The Fill-Mask Association Test (FMAT): Measuring propositions in natural language.

Recent advances in large language models are enabling the computational intelligent analysis of psychology in natural language. Here, the Fill-Mask Association Test (FMAT) is introduced as a novel and integrative method leveraging Masked Language Models to study and measure psychology from a propositional perspective at the societal level. The FMAT uses Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) models to compute semantic probabilities of option words filling in the masked blank of a designed query (i.e., a clozelike contextualized sentence). The current research presents 15 studies that establish the reliability and validity of the FMAT in predicting factual associations (Studies 1A-1C), measuring attitudes/biases (Studies 2A-2D), capturing social stereotypes (Studies 3A-3D), and retrospectively delineating lay perceptions of sociocultural changes over time (Studies 4A-4D). Empirically, the FMAT replicated seminal findings previously obtained with human participants (e.g., the Implicit Association Test) and other big-data text-analytic methods (e.g., word frequency analysis, the Word Embedding Association Test), demonstrating robustness across 12 BERT model variants and diverse training text corpora. Theoretically, the current findings substantiate the propositional (vs. associative) perspective on how semantic associations are represented in natural language. Methodologically, the FMAT allows for more fine-grained language-based psychological measurement, with an R package developed to streamline its workflow for use on broader research questions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

[Two new glycosides from Hypericum elatoides].

The column chromatography with silica gel, reversed-phase C_(18), and Sephadex LH-20 was employed to separate the methanol extract of the aerial parts of Hypericum elatoides. The compounds were identified by the comprehensive analysis of IR, NMR, and MS data as methyl 8-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(Z)-5-octenoate(1), methyl 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-4-methylhexanoate(2), byzantionoside B(3), 9-epi-blumenol C glucoside(4), corchoionoside C(5),(6S,9R)-roseoside(6), cis-p-coumaric acid 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(7), trans-p-coumaric acid 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(8), methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate(9),(E)-chlorogenic acid methyl ester(10), quercetin-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(11), ß-sitosterol(12), stigmasterol(13), stigmast-4-en-3-one(14), ß-amyrin(15), daucosterol(16), sitoindoside Ⅰ(17), oleic acid(18), methyl α-linolenate(19), trilinolein(20), and cassipourol(21). Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were identified as new glycosides and named hyperelatosides G and H. Compounds 3-5, 7-9, 17, and 20-21 were isolated from the genus Hypericum for the first time. The remaining compounds were isolated from H. elatoides for the first time. The results of biological assays revealed that compound 11 exhibited significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity, and compounds 1, 3, and 19 displayed certain neuroprotective effects.

Prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria and the emergence of rare species in Henan Province, China.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a large group of mycobacteria other than the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and Mycobacterium leprae. Epidemiological investigations have found that the incidence of NTM infections is increasing in China, and it is naturally resistant to many antibiotics. Therefore, studies of NTM species in clinical isolates are useful for understanding the epidemiology of NTM infections. The present study aimed to investigate the incidence of NTM infections and types of NTM species. Of the 420 samples collected, 285 were positive for M. tuberculosis, 62 samples were negative, and the remaining 73 samples contained NTM, including 35 (8.3%) only NTM and 38 (9%) mixed (M. tuberculosis and NTM). The most prevalent NTM species were Mycobacterium intracellulare (30.1%), followed by Mycobacterium abscessus (15%) and M. triviale (12%). M. gordonae infection was detected in 9.5% of total NTM-positive cases. Moreover, this study reports the presence of Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum infection and a high prevalence of M. triviale for the first time in Henan. M. intracellulare is the most prevalent, accompanied by some emerging NTM species, including M. nonchromogenicum and a high prevalence of M. triviale in Henan Province. Monitoring NTM transmission and epidemiology could enhance mycobacteriosis management in future.

Novel automated AIMLAM for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Aim: A rapid and precise diagnostic method is crucial for timely intervention and management of tuberculosis. The present study compared the diagnostic accuracy of a novel lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen test, AIMLAM, for tuberculosis in urine samples. Methodology: The study subjected 106 TB suspects to smear microscopy, MGIT, GeneXpert and AIMLAM. Results: Among 106, smear microscopy identified 36 as positive (33%) (sensitivity; 70.93%, 95% CI (60.14-80.22%), while MGIT showed 38 positive (36.8%). GeneXpert detected 59 positives (sensitivity; 96.83, 95% CI (89.00-99.61%)). AIMLAM declared 61 as positive (57.5%) (sensitivity; 100.00, 95% CI (94.13-100.00%) and 45 as negative (42.5%). Conclusion: Overall, AIMLAM demonstrated better diagnostic accuracy than GeneXpert Assay, smear microscopy and MGIT liquid culture in urine samples.

This study describes a new way to detect tuberculosis, called AIMLAM. Unlike traditional methods that use sputum or blood, AIMLAM tests urine samples and bodily fluids. It is automated and uses easily accessible samples to identify a tuberculosis infection, so may be a convenient and noninvasive option for healthcare providers. The test shows promising results in terms of accuracy and sensitivity.

Intersectional race-gender stereotypes in natural language.

How are Asian and Black men and women stereotyped? Research from the gendered race and stereotype content perspectives has produced mixed empirical findings. Using BERT models pre-trained on English language books, news articles, Wikipedia, Reddit and Twitter, with a new method for measuring propositions in natural language (the Fill-Mask Association Test, FMAT), we explored the gender (masculinity-femininity), physical strength, warmth and competence contents of stereotypes about Asian and Black men and women. We find that Asian men (but not women) are stereotyped as less masculine and less moral/trustworthy than Black men. Compared to Black men and Black women, respectively, both Asian men and Asian women are stereotyped as less muscular/athletic and less assertive/dominant, but more sociable/friendly and more capable/intelligent. These findings suggest that Asian and Black stereotypes in natural language have multifaceted contents and gender nuances, requiring a balanced view integrating the gender schema theory and the stereotype content model. Exploring their semantic representations as propositions in large language models, this research reveals how intersectional race-gender stereotypes are naturally expressed in real life.

Pharmacoeconomics of ivabradine in the treatment of CHF in the context of “Quadruple Therapy” / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ivabradine in the treatment of chronic heart failure （CHF） in the context of “Quadruple Therapy” from the perspective of the health system. METHODS Based on real-world cohort data， the Markov model was constructed according to the natural progression of CHF， with a cycle time of 3 months， a study timeframe of 20 years， and a discount rate of 5%. Using quality-adjusted life year （QALY） and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios （ICER） as the output indexes， the cost-utility analysis was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ivabradine in combination with the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen， compared with the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen for the treatment of CHF， and the robustness of the results of the base analysis was verified by univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. RESULTS The results of the base analysis showed that the ICER of ivabradine combined with the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen was 165 065.54 yuan/QALY， compared with the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen， which was lower than the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold （257 094 yuan/QALY） based on 3 times of China’s gross domestic product （GDP） per capita in 2022. The results of the univariate sensitivity analysis showed that the discount rate had the greatest impact on the robustness of the model. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the probability that the ivabradine combined with the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen was cost-effective under the WTP threshold in this study was 59.50%. CONCLUSIONS When using 3 times China’s 2022 GDP per capita （257 094 yuan/ QALY） as the WTP threshold， the combination of ivabradine and the “Quadruple Therapy” regimen for treating CHF is cost- effective.

Electro-acupuncture for Vascular Cognitive Impairment:A Visualized Data Mining Analysis / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To summarize the acupoints and parameters commonly used in the treatment of vascular cognitive impairment(VCI)by electro-acupuncture(EA)through the visual data mining technique to provide a reference basis for clinical treatment.Methods The clinical studies of EA on the treatment of VCI were searched in CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,web of science and other major databases.The literature is managed by Note Express and the database is established by Excel.The frequency of selected acupoints,frequency,meridian tropism,parameter frequency and frequency of used acupoints are counted.Factor analysis is carried out by SPSS 21.0 software.SPSS Modeler 18.3 software is used to analyze association rules and co-occurrence network,and the analysis results are visualized by Cytoscape 3.9.1 software.Results Finally,155 papers were included,containing 155 acupoint prescriptions and 157 parameter prescriptions.Acupoint prescriptions involved 100 acupoints with a total frequency of 856 times;parameter prescriptions involved 33 parameters with a total frequency of 788 times.Conclusion At present,there is a big difference between the clinical studies,and there is no recognized acupoint and parameter for EA treatment of VCI.By further summarizing the law of EA acupuncture point and parameter,the study has sorted out the law of commonly used acupoints,meridian tropism,compounding and parameter selection for EA treatment of VCI.It was concluded that the selection of acupoints mainly started from the three aspects of deficiency,phlegm and stasis,focusing on the combination of local and distal selection of acupoints,through the identification of internal organs and meridians,to achieve the simultaneous regulation of the heart,spleen and kidney,and to take into account both the symptoms and the root cause,and to play the roles of opening the orifices to wake up mind,calming mind and benefiting intellect,strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidneys,and invigorating blood circulation to remove stasis.The parameters of EA are recommended to be sparse and dense wave,low frequency,as tolerated by the patient,30 minutes/times,1 time/day,5 times/week as the main combinations,which can provide a certain reference basis for clinical decision-making.

Effects of intervention in autophagy regulation of p62-Keap1/Nrf2-GPX4 pathway on ferroptosis and oxaliplatin resistance in colorectal cancer cells / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the effect of autophagy intervention on ferroptosis and drug resistance of colorectal canc-er cells and its molecular mechanism.Methods The human colorectal cancer cell lines HCT-8,COLO205,HCT-116,SW620,and SW480 were cultured.HCT-116 cells with moder-ate expression of LC3 were screened,and the expression differ-ences of LC3,p62,Keap1,Nrf2,GPX4 proteins,Fe2+,GSH,and MDA between them and OXA-resistant HCT-116/OXA cell lines were detected.The expression levels of LC3,p62,Keap1,Nrf2,GPX4,Fe2+,GSH and MDA were assessed in HCT-116/OXA cells through the intervention of autophagy and ferroptosis intervention agent combined with oxaliplatin.The proliferative activity and sensitivity to oxaliplatin in each group were detected by CCK-8 assay.Cell growth and invasion ability of each group were detected by plate cloning and Trans well assay.Results LC3,p62 and GPX4 expression levels of HCT-116 cells in the 5 groups were moderate.Compared with HCT-116 cells,HCT-116/OXA was less sensitive to oxaliplatin,and the proteins of p62,Nrf2 and GPX4 were highly expressed,LC3 and Keap1 were lowly expressed,and the expression of Fe2+,GSH and MDA were increased(P＜0.05).The levels of LC3,Keap1 protein,Fe2+and MDA in Rapa and Rapa+Fer-1 groups were higher than those in Fer-1 and control groups,while p62,Nrf2,GPX4 and GSH levels were lower.The expressions of GPX4 pro-tein and GSH in Rapa+Fer-1 group were lower than those in Rapa group(P＜0.05).In the autophagy inhibitor group,LC3,p62,Nrf2,GPX4 and GSH were highly expressed in the CQ and CQ+Erastin groups compared with the control and Eras-tin groups,while Keap1 protein,Fe2+and MDA were low.The levels of GPX4 protein and GSH in Erastin group were lower than those in the other three groups,and the levels of Fe2+and MDA were higher than those in the other three groups(P＜0.05).The combination of autophagy activator OXA showed that Rapa intervention group had higher chemical sensitivity to OXA,less number of migrating cells and lower cell proliferation activity than the other three groups.The sensitivity of Rapa+Fer-1 group to oxaliplatin was lower than that of Rapa group,but higher than that of Fer-1 group and control group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference between Fer-1 group and con-trol group(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,the cell activity,migration capacity and clonogenesis capacity of Erastin,CQ+Erastin and CQ groups were decreased when auto-phagy inhibitor was combined with OXA,and the Erastin group was the lowest,while the CQ+Erastin group was higher than the Erastin group,and lower than the CQ group(P＜0.05).Con-clusion In colorectal cancer,autophagy is involved in the regu-lation of ferroptosis,and intervention in autophagy can regulate ferroptosis in colorectal cancer cells through the p62-Keap1/Nrf2-GPX4 pathway,thereby reversing oxaliplatin resistance.

Primary hyperparathyroidism with negative 99mTc-MIBI imaging:one case report / 复旦学报（医学版）

This article reports the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism(PHPT)and vitamin D deficiency.The patient was a young male with a insidious onset.Multiple tests have shown hypercalcemia,hypophosphatemia,hypercalciuria,and hyperparathyroidism.There was no renal dysfunction,and the diagnosis of PHPT was clear.There were kidney stones and vitamin D deficiency at the same time.The patient met the surgical indications,but the difficulty in preoperative localization was that ultrasound examination showed suspicious masses in both parathyroid regions,and the 99mTc-MIBI imaging result was negative.Finally,accurate preoperative localization was achieved through 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT,and the patient was cured after surgery.

Efficacy and Safety of Ivabradine in the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure in the Context of the New Quadrilateral / 中国循环杂志

Objectives:To assess the effectiveness and safety of ivabradine for the treatment of chronic heart failure in the context of the new quadruple combination. Methods:Clinical data of 656 chronic heart failure patients hospitalized in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from March 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively collected,and the patients were divided into control group(n=361)and observation group(n=295)according to ivabradine use,and both groups were treated with the new quadruple drug therapy.Propensity score matching was performed,268 patients in the observation group and 268 patients in the control group were successfully matched.The effectiveness(primary endpoint was the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death and rehospitalisation for worsening heart failure within 1 year of discharge;secondary endpoints were rehospitalisation for worsening heart failure,all-cause rehospitalisation,cardiovascular death,and all-cause death)and safety outcome measures(including bradycardia,atrial fibrillation,blurred vision,renal impairment,and hypertension)were compared between the two groups at 1 year after treatment. Results:After matching,there were no statistically significant differences at baseline characteristics between the two groups.Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the occurrence rates of primary endpoints(P=0.031),readmission for worsening heart failure(P=0.020),and all-cause readmission(P=0.036)were lower in the observation group than in the control group.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that the occurrence rates of primary endpoint events(P=0.045)and readmission for heart failure worsening(P=0.028)were lower in the observation group than in the control group. Conclusions:The ivabradine use on top of the new quadruple therapy regimen in patients with chronic heart failure is beneficial to improve one-year prognosis with favorable safety profile.

Research on quality evaluation and improvement of in vitro diagnostic reagent supply chain based on zero inventory target / 中国医学装备

Objective:To establish the objective of zero inventory management of in vitro diagnostic reagents,to evaluate the quality of supply chain,and to improve the existing problems in the supply of reagents.Methods:The problems existing in the management of in vitro diagnostic reagents were analyzed from the aspects of inventory,supply efficiency and product quality,and the management system of hospital operation,management quality and patient benefit optimization was established,and the zero-inventory management path and quality evaluation model were constructed.85 models of 21 types of in vitro diagnostic reagents purchased by Jiangsu Subei People's Hospital from January 2020 to March 2023 were selected.According to different supply chain quality management methods,on-demand inventory management mode(referred to as mode 1)and zero inventory management mode(referred to as mode 2)were adopted respectively.The demand procurement,inventory management and clinical use effects of the two management modes were compared.Results:The reagent procurement demand compliance rate,supply capacity high-quality quality rate and clinical use matching rate of mode 2 were(93.35±3.62)%,(94.87±2.63)% and(96.08±2.31)%,respectively,which were higher than those of mode 1,the difference was statistically significant(Z=2.489,2.836,2.838,P<0.05).The number of cases of long-term overstocking of products,substandard environment and untimely information in mode 2 were(2.92±2.54)cases,(2.83±1.59)cases and(5.58±3.12)cases,respectively,which were lower than those in mode 1,the difference was statistically significant(Z=2.959,3.037,3.703,P<0.05).The satisfaction of clinical departments,medical technology departments and procurement center with the supply,distribution and information communication of in vitro diagnostic reagents in mode 2 were 97.8% and 93.3%,97.0% and 87.9%,100% and 84.6%,respectively,which were higher than those in mode 1,the difference was statistically significant(x2clinical departments=5.428,6.133,x2medical technology departments=3.958,3.937,x2procurement center=5.159,4.996,P<0.05).Conclusion:The zero inventory management model can improve the standardization of in vitro diagnostic reagent demand procurement,reduce the incidence of backlog failure in inventory management,and improve the quality of clinical supply services.

Internal fixation treatment of AO-C type distal radius fractures accompanied with a dorsoulnar fragment involving 1/8 to 1/3 of the articular surface of the lunate facet / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical outcome of internal fixation in the treatment of AO C-type distal radius fracture accompanied with dorsoulnar fragment involving 1/8 to 1/3 of the articular surface of the lunate facet.Methods:A total of 55 patients of AO C-type distal radius fracture accompanied with dorsoulnar fragment involving 1/8 to 1/3 of the articular surface of the lunate facet from July 2017 to July 2022 in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University were retrospectively analyzed. In the volar plate group (volar locking plate treatment alone), there were 22 cases, 11 males and 11 females, aged 56.7±10.1 years, 10 C1 type, 7 C2 type and 5 C3 type. There were 15 patients in the volar plate+dorsal plate group (treated with volar locking plate combined with dorsal plate), including 6 males and 9 females, aged 55.7±8.1 years old, 4 C1 type, 5 C2 type and 6 C3 type. In the volar plate+dorsal screw group (treated with volar locking plate combined with dorsal screw), there were 18 cases, 8 males and 10 females, aged 53.5±11.6 years, 7 cases of C1 type, 5 cases of C2 type, and 6 cases of C3 type. The operation time, postoperative radiographic indicators, wrist range of motion (ROM), disability of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and postoperative complications were evaluated and compared between the three groups.Results:All operations were successfully completed. Patients were followed up for 14.9 ± 2.2 months (range, 12-18 months), and the fracture healing time was 12.4±2.3 weeks (range, 9-16 weeks). The operative time of patients in the volar plate group, volar plate+dorsal plate group and volar plate+dorsal screw group was 54.3±7.6 min, 70.7±5.9 min and 65.8± 7.1 min, respectively. Patients in the volar plate group had less operative time ( F=27.04, P<0.001). The residual displacement of the dorsoulnar fragment in sagittal, coronal, and axial CT scans in the three groups were (1.3±0.8 mm, 0.6±0.4 mm, 0.7±0.4 mm), (1.1±0.8 mm, 0.6±0.4 mm, 0.6±0.6 mm), (1.4±0.8 mm, 0.7±0.4 mm, 0.7±0.5 mm). The displacement of the dorsoulnar fragment of the two groups of combined volar and dorsal internal fixation was smaller than that of the volar plate group ( P<0.05). The ROM of wrist flexion of the three groups at 3 months after operation were 44.2°±4.6°, 47.7°±5.9°, 48.8°±5.1°, the ROM of wrist extension were 39.8°±6.2°, 44.3°± 4.6°, 44.7°±5.1°, the wrist DASH scores were 23.0±4.2, 20.1±4.1 and 19.4±3.0, and the VAS were 2.3±1.2, 1.6±1.3 and 1.3±1.0, respectively. The ROM of wrist flexion and extension and DASH score in volar plate+dorsal plate group were better than those in volar plate group ( P<0.05). The ROM of wrist flexion and extension, DASH score and VAS in the volar plate+dorsal screw group were better than those in the volar plate group ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in terms of the wrist ROM, DASH score and VAS at 12 months after operation among the three groups ( P>0.05). There were 2 patients in the volar plate group with reduction loss, 3 patients with wrist chronic pain; 1 patient in the volar plate combined with dorsal plate group with dorsal tendon irritation, and no complications in the volar plate combined with dorsal screw group. Conclusion:For AO C-type distal radius fractures accompanied with a dorsoulnar fragment involving 1/8 to 1/3 of the articular surface of the lunate facet, the use of combined volar and dorsal internal fixation can improve the reduction accuracy and stability of the dorsoulnar fragment, and contribute to the early rehabilitation of postoperative wrist joint function. The effect of combined dorsal screw is comparable to that of dorsal plate internal fixation, but the complications of screw internal fixation are less.

Effects of ivabradine on vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease：a meta-analysis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of ivabradine on vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS PubMed， Embase， the Cochrane Library， Web of Science， CNKI， Wanfang Data， VIP and CBM databases were retrieved to collect randomized controlled trials （RCTs） about ivabradine （intervention group） versus placebo or β-blocker （control group） from the inception to Mar. 20th 2023. The meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.4 software after literature screening， data extraction and quality evaluation. RESULTS A total of 12 RCTs were included， involving 1 206 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that the levels of flow-mediated dilation （FMD） [MD＝1.71， 95%CI （0.96， 2.46）， P＜0.000 01] and nitric oxide （NO） [MD＝5.80， 95%CI （5.02， 6.59）， P＜0.000 01] in the intervention group were significantly higher than control group， while endothelin-1（ET-1） level was significantly lower than control group [MD＝－7.45， 95%CI （－8.42， －6.47）， P＜0.000 01]. There was no statistical significance in nitroglycerin-mediated dilation （NMD） level between 2 groups [MD＝0.13， 95%CI（－0.74， 1.00）， P＝0.77]. Subgroup analyses based on the different medications and intervention time in the control group showed better improvement in FMD level of patients receiving ivabradine， compared with placebo （P＜0.05）； compared with placebo and β-blocker， the level of NO in patients receiving ivabradine was improved significantly （P＜0.05）， while ET-1 level was decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. Regardless of the duration of the intervention， the levels of FMD， NO， and ET-1 in the intervention group were significantly improved compared to the control group （P＜0.01）， while the difference in NMD was not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Ivabradine can improve vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Advances in the application of microspheres and nanoparticles in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

In recent years， transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） has emerged as a common treatment modality for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. However， with the ongoing development of embolic agent techniques， the new advances in microspheres and nanoparticles have brought new hope for improving the efficacy and safety of TACE. This article reviews the latest advances and applications of microspheres and nanoparticles in TACE for HCC. First， this article introduces the background of TACE as a therapeutic approach and the emergence of microsphere and nanoparticle techniques， and then it describes the application of various types of microspheres and nanoparticles in TACE and discusses the requisite attributes of an ideal embolic agents. The article focuses on the advances in material science and engineering， as well as the clinical efficacy of drug-eluting microspheres and nanoparticles versus conventional TACE. Furthermore， it discusses the importance of radiological examination in TACE and summarizes the research advances in the radiopaque and magnetic resonance-visible embolic agents. This article also explores the future development directions and challenges of TACE. It also points out the combination of microspheres and nanoparticles with other treatment modalities， the application of personalized and precision medicine in TACE， and the potential regimen of TACE in clinical translation， and meanwhile， it raises the issues of ethics and regulation that need to be further discussed. It is believed that microspheres and nanoparticles have a potential effect in TACE， which provides a theoretical basis and technical support for innovating HCC treatment regimens and improving the prognosis of patients through TACE interventions.

Anthropogenic activities altering the ecosystem in Lake Yamzhog Yumco, southern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) have been subject to multiple environmental pressures from rapid climate change and intensified human activity in recent decades. However, their ecological effects on the lake ecosystem remain largely unclear due to the lack of long-term monitoring data. This study presented the environmental and ecological changes of the lake Yamzhog Yumco (Southern QTP) over the past three decades based on multi-proxy analysis (geochemistry and sedaDNA) on a high-time resolution sediment core. The result showed that the lake exhibited a continuous eutrophication process from 2004 CE, which has accelerated since 2014 CE. The nutrient enrichment was mainly attributed to anthropogenic emissions from the catchment. The sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) metabarcoding data registered a sensitive response of aquatic communities to the additional nutrient supply. Eukaryotic algae and aquatic invertebrate communities exhibited similar temporal dynamics, characterized by the increase in eutrophic taxa and the decrease in oligotrophic taxa. Change points analysis suggested that lake ecosystems underwent a slight ecological shift in 2003 CE and an abrupt shift in 2012 CE driven by nutrient enrichment. Quantitative analysis revealed that nutrients and human activity accounted for 27.9 % and 21.7 % of the temporal variation in aquatic communities, whereas climate change only explained 6.9 % of the total variation. From a paleolimnological view, our study supported that regional human activity could distinctly alter the nutrient level and aquatic community structure of lake ecosystems in the QTP. Considering that anthropogenic disturbance will continuously increase, it is crucial to strengthen the field monitoring of the lakes on the plateau and make effective management measures to avoid irreversible ecological consequences.

Hyperelatolides A-D, Antineuroinflammatory Constituents with Unusual Carbon Skeletons from Hypericum elatoides.

Four new δ- and γ-lactone derivatives, hyperelatolides A-D (1-4, respectively), were discovered from the aerial portions of Hypericum elatoides R. Keller. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of NMR spectra, HRESIMS, quantum chemical calculations of NMR and ECD spectra, and X-ray crystallographic data. Hyperelatolides A (1) and B (2) represent the first examples of δ-lactone derivatives characterized by a (Z)-(5,5-dimethyl-2-(2-oxopropyl)cyclohexylidene)methyl moiety and a benzoyloxy group attached to the ß- and γ-positions of the δ-lactone core, respectively, while hyperelatolides C (3) and D (4) are unprecedented γ-lactone derivatives featuring substituents similar to those of 1 and 2. All compounds were tested for their inhibitory effects on NO production in LPS-activated BV-2 cells. Lactones 1 and 2 exhibited considerable antineuroinflammatory activity, with IC50 values of 5.74 ± 0.27 and 7.35 ± 0.26 µM, respectively. Moreover, the mechanistic study revealed that lactone 1 significantly suppressed nuclear factor kappa B signaling and downregulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-induced cells, which may contribute to its antineuroinflammatory activity.

Phytoecdysteroids from Dianthus superbus L.: Structures and anti-neuroinflammatory evaluation.

Six undescribed C27-phytoecdysteroid derivatives, named superecdysones A-F, and ten known analogs were extracted from the whole plant of Dianthus superbus L. Their structures were identified by extensive spectroscopy, mass spectrometric methods, chemical transformations, chiral HPLC analysis, and the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Superecdysones A and B possess a tetrahydrofuran ring in the side chain and superecdysones C-E are rare phytoecdysones containing a (R)-lactic acid moiety, whereas superecdysone F is an uncommon B-ring-modified ecdysone. Notably, based on the variable temperature (from 333 K to 253 K) NMR experiments of superecdysone C, the missing carbon signals were visible at 253 K and assigned. The neuroinflammatory bioassay of all compounds were evaluated, and 22-acetyl-2-deoxyecdysone, 2-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, ecdysterone-22-O-benzoate, 20-hydroxyecdysone-20,22-O-R-ethylidene, and acetonide derivative 20-hydroxyecdysterone-20, 22-acetonide significantly suppressed the LPS-induced nitric oxide generation in microglia cells (BV-2), with IC50 values ranging from 6.9 to 23.0 µM. Structure-activity relationships were also discussed. Molecular docking simulations of the active compounds confirmed the possible mechanism of action against neuroinflammations. Furthermore, none compounds showed cytotoxicity against HepG2 and MCF-7. It is the first report about the occurrence and anti-neuroinflammatory activity of the phytoecdysteroids in the genus Dianthus. Our findings demonstrated that ecdysteroids may be used as potential anti-inflammatory drugs.

Hierarchical NiOx nanotube arrays/CoP nanosheets heterostructure enables robust alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

Rational design of low-cost and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for scalable and sustainable hydrogen production from economical water-alkali splitting. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that coupling NiOx and CoP could effectively boost overall HER kinetics through lowing the H2O dissociation barrier, accelerating the OH* transfer process, and providing the rapid H* migration kinetics as well as the appropriate H* energetics. Based on these findings, we successfully prepared a three-dimensional (3D) self-supported electrode of ultrathin CoP nanosheets directly grown on the surface-oxidized Ni nanotube arrays via a simple and scalable electrochemical synthesis method. As expected, such a heterostructure electrode exhibits superior alkaline HER performance with low overpotentials of 51 and 164 mV to drive the current densities of 10 and 500 mA cm-2, respectively, outperforming most of the efficient alkaline HER electrocatalysts.

The first DNA barcode library of Chironomidae from the Tibetan Plateau with an evaluation of the status of the public databases.

The main aim of this study was to curate a COI barcode library of Chironomidae from the Tibetan Plateau (TP) as an essential supplement to the public database. Another aim is to evaluate the current status of the public database of Chironomidae in aspects of taxonomic coverage, geographic representation, barcode quality, and efficiency for molecular identification, the Tibetan Plateau, China. In this study, 512 individuals of Chironomidae from the TP were identified based on morphological taxonomy and barcode analysis. The metadata of public records of Chironomidae were downloaded from the BOLD, and the quality of the public barcodes was ranked using the BAGS program. The reliability of the public library for molecular identification was evaluated with the newly curated library using the BLAST method. The newly curated library comprised 159 barcode species of 54 genera, of which 58.4% of species were likely new to science. There were great gaps in the taxonomic coverage and geographic representation in the public database, and only 29.18% of barcodes were identified at the species level. The quality of the public database was of concern, with only 20% of species being determined as concordant between BINs and morphological species. The accuracy of molecular identification using the public database was poor, and about 50% of matched barcodes could be correctly identified at the species level at the identity threshold of 97%. Based on these data, some recommendations are included here for improving barcoding studies on Chironomidae. The species richness of Chironomidae from the TP is much higher than ever recorded. Barcodes from more taxonomic groups and geographic regions are urgently needed to fill the great gap in the current public database of Chironomidae. Users should take caution when public databases are adopted as reference libraries for the taxonomic assignment.

pH-sensitive nano-polyelectrolyte complexes with arthritic macrophage-targeting delivery of triptolide.

Since pro-inflammatory macrophages take on a critical significance in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the therapeutics to affect macrophages may receive distinct anti-RA effects. However, the therapeutic outcomes are still significantly impeded, which is primarily due to the insufficient drug delivery at the arthritic site. In this study, the macrophage-targeting and pH stimuli-responsive nano-polyelectrolyte complexes were designed for the efficient targeted delivery of triptolide (TP/PNPs) on the arthritic site. The anionic and cationic amphiphilic copolymers, i.e., hyaluronic acid-g-vitamin E succinate (HA-VE) and the quaternized poly (ß-amino ester) (QPBAE-C18), were prepared and then characterized. The result indicated that TP/PNPs with the uniform particle size of âˆ¼ 175 nm exhibited the high drug loading capacity and storage stability based on the polymeric charge interaction, in which DLC and DEE of TP/PNPs were obtained as 11.27 ± 0.44 % and 95.23 ± 2.34 %, respectively. Mediated by the "ELVIS" effect of NPs, CD44 receptor-mediated macrophage targeting, and pH-sensitive endo/lysosomal escape under the "proton sponge" effect, TP/PNPs exhibited the enhanced cellular internalization and cytotoxicity while mitigating the inflammation of LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Even after 96-hour after administration, PNPs were preferentially accumulated in the inflammatory joints in a long term. It is noteworthy that after treatment for 14 days with 100 µg/kg of TP, TP/PNPs significantly facilitated arthritic symptom remission, protected cartilage, and mitigated inflammation of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) rats, whereas the systematic side-effects of TP were reduced. In this study, an effective drug delivery strategy was proposed for the treatment of RA.