大凉螈繁殖生态

大凉螈是我国特有的珍稀有尾两栖动物,其种群数量目前呈现明显下降趋势,然而涉及该物种保护的繁殖生态学研究仍十分匮乏。通过融合围栏陷阱及标志重捕的样方调查法,对大凉螈石棉栗子坪种群繁殖个体和变态登陆幼体的迁徙、繁殖群体种群大小、繁殖场内雌雄有效性比变化等进行了研究。运用Jolly-Seber法估测了繁殖种群大小,运用单因素方差分析或Kruskal-Wallis秩和检验比较了不同时期进入繁殖场的雄性大凉螈头体长及体重,运用t检验或者Wilcoxon秩和检验比较了雌雄性间形态上的差异,运用t检验、t′检验或Wilcoxon秩和检验比较了野外抱对雄性与非抱对雄性间的体征差别,运用Pearson相关分析探讨了雌性产卵量与其身体形态的关系,同时观察了卵的孵化情况。研究结果表明:大凉螈的繁殖季为每年的4月下旬到7月下旬,幼体最早于8月上旬变态登陆。估测调查地繁殖场内雄性大凉螈繁殖种群大小约为391尾,雄螈较雌螈更早进入繁殖场且在场内停留时间更长,体重较轻的雄螈较晚迁入繁殖场。有效性比明显偏雄(雌/雄:0.03—0.10)。雌雄间具明显性二型性,雌性个体的头体长、体重及肥满度均大于雄性,而雄性的尾高和尾长占全长的比例则大于雌性。对比自然抱对雄性和非抱对雄性个体发现,抱对个体在头体长、体重和尾高等体征方面显著大于非抱对个体,暗示这些形态特征可能在雄性竞争配偶的过程中起到关键作用。雌螈在室内条件下平均产卵数为176枚,产卵历时2—4 d,产卵量与雌性肥满度正相关,卵的平均孵化期为15.7 d,孵出幼体平均全长为9.74 mm。     

文县疣螈繁殖初探

2006年4～9月、2007年4～9月,在四川青川初步观察了文县疣螈(Tylototriton wenxianensis)的繁殖习性,并研究了其主要特点,包括繁殖期雌雄差异、繁殖迁徙、交配与产卵、幼体发育等,同时在甘肃文县观察了其幼体的生长发育过程.结果表明,文县疣螈的繁殖期一般为4月上旬至9月上旬,繁殖期成体性比不断变化.该螈具有繁殖迁徙现象,迁徙及求偶行为由雄性占主动.求偶、交配及产卵均在水塘周围岸边的陆地上进行,产卵集中在5月初至7月末,雌螈平均产卵数为42.8枚(n=6),卵的平均孵化期为26.8 d(n=119).卵群的平均孵化率为46.3%(n=6).随着气温的升高、相对湿度和降水量的增加,雌螈产卵量和孵化率升高,卵的平均孵化期缩短.     

红瘰疣螈的繁殖生态

红瘰疣螈(Tylototriton shanjing)为国家Ⅱ级重点保护野生动物,对其繁殖生态尚无系统的研究。2007～2010年在云南省新平县哀牢山对红瘰疣螈形态、繁殖栖息地、求偶和交配行为、产卵及孵化等繁殖特征进行了研究。结果表明,红瘰疣螈雌雄两性在广泛的形态学度量特征上存在着差异;繁殖栖息地主要为稻田和潮湿的沟渠;参与繁殖的雌雄成体性比随繁殖时间的推移而不断变化,繁殖前期和后期雄性比例高,中期雌性比例高。求偶和交配主要在陆地潮湿的水沟中完成,也可在静水中进行。成体产卵活动从5月初持续至6月下旬,呈现出波浪式的产卵进程,个体完成产卵平均时间为(22.2±2.7)h。繁殖前期雌螈产卵于稻田,中后期产于多杂草的田埂草丛和泥壁,平均产卵数(126±18)枚(n=17)。平均孵化期(17.3±0.1)d(n=225),孵化率59.8%(n=79),孵化时幼体平均体长12.7mm(n=6)。     

人工养殖条件下东方蝾螈的繁殖生物学

通过室内饲养观察,重点研究了东方蝾螈的产卵行为、受精卵孵化、仔螈的变态发育等繁殖生物学.东方蝾螈雌螈产卵前有明显的筑巢行为,分批产卵,产卵时间不集中,产卵期持续46～98 d,平均产卵期为78 d±14 d,产卵高峰期在5月上中旬,平均产卵量为101±56枚;温度对受精卵孵化影响十分显著,3月份产的卵平均54.1 d孵出仔螈,6月份产的卵平均11 d孵出仔螈,在15～26℃的自然水温条件下,受精卵一般需要11～30 d孵出仔螈;仔螈的变态发育与温度、饲料等因素密切相关,在24～25℃的控温养殖条件下,仔螈40 d后外鳃开始萎缩,68～79 d完成变态发育,但在自然水温下,只有78%的仔螈当年能完成变态发育.     

贵州茂兰泽陆蛙繁殖生态观察

采用野外定点观测、室内解剖观测和调查访问等方法,于2007年4月～2009年7月观察贵州茂兰地区泽陆蛙的繁殖生态.结果表明,泽陆蛙体色多样,常态型(Ⅰ型)和背纵线型(Ⅱ型)为主要类型.泽陆蛙具有迁移繁殖习性,刚栽上秧苗的稻田为理想求偶场和繁殖场;繁殖盛期在5月中旬～6月下旬.泽陆蛙具有明显性二型现象,雌雄之比为1:1.46(n=257);解剖怀卵量1245.4±480.8枚(n=17), 单粒卵重0.837 mg±0.192 mg(n=14),Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型怀卵量及单粒卵重无显著性差异;为分批次产卵种类,每次产卵量约78枚,每批产卵量约469枚;卵产出后有胶质相连,聚集成一个平面内的卵群,漂浮于水面,动物极灰黑色,植物极灰白色.繁殖行为包括鸣叫求偶、抱对和产卵3个过程;雄蛙集体鸣叫,强制性抱对;鸣叫是雄体相互识别和吸引雌体的关键因素.野外条件下,受精卵孵化期为4～7 d,温度为制约因素;幼体至少需要1周年以上的生长期才能加入繁殖群体.体色多样、体形相对较小、怀卵量大、产卵期长,可能是泽陆蛙成为该地区优势两栖类的主要原因.     

贵州疣螈栖息地水质评价

为探明贵州疣螈(Tylototriton kweichowensis)栖息地的水质状况及影响其栖息地选择的环境因子,于2019年5月、8月和10月分别对毕节市撒拉溪石漠化综合治理区7个分布点、2个对照点的水温、pH、DO、TN、TP、NH_3-N和CODMn、Cu、Hg、Pb、Cr、Cd、Mn、Zn、As等理化指标进行了测定,并运用单因子评价法和内梅罗综合污染指数评价法对水质进行评价。结果表明:9个采样点中3个样点的水质类别为Ⅲ类,污染程度为警戒水平; 1个样点为Ⅳ类,受到轻度污染; 5个样点为劣Ⅴ类,受到重度污染;超标指标有pH、DO、TN、TP、NH_3-H、CODMn和Mn,其中TN和NH_3-N是造成水环境水质差的主要指标;通过两组对照点环境因子对比,在被测指标中,水温和pH值是影响贵州疣螈栖息地选择较大的环境因子,水温低于13℃或pH6的水体不适于贵州疣螈生存。     

井上蛀果斑螟生物学特性研究

[目的]井上蛀果斑螟Assara inouei Yanmanaka是为害云南石榴的重要蛀果害虫,本研究主要明确该虫生长发育和繁殖等生物学特性。[方法]在室内条件下,对井上蛀果斑螟的发育历期、存活率、蛹重、性比、寿命和繁殖力等特性进行了系统研究。[结果]在温度25°C、相对湿度(RH)70%、光周期15L:9D条件下,井上蛀果斑螟卵、幼虫、蛹、成虫的发育历期分别为6.58、18.64、6.21、13.81 d,完成一个世代需35.93 d;卵孵化率、幼虫存活率、化蛹率和羽化率分别为44.57%、64.02%、86.72%和96.48%,世代存活率为32.49%;雌蛹重16.85 mg,雄蛹重13.36 mg,雌雄蛹性比为1.37:1;蛹羽化盛期为化蛹后第6至第8天;井上蛀果斑螟产卵前期为1.94 d,产卵期为6.84 d,雌虫平均寿命为14.88 d,雄虫平均寿命为12.74 d;不同性比结构下,单雌平均产卵量在31.24~118.34粒之间波动,以雌雄比为6:4时,单雌平均产卵量最高。相同雌雄比下,RH为70%时,25℃下的单雌产卵量明显高于22℃;25℃时,RH为70%下的单雌产卵量明显高于RH为50%。[结论]确定了井上蛀果斑螟主要生物学特性;性比及温湿度对井上蛀果斑螟的繁殖有显著影响。这些结果可为井上蛀果斑螟的人工饲养和科学防控提供基础资料。     

紫茎泽兰粗提物对草地贪夜蛾生长发育及繁殖的影响

为明确紫茎泽兰粗提物对草地贪夜蛾生长发育及繁殖的影响,在实验室条件下分别利用4个不同稀释浓度（20、15、10、5倍）的紫茎泽兰粗提物处理玉米叶片后喂养草地贪夜蛾初孵幼虫,记录各虫态的发育历期、存活率、重量、成虫寿命以及后代性比、F2代卵孵化率、F2代卵的发育历期。结果表明,随着紫茎泽兰粗提物浓度的升高,草地贪夜蛾各虫态的发育历期延长,5倍稀释液处理下蛹的发育历期最长,达20.27 d,10倍稀释液处理下幼虫的发育历期最长,为21.46 d;随着处理浓度的增加,各虫态的重量逐渐降低,且存活率呈下降趋势,其中粗提物对蛹存活率的影响最大,对1~3龄幼虫存活率的影响较小;随着处理浓度的升高成虫的寿命均缩短,且雌成虫寿命长于雄成虫;随着处理浓度的升高,草地贪夜蛾的产卵前期和F2代卵发育历期延长,产卵期缩短;单雌产卵量、后代性比和卵的孵化率降低。总的来说,紫茎泽兰粗提物对草地贪夜蛾的生长发育及繁殖均造成消极影响。5倍稀释液对草地贪夜蛾的生长发育及繁殖的影响最显著,可作为草地贪夜蛾防治研究中的重要植物源杀虫剂材料。     

挂榜山小鲵的繁殖生态

2004-2006年对挂榜山小鲵(Hynobius guabangshanensis)的繁殖生态进行了观察研究.结果表明:挂榜山小鲵繁殖期为每年的11月中旬至翌年1月;非繁殖期营陆生生活,繁殖期进入水中繁殖;繁殖期活动高峰为20:00到翌日6:00;繁殖种群数量为198条,现存分布区不足10 km2;繁殖期雌雄性比为1.6,存在明显的两性异型,性成熟雌体的体长和体质量显著大于雄体;挂榜山小鲵的抱对行为与东北小鲵、黑小鲵、极北鲵相似;雄体具有求偶炫耀行为和精子竞争行为;繁殖场多为临时水凼和小而浅的池塘,大部分卵袋被固定在浅水的枯枝和水草上;挂榜山小鲵的卵袋较同科物种粗大,幼体刚出膜时卵袋长(18.40±4.21) cm(n=31),直径(4.23±0.52) cm(n=31);卵径(2.10±0.25) mm(n=45);卵粒数(88.90±20.30)个(n=98)(单个卵袋),受精率为(93.3±21.4)%(n=98).     

文县疣螈资源现状、威胁因素及保护对策

文县疣螈Tylototriton wenxianensis分布在文县、平武、青川、阆中、奉节和雷山,但只有文县、青川、平武3县相连成片,为岷山栖息地,面积约1800km2,数量约30000条。文县疣螈对海拔1000～1400m的潮湿陆地森林或泥底的水域环境选择较强,以森林或林缘地带积水不深、植被良好、基底多泥的小水塘为繁殖发育场所。文县疣螈面临茶园扩张、薪柴、干旱和分布区狭窄的威胁。调整茶叶发展战略,加强林地保护,推动茶叶集约化加工,研制并推广小型节能炒茶炉,人工增建小泥塘,保护和扩大最适栖息地,资助社区保护组织是缓解这些威胁的有效对策。     

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.