Adult Tibetan Research Articles

Risk factors for microalbuminuria in adult Tibetan patients with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

It has been suggested that chronic hypoxia underlies the higher prevalence of microalbuminuria in high-altitude residents than in sea-level dwellers. This study explored the risk factors for microalbuminuria in Tibetans with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). This retrospective cross-sectional study included adult patients with HAPH admitted to the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region between November 2018 and August 2019. One hundred and twenty patients with HAPH were included in this study, and 69 patients (57.5%) had microalbuminuria. Compared with the patients without microalbuminuria, the microalbuminuria group had significantly higher values for age, pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood hemoglobin concentration, glycated hemoglobin, serum creatinine, and serum uric acid, significantly lower values for heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), estimated glomerular filtration rate, and 6-min walking distance, and poorer New York Heart Association functional class (P<0.05 for all variables). PASP [odds ratio (OR): 1.55; 95% CI: 1.19-2.00; P=0.001] and SpO2 (OR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.63-0.97; P=0.02) were independently associated with microalbuminuria. Higher PASP and lower SpO2 were independently associated with microalbuminuria in adult Tibetan patients with HAPH.

Shift of Feeding Strategies from Grazing to Different Forage Feeds Reshapes the Rumen Microbiota To Improve the Ability of Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries) To Adapt to the Cold Season.

The dynamics of ruminant-rumen microbiome symbiosis associated with feeding strategies in the cold season were examined. Twelve pure-grazing adult Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) (18 months old; body weight, 40 ± 0.23 kg) were transferred from natural pasture to two indoor feedlots and fed either a native-pasture diet (NPF group) or an oat hay diet (OHF group) (n = 6 per treatment), and then the flexibility of rumen microbiomes to adapt to these compositionally different feeding strategies was examined. Principal-coordinate analysis and similarity analysis indicated that the rumen bacterial composition correlated with altered feeding strategies. Microbial diversity was higher in the grazing group than in those fed with native pasture and an oat hay diet (P < 0.05). The dominant microbial phyla were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, and the core bacterial taxa comprised mostly (42.49% of shared operational taxonomic units [OTUs]) Ruminococcaceae (408 taxa), Lachnospiraceae (333 taxa), and Prevotellaceae (195 taxa), which were relatively stable across different treatments. Greater relative abundances of Tenericutes at the phylum level, Pseudomonadales at the order level, Mollicutes at the class level, and Pseudomonas at the genus level were observed in a grazing period than in the other two treatments (NPF and OHF) (P < 0.05). In the OHF group, due to the high nutritional quality of the forage, Tibetan sheep can produce high concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and NH3-N by increasing the relative abundances of key bacteria in the rumen, such as Lentisphaerae, Negativicutes, Selenomonadales, Veillonellaceae, Ruminococcus 2, Quinella, Bacteroidales RF16 group, and Prevotella 1, to aid in nutrients degradation and energy utilization. The levels of beneficial bacteria were increased by the oat hay diet; these microbiotas are likely to help improve and maintain host health and metabolic ability in Tibetan sheep to adapt to cold environments. The rumen fermentation parameters were significantly influenced by feeding strategy in the cold season (P < 0.05). Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the strong effect of feeding strategies on the rumen microbiota of Tibetan sheep, which provided a new idea for the nutrition regulation of Tibetan sheep grazing in the cold season on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. IMPORTANCE During the cold season, like other high-altitude mammals, Tibetan sheep have to adapt their physiological and nutritional strategies, as well as the structure and function of their rumen microbial community, to the seasonal variation of lower food availability and quality. This study focused on the changes and adaptability in the rumen microbiota of Tibetan sheep when they adapted from grazing to a high-efficiency feeding strategy during the cold season by analyzing the rumen microbiota of Tibetan sheep raised under the different management systems, and it shows the linkages among the rumen core and pan-bacteriomes, nutrient utilization, and rumen short-chain fatty acids. The findings from this study suggest that the feeding strategies potentially contribute to variations in the pan-rumen bacteriome, together with the core bacteriome. Fundamental knowledge on the rumen microbiomes and their roles in nutrient utilization furthers our understanding of how rumen microbial adaptation to harsh environments may function in hosts. The facts obtained from the present trial clarified the possible mechanisms of the positive effects of feeding strategy on nutrient utilization and rumen fermentation in harsh environments.

Personality Traits and Future Anxiety in Buddhisms: a Study of Adult Tibetan Buddhist Practitioners from Uruguay

Personality Traits and Future Anxiety in Buddhisms: a Study of Adult Tibetan Buddhist Practitioners from Uruguay

Elevated IOP Alters the Material Properties of Sclera and Lamina Cribrosa in Monkeys.

Objective Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) has significant impacts on different stages in the progression of chronic glaucoma. In this study, we investigated changes in the material properties of sclera and lamina cribrosa (LC) in a nonhuman primate model with elevated IOP. Methods Normal adult Tibetan macaques were selected for the construction of elevated IOP model. After 40 days of stable maintenance on the ocular hypertension, the binocular eyeballs were obtained for the measurement of macroscopic parameters of the eyeballs. Posterior scleral tissue strips were obtained in circumferential and axial directions, and thickness was measured, respectively. Biomechanical parameters were obtained with stress relaxation, creep, and tensile test. The nanoindentation test was performed on the LC and scleral tissue around optic nerve head (ONH) to obtain compressive modulus. Results In the presence of elevated IOP, variations of the axial diameter of the eyeball were greater than those of the transverse diameter, and the mean scleral thickness around ONH was smaller in the experimental group than control group. The elastic modulus and stress relaxation modulus of sclera were larger, and the creep rate was lower in the experimental group than control group. In the control group, the elastic modulus and stress relaxation modulus of the circumferential sclera were larger in the axial direction, and creep rate was smaller. In the experimental group, there was no significant difference in biomechanical characteristics between the two directions. Compared to the control group, the compression modulus of the LC was smaller, and the compression modulus of sclera around ONH was larger in the experimental group. Conclusion Elevated IOP alters the viscoelasticity and anisotropy of sclera and LC. These may contribute to reduction of the organizational resistance to external forces and decline in the ability of self-recovery.

Expression and distribution of HIF-1α, HIF-2α, VEGF, VEGFR-2 and HIMF in the kidneys of Tibetan sheep, plain sheep and goat.

The objective of this study was to detect the expression and distribution characteristics of five proteins (the hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha [HIF-1a], HIF-2a, vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], VEGF-2 receptor [VEGFR-2] and hypoxia-induced mitogenic factor [HIMF]) in kidney of Tibetan sheep, plain sheep and goat. The results will provide the basic information for the comparative study of sheep breeds living at different altitudes. The kidney tissues were collected from healthy adult Tibetan sheep, plain sheep and goats and made into paraffin sections. Histological characteristics were assessed by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Expressions of HIF-1a, HIF-2a, VEGF, VEGFR-2 and HIMF proteins were measured by immunohistochemical staining. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the positive expression signals of HIF-1a, HIF-2a, VEGF and VEGFR-2 were detected in epithelial cells of renal tubules and collecting tubules, renal corpuscles in the kidneys of the three sheep breeds. Positive expression signals of HIMF were detected in epithelial cells of proximal tubules and distal tubules in Tibetan sheep and epithelial cells of distal tubules in goat. Immunostaining intensity of HIF-1a, HIF-2a, VEGF and VEGFR-2 proteins in Tibetan sheep was significantly higher than that in both plain sheep and goat (p < 0.05). Immunostaining intensity of HIMF in Tibetan sheep was higher than goat (p < 0.05). Positive expression signals of HIMF were not detected in plain sheep. The expression and distribution characteristics of HIF-1a, HIF-2a, VEGF, VEGFR-2 and HIMF in the studied kidney tissues suggested that these proteins may be related to the physiological regulation of Tibetan sheep kidney in hypoxia environment, and therefore might be important regulating proteins for Tibetan sheep to adapt to high altitude hypoxia environment.

Effects of Aging on Expression of Mic60 and OPA1 and Mitochondrial Morphology in Myocardium of Tibetan Sheep.

Simple SummaryMitochondria play a crucial role in the adaptation to high altitude hypoxia environment in Tibetan sheep, and the changes of its morphology and structure directly affect its function. OPA1 and Mic60 are important mitochondria-shaping proteins that work together to regulate the morphology of mitochondrial inner membrane and cristae. It has been shown that aging affects the expression of OPA1 and Mic60 in mice, but it has not been investigated in sheep and hence it is not known whether it might affect the ultrastructure of mitochondria. In this context, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry method were used to measure the expression of Mic60 and OPA1 genes and proteins in myocardium of adult and aged Tibetan sheep, and the ultrastructure of mitochondria were compared by transmission electron microscope. The results suggest that aging can reduces the expression of Mic60 and OPA1 genes and OPA1 protein, which can affect the mitochondrial function.In order to investigate the effects of aging on the expression of Mic60 and OPA1 and mitochondrial morphology in plateau animals, the expression of Mic60 and OPA1 genes and proteins, and the morphology of mitochondria in the myocardium of adult and aged Tibetan sheep were investigated. The expression of Mic60 and OPA1 genes and OPA1 protein were higher (p < 0.05) in the myocardium of adult Tibetan sheep than in those of the aged ones. The number of mitochondrial cristae in the myocardium of adult was higher than that in aged (p < 0.05). The density of mitochondria in the myocardium of adult was higher than that in aged (p < 0.01). Compared with the adult Tibetan sheep, the mitochondrial crista of aged were relatively sparse, the crista membrane was wide, and the mitochondria were not closely linked, showing fragmentation. These results suggest that the myocardial mitochondria of the adult have better energy supply ability, indicating that aging can lead to the weakening of oxygen supply in the myocardial mitochondria of Tibetan sheep.

Establishment of Reference Intervals for Blood Cell Analysis of Adult Tibetan Farmers and Herdsmen Over 4100 Meters Above Sea Level in Tibet Based on a Health Survey.

Yang, Wei, Song Zhao, Dan Liu, Guangming Su, Dongwei Zhang, Gui La, Yu Deng, Pian Ni, and Xiuru Guan. Establishment of reference intervals for blood cell analysis of adult Tibetan farmers and herdsmen over 4100 meters above sea level in Tibet based on a health survey. High Alt Med Biol. 21:223-231, 2020. Background: High altitude has substantial influence on reference intervals (RIs) for blood cell analysis. However, the currently used RIs for blood cell analysis in China have not been investigated in people from high-altitude areas, which may potentially cause confusion regarding disease diagnosis and treatment of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen from high-altitude areas. Therefore, it is necessary to establish blood cell analysis RIs that are suitable for people in high-altitude areas. Methods: In total, 1145 healthy Tibetan farmers and herdsmen were recruited who have lived at an altitude from 4100 to 5280 m in Kangma, Tibet, for a long time. The C28-A3 guideline from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute was used to establish the RIs for hemoglobin (HGB) concentrations and red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), and platelet (PLT) counts from the blood results of Tibetan participants. Results: There were significant gender differences in blood cell RIs for Tibetan farmers and herdsmen who lived above 4100 m above sea level in Kangma, Tibet. Compared with currently used RIs in China, RIs for HGB concentrations and RBCs in Kangma were significantly higher, whereas WBCs were similar and PLT count was lower. Conclusions: The currently used RIs in China may not be applicable to adult Tibetan farmers and herdsmen above 4100 m in Tibet. The newly obtained RIs can supplement the currently used RIs.

Major dietary patterns and their relationship to obesity among urbanized adult Tibetan pastoralists.

This study investigated major dietary patterns and their relationship to obesity among urbanized Tibetan pastoralists. Using a cross-sectional design, this study assessed 782 urbanized Tibetan pastoralists aged 18-84 y. A food frequency questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were conducted in 2018. Principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Logistic regression was applied to compare the risks for overweight (BMI >=24 kg/m2), obesity (BMI >=28 kg/m2), and central obesity (waist circumference >=80 cm for women and >=85 cm for men) across quintiles of dietary pattern scores after controlling for gender, age, education, medical insurance, smoking status, alcohol consumption and physical activity. This study identified three major dietary patterns: an urban pattern characterized by high intake of vegetables, tubers/roots, and refined carbohydrates; a western pattern characterized by sugary drinks, snacks, and desserts; and a pastoral pattern characterized by tsamba (roasted Tibetan barley), Tibetan cheese, and buttered/milk tea. Subjects in the highest quintile of urban pattern scores were more likely to be overweight (OR=2.58, 95% CI 1.48-4.49) (p-for-trend=0.001), obese (2.94, 1.57-5.49) (p-for-trend=0.001), and centrally obese (1.94, 1.12-3.36) (p-for-trend=0.019) compared to those in the lowest quintile with confounders controlled. The western dietary pattern was positively associated with overweight (p-for-trend=0.037). No clear association was observed for the pastoral dietary pattern. Urban and western dietary patterns independently predict the likelihood of being overweight. Improved nutrition education may contribute to healthier eating behaviors, thus reducing or preventing obesity.

Social connectivity among female Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) increases the speed of collective movements.

Social network analysis provides insights into patterns of group movements in primates, but fewer studies to date have focused on the dynamics of how such movements occur. In this study, we proposed and tested two hypotheses about the influence of sex on social connectivity and group movement in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana): (1) adult females are socially more connected than are adult males and (2) social connectivity facilitates the speed of collective decision-making. We collected data from 128 successful collective movements (≥ 2 individuals followed an initiator within 5min) over a 2-month period in a group of adult Tibetan macaques at Mt. Huangshan, China. Although high-ranking individuals of both sexes in our dataset were more central in their social network than were low-ranking individuals, our results show that affiliations between females were stronger, with more preferred associations than those between males. Groups with more females reached collective decisions faster than groups with fewer females. We conclude that female Tibetan macaques use their social networks to enhance the speed of collective decision-making, which may have associated fitness benefits.

Effect of religion on hypertension in adult Buddhists and residents in China: A cross-sectional study

Correlation between religion and hypertension is worth investigating since they both influence many people. Compared to studies which quantify religion with indicators representing only restricted dimensions of religion, researches assessing religion as an integral is preferable while lacking. Moreover, religious behaviors have great potential to be generalized if they are proved to be mediator through which religion exerts effect. However, relevant evidence is limited. Therefore, this cross-sectional study recruited 1384 adult Tibetan Buddhists from two Buddhist institutes in the Sichuan Province of China, and enrolled 798 adult Tibetan residents from nearby villages/towns. Each participant received a questionnaire, physical examination, and blood biochemistry tests. Buddhist effect on hypertension was investigated. The effects of uniquely Buddhist behaviors on hypertension were analyzed. The hypertensive risk of the Tibetan Buddhists is significantly decreased by 38% than Tibetan residents. As a Buddhist behavior, vegetarian diet highly approximates to be protective for Tibetan hypertension. As another Buddhist behavior, longer Buddhist activity participation time is associated with decreased prevalence of hypertension as well as lower blood pressure (BP) by analyzing subgroup of 570 Buddhists. Therefore, the protective role of religion on hypertension is suggested, and the religious behaviors are mediators which may be applied to general population.

Correlation of 99Tcm-MIBI gated myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging and two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging in swine model of myocardial infarction

Objective To evaluate the value of speckle tracking imaging(STI) by investigating the correlation and consistency between two-dimensional STI and 99Tcm-MIBI G-MPI in the assessment of myocardial injury and myocardial infarction (MI) of swine model. Methods Eight healthy and same-age adult female Tibetan swine were used to establish animal models of MI induced by open-chest ligation of the first diagonal branch of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The swine underwent ultrasonic cardiogram and G-MPI before and at 6, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the operation. The myocardial perfusion was evaluated. Ultrasonic sectional graphs were collected to analyze ultrasonic short-axis horizontal peak values of systolic radial strain (SR) and systolic circumferential strain (SC) and local myocardial rotation angle (Rot) of different segments of the left ventricle with off-line STI. Left ventricular (LV) EDV, LVESV, LVEF by G-MPI and ultrasonography were compared. Pearson correlation analysis and repeated measures analysis of variance were used. Results Six models were successfully constructed. Six hours after the coronary artery ligation, the G-MPI showed no significant or very few perfusion defects; 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the ligation, G-MPI showed sparseness and defects at the anterior septum, anterior and lateral wall of apical segment of apical segment. The peak strain values of SR, SC and Rot at the anterior septal apical segment, the anterior and lateral wall of apical segment decreased at different time points after the ligation. Six hours after the coronary artery ligation, the STI was positive. For healthy swine, the LVEF measured with G-MPI and ultrasonic STI showed good correlation ((68±3)% vs (70±4)%, r=0.84, P<0.05). The LVEF values of G-MPI and ultrasonic STI at 6, 24, 48, 72, 96 h after the ligation were (79±1)%, (80±4)%, (58±2)%, (54±4)%, (57±4)%, and(76±2)%, (76±3)%, (57±3)%, (55±3)%, (68±6)% (r: 0.40-0.76, all P<0.05). LVEDV and LVESV measured by the two methods showed variation trends at different time points (F=64.104, 30.069, 35.186, 54.903, all P<0.01) with good consistency after the ligation. Conclusions Ultrasonic STI could estimate the myocardial injury at an earlier stage and measure the severity of damaged myocardium quantitatively, and the resluts are in good agreement with myocardial perfusion and function by G-MPI. Key words: Myocardial infarction; Tomography, emission-computed, single-photon; Ultrasonography; Swine; MIBI

Behaviors that predict personality components in adult free-ranging Tibetan macaques Macaca thibetana

Abstract To further the potential for applied personality studies, we present a methodology for assessing personality in nonhuman animals without a priori assumptions, using behavioral measures to discriminate personality survey results. Our study group consisted of 12 free-ranging, provisioned, adult Tibetan macaques Macaca thibetana at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys, China. We asked familiar Chinese park guards and scientists to rate each of the 12 macaques using 27-item personality surveys. We also recorded behavioral observations (&amp;gt; 100 hrs) from August–September, 2012. The personality surveys showed reliability in 22 of the items that were then utilized in a principal component analysis that revealed five components: Insecurity, Reactivity, Boldness, Sociability, and Leadership. Prior personality research on Macaca show comparable components. In order to determine which behaviors would best predict those five personality components, we conducted discriminant analyses using behavioral measures as predictors. We found that behavioral measures of avoidance, lunging, fear-grinning, self-directed behaviors, touching, proximity and chasing could significantly predict personality component scores in certain situations. Finally, we analyzed the effects of situation (provisioning and tourists) and found situation influenced proximity and rates of avoidance and self-directed behaviors. Wider implementation of this methodology may permit long-term analysis of personality using behavioral proxies for established personality traits, in particular on research investigating the effects of tourism and provisioning on personality.

Clinical features of Kashin–Beck disease in adults younger than 50 years of age during a low incidence period: severe elbow and knee lesions

More than one million people are affected by Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) in a limited endemic area. However, few studies focused on the clinical features of adult KBD patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of adult KBD patients who were younger than 50 years of age during a low incidence period. A special questionnaire was designed that surveyed general data, clinical symptoms, and signs and included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Anthropometrics, the joint VAS, the range of joint motion (ROM), and joint function were measured. The VAS and joint dysfunction were compared among the different joints of extremities, and the relationship among the VAS, ROM, age, course of KBD, and number of enlarged knee and elbow joints elbow was analyzed. Two hundred forty-nine adult Tibetan KBD patients, matched with 249 healthy control subjects, have been surveyed. The VAS results show that the knee is the joint associated with the most pain, followed by the elbow. The elbow shows a higher percentage of limited ROM (47.0 %). The number of enlarged joints has a significant correlation with the VAS or elbow and knee ROM compared with the age or course of disease (P < 0.05). Severe elbow and knee lesions are important clinical features of KBD in adults younger than 50 years of age during a low incidence period. The number of enlarged joints can partially predict the VAS or ROM of elbow and knee and may be used for evaluating the patient's condition and function.

A Comparative Analysis of Arterial Oxygen Saturation among Tibetans And Han Born And Raised at High Altitude

This study compares resting arterial oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (Sp(O2)) among 818 Tibetans and 668 Han who were born and raised at altitudes between 3200 and 4300 m in Qinghai Province, Western China. Both Tibetans and Han show an increase in Sp(O2) values between the ages of 5 and 19 yr, and both groups show a decline after the third decade. However, mean, age-adjusted Sp(O2) values at rest do not differ significantly among growing Tibetans and Han aged 5 through 19 yr or among Tibetans and Han aged 20 through 51 yr. Therefore, the results of this study do not support the hypothesis that indigenous groups possess a superior arterial saturation while awake and at rest compared to lowlanders who have been born and raised at high altitude. Differences between adult Tibetan males and females approach statistical significance (females show higher values than males), while differences between adult Han males and females are not statistically significant. A review of the literature indicates that substantial interstudy variation exists in resting Sp(O2) values among Tibetans residing at high altitudes (between 2% and 4%, depending on the age of individuals measured) and may reflect differences in sample size, health of participants, instruments, probe location, and measurement protocols.

Moral Reasoning in a Karmic World

Based on an analysis of Buddhist philosophy and supported by data from interviews with adolescent and young adult Tibetan Buddhist monks, the claim is made that Western moral reasoning theories are inadequate to account for moral reasoning in Buddhist cultures. At present, moral development research explores morality only at the empirical and normative levels, avoiding metaethical issues such as the nature of phenomenal existence. Any discussion of morality, it is argued, is dependent upon the world in which one is to be moral.