Advancing primate surveillance with image recognition techniques from unmanned aerial vehicles.

Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveys on thermostatic animals has gained prominence due to their ability to provide practical and precise dynamic censuses, contributing to developing and refining conservation strategies. However, the practical application of UAVs for animal monitoring necessitates the automation of image interpretation to enhance their effectiveness. Based on our past experiences, we present the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) as a case study to illustrate the effective use of thermal cameras mounted on UAVs for monitoring monkey populations in Qinling, a region characterized by magnificent biodiversity.

Risk relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and urolithiasis: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: The causal genetic relationship between common parenteral manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and urolithiasis remains unclear because their timing is difficult to determine. This study investigated the causal genetic association between IBD and urolithiasis using Mendelian randomization (MR) based on data from large population-based genome-wide association studies (GWASs).

Methods: A two-sample MR analysis was performed to assess the potential relationship between IBD and urolithiasis.

AT-specific DNA visualization revisits the directionality of bacteriophage λ DNA ejection.

In this study, we specifically visualized DNA molecules at their AT base pairs after in vitro phage ejection. Our AT-specific visualization revealed that either end of the DNA molecule could be ejected first with a nearly 50% probability. This observation challenges the generally accepted theory of Last In First Out (LIFO), which states that the end of the phage λ DNA that enters the capsid last during phage packaging is the first to be ejected, and that both ends of the DNA are unable to move within the extremely condensed phage capsid.

Pyogranulomatous dermatitis with Enterococcus faecalis in a spotted seal (Phoca larga).

Background: Cutaneous infections are important diseases in captive and free-ranging pinnipeds and are associated with various causative agents. Some special agents, such as fungi, morbillivirus and mycobacteria, can cause cutaneous specific granulomatous inflammation.

Objectives: To identity the cause of chronic dermatitis in a spotted seal in an aquarium.

Sarcoptic mange is an emerging threat to biodiversity in the Qinling Mountains in China.

Sarcoptic mange, a disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is globally endemic and an emerging threat to wildlife. Although many studies have shown that wildlife diseases play key roles in biodiversity conservation, knowledge about sarcoptic mange is still insufficient. In this study, we aim to improve the understanding of the impacts of sarcoptic mange on wildlife populations, the mechanisms involved in its eco-epidemiology and the associated risks to public and ecosystem health by investigating mass death events in gorals and serows in the Qinling Mountains.

DNA Visualization Using Fluorescent Proteins.

DNA binding fluorescent proteins are a powerful tool for single-molecule visualization. In this chapter, we discuss a protocol for the synthesis of DNA binding fluorescent proteins and visualization of single DNA molecules. This chapter includes stepwise methods for molecular cloning, reversible staining, two-color staining, sequence-specific staining, and microscopic visualization of single DNA molecules in a microfluidic device.

Feline herpesvirus infection and pathology in captive snow leopard.

Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) is a common causative agent of domestic cats' rhinotracheitis in domestic cats, and it increasingly threatens wild felids worldwide. The endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) belongs to the family Felidae, and it is the top predator on the Tibetan Plateau. Here we report the identification and isolation of FHV-1 from three dead captive snow leopards that presented with sneezing and rhinorrhea.

Experimental scheme and noise analysis of weak-light phase locked loop for large-scale intersatellite laser interferometer.

In the current space gravitational wave (GW) detection, satellites are separated by millions of kilometers. As a result, watts of laser from one satellite is attenuated to the picowatt level at the other end due to the Gaussian beam divergence and the finite aperture of the telescope. Establishing an effective interferometry with such weak-light is a major challenge.

A flagship species-based approach to efficient, cost-effective biodiversity conservation in the Qinling Mountains, China.

Prioritizing threatened species protection has been proposed as an efficient response to the global biodiversity crisis. We used in-situ conservation data to predict the potential habitat area of four flagship species: the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), golden monkey (Rhinopithecus roxella quinlingensis), takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi), and crested ibis (Nipponia nippon). We then designed systematic conservation planning schemes for various scenarios given species habitat preferences and anthropogenic activities and conducted a cost-effectiveness assessment.

Shot-noise-limit performance of a weak-light phase readout system for intersatellite heterodyne interferometry.

A laser interferometer will be used in the spaceborne gravitational-wave detection missions to measure the inter-satellite optical pathlength variations. The phase readout system of the interferometer needs to be carefully designed and tested to accomplish a shot-noise-limited detection performance under the situation of pico-Watt level received lights. In this work, a scheme based on dual-tone acousto-optic diffraction is presented to verify the performance of the weak-light phase readout system.

DNA binding fluorescent proteins as single-molecule probes.

DNA binding fluorescent proteins are useful probes for a broad range of biological applications. Fluorescent protein (FP)-tagging allows DNA binding proteins expressed within a living cell to be directly visualised, in real-time, to study DNA binding patterns and dynamics. Moreover, FP-tagged DNA binding proteins (FP-DBP) have allowed the imaging of single proteins bound to large elongated DNA molecules with a fluorescence microscope.

Characteristics of heavy metal concentrations and risk assessment for giant pandas and their habitat in the Qinling Mountains, China.

High concentrations of heavy metals in the environment threaten the quality of ecosystems and the health of human beings and animals. Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), which is endemic to China and a global conservation icon, has the largest density in the Qinling Mountains. This paper investigated the spatiotemporal variation of heavy metal concentrations in soil (N = 44) at the regional scale with three zones of urban areas, mountain edges, and central mountains, the temporal variation of heavy metal concentrations in three bamboo species (N = 19) and two types of feces (N = 10), and assessed the ecological risk and health risk for giant pandas and their habitat in the Qinling Mountains.

Molecular-Level Interactions between Engineered Materials and Cells.

Various recent experimental observations indicate that growing cells on engineered materials can alter their physiology, function, and fate. This finding suggests that better molecular-level understanding of the interactions between cells and materials may guide the design and construction of sophisticated artificial substrates, potentially enabling control of cells for use in various biomedical applications. In this review, we introduce recent research results that shed light on molecular events and mechanisms involved in the interactions between cells and materials.

Using unmanned aerial vehicles with thermal-image acquisition cameras for animal surveys: a case study on the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey in the Qinling Mountains.

Following significant developments in technology, alternative devices have been applied in fieldwork for animal and plant surveys. Thermal-image acquisition cameras installed on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used in animal surveys in the wilderness. This article demonstrates an example of how UAVs can be used in high mountainous regions, presenting a case study on the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey with a detection rate of 65.

Blood transcriptomics of captive forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and possible associations with the immune response to abscesses.

Forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii; FMD) are both economically valuable and highly endangered. A problem for FMD captive breeding programs has been the susceptibility of FMD to abscesses. To investigate the mechanisms of abscess development in FMD, the blood transcriptomes of three purulent and three healthy individuals were generated.

DNA Binding Peptide Directed Synthesis of Continuous DNA Nanowires for Analysis of Large DNA Molecules by Scanning Electron Microscope.

Synthesis of smooth and continuous DNA nanowires, preserving the original structure of native DNA, and allowing its analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM), is demonstrated. Gold nanoparticles densely assembled on the DNA backbone via thiol-tagged DNA binding peptides work as seeds for metallization of DNA. This method allows whole analysis of DNA molecules with entangled 3D features.

Highway increases concentrations of toxic metals in giant panda habitat.

The Qinling panda subspecies (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis) is highly endangered with fewer than 350 individuals inhabiting the Qinling Mountains. Previous studies have indicated that giant pandas are exposed to heavy metals, and a possible source is vehicle emission. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, Hg, and As in soil samples collected from sites along a major highway bisecting the panda's habitat were analyzed to investigate whether the highway was an important source of metal contamination.

The application of the Internet of Things to animal ecology.

For ecologists, understanding the reaction of animals to environmental changes is critical. Using networked sensor technology to measure wildlife and environmental parameters can provide accurate, real-time and comprehensive data for monitoring, research and conservation of wildlife. This paper reviews: (i) conventional detection technology; (ii) concepts and applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) in animal ecology; and (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of IoT.

Large-scale genetic survey provides insights into the captive management and reintroduction of giant pandas.

The captive genetic management of threatened species strives to preserve genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding to ensure populations remain available, healthy, and viable for future reintroduction. Determining and responding to the genetic status of captive populations is therefore paramount to these programs. Here, we genotyped 19 microsatellite loci for 240 captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) (∼64% of the captive population) from four breeding centers, Wolong (WL), Chengdu (CD), Louguantai (LGT), and Beijing (BJ), and analyzed 655 bp of mitochondrial DNA control region sequence for 220 of these animals.

The bamboo-eating giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has a sweet tooth: behavioral and molecular responses to compounds that taste sweet to humans.

A growing body of behavioral and genetic information indicates that taste perception and food sources are highly coordinated across many animal species. For example, sweet taste perception is thought to serve to detect and motivate consumption of simple sugars in plants that provide calories. Supporting this is the observation that most plant-eating mammals examined exhibit functional sweet perception, whereas many obligate carnivores have independently lost function of their sweet taste receptors and exhibit no avidity for simple sugars that humans describe as tasting sweet.

Whole-genome sequencing of giant pandas provides insights into demographic history and local adaptation.

The panda lineage dates back to the late Miocene and ultimately leads to only one extant species, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Although global climate change and anthropogenic disturbances are recognized to shape animal population demography their contribution to panda population dynamics remains largely unknown. We sequenced the whole genomes of 34 pandas at an average 4.

Effect of intra-arterial cisplatin on multiple liver metastases from rectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis.

We report a patient with synchronous multiple liver metastases from rectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis. Because the liver tumors were unresectable, we performed total proctocolectomy and hepatic intra-arterial cisplatin infusion with systemic oral administration of fluorouracil. A complete response was obtained.

Intraileal capsaicin inhibits gastrointestinal contractions via a neural reflex in conscious dogs.

Background & Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of intraileal administration of capsaicin on gastrointestinal motility.

Methods: Mongrel dogs equipped with strain gauge force transducers on the stomach, small intestine, and colon were used. We studied the effects of intraileal capsaicin on gastrointestinal contractions with or without pharmacologic antagonists.

Ileojejunal transposition delays gastric emptying and decreases fecal water content in dogs with total colectomy.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ileojejunal transposition, in which the distal ileum is interposed isoperistaltically into the proximal jejunum, on gastric emptying, gastrointestinal motility, and fecal water content in dogs with total colectomy.

Methods: Dogs were divided into three groups: dogs with intact colons (control), total colectomy alone (sham operated group), or total colectomy and ileojejunal transposition group. The alimentary tract was reconstructed by ileal J-pouch-rectal anastomosis.