Seasonal regulations of energetics, serum concentrations of leptin, and uncoupling protein 1 content of brown adipose tissue in root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Survival of small mammals in winter requires proper adjustments in physiology, behavior and morphology. The present study was designed to examine the changes in serum leptin concentration and the molecular basis of thermogenesis in seasonally acclimatized root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. In January root voles had lower body mass and body fat mass coupled with higher nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) capacity. Consistently, cytochrome c oxidase activity and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) protein contents in brown adipose tissues were higher in January as compared to that in July. Circulating level of serum leptin was significantly lower in winter and higher in July. Correlation analysis showed that serum leptin levels were positively related with body mass and body fat mass while negatively correlated with UCP1 protein contents. Together, these data provided further evidence for our previous findings that root voles from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mainly depend on higher NST coupled with lower body mass to enhance winter survival. Further, fat deposition was significantly mobilized in cold winter and leptin was potentially involved in the regulation of body mass and thermogenesis in root voles. Serum leptin might act as a starvation signal in winter and satiety signal in summer.

Effect of long-term grazing on soil organic carbon content in semiarid steppes in Inner Mongolia

To clarify the response of soil organic carbon (SOC) content to season-long grazing in the semiarid typical steppes of Inner Mongolia, we examined the aboveground biomass and SOC in both grazing (G-site) and no grazing (NG-site) sites in two typical steppes dominated by Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis, as well as one seriously degraded L. chinensis grassland dominated by Artemisia frigida. The NG-sites had been fenced for 20 years in L. chinensis and S. grandis grasslands and for 10 years in A. frigida grassland. Above-ground biomass at G-sites was 21-35% of that at NG-sites in L. chinensis and S. grandis grasslands. The SOC, however, showed no significant difference between G-site and NG-site in both grasslands. In the NG-sites, aboveground biomass was significantly lower in A. frigida grassland than in the other two grasslands. The SOC in A. frigida grassland was about 70% of that in L. chinensis grassland. In A. frigida grassland, aboveground biomass in the G-site was 68-82% of that in the NG-site, whereas SOC was significantly lower in the G-site than in the NG-site. Grazing elevated the surface soil pH in L. chinensis and A. frigida communities. A spatial heterogeneity in SOC and pH in the topsoil was not detected the G-site within the minimal sampling distance of 10 m. The results suggested that compensatory growth may account for the relative stability of SOC in G-sites in typical steppes. The SOC was sensitive to heavy grazing and difficult to recover after a significant decline caused by overgrazing in semiarid steppes.

卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区蒙古野驴(Equus hemionus)和鹅喉羚(Gazella subgutturosa)食性、种群和栖息地研究

卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区是世界著名的荒漠有蹄类自然保护区, 区内有蒙古野驴(E. hemionus)、鹅喉羚(G. subgutturosa)、盘羊(Ovis ammon)以及近期野放的普氏野马(E. przewalski)。经过多年有效保护和管理，区内蒙古野驴及鹅喉羚种群得到恢复并有较大增长。从2006年开始，我们在该保护区开展了蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚的食性构成、社群结构、种群密度、卧息及采食生境利用、季节性栖息地利用等方面的研究。主要结果如下： 采用粪样显微分析技术研究了蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚与家羊、家马和家骆驼3种家养动物春季、秋季和冬季食性组成及食物生态位。结果发现：(1) 该区域的蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚和家畜所采食的植物科数和种数都不相同，针茅、驼绒藜、蒿和梭梭在各自食谱中所占的比例不同, 但蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚和家畜主要采食针茅、驼绒藜、蒿和梭梭；(2) 春季、秋季和冬季这些野生与家养草食动物两两之间的食物生态位重叠均在0.8以上，最低为0.832(冬季：鹅喉羚和家马)，最高达到0.986(秋季：蒙古野驴和家羊；秋季：家马和家羊)。五种有蹄类之间的食物生态位重叠度也达到了0.3以上。表明在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区，上述野生动物及季节性进入该自然保护区的家畜之间均存在食物竞争。冬季积雪深，食物短缺, 荒漠有蹄类易因冻饿及疾病等造成死亡。因此，应采取限制秋冬季进入该自然保护区家畜数量及调整放牧区域等保护管理措施，对该区域荒漠有蹄类实施有效保护。 对蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚的集群行为进行了初步研究。将鹅喉羚或蒙古野驴集群划分为雌性群、雄性群、母仔群、雌雄混群和独羚或独驴5种类型。共统计蒙古野驴556群次，计8235匹次。其中，雌雄混群223群次, 占40%, 为最多的集群类型；其余为雄性群(24%)、独驴(19%)、雌性群(11%)和母仔群(6% )。不同集群大小的比例差异极显著 (P=0.000)。其中2-30匹的集群占69%，独驴占18%，其余为13%。最大集群为266匹。除独驴外，其余4种集群类型的集群大小存在极显著差异。独驴作为一种特殊的集群类型，其占雄性个体的比例达63%，说明雄性个体比雌性更容易形成独驴。观察记录到鹅喉羚1286群次，计9148只次。其中，雌雄混群459群次, 占35%,为最多的集群类型；其余为独羚(18%)、母仔群(18%)、雄性群(17%)和雌性群(12%)。不同大小集群的比例差异极显著(P=0.000)，其中2一15头的集群占73%， 16头以上集群占42%，独羚仅占3%，不同集群大小差异也极为显著(P=0.000)。除独羚外，其余4种集群类型的集群大小存在极显著差异。独羚作为一种特殊的集群类型，其雌性个体的比例占到55%，因此, 不能说明雄性比雌性更容易形成独羚。 分四个季节采用截线取样法，用DISTANCE5.0估计了蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚的密度和遇见率。根据DISTANCE5.0计算，该区域春季蒙古野驴种群密度为0.55±0.14匹/km2 (平均数±标准差,下同)，夏季为0.60±0.13匹/km2，秋季为0.78±0.19匹/km2和冬季为0.54±0.14匹/km2。春季、夏季、秋季和冬季的鹅喉羚种群密度分别为1.14± 0.18头/km2，0.95±0.12头/km2，1.08±0.18头/km2和1.54±0.31头/km2。将这些结果与本区域不同时期及不同地域的蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚密度和遇见率数据进行了比较对比。截线取样法为研究干旱地区的有蹄类动物提供了一种标准方法，本研究结果为卡拉麦里自然保护区蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚的长期监测提供了基础数据。 采用样方法研究了鹅喉羚夏季和冬季卧息生境选择。夏季测定了49个卧迹样方，36个对照样方；冬季测定了75个卧迹样方，75个对照样方。研究发现，春季鹅喉羚主要选择平滩、下坡位和无坡位、海拔高度910米以上、与水源距离较远、远离道路、远离居民点、隐蔽级高、中低植被密度和中高草本密度的区域作为卧息生境；而冬季则主要选择山坡、阳坡和半阴半阳坡、中上坡位和下坡位、海拔900～1000m范围、离道路501～1000m以及大于2000m的距离、靠近居民点、中低隐蔽级、中厚度(1.1-3cm)雪深、中高植被密度和中高草本密度的区域作为卧息生境。主成分分析表明，卡拉麦里山鹅喉羚夏季季卧息样方前4个主成分的累积贡献率达到86.57％，第1主成分主要反映卧迹样方的植物密度、草本密度、针茅密度、至最近居民点距离、至永久水源最近距离和海拔。冬季该区域鹅喉羚卧息样方前4个主成分的累积贡献率达到73.88％，第1主成分主要反映卧迹样方的植物密度、草本密度、针茅密度和坡度。 通过设立样方研究了蒙古野驴的采食生境。研究发现，夏季和秋季两个季节蒙古野驴主要在平滩和山沟采食。集中在无坡向的平滩、1001m以上的海拔高度、与水源距离较近、远离道路、远离矿区等人类活动点、植被盖度高、草本盖度高、植物多样性高、草本多样性高(P＜0.05)的区域采食。主成分分析表明，夏季影响蒙古野驴采食生境选择的环境因子是植物盖度、草本盖度、针茅盖度、植物密度、草本密度、针茅密度、植物种类、草本种类和禾本科种类。秋季影响蒙古野驴采食生境选择的环境因子是海拔、植物盖度、草本盖度、针茅盖度、植物密度、草本密度、针茅密度、植物种类、草本种类和禾本科种类。 利用卡山保护区不同季节野外种群调查数据，以3S技术为手段，评价了蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性栖息地适宜性。首先把各季节蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚分布点图层，分别和固定水源点图层、道路图层、固定冬牧点图层和矿点图层进行叠加和距离查询，用Vanderploeg & Scavia’s选择指数(Ei*)分析了蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性栖息地选择及其主要影响因素，建立了固定水源点、植被、道路、固定冬牧点和矿点对蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚栖息地影响强度的评价标准。通过缓冲区分析，分别研究了固定水源点、道路、固定冬牧点、矿点对蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性栖息地的影响。通过缓冲区分析，综合研究了与人类活动有关的道路、固定冬牧点和矿点因子对蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性栖息地的影响。最后将固定水源点、植被、道路、固定冬牧点和矿点等5个因子结合起来通过地图综合查询研究分析了这些因子对蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性栖息地的综合影响，在固定水源点较适宜以上范围给出了该保护区蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚季节性不同适宜等级的生境面积。 我们建议采取以下积极措施来保护卡山保护区荒漠生态系统多样性以有效保护该区域内栖息的蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚：提高保护区周边社区政府的认识，提高公众参与自然资源和生物多样性保护的意识；加强水源地建设，积极采取飞播等措施,恢复植被，提高栖息生境质量；逐步限制进入卡拉麦里山越冬渡春的家畜数量；严格进入卡山保护区采矿制度，取缔非法矿业；加强草原围栏生态通道建设；与蒙古国合作建立跨国界的国际自然保护区；建立卡山自然保护区自然资源有偿使用机制；开展长期蒙古野驴和鹅喉羚种群监测。

Perspectivas de degradação de fezes bovinas pelo besouro coprófago africano, Digitonthophagus gazella, e espécies sul-americanas (Coleoptera; Scarabaeidae e Aphodiidae).

Este trabalho teve por objetivo determinar as espécies de besouros coprófagos das famílias Scarabaeidae e Aphodiidae presentes em pastagens cultivadas no cerrado sul-mato-grossense, com o intuito de conhecer aquelas com potencial promissor para uso no controle integrado dos parasitos bovinos associados às MFs, em Campo Grande, MS. Adicionalmente, foi também avaliada a única espécie exótica, D. gazella, quanto ao comportamento de sua população em meio aos coleópteros coprófagos nativos.

Post-grafting preparation of large-pore mesoporous materials with localized high content titanium doping

A new post-grafting process, consisting of two steps of substrate preparation and sol - gel post-grafting, has been developed to prepare titanium-doped mesoporous SBA-15 material with a double-layered structure and locally concentrated titanium content at the inner pore surface. With this novel technique, the single phased and originally ordered mesostructures can be well conserved; in the conventional direct synthesis they can be partially damaged when the frameworks are doped with high content heteroatoms. Titanium species exist in an isolated, tetrahedral structure and are localized at the pore surface; this is beneficial to both reactant access and product release. Characterization with XRD, N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, HREM/ EDS, ICP, UV - Vis, and the newly developed UV - Raman spectroscopy confirm these results. Preliminary catalytic tests with the selective epoxidation of cyclohexene show good catalytic activity. Among them, sample TiSBA-15-10 with a Si : Ti molar ratio of 10 shows a TON value of 75 and a highest product ( epoxide) yield of 55%.

Consideracoes sobre a mosca-dos-chifres, seu controle e criacao massal do besouro coprofago Onthophagus gazella.

A mosca-dos-chifres, Haematobia irritans e considerada a maior praga dos bovinos nos Estado Unidos (Drummond et al., 1981) e uma das maiores pragas na Australia, sendo tambem muito importante na Europa. No Brasil, a mosca ocorre praticamente em todo o Pais, e os pecuaristas, especialmente da regiao do Cerrado, tem apontado o inseto como responsavel por grandes prejuizos. Sua introducao ocorreu por volta de 1976 na regiao norte, e a partir dai dispersou-se rapida e eficientemente. No Distrito Federal, a mosca foi observada pela primeira vez em 1990 (Saueressig, 1990). Por ser uma praga relativamente nova, existe pouca informacao sobre sua epidemiologia, controle e possiveis danos (nivel e grau de prejuizo) nessa regiao. A partir da sua dispersao no Brasil, varios trabalhos cientificos tem sido conduzidos (Collares, 1991; Barros, 1994; Saueressig et al., 1995; Bianchin e Alves, 1997) com o objetivo de responder as duvidas frequentemente levantadas por produtores rurais e tecnicos, porem muitas sao as questoes a responder, principalmente em relacao ao controle de inseto. Este trabalho tem por objetivos: fornecer informacoes ja existentes na literatura sobre o inseto; e sugerir medidas para o controle racional, incluindo o biologico, utilizando besouros coprofagos, cuja tecnica para criacao massal em laboratorio e descrita.

Construct and content validity of the Greek version of the birth satisfaction scale (G-BSS).

Background: ‘Birth Satisfaction’ is a term that encompasses a woman’s evaluation of her birth experience. The term includes factors such as her appraisal of the quality of care she received, a personal assessment of how she coped, and her reconstructions of what happened on that particular day. Her accounts may be accurate or skewed, yet correspond with her reality of how events unfolded. Objective: To evaluate properties of an instrument designed to measure birth satisfaction in a Greek population of postnatal women. Study design: We assessed factor structure, internal consistency, divergent validity and known-groups discriminant validity of the 30-item Greek Birth Satisfaction Scale – Long Form (30-item G-BSS-LF) and its revised version the 10-item Greek-BSS-Revised (10-item-G-BSS-R), using survey data collected in Athens. Participants: A convenience sample of healthy Greek postnatal women (n = 162) aged 22–46 years who had delivered between 34 and 42 weeks’ gestation. Results: The 30-item-G-BSS-LF performed poorly in terms of factor structure. The short-form 10-item-G-BSS-R performed well in terms of measurement replication of the English equivalent version as a multidimensional instrument. The short-form 10-item-G-BSS-R comprises three subscales which measure distinct but correlated domains of: (1) quality of care provision (4 items), (2) women’s personal attributes (2 items), and (3) stress experienced during labour (4 items). Key conclusions: The 10-item-G-BSS-R is a valid and reliable multidimensional psychometric instrument for measuring birth satisfaction in Greek postnatal women.

Using Social Media Content for Screening in Recruitment and Selection: Pros and Cons.

The article considers the arguments that have been made in defence of social media screening as well as issues that arise and may effectively erode the reliability and utility of such data for employers. First, the authors consider existing legal frameworks and guidelines that exist in the UK and the USA, as well as the subsequent ethical concerns that arise when employers access and use social networking content for employment purposes. Second, several arguments in favour of the use of social networking content are made, each of which is considered from several angles, including concerns about impression management, bias and discrimination, data protection and security. Ultimately, the current state of knowledge does not provide a definite answer as to whether information from social networks is helpful in recruitment and selection.

Improving bilingual higher education: Training university professors in content and language integrated learning

With increasing international mobility, higher education must cater to the varying linguistic and cultural needs of students. Successful delivery of courses through English as the vehicular language is essential to encourage international enrollment. However, this cannot be achieved without preparing university professors in the many intricacies delivering their subjects in English may pose. This paper aims to: share preliminary data concerning Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at Laureate Network Universities worldwide as few studies have been conducted at the tertiary level, reflect upon data regarding student and teacher satisfaction with CLIL at the Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM), and to propose improvements in English-taught subjects.