Association of oxidative stress and Kashin-Beck disease integrated Meta and Bioinformatics analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between oxidative stress (OS) and Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). METHODS: Terms associated with "KBD" and "OS" were searched in the six different databases up to October 2021. Stata 14.0 was used to pool the means and standard deviations using random-effect or fixed-effect model. The differentially expressed genes in the articular chondrocytes of KBD were identified, the OS related genes were identified by blasting with the GeneCards. The KEGG pathway and gene ontology enrichment analysis was conducted using STRING. RESULTS: The pooled SMD and 95% CI showed hair selenium (-4.59; -6.99, -2.19), blood selenium (-1.65; -2.86, -0.44) and glutathione peroxidases (-4.15; -6.97, -1.33) levels were decreased in KBD, whereas the malondialdehyde (1.12; 0.60, 1.64), nitric oxide (2.29; 1.31, 3.27), nitric oxide synthase (1.07; 0.81, 1.33) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (1.69; 0.62, 2.77) were increased compared with external controls. Meanwhile, hair selenium (-2.71; -5.32, -0.10) and glutathione peroxidases (-1.00; -1.78, -0.22) in KBD were decreased, whereas the malondialdehyde (1.42; 1.04, 1.80), nitric oxide (3.08; 1.93, 4.22) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (0.81; 0.00, 1.61) were elevated compared with internal controls. Enrichment analysis revealed apoptosis was significantly correlated with KBD. The significant biological processes revealed OS induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. The cellular component of OS located in the mitochondrial outer membrane. CONCLUSIONS: The OS levels in KBD were significantly increased because of selenium deficiency, OS mainly occurred in mitochondrial outer membrane, released of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and induced apoptotic signaling pathway.

Astragalus membranaceus root supplementation improves average daily gain, rumen fermentation, serum immunity and antioxidant indices of Tibetan sheep.

The use of antibiotics as supplements in animal feed is restricted due to possible health hazards associated with them. Consequently, there is increasing interest in exploiting natural products to improve health and production of livestock with no detrimental side effects. In this study, we examined the effect of Astragalus membranaceus root (AMT) supplementation on DM intake, growth performance, rumen fermentation and immunity of Tibetan sheep. Twenty-four male Tibetan sheep (31 ±â€¯1.4 kg; 9 months old) were assigned randomly to one of four dietary treatments with different levels of AMT: 0, 20, 50 and 80 g/kg DM (A0, A2, A5 and A8, respectively) in addition to their basal diets. A0 acted as a control group, and measurements were recorded over a 56-d feeding period. Sheep fed with AMT had a higher average daily gain and a lower feed:gain ratio than controls (P < 0.001). Rumen concentrations of NH3-N (P < 0.001), total volatile fatty acids (P = 0.028), acetate (P = 0.017) and propionate (P = 0.031) in A5 and A8 were higher than those in A0. The addition of AMT in the feed significantly increased serum antioxidant and immunity factors of the sheep and increased the concentrations of serum interleukin, immunoglobulin and tumour necrosis factor-α (P = 0.010). We concluded that AMT can be used as a feed additive to improve growth performance and rumen fermentation and enhance the immunity of Tibetan sheep. Some responses exhibited a dose-dependent response, whereas other did not exhibit a pattern, with an increase in AMT. The addition of 50 and 80 g/kg AMT of total DM intake showed the most promising results.

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.

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, ß-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.