Village poultry consumption and marketing in relation to gender,religious festivals and market access

This study aimed to examine village poultry consumption and marketing in Ethiopia in relation to gender, socio-cultural events and market access. The main objects of the research were producers, poultry markets, producer-sellers, and intermediary sellers in three locations representing different levels of market access in Tigray. About 3000 farm records were collected over a period of 12 months from 131 producers to obtain quantitative data on sales and consumption. Ninety-three semi-structured interviews with 58 producer-sellers and 35 intermediaries and 12 group discussions with these market actors were conducted to explore organization, price dynamics and socio-cultural aspects of poultry marketing. In total, 928 producer-sellers and 225 intermediaries were monitored monthly to examine participation by gender in poultry marketing. Better market access was associated with a shorter market chain and higher prices for the producers. Female-headed households had smaller poultry sales and consumption per household but sale and consumption per family member were 25% and 66% higher, respectively, than in male-headed households. While women dominated in the producer-sellers group, intermediaries were mainly men. Religious festivals periodically shifted local demand and prices of poultry. To improve the benefit of poultry keeping, poverty-stricken households may profit from better market access through better market information, infrastructure, market group formation and careful planning to match the dynamics in demand.     

血小板源性生长因子(PDGF-BB)促进山羊骨髓间充质干细胞向平滑肌细胞分化

将血小板源性生长因子(PDGF-BB)作用于骨髓间充质细胞,分别于5、7d后用抗α平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)单克隆抗体进行免疫组化分析,定量RT-PCR检测α-SMA mRNA的表达,透射电镜观察细胞超微结构。免疫组化结果显示,PDGF-BB诱导组表达α-SMA的细胞数约为95%,而对照组表达α-SMA的细胞数约为5%。免疫组化图象分析结果显示,5、7d PDGF-BB诱导组抗α-SMA着色平均灰度值小于对照组。RT-PCR结果显示,PDGF-BB诱导组有α-SMA mRNA表达,而对照组则没有。透射电镜显示,骨髓间充质细胞经过诱导后细胞浆内出现肌丝样结构。结果表明,PDGF-BB可以促进骨髓间充质干细胞向平滑肌细胞分化。     

Effect of herbicides with different modes of action on physiological and cellular traits of Anabaena fertilissima

Cyanobacteria are important components of the lowland rice ecosystem. Therefore, it is important to examine the effect of herbicides (commonly used against weeds of rice crop) on the performance of cyanobacteria. We studied the toxic effects of three herbicides often used in rice field, viz. propanil, pretilachlor and glyphosate, on the performance traits of Anabaena fertilissima C.B. Rao. Pretilachlor [0–40 active ingredient (ai) mg/L] and glyphosate (0–80 ai mg/L) exhibited toxicity to A. fertilissima at higher doses than propanil (0–1.5 mg/L). Propanil had severe damaging effects on cellular characteristics of A. fertilissima when compared to pretilachlor or glyphosate. Propanil treatment of A. fertilissima resulted in the leakage of protoplast from the heterocyst due to the breakage of the plasma membrane and surrounding wall. Our study shows that photosystem II herbicides such as propanil could have deleterious effects on phototrophic (cyanobacterial) communities, which are an integral part of the rice ecosystem.     

Ethnoveterinary health management practices using medicinal plants in South Asia – a review

Animal rearing is the major occupation of most population of South Asian countries. Due to lack of resources and limited approach to modern medicine, most of the livestock raisers prefer to use plant-based traditional medicine also referred to as ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM). Indeed, the use of medicinal plants in South Asia dates back to several centuries with documented evidences. However, there is currently a dearth of documentation and compilation of use of medicinal plants for animal diseases in this part of the world. This review aims to provide an up-to-date compilation of common medicinal plants used for the treatment and/or management of common animal diseases in South Asian countries. Extensive literature search was conducted online and relevant data was retrieved from well-known scientific databases. A total of 276 plants belonging to 95 families have been documented to be in common use for managing 14 different categories of animal diseases. Solanaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Leguminosae were most common plant families in terms of their plant species used for EVM. Gastric diseases were commonly reported and accounted for 72 species of plants used for its treatment followed by the miscellaneous disorders category and skin diseases comprising of 65 and 39 plant species respectively. Herbs accounted for 46% of the total plant species, followed by trees (33%), and shrubs (18%). The EVM were applied through different routes of administration; oral administration accounted for 72% followed by topical application 27%, while burning of plant parts to create smoke around animals to repel insects was less common (1%). It is anticipated that the present review will stimulate further ethnoveterinary research among livestock disease management practices in South Asia.     

日粮添加酵母硒对蛋鸡血清生化指标的影响

本试验在蛋鸡日粮中添加不同浓度的酵母硒,测定蛋鸡血清生化指标,旨在探究酵母硒对蛋鸡肝脏功能的影响。结果表明:日粮添加酵母硒对蛋鸡血清谷草转氨酶(Aspartate aminotransferase,AST)、谷丙转氨酶(Alanine aminotransferase,ALT)、总胆红素(Total bilirubin,TBIL)无显著影响;日粮添加酵母硒显著降低了血清总胆固醇(Total cholesterol,TC)含量,其中0.80 mg/kg的酵母硒效果最好,第28天比对照组下降了38.06%。认为日粮添加酵母硒没有对蛋鸡肝脏功能产生不良影响,且有保护心血管的作用。     

哺乳动物卵母细胞发育机理的研究进展

卵母细胞的成熟过程是一个复杂的减数分裂过程，许多分子参与了这个过程的调控，本文就卵母细胞成熟抑制因子（OMI）、成熟促进因子（MPF）、生长分化因子（GDF）、微管辅助蛋白（MAP）、激素、Ca^2 及钙调素等对卵母细胞发育调控机理作一综述。     

山黧豆低毒品种的筛选及栽培利用技术研究

对国内外引进的６５个山黧豆品种，经３年观察和农艺性状的测定以及β－草酰氨基丙酸（ＢＯＡＡ）、营养成分的分析，筛选出产量，蛋白质含量高，毒素含量低，经毒理学实验为安全饲用的黑龙江山黧豆－１，黑龙江山黧豆－２，西德山黧豆３个品种供生产中应用，还针对山黧豆作为饲草（料）推广应用中的播种量，磷肥施用量，压青及根茬肥效等栽培利用措施进行了探讨。     

Effect of FMD vaccination on semen quality parameters in Karan Fries and Murrah buffalo bulls

Effect of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) vaccination was studied on semen quality parameters of 19 Karan Fries (KF) and eight Murrah (MU) breeding bulls during the period 2002 to 2004 at Artificial Breeding Complex, NDRI, Karnal. A total of non-vaccinated 155 KF and 72 MU bulls' ejaculates were taken as control, while 169 KF and 51 MU bulls' ejaculates, collected after vaccination, were used to study the effect of vaccination stress. The results showed that FMD vaccination had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on ejaculate volume and total volume per day of semen in both KF and MU bulls. Volume of semen increased slightly during post-vaccination period in both the breeds. After FMD vaccination, there was significant (P < 0.01) decrease in mass activity (2.27 ± 0.06 vs. 1.67 ± 0.07 and 2.49 ± 0.09. vs. 1.75 ± 0.10, for KF and MU, respectively), initial motility (56.89 ± 0.03% vs. 44.62 ± 0.02% and 62.26 ± 0.04% vs. 47.08 ± 0.05%, for KF and MU, respectively), sperm concentration (754.19 ± 23.96 vs. 554.14 ± 22.95 × 10⁶/ml and 848.61 ± 33.65 vs. 571.57 ± 39.99 × 10⁶/ml, for KF and MU, respectively), and total sperm output per ejaculate (3,685.94 ± 158.40 vs. 2,781.54 ± 151.70 × 10⁶ and 2,218.75 ± 133.14 vs. 1,582.84 ± 158.20 × 10⁶, for KF and MU, respectively). Application of FMD vaccine had significantly (P < 0.05) adverse effect on most of the seminal attributes during post-vaccination in KF and MU buffalo bulls. So, the spermiograms affected following vaccination suggest that in bovines, the semen collection and preservation should be suspended till normal fertility of sperm is restored to avoid the failure of conception from artificial insemination using such semen.     

Plasma pharmacokinetics and milk levels of ceftriaxone following single intravenous administration in healthy and endometritic cows

Pharmacokinetics and milk levels of ceftriaxone were studied in healthy and endometritic cows following single intravenous administration. The drug was detected up to 8 h of dosing in plasma of healthy and endometritic cows and the drug disposition followed three-compartment open model. The values of Vd_area, AUC, t_1/2β, Cl_B, MRT and P/C ratio were 0.50 ± 0.19 L.kg⁻¹, 62.2 ± 23.3 μg.ml⁻¹.h, 1.02 ± 0.07 h, 0.30 ± 0.09 L.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹, 1.55 ± 0.25 h and 0.52 ± 0.27, respectively, in healthy and 1.55 ± 0.52 L.kg⁻¹, 37.0 ± 17.1 μg.ml⁻¹.h, 1.56 ± 0.25 h, 0.56 ± 0.14 L.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹, 2.14 ± 0.34 h and 1.44 ± 0.60, respectively, in endometritic cows. The drug was detected in milk for 36 h after administration. For MIC₉₀ of 0.5 μg.ml⁻¹ the most appropriate dosage for ceftriaxone, would be 9.0 mg.kg⁻¹ repeated at 6 h intervals for the treatment of endometritis in cows.