium oxysporum of ginseng root rot based on machine learning / 药学学报

italic>Fusarium oxysporum widely exists in farmland soil and is one of the main pathogenic fungi of root rot, which seriously affects the growth and development of plants and often causes serious losses of cash crops. In order to screen out natural compounds that inhibit the activity of Fusarium oxysporum more economically and efficiently, random forest, support vector machine and artificial neural network based on machine learning algorithms were constructed using the information of known inhibitory compounds in ChEMBL database in this study. And the antibacterial activity of the screened drugs was verified thereafter. The results showed that the prediction accuracy of the three models reached 77.58%, 83.03% and 81.21%, respectively. Based on the inhibition experiment, the best inhibition effect (MIC = 0.312 5 mg·mL-1) of ononin was verified. The virtual screening method proposed in this study provides ideas for the development and creation of new pesticides derived from natural products, and the screened ononin is expected to be a potential lead compound for the development of novel inhibitors of Fusarium oxysporum.

Postoperative changes of anterior chamber depth and lens suspensory ligament in patients with ultra-high myopia and cataract and related influencing factors / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To investigate the changes of anterior chamber depth(ACD)and lens suspensory ligament after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens(IOL)implantation in patients with ultra-high myopia cataract and related influencing factors.METHODS: A total of 45 patients(60 eyes)with ultra-high myopia and cataract in our hospital from October 2016 to December 2022 were selected. All patients received phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. The patients were randomly divided into implantation group and non-implantation group. Implantation group was combined with capsular tension ring(CTR)implantation, and non-implantation group did not implant CTR during operation. The changes of ACD and lens suspensory ligament length before and after operation were compared and the correlation was analyzed. To observe the differences of ACD and the length of lens suspensory ligament between the two groups before and after operation.RESULTS: The ACD of patients with ultra-high myopia complicated with cataract at 1 and 3mo after operation was higher than that before operation(all P&#x003C;0.05). The positions of 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, 12:00 and the average length of lens suspensory ligament at 1 and 3mo post-operation were shorter than those pre-operation(all P&#x003C;0.05). There was no significant difference in the positions of 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, 12:00 and average length of suspensory ligament between 1mo and 3mo after operation(all P&#x003E;0.05). The preoperative average length of lens suspensory ligament in patients with ultra-high myopia cataract was positively correlated with the ocular axis and the preoperative ACD(all P&#x003C;0.05). There was no significant difference in ACD between the implantation group and the non-implantation before and at 1 and 3mo after operation(P&#x003E;0.05). There was no significant difference in the length of lens suspensory ligament between implantation group and non-implantation group at the position of 6:00 before operation and 1mo after operation(P&#x003E;0.05), but there was difference in lens suspensory ligament between groups at 3mo after operation and the position of 6:00(P&#x003C;0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference at the positions of 3:00, 9:00, 12:00 and the average length of lens suspensory ligament between the implantation group and non-implantation group before and at 1 and 3mo after operation(P&#x003E;0.05).CONCLUSION: The ACD deepen and lens suspensory ligament shortened in patients with ultra-high myopia and cataract after phacoemulsification; the length of lens suspensory ligament was affected by the combined use of CTR.

Effect of LINC00174 on the Malignant Proliferation of Multiple Myeloma Cells and Its Related Mechanism / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the biological function of LINC00174 in multiple myeloma (MM).@*METHODS@#Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expressions of LINC00174 and miR-150 in peripheral blood of MM patients and MM cell lines. EdU staining and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of LINC00174 and miR-150 on the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of proliferation marker nuclear-related antigen Ki67, apoptosis-related protein cleaved caspase-3 and transcription factor forkhead box protein P1 (FOXP1). Bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the targeting relationship between LINC00174 and miR-150 and the targeting relationship between miR-150 and FOXP1.@*RESULTS@#The level of LINC00174 was significantly increased in peripheral blood of MM patients and MM cell lines (P <0.05). Compared with NC-siRNA group, the expression of LINC00174 was significantly reduced in LINC00174-siRNA group, the proliferation of U266 cells was reduced, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased, the level of Ki67 protein was reduced, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 protein was increased (all P <0.05). LINC00174 targeted regulation of the expression of miR-150. Compared with LINC00174-siRNA+NC inhibitor group, the expression of miR-150 in U266 cells in LINC00174-siRNA+miR-150 inhibitor group was significantly reduced, the cell proliferation was enhanced, the apoptosis rate was reduced, the level of Ki67 protein was increased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was decreased (all P <0.05). FOXP1 is the target gene of miR-150. Compared with NC mimic group, the expression of FOXP1 protein in miR-150 mimic group was significantly reduced, the cell proliferation was reduced, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased, Ki67 protein level was decreased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was increased. Compared with miR-150 mimic + vector group, the expression of FOXP1 protein in miR-150 mimic + pcDNA-FOXP1 group was significantly increased, the cell proliferation was enhanced, the apoptosis rate was reduced, the level of Ki67 protein was increased, and the level of cleaved caspase-3 was decreased (all P <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#LINC00174 promotes the proliferation of MM cells and inhibits cell apoptosis by regulating the miR-150/ FOXP1 axis.

Altered microRNA expression profiles of human spermatozoa in normal fertile men of different ages / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are mediators of the aging process. The purpose of this work was to analyze the miRNA expression profiles of spermatozoa from men of different ages with normal fertility. Twenty-seven donors were divided into three groups by age (Group A, n = 8, age: 20-30 years; Group B, n = 10, age: 31-40 years; and Group C, n = 9, age: 41-55 years) for high-throughput sequencing analysis. Samples from 65 individuals (22, 22, and 21 in Groups A, B, and C, respectively) were used for validation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 2160 miRNAs were detected: 1223 were known, 937 were newly discovered and unnamed, of which 191 were expressed in all donors. A total of 7, 5, and 17 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were found in Group A vs B, Group B vs C, and Group A vs C comparisons, respectively. Twenty-two miRNAs were statistically correlated with age. Twelve miRNAs were identified as age-associated miRNAs, including hsa-miR-127-3p, mmu-miR-5100_L+2R-1, efu-miR-9226_L-2_1ss22GA, cgr-miR-1260_L+1, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, pal-miR-9993a-3p_L+2R-1, hsa-miR-7977_1ss6AG, hsa-miR-106b-3p_R-1, hsa-miR-186-5p, PC-3p-59611_111, hsa-miR-93-3p_R+1, and aeca-mir-8986a-p5_1ss1GA. There were 9165 target genes of age-associated miRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the target genes identified revealed enrichment of protein binding, membrane, cell cycle, and so on. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of age-related miRNAs for target genes revealed 139 enriched pathways, such as signaling pathways regulating stem cell pluripotency, metabolic pathways, and the Hippo signaling pathway. This suggests that miRNAs play a key role in male fertility changes with increasing age and provides new evidence for the study of the mechanism of age-related male fertility decline.

2023 China Guidelines for Lipid Management / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death among urban and rural residents in China, and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a risk factor for ASCVD. Considering the increasing burden of ASCVD, lipid management is of the utmost importance. In recent years, research on blood lipids has made breakthroughs around the world, hence a revision of China guidelines for lipid management is imperative, especially since the target lipid levels in the general population vary in respect to the risk of ASCVD. The level of LDL-C, which can be regarded as appropriate in a population without frisk factors, can be considered abnormal in people at high risk of developing ASCVD. As a result, the "Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia" were adapted into the "China Guidelines for Lipid Management" (henceforth referred to as the new guidelines) by an Experts' committee after careful deliberation. The new guidelines still recommend LDL-C as the primary target for lipid control, with CVD risk stratification to determine its target value. These guidelines recommend that moderate intensity statin therapy in adjunct with a heart-healthy lifestyle, be used as an initial line of treatment, followed by cholesterol absorption inhibitors or/and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, as necessary. The new guidelines provide guidance for lipid management across various age groups, from children to the elderly. The aim of these guidelines is to comprehensively improve the management of lipids and promote the prevention and treatment of ASCVD by guiding clinical practice.

Application of transport ventilator in the inter-hospital transport of critically ill children / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the application value of transport ventilator in the inter-hospital transport of critically ill children.@*METHODS@#The critically ill children in Hunan Children's Hospital who were transported with or without a transport ventilator were included as the observation group (from January 2019 to January 2020; n=122) and the control group (from January 2018 to January 2019; n=120), respectively. The two groups were compared in terms of general data, the changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation during transport, the incidence rates of adverse events, and outcomes.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences between the two groups in sex, age, oxygenation index, pediatric critical illness score, course of disease, primary disease, heart rate, respiratory rate, and transcutaneous oxygen saturation before transport (P>0.05). During transport, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and transcutaneous oxygen saturation (P>0.05). The incidence rates of tracheal catheter detachment, indwelling needle detachment, and sudden cardiac arrest in the observation group were lower than those in the control group during transport, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the pediatric intensive care unit and significantly higher transport success rate and cure/improvement rate (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The application of transport ventilator in the inter-hospital transport can improve the success rate of inter-hospital transport and the prognosis in critically ill children, and therefore, it holds promise for clinical application in the inter-hospital transport of critically ill children.

Preparation of tanshinone IIA self-soluble microneedles and its inhibition on proliferation of human skin fibroblasts / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#Hypertrophic scars (HS) are a variety of skin tissue fibrosis disease that occurs in human skin, the effective therapeutic method of which is still inaccessible up to now. As a bioactive constituent of a well-known medical plant, Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen in Chinese), tanshinone IIA (TSA) is reported to inhibit cell proliferation in HS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prepare TSA self-soluble microneedles to strengthen its dermal retention and break through the difficulty of significantly thickening epidermal connective tissue and stratum corneum at the HS site. The possible mechanism of action in suppressing HS was studied using human skin fibroblasts (HSF).@*METHODS@#Tanshinone IIA self-dissolving microneedles (TSA-MN) was prepared using a negative mold casting method. The prescription process of microneedle was optimized by Box-Behnken effect surface method. Different media were selected to investigate the ability of transdermal absorption and in vitro release. Furthermore, according to Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) method as well as the Western blot method, the effect of TSA-MN on the biological characteristics of HSF was investigated.@*RESULTS@#With remarkable slow release effect and dermal retention, the release and transdermal properties of TSA-MN in vitro were better than both TSA and ordinary dosage forms. Its effect of HSF confirmed the essential decrease in cell motility during cell proliferation and cell migration in vitro, which plays a significant role in down-regulating the secretion of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in HSF and increasing the expression level of Smad7.@*CONCLUSION@#The prepared TSA self-soluble microneedles is helpful in solving the problem of hypertrophic scars, with a stable dermal retention effect after process optimization.

Acupuncture for prevention of moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for prevention of moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis.@*METHODS@#A total of 105 patients with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis were randomly divided into an observation group (53 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (52 cases, 4 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Yintang (GV 24+), Yingxiang (LI 20), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Fengchi (GB 20), Feishu (BL 13), etc. 4 weeks before the seizure period, once every other day, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The patients in the control group were not given any intervention before the seizure period. Emergency drugs can be given appropriately during the seizure period in both groups. After seizure period, the seizure rate was recorded in the two groups; before treatment and on week 1, 2, 4, 6 of seizure period after treatment, the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) score and total nasal symptom score (TNSS) were observed in the two groups; the rescue medication score (RMS) was recorded on week 1-6 of seizure period in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The seizure rate of the observation group was 84.0% (42/50), which was lower than 100.0% (48/48) in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of RQLQ and TNSS at each time point of seizure period were decreased compared with before treatment in the observation group (P<0.01), which were lower than the control group (P<0.01). The RMS score at each time point of seizure period in the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture can reduce the incidence of moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis, relieve the symptoms, improve the quality of life and reduce the use of emergency drugs.