Aromatherapy refers to the method of using the aromatic components of plants in appropriate forms to act on the entire body or a specific area to prevent and treat diseases. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aromatic molecules， such as limonene， linalool， linalool acetate， geraniol， and citronellol. These chemicals have been extensively studied and shown to have a variety of functions， including reducing anxiety， relieving depression， promoting sleep， and providing pain relief. Terpenoids are a class of organic molecules with relatively low lipid solubility. After being inhaled， they can pass through the nasal mucosa for transfer or penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream upon local application. Some of these substances also have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier， thereby exerting effects on the central nervous system. Currently， the academic community generally agrees that products such as essential oils and aromatherapy from aromatic plants have certain health benefits. However， the process of extracting a single component from it and successfully developing it into a drug still faces many challenges. Its safety and efficacy still need to be further verified through more rigorous and systematic experiments. This article systematically elaborated on the efficacy of aromatic substances， including plant extracts and natural small molecule compounds， in antibacterial and antiviral fields and the regulation of nervous system activity. As a result， a deeper understanding of aromatherapy was achieved. At the same time， the potential of these aromatic substances for drug development was thoroughly explored， providing important references and insights for possible future drug research and application.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.01.013.].

Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are recommended for COVID-19 treatment in China, but their safety and efficacy in the elderly population are not fully known. In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, we identified 5131 elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients from 32,864 COVID-19 patients admitted to nine hospitals in Henan Province, China, from December 5, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was composite disease progression. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, including demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, and laboratory tests. After 2:1 PSM, 1786 elderly patients receiving azvudine and 893 elderly patients receiving Paxlovid were included. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses revealed that compared with Paxlovid group, azvudine could significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death (log-rank P = 0.002; HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.573-0.883, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in composite disease progression (log-rank P = 0.52; HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.877-1.260, P = 0.588). Four sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of above results. Subgroup analysis suggested that a greater benefit of azvudine over Paxlovid was observed in elderly patients with primary malignant tumors (P for interaction = 0.005, HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-0.57) compared to patients without primary malignant tumors. Safety analysis revealed that azvudine treatment had a lower incidence of adverse events and higher lymphocyte levels than Paxlovid treatment. In conclusion, azvudine treatment is not inferior to Paxlovid treatment in terms of all-cause death, composite disease progression and adverse events in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children, as well as an important cause of respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised patients and the elderly, which poses a significant economic and social burden worldwide. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in understanding the structure and function of RSV proteins and the interactions between RSV with host factors which is helpful to the discovery of new therapeutic targets and the development of novel interventions. Although two vaccines and two monoclonal antibodies for RSV prevention have been approved, the antiviral treatment remains an unmet clinical need. In this review, we summarize the structure, protein functional properties, and pathological mechanisms of RSV and the current status of RSV drug development. In addition, remaining challenges and innovative ideas for RSV prevention and treatment have also been highlighted.

In recent decades, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased dramatically due to lifestyle changes. The drugs currently recommended for hyperuricemia are associated with adverse reactions that limit their clinical use. In this study, we report that berberine (BBR) is an effective drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia, with its mechanism potentially involving the modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolite, succinic acid. BBR has demonstrated good therapeutic effects in both acute and chronic animal models of hyperuricemia. In a clinical trial, oral administration of BBR for 6 months reduced blood uric acid levels in 22 participants by modulating the gut microbiota, which led to an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Clostridium sensu stricto_1. Furthermore, Bacteroides fragilis was transplanted into ICR mice, and the results showed that Bacteroides fragilis exerted a therapeutic effect on uric acid similar to that of BBR. Notably, succinic acid, a metabolite of Bacteroides, significantly reduced uric acid levels. Subsequent cell and animal experiments revealed that the intestinal metabolite, succinic acid, regulated the upstream uric acid synthesis pathway in the liver by inhibiting adenosine monophosphate deaminase 2 (AMPD2), an enzyme responsible for converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP). This inhibition resulted in a decrease in IMP levels and an increase in phosphate levels. The reduction in IMP led to a decreased downstream production of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. BBR also demonstrated excellent renoprotective effects, improving nephropathy associated with hyperuricemia. In summary, BBR has the potential to be an effective treatment for hyperuricemia through the gut-liver axis.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy between liposuction combined with circumareolar small incision and three-port endoscopic surgery for the treatment of Simon Ⅱ gynecomastia (GYN). Methods Comparative case data of 120 patients with GYN were retrospectively analyzed, 61 patients in the open group underwent circumareolar small incision mastectomy after liposuction, and 59 patients in the endoscopic group underwent three-port endoscopic mastectomy after liposuction. The two groups were compared in terms of surgery-related indexes, occurrence of postoperative complications and patient satisfaction. Results The unilateral operation time of the open group was shorter than that of the endoscopic group, the unilateral gland resection weight in the open group was more than that in the endoscopic group, the hospitalization cost of the open group was less than that of the endoscopic group (all P<0.01). There was no significant difference in unilateral liposuction volume, drainage volume on the first postoperative day, and time to drain removal between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of complications in the open group and the endoscopic group were 8.2% and 13.6% respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The difference in the overall satisfaction scores between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions Liposuction combined with circumareolar small incision or three-port endoscopic surgery both has good cosmetic effects in the treatment of Simon Ⅱ GYN. The operation with circumareolar small incision is simple, has a shorter operation time, costs less, and does not require special equipment, which is suitable for promotion and application in medical institutions.

Objective:To investigate the effect of armadillo repeat containing X-linked 3(ARMCX3)on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of breast cancer cells and its potential molecular mechanism.Methods:Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of ARMCX3 in breast cancer tissue and adjacent tissue,and Western blot was used to measure the expression of ARMCX3 in breast cancer cells.Breast cancer cells were transfected with lentivirus to establish a model of breast cancer cells with low expres-sion of ARMCX3,and flow cytometry,colony formation assay,scratch assay,and Transwell assay were used to observe the effect of ARMCX3 on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of breast cancer cells.TCGA and GTEx databases were used to analyze the ex-pression of SRY-box transcription factor 9(SOX9)in breast cancer tissue,and GEO database was used to analyze the correlation be-tween SOX9 and ARMCX3.Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,vimentin,and SOX9 in breast cancer cells.Results:Compared with adjacent tissue and human normal breast epithelial cells,there was a significant in-crease in the expression level of ARMCX3 in breast cancer tissue and most breast cancer cell lines(P<0.05).Compared with the con-trol group,the low expression of ARMCX3 inhibited the prolifera-tion,migration,and invasion of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells,promoted the expression of E-cadherin,and inhibited the expres-sion of N-cadherin and vimentin(P<0.05).Compared with the nor-mal tissue,there was a significant increase in the expression level of SOX9 in breast cancer tissue(P<0.001),which was correlated with ARMCX3,and the low expression of ARMCX3 also significantly in-hibited the expression of SOX9.Conclusion:ARMCX3 is highly ex-pressed in breast cancer tissue and breast cancer cells,and it may regulate the proliferation,migration,and invasion of breast cancer cells through SOX9.

Objective:To investigate the effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on acute lung injury in septic mice and its underlying molecular mechanism.Methods:Twenty SPF male C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly (random number) divided into the sham-operated group, sham-operated + IGF-1 group, sepsis group and sepsis + IGF-1 group, with 5 mice in each group. IGF-1 [60 μg/(kg·d)] was injected via the tail vein for 3 consecutive days in the sham-operated + IGF-1 group and sepsis + IGF-1 group, and mice in the sham-operated group and sepsis group were injected with an equal volume of saline. The tissue of the upper lobe of the right lung was taken to calculate the wet-to-dry ratio, and the upper lobe of the left lung was subjected to HE staining to analyze pathological changes and evaluate lung injury. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of mice were detected by ELISA. The expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT and AKT in lung tissues was determined via Western blotting. The quantitative data with a normal distribution and homogeneity of variance were compared between the two groups by two independent sample t test. Results:Lung volume was reduced in the sepsis group than in the sham-operated group, obvious surface congestion, dark red color, large bruises and hemorrhagic foci were observed under the pericardium, and the wet-to-dry ratio was significantly elevated ( P<0.05). Compared with the sepsis group, the sepsis + IGF-1 group had slightly increased lung volume, less congestion, darker red color, fewer bruises and hemorrhagic foci, and a lower wet-to-dry ratio ( P<0.05). There was no significant change in lung tissue morphology in the sham-operated + IGF-1 group compared with the sham-operated group. HE staining and lung histopathological scores showed that lung tissue was significantly damaged in the sepsis group than the sham-operated group ( P<0.001), and the pathological score of lung tissue was less damaged in the sepsis + IGF-1 group compared with the sepsis group ( P<0.01). The ELISA results demonstrated that the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1β were markedly decreased in the sepsis + IGF-1 group than in the sepsis group [(26.22±1.60) pg/mL vs. (45.61±7.85) pg/mL, P<0.05; (87.99±11.80) pg/mL vs. (181.26±10.11) pg/mL, P<0.001]. Moreover, the IL-6 and IL-1β contents in the BALF of the sepsis + IGF-1 group were notably lower than those in the BALF of the sepsis group [(7.67±0.42) pg/mL vs. (20.25±0.43) pg/mL, P<0.001; (17.00±6.08) pg/mL vs. (108.61±5.18), pg/mL P <0.001]. Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT and AKT in the lung tissues of mice in the sepsis+IGF-1 group were markedly lower than that in the sepsis group [(0.71±0.05) vs. (1.21±0.09), P<0.05; (0.57±0.08) vs. (1.24±0.22), P<0.01; (0.29±0.07) vs. (1.10±0.04), P<0.001; (0.65±0.17) vs. (1.19±0.07), P<0.01]. Conclusion:IGF-1 ameliorates sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice, and its protective effect may be achieved by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Occupational silicosis (hereinafter referred to as "silicosis") exhibited individual differences in disease susceptibility, with genetic factors playing a crucial role in its onset and progression. Cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1RA +2018T>C locus, tumor necrosis factor-α -308G>A and -238G>A locus, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 +915G>C locus, were related to the development of silicosis. However, relationship between IL-17F +7488A>G and TGF-β1 -509T>C locus with silicosis had shown inconsistent results across different studies. Regulatory proteins such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 -735C>T locus, MMP-9 rs3918242 locus, heat shock protein (HSP) 70-1+190G>C locus, carboxypeptidase M rs12812500 locus, family sequence similarity gene 13A (FAM13A) rs2609255 locus, and desmoplakin rs2076304 locus were also related to the development of silicosis. The A allele of the non-coding RNA miRNA-4508 rs6576457 increased the risk of developing silicosis-related pulmonary fibrosis in dust-exposed workers. The polymorphism in the long non-coding RNA ADGRG3 rs1814521 was related to silicosis susceptibility. Additionally, six circular RNAs of small nucleolar RNA host gene 14 rs17115143 sequence might be potential biomarkers of silicosis. Human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) genes demonstrated a dual role in both risk and protection against silicosis, while angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphisms likely affected silicosis development by modulating serum ACE activity. However, the mechanisms by which certain genetic variations affected susceptibility to silicosis remain unclear. Prospective studies with large-scale samples combining genetics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, and biofunctional studies are needed to promote the development of biomarkers for silicosis susceptibility and disease course, and clinical therapies.

Objective To discuss the clinical efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)combined with carrelizumab and sorafenib in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The clinical data of 36 HCC patients,who were admitted to the Affiliated Nantong Third Hospital of Nantong University of China to receive HAIC combined with carrelizumab and sorafenib from August 2019 to August 2020,were collected.According to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(mRECIST),the objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR)of the combination therapy were evaluated.The Common Terminology Criteria Adverse Events Version 5.0 developed by American National Cancer Institute was used to evaluate the clinical safety.Results After receiving 4 cycles of FOLFOX-HAIC,the ORR and DCR of the patients were 38.9％and 77.8％respectively.The patients were followed up for 30 months.The median progression-free survival(mPFS)was 306 days(95％CI:242.7-369.3),and the median overall survival(mOS)was 515 days(95％CI:2 482.5-547.5).After HAIC treatment,one patient was successfully changed to surgical operation.The overall incidence of adverse events were 100％.There were 9 adverse events(25％)above grade m,including severe abdominal pain(n=2,5.6％),nausea(n=1,2.8％),vomiting(n=1,2.8％),elevated alanine aminotransferase(n=3,8.3％),elevated aspartate aminotransferase(n=1,2.8％),and death due to pulmonary failure caused by severe immune-induced pneumonia(n=1,2.8％).Conclusion For the treatment of advanced HCC,HAIC combined with carrelizumab and sorafenib has better ORR and DCR with controllable safety,which provides a new option for the treatment of advanced HCC.However,studies with large sample size need to be conducted before its long-term survival benefit of patients can be further validated.