Effects of odors on behaviors of captive Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis

Captive environments often fail to resemble the wild environment in respects of limited space,unchanging habitat,lack of stimulus and contingency. Common animal welfare problems which occur in captive animals include low behavioral diversity,abnormal behavior and excessive inactivity. Environmental enrichment,as an effective strategy to tackle these problems and promote mental health of captive animals,has been recognized as an important principal for captive animal management. Among all the enrichment techniques,olfactory enrichment is a simple and effective method for improving the well-being of the olfactory sensitive felids. Behavioral problems were observed in six Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis at Beijing Zoological Garden. These were held in the older type exhibits which have now been rebuilt. These behaviors include stereotypic behavior and excessive inactivity caused by the spatially limited enclosures with low levels of stimuli. To determine the effects of predator,prey,and herb odors as potential enrichment materials for captive leopards,we conducted olfactory enrichment experiments for the leopards and tested the effects of nutmeg Myristica fragrans,feces of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and urine of Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica to test for an increase in behavioral repertoire and activity. Odors provided in this study were also believed to improve the psychological and physiological health of individuals. To standardize the method of presentation the odors were introduced to the enclosures by rubbing or spraying onto a clean towel. Our results show that the selected three odors effectively increased the behavioral diversity. Ten new behavior types were observed in the nutmeg experiment,eight in the feces of roe deer experiment and six in the tiger urine experiment. Among the three odors,cats responded to nutmeg for the longest duration,followed by tiger urine and feces of roe deer. Leopards showed more play behavior in presence of nutmeg while more investigatory behavior in presences of feces of roe deer and tiger urine. Providing novel odors increased the spatial use of the exhibit and the animal's increased use of the logs,sleeping platforms and bars in the cages. Novel odors also significantly increased the overall activity of the leopards,but the effects were diminished in about three

Spatial Distribution Pattern of the Steppe Toad-headed Lizard(Phrynocephalus frontalis) and Its Influencing Factors

Spatial distribution patterns are associated with life history and behavioral adaptations of animals. For studying the spatial distribution pattern of the steppe toad-headed lizard(Phrynocephalus frontalis) and its influencing factors,we conducted experiments in Hunshandake Sandy Land in Inner Mongolia,China in July 2009. By calculating the clustered indices,we found that the lizard was aggregately distributed when the sampling quadrat was smaller than 10 m × 10 m,and uniformly distributed when it was greater than 10 m × 10 m. The Nearest Neighbor Rule showed a clustering distribution pattern for P. frontalis and the distribution pattern was quadrat-sampling dependent. Furthermore,the cluster was determined by environmental factors when the sampling quadrat was smaller than 20 m × 20 m,but it was determined by both environmental factors and characteristics of the lizard when it was larger than 20 m × 20 m. Our results suggested that the steppe toad-headed lizards tended to aggregate into suitable habitat patches in desert areas. Additionally,we discussed that the lizard aggregation could be potentially used as an indictor of movement of sand dunes.

Diet, Food Intake of Phrynocephalus frontalis (Agamidae) and Its Potential Role in Desert Habitat

We examined the dietary diversity and food intake of Phrynocephalus frontalis, compared the difference of insect diversity in the natural habitats with different lizard densities, and discussed the potential role of this lizard in the desert ecosystem. The results show that： （1） arthropodans of the orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera were major dietary components of P. frontalis; （2） coleoptera larvae always formed the predominant component of lizard diets; （3） dietary diversities of P. frontalis were not significantly different between summer and autumn or between the two sexes; （4） the similarity in trophic niches between seasons was 0.756, whereas the similarity in trophic niches between sexes was 0.994; （5） stomach content weight of lizards varied significantly among different seasons, but there was no significant difference in stomach content weight between sexes; （6） insect diversity differed significantly among the groups of the habitat with different degrees of lizard density, and the habitat with moderate lizards density had the highest insect diversity. We infer that P. frontalis prey mainly on insects and change their diet and food intake with season; males and females consumed similar preys in types and weights. As an important predator, P. frontalis could affect the insect community in the arid ecosystem of Hunshandak Desert on the Mongolian Plateau.

Effects of Sand Grain Size on Habitat Selection in Steppe Toad-headed Lizard(Phrynocephalus frontalis)

To understand the effects of sand grain size on habitat selection, we conducted a field study on the steppe toad-headed lizard in Hunshandake Desert northern China. Methods of mark-recapture and transect survey were used to investigate the density of steppe toad-headed lizards and the environmental variables. The comparison on lizard densities among the habitats with different environmental factors revealed that： 1） population density of the steppe toad-headed lizard differed significantly among the habitats with different sand grain size indexes（SGSIs, representing roughness of sand substrate）： the highest lizard density was found in the group with an SGSI of 〉 0.30, whereas the lowest density was found in the group with an SGSI of 0–0.15; and 2） vegetation cover, soil moisture, invertebrate diversity index, and abundance had no significant effects on the lizard density. These results implied that the sand grain size was the most important determinant of habitat selection for steppe toad-headed lizards in Hunshandake Desert. Steppe toad-headed lizards could avoid structural habitats that have negative effects on their maximal sprinting capabilities. Considering the changing sand grain size in the development phase of sand dunes, the sand lizard could be used as an indicator of the process of desertification.

Pressure Gradient Control Strategies Based on Disturbance Rejection for Typical Pharmaceutical Cleanrooms

Keeping pressure gradient is an excellent approach to prevent the reveal of airflow direction and cross infection in manufacturing circumstances of pharmaceutical cleanrooms, thus how to keep cleanroom’s pressure is critical. In the paper, we study a positive pressure pharmaceutical cleanroom system which is composed by a cleanroom and an airlock. We divide the system’s disturbances into step disturbance, ramp disturbance and sine wave disturbance. We design its pressure gradient control strategies, including CAV control, PID control and active-disturbance-rejection-control. We build the system’s model and make simulations based on Matlab/Simulink software platform. Results show that active-disturbance-rejection-control algorithm has good capabilities for shorter responding time and lower overshot of the pressure gradient. The results reveal that active-disturbance-rejection-control method has good control performances in responding time, accuracy and disturbance rejection.

Active-Disturbance-Rejection-Control for Temperature Control of the HVAC System

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is significant to the energy efficiency in buildings. In this paper, temperature control of HVAC system is studied in winter operation season. The physical model of the zone, the fan, the heating coil and sensor are built. HVAC is a non-linear, strong disturbance and coupling system. Linear active-rejection-disturbance-control is an appreciate control algorithm which can adapt to less information, strong-disturbance influence, and has relative-fixed structure and simple tuning process of the controller parameters. Active-rejection-disturbance-control of the HVAC system is proposed. Simulation in Matlab/Simulink was done. Simulation results show that linear active-rejection-disturbance-control was prior to PID and integral-fuzzy controllers in rising time, overshoot and response time of step disturbance. The study can provide fundamental basis for the control of the air-condition system with strong-disturbance and high-precision needed.

Glioblastoma vaccine tumor therapy research progress

Glioblastoma(GBM)is the most common primary malignancy of the central nervous system in adults.The prognosis for late-stage glioblastoma(World Health Organization grade IV astrocytic glioma)is very poor.Novel treatment options are sought after and evaluated by clinicians and researchers,and remarkable advances have been made in surgical techniques,radiotherapy,and chemotherapy.However,the treatment of glioblastoma remains extremely difficult and it can extend the lives of patients by only a few months.There has been notable progress in the field of immunotherapy,particularly with the use of tumor vaccines,for treating glioblastoma;especially peptide vaccines and cell-based vaccines such as dendritic cell vaccines and tumor cell vaccines.However,the results of the current clinical trials for vaccination are not satisfactory.This article reviews the progress in the development of vaccines for glioblastoma.

中国阿勒泰地区鸟类物种编目、丰富度格局和区系组成

中国阿勒泰地区位于新疆北部,与哈萨克斯坦、俄罗斯、蒙古国交界,该区包含阿尔泰山及山前荒漠和绿洲,属于全球200个生物多样性最丰富和最具代表性生态区之一的阿尔泰–萨彦岭生物热点地区。阿勒泰地区生境多样,鸟类物种资源丰富。尽管以往曾在阿勒泰地区进行过一些鸟类调查,但对于该地区不同景观和生境类型中鸟类物种丰富度和分布尚无详尽报道。本文通过2013–2016年在中国境内阿尔泰山及山前平原地区对不同生境类型中的鸟类进行实地调查,并总结文献资料及观鸟爱好者的记录数据,重新整理了阿勒泰地区鸟类名录及地理分布,分析了鸟类的物种组成、区系成分;通过鸟类分布位点数据,选取气候、土地覆被类型、人类足迹指数及地形共4类环境因子作为自变量建立MaxEnt生态位模型,通过模拟77种鸟类的适宜分布区并叠加分布图层,获得了阿勒泰地区的鸟类物种丰富度分布格局。结果表明:阿勒泰共记录鸟类344种,隶属19目55科149属,其中雀形目163种。在垂直海拔带上,鸟类物种数分别为高山裸岩带24种,高山草甸带35种,山地森林草原带172种,低山灌木带130种,荒漠草原带84种,平原绿洲带173种,以及各海拔带的湿地与水域生境中水鸟92种;在区系成分上,以北方型鸟类为主(170种,占49.4%),其次为广布种(93种,占27.0%)。阿尔泰山地的鸟类区系呈现出西伯利亚动物区系特征,山前平原地区呈现蒙新区分布特征,因此,阿勒泰地区动物地理区系属于古北界欧洲–西伯利亚亚界阿尔泰–萨彦岭区阿尔泰亚区;山前平原地区属于古北界中亚亚界蒙新区西部荒漠亚区。Max Ent模型推测阿勒泰地区山前平原绿洲地区、山地森林草原带和低山灌木带具有较高的鸟类物种丰富度,尤其是额尔齐斯河流域下游的绿洲带宽阔,鸟类物种丰富,而高山区和荒漠生境中鸟类物种相对较少。模型预测的结果与实际调查情况相符。阿勒泰地区应采用生态友好的经济发展策略,加强对乔木和灌木的保护,这有助于维持较高的鸟类物种多样性。此外,降低生境破碎化不仅对该地区物种保护有重要作用,也对维持阿尔泰–萨彦岭生物热点地区的山地鸟类多样性有重要意义。

新疆阿尔泰山喀纳斯河谷鸟兽物种的红外相机监测

2014年6月至2016年8月,利用红外相机技术对新疆喀纳斯国家级自然保护区内喀纳斯河谷的兽类和鸟类多样性进行了调查,共布设36个相机位点,累计12,006个拍摄日,收集独立有效照片2,038张,共鉴定野生动物51种,其中兽类4目8科15种,鸟类9目15科36种。记录到国家I级重点保护野生动物3种,即紫貂(Marteszibellina)、貂熊(Gulo gulo)和黑鹳(Ciconia nigra);国家II级保护动物11种。9种被中国脊椎动物红色名录列为受威胁物种,其中极危(CR)1种,即驼鹿(Alces alces);濒危(EN)3种,即貂熊、马鹿(Cervus canadensis)和松鸡(Tetrao urogallus);易危(VU)5种。白背啄木鸟(Dendrocoposleucotos)等14种鸟类为保护区新记录,我们首次在野外拍摄到驼鹿指名亚种(A.a.alces)。物种相对多度指数(relative abundance index,RAI)分析结果显示,马鹿为喀纳斯河谷兽类优势种(RAI=9.878),鸟类中星鸦(Nucifragacaryocatactes)相对多度最高(0.258)。我们建议保护区进一步对雪豹(Panthera uncia)、原麝(Moschus moschiferus)等物种开展专项调查和评估。本论文为阿尔泰山喀纳斯河谷鸟兽多样性研究提供了基础数据,有助于后续物种保护和管理计划的开展。

印度野牛在中国的分布及其栖息地适宜性分析

印度野牛(Bos gaurus)在中国分布在云南省南部和西藏藏南地区。2016年2–3月和2016年11–12月,我们在西双版纳州、普洱市及高黎贡山区域开展印度野牛调查,并对藏南地区进行文献调研,共获得47处印度野牛有效出现位点数据。目前云南地区印度野牛种群数量约180–210头,面临着严重的生存危机;在高黎贡山未发现印度野牛。利用印度野牛分布位点数据,选取地形、土地覆被类型、人类足迹指数、距水源和道路距离以及气候共5类14种因子作为自变量建立MaxEnt生态位模型,通过模拟云南和西藏印度野牛的适宜分布区,分析各环境因子对该物种分布的影响。结果表明:模型预测精度较高,平均AUC (area under the curve)值为0.994。印度野牛潜在适宜栖息地可划分为高适宜、次适宜、低适宜和不适宜4个等级。高适宜栖息地主要分布在云南省西双版纳和藏南地区,其中西双版纳部分镶嵌有次适宜和低适宜栖息地斑块,面积为4,987 km2;藏南部分高适宜栖息地面积为13,995 km2。次适宜栖息地主要分布于云南省南部、高黎贡山区域以及藏南高适宜栖息地区的边缘,总面积为32,778 km2。低适宜和不适宜栖息地区连接成片,位于云南省中部、北部地区和藏南地区北部。Jackknife检验结果显示,季节温度变化和等温线对印度野牛潜在分布区的影响较大,而地形因子和降水变化的影响较弱。遥感地物分类结果表明:橡胶林等人工经济林的种植占据了西双版纳野牛的适宜栖息地,降低了景观连接度。建议管理部门加大对天然林的保护力度,控制橡胶林等人工林在野牛适宜栖息地的扩张,提高景观连接度,以促进该物种种群的恢复。

中国哺乳动物形态、生活史和生态学特征数据集

物种特征是生物对生存环境适应和响应的表现,反映了物种的生态位、适合度和生态功能。特征数据库的建立和共享是研究生物多样性维持与丧失、物种进化与适应、生态过程与生态系统功能、物种对气候变化和人类干扰响应、种内与种间关系等的基础。中国是世界哺乳动物物种数最多的国家之一,然而目前中国还没有包含哺乳动物形态、生活史、生态学和地理分布等物种特征的数据库。我们系统查阅了文献和各种数据资料,共收集整理出中国有分布记录的754种哺乳动物(包括近些年野外绝灭种、分布存疑种)的体重、脑容量、体长、尾长、前臂长(翼手目)、后足长、耳长、性成熟时间、妊娠期、窝崽数、年窝数、世代长度、食性、活动模式、是否特有种、濒危等级、海拔范围、栖息地类型、栖息地宽度、动物地理界、生物群系、分布型、动物地理区划和分布省份或水域等24个生态特征数据。在这些特征中,除了分布省份或水域及是否特有种外,其余特征数据均存在不同程度的缺失,数据的完整度为30%‒100%。本数据库收录的哺乳动物种数为目前中国哺乳动物种数的上限,为中国哺乳动物研究提供了基础数据,推进中国哺乳动物多样性信息共享和深度挖掘。