浙江龙泉发现斑尾鹃鸠

正2014年7月11日,在浙江省西南部龙泉市凤阳山-百山祖国家级自然保护区石梁岙村(27°54′19.30″N,119°11′6.90″E)利用红外相机(Ltl 6210)拍摄到2只斑尾鹃鸠(Macropygia unchall)(图1)。尽管斑尾鹃鸠在《中国鸟类野外手册》一书中的分布图覆盖了部分浙江省(约翰·马敬能等2000),但《浙江动物志·鸟类》(诸葛阳1990)、《中国鸟类分类与分     

浙江省鸟类新记录--斑胸滨鹬

2020年10月25日,在浙江省玉环市玉环漩门湾湿地三期围垦区内发现1只活动于沼泽的褐色滨鹬,地理坐标121°16′52.35″E,28°9′14.17″N。经核对《中国鸟类野外手册》(约翰·马敬能等,2000)和《中国海洋与湿地鸟类》(马志军等,2018),确认是斑胸滨鹬Calidris melanotos(图1)。该鸟胸部具清晰纵纹,胸部的黑色细纵纹与腹部分界清晰;胁部无矛状斑,可区分于尖尾滨鹬C.acuminata;上下喙基部均为黄色,可区分于繁殖后期的长趾滨鹬C.subminuta。进一步查阅资料,在《浙江动物志(鸟类)》(诸葛阳等,1990)、《浙江鸟类名录更新》(陈水华等,2012)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录(第三版)》(郑光美,2017)中均没有斑胸滨鹬的浙江分布记载。2021年5月2日和8日,分别在南湖湿地和玉环漩门湾湿地观测拍摄到1只斑胸滨鹬。因此,确认其为浙江省鸟类新记录。     

浙江宁波发现红脚鲣鸟

<正>2016年6月28日,笔者与宁波市镇海区农林局工作人员在镇海区兴丰村渔塘(121°37′45″N,29°58′24″E)救助大型鸟类1只,经鉴定为红脚鲣鸟(Sula sula),通过查阅《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》(郑光美2011)和"浙江鸟类名录更新"(Chen et al.2012),确认为浙江首次发现。该鸟为红脚鲣鸟亚成近成鸟,初级飞羽和覆羽呈暗褐     

陕西省鸟类新记录——乌灰鸫

<正>2019年4月18日,在陕西省西安市浐灞生态区西安世博园(109°02′57″E,34°19′23″N,海拔389 m)观察和拍摄到1种鸟类,根据野外观察外部形态特征并结合所拍摄照片(图1),后经查阅《中国鸟类野外手册》(约翰·马敬能等,2000)、《中国鸟类志》(赵正阶,2001),确定为乌灰鸫Turdus cardis。查阅《中国鸟类分类与分布名录(第三版)》(郑光美,2017)以及相关文献,其在陕西省尚未记述,为陕西省鸟类新记录。     

江苏省鸟类新记录——铜蓝鹟

2016年12月24日,在江苏省张家港市双山岛(120°23′45.69″E,31°59′30.50″N,海拔2m)进行鸟类调查时,发现1只在林间活动的小型雀形目Passeriformes鸟类,并拍到其停歇在树枝的清晰照片(图1),经查阅《中国鸟类野外手册》(约翰·马敬能等,2000)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录(第三版)》(郑光美,2017)等资料,确定该物种为铜蓝鹟 Eumyias thalassinus,为江苏省分布新记录。     

甘肃省鸟类新记录--黑浮鸥

2021年6月12日,在甘肃省张掖市张掖国家湿地公园东侧入口附近进行鸟类调查时,于毗邻省道S301的浅水沼泽区(100°27′57.81″E,39°59′27.21″N,海拔1405 m)发现2对体色近黑色的鸥科Laridae鸟类,并拍摄到其孵卵的清晰照片(图1)。经鉴定为国家二级重点保护鸟类黑浮鸥Chlidonias niger(国家林业和草原局,农业农村部,2021)。经查阅《中国鸟类野外手册》(约翰·马敬能等,2000)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录(第三版)》(郑光美,2017)以及中国鸟类记录中心数据(中国鸟类记录中心,2021),确定为甘肃省分布新记录。     

贵州贵阳发现长尾夜鹰

正2018年10月26日,在贵州省贵阳市龙洞堡国际机场内(26°32′30″N,106°48′11″E,海拔1132m,挂网高度0.5 m)网捕到一只夜鹰科(Caprimulgidae)鸟类,受条件限制未进行鸟体测量及DNA测序等工作,拍照后立即放飞。经查阅《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》(郑光美2017),贵州仅有普通夜鹰(Caprimulgus indicus)分布,     

贵州茂兰发现大草莺

2010年11月12日,在贵州茂兰国家级自然保护区开展鸟类调查时,于三岔河管理站周边(25°17′15.5″N,108°04′30.2″E,海拔490 m)网捕到1只雀形目(Passeriformes)鸟类,经检索书籍(郑作新2002,尹琏等2006,Robson 2008),并依据"International Ornithologists' Union"分类系统,鉴定为大草莺(Graminicola striatus).该鸟种未记载于《贵州鸟类志》、《贵州鸟类志》补遗和相关文献(冉景丞等2003),且《中国动物志鸟纲》、《中国鸟类志》、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》等专著的分布地区未列入贵州,故确定为贵州省鸟类新纪录.     

浙江省鸟类新纪录——小鸥

<正>2017年5月5日11∶00,在浙江省丽水市莲都区紫金街道社后大桥好溪附近(119°57'15″E,28°28'58″N,海拔约60 m)观察水鸟时,发现在小群活动的白翅浮鸥Chlidonias leucopterus中混有1只鸥,该鸥黑头白身、脚红色,深色翼下具狭窄的白色后翼缘,经辨认为繁殖羽的小鸥Larus minutus。经查阅《浙江动物志鸟类》(诸葛阳,1990)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录(第二版)》(郑光美,2011)、《The update of Zhejiang bird checklist》(陈水华等,2012)等文献资料发现浙江省内未曾有该鸟的分布报道,确     

陕西镇坪发现灰背燕尾

正2015年12月30日,在镇坪县境内陕西化龙山国家级自然保护区浪河口(32°04′38″N,109°29′35″E,海拔813 m)发现并拍摄到2只灰背燕尾(Enicurus schistaceus,图1)正在河道乱石滩上觅食。经查阅《陕西化龙山国家级自然保护区脊椎动物资源及保护》(于晓平等2013)、《中国陕西鸟类图志》(孙承骞2007)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》(郑光美2011)和相关文献资料(巩会生等     

Collagen-like triple helix formation of synthetic (Pro-Pro-Gly)10 analogues: (4(S)-hydroxyprolyl-4(R)-hydroxyprolyl-Gly)10, (4(R)-hydroxyprolyl-4(R)-hydroxyprolyl-Gly)10 and (4(S)-fluoroprolyl-4(R)-fluoroprolyl-Gly)10.

For the rational design of a stable collagen triple helix according to the conventional rule that the pyrrolidine puckerings of Pro, 4-hydroxyproline (Hyp) and 4-fluoroproline (fPro) should be down at the X-position and up at the Y-position in the X-Y-Gly repeated sequence for enhancing the triple helix propensities of collagen model peptides, a series of peptides were prepared in which X- and Y-positions were altogether occupied by Hyp(R), Hyp(S), fPro(R) or fPro(S). Contrary to our presumption that inducing the X-Y residues to adopt a down-up conformation would result in an increase in the thermal stability of peptides, the triple helices of (Hyp(S)-Hyp(R)-Gly)(10) and (fPro(S)-fPro(R)-Gly)(10) were less stable than those of (Pro-Hyp(R)-Gly)(10) and (Pro-fPro(R)-Gly)(10), respectively. As reported by B?chinger's and Zagari's groups, (Hyp(R)-Hyp(R)-Gly)(10) which could have an up-up conformation unfavorable for the triple helix, formed a triple helix that has a high thermal stability close to that of (Pro-Hyp(R)-Gly)(10). These results clearly show that the empirical rule based on the conformational preference of pyrrolidine ring at each of X and Y residues should not be regarded as still valid, at least for predicting the stability of collagen models in which both X and Y residues have electronegative groups at the 4-position.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of a blue-emitting Sr(3.5) Y(6.5) O(2) (PO(4) )(1.5) (SiO(4) )(4.5) :Eu(2+) phosphor

A novel blue‐emitting Sr_3.5Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5:Eu²⁺ phosphor was synthesized via a solid‐state reaction. Powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated that the Sr_3.5Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5 host had a hexagonal crystal structure in the space group P6₃/m and unit cell parameters a = 9.418 Å, c = 6.900 Å. The as‐prepared phosphor showed a blue emission and all the main emission peaks were located at around 466 nm for different excitation wavelengths of 297, 333 and 391 nm. The temperature dependence of the photoluminescence property was investigated in the range 20–250 °C, and the emission intensity decreased to 71% of the initial value at room temperature on increasing the temperature to 150 °C. According to the classical theory of fluorescent thermal quenching, the activation energy (ΔE) for the thermal quenching luminescence of the as‐prepared Sr_3.45Y_6.5O₂(PO₄)_1.5(SiO₄)_4.5:0.05Eu²⁺ phosphor was determined to be 0.20 eV. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of tfdC(I)D(I)E(I)F(I) and tfdD(II)C(II)E(II)F(II) gene modules in catabolism of 3-chlorobenzoate by Ralstonia eutropha JMP134(pJP4)

The enzymes chlorocatechol-1,2-dioxygenase, chloromuconate cycloisomerase, dienelactone hydrolase, and maleylacetate reductase allow Ralstonia eutropha JMP134(pJP4) to degrade chlorocatechols formed during growth in 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate or 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CB). There are two gene modules located in plasmid pJP4, tfdC(I)D(I)E(I)F(I) (module I) and tfdD(II)C(II)E(II)F(II) (module II), putatively encoding these enzymes. To assess the role of both tfd modules in the degradation of chloroaromatics, each module was cloned into the medium-copy-number plasmid vector pBBR1MCS-2 under the control of the tfdR regulatory gene. These constructs were introduced into R. eutropha JMP222 (a JMP134 derivative lacking pJP4) and Pseudomonas putida KT2442, two strains able to transform 3-CB into chlorocatechols. Specific activities in cell extracts of chlorocatechol-1,2-dioxygenase (tfdC), chloromuconate cycloisomerase (tfdD), and dienelactone hydrolase (tfdE) were 2 to 50 times higher for microorganisms containing module I compared to those containing module II. In contrast, a significantly (50-fold) higher activity of maleylacetate reductase (tfdF) was observed in cell extracts of microorganisms containing module II compared to module I. The R. eutropha JMP222 derivative containing tfdR-tfdC(I)D(I)E(I)F(I) grew four times faster in liquid cultures with 3-CB as a sole carbon and energy source than in cultures containing tfdR-tfdD(II)C(II)E(II)F(II). In the case of P. putida KT2442, only the derivative containing module I was able to grow in liquid cultures of 3-CB. These results indicate that efficient degradation of 3-CB by R. eutropha JMP134(pJP4) requires the two tfd modules such that TfdCDE is likely supplied primarily by module I, while TfdF is likely supplied by module II.     

The helix-coil transitions of poly (dA)-poly (dT) and poly (dA-dT)-poly (dA-dT)

Helix–coil transition curves are calculated for poly (dA) poly(dT) and poly (dA-dT) poly (dA-dT) using the integral equation approach of Goel and Montroll.⁵ The transitions are described by the loop entropy model with the exponent of the loop entropy factor, k, remaining an arbitrary constant. The theoretical calculations are compared with experimental transition curves of the two polymers. Results indicate that the stacking energies for these two polymers differ by about 1 kcal/mole of base pairs. Also, a fit between theory and experiment was not possible for k > 1.70.     

Induction of in vitro flowering in Dendrobium Madame Thong-In (Orchidaceae) seedlings is associated with increase in endogenous N(6)-(Delta (2)-isopentenyl)-adenine (iP) and N (6)-(Delta (2)-isopentenyl)-adenosine (iPA) levels

We analysed the endogenous cytokinin levels of Dendrobium Madame Thong-In seedlings grown in vitro during vegetative and flowering-inductive periods. HPLC was used to fractionate the extracts and radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used for assay of zeatin (Z), dihydrozeatin (DZ), N(6)-(Delta(2)-isopentenyl)-adenine (iP) and their derivatives. Coconut water used in experiments was found to contain high level (>136 pmol ml(-1)) of zeatin riboside (ZR). Protocorms and seedlings cultured in medium with coconut water were found to contain 0.5-3.9 pmol g(-1) FW of the cytokinins analysed. Seedlings (1.0-1.5 cm) cultured in flowering-inductive liquid medium containing 6-benzyladenine (BA, 4.4 muM) and coconut water (CW, 15%) contained up to 200 and 133 pmol g(-1) FW of iP and iPA, respectively. These levels were significantly higher than all other cytokinins analysed in seedlings of the same stage and were about 80- to 150-folds higher than seedlings cultured in non-inductive medium. During the transitional (vegetative to reproductive) stage, the endogenous levels of iP (178 pmol g(-1) FW) and iPA (63 pmol g(-1) FW) were also significantly higher than cytokinins in the zeatine (Z) and dihydrozeatin (DZ) families in the same seedlings. Seedlings that grew on inductive medium but remained vegetative contained lower levels of iPA. The importance of the profiles of iP and its derivatives in induction of in vitro flowering of D. Madame Thong-In is discussed.     

Biology of Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The biology of the fruit fly Bactrocera tau, an important horticultural pest, was studied under laboratory conditions at 25°C and 60–70% relative humidity on Cucurbita maxima. The duration of mating averaged 408.03 ± 235.93 min. After mating, the female fly had a preoviposition period of 11.7 ± 4.49 days. The oviposition rate was 9.9 ± 8.50 eggs and fecundity was 464.6 ± 67.98 eggs/female. Eggs were elliptical, smooth and shiny white, turning darker as hatching approached, and measured 1.30 ± 0.07 mm × 0.24 ± 0.04 mm. The chorion has polygonal microsculpturing and is species-specific with polygonal walls. The egg period lasts for 1.3 ± 0.41 days. The duration of the larval period is 1.2 ± 0.42, 1.7 ± 0.48 and 4.0 ± 0.94 days for first, second and third instars, respectively. Pupation occurs in the sand or soil and pupal periods are 7.0 ± 0.47 days. The life cycle from egg to adult was completed in 14.2 ± 1.69 days; the longevity of mated females and males was 130.33 ± 14.18 and 104.66 ± 31.21 days, respectively. At least two to three generations were observed from June 2008 to June 2009.     

Copper (II) and cobalt (II) complexes of chiral tetrathiafulvalene-oxazoline (TTF-OX) and tetrathiafulvalene-thiomethyl-oxazoline (TTF-SMe-OX) derivatives

Synthesis and single crystal X-ray structures of the first paramagnetic transition metal complexes containing chiral ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene-oxazoline (EDT-TTF-OX) 1a-c and ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene-thiomethyloxazoline 2 (EDT-TTF-(SMe)OX) ligands based on copper (II) and cobalt (II) are described. The racemic [EDT-TTF-OX][Cu(hfac)₂] complex 3a crystallizes in the triclinic centrosymmetric space group , whereas the enantiopure counterparts 3b-c crystallize in the triclinic non-centrosymmetric space group P1. Cu(II) adopts a distorted square pyramidal coordination geometry, a much weaker Cu?S_TTF interaction also being identified. The same coordination pattern around Cu(II) is observed in the complex [(rac)-EDT-TTF-(SMe)OX][Cu(hfac)₂] (4) in spite of the bidentate nature of the redox active ligand. DFT theoretical calculations afforded two equilibrium configurations for a corresponding model complex, in which the metal centre establishes secondary coordination either with one S_TTF or with the SMe group. The same ligand coordinates the cobalt (II) to afford the octahedral complex [(rac)-EDT-TTF-(SMe)OX][Co(hfac)₂] (5). In all these novel complexes, the paramagnetic centres are structurally and magnetically isolated. Cyclic voltammetry measurements show the stability of the radical cation species.     

Spectroscopic investigations of Er(3+) :CdO-Bi(2) O(3) -B(2) O(3) glasses

This article reports on the optical properties of Er³⁺ ions doped CdO–Bi₂O₃–B₂O₃ (CdBiB) glasses. The materials were characterized by optical absorption and emission spectra. By using Judd–Ofelt theory, the intensity parameters Ω_λ (λ = 2, 4, 6) and also oscillatory strengths were calculated from the absorption spectra. The results were used to compute the radiative properties of Er³⁺:CdBiB glasses. The concentration quenching and energy transfer from Yb³⁺–Er³⁺ were explained. The stimulated emission cross‐section, full width at half maximum (FWHM) and FWHM × values are also calculated for all the Er³⁺:CdBiB glasses. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Archaeobotany of capers (Capparis) (Capparaceae)

The origins of capers, their use and cultivation are discussed. Capers seeds and charcoal are often recovered from archaeological sites of the Mediterranean and West Asia. These are referred to as C. Spinosa L. This is mostly a group of cultivars restricted to localities surrounding the Western Mediterranean and some places in the Eastern Mediterranean. Identification of the findings is discussed in terms of seed morphology, present distribution and ancient uses of C. aegyptia Lam., C. sicula Veill., C. cartilaginea Decne, C. orientalis Veill., C. decidua (Forssk.) Edgew. and other species. Citations of Capparis in early Rabbinic, Mesopotamian and Greco-Roman texts are presented. Received June 3, 2002 / Accepted October 8, 2002 Correspondence to: D. Rivera