Type-dependent differential expression of neuropeptide Y in chicken hypothalamus （Gallus domesticus）

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the most important orexigenic agents in central regulation of feeding behavior, body weight and energy homeostasis in domestic chickens. To examine differences in the hypothalamic NPY between layer-type and meat-type of chickens, which are two divergent kinds of the domestic chickens in feeding behavior and body weight, we detected mRNA levels of NPY in hypothalamic infundibular nucleus (IN), paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) of these two types of chickens using one-step real time RT-PCR. The meat-type chicken had more food daily (about 1.7 folds) and greater body weights (about 1.5 folds) and brain weights than the layer-type chicken at the age of 14 d. In the meat-type of chicken, NPY mRNA levels of the IN and PVN were significantly greater than those of the LHA, and were not significantly different between the IN and PVN. However, in the layer-type of chicken, NPY mRNA levels were significantly greater in the IN than those in the LHA and PVN, and were not significantly different between the PVN and LHA. In all these hypothalamic regions, the layer-type of chicken had significantly higher NPY mRNA levels than the meat-type chicken did. These results suggest the expression of NPY in the hypothalamus has a type-dependent pattern in domestic chickens.     

A Train Accident（高二适用）

At least 275 people were killed and 460 injured in Monday‘ s head-on train coUision(碰撞) in eastern India and rescue operations were continuing, the Press Trust of India said yesterday.     

Thermodynamics of Zn（II）-NaOH-H2O system

According to the principles of simultaneous equilibrium and electronic charge neutrality, the thermodynamics of Zn（II）-NaOH-H2O system was studied in this paper. Varying the concentration of sodium hydroxide, in range of 0- 400 g/L, the distribution law of all zinc species and the mathematical model of equilibrium concentration of zinc in the system were obtained. The relative errors between theoretic calculation and the experimental values of total concentration of zinc were analyzed, and the absolute average error is only 0.129 8%. The mathematical model and the thermodynamic data are believable.     

Yield and quality responses of citrus （Citrus reticulate） and tea （Podocarpusfleuryi Hickel.） to compound fertilizers

Experiments were carried out with citrus （Citrus reticulate） and tea （Podocarpus fleuryi Hickel.） to study the effects of compound fertilizers on their yields and quality. In the citrus experiment, application of compound fertilizers increased available P K and Mg contents in soil but decreased alkali-hydrolyzable N contents in soil and N, P and K contents in leaves. In the tea experiment, application of compound fertilizers increased available P, K and Mg contents in soil and N, P, K and Mg contents in leaves but decreased alkali-hydrolyzable N in soil compared with the urea treatment. Application of compound fertilizers could improve the quality of citrus and tea, increase their yields and enhance their economical profits significantly. Compared with the control, application of compound fertilizers increased citrus yields by 6.31, 12.94 and 17.69 t/ha, and those of tea by 0.51,0.86 and 1.30 t/ha, respectively. Correspondingly, profits were increased by 21.4% to 61.1% for citrus and by 10.0% to 15.7% for tea. Optimal rates of compound fertilizers were recommended for both crops.     

悠闲英语（四十八）

In Groups——物以类聚 Yesterday, I took my mountain bike1 to the trails2. When I was passing by a pond, I saw a few Canada geese3 cruising on the water. Spring has come, and the geese are back from south and will soon be on their way farther north. The sight of the geese reminded me of a story our kindergarten teacher told us when we were very little. She said that men hunted wild geese for food and the geese didn＇t like them. So, the leader goose taught other geese to fly in the formation of ＂人＂ to remind everyone to keep away from men because they were the worst enemy of geese. Many years later, when I came to the United States, I saw geese fly in the same formation as they fly in the skies of China, and I was puzzled;     

Body Language（高一适用）

Both Debbie and Simon work in the Sunbeam Travel Company. One day they were sitting in the office. The door opened and a lady entered. She looked quickly at them both, paused a moment, then walked over and sat opposite Debbie. Debbie greeted her cheerfully, and they got down to business. "Can you...?"     

完形填空专练（2）

The Inspector of Schools arrived yesterday morning, and he spent the whole day examining the classes. The headmaster had told us a few days 1 that he was coming. I think the headmaster was very 2 about it, for every day, he came to all the classes, 3 the teacher over and over again what they must do and examined the boy himself to see 4 they were ready for the Inspector. He told us in our class that we were all fools and would be sure to 5 him lose face before the Inspector.     

Mapping paddy rice with multi-date moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer （MODIS） data in China

The objective of this study was to obtain spatial distribution maps of paddy rice fields using multi-date moderateresolution imaging spectroradiometer （MODIS） data in China. Paddy rice fields were extracted by identifying the unique characteristic of high soil moisture in the flooding and transplanting period with improved algorithms based on rice growth calendar regionalization. The characteristic could be reflected by the enhanced vegetation index （EVI） and the land surface water index （LSWI） derived from MODIS sensor data. Algorithms for single, early, and late rice identification were obtained from selected typical test sites. The algorithms could not only separate early rice and late rice planted in the same fields, but also reduce the uncertainties. The areal accuracy of the MODIS-derived results was validated by comparison with agricultural statistics, and the spatial matching was examined by ETM＋ （enhanced thematic mapper plus） images in a test region. Major factors that might cause errors, such as the coarse spatial resolution and noises in the MODIS data, were discussed. Although not suitable for monitoring the inter-annual variations due to some inevitable factors, the MODIS-derived results were useful for obtaining spatial distribution maps of paddy rice on a large scale, and they might provide reference for further studies.     

A Beautiful Peacock（美丽的孔雀）

1. There lived all kinds of birds in the forest and their feathers(羽毛) were very beautiful.     

Ship Accident（高二适用）

YANTAI: At least 150 passenger‘s and crew aboard a ship on the Yellow Sea were found dead and more than 140 remain missing in one of the country‘ s worst maritime (航海的) accidents on November 24, 1999 near the port city of Yantai in East China‘ s Shandong Province. Rescue workers reported late yesterday that only 36 survivors had been found.     

Research on the protection effect of pioglitazone for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） in rats

Objective： The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） has markedly increased. Insulin resistance has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. This study was aimed at observing the relationship between insulin resistance and NAFLD, and evaluating the role of pioglitazone （PGZ） acting as insulin-sensitizing agents in the prevention and treatment of rat fatty liver induced by high fat feeding. Methods： The rats were separated randomly into 6 groups： model group Ⅰ were fed high fat diet for 8 weeks, PGZ prevention group were given PGZ 4 mg/（kg.d） simultaneously, while control group Ⅰ were fed normal food for 8 weeks; model group Ⅱ were fed high fat diet for 16 weeks, PGZ treatment group were given PGZ 4 mg/（kg.d） orally simultaneous with high fat diet for 8 weeks after high fat feeding for 8 weeks, control group Ⅱ were fed normal food for 16 weeks. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks and 16 weeks respectively. Liver weight, body weight, serum activities of alanine aminotransferase （ALT）, aspartate aminotransferase （AST）, alkaline phosphatase （ALP）, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α）, fasting blood glucose （FBG）, fasting plasma insulin （FINS）, HOMA （homeostasis model assessment） insulin resistance index （HOMA-IR）, and the liver histology of rats of all groups were assayed. Results： After 8 weeks, the liver in model group Ⅰ showed typical steatosis, accompanied with mild to moderate lobular inflammatory cell infiltration, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TNF-α were significantly increased （P〈0.05） compared with control group Ⅰ. Whereas, the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in PGZ prevention group, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, ALP were significantly decreased （P〈0.05） compared with model group Ⅰ. After 16 weeks, notable steatosis, and lobular inflammation were observed in model group Ⅱ rat liver, while the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in the PGZ treatment group. Liver index, serum levels ofALT, AST, ALP, FINS and HOMA-IR were significantly increased （P〈0.05） in model group Ⅱ compared with control group Ⅱ. Whereas, in PGZ treatment group, serum levels of AST and FINS showed decreasing tendency, liver indexes, serum levels of ALT, ALP, TNF-α and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased compared with model group Ⅱ. Conclusion： Insulin resistance plays a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in rats. Pioglitazone can attenuate insulin resistance and biochemical and histological injury in high fat-induced fatty liver in rats.     

Experiences and benefits of positron emitted tomography-computed tomography （PET-CT） combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） in the diagnosis of Stage 1 sarcoidosis

Background： The purpose of this study was to describe our experiences and analyze the benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） combined with positron emitted tomography （PET）-computed tomography （CT） in the diagnosis of patients with early （Stage 1） sarcoidosis. Methods： From 1995 to 2006, seven patients （two males, five females）, with ages ranging from 26 to 58 years, were impressed with Stage 1 sarcoidosis （mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes involvements without lung involvement） by histological examination of intrathoracic lymph nodes （LNs） and/or lung parenchyma taken＇from VATS biopsy. Three of them received PET or PET-CT evaluation. VATS was approached from the right and left side in one and six patients, respectively, according to the locations of their lesions. Results： All the VATS biopsied LNs or lung specimens were adequate for establishing diagnosis. Mediastinal LNs were taken from Groups 3, 4 in four, Group 7 in two, and Groups 5, 6 in one of them. Hilar LNs biopsies were performed in four cases. Lung biopsy was performed in all but two cases. All of them were expressed pathologically or radiologically as Stage 1 sarcoidosis. PET-CT revealed high emission signals over these affected LNs. These patients received oral steroid treatment or follow up only. All of them were followed up from 5 months to 11 years with satisfactory results. Conclusion： VATS biopsy is a minimally invasive, safe and effective procedure. It can be used as a diagnostic altermative of transbronchial lung biopsy （TBLB）, and can harvest larger and more areas of specimens than mediastinoscopy for staging patients with sarcoidosis. PET-CT can provide us more accurate information about the characteristics and localization of these lesions before biopsy. VATS combined with PET-CT can provide more accurate and earlier diagnosis of patients with unknown intrathoracic lesions, including the sarcoidosis.     

Isolation and physiological characteristics of a premature senescence mutant in rice （Oryza sativa L.）

A rice pse(t) (premature senescence, tentatively) mutant line, was isolated from 4500 independent T-DNA inserted transgenic lines. The symptoms of premature senescence appeared more severely than those of the control plants (Zhonghua 11,japonica) at the last development stage. To characterize the mutant and provide basic information on the candidate genes by mapping to a physical region of 220-kb, experiments were carried out in two phytotrons under controlled temperature of 24 ℃ and28 ℃, respectively. The content of chlorophyll, soluble protein and MDA (malondialdehyde), net photosynthesis, the antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD (superoxide dismuase) (EC 1.15.1.1) and POD (peroxidase) (EC 1.11.1.7) and the peptidase activities of leaves were measured from top to bottom according to the leaf positions at the flowering stage. Compared with the control plant,the mutant showed the following characteristics: (1) Higher net photosynthesis rate (Pn) appeared in the 1 st and 2nd leaves, contents of chlorophyll and soluble protein were also higher in the 1 st leaf; (2) The activities of SOD, POD and peptidase were higher according to the leaf position from top to bottom; (3) The symptom of premature senescence was accelerated in the mutant at 28℃treatment. The MDA content and the SOD and POD activities between the 24 ℃ and 28 ℃ treatment mutants were not significantly different. Content of chlorophyll and soluble protein of leaves mutant decreased rapidly at 28 ℃ treatment. The results show that pse(t) is sensitive to high temperature. The probable function of PSE(T) is discussed.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis, anticonvulsant activity and quantum mechanical modelling of N-（4-bromo-3-methylphenyl） semicarbazones

Objective： To study the effect of halo substitution on disubstituted aryl semicarbazones on the anticonvulsant potential and model the activity based on quantum mechanics. Methods： A series of twenty-six compounds of N^4-（4-bromo-3-methylphenyl） semicarbazones were synthesized and evaluated for the anticonvulsant activity in the maximal electroshock seizure （MES） and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole （scPTZ） seizure threshold tests. Some potential compounds were also tested in the subcutaneous strychnine （scSTY） and subcutaneous picrotoxin （scPIC） seizure threshold tests. The synthesized compounds were tested for behavioral impairment and CNS （central nervous system） depression in mice. Quantum mechanical modelling was carried out on these compounds to gain understanding on the structural features essential for activity. Results： Some compounds possessed broad spectrum anticonvulsant activity as indicated by their effect in pentylenetetrazole, strychnine, picrotoxin and maximal electroshock seizures models in resemblance to other aryl semicarbazone derivatives reported earlier. The higher the difference in HOMO （highest occupied molecular orbital） and LUMO （lowest unoccupied molecular orbital） energy levels was, the greater was the activity profile. Conclusion： The pharmacophoric requirements for compounds to exhibit anticonvulsant activity that includes one aryl unit in proximity to a hydrogen donor-acceptor domain and an electron donor have been justified with the molecular orbital surface analysis of the synthesized compounds.     

Receptor-mediated gene delivery using polyethylenimine （PEI） coupled with polypeptides targeting FGF receptors on cells surface

Objective： To construct a novel kind of nonviral gene delivery vector based on polyethylenimine （PEI） conjugated with polypeptides derived from ligand FGF with high transfection efficiency and according to tumor targeting ability. Methods： The synthetic polypeptides CR16 for binding FGF receptors was conjugated to PEI and the characters of the polypeptides including DNA condensing and particle size were determined. Enhanced efficiency and the targeting specificity of the synthesized vector were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Results： The polypeptides were successfully coupled to PEI. The new vectors PEI-CR16 could efficiently condense pDNA into particles with around 200 nm diameter. The PEI-CR16/pDNA polyplexes showed significantly greater transgene activity than PEI/pDNA in FGF receptors positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo gene transfer, while no difference was observed in FGF receptors negative tumor cells. The enhanced transfection efficiency of PEI-CR 16 could be blocked by excess free polypeptides. Conclusion： The synthesized vector could improve the efficiency of gene transfer and targeting specificity in FGF receptors positive cells. The vector had good prospect for use in cancer gene therapy.     

Differential generation of hydrogen peroxide upon exposure to zinc and cadmium in the hyperaccumulating plant specie （Sedum alfredii Hance）

Sedum alfredii Hance has been identified as zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) co-hyperaccumulator. In this paper the relationships of Zn or Cd hyperaccumulation to the generation and the role of H2O2 in Sedum alfredii H. were examined, The results show that Zn and Cd contents in the shoots of Sedum alfredii H. treated with 1000 μmol/L Zn2 and/or 200 μmol/L Cd2 increased linearly within 15 d. Contents of total S, glutathione (GSH) and H2O2 in shoots also increased within 15 d, and then decreased. Total S and GSH contents in shoots were higher under Cd2 treatment than under Zn2 treatment. However, reverse trends of H2O2 content in shoots were obtained, in which much higher H2O2 content was observed in Zn2 -treated shoots than in Cd2 -treated shoots. Similarly, the microscopic imaging of H2O2 accumulation in leaves using H2O2 probe technique showed that much higher H2O2 accumulation was observed in the Zn2 -treated leaf than in the Cd2 -treated one. These results suggest that there are different responses in the generation of H2O2 upon exposure to Zn2 and Cd2 for the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii H. And this is the first report that the generation of H2O2 may play an important role in Zn hyperaccumulation in the leaves. Oar results also imply that GSH may play an important role in the detoxification of dissociated Zn/Cd and the generation of H2O2.     

P1ay Roof（Ⅱ）——A New Kind of Playground

That was tuesday,and all the rest of the week jack and sally were very busy.first they tookthe tickets around to all the families in the two buildings.that was easy after they‘d rung the first few doorbells.miss fidgett said,     

Biological activities of chamomile （Matricaria chamomile） flowers＇ extract against the survival and egg laying of the cattle fever tick （Acari Ixodidae）

In the present work, the potential of acaricidal activity of chamomile flowers＇ extract was studied against engorged Rhipicephalus annulatus tick under laboratory condition. For this purpose, the engorged females ofRhipicephalus annulatus were exposed to two-fold serial dilutions of chamomile flowers＇ extract （0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 4.0% and 8.0%） using ＂dipping method＂ in vitro. The engorged ticks were immersed in different plant dilutions （five ticks for each dilution） for l rain and they were immediately incubated in separate Petri dishes for each replicate at 26℃ and 80% relative humidity. Mortality rate for each treatment was recorded 5 d after incubation. The mortality rate caused by different dilutions of chamomile flowers＇ extract ranged from 6.67% to 26.7%, whereas no mortality was recorded for non-treated control group. The mass of produced eggs varied from 0.23 g （in 8.0% solution） to 0.58 g （in control）, with no statistical differences between the treatments and control （/＇〉0.05）. Also the chamomile flowers＇ extract in highest concentration used （8.0%） caused 46.67% failure in egg laying in engorged females while no failure was observed for non-treated control group. Macroscopic observations indicated that in effective concentrations of plant （4.0% and 8.0%）, patchy hemorrhagic swelling appeared on the skin of treated ticks. The results presented for the first time in this study imply that chamomile may be considered as a promising plant for biocontrol of cattle fever tick disease in the field condition.     

Improvement of the efficacy of influenza vaccination （H5N1） in chicken by using extract of Cochinchina momordica seed （ECMS）

Seeds of a Chinese traditional medicine plant, Cochinchina momordica were used in the present study for the improvement of influenza vaccine （HSN 1） in chicken. Crude extraction from Cochinchina momordica seed （ECMS） was obtained by ethanol extraction method. In experiment No. 1, two weeks old chickens were immunized with influenza vaccine （HSN1） alone or combined with ECMS （5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 μg/dose）. Serum IgG antibody levels （by ELISA） as well as effects on dally weight gain were measured on 0, 7, 14 and 28th day after immunization. Results revealed that all ECMS groups numerically increased the antibody levels while 10 and 20 μg/dose groups significantly （P〈0.05） enhanced total IgG antibody on day 28, when compared with control. Average daily weight gain was also significantly higher in 20 μg/dose ECMS group. Adjuvant effect was also confirmed in experiment No. 2 when chickens were immunized with 20 μg/dose ECMS and antibody titer was measured through hemagglutination inhibition （HI）. It is concluded that ECMS has potential to improve the immune responses and deserve further study as an adjuvant.     

Gas Absorption Enhancement of Carbon Dioxide into Ca （OH）2 Slurries

Chemical absorption of CO2 into aqueous slurries of Ca(OH)2 was studied in a stirred thermostatic reactor. The influence of solid loading and stirring speed on absorption rate were investigated experimentally, and the results show that the enhancement factor increases with particle content due to the increase of reactive particles in the gas-liquid interfacial region. The absorption process was controlled by the diffusion of gas molecules in slurry. The influence of stirring intensity on enhancement factor is an integration of gas-liquid and liquid-solid mass transfer variation. A novel prediction model of enhancement factors was proposed with the partition of interface into two various zones, and the prediction values by the presented model are in agreement with the experimental data.