Long-term fasting induced basal thermogenesis flexibility in female Japanese quails.

Male Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) have been found to exhibit a three-phase metabolic change when subjected to prolonged fasting, during which basal thermogenesis is significantly reduced. A study had shown that there is a significant difference in the body temperature between male and female Japanese quails. However, whether female Japanese quails also show the same characteristic three-phase metabolic change during prolonged fasting and the underlying thermogenesis mechanisms associated with such changes are still unclear. In this study, female Japanese quails were subjected to prolonged starvation, and the body mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), body temperature, mass of tissues and organs, body fat content, the state-4 respiration (S4R) and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activity in the muscle and liver of these birds were measured to determine the status of metabolic changes triggered by the starvation. In addition, the levels of glucose, triglyceride (TG) and uric acid, and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) in the serum and the mRNA levels of myostatin (MSTN) and avian uncoupling protein (av-UCP) in the muscle were also measured. The results revealed the existence of a three-phase stage similar to that found in male Japanese quails undergoing prolonged starvation. Fasting resulted in significantly lower body mass, BMR, body temperature, tissues masses and most organs masses, as well as S4R and CCO activity in the muscle and liver. The mRNA level of av-UCP decreased during fasting, while that of MSTN increased but only during Phase I and II and decreased significantly during Phase III. Fasting also significantly lowered the T3 level and the ratio of T3/T4 in the serum. These results indicated that female Japanese quails showed an adaptive response in basal thermogenesis at multiple hierarchical levels, from organismal to biochemical, enzyme and cellular level, gene and endocrine levels and this integrated adjustment could be a part of the adaptation used by female quails to survive long-term fasting.

[Tracking Riverine Nitrate Sources and Transformations in the Yiluo River Basin by Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopes].

The impacts of natural processes and anthropogenic input on riverine nitrate (NO-3) could be identified by NO-3 concentrations and nitrogen and oxygen isotope ratios (δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3); however, the effects of variable land use on riverine NO-3 sources and transformations remain unclear. In particular, the human impacts on riverine NO-3 in mountain areas are still unknown. The Yihe River and Luohe River were used to elucidate this question due to their spatially heterogeneous land use. Hydrochemical compositions, water isotope ratios (δD-H2O and δ18O-H2O), and δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values were utilized to constrain the NO-3 sources and transformations affected by different land use types. The results indicated that ① the mean nitrate concentrations in the Yihe River and Luohe River waters were 6.57 and 9.29 mg·L-1, the mean values of δ15N-NO-3 were 9.6‰ and 10.4‰, and the average δ18O-NO-3 values were -2.2‰ and -2.7‰, respectively. Based on the analysis of δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values, the NO-3 in the Yihe and Luohe Rivers were derived from multiple sources, and nitrogen removal existed in the Luohe River, but the biological removal in the Yihe River was weak. ② The contributions of different nitrate sources were calculated using a Bayesian isotope mixing model (BIMM) based on δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values of river water in the mainstream and tributaries with spatial locations. The results revealed that sewage and manure had major impacts on riverine nitrate in the upper reaches of both the Luohe River and Yihe River, where forest vegetation was widely distributed. However, the contributions from soil organic nitrogen and chemical fertilizer were higher in the upper reaches than in downstream ones. The contributions of sewage and manure still increased in the downstream reaches. Our results confirmed the primary impacts of point sources, e.g., sewage and manure, on riverine nitrate in the studied area, and the contributions of nonpoint sources, e.g., chemical fertilizer, had not increased as the agricultural activities elevated the downstream. Therefore, more attention should be paid to point source pollution treatment, and the high-quality development of ecological civilization in the Yellow River Basin should be maintained.

[Factors Affecting Nitrate Concentrations and Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotope Values of Effluents from Waste Water Treatment Plant].

Urban domestic sewage is one of the important nitrate (NO-3) sources for surface water; however, their NO-3 concentrations and nitrogen and oxygen isotope values (δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3) remain unclear, and the factors affecting NO-3 concentrations and δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values of effluents in the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) are still unknown. Water samples in the Jiaozuo WWTP were collected to illustrate this question. Influents, clarified water in the secondary sedimentation tank (SST), and effluents of the WWTP were sampled every 8 h. The ammonia (NH+4) concentrations, NO-3 concentrations, and δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values were analyzed to elucidate the nitrogen transfers through different treatment sections and illustrate the factors affecting the effluent NO-3 concentrations and isotope ratios. The results indicated that ① the mean NH+4 concentration was (22.86±2.16) mg·L-1 in the influent and decreased to (3.78±1.98) mg·L-1 in the SST and continuously reduced to (2.70±1.98) mg·L-1 in the effluent of the WWTP. The median NO-3 concentration was 0.62 mg·L-1 in the influent, and the average NO-3 concentration increased to (33.48±3.10) mg·L-1 in the SST and gradually increased to (37.20±4.34) mg·L-1 in the effluent of the WWTP. ② The mean values of δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 were (17.1±10.7)‰ and (19.2±2.2)‰ in the influent of the WWTP, the median values of δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 were 11.9‰ and 6.4‰ in the SST, and the average values were (12.6±1.9)‰ and (5.7±0.8)‰ in the effluent of the WWTP. ③ The NH+4 concentrations of influent had significant differences compared to those in the SST and the effluent (P<0.05). The reduction of NH+4 concentrations in the SST was due to the above nitrification during the aerobic treatment process, which transferred NH+4 to NO-3. The NH+4 concentrations in the SST had no significant differences with that in the effluent of the WWTP (P>0.05). ④ The NO-3 concentrations in the influent had significant differences with those in the SST and the effluent (P<0.05), and minor NO-3 concentrations but relatively high δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values in the influent were probably due to denitrification during the pipe sewage transportation. The obviously increased NO-3 concentrations (P<0.05) but decreased δ18O-NO-3 values (P<0.05) in the SST and the effluent resulted from water oxygen incorporation during the nitrification. The above results confirmed the impacts of aerobic and anaerobic treatment processes on NO-3 concentrations and isotope ratios of effluent from the WWTP and provided scientific basis for the identification of sewage contributions to surface water nitrate via average δ15N-NO-3 and δ18O-NO-3 values.

[Dissolved Ion Concentrations and Isotope Values in Agricultural Fertilizer Locally Applied in Henan Province].

Agricultural fertilizers (AFs) have provided vegetation with necessary nutrients, but unabsorbed constituents have been retarded in soil, potentially affecting the quality of adjacent surface water and groundwater. AFs element contents and stable isotope compositions have often been utilized to assess and calculate AFs pollution to nitrate and sulfate in surface water and groundwater; however, due to various AFs applied, the dissolved ion concentrations and isotope ratios are still unknown. This study collected commercial AF widely utilized in Henan province, China, to constrain their ion concentrations and isotope values. The dissolved ions (1 g AFs dissolved in 1 L ultrapure water), sulfate sulfur, and oxygen isotope values(δ34S and δ18O) were analyzed, and total nitrogen (TN) contents coupled with nitrogen isotope values(δ15N) in solid AFs were determined to elucidate their elemental and isotopic compositions. These characteristics provided a scientific basis for further assessing their contributions to surface water and groundwater contaminations. The results indicated that pH values in the AFs solutions varied from 3.6 to 10.2, with a mean value of 6.7±1.5 (n=30, 1σ). Sulfate (SO42-) and nitrate (NO3-) concentrations ranged from 4.38 mg·L-1 to 827.29 mg·L-1 and from 1.34 mg·L-1 to 208.90 mg·L-1, with median values of 192.80 mg·L-1 and 13.51 mg·L-1 and average values of (256.19±239.83) mg·L-1 (n=30) and (37.07±53.21) mg·L-1 (n=29), respectively. Dissolved sulfate δ34S and δ18O values in AFs varied from -3.5‰ to 19.0‰ and from 6.7‰ to 18.5‰, with median values of 4.1‰ and 10.1‰ and mean values of (5.8±5.5)‰ (n=22, 1σ) and (10.7±2.7)‰ (n=22, 1σ), respectively. TN and δ15N values in AFs ranged from 0.5% to 38.9% and from -2.7‰ to 3.4‰, with median values of 13.3% and 0.0‰ and average values of (14.8±9.3)% (n=25) and 0.0±1.5‰ (n=24, 1σ), respectively. The lower averaged δ34S values and positive averaged δ18O values potentially resulted from sulfuric acids added as raw materials, giving rise to a negative relationship between pH values and SO42- concentrations (P<0.05). The δ15N values of AFs were close to that of air N2, corresponding to the fact that NO3--N and NH4+-N were synthesized via air N2. Our results revealed the dissolved ion concentrations of SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+ and their δ34S, δ18O, and δ15N values of typically applied AFs in Henan province, which provided the scientific basis for studying the AFs contributions to SO42- and NO3- pollutions in surface water and groundwater surroundings.

Combining metal and sulfate isotopes measurements to identify different anthropogenic impacts on dissolved heavy metals levels in river water.

Dissolved heavy metals (DHMs) contamination has raised global concern for ecological and human health development. Weathering of sulfide-bearing ore metals can produce acidic, sulfate-rich solutions in the presence of water and oxygen (O2), and DHMs are released to deprave the river water quality. Sulfur and oxygen isotope signatures (δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4) could identify this pyrite-derived sulfate; however, it is yet not well known whether the δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 values could limit the DHMs sources and illustrate anthropogenic impacts on DHMs along the river corridor. We tried to solve this problem through field works in the Luohe River and Yihe River, two tributaries of the Yellow River, China, where metal sulfide mine activities mostly occurred upstream, but agricultural and domestic behaviors concentrated in the lower plain reaches. In the Luohe River upper areas, δ34SSO4 values had negative correlations with concentrations of cadmium (Cd) (p < 0.01), nickel (Ni) (p < 0.05), molybdenum (Mo) (p < 0.01), uranium (U) (p < 0.01), and SO42- (p < 0.01). However, as the δ34SSO4 values increased downstream in the Luohe River, concentrations of copper (Cu) (p < 0.05), mercury (Hg) (p < 0.05), Ni (p < 0.05), and SO42- (p < 0.01) simultaneously elevated. The Bayesian Isotope Mixing Model (BIMM) results via δ34SSO4 values demonstrated 64.3%-65.3% of SO42- from acid mine drainage (AMD) in the Luohe River's upper reaches and 63.5%-67.7% in the Yihe River's upper reaches, and about 33% from sewage and industrial effluents in the Luohe River's lower reaches and 27% in Yihe River's lower reaches. Our results confirmed the different anthropogenic impacts on the DHMs concentrations in Luohe River and Yihe River and provided a robust method for DHMs sources appointment and pollution management in river systems.

Isotope evidence for temporal and spatial variations of anthropogenic sulfate input in the Yihe River during the last decade.

Pyrite oxidation and sedimentary sulfate dissolution are the primary components of riverine sulfate (SO42-) and are predominant in global SO42- flux into the ocean. However, the proportions of anthropogenic SO42- inputs have been unclear, and their tempo-spatial variations due to human activities have been unknown. Thus, field work was conducted in a spatially heterogeneous human-affected area of the Yihe River Basin (YRB) during a wet year (2010) and drought years (2017/2018). Dual sulfate isotopes (δ34S-SO42- and δ18O-SO42-) and Bayesian isotope mixing models were used to calculate the variable anthropogenic SO42- inputs and elucidate their temporal impacts on riverine SO42- flux. The results of the mixing models indicated acid mine drainage (AMD) contributions increased from 56.1% to 83.1% of upstream sulfate and slightly decreased from 46.3% to 44.0% of midstream sulfate in 2010 and 2017/2018, respectively, in the Yihe River Basin. The higher upstream contribution was due to extensive metal-sulfide-bearing mine drainage. Sewage-derived SO42- and fertilizer-derived SO42- inputs in the lower reaches had dramatically altered SO42- concentrations and δ34S-SO42- and δ18O-SO42- values. Due to climate change, the water flow discharge decreased by about 70% between 2010 and 2017/2018, but the riverine sulfate flux was reduced by only about 58%. The non-proportional increases in anthropogenic sulfate inputs led to decreases in the flow-weighted average values of δ34S-SO42- and δ18O-SO42- from 10.3‰ to 9.9‰ and from 6.1‰ to 4.4‰, respectively. These outcomes confirm that anthropogenic SO42- inputs from acid mine drainage (AMD) have increased, but sewage effluents SO42- inputs have decreased.

[Effects of dung beetles on decomposition of cattle dung in spring and autumn in a Seriphi-dium-dominated desert, China.] / ç²ªç”²è™«å¯¹ç»¢è’¿è’æ¼ æ˜¥ç§‹ä¸¤å­£ç‰›ç²ªåˆ†è§£çš„å½±å“.

To understand the decomposition of cattle dung in Seriphidium-dominated desert, the changes of dung physical and chemical properties were determined by setting different stacking times (0, 7, 29, 48, 58 h) in May (spring) and September (autumn), respectively. Mesh cage with different openings (no mesh cage, opening up and down, opening up, totally enclosed) were set up to explore the effects of different ecological functional groups of dung beetles on decomposition. The results showed that species richness of dung beetles in spring was significantly higher than that in autumn, and that the abundance of dung beetles in autumn was significantly higher than that in spring. The losses of moisture, total carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in dung were mainly concentrated during 0-29 h in spring, being decreased by 39.4%, 13.9%, 32.1% and 26.7% at 29 h, respectively. Neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of the dung stacked for 58 h decreased significantly by 8.0% and 16.0% respectively. In autumn, moisture, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreased most rapidly during 0-7 h, being decreased by 85.6%, 10.2% and 20.2% at 7 h, respectively. The concentrations of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber increased during 7-58 h by 20.0% and 13.7%, respectively. The decomposition of total carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus mainly concentrated during 0-29 h, being reduced by17.5%, 55.0% and 64.8%, respectively. The mesh cage with different openings effectively prevented the entering of dung beetles from the corresponding ecological functional groups. With the increases of functional groups of dung beetles, the decomposition rate accelerated, with cattle dung of no mesh cage being significantly higher than other treatments. The species richness and abundance of dung beetles and the stacking time of dung significantly affected the decomposition of cattle dung.

[Water Sources and Factors Controlling Hydro-chemical Compositions in the Yiluo River Basin].

An important tributary in the middle stream of the Yellow River, the Yiluo River consists of the Luohe River and Yihe River, which converge at Yanshi City. Mining activities were widely distributed in the upstream of the Yiluo River Basin (YRB), while residential areas concentrated in the downstream were coupled with extensively industrial and agricultural activities. To illustrate the influences of variable anthropogenic activities on the hydro-chemical composition of river water of the YRB, water samples from the main stream and tributaries were collected in the flood season (August) and normal season (December), respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen isotope values coupled with cation and anion content were analyzed. Temporal and spatial variations of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and ion content were utilized to elucidate the sources and factors controlling the hydro-chemical composition of the river water, and to illustrate the pathways of human effects. The results demonstrated that:① Average hydrogen and oxygen isotope values (δD and δ18O) of Luo River water were -56‰ and -7.9‰, and -55‰ and -8.1‰ in the flood season and normal season, respectively. Mean δD and δ18O values of Yi River water were -49‰ and -6.9‰, and -53‰ and -7.8‰ in the flood season and normal season, respectively. These temporal variations indicated that river water was mainly recharged by local atmospheric precipitation. ② The dominant water hydro-chemical type was HCO3-SO4-Ca-Mg in the main stream of the YRB, and the ratios of Ca2+ and HCO3- molar equivalent concentrations in the flood season were lower than those in the normal season, while the ratios of SO42- molar equivalent concentrations were higher than those in the normal season, indicating more sulfate dissolved in the river water in the flood season. ③ Carbonic acid and sulfuric acid simultaneously reacted with carbonate and silicate rocks, and in the Luo River more carbonate rocks were weathered, while in the Yi River more silicate rocks were weathered. ④ Human effects on river water were mainly concentrated in the upstream where wastewater input was derived from mining activities, while in the downstream pollution of the river was due to industrial wastewater and sewage input. ⑤ Spatial variations of sulfate sulfur isotope values were mostly due to differences between anthropogenic activities in the upstream and downstream of the Yiluo River. Negative sulfur isotope values in the upstream river water confirmed dissolved sulfate from sulfide mineral oxidation, which also indirectly verified the rock chemical weathering by sulfuric acid in this area. Positive sulfur isotope values in downstream river water were connected with industrial wastewater and sewage.

Tai chi improves oxidative stress response and DNA damage/repair in young sedentary females.

[Purpose] This study was to examine the effects of 12 weeks of Tai Chi (TC) exercise on antioxidant capacity, and DNA damage/repair in young females who did not perform regular physical exercise. [Subjects and Methods] Ten female students from a Chinese university voluntarily participated in this program. All of them practiced the 24-form simplified Tai Chi, 5 times weekly, for 12 weeks. Plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), hydroxyl radical inhibiting capacity (OH·-IC), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) were measured at 0, 8, and 12 weeks. Heart rate (HR) was monitored during the last set of the training session at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. [Results] Plasma SOD and OH·-IC levels were increased at 8 and 12 weeks compared to the baseline (0 weeks). Gpx and GSH levels did not change significantly throughout the study period. The plasma MDA level was decreased significantly at 8 weeks but not at 12 weeks compared to the baseline value. While the plasma 8-OHdG level did not change throughout the study period, the plasma OGG1 level was significantly increased at 8 and 12 weeks compared to the baseline value. [Conclusion] TC practice for 12 weeks efficiently improved the oxidative stress response in young females who did not perform regular physical exercise. The TC exercise also increased the DNA repairing capacity.