BMR (basal metabolic rate), body mass and organ masses of tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were measured to analyze the correlation between organ masses and BMR in tree sparrows, and to evaluate the underlying phys...BMR (basal metabolic rate), body mass and organ masses of tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were measured to analyze the correlation between organ masses and BMR in tree sparrows, and to evaluate the underlying physiological causes of difference in BMR. Adult tree sparrows were live-trapped by mist net in Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province (47°29′N, 124°02′E). The closed circuit respirometer was used to measure the metabolic rate (MR), and controlled the ambient temperature by using a water bath (±0.5℃). Body masses were measured to the nearest 0.01 g before and after BMR measurements with a Sartorius balance (model BT25S). The mean value was recorded as body mass. Wet and dry masses of several organs were measured, too. BMR was (4.276± 0.385) mL O2/(g·h) and mean body mass was (18.522±0.110) g. Since not all the variables were normal distributed, a log10- transformation of those variables was employed to linearize them, prior to analyses. Simple regression analyses indicated that most organ masses showed a significant high correlation with body mass. Both the small intestine and rectum masses were notable exception to that trend. The body-mass-adjusted residual analysis showed that only the kidney wet mass, brain mass, stomach mass, small mass and rectum wet mass correlated with BMR. In addition, correlations between several organ masses and BMR were observed. Because of the inter-correlations of organ masses, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to redefine the morphological variability. The first four components whose eigenvalues were greater than 1 could explain 75.2% variance of BMR. The first component, whose proportion reached 30.19%, was affected mainly by stomach mass, small intestine mass and rectum mass. Therefore, the results supported the hypothesis that BMR was controlled by some "expensive metabolic" organs展开更多
Environmental cues play important roles in the regulation of an animal's physiology and behavior. One such cue, photoperiod, plays an important role in the seasonal acclimatization of birds. It has been demonstrated ...Environmental cues play important roles in the regulation of an animal's physiology and behavior. One such cue, photoperiod, plays an important role in the seasonal acclimatization of birds. It has been demonstrated that an animal's body mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and energy intake, are all affected by photoperiod. The present study was designed to examine photoperiod induced changes in the body mass, metabolism and metabolic organs of the silky starling, Stumus sericeus. Captive silky starlings increased their body mass and BMR during four weeks of acclimation to a short photoperiod. Birds acclimated to a short photopedod also increased the mass of certain organs (liver, gizzard and small intestine), and both gross energy intake (GEl) and digestible energy intake (DEI), relative to those acclimated to a long photoperiod. Furthermore, BMR was positively correlated with body mass, liver mass, GEl and DEI. These results suggest that silky starlings increase metabolic thermogenesis when exposed to a short photoperiod by increasing their body and metabolic organ mass, and their GEl and DEI. These findings support the hypothesis that bird species from temperate climates typically display high phenotypic flexibility in thermogenic capacity.展开更多
Fine particle of organic aerosol (OA), mostly arising from pollution, are abundant in Beijing. To achieve a better un- derstanding of the difference in OA in summer and autumn, a high-resolution time-of-flight aeros...Fine particle of organic aerosol (OA), mostly arising from pollution, are abundant in Beijing. To achieve a better un- derstanding of the difference in OA in summer and autumn, a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR- ToF-AMS, Aerodyne Research Inc., USA) was deployed in urban Beijing in August and October 2012. The mean OA mass concentration in autumn was 30 4-30 μg m-3, which was higher than in summer (13 4-6.9 μg m-3). The elemental anal- ysis found that OA was more aged in summer (oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) ratios were 0.41 and 0.32 for summer and autumn, respectively). Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis identified three and five components in summer and autumn, re- spectively. In summer, an oxygenated OA (OOA), a cooking-emission-related OA (COA), and a hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) were indentified. Meanwhile, the OOA was separated into LV-OOA (low-volatility OOA) and SV-OOA (semi-volatile OOA); and in autumn, a nitrogen-containing OA (NOA) was also found. The SOA (secondary OA) was always the most important OA component, accounting for 55% of the OA in the two seasons. Back trajectory clustering analysis found that the origin of the air masses was more complex in summer. Southerly air masses in both seasons were associated with the highest OA loading, while northerly air masses were associated with the lowest OA loading. A preliminary study of OA components, especially the POA (primary OA), in different periods found that the HOA and COA all decreased during the National Day holiday period, and HOA decreased at weekends compared with weekdays.展开更多
The mass organizing power is a distinctive feature of the Communist Party of China,an important criterion to test the nature of the proletarian party,and an essential condition to transform the Party’s organizational...The mass organizing power is a distinctive feature of the Communist Party of China,an important criterion to test the nature of the proletarian party,and an essential condition to transform the Party’s organizational advantages into strength superiority.In order to improve the mass organizing power,on the basis of giving full play to the traditional advantages,we’re required to carry out the mass line,and from the perspective of political construction,highlight political functions,strengthening work practices and organization system,taking advantage of technologies,promoting capacity,and intensifying the sense of responsibility,thus to provide a steady stream of power for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.展开更多
A series of mass mortalities of the cultured blood clam, Tegillarca granosa, occurred in the Yueqing Bay of China from 2005 to 2009. An obligate intracellular prokaryote, designated as rickettsia-like organism (RLO)...A series of mass mortalities of the cultured blood clam, Tegillarca granosa, occurred in the Yueqing Bay of China from 2005 to 2009. An obligate intracellular prokaryote, designated as rickettsia-like organism (RLO), was frequently found in the moribund or dead blood clam sample during ultra- structural examination. These organisms were usually round, ellipsoid or occasionally dumbbell- shaped, ranged from approximately 0.28 to 0.71 #m in size and had a trilaminar cell wall. Two reproductive modes of organisms, transverse binary fission and budding, were observed. The or- ganisms were able to form eosinophilic inclusions. Most inclusions were found within epithelial and connective tissues of the mantle, gills and digestive tube. The biological and morphological char- acteristics indicate that these organisms may belong to the family Rickettsiaceae. RLOs exhibited significant pathogenicity. Cytopathological examinations revealed extensive necrosis and destruc- tion in the infected cell. The degree of tissue destruction was positively related to the number of RLO inclusions in the tissues, and the cytopathological effects were positively related to the number of intracellular RLO. RLOs and their inclusions were discovered throughout different disease areas and in different time periods. The infection intensity of the RLOs was positively correlated with the mortality rate of clams. Therefore, RLO infection might be associated with mass mortalities of cultured blood clams in the Yueqing Bay.展开更多
Background: Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for the survival of small birds in the northern temperate zone.Changes in photoperiod,ambient temperature and food availability trigger sea...Background: Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for the survival of small birds in the northern temperate zone.Changes in photoperiod,ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal physiological and behavioral acclimatization in many passerines.Seasonal trends in metabolic parameters are well known in avian populations from temperate environments;however,the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying these trends are incompletely understood.In this study,we used an integrative approach to measure variation in the thermogenic properties of the male Silky Starling(Sturnus sericeus) at different levels or organization,from the whole organism to the biochemical.We measured body mass(Mb),basal metabolic rate(BMR),energy budget,the mass of selected internal organs,state 4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase(COX) activity in the heart,liver and muscle.Methods: Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system.The energy intake of the birds were then determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter.Mitochondrial state 4 respiration and COX activity in heart,liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.Results: The results suggest that acclimatization to winter conditions caused significant change in each of the measured variables,specifically,increases in Mb,organ mass,BMR,energy intake and cellular enzyme activity.Furthermore,BMR was positively correlated with body mass,energy intake,the mass of selected internal organs,state 4 respiration in the heart,liver and muscle,and COX activity in the heart and muscle.Conclusions: These results suggest that the male Silky Starling's enhanced basal thermogenesis under winter conditions is achieved by making a suite of adjustments from the whole organism to the biochemical level,and provide further evidence to support the notion that small birds have high phenotypic plasticity with respect to seasonal changes.展开更多
基金Supported by Natural Foundation for Youth of Daqing Normal College (YZQ004)
文摘BMR (basal metabolic rate), body mass and organ masses of tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were measured to analyze the correlation between organ masses and BMR in tree sparrows, and to evaluate the underlying physiological causes of difference in BMR. Adult tree sparrows were live-trapped by mist net in Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province (47°29′N, 124°02′E). The closed circuit respirometer was used to measure the metabolic rate (MR), and controlled the ambient temperature by using a water bath (±0.5℃). Body masses were measured to the nearest 0.01 g before and after BMR measurements with a Sartorius balance (model BT25S). The mean value was recorded as body mass. Wet and dry masses of several organs were measured, too. BMR was (4.276± 0.385) mL O2/(g·h) and mean body mass was (18.522±0.110) g. Since not all the variables were normal distributed, a log10- transformation of those variables was employed to linearize them, prior to analyses. Simple regression analyses indicated that most organ masses showed a significant high correlation with body mass. Both the small intestine and rectum masses were notable exception to that trend. The body-mass-adjusted residual analysis showed that only the kidney wet mass, brain mass, stomach mass, small mass and rectum wet mass correlated with BMR. In addition, correlations between several organ masses and BMR were observed. Because of the inter-correlations of organ masses, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to redefine the morphological variability. The first four components whose eigenvalues were greater than 1 could explain 75.2% variance of BMR. The first component, whose proportion reached 30.19%, was affected mainly by stomach mass, small intestine mass and rectum mass. Therefore, the results supported the hypothesis that BMR was controlled by some "expensive metabolic" organs
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31470472)the National Undergraduate"Innovation"Project and Zhejiang Province"Xinmiao"Project
文摘Environmental cues play important roles in the regulation of an animal's physiology and behavior. One such cue, photoperiod, plays an important role in the seasonal acclimatization of birds. It has been demonstrated that an animal's body mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and energy intake, are all affected by photoperiod. The present study was designed to examine photoperiod induced changes in the body mass, metabolism and metabolic organs of the silky starling, Stumus sericeus. Captive silky starlings increased their body mass and BMR during four weeks of acclimation to a short photoperiod. Birds acclimated to a short photopedod also increased the mass of certain organs (liver, gizzard and small intestine), and both gross energy intake (GEl) and digestible energy intake (DEI), relative to those acclimated to a long photoperiod. Furthermore, BMR was positively correlated with body mass, liver mass, GEl and DEI. These results suggest that silky starlings increase metabolic thermogenesis when exposed to a short photoperiod by increasing their body and metabolic organ mass, and their GEl and DEI. These findings support the hypothesis that bird species from temperate climates typically display high phenotypic flexibility in thermogenic capacity.
基金supported by the "Strategic Priority Research Program" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA05100100&XDB05020000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41230642 & 41275139)
文摘Fine particle of organic aerosol (OA), mostly arising from pollution, are abundant in Beijing. To achieve a better un- derstanding of the difference in OA in summer and autumn, a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR- ToF-AMS, Aerodyne Research Inc., USA) was deployed in urban Beijing in August and October 2012. The mean OA mass concentration in autumn was 30 4-30 μg m-3, which was higher than in summer (13 4-6.9 μg m-3). The elemental anal- ysis found that OA was more aged in summer (oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) ratios were 0.41 and 0.32 for summer and autumn, respectively). Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis identified three and five components in summer and autumn, re- spectively. In summer, an oxygenated OA (OOA), a cooking-emission-related OA (COA), and a hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) were indentified. Meanwhile, the OOA was separated into LV-OOA (low-volatility OOA) and SV-OOA (semi-volatile OOA); and in autumn, a nitrogen-containing OA (NOA) was also found. The SOA (secondary OA) was always the most important OA component, accounting for 55% of the OA in the two seasons. Back trajectory clustering analysis found that the origin of the air masses was more complex in summer. Southerly air masses in both seasons were associated with the highest OA loading, while northerly air masses were associated with the lowest OA loading. A preliminary study of OA components, especially the POA (primary OA), in different periods found that the HOA and COA all decreased during the National Day holiday period, and HOA decreased at weekends compared with weekdays.
基金The research is supported by the foundation of National Social Science Planning Fund Project“Research on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Thought of Ideals and Beliefs for Youth”(18BKS016).
文摘The mass organizing power is a distinctive feature of the Communist Party of China,an important criterion to test the nature of the proletarian party,and an essential condition to transform the Party’s organizational advantages into strength superiority.In order to improve the mass organizing power,on the basis of giving full play to the traditional advantages,we’re required to carry out the mass line,and from the perspective of political construction,highlight political functions,strengthening work practices and organization system,taking advantage of technologies,promoting capacity,and intensifying the sense of responsibility,thus to provide a steady stream of power for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
基金Scientific Projects of Zhejiang Province,China under contract Nos 2004C23041 and 20080123
文摘A series of mass mortalities of the cultured blood clam, Tegillarca granosa, occurred in the Yueqing Bay of China from 2005 to 2009. An obligate intracellular prokaryote, designated as rickettsia-like organism (RLO), was frequently found in the moribund or dead blood clam sample during ultra- structural examination. These organisms were usually round, ellipsoid or occasionally dumbbell- shaped, ranged from approximately 0.28 to 0.71 #m in size and had a trilaminar cell wall. Two reproductive modes of organisms, transverse binary fission and budding, were observed. The or- ganisms were able to form eosinophilic inclusions. Most inclusions were found within epithelial and connective tissues of the mantle, gills and digestive tube. The biological and morphological char- acteristics indicate that these organisms may belong to the family Rickettsiaceae. RLOs exhibited significant pathogenicity. Cytopathological examinations revealed extensive necrosis and destruc- tion in the infected cell. The degree of tissue destruction was positively related to the number of RLO inclusions in the tissues, and the cytopathological effects were positively related to the number of intracellular RLO. RLOs and their inclusions were discovered throughout different disease areas and in different time periods. The infection intensity of the RLOs was positively correlated with the mortality rate of clams. Therefore, RLO infection might be associated with mass mortalities of cultured blood clams in the Yueqing Bay.
基金financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31470472)the National Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program and the Zhejiang Province“Xinmiao”Project
文摘Background: Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for the survival of small birds in the northern temperate zone.Changes in photoperiod,ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal physiological and behavioral acclimatization in many passerines.Seasonal trends in metabolic parameters are well known in avian populations from temperate environments;however,the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying these trends are incompletely understood.In this study,we used an integrative approach to measure variation in the thermogenic properties of the male Silky Starling(Sturnus sericeus) at different levels or organization,from the whole organism to the biochemical.We measured body mass(Mb),basal metabolic rate(BMR),energy budget,the mass of selected internal organs,state 4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase(COX) activity in the heart,liver and muscle.Methods: Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system.The energy intake of the birds were then determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter.Mitochondrial state 4 respiration and COX activity in heart,liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.Results: The results suggest that acclimatization to winter conditions caused significant change in each of the measured variables,specifically,increases in Mb,organ mass,BMR,energy intake and cellular enzyme activity.Furthermore,BMR was positively correlated with body mass,energy intake,the mass of selected internal organs,state 4 respiration in the heart,liver and muscle,and COX activity in the heart and muscle.Conclusions: These results suggest that the male Silky Starling's enhanced basal thermogenesis under winter conditions is achieved by making a suite of adjustments from the whole organism to the biochemical level,and provide further evidence to support the notion that small birds have high phenotypic plasticity with respect to seasonal changes.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.92261113 and No.21722308)Key Project of Frontier Science Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences(QYZDB-SSWSLH024).