Synergistic effects of Miconazole and Polymyxin B on microbial pathogens

The therapeutic value of antibiotics depends on the susceptibility of the infecting microorganism and the pharmacological profile of the drugs. To assess the value of an antibiotic combination of polymyxin B and miconazole this study examined the in vitro synergistic potential of the two drugs on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. Antifungal and antibacterial activity was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of broth macrodilution and urea broth microdilution, by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Synergism was calculated using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi). With Staphylococcus intermedius as target we found up to an eightfold reduction of the individual MICs when both drugs were combined. However, the FICi was 0.63 suggesting no real interaction between the two drugs. With Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Malassezia pachydermatis as targets the antimicrobial drug combination reduced the MICs of polymyxin B and miconazole from fourfold to hundredfold resulting in FICi between 0.06 and 0.5 which defines a synergistic action. Thus, if polymyxin B and miconazole are combined their effect is greater than the sum of the effects observed with polymyxin B and miconazole independently, revealing bactericidal and fungicidal synergism. Our results indicate a strong therapeutic value for the combination of these antimicrobial agents against Gram-negative bacteria and yeast and a weaker value against Gram positive bacteria for clinical situations where these pathogens are involved.     

聚醚类抗生素——腐霉素发酵条件的研究

由吸水链霉菌 （Ｓｔｒｅｐｔｏｍ ｙｃｅｓｈｙｇｒｏｓｃｏｐｉｃｕｓ）ＨＳ－ ８６诱变获得的一株突变株Ｕ－５８,通过设计的多因子试验,确定了培养该菌株的最佳碳、氮源比,诸因子中影响最大的是淀粉,其次是蛋白胨、酵母粉。原材料对比试验中,淀粉以玉米淀粉最佳。锰离子对腐霉素产量的提高有显著的促进作用。在２．５ｔ发酵罐中通气培养９６～１２０ｈ,效价达到４ ０００μｇ／ｍ ｌ以上。     

沼液浸种对黑麦草种子发芽的影响

为了研究沼液浸种对黑麦草种子发芽的影响,设置4个浓度沼液分别浸泡黑麦草种子,分析种子各项发芽指标的变化。结果表明:各处理均能正常发芽,黑麦草种子的发芽率和发芽势等4项发芽指标均随着浸种沼液浓度的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,以75%沼液浓度浸种效果最优,但沼液浸种对发芽率和发芽势的影响要高于苗高和根长。综合分析认为利用沼液浸泡黑麦草种子是提高其生产性能的有力措施,适宜在生产中推广利用。     

Limited awareness of animal influenza prevention and control among Dai Lue smallholder farmers in Southwest China

Awareness of animal influenza and its prevention and control is important for ensuring livestock health, production and welfare. In China, a country stereotyped as a major source of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, research on the public understanding of animal influenza is limited to the Han, the main ethnic group. The present qualitative study in Southwest China investigated awareness of animal influenza among the Dai, an ethnic minority. The participants (15 men and 10 women, ages 18–83) were smallholder farmers of pigs and poultry in rural areas of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. A mixture of interviews and group discussions took place in homes and villages. The participants were asked about their knowledge of avian influenza (H7N9), swine influenza (H1N1), precautions taken to protect against influenza, procedures when animals were sick and perceived risk of animal influenza. The data were analysed following coding and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated a limited understanding of animal health and welfare among participants. Specifically, they were largely unaware of animal influenza (H7N9, H1N1) including its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The farmers were also uninformed of the risks they faced and unknowingly engaged in behaviours which increased direct or indirect exposure to infected animals, a risk factor for human infection. They also reported poor usage of veterinary services. In order to guarantee the health, welfare and production of their livestock, immediate action is needed to enable Dai smallholder farmers to prevent and respond to animal influenza effectively and timely.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinococcus granulosus</Emphasis>: Immunoprotection accompanyied by humoral and cytokine response against secondary hydatidosis in mice immunized with r<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eg.</Emphasis>myophilin

Objects:  

This study aimed to investigate the immunoprotection of the recombinant Eg.myophilin (rEg.myophilin) and tentatively analyze mechanism of this protection.     

Veterinary aspects of ecological monitoring: the natural history of emerging infectious diseases of humans,domestic animals and wildlife

Proliferation of disease pathogens capable of affecting humans, domestic livestock and wildlife increasingly threatens environmental security and biodiversity. Livestock and wild animals in proximity to human beings are often in the chain of transmission and infection. Globalization of industrial livestock production (especially poultry upon which so much of the burgeoning human population depends) often permits transcontinental disease spread. Rapidly expanding (and often illegal) international trade in wild and domestic animals and their products are increasingly involved in the emergence of new diseases that may have the ability to transmit among humans, livestock and wildlife. Rapidly increasing urbanization has led in many places to overcrowded townships that rely on “bushmeat” for sustenance and has contributed to the emergence of virulent zoonotic pathogens. The emergence and proliferation of pathogens are exacerbated by anthropogenic transformation of natural landscapes in order to increase agricultural and livestock production. This paper posits that data gathered by veterinary ecologists should be interpreted and used by other disciplines. The importance of a thorough knowledge of the “natural history” (ecology) of the disease agent and its human, domestic and wild hosts is stressed.     

短期禁牧对天山北坡蒿类荒漠群落特征及其稳定性的影响

本研究以天山北坡蒿类荒漠为研究对象,采用野外调查取样的方法,探讨不同区域荒漠围栏内外群落特征和物种多样性对禁牧的响应规律,分析禁牧对生态系统稳定性的影响。结果表明,1)禁牧能改变荒漠植被功能群结构,禁牧后不同生态经济类群群落盖度和生物量分别上升40.2%~57.0%和44.4%~81.0%;2)荒漠群落物种多样性指数对短期禁牧的响应较小,但从区域上看,玛纳斯荒漠放牧区Patrick丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数比博乐和奇台显著高16.7%~20.0%,而禁牧区Simpson优势度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数高了8.6%~17.7%;3)短期禁牧有利于荒漠群落稳定性的维持,且稳定性可能与禁牧年限和生态环境的变化均有一定的关系。因此,短期禁牧能显著提高荒漠草地生产力,有利于群落物种多样性和群落稳定性的维持。     

Experimental studies with foot-and-mouth disease virus type Asia-1, responsible for the 2005 epidemic in China

This study was carried out to investigate the biological characteristics of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus strain Asia-1 China/2005, which is responsible for the 2005 epidemic in China. The result showed that this strain is not host restricted, and could not only cause FMD in cattle and sheep but also in pigs by either inoculation or direct contact.     

Socio-economic factors influencing control of vector-borne diseases in the pastoralist system of south western Uganda

Research in control of tick-borne diseases and trypanosomosis, and their vectors, namely, ticks and tsetse flies respectively, has been on going for decades. However, very little attention has been paid to the socio-economic factors that are likely to influence the outcome of the interventions in the control of these diseases. Thus, this study was designed to investigate these factors, mainly the intra-household factors influencing decision-making in the control of Vector-borne diseases in the pastoralist areas of Uganda. These factors included: indigenous technical knowledge, household economic factors, and gender. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the collection and analysis of data. The tools used for data collection included among others, participatory learning and action (PLA), and Case studies. The findings included the following: In pastoralist households, a big proportion of the household budget was allocated to vector-borne diseases control. In the male-headed households, men dominated decision-making on vector-borne diseases control, although the goals and priorities of men and women in these households were not the same. Also, vector-borne disease control was predominantly by use of modern veterinary drugs, and pastoralists treated sick cattle by themselves even in situations where there were veterinary personnel.     

从动物毛中提取DNA研究初探

利用蛋白酶Ｋ分解毛发蛋白，并使用酚和氧仿除去蛋白质杂质方法提取毛中ＤＮＡ。结果测量获得的数据和曲线表明：动物脱落毛发以及从保存多年标本获得的毛发均可用来提取到具有一定纯度和数量的ＤＮＡ，完全可以满足聚合酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）所需。