Visual fields in Flamingos: chick-feeding versus filter-feeding

In birds, the position and extent of the region of binocular vision appears to be determined by feeding ecology. Of prime importance is the degree to which vision is used for the precise control of bill position when pecking or lunging at prey. In birds that do not require such precision (probe and filter-feeders), the bill falls outside the binocular field, which extends above and behind the head, thus providing comprehensive visual coverage. Flamingos Phoenicopteridae are highly specialised filter-feeders. They employ a unique technique that does not require accurate bill positioning in which the inverted head is placed between the feet. Feeding flamingos often walk forwards with the head pointing “backwards”. Here we show that in Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor visual fields are in fact the same as those of birds that feed by precision pecking and that feeding flamingos are blind in the direction of their walking. We suggest that this is due to the requirement for accurate bill placement when flamingos feed their chicks with “crop-milk”, and possibly when building their nest. We propose that chick-feeding may be the ultimate determinant of visual field topography in birds, not feeding ecology.     

Uptake and intracellular compartmentation of thorium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

When Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultured in the presence of thorium, the element was accumulated by the cells and was visible in electron micrographs as electron dense granules. When thorium was present during exponential growth, these granules were located mainly in the vacuole, with some present in the cytosol. Where thorium was present only during the stationary phase, there appeared to be greater thorium deposition in the cell wall than during exponential growth and some vacuolar deposits were also evident. Thorium uptake by exponential-phase cells was not stimulated by glucose and was thus independent of metabolic energy.     

Metallothione in-like protein in lobsters ( )

A metallothionein-like protein (MLP) was isolated from naturally cadmium-contaminated lobster hepatopancreas, gills, and green glands. Between 76–99% of the total cadmium was associated with this protein (molecular weight 9,500 daltons) while the remainder was associated with both high (68,000 daltons) and low (<6,000 daltons) molecular weight proteins. MLP was not present in uncontaminated lobster hepatopancreas and only 1% of the total cadmium was associated with the gel filtration fraction corresponding to the protein.     

采用生物发光检测法进行Ames试验的研究

将自行构建的含有青海弧菌荧光酶基因的质粒pACYCL184引入Ames试验的4个菌株TA97、TA98、TA100、TA102中,构建成能够生物发光的工程菌,分别命名为TAL97、TAL98、TAL100、TAL102.实验表明,该4株工程菌保持原出发菌株所具有的与Ames试验相关的性状,对各类致突变剂有良好的反应,且可用平皿计数法进行致突变试验.其发光值与致突变剂浓度存在良好的量效关系,故可用发光检测取代原Ames试验的平皿计数,使检测更简单、方便、快速.图3表3参11     

Habitat partitioning among four elasmobranch species in nearshore,shallow waters of a subtropical embayment in Western Australia

There is a need to explore, in an integrated and statistical manner, how the number of species, relative abundance, species composition and life-cycle stages of elasmobranchs in nearshore waters vary among habitat types and during the year. Therefore, four sites in a large marine embayment, each representing a different habitat type, were sampled at regular intervals. These sites were: (1) unvegetated, with no vegetation within at least 200 m; (2) unvegetated, immediately adjacent to sparse mangroves; (3) unvegetated, immediately adjacent to dense mangroves; and (4) vegetated, with seagrass (Posidonia australis) throughout and in the vicinity. Gill netting caught 10 shark species (5 families), 5 ray species (4 families) and 12 teleost species (10 families). Carcharhinus cautus, which contributed approximately 60% to the numbers of elasmobranchs caught, completed its life cycle in nearshore, shallow waters. Negaprion acutidens, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Carcharhinus limbatus and Rhizoprionodon acutus used these waters as a nursery area. C. cautus was caught mainly in the unvegetated sites, particularly in those near mangroves. N. acutidens was caught entirely in unvegetated sites, while R. acutus, C. brevipinna and Chiloscyllium punctatum were caught predominantly or exclusively in seagrass. The mean number of species and mean catch rate of elasmobranchs were greatest for the seagrass site and least for the unvegetated site with no vegetation within at least 200 m and were significantly less for the latter site than for the unvegetated site immediately adjacent to dense mangroves (P<0.05). The numbers of species and catch rates of elasmobranchs were significantly greater in summer and autumn than in winter (P<0.05) and, in the case of number of species, also than in spring (P<0.05). We conclude that the spatial and food resources in the nearshore, shallow waters of Shark Bay are partitioned among elasmobranch species, thus reducing the potential for competition among these species for the resources in those waters.Communicated by G.F. Humphrey, Sydney     

基于RS和GCA-TOPSIS的S700K转辙机故障诊断方法

针对目前S700K转辙机故障诊断效率低、准确性不高等问题,提出了一种基于粗糙集、灰色关联分析与理想排序法相结合的转辙机故障诊断方法.首先以微机监测系统(Maintenance and Monitor System,MMS)存储的常见转辙机故障功率曲线数据作为数据源,提取功率曲线在各工作区段的特征参数,构建故障特征集.然后针对冗余特征,采用粗糙集理论中的约简算法以属性重要度为选择标准,对特征集进行约简,降低特征集的维度.最后将灰色关联分析和逼近理想排序法相结合,计算待检样本与各故障类型间的曲线贴合度,判断待检样本与各故障类型间的紧密程度,将最大曲线贴合度对应的故障类型作为待检样本的诊断结果.实例分析表明,该方法能够准确地诊断出转辙机故障且诊断效率和准确性较高,能够满足铁路现场实际需要.     

数据挖掘技术在军用车辆装备失效分析中的应用研究

针对军用车辆装备失效案例数据信息的特点,提出应用数据挖掘方法进行失效分析的必要性.介绍了挖掘关联规则的基本原理,以及失效分析数据挖掘系统的构建,并讨论了开发该系统存在的一些问题.