Improved Calculations of Heavy Metal Toxicity Coefficients for Evaluating Potential Ecological Risk in Sediments Based on Seven Major Chinese Water Systems.

Several methods have been used to assess heavy metal contamination in sediments. However, an assessment that considers both composite heavy metal speciation and concentration is necessary to accurately study ecological risks. This study improved the potential ecological risk index method and calculated the toxicity coefficients of seven heavy metals: Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn).

Stability in distribution for uncertain delay differential equations based on new Lipschitz condition.

Stability in distribution for uncertain delay differential equations based on the strong Lipschitz condition only involving the current state has been successfully investigated. In reality, the uncertain delay differential equation is not only relate to the current state, but also relate to the past state, so it is very hard to obtain the strong Lipschitz condition. In this paper, the new Lipschitz condition concerning the current state and the past state is provided, if the uncertain delay differential equation satisfies the strong Lipschitz condition, it must satisfy the new Lipschitz condition, conversely, it may not be established.

Matrine inhibits synovial angiogenesis in collagen-induced arthritis rats by regulating HIF-VEGF-Ang and inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Matrine (Mat) is an alkaloid of tetracycline quinazine, and previous studies have demonstrated its specific effect on relieving rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the effect of Mat on joint synovial angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of RA has not been elucidated. In this study, body weight, joint swelling, arthritis index (AI) score, histopathological changes, immunohistochemical, and western blot- were used in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats to detect pro-inflammatory factors and, - expression levels of key cytokines and proteins along the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-angiopoietin (Ang) axis and VEGF-phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) / protein kinase B (Akt) pathway.