Effect of photoperiod upon age and maintenance of sexual development in female Coturnix coturnix japonica

Coturnix kept in a 14L:10D photoperiod from hatch began to lay their first eggs at a mean age of 42.8 days (range 38-55). Approximately 2/3 of Coturnix held from hatch in photoperiods of 6L:16D light were laying at 165 days of age. Mean age at first egg was 112.7 days (range 68-162 days) in 8L:16D and 130.8 days (range 117-158 days) in 6L:18D photoperiod. Coturnix transferred from a non-stimulatory (8L:16D) photoperiod to a stimulatory one (14L:10D or 24L) begun laying in 15-20 days if less than 140 days old, and in about 5 days if greater than 140 days old, when trasferred. Birds which has spontaneously begun to lay in an 8L:16D photoperiod did not stop laying when the photoperiod was reduced to 6L:18D. Those which began laying under 14L:10D photoperiod ceased laying in about 15 days if 89 or fewer days old when switched to 8L:16D, or in about 6 days if 140 or more days old. Those switched from 14L:10D to 6L:18D ceased laying in about 13 days when 76 days old, and 7 days when 89 days old.     

Adapting to phase shifts, II. Effects of melatonin and conflicting light treatment

The effects of melatonin (MT) and placebo (P) on adaptation to a rapid 9-h advance phase shift, in the presence and absence of inappropriate bright light (BL) exposure were examined. Volunteers were initially subjected to a gradual 9-h delay phase shift over 5 days (D1-D5) using a combination of bright light and darkness/sleep. Readaptation to a subsequent rapid 9-h advance phase shift was studied using: 1) MT, 5 mg, 2300 h, D6-D8, 2) BL, 2,000 lx, 0800-1200 h, D7-D8, 3) MT+BL and 4) P, 2300 h, D6-D8. MT treatment was timed to phase advance and BL to phase delay. BL delayed the 6-sulphatoxymelatonin rhythm in five out of seven subjects. Two subjects delayed and five phase advanced with both MT and MT+BL. MT consistently improved subjective sleep, alertness, and performance even in the presence of inappropriate BL and before phase readaptation had occurred. BL improved alertness and performance transiently. The beneficial effects of MT are not wholly mediated through an effect on the biological clock.     

Exposure to constant photoperiod alters serum prolactin concentrations and behavioral response to estradiol in the ovariectomized goat

The effects of constant photoperiod on serum prolactin concentrations and sexual behavior of ovariectomized goats was investigated. Fourteen ovariectomized goats were divided into groups of seven goats each and placed in photoperiod-controlled rooms with either 8L:16D or 16L:8D. All goats received six estradiol (E2) treatments in a Latin square design. Following each treatment six 1-h observation periods were conducted. Blood was collected before E2 treatment and at each observation period for prolactin quantification. During the observation periods measures of attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity were recorded. Goats exposed to 8L:16D displayed sexual behavior in response to doses of E2 lower than those required by goats exposed to 16L:8D. Prolactin concentrations were higher in goats exposed to 16L:8D than in those exposed to 8L:16D. It was concluded that photoperiod affects prolactin concentrations and behavioral sensitivity to E2 in goats. The effect of continued exposure to constant photoperiod on these variables was then investigated. The goats were held in constant photoperiod for 211 d and behavior tests as described for Exp. 1 were repeated. Scores for attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity did not differ between the two groups after 211 d of exposure to constant photoperiod. Prolactin concentrations did not differ in this study between the two groups. It was concluded that after chronic exposure to 8L:16D ovariectomized goats become refractory to the stimulatory effects of short photoperiod.     

Dual origins of Finns revealed by Y chromosome haplotype variation

The objective of this study was to determine effects of photoperiod and age on the circulating concentrations of LH, testosterone (T), thyroxine (T4), and semen production in male turkeys. Male turkeys from 10 or 12 wk of age were maintained under either a long-day (LD) photoperiod of 16L:8D up to 35 wk (LL), or a short-day (SD) photoperiod of 6L:18D to 29 wk and then an LD photoperiod of 16L:8D up to 35 wk of age (SL). Plasma concentrations of both LH and T increased by 17 or 18 wk of age under both photoperiods, but higher levels were attained in the LL group prior to 29 wk of age. Both LH and T levels increased significantly within days in the SL group after the group was switched to LD at 29 wk of age. Higher levels of T4 were present in the LL group prior to sexual maturation. No differences were observed in T4 concentration between lighting treatments after sexual maturation. The LL group first produced semen at 20-22 wk of age, which was about 1 wk earlier than first semen production in the SL group. A significantly larger volume of semen was produced in the LL group at most ages. No further increase in semen production was observed in the first 6 wk after the SL group was switched to the LD photoperiod at 29 wk of age. Pulsatile patterns of LH and T were characterized by serial blood sampling at 13, 23, and 35 wk of age under both the LL and SL photoperiods. The baseline levels of both LH and T in male turkeys were influenced by age and photoperiod. However, pulse characteristics (numbers, duration, and amplitude) of LH did not change with age or lighting treatment, while pulse characteristics of T did change with age. We conclude that exposing male turkeys to an LD photoperiod from 10 or 12 wk of age advanced the age of sexual maturation and induced earlier increased concentrations of LH and T.     

受限空间不同照度环境下VDT作业视觉疲劳

受限空间内视觉疲劳是造成事故的主要原因之一。为探究有限空间内光照对视屏显示终端（Visual display terminals,VDT）作业视觉疲劳的影响,选取24名作业人员,在搭建的受限空间平台内进行VDT打字作业1 h,在50～700 lx范围内设置7个光照梯度使用眼动仪采集瞳孔直径数据。将采集数据进行归一化和降噪处理。实验结果表明,随着照度增大,瞳孔直径总体呈减小趋势,且瞳孔?照度关系符合幂函数关系;照度400,550和700 lx环境下瞳孔直径变化率在?12%～8%之间浮动,且随着光照强度的增强,作业人员视觉疲劳发生的程度增加;在低照度50,100和200 lx环境下,瞳孔直径变化率在?8%～4%之间浮动,且随着强度的减弱,作业人员视觉疲劳发生的程度也会增加。本研究提出使用窗口化的瞳孔直径标准差σ判断视觉疲劳出现时间,低照度下的σ峰值出现时间早于高照度下σ峰值出现的时刻,300 lx照度下σ峰值出现的时刻最晚,50～300 lx弱光照下对视觉造成的疲劳程度大于300～700 lx强光照下造成的疲劳。      

Responses of immature pullets to repeated cycles of gradual increases and abrupt decreases in photoperiod

1. Growing pullets were reared on constant 8, 11 or 14 h photoperiods or given 12 daily increments of 30 min followed by an abrupt 6 h decrease in photoperiod in 14 d cycles from 2 d of age to sexual maturity. 2. Birds on the experimental lighting programme matured earlier than constant 8-h controls, later than 11-h controls but at the same age and body weight as constant 14-h controls. 3. Weight of the first egg was correlated with age at first egg. 4. It is assumed that potential advances in maturity for the experimental birds from the 30 min increments in photoperiod were cancelled by the retarding influences of 6 h decreases in photoperiod, resulting in their maturity being similar to that of birds reared on a constant daylength equal to the longest photoperiod reached during the cycle.     

The role of the blood-brain barrier transporter PTS-1 in regulating concentrations of methionine enkephalin in blood and brain

The entrainment of the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity was studied in the field mouse Mus booduga in order to examine the relationship between the free-running period (tau) and minimum tolerable light pulse interval of the skeleton photoperiods. The animals were entrained under three different light/dark (LD) schedules, each out of phase with the other. They were then subjected to various skeleton photoperiods created by two repeated light pulses (LPs) interrupting darkness. Animals that selected the shorter interval between the LPs as their "subjective night" had significantly shorter tau (23.13 +/- 0.38 h) as compared to those that selected the longer dark interval as subjective night (tau = 23.87 +/- 0.18 h). When the longer dark interval was 12 h, animals selecting that interval as their subjective night included both long-tau and short-tau individuals. When both intervals of darkness were of equal duration, no difference in the selection of subjective night was seen between short and long-tau animals. When the "dusk" LP for the animals that selected the longer dark interval as subjective night was advanced by 2 h to create a new skeleton photoperiod, the number of transient cycles appearing before steady-state entrainment was found to depend on the duration of the photoperiods. When the night defined by the two LPs was reduced below 6h, a dramatic "phase jump" in the activity rhythm was observed, and the initial phase relationship was restored after a relaxation in the night duration. We observed considerable interindividual variation in the "minimum tolerable light pulse interval of skeleton photoperiods," which we suggest may be due to the observed variation in tau among individuals.     

Lessons learned from the DIASTAT vascular access graft

In male Syrian hamsters, short days induce regression of the reproductive system, but eventually spontaneous recrudescence occurs ensuing from refractoriness to the inhibitory photoperiod. Although the photoperiod of 12 L:12 D (12 h light:12 h dark) may act like a short day by inducing the testicular cycle outlined above, it may fail to evoke the increase of circulating concentrations of prolactin that accompanies testicular recrudescence. This photoperiod may fail to induce photorefractoriness, as indicated by the prolonged low concentrations of prolactin in the blood. Herein, hamsters were exposed to either 8 L:16 D or 12 L:12 D from weaning and by 28 weeks exposure to either photoperiod, the hamsters had large testes following recrudescence from a photoperiod induced-regression). Transfer to 8 L:16 D from 12 L:12 D at 28 weeks resulted in a second testicular regression and recrudescence. In a second experiment, the testes of hamsters moved to 8 L:16 D from 12 L:12 D after 29 weeks exposure to the latter photoperiod similarly regressed and then regrew. Serum concentrations of prolactin decreased in these males after transfer to the shorter daylength but also decreased in hamsters kept under 12 L:12 D both groups were usually below those of hamsters moved to 14 L:10 D. These results show that exposure for 28 or 29 weeks to 12 L:12 D was insufficient to induce photorefractoriness, despite the recrudescence of the testes following involution.     

A test for photorefractoriness in high-producing stocks of laying pullets

1. Pullets of 2 high-producing commercial stocks (both brown-egg layers) were exposed to 5 different lighting patterns between 18 and 72 weeks to test the hypothesis that photoperiods used in commercial lighting programmes early in the laying year may be unnecessarily long and, by accelerating the development of photorefractoriness, may contribute to the decline in egg production observed after the initial peak. Two rooms of 288 pullets were allocated to each treatment. 2. The rate of lay observed with a Step-Up treatment which gave increases in photoperiod from 8L:16D at 18 weeks to 15L:9D at 27 weeks of age was not significantly different from that of treatments which held the birds on 11L:13D during peak egg production but gave increments up to 15L:9D later in the laying year. 3. A control group maintained on 11L:13D from 20 to 72 weeks laid 295 eggs per bird housed and a further group held on 8L:16D from 0 to 72 weeks laid 284 eggs per bird. These yields were lower than the Step-Up treatment (299 eggs) but show the potential of modern hybrid stocks to lay prolifically even without light stimulation. 4. It is concluded that the stocks tested in this experiment showed no advantage when given lighting programmes in the first laying year which were designed to minimise the adverse effects of photorefractoriness.     

Diurnal variation and effects of feeding on blood glucose in the giant tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon

Previous studies on crustacea have demonstrated significant diurnal rhythms in blood glucose. However, glucose concentration in the blood of food-deprived Penaeus monodon, held in indoor or outdoor tanks, did not exhibit a diurnal rhythm under photoperiods of 8 h light and 16 h darkness (8L: 16D) or under a 13.5L: 9.5D photoperiod, with simulated or natural full moon conditions. Prawns held on photoperiods of constant light, 20L : 4D, 16L : 8D, 12L : 12D, 8L : 16D, 4L : 20D, or continuous darkness did not have significantly different mean blood glucose levels. Mean blood glucose levels varied between 0.77 and 1.39 mmol/L, depending on conditions. Pronounced and significant increases in blood glucose levels occurred within 20 min of feeding, with peak levels after 100 min. The rise in blood glucose level observed after feeding was independent of the eyestalks, and hence putative crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone, and was not from endogenous carbohydrate stores. Under appropriately controlled conditions, blood glucose concentrations can be used as an index of nutritional status in penaeid prawns.     

罗丹明6G共振光散射法测定废水中铊

在硫酸介质中, 痕量铊(Ⅲ)与碘化钾反应生成I₃^-, I₃^-与罗丹明6G形成1∶1缔合物, 可导致共振光散射明显增强, 据此建立了共振光散射测定痕量铊的新方法。考察了它们的光谱特征:罗丹明6G溶液的共振荧光峰波长为540 nm, (Rh6G-I₃)n缔合微粒共振散射峰波长为330、420、580 nm。通过条件试验确定0.4 mL 0.2 mol/L硫酸作为反应介质、0.1 mol/L KI溶液用量为0.4 mL、1.0×10^-4 mol/L罗丹明6G 溶液用量为0.4 mL、反应时间为5 min。进一步考察发现, 在580 nm波长, 共振散射光强度增加值与溶液中铊浓度呈线性关系, 方法的线性范围为0.005～0.10 mg/L, 检出限为0.001 2 mg/L。方法应用于工业废水中铊含量的测定, 结果与ICP-MS法的对照结果基本一致, 相对标准偏差(RSD, n=6)为1.8%～3.2%。     

Broad, but not universal, transcriptional requirement for yTAFII17, a histone H3-like TAFII present in TFIID and SAGA

1. In 2 experiments with Single Comb White Leghorn hens, the effects of different light:dark cycles (LD-cycles) upon oviposition patterns and plasma melatonin rhythms were studied. In experiment 1, a 28-h ahemeral LD-cycle (12L:16D) was used. In experiment 2, a normal 24-h LD-cycle (16L:8D) was applied and the effects of a sudden 8-h forward or backward shift of the 8-h dark period (that is phase-advanced or phase-delayed LD-cycle) were studied. 2. The oviposition patterns as well as the plasma melatonin rhythms were fully synchronised with both LD-cycles (24-h or 28-h). The 2 rhythms were gradually re-synchronised after phase shifts, and the melatonin response phase-led the oviposition response by 2 cycles. Thus, the change of the melatonin rhythm coincided with the change of the (presumed) open period for LH-release. 3. In the unchanged 24-h LD-cycle, ovipositions occurred almost exclusively (98.9%) during light hours, whereas in the 28-h LD-cycle, ovipositions occurred primarily (84.5%) during the last 9 h of the dark period. 4. In both LD-cycles and after changes of the LD-cycle, light always suppressed plasma melatonin, regardless of previous light history. During dark periods, concentrations were elevated but, interestingly, only if darkness had also been experienced during the same time period 24 h earlier. This indicates that light has a direct inhibiting effect upon pineal melatonin release, while actual melatonin release during darkness is controlled by an endogenous clock.     

Antiviral properties of 3-quinolinecarboxamides: a series of novel non-nucleoside antiherpetic agents

Despite the long history in medicine, the pathophysiological mechanism(s) of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) remain largely unknown. By employing a meta-analytic methodology, the authors of this study attempted to verify the validity of different pathophysiological mechanism(s) proposed for SAD. The findings showed that for phototherapy of medium light intensity, a combination of morning-evening therapy regime yielded the best therapeutic effect, and the antidepressant effect of the morning-evening light regime was superior to a single pulse of light administered at other times of day. Furthermore, the data showed that the antidepressant effect of a single pulse of light was similar for morning, midday, and evening light. These findings supported the photon-count hypothesis and refuted the proposed photoperiod, melatonin, and phase-shifting models of SAD.     

Enhanced orange emission by doping CeB6 in CaAlSiN3:Ce3+ phosphor for application in white LEDs

A series of CeB6-doped and CeO_2-doped Ca_(1-x)SiAlN_3:xCe3+(denoted as CASN:Ce3+@CeB6 and CASN:Ce3+@CeO_2, respectively) were synthesized by alloy-nitridation method under high-purity nitrogen atmosphere. The morphologies, crystal phases, and luminescence properties were investigated in detail.With an increase in the concentration of CeB_6, the unit cell volume of CASN:Ce3+@CeB_6 slightly increases due to the substitution between ions, which leads to a change of micro structure around Ce3+. CASN:Ce3+@CeB6 efficiently emits yellow-orange light with a maximum emission intensity at around 550 nm for the content x of 0.01(being in comparable situation, CASN:Ce3+@CeO_2 is x = 0.04) when excited at460 nm. Compared with CASN:Ce3+@CeO_2, the red emission component of Ce3+ in CASN:Ce3+@CeB6 is much stronger. This is ascribed to energy transfer of intra-Ce3+(within one Ce3+ ion) and inter-Ce3+(between Ce3+ and Ce3+ ions). In addition, the replacements of N3-(0.132 nm for CN = 4) and O~(2-)(0.124 nm for CN = 4) by B~(2-)(0.140 nm for CN = 4), which can lead to a marked expansion of the host lattice and a decrease of the oxidation of samples, are also responsible for the increase of red emission component. Furthermore, CASN:Ce3+@CeB_6 phosphor has an excellent thermal stability because of the partial substitution of Ce-O(Ce-N) bonds by more covalent Ce-B. As a result, the outstanding luminescent properties of CASN:Ce3+@CeB6 phosphor make it practical to use in the single phosphor-coated high-color-rendering power white LED.     

The regulation of pac gene expression by CRP and FNR

Effects of white and monochromatic (blue-434 nm, green-548 nm, and red-614 nm) lights on the nighttime retinal and pineal NAT activity were examined in chicks. The potency of the tested lights to suppress NAT activity was similar for the retina and pineal gland, with a following rank order: white > green > blue > or = red. The studied tissues of chick were far less sensitive to pulses of monochromatic light than the rat pineal gland. The potency of light to decrease pineal NAT activity of rat was: white > green > blue > red. In chicks, the suppression of the nocturnal NAT activity produced by a short 5-min pulse of monochromatic light was completely reversible in the pineal gland, and partially reversible in the retina. Our data suggest the existence of some differences between birds and mammals in terms of sensitivity and mechanisms involved in the light-induced suppression of melatonin biosynthesis.     

Hydrothermal synthesis,structure study and luminescent properties of YbPO₄:Tb³⁺ nanoparticles

YbPO4:Tb3+ were synthesized by mild hydrothermal method.The luminescent properties,morphologies and structure of the obtained powders were characterized by photoluminescence(PL) spectra,FESEM,X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and FTIR.The results showed that the prepared YbPO4:Tb3+ nanoparticles were pure tetragonal phase and the average grain size varied with increasing of Tb3+ concentration.Hydrothermal temperature was revealed to be the key factor to enhance the emission intensity of YbPO4:Tb3+ phosphors.The spherical nanoparticles could be effectively excited by near UV(369 nm) light and exhibited green performance at 543 nm(5D4→7F5),489 nm(5D4→7F6) and 586 nm(5D4→7F4).The CIE chromaticity was calculated to be x=0.298,y=0.560.The YbPO4:Tb3+ nanoparticles exhibited potential to act as UV absorber for solar cells to enhance the conversion efficiency.     

Luminescent properties of Ca2SiO4:Eu3+ red phosphor for trichromatic white light emitting diodes

The luminescent properties of Eu3 doped Ca2SiO4 red phosphors synthesized by the flux fusion reaction method were investigated. It was found that the excitation spectrum included two regions: the weak excitation band below 325 nm and strong narrow peaks above 325 nm. The main peak of the excitation band was located at 400 nm. The peaks located at 290 nm were assigned to the combination of the charge transfer transition of O-Eu, peaks above 325 nm (325, 385, 400, 470, 511, and 539 nm) were assigned to the f–f transitions of Eu3 . The emission spectrum was dominated by the red peak located at 612 nm due to the electric dipole transition of 5D0–7F2. In addition, the ef- fects of the Eu3 content and charge compensators of Li , Na , K , and Cl– ions on the emission intensity were investigated. The experiment results suggested that the strongest emission was obtained when the concentration of the Eu3 ions was 0.3 mol–1, and Li ions gave the best improvement to enhance the emission intensity. Ca2SiO4:Eu3 , Li was thus suitable for low-cost trichromatic white light emitting diodes (WLED) based on UV InGaN chip.     

Treatment of systemic hypertension in cats with amlodipine besylate

Electrolytic lesions aimed at the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) were made in male Long-Evans rats. Body temperature (Tb), activity, and drinking were monitored continuously in a 12-h light:12-h dark (12:12 LD) cycle at an ambient temperature of 23 degrees C. Large SCN lesions eliminated activity and drinking rhythms and abolished or reduced the circadian rhythm of Tb. The Tb responses of the rats were measured in L after exposure to cold and injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a fever-producing drug, and in both L and D during a 30-min exposure to a novel cage. Rats with SCN lesions (SCNX) maintained their Tb as well as did controls during 2-h exposure to 2 degrees C. They also showed the expected increases in Tb in response to novelty and LPS. Nevertheless, there were differences between SCNX rats and other rats. When measured 9 h after LPS injection, SCNX rats had lower Tb in D than did sham-lesioned or intact rats or rats with lesions that missed the SCN. This is not surprising; the Tb of SCNX rats does not go as high as that of intact rats in D. However, it was surprising that at night SCNX rats increased their Tb in response to novelty (lights on in the test situation), whereas normal rats did not. For some reason, light inhibits the Tb rise to novelty in normal rats but does not do so in rats with SCN lesions.     

均匀共沉淀法合成纳米Gd_2O_3:Eu粉体及其发光特性

以六次甲基网胺(hexamethylenetetramine,(CH2)6N4,HMT)为沉淀剂,在GdCl3和EuCl3混合溶液中,利用均匀共沉淀法制得了纳米颗粒.结果表明,获得的Gd2O3:Eu纳米颗粒近似为球形,尺寸均匀,平均粒径为100 nm,且每个球形颗粒由平均粒径为20 nm的微晶聚并而成.Gd2O3:Eu荧光粉在波长612 nm的红光发射来自Eu3+的5D0-7F2电偶极跃迁,发光强度随煅烧温度提高而增强,随Eu3+掺杂摩尔分数的提高而增强.Eu3+掺杂摩尔分数超过7%时,发生浓度淬灭,发光强度减弱.     

Fabrication and Luminescence Properties of Ca2Gd8(SiO4)6O2:Er3+ Phosphors via Sol-Gel Process

Ca2RE8(SiO4)6O2 (RE=Y, Gd, La) is a kind of ternary rare-earth-metal silicate with the oxyapatite structure, which was used as host materials for the luminescence of various rare earth and mercury-like ions. Ca2Gd8(SiO4)6O2:Er3 phosphors were prepared through the sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence spectra were used to characterize the resulting phosphors. The results of XRD indicate that the phosphors crystallized completely at 1000 ℃. SEM study reveals that the average grain size is 400～1000 nm. In Ca2Gd8(SiO4)6O2:Er3 phosphors, the Er3 shows its characteristic green emission at 528 nm (2H11/2-4I15/2) and 548 nm(4S3/2-4I15/2) upon excitation into 382 nm, with an optimum doping concentration of 5% (mole fraction) of Gd3 in the host lattices.