Water-responsive supercontractile polymer films for bioelectronic interfaces.

Connecting different electronic devices is usually straightforward because they have paired, standardized interfaces, in which the shapes and sizes match each other perfectly. Tissue-electronics interfaces, however, cannot be standardized, because tissues are soft1-3 and have arbitrary shapes and sizes4-6. Shape-adaptive wrapping and covering around irregularly sized and shaped objects have been achieved using heat-shrink films because they can contract largely and rapidly when heated7. However, these materials are unsuitable for biological applications because they are usually much harder than tissues and contract at temperatures higher than 90 °C (refs. 8,9). Therefore, it is challenging to prepare stimuli-responsive films with large and rapid contractions for which the stimuli and mechanical properties are compatible with vulnerable tissues and electronic integration processes. Here, inspired by spider silk10-12, we designed water-responsive supercontractile polymer films composed of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(ethylene glycol)-α-cyclodextrin inclusion complex, which are initially dry, flexible and stable under ambient conditions, contract by more than 50% of their original length within seconds (about 30% per second) after wetting and become soft (about 100 kPa) and stretchable (around 600%) hydrogel thin films thereafter. This supercontraction is attributed to the aligned microporous hierarchical structures of the films, which also facilitate electronic integration. We used this film to fabricate shape-adaptive electrode arrays that simplify the implantation procedure through supercontraction and conformally wrap around nerves, muscles and hearts of different sizes when wetted for in vivo nerve stimulation and electrophysiological signal recording. This study demonstrates that this water-responsive material can play an important part in shaping the next-generation tissue-electronics interfaces as well as broadening the biomedical application of shape-adaptive materials.

Discovery of hepatoprotective activity components from Thymus quinquecostatus celak. by molecular networking, biological evaluation and molecular dynamics studies.

Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. is an edible herb that widely cultivated in Asia and possesses hepatoprotective activity, but the underlying non-volatile components of this protective activity are not well studied. In this study, combining molecular networking visualization and bioassay-guided fractionation strategies, a pair of novel skeleton diterpenoid enantiomers, (+)- and (-)-thymutatusone A [(+)- and (-)-1], along with one new and one known biogenetically related compounds (2-3) and 16 other known compounds (4-19), were identified from T. quinquecostatus. Their structures were exhaustively characterized by comprehensive spectroscopic data, X-ray diffraction analysis, and ECD calculations. Compounds (±)-1, (-)-1, and (+)-1, with a rare tricyclo [7.3.1.02,7] tridecane skeleton, exhibited potent hepatoprotective activity in HepG2 cells injured by acetaminophen, with EC50 values of 11.5 ± 2.8, 8.4 ± 1.9, and 12.2 ± 0.3 µM respectively. They were more potent than positive drug bifendate (EC50 15.2 ± 1.3). Further, the underlying mechanism for the hepatoprotective activity of compound (-)-1 related to activating the Nrf 2 signaling pathway. What's more, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis showed that compound (-)-1 could dock with the active site of Nrf 2 protein and form a stable system through hydrogen bonding. These results suggest that T. quinquecostatus can be used as a valuable source of hepatoprotective activity compounds.

Multi-omics integration reveals the hepatoprotective mechanisms of ursolic acid intake against chronic alcohol consumption.

PURPOSE: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major health issue globally. In addition to pharmacotherapy, dietary support is also regarded as reliable strategy for ALD management. As a widely distributed natural constituent within edible plants, the present study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of ursolic acid (UA) against ALD and also to deepen insights into the underlying targets and mechanisms comprehensively. METHODS: The hepatoprotective activity of UA against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury was investigated on Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet-based mouse model. In-depth RNA-seq transcriptomics and TMT-based proteomics analyses were conducted in parallel. Data integration as well as bioinformatics analysis were also performed to unravel the targets and mechanisms associated with the hepatoprotective activity of UA intake against alcoholic liver injury comprehensively. RESULTS: The serum biomarkers and pathological characteristics indicated the hepatoprotective effects of UA intake on alcoholic liver injury. 567 target genes and 377 target proteins related to the hepatoprotective activity of UA were identified in transcriptomics and proteomics analysis respectively, most of which were associated with function of cellular process, cell part and binding. After data integration, 56 co-regulated targets, including ADH4, CYP450 enzymes, NQO1, apolipoproteins, glutathione-S-transferase, etc. which were consistently modulated on both mRNA and protein levels were identified. These co-regulated targets were found to be correlated with 70 KEGG pathways led by carcinogenesis, retinol metabolism and CYP450 metabolism pathways. CONCLUSION: UA intake ameliorated chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. Given the role of the co-regulated targets in ALD and the bioinformatics analysis results, CYP450-, glutathione and redox homeostasis-dependent antioxidation, promotion of lipid transport, and restoration of ethanol metabolic capacity are the potentially underlying mechanisms. This information will further deepen our insights into the hepatoprotective effects of UA-rich edible plants, and provide us valuable instruction for ALD management.

Multi-Response Extraction Optimization Based on Anti-Oxidative Activity and Quality Evaluation by Main Indicator Ingredients Coupled with Chemometric Analysis on Thymus quinquecostatus Celak.

Thymus quinquecostatus Celak is a species of thyme in China and it used as condiment and herbal medicine for a long time. To set up the quality evaluation of T. quinquecostatus, the response surface methodology (RSM) based on its 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was introduced to optimize the extraction condition, and the main indicator components were found through an UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSn method. The ethanol concentration, solid-liquid ratio, and extraction time on optimum conditions were 42.32%, 1:17.51, and 1.8 h, respectively. 35 components having 12 phenolic acids and 23 flavonoids were unambiguously or tentatively identified both positive and negative modes to employ for the comprehensive analysis in the optimum anti-oxidative part. A simple, reliable, and sensitive HPLC method was performed for the multi-component quantitative analysis of T. quinquecostatus using six characteristic and principal phenolic acids and flavonoids as reference compounds. Furthermore, the chemometrics methods (principal components analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA)) appraised the growing areas and harvest time of this herb closely relative to the quality-controlled. This study provided full-scale qualitative and quantitative information for the quality evaluation of T. quinquecostatus, which would be a valuable reference for further study and development of this herb and related laid the foundation of further study on its pharmacological efficacy.

The Genus Alnus, A Comprehensive Outline of Its Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities.

The genus Alnus (Betulaceae) is comprised of more than 40 species. Many species of this genus have a long history of use in folk medicines. Phytochemical investigations have revealed the presence of diarylheptanoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and other compounds. Diarylheptanoids, natural products with a 1,7-diphenylheptane structural skeleton, are the dominant constituents in the genus, whose anticancer effect has been brought into focus. Pure compounds and crude extracts from the genus exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo. This paper compiles 273 naturally occurring compounds from the genus Alnus along with their structures and pharmacological activities, as reported in 138 references.

A Self-Homing and Traceable Cardiac Patch Leveraging Ferumoxytol for Spatiotemporal Therapeutic Delivery.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based cardiac patches are envisioned to be a promising treatment option for patients with myocardial infarction. However, their therapeutic efficacy and duration are hampered due to their limited retention on the epicardium. We engineered a scaffold-free MSC sheet with an inherent ability to migrate into the infarcted myocardium, a strategy enabled by actively establishing a sustained intracellular hypoxic environment through the endocytosis of our FDA-approved ferumoxytol. This iron oxide nanoparticle stabilized hypoxia-induced factor-1α, triggering upregulation of the CXC chemokine receptor and subsequent MSC chemotaxis. Thus, MSCs integrated into 2/3 depth of the left ventricular anterior wall in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction and persisted for at least 28 days. This led to spatiotemporal delivery of paracrine factors by MSCs, enhancing cardiac regeneration and function. Ferumoxytol also facilitated the noninvasive MRI tracking of implanted MSCs. Our approach introduces a strategy for mobilizing MSC migration, holding promise for rapid clinical translation in myocardial infarction treatment.

Rapid-Response Water-Shrink Films with High Output Work Density Based on Polyethylene Oxide and α-Cyclodextrin for Autonomous Wound Closure.

Conventional wound closure methods, including sutures and tissue adhesives, present significant challenges for self-care treatment, particularly in the context of bleeding wounds. Existing stimuli-responsive contractile materials designed for autonomous wound closure frequently lack sufficient output work density to generate the force needed to bring the wound edges into proximity or necessitate stimuli that are not compatible with the human body. Here, semi-transparent, flexible, and water-responsive shrinkable films, composed of poly(ethylene oxide) and α-cyclodextrin, are reported. These films exhibit remarkable stability under ambient conditions and demonstrate significant contraction (≈50%) within 6 s upon exposure to water, generating substantial contractile stress (up to 6 MPa) and output work density (≈1028 kJ m-3), which is 100 times larger than that of conventional hydrogel and 25 times larger than that of skeletal muscles. Remarkably, upon hydration, these films are capable of lifting objects 10 000 times their own weight. Leveraging this technology, water-shrink tapes, which, upon contact with water, effectively constrict human skin and autonomously close bleeding wounds in animal models within 10 seconds, are developed further. This work offers a novel approach to skin wound management, showing significant potential for emergency and self-care scenarios.

Bao Yuan decoction alleviates fatigue by restraining inflammation and oxidative stress via the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Baoyuan Decoction (BYD) was initially recorded in the classic of "Bo Ai Xin Jian" in the Ming dynasty. It is traditionally used for treating weakness and cowardice, and deficiency of vital energy. In researches related to anti-fatigue effects, the reciprocal regulation of AMPK and circadian clocks likely plays an important role in anti-fatigue mechanism, while it has not yet been revealed. Therefore, we elucidated the anti-fatigue mechanism of BYD through AMPK/CRY2/PER1 pathway. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effect and mechanism of BYD in reducing fatigue, using pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and transcriptomics through the AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, the chemical constituents of BYD were qualitatively identified by UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS, establishing a comprehensive strategy with an in-house library, Xcalibur software and Pubchem combined. Secondly, a Na2SO3-induced fatigue model and 2,2'-Azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidative stress model were developed to evaluate the anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant activities of BYD using AB zebrafish. The anti-inflammatory activity of BYD was evaluated using CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced Tg (lyz: dsRed) transgenic zebrafish inflammation models. Then, target screening was performed by Swiss ADME, GeneCards, OMIM and DrugBank databases, the network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.0. Transcriptome and network pharmacology technology were used to investigate the related signaling pathways and potential mechanisms after treatment with BYD, which were verified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: In total, 114 compounds from the water extract of BYD were identified as major compounds. Na2SO3-induced fatigue model and AAPH-induced oxidative stress model indicated that BYD has significant anti-fatigue and antioxidant effects. Meanwhile, BYD showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced zebrafish inflammation models. The KEGG result of network pharmacology showed that the anti-fatigue function of BYD was mainly effected through AMPK signaling pathway. Besides, transcriptome analysis indicated that the circadian rhythm, AMPK and IL-17 signaling pathways were recommended as the main pathways related to the anti-fatigue effect of BYD. The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with a model control group, the treatment of BYD significantly elevated the expression mRNA of AMPK, CRY2 and PER1. CONCLUSION: Herein, we identified 114 chemical constituents of BYD, performed zebrafish activity validation, while demonstrated that BYD can relieve fatigue by AMPK/CRY2/PER1 signaling pathway through network pharmacology and transcriptome.

Integrated pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling and metabolomic research on polyphenol-rich fraction of Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. Alleviating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Thymus quinquecostatus Celak., a member of thymus genus in Lamiaceae family, has been used as a folk medicine for relieving exterior syndrome and alleviating pain in China. The polyphenol-rich fraction (PRF) derived from Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. had been validated that it can protect cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) by activating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. AIM OF THIS STUDY: To explore effective components and their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics as well as possible mechanisms of PRF in treating CIRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal treated group (NTG) and tMCAO model treated group (MTG) rats were administrated PRF intragastrically. The prototype components and metabolites of PRF in plasma and brain were analyzed by the UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MSn method. Subsequently, the pharmacokinetics properties of indicative components were performed based on HPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. SOD and LDH activities were determined to study the pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of PRF. The PK-PD relationship of PRF was constructed. In addition, the effect of PRF on endogenous metabolites in plasma and brain was investigated using metabolomic method. RESULTS: Salvianic acid A, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, scutellarin, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide were selected as indicative components based on metabolic analysis. The non-compartmental parameters were calculated for indicative components in plasma and brain of NTG and MTG rats. Furthermore, single-component and multi-component PK-PD modeling involved Emax, Imax PD models for effect indexes were fitted as well as ANN models were established, which indicated that these components can work together to regulate SOD and LDH activities in plasma and SOD activity in brain tissue to improve CIRI. Additionally, PRF may ameliorate CIRI by regulating the disorder of endogenous metabolites in lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and purine metabolism pathways in vivo, among which lipid metabolism and purine metabolism are closely related to oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: The PK-PD properties of effect substances and mechanisms of PRF anti-CIRI were further elaborated. The findings provide a convincing foundation for the application of T. quinquecostatus Celak. in the maintenance of human health disorders.

A gas-permeable, durable, and sensitive wearable strain sensor through thermal-radiation-promoted in situ welding.

A convenient strategy for fabricating a wearable sensor with favorable durability and sensitivity is reported. This approach exploits the reconstructed hydrogen bonds within the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) during the heating evaporation of metal to form robust welding of the fibers in the substrate. The sensor can steadily monitor pulse waves and facilitate real-time human-machine interaction.

In-Memory Tactile Sensor with Tunable Steep-Slope Region for Low-Artifact and Real-Time Perception of Mechanical Signals.

A tactile sensor needs to perceive static pressures and dynamic forces in real-time with high accuracy for early diagnosis of diseases and development of intelligent medical prosthetics. However, biomechanical and external mechanical signals are always aliased (including variable physiological and pathological events and motion artifacts), bringing great challenges to precise identification of the signals of interest (SOI). Although the existing signal segmentation methods can extract SOI and remove artifacts by blind source separation and/or additional filters, they may restrict the recognizable patterns of the device, and even cause signal distortion. Herein, an in-memory tactile sensor (IMT) with a dynamically adjustable steep-slope region (SSR) and nanocavity-induced nonvolatility (retention time >1000 s) is proposed on the basis of a machano-gated transistor, which directly transduces the tactile stimuli to various dope states of the channel. The programmable SSR endows the sensor with a critical window of responsiveness, realizing the perception of signals on demand. Owing to the nonvolatility of the sensor, the mapping of mechanical cues with high spatiotemporal accuracy and associative learning between two physical inputs are realized, contributing to the accurate assessment of the tissue health status and ultralow-power (about 25.1 µW) identification of an occasionally occurring tremor.

A new species of shrew moles, genus Uropsilus Milne-Edwards, 1871 (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae), from the Wuyi Mountains, Jiangxi Province, eastern China.

Asian shrew moles, genus Uropsilus, are the most primitive members of family Talpidae. They are distributed mainly in southwestern China and adjacent Bhutan, Myanmar, and Vietnam. In June 2022, we collected five specimens of Uropsilus from Mount Huanggang, Jiangxi Province, eastern China, which is the highest peak of the Wuyi Mountains. We sequenced two mitochondrial (CYT B and 12S rRNA) and three nuclear (PLCB4, RAG1, and RAG2) genes to estimate the phylogenetic relationship of the five shrew moles. We also compared their morphology with recognized species within the genus. Our results show that these specimens collected from Mount Huanggang differ from all named species in Uropsilus. We formally describe the species here as Uropsilushuanggangensissp. nov. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from the other Uropsilus species by the combination of dark chocolate-brown pelage, long snout, enlarged first upper incisor, similarly sized lacrimal and infraorbital foramens, and the curved and sickle-like coronoid process. The genetic distances of the cytochrome b (CYT B) gene between U.huanggangensis and other recognized Uropsilus species ranged between 9.3% and 16.4%. The new species is geographically distant from other species in the genus and is the easternmost record of the Uropsilus. The divergence time of U.huanggangensis was estimated to be the late Pliocene (1.92 Ma, 95% CI = 0.88-2.99).

Similarities and differences between Ziqin and Kuqin in anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities and their core chemical composition based on the zebrafish model and spectrum-effect relationship.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In the clinical application of TCM, SB has been divided into two specifications (Ziqin and Kuqin) for a long time. At present, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission no longer distinguishes between the two. However, the two specifications of medicinal materials and pieces are still in circulation in the market. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work aimed at investigating the similarities and differences between Ziqin and Kuqin in anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities and their material basis. It will provide a new angle for relevant regulations to formulate the specifications and standards of SB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here we investigated the similarities and differences between Ziqin and Kuqin in anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities related to four zebrafish models and three chemical tests. The chemical fingerprints of SB (Ziqin and Kuqin) were profiled by HPLC. Meanwhile, UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS was used to identify the chemical constituents of Ziqin and Kuqin. The main effect-related compounds of SB, Ziqin, and Kuqin were screened out by spectrum-effect relationship. Finally, six monomeric compounds were validated experimentally using the zebrafish inflammation model induced by CuSO4. RESULTS: Both Ziqin and Kuqin had significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities. Kuqin had better anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, while Ziqin had better antioxidant activity. HPLC fingerprint and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS evaluation showed that the chemical composition types and main components of Ziqin and Kuqin were basically the same, while the contents and proportions of chemical components in Ziqin and Kuqin were different. By spectrum-effect relationship, compounds X1, X2 (luteoloside), X3, X4 (baicalin), X6 (wogonoside), X7 (baicalein), X8 (wogonin), and X9 (oroxylin A) were the same active chemical constituents of Ziqin and Kuqin. The core components of anti-inflammatory and analgesia activities in Kuqin were compounds X1, X2, X3, X5, X6, X7, X8, and X9. The antioxidant core active components of Ziqin were compounds X2, X3, X4, X6, X7, and X9. Among them, luteoloside, baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A were validated successfully with good anti-inflammatory effects. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that Ziqin and kuqin have high similarity in chemical composition, but their proportions and active core components are different. This may be one of the main reasons why they have the same activity but different activity trends. These findings will help to improve the understanding of the different clinical applications of Ziqin and Kuqin, and provide a reference for the formulation of quality standards and their further research.

Biotransformation and metabolism of three methyl salicylate glycosides by gut microbiota in vitro.

MSTG-A, MSTG-B and Gualtherin are three natural methyl salicylate glycosides isolated from Dianbaizhu (Gaultheria leucocarpa var. yunnanensis), which is a traditional Chinese folk medicine widely used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. They share the same mother nucleus with aspirin, exhibit similar activity and have fewer side effects. In this study, the incubation of MSTG-A, MSTG-B and gaultherin monomers with human fecal microbiota (HFM), microbiota in 4 intestinal segments (jejunum, ileum, cecal, and colon) and feces of rats in vitro was carried out to comprehensively and meticulously understand their metabolism by gut microbiota (GM) in the body. MSTG-A, MSTG-B and Gualtherin were hydrolyzed by GM to lose glycosyl moieties. The quantity and position of xylosyl moiety significantly affected the rate and extent of the three components being metabolized. The -glc-xyl fragments of these three components could not be hydrolyzed and broken by GM. In addition, the existence of terminal xylosyl moiety prolonged the degradation time. Different results appeared in metabolism of the three monomers by microbiota of different intestinal segments and feces due to the alternation of the species and abundance of microorganisms along the longitudinal axis of the intestinal lumen. Cecal microbiota had strongest degradation ability on these three components. The metabolic details of GM on MSTG-A, MSTG-B and Gualtherin were clarified in this study, providing data support and basis for clinical development and bioavailability improvement.

Contact Lens Sensor with Anti-jamming Capability and High Sensitivity for Intraocular Pressure Monitoring.

Contact lens sensors provide a noninvasive approach for intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring in patients with glaucoma. Accurate measurement of this imperceptible pressure variation requires highly sensitive sensors in the absence of simultaneously amplifying IOP signal and blinking-induced noise. However, current noise-reduction methods rely on external filter circuits, which thicken contact lenses and reduce signal quality. Here, we introduce a contact lens strain sensor with an anti-jamming ability by utilizing a self-lubricating layer to reduce the coefficient of friction (COF) to remove the interference from the tangential force. The sensor achieves exceptionally high sensitivity due to the strain concentration layout and the confined occurrence of sympatric microcracks. The animal tests prove our lens can accurately detect IOP safely and reliably.

Relationship between gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: A bibliometric analysis.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease. Recently, growing evidence demonstrates that gut microbiota (GM) plays an important role in RA. But so far, no bibliometric studies pertaining to GM in RA have ever been published. This study attempts to depict the knowledge framework in this field from a holistic and systematic perspective based on the bibliometric analysis. Methods: Literature related to the involvement of GM in RA was searched and picked from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. The annual output, cooperation, hotspots, research status and development trend of this field were analyzed by bibliometric software (VOSviewer and Bibliometricx). Results: 255 original research articles and 204 reviews were included in the analysis. The articles in this field that can be retrieved in WOSCC were first published in 2004 and increased year by year since then. 2013 is a growth explosion point. China and the United States are the countries with the most contributions, and Harvard University is the affiliation with the most output. Frontiers in Immunology (total citations = 603) is the journal with the most publications and the fastest growth rate. eLife is the journal with the most citations (total citations = 1248). Scher, Jose U. and Taneja, Veena are the most productive and cited authors. The research in this field is mainly distributed in the evidence, mechanism and practical application of GM participating in RA through the analysis of keywords and documents. There is sufficient evidence to prove the close relationship between GM and RA, which lays the foundation for this field. This extended two colorful and tender branches of mechanism research and application exploration, which have made some achievements but still have broad exploration space. Recently, the keywords "metabolites", "metabolomics", "acid", "b cells", "balance", "treg cells", "probiotic supplementation" appeared most frequently, which tells us that research on the mechanism of GM participating in RA and exploration of its application are the hotspots in recent years. Discussion: Taken together, these results provide a data-based and objective introduction to the GM participating in RA, giving readers a valuable reference to help guide future research.

Human Disturbance and Geometric Constraints Drive Small Mammal Diversity and Community Structure along an Elevational Gradient in Eastern China.

Understanding the mechanisms influencing patterns and processes of biological diversity is critical to protecting biodiversity, particularly in species-rich ecosystems such as mountains. Even so, there is limited knowledge of biodiversity patterns and processes in the mountains of eastern China, especially about small mammals. In this study, we examined the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of small mammal distribution and community structure along the elevational gradient of Qingliang Mountain, eastern China. We then evaluated how they are influenced by space (area and mid-domain effect (MDE)), environment (temperature, precipitation, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)), and human disturbance. The results showed hump-shaped patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity along elevation gradients, peaking at 1000 m, unlike functional diversity, which peaked at lower elevations (600 m). The mean pairwise distance and mean nearest taxon distance of functional and phylogenetic variance (MFD and MPD, respectively) were also incongruent. The MFD and MPD showed hump-shaped patterns along elevations; however, unlike MFD, which peaked at lower elevations (600 m), MPD peaked at higher elevations (1200 m). The mean nearest functional taxon distance (MNFD) decreased, while the mean nearest phylogenetic taxon distance (MNTD) increased along the elevation gradient. The higher elevations were functionally more clustered, while the lower elevations were phylogenetically more clustered, suggesting that environmental filtering for traits was stronger at higher elevations. In comparison, phylogenetic conservatism of ecological niches had a stronger influence at lower elevations. The diversity and community structure indices were inconsistently explained, with human disturbance and MDE accounting for the biggest proportions of the model-explained variances. Overall, the results confirm that environmental filtering and human disturbance significantly influence small mammals' diversity and community structure. These findings also emphasize the need for increased conservation efforts in the middle and lower elevation regions of Qingliang Mountain.

A Systematic Review on Polysaccharides from Dendrobium Genus: Recent Advances in the Preparation, Structural Characterization, Bioactive Molecular Mechanisms, and Applications.

Dendrobium polysaccharides (DPSs) have aroused people's increasing attention in recent years as a result of their outstanding edible and medicinal values and non-toxic property. This review systematically summarized recent progress in the different preparation techniques, structural characteristics, modification, various pharmacological activities and molecular mechanisms, structure-activity relationships, and current industrial applications in the medicinal, food, and cosmetics fields of DPSs. Additionally, some recommendations for future investigations were provided. A variety of methods were applied for the extraction and purification of DPSs. They possessed primary structures (e.g., glucomannan, rhamnogalacturonan I type pectin, heteroxylan, and galactoglucan) and conformational structures (e.g., random coil, rod, globular, and a slight triple-helical). And different molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, linkage types, and modifications could largely affect DPSs' bioactivities (e.g., immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, gastrointestinal protective, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities). It was worth mentioning that DPSs were significant pharmaceutical remedies and therapeutic supplements especially due to their strong immunity enhancement abilities. We hope that this review will lay a solid foundation for further development and applications of Dendrobium polysaccharides.

Structure, Biological Activities and Metabolism of Flavonoid Glucuronides.

BACKGROUND: Flavonoid glucuronides are a kind of natural products presenting a flavone linked directly with one or several glucuronides through O-glycoside bond. They had become of interest in natural product research in the past decades for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacteria activities. In particular, the compound breviscapine has a notable effect on cardiocerebrovascular diseases. Several other compounds even have antitumor activity. METHODS: Through searching the database and reading a large number of documents, we summarized the related findings of flavonoid glucuronides. RESULTS: We summarized 211 naturally occurring flavonoid glucuronides in 119 references with their chemical structures, biological activities, and metabolism. A total of 220 references from 1953 to 2020 were cited in this paper according to literature databases such as CNKI, Weipu, Wanfang data, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, NCBI, PubMed, EmBase, etc. Conclusion: Flavonoid glucuronides are a class of compounds with various chemical structures and a diverse range of biological activities. They are thought to be potential candidates for drug discovery, but the specific study on their mechanisms is still limited until now. We hope this article can provide references for natural product researchers and draw more attention to flavonoid glucuronides' biological activities and mechanisms.

Curcumae Rhizoma - combined with Sparganii Rhizoma in the treatment of liver cancer: Chemical analysis using UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSn, network analysis, and experimental assessment.

Objective: Curcumae Rhizoma-Sparganii Rhizoma (CR-SR) is a traditional botanical drug pair that can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and treat tumors in clinics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic material basis and potential mechanisms of CR-SR, CR, and SR for the treatment of liver cancer. Method: The chemical profile analyses of CR-SR, CR, and SR were performed by molecular networking and UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSn. The anti-liver cancer activities of CR-SR, CR, and SR were assessed by using a zebrafish xenograft model in vivo for the first time and detected by the HepG2 cell model in vitro. Combining the network analysis and molecular docking, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) experiments were undertaken to further explore the mechanisms of CR-SR, CR, and SR for the treatment of liver cancer. Results: In total, 65 components were identified in CR-SR, CR, and SR. Based on the clusters of molecular networking, a total of 12 novel diarylheptanoids were identified from CR-SR and CR. By combining our results with information from the literature, 32 sesquiterpenoids and 21 cyclic dipeptides were identified from CR-SR, CR, and SR. The anti-liver cancer activities were observed in both the drug pair and the single botanical drugs in vitro and in vivo, and the order of activity was CR-SR > CR > SR. They could downregulate the expression of proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (SRC), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), estrogen receptor-α (ESR1), prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and amyloid precursor protein (APP). Conclusion: Taken together, the present study provided an experimental basis for the therapeutic material basis and potential molecular mechanisms of CR-SR, CR, and SR. This study provided a novel insight for objective clinical treatment of liver cancer.