薇甘菊的生物防治及其天敌在中国的新发现

薇甘菊(Mikania mixeantha H.B.K.)为原产中南美洲的菊科假泽兰属攀缘草本植物,现在广泛分布于东南亚地区并对我国南方部分地区的农林业生产造成严重危害。由于施用化学除草剂会对环境造成污染,所以生物防治更为可靠。大量工作表明,一些真菌和昆虫有望被用来进行薇甘菊的生物控制。本文中报道的薇甘菊天敌小蓑蛾(Acanthopsyche sp.)为国内首次发现,为薇甘菊的生物防治提供了新的线索和启示。     

Intracellular recordings from nonspiking interneurons in a semiintact,tethered walking insect

Nonspiking interneurons were investigated in a tethered, walking insect, Carausius morosus, that was able to freely perform walking movements. Experiments were carried out with animals walking on a lightweight, double-wheel treadmill. Although the animal was opened dorsally, the walking system was left intact. Intracellular recordings were obtained from the dorsal posterior neuropil of the mesothoracic ganglion. Nonspiking inter-neurons, in which modulations of the membrane potential were correlated with the walking rhythm, were described physiologically and stained with Lucifer Yellow. Interneurons are demonstrated in which membrane potential oscillations mirror the leg position or show correlation with the motoneuronal activity of the protractor and retractor coxae muscles during walking. Other interneurons showed distinct hyperpolarizations at certain important trigger points in the step cycle, for example, at the extreme posterior position. Through electrical stimulation of single, nonspiking interneurons during walking, the motoneuronal activity in two antagonistic muscles—protractor and retractor coxae—could be reversed and even the movement of the ipsilateral leg could be influenced. The nonspiking interneurons described appear to be important premotor elements involved in walking. They receive, integrate, and process information from different leg proprioceptors and drive groups of leg motoneurons during walking.     

Participatory investigations of bovine trypanosomiasis in Tana River District, Kenya

Participatory research on bovine trypanosomiasis was conducted with Orma pastoralists in Tana River District, Kenya. The use of participatory methods to understand local perceptions of disease signs, disease causes, disease incidence by cattle age group, seasonal patterns of disease and preferences for indigenous and modern control methods are described. Results indicated that local characterization of diseases called gandi and buku by Orma pastoralists was similar to modern veterinary knowledge on chronic trypanosomiasis and haemorrhagic trypanosomiasis (due to Trypanosoma vivax), respectively. The mean incidence of gandi varied from 10.2% in calves to 28.6% in adult cattle. The mean incidence of buku varied from 3.1% in calves to 9.6% in adults. Pearson correlation coefficients for disease incidence by age group were 0.498 (P < 0.01) and 0.396 (P < 0.05) for gandi and buku, respectively. Informants observed cases of trypanosomiasis in 24.1% of cattle (all age groups); these cases accounted for 41.8% of all sick cattle during the preceding 12-month period. Eight indigenous and three modern trypanosomiasis control methods were identified. Results indicated that an integrated approach to trypanosomiasis control based on private, individual action was well established in the assessment area. When presented with four different trypanosomiasis control methods, community representatives selected 'better use of trypanocides' as the most preferred intervention and 'community-based tsetse control' as the least preferred intervention. This finding prompted researchers to modify the original project activities. Constraints facing the sustainability of community-based tsetse control are discussed.     

Science and Values Influencing Predator Control for Alaska Moose Management

ABSTRACT We encourage informed and transparent decision-making processes concerning the recently expanded programs in Alaska, USA, to reduce predation on moose (Alces alces). The decision whether to implement predator control ultimately concerns what society should value; therefore, policymakers, not objective biologists, play a leadership role. From a management and scientific standpoint, biological support for these predator-control programs requires convincing evidence that 1) predators kill substantial numbers of moose that would otherwise mostly live and be available for harvest, 2) low predation can facilitate reliably higher harvests of moose, 3) given less predation, habitats can sustain more moose and be protected from too many moose, and 4) sustainable populations of Alaska's brown bears (Ursus arctos), black bears (Ursus americanus), and wolves (Canis lupus) will exist in and out of control areas. We reviewed 10 moose mortality studies, 36 case histories, 10 manipulative studies, 15 moose nutrition studies, and 3 recent successful uses of nutrition-based management to harvest excess female moose. Results of these studies support application of long-term, substantial predator control for increasing yield of moose in these simple systems where moose are a primary prey of 3 effective predators. We found no substantive, contradictory results in these systems. However, to identify and administer feasible moose population objectives, recently established moose nutritional indices must be monitored, and regulatory bodies must accept nutrition-based management. In addition, the efficacy of techniques to reduce bear predation requires further study. Predicting precise results of predator control on subsequent harvest of moose will continue to be problematic because of a diversity of changing interactions among biological, environmental, and practical factors. In Alaska, the governor has the prerogative to influence regulations on predator control by appointing members to the Board of Game. At least annually, the Board of Game hears a wide spectrum of public opinions opposing and favoring predator control. We summarized these opinions as well as the societal and cultural values and expectations that are often the primary basis for debates. Advocates on both sides of the debate suggest they hold the higher conservation ethic, and both sides provide biased science. We recommend a more constructive and credible dialogue that focuses openly on values rather than on biased science and fabricated conspiracies. To be credible and to add substance in this divisive political arena, biologists must be well informed and provide complete information in an unbiased and respectful manner without exaggeration.     

Structure of an engineered intein reveals thiazoline ring and provides mechanistic insight

We have engineered an intein which spontaneously and reversibly forms a thiazoline ring at the native N-terminal Lys-Cys splice junction. We identified conditions to stablize the thiazoline ring and provided the first crystallographic evidence, at 1.54 Å resolution, for its existence at an intein active site. The finding bolsters evidence for a tetrahedral oxythiazolidine splicing intermediate. In addition, the pivotal mutation maps to a highly conserved B-block threonine, which is now seen to play a causative role not only in ground-state destabilization of the scissile N-terminal peptide bond, but also in steering the tetrahedral intermediate toward thioester formation, giving new insight into the splicing mechanism. We demonstrated the stability of the thiazoline ring at neutral pH as well as sensitivity to hydrolytic ring opening under acidic conditions. A pH cycling strategy to control N-terminal cleavage is proposed, which may be of interest for biotechnological applications requiring a splicing activity switch, such as for protein recovery in bioprocessing.     

Diallel analysis of androgenetic plant production in hexaploid Triticale (X. triticosecale,Wittmack)

Summary Studies were made on the genetic determination of androgenetic plant yield and its two components: embryo production and green plant regeneration. This involved the analysis of a complete 7×7 diallel cross of 4 androgenetic lines and 3 lines obtained by pedigree selection, one of them having the Triticum timopheevi cytoplasm. The three traits analysed are both heritable and environmentally influenced (by season and culture medium composition). The analysis of embryo production shows a mainly nuclear inheritance, with predominantly additive gene action, but also a favourable effect of Triticum timopheevi cytoplasm. Green plant regeneration has a more complex genetic determination, with additive as well as non-additive gene action and cytoplasmic influences. Hybrids appear superior to inbred lines for embryogenesis and green plant yield, but not for green plant regeneration. Androgenetic lines used as parents did not show superiority over other parents either in their own value or in the transmission of androgenetic abilities. Genetic improvement seems to be possible by recombination in progenies of hybrids between lines having complementary abilities.     

基于土地利用变化的喀斯特断陷盆地景观格局演变与生态安全评价

喀斯特地区生态重要性与脆弱性并存,研究喀斯特断陷盆地景观生态安全格局演变对当地土地利用高效管理和生态修复具有重要意义。以云南、四川、贵州三省交界处的喀斯特断陷盆地为研究对象,基于2000-2020年土地利用数据,通过构建土地利用转移矩阵、计算景观格局指数和景观生态安全指数,系统分析土地利用、景观格局与景观生态安全水平的时空演变特征。结果如下：（1）林地、草地、耕地是研究区主要土地利用类型,面积占比超过96%。土地利用变化主要发生在2005-2010年和2015-2020年,空间上表现出整体稳定而局部变化剧烈的特点,以退耕还林还草和林地向草地转换为主,耕地面积在过去20年共减少了386.62 km²。（2）景观多样性与均匀度上升,景观蔓延度下降。林地的最大斑块面积比例下降而草地上升,多数用地的斑块密度上升而集聚度下降,土地利用结构整体优化,但破碎化趋势明显,尤其是林地、耕地和草地。此外,建设用地呈连片化扩张。（3）景观生态安全水平明显提升,一般安全及以上安全区面积占比由2000年的62.35%上升到2020年的98.11%。在石漠化治理和生态保护的推动下,南部的生态安全水平大幅提高,推动空间格局从"北高南低"逐步转向"南北相对均衡"。景观生态安全水平的空间集聚性明显,高-高值集聚区主要在北部而低-低值集聚区主要在南部,需进一步推动北部生态保护以保障其生态屏障功能的发挥,并加强南部生态修复来提升其生态安全水平。此外,需持续推进石漠化治理并合理调控当地经济发展与生态保护间的关系,来维持生态安全水平的长期稳定。     

Phylogenetic analysis of chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) based on mitochondrial control region sequences

Between one and six subspecies of Chinese rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have been proposed based on morphological differences and/or their geographic distribution. In this study, a 489 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial control region was amplified from 230 DNA samples collected from rhesus macaques in the Sichuan province in Western China. The fragment was then sequenced and aligned with 208 sequences from wild rhesus macaques, sampled throughout the species' geographic range in China downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis of the 182 unique sequences identified among these samples divided Chinese rhesus macaques into two western haplogroups (haplogroups A and B) and three older eastern haplogroups (haplogroups C, D, and E), whose differentiation probably occurred during the penultimate glacial event. During the warming after the penultimate glacial event, haplogroups A, B, and E rapidly expanded and a relatively young subhaplogroup of haplogroup E, E', limited to Southern China but shared with Vietnamese rhesus macaques, was reintroduced from Indochina during the last glacial event. One haplotype most closely related to subhaplogroup E' probably represents the isolation of Hainan Island, to where it is restricted, from the mainland by the formation of the Qiongzhou Strait approximately 8,500 years ago. The distribution of haplogroups both informs the phylogeographic history of dispersal of Chinese rhesus macaques and has implications for their suitability as animal models in biomedical research.     

心脉通胶囊联合非诺贝特对饮食控制疗法效果不佳的高脂血症患者血脂、血液流变学和血管内皮功能的影响

摘要 目的：观察心脉通胶囊联合非诺贝特对饮食控制疗法效果不佳的高脂血症患者血脂、血液流变学和血管内皮功能的影响。方法：所选病例为我院2019年5月~2021年9月期间接诊的68例饮食控制疗法效果不佳的高脂血症患者。采用随机数字表法进行分组,68例患者共分为对照组和联合组,例数各为34例。对照组患者接受非诺贝特治疗,联合组患者接受心脉通胶囊联合非诺贝特治疗,对比两组临床总有效率、血脂、血液流变学和血管内皮功能,记录两组治疗期间不良反应发生情况。结果：联合组的临床总有效率高于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗2个月后,联合组的血清全血还原黏度、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）、血管内皮素-1（ET-1）、血浆比黏度、甘油三酯（TG）、全血比黏度、总胆固醇（TC）、纤维蛋白原水平、血细胞比容水平低于对照组,降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）、一氧化氮（NO）水平高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比无统计学差异（P>0.05）。结论：心脉通胶囊联合非诺贝特治疗饮食控制疗法效果不佳的高脂血症患者,可有效控制血脂,调节血液流变学和血管内皮功能,应用价值较好。