太白红杉种内和种间竞争研究

采用逐步扩大范围的方法确定影响对象木 (Objectivetree) 的最佳竞争范围, 利用单木竞争指数的改进模型对太白红杉 (Larixchinensis) 种内和种间竞争强度进行了定量分析, 并讨论了不同竞争强度下太白红杉的形态变化。结果表明 :随对象木胸径的增大, 由于太白红杉种群自然稀疏过程中密度调节作用, 植株距离增加, 种内竞争强度降低 ;太白红杉主要分布于亚高山地段, 群落内其它物种较少, 个体普遍较小, 结果种间竞争相对较弱, 种内与种间竞争关系顺序为 :太白红杉 太白红杉 >巴山冷杉 (Abiesfargesii) 太白红杉 >牛皮桦 (Betulaplatyphylla) 太白红杉 >其它树种 太白红杉 ;竞争强度和对象木胸径的关系服从幂函数关系 (CI =AD-B), 当太白红杉胸径达到 35cm以上时, 竞争强度几乎没有变化, 所得的预测模型能很好地预测太白红杉种内和种间的竞争强度 ;不同竞争强度下, 太白红杉主茎各层的分枝角度、总分枝数、当年生枝条长、平均枝长和活枝数均表现出显著的差异。表明采用逐步扩大范围的方法能有效地确定竞争木范围, 较好地反应太白红杉种内和种间的竞争关系。同时, 太白红杉通过自身形态变化, 提高了对光的截获能力和对不同竞争强度的适应能力。     

太白红杉顶芽与分枝格局的适应性分析

野外调查发现太白红杉 (L arix chinensis)枝条顶芽死亡比例较高 ,顶芽死亡对分枝格局产生较大影响 ,可形成 3种分枝类型 : 型、 型和 型。对 3种分枝类型枝条的芽数量、计盒维数以及植冠不同部位的分枝类型比例、顶芽死亡比例、主侧枝平均枝长和主侧枝总数量分别进行了统计分析。结果显示 ,芽数量 : 型 (115 .3) < 型 (15 4 .8) < 型 (2 0 9.9) ;计盒维数 : 型(1.30 5 ) < 型 (1.4 0 0 ) < 型 (1.5 37) ;顶芽死亡比例由树冠上层至下层逐渐提高 ,而冠层东南西北 4个方向的顶芽死亡比例无显著差异 ;主侧枝平均枝长由树冠上层至下层逐渐增加 ,而主侧枝总数量则逐渐降低 ;由于风、光照、坡度和坡向的影响 ,冠层4个方向间的主侧枝平均枝长和总数量均存在显著差异 ; 型分枝使植冠半径扩大 , 型分枝快速扩展植冠的横向空间 , 型分枝在扩展空间的基础上并实现对空间的有效占据。研究表明太白红杉枝条中一定比例的顶芽死亡增加了分枝形态的多样性 ,表现出顶芽和分枝格局的环境适应性 ,有利于提高树冠的空间占据能力     

太白红杉（Larix chinensis）混交林径级结构与竞争的关系

混交林的径级结构和竞争关系的研究可在一定程度上预测群落的动态变化趋势。探讨了太白山太白红杉(Larix chinensis)混交林的径级结构和竞争关系,并对该区域森林的动态变化趋势进行了预测。结果表明:①在混交林内,太白红杉幼苗数量较少,更新差,种群径级结构呈衰退型;而巴山冷杉(Abiesfargesii)幼苗数量较多,更新良好,种群径级结构为增长型。②太白红杉种内竞争强度大于种间竞争强度,巴山冷杉种内竞争强度小于种间竞争强度。在混交区域,巴山冷杉处于群落的优势地位,而太白红杉处于劣势地位,应加强对太白红杉的保护,合理抚育管理太白红杉幼苗。     

山西濒危植物翅果油树植冠的构型分析

应用分形理论及方法,从分枝格局和冠幅扩展2个方面对山西翼城和乡宁的35株翅果油树(Elaeagnus mollis Diels)个体的植冠构型进行统计分析。结果表明,幼树和成树的总体分枝率和逐步分枝率有显著变化;一级枝的平均枝长和枝径有显著差异,但枝和叶的方位角及叶倾角差异不明显。不同发育阶段个体的冠幅变化较大,幼树冠幅的分形维数(2.0026)小于成树(2.2694)。翅果油树在不同生长发育阶段对生境变化有不同的构型策略。     

不同光环境下桂花幼苗的构型差异

通过对不同光照条件下桂花幼苗的冠形、分枝率、叶片在树冠中的空间分布等特征进行研究,结果表明桂花幼苗构型发生了明显的可塑性适应:其树冠对光照条件的变化有显著的可塑性响应。在林隙中的幼苗受光的间歇性影响,总体分枝率明显小于全光、林冠下的幼苗分枝率。全光的幼苗叶片集中于二级枝,叶片长度和叶片面积相对较小,对光照利用充分;而林隙中的幼苗叶片集中于一级枝,避免处于植冠内侧受到遮蔽,表现出较大的叶片长度和叶面积;林冠下的叶片较均匀分布在一、二级枝上,叶片总数量较少,枝条高生长较全光下明显。幼苗在总体分枝格局中表现出独自的特点,即强光环境下产生短枝和高分枝率,在适度庇荫条件下产生长枝及低分枝率,在强度庇荫条件下以较长枝和较高分枝率来同时满足高生长和横向生长的需求。     

太白红杉顶芽动态及其对分枝格局的影响

应用计盒维数方法比较研究了与太白红杉顶芽动态相关的不同分枝格局对空间占据能力的差异.结果表明,Ⅰ型分枝有利于对所拥有的空间进行有效填充和利用,Ⅱ型分枝有利于扩展枝条所占的面积,Ⅲ型分枝既扩展了面积,又实现了对所拥有空间的有效填充和利用.总的来讲,顶芽的死亡使分枝对空间的占据能力和对光能利用的效率有所提高,同时对植株冠型的调整也有重要作用.太白红杉枝条顶芽的死亡是外界严酷环境条件的被迫"产物".     

秦岭太白红杉种群空间分布格局动态及分形特征研究

采用相邻格子样方法采集数据,应用计盒维数和信息维数研究了太白红杉种群空间格局的分形特征,结果表明,太白红杉种群有较高的计盒维数(1.8087)和信息维数(1.7931),表明其对空间占据程度较高.用分布系数法和Morisita格局指数法检验格局类型,发现不同年龄组太白红杉种群均呈聚集分布.运用Greig-Smith的方法研究格局规模,发现太白红杉种群在128m²和512m²处聚集,不同年龄组在不同规模尺度聚集.以区组分布格局强度(PI)检测聚集强度,发现太白红杉种群格局强度随尺度变化程度较高,个体分布不均匀,随着年龄的增大,其聚集强度呈下降趋势.太白红杉种群的空间分布格局特征是其对严酷生境长期适应的结果.     

基于Vaganov-Shashkin模型的太白红杉径向生长对气候要素的响应

利用采自太白山南坡药王殿、北坡上板寺的太白红杉树芯样品分别建立树轮宽度年表,运用Vaganov-Shashkin模型揭示秦岭太白红杉径向生长对各气候要素的响应.结果表明: 生长季(4—8月)的温度、生长初期的降水量以及7、8月的降水量是限制秦岭地区太白红杉生长的主要气候因子.良好的温度条件有利于太白红杉的生长,但生长初期的降水量会抑制太白红杉的生长;7、8月的降水量对秦岭南坡和北坡太白红杉的影响差异明显,该时段内丰富的降水量对北坡太白红杉的生长具有促进作用,而对南坡太白红杉的生长产生一定的限制作用;同一坡向、不同海拔采样点树木径向生长与气候因子的响应结果同样存在差异,高海拔采样点太白红杉的生长需要的温度条件低于低海拔采样点,但对土壤湿度的需求大于低海拔采样点.生长开始日的早晚对太白红杉树轮宽度的形成影响很大,而生长结束日仅与南坡采样点树轮宽度之间呈显著相关.     

栲树不同生长发育阶段的枝系特征分析

对浙江天童国家森林公园内常绿阔叶优势树种栲树(Castanopsis fargesii)不同发育阶段植冠内的分枝式样特征进行了统计分析。结果表明：栲树在不同发育阶段的总体分枝率和逐步分枝率有显著变化,幼苗和幼树阶段的分枝率较低,而成株阶段的分枝率较高;幼树阶段的枝条长度、枝倾角和叶倾角明显大于幼苗和成株阶段,表现为明显的高生长对策;叶片配置在不同枝系上有较大差异,叶片主要集中于植冠内一级枝和二级枝上;叶片的大小从幼苗、幼树到成株阶段逐渐增大。研究结果表明栲树在生活史的不同生长发育阶段,分枝式样表现出一定的可塑性,反映了不同的适应对策。     

台湾相思林和芒草草丛中薇甘菊枝构件的分枝格局及其生物量

外域杂草薇甘菊 (Mikaniamicrantha)具有极强的分枝能力。在枝构件水平上 ,对生长在台湾相思 (Acaciaconfusa)群落和芒草 (Miscanthussinensis)群落中的薇甘菊枝构件的分枝格局和生物量分配的比较分析得出 :1)同芒草群落相比 ,台湾相思群落中薇甘菊各级枝的分枝数、分枝密度和分枝率都低 ,而分枝长度则较长 ;2 )台湾相思群落中薇甘菊以第一级分枝为主 ,而在芒草群落中则以第二级分枝为主 ;3)台湾相思林中薇甘菊枝构件的叶面积率、比叶面积和比茎长及叶片生物量分配显著大于芒草草丛 ;4)两个群落中薇甘菊枝构件的节间长和比叶柄长没有显著差异。这些结果说明薇甘菊枝构件对环境条件变化具不同响应。     

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.