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Background: The aqueous extract of the dried buds of Syzygium aromaticum (SAAE) have the potential to alleviate Helicobacter pylori infection, but the specific molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of SAAE on H. pylori pathogenicity., Methods: The inhibitory kinetics and anti-H. pylori adhesive capacity assays were conducted to examine the effects of SAAE on the growth and adhesive capability of H. pylori. The H. pylori outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) were purified from the culture supernatant through high-speed centrifugation, filtration, and two rounds of ultracentrifugation. Their characteristics and protein composition were then identified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and qualitative proteomics study. Subsequently, the effect of SAAE on the pathogenicity of H. pylori OMVs was investigated using the Griess reagent assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative proteomics study, TEM, and western blotting assay., Results: SAAE exhibited inhibitory effects on H. pylori growth and adhesion. The isolated H. pylori OMVs showed particle size of 27-242 nm and Zeta potential of -9.67 ± 0.53 mV. A total of 599 proteins were identified in the OMVs. Proteomics study indicated that the differential expressed proteins induced by OMVs with or without SAAE commonly enriched in P53 and autophagy pathways. Besides, SAAE counteracted the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and attenuated the induction of cell autophagy caused by H. pylori OMVs. Furthermore, SAAE normalized the abnormal regulation of downstream targets (AIFM2 and IGFBP3) in the P53 signaling pathway caused by H. pylori OMVs., Conclusion: SAAE can inhibit the growth and adhesion of H. pylori, reduce the inflammation and autophagy induced by H. pylori OMVs, and combated the abnormal regulation of P53 signaling pathway caused by H. pylori OMVs. These findings may help elucidate the mechanisms through which SAAE reduces the pathogenicity of H. pylori., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

High reactive nitrogen (N) emissions due to anthropogenic activities in China have led to an increase in N deposition and ecosystem degradation. The Chinese government has strictly regulated reactive N emissions since 2010, however, determining whether N deposition has reduced requires long-term monitoring. Here, we report the patterns of N deposition at a rural forest site (Qingyuan) in northeastern China over the last decade. We collected 456 daily precipitation samples from 2014 to 2022 and analysed the temporal dynamics of N deposition. NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N, and total inorganic N (TIN) deposition ranged from 10.5 ± 3.5 (mean ± SD), 6.1 ± 1.6, and 16.6 ± 4.7 kg N ha -1  year -1 , respectively. Over the measurement period, TIN deposition at Qingyuan decreased by 55 %, whereas that in comparable sites in East Asia declined by 14-34 %. We used a random forest model to determine factors influencing the deposition of NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N, and TIN during the study period. NH 4 + -N deposition decreased by 60 % because of decreased agricultural NH 3 emissions. Furthermore, NO 3 - -N deposition decreased by 42 %, due to reduced NO x emissions from agricultural soil and fossil fuel combustion. The steep decline in N deposition in northeastern China was attributed to reduced coal consumption, improved emission controls on automobiles, and shifts in agricultural practices. Long-term monitoring is needed to assess regional air quality and the impact of N emission control regulations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid(P. chinense Schneid) is known in TCM as Huang Bo, is traditionally used to support gastrointestinal function and alleviate stomach-related ailments, including gastric ulcer bleeding and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is classified by the WHO as a Group 1 carcinogen. However, the specific activity and mechanism of action of P. chinense Schneid against H. pylori infection remain unclear. It has been noted that Huangjiu processing may alter the bitter and cold properties of P. chinense Schneid, but its effect on antimicrobial activity requires further investigation. Additionally, it remains uncertain whether berberine is the sole antimicrobial active component of P. chinense Schneid., Aim of Study: This study aims to elucidate the anti-H. pylori infection activity of P. chinense Schneid, along with its mechanism of action and key antimicrobial active components., Materials and Methods: Phytochemical analysis was carried out by UPLC-MS/MS. HPLC was employed to quantify the berberine content of the extracts. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using the micro broth dilution method. Morphology was observed using SEM. The impact on urease activity was analyzed through in vitro urease enzyme kinetics. RT-qPCR was employed to detect the expression of virulence genes, including adhesin, flagellum, urease, and cytotoxin-related genes. The adhesion effect was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and agar culture., Results: P. chinense Schneid exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against both antibiotic-sensitive and resistant H. pylori strains, with MIC ranging from 40 to 160 μg/mL. Combination with amoxicillin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and clarithromycin did not result in antagonistic effects. P. chinense Schneid induced alterations in bacterial morphology and structure, downregulated the expression of various virulence genes, and inhibited urease enzyme activity. In co-infection systems, P. chinense Schneid significantly attenuated H. pylori adhesion and urease relative content, thereby mitigating cellular damage caused by infection. Huangjiu processing enhanced the anti-H. pylori activity of P. chinense Schneid. Besides berberine, P. chinense Schneid contained seven other components with anti-H. pylori activity, with palmatine exhibiting the strongest activity, followed by jatrorrhizine., Conclusions: This study sheds light on the potential therapeutic mechanisms of P. chinense Schneid against H. pylori infection, demonstrating its capacity to disrupt bacterial structure, inhibit urease activity, suppress virulence gene transcription, inhibit adhesion, and protect host cells. The anti-H. pylori activity of P. chinense Schneid was potentiated by Huangjiu processing, and additional components beyond berberine were identified as possessing strong anti-H. pylori activity. Notably, jatrorrhizine, a core component of P. chinense Schneid, exhibited significant anti-H. pylori activity, marking a groundbreaking discovery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Sanguisorba officinalis L. (S. officinalis L.), known as Di Yu (DY) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are used to treat burns, vomiting of blood, asthma, intestinal infections, and dermatitis. It has been reported that the root of DY has a significant inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). However, there is currently little research on the composition analysis and anti-H. pylori infection properties of the non-medicinal parts of DY, such as its stems, leaves, and flowers., Aim of Study: The commonly used eradication therapies for H. pylori infection are antibiotic-based therapies. With the increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori, it is urgent to find effective alternative therapies. To find alternative therapies and increase the utilization of DY, this study aims to investigate the phytochemistry profile, in vitro anti-H. pylori activity, and preliminary antibacterial mechanism of the non-medicinal parts of DY., Materials and Methods: The non-medicinal parts of DY extracts were obtained by using hot water reflux method. The chemical composition of these extracts was analyzed using colorimetric method, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS). The in vitro anti-H. pylori activity was investigated using broth microdilution method, checkerboard dilution method, time-kill curve, time-inhibition curve, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Transcriptional sequencing technology was used to study the effect of DY stems and flowers on the gene expression of H. pylori and explore possible antibacterial mechanisms., Results: The non-medicinal parts of DY contain abundant phytochemicals, such as total phenols and total flavonoids, and possess strong inhibitory and bactericidal activity against both standard and clinical strains of H. pylori in vitro. The MIC was 80-1280 μg/mL and the MBC was 80-2560 μg/mL, and the strength of the antibacterial effects was dependent on the concentration of phytochemicals (total polyphenols, gallic acid and ellagic acid). In addition, the combination of non-medicinal parts of DY with antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and clarithromycin, did not result in any antagonistic effects. All of them could disrupt the morphology, internal microscopic and cell wall structures of H. pylori thereby acting as an inhibitor. The mechanism of action was found to be the disruption of H. pylori morphology, internal microstructure, and cell wall. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the non-medicinal parts of DY significantly regulated the gene expression of H. pylori, especially the metabolic pathway., Conclusions: This study analyzed the chemical composition of the non-medicinal parts of DY and confirmed its inhibitory and bactericidal activities against H. pylori, both standard and clinical strains. Additional, the mechanism of inhibition involves disrupting the structure of H. pylori cells, altering gene expression, and interfering with bacterial metabolic pathways. This study provides a reference for further resource utilization and the development of H. pylori drugs using the non-medicinal parts of DY., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition due to intensified emissions of NH 3 and NO x is a global problem with profound consequences on living organisms and the environment. Although N emission rates are currently considered to be high in East Asia, reports on the current N deposition level and composition are still limited, especially in northeastern China, where official N deposition monitoring sites are unavailable. This limits our understanding of the spatio-temporal N deposition patterns and their influencing factors at regional to continental scales. Here, we used data collected mostly during 2019 at 38 sites, comprising 7 sites in northeastern China and 31 EANET (Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia) sites in middle and east Russia, Mongolia, central and southern China, South Korea and Japan to explore the spatial-seasonal variations and drivers of ammonium and nitrate deposition across the Northeast Asia. Total bulk inorganic N (TIN) deposition was 3.7-24.5 kg N ha -1 yr -1 and NH 4 + -N/NO 3 - -N ratio in the TIN was 0.8-2.8 in northeastern China. The bulk/wet TIN deposition averaged 7.5 kg N ha -1 yr -1 (predominantly in the form of ammonium-N: NH 4 + -N/NO 3 - -N = 1.4) over the Northeast Asia region, with the highest rates being observed in northeastern China (11.6), as well as central and southern China (10.7), followed by east Russia, South Korea and Japan (5.6), and the lowest in middle Russia and Mongolia (1.5). This regional bulk/wet TIN deposition level is about twice of the wet TIN deposition level in Europe and the United States. The TIN deposition in summer and spring was 45-467% higher than in autumn and winter. Out of the ten land uses considered, only agricultural and urban land uses significantly positively correlated with NH 4 + -N and NO 3 - -N deposition rates across all monitored sites. This study suggests that the ongoing agricultural and urban expansions are likely to enhance N deposition and its associated effects across global ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chitin, the major structural polysaccharide in arthropods such as insects and mites, is a linear polymer of N-acetylglucosamine units. The growth and development of insects are intimately coupled with chitin biosynthesis. The membrane-bound β-glycosyltransferase chitin synthase is known to catalyze the key polymerization step of N-acetylglucosamine. However, the additional proteins that might assist chitin synthase during chitin biosynthesis are not well understood. Recently, fatty acid binding protein (Fabp) has been suggested as a candidate that interacts with the chitin synthase Krotzkopf verkehrt (Kkv) in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, using split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays, we have demonstrated that the Fabp-B splice variant physically interacts with Kkv in vitro. The global knockdown of Fabp in D. melanogaster using RNA interference (RNAi) induced lethality at the larval stage. Moreover, in tissue-specific RNAi experiments, silenced Fabp expression in the epidermis and tracheal system caused a lethal larval phenotype. Fabp knockdown in the wings resulted in an abnormal wing development and uneven cuticular surface. In addition to reducing the chitin content in the first longitudinal vein of wings, Fabp silencing also caused the loss of procuticle laminate structures. This study revealed that Fabp plays an important role in chitin synthesis and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the complex insect chitin biosynthesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to prepare effervescent tablets of traditional Chinese medicine Xianganfang with fresh juice using a semi-solid 3D printer with three cartridge holders to seperate acid and alkali source by drug paste through model design to avoid sticking impact and premature effervescence during the tableting in the conventional preparation process. The powder of Xianganfang including fresh juice of Phyllanthus emblica and licorice extract was obtained by vacuum freeze-drying with 50% mannitol as cryoprotectant. Then, the formulation of 3D-printed effervescent tablets was investigated. Further 5% HPMC hydroalcoholic gel was mixed with sodium bicarbonate and freeze-dried Xianganfang powder to prepare alkali source and drug paste respectively while 30% PVP ethanol solution was mixed with tartaric acid to prepare acid source paste; these three pastes had good printability. The pastes of drug, acid, and alkali were loaded into three syringe cartridges separately and numbered as "3," "5," and "7," according to cartridge holders of the 3D printer, and printed in the order of "537,353,735" for separating acid and alkali by drug to avoid premature effervescence. And the basic printing parameters were optimized. The tablets were evaluated by the appearance, tablet weight variation, hardness, disintegration time, friability, pH, and stability. The physicochemical properties all conformed to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 edition. The content of the active ingredient gallic acid was 0.769 ± 0.019 mg/g. This study provided a new method to prepare effervescent tablets of traditional Chinese medicine with fresh juice using 3D printing technology., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

The biogenesis of chitin, a major structural polysaccharide found in the cuticle and peritrophic matrix, is crucial for insect growth and development. Chitin synthase, a membrane-integral β-glycosyltransferase, has been identified as the core of the chitin biogenesis machinery. However, a yet unknown number of auxiliary proteins appear to assist in chitin biosynthesis, whose precise function remains elusive. Here, we identified a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA), in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, as a chitin biogenesis-associated protein. The physical interaction between DmSERCA and epidermal chitin synthase (Krotzkopf verkehrt, Kkv) was demonstrated and analyzed using split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescent complementation, pull-down, and immunoprecipitation assays. The interaction involves N-terminal regions (aa 48-81 and aa 247-33) and C-terminal regions (aa 743-783 and aa 824-859) of DmSERCA and two N-terminal regions (aa 121-179 and aa 369-539) of Kkv, all of which are predicted be transmembrane helices. While tissue-specific knock-down of DmSERCA in the epidermis caused larval and pupal lethality, the knock-down of DmSERCA in wings resulted in smaller and crinkled wings, a significant decrease in chitin deposition, and the loss of chitin lamellar structure. Although DmSERCA is well-known for its role in muscular contraction, this study reveals a novel role in chitin synthesis, contributing to our knowledge on the machinery of chitin biogenesis., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M Perry (S. aromaticum) (Myrtaceae), also known as clove, was used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to aid gastrointestinal function and treat stomach disorders including vomiting, flatulence and nausea. And it is a food homology medicine which is a promising candidate for H. pylori treatment. H. pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 50% of the human population worldwide, which is closely related to multiple gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. However, there are still no sufficient studies on the anti-H. pylori activity of S. aromaticum, especially for the mechanism of action., Aim of Study: This study aimed to study the antibacterial activities of S. aromaticum extracts on both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains, and to explore the underlying mechanisms of action., Materials and Methods: The S. aromaticum extracts were obtained by heat reflux extraction and lyophilized to powder form. The phytochemical analyses were performed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and UPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In vitro anti-H. pylori activity was evaluated by broth microdilution method. Mechanism of action studies included morphological observation using electron microscopy, determination of expression of virulence genes by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), genes expression profile identification by transcriptomic analysis, and exploration of anti-H. pylori infection mechanisms by network pharmacology analysis and western blotting validation., Results: The S. aromaticum extracts, aqueous extract (AE) and 75% hydroalcoholic extract (HE), exerted significant antibacterial activities against both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains with MICs of 160∼320 μg/ml, without developing drug resistance. Among them, AE was bactericide to all the tested strains with MBCs of less than 4MIC, while HE was merely bacteriostatic to most of the tested strains with MBCs of 2MIC∼16MIC. Besides, they showed no antagonistic effects in combination with clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin. Additionally, these extracts altered the morphology and ultrastructure and down-regulated the virulence genes expression of H. pylori. And transcriptomic analysis showed that they regulated genes expression of multiple H. pylori biological processes, including tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC) and pyruvate metabolic pathways. Furthermore, these extracts combated the abnormal activation of PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways caused by H. pylori infection., Conclusions: Overall, the present study firstly analyzed the chemical compositions of S. aromaticum extracts, and then confirmed their activities on both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains. In addition, the mechanisms of action of S. aromaticum extracts against H. pylori were found to be destroying the bacterial structure, down-regulating the expression of virulence genes, and interfering TAC and pyruvate metabolic pathways. Finally, S. aromaticum extracts were found to combated the abnormal activation of PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways to treat H. pylori infection. This study should accelerate further research and application of S. aromaticum against H. pylori infection., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The impacts of enhanced nitrogen (N) deposition on the global forest carbon (C) sink and other ecosystem services may depend on whether N is deposited in reduced (mainly as ammonium) or oxidized forms (mainly as nitrate) and the subsequent fate of each. However, the fates of the two key reactive N forms and their contributions to forest C sinks are unclear. Here, we analyze results from 13 ecosystem-scale paired 15 N-labelling experiments in temperate, subtropical, and tropical forests. Results show that total ecosystem N retention is similar for ammonium and nitrate, but plants take up more labelled nitrate ([Formula: see text]%) ([Formula: see text]) than ammonium ([Formula: see text]%) while soils retain more ammonium ([Formula: see text]%) than nitrate ([Formula: see text]%). We estimate that the N deposition-induced C sink in forests in the 2010s  is [Formula: see text] Pg C yr -1 , higher than previous estimates because of a larger role for oxidized N and greater rates of global N deposition., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Chitin is an aminopolysaccharide present in insects as a major structural component of the cuticle. However, current knowledge on the chitin biosynthetic machinery, especially its constituents and mechanism, is limited. Using three independent binding assays, including co-immunoprecipitation, split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid assay, and pull-down assay, we demonstrate that choline transporter-like protein 2 (Ctl2) interacts with krotzkopf verkehrt (kkv) in Drosophila melanogaster. The global knockdown of Ctl2 by RNA interference (RNAi) induced lethality at the larval stage. Tissue-specific RNAi to silence Ctl2 in the tracheal system and in the epidermis of the flies resulted in lethality at the first larval instar. The knockdown of Ctl2 in wings led to shrunken wings containing accumulated fluid. Calcofluor White staining demonstrated reduced chitin content in the first longitudinal vein of Ctl2 knockdown wings. The pro-cuticle, which was thinner compared to wildtype, exhibited a reduced number of chitin laminar layers. Phylogenetic analyses revealed orthologues of Ctl2 in different insect orders with highly conserved domains. Our findings provide new insights into cuticle formation, wherein Ctl2 plays an important role as a chitin-synthase interacting protein., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Canarium album Raeusch. belongs to the Burseraceae family. Its ripe fruits, known as Qing Guo (QG) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are used to treat sore throat, cough, and fish or crab poisoning. QG was reported to have antibacterial activity, and it exerted excellent anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) activity in our screening of abundant TCM. However, few studies have reported its anti-H. pylori activity and mechanism., Aim of Study: The commonly used eradication therapies for H. pylori infection are antibiotic-based therapies. With the increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori, interest in finding alternative therapies has been aroused. This study investigated the phytochemistry profile, in vitro anti-H. pylori activity and possible anti-bacterial mechanism of QG extracts., Materials and Methods: QG extracts were obtained by heat reflux extraction, ultrasonic extraction or liquid-liquid extraction with different solvents. The quantitative and qualitative phytochemical analyses were performed by colorimetric determination, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and UPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In vitro anti- H. pylori activity was assessed by broth micro-dilution method. Mechanism of action studies included morphological observation using electron microscopy, urease inhibition assay and determination of expression of virulence genes by RT-qPCR., Results: All QG extracts especially ethyl acetate extract (QGEAE) were rich in phenolic components, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) on H.pylori of 39-625 μg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of 78-1250 μg/ml. Both aqueous extract (QGAE) and QGEAE could induce the morphological and structural changes of H. pylori, inhibit urease activity with IC 50 of 1093 μg/ml and 332.90 μg/ml, respectively, and down-regulate the virulence genes, such as vacA and cagA., Conclusions: QG may exhibit in vitro anti-H. pylori activity by inhibiting growth, destroying the bacterial structure and down-regulating the expression of virulence factors. Moreover, QG is the homology of food and TCM, which can be considered as a safe and convenient agent against H. pylori infection., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Resource integration of coal enterprises is conducive to reducing pollution and carbon emissions, thus alleviating environmental problems such as global warming. Government regulation has a great influence on enterprise behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the strategies of government and coal enterprises in resource integration. Based on the perspective of government regulation, this paper discusses how to guide and restrict coal enterprises to conduct resource integration behavior, and whether the government supervises this behavior. First, through empirical research, government regulations of coal enterprises are given practical policy implications. Second, using evolutionary game and simulation technology, from the perspective of government regulation, we explore the complex behavioral interaction mechanism between the dominant and inferior coal enterprises, the mechanism between the government and coal enterprises, and analyze the impact of key factors on the dynamic evolution process. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of the selected parameters is discussed in details, which provides useful decision-making suggestions for the government and enterprises. In addition, this paper further analyzes the impact of different government policies on coal enterprises' green innovation strategies. Results demonstrate that (1) when the power gap between enterprises is large, the probability of dominant enterprises choosing resource integration converges to 1, while the probability of inferior enterprises converges to 0. Therefore, government regulations are invalid for inferior enterprises; (2) the combination of government regulations can help improve the efficiency of coal enterprises' strategic choices. With the increase in the intensity of government rewards and punishments, the probability of enterprise resource integration evolves from 0 to 1; (3) excessive government regulations make the choice between the government and coal companies tend to swing, because the probability of the two is between 0 and 1. Therefore, excessive government regulations cannot effectively achieve resource integration and government regulation. (4) The government subsidy strategy is less effective than the government's pollution penalty strategy in promoting the green innovation of enterprises. Our research shows that the government should choose different policy combinations and intensities to regulate resource integration according to the market power of coal enterprises, which provides theoretical reference and practical guidance for the government to regulate corporate resource integration behavior., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in atmospheric chemistry and also is a precursor of nitrate, which affects particle matter formation and nitrogen deposition. Agricultural soil has been recognized as a main source of atmospheric NO. However, quantifying the NO fluxes emitted from croplands remains a challenge and in situ long-term measurements of NO are still limited. In this study, we used an automated sampling system to measure NO fluxes with a high temporal resolution over two years (April 2017 to March 2019) from a rainfed maize field in the Northeast China. The cumulative annual NO emissions were 8.9 and 2.3 kg N ha -1 in year 1 (April 2017 to March 2018) and year 2 (April 2018 to March 2019), respectively. These interannual differences were largely related to different weather conditions encountered. In year 1, a month-long drought before and after the seeding and fertilizing reduced plant N uptake and dramatically increased soil N concentration. The following moderate rainfalls promoted large amount of NO emissions, which remained high until late September. The NO fluxes in both years showed clearer seasonal patterns, being highest after fertilizer application in summer, and lowest in winter. The seasonal patterns of NO fluxes were mainly controlled by soil available N concentrations and soil temperatures. The contribution of NO fluxes during the spring freeze-thaw in both years was no more than 0.2% of the annual NO budget, indicating that the freeze-thaw effect on agricultural NO emissions was minimal. In addition, with high-resolution monitoring, we found that soil not only act as a NO source but also a sink. Long-term and high-resolution measurements help us better understand the diurnal, seasonal, and annual dynamics of NO emissions, build more accurate models and better estimate global NO budget and develop more effective policy responses to global climate change., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on forests largely depend on its fate after entering the ecosystem. While several studies have addressed the forest fate of N deposition using 15 N tracers, the long-term fate and redistribution of deposited N in tropical forests remains unknown. Here, we applied 15 N tracers to examine the fates of deposited ammonium ( NH 4 + ) and nitrate ( NO 3 - ) separately over 3 years in a primary and a secondary tropical montane forest in southern China. Three months after 15 N tracer addition, over 60% of 15 N was retained in the forests studied. Total ecosystem retention did not change over the study period, but between 3 months and 3 years following deposition 15 N recovery in plants increased from 10% to 19% and 13% to 22% in the primary and secondary forests, respectively, while 15 N recovery in the organic soil declined from 16% to 2% and 9% to 2%. Mineral soil retained 50% and 35% of 15 N in the primary and secondary forests, with retention being stable over time. The total ecosystem retention of the two N forms did not differ significantly, but plants retained more 15 NO 3 - than 15 NH 4 + and the organic soil more 15 NH 4 + than NO 3 - . Mineral soil did not differ in 15 NH 4 + and 15 NO 3 - retention. Compared to temperate forests, proportionally more 15 N was distributed to mineral soil and plants in these tropical forests. Overall, our results suggest that atmospherically deposited NH 4 + and NO 3 - is rapidly lost in the short term (months) but thereafter securely retained within the ecosystem, with retained N becoming redistributed to plants and mineral soil from the organic soil. This long-term N retention may benefit tropical montane forest growth and enhance ecosystem carbon sequestration., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has become an international public health problem, and antibiotic-based triple or quadruple therapy is currently the mainstay of treatment. However, the effectiveness of these therapies decreases due to resistance to multiple commonly used antibiotics. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (S. officinalis), a traditional Chinese medicine clinically used for hemostasis and treatment of diarrhea, has various pharmacological activities. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity was used for the preliminary evaluation of S. officinalis against H. pylori. And a pharmacology analysis approach was also utilized to elucidate its underlying mechanisms against H. pylori infection., Methods: Micro-broth dilution method, agar dilution method, checkerboard assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for the assessment of anti-bacterial activity. Active ingredients screening, GO analysis, KEGG analysis, construction of PPI network, molecular docking, and RT-qPCR were used to elucidate the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of S. officinalis against H. pylori infection., Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of S. officinalis against multiple H. pylori strains including clinically isolated multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains were ranging from 160 to 320 µg/ml. These results showed that S. officinalis had additive interaction with four commonly used antibiotics and could exert antibacterial effect by changing the morphology of bacteria without developing drug resistance. Through network pharmacology analysis, 8 active ingredients in S. officinalis were screened out for subsequent studies. Among 222 putative targets of S. officinalis, 49 targets were identified as potential targets for treatment of H. pylori infection. And these 49 targets were significantly enriched in GO processes such as protein kinase B signaling, protein kinase activity, protein kinase binding, and KEGG pathways such as Pathways in cancer, MicroRNAs in cancer, and TNF signaling pathway. Protein-protein interaction analysis yielded 5 core targets (AKT1, VEGFA, EGFR, SRC, CCND1), which were validated by molecular docking and RT-qPCR., Conclusions: Overall, this study confirmed the in vitro inhibitory activity of S. officinalis against H. pylori and explored the possible pharmacological mechanisms, laying the foundation for further research and clinical application.

Conifers are considered to prefer to take up ammonium (NH 4 + ) over nitrate (NO 3 - ). However, this conclusion is mainly based on hydroponic experiments that separate roots from soils. It remains unclear to what extent mature conifers can use nitrate compared to ammonium under field conditions where both roots and soil microbes compete for nitrogen (N). We conducted an in situ whole mature tree nitrogen-15 ( 15 N) labeling experiment ( 15 NH 4 + vs 15 NO 3 - ) over 15 d to quantify ammonium and nitrate uptake and assimilation rates in four 40-yr-old monoculture coniferous plantations (Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sylvestris, Picea koraiensis and Larix olgensis, respectively). For the whole tree, 15 NO 3 - contributed 39% to 90% to total 15 N tracer uptake among four plantations during the study period. At day 3, the 15 NO 3 - accounted for 77%, 64%, 62% and 59% by Larix olgensis, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sylvestris and Picea koraiensis, respectively. Our study indicates that mature coniferous trees assimilated nitrate as efficiently as ammonium from soils even at low soil nitrate concentration, in contrast to the results from hydroponic experiments showing that ammonium uptake dominated over nitrate. This implies that mature conifers can adapt to increasing availability of nitrate in soil, for example, under the context of globalization of N deposition and global warming., (© 2020 The Authors New Phytologist © 2020 New Phytologist Foundation.)

The individual identification of group-housed pigs plays an important role in breeding process management and individual behavior analysis. Recently, livestock identification methods based on the side view or face image have strict requirements on the position and posture of livestock, which poses a challenge for the application of the monitoring scene of group-housed pigs. To address the issue above, a Weber texture local descriptor (WTLD) is proposed for the identification of group-housed pigs by extracting the local features of back hair, skin texture, spots, and so on. By calculating the differential excitation and multi-directional information of pixels, the local structure features of the main direction are fused to enhance the description ability of features. The experimental results show that the proposed WTLD achieves higher recognition rates with a lower feature dimension. This method can identify pig individuals with different positions and postures in the pig house. Without limitations on pig movement, this method can facilitate the identification of individual pigs with greater convenience and universality.

Nitrification is a crucial step in ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling, but scaling up from plot-based measurements of gross nitrification to catchments is difficult. Here, we employed a newly developed method in which the oxygen isotope anomaly (Δ 17 O) of nitrate (NO 3 - ) is used as a natural tracer to quantify in situ catchment-scale gross nitrification rate (GNR) for a temperate forest from 2014 to 2017 in northeastern China. The annual GNR ranged from 71 to 120 kg N ha -1 yr -1 (average 94 ± 10 kg N ha -1 yr -1 ) over the 4 years in this forest. This result and high stream NO 3 - loss (4.2-8.9 kg N ha -1 yr -1 ) suggest that the forested catchment may have been N-saturated. At the catchment scale, the total N output of 10.7 kg N ha -1 yr -1 , via leaching and gaseous losses, accounts for 56% of the N input from bulk precipitation (19.2 kg N ha -1 yr -1 ). This result indicates that the forested catchment is still retaining a large fraction of N from atmospheric deposition. Our study suggests that estimating in situ catchment-scale GNR over several years when combined with other conventional flux estimates can facilitate the understanding of N biogeochemical cycling and changes in the ecosystem N status.

To explore the feasibility of preparing traditional Chinese medicine using 3 D printing technology and reduce warpage commonly occurs in large-size tablets, we investigated the prescription, warpage optimization and influence factors of 3 D printing Jiuxiang Jianpi Yangwei (JJY) tablets. The procedures used conformed to the requirements of the 2015 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopeia . The results of the prescription screening showed that 75% ethanol and HPMC (9%) could be adhesives. Meanwhile, stevia (0.5%) and citric acid (0.5%) improved the taste of the 3 D printed JJY tablets. To ensure the quality and appearance of the printed tablets, the best parameters were as follows: drying at room temperature, 40% of the filling density, a 3 mm model height, two outer ring numbers and a printing speed of 15 mm/s. The optimized printed tablets had a smooth appearance, suitable hardness, with the weight uniformity in accordance with the Pharmacopeia . We also prepared personalized JJY cartoon tablets (which contained images of a big-headed pig and a small yellow duck) which were designed to increase the compliance of children when taking their medications. In conclusion, this study reported that 3 D printing technology has great potential for preparing traditional Chinese medicines, and it provided guidance for 3 D printing tablets without warpage.

The impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition on forest ecosystems depend in large part on its fate. However, our understanding of the fates of different forms of deposited N as well as the redistribution over time within different ecosystems is limited. In this study, we used the 15 N-tracer method to investigate both the short-term (1 week to 3 months) and long-term (1-3 yr) fates of deposited NH 4 + or NO 3 - by following the recovery of the 15 N in different ecosystem compartments in a larch plantation forest and a mixed forest located in northeastern China. The results showed similar total ecosystem retention for deposited NH 4 + and NO 3 - , but their distribution within the ecosystems (plants vs. soil) differed distinctly particularly in the short-term, with higher 15 NO 3 - recoveries in plants (while lower recoveries in organic layer) than found for 15 NH 4 + . The different short-term fate was likely related to the higher mobility of 15 NO 3 - than 15 NH 4 + in soils instead of plant uptake preferences for NO 3 - over NH 4 + . In the long-term, differences between N forms became less prevalent but higher recoveries in trees (particularly in the larch forest) of 15 NO 3 - than 15 NH 4 + tracer persisted, suggesting that incoming NO 3 - may contribute more to plant biomass increment and forest carbon sequestration than incoming NH 4 + . Differences between the two forests in recoveries were largely driven by a higher 15 N recovery in the organic layer (both N forms) and in trees (for 15 NO 3 - ) in the larch forest compared to the mixed forest. This was due to a more abundant organic layer and possibly higher tree N demand in the larch forest than in the mixed forest. Leachate 15 N loss was minor (<1% of the added 15 N) for both N forms and in both forests. Total 15 N recovery averaged 78% in the short-term and decreased to 55% in the long-term but with increasing amount of 15 N label (re)-redistributed into slow turn-over pools (e.g., trees and mineral soil). The different retention dynamics of deposited NH 4 + and NO 3 - may have implications in environmental policy related to the anthropogenic emissions of the two N forms., (© 2019 by the Ecological Society of America.)

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) changes is a fundamental issue in ecology and sustainable agriculture. However, the algorithm-derived biases in comparing SOC status have not been fully addressed. Although the methods based on equivalent soil mass (ESM) and mineral-matter mass (EMMM) reduced biases of the conventional methods based on equivalent soil volume (ESV), they face challenges in ensuring both data comparability and accuracy of SOC estimation due to unequal basis for comparison and using unconserved reference systems. We introduce the basal mineral-matter reference systems (soils at time zero with natural porosity but no organic matter) and develop an approach based on equivalent mineral-matter volume (EMMV). To show the temporal bias, SOC change rates were recalculated with the ESV method and modified methods that referenced to soils at time t1 (ESM, EMMM, and EMMV-t1) or referenced to soils at time zero (EMMV-t0) using two datasets with contrasting SOC status. To show the spatial bias, the ESV- and EMMV-t0-derived SOC stocks were compared using datasets from six sites across biomes. We found that, in the relatively C-rich forests, SOC accumulation rates derived from the modified methods that referenced to t1 soils and from the EMMV-t0 method were 5.7%-13.6% and 20.6% higher than that calculated by the ESV method, respectively. Nevertheless, in the C-poor lands, no significant algorithmic biases of SOC estimation were observed. Finally, both the SOC stock discrepancies (ESV vs. EMMV-t0) and the proportions of this unaccounted SOC were large and site-dependent. These results suggest that although the modified methods that referenced to t1 soils could reduce the biases derived from soil volume changes, they may not properly quantify SOC changes due to using unconserved reference systems. The EMMV-t0 method provides an approach to address the two problems and is potentially useful since it enables SOC comparability and integrating SOC datasets., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Denitrification is a major process contributing to the removal of nitrogen (N) from ecosystems, but its rate is difficult to quantify. The natural abundance of isotopes can be used to identify the occurrence of denitrification and has recently been used to quantify denitrification rates at the ecosystem level. However, the technique requires an understanding of the isotopic enrichment factor associated with denitrification, which few studies have investigated in forest soils. Here, soils collected from two tropical and two temperate forests in China were incubated under anaerobic or aerobic laboratory conditions for two weeks to determine the N and oxygen (O) isotope enrichment factors during denitrification. We found that at room temperature (20°C), NO 3 - was reduced at a rate of 0.17 to 0.35μgNg -1 h -1 , accompanied by the isotope fractionation of N ( 15 ε) and O ( 18 ε) of 31‰ to 65‰ (48.3±2.0‰ on average) and 11‰ to 39‰ (18.9±1.7‰ on average), respectively. The N isotope effects were, unexpectedly, much higher than reported in the literature for heterotrophic denitrification (typically ranging from 5‰ to 30‰) and in other environmental settings (e.g., groundwater, marine sediments and agricultural soils). In addition, the ratios of Δδ 18 O:Δδ 15 N ranged from 0.28 to 0.60 (0.38±0.02 on average), which were lower than the canonical ratios of 0.5 to 1 for denitrification reported in other terrestrial and freshwater systems. We suggest that the isotope effects of denitrification for soils may vary greatly among regions and soil types and that gaseous N losses may have been overestimated for terrestrial ecosystems in previous studies in which lower fractionation factors were applied., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The glycoside hydrolase family 18 chitinases degrade or alter chitin. Multiple catalytic domains in a glycoside hydrolase family 18 chitinase function synergistically during chitin degradation. Here, an insect group III chitinase from the agricultural pest Ostrinia furnacalis (OfChtIII) is revealed to be an arthropod-conserved chitinase that contains two nonsynergistic GH18 domains according to its catalytic properties. Both GH18 domains are active towards single-chained chitin substrates, but are inactive towards insoluble chitin substrates. The crystal structures of each unbound GH18 domain, as well as of GH18 domains complexed with hexa-N-acetyl-chitohexaose or penta-N-acetyl-chitopentaose, suggest that the two GH18 domains possess endo-specific activities. Physiological data indicated that the developmental stage-dependent gene-expression pattern of OfChtIII was the same as that of the chitin synthase OfChsA but significantly different from that of the chitinase OfChtI, which is indispensable for cuticular chitin degradation. Additionally, immunological staining indicated that OfChtIII was co-localized with OfChsA. Thus, OfChtIII is most likely to be involved in the chitin-synthesis pathway.

Eight triflavonoids, selagintriflavonoids A-H, were isolated from whole herbs of Selaginella doederleinii. The structures of compounds selagintriflavonoids A-C consisted of three naringenin units, whereas those of selagintriflavonoids D-H consisted of apigenin and two naringenin moieties. The structures and absolute configurations of the compounds were determined based on NMR, HRESIMS, and experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. The ability of the compounds to inhibit β-secretase (BACE1) was also evaluated. All compounds exhibited BACE1 inhibition with IC 50 values ranging from 0.75 to 46.99 μM. Selagintriflavonoid A exhibited the strongest inhibition (0.75 μM) and is thus a promising compound for treating Alzheimer's disease., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) has great potential to be used as a food additive and medicine. The enzymatic degradation of chitin-containing biomass for producing GlcNAc is an eco-friendly approach but suffers from a high cost. The economical efficiency can be improved by both optimizing the member and ratio of the chitinolytic enzymes and using new inexpensive substrates. To address this, a novel combination of bacterial and insect chitinolytic enzymes was developed in this study to efficiently produce GlcNAc from the mycelia of Asperillus niger, a fermentation waste. This enzyme combination contained three bacterial chitinases (chitinase A from Serratia marcescens (SmChiA), SmChiB, SmChiC) and one insect N-acetyl-d-glucosaminidase from Ostrinia furnacalis (OfHex1) in a ratio of 39.1% of SmChiA, 26.7% of SmChiB, 32.9% of SmChiC, and 1.3% of OfHex1. A yield of 6.3 mM (1.4 mg/mL) GlcNAc with a purity of 95% can be obtained from 10 mg/mL mycelial powder in 24 h. The enzyme combination reported here exhibited 5.8-fold higher hydrolytic activity over the commercial chitinase preparation derived from Streptomyces griseus.

Five new carboxymethyl flavonoids named 5-carboxymethyl-3', 4', 7-trihydroxyflavone (1), (2S)- 5-carboxymethyl-3', 4', 7-trihydroxyflavonone (2a), (2R)-5-carboxymethyl-3', 4', 7-trihydroxyflavonone (2b), (2S)-5-carboxymethyl-4', 7-dihydroxyflavonone (3), 5- carbomethoxymethyl-4', 7-dihydroxyflavone (4), and a new chromone named 5-carboxymethyl-7-hydroxychromone (5), together with two known compounds 5-carboxymethyl-4'-hydroxyflavone-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (6), 5-carboxymethyl-4', 7-dihydroxyflavone (7) were isolated from Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron. Their structures including absolute configuration were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. What's worth mentioning is that a carboxymethyl substituent appeared at the C-5 position of all isolated compounds, only recently discovered in genus Selaginella. Compounds 2a and 2b were identified as a pair of chiral isomers; compound 5 was discovered as the first chromone comprising a carboxymethyl side chain. Furthermore, all compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against various Gram-positives and Gram-negatives, and compared to the reference drugs amoxicillin and norfloxacin. As a result, compounds 3 and 4 exhibited as potent antimicrobial agents with a broad spectrum, and compound 5 appeared as the most promising one to combat Gram-positives., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nitrogen availability and tree species selection play important roles in reforestation. However, long-term field studies on the effects and mechanisms of tree species composition on N transformation are very limited. Eight years after tree seedlings were planted in a field experiment, we revisited the site and tested how tree species composition affects the dynamics of N mineralization and nitrification. Both tree species composition and season significantly influenced the soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON). N-fixing Acacia crassicarpa monoculture had the highest DON, and 10-mixed species plantation had the highest DOC. The lowest DOC and DON concentrations were both observed in Eucalyptus urophylla monoculture. The tree species composition also significantly affected net N mineralization rates. The highest rate of net N mineralization was found in A. crassicarpa monoculture, which was over twice than that in Castanopsis hystrix monoculture. The annual net N mineralization rates of 10-mixed and 30-mixed plantations were similar as that of N-fixing monoculture. Since mixed plantations have good performance in increasing soil DOC, DON, N mineralization and plant biodiversity, we recommend that mixed species plantations should be used as a sustainable approach for the restoration of degraded land in southern China.

The overproduction of cortisol is associated with many severe and life-threatening diseases, such as Cushing's syndrome (CS) and chronic wound healing. 11β-Hydroxylase (CYP11B1) is considered as an attractive target for treating these diseases, since it is a key enzyme responsible for the last step in cortisol biosynthesis. Nowadays, medical therapy has become increasingly important for CS patients, especially for those who are in need of surgery or suffer from surgery failure and those in early phases of radiation therapy. In clinic, steroidogenesis blockers including CYP11B1 inhibitors are utilized most frequently. Nevertheless, drugs that inhibit CYP11B1 are inevitable with side effects due to lack of selectivity over other steroidogenesis enzymes. Recent advances in the development of novel CYP11B1 inhibitors might overcome these limitations. In addition, the beneficial effects of down-regulation of cortisol levels to wound closure have been recently disclosed and have stimulated topical application of CYP11B1 inhibitors as a novel therapeutic strategy for curing chronic wounds. Herein, we provide a review of the current CYP11B1 inhibitors in clinic combating CS and the latest development of novel CYP11B1 inhibitors for treating CS and chronic wounds.

Denitrification removes fixed nitrogen (N) from the biosphere, thereby restricting the availability of this key limiting nutrient for terrestrial plant productivity. This microbially driven process has been exceedingly difficult to measure, however, given the large background of nitrogen gas (N2) in the atmosphere and vexing scaling issues associated with heterogeneous soil systems. Here, we use natural abundance of N and oxygen isotopes in nitrate (NO3 (-)) to examine dentrification rates across six forest sites in southern China and central Japan, which span temperate to tropical climates, as well as various stand ages and N deposition regimes. Our multiple stable isotope approach across soil to watershed scales shows that traditional techniques underestimate terrestrial denitrification fluxes by up to 98%, with annual losses of 5.6-30.1 kg of N per hectare via this gaseous pathway. These N export fluxes are up to sixfold higher than NO3 (-) leaching, pointing to widespread dominance of denitrification in removing NO3 (-) from forest ecosystems across a range of conditions. Further, we report that the loss of NO3 (-) to denitrification decreased in comparison to leaching pathways in sites with the highest rates of anthropogenic N deposition.

Topical application of CYP11B1 inhibitors to reduce cutaneous cortisol is a novel strategy to promote healing of chronic wounds. Pyridyl substituted arylsulfonyltetrahydroquinolines were designed and synthesized resulting in a strong inhibitor 34 (IC50 = 5 nM). It showed no inhibition of CYP17 and CYP19 and no mutagenic effects. It exhibited inverse metabolic stability in plasma (t1/2 ≫ 150 min), which is similar to wound fluid in composition, and in liver S9 fractions (t1/2 = 16 min).

CBR703 was reported to inhibit bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) and biofilm formation, considering it to be a good candidate for further optimization. While synthesized derivatives of CBR703 did not result in more-active RNAP inhibitors, we observed promising antibacterial activities. These again correlated with a significant cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells. Furthermore, we suspect the promising effects on biofilm formation to be artifacts. Consequently, this class of compounds can be considered unattractive as antibacterial agents., (Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Thousands of kilometers of shelterbelt plantations of Casuarina equisetifolia have been planted to protect the southeast coastline of China. These plantations also play an important role in the regional carbon (C) cycling. In this study, we examined plant biomass increment and C accumulation in four different aged C. equisetifolia plantations in sandy beaches in South China. The C accumulated in the C. equisetifolia plant biomass increased markedly with stand age. The annual rate of C accumulation in the C. equisetifolia plant biomass during 0-3, 3-6, 6-13 and 13-18 years stage was 2.9, 8.2, 4.2 and 1.0 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1), respectively. Soil organic C (SOC) at the top 1 m soil layer in these plantations was 17.74, 5.14, 6.93, and 11.87 Mg C ha(-1), respectively, with SOC density decreasing with increasing soil depth. Total C storage in the plantation ecosystem averaged 26.57, 38.50, 69.78, and 79.79 Mg C ha(-1) in the 3, 6, 13 and 18- yrs plantation, with most of the C accumulated in the aboveground biomass rather than in the belowground root biomass and soil organic C. Though our results suggest that C. equisetifolia plantations have the characteristics of fast growth, high biomass accumulation, and the potential of high C sequestration despite planting in poor soil conditions, the interactive effects of soil condition, natural disturbance, and human policies on the ecosystem health of the plantation need to be further studied to fully realize the ecological and social benefits of the C equisetifolia shelterbelt forests in South China.

Twenty-seven 1,5-disubstituted-pyridin-2(1H)-one derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-cancer and anti-fibrosis activity by A549 and NIH3T3 cell viability assays, respectively. To study the selectivity between the cancer and fibrosis cell lines, pharmacophore models (F1-F4) were built in advance for compounds with pyridin-2(1H)-one scaffold, which revealed the relationship between the occupation of the aromatic sub-site F4 and potent anti-cancer activity. The relationship between structure and anti-cancer activity for all target compounds is also reported herein: 1-Phenyl-5-((m-tolylamino)methyl)pyridine-2(1H)-one (22) displayed both potency and selectivity (IC50=0.13 mM) toward the A549 cell line through the inhibition of translation initiation, especially by eIF3a suppression, and can be treated as a lead for the design of novel eIF3a regulators and anti-lung cancer agents., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Chasing the active impurity: In the validation of a screening hit it was discovered that a polymeric trace impurity was responsible for the biological activity. Such a side product can be formed with similar compounds. During the investigations it was discovered that the negatively charged macromolecule interacts very efficiently with the protein surface of E. coli RNAP via electrostatic interactions., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Since wetland construction projects are becoming more commonplace, meaningful follow-up studies are needed to evaluate how these systems change over time. To that end, the objective of our study was to examine the temporal changes in plant community composition and water chemistry in two constructed wetlands. We investigated two wetland sites that were constructed in 2003 in northern Otsego County, NY, a county that is largely dominated by agriculture. Site 1 was previously an active cow pasture and site 2 was previously a wet meadow surrounded by agricultural fields. No active plant introduction was made during the construction; however, both sites were located in areas with many remnant wetlands and were connected to through-flowing streams. In 2004 (Year 1) and 2010 (Year 7), the plant community composition and nitrogen retention were assessed. We found that both sites experienced site-wide declines in plant species richness, including the loss of upland and facultative upland species and the unanticipated loss of facultative wetland and some obligate species. We propose that high water levels, which, at their maximum depth were >1.5 m deeper than in Year 1, maintained by landowners in the years after the initial survey, may have been responsible for the unexpected loss of wetland species. We also found that site 1 exhibited considerable nitrogen retention in both Year 1 and Year 7; however, N concentrations were low at site 2 in both years.

Spatial variation in plant diversity has been attributed to heterogeneity in resource availability for many ecosystems. However, urbanization has resulted in entire landscapes that are now occupied by plant communities wholly created by humans, in which diversity may reflect social, economic, and cultural influences in addition to those recognized by traditional ecological theory. Here we use data from a probability-based survey to explore the variation in plant diversity across a large metropolitan area using spatial statistical analyses that incorporate biotic, abiotic, and human variables. Our prediction for the city was that land use, along with distance from urban center, would replace the dominantly geomorphic controls on spatial variation in plant diversity in the surrounding undeveloped Sonoran desert. However, in addition to elevation and current and former land use, family income and housing age best explained the observed variation in plant diversity across the city. We conclude that a functional relationship, which we term the "luxury effect," may link human resource abundance (wealth) and plant diversity in urban ecosystems. This connection may be influenced by education, institutional control, and culture, and merits further study.