Isosteviol is a tetracyclic diterpenoid compound obtained by hydrolysis of natural stevia glycoside under acidic conditions. It has many pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Due to its low water solubility, low activity and low bioavailability, isosteviol has poor performance. In order to overcome these shortcomings, scholars have obtained a large number of isosteviol derivatives with novel structures and excellent activity. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the research on the structure modification, biological activity, structure-activity relationship and microbial transformation of isosteviol, in order to provide a reference for the development of new drugs of isosteviol and its derivatives.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly widespread sleep-breathing disordered disease, and is an independent risk factor for many high-risk chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias and diabetes, which is potentially fatal. The key to the prevention and treatment of OSA is early diagnosis and treatment, so the assessment and diagnostic technologies of OSA have become a research hotspot. This paper reviews the research progresses of severity assessment parameters and diagnostic technologies of OSA, and discusses their future development trends. In terms of severity assessment parameters of OSA, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), as the gold standard, together with the percentage of duration of apnea hypopnea (AH%), lowest oxygen saturation (LSpO₂), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and the emerging biomarkers, constitute a multi-dimensional evaluation system. Specifically, the AHI, which measures the frequency of sleep respiratory events per hour, does not fully reflect the patients’ overall sleep quality or the extent of their daytime functional impairments. To address this limitation, the AH%, which measures the proportion of the entire sleep cycle affected by apneas and hypopneas, deepens our understanding of the impact on sleep quality. The LSpO₂ plays a critical role in highlighting the potential severe hypoxic episodes during sleep, while the HRV offers a different perspective by analyzing the fluctuations in heart rate thereby revealing the activity of the autonomic nervous system. The ODI provides a direct and objective measure of patients’ nocturnal oxygenation stability by calculating the number of desaturation events per hour, and the biomarkers offers novel insights into the diagnosis and management of OSA, and fosters the development of more precise and tailored OSA therapeutic strategies. In terms of diagnostic techniques of OSA, the standardized questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) is a simple and effective method for preliminary screening of OSA, and the polysomnography (PSG) which is based on recording multiple physiological signals stands for gold standard, but it has limitations of complex operations, high costs and inconvenience. As a convenient alternative, the home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) allows patients to monitor their sleep with simplified equipment in the comfort of their own homes, and the cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) offers a minimal version that simply analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. As an emerging diagnostic technology of OSA, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) adeptly pinpoint respiratory incidents and expose delicate physiological changes, thus casting new light on the diagnostic approach to OSA. In addition, imaging examination utilizes detailed visual representations of the airway’s structure and assists in recognizing structural abnormalities that may result in obstructed airways, while sound monitoring technology records and analyzes snoring and breathing sounds to detect the condition subtly, and thus further expands our medical diagnostic toolkit. As for the future development directions, it can be predicted that interdisciplinary integrated researches, the construction of personalized diagnosis and treatment models, and the popularization of high-tech in clinical applications will become the development trends in the field of OSA evaluation and diagnosis.

After the wooden shipwreck was recovered from the marine underwater environment,the wooden components undergo varying degrees of degradation,therefore,accurately determining the extent of degradation is a fundamental scientific issue for implementing effective preservation strategies.In this work,the wooden remains of Pinus massoniana excavated from the"Nanhai No.1"shipwreck(Southern Song Dynasty)were investigated and compared with the modern wood to discriminate the degradation levels of archaeological wood using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared(ATR-FTIR)spectroscopy.The residual sugar content within wood cell walls was determined using a non-invasive automated microscale ATR-FTIR method to extract chemical information from the wood tangential section.Microstructural characterization of wood samples was conducted by super depth of field microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.FTIR spectral analysis was performed to evaluate the degradation state and elucidate changes in cellulose crystallinity.Finally,the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with the sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis(sPLS-DA)model facilitated the rapid discrimination of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood,and the performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and area under the curve(AUC).The results showed that the higher the degree of wood degradation,the lower the residual sugar content in the wood cell wall,and the residual glucose content of highly degraded wood was only 4.7％.Significant differences were observed in both the tangential section microstructure and FTIR characteristic absorption patterns across degradation levels,and as the degradation advanced,progressive cell wall loosening occurred alongside selective removal of polysaccharide components,and the relative lignin content was increased,resulting in an elevated A1509/A1370 ratio in FTIR spectra.The sPLS-DA model achieved excellent discrimination performance with AUC values exceeding 0.9,confirming that the combination of FTIR spectroscopy with sPLS-DA enabled accurate assessment of degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood.This study developed a rapid and accurate methodology for assessing degradation levels in shipwreck archaeological wood based on microscale ATR-FTIR spectroscopy,which would help to promote the accurate assessment of the preservation state of waterlogged wooden artifacts.

Objective To investigate the status of population dynamics and distribution changes of Aedes aegypti in Guangdong Province.Methods Continuous monitoring was conducted from May 2018 to July 2024 in Wushi Town and Qishui Town,Leizhou City,Zhanjiang City,Guangdong Province.Additionally,a survey of the distribution of Ae.aegypti along the Leizhou Peninsula coast was carried out.Results The density of Ae.aegypti in Zhanjiang showed a gradual decline from 2018 to 2024.The last detection of adult Ae.aegypti in Wushi Town was in September 2021,and the last larva was found in October 2023.No Ae.aegypti was detected in Qishui Town during surveys from 2021 to 2024.A survey of 18 coastal villages in the Leizhou Peninsula revealed no detections of Ae.aegypti.Conclusions This study provides a basis for understanding the distribution and population density fluctuations of Ae.aegypti,assessing its invasion risk,and scientifically conducting relevant prevention and control efforts.

AIM To investigate the protective effect of Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills against house dust mite(HDM)-induced allergic asthma in mice.METHODS Compared to the intact BALB/c mice in the blank control group,the BALB/c mice randomly assigned into the model group,the dexamethasone group(0.67 mg/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose,and high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills groups(15,30 and 60 mg/kg),were induced into acute allergic asthma models via weekly intraperitoneal sensitization with 0.1 mL HDM solution(0.5 mg/mL)for three weeks followed by three consecutive daily intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)starting in the third week.The drug administered continuously 7 days after the last excitation.The mice had their airway reactive Penh value detected,their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,their blood eosinophils(EOS)counted,their Th2 cytokines in lung tissue and serum IgE levels detected by ELISA,and their number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)and pulmonary Th2 cells detected by flow cytometry.Chronic allergic asthma was induced in grouped BALB/c mice through repeated intranasal challenges with 10 μL HDM solution(2.5 mg/mL)administered five times weekly for five consecutive weeks.Drug treatment continued for 14 days following the final challenge.After the final treatment,the mice had their pulmonary pathological changes observed by HE staining,and their levels of Th2 cytokines in B ALF and lung tissue and serum IgE detected by ELISA.RESULTS Compared to the blank control group,the acute allergic asthma model group exhibited increases in Penh value,EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-5 levels in lung tissue(P＜0.01);obvious pulmonary inflammatory cells infiltration,and thickened airway wall;and increase in pulmonary number of Th2 cells(P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated decreased Penh value,serum EOS count,IgE level and IL-5 level in lung tissue(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and alleviated airway wall thickening;and decreased number of pulmonary Th2 cells.Compared to the blank group,the chronic allergic asthma model group showed obvious pulmonary inflammatory infiltration and airway wall thickening;and increased EOS count and IgE level in serum,IL-4 and IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Compared to the model group,the groups intervened with either medium-dose or high-dose Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills demonstrated reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltration;and decreased serum EOS count,IgE level,IL-13 in lung tissue and IL-14 in BALF(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Sanfeng Tongqiao Dropping Pills reduce Th2 cells in peripheral blood and lung tissue,suppress type 2 inflammation,and thereby alleviate allergic asthma.

BACKGROUND: Medical informatics accumulated vast amounts of data for clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, limited access to follow-up data and the difficulty in integrating data across diverse platforms continue to pose significant barriers to clinical research progress. In response, our research team has embarked on the development of a specialized clinical research database for cardiology, thereby establishing a comprehensive digital platform that facilitates both clinical decision-making and research endeavors. METHODS: The database incorporated actual clinical data from patients who received treatment at the Cardiovascular Medicine Department of Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2012 to 2021. It included comprehensive data on patients' basic information, medical history, non-invasive imaging studies, laboratory test results, as well as peri-procedural information related to interventional surgeries, extracted from the Hospital Information System. Additionally, an innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interactive follow-up system had been developed, ensuring that nearly all myocardial infarction patients received at least one post-discharge follow-up, thereby achieving comprehensive data management throughout the entire care continuum for high-risk patients. RESULTS: This database integrates extensive cross-sectional and longitudinal patient data, with a focus on higher-risk acute coronary syndrome patients. It achieves the integration of structured and unstructured clinical data, while innovatively incorporating AI and automatic speech recognition technologies to enhance data integration and workflow efficiency. It creates a comprehensive patient view, thereby improving diagnostic and follow-up quality, and provides high-quality data to support clinical research. Despite limitations in unstructured data standardization and biological sample integrity, the database's development is accompanied by ongoing optimization efforts. CONCLUSION The cardiovascular specialty clinical database is a comprehensive digital archive integrating clinical treatment and research, which facilitates the digital and intelligent transformation of clinical diagnosis and treatment processes. It supports clinical decision-making and offers data support and potential research directions for the specialized management of cardiovascular diseases.

Intervention in chronically activated microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a novel approach to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). The low permeability of the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and non-selective distribution in the brain severely restrict AD drugs' disease-modifying efficacy. Here, an immunosuppressant TREM2-lowing antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and resveratrol co-loaded cationic liposome is developed as an immune reprogramming nanomodulator modified by acid-cleavable BBB-targeting peptide and microglia-targeting peptide (Res@TcMNP/ASO) for AD management. Res@TcMNP/ASO can enter brain endothelial cells via D-T7 peptides. Then D-T7 undergoes an acid-responsive cleavage, facilitating the escape of Res@MNP/ASO from endo/lysosomes to cross the BBB. The detached Res@MNP/ASO specifically targets M1-phenotype microglia via exposed MG1 peptides to prompt the simultaneous delivery of two drugs into activated microglia. This nanomodulator can not only restore the immune function of microglia through TREM2-lowing ASO but also mitigate the immune stimulation to microglia caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) through resveratrol, thereby synergistically inhibiting the chronic activation of microglia to alleviate neuroinflammation in AD. Our results indicate that this combination treatment can achieve significant behavioral and cognitive improvements in late APP/PS1 mice.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a critical clinical condition characterized by rapid renal function decline, with high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown potential effects on mitigating oxidative stress and programmed cell death in AKI models. Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SB) and Scleromitrion diffusum (Willd.) R. J. Wang (SD), a classic TCM herbal pair exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Using advanced chromatographic separation technology, we enriched the effective fractions of water extracts from SB-SD, obtaining self-assembled herbal nanoparticles (SB and SD nanoparticles, SSNPs) rich in flavonoids and terpenoids. These SSNPs demonstrated robust antioxidant properties in vitro and mitigated AKI progression in vivo by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. Oral administration of SSNPs in mice resulted in absorption into the bloodstream, formation of a protein corona, reduced macrophage phagocytosis, and enhanced bioavailability and renal targeting. Furthermore, we investigated the self-assembly principle of SSNPs using representative flavonoids and terpenoids. Kinetic studies and in situ transmission electron microscopy (in situ TEM) revealed that these compounds self-assemble via supramolecular forces like hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions, forming stable nanostructures. This study elucidates the renoprotective effects and mechanisms of SB and SD, and provides a novel approach for the development of TCM-based nanomedicines, highlighting the potential of nano-TCM in AKI treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the key features of facial and tongue images associated with anemia in female populations, establish anemia risk-screening models, and evaluate their performance. METHODS: A total of 533 female participants (anemic and healthy) were recruited from Shuguang Hospital. Facial and tongue images were collected using the TFDA-1 tongue and face diagnosis instrument. Color and texture features from various parts of facial and tongue images were extracted using Face Diagnosis Analysis System (FDAS) and Tongue Diagnosis Analysis System version 2.0 (TDAS v2.0). Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used for feature selection. Ten machine learning models and one deep learning model (ResNet50V2 + Conv1D) were developed and evaluated. RESULTS: Anemic women showed lower a-values, higher L- and b-values across all age groups. Texture features analysis showed that women aged 30-39 with anemia had higher angular second moment (ASM)and lower entropy (ENT) values in facial images, while those aged 40-49 had lower contrast (CON), ENT, and MEAN values in tongue images but higher ASM. Anemic women exhibited age-related trends similar to healthy women, with decreasing L-values and increasing a-, b-, and ASM-values. LASSO identified 19 key features from 62. Among classifiers, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model achieved the best performance [area under the curve (AUC): 0.849, accuracy: 0.781]. The ResNet50V2 model achieved comparable results [AUC: 0.846, accuracy: 0.818]. CONCLUSION Differences in facial and tongue images suggest that color and texture features can serve as potential TCM phenotype and auxiliary diagnostic indicators for female anemia.
Humans ; Female ; Tongue/diagnostic imaging* ; Adult ; Anemia/diagnosis* ; Middle Aged ; Face/diagnostic imaging* ; Young Adult ; Machine Learning