Sex-specific facilitation and reproduction of the gynodioecious cushion plant Arenaria polytrichoides on the Himalaya-Hengduan mountains,SW China

When benefiting other beneficiaries,cushion plants may reciprocally receive feedback effects.The feedback effects on different sex morphs,however,remains unclear.In this study,taking the gynodioecious Arenaria polytrichiodes as a model species,we aimed to assess the sex-specific facilitation intensity of cushion plant by measuring the beneficiary cover ratio,and to assess the potential costs in cushion reproductive functions by measuring the flower and fruit cover ratios.The total beneficiary cover ratio was similar between females and hermaphrodites.Females produced much less flowers but more fruits than hermaphrodites.These results suggested that females and hermaphrodites possess similar facilitation intensity,and female cushion A.polytrichoides may allocate more resources saved from pollen production to seed production,while hermaphrodites possibly allocate more resources to pollen production hence reducing seed production.The surface areas covered by beneficiaries produced less flowers and fruits than areas without beneficiaries.In addition,strong negative correlations between beneficiary cover and flower cover were detected for both females and hermaphrodites,but the correlation strength were similar for these two sex morphs.However,the correlation between beneficiary cover and fruit cover was only significantly negative for females,suggesting that beneficiary plants negatively affect fruit reproduction of females while have neutral effects on hermaphrodites.All the results suggest that to facilitate other beneficiaries can induce reproductive costs on cushion A.polytrichoides,with females possibly suffering greater cost than hermaphrodites.Such differentiation in reproductive costs between sex morphs,in long-term perspective,may imply sex imbalance in population dynamics.

Asexual Reproduction of Aurelia coerulea Polyps in situ on Settling Plates in Jiaozhou Bay,China

Jellyfish blooms are increasingly prevalent coastal phenomena,with Aurelia coerulea being a significant contributor.The complex life history of jellyfish,featuring a sessile polyp stage,is a key factor in bloom formation,yet it is challenging to study in the field.This study aimed to describe the asexual reproduction of A.coerulea polyps in Jiaozhou Bay,China,and to assess their ability to form sedentary colonies and their relationship with environmental factors.Using settling plates,we observed polyps in situ and documented three asexual reproduction modes:budding,strobilation,and podocyst formation.Environmental parameters including temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen(DO),chlorophyll a(Chl a),and the biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton were monitored.Budding was the predominant reproductive method,featuring stolon budding in autumn and direct budding during the winter and spring seasons.Strobilation took place in the colder months,releasing ephyrae between April and May.Polyp abundance was positively correlated with seawater temperature and negatively correlated with DO concentration.Polyps at 1.0 m depth showed higher survivorship and proliferation over 8 months,whereas those at 2.0 m depth experienced a steady decline and died within 4 months.The study enhances our understanding of the life cycle and asexual reproduction strategies of A.coerulea polyps in the field,with implications for predicting and managing jellyfish blooms.The findings underscore the importance of temperature and DO in polyp survival and suggest that initial polyp population proliferation is crucial for long-term survival.

The life-history trait trade-offs mediated by reproduction and immunity in the brown planthopper,Nilaparvata lugens Stål

Reproduction and immune defense are costly functions,and they are expected to tradeoff with each other to drive evolution.The brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens Stål(Hemiptera,Delphacidae),is a global superpest that mostly damages rice crops.Yeast-like symbionts(YLS)exist in the abdominal fat body tissue and are tightly associated with the development,growth,and reproduction of BPH.Our previous research demonstrated that mating behavior promotes the release of YLS from the fat body into the hemolymph in the BPH,thereby triggering an immune response.Additionally,the fitness costs related to life-history traits of BPH(such as survival rate)have a strong dependence on the relative abundance of YLS.However,the possible relationship between reproduction and the immune response in BPH has not been identified.In this study,an omics-based approach was used to analyze the transcriptome of fat body tissues in mated and unmated BPH at 72 h post-eclosion,from which two antimicrobial peptide genes,NlDefensin A(NlDfA)and NlDefensin B(NlDfB),were selected since they were highly expressed in mated BPH.Subsequently,the full-length cDNA sequences of the NlDfA and NlDfB genes were cloned and analyzed.qPCR results showed up-regulation of the NlDfA and NlDfB genes in mated BPH when compared to unmated BPH.Spatial-temporal expression analysis indicated that the NlDfA and NlDfB genes were expressed in all tissues and developmental stages,and they were most highly expressed in the fat body at 24 h post-eclosion.Moreover,the symbionts in BPH were significantly inhibited by the in vitro expression of the NlDfA and NlDfB proteins.Furthermore,RNA interference(RNAi)-mediated suppression of NlDfA and NlDfB dramatically increased the relative abundance of YLS in the fat body,while YLS in the hemolymph decreased significantly.These BPHs also displayed some fitness disadvantages in survival,fecundity,hatchability,and possibly the vertical transmission of YLS from hemolymph to egg.Our results indicated that mating could heighten the immunity of BPH by upregulating the expression of the NlDfA and NlDfB genes,which protect the host from pathogen challenges during reproduction.However,the reduced content of YLS may act as a fitness disadvantage in dictating the life-history traits of BPH.This work has significant theoretical and practical implications for the precise green control technology that involves crucial gene targeting,as well as for the“endosymbionts for pest control”strategy in insects.

Tissue distribution of cadmium and its effect on reproduction in Spodoptera exigua

Vegetable fields are often contaminated by heavy metals,and Spodoptera exigua is a major vegetable pest which is stressed by heavy metals mainly by feeding.In this study,cadmium accumulation in the tissues of S.exigua exposed to cadmium and its effects on the growth and development of the parents and the offspring were investigated.Under the stress of different concentrations of cadmium(0.2,3.2,and 51.2 mg kg^(-1)),the cadmium content in each tissue of S.exigua increased in a dose-dependent manner.At the larval stage,the highest cadmium accumulation was found in midgut in all three cadmium treatments,but at the adult stage,the highest cadmium content was found in fat body.In addition,the cadmium content in ovaries was much higher than in testes.When F1S.exigua was stressed by cadmium and the F_(2)generation was not fed a cadmium-containing diet,the larval survival,pupation rate,emergence rate and fecundity of the F_(2)generation were significantly reduced in the 51.2 mg kg^(-1)treatment compared to the corresponding F1generation.Even in the F_(2)generation of the 3.2 mg kg^(-1)treatment,the fecundity was significantly lower than in the parental generation.The fecundity of the only-female stressed treatment was significantly lower than that of the only-male stressed treatment at the 3.2 and 51.2 mg kg^(-1)cadmium exposure levels.When only mothers were stressed at the larval stage,the fecundity of the F_(2)generation was significantly lower than that of the F1generation in the 51.2 mg kg^(-1)treatment,and it was also significantly lower than in the 3.2 and 0.2 mg kg^(-1)treatments.The results of our study can provide useful information for forecasting the population increase trends under different heavy metal stress conditions and for the reliable environmental risk assessment of heavy metal pollution.

Research on Development Mode of Solid Ancient Towns Based on Cultural Reproduction——A Case Study of Zouma Ancient Town in China

The paper had pointed out hollow ancient town was the result of urbanization and desire; and analyzed that hollowness made ancient towns degenerate in nature, economy and social function, seriously blocking the sustainable development of economic society of ancient towns. Based on the connotation and idea of cultural reproduction, in terms of application of basic theories of cultural ecology and restoration ecology, it had established tourism development of solid ancient towns, which had been analyzed specifically from the perspectives of representation of ancient towns'scene, cultural realization and cultural promotion. By taking Zouwa Ancient Town in the west of the main urban area of Chongqing City for example, it had discussed tourism development practice of ancient towns, emphasized making Zouma scene reappear from the aspects of pattern protection, restoration and treatment of ecological environment, ancient towns' protection and cultural facilities' construction, experiencing and publicizing Zouma culture. It also highlighted taking historical and cultural heritages as the theme of tourist products, and proposed development mode of solid ancient towns, realizing reproduction of cultural heritage.

ISSUES AND MEASURES ON ASSISTED REPRODUCTION BY ACUPUNCTURE ABROAD

As the application of acupuncture has been increased year by year in the field of overseas reproduction, it has become crucial to give a scientific and objective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the field of assisted reproduction, which attaches great importance to the sustainable development of acupuncture in the field of reproduction. This article aims to introduce the current situation of overseas clinical study in the field of assisted reproduction, analyze the existing issues profoundly and put forward measures to solve them, in order to enhance the level of international clinical study of acupuncture.

一类具有脉冲干预措施的COVID-19模型的稳定性分析

建立了一类对易感人群实施脉冲干预措施的COVID-19模型,得出了模型的基本再生数R_(0)和无病周期解。当R_(0)<1时,根据脉冲微分不等式和Lyapunov函数分析了无病周期解的全局稳定性,并数值模拟了这一结论。最后,探讨了脉冲预防策略在COVID-19传染病预防中的效果。

Advances in Small RNAs and Sexual Reproduction in Plants

Small RNAs are non-coding RNA molecules with 20-30 nucleotides （nt） in length that mainly play regulatory roles in gene expression at the post-transcription level by directly cutting target mRNA or inhibiting its translation. Small RNAs play regulatory roles in the growth and development process of plants at the core of gene regulatory networks, which has been widely studied and confirmed in sporophyte generation of plants. However, few researches have been conducted on small RNAs and gametophyte generation. It is reported that small RNAs play important roles in floral organ development, gametogenesis, fertilization, and early zygotic development of plants. In addition, various small RNAs also play roles in controlling genetic integrity, cell differentiation and functions during the sexual reproduction process of plants. However, most of the specific functions of small RNAs in the sexual reproduction process are unknown yet. This study mainly aimed to introduce small RNAs in plants, summarize the latest advances in researches of small RNAs and plant sexual reproduction, and make prospect on its future.

鳜鱼生殖生长调控与良种培育技术研究进展

鳜鱼分布在东亚国家,是我国主要养殖淡水鱼类,具有重要的经济价值。近年来,随着全基因组测序的完成,鳜鱼生殖生长遗传基础被逐步揭示。研究人员在鳜鱼中开发了性别染色体分子标记,实现了性别控制育种;开展了细胞工程育种,获得多倍体鱼;进行生长选育和饲料驯化,培育出了多个鳜鱼优良新品种。本文结合自己研究团队的工作,对鳜鱼生殖生长调控机制和良种培育技术进行了总结整理,并讨论了遗传育种方法的应用现状,以期为鳜鱼乃至经济鱼类产业的发展提供方向和目标性思考。

卵胎生硬骨鱼许氏平鲉繁殖生物学研究进展

卵胎生作为卵生向胎生进化的中间状态,具有子代成活率高的特性。因此,卵胎生许氏平鲉成为我国重要的北方海水养殖对象之一。然而,大量养殖该物种又带来了一些繁殖过程中的实际问题。比如,网箱养殖的亲鱼出现明显的交配失败,导致其子代出生率极低;妊娠期亲鱼母胎器官发育障碍,导致仔鱼胎死腹中;早产、难产导致的亲鱼、仔鱼大量死亡等。本综述将针对上述问题,分别探讨许氏平鲉交配发生、妊娠维持及分娩启动相关的内分泌调控机制,以期为后续研究提供潜在思路,最终实现水产养殖问题的解决。

绝经后女性维生素D水平与生殖特点和运动膳食情况的关系

背景:研究证明绝经后骨质疏松症与女性生殖特点和运动膳食有关,但是鲜有研究证明女性生殖特点及运动膳食是否对绝经后女性维生素D有影响。目的:探讨北京市绝经后女性维生素D水平与女性生殖特点和运动膳食情况的关系及其影响因素。方法:选取2017年9月至2018年5月北京市多个城区的17个社区现场问卷调查的727例46-75岁绝经后女性作为研究对象,问卷内容包括受试者的基本信息和月经史、绝经史、妊娠史、运动膳食情况等。采用电化学发光免疫分析仪及其配套试剂测定25-(OH)D水平;使用双能X射线骨密度检测仪测定腰椎(L1-L4、整体)和双髋关节(股骨颈、整体)的骨密度和T值;观察维生素D与生殖特点和运动膳食的相关性,并进行维生素D的影响因素分析。结果与结论:①维生素D正常组136例(18.7%),维生素D不足组389例(53.5%),维生素D缺乏组202例(27.8%);平均维生素D水平为(15.60±5.85)ng/mL。②随着维生素D水平的升高,不同部位的骨密度值及T值也随之升高。③维生素D水平与初潮年龄、月经持续天数、绝经阶段、运动情况、饮食类型、饮食偏好均呈正相关(P<0.05);与月经周期、绝经年龄、生育次数均呈负相关(P<0.05);与初孕年龄、怀孕次数无相关性(P>0.05)。④多因素有序Logistic回归分析结果显示,喝奶制品频率对绝经后女性维生素D值存在正向相关(P<0.05),且奶制品是维生素D水平的保护因素。⑤调查结果说明,北京市绝经后女性维生素D水平普遍不足、骨密度值普遍低下,维生素D水平与部分生殖特点、运动膳食情况存在关联,且其中喝奶制品是其保护因素。因此可以通过开展相关骨质疏松的健康教育,对绝经后女性膳食情况进行调整加以干预,增加体内维生素D含量,以期增加骨密度值,减少绝经后骨质疏松患病率。

慕课在生殖医学教学中的应用——以《Introduction to reproduction》课程为例

慕课(MOOC,Massive Open Online Course)是大规模网络在线开放课程引入中国时的国内译名,是现有在线教育的时下最新模式。在常规的课堂教学模式下,引入慕课的最新教学理念和运作方式,有助于正处在日新月异和蓬勃发展的生殖医学领域内的从业人员和在校学生及时更新专业知识,优化学习过程,提高学习效率,也有助于师生教学相长。本文以Coursera平台提供的Northwestern University的Teresa K.Woodruff博士主讲的《Introduction to reproduction》课程为例,谈谈慕课在生殖医学教学中的应用体会。

The Analysis of Growth and Reproduction of Industrial Clusters Based on View of Ecological Coexistence

The behavior of industrial cluster is similar to the behavior of biological population, that is, the industrial cluster is seemed to be an ecological symbiotic system. The relationship between economic organizations in the industrial cluster is similar to the relationship of species in ecological system, and symbiotic reciprocity, competition and cooperation are the basic. The ecological development is mainstream and direction of industrial cluster. In this paper, firstly, we studied the ecological symbiosis growth model of industry cluster, and tbund it being according to logistic growth model; secondly, we studied the growth and reproduction of economic organizations in industrial cluster in three different cases, which with only competition relations, only beneficial relations, and both competition and beneficial cooperation relationship between economic organizations, and finally, we determined the number of economical organizations when the industrial cluster attained ecological equilibrium.

Study on Flowering, Cultivation, and Reproduction of Agave americana Var. Marginata Hort. (Agavaceae)

Agave americana Var. Marginata Hort. （Agavaceae） is a perennial herb. This paper summarized its classification, distribution, morphological characteristics, habit, flowering and fruiting, cultivation and reproduction, as well as multiple uses in daily life, which provided references for the exploitation and utilization of Agave americana Vat. Marginata Hort. （Agavaceae）.

Impact of the Three Gorges Dam on reproduction of four major Chinese carps species in the middle reaches of the Changjiang River

Silver carp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix),bighead carp(Aristichthys nobilis),grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella),and black carp(Mylopharyngodon piceus) are the four major Chinese carps and are commercially important aquaculture species in China.Reproduction of these carp has declined since the construction of the Three Gorges Dam(TGD) due to an altered water flow and thermal regime in the Changjiang(Yangtze) River.However,details of the changes in reproduction of the four species are not well understood.To assess the impact of the TGD on reproduction of the four carp,we investigated their eggs and larvae at Yidu City,which is 80 km below the TGD,during 2005-2012.We examined differences in larval abundance of the four species in the Jianli section(350 km downstream of the TGD) before(1997-2002)and after(2003-2012) construction of the TGD.Based on these observations,the first spawning date of the four species was delayed a mean of about 25 days after the dam was constructed.Mean egg abundance in the Yidu section of the river was 249 million and mean larval abundance was 464 million,which were significant decreases since the 1980 s.Moreover,larval abundance in the Jianli section after the dam was constructed was significantly lower than that before construction(ANCOVA,P<0.05).The observed larval abundance accounted for only 24.66%of the predicted value in 2003 when the dam was first inundated.The present spawning grounds between the TGD and Yidu section of the river are very similar to those described in the 1980 s,and some spawning grounds exist upstream of the TGD.Large free-flowing stretches upstream of the TGD and the creation of artificially flooded downstream reaches are needed to stimulate spawning and effectively conserve these four major Chinese carps species.

The role of dietary fibre in pig production,with a particular emphasis on reproduction

Fibres from a variety of sources are a common constituent of pig feeds. They provide a means to utilise locallyproduced plant materials which are often a by-product of the food or drink industry. The value of a high fibre diet in terms of producing satiety has long been recognised. However the addition of fibre can reduce feed intake, which is clearly detrimental during stages of the production cycle when nutrient needs are high, for example in growing piglets and during lactation. More recently, fibre has been found to promote novel benefits to pig production systems,particularly given the reduction in antimicrobial use world-wide, concern for the welfare of animals fed a restricted diet and the need to ensure that such systems are more environmentally friendly. For example, inclusion of dietary fibre can alter the gut microbiota in ways that could reduce the need for antibiotics, while controlled addition of certain fibre types may reduce nitrogen losses into the environment and so reduce the environmental cost of pig production.Of particular potential value is the opportunity to use crude fibre concentrates as ’functional’ feed additives to improve young pig growth and welfare. Perhaps the greatest opportunity for the use of high fibre diets is to improve the reproductive efficiency of pigs. Increased dietary fibre before mating improves oocyte maturation, prenatal survival and litter size; providing a consumer-acceptable means of increasing the amount of saleable meat produced per sow. The mechanisms responsible for these beneficial effects remain to be elucidated. However, changes in plasma and follicular fluid concentrations of key hormones and metabolites, as well as effects of the hypothalamic satiety centre on gonadotrophin secretion and epigenetic effects are strong candidates.

Impact of brine acidification on hatchability, survival and reproduction of Artemia parthenogenetica and Artemia franciscana in salt ponds, Bohai Bay, China

We studied the effect of pH （pH 5, 6, 7 and 8） on the hatching percentage, survival and reproduction of Artemia strains in Bohai Bay salt ponds. Strains included parthenogenetic Artemia from Bohai Bay （BHB）, Artemiafranciscana from San Francisco Bay, and A. franciscana artificially produced in salt ponds in Vietnam. The latter was included as a potential inoculum for biological management of salt ponds. The hatching percentage of cysts after 24 h and the survival rate of the tested Artemia strains were significantly reduced when exposed to a culture medium at pH 5 for 18 d （P〈0.05）. The tolerance of Artemia to 48 h acid exposure varied with developmental stage, increasing in the following order： juvenile, nauplii, pre-adult, with maximum tolerance in adults. All strains of Artemia tested could not reproduce at pH 5. At pH levels from pH 6-8, a higher pH generally resulted in a shorter brood interval and enhanced ovoviviparity. Hence, we suggest that brine acidification has a negative impact on Artemia populations in the Bohai Bay saltworks. Inoculation of Artemia with either local parthenogenetic Artemia or exotic A. franeiscana should be feasible at pH 7-8.

Effect of temperature and irradiance on the growth and reproduction of Enteromorpha prolifera J.Ag.(Chlorophycophyta,Chlorophyceae)

Effect of temperature and irradiance on growth and reproduction of Enteromorpha prolifera that bloomed offshore along the Qingdao coast in summer 2008, was studied. It was showed that E. prolifera propagated mainly asexually with specific growth rate （SGR） of 10.47 at 25℃/40 μmol m^-2s^-1. Under this condition, gametes with two flagellate formed and released in 5 days. At the beginning of the development, the unicell gamete divided into two cells with heteropolarity, and then the apical cell developed into thalli primordial cells, whereas the basal cell developed into rhizoid primordial cells. In 8-day culture, the monoplast gamete developed into juvenile germling of 240 μm in length. Unreleased gametes can develop directly within the alga body. E. prolifera could either reproduce through lateral branching or fragmenting except apomixis revealed by Microscopic observation. On aged tissue of E. prolifera, although the degraded pigments partially remained in faded algal filaments, numerous vegetative cells could still divide actively in the algal tissues.

Joint action of phoxim and fenvalerate on reproduction in male rats

Aim: To evaluate the joint action of phoxim and fenvalerate on the reproductive function in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: The 2×2 factorial analysis experiment was used in the study. The pesticides were orally given at daily doses of phoxim (Pho) 8.2 nig/kg, fenvalerate (Fen) 3.3 mg/kg and Pho 8.2+Fen 3,3 mg/kg (Pho:Fen = 5:2), 5 days a week for 60 days. Sperm motility was measured with computer-assisted sperm motility analysis (CASA) and daily sperm production estimated. Immunoenzymatic method and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the serum testosterone and the testicular morphology, respectively. Results: There were significant decreases in sperm motility parameters in the treated animals, including straight line velocity (VSL), beat cross frequency (BCF), linearity (LIN) and straightness (STR). After treated with Fen, significant decreases in VSL, LIN and STR were demonstrated. Significant decreases of daily sperm production were seen in animals treated with Pho and Pho+Fen in comparison with the controls. Serum testosterone levels were not significantly changed in the treated groups. Factorial ANOVA showed that no significant interactions were noted between Pho and Fen in sperm motility, sperm production and serum testosterone. Both the single and mixed pesticides caused various degrees of testicular lesions, involving vacuolation of endoplasmic reticulum and necrosis of Sertoli cells. Conclusion: The pesticides may cause sperm motility changes and testicular lesions in male rats. The action of Pho and Fen may be additive.

The type, position and age effect on the cutting reproduction of Picea crassifolia and its rooting mechanism in the Qilian Mountains

Picea crassifolia Kom, a perennial arbor spe- cies is recognized as one of the most adaptable plants found to date in Qilian Mountains. To explore the cutting reproduction technology of P. crassifolia and reveal its rooting mechanism, cuttings of P. crassifolia with different cutting types （softwood, hardwood and root）, positions （top, upper, middle and bottom） and ages （7, 10, 15, 20, 25 year-old） were cultivated in a field experiment. One- year old softwood and hardwood cuttings were collected from 7-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25 year-old healthy ortets to analyze the changes from endogenous hormones and organic nutrients. Results indicate that the softwood cut- tings （0.5-1.0 cm in diameter） from upper branches of 15 year-old ortets shows better growth performance by improving rooting indexes, including a significant increasein rooting rate and a decrease in basal rot rate. Concomi- tantly, increasing rooting quantity and root length also increased. It is noteworthy that the high rooting rate of P. crassifolia cuttings due to its ability to accumulate high concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid （IAA） and total carbon （TC） rather than abscisic acid （ABA） and total nitrogen （TN）. The rooting rate was mainly regulated by the IAA/ABA and TC/TN ratio. In summary, our results suggest that the softwood cuttings （0.5-1.0 cm in diameter） from upper branches of 15 year-old P. crassifolia can be considered as an effective strategy to improve cutting rooting rate, and the IAA/ABA and TC/TN ratio was one of the main factors limiting the cutting rooting rate of P. crassifolia.