Acarbose improved survival for Apc+/Min mice

Acarbose blocks the digestion of complex carbohydrates, and the NIA Intervention Testing Program (ITP) found that it improved survival when fed to mice. Yet, we do not know if lifespan extension was caused by its effect on metabolism with regard to the soma or cancer suppression. Cancer caused death for ~80% of ITP mice. The ITP found rapamycin, an inhibitor to the pro‐growth mTORC1 (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1) pathway, improved survival and it suppressed tumors in Apc^+/Min mice providing a plausible rationale to ask if acarbose had a similar effect. Apc^+/Min is a mouse model prone to intestinal polyposis and a mimic of familial adenomatous polyposis in people. Polyp‐associated anemia contributed to their death. To address this knowledge gap, we fed two doses of acarbose to Apc^+/Min mice. Acarbose improved median survival at both doses. A cross‐sectional analysis was performed next. At both doses, ACA fed mice exhibited reduced intestinal crypt depth, weight loss despite increased food consumption and reduced postprandial blood glucose and plasma insulin, indicative of improved insulin sensitivity. Dose‐independent and dose‐dependent compensatory liver responses were observed for AMPK and mTORC1 activities, respectively. Only mice fed the high dose diet exhibited reductions in tumor number with higher hematocrits. Because low‐dose acarbose improved lifespan but failed to reduced tumors, its effects seem to be independent of cancer. These data implicate the importance of improved carbohydrate metabolism on survival.     

Spatial distribution and environmental risk assessment of heavy metals identified in soil of a decommissioned uranium mining area

Abstract

The spatial distribution of six heavy metals (Cd, As, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cu) in the soil of a decommissioned uranium mining area was investigated and their potential environmental risk was assessed. Soil samples were collected along the main riversides enclosing the mining area. The heavy metal distribution was determined by geospatial interpolation. Pearson correlation coefficient and principal component analysis were used to locate the sources of pollution which are the mine ore as natural source, and dressing plants and tailing area from human activity. The results indicate that the average concentrations of As and Cd strongly exceed the recommended EQSS (Environmental Quality Standard for Soils of China) limits at all sampling sites, whereas Zn concentrations were found to be slightly over the limit only at sampling sites close to the mining area. The concentrations of Cr, Cu and Pb were all within the recommended limits. Environmental risk was assessed using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure defining the degree to which extend the metal is released into the solution. High leaching rates were found only for Zn and Cd, suggesting that together with its high concentrations Cd is the most toxic metal around the mining area, followed by As.     

An anti-inflammatory isoflavone from soybean inoculated with a marine fungus Aspergillus terreus C23-3

ABSTRACT

A new isoflavone derivative compound 1 (psoralenone) was isolated from soybean inoculated with a marine fungus Aspergillus terreus C23-3, together with seven known compounds including isoflavones 2–6, butyrolactone I (7) and blumenol A (8). Their structures were elucidated by MS, NMR, and ECD. Psoralenone displayed moderate in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell model. Compound 2 (genistein) showed moderate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity whereas compounds 2, 5 (biochanin A), 6 (psoralenol), and 7 exhibited potent larvicidal activity against brine shrimp. Compounds 3 (daidzein), 4 (4?-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyisoflavone), and 5–7 showed broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity, and compound 7 also showed moderate 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity.     

Examining differences in phylogenetic composition enhances understanding of the phylogenetic structure of the shrub community in the northeastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

Periodic climatic oscillations and species dispersal during the postglacial period are two important causes of plant assemblage and distribution on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). To improve our understanding of the bio‐geological histories of shrub communities on the QTP, we tested two hypotheses. First, the intensity of climatic oscillations played a filtering role during community structuring. Second, species dispersal during the postglacial period contributed to the recovery of species and phylogenetic diversity and the emergence of phylogenetic overdispersion. To test these hypotheses, we investigated and compared the shrub communities in the alpine and desert habitats of the northeastern QTP. Notably, we observed higher levels of species and phylogenetic diversity in the alpine habitat than in the desert habitat, leading to phylogenetic overdispersion in the alpine shrub communities versus phylogenetic clustering in the desert shrub communities. This phylogenetic overdispersion increased with greater climate anomalies. These results suggest that (a) although climate anomalies strongly affect shrub communities, these phenomena do not act as a filter for shrub community structuring, and (b) species dispersal increases phylogenetic diversity and overdispersion in a community. Moreover, our investigation of the phylogenetic community composition revealed a larger number of plant clades in the alpine shrub communities than in the desert shrub communities, which provided insights into plant clade‐level differences in the phylogenetic structures of alpine and desert shrub communities in the northeastern QTP.     

Interplay between formation of photosynthetic complexes and expression of genes for iron–sulfur cluster assembly in Rhodobacter sphaeroides?

Photosynthesis Research - Formation of photosynthetic complexes leads to a higher demand for Fe–S clusters. We hypothesized that in the facultative phototrophic alpha-proteobacterium...     

Homeotic transformation from stamen to petal in Lilium is associated with MADS-box genes and hormone signal transduction

Plant Growth Regulation - As one of the most popular bulbous plant with high ornamental value, Lilium spp. has been used as cut flower or green plants in urban landscapes and home gardening. We...     

冷驯化对松墨天牛幼虫脂代谢的影响

【目的】在低温环境下,昆虫会启用体内的生理调控机制稳定自身代谢,脂肪代谢在昆虫抵御低温的过程中发挥重要作用。本研究旨在探究松墨天牛Monochamus alternatus幼虫脂肪代谢在低温条件下的变化及其对耐寒性的影响。【方法】将室内25℃下饲养的松墨天牛4龄幼虫分别置于25℃(对照)和4℃(冷驯化)恒温培养箱,7 d后解剖幼虫,收集其脂肪体,观察冷驯化后脂滴变化,测定脂肪体内脂肪含量;利用气相色谱 质谱分析,检测脂肪体内游离脂肪酸组分及含量;并用RT-qPCR方法检测脂肪体内脂肪酸β-氧化关键酶(CPT1, 4KCT, VLCAD, ECH和3HCD-1)基因的相对表达量。【结果】冷驯化(4℃)7 d后松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中脂滴较对照变小,密度降低,脂肪含量下降;但其脂肪酸组成种类未变,对照组和冷驯化组主要脂肪酸均为C16∶0, C16∶1, C18∶0, C18∶1和C18∶2,其中C18∶2的相对含量在两组中均最高,由未驯化时的31.83%±8.82%降至冷驯化后的25.16%±2.88%。冷驯化后,松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中C16∶0,C16∶1和C18∶2脂肪酸含量减少,C18∶0与C18∶1的相对含量上升。在5种主要脂肪酸中,冷驯化后各脂肪酸的相对丰度较对照均有所减少,其中C16∶0, C16∶1及C18∶2的相对丰度则显著下降。但冷驯化后松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中游离脂肪酸的双键指数较对照上升3.88%。且冷驯化组脂肪体中VLCAD基因表达量较对照组显著上调。【结论】低温环境中松墨天牛幼虫通过消耗脂肪维持基本代谢,幼虫脂肪体的脂肪酸分解代谢水平提高;不饱和脂肪酸在松墨天牛的耐寒性中起关键作用。脂代谢调控为松墨天牛应对低温的重要生存策略。