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The study aimed to determine the effect of different dietary selenium (Se) doses in the form of selenised yeasts on serum Se levels and serum biochemical indices in Xinjiang brown cattle. The animals were randomly divided into five groups (n = 5): NC (negative control), group A (0.3 mg Se/kg dry matter (DM)), group B (0.6 mg Se/kg DM), group C (0.9 mg Se/kg DM), and group D (1.2 mg Se/kg DM). The animals received a Se-enriched diet with jujube for three months. The results showed that serum Se levels in cattle fed higher doses of selenised yeast were significantly higher than in control cattle. Serum cholesterol, proteins, globulin, uric acid and blood urea nitrogen levels were also significantly different between the experimental and control groups. Serum triglyceride, albumin, creatinine, and total bilirubin levels did not exhibit marked differences between the experimental groups. Moreover, serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transferase, and alkaline phosphatase concentrations in cattle also varied between the experimental groups. While the increased serum Se levels were found to enhance the cellular antioxidant status in cattle, they did not provide protection against cellular oxidative stress. Based on these findings, the addition of a moderate dose of selenised yeast to cattle feed can help maintain cattle health and contribute to the production of high-quality meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is among the 30 countries with a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, and TB remains a public health concern. Kashgar Prefecture in the southern Xinjiang Autonomous Region is considered as one of the highest TB burden regions in China. However, molecular epidemiological studies of Kashgar are lacking. A population-based retrospective study was conducted using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the characteristics of drug resistance and the transmission patterns. A total of 1,668 isolates collected in 2020 were classified into lineages 2 (46.0%), 3 (27.5%), and 4 (26.5%). The drug resistance rates revealed by WGS showed that the top three drugs in terms of the resistance rate were isoniazid (7.4%, 124/1,668), streptomycin (6.0%, 100/1,668), and rifampicin (3.3%, 55/1,668). The rate of rifampicin resistance was 1.8% (23/1,290) in the new cases and 9.4% (32/340) in the previously treated cases. Known resistance mutations were detected more frequently in lineage 2 strains than in lineage 3 or 4 strains, respectively: 18.6% vs. 8.7 or 9%, P < 0.001. The estimated proportion of recent transmissions was 25.9% (432/1,668). Multivariate logistic analyses indicated that sex, age, occupation, lineage, and drug resistance were the risk factors for recent transmission. Despite the low rate of drug resistance, drug-resistant strains had a higher risk of recent transmission than the susceptible strains (adjusted odds ratio, 1.414; 95% CI , 1.023–1.954; P = 0.036). Among all patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), 78.4% (171/218) were attributed to the transmission of DR-TB strains. Our results suggest that drug-resistant strains are more transmissible than susceptible strains and that transmission is the major driving force of the current DR-TB epidemic in Kashgar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the causes and prevention measures of rabies through epidemiological investigation and analysis. A field epidemiological survey was conducted to investigate a case of rabies by fox bite. The onset of symptoms began 50 days after the bite. The patient did not receive standard treatment, rabies vaccination, or rabies immunoglobulin injection. The fox was killed on the spot. Saliva and pre-death blood samples were collected at different periods, and only blood RT-PCR tests yielded positive results. Wild fox bite is a major risk factor of rabies infection in Xinjiang Province, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The total volatile components were extracted from safflower by ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction (USE) and their chemical constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to provide scientific basis for the quality control of safflower. Five different solvents (diethyl ether, ethanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane and acetone) were used and compared in terms of number of volatile components extracted and the peak areas of these components in TIC. The results showed that USE could be used as an efficient and rapid method for extracting the volatile components from safflower. It also could be found that the number of components in the TIC of ethyl acetate extract was more than that in the TIC of other solvent ones. Meanwhile, the volatile components of safflower from Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Henan Province of China were different in chemical components and relative contents. It could be concluded that both the extraction solvents and geographical origin of safflower are responsible for these differences. The experimental results also indicated that USE/GC–MS is a simple, rapid and effective method to analyze the volatile oil components of safflower. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was developed to determine 19 elements in safflower, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb from Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Henan Province of China. Totally 19 elements in safflower included heavy metals, i. e. As, Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb, and wholesome elements, i. e. Al, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Se, Sr, V and Zn. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in safflower samples were both low, all of which met the national hygiene standards except for Pb in Xinjiang sample. Meanwhile, the distribution tendency of elements in the two samples was similar, which indicated that the plant might absorb given elements in a proportional way. The method can be used for the quality control of elements in safflower, and it provides a way for the determination of the contents of safflower from Xinjiang and Henan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PURPOSE: To investigate the association of human leukocytes antigen HLA II -DRB1 alleles between Han Chinese and Uygur people with oral lichen planus (OLP) in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. METHODS: The allele frequency of HLA II -DRB1 was detected in 34 OLP patients vs 123 normal controls of Han Chinese group and 14 OLP patients vs 42 normal controls of Uygur people group by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) method. The data was analyzed with SPSS16.0 software package for Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The allele frequency of HLA II -DRBI*II was significantly higher (23.53% vs 9.76% ), however, HLA I]-DRBI*12 was substantially lower (5.88% vs 22.76%) in OLP patients than that in normal controls in Han Chinese group, P<0.05.The allele frequency of HLA H-DRBI*140 was significantly higher (50.00% vs 9.52% ) than that in normal controls in Uygur people group, P<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: HLA II-DRBI*IIl alleles could be the susceptible genes for OLP in Han Chinese in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, however, HLA II-DRBI*12 alleles might be the protective gene for OLP in Han Chinese in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. HLA II-DRBI*14 could be the susceptible genes for OLP in Uygur people in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P) co-limitation occurs in the boreal forest of Kanas, Northwest China. • Two shade-tolerant tree species, Picea obovata and Pinus sibirica , responded in an inverse manner to a spatial gradient in the soil N:P ratio. • The N:P ratio affected the abundance of dominant tree species, while the N and P content largely impacted tree basal area. • Effects of nutrient ratios and contents on shade-tolerant tree species decreased with size (life stage). The resource ratio hypothesis (RRH) and the nutrient-load hypothesis (NLH) state that species coexistence is mediated by the ratios and loads (availability), respectively, of multiple limiting resources. However, few attempts to quantify these effects in mature forest ecosystems have been attempted to date. Data were collected from 300 quadrats (20 m × 20 m) spread across a 12-ha (400 m × 300 m) boreal forest dynamics plot in the Kanas Reserve of Xinjiang, Northwest China. Torus translation tests were used to analyze associations between dominant tree species and specific microhabitats. Linear mixed models were used to assess how soil nutrient availability and nutrient ratios affected the abundance and basal area of specific tree species, as well as how these effects varied across life stages. Two shade-tolerant species, Picea obovata and Pinus sibirica , exhibited opposite relationships with soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content. Picea obovata was associated with microhabitats with high N:P ratios, while P. sibirica preferred microhabitats with low N:P ratios. The light-demanding Betula pendula was most abundant at low N and P sites. Another light-demanding species, Larix sibirica , did not show any significant habitat preferences. Furthermore, N:P ratios mainly affected species abundance, while N and P contents largely impacted basal area. Soil nutrient effects on species distributions weakened with tree age (from saplings to adults). Different microhabitats in the boreal forest had distinct soil resources. Both nutrient ratios and loads were correlated with the distribution of dominant boreal tree species, though these effects weakened as trees grew, especially for shade-tolerant species. Overall, niche partitioning due to resource variation may alleviate interspecific competition and contribute to species coexistence, and this study provides convincing proof of the importance of both nutrient ratios and loads on maintaining boreal forest diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]