Maternal rumen and milk microbiota shape the establishment of early-life rumen microbiota in grazing yak calves

Early-life gut microbial colonization and development exert a profound impact on the health and metabolism of the host throughout the life span. The transmission of microbes from the mother to the offspring affects the succession and establishment of the early-life rumen microbiome in newborns, but the contributions of different maternal sites to the rumen microbial establishment remain unclear. In the present study, samples from different dam sites (namely, oral, rumen fluid, milk, and teat skin) and rumen fluid of yak calves were collected at 6 time points between d 7 and 180 postpartum to determine the contributions of the different maternal sites to the establishment of the bacterial and archaeal communities in the rumen during early life. Our analysis demonstrated that the dam's microbial communities clustered according to the sites, and the calves' rumen microbiota resembled that of the dam consistently regardless of fluctuations at d 7 and 14. The dam's rumen microbiota was the major source of the calves' rumen bacteria (7.9%) and archaea (49.7%) compared with the other sites, whereas the potential sources of the calf rumen microbiota from other sites varied according to the age. The contribution of dam's rumen bacteria increased with age from 0.36% at d 7 to 14.8% at d 180, whereas the contribution of the milk microbiota showed the opposite trend, with its contribution reduced from 2.7% at d 7 to 0.2% at d 180. Maternal oral archaea were the main sources of the calves' rumen archaea at d 14 (50.4%), but maternal rumen archaea became the main source gradually and reached 66.2% at d 180. These findings demonstrated the potential microbial transfer from the dam to the offspring that could influence the rumen microbiota colonization and establishment in yak calves raised under grazing regimens, providing the basis for future microbiota manipulation strategies during their early life.

Age-dependent variations in rumen bacterial community of Mongolian cattle from weaning to adulthood

BACKGROUND

Rumen microbes play an important role in ruminant energy supply and animal performance. Previous studies showed that the rumen microbiome of Mongolian cattle has adapted to degrade the rough forage to provide sufficient energy to tolerate the harsh desert ecological conditions. However, little is known about the succession of rumen microbes in different developmental stages of post-weaning Mongolian cattle.

METHODS

Here, we examined the succession of the rumen microbial composition and structure of 15 post-weaning Mongolian cattle at three developmental stages i.e., 5 months (RM05), 18 months (RM18) and, 36 months (RM36) by using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method.

RESULTS

We did not find any age-dependent variations in the ruminal concentrations of any volatile fatty acid (VFA) of Mongolian cattle. The diversity of the rumen bacterial community was significantly lower in RM05 group, which reached to stability with age. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the two dominant phyla among all age groups. Phylum Actinobacteria was significantly higher in RM05 group, phyla Spirochaetes, and Tenericutes were highly abundant in RM18 group, and phyla Proteobacteria and Epsilonbacteraeota were enriched in RM36 group. Genera Prevotella_1, Bacteroides, and Bifidobacterium were abundant in RM05 group. The short chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing bacteria Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group showed high abundance in RM18 group and fiber degrading genus Alloprevotella was highly abundant in RM36 group. Random forest analysis identified Alloprevotella, Ileibacterium, and Helicobacter as important age discriminatory genera. In particular, the genera Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005, Bacteroides, Saccharofermentans, and Fibrobacter in RM05, genera [Eubacterium] coprostanoligenes_group, Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-004, Helicobacter, Saccharofermentans, Papillibacter, and Turicibacter in RM18, and genera Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, and Papillibacter in RM36 showed the top interactions values in the intra-group interaction network.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that rumen microbiota of Mongolian cattle reached to stability and maturity with age after weaning. This study provides some theoretical evidence about the importance of functional specific rumen bacteria in different age groups. Further studies are needed to determine their actual roles and interactions with the host.

Small intestinal morphology and sugar transporters expression when consuming diets of different energy levels: comparison between Tibetan and small-tailed Han sheep

Some non-structural carbohydrates, especially starch, escape ruminal fermentation, are converted into glucose, and are absorbed from the small intestine. This glucose provides an important source of energy, and its usage is more efficient than glucose from carbohydrates which are fermented as short chain fatty acids in the rumen and, subsequently, undergo hepatic gluconeogenesis. Tibetan sheep graze on the harsh Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) all year round and their carbohydrate and energy intakes fluctuate greatly with seasonal forage availability. Consequently, a high capacity to absorb glucose from the small intestine would be particularly beneficial for Tibetan sheep to allow them to cope with the inconsistent dietary intakes. This study examined how the small intestinal morphology and sugar transporters' expression of Tibetan and Small-tailed Han (Han) sheep respond to fluctuating energy intakes under the harsh conditions of the QTP. Han sheep graze on the QTP only in summer and are generally raised in feedlots. Twenty-four Tibetan sheep and 24 Han sheep, all wethers, were assigned randomly to four groups (n = 6 per breed/group), with each group offered a diet differing in digestible energy content: 8.21, 9.33, 10.45 and 11.57 MJ/kg DM. After 49 d, all sheep were slaughtered, tissues of the small intestine were collected, and measurements were made of the morphology and glucose transporters and the related regulation gene expressions. At intakes of low energy levels, Tibetan sheep had a greater villus surface area in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum and higher mRNA expression of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 in the duodenum and ileum (P < 0.05) than Han sheep. In the glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) mediated glucose absorption pathway, Tibetan sheep had higher GLUT2 and taste receptor family 1 member 2 and 3 mRNA expressions than Han sheep in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). We concluded that the differences between breeds indicated a greater glucose absorption capacity in the small intestine of Tibetan than Han sheep, which would confer an advantage to Tibetan over Han sheep to an inconsistent energy intake on the harsh QTP. These findings suggested that ruminants raised under harsh environmental conditions with highly fluctuating dietary intakes, as is often the case in grazing ruminants worldwide, are able to absorb glucose from the small intestine to a greater extent than ruminants raised under more moderate conditions.

RNA-Seq Analysis of the Key Long Noncoding RNAs and mRNAs Related to the Regulation of Acute Heat Stress in Rainbow Trout

Simple Summary

At present, climate warming is a very serious environmental problem. A sudden and large increase or decrease in temperature is likely to cause stress response in animals. Rainbow trout is a kind of cultured cold-water fish, which is very sensitive to high temperature. Therefore, it is very vulnerable to heat waves during production. The current study found that the behavior, antioxidant capacity, and natural immune function of rainbow trout under acute heat stress were significantly enhanced in the early stages of stress response, but its anti-stress ability decreased with an increase in stress intensity and duration. Transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis showed that some non-coding RNAs could competitively bind to target genes, and jointly participate in metabolism, apoptosis, and the immune regulation of rainbow trout under stress environments. In conclusion, our study can lay a theoretical foundation for the breeding of heat-resistant rainbow trout varieties.

Abstract

As the global climate warms, more creatures are threatened by high temperatures, especially cold-water fish such as rainbow trout. Evidence has demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a pivotal role in regulating heat stress in animals, but we have little understanding of this regulatory mechanism. The present study aimed to identify potential key lncRNAs involved in regulating acute heat stress in rainbow trout. lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of rainbow trout head kidney were analyzed via high-throughput RNA sequencing, which exhibited that 1256 lncRNAs (802 up-regulation, 454 down-regulation) and 604 mRNAs (353 up-regulation, 251 down-regulation) were differentially expressed. These differentially expressed genes were confirmed to be primarily associated with immune regulation, apoptosis, and metabolic process signaling pathways through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis and coding-noncoding co-expression network analysis. These results suggested that 18 key lncRNA-mRNA pairs are essential in regulating acute heat stress in rainbow trout. Overall, these analyses showed the effects of heat stress on various physiological functions in rainbow trout at the transcriptome level, providing a theoretical basis for improving the production and breeding of rainbow trout and the selection of new heat-resistant varieties.

Energy substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle and liver when consuming diets of different energy levels: comparison between Tibetan and Small-tailed Han sheep

The energy intake of Tibetan sheep on the harsh Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) varies greatly with seasonal forage fluctuations and is often below maintenance requirements, especially during the long, cold winter. The liver plays a crucial role in gluconeogenesis and skeletal muscle is the primary tissue of energy expenditure in mammals. Both play important roles in energy substrate metabolism and regulating energy metabolism homeostasis of the body. This study aimed to gain insight into how skeletal muscle and liver of Tibetan sheep regulate energy substrate metabolism to cope with low energy intake under the harsh environment of the QTP. Tibetan sheep (n = 24; 48.5 ± 1.89 kg BW) were compared with Small-tailed Han sheep (n = 24; 49.2 ± 2.21 kg BW), which were allocated randomly into one of four groups that differed in dietary digestible energy densities: 8.21, 9.33, 10.45 and 11.57 MJ /kg DM. The sheep were slaughtered after a 49-d feeding period, skeletal muscle and liver tissues were collected and measurements were made of the activities of the key enzymes of energy substrate metabolism and the expressions of genes related to energy homeostasis regulation. Compared with Small-tailed Han sheep, Tibetan sheep exhibited higher capacities of propionate to glucose conversion and fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis in the liver, higher glucose utilization efficiency in both skeletal muscle and liver, but lower activities of fatty acid oxidation and protein mobilization in skeletal muscle, especially when in negative energy balance. However, the Small-tailed Han sheep exhibited higher capacities to convert amino acids and lactate to glucose and higher levels of glycolysis and lipogenesis in the liver than Tibetan sheep. These differences in gluconeogenesis and energy substrate metabolism conferred the Tibetan sheep an advantage over Small-tailed Han sheep to cope with low energy intake and regulate whole-body energy homeostasis under the harsh environment of the QTP.

Comparison of nitrogen utilization and urea kinetics between yaks (Bos grunniens) and indigenous cattle (Bos taurus)

Under traditional management on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, yaks () graze only on natural pasture without supplements and are forced to cope with sparse forage of low N content, especially in winter. In contrast, indigenous Tibetan yellow cattle () require supplements during the cold season. We hypothesized that, in response to harsh conditions, yaks cope with low N intakes better than cattle. To test this hypothesis, a study of whole-body N retention and urea kinetics was conducted in 2 concurrent 4 × 4 Latin squares, with 1 square using yaks and 1 square using cattle. Four isocaloric forage-concentrate diets differing in N concentrations (10.3, 19.5, 28.5, and 37.6 g N/kg DM) were formulated, and by design, DMI were similar between species and across diets. Urea kinetics were determined with continuous intravenous infusion of NN urea for 104 h, and total urine and feces were concomitantly collected. Urea production, urea recycling to the gut, and ruminal microbial protein synthesis all linearly increased ( < 0.001) with increasing dietary N in both yaks and cattle. Urinary N excretion was less ( = 0.04) and N retention was greater ( = 0.01) in yaks than in cattle. Urea production was greater in yaks than in cattle at the 3 lowest N diets but greater in cattle than in yaks at the highest N diet (species × diet, < 0.02). Urea N recycled to the gut ( < 0.001), recycled urea N captured by ruminal bacteria ( < 0.001), and ruminal microbial protein production ( = 0.05) were greater in yaks than in cattle. No more than 12% of urea recycling was through saliva, with no difference between species ( = 0.61). Glomerular filtration rate was lower ( = 0.05) in yaks than in cattle. The higher urea recycling and greater capture of recycled urea by ruminal microbes in yaks than in cattle suggest that yaks use mechanisms to utilize dietary N more efficiently than cattle, which may partially explain the better survival of yaks than cattle when fed low-N diets.

Pyrolysis of attapulgite clay blended with yak dung enhances pasture growth and soil health: Characterization and initial field trials

Recent studies have shown that the pyrolysis of biomass combined with clay can result in both lower cost and increase in plant yields. One of the major sources of nutrients for pasture growth, as well as fuel and building materials in Tibet is yak dung. This paper reports on the initial field testing in a pasture setting in Tibet using yak dung, biochar, and attapulgite clay/yak dung biochars produced at ratios of 10/90 and 50/50 clay to dung. We found that the treatment with attapulgite clay/yak dung (50/50) biochar resulted in the highest pasture yields and grass nutrition quality. We also measured the properties and yields of mixtures of clay/yak dung biochar used in the field trials produced at 400°C and 500°C to help determine a possible optimum final pyrolysis temperature and dung/clay ratio. It was observed that increasing clay content increased carbon stability, overall biochar yield, pore size, carboxyl and ketone/aldehyde functional groups, hematite and ferrous/ferric sulphate/thiosulphate concentration, surface area and magnetic moment. Decreasing clay content resulted in higher pH, CEC, N content and an enhanced ability to accept and donate electrons. The resulting properties were a complex function of both processing temperature and the percentage of clay for the biochars processed at both 400°C and 500°C. It is possible that the increase in yield and nutrient uptake in the field trial is related to the higher concentration of C/O functional groups, higher surface area and pore volume and higher content of Fe/O/S nanoparticles of multiple oxidation state in the 50/50 clay/dung. These properties have been found to significantly increase the abundance of beneficial microorganisms and hence improve the nutrient cycling and availability in soil. Further field trials are required to determine the optimum pyrolysis production conditions and application rate on the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, yields and nutrient quality.

Characterization of natural co-cultures of Piromyces with Methanobrevibacter ruminantium from yaks grazing on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: a microbial consortium with high potential in plant biomass degradation

Anaerobic fungi reside in the gut of herbivore and synergize with associated methanogenic archaea to decompose ingested plant biomass. Despite their potential for use in bioconversion industry, only a few natural fungus–methanogen co-cultures have been isolated and characterized. In this study we identified three co-cultures of Piromyces with Methanobrevibacter ruminantium from the rumen of yaks grazing on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau. The representative co-culture, namely (Piromyces + M. ruminantium) Yak-G18, showed remarkable polysaccharide hydrolase production, especially xylanase. Consequently, it was able to degrade various lignocellulose substrates with a biodegrading capability superior to most previously identified fungus or fungus–methanogen co-culture isolates. End-product profiling analysis validated the beneficial metabolic impact of associated methanogen on fungus as revealed by high-yield production of methane and acetate and sustained growth on lignocellulose. Together, our data demonstrated a great potential of (Piromyces + M. ruminantium) Yak-G18 co-culture for use in industrial bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass.

Cloning of oligopeptide transport carrier PepT1 and comparative analysis of PepT1 messenger ribonucleic acid expression in response to dietary nitrogen levels in yak () and indigenous cattle () on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

The gastrointestinal lumen can directly absorb all di- and tripeptide protein degradation products, and oligopeptide absorption depends on the specific peptide transport carriers, which are located in gastrointestinal epithelial cells on the brush border membrane. Yak () use N more efficiently than cattle do, which implies that yak have a specific mechanism of nonprotein utilization including a peptide absorption mechanism. However, this mechanism has not been clarified. Our objective was to explore whether yak possess any adaptive mechanisms of peptide absorption to survive in the harsh foraging environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Twelve castrated males of each of 2 genotypes, yak () and indigenous cattle (), were fed diets of various N levels. The yak PepT1 (yPepT1) cDNA was cloned in omasum epithelial tissue. Our results showed that the full-length yPepT1 cDNA contains 2,805 bp, and a 2,121-bp open reading frame encodes a putative protein of 707 AA residues. The yPepT1 AA sequence identified 5 putative extracellular N-glycosylation sites (Asn, Asn, Asn, Asn, and Asn), 2 putative intracellular protein kinase A sites (Ser and Thr), and 3 intracellular putative protein kinase C sites (Ser, Ser, and Ser). The yPepT1 AA sequence was 99, 95, 86, and 83% identical to PepT1 from cattle (), sheep (), pigs (), and humans (), respectively. The relative PepT1 mRNA expression for indigenous cattle was greater than yak in the rumen, omasum, duodenum, ileum, and liver ( < 0.001); however, it was lower in jejunum tissue ( < 0.01). The relative PepT1 mRNA expression in response to increasing dietary N for both genotypes were linear in the rumen and jejunum ( < 0.10); quadratic or cubic in the reticulum ( < 0.01); linear or quadratic in the duodenum, ileum, and liver ( ≤ 0.01); and linear, quadratic, or cubic in the omasum ( < 0.001). Moreover, there were significant interactions between genotype and dietary N in rumen, reticulum, omasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and liver tissues. In conclusion, the PepT1 profile and expression in gastrointestinal epithelial cells of yak varied from those of cattle, implying that yak have evolved a peptide transport mechanism to adapt the environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.

A comparison of nitrogen utilization and urea metabolism between Tibetan and fine-wool sheep

To study metabolic adaptation to harsh foraging conditions, an experiment was conducted to characterize and quantify N utilization efficiency and urea metabolism in Tibetan and fine-wool sheep fed 4 levels of dietary N (11.0, 16.7, 23.1, and 29.2 g N/kg DM) in 2 concurrent 4 × 4 Latin square designs. Urea kinetics were determined using continuous intrajugular infusions of 15N15N-urea. Urinary excretions of total N and urea N increased linearly (P < 0.001) with dietary N and were not different between breeds (P ≥ 0.37). Fecal N excretion increased with dietary N for Tibetan sheep but not for fine-wool sheep (linear dietary N × breed; P < 0.05). Nitrogen retention (both amount per day and percentage of N intake) increased with increasing dietary N concentration (P < 0.001), and the rates of increase were greater in fine-wool than in Tibetan sheep (linear dietary N × breed and cubic dietary N × breed; P < 0.05). In Tibetan sheep, N retention as a percentage of intake was greatest for diets containing 16.7 g N/kg DM, whereas it was maximal for fine-wool sheep when the diet contained 23.1 g N/kg DM. Urea N entry rate, urea N recycled to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and urea N returned to the ornithine cycle all increased with dietary N (P < 0.05), and all were greater in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep for the 11.0 g N/kg DM diet but were greater in fine-wool than Tibetan sheep for the diet with 29.2 g N/kg DM (linear dietary N × breed; P < 0.05). Urea N excreted in feces, both amount and fraction of GIT entry rate, was less in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep for the 11.0 and 16.7 g N/kg DM diets but similar for diets with 23.1 or 29.2 g N/kg DM (linear dietary N × breed; P < 0.01). For the lowest-protein diet, the fraction of urea N production recycled to the GIT was greater in the Tibetan than fine-wool sheep (88% vs. 82%), but for the diet with 29.2 g N/kg DM it was greater for fine-wool than Tibetan sheep (46% vs. 39%; linear dietary N × breed; P < 0.05). Plasma urea N increased more rapidly in response to increasing dietary N concentration for fine-wool sheep than for Tibetan sheep (linear dietary N × breed; P < 0.05). Urea tubular load and the amount and percentage of urea reabsorbed by the kidney were greater in Tibetan than fine-wool sheep (P < 0.05). These results suggest that Tibetan sheep have mechanisms that allow them to utilize N more efficiently than the fine-wool sheep when dietary N is inadequate.

Short communication: Changes in the composition of yak colostrum during the first week of lactation

Although the great interest has been paid to colostrum utilization for calves, no systematic studies evaluating the compositional changes of yak colostrum during the first week after parturition have been reported. The aim of this study was to elucidate such postpartum nutritional changes. Colostrum samples from 12 multiparous (2-7 lactations) yaks, grazed on alpine pasture, were collected at exactly 1, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h postpartum. Gross composition (fat, total solids, protein, and ash) were measured, as well as fat and water-soluble vitamins, fatty acid and mineral composition, and IgG. The colostrum, collected 1h postpartum, had the highest concentrations of crude protein, total solids, ash, vitamin A and E, β-carotene, and most minerals (Na, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Fe). These components decreased rapidly within 24h. Similarly, at 24h postpartum, IgG content decreased to 7.5% of the value (87.78 mg/mL) at 1h postpartum. In contrast, the concentration of vitamin C increased from 1 to 24h and then decreased consistently thereafter to the lowest value at 168 h. Phosphorus and Ca contents showed an increasing trend from 24 to 168 h after calving. Lactose content increased from 2.88% at 1h to 4.96% at 48 h postpartum and was steady to 168 h. Total n-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and n-3-to-n-6 fatty acid ratio were proportionally similar as a percentage of total fatty acid methyl esters during the first 168 h of milk production. However, the proportion of total n-6 fatty acid content to total fatty acid methyl esters decreased from 3.07% at 1h to 2.60% at 24h. In summary, experimental results indicate colostrum should be provided to yak calves as soon as possible after birth to provide nutrients and enhance passive immunity.

Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) community composition in the rangeland of the northern slopes of The Qilian Mountains in northwestern China

In order to describe grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) species composition, diversity, abundance, and density of four rangelands types, we compared the grasshopper community composition and dynamics in the rangeland of the northern slopes of the Qilian Mountains. In total, 55 grasshopper species were collected from 2007 to 2009, representing three families and six subfamilies. The subfamily Oedipodinae was dominant, followed by Gomphocerinae and Catantopinae. Species abundance varied among rangeland types (RTs). The greatest abundance of grasshoppers was found in mountain rangeland, while the lowest abundance of grasshoppers was caught in alpine shrublands. Three species (Chorthippus cf. brunneus (Thunberg) (Acrididae), Chorthippus Dubius (Zubovski), and Gomphocerus licenti (Chang) were broadly distributed in the four RTs and constituted 7.5% of all grasshoppers collected. Ch. dubius was very abundant in desert rangeland and alpine shrubland. Bryodema dolichoptera Yin et Feng Eremippus qilianshanensis Lian and Zheng, and Filchnerella qilianshanensis Xi and Zheng (Pamphagidae) were endemic to the region of the Qilian Mountains. Species similarity between RTs ranged from 17.8 to 51.6 based on the Renkonen index. Similarly, the Sörensen index indicated a wide separation in species composition among RTs. The abundance of the eight most common species showed obvious differences among RTs and years. On average, mountain rangeland had the highest density values in 2007 and 2008, and alpine shrubland supported the smallest density. The densities in desert and mountain rangeland in 2007 were significantly higher than in 2008, while alpine rangeland and shrublands did not present obvious differences among years.

Seed rain and its relationship with above-ground vegetation of degraded Kobresia meadows

Seed rain is a crucial element in vegetation regeneration, but has been rarely studied in high altitude regions, particularly degraded Kobresia meadow. Weed infestation is a distinctive feature of pasture degradation in Kobresia meadows on the Tibetan plateau, the ecological mechanism of which is closely related with vegetation's seed rain. In this paper we assess the effect of vegetation degradation on seed rain and consider its implication for restoration of degraded Kobresia meadows in the headwater area of Yellow river, through analysis of seed species composition, number of seeds landing per m(2) of soil surface, and their relationship with above ground vegetation. Vegetation degradation had an impact on the species composition and numbers of seeds in seed rain and their relationship with above-ground vegetation. Within the un-degraded meadow, which provided a closed vegetation cover, 35 % of the seed rain was of sedge and gramineae species. However, within the degraded meadows, as the extent of degradation increased, so the total number of seeds m(-2) increased, with those derived from sedge and gramineae species forming a declining proportion of the total. Degradation of Kobresia meadow on the Tibetan plateau is exacerbated by the seed input of weed species (such as Oxytropis ochrocephala, Carum carvi, Aconitum pendulum, Pedicularis kansuensis in this study). Therefore, a major priority for the restoration of such degraded meadows should be the elimination of these weeds from the above ground vegetation by human intervention.

The effect of a diet containing grasshoppers and access to free-range on carcase and meat physicochemical and sensory characteristics in broilers

1. Research was conducted to evaluate the impact of a diet containing grasshoppers on the carcase, physicochemical and sensory characteristics in a free-range, grassland-based broiler production system. 2. A total of 80, 28-d-old male broilers were reared on grassland containing a large population of grasshoppers (treatment PB). Control birds were reared intensively on a maize-soybean diet (treatment CB). At 91 d of age, 24 birds from each treatment were slaughtered to evaluate carcase, meat and sensory characteristics. 3. Treatment PB produced birds with significantly lower live weights, breast, wing, thigh and drum weights, and higher dressing percentage and breast percentage of carcase, compared with CB. Treatment PB produced breast meat with significantly higher redness values, shear force and protein content, and lower pH values, cooking loss, moisture and fat content compared with CB. Sensory panel results for breast and thigh meats showed no treatment effect on colour and juiciness, but significantly higher scores for chewiness, flavour, aroma and overall appreciation, and lower scores for tenderness from treatment PB compared with CB. 4. Rearing chickens on rangeland may provide an alternative way to produce poultry meat which is considered superior by modern consumers.

[Soil quality assessment of alpine meadow in Haibei State of Qinghai Province]

Taking the typical alpine meadows Potentilla froticosa shrub meadow, Kobresia humilis meadow, and K. pygmaea meadow in the Haibei State of Qinghai Province as the research objects, a comprehensive assessment of soil quality was conducted by principal component analysis (PCA), with seven indices of soil microbial activities and ten indices of soil chemical properties. The soil quality of the alpine meadow could be characterized by three principal components (PC). In the first component (PC1), 13 indices had high factorial loads; in the second component (PC2), 3 indices had high factorial loads; in the third component (PC3), only one index, total phosphors, had high factorial load. In combining with Norm values, eleven indices including microbial biomass carbon (MBC), urease, alkaline phosphatase, protease, organic matter, total N, available N, available P, available K, bulk density, and CEC were selected to establish minimum data set (MDS) for the comprehensive assessment of soil quality of alpine meadow in Haibei. The PCA and corresponding weight coefficient analysis showed that the soil quality (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers) of the three kind meadows was in the order of K. humilis meadow > P. froticosa shrub meadow > K. pygmaea meadow, and P. froticosa shrub meadow > K. pygmaea meadow > K. humilis meadow, respectively.

[Measurement of methane and carbon dioxide emissions from ruminants based on the NDIR technique]

Methane (CH4) production in the rumen represents a loss of energy for the host animal; in addition, methane eructated by ruminants may contribute to a greenhouse effect or global warming. The dinumal CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sheep were continuously recorded using the flow-through chamber method. A type new type of non-disperse infrared (NDIR) gas sensors based on pulse IR source was introduced, and by using the high performance pyroelectric IR sensor with built in interference filter and the "single light and two wavelengths" technology, CH4 and CO2 measurement from ruminants was achieved. Animals were given dry oat hay as the basic diet and supplemented concentrate with the ratio of 7 : 3. The results showed that the recovery was 96.7% and 96.2% for CH4 and CO2, respectively. Methane and carbon dioxide output from sheep respectively averaged 15.6 g per day and 184.7 g per day, equivalent to 6.8 and 71.1 kg per animal. Diurnal fluctuations in hourly rates of CH4 and CO2 production in hourly of methane increased during day light to reach a peak at or near sunset and then declined towards sunrise, and consideration was given to the dry matter intake of the animals used in these studies and its possible effects on CH4 production.

[Determination of inorganic elements in the soil-grass-animal system by sealed microwave digestion ICP-AES]

The contents of inorganic elements including K, Ca, Na, Mg, P, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo, and Co in the soil-grass-animal mineral system from Qinghai Tibetan Plateau were determined by ICP-AES using high pressure system-sealed microwave digestion. The sample of soil was digested with HNO3-HF-H2O2 acids system, but others including pasture, animal fur, liver, and serum were digested with HNO3-H2O2 acids system. The operation would be simplified and the blank value would be decreased with the above acids systems. The results were proved to be reliable with the relative standard deviation being 0.271%-2.633% for Ca, 2.971%-4.854% for Co, 0.372%-2.874% for Cu, 0.600%-3.683% for Fe, 0.347%-2.829% for K, 0.626%-2.593% for Mg, 0.705%-4.828% for Mn, 2.946%-4.622% for Mo, 0.689%-3.621% for Na, 0.422%-3.890% for P, and 0.143%-4.622% for S, 0.166%-2.399% for Zn, and all of them were less than 5% for all the elements, and the recovery being 97.1%-101.4% for Ca, 93.5%-112.5% for Co, 95.2%-104.0% for Cu, 96.9%-104.2% for Fe, 96.1%-105.6% for K, 96.2%-102.8% for Mg, 91.5%-108.9% for Mn, 95.0%-113.5% for Mo, 95.2%-101.8% for Na, 94.7%-100.7% for P, 98.3%-108.4% for S, and 97.5%-102.0% for Zn by adding standard recovery experiment. The results of determination were proved that the method of sealed microwave digestion ICP-AES was sensitive, precise, easy to operate and rapid for the determination of inorganic elements in the soil-grass-animal mineral system, and could satisfy the sample examination request. The methods and results were meaningful to research on the soil-pasture-animal mineral system including the contents of mineral elements, the circulation of mineral elements, the interaction, and the application of mineral additive.

[Changes in plant communities and soil microbial physiological groups of artificial grasslands established for different years in headwater region of Yangtze River and Yellow River]

An investigation was made on the plant communities of artificial grasslands established for different years in headwater region of Yangtze River and Yellow River, and the related soil physical and chemical properties and soil microbial physiological groups were analyzed. With the increase of establishment years, most of plant communities on the grasslands showed a "V" type change trend in their quantities, i.e., high-low-high, but the forbs biomass had a "A" type change trend and the sedge biomass increased gradually. Soil nutrients presented a "V" type but soil bulk density presented a "A" type change trend, while soil pH presented a decreasing trend. Most of soil microbial physiological groups and microbial biomass carbon showed a "V" type change trend, phosphorus-dissolving bacteria showed a "A" type change trend, denitrifying bacteria decreased gradually, while cellulose-decomposing bacteria showed an increasing trend. The numbers of soil microbes had a close relationship with tested soil factors, and the soil microbial physiological groups were directly or indirectly affected by the soil factors. All the results indicated that the establishment of artificial grassland and the positive succession of vegetation could effectively improve soil physical and chemical properties, which benefit for the beneficial microbes to settle down and propagation, while proliferation of the non-beneficial microbes was inhibited.

[Progress in application of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy to the study of ruminant nutrition]

The near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) technique has been widely used in the study of ruminant nutrition with many of its operational merits such as facility, shortcut and accuracy, etc. Study suggested that the standard error of cross-validation (SECV) ranges from 1.6% to 2.8% in predicting organic matter digestion of ruminant diet by using the NIRS technique; the chemical and biological compositions and the microbial protein proportion in the duodenal digesta can be predicted accurately using the NIRS. However, the kinetic parameters of degradation are not well predicted; The prediction of intake of stall feeding animals by using NIRS is similar to the determination of in vivo method, but the standard error of prediction is about 14% when using the NIRS to predict intake of grazing animals. All of the studies suggest that big progress has been made in using NIRS technique to predict feed digestion and evaluate the diet quality and intake of ruminant animals, which also suggest that the NIRS technique has a wide prospect in the study of ruminant nutrition.

[Spectroscopy technique and ruminant methane emissions accurate inspecting]

The increase in atmospheric CH4 concentration, on the one hand through the radiation process, will directly cause climate change, and on the other hand, cause a lot of changes in atmospheric chemical processes, indirectly causing climate change. The rapid growth of atmospheric methane has gained attention of governments and scientists. All countries in the world now deal with global climate change as an important task of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, but the need for monitoring the concentration of methane gas, in particular precision monitoring, can be scientifically formulated to provide a scientific basis for emission reduction measures. So far, CH4 gas emissions of different animal production systems have received extensive research. The methane emission by ruminant reported in the literature is only estimation. This is due to the various factors that affect the methane production in ruminant, there are various variables associated with the techniques for measuring methane production, the techniques currently developed to measure methane are unable to accurately determine the dynamics of methane emission by ruminant, and therefore there is an urgent need to develop an accurate method for this purpose. Currently, spectroscopy technique has been used and is relatively a more accurate and reliable method. Various spectroscopy techniques such as modified infrared spectroscopy methane measuring system, laser and near-infrared sensory system are able to achieve the objective of determining the dynamic methane emission by both domestic and grazing ruminant. Therefore spectroscopy technique is an important methane measuring technique, and contributes to proposing reduction methods of methane.

Changes in plant biomass and species composition of alpine Kobresia meadows along altitudinal gradient on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Alpine Kobresia meadows are major vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. There is growing concern over their relationships among biodiversity, productivity and environments. Despite the importance of species composition, species richness, the type of different growth forms, and plant biomass structure for Kobresia meadow ecosystems, few studies have been focused on the relationship between biomass and environmental gradient in the Kobresia meadow plant communities, particularly in relation to soil moisture and edaphic gradients. We measured the plant species composition, herbaceous litter, aboveground and belowground biomass in three Kobresia meadow plant communities in Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station from 2001 to 2004. Community differences in plant species composition were reflected in biomass distribution. The total biomass showed a decrease from 13196.96+/-719.69 g/m(2) in the sedge-dominated K. tibetica swamp to 2869.58+/-147.52 g/m(2) in the forb and sedge dominated K. pygmaea meadow, and to 2153.08+/-141.95 g/m(2) in the forbs and grasses dominated K. humilis along with the increase of altitude. The vertical distribution of belowground biomass is distinct in the three meadow communities, and the belowground biomass at the depth of 0-10 cm in K. tibetica swamp meadow was significantly higher than that in K. humilis and K. pygmaea meadows (P<0.01). The herbaceous litter in K. tibetica swamp was significantly higher than those in K. pygnaeca and K. humilis meadows. The effects of plant litter are enhanced when ground water and soil moisture levels are raised. The relative importance of litter and vegetation may vary with soil water availability. In the K. tibetica swamp, total biomass was negatively correlated to species richness (P<0.05); aboveground biomass was positively correlated to soil organic matter, soil moisture, and plant cover (P<0.05); belowground biomass was positively correlated with soil moisture (P<0.05). However, in the K. pygnaeca and K. humilis meadow communities, aboveground biomass was positively correlated to soil organic matter and soil total nitrogen (P<0.05). This suggests that the distribution of biomass coincided with soil moisture and edaphic gradient in alpine meadows.

Growing season ecosystem respirations and associated component fluxes in two alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau

From 30 June to 24 September in 2003 ecosystem respiration (Re) in two alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau were measured using static chamber- and gas chromatography- (GC) based techniques. Simultaneously, plant removal treatments were set to partition Re into plant autotrophic respiration (Ra) and microbial heterotrophic respiration (Rh). Results indicated that Re had clear diurnal and seasonal variation patterns in both of the meadows. The seasonal variability of Re at both meadow sites was caused mainly by changes in Ra, rather than Rh. Moreover, at the Kobresia humilis meadow site (K_site), Ra and Rh accounted for 54% and 46% of Re, respectively. While at the Potentilla fruticosa scrub meadow (P_site), the counterparts accounted for 61% and 39%, respectively. T test showed that there was significant difference in Re rates between the two meadows (t = 2.387, P = 0.022). However, no significant difference was found in Rh rates, whereas a significant difference was observed in Ra rates between the two meadows. Thus, the difference in Re rate between the two meadows was mainly attributed to plant autotrophic respirations. During the growing season, the two meadows showed relatively low Q10 values, suggesting that Re, especially Rh was not sensitive to temperature variation in the growing season. Additionally, Re and Rh at the K_site, as well as Rh at the P_site was negatively correlated with soil moisture, indicating that soil moisture would also play an important role in respirations.

The cooperative relation between non-hydraulic root signals and osmotic adjustment under water stress improves grain formation for spring wheat varieties

Non-hydraulic root signals (nHRS) and osmotic adjustment (OA) are two important adaptive responses of plants to water stress. There is little understanding of their relationships during water stress. The threshold range of soil water potential to occurrence of nHRS, the capacity for OA, grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) were examined in three spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties (two bred after 1975 and one bred before 1900) under water stress conditions. The threshold range of nHRS was significantly correlated with the maintenance rate of grain yield (MRGY) (r = 0.99, P < 0.05) under moderate drought (-0.49 to -0.55 MPa) but not under severe drought (-0.70 to -0.76 MPa). There were similar correlations between OA and the MRGY. However, regulation of nHRS precedes OA during gradual water stress. The threshold range of nHRS and OA was positively correlated (r = 0.93, P < 0.05), suggesting a mechanism for adapting to drought. WUE was higher for modern than for old varieties and was correlated with the root efficiency (full biomass weight including root per root weight, r = 0.78, P < 0.05) and the root water uptake efficiency (water consumption per root weight, r = 0.72, P < 0.05). However, there was a significant negative correlation between WUE and root weight (r = -0.84, P < 0.01). The cooperative relationship between the threshold range of nHRS and OA under water stress was beneficial for improving grain formation for spring wheat varieties.

[Effects of exogenous nitric oxide, salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide on free amino acid and soluble protein contents in tobacco leaves]

The work focused on the effects of signal molecules of nitric oxide (NO), salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) on compounds of nitric metabolites of free amino acid, soluble protein and proline in tobacco. The results indicated that NO, SA and H(2)O(2) were able to regulate the proline, free amino acid and soluble protein content in tobacco. Lower concentration of NO and H(2)O(2) raised the level of proline; while higher concentration of NO and H(2)O(2) lowered the proline, free amino acid content in tobacco. The above three signal molecules also showed similar effects on proline, free amino acid and soluble protein content in tobacco.

Effect of strategic feed supplementation on productive and reproductive performance in yak cows

A total of 2230 yak cows (5-13 years of age) in two populations with different milking systems were investigated. One population had a system of milking once a day (MOD), and the other population twice a day (MTD). The average milk yield of MOD cows was 0.7 +/- 0.2 kg/day within a milking period of 109 +/- 9 days. This compared with an average of 1.24 +/- 0.3 kg/day in 127 +/- 6 days in MTD yaks (p < 0.01). The cows showed a calving rate of 71% under the MOD system and 51.4% under the MTD system. Three farms with a total of 104 MTD cows between six and 12 years of age were used to provide three different feeding groups. The groups were fed with, or without oat hay or highland barley straw in amounts of 1-1.5 kg/head/day from December to April. The three farms were designated as Farm I, Farm II, and Farm III. Farm I had 41 cows with body weight of 230 +/- 67 kg each for grazing with no supplement (GNS). Farm II had 30 animals with body weight of 216 +/- 28 kg each for grazing + oat hay (GOH). Farm III had 33 animals body weight of 221 +/- 34 kg each for grazing + highland barely straw (GBS). The calving rates of the cows in GOH and GBS were 23 and 19% higher, respectively, than GNS cows (p < 0.01), and the highest rate reached 76.7% in GOH. The live weight loss of the cows in GNS was considerably higher (p < 0.01) than in the two other groups. Ten GOH cows and 12 GNS cows were used to collect milk samples for measuring the progesterone concentration using RIA kits provided by IAEA/FAO: Milk was sampled every five days from calving until 90 days postpartum. In the unsupplemented group, milk progesterone (P4) levels suggested that cows had started cyclic ovarian activity by 40 days postpartum, whereas only 25% had been observed in estrus. In the supplemented group, 80% of cows had started cyclic ovarian activity by the same time and 70% had been seen in estrus. Two types of cyclic activity in terms of progesterone changed were found. With Type I (normal), 50 and 80% of cows from GNS and GOH, respectively, had cyclic changes of P4 in milk at 40 days postpartum. With Type II, the P4 levels in the milk remained 0.89 ng/ml until 90 days postpartum. A total of 46 grazing cows between five and 13 years of age (body weight 214 +/- 68 kg) was used to collect blood samples to measure concentrations of nutrient of metabolites at two weeks pre-calving and at two weeks, two months and four months postcalving, respectively. The concentrations of nutrient metabolites [albumin, globulin, urea, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and inorganic phosphorus] suggested general underfeeding of energy and protein in the winter/late pregnancy period with some recovery in lactation. Energy constraints appeared again as the summer progressed. No dietary phosphate deficiency was found. BHB and albumin testing on serum yaks could be a useful tool to identify poor nutritional status during the winter and so illustrate the need for supplementation.

Occupational injuries: a study of health care workers at a northwestern health science center and teaching hospital

1. This retrospective study examined the magnitude of the problem of work related health hazards affecting professional and non-professional employees of a state university health science center and hospital. 2. From the 1,513 injury episodes that occurred among the 9,668 employees during the 32 month study period, it was determined that the highest risk categories for both department and job were nursing, housekeeping, food service, and laboratory technicians. 3. Injury rate for females (11.2 per 100 person years) was more than twice that of males (5.1). Injury rates declined from 11.6 per 100 person years at ages 25 to 39 to 3.8 at ages over 60. Puncture wounds (32.7%), mostly by needlesticks, were the most frequently reported injury type, followed by strains and sprains (17.2%), lacerations (12.5%), and contusions (12.1%).

Inability of awake patients to correctly locate a cough stimulus

To determine whether patients can accurately identify the lung in which a cough reflex originates, a unilateral cough stimulus was administered to 67 patients during fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Although the stimulus produced a vigorous cough reflex in all subjects, 51 of 67 individuals were unable to identify the side stimulated. These results suggest that impulses from endobronchial irritant receptors are not perceived cortically as originating within a particular hemithorax.

Endotoxin protects selenium-deficient rats from hyperoxia

Rats treated with low doses of bacterial endotoxin have been shown to be protected from oxygen poisoning under normobaric conditions. Induction of lung activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) has been reported to occur with endotoxin administration. GSH-Px is a selenoenzyme and selenium-deficient rats have decreased lung GSH-Px activity and enhanced lung toxicity during a hyperoxic exposure. To determine whether bacterial endotoxin administration can provide protection for animals with decreased antioxidant defenses, selenium-deficient and control rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of 250 micrograms/kg bacterial endotoxin or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) during normobaric exposure to greater than 95% O2. Both groups of animals were protected from hyperoxia by bacterial endotoxin administration despite the extremely low lung GSH-Px activity in the selenium-deficient rats. GSH-Px, SOD, or CAT activities were not induced in the selenium-deficient rats by 48 hr (the time when the selenium-deficient rats treated with PBS began to die). In the selenium-deficient rat, mechanisms other than enzyme induction appear to be providing early protection from hyperoxia.