Influence of long-term exposure to an air-conditioned environment on the diurnal cortisol rhythm

In the present study, the influence of the long-term use of air-conditioning in summer on the cortisol rhythm was examined by measuring the rhythm in subjects who had been exposed to air-conditioning for a short [S] or long [L] time. Investigations were conducted twice in July and September. Atmospheric temperature and relative humidity near the subjects were measured for three days in each season. Saliva samples for cortisol analysis were collected every 2 hours during the daytime beginning at 8:00 h with subsequent sampling times at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:00 h. A questionnaire on sleep and duration of air-conditioning use was also undertaken. Ambient mean temperature was higher in the S group (mean+/-SD; 30.8+/-1.2 degrees C in July, 28.0+/-0.8 degrees C in September) than in the L group (28.0+/-1.2 degrees C in July, 27.3+/-1.0 degrees C in September) (p<0.01), while mean relative humidity did not differ. There were no differences in bedtime, waking time and sleeping hours either between groups or months. Diurnal patterns of salivary cortisol rhythm in July and September were similar in the S group, but the L group had a delayed rise of morning cortisol secretion in September compared with July. These results suggest that long-term exposure to an air-conditioned environment might adversely affect the human cortisol rhythm.     

One Tragedy in Reference to Another: September 11 and the Obligations of Museum Commemoration

Yahrzeit: September 11 Observed. Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, New York. August 29, 2002—January 5, 2003.
. Shared Experience: 04.19.95-09.11.01. Oklahoma City National Memorial Center Museum, Oklahoma City. April 19, 2002—September 1, 2003.
. Day of Reflection and Remembrance. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C. September 11, 2002.     

Microbes and metals

Many base metals and a few precious metals as well as some metalloids can be enzymatically or non-enzymatically concentrated and dispersed by microbes in their environment. Some of these activities are commercially exploited or have a potential for it. This article summarizes these activities and the commercial or potentially commercial use of some of them. Received: 21 May 1997 / Received revision: 2 September 1997 / Accepted: 3 September 1997     

Human hand impedance characteristics during maintained posture

Received: 23 June 1993 / Accepted in revised form: 15 September 1994     

四川省攀枝花市发现贡山链蛇

2014年9月至2017年9月,在四川省境内的攀枝花大黑山森林公园、攀枝花盐边县红宝苗族彝族乡共采集到贡山链蛇(Lycodon gongshan Vogel and Luo,2011)标本2号,为四川省首次发现该物种。2号标本(标本号R20140901和PZH20170901)保存在中国科学院成都生物研究所。     

X-ray absorption spectroscopy of selenium-containing amino acids

Received: 2 April 1999 / Accepted: 17 September 1999     

Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) huysi, sp. nov. (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from marine interstitial of Montenegro (S.E. Europe)

A new species of Arenopontia (Neoleptastacus) is described on the basis of a single female collected from one sandy beach in Montenegro, Adriatic Sea. With the addition of the new species, the subgenus Neoleptastacus now includes 18 species throughout the world. At the end of this paper there is a key for their determination. Received: 20 March 1999 / Received in revised form: 15 September 1999 / Accepted: 21 September 1999     

祁连山东段高原鼢鼠暖季活动节律及其影响因素

正动物活动节律是在光周期、外界环境和内在生理机制共同调节下,动物表现出的休息和活动规律,它可以反映出动物个体营养状况、生存压力及社会地位等信息,是研究动物生态行为策略的重要依据(孙儒泳,2006)。尚玉昌(2006)认为温度和光照强度变化直接影响动物行为,而食物资源和天敌数量变化则能间接影响动物行为。目前对于地上栖息的啮齿动物活动节律及其影响因素已有许多报道(金建丽等,2003;纪春艳等,2005;宛新荣     

Ethylene and Glycosidase Promotion in GA3- and IAA-treated Tomato Fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

apd: 15 September 2000     

Starch Accumulation Is Associated with Adventitious Root Formation in Hypocotyl Cuttings of Pinus radiata

apd: 15 September 2000     

The Role of Free Indole-3-acetic Acid (IAA) Levels, IAA Transport, and Sucrose Transport in the High Temperature Inhibition of Primary Root Development in Pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska)

apd: 15 September 2000     

应用PVC防护套防御退耕还林区幼龄林木鼠害

本文报道了PVC 防护套对鼠类危害内蒙古退耕还林区幼龄林的防护作用,目的在于检验其是否能用于治理退耕还林区鼠类对林木的危害。2004 年9 月至2005 年4 月,在内蒙古自治区巴彦淖尔市杭锦后旗的退耕还林区进行防护实验,逐月调查危害情况。结果表明,本地区鼠类的危害期主要为9 月至11 月,累计危害率为34.25%, 其中9 月份的危害最严重,危害率高达17.42% ;该防护套可有效防止林业鼠类对林木的危害,实验期间未发现一例树木受到鼠类的危害,同时,PVC 防护套亦未增加其它树木受到危害的概率。建议在每年的9月之前对树木采取防护措施,以提高其对树木的防护效率。     

筛阿鳃金龟的生物学特性及其防治

筛阿鳃金龟是龙眼、荔枝的主要害虫,在广西南宁每年发生1代,以成虫越冬。翌年3月下旬或4月上旬成虫出土取食为害,直至5月中下旬成虫开始交配产卵,8月下旬或9月上旬为幼虫化蛹盛期,9月中下旬为成虫羽化盛期,随之出土取食为害,11月下旬入蛰。其主要以成虫为害植株的新梢嫩叶,而且每年出现两次为害高峰期,分别在当年9～10月和翌年4～5月。用40％氧乐果或50％甲胺磷乳油800～1000倍稀释液喷雾,防治效果显著。     

Using phylogenies in conservation: new perspectives

The 2011 meeting of the European Ecological Federation took place in ávila, Spain, from 26th September to 29th September. The French Ecological Society (SFE) and the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) sponsored a session entitled 'Evolutionary history, ecosystem function and conservation biology: new perspectives'. We report on the main insights obtained from this symposium.     

Immunofluorescent studies of human chromosomes with antibodies against phosphorylated H1 histone

One of the prominent cell cycle-related modifications of histone proteins whose function remains unresolved is the phosphorylation of linker histone H1. In this work we have used indirect immunofluorescence on human cells with antibodies that are specific for phosphorylated histone H1 to examine the cellular distribution and chromosome association patterns of this protein. With confocal microscopy on whole cells, strong immunofluorescence was seen in association with mitotic chromosomes as well as a prominent punctate pattern of labeling throughout the mitotic cell, whereas interphase cells showed very little, if any, specific fluorescence. Multiple patterns of fluorescence distribution were detected with metaphase chromosomes, ranging from apparent tight colocalization with the DNA to expanded ”puffy” mitotic figures to an amorphous network of staining. It was also shown that the ability to label chromosomes could vary drastically with different fixation procedures, adding further complications to interpretation of the potentially complex role of phosphorylated histone H1 in chromatin condensation or decondensation. Received: 8 September 1999; in revised form: 14 September 1999 / Accepted: 17 September 1999     

Reproductive potential of field-collected overwintering boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) fed on pollen in the laboratory

Abstract  The reproductive potential of overwintering boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis (Boheman), females collected from pheromone traps in September, November and January, fed for 1, 3, and 5 weeks on plant pollens, and then provided cotton squares, was determined in the laboratory at 27 ± 1°C, 65% RH, and a photoperiod 13 : 11 (L : D) h. Duration of pollen feeding by overwintering boll weevils did not significantly influence egg and feeding punctures, or puncture ratios (egg to total punctures) for any of the three months of parent weevil collections when provided cotton squares on a daily basis. However, punctures and puncture ratios are significantly different when comparing mean data between months of boll weevil collections. When boll weevils were provided with cotton squares daily, the pre-ovipositional periods of female parents captured in September, November and January were 5, 9 and 14 days, respectively. The rate of eggs by females was significantly lower during November and January than September. Female parents collected in September produced a significantly higher percentage of eggs yielding adult progeny than those collected in November and January. Life table parameters indicated that net reproductive rate ( R _o) of boll weevil females collected in September was 1.2-fold higher than those collected in November and 10.7-fold higher than those collected in January. Except for testes size, no differences in male reproductive parameters were observed during the cotton-free period compared with males captured during mid-cotton (June). The number of oocytes in the ovarioles and the number of oocytes containing yolk were significantly lower during September, November and January compared with June. The reproductive potential of overwintering boll weevil females collected in different months is an important consideration in determining the success of any control strategy.     

Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction of highly aligned phospholipid membranes containing the antimicrobial peptide magainin 2

We present the first study of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction on a model system of phospholipid membranes and antimicrobial peptides. For this purpose, highly oriented multilamellar samples have been prepared on solid substrates. By this technique, the short-range order of the lipid chains in the fluid L_α phase can be investigated quantitatively, including not only the mean distance between acyl chains, but also the associated correlation length. The short-range order in lecithin is found to be severely affected by the amphiphilic peptide magainin 2. Received: 7 June 1999 / Revised version: 6 September 1999 / Accepted: 17 September 1999     

Protein Translocation Across the Membrane of the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammals concerning the mechanisms of the translocation step and discuss the roles of the proteins implicated in this process. Received: 5 June 1996/Revised: 20 September 1996     

Grazing and Metabolism of Euphausia pacifica in the Yellow Sea

Grazing and metabolism of Euphausia pacifica in the Yellow Sea were studied from September 2006 to August 2007. Euphausia pacifica is a selective-feeding omnivore and grazing rates among different months were monitored using a Coulter Counter and batch culture feeding experiments. Euphausia pacifica mainly grazed microzooplankton in August and September, which resulted in an increase in chlorophyll a concentration. Oxygen consumption rate of E. pacifica was 38.7–42.5 μmol O₂ g^-1 DW h^-1 in March, which was four times higher than the oxygen consumption rates in September and December. The vigorous metabolism of E. pacifica in March consumed 3.1% of body carbon daily, which is likely related to its high reproduction and grazing rate. Respiration and metabolism of E. pacifica in September and December were similar and were lower. O:N ratio of E. pacifica was the highest (17.3–23.8) in March when spawning activity occurred and when food was abundant. The energetic source of E. pacifica during September and December was mostly protein from eating a carnivorous diet, including such items as microzooplankton. Euphausia pacifica was found in cold water at the bottom of the Yellow Sea in summer and autumn and maintained a low consumption status. O:N ratios of E. pacifica in March, September, and December were negatively correlated with SSTs and no significant correlation was found between O:N ratios and chlorophyll a concentration. Seawater temperature is clearly the most important parameter influencing the metabolism of E. pacifica.     

Production characteristics of the population of the red algaAhnfeltia tobuchiensis in Baklan Bight (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan)

Spatial distribution and production characteristics of the population of the unattached red algaAhnfeltia tobuchiensis (Kanno and Matsubara) Mak were studied in Baklan Bight (Sea of Japan) in September 1990 and June 1991. The following environmental factors were determined: the level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) penetrating the water column; the water temperature; and the content of oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and dissolved organic substance. the main factor limiting the net primary production (NPP) of theA. tobuchiensis population in Baklan Bight appears to be PAR intensity at the surface of the stratum. In June and September, respectively it constituted about 10% and 0.2% of the PAR on the sea surface. By means of regression analysis, the following equations were obtained to describe the relationship between NPP at the surface of the stratum and the environmental factors studied, PAR intensity being the principal variable: NPP=0.02+0.81 PAR (in June) and NPP=0.02+0.23PAR (in September). In June and September, the NPP of theA. tobuchiensis stratum amounted to 17.2 and 1.3 g/(m² day), and the biomass to 21 and 31 thousand tons, respectively. During the eight months, its distribution changed considerably. In June and September, the daily biomass growth equaled 140.7 and 8.5 t, respectively. A 10-cm-thick layer displayed the highest production characteristics.