A study on giant panda recognition based on images of a large proportion of captive pandas

1. As a highly endangered species, the giant panda (panda) has attracted significant attention in the past decades. Considerable efforts have been put on panda conservation and reproduction, offering the promising outcome of maintaining the population size of pandas. To evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management strategies, recognizing individual pandas is critical. However, it remains a challenging task because the existing methods, such as traditional tracking method, discrimination method based on footprint identification, and molecular biology method, are invasive, inaccurate, expensive, or challenging to perform. The advances of imaging technologies have led to the wide applications of digital images and videos in panda conservation and management, which makes it possible for individual panda recognition in a noninvasive manner by using image‐based panda face recognition method.
2. In recent years, deep learning has achieved great success in the field of computer vision and pattern recognition. For panda face recognition, a fully automatic deep learning algorithm which consists of a sequence of deep neural networks (DNNs) used for panda face detection, segmentation, alignment, and identity prediction is developed in this study. To develop and evaluate the algorithm, the largest panda image dataset containing 6,441 images from 218 different pandas, which is 39.78% of captive pandas in the world, is established.
3. The algorithm achieved 96.27% accuracy in panda recognition and 100% accuracy in detection.
4. This study shows that panda faces can be used for panda recognition. It enables the use of the cameras installed in their habitat for monitoring their population and behavior. This noninvasive approach is much more cost‐effective than the approaches used in the previous panda surveys.

     

Putative candidate genes for blood pressure control in the SHR.BN-RNO8 congenic substrains

The SHR-Lx congenic strain carrying a differential segment of chromosome 8 of BN and PD origin was recently shown to exhibit a significant decrease in blood pressure as compared to the SHR strain. There were two positional candidate genes for blood pressure control mapped to the differential segment: the rat kidney epithelial potassium channel gene (Kcnj1) and brain dopamine receptor 2 gene (Drd2). Bot these genes were separated into SHR.BN-RNO8 congenic substrains. In this communication, we are presenting the assignment of two further putative candidate genes, which might be involved in blood pressure control to the BN/PD differential segment of the SHR-Lx congenic strain. These are: the gene coding for smooth muscle cell specific protein 22 (Sm22) defined by the D8Mcw1 marker and neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene cluster, defined by the D8Bord1 marker. Moreover, the glutamate receptor gene Grik4 which also maps to the differential segment of the SHR-Lx should be taken into account. The genetic separation of all these putative candidate genes of blood pressure control is being performed by recombinations and subsequent selection using (SHR×SHR-Lx) intercross population.     

Tagesperiodische Resistenzschwankungen gegenα-Strahlen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Salmonella serotypes isolated from human enteric processes in Recife, Pernambuco, during 1978-1980

From 13,196 faecal cultures made in Recife-Pernambuco during the period from 1978 to 1980, 1,720 strains of Salmonella were isolated. Serological typing on 1,387 of the isolates recognized 63 serotypes, 73.18% of which belonged to group B. The prevalent serotypes adding up to 1,231 strains (88.75% of the total of the isolates) were: S. typhimurium, S. saint-paul, S. poona, S. derby, S. agona, S. newport, S. oranienburg, S. infantis, S. tshiongwe and S. ndolo.     

Maturation of locust corpora allata during the reproductive cycle: Effect of reserpine on allatotropic activity,juvenile hormone-III biosynthesis,and oocyte development

Reserpine, at doses of 20–175 μg per g body weight, severely retards oogenesis in newly emerged adult female migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria migratorioides) but does not increase mortality during the first 9 days and only slightly delays somatic growth. Total protein, and hemolymph vitellogenin content particularly, are significantly reduced in reserpine-treated locusts. The synthesis of juvenile hormone III (JH-III) following adult emergence, essential for induction of vitellogenesis and subsequent oogenesis, is dependent on the maturation and activation of the corpora allata (CA). CA of 7- to 8-day-old female locusts, treated with reserpine at day 1 after adult emergence, are only marginally active in vitro and are only slightly stimulated by an allatotropic factor. The basal activity and response of CA from the reserpine-treated locusts resembles that of newly emerged locusts, suggesting that reserpine specifically retards the initial maturation of the locust CA. Recovery of basal CA activity is evident on days 12–13 in reserpine-treated locusts, but responsiveness to the allatotropic factor is not recovered. Starvation of newly emerged females for 3 days and subsequent feeding did not effect ooctye development or CA activity. Cerebral content of the allatotropic factor, assayed on days 7–8, is not reduced by the reserpine treatment.