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Reliable maps of species distributions are fundamental for biodiversity research and conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) range maps are widely recognized as authoritative representations of species' geographic limits, yet they might not always align with actual occurrence data. In recent area of habitat (AOH) maps, areas that are not habitat have been removed from IUCN ranges to reduce commission errors, but their concordance with actual species occurrence also remains untested. We tested concordance between occurrences recorded in camera trap surveys and predicted occurrences from the IUCN and AOH maps for 510 medium- to large-bodied mammalian species in 80 camera trap sampling areas. Across all areas, cameras detected only 39% of species expected to occur based on IUCN ranges and AOH maps; 85% of the IUCN only mismatches occurred within 200 km of range edges. Only 4% of species occurrences were detected by cameras outside IUCN ranges. The probability of mismatches between cameras and the IUCN range was significantly higher for smaller-bodied mammals and habitat specialists in the Neotropics and Indomalaya and in areas with shorter canopy forests. Our findings suggest that range and AOH maps rarely underrepresent areas where species occur, but they may more often overrepresent ranges by including areas where a species may be absent, particularly at range edges. We suggest that combining range maps with data from ground-based biodiversity sensors, such as camera traps, provides a richer knowledge base for conservation mapping and planning., (© 2024 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

The biodiversity impacts of agricultural deforestation vary widely across regions. Previous efforts to explain this variation have focused exclusively on the landscape features and management regimes of agricultural systems, neglecting the potentially critical role of ecological filtering in shaping deforestation tolerance of extant species assemblages at large geographical scales via selection for functional traits. Here we provide a large-scale test of this role using a global database of species abundance ratios between matched agricultural and native forest sites that comprises 71 avian assemblages reported in 44 primary studies, and a companion database of 10 functional traits for all 2,647 species involved. Using meta-analytic, phylogenetic and multivariate methods, we show that beyond agricultural features, filtering by the extent of natural environmental variability and the severity of historical anthropogenic deforestation shapes the varying deforestation impacts across species assemblages. For assemblages under greater environmental variability-proxied by drier and more seasonal climates under a greater disturbance regime-and longer deforestation histories, filtering has attenuated the negative impacts of current deforestation by selecting for functional traits linked to stronger deforestation tolerance. Our study provides a previously largely missing piece of knowledge in understanding and managing the biodiversity consequences of deforestation by agricultural deforestation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: To compare the clinical effect of arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (QHP) and low-intensity chemotherapy (LIC) in treatment of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (eAML) patients., Methods: Clinical data of 80 eAML patients treated at Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment scheme was designed by real world study according to patients' preference, and patients were divided into a QHP group (35 cases) and a LIC group (45 cases). The median overall survival (mOS), 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates, and incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups., Results: The mOS of 80 patients was 11 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 45.51%, 17.96%, and 11.05%, respectively. The QHP and LIC groups demonstrated no significant difference in mOS (12 months vs. 10 months), 1- (48.57% vs. 39.65%), 2- (11.43% vs. 20.04%), and 3-year OS rates (5.71% vs. 13.27%, all P>0.05). Moreover, the related factors of mOS demonstrated no significant difference in patients with age>75 years (11 months vs. 8 months), secondary AML (11 months vs. 8 months), poor genetic prognosis (9 months vs. 7 months), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score ⩾ 3 (10 months vs. 7 months) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index ⩾ 4 (11 months vs. 7 months) between the QHP and LIC groups (all P>0.05). However, the incidence of myelosuppression was significantly lower in the QHP group than that in the LIC group (28.57% vs. 73.33%, P<0.01)., Conclusions: QHP and LIC had similar survival rates in eAML patients, but QHP had a lower myelosuppression incidence. Hence, QHP can be an alternative for eAML patients who do not tolerate LIC., (© 2023. The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Conspecific aggressiveness often increases after social isolation for species that are not entirely solitary, and this increased aggression could also be reversed after resocialization. However, literature on this aggression plasticity refers to either permanently social or low-level subsocial species in invertebrates. Examinations of conspecific aggressiveness reversibility in high-level subsocial invertebrates, in which offspring cohabitate with parents for a certain period of time after sexual maturation, would enhance the understanding of the role of conspecific-aggression plasticity in social evolution. Here, using the lactating spider Toxeus magnus, which exhibits extremely high-level subsociality, we assessed three questions. (1) Is its conspecific aggression affected by social living and/or kinship? The results indicated that conspecific aggression increased after social isolation, while kinship did not affect aggressiveness. (2) Could the social-isolation-induced higher aggression be reversed after resocialization? The results showed that the increased aggression of the spiders could be reversed 3 days after resocialization. (3) What is the proximate mechanism that caused the aggression reversibility by resocialization? A simulated resocialization experiment in which single spider was provided with mirrors demonstrated that the visual cues of conspecifics alone could reverse the aggression after 6 days. These results indicate that the high-level subsocial invertebrate showed aggressiveness reversibility without chemical cues. This is more similar to permanently social species rather than to low-level subsocial species, and visual cues could be vital to induce aggression change. These results suggest that conspecific-aggression reversibility might play a key role in social evolution and may functionally enhance species' adaptiveness under variable conditions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Transboundary conservation is playing an increasingly important role in maintaining ecosystem integrity and halting biodiversity loss caused by anthropogenic activities. However, lack of information on species distributions in transboundary regions and understanding of the threats in these areas impairs conservation. We developed a spatial conservation plan for the transboundary areas between Yunnan province, southwestern China, and neighboring Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. To identify priority areas for conservation and restoration, we determined species distribution patterns and recent land-use changes and examined the spatiotemporal dynamics of the connected natural forest, which supports most species. We assessed connectivity with equivalent connected area (ECA), which is the amount of reachable habitat for a species. An ECA incorporates the presence of habitat in a patch and the amount of habitat in other patches within dispersal distance. We analyzed 197,845 locality records from specimen collections and monographs for 21,004 plant and vertebrate species. The region of Yunnan immediately adjacent to the international borders had the highest species richness, with 61% of recorded species and 56% of threatened vertebrates, which suggests high conservation value. Satellite imagery showed the area of natural forest in the border zone declined by 5.2% (13,255 km 2 ) from 1995 to 2018 and monoculture plantations increased 92.4%, shrubland 10.1%, and other cropland 6.2%. The resulting decline in connected natural forest reduced the amount of habitat, especially for forest specialists with limited dispersal abilities. The most severe decline in connectivity was along the Sino-Vietnamese border. Many priority areas straddle international boundaries, indicating demand and potential for establishing transboundary protected areas. Our results illustrate the importance of bi- and multilateral cooperation to protect biodiversity in this region and provide guidance for future conservation planning and practice., (© 2021 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

Objective: To investigate the expressions of microRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP) and its correlation with the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cells., Methods: Thirty patients with ITP (ITP group) and 15 healthy people (control group) were enrolled．Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of six miRNAs (miR-107,miR-205-5p,miR-138-5p,miR-326,miR-1827,miR-185-5p) and Th1-specific transcription factor T-bet mRNA and Th2-specific transcription factor GATA-3 mRNA in the peripheral blood of the two groups. Th1 and Th2 cells were detected by flow cytometry. The expressions of Th1-cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ and Th2-cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were detected by AimPlex multiple immunoassays for Flow. The expression difference of miRNAs, mRNA, Th1, Th2 cells and cytokines of the two groups were compared, and the correlations of miRNAs to mRNA, Th1, Th2 cells and cytokines were analyzed in ITP group., Results: The expressions of miRNAs（miR-107, miR-205-5p, miR-138-5p, miR-326, miR-1827, miR-185-5p）and Th2-specific transcription factor GATA-3 mRNA of the patients in ITP group were significantly decreased (P<0.05) as compared with those in control, while the expressions of Th1 cells and Th1-specific transcription factor T-bet mRNA and Th1-cytokines TNF-α were significantly increased (P<0.05), also for the ratios of T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA and Th1/Th2 cells were significantly increased (P<0.05). The relative expressions of miR-107, miR-205-5p, miR-138-5p in ITP patients were negatively correlated with Th2 cells (r=-0.411, r=-0.593, r=-0.403,P<0.05) and the relative expression of miR-1827 was negatively correlated with TNF-α (r=-0.390)., Conclusion: The relative expressions of the six miRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with ITP are significantly decreased, which result in the increasing ratio of T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA, then lead to the imbalance of Th1/Th2.

Cooperation is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom as it aims to maximize benefits through joint action. Selection, however, may also favor competitive behaviors that could violate cooperation. How animals mitigate competition is hotly debated, with particular interest in primates and little attention paid thus far to nonprimates. Using a loose-string pulling apparatus, we explored cooperative and competitive behavior, as well as mitigation of the latter, in semi-wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Our results showed that elephants first maintained a very high cooperation rate (average = 80.8% across 45 sessions). Elephants applied "block," "fight back," "leave," "move side," and "submission" as mitigation strategies and adjusted these strategies according to their affiliation and rank difference with competition initiators. They usually applied a "fight back" mitigation strategy as a sanction when competition initiators were low ranking or when they had a close affiliation, but were submissive if the initiators were high ranking or when they were not closely affiliated. However, when the food reward was limited, the costly competitive behaviors ("monopoly" and "fight") increased significantly, leading to a rapid breakdown in cooperation. The instability of elephant cooperation as a result of benefit reduction mirrors that of human society, suggesting that similar fundamental principles may underlie the evolution of cooperation across species., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To investigate the damaging of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) induced by antiplatelet integrin β3 antibodies in vitro., Methods: The serum from 36 chronic ITP patients were collected, flow cytometry and monoclonal antibody specific immobilization of platelet antigen (MAIPA) assay were used to collect antiplatelet integrin β3 antibodies from the serum of the patients. After HUVEC were treated by ITP patient serum (PS) containing anti-integrin β3 antibodies, the cell damage was detected by Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, the expression of apoptosis-related gene Bax was detected by Reverse transcription-Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and expression of Apoptosis-related signaling pathway protein Akt and related protein Bax were detected by Western blot. HUVEC were treated by PS combined with Akt activator SC79, the cells damage were detected by LDH assay, apoptosis of the cells were detected by flow cytometry, the expression of apoptosis-related gene Bax was detected by RT-qPCR., Results: Among 36 cases of serum from the chronic ITP patients, 5 patients' serum containing anti-integrin β3 antibodies were collected. After HUVEC was treated by PS, the viability of LDH was significant increased（P<0.05）, so as for the apoptosis of the cells（P<0.05）, the expression of gene and protein of Bax was increased up-regulated（P<0.05）, the protein expression of pAkt was down-regulated（P<0.05）. Comparing with HUVEC cultured with PS alone, the viability of LDH of HUVEC treated by PS combined with SC79 was significantly reduced（P<0.05）, so as for the apoptosis of the cells（P<0.05）, and gene expression of Bax was significantly decreased（P<0.05）., Conclusion: Anti-integrin β3 serum can cause the damage and apoptosis of HUVEC through Akt signaling pathway，the apoptotic effects of anti-integrin β3 antibodies to HUVEC was effectively reversed by SC79.

Although the contact calls of birds have been studied for their acoustic properties, limited research has investigated their repetitive nature. The rate of contact calls could be related to movement, with recruiting birds signalling their location, or it could help maintaining spacing between group mates, or give information about the environment where both signaller and receiver are located. If maintaining spacing, higher call rates would be expected in denser vegetation; alternatively, if birds gain information about predation risk from the cessation of contact calling, then open areas might elicit higher call rate. We studied how contact call rate in groups of Swinhoe's White-eyes (Zosterops simplex) was influenced by vegetation, collecting a total of 800 recordings. After statistically controlling for group size, the vegetation effect was weak and inconsistent. However, flying individuals produced a distinct flight call consisting of repeated notes similar to contact calls, and group-level contact call rate increased before flights, particularly when birds flew into the group. Therefore, we believe that contact call rate indicates information about individual or group movements, and could function as a continuous signal about the need for recruitment. We encourage further studies investigating how habitat, risk and audience influence contact call rate., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Abnormal autophagy is related to the pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, the effect of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) on the prognosis of MDS remains unclear. Here, we examined the expression profile of 108 patients with MDS from the GSE58831 dataset, and identified 22 genes that were significantly associated with overall survival. Among them, seven ARGs were screened and APIs were calculated for all samples based on the expression of the seven ARGs, and then, MDS patients were categorized into high- and low-risk groups based on the median APIs. The overall survival of patients with high-risk scores based on these seven ARGs was shorter than patients with low-risk scores in both the training cohort (P = 2.851e-06) and the validation cohort (P = 9.265e-03). Additionally, API showed an independent prognostic indicator for survival in the training samples [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.322, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.158-1.51; P < 0.001] and the validation cohort (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1-1.1; P < 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of API and IPSS were 43.0137 and 66.0274 in the training cohorts and the AUC of the validation cohorts were 41.5361 and 72.0219. Our data indicate these seven ARGs can predict prognosis in patients with MDS and could guide individualized treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wang, Liu, Wang, Li, Xiao, Quan, Huang and Hu.)

The flying squirrel genus Biswamoyopterus (Rodentia: Sciuridae: Pteromyini) was once considered to contain three species, Biswamoyopterus biswasi from northeastern India, B. laoensis from central Laos and B. gaoligongensis from southwest China, all identified from morphological characteristics of one or two specimens. However, based on similar morphological characteristics of two samples of the genus Biswamoyopterus collected recently from northern Laos and northern Myanmar, and the small genetic distances on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA between them, the results strongly support these two samples as representatives of the same species. The phylogenetic analyses strongly support Biswamoyopterus as an independent genus of Pteromyini, as a sister group to Aeromys . Biswamoyopterus biswasi is distributed in the northern Indo-China peninsula, where it is exposed to a series of threats, such as intense hunting activity, illegal trade, and rapid habitat loss; this should warrant its classification as critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. Here, the molecular data for genus Biswamoyopterus and two new specimen records from northern Laos and northern Myanmar are presented., (Guogang Li, Ye Htet Lwin, Bin Yang, Tao Qin, Phouthong Phothisath, Kyaw-Win Maung, Rui-Chang Quan, Song Li.)

Objective: To analyze the overall survival (OS) of elderly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with oral arsenic-containing Qinghuang Powder (, QHP) or low-intensity chemotherapy (LIC)., Methods: Forty-two elderly AML patients treated with intravenous or subcutaneous LIC (1 month for each course, at least 3 courses) or oral QHP (3 months for each course, at least 2 courses) were retrospectively analyzed from January 2015 to December 2017. The main endpoints of analysis were OS and 1-, 2-, 3-year OS rates of patients, respectively. And the adverse reactions induding bone marrow suppression, digestive tract discomfort and myocardia injury were observed., Results: Out of 42 elderly AML patients, 22 received LIC treatment and 20 received QHP treatment, according to patients' preference. There was no significant difference on OS between LIC and QHP patients (13.0 months vs. 13.5 months, >0.05). There was no significant difference on OS rates between LIC and QHP groups at 1 year (59.1% vs. 70.0%), 2 years (13.6% vs. 15%), and 3 years (4.6% vs. 5.0%, all >0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference of OS on prognosis stratification of performance status > 2 (12 months vs. 12 months), age> 75 year-old (12.0 months vs. 12.5 months), hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index >2 (12 months vs. 13 months), poor cytogenetics (12 months vs. 8 months), and diagnosis of secondary AML (10 months vs. 14 months) between LIC and QHP patients (>0.05)., Conclusion: QHP may be an alternative treatment for elderly AML patients refusing LIC therapy.

Niche differentiation has long been identified as an essential stabilizing mechanism for the coexistence of sympatric species. Using camera trapping data obtained during 2012-2016, we identified Macaca leonina and M. mulatta as the dominant macaque species in the Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve (NRW-NNR), a tropical forest in southwestern China. In general, M. leonina exhibited a wider distribution and greater niche breadth than co-occurring M. mulatta. According to a fitted maximum entropy model (MaxEnt), M. leonina was predicted to predominantly occur in forest at higher elevation, whereas M. mulatta was predicted at lower elevation; the broadleaved evergreen forest was predicted as the most suitable vegetation for both species to inhabit, while the unsuitable area was bordered by rubber plantation, in which both food scarcity and human disturbance restricted the movement of macaques. Although the niches of these two species highly overlapped across space and time, we also found evidence for their spatiotemporal niche differentiation. When the two species inhabited independent areas with different elevations and vegetation, they maintained a similar activity pattern; however, in the zones of overlap, their activity patterns differed significantly. Further comparative field studies of these two macaques, considering other niche dimensions, are required to ensure their coexistence and long-term conservation., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Colocasia kachinensis S.S. Zhou & J.T. Yin, is described and illustrated as a new species of Araceae from Kachin, Mynamar. The morphological characters are compared to those of other Colocasia species. Colocasia kachinensis is closely related to C. menglaensis J.T Yin, H. Li & Z.F. Xu, 2004, but differs from in having an erect stem, no stolons, smaller size, a different pattern of surface bristle distribution and male flowers 1-4-androus with stamens connate in truncate synandrium., (Shi-Shun Zhou, Rui-Chang Quan, Ren Li, Qiang Liu, Jian-Tao Yin.)

A new species, Ophiorrhiza monsvictoriae S.S.Zhou & L.D.Duan, discovered at Natma Taung (Mt.Victoria) National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to O. dulongensis , but differs from the latter by its stipules broadly triangular, 2-4 mm long, inflorescence axillary, 1-flowered, bracts lanceolate to subulate, 1-2 mm long, puberulous, calyx pilose, 1-2 mm long, lobes and tube equal length, corolla narrowly funnelform, 15 mm long, puberulous outside., (Shi-Shun Zhou, Ren Li, Rui-Chang Quan, Law Shine, Lin-Dong Duan.)

Management activities such as law enforcement and community outreach are thought to affect conservation outcomes in protected areas, but their importance relative to intrinsic environmental characteristics of the parks and extrinsic human pressures surrounding the parks have not been explored. Furthermore, it is not clear which is more related to conservation outcomes-the management itself or local people's perceptions of the management. We measured objective (reports by park staff) and subjective (reports by local people) levels of community outreach and law enforcement based on responses to 374 questionnaires. We estimated mammal abundance and diversity of 6 protected areas based on data from 115 camera traps in Xishuangbanna, southwest China, a biodiversity hotspot with high hunting and land-conversion pressures. We then examined correlations among them and found that local people's perception of law enforcement was positively related to the local abundance of 2 large, hunted species, wild boar (Sus scrofa) (β = 15.22) and muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis) (β = 14.82), but not related to the abundance of smaller mammals or to objective levels of enforcement. The subjective frequency of outreach by park staff to local communities (β = 3.42) and park size (β = 3.28) were significantly and positively related to mammal species richness, whereas elevation, human population density, and subjective frequency of law enforcement were not. We could not conclude that community outreach and law enforcement were directly causing increased mammal abundance and diversity. Nevertheless, the patterns we detected are some of the first empirical evidence consistent with the idea that biodiversity in protected areas may be more positively and strongly related to local perceptions of the intensity of park management than to either intrinsic (e.g., elevation, park size) or extrinsic (e.g., human population density) environmental factors., (© 2018 Society for Conservation Biology.)

Objective: To investigate the role of regulatory B cells (Breg) in pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia(ITP) and its clinical significance., Methods: A total of 40 ITP patients and 20 normal controls were enrolled in this study. The content of Breg, Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression level of IL-10,TGF-β, CD40 and CD40L was detected by AimPlex Flow High Throughput Screening Technology., Results: The of Breg cells in ITP patients was significantly lower than that in normal controls (P<0.05)，the expression levels of IL-10,TGF-β and CD40L in ITP patients were also significantly lower than those in normal controls (P<0.05). The contents of Th1 cells in ITP patients were significantly higher than that in normal controls (P<0.05), whereas the contents of Th2, Th17 and Treg cells in ITP patients were significantly lower than those in normal controls (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The Breg cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ITP.

Lactation is a mammalian attribute, and the few known nonmammal examples have distinctly different modalities. We document here milk provisioning in a jumping spider, which compares functionally and behaviorally to lactation in mammals. The spiderlings ingest nutritious milk droplets secreted from the mother's epigastric furrow until the subadult stage. Milk is indispensable for offspring survival in the early stages and complements their foraging in later stages. Maternal care, as for some long-lived vertebrates, continues after the offspring reach maturity. Furthermore, a female-biased adult sex ratio is acquired only when the mother is present. These findings demonstrate that mammal-like milk provisioning and parental care for sexually mature offspring have also evolved in invertebrates, encouraging a reevaluation of their occurrence across the animal kingdom, especially in invertebrates., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.)

Coelogyne victoria-reginae , a new species of section Proliferae, from Natma Taung (Mt.Victoria) National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to C. prolifera , but the clustered pseudobulbs, pure brownish- red flowers and column wing with irregular notches at the apex of the new species differ from the other species. A preliminary risk-of-extinction assessment shows that the new species is regarded as EN C2a[i] according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Objective: To analyze the imbalance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the patients of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)., Methods: Thirty-five patients with ITP were enrolled in ITP group, while 28 healthy persons were included in control group. The expressions of IL-8, IL-17A, IL-22, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, CD40, CD40L, TGF-β and IL-10 were detected by flow cytometry with aimPlex multiple immunoassay Flow., Results: The expressions of pro-inflammatory factors IL-8, IL-17A, IL-22, IFN-γ and TNF-α in ITP group all were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), however the expressions of anti-inflammatory factors IL-4, CD40L, TGF-β and IL-10 in ITP group all were significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of CD40 was not significantly different between ITP group and control group (P>0.05). Expressions of TNF-α significantly related with platelet counts in both ITP group and control group (ITP group, r=0.64, P<0.05; control group, r=-0.41, P<0.05). However the expression of CD40, TGF-β, CD40L, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-10, IL-1β, IFN-γ and IL-4 significantly did not relate with platelet counts in both ITP and control group., Conclusions: The secretory imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines exists in the patients of ITP. The decrease of Plt regulated may be regulated by the abnormal expression of TNF-α.

Dendrobium naungmungense , a new species from Naungmung, Kachin State, North Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to D. ciliatilabellum and D. vexabile , but the epichile is oblong with three long-ciliate laminae and the column wing has significant denticulation. A preliminary risk-of-extinction assessment shows that the new species should be regarded as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Coelogyne magnifica (Orchidaceae), a new species from Putao, Kachin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It belongs to Coelogyne section Ocellatae Pfitzer & Kraenzl. and it is morphologically similar to Coelogyne corymbosa and C. taronensis , but can be distinguished from these species by its larger flowers, lanceolate sepals and petals, a narrowly ovate lip, which has two bright yellow patches surrounded by shiny brownish red and two fimbriate or erose-lacerate lateral keels on the lip. The major differences between these species are outlined and discussed.

Mercury (Hg) is a globally-distributed pollutant, toxic to humans and animals. Emissions are particularly high in Asia, and the source of exposure for humans there may also be different from other regions, including rice as well as fish consumption, particularly in contaminated areas. Yet the threats Asian wildlife face in rice-based ecosystems are as yet unclear. We sought to understand how Hg flows through rice-based food webs in historic mining and non-mining regions of Guizhou, China. We measured total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in soil, rice, 38 animal species (27 for MeHg) spanning multiple trophic levels, and examined the relationship between stable isotopes and Hg concentrations. Our results confirm biomagnification of THg/MeHg, with a high trophic magnification slope. Invertivorous songbirds had concentrations of THg in their feathers that were 15x and 3x the concentration reported to significantly impair reproduction, at mining and non-mining sites, respectively. High concentrations in specialist rice consumers and in granivorous birds, the later as high as in piscivorous birds, suggest rice is a primary source of exposure. Spiders had the highest THg concentrations among invertebrates and may represent a vector through which Hg is passed to vertebrates, especially songbirds. Our findings suggest there could be significant population level health effects and consequent biodiversity loss in sensitive ecosystems, like agricultural wetlands, across Asia, and invertivorous songbirds would be good subjects for further studies investigating this possibility., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The leaf muntjac ( Muntiacus putaoensis ) is an endemic deer species found in the east trans-Himalayan region. In recent years, population numbers have decreased due to heavy hunting and habitat loss, and little genetic data exists for this species, thus our knowledge of distribution rangs and population sizes likewise remain limited. We obtained mtDNA genes and the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of M. putaoensis using PCR, followed by direct sequencing. The complete mitogenome sequence was determined as a circular 16 349 bp mitochondrial genome, containing 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one control region, the gene composition and order of which were similar to most other vertebrates so far reported. Most mitochondrial genes, except for ND6 and eight tRNAs, were encoded on the heavy strand. The overall base composition of the heavy strand was 33.1% A, 29.3% T, 24.2% C, and 13.4% G, with a strong AT bias of 62.4%. There were seven regions of gene overlap totaling 95 bp and 11 intergenic spacer regions totaling 74 bp. Phylogenetic analyses (ML and BI) among the Muntiacus genus based on the sequenced of mitogenome and ND4L-ND4 supported M. putaoensis as a member of Muntiacus , most closely related to M. vuquangensis . However, when analyses based on cyt b included two more muntjacs, M. truongsonensis was most closely related to M. putaoensis rather than M. vuquangensis , and together with M. rooseveltorum , likely forming a M. rooseveltorum complex of the species. This study will help in the exploration of the evolutionary history and taxonomic status of the leaf muntjac, as well as its protection as a genetic resource.

We conducted four bird biodiversity surveys in the Putao area of northern Myanmar from 2015 to 2017. Combined with anecdotal information collected between 2012 and 2015, we recorded 319 bird species, including two species ( Arborophila mandellii and Lanius sphenocercus ) previously unrecorded in Myanmar. Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae), babblers (Timaliidae), pigeons and doves (Columbidae), and pheasants and partridges (Phasianidae) were the most abundant groups of birds recorded. Species richness below 1 500 m a. s. l. was higher than species richness at higher elevations. Our results suggest that the current protected areas in this region should be expanded to lower elevations to cover critical conservation gaps.

Mercury (Hg) deposited from emissions or from local contamination, can have serious health effects on humans and wildlife. Traditionally, Hg has been seen as a threat to aquatic wildlife, because of its conversion in suboxic conditions into bioavailable methylmercury (MeHg), but it can also threaten contaminated terrestrial ecosystems. In Asia, rice paddies in particular may be sensitive ecosystems. Earthworms are soil-dwelling organisms that have been used as indicators of Hg bioavailability; however, the MeHg concentrations they accumulate in rice paddy environments are not well known. Earthworm and soil samples were collected from rice paddies at progressive distances from abandoned mercury mines in Guizhou, China, and at control sites without a history of Hg mining. Total Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations declined in soil and earthworms as distance increased from the mines, but the percentage of THg that was MeHg, and the bioaccumulation factors in earthworms, increased over this gradient. This escalation in methylation and the incursion of MeHg into earthworms may be influenced by more acidic soil conditions and higher organic content further from the mines. In areas where the source of Hg is deposition, especially in water-logged and acidic rice paddy soil, earthworms may biomagnify MeHg more than was previously reported. It is emphasized that rice paddy environments affected by acidifying deposition may be widely dispersed throughout Asia. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1202-1210. © 2016 SETAC., (© 2016 SETAC.)

Hunting is one of the greatest threats to tropical vertebrates. Examining why people hunt is crucial to identifying policy levers to prevent excessive hunting. Overhunting is particularly relevant in Southeast Asia, where a high proportion of mammals and birds are globally threatened. We interviewed hunters in Southwest China to examine their social behavior, motivations, and responses to changes in wildlife abundance. Respondents viewed hunting as a form of recreation, not as an economic livelihood, and reported that they would not stop hunting in response to marked declines in expected catch. Even in scenarios where the expected catch was limited to minimal quantities of small, low-price songbirds, up to 36.7% of respondents said they would still continue to hunt. Recreational hunting may be a prominent driver for continued hunting in increasingly defaunated landscapes; this motivation for hunting and its implications for the ecological consequences of hunting have been understudied relative to subsistence and profit hunting. The combination of a preference for larger over smaller game, reluctance to quit hunting, and weak enforcement of laws may lead to hunting-down-the-web outcomes in Southwest China.

Owls have the potential to be keystone species for conservation in fragmented landscapes, as the absence of these predators could profoundly change community structure. Yet few studies have examined how whole communities of owls respond to fragmentation, especially in the tropics. When evaluating the effect of factors related to fragmentation, such as fragment area and distance to the edge, on these birds, it is also important in heterogeneous landscapes to ask how 'location factors' such as the topography, vegetation and soil of the fragment predict their persistence. In Xishuangbanna, southwest China, we established 43 transects (200 m×60 m) within 20 forest fragments to sample nocturnal birds, both visually and aurally. We used a multimodel inference approach to identify the factors that influence owl species richness, and generalized linear mixed models to predict the occurrence probabilities of each species. We found that fragmentation factors dominated location factors, with larger fragments having more species, and four of eight species were significantly more likely to occur in large fragments. Given the potential importance of these birds on regulating small mammal and other animal populations, and thus indirectly affecting seed dispersal, we suggest further protection of large fragments and programs to increase their connectivity to the remaining smaller fragments.

Rising global demand for natural rubber is expanding monoculture rubber (Hevea brasilensis) at the expense of natural forests in the Old World tropics. Conversion of forests into rubber plantations has a devastating impact on biodiversity and we have yet to identify management strategies that can mitigate this. We determined the life-history traits that best predict bird species occurrence in rubber plantations in SW China and investigated the effects of surrounding forest cover and distance to roads on bird diversity. Mistletoes provide nectar and fruit resources in rubber so we examined mistletoe densities and the relationship with forest cover and rubber tree diameter. In rubber plantations, we recorded less than half of all bird species extant in the surrounding area. Birds with wider habitat breadths and low conservation value had a higher probability of occurrence. Species richness and diversity increased logarithmically with surrounding forest cover, but roads had little effect. Mistletoe density increased exponentially with rubber tree diameters, but was unrelated to forest cover. To maximize bird diversity in rubber-dominated landscapes it is therefore necessary to preserve as much forest as possible, construct roads through plantations and not forest, and retain some large rubber trees with mistletoes during crop rotations.

Background: Adult birds clean the nest by consuming or transporting feces, which is thought to be important in order to lower the levels of parasites, pathogens and predation at the nest. If nestlings were to defecate when parents were absent, however, feces could accumulate in the nest., Results: To understand the mechanism by which nest sanitation is maintained, we studied the timing of defecation in nestling birds of common passerine species in southwest China. In 159 nests of 8 species at the nestling stage during 779 randomly timed observations, we never found fecal sacs present. Video recordings, totaling 455 h at five Pycnonotus jocosus nests in the field, showed almost all defecation after feedings, and only nestlings that were fed defecated. Six translocated P. jocosus nests were taken into captivity in order to manipulate the frequency of feeding. These nestlings defecated only after feeding, even when feeding intervals were extended to 60 and 120 min. The fecal sac weight also increased with extended feeding intervals, demonstrating a remarkable plasticity for nestlings to wait for feedings., Conclusion: The evidence allows two major conclusions: 1) defecation in the nest occurs at a time that ensures nest sanitation, stimulated by feeding, rather than there being a set time of gut processing between feeding and excretion; 2) the strong plasticity in the timing of defecation and the possibility of negative repercussions (if defecation occurs when parents are absent) are important mechanisms underlying the efficiency of the feeding-defecation system.

To fill the gap in breeding biology information about the Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), in 2013, we studied the breeding biology of this species in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. The breeding began from February and continued until early August. The breeding strategy of P. jocosus was more flexible and their nests were only built in cultivated landscapes, whereas, no nest building in native tropical rain forest was found. Small open cup nests were built on 50 different plant species, and at heights ranging from 2.1±0.6 m above the ground (n=102). The mean clutch size was 2.53±0.51 eggs (n=40) and the mean egg mass was 2.81±0.25 g (n=60). The average incubation period was 11.1±0.5 days (n=14), and the average nestling period was 11.0±0.8 days (n=31). The overall nest success was 34.22%.The hatching and fledging showed either asynchrony or synchrony. Invertebrate food decreased with nestling age, whereas, plant food increased with nestling age. Moreover, distinct parental roles of the parents in nestling period were found. Compared with other passerine species, P. jocosus spent less time in incubating (58%). The clutch size, incubation and nestling period of the P. jocosus in southwest China were different from those of the P. jocosus in India.

The dispersal of many plants depends on transportation by birds as seed dispersers. The birds play an important role in long distance seed dispersal and may also affect seed germination. However, for plants who have many bird dispersers, the influence of dominant and non-dominant dispersers on retention time (dispersal distance) and germination remains poorly understood. In this study, we performed experiments with captive frugivorous birds and fruiting plant species to study the effects of dominant and non-dominant dispersers on seed retention time (SRT) and germination (seed germination percentage and germination speed). Our study showed a great interspecific variation in the effects of frugivorous birds on both SRT and germination. Some birds enhance the germination of a given plant species, but others do not. Generally, the dominant visitors improved the seed germination and performed longer seed retention time.

While many factors explain the colour of fleshy fruits, it is thought that black and red fruits are common in part because frugivorous birds prefer these colours. We examined this still controversial hypothesis at a tropical Asian field site, using artificial fruits, fresh fruits, four wild-caught resident frugivorous bird species, and hand-raised naïve birds from three of the same species. We demonstrate that all birds favored red artificial fruits more than yellow, blue, black and green, although the artificial black colour was found subsequently to be similar to the artificial blue colour in its spectral reflectance. Wild-caught birds preferred both black and red fleshy natural fruits, whereas hand-raised naïve birds preferred black to red natural fleshy fruits and to those of other colours. All birds avoided artificial and naturally ripe green fruits. The inter-individual variation in colour choice was low and the preferences were constant over time, supporting the hypothesis that bird colour preferences are a contributing factor driving fruit colour evolution in tropical Asia.

Black and red are the most common colors of fruit, but the reason behind this has been subject to debate. Food preferences of avian frugivores for certain colors of food have been proposed as a selection mechanism that explains these traits, but there is little evidence supporting this hypothesis. Here, we conducted a lab experiment using four colors of natural fruit to evaluate color preferences of five avian species, and we also conducted this experiment in open area and understory habitats. Our results showed that red and black fruits were selected most often in lab experiment; in field experiment, red and black fruits were also the most preferred food, but the total amount of consumed fruits differed significantly between open areas and understory habitats. Our study suggested that differences in color preferences among frugivores may potentially reflect the diversity of fruit color and frequency in Xishuangbanna.

Environmental factors that affect spatiotemporal distribution patterns of animals usually include resource availability, temperature, and the risk of predation. However, they do not explain the counterintuitive preference of high elevation range in winter by the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). We asked whether variation of sunshine along with elevations is the key driving force. To test this hypothesis, we conducted field surveys to demonstrate that there was a statistically significant pattern of high elevation use during winter. We then asked whether this pattern can be explained by certain environmental factors, namely temperature, sunshine duration and solar radiation. Finally, we concluded with a possible ecological mechanism for this pattern. In this study, we employed GIS technology to quantify solar radiation and sunshine duration across the monkey's range. Our results showed that: 1) R. bieti used the high altitude range between 4100-4400 m in winter although the yearly home range spanned from 3500-4500 m; 2) both solar radiation and sunshine duration increased with elevation while temperature decreased with elevation; 3) within the winter range, the use of range was significantly correlated with solar radiation and sunshine duration; 4) monkeys moved to the areas with high solar radiation and duration following a snowfall, where the snow melts faster and food is exposed earlier. We concluded that sunshine was the main factor that influences selection of high elevation habitat for R. bieti in winter. Since some other endotherms in the area exhibit similar winter distributional patterns, we developed a sunshine hypothesis to explain this phenomenon. In addition, our work also represented a new method of integrating GIS models into traditional field ecology research to study spatiotemporal distribution pattern of wildlife. We suggest that further theoretical and empirical studies are necessary for better understanding of sunshine influence on wildlife range use.

Data on social organization of two bands of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) were collected when the monkeys were crossing an open spot at Nanren and Bamei (northwest of Yunnan, China) using a sampling rule where individuals within one social unit are spatially closer to each other than individuals between social units. The typical pattern of social organization in this sample was multiple adult females (AFs) and their offspring with one adult male (AM) in a one-male unit (OMU), similar to that of many other colobines. In such units, on average one male is associated with 4.0 AFs and 2.5 of their offspring. Moreover, there are multimale/multifemale units and monogamous units besides OMUs. All bisexual units traveled together with at least one all-male unit as a cohesive band. In two bands of monkeys, 87% of AMs in bisexual units were within OMUs, 7.8% within monogamous units and 5.2% within multimale, multifemale units. In the Bamei band, 6.7% of AMs were in the all-male unit. The size of OMUs in the Nanren band was larger than that of the Bamei band, with more AFs and juveniles, which may be related to better conservation in the Nanren band's habitat. For the Nanren band, the average number of AFs in OMUs varied across time, increasing from 4.3 in 1994 to 5.1 in 2001, and then decreasing to 3.8 in 2005. This article suggests three possible explanations for this variation, but more data are needed for these hypotheses to be tested., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The diet and feeding ecology of a wild subpopulation of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) were studied at Xiaochangdu in Honglaxueshan Nature Reserve, Tibet. This region is climatologically harsher than any other inhabited by non-human primates. Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys fed on 48 parts of 25 plant species, at least three species of lichens and seven species of invertebrates. The number of food items exploited varied markedly among seasons, with dietary diversity being greatest in spring and summer. In winter, black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys had to subsist on fallback foods such as dried grass and bark. Ubiquitous lichens formed a major dietary constituent throughout the year, contributing about 75% of feeding records. Even though lichens act as a staple, our findings signify that the monkeys at Xiaochangdu prefer feeding on foliage, which is higher in protein content than the former. We provide evidence that black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys are able to cope with an array of food items other than lichens and hence can be regarded as feeding generalists. We discuss the results with reference to previous studies on other subpopulations living in habitats that are floristically more diverse and offer more plant food items than the marginal habitat at Xiaochangdu., (Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)