Metagenomic analysis of the relationship between the microorganisms and the volatiles' development in the wines during spontaneous fermentation from the eastern foothills of the Ningxia Helan mountains in China

BACKGROUND

The natural fermentation of multispecies microbial communities is responsible for unique flavors of winery regions of the eastern foothills of the Ningxia Helan Mountains in China. However, the participation of different microorganisms in the metabolic network for the development of important flavor substances is not clearly defined. Microbial population and diversity on different fermentation phases of Ningxia wine were analyzed by metagenomic sequencing approach.

RESULTS

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ion chromatography were used to identify flavor components, and 13 esters, 13 alcohols, nine aldehydes and seven ketones were detected in volatile substances with odor activity values > 1, and eight organic acids were detected as important flavor components in young wine. Thus, 52 238 predicted protein-coding genes from 24 genera were identified in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes level 2 pathways of global and overview maps, and the genes were primarily involved in amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. Major microbial genera (Saccharomyces, Tatumella, Hanseniaspora, Lactobacillus, and Lachancea) were closely related to self-characteristic compound metabolism and further contributed to wine flavor.

CONCLUSION

This study clarifies the different metabolic roles of microorganisms in flavor formation during Ningxia wine spontaneous fermentation. Saccharomyces, dominant fungi involved in glycolysis and pyruvate metabolism, produces not only ethanol but also two important precursors, pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, which are necessary for the tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and flavor formation. Lactobacillus and Lachancea, dominant bacteria involved in lactic acid metabolism. Tatumella, dominant bacteria involved in amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and acetic acid metabolism to produce esters in the Shizuishan City region samples. These findings provide insights into the use of local functional strains to generate unique flavor formation, as well as improved stability and quality, in wine production. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Detection of the dominant pathogens in diarrheal calves of Ningxia, China in 2021-2022

Introduction

Calf diarrhea is a complex disease that has long been an unsolved problem in the cattle industry. Ningxia is at the forefront of China in the scale of cattle breeding, and calf diarrhea gravely restricts the development of Ningxia's cattle industry.

Methods

From July 2021 to May 2022, we collected diarrhea stool samples from calves aged 1-103 days from 23 farms in five cities in Ningxia, and performed PCR using specific primers for 15 major reported pathogens of calf diarrhea, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The effect of different seasons on the occurrence of diarrhea in calves was explored, the respective epidemic pathogens in different seasons were screened, and more detailed epidemiological investigations were carried out in Yinchuan and Wuzhong. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between different ages, river distributions and pathogen prevalence.

Results

Eventually, 10 pathogens were detected, of which 9 pathogens were pathogenic and 1 pathogen was non-pathogenic. The pathogens with the highest detection rate were Cryptosporidium (50.46%), Bovine rotavirus (BRV) (23.18%), Escherichia coli (E. coli) K99 (20.00%), and Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) (11.82%). The remaining pathogens such as Coccidia (6.90%), Bovine Astrovirus (BoAstV) (5.46%), Bovine Torovirus (BToV) (4.09%), and Bovine Kobuvirus (BKoV) (3.18%) primarily existed in the form of mixed infection.

Discussion

The analysis showed that different cities in Ningxia have different pathogens responsible for diarrhea, with Cryptosporidium and BRV being the most important pathogens responsible for diarrhea in calves in all cities. Control measures against those pathogens should be enforced to effectively prevent diarrhea in calves in China.

Development and application of an indirect ELISA to detect antibodies to Neospora caninum in cattle based on a chimeric protein rSRS2-SAG1-GRA7

Neospora caninum is an important apicomplexan parasite causing neosporosis in cattle. The disease is recognized as one of the most important cause of reproductive problems and abortion in cattle worldwide. In this context, we developed an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with chimeric protein rSRS2-SAG1-GRA7 to diagnose antibodies to Neospora-infection. This indirect ELISA was compared to indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and western blotting (WB), and the sensitivity and specificity results of ELISA were calculated to be 86.7 and 96.1%, respectively. The overall coincidence rate was 92.6% using IFAT and WB. Additionally, 329 aborting dairy cattle serum samples were tested using this ELISA to evaluate the prevalence of N. caninum in Ningxia, China. The positive rate of N. caninum in these farms was from 19.05 to 57.89%, and the mean rate was 41.64% (±11.01%), indicating that infection with N. caninum may be one of the important causes of cattle abortion in this region. This established rSRS2-SAG1-GRA7 indirect ELISA is capable for detecting the antibodies against N. caninum, and it could be a useful screening tool for monitoring the epidemiology of neosporosis in cattle.

[Temporal and spatial variation of vegetation net primary productivity and its driving factors in Ningxia, China from 2000 to 2019]

Ningxia is an important agriculture-pastoral area in China. Research on the temporal and spatial variations of net primary productivity (NPP) in this area and its driving factors would help understand the trends and leading factors of NPP variations, and reveal vegetation restoration status and causes. Based on the NPP data of MODIS, we used Theil-Sen Median trend analysis, correlation analysis, overlay analysis and other methods to analyze the spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of NPP in Ningxia. The results showed that NPP of Ningxia vegetation showed a fluctuating upward trend during 2000-2019, with a linear growth rate of 5.46 g C·m^-2·a^-1. The NPP presented a spatial characteristics of "two high and two low", with the highest in the southern mountain area, followed by the Yellow River irrigation area, and the lowest in the hilly area of the central arid zone and Helan Mountain. 84.2% of the NPP in the study area was under significant restoration, mainly distributed in the central and southern mountainous and hilly areas. The NPP varied significantly with altitude and was significantly affected by the terrain. NPP center of gravity had generally moved to the south, with the increase and growth rate of NPP of vegetation in the south being greater than that in the north. The annual precipitation in Ningxia had shown an increasing trend, while the average annual temperature had slightly decreased. The NPP was significantly affec-ted by precipitation (R²=0.291), whereas the correlation between mean annual temperature and NPP was weak. 96.9% of the study area was at a state of vegetation restoration, which was promoted by both climate change and human activities.

Prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in Ningxia, China: comparison of two cross-sectional studies from 2017 and 2022

OBJECTIVES

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes a variety of intragastric and extragastric diseases. Despite its decreasing global prevalence, it remains a major public health problem in many developing countries. This study aimed to understand the prevalence of H. pylori infection and its risk factors in five cities of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, an area with high incidence of gastric cancer.

METHODS

Cross-sectional studies were conducted in Ningxia from 2017 and 2022, to detect the prevalence of H. pylori using the ¹⁴C urea breath test. All participants completed a questionnaire that included demographics, personal habits, household economic characteristics, and previous health status. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent factors for H. pylori infection.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrated that the prevalence of H. pylori infection in Ningxia decreased significantly from 60.3% in 2017 to 43.6% in 2022, with an increase in public awareness rate from 35.9% in 2017 to 68.5% in 2022. The lowest infection rate was found in Zhongwei and highest in Guyuan. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was higher among Hui ethnicity, farmers, individuals living in rural areas, individuals with lower income, low education, and those who consumed less fruit. Gallbladder, respiratory, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases were not associated with H. pylori infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of H. pylori in Ningxia decreased in the past five years. Ethnicity, location, occupation, income, education, and consumption of fruits were independent risk factors for H. pylori infection in Ningxia. It was not associated with extra-gastric disease.

A new species of Sweltsa Ricker, 1943 (Plecoptera, Chloroperlidae) and a supplementary description of Sweltsahamula Chen & Du, 2017 from China

Background

The genus Sweltsa is a small to medium-sized stonefly with distinct coloured wings, giving the species the common name of green stoneflies. It belongs to the family Chloroperlidae. This genus includes more than 55 species world wide, 14 of which have been reported from China.

New information

A new species of the genus Sweltsa Ricker, 1943, Sweltsaliupanshana Rehman, Du & Huo sp. nov. from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Liupan Mountain, China is described; this is the second record of Sweltsa from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In addition, the first female description and male supplementary description of Sweltsahamula Chen & Du, 2017 from Sichuan Province are provided. Diagnosis, description and colour illustration of the new species and of Sweltsahamula are provided and the morphological characteristics are compared with closely-related species.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Clade 2.3.4.4b Viruses in Satellite-Tracked Wild Ducks, Ningxia, China, 2020

During October 2020, we identified 13 highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses from wild ducks in Ningxia, China. These viruses were genetically related to H5N8 viruses circulating mainly in poultry in Europe during early 2020. We also determined movements of H5N8 virus‒infected wild ducks and evidence for spreading of viruses.

[Spatial Distribution and Source Analysis of Soil Heavy Metals in a Small Watershed in the Mountainous Area of Southern Ningxia Based on PMF Model]

In order to ascertain the distribution characteristics of soil heavy metal pollution and main pollution sources in a small watershed in the southern mountainous area of Ningxia and to ensure the quality of the soil environment, the contents of heavy metals Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Cd in 260 surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected and determined. Based on the soil background value in Ningxia, the soil heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risk were evaluated through the single factor index, Nemera composite index, and potential ecological risk index, and the method of combining positive definite matrix factor analysis (PMF) and Kriging interpolation was used to analyze the soil heavy metal spatial distribution and source. The results showed that the average contents of ω(Pb), ω(Ni), ω(Zn), ω(Mn), ω(Cu), ω(Cr), and ω(Cd) were 31.42, 36.22, 62.89, 546.18, 22.26, 61.90, and 0.18 mg·kg^-1, respectively. Except for Ni, the other elements were higher than the background value of Ningxia but lower than the background value of agricultural soil pollution risk selection criteria and green food environmental quality standards. The Nemera composite index showed that the proportions of mild, moderate, and severe heavy metal pollution were 71.92%, 19.23%, and 1.54%, respectively. The potential ecological risks were mainly minor risks, accounting for 98.85%. In addition, there were a very small number of samples with medium potential ecological risk levels, accounting for 1.15% of the total number of samples. Source analysis showed that the main sources of soil heavy metals in the small watershed in the mountainous area of southern Ningxia were mixed sources of fertilization and industrial emissions (12.6%), agricultural activity sources (23.5%), natural parent material sources (27.6%), mixed sources of pesticide use and mining development emissions (17.7%), and atmospheric deposition sources (18.6%).

Flavor Chemical Profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines: Six Vintages from 2013 to 2018 from the Eastern Foothills of the Ningxia Helan Mountains in China

The eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia region (Ningxia), is a Chinese wine-producing region, where Cabernet Sauvignon is the main grape cultivar; however, little compositional or flavor information has been reported on Ningxia wines. Oenological parameters, volatile profiles, and phenolic profiles were determined for 98 Ningxia Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the 2013–2018 vintages, as well as 16 from Bordeaux and California, for comparison. Ningxia wines were characterized by high ethanol, low acidity, and high anthocyanin contents. Multivariate analysis revealed that citronellol and 12 characteristic phenolic compounds distinguish Ningxia wines from Bordeaux and California wines. The concentrations of most phenolic compounds were highest in the 2018 Ningxia vintage and decreased with the age of the vintage. To our knowledge, this is the first extensive regionality study on red wines from the Ningxia region.

An illustrated key to the species of Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Gasteruptiidae) from Palaearctic China, with description of four new species

Four new species of the genus Gasteruption Latreille, 1797 (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Gasteruptiidae: Gasteruptiinae) are described from China. Three are from Shaanxi (NW China; G. granulatum Tan & van Achterberg, sp. nov., G. pedion Tan & van Achterberg, sp. nov., and G. reductum Tan & van Achterberg, sp. nov.) and one from S China and Ningxia (G. kexinae Tan & van Achterberg, sp. nov.). Eleven species are newly recorded for Shaanxi (G. abeillei Kieffer, 1912, G. amoyense Pasteels, 1958, G. bimaculatum Pasteels, 1958, G. corniculigerum Enderlein, 1913, G. latitibia Zhao, van Achterberg & Xu, 2012, G. minutum (Tournier, 1877), G. nigritarse (Thomson, 1883), G. parvicollarium Enderlein, 1913, G. sinarum Kieffer, 1911, G. subtile (Thomson, 1883) and G. brevicuspis Kieffer, 1911). The newly-recorded species and the new species are keyed and illustrated. Two new synonyms are proposed: G. rufescenticorne Enderlein, 1913, with G. japonicum Cameron, 1888, syn. nov. and G. oriplanum Kieffer, 1911, with G. minutum (Tournier, 1877), syn. nov.

[Characteristics and composition of vegetation carbon storage in natural grassland in Ning-xia, China.]

We measured the total vegetation carbon stock in the widely distributed natural grassland of meadow steppe (MS), warm steppe (WS), steppe desert (SD) and desert steppe (DS)] in Ningxia, using survey and sampling method. The results showed that the average carbon rate of vege-tation, shrubs and root were 0.40, and that of litter was 0.39. The total vegetation carbon density of meadow steppe, warm steppe, steppe desert and desert steppe (including aboveground vegetation, litter and roots) was 470.26, 192.23, 117.17 and 83.36 g·m^-2, while that of aboveground vegetation was 87.35, 68.50, 59.32 and 40.05 g·m^-2, and that of roots was 344.29, 108.83, 50.65 and 30.29 g·m^-2, litter carbon storage was 38.62,14.91, 7.19 and 13.03 g·m^-2, respectively. The order of those grassland types ranked as MS＞WS＞SD＞DS. Root carbon storage contributed the most to carbon storage in meadow steppe and warm steppe, and aboveground vegetation carbon storage contributed the most to steppe desert and desert steppe. Root carbon storage showed a decreasing trend with the increases of soil depth within 40 cm soil layer. For the spatial distribution of total carbon stock, the southern part of meadow steppe and temperate steppe had obviously higher carbon stock than the middle and north part of desert steppe and steppe desert.

Quantitative source identification and apportionment of heavy metals under two different land use types: comparison of two receptor models APCS-MLR and PMF

At present, many researchers are increasingly aware of the importance of using models to identify heavy metal (HM) pollution sources. However, on the performance and application of different source identification models to HMs under different land use types had been studied little. In this study, comparison of absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models and their application characteristics in identifying pollution sources were carried out by using 11 HMs in Zhongwei City farmland and Shizuishan industrial park, Ningxia. The results indicated that HM pollution in farmland mainly came from pesticides, fertilizers, and deposition of the Yellow River, while the pollution in industrial park mainly originated from atmospheric deposition and various industrial productions. The APCS-MLR model had the problem of less identification sources and the difficulty to explain the complex pollution, while the PMF model not only identified more pollution sources, but also distinguished heavy metal-related sources for two different land use types and different industrial production conditions. It is of great significance the formulation of agricultural-related pesticides' and chemical fertilizers' rational use and various industrial production-related raw materials put in and emission control strategies.

Spatial-temporal heterogeneity of hand, foot and mouth disease and impact of meteorological factors in arid/ semi-arid regions: a case study in Ningxia, China

Background

The incidence of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) varies over space and time and this variability is related to climate and social-economic factors. Majority of studies on HFMD were carried out in humid regions while few have focused on the disease in arid/semi-arid regions, more research in such climates would potentially make the mechanism of HFMD transmission clearer under different climate conditions.

Methods

In this paper, we explore spatial-temporal distribution of HFMD in Ningxia province, which has an arid/semi-arid climate in northwest China. We first employed a Bayesian space-time hierarchy model (BSTHM) to assess the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of the HFMD cases and its relationship with meteorological factors in Ningxia from 2009 to 2013, then used a novel spatial statistical software package GeoDetector to test the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of HFMD risk.

Results

The results showed that the spatial relative risks in northern part of Ningxia were higher than those in the south. The highest temporal risk of HFMD incidence was in fall season, with a secondary peak in spring. Meteorological factors, such as average temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed played significant roles in the spatial-temporal distribution of HFMD risk.

Conclusions

The study provide valuable information on HFMD distribution in arid/semi-arid areas in northwest China and facilitate understanding of the concentration of HFMD.

[Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Soil Heavy Metals in Chinese Wolfberry Land Based on GIS and the Receptor Model]

A total of 119 surface soil samples (depth of 0-20 cm) were collected from a Chinese wolfberry demonstration garden in Zhongning of Ningxia, and samples were analyzed for seven heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Cd). The single factor index, comprehensive index, and potential ecological risk were used to assess the soil heavy metal contamination with the soil background values of Ningxia as the evaluation standards. The absolute principal component scores and multivariate linear regression (APCS-MLR) model as well as geostatistic analysis were combined to identify and apportion the pollution sources of soil heavy metals. The results showed that the average concentrations of Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Cd in soils were 34.78, 52.376, 83.692, 641.114, 38.130, 87.257, and 0.149 mg·kg^-1, respectively. The mean concentrations of heavy metals were higher than the local soil background values but lower than the risk screening values for soil contamination of agricultural land. The comprehensive index results showed that the pollution degree of soil heavy metals was at the slightly polluted level in 81.51% of the samples, at the moderately polluted level in 16.81% of the samples, and at the unpolluted level in 1.68% of the samples. The comprehensive index values for potential ecological hazards were less than 60 in 13.45% of the samples, and these values were associated with a slight potential for ecological risks. The comprehensive index values for potential ecological hazards were less than 120 and more than 60 in 86.55% of the samples, and these values were associated with a moderate potential for ecological risks. The four main pollution sources of soil heavy metals in the study area included natural sources, industrial activity, traffic, and agricultural activity. Natural sources were the main source of Ni and Cr with average contribution rates of 55.49% and 64.66%, respectively. Industrial activity was the main source of Pb and Mn with average contribution rates of 46.93% and 42.53%, respectively. Traffic was the main source of Zn and Cu with average contribution rates of 43.51% and 53.71%, respectively. Agricultural activity was the main source of Cd with an average contribution rate of 76.79%. The study results indicated that soil heavy metals have tended to concentrate in the Chinese wolfberry demonstration garden, and the sources of heavy metals were complex and obviously influenced by human activities. Controls should be strengthened for sources that contribute to soil heavy metals to ensure the sustainable utilization of soil resources in the Chinese wolfberry land.

[Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Carbon and its Fractions in the Wolfberry Field of Zhongning County]

It is important to accurately assess the regional spatial distribution and variation of soil carbon and its fractions due to its great significance in soil carbon cycling and soil quality. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variability of soil carbon and its fractions using classical and geostatistical statistics. Topsoil samples (0-20 cm) from 119 sites in Wolfberry Field were collected from a grid of 100 m×100 m in Zhongning County. The GS+7.0 software was used to fit a semivariance model to determine the optimal theoretical model and parameters. The spatial distribution characteristics of soil carbon and its fractions were studied by ordinary kriging. The classical statistical analyses showed that the average concentrations of total carbon, inorganic carbon, organic carbon, active organic carbon, medium active organic carbon, and high active organic carbon were 28.74, 18.72, 10.09, 1.81, 1.48, and 0.73 g·kg^-1, respectively. The variation coefficient of total carbon and inorganic carbon were 7.69% and 9.13%, indicating a strong variation, while the other soil carbon fractions showed moderate variation with the coefficients of variations ranging from 14.77%-52.05%. The geostatistical analyses revealed that the semivariogram of organic carbon was best fit by the spherical model, while the other five kinds of carbon fractions were best fit by the exponential model. The nugget coefficients of total carbon and organic carbon were 48.99% and 34.35%, which demonstrated moderate spatial dependence. The nugget coefficients of inorganic carbon, active organic carbon, medium active organic carbon, and high active organic carbon were 8.17%, 0.25%, 12.18%, and 0.08%, which demonstrated strong spatial dependence. The ordinary kriging interpolation map indicated that the spatial distribution patterns were similar for total carbon, organic carbon, medium active organic carbon, and high active organic carbon, which increased from southeast to northwest. Inorganic carbon and active organic carbon presented an irregular plaque distribution in the study area. Spatial interpolation maps could provide useful information for environmental management and the sustainable use of land resources in this region.

New species of Trigonalyidae (Hymenoptera) from NW China

Four new species of Trigonalyidae are described and illustrated from Qinling Mts (Shaanxi, NW China): Bareogonalos xibeidai Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n., Jezonogonalos mandibularissp. n., J. shaanxiensissp. n., and Taeniogonalos paraclypeatasp. n.Orthogonalys hirasana Teranishi, 1929, is re-instated and reported from China. The female of Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991) is described for the first time. In total, 18 species are known from Shaanxi province, 20 species for NW China, and eight described species are newly recorded for Shaanxi: Jezonogonalos luteata Chen et al., 2014, Orthogonalys hirasana Teranishi, 1929, O. elongata Teranishi, 1929, Pseudogonalos hahnii (Spinola, 1840), Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991), T. formosana (Bischoff, 1913), T. taihorina (Bischoff, 1914), and Teranishia glabrata Chen et al., 2014. Poecilogonalos maga Teranishi, 1929, syn. n. and Taiwanogonalos claripennis Tsuneki, 1991, syn. n. are new synonyms of Taeniogonalos taihorina (Bischoff, 1914) and Taiwanogonalos alishana Tsuneki, 1991, syn. n. of Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991). Revised keys to species of the genera Bareogonalos, Jezonogonalos, and Orthogonalys are included.

Four new species of Gasteruption Latreille from NW China, with an illustrated key to the species from Palaearctic China (Hymenoptera, Gasteruptiidae)

Four new species of the genus Gasteruption Latreille, 1796 (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Gasteruptiidae: Gasteruptiinae) are reported from NW China: three from Shaanxi province and one from Ningxia province. The new species (Gasteruption bicoloratum Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption huangshii Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n., Gasteruption pannuceum Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n., and Gasteruption shengi Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n.) and three newly recorded species (Gasteruption sinepunctatum Zhao, van Achterberg & Xu, 2012, Gasteruption boreale (Thomson, 1883) and Gasteruption oshimense Watanabe, 1924) are keyed and fully illustrated. In total, seven species are known from Shaanxi province, which is approximately half of the expected number. The East Palaearctic specimens provisionally identified as Gasteruption tournieri Schletterer, 1885, by Zhao et al. (2012) are included under Gasteruption oshimense Watanabe, 1924.