放牧干扰下高原鼢鼠栖息地选择因素

以祁连山东段高寒草甸栖息的高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)为研究对象,探讨放牧干扰下高原鼢鼠适合栖息地选择的影响因素,为合理控制草原鼠害和保护生物多样性提供科学依据。在5个不同放牧强度小区中,连续3年监测高原鼢鼠相对种群密度变化,同时获取植被和土壤的变化数据。分析高原鼢鼠相对种群密度、植被(盖度、高度、频度、植被生物量、植被均匀度、丰富度、多样性和地下根系生物量)和土壤(紧实度、容重、水分)之间的关系。中度放牧干扰下,高原鼢鼠相对种群密度最低,不利于对栖息地的选择,轻度、次轻度放牧区的高原鼢鼠相对种群密度高于重度、次重度放牧区的;轻度放牧干扰的草地有利于高原鼢鼠种群数量的增加。高原鼢鼠相对种群密度与土壤紧实度、容重呈显著负相关(R=﹣0.921、﹣0.883,P0.05);与土壤水分呈显著正相关(R=0.879,P0.05);高原鼢鼠相对种群密度与地下根系生物量呈极显著正相关(R=0.982,P0.01),与植被丰富度呈显著正相关(R=0.921,P0.05),与地上植被总盖度呈显著正相关(R=0.909,P0.05),与地上生物量、均匀度、多样性呈不显著正相关(P0.05)。在草地放牧干扰系统中,非生物因素土壤紧实度、水分可能是高原鼢鼠栖息地选择的首要选择因素,食物资源也许是次要选择因素。     

高原鼢鼠干扰对三江源区高寒草甸群落特征的影响

高原鼢鼠是三江源高寒草甸区域的主要啮齿动物之一.它啃食植物根系,挖掘大量通道,并将挖掘出的土壤堆积于地表,形成覆盖于植物地上部分的裸露土丘,对草地群落特征会产生不同程度的影响.本研究以高原鼢鼠土丘密度表示高原鼢鼠对草地的干扰程度,选取7个不同高原鼢鼠土丘密度的样地,同时选取没有遭受高原鼢鼠干扰的样地作为对照,获得各样地的物种信息及地上、地下生物量,探讨不同高原鼢鼠干扰强度对草地群落的物种组成、物种多样性及群落生产力的影响.结果表明: 随着高原鼢鼠土丘的增加,草地植物优势种群发生由以莎草科和禾本科植物为主向珠牙蓼、鹅绒委陵菜、西伯利亚蓼等杂类草植物为主的转变,群落盖度和高度显著降低;轻度或中度的高原鼢鼠干扰能够提高群落的物种多样性,而群落均匀度指数变化不显著;群落生产力不存在类似中度干扰假说的结果.随高原鼢鼠干扰活动的增强,群落地上、地下及总生物量显著降低,群落生产力大幅度降低.     

高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠种群暴发区干扰斑块空间分布格局与演替规律

高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)和高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)是两种在高寒草甸广泛分布的小型哺乳动物,其暴发活动可能造成高寒草甸的严重退化。使用无人机分别拍摄典型的高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠种群暴发区图像,解译高原鼠兔洞口、高原鼢鼠土丘和它们的干扰斑块,获得干扰斑块的周长和面积信息,计算干扰斑块形状指标,确定高原鼠兔与高原鼢鼠暴发活动对高寒草甸的影响。研究表明：(1)高原鼠兔与高原鼢鼠暴发活动形成的干扰斑块周长与面积比(PARA)、形状指数(SHAPE)和分形维数(FRAC)差异显著(P<0.05),其中高原鼢鼠斑块的FRAC是1.0124±0.0091,属于普通的规则几何圆形分布格局,高原鼠兔斑块的FRAC是1.1203±0.0546,属于分形几何不规则的分布格局。(2)高原鼠兔洞口数量与其斑块面积没有线性相关关系(P=0.9677),高原鼢鼠土丘数量与其斑块面积呈显著正相关(P<0.05)。(3)高原鼢鼠斑块面积统计学上呈长尾分布,不符合正态分布(P<0.01)。根据高原鼠兔斑块面积分布格局可将斑块演替分为三个阶段：土丘形成阶段、斑块连通...     

高原鼢鼠四肢骨的进化适应性分析

通过对比分析了高寒草甸生态系统的高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)、高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)及根田鼠(Microtus oeconomus)的四肢骨,结果表明,地下啮齿动物高原鼢鼠的四肢骨比地面种类高原鼠兔和根田鼠的对应骨骼粗壮,显示其较强的挖掘能力。与挖掘效率相关的尺骨挖掘动力臂系数,高原鼢鼠为0.3617,而高原鼠兔和根田鼠不到0.17。高原鼢鼠与其他两物种的四肢骨重量分布也明显不同:高原鼢鼠的前肢骨重量超过后肢骨,而高原鼠兔及根田鼠则正好相反;高原鼠兔及根田鼠的桡尺骨重量在四肢骨中最低,而高原鼢鼠的桡尺骨重量在四肢骨中则最高。这些特征反映了地下啮齿动物为了适应地下生活方式,其四肢骨骼系统已经发生了显著变化,这对于研究地下啮齿动物的进化适应性问题具有重要意义。     

高原鼢鼠对高寒草甸群落特征及演替的影响

研究结果表明,高原鼢鼠种群密度与植物地上生物量呈极显著的负相关关系,与双子叶植物在地上生物量中所占百分比的数值呈极显著的正相关关系,草地次生植被面积随高原鼢鼠种群密度增加而显著增加,土丘覆盖植物的恢复速率则随高原鼢鼠种群密度增加而显著地降低,植物群落组成的种数与种群密度呈显著的负相关关系,单子叶植物重要值随高原鼢鼠种群密度的增加而显著下降,双子叶直根类植物与高原鼢鼠种群密度不存在显著的相关性,双子     

祁连山东段高原鼢鼠种群特征与环境因子的关系分析

为明晰环境因子对高原鼢鼠(Eospalax baileyi)种群特征的影响,本研究以高原鼢鼠的种群密度、体重、妊娠率作为其种群特征指标,选择2008~2014年的归一化植被指数(NDVI)、年均降水量和年均温为环境因子,分析种群特征与环境因子在时间尺度上的变化关系。2008~2014年,研究区域归一化植被指数(NDVI)年度间无显著性差异(P0.05),高原鼢鼠体重、妊娠率和种群密度年度间均无显著性差异(P0.05);高原鼢鼠雌雄个体体重以及种群密度和妊娠率均与环境因子归一化植被指数(NDVI)、年均降水量及年均温均无相关关系(P0.05)。以上结果说明,高原鼢鼠体重变化、妊娠率和种群密度与栖息地植被生长状况及气候因子无相关关系,环境因子对高原鼢鼠种群特征的影响较小。     

祁连山东段高原鼢鼠(Eospalax baileyi)土丘空间分布格局及其与环境因子的空间关联性

高原鼢鼠推土造丘行为对高寒草地生态系统的生产和生态功能有重要影响,研究高原鼢鼠土丘空间分布格局及其与环境因子的关系,可以揭示高原鼢鼠栖息地利用和选择规律,为合理控制鼠害及保护草地生物多样性提供科学依据。于2014年8月在祁连山东段选取面积为140m×100m的高原鼢鼠栖息地,消除景观尺度取样带来的气候、地形和土壤的异质性,利用地统计学方法,分析高原鼢鼠土丘的空间分布格局、并揭示其与环境因子中土壤容重、土壤水分、植物地上、地下生物量、根系营养物质含量(可溶性糖、粗蛋白、粗脂肪)以及各功能群丰富度(禾本科、莎草科、杂类草)的空间关系。半方差函数及普通克里格插值表明,高原鼢鼠土丘存在中等程度的空间变异且呈现聚集分布,各环境因子均存在不同程度的空间异质性。交方差函数分析表明,高原鼢鼠分布虽与各环境因子在多种尺度下表现出复杂的空间关联性(正的或负的),但mantel检验发现土壤容重、莎草科丰富度与高原鼢鼠土丘分布呈现显著的负空间关联性,杂类草丰富度和根系粗脂肪含量与高原鼢鼠土丘分布存在显著正空间关联性。综上所述,高原鼢鼠主要栖息利用在土壤疏松、莎草科丰富度较低、杂类草较多和根系粗脂肪含量较高的地方。     

灭鼠干扰后高原鼢鼠的种群动态与扩散

本文采用去除取样法对高原鼢鼠的种群动态及扩散行为进行了研究。结果表明,高原鼢鼠的种群密度因栖息地不同而表现出一定的差异。土壤疏松、食物丰富的栖息地内鼠密度较高。去除前的自然种群内和去除后扩散区内的鼢鼠中,其种群密度基本相同,种群结构相对稳定,成体鼢鼠的数量均占种群的７３％左右,雌雄性比为１１;去除区内鼢鼠的密度较低,雄性幼体的数量相对增加,成体的数量相对减少,其性比亦为１１。相邻动物之间的距离受密度因素的影响,在同一密度条件下,其距离无性别间的差异,动物呈镶嵌分布型。去除区内鼢鼠的平均扩散率为２６．５％,平均扩散距离为６６．９ｍ,扩散距离受土壤因素的影响。去除区内鼢鼠的成体体重小于扩散区内鼢鼠的成体体重,而在幼体间无差异。引起高原鼢鼠扩散的主要原因是种群密度,当种群密度超过平衡密度后,由于种内的相互攻击和对食物资源的相互竞争加剧使部分个体扩散出去     

祁连山东段高原鼢鼠对高寒草甸危害评价

为了客观评价高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)对高寒草甸的危害程度,在祁连山东段研究了高原鼢鼠不同种群密度与草地质量之间的关系,共设置了3个高原鼢鼠种群密度梯度,调查了3个危害等级变量(鼠丘数、鼠丘面积和鼠丘产草量)和6个生境变量(草地产草量、总盖度、可食牧草产量、植被组成、土壤水分和土壤紧实度),通过One-Way ANOVA检验法研究这些因子与高原鼢鼠危害程度的关系。结果表明:在设置的3个种群密度梯度下,草地产草量、总盖度、可食牧草产量和鼠丘产草量无显著性差异;草地植物群落结构、新鼠丘面积占调查区面积的比例无显著性差异,除高原鼢鼠采食深度(0—20 cm)外,3个种群密度区土壤紧实度无显著性差异,而0—30 cm处土壤水分存在显著性差异,说明本研究中不同高原鼢鼠种群密度区的草地质量没有显著性差异。此外,研究结果表明调查样地大小与危害评价有着密切关系,在高寒草甸区,单个样方调查面积以0.5 hm~2以上为宜。     

高原鼢鼠繁殖特性与其栖息草地质量的关系

高原鼢鼠种群密度动态变化与其繁殖特性密切相关,而繁殖特性又与其栖息环境有关。为了解高原鼢鼠繁殖特性与其栖息草地质量的关系,本文在祁连山东段选择两个不同高原鼢鼠种群密度分布区,在其繁殖期调查各密度区雌雄个体不同月份的繁殖特性、草地生物量、植物组成、地下根系重量及根系可溶性糖含量、土壤紧实度和水分变化。通过多因素方差分析和独立样本T检验研究繁殖特性与草地质量的关系。结果显示：在高原鼢鼠繁殖期,5月为繁殖高峰期,6月进入繁殖末期;不同种群密度区之间个体繁殖强度无显著性差异（P>0.05）;雌性繁殖强度在繁殖高峰期无显著性差异（P>0.05）,而繁殖末期存在显著差异（P<0.05）;高原鼢鼠性比在繁殖高峰期表现为低密度区大于高密度区,而在繁殖初期和繁殖末期为高密度区大于低密度区;两个种群密度区之间,草地植物组成、草地地上生物量、可利用草地生物量和地下生物量无显著性差异（P>0.05）,而0-30 cm土层根系根可溶性糖含量存在显著性差异（P<0.05）;除高原鼢鼠采食深度（0-20 cm）外,不同密度区土壤紧实度无显著性差异（P>0.05）,而0-30 cm土层土壤水分含量存在显著性差异（P<0.05）。结果表明在一定种群密度下,高原鼢鼠繁殖特性的变化与地下根可溶性糖含量和土壤水分有关,而繁殖特性与草地植物学组成、草地生物量无显著关系。     

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.