SHOREBIRD HABITAT USE AND NEST-SITE SELECTION IN THE PLAYA LAKES REGION

Abstract: Wetlands in the Playa Lakes Region (PLR) provide important habitats for wintering waterfowl, cranes, and both migrant and breeding shorebirds. Playa Lakes Region wetlands experience naturally fluctuating hydroperiods but are exposed to anthropogenic stresses, which are exacerbated during summer and may influence PLR wetland occupancy and selection by breeding shorebirds. We examined wetland-scale habitat use and nest-site selection of the 4 dominant shorebirds (American avocets [Recurvirostra americana], black-necked stilts [Himantopus mexicanus], killdeer [Charadrius vociferus], snowy plovers [C. alexandrinus]) nesting in playas, saline lakes, and in both created and riparian wetlands in the PLR of Texas, USA. All 4 species nested in saline lakes. Only avocets and killdeer nested in playas, and snowy plovers nested in riparian wetlands. No nests were found in created wetlands. Wetland habitat changed (P < 0.001) during the breeding season, while water habitats generally decreased. Used (i.e., shorebirds found nesting) wetlands had more (P < 0.05) mudflats than non-used (i.e., shorebirds not found nesting) wetlands, which had more (P < 0.05) dry habitats. Used and non-used wetlands had similar (P > 0.05) amounts of water habitats. Nests were located close to vegetation on bare dry ground and dry ground with vegetation. Because water is ephemeral in PLR wetlands, shorebirds must select—in a somewhat predictive manner upon arrival—wetlands with suitable nest-site and brood-rearing habitat. Although surface water is necessary for nesting, its presence is not adequate for delineating suitable PLR wetland habitat for breeding shorebirds. Our findings that created wetlands cannot compensate for regional wetland losses in habitat or function highlights the need for conservation of natural PLR wetlands     

Survival of Adult Martens in Northern Wisconsin

Abstract: Low adult marten (Martes americana) survival may be one factor limiting their population growth >30 yr after their reintroduction in Wisconsin, USA. We estimated annual adult marten survival at 0.81 in northern Wisconsin, with lower survival during winter (0.87) than summer-fall (1.00). Fisher (Martes pennanti) and raptor kills were infrequent, and each reduced marten adult annual survival <10%. Annual adult survival was similar to or higher than survival in other areas, suggesting that it was not unusually low and therefore did not limit recovery of marten populations in northern Wisconsin. We captured few juvenile martens, suggesting low reproduction or reduced juvenile survival.     

多炔类化合物对美洲大蠊的触杀活性及对乙酰胆碱酯酶和腺苷三磷酸酶活性的影响

采用药膜法测定了人工合成的11个多炔类化合物对美洲大蠊Periplaneta americana初孵若虫的触杀活性。结果表明,当化合物处理浓度为20 μg/cm²时,致死率达70%以上的有: 化合物2 (1-叔丁基-4-羟甲基-丁二炔)、化合物9 (1-苯甲基-4-甲基-丁二炔)和化合物10 (O-炔丙基硫代磷酸二乙酯)。经毒力测定,化合物9和化合物10的LC₅₀分别为3.91 μg/cm²和1.50 μg/cm²。化合物2、化合物7 (1-苯基-4-邻硝基苯基-丁二炔)和化合物10对美洲大蠊乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)具有抑制活性,抑制率分别为12.00%、27.24%和62.22%。化合物2和化合物10对Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase具有抑制活性,抑制率分别为44.55%和31.44%;而化合物5 (1-苯基-4-（3,4-亚甲基二氧）苯基-丁二炔)和化合物6 (1-苯基-4-间硝基苯基-丁二炔)对该酶具有激活活性,激活率分别为24.98%和20.99%。化合物2、化合物4 （1-苯基-4-对甲氧基苯基-丁二炔）和化合物7对Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase具有抑制活性,抑制率分别为49.02%、38.53%和35.32%, 其他化合物对该酶具有激活活性,其中激活活性最高的为化合物5,激活率达81.12%。     

蜚蠊的本草考证

蜚蠊是传统的中药、民族药,药用历史悠久,现被多部地方药材标准单独入药收载,药用主流种为蜚蠊目Blattaria蜚蠊科Blattidae的美洲大蠊Periplaneta americana(Linnaeus,1758),具有活血化瘀、清热解毒、消积、生肌等功效。本文通过查阅本草典籍中关于蜚蠊的记载,对蜚蠊的名称、基源、效用、炮制方法进行考证,为蜚蠊资源的药用深入开发利用提供依据。     

Purification and cDNA cloning of a lectin and a lectin-like protein from Apios americana Medikus tubers

An Apios americana lectin (AAL) and a lectin-like protein (AALP) were purified from tubers by chromatography on Butyl-Cellulofine, ovomucoid-Cellulofine, and DEAE-Cellulofine columns. AAL showed strong hemagglutinating activity toward chicken and goose erythrocytes, but AALP showed no such activity toward any of the erythrocytes tested. The hemagglutinating activity of AAL was not inhibited by mono- or disaccharides, but was inhibited by glycoproteins, such as asialofetuin and ovomucoid, suggesting that AAL is an oligosaccharide-specific lectin. The cDNAs of AAL and AALP consist of 1,093 and 1,104 nucleotides and encode proteins of 302 and 274 amino acid residues, respectively. Both amino acid sequences showed high similarity to known legume lectins, and those of their amino acids involved in carbohydrate and metal binding were conserved.     

Comparison of Phytolacain G,a Cysteine Protease from Fruit of Phytolacca americana,with Phytolacain R

The enzymatic properties of phytolacain G, a protease isolated from green fruit of pokeweed, were compared with those of phytolacain R, a protease obtained from ripe fruit. The optimum pH of phytolacain G was 7.5-8.0 at 37°C using casein as the substrate. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by iodoacetic acid and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, but not by diisopropyl fluorophosphate or EDTA. These results indicated that phytolacain G was a cysteine protease, like phytolacain R. Nine sites of oxidized insulin B-chain were cleaved by phytolacain G during 20 h of hydrolysis. The six sites cleaved by phytolacain G were also cleaved by phytolacain R. The substrate specificity of phytolacain G was broad, but the preference for hydrophobic residues at the P₂ position was similar to the substrate specificity of papain. The amino-terminal sequence of phytolacain G was not identical with that of phytolacain R; however, the amino acid residues conserved in the papain family were also conserved in this enzyme.     

脱氧鬼臼毒素对美洲大蠊乙酰胆碱受体信号通路分子mRNA表达水平的影响

【目的】探讨脱氧鬼臼毒素(deoxyopodophyllotoxin, DOP)对美洲大蠊Periplaneta americana神经系统乙酰胆碱受体信号通路的影响。【方法】从美洲大蠊头部克隆乙酰胆碱受体信号通路上的关键信号分子nAChR α6亚基、 CaM和 CaMKⅡ的部分mRNA, 并测定其序列。应用荧光定量PCR技术分别观察注射不同浓度（10, 45, 80, 115和150 μg/μL） DOP 24和48 h后上述3种基因表达水平的变化。【结果】测序结果显示, 克隆出的美洲大蠊nAChR基因部分序列（539 bp）与赤拟谷盗Tribolium castaneum nAChR α6亚基基因的核苷酸序列一致性为84%; 美洲大蠊CaM基因（435 bp）与雕叶蝉Graphocephala atropunctata CaM基因的核苷酸序列一致性为85%; 美洲大蠊CaMKⅡ基因（513 bp）与黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster CaMKⅡ基因的核苷酸一致性为77%。实时定量荧光PCR实验表明： DOP处理48 h后对美洲大蠊nAChR α6亚基、 CaM和CaMKII基因表达水平大体表现出低剂量激活, 高剂量抑制的特点。45~80 μg/μL DOP浓度范围内3种基因表达水平达到高峰, 80~150 μg/μL 浓度范围内表现为抑制作用, 基因表达水平呈下降趋势。【结论】DOP需要在美洲大蠊体内蓄积一定时间才有明显的作用, 能与nAChR结合引起CaM-CaMKⅡ级联反应, 使3种基因的表达在低浓度组上调、 高浓度组被抑制, 进而对美洲大蠊产生潜在的毒杀作用。     

Accumulation and fractionation of rare earth elements (REEs) in the naturally grown Phytolacca americana L. in southern China

The widespread use of rare earth elements (REEs) has resulted in problems for soil and human health. Phytolacca americana L. is a herbaceous plant widely distributed in Dingnan county of Jiangxi province, China, which is a REE mining region (ion absorption rare earth mine) and the soil has high levels of REEs. An investigation of REE content of P. americana growing naturally in Dingnan county was conducted. REE concentrations in the roots, stems, and leaves of P. americana and in their rhizospheric soils were determined. Results showed that plant REEs concentrations varied among the sampling sites and can reach 1040 mg/kg in the leaves. Plant REEs concentrations decreased in the order of leaf > root > stem and all tissues were characterized by a light REE enrichment and a heavy REE depletion. However, P. americana exhibited preferential accumulation of light REEs during the absorption process (from soil to root) and preferential accumulation of heavy REEs during the translocation process (from stem to leaf). The ability of P. americana to accumulate high REEs in the shoot makes it a potential candidate for understanding the absorption mechanisms of REEs and for the phytoremediation of REEs contaminated soil.