Mercury isotopes show vascular plants had colonized land extensively by the early Silurian.

The colonization and expansion of plants on land is considered one of the most profound ecological revolutions, yet the precise timing remains controversial. Because land vegetation can enhance weathering intensity and affect terrigenous input to the ocean, changes in terrestrial plant biomass with distinct negative ΔHg and ΔHg signatures may overwrite the positive Hg isotope signatures commonly found in marine sediments. By investigating secular Hg isotopic variations in the Paleozoic marine sediments from South China and peripheral paleocontinents, we highlight distinct negative excursions in both ΔHg and ΔHg at Stage level starting in the early Silurian and again in the Carboniferous.

Taxonomic synopsis of (Berberidaceae) from the northern Hengduan mountains region in China, with descriptions of seven new species.

Though (Berberidaceae) is widely distributed across the Eurasian landmass it is most diverse in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountain (HHM) region. There are more than 200 species in China where it is one of the most common mountain shrubs. The study on the taxonomy and evolution of in this region can thus provide an important insight into the origin and diversification of its flora.

Adaptive responses drive the success of polyploid yellowcresses (, Brassicaceae) in the Hengduan Mountains, a temperate biodiversity hotspot.

Polyploids contribute substantially to plant evolution and biodiversity; however, the mechanisms by which they succeed are still unclear. According to the , successful polyploids spread by repeated adaptive responses to new environments. Here, we tested this hypothesis using two tetraploid yellowcresses (), the endemic and the widespread , in the temperate biodiversity hotspot of the Hengduan Mountains.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine JCM-16021 for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: study protocol for a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal functional disease. Adults with IBS may experience abdominal pain, change of bowel habits, and abnormal stool form without organic disease. IBS can seriously affect their work productivity and quality of life, especially diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

The complete chloroplast genome of (Primulaceae) and its phylogenetic implication.

With about 153 species, the genus (Primulaceae) is known for its horticultural and economic importance. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome of Maximowicz, a morphologically distinct species of Sect. native to the Western China.

A Middle Eocene lowland humid subtropical "Shangri-La" ecosystem in central Tibet.

Tibet's ancient topography and its role in climatic and biotic evolution remain speculative due to a paucity of quantitative surface-height measurements through time and space, and sparse fossil records. However, newly discovered fossils from a present elevation of ∼4,850 m in central Tibet improve substantially our knowledge of the ancient Tibetan environment. The 70 plant fossil taxa so far recovered include the first occurrences of several modern Asian lineages and represent a Middle Eocene (∼47 Mya) humid subtropical ecosystem.

Ancient orogenic and monsoon-driven assembly of the world's richest temperate alpine flora.

Understanding how alpine biotas formed in response to historical environmental change may improve our ability to predict and mitigate the threats to alpine species posed by global warming. In the world's richest temperate alpine flora, that of the Tibet-Himalaya-Hengduan region, phylogenetic reconstructions of biome and geographic range evolution show that extant lineages emerged by the early Oligocene and diversified first in the Hengduan Mountains. By the early to middle Miocene, accelerated diversification and colonization of adjacent regions were likely driven jointly by mountain building and intensification of the Asian monsoon.

Polyploidy promotes species diversification of Allium through ecological shifts.

Despite the role of polyploidy in multiple evolutionary processes, its impact on plant diversification remains controversial. An increased polyploid frequency may facilitate speciation through shifts in ecology, morphology or both. Here we used Allium to evaluate: (1) the relationship between intraspecific polyploid frequency and species diversification rate; and (2) whether this process is associated with habitat and/or trait shifts.

Stomatal frequency of Quercus glauca from three material sources shows the same inverse response to atmospheric pCO2.

Background And Aims: The inverse correlation between atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) and stomatal frequency in many plants has been widely used to estimate palaeo-CO2 levels. However, apparent discrepancies exist among the obtained estimates. This study attempts to find a potential proxy for palaeo-CO2 concentrations by analysing the stomatal frequency of Quercus glauca (section Cyclobalanopsis, Fagaceae), a dominant species in East Asian sub-tropical forests with abundant fossil relatives.

First occurrence of Cedrelospermum (Ulmaceae) in Asia and its biogeographic implications.

Cedrelospermum (Ulmaceae) is an extinct genus with extensive fossil records in Europe and North America. However, no fossil of the genus has been reported from Asia. Here we describe Cedrelospermum asiaticum L.

A new positive relationship between pCO2 and stomatal frequency in Quercus guyavifolia (Fagaceae): a potential proxy for palaeo-CO2 levels.

Background And Aims: The inverse relationship between atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) and stomatal frequency in many species of plants has been widely used to estimate palaeoatmospheric CO2 (palaeo-CO2) levels; however, the results obtained have been quite variable. This study attempts to find a potential new proxy for palaeo-CO2 levels by analysing stomatal frequency in Quercus guyavifolia (Q. guajavifolia, Fagaceae), an extant dominant species of sclerophyllous forests in the Himalayas with abundant fossil relatives.

Calcineurin regulates bone formation by the osteoblast.

Two of the most commonly used immunosuppressants, cyclosporine A and tacrolimus (FK506), inhibit the activity of a ubiquitously expressed Ca(2+)/calmodulin-sensitive phosphatase, calcineurin. Because both drugs also cause profound bone loss in humans and in animal models, we explored whether calcineurin played a role in regulating skeletal remodeling. We found that osteoblasts contained mRNA and protein for all isoforms of calcineurin A and B.