宁夏云雾山草原甲虫群落组成与多样性

2013年6月到9月,采用巴氏罐诱法与扫网相结合的方法对云雾山国家级自然保护区内核心区草地、核心区树林、柠条地、缓冲区草地、试验区草地共5个不同样地地表甲虫群落组成和多样性进行了调查。本次调查共获得标本23科95种,总个体数为8 841头,其中步甲科标本4 762头,数量最多,占53.86%;花金龟科次之,占19.32%;拟步甲科、金龟科、埋葬甲科的数量也相对较多,这5个科构成云雾山保护区的优势类群。在5个样地中,核心区林地的Shannon Wiener多样性指数和丰富度指数都为最高,分别为2.28和7.55。核心区草地优势度指数和物种丰富度最低,柠条地的Shannon Wiener多样性指数和均匀度指数都为最小。各样地的均匀度指数无显著性差异（P＞0.05）。相似性分析显示,试验区与缓冲区之间相似性系数为0.514 7,为中等相似水平。其他样地两两之间相似性系数都介于0.25~0.5,为中等不相似水平。     

A pilot investigation into the opinions and beliefs of Australian,British, and Irish jockeys

Despite its likely role in the treatment of racehorses and their likelihood of being whipped when tired, the opinions and beliefs of jockeys surrounding whip use have not been explored under a scientific framework. We administered a questionnaire directly to jockeys in Australia (n = 806), Ireland (n = 178), and the United Kingdom (n = 265). This questionnaire included questions such as whether jockeys saw whip use as essential to get the best possible finishing position and to promote racing performance and, if so, how they had arrived at that view. There were also questions related to information on horses’ responses to the whip and the most common causes of horses’ failing to respond favorably to the whip. Other questions included were whether jockeys feel under pressure to whip more than they would really like to and, if so, the main source of that pressure. It also enquired about jockeys’ opinions on the current Rules of Racing for their home country and on racing in other countries where the rules about whip use differ from their own. Finally, it explored how jockeys perceive the ways in which dogs, horses, and humans feel noxious stimuli. There was evidence that, despite being invited to contribute to the design of the survey, the Australian Jockeys’ Association had advised their membership not to participate. The low numbers of respondents (n = 24) mean that we cannot claim that the sample is in any way representative of jockeys at large. That said, the current data are offered as some triggers for further research. For example, there was no disagreement with the suggestion that whip use is essential to get the best possible finishing position, but one-third of respondents also acknowledged that some horses move sideways dangerously in response to whip use. How these 2 apparently contradictory perspectives can sit together merits further investigation.     

Dung beetles, Onthophagus spp., as potential transport hosts of feline coccidia

Cockroaches and filth-flies have been known to be transport hosts of Toxoplasma gondii but the role of dung beetles as the carrier of coccidian oocysts is not known. We attempted to clarify the role of dung beetles (Onthophagus spp.) as the transport host of feline coccidia including Toxoplasma. Toxoplasma oocysts were found in the feces of the beetles until day 3 after the insects were exposed to cat feces mixed with the oocysts. Furthermore, oocysts on the body surface of beetles were not easily detached but remained infective for a prolonged period of time. Infective dung beetles may contaminate the water with infective oocysts passed in their feces when they dropped into the water. In the field survey feline coccidia, Isospora felis and I. rivolta, were detected in dung beetles collected from dog feces; they play an important role in the transmission of feline coccidian oocysts in the field.     

Effects of fire,bruchid beetles and soil type on germination and seedling establishment of Acacia drepanolobium

The effects of fire, bruchid seed beetles and soil type on the germination and seedling establishment of Acacia drepanolobium were experimentally investigated. Seeds subjected to three seed treatments (bruchid damaged, bruchid-free burnt, and bruchid-free unburned) were germinated in three different soil types (black cotton, red sandy, and clay loam soils). Undamaged seeds had significantly higher germination (85.3%) than either beetle damaged (20.6%), or burnt seeds (3.4%). Soil type did not influence germination or seedling survival. Burnt seeds had an average germination of 2% in clay loams and 5.4% in red sandy soils, while beetle damaged seeds had an average germination of 15.6% in clay loams and 28.7% in black cotton soils. Treatment effects on seedling mortality or survival were not significant but seedlings from undamaged seeds had higher survival rates than those damaged by bruchid beetles.     

Ethnoveterinary plant preparations as livestock dewormers: practices, popular beliefs, pitfalls and prospects for the future

Ethnomedicine is an integral part of traditional medical practices in many countries of the developing world. A large proportion of the population uses this form of treatment for primary health care and for the treatment of ailments in their livestock. Livestock is a major asset for resource-poor smallholder farmers and pastoralists throughout the world and internal parasites are recognized by these communities as having an impact on livestock health. Parasitic infections are among those infections that traditional healers confidently treat and against which an enormous variety of remedies exist. Many of these are based on the use of plant preparations. Although various methods have been used for the validation of traditional phytomedical preparations, there is a lack of standardization of these procedures. The present study is aimed at providing an overview of ethnoveterinary deworming preparations, the various methods that have been used in their validation and the future prospects for their use against helminth parasites of ruminant livestock in developing countries, with an emphasis on nematode parasites. Recommendations are made on the procedures that should be followed to conduct in vivo and in vitro assays. Fostering better interaction between traditional healers and scientists is advocated to prevent harmful overexploitation, both of local knowledge and of plant species that may have effects against nematode parasites.     

盐池四墩子人工柠条带—草地群落交错带地表甲虫多样性研究

研究了宁夏盐池四墩子人工柠条带边缘与柠条带内部和天然草地间地表甲虫多样性的差异,探讨边缘效应对地表甲虫群落的影响。调查共设9个重复样带,每个样带分别由边缘深入到柠条带内部和草地内部100 m,共设81个样点,利用巴氏罐诱法调查地表甲虫群落组成。共记录地表甲虫56种,隶属于13科,其中步甲科(17种)和拟步甲科(12种)种类最多,拟步甲科、步甲科、金龟科和鳃金龟科的个体数量,分别占总个体数量的41.78%,10.81%,10.54%和10.45%,共同构成研究区域地表甲虫的优势类群。甲虫的个体数量、多样性和均匀度从柠条带、边缘到天然草地逐渐降低,都达到了显著水平。边缘效应强度分析呈现边缘正效应(1.039 6＞1)。     

Postoperative pain and perioperative analgesic administration in dogs: practices, attitudes and beliefs of Queensland veterinarians

Objective The aim of this study was to describe the practices, attitudes and beliefs of Queensland veterinarians in relation to postoperative pain and perioperative analgesia in dogs. Methods One veterinarian from each of the 50 randomly selected Queensland veterinary practices was enrolled after selection by convenience sampling. Results The study response rate was 94.3%. Demeanour, vocalisation and heart rate were the most common postoperative pain assessment tools used, even though the most sensitive tools were considered to be demeanour, heart rate and respiratory rate. Only 20% of respondents used formalised pain scoring systems. Preoperative analgesic administration was always used by 72% of respondents. There was marked variability in the frequency with which analgesia was administered perioperatively for ovariohysterectomy. Only 24% of veterinarians discharged animals with ongoing analgesia even though 38% agreed that pain is still present 7 days postoperatively. Multimodal analgesia was used by 82% of respondents. Epidural and local anaesthetic analgesic techniques were not being utilised by any respondents. Conclusions These results indicate that management of postoperative pain in dogs in Queensland is frequently suboptimal and, at times, is not consistent with the veterinarian's attitudes and beliefs. Continuing education into analgesic use and pain evaluation may be effective in addressing this.     

甘肃苜蓿田芫菁的种类为害及防治

通过对甘肃苜蓿田芫菁为害调查表明,常见芫菁种类有中华豆芫菁、绿芫菁、苹斑芫菁、腋斑芫菁、豆芫菁、暗头芫菁6种。对其成虫形态特征进行了描述,并列出了检索表。讨论了苜蓿田芫菁的为害性,指出其不仅取食为害,而且因其尸体内含有的斑蝥素,含其尸体的苜蓿草及草产品也会对家畜健康造成危害;因此,干草中不能有有其尸体。最后提出了芫菁的取样调查和防治技术。     

Attributes, knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors relating to prevention of heartworm in dogs among members of a national hunting dog club

The Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA/CVM) has cited an increasing number of reports of failure of heartworm prophylaxis in dogs. Failures may be due to resistance of L(3)-L(4) stage Dirofilaria immitis to the macrocyclic lactone class of compounds used for prophylaxis, lack of compliance with and understanding of administration of prophylactics, individual differences in drug absorption or metabolism, or a combination of these factors. Using the latest scientific information, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) have developed guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of heartworm infection in dogs. This study summarizes the knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors relating to prevention of heartworm among members of a national hunting dog club, visitors to the club website, and attendees at club-sponsored events. These factors can have a direct effect on the success of heartworm prophylaxis. Results suggest that the dog owners lack confidence in the accuracy of the heartworm test to identify infection, the efficacy of products sold for prevention of heartworm, and the effectiveness of treatment to eliminate adult heartworms from infected dogs. Knowledge about when to begin heartworm preventive medication in a new puppy and the timing of heartworm tests was also lacking among a substantial number of respondents. In order to increase acceptance of prophylaxis and reduce the likelihood of a false conclusion of prophylactic failure, education of dog owners should focus on the need for an appropriately timed annual heartworm test and the importance of administering the last dose of monthly heartworm preventative after the last possible day of potential transmission.     

Knowledge,beliefs, and practices regarding tick bites in the Turkish population in a rural area of the Middle Anatolian Region

The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of a population living in a rural area in regards to tick bites and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The study was conducted in a rural area located in Central Anatolia in the region of Eskişehir. A total of 1,500 individuals aged 20 years and older chosen by a stratified random sample were enrolled. A questionnaire was administered in person. In 264 (17.4%) participants, there was a history of being bitten by a tick. This rate was higher in older persons, males, married persons, and farmers. The most commonly reported protective behavior was wearing long sleeves and long pants when wandering in rural areas (65.1% of participants). The least commonly reported behavior was using insect repellent on skin or clothes (3.3% of participants). Only 799 participants (54%) had heard about CCHF as a disease associated with ticks. Females, those with primary school education, housewives, and male farmers had a high frequency of having heard about CCHF. Tick bites and CCHF are important public health problems, yet the current knowledge of these problems is not sufficient in populations living in rural areas of the Middle Anatolian Region of Turkey.     

Absence of endothermy in flightless dung beetles from southern Africa

Body temperatures of the large, flightless dung beetle Circellium bacchus have been measured during walking, ball making and ball rolling, but were not significantly different from black bulb temperatures. Circellium is thus strictly ectothermic, unlike winged dung beetles, which are endothermic during terrestrial activity as well as in flight.     

Relationship of Campylobacter isolated from poultry and from darkling beetles in New Zealand

Campylobacter, a foodborne pathogen closely associated with poultry, is considered to be an important agent of human gastroenteritis in New Zealand. The pathways involved in the contamination of poultry flocks remain unclear; however, many vectors, such as insects, rodents, and wild birds, have been implicated. Infestation of poultry houses by insects, particularly darkling beetles (Alphitobius diaperinus), is difficult to control. Furthermore, darkling beetles are known vectors for a variety of pathogens that include Salmonella, infectious bursal disease virus, Aspergillus, Escherichia coli, and Marek's disease virus. In this investigation, the relationship between darkling beetles and Campylobacter contamination of poultry flocks was investigated. A New Zealand breeder flock and four of its progeny broiler flocks were included in the study. Samples of beetles and of intestinal excreta of the birds were cultured for the presence of Campylobacter spp. A subset of the recovered isolates was subsequently genotyped using flaA short variable region (SVR) DNA sequence analysis. A large number of Campylobacter subtypes were isolated, indicating that Campylobacter colonization of poultry is likely to arise from a number of different reservoirs. However, a set of genetically distinct isolates were found to be common to the broiler flocks and to the beetles. This research provides data that indicates that Alphitobius diaperinus may serve as a source of Campylobacter contamination of poultry. A more thorough understanding of the relationship between beetle infestation and the Campylobacter status of poultry flocks should enable progress in further development of biosecurity control measures.     

Equine anthelmintics: survey of the patterns of use, beliefs and attitudes among horse owners in the UK

An online survey was conducted to establish horse owners' beliefs, attitudes and practices relating to the use of anthelmintic drugs. Out of a total of 574 respondents, 89 per cent described themselves as 'leisure riders', most of whom took part in a variety of activities including eventing, show jumping, dressage, hunter trials, hunting, driving, endurance and showing. Overall, respondents were generally aware and concerned about the issue of anthelmintic resistance. Less than 60 per cent of all respondents were comfortable with their existing anthelmintic programme, and 25 per cent would like to reduce the use of anthelmintics in their horses. Of all the respondents, 47 per cent used livery, and 49 per cent of those reported that the livery imposed a common anthelmintic programme for horses kept on the premises; 45 per cent of these respondents were not entirely happy with the livery yard's programme. Less than 50 per cent of all respondents included 'veterinary surgeon' among their sources of advice on worming.     

Tail docking and beliefs about the practice in the Victorian dairy industry

OBJECTIVE: To determine the occurrence of tail docking and beliefs about the practice in the Victorian dairy industry. DESIGN: Survey responses were analysed using chi-square tests and by correlation and regression analyses to determine associations between husbandry practices and beliefs and to identify possible predictive variables in relation to docking. PROCEDURE: A survey of the occurrence of docking and beliefs about the practice was conducted in 1997 using face-to-face interviews of 313 respondents at 234 Victorian dairy farms. RESULTS: On average, 35% of dairy farms routinely docked cattle. The practice varied from 11 to 63% in different regions and 12% of stud farms docked their cows. Rubber rings were used on 75% of farms and the average age of the cow at docking was 18 months. Twenty-two percent of cows were docked at a level above the top of the udder and 54% were docked level with the top of the udder. Respondents that docked believed that milking was finished quicker, the risks of leptospirosis for the operator and mastitis for the cow were reduced, the cows were easier to handle, fly numbers were reduced and milk quality was improved. There was a general belief that intact tails could cause significant discomfort to the operator and that docking resulted in acute but not chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Docking is an entrenched practice in the Victorian dairy industry. Those farmers who docked generally believed that it was a highly desirable farming practice with particular benefits for the operator.     

Key beliefs underlying public feeding of free-roaming cats in Malaysia and management suggestions

Public feeding of free-roaming cats subsidizes their population growth, and has consequences in highly interconnected ecosystems including predation of native wildlife and alteration of their behavior and populations. Research is needed to explain, predict, and possibly curb public feeding. We conducted a theoretically informed analysis of key beliefs underlying intentions to feed free-roaming cats in Malaysia, offering new insights as well as management suggestions. Normative beliefs had the strongest associations with behavioral intentions. Management strategies should consider social influences from families and friends of those who feed free-roaming cats, especially cat owners and their significant others. Our results also suggest key behavioral beliefs regarding disadvantages of feeding free-roaming cats could be strengthened through education and other initiatives. The findings are particularly important for Malaysia, which is biodiversity-rich but has a large free-roaming cat population and a high incidence of public feeding.     

Plants as de-worming agents of livestock in the Nordic countries: historical perspective, popular beliefs and prospects for the future.

Preparations derived from plants were the original therapeutic interventions used by man to control diseases (including parasites), both within humans and livestock. Development of herbal products depended upon local botanical flora with the result that different remedies tended to develop in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, in some instances, the same or related plants were used over wide geographic regions, which also was the result of communication and/or the importation of plant material of high repute. Thus, the Nordic countries have an ancient, rich and diverse history of plant derived anthelmintic medications for human and animal use. Although some of the more commonly used herbal de-wormers were derived from imported plants, or their products, many are from endemic plants or those that thrive in the Scandinavian environment. With the advent of the modern chemotherapeutic era, and the discovery, development and marketing of a seemingly unlimited variety of highly efficacious, safe synthetic chemicals with very wide spectra of activities, herbal remedies virtually disappeared from the consciousness--at least in the Western world. This attitude is now rapidly changing. There is a widespread resurgence in natural product medication, driven by major threats posed by multi-resistant pest, or disease, organisms and the diminishing public perceptions that synthetic chemicals are the panacea to health and disease control. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive account of the depth of historical Nordic information available on herbal de-wormers, with emphasis on livestock and to provide some insights on potentially rewarding areas of "re-discovery" and scientific evaluation in this field.     

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of cantharidin, using a derivatization method in specimens from animals acutely poisoned by ingestion of blister beetles, Epicauta lemniscata

Experimental animals (rabbit, rat, goat, sheep, and pony) were given cantharidin or dried preparations of blister beetles (Epicauta lemniscata) to stimulate naturally occurring toxicosis in which beetles were ingested with alfalfa hay. A sensitive high-pressure liquid chromatographic method, involving derivatization of cantharidin with p-nitrobenzyloxyamine, was developed to detect the toxin extracts of ingesta, fluids, and tissues from these severely poisoned animals. Urine and ingesta from the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract, containing from 1 to 20 ppm of cantharidin, were the most satisfactory samples for diagnosing toxicosis. Beetle preparations also were assayed and found to contain widely varying amounts of cantharidin (0.89% to 5.40% of dry weight). Blood chemical analyses on sera and urine samples from the sheep and pony indicated renal dysfunction.