ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY IN WATERSHEDS: FROM LAND TO WATER IN THE QINGHAI LAKE BASIN

We examined the influences of grassland status (as indexed by normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) on carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations and stoichiometry, nutrient limitation, as well as microbial community structure in soil, stream, and/or lake ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake watershed, where grassland is the dominant landcover and more than half of the grassland is degraded. Chapter 2 showed that grassland degradation decreased C and N concentrations as well as C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios in soil. Moreover, grassland degradation decreased C, N, and P concentrations and influenced C:N and N:P ratios in soil microbial biomass. Soil microorganisms exhibited strong homeostatic behavior while variations of microbial biomass C:N and N:P ratios suggest changes in microbial activities and community structure. The soil became relatively more P rich and thus N limitation is anticipated to be more apparent with grassland degradation. Chapter 3 provided a picture of potentially differential influences of grassland degradation on DOC, TN, and TP in streamwater. The imbalances of C:N:P stoichiometry between streamwater and biofilms and the non-isometric relationships between biofilm C and P suggest that stream biofilms might be limited by P and sensitive to P variation. Chapter 4 indicated that grassland degradation has the potential to differentially influence the nutrients delivered to streams with substantial increases in P but decreases in N and N:P, alleviating P limitation of stream periphyton and, ultimately, stimulating P-limited phytoplankton growth in the lake. Chapter 5 revealed that grassland degradation shifted bacterial diversity and communities in soil, likely by changing soil moisture, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Chapter 6 showed that the variation of bacterial communities in stream biofilms was closely associated with rate of change in NDVI, pH, conductivity, as well as C, N, P contents and C:N ratio in biofilms per se. Alpha diversity was positively correlated with C, N, and P in biofilms. Abundant subcommunities of microbes were more strongly associated with environmental variables. Overall, my dissertation revealed strong impacts of grassland degradation on several aspects of nutrient dynamics and limitation as well as on microbial communities in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake watershed

Schisandra chinensis polysaccharides attenuate the growth of tuberculosis bacilli in rats via immunity enhancement

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Schisandrachinensis polysaccharides (SCPP11) on the growth of tuberculosis (TB) bacilli in a rat model.Methods: Tuberculosis (TB) was induced by administration of colonies of tubercle bacilli via the inhalation route. SCPP11 was administered at separate doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg to different rat groups, p.o., for 4 weeks. Untreated rats served as TB control. At the end of treatment, assessments were made on the effect of SCPP11 on colony forming unit (CFU), cytokine levels, and population of immune cells present in lung tissue homogenates of the TB-infected rats.Results: The CFU of TB bacilli was significantly reduced in the lung tissues of SCPP11-treated group, when compared to untreated TB control group. Moreover, SCPP11 attenuated lung tissue levels of inflammatory cytokines, and significantly enhanced immunity, relative to the TB control group.Conclusion: These results indicate that SCPP11 ameliorates TB by suppressing the growth of tuberculosis bacilli.Keywords: Schisandra chinensis, Polysaccharides, Immune cells, Tuberculosis bacilli, Cytokine

Coordinating a multi-retailer decentralized distribution system with random demand based on buyback and compensation contracts

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to set up the coordinating mechanism for a decentralized distribution system consisting of a manufacturer and multiple independent retailers by means of contracts. It is in the two-stage supply chain system that all retailers sell an identical product made by the manufacturer and determine their order quantities which directly affect the expected profit of the supply chain with random demand. Design/methodology/approach: First comparison of the optimal order quantities in the centralized and decentralized system shows that the supply chain needs coordination. Then the coordination model is given based on buyback cost and compensation benefit. Finally the coordination mechanism is set up in which the manufacturer as the leader uses a buyback policy to incentive these retailers and the retailers pay profit returns to compensate the manufacturer. Findings: The results of a numerical example show that the perfect supply chain coordination and the flexible allocation of the profit can be achieved in the multi-retailer supply chain by the buyback and compensation contracts. Research limitations: The results based on assumptions might not completely hold in practice and the paper only focuses on studying a single product in two-stage supply chain Practical implications: The coordination mechanism is applicable to a realistic supply chain under a private information setting and the research results is the foundation of further developing the coordination mechanism for a realistic multi-stage supply chain system with more products. Originality/value: This paper focused on studying the coordination mechanism for a decentralized multi-retailer supply chain by the joint application of the buyback and compensation contracts. Furthermore the perfect supply chain coordination and the flexible allocation of the profit are achieved.Peer Reviewe

Coordinating a multi-retailer decentralized distribution system with random demand based on buyback and compensation contracts

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to set up the coordinating mechanism for a decentralized distribution system consisting of a manufacturer and multiple independent retailers by means of contracts. It is in the two-stage supply chain system that all retailers sell an identical product made by the manufacturer and determine their order quantities which directly affect the expected profit of the supply chain with random demand. Design/methodology/approach: First comparison of the optimal order quantities in the centralized and decentralized system shows that the supply chain needs coordination. Then the coordination model is given based on buyback cost and compensation benefit. Finally the coordination mechanism is set up in which the manufacturer as the leader uses a buyback policy to incentive these retailers and the retailers pay profit returns to compensate the manufacturer. Findings: The results of a numerical example show that the perfect supply chain coordination and the flexible allocation of the profit can be achieved in the multi-retailer supply chain by the buyback and compensation contracts. Research limitations: The results based on assumptions might not completely hold in practice and the paper only focuses on studying a single product in two-stage supply chain Practical implications: The coordination mechanism is applicable to a realistic supply chain under a private information setting and the research results is the foundation of further developing the coordination mechanism for a realistic multi-stage supply chain system with more products. Originality/value: This paper focused on studying the coordination mechanism for a decentralized multi-retailer supply chain by the joint application of the buyback and compensation contracts. Furthermore the perfect supply chain coordination and the flexible allocation of the profit are achieved.Peer Reviewe