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Background Statins play a beneficial role in the treatment of coronary artery disease and are widely prescribed to prevent hypercholesterolemia. Previous studies have demonstrated that statins also have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, and these are being explored for potential benefits in depression. However, the role of statins in the treatment of depression has not been well examined. Methods We investigated the effects of simvastatin on depressive behaviors and neuroinflammation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and chronic mild stress (CMS) induced depression model in mice. Sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT) were used to detect the depressive behaviors. The microglial activation was detected by immunohistochemistry analysis and the pro-inflammatory cytokines expressions including IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 were examined by Western blot analysis. Results Our data indicated that oral administration of simvastatin at 20 mg/kg significantly prevented and ameliorated depressive behaviors reflected by better performance in the SPT, FST and NSFT. Moreover, simvastatin markedly prevented and ameliorated LPS and CMS-induced neuroinflammation, as shown by the suppressed activation of microglia in hippocampus and decreased hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokines expressions including IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, which might be mediated via the inhibition of NF-κB pathway, as shown by the decreased nuclear NF-κB p65 expression. Limitations The interpretation of the evidence of a positive treatment effect of simvastatin on the depressive manifestations, multifaceted etiology of depression, and confirmation of this finding from animal models to humans is needed. Conclusion These results suggest that simvastatin has the potential to be employed as a therapy for depression associated with neuroinflammation.

We construct the generalized W1+∞ algebra with the multi-variable realization and derive its n-algebra which is the generalized Lie algebra for even n case. Then we reinvestigate the elliptic hermitian matrix model and present the generalized q-W∞ constraints, where the abelian current operators are truncated. By applying the strategy of carrying out the action of the operators on the partition function, the generalized q-W∞ n-algebra arises as a deformation of the generalized W∞ n-algebra.

Objective To summarize the timing-efficacy relationship and the dosage–efficacy relationship of acupuncture in stroke treatment. Method Literature research was conducted for quantitative clinical studies of acupuncture in stroke treatment, with the entry point on the timing factor and dosage factor. A hierarchical analysis was performed on observing the time–efficacy relationship and the dosage–efficacy relationship before, during and after acupuncture. Results Though the retrieved studies differ especially in such timing factors as needle retaining time, acupuncture interval and course, they share an agreement in the acupuncture intervention time point, acupuncture timing, specificity of acupoints and acupuncture manipulation. Conclusion The optimal stimulation is the core of the research on the timing-efficacy relationship and the dosage–efficacy relationship of acupuncture and also the key to the clinical efficacy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as one of the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide. A better understanding of the mechanism responsible for HCC metastasis will be helpful for the treatment of HCC patients. Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of thymidine to thymine and deoxyribose-1-phosphate, was demonstrated to promote the invasion and metastasis of HCC in our study. Clinical retrospective analysis revealed that metastatic HCC tumor tissues have higher TP expression, and TP expression was significantly correlated with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 expression. Survival analysis revealed that TP expression was negatively correlated with the prognosis of HCC patients. Moreover, in vitro cell experiments confirmed that TP could promote the migration and invasion of HCC cells. In addition, MMP2 and MMP9 were activated by TP overexpression. Overall, this study suggests that TP promotes metastasis and may serve as a marker of poor prognosis in HCC. Thus, TP is a potential target for the treatment of HCC.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of professor WU Lian-zhong's “resuscitation and regulating muscle” acupuncture method for spasmodic torticollis (ST) based on syndrome differentiation, and to compare the efficacy of acupuncture treatment between the patients with spasmodic torticollis who were not given botulinum toxin A by injection and the patients given botulinum toxin A by injection. Methods Forty patients were divided into treatment group (not given botulinum toxin A by injection) and control group (given botulinum toxin A by injection), with 20 patients in each group. “Resuscitation and regulating muscle” acupuncture method was adopted in both two groups, and the treatment lasted for 6 months. The clinical efficacy in both two groups was compared after treatment. Tsui's Scale was applied to evaluate the overall effect, the abnormal posture of cervical spine and dystonic tremor. Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) was used for scoring the severity of torticollis, quality of life and pain. Results After treatment, the markedly effective rate and the total effective rate in treatment group were 35.0% and 90.0%, respectively, which were superior to those in control group, namely 20.0% and 75.0%, and the efficacy difference was statistically significant for the total effective rate (P Conclusion “Resuscitation and regulating muscle” acupuncture method can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of ST patients, and better efficacy is found in the patients not given botulinum toxin A by injection. The course of treatment of acupuncture treatment for torticollis patients is longer, and the patients should insist on treatment, and keep a good attitude.

Owing to modern developments in the traditional medicine industry, more people now acknowledge the efficacy of traditional medicine. As the demand for herbal medicines gradually increases, the focus of the industry will shift to how to increase production while maintaining the high quality of raw materials and final products to promote the international trade in herbal medicines. In the long history of herbal medicine, many countries and regions have formulated relevant standards to regulate the cultivation of local herbs to ensure the safety and reliability of the products. Due to cultural and historical differences, the policies for formulating herbal cultivation standards vary greatly between regions, which hinders the international trade of herbal medicines. This paper collates the guidelines of good agricultural and collection practices of the European Union, China, World Health Organization and the United States, and makes a comprehensive comparison of its contents such as production environments, production area suitability, air, soil, and water standard regulations, inter alia. This article aims to explore the differences in good agriculture and collection practice in herbal medicine in various regions and provides a reference for the development of international guidelines for herbal quality management, which will aid with the development of herbal medicine quality standardization globally and exchange services in the trade of herbal medicines.

Phytochemical investigation of Gentianella turkestanorum (Gentianaceae) afforded nineteen compounds, including six xanthones ( 1–6 ), two triterpenoids ( 7–8 ), eight flavones ( 9–16 ) and three iridoids ( 17–19 ). Here, we firstly reported that 1-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone ( 4 ), 1, 8-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone ( 5 ), apigenin ( 9 ), quercetin ( 10 ), luteolin-7- O -glucoside ( 12 ) and three other compounds (1, 8-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone ( 5 ), apigenin-7- O -gluco (1″ → 3‴) glucoside ( 15 ) and luteolin-7- O -gluco (1″ → 3‴) glucoside ( 16 )) could be isolated from G. turkestanorum . The occurrence of chemical data and the sequence data might be employed as common constituents of the genera Gentianella , Lomatogonium and Swertia .

Polypropylene (PP), a fossil-based polyolefin plastics widely used worldwide, is non-hydrolyzable and resistant to biodegradation as a major source of plastic pollutants in environment. This study focused on feasibility of PP biodegradation in the larvae of two species of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) i.e., yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and superworms (Zophobas atratus) using PP foam with number-, weight-, and size-average molecular weights (Mn, Mw, and Mz) of 109.8, 356.2, and 765.0 kDa, respectively. The tests were conducted in duplicates with respective larvae (300 T. molitor and 200 Z. atratus each incubator) at 25 °C and 65% humidity for over a 35-day period. The larvae of T. molitor and Z. atratus fed with PP foam as sole diet consumed PP at 1.0 ± 0.4 and 3.1 ± 0.4 mg 100 larvae−1 days−1, respectively; when fed the PP foam plus wheat bran, the consumption rates were enhanced by 68.11% and 39.70%, respectively. Gel permeation chromatography analyses of the frass of T. molitor and Z. atratus larvae fed PP only indicated that Mw was decreased by 20.4 ± 0.8% and 9.0 ± 0.4%; Mn was increased by 12.1 ± 0.4% and 61.5 ± 2.5%; Mz was decreased by 33.8 ± 1.5% and 32.0 ± 1.1%, indicating limited extent depolymerization. Oxidation and biodegradation of PP was confirmed through analysis of the residual PP in frass. Depression of gut microbes with the antibiotic gentamicin inhibited PP depolymerization in both T. molitor and Z. atratus larvae. High throughput 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that Citrobacter sp. and Enterobacter sp. were associated with PP diets in the gut microbiome of Z. atratus larvae while Kluyvera was predominant in the T. molitor larvae. The results indicated that PP can be biodegraded in both T. molitor and Z. atratus larvae via gut microbe-dependent depolymerization with diversified microbiomes.

Chemical investigation on the whole plants of Stenosolenium saxatile led to the isolation of three naphthoquinones ( 1 ??? 3 ), five pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) ( 4???8 ), and six phenolic acids ( 9???14 ). The structure of the isolated compounds was elucidated by different spectrometric methods ( 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR and ESI-MS). These results are the first chemical data on constituents of this genus. The chemotaxonomic relationships between the genera Stenosolenium , Onosma , Arnebia , Echium and Lithospermum are also discussed.

The study of the whole plants of Odontites serotina (Lam.) Dumort. has led to the isolation of one nucleoside compound (2), three iridoids (1, 3, and 4), two phenylethanolic glycosides (6 and 8), four phenolic acids (5, 10, 12, and 15), and nine flavonoids (7, 9, 11, 13, 14, and 16–19). The structures of the compounds were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the isolation and identification of compounds 2–3, 6–8, 10, 12, 14–16, and 19 in O. serotina. The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds was discussed.

Laminated films are generally prepared from two or more monolayer films bonded using adhesives, such that the printing ink and adhesives are located between the films. Although the organic solvents in the adhesive, printing ink, and diluter are not in direct contact with the food, they may migrate through the films under certain conditions, potentially threatening human health. In this study, gas chromatography was used to analyze the migration rate of residual toluene from laminated films into four food simulants, namely isooctane, 50% ethanol, 3% acetic acid, and 10% ethanol. The effect of different parameters on toluene migration was characterized for internal films prepared with either low density polyethylene (LDPE) or cast polypropylene (CPP). The migration rate varied markedly with the temperature, with higher temperatures leading to accelerated migration into the simulants. The toluene levels in the simulants plateaued after a certain time period. Isooctane was the simulant into which toluene migrated the fastest. CPP films proved more efficient barriers than those prepared with LDPE. Within a certain range, increasing the initial toluene content in the laminated films had almost no observable effect on its migration rate.

Phytochemical study of Cymbaria dahurica L. afforded 16 compounds, including 12 flavonoids (1–12) and 4 iridoids (13–16). Structure elucidation of these compounds was generated by a combination of spectroscopic means (ESI-MS, 1H and 13C NMR) and comparisons with the published data. This is the first report of isolation of compounds (1–6, 10–16) from C. dahurica and compounds (5, 10, 12) from the family Scrophulariaceae, respectively. The chemotaxonomic data can support the genus Cymbaria being accepted as a member of transitional taxa between the family Scrophulariaceae and Orobanchaceae.

The data of online social network (OSN) is collected currently by the third party for various purposes. One of the problems in such practices is how to measure the privacy breach to assure users. The recent work on OSN privacy is mainly focus on privacy-preserving data publishing. However, the work on privacy metric is not systematic but mainly focus on the traditional datasets. Compared with the traditional datasets, the attribute types in OSN are more diverse and the tuple is relevant to each other. The retweet and comment make the graph character of OSN notably. Furthermore, the open application programming interfaces (APIs) and lower register barrier make OSN open environment, in which the background knowledge is more easily achieved by adversaries. This paper analyzes the background knowledge in OSN and discusses its characteristics in detail. Then a privacy metric model faces OSN background knowledge based on kernel regression is proposed. In particular, this model takes the joint attributes and link knowledge into consideration. The effect of different data distributions is discussed. The real world data set from weibo.com has been adopted. It is demonstrated that the privacy metric algorithm in this article is effective in OSN privacy evaluation. The prediction error is 30% lower than that of the work mentioned above

In this paper, twenty-two compounds including twenty-one flavonoids ( 1 – 21 ) and one alkaloid ( 22 ) were isolated from Panzeria alaschanica , in which seventeen flavonoids ( 1 – 2 , 5 – 11 , 13 – 20 ) were isolated from P. alaschanica and four flavonoid p -coumaroylglucosides ( 15 – 18 ) from the genus Panzeria for the first time. The occurrence of flavonoid p -coumaroylglucosides and alkaloids might be employed as the common characteristic constituents of the genera Panzeria , Leonurus , Lagochilus , Lagopsis and Marrubium .

Diversity of 60 conventional japonica rice accessions with good eating quality at home and abroad was analyzed using SSR molecular markers, agronomic traits and taste characteristics. A total of 290 alleles were detected in the 60 accessions at 72 SSR loci with the high similarity coefficients varying between 0.600 and 0.924. The loci on chromosome 5 showed the greatest value in average allele number. Additionally, most of the SSR loci could detect 3 to 4 alleles. An UPGMA dendrogram based on the cluster analysis of the genetic similarity coefficients showed that the grouping trend of part of the rice accessions was geographic-related and most of the rice accessions in Jiangsu Province, China were clustered together. Furthermore, many domestic accessions from south and north origins in China were close to the foreign japonica rice varieties, as proved by their pedigree origin from the foreign high-quality sources. For taste characteristics, part of the accessions with excellent taste were clearly clustered into one category though they came from different geographical regions, which indicates that taste characteristics of some varieties were mainly genetically determined. In addition, the agronomic traits of japonica rice with good taste might be closely related with their geographical origins, but the relationship between superior taste characteristics and agronomic traits should be further clarified.

Voriconazole is a second generation triazole antifungal agent and the first choice therapy for invasive aspergillosis (IA). Although voriconazole may be associated with many adverse events, hyponatremia has been rarely reported which potentially could result in death. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and individualization of therapy by measuring voriconazole plasma concentrations improved the efficacy and safety in patients. We report the effect of TDM to adjust voriconazole dosage in a voriconazole-related hyponatremia patient.