First dairying in green Saharan Africa in the fifth millennium BC

In the prehistoric green Sahara of Holocene North Africa-in contrast to the Neolithic of Europe and Eurasia-a reliance on cattle, sheep and goats emerged as a stable and widespread way of life, long before the first evidence for domesticated plants or settled village farming communities. The remarkable rock art found widely across the region depicts cattle herding among early Saharan pastoral groups, and includes rare scenes of milking; however, these images can rarely be reliably dated. Although the faunal evidence provides further confirmation of the importance of cattle and other domesticates, the scarcity of cattle bones makes it impossible to ascertain herd structures via kill-off patterns, thereby precluding interpretations of whether dairying was practiced. Because pottery production begins early in northern Africa the potential exists to investigate diet and subsistence practices using molecular and isotopic analyses of absorbed food residues. This approach has been successful in determining the chronology of dairying beginning in the 'Fertile Crescent' of the Near East and its spread across Europe. Here we report the first unequivocal chemical evidence, based on the δ(13)C and Δ(13)C values of the major alkanoic acids of milk fat, for the adoption of dairying practices by prehistoric Saharan African people in the fifth millennium bc. Interpretations are supported by a new database of modern ruminant animal fats collected from Africa. These findings confirm the importance of 'lifetime products', such as milk, in early Saharan pastoralism, and provide an evolutionary context for the emergence of lactase persistence in Africa.     

Genetic evidence for Near-Eastern origins of European cattle

The limited ranges of the wild progenitors of many of the primary European domestic species point to their origins further east in Anatolia or the fertile crescent. The wild ox (Bos primigenius), however, ranged widely and it is unknown whether it was domesticated within Europe as one feature of a local contribution to the farming economy. Here we examine mitochondrial DNA control-region sequence variation from 392 extant animals sampled from Europe, Africa and the Near East, and compare this with data from four extinct British wild oxen. The ancient sequences cluster tightly in a phylogenetic analysis and are clearly distinct from modern cattle. Network analysis of modern Bos taurus identifies four star-like clusters of haplotypes, with intra-cluster diversities that approximate to that expected from the time depth of domestic history. Notably, one of these clusters predominates in Europe and is one of three encountered at substantial frequency in the Near East. In contrast, African diversity is almost exclusively composed of a separate haplogroup, which is encountered only rarely elsewhere. These data provide strong support for a derived Near-Eastern origin for European cattle.     

Language-tree divergence times support the Anatolian theory of Indo-European origin

Languages, like genes, provide vital clues about human history. The origin of the Indo-European language family is "the most intensively studied, yet still most recalcitrant, problem of historical linguistics". Numerous genetic studies of Indo-European origins have also produced inconclusive results. Here we analyse linguistic data using computational methods derived from evolutionary biology. We test two theories of Indo-European origin: the 'Kurgan expansion' and the 'Anatolian farming' hypotheses. The Kurgan theory centres on possible archaeological evidence for an expansion into Europe and the Near East by Kurgan horsemen beginning in the sixth millennium BP. In contrast, the Anatolian theory claims that Indo-European languages expanded with the spread of agriculture from Anatolia around 8,000-9,500 years bp. In striking agreement with the Anatolian hypothesis, our analysis of a matrix of 87 languages with 2,449 lexical items produced an estimated age range for the initial Indo-European divergence of between 7,800 and 9,800 years bp. These results were robust to changes in coding procedures, calibration points, rooting of the trees and priors in the bayesian analysis.     

Neolithic trade routes re-aligned by oxygen isotope analyses

Oxygen isotope analyses of Spondylus shells from neolithic sites suggest that the source for the shells used as ornaments in the Balkans and central Europe during the fourth millennium BC was the Aegean and not the Black Sea. The trade in Spondylus may have taken the form of an exchange of gifts.     

新亚述帝国时期民族政策研究

公元前8世纪后期兴起的新亚迷帝国是亚述民族发展史上最辉煌的时期，历130余年。帝国凭依浓厚的战争传统、完善的征战方略、优良的作战武器征服了近东地区众多民族，构筑出一个横跨亚、非洲的军事强国和多民族混居的大国。其间，帝国在不同时期、不同辖区灵活运用相异的民族政策，在维持帝国政权正常运转的同时也在一定程度上影响了其后近东地区历史的发展。     

薄层色谱扫描法测定鹿龟酒中栀子甙的含量

用薄层扫描法测定鹿龟酒中栀子甙的含量，加样回收率为９８．５４％，ＲＳＤ＝２．３％（ｎ＝６）．     

Pregnancy: a cloned horse born to its dam twin

Several animal species, including sheep, mice, cattle, goats, rabbits, cats, pigs and, more recently, mules have been reproduced by somatic cell cloning, with the offspring being a genetic copy of the animal donor of the nuclear material used for transfer into an enucleated oocyte. Here we use this technology to clone an adult horse and show that it is possible to establish a viable, full-term pregnancy in which the surrogate mother is also the nuclear donor. The cloned offspring is therefore genetically identical to the mare who carried it, challenging the idea that maternal immunological recognition of fetal antigens influences the well-being of the fetus and the outcome of the pregnancy.     

Starch grain evidence reveals early pottery function cooking plant foods in North China

Early pottery sherds excavated in northern China date back to more than 11,000 cal a BP, and are presumed to have been used as cooking vessels. There has been, however, no direct evidence to demonstrate this function. Here we report ancient starch grains recovered from carbonized residues adhering to the bases of flat- bottomed vessels excavated from the Zhuannian site dating more than 10,000 cal a BP in the North China Plain. This evidence demonstrates that early pottery was being used to cook cereal grains, particularly millets, and acorns. Because millets were in the process of domestication at thistime, we propose that pottery invention in northern China may have been related to early farming activities.     

Experimental chimaeras--removal of reproductive barrier between sheep and goat

Following reciprocal embryo transfer between sheep and goats, the embryo of the foreign species is able to induce early pregnancy but the embryos do not survive beyond the first weeks of gestation. Similar results have been obtained from hybridization experiments on sheep and goats. While the causes for early embryonic death of hybrid eggs from donor sheep are unknown, the reciprocal event has been associated with immunological implications. As a means of overcoming the reproductive barrier between sheep and goats, we have transferred interspecific chimaeric embryos. We report here the birth of a goat kid from a sheep mother.     

黑羽型番鸭饲料营养成分利用率的测定

测定24只黑羽型番鸭饲料营养成分的利用率的结果表明,雏鸭的采食量、粪尿排出量和体重的绝对增长值基本一致,粗蛋白和粗脂肪的摄入量随体重增长而增加,粗蛋白的利用率,在1周龄为19.48％,2～8周龄则变动在58.68％～68.73％之间,粗脂肪的利用率,在1周龄为52.94％,在2～4周龄为78.57％～88.67％,5～8周龄为83.16～46.93％,粗脂肪的平均利用率高于粗蛋白,在7周龄前粗蛋白和粗脂肪的营养效价均随个体的生长发育而提高;7～8周龄时,粗蛋白的效价有所回降,雏鹦对粗纤维的利用率极低,可见粗纤维不易被雏鸭消化吸收。     

克里米亚战争的经济根源

关于克里米亚战争的原因，国内外史学界普遍认为，是欧洲列强争夺欧洲和近东霸权的斗争引起了这场战争，实际上，欧洲列强，特别是英俄两国在近东的经济冲突，是克里米亚战争的经济根源或根本原因。     

第七届国际山羊大会综述

对 2 0 0 0年于法国的Tours和Poitiers召开的第七届国际山羊大会发表论文情况进行了分析 ,并对山羊生产与环境保护的关系也进行了简要的论述。大会交流的主要研究内容集中于山羊遗传育种与繁殖方面 ,其次是营养与饲养管理方面 ,山羊产品生产与加工也占有较大的份额 ,而疫病防治研究方面所占比例最小。山羊遗传育种的研究已经渗透到分子育种领域 ,山羊营养研究、精液冷冻和胚胎移植研究已经引起越来越多的关注。山羊奶质量及其产品的研究仍是目前山羊产品研究的重点 ;其次是肉产品 ;毛类产品的研究位居第三位 ,而且主要集中于山羊绒的研究 ;山羊皮的研究最少。欧洲地区发表论文最多 ,其次是亚洲、北美洲、非洲、南美洲和大洋州。发达国家在山羊科研与生产方面仍处于领先水平     

川西北高原地区羊皮资源的开发研究

对川西北高原地区羊皮资源、品质、加工鞣制、成品毛皮(革)品质、经济效益等进行了系统研究.结果表明,地该地区羊皮资源丰富,原料毛皮品质优良,用铬—铝结合加工鞣制后,成品毛皮(革)感观性优良,各项物理指标均达到或超过国家标准,加工试制为制品经济效益显著,具有开发价值,可进行计划开发利用.     

中国中亚热带地区湿地资源面临的问题及对策

中国中亚热带地区湿地资源丰富。目前,该地区湿地资源存在面积缩小、容积锐减、质量下降、结构受损和功能退化等诸多问题。为实现中国亚热带地区湿地资源的保护和可持续利用,必须采取以下对策和措施:一是提高认识;二是加强法制;三是搞好规划;四是重视保护;五是循环利用;六是增加投入;七是强化研究。     

Cloned pigs produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells

Since the first report of live mammals produced by nuclear transfer from a cultured differentiated cell population in 1995 (ref. 1), successful development has been obtained in sheep, cattle, mice and goats using a variety of somatic cell types as nuclear donors. The methodology used for embryo reconstruction in each of these species is essentially similar: diploid donor nuclei have been transplanted into enucleated MII oocytes that are activated on, or after transfer. In sheep and goat pre-activated oocytes have also proved successful as cytoplast recipients. The reconstructed embryos are then cultured and selected embryos transferred to surrogate recipients for development to term. In pigs, nuclear transfer has been significantly less successful; a single piglet was reported after transfer of a blastomere nucleus from a four-cell embryo to an enucleated oocyte; however, no live offspring were obtained in studies using somatic cells such as diploid or mitotic fetal fibroblasts as nuclear donors. The development of embryos reconstructed by nuclear transfer is dependent upon a range of factors. Here we investigate some of these factors and report the successful production of cloned piglets from a cultured adult somatic cell population using a new nuclear transfer procedure.     

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Bronze Age horses recovered from Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia, China

In this study, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis was carried out on 9 Bronze Age horses recovered from Dashanqian and Jinggouzi archaeological sites in Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia. China to explore the origin of Chinese domestic horses. Both mtDNA 16S rRNA gene and control region (D-loop) fragments of ancient horses were amplified and sequenced. The analysis of the highly conservative 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the burial environment of Chifeng region is suitable for the preservation of ancient DNA (aDNA). Combing 465 mtDNA D-loop sequences representing different breeds from East Asia, Central Asia, Near East and Europe, we constructed a phylogenetic network to investigate the relationship between ancient and modern horses. The phylogenetic network showed that the 9 horses were distributed into different modern horse clusters which were closely related to them representing a certain geographical distribution. Our results showed that the maternal genetic line of the ancient horses in Chifeng region was highly diversified, which contributed to the gene pool of modern domestic horses and suggested a complex origin of domestic horses in China.     

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Bronze Age horses recovered from Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia, China

In this study, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis was carried out on 9 Bronze Age horses recovered from Dashanqian and Jinggouzi archaeological sites in Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia. China to explore the origin of Chinese domestic horses. Both mtDNA 16S rRNA gene and control region (D-loop) fragments of ancient horses were amplified and sequenced. The analysis of the highly conservative 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the burial environment of Chifeng region is suitable for the preservation of ancient DNA (aDNA). Combing 465 mtDNA D-loop sequences representing different breeds from East Asia, Central Asia, Near East and Europe, we constructed a phylogenetic network to investigate the relationship between ancient and modern horses. The phylogenetic network showed that the 9 horses were distributed into different modern horse clusters which were closely related to them representing a certain geographical distribution. Our results showed that the maternal genetic line of the ancient horses in Chifeng region was highly diversified, which contributed to the gene pool of modern domestic horses and suggested a complex origin of domestic horses in China.     

美姑山羊产后30 d内乳成分变化分析

研究美姑山羊母羊分娩后产生的羊乳中各组成成分随着泌乳时间的推移而产生的变化规律,旨在为羔羊的适时断奶以及制作代乳料提供理论依据。通过乳成分分析仪以及全自动生化分析仪得到了不同时间点的美姑山羊乳中各营养成分质量分数。乳成分中蛋白、乳糖、灰分、非脂固形物和矿物元素的质量分数随时间的推移呈现为先逐渐降低,随后在第10 d左右出现轻微上调,到30 d之间这一时段又保持在一个相对稳定的水平;乳脂随时间的变化不具明显的规律性。同时分析乳中各成分之间的联系,发现了蛋白质与乳糖,蛋白质与灰分,乳糖与灰分,铁与锌以及钙和磷两两之间存在显著的相关性,总结较优的模拟方程,得到了每组间最佳模拟曲线方程。本研究对美姑母乳早期泌乳阶段变化规律的探索,发现了乳中各成分的变化情况和相互联系,这为今后研制美姑山羊代乳料提供了基础参考数据。     

南阳黄牛CD14基因扩增及序列分析

根据GenBank发表的荷斯坦奶牛CD14基因的序列设计引物,通过PCR方法对南阳黄牛的CD14基因进行分段扩增并测序,拼接后得到包含CD14完整编码区以及5’端和3’端非编码区的2 969 bp的全序列。序列分析结果表明:南阳黄牛CD14基因开放阅读框全长966 bp,共编码321个氨基酸,碱基组成分别为A(18.4%)、T(18.4%)、C(32.9%)、G(30.2%),编码区与荷斯坦奶牛CD14基因相比发生了2个碱基突变,没有引起氨基酸的改变。在5’端和3’端存在较长的非编码区,与荷斯坦奶牛CD14基因相比发生了7个碱基突变。南阳黄牛的CD14基因与荷斯坦奶牛、水牛、绵羊、山羊、猪、猕猴、大猩猩、人、小鼠的同源性依次降低,分别为99.8%、98.2%、96.8%、92.8%、83.5%、79.8%、79.7%、79.5%、71.9%。进化树所得的聚类结果与传统的分类结果一致。通过蛋白质结构预测,发现南阳黄牛CD14没有跨膜结构域。     

沙地放牧系统反刍家畜选择性采食行为的研究

分别在春、夏、秋、冬四季对蒙古牛和蒙古羊24小时放牧周期内的选择性采食行为进行了观测研究.研究结果表明:蒙古牛和蒙古羊均表现出一定强度的选择性采食行为,但蒙古牛和蒙古羊的食物构成具有明显不同.蒙古牛和蒙古羊的食物生态位宽度分别为0.64和0.67,二者无明显差异(P>0.05).蒙古牛春季的生态位宽度显著低于夏季,而与秋季和冬季类似;蒙古羊则以春季的生态位宽度最大,秋季最小.蒙古牛和蒙古羊的食物生态位重叠度为60%.