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A better understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of species composition and biodiversity provides significant insights into the distribution patterns of biodiversity and the prediction of biodiversity fate in a global change context. However, how species and phylogenetic diversity change along elevational gradient with temporal scale in mountain ecosystems is still unknown. In this study, we used census data (2004, 2008 and 2013) of an elevational transect (elevational range 960 - 2 878 m) covering eastern and western slopes of Gaoligong Mountains, SW China, to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of forest arbor layer (DBH≥5 cm) species composition, species diversity and phylogenetic diversity. The results were as follows: (1) Species diversity was hump-shaped along the elevational gradient, while the phylogenetic diversity increased with increasing elevation. Clustering phylogenetic structure was observed at low elevations, and over dispersed or random structure was detected at high elevations. (2) Overall, temporal species and phylogenetic beta diversity analysis showed no significant difference among these three investigation time points. However, we found a higher clustering of phylogenetic structure along the temporal scale. (3) Spatial beta diversity showed that there was a significant loss of species at low elevations (960 - 1 381 m) on the eastern slope, where the vegetation had been disturbed or completely converted into farmland. The main lost species including Terminalia chebula, Quercus acutissima, Pistacia weinmanniifolia, Hovenia acerba and Ilex wattii. In contrast, the change in the western slope was mild at low elevations, only observing species abundance increasing, which including Cyclobalanopsis oxyodon, Symplocos chinensis, and Taiwania cryptomerioides. Therefore, we speculated that the dynamic changes in species and phylogenetic diversity of the arbor layer of subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest might be related to communities succession process and climatic change in middle and high elevations, while the communities at low elevations were seriously impacted by human activities in Gaoligong Mountains. The results deepen the understanding of the mechanisms of plant community dynamics in Gaoligong Mountains, and provide new insights to guide precise conservation strategies in the region.

Introduction Whereas acute pain is a protective mechanism to avoid further damage, chronic pain is a maladaptive, debilitating condition affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide (1, 2). About a [...], Microglia, resident macrophages of the CNS, are essential to brain development, homeostasis, and disease. Microglial activation and proliferation are hallmarks of many CNS diseases, including neuropathic pain. However, molecular mechanisms that govern the spinal neuroimmune axis in the setting of neuropathic pain remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that genetic ablation or pharmacological blockade of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) markedly attenuated neuropathic pain-like behaviors in a mouse model of spared nerve injury. Mechanistically, microglia- expressed TRPV4 mediated microglial activation and proliferation and promoted functional and structural plasticity of excitatory spinal neurons through release of lipocalin-2. Our results suggest that microglial TRPV4 channels reside at the center of the neuroimmune axis in the spinal cord, which transforms peripheral nerve injury into central sensitization and neuropathic pain, thereby identifying TRPV4 as a potential new target for the treatment of chronic pain.

The mechanisms of adenosine and specific adenosine receptor subtypes in promoting penile rehabilitation remain unclear. Single‐cell RNA sequencing of human corpus cavernosum, adenosine deaminase (ADA) and adenosine receptors knock‐out mice (ADA−/−, A1−/−, A2a−/−, A2b−/−, and A3−/−), and primary corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells are used to determine receptor subtypes responsible for adenosine‐induced erection. Three rat models are established to characterize refractory erectile dysfunction (ED): age‐related ED, bilateral cavernous nerve crush related ED (BCNC), and diabetes mellitus‐induced ED. In single‐cell RNA sequencing data, the corpus cavernosum of ED patients show a decrease in adenosine A1, A2a and A2b receptors. In vivo, A2b receptor knock‐out abolishes adenosine‐induced erection but not that of A1, A2a, or A3 receptor. Under hypoxic conditions in vitro, activating the A2b receptor increases HIF‐1α and decreases PDE5 expression. In refractory ED models, activating the A2b receptor with Bay 60–6583 improves erectile function and down‐regulates HIF‐1α and TGF‐β. Administering Dipyridamole (40 mg Kg−1) to BCNC rats improve penile adenosine levels and erectile function. Our study reveals that the A2b receptor mediates adenosine‐induced penile erection. Activating the A2b receptor promotes penile rehabilitation of refractory ED by alleviating hypoxia and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous study using Sertoli cells cultured in vitro has shown that the protective effects of astragaloside IV (AsIV) on cadmium (Cd)-induced damage to Sertoli cells and its membrane proteins. Yet, it is not known if AsIV has an equivalent effect on Cd-induced damage to the spermatogenesis microenvironment in rats. Using an in vivo model, Cd-induced damage to the spermatogenesis microenvironment and the protective effects of AsIV were studied. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6/group): Cd group, Cd&AsIV group, and control group. Cd was administered to the rats in the Cd group via i.p. at 1 mg/kg body weight once daily, Cd and AsIV was administered to the rats in the Cd&AsIV group via i.p. at 1 mg/kg body weight and 10 mg/kg body weight respectively once daily, and the same volume of saline was administered to the rats in control group via i.p. once daily. The rats in the three groups were injected continuously for 5 days. Vesicular formation in the seminiferous tubules was observed in the Cd treatment group. The average optical density of claudin-11, zonal occludin-1 (ZO-1), and connexin 43 (Cx43) decreased significantly in the Cd treatment group. The ultrastructural damage of the Sertoli cells and tight junctions were also observed by electron microscopy. AsIV treatment rescued the morphologic changes of the seminiferous tubules of the testis and the ultrastructural damage of the Sertoli cells and tight junctions. The average optical density of claudin-11, ZO-1, and Cx43 also increased significantly after AsIV treatment. Cd damages the spermatogenesis microenvironment in rats, which can be rescued by AsIV treatment. These results illustrate that AsIV may also have a protective effect on Cd-induced damage to the spermatogenesis microenvironment in rats. Abbreviations: AsIV: astragaloside IV; Cd: cadmium; SD: Sprague Dawley; ZO-1: zonal occludin-1; Cx43: connexin 43; BTB: blood-testis barrier; MAPKs: mitogen-activated protein kinases; OSP: oligodendrocyte-specific protein; Cxs: connexins; GJIC: gap junctional intercellular communication; ROS: reactive oxygen species; MDA: malondialdehyde; TGF: tumor growth factor; PBS: phosphate buffer saline; BSA: bovine serum albumin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]