白木香种子脱水耐性的发育变化及贮藏特性

研究白木香种子发育进程中种子性状、萌发能力和脱水耐性的变化,以及不同光温条件对种子萌发的影响和种子的贮藏特性。结果表明：白木香种子在花后78d获得最大干重,进入生理成熟期,此时萌发率接近最大值;胚在花后57～85d,脱水耐性逐渐增强,并在花后85d获得最大脱水耐性。种子萌发的适宜温度范围为25℃-35℃,光照对种子萌发有一定的抑制作用。新鲜自木香种子（含水量27．45％）在4℃低温条件下贮藏1个月后萌发率仅为30％左右,而含水量7．38％的干燥种子在4℃低温条件下贮藏120d,萌发率仍有53．33％,因此,4℃低温和适度脱水有利于种子短期贮藏。白木香种子能忍耐一定程度的脱水,但干燥至含水量7．50％以下时种子会发生损伤,因此推测白木香种子是一种中间性种子。     

假酸浆种子发芽特性研究

在不同温度、不同贮藏时间和方法下,对来源于印度尼西亚的假酸浆种子发芽特性进行研究。结果表明:不同温度对假酸浆种子萌发的影响差异极显著,在15/25℃变温条件下种子发芽率最高,为84.3%,发芽快且整齐;假酸浆种子采收后立即播种其发芽率非常低,室温下贮藏6～9个月时在25℃恒温或15/25℃变温条件下均有较高发芽率,说明假酸浆种子有休眠性,通过延长贮藏时间能打破休眠,促进种子发芽;但室温贮藏15个月后,种子活力下降非常明显。低温冷藏在一定条件下能提高假酸浆种子萌发能力,能延长种子寿命。     

光照和温度对望天树种子萌发的影响

在实验室内人工气候箱控制的条件下, 研究了我国重要珍稀濒危植物望天树 (Shorea wantianshuea,龙脑香科 (Dipterocarpaceae)) 种子萌发对持续光照、14小时光照 / 10小时黑暗周期性光照的反应; 同时研究了望天树种子的萌发对不同温度的反应和低温贮藏对种子活力的影响。结果表明, 不论是持续光照还是周期性光照都不能提高望天树种子的萌发率, 相反, 持续光照和周期性光照都不同程度降低了种子萌发率。光照能通过加速或延迟种子萌发的进程、或改变幼苗活力指数和萌发指数而影响种子萌发的质量; 持续光照延迟种子萌发的进程, 而周期性光照加快种子萌发的进程。30℃是种子的最适萌发温度, 虽然15℃和5℃的相对低温对幼苗活力指数影响不大, 但大大延迟了种子萌发进程, 并提高萌发率。望天树种子不能耐受5℃低温贮藏, 但具有在15℃下短期贮藏的潜力和一定程度的生理性休眠。     

光照和温度对望天树种子萌发的影响

在实验室内人工气候箱控制的条件下,研究了我国重要珍稀濒危植物望天树（Shorea wantianshuea,龙脑香科（Dipterocarpaceae））种子萌发对持续光照、14小时光照／10小时黑暗周期性光照的反应;同时研究了望天树种子的萌发对不同温度的反应和低温贮藏对种子活力的影响。结果表明,不论是持续光照还是周期性光照都不能提高望天树种子的萌发率,相反,持续光照和周期性光照都不同程度降低了种子萌发率。光照能通过加速或延迟种子萌发的进程、或改变幼苗活力指数和萌发指数而影响种子萌发的质量;持续光照延迟种子萌发的进程,而周期性光照加快种子萌发的进程。30℃是种子的最适萌发温度,虽然15℃和5℃的相对低温对幼苗活力指数影响不大,但大大延迟了种子萌发进程,并提高萌发率。望天树种子不能耐受5℃低温贮藏,但具有在15℃下短期贮藏的潜力和一定程度的生理性休眠。     

狼毒种子萌发特性与种群更新机制的研究

研究了采集于植株上的和收集于土壤种子库的狼毒(Stellera chamaejasme)种子在不同温度、光照和5种预处理(即破裂种皮、去除种皮、98％H2SO4浸种5min、0．2％KNO3浸种24h、10℃低温保存1周)条件下的萌发力。结果表明,狼毒种子萌发率较低,25℃恒温、黑暗条件下萌发率为13％,较适宜的萌发温度为30℃恒温或10～30℃变温,破裂种皮和去除种皮萌发率显著提高,25℃恒温、光暗交替条件下萌发率分别为49％和47％,浓硫酸浸种5min处理萌发率可达到32％,KON3浸种和10℃低温保存两个处理对促进狼毒种子萌发效果不明显,狼毒种子萌发对光照条件不敏感,种子硬实性是导致狼毒种子萌发率较低的主要原因,取自土壤种子库内的狼毒种子萌发率高于当年采集的种子,在自然条件下,并非每年都有狼毒种子萌发长成幼苗,种群更新时机是随机的或周期性的。     

画眉草种子萌发对策及生态适应性

研究了画眉草种子在不同贮藏条件以及光照、温度和降雨等环境因素下的萌发对策.结果表明,画眉草新种子具有较强的内在休眠;4个月的干藏和冷藏处理对解除种子休眠作用不明显,但较长时间的贮藏（干藏1年）则能促进种子成熟.画眉草种子在光照和黑暗条件下都能萌发,但较强的光照更有利于种子萌发.种子萌发适宜温度是28 ℃,温度升高和降低都会导致画眉草种子萌发率下降;变温条件下（16～28 ℃）种子萌发率高于恒温28 ℃条件,但两个处理间的萌发率没有显著差异.种子萌发降雨阈值是10 mm,种子萌发率和萌发持续时间均随降雨量的增加而增加.画眉草种子具有迅速萌发和推迟萌发时间超过1年以上两种萌发对策.根据种子形态特征和萌发策略,推断画眉草具有持久土壤种子库.     

光照和温度对扇蕨孢子萌发的影响

用组织培养法和光学显微镜技术初步研究光照和温度影响扇蕨孢子萌发的结果表明,扇蕨孢子发芽是需光型,具有明显的光休眠现象。光照是孢子萌发的主要影响因子,25℃下,孢子萌发率达（85．1±5．1）％。相同温度下孢子即使在黑暗中培养50d也不能萌发,转入光照下后萌发率可达（82．4±6．6）％。孢子在光下的最适发芽温度为21．6-26．5℃,7d开始萌发,6-7周完全萌发,温度升高或下降均降低孢子萌发率。     

五种菊科植物种子萌发对温度的响应及其入侵性

以粤东地区4种菊科入侵植物三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)、微甘菊(Mikania micrantha)、南美蟛蜞菊(Wedelia trilobata)、藿香蓟(Ageratum conyzoides)和1种本土植物醴肠(Eclipta prostrata)为材料,研究了种子扩散时的萌发率以及种子经历低温(15℃、湿润)和常温(25℃和25/15℃、湿润)后的萌发响应特点。结果表明:种子扩散时,三叶鬼针草、醴肠、藿香蓟种子萌发率分别为100%、98%和62%~78%,微甘菊为44%~52%,南美蟛蜞菊为2%(25℃)和86%(25/15℃);5种菊科植物种子在15℃培养期间,平均萌发率由高至低依次是三叶鬼针草(82%~91%)、微甘菊(19%~26%)、醴肠(9%~12%)、南美蟛蜞菊(0~1%)、藿香蓟(0);在25℃和25/15℃下,藿香蓟种子萌发率为35%~49%,醴肠为58%~68%,南美蟛蜞菊为4%(25℃)和55%(25/15℃)。种子快速萌发、高萌发率,以及宽泛的萌发温度需求是1年生草本入侵种的主要入侵特性。     

林线树种太白红杉种子萌发的生理生态特性

 太白红杉(Larix chinensis)是太白山的高山林线树种。通过在人工气候室内的试验,研究了太白红杉种子在6种不同的光照与温度组合处理条件下的萌发特性。结果表明：在恒温和变温两种条件下,交替光照对于种子吸胀后的脱落酸（ABA）和赤霉素 (GA)有刺激作用。在恒温条件下,持续光照对于种子吸胀后的生长素 (IAA)有刺激作用,而变温条件下交替光照对生长素有刺激作用。细胞分裂素（CTK）的变化情况与IAA相反。光照条件相同时,恒温条件下的植物激素含量要高于变温条件下的含量,说明恒温对于各种激素有刺激作用。在25 ℃环境下种子的萌发率高于在12 ℃环境下的萌发率,说明温度对于种子的萌发有重要作用。太白红杉种子的萌发受交替光照（12 h光照/12 h黑暗）的刺激;恒温（25 ℃）条件下的种子萌发率高于变温（12 ℃/25 ℃）条件下的种子萌发率。实验结果反映了内源激素在太白红杉种子萌发过程中起着重要作用。     

光照与温度对云杉和红桦种子萌发的影响

通过在气候箱内模拟迹地环境条件,探讨了不同温度和光照对亚高山针叶林采伐迹地关键种种子萌发的影响．结果表明,云杉和红桦种子萌发的最适温度均为25℃,发芽率分别为88．8±8．4％和30．8±10．4％,多重比较显示红桦对温度的响应比云杉更敏感．云杉在10℃时能萌发而红桦则几乎不能．红桦种子萌发所需要的最低温度比云杉的高．昼夜温差对两类种子发芽影响明显,20℃／15℃条件下两种种子萌发率最高,温差过大不利于红桦种子萌发．光照强度对种子的发芽率也有明显影响。二者在透光20％时种子发芽率最高,分别为83．2±6．6％和29．2±5．5％,云杉种子萌发对光照的响应比红桦种子更为敏感．采伐迹地强烈的光照是限制亚高山针叶林自然更新的重要因素,迹地温度升高有利于云杉和红桦种子萌发,但剧烈的昼夜温差又在一定程度上抑制了种子萌发。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.