自动感应照相系统在大熊猫以及同域分布的野生动物研究中的应用

鉴于野生大熊猫种群的濒危现状,已经不允许对其生境进行破坏性或干扰其行为活动较多的调查活动。例如,野生大熊猫个体数量稀少、其栖息地地形复杂或植被茂密,野外直接观察和调查野生大熊猫极为困难。自动感应照相系统是一种非损伤性野生动物调查工具,在很大程度上弥补了传统调查方法的不足,为野生动物的调查和研究提供了新的有效途径。本研究利用自行研究和开发的自动感应照相系统,获得了野生大熊猫及与其同域分布的其它物种的重要生态信息,显示了自动感应照相系统在物种鉴定、区系调查、个体识别、种群监测、性别确定和行为生态学研究等多方面的应用价值[动物学报51(3)：495—500,2005]。     

Applications of ATR-FTIR spectroscopic imaging to biomedical samples

FTIR spectroscopic imaging in ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) mode is a powerful tool for studying biomedical samples. This paper summarises recent advances in the applications of ATR-FTIR imaging to dissolution of pharmaceutical formulations and drug release. The use of two different ATR accessories to obtain chemical images of formulations in contact with water as a function of time is demonstrated. The innovative use of the diamond ATR accessory allowed in situ imaging of tablet compaction and dissolution. ATR-FTIR imaging was also applied to obtain images of the surface of skin and the spatial distribution of protein and lipid rich domains was obtained. Chemical images of cross-section of rabbit aorta were obtained using a diamond ATR accessory and the possibility of in situ imaging of arterial samples in contact with aqueous solution was demonstrated for the first time. This experiment opens an opportunity to image arterial samples in contact with solutions containing drug molecules. This approach may help in understanding the mechanisms of treatment of atherosclerosis.     

Diagnosing benign and malignant lesions in breast tissue sections by using IR-microspectroscopy

The collection of IR spectra through microscope optics and the visualization of the IR data by IR imaging represent a visualization approach, which uses infrared spectral features as a native intrinsic contrast mechanism. To illustrate the potential of this spectroscopic methodology in breast cancer research, we have acquired IR-microspectroscopic data from benign and malignant lesions in breast tissue sections by point microscopy with spot sizes of 30-40 μm. Four classes of distinct breast tissue spectra were defined and stored in the data base: fibroadenoma (a total of 1175 spectra from 14 patients), ductal carcinoma in situ (a total of 1349 spectra from 8 patients), connective tissue (a total of 464 spectra), and adipose tissue (a total of 146 spectra). Artifical neural network analysis, a supervised pattern recognition method, was used to develop an automated classifier to separate the four classes. After training the artifical neural network classifier, infrared spectra of independent external validation data sets (“unknown spectra”) were analyzed. In this way, all spectra (a total of 386) taken from micro areas inside the epithelium of fibroadenomas from 4 patients were correctly classified. Out of the 421 spectra taken from micro areas of the in situ component of invasive ductal carcinomas of 3 patients, 93% were correctly identified. Based on these results, the potential of the IR-microspectroscopic approach for diagnosing breast tissue lesions is discussed.     

利用红外线相机监测地表水对广西弄岗国家级自然保护区兽类分布的影响

广西弄岗国家级自然保护区属岩溶地貌,表土层薄,储水度低,地表水奇缺,动物可能因水源而改变其活动范围和规律。2006年3月—2007年6月和2010年10月—2011年5月,该实验利用红外线相机在兽类通往水源地之间,即兽径上(如足迹和粪便)进行兽类调查。共拍摄到兽类5目12科17属19种,包括国家一级保护动物黑叶猴(Trachypithecus francoisi)和熊猴(Macaca assamensis)。物种累积曲线95%置信区间重迭,相似性分析和非度量多维标度显示两种微生境出没物种的差异较小,然而,差异物种占整体记录的42%,可见岩溶地区水资源极其珍贵。中、短期保护建议包括加强水源点的巡护、防止偷猎、限制滥抽地下水,以及考虑整合呈岛屿状的陇呼、弄岗及陇山地区,以加强保护大面积生境的连贯性,并加速恢复山峰间已遭破坏的圆洼谷地的原生树林。     

Changing use of camera traps in mammalian field research: habitats,taxa and study types

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Quantum chemical insight on vibration spectra of silica systems

A set of silicate ions and corresponding lithium salts have been quantum chemically (QC) simulated in a “free molecule” approach. The infrared (IR), inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and Raman spectra have been simulated and fitted to the experimentally registered ones. The complete assignment of the vibrational bands along with the intensities and potential energy distribution has been performed. The applicability of the traditionally used quasimolecule Si–O–Si model to the interpretation of bands near 440–480 cm^? 1 and so-called “Boson” peak near 50 cm^? 1 has been critically discussed.     

Does underwater flash photography affect the behaviour,movement and site persistence of seahorses?

The effect of flash photography on seahorse species has never been tested. An experiment was established to test the effect of flash photography and the handling of Hippocampus whitei, a medium‐sized seahorse species endemic to Australia, on their behavioural responses, movements and site persistence. A total of 24 H. whitei were utilized in the experiment with eight in each of the three treatments (flash photography, handling and control). The effect of underwater flash photography on H. whitei movements was not significant; however, the effect of handling H. whitei to take a photograph had a significant effect on their short‐term behavioural responses to the photographer. Kaplan–Meier log‐rank test revealed that there was no significant difference in site persistence of H. whitei from each of the three treatments and that flash photography had no long‐term effects on their site persistence. It is concluded that the use of flash photography by divers is a safe and viable technique with H. whitei, particularly if photographs can be used for individual identification purposes.     

The tyrosine‐sulfated peptide receptors PSKR1 and PSY1R modify the immunity of Arabidopsis to biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens in an antagonistic manner

The tyrosine‐sulfated peptides PSKα and PSY1 bind to specific leucine‐rich repeat surface receptor kinases and control cell proliferation in plants. In a reverse genetic screen, we identified the phytosulfokine (PSK) receptor PSKR1 as an important component of plant defense. Multiple independent loss‐of‐function mutants in PSKR1 are more resistant to biotrophic bacteria, show enhanced pathogen‐associated molecular pattern responses and less lesion formation after infection with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. By contrast, pskr1 mutants are more susceptible to necrotrophic fungal infection with Alternaria brassicicola, show more lesion formation and fungal growth which is not observed on wild‐type plants. The antagonistic effect on biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogen resistance is reflected by enhanced salicylate and reduced jasmonate responses in the mutants, suggesting that PSKR1 suppresses salicylate‐dependent defense responses. Detailed analysis of single and multiple mutations in the three paralogous genes PSKR1, ‐2 and PSY1‐receptor (PSY1R) determined that PSKR1 and PSY1R, but not PSKR2, have a partially redundant effect on plant immunity. In animals and plants, peptide sulfation is catalyzed by a tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST). Mutants lacking TPST show increased resistance to bacterial infection and increased susceptibility to fungal infection, mimicking the triple receptor mutant phenotypes. Feeding experiments with PSKα in tpst‐1 mutants partially restore the defense‐related phenotypes, indicating that perception of the PSKα peptide has a direct effect on plant defense. These results suggest that the PSKR subfamily integrates growth‐promoting and defense signals mediated by sulfated peptides and modulates cellular plasticity to allow flexible adjustment to environmental changes.     

Near Infrared Optical Projection Tomography for Assessments of β-cell Mass Distribution in Diabetes Research

By adapting OPT to include the capability of imaging in the near infrared (NIR) spectrum, we here illustrate the possibility to image larger bodies of pancreatic tissue, such as the rat pancreas, and to increase the number of channels (cell types) that may be studied in a single specimen. We further describe the implementation of a number of computational tools that provide: 1/ accurate positioning of a specimen''s (in our case the pancreas) centre of mass (COM) at the axis of rotation (AR)²; 2/ improved algorithms for post-alignment tuning which prevents geometric distortions during the tomographic reconstruction² and 3/ a protocol for intensity equalization to increase signal to noise ratios in OPT-based BCM determinations³. In addition, we describe a sample holder that minimizes the risk for unintentional movements of the specimen during image acquisition. Together, these protocols enable assessments of BCM distribution and other features, to be performed throughout the volume of intact pancreata or other organs (e.g. in studies of islet transplantation), with a resolution down to the level of individual islets of Langerhans.