Aureonitols A and B,Two New C13‐Polyketides from Chaetomium globosum,an Endophytic Fungus in Salvia miltiorrhiza

Two new C₁₃‐polyketides, aureonitols A and B ( 1 and 2 ), along with five known compounds ( 3 – 7 ), were isolated from the solid fermentation culture of the plant endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum from the aerial parts of Salvia miltiorrhiza. The structures and absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and computed methods. Compound 5 was found to display the remarkable antimicrobial activities against four multidrug‐resistant bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) with MIC values of 3.13–6.25 μg/mL (ciprofloxacin: 0.78–1.56 μg/mL), and also against all tested fungal strains with MIC values of 3.13–25 μg/mL (ketoconazole: 0.78–12.50 μg/mL).     

Mating system shifts a species’ range

Understanding the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that shape a species’ range is an important goal in evolutionary biology. Evidence indicates that mating system is an effective predictor of the global range of native species or naturalized alien plants, but the mechanisms underlying this predictability are not elaborated. Here, we develop a theoretical model to account for the ranges of plants under different mating systems based on migration‐selection processes (an idea proposed by Haldane). The model includes alternation of gametophyte and sporophyte generations in one life cycle and the dispersal of haploid pollen and diploid seeds as vectors for gene flow. We show that the interaction between selfing rates and gametophytic selection determines the role of mating system in shaping a species’ range. Selfing restricts the species’ range under gametophytic selection in nonrandom mating systems, but expands the species’ range under the absence of gametophytic selection in any mating system. Gametophytic selection slightly restricts the species’ range in random mating. Both logarithmic and logistic models of population demography yield similar conclusions in the case of fixed or evolving genetic variance. The theory also helps to explain a broader relationship between mating system and range size following biological invasion or plant naturalization.     

Absence of estrogen receptor beta leads to abnormal adipogenesis during early tendon healing by an up‐regulation of PPARγ signalling

Achilles tendon injury is one of the challenges of sports medicine, the aetiology of which remains unknown. For a long time, estrogen receptor β (ERβ) has been known as a regulating factor of the metabolism in many connective tissues, such as bone, muscle and cartilage, but little is known about its role in tendon. Recent studies have implicated ERβ as involved in the process of tendon healing. Tendon‐derived stem cells (TDSCs) are getting more and more attention in tendon physiological and pathological process. In this study, we investigated how ERβ played a role in Achilles tendon healing. Achilles tendon injury model was established to analyse how ERβ affected on healing process in vivo. Cell proliferation assay, Western blots, qRT‐PCR and immunocytochemistry were performed to investigate the effect of ERβ on TDSCs. Here, we showed that ERβ deletion in mice resulted in inferior gross appearance, histological scores and, most importantly, increased accumulation of adipocytes during the early tendon healing which involved activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) signalling. Furthermore, in vitro results of ours confirmed that the abnormity might be the result of abnormal TDSC adipogenic differentiation which could be partially reversed by the treatment of ERβ agonist LY3201. These data revealed a role of ERβ in Achilles tendon healing for the first time, thereby providing a new target for clinical treatment of Achilles tendon injury.     

川西高山林线土壤活性碳、氮对短期增温的响应

随着温室效应的加剧,受低温限制的高山林线生态系统对全球气候变暖较为敏感,可能直接影响到植物的生长和土壤碳氮过程.本研究假设气候变暖会改变高山生态系统土壤活性碳氮含量,在四川省理县米亚罗高山生态系统定位站,采用开顶式模拟增温装置(OTC)模拟增温对土壤活性碳、氮的短期影响.分别于2017年4、7和10月,采集OTC以及对照样地(CK)内土壤有机层和矿质土壤层的原状土壤,测定土壤可溶性有机碳(DOC)、土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)、土壤可溶性有机氮(DON)和土壤微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量.结果表明: 模拟增温使年均气温升高0.88 ℃,土壤有机层和矿质土壤层的年均温度分别提高0.48和0.23 ℃.模拟增温没有显著改变土壤有机质和含水量,但显著提高了矿质土壤层的pH值,同时显著降低了非生长季矿质土壤层的DOC、DON含量;季节变化对两个层次的DOC、DON和MBN含量有极显著影响,而MBC没有明显的季节动态;增温和季节交互作用对矿质土壤层的DOC和DON有显著影响.土壤有机层的MBC、MBN含量显著高于矿质土壤层.土壤活性碳、氮与土壤有机质和含水量呈极显著正相关,MBC、MBN与土壤pH呈极显著正相关,MBN与土壤温度呈显著负相关.     

New therapy with XLQ® to suppress chronic prostatitis through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities

Chronic prostatitis is a common urological disease. The etiology of this disease and effective therapy for its treatment are yet to be elucidated. We investigated the functions of XLQ^® in chronic nonbacterial prostatitis using a complete Freund's adjuvant-induced rat model. Prostates and blood samples were collected for further evaluation after oral gavage with XLQ ^® or a vehicle for 4 weeks. The results showed that XLQ ^® significantly decreased the prostate index, ameliorated the histopathologic changes, and reduced CD3+ and CD45+ cell infiltration in the prostate stroma. Further study showed that XLQ ^® suppressed the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-17A, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α. XLQ ^® showed a strong antioxidant capacity by enhancing the activities of antioxidative enzymes (e.g., total superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and decreasing the level of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde). Moreover, XLQ ^® can suppress the activation of nuclear factor-κB and P38-mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. In summary, XLQ ^® has affirmative effects on chronic prostatitis, which could be attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative capacities. On the basis of these results, XLQ ^® can be developed as an effective and safe therapy for chronic prostatitis.     

Factors influencing the release of the biological nitrification inhibitor 1,9-decanediol from rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots

Plant and Soil - Depending on the availability and stoichiometry of nutrients in soil, microbes and plants can compete for the same resources. In this study we aimed to test how microbial nutrient...