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The efficacy and safety of combining H1 antihistamines (AHs) for treating urticaria are currently unclear. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of H1 AH combinations in the management of urticaria up to May 2023. The search encompassed databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the China Biological Medicine Database. The inclusion criteria comprised randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised trials (NRTs), case reports, and case series focusing on urticaria treatment. Initially screening 12,887 studies, this review ultimately selected 109 studies involving 11,435 patients. These studies documented 43 different combination treatments across 11 types of urticaria. In comparison to monotherapy, combination therapy exhibited superior efficacy in 94 studies that reported treatment efficacy. Regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs), 67 studies disclosed ADR incidences, with combination therapy showing lower ADR rates in 32 studies. Additionally, 7 studies reported similar ADR rates between combination therapy and monotherapy with AHs. Common ADRs included symptoms such as drowsiness, nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, and headache, while less frequent side effects encompassed hypotension, otitis media, polyuria, rhinorrhoea, abnormal liver function, and rash. ADR rates ranged from 0% to 21% in the treatment group, and from 0.5% to 75% in the control group. Importantly, patients generally tolerated these ADRs well, with symptoms resolving upon discontinuation of treatment. The study's findings suggest that combining AHs leads to enhanced efficacy and reduced safety risks compared to monotherapy in the context of urticaria treatment. These results advocate for considering combination therapy as a viable option in clinical practice, especially for chronic urticaria cases. Nonetheless, caution is advised, and close monitoring for potential ADRs is crucial during treatment.

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This editorial provides insights from a case report by Sun et al published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases. The case report focuses on a case where a multilocular thymic cyst (MTC) was misdiagnosed as a thymic tumor, resulting in an unnecessary surgical procedure. Both MTCs and thymic tumors are rare conditions that heavily rely on radiological imaging for accurate diagnosis. However, the similarity in their imaging presentations can lead to misinterpretation, resulting in unnecessary surgical procedures. Due to the ongoing lack of comprehensive knowledge about MTCs and thymic tumors, we offer a summary of diagnostic techniques documented in recent literature and examine potential causes of misdiagnosis. When computer tomography (CT) values surpass 20 Hounsfield units and display comparable morphology, there is a risk of misdiagnosing MTCs as thymic tumors. Employing various differential diagnostic methods like biopsy, molecular biology, multi-slice CT, CT functional imaging, positron emission tomography/CT molecular functional imaging, magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics, proves advantageous in reducing clinical misdiagnosis. A deeper understanding of these conditions requires increased attention and exploration by healthcare providers. Moreover, the continued advancement and utilization of various diagnostic methods are expected to enhance precise diagnoses, provide appropriate treatment options, and improve the quality of life for patients with thymic tumors and MTCs in the future.

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Due to the complex composition and similar structure, the extraction denitrification of aromatic rich oil is faced with the contradiction problem of denitrification efficiency and aromatic loss which cannot be efficiently solved by experiments. However, the complex interactions involved can be analyzed from the perspective of calculation, and the prediction criteria and methods are proposed. Based on rigorous density functional theory calculation data, Simple models based on electrostatic potential (ESP) and Van der Waals potential (VdWP)-based calculations were established and validated. The twofold model provided the best prediction for interactions between extractants and nitrogen compounds and between extractants and aromatics, which determines denitrification efficiency and aromatic loss, respectively, due to the most complete description of both electrostatic and VdW force. This provides a powerful tool for evaluating the non-covalent interactions and thence tuning the efficiency of the separation process. Thus, high denitrification efficiency (43.2~66.3 %) and moderate aromatic loss (1.7~4.4 %) were obtained using screened deep eutectic solvents (DESs). This ideal observation provided the potential for mild hydrodesulfurization and manufacture of high-grade carbon materials.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of knowledge and behavior about rational drug use in college students in different colleges and universities in a city in southwest China, providing reference for students' education of rational drug use in colleges and universities. METHODS: A questionnaire survey on knowledge and behavior in rational drug use was carried out on the students recruited by occasional sampling method in 6 colleges and universities in Zunyi, China. Statistical analyses on demographic information and answers to questionnaire questions were carried out with SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: A total of 865 valid questionnaires were recovered from 923 questionnaires sent out. Some knowledge and behaviors of the students on drug use were irrational. There was statistically significant difference in some specific questions of the knowledge in rational drug use between medical and non-medical students (P<0.05); the average score of rational drug use behavior of medical students was lower than that of non-medical students (P<0.05); the average score of the rational drug use behavior of female students was lower than that of male (P<0.05); the students' major types had significantly different influence on their behavior in rational drug use (P<0.05). The school-carried pharmacy education can effectively improve students' rational medication; the majority of college students believed that it is necessary to popularize the knowledge of rational drug use on campus; and students' favorite way to acquire knowledge about rational drug use was to attend related lectures or elective courses. CONCLUSION: The knowledge and behavior of rational drug use among college students need to be improved. Professional medical education may exert a positive impact on rational drug use among college students. Thus, it is necessary to popularize the knowledge of rational drug use among college students, especially in non-medical colleges and universities.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of chloroxoquinoline on cytoskeleton of breast cancer cells and its relation with Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway. METHODS: Breast cancer Bcap37 and MDA-MB-453 cells were treated with different concentrations of chloroxoquinoline. Wound healing and Transwell assay were conducted to detect cell migration and invasion, respectively. Rhodamine-phalloidin staining and immunofluorescent staining were used to observe the polymerization state of F-actin and the expression of α-Tublin in breast cancer cells, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the phosphorylation level of key protein in Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, chloroxoquinoline treatment induced dose-dependent decrease in cell migration and invasion, and Bcap37 and MDA-MB-453 cells treated with chloroxoquinoline showed dose-dependent changes in cell morphology and decrease in cell body. The staining of F-actin and α-Tublin was irregular and clustered. Furthermore, treatment of chloroxoquinoline down-regulated the phosphorylation of the Rho/Rho kinase signaling proteins Cofilin, Limk and Rock2 (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Chloroxoquinoline inhibits the cytoskeleton in breast cancer Bcap37 and MDA-MB-453 cells and inhibits cell migration. This effect may be associated with down-regulation of Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway.

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White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a lethal pathogen of shrimp and many other crustaceans, including crayfish. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its cellular entry remains elusive due to the lack of shrimp cell lines for viral propagation. Crayfish hematopoietic tissue (Hpt) cell culture was recently established as a good model for WSSV infection study. Here, we showed that multiple endocytic routes, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), macropinocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis, were indispensably employed for the viral entry into Hpt cell of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. Intriguingly, cellular autophagic activity was positively correlated with efficient viral entry, in which a key autophagy-related protein, γ-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated protein (Cq-GABARAP), that not only localized but also co-localized with WSSV on the Hpt cell membrane, strongly facilitated WSSV entry by binding to the viral envelope VP28 in a CME-dependent manner that was negatively regulated by Cq-Rac1. Furthermore, cytoskeletal components, including Cq-ß-tubulin and Cq-ß-actin, bound to both recombinant rCq-GABARAP and WSSV envelope proteins, which likely led to viral entry promotion via cooperation with rCq-GABARAP. Even under conditions that promoted viral entry, rCq-GABARAP significantly reduced viral replication at an early stage of infection, which was probably caused by the formation of WSSV aggregates in the cytoplasm.

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The effects of the decline in ocean pH, termed as ocean acidification due to the elevated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, on calcifying organisms such as marine crustacean are unclear. To understand the possible effects of ocean acidification on the physiological responses of a marine model crustacean brine shrimp, Artemia sinica, three groups of the cysts or animals were raised at different pH levels (8.2 as control; 7.8 and 7.6 as acidification stress according to the predictions for the end of this century and next century accordingly) for 24 h or two weeks, respectively, followed by examination of their hatching success, morphological appearance such as deformity and microstructure of animal body, growth (i.e. body length), survival rate, expression of selected genes (involved in development, immunity and cellular activity etc), and biological activity of several key enzymes (participated in antioxidant responses and physiological reactions etc). Our results clearly demonstrated that the cysts hatching rate, growth at late stage of acidification stress, and animal survival rate of brine shrimp were all reduced due to lower pH level (7.6 & 7.8) on comparison to the control group (pH 8.2), but no obvious change in deformity or microstructure of brine shrimp was present under these acidification stress by microscopy observation and section analysis. In addition, the animals subjected to a lower pH level of seawater underwent changes on their gene expressions, including Spätzle, MyD88, Notch, Gram-negative bacteria binding protein, prophenoloxidase, Apoptosis inhibitor 5, Trachealess, Caveolin-1 and Cyclin K. Meanwhile, several key enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase, were also affected by acidified seawater stress. Taken together, our findings supports the idea that CO2-driven seawater acidification indeed has a detrimental effect, in case of hatching success, growth and survival, on a model crustacean brine shrimp, which will increase the risk of juvenile brine shrimp and possibly also other crustaceans, as important live feeds for aquaculture being introduced in the ecosystem especially the marine food webs.

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Clip domain serine proteinase homologs are involved in many biological processes including immune response. To identify the immune function of a serine proteinase homolog (Sp-SPH), originally isolated from hemocytes of the mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, the Sp-SPH was expressed recombinantly and purified for further studies. It was found that the Sp-SPH protein could bind to a number of bacteria (including Aeromonas hydrophila, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio fluvialis, Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio parahemolyticus), bacterial cell wall components such as lipopolysaccharide or peptidoglycan (PGN), and ß-1, 3-glucan of fungus. But no direct antibacterial activity of Sp-SPH protein was shown by using minimum inhibitory concentration or minimum bactericidal concentration assays. Nevertheless, the Sp-SPH protein was found to significantly enhance the crab hemocyte adhesion activity (paired t-test, P<0.05), and increase phenoloxidase activity if triggered by PGN in vitro (paired t-test, P<0.05). Importantly, the Sp-SPH protein was demonstrated to promote the survival rate of the animals after challenge with A. hydrophila or V. parahemolyticus which were both recognized by Sp-SPH protein, if pre-incubated with Sp-SPH protein, respectively. Whereas, the crabs died much faster when challenged with Vibrio alginolyiicus, a pathogenic bacterium not recognized by Sp-SPH protein, compared to those of crabs challenged with A. hydrophila or V. parahemolyticus when pre-coated with Sp-SPH protein. Taken together, these data suggested that Sp-SPH molecule might play an important role in immune defense against bacterial infection in the mud crab S. paramamosain.

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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread, persistent environmental contaminants that display a complex spectrum of toxicological properties. Exposure to PCBs has been associated with morphological anomalies in cell cultures. However, most mechanistic studies of PCBs' toxic activity have been focused on coplanar congeners. It is of importance to determine whether PCB treatment would influence cell configuration and whether these changes would depend on the structural characteristics of PCBs. In this study, we investigated cell morphological alteration in Vero cell cultures after exposure to coplanar PCB 126 and noncoplanar PCB 153. The survival of Vero cells was measured through the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test. Cytotoxicity results suggested that PCB congeners had a toxic, antiproliferative effect on Vero cells. Morphological studies described structural modifications and provided evidence that apoptosis might be the main cell death pathway in PCB 153-treated cells. The comparison between PCB 126 and PCB 153 indicated that the cell death mechanisms involved in coplanar or noncoplanar PCB congener exposure were different in Vero cells.

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Two PCB congeners were assessed for their cytotoxicity on Vero cells, in the attempt to compare their structure-activity relationship and to investigate the role of mitochondria involved in toxicity. Flow cytometry was used to monitor the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ(m)), cell size and apoptosis rate. Treatments of Vero cell cultures with both PCB 126 and PCB 153 resulted in loss of cell viability in our experimental conditions. In ortho-substituted PCB 153 treated cells, loss of cell viability was accompanied by decreased Δψ(m) and cell shrinkage. The coplanar congener, PCB 126, had no significant effects on Δψ(m) or cell size in this time period of exposure. These studies showed that PCB 153 is more toxic than coplanar PCB 126 to Vero cells within 24h exposure. The cytotoxicity mechanism caused by coplanar or non-coplanar PCB congener was different, and apoptosis might be the main cell death pathway in PCB 153 treated cells.

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The effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on Vero cell proliferation was investigated, with the attempts to assess the possible hormetic dose-response and to compare their structure-dependent toxicity. Both PCB congeners revealed low doses stimulation in our experiment. However, significant cytotoxicity was only observed in PCB 52 concentrations larger than 0.1 microg ml(-1), while there was no significant inhibition in PCB 77-treated cells at concentrations selected. Furthermore, the time-dependent cytotoxic trends were different. The comparison between PCB 52 and PCB 77 indicated that the cytotoxic mechanisms involved in coplanar or non-coplanar PCB congener exposure were different, and this difference might be associated with individual genotoxicity and the release of contact inhibition, respectively.

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The stimulatory effect of low concentrations of toxic chemicals on organismal metabolism, referred to as hormesis, has been found to be common in the widely used luminescence bioassay. This paper aims to study the hormesis phenomenon in both marine and freshwater luminescent bacteria, named Photobacterium phosphorem and Vibrio qinghaiensis. The effects of Cu (II), Zn (II), Cd (II) and Cr (VI) on luminescence of these two bacteria were studied for 0 to 75 minutes exposure by establishing dose- and time-response curves. A clear hormesis phenomenon was observed in all four testing metals at low concentrations under the condition of luminescence assays.

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A greenhouse experiment was conducted with varying concentrations of phenanthrene (11-344 mg kg(-1)) and pyrene (15-335 mg kg(-1)) spiked in the soil to evaluate the phytoremediation of PAHs contaminated soil using tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). After 65-day of tall fescue growth, plant biomass, microbial viable counts, dehydrogenase activity, water-soluble phenolic compounds, phenanthrene and pyrene residual concentrations and removal percentages were determined. The results showed that target PAHs (phenanthrene and pyrene) did not affect plant biomass at lower concentrations but a reduced biomass (only 53.5% of shoot and 29.7% of root compared to control) was observed at higher concentrations. Higher biological activities (microbial viable counts, water-soluble phenolic compounds, dehydrogenase activity) and PAHs degradation rates were detected in planted soils than unplanted controls. After harvest, 91.7-97.8% of phenanthrene and 70.8-90.0% of pyrene had been degraded in the planted soils, which were 1.88-3.19% and 8.85-20.69% larger than those in corresponding unplanted soils. This enhanced dissipation of target PAHs in planted soils might be derived from increased biological activity in the rhizosphere. The results of the present study suggest that the presence of tall fescue roots were effective in promoting the phytoremediation of PAHs contaminated soil.

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The stimulatory effect of low concentrations of toxic chemicals on organismal metabolism, referred to as hormesis, has been found to be common in the widely used luminescence bioassay. This paper aims to study the hormesis phenomenon in both marine and freshwater luminescent bacteria, named Photobacterium phosphorem and Vibrio qinghaiensis. The effects of Cu (II), Zn (II), Cd (II) and Cr (VI) on luminescence of these two bacteria were studied for 0 to 75 minutes exposure by establishing dose- and time-response curves. A clear hormesis phenomenon was observed in all four testing metals at low concentrations under the condition of luminescence assays.

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Phytoremediation, use of plants for remediation, is an emerging technology for treating heavy metals or a final polishing step for the high-level organic contamination, and may be suitable for remediation of heavy metal and organic co-contaminated soil. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of co-contamination on the growth of Zea mays L. and the fate of both heavy metal and organic pollutants, using Cu and pyrene as the model pollutants. Results showed that shoot and root biomass were affected by the copper-pyrene co-contamination, although maize grown in spiked soils showed no outward signs of phytotoxicity. With the initial concentration of 50,100 and 500 mg/kg, pyrene tended to alleviate the inhibition of Cu to Z. mays L. Pyrene in both planted and non-planted soil was greatly decreased at the end of the 4-week culture, accounting for 16-18% of initial extractable concentrations in non-planted soil and 9-14% in planted soil, which indicated that the dissipation of soil pyrene was enhanced in the presence of vegetation probably due to the biodegradation and association with the soil matrix. With the increment of Cu level, residual pyrene in the planted soil tended to increase. The pyrene residual in the presence of high concentration of Cu was even higher in the planted soil than that in the non-planted soil, which suggested that the change of the microbial composition and microbial activity or the modified root physiology under Cu stress was probably unbeneficial to the dissipation of pyrene. A more thorough understanding of the mechanisms by which metals affect the dissipation of organic pollutants in the rhizosphere could provide a much better framework on which to base manipulation. Unlike pyrene, heavy metal copper cannot be degraded. Decontamination of Cu from contaminated soils in this system required the removal of Cu by plants. It was observed that the ability of Cu phytoextraction would be inhibited under co-contamination of high level of pyrene in highly Cu-polluted soil. In the treatment of 400 mg Cu/kg and 500 mg pyrene/kg, the accumulation of Cu was less than half of that in 400 mg Cu/kg treatment.

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