监测害虫迁飞的全自动雷达

在过去30年里,专用昆虫雷达大大深化了我们对昆虫迁飞,尤其是在高达1km高度夜间迁飞的认识。早期的昆虫雷达无法开展长期监测,这种缺陷现已被一种新型的全自动雷达所克服。这种“昆虫监测雷达”（IMR）造价低廉,可自动采集并通过电话网远程传输观测数据。其ZLC制式使其能够获得高质量的迁飞个体的飞行参数从而提高目标鉴别能力。目前,在澳大利亚东部的半干旱内陆地区,即迁飞性鳞翅目害虫和澳大利亚疫hortoicetes terminifera)的虫源区,装置了两部IMR并连续监测其迁飞活动,本报告了这两部雷达的部分监测结果。IMR能提供构成昆虫迁飞系统所需的若干参数,即估测迁飞事件在特定季节,特定方向响应于特定环境条件和信号而发生的概率,为害虫治理机构和测报人员提供对主要迁入事件及其目标害虫可能在迁入区的预警,而且,IMR还可用于更广泛的生态监测,特别是空中生物流量年际变化的定量监测。     

Comparing genotyping algorithms for Illumina's Infinium whole-genome SNP BeadChips

Background  

Illumina's Infinium SNP BeadChips are extensively used in both small and large-scale genetic studies. A fundamental step in any analysis is the processing of raw allele A and allele B intensities from each SNP into genotype calls (AA, AB, BB). Various algorithms which make use of different statistical models are available for this task. We compare four methods (GenCall, Illuminus, GenoSNP and CRLMM) on data where the true genotypes are known in advance and data from a recently published genome-wide association study.     

Sensitivity and response dynamics of elasmobranch electrosensory primary afferent neurons to near threshold fields

Elasmobranch fishes localize weak electric sources at field intensities of <5 ηV cm⁻¹, but the response dynamics of electrosensory primary afferent neurons to near threshold stimuli in situ are not well characterized. Electrosensory primary afferents in the round stingray, Urolophus halleri, have a relatively high discharge rate, a regular discharge pattern and entrain to 1-Hz sinusoidal peak electric field gradients of ≤20 ηV cm⁻¹. Peak neural discharge for units increases as a non-linear function of stimulus intensity, and unit sensitivity (gain) decreases as stimulus intensity increases. Average peak rate-intensity encoding is commonly lost when peak spike rate approximately doubles that of resting, and for many units occurs at intensities <1 μV cm⁻¹. Best neural sensitivity for nearly all units is at 1–2 Hz with a low-frequency slope of 8 dB/decade and a high-frequency slope of −23 dB/decade. The response characteristics of stingray electrosensory primary afferents indicate sensory adaptations for detection of extremely weak phasic fields near 1–2 Hz. We argue that these properties reflect evolutionary adaptations in elasmobranch fishes to enhance detection of prey, communication and social interactions, and possibly electric-mediated geomagnetic orientation. Accepted: 20 June 1997     

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency by allele-specific hybridization and Southern blot

The feasibility and accuracy of gene-specific molecular genetic diagnosis for congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency was studied in a group of 24 pregnancies at 25% risk of carrying an affected fetus. Chorionic villus sampling was performed at 9–10 weeks' gestation. Southern analysis and polymerase chain reaction, followed by allele-specific hybridization for a panel of nine known mutations, were performed for each family. Mutations were identified in 95% of chromosomes examined; the molecular diagnosis was accurate in 96% of infants as confirmed by postnatal examination. The most common mutation identified was an A-to-G transition at base 656 in the second intron, the result of an apparent gene conversion. In one family, there had been a de novo mutation in intron 2, which was detected in the proband, but not in the mother or in the fetus. We conclude that first trimester prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is feasible and accurate employing CYP21-specific probes.