Sarcocystis menglaensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from Williamson's mouse deer Tuagulus williamsoni (Kloss) (Artiodactyla: Tragulidae).

Williamson's mouse deer, Tuagulus williamsoni (Kloss), is one of the smallest ungulates among tragulid species found in northern Thailand, and Yunnan Province, China. Here we describe Sarcocystis menglaensis n. sp., infecting two of 14 (14.3%) Williamson's mouse deer from south-western China. By light microscopy, sarcocysts of S. menglaensis are microscopic, up to 2,170 µm in length, and have a striated sarcocyst wall with 1.5-3.6 µm long palisade-like protrusions. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that sarcocyst wall is of "type 10f", and has numerous villar protrusions folded over the cyst wall. The villar protrusions contained microtubules dispersed throughout the protrusions. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rDNA and mitochondrial cox1 gene sequences indicated that S. menglaensis shared a close affinity with species of Sarcocystis Lankester, 1982 from ruminants, which utilise felids as definitive hosts.

Sarcocystis tuagulusi, n.sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) from Williamson's mouse deer (Tuagulus williamsoni) (Artiodactyla:Tragulidae).

Numerous species of Sarcocystis have been reported from wild ruminants, but none has been from Williamson's mouse deer (Tuagulus williamsoni). Here, we describe a new species, Sarcocystis tuagulusi, infecting five of 12 Williamson's mouse deer from southwest China. Mature sarcocysts are microscopic, up to 2280-µm long. The sarcocyst wall had 8.2-µm long villar protrusions, type 24. Using transmission electron microscopy, the protrusions on sarcocysts appeared as elongated, lancet- or leaf-like shapes in longitudinal sections; in contrast, the cross-sections revealed mushroom-shaped protrusions. In the core of the protrusion, a bundle of microtubules penetrated diagonally into a ground substance along the longitudinal axis. A phyogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA and cox1 sequences suggested S. tuagulusi is closely related to Sarcocystis species from ruminants that employ felids as definitive hosts.

Genealogy and palaeodrainage basins in Yunnan Province: phylogeography of the Yunnan spiny frog, Nanorana yunnanensis (Dicroglossidae).

Historical drainage patterns adjacent to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau differed markedly from those of today. We examined the relationship between drainage history and geographic patterns of genetic variation in the Yunnan spiny frog, Nanorana yunnanensis, using approximately 981 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA partial sequences from protein-coding genes ND1 and ND2, and intervening areas including complete tRNA(Ile), tRNA(Gln) and tRNA(Met). Two null hypotheses were tested: (i) that genetic patterns do not correspond to the development of drainage systems and (ii) that populations had been stable and not experienced population expansion, bottlenecking and selection. Genealogical analyses identified three, major, well-supported maternal lineages, each of which had two sublineages. These divergent lineages were completely concordant with six geographical regions. Genetic structure and divergence were strongly congruent with historical rather than contemporary drainage patterns. Most lineages and sublineages were formed via population fragmentation during the rearrangement of paleodrainage basins in the Early Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. Sympatric lineages occurred only in localities at the boundaries of major drainages, likely reflecting secondary contact of previously allopatric populations. Extensive population expansion probably occurred early in the Middle Pleistocene accompanying dramatic climatic oscillations.

[Perception and attitude of rural community to the construction of Asian elephant conservation corridors in Xishuangbanna].

By using contingent valuation method (CVM), an investigation was made from November 2007 to March 2008 on the perception and attitude of 196 households in 5 villages within 2 planned Asian elephant conservation corridors in Xishuangbanna to the construction of the corridors. 80.61% of the interviewees conditionally supported the corridors construction. The main factors affecting the interviewees' support willingness included their education level, per capita income, and perceptions to Asian elephant protection, human-elephant relations, and corridor utilization patterns and its beneficiaries, among which, the interviewees' awareness of Asian elephant conservation, corridor utilization patterns, and corridor beneficiaries had strong influence on the support willingness, with the correlation coefficient being 0.231, 0.236, and -0.304, respectively. The rural community holding the land tenure played a key role in the corridors construction. To effectively design and planning the construction of biological conservation corridor, it is necessary to have a deep understanding on the perceptions and attitudes of rural community to the construction of the corridor and to obtain their support and participation for this construction.

Phylogeny of the Asian spiny frog tribe Paini (Family Dicroglossidae) sensu Dubois.

The anuran tribe Paini, family Dicroglossidae, is known in this group only from Asia. The phylogenetic relationships and often the taxonomic recognition of species are controversial. In order to stabilize the classification, we used approximately 2100 bp of nuclear (rhodopsin, tyrosinase) and mitochondrial (12S, 16S rRNA) DNA sequence data to infer the phylogenetic relationships of these frogs. Phylogenetic trees reconstructed using Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods supported a monophyletic tribe Paini. Two distinct groups (I,II) were recovered with the mtDNA alone and the total concatenated data (mtDNA+nuDNA). The recognition of two genera, Quasipaa and Nanorana, was supported. Group I, Quasipaa, is widespread east of the Hengduan Mountain Ranges and consists of taxa from relatively low elevations in southern China, Vietnam and Laos. Group II, Nanorana, contains a mix of species occurring from high to low elevation predominantly in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Hengduan Mountain Ranges. The occurrence of frogs at high elevations appears to be a derived ecological condition. The composition of some major species groups based on morphological characteristics strongly conflicts with the molecular analysis. Some possible cryptic species are indicated by the molecular analyses. The incorporation of genetic data from type localities helped to resolve some of the taxonomic problems, although further combined analyses of morphological data from type specimens are required. The two nuDNA gene segments proved to be very informative for resolving higher phylogenetic relationships and more nuclear data should be explored to be more confident in the relationships.

[Experimental study for the targeting therapy of mouse lung carcinoma treated by anti-hnRNPB1 monoclonal antibody with 131I].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the targeted therapeutic efficiencies of 131I-anti hnRNPB1 MAb (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteinB1, monoclonal antibody with 131I) and anti-hnRNP B1 MAb on the mice with implanted Lewis lung carcinoma. Methods Anti hnRNPB1 MAb was combined with 131I by routine chloramines-T method. The Lewis lung cancer cells were implanted subcutaneously into 30 C57BL/6 mice. After 7 d, the mice were divided into five groups. The mice in each group were injected with antibody or other reagent by tail vein respectively. For group I, the 131I-anti hnRNPB1 MAb 11.1 MBq single dose was administered. For group II, the 131I-anti hnRNPB1 MAb 11.1 MBq double doses (interval 3 d) were given. And the Na(131)I 11.1 MBq dosage was used to treat group III. For group IV, only anti-hnRNPB1 MAb 50 microg was conducted for mice. Group V was used as control. The toxic response was observed every day, and the size of tumor was measured weekly, and then the mice were killed four weeks after treatment. The tumor was resected and weighed. The inhibited rate of tumor growth was calculated and tumor tissue was pathologically detected. RESULTS: After treatment the average tumor volumes of group I, II, III, IV, V were (3869 +/- 192) mm3, (1987 +/- 149) mm3, (6922 +/- 532) mm3, (6962 +/- 509) mm3, (6957 +/- 521) mm3 respectively. The average tumor volumes in I, II group were significantly smaller than those in V group (P < 0.05), also the average tumor volume in group II was significantly smaller than that in I group (P < 0.05). The average tumor volume showed no significant difference in III and IV group compared to the control groups. The inhibition rates of tumor growth in II and I group were 67.17% and 39.03% respectively, obviously higher than those in III (1.36%) and IV group (0.9%) (P < 0.05). The inhibition rates of tumor growth between II and I group also showed significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It is showed that the Lewis lung cancer on mice can be inhibited by 131I-hnRNPB1 MAb and the inhibition rate of tumor growth is dose-response relationship.

[Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibody against heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein B1].

OBJECTIVE: To establish anti-heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein B1 monoclonal antibody cell line and to identify immunological activity. METHODS: BALB/c mice were immunized with specific hnRNPB1 polypeptide by multiple-place hypodermic injection. The splenic cells of the mice were fused with SP2/0 mouse myeloma cells. The hybridoma culture supernants were screened by indirect ELISA with artificial synthetic peptide. RESULTS: Two hybridoma cell lines against hnRNPB1 were successfully obtained; the titers of antibody in ascites were 1: 1.8 x 10(5). The McAb showed the character of no cross reactions. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the antibody could bind with hnRNPB1 specifically. CONCLUSION: The McAb prepared so by this laboratory is of good specificity and sensitivity.