With rapid urbanization occurring throughout China,the existence of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) in big cities is likely to be affected by a decrease in habitat and food availability.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adap...With rapid urbanization occurring throughout China,the existence of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) in big cities is likely to be affected by a decrease in habitat and food availability.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adapt to these changes? To elucidate this question,we studied the effect of urbanization on the abundance and distribution of Tree Sparrows in Beijing.We found the abundance of the Tree Sparrow negatively correlated with an urbanization score.Sparrow abundance was very low in residential areas with high-rise buildings,commercial centers and main roads,while their numbers were significantly higher in parks,university campuses,low building residential and suburban areas.Environmental factors within the 50 m and 200 m scales were most suitable in predicting the distribution of Tree Sparrows during winter,while factors within 50 m and 400 m scales are suitable during the breeding season.During winter,the number of conifer trees and pedestrians were the major factors at the 50 m scale,while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation become the predominant factors on a 200 m scale.Alternatively,during the breeding season the area of low buildings and the number of conifers and pedestrians were the main factors on the 50 m scale while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation remained the most important factors on the 400 m scale.These results indicate that highly urbanized areas are not suitable habitats for the Tree Sparrow,although this species can adapt to human environments.Food and nest sites for urban birds should be considered in urban planning of big cities in developing countries.展开更多
Background:Small birds in temperate habitats must either migrate,or adjust aspects of their morphology,physiology and behavior to cope with seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod.It is,however,difficult to acc...Background:Small birds in temperate habitats must either migrate,or adjust aspects of their morphology,physiology and behavior to cope with seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod.It is,however,difficult to accurately measure how seasonal changes in temperature and photoperiod affect physiological processes such as basal metabolic rate(BMR)and metabolic activity.To address this problem,we collected data in each month of the year on body mass(Mb)and BMR,and conducted a series of experiments to determine the effect of temperature and photoperiod on Mb,BMR and physiological markers of metabolic activity,in the Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus).Methods:In one experiment,we measured monthly change in Mb and BMR in a captive group of birds over a year.In another experiment,we examined the effects of acclimating birds to two different temperatures,10 and 30℃,and a long and a short photoperiod(16 h light:8 h dark and 8 h light:16 h dark,respectively)for 4 weeks.Results:We found that these treatments induced sparrows to adjust their Mb and metabolic rate processes.Acclimation to 30℃for 4 weeks significantly decreased sparrows’Mb,BMR,and energy intake,including both gross energy intake and digestible energy intake,compared to birds acclimated to 10℃.The dry mass of the liver,kidneys and digestive tract of birds acclimated to 30℃also significantly decreased,although their heart and skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly relative to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to 30℃also had lower mitochondrial state-4 respiration(S4R)and cytochrome c oxidase(COX)activity in their liver and skeletal muscle,compared to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to the long photoperiod also had lower mitochondrial S4R and COX activity in their liver,compared to those acclimated to the short photoperiod.Conclusions:These results illustrate the changes in morphology,physiology,and enzyme activity induced by seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod in a small temperate passerine.Both temperature and photoperiod probably have a strong effect on seasonal variation in metabolic heat production in small birds in temperate regions.The effect of temperature is,however,stronger than that of photoperiod.展开更多
Background:The capacity for thermogenesis is considered part of an animal's adaptive strategy for survival,and basal metabolic rate(BMR) is one of the fundamental physiological standards for assessing the energy c...Background:The capacity for thermogenesis is considered part of an animal's adaptive strategy for survival,and basal metabolic rate(BMR) is one of the fundamental physiological standards for assessing the energy cost of thermoregulation in endotherms.BMR has been shown to be a highly flexible phenotypic trait both between,and within,species,but the metabolic mechanisms involved in the regulation of BMR,which range from variation in organ mass to biochemical adjustments,remain unclear.In this study,we investigated the relationship between organ mass,biochemical markers of metabolic tissue activity,and thermogenesis,in three species of small passerines:wild Bramblings(Fringilla montifringilla),Little Buntings(Emberiza pusilla) and Eurasian Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus),caught in Wenzhou,southeastern China.Methods:Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system.Mitochondrial state-4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase(COX) activity in liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.Results:Our results show that Eurasian Tree Sparrows had significantly higher BMR,digestive organ mass,mitochondrial state-4 respiration capacity and COX activity in liver and muscle,than Bramblings and Little Buntings.Furthermore,interspecific differences in BMR were strongly correlated with those indigestive tract mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the digestive organ mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity play an important role in determining interspecific differences in BMR.展开更多
The cerclage wire is an important adjuvant in the management of Orthopaedic and trauma cases and is particularly useful in long bone fractures. It is especially useful for addressing the fractures, especially the comm...The cerclage wire is an important adjuvant in the management of Orthopaedic and trauma cases and is particularly useful in long bone fractures. It is especially useful for addressing the fractures, especially the comminuted ones with a butterfly fragment. Orthopaedic cerclage Wiring is used as an adjunct to maintain fracture reduction (either temporarily or permanently), while the bone is primarily stabilised by either a plate intramedullary nail or external fixation frame. Multiple cerclage wires provide adjunctive fixation against compressive shear, bending & rotational forces and have been used in traumatology since many years. The aim of this article is to introduce a new year simple low cost instrument named as “Suyash cerclage wire passer”, with excellent outcomes without any major complications to the Orthopaedic community.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30900181)“111 Project” (2008-B08044)
文摘With rapid urbanization occurring throughout China,the existence of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) in big cities is likely to be affected by a decrease in habitat and food availability.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adapt to these changes? To elucidate this question,we studied the effect of urbanization on the abundance and distribution of Tree Sparrows in Beijing.We found the abundance of the Tree Sparrow negatively correlated with an urbanization score.Sparrow abundance was very low in residential areas with high-rise buildings,commercial centers and main roads,while their numbers were significantly higher in parks,university campuses,low building residential and suburban areas.Environmental factors within the 50 m and 200 m scales were most suitable in predicting the distribution of Tree Sparrows during winter,while factors within 50 m and 400 m scales are suitable during the breeding season.During winter,the number of conifer trees and pedestrians were the major factors at the 50 m scale,while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation become the predominant factors on a 200 m scale.Alternatively,during the breeding season the area of low buildings and the number of conifers and pedestrians were the main factors on the 50 m scale while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation remained the most important factors on the 400 m scale.These results indicate that highly urbanized areas are not suitable habitats for the Tree Sparrow,although this species can adapt to human environments.Food and nest sites for urban birds should be considered in urban planning of big cities in developing countries.
基金This study was financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31470472 and 31971420).
文摘Background:Small birds in temperate habitats must either migrate,or adjust aspects of their morphology,physiology and behavior to cope with seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod.It is,however,difficult to accurately measure how seasonal changes in temperature and photoperiod affect physiological processes such as basal metabolic rate(BMR)and metabolic activity.To address this problem,we collected data in each month of the year on body mass(Mb)and BMR,and conducted a series of experiments to determine the effect of temperature and photoperiod on Mb,BMR and physiological markers of metabolic activity,in the Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus).Methods:In one experiment,we measured monthly change in Mb and BMR in a captive group of birds over a year.In another experiment,we examined the effects of acclimating birds to two different temperatures,10 and 30℃,and a long and a short photoperiod(16 h light:8 h dark and 8 h light:16 h dark,respectively)for 4 weeks.Results:We found that these treatments induced sparrows to adjust their Mb and metabolic rate processes.Acclimation to 30℃for 4 weeks significantly decreased sparrows’Mb,BMR,and energy intake,including both gross energy intake and digestible energy intake,compared to birds acclimated to 10℃.The dry mass of the liver,kidneys and digestive tract of birds acclimated to 30℃also significantly decreased,although their heart and skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly relative to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to 30℃also had lower mitochondrial state-4 respiration(S4R)and cytochrome c oxidase(COX)activity in their liver and skeletal muscle,compared to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to the long photoperiod also had lower mitochondrial S4R and COX activity in their liver,compared to those acclimated to the short photoperiod.Conclusions:These results illustrate the changes in morphology,physiology,and enzyme activity induced by seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod in a small temperate passerine.Both temperature and photoperiod probably have a strong effect on seasonal variation in metabolic heat production in small birds in temperate regions.The effect of temperature is,however,stronger than that of photoperiod.
基金financially supported by Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31470472)the National Undergraduate "Innovation" Project and Zhejiang Province’s "Xinmiao" Project
文摘Background:The capacity for thermogenesis is considered part of an animal's adaptive strategy for survival,and basal metabolic rate(BMR) is one of the fundamental physiological standards for assessing the energy cost of thermoregulation in endotherms.BMR has been shown to be a highly flexible phenotypic trait both between,and within,species,but the metabolic mechanisms involved in the regulation of BMR,which range from variation in organ mass to biochemical adjustments,remain unclear.In this study,we investigated the relationship between organ mass,biochemical markers of metabolic tissue activity,and thermogenesis,in three species of small passerines:wild Bramblings(Fringilla montifringilla),Little Buntings(Emberiza pusilla) and Eurasian Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus),caught in Wenzhou,southeastern China.Methods:Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system.Mitochondrial state-4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase(COX) activity in liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.Results:Our results show that Eurasian Tree Sparrows had significantly higher BMR,digestive organ mass,mitochondrial state-4 respiration capacity and COX activity in liver and muscle,than Bramblings and Little Buntings.Furthermore,interspecific differences in BMR were strongly correlated with those indigestive tract mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the digestive organ mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity play an important role in determining interspecific differences in BMR.
文摘The cerclage wire is an important adjuvant in the management of Orthopaedic and trauma cases and is particularly useful in long bone fractures. It is especially useful for addressing the fractures, especially the comminuted ones with a butterfly fragment. Orthopaedic cerclage Wiring is used as an adjunct to maintain fracture reduction (either temporarily or permanently), while the bone is primarily stabilised by either a plate intramedullary nail or external fixation frame. Multiple cerclage wires provide adjunctive fixation against compressive shear, bending & rotational forces and have been used in traumatology since many years. The aim of this article is to introduce a new year simple low cost instrument named as “Suyash cerclage wire passer”, with excellent outcomes without any major complications to the Orthopaedic community.
