布氏田鼠栖息地特征的研究

依据2008-2010年在中蒙2国的实地调查,研究了布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)对栖息地的选择特点,以期为该鼠的综合防治提供依据。选择316个样点,记录每个样点的布氏田鼠密度,并随机调查5～10个1m×1m的样方,记录海拔、植被盖度、植被高度、枯草盖度、植被优势种、郁闭指数和退化级别。利用相关性分析及因子分析选取布氏田鼠栖息地选择影响较大的因子。结果表明:布氏田鼠密度与植被盖度、枯草盖度、退化等级及郁闭指数相关;冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)和多根葱(Allium polyrhizum)3种植物多度、枯草盖度、植被盖度、草场退化程度和植被郁闭指数5个因子对该鼠选择栖息地影响显著,即布氏田鼠倾向于选择以冷蒿、羊草、多根葱为优势种,放牧利用程度高、植被低矮的退化草场。     

Establishment of a mouse- and egg-adapted strain for the evaluation of vaccine potency against H3N2 variant influenza virus in mice

Sporadic spreads of swine-origin influenza H3N2 variant (H3N2v) viruses were reported in humans, resulting in 437 human infections between 2011 and 2021 in the USA. Thus, an effective vaccine is needed to better control a potential pandemic for these antigenically distinct viruses from seasonal influenza. In this study, a candidate vaccine strain with efficient growth capacity in chicken embryos was established through serial blind passaging of A/Indiana/08/2011 (H3N2)v in mice and chicken embryos. Seven amino acid substitutions (M21I in PA; A138T, N165K, and V226A in HA; S312L in NP; T167I in M1; G62A in NS1 proteins) were found in the passaged viruses without a major change in the antigenicity. This mouse- and egg-adapted virus was used as a vaccine and challenge strain in mice to evaluate the efficacy of the H3N2v vaccine in different doses. Antibodies with high neutralizing titers were induced in mice immunized with 100 µg of inactivated whole-virus particles, and those mice were significantly protected from the challenge of homologous strain. The findings indicated that the established strain in the study was useful for vaccine study in mouse models.