Luteolin ameliorates chronic stress-induced depressive-like behaviors in mice by promoting the Arginase-1 microglial phenotype via a PPARγ-dependent mechanism.

Accumulating evidence shows that neuroinflammation substantially contributes to the pathology of depression, a severe psychiatric disease with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Although modulating microglial phenotypes is recognized as a promising therapeutic strategy, effective treatments are still lacking. Previous studies have shown that luteolin (LUT) has anti-inflammatory effects and confers benefits on chronic stress-induced depression.

The Chinese medicine Fufang Zhenzhu Tiaozhi capsule protects against renal injury and inflammation in mice with diabetic kidney disease.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fufang Zhenzhu Tiaozhi capsule (FTZ) is a patented preparation of Chinese herbal medicine that has been used to treat hyperlipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis, and other glucolipid metabolic diseases (GLMDs) in the clinic for almost 10 years. However, how FTZ reduces albuminuria and attenuates diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression is unknown.

Aim Of The Study: To clarify the effects of FTZ on DKD mice model and to explore the underlying mechanisms.

The effect of atrazine on intestinal histology, microbial community and short chain fatty acids in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles.

The intestine is the main organ for nutrient absorption in amphibians. It is sensitive to atrazine, which is a herbicide widely used in agricultural areas. At present, there is a lack of systematic research on the effect of atrazine on the amphibian intestine.

Individual and mixture toxicity of chromium and copper in development, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and apoptosis of Bufo gargarizans embryos.

In natural ecosystems, living organisms are always subjected to a mixture of multiple heavy metals exposure, yet it is more common to study the effect of individual, rather than combined exposure. This study assessed the impacts of single or combined exposure to Cr and Cu on embryonic development, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and apoptosis in the early development of Bufo gargarizans embryos. The total length, development stage and malformations of embryos were measured, and the mRNA expression of genes related to oxidative stress, lipid metabolism and apoptosis at Gs 18 and Gs 22 were determined by RT-qPCR.

The influence of long-term cadmium exposure on the male advertisement call of Xenopus laevis.

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential environmental endocrine-disrupting compound found in water and a potential threat to aquatic habitats. Cd has been shown to have various short-term effects on aquatic animals; however, evidence for long-term effects of Cd on vocal communications in amphibians is lacking. To better understand the long-term effects of low-dose Cd on acoustic communication in amphibians, male Xenopus laevis individuals were treated with low Cd concentrations (0.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Zhenhai brown frog (Anura: Ranidae).

is a species of frog within the family Ranidae. In this study, its complete mitochondrial genome was characterized by high-throughput sequencing technology. It is 19,205 bp long with an overall AT content of 55.

Intervention Effects of Atorvastatin Combined with Saponins on Rats with Atherosclerosis Complicated with Hepatic Injury.

Background: Statins cannot be used for some active liver diseases, which limits its application to some extent. The combined use of statins with other drugs may be one of the ways to solve this dilemma.

Objective: This research aims to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin combined with saponins (PNS) on rats with atherosclerosis (AS) complicated with hepatic injury.

Pharmaceutical evaluation of naftopidil enantiomers: Rat functional assays in vitro and estrogen/androgen induced rat benign prostatic hyperplasia model in vivo.

Naftopidil (NAF) is a α adrenoceptor selective drug used for the treatment of both benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms (BPH/LUTS). However, NAF is used as a racemate in clinic. To compare the differences and similarities among two enantiomers and racemate, pharmacological activities were evaluated through rat functional assays in vitro and estrogen/androgen (E/T) induced rat BPH model in vivo.

The potential effects of climate change on amphibian distribution, range fragmentation and turnover in China.

Many studies predict that climate change will cause species movement and turnover, but few have considered the effect of climate change on range fragmentation for current species and/or populations. We used MaxEnt to predict suitable habitat, fragmentation and turnover for 134 amphibian species in China under 40 future climate change scenarios spanning four pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.

The influence of low-dose cadmium on the laryngeal microstructure and ultrastructure of Pelophylax nigromaculata.

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the common heavy metals dispersed throughout the modern environment that disrupts the development of aquatic organisms. Amphibians appear to be particularly vulnerable to this heavy metal contaminant since their eggs and aquatic larvae live in aquatic habitats and have permeable skin. During this critical sensitive period, amphibians live primarily in the water and are thus susceptible to the effects of environmental pollutants in water.

Serum Procalcitonin and Procalcitonin Clearance as a Prognostic Biomarker in Patients with Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock.

We evaluated the tendency of the plasma concentration and procalcitonin (PCT) clearance (PCTc) to act as biomarkers of prognosis in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. From 2011 to 2013, we prospectively analyzed patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The serum PCT was evaluated at the time of sepsis diagnosis and again after 48 h (day 3) and 96 h (day 5).

The predictive performance and stability of six species distribution models.

Background: Predicting species' potential geographical range by species distribution models (SDMs) is central to understand their ecological requirements. However, the effects of using different modeling techniques need further investigation. In order to improve the prediction effect, we need to assess the predictive performance and stability of different SDMs.

The influence of long-term cadmium exposure on phonotaxis in male Pelophylax nigromaculata.

Cadmium (Cd) is a common industrial and agricultural heavy metal found in the natural environment that disrupts the endocrine systems of vertebrates. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to endocrine disruptors because of their aquatic habitats and permeable skin. Endocrine disruptors are known to negatively affect amphibian acoustic behavior, but whether and how the ubiquitous pollutant Cd impacts this crucial amphibian signaling system remains unknown.

A new species of the genus Ctenophora Meigen (Diptera: Tipuloidea: Tipulidae) from China, with a key to the world species.

One new species of the genus Ctenophora Meigen, 1803, C. fumosa Men, sp. nov.

Chronic effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of lead in Pelophylax nigromaculata tadpoles: Threshold dose and adverse effects.

Lead (Pb) is a common heavy metal in the natural environment, but its concentration has been increasing alongside widespread industrial and agricultural development in China. The dark-spotted frog Pelophylax (formerly Rana) nigromaculata (Anura: Ranidae) is distributed across East Asia and inhabits anthropogenic habitats such as farmland. Here, P.

Significant change between primary and repeated serum laboratory tests at different time points in pediatric appendicitis.

Objective: The aim of the work is to determine whether the change between primary and repeated serum inflammatory markers measured 8-12 h later may improve diagnostic accuracy in pediatric appendicitis.

Methods: The study group comprised 258 pediatric patients with clinically suspected appendicitis admitted to the pediatric emergency department from 2005 to 2007. The significant changes in serum parameters between primary and repeated examinations were selected as the discriminating variables.

[Effects of cadmium on metamorphism and gonad differentiation in Rana chensinensis].

200 tadpoles of Rana chensinensis at stage 26 - 27 were exposed to 0.05, 0.1, 0.

Impact of antibiotic use on fungus colonization in patients hospitalized due to fever.

Invasive candidiasis is an opportunistic infection that occurs in medical and surgical patients and carries a high mortality rate. Because its process always follows from colonization to amplification and to invasion, understand the colonization status is important to understand the likelihood of invasion. Screening for fungal colonization was performed with specimens from urine, throat, anus, and skin in 314 patients admitted for fever both before and after antibiotics treatment was administered.