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.

     

Recruitment of Nox4 to a Plasma Membrane Scaffold Is Required for Localized Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and Sustained Src Activation in Response to Insulin-like Growth Factor-I

Nox4-derived ROS is increased in response to hyperglycemia and is required for IGF-I-stimulated Src activation. This study was undertaken to determine the mechanism by which Nox4 mediates sustained Src activation. IGF-I stimulated sustained Src activation, which occurred primarily on the SHPS-1 scaffold protein. In vitro oxidation experiments indicated that Nox4-derived ROS was able to oxidize Src when they are in close proximity, and Src oxidation leads to its activation. Therefore we hypothesized that Nox4 recruitment to the plasma membrane scaffold SHPS-1 allowed localized ROS generation to mediate sustained Src oxidation and activation. To determine the mechanism of Nox4 recruitment, we analyzed the role of Grb2, a component of the SHPS-1 signaling complex. We determined that Nox4 Tyr-491 was phosphorylated after IGF-I stimulation and was responsible for Nox4 binding to the SH2 domain of Grb2. Overexpression of a Nox4 mutant, Y491F, prevented Nox4/Grb2 association. Importantly, it also prevented Nox4 recruitment to SHPS-1. The role of Grb2 was confirmed using a Pyk2 Y881F mutant, which blocked Grb2 recruitment to SHPS-1. Cells expressing this mutant had impaired Nox4 recruitment to SHPS-1. IGF-I-stimulated downstream signaling and biological actions were also significantly impaired in Nox4 Y491F-overexpressing cells. Disruption of Nox4 recruitment to SHPS-1 in aorta from diabetic mice inhibited IGF-I-stimulated Src oxidation and activation as well as cell proliferation. These findings provide insight into the mechanism by which localized Nox4-derived ROS regulates the sustained activity of a tyrosine kinase that is critical for mediating signal transduction and biological actions.     

Foraging interactions between Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans breeding on Marion Island and long-line fisheries in the southern Indian Ocean

Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans are frequently killed when they attempt to scavenge baited hooks deployed by long-line fishing vessels. We studied the foraging ecology of Wandering Albatrosses breeding on Marion Island in order to assess the scale of interactions with known long-line fishing fleets. During incubation and late chick-rearing, birds foraged further away from the island, in warmer waters, and showed high spatial overlap with areas of intense tuna Thunnus spp. long-line fishing. During early chick-rearing, birds made shorter foraging trips and showed higher spatial overlap with the local Patagonian Toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides long-line fishery. Tracks of birds returning with offal from the Toothfish fishery showed a strong association with positions at which Toothfish long-lines were set and most diet samples taken during this stage contained fishery-related items. Independent of these seasonal differences, females foraged further from the islands and in warmer waters than males. Consequently, female distribution overlapped more with tuna long-line fisheries, whereas males interacted more with the Toothfish long-line fishery. These factors could lead to differences in the survival probabilities of males and females. Non-breeding birds foraged in warmer waters and showed the highest spatial overlap with tuna long-line fishing areas. The foraging distribution of Marion Island birds showed most spatial overlap with birds from the neighbouring Crozet Islands during the late chick-rearing and non-breeding periods. These areas of foraging overlap also coincided with areas of intense tuna long-line fishing south of Africa. As the population trends of Wandering Albatrosses at these two localities are very similar, it is possible that incidental mortality during the periods when these two populations show the highest spatial overlap could be driving these trends.     

Monoclonal antibodies to CD2 and lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 inhibit human thymic epithelial cell-dependent mature thymocyte activation

Recent study of human thymocyte-thymic epithelial (TE) cell interactions has demonstrated that thymocytes bind to TE cells, and a consequence of this binding is the provision of accessory cell signals by TE cells for phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced mature thymocyte activation. In this paper we report on studies of the molecules involved in TE cell-dependent mature thymocyte activation. TE-thymocyte interactions necessary for PHA-induced thymocyte activation were inhibited by monoclonal antibodies against the cluster of differentiation (CD)2 antigen on thymocytes and lymphocyte function-associated (LFA)-3 antigen on TE cells. Inhibition of TE accessory cell signals by antibodies against CD2 (alpha CD2) and LFA-3 (alpha LFA-3) antigens occurred early on during thymocyte activation and prevented thymocyte interleukin 2 receptor expression. Further, alpha CD2 and alpha LFA-3 inhibited PHA-induced thymocyte activation in whole thymic explant cultures suggesting a significant role of the CD2 and LFA-3 antigens in thymocyte activation when accessory cell signals for PHA-induced thymocyte triggering were delivered by cells within an intact thymic microenvironment.     

Enzymic synthesis,chemical characterisation and Sda activity of GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAcα2-3]Galß1-4Glc

The tetrasaccharides GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4Glc and GalNAcß1-4[NeuAc2-3]Galß1-4GlcNAc were synthesised by enzymic transfer of GalNAc from UDP-GalNAc to 3-sialyllactose (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4Glc) and 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (NeuAc2-3Galß1-4GlcNAc). The structures of the products were established by methylation and¹H-500 MHz NMR spectroscopy. In Sd^a serological tests the product formed with 3-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine was highly active whereas that formed with 3-sialyllactose had only weak activity.     

Site-specificity of histone H1 methylation by two H1-specific protein-lysine N-methyltransferases from Euglena gracilis

1. The histone H1 fractions from rat spleen and liver were used as substrates for two H1-specific protein-lysine N-methyltransferases, V-A and V-B (protein methylase III) from Euglena gracilis. 2. When the enzymatically [methyl-3H]labeled H1 fractions were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, four subtypes were found to be methylated (H1b, H1c, H1d and H1e). Both enzymes methylated H1c and H1b to approximately the same extent; H1d and H1e were methylated preferentially by enzyme V-B and V-A, respectively. 3. Histone H1c, [methyl-3H]labeled by the methyltransferase V-A, which had been digested by arginine-specific protease (Arg C protease), showed a single radioactive peptide on HPLC, indicating methylation site specificity of the enzyme. 4. Arg C protease-digestion of [methyl-3H]labeled H1c labeled by methyltransferase V-B indicated that this enzyme methylated two sites on the histone molecule. 5. The histone H1c methylation sites of these two enzymes did not overlap, indicating the two enzymes have different site specificity. 6. In combination with the other results, this suggests that the two enzymes serve discrete purposes, possibly involving the presumed different actions of histone H1 subtypes.     

Diagnosis of abdominal masses with percutaneous biopsy guided by ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the accuracy and safety of percutaneous biopsy of abdominal masses guided by ultrasound. DESIGN--Prospective study. SETTING--Combined gastroenterology service, Scarborough Hospital. PATIENTS--108 Consecutive patients identified as having a discrete mass on diagnostic ultrasound examination of the abdomen. INTERVENTION--A sample of tissue was obtained with an aseptic technique under local anaesthesia: an 18 steel wire gauge needle (Tru-Cut) was mounted in a spring loaded firing device (Biopty gun) that was advanced under simultaneous ultrasound scanning, permitting precise localisation of the target organ. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Results of histological examination of tissue specimens. RESULTS--Biopsy failed in four patients. Adequate histological specimens were obtained in 104 patients with masses in the liver (31), pancreas (37), kidney (10), and adrenal glands (six) and in 20 undiagnosed abdominal and retroperitoneal masses. Follow up was until death or confirmation of the diagnosis. Three complications but no deaths occurred. Malignancy was suspected in 84 patients before biopsy. This was confirmed in 70 patients, in 26 of whom confirmation of dissemination obviated the need for further investigation. In 10 patients biopsy indicated a previously unsuspected primary tumour, and in 12 it showed only a benign lesion. Among 24 patients considered to have benign disease biopsy showed an unsuspected neoplasm in seven. Use of biopsy thus had a major effect on clinical management in 55 patients. Four false negative but no false positive diagnoses resulted from the procedure. CONCLUSION--Percutaneous biopsy of abdominal and retroperitoneal masses under ultrasound guidance is a safe and accurate method of obtaining a histological diagnosis. The results obtained have a considerable effect on clinical management.     

The ontogeny of the vascular cambium inGinkgo biloba roots

Observation was made on early ontogeny of vascular cambium in the developing root ofGinkgo biloba L. After completion of root elongation, the vascular meristem gradually acquires cambial characteristics. Strips of the periclinal division of cells in transverse section are observed on the inner side of phloem when the primary xylem and phloem in the stele have been established. The strips are united into a continuous layer between phloem and xylem. In tangenital section, the procambium shows a homogeneous structure, which is initially composed of short cells with transverse end walls and subsequently, of long cells with tapering ends. Then, the procambium is organized into two systems of cells; axial strands of short cells with transverse end walls resulting from the sporadic transverse divisions of long cells, and long cells with tapering ends. Still later, the short cells are divided frequently in a trasverse plane exhibiting one or a few cells in width and several decades of cells in height, while the long cells are elongated. The frequency of transverse divisions of the short cells decreases in subsequent stages. Eventually, the short cells in axial strands are vertically separated from one another by the elongation of neighboring long cells and by the decrease in the frequency of transverse divisions of short cells themselves. Cambial initials occur in two forms; ray initials a few cells in height and one cell in width derived from the short cells, and fusiform initials with tapering ends derived from the long cells.     

Mapping parathyroid hormone, β-globin,insulin, and LDH-A genes within the human chromosome 11 short arm by spot blotting sorted chromosomes

Summary Rearranged human chromosomes carrying segments of chromosome 11 were separated from the normal chromosome 11 by high-resolution chromosome sorting. Sorted chromosomes were tested with parathyroid hormone, -globin, insulin, and LDH-A gene-specific probes to determine the genes carried by each chromosome segment. Based on the gene content and karyotypes of these abnormal chromosomes, the parathyroid hormone, -globin, insulin, and LDH-A genes and the unique restriction fragment ADJ-762 are all located on the terminal band of the short arm of human chromosome 11 (band 11p15), with LDH-A proximal to the other loci.