香鼬、艾虎和大kuang的食物资源分割——来自稳定性同位素的证据(英文)

通过对高寒草甸生态系统内香鼬、艾虎和大kuang 3种食肉类稳定性碳和氮同位素比值(δ[13]C和δ[15]N)的测定,依据同位素的质量平衡原理和IsoSource软件计算得到：小型哺乳类在香鼬、艾虎和大kuang食谱中的分配比例分别为26.8%、27.0%和29.2%;雀形目成鸟的分配比例为22.3%、47.7%和69.1%;雀形目幼鸟为50.9%、25.6%和1.70%。3种食肉类的稳定性碳和氮同位素分布模式在二维空间上存在明显分割,由此说明,香鼬、艾虎和大kuang之间存在明显的食物资源分割现象,同时也反映了三者在高寒草甸生态系统内共存的基础。     

香鼬、艾虎和大(狂鸟)的食物资源分割--来自稳定性同位素的证据

通过对高寒草甸生态系统内香鼬、艾虎和大(狂鸟)3种食肉类稳定性碳和氮同位素比值(δ13C和δ15N)的测定,依据同位素的质量平衡原理和IsoSource软件计算得到:小型哺乳类在香鼬、艾虎和大(狂鸟)食谱中的分配比例分别为26.8%、27.0%和29.2%;雀形目成鸟的分配比例为22.3%、47.7%和69.1%;雀形目幼鸟为50.9%、25.6%和1.70%.3种食肉类的稳定性碳和氮同位素分布模式在二维空间上存在明显分割,由此说明,香鼬、艾虎和大(狂鸟)之间存在明显的食物资源分割现象,同时也反映了三者在高寒草甸生态系统内共存的基础.     

大鵟的食性改变:来自稳定性碳同位素的证据

通过对大规模灭鼠后的海北高寒草甸生态系统大鵟、小型哺乳类以及雀形目鸟类肌肉稳定性碳同位素比值的测定发现,大篱的肌肉稳定性碳同位素比值介于-22．60‰和-23．10‰之间;小型哺乳类和主要雀形目鸟类肌肉稳定性碳同位素比值分别介于-25．57‰和-25．78‰以及-24．81‰和-22．51‰之间,且它们之间差异性显著。基于碳同位素的分馏模式(即动物和它食物之间稳定性碳同位素分馏在1‰～2‰之间),我们推断经大规模灭鼠后,大篱的食性发生了较大变化,其食物主要来源于高寒草甸的雀形目鸟类,而非原来的小型哺乳类。通过稳定性同位素营养级模型的运算发现,大蔫处在4．23左右的营养级;雀形目鸟类处在2．4到3．39左右的营养级,而小型哺乳类则处在1．45到1．82左右的营养级。进而采用稳定性同位素质量平衡模型计算得出,大篱的食物由35．04％的小型哺乳类和64．96％的雀形目鸟类所组成,进一步说明小型哺乳类在大量灭鼠后仅占大篱食物的很小一部分。由此可见,采取大规模的化学灭鼠,不仅降低了小型啮齿类天敌——大鵟的数量,而日使得其食谱发毕了巨大改变而转向草甸主要雀形目鸟类[动物学报49(6)：764～768,2003]。     

高寒草甸消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素组成的海拔分异

通过测定青藏高原东部高寒区不同海拔主要植物和消费者种群（雀形目鸟类和小型哺乳类）的稳定碳、氮同位素比值,研究了高寒草甸消费者种群同位素组成特征及其影响因素。结果表明：植物平均稳定碳同位素随海拔升高表现出明显的增加趋势;消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素随海拔的升高有明显的富集效应。雀形目鸟类种群稳定碳、氮同位素随海拔的升高均呈明显增加趋势;小型哺乳类稳定碳同位素随海拔上升不明显,而稳定氮同位素具有明显的增大趋势。消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素沿海拔梯度的富集效应,一方面与植物稳定同位素在海拔梯度上的富集密切相关;另一方面与海拔和纬度变化所引起一系列环境因子的变化在一定程度上影响到动物的稳定同位素分布模式。另外,在高寒草甸地区,与雀形目鸟类相比,小型哺乳类在动物稳定同位素组成的代谢过程中更容易受到环境改变的影响。     

高寒草甸生态系统食物链结构分析--来自稳定性碳同位素的证据

稳定性同位素技术应用于生态系统物质流动和食物链营养关系的研究方法 ,是基于生物体内天然存在的同位素比值与它们食物密切相关这一原理建立起来的。即将生物体内的稳定性同位素比值 (如δ1 3C)作为一自然标记 ,根据物种间该值的相对差异 ,追踪生态系统中的主要物质 (如碳源 )的来源和物质流动。于 2 0 0 2年 4～8月测定了高寒草甸生态系统主要生物群落中物种的稳定性碳同位素比值 (δ1 3C) ,依据得到的系统的富集因子( 1 0 5± 0 4 5 )‰ ,分析并确定了所测物种间的取食与被取食关系。结果发现 :高寒草甸生态系统由 5条主要的食物链构成 ,其中 1条为“植物→小型哺乳类→食肉兽 /猛禽”的三节点食物链 ,2条为“植物→牲畜和植物→植食性鸟类”的二节点食物链 ,2条分别为“植物→昆虫→雀形目鸟类→猛禽 /食肉兽”和“植物→昆虫→两栖类→猛禽 /食肉兽”的四节点食物链 ;系统食物链的最大长度为 3 5 3 ,与系统的最大节点数相近。表明稳定性碳同位素可以作为分析高寒草甸生态系统食物网和食物链结构以及食物链长度的有效代理 (proxy)。     

高寒草旬消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素组成的海拔分异

通过测定青藏高原东部高寒区不同海拔主要植物和消费者种群（雀形目鸟类和小型哺乳类）的稳定碳、氮同位素比值,研究了高寒草甸消费者种群同位素组成特征及其影响因素。结果表明：植物平均稳定碳同位素随海拔升高表现出明显的增加趋势;消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素随海拔的升高有明显的富集效应。雀形目鸟类种群稳定碳、氮同位素随海拔的升高均呈明显增加趋势;小型哺乳类稳定碳同位素随海拔上升不明显,而稳定氮同位素具有明显的增大趋势。消费者种群稳定碳、氮同位素沿海拔梯度的富集效应,一方面与植物稳定同位素在海拔梯度上的富集密切相关;另一方面与海拔和纬度变化所引起一系列环境因子的变化在一定程度上影响到动物的稳定同位素分布模式。另外,在高寒草甸地区,与雀形目鸟类相比,小型哺乳类在动物稳定同位素组成的代谢过程中更容易受到环境改变的影响。     

碳氮稳定同位素技术在青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统研究中的应用:进展与展望

碳氮稳定同位素技术在草地生态系统研究中的应用日渐广泛,本文针对其在青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统中的研究与应用进行了总结。首先,探讨了环境因子(海拔、水肥、草地退化、温度)对青藏高原高寒草甸碳氮同位素组成(δ~(13)C、δ~(15)N)的影响:高寒草甸植物δ~(13)C值与海拔呈正相关,与大气压强、草地退化和温度均呈负相关,与降水的关系尚有争议;土壤δ~(13)C值与海拔和草地退化呈正相关;植被的δ~(15)N值与水肥呈正相关,土壤的δ~(15)N值与草地退化呈负相关。其次,综述了近年来该技术在高寒草甸植物光合型鉴定、植物水分利用、食物链营养关系、碳氮循环等方面的研究进展。最后,对碳氮稳定同位素技术在研究高寒草甸土壤有机碳与土壤呼吸、重现植被类型更替和气候演化历史、土壤N_2O溯源、探究高寒草甸退化的原因、藏药与动物食品产地溯源等方面的应用前景进行了展望,以期进一步发挥其在青藏高原高寒草甸研究中的潜力。     

若尔盖草甸退化对土壤碳、氮和碳稳定同位素的影响

为了解不同退化阶段高寒草甸土壤碳、氮和碳稳定同位素的差异,对若尔盖湿地内沼泽草甸、草原化草甸、退化草甸3个阶段土壤的碳、氮和碳稳定同位素进行了分析.结果表明:若尔盖湿地草甸土壤δ¹³C 值介于-26.21‰～-24.72‰之间,土壤δ¹³C 值随土层加深而增大.土壤δ¹³C 值与有机碳含量对数值呈线性负相关.表层土壤(0～10 cm)δ¹³C值大小顺序为草原化草甸>退化草甸>沼泽草甸,β值大小顺序为草原化草甸>沼泽草甸>退化草甸.沼泽草甸、草原化草甸、退化草甸0～30 cm 土壤碳含量分别为105.32、42.11和31.12 g·kg^-1,氮含量分别为8.74、3.41和2.81 g·kg^-1,C/N分别为11.26、11.23和10.89.随着草甸的退化,土壤碳、氮呈降低趋势,退化草甸C/N值低于沼泽草甸和草原化草甸.随着土层深度加深,碳、氮含量呈现降低趋势.草甸退化导致的土壤δ¹³C 值差异主要发生在表层0～10 cm.3个退化阶段中,退化草甸土壤的β值和C/N最低,表明退化草甸土壤矿化作用较强.     

海北高寒草甸生态系统研究定位站没有发现C4植物——来自于稳定性碳同位素的证据

通过对海北高寒草甸生态系统研究站25个科、70个属、102种植物叶片的稳定性碳同位素的测定,以确定植物群落的光合型。结果表明,所测定的102种植物的稳定性碳同位素比值(δ^13C)介于-28．24‰和-24．84‰之间,说明这102种植物均属于C3植物,无C4植物或CAM植物。植物这种光合型的分布与该生态系统中的环境因子密切相关,是低温、强辐射等环境因素长期作用的结果,也反映了植物对这种特殊环境的适应。     

高寒草甸生态系统中高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的捕食风险及生存对策

调查青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统中两种主要啮齿动物及其天敌动物的种群密度,分析天敌动物对两种啮齿类的捕食方式、捕食强度,探讨啮齿类动物的捕食风险及生存对策。研究结果表明,高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的种群密度分别为4．97只／hm^2和10．6只／hm^2,而它们的主要天敌赤狐、艾虎和香鼬的种群密度分别为0．16只／100hm^2、0．37只／100hm^2、3只／100hm^2。艾虎和香鼬在取食过程中主要搜寻啮齿类的洞道系统,全部食物几乎都来源于洞道系统内;赤狐或取食地面活动的鼠兔,或挖掘洞口待高原鼢鼠封闭洞口时取食猎物。高原鼠兔在赤狐、艾虎和香鼬的食物中所出现的频次分别为100％、96．1％、100％,高原鼢鼠在3种天敌动物的食物中所出现的频次分别为87．5％、73．2％、0％。3种天敌动物对高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的捕食强度分别为0．703％和0．038％,高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠所承受的捕食风险分别为0．780和0．393。高原鼠兔在高的捕食风险下通过行为对策和繁殖对策增加其适合度,而承受捕食风险较小的高原鼢鼠主要通过封闭的洞道系统和高的存活率增加其适合度。     

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).