Insect pollinators show constancy for different flower traits between the most- and less-preferred plants: a case study of the long-proboscid tangle-veined fly

• The coevolution of insect pollinators and their host plants is a typical example of natural selection; however, how insect pollinators avoid overdependence on one peculiar plant remains unclear. As most insect pollinators exhibit a diet breadth when showing flower constancy, determining the difference and similarity of most and less preferred flowers by insect pollinators may be helpful to understand their trade-off between flower constancy and overdependence.
• This was addressed using the long-proboscid tangle-veined fly (Nemetrinus spp.). Dietary investigation indicates that the flies show constancy for the morphological characteristic of the Delphinium caeruleum, which is the most preferred plant for this Nemestrinidae fly that has blue, long-tubed flowers.
• In a colour selection experiment, focal individuals showed obvious preference for white, which is the colour of less preferred flowers by the fly in the natural environment. In a scent selection experiment, focal individuals showed obvious preference for D. caeruleum and Dracocephalum heterophyllum but avoidance to Dasiphora fruticosa and Dasiphora davurica. This indicates that long-proboscid tangle-veined flies can forage on other flowers, despite the existing constancy for D. caeruleum, as long as they do not hate the scent. It seems that long-proboscid tangle-veined flies can maximise foraging efficiency by showing constancy for the morphological characteristic of the most preferred plant and for the scent and colour of less-preferred plants.
• The trade-off of long-proboscid tangle-veined flies in the selection of nectar sources may be an adaptation to the risk of overdependence on one plant in evolution.

     

Ethical,legal and social implications of forensic molecular phenotyping in South Africa

Conventional forensic DNA analysis involves a matching principle, which compares DNA profiles from evidential samples to those from reference samples of known origin. In casework, however, the accessibility to a reference sample is not guaranteed which limits the use of DNA as an investigative tool. This has led to the development of phenotype prediction, which uses SNP analysis to estimate the physical appearance of the sample donor. Physical traits, such as eye, hair and skin colour, have been associated with certain alleles within specific genes involved in the melanogenesis pathways. These genetic markers are also associated with ancestry and their trait prediction ability has mainly been assessed in European and North American populations. This has prompted research investigating the discriminatory power of these markers in other populations, especially those exhibiting admixture. South Africa is well known for its diversity, and the viability of these particular SNPs still needs to be assessed within this population. South African law currently restricts the use of DNA for molecular phenotyping, and there are also numerous ethical and social considerations, all of which are discussed.     

白尾地鸦的巢址选择

2017年4和5月,在位于新疆塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘的和田地区民丰县对白尾地鸦（Podoces bidduphi）的巢址选择进行研究。共记录白尾地鸦巢12个,测量了巢参数,用Mann-Whitney U检验分析巢样方与对照样方的差异,用主成分法分析影响白尾地鸦巢址选择的主要因子。结果显示：1）白尾地鸦巢多筑于绿洲边缘的柽柳（Tamarix）灌丛,巢距地面高（109.1 ± 13.2）cm,巢深（8.5 ± 0.5）cm,巢厚（3.8 ± 0.4）cm,内径（13.9 ± 0.9）cm,外径（21.6 ± 1.3）cm;2）巢样方的植被物种数和植被盖度远高于对照样方;3）影响白尾地鸦巢址选择的主要因素为植被物种数及干扰,其中干扰主要指距道路以及距居民点的距离。综上所述,白尾地鸦的巢址选择受食物等生存需求和躲避干扰等安全因素的双重影响,是生存与繁殖权衡的结果。     

盘拍法调查褐飞虱种群的准确性测定

用盘拍法调查褐飞虱虫量的查获率仅在30％～70％之间,查获率的高低因虫口密度、水稻生育期及盘面涂抹粘胶与否而异。在所拟会的24个查获率回归方程中,极大部分的拟会效果是比较好的。当盘拍虫量在水试验范围以内时,代入相应的方程内,即能求出查获率,换算出实有虫数。     

腰椎间盘突出症阶梯式手术治疗方案的临床疗效和患者心理状况调查

目的:探讨阶梯式手术治疗方案对腰椎间盘突出的临床疗效和患者对临床疗效的心理接受情况。方法:回顾性分析2014年至2016年本院骨科确诊为腰椎间盘突出症的50例患者,经椎间孔镜下行髓核摘除微创手术(Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy,PTED),术后1天和3个月采用视觉疼痛模拟评分(VAS)和改良Mac Nab疗效评定、术后3个月采用Oswestry功能障碍指数(ODI)评价手术效果,以及相应调查时间点患者对手术效果心理接受程度调查;对于7例微创手术疗效不佳患者进一步采用传统的开窗髓核摘除术(Fenestration discectomy,FD),采用同样方法评价手术效果和调查患者心理接受情况。结果:50例微创术后1天及术后3个月的VAS评分和ODI指数均显著低于术前,差异具有显著性(P均0.05);改良Mac Nab疗效评定:术后1天优良率为84%,术后3个月为86%;患者对术后疗效心理满意度调查:术后1天,满意并接受为84%,不满意但接受为16%,不满意难接受为0;术后3个月,满意并接受为86%,不满意但接受为14%,不满意难接受为0。对于微创术后效果欠佳7例患者行FD手术,术后1天及3个月的VAS评分和ODI指数均显著低于术前,差异具有显著性(P均0.05);改良Mac Nab疗效评定:术后1天优良率为71%,术后3个月为100%;患者对开窗术后疗效心理满意度调查:术后1天,满意并接受为71%,不满意但接受为0,不满意难接受为29%;术后3个月,满意并接受为100%,不满意但接受为0,不满意难接受为0。结论:腰椎间盘突出症阶梯式手术治疗方案临床效果和患者心理接受情况均值得临床推荐。     

Analysis of spatial association between two species based on the interspecies mean crowding

Summary and Conclusion The measurement of spatial association between two species is considered on the basis of interspecies mean crowding. Two indices of overlapping, γ andC _μ, are derived as geometric and weighted arithmetic means of the same component ratios related to inter- and intraspecies mean crowdings. Both indices behave in a similar way, ranging from 1 when the distributions of two species are completely overlapped to 0 when they are completely exclusive with each other. The former is essentially identical with indices proposed byKuno (1968) andPianka (1973), and the latter is a modified form ofMorisita’s (1959)C _δ index. Indices to measure the degree of spatial correlation between species, ω andR _μ, are then derived for both kinds of overlapping indices, which vary from 1 in complete overlapping, through 0 in independent occurrence, to −1 in complete exclusion. Various kinds of interspecies association are analyzed using these indices and an extended form of the regression graph which provides a convenient way of indicating the spatial interrelation between two species as well as distribution patterns of respective species. The method presented in this paper may also be applicable to compare temporal distribution patterns between species, similarity between communities, etc. For such a wider application which includes continuous as well as discrete distributions, the interpretation of intra- and interspecies mean crowdings is not necessarily appropriate, and hence the concept of mean concentration with the symbols and for intraspecies relation and and for interspecies relation is suggested. This study was supported by Science Research Fund (No. 148041) from the Ministry of Education.     

中学生生长发育的追踪调查

本文报道了1986年10月—1988年10月对芜湖市976名汉族中学生生长发育的三年追踪调查结果。调查指标为身高、体重、血压和月经初潮。文中比较了男女间的差异,并与汉族1979年均值和日本人的数据进行了比较。作者对当前青少年生长发育加速和女性性成熟提前趋势进行了分析。     

湖南省平江县水稻根结线虫病发生及危害评价

[目的]进一步明确湖南省平江县水稻根结线虫病发生危害情况、病原线虫种类及影响水稻发病的因素。[方法]2020年4—6月,采用5点取样法对湖南省平江县24个乡镇400块田块的水稻根结线虫病发生危害情况进行再调查及病原种类鉴定,并对水稻根结线虫病的病情指数与水稻的栽培方式、土壤类型之间的关系进行了分析。[结果]平江县水稻根结线虫病的发生较为普遍,发现病害的乡镇已由2018年的5个增加到2020年的15个,其中15个乡镇的病田率为10%~100%,病株率为2%~55%,根结指数为0.4~15.4。分离获得的病原线虫种类均为拟禾本科根结线虫。调查还发现,发病水稻在砂壤、中壤、重壤稻田的根结指数明显高于在黏土和轻壤稻田的根结指数,直播、抛秧栽培方式下发病水稻的根结指数明显高于移栽方式下的根结指数。[结论]平江县水稻根结线虫病呈蔓延趋势。本研究为有效防控平江县水稻根结线虫病提供了依据。